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).
18.3 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 2.8 bpg, .612 FG%, .592 FT%, .630 TS% - Led the NBA in rpg, bpg, FG%, DWS (7.1), DBPM (2.8) - Defensive Player of the Year - NBA All-Star - All-NBA First Team - All-Defensive First Team
Rotations C - Howard (38), Towns (10) PF - Towns (28), Isaac (18), Highsmith (2) SF - Anunoby (36), Highsmith (12) SG - Wade (38), Suggs (10) PG - Conley (37), Suggs (11)
FGA Per Player
Spoiler:
Dwyane Wade - 19.6 Dwight Howard - 10.2 Mike Conley - 14.6 OG Anunoby - 8.2 Karl-Anthony Towns - 15.3 Jalen Suggs - 9.5 Jonathan Isaac - 4.9 Haywood Highsmith - 5.0
Total: 87.3/88.0
My team is built to maximise the insane rim pressure applied by Wade and Dwight. Conley is the perfect PG for this team, as he's comfortable running the show himself but also a good enough shooter to play off Wade. KAT spaces the floor for Dwight, and also has some underrated interior passing chops which he showed off playing alongside Gobert. Between those four complementary stars, we can run out any number of combinations to keep things humming offensively. The rest of the roster is populated by high-level 3-and-D role players in OG, Suggs, Isaac, and Highsmith, all of whom slot in perfectly alongside the core four both ends.
Matchup - Once again, OG takes the toughest perimeter matchup in Harden, while Wade rests on Battier. Suggs also spends a good chunk of his minutes guarding Harden. Given that this is the period where Harden began to decline as a dominant offensive force, he's in for a tough time facing those two sharks for 48 minutes. - Orlando Shaq doesn't have the same massive weight advantage as the Laker version, so Dwight should at least do a serviceable job. In any case, given Siakam's erratic outside shooting, we'll keep KAT in the vicinity to help if needs be. - Beyond Shaq vs. Dwight, I believe we have a clear offensive advantage when the rosters are taken in totality. Wade-Conley is certainly a more dynamic backcourt than Harden-Lowry given the seasons in question, and KAT is a level or two above Siakam as a shooter and overall scorer. - While Battier is a great defender, his skill set is more suited to bigger wings than an explosive guard like Wade. There will definitely be times when Wade's first step is too much for him. - Having two guards of the calibre of Wade and Conley gives us different ways to attack Shaq in the pick-and-roll. Wade is a monster at getting downhill and finishing in traffic, while Conley can also get to the basket but is also deadly with the pullup three. Either way, the lob or dumpoff to Dwight is also available if Shaq makes any mistakes in his coverages.
C - Howard (38), Towns (10) PF - Towns (28), Isaac (18), Highsmith (2) SF - Anunoby (36), Highsmith (12) SG - Wade (38), Suggs (10) PG - Conley (37), Suggs (11)
- Matchup: Battier vs Wade, Lowry vs Conley, Harden vs Anunoby, Siakam vs Towns, Shaq vs Howard. - We match up perfectly, with Wade having to face one of the best wing defenders of all time in Battier, plus McDaniels and Parker lurking off the bench. Towns Howard vs Siakam Shaq is an interesting matchup, but Shaq is an elite offensive weapon that will make Dwight's life challenging and occupy him to the fullest preventing him from helping effectively. Siakam is great against Towns. - Harden Shaq is better as an offensive duo to Wade Howard. Rest of the team is pretty similar, and with this much elite defense against Wade, I think we've got the upper hand.
Very similarly talented teams, but Fade has a decent edge defensively. Harden/Siakam/Shaq is not the greatest defensive trio in the world while the only questionable defender in Fade's starting group is KAT but he was significantly improved on that end last season. Suggs and Isaac are also both elite defenders off of the bench. Ultimately I think db has a bit too many guys to potentially attack.
Durantbird has more talent but too much pressure on 21 Harden for me here and I think Siakam/Shaq frontcourt isn't the best fit for him or with each other either. Vote Fade.
It's going to be a glorious day... I feel my luck could change
