SEASON 41 MBA PREVIEW
Season 41 appears to be shaping up similarly to Season 40, where the same two teams, Oklahoma City and Charleston, stand tall in their divisions while the rest of the MBA is very evenly matched.
But with Naf Naf leaving defending champion Oklahoma City and joining Charleston, the latter is now the overall favorite.
THE WEST
Oklahoma City Lariats
PREDICTED FINISH: First
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: First, 8-2 (5-0) Champions!
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 40
ROSTER TURNOVER: 40 percent
BIGGEST LOSSES: G-Naf Naf
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: F-Pap Smearz, G-Akbar Zagobia
WEAKNESS: League’s oldest overall roster
STRENGTH: Depth, Defense, Offense
THE SKINNY: Suffered the worst single loss by any MBA team ever but still considered big favorite to win the West. They are so deep that forward Bang-Bang Reiner and his second-leading team scoring average of 16.8 starts the campaign off the bench. Zagobia makes the league’s strongest defensive team even stronger. Don’t pity the Lariats.
San Jose Fighting Amigos
PREDICTED FINISH: Second
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Third, 5-5
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 39
ROSTER TURNOVER: 20 percent – Lowest in the league.
BIGGEST LOSSES: None
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: F-Sven Marquardt, F-Doo-Rag Dripp (rookie)
WEAKNESS: Defense at guard.
STRENGTH: Scoring, Depth
THE SKINNY: Injury to Dayshotta Leo last season hurt bad, but still just missed playoffs. Starting lineup solid and bench boasts top rookie forward Doo-Rag Dripp, league’s best reserve center Hunk R. Down, guard Louie Subgum and instant offense forward Bruce Hammer.
Seattle Stampede
PREDICTED FINISH: Third
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Second, 5-5, (2-3) lost in finals.
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 40
ROSTER TURNOVER: 30 percent
BIGGEST LOSSES: C-George Gershwin
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: G-Mel A. Noma, C-Carga Larga (rookie)
WEAKNESS: Defense, plus best player (Vampire) injury prone
STRENGTH: Two “8” passers in lineup…a first.
THE SKINNY: Can never count out Stampede, especially if Ginger Vampire stays healthy. Addition of Noma pushes a 16.5 ppg scorer, Bob Kittle to the bench. Better team than last season’s runner-up squad.
Sacramento River Dogs
PREDICTED FINISH: Fourth
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Last, 4-6
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 34
ROSTER TURNOVER: 30 percent
BIGGEST LOSSES: None
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: G- Con Gusto (rookie)
WEAKNESS: Scoring…last in league at 67.8 per game, Defense
STRENGTH: Strong front line of Ryan Sherwood, Bill Cull, Tree Fiddy
THE SKINNY: Injuries to Fiddy (3 games) and Cull (5 games) derailed the R-Dogs last season. Rookie point guard Con Gusto adds size and D.
Los Angeles Big One
PREDICTED FINISH: Last
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Fourth, 5-5
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 36
ROSTER TURNOVER: 30 percent
BIGGEST LOSSES: F-Pap Smearz, G-Akbar Zagobia
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: G-Bingo Bango (rookie)
WEAKNESS: Scoring and Defense
STRENGTH: Bench offense from Bango, Guy Clark, Faku Sosume
THE SKINNY: Lost team MVP Smearz and Hrundi Bakshi looking old.
THE EAST
Charleston Mountaineers
PREDICTED FINISH: First
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: First, 7-3 (0-2)
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 40
ROSTER TURNOVER: 30 percent
BIGGEST LOSSES: Substitute guard Mel A. Noma
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: League MVP G-Naf Naf, F-WaWa Wewa (rookie)
WEAKNESS: Rebounding
STRENGTH: All stars at every position, bench could field good team.
THE SKINNY: A threat to go 10-0. Favorite to win it all. Don’t know if they’ll hit the 100 mark 7 times like last season’s Lariats, but they should be every bit as dominant. Have three favorites to earn All-MBA in starting lineup (Naf Naf, J.J. Gargantuan, B. Quiet) and two-time playoff MVP Beezow Bop-Bop. Forward Pietro Destroyer beyond solid.
Chicago Gale
PREDICTED FINISH: Second
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Last, 3-7
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 38
ROSTER TURNOVER: 50 percent (tied for highest in league)
BIGGEST LOSSES: None
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: Rookies G- Norman Conquest, F-Santo Thomas
WEAKNESS: Still scoring, worst in East last year at 68.6
STRENGTH: Defense, best in East last season, got better.
THE SKINNY: Revamped lineup is MBA’s youngest overall and could make the jump from last to playoffs in weaker of the two divisions. Then again, they could also finish last and it would be no surprise. Success of season rests in hands of two rookie starters.
Dallas Demons
PREDICTED FINISH: Third
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Fourth, 4-6
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 39
ROSTER TURNOVER: 50 percent (tied for highest in league)
BIGGEST LOSSES: F-Sven Marquardt
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: Entire bench is new, stronger.
WEAKNESS: MBA’s oldest starting lineup.
STRENGTH: Powerful rebounding bunch.
THE SKINNY: After rough debut in the East, Dallas still has the old horses to make a playoff bid. They’ll need big years from veteran center Naceg Gecan and 15-season forward Gulemon Mon-Mon.
Philadelphia Phobia
PREDICTED FINISH: Fourth
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Third, 4-6
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 38
ROSTER TURNOVER: 50 percent (tied for highest in league)
BIGGEST LOSSES: G-Achtu Meinlieber, F-Buck Naked (both retired)
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: G-Brownie McShytles (rookie)
WEAKNESS: New starting forwards Ape Con Myth and Poodles Jackson
STRENGTH: Point guard Colquitt Croix and center Diss Reflexia
THE SKINNY: Youngest starting lineup in the MBA has three untested newcomers. If they pan out, playoffs. But it's a big IF.
Milwaukee Greyhounds
PREDICTED FINISH: Last
SEASON 40 RECORD AND FINISH: Second, 5-5 (0-2)
MOST RECENT PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 40
ROSTER TURNOVER: 30 percent
BIGGEST LOSSES: Second-leading scorer G- Simon Barsinister (15.5)
BIGGEST ADDITIONS: Backup rookie center Dobby Squatpump
WEAKNESS: Scoring, Defense, Bench
STRENGTH: Forwards Baba Brinkman and Danke Shame
THE SKINNY: Got zero help in draft, lost starter, three others got worse.
PRE-SEASON AWARD PREDICTIONS
All MBA
Guard—Naf Naf, Charleston
Guard—Colquitt Croix, Philadelphia
Center—J.J. Gargantuan, Charleston
Forward—Pap Smearz, Oklahoma City
Forward—B. Quiet, Charleston
League MVP
Guard--Naf Naf, Charleston
Rookie of the Year
Guard -- Brownie McShytles, Philadelphia*
• The top three rated rookies prior to the draft all landed on teams where they are blocked from the starting lineup and will start their careers on the bench.
HALL OF FAME WATCH (Players entering Season 41 with 5 or more awards on their card)
Ten needed for Hall of Fame (Six awards possible for a rookie in any one year…five for all others)
ACTIVE HALL OF FAMERS
Hrundi V. Bakshi, 13th season guard, Los Angeles (19 awards)
Max Payne, 16th season center, Oklahoma City (17 awards)
Naf Naf, 5th season guard, Charleston (15 awards)
Seven
B. Quiet, 7th season forward, Charleston
Gulemon Mon-Mon, 15th season forward Dallas
Yipeekayee Masterfalcon, 7th season guard, Oklahoma City
Six
Naceg Gecan, 7th season center, Dallas
Diss Reflexia, 6th season center, Philadelphia
Beezow Doo-Doo Zopitty Bop Bop-Bop, 8th season guard, Charleston
Walt White, 12th season guard, Charleston
Pippi Pippistrelli, 4th season center, San Jose
Ginger Vampire, 10th season guard, Seattle
Five
J.J. Gargantuan, 4th season, center, Charleston
Vic Hitler, 5th season forward, Los Angeles
NEXT UP: LET THE GAMES BEGIN--1ST BRACKET
Los Angeles at San Jose
Oklahoma City at Sacramento
Dallas at Milwaukee
Chicago at Charleston
Seattle at Philadelphia
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