Franchise Draft Lockdown R1 - MadNESS* vs. Fadeaway_J

[Fadeaway_J]

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. Once the writeups are posted, I will add a poll, and the team with the most votes after 24 hours will advance. EACH MANAGER SHOULD ALSO VOTE FOR THEIR OWN TEAM IN THE POLL - IF YOU FAIL TO DO THIS, YOU ARE SIMPLY GIVING AWAY A VOTE. If the votes are tied, we will decide the matchup via AI vote.

You are not required to state or explain your vote, but you are free to comment in the thread if you want to.

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).

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Tim Duncan (2006-07)

Spoiler:

20.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 2.4 bpg, .546 FG%, .637 FT%, .579 TS%
- Led the NBA in DWS (6.8)
- NBA Champion
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team
- All-Defensive First Team

PF - Karl Malone (1998-99)

Spoiler:

23.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.6 bpg, .493 FG%, .788 FT%, .577 TS%
- Led the NBA in WS (9.6), VORP (4.0)
- NBA MVP
- All-NBA First Team
- All-Defensive First Team

SF - OG Anunoby (2019-20)

Spoiler:

10.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.7 bpg, .505 FG%, .390 3P%, .706 FT%, 89 3P (1.3 pg), .600 TS%

SG - Kobe Bryant (2007-08)

Spoiler:

28.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.5 bpg, .459 FG%, .361 3P%, .840 FT%, 150 3P (1.8 pg), .576 TS%
- NBA MVP
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team
- All-Defensive First Team

PG - Chris Paul (2014-15)

Spoiler:

19.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 10.2 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, .485 FG%, .398 3P%, .900 FT%, 139 3P (1.7 pg), .596 TS%
- Led the NBA in apg, AST% (47.4), OWS (12.9)
- All-NBA Second Team
- All-Defensive First Team

Bench
C - Bo Outlaw (1999-00)

Spoiler:

6.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.8 bpg, .602 FG%, .506 FT%, .597 TS%
- Led the NBA in DBPM (3.6)

F - Royce O'Neale (2020-21)

Spoiler:

7.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.5 bpg, .444 FG%, .385 3P%, .848 FT%, 107 3P (1.5 pg), .599 TS%

G - Brent Barry (2005-06)

Spoiler:

5.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, .452 FG%, .396 3P%, .661 FT%, 80 3P (1.1 pg), .581 TS%

Rotations
C - Duncan (38), Outlaw (10)
PF - Malone (38), O'Neale (10)
SF - Anunoby (36), O'Neale (12)
SG - Bryant (40), Barry (8)
PG - Paul (38), Barry (10)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Kobe Bryant - 20.6
Tim Duncan - 14.1
Chris Paul - 14.3
Karl Malone - 16.3
OG Anunoby - 8.2
Royce O'Neale - 5.5
Brent Barry - 4.7
Bo Outlaw - 4.1

Total: 87.8/88.0

Setting aside our elite individual talent, we have a very versatile and well-fitting offensive group with two dynamic guards paired with two skilled big men and good spacing around them. We can attack in pick-and-roll (CP3 and Malone are more associated with that action, but Kobe also runs it really well and late-prime Duncan had transitioned into more a roll man alongside Parker and Manu), dribble handoffs, or just find the bigs for simple isos if they have good post position. There's also Kobe's ability to score one-on-one from all over the court as a failsafe. All four stars are excellent passers as well. Defensively, there isn't a weak link to be found, with Duncan anchoring the middle supported by Malone and Outlaw, CP3 causing havoc at the point of attack, and an excellent group of wing defenders (OG, Kobe, O'Neale).

Matchup
- Assignments will be mostly straight-up except OG takes Manu and Kobe can rest on Battier. Kidd being an unreliable shooter and scorer allows CP3 some licence to play free safety.
- Both Shaq and Dirk are vulnerable to CP3 and Kobe attacking them in the pick-and-roll. Since CP3 and Kobe had both developed the pullup three at this stage in their careers (in addition to the midranger), going under the screen isn't a viable option. Drawing the bigs out into space will create opportunities for our guards to attack them off the dribble, or find Duncan/Malone rolling or popping out to midrange (both our bigs can also make the right read off the catch if an open shot isn't available).

Good luck Ness.

[MadNESS]

PG: Jason Kidd (40) | James Harden (8)
SG: Manu Ginóbili (36) | James Harden (12)
SF: Shane Battier (36) | James Harden (12)
PF: Dirk Nowitzki (40) | Udonis Haslem (8)
Cc: Shaquille O’Neal (40) | Tyson Chandler (8)



99’-00’ Shaquille O’Neal 21.1 FGA
MVP | DPOY (2) | All NBA 1 | All Star | Champ

06’-07’ Dirk Nowitzki 17.2 FGA
MVP | All NBA 1 | All Star | 42% 3’s

04’-05’ Manu Ginóbili 10.4 FGA
All Star | Champ | 38% 3’s

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

08’-09’ Shane Battier 5.9 FGA
DPOY (4) | All NBA D2 | 38% 3’s

01’-02’ Jason Kidd 13.9 FGA
MVP (2) | All NBA 1 | All NBA D 1 | All Star

11’-12’ Tyson Chandler 5.7 FGA
All NBA 3 | DPOY | FG% Champ

12’-13’ Udonis Haslem 3.3 FGA
Champ | Hustle

Total: 87.7 | 88.0 FGA

Write Up:

GL Fade.

Short and Sweet so it’s read.

- We feel we have the best fitting team in this draft
- Shaq is the most dominant player of all time
- Paired him with the best fitting 4 in Dirk
- Manu is Kobe lite and the perfect compliment to those 2
- Kidd is one of the greatest PG’s of all time, top 5 for sure, and gets the balls to the stars. One of the smartest players of all time as well.
- Battier is the best glue guy ever. 3, D, Heart.
- We have the best 6th man in this game plain and simple (Harden).
- We have DPOY as 7th man. Elite center play for 48 mins.
- So many spacers around Shaq. So much D around Shaq.
- 7 Elite defenders around Dirk.

Duncan and Malone do not fit. Crowd the lane.
Not enough spacing on Fades team. Plain and simple.

Dirk Brings Malone out of the lane on defense.

Battier on Kobe, Manu on OG. Kidd is great cover for CP3.

Fit & talent beat straight up talent everytime.

Spacing, Depth, defense, FIT overcomes here.

Vote NESS.

[Fadeaway_J]

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Ready for votes. Ness, please vote for yourself as well.

[MadNESS]

I was hoping this came to AI vote actually.

[MadNESS]

Not sure if this draft fits well with the need to leave lists. On the fence for now

Can you hook us up with and AI vote please?

It was 5-5 after 24 hours, now it’s 6-6 lol

[Fadeaway_J]

Not sure if this draft fits well with the need to leave lists. On the fence for now

Can you hook us up with and AI vote please?

It was 5-5 after 24 hours, now it’s 6-6 lol

It hasn't been 24 hours yet.

[Fadeaway_J]

Chat-GPT vote: MadNESS

Spoiler:

This matchup between Fadeaway_J and MadNESS features two teams with excellent talent and diverse skill sets. Let's break down the strengths of each team and analyze how they would likely perform in a seven-game series.

### **Fadeaway_J's Team:**
1. **Strengths:**
- **Elite Individual Talent:** The team has some of the best players from their respective eras. Tim Duncan and Karl Malone are dominant frontcourt players, while Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant are an elite backcourt duo. Anunoby adds a versatile, defensive-minded forward to the mix, and the bench is full of strong, complementary players like Bo Outlaw and Royce O'Neale.
- **Defense:** The defense is solid with Duncan anchoring the middle, Malone's toughness, and strong perimeter defenders like Kobe, OG, and Chris Paul. This team can switch effectively and guard a variety of threats.
- **Versatility:** The offense is highly versatile, with multiple ways to attack—pick-and-roll, isolation, or off-the-ball movement. All four stars are capable of passing and creating for others, which helps in spacing and moving the ball.
- **Size and Strength:** Duncan and Malone provide a strong frontcourt, with Duncan being an elite post player and Malone a reliable scorer. Their ability to control the paint and rebounding is critical.

2. **Weaknesses:**
- **Spacing:** While Fadeaway_J has great playmakers, the frontcourt of Duncan and Malone might crowd the paint. Neither is a consistent three-point threat, and spacing might become an issue when the defense collapses on them.
- **Limited Bench Scoring:** Bo Outlaw and Brent Barry aren’t offensive creators, so the bench may struggle to provide consistent scoring.

---

### **MadNESS' Team:**
1. **Strengths:**
- **Shaq & Dirk Duo:** Shaq is the most dominant center of all time, and paired with Dirk Nowitzki, who can space the floor and pull defenders out of the paint with his shooting, this tandem is nearly unstoppable. Shaq can dominate in the post, while Dirk can hit contested jumpers or three-pointers.
- **Elite Playmaking & Shooting:** Jason Kidd is an exceptional playmaker and defender, and Manu Ginóbili brings creativity and scoring. James Harden adds an additional scoring punch as the 6th man, and Shane Battier is one of the best 3-and-D players, especially when tasked with guarding Kobe.
- **Defense:** The team has a strong defensive unit, with multiple DPOY candidates (Battier, Kidd, and Chandler), making it tough for opponents to score. Shaq’s rim protection, combined with Chandler’s elite defense, ensures a constant presence in the paint.

2. **Weaknesses:**
- **Lack of Bench Depth:** While the 6th man of Harden is a huge asset, the rest of the bench (Haslem and Chandler) isn’t as versatile offensively. However, the defensive contributions from Chandler will be significant.
- **Injury Concerns with Shaq:** If Shaq were to face any injury or fatigue issues, the team could lose some of its dominance inside, although Chandler would help mitigate that.

---

### **Analysis of Key Matchups:**
- **Shaq vs. Duncan & Malone:** Shaq would likely overpower Duncan in the paint, and with Dirk pulling Malone out of the paint, it creates a difficult situation for Fadeaway_J's team defensively. However, Duncan is a solid defender, and Malone is tough. But Shaq's sheer physicality would likely give MadNESS the edge in the paint.
- **Kobe vs. Battier:** Battier is one of the best defenders for Kobe, but Bryant’s offensive arsenal (especially his ability to create off-the-dribble and hit mid-range shots) still gives him the advantage in most scenarios. Kobe would have to work hard for his points, but he can still score efficiently.
- **CP3 vs. Kidd:** CP3 has the ability to break down defenses with his pick-and-roll game and elite shooting. However, Kidd is one of the smartest defenders and a top-tier playmaker himself. This matchup will likely be close, with both guards facilitating offense effectively.
- **Dirk vs. Malone:** Dirk’s ability to stretch the floor with his shooting is a huge advantage here, especially against Malone, who lacks that range. Malone is a strong defender, but he may struggle to cover Dirk out on the perimeter, which could create open driving lanes for the guards.
- **Bench Depth:** MadNESS has a more versatile bench, with Harden capable of scoring 20+ points in a game. The rest of the bench players are strong defensively but might not provide as much scoring as Fadeaway_J’s bench.

---

### **Final Prediction:**
While Fadeaway_J’s team has tremendous individual talent, MadNESS' team is better suited in terms of fit, spacing, and depth. Shaq and Dirk’s pairing is devastating and forces the opposing defense to adjust significantly. Kidd’s playmaking and Harden’s scoring are excellent assets, and the defense from players like Battier and Chandler would stifle Fadeaway_J's offensive schemes.

Ultimately, the spacing and ability to stretch the floor with Dirk, along with Shaq’s dominance in the paint, will likely be too much for Fadeaway_J’s team to handle over a seven-game series. The combination of elite defense, offensive fit, and depth would likely lead to MadNESS winning the series in 6 or 7 games.

**MadNESS wins.**

[MadNESS]

Good game Fade. IMO this was the finals - in the second round.