Post#3 » by uberhikari » Mon Feb 19, 2024 9:47 pm
PG: 2018 Kyle Lowry: 16-6-7, 7.6 3PA, 39.9 3P%; All-Star
SG: 1996 Penny Hardaway: 22-4-7; All-NBA 1st, MVP(3)
SF: 2020 OG Anunoby: 11 ppg, 3.3 3PA, 39 3P%, 60 TS%
PF: 2003 Rasheed Wallace: 18-7, 4.1 3PA, 35.8 3P%
C: 1993 Hakeem Olajuwon: 26-13-4; All-NBA 1st, All-Defense 1st, MVP(2), DPOY
Bench
SG/SF: 2015 Kyle Korver: 12 ppg, 6 3PA, 49.2 3P%; All-Star
SF/PF: 2021 Robert Covington: 9-7, 5.1 3PA, 37.9 3P%
C: 2014 Steven Adams: 3-4, 54 TS%
Rotations
PG: Kyle Lowry (38) / Penny Hardaway (10)
SG: Penny Hardaway (28) / Kyle Korver (20)
SF: OG Anunoby (34) / Kyle Korver (7) / Robert Covington (7)
PF: Rasheed Wallace (36) / Robert Covington (12)
C: Hakeem Olajuwon (39) / Steven Adams (9)
Matchups: Lowry on Lillard; Penny on Green; Anunoby on LBJ; Hakeem on Barkley; Wallace on Lopez.
I have two major advantages: matchup and team synergy. While LeBron and Barkley are the more talented top 2, they have anti-synergy. Plus, both LeBron and Barkley are a bad matchup into Hakeem's rim protection.
On defense, the crucial matchup is Hakeem vs Barkley. The plan is to have Hakeem play off Barkley to deny him any access to the paint via drives or post-ups. This allows Hakeem to patrol the paint and wall off the basket. Moreover, Lowry, Wallace, and Hakeem are all high-motor, high-IQ players who can get back in transition and defend the fastbreak.
Another weakness of flaco's offense is the lack of passing/playmaking outside of LeBron which puts a lot of pressure on him to be both a scorer and a creator. This is made worse since Lillard is not a movement shooter like Curry or Klay.
On offense, I've re-created the mid-90s Rockets with much better complementary pieces. Peak Penny fills in for Drexler as a more dynamic wing scorer who's also a much better passer/playmaker. Green is not an ideal POA defender for someone like Penny. Green is more of a team rather than a lockdown defender.
Penny's passing/playmaking can target either Lillard or Barkley who are both weak defenders. The P&P with Wallace should be particularly deadly against the defensively inept Barkley. And even Wallace in isolation should be too much for Barkley to handle.
And the cheatcode in the middle is Hakeem. Put simply: Brook Lopez cannot guard peak Hakeem. That's BBQ chicken.