Eastern Conference 2nd Seed Tie Breaker

[DynastYWarrioR6]

This poll will last until tomorrow at this time, please try to break this tie for the 2nd spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Milwaukee Bucks - kk30
C: Jeff Foster / Andray Blatche
PF: Amare Stoudemire / Tim Thomas / Josh Powell
SF: Gerald Wallace / Antoine Wright
SG: Paul Pierce / Rashad McCants / Willie Green
PG: Mike Bibby / Sebastian Telfair

Charlotte Bobcats - ghoti
C: Greg Oden / Tony Battie
PF: Anderson Varejao / Joe Smith / Ian Mahinmi
SF: Peja Stojakovic / Al Thornton
SG: Mike Dunleavy Jr. / Dorell Wright
PG: Derrick Rose / Rafer Alston / Chris Quinn

 

[GMJ]

Do I choose Ghoti's depth, or kk30's dynamite starting group?

 

[DynastYWarrioR6]

Do I choose Ghoti's depth, or kk30's dynamite starting group?

My dynamite starting group...........


*awkward silence*

 

[Kid Chocolate]

I don' think Bibby/Pierce/Wallace/Amare can make it through a full season together, and KK's bench is pretty weak. Tim Thomas, Bassy, Antoine Wright, and Willie Green disgusts me. The big man rotation isn't too strong either. I think having a bench full of players who are known to be seflish/soft/character concerns will only harm that team.

ghoti has great depth, Thornton, Alston, and Joe Smith make up a fantastic bench.

Over a long season I think that ghoti's team comes out on top.

 

[GMJ]

Bibby played in 48 games last year, so that's fair...
Paul Pierce played in 80 games...
Gerald played in 62, ok...
and Amare in 79.

I don't think it's that bad.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Derrick Rose isn't even going to be that good next year, Alston will probably be getting the bulk of minutes on ghotis team

 

[Kid Chocolate]

Bibby played in 48 games last year, so that's fair...
Paul Pierce played in 80 games...
Gerald played in 62, ok...
and Amare in 79.

I don't think it's that bad.

Bibby is coming off a major injury that really affected his game.

Pierce had a big injury 2 years ago.

Amare's knee issues are well documented, even though he's bounced back strong, it's always a concern.

Gerald Wallace can't play a full season. What do you do when Gerald misses time?
Slot in McCants and put Pierce at the 3? Then you have a team full of players who need the ball to be effective in Bibby, McCants, Pierce, Amare. If you take McCants off that bench, you have nothing left on it. Antoine Wright? Tim Thomas? Bleh.

Odds are that bench will be needed to limit the minutes and keep that team fresh, and the bench is so weak, over a full season I can't see them being that great.

 

[GMJ]

Yeah, a big injury 2 years ago...and Paul just played 80 games and was the MVP in the finals.

Amare was dynamite last season. I think in theory you've always got to keep a knee injury in the back of your head, but he's shown nothing but positives.

Other wise you make some good points.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

You could say the same for ghoti's team to an extent right? Oden and Battie have had injury problems lately. Varejao has no offense whatsoever, Peja and Dunleavy = not very great defense. Derrick Rose is too raw to lead a team etc.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

You're right about Amare and PP. You can't really talk bad about their injuries. But Bibby and Wallace are a concern. Especially Wallace. I don't think he can ever finish a full season. ANY injury to that starting lineup screws the team. They are banking on the starting lineup. I just don't see it happening.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

Ghoti has a strong defensive frontcourt with Varejao and Oden. Oden will eliminate a lot of mistakes on defense. I like the combo of inside presence between those 2 on the defensive end. Oden is a monster shot blocker/eraser, while Varejao will step into the lane and clog it up from penetration.

 

[cpawfan]

I have no faith in ghoti's starting PG and PF and he has his second best player on his bench

 

[Kid Chocolate]

Both teams have huge holes. I really don't like either team all that much, but I think over a full season ghoti's team wins more games.

 

[J_Ray]

Ghoti has a strong defensive frontcourt with Varejao and Oden. Oden will eliminate a lot of mistakes on defense. I like the combo of inside presence between those 2 on the defensive end. Oden is a monster shot blocker/eraser, while Varejao will step into the lane and clog it up from penetration.

Oden is hasn't even played a game in the NBA, how do we know he's that big of a presence already? I don't really like either team much, one has great starters and the other one has inexperienced starters. Both teams have guys that can be injured, so when you throw out the injuries, KK30's team has to win since Rose is still so raw and Oden hasn't played a game yet, so you don't exactly know what he can do yet.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Oden is hasn't even played a game in the NBA, how do we know he's that big of a presence already? I don't really like either team much, one has great starters and the other one has inexperienced starters. Both teams have guys that can be injured, so when you throw out the injuries, KK30's team has to win since Rose is still so raw and Oden hasn't played a game yet, so you don't exactly know what he can do yet.

On the contrary, the one thing you KNOW about Oden is that he is going to dominate defensively. I can say that with 100% confidence without seeing him play in a NBA game yet.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

Oden is hasn't even played a game in the NBA, how do we know he's that big of a presence already? I don't really like either team much, one has great starters and the other one has inexperienced starters. Both teams have guys that can be injured, so when you throw out the injuries, KK30's team has to win since Rose is still so raw and Oden hasn't played a game yet, so you don't exactly know what he can do yet.

Everyone in the NBA can be injured, but Gerald Wallace can't make it through a full season. Bibby had like 6 nagging injuries last year, that's a big concern.

With rookies you have to use your own expectations. You can't just say Oden will be trash bc he hasn't played. I think he'll be a defensive anchor.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

I also don't like how ghoti has no go-to guy. If the games on the line and you have the ball, who gets it? Peja for 3? Brick. Dunleavy? I don't know about that. Thornton is young, Oden isn't an offensive minded player, Varejao shouldn't even touch the ball.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I also don't like how ghoti has no go-to guy. If the games on the line and you have the ball, who gets it? Peja for 3? Brick. Dunleavy? I don't know about that. Thornton is young, Oden isn't an offensive minded player, Varejao shouldn't even touch the ball.

my guess would be Alston

 

[GMJ]

Then it's probably not a good sign when your clutch guy is a bench player.

 

[J_Ray]

On the contrary, the one thing you KNOW about Oden is that he is going to dominate defensively. I can say that with 100% confidence without seeing him play in a NBA game yet.

Yeah, but he's still learning the game, so he might not be quite as dominant as everyone is playing him out to be. He is coming off a big time knee surgery and still lacks experience, which usually leads to more foul trouble. Not saying he's trash but how many bigs dominate in their rookie year?

Everyone in the NBA can be injured, but Gerald Wallace can't make it through a full season. Bibby had like 6 nagging injuries last year, that's a big concern.

With rookies you have to use your own expectations. You can't just say Oden will be trash bc he hasn't played. I think he'll be a defensive anchor.

Bibby had that thumb injury last year that screwed up his shooting, and then some sore knees but he's definitely on his decline. You know what Bibby & Gerald Wallace will do, while rookies aren't always consistent, especially someone as raw as Derrick Rose. Oden should do alright, just everyone is playing him off to be a proven stud, 16/10 is the best case scenario for him IMO, and I still don't think he'll be able to do that right away.

 

[Celtic Fan]

when I look at Bibby, I look at how well he played down the stretch for the Hawks and in the playoffs. He doesn't have to be great scorers like Pierce, Wallace, Stoudamire, Thomas and McCants... he just has to effectively run the offense and not turn the ball over. I like him to do that a lot better than Rose and therefore choose the Bucks.

Ghoti has 2 unproven 'potential' players starting on his team, KK30 has 5 experienced players starting on his who will find their roles and fill them.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Then it's probably not a good sign when your clutch guy is a bench player.

True, but I think Alston obviously should be starting. Rose isn't ready by any means to lead a team far into the playoffs.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

16/10 as Oden's ceiling? Geez.

 

[Celtic Fan]

Everyone in the NBA can be injured, but Gerald Wallace can't make it through a full season. Bibby had like 6 nagging injuries last year, that's a big concern.

Didn't Peja play like 13 games 2 years ago?
Varejao has only played in over 65 games once in his 4 year career too.

both teams have players who have been injured before.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

Didn't Peja play like 13 games 2 years ago?
Varejao has only played in over 65 games once in his 4 year career too.

both teams have players who have been injured before.

Varejao only missed part of one season due to injury, and that was a dislocated shoulder. He basically held out last year, and was a victom of DNP-CD his first year. That's only 1 season he missed time due to injury.

Peja missed a full year pretty much due to back surgery. That's the same situation at Amare, except microfracture has been well documented, but Amare's looked fantastic returning from it. I don't think either of those guys are particular concerns.

 

[Celtic Fan]

I knew he held out last year, but I thought he got injured when he did come back and missed some games too... of course I don't follow his career that closely so I could be wrong about that.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

I knew he held out last year, but I thought he got injured when he did come back and missed some games too... of course I don't follow his career that closely so I could be wrong about that.

Ankle sprain. Common basketball injury.

 

[DynastYWarrioR6]

Ankle sprain. Common basketball injury.

I had two in the same month...I went from being the only chinese dude in my city who could dunk, to being just another chinese dude dreaming about dunking.

 

[Kid Chocolate]

I had two in the same month...I went from being the only chinese dude in my city who could dunk, to being just another chinese dude dreaming about dunking.

Are you on ghoti or KK's team?

 

[DynastYWarrioR6]

Are you on ghoti or KK's team?

Could very well be.

My point was that I was trying to semi-back up your statement with a personal experience that relayed the fact that yes, ankle sprains do happen frequently.