IP Ranks Your 'Pick 2' Team By Division (All 6 Divs now in!)

[Bahku]

Didn't someone run simulations for every team last year and run them through the playoff stages? (Lucky17?) Can't remember who it was, but somebody at least started doing simulations through a game console ... it was pretty cool, though I imagine very time consuming, (like the write-ups were, ugh! but I had fun with them just the same).

I just went back and searched ... it was riah.

[Atzar]

Didn't someone run simulations for every team last year and run them through the playoff stages? (Lucky17?) Can't remember who it was, but somebody at least started doing simulations through a game console ... it was pretty cool, though I imagine very time consuming, (like the write-ups were, ugh! but I had fun with them just the same).

Riah did it, if I remember correctly.

[Bahku]

Didn't someone run simulations for every team last year and run them through the playoff stages? (Lucky17?) Can't remember who it was, but somebody at least started doing simulations through a game console ... it was pretty cool, though I imagine very time consuming, (like the write-ups were, ugh! but I had fun with them just the same).

Riah did it, if I remember correctly.

Yeah ... just went back and found it ... you're right. That was pretty cool, though not an exact science, by any means.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Miami lost Chris Bosh and LA lost Odom..so, I consider it a wash. I don't think Miami gets past LA in this league especially if Pau plays agrresive. Miami doesn't have any answer for Pau....and Haywood is not a bad center either...like you said, the bigs win it for LA.

Wait, what? I'm challenging the call on the field. You're absolutely right about Gasol. But let's see you justify calling the talent gap between Chris Bosh/Josh Smith and Lamar Odom/Anthony Randolph "a wash." And ask around, I definitely ride for Randolph.

[barefacedmonk]

Miami lost Chris Bosh and LA lost Odom..so, I consider it a wash. I don't think Miami gets past LA in this league especially if Pau plays agrresive. Miami doesn't have any answer for Pau....and Haywood is not a bad center either...like you said, the bigs win it for LA.

Wait, what? I'm challenging the call on the field. You're absolutely right about Gasol. But let's see you justify calling the talent gap between Chris Bosh/Josh Smith and Lamar Odom/Anthony Randolph "a wash." And ask around, I definitely ride for Randolph.

I called the loss of Odom and Bosh "a wash" for their respective teams. Why do you take exception to that? I was only comparing the two...where do Smith and Randolph come in?

As it stands, your team is the second best in this league. You're not getting past LA with your frontline. Anyway, I'll leave the debate to the GMs. LA wins it all imo.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Miami lost Chris Bosh and LA lost Odom..so, I consider it a wash. I don't think Miami gets past LA in this league especially if Pau plays agrresive. Miami doesn't have any answer for Pau....and Haywood is not a bad center either...like you said, the bigs win it for LA.

Wait, what? I'm challenging the call on the field. You're absolutely right about Gasol. But let's see you justify calling the talent gap between Chris Bosh/Josh Smith and Lamar Odom/Anthony Randolph "a wash." And ask around, I definitely ride for Randolph.

I called the loss of Odom and Bosh "a wash" for their respective teams. Why do you take exception to that? I was only comparing the two...where do Smith and Randolph come in?

As it stands, your team is the second best in this league. You're not getting past LA with your frontline. Anyway, I'll leave the debate to the GMs. LA wins it all imo.

I just don't follow your line of thinking, I guess. As I don't see how replacing Bosh with Josh Smith is "a loss," unless we're taking about as a first or second scoring option.

But good news Josh Smith guards Pau Gasol. I looked it up and it's actually "a wash." Check it.

[indeedproceed]

Miami lost Chris Bosh and LA lost Odom..so, I consider it a wash. I don't think Miami gets past LA in this league especially if Pau plays agrresive. Miami doesn't have any answer for Pau....and Haywood is not a bad center either...like you said, the bigs win it for LA.

Wait, what? I'm challenging the call on the field. You're absolutely right about Gasol. But let's see you justify calling the talent gap between Chris Bosh/Josh Smith and Lamar Odom/Anthony Randolph "a wash." And ask around, I definitely ride for Randolph.

I'm in your boat for the most part. I wonder about the offensive stepdown from Bynum to Haywood, but I am pretty confident that if push comes to shove (which is why I'm about to say the next part..he's good at shoving and pushing..) I'd almost rather have Haywood as a defensive center next to Gasol. He's less injury prone, he's tougher (I think), and he's been around long enough to know how to work the post, whereas Bynum is much more reliant on physical gift.

The problem, as I see it for Miami, is two-fold. 1) Josh Smith can't really leave Gasol. Because of that, he can't roam, and because of that, he's half the defensive player he's capable of. In transition, Smith is just as effective, and because of his new found 3pt touch, Gasol can't really work too much in the paint either, and Smith should be able to score, or LeBron and Wade will just abuse LA in the paint (also because of Diaw's versatility..Haywood will be outclassed when Diaw wants to move around). But, the fact remains that on defense, Josh Smith is not a viable answer for Gasol.

2) Brendan Haywood is not a good offensive center..but having Boris Diaw defend him is kind of akin to having a 5'5 knife-fighter defend a viking with a warhammer. The war-hammer is unwieldy, its not subtle, but against a knife if left to swing on its own, it'll dominate. Haywood has the possibility of having a 20pt game on Diaw, which Miami can't afford.

Which brings us to Timo. Timo will stop Haywood..sure. And in a year or two, Timo might even be a starting caliber center...especially if this whole Denver/NY thing goes though in real life and Gallo goes west...then Timo will get the PT to become a viable option. But this year, while he's shown flashes..he's not even a 20 mins guy on a contending team. Fouls too often..just doesn't get the NBA yet.

Which kind of leaves you at the impasse. Is the combination of Wade/James enough to make sure that Gasol/Haywood can't ruin Miami's shot at a title...I don't know. LeBron James can do a lot..but he can't guard a gifted 7fter like Gasol, and he's not going to help there..and between the disparity of Bryant/Batum and Wade/James vs the disparity of Gasol/Haywood vs Smith/Diaw or Mosgov..I think LA probably has the advantage.

[indeedproceed]

Bucks Bucks Bucks!

I like the duo of Ibaka and Bogut...should make for a very good rebounding and defensive pair.

Kyle Lowry>Jennings...(atleast this year)

EDIT: Actually, once you compare the rosters and think about it, you have to definitely put the Bucks under the "vastly improved" category.

Yup yup!

[The Walker Wiggle]

Well it's 2:45am; I didn't come correct with a full title defense, my mistake. Hat tip, IP.

But shooting from the hip? To win the actual Lakers have sorely needed the offensive contributions of at least one of Odom or Bynum. Brendan Haywood is no help there. And even if you could convince Kobe to work the offensive through him, I'd consider it a victory. His high last season was 19 points.

I think that shifts the discussion instead to L.A.'s actual third option, Billups and by extension Billups versus Terry/Lawson.

Also, while Nicolas Batum is a player I like I lot, he's currently giving up the league's fifth highest PPP. (I was surprised too.) The one time he and LBJ faced off he scored 22 on 56% shooting, which would be more impressive if Bron didn't straight boof on him with 44, 13, 6. 65% shooting. Oh là là.

All that said, your assessments otherwise strike me as really astute, spot on, particularly your observations on Josh - pretty much what I've come to expect at this point. CB Fantasy draft MVP? Just maybe.

[indeedproceed]

Well it's 2:45am; I didn't come correct with a full title defense, my mistake. Hat tip, IP.

But shooting from the hip: to win the Lakers sorely need the offensive contributions of at least one of Odom or Bynum. Brendan Haywood is no help there. And even if you could convince Kobe to work the offensive through him, I'll consider it a win. His high last season was 19 points.

I think that shifts the discussion instead to L.A.'s actual third option, Billups and by extension Billups versus Terry/Lawson.

Also, while Nicolas Batum is a player a like a lot, he's currently giving up the league's fifth highest PPP. (I was surprised too.) And the one time he and LBJ faced off he scored 22 on 56% shooting which would be more impressive if Bron didn't straight boof on him with 44, 13, 6. 65% shooting. Oh là là

Yeah, you think I'm gonna give you a TP for knowing how to do the fancy "a" thing. Maybe you google searched it..maybe you know how to do it..I'm not a doctor. You're not getting your TP's, and you'll like it.

I can't explain away the Batum thing. Maybe it is because Camby played in 74 games, and picked up the slack when Oden went down (everyone pour out some drink for Portland)..because of that when Batum got burned, which every single SF does, then maybe there was no one to stop him this year.

But, I think its not unrealistic to look at how LA rejuvenated Trevor Ariza with worth and think the same couldn't happen for Batum. I think Roy is wrong in suggesting that at time the offense could run through mister xxBatum88xx (that's an AIM joke at his number, 88, same as his birth year..if you don't get it, I'm too old), but I do think that Batum could be relied upon going forward for the fictional LA team as an Ariza clone.

That said, LeBron probably will end up dropping 40 points plus in a few of those games.

The thing I wonder though is..how does Josh Smith limit Gasol at all? If he leaves him, Gasol gets the jumper he's so good at. If he stays with him, the Miami defense goes to poop (can't leave anyone alone except Batum) and Gasol still gets points because Smith can't defend him in the post.

On top of that..Diaw can do a lot of things..but he cannot stop Brendan Haywood from hitting a 3-5ft baby hook. He just can't..Haywood can push him wherever he wants..and Diaw will have to surrender like the frenchman he is (this does not apply to Drucci, who is obviously part of la resistance).

EDIT: okay, TP's for the a thing.

[indeedproceed]

And also, Who..I see you lurking up there. Tell me what you think about this post, if you please:

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=44612.msg924617#msg924617

[Who]

And also, Who..I see you lurking up there. Tell me what you think about this post, if you please:

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=44612.msg924617#msg924617

The video game post?

Or comment on your Bucks team in general?

[indeedproceed]

And also, Who..I see you lurking up there. Tell me what you think about this post, if you please:

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=44612.msg924617#msg924617

The video game post?

Or comment on your Bucks team in general?

The Bucks team in general. As in how I see them you think applies in actual practicality.

EDIT: And TP's for you time at 3:15 AM

[Who]

I would expect the Bucks to be an elite defensive team, an elite rebounding team and a slightly below average offensive team.

Overall, a high 40s win team ... maybe they break 50 wins.

A very difficult team to play against come playoff time. Someone every team will want to avoid because they'll be scrappy and fight for everything. Dogged. Will make games ugly and keep the scores close. Put a lot of pressure on the opposition ... force opponents to play near their best to beat them. And if they don't manage their best, Milwaukee is capable of springing an upset or two along the way.

[indeedproceed]

I would expect the Bucks to be an elite defensive team, an elite rebounding team and a slightly below average offensive team.

Overall, a high 40s win team ... maybe they break 50 wins.

A very difficult team to play against come playoff time. Someone every team will want to avoid because they'll be scrappy and fight for everything. Dogged. Will make games ugly and keep the scores close. Put a lot of pressure on the opposition ... force opponents to play near their best to beat them. And if they don't manage their best, Milwaukee is capable of springing an upset or two along the way.

So basically you're saying roughly comparable to what the Milwaukee team was playing at last season before Bogut went down (in the context of that league)?

In a Pick 2 league with much more parity, I'll take that I suppose. I see them as a second round capable team, but not if they face off against Miami in the first round. Chicago..I really wonder.