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Team Cellardoor

PG- Kirk Hinrich (30)
SG- Kobe Bryant (38)
SF- Vince Carter (38)
PF- Pau Gasol (34)
C- Samuel Dalembert (24)
6-Shane Battier (30)
7-Dikembe Mutombo (24)
8-Mo Williams-(10)
9-Robert Horry-(14)
10-Keith Van Horn-
11-Jimmy Jackson
12-Jason Collins

Kirk(30)/Mo(10)/Kobe(8)
Kobe(30)/Vince(18)
Vince(18)/Shane(30)
Gasol(34)/Horry(14)
Dalembert(24)/Mutombo(24)

Kobe Bryant: 27.6ppg, 5.9rpg, 6.0apg, All NBA 3rd
24.4ppg, 5.2rpg, 5.3apg, 1.2spg, .7bpg--p36
Kobe was an enigma at this point. Shaq has just left town, and his will to be the "man" setting in, he had just chucked himself out of an NBA title. The next two seasons he's going to be ousted by the Suns, and this season he got nearly zero accolades. Why was that? It wasn't because it was a bad season. He scored nearly 28 a game on the third highest efficiency of his career with nearly no support. Butler and Odom were both decent, but beyond that you can't find a sixth man or another starter on that team. It's my assertion that on a team full of robins, batman will perform. He's also still a terrific playoff performer more often than not.

Vince Carter: 24.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 4.2apg
24.0ppg, 5.1rpg, 4.2apg, 1.4spg, .6bpg--p36
This was actually a terrific year for Vince. Playing next to Kidd and RJeff opened up his game and allowed him to flourish some. Without ALL the ball handling duties he even saw one of his best defensive ratings and DWS posted this season. Additionally, when he's not on ball he's a 40% 3pt shooter with the ability to get ridiculously hot.

Pau Gasol: 17.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 2.4apg
20.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 2.7apg, .7spg, 1.9bpg--p36
Oh the irony. Giving Kobe Pau Gasol right after Shaq left. Imagine the Havoc wreaked. All they've done since they've been together now is go to three straight finals and two straight titles. Great post scorer, great passer, and once he got onto a team with a legit first option his efficiency went through the roof and his rebounding went up.

Kirk Hinrich: 15.7ppg, 3.9rpg, 6.4apg
15.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 6.4apg, 1.6spg, .3bpg--p36
Often mentioned as the perfect triangle PG next to Kobe and Gasol, this is my second favorite Hinrich year. He's a stellar defender and routinely took the best perimeter threat on a team with the 2nd best D in the league (and Eddie Curry starting).

Shane Battier: 9.9ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.6apg
11.3ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, 1.1bpg--pp36
Obviously Shane didn't get picked here for his box score. He got picked here because he has good enough D that even though he's not an elite box score guy he got traded for the 8th pick (Rudy Gay). His defense will shut down any of the elite wings I'm not currently employing .

Sam Dalembert: 8.2ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.7bpg
11.9ppg, 10.9rpg, .7apg, .9spg, 2.4bpg--p36
Dalembert is the yin in my C rotation. Young, long and hyperathletic, he'll get the start and set the tone with his D and rebounding and pick his spots to score in. He's also athletic enough to run on the break.

Dikembe Mutombo: 4.0ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.3bpg
9.6ppg, 12.7rpg, .3apg, .5spg, 3.0bpg
Mutombo is one of the all time great defenders, and time and again throughout the last decade of his long career he proved he can step it up when needed still. In the given season, Yao was actually healthy, but in seasons after this he still performed admirably as a defensive anchor. He'll see a solid 20 minutes or so a game depending on match-ups.

Mo Williams
10.3,3.1,6.1,.9,.1
13.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 7.7apg, 1.2spg, .2bpg--p36
In Williams' second year he saw a lot of improvements even absent his increased minutes. His assists per 36 doubled while his turnovers barely increased, his shooting percentages went up across the board, and he started fouling less while still being in his early stage career of being a "good" defender. Looking over the years, it's not difficult to imagine that playing next to ball dominant superstars like he has the past two seasons will increase his shooting percentages further while lowering his assists and turnovers.

Robert Horry
6.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.0apg, .9spg, .8bpg
11.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.1apg, 1.7spg, 1.5bpg--p36
Everyone knows the book on Big Shot Bob. This was probably his last truly relevant hurrah, putting up over 9 and 5 on very good percentages from the field. Horry was not only a smart defender but a very good defender at multiple positions. Mainly being saved for the playoffs, similar to his actual season, we can expect his 60% TS and fantastic O and D rtg to hold. He also pulled down nearly a block and steal a game each and sported over a 2:1 A/T ratio.

Keith Van Horn
11.2ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.2apg, .6spg, .3bpg
16.7ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.8apg, .9spg, .5bpg--p36
Van Horn will be the team's Horry of the regular season. He'll also see time in the POs, but a lot of it will be cut to accomodate Rob. His playoff sample size is too small to give us any indications what he could do, but in the RS he was rock solid. He gives us a pretty efficient 11 and 5 off the bench, and again: on a team where he's clearing the paint to space for Kobe and Vince, he's going to see an increase in efficiency.

Jimmy Jackson
10.4ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.9apg, .5spg, .1bpg
12.2ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.3apg, .6spg, .1bpg--p36
Jackson was towards the end of his impressive career. Not really a "good" starter anymore, but he certainly makes a great bench player. He scored double digits and rebounded well for his position. Additionally, he gives me over 41% from 3.

Jason Collins
Yeah...his stats don't need to be posted. He's a big body and a great post defender to help us get through the big guys in the league.

The D-TEAM

C: Tim Duncan [34]/ Nenad Krstic [14]/ Rasho Nesterovic [0]
PF: Kenyon Martin [24] / Mehmet Okur [24]
SF: Grant Hill [34] / Caron Butler [14] / Luol Deng [0]
SG: Rip Hamilton [34] / Eddie Jones [14]
PG: Andre Miller [30] / Damon Jones [18]

*typical rotation, subject to matchup adjustments

Why my team is the best

My team is built with a strong defensive ethic, versatile scorers off the bench, and a dynamic front court, which can adapt to almost any situation. It is also built from proven winners, with Duncan, Hamilton, Okur & Nesterovic winning the NBA title between 04 and 05.

OFFENSE

Offensively I feel my team is up there with the strongest in the game. My starting lineup boasts a cast of solid all round offensive players, from the efficient fundamentals of Tim Duncan, the aggressive Kenyon Martin, to the all round ability of Grant Hill, Rip Hamilton's excellent work off the ball, and Andre Miller's ability to run the pick and roll and drives to the basket. Beyond that, I have a number of specialists of the bench, particular the slashing of Caron Butler, the unique 3-point threat possessed by big man Mehmet Okur, along with the solid backcourt shooting from Eddie Jones, and elite 3 point shooter Damon Jones.

It is also worth noting my team are all excellent passers, in particular Duncan, Hill and Miller, whilst Rip Hamilton averaged 4.9 per game and Kenyon Martin 2.4, well above average for a big man. With every player experienced in big game situations, and none afraid of taking an important shot, I feel the team will mesh well as a unit.

DEFENSE

Defensively, my team is up there with the best. Tim Duncan was in the All NBA Defensive 1st team in 05, Kenyon Martin has always been known for his rugged defense, whilst Grant Hill during his prime and in 05 was one of the best perimeter defenders in the game. Coming off the bench, I have several options - Nesterovic, an elite blocker (1.7 blocks in 25 minutes) who has the experience alongside Duncan, whilst Okur and Krstic are two further legit 7 footers who will provide intensity and energy off the bench depending on the situation.

In the backcourt, I also maintain solid all round defense - Rip Hamilton outscored all but Dwyane Wade in head to head matchups in the 05 playoffs, and he was a key part of the defensive unit in Detroit, notching a few steals and relentless hand in your face D. Andre Miller meanwhile was an above average defender, great in the passing lanes and rarely being outscored by his opponent. Off the bench, Eddie Jones is a former 2x NBA All Defense 2nd teamer, whilst Caron Bulter has always been known for his excellent perimeter defines, bolstered by his length and his ability to pick up steals.

REBOUNDING

My team are solid rebounders at every position, which should mean I rarely, if ever, lose the battle for the boards. Duncan and K-Mart were double double machines in 2005, whilst Hill, Hamilton & and Miller all averaged just shy of 5 per game, above average for their position. Off the bench, both Eddie Jones and Caron Bulter provide more excellent rebounding for their position, whilst when paired with Duncan, Krstic, Okur or Nesterovic will rarely be beaten as a duo.

VERSATILITY

My team has the versatility to matchup with any setup in the league. Whilst both Duncan and Kenyon are pencilled as starters, they will rarely play long spells together - depending on my opponent, Nesterovic will often be pulled in to do the dirty work, whilst Okur will come in to stretch the floor, allowing Duncan space in the post, and my slashers - Hill, Bulter, Hamilton and co, room to drive inside. It also offers unique defensive possibilities - having 4 7 footers to choose from, each with different strengths, will make it difficult for any team to control the paint against me.

In the backcourt, both my shooting guards - Hamilton and Jones, are excellent off the ball, but both have different styles of play. Alongside Dre Miller or Jones, I can rotate to my opponents weakness - playing Jones/Jones when I need floor spacing, Dre/Rip when my opponent lacks perimeter defense - or a mixture if my opponent is quite balanced.

Overall, I'm confident in my team's ability at both ends of the court, and more importantly, they are all vastly experienced and proven winners.


Center: Tim Duncan

Regular season average 20.3 points (50%), 11.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.6 blocks in 33 minutes.
2005 Champion as #1 option
2005 Finals MVP
All Star
All NBA 1st Team
All NBA Defensive 1st Team

What a season for Tim Duncan. Winning everything as #1, playing in the All Star game, 2nd in regular season PER, 1st in defensive rating. The absolute prime of his career, Duncan was the best PF/C in the game during 2005, and probably the best player. That's all I need to say.

Power Forward: Kenyon Martin

15.5 points (49%), 7.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.1 blocks in 32.5 minutes.

Fresh off a move to Denver and his All Star appearance in 2004, Martin's numbers dipped slightly but he provided his usual hard-nosed defense, as the Nuggets reached the playoffs despite Nene's injury plagued season. He also recorded 20 double-doubles in 70 games. Kenyon was no match for Duncan in the playoffs though, so I figure if you can't beat em, join em.

Small Forward: Grant Hill

19.7 points (50.9%), 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals, in 34.9 minutes
All Star

Grant Hill's 'last Hurrah', he bounced back from injury with the Magic in 04-05, averaging 19.7 points per game on an excellent 50.9 FG%. It was his best season since 2000, and to his credit he was Conference player of the week in November, and led the Eastern All-Star team to victory over the West. His excellent perimeter defence compliments Duncan and Kenyon nicely.

Shooting Guard: Rip Hamilton

18.7 points (44%), 3.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1 steal in 38.5 minutes

Rip Hamilton is not spectacular, but is the definition of 'solid'. Good offensively, good defensively, excellent off the ball, Rip is exactly the kind of scorer you need to compliment Tim Duncan - and it's one of the main reasons he was a champion in 2004, losing only to Tim Duncan's Spurs in the 2005 Finals.

Point Guard: Andre Miller

13.6 points (48%), 7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and solid Defense.

Andre completes my starting lineup. His leadership and experience will be vital for running this team, and he gives us the flexibility to add shooters to the bench for our second unit. He's a relatively good defender for his position in 05, and has proved versatile to any system throughout his career - scoring more in weaker teams like the 76ers, and being the league's assist leader in his time at Cleveland.

6th Man: Eddie Jones

12.7 points (43% / 37%), 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 5.1 rebounds in 35.5 minutes.

A former 3 x All Star and Defense 2nd team, Eddie Jones will provide excellent shooting from the bench at the shooting guard and small forward positions. With 56 playoff games worth experience
prior to this season, Eddie has the experience and the maturity to fit into his role from the bench and create winning basketball.

7th Man: Mehmet Okur

12.9 points (47%), 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 0.8 blocks in 28 minutes

Floor spacing that should compliment Duncan's game perfectly, combined with the ability to play, and guard, both the power forward and center positions, Mehmet Okur provides championship winning experience and will provide a valuable contribution off the bench.

8th Man: Damon Jones

11.6 points (43.2% from 3!), 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists in 31.4 minutes

With the highest TS% in the league, Damon had his best ever season in 2005, and was an elite shooter for his position. Coming off the bench, he will provide excellent floor spacing for the rest of my roster and offer a very contrasting role to that of Miller.

9th Man: Caron Butler

15.5 points (44.5%), 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals in 35.7 minutes

Future All Star, Butler, emerged as a real talent in 2005, averaging a then career high points tally, and his usual solid perimeter defense. In a lesser role on this team, he will simply fill in when Grant Hill rests, and become my main slasher off the bench, scoring when needed and taking the load off the starters.

10th Man: Nenad Krstic

10 points (49.3%), 5.3 rebounds, 0.8 blocks in 26 minutes

Nenad emerged as solid talent in 2005, earning himself a starting role for New Jersey and a place on the rookie 2nd team. In unspectacular fashion, he will offer modest defense and efficient scoring from the bench, Duncan is resting. It's also worth noting that Krstic absolutely beasted against Shaq in the playoffs, averaging 18.3 points (56%) and 7.5 rebounds.

11th Man: Rasho Nesterovic

5.9 points (46%), 6.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks in 25 minutes

Nesterovic was solid in 2005, playing alongside Duncan as the Spurs tied Miami with the league's second best record. Although somewhat limited offensively, his game complements Duncan well and he will come in to block shots in spot minutes as needed.

12th Man: Luol Deng

11.7 points (43%), 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists in 27 minutes.

Deng was part of the rookie 1st team in 05, and my 12th man, he will provide scoring and a little bit of the unknown off the bench.

Team Awesome Invincibles

Tony Parker(32)/Jason Williams(16)/Fred Jones
Michael Redd(30)/Reggie Miller(10)/Bobby Simmons(8)
Lebron James(40)/Bobby Simmons(8)
Elton Brand(38)/Al Harrington(10)
Jeff Foster(28)/Troy Murphy(20)/Darius Songaila

Tony Parker - At 22, this speedy point guard makes long defensive rebounds turn into instant layups on the other end. No one can outrun him in the fastbreak on either end of the floor. He utilizes his quickness to slice through defenses and stick on an opponent on defense. Parker is both a solid man defender who doesn't over-commit and a solid team defender who closes out on the open man almost instantly. His FG% ranked third among PG's this year, with 16.6 PPG, 6.1 APG, 3.7 RPG, and 1.2 SPG.

Michael Redd - The perfect spot-up assassin to place next to Lebron in the wings, Redd also hauls in 4.3 RPG with 2.3 APG. He shoots a nearly automatic 85% from the line. Along with his backups, he takes advantage of every defensive weakness, without turning over the ball.

Lebron James - After winning the rookie of the year award, Lebron stepped up his game this year with 48 PPG, 18 RPG, 12 APG, 9 BPG, 11 SPG, becoming the first player in NBA history to average a quadruple-double over a season. He also shot 78% from the field, 66% from long range, and 154% on free throws. But seriously, 27.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.2 APG, 2.2 SPG, .478 FG%, .351 3P%, and .750 FT%. One of his top-three statistical years, and really started coming into his own.

Elton Brand - A great sidekick for Lebron, Elton Brand spaces the floor with his efficient jumper and punishes defenses with his strong post moves. He has a turnaround jumper that defenses have great difficulty altering, and spot-up range from anywhere inside the arc. On defense, Elton Brand is basically a smaller Tim Duncan, no exaggeration. He can block shots one-on-one primarily and from the weakside, getting 2.1 per game. He never gives up position and always boxes out, and boxes out well. Perhaps the most overlooked and underrated PF during his prime, despite an all-star appearance. He also shot over 50% from the field.

Jeff Foster - Another great rebounder on both ends of the floor, Foster puts up Moses Malone-like rebounding numbers proportional to how much he plays. With the athleticism to dunk from the free-throw line (nowhere near as pretty as Jordan) and the hustle to track down every rebound, whoever plays with Foster gets more second chances than the other team. Foster is also a tough defender, able to step out and defend the midrange guys as well as deny entry passes and position to post players. Best box out man this decade.

Jason Williams - In this year, he has the savvy on both ends of the floor to run a team. He's a good team defender who plays the pick-and-roll excellently and an even better distributor.

Reggie Miller - On this team for veteran leadership. Coming off the bench, he supplies a wrinkle the defense has to figure out, opening things up for other players. Generally will play the 2nd half, in clutch situations, which, in his last season, he can still take over in.

Bobby Simmons - .435 from 3P on 1.5 attempts a game. The most improved player and another underrated one. 16.4 and 5.9 with efficient shooting. His defense isn't dirty or playmaking or lockdown, but it is the most fundamentally sound, from his stance to his footwork. A great primary bench wing.

Al Harrington - Spells Elton Brand while providing slightly more spacing and athleticism. Doesn't slack on rebounds, and can provide some instant offense off the bench.

Troy Murphy - As the primary bench player, he supplies the rebounding that allows him to successfully back up Foster in the area, and spaces the floor out to the 3-point line. He's not going to intimidate anybody on defense, but he's got the size to plug up the lane and 6 fouls to give.

Darius Songaila - Foul insurance. If asked to play, he has a dangerous jumper that he can take advantage of.

Fred Jones - Dunker.

Team "I do not have ze spades"

C: Yao Ming
PF:
SF: Rashard Lewis
SG:
PG: Allen Iverson
______________________________________________________________

Center: Yao Ming



A dominant presence inside, Yao was a building block both offensively and defensively. One of the very best players in the league, his size alone put constant pressure on defenses and he was a very good defender to boot.

Small Forward:



In the 04-05 season, Rashard was a premier scorer and an all star, he was lighting it up from all parts of the floor. As always, he was a potent sharpshooter but could take it to the rim when needed as well. His tandem with Ray Allen was very difficult to stop and his role as a 3rd option should see his efficiency rise as he plays off Iverson and Yao.

Point Guard:



One of the best years of Allen Iverson's illustrious career, he was simply unstoppable this season as he lead the league in scoring. His supporting cast was terrible in this season (not talent wise, but none of the talent on the 6ers was a good fit next to Ivy) and yet he managed to single handedly keep the Sixers respectable and lead them to the playoffs.

THE BONED SAMUELS

PG: Chauncy Billups / Luke Ridnour / (Joe Johnson)
SG: Joe Johnson / Josh Childress / (Corey Maggette)
SF: Gerald Wallace / Corey Magette / Ruben Patterson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki / Drew Gooden
C: Emeka Okafor / Brad Miller

Team 487

F - Bruce Bowen/Josh Smith
F - Chris Webber/Nene/Josh Smith
C - Dwight Howard/Chris Kaman/Nene
G - Larry Hughes/Ben Gordon
G - Steve Nash/Ben Gordon

PG: Stephon Marbury(30)/Brevin Knight(18)/Derek Fisher
SG: Raja Bell(24)/Josh Howard(24)
SF: Paul Pierce(30)/Michael Finley(18)
PF: Amare Stoudamire(24)/Udonis Haslem(24)/Nick Collison
C: Marcus Camby(30)/Amare Stoudamire(18)/Nazr Mohammed

Stephon Marbury: In 2005, Marbury was strongly in the argument for best point guard in the league, along with the likes of Kidd and Nash. Although he had a different playing style than those pass first point guards, he was a genuine team player with 8 assists per game. Along with the ability to make his teammates better, he also was very capable of creating shots for himself.

Brevin Knight: 10/9/2.5 and 2 steals, This was an efficient past first point guard, who played very well in the passing lanes on defense. Very useful on a team with so many offensive options, and has very good court vision.

Raja Bell: Started becoming a good player when he joined played with the Jazz in 2003-2005 and was their best defensive stopper, with the ability to keep himself in front of any wing. He would've had a much bigger contract had he not gotten a knee injury late in the 04-05 season, and the Suns got a steal. Along with his defensive prowess, he is a great off the ball player and is able to spot up a shot anywhere on the court, shooting over 40% from the 3.

Josh Howard: Splitting minutes with Bell will gives the team an option to put in a strong defensive player as well to a fast one. Another off the ball player with very good rebounding for a 2.

Paul Pierce: 21.6/6.6/4.2 and 1.6 steals, Pierce is a do everything guy, who has traditionally taken the role of the scorer, but can fit in almost anywhere else in the system. He brings very strong defense to the 3 spot. Did a great job in the previous season as the main distributor before Payton took over that role. He can knock down the 3 with a 37% average. He is also a foul drawing machine drawing, getting 8.1 shots from the stripe a game. He is a hustler, a great team player, and a great team leader. His points scored should decrease but that should only help the team.

Michael Finley: A savvy veteran defender to relieve Pierce from time to time. His shooting allows for more floor spreading when he's in.

Amare Stoudamire: 26/9 and 1.6 blocks, The most offensively efficient player in the league in 2005 did so while playing out of position. The 2005 Suns ran him at the 5, because they played at such a fast pace and didn't want a bigger slower guy slowing the team down. With Marbury and Brevin Knight both as very good passers, Stoudamire should not have to worry about setting up any plays, or making too many shots for himself. He had the 2nd highest ts% in the league and was number 1 in free throw attempts at 9.9 while making a good 73% of them. His offensive efficiency should improve on this team with 2 good passers to run the point and a solid big man to cover the low post for him. His points may go down, but only cause there are so many more offensive threats on the team.

Haslem: He had 11/9 in his second year in the league and showed very solid defense especially in the high post. His 54% field goal percentage is a result of a very well developed jumper.

Marcus Camby: A defensive powerhouse who complements the best offensive player in the game. He led the league in blocks this year and averaged a double double. His offensive presence does not demand too many possessions, but if left alone, he will make an opponent pay. A front court of Amare and Camby will out rebound almost any other team.

PG: Sam Cassell(30)/Rafer Alston(14)/Dwyane Wade(4)
SG: Dwyane Wade(34)/Fred Hoiberg(14)/Marquis Daniels(spot)
SF: Peja Stojakovic(35)/Shawn Marion(13)
PF: Shawn Marion(23)/Kurt Thomas(20-25)/Donyell Marshall(0-5)
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas(32)/Chris Andersen(16)/Adonal Foyle(spot)

Starters:

C: Shaquille O'neal

Force on both ends of the court and hands down the best center in the league in this season. Finished second in MVP voting while averaging 23/10/2 and a league (and career) best 60% from the field. A dominant and efficient offensive player and integral to a Miami Heat defense that was truly elite. The star of the team.

PF: PJ Brown

Such a perfect fit for Shaq that the Lakers tried desperately to make it happen in real life. Strong defensive player and rebounder who could also help spread the floor with a rock solid mid range jumper, making him a perfect fit next to the large Shaq. One of the toughest players in the league throughout his successful career filling similar roles.

SF: Lamar Odom

Struggled as a second scoring option on the Lakers this year, but still managed 15/10 on solid defense and great passing/playmaking skills at his position. A do it all player who gives us a bit of everything and will function extremely well on a team with larger offensive options than himself.

SG: Manu Ginobili

All star and playoff assassin, this was the year that put Manu on the map. Scrappy defender on the ball, deadly slasher and also prone to hot shooting streaks. An extremely fundamentally sound two way player with the total package.

PG: Gilbert Arenas

Amazing shooter, explosive scorer, and solid passer (especially when accompanied by other passers like Ginobili and Odom). Will outproduce just about any pg on the map and baffled defenses in this season, the first of 3 consecutive healthy "peak" seasons.

Bench:

G/F: Jalen Rose: Terrific range shooter and efficient overall scorer in this season. Can play both wing positions do serious damage off the bench as an elite 6th man in this game.

F/C: Antonio Mcdyess: Another player with a terrific mid range jumper that makes him an optimal fit next to Shaq. An extremely hard working and efficient player who fits with the tone we have tried to establish.

PG: Antonio Daniels: An elite defensive backup to our only weak defensive starter. Can also play some minutes at shooting guard if called upon to do so.

C: Eric Dampier: Bruising center who was a capable rebounder and shotblocker. Serves as the second true center on the team and may find minutes in certain matchups/

F/G: Desmond Mason: Productive this year alongside shooter Michael Redd. His athleticism and slashing ability serve as a foil to Rose's finesse and range.

G: Mike James: Provided a scoring and defensive punch off the bench that was greatly helpful to the 2004 championship Piston teams, and this was before his ego went spinning out of control.

F: Danny Fortson: Impressive production per minute as part of a big-platoon in Seattle that proved to be a recipe for success. Also showed some defensive capacity and proved his usefulness as a general role player for a winning team.

Anticipated Rotation:

Shaquille Oneal (35)/PJ Brown (7)/Eric Dampier (6)
PJ Brown (26)/Antonio McDyess (22)
Lamar Odom (33)/Jalen Rose (15)
Manu Ginobili (32)/Jalen Rose (10)/Antonio Daniels (6)
Gilbert Arenas (36)/Antonio Daniels (12)

There if we need'em: Danny Fortson, Mike James, Desmond Mason

This team features an extremely sound overall construction and balance coupled with absolutely first rate talent.

In addition to a dominant center who came close to claiming the MVP this year, we feature a large and profoundly devastating backcourt which should be too much to handle for any perimeter defense in the league. Surrounding this amazing core of 3 is a forward unit that brings rebounding, defense, and versatility, and a bench that brings shooting, defense, and players who know their roles on the team.

The team has post scoring, slashing, and jumpshooting for amazing offensive versatility. We also have strong defensive players starting at 4 positions and a great defensive backup at the 5th position. We have terrific passing at 3 positions, and all 3 of our front court players are great rebounders for their positions. The sheer versatility of this team should allow it to be among the top in the league and give it the ability to handle any matchup.

THE BONED SAMUELS

PG: Chauncy Billups (37) / [Joe Johnson] (3) / Luke Ridnour (8)
SG: Joe Johnson (27) / [Corey Maggette] (8) / Josh Childress (13)
SF: Gerald Wallace (32) / Corey Magette (16) / Ruben Patterson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki (38) / Drew Gooden (10)
C: Emeka Okafor (28) / Brad Miller (20) / Kelvin Cato

Dirk
26.1 ppg, 9.7 reb, 3.1 asst, 1.2 steals, 1.5 blocks .459 FG%, .399 3pt%, .869 FT%
1st Team All NBA, All Star, 3rd in MVP voting
Ranked 3rd in Def Rebounding, 4th in points per, 9th in rebounds per, 5th in Efficiency,
10th in Offensive Rating, 3rd in Offensive Win Shares, 6th in Defensive Win Shares,
2nd in Overall Win Shares (1st in Overall Win Shares per 48)

Chauncy
16.5 ppg, 5.8 asst, 3.4 reb, 1 steal, .442 FG%, .426 3pt%, .898 FT%
Reigning Finals MVP, 2nd Team All Defensive
Ranked 8th in 3 point %, 5th in FT %, 5th in True Shooting %,
6th in Offensive Rating, 9th in Offensive Win Shares, 6th in Overall Win Shares

Joe Johnson
17.1 ppg, 5.1 reb, 3.5 asst, 1 steal, .461 FT%, .478 3pt%,
Ranked 2nd in 3pt % (8th in 3’s made)

Emeka
15.1 ppg, 10.9 reb, .8 steals, 1.7 blocks, .447 FG%
Rookie of the Year, 1st team All Rookie
Ranked 5th in Offensive Rebounds, 6th in Total Rebounds, 4th in Rebounds Per
1st among Rookies in Double Doubles

Gerald “Crash” Wallace
11.1 ppg, 5.5 reb, 2 asst, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks, .449 FG%,
Ranked 5th in Steals %, 9th in steals per


BENCH

Brad Miller
15.6 ppg, 9.3 reb, 3.9 asst, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks, .524 FG%, .812 FT%
Ranked 1st in Offensive Rating, 8th in FG%, 9th in True Shooting %

Corey Maggette
22.2 ppg, 6 reb, 3.4 asst, 1.1 steals, .857 FT%

Drew Gooden
14.4 ppg, 9.2 reb, 1.6 asst, .9 steals, .9 blocks, .492 FG%, .81 FT%
Ranked 6th in Defensive Rebounds, 7th in Totals Rebounds %

Ruben “The Kobe Stopper” Patterson
11.6 ppg, 3.9 reb, 2 asst, 1.5 steals, .531 FG%
Ranked 6th in FG%

Josh Childress
10.1 ppg, 6 reb, 1.9 asst, .9 steals, .47 FG%, .823 FT%
Ranked 2nd in True Shooting %, 3rd in Offensive Rating
Ranked 3rd among rookies in Double Doubles

Luke Ridnour
10 ppg, 5.9 asst, 2.5 reb, 1.1 steals, .405 FG%, .376 3pt%, .883 FT%

Kelvin Cato
7 ppg, 6.7 reb, .9 steals, 1.3 blocks, .539 FG%


OFFENSE

My offense will revolve around arguably the BEST Offensive player in the NBA in 2005! Dirk could do it all. In 2005 he used his post game much more then he does today and his turn around jumper is simply impossible to defend. Add to that his 3pt range (.399 3pt%) and he is a matchup nightmare. We will also use a lot of Pick and Pop and Pick and Rolls with our PG Chauncy Billups. Mr Big Shot is coming off his Finals MVP season and is simply clutch. He is a winner and a leader and is the perfect compliment to Dirk and our Youth. These 2 may be the 2 most efficient team mates in this tournament. Billups percentages were simply amazing and his .426 3pt % adds even more spacing next to Dirk. Our 3rd weapon may have been one of the biggest bust out stars in 2005 in Joe Johnson. Joe was simply automatic, his .478 3pt % next to Chauncy (43 %) and Dirk (40%) give me some deadly sharpe shooting. All that shooting will allow Gerald Wallace to be my slasher moving without the ball and doing all the dirty work (which is his specialty). Having a SF with guard quickness, and power forward length and strength, is a great luxury and another matchup nightmare. And on this type of team Crash will shine. Rounding out my starting 5 is ROY Emeka Okafor. On this team the paint will be wide open and Meka’s offensive rebounding (5th best in NBA) will really shine and will lead to a lot of easy offensive putbacks, turning Garbage into Gold!

Offensivly my bench is perfect. I have the best passing BIG in Brad Miller to spell Meka and be basically the exact opposite of him. Brad has great range, and was very efficient, and was the #1 rated Offensive player in the league this season. Corey Maggette enjoyed his best season this year and is our “scorer” off the bench. The rest of my bench will not be offering much offensively but almost all of them are very efficient and solid role player (which is what is needed for a bench) who play a particular role, very well.

Also note that Dirk (2nd) and Maggette (5th) are 2 of the most fouled players in the league, and Billups is also great at drawling fouled and this will get my opposition in fouled trouble and make their role players play extended minutes.

DEFENSE

I think I have some great TEAM defenders. My starting guards (Billups and JJ) are both solid defenders. These two together, I think, can hang with any guards in the league. Gerald Wallace is one of the best away from the ball defenders in the league. He playes the passing lanes (9th in steals, 1.7 per) as well as anyone and his weak side shot blocking (1.3 per) make him a very unique defender. Meka is our post shot blocker. I know Dirk has a rep of being a weak defender, but was the 3rd ranked Defensive Rebounder and ranked 6th in Defensive Win Shares!

My bench features some solid BIG shot blockers (Miller, Cato, Gooden), great rebounders (Gooden (6th best defensive rebounder in NBA), Miller, Cato, Chil, Magette), a stopper (Patterson)

well, I had friends in town this weekend as was getting killed (as evidenced by the 3 or so posts I made on RGM the entire time), so I was coming on to apologize for missing the deadline. Looks like no one made it? Or are we just using the shorts in our rosters?

The latter. I have judgements being made as we speak.

Miller4ever wrote:The latter. I have judgements being made as we speak.

Alright,I'll sit tight then and not make any changes to it.

Looks like a 3 team race. Realy impressed with the new guy lukeharts

Nobody gets that name on their first try, eh?

My rankings will be in tomorrow.

Miller4ever wrote:Nobody gets that name on their first try, eh?