Same Standing Pairs Draft - CHAMPIONSHIP - Fadeaway_J* vs MadNess

[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.**

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Jarrett Allen (2022-23)

Spoiler:

14.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.2 bpg, .644 FG%, .733 FT%, .670 TS%

PF - LeBron James (2016-17)

Spoiler:

26.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 8.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.6 bpg, .548 FG%, .363 3P%, .674 FT%, 124 3P (1.7 pg), .619 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team

SF - Mikal Bridges (2020-21)

Spoiler:

13.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.9 bpg, .543 FG%, .425 3P%, .840 FT%, 134 3P (1.9 pg), .667 TS%

SG - Devin Booker (2022-23)

Spoiler:

- 27.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.3 bpg, .494 FG%, .351 3P%, .855 FT%, 183 3P (2.1 pg), .601 TS%

PG - Kyle Lowry (2017-18)

Spoiler:

16.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 6.9 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.2 bpg, .427 FG%, .399 3P%, .854 FT%, 238 3P (3.1 pg), .598 TS%
- NBA All-Star

Bench
C - Steven Adams (2020-21)

Spoiler:

7.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.7 bpg, .614 FG%, .444 FT%, .596 TS%

F - P.J. Tucker (2021-22)

Spoiler:

7.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.2 bpg, .484 FG%, .415 3P%, .738 FT%, 80 3P (1.1 pg), .593 TS%

G - Patrick Beverley (2021-22)

Spoiler:

9.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.9 bpg, .406 FG%, .343 3P%, .722 FT%, 56 3P (1.4 pg), .580 TS%

Rotations
C - Allen (30), Adams (18)
PF - James (28), Tucker (20)
SF - Bridges (36), James (12)
SG - Booker (38), Beverley (10)
PG - Lowry (37), Beverley (11)

Matchup
- Defensive assignments will be Lowry-Steph, Booker-Marion, Bridges-Wade, LeBron-Love, Allen-Gobert. Tucker and Beverley provide additional defensive options off the bench. Our only relative weak spot is Booker who has developed into an adequate defender. The Lowry/Bev duo is a great tandem to throw at Steph, and we have LeBron on his most dangerous potential screening/handoff partner (Love), which should allow us to contain those actions as well as you can reasonably hope for.
- We've got the familiar four-out alignment, with a key trump card being that we have other high-level creators around LeBron. Booker is an expert off-ball operator, but you can also give him the ball at the top and have him run pick-and-roll or drive-and-kick. Ditto Lowry. Not only does this enhance Allen's hyper-efficient roll man game, it also unlocks some actions where LeBron screens for Booker or Lowry and then causes havoc on the short roll.
- Similar to KAT in the previous round, LeBron matches up well with Love in that he's mobile enough to stick with him out to the three-point line, but also too strong to concede the kind of easy post-up buckets Love can feast on against most wings.
- This is a good series for both LeBron and Booker to go matchup hunting, as we can use Bridges and Lowry as screeners to try and force favourable matchups against Love and Steph. Because both screeners are excellent shooters, the margin for error in defending these actions is almost nil.
- Wade guarding Booker while going up against Bridges on the other end is an exacting workload which should have at least some impact on his overall effectiveness.

Good luck Ness.

[MadNESS]

Team Wurry

PG: Steph Curry (40) | Gary Payton III (8) | Dwayne Wade
SG: Dwyane Wade (40) | Gary Payton III (8) | Steph Curry
SF: Royce O’Neale (32) | Shawn Marion (16) | Dwyane Wade
PF: Shawn Marion (20) | Kevin Love (28) | Reggie Evans
Cc: Rudy Gobert (34) | Kevin Love (6) | Reggie Evans (8)

(14’-15’) Steph Curry - 16.8 FGA
(22’-23’) Royce O’Neale - 7.8 FGA
(09’-10’) Dwyane Wade - 19.6 FGA
(22’-23’) Rudy Gobert - 7.8 FGA
(06’-07’) Shawn Marion - 13.4 FGA
(15’-16’) Kevin Love - 12.7 FGA
(21’-22’) Gary Payton II - 4.8 FGA
(12’-13’) Reggie Evans - 3.3 FGA

Total: 86.2 | 88.0

Write Up:

Plan on playing straight up man defense now with Marion starting at the 4 (on Bron) and O’Neale at the 3 on Bridges.

This should take away Bron’s advantage over Love. Marion at peak was a great defender and good size and athleticism to stay in front of LeBron. Yeah LeBron is the best player on the series, but I have the second and third best by quite a bit here.

Curry and Wade is the best back court in the game by a lot. There’s no difference here. Bridges on Wade will be a problem. He much faster and quicker.

Curry and Wade will be able to get whatever they want here. Royce and Marion now bring strong defense at the wings. Gobert shutting the paint down.

This now gives me the best 6th man now with Kevin Love coming off the bench. Think about that.

Team “Wurry” makes a minor change to the line up to make a major move to win the championship!

Vote NESS! Don’t settle for the “LeBron” effect!

Curry and Wade hoist the trophy!

[Dr Positivity]

I like MadNESS having 2 of the 3 superstars and his defense should be in pretty good shape with the defensive adjustment and Marion on Lebron and Gobert being able to stay closer to the rim against Allen, I also think Marion is a good fit with Curry/Wade backcourt. I don't love the Evans minutes but Love is the best reserve. Vote MadNESS.

[wackbone]

Fade's team just makes more sense to me. Super well balanced. I prefer his end of rotation guys too.

Vote: Fade

[durantbird]

Echoing Dr P. I prefer MadNess and his leading duo, even though this is a weak year for Gobert (though a lot due to still building chemistry).

Vote MadNess

[Larry_Russell]

I like fades team here.

Got the right type of team for LEbron. Lots of target to pass to here. Vertical threat in the middle and 3 shooters on the wings.


Great defense too and a nice bench.

Vote Fade

[Snakebites]

I love both of these teams and think both are in a decent position to defend against the other.

I think starting Royce O’Neal is a bold move but makes sense, and I think Love would still be effective off the bench.

At the end of the day I’m kind of a sucker for the synergy between Wade and Curry, but I’m not sure the juice in the front court and off the bench is quite enough here with Fade having a large edge in both aspects.

Extremely tough call, but I’ll go with

Fade

I didn’t want to vote against either of these teams.

[durantbird]

Fade wins!!

[Fadeaway_J]

Wow, that was a roller-coaster of a playoff run

GG Ness

[Snakebites]

Wow, that was a roller-coaster of a playoff run

GG Ness

Championship despite almost losing (going down 0-2) against Square.

That was a brutal first round matchup.

[Fadeaway_J]

Wow, that was a roller-coaster of a playoff run

GG Ness

Championship despite almost losing (going down 0-2) against Square.

That was a brutal first round matchup.

If I recall correctly, the last time he played Square beat my LeBron team in the first round and won the championship. Was definitely getting a sense of deja vu there.

I may start using 2017 LeBron more often. It's only 0.4 FGA more than 2013, and as uber alluded to earlier, I think he reached a new level of offensive mastery those last couple of years in Cleveland.

[Snakebites]

Wow, that was a roller-coaster of a playoff run

GG Ness

Championship despite almost losing (going down 0-2) against Square.

That was a brutal first round matchup.

If I recall correctly, the last time he played Square beat my LeBron team in the first round and won the championship. Was definitely getting a sense of deja vu there.

I may start using 2017 LeBron more often. It's only 0.4 FGA more than 2013, and as uber alluded to earlier, I think he reached a new level of offensive mastery those last couple of years in Cleveland.

I’m a bit concerned he’ll be overpowered in the current game.

[Fadeaway_J]

Championship despite almost losing (going down 0-2) against Square.

That was a brutal first round matchup.

If I recall correctly, the last time he played Square beat my LeBron team in the first round and won the championship. Was definitely getting a sense of deja vu there.

I may start using 2017 LeBron more often. It's only 0.4 FGA more than 2013, and as uber alluded to earlier, I think he reached a new level of offensive mastery those last couple of years in Cleveland.

I’m a bit concerned he’ll be overpowered in the current game.

To be honest, I rarely see LeBron teams ending up as overpowered as people suggest. I certainly wouldn't expect it in a draft involving the other members of what I call the Holy Trinity (Kawhi and KD), and a very strong SF crop in general.

FWIW, LeBron and Kawhi are now tied for the most wins (41), with KD and another player not far off. Considering LeBron is eligible for almost every draft and has a very strong GOAT argument, that's about what you would expect. A lot depends on who you get to pair him with at the end of the second - there are times when you have to end up sacrificing either talent or fit, which isn't as much of a concern with KD or Kawhi for example.

[Snakebites]

If I recall correctly, the last time he played Square beat my LeBron team in the first round and won the championship. Was definitely getting a sense of deja vu there.

I may start using 2017 LeBron more often. It's only 0.4 FGA more than 2013, and as uber alluded to earlier, I think he reached a new level of offensive mastery those last couple of years in Cleveland.

I’m a bit concerned he’ll be overpowered in the current game.

To be honest, I rarely see LeBron teams ending up as overpowered as people suggest. I certainly wouldn't expect it in a draft involving the other members of what I call the Holy Trinity (Kawhi and KD), and a very strong SF crop in general.

FWIW, LeBron and Kawhi are now tied for the most wins (41), with KD and another player not far off. Considering LeBron is eligible for almost every draft and has a very strong GOAT argument, that's about what you would expect. A lot depends on who you get to pair him with at the end of the second - there are times when you have to end up sacrificing either talent or fit, which isn't as much of a concern with KD or Kawhi for example.

He’s the only GOAT candidate. That’s my concern.

[Fadeaway_J]

I’m a bit concerned he’ll be overpowered in the current game.

To be honest, I rarely see LeBron teams ending up as overpowered as people suggest. I certainly wouldn't expect it in a draft involving the other members of what I call the Holy Trinity (Kawhi and KD), and a very strong SF crop in general.

FWIW, LeBron and Kawhi are now tied for the most wins (41), with KD and another player not far off. Considering LeBron is eligible for almost every draft and has a very strong GOAT argument, that's about what you would expect. A lot depends on who you get to pair him with at the end of the second - there are times when you have to end up sacrificing either talent or fit, which isn't as much of a concern with KD or Kawhi for example.

He’s the only GOAT candidate. That’s my concern.

That isn't out of the ordinary.