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Clogging up the works Kobe's defense turned Sacramento's fluid offense to JelloPosted: Sunday May 26, 2002 10:51 PMUpdated: Sunday May 26, 2002 11:06 PM
LOS ANGELES -- Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was wearing a white Boston Red Sox home jersey with Pedro Martinez’s No. 45 on it when he walked out of the Lakers' locker room Sunday. Talk about a perfect fit. Bryant helped the Lakers pitch a virtual shutout in the second half of Game 4, limiting the high-octane Kings to just 34 points. It might not have had the dramatic flair of Robert Horry’s game-winning shot, but it meant just as much to the Lakers’ amazing 100-99 victory. "It was key," Lakers guard Brian Shaw said. "[Kings guard Mike Bibby] killed us in first half, and even though Kobe had four fouls most of the half, he was able to play aggressively and … we were able to contain him in the second half." Bryant’s ability to hound Bibby up court, keep him off his favorite spots and stay with him on the pick-and-roll slowed the Kings considerably. Unable to get into its offense as quickly, and with the 6-foot-7 Bryant blocking passing angles, Sacramento didn’t get the same open looks it did in the first half. The Kings' fluid offense became Jello. "We just wanted to tighten them up," said Bryant, adding that he had asked coach Phil Jackson to make the switch before Game 4. "They looked too comfortable in the first half. We just wanted to put a little more pressure on them and challenge them a bit." Bryant, normally assigned to guard Doug Christie, provided a spark with his full-court badgering of Bibby from end line to end line. Taking a cue from their All-Defensive star, the rest of the Lakers followed suit. Meanwhile, the Kings were unable to take advantage of the mismatch with Christie on 6-foot-1 Lakers guard Derek Fisher. Christie tried to force his way into the post on two occasions, but missed a shot on one and was called for an offensive foul on another. When Bibby finally decided to go inside himself, he often found Kobe’s long arm in his line of vision. After torching L.A. for 18 points (on 8-of-11 shooting) in the first half, Bibby managed just three points on 1-of-5 in the second. "With [Bibby] you just want to pressure him a little bit," Bryant said. "He’s an orchestrater. He dictates the tempo out there. It’s important to make him feel uncomfortable, get up there and harass him a bit." Jackson’s decision to put Bryant on Bibby was hardly a surprise. During his Bulls' title years, Jackson frequently put Scottie Pippen on point guards like Magic Johnson in the ’91 Finals and Mark Jackson in the ’98 Eastern Conference finals. Bryant played the same role for the 2000 Lakers title team. Kings coach Rick Adelman will now look to make adjustments, such as finding ways to get Christie to punish Fisher in the post. Also, Jackson knows it will be difficult for Bryant to play at the same energy level against Bibby for an entire game. But for now the Lakers have to be feeling they have an ace up their sleeve. As Lakers forward Rick Fox said: "I think [Kobe’s] quite exhausted right now. But that could potentially be the shift in this series."
Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com.Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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