Defensive techniques on Kobe / Lebron...~

[Spfldkid]

Last night Houston beat Cleveland....Artest & Battier clamped down on Lebron and shut Cleveland down in the process. Of course Boston doesn't have an Artest type, but maybe Walker could do it.....given the chance...! The same "D" applies to Kobe, I saw Bruce Bowen shuts Kobe down some also...It is a bit physical, which is of course a little dirty, but also hard line deny-the-ball type D....most NBA players live by the (ego driven) premise..."Let him git the ball, I'll cover him!) giving these guys2-3 feet to get it going...wayyy too much space for these types....And it was one-on-one, no double teaming, which means no open Varajo, or Gasol to score the easy ones...! Send this to "THe Doc" will ya...!

[adam8]

I think doc knows all of this Lebron shot under 40% against us in the playoffs last year and Kobe was not much better. Kobe was like 10-27 in the last meeting, we guard great players as well as anyone in the league. not to mention we won both of the series agains those two teams.

[MMacOH]

Houston was collapsing on Lebron and the Cavs were missing their open looks.  Lebron also picked up 3 quick fouls last night and laid back.

[RAcker]

There is a very specific way to do it and the C's are very good at it unless either of those guys get on fire from outside.  Basically, it is taking away the pick and roll completely (particularly with LeBron) and forcing them to think that they are isolated 1 on 1 when there is really a hidden designated man lying in wait.  You draw a couple of charges or force a few turnovers and they start to settle for jump shots.  If you can guard them with length (like Paul Pierce), every shot should be heavily contested which makes them earn everything.  It's easier said than done, and thus why not every team in the league can pull it off.  When you have bigs that are willing to draw charges instead of trying to block every shot (which with these two you get very few) it helps a lot, and with us and Houston that is not a problem.