Electromatic wrote:The thing is, Lebron plays really good defense right? Defense is mostly effort. It's not like Love can't play defense he just wasn't.
Of those 3 the least Im sold on playing defense is Irving.
Lebron was a below average defender last year by all the metrics, and it showed on the court as well. I don't know if it was a blimp or what, but he certainly isn't the defensive menace he was a few years ago.
In this NBA, defense isn't mostly effort, its more now of implementing a system and having players not only buy into the system, but knowing their role in said system. More discipline than effort. (you can have a guy that gives great effort but doesn't know where he's rotating or where his help is, etc) It's something that takes at least a year or two develop.....unless you have a coach like Thibs or Clifford who are masters of their scheme, it can happen quicker. Having the right roster speeds up the process as well.
Cleveland is going to struggle defensively for all these reasons and most of all, struggle defensively because they don't have a rim protector. When Big Z is talking about a comeback, you know they have issues at center. Just like the Miami days.
But they'll score a bazillion points a game.