Individually, yes, but team-wise Fisher is the best team defender on LA. He's constanty drawing charges, getting his hand in on penetration from the wings to disrupt drives, stripping/harrassing post players when they make their moves etc. Don't tell me -- I watch the games.
I should have been more clear when I saw "watch games". I meant, "Watch and understand games". Having it on in the background as you polish your retro Jordan's doesn't count. You're mistaking hustle and grittness for good defense. Even then, Ariza VERY CLEARLY does everything you claim Fisher does about 10x better (except possibly draw charges... which Fish hasn't done all that well this year anyway).
I'd love to see you find someone to back up your theory about Fisher being the best team defender on the Lakers though. That theory is so ridiculous that it only serves to show how little you know about basketball.
Kobe's help/team defense has always been the weakest part of his defensive game. Most non-homers know this.
Weakest part of his game? Yes. But that's like saying Mike Tyson's weakest punch is his left jab. He's still relatively good at it, hence the Doc Rivers comment and the 9 All Defensive team selections. He's also locked down several elite teams with his help/team D... Tony Parker and the Spurs come to mind as does KG and the Wolves. KG even commented on how crazy it was to have a first team all D guy running around not guarding anyone and causing havoc.
This is sophistry. Whether Fisher would or would not be able to be as good a "roamer" in that situation as Kob is irrelevant, because the fact remains that he could still easily do, and it would at least have some effect (since there's no negatives, as Rondo can't shoot); but he doesn't do it for some reason. Neither do Farmar or Sasha when they happen to guard Rondo. It's not hard to play 15 feet off a guy and roam around. And it's not because Fisher can't recover to contest shots either, since Kobe is seldom even within 10 feet of Rondo when he does decide to shoot it.
Go watch the games again. There's more to it than just sagging and playing zone. The decisions on who to shade and trap on defense are crucial and are something none of those other guys do well. The ability to actually disrupt and challenge KG without fouling is something that is completely foreign to Fisher (too short), Farmar (too short) and Sasha (too stupid).
most importantly though, Kobe actually switches out on KG and PP many times. None of the players you mentioned can even dream of doing that and not getting repeatedly dunked on.
There's a thread on the Celtics board noting something similar... the Knicks used Jefferes (a large defensively aware SF) to play the Kobe role. Using a PG against KG is an exercise in futlity.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=868347
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLPDOiFY39Y
“That’s now the blueprint on how to beat us, so we just have to counter that,” Allen said. “Put a big guy on (Rondo) and just force him to shoot.”
You may watch games but you need to pay more attention.
