Season 38 Review and Playoff Preview

Four teams go 7-3, Naf Naf of Oklahoma City named MVP second time in his first two seasons and visitors, for the first time in MBA history, get more wins than do the home teams.








Naf Naf walks away with the top individual honor, but two unlikely MVP candidates from Dallas (yes, Boogart is from Dallas even though sheet doesn't say so)are second and third in the voting. Mon-Mon, in his 12th season, gets his first All-MBA star, as does his fellow forward Matthew Vanden Boogart, who was a last-minute starter for the Demons in his 6th season.
In a league experiencing the most talented group of centers active at one time, rookie Pippi "Bats" Pippistrelli of San Jose outplays them all to win both Rookie of the Year and All-MBA honors.
Sacramento rookie forward Bill Cull becomes the lone bright spot for the River Dogs.


Team MVPs show a good mix of youngsters and veterans.
Lemon Jell-o, who joined Dallas from Oklahoma City, probably made the hugest difference in his new team from the previous campaign. Jell-o, who led the league in steals for a record sixth consecutive year, was most responsible for the Demons going from the worst defensive team in Season 37 to the league's best defensive team in Season 38.
Likewise, Charleston's rookie center J.J. Gargantuan was undeniably most responsible for keeping the Mountaineers in contention until the final game of the season after they lost veteran star Beezow Bop-Bop early in the year.
Chicago rejoined the playoff picture after getting Hall of Fame center Max Payne in the draft and the league's other Hall of Famer Hrundi V. Bakshi of Milwaukee led the Greyhounds to a near-playoff spot, falling just short at 6-4.



Look at the centers. Less than one GVP separates the All-MBA center from the fourth-rated pivot in the league, and the fifth-rated center was only 1.5 GVP points off the pace. Pippistrelli gets top honors, but the next four centers are all playing on in the post-season.



This post season is up for grabs.

Oklahoma City vs. Philadelphia is a re-match of last season's upset, which saw the Phobia oust the favored Lariats.
The Lariats are the highest scoring team in the league, but Philadelphia is the second-highest.
Oklahoma City, largely due to a record year by league MVP Naf Naf, was the top 3-point shooting team ever.
Philadelphia has the highest shooting percentage in the league at 62.1 percent; but Oklahoma City is second at 61.9.

Chicago vs. Dallas should be another tough series, but it's likely to be lower in scoring. Dallas is the league's top defensive team and by far the best rebounding team in the MBA.
But Chicago is the next best defensive team, leading the league in blocked shots. However, they will be without their second-best shot blocker Stu Gatz, lost to injury.

I want to say Oklahoma City is favored because of Naf Naf, but then Philly comes at you with two superstars in T.Kanes Masterson and Diss Reflexia. Dallas, too, could be considered a favorite, with four starters having brilliant years and both forwards making All-MBA.

The only team it's tough to make a case for is Chicago, but they have Max Payne, who is looking for his fourth championship ring with four different franchises.