Team silesian:
PG - Oscar Robertson / Mo Cheeks
SG - Julius Erving / John Havlicek
SF - Kawhi Leonard / Bobby Jones
PF - Anthony Davis / Karl-Anthony Towns
C - Moses Malone / Bill Walton
Team Siro:
PG - Steph Curry / Russell Westbrook
SG - Jerry West / Joe Dumars
SF - Grant Hill / Carmelo Anthony
PF - Charles Barkley / Shawn Kemp
C - Pau Gasol / Robert Parrish
silesian's Case:
The Team Silesian concept is to create a unique combination of players who are elite defenders, each a 2-way player, including excellent scorers and proven championship winners. I have avoided elite scores who are defensive liabilities, especially important a competition where every team is stocked with talent to exploit defensive holes. Similarly, I have no one-dimensional defenders with few offensive skills. On offense we have scorers and shooters, and the strategy will be driven by ball movement and high assist rates. We also have go-to scorers if we need late game iso (Dr J, Oscar, the Brow). The team is filled with selfless team players and winners.
Moses Malone/ Bill Walton: No need to say much about my 2 MVP centers who are prepared to dominate : defensively powerful Moses (3 MVPs) and rim-protecting Walton (3.6 BPG in MVP & championship year).
Anthony Davis/ Karl-Anthony Towns: At the four, I going to rely heavily on 2014 Anthony Davis, an elite player in 2014 season, fourth in scoring, first in blocks and eight in rebounding, his 30.8 PER is the fourth highest season of all time (higher than the best from Shaq, Kareem, Barkley, Karl Malone, etc.). He is backed up by uber-talented KAT in a limited role.
Kawhi Leonard/ Bobby Jones: At the SF are 2 freak athletes and elite defenders. Everyone knows about Kawhi (including his 44% 3-point shooting), but Bobby is fast, quick, explosive and tenacious. Remembered for extraordinary defense (10X first team defense), he was automatic from 15-18 feet. With elite versatility, Kawhi and Bobby will take on top defensive assignments in 1-4.
Julius Erving/ John Havlicek Dr J is consensus top 20 and Hondo top 30 of all-time. I won’t waste time on legendary Dr J, sixth all-time leading scorer and all-around great. Havlicek is less well known to the younger crowd and worth noting that he was a linchpin of the Celtics 1960s-70s dynasty. A 6-5 athletic guard with amazing skill and length, he was 8X all defense team. Hall of fame NBA writer ranked him 22nd, one spot ahead of Pippen and wrote: “Think of a slightly shorter version of Pippen, just as versatile, just as indefatigable and a better scorer. Oh yeah, he has eight rings”
Oscar Robertson/ Mo Cheeks: At his peak, Big O was a force of nature: In 1961-2: #1 APG, #3 PPG, #8 RPG (reference: 2016 LeBron is ranked 8/5/37). You can find him on any credible top 10 NBA all-time player list. Mo Cheeks is an elite all-time perimeter defender, all-defense for 5 consecutive years, fifth all-time in steals, 12th all-time assists.
Close your eyes and imagine trying to score on this team. Beat your man (um, good luck with that), penetrate through a maze of long, athletic wings (no problem, they’ll let you pass), then shoot over all-defense rim protectors. And with the middle and deep lane permanently clogged, this allows hyper-aggressive perimeter play, shutting down the long ball. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
I’ll give you more on offensive system and philosophy during a later round. With the 6th, 7th 12th and 15th all-time leading scorers (Julius, Moses, Oscar, Hondo) combined with today’s elite of Kawhi and the Brow, it should be pretty clear Team Silesian has both shooters and scorers who can compete and beat the field.
The match-up with Siro is pretty clear and Team Silesian has superior defense, more elite 2-way players and championship success. Silesian has 5 MVPs, 8 Champions (C) and 8 All-league defenders (D)
Siro has 2 MVPs, 6 Champions (C) and 2 All-league defenders (D)
Silesian
Moses Malone ...MVP (3)...C... D
Julius Erving ...MVP...C...D
John Havlicek ...MVP...C...D
Bill Walton ...MVP...C...D
Oscar Robertson MVP...C
Kawhi Leonard ...C...D
Mo Cheeks ...C...D
Bobby Jones ...C...D
Anthony Davis ...D
KAT
Siro
Stephen Curry ...MVP...C
Russell Westbrook
Jerry West ...C...D
Joe Dumars ...C...D
Grant Hill
Carmelo Anthony
Shawn Kemp
Charles Barkley ...MVP
Pau Gasol ...C
Robert Parish ...C
Siro’s has offensive talent concentrated at the 1 & 4. My strategy is to hawk Curry/ Westbrook with a combination of Kawhi, Cheeks, & Jones. Complemented by elite defense at the wing and elite rim protectors, we will effectively counter these prolific scorers. And expect the Brow’s length and athleticism to make Sir Charles work hard for points with diminished efficiency. He will have few offensive boards available given Team Silesian’s significant length advantage, including rebounding bigs/ wings/guards. Siro has only two all-defense players, both SGs (West & Dumars), so D at Siro’s 1/3/4/5 are in the average to very-good range with exploitable weaknesses.
Siro's Case:
n/a
PG - Oscar Robertson / Mo Cheeks
SG - Julius Erving / John Havlicek
SF - Kawhi Leonard / Bobby Jones
PF - Anthony Davis / Karl-Anthony Towns
C - Moses Malone / Bill Walton
Team Siro:
PG - Steph Curry / Russell Westbrook
SG - Jerry West / Joe Dumars
SF - Grant Hill / Carmelo Anthony
PF - Charles Barkley / Shawn Kemp
C - Pau Gasol / Robert Parrish
silesian's Case:
The Team Silesian concept is to create a unique combination of players who are elite defenders, each a 2-way player, including excellent scorers and proven championship winners. I have avoided elite scores who are defensive liabilities, especially important a competition where every team is stocked with talent to exploit defensive holes. Similarly, I have no one-dimensional defenders with few offensive skills. On offense we have scorers and shooters, and the strategy will be driven by ball movement and high assist rates. We also have go-to scorers if we need late game iso (Dr J, Oscar, the Brow). The team is filled with selfless team players and winners.
Moses Malone/ Bill Walton: No need to say much about my 2 MVP centers who are prepared to dominate : defensively powerful Moses (3 MVPs) and rim-protecting Walton (3.6 BPG in MVP & championship year).
Anthony Davis/ Karl-Anthony Towns: At the four, I going to rely heavily on 2014 Anthony Davis, an elite player in 2014 season, fourth in scoring, first in blocks and eight in rebounding, his 30.8 PER is the fourth highest season of all time (higher than the best from Shaq, Kareem, Barkley, Karl Malone, etc.). He is backed up by uber-talented KAT in a limited role.
Kawhi Leonard/ Bobby Jones: At the SF are 2 freak athletes and elite defenders. Everyone knows about Kawhi (including his 44% 3-point shooting), but Bobby is fast, quick, explosive and tenacious. Remembered for extraordinary defense (10X first team defense), he was automatic from 15-18 feet. With elite versatility, Kawhi and Bobby will take on top defensive assignments in 1-4.
Julius Erving/ John Havlicek Dr J is consensus top 20 and Hondo top 30 of all-time. I won’t waste time on legendary Dr J, sixth all-time leading scorer and all-around great. Havlicek is less well known to the younger crowd and worth noting that he was a linchpin of the Celtics 1960s-70s dynasty. A 6-5 athletic guard with amazing skill and length, he was 8X all defense team. Hall of fame NBA writer ranked him 22nd, one spot ahead of Pippen and wrote: “Think of a slightly shorter version of Pippen, just as versatile, just as indefatigable and a better scorer. Oh yeah, he has eight rings”
Oscar Robertson/ Mo Cheeks: At his peak, Big O was a force of nature: In 1961-2: #1 APG, #3 PPG, #8 RPG (reference: 2016 LeBron is ranked 8/5/37). You can find him on any credible top 10 NBA all-time player list. Mo Cheeks is an elite all-time perimeter defender, all-defense for 5 consecutive years, fifth all-time in steals, 12th all-time assists.
Close your eyes and imagine trying to score on this team. Beat your man (um, good luck with that), penetrate through a maze of long, athletic wings (no problem, they’ll let you pass), then shoot over all-defense rim protectors. And with the middle and deep lane permanently clogged, this allows hyper-aggressive perimeter play, shutting down the long ball. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
I’ll give you more on offensive system and philosophy during a later round. With the 6th, 7th 12th and 15th all-time leading scorers (Julius, Moses, Oscar, Hondo) combined with today’s elite of Kawhi and the Brow, it should be pretty clear Team Silesian has both shooters and scorers who can compete and beat the field.
The match-up with Siro is pretty clear and Team Silesian has superior defense, more elite 2-way players and championship success. Silesian has 5 MVPs, 8 Champions (C) and 8 All-league defenders (D)
Siro has 2 MVPs, 6 Champions (C) and 2 All-league defenders (D)
Silesian
Moses Malone ...MVP (3)...C... D
Julius Erving ...MVP...C...D
John Havlicek ...MVP...C...D
Bill Walton ...MVP...C...D
Oscar Robertson MVP...C
Kawhi Leonard ...C...D
Mo Cheeks ...C...D
Bobby Jones ...C...D
Anthony Davis ...D
KAT
Siro
Stephen Curry ...MVP...C
Russell Westbrook
Jerry West ...C...D
Joe Dumars ...C...D
Grant Hill
Carmelo Anthony
Shawn Kemp
Charles Barkley ...MVP
Pau Gasol ...C
Robert Parish ...C
Siro’s has offensive talent concentrated at the 1 & 4. My strategy is to hawk Curry/ Westbrook with a combination of Kawhi, Cheeks, & Jones. Complemented by elite defense at the wing and elite rim protectors, we will effectively counter these prolific scorers. And expect the Brow’s length and athleticism to make Sir Charles work hard for points with diminished efficiency. He will have few offensive boards available given Team Silesian’s significant length advantage, including rebounding bigs/ wings/guards. Siro has only two all-defense players, both SGs (West & Dumars), so D at Siro’s 1/3/4/5 are in the average to very-good range with exploitable weaknesses.
Siro's Case:
n/a