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Post by Miege22 on Oct 19, 2022 16:19:07 GMT -5
Some may quibble with this selection. After all, there are other match-ups that might jump off the page before this one (SEA/POR, TB/MIA, MEM/ATL, PHX/GS), but we're not here to tell you why this match-up is more important than those. Rather, we're here to shine a spotlight on what could be the beginning of the end of Toronto's playoff drought. The Raptors were once a playoff mainstay. They made the playoffs in 8 of the league's first 9 seasons. Sadly, they were never able to put together a run once in the postseason. Toronto is a staggering 1-8 in the playoffs. At some point, that luck is going to turn around, but first... they've got to get back into the playoffs. And this could just be the year of the Raptor. Brooklyn, Orlando, and Washington all look to be a step behind this Toronto team, which means they need to sneak past just two other Eastern Conference opponents to get in. The Bulls... could be one of those teams. But don't tell Chicago that. Just one year removed from winning the whole thing, Chicago is a drastically different team. Nearly everyone from that title-winning roster is gone, but the Bulls feel they're deeper, and that all the pieces for contention are here. Week one will go a long way in determining if Chicago is a title contender, or if Toronto will crash the party.
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Post by Miege22 on Oct 24, 2022 9:16:24 GMT -5
Week 1 had some big results that might have a crucial impact on the playoff race late in the season. Let's jump right in... Chicago Bulls (1-0) over Toronto Raptors (0-1), 6-3A back-and-forth affair that ended with the Bulls winning by a single point and four turnovers, the match-up of the week lived up to the billing. Ja Morant did everything he could to get the win for Toronto, averaging over 34 points and 7 assists for the week, but he was played to a near draw by new Chicago Bull De'Aaron Fox (32-6-7). Seeing Fox play so brilliantly had to make the Bulls feel good after they sent out a lot to bring in the freshly re-signed point guard. If he and Kristaps Porzingis can continue to play well, and the Bulls get enough from their supporting cast, there is no reason this team can't make another run back to the Finals. The East is certainly better than last year, but, outside of New York, there isn't really another juggernaut here. Speaking of the Knicks, they're next up for Chicago, while Toronto will try and rebound at home against Washington. Houston Rockets (1-0) over OKC Thunder (0-1), 7-2The Rockets made a statement to start the season, and they look like the team to beat already. Damian Lillard exploded back on the scene, dropping 41 in back-to-back games (34-5-4 average on the week), and Steph Curry did Steph Curry things (33-5-4 with 16 threes). They even got Zion back looking good, but a hard fall at the end of the week could potentially keep him out for some or all of week 2. Health will never be more important than it is this year in a loaded Western Conference, especially in this division. The Rockets will get Colorado next, looking to enact some measure of revenge after last year's devastating near miss of the playoffs. OKC played well, particularly Luka (34-8-8) and Tatum (35-8-3), but they were killed by a lack of depth. Injuries and open roster spots meant only 8 players saw the floor this past week, and that just won't get it done against the best in the West. The same could hold true against Golden St. in week 2. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (1-0) over Miami Heat (0-1), 5-4This one looked like it was going to be all Heat until the weekend, when Tampa flipped the match-up and held on for a key week 1 win. Miami made a lot of moves to improve and get back into playoff contention, but they're still waiting on most of their youth to get a fair shake. A bigger concern might be Chris Paul's seemingly inexplicable inability to put the ball in the hoop. He shot just 9/28 this week, though he did still average 11 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals per game. Miami can wait for the scoring if he continues to contribute in other areas, but week 2 brings a Hawks team looking to get back on the right track. Tampa Bay struggled early on, and there may be some concerns to keep an eye on moving forward - notably the decreased production of big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Domantas Sabonis. They got a boost late in the week from Zach LaVine, and it was enough to get the job done. While this team may not be in New York's class, no East team is, they're still a solid playoff team if they want to be. They should get to 2-0 with rival Brooklyn in town. Washington Wizards (1-0) over Orlando Magic (0-1), 5-3-1Holy Giannis, Batman! The Greek Freak played just two games, and he averaged 32.5/12.5/5.5, helping propel Washington to their first win of the season. The real fun here is Jaden Ivey. The Wizards may have hit on this kid. Ivey averaged 18-5-6 on 50% shooting. Outside of those two, there weren't a ton of exciting performances, just steady outputs. Brunson was steady. Bane didn't shoot well, but he produced. When these two teams play again, it might not be the same result, but the Wizards will take the win heading into their game against Toronto. Orlando may have lost, but the upside here is starting to look pretty good. Nic Claxton looked great. Jordan Poole closed the week strong. Collin Sexton had a nice return to action. And Franz Wagner picked up where he left off last year. It's still going to be a transition year, and they could be 0-2 with Memphis up next, but one more strong off-season might have the Magic at the top of the conference. Memphis Grizzlies (1-0) over Atlanta Hawks (0-1), 6-2-1Speaking of the Grizzlies, buddy, they looked pretty good. It's been a tough few years for the Grizzlies. They made the Finals in 2019, but injuries cost them, and the hits just kept coming in the following years. However, Kawhi is back (though being managed quite carefully), as is TJ McConnell, and DeAndre Ayton is still playing well even if he's not thrilled where he is. The big story for Memphis are the rookies. My goodness, the rookies. Paolo and Mathurin might be duking it out against one another for rookie of the year. Paolo averaged 23-9-3 and 2 blocks per game, while Mathurin put up 24-6-2 and knocked down 11 threes. After landing Scottie last year, the Grizz seem to be building another juggernaut, similar to what they did leading up to their dominant 2017-2019 run. Atlanta, on the other hand, got a great week from Jaylen Brown and... not a ton else. D'Angelo Russell was ok. Rui Hachimura was ok. But Kyrie Irving struggled, and Mitch Robinson got benched in the season opener. Even with a largely poor showing, the Hawks lost by just one three and one steal. This team is right there, they just need a little more on the margins. Utah Jazz (1-0) over Las Vegas Gamblers (0-1), 7-2The Jazz were simply too good for Vegas, there's no other way to put it. Once again, Utah just brings in solid dudes. DeMar put up 27-5-5, John Collins was 19-10-2-2, Jordan Clarkson averaged 19, and Lauri Markkanen is in the early lead for MIP (24-10-4). Before the season, most probably had the Jazz in 8th or 9th in the West. Now? There's no reason this team can't make a surprise playoff appearance. Utah would have beaten every West team this week, save Houston, and they're looking at a 2-0 start with the Kings coming up. Vegas, man, at some point, it's going to turn for the Gamblers. This team is going to catch some teams off guard though. MPJ looked good in his return. Bojan Bogdanovic was a flamethrower, and Kelly Oubre was solid. They probably won't surprise Portland in week 2, but it's coming. Colorado Swannies (1-0) over Kansas City Kings (0-1), 6-2-1This week was all about survival for Colorado. They somehow lost Myles Turner in pre-game before the season opener. They lost Garland less than one half in. They'd already lost LaMelo and Timelord. They simply had to hold on against a Kings team led by a dominant Donovan Mitchell (33-5-7), and that's exactly what they did. One three and a couple of blocks helped give them the win. They can thank Anthony Davis (25/8/3/2), Gordon Hayward (19-3-5), and Josh Hart (13-10-4), the latter two key free agent signings made to fortify their depth. It's likely three of those four injured players will miss next week against Houston (Timelord is definitely out), so Colorado will be behind the 8-ball, but just get them back and figure it out is still kind of the option. The Kings went all in on a star backcourt, and had SGA not been inexplicably sat to end the week (30/4.5/6), they probably would have won their opener. Outside of those two, Jerami Grant, Walker Kessler, and Jaylen Nowell looked solid. It's going to be an uphill climb for these Kings though. Phoenix Suns (1-0) over Golden St. Warriors (0-1), 5-3-1A massive win for the Phoenix Suns, a team that our Power Rankings committee could not pin down. Nikola Jokic was awesome, averaging 24-11-10. The rest of the team was just solid, but the good kind of solid where they put up numbers in key categories. This team also knocked down 88/100 free throws. Again, good solid. The West being what it is, the Suns won't have much time to celebrate this win since they'll welcome in a very good Seattle team in week 2. Golden St. got monster weeks from Devin Booker (32-3-5) and Pascal Siakam (28-10-7), but it wasn't quite enough. Of the young Spurs on this roster, Tre Jones looked very good. Josh Primo did not. The depth is a little sketchy for the defending champions, but they should have the slight advantage there over the Thunder. New York Knicks (1-0) over Brooklyn Nets (0-1), 6-3Boy, the Knicks are the clear East favorites, aren't they? They had zero problems with a mediocre Brooklyn team. Joel Embiid had a tough start to the season... and he averaged 27-13-4. LeBron James may not have a real life win, but he's still been a fantasy stud (27-11-7). The early returns on their Donovan Mitchell trade have been good. McCollum put up 23-5-7, Christian Wood averaged 25-10, Harrison Barnes was there. This is a really damn good team, and that's with Miles Bridges just taking up a roster spot. There are definitely moves to be made for this Knicks team to get even better. They've got a big showdown coming up with Chicago. The Nets did not look good. Well, Brandon Ingram and Keldon Johnson looked good. The rest of the team did not. Ben Simmons, they hope, is still getting back into game shape. Jalen Suggs had a really good opener, then sprained his ankle in game 2 and is out for the foreseeable future. Evan Mobley is working his way back from an ankle sprain, and he tweaked it to end the week. Mark Williams played one minute. This team is loaded with young players, so it's going to be stilted, and you're just looking for good games here and there to keep people interested. Portland Trailblazers (1-0) over Seattle Supersonics (0-1), 5-4The Sonics led this match-up for darn near the entire week, until Portland flipped it in the last game on Sunday. Trae Young shot the ball horribly, but you would expect that to sort itself out. John Wall's return to form has to give Portland a ton of confidence that they can get back to the playoffs and make a real run at this thing. Kevin Durant averaged 29.5 ppg, and Brook Lopez returned to block 7 shots. They're going to need more from RJ Barrett though, but they might not need it this week against Vegas. There really isn't a reason Seattle lost here. No one played terribly, though you would like to see Bam try and score more (only 14 ppg). Seattle simply lost a toss-up, and it could be a different story when these two teams play again late in the year.
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Post by Miege22 on Oct 24, 2022 9:18:43 GMT -5
For about six days, this looked like it would be a battle between two 1-0 teams trying to assert their dominance in the Pacific Division. Instead, after a late Portland comeback, it has become a crucial early-season game for the Seattle Supersonics. Phoenix already scored a huge division win against the defending champions, the Golden St. Warriors, and a win here over Seattle would really give them a kickstart to the season as they look to make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history.
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Post by Miege22 on Oct 31, 2022 10:17:44 GMT -5
Parity has reigned supreme throughout the league early on. After two weeks, we're down to just 4 unbeatens and 4 winless teams. The remaining 12 are all 1-1 (compared to last year, when we had 7 unbeatens and 7 winless through two weeks). We could be looking at the most wide open playoff race we've seen in a long, long time. Seattle Supersonics (1-1) over Phoenix Suns (1-1), 6-3Once again, our matchup of the week did not disappoint. This was a back-and-forth affair that ended with Seattle winning by just 1 assist and 2 steals. Big shoutout to Kevin Porter Jr. in this one. After a tumultuous couple of seasons, KPJ looks to coming into his own, and he was fantastic to the tune of 23/7/5/2 on the week. While the rest of the Sonics didn't up any outlier performances, they did enough to avoid a dangerous 0-2 hole. The Suns are going to rue a couple of missed opportunities, but they're still in a good spot. That they were this close to being 2-0 with Jokic averaging just 21 ppg should be cause for optimism. Oh, and Anfernee Simons is a flamethrower (17 threes in three games), so they've got that going for them. The Suns can get back above .500 against the Gamblers, while the Sonics head into a pivotal showdown with the reeling Warriors. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (2-0) over Brooklyn Nets (0-2), 6-3At this point, the Bull Sharks have to be looking around and wondering "how did I get here?" Sure, the Nets aren't any good, but Tampa looked to be on the ropes just five days into the season. Instead, they came back to beat Miami, and they're now just one of two remaining unbeatens in the East. They're not playing particularly well; it's been touch and go with their big three (LaVine, KAT, Sabonis), as all are in new situations (or in LaVine's case, coming off injury). Three cheers for Kevin Love's 29 points and 8 threes slamming the door shut on Brooklyn. We'll get a real sense for how the Bull Sharks may handle this season with Atlanta up next. Brooklyn is in just as peculiar a spot as Tampa, though they're obviously not as good. Ben Simmons continues to have a rough go of it, but there are signs of life from the kids. Shaedon Sharpe averaged 13 ppg, Evan Mobley is getting back into the swing of it (18/7/3/1/1), and Lu Dort rebounded from a hellacious shooting week in week 1. The two real bright spots for Brooklyn? Keldon Johnson looks like a stud (26/4/5) and they may have something with Jalen McDaniels (12/8/2). We'll see if they can get their first win of the year in Washington. Atlanta Hawks (1-1) over Miami Heat (0-2), 7-2Look, we're just not going to touch the heinous things Kyrie promoted. Everyone should understand why it was wrong, and plenty of other places cover it in more detail. We're just going to get that out of the way now, because Irving was key to the Hawks' victory this week. He was sublime on the court (35/7/4), and he's going to have to be to keep Atlanta in the playoff race. Outside of Jaylen Brown, the rest of the cast has been largely mediocre. However, that doesn't mean they haven't been helpful. Mitchell Robinson blocked 11 shots. Graham and O'Neale combined for 21 threes. D'Angelo Russell picked up 8 steals. All of those things were crucial to the win. One just has to wonder if it'll be enough to get them over the hump with Washington, Orlando, and Toronto all looking better than expected. A key test with Tampa awaits. Miami didn't play poorly, necessarily, but their start is a nice reminder that it's hard to win with kids making up most of your roster. And make no mistake, that's largely what the Heat are. Keegan Murray, Jabari Smith, Day'Ron Sharpe, Killian Hayes, Moses Moody... all are kids. While guys like Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein are nice pieces to round out your roster, they can't be in your top-7 if you expect to compete for a title. That said, Murray averaged 20 ppg last week, and both Allen and Herro should be building blocks. There's a lot to like here, it may just take a year to gel. We'll see if Miami can get their first win against Orlando. Houston Rockets (2-0) over Colorado Swannies (1-1), 5-4 With the Swannies missing Darius Garland, LaMelo Ball, Myles Turner, Robert Williams, and Josh Giddey, this one was far closer than it had any right to be. In fact, Colorado led heading into the weekend, before the Rockets exploded and slammed the door shut. This Rockets team is humming. Steph might be MVP (29/8/6.5 with 18 threes). PJ Washington and Kevin Huerter have taken advantage of their opportunities. And Zion brushed off a hip injury to post 21-12-7 to close the week. This team is just solid up and down the board, though they will be without Dame Lillard for a short stretch due to a calf strain. Will his absence impact them against a feisty Utah team? Colorado got dominated from a minutes perspective, which makes sense give their injuries. However, Myles Turner did get back into the lineup for two games, and he blocked 9 shots. AD continues to post numbers despite a balky back (23/15/4/2/2). If they can just get their guys healthy, this team is bound to make noise. There are no nights off in the West though, and OKC is on deck. Portland Trailblazers (2-0) over Las Vegas Gamblers (0-2), 7-233/5/4/1/2 from Kevin Durant. 38-4-8 from Trae Young. Thank you for playing Gamblers, have a good night. Portland has relied heavily on KD and Trae, and both have come through thus far. There are signs that Draymond Green is coming to life (11-8-6), and RJ Barrett shot 43% from the floor. That's not great, sure, but it's not going to tank you. Jakob Poeltl was also fantastic this week (13/13/4/1/1), and he's in the running for Most Improved Player. This will be an interesting week for Portland with the wild card Kings in town. Vegas is... getting there. Cade put up 26-8-7, and these numbers are getting to be more consistent from him. If they could get Oubre and Klay going from the floor, they'll surprise some teams. They also went IN for Bol Bol on the FA market, and he should certainly help a team thirsting for blocks. Kansas City Kings (1-1) over Utah Jazz (1-1), 6-3This. This is what the Kings envisioned when they went all in for Donovan Mitchell. The young(ish) two-guard is in the early MVP running after putting up 31-4-8 on the week. Throw in SGA's monster stat line (32/5/8/3/1), and the Kings may just have the best backcourt in the entire league. The problem, of course, is the frontcourt is just not there. The Kings, through two weeks, are 19th in rebounds and 12th in blocks. There will be weeks like this one, where Mitchell and SGA are so good they win by themselves, but the West is so stacked, it's hard to see that becoming a theme. They'll need Walker Kessler, Jaylin Williams, Jerami Grant, and Kevon Looney to step up. Tough loss for the Jazz, as Lauri Markkanen, DeMar DeRozan, and John Collins are tapered off just enough to open the door for KC. Buddy Hield, on the other hand, put up 21-6-5 and knocked down 20 threes, so you take the good with the bad. This is still a team that can beat anyone on the right night, the floor is just going to be a little lower than, say, Houston... who they have next. Chicago Bulls (2-0) over New York Knicks (1-1), 7-2Watch out, Eastern Conference, there's a new team on the top tier. The Chicago Bulls put together a dominant performance and made an early season statement with their win over the New York Knicks. Their big trades paid massive dividends, with De'Aaron Fox averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds(!), and both Maxey and LeVert dropping 40+ point games. LeVert has really struggled shooting the ball, but he's been an all-around force with season averages of 15/3.5/7. Maxey has shot it insanely well to start the season, and he's now averaging 23-4-3 on the year. He's another name in the MIP race. If the Bulls can continue to get this kind of production out of their backcourt, then the frontcourt simply needs to continue to be solid to keep them in the title race. The Bulls really have a chance to cement themselves as favorites with Memphis up next. The Knicks can't feel too broken up about the loss. After all, they lost by just four free throws, one field goal, and fourteen points. If Embiid doesn't miss a game in Toronto, then they probably with this one. However, that's how it goes with Embiid, and it's why the Knicks went all in on depth. This week, it just wasn't quite enough, but these weeks will likely be few and far between. A frisky Raptors team awaits. Toronto Raptors (1-1) over Washington Wizards (1-1), 6-3Speaking of the Raptors, we didn't call them frisky for no reason. Despite incredible weeks from Giannis (36-15-6) and Bane (34-4-4 with 17 threes), the Raptors were still able to do enough to get the win. The story here is the absolute star turn of Tyrese Haliburton. After a great end to the season, Haliburton has picked up right where he left off and is now averaging 22-5-9 with 1.6 steals on the season. Yet another MIP contender. Combine him with Ja Morant (30-6.5-6.5 on the week), and you've got a devastating PG combo. If this team could get anything from their inconsistent bigs, they can make a run to the playoffs. Alas, that may be a year away with their youth, but we'll find out for sure this week against the Knicks. For Washington, Jalen Brunson played well (along with the aforementioned Giannis and Bane), but it was a tough week for basically everyone else on the roster. That's just the way it goes with role players. Some weeks are great, others are... well, this. The Nets are a possible bounce back for Washington in week 3. OKC Thunder (1-1) over Golden St. Warriors (0-2), 5-4And now things get dangerous for our defending champions. They're not out of it yet, but an 0-2 start in this conference is tough. These first two losses have been particularly agonizing given how close the margins were. While Devin Booker (27-3-6), Pascal Siakam (23-8-8), and Jimmy Butler (21-6.5-6) continue to play well, the rest of the roster is simply letting them down. FVV and Tre Jones combined to shoot under 30%. Thybulle and NAW aren't getting consistent minutes, and Josh Primo was straight up cut last week. This team is still good enough to get it together and make a run, but the others need to step up. A tough game against Seattle is up next. Let's not focus too much on the loser in this one though, because the Thunder rebounded from a tough opening loss behind a MONSTER performance from Luka. The early MVP frontrunner had a pair of 40+ point games en route to a 38-10-9 week. With Tatum playing well (27-6-4), it was just too much for the Dubs. Next up for the Thunder are the perennially banged up Swannies (now without Josh Hart). A win here gets OKC right back in the thick of it. Orlando Magic (1-1) over Memphis Grizzlies (1-1), 5-4Just one week after it looked like Memphis was back in the race for the top of the East, the Orlando Magic showed us this is going to be a thoroughly unpredictable season. You could feel something turning in their opening week loss to the Wizards. The Magic were right there despite Giannis' brilliance. In week 2, it came together, thanks to a huge showing from Jordan Poole. His 30 points and 4 assists on Sunday, flipped a 3-6 deficit into a 5-4 win. You'd still like to see a little more from the bigs, and Isaac Okoro continues to be MIA, but the guard play is there. If Orlando can beat the Heat, and you'd be hard-pressed to argue against it the way Miami has looked, this team will springboard into the playoff conversation. Memphis, on the other hand, was largely hurt by a minutes disparity they firmly chalk up to injuries. Paolo Banchero and Ben Mathurin continue to be 1-2 in the ROY race, but those injuries... who knows if and when Kawhi will play again and now DeAndre Ayton is out. This week against Chicago will tough, but a loss won't kill them this early.
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Post by Miege22 on Oct 31, 2022 10:22:26 GMT -5
Week 3's Game of the Week brings us back to the Eastern Conference, where the undefeated Tampa Bay Bull Sharks take on their division rival, the Atlanta Hawks. The Bull Sharks are fresh off a win over the Brooklyn Nets, but it remains to be seen if this team is dead set on contending this season. With the Knicks and Bulls looking quite formidable, Tampa will have some decisions to make. In the meantime, they'll get an Atlanta team that dominated the Miami Heat in week 2. The Hawks have gotten excellent production out of their dynamic duo, Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown, but trouble may lie ahead for Irving after some questionable (to put it lightly) off-the-floor comments. The Hawks have tried to fortify their depth over recent weeks, bringing in Josh Richardson and Cedi Osman, but they'll need Irving and Brown to continue to put up numbers if they want to make it back to the postseason.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 7, 2022 10:02:37 GMT -5
The league has been turned on it's head through three weeks. The defending champs? Winless. The East's "clear cut best team"? Sitting in fourth... in the division. There have been shockers up and down the scoreboard, and we're getting close to saying some of these results aren't actually surprising anymore. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (3-0) over Atlanta Hawks (1-2), 6-3For the first time this year, our match-up of the week didn't live up to the hype. Tampa Bay had no problems with the Hawks, thanks in large part to a massive minutes advantage. Of course, some of that also had to do with the Kyrie Irving suspension, which has Atlanta reeling. After trading De'Aaron Fox for picks, the Bull Sharks were kind of on the fence with regard to the season. Do they sell off and rebuild, or try and reload and make a run? Well, after a 3-0 start, and a 2-game lead in the division, it might be time to give this thing an honest go. Wendell Carter had a big-time week, putting up 20-10, while KAT has started to pick up the production (24-10-6 on the week). They've also gotten timely contributions from Kevin Love (13-8-4) and Mike Conley (15-3-7). This team has the stars. They have the role players. And with Memphis next, they could have a three-game lead over their closest competitor. Atlanta is now in something of the opposite camp. By no means are the Hawks out of the playoff race, but two of their key players (Irving and Mitch Rob) are on the shelf for this next match-up against Orlando. The Hawks have really struggled to get anyone going outside of Jaylen Brown, but if they had played the Magic this week, it would have been a dead heat. Get through this week, and they should hopefully have Irving and Robinson back to make a run. Portland Trailblazers (3-0) over Kansas City Kings (1-2), 6-3After a disappointing, injury-laden season, the Blazers have leapt to the top of the Western Conference three weeks in. They had no problems with a feisty Kings team (an almost 300 more minutes certainly helped). KD continues an MVP-level season (31-9-7 this week). Trae Young continues his shooting struggles, but he still put up 22-9. Paul George was a monster (32/6/6/2), and RJ Barrett shot 51% from the floor! The Blazers are deep, but the Reggie Jackson/John Wall injury situations are things to monitor. They get a tough Phoenix match-up next. The Kings were once again hurt by their depth. Mitchell (29-5-4) and SGA (30-3-4) put up great weeks, and Dinwiddie was solid (21/3/6/3). Oh, and Jerami Grant was 22-4-4... but that was about it. The Kings are probably could enough to sneak some wins, as evidenced by their victory over Utah, but they'll be hard-pressed to do it every week. OKC is next. Miami Heat (1-2) over Orlando Magic (1-2), 6-3After an abysmal opening two weeks, the Heat finally got one in the win column over their in-state rival. Jarrett Allen was solid (18-10 and 2 blocks). Chris Paul was ok (12/5/9/2). Alex Caruso put up 11 assists and 2 steals on Sunday to seal it. Still wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. They've got a big-time game coming up against a struggling Knicks team. Orlando couldn't keep up the momentum following their week 2 win, but they were right there. Nic Claxton had 12 blocks. Franz Wagner averaged 23 ppg. Honestly, we're going to see a lot of recaps like this as we move throughout the season. So many teams are on the same level, that almost every match-up is going to be a coin toss. That's likely to be the case for Orlando with Atlanta in week 4. Seattle Supersonics (2-1) over Golden St. (0-3), 7-2Lotta fascinating storylines out of this one. Seattle won, but they've been hit hard by injuries and COVID. Harden is out for at least a month. Beal and Gobert are both in protocols. They have Houston this week, so that's probably a loss. As for the game against Golden St., the Sonics cruised. Dejounte Murray has been awesome (26/6/10/3 this week), and KPJ put up numbers despite not shooting well (16-6-5). Seattle is still rolling with 12 players, but 10 of them are legit contributors, so it's been fine to this point. Eventually, though, they'll want to fill those roster spots. Golden St., meanwhile, has reached gut check time. Crowder is still out, as are Tate and DiVincenzo. Now Pascal Siakam is out. Josh Primo is gone. NAW, Griffin, Thybulle, and Livers have not provided much. A loss to the Gamblers, and things will get really bleak for the defending champs. There's still top-end star talent on the roster, but the depth they had last year completely disappeared. They're going to need Booker, Butler, FVV, and Vuc to carry them. Colorado Swannies (2-1) over OKC Thunder (1-2), 4-4-1 (COL wins on points)Colorado completed the final day comeback as OKC's lack of depth hurt them again. The Swannies were down 64 points heading into Sunday, but they got 71 from their five players to flip the match-up and pick up a key early season division win. It will be interesting to see what the Swannies do moving forward. There are really good pieces here, but the injury concerns are very real. Will they make a move to solidify the roster and make a real run at it? They get another tough division match-up against Utah this week. OKC faced a minutes deficit of over 300 minutes, and, much like Seattle, it's time for them to fill their open spots. Unlike the Sonics, the depth has not been all that good (Doke and Baldwin don't play, Curry and White have been hurt). Luka Doncic is putting up an historic season (34-7-9 this week), but without some depth, it could be all for naught. A fascinating match-up with Kansas City awaits. Utah Jazz (2-1) over Houston Rockets (2-1), 7-1-1It's time we just say it... the Jazz are good. They didn't blow out Houston, but they weren't in danger when we got to the weekend. This Utah team just has dudes. Markkanen (23-10), DeMar (24-5), Hield (24-6-4), and Clarkson (19-6-6) have all been really good. Russ and Murray have found their rhythms. Bobby Portis is rebounding everything in sight. They're just good. If they beat Colorado, they'll be first in the division at the quarter mark, and there's no reason to believe they won't be in the playoff race. Houston may have lost, but we all know that won't happen to often to the Rockets. They have nothing to be concerned about, though with Dame coming back, they're going to have to decide on a player to waive. With a banged up Seattle team in week 4, Houston should get back on the winning track. Washington Wizards (2-1) over Brooklyn Nets (0-3), 6-3The Wizards are going to go as far as Giannis, Brunson, and Bane take them, and so far... they're taking them to good places. Giannis was 30-11-6, Brunson put up 22-3-7, and Bane averaged 25-6-4. When those three have that kind of week, the Wizards can beat anyone. They also welcomed back Herb Jones, a big return for Washington. Now, it'll be tough for Washington with Chicago coming up this week. But win that? Woo buddy, we're going to have to have the playoff convo. On the Nets' side, it's the same old same old. The team isn't good. The kids aren't ready, and everyone is getting hurt. The high scorer on the week had 41 points. That's just bad. Maybe they can beat Toronto, but who knows. Toronto Raptors (2-1) over New York Knicks (1-2), 5-4Speaking of Toronto, they're suddenly 2-1 after a shocking upset of the Knicks (and they're a hair away from a 3-0 start). The Raptors won despite a minutes deficit. No one for the Raps really put up any outlier performances. Even Ja and Green shot it poorly. The big story here might be the Knicks' bench struggles. Embiid missing the week was obviously the difference, but Barnes has struggled, Powell has struggled, Derrick White has struggled. Kyle Lowry is a shell of himself. Moving to the stars, LeBron's shooting has completely fallen off a cliff. At the end of the day, the Knicks are still deep enough to make a Finals run, but we might need to recalibrate just how good they are if Embiid continues to have injury issues. Phoenix Suns (2-1) over Las Vegas Gamblers (0-3), 5-4The Gamblers are frisky, and it has made for some intriguing weeks out West. Phoenix managed to hang on by just one free throw (one more make for Vegas or one more miss for Phoenix). The Suns were facing a minutes deficit and Jokic only played two games, so that explained some of it. Simons also missed the last two games. However, Bol Bol (13-8 and 2 blocks) has been a revelation for Vegas. On the Suns side, OG Anunoby was an absolute defensive monster. He had 16 steals in this match-up, almost single-handedly winning the category by himself. He also hit all six of his free throws, which, while it doesn't sound like a lot, made the difference. Vegas is much better and will win some games, but Adams and Cam Johnson are both hurt, which doesn't bode well. Chicago Bulls (3-0) over Memphis Grizzlies (1-2), 6-3The Bulls are the best team in the East. Obviously a lot of season left to play, but the depth is just better than maybe everyone else in the conference. LeVert was 14-6-4 this week. Zubac was 13/11/2/2/3. They have some guys who might not be performing to quite the level you would hope, but they're all still solid. Memphis continues to get really good rookie performances from Banchero and Mathurin, and Jrue put up 22-8-7. However, they need Ayton and maybe, probably, Kawhi back, sooner rather than later.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 7, 2022 10:03:11 GMT -5
Both the Knicks and Heat come in a surprising 1-2, which is probably more of a shocker for New York than it is for Miami. Both teams have had their share of injury issues, and while this game may not determine the balance of power in the East... the Heat do have New York's pick. If the Knicks continue to, surprisingly, struggle, then Miami could be looking at a juicier pick than initially anticipated.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 14, 2022 12:05:12 GMT -5
What a week! We've reached the quarter pole of the season, and the league's only unbeaten is Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the league's only two winless teams are Brooklyn, a playoff team a year ago, and... the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Their loss to Vegas was just one of a number of shocking performances this week, so let's dive right in. New York Knicks (2-2) over Miami Heat (1-3), 7-2The match-up of the week may not have come down to the wire, but it did feature the single best game and week performance by any player thus far. Joel Embiid was an absolute monster, averaging 40 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks while making 57 of 66 free throws. He capped off that week with a 59/11/8/7 performance that, well, just typing it out feels like some sort of practical joke. Embiid legitimately almost won the week by himself, and he may have vaulted himself to the top of the MVP leaderboard with this week. It more than made up for a dreadful week from McCollum, and lost games from Christian Wood and LeBron James. It had to feel good to get back into the win column, though the Knicks' next game is against a surprisingly tough Kings team. Miami has just been ravaged by injuries to their best players. Herro missed the whole week. Bogdanovic and Middleton are both still out. Chris Paul missed time, and Jarrett Allen missed the last game of the week. It's been tough sledding, but their win against Orlando, combined with the fact that they haven't yet played Washington or Toronto, should give them some hope. A trip to Seattle is on deck. Phoenix Suns (3-1) over Portland Trailblazers (3-1), 6-3The Suns, much maligned by most of the power rankings committee in the preseason, have found themselves atop the Pacific Division through the opening month. They did it with a thrilling comeback in the percentages that saw them win by one field goal and two free throws. Nikola Jokic hasn't quite put up the MVP numbers he did last year, but the Suns have managed to win anyway thanks to their depth and timely shooting performances. In fact, Jokic only took four shots yesterday, which is kind of wild... but he made all four, and that was the difference. The Suns now get the Atlanta Hawks and the chance to build a little cushion into their playoff hopes. Portland may have lost, but there shouldn't be a ton of concern. Their big guns (KD, Trae, PG) all played fine. They have decent top of the bench depth, but if there is one area they'll probably look to upgrade, it's the last few spots. JaVale McGee, Richaun Holmes, and Nic Batum are giving them next to nothing. Things won't be any easier this week with the Bulls coming to town. Orlando Magic (2-2) over Atlanta Hawks (1-3), 5-4Another thrilling comeback that could have major playoff implications. The Magic and Hawks went back and forth on the final day before Nic Claxton bested Royce O'Neale in the field goal department, giving the Magic the win by just one bucket. There weren't a ton of standout performances for Orlando. It was just a solid team win, and it now gives the Magic a leg up on two of their division rivals with OKC up next. Atlanta knew this week was going to be an uphill battle with their injuries and suspensions, but it still stings to lose a game like this. This could have been a huge buffer as they waited for guys to get back on the floor. It remains to be seen what happens with Kyrie, and if he can come back sooner rather than later, it would be much appreciated in Atlanta. Houston Rockets (3-1) over Seattle Supersonics (2-2), 6-2-1This one was a little closer than the final score indicated, and the Sonics actually had the lead heading into the late games. It was not a solid lead; the Rockets rolling out Steph, Wiggins, and Huerter in the final game meant Seattle really had very little shot. Steph, in particular, put on a show this week, averaging 38/6/6 and dropping multiple 40-point games. He also hit 16 threes and shot 64% from the floor. He's been magnificent. The Rockets had a bevvy of 20+ point scorers this week, as Dame, Zion, Randle, and Wiggins all averaged over 20 ppg. Houston had their blip in week 3, but they should feel good about getting to 4-1 with Brooklyn next. Seattle, despite injuries, covid, a lack of depth, and a consistent minutes deficit, continues to be in these games. Bradley Beal missed the whole week, and, had he played, maybe they win. This week will be big for Seattle. They don't want to head into their game against KC 2-3, and if they win the next two, they'll have to feel good about their playoff chances. Kansas City Kings (2-2) over OKC Thunder (1-3), 8-1Is SGA the MVP? It's a legit question after his insane week (32/5/5/2/2). He's up to 31/4/6/2/1.5 on the season, and he and Donovan Mitchell (32-5-5 with 17 threes) are doing their best to drag this Kings team to wins. They got help this week from Jerami Grant (29-7-3) and Spencer Dinwiddie (21-5-5). This team would have beaten every other team this week. It's time to start taking them seriously, and if they beat New York, heads will most definitely start turning. The Thunder are going to have to figure out their depth issues. Luka (31/8.5/7/2/1) and Tatum (37/5.5/4) both put up sublime weeks, and it wasn't even close to enough. This team is sitting on two open roster spots. Two of their current bench guys (Azubuike and Baldwin) don't actually play. Two more (White and Curry) have been injured more than they've been healthy. Mitchell and Braun are both interesting prospects, but they don't provide much fantasy value at the moment. In theory, this team should beat Orlando, but look at the stretch after that: Phoenix, Utah, Chicago Washington, Seattle, Portland. That stretch is going to decide their playoff fate. Colorado Swannies (3-1) over Utah Jazz (2-2), 5-4If you had said before the season that a week 4 match-up between the Swannies and Jazz would have massive playoff implications, I'm not sure how many people would have believed you. Yet, here we are. Colorado got some huge shooting performances from Josh Giddey, Darius Garland (more on him in a moment), and Anthony Davis to flip field goal percentage and come away with the victory. AD had a great week, averaging 28-11, and LaMelo Ball finally got back on the floor, but the story here is Garland. After leaving the opening game of the season with an eye injury and missing the next couple weeks, Garland came back and exploded for 29-12. It's been a bit choppy since then (even with his crazy shooting performance last night, he still shot under 40% for the week), but he came on in a big way to finish the week. He shot 16/31, scored 51 points and knocked down 10 threes. Hilariously, that one game added 5 points to his season ppg average, giving you an idea of how small a sample size we're working with. If he's back up to speed, LaMelo is back on the floor, and they keep getting weeks like this from AD, Giddey, Kuzma (22-9-4) and Myles Turner (23-11 and 3 blocks)? This is going to be a very tough out. They get a frisky Washington team next. Meanwhile, the Jazz, even in a loss, continue to be one of the fun storylines of the season. This team is just straight up good. It's not farfetched for them to be 4-0 right now, and the guys off to great starts show no signs of slowing down. Lauri averaged 22-7. Jamal Murray is finding his way (19-5-6). John Collins had a tough week against Colorado, and it might have been the difference, but it wouldn't make sense to not bet on him now. Much like Colorado, the Jazz get a feisty East opponent of their own in Toronto. Washington Wizards (3-1) over Chicago Bulls (3-1), 5-4Raise your hand if you had Washington in first in the North after four weeks? Now put your hands down, you liars. The Wizards(!) are your leaders in the clubhouse to this point... well, they might be. There's a weird rock-paper-scissors thing going on right now in the North. Washington beat Chicago; Chicago beat Toronto; Toronto beat Washington. If all those results flip in their respective second match-ups, I might lose my mind trying to figure out tiebreakers. What made this fascinating is that the Wizards did it despite getting just one game from Giannis. Jalen Brunson's 7 steals and Mason Plumlee's 42 rebounds loomed large in this one. It does seem as though the cross-divisional match-ups will be huge factors in the playoff race. Chicago has to be left scratching their head wondering how the heck they lost. Saddiq Bey, Dillon Brooks, and Tyrese Maxey all shooting below 40% on high volume certainly didn't help. Still, the Bulls have to feel pretty good about where they stand 4 weeks in. The Southeast does not look nearly as tough as they did prior to the season, and they still have two games left against Brooklyn. It's not inconceivable that 8-8 gets the last spot in the East, though Chicago will certainly be aiming much higher than that. Toronto Raptors (3-1) over Brooklyn Nets (0-4), 6-2-1The Raptors won despite facing a slight minutes deficit against Brooklyn, notching their third win against a division opponent. Jalen Green was awesome, averaging 29-4-5, and Ja Morant did Ja Morant things (30-8-7). The big story might be Poku. 14-6-2 with 7 blocks might not seem like much, but if he starts putting up those numbers consistently, it's a massive boon for the Raptors. With Achuiwa out and Wiseman (and Kuminga) in the dog house, the Raps are going to need more guys that can do big man things. If Poku can step into that void, it would be incredibly helpful. The Nets, on the other hand, are just bad. There's really no reason to spend a ton of time on them, so... we won't. They play Houston in week 5. Las Vegas Gamblers (1-3) over Golden St. Warriors (0-4), 4-4-1 (Gamblers win on points)Three cheers for the Gamblers, who bounced back from last week's heartbreaking loss to land a come from behind win over the defending champs. That they did it despite getting just two games from Cade (where he shot under 30% from the floor), makes it all the more impressive. The Gamblers got 11 combined threes from Klay Thompson and MPJ to flip that category. They outscored GS by 51 points on the final day to flip points. They shot 52% to flip field goal percentage. Then Klay got a late block to tie that category and give the Gamblers the win on points. It's a shame the Gamblers have kind of been hammered by injuries because this team at full strength could sneak into the playoffs. If they beat Memphis in week 5, maybe they still can. Speaking of sneaking into the playoffs, that's kind of Golden State's only option at this point. Injuries and bad luck have really taken their toll, and if things don't turn around, it will be kind of crazy that this team sandwiched a championship run between two different years from hell. The collapse of the bench has been dramatic, and not even a good Tre Jones week (13/4/10/2) could save it. The next four games (Tampa, Houston, Portland, New York) are against some of the toughest competition in the league. The Warriors are going to be really hard-pressed, at this point, to defend their title. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (4-0) over Memphis Grizzlies (1-3), 6-2-1The Bull Sharks may have lost a decent amount of firepower in the off-season, but here they are, the last unbeaten in the league after a throttling of the Grizzlies. Domantas Sabonis came on in a big way 22/13/6.5, and the Bull Sharks have to feel good about Zach LaVine having a good week (25-4-4). Wendell Carter Jr., Mike Conley, and Kevin Love continue to put up respectable numbers, and Marcus Morris came alive. This may not be the most talented Tampa Bay team we've ever seen, but the depth is solid, and they contribute in all categories (though blocks can get sketchy). It's too early for unbeaten talk, but let's circle back in another month to see where this team is. Memphis just can't seem to get right from a health standpoint, and now the calculus gets tricky. The Bull Sharks win over Memphis was basically two wins since Tampa also owns the Grizzlies' pick. The Grizzlies desperately need Jrue, Paolo, and Kawhi back. This week against Vegas is the kind of game they could really use in order to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 14, 2022 12:06:31 GMT -5
This is a big-time cross-conference match-up. With the rise of Utah, and the surprising play of both Phoenix and Kansas City, the West is getting mighty crowded. The Thunder may only be a game back right now, but that can quickly snowball into 2, 3, 4 games, and before you know it, the playoffs are out of the question. This is as close as it gets to a must win this early in the season. In Orlando, the Magic have scored early season wins over Memphis and Atlanta, but that wouldn't get them in at this point with the North being surprisingly strong out of the gate. Banking a non-conference win is key.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 21, 2022 10:10:01 GMT -5
We had our first interconference match-ups this week, and much like last year, the West dominated to the tune of 7-3. However, in the midst of that West drubbing, some key Western Conference teams are now on life support. Namely, the OKC Thunder and defending champion Golden St. Warriors. OKC is where we start this week... Orlando Magic (3-2) over OKC Thunder (1-4), 5-3-1The Thunder were once again harmed by a lack of depth and injuries, finishing with over 300 fewer minutes played than the Magic. However, it was the one game Luka missed for rest this week that ultimately did them in considering they lost by just 3 threes and a block. Luka was magnificent again (30-11-8), but Tatum really struggled to shoot the ball (39.5%), and only two scheduled games for Ant was a killer. At 1-4, the Thunder are now two games back of both Seattle and Utah for the last playoff spot. They're not out of it yet, and with the new conference-heavy schedule, they can easily make up that ground, but it will be an uphill battle. The Magic, meanwhile, have to feel pretty great right about now. They're easily a year or two ahead of schedule, and they're tied for 2nd in the conference. Franz Wagner continues to play really well (22.5/5/4.5), and this team just has dudes. There are no stars, but everyone plays their role to perfection. They get the bottom-feeding Brooklyn Nets, and win sets them up nicely for a huge showdown with the currently undefeated Tampa Bay Bull Sharks. Portland Trailblazers (4-1) over Chicago Bulls (3-2), 8-1The shine of the Bulls' 3-0 start has officially worn off after a beatdown at the hands of the Blazers. This one was never really close, and Portland can thank their 300+ minutes advantage for that. Adding insult to injury, Chicago also lost Tyrese Maxey to a broken foot that will sideline him for 3-4 weeks. They may have also lost LeVert for a game or two; we'll have to wait and see on his ankle. The good news is they have Atlanta next for a chance to get right. The bad news is, if they lose that game, they could suddenly be on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. The story here, though, was Portland. After a tough loss to the Suns, they bounced back in a major way. KD (29-6-5) continues to make his case for MVP. Trae has started to find his rhythm (27-4-10; 46% FG), and Poeltl continues to be awesome (17-10-3). A special shout-out for Mikal Bridges for absolutely stuffing the stat sheet this week (16/6.5/4.5/1.5/1.3). The Blazers now head into a unforeseen massive game with Utah in week 6. Phoenix Suns (4-1) over Atlanta Hawks (1-4), 5-42 turnovers, 3 blocks, and 15 points is all that separated these two teams this week. With Nikola Jokic missing the whole week, though, the Suns will certainly take it. This was a big one for Phoenix to keep pace with Houston, Colorado, and Portland. Big weeks for OG Anunoby (26-7-4) and Caleb Martin (15-6-3). Martin saw an uptick in playing time with Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro out, and he took full advantage. The Suns may have also made a shrewd move picking up Killian Hayes with news that Cade Cunningham could now be out for the year. They're hoping to get Jokic back sooner rather than later because they can just about end OKC's hopes of jumping them with a win. The Hawks may have lost, but they are nowhere near out of it in the East. Kyrie Irving is now back, as is Mitchell Robinson, and both should help bolster this team moving forward. The role guys have trended up as of late (Royce O'Neale had his first career triple-double, Eric Gordon broke the 20 point mark for the first time, Nikola Jovic is playing). A win this week over Chicago gets them right back in the thick of it. Houston Rockets (4-1) over Brooklyn Nets (0-5), 6-3This one was actually closer than anyone would have expected, and the Nets led briefly over the weekend. Houston ended up winning by five steals and one bucket, and they surely would have liked to win this one by a bit more. None of the blame can be put on Steph Curry though, as he might just be the leader in the clubhouse for MVP after another fantastic week (31/6.5/9 with 22 threes). In a match-up only real life Rockets fans would care about, Evan Mobley thoroughly outplayed Alperen Sengun. Mobley put up 19/12/4 with 4 blocks and 3 steals on 63% shooting (in three games) while Sengun was 11-7-2 with 2 steals and 5 blocks on 43% shooting (in four games). The Rockets appear as though they'll get Zion back this week, which they will certainly appreciate from a rebounding perspective. They head to California to take on a struggling Warriors team. The story for the Nets has to be Ben Simmons. After a hellacious start to the year in which Simmons looked like he simply didn't want to play basketball anymore, he exploded last week and hit double figure scoring in all three games (yes, the bar is that low these days). He put up 16-9-5 and looked like the Simmons of old. With Suggs looking up as well, the Nets could play spoiler late in the year. We'll see if they can do that this week against Orlando. New York Knicks (3-2) over Kansas City Kings (2-3), 6-2-1The Knicks finally looked like the team we were all expecting to start the year in their rout of the Kings. That they did it without a minutes advantage was all the more impressive. Joel Embiid was dominant (32/10/7/2/1.5), but, of course, he looks like he'll miss the upcoming match-up against Memphis with a foot sprain. Some signs of life from Harrison Barnes (20/7/3)... and, heck, let's throw in Christian Wood's numbers (19-8-2) and McCollum's (24-4-7). After a super hot start, the Knicks quite clearly got the better end of the Mitchell trade this week (Donny was 23/3/5/2). SGA, though... 31-5-7, and if he continues that output, he'll have to be in the MVP consideration. Getting back to the Knicks, it's quite possible they'll be without LeBron and Embiid, which could make their match-up against Memphis quite interesting. The Kings have Seattle this week, and if there was ever a time to catch the Sonics, it's now. They're incredibly banged up, and a win gives KC the tiebreaker (plus they own Seattle's pick). Colorado Swannies (4-1) over Washington Wizards (3-2), 8-1My goodness, the Swannies are good, aren't they? They throttled a solid Wizards team at the end of the week, turning what had been a tightly contested match-up into a blowout. Just go look at their Friday and Sunday performances... utterly dominant. Darius Garland looks like himself again (30/2/7/2 with 12 threes on 53% shooting). Anthony Davis (34/17/2/2) is making a run at DPOY. His teammate, Myles Turner (19-9 with 3 blocks per game) might be his biggest competitor. Even Josh Green and Austin Reaves got in on the action, combining for 44 points and 9 threes on Sunday. That they're doing this largely without LaMelo Ball (only 3 games played) and Robert Williams is all the more impressive. If they have everyone healthy for the playoffs, they might be the team to beat. A match-up with a frisky Gamblers team awaits. The Wizards may have been outclassed, but they have to like what they saw out of Jaden Ivey this week (20-4-5). This team is better than most thought they'd be, and they are absolutely in the playoff conversation in the East. A key match-up with Miami is up next. Seattle Supersonics (3-2) over Miami Heat (1-4), 7-2The Heat are battered and bruised, that much is clear. When you are at an over 200-minutes disadvantage against the Sonics, you the know the injuries have piled up. Bradley Beal was really good for the Sonics (26/4/6/2), but he might miss games this coming week. Same goes for Bam (26-8-2). Seattle is going to need a lot from Dejounte, KPJ, and Gobert if they want to beat KC. The Heat continue to inch closer and closer to a Middleton return, and they're certainly hoping Bogie, Herro, and Chris Paul aren't far behind. If they can figure out a way to go .500 in this next four game stretch, they'll be right there at the end. Utah Jazz (3-2) over Toronto Raptors (3-2), 6-3The Raptors basically led this one for the entire week until Sunday. Ultimately, the minutes difference and injuries proved too much to overcome. Lauri Markkanen, again, was awesome (25-7-3). DeMar DeRozan went off (35-4-5). And how about Bones Hyland (22-4-5)? The Jazz continue to sport one of the deepest, healthiest, teams in the league, and it has paid dividends. Their match-up with Portland is massive, and a win would really propel their playoff hopes. The Raps are now in trouble of fading a bit in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. With Achuiwa, Poku, and Duarte already out, they really couldn't afford to lose anyone else, let alone a star. And then Ja Morant sprained his ankle, and now the next couple of weeks look rather grim. Their next three are Tampa, Atlanta, and Vegas, and pre-Morant injury, they probably would have liked to grab two wins. Now, one should be the goal. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (5-0) over Golden St. Warriors (0-5), 5-4The Bull Sharks remain the only unbeaten team in the league, and they owe much of that to the state of the Warriors' roster. They were able to survive late in spite of a monster Devin Booker week (30/6/7/1/1). Just to give you an idea, WCJ and KAT only played 2 games a piece, LaVine was horrendous, and Sabonis put up Ben Simmons numbers (16-9-5). Yet, the Bull Sharks were able to win anyway thanks to a 200+ minutes advantage. Tampa got Dennis Schroder back, but they lost Mike Conley, and will likely miss games from Kevin Love and WCJ. They may still beat the banged-up Raptors, but the three after that won't be a cakewalk. Golden State's nightmare season continues, and it doesn't get any easier with Houston, Portland, and New York on deck. If they weren't off to such a horrendous start, Devin Booker might be in the MVP conversation. If there is good news here, JJJ came back and looked pretty good (16-9 with 8 total blocks). A couple more losses, though, and the season is likely done. Las Vegas Gamblers (2-3) over Memphis Grizzlies (1-4), 5-3-1Ladies and gentlemen, break up the Gamblers! Despite losing Cade Cunningham for the season, they got a monster Sunday (14 threes! 114 points!) to flip that match-up and win their second straight. They are now two full games clear of last place in the West, which be the latest that has been the case in some time. It had to be a relief to see Klay Thompson drop 41 and 10 threes to end the week. Injuries may ultimately keep the Gamblers from making a lot of noise the rest of the way, but their should be some solid trade assets should they choose to go that route at the deadline. Memphis is slowly working their way back to full strength, but losing these winnable games stings. With the East set up the way it is, and without their own pick, the Grizz are likely to keep going for it (plus with Miami's pick in their back pocket, they may own a lotto ticket anyway). We'll see if they can catch a banged up Knicks team.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 21, 2022 10:12:41 GMT -5
This is the only meeting between these two teams, so the outcome here could loom large in tiebreaker scenarios. Portland has arguably been in that elite tier with Houston and Colorado to this point in the season, and the Jazz are looking to break into that tier. They already own one win over a team in that group, and a second might just cement their position.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 28, 2022 11:22:06 GMT -5
Some seasons were saved, some might be flushed, and history was made in a wild week 6. Utah Jazz (4-2) over Portland Trailblazers (4-2), 5-4Our match-up of the week came down to the wire, and it was the Utah Jazz prevailing in a key cross-divisional match-up. The Jazz now hold a very valuable tiebreaker over the Blazers as this is the one and only match-up between the two. It was the superior depth of the Jazz that won this one, as it led to a minutes advantage of 100+. DeMar DeRozan was fantastic (31-5-6) and Jordan Clarkson put together a solid week (23-4-5). Utah also had to love what they got out of Lonnie Walker (20 ppg). When he's putting up numbers, you know it's a good week for the Jazz. They've got a chance to stick a fork in OKC's season in week 7. Portland may have lost, but this isn't a killer. With wins over Portland and Seattle already in the bag, this team is in a solid playoff position. Brook Lopez nearly won the blocks category by himself, racking up 16 on the week. Draymond Green stuffed the stat sheet (14/5/9/1/2). Kevin Durant had a down week by his standards (only 25 ppg), and the very end of the bench will probably need some upgrading. Otherwise, this is still one of the 5 best teams in the West. Similar to Utah and OKC, Portland can officially kill Golden State's season this week. Atlanta Hawks (2-4) over Chicago Bulls (3-3), 6-2-1And now the first of our season-savers, the Atlanta Hawks had a much needed schedule-friendly week and took down the Chicago Bulls, claiming a potentially important tiebreaker. Jaylen Brown was the key (29-5-3), and Eric Gordon may be rounding into shape. There is still some to be desired from Mitchell Robinson though, 10-6 and 2 blocks per game is not the kind of return the Hawks anticipated when signing him to a big money FA deal. However, a win is a win, and this Hawks team needed one any way they could get it. Up next are the surprising Raptors, and a win there would really spice up the playoff race in the East. It's been a combination of injuries and overall poor play that has doomed the Bulls of late. The good news is, the former is closer to being resolved. Saddiq Bey returned, Caris LeVert is set to come back this week, and Cole Anthony's return is seemingly right around the corner. That should help offset some of the poor play and get this team back on track; playing the Nets should also help that. Phoenix Suns (5-1) over OKC Thunder (1-5), 8-1Heading into Sunday, it looked like the Thunder were set up to make a final day come back. Their big guns were scheduled to go, and they started off the day with a big Seth Curry game. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off almost immediately. Tatum was held out, and that allowed the Suns' Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon to carry a bigger workload. Phoenix getting really good games from Killian Hayes and Caleb Martin was the icing on the cake. Once again, it was a lack of depth that killed OKC. Phoenix had a minutes advantage nearing 300; just a really difficult gap to make up. It also doesn't help when Nikola Jokic is playing like an MVP (30-11-8). Chris Boucher also averaged 17-15, and OG Anunoby put up 21/7/3/2/1. And now we're here. 10 games left in the season, and OKC will need a borderline miraculous finish to get into the playoffs. There's only so much Luka (31-7-10) and Tatum (32-11-5) can do. The Thunder still have Colorado, Houston, Utah (twice), KC, Portland, and Seattle left on the schedule. That means ground can be made up. It also means ground can be lost quickly. The Utah game this week is basically a must-win. Orlando Magic (4-2) over Brooklyn Nets (0-6), 6-2-1The Magic took care of business against the Nets, and they've set up a first place showdown in the South with the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks. Nic Claxton was phenomenal (13-9-2 with 3 blocks per game), and almost won the blocks category by himself. Franz Wagner and Terry Rozier continue to be solid, and Collin Sexton has looked very good since stepping into the starting point guard role. The Bull Sharks head into this one struggling from a health standpoint, so it's there for the taking for Orlando. This may be one they kind of need too, because that Portland/Utah back-to-back looks quite tough right about now. The Nets had to feel like this was winnable entering the week with Ben Simmons on the upswing. Alas, Keldon Johnson was terrible, Brandon Ingram and Jalen Suggs got hurt, and that was that. Brooklyn is staring down the barrel at a winless season. New York Knicks (3-2-1) tied the Memphis Grizzlies (1-4-1), 4-4-1History has been made, folks. For the first time in league history, we have a tie. Christian Wood's last minute bucket Sunday night, while the Mavs were trying to sub him out, kept the Knicks from blowing what looked like a sure thing the night before. It also allowed them to move ahead of Washington and Chicago, simply because they didn't lose. Shake Milton was a stud for the Grizz (23-7-8), as was DeAndre Ayton (24-16). If Paolo and Murphy can get back up to speed, the Grizz are going to be right there. And with how much of the East has been playing, having a tie might actually be helpful. The Knicks were thrilled to get LeBron James Back (30/10/4/2/1), but, of course, he comes back and CJ McCollum goes out. That's just the kind of season it's been for the Knicks, and they've got a big game against Washington next. Miami Heat (2-4) over Washington Wizards (3-3), 5-4Another team that saved it's season, the Heat won a crucial match-up with the Wizards. And they did it despite losing Jarrett Allen toward the end of the week. Jabari Smith still isn't shooting well, but he had decent counting stats (18-11). Alex Caruso had 7 big steals, but, of course, he's hurt now too. We may ultimately look back on this as one injured team beating a more injured team, because things were not good in Washington. Ivey and Okeke missed games, Bane and Johnson are still out, Hayes and Gafford are hardly playing. Miami has Memphis this week, and it may just be the last time they are without Allen, Middleton, and Paul, which would set them up for a nice stretch run. That doesn't look to be the case in Washington, though, the East is such a toss-up, it's impossible to forecast who will make it to the playoffs at this point. Kansas City Kings (3-3) over Seattle Supersonics (3-3), 5-4The Kings continue to be this year's roller coaster team, coming from behind to pick up a key win over the Sonics. Donovan Mitchell stayed over 30 ppg (31-3.5-3), as did SGA (31-6-7). Jerami Grant also played really well (28-3-3). With the Rockets up next, we'll see if this team continues alternating wins and losses or if they can put together a winning streak. The Sonics, meanwhile, are just trying to bid their time until James Harden gets back. The good news is the next three are winnable even without him (Vegas, Washington, Memphis), so if they can put together a run, it would set them up nicely for the stretch run. They also have to be pretty pleased with the way Bam has looked of late (26-11-3). This is not a deep team, so they need the big guns to continue to produce. Colorado Swannies (5-1) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-4), 8-1The Swannies continue to roll no matter who is and isn't available. This one was over quickly, and Anthony Davis was fantastic (31/18/3/3/4) even though he missed a game. Ditto for Kyle Kuzma (31-7-3). Josh Giddey also filled up the box score (15-8-6). This team is just good. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It's no surprise they're playing for first place this week. The question is just how good that record will be at the end of the year. We don't want to jinx it, but it looks like that playoff drought may be coming to an end this year. It won't in Vegas, though this team is certainly trying. The universe has conspired against them, first with the Chet injury then with the barrage of injuries over the last few weeks (Cade, Bojan, Cam, MPJ). Fully healthy, this team is an annoying underdog. As it stands, they're largely just a minor speed bump. Toronto Raptors (4-2) over Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (5-1), 7-2We could be watching a changing of the guard in the Eastern Conference. Between the Magic and Raptors, young teams in the East are a year ahead of schedule. Toronto now sits alone atop the North, and they already own wins over Washington and New York. Once again, Ja Morant led the charge (28-7-10), but he had help from Tyrese Haliburton (16/4/14/2) and Jalen Green (29/7.5/3). Whether this start is real or not remains to be seen, but we are just two weeks from the midpoint of the season, and it's hard to see some of these guys falling off dramatically. That can't be a comforting though for the Bull Sharks, who are still atop the East but have some cracks below the surface. Zach LaVine has really struggled. Injuries are mounting. KAT and Sabonis have seen an uptick in assists, but have either been flat or fallen in most other categories. The bench has been a bit of a mixed bag, and if they lose to Orlando, they're suddenly in second in the division. Houston Rockets (5-1) over Golden St. Warriors (0-6), 7-2Last but not least, we have the Rockets keeping the Warriors winless. It was a valiant effort from the Dubs, but they just couldn't keep up with Houston heading into the weekend. Steph was awesome again (27-7-7), as was Randle (21-9-4). It wasn't even a particularly great week from Houston, otherwise, and it was a comfortable win. The good news for Golden St., if there can be good news in a season like this, is that JJJ looks really good, AJ Griffin is playing, and Siakam should be back this week. Their start, and the remaining schedule being what it is, probably means the Warriors aren't making the playoffs this year. But they can certainly spoil some teams' hopes.
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Post by Miege22 on Nov 28, 2022 11:34:36 GMT -5
Show of hands... who had Colorado/Phoenix in week 7 as a battle for first in the conference? That's where we are after both the Swannies and Suns dispatched their week 6 opponents with ease. Colorado has reached this point while weathering numerous injuries, and they will have to continue to do so with Hayward now out indefinitely (they might also be missing AD, Kuzma, and Ball... so it goes). Relative to the Swannies, Phoenix has been mostly healthy. Obviously Lonzo has missed the whole season, and OPJ is about to be cut because of his poor health, but the depth has helped keep this team afloat even without Jokic matching his MVP numbers. These two teams only face off once this year, so this will go a long way in a tiebreaker scenario.
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 5, 2022 0:08:58 GMT -5
Phoenix the team to beat? Portland in trouble? Does GS have a pulse? All that and more below. Phoenix Suns (6-1) over Colorado Swannies (5-2), 5-4The Phoenix Suns won a battle of the West's best, and they now sit atop the Western Conference (tied with Houston), following a thrilling win over the Swannies. The Suns were absolutely on fire this week, shooting an incredible 57% and knocking down 80 threes. That first number was especially impressive as the Swannies came into the matchup leading the league in field goal percentage, and they still do lead thanks to their 50% shooting on the week. Anfernee Simons was remarkable, putting up 31.5-5.5 and hitting 23 threes. Nikola Jokic averaged 26-12-9 and shot 68% from the floor. Every move the Suns are making has turned to gold. They jumped Killian Hayes, an abject disaster by any measure to this point in his career, and he promptly put up 15-2-7 this week and has played well over the last month. Then they signed Andrew Nembhard, the rookie out of Gonzaga, and he rewarded them with a 16-6-8 game to close the week. Maybe the most impressive part of Phoenix's win is that they did it despite the incredible performance of Anthony Davis. Maybe the leader in the clubhouse for both DPOY and MVP, Davis averaged a whopping 38-13-3-3 while shooting 65/86% from the floor and line. It was a performance by the Swannies that would have beaten anyone else in the West (save KC, more on them later), but Phoenix was a buzzsaw this week. Both these teams should have no problems in week 8. Memphis Grizzlies (2-4-1) over Miami Heat (2-5), 5-4Another conference battle that came down to the wire, the Grizzlies ultimately won this match-up by just two steals. It was a big week from Trey Murphy III the helped push Memphis over the top. Murphy put up 19-4, hit 14 threes, and swiped 8 steals, making the most of his expanded role last week. DeAndre Ayton also stayed on his heater, averaging 20-11. Jrue Holiday was great in his two games (25-6-7). When the Grizz play like this, you start to understand why this team was getting stealth contender buzz. Even if Kawhi gets back to 75% of his old self, they may not seriously challenge yet this year, but there is something brewing. The Grizz will have a test waiting for them in week 8 against Utah. Despite the loss, the Heat may feel like they're in pretty good shape. They have a tough match-up with Colorado next, but they got back Khris Middleton, Tyler Herro, and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Jarrett Allen looks set to return this week as well. And no one in the East seems intent on pulling away from the pack. Utah Jazz (5-2) over OKC Thunder (1-6), 6-3It's time to take the Jazz serious as a contender. This is more than just a good team, now that they're 5-2 and tied with the Swannies for third in the West (though Colorado does currently hold the tiebreaker). Lauri Markkanen continues to put up all-star numbers (25-9-2-1 this week). Jamal Murray looked awesome (24-3-5). DeMar and Clarkson were solid again (23-6-5 and 21-4-5, respectively). This team continues to get solid contributions up and down the lineup, though they will be without John Collins for a couple of weeks with an ankle sprain. If there's an area of concern, it's that this team doesn't quite generate steals and blocks (14th in both categories). That hasn't hurt them much to this point, since they score, rebound, and shoot well, but the best teams have tended to separate themselves in the steals and blocks categories. OKC may be done at this point. The Thunder are now 1-6, and they've lost to all four division opponents. The new schedule will give them a second chance against each, but all four have proven to be much deeper than this Thunder team. That Jayson Tatum put up 32/9/3/2 (with 15 threes), and Luka was 35/8/10/3/1, AND Edwards was 28/5/4/4, and they still lost has got to be demoralizing. They've got a tough game against Chicago this week, but the schedule is favorable, so if they don't win, they're definitely toast. Atlanta Hawks (3-4) over Toronto Raptors (4-3), 6-3Folks, the Hawks are alive. After back-to-back heartbreakers against Orlando and Phoenix, the Hawks responded with massive tiebreaking wins over both Chicago and Toronto. They're now just a game out of the playoffs, and while the next two against Houston and KC will be tough, the rest of the schedule is absolutely winnable. Jaylen Brown was magnificent (32-10-4), Mitchell Robinson came to life with 50 total rebounds (and 5 steals/4 blocks), and Kyrie was solid (23-4-5). This may not be a title contender, but the Hawks are very much a playoff contender, and it's anyone's ballgame once you get there. The Raptors really had a chance to solidify their playoff hopes, but they saw 3 categories flip in the wrong direction on the final day. Their hope for a quick bounce back against Vegas is on some thin ice with Ja Morant and Tyrese Haliburton both banged up. The Gamblers are pretty banged up themselves, so there's certainly a chance. Houston Rockets (6-1) over Kansas City Kings (3-4), 5-4The Kings were this close to pulling off the upset and picking up a third division win (which would have been massive for playoff implications). Instead, the Rockets managed to hold on by 11 points, thanks in large part to Damian Lillard's return (Dame had 21 points on the last day, preserving Houston's lead). Zion officially looks back (29/10/6/2/1). Steph shot poorly, by his standards, but still averaged 24-6-7. Julius Randle played a solid all-around week (24-7-4). After a season in which the Rockets managed to squeak into the playoffs despite missing multiple stars, they seem likely to hit the halfway mark sitting atop the Western Conference with Atlanta up next. Things look to be trending up for the Kings despite the loss. Walker Kessler blocked 10 shots, Jerami Grant averaged 30 points, and both SGA and Donovan Mitchell continue to set the tone. TJ Warren has returned to the floor, and Jaylen Nowell has really taken off (23-4-2) with more opportunities. A showdown with the Bull Sharks awaits. New York Knicks (4-2-1) over Washington Wizards (3-4), 6-3The Knicks cruised past the Wizards behind a big Embiid week (31/8/6/2/2). They also saw LeBron continue to play well in his return to the lineup (29-8-8). Markelle Fultz returned, as did CJ McCollum, though McCollum struggled mightily in his two games. The Knicks might have this week's game of the week match-up as they head to Golden State. Giannis was awesome for the Wizards, but his 38-10-6 averages weren't enough to get the job done. It's been a struggle of late for the Wizards, as they've now lost three straight and their next two are not easy (Seattle, OKC). The Wizards are not especially deep, so the absence of Desmond Bane has really started to take it's toll. If they can get him back for the stretch run, they'll still have a chance. Seattle Supersonics (4-3) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-5), 5-3-1Seattle's match-up with Vegas was probably a little closer than they would have liked, particularly with the kind of minutes advantage they held (200+). Unlike some of the other top-heavy outfits in the West (OKC, GS), the Sonics have managed to weather the early season storm of injuries and come out of it with a winning record. If they can beat Washington this week, they'll hit the halfway point two games above .500, putting them squarely in the playoff picture. They just got James Harden back, but, of course, Bradley Beal immediately went out with a hamstring injury. The Gamblers got 20 ppg weeks out of Oubre and Bojan, but the injuries have just demolished this team's ceiling. If Cade, MPJ, Cam Johnson, and Chet were all available, it's not hard to picture this team finding it's way into the playoffs. As it stands, they're probably looking at one more lotto shot. Chicago Bulls (4-3) over Brooklyn Nets (0-7), 7-2This one was never really close, and Chicago had a nearly FIVE-HUNDRED minutes advantage. We had to type that out, and in all caps, to really drive home how rare that is. Kristaps Porzingis was a monster (29/11/2/1/2), though De'Aaron Fox was muted (15-6-5). The Bulls looked good, but they're still a couple of weeks away from being fully healthy (Tyrese Maxey), and the Thunder and Swannies loom during that time period. Still, with the rest of the East scuffling along, the Bulls will be right in the thick of things. In a nightmarish season, the Nets have to like what they've seen out of Evan Mobley. He was solid once again this week (16/11/3/2), and his scoring really hasn't dipped despite the Cavs adding a 30 ppg scorer in Donny Mitchell. Another abysmal shooting week for Keldon Johnson (just 34%!) has dropped his FG % to under 40% for the year. Brandon Ingram and Jalen Suggs missed the whole week, while Ben Simmons only played 11 minutes total. A team like this missing 3 of it's 4 best players stands no chance. That will be the case against Phoenix in week 8 as well. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (6-1) over Orlando Magic (4-3), 6-3The Bull Sharks looked dead in the water heading into the weekend (no pun intended), but the Magic did not do enough Saturday to end things, and Tampa flipped three categories on Sunday to win it. The win now moves Tampa Bay two games clear of the second place Magic and the clear inside track on the one seed in the East. That they did it with KAT missing most of the week was all the more impressive. Zach LaVine found his groove (26-6-4), and Domantas Sabonis played great (16-10-8 on 74% shooting). The Bull Sharks may be getting Mike Conley back this week, which will be huge against KC. As for the Magic, throw it on the list of games they may rue at the end of the day. They get a banged up Blazers team in week 8. Golden St. Warriors (1-6) over Portland Trailblazers (4-3), 5-3-1Last but not least, the Warriors kept their playoff hopes alive with a clutch victory over Portland. Of course, the question now becomes, do they have a real shot at getting back to the postseason? Or was this just a positive blip in an otherwise dreadful season? We'll find out quickly with the Knicks up next, but, at least in this one, then can thank Devin Booker for his unstoppable scoring. Book averaged 39-4-6, made 12 threes, and shot 63%. If real players could be on fire like NBA Jam, that was Booker this week. The Warriors actually had everyone healthy and playing, and they reminded the rest of the league just how scary they are when that happens. Unfortunately for them, it did not last long. They'll already be down Butler and JJJ for at least a game against the Knicks due to injury maintenance. The Blazers have to feel like they got the short end of the stick facing the Warriors the one week they put it together, but so it goes sometimes. The bigger concern is that they're big man depth has collapsed. Richaun Holmes and JaVale McGee aren't playing, and Jakob Poeltl is hurt. Brook Lopez has played outstanding this year (he had 11 blocks in threes games against GS), but he can't do it himself. KD continues to have an MVP-level season (34-7-6). He'll have to keep it up to keep Portland in the playoff race.
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 6, 2022 16:02:38 GMT -5
It took a little while to decide which match-up to go with, but, ultimately, we landed on what would have been a showdown of conference titans last year. This year, there's a little more desperation involved, at least on the GS side of things. A loss for the Warriors drops them to 1-7. With the Sonics and Blazers looking strong enough to win this week, that would drop GS 4 games back of the last playoff spot with just 8 to play. This is basically their season, right here. While the stakes might not be that high for NY, there are still several East teams nipping at their heels, so every win counts.
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