*The Tuesday Newsletter Extravaganza actually features a Strat-O-Matic simulation of what will happen this season ... but you'll enjoy all of it. Especially if you're a long-suffering Timberwolves fan
I think that’s right (?) and the conclusion is the Bullets from 69-79 don’t get nearly enough love. 4 finals appearances in 10 years and nary a mention these days. Hayes and especially Unseld deserve better, imo.
Going to try the Finals winners from 76-77 to 80-81 without looking, since this happened during my formative basketball watching years (or coincided with, so I read a ton of little handbooks and almanacs, etc. to just gobble up all the details).
76-77: Trailblazers (over.. was it the 76ers?)
77-78: Bullets (over Supersonics)
78-79: Supersonics (over Bullets)
79-80: Lakers (over 76ers)
80-81: Celtics (over Rockets)
First finals I remember watching or following in earnest was the year the Seattle Supersonics won. Lenny Wilkins coaching Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams, and Jack Sikma (pre-perm) up against Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Bobby Dandridge etc.. I remember being told the same two teams played the prior season, so I assumed these were the best two teams in the league.
Technically.. wasn't their 6 straight seasons of different champions (if you start with the Warriors in '74-75 and go through the Lakers in '80-81)? If I remember correctly, Boston won in '75-76 over Phoenix, a victory I used to incorrectly think of as a 'Phoenix' championship season for some reason, but that would be.. Warriors, Celtics, Trailblazers, Bullets, Supersonics, and Lakers. The 70's was an interesting decade for basketball (the 'parity', the ABA merger, etc.).
No Finals pick poll or anything, Stein? Well, as much as I hate giving picks/predictions to things before they start, it is funny to have them on file to look back at (mostly to laugh at). I'm leaning towards a Nuggets-Celtics Finals but I see many people doing that same pick, so just to be different (and be a slight homer after the run to the WCF) I'll say Lakers-Celtics.
The link to the piece about Andre Iguodala doesn't seem to work, but perhaps he should have gotten into more all-star games than he actually did. Before he came to Golden State he was for several years the best player on a good Philly team. It's my recollection that he was heavily criticized (unfairly) by his own fans for not being the superstar that they wanted him to be, because though he put up respectable offensive numbers, he wasn't necessarily a go-to scorer. (I think that Kevin Garnett may have suffered from similar criticism while he was with Minnesota.) Sometimes averaging 30 points a game, albeit inefficiently, gets more all-star votes than being a great defender and playmaker who runs the floor and makes great decisions.
I always support any predictions that go against the grain or not safe picks. Sports just isn’t like that, which is suppose to be the fun part. Every young team isn’t going to take a leap, every team won’t perform to expectations and teams with no expectations surprises everyone.
Sad to see my pelicans miss the playoffs again. Wolves being top seed would shock everyone. Suns being in the playin would be shocker as well.
For my predictions, I have Rockets making play in, Warriors missing the playoffs, Pels being a top 3 team (Bias), Hawks will be a top 3 team in the east, Cleveland will have a rough year.
Love Stratomatic. Only owned one season of the digital game - it was the 2012-2013 season and the Nuggets always outperformed their real season. I bought that year because it was the year they released their "greatest players" set. SI had their writers draft from the All-Time Greats: Hoops Top 120 set, and it got my interest. I still have the 10 drafted teams in a Word document.
Trivia:
75: Warriors over bullets
76: Celtics over suns
77: blazers over Sixers
78: bullets over Sonics
79: Sonics over bullets
80: lakers over Sixers
81: Celtics over rockets
I think that’s right (?) and the conclusion is the Bullets from 69-79 don’t get nearly enough love. 4 finals appearances in 10 years and nary a mention these days. Hayes and especially Unseld deserve better, imo.
Going to try the Finals winners from 76-77 to 80-81 without looking, since this happened during my formative basketball watching years (or coincided with, so I read a ton of little handbooks and almanacs, etc. to just gobble up all the details).
76-77: Trailblazers (over.. was it the 76ers?)
77-78: Bullets (over Supersonics)
78-79: Supersonics (over Bullets)
79-80: Lakers (over 76ers)
80-81: Celtics (over Rockets)
First finals I remember watching or following in earnest was the year the Seattle Supersonics won. Lenny Wilkins coaching Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams, and Jack Sikma (pre-perm) up against Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Bobby Dandridge etc.. I remember being told the same two teams played the prior season, so I assumed these were the best two teams in the league.
Technically.. wasn't their 6 straight seasons of different champions (if you start with the Warriors in '74-75 and go through the Lakers in '80-81)? If I remember correctly, Boston won in '75-76 over Phoenix, a victory I used to incorrectly think of as a 'Phoenix' championship season for some reason, but that would be.. Warriors, Celtics, Trailblazers, Bullets, Supersonics, and Lakers. The 70's was an interesting decade for basketball (the 'parity', the ABA merger, etc.).
What did StartO have for Kyrie's games played??
Woof! Time to throw stratomatic in the trash, lol.
No Finals pick poll or anything, Stein? Well, as much as I hate giving picks/predictions to things before they start, it is funny to have them on file to look back at (mostly to laugh at). I'm leaning towards a Nuggets-Celtics Finals but I see many people doing that same pick, so just to be different (and be a slight homer after the run to the WCF) I'll say Lakers-Celtics.
I love strat-o-matic! thanks for the memories.
The link to the piece about Andre Iguodala doesn't seem to work, but perhaps he should have gotten into more all-star games than he actually did. Before he came to Golden State he was for several years the best player on a good Philly team. It's my recollection that he was heavily criticized (unfairly) by his own fans for not being the superstar that they wanted him to be, because though he put up respectable offensive numbers, he wasn't necessarily a go-to scorer. (I think that Kevin Garnett may have suffered from similar criticism while he was with Minnesota.) Sometimes averaging 30 points a game, albeit inefficiently, gets more all-star votes than being a great defender and playmaker who runs the floor and makes great decisions.
I always support any predictions that go against the grain or not safe picks. Sports just isn’t like that, which is suppose to be the fun part. Every young team isn’t going to take a leap, every team won’t perform to expectations and teams with no expectations surprises everyone.
Sad to see my pelicans miss the playoffs again. Wolves being top seed would shock everyone. Suns being in the playin would be shocker as well.
For my predictions, I have Rockets making play in, Warriors missing the playoffs, Pels being a top 3 team (Bias), Hawks will be a top 3 team in the east, Cleveland will have a rough year.
Love Stratomatic. Only owned one season of the digital game - it was the 2012-2013 season and the Nuggets always outperformed their real season. I bought that year because it was the year they released their "greatest players" set. SI had their writers draft from the All-Time Greats: Hoops Top 120 set, and it got my interest. I still have the 10 drafted teams in a Word document.
I like your real predictions over the Stratomatic ones :)
WAY too negative on the Raptors!
Congrats on your Cedric Ceballos Year, Marc!
Here's to a great year and onto your Magic Johnson year next year! 🏀🏀🏀
Seeing Phoenix as a lower seed in the “playoffs” is a little surprising. I thought they’d be in the top four. Interesting.
If the laker play the kings in the playoffs, better get the brooms out. Lakers in 4. 🧹🧹🧹🧹