This is for both teams and the answer will ultimately decide for me who wins this series. So please be thorough because I am sure it could help other GMs with their votes as well.
In 2008-09 Dwight and LeBron matched up in the Conference Finals. Dwight's team won 4-2. At this point LeBron was still adored and had relatively no critics in the media. After game 2 of this series LeBron was definitely seen as clutch thanks to his game winning 3. Instead there was no criticism for James at all. Rather it was all for Big Z, Varejao, Delonte, Mo "All-Star fill in" Williams, Mike Brown, and others. James was the MVP and really the only difference for him that season was that he was younger and not coming off a championship. If he had Wade and Bosh maybe he would have.
Howard was the Defensive Player of the Year and definitely healthy. He was playing with an All-Star at the time in Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis. Hedo Turkoglu was playing outstanding and looked at as very underrated.
So here is the question.
How do these two Superstars current teams differ from the teams back then? I see similarities for both supporting casts. Please both of you tell me about how you view both.
Brand/Varejao, Green, Thabo and Irving as players to Big Z, Varejao, West, and Williams.
Milsap, Johnson, Chandler, and Rubio as players to Lewis, Turk, Pietrus/Reddick, and Nelson
Thanks.
Okay, let me answer this. First, Portland 2012 vs. Orlando 2009:
* 2012 Dwight Howard isn't the same player as 2009 Dwight Howard. First, 2009 Dwight Howard wasn't coming off back surgery. Equally as important, Dwight Howard in 2009 wasn't the prima donna he is today. 2009 Howard was a hungry, athletic freak who would buy into his coach's system. 2012 Howard is, as KG would say, a "clown" who should be painting his face. I would go to war with 2009 Howard. 2012 D12 isn't a guy I'd want in my fox hole, as he'd be asking his teammates to bail him out.
* In terms of supporting cast, give me Orlando. That team ranked first in the entire NBA in defensive rating. A lot of that is because they had tall, athletic guys up front who created mismatches. Both Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkuglu are 6'10", but are (or were) much more mobile than they're given credit for. Lewis is a better shooter and offensive player than Milsap, and Turkuglu is better at just about everything than Chandler, especially ball-handling. Joe Johnson is better than any guard on 2009 Orlando, but the Magic were deeper. Jameer Nelson, Rafer Alston (riding a huge hot streak), Courtney Lee, Mickael Pietrus, J.J. Redick... Portland doesn't have that depth. Portland also doesn't have Gortat coming off the bench.
Now, 2009 Cleveland vs. 2012 Dallas:
* 2012 Lebron James is much better than 2009 Lebron James. He's got a killer instinct that 2009 Lebron perhaps didn't. He doesn't fold or get discouraged like he did.
* Similarly, Mike Brown was too stupid to play Lebron at PF, despite the fact that Lebron on offense is like a faster, more athletic version of Karl Malone with 3PT range.
* Nobody on the Cavs had the skills of Kyrie Irving. Keep in mind, Irving was the most clutch player in the NBA last season. Mo Williams was a shooter who could handle the ball some. Kyrie Irving is a complete offensive player who can do this:
* Anderson Varejao and Lebron James is a much better defensive front court than Big Z and AV. Similarly, Elton Brand is an elite defensive big man who the 2009 Cavs couldn't match. Mike Brown doubled D12; there's no need to do that here, as Brand has proven he can muscle and limit Howard.
* The depth on the Mavs is better. Let's say that Lebron = Lebron (although 2012 is better), AV = AV, Brand = Ilgauskas (again, Brand is much better, but let's assume this for argument's sake), and Irving = Williams (a laughable comparison, but let's go with it).
That leaves Jeff Green, Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefolosha, Mike Dunleavy, Linas Kleiza, Aaron Brooks, Robin Lopez, Joel Anthony, and Keyon Dooling versus... who? Delonte West is a legit player; let's say he's about equal to Gordon (again, for argument's sake). The Cavs' next leading playoff scorer was Joe Smith, at 5.5 points per game. Wally Z averaged 3.6 points in the playoffs. Boobie Gibson averaged 3.6. Jeff Green is going to out-produce those three guys on his own.
It's no comparison. The 2012 Blazers are equal to, or perhaps a downgrade from, the "real" Magic. The 2012 Mavs are a significant upgrade from those 2009 Cavs.