Who would you pick if it's a Pacers/Thunder finals?

[All Net]

Lets say Miami does lose this year and the Pacers beat them. While OKC gets back to the finals who would you pick in a finals series? would HCA be a deciding factor?

[Genaro]

I guess that if Pacers can win against Miami they could take anybody but the last game was a rape. The Pacers defense couldn't find answers for the WB/Durant pick and roll game.

[All Net]

I guess that if Pacers can win against Miami they could take anybody but the last game was a rape. The Pacers defense couldn't find answers for the WB/Durant pick and roll game.

True but it's hard to measure when you consider the Pacers played in San Antonio the night before.

[niko]

Thunder. They can score easier.

[K Xerxes]

Thunder.

Because Westbrook vs Pacers guards = lol.

[cos88]

it's all about matchups.


thunder in 5. okc should prey everyday that pacers go over heat.

[O_City_Thunder]

Even if I wasn't a Thunder fan I would still say OKC. They are built to beat traditional teams like the Pacers. Miami is the team we would have problems with.

[HylianNightmare]

the pacers in 6

[russwest0]

The Thunder might sweep that matchup. They have much better depth, and their stars will go off vs the Pacers.

Last two times they met last year OKC beat them by 10+ and this year OKC demolished them to where the game was over by the 2nd half. Their bigs don't really present a problem to Ibaka and Perkins like they do to Battier and Bosh for MIA.

[Random_Guy]

The Thunder might sweep that matchup. They have much better depth, and their stars will go off vs the Pacers.

Last two times they met last year OKC beat them by 10+ and this year OKC demolished them to where the game was over by the 2nd half. Their bigs don't really present a problem to Ibaka and Perkins like they do to Battier and Bosh for MIA.
true, this really goes on to show how important hibbert is to defeating miami

[Fudge]

Thunder in 5 or 6.

[SpecialQue]

The Thunder. They seem to take the next step each time they lose, and last year they may have won it all if Westbrook didn't go down.

[russwest0]

true, this really goes on to show how important hibbert is to defeating miami

Not only do their bigs present problems on offense but their defense is good in general to where they force offenses to score in the midrange which Miami just doesn't really do.

OKC on the other end will light you up in the mid range. Look at vs the Spurs two years ago, they went on runs scoring strictly from the mid range.

To be honest if OKC stays healthy it looks like they are the clear favorites to win it all this year.

[LoneyROY7]

Westbrook would eat Indy alive.

[Suguru101]

Not only do their bigs present problems on offense but their defense is good in general to where they force offenses to score in the midrange which Miami just doesn't really do.

OKC on the other end will light you up in the mid range. Look at vs the Spurs two years ago, they went on runs scoring strictly from the mid range.

To be honest if Miami stays healthy it looks like they are the clear favorites to win it all this year.

Fixed.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Thunder.

Of the main 4 (Heat, Pacers, Thunder, and Spurs), I think:

The Heat beat them all with the Spurs having the best chance to top them in a series.

Pacers lose to them all, with their best chance to get a win is against the Heat.

OKC beats the Spurs and Pacers. Lose to the Heat.

Spurs beat the Pacers. Lose to the Heat and OKC. Better chance against the Heat than a healthy OKC team.

[kobeef24]

This would be a fun series to watch and while I'd want the Pacers to win, I see the Thunder taking it in 6.

[ProfessorMurder]

I'd probably take the Thunder (but I'd rather the Pacers win).

It's tough to judge because the only time they've played was Indy on the 2nd night of a b2b, where they played the Spurs the night before... And it was the 5th game of a road trip.

Indy has only lost 3 games, and all were 2nd nights of a b2b.

[imdaman99]

Pacers are not gonna let OKC run over them. They are a team that can uglify a matchup to the point that it goes AT LEAST 6. Even though OKC is a horrendous matchup for them, possibly their worst matchup, they will extend it to 6 games.

[All Net]

Pacers are not gonna let OKC run over them. They are a team that can uglify a matchup to the point that it goes AT LEAST 6. Even though OKC is a horrendous matchup for them, possibly their worst matchup, they will extend it to 6 games.
I dunno If Paul George can close to match what Durant brings them I see no reason why Pacers don

[InspiredLebowski]

Indy in 6 or 7, depends on who has home court. Which'll be Indy, cuz thanks Eastern Conference.

OKC can't hang with our D and interior scoring in a series.

Would be a fun serious though, sucks we won't get a big OKC/Indy game this year. First one Indy was on a west trip and on their 4th game in 5 nights with a ton of travel, not an excuse for the loss but is what it is, the one in Indy's not til really really late in the year, guys'll be sitting.

I'm also a bit biased.

[Marchesk]

OKC can't hang with our D and interior scoring in a series..

Yeah but Goatbrook goating on your guards.

[InspiredLebowski]

Yeah but Goatbrook goating on your guards.Will shoot a bunch of awful contested pullups early in the shot clock. Westbrook's insanely talented. His talent doesn't win a series.

[Black and White]

I say Pacers in 6. Would be a fun series but that defensive intensity will put them over the top.

[NumberSix]

Interesting match up. You're not allowed to breathe on OKC players, but Hibbert is permitted to foul without being called. It's like the unstoppable force and the immovable object.

[noob cake]

Pacers can't realistically keep up with Thunder in scoring in a 7 game series.

Until Pacers start scoring more than 80-90 points a game, I'm not sold on them.

Blazers, Spurs, Rockets, Clippers, Thunder are all probably better than the Pacers.

Most computer ranking ranks the above 6 teams + Heat as the true contenders this season anyways.

http://sagarin.com/sports/nbasend.htm

[All Net]

Pacers can't realistically keep up with Thunder in scoring in a 7 game series.

Until Pacers start scoring more than 80-90 points a game, I'm not sold on them.

Blazers, Spurs, Rockets, Clippers, Thunder are all probably better than the Pacers.

Most computer ranking ranks the above 6 teams + Heat as the true contenders this season anyways.

http://sagarin.com/sports/nbasend.htm

:lol I'm sorry but no.. They aren't. Pacers kill you with their D. Pacers are at worse top 2-3 team.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Thunder.

Because Westbrook vs Pacers guards = lol.
Not even a fan, and I completely agree.

[OmniStrife]

Miami > OKC > Indiana > Miami?

[KG215]

I think the Thunder match-up better with the Pacers and Spurs than Miami; Miami is a bad match-up for the Thunder; and the Pacers and Spurs (in whatever order) are both a worse match-up for the Heat than the Thunder.

OKC matches up well with the Pacers for several reasons:

1.) The Pacers essentially play "no doubles" defense. I don't care how good of a defender George is, if you don't consistently throw double teams at Durant and try to disrupt him, he's going to score a lot of points on great efficiency. Hibbert's a great rim/paint protector, but if a team isn't going to consistently double and/or at least shade/help towards Durant when he catches the ball, he'll more than likely still kill you with shots 12-15 feet out.

2.) Westbrook, I think, literally owns George Hill's soul. Can Stephenson guard Westbrook? If not, and Westbrook is killing the Pacers more than Durant and the Pacers try putting George on Westbrook, then who the hell is going to guard Durant?

3.) For this one series OKC all of a sudden has a player on their roster who's generally one of the most worthless in the NBA turn into a player with value; meaning, an already balanced, very talented team suddenly adds a player with distinct value in this match-up, for free. Perkins can somewhat effectively bother/slow down Hibbert and Ibaka can, to some extent, effectively defend West. So, Indiana's biggest advantage against most teams isn't nearly as big of an advantage against OKC.

4.) Indiana is a great defensive team (obviously) who plays a style that baits teams into taking a lot of mid-range jumpers and long 2s. Problem with that is OKC has a handful of VERY good mid-range jump shooters: Durant (obviously); Westbrook can be almost automatic from that range when he's in a groove; Ibaka is one of the best catch and shoot players from 15-18 feet in the entire NBA; and now they've got players in Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb who are proving to be very adept from mid-range.


Not saying OKC would easily win a series against the Pacers, but they do match-up very well with them, and I would really like our chances if we got them in the Finals instead of the Heat.

[All Net]

Fair point KG, OKC do match up very well for the reasons you gave. Guess it depends how guys like lamb, Jackson do in a finals series. Hibbert is the key.. He can dominate inside and would need to.

Be hard for most for people not to pick Pacers if they did knock off the heat though.