Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

[jeremym480]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Just caught up on all of this. The writing and pics/gifs are phenomenal. Awesome job.

I sim the even numbered playoff games and play the odd ones. I have yet to have anyone put me in a spot for elimination ... though the Cavs were close. Man, a few shots go a different way and Cleveland has their first title. It was a really, really close series and the scores and play scream it.

Thanks to everyone else for the congratulations. I've won three-straight and feel like I got really challenged this time around. But what do you guys think? Do I need to ...

A. Bump up the difficulty to HOF from here on.

B. Further tweak the SuperStar sliders up for the CPU (as I did during the playoff run from the conference Finals onward).

C. Bump the difficulty to HOF and tweak them so the CPU's advantage isn't so pronounced.

D. Leave everything as is.

E. Other (whatever suggestion you got)


I really liked the way the Finals played out here, felt very close to life. I think the highlights speak to that, but the idea of getting a four-peat isn't appealing to me at all -- it's not done in the modern game. Only the Celtics did it (with an insane streak of titles between 1959-1966) and they had freakin' Bill Russell.

Let me know what think. I don't want this to get stale (it wasn't for me this playoff run -- there was some serious pulse-pounding moments there), but I don't want to seem like I'm dominating the league for domination's sake.

I'm way late on this and don't know if you've decided on anything yet. My vote would be for B. I think you could get better games mostly by significantly lowering your shooting sliders. You seem to shoot in the high 50's to low 60's in every game. That should really be down by 15% or so. Plus, from my experience you get a pretty nice boost from your Player Morale being high (which I imagine it is with as many games you have won) so you may want to tweak a few other things with that in mind as well.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Just caught up on all of this. The writing and pics/gifs are phenomenal. Awesome job.



I'm way late on this and don't know if you've decided on anything yet. My vote would be for B. I think you could get better games mostly by significantly lowering your shooting sliders. You seem to shoot in the high 50's to low 60's in every game. That should really be down by 15% or so. Plus, from my experience you get a pretty nice boost from your Player Morale being high (which I imagine it is with as many games you have won) so you may want to tweak a few other things with that in mind as well.

^I haven't decided anything yet, no. Honestly, I would prefer option B if I can get consistent results. But the CPU just seems to go deaf/dumb at certain times on Superstar, but plays like a *ucking Terminator on HOF.

Figuring out the best settings will be a chore and one that I'll embark on after the offseason concludes. I agree, my percentages for user-played games are on the high side, but since I only do 20-30 a year (and odd numbered playoff games), the averages barely get skewed at all.

Likely, my two best options are to drop my sliders between 5-10 points, raise the CPUs another 5-10, and keep it on Superstar. (Or maybe download a set of sliders that's highly rated.)

Option two would be to bump it up to HOF, which I hate doing, but if I lower the CPU sliders to make them less-god like, it would make it more competitive. I still keep coming back to the game designers saying the game was designed with Superstar difficulty in mind, so I really want to adhere to that.

Also, thanks for the compliments.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Yup, all good! Imgur is a good alternative btw.

^I'm beginning to eat away at my storage limits on photobucket (at 17% right now, three years into the dynasty, so I doubt I'll get a full 80 there). Likely, once that percentage gets into the 80s, I'll switch to another site to image host for the remainder of the dynasty and pray that it stays together too.

[jeremym480]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

^I haven't decided anything yet, no. Honestly, I would prefer option B if I can get consistent results. But the CPU just seems to go deaf/dumb at certain times on Superstar, but plays like a *ucking Terminator on HOF.

Figuring out the best settings will be a chore and one that I'll embark on after the offseason concludes. I agree, my percentages for user-played games are on the high side, but since I only do 20-30 a year (and odd numbered playoff games), the averages barely get skewed at all.

Likely, my two best options are to drop my sliders between 5-10 points, raise the CPUs another 5-10, and keep it on Superstar. (Or maybe download a set of sliders that's highly rated.)

Option two would be to bump it up to HOF, which I hate doing, but if I lower the CPU sliders to make them less-god like, it would make it more competitive. I still keep coming back to the game designers saying the game was designed with Superstar difficulty in mind, so I really want to adhere to that.

Also, thanks for the compliments.

I'm the same way except I'm normally play on All Star and Superstar is my HOF. I was playing 2k regularly from release until around mid-February and won the 16/17 championship with Memphis without making any major roster moves. Most of my playoff run went 6 or 7 games and pretty much all of the games were close. My team's player morale was in the 90's and I think that's the reason I could play with most of the teams that should have been way better than mine.

At that point I took a brief hiatus from 2k and just started playing again a few weeks ago. I started a new MyLeauge and simmed the first season. I am actually using Pro sliders and have lost a decent amount of games. My team's player morale was in the dumps (it was in the teens) when started actually playing games in season 2 and I think that along with a good slider set is the reason for my struggles. I'm sure I'll have to move back to All Star eventually, especially if I work my team's morale back up.

Anyway, I don't want to clog up your thread. One last suggestion I will make though is that you should consider changing playbooks since you have a new Head Coach. I believe that was another part of the reason for my struggles when I switched teams. If you use the same play book over and over you learn you tend to fall into using the plays that you know that works well, so switching forces you to lose those crutches.

Either way good luck with whatever you decide. I will be following.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

^Those are some good thoughts, especially the playbook bit. Since my new HC is Ime Udoka, his playbook is gonna be pretty Spurs flavored I think.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2018 Free Agency Preview: Top 5 Available

June 22nd, 2018

Vonny Lee

With the NBA Draft now over, the next stage of the NBA offseason is nearly upon us: free agency. The yearly tradition where some teams make questionable decisions, some teams score steals, and others flat-out sign the best players available. Last year, there were quite a few surprises -- the biggest likely being Chris Paul's signing by the Knicks -- and this year is no different. Free agency can change a franchise, for better or worse, and this year's class is among the most talented in some time.

1. DeMarcus Cousins

Cousins is among the most divisive stars since he entered the league and his supporters will cite his dominating, physical play (and his stats) in his defense while his detractors point out the flaws of his personality, and the big elephant in the room: Cousins has NEVER played on a winning team. Every team he has ever been a part of has tallied a losing record. Think about that. You can forgive him for the Kings disaster, as the front office and ownership situation was a mess even Michael Jordan couldn't have won in. But the better part of the last three years he has been a member of the Celtics and guess what? No playoffs. No winning records.

It's not as though Boston didn't try: they went out and traded for Otto Porter, they got Gordon Hayward, the accrued young, high-upside talent, but they simply couldn't get over the hump, even in the weaker East. Boston and Boogie never seemed like a good fit anyway, but the Celtics were convinced their championship culture, their legacy as an organization, and their devoted (or obsessive) fanbase would serve to mature Boogie. Instead, it only seemed to encourage Cousins to go his own way; yes, he wants to win, but his emotions and his need for the ball in the post sabotaged the team culture that Boston was trying to build.

It was a major misstep for Danny Ainge, but he -- and Brad Stevens -- still have the confidence of the ownership group. But both their jobs could be in jeopardy if the Celtics don't start well this season.

None of that matters to Cousins, who isn't coming back to Boston. Given that this is his first unrestricted free agency, expect Boogie to have plenty of suitors despite his personality and his failure to win anything.

Likely Suitors:

A. The Heat: Consider the Heat the leader in this particular clubhouse. Though Miami doesn't have much youth to it, it does have a championship culture, a veteran coach, good players, and a big need at center. History is on Miami's side here; Pat Riley can easily point to Alonzo Mourning, Shaq, and even Chris Bosh as big men who came through his doors and found success. Arguably, the Heat also have a greater need for Boogie than anyone else on this list, as their only under-30 potential all-star player is Justice Winslow, just 22. Boogie could sail in and become the franchise center for Miami as he leads the Heat into the next decade.

Boogie's image, however, would take a hit. Joining up with an already good team (that suffered many injuries last year) and one that has previously pulled off free agent coups certainly doesn't scream "alpha-dog".
Furthermore, Boogie, Dragic, Winslow, and Bosh may be poor fits for one another -- the fit between Bosh and Boogie especially is concerning, as Bosh's numbers would likely take a decent hit playing with another ball-dominant big. Would Chris Bosh accept that again if it meant another title? Only Bosh knows for sure. Miami's lack of future draft picks is also concerning, as well as how veteran its roster is.

Likelihood of signing: 6/10


B. The Bulls: Chicago is in desperate need of someone other than Jimmy Butler to score. Despite last year's moves to bring in Dwight Howard and Dwayne Wade (both expected to opt-out of their deals and seek greener pastures), the Bulls once again find themselves with oodles of cap space and confusion about how to use it. Boogie coming to Chicago would be a godsend for Butler, providing a 1B (or 1A) to Butler, forming a dynamic duo with up and comers like Dante Exum (who's thrived there) and Bobby Portis. Boogie can certainly score the ball plenty and his eccentric personality would be accepted in a town that once welcomed Dennis Rodman with open arms (even when he wore wedding dresses).

But Chicago has a poor reputation with players and that hasn't changed. Wade, once excited about his return to his hometown, has soured on the idea after feeling as though he was slighted by being bumped to the bench in the postseason (hence why he's opting out). Howard never really felt welcomed in a city that routinely found fault with his conduct on the court, despite his play being very solid, if not worthy of his contract. Boogie has been through the ringer already with fans and media alike in Sacramento and Boston; I doubt he's looking forward to another go around. Chicago's less-than pleasant winters also are a minus for a player who misses the nice weather of California.

Likelihood of signing: 5/10


C. The Wizards: John Wall and an insane amount of cap space is the only reason Boogie is considering coming to DC. Wall and the Wizards have underperformed in the regular season the last two years, but have seen success in the playoffs (making the ECF in 2017). With Wall and Bradley Beal already in Washington, Boogie could come in and immediately vault the Wizards into contender status. With Taj Gibson still there, Cousins won't have to worry about another big stealing his scoring thunder, and the idea of a Wall-Boogie PNR is very appealing, especially with Bradley Beal sniping from the arc. Add in the unknown Kelly Oubre (who has shown potential but could be another Wizards failure at the SF position) and that's an attractive starting five.

The issue here is lack of long-term security. Beal, Wall, Oubre, and Gibson all have their deals expire next summer at this point and the Wizards may not have enough cash to go around to pay Wall and Beal (along with Boogie's max salary). The Wizards organizational history of questionable moves and their inability to build a contender around John Wall is also a big strike against them. If Boogie ends up here, it's likely to be a 1+1 deal, giving Boogie a chance to hit FA again next summer if he wants to. Are the Wizards desperate enough to make that offer and risk losing Wall, Beal, and Boogie in the same offseason? Maybe. Washington has never been able to rope in a "big" free agent before; if the front office can do it here, even if Boogie leaves, the boost in reputation might be worth it long-term.


Likelihood of signing: 3/10


D. The Warriors: Never count out the Golden State Warriors. After making the trade to get rid of Draymond Green, the Warriors nearly finished the season in the playoffs after being left for dead by everyone (even their own fans). Golden State is in desperate need of a center and Boogie is the best one on the market. Them being based back in California also doesn't hurt and neither does the fact that they play in the same division as the Kings -- Boogie getting a chance to stick it to the organization that wasted so many years of his career might be more than enough to get him to sign on the dotted line.

The issue here is twofold: fit and money. In terms of fit, yes, the Warriors need a center, but Boogie is an offensive, scoring center. He plays defense -- plays it pretty solidly, actually -- but Golden State needs someone who can get around defensively and Boogie's never been that fleet of foot on the defensive end. The money issue also complicates things, as Boogie's max salary will lock the Warriors into their current team, allowing for little flexibility. Joel Embiid was a good fit for this team and they can match any offer a team sends at him, which will doubtless be less than what Boogie is asking for by a significant margin.

Likelihood of signing: 4/10

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2018 Free Agency Preview: Top 5 Available

June 22nd, 2018

Vonny Lee



2. Paul George

George was never expected to be as good as he's become, but he has his own set of concerns -- mainly, his devastating injury suffered over three years ago and the big drops in his numbers over the last two seasons.
PG13's supporters will always cite his great play on the court and how he bounced back from that injury with a stellar campaign in 15-16, averaging 22.2 PPG on very efficient numbers on a fringe playoff team for the Pacers. But his detractors would cite the last two years and the lack of a playoff appearance for the Pacers, as well as the way the team played with Derrick Favors and then Derrick Rose. Which Paul George is the real Paul George? The one who was ascending into league super-stardom before his injury (and the season immediately after) or the one whose play as declined the last two years as his team has added more talent?

Likely Suitors:

A. The Magic

You'd expect Pat Riley to find his way into this conversation, but Paul George has years of dislike built up against the Heat; he's not going there according to members of his camp. But the Magic? Now, there's a situation that intrigues George. Orlando certainly has a plethora of young players to surround George with, as well as a stud center in Vucevic. With new HC Dave Joerger, the Magic are looking to get back to playoffs sooner rather than later. Being in Florida, playing for a franchise that could use his talents, George would immediately become the defacto leader and focal point of the new-look Magic.

But the Magic's youth, inconsistent play, and new head coach are all things that may make George hesitate. While PG13 certainly is young enough to not land on a contender this time around and not really regret it, the sense in multiple NBA circles is that George wants to be in the playoffs and he wants to be in contention for a title again, something that hasn't happened since the Pacers were at their peak vs. the Miami Heat in the LeBron era. George will have to be convinced the Magic are serious about competing again -- and the Magic will have to be convinced that George is fully healed from his injury. Remember, this is the franchise that signed Grant Hill and got little return for their money.

Likelihood of signing: 5/10

B. The Wizards

PG13 is the Wizards Plan B if Cousins doesn't sign with them and it's easy to understand why; George could solve a number of problems for Washington. Unlike Cousins, George would likely seek a minimum three-year deal and the idea of playing without Wall or Beal wouldn't appeal to him, but it wouldn't bother him; George has thrived before as the best player on the team and could easily do so again in Washington. The Wizards don't have nearly the talent the Magic do, but they do have playoff experience and have gotten further both years than people would have believed.

The problem with Washington is that they're not a particularly "sexy" pick for George. John Wall would need to commit to the Wizards again to make it feasible for George to sign there and, if George did sign there, the Wizards would be hard-pressed to keep Beal. The lack of young talent, combined with their underwhelming regular seasons the last three years doesn't up Washington's appeal.

Likelihood of signing: 4/10

C. The Clippers

LA is currently a battleground again as the Lakers made the playoffs last season and, like the Clippers, were knocked out of the 1st round. But now, more than ever, the Clippers need a big move to keep their positive momentum going. Enter in Paul George, a California native who would be a game-changer for a franchise that struggled to make the playoffs last season (mostly due to injuries). With a roster laden with talent already (Jeff Teague, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan), George would join a team that would become an instant title-contender over-night.

The Clippers, however, would be locked into a salary cap hell if they did it. They'd probably need Jordan to renegotiate his contract or opt out this year (he can before the week is up) and have him re-signed AFTER the Clippers sign George. Furthermore, George would be "going home" for lack of a better term and the pressure/expectations associated with that type of move would be extraordinary. Fit is also a question -- Teague and Griffin are already ball-dominant enough, can George really get his touches? There are a lot of questions with this scenario but it could happen.

Likelihood of signing: 2/10

D. The Warriors

A wing player who can guard 1-4 and has something to prove? The Warriors might be interested. The departure of Draymond Green has left the Warriors in need of a more accomplished wing than Harrison Barnes (trade bait himself this offseason). George would be an interesting player to add to the Warriors, who don't need his offensive abilities as much as his defensive ones.

Again, the question of money and fit are big here: Golden State would need to really be frugal to fill their bench and other needs. They'd also need to be conscious of how George's touches -- or lack thereof -- would affect the team. George has never been known as a malcontent, but seeing as how his stats dropped across the board the last two years with the additions of Derrick Favors and Derrick Rose, it's possible he plays better as the primary scorer than in a secondary role of any sort. Would PG13 make that sacrifice to get to his first ever Finals? Would the Warriors risk another implosion after last year's debacle?

Likelihood of signing: 2/10

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2018 Free Agency Preview: Top 5 Available

June 22nd, 2018

Vonny Lee


3. Dwight Howard

D12 hasn't had an easy time of it since the end of his glory days in Orlando. From the Lakers, to the Rockets, to the Bulls, Howard is now -- once more -- a free agent. The difference from his past years, however, is that Howard seems to have found something that's been lacking in his previous years in the league: perspective.

Howard's production -- and reputation -- has taken a hit the last two seasons, but the league seems to be ready to move on. Howard hit this free agent market with considerably more grace than last season, and after his -- and Dwayne Wade's -- less-than-stellar experiences in Chicago last year, Howard is looking to join an organization that is considerably more stable.

But at 32, how much does D12 have left? And can he adjust to the talent around him?

Likely Suitors:

A. The Celtics

Boston already moved on from one center with maturity issues -- would they really sign another one? In this case, the answer is yes. The Celtics are in desperate need of a center who can shift the game defensively, and Dwight -- even at 32 -- can still do that. Furthermore, with no chance at Boogie, the Celtics have oodles of cap-space to spend and little to do with it. Isiah Thomas is likely to move on, as the Celtics want to start their young guard De'arron Fox at the point.

But the question becomes how serious is Dwight about finding a good landing spot? In terms of scheme and stability, the Celtics are a good match. But Howard won't be the star, he won't be the focal point -- at this point in his career, he's being brought in to stop people from scoring, not scoring on other people. Still, in only 27 minutes a game last year, he averaged 13.8 PPG with 9.7 RPG -- you bump that up to 30-32 minutes a night, and that's a double-double waiting to happen.

Likelihood of signing: 7/10

B. The Hornets

Michael Jordan likes big names -- his trade for Kevin Love last year proved that -- and the Hornets subsequent surprise run to the 1st seed out East has boosted their signal, so to speak, to the free agents of the NBA. Their loss in the 1st round against the understaffed Knicks, however, has left a very bad taste in the Hornets mouth. Adding Dwight to the mix would cover a multitude of weaknesses for the Hornets defensively and would make the lives of Kevin Love and Kemba Walker easier.

But adding Dwight might stifle the development of Frank Kaminsky, who wasn't a world-beater last season, but played better than many expected as a stretch-five. Charlotte's five-out attack is unique throughout the league and though they don't possess a rim-protector, they have a number of big bodies that can shoot. Signing Dwight might negate their best offensive advantage, which could be a bigger net-negative than anything else.

Likelihood of signing: 5/10

C. The Heat

Miami sees Dwight as a fallback option, but not one they should necessarily be ashamed of. Though Howard is by no means the force he once was, he's still a difference maker and joining up with a championship organization that helped LeBron and Chris Bosh get their first rings has an appeal to Howard. Add in the friendly Miami locale and tax breaks in Florida, and Howard sees the Heat as a viable alternative.

The issue here isn't fit, but money. Howard is willing to play for less in certain situations, but Miami barely has the cap space to toss a max offer his way. Add in the necessity of them retaining their own free agents and the Heat will need to ask Howard to take a paycut, possibly a steeper one than he'd like to.

Likelihood of signing: 3/10

D. The Mavericks

D12 to Dallas has been a rumor for many years now, but nothing came of it the first time and little is likely to come of it this time. Dallas is in full-rebuild mood and, though they could use a veteran presence on their roster full of young kids, the Mavericks will likely look elsewhere for that and not at Dwight.

That said, Dallas has plenty of cap room, would be willing to overpay for Howard if it needed to, and can offer Dwight a leadership position that he so desperately craves. His team likely wouldn't make the playoffs, but as a top-dog on a well-known franchise, would Dwight be okay with that?

Likelihood of signing: 1/10

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2018 Free Agency Preview: Top 5 Available

June 22nd, 2018

Vonny Lee

4. Brook Lopez

Lopez has finally hit the free agent market after years toiling away on New Jersey/Brooklyn, then the Wizards. Brook is likely to find his way to a playoff contender looking to make the leap into championship contender, but will Lopez be able to contribute more than his 15 PPG and 9 RPG would indicate?

Never known as a defensive presence or a rebounder, Lopez has nonetheless grown into a fairly solid contributor in both those facets of the game. If Brook is the missing piece, will he be able to keep his play?

Likely Suitors:

A. The Hornets:

Charlotte has seen first hand how good Brook Lopez can be and, again, would be a desirable piece to add to a team that won so much last year. Lopez isn't nearly the defender Howard is, but he's a more accomplished offensive player at this point and is only 30. Lopez's fit with Kevin Love also isn't much of a question -- Love's shooting and rebounding help cover Lopez's weaknesses in those areas as much as his defense covers Love.

But, Lopez has a tendency to be the center (pardon the pun) of any post offense. That would run counter to the Hornets, who space the floor with their entire team. If Lopez signs, the same problem with Dwight crops up here -- the loss of a unique offensive identity.

Likelihood of signing: 5/10

B. The Rockets

Houston, after having traded both Capela and Mosgov, are in need of a big man. With Pau Gasol still hanging around, Houston doesn't necessarily need a replacement yet, but will in the next few years. Lopez would make for an interesting -- if crowded -- fit on a roster that now boasts Mike Conley, James Harden, Rudy Gay, and Pau Gasol. Signing Lopez would shift Gasol to the four, but would give the Rockets the most talented starting five in the NBA.

But is more of a good thing really a good thing? Lopez and Gasol might not be able to coexist, let along coexist with Gay, Harden, and Conley. Houston can take the risk -- Gay, Conley, and Gasol all are free agents in 2019 -- but would they be too top-heavy of a team? Would Houston really be able to share the ball effectively enough for all involved?

Likelihood of signing: 4/10

C. The Raptors

Toronto shifted Valanciunas to the four last year and his individual numbers soared; the team's record plummeted, however, and the Raptors are left to ask just how to fix the team that went to the Finals in 2017? Adding in Lopez would allow Valanciunas to stay at the four and solidify their starting five.

Lopez also might not fix their problem at all -- it's entirely possible that only by shifting Valanciunas back to the five and adding in a real power-forward (preferably one that shoots triples but the market is very thin on those this season) can Toronto fix their team. Further complicating matters it the contract of Kyle Lowry (a free agent this summer) and what to do with DeMarre Carroll.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2018 Free Agency Preview: Top 5 Available

June 22nd, 2018

Vonny Lee

5. Derrick Favors

Derrick Favors was once thought of as a franchise big man, especially with the Jazz, but he simply has underperformed and disappointed. Once he landed in Indiana, his scoring dropped and so did his percentages. He simply wasn't cut out for what the Pacers were running it seemed and the addition of Derrick Rose didn't help things -- last season he only averaged 11.8 PPG with 9.0 RPG. Not bad numbers, but very underwhelming for a player that only three years before looked to be close to breaking out.

Favors is free now, though, and the Pacers have no intentions of offering for him to come back. Now that he's out, the 27-year old has a chance to redefine what the league thinks of him and reclaim his career.

Likely Suitors:

A. The Heat

Miami is searching for a young big man and if they don't get DeMarcus Cousins, expect them to call up Derrick Favors. Favors and the Heat's other big man, Chris Bosh, both hail from Georgia Tech and the two have similar mindsets -- neither was seen as a "alpha-dog" but both performed well anyway. Bosh has learned how to be an alpha since LeBron left and the Heat certainly could use an infusion of youth.

The main issue here is how Derrick Favors will perform with a team that's so tilted towards getting Dragic/Bosh involved in the offense. Favors often felt forgotten in Indiana and he might feel even more so in Miami. His numbers won't improve that much and he might be better off on a team that isn't so laden with veteran talent.

Likelihood of signing: 5/10

B. The Bulls

Chicago is in need of someone who can score in the low-post as Bobby Portis has proved he can defend it, but not score consistently there. Derrick Favors isn't as offensively accomplished as his fellow big-men free agents, but he's flashed potential before and playing with former-teammate Dante Exum would give Favors an instant sense of familiarity.

Chicago's reputation, however, is tainted thanks to the exits of Wade and Howard; Jimmy Butler isn't a particularly easy teammate to play with and Favors might find himself even more marginalized in a town that worships at the altar of Michael Jordan and compares every player that walks through the door to His Airness.

Likelihood of signing: 4/10

C. The Blazers

Portland was riddled with injuries last year, which stopped them from capitalizing on their playoff success from 2017. Despite that, the future is still bright in Portland, and the addition of Derrick Favors to their lineup (as a center, mind you) would allow the Blazers to take some pressure off Damian Lillard.

Favors would be able to seek some payback on the Jazz, a divisional rival, but he'd have to play as a center, something he hasn't consistently done since he was with the Jazz. Would Portland clog up their cap sheet with a Favors contract, especially considering they already have Noah Vonleh at the four -- a much younger big man with a higher upside than Favors at this point?

Likelihood of signing: 3/10

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I'm heading on vacation this week, so I won't be back at my home PC till next Saturday -- as such, there will likely be no updates for the next week. But I've gotten free agency sorted out and training camps complete, so when I get back we'll jump into that, as well as wrap up (for now) a story thread.

But, before I left, I wanted to drop in my first result with the tweaked sliders. I've bumped up the CPUs sliders another 3-5 across the board and have decided to use the Bucks as my test opponents (they're stacked with talent at this point with Jamal Murray, Rashad Vaughn, The Greek Freak, Jabari Parker, and Marc Gasol) and what a test game last night.





As you can see, I was drowning for most of the game. The Bucks had me by the throat and were locking me down defensively -- Marc Gasol is gonna make them really good this season I think. I was down 79-64 entering the final quarter and they managed to extend that lead to 17 by the 9:00 mark.

But I finally managed to spring Newman free off the screens and, after some really dangerous cross court passing, I managed to get him in rhythm from behind the arc. That finally opened up my offense -- I'm running the Spurs playbook (no alterations) and it's way different from my own personal playbook.

Anyway, as you can see from the percentages, the averages look much better this time around. Jabari Parker was straight up murdering Markieff (dude scored like 26 points and was drawing fouls insanely, he's gonna be good IRL). Overall, I'm pleased with how the game went -- man, was I sweating it and feeling like complete crap that I, a three-time champ, was struggling against the Bucks!

But we pulled it out. I figure I need to run this test about 10 times -- I want to lose half of these games, so I need to go 5/10. Or, if I get to 5 before they win even one, we know the sliders are poor -- basically, I want to treat this like a playoff series, so I would prefer a trade off, one win, one loss.

I was close to that loss this time but we came back -- three-time champs can do that -- but I definitely need to find a set of sliders that let me lose roughly 50% of the time.

So, if anyone comes across any, please stick them here and I'll take a look at them. I'm still rolling with Superstar, but if I can't find a set of sliders good enough on them, I'll just have to bump it up to HOF.

[studbucket]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

If you're able to save/share those sliders, I'd be interested in playing with them, as I've worked at slowly upping the difficulty in my league with the Hornets. I think you're still 1-2 steps ahead of me in difficulty, so I'd like to try some similar sliders to you out, which will also allow me to give you better feedback.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

If you're able to save/share those sliders, I'd be interested in playing with them, as I've worked at slowly upping the difficulty in my league with the Hornets. I think you're still 1-2 steps ahead of me in difficulty, so I'd like to try some similar sliders to you out, which will also allow me to give you better feedback.

That's a good thought, should have done that before I left. But, I'll toss them out here when I get back. Also had another thought -- rather than playing 20 full games a season, what if I only played the 4th quarter of all games in a season? I question whether that would allow the CPU a better chance (theoretically, they could use the first 3 quarters to build a lead). I never thought of it before, so I figure I'll throw it out there and see what the masses think of it.

[studbucket]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

That's a good thought, should have done that before I left. But, I'll toss them out here when I get back. Also had another thought -- rather than playing 20 full games a season, what if I only played the 4th quarter of all games in a season? I question whether that would allow the CPU a better chance (theoretically, they could use the first 3 quarters to build a lead). I never thought of it before, so I figure I'll throw it out there and see what the masses think of it.

It's an interesting idea that's worth trying. Would end up being about 20 games and could be fun. Maybe try it for the first 2 months? Or maybe play 10 games until the ASG, then do 4th quarter (so you can get a feel for your players)?

The only downsides I can think of are for:
1) Game recaps. You have less of a feel for the game and you can't get as much video.
2) Getting a feel for your team and the proper rotations. You don't want to go into the playoffs "blind."

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

It's an interesting idea that's worth trying. Would end up being about 20 games and could be fun. Maybe try it for the first 2 months? Or maybe play 10 games until the ASG, then do 4th quarter (so you can get a feel for your players)?

The only downsides I can think of are for:
1) Game recaps. You have less of a feel for the game and you can't get as much video.
2) Getting a feel for your team and the proper rotations. You don't want to go into the playoffs "blind."

Both are true points. The rotations are going to be interesting this year, I can go ten deep legitimately, but I hate to do it -- the minutes just aren't there and Udoka has some interesting rotations up his sleeve based on how he set them up initially -- which I'm not against, actually, but it does certainly change the complexion of things on the floor.

I really enjoy playing full games and would hate to just BS three full quarters of a game in the recap (I could, but it's just not as fun).

I feel like if I do 20 it doesn't radically shift the W/L record IF I can find some sliders to make things tougher. Honestly, the regular season is the warm-up for the playoffs -- that's where I want to face the toughest challenge and this year was definitely tougher.