No recent champs draft - play-in Larry_Russell -v- Laimbeer

[Larry_Russell]

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. Please ensure you give a rationale for your vote; votes with no explanation will not be counted.

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.**

Done.

[Larry_Russell]

PG/SG: Shai Gilgeous Alexander (2023-24) 19.8
30ppg, 5.5rpg, 6apg, 2spg, 1bpg, 35.5% on 3.6-3pta
All Star, currently 2nd in MVP rankings

SG/PG: Alex Caruso (2023-24) 7.6
10ppg, 3.8rpg, 3.5apg, 1.7spg, 41% on 4.7-3pta
Lock for All Defense team

SF: Herb Jones (2023-24) 7.7
11ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.6apg, 1.4spg, 0.8bpg, 42% on 3.6-3pta
Lock for All defense team

PF/C: Rasheed Wallace (2007-08) 11.3
12.5ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, 1.7bpg, 35.5% on 4-3pta
MVP-14, DPOY-12, All Star

PF/C: Anthony Davis (2027-18) 19.5
28ppg, 11.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, 2.6bpg, 34% on 2.2-3pta
MVP-3, DPOY-3, NBA 1st, Def 1st, All Star

SG/SF: Mike Miller (2005-06) 10.3
13.7ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.7apg, 0.7spg, 0.5bpg, 41% on 4.6-3pta
6MOY

PF: Sam Perkins (1999-00) 5.4
6.6ppg, 3.6rpg, 1apg, 0.5spg, 0.5bpg, 41% on 2.7-3pta
41% on 2.7-3pta

C: Deandre Jordan (2013-14) 6.3
10.5ppg, 13.5rpg, 1apg, 1spg, 2.5bpg
DPOY-3, MIP-5

PG: SGA(38) / Caruso (10)
SG: Caruso (26) / Miller (22)
SF: Jones (36) / Miller (12)
PF: Davis (36) / Sheed (4) / Perkins (8)
C: Sheed (32) / Jordan (16)

87.9/88


Matchups
SGA on Stockton
Caruso on Allen
Herb Jones on Butler
Sheed on Malone
Davis on Turner

I firmly believe I have the games top defense here. Elite defense on the wings, elite defense up front, and elite versatility and switchability.
I have all the tools to shut this offense completely down. Jones is one of the best man to man defenders in a LONG time and he will completely smother Butler here, especially with Jummys reluctance to shoot the ball.
Caruso is a savage on ball defender and he will really hurt this team with taking away their most efficient outside shooter

SGA is a big fast gaurd who Stockton will not be able to pass over the top of

Sheed can match Malones power
Davis can easily move between Turner and closer to the rim if needed.

Offensively I am running a very simple but crazy efficitive plan.

Spread pick and roll around SGA and Davis. everyone can shoot from range around them and this will keep the floor very spread. And no one here can guard SGA.

Our benches are both pretty damn nice, but I do have a better git there I think with Jordan being my defensive rim runner, Perkins giving me great size and space, and Mike Miller giving me a go to scorer who won 6th man.

[Laimbeer]

PG/SG: Shai Gilgeous Alexander (2023-24) 19.8
30ppg, 5.5rpg, 6apg, 2spg, 1bpg, 35.5% on 3.6-3pta
All Star, currently 2nd in MVP rankings

SG/PG: Alex Caruso (2023-24) 7.6
10ppg, 3.8rpg, 3.5apg, 1.7spg, 41% on 4.7-3pta
Lock for All Defense team

SF: Herb Jones (2023-24) 7.7
11ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.6apg, 1.4spg, 0.8bpg, 42% on 3.6-3pta
Lock for All defense team

PF/C: Rasheed Wallace (2007-08) 11.3
12.5ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, 1.7bpg, 35.5% on 4-3pta
MVP-14, DPOY-12, All Star

PF/C: Anthony Davis (2027-18) 19.5
28ppg, 11.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, 2.6bpg, 34% on 2.2-3pta
MVP-3, DPOY-3, NBA 1st, Def 1st, All Star

SG/SF: Mike Miller (2005-06) 10.3
13.7ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.7apg, 0.7spg, 0.5bpg, 41% on 4.6-3pta
6MOY

PF: Sam Perkins (1999-00) 5.4
6.6ppg, 3.6rpg, 1apg, 0.5spg, 0.5bpg, 41% on 2.7-3pta
41% on 2.7-3pta

C: Deandre Jordan (2013-14) 6.3
10.5ppg, 13.5rpg, 1apg, 1spg, 2.5bpg
DPOY-3, MIP-5

PG: SGA(38) / Caruso (10)
SG: Caruso (26) / Miller (22)
SF: Jones (36) / Miller (12)
PF: Davis (36) / Sheed (4) / Perkins (8)
C: Sheed (32) / Jordan (16)

87.9/88


Matchups
Caruso on Conley
Herb Jones on Reggie
SGA on Posey
Anthony Davis on Peja
Rasheed Wallace on KG

I firmly believe I have the games top defense here. Elite defense on the wings, elite defense up front, and elite versatility and switchability.
I have all the tools to shut this offense compeltely down. Jones is one of the best man to man defenders in a LONG time and he will completely shadow Reggie here. Caruso is a savage on ball defender and he will really hurt this team with taking away their engine.
Davis and Wallace switching around in the front court will make life hard on Peja and KG as well. Davis and more than enough speed and length here to challenge everything that Peja does, and Sheed has the crazy and power to match KG down low.
SGA gets to play roamer a bit here with Posey.

Offensively I am running a very simple but crazy efficitive plan.

Spread pick and roll around SGA and Davis. everyone can shoot from range around them and this will keep the floor very spread. And no one here can guard SGA.

Our benches are both pretty damn nice, but I do have a better git there I think with Jordan being my defensive rim runner, Perkins giving me great size and space, and Mike Miller giving me a go to scorer who won 6th man.

That's not my team.

[Laimbeer]

Myles Turner ( 2021 ) 9.2 - DPOY (9), led league in blocks
Karl Malone ( 2000 ) 18.0 - Most Valuable Player (4), PER 27.1 (2)
Jimmy Butler ( 2017 ) 16.5 - All-NBA, Win Shares 13.8 (3)
Ray Allen ( 2005 ) 19.2 - Most Valuable Player (9), 9.7 OWS (6)
John Stockton ( 2001 ) 7.9 - All-NBA votes, led league in TS% & AST%

Jonathan Isaac ( 2024 ) 4.9 - Superb defender, 37.5% on 1.9 3PA
Joe Ingles ( 2021 ) 8.4 - Sixth Man of the Year (2)
Delon Wright ( 2022 ) 3.5 - 2.3 steals per 36, 37.9% on 1.5 3PA

87.9 / 88.0 87.6

Myles Turner (36) / Jonathan Isaac (12)
Karl Malone (38) / Joe Ingles (8) / Jonathan Isaac (2)
Jimmy Butler (38) / Joe Ingles (10)
Ray Allen (38) / Joe Ingles (10)
John Stockton (36) / Delon Wright (12)


The legendary pick and roll game of Stockton/Malone (stats and accolades show they are still at a very high level) is joined by two outstanding wings in Allen and Butler. Bulls Butler is more suited to a supporting role and prime Allen will feast. Turner can pull AD from the hoop, and the offense should hum.

On defense, cut off the head. Butler is a great answer to SGA. Other covers are pretty solid with Stockton/Caruso, Allen/Jones, Malone/Wallace and Turner/Davis.

Miller/Ingles both had 6MOYish seasons (1st and 2nd) off the bench, but their's is a bit awkward with two bigs giving them a total of four. This results in Caruso being stretched a bit to 36 minutes.

[Fadeaway_J]

PG/SG: Shai Gilgeous Alexander (2023-24) 19.8
30ppg, 5.5rpg, 6apg, 2spg, 1bpg, 35.5% on 3.6-3pta
All Star, currently 2nd in MVP rankings

SG/PG: Alex Caruso (2023-24) 7.6
10ppg, 3.8rpg, 3.5apg, 1.7spg, 41% on 4.7-3pta
Lock for All Defense team

SF: Herb Jones (2023-24) 7.7
11ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.6apg, 1.4spg, 0.8bpg, 42% on 3.6-3pta
Lock for All defense team

PF/C: Rasheed Wallace (2007-08) 11.3
12.5ppg, 6.6rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, 1.7bpg, 35.5% on 4-3pta
MVP-14, DPOY-12, All Star

PF/C: Anthony Davis (2027-18) 19.5
28ppg, 11.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, 2.6bpg, 34% on 2.2-3pta
MVP-3, DPOY-3, NBA 1st, Def 1st, All Star

SG/SF: Mike Miller (2005-06) 10.3
13.7ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.7apg, 0.7spg, 0.5bpg, 41% on 4.6-3pta
6MOY

PF: Sam Perkins (1999-00) 5.4
6.6ppg, 3.6rpg, 1apg, 0.5spg, 0.5bpg, 41% on 2.7-3pta
41% on 2.7-3pta

C: Deandre Jordan (2013-14) 6.3
10.5ppg, 13.5rpg, 1apg, 1spg, 2.5bpg
DPOY-3, MIP-5

PG: SGA(38) / Caruso (10)
SG: Caruso (26) / Miller (22)
SF: Jones (36) / Miller (12)
PF: Davis (36) / Sheed (4) / Perkins (8)
C: Sheed (32) / Jordan (16)

87.9/88


Matchups
Caruso on Conley
Herb Jones on Reggie
SGA on Posey
Anthony Davis on Peja
Rasheed Wallace on KG

I firmly believe I have the games top defense here. Elite defense on the wings, elite defense up front, and elite versatility and switchability.
I have all the tools to shut this offense compeltely down. Jones is one of the best man to man defenders in a LONG time and he will completely shadow Reggie here. Caruso is a savage on ball defender and he will really hurt this team with taking away their engine.
Davis and Wallace switching around in the front court will make life hard on Peja and KG as well. Davis and more than enough speed and length here to challenge everything that Peja does, and Sheed has the crazy and power to match KG down low.
SGA gets to play roamer a bit here with Posey.

Offensively I am running a very simple but crazy efficitive plan.

Spread pick and roll around SGA and Davis. everyone can shoot from range around them and this will keep the floor very spread. And no one here can guard SGA.

Our benches are both pretty damn nice, but I do have a better git there I think with Jordan being my defensive rim runner, Perkins giving me great size and space, and Mike Miller giving me a go to scorer who won 6th man.

That's not my team.

[Fadeaway_J]

These are two of the stronger teams I think. SGA/AD with solid spacing is a great foundation. Laimbeer doesn't have quite that level of high-end talent, but 2000 Malone-Stockton flanked by Jimmy and Ray is still pretty formidable. In these games I tend to value having multiple quality creators, and Laimbeer gets the edge there with Ray/Jimmy/Stockton plus a good passing big in Malone and Ingles off the bench. I would have liked to see one more perimeter threat to take some pressure off SGA, who already has his hands full up against Butler in his defensive prime.

Vote: Laimbeer

[Dr Positivity]

I like both teams but I would rather have old Stockton, Allen and Butler on perimeter than SGA and role players and I don’t see enough to overcome that. Vote Laimbeer

[Snakebites]

I’m game for starting one guy like Caruso or Jones. But I think at this level starting two of them is offensively limiting. I don’t doubt this team would shred in the real NBA but the teams they’d be facing here are super stacked.

SGA/AD is a vastly superior two man combo to Malone/Stock (older version) since SGA is also such a threat to score. That works super well. But Butler/Ray tips the balance back to Laimbeer.

The reason I didn’t pick AD early was the cost. I think that expensive duo plus the 20+ FGA bench leaves LR wanting in his 3rd-5th options. I also think Sheed as such an early pick was a fumble- an additional playmaker like Billups would have been much better. There were other bigs with some range available later. I like the team vision LR had but I think he’s a bit outmatched here.

Vote Laimbeer

[Larry_Russell]

I knew I wouldnt win any votes in theis draft when I decided to go defense.

Defense loses always in these, but I hoped that with the high end 3pt shooting and a scorer off the bench it would take the blinders off voters. But alas.

I still like the team and had fun making it. Had a vision and stuck with it.