[CNNSI] Guarding Kobe

[durvasa]

Please lock it up if already posted. I thought this was an enjoyable read on the task of guarding Kobe, and what Battier has done in the series. It includes a comparison to the battles between Michael Jordan and Craig Ehlo 20 years ago. It's a 2-pager.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...obe/index.html

quote:

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Imagine coming face-to-face with a tornado -- and we're talking a fast-moving, maximum intensity, mean-ass twister that's sucking up livestock -- and then being asked to "stop" it. You'd run for cover, right? Well, the brave souls assigned to guard Kobe Bryant don't have that option, even though, just as there is no stopping a twister, there's no "stopping" a player like Bryant, especially over the course of a seven-game playoff series. You don't know in which direction he might spin, when he's going to pick up speed or stop altogether, or how much metaphoric destruction he will wreak. No matter how effectively the defender does his job, he's going to get scored upon, and often in ways that are quite embarrassing: on slippery drives, crazy step-back jumpers, maybe a vicious dunk or two.

Look at the impressive effort being put forth by Shane Battier in the matchup at the heart of the contentious second-round series between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Over the first four games, Battier has been tasked with shadowing Bryant on nearly every dribble, twice forcing him into subpar games, including the Rockets' stunning Game 4 victory (accomplished without All-Star center Yao Ming, who is done for the year with a hairline fracture in his left foot) that tied the series at week's end.

For Battier, the Rockets forward who has twice been named to the NBA All-Defensive team, this was not a fluke. Cerebral and obsessive in his approach to defense, he is among that rare breed of NBA player who makes his living trying to contain such elite scorers. These are the guys who play 40 minutes and finish with maybe four points, three rebounds and two assists, yet they're invaluable, especially come the postseason. To watch Battier in action against Kobe is to see defense treated like a science, if not a religion.

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[ccada]

Originally Posted by durvasa To watch Battier in action against Kobe is to see defense treated like a science, if not a religion.

This might just have to be my first sig. Thanks.

[Depressio]

I still think it's hilarious that Shane didn't make the NBA All Defensive 1st Team this year. How can they justify that LeBron James and Kobe Bryant defend better than Shane Battier does? It's ridiculous.

[rox4lyf]

Originally Posted by TSchmal I still think it's hilarious that Shane didn't make the NBA All Defensive 1st Team this year. How can they justify that LeBron James and Kobe Bryant defend better than Shane Battier does? It's ridiculous.

I think after this series, Shane and Chuck are going to get a lot more recognition around the league, and hopefully Shane can earn his first 1st team all defense if he keeps it up next season.

[pmac]

I don't think there's ever been a great perimeter defensive player who plays the game as clean as Shane.

It is really refreshing to see someone who can slow down the leagues best and be so classy about it.

[durvasa]

Originally Posted by rox4lyf I think after this series, Shane and Chuck are going to get a lot more recognition around the league, and hopefully Shane can earn his first 1st team all defense if he keeps it up next season.

It wasn't mentioned in this particular article, but one of the things Adelman credited for our defense on Kobe was Chuck's ability to show on the pick and rolls and then get back to his man. Battier+Chuck is a fantastic defensive tandem.

[Hayesfan]

That was a great article durvasa! Thanks for sharing!

[Freik]

good article, I saw something with the same title about an hour ago at bw3's, probably on espn.

[Kyakko]

i've said this before, but battier is the hero of this series. it doesn't matter how much scola and brooks scores or how good hayes is on d. it's about containing kobe because he'll keep the lakers in the game. without kobe, this series would've been over in 6 or less. and RA needs to realize that. for some reason, artest who normal is a better defender than battier is totally ineffective against him.

[Dave_78]

Originally Posted by rox4lyf I think after this series, Shane and Chuck are going to get a lot more recognition around the league, and hopefully Shane can earn his first 1st team all defense if he keeps it up next season.

You're right.

I've always maintained that the awards given out for the next season are actually awarded (at least in the voters minds) in the previous year's playoffs. Whenever a guy has a breakout playoffs he is usually being named as the favorite to win such and such award at the beginning of the following season.

If Shane is healthy I think he is a lock for defensive first team. Chuck probably doesn't get enough minutes to have a chance but you can be guaranteed that next season during Rockets broadcasts the national media will talk about how to win the big games you have to have a Chuck Hayes on your team.

[choujie]

Battier was one step slower before All star break, and everybody was bashing him.

It's amazing how much defense one step quicker means, that's why Yao will always have trouble defending pick'n rolls.

Artest seems to lost half step compare to his previous years, even though he still has strength.

[Dave_78]

Originally Posted by choujie Battier was one step slower before All star break, and everybody was bashing him. It's amazing how much defense one step quicker means, that's why Yao will always have trouble defending pick'n rolls. Artest seems to lost half step compare to his previous years, even though he still has strength.

He is a bit slower but what is bugging me about him guarding Kobe is that he leans on Kobe's right side and invites Kobe to drive left. I would rather see him try to stay between Kobe and the rim like Battier does instead of just giving up on that strategy and forcing him to his "weak" hand.

[guangzu]

Originally Posted by durvasa To watch Battier in action against Kobe is to see defense treated like a science, if not a religion.

did he just said religion is better than science? shock!

[heyangw]

The first defensive team is just a JOKE. It is a all star team with good defensive stats.
Hayes also deserves a position in the all defensive team. His defense is art!

Originally Posted by TSchmal I still think it's hilarious that Shane didn't make the NBA All Defensive 1st Team this year. How can they justify that LeBron James and Kobe Bryant defend better than Shane Battier does? It's ridiculous.

[napalm_black]

Originally Posted by guangzu did he just said religion is better than science? shock!

D&D Material.

Neither is better; that's a false argument and not remotely relevant.

[ItsMyFault]

Thanks for the article Durvasa!

[Andy Sheets]

This has surely been posted before, but that article reminds me a bit of this one: Shane Battier: No-Stat All-Star

[verse]

Originally Posted by pmac I don't think there's ever been a great perimeter defensive player who plays the game as clean as Shane. It is really refreshing to see someone who can slow down the leagues best and be so classy about it.

joe dumars was every bit as classy, and every bit the tenacious, cerebral defensive assassin that shane is. his lateral movement, understanding of angles, and knowledge of what his opponent's preferred angles were was unparalleled. michael jordan's two toughest defenders? joe D and houston's own vernon maxwell. vern was a mini-ron. joe D was vernon with a brain.

on a team full of pitbull knifefighters (mahorn, rodman, laimbeer, buddha edwards, salley, aguirre, zeke), joe D was the brains of the op. joe D manned up one-on-one with the jordans, 'niques, b kings,etc and carried his own offensively, as well. joe was the key to quite possibly the greatest defensive squad ever assembled. all to the tune of a hall of fame career.

for those that didn't know, shane grew up in detroit. detroit mercy day hs, iirc. chances are he idolized those bad boys teams and probably shaped his defensive prowess around joe D. does it surprise anyone that shane has openly said he'd like to end his career playing in his hometown, for his boyhood favorite team which, not so coincidentally, is run by, yep, joe D?

[guangzu]

Originally Posted by napalm_black D&D Material. Neither is better; that's a false argument and not remotely relevant.

i knew and was just kidding, at least not shocked :-) the writer just tried to balance the words, or being lazy by using cliche.

[durvasa]

Originally Posted by verse on a team full of pitbull knifefighters (mahorn, rodman, laimbeer, buddha edwards, salley, aguirre, zeke), joe D was the brains of the op. joe D manned up one-on-one with the jordans, 'niques, b kings,etc and carried his own offensively, as well. joe was the key to quite possibly the greatest defensive squad ever assembled. all to the tune of a hall of fame career.

I've heard that a lot, but I'm not so sure. It might have been the combination of Dennis Rodman and John Salley. Detroit's emergence as an elite defensive team in the late 80s and into the early 90s pretty much coincided with them. Salley leaves before the 92/93 season, and they become a middling defensive team. Rodman leaves in the subsequent season, and Detroit becomes one of worst defensive teams in the league in 93/94 and 94/95. I don't remember if Dumars was really hampered those years by injuries.