Least Playoff Appearances Franchises Draft - R1 - Dr Positivity* vs flaco

[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**

[flaco]

Best of luck, Dr P!

Rotations
PG: Jason Kidd (38) / Delon Wright (10)
SG: Mikal Bridges (38) / Delon Wright (10)
SF: Paul George (38) / James Posey (10)
PF: Kevin Durant (38) / James Posey (10)
C: DeAndre Jordan (32) / Steven Adams (16)

Offense
KD is my #1 option. I'd argue he's the best pure scorer in the draft. PG13 and Bridges provide additional 3-level scoring. This is Brooklyn Bridges who was used as a #1 option. I'd only ask him to play 3rd fiddle behind KD and George. Kidd keeps everyone involved, hence he keeps everyone happy. DeAndre is the epitome of a PnR big. He sets hard picks and then rolls to the basket. He was scoring a whopping 1.40 PPP as a roll man in his selected season which ranked in the 97.3rd percentile.

Defense
Literally all players on the roster are plus defenders, to say the least. No weak links for opposing teams to attack. DeAndre drops. Chandler cannot force him to step outside of his comfort zone. We got plenty of versatile wing defenders to throw at LeBron. Even Kidd did a terrific job on LeBron in the 2011 Finals. DeAndre got their back in the paint in case LeBron beats them off the dribble.

Depth
I think we have a considerable depth advantage. Posey was a starter on a championship team. Adams was a starter on a 56-26 team (2nd best record in the league). Delon Wright was a rotation player on a 59-23 team (again, 2nd best record in the league).

FGA
2022 Kevin Durant 20.3
2020 Paul George 16.3
2006 Jason Kidd 11.3
2024 Mikal Bridges 15.8
2006 James Posey 5.9
2016 DeAndre Jordan 6.6
2018 Delon Wright 6.3
2022 Steven Adams 5.1

Total: 87.6

[Dr Positivity]

PG: Deron Williams (2013: 14.4 FGA)
SG: Vince Carter (2000: 20.7 FGA)
SF: Kyle Korver (2018: 6.6 FGA)
PF: Lebron James (2013: 17.8 FGA)
C: Tyson Chandler (2008: 7.7 FGA)

PG: Matthew Dellavedova (2015: 4.6 FGA)
PF: Kevin Love (2018: 12.4 FGA)
C: Marcin Gortat (2009: 3.0 FGA)

87.2 / 88

PG: Deron Williams (40) / Matthew Dellavedova (8)
SG: Vince Carter (38) / Matthew Dellavedova (10)
SF: Kyle Korver (26) / Lebron James (20) / Vince Carter (2)
PF: Lebron James (20) / Kevin Love (28)
C: Tyson Chandler (38) / Marcin Gortat (8) / Kevin Love (2)

GL flaco

Defensive matchups: Deron on Kidd, Korver on Bridges, Carter on George, Lebron on Durant, Chandler on Deandre

We're trying a smaller lineup here. We have pretty efficient formula with Lebron and shooters around him including several of his Cavs, while Chandler is rim roller and defender who can stay near the rim playing Deandre, who I don't believe was ever as impactful as prime Chandler. Bridges, George and Durant's offensive games overlap and they could get caught up doing too many isos who don't have the ball handling skills of Lebron or Deron. When Lebron sits we're going to play Deron and Love together since I believe they're a good fit. Delly is more proven in the playoffs than young Delon.

[Fadeaway_J]

Presumably Dr P is downsizing for defensive purposes, but that's not a great selling point when the wing you're adding is 36-year-old Korver. Either way, I prefer Dr P's offensive group with LeBron as the #1 option and Deron more of a scoring threat at PG than Kidd; on the other hand, there is a considerable gap between these two teams defensively, and flaco's 6th-8th men are also superior. I just don't think flaco's stars (outside of KD) are quite consistent enough as scorers to exploit Dr P's weaknesses at the other end, or at least not enough to overcome the offensive gap.

Vote: Dr Positivity

[durantbird]

I think too much relies on LeBron on the defensive side. Yes, Dr P's offense is better, particularly I'm not a fan of Kidd or Mikal as third options versus Deron/Love, but flaco has built a defensive juggernaut which is still very capable offensively, while Dr P's defense can be exploited.

Vote flaco

[wackbone]

Very much comes down to offense vs defense here. Overall I trust Kidd-Mikal-PG-KD to figure it out offensively much more than I trust several of Dr. P's players to have workable defense.

Vote: flaco

[JimmyPlopper]

LeBron and Vince in their prime vs an older Durant as the number one option. While I do like the defense for flaco, I think talent should be the difference maker.
Vote DP

[Snakebites]

In theory I prefer a team revolving around Durant and PG, but the versions used here cut into that some, particularly defensively. I also don’t really trust DAJ as a starting center at this level.

I’d have probably just pressed the size advantage for Dr P rather than putting Korver in- I don’t think Dr P really has the roster to go small like that, but even with that misstep I prefer his team by a hair.

Vote Dr P

[Dr Positivity]

GG

I'm glad starting old Korver didn't finish me... I didn't like having to put Love or Chandler on Bridges or something.

[durantbird]

Dr P advances