NBA Season 6 Draft Analysis and Season So Far

NBA Season 6 Draft Analysis

The over-analysis machine is back in full gear!

Following an abrupt end in season 4 as well as season long hiatus, the Los Angeles Nidokings finally return to the their former league they've long been called home. Not going to lie, its been a long time I've decided to do writeups for my blogsite featuring the teams crafted week-by-week, even so detailing the matchups that come from these battles. Given the noticeable neglect from this site, its time to pump out bi-weekly content in regards to our matchups in the NBA (formerly PFA) and see how the LA Nidokings can achieve victory...maybe add another title to the mix. If anything, lets get this started.

For this season of PFA / NBA, the league would consist of 16 players drafting 11 Pokemon all based on our own tiering system. Players must have fill in the following A-E Tier slots with C tier being two mons draft in each team. Following that we have 5 slots where each team must select 5 Pokemon while not going over a budget of 400. Tiering for Budget Pokemon for these goes as follows: A - 180, B - 120, C - 100, D - 60, and E - 40 points. In addition to these four, each team must only have 1 S tier Pokemon for balancing purposes and is treated as its own tiering system with four levels S1 thru S4 from highest viability to lowest. S Tier Pokemon not only consist of all Mega Pokemon, but as well as extremely potent and strong Pokemon who can downright entire teams like say Mega Charizard X or Manaphy. 

To elaborate on the S Tiering further, most S Tier Pokemon come with a discount price such as S3 and S4 increasing a players point total to 40 or 80 points respectively. S2 Tier Pokemon do not cost any points towards a budget, however Pokemon who are in S1 have a fairly high price of 100 points deducted to one's point total. The last measure was likely to ensure people who draft certain S1 Pokemon can't really pickup highly tier or sought after teammates so easily without considering their budget. Though I didn't have a say on the matter in part of my departure, this was definitely a good way to balance out the teams that might even have two S Tier mons in previous season or great composition without using much points. Will leave a link to how the Season 6 drafts with all the tiering and the up-to-date spreadsheet of the teams and records. 

To start, I'm not going to discuss the team I've drafted since now its kinda seems almost irrelevant to disclose mons who didn't do much for the team or even were dropped. There have already been a few matches done on my end so far and want to get to them, however it might be better to analyze the team I have given the transactions made from Week 3. Note these are going to be the Pokemon I have concurrent to my team and that have a role in the LA Nidoking roster, so lets get to it.

S Tier: Mega Lopunny

So originally this slot was actually Bloo the Manaphy given my own tardiness to select a mon by several minutes (thanks to over sleeping!) and the guys from NBA actually picking this for me. That was actually nice of them to do especially how many time Bloo has kinda kicked everyone's asses (except two times) and could have skipped me entirely. So why did I drop Bloo despite this? Well I guess it has to be due to the fact Bloo cost me an additional 100 points to my budget which didn't help my overall team at large. In the seasons prior, Manaphy was an OU tier pick, and soon an S Tier option where it was easier to allocate point totals or slots. This was especially notable after my first season loss in Season 6 where my team didn't synergize well, and yeah... it was time for a change. This wasn't an easy choice at first, but as I looked into the undrafted listings and a couple trades, I couldn't get a reasonably strong team to my liking. Then I remembed how I did the exact thing in Season 4 when I dropped my Mega Pokemon for Mega Blastoise for points, which actually helped long term. So if anyone knows how to blow up their teams for playoff effectiveness, its me.

Enter Mega Lopunny. This was the Pokemon I dropped in Season 4 almost the same reason as above mainly due to points. Back in Season 4 before it was dropped, Mega Lopunny was the league leader in kills per game and over MVP due to how strong it hits and cleans up opposing teams with its fast 135 Speed and 136 Attack. While Normal- and Fighting-type coverage might not seem as a strong offensive typing, Lopunny's Mega Ability, Scrappy effectively gives it perfect coverage to hit all Pokemon in the game with STAB options like Return, Drain Punch, or High Jump Kick. In addition to its powerful STAB options, Mega Lopunny has all the elemental punches for solid coverage, priority options in Fake Out / Quick Attack, Baton Pass for momentum, and even semi cleric support options like Heal Bell and Healing Wish. Chances are Mega Lopunny will likely be in an offensive role, either creating the offense or cleanup opposing team that have already been chipped from my other teammates. Do want to stress how important the speed stat for Mega Lopuny is for my team since base 135 is one of the fastest Pokemon in the game, meaning I'm either going to outspeed many threats, or my opponents will try to use speed control options or Scarfers to mitigate this Pokemon. Perhaps that is the biggest reason why I dropped Manaphy for Mega Lopunny since Manaphy needs that one turn to setup Tail Glow or CMs to go off, while Mega Lopunny can just go off immediately, especially with my somewhat balance team. This is a Pokemon I know that can get the job done for my team and will be among the one of many Pokemon who stands out in this roster. 

A Tier: Zapdos

Aside Manaphy, this Electric/Flying-type Pokemon has been the most selected out of my many drafts mainly because how reliable it has been in battle. Cannot stress how strong and well-rounded a Pokemon Zapdos is for this team as its acts as a potent wall with reliable recovery, offensive pivot, and potentially wall breaking capabilities with its base 125 Special Attack stat. As an Electric/Flying-type, Zapdos can threaten nearly every Water-, and Flying-type Pokemon and can stand toe to toe against Grass-, Steel-, Bug, Fighting-, and of course, its immunity to Ground-type attacks. Zapdos is just one of those Pokemon who can almost do it all and that's exactly what I strive when teambuilding with the multiple roles it plays. Do have to be concerned about its only two weaknesses being Ice- and Rock-type hits, which of course make it weak to Stealth Rocks. Zapdos is one of those Pokemon who can Defog entry hazards or even defensive screens away from my team, but chances are likely I might suit for a semi mixed role as an offensive pivot or even walling capabilities, so might let it take the damage. In terms of coverage, Zapdos nets a strong variety of coverage moves such as the ever present STAB Thunderbolt, Discharge for paralysis chance, Heat Wave for Steel-, Bug- and Grass-types, Flying STAB like Air Cutter, pivoting options such as STAB Volt Switch, U-turn, and Baton Pass, Dual Screen potential, and reliable recovery in Roost. Speaking of Roost. Zapdos is one of the best Pokemon to utilize the ability Pressure due to its solid typing and only one weakness to ground-type when grounded. Thanks to Pressure's effect of reducing a Pokemon's PP of a Move by 2 instead of the normal 1, Zapdos can potentially render mons useless from their best coverage or offensive options, which can open the door for key mons. On a final note, Zapdos also has the ability Static, which also plays to having to use Roost Stalling tactics as if my opponents make contact, Zapdos can potentially paralyze them to neutralize their speed.  After using Zapdos to great use in PFA S3 and DBL S2 I strongly think it will be one of my best Pokemon on this roster who can definitely pressure its foes.

B Tier Pick No 1: Entei

Entei was selected around the time many Fire-type Pokemon were getting picked including a couple I've thought of snagging beforehand. Either way, Entei is a great offensive wallbreaker capable of using its strong Fire-type STAB options from Sacred Fire or Flare Blitz, to out-prioritizing my opponent with Extreme Speed. Do want to give a special mention to Sacred Fire as its perhaps of of the best physically offensive Fire-types attack in the game with its no drawback 50% chance to burn the targets down. Strangely, Entei did in fact get a minor buff in its movepool with an new stronger Ground-type move in Stomping Tantrum, which even then is 15 point difference in power compared to that of Bulldoze. Still Entei has the reliable Quake Edge combo to pull off in the event of facing opposing Fire-types. As my 3rd overall pick, not so sure about why I got Entei that high, though that partially explained with how people magically going for Fire-types like Infernape (cough I know who I'll have to beat up!) The only issues I have with Entei as a whole is the lackluster moveset and the fact it must run Adamant Nature to use certain moves such as ExtremeSpeed or Flare Blitz for that matter. Don't think Entei is a bad Pokemon thanks to its high Attack and even HP totals. Guess it might come down to Entei hitting its Sacred Fires... which I know I'll miss more than three times. 

B Tier Pick No 2: Nidoqueen

Despite giving much insight regarding my Entei pickup, do have much to say about Nidoqueen. By Round 4 I'd already notice people were gunning for type selections such as the sudden interest in Fire-, Fairy, and also Poison-type Pokemon. At this time do believe both Nidoqueen and Nidoking were available so decided to opt for the more "defensive" Pokemon given my lack of reliable hazard setters at this point in the draft. Personally I don't think Nidoqueen or even Nidoking had any advantages spare movesets and stat allocations, though at the end of the day the team really needed a good balance of offense and defensive roles. Enough of the backstory, Nidoqueen is one of the most dangerous Pokemon to prepare for when it comes to league given its massive offensive and support movepool it has. What makes Nidoqueens threatening is its Sheer Force ability, boosting the power of all moves with secondary effects by 1.3x which the damage alone can justify Nidoqueen's use in any battle. Even from its typing, Nidoqueen's Ground / Poison- type lets it help check and even counter many typing my team might struggle such as Electric, Fairy, Rock, and Fighting-type Pokemon, which the ladder whas definitely notable before I made major transactions. As mention before, one of the main reasons Nidoqueen was selected of its male counterpart was due to its better well-rounded bulk to make it a passable Stealth Rock and Toxic Spike support. Paired with strong coverage options such Flamethrower, Ice Beam, Sludge Wave, Earth Power, Thunderbolt, etc and even support moves like Taunt, Super Fang, and Roar, Nidoqueen is a mon that can do it all. Do believe at the end of the season, Nidoqueen will prove itself to be one of my best offensive setters and best defensive mon to go that far. 

B Tier Pick No 3: Florges

Originally Florges was part of my week 2 opponent's team Wenwuk, who decided to drop Florges for Celebi, another Pokemon I was actually contemplating on picking up when restructuring the team. Did have a Wish Passer in Umbreon already on my team but felt in the end Florges was far more offensively capable to deal consistent damage than the Dark-type bunny, which my opponent would far likely exploit.  To start, Florges is one of the interesting Pokemon who also has a surprisingly high BST with an astonishing 154 Special Defense stat! Literally if your team is asking for a special wall cleric, then Florges is one of the best one to gets in a draft format. It was rather surprising to note Florges got a minor "buff" as it can now Defog which I found rather unorthodox, but hey that's something to differentiate itself from other Fairy-types. Aside the Cleric or Defog support rule, Florges has a rather high 112 Special Attack which can surely make use of a Calm Mind set with even some coverage options like Giga Drain or Psychic. Perhaps the main reasons for Florges roll in the LA Nidoking squad is to fulfill my special wall needs and have a decent amount of Fight- , Dark-, and Dragon-type resistances which gladly helps out our team. Honestly not going to lie, I somehow managed to get Florges via Free Agency though guess its due coincidence. Regardless, do feel Florges will make be a strong member of the team, especially how Fairy-type Pokemon are one of the best defensive singular typings in the game to have.

C-Tier Pick No 1: Kyurem

If there was one Pokemon I actually wanted to draft for this season, it was Kyurem. In the two battles I've used Kyurem way back in one league I was in temporarily, this Dragon was an absolute monster.... literally. Don't let this Pokemon rather frail and elderly looking appearance fool you, Kyurem is one of the most strongest Dragon, and notably Ice-type Pokemon in Draft League. A BST of 660 with exceptionally high offensive stats of 130, a rather beefy 130/90/90 defensive stats, and solid 95 speed stat. Kyurem has to the potential to be an amazing wallbreaker, revenge killer, a setup variant, or even the dreaded Pressure stall it can perform better than most pressure users like Zapdos or Suicune. Offensively Kyurem's Dragon and Ice STAB from a high special attack stat forces my opponents to have strong checks or counter, notably Steel-type, which even then get hit hard with Earth Power or HP Fire. Yes I know Kyurem might have a limited movepool, but at least its not comparable to someone like Entei or Florges enough so that its one of my main designated Z-move users which can definitely leave a mark against its targets. Do want to give a special mention to Kyurem's bulk as a Pokemon with a exceptionally high HP of 125, above average defenses, access to recovery in Roost, and the ability Pressure makes Kyurem even more threatening. Should I chose, Kyurem has the the bulk to be a defensive wall on either the physical or special ends, making Kyurem a good candidate for pressure stalling my opponents valuable moves with a Sub Roost combo. As mention, few Pokemon really want to take STAB Ice Beams, Draco Meteors, or even coverage options even for valuable chip damage. Given the rather bulky offensive nature of my team, its was reasonable to pair Kyurem with other sturdy walls and setters such as Nidoqueen, Florges, Metagross, and others we'll get to.  Guess I'll end it, Kyurem main role is to effectively scare my opponents in which I can slowly chip at the gradually or become one of the main offense of the team. Will be fun to give this Dragon/Ice-type a go again.

C-Tier Pick No 2: Metagross

Think Metagross was selected by the time I got was looking to get other hazard Pokemon such as Nidoqueen to relieves its defensive duties for some battles. To be honest, wasn't completely convinced about keeping Metagross at first until after my second match of the week when it's bulk was able to clutch a victory (yes I know I got lucky... but that's Pokemon). After using Mega Metagross in a Double league last year, thought I'd give regular Metagross a try since its quite the powerful Psudeo Legendary Pokemon with that fantastic Attack and Defense stat. While that Steel/Psychic-typing is amazing for covering key resistances for my team, do feel like Metagross lack of recovery will be its downfall, so that was by Umbreon, and  now Florges was added to give its good synergy and wish passing. As mention, Metagross has access to powerful atttacking covering alongside its STAB Steel/Psychic types like Meteor Mash, Zen Headbutt, Bullet Punch, Earthquake, Pursuit. What I do love about regular Metagross even in general competitive is how its ability Clear Body pairs very well with its high attack stat in which no Intimidate or stat reducing Pokemon can make it weak or setup fodder. As such, Metagross can use a variety of items to good use such as Choice Band, Assault Vest, or even Scarf to augment its stat to further heights. On a last final note, Metagross also has a rather high 130 Defense stat to abuse as a physical wall to pair with its strong coverage options, therefore making it one of the sturdier threats on my team. 

C-Tier Pick No 3: Primarina

Now its time to discuss the water type replacement for our team: Primarina. At first it might seem as if we are essentially downgrading from a powerful wallbreaker and sweeper in Manaphy, to a rather semi offensive yet slow mon like Primarina, but that's not the case. To start, Primarina is one of the few coveted Pokemon with the rather strong Water/Fairy-typing, one which is shared by Pokemon such as Tapu Fini and Azumarill. While Manaphy maintain a rather steady 100 base special attack stat, Primarina has an exceptionally high 126 special offensive stat with access to powerful coverage options like Hydro Pump, Scald, Moonblast, Sparkling Aria, Psychic, Energy Ball etc. As mentioned earlier, Primarina's speed isn't the best, however due to its high special attack it makes use of offensive items such as Life Orb or Choice Specs to nearly most teams hard unless they have a dedicated special wall. Primarina can also make use of its incredibly diverse support options such as Encore, Duel Screens, Perish Song, Aqua Jet, Charm, etc just to name a few. What Primarina does well compared to its other bulky Water types is the fact it can play both offensive and defensive roles for a team effort. How will any enemy Pokemon be willing to switch into a Pokemon with 126 special attack and strong special coverage? Almost forgo to mention Primarina's respectable 116 special defense allows it to tank most non super effective special moves so it won't be going down soon. Definitely believe we have the team where Primarina can thrive thanks to potential wish support from Florges and strong checks to Poison-, Grass-, and Electric-type such as Nidoqueen, Kyurem, and Metagross. Guess that was the whole goal of restructuring the team by giving myself strong partners to pair from a balance perspective. If dropping Manaphy for a strong wall breakers, pivots, and bulky offensive Pokemon like Primarina in the end was my trade off, I don't regret it. 

D Tier Pick No 1: Ribombee 

The next selection is a rather odd Pokemon to see even from myself which is the Bug/Fairy-type Pokemon Ribombee. When it came around the later half of the draft, I've decided maybe it was time to pickup a viable fast mon with something unique about itself that differentiates from others and Ribombee is no exception. In addition to its fast 124 speed stat, Ribombee now has access to the ever prized Sticky Webs, an entry hazard that drops the speed of all Pokemon by a one stage. With access to Sticky Webs, Ribombee can make any speed issues on the roster a practical non-issue and can almost ensure them up thanks to its blitzing speed. Other role Ribombee might see into action might be a potential Quiver Dance setup, a Choice Specs attacker, dual screen setter, defog support, or some wacky powder set to mess up fire-types. Do think that's really all Ribombee can offer for this team as its defenses are kinda next to none and might fall prey to scarfers, priority users, or flat our bulky attackers with the special defense to tank any of Ribombee's hits.  Nonetheless guess Ribombee is more suited for offensive roles for my team and play a vital role in its support. 

D Tier Pick No 2: Miltank

My latest transaction selection from week 4 is everyone's favorite Pokemon they complained about in Gen 2: the Normal-type cow Miltank. To start off, this was originally a E Tier Pokemon in Cryogonal given I wanted to have another hazard control in Rapid Spin / Defog as well as a rather fast special wall. Right after my near loss to my opponent in Week 2, realized that having two Ice-type Pokemon who aren't employed in some hail offense whether its with Aurora Veil or good ol Blizzard spam. The main reasons I dropped Cryogonal for Miltank was infact I could get another D tier pick after dropping Manaphy and get another rocker to alleviate Nidoqueen and Metagross. Thanks to its 95 HP and 105 Defense, Miltank can serve as a solid physical wall thanks with access to recovery, status options like Thunder Wave / Toxic, and even a setup option thanks to the move Curse. As a Normal-type, Miltank yields a variety of attacks to chose from whether its the elemental punches, Earthquake, Hammer Arm, Punishment, Seismic Toss, and  of course a plethora of Normal-type STABs. There were other solid Stealth Rockers remaining from D-Tier like Seismatoad and Rhyperior, but Miltank stood out more mainly due to the variety of good abilities it can utilize which either give it Fire- and Ice-type resistances, immunity to Grass-types in Sap Sipper, or bypasses Ghost-type immunity of Normal- and Fighting-type moves with Scrappy. Essentially Miltanks gives me a solid check to many physical Fire-type and Ice-type Pokemon who might be a problem later on or even wall Grass-type Pokemon while getting attack boosts. Do want to keep in mind like all walls, Miltank needs to be as healthy as possible to be able to check those key threats to my team. Fortunately with the new team's solid Fighting-type resistances and good special defensive walls, this can alleviate Miltanks walling capabilities only to a select role where it can excel. 

E Tier Pick: Tangela

Finally the last Pokemon of the LA Nidoking Draft: Tangela! Alright maybe not to most exciting Pokemon to have but definitely the cutest mother fucker there is.... k idk why I went there. Alright Originally Tangela was a Ghost/Grass-type named Gourgeist which I thought was kinda pretty mediocre after my week 1 battle and was frankly redundant to bring. One of the main issues with Gourgeist was despite its solid defenses, stat allocations from all four forms, and even workable movepool, felt it would get worn down over time. Sure my week 1 battle was probably an outlier given how bad I played the endgame, but Gourgheist's couldn't keep up with the offensive pressure my opponent clearly illustrated in that matchup. Funny enough Gourgheist and Tangela were traded around week 3 when me and the guy already battled our opponent from week 1 and week 2 respectively. To be frank, I'm not sure how to fit Tangela unto this team especially with all the new bulk from Florges, Primarina, and Miltank mostly. Will say though thanks to the Eviolite, Tangela becomes one of the bulkiest physical walls imaginable. In tandem with recovery options such as Leech Seed, Synthesis, and of course the coveted Regenerator ability, Tangela can be an annoying threat to opposing teams. Its also no slouch on the support side with options like Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Toxic, Knock Off, Endeavor, Reflect, etc. Best way to describe Tangela is that its basically a poor man's Tangrowth...which is an obvious thing to say but true. Either way, I'll will figure out  how to make Tangela work this season of the NBA. 

Z-Crystal Holders

In terms of the designated Z-Captains for this league, there were a total of three potential user who all had to be in B-Tier or below. In addition, we do follow the standard GBA Z-Crystal rules in no +1 omni-boost or Evasion to keep with consistency.  Once again, the reason there are designated Z-Captains is to relieve the burden of preparing for specific Z-Moves since they are in terms of competitive, the best lures in the game and pairing this with a powerful S or A Tier mon might be too much. So with that said, here are the following Z Captains for this team:

Entei:  The reason I gave Entei the Z-Crystal option might seem counter productive, but hear me out. Entei has a rather shallow movepool with only a good amount of Fire-type options in Sacred Fire and Flare Blitz, both of which are powerful STAB for Entei. In turn, do feel Entei's base 115 Attack stat is solid enough to utilize Inferno Overdrive from Sacred Fire and Blitz, as well as some interesting options like Stomping Tantrum, Stone Edge, or Iron Head. Entei also has some interesting setup Z Moves in Z-Howl and Z-Sunny Day respectively, which might be helpful in giving my Fire-type an extra boost in Attack or Speed. Overall do admit that Entei might have a limited movepool to abuse the Z-Crystal, but its a good candidate should the need be there. 

Kyurem: Once again to over hyper a Pokemon, Kyurem is one of the underrated Pokemon to chose from a Pokemon Draft League, however do care to listen about its potential as a Z-Crystal wielder. As mention, Kyurem has been blessed with a base 130 offensive stats from both the special and physical side and surprisingly enough has a solid selection of Z-Moves to chose from. Nearly all Kyurem's Dragon and Ice-type STAB are amazing Z-Move options to select as well as moves such as Earth Power, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Stone Edge, etc. As I mention with Entei, Kyurem has ways to boost its speed such as Z-Hail, which gives it +1 Speed while summoning Hail, so guess you can figure out what happens next. Do feel like Kyurem will likely be the main Z-Move holder of the team as given from two matches into this season. 

Metagross: The last Z-Move Captain of the team is no other than Metagross, which to be honest is a great Pokemon to have it on with its offensive power. Partly the reasoning of using Metagross as a Z-Move user was my experience using one and notably facing many in the VGC 17 format back a several months ago. One thing to note from Metagross is paired with its Clear Body ability, Metagross's stats including Attack and Special Attack are safe from any drops. Essentially Metagross will hit its opponents without having fear of say an Intimidate or other potential stat modifiers. As a pseudo-legendary, Metagross yields a strong physical movepool from the likes of Meteor Mash, Hammer Arm, Earthquake, Thunder / Ice Punch, and other to select from. Metagross has a respectable base 95 special attack it can utilize with moves such as Grass Knot, Psychic, Flash Cannon, and others should I decide to use them. Based on how I've seen Metagross play in VGC, do feel alot of its Z-Move potential comes from having gain a boost into its attack / moves or the again the surprise factor to lure in many Pokemon. Hopefully this can translate into league play and Meta can  be one of my best offensive Pokemon. 

Overall Summation of the Team

In terms of how I feel about the new LA Nidoking squad, do feel like it has a solid chance to win the NBA Title once more thanks to its coveted bulky offensive approach. Likewise, wanted every Pokemon on this team to fulfill a certain role that any one else lacked, and not try to over extend ourselves from and offensive, yet more importantly defensive approach. Think of it this way, Florges will likely be the team's main special wall with that gargantuan 154 special defense, not the primary physical wall or setup sweeper since there are better Pokemon to fill these roles. The same goes to Nidoqueen as it can a reliable offensive hazard setter, but not the main option. When restructuring the team, wanted to have Mega Lopunny again given its rather ridiculous base 135 speed and most importantly its ability to effectively clean teams with STAB HJK or Return. Guess having all these walls and bulky offensive Pokemon allows Mega Lopunny to potentially pick off opposing team towards the mid-to-late game.

Do want to emphasis I'm not excluding the rest of my team not mention in the above statements, rather they have their roles to fulfill. In terms of wall breaker, Entei, Nidoqueen, Kyurem, Metagross, and Primarina can all serve such offensive roles thanks to their powerful STAB, high stats, and coverage options. Even so, my defensive wall core of Florges, Zapdos, Miltank, Nidoqueen, Tangela, and even Kyurem can act as the main defensive anchor of the team while still inflicting good chip damage here and there. Finally my faster threats with Entei, Kyurem, Ribombee, and of course Mega Lopunny can either initiate the team offense, or clean the weaken teams. Do feel our type synergy is rather amazing for our team given the strong Steel-Dragon-Fairy core in Metagross, Kyurem, and Florges/Primarina. 

If there's anything still "lacking" on this team, its basically the lack of more potential hazard options notable a Spiker. Most of my successful Draft teams involve a team with a wide array of entry hazard and hazard control. In this case, Zapdos, Forges, and Cough Ribombee Cough are decent hazard control where as Metagross, Nidoqueen, and Miltank can setup Rocks or Toxic Spikes respectively. This is a minor nitpick given most of these Pokemon do their jobs well however Spikes can be nice to have to deal 12.5% damage against grounded targets as oppose to maybe Stealth Rocks at times. Do feel like Toxic Spikes with this team is essentially its  bread and butter, but having more bulk and hazard options can help. On a last note, do feel like I want to get a good Dark or Ghost-type for my team to alleviate the potential Psychic weakness, but looking at the matchups do want to save those transactions and trade options for possibly later in the season. 

Closing Remarks

Once again, do feel like the reorganization of the current NBA LA Nidokings team is one of the best I've done so far, but will let my play and results do the talking.  Its nice to bring back Mega Lopunny for this season as well as most of the old and new members of the LA Nidoking member I've used from past seasons. As per summation, I'll probably do a summations of Week 1-6 and then Week 7-12 leading up to the NBA playoffs. If we manage to get to playoffs, then expect at least an analysis of the post season from me. Likewise, the LA Nidokings will do their best, and have no regrets in battle.