NBA SIMS LEAGUE
NSL Insider - THE 2019-2020 MVP IS!!!!by KLEMMELO, updated on Wednesday, June 10 2020, 12:08 pm EST
-0 First place votes (13 total points) -Regular season team record: 37-45 -Regular season averages: 28.5/4.1/3.9/.9 (47/38/96 splits) +/-: +0.8 (-0.1 when on bench) -Ranked 8th in PPG, 5th in FGM, 6th in 3FGM and overall NSL ranking of 15.
This one was a
little surprising. I mean who doesn't love a bit of D-Book ey? The kid is super
talented and is a student of the game getting better year after year.... Buuut
perhaps this one was a bit of a "fan favourite" vote with just a
pinch of recency bias after the Wizards magical play off run. He dropped some
solid numbers during the regular season and obviously was the life blood and
face of the Wizards franchise. The starting 5 unit that got them all the way to
the ECF sported an average age of 23.8 years and at 23 himself, Booker looks to
be in that top tier of guys for a loooong time. I would go out on a limb and
say this will be the only time this up and coming team finishes the season
south of 40 games while Big D Book is at the wheel.
-0 First place votes (14 total points) -Regular season team record: 51-31 -Regular season averages: 29.9/3.8/6.2/1.4 (48/42/97 splits) +/-: +5.6 (-2.0 when on bench) -6th in PPG, 5th in 3FGM and ranked 8th in NSL overall.
The "Dame train MVP campaign" (all rights reserved) was chugging along early this season. Some may have taken it as just a throwaway talking point to add some depth in the seemingly shallow MVP front runner pool... But Jesse didn't. He had the last laugh for sure the way they finished out the season and it was curtesy of the finely aged cheddar that Dame was serving his guests night in and night out.
Arguably the most
efficient and well rounded offensive player we have in the league as he
finished the season a B's D away from the coveted 50/40/90 club; Which if
you're putting up 20+ shots a game and are still able to hit that mark? Well
that's all time level stuff right there. He won 6 Player of the week awards,
just one behind league leader in that category AD (7). They went 31-15 in the
second half of the season and for the last 5 weeks heading into the post season
Dame averaged 33/4/6 shot 50% from the field, 42% from 3 and went 114/115 from
the line, going 11-4 to close out down the stretch and thus secured a top 4
seed.
-0 First place votes (31 total points) -Regular season team record: 52-30 -Regular season averages: 33.3/7.8/6.9/2.2 (52/33/71 splits) +/-: +8.6 (-0.7 when on bench) -3rd in PPG and FGM, 2nd in assists, 5th in FTM, 4th in STLs and overall ranked 3rd in NSL.
#WashedKing.
If you ask Lebron he would tell you that countless media members/league reps/fans/players etc, you know... The ones who's opinions really matter... All collectively conspired, hurling abuse and criticising every facet of Lebron and his legacy prior to the season starting. Our media team looked for some examples of this for reference sake but didn't come up with much. We thought that everyone who's actually watched basketball for the last 8 or so years universally agree Lebron's actually pretty good... We're sure it happened though.
He was picked 12th in the reset draft as it was quickly apparent youth and upside was going to play a huge factor in a lot of teams building their roster. It seemed that the highest rated player in 2k, off the back of a 2kCareer defining championship run with the NLL Cavs and with badges up the wazoo was old news, a has been... All washed up.
The Kings started the season 6-9 heading into week 5 which in hindsight was the second hardest week all season for them... Things were looking bleak. The talking heads started to snigger and the NSL media had a field day while the loyal fan base called for immediate change after a couple of underwhelming NLL seasons prior. Lebron made the move to PG and averaged 43/6/6/2 that week... He did what Champions do and took control. They went 29-11 over the next 10 weeks climbing from 13th in the West to as high as 2nd. He was the constant of the Kings success, even with another aggressive season on the trade front for the front office. As expected he unleashed when in mattered in the post season (led the league for PPG/FGM and was 3rd in Assists and PIP during the playoffs)... But of course this is a regular season award Lebron you bum.
-8 First place votes (63 total points) -Regular season team record: 63-19 -Regular season averages: 30/13.7/4.3/2.7/2.1 (64/37/94 splits) +/-: +11.9 (0.8 when on bench) Led the league in BLKs/STLs, 4th in FGM, 5th in PPG, 6th in REB and ranked 2nd overall in NSL.
AD was taken second in the NSL draft. Smart. Not many GM's would've been able to pull off this kind of elite manoeuvre, but Merencio did. Jokes aside you could easily argue it being a straight coin flip when picking between guys AD and Giannis. Perhaps an inconsistent history in terms of staying on the court knocked AD down a peg or two... Coupled with his real life antics and drama saga forcing a trade/Faking an injury etc *Insert crying MJ Meme*... Regardless, AD is on the short list alongside realistically, only Lebron and Giannis, in players that 2k wise are just on another level. The kind of players that cannot be stopped, have no "off games", who can virtually play every position if they wanted and "magically" make your Jordan McRae/Wes Matthews/RJ Barrett' of the world look like they wouldn't actually get played off the court in real life in any game that actually means anything.
Much like the Blazers out West the Bulls served as the East's reminder of what peak fantasy basketball performance looks like. They were never legitimately in doubt, dominated for long stretches and despite all the noise around what Giannis was doing for the Clips, AD continued to build his MVP case. He won 7 player of the week awards, more then anyone else. Was quickly showing he was in a league of his own defensively, being the lynch pin of the Bulls defence (Ranked 2nd in the league) despite playing with a bunch of witches hats (you know who you are) on that end all year long. He also was the tip of the spear... The whole shaft and the dude who threw it; When it came to the offence (Also ranked 2nd).
He has already been
recognised as defensive player of the year which was well deserved. Although he
falls just short this time coming in second for the 2019-20 MVP the Bulls and
AD can hang their hat on a great season despite the finals loss. They have to
surely know this is only the beginning but unlike others on this list it's not
even in question that what AD does on the court is crucial to winning
basketball games that are actually remembered. Archive |
