When fans of the Boston Celtics think of Hall of Fame shooting guard Ray Allen, defense is not usually at the top of the list of attributes people tend ot think of. But in the Celtics’ battles with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, Allen put the clamps on Kobe just enough to come away with a title in 2008 — and might have if not for injury two years later. “He took a lot of tough shots,” said the UConn alum of his battles with Bryant.

“It was my job to keep making him continue taking shots,” added Allen. “If he’s taking tough shots, I am happy with it, he’s gonna make some of them, and that’s fine.”

“When he’s taking shots under duress or with fatigue, then I did my job.”

“Some guys in the NBA, and Kobe was one of them; it’s impossible to keep him from taking those shots and not missing,” recalled Allen.

“It was a task for me, but I tried to get him as tired as much as I could because he was guarding me as well.”

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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire