Michigan Goes down!

[Inyatkin]

Besides the Syracuse loss, UConn also had a starter out in their other loss, I forget who. They were undefeated with their full team.

It was Miami, and our full team was there

 

[superjohn]

I'm saying anyone NOT a UConn fan would go with that one. Heck, you even see that Duke team listed as one of the best teams of all time, over that UConn team. I'm not saying either way, but just throw the 7/10 out there is so on brand.

Here is what CHAT says:

If you mean the 1998–99 UConn team (Rip Hamilton / Khalid El-Amin / Jake Voskuhl; title winner) vs the 1998–99 Duke team (Elton Brand / Shane Battier / Trajan Langdon / William Avery; title-game runner-up), in a 10-game series I’d pick Duke, 6–4.

Why Duke (slightly) over UConn:

Matchups in the paint: Duke’s biggest edge is Elton Brand (and Duke’s overall size/rebounding). UConn’s title team wasn’t built around overwhelming interior scoring, and Brand could tilt close games by getting UConn in foul trouble and owning the glass.

• Half-court reliability: Over 10 games, the team that can generate “good shots” when things bog down usually wins more often. Duke had more dependable half-court options (Brand touches + shooters like Langdon + secondary playmaking).
• But UConn absolutely takes games: UConn’s guard play (El-Amin) and Hamilton’s ability to score in bunches means they’d steal multiple games—especially if tempo rises or if Duke’s perimeter defense gets stretched.

What swings it the other way (if you wanted UConn):

• If you assume foul trouble or Duke can’t keep UConn out of transition, or Rip is consisently the best closer on the floor, UConn could flip it to something like 5–5 or 6–4 UConn.

If you tell me neutral site vs home-court split, and whether it’s college rules as in 1999 (shorter 3-point line era ended earlier, but style/hand-checking still mattered), I can tighten the pick—but my baseline is Duke in a tight 6–4.

I don't want to insult you or the goldfish and say you have the memory of a goldfish but good lord. You just said this 20 minutes ago..."We had the better day and strategy in a one game scenario (the beauty of it) but Duke would win a long series."

Now you're saying you would not say either way how a 10 game series would go.

And now you finish your post saying you can tighten the pick but your baseline is Duke 6-4.

How do you not realize this is insane behavior?

 

[Waquoit]

Why would Duke win? That team was all about Brand and Brand couldn't handle UConn. UConn handled him in the first half. And after Coach K's brilliant halftime adjustments, they handled him in the 2nd half. What, things change if K gets two more days to strategize? Not like Brand was going to grow a few more inches. True UConn fans remember Putz saying "You're not going to take the ball awayfrom Elton Brand", then seeing UConn instantly take the ball away from Elton Brand and score in his face. In this little debate here, I see the UConn fans giving facts and the Duke supporters giving feelz.

 

[RuffRuff]

I don't want to insult you or the goldfish and say you have the memory of a goldfish but good lord. You just said this 20 minutes ago..."We had the better day and strategy in a one game scenario (the beauty of it) but Duke would win a long series."

Now you're saying you would not say either way how a 10 game series would go.

And now you finish your post saying you can tighten the pick but your baseline is Duke 6-4.

How do you not realize this is insane behavior?

I meant to convey in a way where that's where many in the national consensus would go. Duke had 5 lottery picks in their starting lineup. To jump to the conclusion that UConn would win 7/10 is just funny. I could buy 6-4, 5-5, but 70% is hysterical. Duke was up at the half it was a one possession game into the final minute.

You don't need to be insulting just because someone doesn't agree with you (common of your approach).

 

[superjohn]

I meant to convey in a way where that's where many in the national consensus would go. Duke had 5 lottery picks in their starting lineup. To jump to the conclusion that UConn would win 7/10 is just funny. I could buy 6-4, 5-5, but 70% is hysterical. Duke was up at the half it was a one possession game into the final minute.

You don't need to be insulting just because someone doesn't agree with you (common of your approach).

I can only go off of what you said.

Chris Carrawell is a lottery pick now?

 

[KingAG]

Ill never understand why RuffRuff always feel the need to argue the opposition of the team he roots for. Like in every scenario.

 

[RuffRuff]

I can only go off of what you said.

Chris Carrawell is a lottery pick now?

Langdon, Battier, Maggette, Avery, Brand.

Their KP was 43 - highest all time. Not saying that is the metric to suggest who would win in 10, but it's fairly significant. Winning 7 of 10 would suggest UConn had a very decided advantage. It was generally a group of role players, and one NBA player. I can buy 6-4.

Ill never understand why RuffRuff always feel the need to argue the opposition of the team he roots for. Like in every scenario.

Boneyards honesty broker - flexing falsely is bad mojo.

 

[superjohn]

Langdon, Battier, Maggette, Avery, Brand.

Their KP was 43 - highest all time. Not saying that is the metric to suggest who would win in 10, but it's fairly significant. Winning 7 of 10 would suggest UConn had a very decided advantage. It was generally a group of role players, and one NBA player. I can buy 6-4.

Boneyards honesty broker - flexing falsely is bad mojo.

Langdon, Battier, Maggette, Avery, Brand was not their starting 5 as I've already pointed out.

"It was generally a group of role players, and one NBA player."

This is also incorrect as I've already pointed out.

 

[RuffRuff]

Langdon, Battier, Maggette, Avery, Brand was not their starting 5 as I've already pointed out.

"It was generally a group of role players, and one NBA player."

This is also incorrect as I've already pointed out.

Whatever you say - in your head we know you're always right, and will find any angle to stick to it. Like I said, you are in the LOW minority with that opinion of anyone not in the tribe. And I mean low.

 

[formerlurker]

This is getting exhausting

 

[superjohn]

Whatever you say - in your head we know you're always right, and will find any angle to stick to it. Like I said, you are in the LOW minority with that opinion of anyone not in the tribe. And I mean low.

I keep having to correct you because you keep posting misinformation.

Will you at least admit that wasn't Duke's starting 5?

Will you at least admit UConn had more than one NBA player?

 

[freescooter]

UNLV was a machine when Duke beat them. Duke rightfully takes extra pride in taking down a team that dominant.

Same with us in 99. Doesn't make us plucky underdogs at all. But the win was extra sweet because of how good our opponent was

I never thought the 9.5 line was anything but reputational. Remember lines are set to balance the handle, not based on quality of the teams. That UConn team was ranked #1 for a chunk of the season but Duke was the known quantity. They had won multiple titles. They had lost to the eventual champ in the Elite 8 the previous year. UConn had 2 losses. Duke had 1. But the biggest thing was Duke had been to the Championship game before. UConn never had and had lost some heartbreakers with some really good teams. But I doubt many people at the time or since thought Duke was the dominant team. Dickie V maybe. There is a difference between going into a game as the underdog and going into a game where you are given no chance. We were the underdog but nobody thought there was no chance we would win. It wasn’t the 1980 Olympic hockey gold when we won.

 

[Flipside]

This is getting exhausting

 

[KingAG]

Whatever you say - in your head we know you're always right, and will find any angle to stick to it. Like I said, you are in the LOW minority with that opinion of anyone not in the tribe. And I mean low.

We were also in the low minority who thought we’d win that one game. What does that matter? You’re appealing to consensus(which you always do). And that’s a logical fallacy.

 

[RuffRuff]

We were also in the low minority who thought we’d win that one game. What does that matter? You’re appealing to consensus(which you always do). And that’s a logical fallacy.

So you think the small minority of biased fans is typically more accurate over the large non biased aggregate? I'm sure Duke fans thought they were going to win that one. Were they right? Or are UConn fans simply the smartest? You have to realize how wild that take is.

It's not as much appealing to consensus as much as it it's listening to viewpoints outside of UConn fans. The spread in that game was like 9.5 if I recall? The oddsmakers were also wrong? And we should think a team that was a 9.5 underdog would win over 10 games?

Me seeing 6-4 or 5-5 would like be considered illogical. A team with 5 lottery picks, highest KP ever, who played us to a one score game within final minute, who dominated that whole year, presents as a strong option to win more than lose in a 10 game series against that UConn team, as good as it was.

 

[RuffRuff]

I keep having to correct you because you keep posting misinformation.

Will you at least admit that wasn't Duke's starting 5?

Will you at least admit UConn had more than one NBA player?

Sorry, I mixed up their 5th lottery pick as their sixth man. Yes, I was wrong there.

 

[KingAG]

So you think the small minority of biased fans is typically more accurate over the large non biased aggregate? I'm sure Duke fans thought they were going to win that one. Were they right? Or are UConn fans simply the smartest? You have to realize how wild that take is.

It's not as much appealing to consensus as much as it it's listening to viewpoints outside of UConn fans. The spread in that game was like 9.5 if I recall? The oddsmakers were also wrong? And we should think a team that was a 9.5 underdog would win over 10 games?

Me seeing 6-4 or 5-5 would like be considered illogical. A team with 5 lottery picks, highest KP ever, who played us to a one score game within final minute, who dominated that whole year, presents as a strong option to win more than lose in a 10 game series against that UConn team, as good as it was.

I don’t have a strong opinion on this hypothetical situation. I was born in 1995, I have no recollection of seeing either ox these teams play live. My point to you is constantly leaning on consensus is not an actual argument. What do YOU believe? What the “masses” believe is irrelevant. Someone believing UConn would win 7-3 is no more right, wrong, or illogical than someone who believes the opposite.

UConn fans who believe their 1999 team was better than Dukes has a great reason to believe so. They beat them.

 

[Excalibur]

It’s debateable - but you can’t take one head to head and then suggest we’d have won 7 out of 10 when there is plenty to suggest otherwise. Most national views would 100% suggest the opposite. They aren’t stupid for doing so. Many believe they had the better day and strategy in a one game scenario (the beauty of it), but Duke would win a long series. They’re often thought of as one of the best teams to not win it all, highest KP of all time.

If the head to head were the only data point, sure. You're ignoring the common opponent point to make it easier to dismiss the argument. Amateur stuff . . .

 

[UC0NN]

Nobody has answered the question. What would the spread be if the two teams played again 2 days later on the same court. That is your answer from a hypothetical standpoint.

Individual matchups are very crucial here as well. Elite defenses can be game changers as well, no matter how good an offense you put out there.

 

[RuffRuff]

I don’t have a strong opinion on this hypothetical situation. I was born in 1995, I have no recollection of seeing either ox these teams play live. My point to you is constantly leaning on consensus is not an actual argument. What do YOU believe? What the “masses” believe is irrelevant. Someone believing UConn would win 7-3 is no more right, wrong, or illogical than someone who believes the opposite.

UConn fans who believe their 1999 team was better than Dukes has a great reason to believe so. They beat them.

I gave you a KP data point & factual data on talent (lottery picks), the fact they were favored by 9.5 by Vegas and that it was a one score game with under a minute to go, as non consensus driven items.

As for common opponents - I cannot see how us blowing out a common opponent by 5 points more is a real data point.

 

[superjohn]

Sorry, I mixed up their 5th lottery pick as their sixth man. Yes, I was wrong there.

Good start but you're only halfway there.

 

[RuffRuff]

Nobody has answered the question. What would the spread be if the two teams played again 2 days later on the same court. That is your answer from a hypothetical standpoint.

Individual matchups are very crucial here as well. Elite defenses can be game changers as well, no matter how good an offense you put out there.

You could be very sure it wouldn't go from 9.5 to 0. Chat says it would be 4.5.

 

[superjohn]

Good start but you're only halfway there.

Since you threw up the ? mark.

Will you at least admit UConn had more than one NBA player?

 

[RuffRuff]

Since you threw up the ? mark.

Will you at least admit UConn had more than one NBA player?

Sorry, Jake?

I believe if you tallied the amount of NBA years between that Duke team and that UConn team, you'd get a least double if not triple. Battier, Brand, Magette had long careers. Avery & Langdon played a few. I believe Jake and RIP were the only two that saw NBA minutes for UConn.

 

[Inyatkin]

Sorry, Jake?

I believe if you tallied the amount of NBA years between that Duke team and that UConn team, you'd get a least double if not triple. Battier, Brand, Magette had long careers. Avery & Langdon played a few. I believe Jake and RIP were the only two that saw NBA minutes for UConn.

On the basic question at hand I'm more on the prolific dude's side, but I'm not going to miss a chance to post a KEA pic.