Friends in fast breaks,

Sacramento has become THE BEAM TEAM. We scour the injury reports because they've got NUGGETS in them.

WEEK 4 PICKS

• Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
  • Summary | Overall Standings
• VC's Knees Survivor
  • Summary | Overall Standings
• Your group picks (get in a group with friends!)

Beam Team

Sacramento introduced a new gimmick this season - A big purple laser that they'd shoot up into the sky after each victory. The naysayers immediately joked "Good thing it'll never get used". Sacramento's first victory was on 10/29, and the beam became a phenomenon. Both the players and fans are in love with the dang thing. From 10/29 to now, Sacramento has gone 8-2. They want the beam. They need the beam. The fans all scream. LIGHT. THE. BEAM. 

How do you not love this?
Click to see it in action.

Light the beam. pic.twitter.com/q1kiet79rQ

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) November 18, 2022

Injury Report Digging

I wanted to serve up to quick instances of the injury report opening new options tonight, a key tool for making picks during the season.

1. D. Bane is out --> Ja Morant should shoulder more of the offensive load for MEM leading to a better OAD opportunity
2. N. Jokic and J. Murray are both out --> DEN is very weak this week, making DAL a stronger pick for Survivor
3. MIA has 9 players injured --> They're weak this week, making WAS an interesting pick for Survivor

PICK STATS

Walking Bucket Wilt OAD

• Steph CARRY Curry is our top pick this week, with 99 (!!!) picks
  • Clearly we're all hoping the rest of the Warriors continue to limp along and he he gifts another fifty bomb
• Garland broke the 50 point seal last week on 11/13, and we immediately got 59 from Embiid less than an hour later and 50 from Steph on 11/16
• Unfortunately, none of those has occurred during our Fri/Sat selectable slate... yet 👀
• D. Mitchell (41 picks), S. Gilgeous-Alexander (39), J.Morant (32), L. Doncic (30) and J. Tatum(30)  round out the top six
• I like the action I see in the middle of the field - D. Lillard (13), A. Davis (12), and P. George (12) are a tier below the usual suspects we're seeing at the top so far
• I see my two comrades who took J. Green (3) this week, let us pray
• Calling out some interesting low volume picks: Z. WIlliamson (2), R. Barrett (2), K. Leonard (1), J. Randle(1), and K. Porzingis (1)

VC’s Knees Survivor

• We're down to 84 this week, under 20% of our starting cohort
• CLE (vs CHA) is our biggest top pick percentage wise, with 36% (30 picks) of us riding them against the once again LaMelo-less Hornets
  • How do you roll your own star player's ankle as a fan? HOW?
• CHI (vs ORL) is our next biggest pick with a whopping 9 picks
• The tank-bashing continues this week, with 5 of our top 7 picks being against ORL, DET, HOU, OKC, and SAS
  • Should CHA be counted as a tank yet? I don't think that was their plan this season, but it certainly looks like the result so far
• I see you six DAL (vs DEN) pickers, hoping you're playing the injury report game and not picking against 3-seeds for fun
• An incredible moxie pick out there for ATL (vs TOR), but not comment, so sad! YOU GOTTA COMMENT TO WIN YOUR MOXIE AWARDS!

WEEKLY AWARDS

Westbrook Bank Shot Moxie Award

Boldest pick WITH a comment. You can't win a SZN competition without a little Moxie!

@kempsoos (DAL): "Being in the Top 90 of a competition causes nose bleeds and tastes like battery acid. Never meet your heroes folks, its much easier being booted in the first round and telling myself ill get 'em next year. I want this too bad, I have an insatiable desire for the fame that comes with being the first ever NBA SZN winner. I want my name etched in the annals of SZN's record book. (a record book that I assume Commish keeps tucked between his mattress and box spring for safe keeping... its like some sort of sports related Princess and the Pea situation) "
GM says: Picking against the 3 seed, looks bold. But Jokic and Murray are out, so not THAT bold. We need more Moxie comments ya'll, make us witness your BRAVERY!

"Who's the GOAT?" Award

Our best weekly comment (or three)

@YikesVikes (S. Curry): "Curry on wayward warriors There'll be peace when you are done Lay your weary head to rest Don't let me cry no more…"
GM says: The recent Steph Carry Job with the Warriors has both been very impressive (this is MVP Curry) but also so disappointing in terms of team expectations

@Manfresh (J. Embiid): "Slamma jamma "
GM says: Philly = Phi. Phi Slama Jama - Nickname for the UH Cougars team with Drexler and Olajuwon. A Harden pick would have been the cherry on top for the Houston connection. I feel like this is borderline preying on my Houston-based fandom. And it worked.

"I Could Sell You Kings Tickets" Award

Most convincing comment.

@Logan2273 (J. Morant): "No Desmond Bane means Ja should be the clear leading scorer for this Grizzlies team. Hopefully Shai can keep the Thunder in the game so Ja doesn't hit the bench early."
GM says: The Ja / Shai face-off could easily account for 90 total points tonight and it wouldn't be unreasonable.

KD Would Retweet This Award

The spiciest/wildest take.

@BroncoCharlie (J. Embiid): "The thought of watching soccer without beer makes me want...... a beer."
GM says: Hey bud, World Cup picks are over there. Happy to have you though ❤️

MORE PICK COMMENTS

@Merf (J. Morant): "I am promoting my backup pick. Can we start a Backup Pick of the Year Award?"
GM says: Ja's your "backup"? Who on earth was starting?

@Mr_Rodgers_Neighborhood (A. Davis): "Does the "brow" have magical scoring powers, or does he just need a good waxing? Let's find out."
GM says: He's got the Boom Boom Brow, Them Lakers crampin' his style, They try to make him play Center, Ain't no more next 'ship now...

@Flem (LAC): "Everyone’s gonna be on Cleveland, a city synonymous with disappointment (except for that one time the league suspended Draymond in the finals, and we all know that title has a asterisk). Seems like a perfect time to take the Clippers, who have never disappointed anyone ever."
GM says: I choose to believe this is demonstrating strong belief in Kawhi's knees who is the polar opposite of our Survivor namesake Vince. Also, you called it on CLE being the top dog.

@TheGM (Wizards): "Miami is in pieces right now, hoping this Washington pick isn't too cute"
GM says: This is the power of the Injury Report. 9 (!!!) Miami players are on it, including basically all their starters. Washington isn't going to be useful most of the season, so we try and take advantage. Same argument for picking against Denver with Jokic and Murray out. And Yes I'm featuring my own comment. Ya'll need to chatter more!

We need more comments, let your voice be heard!

Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM