PCTI - NBA Offspring, Part III

The first two parts of this post went by relatively quickly, as I felt like those mentioned earlier had easily identifiable clones in the League. As we have progressed through the PCTI roster, it has become a bit more difficult to match PCTI players to certain NBA players, but I searched the annals of the Association for the best available comparison. Without further hesitation, here is Part III of PCTI players and their NBA spirit brothers.


1) Anthony Hopkins - Wesley Matthews


Although he did much of his best work in the hinterlands of Portland, lesser-known Wes Matthews is one of the toughest dudes in the NBA. He has made a name for himself with timely shooting, outward leadership, and dogged defending that consistently leaves his teammates fawning over him. There have been games this season with the Mavericks where his shooting could've been more consistent, but there were many more games where he willed his team to victories through competitive fire and strength of character. He's the type of player that an analytics enthusiast will dismiss and discount, and yet every teammate loves playing with this guy. In my experience, that's good enough for me.


Likewise, Hops does much of his best work in relatively anonymous Tennessee. This player is one of PCTI's toughest, having made his bones with incredible leadership, dogged individual and team defending, and timely shooting. Teammates like Krow fawn over him and consistently yell "Shooter" and "Backbreaker!" as Hops loads another 3 ball. Have there been games where Hops' 3 ball has deserted him? Sure, but how many more games has he played where his competitive will and strength of character have shined through to help his team compete and win? Although analytics guys like Eskildsen may dismiss his shooting percentage, I've yet to come across any player in PCTI that doesn't love playing with Hops and rave about his intensity, character, and leadership. One thing that will always be said about him is that he brings it. At the end of the day, that's good enough for me.

2) BC - Karl-Anthony Towns


KAT is an anonymous, destructive basketball player. I'm not sure I remember the last 20-10 guy in the NBA who operated with such little fanfare and relative anonymity. Is it because he is a rookie? Is it because he plies his craft in Minnesota? Is it because he is outshined by sexier, flashier guards like Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine? I don't know the answer to any of these questions. But the reality is that the BIG KAT has a beautifully destructive inside-outside game, perhaps among the best in the league. He defends, rebounds with enthusiasm, blocks shots, and his motor always runs at maximum output. I have a feeling that we will look back on this guy in a few seasons and say something foolish like "Where did he come from?" or "When did he get so good?" when the very clear reality is that he is just a damn good ballplayer that precious few recognize as such.


Likewise, BC is consistently among PCTI's best ballplayers, recognized as a standing threat for producing double-doubles and always regarded as a top draft choice. And yet, for whatever reason, he is consistently overlooked as an impact player to his team and as a guy who always influences the outcome of a series. Is it because he is PCTI's best personality? Is it because he also has camera and interviewing responsibilities? Is it because he is looked at as a guy who can make everybody laugh? Is it because he has a singular freak-out moment with officials at every PCTI and that overshadows his performance? I don't know the answers to the questions. All I know is that I always look up at the box score and dude has a big double-double with a team victory. I think we will look back in a couple of years and realize that BC has been a destructively good basketball player for a long time....shame on us for not recognizing it until now.

3) TP - Brook Lopez


I have to admit, I know very little about Brook Lopez. He plays in the Eastern Conference, so my Mavericks only see him twice a year. Most games, he has been injured so I haven't had the chance to evaluate his work. Given his injury history, I have never had him on my fantasy teams to judge his scoring, rebounding, and blocking ability. All I really know about him is that he has a strange haircut, an awkward interview voice, an uncoordinated brother, and a very big basketball game when he is healthy.


Likewise, I know nothing about the player TP. I really don't even know what TP stands for besides the obvious bathroom apparatus that makes going number 2 less base. All I really know about him is that he is a tall human, has serious game, and is recovering from injury. I certainly hope he does well at PCTI, just not too well where I regret drafting him.

4) Jeff Godon - Will Barton


For those who may not know, Will Barton is a high-wire, live-body, acrobatic, one-man fastbreak that is making a name for himself in Denver. In fact, he began the season as an afterthought, only to have put himself in position to win the coveted 6th man-of-the-year award in the League this season. His YouTube videos are the stuff of legend as he is just as likely to take the ball coast-to-coast for an amazing slam as he is to trip over his own feet and stumble out of bounds. His conditioning is at the top of his class, and he routinely makes plays that other players are too tired or too apathetic to make. If there is a player who has risen to the class of great player with the singular skill of energy, it is this guy.


Likewise, Jeff Godon is an energetic, active, enthusiastic ballplayer who routinely makes hustle plays that others do not or cannot. I can see him making a name for himself in PCTI with fastbreak buckets, offensive rebounds, and energy plays for his team. World-class conditioning, and his talent of playing with energy is simply better than anybody else's in PCTI. The only thing that is gonna hold back his PCTI career is his nickname, Rainbow. I mean, seriously, WTF? [Sidebar] Jeff, I've assigned some of the top nicknames in PCTI, including Cockstrong, Bambi, and Wes-Fil-A. My work is relatively unchallenged in this area. I recommend that you drop your current nickname endorser (Krow) and give me a shot at re-branding you. Your value will scream up the boards along with your game. Open invitation...

5) Wes Murray - Matthew Dellavadova


Dellavadova is a nasty, dirty, smallish Australian-rules football player who somehow landed a job playing basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He came to some prominence last season after Cleveland's top 7 guards got injured and he was forced into extended playing time. He is hairy, unkempt, and has a difficult time connecting words together. His teammates describe him as gritty, tough, and all-heart. The translation is that he is dirty, foul-prone, and has a hard time completing basketball plays. Yet, he has found the pulse of the Cleveland blue-collar fan as they routinely support him and love him for his eccentricities. He has ended more careers than Kendrick Perkins. Let that sink in for a second.


Likewise, Wesley has made a name for himself as a potential threat to end PCTI careers with nasty box-outs and unnecessary headlocks. Wes has showed up to PCTI several times hairy and unkempt, and I mainly remember him for not saying much during a two-hour ride in Bruiser's car back to the airport. Yet, he has completely galvanized his PCTI team, who is named in his honor, and whose rallying cry is "Win One for Wes!" He certainly has connected to the pulse of the Wesley Snipers and has even begun to chime in with timely blog comments and email contributions. He has nearly ended Danny's playing career, and that act alone will ensure that never has an opportunity to join the BOD.

Sabin