Degree of Separation SF1 - Larry_Russell -V- Snakebites

[Larry_Russell]

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. Please ensure you give a rationale for your vote; votes with no explanation will not be counted.

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).

**First to 3 votes advances.**

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[Larry_Russell]

PG: Steph Curry (2014-15) 16.8
24ppg, 4.3rpg, 7.7apg, 2spg, 44.3% on 8-3pta
MVP, NBA-1st, AS

SG: Shai Gilgeous Alexander (2023-24) 19.8
30ppg, 5.5rpg, 6.2apg, 2spg, 1bpg, 35.5% on 3.6-3pta
MVP-2, NBA-1, DPOY-7, AS

SF: Jae Crowder (2021-22) 8.2
10ppg, 4.7rpg, 2apg, 0.8spg, 0.5bpg, 39% on 6
.3-3ptsa

PF: Jaren Jackson Jr (2022-23) 13
18.6ppg, 7rpg, 1apg, 1spg, 3bpg, 35.5% on 4.5-3pta
DPOY, Def-1, AS

C: Nikola Jokic (2023-24) 17.9
24.5ppg, 11.8rpg, 9.8apg, 1.3spg, 0.7bpg, 38.5% on 2.2-3pta
MVP-2, NBA-2, AS

PG/SG: Patrick Beverley (2022-23) 5.4
6.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 3apg, 1spg, 345 ON 2-3PTA

SF/PF: Wilson Chandler (2018-19) 5.4
6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.6apg, 0.5spg, 0.5bpg, 37.5% ion 3-3pta

C Javale McGee (2019-20) 4.5
6.6ppg, 5.7rpg, 0.5apg, 0.5spg, 1.5bpg

PG: Curry (38) / Beverley (10)
SG: SGA (38) / Beverley (10)
SF: Crowder (38) / Chandler (10)
PF: Jackson Jr (38) / Chandler (10)
C: Jokic (30) / McGee (8)

87.9/88



Matchups

We will defend straight up here.
Curry on Lowry
SGA on Wade
Crowder on Jones
JJjr on Lebron
Jokic on Gasol

I think my defense will hold up well enough here. THe biggest threats offensively is Lebron and Wade and I think that JJjr and SGA will do an adequate job. SGA matches the speed of Wade and being able to play off of him is a big help. It certainly slows that Downhill attack. No one truely stops Lebron but JJjr certainly has the tools to attempt it. There will be times that Crowder takes on the task as well to give JJjr some rest

Offensively I think I am on another tier here. Steph and Jokic is an elite pairing and would make an unstoppable floor spreading offense. I think that Jokic and LEbron are on par for talent, but I feel that SGA and Steph are the 2nd and 3rd best players in the series.

Also my team has 100% more 3X NBA Champion Javale McGee.

[Snakebites]

Lebron James 12-13 17.8 FGA - MVP, Finals MVP, All NBA First
Dwyane Wade 05-06 18.8 FGA- Finals MVP, All NBA 2nd
Shane Battier 12-13 5.0 FGA- NBA Champion
Marc Gasol 18-19 11.0 FGA- NBA Champion
Kyle Lowry 17-18 12.1 FGA- All Star
Eddie Jones 03-04 14.3 FGA
Alonzo Mourning 05-06 4.8 FGA- NBA Champion
Richard Jefferson 15-16 4.2 FGA- NBA Champion

Total: 88/88 FGA

Lowry (37)/Wade (11)
Wade (26)/Jones (22)
Jones (16)/Battier (20)/Jefferson (12)
Lebron (39)/Battier (9)
Gasol (30)/Mourning (18)

Alrighty, let’s do this. We largely start by defending him straight positionally, though EJ will spell Wade on SGA at times as well to keep Wade fresh.

My team is designed to maximize Lebron and Wade as a duo while also packing a strong punch defensively.

All of my other three starters are effective beyond the three point line, but none are mere spot up shooters- they can all make plays and cause damage if you try to hide a weak defender like Curry on them.

I also think his putting JJJ on Lebron is problematic for a number of reasons. JJJ is needed as a rim protector/safety next to Jokic, but if he’s fully occupied guarding prime Lebron he can’t do that. This version of Lebron is also much quicker than any version JJJ has ever faced. If JJJ has a weakness defensively it is his tendency to get a lot of fouls called on him- I think he’ll have some trouble staying on the court in this matchup.

This combined with Jokic needing to defend in space means I see Wade and Lebron both being able to attack pretty readily.

SGA is really his only plus perimeter defender- Curry and Crowder on Lowry and Jones are tough matchups. I’m a lot more comfortable using Wade and EJ on SGA on a rotating basis to keep both fresh while using Lowry on Steph.

If you’re just counting MVP level guys I’ll grant that he has one more than I do. But looking at the depth of my team and the matchup and I think things tilt more in my favor here.

[ardee]

Vote: Snakebites

Both loaded teams obviously but the fit is just slightly better with Snakebites. I think SGA is the odd man out on Larry's team, a Curry/Jokic nexus would be jaw-dropping but I just don't know how Shai fits into that, I'd rather have someone who can play at least somewhat off-ball.

[Fadeaway_J]

PG: Steph Curry (2014-15) 16.8
24ppg, 4.3rpg, 7.7apg, 2spg, 44.3% on 8-3pta
MVP, NBA-1st, AS

SG: Shai Gilgeous Alexander (2023-24) 19.8
30ppg, 5.5rpg, 6.2apg, 2spg, 1bpg, 35.5% on 3.6-3pta
MVP-2, NBA-1, DPOY-7, AS

SF: Jae Crowder (2021-22) 8.2
10ppg, 4.7rpg, 2apg, 0.8spg, 0.5bpg, 39% on 6
.3-3ptsa

PF: Jaren Jackson Jr (2022-23) 13
18.6ppg, 7rpg, 1apg, 1spg, 3bpg, 35.5% on 4.5-3pta
DPOY, Def-1, AS

C: Nikola Jokic (2023-24) 17.9
24.5ppg, 11.8rpg, 9.8apg, 1.3spg, 0.7bpg, 38.5% on 2.2-3pta
MVP-2, NBA-2, AS

PG/SG: Patrick Beverley (2022-23) 5.4
6.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 3apg, 1spg, 345 ON 2-3PTA

SF/PF: Wilson Chandler (2018-19) 5.4
6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.6apg, 0.5spg, 0.5bpg, 37.5% ion 3-3pta

C Javale McGee (2019-20) 4.5
6.6ppg, 5.7rpg, 0.5apg, 0.5spg, 1.5bpg

PG: Curry (38) / Beverley (10)
SG: SGA (38) / Beverley (10)
SF: Crowder (38) / Chandler (10)
PF: Jackson Jr (38) / Chandler (10)
C: Jokic (30) / McGee (8)

87.9/88



Matchups

We will defend straight up here.
Curry on Lowry
SGA on Wade
Crowder on Jones
JJjr on Lebron
Jokic on Gasol

I think my defense will hold up well enough here. THe biggest threats offensively is Lebron and Wade and I think that JJjr and SGA will do an adequate job. SGA matches the speed of Wade and being able to play off of him is a big help. It certainly slows that Downhill attack. No one truely stops Lebron but JJjr certainly has the tools to attempt it. There will be times that Crowder takes on the task as well to give JJjr some rest

Offensively I think I am on another tier here. Steph and Jokic is an elite pairing and would make an unstoppable floor spreading offense. I think that Jokic and LEbron are on par for talent, but I feel that SGA and Steph are the 2nd and 3rd best players in the series.

Also my team has 100% more 3X NBA Champion Javale McGee.

You're missing 10 minutes at C, also the stats don't match up with the season for Jokic.

[Fadeaway_J]

On the one hand, Jokic-Steph is an ungodly offensive duo, and given that Steph in particular is a GOAT-level off-ball player, I think they can fit in someone like SGA (who isn't hugely ball-dominant anyway). On the other hand, I don't think this is a good defensive matchup for Larry. Between JJJ as the primary LeBron defender and Jokic being spaced out by Gasol, the paint looks pretty vulnerable against a LeBron/Wade combo. That really eats into Larry's advantage at the offensive end - it's similar to the 2005 WCF where a Spurs team that was merely "good" offensively was made to look great because the Suns were so weak defensively. And in this case, you're talking about a duo in LeBron and Wade who can get to some insane levels even without favourable matchups. I think they both go nuts and the supporting pieces knock down enough shots to seal the deal.

Vote: Snakebites

[durantbird]

Extremely though matchup. I really like both teams, they are two of the strongest teams which makes a lot of sense in a draft where the edge spots benefit a lot. I don't like Larry's bench, but I prefer slightly his top end talent which is pretty hard against a LBJ Wade team. I think JJJ on LeBron is a mistake, Crowder fits much better as individual assignment, but I tend not to punish on defensive assignment mistakes that can be fixed with a different assignment within the team.

Vote Larry

[lilroddyb]

Like others have said I really like both teams. This should be a high scoring series with LeBron,Steph,Jokic going off.

This really could go either way but I lean towards the awesome fit of Jokic/Steph and Shai

Vote Larry

[Dr Positivity]

I think Lowry/Jones/Gasol make up for having 2 superstars vs 3 and I prefer Snake's depth and the Gasol on Jokic matchup is good. Vote Snakebites.

[JimmyPlopper]

I avoided voting because it felt too close to call. But in absence of other voters and seeing as it is a tie:

Snakebites’ team has the edge. While Larry_Russell’s offense is dynamic, Snakebites has the tools to slow them down with elite defenders at key positions. The LeBron-Wade combo, especially with LeBron’s ability to dominate JJjr and Wade’s matchup against SGA, will likely be too much for Larry_Russell's team to handle defensively.

In a close series, Snakebites’ balanced attack, superior defense, and LeBron-Wade dominance give them the advantage over Larry_Russell’s high-powered but more vulnerable squad. Snakebites wins.