I seem to remember in the CB Draft using the "You got no answer for" LeBron argument and having it get shot down by IP even though he was comically claiming Delfino and Derrick Williams could contain LeBron and now he's bringing it out for the Howard/Bynum matchup even though he admits Bynum the second best center in the league.
Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Personally I think its a coin flip of a seven game series and given that New York would have home court that maybe, maybe the Knicks would pull it out.
Well, then humor me. Tell me, in as many words as I used or more, with research, how that comes out.
Because I'm not seeing it.
EDIT: ANNNND the 'I have no answer for LeBron, but I'll still win' debate only works if you're clearly better across the board elsewise. Cuz, you're not.
And neither were you in the CB Draft.
Lowry>Billups
Harden>whoever you had playing there, doesn't matter
LeBron
STAT>Millsap? Millsap is having the better year.
Bogut<Bynum
I'll take the hit on Bogut, and I'm not going to argue Stat V Millsap cuz with Stat's recent play I don't have a leg to stand on.
But I maintain that with the available facts at the time, it was a valid argument.
Kinda like Danny Ainge's Perkins trade.
And our bench killed yours Jennings, Neal, Miller, Diaw, Singleton.
Neither here nor there.
Regarding this matchup.
PG matchup. Its a draw statistically but if I am in the playoffs and am expecting one of these players to play huge, its Irving. His play late in games and against some of the better PGs in the league is tremendous and I would expect him to take this matchup. Both teams have capable vet backups that play good defense. Watson is probably the better passer and defender where Ridnour the better scorer and rebounder.
SG matchup: Kind of a toss up as it is the weakest area on both squads. I think George Hill might be the best all around player of the bunch but have to admit that Rush and Thompson are shooting lights out. But then again they are doing it for the "we never play defense" Warriors. Its a lot easier to shoot lights out when you aren't playing defense. I think New York has a very slight advantage here.
SF matchup: Brewer and Prince are good defender but neither are having great defensive years. Detroit is actually 8 pp100 possession better defensively when Prince is off the floor and he has an 11 PER when playing the position this year. Given you didn't even talk about Brewer I think you are going to have Prince there a lot. Deng is have an All-Star year and is currently playing like the second best SF in the Eastern Conference. Young is not having a good year. Prince and Brewer might contain Deng for a couple games but he's going to be throwing up his yearly average or better in 5 games in a seven games series here.
PF matchup: Millsap is having a great year. Not going to argue that. But I don't think people give Humphries nearly the respect they should. I don't care what anyone says, averaging over 10 rebounds per 36 minutes no matter where you play is yeoman's work on the boards and then on top of that to average a double double two years in a row is something. Millsap is playing better than Humphries but not by leaps and bounds. But Brandon Bass is having an exceptional season as a back up and you have Jon Brockman backing up Millsap. I think having quality backup play from Bass gives Cleveland the match up here, barely.
Center matchup. A win for New York. Not going to argue that. But where Howard will be throwing up 21/15/2 numbers I don't think it out of the question to see Bynum throwing up 14/12/2 numbers. Andersen is just a much better inside presence than Bonner but can he cover Bonner outside and stop him from shooting three's at a high rate. Tricky question. Not sure it will make a difference but if Howard or Andersen continually leave Bonner alone outside, Bonner has proven the ability to knock down big threes.
Overall: Even
New York in seven due to home court advantage.
BTW, I think these two teams might be the most similarly built two teams in the draft. Good young top end talent. Two great centers. Two emerging PGs. Tough benchs. Weak at the SG spot. Different but very good PFs. Compare these teams in makeup to any other teams and I think they are the most like each other than any other two teams in the league.
Topic: IP Ranks The Pick-Two Teams By Divison (All Divisions Are Up) (Read 92210 times)