Bet you didnt plan quadruple overtime into your minute distribution.
There was a lot I didn't plan on in that game, among them:
• Strauss fouling 3 times within his first 3 minutes on the floor
• Leblanc fouling 3 times within his first 8 minutes backing up Strauss
• A third-stinger with awful ID playing the majority of the second quarter at C
• Strauss fouling out in double or triple overtime (can't recall which now, but that was the point at which I figured the loss was coming for certain)
• My starting SG getting minutes at both C and PF, and my third-string SG getting minutes at both PG and PF, but none at SG
But most importantly,
• A CT from my opponent when he'd normaled every other game this season and hadn't logged in since the 24th
I knew a Motion/FCP was coming, and I figured a LI/LP 3-2 TIE with that lineup would give me an advantage on effort, and even if he did CT it would at worst be about even. The foul trouble early that absolutely shredded my ID & RB capability in the 2nd quarter made any advantage I had wash away. I had a slight GS advantage and talked myself out of buying a cheap ringer just for this game, and I'm still OK with that. Had I not sold Buenfil last week, it wouldn't have even been an issue, I would've had minutes to spare somewhere (either Buenfil or Amador or both, as I was really heavy at SG/SF to start the season).
I haven't looked at my training update yet, but only Strauss and Amador should be in any danger of a GS hit, so I'm okay with that part. (Actually, I just checked, and the training update has yet to run, and both of those guys got less minutes this week than Timmons, Sottocornola and Ludwig, so not worried a bit,) Not too upset about the loss either, as it means I just might get to stay up here another season & won't have any reason to tank any league games. I was really worried about things heading south in a few weeks, and now I'm not so concerned.
And to the scrubs from lower divisions who read this forum for no apparent reason, THAT is how you make an excuse for an early cup exit. With bullet points. Boo-yah.