2013 CB Draft: How's my CB Draft Team look?

[ronaldo943]

Well in your defense, the teams do kinda seem to suck this year.

Definitely nobody who could stand up to the top three last year (Dallas, the Good Guys, and the second place loser.)

I agree with this, the teams might be more balanced though and there hasn't been many lopsided trades. (Yet)

[indeedproceed]

Well in your defense, the teams do kinda seem to suck this year.

Definitely nobody who could stand up to the top three last year (Dallas, the Good Guys, and the second place loser.)

Right. What I meant was all the teams seem to have warts this year. Less room at the top, less room at the bottom though.

[rondoallaturca]

Are you guys overlooking Miami, or am I simply overrating them? To me, they have a very strong roster. Obviously Nash has lost a step and they don't exactly have a beefy frontcourt, but they're still quite formidable. I'm not going to call them title contenders by any means, but they're a top team in the East IMO.

[action781]

I'm surprised you call Boston a below-average offense after just praising the Nuggets team starting Lilliard, Lee, Chandler, Varejao, and Monroe.  IP's team has a considerably better offense in the starting lineup without Gallinari.  When you include Gallo in the starting lineup, this Boston team is equal or better on offense at every single position 1-5 (if you twist the frontcourt matchups) than Yoki's Nuggets.

First, I'm not sure what my "praise" of Yoki's team has to do with my critique of IP's team, especially when my praise was that Yoki's team was a solid squad that lacked top-end talent and spacing in the front court.

Second, considerably better?

Irving (22.5 points, 39.1% 3PT%, .553 eFG%, 5.9 assists) vs. Lillard (19.0 points, 36.8% 3PT%, .546 TS%, 6.5 assists)
Stephenson (8.8 points, 33.0% 3PT%, .530 TS%) vs. Lee (7.8 points, 37.2% 3PT%,.545 TS%)
Brewer (12.1 points, 29.6% 3PT%, .506 TS%) vs. Chandler (13.0 points, 41.3% 3PT%, .556 TS%)
Gasol (13.7 points, 46.6% FG%, .512 TS%, 7.6% ORB%) vs. Varejao (14.1 points, 47.8% FG%, .529 TS%, 16.9% ORB%)
Splitter (10.3 points, 56.0 FG%, .609 TS%, 8.8% ORB%) vs. Monroe (16.0 points,48.6% FG%, .527 TS%, 9.9% ORB%)

Yoki's starters outscore IP's, and they outshoot them.  Lillard averages more assists than Irving, and Yoki's bigs kill IP's in offensive rebounding.  Heck, Anderson Varejao even shot a higher percentage than Gasol on shots from 10' to 23'.

I'd say that those teams are fairly close offensively, with Yoki probably fairing better due to his better shooting and rebounding.  IP's squad certainly isn't "considerably better" on offense, particularly when you exclude Gallinari.

Give me a break Roy...

"Lillard averages more assists than Irving"  What point are you trying to make with a statement like this?  Lillard averaged 0.6 more apg and he played 4 more mpg.  If you look at their per36 stats, Kyrie averaged 6.2 and Lillard averaged 6.0.  I know you're not oblivious to this, so I'm really curious what point a statement like that is trying to make.

So, because Varejao "outscored" Pau Gasol last season, he is a better scorer?  Again, look at the per 36 stats (Pau wins by 2ppg) if you really need numbers beyond common sense to prove otherwise.

[Edit, sorry that sentence was unneccessary.] There are other things in your facade that I could nitpick, but I'm not sure I see the point.

And to address what they have to do with eachother is that you called one solid and the other below average.  So it presumably follows that you think the solid one is better than the below average one, which I strongly disagreed with in the case of these 2 teams.

Tone it down!! Your form of debate is not allowed in these draft forums. Be respectful at all times and present opinions in a less demeaning manner.

[KGs Knee]

Well in your defense, the teams do kinda seem to suck this year.

Definitely nobody who could stand up to the top three last year (Dallas, the Good Guys, and the second place loser.)

I wonder (since this is my 1st CB draft), isn't this possibly a simple byproduct of a greater number of smart GM's?  Meaning, I don't think there has been any really bad trades (other than today's blockbuster).

For the most part, it seems most all of the GM's have made smart picks, and played it safe.  Maybe in year's past teams were able to build powerhouses by taking advantage of weaker GM's?

[action781]

Well in your defense, the teams do kinda seem to suck this year.

Definitely nobody who could stand up to the top three last year (Dallas, the Good Guys, and the second place loser.)

I wonder (since this is my 1st CB draft), isn't this possibly a simple byproduct of a greater number of smart GM's?  Meaning, I don't think there has been any really bad trades (other than today's blockbuster).

For the most part, it seems most all of the GM's have made smart picks, and played it safe.  Maybe in year's past teams were able to build powerhouses by taking advantage of weaker GM's?

Can we talk about the team in my sig from 2 seasons ago?!

[dark_lord]

I think Golden State's big man rotation is incredible. Roy Hibbert, LaMarcus Aldridge and Zach Randolph. That is going to be a nightmare for opponents to matchup against.

I'm sure I'm probably alone in this regard, but I'm not sold on it.  I find it unrealistic.

I'm assuming ZBo will be the backup, which he may or may not be in love with, but he surely won't be happy sitting on the bench for the majority of the 4th quarter.  Or, if he plays instead of Hibbert, how will he react to that?

IDK, I guess I just tend to take those type of things into consideration.  Someone is going to be on the short end in that rotation, and I'm not sure it will breed a happy team.

Maybe I'm wrong though.

this entire draft is unrealistic

everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and no one's opinion is greater or less valuable.  imo, golden state might very well be the team to beat.

[AB_Celtic]

My top five in both conferences are probably something like this right now, in no particular order:

EAST

Orlando
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Washington

WEST

Minnesota
Golden State
Oklahoma City
Houston
Lakers

Just me, but I'd put Miami above Indiana.

[nickagneta]

My top five in both conferences are probably something like this right now, in no particular order:

EAST

Orlando
Cleveland
Milwaukee
Indiana
Washington

WEST

Minnesota
Golden State
Oklahoma City
Houston
Lakers

Just me, but I'd put Miami above Indiana.

I have said this elsewhere around the blog: I think Durant is next year's MVP. I think he will take a big step forward and be THAT guy in the league and for that reason and having the upper level talent of Williams and Scola with him, I rank Indy high.

[McHales Pits]

I am thinking my top four teams in the West are - LA Lakers, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.

I think those four are the title contenders in the West.

Gotta respectfully disagree with Golden State being in that top 4 and Minnesota not being in there. GSW's backcourt is average to not good and Hibbert seemed to regress last year until somewhat lit a fire under his fanny in the playoffs.

Minnesota's defense with Bradley, Chalmers, Battier, Lebron and Ibaka as a main unit is maybe the best in the league. With Ellis, Chalmers or Bradley, Lebron, Big Baby and Jordan as a second main unit the TWolves can go big as well and give opponents a different look and two dangerous scorers to defend against while still maintaining very good defense.

I just don't see Minny being lower than a second place finisher out West.

Appreciate the love Nick.

[McHales Pits]

I am thinking my top four teams in the West are - LA Lakers, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.

I think those four are the title contenders in the West.

Gotta respectfully disagree with Golden State being in that top 4 and Minnesota not being in there. GSW's backcourt is average to not good and Hibbert seemed to regress last year until somewhat lit a fire under his fanny in the playoffs.

Minnesota's defense with Bradley, Chalmers, Battier, Lebron and Ibaka as a main unit is maybe the best in the league. With Ellis, Chalmers or Bradley, Lebron, Big Baby and Jordan as a second main unit the TWolves can go big as well and give opponents a different look and two dangerous scorers to defend against while still maintaining very good defense.

I just don't see Minny being lower than a second place finisher out West.

I love Minnesota's defense. I am just not sure where I am with their offense. Especially when LeBron at SF alongside two big men. And with a slasher like Monta and a limited offensive guard like Bradley.

I really the potential of their small-ball lineups. Those lineups are really the only reason I would consider them on a par with the four other teams I listed above. Not wild about Ibaka or BBD at center though.

-----------------------------------

Remember that defense leads to offense and my team can run the floor, too.

[fairweatherfan]

Ha.  I do like Cleveland.

And I like Orlando, although I'm unsure about MWP.

Everyone else, I'm still making up my mind on. 

Just wondering, why do you rank Orlando so highly? There's no way they can get by in Kobe's absence, and even when he does get back, he's lacking the premiere interior offensive weapon he's relied on in years past. With all due respect to Millsap, he's no Pau, Bynum, or Shaq. The other option would be to assign that role to Amare, which would require a huge leap of faith.

Is anybody at all gonna be shocked if Kobe "Senzubean" Bryant is ready within the first month of the season?  Sketchy experimental treatments aside the dude is probably the best-conditioned player in the league.

We don't have a dominant full-time post player (though Amar'e was super-efficient even banged up in limited minutes last year) but we make up for it with better D, better PGs, a better bench, and better team play than the 09-10 Lakers.  MWP is the only question mark in the lineup, and he's already won a ring with Kobe and is coming off his best season in years. 

Plus, we have a secret weapon that the Lakers never had - the raw sex appeal of Eric Spoelstra:

[dark_lord]

PG: Derrick Rose, Eric Maynor
SG: Iman Shumpert, Marco Belinelli, Ben McLemore
SF: DeMar DeRozan, Chase Budinger
PF: Taj Gibson, Udonis Haslem, Patrick Patterson
C:  Dwight Howard, Ian Mahinmi

I wanted to create an elite defensive unit that would control the glass, turn opponents over, and score a ton of points in the transition game.

Yes, yes, I know: I have Dwight Howard, so I must have shooters to put around him. Well, along with providing suffocating D, Iman Shumpert shot 40%+ from 3pt land last season (and his percentages improved in the playoffs). He'll see some minutes at the 3 this season, along with Chase Budinger, who shot 40% from 3 in his last full season. Marco Belinelli is another threat from deep. Haslem and Gibson have been known to knock down the occasional baseline jumper.

I've got one more pick left, and enough depth to perhaps make one more trade. But even if I stand pat, I like this team's ability to shut opponents down, and grind out victories.

before i say anything about the roster.....hats off for that trade! regardless of how ur team finishes, ur the mvp of this entire draft for highway robbing on that trade, along with the drafting you have done in such little time.

now.....on paper, ur team is fully legit.  but when i sit back and really think on it, im not sold. i said something similar about kyrie....i love his game and he is the real deal....even more so for rose.  but the injury is a major question mark for me. he might be the same rose as he was b4 the injury, but he might not.  so that question mark really hinders how high i could rank this team.

dh12...on paper and attributes he is the best center in the league.  but he is soft, emotionally fragile, and failed playing with the lakers playing alongside a mvp-type player (kobe).....can he co-exist with rose is a big question mark.  dh12 is emotionally fragile and he prefers to be the "man" rather than playing second fiddle.

one thing i like a lot are ur role players and depth of those role players, at the 2,3,4.

if rose is at his mvp level and dh12 can play to his capability, this is a title contender....but those two factors are big question marks for me.

in any event, like i said, what u have done with what u inherited and in such a short time is nothing less than awesome!

[Roy H.]

I'm surprised you call Boston a below-average offense after just praising the Nuggets team starting Lilliard, Lee, Chandler, Varejao, and Monroe.  IP's team has a considerably better offense in the starting lineup without Gallinari.  When you include Gallo in the starting lineup, this Boston team is equal or better on offense at every single position 1-5 (if you twist the frontcourt matchups) than Yoki's Nuggets.

First, I'm not sure what my "praise" of Yoki's team has to do with my critique of IP's team, especially when my praise was that Yoki's team was a solid squad that lacked top-end talent and spacing in the front court.

Second, considerably better?

Irving (22.5 points, 39.1% 3PT%, .553 eFG%, 5.9 assists) vs. Lillard (19.0 points, 36.8% 3PT%, .546 TS%, 6.5 assists)
Stephenson (8.8 points, 33.0% 3PT%, .530 TS%) vs. Lee (7.8 points, 37.2% 3PT%,.545 TS%)
Brewer (12.1 points, 29.6% 3PT%, .506 TS%) vs. Chandler (13.0 points, 41.3% 3PT%, .556 TS%)
Gasol (13.7 points, 46.6% FG%, .512 TS%, 7.6% ORB%) vs. Varejao (14.1 points, 47.8% FG%, .529 TS%, 16.9% ORB%)
Splitter (10.3 points, 56.0 FG%, .609 TS%, 8.8% ORB%) vs. Monroe (16.0 points,48.6% FG%, .527 TS%, 9.9% ORB%)

Yoki's starters outscore IP's, and they outshoot them.  Lillard averages more assists than Irving, and Yoki's bigs kill IP's in offensive rebounding.  Heck, Anderson Varejao even shot a higher percentage than Gasol on shots from 10' to 23'.

I'd say that those teams are fairly close offensively, with Yoki probably fairing better due to his better shooting and rebounding.  IP's squad certainly isn't "considerably better" on offense, particularly when you exclude Gallinari.

Give me a break Roy...

"Lillard averages more assists than Irving"  What point are you trying to make with a statement like this?  Lillard averaged 0.6 more apg and he played 4 more mpg.  If you look at their per36 stats, Kyrie averaged 6.2 and Lillard averaged 6.0.  I know you're not oblivious to this, so I'm really curious what point a statement like that is trying to make.

So, because Varejao "outscored" Pau Gasol last season, he is a better scorer?  Again, look at the per 36 stats (Pau wins by 2ppg) if you really need numbers beyond common sense to prove otherwise.

[Edit, sorry that sentence was unneccessary.] There are other things in your facade that I could nitpick, but I'm not sure I see the point.

And to address what they have to do with eachother is that you called one solid and the other below average.  So it presumably follows that you think the solid one is better than the below average one, which I strongly disagreed with in the case of these 2 teams.

That's what you got out of my post?

I'll just assume your response is your admission that IP's team (without Gallinari) is not "significantly better" on offense than Yoki's.

I do find it funny that you condescend to me, when you're the one who said something terribly inaccurate.  But please, continue to rely on "common sense" rather than objective evidence.

[nickagneta]

I want better forms of debate here without the snarkiness!!