Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets, Individual Match-ups
Current Odds To Win the Series
Denver Nuggets +231
LOS ANGELES LAKERS -251
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2008-2009 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS INDIVIDUAL MATCH-UPS
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1/LAL, 65-17 |
Advantage |
2/DEN, 54-28 |
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Fisher Bryant Ariza Bynum Gasol Farmar Vujacic Walton Odom Powell Brown Mbenga |
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Billups Jones Anthony Martin Nene Carter Smith Kleiza Anderson Petro Hart Balkman |
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P Jackson |
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G Karl |
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OVERALL:+4 |
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OVERALL:+1 |
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Styles of Play PDR – 2 PAR – 4 RDR – 5 QR – 21 QIR – 6 |
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Styles of Play PDR – 8 PAR – 18 RDR – 16 QR – 42 QIR – 13 |
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Legend: PDR – Points Differential Ranking; PAR – Points Allowed Ranking; RDR – Rebounding Differential Ranking; QR – Quality Rating; QIR – Quality Index Ranking |
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Although Denver has played very well to this point in the Playoffs, they do not enjoy a host of different match-up advantages vs Los Angeles, like they did vs Dallas and New Orleans.
In particular, the specific spots where the Nuggets have possessed major advantages … i.e. at the PG [although that might be difficult for CP3 lovers to believe] and PF/C positions, plus in terms Quality Depth, overall … will not be the case in this series:
Point Guard
* Billups’ game is based on strength, not quickness. Whereas Aaron Brooks was too quick for Derek Fisher … physical strength & guile just happen to be two strengths of D-Fish, as well.
* Anthony Carter is a highly capable Back-up PG. The combination of Jordan Farmar & Shannon Brown is equally formidable.
Power Forward/Center
* Nene, Kenyon Martin, Chris Anderson & Johan Petro is a versatile and highly effective set of Bigs. So, too, however, is Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom & Josh Powell.
Quality Depth
* JR Smith, Anderson, Carter, Linas Kleiza, Petro, Jason Hart & Renaldo Balkman are a stout and highly serviceable Group of 7, coming off the bench. However, they are not a superior force, in comparison with the Lakers’ corresponding re-inforcements, i.e. Sasha Vujacic, Odom, Farmar, Luke Walton, Powell, Brown & DJ Mbenga.
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Please Note:
At the moment, the Lakers are +220 to Win the 2008-2009 NBA Title. For those so inclined, this is a VERY GOOD proposition. 
Tags: Andrew Bynum, Anthony Carter, Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Chris Anderson, Dahntay Jones, Denver Nuggets, Derek Fisher, DJ Mbenga, George Karl, Jason Hart, Johan Petro, Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell, JR Smith, Kenyon Martin, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Linas Kleiza, Los Angeles Lakers, Luke Walton, Nene, Pau Gasol, Phil Jackson, Pinnacle Sports, Renaldo Balkman, Sasha Vujacic, Shannon Brown, Trevor Ariza