#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

Are the Spurs still runaway champions?
What is the same, or different from the opening coronation that tells you they will or will not run through everyone who stands in their way?
How often do GM's overreact to player motion that looks great on paper?

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: Deadline for Sim 11

Mike Lowry wrote:Are the Spurs still runaway champions?
What is the same, or different from the opening coronation that tells you they will or will not run through everyone who stands in their way?
How often do GM's overreact to player motion that looks great on paper?

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: Deadline for Sim 11

I still think the spurs are the clear favorites to win the championship. This MJ injury is a non factor since they have the 1 seed locked up and he’ll be back before the 2nd round starts. But I don’t think they are the runaway champions like they were at the start of the season. I think the Celtics have the best chance at beating them. The bucks and Nets could compete with them but their teams aren’t doing what the spurs and Celtics are doing. The Celtics 18.0 point differential is the main indicator that they can compete with the Spurs. That #1 defense is going to cause problems and could slow the spurs down enough to where they can steal some games in the finals. I don’t really think people overreact too much to player movement. Yes, some people get vocal about the trades but the magic to the spurs trade was far and away the trade that made people overreact, including me. You already have a championship caliber team and then you add the 8 time MVP and of course people are going to react a certain way.

Nothing against Carlos, but I do want to see the Super Spurs lose lol. I think it would be healthy for the league if the spurs end up looking beatable


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Mike Lowry wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2026 2:53 pm Are the Spurs still runaway champions?
What is the same, or different from the opening coronation that tells you they will or will not run through everyone who stands in their way?
How often do GM's overreact to player motion that looks great on paper?

No, they aren't "runaway" champions. They are runaway favorites in the West. But the Celtics are likewise runaway champions in the East and can stand toe-to-toe with the Spurs. If the Spurs can hang on and finish with a better record than the Celtics to ensure homecourt in the Finals, they will be slight title favorites; if the Celtics finish with the better record, they should be the slight favorites.

The difference is the Celtics - they made two key moves to try to keep up with the Spurs getting Magic - they pulled the trigger on getting Craig Ehlo after the draft to fill their void at SF and they picked up Purvis Short as an insurance policy. Injuries are going to keep the Spurs from 70 wins, but everyone was already calling the Spurs favorites "barring injury." Nothing has changed with the Spurs, but the Celtics made moves to try to match them, so now instead of one dominant squad, we have two dominant squads.

I think GMs often overreact to player motion because we're all bitter - or at least annoyed - when a player we were chasing moves to someone who isn't us. Every one of us thinks we're the main character and everyone else is an NPC.

Are the Spurs still runaway champions?
Far from it.

What is the same, or different from the opening coronation that tells you they will or will not run through everyone who stands in their way?
The thing that hasn't changed since they traded for Magic is their complete lack of depth in the front court. Mark West is solid, for sure, but backing him up with Dawkins and putting him next to Magic or Chambers does not make for any type of formidable defense in the paint. I believe that in 1989 NPBSL is still a big man's league. Carlos has excellent depth on the wing, but he should have traded some of that out for some bruisers. The playoffs will be a physical test and either West or Chambers going down would crush their chances. Even if they stay healthy, I give the edge to Boston. And I wouldn't be surprised to see the Spurs upset by front court play of Portland, Minnesota, or Milwaukee. They're just top heavy on the wing.


How often do GM's overreact to player motion that looks great on paper?
I think I see this all the time. A strong team makes 1 move and 8 teams go on cruise control. I've learned the hard way that cohesion really matters in this game and every player doesn't mesh with a team in the ways we expect. Personally I knew Magic would not solve issues for the Spurs on the defensive end. They're a great team, but they have their work cut out for them in winning the Ship.