Two Rings or Less Draft : Round 2 Laimbeer* vs Larry_Russell

[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**

...

[Larry_Russell]

PG: Chauncy Billups (2008-09) 12.4
17.7ppg, 3rpg, 6.4apg, 1.2spg, 41% on 5-3pta
MVP (6), All NBA 3rd, 14th in All Defense voting, All Star

SG: Reggie Miller (2001-02) 11.6
16.5ppg, 2.8rpg,3.2apg, 1.1spg, 40.5% on 5.6-3pta


SF: Eddie Jones (1999-00) 15.5
20.1ppg, 4.8rpg, 4.2apg, 2.7spg, 0.7bpg, 37.5% on 4.7-3pta
DPOY (3), All NBA 3rd, All Defense 2nd, All Star

PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20) 19.7
29.5ppg, 13.6rpg, 5.6apg, 1spg, 1bpg
MVP, DPOY, All NBA 1st, All Defense 1st, All Star

C: Arvydas Sabonis (1996-97) 9.5
13.5ppg, 8rpg, 2apg, 1spg, 1.2bpg, 37% on 2-3pta


PG/SG: Delon Wright (2021-22) 3.5
4.5ppg, 3rpg, 2.5apg, 1.2spg, 38% on 1.5-3pta


SF/PF: Gordon Hayward (2021-22) 12.6
16ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.5apg, 1spg, 39% on 4.5-3pta


C Chris Andersen (2010-11) 3
5.6ppg, 5rpg, 0.5apg, 0.5spg, 1.3bpg


PG: Billups (38) / Wright (10)
SG: Miller (38) / Wright (5) / Hayward (5)
SF: Jones (38) / Hayward (10)
PF: Giannis (38) / Hayward (10 )
C: Sabonis (38) / Andersen (10 )

87.8/88


MAtchups
Sabonis will take on Jokic. I think Sabonis has the tools and understanding to provide as good of coverage as anyone can on Jokic.

Giannis will cover Horford, this will allow him to Stay closer to the basket/paint being this is not 3pt shooting horford. This is Atlanta center horford. This will allow for Giannis to help onto Joker and still recover to Al if needed. DPOY Giannis with the ability to roam is dangerous.

Jones will defend Allen. Jones was 3rd in DPOY voting and an elite defender. HE will be tasked with the biggest wing threat on Lambeers team.

Miller will take Middleton which should allow me to hide miller a bit more due to Middleton being more of a finesse player than a bruiser that should be OK for Reggie.

Billups will take on Stockton.

Offensively I think I have a great team here. I have great spacing around an unstoppable PF in Giannis.
Billups is a clutch elite shooter with over 40% on volume from deep
Jones is a shooter/slasher
Reggie is an alltime elite shooter
Sabonis was older, but the precursor to Joker with he passing, and more importantly on this team, his ability to space the floor from deep.

My bench is very good as well, with all players being very usefull.
Andersen as a vertical spacer/rebounder athlete
Wright as a do it all glue guy
Hayward as a do it all high skill player.

[Laimbeer]

Nikola Jokic ( 2023 ) 14.8 - Second in MVP; Finals MVP
Al Horford ( 2016 ) 12.8 - All-star; all-NBA votes; all-D votes
Khris Middleton ( 2020 ) 15.5 - All-star; all-NBA votes; all-D votes
Ray Allen ( 2001 ) 16.0 - All-NBA; MVP votes; led league in OWS
John Stockton ( 1995 ) 9.6 - All-NBA; MVP votes; all-D

Mitchell Robinson ( 2023 ) 4.7 - Led league in ORB%; 12.6 rebs & 2.5 blks per 36
Jared Dudley ( 2011 ) 7.7 - Excellent defender, 41.5% on 3.1 3PA
Brent Barry ( 2001 ) 6.0 - Led league with 47.6% on 3.4 3PA

87.9 / 88.0 87.1

Nikola Jokic (38) / Mitchell Robinson (10)
Al Horford (36) / Jared Dudley (12)
Khris Middleton (36) / Brent Barry (4) / Jared Dudley (6)
Ray Allen (38) / Brent Barry (10)
John Stockton (38) / Brent Barry (10)

Good luck, Larry


Our offense should hum around Joker. The surrounding cast all provide space (Horford established himself as a three point shooter that season). The Joker/Stockton pick and roll is going to expose Sabonis big time. Allen and Mids are great secondary scoring options and will thrive off that passing. Miller will have a tough time with Mids, and Denver Billups is a tick off prime. Each of our starters got all-NBA votes. These are prime versions of Allen and Horford, not always seen.

Horford in his athletic prime is a near ideal cover for Giannis. Joker has Sabonis, Stockton on Chauncey, Allen on Jones and Mids on Miller. I don't think Ediie will be a focal point. Mids is a long, dogged defender who should slow Miller.

Our bench is a bit deeper. Anderson and Wright are bargain basement 3 fga guys and Hayward is post prime. Top to bottom I prefer Barry, Dudley, and Robinson. Sabonis is really getting stretched at 38 minutes.

[Square]

I'm going with Laimbeer here.

I like Jokic/Horford as a frontcourt a bit more than Sabonis/Giannis, I like the trio of Stockton/Allen/Middleton a bit more than Billups/Miller/Jones, and the benches don't really move the needle much for me. More holistically, I think Larry has a better D in the abstract with Giannis anchoring, but I don't really know how much Giannis is gonna affect the way Laimbeer's team wants to play on offense with that high-level playmaking and shooting. On the other hand, I agree that Horford is a pretty good cover for Giannis. Reggie and Billups will make some noise too, but I just slightly prefer Laimbeer's ability to get points on the board here.

[uberhikari]

I really don't like 02 Miller over 95 Miller, but Hayward off the bench makes up for it a lot. I'm splitting hairs but a few things keep me from voting for Laimbeer. First, Laimbeer doesn't have the defensive personnel to keep Giannis out of the paint. Horford isn't enough and Jokic is a negative defender in this situation. Second, Jones on Allen takes away some of the offensive punch of Laimbeer's team as does Sabonis on Jokic. Not even peak Shaq could bully Sabonis in the post. Third, I'm lower on Stockton than most, and on this team his passing is redundant. Giving the ball to Stockton just takes it out of the hands of the best offensive player in this series. Vote: Larry_Russell

[Dr Positivity]

I think Laimbeer's perimeter is a bit better because of having peak Allen instead of 02 Miller. I think this is a nice fit for Hawks Horford, and Sabonis is being stretched playing a ton of minutes and against Jokic. Vote Laimbeer.

[durantbird]

Choice of season for Reggie, who is supposed to be Larry's second guy, especially given this is Denver Billups, decides this for me.

Vote Laimbeer

[Larry_Russell]

Uh. Eddie jones is the 2nd guy, and billups was 6th in mvp voting.

Reggie is my 4th guy.


Billups 1st year in denver he was a problem.

But i digress.

Gg

[durantbird]

Uh. Eddie jones is the 2nd guy, and billups was 6th in mvp voting.

Reggie is my 4th guy.


Billups 1st year in denver he was a problem.

But i digress.

Gg

In any case, I don't think either of those guys, including EJ, is good enough as a second option with Laimbeer having a Jokic/Allen combo

[Laimbeer]

Laimbeer advances.