Best of Enemies Draft : Round 1 - flaco* vs Dr Positivity

[Laimbeer]

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.

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 advances**

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[Dr Positivity]

PG: Marcus Smart (2019: 7.1 FGA)
SG: Kobe Bryant (2008: 20.6 FGA)
SF: Gordon Hayward (2017: 15.8 FGA)
PF: Dennis Rodman (1994: 3.7 FGA)
C: Shaquille O'Neal (2000: 21.1 FGA)

SG/SF: James Posey (2008: 5.6 FGA)
SF: Jared Dudley (2009: 4.9 FGA)
PF/C: Horace Grant (1992: 9.8 FGA)

87.9 / 88

PG: Marcus Smart (32) / Kobe Bryant (16)
SG: Kobe Bryant (22) / Gordon Hayward (16) / James Posey (10)
SF: Gordon Hayward (22) / James Posey (16) / Jared Dudley (10)
PF: Dennis Rodman (30) / Horace Grant (18)
C: Shaquille O'Neal (38) / Horace Grant (10)

Defensive matchups: Smart on Payton, Kobe on Tatum, Hayward on Cooper, Rodman on Bird, Shaq on Parish.

Flaco has a great big 3 in Bird, Tatum and Payton, however Kobe and Shaq is a better top 2 than Bird + Tatum/Payton to make up for it, both in talent and proven chemistry, and then Hayward is a solid all-star 3rd option in this pool. The rest our team is deeper with two all-star caliber defensive bigs in Rodman and Grant and great 3 and D play in Smart, Posey and Dudley, whereas he is playing McKie 20 minutes. Our only defensive issues is Kobe guarding the bigger Tatum, however he can hold his own, and I think his ok Shaq defense with Parish against him is a bigger issue. On the whole I believe I have the stronger defensive team as his frontcourt is only OK on that end and we can make it into a physical series where Shaq and Kobe's creating skills can win out.

[flaco]

Best of luck, Dr P!



Rotation
PG: Gary Payton (38) / Michael Cooper (10)
SG: Michael Cooper (28) / Aaron McKie (20)
SF: Jayson Tatum (38) / Larry Bird (10)
PF: Larry Bird (28) / Robert Horry (20)
C: Robert Parish (36) / Andrew Bogut (12)

Offense
The big 4 of Payton-Tatum-Bird-Parish should complement each other well. The first three are 3-level scorers. Parish lacked 3pt range, but had a reliable mid-range jumper. Cooper, McKie and Horry stretch the floor. Parish sets hard picks for my ball handlers including Larry and Tatum. I assume Shaq never switches these picks, meaning Larry/Tatum will have loads of open looks from the perimeter. We know for a fact Bird-Parish had great synergy in real life having won 3 rings together, 1 of them in their selected season. When Payton rests, Bird-Tatum are the de facto PGs in the half court.

Defense
Parish/Bogut drop. They both have the size to at least try to slow down Shaq. Parish is widely considered a top 15 Center of all time. I'd argue Bogut is one of the best backup bigs in our games. He was a regular starter for a team that reached the Finals in his selected season and recorded a DBPM of +3.2. On-ball D should be elite with 2 DPOY winners in Payton and Cooper. Those two plus McKie are my POA defenders. McKie was a terrific defender in his own right as evidenced by his DBPM of +2.0. Wing D should be strong with 6 switchable defenders on the roster including Payton who can hold his own against taller opponents on switches. The presence of Rodman allows Bird to double on Shaq. He was an exceptional help defender thanks to his BBIQ.

FGA
1986 Larry Bird 19.6
2023 Jayson Tatum 21.1
1996 Gary Payton 15.8
1986 Michael Cooper 7.4
1999 Robert Horry 3.8
1986 Robert Parish 11.9
2016 Andrew Bogut 4.0
1997 Aaron McKie 4.4

Total: 88.0

[Colbinii]

Interesting matchup.

Smart/Rodman are there to muck-it-up defensively while being complimentary as support players around the Shaq/Kobe gravity. Posey/Grant off the bench provide stability while I get an overall feeling that there is slightly too little playmaking on the roster.

Bird/Payton make for a dynamic pairing offensively as Payton loves to get into the meat of a defense and make plays from this position. Tatum [Or Payton] are more potent and trusted as a 3rd option in this match-up compared to the Brownsburg Gamer.

Overall I like Dr Positivity in a fun series.

[Laimbeer]

I like Bird/Tatum quite a bit and feel like Rodman isn't great next to Shaq.

Vote - flaco

[Fadeaway_J]

In terms of pure talent, I give Dr P the edge here with the Shaq-Kobe duo as a starting point and Grant being at least comparable to Parish as a fourth option. What makes it tough is Rodman starting alongside Shaq, especially with Smart already being an inconsistent shooter. With that said, Parish seems too slender to have much effect on Shaq, and Shaq's constant activity off the ball does make it tough to double him every single time like flaco will have to. Perhaps most importantly, I have more trust in Shaq and Kobe as lead scorers than Bird and Tatum, even with so-so spacing (which is what they had to work with for a decent chunk of their time together).

Vote: Dr Positivity

[Larry_Russell]

The fit on Flacos team here is pretty awesome.

all the skill should blend well. sure they cannot really contain shaq, but I think they can outscore here

Its a really tough matchup to guage,

Vote Flaco

[uberhikari]

While I agree that Parish can't contain Shaq, flaco seems to be winning everywhere else. Others have mentioned the problematic fit with Rodman + Smart but Kobe, in particular, is in for a nightmarish series vs Payton, Cooper, Tatum, and McKie. Literally no perimeter switch helps him AND he has to guard Tatum. 94 Rodman also shouldn't be defending peak Bird; DPOY Rodman would have a shot. And Hayward is also someone who can be targeted. flaco, as always, has fantastic spacing and Bird's passing should amplify it. Vote: flaco

[Dr Positivity]

GG

[Laimbeer]

flaco advances