Dwyane Wade (Photo. Mannion)With only one team (Orlando) currently sitting above .500, the Southeast is the worst division in the NBA. Not that it was supposed to turn out this way. Going into the season, the Heat and Wizards were expected to be forces to be reckoned with in the East, while the Hawks and Bobcats were on the rise. Despite all the losing and disappointment, though, there is still a lot of individual talent here.
The rules: Straight 1-on-1, make it-take it, games to 11, all hypothetical. The six division winners will advance to the finals, with two of them getting a bye. (Just like the NFL playoffs.) Vote in the comments section to determine the first-round winners:
(1) Dwyane Wade vs. (16) Marvin Williams
(8) Josh Smith vs. (9) Hedo Turkoglu
(5) Caron Butler vs. (12) Jason Richardson
(4) Shawn Marion vs. (13) Mike Bibby
(6) Joe Johnson vs. (11) Gerald Wallace
(3) Gilbert Arenas vs. (14) Ray Felton
(7) Antawn Jamison vs. (10) Rashard Lewis
(2) Dwight Howard vs. (15) Emeka Okafor
ROUND 1
Atlantic Division
Pacific Division
Central Division
Southwest Division
February 29th, 2008 at 8:19 am
williams says:
wade
(close) but Turkoglu
Caron
Matrix
Joe Johnson
Gil
Jamison
Dwight.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Kobeef says:
Can we just fast-forward 20 posts and agree that Kobe and Lebron are the top 2 players in the game and in a head to head match it is tough to say who would win.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:26 am
len-e says:
wade
smith
butler
marion
wallace
arenas
jamison
howard
February 29th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Bron42 says:
while lebron may be one of the most well rounded guys in the league, i dont think his offense guareentees he makes it to the finals against kobe. I mean he gets most of his credit for bein a ok scorer and an amazing passer. But in a game of one on one, hes not gonna have fast breaks where he can just barrell down the lane,his jumpshot is still shaky, his handle isnt that great to really just jamal crawford people and his post game isn’t amazing either so lets not make it like he would just blow everyone else out. Theres alot of really abusive offensive SFs and guards out there who could give him some issues in one on one
February 29th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Prof. TX says:
Wade
Smith (close)
Butler
Marion
Wallace
Arenas
Jameson (close)
Howard
This will really just be a popularity contest, but I think Marion could conceivably win this thing in real life. He can defend four positions well, and still has an offensive game. Dwight would be another possibility, one of the few big men with the strength to overpower and dunk on any guards (even Kobe) and the speed to keep up with them and challenge shots. I’m not saying he’d win ten out of ten on Kobe or Lebron, but I don’t think a win is all that unreasonable.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:57 am
TwoDoor says:
1
8
5
4
11
3
7
2
February 29th, 2008 at 9:14 am
James says:
(1) Dwyane Wade vs. (16) Marvin Williams- Wade
(8) Josh Smith vs. (9) Hedo Turkoglu- Smith
(5) Caron Butler vs. (12) Jason Richardson- JRich
(4) Shawn Marion vs. (13) Mike Bibby- Matrix
(6) Joe Johnson vs. (11) Gerald Wallace- Wallace
(3) Gilbert Arenas vs. (14) Ray Felton- Gilber
(7) Antawn Jamison vs. (10) Rashard Lewis-Lewis
(2) Dwight Howard vs. (15) Emeka Okafor- Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 9:15 am
YOUNGFED says:
Wade
Smith
JR
Marion
Wallace
Arenas
Lewis
Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Mike says:
(1) Dwyane Wade vs. (16) Marvin Williams - Dwyane Wade. As much as I hate Dwyane, he is the better player.
(8) Josh Smith vs. (9) Hedo Turkoglu - Josh Smith. He’d give Hedo the business.
(5) Caron Butler vs. (12) Jason Richardson - Caron Butler. Taller and playing at a high level lately.
(4) Shawn Marion vs. (13) Mike Bibby - Shawn Marion. Not close.
(6) Joe Johnson vs. (11) Gerald Wallace - Gerald Wallace. The closest match-up in this group. Joe tends to try to do too much. So I gave it to Gerald Wallace.
(3) Gilbert Arenas vs. (14) Ray Felton - Gilbert Arenas. Gil’s got a better shot.
(7) Antawn Jamison vs. (10) Rashard Lewis - Antawn Jamison. Rashard lives and dies with the 3. He’d die with it here.
(2) Dwight Howard vs. (15) Emeka Okafor - Dwight Howard. You saw how Dwight did the Superman dunk (that wasn’t even a dunk) and still won the dunk contest. You really expect Okafor to compete with that?
February 29th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Celts Fan says:
DWade
Hedo
JRich
Marion
Joe Johnson
Gil
Rashard
Dwight
next round:
DWade over Hedo
JRich over Marion
Joe Johnson over Gil
Rashard over Dwight
semis:
JRich over DWade
Rashard over Joe Johnson
finals:
Rashard over JRich (size and shooting ability make Rashard pretty tough to stop in a relatively weak 1 on 1 division)
February 29th, 2008 at 10:27 am
G says:
Wade
Smith
Butler
Bibby (but i dont know how either one can guard the other)
JJ
Gil
Antawn
Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Dip Set City says:
D Wade
Smith
Richardson
Marion
Wallace
Arenas
Lewis
Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
GEE... I taught Spec Ed for 24K a year. And this clown with a suspect dribble isn’t happy with his 10 mill. F him says:
Wade beats them all!
February 29th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
bigJack says:
wade
smith
butler
marion
wallace
arenas
jamison
howard
February 29th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Brown says:
Wade
Smith
Butler
Marion
Wallace
Arenas
Jamison
Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
doc says:
Yall should’ve made Wade play a small forward or 2 guard so he can get the fuck outta here. But he can still beat Marv for now.Josh over Turk,Caron over J-rich,Matrix,Johnson,Arenas,Jamison and Dwight.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Bron42 says:
how is everyone pickin josh over turk when all pretty much josh can do is dunk and block shots on fast break? he cant shoot, cant dribble etc..Hes athletic but hedo is the same height, a shooter and at least has decent handle.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
dagwaller says:
Wade
Hedo
Caron
Marion
Wallace
Gil
Tawn
Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Celts Fan says:
Bron, I had Hedo… but I also had Rashard winning the whole thing. Still kinda confused how I got there, but I just went down the line w/ matchups and somehow, he was left standing in the end…
February 29th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
GEE... I taught Spec Ed for 24K a year. And this clown with a suspect dribble isn’t happy with his 10 mill. F him says:
Kobeef. Dang Kobe vs. Lebron. I will have to go with Kobe quickness wise. I think LeBron would use his size and “bulldozing” through the lane as some say to his advantage. Shooting, defense and smarts wise then I got to go with Kobe.
This is just a question. Most all heads know that Kobe (Lord of the Rings) went out to was it Rucker and did his thing. Has LeBron ever played on any of the NYC streets? Just wondering?
February 29th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Bron42 says:
Nah, lebron is the golden boy, he is worried about his rep too much to risk losin like that. thats why he wont even do the dunk contest. cant be mr.perfect when your losin. so he wouldnt put it on the line like that.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
hoopsguru says:
(1) Dwyane Wade vs. (16) Marvin Williams….DWade
(8) Josh Smith vs. (9) Hedo Turkoglu..Tough call, Hedo can hit the long ball, but JSmoove is too quick and athletic….Smith in a close one
(5) Caron Butler vs. (12) Jason Richardson….Caron is tougher and grimier.
(4) Shawn Marion vs. (13) Mike Bibby…Matrix, the height will get him past, and I just dont like Bibby.
(6) Joe Johnson vs. (11) Gerald Wallace…JJ in a 11-10 victory.
(3) Gilbert Arenas vs. (14) Ray Felton…Another tough one….Gilbert will pull it out in the end.
(7) Antawn Jamison vs. (10) Rashard Lewis…Shard
(2) Dwight Howard vs. (15) Emeka Okafor…I would like to say Dwight, but we are talking 1-1 in a half court, so Okafor would be able to beat him off the dribble, and he has a better outside shot, whereas Howard needs to get the ball in the post to be mostly effective……so Emeka wins.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
GEE... I taught Spec Ed for 24K a year. And this clown with a suspect dribble isn’t happy with his 10 mill. F him says:
Bron are you saying losing to Kobe are losing in the streets of NYC?
LOL are both.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
hoopsguru says:
Im the only one who took Emeka….does everyone really believe that Dwight has the handles and outside game to win 1-1? If it were to start in the post that would be a completely different story…..I just dont see Howard being able to take it from the top of the 3pt line.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
LongDong says:
wade
hedo
caron
marion
johnson
arenas
rashard
dwight
February 29th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Smooth says:
(1) Dwyane Wade
(8) Josh Smith
(5) Caron Butler
(4) Shawn Marion
(6) Joe Johnson
(3) Gilbert Arenas
(7) Antawn Jamison
(2) Dwight Howard
February 29th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Bron42 says:
hoops, howard wouldnt have to dribble, he would just him down the whole way and you make it like okafor is iverson or something with slick moves, hes even less athletic and slower than dwight so even IF he had handle, he wouldnt beat dwight who is bigger and faster with a longer reach off the dribble. All dwight would need is a basic crossover and one step to pretty much dunk it and i’m sure he can do a simple crossover