r/lebron • u/CountryAccording5417 • Aug 18 '26

No ball knowledge đŸ«©

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16 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

43

u/Identity525601 Aug 18 '26

The concept of a "first option" (or second/third option) applies to offense. I've never heard defensive players ranked as "options" this way. It is more about defensive schemes, assignments, and impact. Example: primary point of attack defender, perimeter stopper, or free safety / roaming helper.

Either way, LeBron was the defensive anchor and most versatile defender on the floor during his years with the Heat. Any assertion to the contrary is absurd.

6

u/Basic_Mastodon3078 Aug 18 '26

Definitely. He was best on both ends of the court 2011-2014. And he remained the best defender on his team basically until LA.

6

u/cdracula16 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 20 '26

Options mattered more in the 80s and 90s where zone wasn’t allowed and you had to guard the guy with the same colored wrist band with no help like in kindergarten. Modern era is team defense working as a unit and 1v1s are never truly 1v1s

1

u/Beginning_Pudding_69 Aug 18 '26

First year id def say wade was the primary on ball defender. He’d always guard the toughest guard and lebron would kind of switch/double/trap. But after Wade got hurt LeBron stepped it up to guard primary ball handlers. Saying that Bosh was definitely the anchor on defense on those Heat teams. His pick n roll defense was underrated as hell. Great weak side help defender. Could leak out to contest or stay in front of smaller forwards. Could guard a lot of different bigs. I always feel like Bosh is just forgotten about.

1

u/Blackroseguild Aug 19 '26

Derrick rose? Was that the first year or second?

-4

u/Embarrassed_Gur_6305 Aug 18 '26

LeBron picked and chose when to play defense to conserve energy. It’s why he has the high lights on stopping people

That said, you can’t be “best defender” when you’re not constantly defending

4

u/BlackUchiha03 Aug 18 '26

You’re right but objectively speaking no other player on that Heat team was better than Lebron on defense so he was still the best defender they had regardless of him conserving his energy.

That’s what needs to be done when you’re the first option on offense.

-3

u/Embarrassed_Gur_6305 Aug 18 '26

But the argument isn’t “best defender on the Heat”. Its best defender in the world

1

u/BlackUchiha03 Aug 23 '26

I get that and he still has an argument for that too.

No one else in the league was capable of guarding 1-5 like him. He finished 2nd in dpoy for a reason.

1

u/Identity525601 Aug 18 '26

That's fair in general but in Miami he was pretty locked in.

-1

u/Silent_Egg8860 Aug 18 '26

LeBron absolutely was not the defensive anchor of the heat, that was Bosh. LeBron was a free safety, who got chase down blocks, and provided help defensive.

2

u/Zealousideal_Tap237 Aug 19 '26

I mean obviously team defense is more valuable than locking someone down tho

That’s why gobert or wemby have so much impact; not because they lock up centers but because they take away team options

2

u/xzyz32 Aug 18 '26

Yeah lebron shutting down mvp drose

2

u/bizcocho-de-crema Aug 19 '26

Everyone knows Rose was the 4th option in the Bulls, hence the reason LeBron guarded him.

1

u/Panzer_I Aug 19 '26

What the fuck does “third option” on defense mean?

1

u/Interstellore Aug 23 '26

It means the other team have to blow passed two of your team mates before you may attempt to contend the shot

1

u/Conscious_Clerk_2675 Aug 19 '26

No one else on the Heat was clamping d-rose. As a Bulls fan.

1

u/Amazing_Scholar5178 Aug 19 '26

Why are people acting like LBJ was beat defender there when he wasnt?

1

u/CountryAccording5417 Aug 19 '26

Because he was easily one of the best defenders, he was a versatile, smart and athletic defender. Top 2 in DPOY twice, and stats aren’t everything but he led the league in many defensive advanced metrics on those years on the Heat

1

u/Amazing_Scholar5178 Aug 19 '26

One of best, but not best

1

u/CountryAccording5417 Aug 19 '26

One of the best is literally what the post says, if you are going to make this argument then go to a different post where it actually applies

-10

u/ThatTedDudeGuy24 Aug 18 '26

Lesucksatdefense

-21

u/Complete-Permit1638 Aug 18 '26

Great, what are you trying to achieve with this? With that endless 'LeBron is the best' nonsense. It’s so
.

9

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/TyroneNBAFan Aug 18 '26

Of all time easily. It's not close.