spursparker9
02-05-2015, 10:41 PM
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Memphis Grizzlies wing Tony Allen has been one of the most effective and versatile defenders in the NBA for several seasons, laying claim to the deserved title of "Grindfather" for his gritty team and regularly guarding and locking down the best scorers on opposing teams. Allen may not be the greatest offensive threat in the league, but he's a weapon regardless. Few teams can deploy such an accomplished defender to handle so many different kinds of players.
While Allen's defensive talent is well established, he has never really given extended insight into his process. That's not the case anymore, because Allen sat down with Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling for a long look at how he defends some of the best scorers in the NBA. Here's a sample:
With a player like Kevin Durant—and anybody 6'7" and up because I'm 6'4"—the best thing to do is sit on the front of his leg because he's going to try to post me and then rely on Marc Gasol, the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, to come over and help. I know if KD catches it straight up, he's going to score, get an assist or get fouled. And KD has gotten more aggressive in his career, so I've got to make it difficult for him to catch it, especially because he's been trying to get me with that one-legged fadeaway. [...]
When I'm facing up a guy, like Kobe Bryant, I don't watch his feet; I try to give him one way to go. Through my film study, I know which way to force him based on his moves in the previous game. In one play earlier this season, I forced Kobe left to the middle, which we're not supposed to do; that's our team principle. But in the previous game when Kobe played the Clippers, he took Matt Barnes baseline and reversed dunked. So I said to myself, You're not going to Matt Barnes me, and I forced him left and into a turnover (below). [...]
But one guy I haven't figured all the way out yet is James Harden. He's pretty crafty. I'm not impressed with his ball-handling, but his finishing skills are scary. Even though he's lefty, if he goes right he's going to put the ball out and get the foul. It's kind of tough because you don't want to get a foul called. And once you get your first or second foul, you kind of ease up. [...]
When I'm guarding somebody, I don't play percentages. I hate analytics and Synergy because a lot of times I've heard a coach say, "This guy can't shoot, he can't do this, he can't do that." And he's the one that ends up hurting us. During the game, I'm making sure to look up at the scoreboard, but I'm not looking at my points; I'm looking at my guy's points. That just keeps me motivated.
I just study the opponent in my own way, one game at time. I have short-term memory; on to the next game. I only have one long-lasting memory: my big block against Pau Gasol in Game 5 of the 2010 Finals, which we ended up winning.
Read the rest on http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/tony-allen-says-james-harden-is-the-only-scorer-he-hasn-t-figured-out-015716521.html
Memphis Grizzlies wing Tony Allen has been one of the most effective and versatile defenders in the NBA for several seasons, laying claim to the deserved title of "Grindfather" for his gritty team and regularly guarding and locking down the best scorers on opposing teams. Allen may not be the greatest offensive threat in the league, but he's a weapon regardless. Few teams can deploy such an accomplished defender to handle so many different kinds of players.
While Allen's defensive talent is well established, he has never really given extended insight into his process. That's not the case anymore, because Allen sat down with Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling for a long look at how he defends some of the best scorers in the NBA. Here's a sample:
With a player like Kevin Durant—and anybody 6'7" and up because I'm 6'4"—the best thing to do is sit on the front of his leg because he's going to try to post me and then rely on Marc Gasol, the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, to come over and help. I know if KD catches it straight up, he's going to score, get an assist or get fouled. And KD has gotten more aggressive in his career, so I've got to make it difficult for him to catch it, especially because he's been trying to get me with that one-legged fadeaway. [...]
When I'm facing up a guy, like Kobe Bryant, I don't watch his feet; I try to give him one way to go. Through my film study, I know which way to force him based on his moves in the previous game. In one play earlier this season, I forced Kobe left to the middle, which we're not supposed to do; that's our team principle. But in the previous game when Kobe played the Clippers, he took Matt Barnes baseline and reversed dunked. So I said to myself, You're not going to Matt Barnes me, and I forced him left and into a turnover (below). [...]
But one guy I haven't figured all the way out yet is James Harden. He's pretty crafty. I'm not impressed with his ball-handling, but his finishing skills are scary. Even though he's lefty, if he goes right he's going to put the ball out and get the foul. It's kind of tough because you don't want to get a foul called. And once you get your first or second foul, you kind of ease up. [...]
When I'm guarding somebody, I don't play percentages. I hate analytics and Synergy because a lot of times I've heard a coach say, "This guy can't shoot, he can't do this, he can't do that." And he's the one that ends up hurting us. During the game, I'm making sure to look up at the scoreboard, but I'm not looking at my points; I'm looking at my guy's points. That just keeps me motivated.
I just study the opponent in my own way, one game at time. I have short-term memory; on to the next game. I only have one long-lasting memory: my big block against Pau Gasol in Game 5 of the 2010 Finals, which we ended up winning.
Read the rest on http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/tony-allen-says-james-harden-is-the-only-scorer-he-hasn-t-figured-out-015716521.html