Spurs' problem — Kobe doesn't care who defends
Buck Harvey
Vince Carter charged him. Ray Allen called him some bad names. Amare Stoudemire thought he was trying to hurt him.
Yes, Michael Finley didn't think much of Bruce Bowen either until Bowen became his teammate.
But Kobe Bryant never said a thing. He welcomed the challenge. Whatever nudge Bowen applied over the years merely added to the degree of difficulty.
Bryant also liked to believe he was above defense. He came with such confidence that it really didn't matter who guarded him.
When?
There was a time it did matter.
These regular-season moments don't define what will happen in May, but they sure give some signs. The Spurs have seen these before.
Pau Gasol continues to be a load for Tim Duncan, and the Lakers' depth still is a problem. Then there's Lamar Odom.
He's been a tease for most of his career. He can go through stretches as he did in February, when he averaged almost 19 rebounds a game against sturdy opponents such as Utah and Cleveland, and he can disappear. In the Finals, against the Celtics, he was a disappointment.
But he's been a tough matchup for all of the Spurs' big men, and he was again Thursday. He finished with a double-double, and he defended, and he finished the game with a couple of key plays.
Then, with the Spurs determined to take the ball out of Bryant's hands, Odom received his pass with numbers on his side. From there Odom did what few men his size can do: He drove and dished to his teammate, Gasol, for the score.
That's Odom, the freak of nature with point guard skills wrapped in a long, athletic body, and he showed the other side of that on the next play. Then he stretched to tie up Duncan — and followed by winning the tip.
But Odom doesn't have to do much, not on this team. He can float, and wait his turn, because Bryant fills in everything else.
He's not Carter or Allen or Stoudemire. He's above the usual pain and nuisances, and he was the night before in Houston. Then, with Ron Artest cursing in his ear, Bryant answered with an MVP performance.
With him, it doesn't matter anymore who is guarding him, or where. Earlier in the year the Lakers also went through Houston before coming to San Antonio, and Bryant won that game with a 3-pointer over Shane Battier, one of the league's better defenders.
The next night, against the Spurs, Bryant threw in the same shot on the same spot on the floor against Roger Mason Jr. Had Mason not answered with his own jumper while backing up into Derek Fisher, the Spurs would have lost that one, too.
Bryant swished his share over the years against Bowen, too. But there was something about their rivalry that was different. Bowen was so focused on him, looking into his eyes and body language to figure out what was next, that Bryant was almost flattered.
Bryant won some and Bowen won some, and they had considerable respect for the other. Earlier in the season, in L.A., they sat together talking before the game.
That's why Thursday was so odd for both. Then, with the Spurs behind by two points, when Mason picked up his fifth foul, Gregg Popovich went with George Hill.
That's telling of what Popovich thinks of Hill. And also of what Popovich thinks of Bowen. The Spurs not only want to emphasize offense now, they also don't count on Bowen even for situational defense.
So Bryant stood at the 3-point line, with Hill working under him, and Bryant rose up. As it was with Battier, as it was with Artest, as it was with Mason, the defense didn't matter.
The 3-pointer went through cleanly, and more remarkable was what followed. Then, on his way to an ordinary night by his standards, Bryant heard sizeable portion of the San Antonio crowd chant “MVP, MVP.”
Afterward someone asked Bryant about not seeing Bowen on that last play. He replied as Carter, Allen and Stoudemire wouldn't have.
“It's weird for me,” Bryant said, “because I'm so used to having him draped all over me.”
As if he missed him.
CIA Pop experimenting with seeing if Hill or Mason could guard Kobe. Hill might be able to guard Nash and other stars of his caliber, but for the MVP we need Bowen. In the playoffs I doubt Pop would do the same matchups. No worries. Pop still has tricks up his sleeve.
I thought Hill did a serviceable job on him and he appears to have the makings of a solid NBA defender. Mason just has no business defending #24...get off the court son
Mason doesnt do that bad of a job.
Kobe is nearly unguardable. With Lebron you could sag off a little. With Kobe its pick your poison.
Kobe is unguardable, you are right. I remember the old days when Derek Anderson was chewed up for not containing him.
The thing is we gotta just let Kobe get his, and contain the other guys. Tonight, we did not do that. I mean Ariza was hitting jump shots, Vujacic, ...even freaking Mbenga.
Ariza had 4 steals. It seemed like he came out REALLY ready tonight.
I can feel how mad and frustrated manu is right now seeing kobe play that way. Can't wait for him to return.
This guy can:
double team bryant more! let the other lakers beat you. they'll fold because they're pussies. i don't see why the spurs played so scared against these ers. especially parker. that first quarter performance was probably the most made of his many made performances. i thought he'd left that behind him, but i guess not.
Bruce is the only one we can count on.
Pop never doubled Kobe that much in last year's playoff series, it was mostly single coverage. I don't think he'll double him much if we see him and the Lakers again this year.
Kobe is way too comfortable out there. We need to do a better job of getting him out of his game. Double teams, harassment, you name it. He's just laughing off Pop's defenses. IF Pop is trying to get his guys (other than Bowen) some experience on Kobe before the playoffs, then I hope the experiment is over.
Kobe has sent a message back to Pop. I will abuse everyone. I will abuse Bruce less.
Pop is not experimenting for the sake of experimenting. He is not holding Bruce Bowen in the wings for the playoffs. The reason Bowen hardly played last night is because he cannot effectively defend Kobe Bryant anymore. Bowen hardly plays anymore at all because he has aged past the point of being a viable NBA player. Are people in denial about this? His game was predicated on tenaciously running all the court following his man. His lateral quickness on defense was unmatched. Now he is three months from his 38th birthday. He can't do it anymore. It's over.
The Spurs do not have an answer for Kobe Bryant, and will not have an answer. In addition to the issues with Bryant, both Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom are matchup nightmares for the Spurs, and the matchups get even worse once Andrew Bynum returns.
The Spurs need a role player to pour in 20+ even to stay close to the Lakers. They compete basically with heart and the wiles of experience. They cannot play Spurs basketball anymore. We see it, right? With Duncan hobbled, the only starter who is even an average defender is Tony Parker. Tony Parker. The Spurs have to try to outscore the good teams; having a "sound scheme" only works against the teams lacking offensive talent.
The Spurs are not going to win a championship trying to outscore people. It is not who they are. Even at full strength, who besides Duncan defends? Parker? Average. Ginobili? He's a gambler who gets steals but also gets burned. Thomas? A bruiser, but unathletic. Oberto? Clever, but that's it. Bowen? He's finished. Mason, Finley, Bonner, Gooden, Udoka? Not a defender in the bunch. That leaves George Hill as the "defensive savior." Pshaw. This team is made to go 55-27, be relatively entertaining, be easy fodder for the Lakers, and be there for the plucking by some of the other rising teams.
Going forward, "full strength" is going to be a mythical state for the Spurs. Ginobili is at or past the age when players who throw their bodies around like he does go into decline due to health. Tim Duncan wears down at the end of seasons now because he is the only frontcourt player who does any rebounding or defending.
We'll spend Marches and Aprils that used to be "SPAM" time telling ourselves, "if the Spurs can get healthy for the playoffs, they'll have a chance," and Mays telling ourselves, "if only the Spurs had been healthy, they would have had a chance." This is how it looks at the end of a great run in the NBA.
That's the ballgame right there.
Yep...that about says it all.
kobe bryant by himself can win random regular season games, but he isn't going to win a playoff series- by himself.
I was unable to see the game (i just moved and i still dont have internet). but the spurs need to focus on gasol, odom, and closing out the 3pt line. forget kobe. let him do his fade away jumpers and all the layups he wants. just dont foul him and dont let him set the other lakers up. single coverage.
with the team in its current state, we can score on the lakers. with manu back, we can score lots on the lakers. if we can take away the 3s, transition, and most importantly gasol, kobe will have to get 81 4 times to beat us in the playoffs. that isnt going to happen, no matter who you put on him.
How can you stop the best player in the NBA today? kobe's gonna get his no matter who you put on him!!
bravo, cue violin music, as all the laker fans nod in violent agreement until their heads pop off.
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