Jrue Holiday Draft - R1 - Laimbeer vs Fadeaway_J*

[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]

Bill Walton ( 1977 ) 14.3 - MVP (2)
Andre Iguodala ( 2012 ) 10.2 - All-star
Larry Bird ( 1986 ) 19.6 - MVP (1)
Clyde Drexler ( 1991 ) 16.3 - MVP (6)
Sidney Moncrief ( 1986 ) 13.2 - MVP (7)

Jeff Withey ( 2014 ) 3.0 - 2.6 blks/ per 36
Dennis Rodman ( 1994 ) 3.7 - MVP (11)
Brent Barry ( 2001 ) 6.0 - 3P% (1)

86.3

Bill Walton (38) / Jeff Withey (8) / Dennis Rodman (2)
Andre Iguodala (38) / Dennis Rodman (10)
Larry Bird (38) / Dennis Rodman (10)
Clyde Drexler (38) / Brent Barry (10)
Sidney Moncrief (38) / Brent Barry (10)


On offense, we have the insane playmaking duo of Walton and Bird supplemented by two great slasher/off-ball players in Moncrief and Drexler. Sid and Clyde are absurdly over qualified third and fourth options on offense. LeBron is really the only guy they have to put on Bird, which is a tall order. Clyde is a little big for either White or Porter.

Defensively, Walton/AD, Bird/Gasol, Iggy/LeBron, Drexler/White, Moncrief/Porter. Prime Iggy will be an even better cover on LeBron and Bird can rest on Gasol who's just a spacer. After LeBron and AD, there really isn't an elite scoring option.

Rodman is the best bench players but neither is great.

In the end our greater offensive depth and dual engines of Bird and Walton takes this one.

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Marc Gasol (2012-13)

Spoiler:

14.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.7 bpg, .494 FG%, .848 FT%, .559 TS%
- Led the NBA in DBPM (3.1)
- Defensive Player of the Year
- All-NBA Second Team
- All-Defensive Second Team

PF - Anthony Davis (2017-18)

Spoiler:

28.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.5 spg, 2.6 bpg, .534 FG%, .340 3P%, .828 FT%, 55 3P (0.7 pg), .612 TS%
- Led the NBA in bpg
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team
- All-Defensive First Team

SF - LeBron James (2012-13)

Spoiler:

26.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.9 bpg, .565 FG%, .406 3P%, .753 FT%, 103 3P (1.4 pg), .640 TS%
- Led the NBA in PER (31.6), OWS (14.6), WS (19.3), WS/48 (.322), OBPM (9.3), BPM (11.7), VORP (9.9)
- NBA Champion
- NBA MVP
- NBA Finals MVP
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team
- All-Defensive First Team

SG - Derrick White (2023-24)

Spoiler:

15.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg, .461 FG%, .396 3P%, .901 FT%, 196 3P (2.7 pg), .611 FG%
- NBA Champion
- All-Defensive Second Team

PG - Terry Porter (1990-91)

Spoiler:

17.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 8.0 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.1 bpg, .515 FG%, .415 3P%, .823 FT%, 130 3P (1.6 pg), .632 TS%
- NBA All-Star

Bench
F - P.J. Tucker (2022-23)

Spoiler:

3.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.2 bpg, .427 FG%, .393 3P%, .826 FT%, 55 3P (0.7 pg), .566 TS%

F - Nicolas Batum (2020-21)

Spoiler:

8.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.6 bpg, .464 FG%, .404 3P%, .828 FT%, 110 3P (1.6 pg), .617 TS%

G - George Hill (2019-20)

Spoiler:

9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.1 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.1 bpg, .516 FG%, .460 3P%, .842 FT%, 81 3P (1.4 pg), .659 TS%
- Led the NBA in 3P%

Rotations
C - Gasol (38), Davis (10)
PF - Davis (28), Tucker (10) Batum (10)
SF - James (40), Batum (8)
SG - White (37), Hill (11)
PG - Porter (38), Hill (10)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

LeBron James - 17.8 [7]
Anthony Davis - 19.5 [3]
Marc Gasol - 10.9 [6]
Terry Porter - 11.7 [5]
Derrick White - 11.5 [4]
Nicolas Batum - 6.1 [8]
George Hill - 6.4 [1]
P.J. Tucker - 3.0[2]

Total: 86.9/88.0

We've reunited a dominant real-life combo in LeBron and AD, except with LeBron in his consensus peak season and surrounded by far more spacing and overall offensive talent than with the 2020 Lakers. Porter is the perfect third option as he's a dynamic off-the-dribble threat but also an excellent shooter who is comfortable sharing ballhandling duties with a higher-usage wing (as he did with Drexler). Gasol's midrange touch and playmaking should complement AD perfectly. White is an elite shooter and solid supplementary creator. Hill, Batum, and Tucker provide additional shooting off the bench. Our execution in the halfcourt will be impeccable, while LeBron/AD/Porter/White is an explosive transition group.

Defensively, this group is a monster. The frontcourt trio of Gasol, AD, and LeBron is a devastating combination of size, athleticism, and IQ. White is a strong individual defender and one of the best helpers ever at the guard position, and Porter is a plus at his position as well. Our bench adds positional size and intelligence on the defensive end as well.

Matchup
- Defensive assignments are Porter-Moncrief, White-Drexler, LeBron-Bird, AD-Iggy, Gasol-Walton. Iggy isn't enough of a volume three-point shooter for AD to worry about him, even with that 39% outlier seasons. We will cycle through Bron, AD, Batum, and Tucker as Bird defenders over the course of the game.
- Laimbeer has a lot of big-name talent but I don't find it very complementary. Clyde, Sid, and Iggy are all slashers who aren't reliable outside shooters, so we can comfortably pack the paint and force them to deal with AD and Gasol at the rim. It essentially neutralises the benefit you would normally get from having Bird at the 4 when all the perimeter players are negative spacers. Our build maximises our stars a lot better with LeBron and AD having the room to run spread pick-and-roll or create one-on-one.
- Porter was the #2 option on multiple finals teams, and showed he could ramp his scoring when needed on multiple occasions. The notion that he isn't a good enough third option on a team with LeBron and AD (two of the three best scorers in the series) is rather a tough sell.
- Again, Rodman is a big name as a sixth man but doesn't fit well with a team that's already low on shooting. Jeff Withey playing any minutes at this level of competition is a problem.

Good luck Laimbeer.

[durantbird]

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Matchup is open. Team owners please vote for yourselves

[durantbird]

ChatGPT vote Fadeaway_J - Fade advances

https://chatgpt.com/s/t_68b6ccdb6ba881919fddbb6830b7a1ed

This is a close and well-built matchup, but here’s how I see it playing out over a 7-game series with everyone healthy:

---

### **Offensive Fit**

* **Laimbeer’s team**: Bird and Walton as dual playmakers is a great idea, and Moncrief/Drexler/Iggy give elite slashing and defense. The issue is shooting. Outside of Bird and Brent Barry, none of the perimeter options stretch the floor reliably. Against AD/Gasol paint protection, slashing lanes shrink, making the “two engines” less effective.
* **Fadeaway\_J’s team**: LeBron + AD pick-and-roll with spread shooters (Porter, White, Gasol as a connector, plus Batum/Hill off the bench) is very hard to guard. The spacing advantage here is massive. Porter gives a legit third option who can scale up in scoring, and LeBron/AD are peak versions.

**Edge: Fadeaway\_J.**

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### **Defense**

* **Laimbeer’s team**: Extremely stout. Walton, Bird, Iggy, Moncrief, Rodman all bring plus defense. Bird resting on Gasol works until Gasol punishes him with pick-and-pop or high-post passing. Iggy is a good LeBron defender, but LeBron still gets his in 2013 form.
* **Fadeaway\_J’s team**: Gasol + AD + LeBron = elite rim deterrence, switchability, and intelligence. White is strong at the guard spot, Porter solid. Bench wings (Batum/Tucker) add size and versatility. Importantly, they can pack the paint against Laimbeer’s shaky spacing without big consequences.

**Edge: Fadeaway\_J.**

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### **Benches**

* **Laimbeer’s team**: Rodman is an all-time defensive piece, but combined with Withey/Iggy/Moncrief, shooting issues compound. Brent Barry helps, but he’s only one man.
* **Fadeaway\_J’s team**: Hill shot 46% from three, Batum 40%, Tucker is a low-usage floor-spacer. Bench maintains spacing and size, no weak links.

**Edge: Fadeaway\_J.**

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### **Matchup Dynamics**

* Bird + Walton could generate brilliant offense against many teams, but here AD/Gasol shrink the paint and dare Moncrief/Drexler/Iggy to shoot over the top. That plays into Fadeaway\_J’s hands.
* On the flip side, LeBron/AD in spread PnR is almost unstoppable with this supporting cast. Walton can’t contain AD’s athleticism, and Bird isn’t quick enough to contain LeBron’s drives. Rotations stretch too thin.
* Over a long series, Laimbeer’s team struggles to consistently score against a packed paint. Fadeaway\_J’s offense is more sustainable.

---

### **Verdict**

Laimbeer’s team is very talented defensively and has a high IQ offensive engine, but the lack of spacing around Bird/Walton is a fatal flaw against AD, Gasol, and LeBron. Fadeaway\_J’s roster has both the best player in the series (2013 LeBron) and the best duo (LeBron/AD), while also boasting superior spacing and bench depth.

**Result: Fadeaway\_J wins in 6 games (4–2).**

Would you like me to also break down **how each game might play out** (like Game 1 adjustments, swing games, and how Laimbeer could steal a couple)?