Help for beginners 2014 Topic

ncmusician_7
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These open league tips are based on the sim engine and salary structure as of September 2014.
These are only suggestions, you can build a successful team without following all of these guidelines.

Draft 9 players that total at least $41M and no more than 17,000 minutes.
When the league starts, send the other 3 players to the inactive list and replace them with the computer generated rookies.
The rookies can be identified by using their position effectiveness, per%/mid%/pnt%, ppg/rpg/apg.
As much as possible, draft players that are 100% effective at multiple positions and have a midrange% less than 45.
Make sure you have 2 players on the court at all times with a usage% of at least 22.1% and an eFG% of at least 48% (or 1 player with a usage% of at least 32.5% and an eFG% of at least 48%).
Your starters should total at least: 50% ast, 30% oReb, 70% dReb, 90% usage, 200 3PM, and at least 3 starters should have a defensive rating of at least 70.
Try to avoid drafting players who are foul prone or have an eFG% less than 45%.
Generally, I'd recommend running an uptempo offense and a half court defense.
You can find some good values with partial season players.
Usually, the mop up lineup will be the 5 players with the lowest amount of target minutes.

Here are some posts that give more detailed analysis:
http://whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?TopicID=449629&Page=1&TopicsTimeframe=30
http://whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?TopicID=445171&Page=1&TopicsTimeframe=30
http://whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx?TopicID=467920&Page=1&TopicsTimeframe=30

Also, you may see some people on the forums complaining about the sim being a complete crap shoot or that defense doesn't matter.  Neither of these are true.

9/1/2014 1:49 PM (edited)
Arfy
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Thanks.  I appreciate it!
10/21/2011 5:45 PM
bagchucker
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somehow i got a free team, i'm not sure how long it's been in my, um, inbox


i drafted five starters 34 minutes, $5.5-6.5M, five subs 13 minutes $1.5-2.0M, every one with defensive ratings around 80

and two swingmen bottom of the bench subs with high FG%

all players played more than 70 games per year



i assume i am going to suck since i know zilch about the engine

my idea is to press on defense and slow it down on offense

how bad will this open league team suck?

might it be better in a half court both ways?

what does DEF measure?
11/19/2011 2:52 AM
bagchucker
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no i did not read the Usage thread. well really i did but i was two beers in and not really following it
11/19/2011 4:54 AM
gulftide
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Posted by bagchucker on 11/19/2011 2:52:00 AM (view original):
somehow i got a free team, i'm not sure how long it's been in my, um, inbox


i drafted five starters 34 minutes, $5.5-6.5M, five subs 13 minutes $1.5-2.0M, every one with defensive ratings around 80

and two swingmen bottom of the bench subs with high FG%

all players played more than 70 games per year



i assume i am going to suck since i know zilch about the engine

my idea is to press on defense and slow it down on offense

how bad will this open league team suck?

might it be better in a half court both ways?

what does DEF measure?
I'm not a huge expert...but first there are about 10 more variables we need to know about your team before passing judgement, so feel free to share more details (like your entire team).

Good defense is only half the game, so how is your offense?  Rebounds are also very important.  the best players here run uptempo/half or half/half.  You probably should as well.


11/19/2011 9:03 AM
natenoy
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Just started my first two leagues on here, and I have a few quick questions, btw thanks for the post, it helps new players build a team that should not lose 70 games.

Here goes with the questions:

1. Why draft only 17,000 minutes when the 82 game season is 19,680 without any OT?
2. Do you suggest the sim rookies play the other 2600+ minutes?
3. What level of overuse can you get away with? 5%?, 10%? or do players drop like a rock if they are slightly over-pace for usage?
4. Do the available players from the waiver wire have prorated minutes available, e.g. say you pick up a guy after game 50 that played 820 min IRL, can you use him for all 820 at that point, or is it prorated to 320?

Thanks

7/3/2012 11:29 PM
felonius
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1) because of rookies
2) yes, all the best owners are doing it
3) not sure what youre asking
4) the waiver wire is like heroin, once you get sucked in you will proceed down a spiral of ruin
7/3/2012 11:51 PM
natenoy
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(1) and (2) Thanks for the quick reply. So the rookies are not total stiffs?
(3) Say I have the 92-93 Rodman who played 2410 minutes. How far can I push that? What happens if I try to squueze another 241 minutes out of him (10% over IRL)?
(4) So if I burn out Rodman by game 60 can I sell him off for the 10% hit and get a season's full of minutes from the guy I pick up?

Thanks again.
7/4/2012 12:05 AM
ncih
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You can play them 102% of the RL minutes without penalty.

A player can go to 95% fatigue before you start seeing a real dropoff.

I never use the waiver wire, but I am certain that their minutes would be prorated.
7/4/2012 12:24 AM
natenoy
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thanks, very helpful in trying to manage minutes, I have a team with LBJ and nine guys with 1/2 or 3/4 seasons to platoon, don't want to burn out midway.
7/4/2012 12:32 AM
garyman
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One thing to add here that I just thought of after an OT game I just played in - 

Draft as many threes as possible while still keeping a perimeter/paint balance (the higher percentage, of course, the better). If you shoot like 600+ threes, that's about 150-250 4-point plays in a season.

And yes, I'm being totally, completely serious.
7/5/2012 7:25 AM
natenoy
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thanks, too many 4 point plays is a serious flaw, but I have seen more than a normal amount in my first 8 games.
7/5/2012 12:19 PM
roadhouse19
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If you draft a team which takes a lot of shots, but its best player/highest usage guy is a low post guy like Wilt or Kareem, what style of offense should one use, Up Tempo, Halfcourt or Slow Down?
7/17/2012 12:34 PM
eleibowitz
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Posted by roadhouse19 on 7/17/2012 12:34:00 PM (view original):
If you draft a team which takes a lot of shots, but its best player/highest usage guy is a low post guy like Wilt or Kareem, what style of offense should one use, Up Tempo, Halfcourt or Slow Down?
always choose uptempo, there are times that half court will work but that's far and few between


7/17/2012 2:39 PM
roadhouse19
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Posted by eleibowitz on 7/17/2012 2:39:00 PM (view original):
Posted by roadhouse19 on 7/17/2012 12:34:00 PM (view original):
If you draft a team which takes a lot of shots, but its best player/highest usage guy is a low post guy like Wilt or Kareem, what style of offense should one use, Up Tempo, Halfcourt or Slow Down?
always choose uptempo, there are times that half court will work but that's far and few between


Thanks
7/17/2012 4:13 PM
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