ClutchCity

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE CASTING YOUR VOTE:

NOTE: Regarding injuries, we are not just ignoring injuries altogether. Players should be considered as healthy but with reasonable expectations for this year. This league is based on what the players could be reasonably expected to produce the next season when they are playing.

Example: "When it comes to Brandon Roy, nobody expects him to produce at a rate better than he did last year, which was NOT impressive. He was quite mediocre last year. I think one would expect him to stay the same. There is no reason to expect him to get back to his old form, since his knees just keep getting worse, not better.

On the other hand, although Bynum has a history of injuries, he always bounces back and produces. As long as he is in the lineup, he contributes quite nicely.There is a difference between players like Roy and Bynum."

ClutchCity

Kirk Hinrich, 2.Manu Ginobili, 3.Gerald Wallace, 4.Dirk Nowitzki, 5.Anderson Varejao
Greg Oden, Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin, Luke Ridnour, Rodrigue Beaubois, Mickael Pietrus, Al Harrington

PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Michael Pietrus
SF: Gerald Wallace
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Anderson Varejao

6th man: Manu Ginobili

Bench:

PG: Luke Ridnour
SG: Roddy Beaubois
SF: Richard Jefferson
PF: Kenyon Martin/Al Harrington
C: Greg Oden

Lineup: This starting lineup will NOT be the lineup I used to end games. I am running a similar strategy to Dallas’ where they have Kidd/Stevenson/Marion/Dirk/Chandler starting games. Dirk tries to get these guys going in the early stage of a game. My starting lineup has very strong D and I would also argue it is more potent offensively than Dallas’ starting lineup. This lineup would be used for about the first 8 minutes in the game at which point Manu will enter the game (Dallas does this with Terry). I feel that to have Manu coming off the bench gives him a big opportunity to exploit DuCa's weak bench. We all know Manu and Dirk are going to be consistent threats, but it’s important to get the teammates going. Also, with Manu entering the game, Dirk would rest which gives Ginobili the chance to run the offense with solid scoring options such as Harrington, Gerald Wallace, and Roddy Beaubois just to name a few. Also, I think Oden would be huge coming off the bench since DuCa has no centre on his bench. He will overpower DuCa’s power forwards to help out Ginobili by being an inside presence (offensively and defensively). To end games, I can change up my lineup to include whoever may be hot for that game. Dirk and Manu will always finish games, but beside them I can have a choice between Hinrich or Ridnour, Gerald Wallace or Richard Jefferson, Greg Oden or Anderson Varejao. Most likely, the lineup will be Hinrich/Manu/G. Wallace/Dirk/Varejao.

Offence: Run the offense through Dirk, of course. When he starts to see double teams he'll find the open man. That's what great about my team; I have so many deadly three point shooters. All of my guards and small forwards are consistent threats from 3 point, with the exception of Gerald Wallace (not a bad 3 point shooter at all though). I can run a lineup of something like Hinrich/Manu/R. Jefferson/Dirk/Harrington at times, giving me 5 legit three point threats. This gives Dirk crazy spacing to go to work. I can get away with that lineup since DuCa has some undersized bigs. I can run a similar strategy to Dallas’ in real life because I have similar players surrounding Dirk (I have better shooters though). To end games, I have 2 great clutch options in Manu and of course, quite possibly the most clutch player in the league (most definitely was last year), Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas’ second option on offense was Jason Terry, while mine is Manu. This gives me a more consistent offense, and a much better clutch offense in the last few minutes of the game where you one of the clutchest wing players playing alongside the clutchest player in the game

Defense: I have some very solid defenders in the paint (Varejao, Greg Oden, Kenyon Martin) and on the perimeter (Pietrus, Gerald Wallace, Manu, Hinrich, etc), which gives me many options to throw at Evans/Martin/Beasley. I feel that DuCa’s offense will struggle because of not enough movement on the offensive end. Those players only know how to play one way, and I can’t see them adjusting to play well enough off-ball. There’s only one basketball to go around. Forcing the ball out of Evans’ hands is going to be key, as he’s DuCa’s best play maker (in the starting lineup). Get the ball out of his hands and that will hurt the team offense. I’d run zone for stints in a game with pesky perimeter defenders in Hinrich/Wallace/Manu. I can surround those 3 with Varejao (smart, quick defender), and Kenyon Martin (solid, quick defender) to have quick rotations when running the zone. While the offense may be limited with that lineup, that D would be VERY strong. I’d have Varejao/Martin trying to guard Blake Griffin who will get his points, but will give up even more trying to guard Dirk. That’s the biggest issue, who’s going to guard Dirk? He’s the most unstoppable player in the league and none of DuCa’s defenders will faze him (Dirk killed guys like Ibaka, Aldridge, Batum, Haslem, Joel Anthony, Odom). Griffin would get schooled (Dirk kills young inexperienced players), David West is too short, Greg Monroe is too slow, Elton Brand is too short and too slow. His team would have to double team, and that is a recipe for disaster against my team (I have EIGHT 3 point threats to surround Dirk with: Manu Ginobili, Hinrich, R. Jefferson, Pietrus, Beaubois, G. Wallace, Ridnour, Al Harrington)

Overall, I feel that my team is full of winners (Dirk, Manu) and very experienced players (Hinrich, Varejao, Pietrus, Kenyon Martin, etc.). My bench is also much stronger than DuCa’s. But the most important thing about my team is that outside of Dirk/Manu, I do not really have many ball dominant players. I think this is really important when you have guys like Gerald Wallace/Hinrich/R. Jefferson/Pietrus who can play alongside my stars and perform well with good off-ball movements, but don’t need the ball to create offense for themselves. That’s the opposite of DuCa’s team when you have ball dominant players like Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin, Beasley, and Blake Griffin (less ball dominant than the other two, but he doesn’t really have a good playmaker beside him to help create offense). There’s only one basketball to go around, and I feel those players would not optimize their play if forced to play off-ball. Also, I want to add that Kevin Martin and Tyreke Evans couldn’t work together in Sacramento, why would it work on this team filled with even more ball dominant players? DuCa’s team also many inexperienced players as his 2 best players haven’t played a single playoff game (Evans/Griffin). Beasley is young and dumb. West is not a C. This team doesn’t fit that well together and I can see team chemistry being a serious problem. My team would gel well together and use their high basketball IQ to: have good ball movement, have good off-ball movement, have good D, and make the right decisions.

Good luck to DuCa.


VS

DuCa00795

Lineup -

PG - Tyreke Evans/Mo Williams/Gilbert Arenas
SG - Kevin Martin/ Anthony Parker/Gilbert Arenas
SF - Michael Beasly/Corey Magette
PF - Blake Griffin/Elton Brand/David West
C - Greg Monroe/David West/Jason Maxiell

I moved David West to the bench to give me a bigger starting lineup and to add more Defense.

PG - Starting Tyreke at the PG gives me a size advantage over Kirk Hinrich. I also have to starting caliber point guard coming off the bench. Mo Williams and Gilbert Arena's have experience, and would take on Ridnour and Beabois without any problems.

SG - Kevin Martin can score in loads. I have AP backing him up in case his defense becomes a problem. I think both of our teams are even at the SG position Manu vs Martin and AP vs Pietrus seems like a draw.

SF - Beasly can score in loads, but I brought in Magette just in case he loses his cool, or if he is having an off game. Gerald Wallace will have his hands full, and so will Jefferson trying to guard these guys. I think this may also be a draw for both teams.

PF - I have Griffin, West, and Brand who are all starting caliber PF to compete with Dirk. Dirk may be a good offensive player, but He would not be able to handle these guys on defense.

C - I have Monroe to give me length and defense. I think he has an advantage over Varejao. I also have West backing him up, and Maxiell deep on the bench in case we needs a more physical presence.

Good Luck Clutch.



Remaining first round matchups:



carp vs Someguyagain

Dark Knight

Clutch is my pick to win it all. Sorry Duca, nothing personal.

ClutchCity

Nice!

Nites

I don't think anyone on DuCa's team is capable of slowing down Dirk + Manu. Possibly the best duo in our draft. Clutch has a very solid team where each individual plays smart.

Metallikid

I've noticed a very strong trend in these matchups for people to overemphasize each teams top 3 players, when at the very least you should weigh the top 5 and the spread of talent over the whole team, and in this case Duca's top 5/bench handily beats Clutch. Honestly guys, Ridnour(?)-Manu-Wallace-Dirk-Varejao is no match for Evans-Martin-Beasley-Griffin-West. Dirk and Manu are the only players on Clutch's whole team that can get their own shot while all five of the ones I just mentioned can. Duca's bench squad has higher calibre players too - Arenas/Mo Williams/Maggette/Brand/West would take a shit on Ridnour/Manu/Jefferson/KMart/Oden.

Long story short, sorry Duca.

ClutchCity

Are you on crack?

Nites

It's the fact that Manu and Dirk would work very well with the players such as Wallace, Varejao, and Jefferson.

ClutchCity

I honestly was not sure if his post was serious for 2 reasons:

1. Worst analysis ever.
2. "sorry Duca" --> WTF? You voted for him...

LKeet6

I must admit, i was temporarily blinded by luca's exciting line-up. Got some great scorers in his team who are fun to watch. Just don't see how that offense would work.

clutch's team i can imagine all playing together and there's still easily enough scoring as well.

DuCa00795

I do not think it was a bad analysis...he was saying orry because he knows im going to loae...no reason to get hostile...

ClutchCity

Didn't mean to sound hostile, was just really confused at his post.

And yeah, the analysis was not good.

Metallikid

My analysis is not the "worst ever", a claim you'd at least have to make some kind of counter-argument to validate, it's just something I've been noticing. If you want me to write up a page and half why Duca's team is better, I could, but it's not worth the effort. Here's the short form: He has more balanced scoring and depth of talent throughout the roster. Clutch, your edge in overall defense wouldn't make up for the fact that you just don't have enough offensive options if either Dirk or Manu have a poor offensive showing; Duca's team would have eight players averaging 10+ ppg. If anything I'd say Duca perhaps made some poor line-up choices, but that could and would be fixed on a game-to-game basis. His line-ups would be better like this:

Starting - Williams/Martin/Maggette/Griffin/Brand
Second Unit - Arenas/Evans/Beasley/West/Monroe

This way you get more of a pass-first pg in Mo running pick and rolls with Blake while KMart waits for the corner three. Maggette is a better starter than Beasley because his ability to draw fouls and finish lets him play clean-up anytime someone gets double-teamed or the overstretched help defender has to double-back. Brand is very solid on D and more importantly has experience and great basketball IQ. Duca's bench is really where his teams shines as the second unit would keep Gil involved in ball-handling duties instead of spotting up at the three-point line, while letting the trio of Evans/Beasley/West provide ample scoring both inside and out. This line-up split would also diffuse the ball-dominant players so there wouldn't be someone on the court just waiting to get their chance at an iso.

And by the way 007nites, just because his starting five might work well together doesn't mean his second-stringers would. It's about the whole team.

I apologized to Duca because he lost when he didn't deserve to. Or at the very least, not that lopsidedly.

DuCa00795

yeah...tbh i didnt expect to lose this badly...manu is coming off the bench so dirk and him wouldnt see each oth much...they would not be able to produce as much as my guys...and Dirk would get tired trying to guard my guys..

DanH

Main reason I voted for Clutch was defense. Duca doesn't have any.

Someguy again

gilbert can just pull a gun out on anyone.

let's see who's gonna try and score on duca's team now.

ClutchCity

Dirk and Manu would not play together only in the early stages of the games (1st quarter, early 2nd quarter). After that, of course you will see my two best players on at the same time.

halphbreedballer

Yah clutch does that that's why I am now watching him...

ClutchCity

What do you mean?

DuCa00795

People are putting to much emphasis on defense, the team I have compiled would abuse any teams defense, not matter how good they are. I also have some key defensive players, Griffin, Monroe, Maxiell, AP and Magette. You guys are treating my team as if they are going to sit there and watch the ball be passed around. I expected it to be a much closer.

Acie

Martin and Evans couldn't coexist in Sactown, what makes you think they can coexist in fantasy land?