S70 Town Hall #4: "We need a new plague"

[MexicanMamba]

3 sims is generally enough time to decipher the legit from the mirage. However, at the Day 60 mark this season we have an usual amount of teams packed tightly together for conference, division, and playoff spots. So, let's start killing folks off.

Talk to us about who you think is legit, who is a mirage, and who is already completely dead on arrival.

Rules: 1 point if you give thoughtful answers which I will award after the timer ends for responses. The timer ends for responses at the moment the corresponding week's Sim is run.

Note: Use approximately 5 sentences as your bare minimum for 1 point. If you write 3 long, complex sentences, you'll still get a point. If you write 5 3 word sentences, you will not get a point. Don't @ me.

Due: Sim 4 deadline.

Sent from my SM-F711U using Tapatalk

[garbageman]

I'm not going to go for obvious answers here, so let's see if time proves me right or wrong.

LEGIT: Raptors

The Raptors had a great offseason, but they added a mish-mash of players who they're still trying to figure out. They are indeed missing a point guard, but there's a lot of talent on that team, and Remy's playing well statistically, although he's not really a floor general. I think they have options with either Remy or Jaden Akins starting at PG (or maybe even Kamari Brown) in an offense that isn't built around ball movement. They may be 9-12 right now, but they've only played 6 home games, and while there are some frustrating losses to teams I guess they should have beat, some of their losses have been to really solid teams. I think as long as they don't flinch, they'll recover and be a playoff team.


MIRAGE: Pacers

Now, don't get me wrong. The Pacers are a well run team with good players and they'll still finish strong...but not as strong. Only 3 of their 17 wins are against teams with winning records, so that record is going to come down a bit, and the Pistons will eventually (barring further injury) claim the division. The Pacers also appear to be a team with really good cohesion and a GM who does a great job getting the most he can out of his players and ignoring color bands to pick and play productive players up and down the roster. They'll be in the playoffs, but once they start meeting true contenders more often, not for long.


DEAD IN THE WATER: Rockets

Despite a winning record, a safely positive differential, and probably the best player in the league in Sion James, the Rockets have a whole lot of nothing. After some halcyon days, a gaffe or two in free agency has left them kind of treading water. Matthew Falcon is their second best player on paper, and that's nowhere near good enough...especially in a division where nobody is under .500, nobody has a negative differential, and every other team is equipped to get better if they want to. Since nobody else on their team matters but Sion, I'd get whatever I could for anyone else on the team and try again next offseason.

[K-100]

Legit: Cleveland Cavaliers
It pains me to say this, but this build might finally be coming together after a slow start. Jon Isaac and Devin Vassell are looking like prime Shaq & Kobe right now and El Chapo is passing the eye test of the facilitator PG with flying colors. While I'm not the biggest fan of Liddell's contract for the long-term, at least so far, it looks to be holding up pretty well in Year 1 as he brings some much needed defense to the squad. GM jlmarines typically likes to play it safe when it comes to roster builds often favoring deeper benches of average greens scattered all over the place instead of upside plays which come with more risk. I think his familiarity with these kinds of lineups will help the Cavs continue to find their groove as the season progresses so they will solidify their spot in the playoff race.

Mirage: Phoenix Suns
The advantage of picking the Suns is that I win either way. I'll either end up looking like Simstradamus by calling their downfall post-Day 60 or this post will be someone's Jib Jab nomination and I get points that way when it wins. Given the recent hoopla surrounding their recent haul of Huo, Scoot, and Kaminga (also probably Markus Ridenhour via a quick glance at their point bank) I just have a hard time seeing this roster gel in time for the Suns to make some kind of meaningful run against the Pistons and Pacers for the conference title. If the Mavericks were not able to figure out how to make playing with Angel Reese and Dominitrix Johnson work with Scoot/Kaminga then I just do not see how Huo/Maxwell Lewis give that much more of an advantage for the Suns (if such an advantage even exists). All that being said I'll happily eat crow if the Suns prove me wrong, and I cannot fault them for making a big splash to wake up some of the veteran sleeping giants around the league. Embrace the chaos Black Superman.

Dead in the water: Brooklyn Nets
I dont think anyone predicted the Nets to be contender threats at the beginning of the season but given they are right now the 4th highest payroll in the league a 10-10 record at Day 60 is a little disappointing to say the least. I just dont think this team is ready for the big leagues and their inaction during the season will slowly sink their chances for a turnaround. I think the main culprit for their woes has been their frontcourt has left a lot to be desired so far, especially with how much money is tied into those spots particularly at Center. The Primo Spears and Dick Bavetta contracts are eyesores and if I were the Nets I'd be hitting the phones now to try and move them off my books. I think this season is already a lost cause so reducing that tax bill to keep their young core together for as long as possible must be their #1 goal now.

[Mike Lowry]

I mean, things just changed DRAMATICALLY, right?
I think these are two separate conversations in the Alpha and Omega Conferences, with the entire Omega division competing to lose in the finals.
I think legit contenders for the title NOW, are going to be:
Pistons!!!

-significant gap-

and then the Magic and Suns

Mirage is everywhere.
So many of these teams have absolutely zero chance of winning the ship.
The field is worthless.
However, I do believe that many of us knew that coming in and are strategizing on how we can build to be competitors in the future.
So someone like Kavarga is saying, sheesh! never expected to have this many wins.

Therefore, Dead in the Water are the people who are going to pay a high tax this season to be swept in the finals, or worse yet, have an early exit from the playoffs.
Biggest impact in that regards are Spurs, Nuggets, and Raptors.

[pennpanther1]

Legit: Washington Wizards

The Wizards GM is quietly assembling one of the deepest squads in the league and their hot start this season is no fluke. I really like how much versatility this lineup offers with a variety of athletic wings that can be moved around depending on the matchup. I am curious to see how the Wizards navigate the next few sims and if they make a trade and cash in some of their assets to acquire a star player. I think the Wizards are one of the frontrunners for GM and Coach of the Year given how successful they have been so far.

Mirage: Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies GM is another one who is off to a fast start but I think this one is a bit misleading. They have had a home-heavy schedule to start and have padded their win total against some of the league's weakest teams. I think they are going to be a legitimate threat in a few seasons as Tennessee Rainwater and Desmond Bane seem like the real deal but I don't think they are going to stay in hunt and win the division this season as they start to face the league's best teams.

DOA: Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic sent shockwaves over the weekend with the Kel'el Ware trade that was later voided but now that they came up empty-handed I just do not see this team making any kind of meaningful run this season. I really liked their move this offseason to acquire Paolo Banchero, but this is another team with a top-heavy rotation that I think has run into trouble handling the better frontcourts around the league. I expect the Magic to continue hitting up teams on the trade front but barring some blockbuster I just do not see them contending this season.

[Black Superman]

You couldn't wait to put your horror spin on a town hall I see....

Well I'm going to treat this like one of my favorite Twitter trends. Start, bench, cut.

I'm going to start the Detroit pistons. I have been saying it and expecting them to take off. Looks like they tripped out the starting gate but have hit Usain Bolt speed, running off 6 in a row. We'll see if Stan's lengthy injury has an impact on their winning. I think they are good and will overcome. I'm buying the Detroit pistons to go on a run.

I'm benching the spurs. I think the spurs albeit still a lot of talent. Will start to see some Ls pile up with the loss of Jose. Their next month I suspect they'll play .500 ball. They do benefit from a near .500 Home/road schedule. Which I find to be interesting how the schedule works for them. It's also interesting that the annual spurs rodeo isn't worked in the code for the spurs, who spend every February on the road for rodeo season in real life. I'm selling the spurs.

Lastly, I'm cutting the raptors. After a decent start, I think they will continue to slide. They don't have the defense to rely on, to win games when the offense isn't being efficient....which the offense is rarely efficient.

[BigDaddyd8720]

Too legit to quit: The Pistons

It's obvious. While their losses came against some not so great teams, they still boast the best scoring differential to go with the #2 defense. That kind of combination is a great recipe for this team to go back to back. SVG's injury may derail them a little bit but he is far from playing like their best player so it may not have too much of an impact.

Mirage: The Spurs

While they have gotten off to a great start, their defensive issues could prove to be a bigger problem than it has been. Losing Jose for an extended period is likely going to have them come back down to earth. Plus their lack of depth likely will begin showing it's flaws sooner rather than later. They may need to make a splash in a trade in order to keep competing, especially in a division with the Bulls.

Your love life 's DOA: Rockets

I called it in a previous sim where they needed to panic even though they were 12-5. The following sim they went 1-6. Having the best defense and allowing less than 100 points/game is great but when your offense is having trouble also scoring 100 points, it's just not sustainable to keep winning. And that really showed this last sim when they gave up almost 105 points/game while only scoring about 98 points/game. They need to figure out how to generate more offense fast or they're going to be in the lottery soon enough

#FillYoPouch

[LazyTitanSmash]

Pacer, Cavs, and Trailblazers

The Pacers, Cavs and Trailblazers all suffer from the same problem. Not quite enough talent. The Pacers are probably the strongest team on the list, but I don’t trust the Herbert still has the it factor. He’s been sliding each year and this year I think will be his first year he finally comes down to earth. Without Herbert being a giant killer Spooner will have to pick up the slack and I just don’t think he quite ready to carry the team. The Pacers are good a putting together a complete team so I expect the to make the playoffs but not really be a title contender.

The Cavs keep bringing the same two superstar without much help. They need to seriously get into the trade market.

Trailblazing are very similar to the Cavs. They have a top 5 player in the league without much help. In a competitive season I’m not sure 1 guy is enough, no matter how good they are. They have a .500. but I’m not sure that is going to hold.

Legit.

The Suns, they have improved so much and didn’t lose any talent that has already gotten them close to .500.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jedihero]

Legit: Pisstons- They are going to steamroll through the season and probably end up going back to back. That team is scary.

Mirage: Wizards. Maybe they can hang on and get into the playoffs, but it seems like they just have a younger team with a couple solid pieces, but in a year or two they might be pretty solid for a few years.

DOA: Pacers. They have basically no depth, and if 1 player slips in the shower and tears an ACL they are going down. Honestly don't know how they only have 2 losses.

[AngryBanana]

Legit: Raptors - I see a lot of people are putting in here that they are DOA or mirages. I beg to differ. I think that, especially after trading for Douglas, that they are going to be a big problem for any team. The Raps have been slowly getting used to the game and may be at a point where they may make some serious noise.

Mirage: Lakers - I think this team is only doing so well because Roberto is willing them to be good. I know he is trying to do a new build here so I would not be surprised if the team is a lotto team before the season closes out. The movement of some players he has on the block will help drive this home for him I think.

DOA: Timberwolves - This is not a bad DOA though. They traded away their best player in Xue for Benny Bridesmaid. They got a great building piece however this season they are going to fall apart. That is a good thing. Take this time to experiment with your roster and gameplans and see what works and what doesnt. The pels have done that for the past two seasons now and I think that they are going to be a better GM for it (maybe even better then the Nuggets?)

[Eazy P]

Legit: Pistons - Even with the injury to Van Gundy I see them making a deep run and repeating as champs. They are kinda off to a slow start at 15-3 but their bar is set high. They should be 18-0 ATM. Doug will find a way to keep his team in the running for top seed in the alpha conference.

Mirage: Spurs - With the injury to Jose and uncertainty of the make up of their roster at the end of the season IDK where this team will be. Line up changes can hurt them. They are looking for a lineup that can keep them afloat until Jose is back. Who knows where this team will be. It's a mystery.

DOA: Twolves - For a good reason tho. They are in rebuild mode. They are getting younger and starting a new chapter in Minny. Once they figure out their identity they will eventually make noise but for this season they are DOA.

[MexicanMamba]

Winner winner, chicken dinner:
Those Chicago Bulls. I mean, duh, right? Now, I definitely picked them when I thought they were getting Sanford Benfield too, which was a perfect piece for their lineup. However, even without him, you're talking about a team that is top 5 in damn near every team category that could possibly matter to winning. They're obviously hunting for upgrades too, so, look for them to get stronger.

Oooh look, a ghost cup:
This is by no means an indictment on them or calling them complete frauds, but I still cannot believe that the Pacers can maintain their current pace. I think there's now at least 2 teams more talented who could leapfrog them in the comings sims as they come back to Earth a little bit. Still, they'll give everyone hell in the playoffs.


Braaaaaaaains:
The Utah Jazz may end up with a tax bill, finishing last in their division, and some expensive contracts to deal with in the coming seasons. This isn't a bad roster and they definitely had moves to make to add additional talent if they needed to, but they didn't and could be stuck as-is. So, they're not a full-fledged flesh eater yet, but they've definitely been bitten and primed to be the asshole who hides their bite until the last minute, turns, then kills a beloved character before being shot in the head.

Sent from my SM-F711U using Tapatalk

[greepleairport]

Okay okay I've waited too long to do this and it's almost sim time.

Real
The Wizards are the real deal. They've gotten by with a pretty slim roster, only Amen sticking out as a true star, and yet they've played great basketball. Now that they've acquired the versatile Fabian Hub on a friendly deal? They've given up some depth, okay, but gained a superstar. Xist has made great teams out of depth pieces, but with a duo like Amen and Fabian, this team is the real deal.

Mirage
The Grizz are not a 14-7 team, period. Sure, they've beaten me. and their record is way better than mine. And K100 is probably way more handsome than I am. But his team sucks. Two good players playing with Gary Rockwell is not a sustainable solution for this squad. If they prove me wrong I'll be


Ded
Warriors. Warriors will be ded if the Grizz are not a mirage.

No seriously, the Mavs are dead. They traded away all their win now talent besides angel and dom.

But they're obviously dead so that's not fun. So, I hate to say it because I like the team and I like the GM, but the nuggies are dead in the water. I think they'll have a fine season. Have fine results. Their tax bill is not fine, though. That bill required them to make some moves when the league was hot with trades on Day 60, but Denver went silent. Hopefully they're still able to find a home for some of their salary at the trade deadline, but if not? They're dead in the water

[IamQuailman]

Legit: Pistons. I mean, come on... DUH.

Mirage: Suns. They got all these shiny toys... but still in the toughest division in the league. Let's not get too excited. Show me before you tell me (in Facebook DMs, 6 times per day, daily). I'm interested in seeing how Maxwell & Xuo fit next to one another.

Dead on Arrival: Rockets. They talked SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much shit to me after Sim 1 but here they are now, eat not only my asshole, but the collective division's asshole! Tsk tsk tsk... Like GARY is 1 game out of you, bro. WHAT YOU DOIN MAN

[MexicanMamba]

+1

Doug
Jon
Mamba
Carlos
Charlie
Nuggies
Titan
Pels
Nate
Penn
Lowry
K100
Josh

Sent from my SM-F711U using Tapatalk