<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Celtics practiced and met with the media first Wednesday. So not long after the Los Angeles Lakers took the floor, they became aware of what could be the key defensive strategy in the NBA finals. The Celtics don't plan to double-team Kobe Bryant. Good luck with that, Lakers players responded. "Well, that's their problem if they don't want to double-team Kobe," forward Vladimir Radmanovic said. "I think Kobe's going to have more space to operate." The Celtics held Bryant to 32.6 percent shooting in two wins over Los Angeles during the regular season. But few think the two-time scoring champion can be contained for long without giving his defender help. "I don't see them doing that throughout the whole series, especially down the stretch," Lakers reserve Luke Walton said. "You know, it's obviously going to result in less open shots for us throughout the game, but the ultimate goal is for our team to win. So if they decide to not double Kobe and he can go for 60, let him go for 60." Bryant is the leading scorer in the postseason with 31.9 points per game, but he is far from the only weapon the Lakers have. They are averaging 105.9 points, tops in the playoffs, shooting nearly 48 percent as a team, and have six players scoring at least eight per game. So perhaps the Celtics would be better off letting Bryant get his points and making sure the rest of his teammates are covered. Boston limited opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the league during the regular season, and doesn't plan to do things differently now. "We play our defense, and we're not going to change our defense," coach Doc Rivers said.</div> http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/...128694582_x.htm So they're just going to play Kobe one on one? Well, I can't say I'm not surprised by this decision. I really don't know what Doc Rivers is thinking. Not even Bruce Bowen could stop Kobe one on one, but hey, let them do whatever they want. This will make things easier for us I guess...
Unless they have a bowen or artest type player... they should double him if they want to have a chance. Im sure Doc would put Posey and at times Allen on Kobe but i dont see neither being able to stop him. Kobe could keep on taking it to the hole trying to foul out one of the C's bigs (KG or Perkins), if that happens then the C's are in trouble.
Man imagine if KG and Perkins picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter tonight....talk about hurting..
Kobe can't be stopped no matter how you defend him. Playing him one on one takes away some of his ability to get his teammates involved, and turns him into more of a one dimensional player, offensively. I think it's the right way to start the series. There will be plenty of time to make adjustments if it doesn't work.
The Spurs did it for the most part, but Bowen is pretty good at putting energy in on the defensive end and staying in front of his man.
Let them do whatever they want on Kobe. I think getting to the free throw line is the key. I am really worried about their bigs. LO can't really guard KG or Perkins and Pau is not physical enough for Perkins. I think Perkins will outhustle and out muscle Pau. Although Perkins is not their star I think he is the worst matchup for us. Size wise, only DJ and Mihm can match up well with him but putting either in the game is a disaster. I was at the short shorts game on Dec. 30th and Perkins was killing us and that was against Bynum. So the key is to get Pau and Kobe to go at KG and Perkins and get them into foul trouble.
