Pretty simple, vote for the winner of this matchup. Winner advances to play the winner of the 4/5 series. San Antonio Spurs - Kid Chocolate C: Andrew Bogut / Roy Hibbert PF: Lamarcus Aldridge / Josh Boone SF: Kevin Durant /Marquis Daniels / Walter Herrmann SG: Randy Foye / Rudy Fernandez PG: Rajon Rondo / Keyon Dooling / Goran Dragic Denver Nuggets - ly_yng C: Andris Biedrins PF: Udonis Haslem / Carl Landry SF: Luol Deng / Ime Udoka SG: Kobe Bryant / Brandon Rush PG: Beno Udrih / Roger Mason Jr. Picks: 296, 305 and 356
For this series SAS will go with an inside/outside offense. The offense will be run through Bogut, trying to get foul prone Biedrins in early foul trouble. Biedrins is the only center on Denver, who has a 3 person frontcourt rotation, with one being a 6-7, undersized Carl Landry. With the inside post presences of Aldridge and Bogut, I feel that my team can force some foul trouble amongst the big men and then capitalize on the small rotation (in both numbers and size). This could lead to doubling of the post and good looks for Foye and Durant, both good long range shooters, as well as Rudy Fernandez who will see a lot of minutes off the bench. On defense, we'd employ a mix of zone and man. The zone would look to clog the lane against Kobe's penetration and force long range shots, which we'd feel confident with Deng taking, as well as Udrih, who isn't bad from long range, but not really a zone buster. Not worried about his inside players, since both aren't scorers on their own, and Aldridge is quick enough to play Haslem in the midrange and limit his midrange jumpshots. We also feel our young legs could take advantage of the 9 man roster. On defense we could put solid defenders on Kobe from the bench in Marquis Daniels and Keyon Dooling and see if either have success, while also using Kevin Durant's length to bother Kobe. I think the only way we can really get hurt is if Kobe goes off an scores about 60.
Spurs with big adv at PG, but the exact opposite at SG, Foye = fouled out in 15 mins vs Kobe. Deng can handle Durant and make him an outside shooter rather easily and will be a great compliment to Kobe. With Aldridge at PF, if Bogut gets in foul trouble trying to cover Biedrins himself, Adlridge can easily move over. I don't know if Kobe and Deng can overcome the SPurs in a 7 game series. but the series would go at least 6 IMO.
I think we all agree that ly_yng had a great team going for him, had he finished his team, he'd be a higher seed.
Or, you could've just said "Look! Ly_ying doesn't even have a full roster! Only 9 players? HA" and won the series thar
I don't see anyway that happening, Biedrins doesn't draw fouls or get to the line at anywhere near a high rate. His rate for that is below average.
umm Deng is bigger stronger and not rail thin like durant and could easily keep him on the outside because he's got the footspeed too. Durant settled for the jumper quite a lot last year too.
I think Deng is an above average defender, but you make it sound like it's very easy to keep Durant contained. Don't underestimate what a year in the league will do for Durant's improvement.