Running a man-to-man defense, I find much of the game-planning involves adjusting my depth-chart so my best defenders try to match up with my opponents best scorers. This is very unrealistic and can often involve taking a 'leap of faith' if I move my more defensive C to PF to guard a good offensive PF, in hopes my opponent doesn't do the opposite.
This really frustrated me a season or two ago  when my opponent moved his star C to PF to take advantage of my weaker defending PF, and was a large reason why I lost a 2nd round NT game.

My proposal:
1) an addition to the engine which matches the best defensive guard to opponent's best offensive guard and best defensive big man to opponent's best offensive big man, as well as the best defender for opponent's SF. This would also require the engine weighing in speed, athleticism and rebounding advantages in addition to core defensive rating.
OR
2) Simply allow coaches to assign match-ups to only starting players (matching up back-ups would get too complicated and/or time consuming). This would involve locking the depth-chart some time before the sim and allowing a coach to simply pick from a drop-down list who they would like their players to guard.
edit: for back-ups or starters guarding back-ups it would revert back to C guarding C, PG guarding PG, etc.

Obviously option 2 is much simpler and more likely, and even if a coach doesn't find the time to assign the match-ups after depth-cart lock, it would be no different than how the engine currently works. This could also allow a coach to take advantage of a young player by assigning a veteran to guard him, perhaps causing more turnovers.
I know this proposal is no where near the top of the list, but if ever implemented I think it could be a great addition to the game.

Feel free to comment on your opinion or any other/simpler option you can think of.

I like the idea, but I think you can't add a lock time to option 2- some people can only get on once a day, and you'd put them at a disadvantage. 

Maybe it's something like on player X, I want players A, B and C in order guarding him, depending on who's on the floor.  This allows for coverage in fluidity, and eliminates concerns about who is starting.

I like this idea, except that I don't think you should be able to see my depth chart as your opponent (maybe I'm starting a lineup combination that I haven't all season specifically to try and catch you off-guard or to take advantage of something defensively that I see)...I'd prefer what you get is a drop-down menu similar to the depth chart, except with all of your opponen's roster' names listed. 

Then you'd pick your starter to match against the player you think your opponent is starting and so on through your lineup. If you specify a matchup with a player that isn't started, the computer will just shuffle that defender to the "surprise" starter. Keeps the element of surprise for your opponent and negates the need for an earlier lineup lock.

But I'm definitely up with this idea -- if you're running a man defense, you definitely should be able to specify that Player A  guards opposing Player Z; B guards Y and so on. That's way more realistic than telling Player A to go guard whoever lines up as an SG for this game. (I hope I articulated my thoughts well enough here..)

Could you not just have a priority list of who to guard for each player?

 

If "X" is in the game, guard him.  If he's not go to 'Y', if he also isn't go to "z". . . .

Posted by arssanguinus on 7/19/2010 8:13:00 PM (view original):

Could you not just have a priority list of who to guard for each player?

 

If "X" is in the game, guard him.  If he's not go to 'Y', if he also isn't go to "z". . . .

That works for me.

Sounds so much better to me, it could just be an additional option under depth chart.