2013 Championship: Pooh and Heffa Forever

Whew, what a Finals! How about a game that came right down to the wire and featured quite a few lead changes as we headed into the homestretch. Early Sunday afternoon, Buffy clung to a tenuous lead as their seven players were facing off against Heffalumps' five. With most of the categories squared away, it was likely down to PTS and STL for who would take the 2013 crown. Despite Kobe Bryant and Jamal Crawford putting up their regular 20+ points, it looked like Buffy would take the win as they had a plethora of players left to go. But John Salmons put up a two point clunker, and Elton Brand and Jameer Nelson remained on the bench due to injury. After a hard fought week, 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps emerged with a 5-4 victory, winning by a mere 4 PTS (404 to 401). What?! This has to be our closest Finals matchup ever

We told you last week that this game could come down to PTS, STL and TO, and on this we were right. Heffalumps big men -- Al Horford, Kenneth Faried, Omer Asik, Shawn Marion -- secured the REB and BLK categories early on, even with a huge week by Buffy's Tim Duncan (20.0 PTS, 9.7 REB, 2.3 BLK). The Big Fundamental missed an early week game at Memphis, and clearly he would have pushed Buffy to a win. Alas, Chris Bosh also missed a crucial mid-week matchup with a sore knee, and his fantastic scoring numbers were missed. Carlos Boozer, Jeremy Lin, and Raymond Felton played the bulk of the minutes for Buffy, and while all three had some stellar numbers, it just wasn't quite enough. Buffy won FT% and AST pretty easily, but those came at the cost of higher TOs. Our embedded reporter was brought to tears after witnessing Roger's shock at his close loss. Shed a tear for denizens of Buffyland, better luck next year.

As for our champions, 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps won with a low scoring squad that is likely unique in Finals history. They shot the ball well, avoided turnovers, and played tough defense throughout. There were a lot of heroes during this championship week.

Omer Asik averaged 12.0 REB over four games, while Kenneth Faried had 11.0 REB and 3.0 BLK over his three games. Kawhi Leonard missed half the week but came out huge, averaging 24.0 PTS, 10.0 REB, 5.0 AST, 1.5 STL, and 1.0 BLK in his two games. Jamal Crawford, a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, put up 19.3 PTS on 45.2 FG%. Kobe Bryant only shot forty percent from the field but his 24.0 PTS, 7.7 REB, 10.0 AST, and 1.7 STL were obviously MVP-worthy.

However, the real hero might just be Shawn Marion -- an original Heffalumps / Pooh Bears draft pick, and number three overall, dating back to our old cycle. With a season average of only 11.8 PTS, Marion threw up 25 and 20 points on back to back nights, and his solid play on Sunday afternoon turned out to be the difference between a trophy and a "good try."

The path to the championship wasn't easy though. 100 Acre Wood started off the season 5-1-1 before slipping into six week winless streak. Spirits were low, Kobe was pissed off, and the Manimal was about to maim somebody. It looked like they might slip out of the playoffs, before they righted the ship with a 4-1 streak to nudge into a wildcard spot. Once there, J's team created havoc by upending the #1 seed, NJ All Stars, and then knocking off another higher seed, Chunky Monkeys, in the Russell Conference Finals. Through it all, J quietly managed his team and kept his team focused on the prize. It just goes to show that once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen. For the Heffalumps, 2013 ended in a glorious run to the trophy celebration. Congratulations!

We do have a bit of sad news on this parade worthy day. Heffalumps owner/GM/coach J, after careful consideration, has decided to retire on top. In a heartfelt and open letter to his fanbase, J said that he would be stepping down after almost a decade at the helm. After winning the SlamNation championship, he walked off the court, leaving nothing behind. An excerpt from his final address: "I'm damn proud of winning this league, but my work is done. I'm dropping the microphone. I think that Shawn Marion was my first ever pick in SlamNation and he ended up being the last one on the court to seal the victory for the Heffalumps."

That leaves an opening for a new owner to take over the defending champions. It seems J has taken a cue from his beloved fantasy football league, Maize and Blue, when their owner abdicated the throne after a 2011 championship. Since I was the lucky owner to slide into the defending champion's seat, I can say that it is some big shoes to fill. Thank you J for your many years of SlamNation participation and your always highly competitive skills will be missed!

(Full Box Score)

2013 Toilet Bowl: Half Full, All Win

The Pogiboys were one rebound away from securing back-to-back #1 overall draft picks. Second year breakout candidate Tristan Thompson averaged 11.75 REB over his four games, but that wasn't enough, as a team featuring Roy Hibbert and Anthony Davis on the front line got outrebounded 162-161, for the close one category loss. Congrats to Oliver's Half Man Half ImAsian!

Oliver can thank Ersan Ilyasova's four games, where he grabbed 8.8 REB while playing power forward in a small ball lineup. That's actually lower than the 10.3 REB Ilyasova had been averaging over the past month, but he grabbed the most rebounds on Half Man Half ImAsian for the week. Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge were also spectacular during the Toilet Bowl, and most of their contributions ended up coming from the free throw line as they, along with Ilyasova, combined to shoot 41/48 from the charity stripe, thus giving Oliver's team the FT% edge.

Half Man Half ImAsian weren't far off from winning 3PT, but ultimately it was an extra rebound that made all the difference. We also shouldn't overlook Tony Allen, Jason Kidd, and Trevor Ariza's combined 22 STL, which were key to generating turnovers. And how about Durantula's seven blocks, as he protected the rim and outpaced everyone else in the Toilet Bowl for the BLK category. The final score was maybe a little closer than predicted, so we're sure Oliver sweated it out till the end.

For Pogiboy, they had some great showings too. But despite the explosive scoring heroics of Mike Conley Jr. and J.R. Smith -- who both matched Durant for PTS over the Finals -- Pogiboys couldn't pull out a win. Smith, a true post-season hero, averaged 21.3 PTS, 6.0 REB, 2.5 3PT over his four games of the Toilet Bowl, and even shot a decent 44.3 FG%. He might be making his case for being keeper worthy after this season. MoRRie's Pogiboys will still enjoy a very high draft pick next year, and with a core that keeps on getting more talent, this might be the last we see of Alvin in the Toilet Bowl for awhile.

As for our winners, Oliver's ready to give his team a fresh new face from the college ranks, and with Anderson Verajao returning to the fold, it's likely Half Man Half ImAsian could be returning to the playoffs soon themselves. Thanks for a great Toilet Bowl guys, now who's gonna draft Trey Burke?!

Conference Recap & Finals Preview

We're not sure what happened last week, but somehow both underdogs took the conference championship games and are now on their way to a Finals matchup.

After catapulting out of the gate, Roger's Buffy was backsliding as the post-season came around. But they have emerged from the tough Chamberlain Conference behind primo shooting and squeaking by both Squirtle Squad and Sour Snails. Shockingly, we think Steve Blake's five 3PT in his one appearance last week sealed the win for Buffy -- along with Chris Bosh's unexpected six BLK -- as they narrowly edged out Sour Snails. Trieu's team floundered behind horrific shooting from Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson (10.5 FG% on 2of19 with only two 3PT). It was shocking to have the high powered Snails taken down, but Buffy fully deserved the victory, especially considering Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer only played two games apiece. It should be noted that recent trade acquisition, Raymond Felton, acquired from Sour Snails a month ago, played the most minutes for Buffy, and contributed four 3PT on 65.2 FG%. Did Trieu contribute to his own upset?

Over in the Russell Conference, division rivals 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps and Chunky Monkeys faced off in a game that turned into a semi-blowout. The final score was close, but the Monkeys were without the full services of James Harden, David West, Byron Mullens, and Goran Dragic. By the time Carlos Delfino and Markieff Morris got in there, it was pretty much over. Still, it took a monstrous week from Kobe Bryant to give Heffalumps the win, as they needed every one of  Kobe's 29.0 points averged over the week. With Al Horford dinged up, Kobe Bryant and Jamal Crawford teamed up to shoot J's team into the Finals. In subsequent weeks, Heffalumps has dispatched both of the higher seeded Thundercat teams in front of them, shattering the championship hopes of NJ All-Stars and Chunky Monkeys -- while going 6-1 in the last two months. Now Heffalumps will be the third Thundercat team to make a Finals apperance. Can they be the first to win it all?


SLAMNATION FINALS PREVIEW
#2 Buffy (13-6) vs #4 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps (9-8-2)
Well, here we are, one week to determine the 2013 SlamNation champion. We're not even sure how to handicap this matchup as we're still shaking our heads over how these two teams made the Finals. Neither are the most talented teams in the league. Both are middle of the road in most categories -- Buffy isn't top three or bottom three in any category, Heffalumps are second in REB, third in FG%, and thirteenth in AST -- and the rosters wouldn't scare too many people on paper, but these are our true championship contenders.

The first factor, injuries, would seem to leave Buffy at a bit of a mismatch. Jameer Nelson, a key cog on this team, is still day-to-day. Tim Duncan, the heart and soul for Buffy this season, is returning after a one game absence and a 5 point, 4 rebound performance. Duncan had been averaging 24.7 PTS, 12.3 REB, 3.0 BLK over his last three games, so Roger really hopes he can go the rest of the week. Chris Bosh is going to continue putting up huge numbers in Lebron and Wade's absence, and he'll need to team up with Carlos Boozer to take over the paint against Heffalumps' combo of Horford, Kenneth Faried, and Omer Asik. Both Bismack Biyombo and Elton Brand could enter the game for their blocks, and that could be a hotly contested category, especially if Duncan can't go.

As for the backcourt, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Martin, Jamal Crawford, and Jason Terry will face off versus Jeremy Lin, J.J. Redick, Raymond Felton, Vince Carter, and maybe Jameer Nelson. We'll assume Buffy gets the AST edge here, but PTS and nearly everything else will go to Heffalumps. We think Kyle Korver will be inserted for Buffy to hit 3PT, while Kawhi Leonard's all around contributions will be missed by Heffalumps. We're thinking Kobe will slide to the small forward slot, and make that a strength. Overall, this championship game looks to be very evenly matched, and as of midweek, it looks like PTS, STL, and TO could be the categories that determine who wins the title. Then again, it's only Wednesday, and anything could happen!


TOILET BOWL PREVIEW
#2 Half Man Half ImAsian (7-10-2) vs #3 MoRRie's Pogiboys (8-10-1)
In somewhat lackluster fashion, the Toilet Bowl also features two teams that upset their way to the best of the worst top of the heap. Half Man Half ImAsian destroyed Fob Stars to advance to the Toilet Bowl Finals. Ersan Ilyasova, aka James Franco, is officially back in full effect averaging 21.0 PTS, 11.0 REB, 2.8 3PT, and 1.8 STL over the past week. He's picked up all the slack from LaMarcus Aldridge and he's paired with Kevin Durant to drag Oliver's team to a high pick next season.

They'll be facing off against Pogiboys, who are in their second straight Toilet Bowl Finals. If Pogiboys win this week, ending up with back-to-back number one overall selections, Alvin better not be back here next season. Pogiboys put down streaking Super Ninja by riding Mike Conley Jr., the destructive force that is Roy Hibbert, and the even more destructive force that is J.R. Smith, who averaged almost 30.0 PPG during the matchup. Thien's Super Ninja had a similarly gigantic week from John Wall -- averaging 24.5 PTS, 8.3 AST, 6.8 REB, 1.0 BLK over his last four games -- but he couldn't offset the lack of games from Dwayne Wade, Rudy Gay, and Nikola Pekovic.

We want to give the edge to Half Man Half ImAsian, but we're not sure if they can pull of another win with LaMarcus Aldridge sitting. Basically it'll be Durant and Ilyasova versus everyone on the Pogiboys. We're excited to see who'll win this game, but congrats to both Oliver and Alvin for securing the #1 and #2 picks for 2014.

RD2 Previews: 2013

Chamberlain Conference
#1 Sour Snails (14-5) vs #2 LA Buffy (13-6)
Juggernaut Trieu took care of defending champion Fat Jubas with ease -- even Jeff Green's monster game 43 point game wouldn't have helped -- and the way is now clear for a title run, as he's the top seed left. Lead guard Steph Curry is day-to-day with a severe ankle sprain, so that could lead to some trouble. However, this group has more than enough firepower to withstand Curry's injury. I mean, Russell Westbrook, Monta Ellis, and Damian Lillard are still healthy. Yeah, we're not sure who can stop Sour Snails...

Buffy had a tougher time squeezing by Squirtle Squad, but took care of business by popping in an extra three 3PT, four extra REB, and turning the ball over twice less. (Brian's team got decimated by injuries -- Joe Johnson, Ty Lawson, Bradley Beal, and Nikola Vucevic all missed games.) Roger will need a lot of Tim Duncan, Carlos Boozer, and Chris Bosh to make this a battle. Most of Trieu's team only has three games this week, so that could be a crucial factor in any upset chances.

Russell Conference
#3 Chunky Monkeys (11-7-1) vs #4 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps (9-8-2)
A double upset! The Monkeys took down So Buckets -- although that was expected -- and the Heffalumps shocked the world and took down championship favorites NJ All-Stars. Wow! Despite a monster week from LeBron James, and some nice performances from Paul George, Isaiah Thomas, and Luol Deng, Eddie's collapsed late. The main culprit was the shooting, as J's team captured FG% and FT%, and also won the TO battle. It just goes to show that even when outpowered, if you pay attention to the details, you can take down anybody.

Now the door is open for either team to make a surprise run to the Finals. The Monkeys have a lot more weapons at their disposal, but they must fear J's FG/FT/TO advantage also. David West and Arron Afflalo are out, so this will truly be a small ball squad for Evan. There's no question Evan won't win most of those categories behind Chris Paul, James Harden, and Co., but if Heffalumps can kill it from the charity stripe again, another huge upset could be theirs. Oh, did we mention that Kobe Bryant only played one game for the Heffalumps?! It could be the Ewing Theory in full effect!


TOILET BOWL
#1 Fob Stars (9-9-1) vs #2 Half Man Half ImAsian (7-10-2)
Jimmy had a harder time dispatching the toothless Jedi Knights than expected, winning by only one rebound -- or three steals. Oliver's team pancaked Eron, Joven and Chandler and could carryover for another easy win behind LaMarcus Aldridge and Ersan Ilyasova's work on the boards, especially if Joakim Noah doesn't hit the floor for Fob Stars. We smell a minor upset brewing unless Kemba Walker can continue his dominant ways and help Jimmy's team to a victory in the guard categories.

#1 Super Ninja (9-9-1) vs #3 MoRRie's Pogiboys (8-10-1)
Both teams had easy wins during their first round matchups -- with Pogiboys "upsetting" an injured and rattled higher seeded Funk Coalition. Alvin will need more big games from Mike Conley and J.R. Smith if they'll want to topple Ninja's trio of Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce, and John Wall. Thien's squad has some injury issues but if Tyson Chandler can bounce back, he should remain competitive on the boards against Pogiboys' big men. This one could come down to steals!

Playoff Preview RD1: 2013

Russell Conference
#1 NJ All-Stars (15-4) vs #4 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps (9-8-2)
Once again, three teams from the Thundercats division made the playoffs. Last season's number four seed, NJ All-Stars, has ascended the throne and emerged with the regular season crown, as well as the odds on favorite to take the whole thing. They shocked the world by making the Finals last season, and the proved it wasn't a fluke as they could be headed there again. There's a sliver of a chance for Heffalumps to pull a big upset here, as they beat the All-Stars just three weeks ago -- winning BLK by four and TO by two. Taking down the incredible small forward trio of Lebron James, Paul George, and Luol Deng would be a handful for anybody however. Despite being bottom five in moves this season, Eddie has proven that it's not about quantity but quality. They have ridden Ryan Anderson, J.J. Hickson, and the Jose Calderon and Kyle Lowry point guard duo to victory after victory. There's not a lot of weaknesses on this team, the main hope here is that LBJ gets hurt.

The thing is, J's Heffalumps finished up 4-1 after a seven game mid-season swoon, and they've got Al Horford playing on fire with 21.0 PTS, 11.3 REB, 1.4 BLK, 1.3 STL over the past month, and nice contributions from frontcourt mates Kenneth Faried and Omer Asik. The Heffalumps haven't made many moves this season either -- just thirteen -- and their top seven guys have all played about 50+ games. The problem is, their most important cog, Kobe Bryant is day to day at this crucial time. The Bryant versus James matchup would pull in high ratings but Kobe may not make the high noon call time. If he can't go, the Heffalmps have no chance, and it's on to the next round for our favorites, the NJ All-Stars!

#2 So Buckets (10-9) vs #3 Chunky Monkeys (11-7-1)
In a strange seeding twist, the Monkeys are playing their week on hostile territory, despite having more wins than So Buckets. For So Buckets, Josh's sophomore campaign has been much better than his first one, and he's got the Voltron division crown to prove it. Any hopes of a long playoff run were dashed though, as team leader Kyrie Irving has hit the injured list and won't be making a return. With Kyrie out, plus Pau Gasol still sitting in street clothes, So Buckets are relying on Jarrett Jack, Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner, Nene, and Larry Sanders to lead the way. Um, that might not work so well. The good news is that Josh's team is clearly on the rise and with Irving back to lead the way in 2014, the So Buckets will look to make some more noise in their third season.

With a free pass to the next round, Chunky Monkeys should look ahead to next week, perhaps to a rematch of last year's conference finals. They started the season off 8-2 but only went 3-5-1 the rest of the way. Obviously, that's not great. They are getting a monster year from James Harden (26.3 PTS, 5.9 AST, 1.9 STL, 2.3 3PT), and a breakout season from Jrue Holiday. The small ball lineup features a slew of other guards, led by Chris Paul, but we're wondering if there's enough big men here to fill up the frontcourt, as Andrea Bargnani is out for the season and Byron Mullens is riding the pine. We like David West and his wonderful 17.3 PTS, 7.7 REB, 1.0 STL/BLK this season, but we're not sure Markieff Morris is the answer at the other spot. There are literally no healthy center eligibles on this team aside from Mullens, so that could cost Evan some games if he's not careful. Still, this week should be an easy walk in the park versus the heavily undermanned So Buckets.

Chamberlain Conference
#1 Sour Snails (14-5) vs #4 Fat Jubas (10-9)
The Snails are back baby! The former champs slipped into the Toilet Bowl last season, but emerged with Rookie of the Year Damian Lillad, and am now fully prepped for a championship run. Trieu's squad has won seven in a row and smoked the competition as they made a huge push to take the Silverhawks crown. By shifting Kevin Love for red hot Monta Ellis and disgruntled DeMarcus Cousins, they Snails announced their intention to re-enter contender status. Then they got Russell Westbrook a few weeks ago and they now sport the best guards in the league with Westbrook, Lillard, Stephon Curry, and Ellis -- not to mention sharp shooter Klay Thompson. If the frontcourt of Cousins, semi-returned Andrew Bogut, and recent double double machine Kosta Koufos can support them, the Snails could be a juggernaut.

Defending champ Fat Jubas are back in the playoffs, which is a good thing, but they've had an uneven year -- including a five game losing streak in WK4-8. Steve Nash has been terrible all year, averaging 6.8 AST on the season, but if Kobe Bryant stays out, Nash could be back to double digit assists at just the right time. The Jubas are in need of a rebuild, but the roster still is clearly competitive behind versatile Nicolas Batum, mercurial Tyreke Evans, and the defensive prowess of Marc Gasol and Kevin Garnett. Gordon Hayward is on his late season tear and his scoring output has been greatly needed. For Jubas to win this week, and to pull a big upset, they'll need to counter Sour Snails brand of semi-small ball. We see a chance though, as Eric-L's team is strong exactly where the Snails are vulnerable. This is clearly the game of the week, a matchup between champions past and present!

#2 LA Buffy (13-6) vs #3 Squirtle Squad (12-6-1)
In a dogfight for this season's Transformers crown, Squirtle Squad almost caught Buffy during the last week of the regular season. Instead, Buffy captures the division title but does so while swooning behind five losses in their past seven games -- including a recent WK17 loss to Squirtle. Roger's team tore out of the gates incredibly fast at 11-1 and looked like world beaters, but they fell hard and fast.  Jeremy Lin led the team in games played, followed by Carlos Boozer. Who would have thought those two would be such a big part of Buffy's winning season? Beyond that, Tim Duncan has sipped from the fountain of youth this season, averaging 17.1 PTS, 9.8 REB, 2.7 BLK and somehow shooting 80.6 FG% after being a career craptastic charity striper. Jameer Nelson has been quietly very productive this seaon, while Chris Bosh has also been quite efficient.

All that could be naught though, as Squirtle Squad is red hot heading into the playoffs. They have gone 8-1 in recent games and am primed for a deep run. I know we said that last season, when Brian's team was the number one seed in the Chamberlain Conference, but this could be their year! Deron Williams and Ty Lawson are humming, and if rookie Bradley Beal can quickly regain his scoring touch, he'll help mitigate the huge step back that Joe Johnson took this season. Adding double double terror Nikola Vucevic and Brook Lopez in a recent trade will bolster the front line of Serge Ibaka and Greg Monroe, and late season free agent find Tobias Harris (15.8 PTS, 7.3 REB, 1.3 BLK, 1.2 3PT, 1.0 STL) could be just the thing to push the Squirtles into a championship round, finally.

Toilet Bowl Preview RD1: 2013

Chamberlain Conference
#1 Fob Stars (9-9-1) vs #4 Jedi Knights (3-14-2)
Both of these teams were in the Toilet Bowl last year, and both lost in the first round. They've also been the two worst teams in the league -- they accounted for just three wins total in 2012. In fact, these two franchises have finished second to last and dead last in Silverhawks division for four years running. C'mon Jimmy and Lum, get it together! The good news is, there might be some light on the horizon, at least for Fob Stars. They finished a very respectable 0.500 and even led the division at mid-season, before tumbling into the Toilet Bowl on the strength of a 1-4 finish. But the future looks bright as Kemba Walker has emerged as a fantasy star, and rookie Dion Waiters has flashed signs of being a high scoring contributor. With Zach Randolph and Joakim Noah (a career year of  12.0 PTS, 11.5 REB, 4.1 AST, 2.2 BLK, 1.2 STL) anchoring the front line, the Fob Stars could challenge for a postseason berth next year. Hopefully.

As for the Jedi, they started off the season 0-4-1 and finished it on a 0-7-1 tear. Ouch. Before the season, we thought GM Superlum had made some bold moves, but then when he (again) was the bottom dweller in terms of in-season moves, his team failed to fight through a series of injuries. The frontline duo of DeAndre Jordan and David Lee led the team in games played, but aside from OJ Mayo, every other player had time on the injury list. The silver lining to the season has been the return to form by Lee, averaging 18.7 PTS and 11.1 REB, and the nice season put in by Thaddeus Young, Greivis Vasquez, and Chandler Parsons. The trade for Amar'e Stoudemire was a bust, but mainly due to injury. For Jedi Knights to trend upward, we're hoping 2014 brings no sign of another absentee owner season.

#2 Half Man Half ImAsian (7-10-2) vs #3 Eron, Joven and Chandler (6-13)
That these two were headed for the Toilet Bowl was a foregone conclusion at the midpoint of the season. As Transformers division mates, they'll battle it out for supremacy of the bottom. Eron, Joven and Chandler had a rough first season in Slam Nation, but they finished 2-2 against some worthy competition and they can hope to ride Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Jeff Teague (7.1 AST, 1.5 STL), and the return of Ricky Rubio forward a few rounds. Only Griffin and Teague has managed to play a full slate, so the team has to deal with a lot of injury woes all season. It would be fantastic if Manu Ginobili would step up his game right now, and he's flashed some signs that he might. For GM Chris-L, a top pick in next year's draft would really solidify his roster.

As for Oliver's team, this is all new territory, as they've never been out of the playoffs before -- their 0-6-2 record between WK4 and WK11 did them in. Despite the incredible MVP-esque season by Kevin Durant, the rest of the roster, save LaMarcus Aldridge, has been undependable. Losing Anderson Varejao for the year hurt real bad, and by the time Ersan Ilyasova picked his game back up, it was too late. When JaVale McGee and Mario Chalmers are logging major minutes for your team, that's probably not a good sign. We thought this might be McGee's breakout year but somehow he's only averaging 9.4 PTS and 4.7 REB. If Half Man Half ImAsian can secure a top two pick, that could be just the ticket to return them to contention.

Russell Conference
#1 Super Ninja (9-9-1) vs #4 Human Amoebas (1-17-1)
Despite heading into the Toilet Bowl, Super Ninja must very excited as they're poised to win a high pick (again). They are coming off a six game winning streak and barely missed the post-season. If there's a juggernaut waiting in the consolation ladder, Thien's team is it. The return of John Wall, the gigantic surge by Dwayne Wade (24.3 PTS, 5.7 AST, 5.4 REB, 2.4 STL, 57.5 FG%) over the past month, and Paul Pierce and Rudy Gay both stepping up their fantasy numbers -- the latter has cost DeMar DeRozan lots of minutes however -- has more than made up for the non-return of Andrew Bynum. Tyson Chandler might be out for this round, but the solid Nikola Pekovic is back. There's not a lot to stop Super Ninja from advancing to the next round, as the Human Amoebas don't look capable of doing much damage this season.

Amoebas' GM Eric-A knows that his team is a non-factor this year. But the 2011 champs have also gone from near worst to a trophy before. And they won't be shy about asserting that next season could be a return to prominence. After the mega trade for Kevin Love, Eric-A will just wait for the return of Derrick Rose, while letting his talented roster -- he still has Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Millsap, Eric Gordon on board -- steep a little. A high pick would obviously help those aspirations, but with just one win this season, we can't see that happening. Then again, that one win was a WK13 victory against Super Ninja, so maybe miracles can happen!

#2 Funk Coalition (8-9-2) vs #3 MoRRie's Pogiboys (8-10-1)
These two Voltron foes have met in the Toilet Bowl before, specifically in last year's semi-finals, as the Pogiboys advanced on to win the Anthony Davis sweepstakes. A similar outcome looks likely as the once mighty Funk have gone winless since WK 12, after posting seven straight wins from WK6-12. The obvious culprit was the loss of Rajon Rondo, but additional injuries to Tony Parker and Marcin Gortat didn't help. With that in mind, Jon has manueverd his team for next season, to maximize his unique brand of big ball. Who would have thought that the recently departed Nikola Vucevic would lead this team in games played? Funk is heading into the Toilet Bowl with a roster of retreads and hopefuls.

Meanwhile, Pogiboys could win back to back #1 picks if they get a few things going their way. They finished up the regular season at a 4-2-1 clip and the team is in the best shape its been all season. Brandon Jennings is going buck wild with his passing, Mike Conley Jr. has been invaluable with his 7.1 AST and 2.4 STL over the past month, and wild card J.R. Smith has been putting big numbers on the board. Heck, even Marcus Thornton is back raining threes. The young front line of Roy Hibbert, Anthony Davis, and Tristan Thompson are doing good things in the paint and if the team continues its solid play, Alvin should start scouting during March Madness for his future 2014 selections!

Playoff & Toilet Bowl Seedings: 2013

PLAYOFFS
*= division winner

Chamberlain Conference

#1 Sour Snails (14-5)*

#2 LA Buffy (13-6)*

#3 Squirtle Squad (12-6-1)

#4 Fat Jubas (10-9)

Russell Conference

#1 NJ All-Stars (15-4)*

#2 So Buckets (10-9)*

#3 Chunky Monkeys (11-7-1)

#4 100 Acre Wood Heffalumps (9-8-2)

TOILET BOWL

Chamberlain Conference

#1 Fob Stars (9-9-1)

#2 Half Man Half ImAsian (7-10-2)

#3 Eron, Joven and Chandler (6-13)

#4 Jedi Knights (3-14-2)

Russell Conference

#1 Super Ninja (9-9-1)
#2 Funk Coalition (8-9-2)

#3 MoRRie's Pogiboys (8-10-1)

#4 Human Amoebas (1-17-1)

Tie Breakers
Divisional Winner
For the first time ever, nobody had the same records, which was fantastic for figuring out the seedings! The only quirk that appeared was So Buckets having a higher seed over the Chunky Monkeys (who had more wins) based on winning the Voltron division.

Playoff Wild Cards
Ditto.

Toilet Bowl Tie-Breaks
No tie-break problems here either!

Playoffs

Toilet Bowl

Final Standings 2013

Full Season Stats

Final Rosters 2013

Welcome Back Al!

With the playoffs looming next week, old trade partners Squirtle Squad and Funk Coalition hooked up for another exchange, likely our last of the 2013 season. Al Jefferson finds himself shipped back to Funk after a four month stint with the Squirtles -- the team that originally drafted him way back when. This is the second time Al Jefferson has been brought to Funk, and switched between Brian and Jon. ("I'm keeping two homes man," said Jefferson.) He was initially acquired back in 2010 for Joe Johnson, and was then shipped out this past offseason for Blake Griffin and Jeremy Lin. This time, Jefferson was packaged with Derrick Williams and a 2013 RD3 pick in return for Brook Lopez and Nikola Vucevic.

Having dropped out of dark horse championship contention on the heels of the Rajon Rondo and Tony Parker injuries, GM Jon has been active in shoring up his roster for next year. With a plethora of center eligibles after the Russell Westbrook trade, Funk has been actively hitting the phones, trying to land an around answer. Turns out, the solution was Big Al, who will be welcomed back with open arms, even if he's dipped just a little this season, with 17.5 PTS, 9.2 REB, 1.2 BLK.

Getting a young Derrick Williams for the stretch run could be useful too, as Marcin Gortat and Andre Drummond are also injured. Williams has been averaging 17.5 PTS and 8.6 REB over the past month, as he's gotten plenty of playing time in the wake of everyone in Minnesota being injured. Jon is fighting for his post-season life this week, after being almost assured of getting there just a few weeks ago. Since Rondo went down in WK12, the Funk haven't won a game, going 0-4-2 over that stretch. Ouch.

As for the Squirtles, losing Al Jefferson will hurt, but turning one center into two ain't bad. Especially when one of them is up and comer Vucevic, who was drafted in the third round of this year's draft and has blown up to the tune of 12.2 PTS, 11.4 REB, and 1.0 BLK in his first year as a starter. Along with that, Brook Lopez has found his old form, averaging 18.8 REB, 7.1 REB, and an eye popping 2.2 BLK -- he's had a very short stint with Funk too.

With those two pairing with Serge Ibaka and Greg Monroe (and a temporarily rejuvenated Emeka Okafor in store), Brian now has a front line that can hold its own against anybody. With Deron Williams, Ty Lawson, and Bradley Beal playing inspired ball, along with free agent find Tobias Harris, there's still a chance for Squirtle Squad to overtake Buffy for the Transformers division crown. Even if they head into the playoffs as a wild card, they are hot hot hot. They were on a seven game winning streak until WK18's loss, but they remain a very strong contender for the championship.

Any more moves this season? Remember, the roster lock is coming!

Side Hustles

Wheeling and dealing yet again, Trieu steps up and moves small for big, Raymond Felton for Andrew Bogut, to free up some of the logjam he had at guard after acquiring Russell Westbrook. Buffy wasn't getting much use out of the oft injured Bogut this season, and desperately needed another point guard to pair with Jeremy Lin, so Felton can be the answer.

Felton hasn't been a picture of health himself this season but he's averaging 14.5 PTS, 6.0 STL, 1.4 3PT, and 1.3 STL per game. Seeing as Bogut has only played thirteen games this season (to the tune of 6.8 PTS, 6.6 REB, 1.5 BLK), this will be like adding a free player for Roger's team as he prepares his post-season run. However, Trieu didn't have room for Felton in his rotation so adding a semi-healthy Bogut would be nice front line help for DeMarcus Cousins.

Both Buffy and Sour Snails are at 12-5 with just two weeks of the regular season to go. This means they'll likely be the number one and two seeds in the Chamberlain Conference -- although Squirtle Squad could have something to say about that at 11-5-1 -- and this trade could have playoff ramifications. Are we going to see any other moves before the playoffs start? We sure hope so, as this season has seen a lot of exciting in-season movement!

Taking Flight

Not even a month after moving out franchise centerpiece Kevin Love, Trieu was on the move again. This time they flipped two for one, acquiring a top five fantasy talent to replace Love: the explosive Russell Westbrook. The Thunder guard has been tremendous this year, with averages of 22.5 PTS, 8.1 AST, 5.2 REB, 2.0 STL, and even 1.3 3PT, a new gadget in his repertoire. In exchange, Funk Coalition received Josh Smith and Andre Drummond.

Smith was touted to have a breakout year but has been slow to start, with only 16.9 PTS despite the absence of Joe Johnson from the Hawks. Smith's other numbers have been superb though, as his 8.5 REB, 4.0 AST, 2.2 BLK, and 1.3 STL makes him a unique force. Trading away Smith marks the end of championship era 1.0 for Trieu, as they won their SlamNation crown behind Lebron, Smith, and Gerald Wallace back in 2010.

Now, with Westbrook and a plethora of guards, they are leaning more heavily toward a traditional small ball formation. Westbrook, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Monata Ellis, and Klay Thompson will be the force that drives the evolving Sour Snails toward another championship. Having taken control of the Silverhawks division with just a few regular season weeks to go, Trieu is looking for a deep post-season run.

As for Jon, the loss of Rajon Rondo has dampened his championship hopes so he's in retool mode, despite likely heading toward the playoffs. And while he appreciates the wonder that is Russell Westbrook -- acquired in 2011 -- the fit on the team wasn't quite right. Westbrook's 42.5 FG% didn't sit well with management and Jon had long coveted Josh Smith's defensive stats from the small forward position.

Since acquiring Rondo and Dwight Howard, Funk Coalition had been leaning in a decidedly defensive direction. Adding an athletic piece in Drummond, averaging 8.0 REB, 1.8 BLK, 1.3 STL last month before he went down with injury, will insure that Funk can sew up the STL and BLK categories. Plus, Drummond is excited to get some free throw tips from both Rondo and Dwight. Games of knock out on this squad take forever, as you can imagine.

Further moves are expected from both teams.

Mid-Season Report: Transformers

For our last mid-season division peek, let's go see what the former, and undisputed "best division in the league" teams are up to. Suffice to say, they are no longer the scary top to bottom contenders, and in a surprise, an old division champ has risen again!

LA Buffy (11-3)
Roger's team has really fallen back to the pack eh? After a blistering 11-1 start, they've lost two in a row! Woohoo! There is hope on the horizon! Of course, one of those losses was just one block less in WK13, but for opponents of almighty Buffy, it lends some hope that someone could upset them in the Chamberlain Conference playoffs. Otherwise, the Phoenix-like rise of Roger's team has reinvigorated a fan base that thought their core was getting long in the tooth. While Buffy doesn't rank in the top three in any category, they do have tremendous balance and are average or above average in just about every category.

Despite little nagging injuries to many of his players -- and some major ones --Roger has managed to at the top of the standings. Tim Duncan's throwback year might be on hold for a bit, but Andrew Bogut's return will fill that gap nicely. And let's not forget that Danny Granger is looking to return soon too. Put him into the lineup, and Buffy will upgrade from Kyle Korver and/or J.J. Redick to Granger. And it's not like those two haven't added value, as they combine to shoot 5.3 3PT a game. With veterans stepping up like Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Jameer Nelson, and Vince Carter, there should be a run for the best record in the league and then an all out push for a championship coming from Buffy.

Squirtle Squad (8-5-1)
We haven't heard much from the defending division champs this season, as they were erratic to start the season and they got lost in the shuffle. However, they're now on a four game win streak and are in the hunt for a post-season spot. They'll need to finish strong as only a game or two separates them from three teams in the rival Silverhawks division. Overall, the Squirtles are average across most of the categories, aside from being strong in REB and BLK, and being dead last in STL. What has held this team back a little is the lack of supporting depth on the team.

Despite making the second most moves in the league, all that flipping around hasn't shored up the seventh and eighth spots in the lineup. Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Ty Lawson have been a good backcourt trio -- although all three are having slightly underachieving seasons -- and there's no arguing with what new addition Al Jefferson, Serge Ibaka, and Greg Monroe can bring to the table. But after those six, there's a big drop off. Only Emeka Okafor and Bradley Beal have played 20+ games for the Squirtles and that means Coach Brian has been short of answers. To make a real playoff push, a timely free agent or two would go a long way toward helping the Squirtles become a true threat.

Half Man Half ImAsian (4-8-2)
One silly general manager recently asked Oliver what it would take to pry Kevin Durant from Half Man Half ImAsian. The answer: "Your entire team." That might not even be enough, as Durant is averaging a mind boggling 29.4 PTS, 7.5 REB, 4.4 AST, 1.9 3PT, 1.6 STL, 1.2 BLK, while shooting 51.6% from the field. Oh, and 90.3 FT%. I don't know what else you could want in a fantasy player. However, Durant is captaining a sinking ship. Half and Half has lost seven of their last nine and will surely miss the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. We said in the pre-season that this team would be a championship contender. Whoops?

Oliver's team is second in FT% and TO but average or below average everywhere else. LaMarcus Aldridge has been strong, but with Anderson Varejao and his 14.1 PTS and 14.4 REB out for the season, Aldridge is all alone on the front line. When JaVale McGee has played the second most games for your team, that's not a good sign. Stretch big man Ersan Ilyasova took a long time to warm up, but hopefully he'll trend upward toward last season's heights. Aside from that, there's not a whole lot of other positive signs for this team. Mario Chalmers, Tony Allen, Rodney Stuckey? Poor Durant will have to wait for next season as he's headed straight for the Toilet Bowl.

Eron, Joven and Chandler (4-10)
First year SlamNation owner Chris-L is having a rough start. After inheriting a 0.500 team, Chris took the bold step of shipping out franchise cornerstone Dwight Howard for Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin. It's hard to argue that Melo's career high 28.4 PTS and 2.7 3PT haven't been worth it -- plus Griffin is at 18.5 PTS, 8.6 REB, 1.5 STL. But it's the returning players that haven't performed well. Manu Ginobili is possibly winding down, Ricky Rubio is barely stirring back to life after his knee injury, and Derrick Favors is still waiting for the Jazz frontcourt jam to clear. After starting off 2-2, EJC has gone 2-8 and will now wait for a shot in the Toilet Bowl.

For other teams, being middle of pack in every category might be a bad thing, but for this team, we think it's a positive. Aside from BLK, where they are ranked second to last, this team has some balance and no glaring weaknesses. Faced off against inferior Toilet Bowl competition, there's a chance that Melo and Blake could lead a ragtag bunch to a win or two, plus a coveted high draft pick. After all, Jeff Teague has been decent, with 13.7 PTS, 6.6 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.1 3PT, and Amir Johnson can help on the boards. We're hoping EJC gets the chance to start the rebuilding process as we like our new owners to be successful as soon as possible!

Mid-Season Report: Thundercats

What was once a very competitive Thundercats division, with each team over 0.500 quite a few weeks into the season, has now turned into a victory lap for NJ All-Stars. While it could be said that this was by far the strongest division this season, that title is now up for debate after some big injuries to key players. Let's analyze!

NJ All-Stars (12-2)
Eddie's team didn't win the division last year but there's no doubt they'll win it this season. Just a short few weeks ago, the All-Stars had some competition nipping at their heels but both Evan and Jon's team have dropped off, giving NJ All-Stars an insurmountable lead. But in just his second season at helm, semi-new owner Eddie won't be satisfied with just a division crown. With the best record in the league currently, and plenty of fear on the other owners' faces, the young gun is aiming for nothing short of a championship. Riding a six game win streak, the All-Stars are nothing short of a juggernaut. They are first in REB, second in PTS and 3PT, third in STL and FG%, and fifth in AST. Their worst category is TOs, and they aren't even that bad there, considering how high powered they are.

Led by Lebron James, who is having his usual monster season, NJ All-Stars are even better than last year because Paul George has become a fantasy force, with 17.3 PTS, 7.7 REB, 2.2 3PT, and 1.8 STL. With two multi-talented stars like that, it's hardly a loss that Kyle Lowry has regressed -- although he could be back soon with Jose Calderon traded. Add in surprise seasons from Andrei Kirilenko (1.5 STL, 1.2 BLK) and J.J. Hickson (13.0 PTS, 10.8 REB), and this team has added even more pieces. Oh did we mention Ryan Anderson bombing three 3PTs a game? Or how about Luol Deng, another multi-cat contributor at small forward. Seriously, who is going to beat this team? So far their only vulnerability has been to a few big men teams, but that's about it. If there isn't one on the horizon during their post-season run, Eddie could destroy the field. Heck, NJ All-Stars might do that anyway!

Chunky Monkeys (8-5-1)
Evan's squad got off to a supernova start, going 8-2 in the first ten weeks of the season. Since then, they've failed to win a single game in the past month and are now completely out of the running for Thundercats division. What happened? Well, James Harden came back to semi-Earth, although he is still in high orbit with 24.6 PTS, 5.9 AST, 5.1 REB, 1.8 STL, 1.6 3PT, and then injuries hit this squad hard. Andrea Bargnani, Arron Afflalo, and Byron Mullens have each missed large chunks of games this season. They may not be sexy names but those three added very important 3PT and PTS from the SF and PF/C positions. Along with that, Chris Paul has been basically M.I.A. for a month, and Evan has had to juggle to replace everyone. The good news is that Jrue Holiday and Goran Dragic are both fine point guards, with Holiday elevating himself to All-Star level on the court and in fantasy. Plus David West has been resurgent with 17.0 PTS, 7.7 REB, 1.0 BLK, 0.8 STL a game.

The thing is though, while the Chunky Monkeys are still first in FT%, AST, and STL, they are but third in PTS and 3PT. For a team that is basically small ball dependent -- the 2013 draft for some big men diversity mostly failed -- losing either PTS or 3PT kills them. They aren't far off the pace on PTS but if they face either NJ All-Stars or Sour Snails, they are staring at a huge gap in 3PTs. We'd love to see how much damage a full roster of small ball could do -- is David West really doing anything alone on the front line? -- and we might just get that chance as there's another month for Evan to get his team healthy and ready to cause some troube in the post-season. At least that's the hope.

Funk Coalition (8-5-1)
It's been a roller coaster ride for Funk already. After starting off 1-4 and being declared one of the worst teams in the league, the Jon's team pulled it together for a seven game winning stream between WK6-12. That should be enough to get them a wild card pass into the playoffs -- they have a two game lead on MoRRie's Pogiboys. However, any hopes of Funk being a dark horse contender were shattered when Rajon Rondo went out for the season. Rondo wasn't having the best season ever, but without his 11.1 AST and 1.8 STL, this team will have a hard time pulling off their new look competitiveness. Add in the day to day status of Dwight Howard, and this team is likely headed for a quick post-season exit.

When they were churning, Funk Coalition featured fantastic field goal shooting, top notch rebounding, awesome passing, and enough in PTS, STL, and BLK to get to their wins. Sure they can't shoot from the line or beyond the arc, and won't win many turnover battles, but after going 3-9 last season, at least Funk had a winning formula. The roster is still stocked with talent -- especially the huge front line of Dwight, Brook Lopez, Marcin Gortat, and breakout Nikola Vucevic (12.1 PTS, 11.3 REB, 1.2 BLK) -- but Russell Westbrook and Tony Parker probably won't be enough to hold down the backcourt. Unless you think old farts Jason Kidd or Andre Miller are the answer. "Don't cry for me Rondo!" sang Rondo. But Jon must. Sigh, I hate sports.

100 Acre Wood Heffalumps (5-7-2)
After going 12-6, 15-4, and 8-4 in their past three seasons, J's team is going to have to fight to avoid their first losing campaign. They started off fine, with only one loss in their first seven outings. Then around mid-December they collapsed and haven't managed to win a single week since. Seriously. A tie in WK13 has been their best outing in almost two months -- and that took the Rondo injury to squeak out the victory. With essentially seven games lost in a row, and four of their last five matchups against winning teams, it'sll be a minor miracle if the Heffalumps can finish 0.500. And unlike some other teams, there hasn't been too many injuries plaguing this squad. Kawhi Leonard has missed a few games, but everyone else on the roster has played over forty games and mostly stayed super healthy.

Kobe Bryant is having an incredible season -- 27.7 PTS, 5.4 AST, 5.2 REB, 1.9 3PT, 1.8 STL, 46.4 FG% -- while Al Horford and Kenneth Faried combine for 28.0 PTS, 19.5 REB, 1.9 BLK/STL per game, as well as outstanding shooting from the field. On top of that, J has unearthed Omer Asik's 11.4 REB per game and Jamal Crawford's sixth man magic. Overall though, the team seems to be unbalanced. They are fourth in REB, third in TO, but second to last in AST, third to last in STL, and not that high on BLK. Most damning of all perhaps, is that they have low to mid-tier FG% and FT% ranks, without the benefit of high PTS. Doctor Jack Ramsay thinks this team needs a bit of re-tooling and refinement before they can return to their winning ways. Either way, it's off to the Toilet Bowl this season for J, barring that aforementioned miracle.

Playoff Race '13

Mid-Season Report: Voltron

For our second divisional look, it's Voltron up to the deck. The division is pretty much sealed up and it's a surprisingly team up at the top. Let's take a look!

So Buckets (7-5)
A stunning turnaround for Josh's sophomore year in Slam Nation. After going 3-9 last season, the So Buckets are now almost assured of a spot in the playoffs -- they have won five of their last six games. They're doing it with the combination of good shooting from the field, strong rebounding, excellent ball distribution, and fantastic steals. All of this and they aren't bad in any category. This is a solid team.

The turnaround is fueled by Kyrie Irving, who is averaging 23.7 PTS, 5.7 AST, 2.0 3PT, and 1.8 STL. Paired with Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jarrett Jack and the serviceable Darren Collison, the three combine to give this backcourt plenty of underrated oomph. While the other four keepers have been pretty disappointing -- Pau Gasol, Andre Iguodala, Gerald Wallace, even Evan Turner a bit -- GM Josh has done a great job using the waiver wire. Case in point, Larry Sanders and his team leading 8.4 REB and 3.2 BLK. With a three game lead on the next closest competitor, this division is just about locked up. We're a bit early but let's just go ahead and give Josh a big hand for a great turnaround!

MoRRie's Pogiboys (4-8)
Coming off the heels of a 5-14 season in 2011, Alvin's team was trending up with a fantastic 8-4 record last season. After winning the Toilet Bowl and the right to draft Anthony Davis, we figured the Pogiboys were going to be the Voltron champs. Well, things aren't as they should be. While Davis has been good -- 13.0 PTS, 7.9 REB, 1.9 BLK, 1.1 STL -- and fellow rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has contributed nicely all around, this team is lacking something. A backcourt featuring Brandon Jennings and Mike Conley Jr. should be able to do it all (except for shooting efficiently), and they do boast a combined 11.7 AST, 4.4 STL, and 3.3 3PT per game. But somehow this team is only above average in two categories: third in BLK and fourth in STL.

Everywhere else this team seems to be lacking. Roy Hibbert and Marcus Thornton have both regressed badly, Brandon Knight hasn't improved, and the disappointing draft only unearthed the new and improved J.R. Smith. There is some room for improvement here, as Tristan Thompson will now get all the minutes he can handle on the heels of the Anderson Varejao injury -- and it looks like he'll be a nightly double double threat. While the post-season is not mathematically out of the question, it's more likely Alvin will find themselves back in the Toiet Bowl as they've lost six of their last seven.

Super Ninja (3-8-1)
Thien's team has won this division two years running and boast a roster of versatile talents capable of beating anyone. They have been contenders year in and year out. Until now. Most of it is injury related, as Andrew Bynum has yet to make an appearance and John Wall has only played seven games. But this team is sliding backwards across the board. Dwayne Wade is still a fantasy stud, but not a top ten player by any measure. Paul Pierce and Rudy Gay are both losing their passing touch, while shooting horrifically from the field. Tyson Chandler is the lone man in the middle, swatting about a shot a game and producing a nice 12.1 PTS and 10.9 REB. He needs help though, and while Nikola Pekovic is in the midst of a semi-breakout season, he's currently injured.

Looking over this roster, there's still plenty of talent on board but Super Ninja has slipped dramatically. They aren't top three in any categories, and are only above average in FG%, PTS, and TO. It's hard to tell if a healthy slate will make this team a contender again, but this season is basically a lost one for Thien. Seeing as they've won the Toilet Bowl before -- for the rights to John Wall -- they are probably aiming to do the same so they can reverse this year's slide.

Human Amoebas (0-12)
We've never had a winless team in SlamNation but former champion Human Amoebas is going to threaten that mark this season. Management has realized that this season is a complete bust, and moved accordingly, initiating a mega-trade that netted Kevin Love at the cost of short term competitiveness. Then again, calling the 2013 version of this team "competitive" would have been a stretch. When underwhelming rookies Austin Rivers and Harrison Barnes are logging the second and third most games played for your team, you know there's a problem. Losing the talented trio of DeMarcus Cousins, Monta Ellis, and Andre Drummond will certainly hurt, but Kevin Love is a fantasy monster when healthy.

With Love, Derrick Rose, Dirk Nowitzki, and Eric Gordon back to full strength, this team would be a strong contender. The question is if all four will ever get on the floor at the same time. Rose and Gordon will have half a NBA season to regain their form, but it's an open question how much Dirk has left. Who would have thought that the Andray Blatche for Nowitzki trade would mostly be a wash so far? If the big guns can get healthy, Eric-A has the makings of an outstanding team -- perhaps even a very interesting small ball one, especially with a Paul Millsap, Love, and Nowitzki front line. But right now they are last in FG%, STL, BLK, and pretty much useless everywhere else. It's okay though, this team is being built for 2014, we just have to hope they have a win in them this season!

Mid-Season Report: Silverhawks

Let's start our look at each division as the playoffs start creeping towards us -- only seven weeks away. The first division up is the Silverhawks, which features a few flip flops, especially at the top! Here was their pre-season preview.

Fob Stars (7-4-1)
After going 1-11 last season, Jimmy's team is leading the division, a shift that came without any warning. The Fob Stars started off the year in familiar fashion, limping out of the gates with two losses in three tries, but then they ripped off six straight wins -- including taking down the mighty NJ All Stars in WK5. They've recently stumbled a bit, with two losses and a tie, but already they've impressed with their turnaround this year. The big mystery is how they're winning. They're not top ranked in any category, and their strongest stat is TOs, where they rank fifth.

The strength of this team is in the frontcourt, where Zach Randolph and Joakim Noah are both averaging strong double doubles. Noah has 2.0 BLKs and 1.3 STL each game too. Perhaps the real reason for the turnaround is the shocking emergence of Kemba Walker, who is averaging 17.4 PTS, 5.8 AST, 1.9 STL, 1.2 3PT a game during his sophomore campaign. And with young guys like Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller starting to step up, the Fob Stars could be getting stronger, even though they just lost Louis Williams for the season. Can the Fob Stars finish off a strong 2013 and win the division?

Sour Snails (7-5)
Understanding that the division was wide open, Trieu swung for the fences and made a splashy trade last week. Of course, that resulted in a disjointed WK12, as they got manhandled by Eddie's team, 0-6-3. The Sour Snails had control of the division early, vaulting out to a 6-2 start, before falling back to the pack recently. We could talk about their rankings in the various categories -- dominant in 3PT, second in PTS, third in AST, dead last in FG% and TO -- but none of that really matters as the team is clearly totally revamped.

Steph Curry is the cornerstone here, with 20.5 PTS, 6.6 AST, 3.1 3PT, 1.7 STL, and even 4.1 REB. With Damian Lillard and Monta Ellis flanking him, Curry just might lead the best backcourt in the league. The Snails are a high powered run and gun team, with everyone averaging in the mid-teens. Now to see what low post presence DeMarcus Cousins can add to the mix. A year after finishing out of the playoffs, Trieu has rebuilt and is ready to challenge once again.

Fat Jubas (6-6)
It's not looking good for the defending champs. They're only one game out of the division lead but management has not been happy with the effort they've seen. Sure they started strong and they've won three out of their past four games, but that was against opponetns who had a combined seven wins. Eric-L's team hasn't been able to handle the contenders this season and that doesn't bode well for their championship defense. Are they the 2011 Mavericks? The GM has been working the waiver wire, and made a big trade already this season, but that has all amounted to a roster that is suddenly quite unbalanced. The Jubas are good at protecting the rim, excellent putting down their free throws, but can't rebound or steal the ball. Everywhere else they are mediocre.

Swingman Nicolas Batum fills up the stat sheet, with 16.8 PTS, 5.9 REB, 4.4 AST, 2.5 3PT, 1.5 STL, and 1.1 BLK per game, but he's not going to carry a team. Kevin Garnett has been slow to start, Steve Nash has only played sixteen games so far, and Gordon Hayward has regressed badly. The jury is still out on the Marc Gasol and Tyreke Evans acquisitions, as neither has wowed their new owners with their play. The bench is a deep pit of lost souls. Is it time for the Jubas to rebuild? Or is there one final gasp left in them?

Jedi Knights (3-8-1)
Before the season, Superlum made a number of big moves. They had their sights on playoff contention and weren't afraid to shake things up to get out of their doldrums. The good news is that after back to back four win seasons, the Jedi are on pace to eclipse that figure. The bad news is, they are probably not heading to the postseason. After starting off 0-4-1, the team is trending up, but very slowly. Mostly, there isn't a solid identity here. These Knights have great FG% and terrible FT%, but nothing of note anywhere else.

We'd say that trades for Luis Scola, DeAndre Jordan, Amare Stoudemire, Greivis Vasquez, and Danilo Gallinari are all positive, but the real growth this season has been from an impressive draft. O.J. Mayo is averaging 18.2 PTS, 4.1 AST, 2.1 3PT, and 1.3 STL this season. Thaddeus Young has emerged as a very useful forward behind 15.0 PTS, 7.3 REB, 1.7 STL, 0.9 BLK. And then there's David Lee, who is the only player averaging a 20-10. Heck, we even love Chandler Parsons and his very even all around game. On top of that, Mo Williams was very good before he got injured. Looking over this roster, we see a lot of interesting pieces, and the potential is there for maybe a very competitive small ball team. Right now though, the Jedi seem to be content emerging from the shadows, and just picking up side pieces, before shaping what they have into a post-season run.

Love Hurts

It's been a quiet season, too quiet. Until now! In one day, Trieu has reshaped the entire direction of his team. His first move was an ultra doozy that shipped out Kevin Love and a 2014 RD1 (first pick protected) to Human Ameobas for DeMarcus Cousins, Monta Ellis, Andre Drummond, and a 2014 RD3 pick. The two former SlamNation champions faced off last during the 2011 Finals and now they find themselves partners in crime.

Since then, both teams have fallen on some hard times. The Sour Snails went 4-8 last season and hit rock bottom. This year they are 7-4 and leading the Silverhawks division, so they seem to have recovered well, especially after this fortifying trade. As for the Amoebas, they had a 9-10 record last season -- missing the playoffs during their championship defense -- but are winless so far this year and headed nowhere.

Wisely deciding to scrap the 2013 season, Eric-A moved for a top five fantasy stud. Let's look at if Kevin Love was worth the huge haul. Remember, Love was essentially traded for Lebron James back in 2010, so there was a lot at stake here for the Sour Snails, who patiently waited out the deluge of low ball offers. So far this season, there's no denying that Love has been a gigantic (injury) disappointment. However, in eighteen games he was still putting up 18.3 PTS, 14.0 REB, and 1.1 3PT. His FG% was atrocious, but that will recover when he's healthy. Love is the kind of foundational player that you can build a team around. You overpay for a guy like him.

Having said that, the Amoebas definitely overpaid by giving up a trio of very useful fantasy pieces. DeMarcus Cousins is already a fantasy beast, with 17.6 PTS, 10.2 REB, 1.4 STL and more upside. To celebrate his trade, Cousins put up the best game of his career last night -- 26 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks. Even though he has the field goal percentage of a streaky guard (43.4 FG%), that's a small price to pay for potential domination.

And we're all familiar with Monta Ellis' work. The guy scores at a good clip, swipes the ball, and provides more assists than you'd think. His FG% is horrific but that comes with the territory. And then there's Andre Drummond, whom we love. While the rook is only averaging 7.1 PTS and 7.3 REB a game this season, he's already fantasy relevant with 2.2 BLK over the past month. With only twenty plus minutes to do his work, we're already scared of the type of lines that Drummond is capable of in the future.

Losing these three players will definitely hurt the Amoebas but Eric-A is setting the table for a (hopefully) full season of Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Love next year. We love the Love trade, because you either go big or you go home, and Eric-A is all about championships. Fantasy wise, Love will now be the lone plus rebounder on the Amoebas, as there's nobody else on this squad capable of averaging double digit rebounds -- Paul Millsap is next best at about eight per game. Everyone else is at five or below. We'll be interested to see how Eric-A builds around Love's unique capabilities. Or if maybe he'll go with some sort of small ball.

Trieu's team started off as dominating semi-small ball squad -- outfitted with LBJ, Josh Smith, and Gerald Wallace to win tons of REB/BLK matchups -- and then transitioned into more of a normal small ball team over the years. The past few drafts have brought on Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard so we thought they'd tilt even more in that direction. However, the addition of Cousins and Drummond signals a shift to a more balanced approach. Clearly they'll have more BLK from Drummond -- Josh Smith will finally have a buddy to help protect the rim -- and together they could almost replace Love's rebounding. The Snails roster could see a few more tweaks, with the only thing we know for certain being that they will be punting FG%, as they are already dead last in that category.

Trieu's second move wasn't a blockbuster, but it was still interesting as the younger Danilo Gallinari was swapped for Jedi Knight's Metta World Peace. Part of us suspects this was purely to get a Laker on the Sour Snails but Metta has also been outright amazing the past month with 14.6 PTS, 6.4 REB, 2.0 3PT, 2.2 STL, and almost a block a game. World Peace has been unleashed by D'Antoni! Gallinari can match the PTS, REB, and 3PT numbers, but has no auxiliary stats to talk about. Still, he'll be a nice piece for Superlum's team as Metta's days are numbered -- just like the Lakers! [Ed. note: Opinion stricken from the record for extreme bias and too much giddiness.]

Reached for commentary during a break from sweating it out in the war room to plot his next move, Trieu said that he was basically looking to rid his team of the lighter skinned players. "White men can't jump, we all know that. Love and Gallo were good but they were holding our team back during the dunking warm ups, and making us look soft too. By taking on Cousins and Drummond, we just upped our crazy by 2000% and we'll also have World Peace on hand to mentor them. The Snails will either beat you on the court, or come at you somewhere else. You better watch out!"

We see a potential Andrew Bynum move coming, as there's no way that head case, ex-Laker, and cheap shot artist doesn't deserve to be on the Snails. [Ed. note: Stop that!]