ATL -1 Player League Playoffs (Round 2, send me your drops)

[CellarDoor]

Conference 1:

A:
JoebobLollipop (-Kidd) VS Miller4ever (-Cowens)
There's just too many potent guys and too much defense on Miller's team.

B:
Snakebites (-Moses) VS bastillon (-Durant)
I went back and forth on this one a lot, and I'm going to take Snake with some trepidation. I'm just not buying Pressey's impact in terms of scoring here. If he's posting up and using entire possessions he's getting near the basket and near nance/walton's help d. I can't see that being an exploitable proposition over utilizing TMac, Duncan, and McAdoo in terms of efficiency. I will agree that when Beaty's out there Snake will be in trouble. Luckily for Snake he's only got one more match-up where Beaty will even be dressed.
C:
poopdamoop (-Stockton) VS TMACFORMVP (-Barry)
Shaq vs. Jordan first round...yikes. I agree with Bast's assessment here, which won't happen often. Dwight can't contain Shaq, and the people behind him will get abused. Badly. I don't even begin to buy TMAC's argument on spacing being against Poop though. Still respect the effort :p

D:
MJallday59 (-Ray Allen) VS DavidStern (-Bird)
By default


Conference 2:

E:
BlackIce (-Drexler) VS Warriorfan (-Magic) -- Not voting unless I HAVE to. I don't like voting for potential next round opponents.


G:
Keeslinator (-Gilmore) VS lukekarts (-Marques)
Zo's defense would concern me more against someone that wasn't Dr J. Zo will still go for/get his blocks, but slowing him down is a tall order. Webber also gets underrated and while his playoff performances have traditionally left something to be desired, he's not the best player on the floor or first option and I think that'll help him.

H:
GrantHill (-Pistol) VS RiotPunch (-Malone)
By default

[lorak]

Conference 1:

A:
JoebobLollipop (-Kidd) VS Miller4ever (-Cowens)
offensively similar, but Joe better defensively, so vote for Joe.

B:
Snakebites (-Moses) VS bastillon (-Durant)
Vote: Bast - too much offensive firepower and defensively isn't much worse than Snake's team.

C:
poopdamoop (-Stockton) VS TMACFORMVP (-Barry)

I don't agree with TMAC that poopdamoop don't have spacing around Jordan. After all Ellis (!) and Cassell were very good shooters. I also don't see how Lucas could do much against Gasol. So yes, Shaq would be unstoppable, but on other areas poop have advantage.
vote: poop


Conference 2:

E:
BlackIce (-Drexler) VS Warriorfan (-Magic)
vote: Balckice - simply more balanced team

F:
CellarDoor (-Wilt) VS dockingshed (-CP3)

dockigshed's team has bad fit on the perimeter (all big minutes players need ball in their hand) + no low post scoring threat, so despite a lot of talent that team would be relatively easy to defend. vote: CellarDoor

G:
Keeslinator (-Gilmore) VS lukekarts (-Marques)

I don't understand Dr J on Billups and I don't think that would work. Chauncey is too good in drawing fouls and too quick for Erving. I also don't agree with statement that Dirk doesn't have offensive advantage over Webber. Overall you underrate Dirk a lot, Kees.
vote: lukekarts

H:
GrantHill (-Pistol) VS RiotPunch (-Malone)
vote: Riot
I just don't see Baylor as SG. Either West or Manu would do whatever they wan against Elgin. And Riot's team in the paint defense is better.

[RiotPunch]

A:
JoebobLollipop (-Kidd) VS Miller4ever (-Cowens)

B:
Snakebites (-Moses) VS bastillon (-Durant)

C:
poopdamoop (-Stockton) VS TMACFORMVP (-Barry)

D:
MJallday59 (-Ray Allen) VS DavidStern (-Bird)


Conference 2:

E:
BlackIce (-Drexler) VS Warriorfan (-Magic)

F:
CellarDoor (-Wilt) VS dockingshed (-CP3)

G:
Keeslinator (-Gilmore) VS lukekarts (-Marques)

Explanations coming later.

[lukekarts]

A:
JoebobLollipop (-Kidd) VS Miller4ever (-Cowens)

Miller wins. Very balanced all the way through to C, where Kareem has the better of D-Rob.

B:
Snakebites (-Moses) VS bastillon (-Durant)

bastillon over Snake. Incredibly close matchup here, quite intrigued in the way bastillon forces defensive match ups in his favour, and I prefer the bench. Duncan will just edge out Walton in the interior given the increased volume of offence he can handle.

C:
poopdamoop (-Stockton) VS TMACFORMVP (-Barry)

TMAC's team is better offensively, poop's perhaps better defensively, but Shaq and Penny will have good fun here with a really nice supporting cast.

D:
MJallday59 (-Ray Allen) VS DavidStern (-Bird)

Stern by default.


Conference 2:

E:
BlackIce (-Drexler) VS Warriorfan (-Magic)

Blackice edges this one for me, with a better balanced offence and better interior D.

F:
CellarDoor (-Wilt) VS dockingshed (-CP3)

Dockingshed for me. Better interior D and an efficient pair of closers that will be hard for CD to lock down. Interesting move dropping a starting PG but it works with enough passers in the team.

Abstaining from the final matchup as it affects the next round (if I make it!)

[BlackIce]

A:
JoebobLollipop (-Kidd) VS Miller4ever (-Cowens)
Tough. I think that Miller has the advantage up front, and I buy his gameplan. Hill is suited to combat Lebron and Moncrief will slow down Monroe. 3 point shooting off the bench. I don't think Robinson and co. can keep up.

B:
Snakebites (-Moses) VS bastillon (-Durant)

Carter vs t-Mac is a fun matchup. I'd say T-Mac had a considerably higher peak and I like that he can dominant the ball a bit on this team. However I'm concerned with Pressey having such a big role. I read your post on the Bucks and Pressey and his importance to that team but I think he was a good, not all time great defender. You concede that Nash will get his but you don't take into account what having the 2nd best passing C will do in terms of synergy. It will raise the play of Carter/Dandridge, etc. Now Bast has plenty of playmaking as well but not to the extent that snake does (DJ off the bench as well). I dunno if Iggy/Pressey is good enough offensively to keep up. Dandridge on T-Mac will slow him down a tad and Duncan vs Walton is an interesting matchup. This is a tough matchup for both teams. I don't know that Pressey, the original point forward has teh offensive instincts to take Nash into the post play after play. Bast also underrates Waltons defense.

C:
poopdamoop (-Stockton) VS TMACFORMVP (-Barry)

TMAC. Wise/Dumars with Shaq in the post waiting will slow down Jordan. He'll get his but not on the same efficiency he usually does. He'll go off a game or two cause he is the GOAT but he is only one man, and has little playmaking help. Shaq will feast on Dwight and Penny will have a big series. Jones is an alltime defender but where is the offense coming from outside of Jordan?

D:
MJallday59 (-Ray Allen) VS DavidStern (-Bird)

Stern by default.


Conference 2:

Not voting in the dockin vs Cellar cause I'd look biased. Prefer not to.

G:
Keeslinator (-Gilmore) VS lukekarts (-Marques)
I have Luke by a hair. Erving is a monster but he'll have trouble guarding the much quicker Billups. It'll take away Billups post up game but if you've played basketball you know how tiring it can get guarding a smaller, quicker player. Kees doesn't give Lukes frontcourt enough credit. Dirk/Zbo is considerably better then Webber/Wallace. No post game from the frontcourt (though Erving helps in that regard) allows Luke to stay on shooters. Zo can play off Wallace and keep Wallace occupied on the other end. Kobe will be slowed down by Payton but I think Dirk is the X factor in this series.


H:
GrantHill (-Pistol) VS RiotPunch (-Malone)
By default, Riot

[Snakebites]

Joebob vs Miller:

If needed I will vote, for now I abstain.

C: TMAC vs. Poop

Gotta go with TMAC here. Shaq's defensive presence at his peak is quite underrated, and against a team with relatively weak spacing his impact on that end will be at a maximum. Offensively, Howard can't hope to contain him man to man, and foul trouble could be an issue here as well. Jordan will be effective, but it won't be fully optimal without proper spacing around him.

D: MJ vs. Stern

Congrats stern. Got a first round bye with your best player out. DS by default.

Other side:

BI vs Warriorfan: Gotta go with BI's team, which has a large front court advantage and relative balance. Warriorfan features two starting power forwards who were not known for passing the ball and both did a fair percentage of their work inside the paint, and I see this as a fit issue particuarly without their all time playmaker in the fold.

dock vs. Cellar:

Tough call here. I actually like the look of Cellar's team even without Wilt in the fold, but there is a balance and potency to dcash's team that I find difficult to ignore here. I also find front court defense to be of particular concern when trying to stop the Garnett/Wade combo. Vote: dock.

kees vs. luke:

Tough call here. Kees boasts one of the better defensive teams in this entire game, while luke's team is a little more balanced. Ultimately, I found luke's team to be solid defensively (though I'd question a couple of the defensive assignments) and quite dynamic on offense. Kees's team is unfortunately limited with two starters who's role in the offense will and should be very limited, and he doesn't have the productivity at range that his opponent does. Vote: Luke

Riotpunch vs. Ghill:

Default vote for Riot. Also congrats for landing a first round buy without your best player.

[TMACFORMVP]

Finals are finally over, FREE.

CellarDoor (-Wilt) VS dockingshed (-CP3)

Damn, this is tough. I really like Cellar's fit offensively. KJ was the biggest steal in the draft, and Hondo/Miller moving off the ball compliment his game nicely; similar with Kemp as a pick and roll partner, and Lanier being a big man with a decent shot, and post game. So, even without Wilt, I don't think the offense suffers too much, just giving KJ a bit more responsibility, which he can handle. However; the defense definitely takes a big hit, IMO. Lanier was possibly underrated defensively, and in a one year peak setting, his whole career body of work defensively isn't as apparent, but I think it takes away that intimidation factor of getting to the rim. Divac off the bench is a good team defender, but not an anchor either per say. And, I'm not sure the rest of the team does enough to still maintain an elite defense. KJ, Miller, and Kemp were solid, not great, while Hondo was relentless (I do think he's a little overrated, but it's undeniable he was a very good defender). Note: This is not saying Cellar's team ISN'T good defensively, but it just doesn't stand out particularly w/out Wilt..

On the flip side, that's definitely docking's strength; his interior defense with Mutombo and Garnett. Then with Wade roaming on the perimeter, and guys like Battier makes it a monster defensive team. I don't really like Baron as the backup PG, would much rather have had a more different PG that's more efficient offensively. I'm not sold on Melo in general either, but it'd work, IMO. He's obviously versatile offensively, and there's no real ball dominant player on docking's team that would severely limit his touches (Wade to an extent, but he's the only one, and can play off the ball). Rice, is a guy that should have an impact on the series -- think he should get a bit more minutes even into Melo's time. I might have actually just cut Griffin out of the rotation, and put in JO there as well, but I suppose it adds something a little different.

Basically, what I'm getting at is that Cellar's minor flaw is the overall defensive feel, while offensively it works beautifully. I don't think docking's offense fits as well, but his defense is noticeably better. Then, the obvious conclusion would be too look at the matchups against each other. I think cash's big three will have big series, enough to the extent that it'd make it close offensively. In the end, I'm still not sure, but in such a close series, it's hard not to go with the best player, and in this case, I think docking has the two best players in the series. One thing I wish was that cash put a little more in his writeup. I mean we penalize for no writeups, how much better is a sentence, lol. And, also, I hate to go this way, because '67 Wilt, and the team Cellar has around him is arguably the best in this competition, then having Lanier as a backup makes it a very good team that's probably better than most w/out their first round pick as well.

Sigh..I want to vote for Cellar, b/c I think he did EXTREMELY well in this draft, but I just don't know if w/out Wilt, it can overcome a superior defensive team with the two best players in the series.

Vote: docking

Need some more time for Snake/bast, will post little later. I think that's the only other series within one vote?

[-Kees-]

Conference 1:

A:
JoebobLollipop 2 VS Miller4ever 5

B:
Snakebites 3 VS bastillon 4

C:
poopdamoop 3 VS TMACFORMVP 6

D:
MJallday59 VS DavidStern (default)


Conference 2:

E:
BlackIce 6 VS Warriorfan 0

F:
CellarDoor 3 VS dockingshed 5

G:
Keeslinator 2 VS lukekarts 5

H:
GrantHill VS RiotPunch (default)


7 matchups are decided, looking for a vote or 2 more on the bast/snake matchup, deciding by 1 vote isn't always the best.

[poopdamoop]

Voting for bast in the matchup that isn't decided. Don't like Pressey as the main ball-handler, but I don't think snake has the talent to take advantage of that with Moses out.

[-Kees-]

Ok, thats the final vote. bastillon advances.

Round 2:

Conference 1:

AB:
Miller4ever VS bastillon

CD:
TMACFORMVP VS David Stern


Conference 2:

EF:
BlackIce VS dockingshed

GH:
lukekarts VS RiotPunch


Send who you are dropping to keeslinator@gmail.com. Remember, you can't drop the same person twice!

[lorak]

TMACFORMVP, which seasons do you chose for your players?