Gilbert Arenas Asked to Guard Kevin Durant, and it Somehow Worked


Meet Gilbert Arenas, the Kevin Durant Stopper. OK, not really. However, the Memphis Grizzlies’ big win last night in Oklahoma City was due, in part, to Gil’s defense on the Thunder superstar. Per the Commercial Appeal: “The Griz got away with Arenas defending Durant most of the second period and weren’t exploited by the matchup. It was a move dictated by [Tony] Allen and Rudy Gay’s foul trouble, and Arenas’ confidence in his experience. ‘He surprised me,’ Allen said of Arenas. ‘A few days ago, we saw Durant play Houston and Arenas said he use to defend him in Washington. He got his chance to defend him tonight and he frustrated Durant. That is the good thing about our team, we can mix it up and mix and match.’ Arenas said he suggested the move to the staff earlier in the day. So how was Arenas able to be affective? ‘He is used to bigger guys on him and just shooting over them when he gets space,’ Arenas said. ‘I knew that I needed to crowd him a little bit and make him uncomfortable. I wanted him on the block, and I had to pull out a few of my veteran tricks with pulling the chair from underneath him.'”