BaNT 2nd round - next vote breaks a tie

[dockingsched]

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The Matchups

8. SnakeBites vs. 16. VintaGe36

4. CellarDoor vs. 12. Miller4ever

---------------------------------------

2. dcash4 vs. 7. Gremz

3. Poopdamoop vs. 11. vincecarter4pres

[CellarDoor]

Vintage Idiots v. Stereo Types
Rose/Felton--- Westbrook/Sessions
Brewer/Morrow--- Ariza/Fernandez/Westbrook
Durant/AK47--- Granger/Ariza/Fernandez
Smoove/Bargniani/AK47--- Milsap/Harrington/Landry
Perkins/Bargniani/Collison--- Lopez/Gortat/Harrington

Good luck to Miller

This is an interesting match-up with a lot of similarities. Both teams primary scorers are young dynamic small forwards who shoot a lot better contested from beyond the 3pt line than they rightfully should. Both teams have big physical two guards being backed up by lights out shooters, both teams have 2nd year PGs with a lot of athletic ability, both teams have a shooting bigman off the bench and big true Cs starting. There really aren't many exploitable match-ups for either squad.

Defense:
Make no mistake about it. Miller's team lives and dies with Danny Granger. Lopez is a solid scorer and should improve this year enough to average about 15 a game, but he's also up against the best defensive C in THIS game in Perkins. Milsap when given starters minutes (like he is here) should be good for 15 a game too, mostly scoring without plays run for him off hustle and whatnot. Similarly, Ariza's scoring should go up because of the situation he's in here (thought his percentages are going to go down since we won't be doubling anyone). We expect westbrook's inefficiencies to continue, especially in light of his absolutely abysmal preseason where he shot under 30% and rarely scored.

There will be only one set of switches, Brewer will be guarding Granger. He's got the size and athleticism to do so and he's done a fine job on Kobe, he should, at worst, continue to do so. It's difficult to project because AK47 guarded Granger as much if not more than Brewer last year (and Granger only played one game against them). Durant will be staying at home on Ariza who is their only shooter of note other than bench guys like Big Al and Rudy. Westbrook's going to be guarded by just about the only PG in the league more physically imposing than himself. That coupled with no big men adept at running the PnR (though the pick and pop should be featured prominently) will hold him down.
Smoove's quickness and athleticism will leave him with little problem guarding Milsap anytime he gets the ball in iso, and as mentioned, Lopez is going to have major issues here. My back-up rotations will see AK47 as Granger's 2nd defender: still not good for him. Bargniani will probably come in mostly matching up against Harrington though if we're getting killed on boards I may go to a large line-up of Perkins, Andrea, Smoove/AK, Durant, Rose to spread the floor while retaining some defense.

Offense: For every bit of scoring Granger manages, Durant can match him. Be it Ariza or Granger taking his assignment, he torched them both last year for a higher points, rebounds (and assists in Ariza's case). Make no mistake. Durant and Granger are in a mutually assured destruction sort of mode here. Brewer will look to make cuts to the basket to receive passes from Rose when the defense helps as well as receiving a few ISO opportunities here and there. His main goal if Granger draws his defensive assignment is going to be to keep move and make Granger chase him. Rose torched Westbrook in their two match-ups. He scored 20.5, which seems like a low number until you look up at the percentages. He scored that on 62.5% from the field. He also added 4.5 board and assists for their troubles. Anytime a player is able to get that high percentage of looks it's a good indication someone can't hold him. And Sessions isn't going to help matters any. Smoove and Perkins are both going to be looking to simply score within the offense making cuts to the basket, setting screens for screen and rolls to get the much less athletic milsap in motion, and crash boards hard. Nothing too complicated there.

Final thoughts: this is another match-up where my opponent simply isn't going to find enough ways to really hurt me to win. Defensively I'm able to match-up with everyone on his team, and while my team has two stars, he's left with really just the one and no distinct advantage at any one position or on the bench.

(Note: this is thrown together mainly to get to rebuttals more quickly so I'm not completely killed by timing here)

[Miller4ever]

Don't be fooled by my opponent's promising young youth. We may have similarities on the surface, but my team is very chemistry-based, and it's my system and my gameplan that will make the difference.

Rotation

Westbrook(32)/Sessions(16)
Ariza(24)/(Fernandez(24)
Granger(36)/Harrington(12)
Millsap(32)/Harrington(16)
Lopez(32)/Gortat(16)

Offense

Key points:
-Exploit the bench
-Funnel attack through pick-and-rolls
-Use Fernandez in tandem with Granger.

All things start in the post. Perkins and Smoove are good defenders in the post, but to me Perkins is the weak link. Whoever between Lopez or Millsap is being guarded by Perkins will set the pick, and that will cause Smoove to have to rotate to the rolling man. Since Lopez and Millsap can both make heads-up passes inside to the other man, and our ball movement inside will make the difference here. Millsap and Lopez also possess formidable post games that can overcome Smoove and Perk 1-on-1. Gortat and Harrington come off the bench and supply equal firepower.

Granger likes the matchup against Ronnie Brewer. Like my opponent says, the sample size is too small, but Granger has success against defender who rely on strength. His step-back jumper is one of the most surefire things in the league, and he will have a lot of success. However, my opponent's statement that my team lives and dies with him is false, given the talent and depth of the rest of my team.

Rudy Fernandez will see minutes, particularly at the same time Granger is on the floor. His shooting stretches the floor, and his athleticism makes him a threat from anywhere and everywhere. He is at his best when coming off screens that will be set by garbage men Millsap, Lopez, Gortat, Harrington, and Landry. He will force Durant and Morrow (both players who get lazy or lost in screens due to lighter frames) to make choices between exhausting themselves on screens or allowing a deadly three-point shooter free reign.

Westbrook can tear through Kndrick Perkins when switches happen. If the season opener is any indication, his decision-making skills have improved vastly, and his assist and FG% numbers are on the rise. He is a tremendous force once he penetrates, and with picks set for him and three-point threats all around him, the havoc he wreaks will open things up for everyone around him.

My bench firepower is extremely potent. Gortat can continue Lopez's work in posting up Perkins, with a skillset that would see him starting on other teams without Dwight Howard. Bargnani cannot defend him in the post or out in the midrange. Harrington can stretch any of the post defenders out with his three-point range and post up Bargnani. Ariza continues to fit within the cracks and Sessions can easily provide extra distribution.

My opponent underestimates the offensive power of my team, which is a mistake that my last opponent made. I believe that it's not about having more offense. The game is won in the next phase. But in response to my opponent's defensive plan, my offensive gameplan really helps with shot selection, since the screens and constant motion makes it so that there is always an open man.

Defense

Key points:
-Stifle Durant and Rose
-Lock down the paint and force their below-average 3-point shooting squad to take long shots
-Zone it, zone it

You may be reading that last point and thinking that NBa players cannot play the zone. That is false. My lineup lends itself to the strategy. This time, we 2-3 zone it to keep the paint locked down. Westbrook and Ariza can both guard multiple positions. With shotblockers like Gortat, Granger, Lopez, and tough post defenders like Millsap, Harrington, Landry, the opposing team will have trouble getting anything inside. The truth is, individual matchups don't mean anything since the game isn't 5 different 1-on-1's. Westbrook is one of the best PG defenders in the league, Ariza's reputation is cemented, Granger has the defensive playmaking abilities that AK47 possesses, Millsap is a rock in the paint, and Lopez can erase shot attempts. Al Harrington has the quickness and strength to defend shooting guards to centers. Rudy Fernandez can dominate the passing lanes, and Sessions does a great job of chasing and rotation. Our defense takes away the midrange and penetration that my opponent depends on to win. When Bargnani comes on, Al Harrington can mark him quite easily. This defensive method grinds down the shot clock while they find an opening, and causes clogged passing lanes. This team has great individual scorers, but they are not the most efficient, and they don't have the greatest shot selection.

Overall
Key points:
-He who controls the rebounds controls the game
-Individual and team balance
-Better chemistry

I'm going to start with the chemistry and intangibles. My team has the talent, but we also have great chemistry. Every member of the team is a hard-nosed worker, and they never give up.

My team also holds a rebounding edge, especially off the bench. Millsap, Lopez, Gortat, and Landry are all threats for double digit rebounding. My team also has a distribution advantage.

Also, every one of my players can contribute on both ends of the floor significantly. I don't have a single bad defender in the bunch. I also don't have offensive liabilities.

This will be close, but we have the advantage.

[VintaGe36]

Reserved.


EDIT: Dcash is in the wrong bracket

[Snakebites]

Kirk Hinrich (36)/Jason Terry (12)
Kevin Martin (36)/ Jason Terry (12)
Tayshaun Prince (36)/Beasley (12)
Pau Gasol (28)/Varejao (10)/Beasley (10)
Tyson Chandler (28)/ Gasol (8)/ Varejao (12)

Opponent: Vintage


Defense: No matchup here stands out as one that will be of glaring concern. We have a strong and well balanced defensive rotation. We are reducing Terry's minutes at point guard with the intent of matching Chauncey Billups minute for minute with Kirk Hinrich, so we have a rock solid defender with enough size and quickness to go against and do a solid job against their best offensive player. Kirk won't render Billups entirely ineffective, but he does make it harder to run an offense through him, something Vintage would normally prefer to do. West, their other primary offensive threat, will be handled by Pau Gasol, a solid defender who has a considerable size advantage over his opponent. They don't have a particularly strong offensive threat on the wings, so the combination of wing players we employ (particularly with the long defensive presence of Tayshaun Prince) should be enough for them to have a hard time getting much out of those positions offensively, at least on a consistent basis. Prince can also make things hard on Grant Hill, their veteran scorer off the bench. Greg Oden is a developing center, but he still has a ways to go before becoming a fully polished offensive player, and may have some trouble staying on the court as he has yet to demonstrate he can stay out of foul trouble. Moreover, we have 3 fairly solid options at the 5 position who should be able to keep the pressure on. Overall, we don't see a matchup there or an individual player who is particularly worrisome for our balanced defense. They'll struggle to find that "guaranteed offense" option.

Offense: Gasol is the key here. West isn't a defensive liability by any means, but Gasol is not a good matchup for him to to his size and ability to step out and hit mid range jumpshots as well as playing in the post. We anticipate that Vintage may attempt to put Oden on Gasol. Oden has great defensive tools, but he is still foul prone and would have trouble staying in the game against a seasoned veteran with a versatile offensive arsenal, and there is no denying that Gasol fits that bill. Either way, as solid a defense as Vintage as put together, I see them struggling to guard Pau Gasol. The co-anchor to this offense, Kevin Martin, is an effective overall scorer. He may attempt to rotate Billups or Battier onto KMart rather than leaving his true shooting guards at his mercy, but all that does is switch less effective defenders onto Tayshaun Prince, Kirk Hinrich, and (when he's in) Jason Terry, and Kevin Martin will still be able to score some. In both cases, I don't see an ideal situation that doesn't create opportunities for my offense.

Overall: We feel our team is more than capable defensively of containing the offense of Vintage, which, while balanced, is somewhat lacking in overall firepower, while his players will have trouble containing Pau Gasol, and will have to make sacrifices in other areas of their defensive strategy to contain Kevin Martin. We ultimately feel we can put much more strain on his defense than vice versa and ultimately this should allow us to carry the day.

Advantage Snakebites and the Wellsville Fighting Squid

[vincecarter4pres]

Eddy Curry's Breakfast Blend vs. Poop
PG Arenas/Stuckey/Gordon
SG Mike Miller/Eric Gordon
SF Richard jefferson/Marvin Williams
PF Garnett/Sheed
C Nene/Sheed
Deep bench: McGee

vs.

PG: Steve Nash/Mario Chalmers
SG: Stephen Jackson/Manu Ginobili
SF: Thaddeus Young/Wilson Chandler
PF: Amar'e Stoudemire/Joakim Noah
C: Andrew Bogut/Erick Dampier


Offensive:
Half his lineup is defensively challenged, some like Nash and Amar'e to a terrible degree. We will look to attack here the most. Arenas will go right at Nash and involve the Big Ticket heavily. Amar'e can block some shots bt his overall defense is terrible and he isn't intimidating anyone. We'll let KG work a lot on the low post for this matchup. RJ can slash off of him and Miller will spot up for open jumpers on the perimeter. Nene will switch up off screens and post up Amar'e deep as well. When this happens KG will pull Bogut up top, way out of his comfort zone. Our bench wil come in and tear whatever lineup he throws out there to shreds as well. We will limit Stuckey's minutes and mainly run with an eight man rotation of the starters plus Gordon, Sheed and Williams.
With all the defensive collapses that will enivitably happen from dribble drive penetration aand pick and rolls on Nash and the need to double team Nene and KG down low, my shooters will light it up from the outside and my slashers will be a slashin'.
We will also execute, we are champion level playoff professionals. We won't provide them with the turnovers they need to run. We also rebound extremely well, again, limiting their fastbreak opportunites.

Defensive:
He has a pretty stacked lineup, there is no doubt. We will not be able to shut them down, but with the stellar group of defenders I have, save Arenas we will certainly keep up and win the battle. Most all my guys are strong enough man defenders to where we will rarely have to double and in the circumstances that we do, it will be on purpose tand by design to force turnovers and let KG roam like a free safety, we can excel at that. Bogut is a nice all around player but he is not much of an offensive threat, so it is safe to leave him as long as he is not right underneath the basket.
Again, this is really the area my team shines on and we will force turnovers and get out and run. We are mobile and will be able to legitamately defend the pick and roll that he will ultimately have to use a lot to try and get the best out of Nash and Amar'e.
Then there is rebounding. We got this and will limit their second chance points and abilities to get out and run on the break.

Overall:
This should be a tight series, he has a stacked starting lineup and a decent bench, but in the end I feel there are four defining factors that give the series to me in 6 games. One is defense. That is my very high level of it and his team's inherit lack of. Two is the closers. He has a good or even very very good scorers, but I have the closer, Mr. Hibachi. If he really needs a bucket late his team, will be arguing who is going to take it and in the end Jax will win the argument and brick the buzzer beater. Third is the benches. Although his is solid, mine is championship level, ready to light up any opposing squad whether at home or on the road and they all play well above average defense as well, meaning my whole lineup is basically interchangeable. The last is that we will execute very well. This is a a team of savvy vets and young players alike. With proper execution comes few turnovers. With few turnovers come limited fastbreak opportunities. Same goes for rebounding. His team's identity is to get out and run and we will severly limit that ability.
Will it Blend? That's Poop Smoke. Yes, Curry's in 6.

[poopdamoop]

Steve Nash(33)/Mario Chalmers(15)
Stephen Jackson(15)/Manu Ginobili(33)
Thaddeus Young(30)/Stephen Jackson(18)
Amare Stoudemire(34)/Joakim Noah(14)
Andrew Bogut(30)/Joakim Noah(14)/Erick Dampier(4)

vs

Gilbert Arenas/Rodney Stuckey
Mike Miller/Eric Gordon
Richard Jefferson/Marvin Williams
Kevin Garnett/Rasheed Wallace
Nene/JaVale McGee

VC4P has built a nice, well rounded team, but he just doesn't have the firepower to match up with Raps in 4, and some of his advantages (defense) are not what they would seem to be

Offensively, we are clearly dominant. They do employ one of the best big men defenders in the league, but they have a defensively challenged point guard guarding Nash, who can torch Arenas just as easily as vice versa. His swingmen are nothing to worry about either. Miller really can't guard Jackson or Ginobili, and Young will only be used to score in transition and play solid defense. Bogut can score a bit, but will mainly be used as a rebounder and defensive stopper. Our offense will come primarily from the Nash/Amare PnR and the numerous options it creates. KG is going to have to work twice as hard to cover for Arenas' mistakes, and it is going to take a toll on him. We can also have Amare spot up and draw KG away from the paint, leaving plenty of room for Ginobili, Jackson, and Nash to go to work and dominate through slashing and shooting. I find it funny that he calls his bench better than mine, considering I'm bringing a guy who is better than most of his starting lineup off the bench. Gordon, though a nice young player, has no chance of stopping Manu, and no other swingman on his team is good enough defensively to slow him down either.

Defensively, we may seem weak, but his team is not one that can really take advantage of that. Arenas may go off from time to time, but who else on that team is reliable? KG can't be trusted to score too much anymore, and he hardly ever plays in the low post either. He's used mostly as a facilitator and a mid-range spot up shooter, which is just fine by me. Nene is a decent scorer, but he's not someone I'm really worried about, as Bogut can handle him just fine. If KG is really doing damage to us, we'll switch Bogut onto him and neutralize him a little bit. Nene is not a good enough scorer to carry a team, so placing Amare on him should work out fine. Mike Miller is pretty much only a shooter, and Jefferson isn't all that either, so our swingmen should be able to handle them with relative ease. Arenas is the only true elite scorer on their team, and there's an extremely good chance he struggles every now and then. If he does, their offence is screwed, as no one else is capable of picking up that slack.

We are a better rebounding team as well, surprisingly. KG was great 4 years ago, but with his injuries and mileage Bogut is actually a better rebounder at this point in time (rebound rate of 19.4 compared to about 16.6). Amare and Nene are both subpar rebounders, but Amare is a bit better. Off the bench, Noah is much better than Rasheed, and none of his swingmen rebound well enough to make up any sort of difference. VC stated in his writeup that he has the rebounding edge, but I really don't see it here. If they can't control the boards, a huge part of their defensive edge is gone. Our superior rebounding will allow us to get out and run, where we are at our best.

Overall, this would be a good series, but I think Raps in 4 take this in 6 or 7. They don't have enough offense or rebounding to really compete with us, and KG can't do everything defensively by himself anymore.

[dockingsched]

pg: Devin Harris / Monta Ellis
sg: John Salmons / Anthony Parker
sf: Rashard Lewis / James Posey
pf: Al Jefferson / Brandon Bass
c: Andris Biedrins / Joel Przybilla

vs.

PG: Mike Bibby / TJ Ford
SG: Brandon Roy / Leandro Barbosa
SF: Josh Howard / Travis Outlaw
PF: Carlos Boozer / Troy Murphy
C: Al Horford / Jeff Foster

Defensive Strategy upfront: i match up really well with my opponent. Upfront i am facing an undersized center, Horford, with limited offensive skills which will allow me to play al jefferson on him. jefferson won't be a defensive liability because he's playing someone his own size. i'll stick biedrins on boozer. beans has the quickness and size to really bother boozer. bass will give me the muscle to keep boozer out of the paint while also giving me the mobilty to stick with murphy. przy will be able to do what jeff foster was doing 3 yrs ago on the boards with the added perk that przy is an excellent post defender. he'll do really well against boozer, foster, or horford.

Defensive Strategy on the perimeter: here i will rely on two very good perimeter defenders to help me keep him out of the paint. first and foremost i will not have to worry about his pg becoming a problem. bibby won't get past harris and ford, as fast as he is, is not faster than monta ellis. at sf, i will have posey who will be able to use his size to keep josh howard from getting easy shots or creating. jho really doesn't have the elite offensive skills required to do well against posey for a consistent basis. most of the time though i will have rashard lewis out there who has the height and quickness to bother howard's shot even when lewis is playing off of him to help on roy. my big concern will be brandon roy, who will be going up against a very good perimeter defender in salmons and an above average parker.

roy will obviously be my opponents best option, but i think i can limit it just a tad while limiting his other options heavily.

Offensive stategy: to put it bluntly, devin harris and monta ellis are going to shred his pg's to pieces. bibby and ford don't stand a chance. if my opponent ever decides to put in barbosa at sg, ellis will be there to play next to harris to continue the onslaught. this onslaught is going to be even more deadly with the lack of shot blockers my opponent has.

to stretch the defense i have some incredibly reliable shooters in salmons, parker, posey, and the elite shooting lewis. lewis will also put howard or outlaw in the post whenever harris and ellis aren't getting to the paint.

in the post jefferson is going to demand a double with his elite post scoring skills. horford is a pretty good post defender, but he's not tim duncan. aside from horford, my opponent has three atrocious post defenders. against a big man with elite post moves, thats going to be a problem. andris biedrins, przy, and bass are going to physically punish the boards and in the specific case of beans, he's just going to outquick his slow footed big men.

conclusion: harris/ellis are going to tear up bibby/ford and there won't be a single shot blocking threat to deter them.

[CellarDoor]

Frankly I'm so tired that it's actually in my top3 for most fatigued days ever. With Miller finishing up mid-terms I'd expect about the same from him, so I apologize in advance if I/we aren't on top of this. I don't even feel like writing this. Bear with me...
[quote="Miller4ever"
All things start in the post. Perkins and Smoove are good defenders in the post, but to me Perkins is the weak link. Whoever between Lopez or Millsap is being guarded by Perkins will set the pick, and that will cause Smoove to have to rotate to the rolling man. Since Lopez and Millsap can both make heads-up passes inside to the other man, and our ball movement inside will make the difference here. Millsap and Lopez also possess formidable post games that can overcome Smoove and Perk 1-on-1. Gortat and Harrington come off the bench and supply equal firepower.
[/quote]
Lopez nor Milsap are terrific at finishing in traffic, which is what they're going to run into between the PG (be it rose or felton) and the other big who's rotating to bother them. Additionally, neither one is exactly a noted passer, so while they'll hit an open man from time to time, don't make it sound as if they're going to pick a defense apart with their court vision.
Lopez possesses an effective post game, but again, he's being guarded by the best post defender in this elague. Milsap absolutely does not have a "formidable post game. I'm actually struggling to remember one time they iso'd him in Utah in the post. He scores his points on put-backs and the occasional jumper.

Granger likes the matchup against Ronnie Brewer. Like my opponent says, the sample size is too small, but Granger has success against defender who rely on strength. His step-back jumper is one of the most surefire things in the league, and he will have a lot of success. However, my opponent's statement that my team lives and dies with him is false, given the talent and depth of the rest of my team.

No rebuttal necessary. Granger will get his, but he's certainly going to work for them.

Rudy Fernandez will see minutes, particularly at the same time Granger is on the floor. His shooting stretches the floor, and his athleticism makes him a threat from anywhere and everywhere. He is at his best when coming off screens that will be set by garbage men Millsap, Lopez, Gortat, Harrington, and Landry. He will force Durant and Morrow (both players who get lazy or lost in screens due to lighter frames) to make choices between exhausting themselves on screens or allowing a deadly three-point shooter free reign.

The funny thing is, everything you described about Rudy (and Durant and Morrow) goes for Morrow (and Rudy and Granger) with the exception of Rudy's more varied game. Morrow's the better shooter to be sure, and he's better at getting his own JUMPSHOT. If Rudy wins the match-up at all it'd be in specially run isos where he's driving to the basket and trying to get past Smoove, AK47, Perkins, etc.

Westbrook can tear through Kndrick Perkins when switches happen. If the season opener is any indication, his decision-making skills have improved vastly, and his assist and FG% numbers are on the rise. He is a tremendous force once he penetrates, and with picks set for him and three-point threats all around him, the havoc he wreaks will open things up for everyone around him.

Also, if the first game is any indication, the Cavs are going to be winless this year. They played a disjointed Detroit team with no defender of note at PG (Byunum, Stuckey, Gordon) and no help defender of note (Kwame's only useful as a man-on defender)

My bench firepower is extremely potent. Gortat can continue Lopez's work in posting up Perkins, with a skillset that would see him starting on other teams without Dwight Howard. Bargnani cannot defend him in the post or out in the midrange. Harrington can stretch any of the post defenders out with his three-point range and post up Bargnani. Ariza continues to fit within the cracks and Sessions can easily provide extra distribution.

Some of this is flat out mis-information and I sincerely hope your team implements it. Gortat's going to post up Perkins? (Hell, or Bargniani? That's not Gortat's game) Harrington is going to post up? Even the few times he was playing SF last season he wasn't posting up. Kirk Hinrich guarded him for a stretch one game for the love of God.

You may be reading that last point and thinking that NBa players cannot play the zone. That is false. My lineup lends itself to the strategy. This time, we 2-3 zone it to keep the paint locked down. Westbrook and Ariza can both guard multiple positions. With shotblockers like Gortat, Granger, Lopez, and tough post defenders like Millsap, Harrington, Landry, the opposing team will have trouble getting anything inside. The truth is, individual matchups don't mean anything since the game isn't 5 different 1-on-1's. Westbrook is one of the best PG defenders in the league, Ariza's reputation is cemented, Granger has the defensive playmaking abilities that AK47 possesses, Millsap is a rock in the paint, and Lopez can erase shot attempts. Al Harrington has the quickness and strength to defend shooting guards to centers. Rudy Fernandez can dominate the passing lanes, and Sessions does a great job of chasing and rotation. Our defense takes away the midrange and penetration that my opponent depends on to win. When Bargnani comes on, Al Harrington can mark him quite easily. This defensive method grinds down the shot clock while they find an opening, and causes clogged passing lanes. This team has great individual scorers, but they are not the most efficient, and they don't have the greatest shot selection.

If you zone it, Derrick's going to happily take the mid-range J. His 3pt shot is shaky, but his mid-range shot is beautiful. KD and Smoove both have that shot or deeper, Brewer does, Felton, Morrow, AK47 do, and Bargniani does. You're going to have to pack that zone tight to stop Derrick. Even TD playing off of the jumpshot challenged Noah last night couldn't bother him when he went to the basket (on a still healing leg no less). And the beautiful thing about Durant is that he doesn't need to get that close to the basket. He, similar to Granger, drives part of the way and uses his size to shoot over you or simply takes the three point shot, both of which he's very effective. If for some reason the zone worked, a line-up of Rose, Morrow, Durant, Bargniani, and Perkins kills that pretty quickly and if (since you opened the door) Derrick's one game against Tony Parker is any indication, he's going to fight around those screens and shut down Westbrook. (Parker scored 8 points in the minutes DRose was guarding him, I didn't get a shot count, but I'd guess somewhere around 40% shooting for Parker). We may lose some boards in this line-up, but thats a standard issue with zones, and you better make sure someone gets a body on DRose when the shot's up or he's going to get to a few of those balls.

Also, every one of my players can contribute on both ends of the floor significantly. I don't have a single bad defender in the bunch. I also don't have offensive liabilities.

I'd consider Landry an offensive liability and Fernandez a defensive liability along with Harrington. All low minute players though.

[Miller4ever]

Calling Fernandez a defensive liability is not understanding his game. It's true he's not a great man-on defender, but since we're zoning it (a system that discourgaes passing because the lanes are all clogged up), we like Rudy Fernandez because he is effective in that situation.

Obviously if a lineup was deployed specifically to defeat the zone, I'd have to say that my offense would go to town on Morrow, Durant, and Bargnani.

I adjust my implementation of Gartat since I watched a bit more film and did a little more research. He is the passing big man (Millsap DOES pass well) that I specifically want, and he will stretch the floor a bit more with that jumper of his.

We have great finishers in transition so we'll also crank up the tempo off turnovers.

Harrington can post up. When he played for the Pacers there were times when he would do just that, and he has the strength and a couple of moves down there. He tends to do more turnaround jumpers than hook shots or what have you, but he's effective.

True, Landry is an offensive liability. He also has no minutes in my rotation.

Millsap does have a post game, and his offense is generally underrated. He will outrun Smoove on occasion just from sheer effort.

And that's what my kids have. They may not be the fastest, strongest, tallest guys out there, but they fight hard for 48 minutes and focus. They are heads-up players. I'm so goddamned tired...

[CellarDoor]

Calling Fernandez a defensive liability is not understanding his game. It's true he's not a great man-on defender, but since we're zoning it (a system that discourgaes passing because the lanes are all clogged up), we like Rudy Fernandez because he is effective in that situation.

Obviously if a lineup was deployed specifically to defeat the zone, I'd have to say that my offense would go to town on Morrow, Durant, and Bargnani.

I adjust my implementation of Gartat since I watched a bit more film and did a little more research. He is the passing big man (Millsap DOES pass well) that I specifically want, and he will stretch the floor a bit more with that jumper of his.

We have great finishers in transition so we'll also crank up the tempo off turnovers.

Harrington can post up. When he played for the Pacers there were times when he would do just that, and he has the strength and a couple of moves down there. He tends to do more turnaround jumpers than hook shots or what have you, but he's effective.

True, Landry is an offensive liability. He also has no minutes in my rotation.

Millsap does have a post game, and his offense is generally underrated. He will outrun Smoove on occasion just from sheer effort.

And that's what my kids have. They may not be the fastest, strongest, tallest guys out there, but they fight hard for 48 minutes and focus. They are heads-up players. I'm so goddamned tired...

this is like watching two (Please Use More Appropriate Word) kids argue. I completely butchered those quotes and I don't have the energy to go back and fix it. Couple quick thoughts: I'm not saying Harrington CAN'T post up, I'm saying he doesn't. Similar to TMAC a few years ago...he COULD drive to the hoop, but he was almost strictly a jumpshooter. If you're Al's size and not posting up a 6'3" guard, you're not going to be exploiting Bargniani in the post either.

Fair point on Rudy's effectiveness as a ball-thief, but the gambles are going to leave you open to a break in the zone. Given that the Celtics played a lot of 4-man zones with Allen chasing Gordon, I don't think your team is any better equipped to stop his penetration either way, but Rudy getting caught in a bad position will be a killer. Anyways, Morrow's not going to get exploited by Ariza or Rudy so bad I feel the need to give up offense, so that part won't change. Ariza, Gortat, and your PF rotation aren't particularly frightening as far as being able to exploit me anyways. If you want to play zone and get into a shoot out, I'm going to win that every time. I have more guns.

[Miller4ever]

I don't see where people think that they have more offensive weapons than me, in every one of these games that I've played. Maybe it's just because I overestimate offensive games? It's like a 1st person shooter. Only one person can have the rock at a time, and even if you ave 10 guns to choose from, you can only use one at a time. It's all about how you utilize your players.

I am utilizing pick-and-roll, and it's all about having a fast point guard and a good pick-setting, rolling big man. Brook Lopez and Paul Millsap are both right there, with great finishing while rolling. Brook plays with Devin Harris and they run that greatly. The Jazz under Sloan are all about the pick and roll. In these situations we will run all variations, pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop, and when those get established, pick-and-slips. A pick would allow Westbrook to pass it or penetrate, where his penetration is a big threat. Another strategy we are implementing is that Ariza sets picks so DURANT (who is guarding Ariza) is being forced to defend the pick-and-roll. If Westbrook finds Durant switched onto him, then it sets up a perfect situation for a stronger pick setter to wipe Durant out.

[CellarDoor]

I don't see where people think that they have more offensive weapons than me, in every one of these games that I've played. Maybe it's just because I overestimate offensive games? It's like a 1st person shooter. Only one person can have the rock at a time, and even if you ave 10 guns to choose from, you can only use one at a time. It's all about how you utilize your players.

I am utilizing pick-and-roll, and it's all about having a fast point guard and a good pick-setting, rolling big man. Brook Lopez and Paul Millsap are both right there, with great finishing while rolling. Brook plays with Devin Harris and they run that greatly. The Jazz under Sloan are all about the pick and roll. In these situations we will run all variations, pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop, and when those get established, pick-and-slips. A pick would allow Westbrook to pass it or penetrate, where his penetration is a big threat. Another strategy we are implementing is that Ariza sets picks so DURANT (who is guarding Ariza) is being forced to defend the pick-and-roll. If Westbrook finds Durant switched onto him, then it sets up a perfect situation for a stronger pick setter to wipe Durant out.

I really, really want to respond to your first paragraph. But I'm going to go ahead and call a truce. Neither of us should be conscious right now, much less arguing. Good luck man!

[Miller4ever]

I want it to be known that my opponent is trying to earn pity votes. Don't let his "facts" and "statistics" fool you. This is also unconfirmed, but my opponent is also a Communist. He also harbors terrorists in his basement, which is a floor below his parent's basement.

Basketball is not a game won by guts. Who has more guts, the Josh Smith who sits plays out or the Paul Millsap who churns away all the time? Who has more guts, the Danny Granger who dove for a loose ball against the Celtics and losing two teeth or the Kevin Durant who is the best rapper out of the four Hyperizers? Rudy Fernandez who shook off the comments about his inability to dunk because he was white and went into the Slam Dunk contest anyways? Trevor Ariza who single-handedly (with Kobe, Gasol, Fisher and Odom) willed the Lakers to a championship last year?

[CellarDoor]

I want it to be known that my opponent is trying to earn pity votes. Don't let his "facts" and "statistics" fool you. This is also unconfirmed, but my opponent is also a Communist. He also harbors terrorists in his basement, which is a floor below his parent's basement.

Basketball is not a game won by guts. Who has more guts, the Josh Smith who sits plays out or the Paul Millsap who churns away all the time? Who has more guts, the Danny Granger who dove for a loose ball against the Celtics and losing two teeth or the Kevin Durant who is the best rapper out of the four Hyperizers? Rudy Fernandez who shook off the comments about his inability to dunk because he was white and went into the Slam Dunk contest anyways? Trevor Ariza who single-handedly (with Kobe, Gasol, Fisher and Odom) willed the Lakers to a championship last year?

You forgot to mention that those terrorists are funded by carrying out contract killings on autistic children who volunteer at Habitat for Humanity.

[Miller4ever]

Yeah, but seriously, who cares about autistic children and Habitat for Humanity?

That's terrible. I'm going to stop now. I know autistic people.

[CellarDoor]

Yeah, but seriously, who cares about autistic children and Habitat for Humanity?

That's terrible. I'm going to stop now. I know autistic people.

So do I. I actually worked with a few in some volunteer work a while back. That's definitely neither here nor there though, so I'll go ahead and stop too.

[Miller4ever]

I'll go ahead and stop

Woodland creatures make me feel funny

[CellarDoor]

^that's sort of weird, dude.

[Miller4ever]

Come on over to the Pacers board and say that.

Rassum Frassum T&T mods...you're all going to vote for each other despite me having the GOAT Danny Granger.