Current injuries and injury history are to be taken into account when voting.


Ball So Hard

PG: Jrue Holiday | Kyle Lowry
SG: Victor Oladipo | Zach LaVine | Seth Curry
SF: Kawhi Leonard | Otto Porter Jr.
PF: Pascal Siakim | Justise Winslow | Davis Bertans
C: Brook Lopez | Hassan Whiteside

Why will Ball So Hard win? Simple – spacing (or for my compatriot, lack thereof). Ben Simmons is well documented as one of the worst jump shooting guards ever, Philadelphia tries to negate this issue by surrounding him with shooters at every other position. Unfortunately, Number Neighbours decided to surround him with a 5 that has zero shooting. Further, of their four bigs, only one is able to shoot with any consistency and he is coming off of a devastating injury (that he has been prone to suffering) and facing a rape charge. This is simply a recipe for offensive disaster.

For Ball So Hard, offensively, we plan to play around our opponent’s weaknesses. Number Neighbours are not able to play small – they have four traditional bigs, none of whom are particularly able to guard any non-big. As such, by stretching the floor and at times even playing Siakim/Bertans are center, we are at a huge advantage as their traditional bigs simply cannot hang outside of the paint. As well, neither are particularly dominant in the low post so that our playing small will not be prone to being exposed there – Porzingis’ offensive game is that of a stretch big and Drummond’s offensive game, to be honest, hardly exists. Consider also that Buddy Hield is one of the worst wing defenders in the league and we can, on top of our spacing to expose their bigs, simply let whoever has the good fortune to be guarded by Buddy take him to school, game after game.


Number Neighbors

Starting Lineup

Ben Simmons – Malcolm Brogdon (Sexton RESERVE)

Jaylen Brown – Buddy Hield

Paul George – Caris LeVert (Kelly Oubre RESERVE)

Kristaps Porzingis – Derrick Favors

Andre Drummond – Deandre Ayton

We made a line-up adjustment and that is by putting in Jaylen Brown to start over Buddy Hield. While it does hurt our spacing – we have 3 great shooters coming off the bench with Brogdon/Hield/LeVert. We also know Jaylen can spread the floor and play defense at an elite caliber level.

Here’s why my team will win – size & depth. The opposing team has absolutely no rebounders besides Whiteside who has proven he can’t play long minutes effectively and his effort is questioned. On the offensive end – they aren’t going to be able to out rebound the likes of Simmons, Porzingis and Drummond. Porzingis also has the ability to spread the floor. My opposition has unarguably the weakest back court in this draft – with neither of them being able to match-up on the defensive end of the floor against my starters and the depth as Justice Winslow (6’7” and a net negative at the 4) is the back-up PF. Hassan Whiteside is alright, but in the grand scheme of things but he would still be the worst big man on my team. This team would get absolutely DOMINATED by my team in the paint.

Paul George ad Kawhi Leonard are basically a wash – with both of them being similar styles but also elite defenders. PG was an MVP candidate this season though – so lets not ride the high of a finals victory in which KD & Klay were both injured. His depth at the wings is also not that strong either and he really lacks 2-way players in that depth.

Who’s going to guard Ben Simmons?

Jrue Holiday? No chance.

Victor Oladpio? Maybe but height difference

Kawhi Leonard? He’ll likely be on Paul George

Ben Simmons will run around silly against this offense and he has enough spacing to make it work. Brown, Brogdon, George, LeVert and Porzingis can all spread the floor and have to be guarded behind the line.

At the end of the day – my team is built on size, depth and defense. We have two of the best rim protectors and rebounders in the game, two of the best on-ball/perimeter defenders in the league, and one of the youngest superstars running the show on both ends in Simmons. My opponent built a formattable team – but one that will struggle offensively when Kawhi isn’t in and one that will be unable to get rebounds. That’s not a formula for success

It’s closer after a second glance but Neighbors got it. Especially since idk if Brook Lopez and Kyle Lowry will even be in the NBA in 3 years. Zzz

Ppl see kawhi and don’t read anymore.

Then again, kawhi and siakim did just win a finals together so maybe the landslide is validated.

Teams arent even close. Not even sure neighbors could beat the clippers in the next 3 years.

It shouldn’t have beaten team 9.

Wat... Ben Simmons & his back up is Malcolm Brogdon is 50 40 90,Jaylen brown & Buddy heild both are 18+ ppg scorers as well, Hield is slowly turning into a beast.

PG... Porzingis back from injury this year and combine that with the Human 20 rebound machine, + 16 & 10 rookie season Ayton to back him up?

Sheeeshh..

Vs Dipo, Kiwi, Siakim basically... Jrue is koo too but Lopez and Lowry I just told you are old and out the door. Zach LaVine shouldn’t even have won the dunk contest and is decent but not even an all star. Seth & Bertans are role players and nowhere near to Brogdon & Hield Status not even as good as Ayton etc.

I could continue but Neighbors to me has this after good review. First team just has the better stars. ✨

Review these

https://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=81712830&f=202

Do you know it is about winning a championship? How can you dismiss starpower when that is literally how to win in the NBA? You werent even objective in your review of players.

Number Neighbors has more star power lol. Kawhi Leonard won the finals, but Paul George was a top 3 player in the league and in MVP votings. Ben Simmons, while having shooting struggles, is a legitimate young Star in the league and better than Jrue. Who’s going to guard Simmons?

Also yes, Siakim has a good year but Kristaps is a legitimate 2way Star and proved that over a stretch. Injury is a concern fine, but he’s still a great player. How are Siakim and Lopez going to stop Porzingis and Drummond? How would the other team even get rebounds, we have an advantage on the boards in basically every position. And our bench Seth is crazy. Ayton, Brogdon, Hield and LeVert coming off the bench.

This guys back up PF is fucking Justice Winslow lol. My bigs would literally eat him up on both ends.

You going to trust his team + bench to do better than my team considering Paul George will be on Kawhi and vice-versa? Will Siakim and Lopez even have a chance to get a rebound against Drummond (best offensive rebounder in the league) and Porzingis? 2 legitimate 7 foot rim protectors as well.

Ball So Hard team is based strictly on recency bias because of two guys who won a championship.