2013 CB Draft: Western First Round: Los Angeles(4) vs Golden State(5)

[nickagneta]

I went with Golden State because, as I say a lot in this game, winning in the playoffs is about rebounding and defense. Lakers are a good offensive team but they are weak defensively where the Warriors are the strongest offensively, at the point and PF. I feel GS has a much better defensive team overall, a much better rebounding team overall and the player most likely to go into "top 5 player in the league" type mode in Rondo.

[indeedproceed]

I feel like I don't wanna vote in this series. I can't decide.

[rondoallaturca]

Thanks, nick. Interesting you think GS has better defense than ours. Could you explain why? It's not to say they don't have a good defense, but their defensive strengths lie in superior individual defenders which won't really affect us. Meanwhile we have the personnel to neutralize their most important player as well as any other team, as well as having the big men to match up with their frontcourt. I really can't say either team has an advantage on defense, while we have the plus on offense.

[nickagneta]

Thanks, nick. Interesting you think GS has better defense than ours. Could you explain why? It's not to say they don't have a good defense, but their defensive strengths lie in superior individual defenders which won't really affect us. Meanwhile we have the personnel to neutralize their most important player as well as any other team, as well as having the big men to match up with their frontcourt. I really can't say either team has an advantage on defense, while we have the plus on offense.

few things.

First, I don't think your defense is as good as you think it is. Gasol is a great defensive center but his DPOY was about as deserving as Steve Nash's MVP awards back in the day. Matthews is good to average at everything he does, including defense. He is not a great defender. Calderon and Dirk are poor defenders. LRMAM has not been the same defensively the past couple of years. All told, I think your defense a good to a bit above average.

Second, I don't think you have the personnel to neutralize either Aldridge or Rondo. Especially Rondo. The last time Rondo was in the playoffs a great defensive team in the real life Heat couldn't neutralize him. Your team certainly isn't as good as the real life Heat defensively and won't be able to neutralize him. And whoever Gasol tries to guard leaves Dirk on either Hibbert or Aldridge. That's a big advantage for the Warriors.

I think, unlike some, that Dirk can still carry a team offensively and with Calderon doing what he does running an offense, I feel you will be able to win a couple to three games because of your offense. But with the Warriors defense and much better rebounding ability, something you never disputed, I think they win four games.

Close match up though. probably the best of the first round match ups.

[rondoallaturca]

Hmm well I guess your perspective on our players is what separates our opinions. I think Matthews is much better than "good to average" on defense; he's consistently posted great defensive numbers on poor defensive Portland teams, and he also passes the eye test. Last year he was something like #87 on Synergy and Portland was a bottom 10 defense. With Lrmam. I had a post in the presser showing he's as good of a defender as he's ever been even after injuries. And i still maintain that Dirk's defense continues to be severely underrated here - there's another post in the presser regarding this. He's always been good at rotating and help defense, but not indiodual defense, but he really stepped up his game in that regards. A few seasons back, Phil Jackson even complained to refs that Dirk played too physical - he certainly made Pau's life difficult.

Of course to each their own. Thanks for taking the time to explain!