Least Playoff Appearances Franchises Draft - Play in #1 - Laimbeer vs Snakebites*

[durantbird]

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**

[Laimbeer]

Rudy Gobert ( 2024 ) 8.1 - Defensive Player Of The Year
Nicolas Batum ( 2021 ) 6.1 - Excellent D, 40.4% on 4.1 3PA
Kawhi Leonard ( 2019 ) 18.9 - Finals MVP, MVP (9th), DPOY (6th)
Anthony Edwards ( 2024 ) 19.7 - MVP (7th), All-D votes
Kyrie Irving ( 2016 ) 16.6 - World Champ, clutch Finals

Ben Wallace ( 2009 ) 3.0 - 9.9 rebs, 2.2 blks per 36
Bruce Bowen ( 2001 ) 7.1 - DPOY (8th)
Ray Allen ( 2013 ) 8.2 - World Champ, 41.9% on 4.2 3PA

87.7

Rudy Gobert (38) / Ben Wallace (10)
Nicolas Batum (36) / Bruce Bowen (12)
Kawhi Leonard (38) / Bruce Bowen (10)
Anthony Edwards (38) / Ray Allen (10)
Kyrie Irving (38) / Ray Allen (10)


We have an insane offensive perimeter in Kawhi, ANT, and Kyrie. The Kyrie/Gobert pick and roll is special and will be a staple of the offense. Cassell is not a good answer to Kyrie, particularly at age 34. Gasol (also age 34) was no longer an elite defender. Also note all three of our perimeter players are top notch closers who have thrived with other stars.

Defensively we'll go Gobert/Brand, Batum/Gasol, Kawhi/Butler, ANT/Jones, and Kyrie/Cassell. At 6'9 Batum has good length and I expect Gasol's offensive role at this stage of his career will be pick & pop and spacing the floor.

I like our bench better with a clutch game changer in Ray Allen.

[Snakebites]

PG: Sam Cassell 2004- 15.7 FGA - Minnesota Timberwolves
All NBA Second
20/7/1, 4.6 VORP, 46/40/87 (2.3 3pt att)

SG: Eddie Jones 2002- 14.8 FGA- Miami Heat
18/5/1, 4.6 VORP, 43/39/84 (4.7 3 pt att)

SF: Jimmy Butler 2023- 13.9 FGA- Miami Heat
All NBA Second
23/6/5, 5.8 VORP, 54/35/85 (1.6 3pt Att)

PF: Elton Brand 2006- 18.2 FGA- Los Angeles Clippers
All NBA Second
25/10/2, 6.8 VORP, 58% TS

C: Marc Gasol 2019- 11.0 FGA- Memphis Grizzlies
14/8/4, 45/36/76, 3.5 3pt Att

Bench:

Patrick Beverley 20-21 5.9 FGA- Los Angeles Clippers
8/3/2, 42/40/80, 58% TS (3.8 3pt Att)

Mike Miller 11-12 5.4 FGA- Miami Heat
6/3/1, 43/45/40, (3.0 3pt Att), 56% TS

Joel Anthony 11-12 3.0 FGA- Miami Heat
3/4/1

Rotation:

Cassell (38)/Beverley (10)
Jones (38)/Beverley (10)
Butler (28)/Miller (20)
Brand (38)/Butler (10)
Gasol (35)/Anthony (13)

Alrighty, lets do this. The guiding principle behind my team is balance. While we don't have a classical MVP, we don't have a weak spot in our starting lineup. Jimmy Butler in the chosen year was an All-NBA Second team guy who proved he can be the man on a team that reached the finals in the given year, delivering numerous epic playoff performances. Elton Brand also has a super underrated 2006 peak in which he was a legitimate superstar. KG and Duncan were both at or near their peaks in the chosen year, and Brand has a case over either of them in 2006 in terms of individual performance. He was a beast in the midrange and post, and formed a very rock solid 2-man combo with an older Sam Cassell- he's got the prime 2004 version who was a legit number 2 to KG in 2004 here. Eddie Jones and Marc Gasol were both playing at a very high level in the chosen years and they complement this core three perfectly.

Laimbeer's perimeter is great, but I think we can go at it with a very strong perimeter of our own, and more importantly elite wing defenders in Jimmy Butler and Eddie Jones to go against Kawhi and ANT. I think Batum is the weak link in this matchup. It appears Dr P has chosen to put him on Gasol. While this isn't as obvious a mismatch as putting him on Elton Brand, I still think it's a suboptimal use of Gobert, who will need to put in a lot more man to man effort (and some of it away from the basket) vs this version of Elton, who's midrange game had reached it's peak here. And Gasol at this stage still has enough size for Batum to have trouble here, even if Gasol isn't at his peak in the post here.

Overall I think the frontcourt matchup, coupled with the fact that we match up solidly well against that perimeter, should be enough to carry the day.

[durantbird]

Prefer Laimbeer's trio in Kyrie Edwards Kawhi. Snake has a significant playmaking advantage though, with Kyrie as the only acceptable distributor, with no backup PG
but I assume Edwards takes the lead ball handler role when Kyrie rests.

I tend to believe Kyrie Edwards Kawhi will generate a more efficient offense with Butler Brand as the two best offensive engines being more interior oriented.

Vote Laimbeer

[Fadeaway_J]

Both teams have some offensive issues for me, with Laimbeer lacking plus playmakers and Snake having just OK spacing around Brand. I think I can live with the latter more as it's mitigated by high-IQ operators like Gasol, Cassell, and Butler. I'm really not a fan of Ant and Kyrie being lead ballhandlers; combined with Kawhi, it just seems like that will result in too many stagnant possessions against an elite Snake defense.

Vote: Snakebites

[Larry_Russell]

I agree mostly with what Fade has posted here.

I think I like Cassell and Butler working with a front court consisting of Gasol and Brand a bit more.
OFfense might be a little bogged down, but it will absoltuely be effective whereas Laimbeers trio of Kawhi, Ant and Kyrie could be elite, it could also be a my turn your turn offense.

Vote Snake

[flaco]

I think Laimbeer has the edge in top-end talent, fit and depth. Kawhi is the best player in the series. Butler and Brand are both interior-oriented scorers resulting in potential spacing issues, especially since they'd be carrying a big part of the scoring load. Heat Ray Allen providing cover at PG seems like a questionable choice on both ends of the floor. I guess Edwards or Kawhi would be the de facto playmakers.

Vote: Laimbeer

[Dr Positivity]

Snake has the chemistry advantage here with proven Cassell/Brand combo while i don't love Irving, Edwards and Kawhi sharing it. Vote Snakebites.

[durantbird]

Snake advances