Sour Snails - Trieu (16-1-1)
We don't want to point fingers here but having two four win teams in this division means Trieu's monster team feasted on weak competition all season long. That's why they were almost undefeated last year. That's why
they won the championship. That's why they look like a potential dynasty team. It has nothing to do with the fact that they were ranked tops in PTS, 3PT, AST, STL, and BLKs all season long. Nope, that has nothing to do with it at all. Look at all of the Snails weaknesses! They turn the ball over at a prolific rate (last), can't shoot free throws (second to last), and get outrebounded once in awhile (ranked fifth). A team that undisciplined should lose a lot right?
I mean, sure, a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Aaron Brooks, Darren Collison, Danilo Gallinari, and Brendan Haywood ain't bad but hardly invincible right? Sadly, those five are the bottom end of Trieu's likely rotation players. Add in Gerald Wallace. Add in Josh Smith. Oh and add in Lebron James. Those three change a small ball team into a big-small ball team. Collectively they contribute 26+ REB per and almost 5 BLK. The traditional small ball team can't do those things. In fact, it's crazy that the Snails are so great at BLK and so terrible at FT%. Understanding that the few matchups the Snails can't win are against teams that can compete with them in one of their five dominant categories and on the boards, GM Trieu wisely drafted a few big men for certain matchups. Haywood, Ben Wallace, and rookie Greg Monroe won't be used often but they'll be essential plug-ins against the handful of teams that the Snails can't beat in REB.
Two Knicks will cheer from the bench, Toney Douglas and Kelenna Azubuike, and if Trieu hits on another outstanding sleeper we might as well all give up. You realize he had the vision to draft Curry as the first rookie off the board last year right? Top of the fifth round. We said last year that "it seemed a bit early for Curry" but now he's a first round value. Genius!
Looking over this roster, I have a hard time picture many losses this season. The matchup nightmares are all over the place. They can go super quick with Curry, Brooks, Collison, Lebron, and Josh Smith. They can go ultra big with Lebron, Gallinari, Wallace, Smith, and Haywood. Oh wait, that's the NBA. This is just fantasy. Even worse. Short of a Lebron-colypse, is there any way this team doesn't take the regular season crown again? With the lessened games played cap and the shorter rotatations that brings, can your eight guys beat Trieu's eight guys? Heck, can your eight guys beat Trieu's seven guys?!
NBA Team: Miami Heat
Fat Jubas - Eric L (9-8-1)
The Jubas had a great inaugural season, as they
came within an inch of toppling eventual champion Sour Snails. Heading into the last day, they were tied before folding but not holding their head in shame. In fact, the Jubas may be the best bet to topple the Snails as they played them extremely tough during all their matchups. This veteran team led the league in FT%, passed the ball spendidly (second in AST), and shot the ball effectively and efficiently (fifth in 3PT and FG%). This is a team with no real weaknesses, as they rank about average in just about every other category. Impressive.
The veteran laden team is headed by Steven Nash, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. All three are past their primes (although Nash isn't slipping much) but will likely remain very effective players for at least another two seasons. The young cornerstone of this team is Brook Lopez, who is the most well rounded big man around, and will be joined this year by his brother Robin Lopez. I vote we make all their stats count double for the Wonder Twin team up. Small forward Jeff Green is who he is at this point, a nice player who averages 1 3PT/BLK/STL a game, while not really rebounding enough as a power forward. That last trait could be said of Boris Diaw, who rebounds even less than Green, but has a unique stat that makes him a valuable reserve. There is a hole at the backup guard position, with new Cavs guard Ramon Sessions likely fitting the role. Given enough shots and time, Sessions can be outstanding and we predict good things.
The other backup guards, Goran Dragic and Rodrigue Beaubois, are probably in the next generation of fantasy standouts, but will be stuck firmly behind Nash and Jason Kidd respestively, for at least another year. Intriguing sleepers Nicolas Batum and Taj Gibson anchor the bench but they should be ready to enter the fray at any time, as Diaw and the lesser Lopez could be taken out for matchup reasons. We know owner Eric-L thinks of this team as a contender but we're curious how this mix of young and old will unfurl over time. With a core of Nash-Garnett-Allen be best served with some veteran help to make a run during their contending window?
NBA Team: Boston Celtics
Jedi Knights - Chris (4-12-2)
Chris had
a great offseason, possibly the best of any owner in the league. Chris got married! Congratulations all around! Now that his heart is happy and he's officially wifed up, his basketball team really needs his love too. The Jedis are an efficient shooting team, ranking second in FG% and third in FT% last season. The problem was that they were sort of a mess everywhere else. Third to last in 3PT, second to last in REB/AST/BLK, and dead last in PTS. They were the best TO team in the league though! Actually, winning TOs could be a sure sign your team is bad, as the top three finishers in TOs last year (Chris, Jimmy, Jon) had a combined thirteen wins among them. The strategy in 2011 is to just throw the ball out of bounds on every possession obviously.
With Dirk Nowitzki, David Lee, and Nene, we're actually not sure how the Knights were so inept on the boards. Let's hope that was an aberration as those three should be enough to win REB once in awhile. There's absolutely nothing behind them in the frontcourt though, as neither Yi Jianlian nor Brandon Bass are good rebounders. But let's not worry about the solid -- but thin -- frontcourt. The big question will be if Jose Calderon and Hedo Turkoglu can return to form. Both were absolutely horrible last year. They were supposed to anchor Chris' passing and shooting stats but they weren't up to the task. OJ Mayo and John Salmons, nearly identical statistical players (19 PTS, 3 REB/AST, 1.5 3PT and 1 STL), are perfect on any team and we kind of love them both.
There could be a battle for that eighth rotation player position, as there doesn't seem to be much difference between Dorell Wright, Yi, and sleeper Wesley Matthews. The likely opening day starter will be Beno Udrih, who thrived passing and shooting next to ROY Tyreke Evans. Actually, Udrih has to start because Calderon will need the help in the AST category, even if he returns to 10+ per game. So that's how this season shapes up for the Jedi Knights: Calderon and Turkoglu need to make a comeback!
NBA Team: Toronto Raptors
Fob Stars - Jimmy (4-13-1)
We liked this team a lot in the pre-season last year. We predicted big things but were rewarded with the second worst team in the league. What happened? Well the backcourt was horrible, helping Jimmy's squad to dead last in AST and second to last in STL. On top of that, there was no defense either, as the Fob Stars miscommunicated often and also ranked dead last again in BLK. Their best category? Second in TOs!
Despite
returning his top six draft picks this year, the Fob Stars can't be pleased with the effort from any of them. Only Zach Randolph outplayed his position (fifth rounder) while Chris Bosh, Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis, Emeka Okafor, and Louis Williams all underwhelmed. The new backcourt will feature SG Richard Hamilton and DJ Augustin, who are probably upgrades. Lou Wills will be relegated to reserve minutes, both in real life and fantasy. Nobody expected Billups to only average 5.6 AST last season and he'll have to up that by quite a bit if he wants to help his team. We do think Bosh, Randolph, Lewis, and Okafor form a well rounded front court, so we're not sure why they couldn't help this team to more wins.
Last year there was a big hole at swingman all season long and this year will be no different. Is Carlos Delfino or CJ Miles the answer? Delfino is actually quite underrated and we like his quiet combination of 3PT and STL to win out. Rookie Evan Turner seems to be a bit lost in preseason so we're not sure what to expect out of him. Fellow rookie, center Cole Aldrich, will be good at setting picks for Rip but that's about it. Overall we like this team on paper but as has been proven, they are no monsters on the court. The best case scenario here is that DJ Augustin becomes a worthy starter and Billups finds his passing eye again.
NBA Team: Detroit Pistons
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