Miami Heat swingman Jimmy Butler gave five players that are toughest for him to guard in his post on The Players Tribune. Los Angeles Lakers point forward LeBron James is the first on the list:
“He’s still the best all-around player in the league. He literally does everything well. He can shoot. Pass. Attack the rim. Defend. You need a bucket? LeBron’s got you. You need a rebound, a steal or a block? He’s got you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it.
Bron’s got you.
When you talk about a combination of speed and athleticism, plus a combo of strength and explosiveness, you gotta start with LeBron. He’s one of the most dynamic players this league has ever seen. He can literally play every position on the court and be elite at all of them. That makes him a matchup nightmare because the smaller, faster guys can’t body up with him — he just overpowers them – and the bigger guys who can bang with him in the post aren’t quick enough to keep him from getting to the rim.
He’s always looking to get other guys involved, too. He’ll defer to his teammates and play unselfish basketball, and then when it’s time to win the game and be LeBron, he miraculously puts the cape on and … BAM!
Game’s over.
He’s one of those guys you want to match up with because you measure yourself against him. Like, if you can best LeBron, you’re doing something right.
And if you can’t, it’s just because you’re human, like the rest of us,” Butler said of LeBron.
So far this season, James is averaging 25.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 10.7 assists per game, while shooting at 48.8% from the field.
Lakers (32-7) currently lead the West.
