Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka is not impressed with Heat forward LeBron James’ defensive effort on Kevin Durant so far in the NBA Finals.
“LeBron is not a good defender,” Ibaka said about the player who received the most votes for the league’s all-defensive team, which is selected by the coaches. “He can play defense for two to three minutes but not 48 minutes.”
James was switched onto Durant after Game 1 when Durant scored 36 points and shot 12-of-20 with Shane Battier primarily covering him. Since, Durant is averaging 28.5 points on 23-of-41 shooting and Heat have won two games, taking a 2-1 series lead into Tuesday’s Game 4.
“LeBron can’t play (Durant) one-on-one,” Ibaka said. “They’re playing good defense like a team.”
that African faq talking shyt.
Ima need Bron to come out like game 6.
LeBron James answers Serge Ibaka
MIAMI -- LeBron James and Serge Ibaka were both on the NBA's All-Defensive Team this season, but Ibaka is not impressed with James' skills on that end of the court. Ibaka, the Oklahoma City Thunder's power forward, said Monday that James was "not a good defender" and that "he can play defense for two or three minutes but not 48 minutes." James responded to the comments before Tuesday's Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
-- LeBron James, responding to Serge Ibaka's comments
"I don't really care what he says, he's stupid," James said. "Everyone says something to me every series, then (the media) tries to get a quote. It's stupid."
Ibaka made the comments to The Palm Beach Post.
"LeBron can't play (Kevin Durant) one-on-one. They're playing good defense like a team," Ibaka told the newspaper.
In addition to the Finals, James and Ibaka likely will face off this summer at the Olympics. Ibaka plays for the Spanish national team, expected to be the most serious challenger to Team USA's bid to repeat as gold medalists.
The Heat have been rotating defenders on Durant, who is averaging 31 points on 57 percent shooting in the series, but James was his primary defender in the fourth quarter of the Heat's 91-85 Game 3 victory on Sunday. Durant was 1-of-5 shooting in the quarter with James guarding him.
"For me as a defender, I just try to make plays and try to keep my body in front of a great player," James said. "First of all, I'm not playing 48 minutes, and Kevin's not playing 48 minutes. I'm not guarding him for 48 minutes. When I'm on him, I'm just trying to make it tough for him to make shots, which he's going to make."
In other Thunder-Heat player beef news, Heat forward Chris Bosh said there's no longer any bad blood between him and Durant. Last year Durant referred to Bosh when he said, "There are a lot of fake tough guys in this league, and he's one of them," after the two got in an exchange on the court at a game in Oklahoma City.
"We squashed that at the last All-Star Game," Bosh said Tuesday.