What's new
By:

All-Time NBA Draft FINALS: Spycam1 vs. Ellis269

Who would win in a 7 game series?

  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .
Elizah Huge

Elizah Huge

Respect All, Fear None
Contributor
2024 Award Winner
Team Spycam1:

PG - Chauncey Billups / Rajon Rondo
SG - Dwyane Wade / Dale Ellis / Andre Iguodala
SF - Larry Bird / Glen Rice
PF - Dennis Rodman / Blake Griffin
C - Hakeem Olajuwon / Mark Eaton / Joakim Noah

Team Ellis269:

PG - Gary Payton / Deron Williams
SG - Michael Jordan / Kyle Korver
SF - Scottie Pippen / Jimmy Butler
PF - Chris Webber / Chris Bosh / Larry Johnson
C - Patrick Ewing / Dwight Howard / Nate Thurmond



Spycam1's Case:

n/a

Ellis269's Case:

Essentially, It comes down to my top 5 against his top 5.

Payton vs. Billups
Jordan vs. Wade
Pippen vs. Bird
Webber vs. Rodman
Ewing vs. Olajuwon

Michael Jordan is the best player in the history of the game, and played his best basketball in playoff situations. He averaged 42 minutes per game and had one playoff run where he averaged 43 points per game!

[video=youtube_share;d9rkgTkBsRo]https://youtu.be/d9rkgTkBsRo

I'll admit that Spy's team has better spacing, but nobody is leaving MJ, Pippen and Payton unguarded at the 3 point line (especially since all of their shooting percentages improve in the playoffs.) Both teams have good defense, but my collective group has more 2 - way potential (which is key with the increased workload.) Billups and Rodman should both be backups in this thing (and considered drafting both of them), but Spy has to start them because he made the bold move (which I considered doing myself) to sacrifice the rest of the starting lineup to chase a 2nd star player.

I'll have to tag-team Ewing and Howard to slow down Olajuwon, and Rodman's lack of offense hurts his team as much as his defense helps it. Spy has an article that sings Rodman's praises (and I'm a huge fan of the Worm) but he was always 3rd fiddle in Chicago. Jordan could will his team to win - Rodman, not so much. Pippen was also one of the greatest and most versatile defenders in basketball history, while still being an all around offensive threat too.

Overall, I think that the best two teams made it to the finals, and either team is formidable to have to face.

While they won't exactly face each other directly, this matchup comes down to 2 positions Center and Alpha Scorer - Ewing/Howard vs. Olajuwon tips in favor of Spy (Olajuwon was a beast in the playoffs) and Jordan vs. Bird tips my way (Jordan's best playoff average ppg of 43.7 dwarfs Bird's best playoff ppg of 27.5 by 16.2 ppg).

The question then becomes who has the better supporting cast - Payton, Pippen and Webber or Billups, Wade and Rodman. I think that my team chemistry and defensive prowess tips the scale in my favor.

Don't have time to do more in depth stats, and I'll be out of action for today. Wish I could do more, but it's not possible for today. If anybody wants to add more on my behalf, I'll rep accordingly.
 
Some thoughts about this match-up..


- Payton in his prime would defend Billups very well and may even be too quick for him offensively. Advantage Payton.

- Jordan in his prime would probably score 30+ every game against Wade. Advantage Jordan.

- Pippen/Bird, this is a tough one to call, but in his prime I think Pippen could slow down Bird but not shut him down completely. Slight edge to Bird.

- Webber/Rodman, while Rodman could mute Webber's production somewhat, Rodman is giving his team nothing offensively. Dead Heat.

- Ewing/Olajuwon. Olajuwon definitely too crafty and too quick for Ewing. Advantage Olajuwon.

- Bench is pretty even. I don't think there is too much in it.


In summary I think this is the best team that has ever been put together around Jordan in these All Time Draft competition, which is really hard to do since Jordan always go #1... and 6 rings can't be wrong, he is just that good.


Jordan just has too much will power and killer mentality and in this case he'll likely come out on top again.
 
I voted spy. Hakeem is greater than Ewing. As good as Webber was in his peak, Rodman was so elite on defense he would give CWebb fits, therefore all but neutralizing him. My opinion on such changes at the 3. I recognize Pippen's greatness on defense but feel like Bird with his size and craftiness and all around great game, would find a way to outdo Scottie. Jordan is obviously better than Wade and Payton is recognized as a better point guard than Billups, but as spy and I in different words have said before, Chauncey is nearly flawless at the 1.

Perhaps the key is clutchness. Outside of Jordan, none of Ellis' other starters were known for hitting big shots. Spy on the other hand has three huge clutch players in Billups, Bird and Hakeem as well as a player in Wade who arguably had one of the greatest Finals performances ever.

Jordan, Pippen and Payton are all three of my favorite players ever. I mean that. But spy has an offense that would perform better when it mattered and a frontline defense that is better, and let's face it, defenses work inside out.
 
I think this team made by ellis might be the best team anyone has made yet in these tournaments.
Sorry spy
 
Ellis' team looks really good because he drafted the legendary Bulls roster! But it's not as gapped as one would think. I still give this one to him. But only 4-3. Not that big of a margin there. I have never seen such close teams in a finals series.
 
Spycam has the clear edge on the 3,4,5, and that's not even subbing Griffin into the starting lineup like he should. Or Noah-Dream high low killing it.

Let Payton shut down Billups. Bird will be the one facilitating anyway. Oop, there's three of your guys on me in the paint and Hakeem standing right under the basket? I used to make these passes to guys of questionable size and hands.


I'm not voting this one because it's too close, but that's the case I'd make. No way Pippen stops Bird from scoring, rebounding, or assisting. That coming from a guy who thinks Bird's game is overshadowed way too much by his legacy.
 
addictionary said:
Ellis' team looks really good because he drafted the legendary Bulls roster! But it's not as gapped as one would think. I still give this one to him. But only 4-3. Not that big of a margin there. I have never seen such close teams in a finals series.
Click to expand...

Last year was closer, I lost in the Final by 1 vote.
 
This series would go 7 games, but in the end I think Spy wins (kind of a moot point, Ellis is up 10-2).

Billups < Payton
Wade < Jordan
Bird > Pippen
Rodman > Webber
Olajuwon > Ewing

Plus Spy's bench has two deadly three point shooters to come in and space the floor w/ a rim protector off the bench as well.

Ellis's team has bad spacing, I would make them shoot threes to beat me. In the end these were the two best teams in the is tournament.

Well deserved to both teams for putting together two great teams, it's been fun.
 
Regarding each guy's starters...

NBA Finals MVP's: Ellis has just Jordan. Spy has Billups, Wade, Bird and Olajuwon. That's four guys who have come up HUGE when it matters most. Edge Spy.

NBA Championship rings: Ellis 12 (Jordan 6, Pippen 6)
Spy 14 (Rodman 5, Bird 3, Wade 3, Olajuwon 2, Billups 1)
Again, the edge to spy.

All-NBA 1st Team: Ellis 17 (Jordan 10, Pippen 3, Payton 2, Webber 1, Ewing 1)
Spy 17 (Bird 9, Wade 2, Olajuwon 6)
TIE

Best rebounding rates all-time: Ellis--Ewing 59th, Webber 119th...
Spy--Rodman 1st, Hakeem 36th, Bird 124th...
No one else in the top 250.
Spy kills Ellis on the glass.

Best TS% all-time: Ellis--Jordan 78th, Ewing 160th,...no one else in the top 250
Spy--Billups 59th, Wade 93th, Bird 97th, Olajuwon 157th, Rodman 206th

So let's think about this. Spy's team stretches the floor much better and is much, much more efficient offensively. Then, even when they or Ellis' team does miss shots, Spy is pulling down far more rebounds and therefore getting many more opportunities.

Spy's team is better offensively by a mile and better up front defensively by a mile. And again, I think we all know defense works inside out.
 
White Chocolate said:
Billups < Payton
Wade < Jordan
Bird > Pippen
Rodman > Webber
Olajuwon > Ewing
Click to expand...

For me it goes
Payton >> billups
Jordan >> wade
Pippen < bird
Webber = rodman
Ewing << hakeem
 
Last edited:
Cunning Linguist said:
Regarding each guy's starters...

NBA Finals MVP's: Ellis has just Jordan. Spy has Billups, Wade, Bird and Olajuwon. That's four guys who have come up HUGE when it matters most. Edge Spy.

NBA Championship rings: Ellis 12 (Jordan 6, Pippen 6)
Spy 14 (Rodman 5, Bird 3, Wade 3, Olajuwon 2, Billups 1)
Again, the edge to spy.

All-NBA 1st Team: Ellis 17 (Jordan 10, Pippen 3, Payton 2, Webber 1, Ewing 1)
Spy 17 (Bird 9, Wade 2, Olajuwon 6)
TIE

Best rebounding rates all-time: Ellis--Ewing 59th, Webber 119th...
Spy--Rodman 1st, Hakeem 36th, Bird 124th...
No one else in the top 250.
Spy kills Ellis on the glass.

Best TS% all-time: Ellis--Jordan 78th, Ewing 160th,...no one else in the top 250
Spy--Billups 59th, Wade 93th, Bird 97th, Olajuwon 157th, Rodman 206th

So let's think about this. Spy's team stretches the floor much better and is much, much more efficient offensively. Then, even when they or Ellis' team does miss shots, Spy is pulling down far more rebounds and therefore getting many more opportunities.

Spy's team is better offensively by a mile and better up front defensively by a mile. And again, I think we all know defense works inside out.
Click to expand...

you're ignoring the benches. (Since this is an all-time/peak-of-career thing) Ellis is stretchy 1 - 4.

Also, Pippen wasn't insignificant on the glass.

Ellis has incredible perimeter defense.

It was a close call for me.
 
Mostly I am voting for Ellis for the reasons I said after the first round. Jordan >>>> than everyone else. Put a team of all-stars around him and he will win unless the other team has waaaayyyyy better players at the other positions.
 
zbone said:
What I don't understand is how in the world spycam's team made it to the finals. Ellis wins clearly.
Click to expand...

Totally agree.. My team should have made it. Lol, I would be down 13-1 (with the one vote being mine).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page
Back
Top