This topic contains 11 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar Hitster 12 years, 10 months ago.

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  • #29025
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    Wavy Bagels
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    For the DAL/OKC series, Do you guys think the Thunder should insert James Harden into the starting lineup so that Thabo Sefolosha can defend Jason Terry? I seems sort of pointless for Sef to be in the starting five for this series considering DeShawn Stevenson will be on the opposing end (although he does shoot at a respectable 37% from 3-point range). Also, it would keep Sef him from commiting early fouls and he would have preserved energy to defend the pesty JET. Opinions?

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  • #532524
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    kevnix5
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    I think that is a good point except I wouldn’t be surprised to see westbrook on terry quite often due to the fact pretty much anybody on okc can guard jason kidd. It’s hard to say though but I don’t think Scotty Brooks will mess with the starting lineup too much in the first game but depending on what happens in that game things may need to change.

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  • #532530
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    Hitster
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    Making counter moves is part of any coaches’s decision making process but when you start changing line ups to counter things it can push it too far. You will always have coaches trying to get their best scorers up against weaker defenders but the star players will always start and Dallas will have to counter Harden obviously.

    Personally with Perkins and Ibaka in the line up since Green was traded, I can see strong logic in starting Harden as he’d be the 3rd scoring option and could help stretch the floor but changing this at Conference Final time isn’t really a great option IMO. Preseason friendlies is where you try different options.

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  • #532536
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    omphalos
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     Even if he isn’t starting, Harden is getting plenty of minutes in the playoffs over Thabo.

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  • #532549
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    Memphis Madness
    Participant

    Harden is playing great off the bench.  I wouldn’t mess with that.  I would actually put Harden on Peja.  The Thunder need someone small on Terry.  Like the poster said above, Westbrook guarding Terry is probably a better idea. 

    Harden, Collison, and even Nazr Mohammed helped put the Grizzlies away in the last series. 

    I wonder who is gonna guard Dirk.  If I were OKC I would put Thabo on him some.  Play Dirk straight up and try to shut down everyone else. 

    OKC needs to control the back boards, get to the free throw line and shut down the secondary scorers like Terry, Peja, Kidd, Barea, and Marion. 

    OKC should try to match the Mav’s bench production and turn the starting matchups into Dirk vs. KD and Westbrook. 

    Westbrook defends Kidd.  Thabo on Dirk.  KD on Marion.  Perkins on Chandler.  Use Serge Ibaka as a free safety to play the strong side, be able to block shots and get a hand up on jumpers.  Or they can let KD rest on defense and put him on Stevenson and put Ibaka on Marion.  Marion is quick so Ibaka should probably give him jumpers.  Off the bench put Collison on Dirk and bring Ibaka as the help defender.  When the Mavs go small with Terry and Kidd in the backcourt then put Westbrook on Terry and Maynor on Kidd.  

    The Thunder can’t afford for Ibaka to get in foul trouble.  He will best be used as a weak-side shot blocker and a rebounder.  Use Perkins (then Mohammed) to keep Chandler and the other guys off the back boards and to use hard fouls against Dirk and the rest of the team.  Leave Perkins in there until he gets 3 fouls.  Then put Nazr in there.

    But, I would start Thabo and use him some on Dirk.  Thabo can bother Dirk and stay with him.  Make the Mavs one dimensional by letting Dirk try to beat them by himself.  Use Ibaka as a help defender on Dirk.  Let KD rest on defense by putting him on Stevenson (and also use him as a weak side shot blocker).  … slow Dirk down and then put a bigger guy on him later when Dirk tries to post up (Collison).  

    Harden should be more worried about scoring and throwing some good passes.  Thabo is the team’s best perimeter defender.  Use him on Dirk to force him into bad shots and take away his drives.  Thabo has to make Dirk work. 

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  • #532561
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    Hitster
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    Thabo has the speed to stay with Dirk but if Dirk draws him inside then Dirk would surely have the size advantage. Perkins can control the paint so I wonder if Ibaka with his length might be the man to put on Dirk.

    Also I wonder if the week’s rest might actually help or hinder the Mavs as after the Laker sweep they were on a high but a week with no games could lose them their edge. The Thunder may be tired but they may actually be game sharper and as a younger team then less rest may not be such an issue for them as an older team like the Mavs.

    Still as a neutral I’ll enjoy the series with one team perhaps at last chance saloon and the other a young team on the up. Seeing Dirk, Kidd and Marion get to the finals again would be great but so would perhaps seeing two younger teams like Chicago and Oklahoma duel it out at the start of what could be a long rivalry.

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  • #532574
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    Memphis Madness
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    Hitster, if Dirk drives or posts up then I like Ibaka coming over as a help defender and weak-side shot blocker.  Also, the Thunder cannot afford for Ibaka to get into foul trouble.  Not sure if Ibaka is comfortable enough on the perimeter to defend Dirk 20 feet away from the basket.  The Thunder should force Dirk to beat them.  The length and speed of Westbrook on Kidd, KD on Stevenson, and Ibaka on Marion can really slow those guys down.  I like Ibaka on Marion mainly to deny him the ball and force him into jumpers.  Ibaka can alos recover and block Marion’s shot.  I want Ibaka as close to the basket as possible.  Marion is more of a mid-range guy who can do a lot of damage on offensive rebounds. 

     

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  • #532586
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    B-ball fan
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     I think that Dirk could use his big height and strength advantage on Thabo to score.  He can shoot over Thabo, and can post him up as well.  I don’t think Thabo is the Thunder’s best option on Dirk.  

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  • #532594
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    Mr. Jewboy
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     Durant is very equipped to guard Dirk. His length can really bother him, while Nowitzki is by no means quicker nor faster than Durant. Durant can really make it tough for Nowitzki by contesting all of his shots real well. Don’t you think?

     

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  • #532608
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    SmooveKRYPT
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    Your idea could work, but I think they still start Thabo and keep Harden as their punch of energy off the bench. IMO they should start Thabo out on J. Kidd and leave Westbrook on Stevenson to start the game so Russ doesn’t get any early reaching fouls and he can conserve energy for the offensive end since Stevenson camps at the 3pt line. It would also give him long rebound opportunites that lead to run outs and fast break pts. When JET & Harden come in I’d definitely stick Russ on Terry he has the quickness and size to stick with him and slow him down. As far as Dirk…I think we’ll see a mix of Ibaka, Thabo, and KD defending him. I see Ibaka starting out on him, but Dirk’s pump fakes might get him into early foul trouble. Thabo has the discipline and strength to defend him down low, but not the height and length to bother his shot. KD will probably give him the most trouble because he has quicker feet and long arms. Remember when T-Mac defended Dirk in the Hou/Dal 1st round series a few yrs back he had trouble and wasn’t nearly as effecient as usual. Nick Collison will also get some time on him when the 2nd unit is in.

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  • #532633
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    Calipari
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    It’s a good idea but I don’t think this will happen. The point that anyone can guard Kidd was brought up, and that is certainly valid. However, OKC has shown a reluctance to alter their lineup, and now is the least likeliest time for a change to happen. Also, you would have to consider the trade-off of Sef guarding Terry in comparison to Harden’s scoring not coming off the bench. Sef could certainly keep Terry in check, but the change and negative effect on the bench scoring makes this unlikely.

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  • #532735
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    Hitster
    Participant

    There are several ways that OKC and Dallas can set their teams up to guard each other’s key players and as the series evolves then I can see different options perhaps being looked at as foul trouble etc is a key in a long and potentially tight series.

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