Bulls Cavs

[Hambombs]

D got better once they made a trade fir 7foot giant. he really made cavs better. problem they will face is irving and live are not good on defense. Also they arent really deep at some positions

Yeah the weaknesses on defense will be more exposed. Although kyrie has been better lately but love hasn't changed lol. Also lebron not what he used to be on that end. Shumpert helps on that end

 

[Hambombs]

Yup defense is more consistent in the 2nd half. But you still have good stretches of it in the first half. But most teams conserve energy

 

[Shanemansj13]

Yeah the weaknesses on defense will be more exposed. Although kyrie has been better lately but love hasn't changed lol. Also lebron not what he used to be on that end. Shumpert helps on that end

Lebron can still play defense at a high-level, problem is it's when he wants to. Playoff time, he is still a great defender

 

[Hambombs]

Lebron can still play defense at a high-level, problem is it's when he wants to. Playoff time, he is still a great defender

That's a good attitude to have lol. But even last years playoffs it wasn't at a high level

 

[SJ76]

I don't know Trojan I guess I was spoiled. Winning 65-72 games in a season takes consistent D every night. At least that's what I saw.

In my eyes, players over all our lazier now than they were then.

 

[SJ76]

Dam auto spell

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't know Trojan I guess I was spoiled. Winning 65-72 games in a season takes consistent D every night. At least that's what I saw.

In my eyes, players over all our lazier now than they were then.

Not necessarily. Those Bulls teams were the best teams in the league back then. So, even if they were lazier in the 1st half of the season, so was everyone else. Because of this, they were still the best team and they still win most of those games.

I've seen plenty of 60+ win teams with the Lakers over the years and they always picked up the defensive intensity after the all star break, heck, the Shaq/Kobe teams were famous for "flipping the switch." I remember in one of the seasons when they reached the finals, some other good teams ran out to a pretty good lead over the Lakers early in the season. Some reporter asked Phil if he was worried about it and his reply was, "No, we'll reel them in."

The exception is probably that 72 win Bulls team. If memory serves, they set a goal of eclipsing the Lakers record of 69 wins. So, I think that team probably gave the most consistent defensive effort over the course of 82 games that we've ever seen.