The winner of this matchup will face the winner between Celtic_Fan/Denny Crane or Umair/Huevonkiller, depending on whether one of them has earned the Bye Round. Post the case for your team here, and keep all matchup discussion here. Agoo101284 PG: Gary Payton / Chauncey Billups / Fat Lever SG: Adrian Dantley / Paul Westphal SF: Elgin Baylor / Larry Nance / Marques Johnson PF: Dennis Rodman / Ben Wallace C: Wilt Chamberlain / Spencer Haywood ghoti PG: Maurice Cheeks / Mark Price SG: Sidney Moncrief / Glen Rice / Drazen Petrovic SF: LeBron James / Bernard King PF: Tim Duncan / Billy Cunningham / Charles Oakley C: Nate Thurmond / Jerry Lucas
If you could please change my depth chart to this: PG: Gary Payton / Chauncey Billups / Fat Lever SG: Adrian Dantley / Paul Westphal SF: Elgin Baylor / Larry Nance / Marques Johnson PF: Dennis Rodman / Ben Wallace C: Wilt Chamberlain / Spencer Haywood I think my team is pretty much unstoppable here. I like the matchup of Rodman on Duncan as Duncan would get very frustrated but Rodman's relentless defense. Thurmond is a terrific defender, but Wilt is simply the most dominant force to play the game. Baylor was LeBron before LeBron was even a valid name for a child. Adrian Dantley could score on anyone, but would be slowed slightly by Moncrief. Gary Payton wins the match up at point guard and would be able to freely distribute to Baylor and Chamberlain. As for the bench, I think I have the advantage in all positions except center.
I think you win at PF and C, but Bernard King = better than both of your SF's. I also think Mark Price vs Billups would be great and close so that's a Tie. Close call on Rice vs Westphal too, but I think I'd go Westphal
It is unfortunate Ghoti couldn't get a better center, because Moncrief was a ridiculous defender and Bron + TD are arguably the best players at their positions already. Also I would not have drafted Billups on a team with Wilt on it, he doesn't run a fast paced offense as well as various guards. This is a damn close call to me.
You don't like centers that go for 17/15 with 3 blocks who are All-Defense first team and perennial All-Stars? You don't like centers who post Quad-Doubles? Or maybe you don't like centers that can guard Wilt and Kareem, because that's what Thurmond did better than anyone. The combination of Thurmond and Duncan is the best defensive front line in this draft.
Hey calm down there, I picked you. Quad Doubles depends on various things though, no I don't care too much about that. And I don't know about the best defensive frontcourt in the whole draft, but you have a case to make. Yeah offensively I feel various centers here are overrated (that's what I talk about first usually...), but your frontcourt is simply more complete to me.
I can stop Wilt. That's where my advantage lies. He will have a hard time stopping both Duncan and Lebron (or King). Rodman can bother either of them, but not both. Of course, that means Rodman will have to play the whole game, which means my already dominant defensive team will be defending 5 on 4 the whole game. If Rodman isn't playing, Duncan, Lucas and Cunningham will light it up all day. The big men he has are great post defenders, but they can't guard guys with this kind of range. If he adjusts, LeBron will go nuts. He doesn't have the personnel to match up with us.
Don't get too focused on the depth chart. Rice and Petrovic are purely there to spread the floor if the matchups call for it (and those guys can do it). LeBron can play guard and dominate all of his guards physically if that's what's needed. Cheeks is the perfect guy to guard Billups. I have seen aggressive, pressing ball hawks completely throw him off. Every coach in the league challenges his handle. Cheeks will force a ton of turnovers, even if he is guarding Payton, since Payton will not be able to penetrate with Duncan and Thurmond (or Cunningham or Lucas - they are all excellent help defenders) patrolling the area around the rim. Moncrief can shut down Dantley, but the opposite does not apply. I doubt Dantley is any factor in this series. Unfortunately, he has no defensive-oriented replacement to even out the matchup. Moncrief can erase any guard on his roster, especially with the support he has in the paint. I actually think agoo did one of the best jobs in this draft. This should be a later matchup for sure.
Moncrief and Cheeks are premium perimeter defenders. Who can make a contested outside shot on his team? He won't get uncontested shots with the interior defense I have.
indeed he is bigger and stronger, but Price would be much faster and had a great pull up jumper that would keep Billups busy. His knack for getting in the paint and dropping a floating runner or passing to the open man would make him very difficult to guard. Price is a truly underated and under appreciated player.
I think you're overstating Thurmond and Moncrief defensively. Wilt is simply unstoppable. All you can really do with Wilt is hope he doesn't score too many more than 30. I also think you're underrating Dantley. In a series, I wouldn't expect him to average 30 with Moncrief guarding him, but I would expect a game or two where he goes off. At his best, Dantley was averaging 30 while shooting 56% from the floor and 84% from the line. Cheeks is also a strong defender, but Payton at his peak is the best all-around point guard since Isiah and Magic.
Dantley was a SF, not very well suited at SG. Agoo's team plays 4 on 5 at one end of the court, this is not a close call for me.
yeah but 2 of those 4 are Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin 'no one is talking about me in this series' Baylor. that will make up for any offensive deficiencies Rodman has.. and that leaves Rodman free to hide on the baseline and dunk home passes to him if his man leaves him to double.. something he did a lot of in Detroit.
Rodman was not a horrible offensive player, look at what he did in college. He said it himself he never scored that much because he much preferred being a defensive player and focusing on rebounding more than anything. I mean he is no Jordan or anything, but I could still see him getting 10 points a game Knowing how emotional Duncan can be, I think we should take him out of this discussion because you know damn well Rodman would get into his head.
If Rodman was guarding Duncan you know in some games ghoti would be playing 4-on 5 on one side too. Rodman would get into his head and take him out of the game.
How can I overstate how good Moncrief is defensively? One of the reasons there IS a DPOY award is because of him. He was the first recipient. I believe strongly that he can erase any of your guards in terms of scoring. Payton can guard one of my guards, but not both. He can't bother Rice's shot and he certainly can't guard LeBron, who I can use to create terrific mismatches no matter who you have in the game. Dantley is an inferior scorer to both LeBron and King. He would not shoot any 56% against my team. I am not overrating Thurmond at all. He is possibly the best defensive center of all time. Listen to someone who would know. Wilt is not unstoppable. I can make him miss shots and with the offensive rebounders I have, I like my chances getting the rebounds. If he passes, I don't think you have the shooters to take advantage - especially considering the closeout ability of my SFs and guards.
