LA (8 - 12)

Expert Pick
75% ···············><····· 25%

Memphis (12 - 9)

Western Young Stars


These are two teams with a lot of talent. A lot of young talent. So far both teams have underperformed. I’m going to take a guess that injuries is the reason each team has underperformed so far. Memphis has been without their young breakout shooting guard Stephon Castle. And the Clippers have been without their two young stars, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Williams. Each of these guys are healthy this week. And this sets the stage for a very good and close game. The Clippers run more of a PG SF SF PF C lineup while the Grizzlies run more of a SG SG SF PF C lineup. Lineups Below are the projected lineups for each team: LA Clippers Cason Wallace Jalen Williams Trey Murphy III Paolo Banchero John Collins Utah Stephon Castle Kon Knueppel Jaylen Brown Jaren Jackson Jr Zach Edey Matchups: PG: Cason Wallace vs Stephon Castle Cason Wallace (79 OVR): 12.4 PTS, 2.3 REB, 5.2 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.7 BLK, 0.470 FG%, 0.400 3P%, 0.8 BPM Stephon Castle (84 OVR): 21.3 PTS, 3.8 REB, 6.6 AST, 0.8 STL, 1.0 BLK, 0.450 FG%, 0.400 3P%, -3.1 BPM Castle is ahead of Wallace in about every stat but steals and BPM. Castle is the 2nd highest scorer on the Grizzlies. Scoring isn’t really Wallace’s calling card. It’s defense. If Wallace can hold Castle under 18 PTS, then I would name Wallace the winner of this matchup. But I don’t think he will. It does kind of hurt that Castle isn’t really a point guard, but that’s just how Grizzlies have to roll since they don’t have any healthy point guards other than Pat Spencer. And if you had a choice to start your 73 rated point guard or the 84 rated shooting guard who happens to have point guard eligibility, most of us would go with the 84 rated shooting guard. With all those things said, I still see Castle outplaying Wallace. SG: Jalen Williams vs Kon Knueppel Jalen Williams (89 OVR): Has not played a game yet this season Kon Knueppel (81 OVR): 8.4 PTS, 3.2 REB, 3.1 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.4 BLK, 0.400 FG%, 0.420 3P%, 4.9 BPM Jwill hasn’t played a game yet this season. But he was a top player last year. I think because he’s playing out of position, he may not play to his full potential. But even at less than full potential, I still think he outplays Kon. Kon is very highly rated for a rookie. Even higher rated than the #1 pick Cooper Flagg. But he still has rookie like tendencies and will continue to have rookie like tendencies his first year. We’re still not even sure he’s a shooting guard either. He played 62% of his minutes at the small forward position in the NBA, and his height may push him into small forward territory. So I’m going to guess that he plays better as a small forward in 2K. I gripe a lot about small forwards playing at shooting guard. If you want to know what that’s all about, try watching Royce O’Neale at shooting guard. Unfortunately, shooting guards are low in supply this year and many NSL teams have to resort to playing small forwards at the shooting guard position. SF: Trey Murphy III vs Jaylen Brown Trey Murphy III (85 OVR): 17.1 PTS, 4.5 REB, 2.8 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.1 BLK, 0.490 FG%, 0.440 3P%, -0.1 BPM Jaylen Brown (92 OVR): 23.1 PTS, 5.8 REB, 5.4 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.8 BLK, 0.430 FG%, 0.300 3P%, 2.3 BPM Jaylen Brown is the most vetted player across both teams. He’s a top player in the NBA and NSL and has been longer than any across both these teams. He might actually be the oldest player here. He is a seasoned vet. He always plays better than his ratings say due to having a Michael Jordan type build. Trey Murphy is nice, but he still a kid in comparison to Jaylen Brown. I can see Trey putting up a ton of points, but he’s not going to lead his team the way Jaylen Brown does. PF: Paolo Banchero vs Jaren Jackson Jr Paolo Banchero (89 OVR): 25.5 PTS, 9.5 REB, 6.0 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.4 BLK, 0.410 FG%, 0.230 3P%, -2.6 BPM Jaren Jackson Jr (87 OVR): 18.3 PTS, 6.7 REB, 2.6 AST, 1.7 STL, 1.7 BLK, 0.620 FG%, 0.430 3P%, 2.9 BPM Paolo Banchero is the Clippers’ best player and is billed to be a future star. Social media paints him as a bit immature and still missing a ton of things in his game. If this were real life, I would side with Jaren Jackson Jr due to his overall complete game. But in 2K, I have to side with the offense. Paolo is better offensively than Jaren. JJJ will probably drop about 20 points, a couple of blocks, and a couple of steals while Paolo drops 30 points and nothing else. C: John Collins vs Zach Edey John Collins (77 OVR): 13.6 PTS, 4.8 REB, 2.6 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.8 BLK, 0.600 FG%, 0.430 3P%, 0.1 BPM Zach Edey (81 OVR): 19.0 PTS, 11.5 REB, 1.3 AST, 0.3 STL, 2.0 BLK, 0.920 FG%, 0.000 3P%, 9.0 BPM Edey is close to averaging a 20PT double double. He’s looking like a reincarnation of Hassan Whiteside who was a 2K beast. John Collins is a lot more vetted than Edey, but Edey is looking like a glitch. Collins is generally known for his offensive prowess, but he’s not even outpacing Edey in points for the season. You could clown on Edey being slow and not being able to defend in space, but that has never been an issue in 2K. Bench LA Clippers: Keyonte George, Ron Holland, VJ Edgecombe, Kris Murray, Jordan Hawkins, Jackson Rowe Memphis: Nikola Vucevic, Cedric Coward, Derik Queen, Jaxson Hayes, Pat Spencer I feel like any bench squad with Vucevic on it will always win. Pat Spencer has been playing nice lately as well as of the last 2K roster update. I don’t remember him being that good beforehand. Clippers on the otherhand have Keyonte George leading the bench. Edgecombe is nice as well. But none of this is enough to stop a Vucevic led bench squad.

These are two teams with a lot of talent. A lot of young talent. So far both teams have underperformed. I’m going to take a guess that injuries is the reason each team has underperformed so far. Memphis has been without their young breakout shooting guard Stephon Castle. And the Clippers have been without their two young stars, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Williams. Each of these guys are healthy this week. And this sets the stage for a very good and close game. The Clippers run more of a PG SF SF PF C lineup while the Grizzlies run more of a SG SG SF PF C lineup.

Lineups

Below are the projected lineups for each team:

LA Clippers

Cason Wallace
Jalen Williams
Trey Murphy III
Paolo Banchero
John Collins

Utah

Stephon Castle
Kon Knueppel
Jaylen Brown
Jaren Jackson Jr
Zach Edey

Matchups:

PG: Cason Wallace vs Stephon Castle

Cason Wallace (79 OVR): 12.4 PTS, 2.3 REB, 5.2 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.7 BLK, 0.470 FG%, 0.400 3P%, 0.8 BPM

Stephon Castle (84 OVR): 21.3 PTS, 3.8 REB, 6.6 AST, 0.8 STL, 1.0 BLK, 0.450 FG%, 0.400 3P%, -3.1 BPM

Castle is ahead of Wallace in about every stat but steals and BPM. Castle is the 2nd highest scorer on the Grizzlies. Scoring isn’t really Wallace’s calling card. It’s defense. If Wallace can hold Castle under 18 PTS, then I would name Wallace the winner of this matchup. But I don’t think he will. It does kind of hurt that Castle isn’t really a point guard, but that’s just how Grizzlies have to roll since they don’t have any healthy point guards other than Pat Spencer. And if you had a choice to start your 73 rated point guard or the 84 rated shooting guard who happens to have point guard eligibility, most of us would go with the 84 rated shooting guard. With all those things said, I still see Castle outplaying Wallace.

SG: Jalen Williams vs Kon Knueppel

Jalen Williams (89 OVR): Has not played a game yet this season

Kon Knueppel (81 OVR): 8.4 PTS, 3.2 REB, 3.1 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.4 BLK, 0.400 FG%, 0.420 3P%, 4.9 BPM

Jwill hasn’t played a game yet this season. But he was a top player last year. I think because he’s playing out of position, he may not play to his full potential. But even at less than full potential, I still think he outplays Kon. Kon is very highly rated for a rookie. Even higher rated than the #1 pick Cooper Flagg. But he still has rookie like tendencies and will continue to have rookie like tendencies his first year. We’re still not even sure he’s a shooting guard either. He played 62% of his minutes at the small forward position in the NBA, and his height may push him into small forward territory. So I’m going to guess that he plays better as a small forward in 2K. I gripe a lot about small forwards playing at shooting guard. If you want to know what that’s all about, try watching Royce O’Neale at shooting guard. Unfortunately, shooting guards are low in supply this year and many NSL teams have to resort to playing small forwards at the shooting guard position.

SF: Trey Murphy III vs Jaylen Brown

Trey Murphy III (85 OVR): 17.1 PTS, 4.5 REB, 2.8 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.1 BLK, 0.490 FG%, 0.440 3P%, -0.1 BPM

Jaylen Brown (92 OVR): 23.1 PTS, 5.8 REB, 5.4 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.8 BLK, 0.430 FG%, 0.300 3P%, 2.3 BPM

Jaylen Brown is the most vetted player across both teams. He’s a top player in the NBA and NSL and has been longer than any across both these teams. He might actually be the oldest player here. He is a seasoned vet. He always plays better than his ratings say due to having a Michael Jordan type build. Trey Murphy is nice, but he still a kid in comparison to Jaylen Brown. I can see Trey putting up a ton of points, but he’s not going to lead his team the way Jaylen Brown does.

PF: Paolo Banchero vs Jaren Jackson Jr

Paolo Banchero (89 OVR): 25.5 PTS, 9.5 REB, 6.0 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.4 BLK, 0.410 FG%, 0.230 3P%, -2.6 BPM

Jaren Jackson Jr (87 OVR): 18.3 PTS, 6.7 REB, 2.6 AST, 1.7 STL, 1.7 BLK, 0.620 FG%, 0.430 3P%, 2.9 BPM

Paolo Banchero is the Clippers’ best player and is billed to be a future star. Social media paints him as a bit immature and still missing a ton of things in his game. If this were real life, I would side with Jaren Jackson Jr due to his overall complete game. But in 2K, I have to side with the offense. Paolo is better offensively than Jaren. JJJ will probably drop about 20 points, a couple of blocks, and a couple of steals while Paolo drops 30 points and nothing else.

C: John Collins vs Zach Edey

John Collins (77 OVR): 13.6 PTS, 4.8 REB, 2.6 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.8 BLK, 0.600 FG%, 0.430 3P%, 0.1 BPM

Zach Edey (81 OVR): 19.0 PTS, 11.5 REB, 1.3 AST, 0.3 STL, 2.0 BLK, 0.920 FG%, 0.000 3P%, 9.0 BPM

Edey is close to averaging a 20PT double double. He’s looking like a reincarnation of Hassan Whiteside who was a 2K beast. John Collins is a lot more vetted than Edey, but Edey is looking like a glitch. Collins is generally known for his offensive prowess, but he’s not even outpacing Edey in points for the season. You could clown on Edey being slow and not being able to defend in space, but that has never been an issue in 2K.

Bench

LA Clippers: Keyonte George, Ron Holland, VJ Edgecombe, Kris Murray, Jordan Hawkins, Jackson Rowe

Memphis: Nikola Vucevic, Cedric Coward, Derik Queen, Jaxson Hayes, Pat Spencer

I feel like any bench squad with Vucevic on it will always win. Pat Spencer has been playing nice lately as well as of the last 2K roster update. I don’t remember him being that good beforehand.

Clippers on the otherhand have Keyonte George leading the bench. Edgecombe is nice as well. But none of this is enough to stop a Vucevic led bench squad.

Clippers Star

Paolo Banchero
Still young puppy here with tons of potential. Jalen Williams could impact the game better if he were playing a more forward position. But no, this will push the game into the hands of Paolo Banchero who is playing in his most favored position.

PPG 24.3

RPG 9.3

APG 5.5

SPG 1.5

BPG 1.3

FPG 2.4

TPG 2.2

PPG 24.6

RPG 5.4

APG 5.6

SPG 1.1

BPG 0.7

FPG 2.0

TPG 2.0

Grizzlies Star

Jaylen Brown
The oldest player on the team and the best player on the team. He is wise and he is skilled. He leads the team.

X-Factor
With Hartenstein out, Clippers will be missing a backup center this week. I noticed he got Jackson Rowe assigned as the replacement. Whether its Zach Edey or Nikola Vucevic on the floor. Whoever Jackson Rowe gets when he enters the court is going to feast.

Injury Report
Injured Players: Aaron Nesmith () - 13 NBA Games missed this season Cameron Thomas () - 16 NBA Games missed this season Scotty Pippen Jr. () - 24 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Stephon Castle (returning from ) - 9 NBA Games missed this season Johnny Furphy (returning from ) - 18 NBA Games missed this season	Injured Players: Isaiah Hartenstein () - 6 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Paolo Banchero (returning from ) - 10 NBA Games missed this season Jalen Williams (returning from ) - 19 NBA Games missed this season

Prediction
Memphis

		Comments (1)
Rootsey 12/15 09:10 pm	thanks. good read. I think Castle is a point guard though. He's just bigger.

	POR	119
	SAC	127

	CHI	112
	MIN	110

	HOU	115
	MIA	138

	ATL	130
	CHI	104

	LAC	108
	MEM	122