Kobe doesn't prefer to play defense against point guards. He usually prefers to be the guy doubling Yao or so. He's just roaming around now, he's not playing defense like he did during his 3-peat years. Jordan Farmar really is there best bet on defending Aaron. Rondo torched Kobe in the Finals as well. Aaron would just mop the floor with Kobe.
Kobe will just play helping D on brooks, but no way can he guard Brooks. AB will abuse him with his speed.
I honestly don't think Kobe would keep up. His defense is WAYYYY overrated. He does not deserve so many All-Defense honors.
I'm not sure about this but i have always wondered why kobe didnt guard someone who might be more of an offensive threat, like Artest.
Howard is also on the first defensive team, would you ask him to guard Brooks? It's about matchups, all you need is someone quick enough to stay in front of Brooks, so Farmar is the best choice
Kobe is the Derek Jeter of defense. Mediocre most of the time but makes the occaisional flashy play. Which I completely understand. Realistically you can't expect a guy to exert maximum energy and effort on both ends. No one has that stamina, but I just hate the adulation and praise he gets for his average defense because he's Kobe. Oh well, who cares.
Because he would be in foul trouble the first minute into the game, and Phil would have to put his ass on the bench for most of the night. When Brooks makes his mind to go into the lane, there is no one in this league can stay in front of him, they have to send help over quick, before he beat his defender.
While I agree that Kobe wouldn't be able to keep AB in front, I think the other main issue is ego. We could all see Kobe in a playoff game checking a player like Lebron, Joe Johnson, T-... Vince Carter, or even Parker, for short periods of time on defense. Those are all established stars earning near max contracts, and they might be worth the extra attention of Kobe and Phil. Brooks? Do you really expect the Lakers to acknowledge his $1mil/year, 6-foot frame by putting Kobe on him? No way. It's the same reason that Kobe roams around on D and does not guard the likes of Battier and Bruce Bowen. His ego doesn't allow himself to believe that the other player deserves that amount of respect on D.
Kobe could shut down Aaron Brooks but why would he want to? He doesn't need to exert energy on a guy like him. Kobe is the last shut down defender we have in the league today when he wants to be. Yeah, Shane does an amazing job on Kobe (Kobe's shooting 46.3%) but Kobe has put the clamps on against guys like D-Wade and Lebron this year. In the 4 games they've played, when Kobe was guarding them... they shot a combined like 25% from the field. His defense isn't overrated, its just not consistent against teams that don't have a go to guy on the perimeter.
Why would this give the Rockets trouble? Essentially you have: A small forward (fast as he may) chasing after Aaron An old point guard guarding Battier (and YES he CAN post Fisher up) Kobe roaming in the paint where he can't box out Hayes or has a risk of committing a Defensive 3 Second An injured player guarding Ron Artest And Gasol getting raped by Scola again. As far as hacking Chuck Hayes, why would they do that at any other time other than crunch time? You not only waste precious fouls from your starters but you put the opposing team at the FT line early...an opposing team that was Top 5 in FT shooing % On second thought, I'd like to see that defensive lineup. That would pretty much guarantee a plane trip to Denver for the Rockets.
So he doesn't need to shut down Brooks because: 1. He doesn't have to despite the fact that Brooks has been pretty much the main reason why the Lakers are facing elimination 2. He doesn't need to exert that much energy because, hey, it's just a Game 7 folks. 3. The other team doesn't have a go to guy on the perimeter And Kobe's the last shut down defender in the league? Are we talking about free use of elbows or no?
1. And Kobe's been the only guy for the Lakers to produce consistently on the offensive end. Farmar and Brown have done a decent job on Brooks when they've been in there. 2. Don't be surprised if Kobe picks him up if this game is close and Brooks is going crazy 3. My point exactly
Why didn't Kobe guard Yao in game one? Because it's r****ded. Kobe guarding Scola would actually be a much more reasonable option (than guarding Brooks) for the Lakers if they wanted to use his talents as JVG noted last game.
1. I don't remember reading about Jordan or Hakeem or LeBron b****ing about defending the other team's best player AND having to shoulder their teams' offense. 2. I wouldn't be surprised because he IS on the All-Defensive 1st Team. But like any taller defender that has tried to guard Brooks, Kobe WILL get burnt. And this also doesn't answer the question as to what the Lakers will do if they put Kobe on Brooks. Who guards Battier? Ariza? Okay, then who guards Artest? Bynum? Walton? A gimpy Odom? 3. Your point doesn't make any sense. Kobe's only going to exert energy on the defensive end only if the other team has a go to guy at the 1 or 2? Maybe you meant play harder if the other team has a go to guy. And, last I checked, Brooks IS our go to guy on the perimeter.
This has got to be one of the funniest answers I have seen in a long time. I just about spat beer out of my nose. He may help defend him from time to time but the lakers can not afford to have him dead exhausted running around chasing aaron brooks. Jordan had guys like Pippen take on the other best offensive player while he came in and did some help defence took a steal and got alot of credit for defending. Kobe does the same thing. I got a glimpse of him in his movie and from what I saw he spent most of the time guarding bowen who is definitely not ginobli or parker. He occasionally switched off to guard him but at the end of it all parker would just blow by him.
Kobe's defense is overrated. he can't keep up with Brooks. I want the Rockets win, so I think it's a nice try. please put Kobe on Brooks in Game 7.
kobe got great D but he can´t guard a quick PG, aaron would drive around him the whole game and score like crazy.
Zen Master won't be pitting his haughty and egotistical disciple against some measly guy named Aaron Brooks. Kobe will just embarrass himself D-ing up on the little guy.
