How is my Pick 2 team?

[wdleehi]

im working on the southeast ranking today.

Good idea.  Why wait to review the best division.

[StartOrien]

This isnt in general, this is talking about this matchup with NY.  Is hibbert offensively good enough to take advantage of his strength against KG?  I dont think so.  Can Hibbert cover either KG or AK on defense?  again i dont think so.  Which means NY would have to adjust shifting amare to the 5 and galo to the 4.

Personally, I think Roy Hibbert is only a consistently effective go-to scorer when he has a mis-match against a smaller player which he would have with KG on him defensively ... but I agree there is absolutely no way that Hibbert can guard Garnett in the other end or provide adequate team defense while defending KG leaving the paint wide open to Rajon Rondo's penetration.

Either way, keep Hibbert in the lineup or bench him, NY lose against that Boston lineup.

Boston can also bring Robin Lopez into the lineup instead of Kirilenko when it creates or eliminates specific matchup issues. But they'd need to keep their two shooters on the wing + KG out there to allow Rondo room to create because they would become even more dependent on Rondo's playmaking to create high percentage shots.

If Boston plays a smaller lineup, they are by far the best team in this division.

I don't know, I just can't see Boston scoring enough points to be the division favorite. How much can Boston realistically expect out of Martel Webster whose never averaged above 11ppg in a season?

EDIT:

Career Highs in PPG over a full season:

Martell Webster: 10.7
Andre Kirilenko: 16.5
Rajon Rondo: 13.7
Shannon Brown: 9.3 / Robin Lopez: 8.4

[Fafnir]

This isnt in general, this is talking about this matchup with NY.  Is hibbert offensively good enough to take advantage of his strength against KG?  I dont think so.  Can Hibbert cover either KG or AK on defense?  again i dont think so.  Which means NY would have to adjust shifting amare to the 5 and galo to the 4.

Personally, I think Roy Hibbert is only a consistently effective go-to scorer when he has a mis-match against a smaller player which he would have with KG on him defensively ... but I agree there is absolutely no way that Hibbert can guard Garnett in the other end or provide adequate team defense while defending KG leaving the paint wide open to Rajon Rondo's penetration.

Either way, keep Hibbert in the lineup or bench him, NY lose against that Boston lineup.

Boston can also bring Robin Lopez into the lineup instead of Kirilenko when it creates or eliminates specific matchup issues. But they'd need to keep their two shooters on the wing + KG out there to allow Rondo room to create because they would become even more dependent on Rondo's playmaking to create high percentage shots.

If Boston plays a smaller lineup, they are by far the best team in this division.

I don't know, I just can't see Boston scoring enough points to be the division favorite. How much can Boston realistically expect out of Martel Webster whose never averaged above 11ppg in a season?

EDIT:

Career Highs in PPG over a full season:

Martell Webster: 10.7
Andre Kirilenko: 16.5
Rajon Rondo: 13.7
Shannon Brown: 9.3 / Robin Lopez: 8.4

I'm skeptical about just adding up PPG and declaring an offense deficient. Especially when so many of those players can score but their team's current roles ask them to take less shots.

I do agree that Boston will struggle if Rondo isn't playing well, but PPG average isn't the way to argue that.

[StartOrien]

I don't meant to put them in and say 'add them up,' but just to highlight how low they are. And those are their career highs, AK47 has consistently been at about 11 ppg for years now.

If a defense just sags off of Rondo, I don't see how this team scores points. Each player on the team will need to significantly imrpove their career averages, and play a much greater role than they've ever become accustomed to. And besides Rondo, I don't see anyone on this team who'll be able to do that.

I don't mean to trash on the team, it's clear that they're in the top 2 in the dvision - I just don't think they can score enough points to be the division favorite.

[Who]

The two biggest problems facing the actual Atlanta Hawks are:

(1) Shot creation -- this Pick II Hawks team has solved this issue by adding Devin Harris and Ben Gordon to the side + has a very valuable option in Ryan Anderson too.

(2) Defensive ability -- possible answer in Joel Przybilla if he can regain his pre-injury form. If he cannot, then the Pick II Hawks will be comparable to the actual Hawks in terms of defensive ability. With Haslem able to cover most of Josh Smith's defensive contributions and the upgrade of Devin Harris from Mike Bibby more than covering the remaining drop-off.

------------------------------------

I would like to see Atlanta start Aminu ahead of Corey Brewer at small forward though. Brewer is too much of a wild card offensively in terms of decision making and shot selection to be included in that unit. Better to go with the low mistake but passive Aminu.

-------------------------------------

I think Atlanta have clear separation from Orlando as the second best team in the division ... and if Przybilla can get his act together, then they are a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.

[Who]

Orlando and Washington is an interesting battle for third place.

Need to think some more on that one. Those two teams could end up being pretty close.

[StartOrien]

To me, there's a great deal of separation in this division:

As of right now:

Miami
------
Orlando
-----
Atlanta
-----
Washington
Charlotte

I like what Orlando did w/ their team, but I think their bench was missing a few key role players to be a true contender. Without a strong defensive swing, or another veteran defensive big, I think they'd get mangled by Miami.

Three years down the line:

Miami
----
Orlando
Washington
----
Atlanta
----
Charlotte

I like Washington's youth, but I think w/o a strong interior post prescence I don't think you beat Miami. I also have some concerns about how Monroe & Bosh would work together, as they both operate best out of the high post (just don't tell the Piston's coach that).

[Roy H.]

I go back and forth over Orlando and Atlanta as the #2 team in the division.  I think the reason that I give the edge to Orlando is because Atlanta is relying on two big men who aren't healthy.  Joel P. isn't himself this year, and Haslem is inactive.  

I'm not sure about Orlando, though.  Felton is a good fit at PG, but I worry about DeRozan and Beasley on the wings.  These are two guys out to "get theirs", and when Beasley was playing on a winning team, he wilted and showed he wasn't ready for primetime (which is why Minnesota landed him for a 2nd rounder).  I wouldn't stake my playoff fortunes on him.  Also, I'm just not a huge fan of Channing Frye, although his skill set definitely fits well next to Howard.

I guess my verdict would be that Orlando would be likely to win this season, based upon Atlanta's injuries.  Next season, though, I'd give the edge to the Hawks.

Nobody in that division -- or in the East, for that matter -- is beating the Heat, though.  Not that that's a slight against any of the other GMs; Miami just had such a built-in advantage.  (Meanwhile, I feel for Orlando; they have a good record, but not a great second keeper player.  Dwight is great to build around, but Orlando was handcuffed by not having a great running mate to pair with him.  In that regard, Beasley is better than anything that was on Orlando's roster, most likely.)

[StartOrien]

In that regard, Beasley is better than anything that was on Orlando's roster, most likely.

I disagree w/ this. In my opinion, Orlando would've been better off holding onto Nelson. Just looking behind who was selected, I think the Magic would've been better off keeping Nelson, and then selecting a player like Paul Milsap.

To me:

Nelson
Derozan
(another wing) / Outlaw
Milsap
Howard

6th man: Barbosa

Is the better squad, in fact I think you could make the argument that this team could beat the Heat.

 Of course, it's impossible to speculate on what kind of talent would be there - but playing Monday morning quarterback I think you take the better front court pairing with Milsap and take a downgrade at the scoring wing.

[wdleehi]

I don't quite understand how Charlotte would be ahead of TheWiz with the best two players on there having what I would call down years.



As for the future, I think my team will have the best chance to challenge for the top spot.  There are some big "ifs" involved, but at least there is an "if" right now. 


And isn't that what you are look for?  An actual path to the top. 

For TheWiz, the growth of three rookies to being 1) star PG, 2) a high lever starting big man and 3) rotational swing man; along with the growth of some young starting swing men is the path.  The wild card is the C.  He could be great.  He could be a footnote in the injury history of could-of-been.  I am taking the positive hope of future defensive greatness. 


If that happens, watch out.  Bosh, a very good offensive NBA player, will finally have a big man next to him to do the dirty work.

[indeedproceed]

I don't quite understand how Charlotte would be ahead of TheWiz with the best two players on there having what I would call down years.

I think you can easily swap around the two teams..I think their records will be very close, but I think Gerald Wallace has shown his ability to be a leader on a poor team better than Chris Bosh has..but to be honest, both teams utter lack of any real interior defense just made me think they'd be about equal.

[Fafnir]

I don't quite understand how Charlotte would be ahead of TheWiz with the best two players on there having what I would call down years.

I think you can easily swap around the two teams..I think their records will be very close, but I think Gerald Wallace has shown his ability to be a leader on a poor team better than Chris Bosh has..but to be honest, both teams utter lack of any real interior defense just made me think they'd be about equal.

Gerald Wallace and Bosh being equal players, huh? Charlotte hasn't won a playoff game with Gerald Wallace, and only made the playoffs as a lower seed after Stephen Jackson came to town.

Bosh made the playoffs twice and actually won a few games.

[indeedproceed]

I don't quite understand how Charlotte would be ahead of TheWiz with the best two players on there having what I would call down years.

I think you can easily swap around the two teams..I think their records will be very close, but I think Gerald Wallace has shown his ability to be a leader on a poor team better than Chris Bosh has..but to be honest, both teams utter lack of any real interior defense just made me think they'd be about equal.

Gerald Wallace and Bosh being equal players, huh? Charlotte hasn't won a playoff game with Gerald Wallace, and only made the playoffs as a lower seed after Stephen Jackson came to town.

Bosh made the playoffs twice and actually won a few games.

In literally two of the worst seasons the east has ever seen.

Neither player is a true leader or star..can't they both be pretty?

[indeedproceed]

I don't quite understand how Charlotte would be ahead of TheWiz with the best two players on there having what I would call down years.

I think you can easily swap around the two teams..I think their records will be very close, but I think Gerald Wallace has shown his ability to be a leader on a poor team better than Chris Bosh has..but to be honest, both teams utter lack of any real interior defense just made me think they'd be about equal.

Gerald Wallace and Bosh being equal players, huh? Charlotte hasn't won a playoff game with Gerald Wallace, and only made the playoffs as a lower seed after Stephen Jackson came to town.

Bosh made the playoffs twice and actually won a few games.

In literally two of the worst seasons the east has ever seen.

Neither player is a true leader or star..can't they both be pretty?

Take back the 2 of the worst seasons thing. 07-08 was a good season for the East I suppose.

06-07 was not. And, when the East started to add legitimate 4 5 and 6 seeds in08-09, Toronto disappeared.

[Fafnir]

I don't quite understand how Charlotte would be ahead of TheWiz with the best two players on there having what I would call down years.

I think you can easily swap around the two teams..I think their records will be very close, but I think Gerald Wallace has shown his ability to be a leader on a poor team better than Chris Bosh has..but to be honest, both teams utter lack of any real interior defense just made me think they'd be about equal.

Gerald Wallace and Bosh being equal players, huh? Charlotte hasn't won a playoff game with Gerald Wallace, and only made the playoffs as a lower seed after Stephen Jackson came to town.

Bosh made the playoffs twice and actually won a few games.

In literally two of the worst seasons the east has ever seen.

Neither player is a true leader or star..can't they both be pretty?

Yeah I don't think they're equivalent, especially when Wallace has only had one all-star caliber year, compared to Bosh's 6 such season.

The idea that Wallace is a better player to build a "bad" team around baffles me honestly. I'm not sure where you draw that conclusion, unless you've suddenly become a Dave Berri fan IP.