Franchise Draft History Game: Play In- Fadeaway_J vs Larry_Russell*

[Snakebites]

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 - Patrick Ewing (1989-90)

Spoiler:

28.6 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 4.0 bpg, .551 FG%, .775 FT%, .599 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team

PF - Shawn Marion (2006-07)

Spoiler:

17.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.5 bpg, .524 FG%, .317 3P%, .810 FT%, 80 3P (1.0 pg), .594% TS
- NBA All-Star

SF - Trevor Ariza (2017-18)

Spoiler:

11.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.2 bpg, .412 FG%, .368 3P%, .854 FT%, 170 3P (2.5 pg), .567 TS%

SG - Eddie Jones (1997-98)

Spoiler:

16.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.7 bpg, .484 FG%, .389 3P%, .765 FT%, 143 3P (1.8 pg), .592 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- All-Defensive Second Team

PG - Magic Johnson (1990-91)

Spoiler:

19.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 12.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.2 bpg, .477 FG%, .320 3P%, .906 FT%, 80 3P (1.0 pg), .623 TS%
- #2 in MVP voting
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team

Bench
C/F - Channing Frye (2015-16)

Spoiler:

6.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.4 bpg, .438 FG%, .387 3P%, .857 FT%, 91 3P (1.3 pg), .586 TS%
- NBA Champion

G - Michael Cooper (1985-86)

Spoiler:

9.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.5 bpg, .452 FG%, .387 3P%, .865 FT%, 63 3P (0.8 pg), .557 TS%
- All-Defensive Second Team

G - Patrick Beverley (2018-19)

Spoiler:

7.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg, .407 FG%, .397 3P%, .780 FT%, 112 3P (1.4 pg), .561 TS%

Rotations
C - Ewing (38), Frye (10)
PF - Marion (38), Ariza (5), Frye (5)
SF - Ariza (28), Jones (14), Johnson (6)
SG - Jones (24), Cooper (24)
PG - Johnson (32), Beverley (16)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Magic Johnson - 12.4
Eddie Jones - 12.6
Michael Cooper - 7.4
Patrick Ewing - 20.4
Trevor Ariza - 9.7
Shawn Marion - 13.4
Patrick Beverley - 6.1
Channing Frye - 5.0

Total: 87.0/88.0

We replicate the Showtime Lakers with Magic flanked by a dominant big man and a bunch of rangy athletes. Ewing is our defensive anchor, and this younger version should be able to change ends quickly to keep pace with Magic. Jones, Ariza, Cooper, and Beverley are all varying levels of 3-and-D perimeter players who can benefit from Magic's GOAT-tier playmaking while covering for his defensive deficiencies. Marion plays an even more crucial role as a rebounder and help defender who can guard multiple positions, while his off-ball cutting and speed in transition are fully weaponised playing with Magic. Frye is a legit stretch 4/5.

In the halfcourt, Magic is one of the most reliable offensive hubs the game has ever seen, and peak Ewing is a monster post scorer with a solid midrange jumper who should see his effectiveness jump with Magic setting the table. Marion and Jones slot in nicely as third and fourth options, with everyone else being at minimum a plus outside shooter.

Matchup
- Initial assignments will be Ariza-Lowry, Jones-MJ, Marion-Butler, Magic-Battier, Ewing-Zo. Magic being able to rest against Battier is pretty helpful. We have a gauntlet of high-level defenders to throw at Larry's perimeter stars, plus Ewing waiting at the rim.
- MJ and Butler being primarily triple-threat operators who don't really shoot threes makes it easier for us to key in on them defensively, especially with Zo also hanging around the paint. I think Magic as the orchestrator with Ewing in the post and Marion/Jones as more off-ball threats makes for a more synergistic offense. We should also get a lot more easy buckets in transition.
- Larry's bench is OK, but we have the clear advantage with a perennial SMOY/All-Defensive Team candidate in Cooper, another 3-and-D ace in Beverley, and a better version of the Bonner archetype in Frye.

Good luck Larry.

[Larry_Russell]

PG/SG: Kyle Lowry (2015-16) 15.6
21.2ppg, 4.7rpg, 6.5apg, 2.1spg, 0.5bpg, 39% on 7-3pta
MVP-10, DPOY-13, NBA-3, AS

SG: Michael Jordan (1990-91) 22.4
31.5ppg, 6rpg, 5.5apg, 2.7spg, 1bpg
MVP, FMVP, DPOY-7, NBA-1, DEF-1, AS

SF: Jimmy Butler (2022-23) 13.9
23ppg, 6rpg, 5.3apg, 1.8spg, 35% on 1.6-3pta
MVP-10, DPOY-12, NBA-2, Historic playoff run

PF: Shane Battier (2008-09) 5.9
7.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.3apg, 0.8spg, 0.9bpg, 38.5% on 4-3pta
DPOY-4, DEF-2

C: Alonzo Mourning (1998-99) 13.8
20ppg, 11rpg, 1.6apg, 0.7spg, 4bpg
MVP-2, DPOY, NBA-1, DEF-1

PG/SG: Kirk Hinrich (2012-13) 7
7.7ppg, 2.6rpg, 5.2apg, 1.1spg, 0.5bpg, 39% on 3-3pta

SF/PF: Jared Dudley (2009-10) 6
8.2ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4apg, 1spg, 46% on 3.2-3pta
6MOTY Votes Received

C: Matt Bonner (2013-14) 3
3.2ppg, 2.1rpg, 0.5apg, 43% on 1.5-3pta



PG: Lowry (38) / Hinrich (10)
SG: Jordan (40) / Hinrich (8)
SF: Butler (38) / Dudley (10)
PF: Battier (38) / Dudley(10)
C: Mourning (40) / Bonner (8)


87.6/88

Defensive Matchups

Butler on Magic: Going after magic with size and strength here that takes away Magic size advantage at point. Butler will defend in his chest and force Magic to slow down in order to create.

Jordan on Jones: Perfect matchup for the GOAT. Jordan has every advantage over Jones which lets Jordan be able to play a little in the passing lanes as well.

Lowry on Ariza: Lowry kind of hides here as Ariza in not a ball handler/creator that can effectively take advantage of Lowry.

Battier on Marion: great cover for Shane. Shane is elite defender in regards to covering slashing and cutting, which is Marions bread and butter.

Zo on Ewing: dont think much explanation is needed here.

I have unbelievable switch ability on defense overall. For example if they run a magic/Marion pick and roll I can easily just switch with Butler and Battier.

Defensively I will force a lot of turnovers and with Jordan/Butler I can get out in a hurry.



Offensively I will play physical as well.

#1: Jordan is the Goat. Scoring 30 points a game efficiently in an era where the paint was always packed. That is not going to just all of a sudden stop because my starters have 2 midrange shooters and 2 excellent>Elite 3pt shooters in it with 3 excellent 3pt shooters off the bench.

I will be creating Chaos near the paint with Butler and Jordan both relentlessly attacking it, switches will be forces, rotations will be forced and Lowry, Battier will be recipients at the 3pt line, or Jordan/Butler at the rim and in the midrange.

#2 We will be putting magic into pick and roll coverage forcing him to switch onto Jordan or Butler. Magic isnt hiding in this matchup as we will target him relentlessly.

Transition will be stopped by my team, as we will be playing a grind it out high efficient offense and all my guys are elite defenders and hustlers who will always sprint back and get set up.

My team has off the charts levels of IQ, Intensity, Defense, Offensive efficiency and discipline.

[Snakebites]

Voting is now open via poll, and will be for exactly 24 hours. You are more than welcome to post in this thread explaining why you voted the way you did, but it is not required and only poll votes will be counted.

Larry and Fade, please vote for yourselves. Everyone else please vote within the time frame.

[Dr Positivity]

Frye and Bonner to be going at each other all series.

[Larry_Russell]

11 voters....NICE!

[Snakebites]

Larry Russell advances