All-time peak draft 1 team thread

[dr.hee]

[dr.hee]

Team L.Kizzle


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STARTERS
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Center: 1966-1967 Wilt Chamberlain
Philadelphia 76ers 68-13 Record NBA Champions
24.1 PPG 24.2 RPG 7.8 APG on 68.3 FG%
NBA MVP; NBA Champion; All-NBA 1st Team; Eastern Conference All-Star; Rebounding Leader; Field Goal% Leader (2nd highest was Walt Bellamy at 52%); 5th in PPG; 3rd in APG.


Power Forward: 1986-1987 Bill Laimbeer
Detroit Pistons 52-30 Record Eastern Conference Finals
15.4 PPG 11.6 RPG on 50.1 FG%
Eastern Conference All-Star; 5th in RPG; 3rd in Free Throw% at 89.4.


Small Forward: 1974-1975 Rick Barry
Golden State Warriors 48-34 Record NBA Champions
30.6 PPG 5.7 RPG 6.2 APG 2.9 SPG
NBA Champion; 4th in MVP; All-NBA 1st Team; Western Conference All-Star; Steals Leader; 2nd in PPG; 1st on Free Throw% at 90.4


Shooting Guard: 1963-1964 Oscar Robertson
Cincinnati Royals 55-25 Eastern Division Finals
31.4 PPG 9.9 RPG 11 SPG on 48.3 FG%
NBA MVP; All NBA 1st Team; Eastern Conference All-Star; All-Star MVP; 2nd PPG; 1st in APG


Point Guard: 1969-1970 Walt Frazier
New York Knicks 60-22 NBA Champions
All-NBA 1st Team; All Defensive 1st Team; Eastern Conference All-Star; 2nd in Assist; 4th in MVP;
20.9 PPG 6 RPG 8.2 ASP


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RESERVES
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Center/Power Forward: 1982-1983 Mose Malone
Philadelphia 76ers 65-17 NBA Champions
24.5 PPG 15.3 RPG 2 BPG
NBA MVP; NBA Champion; Finals MVP; All-NBA 1st Team; All Defensive 1st Team; Eastern Conference All-Star; 1st RPG; 5th PPG; 10th BPG


Forward: 1964-1965 Gus Johnson
Baltimore Bullets 37-43 Western Division Finals
18.6 PPG 13 RPG 3.6 APG
All-NBA 2nd Team; Western Conference All-Star; 7th RPG


Guard/Forward: 1991-1992 Clyde Drexler
Portland Trailblazers 57-25 NBA Finals
25 PPG 6.6 RPG 6.7 ASP 1.8 SPG
All-NBA 1st Team, Western Conference All-Star; 2nd in MVP; 5th PPG; Dream Team


Guard: 1989-1990 Kevin Johnson
Phoenix Suns 54-28 Record Western Conference Finals
22.5 PPG 3.6 RPG 11.4 ASP 1.3 SPG
All NBA 2nd Team; Western Conference All-Star; 3rd in APG


Entertainment: 2002-2003 Eddie Robinson
Chicago Bulls - Record Who Cares
Stats - Who Cares
Accolades - Who Cares
Mr. Robinson will entertain during time-outs and half times with amazing dunks and trick shots. He's also up for challenges of games of HORSE, 21 and Around the World.

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LINE-UPS
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I'll get more in depth with these possibly tomorrow.

Starters
C Wilt
PF Laimbeer
SF Barry
SG Robertson
PG Frazier

Big Line-Up
C Wilt 7'1
PF Moses 6'10
SF Gus 6'6
SG Drexler 6'7
PG Oscar 6'5

Small Ball
C Gus 6'6
PF Drexler 6'7
SF Oscar 6'5
SG Frazier 6'3
PG KJ 6'1

Scoring Line-Up
C Moses
PF Gus
SF Barry
SG Oscar
PG Frazier

Jump Shooting Team
C Laimbeer
PF Barry
SF Oscar
SG Frazier
PG KJ

Defense
C Wilt
PF Laimbeer
SF Gus
SG Oscar
PG Frazier

[dr.hee]

Team Barkleynash








STARTERS:


Point God: Magic Johnson 89/90 MVP
22 ppg on 48 fg% and 38% from 3, 11.5 apg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 spg

What better guy to lead an offensive juggernaut of a team like this then the best point guard of all time. Magic knows how to win and makes everyone a lot better. Magic's scoring will likely dip a bit as there's so many scorers to keep happy on this team but I could see his assists go way up especially when the team gets out in the break! I picked this year for Magic because he had a lot more confidence in his outside shot and if you double teamed off of Magic in the half court set he knocked down a 3 (he shot 3.5 of them a game and hit them at a career best 38%!).



Shooting Guard: Drazen Petrovic 92/93 All NBA 3rd Team
22ppg on 52 fg% and 45% from 3, 3.5 apg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 spg

Drazen is gonna have an absolute TON of wide open looks on this squad. His scoring will dip due to a slight minutes chop and being the 3rd/4th option now instead of the 2nd option but he'll get by far the easiest shots of his career. I predict he's around the 15 ppg while maintaining awesome %'s


Small Forward: Paul George 13/14 All NBA 3rd Team, 1st All Defensive
21.7ppg on 42 fg% and 36% from 3, 6.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.9spg

George is called upon to use his All NBA defense and guard the other teams best perimeter. That's quite a task especially in this league with all the studs he'll be facing. Fortunately for him he'll get more rest on the bench and he'll be able to save a lot of that energy he'd normally be burning on offense. On this team he won't be asked to carry the offensive load but on the bright side for PG his shooting % should go up with more fast break opportunities, more open looks and obviously from the Magic effect. I figure he'll be good for around 12ppg but will occasionally have a monster game where he goes off


Power Forward: Charles Barkley 92/93 MVP
25.6 ppg on 52 fg% and 30.5% from 3, 12 rpg, 5 apg, 1.6 spg and 1 bpg

Charles coming off the most successful basketball year of his life winning an Olympic gold with the dream team, winning the NBA's MVP and getting to the finals vs MJ and the Bulls (I still think had Ceballos played in that playoffs that the Suns woulda won but I'm obviously a huge homer lol). Barkley now in a big 3 with Magic and Shaq has a chance for some unfinished business vs MJ and all the other NBA greats fortunate enough to get drafted...good thing he wasn't gm though or he'd be feuding with Iverson all season.


Center: Shaquille O'Neal 94/95 All NBA 2nd Team
29ppg on 58 fg%, 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.9 spg and 2.4 bpg

I chose the younger Orlando version of Shaq (last guy to bounce MJ from the playoffs) because he was so damn fast still and would fit in better with Magic and would be less likely to feud with Chuck. 3rd Year Shaq was still a beast though leading the league in scoring. Shaq will get teams into early foul trouble and the bonus which make it easier for the rest of our squad. Shaq will get a slight dip in min and he'll have to some of the spot light with the Chuckster but Magic will make sure the big man gets fed.

BENCH:

The 6th Men:

PG/SG Penny Hardaway 94/95 All NBA 1st Team
21 ppg, on 52 fg% and 35% from 3, 7 apg, 4.4 rpg and 1.7 spg

Sophomore Penny gets to learn directly from his idol Magic Johnson! This team won't miss a beat when Penny subs in for Magic and he'll also get some time playing with Magic as well. Penny will often be the 2nd scorer with 1 of either Charles or Shaq (mostly Shaq) when he subs in which is a role he excels in. With his playing time going down I predict Penny's scoring to drop to around 15 and his assists to 5 and rebounding to 3, nice 6th man #'s!


PF/C Anthony Davis 13/14
20.8 ppg on 52 fg%, 10 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.3 spg and 2.8 bpg

2nd year budding star gets to apprentice under Barkley for a year and continue to develop. Davis will be a perfect sidekick to Shaq and Barkley with his defence and versatility and he'll be great in the fast break catching lobs from Magic and Penny. Going from 1st option down to 4th or 5th option when on the court and losing about 7 min of playing time should see the Unibrow's scoring get cut in half but I guarantee his %'s go up getting spoon fed by these 2 great point guards.



The Wily Vets:

SG: Reggie Miller 03/04 17th Season
10 ppg on 44 fg% and 40% from 3

With playing time down to just 10 min/game Reggie who desperately wants his first championship will have to buy into this strange new back up role. If Drazen ever gets in foul trouble or is having an off night Reggie will get his chance and just might go off. At the end of games when we're on offence you can bet your ass Miller will be on the floor though ready to make another clutch play!


SF/PF/SG Shane Battier 12/13 13th Season
6.6 ppg on 42 fg% and 43% from 3

Getting DNP coach decisions is something new for Battier but it's a role he'll embrace if it means another championship. He'll still get some burn here and there, especially for defensive substitutions at the end of games. Battier does all the little things that makes everyone better and can hit clutch shots as well.

Coach: Red Aurbach Till PJ came along Red had the record for most NBA titles and still has the record for most won in a row (8) which very likely will never be broken. His teams were fantastic fastbreak teams and featured a dynamite point guard and a dominant center which his current dream roster definitely has with Magic and Shaq. Those great Celtic team's were always stacked and he got the most out of the talent, convincing stars like Hondo to come off the bench for the good of the team. Mostly Red (who doubled as the GM) was great at getting everyone in buying and trusting his players.

Rotation:

PG: Magic 23/ Penny 22/ Petrovic 3
SG: Petrovic 27/ Miller 10 min/ Penny 8 min/ George 3 min
SF: George 27 min/ Magic 14 / Barkley 4 min/ Battier 3 min(ready to play the 3,4 or 2 if needed)
PF: Barkley 32 min/ Davis 15 min/ Magic 1 min
C: Shaq 35 min/ Davis 13 min

First 2 subs would be Penny and Davis for Magic and Charles letting Penny an Shaq get their 1-2 punch on. Charles would then sub Shaq and Shaq later for Davis making a 3 post rotation

Game plan is to run, run, run with the best fast break in the League. When it gets into the halfcourt play the inside outside game featuring either Shaq or Charles surrounded by shooters mixed in with some drive and kick, dish or finish themselves from the perimeters, mainly Magic and Penny and Paul George doing the driving. When the starting bigs are together on the court (give or take 15 min of the game, mostly from starting both halves and possibly the end of the game depending on foul trouble and matchups and factoring in possible hack-a-shaq strategy). When they are together, although not close to a perfect fit they'll have to make due. Charles can hit an outside shot better than either Haslem or Horace Grant ever could who both worked well with Shaq. They could even get a little post to post high-low action going to mix it up as well. The pros of them working together is that they should have a rebounding advantage on most teams and they'll be damn hard to keep off the offensive glass.

End of game, save for last shot style possession offensive line up (avoiding the hack-a-Shaq) would be: Chuck, Magic, Reggie, Drazen and Penny. Need a stop Defensive line up would be Shaq, Davis, Battier, George and Penny(who would guard the worst offensive perimeter)

[dr.hee]

Team kshutts

Nash(32)/Hinrich(16)
Bowen(28)/TMac(12)/Baylor(8)/Hinrich
TMac(24)/Baylor(20)/Bowen(4)
KG(26)/Pettit(22)
Russell(34)/Marc Gasol(14)

Coach: Adelman

My team will essentially run the same high post, motion style offense that the early 2000s Kings ran. Obvious difference to those saying Kings didn't win a title is my D. Russell, KG, Kirk, Bowen, Gasol are all great.

I have not looked too in depth at other teams yet, but during the draft I remember thinking that not many teams have the defensive versatility that mine offers, nor do they have the spacing.
Literally everyone on my team, except Russell, can hit at least an 18 footer with regularity. Playing in today's league, that's a necessity, IMO.

Nash -- the offensive engine of the team. Ran one of the best offenses ever, and did that having one of the best shooting years ever.
TMac -- the go-to scorer of the starters. Dude in that year lit it up.. from anywhere.
Russell -- defensive stalwart, who also has great passing ability from the C spot. Can run the offense through him in the high post if necessary or, relying on Adelman's system, can fill Divac's role on O.
Bowen and Hinrich -- Glue guys. Hit the open shot (mostly 3s) on offense and D up the best wing players on D. Funnel them towards Russell, KG, Marc for help.
KG -- An ultimate Swiss Army Knife player. Third option on O, with ability to hit any open shot. Arguably the greatest PnR defender of all time, and extremely versatile on that side of the ball. Great passer. Webber on steroids.

Off the bench, we have the aforementioned Hinrich, who sticks out like a sore thumb, and then we have....
Baylor and Pettit -- My plan was to get one of them to be the go-to bench dude. I got both. Both are scoring machines, and will have the green light, but score in different ways and shouldn't get in each other's way. Baylor is a slasher while Pettit is a face-up post player.
Marc Gasol -- eons better than Vlade on D, and similar on O. Offers size, relative to KG/Russell/Pettit, to compete with the bigger boys in NBA history.

Team concept(s) --
Ball movement/sharing on offense that prioritizes passing, cuts, and open shots. I also have some elite slashers and guys that get to the rim at a huge rate. Should get other teams' bigs in foul trouble pretty quickly with TMac, Baylor and Pettit.
Funnel players to Russell and KG and Marc on D.
Hit the glass. Hard.
Effort. Pettit made a living out of working harder than anyone. KG, similar to Kobe(who I don't have, just to clarify), works harder and is more intense than most. Nash never stops. Baylor doesn't stop attacking. Hinrich has to try hard, it's pretty much all he's got.

I have 3 guys.. TMac, Baylor, Pettit... that can score on anyone, anywhere. All 3 of them also get the line about 10 times a game. So they're constantly attacking. This will put the opposition in foul trouble. Any time any of them is doubled... Nash, Hinrich, Bowen bang the easy 3. KG and Gasol are there to clean up the easy 15 footers and hold down the D. Russell is there to intimidate the hell out of anyone that comes near. LBJ was scared of Chandler? Wait until he sees Russell.

As for the minutes/chemistry breakdown....
Nash, Russell, Hinrich, Bowen are all mostly selfless players.
KG has shown, in Boston, that he's willing to take a back seat on offense if it means the team does well.
Marc Gasol's stats/touches fluctuate so much in his current role on Memphis that I can't believe he'd take issue with only playing 10-20 mins a night, depending on matchups, foul trouble, etc.
TMac, Baylor and Pettit won't be asked to sacrifice much in terms of play style, and just a few less minutes than they're used to. They're, again, my go-to scorers.

Another interesting thing I can do with this team is go with odd lineups. The offensive versatility, length, and shooting allows for me to play nearly any combination of players without worrying about offense.
I know one team put Pippen at PG... I can run with TMac there.
I can also go small with KG or Pettit at C and Pettit or Baylor or maybe even TMac at PF.

For instance...
TMac, Baylor, KG, Russell, Gasol can all play together.
Nash, Hinrich, Bowen, TMac, Pettit could be dangerous, as it's my four best shooters and my best post scorer.

Lineups like the two above won't be preferred, but the possibility is there, depending on the lineups other teams throw my way.

I'm going to end this with an apology(funny to me that I said end it, then proceeded for two more full paragraphs). I'm working another double today, so I won't be able to read anyone else's breakdown just yet.
That said, until I do, I don't see many other teams having considered chemistry and spacing to the extent that I did, without sacrificing too much in terms of "historical" talent. Perhaps I will feel differently when reading all the great breakdowns, though.
Hinrich is the only guy I can think of that's not a historical talent on my team, but if I were to classify him as just a "3 and D PG/SG hybrid" (basically going all ESPN on you and making stuff up to fit my agenda) then he is a historical talent in that regard, as I can't think of many better options.

Just to make one final argument (did anyone even read this far? )....
No team assembled can both defend my spacing and also beat my defense. No team will try harder than mine. No team will shoot better than mine. The lone issue I see is someone like Wilt or Shaq just annihilating my post players because of (though not solely) sheer size... but even in those instances, I can throw Gasol on them 1v1 and make sure that no one else beats me.

Good luck, you'll need it, and it's been great drafting with you all!

[dr.hee]

Team BoutPractice



Depth chart + minutes

Pippen (33) / Crawford (17) / Iguodala (22)
Carter (29) / Crawford / Iguodala / Pippen
Bird (35) / Carter / Pippen / Iguodala / Duncan (0)
Sampson (28) / Love (24) / Bird / Duncan
Sabonis / Gilmore (22) / Sampson / Love / Duncan

(Very permutable, including cool offensive lineups like Crawford / Iguodala / Pippen / Bird / Sabonis, Pippen / Carter / Iguodala / Bird / Love, a Bird / Love / Sabonis frontcourt etc.)

The team's DNA: unselfishness and versatility. An offense based on fluidity, speed of ball movement and quick exploitation of mismatches, a defense based on height and multi-positional perimeter stoppers. Looking at the team from a tools perspective, 10 players can pass, 8 players can shoot from deep, 7 can defend. Overall basketball IQ through the roof, has a strong claim to being the smartest team of the lot.


Starting 5:

PG: Scottie Pippen, 1994-1995.

20.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 48 FG%, 34.5 3P%.

All NBA First Team, All NBA Defensive First Team, steals leader, All Star.

"The multidimensional Pippen ran the court like a point guard, attacked the boards like a power forward, and swished the nets like a shooting guard." If you want a "Pippen", might as well go with Scottie.
Playing here mostly as a point guard with a 7-2 wingspan, he will bring the ball up and start the plays when he's not leading the fast break off a quick Sabonis outlet.

In the halfcourt he'll do a lot of backdoor cuts, run some quick pick and rolls with Sampson / pick and pops with Sabonis or Bird, post up smaller guards, and splash open 3s.

(I'll let Dr. Ramsay improve on my coaching, but one offensive "situation" I'd use a lot would be Sabonis in the high post, Pippen does a backdoor cut, if it doesn't work, Pippen either tries to gain deep post position while a decoy is set up on the other side of the floor, or runs back towards Sabonis, leading to a quick handoff and pick. Ideally it would be a pick and pop situation while a backdoor screen is set up on the other side, with Pippen having the choice to either finish towards the middle, pass it to the outside shooting big, pass it to the cutter, or pass it to the wing player on the other side of the court or the screener himself. If the cut doesn't work, the cutter would get another screen on his way to the corner. You can think of Carter as the corner cutter and Sampson as the screener, and Bird on the opposite wing. The whole thing can also be done with Bird and Love instead of Sabonis.)

On defense he will be put on the opponent's best perimeter oriented player, defending anyone from 1 to 4 and setting the tone for everyone else.

SG: Vince Carter, 2000-2001.

27.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.1 bpg, 46 FG%, 40.8 3P%.

All-NBA Second Team, All Star.

A prototypical modern SG, Vince Carter is one of the best athletes in NBA history, a freak of nature with a 7-0 wingspan who can jump out of the building.

In my system Carter is mostly an off the ball threat (then again, most players are, it's part of the team's DNA, so it's not like he's getting any special treatment), but one with tons of opportunities to score: backdoors leading to vicious dunks and alley oops, easy transition buckets from perfect outlets, and lots of completely open 3s. He is the fourth most important player, but the third offensive option. He'll also have a few post ups, isos, and pick and rolls per game, to keep him happy and because it can serve as last resort. His ability to pass is highly underrated, making it easier for me to integrate him in a motion style offense.

On defense he can be very good when he tries, and Pippen will make sure he tries. Just watching Pippen play next to him will motivate him. A nice plus for him is that he can be put on both 2s and 3s, just as Pippen can guard 1s, 2s and 3s, making a defensive lineup with Pippen, Carter and Iguodala an easy option for some minutes per game. He also has the ability to block shots from smaller guards.

SF: Larry Bird, 1985-1986.

25.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 6.8 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.8 bpg, 49.6 FG%, 42.3 3P%.

MVP, Finals MVP, All-NBA First Team, free throw leader, All-Star.

The ideal star for a team centered on passing instead of ball handling, Bird is one of the best passers in basketball history, and arguably the best from a standstill position.

In line with my offensive system, Bird will not see the ball much (although that's not the primary intention, limiting your best player's own touches helps regulate touches for everyone else) but he will destroy you in two seconds tops. He will be put in situations where he's instantly dangerous: open 3, quick move in the post, open teammate he can find in a split second from the high post. Will occasionally play the PF as well.

Like Pippen, he's a superior rebounder for his position (Pippen, once again, being the PG here), which helps the team overall.

Bird's leadership will be key, as he will ensure that this very talented, sophisticated team never plays like "sissies" and brings enough toughness on the table each game. Bird's intangibles are the most precious aspect of his game: similar to Russell, his mere presence on a team infuses it with a calm, almost cocky confidence thereby giving it a psychological edge.

PF: Ralph Sampson, 1984-1985.

22.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.0 spg, 2.0 bpg, 50.2 FG%.

All-NBA Second Team, All Star Game MVP, All Star.

An intriguing fit next to Arvydas Sabonis.

Used to playing in a "Twin Towers" set, Sampson can play some PF, not just because he's really a face up player in a 7-4 body that can hit from midrange, but because Sabonis is the rare center who can space the floor.

While Sabonis can hold his own in the post and once led the Euroleague in blocks, he's not a traditional defensive anchor, therefore Sampson's presence helps the team's interior D without sacrificing spacing.

Sampson's combination of height and mobility is practically unmatched in NBA history. On a purely one on one basis, Sabonis is a good counter for traditional centers, which means Sampson is going to be put on PFs... and his height makes him a very complicated matchup for many PFs. The Malones and Barkleys of this world will need to adjust a bit, while he somewhat neutralizes the advantage a KG, for example, usually has. His only weakness would be a Dirk type, but I would not put him one on one against Dirk, I'd change the whole defensive scheme to a semi zone with Pippen harassing him.

On offense I don't need him to be the Wilt everyone wanted him to be. In the modern game he's a great roll player, the sort of player you can just sort of throw the ball to up in the air assuming that he'll convert the alley oop. In my set specifically, he's THE go-to recipient of alley oops in high low situations, with Bird or Sabonis dishing the assist.

But he can also convert from the key, run in transition allowing the whole offense to speed up compared to what it would look like in his absence, and post up when needed to take advantage of a mismatch.

Mentally, Bird, Pippen and co will be on him 24/7 to make sure he's always giving 100% and putting the team first.

C: Arvydas Sabonis, 1994-1995.

Averaged 22 and 13 in Europe, 21 and 14 in the European championship, looked like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwKo8mxW5Zw. Somewhat intermediate between his young, springy days and his old, handicapped days.

Euroleague champion, Euroleague Final Four MVP, Spanish League MVP, FIBA All-Tournament Team.

Arguably the most important player on the team. Pippen may bring the ball up, but Sabonis is the team's true "point guard". One of the (if not the) greatest passing centers in the history of the game, Sabonis can start the fast break in a split second from a one handed rebound. Think about that. With his great strength and precision he can reach almost any point on the court with a single pass. When you have athletes like Pippen, Carter, Iguodala and Sampson on your side, the team becomes not only a beautiful offensive machine in the half court but also a terrifying monster in the open court you HAVE to prepare for in your defense.

When the game slows down, Sabonis is practically a "7-3 Larry Bird", as Bill Walton calls him. Like Bird, I will play him in both the high post, low post and at the three point line, but he will get more touches than Bird and keep the ball longer in his hands, especially in the low post serving as a hub or "point center". In fact ideally Sabonis will be the only player in the starting unit to keep the ball stationary more than two seconds at a time. In the half court Sabonis will be the primary creator and Bird the "finisher" (shooting AND passing), ending the play decisively with either a quick touch pass/laser pass/bounce pass or a single deadly jump shot.

...

[dr.hee]

...

Bench:

PG/SG: Jamal Crawford, 2009-2010.

18.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.2 bpg, 44.9 FG%, 38.2 3P%

Sixth Man of the Year.

Jamal Crawford plays either guard position and is officially the team's shortest player... at 6'5 with a 6'10 wingspan.

A trigger happy shot jacker who likes to dazzle the crowd with his ball handling, Jamal Crawford seems to be starring in the wrong film.

Which is exactly why I need him in it. Think of him as the weird but unforgettable supporting character who steals the show for a few scenes. Crawford breaks all the expectations, and makes the team totally unpredictable. If the team's ball movement dies, if the shots aren't going in, if the defense has figured it all out... Crawford is the ultimate counter weapon.

There is no strategy against Jamal Crawford, you just hope he misses. And when he doesn't he's unstoppable. As the defender you can get caught watching him break your ankles and drill pullup after pullup, hopeless to do anything about it.


SG/SF/PG: Andre Iguodala, 2013-2014.

9.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.3 bpg, 48 FG%, 35.4 3P%

All-NBA Defensive First Team.

Pippen clone? You bet. But that's what exactly what makes him a vital component of the team: his presence strongly reinforces the group's identity and core strengths. The quick fast breaks. The defensive and offensive versatility, the ability to pass the ball. With him, it becomes almost "overkill", which is just what I want. Suddenly with Iguodala you can try all sorts of crazy things, going for example with multiple Pippens in the same unit... Pippen AND Iguodala as a duo, backed for example by a Bird, Love and Sampson trio... Unstoppable fast breaks, suffocating defense and deadeye shooting all in one unit.

PF: Kevin Love, 2013-2014.

26.1 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 4.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.5 bpg, 45.7 FG%, 37.6 3P%

All-NBA Second Team, All-Star.

Once again, it's about reinforcing the identity, and giving new options. A great fit next to Gilmore (or Sampson, coming in as C) with his ability to space the floor, Love can also successfully impersonate Sabonis as an outlet passer, and do a more than adequate job passing the ball in the half court as well.

Finally and crucially, his presence confirms that the team overall is strong in rebounding the ball: Pippen, Bird, Sampson, Sabonis, Love, Gilmore... That's more than enough rebounds for the whole game.

He's a bit moody (the character guys on the team and a fairly equitable minute distribution in the front court will help keep those tendencies in check) but he's not about touches, and his skillset was always that of an uber qualified role player who dominates three of the most amazing niches in basketball - big shooting, big passing, and rebounding. His defense is a bit suspect but not a huge negative, and overall he is a clear net positive on the floor, especially in that sort of team.

C: Artis Gilmore, 1974-1975.

23.6 ppg, 16.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 3.1 bpg, 58 FG%

ABA champion, All-ABA First Team, All-ABA Defensive First Team.

Gilmore is both a great counter and a great addition.

A great counter, because an all-time peak draft typically features a lot of ridiculously tall, massive centers in the starting fives (particularly Shaq and Wilt). Having Sabonis AND Gilmore on your team makes it clear that the Shaqs and Wilts won't be dominating this matchup. He's also known for giving Jabbar trouble. An all-time team should never leave you helpless against Shaq, Wilt and Jabbar...

A great addition, because he's more reliable as a rim protector than both Sampson and Sabonis, is a fantastic rebounder, fits alongside Kevin Love, and isn't the type to complain about being cast in a traditional big role, focusing on one thing and one thing only: dominating the paint, particularly defensively.

The X Factor: Arne Duncan

6-5, Harvard educated, 2014 Celebrity All-Star MVP. (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists)

Veteran locker room presence with plenty of leadership.

Coach:

Jack Ramsay, 1976-1977.

"Dr" is one of the all time great offensive coaches, his most famous team being those gorgeous 1977 Blazers.

He is known for stressing ball movement and maximizing his teams' potential. Here he will have a lot more talent to work with than usual, but most of the talent on the team is not the selfish type, and Ramsay is a well liked individual, an "educator" who knows all the subtleties of human psychology.


EDIT:
Actually, if dr. hee wants the Mamba, fine.

I'm going with this guy as my scrub:



Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, 2013-2014.

6-5, Harvard educated, 2014 Celebrity All-Star MVP.

Veteran locker room presence with plenty of leadership.

Can really pass that rock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUE1FfTCvsY

I also considered Barack Obama (targeted drone assassination of your opponent's best player is always handy) but he's a bit of a ball hog.[

[dr.hee]

Team Dr.Hee

Coach: Rick Carlisle

Starting five

PG: Jason Kidd (06/07)
SG: Mitch Richmond (91/92)
SF: Shawn Marion (05/06)
PF: Dirk Nowitzki (10/11)
C: Hakeem Olajuwon (94/95)

Reserves

PG/SG: Nate McMillan (93/94)
PG/SG: Vinnie Johnson (88/89)
SF/PF: Detlef Schrempf (94/95)
PF/C: Clifford Ray (73/74)



Starters:


PG: Jason Kidd (2006/07)
13.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 9.2 apg


An unselfish leader with off the charts bball IQ who will set the pace and hold together the most talented team he ever worked with. At age 33, he's happy to not being forced to dominate the ball and carry his teammates like he used to in his early Nets days. While not being the deadly 3pt shooter he became in his Mavs days, hitting threes at 34% in the regular season and 42% in the playoffs (where he also averaged a triple double over 12 postseason games) is good enough to keep the defense honest.

On offense, he's still athletic enough to attack the basket and will have lots of fun running PnRs with Dirk and also Hakeem, who wasn't much of a screener in Houston (although very efficient when he did), but with the best PG he ever played with he'll gladly set picks to let Kidd create. If Tyson Chandler gets feeded lobs, so does Hakeem.
I also need Kidd for his great defensive rebounding, where he'll push the ball and run the break with Marion and Richmond, something all three will enjoy a lot.

Defensively, Kidd is smart, versatile and strong enough to hold his own in the post. Depending on the matchups, he'll guard anything from 1-3 to prevent mismatches, for example if Vinnie plays as an undersized SG.


SG: Mitch Richmond (1991/92)
22.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.1 apg

An incredibly skilled guard who can score from anywhere. Run TMC shows he's perfectly happy to play in a big three type of team and share the spotlight with other stars. Instead of Mullin and Hardaway, he'll take care of scoring with Dirk and Hakeem and have free reign as the main perimeter weapon. This sounds like the perfect role for him, since he never was a vocal franchise player type and didn't turn into a 25-30 ppg scorer when playing on bad Sacramento team. Big three or single star, he always gave you about 23 points while being efficient and a solid rebounder and passer.

He'll do a lot of damage in transition with Kidd and Marion, which he'll love looking at Run TMC. In the halfcourt, his versatility will lead to many good shots without dominating the ball. You set him a screen, and he's able to knock down the jumper or use multiple ways to beat his defender without overdribbling and doing stupid ego shit. He has the triple threat jumper from just about anywhere, can quickly pull up after one or two dribbles or drive to the hoop and if needed, you can also simply give him the ball and let him create. Just like in Golden State, he'll do a bit of everything without the pressure of having to carry his team.


SF: Shawn Marion (2005/06)
21.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.0 spg

Marion never needed the ball in his hands to be efficient. He just gets 18-20 ppg anyway. Looks ugly, but works somehow. Most of his touches will come in transition having a lob party with Kidd or as a cutter in the halfcourt. That's what he's good at, and he'll do nothing else on my team. On defense, he takes pride in being an elite stopper who can guard 4 positions and crash the boards like few other small forwards. So on my team, Marion will simply do what he's always been good at. Running the break and picking his spots in the halfcourt while providing elite defense and rebounding.

Chemistry won't be a problem either. He's known as a true professional who got along well with Kidd, Dirk and Carlisle in Dallas, so he's a perfect fit.


PF: Dirk Nowitzki (2010/11)
23.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.6 apg

In 2010, Dirk has already seen years of being the first option and lone superstar on his teams, whether he liked it or not. Some of those Mavs squads were simply too mediocre to contend, and on team Germany it was just ugly. He even admitted that he would've considered the Bosh role in Miami if Wade and Lebron asked (true story, he really said this in 2010).

Playing with Hakeem, Dirk can finally be more selective with his looks instead of hitting video game shots to bail his team out all the time. Playing with a great point guard and a very talented team, he doesn't need the ball in his hands as much while still getting his shots. He'll get more than enough quality looks running the PnR with Kidd, as a trailer in transition, spotting up and on perimeter mismatches if guarded by big men not used to defending this type of player.

Dirk has all the skills to be a dominant off the ball player, which he proved during the Nash year and also last season playing with Monta Ellis. Now he's playing this role at the peak of his abilities, although Hakeem won't be mad if Dirk gets hot and goes video game mode in the post occasionally. And if Dirk was even considering being the 3rd option behind Lebron and Wade if it would've been a winning team, I'm sure he'd enjoy being the 1b to Hakeem.


C: Hakeem Olajuwon(1994/95)
27.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.8 spg, 3.4 bpg

On offense, he'll be the main low post option, but play a bit differently than in Houston. Hakeem always was a good passer and with lots of talent on my team, he'll show his versatility by moving the ball around, setting picks for Kidd and be a midrange threat to space the floor for Dirk as well. Still he'll get more than enough looks down low, and with shooters on the floor, opponents will have a hard time doubling him. How are you guarding Hakeem with Dirk and Richmond waiting in the corners? Playing with Richmond and Dirk, there's far less pressure on him so he can preserve his energy while still being the main guy.

Also, as the mastermind behind the all-time great Pistons defense, Rick Carlisle will build a great system around Hakeem's rim protection and the versatility of Kidd and Marion.

So I think Hakeem will enjoy playing on this squad of low ego, high IQ teammates and be quite happy that he doesn't need to do everything for 40+ minutes a game like during his championship years in Houston. Still, everybody will accept he's the main guy on my team. A win-win situation.

...

[dr.hee]

...

Reserves:


PG/SG: Nate McMillan (1993/94)
6.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.3 apg, 3.0 spg

He was playing 26 minutes per game off the bench that year and gave you 6/4/5/3 while leading the league in steals per game and making the All-Defensive 2nd team. That's all you can ask for. Doesn't dominate the ball, shoots the three at 39% and reliably contributes in many ways. Just the type of player everybody likes to have on his team.


PG/SG: Vinnie Johnson (1988/89)
13.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.0 apg

Every team needs a spark off the bench, and this dude was called Microwave for a reason. He'll provide scoring and energy, and playing with that much talent around him he should have lots of space to get buckets when he's hot. And if Jason Terry can run the PnR with Dirk, so can Microwave. Johnson was a tough player, built like a tank and always embraced his role off the bench, so he's a great fit.


SG/SF/PF: Detlef Schrempf (1994/95)
19.2 ppg, 6.2 ppg, 3.8 apg

He's my all around weapon off the bench. Skilled in just about everything. A very efficient shooter (52.3 FG%, 51.4 3pt%) who can handle the ball and play as a point forward as well.

Now would he come off the bench for my team as a Sonics starter and All Star? I say yes. He'll easily get 20-30 minutes every night and most importantly, Rick Carlisle is a great in game coach who's managing his timeouts well. So in crunchtime, there's the option to have Schrempf playing time on offense while Marion gets to play on defense. Carlisle did this with Dirk as well, so why not with Schrempf? I'm confident he will be sold on this role.

Also, Marion did back up Caron Butler in Dallas when being asked to and I've read an interview after the Dallas trade where he just didn't care about a different role than on the Suns. So depending on the matchup, Schrempf could also start with Marion coming off the bench. Both are hard working players who put their teams first and are complementing each other perfectly, so I'm sure they'll coexist with Carlisle giving each time to shine.


C/PF: Clifford Ray (1973/74)
9.3 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.2 bpg

Ray will backup both Dirk and Hakeem, providing elite rebounding, rim protection and solid passing off the bench. He's an unselfish player who always puts his team first and doesn't care about numbers or having the spotlight. A very coachable player with great leadership and locker room presence who'll thrive in his role as defensive anchor off the bench. He'll be ready whenever Dirk or Hakeem get in foul trouble early or Carlisle goes with an all-defense lineup to protect a lead at the end of games. Also I made sure to have an elite rim protector next to Dirk at all times.


Coach: Rick Carlisle

There are no clashing egos or high maintenance players on my team, so I don't need a coach who specializes in babysitting his stars. Instead, for a high IQ team, I want a high IQ coach.

Carlisle constructed the early/mid 00s Pistons defense and showed his creativity while leading the Mavs to the 2011 championship with a mix of zone and man coverage. He built good defensive teams around Ben Wallace and Tyson Chandler, and here he has prime Olajuwon in addition to elite wing defenders (Kidd,Marion,McMillan) and a great back up anchor in Clifford Ray.

On defense, my team will play quite a bit of zone, especially if the opponent lacks perimeter shooting or has a lot of ball dominant players on the court. I've also got great man defenders on the perimeter who are able to guard multiple positions, so I'll avoid big mismatches most of the time.

Offensively, Carlisle is known as a creative coach, being able to get the best out of a versatile team and putting everybody in a position to contribute. With Kidd running the point, the team will rely on his ability to make quick decisions and push the ball, leading to good looks in transition and early offense. Both Marion and Richmond are used to up tempo ball, so they'll be comfortable with Carlisle's offensive principles while Dirk is deadly as a trailer.

The low post presence of Hakeem doesn't force my team to play uptempo all the time (although he's comfortable with this, he didn't play on low pace teams for his whole career, the 80s were uptempo anyway, and he has all the skills to thrive in faster offenses), and in the halfcourt he'll get plenty of looks down low. Both Dirk and Schrempf will play the 4, forcing their defender to guard them on the perimeter to give Hakeem space to operate.

Also, Carlisle will convince Hakeem that it benefits the team to be more of a PnR player in order to make the offense less predictable. Statistically he was very good as a screener during the Houston championship years, so it's just a matter of him being willing to do this on higher volume, as well as spotting up for midrange shots (which he hit at >50%) if Dirk gets doubled. Getting feeds from Jason Kidd off the PnR will sound pretty convincing to him. If you're open, he'll find you. And Hakeem is as mobile as any center, so he'll get great looks. Dirk will get his looks as a spot up shooter, as a PnR man and out of mismatches, which are hard to prevent if you need to cover Hakeem down low. Dirk can always put the ball on the floor and create for himself when the offense breaks down, and not having to carry the team all the time will keep him fresh and allow him to be as efficient as possible.

Off the bench I'm relying on the all around skills of Detlef Schrempf and Vinnie Johnson providing quick scoring bursts. Johnson will be similar to Jason Terry on the Mavs, not as good of a 3pt shooter but better at driving to the basket. He'll thrive playing with Dirk as a screener and get easy buckets in transition. With Schrempf, McMillan and Ray he'll form a versatile and unselfish bench unit.

Schrempf will play a role similar to Lamar Odom off the bench, being a point forward to take pressure off Kidd or being the main ball handler next to McMillan, who isn't much of a factor with the ball in his hands. He'll also be used to space the floor when either Hakeem or Dirk are on the bench to provide good looks in the post.


Strengths:

balanced offense, great mix of outside/inside scoring
high IQ team with unselfish players
Dirk and Hakeem being proven championship team leaders
versatile defenders and elite rim protection
great guard/small forward rebounders
creative coach

Weaknesses:

Dirk being only an average man defender
not an issue to me, but still possible: Hakeem and Dirk coexisting as stars and adjusting to each other?


Basic rotation:

PG: Kidd (33) / McMillan (15)
SG: Richmond (30) / Johnson (18)
SF: Marion (32) / Schrempf (16)
PF: Dirk (34) / Schrempf (14)
C: Hakeem (36) / Ray (12)

4th quarter spacing/offense:

PG: Kidd
SG: Richmond
SF: Schrempf
PF: Dirk
C: Hakeem

4th quarter defense:

PG: McMillan
SG: Kidd
SF: Marion
PF: Ray
C: Hakeem

Lineup and minutes will change depending on individual matchups. The most obvious adjustments are to switch between Schrempf and Marion as starting SF and also to make changes during timeouts or stoppages in crunchtime between offense (Schrempf/Dirk) and defense (Marion/Ray). Those aren't the rule though, just options to keep in mind.

[dr.hee]

Team Rizko


Starters:

PG: 07-08 Chris Paul
SG: 82-83 Sidney Moncrief
SF: 13-14 Kevin Durant
PF: 95-96 Dennis Rodman
C: 76-77 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Reserves

86-87 Michael Cooper
88-89 Joe Dumars
73-74 Dave DeBusschere
82-83 Bob McAdoo


PG- CP3 (07/08) - Chris Paul will be the vocal leader of my team. The guy who gets the troops in line. He will be the guy who sets up my post and p&r attack. He is a ball hawk too. Plus a clutch shooter. I took his 08 season as well where he had more athleticism off the dribble to break down teams D. He also played better off the ball IMO that season as compared to now. He was my MVP for that season and I say that as a huge Celtics fan who saw KGs impact and someone who respects the hell out of Kobe. CP3 in that season peaked as one of the top PGs of all time and combined all the aspects I look for in a PG.

SG- Moncrief (82/83)- Moncrief is an allaround talent. He can do everything well. Has a deadly midrange attack, can slash, can create, can play off ball, can work the post, and even tho I mistook his 3 point ability at first he will be getting more open looks then he ever got before so I think he can hit it well enough to at least have people respect it. He was also DPOY in the season I took him. He is kinda like a Pippenesque player with a little more natural scoring ability IMO, tho a little less athleticism. He is a good team mate who played in Nellie ball teams which required the players to do crazy things positionally so versatility is not an issue with him. He can be a play maker when CP3 is on the bench.

SF- KD (13/14) - Well there isn't much to say about KD that we don't already know so Ill make this brief. and Elite scorer and an elite shooter. He can play off ball very well too curling of screens. Clutch shooter so hitting a last second shot between him and Paul shouldn't be an issue. Can also iso with the best of them. a matchup nightmare. There are guys who can check him but I feel like a few of the best people to put on him are already on my team so Im not as worried about that as I would be. He is going to be playing more off ball on my team then normal but he is more then capable of it. Also while not elite at D he is very good IMO. His length and athleticism make him at least above average as far as D is concerned. I chose his MVP season too and we all know how dominate he was. Damn near put up a 50-40-90 season while scoring 30 ppg

PF- Rodman (95/96) - Where to begin with rodman lol. We all know what he does. Plays d, gets in peoples head and boards like a madman. I chose the bull version where he lost some versatility in his D but gained strength to cover the post without issue. As I've said before Shaq said him, Malone, and Barkley were some of the best at covering him ever. They might not have the height but that's overrated IMO. Rodman has a lower center of gravity so he get extremely good leverage as far as stopping the behemoths in the post. He will also be kept in line due to CP3s leadership (say what you want about him being a flopper, but he is a well renowned leader). The dirty work player my team needs upfront

C- KAJ (76/77) - Kareem. The surest two points in NBA history. He will be the focal point of my offense. The plan is to feed the big man down low until the doubles inevitably come and use his superior passing skills to hit my sharpshooters on the wings. This was his peak season all the way around. I've talked to a few people and the consensus I've received is that he has the speed needed to help cover out on the perimeter defensively, kinda like Noah or KG on Tom T teams. Between him, CP3 and Durant I will have an extremely efficient offense.

6th man - McAdoo (82/83)- Alright. I'll relent to people. I've been really vacillating on this but I've been convinced. He cant be a bench player in his MVP form. This is the last opportunity I have to switch so Ill take advantage of it. Im going to go with his 83 season. He was still a force as a scorer at 15 ppg at only 20 mins. He provides a stretch 4 I need to change the pace with Rodman. He can also back up Kareem at center. Between him, Kareem, and Rodman I have all the skills you could look for in a big man combo. Outside scoring, inside scoring, boards, all around d. McAdoo will be the guy who holds the scoring down in bench heavy units. a CP3 and Kareem p&r with McAdoo, KD, and Dumars or cooper on the weakside spotting up will be unguardable. He will also be my closer depending on matchup issues.

Rest of the bench

Dumars (88/89) - Dumars is a very versatile player. He is like a Moncrief in a sense. Not quite as much D but more shooting. He will play back up 2 cp3 mostly. This will allow me to play lineups that don't rely on 1 main ballhandler. Between him, Moncrief, Cooper, and KD I have 4 guys who can all handle the rock and create as secondary guys. This will help in making sure the ball moves. Dumars is a great team player. By having Dumars and Moncrief I will also have as good of a shot against a Jordan team as possible. They both are some of the closest things to a "Jordan stopper" that the league has. Just a very good allaround player which is something I'm big on. He can contribute in a multitude of ways.

Cooper (86/87) - Coop is my 3&D guy. Except he isn't just limited to that. He also played backup PG on showtime. If he can back up magic then I have no doubts about his ability to also create on occasion. He'll be playing like a super version of Danny Green. He was also one of the best defenders on Bird the league has seen so that will help against a team with him on it. Just a great roleplayer who I actually think might even be better in todays games with todays rules. He wasn't overly physical so allowing him to use his smarts in a Tom T D, along with letting him handcheck when required, will make him a super valuable contributor

Dave D (73/74) - Dave is another great defensive guy. As I've said I've read a few sources that say the he had legit modern 3 point range (most notably the book of basketball in he pyramids section). Even if you don't buy that he definitely had a strong long 2 point shot. He was a pure hustle guy. A good rebounder, and elite defensive forward, and not a bad passer in Holzmans offense. He played on the oldschool Willis Reed knicks and was able to contribute on a high level with a super stacked team. Being one of the guys will not be an issue. I think hes better then this but as a comparison you could say hes a less athletic but better outside shooting version of bobby jones, except he has more rebounding abilities. He can play both forward spots so when I need to turn the D up I can put him in for Durant and put cooper in for paul and not worry about the outside shooting too much.

Tom T - The guy who, if he didn't create, at least popularized the strong side overload rotational defense that has taken the league by storm. Having him will be an advantage. He has gotten much better as an offensive coach too. He has added flex sets into his offense along with a smart p&r attack. He has been able to squeak points out of offensively inept teams. Imagine him with a real offense backing him up? He wouldn't even know how to handle it lol

I designed this time with the KG C's in mind: Cp3 plays the Rondo role, except clutcher and an overall much better shooter, Moncrief plays the better defense but less outside shooting Peirce role, KD plays the super Jesus role, Rodman plays the much better Perkins role. Doesn't do much on o but dominates his area of expertise like no other. KAJ plays the KG role. He will be asked to go out on the perimeter more then hes used to, but after consulting with G.O.A.T and my father i'm confident he will be able to do that. He also provides a decent outside shot, not quite KG level, but very good nonetheless. What he lacks in a shot he will more then make up for with his crazy good interior scoring, the one thing I feel those Celtics teams. McAdoo will play the role people wanted Sheed to play. Hit the outside shot and be the anchor of the bench who keeps things moving along. He can space the floor for KAJ and he can also play a stretch c himself if the offense is suffering. Dave D will play the posey role. The versatile forward who provides shooting and D, except he is a better rebounder and passer. Just a great player to pick up for your bench and can blend in with anyone in any situation. Will play small ball pf and defensive backup to KD. Cooper will play the 3&D guy that can also play make in a pinch. Dumars will be playingthe super version of Avery Bradley. He can play the same d, play off the ball, cut, shoot better then his counterpart, and most importantly he can create plays himself much better then Bradley.

Im not going to list out mins. Disregard my old post. Minutes will be assigned based off matchup.

[dr.hee]

TEAM WALLY

Gregg Popovich
Jerry West | Kawhi Leonard | LeBron James | Karl Malone | Patrick Ewing
Tony Parker | John Havlicek | Robert Horry | Alonzo Mourning

HEAD COACH

"Coach Pop" Gregg Popovich
> The greatest coach in league history. Bar none. You can make a case for other coaches who have more accolades, but no coach is able to do what Pop has done so consistently in both in-game coaching and player development. Pop has led the Spurs to SEVENTEEN straight 50 win seasons and did so without having as much talent as 50% of the league. Aside from being able to make the most out of any roster, and develop any prospect, it was his ability to evolve as a coach that makes him the GOAT. Most coaches have 1 system, 1 calling card; Pop orchestrated one of the best defenses in league history in the early-mid 00s, yet is the mind behind the league's best offense right now. To top it all off, there is not a better coach that can craft a role for every player and letting them buy into it than Pop. The ultimate coach.


STARTERS

PG: 68-69 "The Logo" Jerry West
> Before The Logo, there was Mr Clutch - truly one of the great clutch performers of all time. West had one of the most beautiful and accurate jumpshots in league history, which is astounding coming from that era. He is much more than the stereotypical white shooter though; The Logo was an elite perimeter defender, partly due to his 6'9" wingspan and great athleticism (could reach 16" above the rim), but mostly from his quick hands, hustle and tenacity. He was 31 when the NBA introduced All-Defensive teams, and he still made all of them till his retirement. Above all, The Logo was the ultimate leader and big shot maker, averaging 37.9ppg 4.7rpg 7.4apg against the Celtics dynasty in the NBA Finals and winning FMVP. Unreal.

SG: 13-14 "Sugar K" Kawhi Leonard
> Kawhi is the ultimate glue guy for a championship squad - no ego, coachable, does the dirty work, defends, works without the ball. His impact is undeniable though, shown when he won FMVP despite being the 4th option and having essentially no plays drawn up for him.

SF: 12-13 "The Chosen One" LeBron 'King' James
> The most complete and evolved basketball player in the history of the game, LeBron is the foundation of my team. Bron is out there to cause mismatches, blowing by bigger defenders or muscling against smaller guards, while allowing me mismatch lineups with his defensive versatility. 27/8/7 isn't nearly his best statistical season, but I like this version of LeBron as a leader (B2B FMVP), post player, defender, teammate (can play with other greats) and his shear efficiency (57/40/75). LeBron has garnered so much hate and criticism throughout his career, but 2013 was when he shut all them up. Don't forget, LeBron has never played for a half decent coach. Imagine the things LeBron will be able to do in Pop's system.

PF: 89-90 "The Mailman" Karl Malone
> Known for his consistency, it is difficult to find the peak season of the Mailman. I opted to pass on his 2 MVP seasons for 26yo Malone, who averaged 31/11/3 on 56/37/76. He had the whole package offensively - incredible hands, ran the floor like a deer, uber athletic, one of the best finishers of all time, strong as a bull yet such a soft touch on his jumpshot. A true shame he spent his career in a small market team who never gave him nearly enough talent to win a championship.

C: 93-94 "The Hoya Destroya" Patrick Ewing
> Another player who was never given even talent to lead his team to the championship, Big Pat was the ultimate competitor who never takes a play or possession off. This isn't his best statistical season but his impact on the Knicks' finals run just by being on the floor was incredible. His 11.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, impressive as it is, was not enough an indication of him anchoring the league's best defense. As great an offensive player he was, Ewing was never utilised the right way, being forced to carry too much of the scoring load. Not on this team, where he can concentrate on anchoring the defense.


RESERVES

PG - 13-14 "The Parisian Torpedo" Tony Parker
> Former FMVP Tony Parker is another one of the great products of Pop's system. Under the wings of Pop, Parker would have no issue assuming a smaller role (much like having Patty Mills take his minutes, even occasionally during crunch time). Not the quickest player in the L anymore, but Parker is still one of the craftiest who will get to his spot and drop his unstoppable tear drop, making him still as effective as ever. Look for Parker to come off the pine and change the pace of the game while maintaining stability at the PG position.

F/G - 73-74 "Hondo" John Havlicek
> One of the biggest winners of all time, Hondo is the type of player that would do anything to get his team a victory. Hondo will return to his role as the 6th man in his first 4 seasons where he won 4 rings, but as a more refined, skilled, and clutch leader and veteran. Aside from the intangibles, Hondo was prolific on both ends of the floor. Tenacious, smart defender who made 8 all-defensive teams; great on and off the ball, tremendous fastbreaker, clutch perimeter shooter. Hondo will see big minutes anchoring my bench, especially in crunch time situations, both offensively and defensively.

F - 04-05 "Big Shot" Robert Horry
> Speaking of winners, here is the ultimate winner in modern day basketball. There is really nothing much to say - Big Shot Bob lives for the big moments. He won't see the floor much at all, and he'd be fine with that too, until the game is on the line, of course.

C/F - 05-06 "Zo" Alonzo Mourning
> Zo is one of the most intimidating shot-blockers in league history, winning the DPOY twice. Despite being in the twilight of his career and coming off kidney transplants, 35yo Zo (after recuperating for 2 years) was a reformed beast, putting up 8/5.5 on 60% shooting and a ridiculous 2.7bpg in just 20mpg of action. In limited minutes, he will give me elite paint/rim defense and remains a versatile offensive threat from anywhere 18ft in.


ROTATIONS

PG - West 28 | Parker 20
SG - Leonard 26 | Havlicek 15 | West 7
SF - LeBron 33 | Havlicek 15
PF - Malone 35 | Horry 7 | Mourning 3 | LeBron 3
C - Ewing 34 | Mourning 14


LINE-UPS [PG | SG | SF | PF | C]

Clutch (down 2) - LeBron | West | Havlicek | Horry | Ewing
Clutch (down 3) - West | Havlicek | Leonard | LeBron | Horry
Defense (Big) - West | Leonard | LeBron | Mourning | Ewing
Defense (Small) - West | Havlicek | Leonard | LeBron | Mourning
Fastbreak - West | Havlicek | Leonard | LeBron | Malone
Energy - Parker | Havlicek | Leonard | LeBron | Malone


STRATEGIES

Offense
LeBron and Jerry West are the focal points of my offense. Both are elite triple-threat players capable of bringing the ball up the floor and initiating the offense, yet compliment each other extremely well. Expect alot of pick and roll action between LeBron/Malone, as well as West/LeBron, especially since the defensive 3 sec is in play. With LeBron's ability to get to the basket, expect defenses to collapse, where his great court-vision and unselfish nature will come into play, dropping passes to Malone/Ewing in the lane or from 15 feet, or outside to 2 extremely capable catch shooters.

Where this team is extremely dangerous is on the fastbreak, with all 5 starters being great rebounders and outlet passers. West can initiate the fastbreak with his court vision in the open floor, or spread out to the perimeter off the ball. LeBron is an absolute monster on the fastbreak either handling or running the wings. Malone is an absolute freight train with great hands and finishing ability. Lastly, Kawhi is vastly underrated as a fastbreak initiator with his huge hands, ball handling and his newly added and adept pull-up 3.

Defense
I believe I have the league's best perimeter defense with West/Leonard/LeBron/Hondo. With modern rules and zone defense, perimeter play and penetration becomes increasingly important, which is why I built this long, tough and versatile defensive perimeter.

Post defense is built like the hard-nosed 90's Knicks, anchored by Pat Ewing. While Malone isn't a great defender, he plays the enforcer role with his physicality and lethal elbows. Come into the paint and Malone/Ewing/Mourning will spare no prisoners and go at you, even if it means picking up a foul/tech. Don't forget Big (Cheap) Shot Rob too, who is a smart technical defender that knows how to play dirty and utilise his fouls.


OVERVIEW

1. The ultimate mismatch, LeBron James - Can guard anyone on D; quicker/stronger than anyone on O
2. Team of winners - FIVE FMVPs (Mr Clutch, Hondo, Parker, LeBron, Kawhi) + Big Shot Rob
3. Well-adapted to modern rules - No paint campers, pick and roll ready, versatile bigs, unstoppable fastbreak
4. Elite defense - #1 perimeter defense, physical hard-nosed terrifying interior
5. GOAT coach - No chemistry issues, extremely adaptable, LeBron + Pop = ???

[Rizko]

My team:

07-08 for CP3

82-83 for El Sid

13-14 for KD

95-96 for Rodman

76-77 for Kareem

86-87 for Michael Cooper

88-89 for Dumars

73-74 for Dave DeBusschere

82-83 for Bob McAdoo

[fpliii]

You guys did a great job drafting. All of these sound like they'd be very fun to watch, and it seems like everyone took fit/chemistry into account.

[dr.hee]

My team:

07-08 for CP3

82-83 for El Sid

13-14 for KD

95-96 for Rodman

76-77 for Kareem

86-87 for Michael Cooper

88-89 for Dumars

73-74 for Dave DeBusschere

82-83 for Bob McAdoo

Added roster summary, years and bolded names.

[Lebronxrings]

the team with pop wins. He took average nba players and made them look professional. Imagine what he could do with someone like lebron!?

[Marchesk]

Team Marchesk

Starters

PG: 1984/85 Isiah Thomas
21.2 ppg on 45.8%, 13.9 apg, 2.3 spg

I'll go with 23 year old Thomas because an older Kobe will be the man on the team. Isiah is still a very good scorer from the PG while passing out an insane number of assists that season. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense with his dribbling and penetration. Isiah was also a warrior in the playoffs at that age, averaging 25.5 ppg and 10.8 apg against Boston in a six game series.

SG: 2008/09 Kobe Bryant
26.8 ppg on 46.7% and 35% 3P, 4.9 apg, 1.5 spg

30 year old Bryant isn't prime scoring Kobe, but I don't need that on a stacked team. I need the Kobe that leads his team to a title without Shaq, while averaging 30 in the playoffs.

SF: 1980/81 Julius Erving
24.6 ppg on 52.1%, 8.0 rbg, 4.4 apg, 2.1 spg, 1.8 bpg

Here I'm going with NBA MVP Dr J, also at age 30. He's unselfish and is used to playing with other scorers, while still being a great player. He's terrific all around and deadly in the open court. He and Kobe provide me with elite athleticism at the SG/SF positions.

PF: 2002/03 Tim Duncan
23.3 ppg on 51.3%, 12.9 rbg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg

This is prime MVP Tim Duncan providing elite post play and defense, while always the unselfish teammate. He averaged 24.7/15.4/5.3 in the playoffs that year while leading the Spurs to their 2nd title.

C: Robert Parish 81/82
19.9 ppg on 54.2%, 10.6 rpg, 2.4 bpg

Parish played very well with McHale, so he and Duncan should work well together. Parish was part of the greatest front court ever, and he provides strong defense and has a solid mid-range game to provide spacing from the center spot. He also put up these numbers on only 31 mpg that season.

Bench

PG 1982/83 Maurice Cheeks
12.5 ppg on 54.2%, 6.9 apg, 2.4 spg

As a backup to Isiah, I'm going to pick Mo's championship year on that 65 win Philly team. He was an excellent defender and will be a terrific floor general off the bench.

SG 2010/11 Ray Allen
16.5 ppg on 49% and 44.4% 3P

Since Jesus has to backup Godbe, I'm taking 35 year old Ray Allen. Any Ray is a deadly shooter from downtown, and this was his high in FG%. Older Ray knows how to win and hit big shots, come off screens, and play good defense.

SF 2007/08 Peja Stojakovic
16.4 ppg on 44% and 44.1 3P%

Again with an older version because he's still deadly from 3 while having to backup the Doctor. In 07/08, Peja averaged making three 3's a game.

F/C 1991/92 Horace Grant
14.2 ppg on 57.8%, 10 rbg, 2.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.7 bpg

Horace is a really nice option off the bench. Duncan can slide over to center or take a breather. He provides strong defense, good team play, and high FG%.

Coach Pat Riley

Riley is good at dealing with lots of talent. He'll focus on strong defense, while leveraging the offensive skills of the players.

Rotations
PG - Isiah 30, Cheeks 18
SG - Kobe 32, Ray 16
SF - Dr J 30, Peja 18
PF - Duncan 30, Grant 18
C - Parish 30, Duncan 8, Grant 10


Isiah, Kobe and Dr J will put a lot of pressure on the defense from the perimeter. Obviously, Kobe can score from anywhere, and Isiah can break down defenses with his dribbling and quickness. He has a good midrange game in addition to his ability to penetrate and score or make the assist.

Meanwhile, Erving has his first step and ability to score at the rim or in transition. When the Doc is in the game, there will be an effort to push the fast break. Isiah and Kobe, while not Magic, are more than capable of leading the break.

A weakness for the starting unit is that Kobe is the only 3 pt threat, so Ray and Peja will sub in to provide that. Half of the time, it will be staggered so that either Kobe or the Dr are still in the game.

Maurice Cheeks can be brought in to be a lock-down defender. Meanwhile inside, Duncan and Parish along with Grant off the bench will provide a strong interior defense, with good passing and post play.

I picked the years to provide a balanced offensive attack, while Kobe is the slightly favored #1 option when he's in the game, but he won't need to be gunning for 40 every game with the offensive talent around him.