LeBron's Overrated Defense Exposed - 2017 NBA Finals

LeBron had a great offensive series, but also a very poor defensive series in the 2017 Finals. Most of it was Durant lighting up LeBron, but he also made mistakes when off of Durant. Once again, the notion that LeBron can effectively guard 4 or 5 positions was proven to be a myth, as he had far too many problems trying to guard his own position, let alone 4 or 5.

Durant, 2017 season
25-8-5 on 54/38/88

Durant, 2017 Rounds 1-3
25-8-4 on 56/42/87

Durant, 2017 Finals
35-8-5 on 56/47/93

What makes Durant's exposure of LeBron's defense so incredible is not just the +10 PPG increase in volume, but the slight increase in efficiency while doing so. It's hard enough to simply maintain efficiency at a much higher +10 PPG volume, let alone slightly improve it.

Durant became the only player to shoot 55/45/90 in an NBA Finals under the non-shortened line with a decent amount of attempts. He shot 56/47/93. He may very well have had the most efficient scoring Finals performance in history due to LeBron's poor defense.

Chauncey Billups was formerly the only player to shoot 50/40/90 (or 50/45/90) in an NBA Finals under the original line with 51/47/93 in 2004.

According to ESPN, Durant was 13 of 21 (62%) when guarded by LeBron up to Game 3. I have not found full series stats so far. ESPN has sometimes had inaccurate methods of of recording FG/FGA against one player, so these stats may be sightly off.

http://nesn.com/2017/06/kevin-durant-...

LeBron has now been outscored in 4 of 8 NBA Finals by the other team's top perimeter player - 2007, 2011, 2012, 2017, further debunking the myth of LeBron's elite defense or ability to effectively guard 4 or 5 positions.

Durant averaged 30.6 ppg on 55% and 35.4 ppg on 56% in both the 2012 and 2017 Finals against LeBron, well above his season and 3-round averages entering the Finals in both years.

Replace LeBron with Jordan, and he easily hold Durant at or below his 25 ppg season and 3-round averages with far more success than Tony Allen had. Even as a 38-year old Wizard, Jordan could take one of the worst defenses to one of the best pre-knee injury

2001 Wizards = 2nd worst in ppg allowed the year before.

Up to the injury game
2002 Wizards = allowed 92.2 ppg through 47 games (Jordan missed 1 game)
would be tied for 6th-best in the league with the Pistons.

2002 Wizards = allowed 92.0 ppg in the 46 games Jordan played
would be tied for 5th best in the league with the Nets

After Jordan's injury
2002 Wizards = allowed 96.8 ppg in the remaining 35 games
would be ranked 19th in the league
and fell to 11th in ppg allowed for the overall season.

Like Jordan's individual numbers, his defensive impact also improved as the season went on prior to his injury

The Wizards started the season off slow with a 2-9 start
and allowed 98.4 ppg during the 2-9 start
on pace for 5th worst in the league

In Jordan's last 35 games pre-injury after the 2-9 start
the Wizards allowed 90.0 ppg
on pace for 3rd best in the league

When Jordan and Rip Hamilton played together, they were 15-1 in their last 16 games together up to the injury
The Wizards allowed 86.3 ppg in that 15-1 stretch
Easily on pace for the best in the league
The 2002 Heat were number 1 at 88.7 ppg allowed

Rip played 78 games the previous year and the Wizards were still 2nd worst in ppg allowed. The Wizards were by far the best defense in the league when MJ and Rip played together pre-injury

Jordan has 0 playoffs with a teammate averaging 22+ PPG to LeBron's 4, with Kyrie averaging over 25 ppg in both the 2016 and 2017 Playoffs. Jordan never had a 25 ppg teammate for one series, Kyrie had that for 8 rounds collectively and 29-4-4 on 47/42/90 for the Finals.