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Post by Miege22 on Jan 13, 2022 13:52:56 GMT -5
It is legitimately freaky though.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 13, 2022 14:03:49 GMT -5
PLAYOFF DRAMA GALOREIt's truly amazing how quickly things can change. Just three weeks ago, when looking at the playoff landscape in the West, we declared the Swannies almost dead. Since then, they've ripped off three straight wins, including a potentially significant one over Seattle, to get back into the playoff race. The West is now a complete clusterf***. Four teams are tied for third. Portland, losers of three straight, sit just a game back. And Seattle is still alive, but two games behind. The Thunder have started conference play with five straight wins and look like a formidable playoff team. The Suns inexplicably lost to the Jazz, then bounced back to shut out the Rockets... the second straight week Houston had been blanked. Meanwhile, we warned of a potential COVID storm hitting Kansas City, and, sure enough, they got bombarded during their match-up against OKC. So how are things looking? Who gets in? Look, we don't know the answer to that, but it feels like a safe bet that 12 wins is what it will take to feel safe. Golden State still has Vegas and Utah, so they should get to 12. Portland already has 4 losses. OKC is currently getting blown out by Phoenix, so that will drop them to 4 losses. OKC, Colorado, and Houston all have to play each other still, so it's likely all three will have at least 4 losses. Portland and Seattle play the final week of the season in what could be an elimination game (if both teams are still alive, that is). A lot is currently riding on the KC/Colorado match-up currently taking place. If the Kings win, they're likely in. If the Swannies win, the Kings are going to be in some hot water closing with Houston, Phoenix, and Golden State. Making any kind of prediction is going to prove fruitless, but we'll say that Golden State takes the 1 seed. Phoenix and Kansas City get in as the 2 and 3... then the Rockets and Sonics, yes, the Sonics, sneak in as the 4 and 5. In the East, things have actually gotten... interesting? Yeah, who would have guessed it. The Wizards knocked off the Hawks and Knicks in back-to-back weeks to suddenly, kind of, find themselves in the playoff race. Sure, they're two back, but they now have the tiebreaker over Atlanta and still have Chicago on the schedule. Meanwhile, the Nets won a COVID-filled match-up with Tampa Bay, giving them the inside track on the two seed, and New York's loss (and their weirdly close match-up with the Raptors right now) has given Brooklyn hope for the top seed. It looks likely that this week will tell us a lot. If the scoreboard holds, the Nets and Bull Sharks will clinch playoff spots. The Hawks will move their magic number to one, and the Bulls' week 14 match-up with the Nets will become massively important (the Bulls still have the Knicks and Wizards on the schedule, and losing out would be a disastrous outcome). Playoff seeding probably won't be determined until the Bull Sharks and Hawks square off to end the season. AWARDS RACES COMING DOWN TO THE FINAL STRETCHHad they avoided the upset loss, LeBron likely would have had a rock solid case for MVP. Still, with the other MVP's teams also somewhat faltering (save Jokic's Suns), it's hard not to peg James as the frontrunner. James is now just 0.6 ppg behind KD to lead the league. He's up to 1.7 spg and 1.1 bpg, and he's shooting 52/77% while putting in 2.9 threes per game. Frankly, the only knock on his candidacy is that his teammate, Joel Embiid, could take votes away from him. After LeBron, Jokic is quite clearly ahead of the rest of the field, at this point. He's at almost 26 ppg, grabbing a career-high 14(!) rebounds per game, and he's dishing out 7 apg. He's also shooting an absurd 56% from the floor. Beyond the top teams, it's hard to find a worthy candidate, though if Giannis gets the Wizards into the playoffs, he might be the most deserving. Evan Mobley is still the odds-on favorite to land Rookie of the Year. The Nets' big man is first among all rookies in rebounds and blocks. He's fourth in points per game, and he's first in field goal percentage among those that have played at least 800 minutes. And to top it all off, the Nets are a potential top-2 seed. Josh Giddey might be second on that list right now. In the last 30 days, he's averaged 13-9-8 and helped keep the Swannies alive in the playoff race. Cade Cunningham, Franz Wagner, and Scottie Barnes all deserve shout-outs, as does the unheralded Herb Jones. Recently called up by the Warriors, Jones dropped 14 points in his first official match-up of the season. He could play a key role for the Warriors down the stretch. Most Improved is probably still one of Bridges, Garland, or Cole Anthony, but Kyle Kuzma has exploded onto the scene for that award. Over the last two weeks, Kuzma has averaged 26 and 12 on 56% shooting. Not to be outdone, another former Laker has steadily worked his way into this conversation. Kansas City's Josh Hart has averaged 17-9-5 over the last month, and the assist increase has been huge for the Kings after the Rubio injury. Two other players we want to mention: Ja Morant (potentially a future MVP) and Desmond Bane. Defensive Player of the Year is a weird one. Do the voters go with the superstar carrying the load on both ends (LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo)? The role player that kind of holds the defense together (Robert Williams, Evan Mobley, Robert Covington, Jarrett Allen)? Or the specialist who's just there to play D and go home (Matisse Thybulle, Nerlens Noel). There's always a number of different opinions, so pinning down a favorite is essentially impossible. Finally, GM of the Year. Last year this was Sir Poopy's award, going away. This year, any number of owners could get it. House money, right now, is probably on Golden State, but Phoenix is making a late charge, and if Colorado makes the playoffs, they will certainly be deserving. It's hard to include anyone in the East, but if the Nets somehow land the top seed, they could definitely steal some votes. We may not even have a favorite by the time the season is over.
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Post by crossover (Golden St. GM) on Jan 13, 2022 14:06:29 GMT -5
You should post last seasons as a comparison.
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Post by crossover (Golden St. GM) on Jan 13, 2022 14:11:01 GMT -5
Some teams are too worried about rankings and this win or that win.
Teams have proven in the past that you just have to make the playoffs.....
Just look at Chicago and his amazing run last season.
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Post by Kots (Colorado GM) on Jan 13, 2022 20:02:46 GMT -5
Finally Reddish is free from the wing logjam at Atlanta.
Now please Pacers let Turner be next. Calling on Charlotte or OKC!!
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Post by Kots (Colorado GM) on Jan 13, 2022 20:06:14 GMT -5
Some teams are too worried about rankings and this win or that win. Teams have proven in the past that you just have to make the playoffs..... Just look at Chicago and his amazing run last season. That's right but you gotta get there first. And just losing a matchup really hurts your chances. Losing on the last day of a matchup after leading all week stings!!
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 16, 2022 13:44:02 GMT -5
Some quick updates heading into the last day of games...
Brooklyn and Tampa Bay have clinched their playoff spots.
Atlanta moved one step closer.
The Bulls might be sweating things out if the Raptors can upset the Knicks.
Out West, the Kings will have wrapped up a playoff spot barring a miraculous game from Jeff Green.
If the Warriors hang on today, they will, for all intents and purposes, clinch a spot (they won't, technically, but with the Gamblers still on their schedule, I think it's safe to assume).
The Suns and Rockets will move above the fray, though they both have remaining schedules that will determine their respective fates.
The Jazz are likely in position to sit their players, depending on this early game.
The universe has conspired against the Blazers, knocking KD out for the rest of our season. A loss doesn't eliminate them, but it makes it very tough.
Colorado and OKC will be tied for the 5th seed, with Portland and, potentially, Seattle breathing down their necks. These two face off next week.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 16, 2022 21:42:36 GMT -5
I think that's it for GS-SEA. Might have eliminated the Sonics.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 16, 2022 22:29:00 GMT -5
Knicks survive
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Post by fernans (MIAMI HEAT) on Jan 18, 2022 13:45:57 GMT -5
fantasy basketball is annoying af recently.
for example, ayo dosunmu.
game 1: 32 minutes, 2 rebounds, that's literally it (vince mcmahon not impressed) game 2: 40 minutes, 21 pts, 4 rbs, 10 asts (mcmahon interested) game 3: 38 minutes, 15 pts, 10 rbs, 6 asts, 5 stls, 2 blks (mcmahon blown away)
but fr tho, how can anyone run a team this way?
watch him get a tony snell special in 15 minutes for his next game smh
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 18, 2022 13:57:22 GMT -5
I can do you one better...
Facu Campazzo:
5-2-4 6-3-7 1-4-8 2-5-5 18 points, 12 assists, 4 steals! 9-3-5 2-1-1
WTF?
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 18, 2022 13:59:45 GMT -5
For the longest time, my fantasy basketball moneyball was consistency. Give me the guy that I know will hit 15-5-5 every game over the guy who will average 15-5-5, but one game he'll follow up 30 point outings with 5 point duds. It's why I loved having LeBron, KD, and Harden. You knew what those guys were giving you night in and night out.
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Post by Phoenix Suns on Jan 18, 2022 15:18:25 GMT -5
Are you talking about the Evan Fournier special?
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 22, 2022 10:27:56 GMT -5
If I'm looking at the brackets correctly, Golden State is in line for its highest seed ever.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 22, 2022 10:29:38 GMT -5
We're also in a position right now, where the top 3 seeds in the west have never made the finals, so that's fun.
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