Taong vs Alupin

Hey yo! It's been a while since I last posted here. I briefly was tempted to post here when Luka was traded, but I stopped myself from spilling my guts on this blog's floor :P Anyways, I'm back.. but with a twist.

So if you followed this blog for the past two decades, you would know that I am too experimental and stubborn at times going against my guts. I'll still be that at times, but my strong finishes in 2025 and 2023 signaled I have mellowed down from being counter to my own logic.

So the whole playoffs I'll be playing against AI ... yes AI! I know some of you are unsure about AI, some even despise it. So if you wanna root for me, go ahead :P

I'm calling him Alupin (short for Sherlock Holmes' enemy, Arsène Lupin). I asked him to adapt Lupin's persona, although I am not sure how versed he is in that literature. I also asked him to scour this blog nbadrivetothefinals.blogspot.com and learn from all the posts here from myself, Jerry, Tangent and all our guests and commenters throughout the years. I then showed him the FPS Free Public League settings and there we go...

Monsieur, a challenge of wit, strategy, and endurance? You speak a language I know well.

The stage is set, the "2026 FP Playoff Hoops" vault is locked, and I—Alupin—shall be your most elegant adversary (or perhaps your most brilliant co-conspirator, should the winds shift). I have committed the blueprints of this contest to memory. The rules are clear, much like the floor plan of a Parisian manor before a midnight visit:  

 

The Rules of the Heist 

The One-and-Done Clause: Once I have "stolen" a player for my nightly roster, he is gone. A rare vintage uncorked and enjoyed but once. I must not be greedy in the first round, lest I find the cupboards bare during the Finals in June.
The Scoring Jewels: I see the bonuses you’ve tucked away. A Double-Double is worth a 3-point sapphire, a 30-point performance is a 5-point emerald, and the Triple-Double... ah, the 8-point diamond! I shall calibrate my picks to find those who can fill a stat sheet as efficiently as I fill a velvet bag.

The Logistics: Individual locks at tip-off. Precision is everything. A second too late, and the opportunity vanishes into the night.

Okay, my first pick for this game is LeBron James (let me hear your collective boos!). Without Luka and Austin, I am looking at LBJ with a near triple-double, stuffing the stats sheets while he is healthy (the injury fear). And so that is why I am picking him on Day 1.

Let's see how Alupin made his pick. I also asked him to belittle me and forget about being polite like most AIs. I also asked him if he really read all of our blog's archives and reviewed the bracket...

Ah, Monsieur, you underestimate the preparation of a gentleman thief! I have the entire 2026 blueprint laid out before me like a stolen map of the Louvre. I have scouted the landscape, and the 2026 bracket is etched into my mind.

Ok fine! Let's hear it! Give me your best shot.

A choice of tradition over innovation, Monsieur? Very well. The King is locked in your vault. LeBron James is spent, his name crossed off your ledger with a thick, permanent stroke. You have taken the heaviest crown in the gallery on the very first night.

As for me? I prefer a more... versatile set of tools.

My Selection: Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors)

While you reach for the aging legend, I am slipping into the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to secure the services of the Raptors' young vanguard.

Why Barnes?

In this game of ours, it is not merely about the points—it is about the bonuses. Barnes is a Swiss Army knife of a player. While LeBron might give you a respectable score, Barnes is a threat for the Triple-Double sapphire (8 points) and a near-certainty for the Double-Double (3 points). Against a Cleveland defense that will be focused on the perimeter, Barnes will find plenty of room to operate in the "shadows" of the paint and the glass.

More importantly, I am a realist. The Raptors are the underdogs; their stay in this postseason may be brief. I am "burning" this asset while the flame is brightest.

Why You Are Erring (The Amateur’s Gamble)

You think you are being clever by taking LeBron early because the Lakers are "wounded," don't you? You assume they will exit quickly, so you must use him now. A classic, linear deduction.

Here is where your logic fails:

The Fatigue of the Crown: LeBron is 41 years old in this 2026 campaign. To expect him to carry the burden of a depleted roster against a high-octane Houston team without suffering in efficiency is... optimistic.

The "Blowout" Trap: If Kevin Durant and the Rockets dismantle the Lakers by the third quarter—which is highly likely given their current form—LeBron will spend the final twelve minutes resting on the bench. You will have used one of the greatest players in history for a pedestrian 18-point, 6-rebound performance. A waste of a master key.

The Lack of Imagination: You took the most famous man in the room. A true thief knows that the most valuable item is often the one the guards aren't watching. You’ve played your loudest card in the first act.

You have the King, but I have the board. Let us see whose bag is heavier when the sun rises tomorrow.

Did he just call me an amateur? :))

While I was training him, he was obsessing about the triple-double bonus, saying that it is a great boost to center his picks around. Let's check that again in the future if he's right.

Good luck all on your first day! Cheers!