S82 Town Hall 10

[Mike Lowry]

Who is a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs?
What makes this team dangerous?
Who would they match up well against?
Who would match up well against them?

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 10

[WigNosy]

Who is a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs?
What makes this team dangerous?
Who would they match up well against?
Who would match up well against them?

I'm going to assume here, this is the standard "lower seed" nobody wants to see in the playoffs - saying "the top-seeded Warriors" is too obvious (though they ARE the answer). So I'm going to say "the Suns" - this team is dangerous for a couple of reasons the first is "Magic Johnson" but the second is less obvious - nobody has really seen them with both John Long and Ron Brewer healthy on the wings this year. We know they have a shutdown defensive ace in Tree Rollins and an aging but still-dangerous Bob McAdoo in the front court, while Nate Archibald is having a shockingly efficient season at point guard but we just don't know how their top six players would be deployed in an attack rotation because Ron Brewer has been hurt all year.

I think they are a tough matchup for teams that have leaned heavily into big men (Warriors, Blazers) because Tree is a defensive stalwart that is likely to be able to suppress at least one big man weapon, while McAdoo is capable of producing an offsetting scoring punch for the second big man. Bigs won't easily defend a perimeter-oriented attack from Magic, Long, Brewer, and Archibald, and this team absolutely will not give games away at the free throw line - they're by far the best-shooting free throw team in the league.

They could have an issue, though, if they run into a team that isn't built strictly around size like the Jazz (especially the Jazz - the Jazz have a ton of perimeter defenders to throw at them, something the Kings probably lack). The Lakers might be a tough matchup, too, since the Lakers won't care if you shut down their bigs - they beat you on the perimeter. For that reason, I'm watching the 4-5 matchup closely - the Suns are almost sure to be there and would face either the Jazz or Lakers - meaning they are a squad that is both a threat to the top seeds in the conference AND a threat to get upset in the first round. They probably get more dangerous the farther they go in the playoffs, so contenders will want to hope they get eliminated early.

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

Who is a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs?
While there is some big hitters in the Pacific, I think no one in the division really wants to see the Kings.

What makes this team dangerous?
The trio of Mike, Calvin, and Bernard can win a 7 game series against any team and can really end some great teams seasons. They can all 3 score at a high rate and out rebound the top teams.

Who would they match up well against?
Keeping it in the West, I actually think they match up well against the Lakers and Trailblazers. They have dropped a few games to both of those teams in the regular season, but I think neither team has the defense to stop them in a playoff series. They simply give up too many points.

Who would match up well against them?
One of the only teams I think can really handle them in a 7 games series is the Warriors and their size and rebounding potential. I think they can defend the paint enough to keep the King's scorers in check enough to get by.

[BigDaddyd8720]

Who is a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs?
I know they are the top of their conference but the Bullets are a team I wouldn't want to face in the playoffs.

What makes this team dangerous?
If not for the Warriors, this team would be talked about way more about how dominant they have been all season. Great offense to go with the #1 defense, this team is gonna be a nightmare for any playoff team.

Who would they match up well against?
I can see this team being able to actually matchup well against the Warriors. This team is built on slowing teams down and not giving up points. They've played twice against the Warriors and split that series, with each team winning their home game. And the game the Bullets won is when Moses scored 40 points. Seems like they can live with just being able to stop one of malone or parish and they can win a series against them.

Who would match up well against them?
Pacers are a team I think can match up well against them. We all know about Dantley and JBC and those two are mismatches for most teams. But the key being that one plays in the post and the other plays on the perimeter, it's gonna be hard to contain both of them. Which goes well with why I think the Bullets can compete with the Warriors because both of their star players are in the post so they can contain that part of the court. You can't do that with Dantley and JBC, you have to spread out and that will allow for more chaos.

[Mike Lowry]

I'm going to tip my cap at the Bucks on this one.
They been on a tear since acquiring Kevin McHale, and that doesn't even consider adding Michael Cooper.
The main reason I believe they will be tough in the playoffs is that they are built on defense.
From what I have seen in this league, Offense will get you a ton of attention from the GM's, but defense is what will get you a ship.
Top to bottom, this team has great lock down players.
The Cavs might have some Kryptonite for them though.
That Moncrief - Paxson, one - two is the type of duo that can carry a series if they get hot.
If any team can pour it on against any defense, I like their chances, but it won't be easy.

[greepleairport]

Who is a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs?
What makes this team dangerous?
Who would they match up well against?
Who would match up well against them?

The Bullets are dangerous. With talent spread up and down the roster, the Bucks also have a current and future superstar in Buck Williams, a tough opponent for any player, including Moses Malone. Buck Williams is one of few players that can and has shut Moses down. Alvan Adams is sneaky good, and the Walter Davis / John Lucas backcourt is nothing to sneeze at.

I'd say the Bullets are one of few teams with top tier talent in both the front and back court. Lots of teams, like my Warriors, are front or back loaded with clear shortcomings on one end of the floor. But the bullets are fleshed out.

I think they're the clear front runners to take the East, barring injury or an overly reactive and ill-advised game planning for a lesser team stealing a game or two from them. They match up well with all of those teams. I think one of their toughest competitions is the Pacers, with Dantly and Carroll as clear threats, now supported by Dan Issel with extra scoring support off the bench. Still I think the top teams in the West - Warriors, Blazers and Kings - give this team a run for their money. We are probably going to find out whether or not that is true.

[IamQuailman]

Who is a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs?
What makes this team dangerous?
Who would they match up well against?
Who would match up well against them?

I'm going to go with the Kings here.

The West is absolutely loaded, but the Kings went and basically added an MVP calibur offensive scoring weapon to their already stacked roster. Bernard King will absolutely put this team on his back when it comes playoff time. That Plus Calvin Natt & Gminski. Just an absolute Big 3. I do think that they will struggle against a team like the Warriors... but then again, who wouldn't. I think another team they would struggle against is the Jazz & Kiki's Point Delivery Service (@Xist2Inspire you better use this phrase lol)

But the Kings I think match up pretty well against all other teams in the West.

[Mike Lowry]

@WigNosy
@NY_Magic_Garrett
@BigDaddyd8720
@Mike Lowry
@greepleairport
@IamQuailman

+1 Point