If Harden wont Iso he will school Sefelosha. If he Isos and tries to be the PG he´ll probably not only fail offensivly against him but also give him a few new career highs. as if Tabos las career high against us wasnt enough:grin:
This matchup depends on which Harden will come out - the pre-ASB Harden or post-ASB Harden. Last time we met Sefolosha scored 28 points while Harden put up 46. I just think the former is much more likely to occur than the latter. Either way, we're in for a spanking. Lin and Harden both played out of their minds, Kevin Martin, Durant, and Westbrook were off, and yet we only managed to win by 3. Let's hope we can keep it close.
This is a dangerous matchup that if the Rockets don't win, have no chance of winning the series. Don't forget that there is Ibaka and three refs helping Thabo, ISO ball wouldn't work.
I actually like the individual match-ups against OKC a lot more than against the Nuggets. If you look at Denver, they're one of the few teams that have enough size at the Center position with Koufos/McGee/Mozgoz to wear Asik out on the boards. They're definitely hurt without Gallo. But otherwise the Rockets don't match up well. Lawson's a tough guard for Lin, and Lin will have trouble blowing by him. Sefolosha is a tough defender, but in no way is he a game changing defender like Iggy. Igoudala is just a brutal match-up for Harden in a 7 game series. The Iggy/Lawson backcourt is trouble in 7 when you consider they have 3 7 footers that can close off the paint. Westbrook will have big offensive games, but he also makes plenty of mistakes on a team who's coach is good but not great, and nowhere near the NBA's few elite. Lin can have big offensive games too, it's all up to how aggressive and confident he's feeling. But we've all witnessed Lin go off for 20, 30+. So Westbrook will be working on both ends of the floor. Aside from Leonard/Green or the combo of Tony Allen/Prince, I can't think of a better 1 on 1 defensive matchup against Durant than Parsons. He's one of the only SFs in the league with the length to bother Durant off his jumper. San Antonio, with a healthy Manu has this team beat at all positions. Also, OKC (unlike the Spurs) allows for McHale to field Delfino at the 4, something McHale seems to be obsessed with. It spreads the floor well, and takes Ibaga away from the rim defensive. And Ibaka still isn't a polished enough offensive player to post Delfino up and get 2 easy points like Gasol did yesterday or surely Duncan would do. This series, if Parsons and Lin play well could be interesting. It's more on them than Harden (who's offensive output will be equated or beat by Durant anyways).
Thoughts When Harden and Martin match up :grin::grin If Sefoloisha taking shots away from Westbrook and Darant that is go D
This match up won't decide the series. It will come down to not being able to stop Durant/WB and getting no real offense outside of the Beard.
no doubt, harden should win the individual battle. the real question is how much advantage harden generates. if he scores 30 and lets sefalosha have 20, there will be only 10 pts difference. it means other rox players have to do whatever they can, either outscore or defend well, to limit the rest of OKC team, including durant and westbrook, to score no more than 10 pts than we do. well, if harden can defend well and limits sefalosha to 10 or less pts, it will make other players' jobs much easier. therefore, all those winning individual battles mean nothing until you calculate the difference between those individual battles.
i think some of y'all are underrating sefolosha's defense... he's one of the better on ball defenders in the game. he's like a young and slightly weaker ron artest if you will; or james posey with a little less toughness.
I think you are really overrating this guy... He's good but he's no where near Ron or James. OKC plays a great TEAM defense and when you do that it makes people stick out. OKC has several guys who can make up for any mistake that the guards make. T_Man
