Franchise Pairs by Common Theme - Play in - MadNess vs Laimbeer*

[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. 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. 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).

[MadNESS]

PG: Chauncey Billups (24) | Tim Hardaway (24) | Reggie Miller
SG: Reggie Miller (22) | Chauncey Billups (14) | Tim Hardaway (12)
SF: Mikal Bridges (26) | Reggie Miller (14) | Josh Okogie (8)
PF: Rashard Lewis (38) | Mikal Bridges (10) | Josh Okogie
Cc: Shaquille O’Neal (36) | Manute Bol (12) | Rashard Lewis



05’-06’ Chauncey Billups 12.5 FGA
MVP (5) | All NBA 2 | All Star | 43% 3’s

97’-98’ Reggie Miller 13.3 FGA
All NBA 3 | MVP (13) | All Star | 43% 3’s

04’-05’ Shaquille O’Neal 15.0 FGA
MVP (2) | All NBA 1 | All Star | DPOY (8)

21’-22’ Mikal Bridges 10.5 FGA
All NBA D 1 | 37% 3’s | Off the Ball 3 & D

08’-09’ Rashard Lewis 13.8 FGA
All Star | ECF | 40% 3’s on 7 Attempts

85’-86’ Manute Bol 3.5 FGA
5.0 BPG | Block Champ | DPOY (2) | All NBA D 2

97’-98’ Tim Hardaway 16.0 FGA
MVP (6) | All NBA 2 | All Star | 36% 3’s

23’-24’ Josh Okogie 3.4 FGA
12th in steals | 3 & D Swing

Total: 88.0 | 88.0 FGA

Write Up:
GL Laimbeer

We have the most balanced well fitting team in this draft.

All the spacing in the world, and the best 6th man to top it off.

Shaq will own Dikembe.

We have Mikal to defend LeBron. Obviously no one can defend LeBron one on one so we will have help.

With Shaq in the paint LeBron won’t get to the basket easy.

Reggie on Hali, Billups on Booker. Shard on Marion.

Shaq can float the paint and not defend Deke.

Tim Hardaway is going to murder his second unit.

Spacing, depth, balance and a well fit roster with flawless offense is what moves us on here.

Vote Ness

[Laimbeer]

Dikembe Mutombo ( 1999 ) 6.8 - DPOY (2)
Shawn Marion ( 2007 ) 13.4 - DPOY (4), All-star
LeBron James ( 2013 ) 17.8 - RGM Peak Season
Devin Booker ( 2024 ) 19.2 - All - NBA
Tyrese Haliburton ( 2024 ) 15.2 - All - NBA

Ben Wallace ( 2010 ) 4.2 - DPOY (17)
James Posey ( 2006 ) 5.9 - 40.3% on 4.3 3PA
Dyson Daniels ( 2024 ) 5.1 - Superb D

87.6

Dikembe Mutombo (38) / Ben Wallace (10)
Shawn Marion (38) / James Posey (10)
LeBron James (38) / James Posey (10)
Devin Booker (38) / Dyson Daniels (10)
Tyrese Haliburton (38) / Dyson Daniels (10)

Offensively, our team can really get out and run often, making things tough on Miami Shaq. Haloing, Booker. LeBron, and Marion would be a frightening attack on the break and in the half court as well. Hali and LeBron give us two great creators. Shaq is not the deterrent he once was Miller and Lewis are not noted defenders.

Defensively, straight up. We have four really high level defenders. I don't think anyone on their side, at this stage of their careers, is a true alpha scorer on a championship team.

[durantbird]

Matchup is open. Beer and Ness, please vote for yourselves

[durantbird]

ChatGPT vote Laimbeer - Laimbeer advances

Spoiler:

This is a really close and well-matched series, with both teams having distinct strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a breakdown of how I see the matchup playing out:

Offense vs. Defense

MadNESS (Shaq’s team)

Shaquille O’Neal (2005) is still dominant but not at his absolute peak (compared to early 2000s Lakers Shaq). However, he’s still one of the most unstoppable interior forces ever.

Spacing is elite with Rashard Lewis, Reggie Miller, Chauncey Billups, and Mikal Bridges all providing high-level shooting.

Tim Hardaway (1998) off the bench is an elite secondary creator.

Issue: Their best shot creator is 1998 Tim Hardaway, and in an all-time setting, he’s not quite at the level of LeBron or Booker. Shaq will get his, but against an elite defensive frontcourt, he won’t have it easy.


Laimbeer (LeBron’s team)

LeBron (2013) is the best player in the series and is surrounded by an elite secondary playmaker in Tyrese Haliburton and a great scorer in Devin Booker.

Elite transition game: With LeBron, Marion, Booker, and Hali, this team can push the pace and exploit Shaq’s inability to run the floor consistently.

Interior defense is phenomenal: Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace form a ridiculous defensive duo to throw at Shaq.

Issue: While they have LeBron, they don’t have much interior scoring outside of him slashing.


Key Matchups

1. Shaq vs. Mutombo/Wallace

Shaq is going to dominate, but not as easily as usual. Mutombo in 1999 was still a top-tier post defender and a DPOY candidate. Ben Wallace (2010 version) is not his prime self but is still a great help defender.

Shaq will still put up 25-30 PPG, but he will have to work harder for it.



2. LeBron vs. Mikal Bridges

Mikal Bridges is a fantastic wing defender, but LeBron in 2013 is close to unstoppable. Mikal alone cannot slow him down, and there’s no elite rim protection on Shaq’s team outside of Manute Bol’s 12 minutes per game.

LeBron likely averages 30+ points, 8+ assists in this series.



3. Backcourt Battle (Billups/Reggie vs. Hali/Booker)

Reggie Miller’s shooting is valuable but he’s going to be hunted defensively.

Billups vs. Haliburton is interesting. Billups’ defense might bother Hali a little, but Hali’s passing and transition game are elite.

Booker vs. Reggie Miller—Booker is the more complete offensive player but is going against a tough matchup in Reggie, who is great at moving without the ball and draining clutch shots.



4. Bench Battle (Hardaway vs. Posey/Daniels)

Tim Hardaway is a major X-factor. He’s the best bench scorer in this series and will cause major issues.

James Posey’s 3-and-D and Dyson Daniels’ defense help Laimbeer’s squad, but Hardaway is the best pure scorer among the reserves.




Game Plan Adjustments

Laimbeer’s team will try to run and space out Shaq to tire him out.

MadNESS’s team will slow it down and try to get Shaq touches deep in the paint.

The defensive discipline of LeBron’s team is superior, and they have the best transition attack.


Series Prediction

Game 1: Shaq dominates early, and MadNESS takes the lead.

Game 2: LeBron takes over late, getting in transition and evening the series.

Game 3: Haliburton and Booker explode in a fast-paced game, and Laimbeer’s team takes control.

Game 4: Shaq has a monster 40-point game, overpowering Mutombo and Wallace to tie it 2-2.

Game 5: LeBron’s playmaking proves too much as he carves up the defense.

Game 6: Reggie Miller hits clutch shots to push it to Game 7.

Game 7: LeBron, Booker, and Marion push the pace, Shaq gets slowed down just enough, and Laimbeer’s team wins a close Game 7.


Final Prediction: Laimbeer wins in 7.

The biggest factor is LeBron’s dominance and transition offense.

Shaq puts up monster numbers but is slowed down just enough.

Laimbeer’s defense, athleticism, and versatility give them a slight edge.

[MadNESS]

Wish we could do AI votes for all matchups. I'm not sold on the poles.
Good game Laimbeer

[Laimbeer]

GG Ness

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