CB Draft '10 Playoffs First Round Eastern Conference

[indeedproceed]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

EDIT: Also, the fact that Kidd/Nowitzki couldn't get it done vs SA, despite having what on paper looked like a much better team, and their failure vs Denver last year (in a situation where i again thought they had the better team) also factored into the decision a bit.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

[action781]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

YESSSSSSS!!!!!  In reality, IP just voted for me because he is a nice person and would feel absolutely terrible if I spent so much time and effort talking up my team to not get a single vote.  Haha.

I do feel like I did a good job explaining why I think my team would beat Milwaukee though.  I respect Milwaukee, think they are a very good team, but I think my team has the experience and matchups to beat them.  Unfortunately, my efforts appear to have been too late in the day after many cbers have already submitted votes.  I do wish some would reconsider

[KCattheStripe]

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

I see you're still on the fence about whether to vote for your own team or the superior Supercats. The Supercats are superior. Search your feelings IP, you know it to be true

[indeedproceed]

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

I see you're still on the fence about whether to vote for your own team or the superior Supercats. The Supercats are superior. Search your feelings IP, you know it to be true

Haha. Point to you for having more amusing images. The best ones from Bulls I found mostly had spanish people being gored as they thought too late: "Wait...these are actually Bulls! With horns! And they're wicked mad!"

[KCattheStripe]

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

I see you're still on the fence about whether to vote for your own team or the superior Supercats. The Supercats are superior. Search your feelings IP, you know it to be true

Haha. Point to you for having more amusing images. The best ones from Bulls I found mostly had spanish people being gored as they thought too late: "Wait...these are actually Bulls! With horns! And they're wicked mad!"

If I had a Gasol, I'd be totally boned. Google image search scares me.

[Kwhit10]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

EDIT: Also, the fact that Kidd/Nowitzki couldn't get it done vs SA, despite having what on paper looked like a much better team, and their failure vs Denver last year (in a situation where i again thought they had the better team) also factored into the decision a bit.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

Noooo IP!!! Your last minute change of heart gave the series to Orlando  based on HCA  .

[indeedproceed]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

EDIT: Also, the fact that Kidd/Nowitzki couldn't get it done vs SA, despite having what on paper looked like a much better team, and their failure vs Denver last year (in a situation where i again thought they had the better team) also factored into the decision a bit.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

Noooo IP!!! Your last minute change of heart gave the series to Orlando  based on HCA  .

And I'm sorry kwhit, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I voted on Orlando/Atlanta 3 different days I'd make 3 different votes. (Well actually I would only make *two* different votes...oh you guys get it)

The teams were dead even in my mind, but having to choose one, I thought about Durant and his game..and I looked at the team, and I just didn't trust hinrich to make everyone better. Durant doesn't need a great pass to get a good shot, but the rest of your team needs some creativity from the pg, and I didn't have the faith in Hinrich and Ridnour.

[Roy H.]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

EDIT: Also, the fact that Kidd/Nowitzki couldn't get it done vs SA, despite having what on paper looked like a much better team, and their failure vs Denver last year (in a situation where i again thought they had the better team) also factored into the decision a bit.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

Noooo IP!!! Your last minute change of heart gave the series to Orlando  based on HCA  .

And I'm sorry kwhit, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I voted on Orlando/Atlanta 3 different days I'd make 3 different votes. (Well actually I would only make *two* different votes...oh you guys get it)

The teams were dead even in my mind, but having to choose one, I thought about Durant and his game..and I looked at the team, and I just didn't trust hinrich to make everyone better. Durant doesn't need a great pass to get a good shot, but the rest of your team needs some creativity from the pg, and I didn't have the faith in Hinrich and Ridnour.

In other words, IP was scared of how Durant matched up against Lebron.

[Fafnir]

Full Disclosure, the last four votes decided the Orlando/Atlanta series at 11:00 at night.

At 18 votes it was 8 - 10 Atlanta

[nickagneta]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

EDIT: Also, the fact that Kidd/Nowitzki couldn't get it done vs SA, despite having what on paper looked like a much better team, and their failure vs Denver last year (in a situation where i again thought they had the better team) also factored into the decision a bit.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

Noooo IP!!! Your last minute change of heart gave the series to Orlando  based on HCA  .

And I'm sorry kwhit, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I voted on Orlando/Atlanta 3 different days I'd make 3 different votes. (Well actually I would only make *two* different votes...oh you guys get it)

The teams were dead even in my mind, but having to choose one, I thought about Durant and his game..and I looked at the team, and I just didn't trust hinrich to make everyone better. Durant doesn't need a great pass to get a good shot, but the rest of your team needs some creativity from the pg, and I didn't have the faith in Hinrich and Ridnour.

Sorry, I just can't let this go by.

You have no faith in Hinrich and Ridnour, two veterans who's Per 36 in assists and assist percentage is almost exactly identical that that of Brandon Jennings, to get the ball to players like Mehmet Okur, Elton Brand, JJ Redick and Anderson Varejao but you have faith in rookies Brandon Jennings and Eric Maynor to get the ball to more deficient offensive players Mike Miller, Tony Allen, Ersan Ilysova and Joakim Noah?

Sure you have LeBron but as has been proven over and over again in the playoffs, Lebron being the point forward with a fairly deficient offensive supporting cast is an ultimate losing formula.

I would have guessed given the makeup of the Atlanta and Chicago squads you would have voted for Atlanta because their teams are so similarly constructed.

[Fafnir]

You do know in the actual story Achillies wasn't mad because his cousin died, right?

I'm going

Indiana
Washington
Orlando

-I'm pretty surprised by this, but going Indiana felt better. Kobe over Rip I think is a bigger mis-match than I felt initially. Ty Thomas on Dirk..meh. Thomas was better than I thought he would be, but Dirk is still the way better player. I do like Gasol over Gortat, but not to the 8 point per contest advantage action said. Probably won't make a difference; I think most people went Milwaukee, but I think Kobe won't be denied here.

EDIT: Also, the fact that Kidd/Nowitzki couldn't get it done vs SA, despite having what on paper looked like a much better team, and their failure vs Denver last year (in a situation where i again thought they had the better team) also factored into the decision a bit.

RE: Orlando, I really liked the Lawson/Terry backcourt, and I really liked Aldridge over Varejao. Durant is like Hansel. He's so hot right now...but I think Orlando will be the better team until Durant becomes more of a distributor.

Noooo IP!!! Your last minute change of heart gave the series to Orlando  based on HCA  .

And I'm sorry kwhit, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I voted on Orlando/Atlanta 3 different days I'd make 3 different votes. (Well actually I would only make *two* different votes...oh you guys get it)

The teams were dead even in my mind, but having to choose one, I thought about Durant and his game..and I looked at the team, and I just didn't trust hinrich to make everyone better. Durant doesn't need a great pass to get a good shot, but the rest of your team needs some creativity from the pg, and I didn't have the faith in Hinrich and Ridnour.

Sorry, I just can't let this go by.

You have no faith in Hinrich and Ridnour, two veterans who's Per 36 in assists and assist percentage is almost exactly identical that that of Brandon Jennings, to get the ball to players like Mehmet Okur, Elton Brand, JJ Redick and Anderson Varejao but you have faith in rookies Brandon Jennings and Eric Maynor to get the ball to more deficient offensive players Mike Miller, Tony Allen, Ersan Ilysova and Joakim Noah?

Sure you have LeBron but as has been proven over and over again in the playoffs, Lebron being the point forward with a fairly deficient offensive supporting cast is an ultimate losing formula.

The difference between LeBron and Durant is a large one. It is especially large when it comes to creating for his team mates.

Durant Usage 32.0 Assist Rate 2.6/36 Assist% 13.5 TOV% 11.7
LeBron Usage 33.5 Assist Rate 7.9/36 Assist% 41.8 TOV% 12.3

Not having a PG to run the offense (that you trust) to pair with Durant is a huge problem for a team. Not having a PG to run the offense (that you trust) to pair with LeBron is not a problem.

Durant's formula by the way hasn't won anything either.

[indeedproceed]

Sorry, I just can't let this go by.

Yes, you could've, but I bet you were just a little more bored than I was, so you didn't. Challenge accepted, apology not.

You have no faith in Hinrich and Ridnour, two veterans who's Per 36 in assists and assist percentage is almost exactly identical that that of Brandon Jennings, to get the ball to players like Mehmet Okur, Elton Brand, JJ Redick and Anderson Varejao but you have faith in rookies Brandon Jennings and Eric Maynor to get the ball to more deficient offensive players Mike Miller, Tony Allen, Ersan Ilysova and Joakim Noah?

Lets take a second here and really, really look at that statement.

1) Yes, I have faith in a player who as a rookie helped lead an underdog team to the playoffs, and as a rookie pushed that team to force a game 7 out of a heavily favored #4 seed, despite the Bucks losing their best player. Yes, I have more faith in him than I do Ridnour (Jennings' backup), or Hinrich. Hinrich I am a lot closer to believing than Ridnour, and I think Hinrich is a heck of a player. I think if Orlando had gone against a poorer team than Orlando, Hinrich would've done enough, but I had Orlando as my regular season champs on my ballot (but number 2 in my mind).

Sure you have LeBron but as has been proven over and over again in the playoffs, Lebron being the point forward with a fairly deficient offensive supporting cast is an ultimate losing formula.

What the heck are you talking about? Show me one thing, one thing that stats LeBron's Cleveland team worse than anyone besides the Boston Celtics last season, and that's just the playoffs.

And LeBron does make a LOT of difference here. If LeBron was on Kwhit's team in place of Durant, they probably win that series. Durant is a scorer, he added rebounding to his repertoire last season, and is defense is coming along. He is not a distributor, and that means Hinrich has to work twice as hard.

LeBron on the other hand has led all small forwards in assists per game since the year he was drafted. You might say having a 7 assists per night guy on your roster playing 40 minutes a contest takes some of the pressure off the point. You might say that.

I would have guessed given the makeup of the Atlanta and Chicago squads you would have voted for Atlanta because their teams are so similarly constructed.

They are similarly constructed. That doesn't mean they're interchangeable. I really liked Atlanta's team, but I had them as 4th in the SE, and I had Orlando as the regular season champs. They beat a lot of teams in the East, but I don't think they beat Orlando.

But even then, I'm not entirely certain of that now. Honestly i thought that it was the closest contest in the East, save for maybe NYK and Washington, but NY wasn't there to make believers out of anyone.

Either team could've won that series (I mean the Orlando/Atlanta series), but I had to pick one.

EDIT: Actually the Indiana/Milwaukee series was close (in my mind) too. Now that I think about it the East was closer than I thought it would be.

[nickagneta]

You are right I am bored. I got a ton of my reading for school out of the way last night(amazing what can be done when you don't sleep), did my inventory and placed my PO's and did my A.P. And the phones are quiet so I am bored.

Second, it's rather strange the credit you give Jennings for "helping lead" the Bucks into the playoffs. Let's take a look at some before and after stats for the date Feb 1st 2010:

Bucks record before Feb 1st: 20-25
Bucks record after  Feb 1st: 26-11

Jennings MPG before Feb 1st: 34.3
Jennings MPG after  Feb 1st: 30.4

Jennings PPG before Feb 1st: 17.7
Jennings PPG after  Feb 1st: 12.8

Jennings PP36 before Feb 1st: 18.6
Jennings PP36 after  Feb 1st: 15.2

Jennings APG before Feb 1st: 6.2
Jennings APG after  Feb 1st: 5.1

Jennings AP36 before Feb 1st: 6.5
Jennings AP36 after  Feb 1st: 6.0

Jennings FG% before Feb 1st: 38.2%
Jennings FG% after  Feb 1st: 35.3%

Jennings 3PT% before Feb 1st: 39.4%
Jennings 3PT% after  Feb 1st: 34.7%

So....you want us to believe that the Milwaukee late season surge that got them into the playoffs and a 5th seed was led by Jennings who coincidentally had a sizable reduction of minutes, shot worse, scored substantially less points, and was generally on a per minute basis much more ineffective? Yet the guy you don't believe in on the Atlanta team, Luke Ridnour, who happened to be jennings backup on the real Bucks had the following stats pre and post Feb 1st:


Ridnour MPG before Feb 1st: 22.4
Ridnour MPG after  Feb 1st: 20.2

Ridnour PPG before Feb 1st: 11.5
Ridnour PPG after  Feb 1st: 9.1

Ridnour PP36 before Feb 1st: 18.5
Ridnour PP36 after  Feb 1st: 16.2

Ridnour APG before Feb 1st: 4.0
Ridnour APG after  Feb 1st: 3.9

Ridnour AP36 before Feb 1st: 6.4
Ridnour AP36 after  Feb 1st: 7.0

Ridnour FG% before Feb 1st: 48.8%
Ridnour FG% after  Feb 1st: 46.3%

Jennings 3PT% before Feb 1st: 31.5%
Jennings 3PT% after  Feb 1st: 34.2%

So the guy, Ridnour, who during the period where the Bucks surged into the playoffs, on a per minute basis, shot the ball better than Jennings, passed the ball better than Jennings, scored more than Jennings and overall played much, much better than Jennings and was the steadying influence on the team during their surge is the guy you DON't believe in as a PG and Jennings is a player you trust?

Dang good thing you have LeBron to play point forward because I'm not sure your trust in PGs can be trusted.

By the way the stat that shows over and over again that LeBron playing point forward on the perimeter is a losing formula are all those losses in the playoffs which netted exactly zero championships. If he wants to lead his club to a championship he might want to stop being the ultimate creator for others and his own shot. We'll see this year if that statement is correct but one thing we do know is that him being the point forward is a losing formula when it comes to championships.

Lastly, regarding Milwaukee's stunningly forcing a game seven to a heavily favored 4th seed:

1. Atlanta should not have been heavily favored as Milwaukee was playing some of the best ball in the NBA over the last 2 1/2 months of the season

2. 4th and 5th seeds tend to be closely matched and play close series. It's the nature of being a 4th and 5th seed in an 8 team playoff format

[wdleehi]

You are right I am bored. I got a ton of my reading for school out of the way last night(amazing what can be done when you don't sleep), did my inventory and placed my PO's and did my A.P. And the phones are quiet so I am bored.

Second, it's rather strange the credit you give Jennings for "helping lead" the Bucks into the playoffs. Let's take a look at some before and after stats for the date Feb 1st 2010:

Bucks record before Feb 1st: 20-25
Bucks record after  Feb 1st: 26-11

Jennings MPG before Feb 1st: 34.3
Jennings MPG after  Feb 1st: 30.4

Jennings PPG before Feb 1st: 17.7
Jennings PPG after  Feb 1st: 12.8

Jennings PP36 before Feb 1st: 18.6
Jennings PP36 after  Feb 1st: 15.2

Jennings APG before Feb 1st: 6.2
Jennings APG after  Feb 1st: 5.1

Jennings AP36 before Feb 1st: 6.5
Jennings AP36 after  Feb 1st: 6.0

Jennings FG% before Feb 1st: 38.2%
Jennings FG% after  Feb 1st: 35.3%

Jennings 3PT% before Feb 1st: 39.4%
Jennings 3PT% after  Feb 1st: 34.7%

So....you want us to believe that the Milwaukee late season surge that got them into the playoffs and a 5th seed was led by Jennings who coincidentally had a sizable reduction of minutes, shot worse, scored substantially less points, and was generally on a per minute basis much more ineffective? Yet the guy you don't believe in on the Atlanta team, Luke Ridnour, who happened to be jennings backup on the real Bucks had the following stats pre and post Feb 1st:


Ridnour MPG before Feb 1st: 22.4
Ridnour MPG after  Feb 1st: 20.2

Ridnour PPG before Feb 1st: 11.5
Ridnour PPG after  Feb 1st: 9.1

Ridnour PP36 before Feb 1st: 18.5
Ridnour PP36 after  Feb 1st: 16.2

Ridnour APG before Feb 1st: 4.0
Ridnour APG after  Feb 1st: 3.9

Ridnour AP36 before Feb 1st: 6.4
Ridnour AP36 after  Feb 1st: 7.0

Ridnour FG% before Feb 1st: 48.8%
Ridnour FG% after  Feb 1st: 46.3%

Jennings 3PT% before Feb 1st: 31.5%
Jennings 3PT% after  Feb 1st: 34.2%

So the guy, Ridnour, who during the period where the Bucks surged into the playoffs, on a per minute basis, shot the ball better than Jennings, passed the ball better than Jennings, scored more than Jennings and overall played much, much better than Jennings and was the steadying influence on the team during their surge is the guy you DON't believe in as a PG and Jennings is a player you trust?

Dang good thing you have LeBron to play point forward because I'm not sure your trust in PGs can be trusted.

By the way the stat that shows over and over again that LeBron playing point forward on the perimeter is a losing formula are all those losses in the playoffs which netted exactly zero championships. If he wants to lead his club to a championship he might want to stop being the ultimate creator for others and his own shot. We'll see this year if that statement is correct but one thing we do know is that him being the point forward is a losing formula when it comes to championships.

Lastly, regarding Milwaukee's stunningly forcing a game seven to a heavily favored 4th seed:

1. Atlanta should not have been heavily favored as Milwaukee was playing some of the best ball in the NBA over the last 2 1/2 months of the season

2. 4th and 5th seeds tend to be closely matched and play close series. It's the nature of being a 4th and 5th seed in an 8 team playoff format

Atl was 3rd and Mil was 6th.


Bos was 4th and Miami was 5th. 

[Fafnir]

Atl was 3rd and Mil was 6th.


Bos was 4th and Miami was 5th. 

Also the 6th seed had just lost their best player, who was also their best big man, to injury.