Round Two... Fight!

Welcome to Round Two of the NBA Playoffs! As we ponder how we should approach these next set of matches, it is vital to know (or be reminded of) these differences from Round One...

1. Shortage of high PRAs. Yes we will still occasionally get 40 PRA, but expect to have lots of 25 PRA and that will be the norm.

2. Three players deep. In the previous round, you can afford to pick one per team as there were more games per day. Now with two games only and assuming each match last six games, we'll be forced to pick three players per losing team.

3. Chain effect. You will feel the effects of wrong picks (team-wise) from last round. Above items #1 and #2 will be worse -- settling on 20 PRA and going four players deep. Or even picking one from the winning team.

4. More conscious. As above item #3 sinks in, you will start worrying about future rounds, even succumbing to overthinking picks and forgetting about common sense.

5. In ESPN's 1-N-Done, double the points. The basic premise of gameplay is same as with NBA's Drive To The Finals. It just punishes you more with regards to past picks that were astray, and rewards you more with correctly played game.

And for the actual planning for Round 2 (like this), I'll leave that for my next blog entry.

For Round Two, Day One, I am leaving the Thunder-Grizzlies series on the side. The loss of Westbrook got some thinking that the Grizzlies can steal. I, however, would not start doubting Durant's ability to carry the Thunder.

As for the Knicks-Pacers series, that matchup has everyone divided. But compared to aforementioned Thunder series, I feel a little more tendency to expect the Knicks to win this series. It is to that assumption (albeit faint) that I choose to pick the best available Pacer... Paul George.

Comments

  1. Ah, Round 2. Now it starts to get interesting.

    So, in answer to your first four points (I don´t play that other game... yet. Maybe next year, then I wouldn´t pay through the nose for my bad picks in the first round):

    1. I already got lots of bad PRA, even those from players that racked up good PRA all the time except for when I picked them. But I whined about this in details in the last days :)

    2. Yep, that´s gonna be difficult, especially when one has no idea who is gonna win a series. Thank you Clippers for losing four straight after that nice 2-0 lead.

    3. Thank you again Clippers, I am now missing Z-Bo and M.Gasol from a team that just might have a shot to advance to the conference finals. Also, Stephen Curry is not available. And I am missing a stud from the last series to be decided.

    4. Ah yes, overthinking. I seldom do that. I look at the games, think about who to pick, and when I decided I rarely if ever change my picks out of fear to make a mistake.

    So, with all that in mind, I will start with the Knicks - Pacers series (two Grizzlies gone, series open to surprises) and pick a Pacer. Haven´t yet decided who to pick, but I will not start from the top. As you said, I will probably have to pick at least three players per losing team, probably more (if the Thunder win I would have to go to Grizzly number 5, yikes). So no need to start with number 1. I´ll test my luck (ha!) with David West. He is on the upswing and I hope he delivers in MSG.

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  2. And again, I picked the wrong player.
    BUT: This was entirely my fault.
    I had Boozer as he was the best and most steady of the Bulls. But I should have known that a) Boozer is a player that does not thrive on big games. He was not horrendous, but nothing more than solid with foul trouble.
    b) Noah is a warrior, has played in highschool in NY and should have been picked.
    In hindsight, Boozer was not the clever pick I hoped he would be. Noah was better than could be expected, sure, but that would have been the reasonable choice.

    Well, live and learn. On to the next round where, unfortunately, there are two pairs of series every day, and I have players missing from all but 1 of the teams without homecourt. This won´t be easy, especially if the Grizzlies (where I am missing the two best players) manage the upset against the Westbrook-less former favorite Thunder.

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    Replies
    1. Look at the bright side, you still have Noah for the second round.

      Besides, a Nets player should be the pick of that day. Nets should have won. Spoiled most of us.

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