[Seuss]

GM/Coach has one day to get his gameplan up. Here's a gameplan template.

Offensive Plan:
Defensive Plan:
Overall Focus:

(#2) Toronto Raptors Team:

PG: Chauncy Billups
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Larry Nance
C: Dikembe Mutumbo

BENCH: Antonio McDyess, Rashard Lewis, Dana Barros, Zelmo Beatty, Brent Barry

(#3) Washington Bullets Team:

PG: Walt Frazier
SG: Fat Lever
SF: Shawn Marion
PF: George McGinnis
CE: Wilt Chamberlain

BENCH: Bobby Jones, Mel Daniels, Dale Ellis, Kirk Hinrich, Tayshaun Prince

[BadBaronRudigor]

In response to the last round, Washington is moving George McGinnis to the starting lineup and Bobby Jones to 6th man.

[BadBaronRudigor]

Again, the Bullets start with defense. First, we own the boards allowing us to limit Toronto to one shot possessions and run. Lever was a better rebounder than Jordan and no other position is even close (Wilt/Mutombo, McGinnis/Nance, Marion/Hill, Frazier/Billups). Every member of our top six except (possibly) Chamberlain averaged better than 2.0 steals per game creating pressure and turnovers. Offensively, every starter scored 20 ppg (19.8 rounds up) with solid midrange games (all but Wilt had shooting range out to the three point line) and off the bench, Jones can go for 15, Daniels for 20, and Ellis for 25.

So, for the superstars, Jordan will be marked by Lever but also by Frazier, and Bobby Jones to keep a fresh All-D team member on him; Wilt brings his 66-67 MVP and championship form where he stepped up his rebounding to 30/game and his assists to over 9 in the playoffs . . . at worst, this for us is a wash. For the rest, Frazier is appreciably better than Billups both offensively and defensively, Marion can't pass like Hill but is a more efficient scorer and a much better defender, and McGinnis is a dominant force at the four who should more than handle Larry Nance. Off the bench, Daniels is a stronger, more physical upgrade over McDyess, Ellis provides explosive scoring from 3 point range that Barry can't match and Bobby Jones (or Kevin McHale) is the greatest 6th man of all time v. the weak defensive Lewis. Jordan is a great player but we are stronger throughout the lineup.


Wilt Chamberlain 1966-67 PHI 81g 45.5min 24.2reb 7.8ast 24.1pts .683fg/.441ft
In midst of 4 consecutive MVPs, won NBA championship, GOAT

George McGinnis f 1974-75 IND ABA 79g 40.4min 14.3reb 6.3ast 2.6st 0.7bl 29.8pt .451fg/.354x3/.724ft
ABA MVP, continued to get better than 24/13/3 for next four years with 76ers in NBA

Shawn Marion 2005-06 PHO 81g 40.3min 11.8reb 1.8 ast 2.0st 1.7bl 21.8pts .525fg/.331x3/.809ft
2nd team All-Defense, dominant with or without Nash, with or without Marion, www.82games.com DPOY in 06-07!

Lafayette Lever 1988-89 DEN 71g 38.7min 9.3reb 7.9ast 2.7st 0.3bl 19.8pts .457fg/.348x3/.785ft
2nd team All-Defense, Best game was v. Chi: 31pts/16reb/20ast/6st guarded by Jordan and Pippen!

Walt Frazier 1969-70 NYK 77g 39.5min 6.0reb 8.2ast 20.9pts .518/.748
1st team All-NBA, One of 7 1st Team All-Defense awards, NBA Champion

Bench

Bobby Jones f 1976-77 DEN NBA 82g 29.5min 8.3reb 3.2ast 2.3st 2.0bl 15.1pts .570fg/.717ft
Most decorated defensive player of all time with 11 first team and 1 2nd plus career .550+ shooter

Mel Daniels c/f 1970-71 IND ABA 82g 38.7min 18.0reb 2.2ast 21.0pts .514fg/.679ft
2 time MVP, one of only 10 players to ever do so, except Nash, all others are top 20 all-time

Dale Ellis g/f 1988-89 SEA 82g 38.9min 4.2reb 2.0ast 1.3st 0.3bl 27.5pts .501fg/.478x3/.816ft
Career .400+ from 3 point range; one of 4 straight years of 24 ppg for Seattle

Kirk Hinrich g 2006-07 CHI 80g 35.5min 3.4reb 6.3ast 1.3st 0.3bl 16.6pts .448fg/.415x3/.835ft 2nd team All-D

Tayshaun Prince f 2006-07 DET 82g 36.6min 5.2reb 2.8ast 0.6st 0.7bl 14.3pts .460fg/.386x3/.768ft 2nd All-D

[ss03]

Defensive Plan -

The plan is essentially to keep his team out of the paint, and to block off lanes to Chamberlain with my team's ability to intercept passes, their athleticism and through alternating defensive patterns. Similar to the last round, more often than not the triangle-two zone would work perfectly because it makes sure Mutumbo is always on Chamberlain, and Jordan can cover their biggest backcourt offensive threat, and it allows the team to play team defense on Chamberlain (When Boston figured out to always play team defense on Chamberlain he had a tougher time than usual).

Jordan, on defense, definitely has an advantage on Lever despite Baron's claiming of the contrary. Jordan has a height advantage, was the better offensive/defensive player and there really isn't that big a difference in rebounding ability. While Lever did have that one big game against Chicago, his team still lost the game, and in all of his other games against Chicago he was pretty bad, and only managed to record a career 40% shooting percentage against Jordan (and in 9 games, he only had 2 other games where he shot over 40%). Jordan can stop him, and if needed, Jordan can easily shift over to Frazier if he's having a good night.

Also, Chamberlain doesn't have a HUGE advantage over this team on offense or defense. While he was a great inside player/ defensive presence/ rebounder etc... There's finally a solid defensive player, with size they're almost equal height) matched up with him. People were shorter back then, he didn't have to play against people with his size and strength as often back then.

Also, late in close games, HACK A WILT.

Offensive Plans -

Team game, led by Jordan. It's as simple as that. They can put all their defensive players on Jordan and do everything in their power to stop him, but this team has the ability to move the ball, penetrate and has the athelticism and skills required to finish. We will manage to get almost as many 2nd chance opportunities as them unless they want to take out the Defensive-3-Seconds rule and keep Wilt in there 24/7. Also, their team isn't nearly as quick as this Raptors team, and so Jordan's loved triangle system could prove to be bothersome for them, if and when we decide to use it.

They can play 1-on-1 with Jordan, he'll win that matchup, or they can double-team and leave a man open. Outside of Mutumbo, the other 4, as well as my bench players, have a solid inside/mid-range jumper, and a lot of the players have a decent or solid 3-pt shot, so leaving players open will hurt.

Overall Plan -

1) Team Ball/ Ball Movement/ When in doubt, ball to Jordan

2) Make the Bullets work hard on both ends. Whether they play team defense, or man-to-man, the Raptors have the ability to dismantle the defense even though they have some of the best defensive players in NBA history. This is mostly due to the fact that at SG they have a defensive advantage, and because this team in a half-court or full-court setting is a great passing team.

3) On defense, force them to make a shot. If they can beat us through shooting, so be it, but we're not giving up 80 points in the paint, and the Bullets may rely on that from time to time. We have greta perimeter lockdown defenders, and help defenders, with our 4-time DPOY inside.

[Sharpie]

I'm leaning toward the Bullets because Wilt and Frazier, again, hold a massive advantage over their counterparts.

[BadBaronRudigor]

Looking at team strengths rather than individual matchups:

Inside Scoring: Traditionally more important in the playoffs, the Bullets dominate this category. Although Jordan was a terrific post-up guard and Nance a very efficient scorer, Chamberlain, Daniels, and McGinnis give the edge to Washington.

Outside Scoring: Although the Bullets bench with Ellis and Hinrich gives great three point shooting if needed and all the Bullets other than Wilt and Daniels have solid midrange games, the presence of Michael Jordan gives the edge to Toronto.

Defense: Jordan, Billups, Nance and Mutumbo are all excellent defenders but Chamberlain, Frazier, and Bobby Jones are all-time greats and Marion, Lever, and Daniels are all noted defenders too. Edge Washington.

Rebounding: Washington has an edge at all five starting positions and with Daniels and Jones off the bench. Edge Washington.

Depth: Mel Daniels is a more dominant player than Antonio McDyess, Dale Ellis than Rashard Lewis, and Toronto has no equivalent of super sixth man Bobby Jones. Edge Washington.

Clutch play: Jordan and Frazier are both legendary playoff and pressure performers. Billups and McGinnis both have finals MVPs though both actually decline in playoff shooting percentage, rebounding, and assists from regular season highs. Wilt scores less but increases his rebounding edge and Lever brings his shooting percentage up over 50% for his playoff career (Marion and Wilt for Washington, Nance, Hill, and Mutumbo for Toronto are less efficient in playoff pressure). Still, Toronto has Michael Jordan; edge Toronto.

So, Washington will have the edge in higher percentage scoring, defense, rebounding, and depth; Toronto will try to stay in the game with their outside shooting until crunch time then rely on Jordan to pull it out over Frazier's clutch play for Washington. Over history, the team that wins the inside battle wins the great majority of the playoffs. Edge Washington I hope.

[jericho]

All-world O almost always trumps all-world D. The most anyone can hope to do against a supreme scorer who's in the groove is to slow him down, try to take away a favorite part of the court or frustrate a favorite move. I think Jordan has a big series here, and Wilt has an even bigger one.

These are two of my favorite teams in this league. At a glance, they each need a top-flight shooter--especially Washington, to space the floor a bit more for Wilt. But he and McGinnis are both good passers and can look for cutters if not shooters in the event of a double-team.

ss03's Hack-a-Wilt strategy has something to recommend it, although carried to far it will result in Wilt feasting on Zelmo Beatty.

This is almost too close to call. I think Jordan averages about 35 ppg in this series, but Frazier and Wilt find a way to win in 7.

[BadBaronRudigor]

We have Dale Ellis who is as pure a space the floor explosive three point shooter this side of Ray Allen but . . . . you are right, he only plays when they put a wing player on the bench because we aren't going to let Jordan eat him alive. But if we get to put him up against Lewis, Barry, or Barros . . . we will trade three pointers with those guys all day since Ellis scores more and shoots better from both two and three point range (.468 from 3! . . .top 15 3pt% all time with more than 100 attempts and most of those were 3 point shooters with few other skills a la Craig Hodges or Jason Kapano).