2023-24 Season Draft SF1 - Fadeaway_J vs. Snakebites*

[Fadeaway_J]

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 advances.**

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Chet Holmgren (2023-24)

Spoiler:

16.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.6 spg, 2.3 bpg, .530 FG%, .370 3P%, .793 FT%, 129 3P (1.6 pg), .632 TS%
- Rookie of the Year Finalist

PF - OG Anunoby (2023-24)

Spoiler:

14.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.7 bpg, .489 FG%, .382 3P%, .753 FT%, 102 3P (2.0 pg), .595 TS%

SF - Jaylen Brown (2023-24)

Spoiler:

23.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.5 bpg, .499 FG%, .354 3P%, .703 FT%, 145 3P (2.1 pg), .580 TS%
- NBA All-Star

SG - Alex Caruso (2023-24)

Spoiler:

10.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.7 spg, 1.0 bpg, .468 FG%, .408 3P%, .760 FT%, 136 3P (1.9 pg), .613 TS%

PG - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2023-24)

Spoiler:

30.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.2 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.9 bpg, .535 FG%, .353 3P%, .874 FT%, 95 3P (1.3 pg), .636 TS%
- NBA All-Star
- Most Valuable Player Finalist

Bench
C - Larry Nance Jr. (2023-24)

Spoiler:

5.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.3 spg, 0.8 bpg, .573 FG%, .415 3P%, .770 FT%, .653 TS%

F - Nicolas Batum (2023-24)

Spoiler:

5.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, .453 FG%, .395 3P%, .714 FT%, 73 3P (1.2 pg), .603 TS%

F/G - Trey Murphy III (2023-24)

Spoiler:

14.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.5 bpg, .443 FG%, .380 3P%, .815 FT%, 169 3P (3.0 pg), .612 TS%

Rotations
C - Holmgren (34), Nance (14)
PF - Anunoby (34), Batum (14)
SF - Brown (24), Murphy (16), Batum (8)
SG - Caruso (20), Brown (12), Murphy (12)
PG - SGA (38), Caruso (10)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 19.8
Chet Holmgren - 11.6
OG Anunoby - 11.5
Alex Caruso - 7.6
Nicolas Batum - 4.3
Jaylen Brown - 17.9
Larry Nance Jr. - 4.0
Trey Murphy III - 10.9

Total: 87.7/88.0

Our foundation is the two-way excellence of OKC teammates SGA and Holmgren. Like the real-life Thunder, we've stacked our rotation with players who can both shoot and make plays off the dribble. SGA is unstoppable as a perimeter creator with this much space around him, particularly Holmgren's shooting from the 5. Brown fits in nicely alternating between second and third option, similarly to J-Dub for the Thunder. OG, Caruso, Murphy, and Batum can all hit the three and make plays when the ball is swung to them (OG/Murphy more as slashers, Caruso/Batum as passers/connectors).

Defensively, we have size and versatility on the perimeter around the dominant rim protection of Holmgren. With Caruso, OG, and Brown able to take on the toughest individual assignments, SGA can wreak havoc with his elite help instincts. Holmgren is great in drop coverage but also has the mobility and intelligence to show high if necessary. Nance off the bench gives us an even more switchable look at the 5.

Matchup
- Defensive assignments will be SGA-White, Caruso-Steph, OG-LeBron, Brown-Williams, Holmgren-Gobert. On 1-5 pick-and-rolls, Holmgren shows high while Caruso fights through the screen. All other screening combinations we switch. With good to great individual defenders at every starting spot, plus elite help defenders like Holmgren, Caruso, and SGA, we have all the bases covered.
- Holmgren's shooting draws Gobert away from the basket, creating lanes for SGA and Brown to get to the rim. Although still capable, LeBron at this stage of his career isn't quite able to sustain consistent effort as the low man over the course of the entire game.

Good luck Snake.

[Snakebites]

PG: Steph Curry 19.5 FGA
SG: Derrick White 11.5 FGA
SF: Jalen Williams 14.0 FGA
PF: Lebron James 17.9 FGA
C: Rudy Gobert 8.1 FGA

B: Nickeil Alexander-Walker 6.6 FGA
B: Dean Wade 4.3 FGA
B: Dereck Lively II 5.4 FGA

Curry (37)/White (11)
White (26)/Alexander-Walker (22)
Williams (36)/James (12)
James (27)/Wade (21)
Gobert (35)/Lively (13)

Alright let’s do this.

Fade has built a very strong team in this one but I believe he’ll be hard pressed to match mine, which has greater firepower and an exceptional blend of talent on both ends of the floor.

Everyone who isn’t a a center on my team is a terrific outside shooter, many of them in volume. Derrick White is a solid defender for SGA, and I’ve got versatile defenders all over the rest of my core. Williams takes Brown, Lebron takes OG, Steph hides on Caruso.

Chet’s spacing creates some challenges, but I don’t think it’s enough for SGA/Brown to overcome the talent gap and synergy that Lebron/Steph have, particular given I also don’t see a gap in Fades favor between Gobert/White/Williams and Caruso/OG/Chet. I probably take the first core of supporters over the second, to be honest.

[Dr Positivity]

I feel like the rich man's Thunder is just outgunned here by the perfect fits of White, Williams and Gobert around Lebron/Curry. Vote Snakebites.

[wackbone]

I like both of these teams. I think Snakebites has both a better offensive and defensive core though, with excellent role players surrounding the Steph+LeBron duo. Fade has great role players around SGA as well, but I think Snake's have a bit more oomph.

Vote: Snakebites

[Fadeaway_J]

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[Fadeaway_J]

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Help us out please

[durantbird]

Not sure how the Steph LeBron pairing was available once again, but it just feels too good and the difference between it and SGA Brown is too big.

Vote Snake

[MadNESS]

Although I like both teams, gotta go Snake here.

Curry / Bron is just too tough.
White is a good cover for SGA.
Good balance for both squads, very well built.

[Fadeaway_J]

Lost 4-0 in a best of 5 series

GG Snake, fairly obvious result