The NO major trade camp - I'm in.

[Bayliss]

You're throwing some crazy stuff out there. I think you might be the only person that think Boston got the better of the OKC trade.

Um, I didn't say it helped Boston. I said it hurt the Thunder.

I don't know about position-by-position matchups, but I certainly don't think the Blazers would give the Mavs a tougher series, or be more likely to beat them, than the Lakers or the Spurs. Both teams are considerably more talented and better-coached than the Blazers.

They are more talented and better coached. But Dallas has always had trouble with athleticism. Maybe not quite as much now with Chandler. But Portland oozes athleticism. LA and SA are a better team.

Dallas matches up well with LA because Kidd/Stephenson can guard Kobe and Fisher will not take advantage of Terry and/or Voldeshort/Roddy. The frontline with Chandler and Haywood, the Mavs can now play straightup with their bigs and still score.

Dallas matches up well with SA because Sa other than Duncan doesn't have a "hoss" on the inside. And Duncan is slowing down. Voldeshort and Roddy can give as much back to Parker and Hill as they receive.

Portland on the other hand, now have an athletic group on the frontline/LA/Batum/Crash... and they have a "hoss" in the backcourt with Miller (the same one who scored 50+ on the Mavs )....

And Portland plays more zone out of any of those 3 teams. And the Mavs offense stagnates against it. Of course that was before Roddy and Peja came along.