RealGM

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.**

durantbird wrote:...

Laimbeer wrote:...

PG: Mike Conley 15' - 12.6
SG: Reggie Miller 00' - 12.9
SF: James Posey 04' - 9.4
PF: Peja Stojakovic 03' - 14.4
C: Kevin Garnett 05' - 16.6

Bench:

C - Rudy Gobert 22' - 7.7
F - Scottie Pippen 01' - 9.3
G/F - Royce O'Neale 20' - 5.1

88/88

PG: Mike Conley 37 / Scottie Pippen 11
SG: Reggie Miller 37 / Royce O'Neale 11
SF: James Posey 30 / Scottie Pippen 13 / Royce O'Neale 3 / Peja 2
PF: Peja Stojakovic 34 / Kevin Garnett 14
C: Kevin Garnett 24 / Rudy Gobert 24

Vs

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)


Matchup:
- Defensive assignments: Garnett vs Malone, Peja vs Turner, Reggie vs Stockton, Conley/Pippen vs Allen, Posey vs Butler. When Pippen or O'Neale is in, they take Allen/Butler and Conley guards Stockton.
- We match up well here. Garnett is the perfect counter for Malone, and the Peja Garrnett frontcourt pairing is a nightmare matchup for Malone Turner - it will force old Malone to have an exceptional series on both ends on the floor, and the spacing from both will force Turner out of the paint. Defensive assignments are quite fluid, as Pippen and O'Neale can have a large role on his wings, so that Conley spends a lot of time on Stockton and distrupts their offense, and Reggie may see some Butler.
- Garnett is the best player in this series by a decent margin with old Malone and Bulls Butler, and Garnett is in his prime years, he is set for a great series on both sides. This version of Conley is also better than 01' Stockton. This version of Reggie is still elite, him leading Indy for 1st seed in East plus NBA finals. Gobert off the bench is a huge privilege and will create an intimidating defensive duo with KG, and all three of our bench guys are superb defensive difference makers.
- I believe while starting lineups depth is similar and while we have the best player, we have the depth advantage with a great bench vs only ok bench for 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 duo 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 is a terror. Match-ups are an issue - Conley is a fine defender, but he's a bit small for a prime Ray Allen. Even worse, Miller (34 years old) is going to struggle to stay in front of Stockton. Reggie and Peja trying to guard a Stockton/Turner pick and roll is borderline comical, so we'll exploit this and give Myles his chances as well.

On defense our covers are pretty solid with Stockton/Conley, Allen/Posey, Malone/Garnett and Turner/Peja. Turner is pretty athletic so I think he'll do a decent job.

On the bench, Ingles is probably as good or better in this season (second in 6MOY) than Blazer's PIppen. Rudy is a pain but Isaac and Turner can pull him into space.

This one probably deservers a rebounding mention - we'll have an advantage here with Garnett at center and his wingman being Peja.

Think durantbird is misallocating resources here with Gobert only playing half the game and Pippen playing less than Posey. I'd prefer to prioritise my elite help defenders and live with a less than ideal individual matchup like Reggie on Ray. I really don't like old Reggie chasing around a PG or the undersized Conley on Ray.

With that said, Turner guarding Peja is absolute insanity and completely wrecks Laimbeer's entire defensive scheme. Your primary rim protector having to stay attached to one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time is far more damaging than anything Reggie might do against Ray for example. Just feel there's a bit too much concern over suboptimal one-on-one matchups here, rather than how the defense as a whole will function.

Vote: durantbird

I am on board with Fades thrain of thought here.

I love the thinking outside the box though.

Vote Durantbird.

Snakebites wrote:...

Dr Positivity wrote:...

MadNESS wrote:...

flaco wrote:...

Fifii wrote:...

Need votes please.

I definitely think Pippen should be starting here. He’s much more of a help defender and just a better and more versatile player than Posey even in these iterations.

The spacing is already exemplary with Conley, Miller and Peja with KG at the 5.

Besides that, I’m pretty high on what Laimbeer has built, I think it’s a better overall team. Stock/Malone with those wings and a stretch 5 feels too hard to overcome.

I really don’t love the decision to put Turner on Peja. I think it speaks to the fact that we collectively worry a bit too much about individual matchups but I’ll still

Vote Laimbeer

I still like Stockton/Allen/Butler/Malone more even if they're older. Durantbird has a few defensive matchup issues as well to cancel out using Turner on Peja. Vote Laimbeer.

MadNESS wrote:...

flaco wrote:...

Fifii wrote:...

Next vote wins

Fadeaway_J wrote:

MadNESS wrote:...

flaco wrote:...

Fifii wrote:...

Next vote wins

.

wackbone wrote:.

Can you help us out with a deciding vote?

This is a very peculiar matchup, especially when looking at the years used/available. Lots of older guys. Also several damning defensive matchups.

It's very, very close. Considered this one for a while. Ultimately I think the proven track record of Stockton-Malone proves to be the tipping point, and flanked by Ray+Butler is icing. Again, this is a super close matchup, but I see that as the main difference.

Vote: Laimbeer

GG Laimbeer. Allen falling that much was a really weird scenario that shouldn't have happened, but you built a nice foundation to accommodate him. I was sure Fifii would have taken him in round 3 or 4.

Laimbeer wins.

Will post next matchups soon.

Larry_Russell wrote:Laimbeer wins.

Will post next matchups soon.

Like... Today?

Fadeaway_J wrote:

Larry_Russell wrote:Laimbeer wins.

Will post next matchups soon.

Like... Today?

Will this be the first game ever to get lapped by the previous game?

Snakebites wrote:

Fadeaway_J wrote:

Larry_Russell wrote:Laimbeer wins.

Will post next matchups soon.

Like... Today?

Will this be the first game ever to get lapped by the previous game?

I have been helping my grandmother with issues on her house. Yesterday she had a toilet break that pead to damaged floor, today a peak happened in the roof I have been repairing with the wife.

An absolute mess.

Just having a tea right now and into attic to remove and replace wet insulation

This is pretty low on my list of priorities this weekend. Lol.

If anyone wants to set up the semi finals, go ahead. Might be a bit yet if waiting on me.