Markji wrote:

iSergio wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:

Pharzeone wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:Or what about Chris Bosh? His defense is probably worse than Lees.

I was going to make a comment but I can see what you are talking about. Bosh glides on the court on some possessions.

Boshs defense is probably worse than Lees. Everytime I see him, I don't see him on the defense which says a lot. He's LONG and more athletic than Lee.

Nobody's defense is worse than David Lee's. I agree, Chris Bosh is also a bad defender but Lee is in a league by himself. I've never seen a worse player defensively in my life. Dead serious. Lee doesn't even attempt to play D. I know he's short and not long but he could at least use his fouls or learn how to take charges or learn how to deny the ball in the post. Not that it matters, he's an All-Star. Don't ever expect Lee to care about defense.

That is a bunch of crap. Lee cares about defense and does try.

Markji wrote:

TMS wrote:

Markji wrote:

iSergio wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:

Pharzeone wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:Or what about Chris Bosh? His defense is probably worse than Lees.

I was going to make a comment but I can see what you are talking about. Bosh glides on the court on some possessions.

Boshs defense is probably worse than Lees. Everytime I see him, I don't see him on the defense which says a lot. He's LONG and more athletic than Lee.

Nobody's defense is worse than David Lee's. I agree, Chris Bosh is also a bad defender but Lee is in a league by himself. I've never seen a worse player defensively in my life. Dead serious. Lee doesn't even attempt to play D. I know he's short and not long but he could at least use his fouls or learn how to take charges or learn how to deny the ball in the post. Not that it matters, he's an All-Star. Don't ever expect Lee to care about defense.

That is a bunch of crap. Lee cares about defense and does try.

Love your post- Yoda. One of my favorite Star War characters.

David Lee isn't at Jedi knight level on defense, but he IS Jedi on offense!

he needs to embrace the dark side of the force & play some D tho

fishmike wrote:

isnt rebounding part of defense? Just asking. And if your going by that criteria Lee is more like a $18mm a year offensive player. 20/12 count the guys in this league that score 20 a game at 55%. 12 rebounds, handles the ball, is probably in the top 5 in PF/Cs in assists. Lee's production is in an elite status. Lee isnt a superstar or a max player, but put him next to one and he's one of the more valuable players in the league.

You wouldnt pay Scottie Pippen $15mm a year and build a team around him, but once you have Jordan you pay whatever it takes to get Pippen in. Lee is that kind of guy. If you can bring a guy like Lebron in here you need Lee in the worst way. A guy that doesnt need set plays or a certain # of shots, but gives you 20 a night at 55%? 12 boards? 3-4 assists? Handles the ball? If Lebron was here or another star nobody would give a flying fart what Lee was paid, so long as he was here. Same reason nobdy cared that LJ was one of the league's highest paid players to average 12/5.

I don't know if I'd consider rebound a part of defense. It's more of the end of a play where the defense was already played forcing an opponent to take a bad shot - and now you finish the play with the rebound. The rebound doesn't initiate defense. It doesn't intimidate the offense you're guarding. So, no, I don't consider it a part of defense. Besides, we've seen how Lee rebounds - he leaves his man. He does not box out and that has killed us.

Your second point, about Pippen, is a good one. I feel Lee would be very good next to Dwight or Duncan. But then again I have this thing about that: You don't take a great offense player and pair him with a great defense player and wipe your hands and say "There, perfect." Because now you have two flawed players who try to cover each other's mistakes. Not....really the best way to build a team is it?

I mean, all teams have one guy who is so good at one side of the ball that you can live with him stinking on the other side - but those players are usually guards or small forwards. When your F/C is a whore on defense it's tough to win big games. When your F/C is SO terrible at defense that your other F/C has to leave his own man in order to cover for the mistakes made it opens you up to get dunked on. The defender leaves his man to cover the guy Lee let get past - and then the pass is made to the open player and you get dunked on.

So, well, as amazing as David Lee plays the game, his absolutely atrocious defense is a huge liability.

Cosmic wrote:

TMS wrote:
he needs to embrace the dark side of the force & play some D tho

For how quickly he reacts on offense it is baffling that he has zero reaction skill on defense. He stands and watches the play unfold and doesn't move to do anything about it.

That's odd.

At least with say Eddy Curry you can tell he has a hard time reacting to movement - on BOTH sides of the ball.

To see a player like Lee react so well on one side but be a complete HACK with CEMENT SHOES on the other side? Baffling.

that's what frustrates me so much when it comes to David... he has the athleticism, the instincts on the floor, the reaction time to play solid D if he committed himself to doing so... but when i see guys penetrate to the lane & he just stands there planted in the paint 4 feet out of the path of the opponent w/his hands in the air like he's praying at church it makes me wanna pull my hair out... i know the guy can play D if he wanted to play D... i just don't see him making any effort to doing so.