Ronnie Price: Lakers Defensive Captain (video)

Ed Davis, Jeremy Lin, and Julius Randle have been getting the most recent headlines for the Laker wins.  They’re among the youngest players on the team and have shown their talent on the court.  Kobe Bryant exploded with a 26 and 27 point effort in the past two games, and nearly looks like he’s in mid-season form.

None of the winning is possible without Ronnie Price’s defense.

We forget quickly.  The Lakers struggled out of the gate into the preseason.  During their first win, the Lakers lacked offensive rhythm and defensive intensity throughout the game.

Ronnie Price never changed his tune.

[via CaCHooKaManTV, YouTube]

He showed defensive intensity since day one, and the rest of the Laker team is playing up to his level.

Seriously, when was the last time Carlos Boozer had six steals in a game?  Did he ever do that in his career?

[via CaCHooKaManTV, YouTube]

Carlos Boozer showed quick hands during one game, but Ronnie Price caught Ian Clark sleeping in a critical moment of the game.  Plays like that get momentum on your side.

He had a tremendous defensive sequence against Eric Bledsoe against the Suns.

[via CaCHooKaManTV, YouTube]

While it looks like Bledsoe was about to break his angles, Price kept his body low and knees bent. That allowed him to recover defensive posture after denying initial dribble penetration.

It was known earlier in the week that Price was pretty much guaranteed to make the team.  What wasn’t known was how he would do so.  Byron Scott called him a “bulldog” after the first set of Laker practices.  What Ronnie Price has done is taken Byron Scott’s defensive philosophy and implemented onto the floor.  Byron does well with great point guards.  He had great success with Chris Paul and Jason Kidd, but he has never had a point guard that could provide the leadership on the defensive end on the floor, until now.

Ronnie scratched, clawed, and kicked his way onto the Laker roster.  Of the Laker guards, he’s easily the most physical player.  He has drawn charges, blocked shots, cut into passing lanes, and absolutely frustrated opposing point guards.

Defense at the point guard position is hard to find.  A player who can champion great defensive effort is harder to find.

The Lakers found their player in Ronnie Price.