Billups Carter Draft - CHAMPIONSHIP - Fadeaway_J** 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. 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).

First to 3 votes wins. If matchup isn't decided within first 24 hours since it is open, first to 2 votes win, unless we are tied 2-2 at 24 hours since opening.

Notice (!!!!) I changed last section because delays in previous matches.

[Dr Positivity]

PG: Chris Paul (2017: 12.9 FGA)
SG: Mitch Richmond (1998: 17.4 FGA)
SF: Jayson Tatum (2024: 19.3 FGA)
PF: Amare Stoudemire (2007: 12.9 FGA)
C: Al Horford (2018: 10.5 FGA)

PG/SG: Charlie Ward (2001: 6.1 FGA)
SF: James Posey (2008: 5.6 FGA)
C: Marcin Gortat (2010: 2.8 FGA = 3.0

87.7 / 88

PG: Chris Paul (38) / Charlie Ward (10)
SG: Mitch Richmond (36) / Charlie Ward (12)
SF: Jayson Tatum (22) / James Posey (26)
PF: Amare Stoudemire (32) / Jayson Tatum (16)
C: Al Horford (34) / Marcin Gortat (8) / Amare Stoudemire (6)

GL Fade

Defensive matchups: Paul on Lillard, Richmond on Bridges, Tatum on Kawhi, Amare on Lewis, Horford on Chandler

The talent is close but I think this is a nice matchup for us as he doesn't have a great Paul defender. If he chooses to use Chandler on Amare that might give him a better primary defender than Amare guarding Lewis, however there is also a trade-off in that Chandler's help D is more compromised than Horford's who can stay near the rim guarding Chandler. Note that Paul and Horford pick and roll when guarded by Lillard and Lewis would also be effective.

Paul and Tatum is arguably as strong a combo as Lillard and Kawhi when you consider that Paul is better than Lillard and it gives us a better balance of playmaking/scoring, and 24 Tatum vs 21 Kawhi is a little closer than 19 or 17 version of Kawhi. Tatum also gives us someone who can run the offense when Paul sits. With that in mind I like Richmond (still 23ppg and 3rd team all-NBA), Amare and Horford as supporting cast around them more than Bridges, Lewis and Chandler. Bridges scoring game overlaps with Kawhi and put up his Nets numbers as more of a primary option than he'll have between him and Lillard. Horford's offensive advantage over Chandler will be big for us.

When it comes to the benches please note this is 2023 Hartenstein, not 2024 when he has been a different animal. His 23 season was a downgrade statistically from his Clippers numbers, with .136 WS/48 and -0.3 BPM and pretty modest playoff performance. When added to how him and Gortat are playing relatively limited minutes, I don't think this distinction is nearly as important as if he could afford the 24 version, and I'd give Posey and Ward the small edge over Smart and Williams because I like Posey more than Grant.

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Tyson Chandler (2010-11)

Spoiler:

10.1 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.5 spg, 1.1 bpg, .654 FG%, .732 FT%, .697 TS%
- Led the NBA in TS%
- NBA Champion
- All-Defensive Second Team

PF - Rashard Lewis (2008-09)

Spoiler:

17.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.6 bpg, .439 FG%, .397 3P%, .836 FT%, 220 3P (2.8 pg), .580 TS%
- Led the NBA in 3P
- NBA All-Star

SF - Kawhi Leonard (2020-21)

Spoiler:

24.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, .512 FG%, .398 3P%, .885 FT%, 101 3P (1.9 pg), .622 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA First Team
- All-Defensive Second Team

SG - Mikal Bridges (2022-23)

Spoiler:

20.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.7 bpg, .468 FG%, .382 3P%, .895 FT%, 169 3P (2.0 pg), .587 TS%

PG - Damian Lillard (2018-19)

Spoiler:

25.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.9 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.4 bpg, .444 FG%, .369 3P%, .912 FT%, 237 3P (3.0 pg), .588 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- All-NBA Second Team

Bench
C - Isaiah Hartenstein (2022-23)

Spoiler:

5.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.8 bpg, .535 FG%, .676 FT%, .567 TS%

F - Grant Williams (2021-22)

Spoiler:

7.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.7 bpg, .475 FG%, .411 3P%, .905 FT%, 106 3P (1.4 pg), .635 TS%

G - Marcus Smart (2018-19)

Spoiler:

8.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.4 bpg, .422 FG%, .364 3P%, .806 FT%, 126 3P (1.6 pg), .568 TS%
- All-Defensive First Team

Rotations
C - Chandler (32), Hartenstein (10), Williams (6)
PF - Lewis (33), Williams (15)
SF - Leonard (38), Bridges (6), Lewis (4)
SG - Bridges (32), Smart (16)
PG - Lillard (38), Smart (10)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Kawhi Leonard - 17.5
Mikal Bridges - 15.3
Tyson Chandler - 5.5
Damian Lillard - 19.2
Rashard Lewis - 13.8
Marcus Smart - 7.1
Grant Williams - 5.6
Isaiah Hartenstein - 4.0

Total: 88.0/88.0

Our four-out system is a nightmare to defend, with elite shooters everywhere and an excellent roll man in the middle. This setup gives plenty of options: spread pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop with Dame and Chandler/Lewis as screeners, Kawhi or Dame attacking in isolation with the spaced floor making it very difficult to send help, Lewis taking slower forwards off the dribble or attacking smaller ones in the post, plus a capable transition attack with Dame, Kawhi, Bridges, and Chandler. Defensively, Chandler is our defensive quarterback, giving us some scheme versatility with his ability to protect the rim as well as extend out on the court if needed. Kawhi/Bridges/Smart/Williams comprise an excellent corps of guard/wing defenders. Hartenstein is a great traditional backup for Chandler, while Williams gives us the five-out option.

Matchup
- We'll go straight up defensively except we're switching Bridges onto CP3 and will take our medicine with Dame on Richmond. Either way Dame will be a weak spot, but we'll prioritise containing the CP3-Amar'e pick-and-roll rather than Dr P's fourth option who generally scores on middling efficiency.
- I disagree we don't have a good CP3 defender. Bridges in an excellent POA defender, and we also have Smart deputising for a good chunk of the game. With Bridges' ability to fight through screens (plus the length to get in a rearview contest) combined with Chandler's mobility and intelligence, we feel like we can deal with Dr P's primary weapon as well as can be hoped.
- Both teams have a vulnerable defender, but I'd argue Amar'e at the 4 is more damaging. Any actions involving Lewis as a screener for Dame or Kawhi will result in pure chaos given Amar'e's lack of attentiveness and poor decision-making. Horford is a great overall defender but I wouldn't call him an elite rim protector by any stretch, and having to cover for Amar'e breakdowns will open up lobs and offensive rebounds for Chandler.
- This nitpicking about years that aren't all that important or different in quality is kind of annoying, but I guess I'll just register my opinion that 2021 Kawhi is a notch above 2019 given his vastly superior playmaking, and I personally prefer him defensively in almost any prime year other than 2019.

Good luck Dr P.

[durantbird]

With problematic matchups on both sides (Lillard on Richmond, Amar'e on Lewis, also somewhat Lewis on Amar'e), I'll go with the team that has superior overall quality, which is Dr P for me. I also think fit is a bit better, though both teams are solid at that department.

Vote Dr P

[Fadeaway_J]

[MadNESS]

I think and have thought that Fade has the best team in this game. I’m going to stick with that. Dame, Bridges and Kawhi is the perfect fit. Dr. P’s team is interesting, but with Kawhi on Tatum, I don’t see his offense doing that well.

Vote Fade.

[wackbone]

Close one, but I think I prefer Fade's squad. Not AS big on the Richmond-Tatum nor the Amar'e-Horford duos as most likely are.

Vote: Fade

[Dr Positivity]

Any chance it can be 24 hours after last vote instead of since open? I feel like we can get to 3 votes.

[Dr Positivity]

[parsnips33]

I think Lillard is wildly underrated in these games generally, and I like this combination around him. Bridges guarding CP3 seems like a good idea to me, and I like the combination of strength and hands in Kawhi against Tatum. Both teams will have places to attack and fit together quite well, I just think I have Fade by a hair - mostly on the strength of Dame attacking this frontcourt in PNR.

vote: Fadeaway J

[Dr Positivity]

GG

Dang I'll have to start making my comeback another day

[Fadeaway_J]

GG, Bridges pick definitely worked out in the end