Pick One Challengers are in a golden state of mind.
There are some things I think we can all agree are common to what one might call the "typical" college experience.
What do I mean by that, exactly? Hm, let's see, where should we start? I know, how about this: How many dorm rooms did you ever enter that had a Bob Marley poster? Close to 100% is my guess. Or, if not Bob Marley, how about Bob Dylan? Or Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night"? Or,if none of those, how about Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss"?
That's just one example, of course. Obviously, there are others. Like, I remember something called Natty Light, which I was told at the time was a kind of beer, but which, upon later inspection, appears to be a sort of industrial cleaner. I remember another something called ramen noodles. And a third thing called "not showering that much."
Memories. Am I right?
For me, personally, a definitive college experience was watching 1979's cult action/thriller The Warriors, for the first (and still only) time, outside, projected onto the house of my friend's next-door neighbor. In retrospect, I can't say the experience was fun necessarily. It was kinda cold out and the sound wasn't so great. But it's a memory nevertheless.
In the event that you haven't seen the film -- which apparently New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael gave quite a favorable review at the time of its release -- here's the basic synopsis: There's a gang called The Warriors. There are, like, fifty-hundred other gangs, all with weird names and themes. Like, real weird. For example, there's The Electric Eliminators, an all-White break dancing gang who wear purple t-shirts and shiny gold jackets with their logo on the back, and sometimes black fingerless gloves. For example, there's another gang called Van Cortlandt Rangers. They wear white shirts with purple stripes and fedora hats. For example, there's a gang called The Baseball Furies. They're all dressed in baseballing uniforms and all fight with baseballing bats.
Like I say: weird.
Anyway, I don't really remember what all happens in the movie. (Come on, it was like 10 years ago.) What I do remember is this one scene towards the end of the film. Luther, the head of a rival gang called The Rogues, drives this weird hearse-like vehicle up to where the Warriors are hiding out. He stops the car, and then slowly, disturbingly begins to clank some empty beer bottles together while sorta chanting in this bizarre falsetto, "Warriors, come out to play-ay," over and over. (Watch the scene here via the magic of the interweb.)
"Warriors, come out to play": It's funny, that's essentially what the Challenger is saying all the time. If you look below at my picks for the week, you'll see evidence of the fact. Three of my picks this week are players facing Golden State. Guess how many games the Warriors play next week? If you guessed three, you're right.
It occured to me recently that one brief but valuable exercise might be to inform my fellow Challengers about exactly which teams have remaining matchups against Golden State (and how many), so they (i.e. the Challengers) could program their picks accordingly. So I looked over Golden State's schedule. Here are my findings:
Three games remaining: Dallas, L.A. Clippers, Utah
Two games remaining: Atlanta, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Portland, Toronto.
One game remaining: Charlotte, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Minnesota, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Washington
So what can we learn from all this? A couple things. For one, Golden State has a whole bunch more games left. Of course, that's not particularly helpful. The second thing, though, is that it might be wise to reserve your Mavs, your Clips, and your Jazzers for their Warrior matchups.
As you're pondering that lesson, here are some picks for this week:
Date: Monday, February 01, 2010
Player: Paul Millsap - UTA
Opposition: vs Dallas
2009-2010 Averages: 10.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.3 APG (18.3 PRA)
General Thoughts: Reports out of Utah have Carlos Boozer both (a) out with a calf strain and (b) trying to return towards the end of the week. Millsap has been a beast in Boozer's absence, including his most recent game, during which he produced a line of 32 PTS, 14 REB, and 7 AST (53 PRA). If you've already picked Millsap, think about teammate Andrei Kirilenko, or New Orleans' Darren Collison, who's taken over starting point guard duties in Chris Paul's absence.
Date: Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Player: Aaron Brooks - HOU
Opposition: vs Golden State
2009-2010 Averages: 19.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 5.0 APG (26.6 PRA)
General Thoughts: Today's pick is pretty rote: Golden State, away = pick the home team. In this case, Aaron Brooks should gain even a little more run than usual, owing to Kyle Lowry's absence (knee). If you've somehow gone through all your Rockets, consider New Jersey's Keyon Dooling. Devin Harris is most likely out tonight, and Dooling's been starting in his place.
Date: Wedneday, February 03, 2010
Player: Dirk Nowitzki - DAL
Opposition: vs Golden State
2009-2010 Averages: 25.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.5 APG (35.4 PRA)
General Thoughts: Those of us Challengers who hadn't picked him yet got a little bit of a scare last month when Dirk Nowitzki missed some time after ending up with a couple of Carl Landry's teeth in his arm. That's a weird injury, but the Giant German seems to've returned to his old ways, racking up 35 or so PRA per night. Also, tonight, consider George Hill at Sacramento. Hill's gotten a bunch of run in Tony Parker's absence.
Date: Thursday, February 04, 2010
Player: George Hill - SA
Opposition: at Portland
2009-2010 Averages: 10.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.3 APG (14.8 PRA)
General Thoughts: I didn't pick him last night, on account of the Dirk v Golden State matchup was too obviously off the hook not to take it, but if I had looked elsewhere, it might've been to San Antonio, where George Hill has been getting serious playing time in Tony Parker's absence. Remember, there's a chance Parker will return before tonight. This pick is less sweet in that case, although it deserves to be noted: Hill was actually getting decent minutes even before Parker went out.
Date: Friday, February 05, 2010
Player: Kevin Martin - SAC
Opposition: vs Phoenix
2009-2010 Averages: 21.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.9 APG (28.9 PRA)
General Thoughts: I've got no Bucks left with which to exploit Milwaukee's matchup against New York tonight -- or, at least, none that would be a decent enough play. If I still had Bogut, I'd pick the frig outta him tonight. In his stead, I'll pick Kevin martin. Phoenix allows hella points, Martin scores hella of them. Also, there's not telling how long Martin will be healthy.
Date: Saturday, February 06, 2010
Player: Jeff Green - OKC
Opposition: at Golden State
2009-2010 Averages: 14.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.7 APG (22.1 PRA)
General Thoughts: Somehow I still have like 40 Oklahomans left to pick. Seriously, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, Eric Maynor, Serge Ibaka: all those guys are probably worth a pick at some point or another depending on OKC's injury status, etc. Of the three Pick One categories, Golden State is much weaker in points and rebounds allowed than assists. Jeff Green makes sense in the context. I think I'll save Russell Westbrook for OKC's final matchup against Minnesota.
Date: Sunday, January 07, 2010
Player: Andrea Bargnani - TOR
Opposition: vs Sacramento
2009-2010 Averages: 17.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.0 APG (24.5 PRA)
General Thoughts: Orlando and Boston are both excellent teams, and their Sunday afternoon matchup should make for great entertainment (especially after tempers flared in their last meeting), but neither makes a good Pick One opponent. In today's other contest, Sacramento and Toronto are both generous point-allowers. Luckily, Bargnani is a good point-scorer. Something like 27 PRA is reasonable to expect.
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