Friends in fast breaks,

I'm such a fan of Giannis's fast food party strategy. Not that I think it's great for his longevity (See Lebron's $1M a year maintenance or the bizarro world of TB12), but just the pettiness of it. 

WEEK 15 PICKS

• Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
  • Summary | Overall Standings | Golden Spreadsheet
• The Worm Survivor
  • Summary | Overall Standings | Golden Spreadsheet
• Your group picks (get in a group with friends!)

Giannis went to Chick-Fil-A after his insane 2021 Finals performance, getting 50 nuggets for his 50 points. But CFA apparently didn't try and turn this into something bigger (or give him free nuggs).

So Giannis pivots to Culver's after his latest 54 point performance, and says he's gonna try and eat 50 of their burgers. Culver's DELIVERS. They aren't wasting the opportunity. They're gonna give him the burgers free AND donated 54K diapers to a local charity Giannis supports in his honor. THAT is how you capitalize! Now I'm talking about Culver's and I've never even seen one. 

PICK STATS

Walking Bucket Wilt OAD

• K. Irving topped our list again this week with 44 pickers
  • He's had two "middling" games recently
  • And that whole DEMANDED A TRADE today thing
  • Are we just not scared off by that?
  • Do we think he's gonna "prove his worth" tonight to the market?
• Our other big picks: D. Lillard (37 picks), J. Embiid (28), J. Brown (27), and S. Gilgeous (24)
  • Lillard is continuing his obscene run
  • Since 1/8, we're talking 38.0 PPG including four 40s, one 50, and one 60
  • That's the best run I can remember since Harden's filthy 43.6 PPG back in January 2019
• What does the Golden Spreadsheet show?
  • And just like L. Doncic last week, J. Tatum loses his top spot on our usage chart to S. Gilgeous
  • Tatum and Luka are just behind, but I like the movement we're seeing, strategies evolve!
  • I'm so proud that every play has been picked successfully at least once now, good job
• Interesting low volume picks: D. Russell (1 pick), F. VanVleet (1), G. Hayward (1), J. Clarkson (1), K. Johnson (1), R. Barrett (1)

The Worm Survivor

• With only 27 people left, we're getting real short on these pick lists
• PHI (@ SAS) tops our list with 13 picks 
  • PHI has been on a hot streak, going 20-5 in their last 25 games
  • SAS has not... With only 1 win going back through Jan 7th
  • This SHOULD be a cake walk
• OKC (vs HOU) has 5 picks
  • Ya'll do know the LAST game HOU won, right?
  • A couple days ago... agaisnt some blue and orange team... hmmm
• BKN (vs WAS) pulled in 3 picks
  • WAS has been on a 6 game win steak (today's game against POR not included)
  • BKN is in disarray on the sudden trade request
  • I smell chaos
• TOR (@ HOU) also nabbed 3 picks
  • If anybody needs a pity win right now, it's TOR
• LAL (@ NOP) got 2 picks
  • Great time to capitalize on the struggling NOP, nice work
• MIN (vs ORL) has a single picker
  • MIN's been looking better lately
  • But I still think ORL is a dream dasher
  • We gotta hope Ant channels his ASG snub into a big performance

WEEKLY AWARDS

Westbrook Bank Shot Moxie Award

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

@Flem (K. Johnson): "The opportunity to pick a San Antonio Spur doesn’t come around every day. You’ve gotta strike while the iron’s hot, and more importantly, before the third interval starts (I will suddenly become good at this in the third interval, I just know it). Is the iron being hot a good thing in basketball? It sounds bad now that I’m thinking about it. But you know, spurs, blacksmiths, etc. We’re riding with it. Yes, that was another spur joke. You’re welcome"
GM says: The Spurs haven't had someone put faith in them all year

"Who's the GOAT?" Award

Our best weekly comment (or three)

@LeviLeo (R. Westbrook): "Where's Middleton?"
GM says: The confusion of a dog that finally caught the car 😭🤣

"I Could Sell You Kings Tickets" Award

Most convincing comment.

@YikesVikes (D. Lillard): "Damian Lillard - had the most efficient 60-point game in NBA history on Jan. 25 vs. Utah with an 89.8 TS%. Became first player in NBA history with three career games of 60 points, five assists and five rebounds. This week he breaks his own record with four career games of 60 or more!!!!!!!!!!"
GM says: *Furiously nodding and pointing at this guy*

KD Would Retweet This Award

The spiciest/wildest take.

@pheezy42 (J. Embiid): "next year, or next season, let's change this to the highest score of the week. seems like everyone puts their work in on weeknights. this isn't meant to be an excuse for why I'm doing terribly, but... "
GM says: So you want a PARTICIPATION TROPHY for picking a guy to be good at some point each week? Where's the guys? The glory? The constant pain of being just a tiny bit off in your timing every week?

MORE PICK COMMENTS

@Rthecity (D. Lillard): "Baby Dame droppin dimes droppin dimes!!"
GM says: For being such a cold-blooded killer on the court... I cannot believe this song exists. If you aren't aware of Dame's rap career, State Farm commecial, and the full music video... enjoy this bootleg copy

@Mr_Rodgers_Neighborhood (OKC): "C'mon SGA, show me who the REAL God of Thunder is!!!!!!"
GM says: SGA in Thor 5, the MCU x NBA crossover begins

@Merf (P. Siakam): "Anthony Davis should pull a Ron Artest and change his name to "Check Injury Report.""
GM says: If I just marked him as an injury risk every week, no one would question it right?

@StatCzar (A. Edwards): "My mom is still recovering from covid so it falls on me to take my grandmother to dinner, get her hair done, and go grocery shopping. There's currently a windchill here of -4. My grandmother owns a jacket that is battery powered for heat for when it's cold. My grandmother is worried that because it's so cold people will be envious of the jacket, and in our small town in the middle of nowhere, try and steal it, and that the odds are increased because it's pink and fuzzy and looks so good."
GM says: It was all crazy talk until I learned it was pink and fuzzy. GIMME THE JACKET GRANNY!

@kbanaian (J. Embiid): "Of course Joel is going to miss this game because it's the Spurs but if he does play, the chance to watch him destroy Poodle (soon to be a Celtic, against my wishes) is just going to be too too tempting"
GM says: Don't speak it into existence! Also how have I never heard "Poodle" before?

@Mr_Rodgers_Neighborhood (J. Brown): "I picked you once and you were "injured", so don't hose me again!""
GM says:Don't be a hoser, eh? Probably more appropriate for a Raptor TBH

@MONSTERXXX (J. Embiid):  "BUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ !! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH !!!!"
GM says: You've been branching out on your WOOOHs recently and I'm so proud, BUZZ BUZZ MONSTER!

Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM