NBA News: Los Angeles Lakers has the best defensive trio
The Los Angeles Lakers forte has been their ultimate defence which has led them to many wins over the years. The 16-time NBA Championship title winner and a team solely based on the famous triangle based offense system, plans to come down harder next season by adding Matt Barnes to their elite roster.
The team’s precision at defence is supernatural with Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest at guard where they played a pivotal in the last year’s and this year’s playoffs by beating their rivals Boston Celtics in the Finals. In this year’s free-agency, the franchise decided to make their defence as invincible as possible not that it already wasn’t. The addition of Matt Barnes has just added more depth to their defence.
Sports analysts say Kobe, Ron and Barnes working around the precision-based triangle system will be lethal. Experts predict that they have probably formed the best trio of defenders in NBA. Their flexibility to adapt to their surroundings and perform relentlessly will be quite intriguing to watch next year.
Ron Artest has obtained the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in the past. However, the player is aging and is not as swift as he was few seasons back. Despite that, Ron is still one of the top defenders at the perimeter. His sheer size still helps him dominate and easily breakthrough amateur players. Artest is known for his hot headedness, which is another reason that helps him dominate quite easily. Historically, experts have seen him jawing at Kevin Garnett and also Kobe Bryant when he played for the Houston Rockets.
On the other hand, Matt Barn might not be as strong as Artest but his agility overshadows that. Matt is another guard with a bad attitude, making him the perfect match for a team like Lakers who are filled with big egos. His 6 foot 7 inch frame makes him a versatile player. Artest can play as a forward when needed as well. And this is how the strategy will work - Artest will be vulnerable to quicker players and Matt will fill in the spot for him.
Barnes is a player who can easily adapt to variety of positions which will make him one of the most significant players for the Lakers. The team will not have to worry about defence, if Bryant decides to sit on the bench for a while. Speaking of Kobe, the player is known to be one of the most rational shooting guards in the league. His instincts as a basketball player are remarkable. He is undoubtedly the best veteran player the league has had till date. Moreover, with Ron and Barnes backing him, Kobe should be able to jump passing lanes quite often.
Experts say that Lakers head coach Phil Jackson can test the trio by placing Bryant at point and Ron and Matt on the wing position. This could be used as a pressure tactic which could be further employed against various opponents.
With Andrew Bynum’s constant health issues, the Lakers suffered a bit last year. Nevertheless, with Matt’s addition to the franchise, it has ensured the fact that the team shall remain confident for the season next year with their defence line-up all primed and ready to strike.
The Los Angeles Lakers topped the defensive field goal percentage from the three point line last year. They have only added more intensity and power to their defence zone in 2011. Consequently, the 2011 season is expected to be much bigger than this year - not only for the Los Angeles fans who are excited to see their team perform on the court but to see them go against the newly rebuilt powerhouses such as the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and last but not the least, their age-old rivals Boston Celtics.
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