#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

Current Standings:
1. Pacific - $2850
2 (tie). Midwest and Atlantic - $2550
4. Central - $1950

This Sim's Division Representatives:
Atlantic: False9
Central: WigNosy
Midwest: LoCo89
Pacific: Ku Coach

You may claim a point if you provide a write-up/rationale for at least 5 picks - though feel free to do more! Otherwise, you're just competing for the divisional race which awards 5 points per GM in the winning division at the end of the season.

Pick the 10 games with the spread below from 1/2/14 and rank them in confidence from 10 (most confident) to 1 (least confident). You'll get 10pts for winning your most confident, 9 for second, etc. You will then be paid off the following scale:
1st - $1000
2nd - $600
3rd - $200
4th - Nothing but shame

The team with the minus number is the favorite (needs to win by at LEAST that number). The underdog just has to stay within that number. If the game is marked (pk) there is no spread.

A really good example of this being done was last week's thread, if you need a reference.

1/2/2014
Kings (-2) @ Raptors
Suns (pk) @ 76ers (pk)
Supersonics @ Wizards (-6)
Nuggets (-3) @ Pistons
Trailblazers @ Celtics (-2)
Heat @ Pacers (-2)
Knicks @ Bucks (-11)
Hawks (-9) @ Cavaliers
Clippers @ Bulls (-3)
Mavericks @ Grizzlies (-7)

Example of picks:
10. Sonics +6
9. Suns
8. Celtics -2
etc.

10. Supersonics @ Wizards (-6)
The Sonics are not a good enough road team to keep this one competitive in DC. With McCollum out, the Wiz cover.
9. Nuggets (-3) @ Pistons
Winning by 3 shouldn't be a problem for a great road team. The Pistons simply won't have an answer for Klay in this one as the Nuggs win big.
8. Kings (-2) @ Raptors
The Kings are probably good enough to bottle Bosh, even in Toronto. They win the other battles and take home a close victory but cover.
7. Mavericks @ Grizzlies (-7)
The Mavs lost to the Grizz by 29 at HOME. The Mavs are bad especially on the road. The Grizz cover.
6. Knicks @ Bucks (-11)
My gut reaction was that there is no way the Bucks cover but then I looked at how bad the Knicks are. They don't really keep things close on the road.
5. Heat @ Pacers (-2)
The Heat simply aren't a good enough road team and don't have a good answer for D-Will. The rag tag Pacers cover at home.
4. Clippers @ Bulls (-3)
The Clippers are starting to play better but they don't really have anyone who can handle Harden so I think this one goes the Bulls' way.
3. Suns (pk) @ 76ers (pk)
Not a great home team vs. not a great road team. The Sixers have some interesting matchups for Love. I'm going to say they take home a close win.
2. Trailblazers @ Celtics (-2)
The resurgent Blazers will win this one. Steven Hunter will put up big numbers against his former team.
1. Hawks (-9) @ Cavaliers
The Cavs are not great at home and the Hawks are great always but I just have a gut feeling that Chris Paul will defend the mistake by the lake that night and keep things closer than expected.

Kings (-2) @ Raptors- can't see home court making a 9 point difference compared to the last time they met
Suns (pk) @ 76ers (pk)- Kevin Love all day
Supersonics @ Wizards (-6)- RIP IN PEACE, CJ
Nuggets (-3) @ Pistons- Detroit should be better than this...right?
Trailblazers @ Celtics (-2): Metta World's leg is in too many Peace(s).
Heat @ Pacers (-2): Mismatches all over the place
Knicks @ Bucks (-11)- Damn, they got James Dolan in this game, too? It's so REALISTIC.
Hawks (-9) @ Cavaliers- Nate should contain CP3 and Melo's hat collection is excellent.
Clippers @ Bulls (-3): time for KD to eat
Mavericks @ Grizzlies (-7): more like Leon Powwwww.

Confidence-

10. Bucks
9. Kings
8. Clippers
7. Wizards
6. Grizzles
5. Suns
4. Heat
3. Celtics
2. Hawks
1. Pistons

10. Knicks @ Bucks (-11) - BUCKS. 11 points is a huge number. But the Knicks are on the road AND have been losing by an average of 17 per game. This feels like a no-brainer (so naturally the Knicks will probably win outright).

9. Nuggets (-3) @ Pistons - NUGGETS. Amare has been going ham. The Nuggets have been great on the road (12-4) and the Pistons are still finding themselves even at home (8-8). Talent should win out here.

8. Mavericks @ Grizzlies (-7) - GRIZZLIES. The Mavs have turned it around a little lately but they're just flat out bad this season. That and their strengths offensively (guards) should be countered by the Grizzlies' strengths defensively (also guards).

7. Suns (pk) @ 76ers (pk) - 76ERS. The Suns just made a trade and will be trying to juggle their lineup. The 76ers are at home and know what they want.

6. Clippers @ Bulls (-3) - CLIPPERS. Both teams' +/- suggest their W/L records are misleading - the Bulls are overachieving while the Clips are underacheaving. This is based on the SF matchup - do I trust Danilo Galinari to outscore Durant even after his bad TC? Not really.

5. Supersonics @ Wizards (-6) - WIZARDS. The Wizards are tightening up their lineup plus the Sonics are bad on the road. With McCollum hurt I don't see the Sonics keeping up.

4. Heat @ Pacers (-2) - PACERS. Only because they're at home; both of these teams have thudded back to earth following promising starts.

3. Trailblazers @ Celtics (-2) - CELTICS. The absence of Artest is finally starting to show for the Blazers and the Celtics are at home.

2. Hawks (-9) @ Cavaliers - CAVALIERS. The Hawks' record looks impressive but they have played 20 games at home and only 11 on the road. The Cavaliers are underachieving on record a bit based on net +/- so not only do I not see a Hawks blowout, the Cavaliers might be able to win straight up.

1. Kings (-2) @ Raptors - RAPTORS. Chris Bosh at home should be able to go bonkers on Greg Monroe. Not that confident the rest of the Raptors hold up their end of the bargain, though.

Just in case no one else from the Midwest chimes in:

10. Clippers
9. Nuggets
8. Knicks
7. Heat
6. Grizz
5. Hawks
4. Raptors
3. Blazers
2. Sonics
1. 76ers


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Scores:
1. Central - 45pts - $1000
2. Atlantic - 36pts - $600
3. Pacific - 34.5pts - $200
4. Midwest (me) (wompwomp) - 26pts - $0

Current Standings:
1. Atlantic - $3150
2. Pacific - $3050
3. Central - $2950
4. Midwest - $2550