Two Rings or Less Draft : Round 2 durantbird vs Dr Positivity*

[Laimbeer]

Here is a quick list of what you need in your writeup.

1. Specific years for each player on your team
2. Rotations and minutes for each player
3. Reasoning as to why your team will win and/or why people should vote for you.

Do not vote in this thread until both managers have submitted their writeups.

If writeups aren't posted within 24 hours, we will vote solely based on the players they have drafted (and any rotations they have posted on their roster page).

**First to 3 votes advances**

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[Dr Positivity]

PG: Chris Paul (2017: 12.9 FGA)
SG: Devin Booker (2021: 19.2 FGA)
SF: Doug Christie (2003: 7.0 FGA)
PF: Karl Malone (1998: 18.2 FGA)
C: Patrick Ewing (1992: 18.6 FGA)

PG: Pablo Prigioni (2014: 2.9 FGA = 3.0)
SF/PF: Nicolas Batum (2021: 6.1 FGA)
C: Nick Collison (2014: 3.0 FGA)

88 / 88

PG: Chris Paul (38) / Pablo Prigioni (10)
SG: Devin Booker (38) / Doug Christie (10)
SF: Nicolas Batum (20) / Doug Christie (28)
PF: Karl Malone (38) / Nicolas Batum (10)
C: Patrick Ewing (38) / Nick Collision (10)

GL durantbird

Defensive matchups: Paul on Nash, Booker on Bridges, Batum on Butler, Malone on Dirk, Ewing on Mourning

These teams are similarly built however we have a few advantages

- I don't think he is in the best position to guard the Paul and Malone pick and roll as both his PG and PF spots are weaker on defense. The 21 finalist Suns really thrived taking advantage of slower defensive frontcourts like the Nuggets at the time. His huge wing rotation of Butler, Bridges and Marion on defense is less useful against my team. We have the two best PG defenders in the series in Paul and Christie who will get some time on Nash. Edit: Since he put Butler on Malone we'll be taking full advantage of that, I don't think Butler can handle him.

- Nash will be playing a halfcourt style feeding Dirk and Mourning where I believe he's less dominant than in the faster SSOL style.

- He may have the bench talent advantage but he has no PG or C.

We have the stronger defensive team overall and Paul, Booker and Malone can be effective fit on offense together along with Ewing as a solid 4th option.

[durantbird]

PG: Steve Nash 05' - 11.4
SG: Jimmy Butler 18' - 15.6
SF: Mikal Bridges 21' - 9.3
PF: Dirk Nowitzki 11' - 16.2
C: Alonzo Mourning 95' - 14.3

Bench: Shawn Marion 11' - 10.4
Bench: Detlef Schrempf 00' - 5.6
Bench: Royce O'Neale 20' - 5.1

Rotation:
PG: Steve Nash 40 / Jimmy Butler 8
SG: Jimmy Butler 30 / Royce O'Neale 15 / Mikal Bridges 3
SF: Mikal Bridges 29 / Detlef Schrempf 12 / Shawn Marion 7
PF: Dirk Nowitzki 38 / Shawn Marion 10
C: Alonzo Mourning 38 / Shawn Marion 10

87.9/88

vs


PG: Chris Paul (38) / Pablo Prigioni (10)
SG: Devin Booker (38) / Doug Christie (10)
SF: Nicolas Batum (20) / Doug Christie (28)
PF: Karl Malone (38) / Nicolas Batum (10)
C: Patrick Ewing (38) / Nick Collision (10)

Matchup:
- Defensive assignments: Mikal vs Booker, Nash vs Paul, Butler vs Malone (doubled with Dirk), Dirk vs Batum, Mourning vs Ewing. Marion plays some crucial minutes on Malone off the bench, and O'Neale on Booker/Paul.
- I think we have a good defensive response to their tools. Malone is basically doubled up by Butler/Dirk given their non threats in SF i.e. Batum/Christie, or guarded by Marion off the bench. Mourning is a great answer against their rim pressure type of game against Paul/Malone/Ewing, and he's gonna have a great series.
- Our main advantages are what I see as much better chemistry and fit, and superior depth. Dr P is starting two players who are modern day C and rely heavily on rim pressure, which isn't an optimal game plan - Dirk/Mourning are much more complimentary than Malone/Ewing, and we got the much better spacing given we have two shooting GOAT candidates in prime Nash and Dirk, along with Mikal, good shooting season from Butler and some more nice shooting off the bench. Mourning is also an ideal lob threat to pair with Nash.
- We got the much stronger bench in O'Neale/Detlef/Marion over Prigioni/Christie/Collison - this is not really comparable. On top of that, we got the much better fifth starter in Mikal over Batum, who's also not stretched beyond 32 minutes while Christie is playing 38 minutes off the bench, and with his iffy shooting that is significant. It should also be noticed that 17' is not best version available for Paul, who was actually not an All Star at this stage.

[Square]

Close one for me. I'm trying not let the fact that db has some of my personal all-time favs and Dr. P some of my least favorites color the analysis. Let me ramble for a bit.

I do think durantbird's team is very potent offensively. Butler I think would play nicely with Nash, though not a traditional SSOL-style shooting wing, but I don't totally know how Zo fits into the Nash/Dirk scheme on that end. I might actually wish that db had another big who could space the floor more than Marion and just let Dirk try to push Ewing around for some time and then go crazy on the other end. In any case though, as a purely offensive core, I do trust Nash/Butler/Dirk to get it done more than Paul/Booker/Malone/Ewing, with the latter group being a bit more unreliable in the playoffs.

However, it does seem like Dr. P gets some back on the other end. I get that you're trying to keep him out of the Paul/Malone pnr, but I don't really know how well Dirk guarding Batum works here. He has to chase around a pretty good shooter off screens, and Batum can be used a screener to get dirk in trouble. Christie playing 38 minutes off the bench is a bit ridiculous (in all of the '23 playoffs, a bench player played that much in a game exactly once), but not the end of the world I guess. Butler is a good defender, and Zo behind him is a help, but having him guard Malone is also a bit of a stretch for him, especially with Nash being the other defender in that action and not impeding Paul too much.

Overall, I guess I think Dr. P gets back a bit more than he gives, so vote Dr. P. Sorry for the long-windedness.

[Larry_Russell]

THis is very tough matchup.

On one hand I dont love the Butler paired with Dirk and Nash. I dont like Butler off ball, and I want Nash to have the ball, not Jimmy.
But DBs bench talent is better, but lacks a point guard making Jimmy play that role for 8 minuts a game.

On the other hand I think Dr. Ps team is a little better of an overall fit but a much weaker bench, with the exception of him having one glaring spot to exploit.

and that is MVP Malone going at Dirk and Butler. Butler is a good defender, but Malone dominates this matchup.

Vote DRP
Buts its honestly a coin toss for me.

[Laimbeer]

In one this close you have to split hairs, and I don't see Malone and Ewing as much able to maximize their abilities. Two talented teams, but durantbird's offense feels a little smoother.

Vote - durantbird

[uberhikari]

2017 CP3 is a significant downgrade, but the synergy with Booker & Malone is fantastic. Ewing as a low-post scorer doesn't seem to fit as much but CP3 can even run the P&P with Ewing. And Ewing is also a great defensive anchor surrounded by great defensive talent in CP3, Malone, and Christie. Ultimately, I think Dr P is right, I don't like Nash paired with any low-post scoring big man like Mourning. Dirk and Butler fit but then Minnesota Butler is a massive downgrade. Vote: Dr Positivity

[durantbird]

GG Dr P. I really liked this team, oh well.

[Laimbeer]

Dr P advances.