Who is your favorite to win 2009-2010 Championship?

Carter is more athletic than Turkoglu, as far as IQ is concerned Hedo is above Vince. IQ is more important than Athletcism in Defense. So no, you are actually incorrect. Otherwise guys like Jason Richardson, Gerald Green, pretty much any random athletic player would be considered a good defender.

Example: Shane Battier vs Dwyane Wade - Shane is far from the most athletic player in the league, but Shane is easily one of the smartest players in the league, you tell me who's the better defender.

Barnes a good defender? Since when? He may have been the best defender on his team last season but that means absolutely nothing if you play for the Phoenix Suns. Plus, Barnes is incredibly Low-IQd, especially compared to a guy like Courtney Lee.

Yeah the Celtics did tear it all the way two seasons ago, but tell me where they were the season before? They were a lottery team, that was suppose to get Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. They ended up falling to 6th in the Draft pick. The Orlando Magic on the other hand, just came back from being runner ups for the NBA Finals and they got new players that haven't even experienced the Finals before.

Sorry, but experience plays a role, Like it or not.

 

Back it up.

I will right here.
http://www.82games.com/0809/08NJN5.HTM#onoff
Vince Carter Net defensively: +5.6
http://www.82games.com/0809/08ORL10.HTM#onoff
Hedo Turkoglu Net defensively: -3.1

You can go claim that Dwight Howard made him the better defender, but Hedo's length and height is why he's a better defender than Vince along with his brain. Vince doesn't have much of that.

Hedo Turkoglu did win the Most Improved Player award 2 seasons ago, so It does make sense how he came out of no where. I watch the games, Hedo is an underrated defender.

 

What does playing in the NBA for 11 years have to do with anything? If you are a Rockets fan, you would know a guy named Chuck Hayes was never a starter and never got playing time and he's one of the best defensive players in the NBA Today.

Until you give me some legitimate evidence that proves Vince Carter is the superior defender than Hedo Turkoglu, I will respond, but as of now I don't see any evidence.

 

You didn't watch last year's finals, did you? Kobe will guard Rondo, and Rondo can't run around Kobe. Fisher is good enough to take care of Ray, who's just a jump shooter. On the other hand, now PP can't take advantage of Radma, and Artest is too physical for Allen, it's down to RA, TA and Daniel to take care of Kobe, that will be a big mismatch.

 

The same Kobe that plays defense whenever he feels like? Sorry, but Rondo has really improved since 2008, in the 2008 playoffs he wasn't putting up triple doubles like he was in the 2009 NBA playoffs. Not to mention, Rondo's jumper has improved a bit even though it's still nothing special.

Fisher is getting old.......as is Ray, but Fisher never was able to guard him and never will be. You do realize there have been plenty of people that argued that Ray Allen was the REAL 2008 NBA Finals MVP don't you? And now the Celtics add Sheed to their big man replacing Leon Powe and not only that Perkins has vastly improved as a player offensively and defensively. Sorry, but in my opinion the Celtics would still be able to take them out.

 

Last year the Lakers definitely had a cake walk to the championship. This coming up year is not going to be as easy.

 

You really think Sheed is going to start? Sorry, but It's going to be Perkins, he's one of the most underrated players in the league and I'd take him on my team over Andrew Bynum for now at least. Bynum will end up being better, but Perkins is better as of now.

Winners of each matchup.
PG: Rondo - Celtics
SG: Kobe - Lakers
SF: Pierce - Celtics
PF: KG - Celtics
C: Perkins - Celtics

Celtics have another advantage in terms of starters. Bench? Seems pretty equal, Sheed vs Odom would be interesting since they are both wildly inconsistent. Both are incredibly versatile on both ends.

Celtics have stopped Kobe before.
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And don't you think finals will be the time Kobe feels like defense is important? He's the best perimeter defender in the league when he wants to. And before Rondo develops a deadly mid range, he can't do nothing to Kobe. He's a step faster but not Park fast, and Kobe's very strong.

If anything, Lakers had to play Sasha down clutch time and let Kobe handles PP since Radma was not gonna cut. And RA easily schooled Sasha. Fisher is a totally different story, he's not fast, but RA isn't exactly faster than him. Don't forget laker can also use Brown on 1 and Kobe on 2 to shut down RA anytime they want.

Celtics have no answer to Kobe. They used to rely on zone defense, KG sag off Odom to play zone as Odom can't shoot, and use a rotation of RA, PP and Posey. And run RA marathon on offensive side to consume Kobe's energy. Now Gasol is on Odom's position and he can shoot. The Kobe stopper triple is down to one if RA can't defend Artest. And I am not aware any series can be won when you can't stop Kobe.