Golden State Warriors: Comparing Them To the Nets, Position by Position

Dec 7, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) drives around Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Warriors won 109-102. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Deep rosters are all that I see in the NBA right now. Comparing them sparks debate and conversation, so why not compare two of the NBA’s deepest.

Other than the Miami Heat, the Brooklyn Nets have the best starting lineup in the NBA. Unfortunately for them, however, they’re still not favored to win the conference, or even come in second. Still, it’s fun to compare them to other teams like the Golden State Warriors, who have added a lot of depth to their own starting lineup by signing Andre Iguodala this offseason.

With that being said, the Warriors match up with the Nets on almost every single level. They perform in the clutch, they can play defense, they have great frontcourt and they have a great backcourt.

1. Stephen Curry vs Deron Williams:

“Deron, I choose Deron!” Calm down there. From an unbiased point of view, this is actually not as obvious as you may think. Williams is a former All-Star, and had one of his worst seasons in 2012-2013, when he averaged over 17 points per game. That’s pretty good for a bad season.

Still, with the star-studded roster that the Nets have now, he won’t be averaging 22 per game anymore. He’s a great point guard and an explosive scorer, but is he better than Curry?

Curry was the league leader in 3-point makes last season and had the all-time record for most 3-pointers in a single season with 272. Not only can he shoot the ball like his father Dell, but he can drive to the basket and finish with acrobatic reverse layups. Knocking on wood, it seems as if he’s over his huge ankle problems, and I think he’s ready to lead this franchise.
Winner: Stephen Curry 

2. Klay Thompson vs Joe Johnson:

Another tough decision. Klay Thompson is a young player headed to future stardome and big things. Johnson is a former All-Star who is a solid contributor on a great team. These two guys had similar stats in the postseason as well as the regular season, but Johnson is on the down fall.

Unfortunately for Thompson, however, Johnson is one of the most clutch players in the NBA, and he can still score in bunches. Thompson, on the other hand, does play defense very well under pressure. I’ll leave this one up to you, but for right now, I’m going to go with Johnson, simply because he’s a master in the final seconds.
Winner: Joe Johnson 

3. Andre Iguodala vs Paul Pierce:

For aggression and all around game, I would give this victory to Iguodala. For heart, passion, and playmaking, I’m giving it to Pierce any day. Despite being traded from Boston, Pierce has more heart and intensity than any player — other than maybe Kevin Garnett — in the NBA. He wants to do well so badly that he’s willing to go that extra mile.

Iguodala wants to win, but so far, we haven’t seen him display it like Pierce has. Iguodala is an excellent defender, but Pierce has the edge because he’s a veteran. If you want the victory, I’ll take Pierce. The Nets do have a deep lineup, but I believe that Pierce is still going to be the life of the team.
Winner: Paul Pierce 

4. David Lee vs Kevin Garnett:

This is the best matchup if these two teams were to face off. Kevin Garnett, like Pierce, plays with as much heart as imaginable. Unfortunately at his age, however, his production is going to dip, and David Lee’s is going to stay around the same.

Lee is the league leader in double-doubles, and he was an All-Star reserve. He’s the Warriors’ second MVP, and he will surely beat out Garnett.
Winner: David Lee 

5. Andrew Bogut vs Brook Lopez:

This matchup is clearly dominated by Lopez. Injuries have completely changed the pathway of Bogut’s career. Now that he’s going to be anchoring the defense for the Dubs, he’s going to become less important on offense. Compared to what Brook Lopez can do, Bogut will be almost a non-factor.
Winner: Brook Lopez