2012 CB Draft Western Conference Playoffs: (4) Suns vs. (5) Clippers

[Who]

Starters
PG: Nash vs Dragic = advantage Phoenix
SG: J-Rich vs E.Gordon = advantage LAC
SF: T.Prince vs S.Marion = neutral
PF: K-Love vs Dirk = neutral, possible advantage Phoenix
C:  J.Noah vs Hibbert = advantage Phoenix

Bench
PG: A.Miller vs Collison = advantage Phoenix
SG: DeRozan vs J.Crawford = neutral
SF: Casspi vs Salmons = neutral
PF: Rashard vs Jamison = advantage LAC
C:  Favors vs T.Thompson = advantage LAC

Head Coach: Coach K vs Kevin Stallings = advantage Phoenix

[Kane3387]

Starters
PG: Nash vs Dragic = advantage Phoenix
SG: J-Rich vs E.Gordon = advantage LAC
SF: T.Prince vs S.Marion = neutral
PF: K-Love vs Dirk = neutral, possible advantage Phoenix
C:  J.Noah vs Hibbert = advantage Phoenix

Bench
PG: A.Miller vs Collison = advantage Phoenix
SG: DeRozan vs J.Crawford = neutral
SF: Casspi vs Salmons = neutral
PF: Rashard vs Jamison = advantage LAC
C:  Favors vs T.Thompson = advantage LAC

Head Coach: Coach K vs Kevin Stallings = advantage Phoenix

Not sure Love out performs Dirk in a series.

[ChampKind]

Here's how I see it:

Starters
PG: Nash vs Dragic = advantage Phoenix
SG: J-Rich vs E.Gordon = strong advantage LAC
SF: T.Prince vs S.Marion = neutral
PF: K-Love vs Dirk = neutral
C:  J.Noah vs Hibbert = neutral, possible advantage LAC based on how Hibbert played in his last playoff series

Bench
PG: A.Miller vs Collison = advantage Phoenix
SG: DeRozan vs J.Crawford = advantage LAC
SF: Casspi vs Salmons = neutral
PF: Favors vs Jamison = advantage LAC
C:  Favors vs T.Thompson = advantage LAC

Head Coach: Coach K vs Kevin Stallings = advantage Phoenix

Hibbert's development makes his matchup with Noah closer than people are giving him credit for. He advanced by leaps and bounds as a consistent presence while Noah took a step back thanks to injury concerns.

Also, I'll buy into Love's emergence, but this would be his first playoff series. He's not the kind of player who can limit a motivated/in-shape Dirk in the postseason. It'll be a couple of great scorers playing Ole! defense against each other from the 4, and that will be a ton of fun to watch regardless of your rooting interest.

[Roy H.]

PF: Rashard vs Jamison = advantage LAC

I'm curious, how did you arrive at this conclusion?

[ChampKind]

PF: Rashard vs Jamison = advantage LAC

I'm curious, how did you arrive at this conclusion?

It was the wrong player. I was using Who's copy/paste text, and he had Rashard instead of Favors, who would be the first PF off the bench.

So, Favors > Jamison

[Who]

PF: Rashard vs Jamison = advantage LAC

I'm curious, how did you arrive at this conclusion?

I greatly dislike Antawn Jamison and consider him a net negative. Worst defensive player in the league at his position + is a very weak rebounder + is a non-passer with a dodgy shot selection. If he would just improve his shot selection he could still be a useful player but he has shown no inclination to do that.

I am not ready to write off Rashard Lewis yet. He was horrible last season. No arguments there. Just not ready to close the book on him yet. I am hopeful that Rashard can get back to where he was a year prior.

So, Favors > Jamison

Ditto

[indeedproceed]

Starters
PG: Nash vs Dragic = advantage Phoenix
SG: J-Rich vs E.Gordon = advantage LAC
SF: T.Prince vs S.Marion = neutral
PF: K-Love vs Dirk = neutral, possible advantage Phoenix
C:  J.Noah vs Hibbert = advantage Phoenix

Bench
PG: A.Miller vs Collison = advantage Phoenix
SG: DeRozan vs J.Crawford = neutral
SF: Casspi vs Salmons = neutral
PF: Rashard vs Jamison = advantage LAC
C:  Favors vs T.Thompson = advantage LAC

Head Coach: Coach K vs Kevin Stallings = advantage Phoenix

Not sure Love out performs Dirk in a series.

Kevin Love was just about my second choice over D-Wade at #5. I think he does outperform Nowitzki, ESP with Nash, but I think the series doesn't come down to that. Eric Gordon and Dragic will both limit nowitzki's touches significantly, so I bet Dirk scores less than K-Love but is more critical in crunch time than any other player.

Really tough series for me to call.

[dark_lord]

pretty close, but i say suns