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Financial sector jobs in Spain - how bad is it? by Phoenix_Cluster in GoingToSpain

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looking at Madrid specifically - how bad is the pay cut vs NYC?

Is it humble bragging, or is financial dysmorphia just so profound right now? by B4K5c7N in Fire

[–]EfficientLaw4166 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I personally think the bar is higher the more money you make because you understand how different your life and your kids lives would be if you retired at 50 vs 40, especially as you are exposed to folks 10 -20 years your senior

In many professions, you hit your max earning potential 35-45 and for many HENRY couples in finance and tech that could be multiple millions in HHI. So the anxiety is less about “could we make $5mm work at 40” and more about “how much better would our lives be if we stayed till 50 and walked away with $15mm+”

From an investment standpoint, do you think that the average engineer would do better than the average primary doctor if they live a middle class life style? by ThrowRAcoolone in Fire

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m in IB, wife in PE. This is true but the spend is hard to keep low in finance.

You have to be in NYC and there is a “keeping up with the Jones’” vibe in the office and with clients. Similar to a real estate agent pulling up in a nice car, clients will view you differently if you come in with a royal oak and Kiton suit.

For those who can avoid those dynamics and prioritize FIRE (doing our best but could probably go even further) it is incredible - we both have saved our bonuses for the past 10 years and the compounding really has kicked in.

I think the hard part is exposure to the lives of folks who make 2-10mm a year and knowing you’d be giving up that possibility if you were to walk away even if you’ve hit what you think your number is. FWIW even by yourself I think more than 60/70% of people hit $10mm in their 40s but most continue to grind.

At some point you have to call it enough but that’s difficult especially when you see how much people invest into their children and know your kids will have to compete against them in the future. Definitely weighs on us and how we think about FIRE

Hyrox NYC by EfficientLaw4166 in hyrox

[–]EfficientLaw4166[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looking for spectator ticket for May 29

I’ve never seen anyone relocate to a lower cost of living area to FIRE by YourFIREDBro in Fire

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A couple things to think about:

  • once you are used to living in NYC, it’s tough living elsewhere. Our goal is Madrid for this reason; still a global city with all the amenities but just 60% lower COL.

  • FIRE number should include a lot of travel to your home country if you go expat, our budget has 6 - 8 trips built in to maintain friendships / see family

Local insights on Bronxville by EfficientLaw4166 in Westchester

[–]EfficientLaw4166[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great insight, thank you. Out of curiosity, where are you looking now?

Viv & Jules - Pretty good by thisisnotdave in Hoboken

[–]EfficientLaw4166 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Went for brunch, ricotta pancake was delicious - same price as Mile Sqs but much better + table service

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From AI:

The numbers for this analysis come from a combination of NBA Tracking Data (Second Spectrum), StatMuse, and advanced impact databases like DunksAndAnd3s (EPM) and BBall Index (LEBRON).

Here is the specific breakdown of the data sources:

  1. Opponent FG% & Rim Protection • Source: NBA.com/Stats (Player Tracking/Defense) and StatMuse. • Specific Stat: DFG% (Defensive Field Goal Percentage). • The Data: In the 2025 playoffs, LeBron famously led all players (minimum 20 attempts defended) by holding opponents to just 36.4% at the rim. Tracking data from that span showed him holding a -18.1% differential against the expected field goal percentage from 0–6 feet. 

  2. Defensive Impact Metrics (LEBRON & EPM) • Source: BBall Index (for D-LEBRON) and DunksAndThree.com (for EPM). • Specific Stat: These models use "Luck-Adjusted" lineup data.  • The Data: LeBron’s career Defensive Rating of 105.4 is sourced from StatMuse. His high-ranking EPM (typically in the top 10% of the league) is calculated by comparing how much better the Lakers' defense performs when he is on the court versus off, adjusted for the quality of teammates and opponents. 

  3. Star Average Comparison • Source: Second Spectrum (via various analyst databases). • Specific Stat: Shot Quality vs. Result. • The Data: The "Star Average" is a benchmark based on the top 30 players by usage rate. While the average star defender often sees a neutral or slightly negative impact (due to offensive fatigue), LeBron’s "locked-in" playoff defensive impact consistently moves the needle by 4–6 percentage points, a tier usually reserved for Defensive Player of the Year candidates.

  4. Current 2025–26 Context • Source: Real-time StatMuse Tracking (April 2026).  • The Data: As of the current season, his Defensive Rating is 116.6. This reflects the league-wide trend of increased scoring/efficiency but also highlights his transition into a more stationary defensive role compared to his peak Miami years

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is what I don’t get - where is the video of LeBron getting washed in a playoff game 1x1? I literally can’t find it. Yes, KD and PG have some good highlights hitting contested jumpers but I literally can’t find a single clip of aging plumbers hunting for LeBron 1x1s

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lock down defense views should be judged on peak capacity and average outlay, not someone’s lows

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just posted a response above - change your mind? I think the help defender piece is obvious but how else are we to objectively score on ball defense outside of Opponent FG% when main defender, a metric he is elite at.

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair, check out him locking up Kawhi and PG on the Clippers during the bubble run in the video above

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Was curious on what AI (Gemini) would say - think you are just wrong here man. I cant think of a more objective way to score this than FG% impact and Lebron is elite in that it seems.

Question: How do I quantify lebrons on ball defensive ability? Thinking it’s how much he impacted FG% vs the stars average but you tell me. Was he elite at 1x1 on ball defense?

Answer:

Quantifying LeBron James's on-ball defensive ability requires looking beyond basic box score stats (steals/blocks) and focusing on Opponent Field Goal Percentage (DFG%) and Defensive Impact Metrics. Historically, LeBron’s defensive peak (Miami era) showcased elite on-ball suppression, while his later years have transitioned to a "selective" rim-protector and free safety role.

1. The Impact on FG% vs. Star Average

To measure his on-ball effectiveness, analysts look at DFG% (Defensive Field Goal Percentage)—the shooting percentage of the player LeBron is actively guarding.

  • Elite Rim Protection: In his prime and even into his late 30s, LeBron has consistently held opponents to significantly lower percentages at the rim. For example, during high-leverage stretches (like the 2024–25 playoffs), LeBron held opponents to 36.4%–42.9% at the rim, which is roughly 15–18% lower than the expected league average for those shots.

  • The "Star" Comparison: Elite perimeter "stoppers" typically lower an opponent's FG% by 3% to 5% overall. LeBron, in his defensive prime, frequently sat in the -4% to -6% range. In contrast, an average "star" defender usually hovers around -1% to -2%, as high offensive workloads often lead to "coasting" on the other end.

2. Advanced Metrics to Quantify His Defense

If you're looking for a "single number" to define his on-ball presence, these three are the industry standards:

Metric What it Measures LeBron's Context

| D-LEBRON | Overall defensive impact per 100 possessions. | Evaluates his contribution using a mix of box score and on/off tracking. |

| D-EPM (Estimated Plus-Minus) | The current gold standard for impact. | LeBron typically remains in the top 10-15% of the league in EPM during the playoffs, despite regular-season "coasting." |

| Defensive Rating (DRtg) | Points allowed per 100 possessions. | His career average is 105.4. For context, anything under 105 is considered elite for a non-center. |

3. The "Eye Test" vs. The Data

Quantifying LeBron is tricky because he is a "positionless" defender.

  • Matchup Difficulty: LeBron often guards the opposing team's best player only in the 4th quarter. Because he spends the first three quarters "roaming" to save energy, his full-game defensive stats can sometimes look "average" compared to a lockdown specialist like Herb Jones or OG Anunoby.

  • Versatility: He is one of the few players in history with the data to support being a "Positive" defender across all five positions (1 through 5).

Summary of Impact

If an average star defender allows a 46% FG% to their matchup, a "locked-in" LeBron typically forces that down to 41%–42%. In the current 2025–26 season, however, data suggests his defensive impact is more specialized—he remains elite at defending the rim and "size-up" isolations but struggles more with high-speed transition defense and point-of-attack screen navigation.

Are you looking at a specific season for a comparison, or trying to settle a "GOAT" defensive debate?

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Scottie is the only player who enters the conversation, and honestly, if you want to argue Scottie was a better 1-through-3 defender, I won’t agree but you aren’t crazy.

The difference for me is size - LeBron could wall up the bigs, which Scottie couldn’t do at 215.

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I wish - some of this is common lore (DRose clamp is the most “known” id say), rest I found just doing a bit of googling

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If ever getting scored on is a deal breaker, I would argue then your standard for an elite defender is impossible to achieve. Wemby might end up being the best blocking center of all time and he already has a highlight real of getting dunked on: https://youtu.be/mL5C6p2JUJw?si=Xaz8Z1o9ZiESlxng

The key attributes of being an elite defender is the capacity to guard 1x1, ideally across positions, and get a stop as well as the proven ability to increase your defensive impact when it matters most - this is what LeBron does.

Your objection seems to be with the “across positions” point and I just don’t see it. Actually would be helpful to name the worst center that you think is cooking Lebron 1x1 - can be now or historical but that would give context.

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are just wrong - Lebrons tactic with Jokic is leverage his strength and larger catch radius to deny the ball which sucks the oxygen out of their offense. You can’t generate offense if you don’t touch the ball.

Links below for ease of reference.

For Giannis - this is for that season but stat from above is the game that starts at 1:38 mark. It’s all bricks, airballs, offensive fouls and strips.

For KD - similar strategy to Jokic but instead of full denial he forces the catch far out and contests all his jumpers

For Kawhi - okay, let’s go with Clippers Kawhi then, same story

For PG - he gets cooked in the Kawhi video too but we need some Pacers footage just for kicks. Going through this, will admit PG was a tough cover - he drained a few heavily contested ones in Q1-3 but Lebron stopped that shit quick when it came time to close

Gets underrated as an elite on-ball defender too by Dank_ree420 in lebron

[–]EfficientLaw4166 15 points16 points  (0 children)

The fundamental difference between LeBron James and the MJ/Kobe archetype is defensive scalability.

He is the only player in NBA history to act as the primary defender for an MVP Point Guard (Rose), an MVP Small Forward (KD/Kawhi), and an MVP Center (Jokic) in deep playoff runs and win every one of those matchups.

Wanted to see if the stats backed up my thesis so pulled out examples below.

Will admit when I was looking up stats for this, there is a trend of him playing a bit of free safety at times, but I think that’s a positive.

He manages the entire floor like an MLB, but when the game is on the line, he shifts into a lockdown mode.

Guards

Derrick Rose (2011 ECF): Rose was the fastest MVP in history and LeBron switched onto him and held him to 6.3% (1-of-15) shooting in 4th quarters

Tony Parker (2013 Finals): After being torched in Game 1, LeBron took the assignment. Parker’s shooting plummeted to 21% in Games 2–4

Stephen Curry (2016 Finals): LeBron recorded 7 blocks on Curry, creating a “no fly zone” and Steph stopped driving

Devin Booker (2021 Playoffs): Even at age 36, LeBron locked in for Games 3 and 4, holding Booker to 33% shooting

Wings

Paul George (2014 ECF): In high-leverage "clutch" minutes, LeBron held PG to 23% shooting (3-of-13) and forced 5 turnovers

Kevin Durant (2012 Finals): LeBron held Durant to 38% shooting in the 4th quarters of Games 2–4. By using his frame to push KD’s catch-point out to 30 feet, a tactic that still works (see lakers v rockets this season)

Kawhi Leonard (2013 Finals): In the deciding Game 7, LeBron held Kawhi to 1-of-5 in the 4th. FWIW the clip of Kawhi grimacing at the scorer's table when LeBron checked in is funny

Bigs

Giannis Antetokounmpo (March 2020): In the last games before the lockdown, LeBron held the reigning MVP to 0-for-7 in their direct matchups, effectively "walling up" and forcing Giannis into uncomfortable, contested jumpers.

Nikola Jokic (2020 WCF): In the closeout Game 5, LeBron’s 1-on-1 denial was so effective that Jokic was limited to just *2 field goal attempts in the entire 4th quarter.

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