This isn't a post aimed to simply criticize LeBron James. LeBron is the best talent in the NBA. It is not a debate over whether LeBron has the ability to be a great defender, it is about whether he is a great defender. James is a two time reigning All-NBA First-Team Defensive player. These awards are often more about reputation than actual analysis but this is a different debate. While the First-Team is general composed of the five best defenders out of the big-name players, there are rarely players on the team that don't even deserve the consideration. LeBron James is the exception.
LeBron has benefitted individually in the same ways that his team has benefitted collectively: by showing out against the scrubs and capitalizing on this "SportsCenter Era." Given that reputation is based on what is heard and what is seen, ESPN has the ability to greatly influence perception. By emphasizing LeBron James' chase down blocks and passing lane jumps, people see defensive dominance and begin to believe it. The problem is that defensive ability is not all about chase down blocks and cheating off your man. Defense is a function of athleticism, skill, and effort. LeBron brings the athleticism and every now and then the effort, but, as an on-ball defender, the skill just is not there.
The biggest knock on the Heat this season has been that they dominate the non-playoff teams and have a .500 record against the elites; LeBron James' defense is the same way. Understanding that every game must be considered (good opponents and bad), when determining who is best, one must emphasize how each player or team competes against the best opponents. Struggling against the elites but killing the scrubs still gets Miami the #2 seed in the East but the dichotomy influences the team's projected playoff success (how they are valued against the best). In LeBron's case, one must consider how he defends both backups and all-stars, but in determining who the league's top wing defenders are, one must give more value to those who guard the league's elite players the best.
James relies on his athleticism in most aspects of the game. His physical prowess allows him to succeed against inferior players but when he faces the upper-class players, very few struggle. In considering how the three best wings in the NBA (besides James) fare against LeBron—Anthony, Durant, and Pierce—the athletic Anthony, and Durant excel while the crafty Pierce struggles. When guarded by James (versus a bench player), both Anthony and Durant see their scoring numbers increase. Interestingly, when competing against James versus his season average, Carmelo Anthony's plus/minus increases from 2.4 to a whopping 11.0. In is undeniable that LeBron shuts Paul Pierce down (Pierce statistics all fall by over 10% when LeBron is on the court). Given that Pierce is well past his prime, he has lost much of his athleticism and now relies mostly on craftiness. The matchup is perfect for James because he can use his biggest strength (his athleticism) to exploit Pierce's biggest weakness.
By no means is this meant as an argument that LeBron James is not a good defender. Defense encompasses on-ball, off-ball, and open-court aspects. Superior physical abilities allow LeBron to be one of the premier open-court defenders. Additionally, his great court-vision makes James' off-ball defensive abilities some of the best in the NBA. James' inconsistencies lie in his on-ball defense. He has been and will continue to be an above average on-ball defender because his athleticism allows him to stifle sub-par and par players as-well as the mediocre athletes such as Pierce and Hedo Turkoglu. When debating who the best at anything is, one must consider how the best compete against the best, and against the athletic, well-rounded wing players James does not only fail to excel, he is below average.
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