(1) D.A.W.

VS

(4) GUARD ME MAYBE

N/A

At full strength, Guard Me Maybe rivals DPY in overall talent on the roster. This season (F) Stefan Chaplin raised play to a level that suggests GMM may have a Big 3 along with reigning MVP (F) Brian Law and (G) Tommy Wong. They’ve had bad luck in the playoffs with player availability, but if they have all their pieces, they’ll contend for the championship.

N/A

Law does it all. Arguably D2’s most athletic player, he is just as capable of dominating on the defensive end, as he is on offense. DAW is a team with good speed and a physicality, so the Maybes will need a strong, sustained performance from Law. 

(3) NYC GRITTY COMMITTEE

VS

(7) NY DYNASTY

As expected, Gritty was tested in their 1st rd match-up vs GA7. They got the W, thriving on the kind of clutch plays down the stretch that they’ll need to keep making here on out. This hasn’t been the most talented roster all season, but they do have the longest tenure together, and as long as they keep the faith they can win it all.

It wasn’t a pretty regular season for the NY Dynasty, but they pulled of a big upset win over a contender in the 1st rd by blowing out 30F. DYN finally started playing like they’d been expected to play all season. If that was the turnaround moment in their season then it was the perfect time for it, and really bad timing for everyone else.

Oh hasn’t had a great playoffs so far, but in the regular season, he gave DYN a team-high 18 points as the Dynasty back court struggled so stay in front of him. If he stays aggressive in this match-up, he’ll put NGC in a position to exploit DYN’s slow rotations on defense.

After a down season, Chu finally broke out in the 1st rd, with 27 points on 11-16 FGs vs 30F. The effort came just when DYN needed it most, and hopefully for Dynasty, he can keep up the hot shooting against an NGC team that isn’t particularly good at closing out on the 3-pt line.

(1) RAW DOGS

VS

(4) HONEY BADGERS

Raw Dogs come in with the most talented roster in D1. The Top 4 of their lineup, (F) Lenny McNeil, (F) Ronnie Bethea, (G) Robert Swift and (G) Sean Corley are all match-up problems. RAW seem to think they’re undersized, and it gives them a chip on the shoulder, but they’re actually middle of the pack in D1. And their overall strength and athleticism makes them seem even bigger, which is a problem for the Badgers who are perpetually undersized.

RAW hasn’t faced much defense since moving up to D1, but the Honey Badgers will give them all they could ask for. What the Badgers lack in size and scoring, they make up for with grit and toughness. No team grinds like HON, but they have a tendency to wear themselves out against more athletic teams. RAW isn’t particularly committed to sustained defense, so the Badgers will get shots. They just have to make a higher rate than they have so far this season to keep pace.

The Badgers struggle with tough, physical and crafty scorers in the paint. And that’s exactly McNeil is, plus he can shoot the 3 as well. With microwave oven shooting around him, McNeil should get plenty of 1-on-1 looks at the rim and he knows what to do with the ball when he gets space. Put it in the dang hole.

You know what you’re gonna get from the Badgers’ core, but Powell is their x-factor. He gives them a strong open court finisher, and an additional 3-pt threat. The latter has been key with shooters (G) Jeff Syham and (G) Mike Bill missing so many games. Powell is an off-ball scorer but moves well to get open, just what HON needs.

(4) PEACE & LOVE

VS

(6) METTA WORLD WAR

Peace & Love put on a clinic in their upset win over Showcase NYC last night. And it was a big upset. At times this fall, SHO looked unbeatable, but PNL dismantled SHO’s gilded defense and lit them up 66-44. They’re still not a great defense, but they’re tougher at every position on D, and they can grind out stops when needed. MWW can score, but they’re hardly the defensive behemoth of seasons past, so PNL will get opportunities. Depth is not a strength for either team, and as such, these are two well-matched teams.

Admittedly, this is not the title match-up we predicted. Metta is a 4-time champion, and should never be discounted, but they had their worst reg season in franchise histor. They’ve had some luck: Their 1st rd opponent forfeited, and last night, DYN played without (G) Shawn Delos Reyes. But never mind that, Metta looked good last night. (G) Pace Shaw finally looked like he fit in. And the 1-2 punch of (F) Nick Pelletier & (C) Stedford McCleod looked pretty much unstoppable. All of a sudden the Mettas look like the team to beat again, ready to hoist a 5th title. 

The veteran McKiernan’s presence in the paint as a scorer and defender has been key to PNL’s success. He is a crafty scorer around the basket, but MWW actually has a strong interior defense McKiernan will have to pick and choose his spots, but he has to stay aggressive.

Pelletier has long been Metta’s utility man and glue guy, making all the little plays that his team needs to win. He can also be their best shooter when called upon, and his 19 pts on 5 3FGs was huge in the win over DYN. In MWW’s current line-up he’ll get plenty of chances for a repeat performance.