‘Team Celtics Defense’ Overcomes ‘Team Kobe Bryant’ In Game 5

The cliche way to view Game 5 would be to say that a team (the Celtics) is better than one payer (Kobe Bryant). In this case, though, it’s really the only way to put it. During the third quarter, Kobe was unstoppable, scoring the Lakers’ first 19 points on impossible shot after impossible shot. The only problem? The Celtics actually increased their lead during that stretch.

So, quite literally, the Celtics’ team effort was better than Kobe Bryant. As Celtics Blog writes:

When a player of Kobe’s skill and stature enters a scoring zone like that, it’s not really about stopping him, because it’s so incredibly difficult to do. Instead, the best course of action is to attempt to endure the onslaught and keep the game as close as possible. Last night the Celtics had the lead as Kobe got going, endured as a team, and ended up increasing the lead when it was all said and done, if just by two points.

And how exactly did the Celtics endure? Why, by relying on each other of course, as they’ve done all season long. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The burden of winning on this team never falls on the shoulders of one single Celtic. So, while Kobe’s teammates fell silent and began star gazing, the Celtics were sharing the ball, slicing to the basket, and utilizing all of their weapons on offense.

There’s nothing really unique about how the Celtics conducted their business in the third quarter, because it’s how they’ve done it all season. Questions, though, remain on the Lakers’ end. Or, more accurately, the fundamental question that’s always dogged Kobe remains. Is it Kobe’s fault that nobody else did anything in that quarter, or is it his teammates’ fault for not stepping forward?

SB Nation’s Lakers blog Silver Screen and Roll pointed the finger at Bryant’s teammates:

The Lakers were kept in the game, barely, by 17 points in six minutes from Kobe. It was clear, though, that he was battling alone out there. Nobody else was doing the work necessary to find good looks and overcome Boston’s in-your-shirt defense. Everyone else that Phil Jackson ran onto the court shrunk from the moment.

Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Dwyer, on the other hand, points a finger at Kobe, among other places.

Bear in mind that the Laker offense, more than any offense in the NBA, relies on rhythm and quick decision and fluid ball movement to survive. And when one player goes away from that movement, it’s usually in the fourth quarter, and not the third. And if Bryant is going to make this all about himself on the second possession of the third quarter? He better be ready to drop 55, because that’s going to be what it takes to win, because he’ll have to answer every Celtic bucket with one of his own.

Finishing with 38, Bryant clearly did not make it that far, growling his usual invective post game about getting no help. Was Gasol rather ineffective? Sure, but Bryant had more made-for-him possessions in one 90 second stretch of the third quarter than Pau saw all night. Was Ron Artest missing from all over? Of course, but if the Laker offense moves the ball and shows good spacing, then Ron won’t have to be taking long bail out shots at the end of the shot clock.

Finally, Pro Basketball Talk’s Matt Moore points the finger not at Kobe, but rather, at Phil Jackson for not putting a stop to ISO-Kobe.

But Phil Jackson? Phil Jackson had a hand in this. At no point did he stop to ask “Hey, I have a highly inconsistent team that tends to fade considerably when not involved. Maybe I should get Bryant to start facilitating and not just gunning, to spread the bullets out a little bit, you think?” He instead just let the team go into “Watch Kobe” mode and suffered the consequences.

The fact that three smart people pointed the finger in three different places should tell you where the finger really ought to be pointed. It should be pointed at the Celtics’ defense, which is just unbelievable right now. For Lakers fans, this is the scariest possibility. There might not be anything they can do against it right now.

Because really, this isn’t happening because of a lack of effort. Kobe is trying to be a facilitator. The Lakers are trying to get Pau Gasol his chances. Phil Jackson tried in-game adjustments. In the end, none of those things worked. The Celtics had an answer for every Lakers adjustment, which helps explain why so many of the Lakers’ shots came so late in the shot clock. The Lakers ran through all the options of the Triangle that usually work, and the Celtics had an answer for every one. They have the entire series.

I know Lakers fans don’t want to hear it, but right now, it’s true. The problem with the Lakers has nothing to do with the Lakers at all. It has to do with the Celtics’ defense being too good.