If you are new to these threads, check out
this thread for the rules.
We now arrive at my favorite match-up of the first round. I love games that feature a contrast of styles. These are the types of games where one team’s best player(s) can enforce their will on the other squad. The talent is pretty evenly distributed between the teams just like you would expect in a 4/5 game. As per usual, I’ll post the stat-based teams as well as the teams based on my own opinions. So here’s the 4/5 Match-up in the LaRue Martin region:
(4) 1992
G Latrell Sprewell
G Jim Jackson
F Tom Gugliotta
C Alonzo Mourning
C Shaquille O’Neal
---------------------------------------------
G Doug Christie
F LaPhonso Ellis
F PJ Brown
F Christian Laettner
F Clarence Weatherspoon
F Tracy Murray
C Oliver Miller
So you thought the 2002 team was frontcourt heavy? This team is loaded up front, but they need more ball-handling and less Oliver Miller. Let’s see what I can do to fix this problem.
PG Anthony Peeler
SG Latrell Sprewell
SF Robert Horry
PF Alonzo Mourning
C Shaquille O’Neal
---------------------------------------------
G Doug Christie
G Jim Jackson
F Tom Gugliotta
F LaPhonso Ellis
F Tracy Murray
F PJ Brown
C Christian Laettner
I added Horry over Miller because this team already had enough total poundage and because this is exactly the type of playoff atmosphere Horry has made a career out of mastering. I added Peeler over Weatherspoon to get the ball up the floor, to defend the opponent’s best perimeter player, and to make solid post feeds. This team still has extreme depth in the frontcourt offensively and defensively. They now have two outstanding perimeter defenders (Peeler, Christie), a great offensive 6th man (Googs), good shooting (Horry, Ellis, Murray), and two solid perimeter scorers (Sprewell, Jackson). There should never be a time when neither Shaq nor Zo is on the floor, so the lane will always be clogged up for opposing cutters and penetrators. This is a pretty good team.
VS
(5) 1979
G Magic Johnson
G Sidney Moncrief
F Jim Paxson
F Calvin Natt
C Bill Laimbeer
---------------------------------------------
G Johnny Moore
G Vinnie Johnson
G Sly Williams
F Cliff Robinson
F Edgar Jones
F Reggie King
C Bill Cartwright
This is certainly an interesting team. I would tweak it slightly. My team would look like this:
PG Magic Johnson
SG Sidney Moncrief
SF Jim Paxson
PF Calvin Natt
C Bill Laimbeer
---------------------------------------------
G Johnny Moore
G Vinnie Johnson
G Geoff Huston
F Cliff Robinson
F Dave Greenwood
F Phil Hubbard
C Bill Cartwright
I added Greenwood and Hubbard for size and rebounding. I went with Huston because this team needed another perimeter scorer to go with Paxson and Vinnie. This team has very little depth, but the starters are pretty solid. The Microwave would be my 6th man. Who do you think would win?