The legacy league was created to pit teams drafted by fellow RR members against each other and allow the general RR populous to vote on who would win this winner take all, single elimination game if all players were at their peak performance.
Each team drafted an 8 man roster. Each team provided a gameplan justification as to why they believe they should get your vote. Each team is allowed 1 post for "in game adjustments." The role of RR community is simple, vote for who you believe should win. Post justification if you want (encouraged) and weigh the pros and cons for all to see, but ultimately, your vote decides who will win this tournament of legends.
Axel's Lineup
PG - Oscar Robertson - 9x All-NBA 1st team, only player to avg a triple double in a season in history
SG - Glen Rice - 3x All-Star, career 40% from 3 with career high of 47% (5th highest in history, min 300 3PA)
SF - Peja Stojakovic - 3x All-Star, career 40% from 3 with career high of 44%
PF - Kevin McHale - 3x All-Defensive 1st team, career 17.9 PPG 7.3 RPG avgs
C - Arvydas Sabonis - Multiple Euro MVPs, NBA All-Rookie, 37.5% from 3 as rookie
Bench
G/F George 'Ice Man' Gervin - 4x scoring champ, 5x All-NBA first team
G/F Manu Ginobili - 2005 playoff stat avgs of 20.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.2 SPG 50.7% FG%, 43.8% 3P%
F/C Amar'e Stoudemire - All-NBA 1st team avg 25 PPG, 9.1 RPG on 59% FG%
JimiCliff's Lineup
PG: Dennis Johnson...1978-79 Playoffs: 20.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg., 4.1 apg., 1.6 spg., 1.5 bpg. 6 x 1st Team All-Defence, 3 x 2nd Team All`-Defence, 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 1 x 2nd Team All-NBA, 3 x NBA Champion, 1978-79 NBA Final MVP
SG: Latrell Sprewell...1996-97: 24.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 6.3 apg., 1.7 spg., .354 3pt%, 4 x All-Star, 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 1 x 2nd Team All-Defence
SF: Larry Bird...1984-85: 28.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg., 6.6 apg., 1.6 spg., 1.2 bpg., .427 3pt%, .522 fg%. .882 ft%, 9 x 1st Team All-NBA, 3 x 2nd Team All-Defence, 3 x NBA Champion, 3 x NBA MVP, 2 x NBA Finals MVP
PF: Rasheed Wallace...2001-02 19.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg., 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg, .360 3pt% 4 x All-Star, 2 x NBA Champion.
C: Vlade Divac...1994-95 16.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg., 4.1 apg, 1.4 spg., 2.2 bpg, 41st all-time Defensive Win Shares.
BN: Grant Hill...1999-00 25.8 ppg., 6.6 rpg., 5.2 apg., 1.4 spg., 8.2 fta., 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 4 x 2nd Team All-NBA, 2 x NCAA Champion
BN: Anthony Davis...2014-15: 24.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg., 2.9 bpg., 1.5 spg., 30.8 PER., 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 1 x 2nd Team All-Defence, 1 x NCAA Champion
BN: Robert Horry...53rd all-time NBA D-Rating., .341 career 3pt%., ∞ clutch plays, 7 x NBA Champion
Axel's Gameplan
With Glen Rice (47% 3P) and Peja Stojakovic (43% 3P) on the wings, a simple high-low offence should stretch the defence. With Arvydas Sabonis's size, athleticism and shooting touch operating in the high post/screen game, Kevin McHale should have plenty of room to operate his post game (26PPG on 60.4% FG%) on the low block. Off ball movement from Rice and Peja will trap any defender trying to help on the ball, especially with staggered back screens, with open threes. Defending the ball in the hands of Oscar Robertson is impossible for any single defender, so help will have to come. The Big O, the only player to ever average a triple double for a full season, will pressure the defence with his elite scoring and passing.
Against a front court that lacks muscle, the 7'3" 292lbs Sabonis, will power his way to rebounds and deep post positioning. A great passer with perimeter range, Sabonis offers pick and pop, low post or high post options to initiate the offence against the smaller JimiCliff bigs. Manu, Gervin, and Amar'e all offer high octane offence off the bench, along with athleticism, intelligence, and ball movement.
Defensively, the length/size of my team will contest shots and with elite rebounders cleaning the glass, each trip should be one and one. By controlling the glass, we will be able to control the tempo and use our size and skill to defeat team JimiCliff.
JimiCliff's Gameplan
This series is going to come down to defence.
Up and down, my squad is strong defensively, with multiple All-NBA defenders (DJ, Bird, Brow and Spree), elite rim protection (Brow), excellent one-on-one post defenders (Vlade and Sheed), and solid positional players (Hill and Horry).
The starting lineup will be set to maximize the D: all-time great defender Dennis Johnson slowing down the big O; Spree, with the quickness, strength and tenacity to make life tough for Gervin; Rasheed, who, with his combo of size, b-ball IQ and athleticism, is the perfect post defender to match up with McHale; and Vlade, who's big enough to handle Sabonis, but more importantly has the European training that will allow him to be comfortable and effective checking Arvydas at the 3pt line.
Defence, though, is Axel's team's glaring weakness. Most critically: there isn't a wing on the roster that has a hope of guarding Larry Bird. Peja and Rice were average defenders at best. Neither Gervin (6'7'', 180 lbs.) nor Manu (6'6'', 210 lbs.) were any kind of defensive force, and both would be undersized against Bird (6'9'', 220 lbs.), an all-time great scorer who'd be able to punish them outside and inside.
Guarding Bird is an issue Axel's team can't possibly solve. It's the only significant mismatch you can find amongst the two teams, and it's more than enough to swing this matchup my way.
In Game Adjustments -
JimiCliff's in game adjustments
Grant Hill, Spree, Bird and Horry all have the quickness and intelligence to maneuver around and through those screens, and would be able to stick with the relatively slow-footed Rice and Peja.
I really doubt Sabonis was 292 in his pre-NBA days - 292 seems right for the, uh, 'un-athletic' version the NBA saw, but not the supposedly nimble European version.
Maybe impossible for an average, or even above-average defender, but not an all-time great like DJ. This is how he did covering Magic (an even tougher cover than the Big O) in the 1984 Finals: 'DJ took credit for playing smothering defense on Hall of Fame Lakers playmaker Magic Johnson, limiting him to a sub-average 17 points in the last four games, and being at least partly responsible for several of the Laker point guard's game-deciding errors in Games 2, 4 and 7.' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis...te-magicbio-17
It just isn't true - there simply isn't any length to contest Bird's shots. Axel's wings max out at 6'7'', and Bird was 6'9''. Once again: the Bird mismatch is the difference maker here.
Axel's In Game Adjustments
"Vlade, who's big enough to handle Sabonis, but more importantly has the European training that will allow him to be comfortable and effective checking Arvydas at the 3pt line" - when they faced off as starters in the 1988 Olympics gold medal game, Vlade put up 11 points, 7 rebounds, while Sabonis put up 20 points, 15 rebounds in a 76-63 win for Sabonis.
Sabonis, at 7'3, 292 lbs (as referenced on NBA.com for his Hall of Fame induction), is simply too large for the smaller Divac to match physically, let alone handle the skills that have been called (quote from a Grantland article) "He had the skills of Larry Bird and Pete Maravich, the athleticism of Kareem, and he could shoot the 3-point shot; He could pass and run the floor, dribble." - http://grantland.com/features/arvyda...-strange-trip/
"there simply isn't any length to contest Bird's shots. Axel's wings max out at 6'7'', and Bird was 6'9''. Once again: the Bird mismatch is the difference maker here." - The 6'9" Peja is obviously taller than 6'7", but with size advantages at starting PG, SG, and C all contributing to the overall length, Dennis Johnson's inept 3 point shooting (career 17.2%) and passing (2.8 APG) allows the 6'5, 205 lbs Oscar Robertson to sag off completely to pressure Bird as a secondary defender.
Oscar Robertson, clearly a tougher match-up than Magic due to his 1961-1962 averages 30.8 PPG (higher than any season by Bird and not even Oscar's best scoring year), 11.4 APG (when assists were harder to score), and 12.5 RPG (higher than anyone on JimiCliff's roster), is the most dynamic player on the court and has a 20 lbs (listed weight) and 1 inch height advantage over DJ. JimiCliff cannot defend the Big O with single coverage, leaving opportunities for Oscar to score, hit open 3PA with Rice/Peja/Manu, find inside looks for McHale/Sabonis/Stoudemire or find 4x NBA scoring Champ Gervin anywhere in between.
So RR faithful, who wins this game?
Each team drafted an 8 man roster. Each team provided a gameplan justification as to why they believe they should get your vote. Each team is allowed 1 post for "in game adjustments." The role of RR community is simple, vote for who you believe should win. Post justification if you want (encouraged) and weigh the pros and cons for all to see, but ultimately, your vote decides who will win this tournament of legends.
Axel's Lineup
PG - Oscar Robertson - 9x All-NBA 1st team, only player to avg a triple double in a season in history
SG - Glen Rice - 3x All-Star, career 40% from 3 with career high of 47% (5th highest in history, min 300 3PA)
SF - Peja Stojakovic - 3x All-Star, career 40% from 3 with career high of 44%
PF - Kevin McHale - 3x All-Defensive 1st team, career 17.9 PPG 7.3 RPG avgs
C - Arvydas Sabonis - Multiple Euro MVPs, NBA All-Rookie, 37.5% from 3 as rookie
Bench
G/F George 'Ice Man' Gervin - 4x scoring champ, 5x All-NBA first team
G/F Manu Ginobili - 2005 playoff stat avgs of 20.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.2 SPG 50.7% FG%, 43.8% 3P%
F/C Amar'e Stoudemire - All-NBA 1st team avg 25 PPG, 9.1 RPG on 59% FG%
JimiCliff's Lineup
PG: Dennis Johnson...1978-79 Playoffs: 20.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg., 4.1 apg., 1.6 spg., 1.5 bpg. 6 x 1st Team All-Defence, 3 x 2nd Team All`-Defence, 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 1 x 2nd Team All-NBA, 3 x NBA Champion, 1978-79 NBA Final MVP
SG: Latrell Sprewell...1996-97: 24.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 6.3 apg., 1.7 spg., .354 3pt%, 4 x All-Star, 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 1 x 2nd Team All-Defence
SF: Larry Bird...1984-85: 28.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg., 6.6 apg., 1.6 spg., 1.2 bpg., .427 3pt%, .522 fg%. .882 ft%, 9 x 1st Team All-NBA, 3 x 2nd Team All-Defence, 3 x NBA Champion, 3 x NBA MVP, 2 x NBA Finals MVP
PF: Rasheed Wallace...2001-02 19.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg., 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg, .360 3pt% 4 x All-Star, 2 x NBA Champion.
C: Vlade Divac...1994-95 16.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg., 4.1 apg, 1.4 spg., 2.2 bpg, 41st all-time Defensive Win Shares.
BN: Grant Hill...1999-00 25.8 ppg., 6.6 rpg., 5.2 apg., 1.4 spg., 8.2 fta., 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 4 x 2nd Team All-NBA, 2 x NCAA Champion
BN: Anthony Davis...2014-15: 24.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg., 2.9 bpg., 1.5 spg., 30.8 PER., 1 x 1st Team All-NBA, 1 x 2nd Team All-Defence, 1 x NCAA Champion
BN: Robert Horry...53rd all-time NBA D-Rating., .341 career 3pt%., ∞ clutch plays, 7 x NBA Champion
Axel's Gameplan
With Glen Rice (47% 3P) and Peja Stojakovic (43% 3P) on the wings, a simple high-low offence should stretch the defence. With Arvydas Sabonis's size, athleticism and shooting touch operating in the high post/screen game, Kevin McHale should have plenty of room to operate his post game (26PPG on 60.4% FG%) on the low block. Off ball movement from Rice and Peja will trap any defender trying to help on the ball, especially with staggered back screens, with open threes. Defending the ball in the hands of Oscar Robertson is impossible for any single defender, so help will have to come. The Big O, the only player to ever average a triple double for a full season, will pressure the defence with his elite scoring and passing.
Against a front court that lacks muscle, the 7'3" 292lbs Sabonis, will power his way to rebounds and deep post positioning. A great passer with perimeter range, Sabonis offers pick and pop, low post or high post options to initiate the offence against the smaller JimiCliff bigs. Manu, Gervin, and Amar'e all offer high octane offence off the bench, along with athleticism, intelligence, and ball movement.
Defensively, the length/size of my team will contest shots and with elite rebounders cleaning the glass, each trip should be one and one. By controlling the glass, we will be able to control the tempo and use our size and skill to defeat team JimiCliff.
JimiCliff's Gameplan
This series is going to come down to defence.
Up and down, my squad is strong defensively, with multiple All-NBA defenders (DJ, Bird, Brow and Spree), elite rim protection (Brow), excellent one-on-one post defenders (Vlade and Sheed), and solid positional players (Hill and Horry).
The starting lineup will be set to maximize the D: all-time great defender Dennis Johnson slowing down the big O; Spree, with the quickness, strength and tenacity to make life tough for Gervin; Rasheed, who, with his combo of size, b-ball IQ and athleticism, is the perfect post defender to match up with McHale; and Vlade, who's big enough to handle Sabonis, but more importantly has the European training that will allow him to be comfortable and effective checking Arvydas at the 3pt line.
Defence, though, is Axel's team's glaring weakness. Most critically: there isn't a wing on the roster that has a hope of guarding Larry Bird. Peja and Rice were average defenders at best. Neither Gervin (6'7'', 180 lbs.) nor Manu (6'6'', 210 lbs.) were any kind of defensive force, and both would be undersized against Bird (6'9'', 220 lbs.), an all-time great scorer who'd be able to punish them outside and inside.
Guarding Bird is an issue Axel's team can't possibly solve. It's the only significant mismatch you can find amongst the two teams, and it's more than enough to swing this matchup my way.
In Game Adjustments -
JimiCliff's in game adjustments
Axel wrote:
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Axel wrote:
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Axel wrote:
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Axel wrote:
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Axel's In Game Adjustments
"Vlade, who's big enough to handle Sabonis, but more importantly has the European training that will allow him to be comfortable and effective checking Arvydas at the 3pt line" - when they faced off as starters in the 1988 Olympics gold medal game, Vlade put up 11 points, 7 rebounds, while Sabonis put up 20 points, 15 rebounds in a 76-63 win for Sabonis.
Sabonis, at 7'3, 292 lbs (as referenced on NBA.com for his Hall of Fame induction), is simply too large for the smaller Divac to match physically, let alone handle the skills that have been called (quote from a Grantland article) "He had the skills of Larry Bird and Pete Maravich, the athleticism of Kareem, and he could shoot the 3-point shot; He could pass and run the floor, dribble." - http://grantland.com/features/arvyda...-strange-trip/
"there simply isn't any length to contest Bird's shots. Axel's wings max out at 6'7'', and Bird was 6'9''. Once again: the Bird mismatch is the difference maker here." - The 6'9" Peja is obviously taller than 6'7", but with size advantages at starting PG, SG, and C all contributing to the overall length, Dennis Johnson's inept 3 point shooting (career 17.2%) and passing (2.8 APG) allows the 6'5, 205 lbs Oscar Robertson to sag off completely to pressure Bird as a secondary defender.
Oscar Robertson, clearly a tougher match-up than Magic due to his 1961-1962 averages 30.8 PPG (higher than any season by Bird and not even Oscar's best scoring year), 11.4 APG (when assists were harder to score), and 12.5 RPG (higher than anyone on JimiCliff's roster), is the most dynamic player on the court and has a 20 lbs (listed weight) and 1 inch height advantage over DJ. JimiCliff cannot defend the Big O with single coverage, leaving opportunities for Oscar to score, hit open 3PA with Rice/Peja/Manu, find inside looks for McHale/Sabonis/Stoudemire or find 4x NBA scoring Champ Gervin anywhere in between.
So RR faithful, who wins this game?
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