S81 Town Hall for Sim 12

[Mike Lowry]

I know Wig already mentioned it in his article, but who wins the Midwest Division, and why?
Or, are the Warriors better than the Knicks, and why?

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: Due by the deadline for sim 12

[greepleairport]

I'll take the question about my team, thank you very much!

I think it's hard to argue that we have more good players. The Knicks definitely win in this category and are a deeper team at every position. We both got bit by the injury bug throughout the year, here and there, but the Knicks had a stronger start. We both declined and rebounded to playoff contention.

They key here is Buck vs. Moses.

Moses is unquestionably better overall...but Buck is a terrible matchup for Moses. If the unfathomable happens and we meet in the finals, I think our head-to-head comes down to which one of these guys plays better.

In our first meeting, Moses did better...than the second meeting. Buck scored 35 on Moses in the first game, and Moses scored 32.

In the 2nd game... Moses played 12 minutes. TWELVE. Buck put Moses in foul trouble in only 12 minutes of play, so our primary reason to be a threat to any team in NPBSL had been totally neutralized by none other than #1 pick Buck Williams.

I had hoped Buck would drop to #3 in the draft, in which case I would have sold the farm to the Bullets to pick him up. Moses and Buck together would have been unstoppable; instead, Buck has stopped Moses consistently.

I hate to say it, but head to head, these Warriors vs these Knicks fully healthy, I'd put my money on the Knicks. And I'd cry big, big Moses-sized tears while getting whooped.

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

I know Wig already mentioned it in his article, but who wins the Midwest Division, and why?
Or, are the Warriors better than the Knicks, and why?

I think the Kings ultimately take the Midwest. The acquisition of Calvin really makes it feel like they belong there at 51 wins. They are a force. Where as I think the Nuggets played above their potential to be there at 51 wins. No shade, they are a great team too.

Ill answer the other one too since I'm involved. While I want to be a bragging brute, I am a realist, I think the Warriors are just slightly better than my Knicks simply bc of Malone. He's a machine right now. If I was full strength with Corzine in the playoffs, I think it would be a really close series.

[WigNosy]

I know Wig already mentioned it in his article, but who wins the Midwest Division, and why?

The Kings should win out based on the fact that the Nuggets really need to go 4-0 in the final sim and have games at Golden State, at Kansas City and versus Portland - all three high-quality playoff teams. I think they lose at least one of those games, probably at Golden State.

Or, are the Warriors better than the Knicks, and why?

Bonus Answer! Let's break down the lineups:
CENTER: Dave Corzine (Knicks) vs. Alton Lister (Warriors) - Corzine is a better scorer, but I think Lister is a much better defender and is efficient on offense (58% shooting). Edge: Warriors
POWER FORWARD: Buck Williams (Knicks) vs. Moses Malone (Warriors) - Buck Williams is having a great rookie season. Moses Malone is having an MVP-type year. Again. Edge: Warriors
SMALL FORWARD: Julius Erving (Knicks) vs. Mike Mitchell (Warriors) - This one is closer than you might think; Mitchell scores and rebounds like Doctor J, but Erving is much better passer and shot-blocker. Edge: Knicks
SHOOTING GUARD: Darrell Griffith (Knicks) vs. Eddie Johnson (Warriors) - Eddie's a pretty good scorer and a great passer. Griffith is a very good scorer with better efficiency, and gets more rebounds, steals, and blocks. Edge: Knicks
POINT GUARD: Rickey Green (Knicks) vs. Phil Ford (Warriors) - Green scores a touch more, but is a worse shooter; Ford has the edge in assists but Green picks up more steals. These two are VERY close. Edge: Draw
BENCH: Freeman Williams, Bob Lanier (Knicks) vs. James Bailey, Mike Glenn - Williams and Lanier are passable bench players with a defensive edge, but Bailey and Glenn are both capable scorers off the bench even if they are walking fouls. That said, I'd rather have 27 points per game coming off my bench than 16. Edge: Warriors

Overall: Knicks have small edges in two areas; the Warriors have two small edges but also one additional Moses-sized (enormous) edge. The Warriors are, to me, the better team.