The NBA community is obsessed with the GOAT debate. Usually, the choice boils down to the two NBA legends, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Since most fans are generally interested in the two players’ contributions on the offensive end, their extraordinary defensive contributions can be often overlooked. Therefore, one interesting way of looking into the GOAT debate can be by examining Jordan and LeBron’s defensive numbers and accomplishments.
Advertisement
To simplify the arguments, one can deploy the usage of defensive win shares and defensive rating as the predominant stats. Defensive win shares is an advanced stat that requires complex calculations. This thorough indicator takes into account the minutes played by the player and the team, league points per possession, defensive rating, and a bunch of other stats that provide a condensed fraction. Simply speaking, the higher a player’s defensive win shares, the more contributions a player has made defensively to the team.
Conversely, when it comes to defensive rating, a lower number is desirable. The defensive rating is measured by how many points a player allows per 100 possessions. Let us take a look at how LeBron James and Michael Jordan do in these two categories and present an overview of their defensive accolades.
LeBron James
James has always been a prime-time defender. His defense peaked during his late Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat days. He made the first All-NBA Defensive Teams from 2009 to 2013. In fact, in 2008-09, the Cavs Forward finished second to 3x DPOY Dwight Howard in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. While in the 2012-13 season, another Center Marc Gasol nabbed the award from the Heat’s Two-Way phenom as he finished with 18 votes compared to Gasol’s 31. In 2014, LeBron made his last All-NBA defensive team when he was selected to the second team.
In terms of All-Time Defensive Win Shares, James is 11th on the list with 79.88 DWS. His defensive rating is placed at an impressive 104.4, just above his former Lakers teammate Dwight Howard. For his career, the four-time NBA Champion has captured around 1.5 steals per game. His best season was his sophomore season when he clinched 2.2 steals per game.
As a premier shot-blocker, James has notched 0.7 blocks per game, going over 1 block a game four times. His chase-down blocks are revered across generations. His block against Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals that denied the Warriors a lead remains one of the most historic ones ever.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is one of the best perimeter defenders to play the game. MJ made 9X All-NBA Defensive Teams and even won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1988. In terms of Defensive Win Shares, Jordan is 21st All-Time with 64.13. The Guard had a defensive rating of 102.7. He was the league’s steals leader thrice in his career.
MJ finished his career, notching an impressive 2.3 steals per game and is fourth all-time in the steals-per-game department. The six-time NBA Champion was also an impressive shot-blocker, finishing with 0.8 blocks a game. He blocked more than a shot per game four times in his career.
One of the most iconic blocks for MJ came when he was with the Wizards. The Shooting Guard with massive hands had plucked the ball away from Bulls’ Ron Mercer while he was attempting a layup. It was as if the veteran guard snatched a rebound away from a player attempting the shot.
Conclusion
These comparisons again can’t make an objective argument for which player is a better defender. Even though some might give Jordan the edge, they have different profiles. Jordan was more of an on-ball defender but was equally adept at helping from the weak side. Meanwhile, James is one of the best help defenders while equally threatening in one-on-one situations. Both players have been among the best competitors so it is natural that their defense was top-notch. At any rate, this defensive comparison won’t move the needle in the GOAT debate. The more people talk about it, the muddier the water gets.
