LeBron James is 40 years old, in his 22nd NBA season, and somehow, he’s not just playing elite defense. He’s playing the best defense of anyone in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. According to advanced metrics, LeBron James has emerged as the most dominant rim protector and versatile defender in the postseason, defying age, logic, and all historical precedent.
Let’s start with the numbers: Among players who have defended at least 20 shots at the rim this postseason, LeBron leads the league in opponent field goal percentage at just 36.4%.
That’s not just good: it’s miles ahead of elite interior defenders like Ivica Zubac (37.5%), Jaren Jackson Jr. (52.4%), and Myles Turner (60.7%). Even 7-foot shot-blockers like Kristaps Porzingis (62.5%) and Chet Holmgren (57.7%) don’t come close to what LeBron is doing defensively at the basket.
LeBron also leads the entire postseason in combined steals and blocks, known as “stocks”, with 17 in four games. He’s averaging 2.3 blocks per game (4th among all players) and 2.0 steals per game (6th in the playoffs), while taking on assignments ranging from Julius Randle to Anthony Edwards to even guards on switches.
This isn’t just help-side fluff or stat-padding. It’s real, high-leverage, impactful defense.
And it’s not coming in limited spurts either. LeBron is logging 40.8 minutes per game, playing both ends with intensity rarely seen from someone half his age. His overall playoff line of 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 50.7% shooting from the field and 39.7% from three is All-NBA level. But it’s the defense that has stolen the show.
Take Game 4 against the Timberwolves, for instance. LeBron didn’t score in the fourth quarter, but his impact couldn’t have been more profound. He had three blocks and a steal in the final quarter alone. One block saved a sure layup. One steal led to a critical possession.
And he nearly had another strip on Anthony Edwards in the final seconds, only for the officials to controversially whistle him for a foul. LeBron argued that the “hand is part of the ball” rule applied, and he was right.
A video from seven years ago from a respected NBA expert even confirmed post-game that LeBron had made a textbook defensive play. Unfortunately, no correction came from the league in real time, despite officials already admitting a separate officiating blunder earlier in the same quarter when Jaden McDaniels tripped Luka Doncic without a whistle, forcing a Lakers timeout, leading to a turnover.
The fact that LeBron is anchoring the Lakers’ defense against one of the league’s most athletic, aggressive teams, in the fourth quarter of playoff games at 40 years old, after already logging 40+ minutes, is the stuff of legend.
He’s not just surviving. He’s dominating. And the advanced stats back it up: LeBron James is the best defensive player of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
