The winner of this matchup will face the winner between The Dream/J_Ray or Agoo101284/ghoti, depending on whether one of them has earned the Bye Round. Post the case for your team here, and keep all matchup discussion here. Umair PG: Allen Iverson / Tony Parker / Michael Ray Richardson SG: Kobe Bryant / Ray Allen SF: John Havlicek / Peja Stojakovic PF: Kevin Garnett / Carlos Boozer C: Patrick Ewing / Alonzo Mourning / Yao Ming Huevonkiller PG: Chris Paul / Deron Williams SG: Vince Carter / Gilbert Arenas SF: Paul Pierce / Carmelo Anthony / Shane Battier PF: Kevin McHale / Amare Stoudemire / Kenyon Martin C: David Robinson / Dwight Howard
There is no way he can run his offense properly with AI at point guard, he's going to take great shots away from his teammates and he was never a great distributor. John Havlicek was also an undisciplined shooter with an easily below average True Shooting percentage (with a lackluster pace-adjusted 17.5 PER); he's got no chemistry from the 1 to 3. My PG situation on the other hand is in perfect condition, and my frontcourt ranks up there with anyone.
Too bad you don't have any D to frusturate them, and if you bring Battier off the bench, you lose offense IMO. You also have a similar problem with your backcourt with equally as "ballhoggy" players. They may not take the same shots but they all need to have the ball.
AI is the worst ballhog of our era, and he's the starting PG... Vince + Pierce are underrated defenders with above average efficiency throughout their entire careers. Melo has even shown to excel in these type of situations, and he played solid Defense for the Redeem team which is why I chose him. He's excellent for chemistry.
Talk about defense for a second. Iverson has always been at the top of the league in steals per game, he is one of the best and quickest point guard defenders in the league with great hands. Kobe, all NBA defensive 1st team, that says it all. I have Kevin Garnett, DPOY from last year, underrated defender. Patrick Ewing career 2.45 blocks per game. John Havlicek, Five-time All-Defensive First Team (1972-76); Three-time All-Defensive Second Team (1969-71). That's a great defensive team right there. Offensively, I might have great individual players but I'm sure they can play together. Iverson's shooting attempts decreased playing with Carmelo, so why wouldnt they decrease with Kobe and other superstars? Last year he averaged 7 assists per game. I can take you in every starting position except maybe the PG spot. Iverson isn't a ball hogger. He was forced to ball hog in Philadelphia considering the lack of talent around him. He had to ball hog for them to win. He is too used to taking and creating his own shots. Look at his assists averages. They have gone up now that he is with the Nuggets.
Melo a chemistry guy? Are we talking about the Nuggets Carmelo Anthony, or one from the past?....Oh wait it's obviously the Denver one since you didn't know this was an all-time draft. Melo is nowhere near a chemistry guy... Huevon=Fail
The one who was arguably the best player on Team USA over the last three years. He clearly knows how to work within a team concept.
Yeah, that and apparently Pippen is a non-factor in my matchup...that and my opponent should win cause Darko is the Victory Cigar..great arguments yeah?
Melo was very inconsistent with Team USA. He'd play 1 great game, then 2 bad ones. Lebron/Kobe/Wade had more of an impact on Team USA's success than Melo did.
This one shouldn't be close, let alone the wrong team winning. Umair's team has the better players at every position except McHale, and plays great defense. His coach would be starting Richardson at PG - the guy was often compared to Magic in terms of his skill level, though he didn't do it for the long haul.
Absolutely false. Over the course of the three years I wouldn't even question him; he was a monster for us and knew his role quite well on a team with the other Stars. His FIBA stats in 2007 showcases my point even more too; he was asked to suppress himself when additional players were added. He can carry the load or defer.http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/2007/stats/USA.HTM
How is AI in any way, shape, or form a better Point guard? D-Rob is a better version of Ewing too; defensively I have about as good a frontcourt as anyone. His SF has nothing on me except mystique. Oh and Richardson was good, but not on Paul's level.
Really?? I'd love to know why. KG is better than McHale (yes I said it) Havlicek is better than Pierce Ewing and Robinson played the C position differently but I'd call this matchup a wash. Kobe is MILES better than Vince and his fragile ego Chris Paul has played all of 3 season in the league, having 2 soild years and on Monster Year. AI is an MVP, lead his offensively challenged sixers to the finals and is one of the fastest players to ever play the game. Paul wouldn't be able to stop AI from getting anywhere he wanted to on the court. AI is no dummy either, he wants to win and on this team he'll distribute the ball more, like he does in all-star games.
Some of you guys are focusing at more of Huevon's depth than anything. Look at my defense. All of these guys are great defenders. There is no way he is getting past me in ANY POSITION.
D-Rob is one of the greatest defenders of all time as is McHale; plus Iverson plays no defense and can not run a team nearly as well as Paul whether AI subjugates himself or not. Pierce is simply more versatile than your guy and there's no point in trying to make D the deciding factor.
AI won the MVP doing what exactly? You're basically supporting his horrific shot selection on an All-Star team then... And how is Havlicek better than Pierce? Further, the KG-McHale thing is a wash to me.
