Different Strokes for Different Folks

Anderson has faced Kidd a number of times in his NBA career. Noren Trotman

No matter how the Celtics plan on playing Jason Kidd, the strategy they choose will be one of the hottest topics of interest as the series develops.

Entering Game One of the Eastern Conference Final on Sunday, the three men likely to see action against Kidd – Kenny Anderson, Tony Delkand Erick Strickland – have very different thoughts on how they will approach their assignment.

For Anderson, being matched up against Kidd is nothing new. Just this time stakes are a lot higher. So while Anderson has faced Kidd enough times in his 10-year career to see how Kidd can take over a game, the Celtics starting point guard says one match-up will not make the difference in the series.

“I am not going to worry about personal battles because I am not going to get away from my game. (The Nets) got problems. They got problems with Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce. They are going to have to zone and throw double teams and I am just going to get in where I fit in and let my game do the talking. One guy is not going to beat us, we are too good of a team. They are going to have to bring it. Their whole team is going to have to provide if they are going to win.”

“I have been playing against him my whole career. I just worry about Kenny Anderson. I know what (Kidd) is capable of doing. He is a great player. But we all live for challenges like this. Whoever rises to the top comes through. I dream about stuff like this, playing against the best. Coming up against the best. I know what is ahead of me. It is a big challenge individually, but I have faced that my whole life.”

Delk proved in the First Round against Allen Iverson that his quick feet and long arms make for a tough night on an opponent. But Delk brings a unique perspective on the Kidd match up. While many players choose to focus only on how to stop Kidd, Delk feels that Kidd’s sometimes over-aggressive nature could provide the Celtics with opportunities on the offense end – if they take advantage of the situation.

Kidd's aggressiveness on defense sometimes creates opportunities for his man on the other end of the court, as Strickland found out earlier this year. Noren Trotman

“When we were teammates in Phoenix, we practiced against each other a lot and I think he is one of the toughest guys in the league to guard. When he is coming at you, he is the best in the game. You have to be back and ready for him. But the reason he is so good is because guys love playing with him. I loved playing with him because helped me have a career year. If you run, you will get the ball. He makes the game easy by taking all the pressure off everybody else and putting it on himself.”

“You have to be aggressive and make Jason play defense. Jason is a great defender, but he does a lot of roaming. He does so much that he can also hurt his team by not guarding his man. Still, you have to make him pay. You have to make him pay for that by making that extra pass and getting him off the ball.”

Strickland’s performance at New Jersey on April 7th is living proof of this. While Strickland’s kamikaze style of playing defense has made for exciting match-ups all season long, Kidd’s aggressive nature on the defensive end of the floor created openings for Strickland on offense. That night at the Continental Airlines Arena, Strickland sunk three treys in the Celtics win over the Nets.

“I have to be the physical presence against Jason,” said Strickland. “When I am in the game, I have to make sure he can’t get to where he wants to and make it tough for him. That is all you can really do. He is a hell of a player.”

“I did have a big game against them down in Jersey. He was helping his teammates off me a lot, and I was able to make a few threes and set up some of my teammates.”

Reagan Berube