In earlier days, the Lakers were seen as pretty boys with players like Sasha Vujacic and Derek Fisher playing matador defense with their limited quickness and trying to take charges. Only Kobe Bryant, who is one of a few players in the NBA that gives their all on both sides of the court, and Trevor Ariza, who was always active on D and created turnovers (1.7 steals per game), played fundamental defense.
The Lakers' playoff opener against Oklahoma City really showed the Lakers could win with defense, not just with the post play of Gasol and Odom or a huge scoring game from Kobe. The addition of Ron Artest gave the Lakers a hard-nosed defender who is experienced and isn't afraid to play dirty sometimes (six technical fouls; 32 career disqualifications).
Even though scoring 79 points is reminiscent of a college game, a hardcore Laker fan could see this kind of game coming. Los Angeles was third in the Western Conference in scoring defense (96.97 points per game), only behind defensive stalwarts San Antonio and Portland.
Artest is a perfect fit to guard Kevin Durant. He's smart and use his body and 260-pound frame to push around the skinnier Durant. RonRon's ability to take bigger small forwards like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Durant will allow Kobe to conserve his energy on the offensive end of the floor.
Another defensive improvement is the solid interior defense of Andrew Bynum. He's aggressive and blocks shots (four today;1.8 on the season), but he gambles less and showed today that he can play straight up and avoid drawing fouls. In the first half, Durant only had two free-throw attempts, but later Artest started being over a...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
