[Coaching Better Basketball]Rockets Defense on Kobe

Great post. I like how when the pick came, Battier shifted up to Kobe's right so he could go around the pick while our big covered until Battier could recover.

I also think we need to give Scola some serious props for his pick-and-roll defense. Remember, we used to get killed on that last year. Think about the play in the bobcats game when he robbed Felton in the backcourt and got the fast break and 1 and also at the end of the Lakers game when the dribbler lost control and threw it out of bounds. When the offense sets up the pick and roll, Scola shows hard forcing the dribbler into the backcourt. The Rox rotate so well that the dribbler can't find the open man. Then, Scola moves recovers quickly back to cover the big. That's a leftover from JVG, but they execute it better this year.

 

Can somebody send this article to Rosen? I was amazed on hot Shane defended Kobe 1 on 1! Maybe he learned something from Ruben Patterson