Shannon Brown: Kobe and Nash will work just fine
Jul 6, 2012, 2:58 PM | Updated: 5:39 pm
While everyone is chiming in on how the newly-formed Steve
Nash-Kobe Bryant backcourt pairing will operate with the
Los Angeles Lakers, few have the unique perspective of
free agent guard Shannon Brown.
Brown spent three seasons alongside Bryant in Los Angeles,
and of course was part of the 2011-12 Suns, so he’s
qualified to share his opinion. And his opinion is that
this pairing will work very well, thank you.
“(Nash) will be able to get Kobe Bryant the ball in the
spots where he’s most effective and where he can help the
team win,” Brown told ESPN Radio. “He can also score
himself, so you know he’s a great addition to that team.”
Brown didn’t have as much experience playing with Nash as
he did Bryant, but saw enough over the course of the last
lockout-shortened season to rave about the veteran point
guard’s game.
“His work ethic is unbelievable and the way he takes care
of his body is great,” Brown said. “He’s a good player.
Some of the passes he was throwing out there, the way he
understands the game, the way he sees things before they
happen — he’s always ahead of what’s going on.”
Despite the fact that Bryant has played most of his 16-
year career without a “true” point guard next to him,
Brown feels that this duo will compliment each other
nicely.
“Steve is a pass-first, second and third type of point
guard and Kobe is a shooting guard and he likes to score
the ball, so that’s a perfect situation for both of those
guys,” Brown said. “Steve is going to give Kobe a lot of
points and Kobe is going to give Steve a lot of assists.”
Any way you slice it, the Lakers’ roster is loaded with
two former MVPs and 28 combined All-Star Game apperances
between Kobe, Nash, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace and
Andrew Bynum. Brown says the Lakers have the potential
for dominance.
“They’re a threat from every position that they have on
the floor,” he said. “It’s going to be tough to beat
them, and I think if they come together like they want to,
they’re a force to be reckoned with and they might get all
the way to the conference finals.”
