NBA: The biggest matchups to decide the current round of the playoffs

Curry (Golden State Warriors) versus Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)

This is one of the rare combinations of point guard matchups that any NBA fan wouldn’t want to miss. Parker is a genius when it comes to shooting from the perimeter while Curry, when he is in his red-hot zone, doesn’t miss – AT ALL. Game 1 saw Curry clearly have the better game but ever since that, Parker has leapfrogged backed into the contest. One thing Parker has an advantage is experience and that clearly shows when Parker keeps the ball moving across the court whereas Curry often dribbles singlehandedly to the front court and takes a shot. If Golden State wishes to get closer to the NBA Finals, the franchise needs its red hot sharpshooter to go all guns blazing. But before that, Stephen Curry and the Warriors need to watch out for a resurgent Tony Parker who is in the form of his life. A deciding factor could be the people Curry or Parker can pass the ball to. Think about it: Tim Duncan versus Andrew Bogut? No offense to the Australian’s talent but quiet boy Timmy clearly has it there.

Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks) versus Paul George (Indiana Pacers)

Solely in terms of talent, Carmelo Anthony is a player as good as LeBron James, if not better in certain traits. In terms of execution and play making, Anthony has numerous ladders to climb to reach that mantle. Who does he come up against in this round – a sporadically streaked Paul George and the Pacers? While both players have the capability to keep the scoreboard ticking, it is the number of shots these stars take to achieve which worries many fans. Paul George’s field goal percentage is almost the same as Carmelo’s but the New Yorker has the edge in terms of free throws and three points made. Carmelo enjoys the front seat in terms of the offense but the entire basketball fraternity knows how much his defense can come into question. And if the Knicks wish to nick the Pacers out of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Melo needs to guard Paul George tightly and score better than a .39 FG%.

Serge ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder) versus Zach Randolph (Memphis Grizzlies)

The Memphis Grizzlies are up 3-1 in the playoff series and it’s hugely thanks to the big men duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. While Gasol is clearly the favorite to matchup against a rather less useful Kendrick Perkins, Randolph has a strong matchup against Serge Ibaka. The man from Congo has lost so much confidence since back to back terrible shooting nights which saw the Thunder slip up their home court advantage. Ibaka currently shoots a pathetic 31% from the field compared to Randolph’s near 55% and is outmatched in the rebounding sector as well. But, if the Thunder is going to lodge a comeback in this series, they definitely need a more energetic Serge Ibaka to bounce back and play the defense that often grabbed him headlines. It’s evident the offense belongs to Randolph but if there is a category Ibaka can matchup Randolph in, it’s in defense. It is going to be hard to come back from a 3-1 deficit but all isn’t lost yet for the Thunder or Serge Ibaka.

Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls) versus Chris Bosh (Miami Heat)

Before this playoff series against Miami began, questions such as these were raised for the Chicago Bulls: LeBron James versus whom… Dwayne Wade versus whom… Chris Bosh versus whom… Let’s look at the talent the Bulls can line up in their starting five to beat this trio: Nate Robinson (nah, he can’t ball like Game 1 every night), Jimmy Butler (you gotta be kiddin me?), Marco Belinelli (seriously, the guy makes headlines for his mischievous gestures than his three point shooting), Carlos Boozer (out of his prime) and Joakim Noah (yes, finally someone to compare!)

Noah’s contribution to this injury plagued Chicago side is immensely undervalued. He is Tom Thibodeau’s go to guy, the team’s new found (in fact, was omnipresent) leader and the most underrated center in the game of basketball today. Think about this: Noah has gone for six double doubles this postseason and the most crucial one was in the Game 1 steal at South Beach. It is almost certain the Miami Heat will progress from this matchup against the Bulls but if the Chicagoan franchise wishes to put up any fight (something they haven’t in the past three games), Joakim Noah has got to spearhead it. Chris Bosh, on the other hand, enjoys the luxury of playing in the most talented basketball side of this decade and can afford to slip up. While he won’t matchup against Noah in terms of rebounding and shot blocking, his offensive numbers will continue to be superior considering the production he receives.