Lesson 1 in guarding Carmelo taught by Matt Harpring

"When a guy gets going like that, you got to make a hard foul, you’ve got to do something to get him out of his rhythm," Harpring says. "If you want Carmelo smiling in the fourth quarter after he makes a couple of shots, then that’s on you. That’s a pride thing, when you’re guarding someone. If it’s me, I’m fouling out before that happens. You don’t go out without fighting."

- quote from "Little Jerry", taken from TrueHoop article (http://tinyurl.com/yyzzgmj)

C'mon now, is that so hard to do? HAVE A LITTLE PRIDE, JAZZMEN.

I guess you can't expect players like CJ, Korver, and Wesley to learn nastiness overnight. And for that matter, let's throw in Boozer, Millsap, Fes, and the Koof, who all lay out the red carpet when anybody comes down the lane. This quote says it all from the article:

"Matthews has been watching film of Anthony's exploits in Game 1. While examining the way he played Anthony, he noticed something about his performance that he plans to take into Game 2 on Monday night. 'When you think you’re playing physically, you’re not as much as you could be,' Matthews says."

By no means am I or is Harpring advocating starting a fight. Just be strategic in WHEN and how HARD you decide to throw an elbow, stick a knee out, and prevent an easy basket.