2022 NBA Fantasy Draft-Round 1-Bullet Club vs. amac

[Mox]

@Bullet Club

PG Shai Gilgeous Alexander/Derrick Rose

SG Andrew Wiggins/Spencer Dinwiddie/Caleb Martin

SF Jerami Grant/Alec Burks

PF Jaren Jackson Jr./Nic Batum/Otto Porter Jr.

C Nikola Jokic/Dwight Howard

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

 

@amac

Head Coach: Willie Green
 

G- De’Aaron Fox / Tyus Jones / Derrick White

G- Devin Booker / Norman Powell / Max Strus

F- Mikal Bridges / Harrison Barnes 

F- Al Horford / PJ Tucker

C- Karl-Anthony Towns / Kevon Looney

 

Let us defend our teams.

Edited June 7, 2022 by Bullet Club

[Mox]

My team

Spoiler

Things people always underrate in these things are roster construction, scoring hierarchy, and personalities. I specifically built my team to excel in these areas. I have a clear scoring hierarchy with Jokic, SGA, and role players. There are many teams that are bringing guys off the bench who have been shoot-first starters for years. There are many teams with score-first guys who fall down the pecking order and likely wouldn’t take it well. There are countless examples of teams not living up to their talent in the NBA and Olympics because the little things were ignored. There are many teams in this tournament who are not greater than the sum of their parts. I believe mine is.

Offense

Spoiler

I want to make things as easy as possible for me, and as difficult as possible for my opponent. Offensively, my team is loaded with players who have been tasked to be #1 scoring options on teams but also successful role players. This was done intentionally. First, it shows these guys have fit into systems when asked to do so. Second, it shows they can play in and accept reduced roles when needed. Third, many of these guys are also capable of scaling up their performance when asked.

Pairing a large of amount of these guys around Jokic is ideal because he makes everyone around him better. Shooters will get better looks, guys will get easier 1 on 1 matchups, slashers will be found, and when things break down in almost every series I’d play in I’ll have the best player on the court to lean on. Of every team in this tournament, I believe I have the most balanced offense because I can literally beat you playing any style of basketball.

Everyone on my team is either a good shooter or has been a good shooter somewhat recently except Dwight. Dinwiddie is streaky, and JJJ uncharacteristically struggled in the regular season but picked it back up in the postseason high volume. There is clear context for why SGA, and Jokic shot lower %’s last season that is not indicative of their actual shooting ability. Wiggins and Grant have proven to be high level 3 & D guys. My bench is loaded with 40% guys. Of my five starters, four of them were top 25 in the NBA in FTA last season, and the fifth (Wiggins) has been top 15 in the NBA three times. Then I have guys like Rose, Dinwiddie and Burks who can all create for themselves off of the bench and get to the line as well. Plus I have tons of playmaking. Rose, Dinwiddie, Burks, Batum, Wiggins and SGA have all been tasked with being primary or secondary playmakers on their team in the past, and of course I have the best playmaker in basketball with Nikola Jokic. Between my team’s ability to shoot, create for themselves, create for others, slash, score on the low block and get to the line, there is no one way to shut me down.

Defense

Spoiler

Defensively, I have zero liabilities on my team. I also have excellent length (only one guy under 6’5), and depth on that end of the court. My starting lineup is one of the biggest, which shrinks the court, and makes things easier for a team full of lengthy athletes who can defend. I can throw a variety of different capable defenders at anyone I face and wear them down over the course of seven games. Like I said, I want to make things as easy as possible for me, and difficult as possible for my opponent. I plan on wearing down other team’s primary guards by constantly tossing fresh, capable, and lengthy guys at them.

I have elite low post defense between JJJ, D12 and Jokic, which makes things much easier on my wings. Jokic is susceptible as a drop big but that’s why adding someone like JJJ as a help defender and rim protector was so important for me.  I have elite coaching on this end too. Everyone I face will be in for a long series win or lose.

Weaknesses

Spoiler

However, every team has their weaknesses. This is not a great rebounding group outside of Jokic/D12, something I tried to work through by getting more length. While I personally believe I did a great job of adding balance to my team, I’m one guy short of being able to win it all. I believe my team would smoke a few teams that are deemed “more talented” due to how the teams are constructed but this team is not good enough to go all the way unless I get significant breaks along the way. JJJ is foul prone, which could be impactful depending on the matchup. Lastly, while I certainly don’t lack spacing, none of my starters are elite shooters so I’m probably not going to go 2022 Dallas on anyone.

Matchup with Amac

Spoiler

Luckily for me I drew a solid matchup. Amac lacks rim protection and size to throw at Jokic, while also lacking the guys to punish him for being a drop big, which makes life easier certainly. As expected, I have a clear size advantage. Of his three offensive stars, two are defensive liabilities, and the third isn’t anything special so it’s not like he can keep me from doing what I want to do.

On the other hand, I have tons of length and athleticism to make Fox’s life hell. Booker isn’t a rim pressure guy so I can wear him down and let his legs go as the series goes on where his jumper will start falling short, and I have the perfect defense to lock down Towns. JJJ has the build to contain him, and Batum is arguably the best KAT defender in the NBA (seriously, look what he’s done to Towns over his career). Plus, if we’re being honest Booker and Towns are two of the last stars I’d want to lean on in an elimination game. Booker has vanished in them, and Towns has been a playoff underachiever. Meanwhile Jokic has had huge postseason after huge postseason the last few years.

Bridges and Horford are great role players, who fit well with this team, but neither are major scoring threats on their own. His bench is excellent defensively and brings an element of toughness. However, most those guys can’t create for themselves either. I have the personnel to make two of his top three scorers lives extremely difficult, and his best scorer couldn’t have asked for a worse matchup. There is also a risk Fox tries to outshoot his role, something I don’t have to worry about. Meanwhile, my top scorer has a really favorable matchup, and Amac has liabilities to exploit on D that I don’t. He’s not going to get anything easy, especially when Fox and Booker only get 11% and 19.9% of their shots at the rim. The longer this series goes, the better it is for me. His team may have more total talent but it’s a bad matchup schematically. I have the best player and I have a much better coach, who are you going to trust? I believe I’d win this series in 6.

 

Rotation for this series

PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (34), Derrick Rose (14)

SG Andrew Wiggins (26), Spencer Dinwiddie (12), Derrick Rose (6), Caleb Martin (4)

SF Jerami Grant (30), Alec Burks (10), Andrew Wiggins (4), Spencer Dinwiddie (2), Otto Porter Jr. (2)

PF Jaren Jackson Jr. (17), Nic Batum (25), Otto Porter Jr. (6)

C Nikola Jokic (35), Jaren Jackson Jr. (13), Dwight Howard (as needed)

 

Minutes:

Nikola Jokic (35)

Shai Gilgeous Alexander (34)

Andrew Wiggins (30)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (30)

Jerami Grant (30)

Nic Batum (25)

Derrick Rose (20)

Spencer Dinwiddie (14)

Alex Burks (10)

Otto Porter Jr. (8)

Caleb Martin (4)

Dwight Howard (as needed)

Edited June 7, 2022 by Bullet Club

[amac]

Don’t time to go super in depth but while Jokic will make guys better I’d say for a competition of this caliber Bullets firepower and 3 pt shooting is pretty underwhelming. I’d just challenge them to beat me from 3 as Wiggins is the only legitimate sharp shooter in the starting 5.
 

His second and third options (SGA and grant?) haven’t proven anything on a big stage or in terms of playing a big role on a successful team so I would say that critique rings hollow to an extent. Booker had one awful game in the playoffs but overall he’s performed extremely well and led the Suns to a lot of success that shouldn’t be overshadowed by one game.

I don’t think Horford is a terrible matchup for Jokic, and I’m not remotely worried about Jaren Jackson, (a guy who is shooting around 39% in the playoffs). I find his bench too similarly be lacking a bit of firepower compared to some of the other teams, considering the level of  competition it’s not impressive. Defensively they’re not bad but not overwhelming.
 

coach frankly shouldn’t matter since there was no strategy involved it was just a random order handed out mid draft where I got handed nearly last pick again 

Edited June 7, 2022 by amac

[MKnight82]

Bullet Club			vs		Amac
SGA	1				D Fox	0
A Wiggins	0				D Booker	1
J Grant	0				M Bridges	1
JJJ	0				A Horford	1
N Jokic	1				KAT	0
Starters	2				Starters	3
D Rose					T Jones
S Dinwiddie					D White
C Martin					N Powell
A Burks					M Strus
N Batum					H Barnes
O Porter					PJ Tucker
D Howard					K Looney
Bench	0				Bench	1
Subtotal	2				Subtotal	4
Tiebreaker?	No				Tiebreaker?	No
Winner	Amac

 

I voted for @amac 's team. The starters were close.  Jokic is the best player in this series but I don't like pairing him with JJJ. I like the Booker/Bridges combo better than Wiggins/Grant. SGA is better than Fox. On the bench I just feel like White/Powell/Barnes/Tucker are all pretty legit. 

[Mox]

I mean if we're ignore the lack of rim protection, the large coaching difference, Booker's declining in the postseason, and the fact that I can neutralize Towns as well as anyone in the tourney then yeah it'll be tough.

Edited June 7, 2022 by Bullet Club

[11sanchez11]

I think if you like Fox you go with amac but I don't like Fox, especially off ball. Idk this one is super close. 

[Mox]

8 minutes ago, MKnight82 said:

 

Bullet Club			vs		Amac
SGA	1				D Fox	0
A Wiggins	0				D Booker	1
J Grant	0				M Bridges	1
JJJ	0				A Horford	1
N Jokic	1				KAT	0
Starters	2				Starters	3
D Rose					T Jones
S Dinwiddie					D White
C Martin					N Powell
A Burks					M Strus
N Batum					H Barnes
O Porter					PJ Tucker
D Howard					K Looney
Bench	0				Bench	1
Subtotal	2				Subtotal	4
Tiebreaker?	No				Tiebreaker?	No
Winner	Amac

 

I voted for @amac 's team. The starters were close.  Jokic is the best player in this series but I don't like pairing him with JJJ. I like the Booker/Bridges combo better than Wiggins/Grant. SGA is better than Fox. On the bench I just feel like White/Powell/Barnes/Tucker are all pretty legit. 

Less than half of Jokic's minutes are paired with JJJ.

[Nbanflguy]

I got no choice on this one. Gotta support Bullet club. No explanation needed

Edited June 7, 2022 by Nbanflguy

[Mox]

Smh

[BigC421/]

This is a tough one I don’t really love the make up of either roster. Bullet’s team is just strangely configured, almost seems like length was forced over skill to an extreme. I have trouble getting over how much trouble I think this team will have with creation and ball movement. I’m also not sure amac has the pieces to take advantage.   The front courts seem made to face each other.  Like the Booker/Bridges combo but the SGA v Fox matchup kind of takes it back to even.  Going by coaches given the way it was done ( if coaching was going to matter they should have been open to take whenever) feels like a cop out but in a battle this ugly it’s hard not to just take the team with best player and coach.  Going with Bullet by a hair

[CWood21]

I'm not sure that either team is championship material, but amac's team looks better built.

[Mox]

38 minutes ago, BigC421/ said:

This is a tough one I don’t really love the make up of either roster. Bullet’s team is just strangely configured, almost seems like length was forced over skill to an extreme. I have trouble getting over how much trouble I think this team will have with creation and ball movement. I’m also not sure amac has the pieces to take advantage.   The front courts seem made to face each other.  Like the Booker/Bridges combo but the SGA v Fox matchup kind of takes it back to even.  Going by coaches given the way it was done ( if coaching was going to matter they should have been open to take whenever) feels like a cop out but in a battle this ugly it’s hard not to just take the team with best player and coach.  Going with Bullet by a hair

My focus was on guys who have been #1 options but also great role players (except JJJ). Between SGA/Rose/Dinwiddie/Jokic plus others who have been #1 options in the past I don't lack guys who can create for themselves. Also have slashers galore and guys who have been primary playmakers on teams. People are looking at names and not skillsets, which is undervaluing my team. What I do lack is tough shot makers which is going to hurt me unless I luck into a good schematic matchup again.

18 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

I'm not sure that either team is championship material, but amac's team looks better built.

Agreed on the first point, I say as much in my breakdown. Disagree on the latter though. In terms of pure talent, my team is probably near the bottom, but in terms of greater than the sum of their parts it's high up the list. I put a lot of attention to detail into the little things.

[CWood21]

3 minutes ago, Bullet Club said:

Agreed on the first point, I say as much in my breakdown. Disagree on the latter though. In terms of pure talent, my team is probably near the bottom, but in terms of greater than the sum of their parts it's high up the list. I put a lot of attention to detail into the little things.

Let me explain myself.  I really like the SGA/Jokic pairing, but the pieces around them don't work for me.  Jokic is arguably the best (if not the best) passing big man in the NBA, and you pair him with a career 35% shooter (but ~31% the last two seasons).  I would have liked to see him paired someone who was a bit more consistent shooter.  I don't love the fit, but I probably would have paired him next to Jerami Grant.  I think you're giving up something in the rebound department, but I like the spacing more with Grant at the 4 then Jackson.  And I think it gets you a better fit at the 3.  Not sure it's on your roster though.  Wiggins has been a revelation this year, but I'm still skeptical that his success isn't a byproduct of playing in Kerr's system alongside Curry and Klay.  If I thought he was a reliable shooter, I'd probably be inclined to slide him to the 3 and then find another ball handler.    My biggest issue with this team is the lack of secondary ball handler.  Washington gambled that it was Dinwiddie, and they ended up flipping him halfway through the season for Kristaps Porzingis.  You're relying heavily on SGA to run the offense.

[Mox]

22 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

Let me explain myself.  I really like the SGA/Jokic pairing, but the pieces around them don't work for me.  Jokic is arguably the best (if not the best) passing big man in the NBA, and you pair him with a career 35% shooter (but ~31% the last two seasons).  I would have liked to see him paired someone who was a bit more consistent shooter.  I don't love the fit, but I probably would have paired him next to Jerami Grant.  I think you're giving up something in the rebound department, but I like the spacing more with Grant at the 4 then Jackson.  And I think it gets you a better fit at the 3.  Not sure it's on your roster though.  Wiggins has been a revelation this year, but I'm still skeptical that his success isn't a byproduct of playing in Kerr's system alongside Curry and Klay.  If I thought he was a reliable shooter, I'd probably be inclined to slide him to the 3 and then find another ball handler.    My biggest issue with this team is the lack of secondary ball handler.  Washington gambled that it was Dinwiddie, and they ended up flipping him halfway through the season for Kristaps Porzingis.  You're relying heavily on SGA to run the offense.

If you look at the rotations, JJJ is only paired with Jokic for 17 mpg in this matchup. 1) Because Batum is the KAT stopper, and 2) Because his spacing is more valuable than JJJ's size at the 4 against amac. It varies based on the opponent. Against Raider, I'd play them together more. In this case the rest of JJJ's minutes are at C w/o Jokic. 

Dinwiddie has been a revelation for Dallas as a 2nd/3rd ball-handler (identical role here isn't a coincidence), and Derrick Rose was the best player for the Knicks last postseason as their primary ballhandler and has thrived doing that off the bench. Dinwiddie said the reason why he flopped in Was vs. excelled in Dal is he didn't have a clearly defined role in Was. Here he does. Batum/Wiggins/Burks have all been asked to be primary/secondary ballhandlers in the past. While I wouldn't want any of them as my #1 now, it's good to have them as tertiary options behind SGA/Rose/Dinwiddie/Jokic.

Look, I'll be honest. If I get the opportunity to move on, things don't look great for me with a lot of the other teams expected to advance. I match up well with a few but not many. I 100% believe I would win this series though.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Bullet Club

[BakeSpeaks]

Gotta go BC here.

I personally think JJJ/Jokic could be a great pairing, both can play inside and out.

After that I feel confident that Wiggins could really make things challenging for Booker.

I also think the explanation of why he put his team together makes this an easier decision.