- Week 1 Recap -
Season number 6!!! I would be lying if I told you that I knew we would make it this far...I mean it's hard to imagine how fast the league has grown...how popular it has become...and then add in a once in a lifetime pandemic (which is still not over)...but through it all we have made it to this point...#6 in the 6ix...23 teams...209 players...doesn't get more epic than this. We kicked off on Sunday Dec 5th with 10 squads ready to compete while the rest waited patiently. As far as recaps go, we will try and get as many out as possible this season but we are going to be focusing more on video stuff as I feel that's the last piece to get this league to the next level. There will still be our famous power rankings and other articles up on the site but there may be less individual game recaps as we go into 2022. If anyone wants to volunteer to write recaps or other articles please hit us up! Thank you to all those that have contributed in the past and those that will continue to do so this season! Lastly, these articles aren't meant to be taken too seriously so just enjoy it and take it for what it's worth. But if you are really upset...play better! Let's get to it!
LAKERS vs HORNETS: The Lakeshow kick off the season in style with a gritty victory over the Hornets. GM Somi has a brand new squad and I would say he has definitely improved his team overall with these new acquisitions. Starting with Lawrence Tappin who was dynamic on both ends of the floor as he was a real calming influence on the team. When they needed a 3 pointer...he hit one...when they needed a defensive stop...he got one...just played the game at a beautiful pace. Hasan made his ETBL debut (brother of Javed and Jamshed) and he did not dissapoint as he chipped in 15 points and looked like he was able to get whatever shot he wanted especially when attacking the basket. If he is as good as his brothers or better...then the kid is going to be a problem for the league. Vishnu killed it on the boards and made some nice plays to teammates as he looks to be an integral part of the team. Hornets started off real slow and put themselves in a 10pt halftime hole which they almost climbed out of but eventually fell short. GM Akshay was a beast with 19 n 17...while Brandan Ramnarine was also great with 18/7/3. Let's see if they can bounce back in the new year.
Final Score: Lakers 61 - 55 Hornets Player of the Game - LAWRENCE TAPPIN 15pts/8rebs/2asts/2stls/1to - 2 Triples
WOLVES vs BLAZERS: The Wolves and Blazers are two new squads in ETBL and one looked solid while the other did not. The Wolves led by GM Angelo really took it to the Blazers early on and had this game pretty much in hand the whole way. Danniel Thomas was really good with a big double double but the rest of the cast was just okay for the most part. It almost seemed like they started fooling around and not taking it that seriously when they realized they were going to win pretty easily. Alot of missed layups by the Wolves backcourt or this score woulda looked even more lopsided. I will give them a pass tho as it was the first game of the season and they should be even better going forward but the focus and intensity will need to be there against the top tier squads if they expect to have similar results. Now onto the Blazers...yikes...before I start I will say this is the first time most of the guys on the team are playing in an organized league...with that being said...you couldn't have a worse debut than that. They were stuck with less than 12 points for the majority of the game and the players just had no idea where to be on the court. GM Krishan has his work cut out for him and considering that he needs to be one of the better players on the team it would probably make sense for them to get a coach/helper to assist during their games. I don't even know if Gregg Popovich could save them though. Keethan Vivek is supposed to be their star player but when you go 4 for 28 and 1 for 15 from three...you have no chance of winning. The kid can play though as you can tell from his handles and shooting form but he has to be alot smarter and save his energy throughout the game. The Fiba 3pt line is tough and most people will not be used to it and so he will need to attack more downhill and use his speed/quickness to get to the paint and hit midrange/floaters and layups. Denash was the only bright spot for the team as he looked comfortable making plays and handling the ball. Probably makes sense for them to get him to be the main ball handler and give Keethan breaks during the game. Listen, they are going to need a lot of work and practice and then some more practice...but if they are committed to getting better...maybe they don't finish in last place lol. But seriously, it is not easy to learn how to play fundamentally in such a short period but they have some guys who can be good and can get better if they work at it. Let's see if they can.
Final Score: Wolves 41 - 23 Blazers Player of the Game - DANNIEL THOMAS 13pts/16rebs/2stls/0to
CLIPPERS vs NETS: Damn, what a beatdown by the Champs in their opener against a brand new Nets squad. The Clippers were also missing their MVP Kris and 2 other key role players...but that did not matter one bit as the just destroyed the Nets in transition. They added Javed in the offseason who they already have tremendous chemistry with and he lit up the Nets in the first half hitting his first 4 triples. This team is poised to make another serious run at the championship and they have just so much balance, chemistry and IQ..."oh man, oh man, oh man not again...I got the drink in me going back to back yeah, I'm going back to back". The Nets obviously had a tough matchup to start the season but with the massive size advantage they had...it looked like they would give the Champs some trouble. Waqar is suppose to be their stud scorer but he went 1 for 13 from three and alot of them were just pullups with guys in front of him...that is not going to get the job done. He can clearly create for himself and others and so there is no reason to settle for such low percentage shots. More screens need to be set for him and just more plays and movement in general. GM Obaid has some work to do to get his squad on the same page but it's a long season and I still see some potential with this squad.
Final Score: Clippers 65 - 31 Nets Player of the Game - ARCHU MYLVANNAN 13pts/14rebs/10asts/2stls
GRIZZLIES vs RAPTORS: Grizz made a statement while the Raps dropped the ball in the opener. Big Ben was a monster again as he starts the season just where he left off before the pandemic. He is a tough matchup for anyone in the league and when he gets his shooting stroke going...it's impossible to defend him. GM Jas has surrounded him with a strong roster of players and even though 2 of those pieces (Rogan and Vishnu) didn't show up...they still made quick work of the new Raptors. Jesse and Zanoon were solid as they combined for 25 points and I think this team has a chance to make some real noise this season. We got a long way to go but this was a great start. Also, Ben almost ended someone's life on a dunk attempt...we would have literally had to call the game off and call the ambulance. Gohulan decided to form a new squad with some of his guys and put on his GM hat. The Raptors team name was available and he jumped all over it but that was the only piece of good news he got after getting slapped by the Grizz. Even though he was missing a stud player, he was still expecting to compete and come out on top. Hard to judge a team based off one game and they certainly had capable players...so let's chalk it up to some rust and lack of preparation. I expect them to be a contender in the new year.
Final Score: Grizzlies 55 - 39 Raptors Player of the Game - BEN OKYERE 23pts/5rebs/1stl/1blk - 50% Shooting - 2 Triples
HAWKS vs WARRIORS: New look for both squad as they decided to switch things up heading into Season 6. The Warriors have a big 4 of Baki, Donald, Chris and NJ and obviously these guys are all good players but the chemistry they have should make them even more dangerous. However, this game was all about the Hawks. GM Mithun showed off both his basketball skills and his recruiting skills and put together a team that fits his style. He was also awesome on the court as he usually his and carried the team with 20 huge points. His unorthodox style is tough to guard as he will suprise you with his floaters and pullups (gets them off before you can even put a hand up). His backcourt teammates Roheel and Aakgash were great in this one as they used their speed and shooting ability to create great looks for themselves and teammates. This 3 guard lineup is tough and if they can continue to get decent contributions from their bigs...they will be a handful to deal with during the season. Warriors will look to bounce back in the new year.
Final Score: Hawks 56 - 43 Warriors Player of the Game - MITHUN KRISH 20pts/5rebs/4asts/0to - 53% Shooting - 2 Triples