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Post by Miege22 on Oct 23, 2017 16:47:54 GMT -5
Figured I'd start something new to keep people engaged during the season. Here's a recap of week 1:
The season started with interconference match-ups across the league, as the ten Eastern Conference teams faced off against the ten Western Conference teams. In a surprise start to the season, the East came out ahead 6-4. Here's what happened in each match-up...
Chicago over Golden State, 6-3 In a match-up of two playoff teams from last year, the Bulls used an efficient 20 points on 7/11 shooting from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the last game of the week to come from behind and get the win. The Warriors nearly pulled it out despite missing a week from Isaiah Thomas and two games from CJ McCollum. The Bulls got HUGE weeks from Nikola Vucevic and D'Angelo Russell. Vuc may have had the best week of any player not named Giannis, and the case could be made that his week was even better as he went for 27.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1.7 blocks and 2.3 threes, while shooting 68% from the floor and 80% from the line. Next up for the Bulls is a key division game against the 1-0 Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors will have a tough second week against the Houston Rockets.
Memphis over Brooklyn, 5-4 The Memphis Grizzlies picked up where they left off last season, putting up the best performance of the week of any team... and yet, the revamped Nets were, potentially, a minor injury away from an upset. The Nets lost two games from Dennis Smith, who opened the season with a double double, and lost by 12 assists. However, the Grizzlies do look far and away like the best team in the league. Paul George, despite a rough shooting week, hit double digits in FIVE categories, and the Grizzlies also got big weeks from Dennis Schroder and Karl-Anthony Towns. Joel Embiid had a solid first two games, but did not make the lineup for the Grizzlies. Next up for the Grizzlies is a match-up with a banged up Minnesota team, while the Nets will look to bounce back against the Atlanta Hawks.
Las Vegas over Atlanta, 5-4 In what turned out to be the closest match-up of the week, the Gamblers won on the last game when Lonzo Ball shot just 3-13. Ball may have struggled from the field, but his overall output has to give the Hawks reason to smile as the rookie averaged 13-9-9 in the first week of his career. His fellow rookie teammate Ben Simmons also impressed, averaging 16-10-6. Still, the Gamblers did just enough to pull out the win, but things are about to get really tough for Las Vegas. They were easily the most impacted by the horrific spat of injuries to hit the league to start the season, losing both Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Lin for the year. To make matters worse, Eric Bledsoe was just kicked off the Suns and MKG still hasn't returned to the lineup following a mysterious personal matter. Las Vegas heads into a second week game against a suddenly frisky Seattle team, and the Hawks face the Nets.
Tampa Bay over Oklahoma City, 5-4 The Tampa Bay Bull Sharks were led by another great week from superstar Russell Westbrook and fended off an upset bid by the up and coming Oklahoma City Thunder. Tampa Bay also got very good weeks from Andrew Wiggins and Tobias Harris forming a nice three-headed monster. OKC will be looking for better weeks from Jimmy Butler and Jamal Murray as they take on the Kansas Kings in their second game. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay will try and get off to a 2-0 start against division rival Orlando.
Washington over Kansas City, 7-2 Despite being ravaged by injuries, the Wizards still got the win thanks in large part to an unbelievable week from the leader in the clubhouse for MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis averaged nearly 40 points per game in three games to lock up the win. The Kings got a typical steady week from Kevin Durant, who also blocked 14 shots in three games. Alec Burks came back from the dead and Domatas Sabonis looked solid in his new role. In a normal season, the Wizards might struggle for the next few weeks. Fortunately for them, their second week game is against a Colorado team that will likely run out only six players. The Kings will get a Thunder team that was this close to beating the Bull Sharks.
Colorado over Minnesota, 5-3-1 For the first time in their franchise history, the Colorado Swannies (formerly the Charlotte Bobcats, then Hornets) won their season opener, taking advantage of an injury to Chris Paul. The Swannies got an unbelievable week from Anthony Davis, who averaged 32-17, as well as a great season opener from Myles Turner before losing him to a concussion for the foreseeable future. Things are about to get extremely tough for the Swannies, as they've been hit hard by injuries. They'll go up against the defending Eastern Conference champion Wizards in week 2. Minnesota, who is dealing with injury issues of their own, is staring down the barrel of an 0-2 start as they go head-to-head with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Cleveland over Utah, 6-2-1 The Cavaliers and Jazz are both playoff hopefuls with their eyes on a potential finals trip, and their match-up did not disappoint. It was a knockdown, drag out affair that was much closer than the final score indicated. The Cavaliers were buoyed by big weeks from Kevin Love and Klay Thompson. They also received a surprising contribution from Terry Rozier, who figures to have an increased role this season due to the Hayward injury. On the Utah side of things, the Jazz got huge weeks from Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge. Unfortunately, they could have used a little more from their trio of point guards. Reggie Jackson, Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry were all solid, but not great. That proved to be the difference in this one. The Cavaliers will go up against division rival Chicago in a key early season match-up. The Jazz will try and get on the right track against Portland.
Toronto over Seattle, 6-3 The Raptors looked scary good in their win over a young, but talented Supersonics team. DeMarcus Cousins and Kristaps Porzingis form a scary duo that will give every opponent nightmares moving forward. Combine that with an improved Jaylen Brown and Devin Booker, and a good looking De'Aaron Fox, and the Raptors have one of the best starting fives in the league. If the Raptors can continue to get solid showings from Bellineli, Crowder, and James Johnson, then they can be a force in the playoffs. The Supersonics were dealt a tough blow with the losses of DeAndre' Bembry and Rodney Hood, but Gobert and Lillard are as good as ever. The Supersonics have a chance to even their record against a banged up Las Vegas team. Toronto will be looking to make it to 2-0 against Boston.
Portland over Boston, 6-3 The Celtics were surprisingly close to beating a Portland team with playoff aspirations. Boston lost by just 5 threes, 3 blocks and 9 rebounds. It is important to note that Portland was without Bobby Portis and got no games from Justise Winslow. Portland was led by Draymond Green and DeAndre Jordan, and they received really good minutes from rookie John Collins. That will be a welcome sight moving forward as Willy Hernangomez was shockingly absent from the rotation this past week. Portland is going to need him moving forward. For the Celtics, Clint Capela, Marcin Gortat and Trevor Booker held things down in the front court while Kuzma and Waiters handled the perimeter. The Celtics are feisty, and should pick up some wins this season. They'll have a tough challenge next week against Toronto, while the Blazers take on the Utah Jazz.
Houston over Orlando, 5-4 Our last game featured another near upset, as the Rockets held off the Magic by four three-pointers. The Rockets were able to pull out the win despite missing Kawhi Leonard and Jabari Parker. They were led, of course, by Stephen Curry. Outside of Steph, it was a total team effort, as no one player stood out. It was a team effort on the other side of the court as well, with the Magic getting double digit point efforts from 11 players. Orlando will look to even their record against Tampa Bay, and Houston gets a banged up Warriors squad.
Player of the Week: Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls- 27.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3 assists, 7 threes, 5 blocks, 3 steals, 68% FG, 80% FT
Performance of the Week: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Washington Wizards- 44/8/4/2/2 on October 21
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Post by teefbe on Oct 24, 2017 16:31:08 GMT -5
Great job with this recap. I thought I had Portland for a moment (like for a day lol) but then DeAndre hurt my chances with posting 20+ rebound against the Suns I believe. Also lack of shooting hurt my chances, that was a good one Portland. Anyway, some close games here, good to see this.
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Post by studiscus(Vegas) on Oct 25, 2017 20:33:20 GMT -5
Bruh...
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Post by fernans (MIAMI HEAT) on Oct 29, 2017 21:35:33 GMT -5
I’m going to lose this week by two blocks smh.
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Post by Miege22 on Oct 29, 2017 22:08:05 GMT -5
I’m going to lose this week by two blocks smh. Pau Gasol with the huge game. I'll have the recap up tomorrow morning.
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Post by Miege22 on Oct 30, 2017 13:19:46 GMT -5
I'm sorry guys, I had this whole thing typed up and accidentally closed the tab. Going to be shorter this week.
Seattle (1-1) over Las Vegas (1-1), 5-3-1 The injury bug that bit Vegas hard in the first week came to a head as Seattle played 10 more games than they did. Steven Adams continues to try and keep the Gamblers afloat, but his week just wasn't enough to match Gobert, Lillard and Markkanen for Seattle. Whatever playoff hopes the Gamblers may have had likely went out the window when Hayward and Lin went down in the first two days of the year, but they will attempt to get the ship right against the Brooklyn Nets. The Sonics take on the Orlando Magic.
Kansas City (1-1) over Oklahoma City (0-2), 8-1 The Kings bounced back from a rough week one to take down division rival Oklahoma City thanks to a big week from Kevin Durant. KD hit double digits in four categories and shot 57% from the floor. Domantas Sabonis continues to surprise, averaging a double-double and shooting over 60% from the field. The Thunder could have used a full week from Jimmy Butler to accompany rookie of the year candidate Jayson Tatum and most improved candidate Aaron Gordon. Things will get infinitely harder for both teams as the Kings head to Cleveland and the Thunder head to Chicago.
Utah (1-1) over Portland (1-1), 5-4 In this week's closest match-up, the Utah Jazz used an 8-game advantage and five blocks on the final day from Pau Gasol to come from behind and take down Portland in a crucial division game. LaMarcus Aldridge once again led the way for the Jazz, putting up 25-8. The Jazz also got three double-digit categories from their trio of point guards. Portland got four double-digit categories from Eric Gordon and DeMar DeRozan, but it wasn't quite enough to beat Utah. Portland will look to bounce back against Tampa Bay, and the Jazz get maybe the Eastern Conference favorite, Toronto.
Memphis (2-0) over Minnesota (0-2), 8-1 The Grizzlies continue to run roughshod over the league, taking out the Timberwolves with relative ease. The Grizzlies are so deep, they are darn near impossible to beat. 11 players reached double-digits in two categories and 4 hit double-digits in three categories. Minnesota got 22-9-5 from Blake Griffin, but it wasn't close to enough to take down the Grizzlies. Memphis looks poised to go undefeated, and they'll get the Atlanta Hawks in week 3. Minnesota will have to face the Wizards without Joakim Noah and Chris Paul.
Houston (2-0) over Golden State (0-2), 7-2 The Warriors are still without Isaiah Thomas, but Houston was missing Kawhi Leonard and Jabari Parker and didn't miss a beat. The Rockets got a MONSTER week from Stephen Curry, who hit double-digits in five categories. Nikola Jokic also bounced back from a surprisingly disappointing week 1 to average 21 and 12. The Rockets had really good weeks from Paul Millsap, Evan Fournier and CJ McCollum, but it wasn't quite enough to take down one of the two best teams in the league. Golden State has had a tough two games to start the season, but they'll get the Boston Celtics this week. Houston should get to 3-0 against Colorado.
Washington (2-0) over Colorado (1-1), 7-2 Speaking of the Swannies, they stood next to no chance against Washington this week with almost half the roster out injured. Washington had a 12-game advantage en route to another win. Washington has also had several injuries to start the year, but their schedule has lent itself to a fast start. They also have Giannis Antetokounmpo putting up MVP numbers week in and week out. That should continue against the banged up Timberwolves. Things don't get easier for Colorado against Houston.
Orlando (1-1) over Tampa Bay (1-1), 6-3 The Magic won a close division match-up against the rival Bull Sharks in a game that could have playoff implications down the line. Dwight Howard turned back the clock averaging 16-17 with 2 blocks. The Magic even managed to win the free throw battle in spite of Howard's horrendous shooting. The Bull Sharks got surprising weeks from Kaminsky and Simmons, and Westbrook averaged a triple-double, but Andrew Wiggins and Tobias Harris put up disappointing efforts. For the Bull Sharks to compete, they're going to need those two to do more than just score. Tampa Bay gets a tough match-up against Portland, and Orlando gets Seattle.
Toronto (2-0) over Boston (0-2), 6-2-1 What Memphis is to the west, Toronto may be to the east. The Raptors dominated for a second week in a row, and look like the favorite to reach the finals for the first time in their franchise's history. The Raptors have a veritable three-headed monster in DeMarcus Cousins, Kristaps Porzingis and Devin Booker, each of whom has looked unstoppable night in and night out. Toronto has been one of the more consistent franchises in league history, making the playoffs 7 times in 8 years. However, they've never been able to make the conference finals. This looks like the year that changes. For Boston, it was another week of outperforming expectations, but coming up short. Clint Capela and Marcin Gortat were both really good, but the wings didn't hold up their end of the bargain. Boston gets a tough week 3 game against a reeling Warriors team, and Toronto will get the Utah Jazz fresh off a key win over Portland.
Chicago (2-0) over Cleveland (1-1), 5-4 The Bulls held on on the final day to beat the Cavaliers by just 7 points, marking a second consecutive close win. The Bulls had three players reach double-digits in three categories, and Andre Drummond hit it in four. The Cavaliers were led once again by Klay Thompson, Kevin Love and John Wall, but the supporting cast wasn't as consistent as it was last week. The Bulls made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last year, and they appear to be building something sustainable in Chicago. It's been a few years since the Cavaliers have been in the playoffs, but this is a team with history (finals appearance) and the talent to get back. Both teams will be favorites next week. Chicago has OKC and Cleveland takes on Kansas City.
Brooklyn (1-1) over Atlanta (0-2), 8-1 The Nets were able to take out Atlanta despite missing Hassan Whiteside all week. They got the usual great weeks from LeBron James and James Harden, as well as surprisingly good efforts from Taurean Prince and Jeremy Lamb. It was a key win for the Nets in a game featuring not only two teams with playoff aspirations, but one in which the Nets own Atlanta's draft pick. Brooklyn winning this game really was a double whammy for the Hawks. But the Hawks were once again led by rookie of the year favorite Ben Simmons, who averaged nearly 20-9-9 on the week. Atlanta is in a little bit of trouble of falling behind the 8-ball here, as they host the Grizzlies. Brooklyn will look to get to 2-1 against the Gamblers.
Player of the Week: DeMarcus Cousins, Toronto Raptors- 36.3 pts/game, 16 rebs/game, 6.3 asts/game, 8 threes, 5 steals, 4 blocks, 54% FG, 79% FT Performance of the Week: LeBron James, Brooklyn Nets - 29/10/13/0/4 on October 25th
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 6, 2017 0:02:05 GMT -5
Some surprising results in week 3. Recap will be up in the morning.
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Post by teefbe on Nov 6, 2017 10:54:30 GMT -5
I really lost by 7 rebounds/2assists.............
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Post by fernans (MIAMI HEAT) on Nov 6, 2017 12:21:28 GMT -5
I really lost by 7 rebounds/2assists............. I’m just surprised you are that competitive after the awful team you took over.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 6, 2017 14:44:51 GMT -5
It's obviously very early, and much is going to change, but if the playoffs started today Kansas City, Portland and Brooklyn would all be in the playoffs. Those three were in the bottom five of the league last season. As far as this past week is concerned, it was another interconference week, as each Eastern Conference team played a Western Conference team. And this time, the West dominated, taking 7 of the 10 games.
Minnesota (1-2) over Washington (2-1), 5-4 In this week's closest match-up, the Minnesota Timberwolves used two free throws from Jordan Clarkson in the last game of the week to pull out a shocking come from behind upset over the defending Eastern Conference champions. The Timberwolves got a big week from Tyreke Evans, who averaged 24 points per game and hit double figures in four categories. Blake Griffin continues to pace the Wolves, and he's 24-8-4 on the season and hitting 2 threes per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 22-8-4 for the week, but the Wizards really struggled from the floor and it cost them. It was as surprising a loss as any for the Wizards, who looked like a solid bet to get to 3-0. Now? They'll have to avoid falling to .500 against the Portland Trailblazers. Minnesota, on the other hand, will go up against the Boston Celtics with a chance to get back to .500.
Kansas City (2-1) over Cleveland (1-2), 7-2 If it weren't for Minnesota coming back to beat Washington, this match-up would have taken top billing. The Cleveland Cavaliers opened the season with a big win over the Jazz, but they followed it up with a heartbreaking loss to the Bulls. This looked like a chance to get back on the right track, but the Kings had other ideas. Brook Lopez averaged over 22 points per game, hit double figures in four categories and blocked 8 shots. Domantas Sabonis averaged a double-double once again, and Kevin Durant was Kevin Durant. The Cavaliers were let down by Kevin Love, Terry Rozier and Mario Chalmers. They also lost John Wall for a game. It's unlikely that Wall playing on Sunday would have won them the match (unless he grabbed 9 boards, blocked 10 shots and hit 15 threes). One would think Cleveland can get right against the Gamblers, but had the two played this week, Vegas would have won. On the other hand, Kansas City is likely going to fall back to .500 against the Raptors.
Seattle (2-1) over Orlando (1-2), 5-4 There were close games all over the league, and this was no exception. Damian Lillard outscored Brandon Ingram by 16 points on Sunday, and Seattle held off the Magic by just 8 points to move a game over .500. It was a massive week for Lillard, who averaged 34/6/7 and hit 10 threes. Rudy Gobert almost outblocked the Magic himself, swatting 11 shots. For the Magic, Tim Hardaway Jr. hit double figures in four categories and got 8 steals. Other than that, it was another team effort for the Magic keeping them close. Seattle gets a showdown with the Brooklyn Nets, and the Magic face the Trailblazers.
Golden State (1-2) over Boston (0-3), 5-4 The Warriors finally got in the win column, winning a nailbiter over the Celtics by 1 assist and 6 rebounds. Evan Fournier and CJ McCollum hit double figures in four categories. Mike James led the Warriors in assists and Enes Kanter led them in rebounds. For the Celtics, Clint Capela averaged a double-double and blocked 8 shots. Kyle Kuzma continues to surprise as the rookie averaged 18-8 and shot 64% from the floor. If it weren't for the loaded rookie class, Kuzma might be leading the way for rookie of the year. He's been that good. Boston has a chance to get their first win of the season against Minnesota, and Golden State goes up against Tampa Bay to try and get to .500.
Memphis (3-0) over Atlanta (0-3), 7-2 It was closer than anticipated, but a huge final day ultimately helped the Grizz pull away for their third win of the season. Bradley Beal and Victor Oladpio hit double figures in four categories. Beal was especially dominant, averaged 38-5-3. KAT blocked 9 shots, helping the Grizzlies win the category by just 2. Memphis put up a whopping 607 points and 62 three-pointers, and they continue to look unstoppable. The Hawks add one more tough loss to their season, but it was once again offset somewhat by Ben Simmons nearly averaging a triple-double. Things will stay difficult for Atlanta as they now head on the road to the Houston Rockets. Memphis gets the match-up of the week against the undefeated Chicago Bulls.
Portland (2-1) over Tampa Bay (1-2), 8-1 This one was never really close, which has to be a tad disappointing for the Bulls Sharks. Russell Westbrook shot it poorly, Andrew Wiggins continues to struggle outside of scoring, as do both Tobias and Gary Harris. For the Blazers, DeMar DeRozan averaged nearly 25 points per game, DeAndre Jordan averaged a double-double and Eric Gordon dropped 18 three-pointers. Thaddeus Young picked up 9 steals and John Collins blocked 7 shots. It was an all-around performance from the Trailblazers, who bounced back nicely following last week's tough loss to the Jazz. They'll have a big-time match-up against Washington in week 4. Tampa Bay gets Golden State.
Houston (3-0) over Colorado (1-2), 8-1 The Swannies continue to be hampered by injuries, and they really stood no chance to knock off the Rockets. Nikola Jokic was extremely impressive, putting up 16-11-4-2-1 to pace the Rockets. Steph Curry was his usual self, dropping in 15 three-pointers in just 3 games. For the Swannies, Anthony Davis put up 30-12-3-1-2. Other than that, there wasn't much here, though Frank Ntilikina seems to be carving himself out a bigger role as the season goes on. That will certainly be something to watch moving forward (he picked up 10 steals this week, the most on either team). Houston hosts Atlanta. Colorado gets the young, talented, and winless, OKC Thunder.
Chicago (3-0) over Oklahoma City (0-3), 7-2 Speaking of the Thunder, they were dominated by the still undefeated Chicago Bulls. Donovan Mitchell came off the bench to average 19 points per game for the Bulls, just another rookie making his mark on the season. Andre Drummond averaged 17-15 and knocked down 16/20 free throws. The dramatic turnaround of Andre Drummond's free throw shooting is one of the more remarkable stories of the season. Coming into the year, Drummond was, by the numbers, the worst free throw shooter in NBA history. This year, he's shooting 75% on 40 attempts, and even knocked down 14 of 16 in a game this week. If Andre Drummond is even a 60% free throw shooter, it marks one of the greatest improvements ever. For the Thunder, Jimmy Butler continues to underwhelm. Aaron Gordon, on the other hand did his part again averaging 16-8 and knocking down 9 threes. The Thunder will try and get their first win against Colorado, while Chicago gets their toughest test to date against Memphis.
Brooklyn (2-1) over Las Vegas (1-2), 7-2 The Nets won their second straight and got, arguably, the two best individual performances as both LeBron James and James Harden had 50-point double-doubles. For the week, Harden averaged 36-10-3 with 22 three-pointers and 7 steals. James averaged 39-10-7, with 6 steals and 5 blocks. He also shot 64% from the floor and 95% from the line. Somehow, in his 15th season, LeBron James is putting up MVP numbers. It's simply amazing. Kyrie Irving led the Gamblers and hit double figures in 4 categories. Jusuf Nurkic averaged 20-7, and Tyson Chandler averaged 10 rebounds, but there was really no hope for Vegas with both Harden and James putting up monster weeks. Brooklyn gets Seattle next week. Las Vegas faces a reeling Cleveland team.
Toronto (3-0) over Utah (1-2), 6-3 Finally, the Raptors continue to roll over the competition, taking care of the Jazz rather easily. If not for Harden and James, Kristaps Porzingis easily would have had the best overall the week, as he averaged 33.5 points per game, as well as 7 rebounds and 4 blocks. Devin Booker and DeMarcus Cousins both hit double figures in 4 categories, as the three-headed monster dominated again for the Raptors. Gasol, Conley, Lowry and Jackson all struggled, by their standards, and the Jazz just aren't going to beat a dominant team like Toronto when that happens. Toronto faces the surprisingly 2-1 Kings and the Jazz get the Magic.
Player of the Week: LeBron James, Brooklyn Nets- 39 points/game, 10 assists/game, 7 rebounds/game, 3 threes, 6 steals, 5 blocks, 64% FG, 95% FT
Performance of the Week: LeBron James, Brooklyn Nets- 57/11/7/3/2 on November 3
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Post by teefbe on Nov 12, 2017 15:05:35 GMT -5
Idk why but I have a feeling that I'll lose again by something stupid like 1 or 2 AST etc...
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 12, 2017 15:42:21 GMT -5
Idk why but I have a feeling that I'll lose again by something stupid like 1 or 2 AST etc... I feel pretty good about your chances today. You should flip points, while holding onto blocks, assists and boards. Just a matter of percentages.
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Post by teefbe on Nov 13, 2017 7:00:40 GMT -5
First win as a GM in this league! Feels good after last week's brutal loss.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 13, 2017 13:36:46 GMT -5
The East took this week's match-ups, 6-4. After four weeks, the teams in the East are 20-20, same as the teams in the West.
Orlando (2-2) over Utah (1-3), 5-3-1 In this week's closest match-up, the Magic got back to .500 in a come from behind win over the Jazz. Jerami Grant and Goran Dragic each got a block on the last day to tie up blocks and take the win. Goran Dragic led the way on the week hitting double digits in three categories. The Magic had a remarkable 14 game advantage, which is not something you normally see in a one-week game. LaMarcus Aldridge and Kyle Lowry did their parts to keep the Jazz in it, unfortunately, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley both only played two games. Orlando gets a week 5 game against the Boston Celtics and the Jazz take on Oklahoma City.
Boston (1-3) over Minnesota (1-3), 5-4 Another come from behind win, this time it was the Boston Celtics getting their first win of the season. Clint Capela led the way averaging 15-15 with 8 total blocks. Capela outblocked the entire Minnesota team by himself. Blake Griffin led the way for the Timberwolves once again, but he shot poorly at just 31%. Boston gets the Orlando Magic, the new leaders in the South Division, in week 5 while Minnesota will take on Golden State.
Memphis (4-0) over Chicago (3-1), 7-2 The Grizzlies continue to look unstoppable, this time demolishing the previously unbeaten Chicago Bulls. Once again, the Grizzlies got double-double performances from 11 players. They were led by Paul George, who hit double figures in 5 categories and averaged 26 points, 8 boards, 4 assists, 3 steals and hit 15 total three-pointers. It was a welcome sign for the Grizzlies, as George has not had the best start to the season (relative to his previous seasons). Chicago got a monster week from Andre Drummond (12-20), but they received some rough news at the end of the week as star guard D'Angelo Russell will likely miss all of the team's upcoming match-up against the Colorado Swannies. Memphis will likely push their record to 5-0 against Las Vegas.
Brooklyn (3-1) over Seattle (2-2), 7-2 The Nets pushed their winning streak to 3 as they absolutely crushed the Supersonics. The star trio of LeBron, Harden and Whiteside led the way once again, and rookie Dennis Smith had his best week of the season averaging 18-6-6. The Sonics were hit hard by injuries, and it only got worse with Rudy Gobert going down for 4-6 weeks with a knee bruise. Brooklyn will look for a fourth consecutive win against old rival Tampa Bay. Seattle gets the undefeated Rockets.
Portland (3-1) over Washington (2-2), 5-3-1 Buoyed by a thirteen game advantage, the Blazers have bounced back nicely after a tough division loss to the Jazz. Portland is now 3-1 and has matched last season's win total. Bobby Portis burst back onto the season averaging 19-10 in his first three games of the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo was his normal self, hitting double figures in three categories and blocking 8 shots. Unfortunately, they just didn't get enough from their supporting cast. After a 2-0 start, Washington is in trouble of falling to 2-3 against the undefeated Raptors. Portland takes on Kansas City.
Houston (4-0) over Atlanta (0-4), 6-3 Nikola Jokic led the way averaging 23-13-5 while nabbing 7 steals and blocking 3 shots. The Rockets stay undefeated, but the loss of Kawhi Leonard is starting to take it's toll on the Rockets as this match-up was much closer than expected. The Hawks, while falling to 0-4, continue to get better, particularly their two rookies Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons. Ball put up his first triple-double and averaged 13-9-8. Simmons put up 16-7-7. Houston, despite the injuries, will get another banged up opponent in Seattle. Atlanta gets a tough game against Cleveland.
Toronto (4-0) over Kansas City (2-2), 5-4 Despite the 5-4 score, this one was never really in doubt. The Raptors dominated the five categories they won, and they also had a 14 game advantage. DeMarcus Cousins continues his MVP campaign, averaging 30-12-5. Not a whole lot to take from this one for Kansas City. They'll head into a tough match-up with the Blazers. Toronto faces Washington.
Colorado (2-2) over Oklahoma City (0-4), 6-3 Despite having four fewer games, the Swannies matched their win total from last season moving back to .500. Anthony Davis, Buddy Hield and Myles Turner all hit double figures in three categories to get Colorado the win. OKC continues to get subpar games from Jimmy Butler, and they just don't have the depth to make up for that. It's unlikely they'll be able to get their first win next week as they face the Jazz. Colorado heads to Chicago to face the Bulls.
Cleveland (2-2) over Las Vegas (1-3), 7-2 The news is never positive for the Gamblers. Eric Bledsoe finally got back in the game, and the same week Steven Adams and Kyrie Irving both went down. The Cavaliers got triple-double performances from four players. Kevin Love led the way averaging 26-12-3, and John Wall averaged 20-8-5. The Cavaliers will look to get back above the water against Atlanta. Las Vegas gets a tough one with Memphis.
Golden State (2-2) over Tampa Bay (1-3), 8-1 The Warriors won their second consecutive game, beating up on the Bull Sharks. The Warriors are doing all they can to stay in the hunt until IT comes back, and Paul Millsap helped lead the way with double figures in four categories. Russell Westbrook put up 20-7-6-3, but he did not shoot it great. The Warriors can get to 3-2 against Minnesota. Tampa Bay rekindles their rivalry with the Nets.
Player of the Week: Paul George, Memphis Grizzlies- 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 15 threes, 12 steals, 1 block, 47% FG, 76% FT
Performance of the Week: Nikola Jokic, Houston Rockets- 41/12/5/2/2 on November 7
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 20, 2017 13:24:03 GMT -5
Going to have to keep it short today. Some really good, close match-ups around the league.
Golden State (3-2) over Minnesota (1-4), 5-4 The Timberwolves were this close to pulling off the victory, but Jordan Clarkson missed two free throws in the last game of the week and Golden State survived. The Warriors were led by a monster week from CJ McCollum, who hit double figures in five categories. Golden State has rebounded nicely from a tough start, and they've managed to stay afloat with IT's return right around thecorner. Chris Paul returned for the Wolves and put up solid numbers, but it wasn't enough. The Warriors look to keep rolling against the Supersonics, and the Wolves get the division-leading Blazers.
Chicago (4-1) over Colorado (2-3), 5-3-1 In another super close match-up, the Bulls pulled it out by one steal and a Colorado missed free throw. Rookie Donovan Mitchell hit double figures in four categories while also grabbing 8 steals, and Andre Drummond averaged 16 rebounds a game to lead the Bulls. The Swannies continue to go at it extremely short-handed. Colorado has an extremely tough game in week 6 against the Raptors, and Chicago gets a showdown with the Brooklyn Nets.
Seattle (3-2) over Houston (4-1), 6-3 Our upset of the week goes to the Seattle Supersonics, who rode incredible weeks from Damian Lillard and Rodney Hood to victory. Both Hood and Lillard averaged 23 points per game for the week and canned a combined 31 three-pointers. The Rockets did not quite get the week out of Nikola Jokic that they needed, and they're still dealing with numerous injuries (including Leonard's continued absence). Houston will go into their big game against Memphis a little banged up and Seattle gets the Warriors.
Washington (3-2) over Toronto (4-1), 5-3-1 The Wizards roared back from two straight losses to hand the Raptors their first loss of the season. The return of Nic Batum, and the continued brilliance of Giannis Antetokounmpo helped give the Wizards the victory. Despite the loss, the Raptors have to be pleased with how Jaylen Brown has performed. He averaged 21-5 with 2 steals and hit 8 three pointers on the week. The 2nd-year man is giving the the Raptors someone to take the place of Jae Crowder, who's disappeared for most of the season. Toronto will try and get back on track against the Swannies. The Wizards get the Celtics.
Portland (4-1) over Kansas City (2-3), 5-4 The Kings almost pulled off the upset, but they fell two blocks shy. DeMar DeRozan averaged nearly 27 points per game, while Draymond Green and DeAndre Jordan combined for 13 blocks. On the Kansas City side, Kemba Walker averaged 31 points and 6 assists per game. The Kings get another tough game against the Jazz. Portland will try and get to 5-1 against Minnesota.
Cleveland (3-2) over Atlanta (0-5), 6-1-2 The Cavaliers have now won back to back games. It was a team effort for the Cavs, and Denzel Valentine hit double figures in four categories. Dwyane Wade turned back the clock for a game, and both Ben Simmons and Lonzo Ball continue to put up good counting numbers (even if Lonzo isn't shooting the ball well). Atlanta gets a reeling Tampa Bay squad and Cleveland heads into a pivotal match-up with the Magic.
Orlando (3-2) over Boston (1-4), 6-3 Speaking of the Magic, they had a fairly comfortable win against the Celtics. No one really stuck out for Orlando, though Tim Hardaway did hit double figures in four categories. Kyle Kuzma continues to be a bright spot for the Celtics, as he averaged just over 20 points per game for the week. Boston plays Washington and Orlando gets the aforementioned Cavaliers.
Brooklyn (4-1) over Tampa Bay (1-4), 8-1 The Nets won their fourth straight heading into a pivotal early season match-up with the Bulls. James Harden led the way averaged 38-8 on the week while dropping in 15 three-pointers and hitting all 42 of his free throws. LeBron James also continues his MVP-campaign for the Nets, averaging 31-10-9, hitting 10 threes and shooting 56% from the floor. Not a whole lot of positives for Tampa Bay in this one. Russell Westbrook didn't miss a free throw, but he shot extremely poorly. Andrew Wiggins finally averaged more than 1 block and 1 steal on the week but only hit 3 three-pointers. Tampa Bay gets the winless Hawks.
Utah (2-3) over Oklahoma City (0-5), 6-3 The Jazz got back on track with a dominant performance against the winless Thunder. Mike Conley missed almost the entire week for the Jazz, but Lou Williams was a fine substitute averaging 23-6. Kyle Lowry hit double figures in four categories, and Marc Gasol averaged 22-11-5. The Thunder were led by Jimmy Butler and TJ Warren as they continue to wait for the return of Tristan Thompson and Zach LaVine. Utah goes up against Kansas City, while the Thunder will try and get their first win of the year against Las Vegas.
Memphis (5-0) over Las Vegas (1-4), 7-2 It was no contest as the Grizzlies rolled to their fifth straight win to remain as the only unbeaten team in the league. Joel Embiid put up 33-13-4-3 and Bradley Beal hit double figures in four categories. Not much more to say about the Grizzlies, they're just so much better than everyone else it's scary. The Gamblers continue to sputter along, too banged up from injuries to really be a threat in this one. Vegas gets the Thunder and Memphis faces Houston.
Player of the Week: LeBron James, Brooklyn Nets- 31 pts/game, 9.7 rebs/game, 8.7 asts/game, 10 threes, 3 steals, 4 blocks, 56% FG, 61% FT
Performance of the Week: Joel Embiid, Memphis Grizzlies- 46/15/7/0/7 on November 15th
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