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J.R. Smith Says LeBron James Is One Of The Best Defenders In The NBA

By Quenton S. Albertie

Apr 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) dribbles against Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the second quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) dribbles against Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the second quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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J.R. Smith believes the face of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, LeBron James, is one of the best defenders in the game.

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith delivers a gem when asked about LeBron James roaming the middle of the paint like a free safety in Game 2.

At about the 5:00 mark in the video, as Smith compares James to free safety Ed Reed, a future Hall of Famer who played for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and finished his career with 64 interceptions (7th in NFL history), he had this to say about James as well.

"“I think him, Kawhi and probably Tony Allen are the best on-ball defenders in our league”."

James, who is often maligned for his on-ball defense as critics either say he doesn’t try hard enough on that end or make enough impact in that area, is consistently praised for his off-ball defense. As Smith said, James’ IQ (in addition to his size and athleticism) only helps what he can do on the weakside in jumping passing lanes and racking up interceptions. However, James is rarely praised for his on-ball defense.

The bigger stat-heads in the industry will tell you that the way the NBA tracks the defensive impact of players is flawed. This article by Nylon Calculus’ Krishna Narsu looks at the type of defensive stats that are most accurate and determined that defensive field goal percentages for shots up to six feet away from the basket are the most accurate ones to determine a players defensive impact.

According to NBA.com, James has held the Indiana Pacers to 50.0 percent shooting from six feet away from the rim and in. With them typically shooting 66.0 percent from that range, James is causing players to shoot 16.0 percent less than their season average when he’s defending.

While it’s less accurate, James is holding players to 33.3 percent shooting from ten feet away from the rim and in. Opponents typically shoot 60.0 percent from that range. That’s a difference of 26.6 percent.

To sum, Smith’s assessment about James being one of the best on-ball defenders seems right. At least looking at the latter’s performance in the playoffs thus far.

Kawhi Leonard has been long considered one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA if not the best. Tony Allen has always been known as a lockdown defender and with his size, he’s capable of guarding every player on the perimeter. This article by Jared Johnson of FanRag Sports shows the defensive impact that Allen has, and is expected to have, even at 35-years-old.

So we’ll just go ahead and give Smith perfect marks for his Top Three.

As far as James’ comparison to Ed Reed. James is averaging 3.5 steals per game two games into the NBA playoffs, a number that would be a career-high if he can sustain that level of larceny throughout the playoffs. James’ current career-high is 2.3 steals per game, a career-high set in last season’s playoffs.

Related Story: LeBron Is Unmatched By Any Player In NBA History

What do you think of LeBron James’ defense? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.