https://goo.gl/uHCrW2
How the Jazz and Rockets match up
當爵士對上火箭
By Tony Jones
The Tribune’s Tony Jones breaks down the Western Conference semifinals ahead
of Game 1 in Houston on Sunday afternoon.
Point Guard
控球後衛
Saturday’s news that Ricky Rubio will miss Game 1 and potentially a few
weeks with a hamstring injury is a hammer blow to a Jazz team that needs him
at full strength to compete. Chris Paul is one of the best point guards in
NBA history, and needs a title to cement his legacy. To combat his
brilliance, the Jazz need every healthy advantage they can get — but who
will handle the load in Rubio’s absence?
ADVANTAGE: Rockets
盧小比受傷，他會缺席好幾週的時間，這對亟需他的爵士來說是沉重的打擊。CP3是NBA史
上最強的控球後衛之一，而且非常渴望一枚戒指來鞏固他的地位。當盧小比受傷之後，爵
士隊還能到哪裡找人跟CP3打？
火箭樂勝
Shooting Guard
得分後衛
Donovan Mitchell has superstardom written all over him after a brilliant Game
6 to close out the Thunder — but James Harden may be the league’s best
offensive player and will be this season’s MVP. Harden is an efficient
scorer, brilliant off the dribble, a lethal passer, and imaginative in
getting to the free-throw line. He’s almost indefensible. It figures to be a
fascinating matchup.
ADVANTAGE: Rockets
在淘汰雷霆的關鍵第六戰之後，米邱已經證明自己有明星球員的潛力，可是......鬍子是
全聯盟最強的得分手和季賽的MVP。鬍子得分強、帶球超強、傳球致命，而且他能用不可
思議的創造力走上罰球線。鬍子根本堅不可摧
火箭勝
Small Forward
小前鋒
Like OKC’s Paul George, Houston’s Trevor Ariza is a terrific defender. He’
s athletic with long arms and great anticipation and the ability to bother
Joe Ingles. That said, Ingles figured George out toward the end of the OKC
series. Unlike George, Ariza isn’t a great offensive player. He’s a
terrific shooter, but Ingles won’t have to expend as much defensive energy
as he did in the first round.
ADVANTAGE: Push
Ariza和Paul George一樣是優秀的防守者。他運動力強，臂展長，對球的判斷力佳，絕對
有能力干擾鷹勾。不過，鷹勾在對付Paul George時可是很有一套的。而且Ariza的進攻能
力也比不上Paul George。他能投射，但他不會比Paul George更難對付
打平
Power Forward
大前鋒
Can the Jazz make PJ Tucker pay for guarding Derrick Favors? Tucker is a
terrific defender and 3-point shooter. Favors will have to be big in the
paint and rebound the basketball. He will have to defend on the perimeter as
well when Tucker stretches the floor. It figures to be another really good
matchup, and one the Jazz have to win to have a chance in this series.
ADVANTAGE: Push
狒狒能不能力壓Tucker？Tucker的防守很不賴，三分也很準。狒狒必須在禁區表現得更強
悍，掌控更多籃板。當Tucker拉開空間時，他也必須跟上去。這組人對抗很有看頭，爵士
必須在對抗中勝出才能搶下一線生機
打平
Center
中鋒
Clint Capela is a terrific rim-running center, who has become a good defender
and rebounder. But he’s not Rudy Gobert, who dominated Oklahoma City
defensively and give the Jazz a take control in the paint. Gobert will have
to continue his great play on defense, and get as much offense as he can
contribute, to give the Jazz an opportunity in this series.
ADVANTAGE: Jazz
Capela是很棒的中鋒，防守好，籃板也穩。但比起宰制禁區讓雷霆大大吃鱉的狗貝來說，
Capela還是居於下風。狗貝必須維持高檔的表現，盡可能把握每一次進攻機會
爵士勝
Bench
板凳
Eric Gordon is a great shooter with explosive scoring ability, and may be the
best sixth man in the NBA. Ryan Anderson, and Luc Mbah A Moute, and Gerald
Green make Houston’s bench a game-changer. Utah’s bench is good, but
nowhere as deep. The Jazz will rely mostly on Jae Crowder and Royce O’Neale.
Finding positive minutes from Dante Exum may be gravy.
ADVANTAGE: Rockets
狗蛋是很強的射手，能夠大爆發砍分，或許還是最佳第六人。火箭隊還有Ryan
Anderson, Luc Mbah A Moute, Gerald Green，論板凳深度爵士遠遠比不上。爵士板凳只
有Crowder 和O’Neale可用，所以最好想點辦法讓Exum能有所貢獻
火箭樂勝
Coaches
教練
Mike D’Antoni and Quin Snyder are two of the best coaches in the league. D’
Antoni mostly relies on his terrific offensive system, and is great at making
adjustments over the course of a series. Snyder has it all: Preparation,
in-game adjustments, between-game adjustments, and lineup management. He’s
the complete package on the bench.
ADVANTAGE: Jazz
冷笑話和Snyder都是聯盟中最優秀的教練。冷笑話的進攻體系無話可說，他也有很強的應
變能力。但這些Snyder也作得到，他準備更充分，比賽間的應變，陣容的調整等等，他有
萬全的策略
爵士勝
Intangibles
X因子
It’s hard to have more intangibles than Chris Paul at this point. He’s one
of the best leaders the league has seen in the past decade. For the Jazz, how
much does the short turnaround affect them on Sunday after Friday night’s
exhausting victory?
ADVANTAGE: Houston
對火箭來說，CP3是系列賽最大的關鍵人物。爵士嘛，打完雷霆之後希望不要氣力放盡
Series Prediction
預測
This won’t be the mismatch it was for the Jazz last season against the
Golden State Warriors in the semifinals. Still, winning this series will take
Utah playing at peak level.
上一季第二輪爵士被勇士橫掃，這次系列賽可能沒那麼糟，但也差不多了
THE TRIBUNE’S CALL: Houston should take this in five games.
火箭4-1勝出