LeBron James is this year's Most Valuable Player. There's no debate over that. However, should he also take home Defensive Player of the Year honors on top of what will be his fourth MVP Award?
It's widely accepted that LeBron is one of the league's most versatile defensive players, capable of guarding any fast, athletic guard, facing up any strong, quick-stepping forward and holding his own with some of the best post players out there.
But is it enough to vault him ahead of the league's best defenders, led by the likes of Marc Gasol atop the league?
Skimming the top of the evidence, it seems as if LeBron's leadership role in the Miami defense isn't quite as impressive as it was last season.
As a team it seems the Heat are not necessarily an elite defensive unit, just a group that is above average. At 103.8 points per 100 possessions, Miami is ninth in the league, compared to their fourth-place finish a year ago.
Looking at the Miami Heat this year compared to a year ago, there's something amiss about them defensively. They play at a slower pace but give up more points per game.
On ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Jesse Dorsey
Should LeBron James Win Defensive Player of the Year on Top of MVP Honors?
April 16th, 2013 by Jesse Dorsey Leave a reply »
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