Word: baskets
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...Boston's point guard, Rajon Rondo, is a scrappy player, and loves to fish for loose balls and offensive rebounds under the basket. But against Kobe, that could be a a very costly error for a point guard, who is usually expected to be the first defender back. "You want to be more disciplined than usual," says Anthony. "Pick your spots to be aggressive." When playing an explosive team like the Lakers, you're going to have to make sacrifices. What does Boston need more, a few loose balls for Rajon Rondo, or the brakes on Kobe Bryant? If they...
...Wrong. Cleveland runs a junior high school offense - give it to LeBron and get out of the way. The Lakers, on the other hand, run the "triangle" set, which relies on pinpoint spacing and smart cuts to the basket to create openings for Kobe's supporting cast. So if you needlessly double-team him, Kobe will find the open man. Unlike in years past, Kobe is willing to pass the ball, and he does it quite well, thank you. Part of his newfound generosity is due to the fact that he now has All-Star-quality teammates in Pau Gasol...
...misses." Of course, Kobe is no shooting slouch. But over his last two series, against the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs, he sank only 27% of his three-pointers, well below his 36% regular season average. If he's shooting from the outside instead of driving to the basket, he's less likely to get fouled. And Kobe kills you from the charity stripe - he shot a sterling 84% in the regular season, and is at 81% in the playoffs...
...course, if Kobe gets in rhythm - and he is bound to at some point - Boston can't let him hit outside shots all day. So when the time comes to body up and force him to the basket, they need to send him to the baseline. In the triangle offense, Bryant often receives the ball on the wing. There, he has two choices - drive to the middle of the floor, or towards the corner, where he can turn and dribble to the basket along the baseline...
...behind him, he can only go left," says Deng. Turn his head one way, he sees the Laker Girls, and the late-arriving L.A. crowd. Turn his head the other way, a long-limbed defender like Deng is right in this face. Kobe can keep going toward the basket. But if Boston rotates the right way, Kevin Garnett, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, should be under the hoop, ready to help. Of course, even this often doesn't work, which means Kobe ends up dunking it in his defender's face...