Here we go, the last matchup before the Finals. We have one of the oldest teams in this thing, the Warriors, (and by oldest, I mean players based largely in the 50's and 60's) against one of the most balanced across all eras, the Lakers. Let's see who comes out of this to face the Bulls in the Finals.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Greatness Equation
For the last few years, as I've watched the great players that I grew up idolizing (basically the original Dream Team) retire and give way to a new generation of superstars (basically the Redeem Team, with maybe a dozen other guys who didn't make the cut), I really began to wonder how these players stacked up against each other. And I don't mean just the biggest iconic names of their generations like LeBron vs. Kobe vs. Jordan. I'm talking even Barkley vs. Garnett. Or Nowitzki vs. Pippen. Or Reggie Miller vs. Ray Allen. How do those guys stack up against one another? Sure you can look at stats and see how many points or rebounds or assists someone averaged and compare them, but what about across different positions, who, by definition, are going to have wildly different averages in different categories? How could I compare Jordan or Magic to Shaq or Duncan? Hell, how could I really even compare any of them to Wilt or Russell or Kareem who played in completely different eras?
(#4) Pistons - (#3) Bulls Series
I know the Western Conference is due for another series here, as I've been hitting the East pretty hard lately, but after the Pistons recent "Upset of the Century" over what I thought was probably the best top to bottom team in this thing, I know that every basketball fan in the nation is on the edge of their seat, wondering if they can continue their Cinderella run. It also begs the question, can it really be called a Cinderella run if everyone in the country hates you and wants you to lose? It'd be like if Duke made the NCAA tournament as a 16 seed and then managed to make it to the Final Four... It'd certainly fit the bill of a classic Cinderella team, except for the fact that everyone not associated with Duke would be rooting for them to lose. I'm not even sure what I'd call that phenomenon. Also, if the Pistons end up winning this thing, I may have to murder Isiah Thomas. Don't worry. I'm kidding. And if I'm not, I'll make sure to do it in New York so no jury would convict me. I can see the New York Times headline now: Isiah Thomas Murdered Over Mock Basketball Tournament; Statue of Accused Erected Outside Madison Square Garden. Anyway, lets get to the games, where I'll root for Michael Jordan as the lesser of two evils.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Tournament Update (Conference Semis Complete)
West:
#1 Lakers
|#1 Lakers (4)
BYE | |
|#1 Lakers (4)
#8 ThunderSonics (4) | |
|#8 ThunderSonics (3) |
#9 Trail Blazers (0)| |
|#1 Lakers
|#1 Lakers
#5 Kings (4) | |
|#5 Kings (4) | |
|#5 Kings (4) | |
#12 Clippers (1) | | | |
|#5 Kings (1) | |
|#5 Kings (1) | |
#4 Jazz (4) | |
|#4 Jazz (0) | |
|#4 Jazz (0) | |
#13 Timberwolves (3) |
|
|
#6 Suns (3) |
|#11 Nuggets (3) |
|#11 Nuggets (3) |
#11 Nuggets (4) | | |
|#3 Warriors (4) |
|#3 Warriors (4) |
#3 Warriors (4) | | |
|#3 Warriors (4) | |
|#3 Warriors (4) | |
#14 Hornets (1) | | |
|#3 Warriors |
|#3 Warriors |
#7 Rockets (3) |
|#10 Mavericks (0) |
|#10 Mavericks (0) |
#10 Mavericks (4) | | |
|#2 Spurs (2) |
|#2 Spurs (2) |
#2 Spurs (4) |
|#2 Spurs (4)
|#2 Spurs (4)
#15 Grizzlies (1) |
East:
#1 Celtics
|#1 Celtics (4)
BYE | |
|#1 Celtics (2)
#8 Bucks (4) | |
|#8 Bucks (0) |
#9 Cavaliers (2) | |
|#4 Pistons
#5 Knicks (3) | |
|#12 Magic (1) | |
#12 Magic (4) | | | |
|#4 Pistons (4) |
#4 Pistons (4) | |
|#4 Pistons (4) |
#13 Nets (3) | |
|
#6 Hawks (2) |
|#11 Heat (1) |
#11 Heat (4) | | |
|#3 Bulls (4) |
#3 Bulls (4) | | |
|#3 Bulls (4) | | |
#14 Raptors (0) | | |
|#3 Bulls |
#7 Wizards (4) |
|#7 Wizards (4) |
#10 Pacers (1) | | |
|#7 Wizards (2)
#2 76ers (4) |
|#2 76ers (1) |
#15 Bobcats (1) |
Thursday, January 6, 2011
(#7) Wizards - (#3) Bulls Series
The last of the semifinals. Are we in for another massive upset? The Wizards have the size (4 Hall of Fame big men), but the Bulls have Jordan. What wins?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
(#4) Pistons - (#1) Celtics Series
As a Lakers fan, I hate both of these teams. However, despite the hate, I at least have respect for the Celtics. It's almost exactly like, how, as a Nebraska Cornhuskers football fan, I want to beat the hell out of the Oklahoma Sooners every time we play them, but should we lose, I at least can say "good game" afterwards. Whereas I just despise anything to do with the Texas Longhorns (and, by extension, every other Texas school, but that's neither here nor there.) Now, I probably would save a Longhorns fan from drowning... but there'd be a slight moment of hesitation before I jumped in the water. Same goes for Pistons fans. (Side note: I just realized that the only team I say "we" about instead of "they" is the Cornhuskers. I don't know if it's because I've lived in Nebraska all my life, or if it's because I actually went to that school, but I don't do it with the Lakers or the Minnesota Twins. And I don't have a hockey team. (Side side note: Growing up in the Midwest miles and miles away from any sort of professional sports team - especially basketball - is strange. There's no home team to root for. Every kid just roots for whoever is good when they're young or they're dad's favorite teams - who were usually good when their dads were young. I did both - was a Suns fan until they traded Barkley, got pissed and swore them off, and started watching Lakers games with my dad. And I realize this should probably be its own article at this point.)) Anyway, my original point was going to be, despite me not liking either team, and hating one way more than the other, I promise I'm going to be impartial with this. If the Pistons win the whole thing, so be it. I can't see it happening, but if it does, so be it. On to the games!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year
Happy New Year everyone! I just wanted to quickly let everyone know that the tournament is done and all the results and simulations have been run. I got everything done before the New Year just in case WhatIfSports changed any processes or anything, I'd have them all done the same way. So, I have all the results saved, I just didn't want to post them in one huge glut of information that was difficult to wade through. I haven't decided quite yet how I'm going to post everything yet, but it's looking like Eastern Conference Semis this week, Conference Finals next week, and the Finals the third week of January. And then we'll close out January or start February off with what I'm going to either call "Fixing the Hall of Fame" or "The Glorious Extra Pass's List of Greatness." Either way, it's the most in depth, personally ambitious, and exciting basketball project I've ever worked on, and I'm looking forward to letting everyone see it and getting some feedback on it. But that's it for now, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my National Hangover Day (which will probably turn into Hangover Weekend) with laying around in a dark room listening to white noise and lamenting the repeal of prohibition and my own lack of self control. Happy 2011 everyone! It'll be a good year!
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