Jalen Rose’s viewpoint: Mickael Pietrus needs to step up defensively

Jalen Rose played for the 2000 Indiana Pacers team that lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals, a highlight of Rose’s 13-year NBA career. He averaged 23 points in that six-game series. Rose is now an analyst for ESPN and is serving as a guest columnist for the Los Angeles Times and Orlando Sentinel.

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Hedo Turkoglu played great defense against Kobe Bryant in Game 2, but I think it’s asking too much of one player to expect him to keep doing that. He’s supposed to be hitting threes, be a second scoring option to Dwight Howard, and then stop Kobe? That’s too much, and I have a lot of respect for Turkoglu.

I think Mickael Pietrus is going to have to step up defensively on Kobe. But can you stop him three games in a row? That’s what Orlando is going to need to do. If you get someone to take away Kobe’s jump shot and make him a driver, will you have someone with a hand in his face?

Yet give Orlando credit. The Magic had 20 turnovers Sunday, and if it weren’t for that missed play by Courtney Lee at the end, Orlando wins the game. The team goes home and shouldn’t feel that bad.

I’ve been impressed with the forward play on both teams. Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis have been good offensively and defensively, and the Lakers have gotten great play from Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol and really good minutes from Trevor Ariza. It’s been a good matchup all the way around.

Orlando needs Pietrus to step up, though, as he did in the Cleveland series. He’s got to come through big in Orlando because the Magic probably needs a sweep to have a chance.