Our Lakers blog, Silver Screen and Roll, has put together a Game 6 preview from an L.A. perspective. C.A. Clark wants the Lakers, among other things, to properly respond to the zone defense...
Lakers Blog: Attack Suns’ Zone Properly, Put Artest On Stoudamire
The Suns will play a majority of zone, and it will be up to the Lakers to attack that zone properly as they did for most of Game 5, and drain the outside shots if they decide to take them. Draining 3s is one way to defeat a zone real quick, but the Lakers’ 3 point shot has deserted them in the last 3 games. However, there is precedent for the Lakers rising to the challenge and shooting well on an opponent’s home floor in a close out game (see OKC, game 6).
...and tab Ron Artest to defend Amar’e Stoudamire.
I'd like to see Ron-Ron get some time defending Amar'e. With Andrew Bynum failing to take advantage of his major edge in size because of physical limitations, I think the Lakers should go small, with Ron at the 4, Pau or LO at the 5 (If the Suns are playing Frye and Amar'e at the same time, we absolutely can play LO at the 5) and see what Stoudemire does when he can't automatically blow by his man. No one out-muscles Ron-Ron, but he also has enough quickness to keep up with guys like Kevin Durant. He'd be giving up lots of size to Stoudemire, but it might be a nice change up to throw, making Amar'e beat the Lakers with straight post moves that I'm not sure he possesses. It's certainly not something to be done in large doses, and it is dangerous to try and beat the Suns at their own game (going small) but if Amar'e is in full Bully Ball mode, abusing our bigs along the way, it might be worth a look.
Check out the full post at Silver Screen and Roll.
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