#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

Mike Wilbon: Pardon the Interruption but I'm Mike Wilbon. Tony, we're about to enter the All Star Break in the hectic and crazy 1990 NPBSL season. What do you think is going to happen the rest of this year?

Tony Kornheiser: Pardon the interruption, I'm Tony Kornheiser. And I think if this league adds any more letters to its acronym it's going to have to be sponsored by alphabet soup.

Mike Wilbon: Crazy answer, but expected from the likes of you.

Tony Kornheiser: Ask open-ended questions, get open-ended answers.

Mike Wilbon: Today we're going to cover a variety of topics around the league and the All Star break. We're going to look at the Supersonics, talk about the rookie class, try to figure out what's happening with the champs, and follow the race to the bottom for Gary Payton, but first let's talk about the midyear game itself, Tony. The game everyone tunes in to see.

Tony Kornheiser: That's right, the Rookie/Sophomore game. My money is on Rod Strickland for MVP, Wilbon.

Mike Wilbon: Not that game! I'm talking about the All Star game. We've seen a lot of great talent so far this season, but if you had to pick who you think will win the All Star MVP, who are you taking?

Tony Kornheiser: I've been around the league a long time, Mike. Long enough to know that no one can predict that sort of question. I can tell you who has a good shot: look at the scoring leaders. Karl Malone, Eddie Johnson, Charles Barkley. All guys who can get a bucket, and you know the bucket getter supreme wins that award every year. But did you also know that a starter has only won the award twice in the past six years?

Mike Wilbon: No way.

Tony Kornheiser: It's true! Kiki Vandeweghe and Magic Johnson. And honestly if I had to pick someone to repeat, it'd be Magic. That Spurs team is stacked, as is the entire Western Conference. So give me Magic and give me a West Dub.

Mike Wilbon: My contract tells me I have to disagree and so I shall.

Tony Kornheiser: You shall?

Mike Wilbon: Oh I shall. Not only is the East winning, but a guy near the bottom of the top 10 is winning. Give me Hakeem! The Dream, Tony!

Tony Kornheiser: Oh you're dreaming all right. Moving on, the All Star break doesn't just mean dunk contests and flashy passes. It also means the trade deadline looms, and teams have their final chance to solidify their rosters for a late season push. Have you seen any trades that caught your eye over the last few weeks, and do you think any other teams are due for a big move before the deadline?

Mike Wilbon: My eyes are in Seattle, my friend. The team was already cooking, and now you add Schayes and Aguirre to the mix? That's a team not content with just being atop the division. They want to win it all.

Tony Kornheiser: I really liked that trade for Seattle, and I do think it will pay dividends. The move I liked is also in the West, not from a team struggling to stay on top but a team struggling to get in the playoff race. The Kings sat in 7th, then hit a blow when Kevin McHale got injured. So what do they do? They bring in Antoine Carr, a guy who can do a Kevin McHale impression in a pinch. Steadying the ship, righting the wrongs, etc, etc.

Mike Wilbon: You're picking a reactive trade. This was a panic move from Darth Vegito, not patient enough to wait for McHale to get right, which happens this very week, Tone. I like Carr, but what's going to happen when McHale comes back? That's a lot of mouths to feed at the big man position.

Tony Kornheiser: Lot of mouths, lot of food. They'll be fine.

Mike Wilbon: Not everyone is trying to win right now, Tony. But if you look at the draft class, you have to wonder why. With only a few bright spots, the brightest being Gary Payton, it's going to be rough for the teams that don't get him. Do you feel like the tanking teams are making a mistake trying to be bad this year?

Tony Kornheiser: Not really, though yeah, the draft class stinks. But tanking isn't about one year or one player. It's a process. You build your team slowly, through the draft, and maybe there's a year where the players aren't great, but that can't change your entire process. So a team like the Hawks, sure it'll suck if they get the 6th or 7th pick and miss out on talent. But they've already gotten Sherman Douglas, who looks like a great piece. You build your team this way so you get more than one bite at the apple. This is just one bite.

Mike Wilbon: A rotten bite at that, Tony. One team is going to have a franchise changing player who can set their fortunes right immediately, and the others are going to have to either wait another year or make some tough decisions in trades. You got to hope the next year has a better draft class.

Tony Kornheiser: It will be. I can predict the future.

Mike Wilbon: Give me those lottery numbers, Tone! All right, we're taking a break. When we come back we'll do Oddsmakers, and then we'll have the Big Finish.

Tony Kornheiser: Welcome back to PTI. We're back with the one, the only, the often imitated, never duplicated, might be relegated Anthony Tony Reali.

Tony Reali: What am I, Tottenham? All right, gentlemen, first off let's talk rookies. What are the odds that David Robinson wins Rookie of the Year?

Tony Kornheiser: You should be relegated if you ask these kinds of questions. What kind of question is that? Of course David Robinson is going to win Rookie of the Year. He's won every Rookie of the Month award possible in the West, and if Minnesota was a little further east he may win that conference's award too. Sherman Douglas should at least get a mention because he's playing well, but I just mentioned him last segment so I'm done. 100%, Wilbon. Zero room for error.

Mike Wilbon: Yeah, I'm with you Tone. David Robinson was given the keys to the castle in San Disota, and he's feasting. Other rookies who got the keys aren't doing the same. You've got Shawn Kemp, who is putting up a respectable 15 points a game, Nick Anderson with 12 off the bench in Denver, but there is just no competition. Even his teammate Tim Hardaway deserves a mention, but you can argue Robinson's gravity is what's allowing Hardaway to average 13 and 10. 100%. Next question.

Tony Reali: Okay, what are the odds the Milwaukee Bucks win the Eastern Conference this year for the fifth year in a row?

Mike Wilbon: Not just fifth year in a row, Tony. That'd make 8 conference titles in ten years! This is what you call a dynasty, and I'm not selling any stock in the team just because they went through a little slump. And let me be clear, when I say slump I mean they've only won a quarter of their games. They were 16-9, which isn't very Bucklike, and then they went on to go 15-2, which is very Bucklike. I'm not giving up. Give me 80% for the Bucks to win the East.

Tony Kornheiser: Yes, we get to disagree! I love disagreeing with you, it's the easiest way to know I'm right. Yeah, Milwaukee has a stranglehold on the weak conference. But this is a new year. The Celtics are good. The Nets are good. And you never know when the Bulls can go on a late run. I think when it comes down to it, Terry Porter and the Celtics are going to end the reign of terror. The Bucks lost Charles Barkley and that's going to matter late i the playoffs when they need a bucket. Final question, Stat Boy.

Tony Reali: Odds that the Supersonics hold onto the Pacific Division lead by the end of the season.

Tony Kornheiser: Oooh, this one is good. We talked about it a little before. The Sonics got Schayes and Aguirre because they're scared. They're scared of Portland, scared of Phoenix. And they're right to be scared, Wilbon. The Sonics are #1 in the Pacific Division in record, but guess how they rank in the division in point differential?

Michael Wilbon: Third?

Tony Kornheiser: Come on, you're not supposed to do that, you ruined my moment. Third! They're behind the Blazers and the Timberwolves. Their defense is top 10, but their offense is only 6th, which doesn't give you a ton of confidence going forward. I'm going to say the odds are 25%.

Michael Wilbon: That's crazy low, Tone. They're 8-2 in their last 10. Their new acquisitions are already paying dividends. And they've beaten the Blazers 3 of the 4 times they've met. The Suns haven't beaten them yet, and don't talk to me about the Timberwolves. Sure, they've done well against the Sonics, but they're fourth in the division! They're closer to last than first. The Sonics have some competition, but they're up for it. 60%.

Tony Kornheiser: Well I clearly won that round, Tony. Do you agree?

Tony Reali: I don't like that you gave the Sonics 25% when talking about four teams going for the division, because it feels like lazy math. I'm going with Wilbon.

Tony Kornheiser: Lazy math is the only math I know!

Michael Wilbon: We'll be back after the break where we'll do the Big Finish.

Michael Wilbon: All right, we're back just in time for the Big Finish. Let's get through these topics as quickly as we can. First, the Charlotte Hornets are a game out of the 6th seed and owe their pick to the Portland Trailblazers. Are they going to give Wig a lottery pick?

Tony Kornheiser: They are and it's unfair, that's like giving Sonic the Hedgehog PEDs. We went the whole episode without talking about the 41-5 San Antonio Spurs. Can anyone beat them?

Michael Wilbon: Five people already did, but I do think they're going to win the title. There are eight players averaging double digit assists this year, Tony. Are we in a new era of the elite point guard?

Tony Kornheiser: We are, and sharing is caring. The Nets have three players averaging 20 a game, do you see them making a deep playoff run?

Michael Wilbon: It all depends on if Dale Ellis can turn it on when it counts. What returning injured player do you think will help their team most for the rest of the season.

Tony Kornheiser: I'm going with Charles Smith, once that foot heals he's going right back in the middle of an epic division title race. Finally, who's your pick for MVP, Wilbon?

Michael Wilbon: Best player on the best team, which means Magic wins again. Time's up.

Tony Kornheiser: Try and do better next time. I'm Tony Kornheiser and that's Michael Wilbon. Good night Canada!

Whisper: PTI...

Final word count: 1878

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