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.
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).
26.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.9 bpg, .565 FG%, .406 3P%, .753 FT%, 103 3P, .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
It's the tried and true formula: LeBron plus spacing. Pau is the perfect second option as he can feed off LeBron's passing ability and scoring gravity as a finisher in the pick-and-roll, or create for himself and others out of the post. Jrue is the prototypical LeBron PG, a capable lead guard who can also function off ball. Bane is a lethal outside shooter who will feast as the #3/4 guy. Batum, Bullock, and late-prime Ibaka are all quality spot-up shooters.
Defensively, we have a number of switchable perimeter defenders between Jrue, LeBron, Batum, Bullock, and Mbah a Moute, while Pau and Ibaka are effective at the rim. Bane isn't as rangy as the others but is very solidly built and can hold his own against bigger players. The length and smarts of LeBron and Batum will allow us to protect the paint effectively even when playing smaller lineups.
Matchup - Ibaka moves into the starting lineup here. While LeBron can certainly guard bigger players if necessary, we want to reduce the amount of time he has to spend doing so. Our spacing isn't significantly affected as Ibaka knocked down 106 threes on 36% shooting in the chosen season. - To start with, Ibaka will take KAT and Gasol guards AD. In crunch time we will go small with LeBron guarding KAT. Jrue will spend the entire game glued to Penny. LeBron gets to rest on Posey/Bowen/Kleber for the majority of the game. - With Jrue shadowing Penny, I think Laimbeer will run into some difficulties with shot creation. Miami Allen is purely a spot-up shooter, as is Posey. FVV is a fine backup but not someone who threatens you off the dribble either. We have a more balanced perimeter attack with LeBron, Jrue, and Bane, plus Pau who is an excellent passer out of the post. - We will attack whoever KAT is guarding in pick-and-roll with LeBron as the ballhandler. Although he's improved, we're confident he will make defensive mistakes under that pressure and LeBron is a master at exploiting those. - Allen is a major defensive liability who has no chance of guarding either Bane or Jrue.
Karl-Anthony Towns (38) / Anthony Davis (10) Anthony Davis (30) / Maxi Kleber (12) / James Posey (6) James Posey (24) / Bruce Bowen (24) Ray Allen (28) / Fred VanVleet (20) Penny Hardaway (38) / Fred VanVleet (10)
Good luck, Fade.
We have a lot of offensive talent in our starting lineup. Penny is one of the game's great points with two superb bigs and spacing in Allen and Posey (note all three bench players are shooters as well). AD will thrive against Pau's meh defense. Penny has a big size advantage over Holiday as well, so the matchups work in our favor.
Defensively, we match up pretty well AD/Gasol, KAT/Ibaka, Allen/Bane, Penny/Holiday. We're very fortunate to have two players well suited to guarding LeBron splitting time at the three - Posey and Bowen. AD will be closer to the basket against Gasol.
Our big three talent counters LeBron, as well as our bench, led by VanVleet, being better. Toss in the favorable matchups and we have the edge.
I think Lebron may be outgunned here with Laimbeer having 2 of the 3 best players in Penny and Davis, even if I like Gasol as much as KAT. I also think Laimbeer has the better bench with FVV as the creator Fadeaway doesn't have, and Kleber and Heat Bowen also solid. Vote Laimbeer.
Laimbeer has too much depth here while not sacrificing talent at the top. Obviously LeBron is the best player by a wide margin, but after that Laimbeer's guys take over. I wanted to vote Fade as I think he built a solid squad around the far and away best player in the series and his defense is likely better, but Laimbeer's offensive and depth advantages are too much.
Vote: Laimbeer
BAF Celtics PG: Russell Westbrook|x SG: Desmond Bane|Mathurin SF: Mikal Bridges|Mathurin PF: John Collins|x C: Chet Holmgren|x
