Friends in fast breaks,
Injuries are piling up. Luka's had the dad-bump to his stats. DET is begging for a win. Let's go.
IMPORTANT NBA H2 REMINDERS
I'll be repeating these the next few weeks.
1) Our "second half" pools start January 12th! There's a Survivor, Weekly Pick'em, and Wins Battle with $4,000 in prizes. Then we have two Playoffs pools for $2,500 in prizes. There's a lot more basketball and prizes coming! Make sure you're in >>
2) NBA Squads lock on Jan 12th with the start of our H2 Pools. Squads are a way to play in our pools with your friends and win BONUS prizes together for every pool we run. Get three friends in a Pool, add them to your NBA Squad, and you're elgible! We give out Prizes to pool champ's Squad, as well as the Squad with the best combined Top 3 scores. There are only 6 eligible NBA Squads (out of 19) right now, so get some easy money just for playing with your friends!
3) Get $10 for each new NBA referral! Send your friends your referral link, have them buy the NBA Bundle, and you'll get $10 for each of them. They must be a new user (join after 12/21, buy before Jan 13th). Add them to your NBA Squad from #2 and get even more cash by playing together.
4) Who do you want added to NBA Points One-And-Done? As stated in our rules, we're going to evaluate adding players to the pool after Week 11 for the second half. The goal is to add any high-performing players that didn't make the original roster. We may add none, and we won't add more than ten. I'll be evaluating over the next few weeks, but I'm happy to consider requested player from you all. You can submit them in a pick comment or email gm@theszn.com.
WEEK 10 PICKS
- Points One-And-Done
- Survivor #1
- "All 30" One-And-Done
The GM AWARDS
Rewarding whatever random things I feel like. Feel free to suggest topics!
Even More History-est NBA Game (for us) - TOR @ DET
They approached the record. They matched the record. Now they're going even further beyond! Can DET make it 29??!?!
Oh yeah, that guy! - A. Drummond
Out of nowhere, Andre Drummong put up a MONSTER 24 point, 25 rebound game as the starter for the Bulls. Drummond just turned 30 a couple months ago, and hasn't played in that many games (or minutes per game) since 2020. He recently opened up about how he's matured, going from a $100M contract to the league minimum. I respect the growth and the fact this kind of monster play is still in there.
Biggest Jinx - TheGM
I even said last week that I was being a jinx, mentioning how impressive Kawhi had been and with so little rest. He's now missed every game since the 21st and doesn't look like he's playing tonight either. I'm so sorry Kawhi.
Dadliest Catch - L. Doncic
Luka had his first kid back on December 1st. Prior to that date, he posted 31/8/8 in 17 games. In the 12 games since, he's been at 37/9/11. Crazy to think a dad-bump was even possible on his starting statline, my goodness.
PICK STATS
Walking Bucket Wilt OAD
- J. Morant took our top spot with 66 picks
- He's come out of his suspension red hot and we're capitalizing
- Who knows when he could get suspended next?
- Or just cool off
- A. Simons is next at 42 picks
- This is real unfortunate, he was ruled out
- I sent a warning email for him and a few other players earlier this afternoon to try and help, but you gotta be on top of your guys
- Then there's a tight pack of D. Fox (38 picks), D. Booker (36), K. Durant (36), J. Brunson (32), and T. Young (30)
- Two PHX guys to beat up on CHA
- I always worry though, if it's a blow out people can hit the bench early
- T. Young has been looking like his 2019 sophomore form again
- Interesting low volume picks: K. Thompson (1 pick), D. Murray (1), J. Clarkson (1)
- Digging into the Golden Spreadsheet...
- 5 players now above 70% usage, with 2 more just behind
- 16 total players above 50% usage
- Moving to double picks and a slightly smaller roster has made this FAR more interesting, and we're only 10 weeks in
Survivor #1
- Status check
- 66 of you are still flawless (no wrong picks)
- 89 of you have missed once, but are still kicking
- 187 of us are eliminated and awaiting Survivor #2
- PHX snags the top pick by 68 of you
- No DET to pick on this week, huh?
- Just a tad under a majority pick at 43.8%
- BKN in second with 35 picks
- That's 35 of the 39 total picks they've received from alive players
- So not a vote of faith in BKN, just no faith in WAS
- POR with 15 picks is brave
- Their injury report blew up today
- SAS is missing Wembanyama, but it's a tank-off
- Digging into the Golden Spreadsheet...
- 89.7% of BKNs picks are from this week
- 9 teams are above 50% usage
- DET, OKC, and TOR are the three least used teams now with 0, 2, and 4 picks respectively
"All 30" One-And-Done
- Still PHX, BKN, and POR at the top here, holding the majority of picks this week
- LAC, BOS, and DET (👀!!!) lead the lower volume picks
- Digging into the Golden Spreadsheet...
- GSW still the only 50%+ team
- MIL and PHI JUST below though
- Half of DET's uses came this week
- OKC now very lonely as the only team with less than 10 picks
BEST PICK COMMENTS
@StatCzar (J. Morant, C. Cunningham): "Taking Ja before the Ghost of Christmas Past pays him a visit and he winds up suspended again. But, I just want everyone to know that I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, including The GM, who sent some very Scrooge like messages in the Slack over the weekend. Just remember as Tiny Muggsy Bouges said, God bless us, everyone!"
GM says: You says ghosts, I say fresh legs getting tired, but we keep ending up in the same boat. Now get out of here Tiny Tim!
@kbanaian (BKN, Survivor #1): "I mean, their coach rested the team and conceded a game to be rested for this. Jacque Vaughn, this survivor pick is for you! If I win I'll send you $10 for the fine you are going to end up paying Adam Silver."
GM says: Need all the rest you can get to beat the... let me check... Wizards?
@Schreindogg (BKN, Survivor #1): "This is the first time I have looked at my options for more than 30 seconds. Guaranteed loss now due to over-thinking. "
GM says: We stand by the fact that "you can pick in under a minute"! Sometimes instincts WORK.
@Trentoff (MIN, All 30): "Do we take Detroit now to rip the bandaid off and not have to worry about them again, or wait til the end of the season when their tank is already confirmed and guys are playing for contracts in April?"
GM says: Talk about picking worst team, pick the second best team. What kind of scam are you trying to run here?
@kbanaian (D. Fox, J. Poole): "OK, guys, I'll finish using my Wizards here. "
GM says: They've been better than terrible recently, try to cash in!
@Rodgers_is_dead_to_me (T. Herro, P. George): "I don’t know that you can trust a person with 2 first names, just like you can’t trust it when your wife says “I’m fine”."
GM says: I'm fine (with what's about to happen to you)
@kbanaian (DET, All 30): "I'm calling my shot. This is it. This is the end of the streak. So close lately, TOR on the 2nd half b2b. I can't be the only one, am I?"
GM says: TOR is a good chance. HOU if their injured players stay down is a good chance. UTA are a good chance. They've got three solid opportunities in a row coming up.
@Logan2273 (BKN, Survivor #1): "My brains is saying take the suns, but my model is pointing me to Brooklyn. Too many people alive still, have to start preserving some picks for the future"
GM says: Tell us more about the model!
@YikesVikes (J. Morant, J. Brunson): "Just Awful in my picks over the last few weeks. JA must be the turn around, Ja Morant, and another JA, Jalen Brunson. Logic never works but.............It's the NBA. "
GM says: You sure you don't want Jalen Brunson and Jalen Green? More matchy matchy and you'll almost certainly get fewer points for your troubles.
@NEELERSBTB1 (B. Miller, S. Henderson): "Sandbagging!!!!! "
GM says: Wake up rooks, NEELERS said you ain't it!
@LVdude (D. Booker, J. Brunson): "LeFlop is way overrated"
GM says: 25/7/7 at 38-39 years old - He's washed!
@Schreindogg (POR, All 30): "Can't say I love this pick but it might be their best opportunity all year "
GM says: Gotta use them at some point!
@Logan2273 (P. George, P. Banchero): "Counting on Kawhi to rest so PG can carry the offense. Also Paolo because we have to take 2 guys"
GM says: Kawhi listed as questionable and not at shoot around today, sounds like you get what you want. I really jinxed Kawhi mentioning how healthy he'd been last week huh?
@RedEd4 (PHX, Survivor #1): "Who's playing the Hornets? "
GM says: I'll have you know L. Ball will be cheering VERY heartily from the sidelines!
@Berel10 (S. Gilgeous, T. Young): "Shabbat shalom"
GM says: I don't know the proper response, but happy holidays to you and yours!
@Logan2273 (POR, All 30): "Scoot said the ROY race is wide open. Time to go prove it"
GM says: It's definitely open! Just not sure it's open for him...
@RedEd4 (K. Durant, T. Young): "KD and TY...the wheel has spoken "
GM says: I need proof the wheel exists. I expect it to have elaborate team-specific colors for every player.
Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM