PG: Steve Nash 05' - 11.4
SG: Jimmy Butler 18' - 15.6
SF: Mikal Bridges 21' - 9.3
PF: Dirk Nowitzki 11' - 16.2
C: Alonzo Mourning 95' - 14.3
Bench: Shawn Marion 11' - 10.4
Bench: Detlef Schrempf 00' - 5.6
Bench: Royce O'Neale 20' - 5.1
Rotation:PG: Steve Nash 40 / Jimmy Butler 8
SG: Jimmy Butler 30 / Royce O'Neale 15 / Mikal Bridges 3
SF: Mikal Bridges 29 / Detlef Schrempf 12 / Shawn Marion 7
PF: Dirk Nowitzki 38 / Shawn Marion 10
C: Alonzo Mourning 38 / Shawn Marion 10
87.9/88
vs
PG: Chris Paul (38) / Pablo Prigioni (10)
SG: Devin Booker (38) / Doug Christie (10)
SF: Nicolas Batum (20) / Doug Christie (28)
PF: Karl Malone (38) / Nicolas Batum (10)
C: Patrick Ewing (38) / Nick Collision (10)
Matchup:- Defensive assignments: Mikal vs Booker, Nash vs Paul, Butler vs Malone (doubled with Dirk), Dirk vs Batum, Mourning vs Ewing. Marion plays some crucial minutes on Malone off the bench, and O'Neale on Booker/Paul.
- I think we have a good defensive response to their tools. Malone is basically doubled up by Butler/Dirk given their non threats in SF i.e. Batum/Christie, or guarded by Marion off the bench. Mourning is a great answer against their rim pressure type of game against Paul/Malone/Ewing, and he's gonna have a great series.
- Our main advantages are what I see as much better chemistry and fit, and superior depth. Dr P is starting two players who are modern day C and rely heavily on rim pressure, which isn't an optimal game plan - Dirk/Mourning are much more complimentary than Malone/Ewing, and we got the much better spacing given we have two shooting GOAT candidates in prime Nash and Dirk, along with Mikal, good shooting season from Butler and some more nice shooting off the bench. Mourning is also an ideal lob threat to pair with Nash.
- We got the much stronger bench in O'Neale/Detlef/Marion over Prigioni/Christie/Collison - this is not really comparable. On top of that, we got the much better fifth starter in Mikal over Batum, who's also not stretched beyond 32 minutes while Christie is playing 38 minutes off the bench, and with his iffy shooting that is significant. It should also be noticed that 17' is not best version available for Paul, who was actually not an All Star at this stage.