5-on-5 End-of-Season/Postseason Bonanza
Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 5:16 pm
Hay errbody! Welcome to everyone's favorite FIVE ON FIVE. With the regular season & round 1 of the playoffs wrapped up, We are taking the opportunity to do a little recap of the story thus far and to do some predictions of what's to come, along with some roleplaying. Our 5 contributors today are... Ballsohard, NOLa, JNR, False9, and garbageman! I hope you enjoy the write-up!
1. Obviously Playoffs is on our minds right now but let's start with computer-generated season awards. Which season ending award surprised you the most? Which player do you think was snubbed from the All-League Team? What do you think the qualifications are for Computer-Named GMOY?
NOLa.: I really loved the GMOY result and was definitely a surprise. I’m not really sure what goes into qualifications for the GMOY with the game, because sometimes I feel it nailed the winner and other times it picks a team I was not expecting at all. It’s very well possible that cutting salary when being over so much is considered great cap management in the game. I can’t think of a player that got really snubbed, but Van Grimaldi may have something to say about that. Top 10 in scoring, but didn’t really fill out the rebounds and assists line, but still an elite scorer.
JNR: The GMOY for sure. Maybe the computer looked at the tax last year and was impressed with the way Ryan got under the apron? Maybe the computer and Ryan are old gambling buddies? I have no idea. As far as the snub, I think Van Grimaldi is just as important to the Sixers’ success as Simmons, and he should have been recognized.
false9: No disrespect intended, but Ryan winning GMOY was pretty weird. The Nuggets were pretty bad (almost as if they were tanking), but there were some BIG NAME SIGNINGS re-signings in the offseason, so maybe that impressed the game. Then again, Louie won in 2019 with a team of vet mins that only won 32 games, so who the hell knows. Briseno was a odd MIP selection to me- sure he barely played last year, but his numbers this year aren't a quantum leap from his rookie year. As far as All-League snubs, I wasn't overly outraged with any of the selections. Personally, I wouldn't have selected some of the empty calorie guys like John Wall or Dirk Hardpeck- I would have been fine with a Desantis, Ellinger, or Medina pick instead. But, the game is all about the position played. I've long thought an All-League vote would be neat, but probably a pain in the ass and we'd all vote our guys in because WE'RE SELFISH.
garbageman: The obvious surprise here is TheSyndicate as computer-selected GMOY since the Nuggets only went 25-57, and I have no goddamn idea what criteria the computer uses to determine GMOY. I imagine it has to correspond pretty heavily with player movement. Ryan re-signed 4 big names in the offseason and then traded 2 of them. In the previous season, 78# won and he resigned Horford and Lawson while also landing contracts on Isaiah Thomas and Draymond Green. The year I won--2016?--I made a ton of offseason signings, too, including resigning Gallinari and landing Hawes and Dragic. Of course, the Grizzlies won it in 2019, and they couldn't sign anyone, so it's anyone's guess. As for all-league snubs, I haven't paid too close attention, but I thought Westbrook could've gotten in over John Wall. Westbrook put up more PPG, RPG, and SPG, and that was on the team with the league's best record. Van Grimaldi also had a tremendous season, finishing top 10 in scoring, but even so, there were a lot of great forwards who had even more productive years. Overall, though, I don't think there was anyone who made it who didn't have a case for all league.
Ballsohard: I see you’re fishing here for the GMOY to be the answer, so I’ll bite. Obviously the GMOY was the biggest surprise to me. The Nuggets did a good job this season but it was mostly salvage their poor contract offers in the off-season. The add-on to that, the Nuggets Benched stars Jrue Holiday and DeAndre Jordan for half the season to tank. Which, isn’t against the rules, but it’s a strategy I don’t have a whole heck of a lot of respect for.
Quail: All great points. The GMOY thing is kinda weird as there is no true idea of what is weighted more. But, like many of you pointed out, Ryan had many big time signings and then was also able to get back under the tax (although tax is a construct we created and not in the game)... so maybe the signings and subsequently cutting salary are weighted heavily. Win increase clearly isn't (nor is starting your best players
) As for snubs, I think Andrew Wiggins deserved MIP. If you look at his stats, sure he had higher usage, but he posted career bests in almost every statistical level and carried his team with not nearly as much help as he had in the past (no offense to Pfeffer).
2. Now let's shift to league voted award. This year we had 4 nominations in all but on category and voter turnout (despite the 3 points) was just over half the league. What are your thoughts on the current process and this year's results? Does it need an overhaul (or be abolished all together)?
NOLa.: It may just be stale. We’ve added new awards but some of these awards only get a few nominations a season. I still like it because it’s rewarding deserved winners instead of random computer picked players. I don’t know how to revamp it because it’s straightforward.
JNR: I think half the league voter participation is kind of expected. The lack of nominees is definitely the area of concern to me. I have long believed that the only real category of computer-generated awards that interests me is GMOY. The 6MOY and MIP should just be voted on by computers, IMO, with the MEOTY and GMOY getting votes.
false9: DAMMIT, DOUG- YOU'RE MAKING ME DO RESEARCH. The voter turnout actually looks pretty consistent based on the last few seasons. I'm ok with the current process and can't say I have any great ideas (shunning the computer vote and going all GM?). Also, I've always wondered why we don't vote on MVP (is it saltiness? I 'm betting salt). Results wise, I can't really complain, even with my mediocre candidate not winning. I can look across the board and say everyone was a deserving winner. GOOD JOB, PEOPLE.
garbageman: I think that in theory, the league voting process is pretty well constructed, but in practice, it seems like the same folks nominating themselves for the same awards over and over again. I'm one of the people in that camp, but it's not like I'm going to return any points. Now don't all rush to the suggestion board at once, but I have a two-part idea that I think will lead to a little bit better of a process. PART A: Allow people to vote themselves/their own players first. Why? There are a lot of voting games going on when someone is voting themselves 2nd. Some people will vote the least likely winner first in an effort to get those sweet, sweet points. And if everyone can vote themselves first, it's just as fair. PART B: Do NOT allow people to nominate themselves. On the surface, this could kill awards because it would decrease the number of total nominations. However, just like the Hall of Fame voting, you should get a point to nominate someone else in any category (limit 1 per GM per category). And maybe even another point if your nominee wins the award. Alternately, we can just make the nominations part of the voting process, and either require everyone nominates at least 1 candidate to get the full 3 points, or up it to 5 to account for the extra work.
Ballsohard: Really, I think a lot of the issue with the voting is that they’re self-nominated.At one point I think Amare had been nominated like 6 times as MIP. I really think you be able to nominate your own guys if nominations are in place. It’d be great if the game got it right frankly, but I think we’re probably overdoing it. If there was a banana gun to my head and I had to make a decision: I think the player awards should be taken off the list. They’re very easy to be manipulated by a GM scrounging for points and a lot of the criteria is really just posturing for position. I think we should freshen it up and have: GMOY- Which would focus on transactions, Coach of the year- Which would focus on results based off of talent, and best Media Contributor of the Year- Self-explanatory.
Quailman: I love garbageman's idea. Running it simply like we do for HOF could be nice, especially about the compensation for nomination and nominating a winner.
3. Now onto more prevalent conversations... Round 1. There were a couple upsets in the East and a lot of non-upsets in the West. Going into Round One, of all the matchups, which storyline interested you the most? Did the outcome live up to your interest?
NOLa.: The Pistons vs Bucks matchup was my favorite going in, not just because of the history between the GMs, but because I told Doug that Mike was looking ahead to round 2 of the Bulls matchup before the season even ended. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the two teams go at it with a fully health squad which robbed us of the best potential series of round 1. I think even if the Pistons were fully healthy, the Bucks still had a good chance to win. I get injuries are part of the game and we’ve all had our share of playoff injury woes, but it definitely eroded my excitement some with the Davis injury.
JNR: I was excited for Pistons/Bucks, because either team could have made the Eastern Finals. I wouldn’t say the outcome didn’t live up to the interest, but in series like that you want to see a Game 7. The only two Game 7s weren’t series that many people were excited about, in my opinion.
false9: The Bucks are the Kardashians- we hate 'em but love talking about them. The Bucks/Pistons matchup was the talk of the town, and I thought Doug had a shot. The AD injury played a role, but it's nice to see all of Doug's wheeling and dealing pay off. Congrats, my guy. I hope you have your smile back- now onto the behemoth that is Josh.
garbageman: In the East, I had a very vested interest in the Bucks and Pistons series. At full health, it looked like a down to the wire series, and the Bucks finished it in 6 thanks in small part to AD sustaining an ankle injury. To be honest, I think the Bucks will give me more trouble than the Pistons would have, but having what I consider the three best teams in the East in one division is both fun and frustrating, so of course I was paying closest attention to that one. Out West, I am liking the Mavs / Wolves. Shaun and Nate are two of the three dudes I knew from outside PBSL, so it's always fun when a matchup like that happens. The added bonus for me is that Shaun still doesn't really fully know what he's doing. He had plenty of advice from Andy and I on how to set up his team since Jeff traded his pick, and we didn't want him messing up too bad without a failsafe, but for the most part, I've been alternating between scratching my head and enjoying the success of his GM decisions...and now that he has his pick next year, it'll be fun to see if he tanks the franchise with the training wheels fully off.
Ballsohard: I think the biggest storyline was my 76ers not bothering to show up for the playoffs. The most interesting one to me though, is if the Bulls can repeat. They’ll be playing the Bucks in Round 2 which just beat out the Pistons. The other story-line is of course the Kings bulldozing the pathetic West and seeing if they can pull out their second banner or if they’ll add another 2nd place finish to the list.
Quailman: Well shucks guyz. hehe I'm going to go out away from the norm and say that I was excited for the Sixers/Nets series. I was anxious to see what Ed's team could do against the Sixers. On paper, the Sixers are beyond stacked, but I think trading away some of that veteran leadership they had last season hurt them in the playoffs (where I think players that have over 4 years experience really shine out). The Nets, on the other hand, really had a team of homegrown talent that finally matured and were ready to show off in the post-season. They came out crazy hungry. The result was definitely a shock. I don't think anyone (even Ed) thought he would win the series, but it's good to see that team get a shot to advance further. It definitely sucks for the Sixers, but they have an insanely talented roster that will only get better with that top 5 pick coming in a couple weeks (whether that turns into a drafted player or something to pull in a STAR, it has yet to be seen). The Sixers may be gone from this post-season, but they will not be forgotten in the decade to come.
4. Round 2 Preview: For each match-up give me one storyline fans of SLOE should be looking forward to. Then, give me your predictions on who advances and in how many games
NOLa.: I really like the divisional rivalry matchups this round. The Nets/Hawks matchup is neat, but it’s always great to see divisional rivals going at it in the later rounds. Kings/Suns will be a good one with both teams focused on outside scoring, Bucks/Bulls will be interesting with Smith Jr. out and giving the Bucks an even playing field, and T-Wolves/Jazz was a hard fought division before the Jazz ultimately finished on top. No matter what happens, there won’t be another divisional playoff matchup. This is it for the divisions.
JNR: Kings/Suns: Will Love once again step up when it matters? Kings in 7. Wolves/Jazz: Is Juicy James going to take the crown of best wing player from Wiggins earlier than we thought? Jazz in 5. Nets/Hawks: Can the Nets keep up this magical run on the back of Medina’s great play? Hawks in 7. Bucks/Bulls: Will the absence of DSJ be too much for the depending champs to bear? Bulls in 7.
false9: THESE QUESTIONS MIGHT AS WELL BE A SUDOKU, DOUG. Bulls/Bucks- Wow, a matchup that's good enough to be the Finals on it's own (tangent that fits nowhere- I'm also surprised no one has ever suggested radical playoff changes like top 16 teams or reseeding). Both teams are loaded across the board and I'm a fan of the work both GMs have done- the game planning and MIND GAMES will be a vital component in deciding a winner. I think whoever wins will wind up winning the East. The Dennis Smith injury really hurts though, so Bucks in 7. Nets/Hawks aka dynamic vs static- Wig has let it be known that he'll out of pocket for the rest of the playoffs soon. Ed will have the advantage of game planning against "same"- will he be able to capitalize and get the Buddy past round 2 for the first time in his career? Also, whenever Buddy Pedraza comes up, does the old "My Buddy" commercial pop into your head? I hope it does now and RUINS YOUR BRAIN. Nets in 7. King/Suns- The battle of OPs, one entering his prime and another facing sunset. Duren has kicked it up a notch in the postseason, but so has love. These two division foes are very familiar with another, and I think this is another case where the winner will wind up making the Finals. I wouldn't bet against Kevin Love, but ultimately I think Tani outfoxes Messi 2.0 Kings in 7. Jazz/Wolves- I termed it Wild Card vs Mild Card on Skype. Gary is the ultimate X-factor here- he's got a lot of tools at his disposal to get weird with his gameplan. Juicy James vs Andrew Wiggins is a great matchup, but there's just too much firepower in SLC and I dont think Gobert can hold down the fort enough. Jazz in 6.
garbageman: KINGS/SUNS: This is a real changing of the guard. It could be Kevin Love's last hurrah as a Sun, and he's definitely not going to be the most dominant player out West next year. While that honor could go to Andrew Wiggins, it could also just as easily go to Jeffrey Duren. The Kings are going to be very good for a long while (if they want to be), and this is the Suns last shot to stop them before a Kings finals appearance is even more foregone a conclusion. I think it's already a foregone conclusion since the Suns have no solution for Jeffrey Duren. Kings in 6. JAZZ/TIMBERWOLVES: This is kind of the Western Conference revamp of the Pistons and Bucks series. Instead of Anthony Davis, it's Wiggins vs. the World. The problem here for Andrew Wiggins is that he isn't Anthony Davis, and while I'd take Pfeffer and Gobert over any two non-AD Pistons players, the Jazz are stacked a built solidly, perhaps even more so than the Bucks. Wiggins has one or two unstoppable performances but the combo of Juicy James and Joseph Kight hitting the Wolves in their weak spots is too much for the T-Wolves to overcome. Jazz in 5. HAWKS/NETS: The Nets somewhat shocked the league by disposing so handily of the 76ers...a team that was in the conference finals last year and then only looked to be improved this year. The Nets are finally playing like the team they look like on paper. They'll face a Hawks team that was able to capitalize on a Gary Harris injury to squeak past the powerhouse Knicks in 7 games. Wig's a savvy game-planner, but due to his schedule, he'll be running on auto-pilot, which gives Funky Cole and the boys plenty of opportunity to crack any codes that need cracking. Give me the Nets in 6. BULLS/BUCKS: The wounded Bulls defend their crown against the retooled Bucks in a battle where even if the Bucks win, there will always be the asterisk of "What if DSJ wasn't injured?" For it to be a truly fair fight, the Bucks should IR Ricky Rubio, but since that probably won't happen, I'll say Bucks* in 7.
* Denotes that they did not beat the Bulls without help from the dirty, dirty Pistons giving DSJ the ol' Tonya Harding
Ballsohard: The biggest storyline about the playoffs is no one cares except the teams in it.
#1 Bulls- Will they still dominate their league with the injury? Hawks/Nets- Can the Nets hotstreak continue versus another very experienced playoff team? Jazz/ Wolves- How far can Wiggins drag this team? Kings/ Suns- Passing of the torch
Quailman: It's are to not re-iterate what you guys already pointed out for all these series, but Kings/Suns will be one of the best series this round. Dominant front court vs dominant backcourt. Which side will prevail? Money on the Kings (if healthy). Jazz/Wolves will show us just how much weight Wiggins is going to have to put on his shoulders to move to the next round, but I think the Jazz will come out on top. Hawks/Nets will be intriguing, but i think the Nets can pull another rabbit out their hat and win in 7. Bucks/Bulls... reverse curse is real. Bulls in 7.
5. It's time to wear our SLOE-GM hats into the real world. You have the fortune (?) of simultaneously running the Spurs and Pelicans. Conflicting interests aside, how would you have handled the Boogie Cousins & Kawhi Leonard situations?
NOLa.: The Leonard situation is easier for me, if the game allowed players to make these demands, I would have attempted to do what the Spurs did in trading Leonard for something. I’m not sure what I’d do with the Boogie situation. If the game had a injury-susceptibility part of the game that was consistent, I’d have to think long and hard about maxing him. I didn’t follow the rumors too closely about what was offered in real life, but I still value an All Star center like Boogie. Then again, Boogie has already burned me by being the biggest draft bust I have ever had on my team, which says a lot since I drafted Shannon Anderson.
JNR: Players like to feel cared about. I would’ve reached out to Boogie early and let him know he was our priority, but that it made sense to fill the roster out first so we can try and make a run. For Kawhi, if a player wants to leave, then they want to leave. I would’ve focused more on a trade that put the Spurs in position to rebuild than recharge.
false9: I think both scenarios played out to it's best salvageable outcome. I'm not a Pels expert compared to everyone else, but they looked a lot better with their tempo after the Boogie injury and in the playoffs. Yes, it hurts to lose an asset, but the alternative of paying a ton of money to a guy with an Achilles injury is far less palatable. Oh, Kawhi. I BLAME THIS ALL ON UNCLE DENNIS. He's arguably the worst uncle since Uncle Rico. Anyway, this saga was a gutpunch. The Spurs lose a top 5 guy, but they didn't have any leverage. The one thing I would have preferred is younger assets for the Spurs, but that probably wasn't on the table for someone who could be a one year rental. Pop won't be coaching in a few years, so at least they have a relatively competitive team for the sunset of his career.
garbageman: I'm not really sure there's a PBSL analog to the Kawhi situation. Players can become unhappy, but it doesn't seem to mean much (is this an overly ambitious idea for a Lazy Statistician article, or should I just wait for Todd to come back?). In real life, it was bizarre, but I think the Spurs got what they could out of it, and they didn't send Kawhi to a competitor or a team that he even wanted to be on. As for Boogie, I don't care. I'm not from New Orleans. When the chat room turns into theoretical Pelicans trade talk, I drop out. Personally, I think Boogie did the Pels a favor. Bold prediction: the Warriors do not win the NBA Championship again this year.
Ballsohard: Boogie: Boogie is a loyalty laden guy and frankly the Pelican didn’t have a ton to lose if they offered him a sizeable contract. He’s also coming off an Achilles injury (A Leg if you ask Sean Payton). I’d offer 2 +1 Player option at 25 Flat per year and let it stand on the table and if he left, he left. The whole take or leave it in the playoffs offer screams ‘Dealin Doug’ hostage scenario or Hoodie Nick RFA offer’ and frankly built no good will between the organization and the player, who has trust issues. In terms of Leonard, this is tough because we really don’t know what’s happening. I think Spurs did what I would do. Try and reconcile what happened and keep him there. If that fails, look at the org: Ancient Pop, aging roster, and not much time. I would have gone after a guy in his prime near the same position that was under contract at least until you think Pop retires and pulled the trigger.
Quailman: Between Skype discussions, Twitter, other media outlets, i think both these storylines have really been driven into the mud. I honestly cannot disagree with how Dell Demps handled a BADDDDDDDD situation. Sucks to lose Boogie, but I don't know if you would have seen anything different from me. I don't think a S&T was ever realistically going to be on the table. Kawhi, man, I think if he spoke for himself once it could alleviate a lot of this. Problem is that the reports are coming from his mouthpiece uncle, who is getting some Lavar Ball level heat right now (sans discriminatory hate rhetoric). Spurs needed to ship him out, and ship him out West. Absolutely I would have not shipped him to the Lakers. Find a fringe contender team and send him there. Imagine if they got him on the Pistons, Wizards, or Bucks.
Thank you everyone for reading! Good luck to all teams in Round 2!!
1. Obviously Playoffs is on our minds right now but let's start with computer-generated season awards. Which season ending award surprised you the most? Which player do you think was snubbed from the All-League Team? What do you think the qualifications are for Computer-Named GMOY?
NOLa.: I really loved the GMOY result and was definitely a surprise. I’m not really sure what goes into qualifications for the GMOY with the game, because sometimes I feel it nailed the winner and other times it picks a team I was not expecting at all. It’s very well possible that cutting salary when being over so much is considered great cap management in the game. I can’t think of a player that got really snubbed, but Van Grimaldi may have something to say about that. Top 10 in scoring, but didn’t really fill out the rebounds and assists line, but still an elite scorer.
JNR: The GMOY for sure. Maybe the computer looked at the tax last year and was impressed with the way Ryan got under the apron? Maybe the computer and Ryan are old gambling buddies? I have no idea. As far as the snub, I think Van Grimaldi is just as important to the Sixers’ success as Simmons, and he should have been recognized.
false9: No disrespect intended, but Ryan winning GMOY was pretty weird. The Nuggets were pretty bad (almost as if they were tanking), but there were some BIG NAME SIGNINGS re-signings in the offseason, so maybe that impressed the game. Then again, Louie won in 2019 with a team of vet mins that only won 32 games, so who the hell knows. Briseno was a odd MIP selection to me- sure he barely played last year, but his numbers this year aren't a quantum leap from his rookie year. As far as All-League snubs, I wasn't overly outraged with any of the selections. Personally, I wouldn't have selected some of the empty calorie guys like John Wall or Dirk Hardpeck- I would have been fine with a Desantis, Ellinger, or Medina pick instead. But, the game is all about the position played. I've long thought an All-League vote would be neat, but probably a pain in the ass and we'd all vote our guys in because WE'RE SELFISH.
garbageman: The obvious surprise here is TheSyndicate as computer-selected GMOY since the Nuggets only went 25-57, and I have no goddamn idea what criteria the computer uses to determine GMOY. I imagine it has to correspond pretty heavily with player movement. Ryan re-signed 4 big names in the offseason and then traded 2 of them. In the previous season, 78# won and he resigned Horford and Lawson while also landing contracts on Isaiah Thomas and Draymond Green. The year I won--2016?--I made a ton of offseason signings, too, including resigning Gallinari and landing Hawes and Dragic. Of course, the Grizzlies won it in 2019, and they couldn't sign anyone, so it's anyone's guess. As for all-league snubs, I haven't paid too close attention, but I thought Westbrook could've gotten in over John Wall. Westbrook put up more PPG, RPG, and SPG, and that was on the team with the league's best record. Van Grimaldi also had a tremendous season, finishing top 10 in scoring, but even so, there were a lot of great forwards who had even more productive years. Overall, though, I don't think there was anyone who made it who didn't have a case for all league.
Ballsohard: I see you’re fishing here for the GMOY to be the answer, so I’ll bite. Obviously the GMOY was the biggest surprise to me. The Nuggets did a good job this season but it was mostly salvage their poor contract offers in the off-season. The add-on to that, the Nuggets Benched stars Jrue Holiday and DeAndre Jordan for half the season to tank. Which, isn’t against the rules, but it’s a strategy I don’t have a whole heck of a lot of respect for.
Quail: All great points. The GMOY thing is kinda weird as there is no true idea of what is weighted more. But, like many of you pointed out, Ryan had many big time signings and then was also able to get back under the tax (although tax is a construct we created and not in the game)... so maybe the signings and subsequently cutting salary are weighted heavily. Win increase clearly isn't (nor is starting your best players
) As for snubs, I think Andrew Wiggins deserved MIP. If you look at his stats, sure he had higher usage, but he posted career bests in almost every statistical level and carried his team with not nearly as much help as he had in the past (no offense to Pfeffer). 2. Now let's shift to league voted award. This year we had 4 nominations in all but on category and voter turnout (despite the 3 points) was just over half the league. What are your thoughts on the current process and this year's results? Does it need an overhaul (or be abolished all together)?
NOLa.: It may just be stale. We’ve added new awards but some of these awards only get a few nominations a season. I still like it because it’s rewarding deserved winners instead of random computer picked players. I don’t know how to revamp it because it’s straightforward.
JNR: I think half the league voter participation is kind of expected. The lack of nominees is definitely the area of concern to me. I have long believed that the only real category of computer-generated awards that interests me is GMOY. The 6MOY and MIP should just be voted on by computers, IMO, with the MEOTY and GMOY getting votes.
false9: DAMMIT, DOUG- YOU'RE MAKING ME DO RESEARCH. The voter turnout actually looks pretty consistent based on the last few seasons. I'm ok with the current process and can't say I have any great ideas (shunning the computer vote and going all GM?). Also, I've always wondered why we don't vote on MVP (is it saltiness? I 'm betting salt). Results wise, I can't really complain, even with my mediocre candidate not winning. I can look across the board and say everyone was a deserving winner. GOOD JOB, PEOPLE.
garbageman: I think that in theory, the league voting process is pretty well constructed, but in practice, it seems like the same folks nominating themselves for the same awards over and over again. I'm one of the people in that camp, but it's not like I'm going to return any points. Now don't all rush to the suggestion board at once, but I have a two-part idea that I think will lead to a little bit better of a process. PART A: Allow people to vote themselves/their own players first. Why? There are a lot of voting games going on when someone is voting themselves 2nd. Some people will vote the least likely winner first in an effort to get those sweet, sweet points. And if everyone can vote themselves first, it's just as fair. PART B: Do NOT allow people to nominate themselves. On the surface, this could kill awards because it would decrease the number of total nominations. However, just like the Hall of Fame voting, you should get a point to nominate someone else in any category (limit 1 per GM per category). And maybe even another point if your nominee wins the award. Alternately, we can just make the nominations part of the voting process, and either require everyone nominates at least 1 candidate to get the full 3 points, or up it to 5 to account for the extra work.
Ballsohard: Really, I think a lot of the issue with the voting is that they’re self-nominated.At one point I think Amare had been nominated like 6 times as MIP. I really think you be able to nominate your own guys if nominations are in place. It’d be great if the game got it right frankly, but I think we’re probably overdoing it. If there was a banana gun to my head and I had to make a decision: I think the player awards should be taken off the list. They’re very easy to be manipulated by a GM scrounging for points and a lot of the criteria is really just posturing for position. I think we should freshen it up and have: GMOY- Which would focus on transactions, Coach of the year- Which would focus on results based off of talent, and best Media Contributor of the Year- Self-explanatory.
Quailman: I love garbageman's idea. Running it simply like we do for HOF could be nice, especially about the compensation for nomination and nominating a winner.
3. Now onto more prevalent conversations... Round 1. There were a couple upsets in the East and a lot of non-upsets in the West. Going into Round One, of all the matchups, which storyline interested you the most? Did the outcome live up to your interest?
NOLa.: The Pistons vs Bucks matchup was my favorite going in, not just because of the history between the GMs, but because I told Doug that Mike was looking ahead to round 2 of the Bulls matchup before the season even ended. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the two teams go at it with a fully health squad which robbed us of the best potential series of round 1. I think even if the Pistons were fully healthy, the Bucks still had a good chance to win. I get injuries are part of the game and we’ve all had our share of playoff injury woes, but it definitely eroded my excitement some with the Davis injury.
JNR: I was excited for Pistons/Bucks, because either team could have made the Eastern Finals. I wouldn’t say the outcome didn’t live up to the interest, but in series like that you want to see a Game 7. The only two Game 7s weren’t series that many people were excited about, in my opinion.
false9: The Bucks are the Kardashians- we hate 'em but love talking about them. The Bucks/Pistons matchup was the talk of the town, and I thought Doug had a shot. The AD injury played a role, but it's nice to see all of Doug's wheeling and dealing pay off. Congrats, my guy. I hope you have your smile back- now onto the behemoth that is Josh.
garbageman: In the East, I had a very vested interest in the Bucks and Pistons series. At full health, it looked like a down to the wire series, and the Bucks finished it in 6 thanks in small part to AD sustaining an ankle injury. To be honest, I think the Bucks will give me more trouble than the Pistons would have, but having what I consider the three best teams in the East in one division is both fun and frustrating, so of course I was paying closest attention to that one. Out West, I am liking the Mavs / Wolves. Shaun and Nate are two of the three dudes I knew from outside PBSL, so it's always fun when a matchup like that happens. The added bonus for me is that Shaun still doesn't really fully know what he's doing. He had plenty of advice from Andy and I on how to set up his team since Jeff traded his pick, and we didn't want him messing up too bad without a failsafe, but for the most part, I've been alternating between scratching my head and enjoying the success of his GM decisions...and now that he has his pick next year, it'll be fun to see if he tanks the franchise with the training wheels fully off.
Ballsohard: I think the biggest storyline was my 76ers not bothering to show up for the playoffs. The most interesting one to me though, is if the Bulls can repeat. They’ll be playing the Bucks in Round 2 which just beat out the Pistons. The other story-line is of course the Kings bulldozing the pathetic West and seeing if they can pull out their second banner or if they’ll add another 2nd place finish to the list.
Quailman: Well shucks guyz. hehe I'm going to go out away from the norm and say that I was excited for the Sixers/Nets series. I was anxious to see what Ed's team could do against the Sixers. On paper, the Sixers are beyond stacked, but I think trading away some of that veteran leadership they had last season hurt them in the playoffs (where I think players that have over 4 years experience really shine out). The Nets, on the other hand, really had a team of homegrown talent that finally matured and were ready to show off in the post-season. They came out crazy hungry. The result was definitely a shock. I don't think anyone (even Ed) thought he would win the series, but it's good to see that team get a shot to advance further. It definitely sucks for the Sixers, but they have an insanely talented roster that will only get better with that top 5 pick coming in a couple weeks (whether that turns into a drafted player or something to pull in a STAR, it has yet to be seen). The Sixers may be gone from this post-season, but they will not be forgotten in the decade to come.
4. Round 2 Preview: For each match-up give me one storyline fans of SLOE should be looking forward to. Then, give me your predictions on who advances and in how many games
NOLa.: I really like the divisional rivalry matchups this round. The Nets/Hawks matchup is neat, but it’s always great to see divisional rivals going at it in the later rounds. Kings/Suns will be a good one with both teams focused on outside scoring, Bucks/Bulls will be interesting with Smith Jr. out and giving the Bucks an even playing field, and T-Wolves/Jazz was a hard fought division before the Jazz ultimately finished on top. No matter what happens, there won’t be another divisional playoff matchup. This is it for the divisions.
JNR: Kings/Suns: Will Love once again step up when it matters? Kings in 7. Wolves/Jazz: Is Juicy James going to take the crown of best wing player from Wiggins earlier than we thought? Jazz in 5. Nets/Hawks: Can the Nets keep up this magical run on the back of Medina’s great play? Hawks in 7. Bucks/Bulls: Will the absence of DSJ be too much for the depending champs to bear? Bulls in 7.
false9: THESE QUESTIONS MIGHT AS WELL BE A SUDOKU, DOUG. Bulls/Bucks- Wow, a matchup that's good enough to be the Finals on it's own (tangent that fits nowhere- I'm also surprised no one has ever suggested radical playoff changes like top 16 teams or reseeding). Both teams are loaded across the board and I'm a fan of the work both GMs have done- the game planning and MIND GAMES will be a vital component in deciding a winner. I think whoever wins will wind up winning the East. The Dennis Smith injury really hurts though, so Bucks in 7. Nets/Hawks aka dynamic vs static- Wig has let it be known that he'll out of pocket for the rest of the playoffs soon. Ed will have the advantage of game planning against "same"- will he be able to capitalize and get the Buddy past round 2 for the first time in his career? Also, whenever Buddy Pedraza comes up, does the old "My Buddy" commercial pop into your head? I hope it does now and RUINS YOUR BRAIN. Nets in 7. King/Suns- The battle of OPs, one entering his prime and another facing sunset. Duren has kicked it up a notch in the postseason, but so has love. These two division foes are very familiar with another, and I think this is another case where the winner will wind up making the Finals. I wouldn't bet against Kevin Love, but ultimately I think Tani outfoxes Messi 2.0 Kings in 7. Jazz/Wolves- I termed it Wild Card vs Mild Card on Skype. Gary is the ultimate X-factor here- he's got a lot of tools at his disposal to get weird with his gameplan. Juicy James vs Andrew Wiggins is a great matchup, but there's just too much firepower in SLC and I dont think Gobert can hold down the fort enough. Jazz in 6.
garbageman: KINGS/SUNS: This is a real changing of the guard. It could be Kevin Love's last hurrah as a Sun, and he's definitely not going to be the most dominant player out West next year. While that honor could go to Andrew Wiggins, it could also just as easily go to Jeffrey Duren. The Kings are going to be very good for a long while (if they want to be), and this is the Suns last shot to stop them before a Kings finals appearance is even more foregone a conclusion. I think it's already a foregone conclusion since the Suns have no solution for Jeffrey Duren. Kings in 6. JAZZ/TIMBERWOLVES: This is kind of the Western Conference revamp of the Pistons and Bucks series. Instead of Anthony Davis, it's Wiggins vs. the World. The problem here for Andrew Wiggins is that he isn't Anthony Davis, and while I'd take Pfeffer and Gobert over any two non-AD Pistons players, the Jazz are stacked a built solidly, perhaps even more so than the Bucks. Wiggins has one or two unstoppable performances but the combo of Juicy James and Joseph Kight hitting the Wolves in their weak spots is too much for the T-Wolves to overcome. Jazz in 5. HAWKS/NETS: The Nets somewhat shocked the league by disposing so handily of the 76ers...a team that was in the conference finals last year and then only looked to be improved this year. The Nets are finally playing like the team they look like on paper. They'll face a Hawks team that was able to capitalize on a Gary Harris injury to squeak past the powerhouse Knicks in 7 games. Wig's a savvy game-planner, but due to his schedule, he'll be running on auto-pilot, which gives Funky Cole and the boys plenty of opportunity to crack any codes that need cracking. Give me the Nets in 6. BULLS/BUCKS: The wounded Bulls defend their crown against the retooled Bucks in a battle where even if the Bucks win, there will always be the asterisk of "What if DSJ wasn't injured?" For it to be a truly fair fight, the Bucks should IR Ricky Rubio, but since that probably won't happen, I'll say Bucks* in 7.
* Denotes that they did not beat the Bulls without help from the dirty, dirty Pistons giving DSJ the ol' Tonya Harding
Ballsohard: The biggest storyline about the playoffs is no one cares except the teams in it.
#1 Bulls- Will they still dominate their league with the injury? Hawks/Nets- Can the Nets hotstreak continue versus another very experienced playoff team? Jazz/ Wolves- How far can Wiggins drag this team? Kings/ Suns- Passing of the torchQuailman: It's are to not re-iterate what you guys already pointed out for all these series, but Kings/Suns will be one of the best series this round. Dominant front court vs dominant backcourt. Which side will prevail? Money on the Kings (if healthy). Jazz/Wolves will show us just how much weight Wiggins is going to have to put on his shoulders to move to the next round, but I think the Jazz will come out on top. Hawks/Nets will be intriguing, but i think the Nets can pull another rabbit out their hat and win in 7. Bucks/Bulls... reverse curse is real. Bulls in 7.
5. It's time to wear our SLOE-GM hats into the real world. You have the fortune (?) of simultaneously running the Spurs and Pelicans. Conflicting interests aside, how would you have handled the Boogie Cousins & Kawhi Leonard situations?
NOLa.: The Leonard situation is easier for me, if the game allowed players to make these demands, I would have attempted to do what the Spurs did in trading Leonard for something. I’m not sure what I’d do with the Boogie situation. If the game had a injury-susceptibility part of the game that was consistent, I’d have to think long and hard about maxing him. I didn’t follow the rumors too closely about what was offered in real life, but I still value an All Star center like Boogie. Then again, Boogie has already burned me by being the biggest draft bust I have ever had on my team, which says a lot since I drafted Shannon Anderson.
JNR: Players like to feel cared about. I would’ve reached out to Boogie early and let him know he was our priority, but that it made sense to fill the roster out first so we can try and make a run. For Kawhi, if a player wants to leave, then they want to leave. I would’ve focused more on a trade that put the Spurs in position to rebuild than recharge.
false9: I think both scenarios played out to it's best salvageable outcome. I'm not a Pels expert compared to everyone else, but they looked a lot better with their tempo after the Boogie injury and in the playoffs. Yes, it hurts to lose an asset, but the alternative of paying a ton of money to a guy with an Achilles injury is far less palatable. Oh, Kawhi. I BLAME THIS ALL ON UNCLE DENNIS. He's arguably the worst uncle since Uncle Rico. Anyway, this saga was a gutpunch. The Spurs lose a top 5 guy, but they didn't have any leverage. The one thing I would have preferred is younger assets for the Spurs, but that probably wasn't on the table for someone who could be a one year rental. Pop won't be coaching in a few years, so at least they have a relatively competitive team for the sunset of his career.
garbageman: I'm not really sure there's a PBSL analog to the Kawhi situation. Players can become unhappy, but it doesn't seem to mean much (is this an overly ambitious idea for a Lazy Statistician article, or should I just wait for Todd to come back?). In real life, it was bizarre, but I think the Spurs got what they could out of it, and they didn't send Kawhi to a competitor or a team that he even wanted to be on. As for Boogie, I don't care. I'm not from New Orleans. When the chat room turns into theoretical Pelicans trade talk, I drop out. Personally, I think Boogie did the Pels a favor. Bold prediction: the Warriors do not win the NBA Championship again this year.
Ballsohard: Boogie: Boogie is a loyalty laden guy and frankly the Pelican didn’t have a ton to lose if they offered him a sizeable contract. He’s also coming off an Achilles injury (A Leg if you ask Sean Payton). I’d offer 2 +1 Player option at 25 Flat per year and let it stand on the table and if he left, he left. The whole take or leave it in the playoffs offer screams ‘Dealin Doug’ hostage scenario or Hoodie Nick RFA offer’ and frankly built no good will between the organization and the player, who has trust issues. In terms of Leonard, this is tough because we really don’t know what’s happening. I think Spurs did what I would do. Try and reconcile what happened and keep him there. If that fails, look at the org: Ancient Pop, aging roster, and not much time. I would have gone after a guy in his prime near the same position that was under contract at least until you think Pop retires and pulled the trigger.
Quailman: Between Skype discussions, Twitter, other media outlets, i think both these storylines have really been driven into the mud. I honestly cannot disagree with how Dell Demps handled a BADDDDDDDD situation. Sucks to lose Boogie, but I don't know if you would have seen anything different from me. I don't think a S&T was ever realistically going to be on the table. Kawhi, man, I think if he spoke for himself once it could alleviate a lot of this. Problem is that the reports are coming from his mouthpiece uncle, who is getting some Lavar Ball level heat right now (sans discriminatory hate rhetoric). Spurs needed to ship him out, and ship him out West. Absolutely I would have not shipped him to the Lakers. Find a fringe contender team and send him there. Imagine if they got him on the Pistons, Wizards, or Bucks.
Thank you everyone for reading! Good luck to all teams in Round 2!!