NBA Season Preview: 5 plays not even the NBA’s best defenses can stop

1. LeBron James leaking out in transition

Similar to Nowitzki, father time can’t stop LeBron James from punishing teams in transition. Beyond averaging an absurd 1.32 points per fastbreak possession last season, James scored on 60.5 percent of his opportunities and was fouled 23.5 percent of the time. The only players with a decent sample size who came remotely close to matching those numbers were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kemba Walker and Kyle Lowry.

The reason James thrives in transition is because he’s a hyper-athletic forward standing at 6-8 and 250 pounds with the skills of a point guard. He can change directions on a dime, contort his body in ways most players can only dream of and finish over just about anyone with powerful moves. He even has the luxury of playing alongside Kevin Love, who throws some of the best outlet passes we’ve ever seen. Knowing Love gobbles up boards like few others, the security of his rebounding prowess allows James to leak out like a wide receiver earlier than he probably should.

There’s also the nature of transition plays that put James at an advantage. More often than not, based on how teams are positioned on offense, the point guard is the first player back on defense. With the list of players who can stick with James in isolation already being short, 6-2 point guards that weigh under 200 pounds don’t have much of a chance of stopping a freight train.