Team Cunning Linguist:
PG - George Hill / Deron Williams
SG - Klay Thompson / Kent Bazemore
SF - Nicolas Batum / Luol Deng
PF - Blake Griffin / Chris Bosh
C - Dwight Howard / Bismack Biyombo
Team silesian:
PG - Chris Paul
SG - Avery Bradley / Danny Green / Manu Ginobli
SF - Andre Iguodala / Trevor Ariza
PF - Paul Millsap / Amir Johnson
C - Serge Ibaka / Zaza Pachulia
Cunning Linguist's Case:
n/a
silesian's Case:
First, summing up:
CP3 is best player on the court
Silesian has best defense in the tournament, 5 starters are all-league (clearly superior to CL at PG/SG/SF/PF)
CL has high weak bench vulnerability, with both age & health concerns. Silesian’s bench is solid at all positions.
Offensively, Silesian wins the battle at 1/4/5, CL wins at the 2 (push at the 3)
Read on…..
The key to Team Silesian’s win will be legendary playmaker, team leader, uber-tough Chris Paul (whose RPM edged out Steph) and who boasts career averages ~10 apg and ~20 ppg, he can score when needed but prefers facilitating, making his teammates better and more engaged.
Obviously Team Silesian has a huge advantage at the 1, with CL having a very nice top 15ish PG being provided little support by washed-up Deron Williams. Deron’s RPM is 0.29 (Ronnie Price zone), compared to my grizzled vet of Manu who is 3rd among SGs at who still brings game on both O and D. Silesian’s PG backups are Bradley/ Ginobli.
Team Silesian has the advantage at PF with athletic all-Star Millsap as a multifaceted player, inside/outside scorer, rebounder, defender (3rd in RPM, 7th ORPM and, 3rd in DRPM, all NBA defense). And he is backed up with hugely underrated Amir Johnson, who is 5th in RPM. Blake has star power, extreme athleticism and highlight reel dunks, but do they translate to wins? Moreover, is he a winner? A very explosive inside scorer without range, he is 14th in RPM, 13th in ORPM and 27th in DRPM. With the game on the line would you rather have CP3 or Blake with the ball? Who is the better teammate, Amir Johnson voted “teammate of the year” or Blake “punched out the trainer” Griffin? To reiterate Milsap> Griffin. I feel badly for Chris Bosh and his blood clot situation, many are unsure if he will be cleared to play in 2016, leaving CL with a huge risk at the 4 with potentially no one to spell Griffin.
Team Silesian’s defense is designed to smother Klay Thompson with the best perimeter defenders in the game. Avery Bradley is all-NBA defense and Danny Green may be better. Green would be a great backup just based on elite defense, but he also has a career 3PFG% of >40%, along with Bradley’s 36%. So at the 2, offense goes to CL, defense goes to Silesian.
With athletic rim protector and 3-point threat Ibaka at the 5, Dwight will be pulled outside, leaving the inside to be defended by matador Blake, so that CP3 will penetrate at will and drive/kick to 3P shooters. Perennial malcontent Dwight Howard could not co-exist well with Harden, Kobe and others. You might expect a similar situation with Blake and Klay. While CL may want Dwight primarily for his D, Dwight whines when the game is not post-centered. Biyombo is a defensive-only, contract-year flash-in-the-pan, while ZaZa provides a balanced game and savvy veteran skill and size at the 5.
CL has no shooting at the 4 or 5, whereas Team Silesian (with Millsap/Ibaka) can spread the floor from all 5 positions.
At the 3, Iguodala/Ariza versus Batum/Deng wash offensively, but Iggy is all-NBA defense and Ariza is also elite defensively, able to guard 1-4. That plus Iggy’s playoff experience, so clear overall advantage to Team Silesian at the 3.
PG - George Hill / Deron Williams
SG - Klay Thompson / Kent Bazemore
SF - Nicolas Batum / Luol Deng
PF - Blake Griffin / Chris Bosh
C - Dwight Howard / Bismack Biyombo
Team silesian:
PG - Chris Paul
SG - Avery Bradley / Danny Green / Manu Ginobli
SF - Andre Iguodala / Trevor Ariza
PF - Paul Millsap / Amir Johnson
C - Serge Ibaka / Zaza Pachulia
Cunning Linguist's Case:
n/a
silesian's Case:
First, summing up:
CP3 is best player on the court
Silesian has best defense in the tournament, 5 starters are all-league (clearly superior to CL at PG/SG/SF/PF)
CL has high weak bench vulnerability, with both age & health concerns. Silesian’s bench is solid at all positions.
Offensively, Silesian wins the battle at 1/4/5, CL wins at the 2 (push at the 3)
Read on…..
The key to Team Silesian’s win will be legendary playmaker, team leader, uber-tough Chris Paul (whose RPM edged out Steph) and who boasts career averages ~10 apg and ~20 ppg, he can score when needed but prefers facilitating, making his teammates better and more engaged.
Obviously Team Silesian has a huge advantage at the 1, with CL having a very nice top 15ish PG being provided little support by washed-up Deron Williams. Deron’s RPM is 0.29 (Ronnie Price zone), compared to my grizzled vet of Manu who is 3rd among SGs at who still brings game on both O and D. Silesian’s PG backups are Bradley/ Ginobli.
Team Silesian has the advantage at PF with athletic all-Star Millsap as a multifaceted player, inside/outside scorer, rebounder, defender (3rd in RPM, 7th ORPM and, 3rd in DRPM, all NBA defense). And he is backed up with hugely underrated Amir Johnson, who is 5th in RPM. Blake has star power, extreme athleticism and highlight reel dunks, but do they translate to wins? Moreover, is he a winner? A very explosive inside scorer without range, he is 14th in RPM, 13th in ORPM and 27th in DRPM. With the game on the line would you rather have CP3 or Blake with the ball? Who is the better teammate, Amir Johnson voted “teammate of the year” or Blake “punched out the trainer” Griffin? To reiterate Milsap> Griffin. I feel badly for Chris Bosh and his blood clot situation, many are unsure if he will be cleared to play in 2016, leaving CL with a huge risk at the 4 with potentially no one to spell Griffin.
Team Silesian’s defense is designed to smother Klay Thompson with the best perimeter defenders in the game. Avery Bradley is all-NBA defense and Danny Green may be better. Green would be a great backup just based on elite defense, but he also has a career 3PFG% of >40%, along with Bradley’s 36%. So at the 2, offense goes to CL, defense goes to Silesian.
With athletic rim protector and 3-point threat Ibaka at the 5, Dwight will be pulled outside, leaving the inside to be defended by matador Blake, so that CP3 will penetrate at will and drive/kick to 3P shooters. Perennial malcontent Dwight Howard could not co-exist well with Harden, Kobe and others. You might expect a similar situation with Blake and Klay. While CL may want Dwight primarily for his D, Dwight whines when the game is not post-centered. Biyombo is a defensive-only, contract-year flash-in-the-pan, while ZaZa provides a balanced game and savvy veteran skill and size at the 5.
CL has no shooting at the 4 or 5, whereas Team Silesian (with Millsap/Ibaka) can spread the floor from all 5 positions.
At the 3, Iguodala/Ariza versus Batum/Deng wash offensively, but Iggy is all-NBA defense and Ariza is also elite defensively, able to guard 1-4. That plus Iggy’s playoff experience, so clear overall advantage to Team Silesian at the 3.
