LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are 12-2 on the season, the best record in the NBA entering play Wednesday. A lot of that has to do with the team’s shutdown defense.
Los Angeles ranks No. 1 in the NBA in points against at 101.1 per game and tops all teams in defensive rating.
Many would point to the additions of Avery Bradley and Danny Green as the primary reasons for this. However, James has returned to the form that saw him earn All-Defensive Team honors six times earlier in his career.
James let one referee know that during the Lakers’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday. He’s actually playing more defense after a slow-down over the past couple seasons.
This interaction says it all.
