Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  161 responses

Serge Ibaka Says LeBron James is ‘Not a Good Defender’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

To date, the NBA Finals have been a wildly entertaining series, filled with drama, superstar talent, and compelling storylines.

What has been sorely lacking, however, is real friction and bad blood between the Miami Heat and OKC Thunder.

And Serge Ibaka is here to change that, with a bit of trash talk aimed at LeBron James prior to Game 4 tonight.

From the Palm Beach Post:

“LeBron is not a good defender,” Ibaka said about the player who received the most votes for the league’s all-defensive team, which is selected by the coaches. “He can play defense for two to three minutes but not 48 minutes.”

James was switched onto [Kevin] Durant after Game 1 when Durant scored 36 points and shot 12-of-20 with Shane Battier primarily covering him. Since, Durant is averaging 28.5 points on 23-of-41 shooting and Heat have won two games, taking a 2-1 series lead into Tuesday’s Game 4. “LeBron can’t play (Durant) one-on-one,” Ibaka said. “They’re playing good defense like a team.”

Despite not taking home the Defensive Player of the Year award this season, LeBron James established himself as the most versatile defender in the entire NBA. He’s generally recognized as the only player in the League who can defend every position on the floor, and do so all in one game.

Kevin Durant’s talent makes it so that no single defender can keep him under wraps, not even someone as gifted as LeBron. James can and does, however, make it difficult for Durant to dominate offensively.

Serge Ibaka is right about one thing, though: LeBron James is not a good defender. He is a great one.

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: , , ,

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • LA Huey

    The fact that LeBron doesn’t D up the best player all game doesn’t diminish his ability as a defender. You can only argue the impact he has defensively because he doesn’t guard Durant all game. That’d be like saying Ray Allen isn’t a great 3 pt shooter these days because he can’t creat his own shot.

  • Feez_22

    @rand33p there someone goes again putting Kobe’s defense along MJ’s and why the hell did u put mutumbo there? whenever i see “Defense” and kobe beside MJ’s name i automatically disqualify that person’s viewpoint. its your opinion but is far from the truth. Kobe is 1 tier below MJ in terms of D… some might say 1.5 tiers below.

  • http://www.soundcloud.com/tray-5 T-Ray

    I see you Omar I was trying to figure out if you just gave the nod to Pippen every single time over MJ.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Jordan was the NBA’s version of a shut-down corner. I don’t know if you are really young and just don’t know, or never followed the NBA very closely. But Jordan had a bigger impact on a game defensively then any other wing player in history during the late 80s. Do some research before you come boasting an opinion that is rooted in fiction.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    rand33 is right though despite overrating Kobe’s defense……

  • http://www.soundcloud.com/tray-5 T-Ray

    Artest is an elite defender but most don’t think so because he doesn’t do the same things he used to. But his methods are effective. His lateral quickness has dropped but now he’s smarter. He holds your shorts, bumps the sh*t out of you, bumps you from the post etc.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    The real nbk’s comment @ 3:45p kind of sticks a fork in all of you ignoramasaurs.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I have a $hit fetish and I am homosexual as well. Also, I get turned on by james harden’s beard

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    Slick, I’m stating what Rose said. You are assuming you know what is in his head with all the “humble” talk. And for the record, he fared MUCH MUCH better against Bibby and better against Chalmers than he did against Lebron, though still below his usual. Again, you can interpret facts to fit whatever narrative of Rose you want, but Lebron was THE MOST EFFECTIVE defender he faced all post season. One on one, Lebron shut him down.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Co-Sign Slick and T-Ray.

  • Omar

    @Eboy – No, it just shows homie needs to grow up, lol. He wants to be like AllenP when he grows up. Respect to AllenP.

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    Omar, how is Durant going off on Battier and indictment against Lebron and Spo? Are you implying that the Heat’s most important and talented offensive (and defensive) player was somehow scared to guard Durant? I’m beginning to think you cats don’t have a clue about what it takes to play lockdown d and be the number one offensive threat for the whole game.

  • Omar

    @Gab- Who said he was scared, lol?

  • http://www.thenation.com/blog/168311/do-you-know-your-enemy-why-we-should-all-root-miami-heat-beat-oklahoma-city-thunder# albie1kenobi

    the year Jordan won DPOY (87-88), Pippen was just a rookie, and he didn’t even start ONE GAME in the regular season. just saying.
    speaking of which, Jordan was averaging 35 ppg on 53% that same year and won MVP, and here we are, talking about how lebron can’t do everything on both ends of the floor. that’s insane.

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    I never said you said it. I asked if you were implying with the ‘indictment’ comment.

  • http://www.soundcloud.com/tray-5 T-Ray

    Put it this way. LeBron could take the initiative to guard KD for the entire game but how smart would that be? I’d rather have my hound dog Battier wear him down for 3Qs and then put my monster on him when it’s winning time. It’s great strategy and despite his numbers it’s been a very great plan. By the 4th this kid is tired as hell.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    While what MJ did on defense during the late 80s was impressive, Pip’s D during the 90s (especially 94) was probably the greatest stretch defensively for a perimeter player in the history of the NBA.

  • tpathi1

    KD gets tired, because as talented as he is, he is not in no way shape or form at the level Lebron is at physically..if LBJ does guard KD for the first three quarters and leans on him and wear him down then the game might be over in 3 quarters..KD can get a half step to a full step over lebron but its still gonna be hard for him to go up strong cause of Bosh down low and the fact that I don’t think its going to feel good to get fouled by lebron in the air like that

  • Omar

    @Gab – No sir.

  • rand33p

    Kobe has been an elite defender during his career… not saying at Jordans/Pippens level but elite nonetheless … as for lebron.. amazing team defender/off ball defender but on ball he can be taken advantage of sometimes off the dribble the way KD has done countless times.. as for ARTEST, dude is still a beast.. whether u agree or not Galignari is a good offensive player, and Artest completely SHUT him down game 7.. showed he still has it defensively

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    I stopped reading after “Kobe has been an elite defender during his career”. A couple of good years that built an overblown rep doesn’t qualify as being elite.

  • tpathi1

    in the long run the heat need a traditional center who they can go to for buckets, or atleast somoene who is not undersized..lebron is doing way too much for the team right now..he guarding the hardest players on the opposing team..notice players is plural..and he is responsible to run the offense for the most part and or be the focal point of the offense. To be quite honest, with as many good players around him..he is doing more for his team now then anyone in the history of the NBA..maybe Wilt Chamberlain did more, but idk about that

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    I want to be clear. LeBron cannot lock up Durant. Only God and the refs can lock up Durant at this point in his offensive career.
    LeBron can limit clean drives and dunks. He can contest jumpers. He can continue to play active defense even on blow bys so that Durant has to make a more difficult pass when the Heat’s help comes over. This is what James does. He thinks the game on defense very well.
    Watch how he plays even when Durant blows by him. He’s not going to get a bad foul. He’s going to contest cleanly. He’s going to play Durant for the easy drop off pass. That is important. Committing silly fouls or fouls to prevent layups may seem like good strategy but it’s really not. It hurts your team in the long run.
    Serge Ibaka is entitled to his opinion as are all of you. I just disagree with many of you.

  • O

    LeBron is an elite f*cking defender in this league. I hate the man but he’s the best player in the world on both sides of the ball, hands down! KD is toooo fragile to really put any pressure on LeBron and LeBron stay bullying him on D. Not to mention LeBron gets to actually make contact on defensive plays and not get called for fouls. KD doesn’t get that privilege cause he doesn’t have a defensive reputation which is why he’s almost fouled out on every game in the Finals.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Lol I’m pretty sure I have already grown up. And Allen is only a couple years older than I am. But yea, my knowledge of the NBA and expression of it is none-other than a reflection of my desire to grow up to become Allen. That makes perfect sense.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Honestly, if you say Kobe has been an elite defender and then turn around and say LeBron is not, it’s hard to take you seriously.
    I remember what Mike Bibby, Gilbert Arenas, Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce and many, many others did to Kobe off the bounce and in general. I watched this dude’s entire career. I remember what T-Mac and Vince did in their primes. At their bests, LeBron has much better than Kobe has ever been defensively from what I’ve seen. It’s clear and undeniable.

  • tpathi1

    AlllenP i was just about to remind eveyrone that Gilbert Arenas dropped 60 pts in LA on the Lakers!

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    Don’t forget Antoine Jamison. He put 50 on Kobe.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    So your reply to those who say that Artest is no longer an elite defender is to point to him locking down Danilo Gallinari? The same cat that shot 41% from the field the past 2 seasons, that guy? Oh lawdy….

  • tpathi1

    If Lebron and Artest aren’t the two best perimeter defenders in the NBA right now..then someone please tell me who is better than them two right now?

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    I love brick.

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    Tony Allen>>Artest right now. Iggy might be too.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Iggy, Deng, T-Allen, George Hill maybe > Artest IMO.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Ahh, don’t forget Avery Bradley also.

  • Gary E

    Thunder +135 tonight is an early Christmas gift. Easy Money.

  • tpathi1

    im not saying you guys are wrong..but i still look at artest as an elite defender because he gets away with the most contact..and for a guy with his reputation in the league to get away with anything to me is a sign of respect by the refs..i remember this one play in the thunder series he smashed harden and ibaka into one another then took the ball and went down the court and then the refs called a block on westbrook..they showed the whole sequence on replay i was rolling!

  • http://www.thenation.com/blog/168311/do-you-know-your-enemy-why-we-should-all-root-miami-heat-beat-oklahoma-city-thunder# albie1kenobi

    Andre Iguodala and Tony Allen are the top two perimeter defenders in the L (imo) – followed by some combination of LeBron, Thabo, Bradley, and arguably Marion being the next tier. At least in my opinion

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Perimeter defenders better than Artest
    Bron, Avery Bradley, Tony Allen, Igoudala, Jrue Holiday,
    Random thought.
    Isn’t it interesting how little blame Paul George got for folding a little big against Miami. Just randomly thought about that

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    That was me as Albie. The real me.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    That’s not to say that Artest would not be more effective than those guys at guarding certain people. I would take Artest guarding Paul Pierce over Deng, Allen, Bradley and Hill. But I would take all those guys guarding D-Rose over Artest guarding him.
    He’s good at certain things defensively now. He obviously has strength and a big body on his side so he can guard guys like Melo effectively. He isn’t good with fast cats like Russ Westbrook and such anymore though.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Huh. Real nbk is a troll like me now. Interesting

  • http://www.slamonline.com Redd

    Rose isn’t in the same class as KD?…LOL okkkk. Rose was shut down effectively because it was predictable that Rose would be carrying the load & not his teammates. So it’s more so predictability than great D on Rose.

  • http://blackamericaweb.com Caboose

    Nothing has been more predictable than Scott Brooks’ offense. Nice try but no, Redd. Lebron’s D is what killed Rose late in those games. Spin it how you want but you gotta face facts.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Redd

    Really wasn’t, to think that Rose isn’t fast enough to get around James’ big self

  • http://Slamonline.com Gab

    ^^He wasn’t. I don’t know why cats insist they know what stopped Rose better than Rose himself. I’m taking the word of the ball player.

  • TJ

    Lebron is a good defender, his on ball defense isn’t great but he is the total package as a defender he blocks shots, plays the passing lanes, and he is a excellent rebounder which is apart of defense.. But i also think the refs are letting him get away with more on defense then they are allowing KD to!!!

  • Phil da Windmill

    Rogaine James

  • http://slamonline.com Datkid

    Serge ibaka has no idea what he’s talking about. W/o those screens Durant is getting he’d be basically stifled.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    Caboose please, So you telling me The Thunder offense is as predictable as the Bulls were with Rose being the only ball-handler basically and accounting for more of his teams points scoring and assist wise than any player last season? Redd’s statement probably has more validity to it than anyone’s.

  • Conoro

    They’re both overrated as defenders & the majority of the people who write here are unfamiliar with the game.

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
Advertisement