2009 Celticsblog Draft: Voting Analysis : Team of the Future

[johnnyrondo]

For GM's curious about minutes per game for the playoffs, here's a good reference: http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2009_stats.html

[indeedproceed]

KC, voting without giving me a chance to hype my squad? Cold blooded, man. Coooold Blooooodedddddddd

[bucknersrevenge]

Why I think Utah will win the 1vs8 matchup.

Overview of the Starting lineup match-ups.

PG: Chris Duhon                   Chauncey Billups


SG: Ray Allen                     C.J. Miles


SF: Al Thornton                   Antoine Wright


PF: Antawn Jamison                Dirk Nowitzki


C: Dwight Howard                  Chris Kaman


Starting at the center position Howard is the most phsyically dominate player in the league now that Shaq has seen his better days.  He's a great rebounder and shot blocker.  He also finishes plays strong, dunking the ball.  He doesn't have many, if any, post moves as of yet so it will be interesting to see if he ever learns some.  With that said he has a huge advantage over Kaman.  However Kaman is a very big, strong center that can come as close to anyone matching his strength.  I also have the shot blocking abilities of Lopez, and then two bangers in Collison and Songaila to throw at him.  Howard will be getting no easy buckets in this series.  I have 24 fouls to use on him and plan on using every single one if need be. 

Jamison is a great offensive player and solid rebounder, however his average defense leaves a lot to be desired. I think he can score on Dirk, and he gets his 18-20 points, but Dirk is going to light him up for 25+ this series. 

The Small Forward matchup goes to the young Al Thornton.  Wright is a nice shooter and decent defender, however I don't think he can stay with Thornton.   The only thing going against Thornton is that he is young and hasn't had play off experience, while at least Wright got some last season for Dallas, though his minutes decreased in the playoffs compared to the regular season. 

Ray Allen is one of the purest shooters in the game.  The question is will that shot be their come playoff time.  The past two years he has struggled throughout the playoffs shooting.  Some games he still has the stroke, sweet as ever, but he's a year older now and the question has to be asked.  If this series goes more than 5 games will that shot be there?  Matching up against Ray I have the young, atheltic, C.J. Miles, who will dogging him all game.  C.J. isn't the scorer Ray is, but he's improving and will hopefully give Ray some trouble.  I think the advantage is for Ray if the shot if falling, if not, Buffalo loses one of its scorers. 

Finally at the point guard spot, Duhon vs Billups.  Sorry, but Billups should destroy him and dominate this series.  I like Duhon, he's a solid ball handler and has good court vision.  He is a pure point guard that doesn't look for his own shot.  However, he's going up against one of the leagues best point and Mr. Big Shot himself.  How will he fair against a guard that can lock him up hopefully damming up the river thus stopping the flow of the offense.  Then he has to waste energy sticking to Billups on offense.  How good a defender is Duhon?  Well I guess we will find out. 


Comparing Benches-  Like I said earlier, I have 3 other bigs on my bench ready to throw at Howard.  However if Howard gets in foul trouble he can turn to one of the top back up bigs in the game in ZaZa Pachulia and has veteran big Brain Skinner on the bench as well.  I like ZaZa, but if R. Lopez improves like I think he will, I like my backup bigs better. 

The backup guards..he has Brown and Sergio...both who have seen little game time.  However I have Goran Dragic, who also is a very young euro guard like Sergio.  However I have Mike James waiting in the wings if Dragic struggles and I really like him as a decent ball handler and shooter off the bench if need be.  I think the back up point guards are a split.

At shooting guard I have high scoring Flip Murray, while he has the taller, Q-Rich.  Both will enter the game and jack up shots.  I think this is a split as well. 

Finally my last case...and biggest question mark is Dunleavy.  I'm expecting him back for the 2nd half of the season, and will use him off the bench.  If he can give me 15 minutes a night that would be a huge lift to my bench, giving me an all around player that has size and can spread the floor. 

I'll leave it up to you guys to vote how you like, but I really like how my team stacks up against Buffalo. 

Oh and question... whoever has Klezia, doesn't have him since he signed to go play in Europe.  I can't remember who has him, but he's on Buffalo's roster on the playoff matchups, and was crossed out on one of the other pages. 

This matchup REALLY scares me for Buffalo. A seriously good argument could be made for an upset here. A tandem of Dirk and Mr. BigShot in the playoffs is nothing I'd wanna see at all. I haven't made up my mind yet but this looks like bad news waiting to happen. There is no way Utah should've been an 8th seed but now that they are...be afraid. Be very afraid.

[KCattheStripe]

KC, voting without giving me a chance to hype my squad? Cold blooded, man. Coooold Blooooodedddddddd

My bad, but I don't think you can hype yourself past TD.

[indeedproceed]

KC, voting without giving me a chance to hype my squad? Cold blooded, man. Coooold Blooooodedddddddd

My bad, but I don't think you can hype yourself past TD.

Tim Duncan vs Big Al, the past 2 years (these are only H2H matchups)

AVERAGES:    FG   FGA   FG%   ORB   DRB   TRB   AST   STL   BLK   TOV   PF   PTS
Al Jefferson   10.43   20.86   0.51   2.29   6.43   8.71   1.29   0.57   2.00   1.43   2.86   25.14
Tim Duncan   7.71   15.86   0.50   2.86   10.29   13.14   3.29   1.00   2.86   2.43   3.00   19.57

Check ya stats, KC!

[johnnyrondo]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

[indeedproceed]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

Being the best in the East is like being the best 11th grade JV player.

I mean its cool..but its not varsity.

[johnnyrondo]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

Being the best in the East is like being the best 11th grade JV player.

I mean its cool..but its not varsity.

Only way the West is HS Varsity is if the East is NCAA

[indeedproceed]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

Being the best in the East is like being the best 11th grade JV player.

I mean its cool..but its not varsity.

Only way the West is HS Varsity is if the East is NCAA

No, we're varsity you're JV! I called it!

[KCattheStripe]

KC, voting without giving me a chance to hype my squad? Cold blooded, man. Coooold Blooooodedddddddd

My bad, but I don't think you can hype yourself past TD.

Tim Duncan vs Big Al, the past 2 years (these are only H2H matchups)

AVERAGES:    FG   FGA   FG%   ORB   DRB   TRB   AST   STL   BLK   TOV   PF   PTS
Al Jefferson   10.43   20.86   0.51   2.29   6.43   8.71   1.29   0.57   2.00   1.43   2.86   25.14
Tim Duncan   7.71   15.86   0.50   2.86   10.29   13.14   3.29   1.00   2.86   2.43   3.00   19.57

Check ya stats, KC!

How many of those games were in the playoffs?

[Roy Hobbs]

KC, voting without giving me a chance to hype my squad? Cold blooded, man. Coooold Blooooodedddddddd

My bad, but I don't think you can hype yourself past TD.

Tim Duncan vs Big Al, the past 2 years (these are only H2H matchups)

AVERAGES:    FG   FGA   FG%   ORB   DRB   TRB   AST   STL   BLK   TOV   PF   PTS
Al Jefferson   10.43   20.86   0.51   2.29   6.43   8.71   1.29   0.57   2.00   1.43   2.86   25.14
Tim Duncan   7.71   15.86   0.50   2.86   10.29   13.14   3.29   1.00   2.86   2.43   3.00   19.57

Check ya stats, KC!

How many of those games were in the playoffs?

IP also forgot to mention that Duncan is 12-1 against Big Al all-time. 

[Evantime34]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

Being the best in the East is like being the best 11th grade JV player.

I mean its cool..but its not varsity.

Only way the West is HS Varsity is if the East is NCAA

You can't be serious that the east is better. I'm the 7 seed in the West (although I think I should be the 5th) I'd be a top 3 seed in the east.

[Roy Hobbs]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

Being the best in the East is like being the best 11th grade JV player.

I mean its cool..but its not varsity.

Only way the West is HS Varsity is if the East is NCAA

You can't be serious that the east is better. I'm the 7 seed in the West (although I think I should be the 5th) I'd be a top 3 seed in the east.

No doubt about it.

[johnnyrondo]

You Western Conference teams are just wasting your time. All your playing for is for the right to be whooped by the Eastern Conference champion   

West=hype
East=NBA Champion

Being the best in the East is like being the best 11th grade JV player.

I mean its cool..but its not varsity.

Only way the West is HS Varsity is if the East is NCAA

You can't be serious that the east is better. I'm the 7 seed in the West (although I think I should be the 5th) I'd be a top 3 seed in the east.

You shouldn't be 7th. I like your team. I even just voted for your team,but the East has the better teams at the top. The West has the better playoff depth.

[indeedproceed]

KC, voting without giving me a chance to hype my squad? Cold blooded, man. Coooold Blooooodedddddddd

My bad, but I don't think you can hype yourself past TD.

Tim Duncan vs Big Al, the past 2 years (these are only H2H matchups)

AVERAGES:    FG   FGA   FG%   ORB   DRB   TRB   AST   STL   BLK   TOV   PF   PTS
Al Jefferson   10.43   20.86   0.51   2.29   6.43   8.71   1.29   0.57   2.00   1.43   2.86   25.14
Tim Duncan   7.71   15.86   0.50   2.86   10.29   13.14   3.29   1.00   2.86   2.43   3.00   19.57

Check ya stats, KC!

How many of those games were in the playoffs?

IP also forgot to mention that Duncan is 12-1 against Big Al all-time. 

You forgot to mention that the best player playing with big Al for most of that was Ryan Gomes.