Friends in fast breaks,
How can I NOT have Dame as the pic if he's gonna throw up 60 points on extreme efficiency? Do I realize I'm a big hypocrite for not posting Mitchell from his 71 point game? Yes. Mistakes were made.
WEEK 14 PICKS
- Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
- The Worm Survivor
- Your group picks (get in a group with friends!)
This week is a unique threat so far this SZN. We've got a Saturday-heavy game slate. Only five games on Friday. That means we've got more time between our usual lock and the majority of our action.
The risk stems from what might happen between lock and tip-off. Does a player get a load management call in the intervening time?
Do they roll an ankle during practice? Does a freak BEAM accident cause them to be temporarily blinded? These are all very real risks this week.
Fingers crossed that we don't get any funny business.
PICK STATS
Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
- K. Irving was our top pick with 65 riding with him
- What does the third eye see?
- Hopefully a bag full of points and absolutely nothing else
- Our other top picks: D. Lillard (38 picks), J. Tatum (22)
- Those with Dame left craving another explosion
- There's a nice spread of new faces getting more picks, our shrinking available players is bringing the strategy
- What does the Golden Spreadsheet show?
- L. Doncic loses our top usage spot to J. Tatum
- He'll probably get it back next week depending on how his recent ankle injury looks
- SOMEONE PICKED C. SEXTON, I HOPE HE SCORES 90!!!
- Interesting low volume picks: K. Leonard (2 picks), C. Sexton (1), S. Barnes (1)
- Kawhi has scored 24+ in his last 9 games played, I can't imagine he keeps pulling so few picks going forward
| Wilt Main Pick | Count |
| Kyrie Irving (vs NYK | 1/28) | 65 |
| Damian Lillard (vs TOR | 1/28) | 38 |
| Jayson Tatum (vs LAL | 1/28) | 22 |
| Lebron James (@ BOS | 1/28) | 17 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo (@ IND | 1/27) | 16 |
| Jaylen Brown (vs LAL | 1/28) | 16 |
| Stephen Curry (vs TOR | 1/27) | 16 |
| DeMar DeRozan (@ ORL | 1/28) | 15 |
| Ja Morant (@ MIN | 1/27) | 15 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (vs CLE | 1/27) | 12 |
| Devin Booker (@ SAS | 1/28) | 11 |
| Anthony Edwards (vs MEM | 1/27) | 10 |
| Joel Embiid (vs DEN | 1/28) | 10 |
| Julius Randle (@ BKN | 1/28) | 8 |
| Zach Lavine (@ ORL | 1/28) | 8 |
| Donovan Mitchell (@ OKC | 1/27) | 7 |
| Pascal Siakam (@ GSW | 1/27) | 7 |
| Kevin Durant (vs NYK | 1/28) | 6 |
| Trae Young (vs LAC | 1/28) | 6 |
| Anthony Davis (@ BOS | 1/28) | 5 |
| Jalen Brunson (@ BKN | 1/28) | 4 |
| Jalen Green (@ DET | 1/28) | 4 |
| CJ McCollum (vs WAS | 1/28) | 3 |
| Jimmy Butler (vs ORL | 1/27) | 3 |
| Luka Doncic (@ UTA | 1/28) | 3 |
| Nikola Jokic (@ PHI | 1/28) | 3 |
| Zion Williamson (vs WAS | 1/28) | 3 |
| Bradley Beal (@ NOP | 1/28) | 2 |
| De'Aaron Fox (@ MIN | 1/28) | 2 |
| James Harden (vs DEN | 1/28) | 2 |
| Jordan Poole (vs TOR | 1/27) | 2 |
| Jrue Holiday (@ IND | 1/27) | 2 |
| Kawhi Leonard (@ ATL | 1/28) | 2 |
| Paul George (@ ATL | 1/28) | 2 |
| Collin Sexton (vs DAL | 1/28) | 1 |
| Darius Garland (@ OKC | 1/27) | 1 |
| Dejounte Murray (vs LAC | 1/28) | 1 |
| Desmond Bane (@ MIN | 1/27) | 1 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (vs MEM | 1/27) | 1 |
| Khris Middleton (@ IND | 1/27) | 1 |
| Klay Thompson (vs TOR | 1/27) | 1 |
| Kristaps Porzingis (@ NOP | 1/28) | 1 |
| Scottie Barnes (@ GSW | 1/27) | 1 |
The Worm Survivor
- We've got 10 picks on MIA (vs ORL)
- MIA has been looking better lately, at least better than back when they had some sus losses to SAS and DET
- But ORL has beaten league-leading BOS three times already this season, they might be the most dangerous bad team in the league
- PHX (@ SAS) has 5 picks
- PHX has been looking a bit better recently, and at least got C. Paul back
- Don't know if he's gonna play like pre-37 or post-37 Chris Paul though
- Oh and SAS is bad
- CHI (@ ORL) has 4 riding on them as well
- Oh, the MIA vs ORL game didn't feel risky enough?
- CHI just lost to IND and CHA...
- Biggest upside is ORL will be on a back-to-back, but they're a young team, I'm not sure it makes as big a difference for them
- MIL (@ IND) is our last "big" pick with 4 pickers
- IND is still missing Haliburton and has been on a big slide recently
- Feel like this was a smart pull
| Worm Pick | Count |
| Miami Heat (vs ORL | 1/27) | 10 |
| Phoenix Suns (@ SAS | 1/28) | 5 |
| Chicago Bulls (@ ORL | 1/28) | 4 |
| Milwaukee Bucks (@ IND | 1/27) | 4 |
| Memphis Grizzlies (@ MIN | 1/27) | 2 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers (@ OKC | 1/27) | 1 |
| Golden State Warriors (vs TOR | 1/27) | 1 |
| Houston Rockets (@ DET | 1/28) | 1 |
| Los Angeles Clippers (@ ATL | 1/28) | 1 |
| Utah Jazz (vs DAL | 1/28) | 1 |
WEEKLY AWARDS
Westbrook Bank Shot Moxie Award
Boldest pick WITH a comment. You can't win a SZN competition without a little Moxie!
@StatCzar (D. Fox): "Alright, I've told stories about my grandma watching movies and driving, here's one that combines them. A year or two ago, when she was still driving, my grandma watched that Russell Crowe road rage movie. She loved it so much it actually gave her "road rage" so she went out and did her version of NASCAR. She drove to the automatic car wash down the street and repeatedly just drove straight through it without stopping for an actual car wash (as car washes give her anxiety) and just kept making right turns to keep circling around until she burnt off all her extra energy"
GM says: I hope Fox scores as many points as Granny completed laps at the car wash
"Who's the GOAT?" Award
Our best weekly comment (or three)
@kempsoos (D. Lillard): "I’m just killing time until the free water kayaking championship SZN starts next month… we’re under represented in aquatic sports here. How about a bracket for those guys that wait for home runs in boats outside of the stadiums? Surfing survivor?"
GM says: Underwater Basket Weaving SZN is gonna be lit. And I literally learned 3 hours ago that Surfing Survivor is a real thing.
"I Could Sell You Kings Tickets" Award
Most convincing comment.
GM says: Be more convincing y'all!
KD Would Retweet This Award
The spiciest/wildest take.
@LeviLeo (K. Middleton): "It's happening, it's happening. It's really happening"
GM says: Buddy, Bud, Bud-a-roo... I need this to happen for you.
MORE PICK COMMENTS
@Mr_Rodgers_Neighborhood (MIL): "Fear the Deer! (I actually more fear Aaron Rodgers as a part-owner, but whatever)"!"
GM says: R-E-L-A-X
@Venez68 (K. Irving): "still no Lauri Markkanen huh?!"
GM says: Nope. Still nope.
@YikesVikes (L. James): "LeBron - Got him left got to play him. 0 last week see LeBron it on."
GM says: Just pin your hopes and dreams onto the NBA-geriatric. No pressure old man!
@MONSTERXXX (J. Embiid): "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH !!!!.."
GM says: I think it's more like WOoOoOoOoOoH!!!!!!
Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM