Can only hope to contain him
Like any player who starts a game as the primary defender on Kobe Bryant, Ronnie Brewer will have a major say in the outcome of tonight's Jazz-Laker game at EnergySolutions Arena.
In three games this season, Bryant has been spectacular against the Jazz. He averages 30.7 points and five assists. He has made 34 of 56 shots and 21 of 25 free throws.
It will be Brewer's job to try and prevent a quick start by Bryant -- the kind that can propel him toward a 40- or 50-point performance.
L.A. owns a 2-1 lead in the season series, which makes this final game between the two teams critical, because the Lakers can clinch the tiebreaker with the win and actually move four games ahead of Utah in the Western Conference standings.
The Jazz, on the other hand, can get within one game of the Lakers with a victory.
Back to Brewer.
At the Jazz's practice on Wednesday morning, I asked him how a young player tries to guard Bryant.
"You've got to get to him early, make him take tough shots," Brewer said. "I was watching when they played the Rockets [on Sunday], when [Shane] Battier was being real physical with him -- getting a hand in his face on every shot. That's what you try to do."
Brewer also wants to "try and deny him the ball -- make other guys beat you because he is such an outstanding player."
Brewer knows it's next-to-impossible to stop Bryant, just like it is with any player who has a green-light on offense: "He's going to get his shots up and he's going to get his points, But you want to challenge him. You want to make him work on every play."
-- Steve Luhm
In three games this season, Bryant has been spectacular against the Jazz. He averages 30.7 points and five assists. He has made 34 of 56 shots and 21 of 25 free throws.
It will be Brewer's job to try and prevent a quick start by Bryant -- the kind that can propel him toward a 40- or 50-point performance.
L.A. owns a 2-1 lead in the season series, which makes this final game between the two teams critical, because the Lakers can clinch the tiebreaker with the win and actually move four games ahead of Utah in the Western Conference standings.
The Jazz, on the other hand, can get within one game of the Lakers with a victory.
Back to Brewer.
At the Jazz's practice on Wednesday morning, I asked him how a young player tries to guard Bryant.
"You've got to get to him early, make him take tough shots," Brewer said. "I was watching when they played the Rockets [on Sunday], when [Shane] Battier was being real physical with him -- getting a hand in his face on every shot. That's what you try to do."
Brewer also wants to "try and deny him the ball -- make other guys beat you because he is such an outstanding player."
Brewer knows it's next-to-impossible to stop Bryant, just like it is with any player who has a green-light on offense: "He's going to get his shots up and he's going to get his points, But you want to challenge him. You want to make him work on every play."
-- Steve Luhm
11:11 AM
| 
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home