Western Conference Only Who Does Your Team MatchUp Well With

[joe.linnen]

I really board at work today,c ame back from Afghanistan a few weeks ago and everything here moves slow as hell. I'm still trying to get used to being back home now. I guess it going well. So lets get to the taks at hand. What team does your team match up well with?

Los Angeles Lakers:
Spurs
Rockets
Mavericks
Hornets
Jazz
Nuggets
Suns
Warriors

[carrottop12]

I am equally bored so I will just go ahead and mark down how the Jazz match up with all of the Western Conference.

Lakers: Can't beat them with out Gasol and Bynum, have no faith we could beat them with Bynum and Gasol. Jazz<<<Lakers

Spurs: The Jazz are actually getting better against the Spurs, have split the season so far with them, and there are two games left to determine how it will look. I would rather avoid them though.

Rockets: Jazz match up well with the Rockets, I don't think the Rockets can stop Boozer down low, and Deron seems to toy with Rafer a bit. It would be a tough series again but definitely a team I would love to meet in the playoffs.

Mavericks: I think the Jazz and the Mavericks are 6's. Both are very dangerous offensive teams capable of going on huge runs, neither is great defensively and our systems our based off of stellar guard play and a go to low post player. I think the Jazz would win this series because I think Deron would outplay Kidd over a 7 game series, but it would be tough.

Hornets: The Jazz would kill to see the Hornets in the first or second round of the playoffs. Deron loves playing against Chris Paul, and Boozer and Okur also seem to play well when they face the Hornets. Also the Jazz bench matches up very well with the Hornets. This is the top team the Jazz match up with in the West.

Nuggets: The Nuggets are dangerous, and they play the exact kind of basketball the Jazz are weak against, but somehow the Jazz usually come out on top. The games usually get very chippy, but the Jazz prevail because of the coaching match up.

Suns: Jazz have beat the Suns twice this season, once with Shaq, once with out. The Jazz play the exact opposite game of the Suns and I think it throws them off, I would still rather avoid them in the playoffs.

Warriors: Like the Nuggets, this is a very dangerous team, but the Jazz are 3-0 against them this season, and I think the Jazz mentally beat out the Warriors.

[The_Believer]

Warriors match up well with anyone but the Jazz and Lakers (if Bynum and Gasol are playing). But my dream matchup for the dubs is Rockets, Suns, Mavs, Hornets, in that order.

[PurpleTestament]

Houston should be popular in this thread.

[Texas Longhorns]

The Rockets should be easy for anyone, they suck.

[Patterns]

Lakers:

Dallas: We beat them without Gasol and Bynum at their house. We can probably beat them in 5 games with Gasol and Bynum. They have no big men who can stop the 7 footers and they have no answer for Kobe.

Spurs: The champs. I don't like our chances against them. I pray that we don't run into them because I have a feeling that Ginobili is gonna go crazy on us in the playoffs. Our key to beating them is Lamar Odom who seem to always have good games against them.

Suns: Even though they can't stop us, we can't stop them either. With the experience they have, I don't want to face them in the playoffs. If we do, I think we can ull out in a 7 game series if we have homecourt.

Rockets: Probably a sweep with Bynum and Gasol. We're too big for them to handle.

Hornets: I like our chances against them if we have Bynum and Gasol. We'll likely beat them in 5 games.

Warriors: Sweep with Bynum and Gasol

Jazz: We'll probably pull out in 6 games. The Jazz is crazy at home.

Nuggets: Sweep

[joe.linnen]

Lakers:

Dallas: We beat them without Gasol and Bynum at their house. We can probably beat them in 5 games with Gasol and Bynum. They have no big men who can stop the 7 footers and they have no answer for Kobe.

Spurs: The champs. I don't like our chances against them. I pray that we don't run into them because I have a feeling that Ginobili is gonna go crazy on us in the playoffs. Our key to beating them is Lamar Odom who seem to always have good games against them.

Suns: Even though they can't stop us, we can't stop them either. With the experience they have, I don't want to face them in the playoffs. If we do, I think we can ull out in a 7 game series if we have homecourt.

Rockets: Probably a sweep with Bynum and Gasol. We're too big for them to handle.

Hornets: I like our chances against them if we have Bynum and Gasol. We'll likely beat them in 5 games.

Warriors: Sweep with Bynum and Gasol

Jazz: We'll probably pull out in 6 games. The Jazz is crazy at home.

Nuggets: Sweep

I'm sorry but your wrong about the Suns. I know they can't stop us but I know we can stop them.

[KB20]

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I'm sorry but your wrong about the Suns. I know they can't stop us but I know we can stop them.

I like our chances against anyone but the Spurs.

[GswStorm3]

Lakers:

Dallas: We beat them without Gasol and Bynum at their house. We can probably beat them in 5 games with Gasol and Bynum. They have no big men who can stop the 7 footers and they have no answer for Kobe.

Spurs: The champs. I don't like our chances against them. I pray that we don't run into them because I have a feeling that Ginobili is gonna go crazy on us in the playoffs. Our key to beating them is Lamar Odom who seem to always have good games against them.

Suns: Even though they can't stop us, we can't stop them either. With the experience they have, I don't want to face them in the playoffs. If we do, I think we can ull out in a 7 game series if we have homecourt.

Rockets: Probably a sweep with Bynum and Gasol. We're too big for them to handle.

Hornets: I like our chances against them if we have Bynum and Gasol. We'll likely beat them in 5 games.

Warriors: Sweep with Bynum and Gasol

Jazz: We'll probably pull out in 6 games. The Jazz is crazy at home.

Nuggets: Sweep

Bynum and Gasol haven't even played together yet. It's like you're expecting those two to click together from day one chemistry wise.

[kandiking]

t wolves own the suns. good thing they're a non factor

[HarlemHeat37]

Spurs..assuming we are in playoff form..

Lakers: if we aren't the best, they are..both teams have match up advantages..I'll be interested to see how Bynum plays when he returns to the lineup..

Phoenix: toss up..usually own them, but Shaq might make a difference..it all depends on if Shaq can play Duncan well on a consistent basis, or if Duncan just had a bad game the last time they played a few weeks ago..

Utah: usually play them well..

Golden State: they are a scary team, but Duncan isn't Dirk..Biedrins is the only one on their team that would be able to slow him down at all..

Houston: a tough matchup with Yao, but I'm not scared of them with no Yao..

Denver: good matchup..not scared of them..

Dallas: they always play us tough, but I'm not that scared of them with Diop and Harris out of the lineup..

Hornets: no idea..all the games gave me mixed ideas about this potential series..

[Malone Strong]

The Utah Jazz in a 7 game series:

Teams we own: Warriors, Nuggets

I like our chances:

Rockets: Adelman is a great coach, would be at least 6 or 7 games

Spurs: Our team has built itself to beat the Spurs, and we are now better at PG and Center, as well as our bench. Ginobili kills us. But I think we can do it.

Suns: Williams > Nash because Nash doesnt play defense. And Nash is everything to the Suns.

Dallas: Williams > Kidd because Williams can score. Boozer matches up well with Dirk because Dirk is soft and prefers the perimeter. Dirk also chokes under pressure.

Hornets: Not playoff tested. Deron owns Paul in head to head. Hornets cant win a game in SLC = Jazz win in 5 or 6.


Teams I want nothing to do with in the playoffs:

Lakers: I believe the refs are afraid of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant and will let them do whatever they want. Parity on the court, disparity in officiating = Lakers own us. Would love to see someone else take them down.

[xcomputerman]

Errr, I don't see any parity on the court between the Lakers and Jazz.

I watched that last game, and what I saw was that the Jazz had nobody who could matchup with Kobe and Odom. Odom was abusing Boozer all day, and in the more conventional SF matchup he's too strong for Kirilenko to handle. Brewer against Kobe is just a disaster waiting to happen, Harpring too slow to keep him out of the paint ... etc. The LA bench is also much deeper. The one advantage Utah has is at point guard with Williams, but I don't think it's enough.

[Young_Star11]

I'll try and be as unbiased as I can be.

First off - had Yao been still playing, we could've beaten anyone - yes, anyone.

Lakers - avoid them like the plague. All it takes is a good series from Bynum or more likely Gasol to end our hopes. And we haven't even started talking about Kobe.

Spurs - Duncan always lifts for the playoffs - little hope, really. Although, T-Mac won't be stopped...

Jazz - I'd also like to avoid them. They're a side that won't lose at home (even though we were one of the teams to beat them), and are always there or thereabouts. Boozer would east us alive again.

Hornets - Wouldn't mind this match-up to be honest. Imagine the Rafer/CP3 subplot, T-Mac to kill the Hornets. I think we could take them in a series. I'd be coy about our chances.

Suns - With Yao, I'd have fancied our chances. Without him, perhaps not. Although, this wouldn't be the worst first-round match-up to be honest. Fighting chance.

Warriors - Similar to Suns. We'd have to go small, which I don't really mind anymore.

Mavericks - Haven't been elite since the Kidd trade. Would be a tough series and Dirk would come to the fore, but he's not a big, he's just big. Touch and go.

Nuggets - I'd feel alright about a match-up with them. Defense wins.

[Malone Strong]

Errr, I don't see any parity on the court between the Lakers and Jazz.

I watched that last game, and what I saw was that the Jazz had nobody who could matchup with Kobe and Odom. Odom was abusing Boozer all day, and in the more conventional SF matchup he's too strong for Kirilenko to handle. Brewer against Kobe is just a disaster waiting to happen, Harpring too slow to keep him out of the paint ... etc. The LA bench is also much deeper. The one advantage Utah has is at point guard with Williams, but I don't think it's enough.

Our entire team was out of sync. We average 107+ ppg, so yeah, it was a subpar game. Why are you basing it on one game? I suppose if you had seen the game earlier this season where the Jazz put up 75 points in the first half against the Lakers in rout to a blowout, you'd be saying the Jazz owns the Lakers?

[xcomputerman]

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Our entire team was out of sync. We average 107+ ppg, so yeah, it was a subpar game. Why are you basing it on one game? I suppose if you had seen the game earlier this season where the Jazz put up 75 points in the first half against the Lakers in rout to a blowout, you'd be saying the Jazz owns the Lakers?

The Lakers have become much better since earlier in the season, though. And my argument wasn't necessarily based on the outcome of the game, what I observed was the matchups. Utah is a very potent offensive team, no doubt. But they are a mediocre defensive team, and L.A. is much better in that department. Plus, there are several mismatches, the biggest being at the shooting guard spot (which obviously is a position Utah has been trying to solve for so long without much success). The defensive mediocrity and the lack of anyone who can contain Kobe are two major reasons why I can't see Utah overcoming LA in a 7 game series, at all.

[Malone Strong]

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The Lakers have become much better since earlier in the season, though. And my argument wasn't necessarily based on the outcome of the game, what I observed was the matchups. Utah is a very potent offensive team, no doubt. But they are a mediocre defensive team, and L.A. is much better in that department. Plus, there are several mismatches, the biggest being at the shooting guard spot (which obviously is a position Utah has been trying to solve for so long without much success). The defensive mediocrity and the lack of anyone who can contain Kobe are two major reasons why I can't see Utah overcoming LA in a 7 game series, at all.

I agree with you mostly. Where I disagree is your point about LA's superior bench-depth. I like Turiaf, he will never let the team get content with a lead, no matter how big. I love his energy and passion...wish Boozer had that. But aside from him I prefer Millsap, Korver, and Harpring, (and even backup PG Ronnie Price) to LA's reserve core of Sasha V, Farmar, Walton, and the aforementioned Turiaf. Is Radmanovich coming off the bench now? He could be an X factor, but I dont think he gets enough touches to ever get into a zone....

I agree with your point about Utah's weak defense...but dont feel too overconfident. The Jazz REALLY steps up their D in the playoffs. Boozer and Okur really rendered Yao inneffective in the first round last year.

Its Kobe I fear. With good reason. Even without the benefit of star-treatment calls he lights us up. All the "and one" calls on ticky-tacky continuation fouls and ridiculous calls on his pump fakes where a defender can make little-to-no contact and yet Bryant is still rewarded with free throws are the difference makers. I think the combination of Brewer and AK taking turns on Kobe is enough to keep him in check as well as can be done. I've even seen Williams take Kobe defensively and I've been impressed with the results.

In summary, I think there is something psychological that keeps the Jazz from playing well against LA. And this lack of confidence carries over to how the game is officiated (aggressive teams do/should get the calls). That's why I want to stay the hell away from the Lakers come playoff time. Let the Spurs or Suns deal with em', then we'll mop up that fatigued team in the next round. That is my hope

[bleu]

For the Jazz, the only team that really scares me right now is the Lakers, and maybe the Spurs.