Friends in fast breaks,
Apologies for a shorter post this week, some family events are causing a bit of a time crunch. We'll call it a fast break for my writing! Players are beat up, there's a tank bowl, let's go!
WEEK 20 PICKS
- Points One-And-Done
- Survivor #1
- "All 30" One-And-Done
- Survivor #2
- Weekly Pick'em
PICK STATS
Points OAD
- K. Kuzma and K. Irving are our most picked players
- Kuzma has been really solid the last few weeks
- Irving on the other hand, we're just going to ignore the egg he laid for us last week!
- The next cluster is a shining example of "running low on options"
- J. Jackon Jr, C. Cunningham, B. Ingram, A. Simons, and D. DeRozan
- Be honest, none of these were your first choice!
- I think this is where our pivot to 2 picks a week this SZN shines
- Let's see who can be REAL STRATEGIC in these final weeks to pull out the win!
- Interesting low volume picks: J. Ivey, B. Bogdanovic, F. VanVleet
Survivor #1
- Status check
- 6 of you are still flawless (no wrong picks)
- 18 of you have missed once, but are still kicking
- This week will almost certainly determine who makes the prize podium
- No "far ahead" team this week, don't think we even have the pick volume to support that
- At the top, we've got DAL, ATL, DEN, HOU, and NOP
- Would it surprise you to know they play, respectively: DET, MEM, UTA, POR, and PHI
- Usual bad team slate, and PHI who will be missing Maxey and Embiid
"All 30" One-And-Done
- DAL is our top team
- Think they can beat DET?
- DET just tasted victory against BKN, maybe they'll get a win streak?
- Don't think any of us buy that
- Decent volume on TOR, DEN, and WAS too
- Stay strong, DET picker!
Survivor #2
- Status check
- 26 of you are still flawless (no wrong picks)
- 54 of you have missed once, but are still kicking
- DAL is running away here
- Surprise surprise
- Then there's a small pile of DEN, BKN, and GSW
- BKN and GSW are interesting
- BKN is just not good, but can certainly win games
- GSW may or may not be missing Curry
Weekly Pick'em
- 15 games in the slate this week
- We have 2 close matchups this week
- MIN @ CLE
- CHA @ WAS
- That left 4 lopsided matchups
- UTA @ DEN
- DAL @ DET
- CHI @ LAC
- SAS @ GSW
- That leaves 9 games in the "middle"
- With the injuries up in the air and a tank bowl, I don't think we're seeing a perfect record this week (come on, jinx powers!)
BEST PICK COMMENTS (Theme: Who wins the Finals?)
Ya'll are talking again, yay! Reminder: the weekly themes are totally voluntary, you can always be as wild as you want. Consider them a suggestion if you need a jumping-off point.
@StatCzar (N. Jokic, J. Brown): "Why can't I pick Dean Wade???"
GM says: I'm going to limit your picks to CLE bench players from now until infinity
@mconnaughton (Mavs, Warriors, Survivor #2): "#CsIn6"
GM says: Not very specific, so I choose to believe you're rooting for the C(harlotte Hornet)s and commend your brave prediction!
@YikesVikes (S. Curry, L. James): "Minnesota Wolfe Howls, because it seems impossible. Just had a great Tai Curry lunch so who else, goes with James. "
GM says: If not for KAT getting hurt this week, did it really feel impossible this year? Everything felt like it was clicking!
@Rodgers_is_dead_to_me (Rockets, Pelicans): "As I said on ESPN Deportes in the Deer District before game 3 of the 2021 NBA Finals, “Bucks en seis!”"
GM says: Please tell me there's proof! Can I get a YT link?
@Beandog (J. Murray, B. Adebayo): "Denver is repeating! Because they have Jokic, duh!"
GM says: It's funny that this simple argument is still so legitimate
@Merlinmei383 (Nets, Pelicans, Survivor #1): "No reason to doubt Denver "
GM says: Because Jokic, right?
@Salroc_ (Weekly Pick'em): "Celtics. bc celtics"
GM says: Ah, the ultimate opponent to the "because Jokic" argument!
@webb19bme (Hornets, Mavericks, All 30): "I'm going to keep picking the 76ers until I finally talk it into existence. Trust the process!!!"
GM says: MANIFEST!
@Jts5522 (J. Jackson Jr, Z. Williamson): "I’m going to let my fandom have a say and go with a pick different than most others. Give me the OKC Thunder. If they continue to play unselfishly and start rebounding better, they will make a run. It’s interesting how they are thought of and then shrugged off. This is a legitimate threat of a team that just needs the dominoes to fall their way a few times come playoff time. "
GM says: I think there's validity to the "lacking playoff experience" argument for OKC. But I think EVERYONE agrees that next year they'll be considered perennial contenders!
@yankevin (D. Murray, D. Garland): "The Heat will win... Playoff Himmy and Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Spo and Bam"
GM says: The Zombie Heat are my Eastern Conference team <3
@Sportsfan90 (Mavericks, Rockets, All 30): "Celtics there the most complete team"
GM says: Very complete, until some third stringers decide they can't miss in the ECF
@YikesVikes (Weekly Pick'em): "Minnesota Wolfes; They are howl'ern to win!!!! Anthony Edwards leads the way, 🎤❋ But let's talk not winning: the Suns' franchise is in the unenviable position of being the oldest to have never won a title. They got their start in 1968, and the next-closest title-less team, the Los Angeles Clippers, formed in 1970. Another year and they won't do it again. "
GM says: Yeah, let's bully those lame-os who haven't got hardware! Anything to make looking at the MIN Injury Report hurt a little less </3
@mrwallace918 (Mavs, Nuggets, Survivor #2): "Bucks!! Greek and Dame Time "
GM says: I believe it's FREAK TIME now
@medicalmatt224 (Mavs, Nuggets, Survivor #2): "Hopefully the Lakers, so we can see them do something other than hang a banner and pop champagne for beating the Pacers in December."
GM says: It's very legitimate(ly a banner)
@GaviK (K. Irving, M. Bridges): "Bulls will tarde zach levine for isiah thomas and kyrie irving this offseason"
GM says: I... I don't... How do you trade for a tiny little guy (that I actually respect a ton!) that isn't on a roster?
Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM