Friends in fast breaks,
Lillard and Murray trading game winners? That's a gift.
Davis dropping 55? That's a gift.
TheGM getting us a bonus Survivor competition? THAT'S A GIFT 🎁🎁🎁
WEEK 7 PICKS
- Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
- VC's Knees Survivor
- NBA Survivor II
- Your group picks (get in a group with friends!)
Yes yes, you read that correctly. If you read your emails (AND YOU SHOULD), you should have seen me do a little outreach asking who'd be interested in a bonus Survivor competition to make up for how... rough is the word I'll use... we performed the first time around.
If you didn't respond, you should thank your fellow participants, because there was enough interest for me to convince Commish to run an extra competition.
For now, it's called "NBA Survivor II" and you can join the competition here.
It's free for you as an NBA SZN member.
The prizes are small, just $500 in total, coming directly out of my own pocket. This one is mostly about pride. Nothing changes about the rest of the prizes already promised for NBA SZN.
We'll be starting on 12/23, aligning with start of Interval 2 for the Walking Bucket Wilt OAD. Join now so you don't forget.
Consider this a gift from me for whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year. It's more fun for us to roll into 2023.
If you're in the pay-it-forward mood: Get a friend to join NBA SZN. I don't care if they're new to the site or they just didn't jump in for NBA initially. We could really use some more basketball lovers in the community and hopefully these first 7 weeks have given you enough experience to convince them why this is so fun. I've lowered the price of NBA SZN to $10 since they'll have missed out on the original Survivor and a shot at the OAD overall prize.
PICK STATS
Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
- Our top pick this week was G. Antetokounmpo with 43 picks
- You'd think with the number of times I've had to write his name recently I'd be confident in spelling it
- And you'd be wrong
- Our other big picks this week: K. Durant (37 picks), J. Tatum (35), and J. Embiid (33)
- Durant and Tatum have been playing well, but this sudden bump in rank feels like a "who do I use now" move as people confront who they have left
- What does the Golden Spreadsheet show?
- L. Doncic and S. Curry both crossed the 50% usage line
- J. Tatum, J. Morant, D. Mitchell, K. Durant, and G. Antetokounmpo round out the other players who've already crested 40%
- There's so much more SZN to go!
- Interesting low volume picks: D. Russell (1 pick), B. Hield (2), T. Haliburton (1), K. Thompson (2), J. Brunson (1), J. Clarkson (1)
- Player picked for the first time this SZN: K. Middleton!
| OAD Main Pick | Count |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo (@ DAL | 12/9) | 43 |
| Kevin Durant (vs ATL | 12/9) | 37 |
| Jayson Tatum (@ GSW | 12/10) | 35 |
| Joel Embiid (vs LAL | 12/9) | 33 |
| Ja Morant (vs DET | 12/9) | 26 |
| Devin Booker (@ NOP | 12/9) | 23 |
| Donovan Mitchell (vs SAC | 12/9) | 19 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (@ CLE | 12/10) | 14 |
| Anthony Davis (@ PHI | 12/9) | 13 |
| Trae Young (@ BKN | 12/9) | 12 |
| Damian Lillard (vs MIN | 12/10) | 11 |
| Jaylen Brown (@ GSW | 12/10) | 11 |
| Anthony Edwards (@ UTA | 12/9) | 10 |
| Darius Garland (vs SAC | 12/9) | 10 |
| Pascal Siakam (@ ORL | 12/9) | 10 |
| Luka Doncic (vs MIL | 12/9) | 7 |
| Stephen Curry (vs BOS | 12/10) | 7 |
| James Harden (vs LAL | 12/9) | 5 |
| Kyrie Irving (vs ATL | 12/9) | 5 |
| Zion Williamson (vs PHX | 12/9) | 5 |
| Bradley Beal (@ IND | 12/9) | 4 |
| Desmond Bane (vs DET | 12/9) | 4 |
| Kristaps Porzingis (@ IND | 12/9) | 4 |
| Nikola Jokic (vs UTA | 12/10) | 4 |
| Terry Rozier (vs NYK | 12/9) | 4 |
| Lebron James (@ PHI | 12/9) | 3 |
| Paul George (@ WAS | 12/10) | 3 |
| Brandon Ingram (vs PHX | 12/9) | 2 |
| Buddy Hield (vs WAS | 12/9) | 2 |
| De'Aaron Fox (@ CLE | 12/9) | 2 |
| Jamal Murray (vs UTA | 12/10) | 2 |
| Jimmy Butler (vs SAS | 12/10) | 2 |
| Klay Thompson (vs BOS | 12/10) | 2 |
| Tyrese Maxey (vs LAL | 12/9) | 2 |
| Bam Adebayo (vs SAS | 12/10) | 1 |
| D'Angelo Russell (@ UTA | 12/9) | 1 |
| Jalen Brunson (@ CHA | 12/9) | 1 |
| Jerami Grant (vs MIN | 12/10) | 1 |
| Jordan Clarkson (vs MIN | 12/9) | 1 |
| Jordan Poole (vs BOS | 12/10) | 1 |
| Julius Randle (@ CHA | 12/9) | 1 |
| Khris Middleton (@ DAL | 12/9) | 1 |
| LaMelo Ball (vs NYK | 12/9) | 1 |
| Paolo Banchero (vs TOR | 12/9) | 1 |
| Scottie Barnes (@ ORL | 12/9) | 1 |
| Tyler Herro (vs SAS | 12/10) | 1 |
| Tyrese Haliburton (vs WAS | 12/9) | 1 |
VC’s Knees Survivor
- We're down to 29 players this week, 6.5% of our starting size
- We're really top-heavy again, with MIA (vs SAS) carrying 12 picks or 41.3%
- This is followed by MEM (vs DET) at 9 picks or 31.0%
- TOR (@ ORL) pulled in 5 picks, IND (vs WAS) got 2 picks, and PHI (vs LAL) had 1 pick
- We're still picking on the tankers, so let's hope it pays off!
| Pick | Pick count |
| Miami Heat (vs SAS | 12/10) | 12 |
| Memphis Grizzlies (vs DET | 12/9) | 9 |
| Toronto Raptors (@ ORL | 12/9) | 5 |
| Indiana Pacers (vs WAS | 12/9) | 2 |
| Philadelphia 76ers (vs LAL | 12/9) | 1 |
WEEKLY AWARDS
Westbrook Bank Shot Moxie Award
Boldest pick WITH a comment. You can't win a SZN competition without a little Moxie!
@LeviLeo (D. Fox): "my strategy is to save all the good players for the 3rd interval bc by then everyone will have used the good players and itll be a cake walk"
GM says: Fox hasn't scored more than 20 points in 7 games. You gotta pick it up Fox. The power of BEAM compels you! The power of BEAM compels you
"Who's the GOAT?" Award
Our best weekly comment (or three)
@kempsoos (MEM): "Am I overthinking this by using the Golden Spreadsheet? I've made it this far just picking Mascots I like... Brain computing power isn't exactly my strong suit. I'm More of the loveable and lucky type. I typically just Spray and Pray while making sure to add a comment about my favorite salad dressing."
GM says: But what dressing??? You can't just leave us hanging like this! Ranch? Thousand Island? Raspberry Vinaigrette?
"I Could Sell You Kings Tickets" Award
Most convincing comment.
@YikesVikes (J. Embiid): "Embiid is built for all 5 positions on ANY court. At least so says his shoe manufacturer Under Armor"
GM says: Not a joke - straight from the horse's mouth: "Just like Joel himself, these shoes are truly positionless." But what if I wear them on my hands though?
KD Would Retweet This Award
The spiciest/wildest take.
@StatCzar (TOR): "Few things in life bring me as much joy as the Corona, O Christmas tree commercial. This has nothing to do with my pick, but just wanted to bring it up as one of the few pure things In this world."
GM says: I see your Corona ad and raise you the Hershey's Kiss bell ringing commercial
MORE PICK COMMENTS
@Merf (T. Herro): "I’m only tanking the first interval."
GM says: Big brain moves... Or making excuses 🤔
@kempsoos (A. Davis): "Can't wait to watch this Lakers 76ers game and cheer for this..."
GM says: Harden and Embiid back, Lakers have been less garbage lately... Could actually be a good game!
@yjcc (S. Gilgeous): "My smartwatch congratulated me for staying active when really I was seated on a plane just watching Netherlands v Argentina. The really heart attack came when I landed and got the text reminder for Wilt OAD and I freaked out because my phone hadn't adjusted to the new time zone yet. But we good. Now I'm off to score like it's the NBA All Star game...but in golf."
GM says: You're not even IN World Cup SZN and you're having these reactions? I went to see how your performance was shaking out and I realize you're just THAT into the game!
@Sooser21 (J. Brown): "Luck of the"
GM says: ... Bostonians. Is it Bostonians?
@Rickfrrr (A. Davis): "Dat Brow 💪"
GM says: This caterpillar will NOT metamorphose
@Logan2273 (A. Edwards): "ANTZ"
GM says: 🐜🐜🐜
@MONSTERXXX (K. Durant): "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH !!!!"
GM says: YES YES WOOOOOOOOO BABY!!!
Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM