Basketball 101: Matchups

We hear it all the time.  Basketball is a game of matchups.  But what does that really mean?  Well luckily for all of you I'm here to explain it, because, like in most things in life, there is a whole lot of crap out there to sift through.  However creating matchup problems in basketball is slightly more difficult than putting a big guy on a little guy so he's taller.  There are a few things that go into it with the primary one being that one player must have a distinct advantage over the other. 

To me, the most commonly misdiagnosed mismatch is that of size.  Size can create huge mismatches however its not a true mismatch if its offset when the smaller player is faster.  This is the same with speed when its called a mismatch against a bigger player.  In order to illustrate this let's pick on my favorite player to pick on lately and that's Derek Fisher.  In the Lakers last series Fisher was matched up against Aaron Brooks who was a few inches shorter and 40 lbs lighter than Fish.  Size advantage goes to the Lakers.  However Brooks was infinitely faster and quicker than Fisher so the speed advantage went to the Rockets.  This in theory is not a mismatch and for about 4 minutes in the entire series it played out that way.  While Brooks was able to run around like crazy, getting wherever he wanted while Fish was hopelessly chasing him, using the advantage he had, Fisher only used the advantage he had a few times for one stretch of one game.  What Fisher should have done is taken Brooks down in the post and thrown him around like a rag doll.  He didn't.  This than created a mismatch in the Rockets favor, and thus there was a legit matchup problem for LA.  That being said Houston had a large matchup problem inside once Yao went down in that they were small, and finally LA exploited it in Game 7.

There are some guys that just by being on the floor create matchup nightmares for coaches.  Right now this is Stan Van Gundy's problem.  Lebron James can guard all 5 positions and no one can guard him and thus he's a matchup problem instantly  (SVG said in his post game presser after Game 1 that he doesn't have a clue what to do with him).  The good thing for Stan Van though is that the other 3 of the 4 other positions on the floor are going his way.  Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis are both big, quick, and skilled players.  Anderson Varejao is big, not quick, and his skill is growing hair.  Lebron can guard one of them but he can't guard both and thus whoever is at the 4 has a huge advantage over Cleveland and that's why the Magic are up 2-1.  At the center position, Big Z has about as good of a chance as I do guarding Dwight Howard which is none what so freaking ever.  Then for the surprise of the series.  Delonte West and Courtney Lee should be even but West is playing horribly and Lee is playing remarkably well for a rookie.  And while this hasn't been enough to turn the series, add in the fact that Mikael Pietrus has been huge and Delonte has absolutely no shot at guarding him because Pietrus is much bigger and stronger and Orlando has a huge mismatch at Shooting Guard.  In theory PG should be even with no mismatch, just an advantage to Cleveland because Mo Williams is the better player.  However since Mo forgot how to shoot and Rafer Alston is playing so well he might have to slap somebody (I stole that from Jemele Hill but it's funny, so laugh it up) the advantage has gone to Orlando.  So let's review:

Pos Advantage (in terms of matchups)

PG Draw

SG ORL

SF CLE

PF ORL

C ORL

And you wonder why Orlando is not only up in this series but has owned Cleveland over the past 3 years.

Now to the West.  Kobe Bryant is the same as Lebron in that he can guard whoever is attempting to guard him and they can't.  Once again Derek Fisher is a matchup nightmare for his own team because right now he can't even keep up with Chauncey Billups.  Luckily for Laker fans, Phil Jackson is a master of matchups (although I think he's missing a few potential series clinchers that I'll share below) and has put Kobe on Chauncey and thus left Fisher on Dahntay Jones who only shoots because that's what you're supposed to do when you're wide open even though he and everyone else knows its not going in.  That being said Fisher isn't doing anything offensively and some of the credit has to go to Billups.  Despite Trevor Ariza's outstanding play, he has had trouble guarding Melo because Melo is so freakishly strong.  Melo can also guard Ariza because he's quick enough (definition of a mismatch? I think so!).  The PF is an advantage for the Lakers because Kenyon Martin isn't a threat on offense and Pau Gasol has him by a good 5".  The center position is a wash because Bynum and Nene can guard each other blah blah blah you've been paying attention and you know why by now. 

Pos Advantage

PG DEN

SG LA

SF DEN

PF LA

C None

Ah but it doesn't stop there.  You see, there are more players in basketball than those who start, and this is why LA is up, and will win this series.  When Billups goes out, Anthony Carter comes in.  When Fisher comes out, Jordan Farmar comes in.  Huge advantage LA because Farmar is a good defender, Carter is nothing on offense,  and Farmar is way too fast for Carter to chase around (all is also true with Shannon Brown).  When J.R. Smith comes in there is initially a matchup problem for LA with him against Sasha Vujacic.  Sasha is a very good defender, however J.R. Smith is elite on the offensive end when he's on.  LA has a simple solution to that though and that is Kobe comes back in and that's the end of that.  Luke Walton helps to neutralize Melo and is a good passer on the offensive end however nothing major of note there.  Then we get to the big men.  And this is where it gets fun.  Chris Andersen is one of the best shot blockers in the league from the weak side.  However when he tries to guard anybody on the post its futile.  Thus when Lamar Odom comes in it is a huge advantage for LA.  He can post Andersen up or take him outside because he's a PG in a Power Forward's body.  This brings Andersen away from the rim, opening up the lane and wha-la! advantage Lakers.  

That being said I think the Zen Master is missing a major opportunity.  I put it in my last blog so I'll keep it short, but why not use the Lakers plethora of size against the Nuggets severe lack of it all at once?  Put Bynum, Gasol, and Odom together.  You could even do it with Bryant and Ariza and have your shortest player at 6'6" and have and advantage at 3 of the 5 positions on the floor with the other two being a washes like this:

POS LA Denver Advantage

PG      Bryant         Billups       LA

SG       Ariza    Jones/Smith LA/None (Ariza's length would drive Smith nuts)

SF      Odom       Anthony           Denver   (however if Odom plays big, None)

PF      Gasol        Martin       LA

C             Bynum Nene     None

Then, when the benches come in, everything stays the same because Carter can't guard Farmar, Vujacic goes down to Smith,  Walton and Kleiza are a wash and LA has the advantage inside if they box out Birdman.  To me it makes too much sense to not to try, but as I've said before, Phil has 9 rings, I have as many as you do: 0.  

As for Cleveland...well...umm...yeah, they're screwed.  They don't have big enough wing players to match up with Orlando and thus they are gonna have to continue to get ridiculous performances from Lebron, AND his back-court mates are going to have to find their shot.  Mo Williams and Delonte West have been off all series and its shown as they should be down 3-0 and would be if not for LeShot.  Cleveland is clearly the better team however they just don't match up well with the Magic.  And the NBA is all about matchups.  But you've been paying attention, so you knew that.  Go you!

Remember you can always follow my much shorter thoughts (less than 140 characters to be exact) on Twitter at twitter.com/choffman223

Also, shoutout to Steve Mason of Mason and Ireland of 710 ESPN Radio in LA who is now reading the blog!  Thanks Steve, it really means a lot and I hope you enjoy it!