Thursday, November 21, 2024

Season 55...Featured Game No. 9...Oklahoma City at Dallas


DALLAS 79, OKLAHOMA CITY 76

DEMONS COME ROARING BACK FOR WIN

DALLAS -- It's been proven time and again that no lead is safe from the mighty three-time-defending-champion Dallas Demons, and the dominant ones underlined that point again with a 79-76 victory over Oklahoma City.

The visiting Lariats led by 11 points going into the fourth quarter, but as is so often the case, that margin proved to be a trifle for Dallas. Halfway through the final period, the Demons had already put themselves within a point of the lead, which they finally took over on a bucket by substitute forward Venial Sinn with 20 ticks remaining.

Sinn was in the game thanks to a brawl between Dallas forward Satan Israel and Oklahoma City forward Buba Lipa, which ended with technicals on both players and an ejection to that age-old troublemaker, Satan. 

Dallas held a 1-point lead when a Demons miss with time running out gave the Lariats a chance for the rebound and a winning bucket. But Sinn skied for the rebound, grabbed it and scored at the buzzer for the final 3-point margin.

It was the eighth straight time Dallas has beaten Oklahoma City and it eliminated the Lariats from playoff contention.

This game also clinched the playoffs for Charleston. It will be their first post-season appearance since Season 49. 

PLAYER OF THE GAME
41 GVP...Who else but Hall of Fame guard JUZAN DJINN, who is shooting for back-to-back MVP honors and cut the heart out of the Lariats in this win. The two-way-player extraordinaire went off for a game-high 28 points while blocking a game-high 6 shots, assisting 3 times and pulling down 4 rebounds. He badly out-played his opposite, Handsy Joe Potatoe, and has now tied Pinky Toe of Los Angeles with 4 POGs this season. The 6-2 two guard was 9 for 16 from the floor and 6 of 7 from the foul line. He came into the game shooting just 24.2 percent from beyond the arc, but murdered Oklahoma City with a 4 for 5 game from deep. 


Other 20-plus GVP performers
32 GVP...Oklahoma City Hall of Fame forward Crentis Dentist...24 points...4 steals...2 blocks...2 assists.
28 GVP...Oklahoma City rookie center Poop-Rupiah 3000...19 points...6 rebounds...2 blocks...1 assist
27 GVP...Dallas Demons point guard Vicious Hick...21 points (3 treys)...4 rebounds...2 assists. 
21 GVP...Oklahoma City power forward Phillip Mianus...10 points...5 rebounds...3 assists...3 blocks
20 GVP...Dallas forward Pete "the Steakman" Marzano...12 points...4 rebounds...3 blocks...1 steal

MBA Standings … Season 55

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….8-1 (clinched playoffs and home court advantage)

CHARLESTON………. 6-3 (clinched playoffs)

PHILADELPHIA………4-4 (eliminated)

OKLAHOMA CITY…..4-5 (eliminated)

MILWAUKEE……….. 2-7 (eliminated)

 

WEST DIVISION

SEATTLE………….5-3

SAN JOSE………… 5-3

GILLETTE…………5-3

SACRAMENTO… 2-6 (eliminated)

LOS ANGELES….. 1-7 (eliminated)

NEXT UP: First-place Seattle travels to last-place Los Angeles where the Stampede, being chased by two teams, hopes to keep its place atop the West. This may be the final home game ever in Los Angeles, but The Big One can still salvage the city with a win or two in their final games.


Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Season 55 Featured Game No. 8...Gillette at Seattle

GILLETTE 76, SEATTLE 74

HUMPS MAKE IT A 3-WAY RACE IN WEST

SEATTLE -- Player of the Game Bellybutton Inquisition of Seattle got himself free for an uncontested medium jump shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game, but his shot rattled in and out, and the visiting Gillette Humps triumphed 76-74.

Inquisition's miss was preceded by a clutch 3-pointer by Lefty Scavenger at the 3 time unit mark that gave Gillette the winning margin. 

The win by Gillette gives the West three teams with 5-3 records, with the Humps and Stampede joined by San Jose. 

The road win came despite an outstanding defensive effort from Seattle, which prevented 20 Gillette points.

The teams split the season series.

POINTS PREVENTED BY QUARTERS
Gillette...0...0...4...0...Total=4
Seattle....7...0...7...6...Total=20

TOPS IN POINTS PREVENTED
1. Chochky Galumpkus, Seattle...7
2. Erik A. Crocidale, Seattle...6

PLAYER OF THE GAME
27 GVP...5-11 Seattle point guard BELLYBUTTON INQUISITION did everything possible short of hitting that last-second jumper to try and get his team the win. The third-year guard scored a game-high 23 points on 8 for 15 shooting, going 3 for 3 from long range and driving to the cup for a pair of slam dunks. He was 4 for 6 from the foul line, adding 3 rebounds and an assist and solidly out-performing Joey Shamadu, Jr. of Gillette. This was the second POG of the season for Inquisition, who was also top man in the early-season win against this same Gillette team. He's now averaging 15.4 points per game and leads the Stampede in scoring. 
Other 20-plus GVP performers
24 GVP...Gillette center Blob Dylan...21 points...3 rebounds.
23 GVP...Seattle forward Erik A. Crocidale...17 points (6 slams)...2 rebounds...3 blocks...2 rebounds...1 assist...6 points prevented.
22 GVP...Gillette forward Dark Urine...12 points...5 rebounds...3 blocked shots...1 steal...1 assist. 
20 GVP...Gillette two guard Lefty Scavenger...10 points...5 assists...4 rebounds...1 blocked shot.
20 GVP...Seattle center Chochky Galumpkus...11 points...4 rebounds...4 assists...1 block...7 points
 prevented.


MBA Standings … Season 55

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS……………….6-1

PHILADELPHIA………4-3

CHARLESTON………. 4-3

OKLAHOMA CITY…..3-4

MILWAUKEE……….. 2-5

 

WEST DIVISION

SEATTLE………….5-3

SAN JOSE………… 5-3

GILLETTE…………5-3

SACRAMENTO… 2-5

LOS ANGELES….. 1-7 (eliminated)

 

NEXT UP: Philadelphia at Charleston in a huge East Division game between the two teams (with identical records) vying for that second playoff spot behind mighty  Dallas. The Phobia finishes its season against Dallas, which would give it at least four losses. A loss to the Mountaineers would be 5 losses, and not many .500 teams make the playoffs in the East. Philly did a number on Charleston in their first meeting, winning 81-69, despite a POG effort from Mountaineer guard Kopi Luwak.

Note: We may skip the above game for now depending on Tyler’s schedule. That would mean the next game would be Milwaukee at Dallas.




Monday, November 4, 2024

Season 55...Featured Game No. 7...plus Bracket 7 Summary...plus look at next bracket...plus 3-point shooting Bonus

DALLAS 71, SEATTLE 52 (Slaughter Rule Enforced)

DEMONS ROLL OVER BEST IN WEST

DALLAS -- Despite shooting just 45.2 percent, the Dallas Demons (now 6-1) easily defeated the top team in the West Division, the Seattle Stampede (now 5-2), increasing their lead with every quarter for a final Slaughter Rule score of 71-52. 

It was the fifth consecutive win for the three-time defending champions, who have vanquished their last 5 opponents by an average of 22 points per win.

Coming into the contest, this cross-over game featured the top two offenses, the top 2 rebounding teams and the two of the league's 3 top defenses. 

Both teams remained in first place in their respective divisions, with the East now holding a 5-2 advantage in cross-over contests.

Points Prevented by team...Dallas 19, Seattle 11

Top Players in Points Prevented

1. Biggus Dickus, Dallas...6

2. Hilbee Juggleboy, Seattle...5

PLAYER OF THE GAME

26 GVP...Stalwart fifth-season Dallas power forward SATAN ISRAEL dominated his man, Frog Morton on the way to his first POG of the season. The 6-8 Israel tied for game-high in scoring with 18 points while crashing the boards for a game-high 8 rebounds. He was 8 for 12 from the floor, including a pair of slam dunks (missing all 3 of his bombs) and going 2 for 2 at the foul line. The big guy is now averaging 14.4 ppg.



Other 20-plus GVP performers (none for Seattle)

23 GVP...Dallas center Biggus Dickus...14 points...7 rebounds...1 blocked shot...1 assist...tops in points prevented.

22 GVP...Dallas point guard Vicious Hick...18 points (4 treys)...4 rebounds.



Standings changes after bracket 7
-- Charleston's win over Oklahoma City saw the Mountaineers take the Lariats' third-place spot in the East, while the Lariats went from third to fourth place.
-- There was no changes in the standings in the West.

Bracket 8 preview
The bracket starts out with Pinky Toe and Los Angeles at San Jose, with The Big One possibly seeing a way out of the cellar, having won their first contest in bracket 7 against this same Fighting Amigos team.
The FEATURED GAME shines a light on the Gillette Humps for the first time in Season 55 as they visit first-place Seattle with a chance to get back in the playoff hunt. The Stampede won the first meeting 79-70.
The bracket also includes a key matchup between Philadelphia and Charleston that will go a long way to deciding the second playoff team in the East.

BONUS 

RANKING TEAM 3-POINT

SHOOTING EFFECTIVENESS

Formula is team’s 3-point shooting percentage plus number of 3s made.

1.    1. Dallas Demons…100 attempts, 40 made…40%...80  total… shooters 30 percent or more… Vicious Hick

2.    2. Milwaukee Greyhounds…82-32…39%...71 total…Ehhy Table…Itstha Bishop…Rabbit Munchers

3.    3. Gillette Greyhounds…85-32…37.6%...69.6 total…Joey Shamadu…Lefty Scavenger

4.    4. Philadelphia Phobia…65-27…41.5%...68.5 total…Dick Papers…Splash Gordon…Turk Attaturk

5.    5. Oklahoma City Lariats…98-32…32.7%...64.7 total…King Czardines and Crentis Dentist

6.    6. Charleston Mountaineers…87-29…33.3%...62.3 total…Seeyalater Scronto and Kopi Luwak

7.    7. Sacramento River Dogs…75-25…33.3%...58.3 total…Thomas Thomas Thomas…Karma Chameleon…Anthony Finseca

8.    8. Los Angeles Big One…96-27…28.1%...55.1 total…Pinky Toe

9.    9. San Jose Fighting Amigos…74-22…29.7…51.7 total…Donny Dupons

St10. Seattle Stampede…95-15…15.8%...30.8 total…Hilbee Juggleboy.

SUMMARY: As expected, Dallas being a great 3-point shooting team (among other talents) leads the way…but Milwaukee and Gillette at numbers 2 and 3 indicates that teams cannot live by 3-pointers alone. Look, for example at the last team on the list. Seattle has been putrid at 3s for some time now; by far the worst in the league this season.  But they are having a fine campaign,  in first place in the West, even without being effective from beyond the arc.

Dallas, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles take the most treys per game while Philly, San Jose and Sacramento take the least.