Post by WigNosy on Sept 11, 2014 14:23:31 GMT -6
CENTER
Unlike the East, where there is a debate about the starter, the West starting Center is abundantly clear. It's Shaq, and nobody else is even close. There are three guys that could put in a claim to the backup spot this season - Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing, and Arvydas Sabonis. Ewing and Sabonis look very similar in points and on the boards; Sabonis is a better assist man but Ewing gets more blocks. That said, Bradley can't score with the other two, but gets more boards and almost double the blocks of the other two. With Bradley averaging 3.5 ppg less than Sabonis, 0.9 rebounds MORE than Sabonis, and 2.3 blocks MORE than Ewing, I think Bradley gets the nod, though if the voters are more swayed by offense, it probably goes to not my Vydas, not your Vydas, but our Vydas.
Starter - Shaquille O'Neal, Rockets (25.3 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 4.1 bpg)
Backup - Shawn Bradley, Blazers (13.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.4 bpg)
POWER FORWARD
One man. One mission. One starter. Kemp is pretty much the best in every statistical category among power forwards except assists but the only thing that will keep Kemp from starting at PF will be injury. The backup spot probably comes down to a Chris - either WEbber or Gatling. Webber is a better scorer and passer than Gatling, but Gatling gets more rebounds and blocks. Given my defensive leanings, I think Gatling probably sneaks into the backup spot, but this is a coin flip. Webber will have to try to get in as an at-large. Other guys going into the at-large pool include the all-around talent Danny Manning and Larry Johnson.
Starter - Shawn Kemp, Warriors (28.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 3.7 bpg)
Backup - Chris Gatling, Sonics (21.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
SMALL FORWARD
There are three candidates for this spot - Cedric Ceballos, Anfernee Hardaway, and Latrell Sprewell. Hardaway is the best scorer of the three (2.3 ppg more than the other two), Ceballos is the best rebounder (1.7 more rpg than Spree and 3.2 more than Hardaway), Hardaway is the best passer (2.3 apg more than Sprewell and 4.6 apg above Ceballos). Since Hardaway gets the edge in two categories, I'll have to give him the nod to start, even if he is a point guard. The backup spot comes down to Ceballos and Sprewell - nearly identical scoring, and Ceballos holds a 1.7 rpg edge but Spree has a 2.3 apg edge and a tiny steals per game edge). Given the talent around him - and the fact that Spree will have a couple more games carrying his sad-sack Clippers, I think Sprewell wins the coin flip and becomse the backup. Nick Anderson and Glenn Robinson, the next tier below the top three, get dumped into the at-large pool with Cedric for now.
Starter - Anfernee Hardaway, Mavericks (26.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.4 spg)
Backup - Latrell Sprewell, Clippers (23.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.4 spg)
SHOOTING GUARD
The West's backcourt is nowhere near as deep as the East's, but the guys at the top are some of the best two-way players in the league. Doug Christie and Eddie Jones are going to be battling for this spot, and I think Christie gets it. Jones scores 1.1 more ppg, but Christie adds 1.1 more rpg, 0.8 more apg, and 0.4 more spg. It could go either way. Jones is the obvious backup choice. Honorable mention to Glen Rice and Hersey Hawkins, I guess, who are the "second tier" choices in case of injury but won't make the squad even as at-large entries.
Starter - Doug Christie, Sonics (20.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.7 spg)
Backup - Eddie Jones, Lakers (21.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.3 spg)
POINT GUARD
This has been Kevin Johnson's spot by default since Sam Cassell died and the Mavericks decided to call Hardaway "not a point guard." This year should be no different, but the winds of change are in the air. Johnson will get the spot by virtue of averaging 9.4 apg, but the backup will be rookie Allen Iverson, who is already averaging 0.2 ppg more than KJ, is virtually tied in rebounds, and has 2.5 spg to KJ's 2.0. It's only Iverson's 6.7 apg (2.7 less than KJ) that keep him out of the starting lineup, but he's definitely the backup. The "second tier" guys that could step in should injury strike are Robert Pack (on the downside of his career) and Stephon Marbury (who is on the rise) but neither guy is a threat to make an at-large case for himself.
Starter - Kevin Johnson, Lakers (20.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 9.4 apg, 2.0 spg)
Backup - Allen Iverson, Suns (20.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.7 apg, 2.5 spg)
WILD CARDS
I could agonize over the cuts here, but frankly, things are pretty straightforward. Chris Webber just missed out at the backup PF slot and he's noticeably better than anyone but Ceballos. Ceballos just missed out at the backup SF slot ane he's noticeably better than anyone but Webber. Since I have two spots, I take both guys.
Wild Card 1 - Chris Webber, Wolves (23.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Wild Card 2 - Cedric Ceballos, Warriors (23.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg)
If I have to call a "last man out" among the remaining guys (and I do), I give it to Danny Manning, who is putting up numbers near the top of the group in every remaining statistical category and is probably the guy who will get named to the team if a frontcourt player gets injured going into the All Star Break.
Last Guy Out - Danny Manning, Blazers (19.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.1 bpg)
Unlike the East, where there is a debate about the starter, the West starting Center is abundantly clear. It's Shaq, and nobody else is even close. There are three guys that could put in a claim to the backup spot this season - Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing, and Arvydas Sabonis. Ewing and Sabonis look very similar in points and on the boards; Sabonis is a better assist man but Ewing gets more blocks. That said, Bradley can't score with the other two, but gets more boards and almost double the blocks of the other two. With Bradley averaging 3.5 ppg less than Sabonis, 0.9 rebounds MORE than Sabonis, and 2.3 blocks MORE than Ewing, I think Bradley gets the nod, though if the voters are more swayed by offense, it probably goes to not my Vydas, not your Vydas, but our Vydas.
Starter - Shaquille O'Neal, Rockets (25.3 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 4.1 bpg)
Backup - Shawn Bradley, Blazers (13.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.4 bpg)
POWER FORWARD
One man. One mission. One starter. Kemp is pretty much the best in every statistical category among power forwards except assists but the only thing that will keep Kemp from starting at PF will be injury. The backup spot probably comes down to a Chris - either WEbber or Gatling. Webber is a better scorer and passer than Gatling, but Gatling gets more rebounds and blocks. Given my defensive leanings, I think Gatling probably sneaks into the backup spot, but this is a coin flip. Webber will have to try to get in as an at-large. Other guys going into the at-large pool include the all-around talent Danny Manning and Larry Johnson.
Starter - Shawn Kemp, Warriors (28.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 3.7 bpg)
Backup - Chris Gatling, Sonics (21.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
SMALL FORWARD
There are three candidates for this spot - Cedric Ceballos, Anfernee Hardaway, and Latrell Sprewell. Hardaway is the best scorer of the three (2.3 ppg more than the other two), Ceballos is the best rebounder (1.7 more rpg than Spree and 3.2 more than Hardaway), Hardaway is the best passer (2.3 apg more than Sprewell and 4.6 apg above Ceballos). Since Hardaway gets the edge in two categories, I'll have to give him the nod to start, even if he is a point guard. The backup spot comes down to Ceballos and Sprewell - nearly identical scoring, and Ceballos holds a 1.7 rpg edge but Spree has a 2.3 apg edge and a tiny steals per game edge). Given the talent around him - and the fact that Spree will have a couple more games carrying his sad-sack Clippers, I think Sprewell wins the coin flip and becomse the backup. Nick Anderson and Glenn Robinson, the next tier below the top three, get dumped into the at-large pool with Cedric for now.
Starter - Anfernee Hardaway, Mavericks (26.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.4 spg)
Backup - Latrell Sprewell, Clippers (23.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.4 spg)
SHOOTING GUARD
The West's backcourt is nowhere near as deep as the East's, but the guys at the top are some of the best two-way players in the league. Doug Christie and Eddie Jones are going to be battling for this spot, and I think Christie gets it. Jones scores 1.1 more ppg, but Christie adds 1.1 more rpg, 0.8 more apg, and 0.4 more spg. It could go either way. Jones is the obvious backup choice. Honorable mention to Glen Rice and Hersey Hawkins, I guess, who are the "second tier" choices in case of injury but won't make the squad even as at-large entries.
Starter - Doug Christie, Sonics (20.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.7 spg)
Backup - Eddie Jones, Lakers (21.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.3 spg)
POINT GUARD
This has been Kevin Johnson's spot by default since Sam Cassell died and the Mavericks decided to call Hardaway "not a point guard." This year should be no different, but the winds of change are in the air. Johnson will get the spot by virtue of averaging 9.4 apg, but the backup will be rookie Allen Iverson, who is already averaging 0.2 ppg more than KJ, is virtually tied in rebounds, and has 2.5 spg to KJ's 2.0. It's only Iverson's 6.7 apg (2.7 less than KJ) that keep him out of the starting lineup, but he's definitely the backup. The "second tier" guys that could step in should injury strike are Robert Pack (on the downside of his career) and Stephon Marbury (who is on the rise) but neither guy is a threat to make an at-large case for himself.
Starter - Kevin Johnson, Lakers (20.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 9.4 apg, 2.0 spg)
Backup - Allen Iverson, Suns (20.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.7 apg, 2.5 spg)
WILD CARDS
I could agonize over the cuts here, but frankly, things are pretty straightforward. Chris Webber just missed out at the backup PF slot and he's noticeably better than anyone but Ceballos. Ceballos just missed out at the backup SF slot ane he's noticeably better than anyone but Webber. Since I have two spots, I take both guys.
Wild Card 1 - Chris Webber, Wolves (23.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Wild Card 2 - Cedric Ceballos, Warriors (23.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg)
If I have to call a "last man out" among the remaining guys (and I do), I give it to Danny Manning, who is putting up numbers near the top of the group in every remaining statistical category and is probably the guy who will get named to the team if a frontcourt player gets injured going into the All Star Break.
Last Guy Out - Danny Manning, Blazers (19.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.1 bpg)
