@LSD Your losses have come against formidable teams. There is no shame in them. There are lessons within every loss as well as every victory. A glance at your teams overall stats reveals several key weaknesses but one stands heads and shoulders above the rest.
Without studying the fundamentals of the game itself, even the most expensive roster in the league would be of no use to you. The one dimensional understanding of the game reflected in your team's performance has apparently taken it as far it can. There is much more than high FG% and double-doubles that factor into the final score of a game. Understanding those non-obvious factors is critical to becoming competitive in any rendition of the game, be it virtual or physical. As you gain that knowledge there is no doubt you will see your squad more adaptable to whatever team/challenge stands before them.
The current NBA is a slave to the star system and the marketing machine that pimps them. It no longer honors the core elements of the game. This makes it an extremely bad example to reference for building a sound understanding. It has been debated to death whether it stems from the influx of kids out of HS and/or the glut of resources that focus on marketing key players. I imagine it's a combination. Regardless, these propped up 'elite' teams which are not fundamentally sound crumble against lesser hyped but more all around teams. This is why a team like the Mavs can make such short work of a team like the Heat. It's not that they necessarily have more talent, but that they have a higher IQ of the game and are able to execute strategies based on that higher IQ where as a team like the Heat would figure they were safe as long as the big 3 are in double digits.
The international game exhibited by the Euroleague, Argentina, Spain, even Japan will teach you more about these fundamentals than the majority of current NBA games will. Their style is acclimated to intelligent execution without being burdened by the star system that exists in the pros here in the US.
To improve, you will need to study the history of great teams. Modeling on the merch monsters of today will only get you deeper into the hole you're already in. Some eras/teams I'd recommend to begin working out of your current predicament are '96 Bulls, early 80's Lakers, 60's Celtics, Bad Boys Era Pistons and the elite college programs like Duke, NC, and the early 90's UNLV Rebels. Youtube is filled with docs and actual games that include analysis and breakdowns. It's a great resource to take advantage of.
As PWN said, the league of today is not the one of yesterday. An unexpected challenge now stares you in the face. Wins don't come as easy as they used to. You're no longer the team to beat. This naturally rattles your confidence. How will the defending B8 champion respond? Fight? Flight? Run? Gun? With half the season left, the ball is now in your hands to decide that.
Joga Bonito
Last edited by Mix at 09/08/2011 04:21:01