The Magic Hour

It would be hard to say that this was the biggest upset of SlamNation’s playoff runs, as we’ve had #3 and #4 seeds come through to take it all. However, this playoff run for #2 seeded Eron, Joven, and Chandler sure had the feel of an epic story as they took down two heavily favored teams on their way to a championship. Heck, before this, this franchise had never even won a single playoff game despite being in the post-season two previous times. On top of that, owner Chris was coming off a 6-13 rookie season last year, and didn’t seem to have the pieces ready to contend yet. I’m getting ready to lay on the superlatives for this stunning victory because Chris and his magical team really deserve it.

Recall, it was only two off-seasons ago that Chris took over a struggling 2005 NBA All Stars franchise and then proceeded to revamp it so completely that it went from a team of old fogeys -- Jason Kidd, Jason Richardson, Antawn Jamison, Manu Ginobili for keepers anyone? -- to a David capable of knocking off two Goliaths. Through a series of trades, GM Chris completely revamped his roster and built it around Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin. Then he added a key veteran piece mid-season, Dirk Nowitzki, and went for the gold. And we have to say, the strategy worked completely!

Let’s review who Eron, Joven, and Chandler were facing off against, after their dispatching of division foe Half Man Half ImAsian in round one. First up was Chamberlain Conference juggernaut Sour Snails, who EJC took down last week with a barrage of 3PT. Then they had to face the Russell Conference number one seeded NJ All-Stars, fresh off an all-in trade of their own.

The final victory was 7-2-0, but it was a matchup that had fans on the edge of their seats all week long. While EJC mostly held the category lead -- sometimes going up 8-1-0 -- NJ All-Stars were never too far behind. It seemed like every category was up for grabs and with a heavy slate of Sunday games for both teams, a comeback victory for All-Stars was not out of the question. As it happened, All-Stars lost by a handful in each category, with 2 STL or 2 BLK being the closest. However, this win was no fluke, as EJC proved to be the better team all-around. I mean, they took out All-Stars at their strength, even winning 3PT against them, which seemed impossible beforehand. Dirk Nowitzki dropped 13 3PT himself, while Jordan Crawford did his best Jamal Crawford impersonation with 8 3PT of his own.

So many heroes for EJC! How about Carmelo Anthony, best known for his scoring and sometimes knocked for an underrated fantasy game. For title week, Melo added 11 STL, clearly outpacing his season average. Heck, EJC even sat Ricky Rubio for a game, thinking to preserve his team's FG%. Rubio returned to drop 31 dimes in his three games, which proved crucial in a tight AST matchup. And then there was Blake Griffin, who missed Monday’s game to injury but fought back valiantly for three outings, including a triple double on Thursday, and an eye-popping 8 BLK for a non-rim protector!

On the season, EJC only had one statistical strength, as they ranked third in PTS. Other than that, they were pretty average in FG%, REB, AST, STL, 3PT, and even week in the other categories. Their worst category, BLK, was mitigated by the fact that their final opponent was just as weak in that category. Overall, it really was kismet, as EJC pulled everything together to turn in the most thrilling playoff run we've seen, well, maybe last year.

Sure, we’ve seen other upsets before, but this one was powered by a team that nobody was looking at all season as EJC kept winning under the shadow of more glamorous teams. Eventually they upended two of the more intimidating teams that SlamNation had ever seen. (And they did it without much injury loss by their opponent, which has often been the key to an upset.) In the end, EJC won nine of their last ten games, grabbed the first ring for Transformers division, and now Chris will take his rightful place among the SlamNation legends. Huge congratulations to a wild ride and a thrilling victory!

Unfortunately, in every upset tale there’s a "should’ve would’ve didn’t" winner. In this case, it’s NJ All-Stars. This is Eddie’s second Finals appearance in his mere three years as an owner. And while he’s obviously had many sterling seasons, he keeps getting upset. Last year it was eventual champion 100 Acre Wood Pooh Bears (now Spade) and this time by EJC. All signs pre-playoffs pointed to an epic confrontation between All-Stars and Sour Snails, but that narrative was smashed to bits.

When Eddie saw Snails go down, he must have felt confident, as there were four games each of LeBron James, Paul George, Joakim Noah, and Lance Stephenson lined up for him. That should have been plenty right? Yes, his team lost Kyle Lowry for the week, but EJC had their own injuries to Griffin and Crawford. Or maybe it was NJ All-Star's three less games played, although might not have mattered since he needed to recover more than one category. LeBron had a monster week with 30.3 PTS, 6.0 REB, 6.8 AST, 1.8 3PT/STL, and 55.1 FG% as he tried to will All-Stars to victory, but somehow Eddie's team still came up a little short. Sorry, maybe the third Finals is the charm?

Last thing: I wanted to take a quick look at EJC’s team construction, to highlight how they seemed to have bucked normal quick turnaround convention, and how far they've come. (Also, does their improbable run remind you of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks championship or what?) First, the trades. In his first off-season, before Chris had even played a game, he flipped Dwight Howard for Carmelo and Blake. This past off-season, he moved Jeff Teague for Jeff Green, a move that we questioned since point guards are usually fantasy gold. Then EJC acquired Dirk and Jamal Crawford in exchange for Green and Derrick Favors, greatly upping his offensive firepower at the expense of more balance. There’s no question this move allowed EJC to compete with the high powered Snails and NJ All-Stars.

And how about this: not one player from EJC’s 2014 draft stuck around long enough to be used in the playoffs for Chris (D- grade for RD1 selection Cody Zeller). The supporting cast of Devin Harris, Matt Barnes, Jordan Crawford, and Caron Butler were all free agent pickups, and none of them flashy names. Also, the only homegrown keeper talent has been Enes Kanter, who has been flashing signs, but was far from his breakout season, even though he contributed 12.8 PTS and 9.5 REB during championship week. All in all, EJC’s team proves that it’s not about the biggest stars or the best players, but team identity and making the right moves matter. A dash of good fortune also helps, but as Chris has proven, the bold moves of a champion is the key to victory!

2014 Toilet Bowl: Split the Pot

Well, it’s not like there was much suspense heading into this Toilet Bowl. Evan had the win locked up, so it was just a matter of whether Chunky Monkeys or Fat Jubas would enter the record books. Fittingly, the game ended in a 4-4-1 tie! It was a gallant gesture by Eric to play manage his team so well and give Evan two high picks for the loaded 2015 NBA draft. After a 2014 off-season that featured a slightly weaker keeper lot, we’re pretty sure Monkeys’ 2016 keepers will be significantly upgraded.

Analysts weren’t sure if either team was going to be trying since the outcome was predetermined. Jubas led most of the week but as Sunday rolled around, Monkeys took a bit of a lead and then somehow, it all came out to break even. To be honest, I doubt much of SlamNation was watching this matchup (I know I wasn't), as the outcome was meaningless and the Finals matchup was so riveting. However, I suspect there was some nice moments here, such as James Harden throwing up 30.8 PTS, 7.0 AST, 5.0 REB, 2.5 STL, 2.8 3PT. Pretty good for a glorified pickup game.

This also marks the first Toilet Bowl where two #1 seeds both advanced to the finals, as there’s traditionally always an upset team that makes it to the end. The real congrats came after last week for Evan’s trade foresight, Toilet Bowl run, and sterling future, but it doesn’t hurt to say “congrats” once again! Also, did we not call it during our pre-season preview? "Tanking (but won't admit it). With two first round picks next year, Monkeys are likely fighting for a loaded draft class." Perfectly executed plan all season GM Evan!