RollWithEm

This is a match-up that I find strangely intriguing. One team might be a little too deep with scorers. The other team appears to have a more clear identity. Here are the statistically selected teams and my personally selected teams for the 1/8 Match-up in the LaRue Martin Region:

(1) 1998
G Larry Hughes
G Vince Carter
F Paul Pierce
F Rashard Lewis
F Dirk Nowitzki
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G Mike Bibby
G Cuttino Mobley
G Bonzi Wells
F Matt Harpring
F Antawn Jamison
C Raef LaFrentz
C Nazr Mohammed

This is a talented bunch that seems pretty mismatched to me. I would make some slight changes to the line-up.

PG Mike Bibby
SG Vince Carter
SF Paul Pierce
PF Antawn Jamison
C Dirk Nowitzki
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G Jason Williams
G Larry Hughes
G Ruben Patterson
F Rashard Lewis
F Matt Harpring
F Al Harrington
C Raef LaFrentz

This is really the first time I’ve had legitimate trouble picking a team because it had way too many talented players. Also, this squad has an obvious size problem. It’s top 5 players (Dirk, Pierce, Lewis, Carter, Jamison) include 3 scoring wings and 2 long range shooting power forwards. I chose to ignore the size problem (which might be partially rectified by including Mohammed or Rasho Nesterovic) and just build a running team. The starters can just play off Dirk and Pierce in the half court. Bibby, Carter, and Jamison are all solid #2 options in an offense. I chose Hughes and Patterson for on-the-ball defensive reasons. Harpring adds toughness and the ability to cross-guard bigger forwards. Harrington is familiar with playing center on a running team. LaFrentz was an excellent weak side shot-blocker and corner 3-point shooter. He’ll space the floor for Pierce, Jamison, and young VC. Jason Williams barely edged out Rafer Alston as the second PG. I felt that Mobley’s outside shooting was redundant on this team and that Bonzi and Ricky Davis were extra head-cases this team didn’t need.

What do you think the team should look like? I really struggled narrowing this one down to 12 players.

VS

(8) 1980
G Larry Drew
F Kiki Vandeweghe
F Mike Woodson
F Kevin McHale
C Mike Gminski
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G Kevin Ransey
G Andrew Toney
G Darrell Griffith
F Jeff Ruland
F Mike Brooks
C Joe Barry Carroll
C Kurt Rambis

This team is lacking a little shooting and perimeter defense. The trouble is that the whole draft suffered in those areas. My team would probably look like this:

PG Larry Drew
SG Andrew Toney
SF Kiki Vandeweghe
PF Kevin McHale
C Joe Barry Carroll
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G Rory Sparrow
G Darrell Griffith
G Mike Woodson
F Jeff Ruland
F Rick Mahorn
C Mike Gminski
C Kurt Rambis

This team was tough to pick for the opposite reasons than the 1998 team. They obviously have good size and interior toughness, but there weren’t enough talented players to fill out a 12-man roster. This draft wound up almost completely void of wing players after Kiki. Mike Woodson makes this team by default, I guess, despite his poor defensive play. Do you give Mahorn or Larry “Mr. Mean” Smith the token rebounding and toughness spot? Do you give the back-up PG spot to the peak value of Ransey or the relative longevity of Sparrow? Regardless of what choices you make, this team will only go so far as McHale can carry them.

Who do you think would win?

__________________
But that's just me.

BadBaronRudigor

Toney, Griffith, Woodson, and Vandeweghe is plenty of shooting (and Kiki was a 3/4 while Woodson was a 3/2 so on your stat team they should be switched). Joe Barry Carroll had great stats but was a stiff anyway; Ruland should start at center. And yuou hardly need the undersized Mean Mr. Smith (who I loved) for toughness when you have Clark Kent, McFilthy and McNasty already. Big problem for this team is PG, Drew had a couple of flashy number years but he, Sparrow and Ransey isn't an inspiring combination.

Ruland Gminski Carroll
McHale Mahorn
Vandeweghe Woodson
Toney Griffith
Drew Sparrow (Ransey never impressed me, Sparrow was a gamer at least)

Big man offense: Even with the change, Dirk and Antawn have an advantage over Ruland (bad hands) and McHale in versatility of scoring. Even the bench has more scoring on the 98 team.

Wing and Point offense: Kiki, Toney, and prime Drew are good. Pierce, Vince and Bibby are much better.

Passing: Again, the 98 team has a large playmaking advantage at almost every position as all the 80 players except Drew and Ruland were finishers.

Rebounding: AHA, here the 80 team dominates inside though 98 has much the better wing boarders.

Defense: McHale is a good defender, Ruland is tough on the blocks but would have trouble chasing Jamison (or Dirk), Toney is adequate, otherwise the 80 team isn't so good except for a few more bench bullies inside. That said, the 98 team is worse, no one stands out and Dirk (as a Center!), Jamison, and Bibby were all weak defenders and the bench is worse except Patterson.

Bench: Griffith and Woodson give you shooting (though Griffith was a lot better before he decided he was an outside shooter instead of a slash and dunk player) and Gminski is an above average big with Mahorn and Rambis for extra hard fouls. Carroll has more talent than anyone but McHale but didn't like to work that hard, he'd be 3rd string for me. The 90 team has some serious shooters off the bench (as if the starters weren't shooting enough?) in Lewis, LaFraetz, etc. but little defense and doesn't offer much of a change of pace for a judge. The 80 team is better served though lesser talents.

Intangibles: Ruland's bad hands and JBC's attitude are countered by the intimidation and aggression of their bigs. The 98 team has too many chefs and not enough helpers.

Overall: Although I agree the 80 team is more of a team, I have to go with the 98 crew on sheer talent. They have too many guys that can just abuse their counterparts. Not my favorite team nor will they advance very far but they do have enough to win this one.

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If you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk

RollWithEm

This is another contrast of styles game akin to the ***1992 vs. 1979 game*** in the LaRue Martin region. The 1998 team wants free motion, flowing possessions. The 1980 team wants to punch that motion in the face. This match-up is actually the hardest to pick of all the 1/8 games in this tournament, IMO.

I like the PG combo of Bibby/J-Dubb slightly more than 1980’s Drew/Sparrow duo. None of the four are particularly great defensively, and I think 1998’s shooting and creativity will help their team.

The 1998 team has tremendous balance on the wings. Hughes, Patterson, Harpring, and 2007-08 Pierce are all good defenders. Carter, Pierce, and Lewis are all excellent scorers. Harpring, Lewis, and Carter are all reliable spot-up shooters. Pierce and Hughes can both beat their man off the dribble and create for themselves and/or their teammates. The 1980 group of Toney, Kiki, Griffith, and Woodson have a nice array of abilities, but they don’t quite stack-up to the powerhouse wing players on the 1998 squad.

Down low, we have an interesting contrast of styles. 1980 will beat you up. Ruland, Mahorn, and Rambis all try to get in the head of the other team’s bigs. Their physicality makes up for their lack of grace and dexterity. McHale, Carroll, and Gminski will supply the offense for this group. The 1998 team has one good weak-side shot blocker (LaFrentz) who played average to poor on-ball defense, and 3 other questionable defenders. They will be forced to double McHale every time he touches it in the block. At the same time, they will pose serious match-up problems for the slow-of-foot 1980 frontcourt with their speed and outside shooting. I would love to watch this game.

Ultimately, the 1998 team just has too much firepower. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not they can advance past this round, though.

__________________
But that's just me.