S45 - Power Rankings

[TheSyndicate]

*drum rolllllllll*

Held off on these rankings until we could get rid of some of the 1st sim noise (also, new dad so time to concentrate is at a premium). Anyway, we added some new logic this year. The power score is 3 parts the power score we all know and love from last year, and one part the power score from the previous 2 sims. This allows the score to be a little more accurate based on moves, changes, made recently, but still predominately based on how your team has done overall.

Some things to note from the first version (post-Sim 3):
1. The Alpha division is...exactly that. If you look at 'rest of season SOS' and it's over 50%, 99%, that team is in Alpha. That conference also holds down 4 of the top 5 spots in the rankings.
2. The Johnson division is very good, but not quite as deep as last year. Last year, the top 8 or 9 was LITTERED with Johnson teams, this iteration has the top 3 teams, but then not another entry until #8 and #10.
3. Despite being 'tied' in the standings, the Bulls seem a clear step about the Clippers, especially considering the Clippers have had the easiest schedule so far. It'll be interesting to see how they do as the season progresses, but if I were the commish, I would feel pretty good.
4. The Pelicans might be a little better than their record, and we should expect them to pull away as the season progresses unless the other teams in that division make some MOVEZ. The Pistons may be able to catch up, which would be pretty exciting.

The full table below:

[TheSyndicate]

Hot off the presses!

Random thoughts/observations:
Man, how costly was that Bulls loss to the Clippers? Think the Clips jumped 2 spots and the Bulls fell based on that one game. Call it the curse of the Power Ranker?

The best team in December? How about your New Orleans Pelicans? At 13-4 they squeak past the Pacers and Spurs at 11-4 for the month. They didn't play quite the caliber of schedule of those other teams, but they won big and played most of their games on the road, contributing to them just eking out the top Power spot.

The top 3 overall remain unchanged, and as we look at the next sim, none play many of the powerhouse teams, so that will either stay pretty much the same unless one of them absolutely dominates the schedule (or falls off unexpectedly).

Unsurprisingly, the largest jump in power score comes from the very busy Detroit Pistons who completely remade their team. Expect them to jump even higher once their new-look squad completes a whole month of play together.

[TheSyndicate]

After Sim 5:

Wooooo is it close at the top and getting closer. The Pacers were the only one of our top 3 teams to lose a game this sim (a 2-pt loss to the Nets where the Pacers actually had a 7-pt lead with 3:31 to play and lost on a Kaleb Wesson buzzer-beater).

The top 6 teams are unchanged from last sim, but there were two notable rises in the ranks, both in the *checks notes* Goddangit, Johnson division. The Hawks with a 9-place jump over a bevy of teams with very similar records, and the Lakers with a 3-place jump to the #7 spot on the heels of a 6-game winning streak that happened to coincide with Pete Maravich's injury. Hey Greeple, maybe that Pistol is jammed? Good thing he only makes a salary next year of *checks notes*....never mind.

The Pistons were expected to make a jump here now that the 'Last 30 days' part of their score has been entirely with the new squad, but a talented team on paper hasn't contributed to wins quite yet and they're 3-7 in their last 10 Maybe GM BSH just needs to figure out the gameplan, maybe the cohesion hit of a whole new team is making it harder to ball THAT hard. All that being said, they're tied for the final playoff spot, gotta love that Omega Division.

The only other note from a relatively tame version of the rankings is that we updated our formula for Final Record Predictor, and added a little extra juice to teams facing an easier slate than they have to date, and a little less from those without.

Would love to hear thoughts, commentary, ideas for improvements or other things to factor. Otherwise, enjoy!

[ballsohard]

Yeah we had a horrible sim. Did not show fight at all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[garbageman]

The Pacers were the only one of our top 3 teams to lose a game this sim (a 2-pt loss to the Nets where the Pacers actually had a 7-pt lead with 3:31 to play and lost on a Kaleb Wesson buzzer-beater).

Only one of our top 5 teams*

[TheSyndicate]

The Pacers were the only one of our top 3 teams to lose a game this sim (a 2-pt loss to the Nets where the Pacers actually had a 7-pt lead with 3:31 to play and lost on a Kaleb Wesson buzzer-beater).

Only one of our top 5 teams*

When you’ve played at least a dozen road games, then maybe I’ll look into your team.

[garbageman]

The Pacers were the only one of our top 3 teams to lose a game this sim (a 2-pt loss to the Nets where the Pacers actually had a 7-pt lead with 3:31 to play and lost on a Kaleb Wesson buzzer-beater).

Only one of our top 5 teams*

When you’ve played at least a dozen road games, then maybe I’ll look into your team.

Bold words from a GM with only 17 big wins

[TheSyndicate]

Only one of our top 5 teams*

When you’ve played at least a dozen road games, then maybe I’ll look into your team.

Bold words from a GM with only 17 big wins

What’s that even mean anyway?

[greepleairport]

Did I slime my way past the slime king? The same sim he slimed me with a 2-pt win? There is justice in these power rankings, even though my crispily-paid pistol pete got slimed in the process.

#Slimy #SlimeKing #CrispilyPaidPistolPete #CP3

[TheSyndicate]

The difference between the haves and the have-nots is getting clearer. There are the top 11 teams, and then the next 11 are a crap shoot, projected from anywhere from 23 to 37 wins. If you're out of the playoff picture looking in, these are your opponents. Make a move and GET IT IN!

Also, the Pacers have extended their lead as the top dog after making some astute moves. The difference between their power score and the 2nd place Spurs is the same as the distance between the Spurs and the 6th-ranked Bulls. Elsewhere, the Bucks crashed the top 6 that had been so steady with a 3 place improvement to 5th, whereas the Pels dropped out of the top-6 group to 8th place.

The top risers this sim were your Washington Wizards who steamrolled lesser competition to a 6-1 sim and shot up 3 places to crack the top 10. That's now 5 Johnson Division teams in the top 9, but sure, I was wrong when I said my division was easily the toughest after re-alignment. Hope someone got a screenshot.

[TheSyndicate]

Nuggets take the biggest stumble after their first losing sim of the season, dropping out of the illustrious top-6 to 7th. Spurs also with a big slip in the PowerScore department, but had enough of a cushion to only drop one place. The powerhouse Clippers continue their assault up the ratings rising 2 spots to #2, and LA's other team matches the largest rise of this addition with a 3-spot buoy to fourth.

The gulf between the top-11 and the rest of the league is still significant, but a little closer after the Nets fell back to the pack some, and the talented Suns started to win some games. Surprising that we've seen such a shift in the rankings following a short sim, but who knows how this all works behind the scenese #beepboop

[false9]

+8 for data and updates

[TheSyndicate]

Probably my last Power Rankings update -

Got 7 points for the writeups, only one point for the data collection/manipulation/etc, and I'm capped at 10. Juice just ain't worth the squeeze.

Someone else can take this if they want.