13/14 Season Preview - West
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13/14 Season Preview West (Part 1+2 on the previous page)
@hobbers @altodevil @The Cat @Dr. Dwayne @P-Nut @Salt Bailly @Solius
altodevil - Los Angeles Lakers (51-31, 2nd Round)
The slow-ish decline continues for altodevil, who has now entered his 18th year in the NBA. As before his physicality has been hit the hardest, though now his technical skills are starting to (very slightly) fade. He's still a defensive powerhouse, so he's not quite done yet. The same goes for the Lakers, who might even be overall better with the improvements for Kemba Walker.
The Cub - Oklahoma City Thunder (22-60)
A bit of an off-year for The Cub, another one for the "young player who suddenly gets a tiny bit worse". I'd be surprised if he didn't make 75 rating or even more, but either way he's already a very good player. Probably not good enough to pull the Thunder into the playoffs though. It probably doesn't help that there are 3 out and out Centers in the top 4 in Oklahoma. At least two of them have expiring contracts.
Nobbers - San Antonio Spurs (34-48)
As old man hobbers is entering the twilight of his career, his son Nobbers (it's going to bother me to no end that he's got a capital first letter unlike his father) has stepped into the NBA with a bang, immediately improving on his pre-draft abilities. I'd be surprised if it's enough for the Spurs to make the playoffs, but it's impossible to predict how the team is going to look next year with all those expiring contracts.
Dr. Dwayne - New Orleans Pelicans (32-50)
Dr. Dwayne saw further decline since last season, like many of our other geriatric-y players. He's 36 now, and not much of a jumper, nor a runner. He's still a great shooter, though, and - as long as he doesn't have to jump for it - perfectly capable of catching a rebound. Quite impressive, really. So in that sense it's more worrying that this 36-year old is still the 2nd most important player on his team. The newly named Pelicans aren't making the playoffs. That's a nimic guarantee.
P-Nut & Salt Bailly - Sacramento Kings (36-46)
If I see any more red I might have to alter the colour balance on my monitor. Salt Bailly has been an extremely solid player for a long, long time. And while he's taken a rather big step backwards, particularly in his athletic abilities, he's still more than good enough to form part of a good team. Unfortunately he's in Sacramento instead. Here too it's worrying that a 36-year old is the 2nd best player on the team. The best player is P-Nut, who isn't quite as old. 29 means it's probably more down than up for him from here on, but we'll see.
Solius & sontodevil - Memphis Grizzlies (42-40, Conference Finals)
Solius is another one who started feeling the creaking in his bones this summer. In his case, though, it mostly impacted his speed and jumping abilities, leaving him elite in all the technical skills. He's still one of the best players in the league. And now he's been joined by the #1 pick the past draft, sontodevil, altodevil's own boy! He seems to have modelled his game on his father's, up to and including refusing to shoot the ball even under threat of imprisonment. Though clearly he's seen his old man fumble one too many pass, and the trauma has led him to sacrificing a little bit of physicality for the sake of actually being able to complete a pass.
@hobbers @altodevil @The Cat @Dr. Dwayne @P-Nut @Salt Bailly @Solius
altodevil - Los Angeles Lakers (51-31, 2nd Round)
The slow-ish decline continues for altodevil, who has now entered his 18th year in the NBA. As before his physicality has been hit the hardest, though now his technical skills are starting to (very slightly) fade. He's still a defensive powerhouse, so he's not quite done yet. The same goes for the Lakers, who might even be overall better with the improvements for Kemba Walker.
The Cub - Oklahoma City Thunder (22-60)
A bit of an off-year for The Cub, another one for the "young player who suddenly gets a tiny bit worse". I'd be surprised if he didn't make 75 rating or even more, but either way he's already a very good player. Probably not good enough to pull the Thunder into the playoffs though. It probably doesn't help that there are 3 out and out Centers in the top 4 in Oklahoma. At least two of them have expiring contracts.
Nobbers - San Antonio Spurs (34-48)
As old man hobbers is entering the twilight of his career, his son Nobbers (it's going to bother me to no end that he's got a capital first letter unlike his father) has stepped into the NBA with a bang, immediately improving on his pre-draft abilities. I'd be surprised if it's enough for the Spurs to make the playoffs, but it's impossible to predict how the team is going to look next year with all those expiring contracts.
Dr. Dwayne - New Orleans Pelicans (32-50)
Dr. Dwayne saw further decline since last season, like many of our other geriatric-y players. He's 36 now, and not much of a jumper, nor a runner. He's still a great shooter, though, and - as long as he doesn't have to jump for it - perfectly capable of catching a rebound. Quite impressive, really. So in that sense it's more worrying that this 36-year old is still the 2nd most important player on his team. The newly named Pelicans aren't making the playoffs. That's a nimic guarantee.
P-Nut & Salt Bailly - Sacramento Kings (36-46)
If I see any more red I might have to alter the colour balance on my monitor. Salt Bailly has been an extremely solid player for a long, long time. And while he's taken a rather big step backwards, particularly in his athletic abilities, he's still more than good enough to form part of a good team. Unfortunately he's in Sacramento instead. Here too it's worrying that a 36-year old is the 2nd best player on the team. The best player is P-Nut, who isn't quite as old. 29 means it's probably more down than up for him from here on, but we'll see.
Solius & sontodevil - Memphis Grizzlies (42-40, Conference Finals)
Solius is another one who started feeling the creaking in his bones this summer. In his case, though, it mostly impacted his speed and jumping abilities, leaving him elite in all the technical skills. He's still one of the best players in the league. And now he's been joined by the #1 pick the past draft, sontodevil, altodevil's own boy! He seems to have modelled his game on his father's, up to and including refusing to shoot the ball even under threat of imprisonment. Though clearly he's seen his old man fumble one too many pass, and the trauma has led him to sacrificing a little bit of physicality for the sake of actually being able to complete a pass.
