Mock-Trade Deadline Voting: (2) Magic vs. (3) Bulls

[KH12]

This is a game we ran where users would take over the GM chair for a randomized team at the trade deadline to make trades with other users to improve their team. We then ranked the teams and seeded them accordingly, and now it's your part in the game where you vote to see who moves on.

Please do not vote only based on one of the teams or players involved being your favorite, but who you truly believe would win in a 7 game series. Thanks!

Orlando will have home court advantage in this series!

Magic Depth Chart:
PG: Mike Conley - Iman Shumpert - Derek Fisher - Andy Rautins
SG: Courtney Lee - Jimmy Butler
SF: Danny Granger - James Jones - Luke Walton
PF: Chuck Hayes - Lamar Odom - Tyrus Thomas - Craig Brackins
CT: Dwight Howard - Robin Lopez

*Shumpert will be playing the majority of the back-up SG minutes, with both Butler/Jones getting a few minutes too*

Italicized = inactive.

Bulls Depth Chart:
Kyle Lowry ................. Mario Chalmers ............. Ishmael Smith
Thabo Sefolosha ......... Michael Redd
Luol Deng .................. Mike Miller .................... Lance Thomas
Pau Gasol .................. Taj Gibson ................... Josh Harrellson
Roy Hibbert ................ Cole Aldrich ................. Jerome Jordan

Magic Write-Up:
Congrats to Adam Shambert and his Chicago Bulls for a great run, but we in Orlando think that run ends here in the Magic Kingdom and here's why:

Homecourt advantage will be a big factor here between two very good teams, which we own. We feel we have built an elite defensive team obviously anchored around Dwight Howard. Chicago's biggest strength is it's big man rotation. Well, we have Dwight Howard and Chuck Hayes down low to stop them in their tracks. I don't see either guy being able to stop Howard down offensively or be able to hold him down defensively and Hayes has always been known as a very good defensive player.

Granger and Deng will be an extremely fun match-up at SF. They went at each other last year in the playoffs, and will do it again here. Granger averaged 21.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.2 APG vs. Deng in the playoffs last year with a 55.6 TS% and a 52.2 eFG%.

Lee and Sefolosha again, another great match-up this time between two similarly skilled players. Both, awesome defenders. Courtney Lee, a much better offensive threat though.

At PG, we have Mike Conley vs. Kyle Lowry. Once again, another excellent match-up. Lowry gets a lot of praise for his play this year but Mike Conley has very similar stats. Conley (12.8 PPG, 6.8 APG and 2.5 RPG) and Lowry (15.3 PPG, 7.0 APG and 5.0 RPG). Both have been known as solid defenders.

Off the bench, we feel we have the edge here. We are loaded. We've got our main combo guard Iman Shumpert playing lockdown defense at PG/SG. Another good defender in Jimmy Butler who has guarded guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony recently in only his rookie year. Our sharpshooter James Jones. Lamar Odom returns to a role much more comfortable to him, playing PF and getting the majority of the game's minutes there over Hayes as we start him for defensive purposes. Odom gives us that scoring, playmaking and leadership role off the bench. Robin Lopez is a very solid player who will back-up Dwight Howard when he needs a breather.

All in all, this series will definitely go 6 or 7 games but we feel we have the better team, that all fits together with Dwight being our go to guy, Granger playing next to Howard just opens so much for his already skilled offensive game. Throw in very solid role players who can shoot the 3 when Dwight gets doubled and he kicks it out to them like Conley, CLee, JJones (and Granger) as well as our elite defense and we think we got this one.

Bulls Write-Up:
None.

[Sportfan]

I'm taking the Bulls in this one.

Thabo/Deng on the wing? Hibbert in the post? Lowry as well, all great defenders. I think Granger will be kept in check adn Dwight can't carry at team against the firepower of the bulls lineup. no go to scorer, but 4 guys could drop 15-20+ points. i like em

[Greet]

I'm taking the Bulls in this one.

Thabo/Deng on the wing? Hibbert in the post? Lowry as well, all great defenders. I think Granger will be kept in check adn Dwight can't carry at team against the firepower of the bulls lineup. no go to scorer, but 4 guys could drop 15-20+ points. i like em

Lol, Granger isn't a go to scorer?

Who's going to score on the Bulls anways?

[KH12]

Granger averaged 21.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.2 APG vs. Deng in the playoffs last year with a 55.6 TS% and a 52.2 eFG%.

*cough* *cough*

[Sportfan]

I was talking about the Bulls.

Granger can be, but he's going to have Deng on him, and wouldn't surprise me if they brought Thabo along as well considering Conley/Lee aren't great scoring threats.

he did play well, but either way Deng is one of the top wing defenders (along with thabo) and that has to be taken into account. Granger didn't do too well the past 2 years in the regular season matchups.

[KH12]

They both average > 11 ppg, and shoot 35.5% and 38.6% from 3 respectfully.

You're going to leave one of them to double Danny? Okay.

[Shammyguy3]

forgot my write up

i really just see my team matching up very well against yours. I won't comment any more and let everyone else decide and form their own opinions since i forgot about the write up.

[Bulls_fan90]

I like what both GM's did with these teams. Hard to pick a winner..

The Magic upgraded at every position, while the Bulls don't really have any weaknesses.

[Shammyguy3]

i think the voting on this one has been about as even as it could get honestly... HCA may end up being the deciding factor in a lot of people's opinions. Oh, and this post is a bump so more people can vote.

[TrueFan420]

I really like this bulls team

[Sportfan]

change my vote

magic put up stats, bulls did not. therefore magic win

very dissapointed shammy

[Mr. Baller]

both teams are overrated but i got the magic