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).
We'll be using a AI vote when a matchup seems stuck. AI vote counts for a single vote.
PG: Jrue Holiday 2021 - 13.9 SG: Ray Allen 2001 - 16.0 SF: OG Anunoby 2020 - 8.2 PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo 2019 - 17.3 C: Karl-Anthony Towns 2024 - 15.3
Bench: Tyus Jones 2017 - 3.0 Bench: Danny Green 2019 - 7.9 Bench: Marc Gasol 2020 - 6.3
Rotation: PG: Jrue Holiday 39 / Tyus Jones 9 SG: Ray Allen 38 / Danny Green 10 SF: OG Anunoby 30 / Danny Green 18 PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo 38 / Karl-Anthony Towns 10 C: Karl-Anthony Towns 26 / Marc Gasol 22
87.9/88
Vs
C - Horford (36), Grant (12) PF - Grant (24), Jones (24) SF - Middleton (27), Ingles (18) SG - Jordan (37), Middleton (11) PG - Billups (37), Daniels (8), Jordan (3)
Matchup - Defensive assignments Holiday on Billups, Anunoby vs MJ, Allen on Middleton, Giannis/Gasol on Grant, Towns on Horford. - We match up well here. Anunoby is a great defender for MJ, but he has no minute to breath with less defensive intensity as OG's replacement is Danny Green, and Holiday will also see some MJ. All three are superb defenders for him. Also Giannis will also be pretty effective as help defender guarding Grant. Holiday as Billups' main defender will disrupt ball movement. - We've got a superb fit around Giannis. Allen is the perfect second guy for him, while Towns and Gasol are both the perfect spacing bigs to play alongside him - while Towns enables more dynamic offense, and Gasol who plays significant minutes next to Giannis enables a balanced two way impact and even more room for Giannis to roam. Holiday, Anunoby and Green are also perfect in their roles providing spacing and offensive versatility. - I don't think Fade has a second option comparable to Allen, while Holiday Towns provide great 3-4 punch. Towns spreading the floor means they'll mostly rely on Grant man to man defense, which can only slow Giannis to some extent. I think Toronto Green and Gasol form a stronger bench than Herb and Ingles.
31.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.7 spg, 1.0 bpg, .539 FG%, .312 3P%, .851 FT%, .605 TS% - Led the NBA in ppg, PER (31.6), OWS (14.9), WS (20.3), WS/48 (.321), OBPM (8.9), BPM (12.0), VORP (10.8) - NBA Champion - NBA MVP - Finals MVP - NBA All-Star - All-NBA First Team - All-Defensive First Team
Rotations C - Horford (36), Grant (12) PF - Grant (24), Jones (24) SF - Middleton (27), Ingles (18) SG - Jordan (37), Middleton (11) PG - Billups (37), Daniels (8), Jordan (3)
FGA Per Player
Spoiler:
Michael Jordan - 22.4 Chauncey Billups - 11.2 Al Horford - 12.8 Khris Middleton - 15.3 Horace Grant - 9.8 Herb Jones - 7.7 Joe Ingles - 5.5 Antonio Daniels - 2.8 (3.0)
Total: 87.5/88.0
The idea with this team was to surround MJ with shooting and playmaking to weaponise him as a pure scorer. Billups and Middleton are pretty much the ideal archetype of perimeter players to flank MJ: lethal shooters who can punish double teams, but also capable creators who can allow MJ to operate off ball. Horford adds more passing and shooting, and Grant is a great finisher both at the rim and from the midrange. Ingles and Jones will knock down open shots off the bench. We also have great defensive versatility with a huge backcourt rotation, rangy wings, and two switchable bigs in Horford and Grant.
Matchup - Initial assignments will be Billups-Jrue, Middleton-Allen, MJ-OG, Horford-Giannis, Grant-KAT. When Giannis attacks in transition, both bigs are capable of being the primary defender while the other provides help at the rim. We trust our wings to help behind the play and take away any open threes for KAT, who isn't particularly good at punishing smaller players in the post. - With KAT as the primary defender, Horford will serve as the main screener for our perimeter trio both on and off the ball. MJ is a master at moving without the ball, and allowing him to curl around screens from a capable shooter like Horford is a great way to free him up as well as draw KAT away from the basket. Additionally, we will run some 2-3 two-man game to draw Allen into the action against MJ. - We don't have a second option as good as Allen, but do we have probably the greatest first option the game has ever seen. Middleton, Billups, Horford, and Grant are more than enough support, especially given how strong we are on the other end.
This one is close. OG/Jrue is a fantastic defensive combo against Jordan, I'm not putting Green on Prime MJ he's way way too quick even if Green was much younger. Prefer Green on Middleton/Billups that's a much better match. But the verstality is amazing on team D. But yeah those two are incredible. Seen Jrue guard 1-5 on several occasions, going from Brunson switch to Randle is nuts. OG is strong as an ox and can go 1-4 easy.
While there is an advantage with Giannis/Towns they don't function the same as Giannis/Lopez (obviously being the better defender) and Towns can get outside shot happy, though Gasol is a great get.
Ultimately I like DB's bench a lot more in this matchup and size, Grant isn't a C even though he's a fantastic rebounder for his size. And Herb is definetly not a 4 (1/2/3 split) and definetly not for 24 mins in game.
Prioritise synergy, functionality and matchups above all else.
I like both teams and initially thought Fade but DB's frontcourt 3 + perimeter D wins out personally
Pretty close but I think the matchup is slightly better for durantbird with good defenders for Fade's two guards and I like those Green and Gasol minutes off the bench. I don't love that he had to use 19 Giannis but it can be a well rounded team win. Vote durantbird.
It's going to be a glorious day... I feel my luck could change
These teams are both more or less ideal in their constructions around their top players. I do think that Fade’s front court has good size and mobility to go up against Giannis.
This is a very tough call. I’m going to Vote Fade- Jordan is comfortably the best player and he’s surrounded with guys who maximize him and give vice versa.
Fade has a fantastic fit around MJ, but at the cost of more talent/higher overall ceiling. db's squad is superbly well-rounded and much higher offensive ceiling imo.
