Ruben Patterson

[Percules]

If matched up for a series, Lebron would hold Kobe to around 12ppg

No way. He can't defend that well even Paul Pierce.

[Pharmcat]

ruben patterson had some rape problems, kinda led him to get blackballed by the league

[IceNcream27]

If matched up for a series, Lebron would hold Kobe to around 12ppg

No way. He can't defend that well even Paul Pierce.

neither Bryant or James ever have good games against each other. Both are always WAY below their averages.

[Buck You]

Ruben Patterson is crap.

[Wilford Brimley]

If anything, Ruben Patterson was the nanny stopper.

[ahonui06]

ruben patterson had some rape problems, kinda led him to get blackballed by the league

+1.

[Bgil]

Patterson? Holy crap no way...


The best kobe stoppers:

Bruce Bowen
Raja Bell
Shane Battier
Thabo Sefalosha

The problem with all "Kobe stoppers" is that he eventually figures them out and they become ineffective. Bowen and AK47 were the best though. Once Kobe figured out Bowen the Spurs started subbing him out for guys like Devin Brown that could provide even a little bit of offensive firepower.
Same with AK47. He became useless once Kobe stopped trying to shoot over him. It took him a while though.

Bell hasn't been a Kobe stopper since the day he signed with Phoenix.

Battier's Kobe stopping reputation is based on one or two games with Houston. He was the first guy to get hit with 50 points in 3 quarters and once that face-guarding thing stopped working he got torched too.

Thabo... once again based on one or two bad shooting games from Kobe. Kobe figured him out in the playoffs and he suddenly became a liability too.

Artest... never stopped Kobe from doing anything.

Guys like PP, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, and Hinrich do a better job (consistiently not just for one or two games) than most of the so-called "Kobe stoppers".

[MrCheerios]

Bruce Bowen always made Kobe work back in the day. Ruben Patterson didn't do anything.

[Bgil]

If matched up for a series, Lebron would hold Kobe to around 12ppg

No way. He can't defend that well even Paul Pierce.

neither Bryant or James ever have good games against each other. Both are always WAY below their averages.

Kobe's always been hurt. IIRC the first two times he faced Lebron he sprained his ankle (on Ira Newble's foot). Then he dislocated his shoulder. Last year he had a nasty flu that required an IV at halftime and in the other game he dislocated his finger about 30 seconds into the game.

[Sedale Threatt]

I think Bowen did the best job on him. Kobe still scored a ton of points on him, but Bowen made him work hard for everything he got.

[delonte]

If matched up for a series, Lebron would hold Kobe to around 12ppg

No way. He can't defend that well even Paul Pierce.

neither Bryant or James ever have good games against each other. Both are always WAY below their averages.

Not true at all.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... =jamesle01

[Spurtatcus]

Definitely Bowen. Even Kobe has said that Bowen is by far the best tenacious defender he's played against. Like others have said, Bryant would score, but Bowen made him work his ass off to do it and sometimes with bad FG%. I'll never forget in the 2003 playoffs when Bowen held Kobe to 17 points and score 27 points, IIRC.

[Roger Murdock]

Kobe Bryant said Eric Snow was the guy who defended him the best.

[chefy]

nope

lol and neither raja. kobe made raja his b1tch in every time they faced up


I would say it's teyshaun prince

the last defender I saw that played kobe well was battier though

kobe's weakness are long athletic, defenders. does not have to be smart defenders like bowen, artest even if it's only an average defender as long as they have big wingspans, athletic, and mobile enough to stay on front of kobe( remember when kenyon martin defended kobe in the 08 lal vs den series?) . those are kobe's weakness

opposite to lebron. lebron's weakness are smart defenders like bowen

that's why I think lebron and kobe are the perfect rival for each other. lebron's long and athletic, kobe's a smart perimeter defender.

[Vincent 666]

The best defender to guard Kobe was Bowen......especially when the refs let him get away with grabbing/clutching/holding Kobe which was pretty much in every game in San Antonio.......Kobes had multiple games there where hes taken below 2 free throws, which is crazy considering how much of the Lakers offense throughout the years has gone through Bryant.

[ahonui06]

Best defense was that lawyer from the girl in Colorado. Kobe scored 0 on him and had to pay his client a settlement. That's good D!

[some_rand]

ruben patterson called himself the kobe stopper, which is similar to marbury calling himself the best pg in the NBA

Kobe himself said that eric snow was the best defender for him

[Vincent 666]

Kobes free throw totals in San Antonio the last 2 times the Spurs and Lakers matched up

2003
game 1 38 shots 2 free throws
game 2 24 shots 10 free thows
game 5 31 shots 2 free throws



2008
game 3 23 shots 1 free throws
game 4 29 shots 0 free throws

Not counting game 2 of 2003........the last two times the Lakers and Spurs have met in the playoffs........Kobe has taken a total of 121 shots in San Antonio and gotten 5 free throws But Kobe gets calls

[Miamis3rdRing]

Yep, Kobe never gets calls in his favor. Only other star players get calls.

Just as an example, let's look at his FT attempts during the 07-08 series against the Jazz.

Game 1: 16 shots, 23 FT's
Game 2: 18 shots, 12 FT's
*Game 3: 20 shots, 17 FT's
*Game 4: 33 shots, 10 FT's
Game 5: 10 shots, 17 FT's
*Game 6: 19 shots, 17 FT's

*Indicates road game.

Looking back there are certains teams where he shoots a ton of FT's against, and others where he doesn't.

But hey, the ref's have it in for Kobe!

[CowsMoo]

Best defense was that lawyer from the girl in Colorado. Kobe scored 0 on him and had to pay his client a settlement. That's good D!

Not as good as the defense played against her. She didn't even want to testify because she knew she had nothing.