Team SquareRosterG/F
Gary Payton II '22:
15/7/2/3/1 per 36 on 62 FG% and 36 3FG%, +4 BPM (+7 Playoffs),
NBA ChampF/G
Khris Middleton '20:
21/6/4 on 50/42/92 shooting, +4 BPM,
All-StarF/G
Lebron James '17:
26/9/9 on 62 TS%, (Playoffs 33/9/8), +8 BPM, +10 Playoff BPM,
5th in DPoY, All-NBA 1stF/G
Mike Miller '15: had a pet monkey
F/G
Jimmy Butler '23:
23/6/5/2 on 54/35/85 shooting, (Playoffs 27/7/6), +9 BPM,
All-NBA 2ndF
Lamar Odom '09:
11/8/3/1/1, 32 3P%, 2nd in NBA in RAPM,
NBA ChampF/C
Chet Holmgren '24:
17/8/2/2/1 on 53/37/79 shooting, +3 BPMC
Myles Turner '25:
16/7/2/2/1 on 48/40/77 shootingPicks, FGA, etc.:Rotation:G Middleton 38 / Lebron 10
G Butler 38 / GP2 10
F Lebron 30 / GP2 10 / Miller 8
F Holmgren 20 / Odom 28
C Turner 34 / Holmgren 14
About Team Square:The goal was to build an absolutely huge team around Lebron without sacrificing skill, and I think we got there. Physicality, shooting, defense. Guys who have come up big in the playoffs.
Offensively, we have shooting to space the floor around Lebron and Playoff Jimmy attacking the rim. Butler's cutting and quick seals and Middleton's shooting make them both great secondary offensive options next to Lebron, and our bigs invert the floor to tie opposing defenses in knots guarding Lebron. Guards get mercilessly attacked by our size and physicality. Odom gives another huge and creative playmaker off the bench.
Defensively, our perimeter is huge and nasty and we have two high level shot-blockers to clean up messes.
Vs. Snakebites:Snake has built a great defensive team, but I think our offense is just more creative and reliable. He lacks the elite playmaking he'd need to keep pace with us, and overall I'd bet on us slowing him down more than the reverse.
Defensively, we can play the starters straight up without too much trouble. The fact that he starts not one but two low-usage offensive players in Wallace and Iguodala means that we should be able to bottle up his offense pretty well. Turner (guarding Wallace) can roam
and Lebron can play free safety to blow up actions. GP2 off the bench can put out fires against Billups or Allen. I don't think he has the explosive scorers or all-around beautiful offense he'd need to put up points efficiently against our size.
On the other end, obviously Iggy/KG/Wallace is as good a defensive trio as it gets and nothing I say can minimize that. I do think there are enough seams for our explosive playmakers to do more damage than his offense though. We can attack Allen whenever we want with isos or screening actions. Towns being on the floor causes big issues defensively against a team with playmaking wings and shooting bigs.
So overall I'd bet on a physical series, with Lebron+Jimmy finding ways to push our offense over the top while he struggles to score as much against our size.
Good luck Snakebites.
