2011 CB Draft Eastern Playoffs: 1st Round

[mgent]

I think I'm leaning toward the Bulls.  They are one of my favorite offenses in the league.  Four unbelievably accurate shooters in the backcourt and Haslem/Harrington to give Wallace plenty of space.  And I'd love to see Wallace/Nash in the pick and roll or on the break.

The difference maker is the bench.  Not only is Bulls' better, but they've got Jason Terry, who is probably the best 6th man in the NBA at the moment.  A Nash/Terry/Smith/Wallace lineup would be very dangerous.

[mgent]

But he was taking it in less, he was getting to the line less, and wasn't doing great in the clutch when the Pacers really needed him.

Do you think the CB Draft Bulls have a similar level of team defense?

I'm not so sure, this is a tough one for me.

No, but I think Wallace is a somewhat better defender than Deng.

[nickagneta]

Gotta say I think I made up my mind here and the winner is Indiana: Why?

1. Much better starting five.
2. Hedo Turkoglu can't cover Rudy Gay
3. I feel Greg Monroe is a rookie that had a decent second half on a horrible team that had no one else to play so he put numbers up and as SO said, I think too much of KC's argument for Monroe is centered around one game neither of them saw.
4. When rotations get shortened for the playoffs, Indiana's 3-4 bench players just look like they will make more of a difference than Boston's 3-4 bench players
5. Boston is just too inexperienced.

[StartOrien]

What roll will Tony Park/Gay have in the offense then if it features Z-Bo and Gasol?

Parker's slides in easily. I've said it a few times, but I honestly think Conley molds his game after Parker. Swings the ball when needed, feeds the post, good mid-range game, excels in the pick and roll game.

I think what really works well for Parker w/ Gasol & Z Bo, and it's something Conley's clearly been working on, is his running floater. It's always been a great asset for him, particularly playing alongside the wide body screeners that Pawnee has.

Gay's gotta be himself, and just make sure not to force things. I actually thought in the playoffs that OJ Mayo was finally starting to understand how to mix his skillset in with a team that focuses on the post game. Learn to feed the post, and then capitalize when it comes back out.

I think Gay, who has more experience, a greater offensive skillset, and in my opinion has shown that he can be accommodating slides in well.

[TheTruthFot18]

Boston's Front court is going to be steamrolled by Gay, Randolph, and Gasol. Their lack of a solid be bench at those positions doesn't help either.

[KCattheStripe]

Gotta say I think I made up my mind here and the winner is Indiana: Why?

1. Much better starting five.
2. Hedo Turkoglu can't cover Rudy Gay
3. I feel Greg Monroe is a rookie that had a decent second half on a horrible team that had no one else to play so he put numbers up and as SO said, I think too much of KC's argument for Monroe is centered around one game neither of them saw.
4. When rotations get shortened for the playoffs, Indiana's 3-4 bench players just look like they will make more of a difference than Boston's 3-4 bench players
5. Boston is just too inexperienced.

Actually, Ip's argument is centered around a game I saw but that's neither here nor there. Also, I don't think there's a universe in which the Papa Doc Pacers bench is better than Rodney Stuckey ( 6th man on an Eastern Conference Championship Team) Jameer Nelson ( Starting PG on an Eastern Conference Championship team), James Jones ( 7th man on an NBA Finals team) and Darrel Arthur ( 7th man on last year's Grizzlies).

Also the expereince thing flumoxes me. ZBO and Gasol make a playoff run and all of a sudden they're Tim Duncan? Do they really have more experience than Horford? Or Hedo? Courtney Lee was basically carried through a weaker eastern conference the one time he made the playoffs, is that expereince really that much greater than being the best defender and 2nd best player on a team that pushed the Heat like Jrue Holiday's 76ers? Couple that with how experienced my bench is and I really don't get that argument at all.

[dark_lord]

I voted Pacers....not even close, imo

[StartOrien]

This could be a team that could give the Sixers some trouble with the zone.

Please not this again.

I still don't think you've countered with a good argument against it. To me, this is definitely a team that could struggle against a 2-3 zone with the right personnel.

[KCattheStripe]

Boston's Front court is going to be steamrolled by Gay, Randolph, and Gasol. Their lack of a solid be bench at those positions doesn't help either.

You only need to go 3 bigs deep in the playoffs and Darrel Arthur played very well backing up both Gasol and ZBo this summer. Couple that with Aaron Gray's solid performance against the Lakers and I'd say we have a solid core group of bigs.

[dark_lord]

i voted bulls

[dark_lord]

I voted philly.  one of the biggest threats to win it all imo

[dark_lord]

tough decision, but i ended up voting for NY

[nickagneta]

One of the toughest matchups of the playoffs and one I will probably have to discuss with Rondo in depth to see which way we vote. Since we have until tomorrow, New York, New Jersey, tell me what makes your team the winner here.

And if your answer is Charlie Villanueva and Drew Gooden, you lose.

[mgent]

Leaning towards NY at the moment.

[mgent]

This could be a team that could give the Sixers some trouble with the zone.

Please not this again.

I still don't think you've countered with a good argument against it. To me, this is definitely a team that could struggle against a 2-3 zone with the right personnel.

Where were you for like my 3 pages of good arguments?