PreMature Matchup Analysis: Rockets v. Lakers

So, I can't wait until the season starts. Hell, i can't wait till preseason action begins. So, I'm going to start a thread analyzing how the Rockets match up versus the key teams in the West, starting with the Lakers.

Depth Charts:

Alston/Tmac/Artest/Scola/Yao (I stuck Artest here arbitrarily)
Barry/Battier/Landry/Hayes/Mutumbo (I think he's back, if not, it's Dorsey here)
Brooks/Dorsey
(I've decided I don't think Brooks is going to make it in this league).

Fisher/Kobe/Odom/Gasol/Bynum
Farmar/Vukovich/Walton/Radmanovich/Mihm
Aziza/Powell

Analysis of Key Matchups and Players:

- Kobe vs. Artest/Battier: Kobe will always get his to a degree, but I cannot envision him having monster games against us. To score big, he will have to be a high volume shooter, which is a great way to beat the Lakers. Force Kobe to score but with difficulty, and have the rest of the Lakers watch.

- Artest v. ???: I see Phil Jackson putting Odom on Artest most fo the time, but Odom is too physically and mentally weak to defend No Layups. Kobe is unlikely to be physical enough to match up with Ron. Nobody else on the roster can come close to defending Artest. They might try Walton periodically, but Artest would toss him aside like a rag doll. Big plus in our favor. (I still can't believe we have Artest!!!)

- Yao v. Bynum: Bynum might be able to close the gap to some degree with further development, but Yao should be a big plus for us. I'm actually much more concerned if Yao has to defend Gasol. I can see Phil Jackson "going small" to force a Gasol/yao matchup. If Yao gets back to dominant form, circa dunk on Kaman followed by "You can't f-ckin stop me", this may not be a close series.

- Tmac v. Kobe/Fisher: Kobe isn't going to have the energy to defend Tmac as well as normal, but when he does, he does well and makes Tmac work. i actually think Tmac shy's away from that matchup because Kobe's just stronger, faster and better. Big Chief Triangle's next best option is DFish, whose physicality bothers Tmac. Tmac is the big question mark in my mind for this series. If he has a big series, it's not close.

- Bench Brigades: Farmar/Vukovic/Walton are pretty good bench players and will generally be fairly productive. I don't see Radmanovich or Mihm having much of a role. Barry/Battier/Landry compare pretty well with the first three laker bench players, if we're healthy. Hayes would have little impact in this series because there is not a traditional scoring PF for him to defend, like a Boozer. Gasol is too tall. Mutumbo could be important off the bench to defend Bynum and to take spot duty on Gasol. I give the overall edge to the Rockets.

- How would the Lakers defend a lineup of Alston/Tmac/Battier/Artest/Yao? I think they'd answer with Fisher/Kobe/Walton/Odom/Gasol, which is about the best response anyone besides the Celts could put up. I like our changes with Artest and Yao, but as noted above, I don't like Yao having to defend Gasol. This is a near push, with a slight edge to the Rockets.

- Coaching: I have a lot of respect for Adelman, but big chief triangle has the rings and, well, the triangle. Edge to the Lakers.

In my view, this is a toss up series, possibly decided by home court advantage. Much depends on how well yao and Tmac play, and whether they peak at the right time. I'd take us in 7.