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).
26.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.5 spg, 2.3 bpg, .503 FG%, .333 3P%, .846 FT%, 72 3P (1.2 pg), .610 TS% - NBA Champion - NBA All-Star - All-NBA First Team - All-Defensive First Team
PF - LeBron James (2019-20)
Spoiler:
25.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 10.2 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.5 bpg, .493 FG%, .348 3P%, .693 FT%, 148 3P (2.2 pg), .577 TS% - Led the NBA in apg, AST% (49.1) - NBA Champion - NBA Finals MVP - NBA All-Star - All-NBA First Team
Rotations C - Davis (26), Williams (22) PF - James (36), Davis (12) SF - Battier (36), Green (10), James (2) SG - KCP (30), Green (14), McMillan (4) PG - Irving (37), McMillan (11)
FGA Per Player
Spoiler:
LeBron James - 19.4 Anthony Davis - 17.7 Danny Green - 7.0 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 7.3 Shane Battier - 5.9 Robert Williams - 6.0 Nate McMillan - 4.3 Kyrie Irving - 19.7
Total: 87.3/88.0
We're essentially defaulting to the alignment that the 2020 Lakers would break out when it was winning time, with AD at the 5, LeBron at the 4, and a bunch of quality defensive role players around them. In doing so, we've addressed that roster's main weaknesses: the lack of another elite shot creator besides LeBron (Kyrie) and so-so outside shooting (Kyrie again, along with Battier). As was their dynamic in Cleveland, LeBron still functions as the lead decision-maker, while Kyrie can focus primarily on scoring while also being able to absorb some of those playmaking responsibilities. Whichever one of them has the ball, AD will thrive as a play finisher (as will Timelord off the bench).
Defensively, this team has the entire package: KCP and McMillan at the point of attack; Green, Battier, and LeBron as switchable wings; and two dominant rim protectors in AD and Timelord. As a bonus, AD is the rare big who can excel both as an orthodox drop big and switching onto smaller players. Kyrie is the only weaker defender in the rotation, but we have plenty of ways to cover for him, and he at least has good size for his position.
Matchup - Initial assignments will be Kyrie-Lowry, KCP-Manu, LeBron-Siakam, Battier-Kawhi, AD-Turner. A big key here is that AD has the mobility to rotate out to Turner when he pops beyond the arc, as well as the size and athleticism to deter him on when he rolls to the rim. Young Siakam has a somewhat spotty halfcourt game which LeBron should be able to contain. - We'll use our spread pick-and-roll game to draw Turner away from the basket, forcing him to deal with both LeBron and Kyrie as primary ballhandlers. With shooters around them at all times, that puts a lot of strain on Dr P's ability to protect the paint against the rim pressure of LeBron and AD. By contrast, we always have great rim protection on the floor with Timelord backing up AD. - The trump card here is AD as the only guy with a prayer of guarding him is Turner, who is somewhat foul prone and can't really play big minutes. Turner is also a mediocre defensive rebounder, which will allow AD to feast on second chance points.
PG/SG: Fred VanVleet (2019: 9.4 FGA) SF: Bruce Bowen (2008: 5.3 FGA) PF/C: Lamar Odom (2009: 9.0 FGA)
88 / 88
PG: Kyle Lowry (36) / Fred VanVleet (12) SG: Manu Ginobili (32) / Fred VanVleet (12) / Bruce Bowen (4) SF: Kawhi Leonard (32) / Bruce Bowen (16) PF: Pascal Siakam (32) / Lamar Odom (10) / Kawhi Leonard (6) C: Myles Turner (32) / Lamar Odom (16)
GL Fadeaway
Defensive matchups: Kawhi on Lebron, Siakam on Battier, Turner on Davis, Ginobili on KCP, Lowry on Irving.
- Lebron doesn’t have the usual best player advantage in this series as it’s the 2020 version, plus he is defended well.
- HIs big 3 is pretty imposing for this pool but after that it’s mostly role players creating wise while we have a few more options, after our top 3 scorers Lowry can still have a big game (especially guarded by Kyrie), Odom gives us better offense off the bench than Williams, FVV can hot, and even Turner is an 18ppg guy and stretches Davis out to 3pt line. When one of his stars is out of the game we can mostly focus on two guys.
- His bench is solid but I prefer the balance of FVV/Bowen/Odom’s skillsets a bit more, with FVV’s scoring upside over McMillan and Odom giving me an offensive boost he doesn’t have.
Overall he has the stronger big 3 but my team is a bit more well rounded after that with a fourth all-star caliber guy (Lowry/Siakam) and strong 5th starter in Turner and a bit better bench. The matchups are also favorable being able to handle the Lebron matchup and having a credible offensive player to take advantage of Kyrie’s D.
Find myself repeatedly coming back to the absence of Marc Gasol from that Raptors core (I realize he was not eligible). I think against a defense with this much length, anchored by AD, you need shooting and passing all over the floor pretty much. While Odom and Ginobili bring a ton of creativity to the offense, Dr P's team feels just a little light in that department with Turner out there, especially with Kawhi not a high-level orchestrator himself. Think Fade's defense gets the job done here, with the Bron/Kyrie/AD 3-headed monster bringing the requisite juice offensively.
Fade just has better top end talent and as I've said LeBron/Kyrie have shown they make it work (LeBron did with Wade as well). I don't see where Dr P makes up the gap. Both fits are pretty good, this is just a question of talent.
