2023-2024 mid season draft R1 - murphyslamz vs Fadeaway_J (murphyslamz advances)

[Dr Positivity]

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**

[Fadeaway_J]

Starters
C - Anthony Davis

Spoiler:

24.9 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 2.5 bpg, .553 FG%, .810 FT%, .617 TS%
- NBA All-Star

PF - Jalen Williams

Spoiler:

19.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, .544 FG%, .453 3P%, .811 FT%, 72 3P (1.5), .629 TS%

SF - Jaden McDaniels

Spoiler:

10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.5 bpg, .505 FG%, .357 3P%, .795 FT%, 55 3P (1.2 pg), .589 TS

SG - Jrue Holiday

Spoiler:

13.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.7 bpg, .473 FG%, .440 3P%, .833 FT%, 103 3P (2.1 pg), .591 TS%

PG - Luka Doncic

Spoiler:

34.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 9.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg, .492 FG%, .375 3P%, .777 FT%, 181 3P (3.9 pg), .620 TS%
- Leads the NBA in ppg
- NBA All-Star

Bench
C/F - Larry Nance Jr

Spoiler:

5.5 ppg, 5.2 apg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.4 bpg, .569 FG%, .455 3P%, .722 FT%, 20 3P (0.5 pg), .661 TS%

F - Trey Lyles

Spoiler:

7.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.3 spg, 0.3 bpg, .463 FG%, .405 3P%, .681 FT%, 64 3P (1.6 pg), .625 TS%

G - Kris Dunn

Spoiler:

5.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, .477 FG%, .416 3P%, .696 FT%, 32 3P (0.7 pg), .560 TS%

Rotations
C - Davis (38), Nance (10)
PF - Williams (22), Lyles (20), Nance (6)
SF - McDaniels (34), Williams (14)
SG - Holiday (38), Dunn (10)
PG - Doncic (38), Dunn (10)

FGA Per Player

Spoiler:

Anthony Davis - 17.2
Luka Doncic - 23.4
Jrue Holiday - 10.5
Jaden McDaniels - 8.7
Jalen Williams - 13.8
Kris Dunn - 4.6
Larry Nance Jr. - 3.7
Trey Lyles - 5.5

Total: 87.4/88.0

Luka and AD are a match made in heaven, with Luka the unstoppable creative force who weaponises AD's elite finishing skills. Williams is the perfect third option; he can shoot, attack off the dribble, and function as a secondary playmaker without requiring too many touches. Jrue is in the same lower-usage role he has for Boston which allows him to ratchet up his shooting efficiency (shooting in the mid-60s on corner threes and 44% overall). The spacing is excellent with Jrue, Williams, Lyles, and even lower-usage guys like Dunn and Nance being at least capable from outside, and they will all benefit from Luka's ability to generate wide-open triples. Defensively, we have length and versatility all over the perimeter to cover for the weaknesses of Luka (who has improved on that end this season), plus AD as the do-it-all anchor in the middle.

Matchup
- Key defensive assignments will be Jrue/Dunn on Steph and McDaniels (on of the best wing stoppers in the game at the moment) on LeBron. On Steph pick-and-rolls, AD hedges high to cut off any daylight while Jrue/Dunn is fighting through the screen. Luka will be stashed on Dort - we will pre-switch to keep him off the ball if we see Steph or LeBron trying to target him. Jrue/Dunn/Williams/McDaniels have the tools to pull this off, and AD and Nance are both mobile bigs.
- We'll look to target Lopez in the pick-and-roll with Luka. Lopez is great at what he does, but he's between a rock and a hard place here: his preferred deep drop simply isn't viable against Luka, while his lack of lateral quickness can be exploited out on the floor. Furthermore, AD as a target for Luka passes means any screwups on the perimeter will be punished severely.
- Luka should have a big series in general as murphy doesn't really have the specific personnel to guard him. His best defenders (Caruso and Dort) are too small, LeBron isn't that guy any more, and RoCo wasn't strong enough even in his prime. Luka will have his pick of favourable matchups to hunt, and selling out to stop him will only open things up for AD, Williams, and Jrue. We have much better covers for Steph (along with the right bigs to help them out), and solid options for LeBron as well.

Good luck murphy.

[murphyslamz]

PG: Lebron James (17.9) | 39.5% from 3
SG: Stephen Curry (19.8) | 42% from 3
SF: Lu Dort (8.2) | 39.3% from 3
PF: Pascal Siakam (15.8) | 34.7% from 3
C: Brook Lopez (10.2) | 34.2 from 3 | 2nd in 2023 NBA DPOY voting

6th: Alex Caruso (7.1) | 40% from 3 | 2023 1st team all defence

7th: Isaiah Hartenstein (4.6) |Has the highest D-EPM (Defensive estimated plus minus) per 100 possessions in the NBA (https://dunksandthrees.com/epm)

8th: Robert Covington (3.4) | 35.4% from 3 | Still a very good help defender, which might pay dividends vs. Doncic & AD.

87/88 FGA


Minutes ->

PG: Lebron James (26) | Caruso (21)
SG: Steph Curry (37) | Caruso (11)
SF: Lu Dort (34) | Covington (14)
PF: Siakam (37) | James (11)
C: Brook Lopez (30) Isiah Hartenstein (18)


Defensive Matchups:

Dort guards Doncic
"I think he's one of the top three defenders in the NBA. It's really tough to play against him" (Luka Doncic on Lu Dort.) Dort will be the primary defender against Doncic. Caruso and Siakam will also spend some time covering Doncic. Lopez will be there to help in the paint

Lopez guards AD

Siakam guards Jaden Mcdaniels (looking to play help defence vs Doncic AD PnR)

Steph guards Jrue Holiday

Lebron guards Jalen Mcdaniels

Why I think my team will win

1) Steph Curry & Lebron James surrounded by defence, shooting, and a tertiary star

2) Dort, Caruso, and Siakam POA defence vs Doncic

3) Brook Lopez rim protection

4) Siakam as a 3rd option. We have seen how much more efficient Siakam is when he is not the #1 option. He shot 37% on 3pointers during the year the raptors won the chip and is currently 21 for 48 (42.8%) from 3 with the Pacers. If AD guards Lopez, there will not be much help defence for Siakam in the paint with Lopez spacing the floor


Goodluck and congrats on drafting a nice team Fadeaway_J

[flaco]

Fade has a crystal clear approach that should work against any team. Luka-AD spamming the spread PnR surrounded by 3 shooters is an unstoppable game plan. BroLo is a terrific rim protector, but he'd be all over the place if forced to defend in space. Giannis provides cover for him in real life with his elite help defense. Siakam is a decent help defender, but he isn't on Giannis' level. Even if Siakam manages to deny / slow down the PnR action, I trust Luka to find the open shooter on the perimeter. Fit-wise, Siakam needs the ball in his hands to maximize his effectiveness on offense. Can't see that happening alongside LeBron.

Vote: Fadeaway_J

[Dr Positivity]

I don't think murphy has the right team to guard Luka PNR in this series with the two bigs and one of them being Lopez, although Davis is not as consistent night to night on offense in the playoff as he once was and murphy's offense should be less predictable with the Lebron/Curry taking pressure off each other and Curry's off ball ability. The fit is a bit less clean but I prefer Siakam as 3rd option to Williams, partly due to the matchup is in his favor as he's always been good at scoring over smaller players while he can be stashed on McDaniels, but also because of the playoff experience. Close but I'll go with the deeper team as I prefer murphy's by quite a bit as Caruso is the difference maker here and Hartenstein and Covington solid as 7th/8th, Dunn and Lyles have had decent seasons but not sure I trust them in playoff environment yet. Vote murphyslamz.

[Dr Positivity]

[Larry_Russell]

Lebron and Steph together is a problem, but I am admittedly not in love with Siakam on the team as far as fit and I think it really hurts when going against a team that the build is ideal as far as the fit.

Im goingt o vote Fade here.

[Fadeaway_J]

Still need at least one more vote

[Laimbeer]

I like the LeBron/Steph duo a bit more and don't see anything 3-8 that flips it.

Vote - murphyslamz

[Dr Positivity]

Needs deciding vote

[durantbird]

Tough series. But I still think even in 24' Curry/LeBron would create total menace offensively. I prefer Fade's 3-5 options, but I have more trust in Murphy's foundation.

Vote Murphy

[Dr Positivity]

murphyslamz advances