Week 4 (11/25-11/28)
#3 Darlington Falcons vs. #2 B.I.GBallers
In my updated power ranking, it was pretty much a toss up between these two teams as who the #5 slot should belong to. This game feature the two top scoring teams in the league, with each team scoring about 109 points a game, so expect some pretty outrageous numbers in this game, especially if the pace is high. The winner will not only be awarded a top 5 spot in my next power ranking, but will more importantly stay in the race for the top spot in their respective conference. BIG has made a name for themselves by beating everyone they are supposed to beat convincingly, but are unable to take down a top team. On the other hand, DAR has taken down IXLOS Sabers and Big Big Gulps this season, albeit against a makeshift lineup from those teams. But now lets see how the stack up against each other:
KTV for DAR: Put all the marbles in for defending the inside game of BIG. They have two big men will out perform the big men from DAR. One key adjustment to make in order to do this is to start Clément Yver. He is the only man who has proficient game shape on DAR that is worth playing, and grabbing 6.5 RBs in 15 mins of play on average isnt a bad stat either. Relying on Miguel José Cordero would be a mistake right now, as his game shape has made his rating drop 1.5 below his season average over the last two games, as well as making his shooting percentage drop about 8% over that span as well. In order for him to be productive in the future, the manager has to do a better job managing his minutes, but as far as this game goes, he will not be at his best.
KTV for BIG: Pour it on. BIG has DAR beat in almost every position, ans if they can run an uptempo,balanced offensive attack, focusing somewhat on the advantage inside, then they will run a way with this one. They have better game shape overall regarding the starters, and with so many weapons, they can take their pick on which position to take advantage of. Plus Marek Łętowski, who has a 14.8 AST/TO ratio, will find the open guy in most situations. The only cause for concern is DAR's three point game. DAR leads the league in attempts and makes from beyond the arc, and if either Linartas Šliackus (39.7% from 3-point), Cordero (37.9%), or Atilla Rüzgar (39.5%) get on a roll, it could spell disaster for BIG. But since this is where most of their points come from, it should be easy to take it away, perhaps with a 3-2 zone.
Final Score: BIG -127, DAR -102
Assuming BIG doesn't play 2 players, the mascot, a lucky fan, and a real life falcon, then this one shouldnt be close. If DAR's game shape was better, this might actually be a game.