FanPost

Guarding Kobe Bryant.

I just wanted to post a thread and hopefully inspire conversation as the series goes on in this thread.

I just want to see different people's opinions on what we should do to Kobe Bryant, and I would like to see how those opinions change as the series progresses.

That being said, My personal opinion is to constantly change defenders on him. Every 3 or 4 minutes, change it up. Regardless of success. If a guy is doing a great job on Kobe, don't give him time to adjust. Just go to the next defender. Let Kobe see Brewer, then Stevenson, then a little bit of Kidd, followed by Marion. then maybe a little Terry here and there. Just keep mixing it up constantly to bother him.

Then, notice what works, and whoever stopped him the best, that's who guards him in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. The key tothis strategy is not to let him get comfortable, even if that means pulling a successful defender. All too many times we see(we see it with Dirk ALL the time) teams try this technique on a player, then find a guy that makes said player play bad for a few minutes, maybe a quarter or a half. Then? Said player, being a superstar, adjusts to the defender and ends up tearing him a new one in the 4th.

If we do this, say for example that Marion forces Kobe to go 0/4 with a few turnovers. Quickly, before Kobe can find a way around Marion, BAM, switch defenders. Then let Kobe see a little Stevenson or Kidd, and not give him a chance to "figure out" Marion. Then, late in the 4th, put Marion right back on Kobe. By now, hopefully, being used to being guarded by different defenders, Kobe will have forgotten how Marion played him, and by the time Kobe gets in a rythme and finds a way to score on Marion(lets face it, he is a superstar. Given enough time, he will score on anyone) hopefully it will be too late for LA to win.

Opinions? Thoughts? Your own strategies? I would LOVE some feedback before Game 1 so I can keep them in mind as i watch the game.

Now, as always,

GO MAVS!

PS: I wrote this in like 4 or 5 minutes and don't care about grammar or spelling. So don't bother commenting if that is all you care about.

Reader submitted. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of our editorial staff.