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LeBron James accuses Marc Gasol of stealing his DPOY trophy

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Pascal Siakam #43 and Marc Gasol #33 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of an NBA basketball game at The Arena in the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 1, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis - Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Pascal Siakam #43 and Marc Gasol #33 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of an NBA basketball game at The Arena in the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 1, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis - Pool/Getty Images)

LeBron James poked fun at his new Los Angeles Lakers teammate, Marc Gasol.

There’s a grain of truth in every joke. Recently LeBron James “joked” that his new teammate, Marc Gasol, has his Defensive POY trophy at his house.

In 2013 Gasol, then a member of Memphis Grizzlies, beat out James for the prestigious award. Gasol earned 212 points and 30 first-place votes, while James, a member of the Miami Heat, received 149 points and 18 first-place votes.

Did anybody honestly believe that Gasol was a better, more versatile defender than James? No. James posted better traditional stats and certainly left more of an impression on a nightly basis.

However, the advanced metrics favored Gasol. The Grizzlies had a 95.4 defensive rating with Gasol on the floor. With him off the floor, their defense had a 102.2 rating. That amounts to a difference of 6.8 per 100 possessions.

Gasol was a pivotal part of the Grizzlies’ “Grit and Grind” identity that made them such a scrappy team that season. His presence as an anchor in the middle of their defense made Memphis the league’s second-best overall defense.

James may not have taken home the elusive award, but he did win an MVP award and was named Finals MVP after the Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs in an epic seven-game series.

So, I guess all’s well that ends well? Wrong. Individual accolades matter in the grand scheme of things, especially when discussing a player’s legacy and how it compares to other all-time greats. Not having a Defensive POY award means James has one less box checked when you compare him to Michael Jordan, who won his only Defensive POY award in 1988.

James is no stranger to getting snubbed or feeling slighted. This past September, when talking to the media about only receiving 16 of 101 possible MVP votes this year, James expressed his confusion on how the voting process works. The example he made sure to highlight his confusion was when Gasol won Defensive POY over him, despite Gasol not making the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team.

The Lakers signed the veteran big man to a two-year deal hoping that Gasol could recapture some of the defensive brilliance he once displayed.

The departures of big men Dwight Howard and Javale to McGee left the 6-foot-11 center, Gasol, with big shoes to fill. If Gasol can be an integral part in delivering championship No.5 for LeBron James, I’m sure that should settle the score.

Or maybe not.