Non-Dynastic Vintage Champions - Play in - Laimbeer vs Snakebites*

[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. 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).

[Laimbeer]

Wilt Chamberlain ( 1967 ) 12.1
Kristaps Porziņģis ( 2023 ) 15.7
Rick Barry ( 1974 ) 18.5
Danny Green ( 2021 ) 7.9
Terry Porter ( 1991 ) 11.7

Serge Ibaka ( 2012 ) 7.4
Andre Iguodala ( 2012 ) 10.2
Jon Barry ( 1997 ) 4.2

87.7

Wilt Chamberlain (38) / Serge Ibaka (10)
Kristaps Porziņģis (36) / Andre Iguodala (12)
Rick Barry (38) / Andre Iguodala (10)
Danny Green (34) / Andre Iguodala (14)
Terry Porter (38) / Jon Barry (10)

We've got two elite offensive hubs in Wilt and Barry. Both are great scorers and passers. They're surrounded by excellent spacing. Porzingis will have a very big series against Mason, a fine defender who just isn't long enough. Wilt's 65 pound weight advantage will come into play as well.

Defensively, we've got good covers in Wilt/Walton, Porzingis/Mason, Barry/Peja, Green/Drexler, and Porter/Billups. We've got 48 minutes of elite rim protection at center in Wilt/Ibaka, along with Zinger able to help out with Mason's lack of offense.

Benches are pretty good, both with a headliner in Iggy and Williams.

Two offensive hubs versus one plus favorable match-ups win this for us.

[Snakebites]

PG: 05-06 Chauncey Billups 12.5 FGA - ALL NBA 2ND
SG: 90-91 Clyde Drexler 16.3 FGA- ALL NBA 2ND
SF: 23-24 Jalen Williams 14.0 FGA
PF: 94-95 Anthony Mason 6.6 FGA- 6MOY
C: 76-77 Bill Walton 14.3 FGA- All NBA 2ND, FINALS MVP

B: 03-04 Peja Stojakovic 17.1 FGA- ALL NBA 2ND
B: 22-23 Delon Wright 3.5 FGA
B: 23-24 Kevon Looney 3.1 FGA

Rotation:

Billups (37)/Wright (11)
Drexler (38)/Williams (10)
Williams (11)/ Peja (37)
Mason (32)/Williams (16)
Walton (36)/Looney (12)

Alrighty, let’s do this.

My team fits offensively like a glove around Bill Walton. Walton was a good scorer from the midrange and had a nice array of post moves, but he truly separated himself as a passer. He was great at finding cutters and his outlet passing was a beast in transition, making young Clyde Drexler an ideal running mate for him both in the halfcourt and transition. Billups is an ideal complement to this duo as an elite shooter and capable ball handler as well. Peja and Williams provide additional scoring and playmaking on the wings as well.

Defensively I don’t think there’s a better front court combo in this tourney than Walton/Mason. Mason could defend and position 1-5 while Walton is a GOAT level rim protector who essentially was a floor general on defense (I’d liken him to Draymond Green in terms of his ability to read the court in that way). On the perimeter we’ve got the tools to keep up too with Chauncey and Williams, with Clyde being far from a liability as well. All NBA Peja slots onto the bench in this matchup to give Williams more time on Barry, but this has positives too- Jalen is still a strong fit offensively and Peja ensures that our production remains high even when we turn to the second unit.

Matchup-wise I see advantages. This version of Danny Green (Philly) wasn’t really as mobile and sticky a defender as he was in San Antonio, and I think prime Drexler figures to have a great series. And I’d argue that whichever of Williams or Peja you view as my 6th man that I’m in much better hands off the bench with one of them than Iguodala. Mason specialized in guarding players taller than him and often slotted against the opposing center. What he gives up in height he more than makes up in physicality.

[durantbird]

Matchup is open. Laimbeer and Snakebites please vote for yourselves

[durantbird]

Snakebites advances