Infrequent Finalist Franchises - R1 - Laimbeer vs Fadeaway_J*

[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. Once the writeups are posted, I will add a poll, and the team with the most votes after 24 hours will advance. [b][u]EACH MANAGER SHOULD ALSO VOTE FOR THEIR OWN TEAM IN THE POLL - IF YOU FAIL TO DO THIS, YOU ARE SIMPLY GIVING AWAY A VOTE.[/u][/b] If the votes are tied, we will decide the matchup via AI vote.

You are not required to state or explain your vote, but you are free to comment in the thread if you want to.

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).

[quote="Laimbeer"] [/quote]
[quote="Fadeaway_J"] [/quote]

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Nikola Jokic (2022-23)

Spoiler:

24.5 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 9.8 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.7 bpg, .623 FG%, .383 3P%, .822 FT%, 57 3P (0.8 pg), .701 TS%
- Led the NBA in PER (31.5), TS%, OWS (11.2), WS (14.9), WS/48 (.308), OBPM (8.5), DBPM (4.5), BPM (13.0), VORP (8.8)
- NBA Champion
- NBA Finals MVP
- All-NBA Second Team

PF - Rasheed Wallace (2002-03)

Spoiler:

18.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.0 bpg, .471 FG%, .358 3P%, .735 FT%, 110 3P (1.5 pg), .552 TS%

SF - Khris Middleton (2019-20)

Spoiler:

20.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.1 bpg, .497 FG%, .415 3P%, .916 FT%, 147 3P (2.4 pg), .619 TS%
- NBA All-Star

SG - 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%

PG - Penny Hardaway (1995-96)

Spoiler:

21.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 7.1 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, .513 FG%, .314 3P%*, .767 FT%, 89 3P (1.1 pg), .605 TS%
* shortened line
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team

Bench
F - Jonathan Isaac (2023-24)

Spoiler:

6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.2 bpg, .510 FG%, .375 3P%, .720 FT%, 42 3P (0.7 pg), .610 TS%

G - JJ Redick (2009-10)

Spoiler:

9.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.3 spg, 0.0 bpg, .439 FG%, .405 3P%, .860 FT%, 111 3P (1.4 pg), .606 TS%

G - Don Buse (1978-79)

Spoiler:

7.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, .495 FG%, .769 FT%, .519 TS%
- All-Defensive First Team

Rotations
C - Jokic (38), Wallace (10)
PF - Wallace (27), Isaac (15), Middleton (6)
SF - Middleton (32), Bridges (16)
SG - Bridges (20), Redick (20), Hardaway (8)
PG - Hardaway (30), Buse (18)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Nikola Jokic - 14.8
Penny Hardaway - 14.8
Rasheed Wallace - 14.8
Mikal Bridges - 9.3
Khris Middleton - 15.3
Jonathan Isaac - 4.9
Don Buse - 7.0
JJ Redick - 6.7

Total: 87.8/88.0

We have a dominant inside-outside combo in Jokic-Penny with excellent shooting around them. Penny's explosive off-the-dribble game should be enhanced running handoffs with Jokic. Middleton is an awesome third option as he can space the floor for both superstars as well as do some creation of his own. Sheed should be very comfortable in this setting where he isn't expected to be a primary scorer and can focus on defending and spacing the floor. Defensively, we have a good much of size, speed, and versatility on the perimeter, while Sheed and Isaac provide the rim protection to complement the more ground-bound Jokic.

Matchup
- We'll defend pretty much straight up, except Bridges primarily guards Kawhi and Middleton Drexler. Siakam isn't a reliable outside shooter, so Sheed shades off him to provide more help at the rim.
- The main focus for us will be leveraging Jokic's perimeter game, running pick-and-roll and hand-offs with Penny and Middleton to drag Sabonis out of his comfort zone. Penny in particular should do some damage getting downhill against limited rim protection.
- Between Middleton, Bridges, Sheed, Jokic, Redick, and Isaac, we have a clear edge in outside shooting across the rosters.

Good luck Laimbeer.

[Laimbeer]

Arvydas Sabonis ( 1996 ) 9.9
Pascal Siakam ( 2019 ) 11.8
Kawhi Leonard ( 2019 ) 18.8
Clyde Drexler ( 1991 ) 16.3
Deron Williams ( 2010 ) 13.9

Marcin Gortat ( 2009 ) 3
Detlef Schrempf ( 1991 ) 10.1
Jon Barry ( 2001 ) 4.1

87.9

Arvydas Sabonis (36) / Marcin Gortat (12)
Pascal Siakam (36) / Detlef Schrempf(12)
Kawhi Leonard (30) / Detlef Schrempf (18)
Clyde Drexler (38) / Kawhi Leonard (10)
Deron Williams (38) / Jon Barry (10)

Good luck, Fade.

Offensively, we're a handful with Deron and Arvydas distributing and scorers all around. Jokić is meh defensively and Bridges is a little light on Kawhi, who likes to use his bulk to work on the offensive end.

Defensively, Arvydas is smart and bulky in countering Jokic. We'll play straight up and have a pretty decent cover all-around.

Detlef is the only needle-mover on either bench.

[durantbird]

Ready for votes. Laimbeer and Fade, please vote for yourselves

[Snakebites]

Apologies for not completing my team this time.

Truthfully, I lost the motivation. Been doing these games for a long time.

I may be considering a break for a few games, unless a shorter form draft or non draft is played- those I’d play. I find my interest level in the longer form drafts replenishes after missing a couple.

[durantbird]

I voted Fade. I think heavy footed Sabonis trying to chase Jokic around is quite an issue, although Beer is a list bit deeper

[durantbird]

Fade advances