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they face their toughest test yet trying to guard a whistle
Celts Face Toughest Test Yet—Guarding Kobe
SportingNews
Once they got through the game film showing Lakers guard Kobe Bryant make a mockery of the Suns’ defensive game plan—he averaged 33.7 point, 8.3 assists and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 52.1 percent from the field for the series—you’d have to assume that the Celtics would be somewhat concerned. After all, Bryant has gotten better with each passing round of this postseason, so he appears primed to pull out his best in the Finals. Given what he did to Phoenix in the Western Conference finals, that could only mean averages in the range of a triple double, perhaps with 40 or so points per game.
"The challenge is to win the championship," Bryant told reporters. "The Celtics are in the way. They feel the same way about us. Obviously this is a matchup that’s very easy to talk about. There’s a lot of things that people can write about and talk about."
Nothing, of course, is as easy to write about in this series as Bryant himself. He is playing with unmatched efficiency, his perimeter shots are falling, his passing is nearly flawless (he averaged just 2.5 turnovers against the Suns) and he even produced four blocked shots in the Lakers’ big win in Game 5.
But, if the Celtics are overly worried about Bryant, they are not showing it. "We have a lot of confidence in our defense," said wing man and defensive specialist Tony Allen. "We feel like, we have five guys who can play defense out there and so there is not any one player who is going to be able take advantage of us or beat us singlehandedly. We are always going to approach it like we can get the job done."
Perhaps with good reason. The Boston defense has had plenty of experience handling talented types here in the postseason. We’re not just talking All-Stars, either. We’re talking Olympians.
In fact, coach Doc Rivers and his staff are in the midst of a very interesting task. The Celtics’ defense will face an All-NBA first-team player for the fourth consecutive round of this postseason. Four rounds, four first-teamers—that hasn’t happened in NBA history (the league changed the playoff format in 1984). The only first-team guy they won’t face is Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant.
But they did face Dwyane Wade and the Heat in the first round. Then came LeBron James and his Cavaliers in the second round. Finally, it was Dwight Howard and the Magic in the conference finals. All along, the Celtics’ defense held up pretty well. They are allowing just 91.4 points per game, with opponents shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from the 3-point line. They’re forcing a healthy average of 16.4 turnovers per game.
"That’s just how we stand with our D," Celtics forward Glen Davis said. "That’s trusting our defense and making sure we execute on D, most of all."
Bryant will be a different challenge. He has a far better supporting cast—starting with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom—than Wade. He has a much stronger Finals resume than James. And he’s far more offensive-minded than Howard will ever be. There are times when there seems to be no defense for Bryant. At one point late in the series against the Suns, Bryant made a 24-footer with Grant Hill in his face. As Suns coach Alvin Gentry recalled, "I said, ‘Good defense,’ to Grant. (Bryant) said, ‘Not quite good enough.’"
Now, it’s the Celtics’ turn to see if they can come up with good-enough defense to handle Bryant. Throughout the playoffs, they’ve been able to win despite keeping mostly single coverage on their opponents’ star player, withstanding individual damage in hopes of limiting the contributions of supporting players. That will mean that Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Tony Allen will all get significant time playing Bryant solo.
That might sound like an impossible task. But it’s worked for the Celtics so far.
they face their toughest test yet trying to guard a whistle
vice versa... kobe hasnt seen a d like boston yet.
Whistle and LeBron are tougher assignments than Kobe.
If the refs continue to permit Artest to put his hands on people it'll benefit Kobe immeasurably.
T. Allen's ankle is supposedly dinged. Hope, hope.
Coleman on ESPN today said they'd put Fisher on R. Allen and put Kobe on Rondo.
Star Stoppers: Kobe Is Just Celtics’ Latest Challenge
SportingNews
Kobe Bryant is the fourth All-NBA first-team player the Celtics will see this postseason. Here’s how they managed the other three:
Round 1: Dwyane Wade
Strategy: The Celtics allowed Wade his individual numbers but effectively shut down the rest of the Heat. Wade averaged 33.2 points on 56.4 percent shooting. The rest of the Heat shot just 38.4 percent.
Round 2: LeBron James
Strategy: The Celtics did a good job of using Pierce and Tony Allen to keep James out of the paint and force him into perimeter shots. When James would look for teammates at the 3-point line, the Celtics harassed them into terrible shooting (27.6 percent).
Round 3: Dwight Howard
Strategy: With their own wide body (Kendrick Perkins) inside, the Celtics were able to play Howard straight and use backups Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis to foul. The Celtics completely neutralized Howard in two of the six games, but he wound up averaging 21.8 points. The rest of the team, though, shot 39.8 percent.
That doesn't sound like a good idea. Kobe would have a better chance stopping Ray than Fisher. Neither of them are going to stop Rondo. All that setup is doing is creating two mismatches in the Celtics favor.
The whistles are going to let the Lakers take this game. Dont get me wrong Kobe does not miss a shot...i mean damn Kobe lit up the Suns at the end of game 6. But please the refs gave Kobe the benefit of the doubt on the foul calls. and gave the Suns no chance to make a come back with all those offensive fouls and traveling calls on Amare.
Chek out this post by Tim Donaghy for the Huffington Post breaking down the foul calls on game 6 between the Celtics and Magic.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-do..._b_594441.html
Pretty stupid article IMO... LeBron is/was their toughest cover... as evidenced by Kobe's sub 40% shootings in the Finals against the Celtics two years ago. Kobe is great, but the Lakers have another huge weapon which the Cavs didnt have.
Lebron shot sub 40% against the Celtics 2 years ago. And shot sub 40% against a terrible 2007 Spurs team that was curbstomped by the Lakers and Kobe the following year.
Bynum will be a harder cover IMO. 6/5 is gonna beast
Didn't the Celtics face the same challange 2 years ago? Just saying...
Hey dude, I never quite got the pic in your sig. He has 10 rings, but I don't completely get the context of the pic.
They didnt have any problem guarding Kobe in 2008
LOL Sportingnews
Kobe was still in a Smush-haze in '08. Everywhere he looked he thought he saw Parker. There was that one time when Kobe thought Parker was safely ensconsed in south Florida, Kobe nonchalants out the Laker's locker room door at Staples and who does he come face-to-face with? Well, aside from his wife who was camped out-out there? Smush Parker comin' out the Clipper's locker room door after he just signed with them.
It was awful, like flashbacks of Vietnam.
Oh.
Why do guys think Boston all of sudden locks Kobe up. 2008 was a different story they had a kid named James Posey. Ya he made it difficult for Kobe, but he is not there anymore. Who's there now to stop kobe pierce and Allen both got mediocre defense. Kobe's been lighting up the last 3 meetings
Kobe has 72 points on 72 shots in the 3 times hes played v Boston since the Finals.
Not exactly lighting it up.
If Kobe has to win this Finals for us we won't win it. The Celtics are not going to permit Bryant to win this. They just ain't. Somebody else is going to have to impact this series in order for us to prevail. Kobe will have his moments, his points, his impact, but, somebody else is going to have to answer the bell. Artest answered it Vs. the Suns.
We all know who Jackson & Bryant are eyeballing=Gasol. But, he took a step back Vs. the Suns.
We can't be y Thursday night. We have to go at 0-0.
If we leave California sans 2-0 our goose is cooked.
Also 3-0 in those games
Boston isn't that great at home this year. Nothing like in 2008 where they were unbeatable in the Garden all season.
Regular season; who gives a flying .
with a 1 pt win and 2 pt win to boot. Woopdi
Yall ed, son. This Celtic team has already dispatched two teams superior to the Lakers.
jeez.... 21 is so scared.
Not even trying to convince us that the Lakers matchup well in this series.
Just trying to convince himself.
So scared. Have some confidence in your team man.
Meanwhile the Lakers 28-3 @ home the last 3 seasons in the playoffs. Haven't dropped a game at Staples this post season. Boston has no chance in a game 6/7 in LA.
Game 4, 2008 NBA Finals
tee, hee.
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