NBA 1v1 Madness: Round of 32
By: Wayne and Schwartz
Welcome to the Round of 32 in our NBA 1v1 Madness tournament. We hope you enjoy digging through the next round of matchups.
West Region (location: Venice Beach)
1) Kawhi Leonard over 8) Kyle Lowry
Kyle and Kawhi are probably the two most important Raptors players of all time after their role in bringing Toronto its first championship (although Siakam is right behind them). This matchup doesn't end up being all that close though as Leonard's size and athleticism would overwhelm the smaller Lowry. Lowry has the hustle and intensity to make Kawhi work for this, but from a physical standpoint, there's no way Kawhi loses here.
Final score: 21-9
West Region (location: Venice Beach)
2) Paul George over 10) Jaylen Brown
In a duel of two players who were once nearly traded for one another, Paul George shows that Jaylen, a player many consider to be in the same mold, is not quite there yet. Jaylen leans too much on his strong but inconsistent deep ball in this game, and Paul, one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders, doesn’t let him get away with it. Brown has the potential to be the versatile defender and physical aggressor PG has been at his best, but he doesn't quite have enough skill to his game yet to win this matchup.
Final score: 21-14
West Region (location: Venice Beach)
3) Damian Lillard over 11) Zach LaVine
LaVine was cute as a first-round upset and he has the hops to make him a fan favorite in this format. However, both players would be pretty reliant on their 3-point shots in this tourney, and Lillard is the more advanced marksman. Lillard also had the easier first-round matchup and won’t have to deal with the level of wear-and-tear LaVine accumulated from grinding against Simmons every possession.
Final score: 21-15
West Region (location: Venice Beach)
4) Pascal Siakam over 5) Devin Booker
Siakam’s positional versatility on defense gets tested here as he takes on the sweet-shooting Booker who can score in a flurry. I have Spicy P edging him out in a close contest, although this is truly a tossup. Booker’s 3-point shot could get him the dub alone, but Siakam is fiesty on both ends of the floor and he does the little things to move to the next round. He'll outrebound and outhustle Booker which is enough to move him to the next round.
Final score: 21-16
Midwest Region (location: Hoosier Gym)
1) LeBron James over 9) Trae Young
Unfortunately for Trae, being a 9 seed means he encounters LeBron in the Round of 32. In another world, he might be making a run to the Final Four, but in this one, he’s forced to deal with the King’s overpowering combination of size, finesse, and strength. Trae could stretch LeBron away from the rim with his elite sharpshooting range, but LeBron is way too good of an all-around player to let Trae keep this close. Easy dub for Bron.
Final score: 21-13
Midwest Region (location: Hoosier Gym)
1) LeBron James over 9) Trae Young
Unfortunately for Trae, being a 9 seed means he encounters LeBron in the Round of 32. In another world, he might be making a run to the Final Four, but in this one, he’s forced to deal with the King’s overpowering combination of size, finesse, and strength. Trae could stretch LeBron away from the rim with his elite sharpshooting range, but LeBron is way too good of an all-around player to let Trae keep this close. Easy dub for Bron.
Final score: 21-13
Midwest Region (location: Hoosier Gym)
6) Klay Thompson over 14) John Collins
John Collins, you were supposed to be the Cinderella! Klay wants none of that, though, and he continues to drain threes in this contest. The fact that Klay is so dependent on the catch-and-shoot game could keep this interesting, but Collins likely couldn't keep Thompson from catching fire. Klay definitely can't guard Collins in the post, but 3 points is always better than 2 and Klay does enough to move on.
Final score: 21-14
Midwest Region (location: Hoosier Gym)
12) C.J. McCollum over 4) Joel Embiid
Another upset? Was this kid on that Lehigh team or something...oh yeah this actually really checks out. Usually the Robin to Dame’s Batman, CJ is able to shine on his own in this tournament, as his quickness and deep ball keep Embiid playing from behind all game long, forcing him into some bad, late shots and allowing the Blazers #2 to run away with what started out as a close game.
Final score: 21-12
East Region (location: Rucker Park)
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo over 8) Bam Adebayo
The Greek Freak gets freaky with it in a matchup against Bam who’s surprisingly well-suited to guard him. Giannis is just far too good to lose in the Round of 32, even if his opponent is as cool as Bam. Adebayo is able to hold his own against Giannis on the defensive end, but is pretty much unable to score the ball in what becomes a long, grueling matchup. The reigning MVP lives to fight another day in this tourney.
Final score: 21-12
East Region (location: Rucker Park)
2) Kevin Durant over 10) DeAaron Fox
We like all Kentucky grads here at Wayne’s World and Schwartz, but against one of the most unique stars in league history, De’Aaron has almost no opportunity for success on either end of the floor. KD walks through this matchup without even trying, which makes him feel nostalgic about his effort-free regular season days in Oakland. It’s really not going to be as much fun in Brooklyn. Nevertheless, KD moves on to represent his new team in this tourney before actually playing a minute for them
Final score: 21-6
East Region (location: Rucker Park)
6) Karl Anthony-Towns over 3) Jimmy Butler
KAT is back with a vengeance against his former Timberwolves teammate Jimmy Butler. This time, though, we’re not just talking about practice. Towns has trained for years for this moment and is ready to take on the man he lost to in embarrassing fashion in the first go-around. Luckily for him, this time he doesn’t have to play alongside Jeff Teague and Andrew Wiggins, and can take on Butler on his own. Butler has the defensive tools to make things difficult on Towns, but this becomes a scoring contest and KAT has the deep stroke and rebounding to move past Butler. Round 3 should be in a boxing ring.
Final score: 21-16
East Region (location: Rucker Park)
4) Kyrie Irving over 5) Kemba Walker
This is one of the most hyped-up matchups of the entire tournament. Kyrie recently challenged Kemba to a 1v1 matchup, so this isn't so far-fetched from being reality. A former North Jersey blue-chip prospect, versus a born and bred NYC native. An NCAA tournament legend versus a top prospect who dazzled the nation for just 11 games before bowing out with an injury. The Celtics’ much-maligned old point guard versus Boston’s new poster boy. And of course, two of the most creative layup artists and jaw-dropping dribblers to ever step onto a court, from outdoor asphalt to NCAA and NBA hardwood. These two pull out all the stops in a heated, emotional battle that drives the NYC crowd into a frenzy, as they watch an absolutely stunning duel between two hometown legends. Each possession comes with a crazier dribble and inside move than the last, and stops are not plentiful. The two competitors battle straight through the 21 point plateau, as neither is able to pull away by as much as two points. But it has to come to an end at some point, as Kyrie is finally one step ahead of Kemba, knocking away the UConn grad’s layup attempt, snatching it up and driving inside for a reverse, off-handed finish of his own. An instant-classic marathon at Rucker Park goes to NYC’s new NBA star.
Final score: 27-25
South Region (location: Cameron Indoor Stadium)
8) Chris Paul over 1) James Harden
Can we get Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets coach who had to deal with these two on the same court, to call this game? It’s no secret that the CP3-Harden marriage in Houston was a failed one, and the two former teammates get to take out that animosity on the court in this early-tournament matchup. Harden repeatedly barges into the lane, and the ref does indeed call a foul for him, but much to the scoring champ’s chagrin, he’s simply given the ball back instead of being placed at his favorite place in the entire world - the foul line. With no way to get to the line, Harden feels out of place and helpless, as he has to rely on offensive skill to compete. Luckily, he has plenty of that too, and is able to run with the veteran point guard for a tough, well-fought game. In the end though, CP3’s experience-driven, wily defense allows him to come up with a couple of key late takeaways and pull off the serious upset.
Final score: 23-21
South Region (location: Cameron Indoor Stadium)
2) Steph Curry over 7) Russell Westbrook
We’ve seen this before. Westbrook has the physicality to overpower Curry inside, but he’d be hard-pressed to keep up with a 3-point barrage on either end of the floor. Russ has never been seen as an elite perimeter defender, nor does he have any sort of elite shooting acumen to speak of. Instead he’d be reliant on his inside scoring and overall flair, but Curry is just far too good of a sharpshooter, dribbler, and layup-maker to let Russ stop him this early. Westbrook would surely score nearly every possession, but in this format, the difference between inside shots and deep balls creates even more of a premium, as shots from behind the arc are worth twice as much as ones from inside. Steph forces Russ to play from behind all game, and the UCLA alum’s skill set is simply not tailored for a comeback in this format, letting the Dubs legend to pull away with a barrage of deep balls.
Final score: 21-12
South Region (location: Cameron Indoor Stadium)
3) Jayson Tatum over 6) Donovan Mitchell
As two of the three young stars in a much-discussed rookie class, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell’s careers have been linked in a unique way, despite the two players not sharing the court all that often. Well, they do here, and it’s the Duke alum’s former home court, giving Jay Smooth a clear advantage, as the Durham locals are thrilled to see one of their former stars tearing it up again. Both players flash the talent that quickly endeared each of them to their NBA fan bases, but Tatum’s clutch ability to create those late, open threes, paired with some timely defensive play, lifts him past the Jazz’s franchise centerpiece in a tight and entertaining matchup.
Final score: 21-16
South Region (location: Cameron Indoor Stadium)
5) Zion Williamson over 13) D'Angelo Russell
Most NBA big men struggle to deal with Zion’s inside scoring - good luck to D’Angelo Russell in trying to stop the high-flying freight train. Russell would make some 3s, sure, but he’s no Steph or Dame from deep and Zion’s foot speed on the perimeter is underrated. DLo might just get scared off the floor by Zion who would have free reign at an endless rack attack.
Final score: 21-13
