Final 4 Semi-Finals - Chroix vs. drcats2013

[DraftCat]

Welcome to March Madness this is the Final 4 of the 2024 UK Draft. (Click Here for Bracket).

Voters - Please vote for the team you believe would win in a 1 game elimination format. You will be able to change your vote and voting period is open for 48 hours. If a tie should occur I will extend the voting by another 2 hours until the tie is broken. Your vote will be visible.

@chroix - Karl Towns, Julius Randle, Reed Sheppard, Jeff Sheppard, Tyrese Maxey, Jamaal Magloire, Cliff Hawkins, Alex Groza. Allen Edwards, TyTy Washington, Steve Masiello

vs.

@drcats2013 - Tony Delk, Goose Givens, Sam Bowie, Shai Gil Alexander, Willie Cauley Stein, Immanuel Quickley, Eric Bledsoe, Alex Poythress, Josh Harrellson, Wah Wah Jones, Ravi Moss

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Both rosters are loaded. Tough choice on this one.

 

[chroix]

Coin flip. I defer to the wisdom of the board on the last rounds here. I will say if Willie is playing the four I am pounding him with Randle all night long and seeing if he can handle the physical play. Can Sam keep up with KAT? I give Delk the slight edge but I might throw Maxey at him and see what happens. Would be a hell of a game and I like both teams a lot.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Coin flip. I defer to the wisdom of the board on the last rounds here. I will say if Willie is playing the four I am pounding him with Randle all night long and seeing if he can handle the physical play. Can Sam keep up with KAT? I give Delk the slight edge but I might throw Maxey at him and see what happens. Would be a hell of a game and I like both teams a lot.

Both teams have tons of play makers. @chroix 's bigs are slightly more talented offensively. @drcats2013 has more depth in the backcourt. Both guard collections are elite. Guys like Hawkins and Poythress could be vital in a game like this from the defensive end.

@chroix is going new school with three guards while @drcats2013 has a traditional lineup with two bigs, a pure small forward, a pure shooting guard, and an elite playmaker.

 

[drcats2013]

Going up against a great team, but at the end of the day, I don’t see Delk and Goose being denied in this matchup with the Sheppards. Taking my team by 7 in the end, 79-72. Will do a full write up tomorrow at some point

 

[chroix]

I could see it if Cal was coaching my team, but I kicked him to the curb. KAT is free to shoot threes. Can Bowie adjust? Can he keep up? Does he go for the head fake after a couple of makes and open the lane for drives? Delk heating up? Throw Cliff Hawkins at him. Probably can't completely shut him down but Cliff was a beast on defense. drcats team has a lot of weapons, but I've got a lot of options to pick from, from finesse three point focused offense to pound it down your throat bully ball.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Very close vote...close to a coin flip...I like drcats bench slightly better, and that was the difference

 

[drcats2013]

Gonna keep it simple for now:

Shai = Reed
Delk >> Maxey
Givens >>Jeff
WCS<Randle
Bowie = KAT

Delk and Givens give me a massive advantage in this match. Everything else is pretty even, but they are far and away ahead of their counterparts. I also think my bench has a slight advantage. There is no run away as my opponent has a solid team, but also no question I should be the favorite.

 

[chroix]

I’m shooting tons of threes ala Mark Pope style offense. Can Delk make enough to keep them in it? Doubtful.

 

[drcats2013]

I’m shooting tons of threes ala Mark Pope style offense. Can Delk make enough to keep them in it? Doubtful.

I think Shai, Delk, and Willie will have a lot to say about those 3 pointers dropping at a consistent rate.

To add to this, if anyone can make a lot of 3’s in a clutch scenario, it’s the man that already got it done on the biggest stage of all

 

[chroix]

The battle for a spot in the championship is on!

 

[LukaszObrzut]

Tough one for me. Slight lean to @drcats2013 i think bc of the defense I believe his team will have.

 

[JonathanW]

This one was definitely a coin flip. Even if you break it down position by position, each position is almost a coin flip.

 

[LukaszObrzut]

I like Delk Goose and Bowie better here than any trio on other team.

Shai is old school, style play would prob mix well. His play I think goes good against the Sheppard combo -

I can see WCS being pretty good on Randle 1st shot but my question is can he keep him off glass on his miss or someone else- he and Bowie are pretty slim.

 

[RunninRichie]

I gotta go Dr. Sam Bowie.

 

[drcats2013]

I like Delk Goose and Bowie better here than any trio on other team.

Shai is old school, style play would prob mix well. His play I think goes good against the Sheppard combo -

I can see WCS being pretty good on Randle 1st shot but my question is can he keep him off glass on his miss or someone else- he and Bowie are pretty slim.

I appreciate you saying that. I felt the same about the trio, but of course have my own biases. I tried to add some lengthy defenders with them (Shai and WCS) that can guard multiple positions without needing shots, then Quickley and his shooting first off the bench.

 

[KAB Cats]

Toughest one yet.

Spoiler: Can't bet against him

 

[chroix]

I like Delk Goose and Bowie better here than any trio on other team.

Shai is old school, style play would prob mix well. His play I think goes good against the Sheppard combo -

I can see WCS being pretty good on Randle 1st shot but my question is can he keep him off glass on his miss or someone else- he and Bowie are pretty slim.

People are forgetting Randle demanded a double team and even then was rarely stopped. Like Mark Knopfler said, “The man too big. The man too strong.” Willie would be doodling in his coloring book for on the bench with fouls in about three plays.

 

[drcats2013]

People are forgetting Randle demanded a double team and even then was rarely stopped. Like Mark Knopfler said, “The man too big. The man too strong.” Willie would be doodling in his coloring book for on the bench with fouls in about three plays.

Pretty disrespectful to say that about an all American that received this status solely on his defensive prowess. He and Sam would do a great job containing Randle. He’d get his, but it wouldn’t be easy at all.

 

[chroix]

Pretty disrespectful to say that about an all American that received this status solely on his defensive prowess. He and Sam would do a great job containing Randle. He’d get his, but it wouldn’t be easy at all.

Alls fair in love and war. Willie was great. Together they can stop him, but then who covers KAT? You're pointing out the weaknesses that I will exploit over and over.

 

[chroix]

Hey, at least we gave them something to think about @drcats2013 This has been the most closely contested one yet.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Hey, at least we gave them something to think about @drcats2013 This has been the most closely contested one yet.

What's the vote? I am not voting until I hear all the arguments.

 

[chroix]

What's the vote? I am not voting until I hear all the arguments.

Ten all. They can’t stop Randle. It’s all you need to know before you vote for my team.

 

[drcats2013]

What's the vote? I am not voting until I hear all the arguments.

He says I can’t stop Randle, but who does he have to stop Goose? Let along Delk. WCS and Bowie, two front court all Americans, will handle Randle as well as he can be handled. The length of Shai and WCS will give his team fits defensively. The Sheppards and Maxey will not be at their best in this matchup.

 

[chroix]

He says I can’t stop Randle, but who does he have to stop Goose? Let along Delk. WCS and Bowie, two front court all Americans, will handle Randle as well as he can be handled. The length of Shai and WCS will give his team fits defensively. The Sheppards and Maxey will not be at their best in this matchup.

Now he’s putting up a fight. I like it.

 

[dvillecatfan]

Hawkins harasses Delk...Goose wins it for drcats2013

 

[aceman509]

Really tough call, starters are pretty even. Drcats bench edges this out for me. Quickley and Bledsoe are really nice pieces, and Harrellson is a sneaky good pickup that can give you 10-15 minutes of hard physical play.

 

[JonathanW]

This one is as I would expect, 14-13 (& I'm not saying who leads, to not bias anyone who hasn't voted yet).

 

[JonathanW]

He says I can’t stop Randle, but who does he have to stop Goose? Let along Delk. WCS and Bowie, two front court all Americans, will handle Randle as well as he can be handled. The length of Shai and WCS will give his team fits defensively. The Sheppards and Maxey will not be at their best in this matchup.

The Randle dominating statements are a bit lacking. Bowie practiced vs Turpin daily, played against Barkley, Olajuwon; I don't think Randle is going to dominate him. And if I remember correctly, Randle did have some trouble with height (both WCS and Bowie were 7'1).

 

[drcats2013]

The Randle dominating statements are a bit lacking. Bowie practiced vs Turpin daily, played against Barkley, Olajuwon; I don't think Randle is going to dominate him. And if I remember correctly, Randle did have some trouble with height (both WCS and Bowie were 7'1).

Great context. His statement was hyperbolic, to say the least.

BTW, you need to participate in the next one. You’re very knowledgeable and engaged in these.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

What's the current vote at?

 

[chroix]

What's the current vote at?

I’m down two but they left KAT open at the top of the key.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

My favorite part of all these threads has been the talk about how great defenders will "stop" great offensive players, but folks keep forgetting that those "great defenders" also have to score at some point, too.

Unless, of course, people just want to ignore the offensive limitations of some of these better defenders and how they're really only positionally good for 8 to 12 points over the course of 30 minutes worth of playing time.

 

[LukaszObrzut]

My favorite part of all these threads has been the talk about how great defenders will "stop" great offensive players, but folks keep forgetting that those "great defenders" also have to score at some point, too.

Unless, of course, people just want to ignore the offensive limitations of some of these better defenders and how they're really only positionally good for 8 to 12 points over the course of 30 minutes worth of playing time.

Most really good teams have players that have “offense limitations”. Defense can show up time and time again in all games is easier over predicting that a shooter will hit every shot they take..

 

[drcats2013]

My favorite part of all these threads has been the talk about how great defenders will "stop" great offensive players, but folks keep forgetting that those "great defenders" also have to score at some point, too.

Unless, of course, people just want to ignore the offensive limitations of some of these better defenders and how they're really only positionally good for 8 to 12 points over the course of 30 minutes worth of playing time.

I’m not sure your point with this post. Be specific. If this is a shot at WCS, I have a lot to say lol. But I could be misinterpreting it.

Every player on the floor doesn’t neeed to be able to score 30 on a given night. Ask HOFer Dennis Rodman, who won 5 NBA titles averaging less points than my all American WCS.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I’m not sure your point with this post. Be specific. If this is a shot at WCS, I have a lot to say lol. But I could be misinterpreting it.

Every player on the floor doesn’t neeed to be able to score 30 on a given night. Ask HOFer Dennis Rodman, who won 5 NBA titles averaging less points than my all American WCS.

It's something I've noticed in every thread. I don't want to pick on any player my team isn't facing yet.

That said, you're point about Rodman is interesting. Rodman was also playing with the greatest scorer in NBA history and the best defensive small forward in NBA history. He had guys who could overcome his weaknesses in spades. In a tournament like this, it's all hands on deck because each position becomes so vital. Guys are going to need to score at all five positions because the points are going to be coming at a high level.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

@chroix and @drcats2013 , what's the vote at currently?

I've intentionally stayed away out of respect for both of your rosters. Too close to call for me.

 

[chroix]

@chroix and @drcats2013 , what's the vote at currently?

I've intentionally stayed away out of respect for both of your rosters. Too close to call for me.

@drcats2013 won it 16-14. He put together a hell of a roster. I put the father son combo in and in the end it probably cost me but it was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the finals and doing these in the future. Thanks to everyone who was part of it.

 

[drcats2013]

@drcats2013 won it 16-14. He put together a hell of a roster. I put the father son combo in and in the end it probably cost me but it was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the finals and doing these in the future. Thanks to everyone who was part of it.

Was a fun matchup, man. Enjoyed it.