Rona Voting

[Brodie]

I think D's closing lineup is what throws me off and I also don't think Oladipo has been the same in 2 years. Maybe that's a blip but I'm not entirely sure how good he actually is. That and Aaron Gordon/Aldridge are super underwhelming back-up bigs.

Commie just has a better all around structured team, just behind mine. Fuckers ranking me sixth.

Vote: Commie

[TACKS]

comahan advances.

[TACKS]

(3) Kyle vs. (6) Brodie

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Kyle

STARTING 5
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jrue Holiday
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Ben Simmons
C: Kristaps Porzingis

CLOSING 5

PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jrue Holiday
SF: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
PF: Kawhi Leonard
C: Ben Simmons

BENCH

PG: Dejounte Murray
SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SF: Danilo Gallinari
PF: Davis Bertans
C: Steven Adams

• Simmons as the point forward he's meant to be. Everyone on the roster except him and Adams can make an open 3. Kawhi and Kyrie are both top end bucket getters while being able to hit catch and shoot threes at a high %.
  
  
• 4 all defense level defenders in Jrue/Kawhi/Simmons/Dejounte and SGA/Adams are strong defenders as well. Kyrie never needs to guard the best scoring guard on the other team. Porzingis is a great rim protector and can be replaced with Adams if he's getting lost in the PNR.
  
  
• SGA as an efficient 20 PPG scorer off the bench. Bertans and Gallinari as elite level 3 point shooters who can chuck from anywhere with Simmons finding them on the break, or they can draw defenders and let Kyrie and Kawhi attack.

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Brodie

Starting 5:
PG: James Harden
SG: Khris Middleton
SF: Paul George
PF: Paul Millsap
C: Jusuf Nurkic

Closing 5:
G: James Harden
G: Kyle Lowry
Guy Marcus Smart
F: Khris Middleton
F: Paul George


Bench:
G Kyle Lowry
G Marcus Smart
F Will Barton
F Duncan Robinson
C Domantas Sabonis

-Starting lineup consists of the best scorer in the league surrounded by an elite second option, an elite third option, and two bigs that can rebound/contribute all of which can play D
-The bench has the two most annoying backcourt defenders on Earth, the best three pure shooter in the league, and two damn good starters that have been sixth man of the year level before
-The closing lineup is fast/flexible and can pressure anybody here on both ends

[Kyle]

Let me just say, if that's Brodie's closing 5 then mine against him is:

Kyrie
Jrue
Shai
Kawhi
Simmons

[Brodie]

I'm fine with our dual insanity closing fives closing against one another in that case.

Just a note that just last year, two of my five starters were 1/2 in scoring and both were All NBA/2nd and 3rd in MVP. In that closing 5, I have two All NBA defenders, two other guys who were on the floor for the All Star Game extravaganza, and a 50/40/90 guy that plays good D/averages 20 PPG.

For the rest...stop hating James Harden so much you fools! He's the best scorer of this generation for a reason.

Oh yeah and Harden owns Jrue https://www.landofbasketball.com/gam...ue_holiday.htm

[Kyle]

Originally Posted by Brodie

I'm fine with our dual insanity closing fives closing against one another in that case.

Just a note that just last year, two of my five starters were 1/2 in scoring and both were All NBA/2nd and 3rd in MVP. In that closing 5, I have two All NBA defenders, two other guys who were on the floor for the All Star Game extravaganza, and a 50/40/90 guy that plays good D/averages 20 PPG.

For the rest...stop hating James Harden so much you fools! He's the best scorer of this generation for a reason.

Oh yeah and Harden owns Jrue https://www.landofbasketball.com/gam...ue_holiday.htm

Dejounte, Simmons or Kawhi guards Harden then, big deal.

[comahan]

I feel like Harden/George/Middleton and Kawhi/Simmons/Kyrie are really even (though I dont like the Kyrie/Kawhi combo especially both being offball), so it comes down to supporting cast and how you've explained yourselves. Nurkic/Millsap are good players, but I think Jrue/Kristaps are probably better fits with their team as far as starters go. Bench wise though I give it to Brodie with Lowry (maybe the best 6th man in this whole thing) and Smart being nuisances. Ugh. This shouldn't be a first round matchup.

Voting Kyle, because Brodie's best lineup (imo) isn't anything he mentioned. Give me Lowry-Harden-Middleton-George-Sabonis as the closing unit and I think I might have voted for that team. Simmons in that role is exciting.

[OSUGiants]

This is easily the toughest of the round 1 matchups and would absolutely go to 7 games.

Kyle’s team is a little deeper and a little better defensively so I’ll give him the edge
vote: Kyle

[TACKS]

This isn't even really a knock on Brodie's team but it's been so long since we've seen Harden outside of his super specific context that it just becomes harder to imagine how it'd work with some well-rounded role players around him who do other stuff than isn't just spot up from 3 or dunking. That's not to say it wouldn't or can't work, it's just harder to project bc we haven't seen it for a while.

Gotta think about this one some more.

[Brodie]

He does well in the Olympics and shit like that. Way different obviously, but he's been dying for consistent support for like 6 years and this is him matched with actual players besides 1 other semi-star/6 roleplayers that have made up every one of his teams.

[D-Unit]

Good job commie. Thanks all who gave well thought feedback. Favor will be returned.

[D-Unit]

This one goes to Kyle.

Harden is a difficult player to build around as he commands so much of the ball in order to be happy and efficient. He is always saying things that make you wonder where his head is at, plus has a history of not getting along with teammates. Brodie needed to surround him with more passers and more defenders. I also would've liked to see more athleticism and guys who could generate more fast break opportunities but that roster lacks foot speed. The front court of Milsap and Nurkic is the worst of the 10 teams, clearly indicated by their absence at the end of games. It started off great for Brodie as PG3 was the perfect guy to pair him with, but it went downhill from there.

[scottyboy]

I reallllllllly like Kyle's D.

I think his versatility can help shut down Brodie's main threats (I know he said Harden owns Jrue, but there's also Kawhi and Simmons to throw at him). Kyle's closing lineup also has 5 guys who can handle and attack the rack. Gotta give it to him

vote kyle

[Brodie]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

This one goes to Kyle.

Harden is a difficult player to build around as he commands so much of the ball in order to be happy and efficient. He is always saying things that make you wonder where his head is at, plus has a history of not getting along with teammates. Brodie needed to surround him with more passers and more defenders. I also would've liked to see more athleticism and guys who could generate more fast break opportunities but that roster lacks foot speed. The front court of Milsap and Nurkic is the worst of the 10 teams, clearly indicated by their absence at the end of games. It started off great for Brodie as PG3 was the perfect guy to pair him with, but it went downhill from there.

How are you complaining about not getting along with teammates when Kyle has Kyrie

[SP]

I'm going vote: Corey here just cos I like his defensive matchups vs kawhi

[comahan]

Not that it matters, but ill throw my two cents in for Harden as a response to D's comment. He is definitely not someone who demands the ball to be happy. He's actually on record saying he'd much much rather play in a GSW/SAS style motion offense, but the iso stuff is so efficient for him and the team that he goes with it cause it works. He was thrilled to let CP3 and now Russ carry a lot of the load, and he's the one fanboying out most when Russ goes for 40 by attacking relentlessly cause people are doubling him. He's a ball dominant player, but its because no one on earth is as good at it as he is, and its more efficient on a per possession scale to do it that way, not because hes selfish, hes actually the opposite of that.

[Brodie]

who is this traitor jerk trying to defend Harden

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by Brodie

How are you complaining about not getting along with teammates when Kyle has Kyrie

Kyrie has a ring. ...and how were you complaining about my closing 5 when yours is even more questionable?

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by comahan

Not that it matters, but ill throw my two cents in for Harden as a response to D's comment. He is definitely not someone who demands the ball to be happy. He's actually on record saying he'd much much rather play in a GSW/SAS style motion offense, but the iso stuff is so efficient for him and the team that he goes with it cause it works. He was thrilled to let CP3 and now Russ carry a lot of the load, and he's the one fanboying out most when Russ goes for 40 by attacking relentlessly cause people are doubling him. He's a ball dominant player, but its because no one on earth is as good at it as he is, and its more efficient on a per possession scale to do it that way, not because hes selfish, hes actually the opposite of that.

That sounds like a good defense for Harden, but it's not true. I appreciate the fan in you, but that's a really arrogant defense. ....he is only ball dominant because no one on earth is as good as he is? C'mon, even you passed on him in the draft.

Either way, I didn't knock his team because he had Harden. I knocked for how he surrounded Harden.

[fenikz]

Vote: Brodie

First of Harden is unstoppable no matter who you guard him with, I don't think you put Leonard on him or he will be sitting with foul trouble. Simmons is sort of wasted in defense here as well as can't go smaller without losing on talent and can't go big as you will lose to small ball and 3s