Post#2 » by durantbird » Tue Jul 8, 2025 6:49 am
PG: Jrue Holiday 24' - 10.0 - North American, non All NBA
SG: Kawhi Leonard 17' - 17.7 - North American, All NBA
SF: Andrei Kirilenko 05' - 10.2 - Asian
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo 21' - 18.0 - European
C: Kristaps Porzingis 24' - 13.2 - European
Bench: Steve Kerr 97' - 5.7 - Additional non North American (Asian)
Bench: Andre Iguodala 16' - 5.7 - North American, non All NBA
Bench: Serge Ibaka 12' - 7.4 - African
Rotation:
PG: Jrue Holiday 32 / Steve Kerr 16
SG: Kawhi Leonard 38 / Andre Iguodala 10
SF: Andrei Kirilenko 32 / Andre Iguodala 16
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo 38 / Serge Ibaka 6 / Andrei Kirilenko 4
C: Kristaps Porzingis 30 / Serge Ibaka 18
87.9/88
Defensive Matchups:
* Steph Curry – Jrue Holiday (primary), Kawhi Leonard (help/trap)
* Desmond Bane – Andrei Kirilenko
* Nic Batum – Technically Kawhi Leonard (but his focus is on Curry)
* Chet Holmgren – Kristaps Porzingis
* Nikola Jokić – Giannis Antetokounmpo (primary)
Defense:
My defensive plan is built around eliminating their primary creators and forcing the ball into lower-usage hands. Jrue face-guards Curry to deny rhythm and touches, while Kawhi shadows as a secondary defender — ready to trap on handoffs, disrupt off-ball actions, and contest late-clock shots. I want Curry pressured constantly. We’ve seen that even the best versions of Curry can struggle against defenses that switch intelligently and show him two bodies on the catch.
Giannis is the primary defender on Jokić. He has the strength to hold his ground, the length to challenge cleanly, and the mobility to disrupt actions before they fully develop. By limiting help, we shrink Jokić’s passing lanes and force him into slower, more deliberate scoring. With Curry tightly guarded, Jokić loses his cleanest outlet.
Kirilenko tracks Bane through movement, switches selectively, and helps disrupt the Curry–Jokić two-man game. He’s also tasked with denying skip and outlet passes. Porzingis plays off Holmgren, sagging to protect the rim and rotate baseline. I’m willing to let Batum or Chet lead the offense if it means keeping Curry and Jokić out of rhythm.
Our defense is a high-discipline, targeted scheme — built around elite individual stoppers who can rotate with purpose, communicate early, and force the game into the hands of the least dangerous options.
Offense:
Offensively, we attack with balance and versatility. Giannis is our primary downhill threat and playmaker, collapsing the defense and kicking out to capable shooters in Porzingis, Jrue, Kawhi, Kerr, and Kirilenko. Kawhi provides elite isolation scoring and mid-post creation, especially in the halfcourt and late clock. Jrue handles initiation under pressure, while also being a capable slasher and pull-up threat.
Giannis is a walking mismatch. Holmgren lacks the strength to guard him effectively, and forcing Jokić to contain Giannis can backfire disastrously. Porzingis stretches opposing bigs away from the rim, especially if Chet or Bol is on him, creating valuable space for Giannis and Kawhi to operate. Kirilenko plays the connective role — cutting, facilitating ball movement, and punishing overhelp with smart decisions. Our starting five has no clear weak link offensively, allowing us to adapt smoothly between slower halfcourt sets and open-floor transition.
Against their Curry–Bane–Jokić core, we’ll aggressively target mismatches, force switches, and punish softer defenders like Curry and Bol. Giannis in transition remains a constant weapon, and Kawhi can take over scoring duties in clutch moments.
Depth:
We’re bringing prime Andrei Kirilenko — a borderline All-NBA two-way weapon — as our fifth option. That’s a luxury most teams can’t match. And while Toni Kukoc is a valuable bench piece for them, we counter with a trio that brings playoff-tested IQ, spacing, and defense.
Steve Kerr gives us elite shooting and smart off-ball movement in short bursts. Iguodala provides switchable defense, secondary playmaking, and high-IQ cuts. Ibaka offers mobile rim protection and a reliable pick-and-pop option. All three complement our stars and maintain our defensive principles without sacrificing offensive cohesion.
Compare that to Bol Bol and Matisse Thybulle — specialists who shrink the floor or get hunted defensively — and we simply outclass them in terms of reliable, two-way depth.
We’re built to hold leads, close games, and stay disciplined through all 48 minutes.
