Obviously, I'm biased. But Rose and Dwight vs. Nash and Big Al feels like a big edge in OKC's favor.
Eric Gordon, Josh Smith, and Luol Deng will need to make up the difference.
I think the collective difference between Deng, Smith, and Gordon versus Shumpert, Gibson, Budinger is bigger than the Rose vs. Nash advantage.
Shumpert, Gibson, and Budinger are such limited offensive players that Dallas should be able to cheat a little to help on Rose. Smith and Deng are going to go a long way in terms of cutting off penetration, and Gordon isn't a bad defender, either.
In fact, I wonder if Dallas puts Gordon on Rose, since Shumpert is such a non-factor on offense?
I prefer Dallas' bench, as well.
Derrick Rose can't do it alone. The more I think about this one, the more I see it as a Dallas victory in 5 games.