No Recent Champions Draft - RD1 Snakebites -v- Fadeaway*_J

[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.**

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[Fadeaway_J]

.Starters
C - Kristaps Porzingis (2022-23)

Spoiler:

23.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.5 bpg, .498 FG%, .385 3P%, .851 FT%, 137 3P (2.1 pg), .627 TS%

PF - Kevin Durant (2012-13)

Spoiler:

28.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, .510 FG%, .416 FT%, .905 FT%, 139 3P (1.7 pg), .647 TS%
- Led the NBA in FT%
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team

SF - Shane Battier (2008-09)

Spoiler:

7.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.8 bpg, 0.9 spg, .410 FG%, .384 3P%, .821 FT%, 91 3P (1.5 pg), .568 TS%
- All-Defensive Second Team

SG - Devin Booker (2023-24)

Spoiler:

27.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.9 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.4 bpg, .492 FG%, .364 3P%, .886 FT%, 152 3P (2.2 pg), .611 TS%
- NBA All-Star

PG - Jason Kidd (2006-07)

Spoiler:

13.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 9.2 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.3 bpg, .406 FG%, .343 3P%, .778 FT%, 124 3P (1.6 pg), .516 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- All-Defensive Second Team

Bench
C/F - Serge Ibaka (2011-12)

Spoiler:

9.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.5 spg, 3.7 bpg, .535 FG%, .661 FT%, .556 TS%
- Led the NBA in bpg, BLK% (9.8)
- All-Defensive First Team

F - Nicolas Batum (2023-24)

Spoiler:

5.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, .453 FG%, .395 3P%, .714 FT%, 73 3P (1.2 pg), .603 TS%

G - Charlie Ward (1999-00)

Spoiler:

7.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.2 bpg, .423 FG%, .386 3P%, .828 FT%, 102 3P (1.4 pg), .559 TS%

Rotations
C - Porzingis (34), Ibaka (14)
PF - Durant (28), Ibaka (12), Batum (8)
SF - Battier (30), Durant (12), Batum (6)
SG - Booker (38), Ward (6), Battier (4)
PG - Kidd (37), Ward (11)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Kevin Durant - 17.7
Jason Kidd - 11.4
Shane Battier - 5.9
Devin Booker - 19.2
Kristaps Porzingis - 15.7
Nicolas Batum - 4.3
Charlie Ward - 6.2
Serge Ibaka - 7.4

Total: 87.8/88.0

This being a Jason Kidd team, our transition game will be one of our main strengths. With Kidd cleaning the glass and orchestrating the break alongside KD, Booker, and Ibaka we're guaranteed a bunch of easy baskets every game. Porzingis and Battier trail for threes. In the halfcourt, we have Kidd as the organiser to get KD and Booker in position to wreck shop either in isolation or coming off screens. Porzingis is an elite third option, as he's not only a legit stretch 5 but has now figured out how to punish smaller defenders on switches. 2007 Kidd is just beginning to develop into a reliable spot-up shooter, hitting well into the 40s from 3 over this and the next two playoffs. Ward and Batum are solid glue guys on both ends.

Matchup
- Initial defensive assignments will be Kidd-Harden, Booker-Bridges, Battier-PG, KD-Lewis, Porzingis-Holmgren. A big key is Porzingis who is not only an excellent pick-and-roll defender (his numbers with the Wizards were elite: https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/01/nba-boston-celtics-zinger-fit-2/) but also a great rim protector. He can close out to Holmgren and slide his feet to prevent easy drives.
- Against 1-5 pick-and-rolls, Kidd looks to fight through the screen, allowing Porzingis to get in position to cut off the drive or close out to Holmgren. Any other screens we switch.
- Both teams are able to attack in isolation and spread pick-and-roll, but I think where get gain an advantage is our ability to score in transition. Kidd and Booker can both trigger the fast break, while Harden pretty much never looks to push the pace, ensuring Snake will be going up against a set defense at all times.
- Porzingis should be able to get a few easy ones with quick duck-ins against Holmgren. Unlike earlier in his career, the Porzingis of the last couple of years can really punish smaller/skinnier defenders in the post.

Good luck Snake.

[Snakebites]

PG: James Harden 17-18 20.1 FGA
MVP, All NBA First
30/9/5, 7.7 VORP, 62% TS, 37% 3pt on 10 Attempts

SG: Mikal Bridges 20-21 9.3 FGA
All D Snub
13/4/2, 3.1 VORP, 67% TS, 43% 3pt on 4.4 Attempts

SF: Paul George 13-14 17.0 FGA
All NBA Third, All Defensive First
23/7/3/2, 5.0 VORP, 56% TS, 36% 3pt on 6 Attempts

PF: Rashard Lewis 08-09 13.8 FGA
All Star
18/6/3, 40% 3pt on 7 Attempts

C: Chet Holmgren 23-24 11.6 FGA
Likely All D?
17/8/2, 63% TS, 37% 3pt on 4.3 Attempts

Bench:

Patrick Beverley 18-19 6.1 FGA
Brent Barry 00-01 6.0 FGA
Bo Outlaw 01-02 3.6 FGA

Rotation:

Harden (39)/Beverley (9)
Bridges (35)/Beverley (13)
George (28)/Barry (20)
Rashard (35)/George (10)/Outlaw (3)
Chet (34)/Outlaw (14)

This is a devastating modern offensive assualt.

Harden is the primary ball handler and scorer, and giving him this much space is dangerous. This team is like the endgame version of what the Rockets tried to build around him but were never able to do.

PG13 is the perfect second option for Harden. He spreads the floor, isn't ball dominant, but also offers plenty of secondary playmaking. Bridges is our point of attack defender who also spreads the floor- another perfect complement to Harden. Lewis is a long distance flame thrower we can easily hide on Battier in this matchup- spreads the defense just that much further. And Chet? He's extremely effective in the P/R with Shai, and I see no reason he shouldn't thrive even more with a P/R ball handler like Harden. Oh, and he's also an elite rim protector and effective floor spacer himself. My bench doesn't have high powered players, but I'd argue that each guy gives us what we need at that spot. Everybody on this team shoots threes except Bo.

I like the way we match up here too, with Bridges and George covering Booker and Durant, respectively. Harden isn't an ideal cover for Kidd, but at 52% TS percentage I think his lack of threat as a shooter limits the damage he can do to us, since we're going to be more worried about the guys he's passing to than Kidd himself.

Overall I think it will be hard to keep up with my teams' three point production here.

[Dr Positivity]

The fit is solid but I feel like Harden in this big of a #1 creator role is hard to trust with his history and Kidd is a fantastic defensive option against him. Kidd also helps Booker and Durant's weaknesses as a combo a lot I feel. Vote Fadeaway_J.

[Fifii]

I don’t trust Harden anymore. Paul George is good , but in my opinion third options and four options is better in Fadeaway. It’s very hard guarding Porzingis when he can shoot from the outside and Battier is very useful on D.

I’m vote on Fadeaway

[Snakebites]

Harden is definitely joining Embiid on my 100 percent do not draft list.

Only time I’ve had any success with him I also got Kawhi and Moses. And that’s rarely possible.

If people expect another first option scorer (or even two!!!) alongside a player then they aren’t worth 20 FGA. Simple as that.

/rant

[durantbird]

Harden is definitely joining Embiid on my 100 percent do not draft list.

Only time I’ve had any success with him I also got Kawhi and Moses. And that’s rarely possible.

If people expect another first option scorer (or even two!!!) alongside a player then they aren’t worth 20 FGA. Simple as that.

/rant

If anyone is not trustworthy in a playoff setting yet here it's actually Porzingis. He's been very disappointing for Dallas and it's only the playoffs start, but been very bad in the last game. It's different though when someone has questions about your clear first player, but I get your feelings here about Harden. I think he can succeed in specific settings, but he's still a round 2 talent in most drafts at least to me. Personally I rarely take his 18' season when 17' is available being a bit cheaper with no real material difference to me.

[Snakebites]

Harden is definitely joining Embiid on my 100 percent do not draft list.

Only time I’ve had any success with him I also got Kawhi and Moses. And that’s rarely possible.

If people expect another first option scorer (or even two!!!) alongside a player then they aren’t worth 20 FGA. Simple as that.

/rant

If anyone is not trustworthy in a playoff setting yet here it's actually Porzingis. He's been very disappointing for Dallas and it's only the playoffs start, but been very bad in the last game. It's different though when someone has questions about your clear first player, but I get your feelings here about Harden. I think he can succeed in specific settings, but he's still a round 2 talent in most drafts at least to me. Personally I rarely take his 18' season when 17' is available being a bit cheaper with no real material difference to me.

Porzingis is on Fade’s team.

Only one game but he was 1-9 in yesterday’s loss.

I personally think that there should be more leeway given to guys with shakey playoff records, particularly in this case where I think I’ve really built an optimal team that offers him more space than he’s ever gotten in real life.

But all it takes is a certain critical mass of voters who are just completely down on him in these settings to make him essentially untraceable, even in this game where most GOAT level scorers weren’t even draftable.

[Dr Positivity]

I think going non MVP Harden helps, but yeah it's a tricky combination especially considering he's hard to build around on the perimeter as well. The best is probably when he has a nice pick and roll big like pairing with Davis in modern pools.

[Snakebites]

To be clear the match isn’t technically over yet.

[flaco]

I like both teams a lot! I can't make up my mind so I'll refrain from voting.

[Laimbeer]

Harden gets trashed too much. But I still feel like KD is the best player and more reliable crunch time scorer. Kidd unlocking KD and Booker is potent while George is the only elite scoring threat with Harden. The benches are both pretty rough with 17 minutes of Charlie Ward and Bo Outlaw and no real anchors.

Vote - Fade

[Larry_Russell]

Fade advances