Boston's Defense on Kobe Bryant

[Erick Blasco]

I've noticed a lot of literature and media on how the Celtics were able to get Ray Allen off in Game Two, but I haven't seen anything on a minor defensive tweak the Celtics employed to help slow down Kobe Bryant.

 

Boston's base philosophy is to choke off penetration or at least funnel it into a big help defender. Boston tries as hard as possible to not go into rotation.

 

In Game One, that meant playing Kobe Bryant honestly with minimal help, and when doubling, doubling with a big man.

 

For example, look here.

 

http://i45.tinypic.com/2lksojm.jpg

 

Notice how in this image, Rajon Rondo is on the opposite wing of Kobe Bryant, instead of pinching in to the free throw line area. He's preventing a simple perimeter pass to Derek Fisher, but he's also allowing Kobe to turn the corner. Kevin Garnett's help defense is late, and Kobe gets a layup.

 

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/2rms3uv.jpg

 

 

In this second image, Rondo still isn't in the center of the court. This is made worse by Kendrick Perkins sagging far into the lane to meet Bynum at the paint in transition. Kobe has an easy pocket jump shot as a result.

 

 

http://i50.tinypic.com/fblx0z.jpg

 

In this image, more of the same. Rondo doesn't pinch off Kobe's side of the court, he gets to his spot.

 

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/2vjrbk6.jpg

 

Finally, you can't double Kobe with a big man when he can see it coming. Perkins shows his double, Kobe passes to Gasol inside the key, KG has to stay on Bynum to prevent an offensive rebound, Pierce blocks out Artest, Rondo stays above the circle, and Perkins is late getting back to Gasol. Gasol hits an easy jumper. If KG closes out, Gasol drops it to Bynum under the basket with only the smaller Pierce as a defender.

 

 

 

In Game Two, Boston tweaked its defense.

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/2cpvqxs.jpg

 

Notice Rondo's positioning---pinching in on Kobe's screen/roll drive. Fisher is open, but Boston trusts its guards to close out hard to prevent wide open shots. With the screen neutralized by Rondo, Kobe isolates Allen and misses a tough drive.

 

 

http://i46.tinypic.com/1zlgm79.jpg

 

On this play, Nate Robinson makes a mistake and doesn't pinch off as tightly as he should. Kobe gets into the paint and hits a short jumper, plus a foul. Robinson was benched right after that play, partly because Rondo was well-rested, partly because Robinson's six-minute shift is a healthy one and Nate may have lost a bit of stamina, and partly because of the mistake.

 

 

http://i47.tinypic.com/nnjeib.jpg

 

Finally, the Celtics overload their defense on Kobe late in the game. Notice Perkins entering the strong side, and Rondo pinching from the wing. Kobe has to give the ball up, but the Celtics don't get burned because of how hard their close outs are. Pierce rotates to Bynum preventing an easy pass to the paint, forcing Kobe to kick it to Artest in the corner. Pierce sprints out to Artest forcing him to kick it to Fisher. Rondo is actually a half second slow in rotating, causing him to compensate by flying past Fisher. He makes up for it by blocking Fish from behind with his incredibly long arms, and because Fisher's release puts the ball behind his head (this is one reason why you don't shoot by bringing the ball behind your head!).

 

Watch the play here.

 

 

 

http://i47.tinypic.com/oadls8.jpg

 

 

And when the Celtics do double Kobe in the post, instead of doubling with a big, they double from the top. Again, Farmar is open, but the Celtics aren't getting killed by the Lakers' interior passing, and they're in much better position to rebound. Notice how Boston's rebounding was much improved from Game One to Game Two.

 

 

It's easy to pinch the wings when Fisher and Artest shoot 1-8 from downtown, but they also shot that poorly because of good close outs. Boston made the right adjustment to slow down Kobe and win Game two. Let's see what adjustments the Lakers counter with in Game Three.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Erick Blasco

[Erick Blasco]

First of all, I removed some media links because apparently there's a limit on how much media I can post in a thread.

 

More importantly, can someone please help me with embedding videos!!! I never do this right!!!

 

!@&@&$&@*@*#*$*@!

[Make It Naaaashty]

Good stuff.

 

Kobe needs his guards to make their shots and force the Celtics to stop doubling and helping out on Kobe. It would make it much more easier for their offense to execute.

[Poe]

Good read, and a good example of the chess match being played throughout a playoff series. We'll see some countermoves by LA and some more from Boston tonight.

[Erick Blasco]

Good stuff.

 

Kobe needs his guards to make their shots and force the Celtics to stop doubling and helping out on Kobe. It would make it much more easier for their offense to execute.

 

Yep, that's one way to punish the Celtics. Also, at times the Lakers put their wings in the corner, a big under the hoop, and then set the screen. That eliminates guards helping out because the wings can cut to the basket without a defender.

 

It's hard to do this in transition though because the Lakers aren't always ahead of Kobe in transition. There's usually a player at a wing and that player's defender just pinches in. Also, filling both corners hurts floor balance.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Erick Blasco

[Real Deal]

First of all, I removed some media links because apparently there's a limit on how much media I can post in a thread.

 

More importantly, can someone please help me with embedding videos!!! I never do this right!!!

 

!@&@&$&@*@*#*$*@!

There's a limit? I had no idea. I'll have to look into that.

 

And it depends on what videos you're embedding. We have Youtube embedding enabled, along with Google and MySpace (and I believe GameTrailers). Others aren't allowed due to security reasons, but if it's something you're going to be embedding frequently (because I notice you do stuff like this a lot haha), just let me know and I'll see what I can do for ya.

[kingfish]

Sorry Erick didnt read all of it, but admire your work <3.

 

 

I think you can sum up Bostons defense against KB in one word, ZONE. Maybe a box and 1 as well? For years they have made it tough on Kobe because they have Allen who is a decent matchup defensively for KB, and then they put a defender on the opposite elbow, along with two bigs on both blocks. Pretty good D I would say. But the big thing is how well they help and recover.

[Erick Blasco]

There's a limit? I had no idea. I'll have to look into that.

 

And it depends on what videos you're embedding. We have Youtube embedding enabled, along with Google and MySpace (and I believe GameTrailers). Others aren't allowed due to security reasons, but if it's something you're going to be embedding frequently (because I notice you do stuff like this a lot haha), just let me know and I'll see what I can do for ya.

 

lol, I use veoh because they allow me to publish longer files than veoh back when I was doing the gameplan stuff. If you could get veoh embedding enabled, it would be a lot easier for me. I can embed the videos here and people don't have to go following links.