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| UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad focused his energy on the defensive end against Cal Thursday. Bruins coach Ben Howland said it was Muhammad's 'best defensive performance to date.' JEFF GROSS, GETTY IMAGES |
UCLA's Muhammad goes on defensive
BY RYAN KARTJE
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 4, 2013 4:21 p.m.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 4, 2013 4:21 p.m.
LOS ANGELES – Shabazz Muhammad recognized long before he started playing college basketball that defense had been the foremost hole in his otherwise impressive all-around game.
It's one of the primary reasons he chose to come to UCLA and play for Ben Howland, a lauded, man-to-man defensive coach. And a little more than a month into Muhammad's tenure in Westwood, the freshman talent is already on his way to closing that gap.
With relentless man-to-man defense, especially in the second half, it was a driven performance for the growing freshman, who just a few weeks ago was out of shape and struggled simply to get up and down the floor. He had heard people recently doubting his defense, he said after the Bruins' victory, and it was clear in his tone that those doubts had fueled him on Thursday, especially as he struggled to get his shot to fall.
"In the paper, people say I can't play defense," Muhammad said with a definite bite in his voice. "I can play defense. I know I can. That really motivates me. That's why I'm in practice working on my defense."
It's increased motivation like that in practice that Howland has specifically noticed in the past few weeks from his leading scorer. And with everything on defense so fresh, the UCLA coach said he's been impressed with how fast Muhammad has adapted on that side of the ball – his latest performance being the best evidence of his improvement.
"You know, he's never been asked to do a lot of stuff," Howland said of Muhammad's defense. "He's a freshman. This is all new stuff that he's learning for the first time that will relate to his career beyond the college level, so it's good for him. He's getting better and better. The thing I'm most excited about is he's really starting to see the accountability part in it and taking pride in it."
Muhammad's defense was at the centerpiece of a significantly improved all-around performance on that side of the ball on Thursday night, as UCLA's defense became the late deciding factor against the Golden Bears.
Cal guards Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs, who came into Thursday night's game averaging more than half of their team's points between them, struggled mightily against an improved UCLA man-to-man perimeter defense in the first half. And once the Bears started ramping up their game on the offensive boards, it was a handful of key turnovers caused by Muhammad and point guard Larry Drew II, among others, that made the difference.
Muhammad might still be a work in progress on that side of the ball, like the rest of the young Bruins rotation, but a much-improved, energetic performance on Thursday night suggested the possibility that both Muhammad and his teammates could be on the verge of a defensive renaissance.
INJURY REPORT
It had been over a month since back spasms had limited freshman big man Tony Parker, who has struggled with a handful of minor injuries already this season. But after sitting out of practice earlier this week and playing sparingly in UCLA's victory over Cal on Thursday, Parker was again forced to sit out of the team's practice on Friday.
Howland wasn't sure if Parker's latest flare-up would keep him out for an extended period or whether it might be something that nagged the Bruins young big man going forward.
"Tony's back is still a problem," Howland said. "It's something that's with his core with his flexibility and that's something that he has to improve going forward."
Parker received acupuncture treatment on Friday afternoon in hopes of getting back for Saturday afternoon's game against Stanford – a treatment that Howland personally vouched for as an effective rout to relieving the back pain.
Contact the writer: rkartje@ocregister.com
It's one of the primary reasons he chose to come to UCLA and play for Ben Howland, a lauded, man-to-man defensive coach. And a little more than a month into Muhammad's tenure in Westwood, the freshman talent is already on his way to closing that gap.
The biggest step forward came on Thursday night, as the Bruins took care of conference foe Cal in their Pac-12 opener. Muhammad struggled on the offensive end, opening the 3 of 11 from the field. But without rhythm on offense, Muhammad focused his energy as much as he could on the defensive end, playing what Howland called "his best defensive performance to date."
"In the paper, people say I can't play defense," Muhammad said with a definite bite in his voice. "I can play defense. I know I can. That really motivates me. That's why I'm in practice working on my defense."
It's increased motivation like that in practice that Howland has specifically noticed in the past few weeks from his leading scorer. And with everything on defense so fresh, the UCLA coach said he's been impressed with how fast Muhammad has adapted on that side of the ball – his latest performance being the best evidence of his improvement.
"You know, he's never been asked to do a lot of stuff," Howland said of Muhammad's defense. "He's a freshman. This is all new stuff that he's learning for the first time that will relate to his career beyond the college level, so it's good for him. He's getting better and better. The thing I'm most excited about is he's really starting to see the accountability part in it and taking pride in it."
Muhammad's defense was at the centerpiece of a significantly improved all-around performance on that side of the ball on Thursday night, as UCLA's defense became the late deciding factor against the Golden Bears.
Cal guards Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs, who came into Thursday night's game averaging more than half of their team's points between them, struggled mightily against an improved UCLA man-to-man perimeter defense in the first half. And once the Bears started ramping up their game on the offensive boards, it was a handful of key turnovers caused by Muhammad and point guard Larry Drew II, among others, that made the difference.
Muhammad might still be a work in progress on that side of the ball, like the rest of the young Bruins rotation, but a much-improved, energetic performance on Thursday night suggested the possibility that both Muhammad and his teammates could be on the verge of a defensive renaissance.
INJURY REPORT
It had been over a month since back spasms had limited freshman big man Tony Parker, who has struggled with a handful of minor injuries already this season. But after sitting out of practice earlier this week and playing sparingly in UCLA's victory over Cal on Thursday, Parker was again forced to sit out of the team's practice on Friday.
Howland wasn't sure if Parker's latest flare-up would keep him out for an extended period or whether it might be something that nagged the Bruins young big man going forward.
"Tony's back is still a problem," Howland said. "It's something that's with his core with his flexibility and that's something that he has to improve going forward."
Parker received acupuncture treatment on Friday afternoon in hopes of getting back for Saturday afternoon's game against Stanford – a treatment that Howland personally vouched for as an effective rout to relieving the back pain.
Contact the writer: rkartje@ocregister.com
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