Derrick Rose Draft Semi - Snakebites* vs MadNess

[durantbird]

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.**

[MadNESS]

PG: Chauncey Billups (37) | Kirk Hinrich (11)
SG: James Harden (34) | Kirk Hinrich (14)
SF: Shane Battier (35) | Jaden McDaniels (13)
PF: Larry Nance (36) | Jaden McDaniels (12)
Cc: Hakeem Olajuwon (40) | Anthony Mason (8)

Total: 87.6 | 88.0

11’-12’ James Harden - 10.1 FGA
6MOTY | 39% 3’s

05’-06’ Chauncey Billups - 12.5 FGA
MVP (5) | All NBA 2 | All NBA D 2 | All Star

05’-06’ Shane Battier - 7.7 FGA
39% 3’s | Elite 3 & D Wing | DPOY (10)

93’-94’ Hakeem Olajuwon - 21.2 FGA
MVP | DPOY | All NBA 1 | All NBA D 1 | All Star

23’-24’ Jaden McDaniels - 8.7 FGA
All NBA D 2 | 3 & D Wing

88’-89’ Larry Nance - 12.6 FGA
All NBA 1 D | All Star | MVP (13)

94’-95’ Anthony Mason - 6.6 FGA
6MOTY | 10/9/3/1 on a 55 win team

08’-09’ Kirk Hinrich - 8.2 FGA
41% 3’s | 6MOTY (14) | 1.3 SPG

Category 1 - Hakeem Olajuwon
Category 2 - James Harden
Category 3 - Kirk Hinrich
Category 4 - Anthony Mason
Category 5 - Larry Nance
Category 6 - Jaden McDaniels
Category 7 - Chauncey Billups
Category 8 - Shane Battier

Write Up:

GL Snake!

Defense:
Billups on Walt, Harden on Gino, Battier on PG, Nance on JJJ, Hakeem on Ben (Assuming he makes and adjustment here and KAT doesn’t start). Otherwise Hakeem on JJJ and Nance on KAT. If Ben starts due to KAT getting shredded by Hakeem, his spacing takes a severe hit. If he starts KAT, we face guard him with Nance and let Hakeem patrol the paint to help out with Gino going to the bucket. Gino will also see some Kirk on him throughout the game. McDaniels can help out a lot as well on PG if we need to slide Battier over to Manu. Overall our team defense is stacked with 7 of our 8 being great defensively.

Offense:
Pick and rolls and pick and pops with Billups/Hakeem or Harden/Hakeem. We will play inside out in the half court, with Hakeem touching the ball on every possession finding shooters when necessary. Having a dominate back court with a strong front court will make things difficult for anyone to score. Elite Level Hakeem with defense and shooters everywhere is a great combination. Same as last round.

- We will take advantage of either KAT or Ben starting one way or another.
- We’re a legit 8 deep, whereas Snake is on 7 deep.
- Is there enough defense to contain Hakeem with out sacrificing offense?
- Snake doesn’t have a MVP on his roster.
- Is there enough basketballs for Walt, PG, Manu, KAT, etc?

Vote Ness because we have a unit!

[Snakebites]

All NBA First:

2017-18 Paul George - 21.0 FGA
3rd in MVP Vote, All NBA First, All Defensive First, 3rd in DPOY
28/8/4/2, 6.6 VORP, 39% 3pt on 9.8 attempts,

6MOY Vote Getter:

2006-07 Manu Ginobili - 11.4 FGA
17/4/3, 61% TS, 40% 3pt on 4.3 Att, 5.1 VORP, .257 WS/48

Chicago Bulls:

1996-97 Ron Harper - 5.3 FGA
6/3/3, 36% 3pt on 2.5 Att, 2.1 VORP

New York Knicks:

1969-70 Walt Frazier - 12.8 FGA
All NBA First, All Defensive First, NBA Champion
21/8/6, .236 WS/48, 58% TS

Cleveland Cavaliers:

2015-16 Richard Jefferson - 4.2 FGA
6/2, 58% TS, 38% 3pt

Minnesota Timberwolves:

2017-18 Karl Anthony Towns 14.3 FGA
All NBA Third
21/12/2, 65% TS, 42% 3pt on 3.5 Att, 5.2 VORP

Detroit Pistons:

2002-03 Ben Wallace 6.0 FGA
All NBA 2nd, DPOY, All Defensive First
7/15/3, 7.2 DWS, 4.8 VORP

Memphis Grizzlies:

22-23 Jaren Jackson Jr 13.0 FGA
DPOY, All Star, All Defensive First
19/7/3, 61% TS, 36% 3pt on 4.5 Att

Frazier (38)/Harper (10)
Ginobili (36)/Harper (12)
George (38)/Jefferson (10)
JJJ (30)/ KAT (18)
Wallace (33)/ KAT (15)

Total: 88/88

We have two key strengths for this team:

1) Depth. 6 of my players are All NBA level guys, and the remaining 2 are championship team rotational players. And generally speaking they all have experience playing as part of ensemble casts where they must play off of other players who command a lot of touches.

2) Defense. We’ve got front court man defense, rim protection, POA defense, and wing defense. The team is immune to mismatches.

Our offense is balanced. Frazier and Ginobili are both effective shot creators and clutch scorers, and Frazier ran a balanced attack like the one we have in New York. Paul George was a legitimate MVP level player in the chosen year and reached a level we rarely see him at in these games. Both JJJ and KAT complement this perfectly, and Ben gives us an edge on the glass, which should help us get out in transition.

I don’t have an MVP but I think with all of these factors I easily approximate the affect of having one- and then some.

Matchup-wise Ben takes Hakeem. Frazier takes Billups, PG takes Harden, JJJ takes Nance, Gino takes Shane. Nance is a decent midrange shooter but ultimately also relied on slashing and dunks to score, making him a less than ideal floor spacer for Ness, so I think we’re well positioned to go to battle vs Hakeem. Meanwhile on the perimeter I think I’ve got him pretty clearly overmatched, while whoever Harden is guarding will be attacking frequently- this team doesn’t have a simple corner shooter on the perimeter to hide him.

[durantbird]

- We’re a legit 8 deep, whereas Snake is on 7 deep.

What did you mean here? Do you really claim there is a substantial difference between Mason and RJ that justifies this claim?

[durantbird]

Prefer Snake's team here. Better depth (Battier/McDaniels vs JJJ/Wallace as 6-7 guys), not too high on OKC Harden as second option, and good Hakeem defense with Ben and even when KAT is playing - JJJ is around. Couldn't care less about lack of MVP.

Vote Snake

[Fadeaway_J]

Hakeem is Hakeem, but with Snake's depth and defensive personnel, this is where 2012 Harden (who I consider an All-Star level player) and Billups aren't quite enough as offensive support. Snake can credibly claim the advantage at four of five starting spots and the best sixth man, plus two elite defensive bigs to challenge Hakeem.

Vote: Snakebites

[Dr Positivity]

I prefer Billups/Hakeem as a top 2 here while Snake has more limited offense from starting frontcourt, and KAT/JJJ minutes together would be erratic fouls and positioning wise. Vote MadNESS.

[Fadeaway_J]

[wackbone]

Snake's team just seems a bit more well-rounded, particularly the starting lineup. Younger Harden makes a tangible difference in the talent equation as well.

Vote: Snake

[durantbird]

Snakebites advances