Fantasy Basketball Advice

'Tankers' produce sleepers
Comment
March 18
ESPN.com
 
""Tanking" is an ugly word. No NBA team wants to be accused of submerging its winning attitude in the pursuit of ping-pong balls. It depresses players, coaches and fans alike. I'd hate to accuse a team of even contemplating it. So, let's not call it "tanking." Let's call it "walling." But for the savvy owner? From great chaos comes great opportunity. This is the part of the season when I devote a massively disproportionate amount of fantasy brainpower to the bottom 10 teams in the standings. Think of John Hollinger and Chad Ford's very definitive Future Rankings, but turned on their head. Let's call this our "No Future" Rankings. I'm listing teams with the following criteria: record (so you ..."
Raptors' DeRozan scoring more
Comment
March 18
ESPN.com
 
"Until he starts doing more than score points, it's going to be hard to sing DeMar DeRozan's praises too much as a fantasy player, but the Toronto Raptors rookie is doing some seriously efficient scoring these days, and -- given his athletic ability -- the potential for fantasy success seems to be there. In the past few weeks, DeRozan has firmly established himself as the Raptors' starting shooting guard and has been slowly gaining ground in the playing-time department. Wednesday night's performance against the Atlanta Hawks that snapped the Raptors' five-game skid should help him solidify his role even more; he finished with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the floor and is now ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/16/10
Comment
March 17
Lester's Legends
 
"Stephen Graham, Charlotte Bobcats Graham had 19 points and 8 rebounds. As long as Gerald Wallace is out, he should see a little bump in value. Mike Dunleavy, Indiana Pacers Dunleavy had 15 points against the Bobcats. You can't trust him. Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons Maxiell has been a beast. He had 10 points and 15 rebounds against the Cavs. It's to the point where I need to stop mentioning Maxiell. He simply should be in your lineup. Josh Boone, New Jersey Nets Boone had 13 points and 20 rebounds against the Hawks. While I don't see that kind of performance again, it certainly got my attention. Keep an eye on Boone. He could be a decent source of rebounds down the stretch. Terence ..."
Down Goes Granger
Comment
March 17
Rotoworld.com
 
"Danny Granger exited last night's game late with a "cheek" injury, but it appears to be much more than that. He was basically knocked for a loop and barely made it to the locker room, and needed a lot of help to get there. And a bigger concern is that the Pacers immediately ruled him out for tonight's (Wednesday) game. You have to wonder if this could be an orbital injury similar to the one suffered by Jason Terry a couple weeks ago. If it is, Granger's season could be over. But it's too early for owners to panic, and I've been wrong before. Tayshaun Prince looked absolutely terrible while being half-carried to the locker room on Monday but somehow started and had one of his best lines of ..."
Keeper values of big men
Comment
March 17
ESPN.com
 
"In last week's Player Rater column, I took a look at this season's best rookie guards in order to ascertain their keeper value heading into next season. This week, I'm going to take a look at the best of the forwards and centers, but before we jump into this, it's worth noting that this has been a banner year for guards. As far as keeper value goes, each of the players mentioned last week -- as well as Jrue Holiday, James Harden and Ty Lawson -- are head and shoulders above the forwards and centers in this year's rookie class in terms of current fantasy value. As such, remember that while none of this year's big men look like obvious keeper candidates at the moment, some of them have shown ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/15/10
Comment
March 16
Lester's Legends
 
"Here's a look at some fantasy basketball players that blew up the box score last night. Toney Douglas, New York Knicks Douglas turned in another good performance with 20 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals. The Knicks' rotation can change in an instant, but for now roll with him. Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers Jrue did not disappoint in his cushy match-up with the Knicks. He had 18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Willie Green, Philadelphia 76ers Green's numbers (17 points) were another example of Knicks' inflation. Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons Maxiell keeps chugging along. He had another double-double (11 points, 10 rebonds)."
Chris is warming up
Comment
March 16
CBSSports.com
 
"So, what's the deal with Chris Paul? The latest with CP3 is that he was cleared to practice at 75 percent this past Friday. Following that development, it was revealed that he could return within 7-10 days. He has been running without a limp in practice this week and could return at some point during Fantasy Week 21. Yay! And, uh oh? This situation has spawned two distinct Fantasy camps, consisting of those owners who have Chris Paul and those who have Darren Collison. This week will go a long way towards helping owners in one camp and crushing those in the other. With Collison playing at the level of a true No. 1 Fantasy guard, his owners clearly aren't rooting for CP3 to get back and ..."
Douglas coming on late
Comment
March 16
ESPN.com
 
"In a season marked by the impressive debuts of Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry and Darren Collison, it'd be only appropriate that another rookie point guard emerge as another one of those end-of-the-year fantasy finds. But can Toney Douglas actually save your season? Though he saw a brief run of playing time in mid-November, Douglas has been glued to the New York Knicks' bench for the better part of four months. But after putting up 19 garbage-time points in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on March 12, Douglas started the next night, and his 21 points, eight assists and four 3-pointers led the Knicks to an unlikely thrashing of the Dallas Mavericks. It was more of the same on Monday, as ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/14/10
Comment
March 15
Lester's Legends
 
"Earl Watson, Indiana Pacers Watson had 15 points and 5 rebounds against Milwaukee. He's averaging 10.2 points and 5.2 assists in his last five games. Jerry Stackhouse, Milwaukee Bucks Stack scored 20 points against the Pacers. While he has performed better than I expected, he's not a fantasy option. Jason Kapono, Philadelphia 76ers Kapono had 17 points against the Heat. He is not a fantasy option either. Carlos Arroyo, Miami Heat Arroyo had 12 points and 10 assists. I wouldn't pencil him into my fantasy lineup. Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic Pietrus had 20 points and 5 rebounds against the Bobcats. He's another guy you shouldn't concern yourself with. Wesley Matthews, Utah Jazz Matthews ..."
Crash Course in Playoff Prep
Comment
March 15
Rotoworld.com
 
"If you're like me, you woke up this morning with the faint echo of Wire references reverberating through your brain and the lingering aftertaste of an excess of steamed crabs you pulverized with a wooden mallet during a memorable visit to Baltimore over the weekend. And if you can't quite identify with me on the Wire, Baltimore or crab fronts, you hopefully at least woke up realizing that for many of us, this is Day One of an important journey through the fantasy basketball playoffs. When we set out on any expedition, we often have questions: What should I pack? What's on the itinerary? Why is your cousin Ralph in my living room? He's not coming with us, is he? At the outset of this ..."
Week 21 Fantasy Basketball Planner
Comment
March 14
CBSSports.com
 columnist Sergio Gonzalez
"Week 21 (March 15-21) Atlantic Division Boston Celtics (DET, NY, @HOU, @DAL): The Celtics will have a couple of tough matchups against the Pistons and Mavericks and a couple of chances to open things up against the Knicks and Rockets. Kendrick Perkins has cracked double figures just once in his last seven games. He is not an advisable start even in a four-game week right now. Avoid Perkins, Rasheed Wallace and Nate Robinson. New Jersey Nets (ATL, @PHI, TOR): Yi Jianlian (ankle) is unlikely to return in Week 21, opening things up for Kris Humphries to produce around 10 points and six boards per night. If you are looking for that type of production off the waiver wire, that may be a route ..."
Saturday Surprises
Comment
March 14
FantasyBasketball.com
 columnist Mike Gallagher
"There's no need to explain what happened in Dallas, but the reason we care the most about this game is what might become of the players that helped Mike D'Antoni to one of his biggest wins of his career. Coach D said prior to the game that Toney Douglas "deserved" to get the starting nod and he didn't disappoint. Douglas was the most valuable Knick in reality and fantasy with a line of 21 points, eight dimes, two boards, a steal, a block, and making all four of his threes. Douglas played 31 minutes at the point and has the highest upside that any owner can expect to grab off the wire. Sergio Rodriguez never left the bench and all of his owners should immediately make the switch for Toney. ..."
Waiver Wire: Birdman set to take flight?
Comment
March 13
CBSSports.com
 columnist Sergio Gonzalez
"Top Guard Free Agent options for Week 21 1. Delonte West, Cavaliers (@DET, IND, @CHI, DET): West has had his ups and downs this year both on and off the court. Right now, he is on an upswing. West is averaging 17.5 points, 5.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds in his last four games and is seeing 30 minutes per game as the top scoring option on the second unit. He should continue to provide energy and scoring off the bench and is a solid play in a four-game week. (Availability: 79 percent) 2. Beno Udrih, Kings (LAL, MIL, MIN): Beno is back to seeing 35 minutes per game, which means he's back to producing at a very useful level. He has averaged 15.5 points, 4.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds in March and ..."
Oh No, Down Goes Rose
Comment
March 13
Rotoworld.com
 columnist Steve Alexander
"The Magic absolutely destroyed the Bulls last night on national television. Vince Carter had 23 points and two 3-pointers on 8-of-13 shooting, but the Magic's bench got too much run to make any other players stand out. That will happen when you lead by 30 for 40 minutes or so. I was concerned that Carter stayed in the game so late with his team up 30, but it looks like he came out of it injury free. The Bulls got terrible news, as Derrick Rose left early with a strained left wrist. It was in a sling after the game and he'll have an MRI today. If he's going to miss much time, the Bulls can probably kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. Luol Deng was out again with his calf injury, but sounds ..."
March Madness, NBA style
Comment
March 13
ESPN.com
 columnist Neil Tardy
"Fantasy hoops owners have their own kind of March madness. The better-known March Madness frequently features underdog teams that, in the course of pulling an upset or two in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, destroy several hundred thousand brackets nationwide. But underdogs are also prominent in the fantasy hoops version of March madness -- or have you forgotten about Walter Herrmann? Herrmann is the flowing-haired Argentine who stepped into a depleted Charlotte Bobcats lineup and averaged 19.6 points, 2.3 3-pointers and 58.5 percent shooting while starting the final 12 games of the 2006-07 season. Ramon Sessions, I'm sure you recall. Two years ago, the unheralded second-round draft ..."
Cheap pickups for keeper leagues
Comment
March 12
ESPN.com
 
"Keeper leagues are magnificent, the best format for fantasy hoops enthusiasts. It's especially true late in the season, because owners with no chance of winning can still benefit in the long-term by remaining active and bolstering their team's keeper value. This is primarily done by filling the end-of-season roster with cheap, upside-laden players whose value could take leaps forward next season. When these late-season $1 fliers pay off, they provide flexibility and value for the next draft. They can also become valuable trading chips, as teams focused on winning now often have to sacrifice keeper prospects, while other owners are inevitably looking for cheap keepers to balance their ..."
Maggette back in top-50 form
Comment
March 12
ESPN.com
 
"Corey Maggette has been dropped in quite a few leagues during the past couple of weeks due to his bum hamstrings, but with 24 points versus the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, he's once again looking like a top-50 player. He added six assists and five rebounds while putting in work from the free throw line (8-of-9), and Maggette now has scored 18-plus points in all four of his games since returning from injury. The fact is, when Maggette is healthy, coach Don Nelson will play him, and he's been quite productive as a small-ball power forward. Monta Ellis also returned from a back injury, scoring 17 points in 27 minutes before fouling out. The return to health of Ellis and Maggette will ..."
Full-strength Lakers a Fantasy headache
Comment
March 12
CBSSports.com
 
"Andrew Bynum isn't happy with his play. The Lakers center described his recent performance as "a little below average." Bynum is right, and he needs to improve his production. But it might be an adjustment for him just to be playing at this point in the year. For the past two seasons, Bynum has dealt with significant knee injuries. Two years ago, he dislocated his left kneecap and played in only 35 games. And last year, Bynum was limited to 50 games with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Just having him on the court in March is something new for the Lakers, who have gone through an adjustment period all season. With Ron Artest joining the team this year and Pau Gasol ..."
Beware of those 'empty points'
Comment
March 11
ESPN.com
 
"We're now getting into the dog days of the season. With only about a month to go until the playoffs, we're starting to see that certain players who have played too many minutes or played through injuries are starting to run out of gas. Take Monta Ellis. Despite his historically low Player Efficiency Rating for the season (16.62, very inefficient for a front-line combo guard), Ellis has ridden heavy minutes (41.2 per game) and Don Nelson's fast-paced system to fantasy megastardom. But the minutes have taken their toll, and during the past month, Ellis has been either on the shelf or a percentage killer (.329 from the field in his past four games played). When you look at Ellis' recent ..."
Williams coming on strong for Nets
Comment
March 11
ESPN.com
 
"New Jersey Nets rookie Terrence Williams may have been a bit of a disappointment to this point in the season, but he's been playing extremely well of late. Averaging 14.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in his past five contests, Williams has been one of the best all-around players in the league for the past week, especially considering he's putting up those numbers in just less than 30 minutes per game. Sure, it's worth wondering whether he can keep this up, but clearly, given his skill set, it's within the realm of possibility. He's a great pickup in all formats if you need help in points, rebounds and assists. If he keeps showing this much talent for the rest of the season, he's ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/10/10
Comment
March 11
Lester's Legends
 
"Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers Holiday continued his solid play with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Marcus Williams, Memphis Grizzlies Williams had 16 points and 5 assists. His outburst came out of nowhere. Pay him no mind. Kyle Korver, Utah Jazz Korver had a solid game with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. He's been very inconsistent. There are better options. Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons Maxiell followed up his 16 rebound effort with a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds). He's averaging 10.0 boards in his last five games. Rasual Butler, Los Angeles Clippers Butler dropped 31 on the Heat. The Clippers don't have many scoring options so roll with him."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/9/10
Comment
March 10
Lester's Legends
 
"Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers Holiday is in a nice groove. He dropped 21 points on the Pacers. Would like more than his 4 assists, but still a solid effort. Brandon Rush, Indiana Pacers Rush had 24 points and 9 rebounds. He's been in double-figures in four of his last five games, averaging 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds. Dahntay Jones, Indiana Pacers Jones added 25 points. He's been all over the place though and as a riskier play. Al Thornton, Washington Wizards Thornton had 15 points and 9 rebounds against the Rockets. He appears safe to use again after his mini-slump. Nick Young, Washington Wizards Young added 18 points. He's not worth adding though."
Keeper values of rookie guards
Comment
March 10
ESPN.com
 
"In keeping with last week's Player Rater column about players who have been improving into keeper candidates, this week provides us with a chance to take a look at the future prospects of this season's surprisingly impressive rookie class. Any discussion of this season's rookie class has to start with Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry. Although he likely will finish the season second in scoring among rookies behind Tyreke Evans, Curry's improvement during the course of the season has put him head and shoulders above all his fellow rookies in terms of total fantasy value. In Tuesday's PER Diem column, John Hollinger pointed out that Curry's rookie season, extrapolated over a ..."
Gooden continues strong play with Clippers
Comment
March 10
ESPN.com
 
"In nine games since joining the Los Angeles Clippers, Drew Gooden has shot 50 percent from the field (on 10.9 shots per game), and averaged 15.1 points and 10.3 rebounds. We've all seen the up-and-down fantasy career of Gooden, so it's no surprise he could have an upside of 15 and 10, and a downside of being tossed back on the waiver-wire heap. So the real question is whether Gooden can continue at this pace. I think it's likely he will, at least as a rebounder. As a rebounding specialist who has limited post skills and doesn't pass well or block shots, Gooden has a smaller skill set for NBA teams. So when a player like Gooden is on a good team like he was when he was with the Cleveland ..."
Tolliver, McGee enter latest rankings
Comment
March 9
ESPN.com
 
"With just a month and a half left in the season, it's time for owners to start preparing themselves for the stretch run. For some of you, that might mean that you'll have to take more risks than you're used to. If you are still hovering in the middle of the pack or lower this late in the season, you will have to make some drastic moves to get back into the race. That may include dropping players who aren't getting the job done, even if you've relied on them all season. I don't know about you, but if I'm within striking distance of the leaders and still have some ground to make up, I'm not going to be waiting around for someone like Ben Gordon to get his act together, and I'm certainly not ..."
Tolliver, McGee enter latest rankings
Comment
March 8
ESPN.com
 
"With just a month and a half left in the season, it's time for owners to start preparing themselves for the stretch run. For some of you, that might mean that you'll have to take more risks than you're used to. If you are still hovering in the middle of the pack or lower this late in the season, you will have to make some drastic moves to get back into the race. That may include dropping players who aren't getting the job done, even if you've relied on them all season. I don't know about you, but if I'm within striking distance of the leaders and still have some ground to make up, I'm not going to be waiting around for someone like Ben Gordon to get his act together, and I'm certainly not ..."
Parker Out, Hill In For Spurs
Comment
March 8
Rotoworld.com
 
"We'll go with a similar format to last week's column. Here's a re-run of the playoff schedule for each team, as well as a team-by-team look at waiver-wire possibilities. Head-To-Head Playoff Schedules The games-played column many of you have asked about was available in the Season Pass before the season even began. But since the playoffs are just around the corner, I've decided to throw that information out there for the rest of the world today. We'll get to the "Waiver Wire" portion of this column shortly. Playoff dates vary in all leagues, so make sure you check out your own league's schedule before taking this as gospel. I used weeks 21-24 for the playoffs, but some leagues probably use ..."
Scola coming on strong
Comment
March 8
ESPN.com
 
"One of the most intriguing stories of the past week is the emergence of Luis Scola, who has basically replicated last season's numbers up to this point. This has disappointed fantasy owners looking for a breakout campaign, as many predicted he'd average a double-double and see statistical increases across the board. Carl Landry was the breakout frontcourt player for the Houston Rockets this season, and when the Rockets flipped him to the Sacramento Kings, little attention was paid to how the trade would impact Scola's value. Well, Scola has been playing better during the past month but exploded recently, posting an insane 21.3 points and 18.0 boards per game in his past three contests. ..."
Week 20 Fantasy Basketball Planner
Comment
March 7
CBSSports.com
 
"Teams playing four games: Boston, Charlotte, L.A. Clippers, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, Toronto, Washington Teams playing three games: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Indiana, Golden State, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City Teams playing two games: Houston, L.A. Lakers, Phoenix Atlantic Division Boston Celtics (@MIL, MEM, IND, @CLE): Nate Robinson has settled into the Boston rotation, carving out a useful niche despite playing only around 20 minutes per game. He scored 13 or more points in three straight games going into the weekend. Kendrick Perkins, who was sick earlier in Week 19, ..."
Waiver Wire: Walker fitting the bill
Comment
March 6
CBSSports.com
 columnist Sergio Gonzalez
"Top Guard Free Agent options for Week 20 1. Bill Walker, Knicks (ATL, @SA, @MEM, @DAL): The Knicks have said they want to see what they have in some of their younger players down the stretch and that they will give several young players a chance to contribute. Right now, that player is Bill Walker. He got some nice run in back-to-back games against the Cavaliers and Pistons this week and has taken a starting job from Sergio Rodriguez. It looks like he'll be getting 35 minutes and around 13-15 shots per game for Mike D'Antoni, and that's always good news. He had 21 points and 22 points in his first two games in his new role. (Availability: 77 percent) 2. T.J. Ford, Pacers (PHI, @BOS, ..."
Emerging players to watch
Comment
March 5
ESPN.com
 
"For months, fantasy analysts have urged anticipating and preparing for the stretch run. It's now upon us. There's still time to impact your standings with shrewd roster maneuvering, and either make a push for the championship or at least establish a moral win and momentum to dull the pain of life without fantasy hoops until fall. Hesitating and carefully evaluating is so 2009, the time to act is now. Have an inkling about a player? Pull the trigger. Drop your duds, add someone who'll give you a week of productivity and have two available players in mind who've been recently doing well in case he falters. Here are some widely available players with recently augmented values who can still ..."
Arroyo carving out value
Comment
March 5
ESPN.com
 
"The Miami Heat managed to steal one from the Los Angeles Lakers in a thriller Thursday night, with the typically great production of Dwyane Wade (27 points, 14 assists) matched by an uber-efficient performance from Quentin Richardson, who nailed seven 3-pointers. He scored a season-high 25 points, needing just 13 shots thanks to all the long bombs, and it will be interesting to see if this results in increased playing time for the notoriously inconsistent gunner. Already coming off 15 points and seven rebounds versus the Golden State Warriors, there's always a chance Q-Rich can carve out a significant role for a team sorely lacking in wing players. Another strong performance from Carlos ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/3/10
Comment
March 4
Lester's Legends
 
"Willie Green, Philadelphia 76ers Green had 17 points last night. He's not a big enough part of the offense to use. J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers Hickson had a monster game with 20 points and 13 boards. He should be owned and in fantasy lineups. Terence Williams, New Jersey Nets Williams had 21 points against the Cavs, but is very inconsistent. Look elsewhere. Yi Jianlian, New Jersey Nets Yi had 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He seems to have his mojo back. Jonas Jerebko, Detroit Pistons Another big game for Jonas with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Bill Walker, New York Knicks Walker had 22 points. It was his second straight 20+ point effort. It's risky using a Knick ..."
New trends in atypical production
Comment
March 4
ESPN.com
 
"I went to the Staples Center to see the Los Angeles Lakers dismantle the Indiana Pacers the other night. Personally, I'm lukewarm on the Lakers, but I love the Pacers. Jim O'Brien always promises numerical goodness for the discriminating viewer. But I've been frustrated by the tumult in their backcourt rotation, which is robbing owners of some fine waiver-wire opportunities. More than anything, I went to root for Brandon Rush to crack 30 minutes. I've been heavily tracking Rush's fantasy development during the past month. Ever since he was showcased near the trade deadline, he's shown an improved tendency toward providing prospective owners with blocks, steals and 3s, a nifty combination ..."
Recapping the best of the season
Comment
March 3
ESPN.com
 
"Most fantasy leagues have their trade deadlines a week or two after the NBA's deadline, so alas we have come to the end of trading season. Aside from a few keeper leagues that keep the lines of discussion open all season, your team is essentially set in stone. Instead of looking forward, it is time to look back and reflect on what has been. I haven't been playing fantasy sports for an obscenely long time -- about six or seven years -- but every season I learn something new, or at least have a couple of beliefs reinforced. We tend to learn things best when we learn them the hard way, but you can do yourself a favor and learn from my mistakes to prevent your own. So what should you keep in ..."
Pierce makes uneventful return
Comment
March 3
ESPN.com
 
"The good news for Paul Pierce owners is he laced up his kicks and hit the hardwood Tuesday evening. The bad news is you'd barely notice his return by looking at the stat sheet. Pierce, who had missed the previous three games due to a sprained right thumb, took just six shots in 29 minutes of action against the Detroit Pistons and finished with nine points (2-of-6 on field goals), one dime and one board. Let's hope that his thumb is improving quickly, because he looked pretty awful last month (11.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 3-pointers per game) while trying to play through it. I didn't discuss Pierce in my column about aging players Tuesday, but I do think he should age pretty ..."
Batum a legit keeper candidate
Comment
March 3
ESPN.com
 
"Nicolas Batum, the multitalented wing currently in the process of locking down the starting small forward job for the Portland Trail Blazers, has played in only 18 games this season. He has played slightly more than 23 minutes per game in those contests, minutes that would, for most players, be right on the threshold of frustration for fantasy owners. Those minutes, it stands to reason, are simply not enough to put up the sort of robust numbers we look for in a fantasy player. Still, it's getting pretty hard to ignore just how productive Batum has been the past few weeks. His Player Efficiency Rating of 19.39 is extremely impressive, and it reflects just how good Batum has been from a ..."
Which Cavs will capitalize?
Comment
March 2
CBSSports.com
 
"Who steps up for the Cavaliers with Shaquille O'Neal done for the regular season? The Cavaliers, and Fantasy owners, lost Shaquille O'Neal for the remainder of the season after he underwent thumb surgery. Shaq's absence will create an opportunity for several players to step up in Cleveland, and Fantasy owners should be able to benefit from each. Here is how. With Shaq gone, the Cavaliers will be starting Anderson Varejao at the center spot. He will get the most direct Fantasy boost. But Antawn Jamison and J.J. Hickson should also benefit. Mo Williams may also be a sleeper for a boost in this situation. Consistent minutes should lead to more consistent production out of Varejao, who is ..."
Some stars fade faster than others
Comment
March 2
ESPN.com
 
"Full disclosure: I'm 42 years old. That means that ever since the mysteriously aged Dikembe Mutombo retired, I've been older than every player in the NBA. At times it's an unusual situation getting used to your age, like when you're assessing a player's trade value. Sometimes you knock a player down a few spots in your head because you know he's way old ... only to realize you're five years older than he is. I'm looking at you, Shaquille O'Neal. Hell, I'm older than Brett Favre! While the downside of aging for me was battling constant injuries and seeing my own hoops skills diminish rapidly as 40 approached, the upside is I learned from my experience. That's given me some pretty good ..."
Jamison, Martin acclimated now
Comment
March 2
ESPN.com
 
"Antawn Jamison and Kevin Martin are getting comfortable in their new homes. Each was excellent on Monday, as Jamison (17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) notched his second straight double-double for the Cleveland Cavaliers while Martin (28 points, five 3-pointers) teamed with Aaron Brooks to torch a depleted Toronto Raptors team. Fantasy owners understandably wonder about Jamison's value now that he's playing sidekick to LeBron James, but grant him a mulligan for his 0-for-12 Cavs debut, and Jamison is averaging 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in Cleveland. Of course he isn't going to be the 22-point scorer who had to carry the Washington Wizards, but Jamison -- already one of fantasy's most ..."
Recapping the best of the season
Comment
March 2
ESPN.com
 
"Most fantasy leagues have their trade deadlines a week or two after the NBA's deadline, so alas we have come to the end of trading season. Aside from a few keeper leagues that keep the lines of discussion open all season, your team is essentially set in stone. Instead of looking forward, it is time to look back and reflect on what has been. I haven't been playing fantasy sports for an obscenely long time -- about six or seven years -- but every season I learn something new, or at least have a couple of beliefs reinforced. We tend to learn things best when we learn them the hard way, but you can do yourself a favor and learn from my mistakes to prevent your own. So what should you keep in ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 3/1/10
Comment
March 2
Lester's Legends
 
"Matt Barnes, Orlando Magic Barnes had 16 points against the Sixers on 6 of 7 shooting. He's been quiet of late so only use him in daily leagues. Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers Holiday had 23 points and 6 assists for Philly. He's averaging 13.3 points and 4.3 assists in his past four games. Bill Walker, New York Knicks Walker had 21 points against the Cavs. He got extended run because the Cavs destroyed the Knicks. Pay him no mind. Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers With Shaq out, look for both of these guys to finish strong. Varejao had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Hickson had 17 & 9. Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornests Dude is on fire. He dropped 30 against the ..."
Duncan to sit, Blair to benefit
Comment
March 1
ESPN.com
 
"DeJuan Blair already has had an impressive rookie season and once again makes the San Antonio Spurs look like the masters of the nonlottery pick. The news came out this past weekend that Tim Duncan will sit the second game of back-to-backs for the remainder of the season to remain fresh for the playoffs, which means these dates should be money for Blair: March 1, 6, 13, 17, 22, 29, April 7 and 10. A shrewd strategy would be to grab Blair if he's available and start him only on these days. He's averaging nearly 8 points, 8 boards, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game as a starter, numbers he should eclipse in most of the games in which Duncan is on the bench. Looking back Chase Budinger's ..."
Kidd approaching top 10 in rankings
Comment
March 1
ESPN.com
 
"Another month is in the books, and that means it's time to take another look through the list of movers and shakers in our rankings of the top 130 players. Remember, players are ranked based on their expected performance from this point forward, not on the stats that have already been accrued. Moving Up Jason Kidd, PG, Dallas Mavericks (11): We thought that the added offensive firepower from Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood would be a boon to Kidd's fantasy value, but not even Kidd's biggest fans thought he'd be this good. Not only does he rank first on the Player Rater over the past 15 days, but he is averaging 15.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 3.2 3-pointers in his ..."
Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 2/28/10
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March 1
Lester's Legends
 
"DeJuan Blair, San Antonio Spurs Blair had 14 points and 7 boards against the Suns. He's a decent option in daily leagues for points, rebounds, and field goal percentage. Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets Afflalo had 16 points against the Lakers. He's a decent daily option for points, and three-pointers. Al Thornton, Washington Wizards Thornton had 20 points against the Nets. He's played at a high level and should be in most lineups. Yi Jianlian, New Jersey Nets Yi went off with 20 points and 19 rebounds. Kudos to you if you had him in your lineup. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Jerry Stackhouse, Milwaukee Bucks Stack had 20 points for the Bucks. He's really turned back the clock ..."
Week 19 Fantasy Basketball Planner
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February 28
CBSSports.com
 
"Teams playing four games: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, New York, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento Teams playing three games: Chicago, Miami, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New Orleans, Portland, San Antonio, Toronto, Utah, Washington Teams playing two games: Minnesota Atlantic Division Boston Celtics (@DET, CHA, @PHI, WAS): Paul Pierce (thumb) is out for an indefinite amount of time, but should be out through the weekend. Fantasy owners will have to have alternatives prepared in case his prognosis is not more defined by lineup deadlines Monday. In his absence, Marquis ..."
Gooden among top pickups for Week 19
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February 28
ESPN.com
 
"March kicks off with a busy NBA schedule. How busy? Well, if Caron Butler were to play in every game next week, he'd go through approximately 648 straws -- that is, if the league hadn't forced him to give up his straw-chewing habit. While Butler will have to find another way to calm down, at least fantasy owners should be able to relax heading into Week 19. You'll have plenty of good lineup options, with 19 NBA teams playing four games and 10 others taking the court three times. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves are limited to a pair of contests. And if you're looking for help in free agency, you'll find it, starting with two guys named Thornton. More on them in a bit."
You Gotta Be Kidd'n Me
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February 27
Rotoworld.com
 columnist Aaron Bruski
"Every now and then one unique play will be identified with a player's career. Reggie Miller's eight points in 8.9 seconds to turn away the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals exemplified his affinity for clutch threes. Larry Bird's steal of Isiah Thomas' last-second inbounds pass in the 1987 Eastern Conference finals symbolized his do-whatever-it-takes to win mentality that won three NBA titles. But when I think of defining moments of players' careers, Jason Kidd drawing contact on an NBA coach to help send a game to overtime may not be the most spectacular play, but it may do the best job in illustrating his likely Hall of Fame career. With the Mavs down by two points with 1:37 left ..."
Waiver Wire: Thorn(tons) on your side
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February 26
CBSSports.com
 
"Top Guard Free Agent options for Week 19 1. C.J. Watson, Warriors (@MIA, @ORL, @ATL, @CHA): With Corey Maggette banged up, Watson has stepped up his game. He has scored at least 20 points in four of his last five games (even with Maggette around for three of them), includuing a 40-point outburst. He is averaging 23.4 points, 4.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds. He is playing the role Maggette was playing earlier this season. (Availability: 54 percent) 2. Marcus Thornton, Hornets (@GS, @OKC, DEN, @PHO): Thornton has taken off again after returning from injury. He has seen 20-plus shot attempts in back-to-back games going into the weekend and was able to turn that into two huge games (of 37 and ..."
Jamison struggles to find his way
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February 26
ESPN.com
 
"It doesn't take much for fantasy owners to begin to panic, and the Cleveland Cavaliers' Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison were squarely in the crosshairs of many an owner entering Thursday night's contest against the Boston Celtics. Williams has been slow to bounce back from a left (non-shooting) shoulder sprain, shooting 9-for-33 (27.3 percent) from the field in his four games since returning. And it's an open question whether Jamison can replicate the fantasy value he held on the hapless Wizards. At what point are there too many mouths to feed? Well, a 20-point victory later and there are still more questions than answers. Williams was quiet for three quarters but did heat up late, scoring ..."
Gibson, Tolliver legit options
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February 26
ESPN.com
 
"The NBA trade deadline is a distant memory, and rosters and rotations have essentially settled. The same is going to be the case with your fantasy roster soon, especially once your league's trade deadline passes (if it hasn't already), so it's crucial to add the finishing touches to your roster in the next couple of weeks to gear up for your run. Very few surprise players will surface as waiver-wire gems this late in the season, as the coaches' time to tinker with lineups is dwindling and the window is closing on any player whose value was significantly improved due to a trade. This leaves injuries and players returning from injuries as the primary ways value can still be changed. Other ..."