2025 CsBlog Post-Draft: Voting, How?s my Team

[snively]

Why my team beats this other team would be a fun exercise... I'm ready to embrace total intellectual dishonesty in defense of my squad.

Toward this end...  I officially throw down my gauntlet.  Any GM can issue me a challenge by writing why your team beats mine, and I'll respond in kind.

Bulls v Celtics
Starters:
PG: Chauncey v Steph
SG: Kobe v. Jrue
SF: Jimmy v Hedo
PF: Al v Giannis
C: Yao v Porzingis

Bench
PG: D-Will v Brunson
SG: Eric Gordon v Dipo
SF: Granger v Amen Thompson
PF: Zion v Brand
C: Pau v DeAndre Jordan

Offensively I concede a spacing advantage to the Celts. Lots of shooting to give Giannis a lot of room to attack either in iso or off 2-man actions. Plus Porzingis poses problems for Yao as a legit stretch big. But I think the Bulls would be capable of stifling even so potent an offense just as the 2009 Lakers muzzled the 4-out + Dwight Magic (holding them to 10 below their season offensive rating). Even with Rashard Lewis raining 3s on the Lakers twin towers, the Lakers dominated by shutting down Howard.

I think the Bulls pose a similar problem for Giannis - who would face one of his most daunting man defenders in Al plus the overwhelming size of Yao in the paint (or Pau off the bench). Further the speed, tenacity and defensive instincts of the Bulls perimeter trio would prey heavily on Giannis' drives and kickouts, turning him over heavily.

Steph of course poses another set of problems but the Bulls are well equipped here too. Use the Cavs strategy of beating him up on both ends which Billups/Kobe/Butler group do exceptionally well (and beefy bench guards D-Will and Gordon can also do). As for the Jrue/Hedo/Porzingis trio, the Bulls are happy to shift the offensive burden to them, trusting that they will not be able to outproduce their counterparts.

Offensively, the Bulls have numerous areas to feast. While Jrue/Giannis can cover a lot of ground, the C's are vulnerable in several areas. Curry has to deal with prime Billups - a physical load for any slight PG - and would suffer very badly in any switch. Hedo is very poorly equipped to handle Jimmy Butler. And both Giannis and Porzingis would struggle mightily with Yao. They can try packing the paint, but the skill level of the big men and the proficiency of the entire team from mid-range means it won't be enough.

Off the bench, the Bulls enjoy a tremendous advantage in firepower. Every single Bulls bench player is a bonafide 20+ppg threat that operates from different parts of the floor. The C's on the other hand struggle with spacing issues with the Amen/Brand/DAJ frontcourt allowing the Bulls to key in their perimeter duo. I trust D-Will to exploit  his own mismatch and get Zion going against Brand as well.

I expect the C's to steal a game or 2 in a playoff series thanks to their shooting prowess but to succumb to the Bulls onslaught of power, physicality, skill and size.

[Roy H.]

Why my team beats this other team would be a fun exercise... I'm ready to embrace total intellectual dishonesty in defense of my squad.

Toward this end...  I officially throw down my gauntlet.  Any GM can issue me a challenge by writing why your team beats mine, and I'll respond in kind.

Bulls v Celtics
Starters:
PG: Chauncey v Steph
SG: Kobe v. Jrue
SF: Jimmy v Hedo
PF: Al v Giannis
C: Yao v Porzingis

Bench
PG: D-Will v Brunson
SG: Eric Gordon v Dipo
SF: Granger v Amen Thompson
PF: Zion v Brand
C: Pau v DeAndre Jordan

Offensively I concede a spacing advantage to the Celts. Lots of shooting to give Giannis a lot of room to attack either in iso or off 2-man actions. Plus Porzingis poses problems for Yao as a legit stretch big. But I think the Bulls would be capable of stifling even so potent an offense just as the 2009 Lakers muzzled the 4-out + Dwight Magic (holding them to 10 below their season offensive rating). Even with Rashard Lewis raining 3s on the Lakers twin towers, the Lakers dominated by shutting down Howard.

I think the Bulls pose a similar problem for Giannis - who would face one of his most daunting man defenders in Al plus the overwhelming size of Yao in the paint (or Pau off the bench). Further the speed, tenacity and defensive instincts of the Bulls perimeter trio would prey heavily on Giannis' drives and kickouts, turning him over heavily.

Steph of course poses another set of problems but the Bulls are well equipped here too. Use the Cavs strategy of beating him up on both ends which Billups/Kobe/Butler group do exceptionally well (and beefy bench guards D-Will and Gordon can also do). As for the Jrue/Hedo/Porzingis trio, the Bulls are happy to shift the offensive burden to them, trusting that they will not be able to outproduce their counterparts.

Offensively, the Bulls have numerous areas to feast. While Jrue/Giannis can cover a lot of ground, the C's are vulnerable in several areas. Curry has to deal with prime Billups - a physical load for any slight PG - and would suffer very badly in any switch. Hedo is very poorly equipped to handle Jimmy Butler. And both Giannis and Porzingis would struggle mightily with Yao. They can try packing the paint, but the skill level of the big men and the proficiency of the entire team from mid-range means it won't be enough.

Off the bench, the Bulls enjoy a tremendous advantage in firepower. Every single Bulls bench player is a bonafide 20+ppg threat that operates from different parts of the floor. The C's on the other hand struggle with spacing issues with the Amen/Brand/DAJ frontcourt allowing the Bulls to key in their perimeter duo. I trust D-Will to exploit  his own mismatch and get Zion going against Brand as well.

I expect the C's to steal a game or 2 in a playoff series thanks to their shooting prowess but to succumb to the Bulls onslaught of power, physicality, skill and size.

Fair play.  Let me see how I can do here, with 11 minutes on the clock before I have to leave work.

I certainly respect power, physicality, skill and size.  It's what my team is built on.  But, two areas the Bulls can't keep up:  spacing.

The Celtics offense isn't a 4-out, 1-in like the 2009 Magic.  That squad made 10.0 3PTs per game.  Steph makes over 5.0 per game on his own, and makes them from 27 feet.

Kobe's eFG% in 2008 was .503.  We all remember the Finals in 2008:  .439 eFG%.  That's just not comparable to the efficiency that my entire roster is putting up.

And, Giannis isn't Dwight.  He can dribble.  He can pass.  He can dunk after taking three dribbles from half-court.

Pacing and spacing is what we do.  And, all five starters have been key pieces on top-3 defenses. 

I've got to run, unfortunately, but more later.  I'd like to get into some of the individual matchups.  One interesting one:  Kobe played Jrue Holiday 10 times in their career.  He only outscored Jrue by nine points per game, while averaging a worse FG%, 3PT%, and eFG%.  If my 3rd / 4th option is limiting Kobe, it's going to be an uphill battle for Chicago!

[smokeablount]

I have updated the first 5 rosters into the sim. I just need to assign minutes. Roy, Who, and Tim, I had to tweak some of your minutes so can you just review you're ok with what I edited in your posts, or change it? Curry, AD, Harden, KG, and Embiid are currently at their max minutes.

Is it alright to change KG's season from 2007-08 to 2003-04? That would remove the minutes issue with KG.

I would KG at 35mpg. JJJ at 26mpg. Embiid is at 29mpg due to minutes restriction. Aldridge at 6mpg.

Can't do 03-04, Who.  2005 and after all work though.

Thnak you. I meant 04-05.

Yup, no problem, fixed the roster. Going to get the 9 rosters in by tonight or tomorrow, and then do minutes after

[Donoghus]

Updated my info for seasons and minutes.  Still need to get a write up going.