Hey guys. For the newest project here on Celtics 17, I've decided to take an exciting twist. I've rounded up four of my NBA buddies to join me in creating the ultimate fantasy team. They are each the General Manager of their own team, which was formed in a draft last Thursday. The rules were that you were allowed to draft any NBA player in the history of the game. From Elgin Baylor from LeBron James -- greats from all generations were selected. There were eight rounds, meaning every team has an eight-man rotation.
The draft order was: 1) Leroy Watson, 2) Myself, 3) Andrew Nuschler, 4) John Lorge, 5) Steven Resnick. The order reversed each round, in order to be fair.
The deal is, each participant has passed in an article to me which will be posted here on Celtics 17. Each article will be an overview of the author's team. The articles will be reviewed by seven moderators. There will then be a roundrobin playoff. For those of you not clear on what a roundrobin is: it's a playoff system in which every team faces each opponent in the league. The victorious team for each game will be decided by the moderators. As always, the majority rules.
After the two best teams are decided, they will move on to a three-game championship series. The championship series will be moderated by the three GMs whose teams have been eliminated.
I felt this would be a way to generate some discussion, so I expect to see some comments (whether they're calling the author an idiot or a God. Either way, it's accepted)!
Next, Andrew Nuschler's team. Enjoy!The draft order was: 1) Leroy Watson, 2) Myself, 3) Andrew Nuschler, 4) John Lorge, 5) Steven Resnick. The order reversed each round, in order to be fair.
The deal is, each participant has passed in an article to me which will be posted here on Celtics 17. Each article will be an overview of the author's team. The articles will be reviewed by seven moderators. There will then be a roundrobin playoff. For those of you not clear on what a roundrobin is: it's a playoff system in which every team faces each opponent in the league. The victorious team for each game will be decided by the moderators. As always, the majority rules.
After the two best teams are decided, they will move on to a three-game championship series. The championship series will be moderated by the three GMs whose teams have been eliminated.
I felt this would be a way to generate some discussion, so I expect to see some comments (whether they're calling the author an idiot or a God. Either way, it's accepted)!
Round one selection: Wilt Chamberlain
Round two selection: Kobe Bryant
Round three selection: Isaiah Thomas
Round four selection: Julius Erving
Round five selection: Pete Maravich
Round six selection: Dirk Nowitzki
Round seven selection: Elvin Hayes
Round eight selection: Earl Monroe
On this squad, Bryant will reprise the role he played in Beijing to such acclaim.
The Black Mamba (still a ridiculous nickname) is undoubtedly one of the best closers the Association has ever seen. Jordan's still his superior, but there's no shame in that. When necessary, he'll be called on to answer that accolade. He'll also bring his suffocating and unappreciated brand of defense to the mix since his offensive arsenal won't be taxed to the extreme--although, if we MUST have a basket, there aren't many better options than Kobe Bryant.
Ever.
Isiah Thomas, PG--36.3 MPG, .452 FG%, .759 FT%, 9.3 APG, 3.8 TOV, 1.9 STL, 19.2 PPG
Hard to believe a guy this good on the court could be equally as atrocious off it. Or maybe not.
Regardless, Zeke was one of the toughest and most gifted point guards to lace up sneaks. He led his Detroit Pistons to two NBA Championships while earning three All-NBA First team selections, two All-NBA second team selections, and 12 All Star game appearances. But Thomas' real value doesn't lie in stat sheets or resume bullet points.
Isiah was a tough-minded leader and proven winner. He's also the last man to spearhead an attack capable of turning away a primed Michael Jordan. As His Airness will surely figure in this fantastic tournament's calculus, that significance of his presence on my team cannot be overlooked.
He'll be the starting point guard on this talented roster, although he'll have a capable back-up who might even steal a couple starts so Zeke will stay fresh. Ball distribution and defense will be his calling cards as his scoring prowess, though considerable, can't compare with some of the real net-burners he'll be feeding.
At 6' 1" and 180 pounds with lightning quicks, Isiah will be well-equipped to deal with the considerable challenges posed by opposing point guards. As such, he'll be instrumental to disrupting the enemy's offense at its point of origin.
Julius Erving, SF--36.4 MPG, .506 FG%, .778 FT %, 8.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 STL, 24.2 PPG
Quite a front line developing here, isn't it?
At small forward, here comes the good Doctor and he brings a nice big bag of tricks. From it, he can produce three Championships (two ABA, one NBA), four MVP awards (three ABA, one NBA), five All-ABA first team selections, five All-NBA first team selections, one All-ABA second team selection, two All-NBA second team selections, one ABA All-Defensive first team selection, and 16 All-Star appearances (five ABA, 11 NBA).
There are also the small matters of legitimizing an entire league--the American Basketball Association--and establishing the slam dunk as a staple in the game of basketball.
One of the first players to spend much of his time above the rim, Dr. J. would add yet another versatile scoring option to the stew. A scoring option unconcerned with otherwise-intimidating defensive presences--his two most-signature moves came at the expense of Michael Cooper, whom was the baby Erving rocked to sleep, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who forced the Doctor to improvise his famous baseline up-and-under literally on the fly.
Perhaps less obviously, Julius Erving adds some versatility and defensive acumen. As is often the case with superlative scorers, Dr. J. is a considerable asset to team rebounding, ball flow, and ball-hawking defense--his 2.0 steals per game puts him about two-tenths of a steal per game behind the NBA's all-time steals leader (John Stockton).
With so many points coming from guys like Kobe and the Stilt, Erving will be free to flash the hidden gems from his seemingly infinite skill set.
Elvin Hayes, PF--38.4 MPG, .452 FG%, .670 FT%, 12.5 RPG, 2.0 BLK, 21.0 PPG
The fifth starter has a bit of play depending on the particular match-ups, but the Big E will get the call on most nights.
That's because Hayes brings the kind of mental fortitude necessary to face a team full of NBA Hall-of-Famers, the kind of stubborn disregard for logic that allowed the man to play 16 full seasons while missing a total of nine games. A quick glance at the minutes per game average confirms the insanity of the statistic--twice he led the Association with over 44 minutes per game and, chucking his last two seasons where he wasn't starting, his career average jumps to 41 of the 48 minutes in a regulation game.
Paired with Chamberlain up front, the one-time NBA Champion, three-time All-NBA first teamer, two-time All-NBA second teamer, and 12-time All-Star makes a duo of inexhaustible behemoths who should Hoover up every board and shot attempt the eye can see.
His free-throw percentage isn't too bad for a big man and makes him a viable late-game alternative to the Stilt should a team employ the Hack-a-Shaq philosophy.
Pete Maravich, SG--37 MPG, .441 FG%, .820 FT%, 5.4 APG, 24.2 PPG
On this club, an absence of an NBA ring earns you a seat on the bench.
Even if you have two All-NBA first team selections, two All-NBA second team selections, and five All-Star appearances.
Until we need some scoring, that is. Because Pistol Pete was a scorer--pure and simple. Those 24 points and change per game for his career came courtesy of a pre-three-point line Association. Suffice it to say, several shots were fired from the Pistols guns while standing behind the modern-day arc (and definitely the shallower one that preceded it).
And, yet, one of his most enduring legacies on the NBA would lead to an assist--the fake wrist pass. Furthermore, some of his most famous moments would be marked by showmanship as illustrated via creative passing and facilitating so the native Pennsylvanian was more than just a shooter.
Although that's what Pistol Pete was best at and that's what he'll be used for on this team. If we need someone to heat it up off the bench, stretch the defense to its perimeters, or just shake up the tempo, up will pop Maravich.
Additionally, that stellar free-throw clip will be a nice way to salt away the expected lead.
Dirk Nowitzki, PF--36.6 MPG, .472 FG%, .872 FT%, .378 3P%, 8.6 RPG, 22.7 PPG
The big German might look a tad out of place on a roster of horses already enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame or destined to be in Kobe Bryant's case. He belongs.
Those numbers as well as his 2007 MVP award, four All-NBA first team selections, three All-NBA second team selections, and eight All-Star selections all attest to that fact. What makes Nowitzki's case for inclusion even better is how important he becomes when the overall constitution of the team is considered.
As a highly and oddly versatile piece, Dirk will be able to present a decent--if defensively challenged--alternative to Chamberlain in those moments where the Stilt's free-throw shooting becomes an issue. On other nights, when successful outside sniping is scarce, the Dallas Maverick can also play the panacea.
Or if I want to create in-game havoc with match-ups, the seven-footer could come in as a shooting guard for to spell Kobe or a silky shooting power forward or center to pull shot blockers from the hoop.
Regardless, the big fella supplemented with the skills of a smaller player creates an opportunity to dictate the pace and development of a game.
Vernon Monroe, PG--32.0 MPG, .464 FG%, .807 FT%, 3.9 APG, 18.8 PPG
As the only reserve with an NBA Championship, Earl the Pearl may get the nod over Zeke on certain nights.
Similar to the former Detroit Piston, Monroe brings the hard-edge of a youth spent on the rugged playground courts of Philadelphia to the collection of superstars. Another large point guard, standing 6'3" and weighing 185 pounds, he fits right into the burly theme of the club and should be able to mesh well with its defensive attack.
On offense, there is no doubt the playmaker will excel.
The one-time All-NBA first teamer was born to create with the rock. Called Thomas Edison as a child and the Black Jesus as an adult, there is no question about the Pearl's alien ability to turn a fast-break into points, to turn a wall of defenders into a dribbling lane or passing alley.
As for his grit and willingness to scrap on D, nobody who worked his or her way up from the streets of Philly, through the purgatory of Division-II college basketball, and into the Hall in Springfield should be discounted.
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