2002 Kings vs 2012 Thunder

[htownborn]

2002 Kings (61-21)

G-Mike Bibby

G-Doug Christie

F-Peja Stojakovic

F-Chris Webber

C-Vlade Divac

Sixth Man-Bobby Jackson

Bench: Turkoglu, Pollard, Funderburke, Wallace, Brown, Cleaves

Coach: Rick Adelman

 

2012 Thunder (47-19)

G-Russell Westbrook

G-Thabo Sefolosha

F-Kevin Durant

F-Serge Ibaka

C-Kendrick Perkins

Sixth Man-James Harden

Bench: Collison, Maynor, Fisher, Cook, Mohammed, Cook, Jackson

Coach: Scott Brooks

 

Key Matchups

 

Webber vs Ibaka

Westbrook vs Bibby

Peja vs Durant

B.Jackson vs Harden

Edited November 15, 2012 by htownborn

[htownborn]

To me this would have been a great match up to see. Both teams have an explosive offense and both teams were/are hard to beat at home because of a loud great fan base.

 

Looking at the match ups I think Westbrook would work out Bibby, Christie against Sefolosha would be interesting to watch from a defensive standpoint, Durant vs Peja would be a shoot out, Webber vs Ibaka would be interesting but I have Webber winning that battle since he's more skilled than Ibaka, and Divac should get the better of Perkins. Bobby Jackson against James Harden would be fun to watch in a battle of the sixth men .

 

It's really hard for me to say, I want to pick Sacramento because of how their a better well rounded team and I also think Adelman's a better coach than Scott Brooks but OKC has the youth and the better superstars not to mention the Kings had a habit of crumbling under pressure. IDK I guess I'll go Sacramento because they have a better bench and were more experienced.

Edited November 15, 2012 by htownborn

[EastCoastNiner]

It's tough to say, but hopefully the Kings wouldn't be playing about 8 on 5 again like they did in their WCF match-up.

[Lkr]

If it was the 2011-12 Thunder I might give them the edge, but the Thunder have looked shaky so far this season

[Real Deal]

Aside from Webber/Ibaka, none of the match-ups favor the Kings...and it's good that Ibaka is going to be the one defending Webber, since he can step away from the rim. Durant, Westbrook and Harden would be nearly impossible to defend, if you're the Kings...Bibby, Peja and Hedo aren't going to do anything about those three, and while Christie was a good defensive player, he's the only guy in that backcourt that can defend the likes of Durant and Harden.

 

It would be a little different if Gerald Wallace was older back then, but he was barely getting time off the bench (not even a quarter of basketball).

 

The Kings weren't that bad defensively, but it was only because they rebounded the ball extremely well and fouled like CRAZY if you were about to get to the rim (I know they were one of the worst fouling teams that season, and Adelman once noted that he preaches not giving up the easy two, no matter what).

 

So, against a team that will pick and roll you to death, and that can shoot or get to the rim...with match-ups in their favor...I have to go with the Thunder in a seven-gamer.

[NomarFachix]

VLADE DIVAC IN 4

[Nitro]

Good matchup. Very even teams.

 

The one thing that the Kings had going for them is that they had a very diverse offense with a bunch of great passers and different scoring weapons. The Thunder, meanwhile, had an offense last season that would die in the halfcourt at times. They were also better on the glass, and in a series would have the better coach on their side. And lastly, they had slightly more firepower coming off the bench.

 

However, the Kings would have NO ONE to defend Durant, and OKC had the tougher defense to fall back on in tight games, while Sacramento would have to rely on keep putting up points to stay in the game.

 

It's a tossup, though I'd probably give a very slight edge to OKC for being the more well-rounded team.