Playoff Upsets Draft - CHAMPIONSHIP - Laimbeer vs Dr Positivity**

[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).

[Dr Positivity]

PG: Chris Paul (2020: 12.7 FGA)
SG: Ray Allen (2001: 16.0 FGA)
SF: Jalen Williams (2025: 16.9 FGA)
PF: Lebron James (2013: 17.8 FGA)
C: Dikembe Mutombo (1995: 7.7 FGA)

PG: Charlie Ward (2000: 6.2 FGA)
SF: Christian Braun (2024: 5.9 FGA)
C: Alonzo Mourning (2006: 4.8 FGA)

88 / 88

PG: Chris Paul (36) / Charlie Ward (12)
SG: Ray Allen (36) / Charlie Ward (14)
SF: Jalen Williams (30) / Christian Braun (14) / Ray Allen (4)
PF: Lebron James (40) / Jalen Williams (8)
C: Dikembe Mutombo (34) / Alonzo Mourning (14)

GL Laimbeer

Defensive matchups: Paul on Nash, Allen on Klay, JDub on Pippen, Lebron on Dirk, Mutombo on Lopez

Laimbeer has a great team however he has more defensive issues than my team and especially in this matchup where the Lebron PF matchup causes him to have to put Dirk on a perimeter player like WIlliams, in addition to there being nowhere to hide Nash. The switchability of JDub-Lebron combo will also help us on help D rotating against shooters like Nash and Klay, while his PF/C combo is relatively slow on help D. Our bench has the advantage as I'd take Ward and 24 Braun as a combo over 00 Majerle and 23 Tucker, and Mourning over Bogut. Overall both teams have firepower with perimeter talent beside a star PF, but we have stronger D and Lebron.

[Laimbeer]

Brook Lopez ( 2023 ) 11.5 - DPOY (2)
Dirk Nowitzki ( 2011 ) 16.2 - MVP (6), Finals MVP
Scottie Pippen ( 1996 ) 15.8 - MVP (5), DPOY (2)
Klay Thompson ( 2015 ) 16.9 - MVP (10), All-NBA
Steve Nash ( 2003) 13.6 - MVP (11), All-NBA

Andrew Bogut ( 2016 ) 4.0 - Starter on WCC, All-D votes
PJ Tucker ( 2023 ) 3.0 - Starter on Playoff Team, All-D votes
Dan Majerle ( 2000 ) 6.1 - Starter on Playoff Team, All-D votes

87.1

Brook Lopez (38) / Andrew Bogut (10)
Dirk Nowitzki (38) / PJ Tucker (10)
Scottie Pippen (28) / PJ Tucker (6) / Dan Majerle (6)
Klay Thompson (38) / Dan Majerle (10)
Steve Nash (38) / Scottie Pippen (10)

Good luck Dr P

We have a duo in Dirk and Nash that led one of top offenses in the league now joined by Pippen, Klay, and a floor spacing center in Lopez. Covering Dirk will take something out of LeBron.

Defensively, Pippen is an all-time great cover for LeBron. Lopez/Deke, Dirk/Williams, Klay/Allen, and Nash/Paul. A couple of challenging matchups, but we have a huge advantage in Lopez (DPOY-2) camping down low to help. With Bogut, 48 minutes of outstanding rim protection near the hoop. Plus theirs is a LeBron centric team and we have the perfect answer in Pippen.

Both benches are decent, but I think we have a slight edge with battle proven playoff-team starters.

I like the scoring depth in our offense a bit better. That and a bench edge take it.

[durantbird]

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Voting is open. Team owners please vote for yourselves

[durantbird]

Dr Positivity wins!

GG

[Dr Positivity]

GG Laimbeer! Paul and Lebron have both been good to me over the years.

[Laimbeer]

GG Dr P. Not sure how far my team could go with Nash and Dirk as defensive liabilities - happy to at least make the finals.