No Recent Champions Draft - SF - Laimbeer -v- Fadeaway_J*

[wackbone]

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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[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

87.6 / 88.0

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)

Good luck, Fade.

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 Porzingis from the hoop, and the offense should hum. Booker really has nowhere to hide. Malone is a bit physical for Durant as well.

On defense, covers are pretty solid with Stockton/Kidd, Allen/Battier, Butler/Booker, Malone/Durant and Turner/Porzingis. Stockton is a key as the point of attack defender.

In his best season, Ingles (2nd in 6MOY) is probably the best bench piece.

[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-Stockton, Booker-Allen, Battier-Butler, KD-Turner, Porzingis-Malone. 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 slide his feet to stick with Malone in the midrange, and his insane wingspan will allow him to contest those midrangers effectively while also presenting a formidable obstacle at the rim. Turner at this stage is a so-so interior scorer, so we feel comfortable sticking KD on him. (This also allows us to contest the three without compromising our overall defensive integrity.) Ibaka deputises as the primary Malone cover off the bench.
- Er, 36-year-old PF Malone guarding KD is far from a "solid" cover. KD's spot-up shooting alone makes this a huge mismatch, let alone when he starts curling off screens, attacking off the dribble in isolation, running the fast break, etc.
- Given our defensive assignments, Turner is the one getting stretched out here, especially since Porzingis is a far more dangerous shooter in terms of both volume and accuracy. This exacerbates the Malone-KD mismatch as there isn't even the option of camping Turner around the basket to provide help.

Good luck Laimbeer.

[Snakebites]

I don’t love Zingis on Malone but I am far less concerned about it than I would be with older Malone on young Durant. Older Malone was still a good defender but he’s fundamentally the wrong type of defender for KD.

Personally I’d have probably taken the L with Allen on Book, since young Butler would have at least been a decent cover for KD- OKC KD didn’t use his size as well as later versions- he could get tripped up by defenders like Iguodala and Tony Allen. Let Malone rest on that end guarding Battier and you’d present a compelling case for Malone to really be great in this series since he doesn’t have the best matchup either in Zingis.

Turner spreads the floor but isn’t enough of a force offensively to really be an issue for KD.

I like Laimbeer’s team better in a vacuum- it’s why I voted for him in the last round- but the matchup doesn’t feel like it favors him here, at least not with the way he presents the matchups.

Vote Fade

[Dr Positivity]

I also liked Laimbeer's team more in a vacuum but I agree the Malone-Durant decision was a botch and I think the speed of Fade's team will make his look old. Vote Fadeaway.

[Fadeaway_J]

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[durantbird]

I don't like Malone on KD, and given this old versions makes the leading fours closer.

Vote Fade

[wackbone]

Fade advances