82-89 Keeper League Playoffs (START JUDGING pg. 6)

[CellarDoor]

I actually don't like the choice of Jones guarding Bird myself. I'd have flipped that around. Beyond that though, Sam's team is too talented and BI has no defense in his arsenal to slow down bigs. This one goes to Sam.

[Snakebites]

Couple of things to start with before I explain my voting, just for clarification:

-BI has two great post players in Larry Bird and Julius Erving. They aren't coming in as conventional bigs, but the notion that he doesn't have guys who can do damage with their backs to the basket is flatly false.

-I've got no problem with this version of DJ playing the supporting role.

With those things said, Bird at power forward makes any matchup involving BI a very interesting one, as it presents issues on both sides of the fence. One one hand Bird might have trouble against some power forwards defesively, and on the other there really aren't many power forwards out there with the tools to guard him.

This may have worked out fine when Bird was playing opposite to role players like Larry Nance at PF, but I see Karl Malone as creating nearly as many issues for Bird as the opposite in this matchup, especially with Jones playing defense against him. The consequence of this of course is that Julius Erving could have a great series.

Still, the most striking matchup that occurs to me is Moses vs. Laimbeer, and I find that to be a particularly problematic one for BI's team that I haven't seen enough evidence will be resolved. Adding to the issue is the fact that I don't see a huge advantage at the guard spots either. Ultimately I feel that BI's team isn't tough enough defensively inside to curtail Sam Bone's front court, and while his forward play is impressive I don't think its quite enough to make up for the problems presented here.

Vote: Sam Bone

Sorry Ice.

[TMACFORMVP]

Love both teams.

- I don't think BI can defend the Malone's.
- I like the swap of Jones on Bird.
- I again do not really look at it as a negative for the season chosen season for DJ.
- Erving will have a big edge here; and Bird should do his thing.
- I think the backcourts are very similar, with very similar roles. Unfortunately, I think BI needs a stronger backcourt to make up the sort of edge up front.
- SamBone has an edge on the boards.
- Don't buy that Mullin "isn't" a floor spacer.
- I agree that Sikma/English should be big options that are underlooked because they're coming off the bench.
- I really like BI's offense overall and think it's more cohesive than SamBone's team, but I don't know if they can adequately stop SamBone's main offensive players, which makes up some of that initial gap, IMO.
- Defense is similar as well, team defense, with not so much shot blocking.
- Larry Bird is the best player in the series.

Ultimately, I think it's actually a very close series. Similar offensive and defensive teams, with SamBone having the better matchups, and BI having the better player. With better rebounding, more mis-matches, and having similar strength in the backcourt, with a superior frontcourt, I don't know if Bird has enough to close out this one. I do think it goes down to a G7 though. Sorry BI, you've done real well in this game, but..

Vote: SamBone

[Warspite]

1. I just cant see K Malone guarding DrJ for anything more than a game or 2 before it becomes obvious that its not going to work. No doubt Jones/Karl/Sikma are all going to switch defenders and I suspect Sikma plays more PF.

2. The reb adv for Samuels is huge and that realy is the key to slowing down Ice. Dr J is a killer in transition but if they cant rebound they cant run.

3. Neither backcourt has much of a edge. Mullin is going to struggle vs Mitch but I doubt Mitch gets enough touches to make a differance.

I really think this series is won or lost at the FT line. Either DrJ explodes or the smaller Ices are muscled out and overpowered.

Im going with BlackIce for 2 reasons

1. I believe this is a prime DrJ who is hungry and knows how to exploit this mismatch
2. I believe Bird is willing to let DrJ get off and be the closer in the 4th.

They work together with DrJ getting them into the penalty early and forcing Jones to switch to DrJ and then Bird gets to work on Sikma in the 4th. Im going to buy into the smalls making shots and finishing.

2 great teams and a great matchup of diverse teams making every game a game of runs and must see

[-Kees-]

First of all, this is a great matchup. Very good job to both of you.

Neither team will be really able to stop each other. No way Jones/Malone can stop Erving/Bird and also there is no way that Bird/Lambier could stop the 2 Malones. As people have said, the back court is very close.

Basically how I see this series is that Bird, Erving, Malone and Malone will all go off for big numbers. No way of preventing that on either side. Now, I think Bone has the better spacer in Mullin (Mitch at the time did a lot of ball handling). I also think Bone has the better "6th man" in English. I think that English will thrive in his role and is a more explosive scorer than Aguirre, so my vote here has to go to SamBone.

[TMACFORMVP]

5-1, SamBone wins the era.

Next era will be up soon.