NBA Fantasy News 2009-2010

[HacheMan]

Way Out West



Training Camp Notes

Hawks

Jamal Crawford has been very impressive in camp and the Hawks are excited about his arrival. Fantasy-wise, I'm not sure it's the best fit in the world, but the guy can clearly still play. Joe Johnson will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning he should be highly motivated this year.
Sleeper Alert: Joe Smith

Celtics

Kevin Garnett reportedly looks good, but I'm still not drafting him. Very little word on Rasheed Wallace, although he has been playing with the second squad, meaning he looks like the sixth man. Rajon Rondo is chiseled, according to KG, and should be a solid No. 1 PG again.
Sleeper Alert: Marquis Daniels

Bobcats

Tyson Chandler may miss the whole preseason and I don't trust him. Plus he doesn't block shots and can't shoot free throws. Boris Diaw is also hurting, but may be the true definition of a fantasy value pick. I am also loving Gerald Wallace this year, although he's always an injury concern.
Sleeper Alert: Nazr Mohammed?

Bulls

Not much coming out of Chicago right now, so we still don't know what Tyrus Thomas' role will be. I assume he's a starter at PF, but we'll have to wait and see. I love Derrick Rose, but then again, who doesn't? With no Ben Gordon around, you have to like…
Sleeper Alert: Kirk Hinrich

Cavaliers

All is quiet in Cleveland, other than the constant drama surrounding Delonte West, who finally showed up at training camp on Thursday. I will not be drafting him, but if your league has a scoring category of "street cred," he's a first-rounder. See what happens in training camp, but the Sleeper Alert here looks nearly like a sure bet. Zydrunas Ilgauskas will come off the bench, so stay away.
Sleeper Alert: Anthony Parker

Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki lost 10-12 pounds over the summer, which could make him a little quicker and lighten the load on his knees. He's still a first-round talent. No new info on Shawn Marion or Josh Howard, but there may be an issue of having enough balls to go around on that team. Tough to pick a sleeper in Big D, but Drew Gooden looks like a much better fantasy center option than Erick Dampier.
Sleeper Alert: Drew Gooden

Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Nene, Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin should all be very nice for the first two weeks of the season while J.R. Smith is suspended. Arron Afflalo has had a great training camp and is the favorite to start at SG, with or without JRS around. I still love Smith this year, but he's not really a sleeper any more. Renaldo Balkman is going to get some run at SF, which could mean he could be worth owning at some point.
(Deep) Sleeper Alert: Arron Afflalo, Renaldo Balkman

Pistons

Ben Wallace still has something left in the tank (supposedly) but I'm not biting. Rip Hamilton and Ben Gordon say they're going to be able to play together, and Rodney Stuckey will either boom or bust this year (I'm leaning boom). Chris Wilcox looks like the probable starter at center, but Kwame Brown will also get some run. In addition, it's possible Tayshaun Prince could come off the bench if they decide to play Rip at SF.
Sleeper Alert: Kwame Brown

Warriors

As my boys in Dinosaur Jr. have been known to say, "what a mess." Stephen Jackson still wants out, Monta Ellis welcomed Stephen Curry to the team by saying that he can't play with him and Don Nelson is still the coach. C.J. Watson (ankle) and Acie Law (concussion) are both probably done for most of the preseason and a starting five is still anyone's guess. I still love Anthony Randolph, but am not sure I'd think about taking him before Round 6. He still plays for Nellie, you know?
Sleeper Alert: Kelenna Azubuike
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Rockets

The Rockets will use a plethora of players at center this season, while Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, Trevor Ariza and Luis Scola look to be locked into the starting five. Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry will duke it out for the power forward job. Hayes will also play some center, along with David Andersen, Brian Cook, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and even Joey Dorsey. I don't care how many minutes or where Hayes is playing – do not draft him. Andersen qualifies as a sleeper, but I still am intrigued by…
Sleeper Alert: Shane Battier

Pacers

I don't care how many positive reports you hear on Mike Dunleavy this year, the reality is that he's going to probably struggle. Dahntay Jones looks like a starter, but shouldn't offer much fantasy value. Roy Hibbert will have to compete with Jeff Foster and Solomon Jones for the starting job, but should win it, while T.J. Ford, Danny Granger and Troy Murphy are locked into starting jobs. Murphy is gimpy right now, but should be fine by the start of the season.
Sleeper Alert: Roy Hibbert, Brandon Rush

Clippers

Blake Griffin has already been injured twice and the preseason hasn't started. I'm mildly concerned, but it wouldn't stop me from drafting him in the middle rounds. However, there's a chance he could come off the bench behind both Marcus Camby (PF) and Chris Kaman (C), but I just don't see how that's going to last. Plus, the chance of both of those dudes staying healthy is slim. I get the sense Baron Davis is in for another comeback season, while Al Thornton's starting job is in serious jeopardy, meaning…
Sleeper Alert: Rasual Butler

Lakers

Lamar Odom is a Kardashian and has done a great job of stealing the spotlight away from Kobe Bryant and crazy Ron Artest. All is quiet in L.A. right now, although Derek Fisher is said to be in great shape. I'm not sure how you find a sleeper on this team, but these two guys might qualify.
Sleeper Alert: Shannon Brown, Luke Walton

Grizzlies

Marc Gasol is in great shape after spending his summer running a mountain in Spain. He lost a lot of weight and should do a much better job of running the floor. We still don't know who is starting in the backcourt, but I am going to steer clear of most Grizzlies this year. However, Allen Iverson in the 10th or 11th round? Doesn't seem like that could possibly hurt, right? I really don't see any potential sleepers on this team either, but there are plenty of bust candidates.
Sleeper Alert: Darrell Arthur?

Heat

Mario Chalmers is the uncontested starter at point guard, Dwyane Wade is playing for a big contract and should be a beast again, and Michael Beasley appears to have righted the ship. It would be surprising if he isn't starting on opening night. That leaves Udonis Haslem at PF and Jermaine O'Neal (and his one leg) up front. I still think Beasley is going to have a good season, although it sounds like if he tests positive for weed one more time, he'll get an automatic five-game suspension.
Sleeper Alert: Quentin Richardson, James Jones

 

[HacheMan]

Doubting Duncan? You Should


Timberwolves

Al Jefferson lost about 30 pounds in the offseason and describes his surgically repaired knee as being about 95 percent healthy. I'd like to see him fall into the second round of fantasy drafts until we are certain his knee is good to go, but I have a feeling he'll be going late in the first round in many of them. Jonny Flynn is a starting point guard right now, but I'd be much more comfortable drafting Ramon Sessions instead. Kevin Love, who also lost weight over the summer, looks good and has set a goal of averaging a double-double, while Corey Brewer looks like the favorite to start at shooting guard. Put him on your sleeper list.
Sleeper: Corey Brewer

Bucks

Michael Redd reportedly looks pretty good after his knee surgery, but he's a guy I'm simply not interested in owning again. Too many surprise DNP's and coming off major surgery just doesn't sound like a good time. Andrew Bogut is still battling his back injury, but coach Scott Skiles says he is on pace to start opening day and he played 10 minutes in his first preseason game. We still don't know who will start at the forward spots, but Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Ersan Ilyasova got the call on Sunday. However, keep a close eye on Hakim Warrick, who came off the bench for 24 points and five boards Sunday. Ilyasova fouled out in just 13 minutes. I also expect Luke Ridnour and Brandon Jennings to split minutes at PG, and both can be had very late in drafts. The Bucks have a 5-game week this year (Week 18), but this team looks like a fantasy mess.
Sleeper: Ersan Ilyasova

Nets

Courtney Lee is dealing with a left foot injury but should be ready to start the season. You guys know I am high on Yi Jianlian right now, and it will be interesting to see if he lives up to the hype. He should make for a nice value pick in the later middle rounds of drafts. Keyon Dooling might not be ready for the start of the season with a hip injury, which should mean extra minutes for third-stringer Rafer Alston. Keep your eye on Bobby Simmons, who had 16 points on Sunday and is battling with Jarvis Hayes for the small forward job.
Sleeper: Yi Jianlian

Hornets

Emeka Okafor has a toe/foot injury that could keep him out of the entire preseason. He says it's not serious, but missing those games is not good news as far as him getting to know his new teammates. Chris Paul bulked up over the summer in an effort to take less of a beating from bigger players. I have the No. 1 pick in my main league, but am torn on whether to take CP3 or LeBron. I'm leaning toward LeBron since I have Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook as keepers. Julian Wright is quickly becoming a favorite sleeper pick, and appears to be the starting shooting guard for the Hornets. They don't have their first preseason game until Wednesday, when we should know a little more.
Sleeper: Julian Wright

Knicks

Danilo Gallinari scored nine points on Sunday and is still healthy. I am targeting him in the last couple rounds of fantasy drafts, but still am not sure he's going to offer much value. Larry Hughes and Jared Jeffries started over Wilson Chandler (21 points) and Gallinari on Sunday, but that could easily change for the regular season. David Lee started at center and had 20 points and nine boards, while Al Harrington led the way with 23. Chris Duhon is an effective starting point guard who can be had late in fantasy drafts. Darko Milicic played just eight minutes before leaving with a left knee injury. He qualifies as a sleeper center given the Knicks lack of depth in the middle. Eddy Curry was out with a calf injury, and I just don't get the feeling he's going to do much this year, although the Knicks want to believe that he will.
Sleeper: Danilo Gallinari/Darko Milicic

Thunder

Russell Westbrook is a favorite point guard target this year and had a good summer. There is nowhere to go but up for him and he's going in the fifth round of many drafts. If you think you have to have him, you better target him in Round 4. If you are in a draft with me and I have the No. 4 pick, Kevin Durant will not get past me. I would even consider taking him at No. 3 over Dwyane Wade. James Harden has been banged up with an eye and ankle injury, but should start at shooting guard. Center is the big question in OKC, with Nenad Krstic and Nick Collison being the guys to keep an eye on.
Sleeper: James Harden

Magic

Dwight Howard, as usual, is supposedly going to shoot it better from the line, employ more than one power move, and pass it better out of double teams, lowering his outrageous turnover numbers. I'll believe it when I see it. In the league I spoke of previously, I took Howard with the No. 2 pick last year and won. We don't count TOs and use free throws made instead of percentage, which is an ideal set up for Howard. I haven't made a final decision on LeBron or Paul yet, but Howard is also someone I'm considering with the No. 1 pick in that format. Rashard Lewis is out for the first 10 games, so Brandon Bass, Mickael Pietrus and Matt Barnes should all be decent early plays. Another note about Lewis missing those first three weeks - The Magic play four games in one of them, meaning that Lewis will only be around for nine four-game weeks this year.
Sleeper: Brandon Bass

Sixers

Lou Williams is another starting point guard who can be had later in drafts. He went in Round 9 in my last mock, but then again, he's unproven. Samuel Dalembert is reportedly doing well in Eddie Jordan's offense and could be set for a nice comeback this year. He's another guy available very late. Thaddeus Young could start at small forward if they put Andre Iguodala at shooting guard, and so far, that looks like the plan. Elton Brand is going to try to stay healthy this season and went in Round 4 of my last mock. Tim Duncan went in Round 3, and while some folks will tell you both of them are easily worth those picks, I have some serious trust issues. More on Duncan under the Spurs.
Sleeper: Lou Williams

Suns

I've written quite a bit about Channing Frye this offseason and I am very intrigued by the fact he's starting at center. He's also hitting 3-pointers and is the true definition of a sleeper pick. I'm not saying he's going to break the bank, but 12 points, six boards, a three and a block works for me in Round 13 or 14. Leandro Barbosa, who many are predicting as a super-sleeper, is really banged up. He's dealing with a sore knee, hand and a pair of bum wrists. He should be ready for the start of the season and I like him as a mid-round value pick. Amare Stoudemire should be good to go and will not make it out of the first round of your draft.
Sleeper: Channing Frye

Blazers

Brandon Roy is dealing with a sore hamstring but it's not thought to be serious. Nicolas Batum and Martell Webster are competing for the starting small forward job, which means Travis Outlaw will come off the bench again. None of them are must-haves in fantasyland, but Outlaw is probably the best bet there. Greg Oden had a great summer and is healthy, but still very unreliable until he plays for a month without getting hurt. Steve Blake and Andre Miller are battling for the starting job at PG, but all of my cash is on Miller. We posted a blurb recently about Rudy Fernandez handling the ball and starting fast breaks, and I think a mini-breakout season is coming for him.
Sleeper: Rudy Fernandez

Kings

The Kings are still a mess, but it does look like Francisco Garcia should wind up in the starting lineup over Andres Nocona. Sean May made his weight and had his contract guaranteed, but will still have to fight through Jason Thompson for minutes. Tyreke Evans had a scare with a knee injury, but it hardly even slowed him down. Evans went in Round 12 in my last draft, which sounds about right, as he'll battle Beno Udrih for the starting point guard job. Udrih still has it as of now, and was taken in Round 13. Serviceable point guards and centers seem to be available late in drafts this year.
Sleeper: Jason Thompson

Spurs

Manu Ginobili is coming off an injury-plagued season, but should be healthy this year. However, Gregg Popovich is not going to mess around with him or Tim Duncan this year in an effort to have them ready for the playoffs. Duncan makes me really nervous, as he will get at least five games off for rest, and Popovich isn't likely to tell us when those are coming. There's nothing worse in fantasy hoops than surprise DNPs, and I bet Manu and Duncan get their share this year. I also think that Tony Parker's numbers will drop slightly with Manu back, but he's still a top point guard. Antonio McDyess should be the starting center for this team, and he could put up some very solid and consistent numbers this year. And he won't cost you, either, as he was taken in Round 12 in our last draft.
Sleeper: Antonio McDyess

Raptors

DeMar DeRozan looks like the starting shooting guard, but I bet he doesn't log the majority of the minutes there. Marco Belinelli is turning heads in Toronto and he's going to get every opportunity to win a nice slot in the rotation. He could end up being the biggest fantasy surprise this season, and will be available very late in your draft. Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Bosh haven't been doing much. Turkoglu is resting after a busy summer, while Bosh is nursing a sore knee. Both should be ready for the season, but we'd feel better about Turk if he was getting to know his teammates in the preseason. Jose Calderon is in perfect shape and I suspect he's going to have a great year, while Andrea Bargnani has improved his game on both ends of the floor. Many people think I'm nuts for this one, but I have a pretty serious man-crush on Bargnani and think he's going to have a big year. Maybe it's my fault for all the hype, but he went in Round 4 in the mock.
Sleeper: Andrea Bargnani/Marco Belinelli

Jazz

Carlos Boozer is starting over Paul Millsap, which is kind of painful for most of us. Millsap will get some minutes at small forward, as well as be Boozer's back up, but would be a lot more promising if Boozer was playing in Miami or Chicago. Deron Williams is a first-round pick and could have a monster year, although he's dealing with some knee tendinitis, which is somewhat concerning. Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer should all be drafted. C.J. Miles is undergoing emergency surgery on his thumb and will be out indefinitely, which is going to clear more minutes for Kyle Korver, Brewer and Kirilenko.
Sleeper: Kyle Korver

Wizards

Gilbert Arenas is somewhat healthy again, although a finger injury is supposedly keeping him out right now. He's been seen favoring his surgically repaired left leg, but no one from the Wizards has admitted that it's bothering him. He's still a very risky pick, but could pay huge dividends as a fourth-round pick. Just beware that the finger could bother him all year. Then again, Kobe Bryant also had a finger issue last year, but it didn't seem to slow him down. Antawn Jamison is primed for a big season, Caron Butler says he wants to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, and Brendan Haywood is back from a lost season to start at center. Shooting guard is the big question here, with Mike Miller and Randy Foye looking like the favorites for the job.
Sleeper: Brendan Haywood/Randy Foye

 

[HacheMan]

Industry League Draft Results!

I was a last-minute addition to an industry draft hosted by Brandon Funston at Yahoo! on Thursday night. Nine cats, Roto, daily lineups, start two centers and I somehow drew the No. 1 pick. The fact it is daily made me forget about Paul's three two-game weeks early in the season and I went for it. Plus, his field goal percentage and turnovers also make him the No. 1 pick in that format, at least in my opinion. I've drawn the No. 1 or 2 pick in four drafts so far, and have been around No. 10 in the others. It figures, as I was hoping for the No. 4-5 pick in all these leagues so I could put my house on Durant. As it turns out, I probably won't own him in a single league. Let's take a look at how it went down.


The Draft

This may not be the best draft of all time for me, but I am pretty happy with the results. I reached for some young guns and having those two picks at the turn makes you really think about your priorities. Whoever I passed on would have surely been gone by the time it finally got back around to me, so I picked the two players out of the next 24 that I liked best/wanted most and went for it. I also think that rankings should only be used as a loose guide for how you draft your team. You have to look at tiers and take into consideration your team's strengths, weaknesses and league nuances along the way when picking your guys.

I basically punted on power forwards, but most of the big names are super risky this year, so I don't feel bad about it. And a sidenote on Durant vs. Granger. Granger was better last year in threes and blocks, which is huge. But Durant doesn't have Granger's knee issue from last year, and we still haven't even seen him approach his ceiling. It's a great debate and you should take whoever you think will be the better player. I'm going with KD in non-TO leagues.

Round 1

1. Chris Paul – Rotoworld
2. LeBron James
3. Dwyane Wade
4. Kobe Bryant
5. Kevin Durant
6. Danny Granger
7. Dwight Howard
8. Amare Stoudemire
9. Pau Gasol
10. Dirk Nowitzki
11. Brandon Roy
12. Chris Bosh

Thoughts: Can't complain about CP3 in this format. The rest of this round went about as expected, although Granger may be better than Durant because of less TOs, more threes and blocks. However, we still haven't seen what Durant is capable of, and Granger has that knee thing, and I'm also not sure he can get much better than he was last year. Seeing Dwight Howard go this early was a little surprising given the TOs and free throw percentage hit that owner will suffer, but the rest of the round was just as I would have predicted.

Round 2

13. Deron Williams
14. Al Jefferson
15. Andre Iguodala
16. Kevin Garnett
17. Steve Nash
18. Chauncey Billups
19. Gerald Wallace
20. Jose Calderon
21. Caron Butler
22. Brook Lopez
23. Tim Duncan
24. Antawn Jamison – Rotoworld

I was hoping for Jamison to fall here and he did. He's rock solid and no, I'm not concerned about the return of Arenas. I also considered Josh Smith with one of my two picks, but those percentages and turnovers scared me away. Keep in mind he hit just 59% from the line last year, although his FGP and TOs were more under control. I probably would have taken Lopez, Billups or Calderon if available, but they were gone. No real surprises here, but I'm wondering how many surprise DNPs Tim Duncan will have this year? I had no interest in him.

Round 3

25. Jason Richardson - Rotoworld
26. Kevin Martin
27. Paul Pierce
28. Jason Kidd
29. Troy Murphy
30. Devin Harris
31. Joe Johnson
32. Gilbert Arenas
33. Vince Carter
34. David West
35. Carmelo Anthony
36. Josh Smith

Once Lopez was gone, I decided to wait on my centers, as I know there have been quality ones left later in the drafts I've already completed. I think I shocked the room by taking JRich here, but I also think he's going to bounce back in a big way this year. And there's no way he would have still been around when I picked again. He'll start off with a two-game suspension, but his threes (and almost everything else) are going to be money, while the TOs will not be. Other guys in this round? Martin, Harris and Arenas are all injury risks, while Pierce, Kidd and Carter make me nervous due to their age. That said, this is exactly where they should have gone. Josh could be a cat-killer, but if he bounces back, the blocks and everything else should make up for his shortcomings. Risky. In short, no regrets (as of now) for grabbing JRich, and we have to remember that the coaching change in Phoenix is huge for him.

Round 4

37. David Lee
38. Elton Brand
39. Derrick Rose
40. Rajon Rondo
41. LaMarcus Aldridge
42. Andrea Bargnani
43. Shawn Marion
44. Monta Ellis
45. Carlos Boozer
46. O.J. Mayo
47. Rudy Gay
48. Russell Westbrook – Rotoworld

I had some interest here in Rose, Rondo, Monta, and especially Bargnani (who is a center), but had no problem deciding on Westbrook once those guys were gone. I've been accused of being overly excited by Westbrook this season, but there are a lot of other folks in the same boat. Again, it was now or never on him. I had zero interest in Marion, Boozer, Mayo and Gay this early, and was actually excited to see them go. Not enough balls to go around in Memphis and I'm done with Marion and Boozer for the rest of my fantasy career.

Round 5

49. Anthony Randolph - Rotoworld
50. Stephen Jackson
51. Mehmet Okur
52. Hedo Turkoglu
53. Rashard Lewis
54. Al Horford
55. Charlie Villanueva
56. Jameer Nelson
57. Ray Allen
58. Andris Biedrins
59. Eric Gordon
60. Nene

This pick was interesting for me. I knew I shouldn't be taking Randolph this early, but also knew that he was gone if I passed. I got two of the more intriguing young guns in the league with these two picks and have no regrets. Stephen Jackson is a potential cat-killer, Turkoglu's field goal percentage is a little scary and I'm worried about Nene getting hurt. I considered Biedrins, Gordon and Okur in front of Randolph, but decided I wanted to own Randolph and all his blocks this season – Nellie be damned. I still don't have a center, but I've got scorers, threes, assists, steals and blocks, and my percentages should be intact. Rebounds look like a problem for me early, although Jamison and Randolph should be solid there.
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Round 6

61. Mo Williams
62. John Salmons
63. Marcus Camby
64. Baron Davis
65. Michael Redd
66. Kevin Love
67. Leandro Barbosa
68. Manu Ginobili
69. Al Harrington
70. Blake Griffin
71. Tony Parker
72. Andrew Bynum – Rotoworld

I really thought Bynum was going to be taken just before I picked, and I'm not sure what I would have done. It's almost Round 7 and I still need two centers. Guys I had little interest in, like Camby, Baron and Redd were all taken, and Bynum thankfully fell into my lap. Now if he can just stay healthy. Griffin went in Round 6, which is probably where he will go in most drafts.

Round 7

73. Luis Scola - Rotoworld
74. Emeka Okafor
75. Wilson Chandler
76. Spencer Hawes
77. Tyrus Thomas
78. Jason Terry
79. Trevor Ariza
80. Greg Oden
81. Allen Iverson
82. Paul Millsap
83. Michael Beasley
84. Thaddeus Young

I either made a heady, solid pick here or screwed up. I thought long and hard about Greg Oden after his two big preseason performances, and could have used the blocks and a center. He also shoots it well from the line, which is key. I guess I was hoping he'd fall to me later, but it wasn't even close. I chose Scola, who is a center that doesn't block shots, but is starting for the Rockets and should be a double-double machine without Yao around. Oden was taken just eight picks later and I immediately regretted my decision. However, once Oden's knee, wrist or foot has that first 'pop,' I'm sure I'll get over it. I thought this was a little early for Iverson, especially with his latest injury. I'd target him closer to round nine or 10 if you have interest in him. The argument can be made that every player in this round was taken too early, but only time will tell. Trevor Ariza, who is struggling in the preseason thus far, is probably the mystery pick here. It's either going to look fantastic or like a wasted pick. My guess is that he'll be a solid Round 7 pick.

Round 8

85. Ramon Sessions
86. Raymond Felton
87. Jeff Green
88. Andrew Bogut
89. Josh Howard
90. Ben Gordon
91. Francisco Garcia
92. Boris Diaw
93. Andre Miller
94. Chris Duhon
95. Nate Robinson
96. Mike Conley – Rotoworld

It's Round 8 and I've got two point guards, but figure I'll stock up on 1's instead of trying to acquire more rebounds. I'm pretty down on Memphis, but Conley should still rack up some assists this season after finishing so well last year. We shall see. I was going to take Diaw or Miller (in that order), but they went just before I picked. I think Ben Gordon was the best pick of this round, along with Diaw and Miller.

Round 9

97. J.R. Smith - Rotoworld
98. Jason Thompson
99. Andrei Kirilenko
100. Aaron Brooks
101. Chris Andersen
102. T.J. Ford
103. Mike Bibby
104. Zach Randolph
105. Jonny Flynn
106. Mario Chalmers
107. Danilo Gallinari
108. Corey Maggette

When I entered the draft results into this document, I actually thought I had drafted Jason Thompson. Nope. I went with J.R. Smith instead, who is suspended for the first seven games of the season and likely the Nuggets' sixth man. I figured I'd finish off my team's 3-point shooting and take another guy who could fully break out this year. Keep in mind he got hot and averaged nearly five treys per in his seven April games. And with guys like Kirilenko, Chalmers, Gallinari and Maggette going here, I am pretty happy with JRS, although I could have used Thompson's boards. Zach Randolph raised some eyebrows, but it's hard to argue with probable 20 & 10 in Round 9.

Round 10

109. Luol Deng
110. Stephen Curry
111. Joakim Noah
112. Shaquille O'Neal
113. Ron Artest
114. Lou Williams
115. Chris Kaman
116. Rasheed Wallace
117. Udonis Haslem
118. Lamar Odom
119. Marvin Williams
120. Rodney Stuckey – Rotoworld

Put point guard No. 4 on the board for me here. I was actually pretty happy Stuckey fell and his potential was too much for me to pass up. Lots of gambling going on in this round, with guys like Deng, Curry, Noah, Shaq, Sheed, Haslem, Marvin and Stuckey going. Then again, it is Round 10. I was thinking about Artest at the time, but his shaky FGP scares me.
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Round 11

121. Roy Hibbert – Rotoworld
122. Courtney Lee
123. James Harden
124. Carl Landry
125. Ronnie Brewer
126. Antonio McDyess
127. Marc Gasol
128. Jamal Crawford
129. Brandon Jennings
130. Tyreke Evans
131. Al Thornton
132. Channing Frye

I will not lie to you. Hibbert's line of 20 points, 11 boards and eight blocks earlier in the day got to me. I needed another center and there weren't many left. Notice that my man Channing Frye went in the same round, but I'll take Hibbert at this point. He's all upside and should at least start and block shots in Indy. A ton of nice sleepers in this round, and I think Thornton (one dimensional, may lose his job) is the only pick I wasn't down with. I am still high on Frye, but I'd prefer to see him in Round 14 instead of 11.

Round 12

133. D.J. Augustin
134. Richard Jefferson
135. Yi Jianlian
136. Tracy McGrady
137. Julian Wright
138. Kirk Hinrich
139. Kelenna Azubuike
140. Jermaine O'Neal
141. Brandon Rush
142. Anthony Morrow
143. Richard Hamilton
144. Samuel Dalembert – Rotoworld

I came into Round 12 still needing some boards and blocks, and didn't have much depth at center. Sammy D seems rejuvenated this year and excited to run in the Princeton offense. Could be a steal this late, as he was one of the last serviceable centers left on the board. I was eyeing Yi and Azubuike, but they were gone. Richard Jefferson looks like a steal here and Kirk Hinrich could see a revival in Chicago. I wouldn't touch T-Mac with a 10-foot pole, but the Julian Wright pick was a nice one.

Round 13

145. Shane Battier – Rotoworld
146. Randy Foye
147. Mike Dunleavy
148. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
149. Anthony Parker
150. Rudy Fernandez
151. Brandon Bass
152. Tayshaun Prince
153. Tyson Chandler
154. DeMar DeRozan
155. Larry Hughes
156. Terrence Williams

I've been pretty high on Shane Battier and he's certainly not going to hurt me anywhere. And if he ever gets healthy, he will put up some solid Roto numbers for the depleted Rockets. Maybe I should have flown on Dunleavy, but I like Battier better than most other picks in this round. Now I just have to hope he gets healthy and starts playing.

Round 14

157. Hasheem Thabeet
158. Delonte West
159. Thabo Sefolosha
160. Brendan Haywood
161. Brad Miller
162. Marreese Speights
163. Kenyon Martin
164. Drew Gooden
165. Hakim Warrick
166. Jordan Hill
167. Jamario Moon
168. Grant Hill – Rotoworld

Heading into the last round I was looking for another rebounding forward, and had targeted Gooden and Warrick. Once they were gone, I decided to go with another safe pick in Grant Hill. He won't hurt me anywhere and is a starter for the Suns. He may be a huge health risk, but it's Round 14, right? Haywood was a solid pick here, especially in a two-center league. I also had Marco Belinelli queued up, but he was surprisingly undrafted. I think he'll start in Toronto and should be a solid source of threes, but that was about the last thing I needed here.

The Roster

PGs – Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, Rodney Stuckey
SGs – Jason Richardson, J.R. Smith
SFs – Antawn Jamison, Shane Battier, Grant Hill
PFs – Anthony Randolph
Cs - Andrew Bynum, Luis Scola, Roy Hibbert, Samuel Dalembert

Many of my guys qualify at multiple positions, so I can play Scola or Jamison at PF if necessary. We start 11 players – PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, C, C, U, U, U – hopefully with Randolph, Bynum, Hibbert and Dalembert, I can hang in there in blocks and boards, but a PG trade might be in my future.

 

[FairWarning]

So how does fantasy hoops work? Season -long, or matchups like football? What catagories are used?

 

[HacheMan]

League's vary FW.

Some I've seen go matchups, while others go yearly.

All major stats....Points, Rebounds, Assists, Blocks, Steals.

Some use alternative stuff like FG %, etc....

 

[HacheMan]

Preseason & Draft Position

With most teams having played four games or so in the preseason, let's take a trip around the league to see what's going on.

Headlines

Portland's Nate McMillan One Stubborn Dude

Nate McMillan, under heavy pressure to start the "RAMBO" lineup (Roy, Aldridge, Miller, Batum, Oden), is still refusing to do so, and it looks like Andre Miller and Greg Oden are going to come off the bench on opening night. We'd like to think that McMillan knows what he's doing, but the decision just doesn't make much sense. Yes, Blake is more effective as a starter and does know his teammates better than Dre. But Miller also plays better as a starter and is going to be pretty ticked off if he doesn't crack the starting five soon. And don't even get me started on Oden, who now looks like a beast. The fact those two are likely coming off the bench is a slap in everyone's face. So, if the Blazers would have acquired Brandon Roy over the summer, Nate wouldn't start him? Whatever. Hopefully RAMBO is starting by mid-November. I've got Oden going as a sixth-round pick, but he just went in the equivalent of Round 5 in the 30-team draft. If you want Oden, plan on grabbing him in Round 5.

Wade Hurt…Again

Dwyane Wade played through a rib injury Thursday, but hurt his calf and left in the third quarter. Tests are going to be performed, but Wade is hoping that it's just a bruise. After a relatively healthy year last season, things are off to a rocky start for D-Wade. He's still worth the No. 3 overall pick, but if you are scared of his injury situation, you could take Kobe, Kevin Durant or Danny Granger instead. Your call. When Wade is healthy and playing, he will be a beast.

Down Goes Jamison

Antawn Jamison suffered a shoulder injury during the week that saw it pop out and back into place. And yes, it's his shooting arm. He's done for the preseason and we don't know when he'll be ready to play. If you already drafted him, think about grabbing Andray Blatche for insurance.

Drafts

I have two slow-moving expert drafts taking place right now and I'll list with what picks guys are being taken in both leagues after each team's write up. One league has 30 teams/owners and the other is a 17-Round, two-center, points league. Hopefully you have the Draft Guide already and can see those rankings in relation to where these guys are going. Keep in mind both leagues are very deep with pretty strict lineup requirements, which obviously impacts value and draft position.

Atlanta

I don't have much use for Marvin Williams this season, but he has played pretty well thus far. Maybe he's set to breakout, but it seems like the Hawks just have too many weapons. I also love point guard Jeff Teague, but he looks like he's only worth a pick in dynasty leagues. He should be a solid fantasy point guard next season, but will also get a little run this year. Josh Smith is going anywhere from Round 2 to Round 4. I suspect he bounces back this year, so if you want him, plan on Round 2 or 3. And if he falls to you in Round 4, you have to grab him. Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby have been quiet, while Joe Johnson should be Joe Johnson again this year, although could take a hit if Crawford gets hot.

Smith: 34 & 42, Johnson: 17 & 20, Crawford: 111, Bibby: 114, Marvin: 130

Boston

Kevin Garnett is playing and looks pretty good. However, I am simply ignoring him in all my drafts. Rajon Rondo looks very good and could lead the league in triple-doubles this year.

KG: 23 & 27, Rondo: 35 & 40, Pierce: 24 & 39, Ray Allen: 85

Charlotte

Boris Diaw is practicing again and looking good. The guy can do a little bit of everything and should be a value pick in the later-middle rounds. Tyson Chandler is still not playing and is just hoping to be ready for the start of the season. Don't trust him.

Wallace: 40 & 41, Diaw: 55 & 86, Chandler: 140, Felton: 47 & 70

Chicago

Tyrus Thomas is close to making his preseason debut and is hoping to do big things. He's going late in drafts, and is probably worth it. Derrick Rose remains out with a right ankle injury and is not supposed to play on Friday. I'm a little nervous, but hopefully he's ready for the start of the real deal. I like him better in Round 3 or 4, but he's just not lasting that long. Hopefully he's hitting threes this year. Rookie James Johnson has been playing well, but Thomas will hurt him. Joakim Noah has also looked good, while John Salmons remains on baby watch. Luol Deng is actually healthy and playing, and worth a late flier.

Tyrus: 101, Rose: 22 & 22, Salmons: 57, Deng: 107, Noah: 106

Cleveland

Swine flu is all the rage with the Cavs, but LeBron and company should be fine by opening night. Not much news here, except that you should avoid Delonte West and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

LeBron: 1 & 1, Mo Williams: 58 & 75, Shaq: 83

Dallas

Josh Howard still isn't ready to go on his ankle and could miss the start of the season. Jason Kidd isn't going to score much, but he'll do a good deal of everything else. Dirk is a popular pick at No. 7 or 8, while Drew Gooden remains a deep sleeper because he's going to play a lot of center. Jason Terry is somewhat of a forgotten man, but is still going to fill it up on a regular basis. Especially if Jo-Ho is going to be hurt again. Shawn Marion probably should have been in the above headlines, as he's out for 7-10 days with a calf injury (maybe the same injury Wade suffered last night). Marion looks like a potential steal after last year's disaster.

Kidd: 34 &42, Dirk: 5 & 8, Howard: 69, Terry: 84, Marion: 77

Denver

Carmelo Anthony scored 45 points in a recent game and looks good. He's a very solid second-round pick, as usual. And I kind of wish I'd taken him instead of Jamison after the injury. Chauncey Billups is slipping into the late second and early third rounds, making him a potential steal, while Nene and J.R. Smith are popular mid-round picks. I probably need to rethink where I have Chris Andersen ranked, as he hasn't even been taken 150 picks into the fantasy points-league draft. Then again, he's a shot-blocking specialist and has much more value if you're competing against other owners for blocks.

Melo: 17, Billups: 29 & 35, Nene: 53, Smith: 88

Detroit

Rodney Stuckey is doing more scoring that assisting right now, but his dimes should come around. He's scored 20 points in two of his last three games and still remains a sleeper pick to return some solid value. Kwame Brown is the starting center in Detroit and I might grab him with pick No. 153 with my next pick. I would not draft Rip Hamilton this year, as Ben Gordon looks like the man. Gordon's tough to put a value on, coming off the bench for a new team, but is going to score and hit a ton of threes. Will Bynum is having a great preseason and the Pistons are experimenting with a three-guard lineup. If it sticks, keep your eye on Bynum, although he's currently not draftable. Charlie Vilanueva has yet to play for his new team and could come off the bench. He's still going to have some nice value this year.

Gordon: 47 & 63, Stuckey: 87, Villanueva: 59

Golden State

Um, where to start? Stephen Jackson wants out and has now called out his teammates for not getting his back in his war with Nellie. The fans are mad, the ownership and coaching staff are mad and now his teammates probably feel awkward around him. Good thing that ridiculous extension the Warriors gave him is not only non-refundable, but makes him untradeable as well. SJax went at No. 64 & 76, but the owner was very reluctant to pull the trigger both times. And I'm guessing even felt some immediate buyer's remorse. Journeyman point guard Acie Law will play some small forward this year according to Nellie, and that just makes me smile. Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins are going in the middle, while everyone seems to be expecting a comeback season from Monta Ellis. And I'm fine with taking a late flier on Stephen Curry, but would much rather have Tyreke Evans of Sacramento.

Jackson: 64 & 76, Randolph: 80, Ellis: 24 & 38, Biedrins: 65
<!--RW-->
Houston

Trevor Ariza and Shane Battier both had very nice lines on Thursday and I just grabbed Battier in the 12th Round (pick 129). He hit eight 3-pointers last night, and while he didn't do much else, he's getting healthy and I still think he's going to be one of the steals of the draft that late. Ariza started slowly but is going to play, and should only get better as time goes by. Another solid value pick. Luis Scola won't block shots and doesn't yet qualify at center in CBS leagues, but should be a double-double machine and a value pick. Aaron Brooks is a score-first point guard, but is playing well and should get plenty of run. And I'm not worried about Kyle Lowry stealing his job. Carl Landry is also a guy who could have some nice value, but don't think about him until the end of your draft.

Ariza: 92, Battier: 129, Scola: 61 & 62, Brooks: 102

Indiana

Danny Granger is going anywhere from No. 4 to No. 9 and I'm not too concerned about last year's knee issue. He looks fine right now and you shouldn't let it stop you from grabbing him if you get a chance. I don't think Troy Murphy will be as strong as he was last year, but his 3-point shooting and rebounding make him a popular pick. Roy Hibbert has had a pretty amazing run in the preseason, racking up points, boards and blocks, and is climbing the charts. Brandon Rush also looks like a nice late sleeper pick.

Granger: 7 & 8, Murphy: 45 & 65ish, Hibbert: 94, Rush: 144,

L.A. Clippers

Blake Griffin finally made his debut this week and is playing well. I think it will come down to him and Tyreke Evans for ROY. Griffin won't block many shots, but looks like he is going to be an effective scorer and haul down some rebounds. The Clippers are a tough team to gauge in fantasy, especially with two centers (Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman) who haven't done much, as well as a struggling Baron Davis. In addition, Rasual Butler is playing well and challenging Al Thornton for his job, but it seems to have inspired Thornton, who is also having a good preseason. I love Eric Gordon, and DeAndre Jordan is also a guy to keep a close eye on if one of the big men goes down. Here's where they were taken.

Griffin: 66, Camby: 91, Kaman: 135, Baron: 54 & 55, Gordon: 61 & 74

L.A. Lakers

Look for Kobe to hang a big number on the Warriors after Stephen Jackson's recent tirade against Kobe, where Jax basically said he was just as good of a player. Pau Gasol (hamstring) and Lamar Odom (shin) are dinged up, but the injuries aren't thought to be serious. Meanwhile, Ron Artest has been quiet and might defer to his teammates this year. I would avoid him on draft day. Andrew Bynum has been on a serious tear and I get the feeling he's going to stay healthy – at least for awhile. And as you can see by the numbers, there is some major fluctuation on some of these guys.

Kobe: 3 & 4, Gasol: 13 & 13, Artest: 44 & 73, Bynum: 32 & 56

Memphis

Allen Iverson (hamstring) is hurt and could struggle to stay healthy this season. Marc Gasol has been quiet but is a decent late center pick, while Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley are all still draftworthy, despite playing for Memphis. Eventually Iverson will return to hurt them, but out of sight, out of mind for the time being. Gay, Mayo and Randolph are going a little too early for my liking.

Iverson: 121, Gay: 60 & 63, Mayo: 43 & 43, Randolph: 48 & 49, Conley: 105

Miami

Mario Chalmers is locked and loaded as the starting point guard, despite the arrival of Carlos Arroyo. Ignore Arroyo and plan on looking at Chalmers late. Michael Beasley is playing very well appears to be locked into the starting five. His stock is climbing. Jermaine O'Neal (foot) and Wade (ribs/calf) are banged up, but both played in their last game. O'Neal probably won't even be drafted in 10-team leagues. Daequan Cook is racking up threes (11 in his last three games) and might be worth a last-round Roto pick, while Udonis Haslem is a steady, if non-impressive PF option.

Chalmers: 128, Beasley: 67, O'Neal: 138, Wade: 3 & 4

 

[HacheMan]

Preseason & Draft Position
With most teams having played four games or so in the preseason, let's take a trip around the league to see what's going on.


Headlines

Portland's Nate McMillan One Stubborn Dude

Nate McMillan, under heavy pressure to start the "RAMBO" lineup (Roy, Aldridge, Miller, Batum, Oden), is still refusing to do so, and it looks like Andre Miller and Greg Oden are going to come off the bench on opening night. We'd like to think that McMillan knows what he's doing, but the decision just doesn't make much sense. Yes, Blake is more effective as a starter and does know his teammates better than Dre. But Miller also plays better as a starter and is going to be pretty ticked off if he doesn't crack the starting five soon. And don't even get me started on Oden, who now looks like a beast. The fact those two are likely coming off the bench is a slap in everyone's face. So, if the Blazers would have acquired Brandon Roy over the summer, Nate wouldn't start him? Whatever. Hopefully RAMBO is starting by mid-November. I've got Oden going as a sixth-round pick, but he just went in the equivalent of Round 5 in the 30-team draft. If you want Oden, plan on grabbing him in Round 5.

Wade Hurt…Again

Dwyane Wade played through a rib injury Thursday, but hurt his calf and left in the third quarter. Tests are going to be performed, but Wade is hoping that it's just a bruise. After a relatively healthy year last season, things are off to a rocky start for D-Wade. He's still worth the No. 3 overall pick, but if you are scared of his injury situation, you could take Kobe, Kevin Durant or Danny Granger instead. Your call. When Wade is healthy and playing, he will be a beast.

Down Goes Jamison

Antawn Jamison suffered a shoulder injury during the week that saw it pop out and back into place. And yes, it's his shooting arm. He's done for the preseason and we don't know when he'll be ready to play. If you already drafted him, think about grabbing Andray Blatche for insurance.

Drafts

I have two slow-moving expert drafts taking place right now and I'll list with what picks guys are being taken in both leagues after each team's write up. One league has 30 teams/owners and the other is a 17-Round, two-center, points league. Hopefully you have the Draft Guide already and can see those rankings in relation to where these guys are going. Keep in mind both leagues are very deep with pretty strict lineup requirements, which obviously impacts value and draft position.

Atlanta

I don't have much use for Marvin Williams this season, but he has played pretty well thus far. Maybe he's set to breakout, but it seems like the Hawks just have too many weapons. I also love point guard Jeff Teague, but he looks like he's only worth a pick in dynasty leagues. He should be a solid fantasy point guard next season, but will also get a little run this year. Josh Smith is going anywhere from Round 2 to Round 4. I suspect he bounces back this year, so if you want him, plan on Round 2 or 3. And if he falls to you in Round 4, you have to grab him. Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby have been quiet, while Joe Johnson should be Joe Johnson again this year, although could take a hit if Crawford gets hot.

Smith: 34 & 42, Johnson: 17 & 20, Crawford: 111, Bibby: 114, Marvin: 130

Boston

Kevin Garnett is playing and looks pretty good. However, I am simply ignoring him in all my drafts. Rajon Rondo looks very good and could lead the league in triple-doubles this year.

KG: 23 & 27, Rondo: 35 & 40, Pierce: 24 & 39, Ray Allen: 85

Charlotte

Boris Diaw is practicing again and looking good. The guy can do a little bit of everything and should be a value pick in the later-middle rounds. Tyson Chandler is still not playing and is just hoping to be ready for the start of the season. Don't trust him.

Wallace: 40 & 41, Diaw: 55 & 86, Chandler: 140, Felton: 47 & 70

Chicago

Tyrus Thomas is close to making his preseason debut and is hoping to do big things. He's going late in drafts, and is probably worth it. Derrick Rose remains out with a right ankle injury and is not supposed to play on Friday. I'm a little nervous, but hopefully he's ready for the start of the real deal. I like him better in Round 3 or 4, but he's just not lasting that long. Hopefully he's hitting threes this year. Rookie James Johnson has been playing well, but Thomas will hurt him. Joakim Noah has also looked good, while John Salmons remains on baby watch. Luol Deng is actually healthy and playing, and worth a late flier.

Tyrus: 101, Rose: 22 & 22, Salmons: 57, Deng: 107, Noah: 106

Cleveland

Swine flu is all the rage with the Cavs, but LeBron and company should be fine by opening night. Not much news here, except that you should avoid Delonte West and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

LeBron: 1 & 1, Mo Williams: 58 & 75, Shaq: 83

Dallas

Josh Howard still isn't ready to go on his ankle and could miss the start of the season. Jason Kidd isn't going to score much, but he'll do a good deal of everything else. Dirk is a popular pick at No. 7 or 8, while Drew Gooden remains a deep sleeper because he's going to play a lot of center. Jason Terry is somewhat of a forgotten man, but is still going to fill it up on a regular basis. Especially if Jo-Ho is going to be hurt again. Shawn Marion probably should have been in the above headlines, as he's out for 7-10 days with a calf injury (maybe the same injury Wade suffered last night). Marion looks like a potential steal after last year's disaster.

Kidd: 34 &42, Dirk: 5 & 8, Howard: 69, Terry: 84, Marion: 77

Denver

Carmelo Anthony scored 45 points in a recent game and looks good. He's a very solid second-round pick, as usual. And I kind of wish I'd taken him instead of Jamison after the injury. Chauncey Billups is slipping into the late second and early third rounds, making him a potential steal, while Nene and J.R. Smith are popular mid-round picks. I probably need to rethink where I have Chris Andersen ranked, as he hasn't even been taken 150 picks into the fantasy points-league draft. Then again, he's a shot-blocking specialist and has much more value if you're competing against other owners for blocks.

Melo: 17, Billups: 29 & 35, Nene: 53, Smith: 88

Detroit

Rodney Stuckey is doing more scoring that assisting right now, but his dimes should come around. He's scored 20 points in two of his last three games and still remains a sleeper pick to return some solid value. Kwame Brown is the starting center in Detroit and I might grab him with pick No. 153 with my next pick. I would not draft Rip Hamilton this year, as Ben Gordon looks like the man. Gordon's tough to put a value on, coming off the bench for a new team, but is going to score and hit a ton of threes. Will Bynum is having a great preseason and the Pistons are experimenting with a three-guard lineup. If it sticks, keep your eye on Bynum, although he's currently not draftable. Charlie Vilanueva has yet to play for his new team and could come off the bench. He's still going to have some nice value this year.

Gordon: 47 & 63, Stuckey: 87, Villanueva: 59

Golden State

Um, where to start? Stephen Jackson wants out and has now called out his teammates for not getting his back in his war with Nellie. The fans are mad, the ownership and coaching staff are mad and now his teammates probably feel awkward around him. Good thing that ridiculous extension the Warriors gave him is not only non-refundable, but makes him untradeable as well. SJax went at No. 64 & 76, but the owner was very reluctant to pull the trigger both times. And I'm guessing even felt some immediate buyer's remorse. Journeyman point guard Acie Law will play some small forward this year according to Nellie, and that just makes me smile. Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins are going in the middle, while everyone seems to be expecting a comeback season from Monta Ellis. And I'm fine with taking a late flier on Stephen Curry, but would much rather have Tyreke Evans of Sacramento.

Jackson: 64 & 76, Randolph: 80, Ellis: 24 & 38, Biedrins: 65
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Houston

Trevor Ariza and Shane Battier both had very nice lines on Thursday and I just grabbed Battier in the 12th Round (pick 129). He hit eight 3-pointers last night, and while he didn't do much else, he's getting healthy and I still think he's going to be one of the steals of the draft that late. Ariza started slowly but is going to play, and should only get better as time goes by. Another solid value pick. Luis Scola won't block shots and doesn't yet qualify at center in CBS leagues, but should be a double-double machine and a value pick. Aaron Brooks is a score-first point guard, but is playing well and should get plenty of run. And I'm not worried about Kyle Lowry stealing his job. Carl Landry is also a guy who could have some nice value, but don't think about him until the end of your draft.

Ariza: 92, Battier: 129, Scola: 61 & 62, Brooks: 102

Indiana

Danny Granger is going anywhere from No. 4 to No. 9 and I'm not too concerned about last year's knee issue. He looks fine right now and you shouldn't let it stop you from grabbing him if you get a chance. I don't think Troy Murphy will be as strong as he was last year, but his 3-point shooting and rebounding make him a popular pick. Roy Hibbert has had a pretty amazing run in the preseason, racking up points, boards and blocks, and is climbing the charts. Brandon Rush also looks like a nice late sleeper pick.

Granger: 7 & 8, Murphy: 45 & 65ish, Hibbert: 94, Rush: 144,

L.A. Clippers

Blake Griffin finally made his debut this week and is playing well. I think it will come down to him and Tyreke Evans for ROY. Griffin won't block many shots, but looks like he is going to be an effective scorer and haul down some rebounds. The Clippers are a tough team to gauge in fantasy, especially with two centers (Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman) who haven't done much, as well as a struggling Baron Davis. In addition, Rasual Butler is playing well and challenging Al Thornton for his job, but it seems to have inspired Thornton, who is also having a good preseason. I love Eric Gordon, and DeAndre Jordan is also a guy to keep a close eye on if one of the big men goes down. Here's where they were taken.

Griffin: 66, Camby: 91, Kaman: 135, Baron: 54 & 55, Gordon: 61 & 74

L.A. Lakers

Look for Kobe to hang a big number on the Warriors after Stephen Jackson's recent tirade against Kobe, where Jax basically said he was just as good of a player. Pau Gasol (hamstring) and Lamar Odom (shin) are dinged up, but the injuries aren't thought to be serious. Meanwhile, Ron Artest has been quiet and might defer to his teammates this year. I would avoid him on draft day. Andrew Bynum has been on a serious tear and I get the feeling he's going to stay healthy – at least for awhile. And as you can see by the numbers, there is some major fluctuation on some of these guys.

Kobe: 3 & 4, Gasol: 13 & 13, Artest: 44 & 73, Bynum: 32 & 56

Memphis

Allen Iverson (hamstring) is hurt and could struggle to stay healthy this season. Marc Gasol has been quiet but is a decent late center pick, while Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley are all still draftworthy, despite playing for Memphis. Eventually Iverson will return to hurt them, but out of sight, out of mind for the time being. Gay, Mayo and Randolph are going a little too early for my liking.

Iverson: 121, Gay: 60 & 63, Mayo: 43 & 43, Randolph: 48 & 49, Conley: 105

Miami

Mario Chalmers is locked and loaded as the starting point guard, despite the arrival of Carlos Arroyo. Ignore Arroyo and plan on looking at Chalmers late. Michael Beasley is playing very well appears to be locked into the starting five. His stock is climbing. Jermaine O'Neal (foot) and Wade (ribs/calf) are banged up, but both played in their last game. O'Neal probably won't even be drafted in 10-team leagues. Daequan Cook is racking up threes (11 in his last three games) and might be worth a last-round Roto pick, while Udonis Haslem is a steady, if non-impressive PF option.

Chalmers: 128, Beasley: 67, O'Neal: 138, Wade: 3 & 4

 

[HacheMan]

Preseason Notes, Part 2

Here is Part 2 of Preseason Notes and Draft Position.

After each team I list where these players were taken in my latest drafts. One is a points league, so the idea is to get a guy who is going to do enough of everything to rack up a nice overall total. The other draft has very limited data, as our 30-team draft came to a screeching halt this weekend. I've made just two picks after a week. But these numbers are simply here to give you a very general guideline of where some of the guys you'll be looking at are going in other drafts. If a player's Round is mentioned, it's in a 12-team league.

Milwaukee

Brandon Jennings is starting to look pretty good and as long as he and Scott Skiles can get along, Jennings is going to be OK. Luke Ridnour is quickly becoming an afterthought. Hakim Warrick has had an incredible preseason run and now looks like one of the better forward options for the Bucks. Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd, both coming off serious injuries, have played throughout the preseason – so far, so good. The Bucks have a five-game week this year, but the rest of their schedule isn't much to write home about.

Jennings: Rd. 13, Redd: Rd. 7, Bogut: Rd. 8, Warrick: Rd. 12

Minnesota

All the current big NBA news seems to be coming out of Minnesota. Kevin Love suffered a broken bone in his left hand and should be out for approximately six weeks. If you're wondering who would fill in, Oleksiy Pecherov looks like the best bet, while Ryan Hollins also looks to gain from the Wolves' loss. And while those guys probably aren't worth a pick in normal-sized leagues, keep an eye on Pecherov. Al Jefferson, who was just getting it going, left Saturday's game with tendinitis in his Achilles. Details are sketchy and it may be nothing, but it should make all of us think twice about burning a high pick on him. You can almost bet the injury is due to him overcompensating after knee surgery, and we'll hopefully have some more news before you draft. Ramon Sessions and Jonny Flynn don't appear to be able to share the court at the same time, which means they're going to be locked into a true timeshare for the time being. I still get the feeling Sessions will emerge with some nice value, but it's anyone's guess as to when that happens. Lastly, Corey Brewer suddenly looks like a mini-stud after a solid preseason, and is locked into the starting shooting guard job now.

Jefferson: picks No. 13 & 14 overall, Love: Late Rd. 3 (pre-injury), Sessions: Rd. 9, Flynn: Rd. 12, Brewer: Rd. 15

New Jersey

Not much happening in New Jersey. Devin Harris is banged up but should be ready for the start of the season. Brook Lopez and his stock have been rising after a strong preseason and Yi Jianlian has been showing some signs of life. Courtney Lee looks primed for a breakout and Terrence Williams looks like the biggest sleeper amongst the rookies.

Harris: picks No. 15 & 16 overall, Lopez: pick No. 21 & 23 overall, Yi: Rd. 12, Lee: Rd. 10, Williams: Rd. 16

New Orleans

We still haven't seen Emeka Okafor (toe/foot) in action for the Hornets, or Ike Diogu (knee). Okafor sounds like he's close, but despite a lot of folks expecting Diogu to produce this year, we say that's a long shot. Julian Wright is still learning the ropes as the team's new small forward, but it's still unclear as to whether or not he's ever going to "get it." Either way, he's still worth a late flier. If he falters, Peja Stojakovic could end up reclaiming a starting job at some point. And if you want to gamble on Morris Peterson at shooting guard, good luck. David West is simply reliable and I don't have to tell you much about Chris Paul. Except that the Hornets only play two games in Weeks 5, 6 and 9, while other teams are playing three or four games. It's not the end of the world and it happens very early, but there's no doubt those weeks will sting a little bit for the guy you took at No. 1 or No. 2 in your draft.

Speaking of schedules, the Guide offers a full breakdown of each team's first-half, second-half and playoff schedule in terms of fantasy, as well as provides a Schedule Grid for games played each week.

Paul: picks No. 2 & 2 overall, West: picks 19 & 36 overall, Okafor: pick No. 49 overall, Wright: Rd. 14, Stojakovic: Rd. 13

New York

The Knicks suddenly look exactly the same as they did last year. Eddy Curry is hurt and out indefinitely, David Lee is starting at center and ready to rack up some more double-doubles, Chris Duhon is back by default to start at point guard, Nate Robinson is still an unpredictable fire cracker off the bench, Al Harrington should be a solid offensive producer starting at forward, and Wilson Chandler is a favorite for a breakout season. And Larry Hughes hasn't made a shot since last year.

Lee: picks No. 21 & 25 overall, Robinson: Rd. 9, Harrington: No. 53 & 71 overall, Chandler: Rd. 7, Duhon: Rd. 12

Oklahoma City

Perhaps no team in the league is as young, exciting and promising as the Thunder. Kevin Durant will go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 overall in your draft, Russell Westbrook, despite the poor shooting and turnovers, is one of the most popular fantasy players out there, while Jeff Green and rookie James Harden are also both popular selections. It looks like Nenad Krstic and Etan Thomas are going to split time in the middle, making both of them tough to own.

Durant: picks No. 5 & 6 overall, Westbrook: No. 39 & 41 overall, Green: No. 66 & 68 overall, Harden: Rd. 11

Orlando Magic

The Magic have some mysteries remaining. Rashard Lewis is out for the first 10 games due to a steroid suspension, opening up early opportunities for guys like Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus, but it remains to be seen who the real beneficiary is. And Lewis is falling in drafts, making him an excellent value this year. Dwight Howard is usually being avoided in Roto leagues due to his free throws and TOs, but is a hot target in points and head-to-head leagues. If your league doesn't count both TOs and FTP, he will go in the first round. But if you count both those categories, as hard as it may be to do, let someone else have him. Jameer Nelson is back at point guard and is a value target, while Vince Carter is at shooting guard.

Howard: picks No. 6 & 9 overall, Lewis: Rd. 7, Carter: picks No. 31 & 50, Nelson: picks No. 65 & 81

Philadelphia

The Sixers' new point guard, Lou Williams, has been playing more like a shooting guard by scoring more than assisting. But the assists should come as he learns the job. Andre Iguodala is starting at SG, Thaddeus Young is at SF, Elton Brand is at PF and Samuel Dalembert is at C, at least for now. Brand is coming off shoulder surgery and is still risky, but most owners haven't been afraid to take a shot with him. Dalembert started off hot in the preseason, but has gotten progressively worse. Adding to the confusion was an amazing 32-point, 12-rebound performance by Marreese Speights on Friday.

Iguodala: picks No. 15 & 28 overall, Brand: No. 51 & 67, Young: Rd. 9, Williams: Rd. 10, Dalembert: Rd. 13

Phoenix

I have been hyping Channing Frye for months now and he's actually living up to it. He's scoring, rebounding, blocking a few shots, shooting it well and even hitting 3-pointers. In fact, he had three of them in his last game. Amare Stoudemire looks pretty good in his return from eye surgery, Steve Nash had a 15-assist game recently, and Jason Richardson is starting to come on. Yes, I took him too early in that draft I posted a couple weeks ago, but I still think he's going to have a big year. And I still love taking Grant Hill with the last pick in drafts this year. If healthy, he's going to produce, which is about all you can hope for out of that pick.

Stoudemire: picks No. 7 & 11 overall, Nash: No. 19 & 26, Richardson: No. 62 overall, Frye: Rd. 10, Hill: Rd. 13
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Portland

I still think Andre Miller and Greg Oden are going to emerge as very good fantasy players this season, even if Nate McMillan defies logic and brings them both off the bench. You simply cannot ignore what Oden has done this preseason, while Miller has been solid. I still don't trust Oden, but am willing to take a chance on him in the middle rounds now. These are the two big question marks with this team, as we know what we're going to get from Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Feel free to draft Steve Blake, the official 'starter' for the Blazers, but don't expect much outside of 3-point shooting. If you can't already tell, yes. I am annoyed with McMillan. And I'm sure Oden, Miller and a bunch of Rip City fans are too.

Roy: picks No. 10 & 11 overall, Aldridge: picks No. 27 & 45, Oden: 52 & 64, Miller: picks No. 51 & 60

Sacramento

Order seems to have been restored and Spencer Hawes looks like he's back on track to start at center. But given the benching of Hawes early and the crazy decision to continually insist that Desmond Mason is still an NBA starter, I am pretty concerned about new coach Paul Westphal (whom I keep wanting to call 'Westerphal' for some strange reason – Mats fans hear me). I really like Evans as a rookie point guard, Kevin Martin is still the man in Sacramento, and Jason Thompson threw up a 20 & 20 line on Saturday. Francisco Garcia is out for the foreseeable future, but don't get too excited about Andres Nocioni. Especially when Westphal can't stop talking about Mason. Nocioni is probably worth a very late pick, but not much more.

Martin: picks No. 36 & 38 overall, Hawes: picks No. 59 & 89, Thompson: Rd. 8, Evans: Rd. 10, Nocioni: Rd. 10

San Antonio

Gregg Popovich has shown us almost nothing thus far. He's resting guys every chance he gets, playing his entire roster during games and generally just confusing everyone not on the team. Has anyone seen Antonio McDyess? Anyway, McDyess should start at center and will be available at the end of your draft, Tim Duncan is wearing a knee brace and already getting way too much time off for my liking, while Manu Ginobili is being handled a little gingerly after ankle surgery. Richard Jefferson has looked good and Tony Parker should be healthy to start the season. Basically, my thoughts on the Spurs have not changed at all in the last two months because Popp hasn't shown us anything. Which means I'm still letting someone else draft Duncan every time.

Duncan: picks No. 18 & 18 overall, Parker: picks No. 28 & 29, Manu: pick No. 72, Jefferson: Rd. 9, McDyess: Rd. 13

Toronto

A starting five of Jose Calderon, DeMar DeRozan, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani appears to be locked in, and there's not much news to report. Calderon has been very quiet in the preseason, but I'm still fairly certain he's going to heat up and be a top point guard once the games start counting.

Bosh: picks No. 12 & 12 overall, Calderon: picks No. 25 & 30, Bargnani: picks No. 46 & 58, Turkoglu: pick No. 44

Utah

There's also not much news to report out of Utah. Starter C.J. Miles will miss a big chunk of the season after thumb surgery, which leaves the starting lineup a little bit of a question mark, but my guess is Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. Paul Millsap should also have a big role off the bench, but I'm personally staying away from Boozer and Millsap this year. And if Kirilenko doesn't start, he should still get heavy minutes off the bench.

Williams: picks No. 9 & 10 overall, Okur: 52 & 57, Boozer: pick No. 37, Millsap: pick No. 50, Brewer: Rd. 10, Kirilenko: Rd. 13

Washington

Gilbert Arenas is still healthy and Antawn Jamison's shoulder injury has received positive news over the last couple days. Jamison's still not out of the woods and surgery could still be a possibility at some point, but reports are positive and he may not have to miss much time. We'll see. Caron Butler should be healthy, while Mike Miller and Randy Foye continue to battle for the starting shooting guard job. If Jamison does miss time, Andray Blatche is going to be worth using in fantasy leagues. Brendan Haywood is starting at center, yet isn't being given very much love in fantasy leagues. If you start two centers, you could find worse ways to use your last-round pick.

Arenas: picks No. 30 & 32 overall, Butler: picks No. 31 & 33, Jamison: picks No. 16 & 37, Foye: Rd. 11, Haywood: Rd. 14

 

[HacheMan]

17-Round NBA Draft Results



Three Pointers Made = .08 points
Assists = .17 points
Blocks = .25 points
Field Goals Made = .25 points
Field Goals Attempted = -.08 points
Free Throws Made = .25 points
Free Throws Attempted = -.17 points
Points = .08 points
Steals = .17 points
Turnovers = -.17 points
Total Rebounds = .10 points

Owners and Draft Order:

1. Dan Dobish, Opensports.com
2. Jay Gleason, Freelance
3. David Klyce, Hoopsklyce
4. Sergio Gonzalez, CBS Sports
5. Tim Trout, Beckett Media
6. Hector Castro, MMAMadness.com
7. Keith Wayyland, KFBA.net
8. Dave Gawron, Rotocommunity.com
9. Steve Alexander, Rotoworld.com
10. Tom Carpenter, ESPN
11. Matt Buser, Busersports.com
12. Chris Whitling, ESPN

Round 1

1. LeBron James – Not much to think about or say here.
2. Chris Paul – Ditto.
3. Dwyane Wade – So far, right on track with my thoughts.
4. Kobe Bryant – Oops, curve ball, and means Durant/Granger falling.
5. Dirk Nowitzki – Wow, curve ball No. 2. I like Dirk at No. 7.
6. Kevin Durant – Nicely done.
7. Amare Stoudemire – Another surprise here, Granger falls even further.
8. Danny Granger – Gawron steals Granger with No. 8 pick. Brilliant.
9. Dwight Howard – I like Howard in this format, but would have liked DG.
10. Deron Williams – Back on track here, could have a big year.
11. Brandon Roy – Maybe a touch early, but so dependable.
12. Chris Bosh – Stronger this year, and this is where he goes.

Round 2

13. Pau Gasol – You can flip Gasol and Bosh every time.
14. Al Jefferson – Pre Achilles' concern. Won't go this high today.
15. Devin Harris – Stud, but always an injury risk.
16. Antawn Jamison – Thought he was an ironman 'til shoulder injury. Oops.
17. Carmelo Anthony – Should have a big year.
18. Tim Duncan – Don't trust him at all.
19. David West – Quiet worker, one of the safer PFs this year.
20. Joe Johnson – Contract year + Jamal Crawford = Same old Joe?
21. Brook Lopez – Seriously considered him over AJ. Wish I would have.
22. Derrick Rose – Early, but this is where he's been going.
23. Kevin Garnett – Not for me this year, but looks good early.
24. Paul Pierce – Hard to argue with Pierce here.

Round 3

25. David Lee – Going higher than expected, starting at C again helps.
26. Steve Nash – Still capable of leading league in assists.
27. LaMarcus Aldridge – Big year coming, more blocks would be nice.
28. Andre Iguodala – Potential steal this late.
29. Tony Parker – Solid performer in this format, but before Calderon?
30. Jose Calderon – Hopefully quiet preseason is a fluke.
31. Vince Carter – Should be a third-round performer.
32. Gilbert Arenas – Not too much of a gamble this late.
33. Caron Butler – Why another Wizard? Playoff schedule is awesome.
34. Josh Smith – Everyone seems to think bounce back year is coming.
35. Chauncey Billups – Steal this late.
36. Kevin Martin – If he can stay healthy…

Round 4

37. Carlos Boozer – Good luck.
38. Monta Ellis – Hello, My Name Is Nellie. Good pick though.
39. Russell Westbrook – RW is going in Rd. 4 every time, despite FGP & TO.
40. Rajon Rondo – Loved this pick. Big year coming, good in this format.
41. Gerald Wallace – Anchor for the Bobcats again. Can he stay healthy?
42. Jason Kidd – Old enough to be your grandpa, can still stuff stat sheet.
43. O.J. Mayo – Scary with arrival of Z-Bo and AI.
44. Hedo Turkoglu – Maybe too early, but we haven't seen him much.
45. Troy Murphy – Coming off career year, can he do it again?
46. Kevin Love – Pre-injury pick. Too bad.
47. Ben Gordon – I like him in Detroit, but can probably be had a round later.
48. Zach Randolph – 17 points, 10 boards, solid FGP, nothing else.

Round 5

49. Emeka Okafor – Hopefully he's healthy by start of season.
50. Paul Millsap – Boozer only thing standing in his way.
51. Elton Brand – Looks slow to me, no thanks.
52. Mehmet Okur – Solid fifth-rounder in my opinion.
53. Nene – Could be huge if he can stay healthy. Long shot.
54. Al Horford – Quietly consistent and a hard worker.
55. Baron Davis – Kamla says he's back, but I'm not so sure.
56. Andrew Bynum – Love Bynum for some reason, but knee is scary.
57. John Salmons – Seems like solid value, all-around game in Round 5.
58. Andrea Bargnani – Looks great in 2-center leagues, 3's and blocks.
59. Charlie Villanueva – Should start and specialize in 3's, points, boards.
60. Andre Miller – Remains to be seen if he strangles McMillan or not.

Round 6

61. Luis Scola – Love this pick, especially when blocks don't matter so much.
62. Jason Richardson – Hmm, I've seen this name somewhere before.
63. Rudy Gay – I'm pretty much scared of most Memphis players.
64. Greg Oden – Injury risk? Yep. Looks like a different player? Yep.
65. Andris Biedrins – Solid.
66. Blake Griffin – Looks like a can't-miss rookie pick.
67. Michael Beasley – Bounce back year coming.
68. Jeff Green – Quietly underrated.
69. Josh Howard – Still injured, as usual. Matrix doesn't help.
70. Raymond Felton – Eh, solid point guard.
71. Al Harrington – Huge if qualifies at center, should score a ton.
72. Manu Ginobili – Popp makes me nervous, but no risk this late.
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Round 7

73. Ron Artest – Deferring to teammates, not a good sign in fantasy.
74. Eric Gordon – Best player on the Clips?
75. Mo Williams – Consistent and effective.
76. Stephen Jackson – Yikes!
77. Shawn Marion – Looked good in one game, then got hurt.
78. Wilson Chandler – Sleeper, but can be had a little later.
79. Michael Redd – No thank you, I'm full.
80. Anthony Randolph – Doh! One pick before me. No!
81. Jameer Nelson – I'll take a solid starter this late.
82. Rashard Lewis – Wow, steal of the draft?
83. Shaquille O'Neal – Still productive.
84. Jason Terry – Another likely steal this late.

Round 8

85. Ray Allen – Value, value, value.
86. Boris Diaw – More value.
87. Rodney Stuckey – Upside, but being tracked by Will Bynum.
88. J.R. Smith - Seven-game suspension hurts, but big year coming.
89. Spencer Hawes – Nellie- I mean Westphal – a little scary thus far.
90. Andrew Bogut – Playing through back injury, but still risky.
91. Marcus Camby – Already hurt. Are you surprised?
92. Trevor Ariza – Not a great preseason, but will come around.
93. Jason Thompson – Love the kid, recent 20 & 20 game was nice.
94. Roy Hibbert – Rd. 8? Stock is rising, but shoot for Rd. 10 or 11.
95. Tayshaun Prince – B-o-r-i-n-g
96. T.J. Ford – Already hurt, but solid point guard when healthy.

Round 9

97. Richard Hamilton – No thanks.
98. Richard Jefferson – May be one of a few guys Popp's not worried about.
99. Thaddeus Young – Should start and produce in Philly.
100. Ramon Sessions – Not looking good with Flynn timeshare thus far.
101. Tyrus Thomas – I love him. Others do not.
102. Aaron Brooks – Solid Rd. 9 pick.
103. Marc Gasol – No one is talking about him, but should be good.
104. Nate Robinson – Expect more of what he did last year.
105. Mike Conley – Yes, I took a Grizzly. Time was right.
106. Joakim Noah – Underrated and getting better.
107. Luol Deng – Money if that leg is back at full strength.
108. Leandro Barbosa – S-T-E-A-L

Round 10

109. Andres Nocioni – Looks better without Garcia around.
110. Lou Williams – Think of him as more of a "guard" instead of PG.
111. Jamal Crawford – Who knows, but he can still fill it up.
112. Channing Frye – A little early, but should be a fine player.
113. Courtney Lee – Nice sleeper pick with upside.
114. Mike Bibby – On his last legs, but still the starting PG.
115. Tyreke Evans – Very intriguing and a solid pick.
116. Stephen Curry – Ditto, as long as Nellie doesn't ruin him.
117. Kelenna Azubuike – Would be so fun if he started every night.
118. Ronnie Brewer – Steals machine.
119. Al Thornton – One-dimensional gunner, Rasual could take job.
120. Corey Maggette – Injuries and probably doesn't care anymore.

Round 11

121. Allen Iverson – Somebody had to do it.
122. Brad Miller – Running out of gas.
123. Brandon Bass – Upside and could start all year.
124. Jarrett Jack – Quiet thus far in Toronto.
125. Kirk Hinrich – Like this pick with Gordon gone.
126. James Harden – Everything an 11th-round pick should be.
127. Lamar Odom – Quality value here.
128. Mario Chalmers – Starting PGs are getting thin.
129. Shane Battier – Sleeper alert, if he can stay healthy.
130. Marvin Williams – I'm down on him, but maybe that will help.
131. Mike Miller – Should play in Washington.
132. Randy Foye – Competing with MM for minutes/job.

Round 12

133. Tracy McGrady – Wouldn't be caught dead drafting him.
134. Rasheed Wallace – Eh, take him or leave him. Threes and blocks.
135. Chris Kaman – I like this pick. If he can stay healthy, solid.
136. Hakim Warrick – Looking very good for Bucks, passed up Yi.
137. Yi Jianlian – Is either going to get it this year, or no hope.
138. Jermaine O'Neal – One leg + 3 early injuries = Don't do it.
139. Jonny Flynn – Nice pick if you need a late PG.
140. Tyson Chandler – Could be gimpy all year.
141. Chris Duhon – Last of the starting PGs, could be nice.
142. Drew Gooden – Will get plenty of center run in Big D.
143. Kendrick Perkins – Blocks and boards, but no O.
144. Brandon Rush – Love this pick, will start at SG for Indy.

Round 13

145. Samuel Dalembert – Starting shot blocker in Rd. 13 works.
146. Rafer Alston – Little hope of playing much in New Jersey.
147. D.J. Augustin – Solid upside pick this late.
148. Ryan Gomes – Loss of Love, Jefferson could be good.
149. Raja Bell – Worth a pick this late.
150. Andrei Kirilenko – How the mighty have fallen. Great pick here.
151. Andray Blatche – If Jamison is hurt, look out.
152. Antonio McDyess – C/F and starter for Spurs. Quiet preseason.
153. Grant Hill – Starting, fills up stat sheet. Underrated.
154. Brandon Jennings – Last promising PG option in draft.
155. Danilo Gallinari – No thanks.
156. Peja Stojakovic – May still have a job, but back will flare up.

Round 14

157. Derek Fisher – Point guard in title only.
158. Brendan Haywood – Great starting center value late.
159. Chris Andersen – Blocks, but not great in this format.
160. Anthony Morrow – Room was mad at me after this one.
161. Udonis Haslem – Boring, steady and solid.
162. Will Bynum – Could push Stuckey for his job.
163. Julian Wright – May or may not figure it out, worth a shot.
164. Carl Landry – Super-sleeper.
165. Chris Douglas-Roberts – Ditto.
166. Kyle Lowry – Clearly Brooks' backup at this point.
167. Kenyon Martin – "Old man take a look at yourself…"
168. Zydrunas Ilgauskas – Shaq kills value when healthy.

Round 15

169. Delonte West – Who knows?
170. Darrell Arthur – Would be worth a shot if Randolph goes down.
171. Marreese Speights – See that 32 & 12 line? Wow.
172. Francisco Garcia – Good pickup for the playoffs.
173. Glen Davis – Good KG insurance.
174. Corey Brewer – Super-sleeper in Minnesota, should start at SG.
175. DeJuan Blair – Steal of the NBA Draft. Duncan insurance.
176. Mike Dunleavy – Might be a solid playoff pickup.
177. Rasual Butler – Trying to steal Thornton's job.
178. Travis Outlaw – Quality sixth man for Blazers.
179. Anthony Parker – Starter in Cleveland, nice treys.
180. Erick Dampier – Not draftable in most leagues.

Round 16

181. Mike James – Painful evidence of the "Autopick."
182. Terrence Williams – How did he last this long?
183. Anderson Varejao – Not a back pick this late.
184. Kwame Brown – Starting center, coaches love him.
185. Rudy Fernandez – Back problems limiting him.
186. Luke Ridnour – Jennings appears to be taking over.
187. Darko Milicic – Worth a shot, but running out of strikes.
188. Ronny Turiaf – Doesn't score enough points.
189. Nick Collison – Could be a nice sleeper pick.
190. Nenad Krstic – Will split time with Etan Thomas.
191. Mickael Pietrus – Should be good for at least 3 weeks.
192. DeMar DeRozan – Starting in Toronto, nice pick.

Round 17

193. Shaun Livingston – Worth a 17th-Round flier I suppose.
194. Chris Wilcox – Could overtake Kwame by Christmas.
195. Chase Budinger – Had a great summer and preseason.
196. Jamario Moon – Role player in Cleveland.
197. Nick Young – Too many SGs in Washington.
198. Tyler Hansbrough – Great use of Rd. 17 pick.
199. Ryan Anderson – Ditto.
200. Marco Belinelli – Another good one in Toronto.
201. Steve Blake – Starting at PG still? Not bad.
202. Sebastian Telfair – Solid Baron Davis insurance.
203. Beno Udrih – The end's not near, it's here.
204. Hilton Armstrong – Okafor insurance? Why not?

 

[HacheMan]

Wired: Grab CP3's Replacement


[SIZE=+1]Normal Sized Leagues[/SIZE]

I guess the definition of a normal-sized league, at least in my mind, is one consisting of 10 to 12 teams with rosters somewhere around 12-15 players. That should cover a majority of the fantasy hoops leagues in existence. If your league is any smaller than that, the waiver options are endless and it's just too difficult to try to figure out whether you should pick up Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng or Jason Richardson. While it's nice to have those kinds of options available, it can drive you nuts on a daily basis trying to figure out if you should change your roster, so I'd suggest adding a few teams to your league next year.

Darren Collison PG, Hornets – Chris Paul went down in a heap on Friday, allowing Collison to take over at point guard to finish with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with two assists and two steals. Paul could be out anywhere from one week to a month, so Collison looks like a must-add in most leagues. The only problem is the Hornets play just two games in Weeks 5, 6 and 9.

Mike Bibby PG, Hawks - Yes, this is the same guy I've suggested is done, due to the arrival of Jamal Crawford, but he's been getting late run over Marvin Williams. He's scored between 11 and 19 points in three straight games and hit eight 3-pointers over that stretch. He's still bound to have one really bad game per week, but it looks like Mike Woodson is going to continue to use him in a three-guard set, with Marvin taking the biggest hit in playing time. Want to cut Marvin for Bibby? Sounds good.

J.R. Smith SG, Nuggets – Smith should not be available in any leagues now that his suspension is over. But if he is available, grab him for the points and threes he will be posting in large quantities.

Ben Wallace PF/C, Pistons – Big Ben is a huge scoring liability, but he's averaging 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks to go along with 3.1 points per game. Make sure you can take the scoring hit if you add him.

Kelenna Azubuike G/F, Anthony Morrow G, Anthony Randolph F/C, Warriors – These three players are a complete crapshoot, but Azubuike is by far the most reliable, currently starting, scoring and playing well. Morrow and Randolph are worth owning, but are very risky starts every night as long as Don Nelson is their coach.

Carl Landry PF, Rockets – Landry had just two points, three boards and a block in Friday's loss to the Kings, but had been playing well, averaging 20 points, six boards and 1.5 blocks in his four previous games. I think Friday was a fluke, and still think he should be owned in most leagues.

Shane Battier G/F, Rockets – If you own Battier and actually started him Friday, you owe me some thanks, as I recently cut him across the board, allowing him to break loose for 23 points, four 3-pointers, a steal and two blocks. This is the type of line I was expecting from Battier once or twice a week this season, so maybe he'll be ready to perform the rest of the way now that the seal has been broken. Just beware that I picked him back up in a couple leagues late Friday.

Al Thornton F, Clippers – Thornton isn't going to dazzle you with his numbers, but should be a solid source of points for as long as Eric Gordon (groin) is out. And he'll also have some rebounds, steals and blocks.

Quentin Richardson G/F, Heat – I cut Q-Rich in most leagues after he failed to score in his previous two games, so he should be ready to get back on track over the weekend. He was on fire entering the week, and as long as he's starting, he should bounce back to put ups some points, threes and boards.

Michael Beasley F, Heat – Beasley is averaging 14 points and 5.6 boards per game and had 24 points, six boards, two steals, two 3-pointers and a block on Thursday. He should not be available in most leagues, but he should improve with each week. Grab him.

Toney Douglas G, Knicks – Douglas had 15 points, three boards, three assists and a steal on Friday, despite battling an illness, and is averaging about 19 points over his last four games. There's no telling how long he keeps it up, but I can't see anything stopping the Knicks from going with a youth movement going forward. Make sure he's not available in you league.

Nate Robinson G, Knicks – Robinson finally returned to the Knicks from an ankle injury on Friday and had nine points, four assists and one 3-pointer in the loss. He should be a decent source of each of those going forward, but it's possible that Douglas could out-perform him this year.

Matt Barnes G/F, Magic – With news that Rashard Lewis will start at power forward upon his return, Barnes could start for some time. He has been playing well and had 15 points, four assists, two steals, a block and two threes on Friday, and is averaging 10 points, seven boards, and close to a steal, block and three per game thus far. Mickael Pietrus is also worth a look in deeper leagues, but it looks like Barnes has won the starting job.

Marreese Speights F/C, Sixers – Speights was awful on Friday, going for just four points and four boards in 24 minutes. But he's actually been outplaying Elton Brand all season, averaging 14 points, seven boards and a block per game in 24 minutes. I'm not telling you to cut Brand for Speights. But the bottom line is that Speights is generally playing well enough to be owned in nearly all leagues. He just had an off night on Friday. Of course, Brand did too, finishing with 11 points, two boards and no blocks. I'd rather own Speights than Brand, who just doesn't seem to be in the plans for the Sixers.

Thaddeus Young F, Sixers – Young has played well in the last two games, averaging 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 threes over the pair. Unlike Brand, he can run with his mates and looks like a nice pickup right now.

Beno Udrih PG, Kings – I've been telling you to pick up Beno for a week now and he blew up on Friday with 22 points, three boards, four assists and four threes in the win. If he's available in your league you could cut Mike Conley to pick him up.

Andres Nocioni F, Kings – Nocioni is starting and hitting threes for the Kings. He had 15 points, seven boards, two steals and two threes on Friday and is averaging close to 14 points, five boards, 1.5 threes and 1.0 steals per game in his five starts this year – and those starts have all come in his last five games.

Paul Millsap PF, Jazz – Millsap has played well in the last two but remains in shadow of Carlos Boozer. He's averaging 12 points and 10 boards over his last two, and while he'll be inconsistent behind Boozer, is still probably worth owning for stretches when he gets hot.

Others worth a look - Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler, John Salmons (must-own if he was dropped due to his terrible shooting), Anthony Parker, Erick Dampier (dud since I picked him up), Trevor Ariza (a must-own player), Dahntay Jones, Rasual Butler, Ryan Gomes, Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love (injured), Hakim Warrick, Terrence Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee (injured), Rafer Alston (triple-double Friday), Devin Brown, Danilo Gallinari (19 pts, 10 boards, 4 threes Friday), Nenad Krstic, Mickael Pietrus, Ryan Anderson, Leandro Barbosa (dud thus far), Spencer Hawes (struggling), Andrei Kirilenko (playing well, but off bench Friday), Brendan Haywood (could take a hit with return of Jamison).

Follow Me On Twitter

Follow me on Twitter (click on the link to follow me, where you can see me defend Anthony Randolph, among other things). I also posted the 'Allen Iverson leaves Grizzlies' story on Twitter about an hour before I saw it anywhere else, including on the World Wide Leader.

The Rookies

Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings and Blake Griffin should be owned in almost all leagues, while Ty Lawson, Jonny Flynn, Terrence Williams, James Harden and DeJuan Blair are worthy in deeper ones. Stephen Curry has been benched (yes, he's cuttable), while Hasheem Thabeet's lack of offense should keep him off of fantasy rosters right now.
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[SIZE=+1]Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Deeper leagues are generally going to have 14 to 16 teams and go deep enough that most starters are not available on waivers. These players may not even be available in all deep leagues, but are generally available in many normal-sized leagues.

Taj Gibson PF, Bulls – Gibson has played well lately but will take a hit when Tyrus Thomas returns. He's averaged 14 points, 4.5 boards, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks over his last two.

Chris Andersen PF, Nuggets – Andersen is starting to come on and is averaging five points, nine boards and more than a block in his last four games. The lack of scoring is an obvious turnoff.

Kyle Lowry PG, Rockets – Lowry is starting to get some run as a backup to Aaron Brooks and is averaging nine points, six assists and more than a steal per game over his last three.

Brandon Rush SG, Pacers – Rush was an early bust and is still struggling, but is starting to play better. He had 12 points, 10 boards and two threes, and 11 points, seven boards and two threes in two of his last three, making him worth a look.

Tyler Hansbrough PF, Pacers – Hansbrough is still on a minutes count after his shin injury, but is playing well. He's not shooting it well, but is averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 boards in his two games this season – in just 15 minutes.

Earl Watson PG, Pacers – If T.J. Ford's back injury is serious (and it may or may not be), Watson is worth a pickup. He had 16 points, six boards, three assists, three steals and three 3-pointers in Wednesday's game, when Ford was injured. I picked him up in several leagues, just in case.

Marcus Thornton SG, Hornets – Thornton is finally getting some run in New Orleans and had 20 points and two threes on 8-of-15 shooting on Friday. With Paul out for several games, MT should continue to get around 25 minutes per game.

Jared Dudley F, Suns - Dudley is not a must-own player, but in deeper leagues he might have a ton of value. He had 14 points, six boards and four 3-pointers Thursday, which was not a blowout fluke. He's hit 15 3-pointers in his last six games and has scored in double figures in five of his last six. To me, that's enough consistency that if you're holding a guy you want to cut, you can make the move and see what happens with Dudley. Especially if you're hurting in 3-pointers.

Joel Przybilla C, Blazers – Przybilla isn't glamorous, but is still rebounding and blocking shots, even with Greg Oden playing well. He's averaging 6.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks over his last two games, and is at four points, eight boards and 1.5 blocks on the season.

[SIZE=+1]Extremely Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Shelden Williams PF, Celtics – Williams is suddenly valuable in deeper leagues for the Celtics. He's averaging six points and five boards, and would have some real value if Kevin Garnett were to suffer an injury before Glen Davis comes back in a few weeks.

J.J. Hickson PF, Cavaliers – Hickson has started three straight games and had a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in Thursday's win over the Heat. He also had four boards, a steal and a block, and could stick in the starting five given his agility and scoring abilities. He's not an automatic pickup at this point, but is certainly worth a watchful eye in most leagues.

Will Bynum SG, Pistons – Bynum's going to be inconsistent, but is averaging around 11.5 points, three boards and four assists per game on the season.

Chase Budinger F, Rockets – Budinger has scored between 11 and 17 points in four of his eight games, hitting a total of 10 threes in his four good games. The only problem is he's been useless in the other four. But if you're in a deep league and need threes, he could help.

Josh Boone PF, Nets – Boone has a chance to start at power forward while Yi Jianlian is out (for several more weeks) and has done so for the past three games. He averaged seven points, eight boards and 1.5 blocks in the first two, but only played five minutes on Friday. We still don't know why, but should have an update over the weekend.

C.J. Watson PG, Warriors – Watson somehow got 27 minutes while Stephen Curry sat on the bench Friday, finishing with 7-of-8 shooting, 19 points, three assists, two steals, a block and two 3-pointers. Nellie could be ready to shelve Curry, meaning Watson could continue to get run. And like every other Warrior, Watson is a risky play from night to night.

Goran Dragic PG, Suns – Dragic and the rest of his teammates were generally awful on Thursday, but the Suns are bent on keeping Steve Nash's minutes down this year. Enter Dragic, who has had some very nice games and is becoming a garbage-time mini-monster. He had 14 points, seven boards, seven assists, a steal and three 3-pointers on Tuesday, and will be a nice deep-league option on nights when the Suns are up (or down) big.

Nazr Mohammed C, Bobcats – Mohammed has gotten some run in the last two games, averaging 12 points, 6.5 boards and 1.5 blocks in 16 minutes. He's the clear choice to backup Tyson Chandler, and could be a nice deep-league sleeper.

 

[HacheMan]

Unleash the Fury, Al
It struck me somewhere between my mid-morning bagel and the semi-vile food court chicken teriyaki I ingested for lunch that much of our success in fantasy basketball hinges on what we believe and what we don't believe.

Not to get overly Zen here – and maybe this is just the MSG buzz talking – but there are a lot of intriguing occurrences that happen in front of us throughout the course of the season in our respective basketball universes. Take Sunday night for example: Serge Ibaka goes for 11 points, 13 boards and five blocks out of nowhere for the Thunder, James Harden ends a recent hot streak by going 2-for-15 from the field (and 0-for-10 on threes), and Hornets rookie Marcus Thornton plays a season-high 38 minutes and drops 24 points on the Heat.

Events like these happen all throughout the season, often without warning. Some end up being legitimate barometers of future performance, while others prove to be aberrations. Knowing how to process and classify these occurrences can be a huge advantage in making trades, adding/dropping players and generally making awesome maneuvers in your various leagues. So what exactly can we trust? Which performances are to be believed, and which are to be ignored? And is the truth actually out there?

In an attempt to answer those questions (except for the last one, which I learned was a fool's errand during years spent watching the X-Files in college), I am hereby introducing a new feature entitled "You Better Believe / Best Not Believe." It goes like this:

YOU BETTER BELIEVE…

…that James Harden is legit.

Okay, so Sunday night was pretty painful if you had Harden in your lineup (as I did) for that brutal display of erratic marksmanship. But the good news here is twofold:

1) Having watched that game in its entirety, most of those bricked threes were good looks, and you have to be pleased with anyone who has the opportunity to attempt 10 threes in a game;

2) Even with that rough outing, the rookie is still averaging 19.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.7 spg and 3.3 threes on 42.5 percent from the field and 93.8 from the line in his last three games. Granted, two of those were blowout losses for OKC, but it looks to me like Scott Brooks may finally be ready to give the No. 3 pick in the draft the 25 to 30 minutes a night he deserves – and the production will follow.

3) I know I only said "twofold" above (and we're all aware that it's an enormous social faux pas to add a third thought after you say twofold), but I can't resist pointing this out:

Earlier this season, I observed that the slow start to Harden's rookie year reminded me a lot of Eric Gordon's early-season output last year, with a string of frustrating, low-scoring outings that probably got him dropped in your league before a late-November breakout.

It is precisely because of the Gordon model that I have remained patient on Harden, and I find it mildly eerie that Harden's two big breakout games of 24 and 25 points last week almost exactly mirror Gordon from a year ago, when the Clippers rookie busted out for 25 points on Nov. 24 and went for 24 points one game later, on Nov. 26. And on the third day – just like Harden – Gordon struggled, going for five points on 2-for-7 shooting on Nov. 29.

I'm not saying there's any psychic connection between Gordon and Harden, but I am saying that the Agent Mulder side of my brain is showing signs of increased activity (though I'll admit that usually happens after an elevated mid-day intake of MSG).

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

…that Marcus Thornton's scoring is not a fluke.

The rookie has posted a cool 18.0 ppg and 2.3 threes in his last six games, and is now averaging 13.0 ppg in just 19 minutes a game this season. I've said before that I'm no believer in Devin Brown's ability to hold down a starting job in the long run, so though Brown remains the nominal starter for the moment, Thornton is the player to add. Don't expect much help in rebounds (2.5 in his last six games) or assists (1.2), but the scoring, threes and opportunity to produce are very real.

…that Nate Robinson is on the cusp of a scoring binge.

In case you had somehow forgotten, Nate Rob tends to be hit or miss – last season, he had 17 games of 25 or more points and 15 games where he scored in single digits. Quite simply, his value – much like your blood pressure in the midst of a bacon-eating binge – tends to fly all over the charts, and Sunday's 19-point outing certainly looks like a warning shot. Now is a good time to get on board if you can get him cheap.

…that I'm beginning to believe in Ersan Ilyasova.

There's nothing exceedingly pretty about Ilyasova's style and it remains to be seen what happens to his production when Michael Redd hits his stride, but there's no ignoring the production in Ilyasova's last seven games: 13.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.7 threes and 0.7 blocks. There's also no ignoring the fact that the Bucks are 6-1 during that stretch. For the time being, it sure doesn't look like Ilyasova is going away.

…that Al Jefferson is ready to unleash the fury.

Perhaps I was viewing through slightly biased goggles (after all, I do own Jefferson in multiple leagues), but he looked considerably quicker and more decisive in dropping 20 and 10 on the Blazers Saturday night than the Jefferson I saw earlier in the year. And in his last two games, Jefferson has averaged 20.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg and 1.0 bpg on 54.8 percent shooting.

The one caveat to this optimism is that the T'Wolves' offense is absolutely awful (their 88.8 ppg is third-worst in the NBA), but I still don't see that adversely affecting Jefferson in the long haul. I wouldn't want Option No. 4 on Minnesota (sorry, Ryan Gomes), but the team's go-to option is good enough to more or less transcend the wreckage around him.

…that Rudy Gay is en route to the season we were hoping for last year.

There was a major smokescreen in front of this breakout due to the ominous additions of Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph during the offseason, but with Iverson out of the way and Rudy playing for a contract, things are looking very good. How good? How about career-highs in scoring (21.8 ppg), rebounds (6.7), field goal percentage (50.7), free throws made (4.4) and attempted (5.7) to go along with 0.8 threes and 0.7 blocks.

Sure, he's shooting (and making) slightly fewer threes this season, but given the rest of the production, there's absolutely no reason to complain. And if you have Rudy on your team, I see no reason to be worried that you need to sell high – he's easily capable of keeping up these numbers all season.

<!--RW-->

BEST NOT BELIEVE…

…that there's any sort of breakout coming for LaMarcus Aldridge.

Take a look at his stats the last two seasons and through 15 games of this year:

2007-08: 17.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.2 bpg, 48.4 % shooting
2008-09: 18.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg, 48.4 % shooting
2009-10: 14.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 49.2 % shooting

Pardon me, does this restaurant serve plateau? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I think Aldridge is done improving at age 24, and I do think that his current scoring average will inch closer to his numbers from the past two seasons. But if you're expecting something bigger than what you've seen the past two seasons, I just don't see it happening in 2009-10.

…that a big spike in minutes is coming for Leandro Barbosa.

I begin this statement on Barbosa with a string of numbers: 18, 21, 17, 20, 16, 16, 17, 22. In addition to being the numbers I have used for every lotto ticket purchased in my entire life, those are also Barbosa's minutes played over the last eight games. Unfortunately, he's locked into a role of playing 15 to 20 minutes off the bench right now, and with Steve Nash and Jason Richardson healthy and Jared Dudley commanding 20-plus minutes, I don't see how Barbosa's role is going to change in the near future. We all love his potential, but from this vantage point he sure looks like a wasted roster spot unless you're playing in a very deep league.

…that Trevor Ariza's field goal percentage is coming close to the 46 percent he hit last season.

Ariza very clearly has permission to fire at will in Houston, which is terrific news for his all-around numbers (18.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.1 spg and 2.4 threes). However, if you're waiting for his shooting percentage (38.8) to head back north to 45 percent, you can stop now. Ariza is hoisting a lot of difficult shots in his new role as Rockets' leading scorer, and while I have the utmost faith in his continued production, I don't see how he's going to shoot much better than 41 or 42 percent at best this season.

…that Ron Artest's scoring average is headed for a dramatic spike.

Artest will have his moments offensively, but his job this season isn't to score a lot of points – it's to play lockdown defense, as he did on Kevin Durant Sunday night. So if you do own Artest, it's time to stop being upset about the lack of scoring and start being pleased with the overall production (11.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.3 spg and 1.6 threes). He's not the Artest we've gotten used to, but there are far worse guys to have on a fantasy squad.

…that Corey Maggette will be this valuable a month from now.

Maggette has averaged 20.5 ppg and 6.7 rpg on 57.7 percent shooting in his last six games, and now would be a very appropriate time to be exploring his trade value. Not that I think Maggette could net you anything that exciting in a trade by himself, but you have a chance to ship him off as a useful piece of a multi-player deal before he inevitably misses some time due to injuries.

…that Serge Ibaka's outburst on Sunday meant much of anything. But you knew that, right?

As mentioned earlier, Ibaka broke out with 11 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in a blowout loss to the Lakers on Sunday. And though I'll admit that I came away reasonably impressed, the 20-year-old still looks raw and I don't think Scott Brooks is ready to trust him in close games. Feel free to add him in a 20-team league, but otherwise Ibaka has work to do before he makes me a believer.

OTHER ASSORTED THOUGHTS

I'd like to see more rebounds from J.J. Hickson (5.2 rpg in his last six games), but what's keeping him on multiple rosters of mine is the 15.7 ppg, 0.8 bpg and 70.4 percent shooting (yes, you read that correctly) during the same stretch of time… Cracks are starting to show in Larry Hughes' early-season armor. Even including his brilliant line last Wednesday, he's still averaging just 10.5 ppg on 31.8 percent shooting in his last four games… Elton Brand before Marreese Speights' injury (10 games): 9.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.2 spg, 0.6 bpg. Brand in three games since Speights' injury: 19.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.7 spg, 3.7 bpg. I'd like to say that Brand is good to go for the rest of the season, but at this point all we can really safely say is that he should be good to go for as long as Speights remains out… If I ever become absurdly wealthy, I intend to commission a study to determine why my hamstrings hurt so much more after a pickup football game than after a pickup basketball game. Though that might be a waste of time, since I could probably just google it or something.

 

[HacheMan]

Where's Wallace?
Hello and good day. Since most of us have sickeningly large mountains of mashed potatoes to stab with a giant fork and food comas to plummet into for the duration of our semi-delirious waking hours, we're going to get right down to business with…

IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

It was actually a pretty quiet afternoon, except for the fact that Allen Iverson announced his retirement, Danny Granger was ruled out with a sprained MCL and Lou Williams was declared out with a broken jaw.

First things first: Sure there's a chance Iverson un-retires at some point, but for now cut him loose in fantasy leagues and don't look back.

As for the two big injuries, it should be considered good news that Granger's knee is only a sprain, but he's still likely to miss additional time (how much time is still TBD). On the Williams front, Sixers beat writer Kate Fagan speculates that he could miss three weeks. Though that timetable is just an estimate, Jrue Holiday (10 points, six assists Wednesday) looks like a solid waiver wire add, especially if you own Williams.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

DONTE'S INFERNO

When traveling in Germany nearly a decade ago, I remember seeing a movie poster for The Perfect Storm, which, in German, translated simply to Der Storm. Seems like we lost at least one important word in that translation, but that's another issue for another time.

I bring this up because Wednesday night represented the perfect storm for Donte Greene: Beno Udrih out sick to open up a starting opportunity at home against a lackluster opponent with a notoriously porous defense in the Knicks. The result: 24 points, four rebounds, five assists, six threes and six blocks.

My take on this eruption: Yes it was the Knicks and that needs to be taken into account, but Greene looked tremendous, and I can't argue with adding him in a 12- or 14-team league if you have someone to cut. With that said, A) I think the blocks were more or less a fluke (he had just one on the season in his sporadic playing time coming into Wednesday) and B) I still think he's probably headed back to the bench as soon as Udrih is healthy.

In sum, feel free to add Greene, but just remember that very special things can happen when you're playing hoops in the unique and difficult to replecate circumstances of Der Storm.

GREAT TIMES

Monta Ellis – An absolute monster right now (37.7 ppg in his last three). Now just have to hope that the minutes (46.7 per game in his last three) don't wear him down.

Brook Lopez – Winless doesn't necessarily matter in fantasy hoops (32 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks).

Andre Iguodala – So much for that slump (25 points, nine boards, nine assists).

Gerald Wallace – So much for that early-season bad shooting – 31 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and two blocks say that Wall-G is back. (By the way, I'm not sure if anyone else has coined that nickname, but I'm taking credit for it until further notice.)

Nate Robinson – Hot streak is officially underway (19.7 ppg in his last three).

Marcus Camby – Simply vintage (15 points, 21 boards, three steals, two blocks and a three).

Amare Stoudemire – Only thing to complain about is rebounding, which we'll probably keep complaining about (28 points, four boards, two steals, three blocks).

Tyreke Evans – Dropped 19/11/7 on the Knicks, and at this point Evans looks likely to roll, at least until Kevin Martin comes back and starts shooting everything in sight.

Greg Oden – Followed up a 24-point game with 18 (and four blocks). Automatic fantasy starter right now despite the fact that his minutes have been stuck in the mid-20's.

Tony Parker – 32 points, seven assists. Sure it was the Warriors, but a very encouraging sign.

Tim Duncan – Yet another strong game means a chance to sell high and rid yourself of future random DNP's.

Corey Brewer – 23 points and 13 rebounds won't happen that often from the defensive specialist, but no reason to complain.

Jason Terry – Quietly posts his numbers most nights, but busted out on Wednesday (27 points and 10 assists on 10-of-11 shooting).

Darren Collison – Dropped 18/7/8 and is holding down the fort nicely until CP3's return in a couple of weeks.

David West – 27/10/5 is more like the David West we've been looking for (which is almost exactly what I said last Thursday). Feel free to stick around for a while, Good David.

Jason Williams – Jameer Nelson place-holder is doing just fine (25 points, eight assists).

Luke Ridnour – Has posted some strong lines lately, but none stronger than 23/7/10 against New Orleans. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced he can keep it up once Michael Redd (11 points on 4-of-16 shooting) gets up to speed.

GOOD TIMES

Drew Gooden – Four more blocks gives him an average of 2.8 in his last four games. It's getting to be time to see if you can net anything intriguing for him in a trade, because I think this is as good as it gets for Gooden.

Brandon Jennings – Shot just 4-of-15, but still finished with a 14/7/8 line with four steals and a block.

Chauncey Billups – Good to see him score 19 points despite another blowout win.

Chris Andersen – Signs of life: had a season-high 15 points and has nine blocks in his last four games.

Al Jefferson – Used a late surge to salvage a disappointing night and finish with 14 points, 12 boards and three blocks.

Jonny Flynn – Had just two assists, but 20 points is 20 points.

Rodney Stuckey – Somehow had no assists, but 25 points is 25 points.

Michael Beasley – Now averaging 18.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg in his last four, and had the game-winning putback.

Tyson Chandler – Returned from injury and had five points, nine rebounds and six blocks. Don't expect many six-block nights, but feel free to use him if you're desperate.

T.J. Ford – Last two games: 13.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.5 apg.

Dahntay Jones – Shot just 6-of-19, but had 18 points and seven rebounds with Danny Granger out.

Troy Murphy – Lines like this (18 points, 11 rebounds and two threes) are to be expected now that he's healthy.

Tim Thomas – Lines like this (23 points, four threes, three steals) should not be expected unless the Mavs win by 31.

Brandon Rush – Shot just 4-of-13, but had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Chris Douglas-Roberts: Bounced back from an off game with 18 points.

Hakim Warrick – 22 points and 10 rebounds will get your attention, but minutes have been very inconsistent.

Carl Landry – Our blurb from Wednedsay night sums it up perfectly in calling him "a glamorous version of Udonis Haslem." Still worth owning (he had 24 points and six boards), but isn't doing much outside of points, rebounds and FG%.

<!--RW-->

BAD TIMES

Chris Kaman/Al Thornton – Shot just 3-of-19 and 2-of-15, respectively. Neither should be a lingering issue, but it still hurts.

Rashard Lewis – Has shot a combined 7-for-27 in his last two games, which is simply an early-season anomaly. Remember that Wednesday was only his fifth game back.

Larry Hughes – We haven't seen his last big game, but he's just too inconsistent to trust right now.

Dwight Howard – 12 points and 16 rebounds is fine, but he got just five shots Wednesday and had no blocks. He'll get it going sooner rather than later, and this could be the time to try to buy low (with "low" being a relative term in this case considering that Howard is averaging 17.0 ppg, 11.4 rpg and 1.6 bpg).

Wilson Chandler – Four points in 18 minutes is bad, but he came in averaging 14.3 ppg and 1.5 bpg in his last four.

Mike Conley – He had been decent lately, but eight points and three assists just isn't good for 26 minutes. Meanwhile, Jamaal Tinsley (12 points, two assists in 21 minutes) is lurking.

O.J. Mayo – Completely disappeared on Wednesday. Consider it a fluke.

Courtney Lee – A scoreless 10 minutes is not a good thing. Get him benched for now.

Devin Harris – Don't do anything hasty like offer him at a discount after a wretched night (six points, three assists, two steals). He'll bounce back.

J.R. Smith – 14 points is nice, but only got 17 minutes. No cause for concern – he'll get closer to 30 minutes most nights.

Will Bynum – Shot just 1-for-13, but on the bright side he did so in 31 minutes (I know, it's not much consolation).

Aaron Brooks – Averaging just 11.3 ppg and 3.5 apg in his last four. He's still worth owning, but he definitely set expectations too high with his fast start to the season.

Marcus Thornton – Four points in 20 minutes is very discouraging after his recent hot streak (and after he got 38 minutes the last game). I expect him to bounce back, but can understand cutting him after this one.

Jarrett Jack – Had an awful game on the second half of a back-to-back on the road, but so did many Raptors (including Hedo Turkoglu). Don't cut Jack if you just picked him up – this game is not a fair barometer of what he'll do.

Ersan Ilyasova – Just five points on 2-of-10 shooting, but at least had a steal, a block and a three. Don't cut him yet.

Anthony Morrow – Scoring totals, last six games: two, 18, four, 23, 27, 8. Expect inconsistency and you won't be overly disappointed.

Roy Hibbert – The good news is that he started and played 26 minutes. The bad news is that his struggles continued (four points, three rebounds, three blocks). If you drop him, I will add him.

Rasual Butler – Went scoreless in 26 minutes, and things aren't getting any better with Eric Gordon back in action (six points in 27 minutes) and soon to be dominating the playing time at SG.

INJURY-RELATED BUSINESS

Ben Gordon – Sprained his left ankle, and preliminary reports from Pistons territory suggest that he could miss a few games. More info to come soon, hopefully.

Elton Brand – Didn't play Wednesday and is still day-to-day.

Andrew Bogut – Making progress, but still hasn't started running. Looks like he's still at least a week or two away from returning.

Shaquille O'Neal – Says he's playing Friday. We'll take him at his word.

Mike Bibby – Game-time decision for Thursday.

Manu Ginobili – Could potentially return on Sunday, though that's not set in stone.

Caron Butler – Game-time decision for Friday.

Corey Maggette – Returned to action on Wednesday and scored 14 points.

Robin Lopez – Expected to play Friday, but should remain on the wire in most formats for now.

Jameer Nelson – Looks like reports of his early return might have been optimistic. Nelson told the Orlando Sentinel he expects to be out "Weeks. Four to six. That's what I say. I don't know." In other words, assume he's out until mid-to-late December and be pleasantly surprised if he makes it back sooner.

TONIGHT

Two games on the schedule this evening, with the first one having notable ramifications in the early-season Eastern Conference hierarchy, as the 11-4 Magic play the 11-3 Hawks in Atlanta. It's too bad that Orlando is playing the second night of a back-to-back, but hopefully the Magic keep this one close. Look for Dwight Howard to hopefully break out of his scoring slump against undersized Hawks center Al Horford. If he doesn't top 20 points in this one, it's time to be a little bit worried – but only a little bit.

The late game has Chicago in Utah, where I'm eager to see how much run Paul Millsap gets coming off a 19-point, seven-rebound effort in 34 minutes. This will also be a nice test for John Salmons, who has hit for 23, 18, five and 22 points in his last four games. I'm not sure how they'll match up, but hopefully he won't have AK-47 smearing hair product in his eyes all night.

Now if you'll pardon me, that mountain of mashed potatoes is looking at me askance, and the way I see it there's only one clear option: attack.

 

[HacheMan]

Slow & Low - Mike D is Back!
Pacers Causing Fantasy Headaches (but some great news!)

Mike Dunleavy now finally sounds like a go on Friday night as he continues to work his way back from knee surgery.

Danny Granger also sounds likely to play on Friday night against Dallas, which is interesting, given the fact that sprained MCLs usually take more time to come back from. In other words, just because DG plays on Friday doesn't mean he's completely out of the woods. But it is obviously great news if you own him, and the sprain must be very minor. And keep in mind he says he'll "try" to play tonight, but also says that he'll play on Monday against the Warriors if he is unable to go tonight.

Dahntay Jones will take another hit when Dunleavy returns, but continues to find ways to score and produce.

Brandon Rush continues to start, and double-doubled in his last game, but is as shaky as any starter in the NBA.

Roy Hibbert was awesome early, but has been on the side of a milk carton over the last 10 days or so.

T.J. Ford has been dinged up, but is starting to show signs of life for the Pacers.

Troy Murphy missed a ton of time with a back injury, but is back and getting it done again.

As you can see, the Pacers have basically been mess in both fantasy and reality, and people in the great state of Indiana are quickly growing tired of Jim O'Brien. And if he continues to start a struggling Rush over Jones, there could be a full-blown mutiny.

Granger's knee injury is clearly the subject garnering the most interest from the masses, but Mike Wells finally broke the silence with a mid-morning Tweet that Granger was planning to play tonight. I truly hope Granger's heel (which probably caused the problem with his knee) and knee problems are behind him and he's good to go for the rest of the season, but that might be wishful thinking. But if he really does go tonight, it will brighten his owners' spirits over this holiday weekend.

As for Dunleavy, there have been conflicting reports about his chances of playing tonight, but Wells said in a Tweet that he was going to go. I fully expect him to suffer at least one setback in the early going, but he should be picked up in all leagues now that it really sounds like he's going to play. Just don't put him in your lineup in a weekly league until he proves that he's healthy and ready for heavy minutes.

As far as the rest of the guys I mentioned above, my quick takes are:

Jones: Hold him in all leagues until we see where this goes.
Rush: Worth owning in all leagues, maybe he'll get hot soon.
Hibbert: Hold onto him and hope this was just a slump.
Ford: Healthy again, looked rejuvenated late vs. Clippers.
Murphy: Looks good to go as long as his back holds up.

How You Ben?

Ben Gordon doesn't sound likely to play on Friday due to his sprained ankle that caused him to miss the second half of Wednesday's game. Of course, details are very sketchy, but I get the sense that he tweaked it pretty badly and could miss several games. Hopefully we get an update on Friday, but it's probably best to bench him for tonight's game.

Swing Lou, Sweet Chariot

I posted the Lou Williams news from my cousin's house in Lebanon, IN, while watching football and eating food. In case you missed it, Lou will be out for two months after having his jaw wired shut, and the news gets worse from there. First of all, dude's jaw was wired shut in surgery on Thanksgiving morning, which obviously stinks if you like food. Secondly, he's going to have to work with a nutritionist to help him keep his weight up while he lives on a liquid diet over the next month or so. I other words, even when he comes back, he's going to have some challenges. If you're in a normal-sized league and want to cut him for a healthy body, it makes sense. Unfortunately, he's one of the main cogs in my 30-team league, which means I'm going to have to start a stiff like Kwame Brown or Mo Evans in the meantime, which probably means my championship hopes are dashed. In any case, this is a terrible break from a candidate for the league's most improved player, and Jrue Holiday should be snapped up in all leagues.

Check out the NBA Season Pass and give SnapDraft a shot if you haven't yet.

Kirk, Out

Kirk Hinrich missed Thursday's game with a thumb injury, and you may have seen the brace he had it wrapped in on television. He's day-to-day, but we're expecting some more information on his injury on Friday.

What's the Diaw?

Boris Diaw was invisible in Wednesday's blowout win over the Raptors and beat writer Rick Bonnell raises some concerns about the impact of Stephen Jackson on Diaw. Jackson played some point guard in GSW and the offense is probably going to run through him going forward. Diaw, who is a very good passer of the ball, was in that role prior to Jackson's arrival. I don't think there's any reason to dump Diaw, and it was only one game, but this is simply something to keep an eye on.

Shin On You Crazy Diamond

Kevin Garnett's knees are said to be fine, but he's struggling through shin splints. That's probably a result of him overcompensating for his surgically repaired knee, just like Granger's knee problem could be a direct result of him playing on a bad heel for the last three weeks. In any case, Garnett continues to play and looks decent. He's no longer the KG we all grew to love over the years, but he's still an effective fantasy player if you didn't blow a high pick on him.

About Last Night

Dwight Howard had 22 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks as the Magic blistered the Hawks in the ATL, giving Atlanta their first home loss. Yes, Howard is off to a slow start this season and not getting the ball enough, but I am still not worried. He also stymied Al Horford, shutting him down for just two points and nine boards. Jason Williams disappeared last night as Anthony Johnson found the fountain of youth, but I suspect that was a one-game fluke. Luckily, J-Will put up two games worth of production in his previous game with 25 points eight assists and four 3-pointers.

Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams combined to hit 21-of-25 shots as the Jazz crushed the offensively-challenged Bulls in Utah. Boozer had 28 points and eight boards, while Williams had 21 points and six dimes in one of the most boring games I can recall. In fact, were there any good games on Thursday? Not that I saw.

Friday Night Lights

Wiz @ Heat – Will Caron Butler play? I sure hope so.
Cavs @ Bobcats – Shaq says he'll play, will Diaw bounce back?
Raps @ Celtics – Raps coming off terrible loss, looking for upset.
Hawks @ Sixers – Holiday to start, status of Brand unknown.
Mavs @ Pacers – Breaking news – Dunleavy & Granger say they're playing.
Lakers @ Pistons – Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince all likely out.
Spurs @ Rockets – Rockets suddenly struggling without a true center.
Knicks @ Denver – Who will Mike D'Antoni give minutes to tonight? Who knows.
Suns @ T-Wolves – Suns hoping they're not the victim here. Doesn't seem likely.
Bucks @ Thunder – No League Pass here, psyched the nationable broadcast.
Grizzlies @ Blazers – Can Oden make it 3 in a row? Fun matchup w/ Gasol.
Nets @ Kings – 0-15 vs. 6-8 – Kings better not snooze on this one.

 

[HacheMan]

Is Philly the Answer?
Season Pass Is Here

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[SIZE=+1]Normal Sized Leagues[/SIZE]

I guess the definition of a normal-sized league, at least in my mind, is one consisting of 10 to 12 teams with rosters somewhere around 12-15 players. That should cover a majority of the fantasy hoops leagues in existence. If your league is any smaller than that, the waiver options are endless and it's just too difficult to try to figure out whether you should pick up Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng or Jason Richardson. While it's nice to have those kinds of options available, it can drive you nuts on a daily basis trying to figure out if you should change your roster, so I'd suggest adding a few teams to your league next year.

Allen Iverson PG, Unknown – Not much to say here, other than that if he signs with the Sixers (50-50 odds?), he could be just as good as he would have been with the Knicks. Jrue Holiday may not be ready to take over the reins at point guard, and Lou Williams is out for two months. I grabbed him this morning at 3 a.m. wherever I could, and you should do the same. You could even cut Holiday for him.

Mike Dunleavy SG, Pacers – Dunleavy scored 13 points in his return on Friday and while I still don't trust him, he's worth grabbing and holding in most leagues. If he can keep the knee healthy and avoid setbacks, he'll have value. Cut Dahntay Jones for him? Yes, as sadly, it seems to work.

Ersan Ilyasova F, Bucks – Ilyasova is having a big week and should remain a solid source of points, boards, threes, steals and blocks. The Bucks play four times again next week, so at least look at him as a short-term stopgap.

Jrue Holiday PG, Sixers – Iverson is not officially a Sixer and may never be again. While it sure sounds like AI is heading to Philly, if that deal falls through, Holiday should remain the team's starting PG for the next two months. He struggled Friday, but will bounce back as long as AI doesn't sign and take his job.

Luke Ridnour PG, Bucks – Ridnour is playing shockingly well, hitting double digits in scoring in eight of his last 11 games despite coming off the bench. The return of Michael Redd will eventually take its toll, but right now Ridnour seems to be the choice of Scott Skiles as soon as Brandon Jennings starts struggling with his shot or turnovers. With four games next week, Ridnour is at least worth owning for the next week or so.

Injured Stars: Kevin Love, Manu Ginobili, Tyrus Thomas, Blake Griffin and Yi Jianlian are all getting somewhat close to a return, so think about them.

Follow Me On Twitter

Follow me on Twitter (click on the link to follow me, where you see why Tiger Woods wrecked his SUV on Friday morning). I also posted the 'Allen Iverson to Sixers story on Twitter around 3 a.m. on Saturday morning, because I have no life other than watching the wire on the weekends.
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[SIZE=+1]Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Deeper leagues are generally going to have 14 to 16 teams and go deep enough that most starters are not available on waivers. These players may not even be available in all deep leagues, but are generally available in many normal-sized leagues.

Martell Webster SF, Blazers – Webster blew up on Friday for 24 points, five rebounds, three blocks and six 3-pointers on 9-of-14 shooting. He's starting, and while he won't do this every game, he looks like a more reliable Blazer than Rudy Fernandez, Steve Blake and Andre Miller – at least for now.

James Harden SG, Thunder – Harden is heating up, scoring between 10 and 25 points in five straight games. He's also stealing and assisting, as well as hitting threes in bunches. He's a little shaky coming off the bench, but could eventually surpass Thabo Sefolosha for the starting gig. Sefolosha also looks pretty good, but his lack of consistent scoring gives Harden the nod over him. The only problem is the two-game upcoming schedule in Week 6.

Jarrett Jack G, Raptors – Jack has been inconsistent, but is getting enough minutes to be worth an add in many leagues. He's scored 17 or 18 points in three of his last five, but had just 2 and 8 points in the other two games. He's good for scoring, assists and 3-pointers, and will look much better if he can supplant DeMar DeRozan in the starting five. But even coming off the bench, he's worth a look.

Nick Young G, Wizards – Young is starting for Mike Miller, who will be out for a few more weeks with a calf injury. He's averaging 21 points, four boards and 3.5 assists in his last two games (both starts), and hit a couple threes in one of them. He won't get many steals, but could continue to score as long as he's starting for the Wiz.

Antonio McDyess C, Spurs – He's started four straight games at center and had 15 points, 14 boards, two steals and a block on Friday. He will likely be somewhat inconsistent, but if you need a center in a deep league, he could be on the verge of playing very well for the Spurs, who play four times next week.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

[SIZE=+1]Extremely Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Ben Wallace F/C, Pistons – Wallace is averaging five points and 10 boards over his last five games and had 16 rebounds on Friday. Scoring will always be an issue, but he should put up decent boards, steals and blocks for owners hurting in those areas.

Tim Thomas F, Mavericks – Thomas played just 11 minutes in Friday's win at Indiana, but has been playing well, scoring 23, 9 and 11 points in his previous three games. He'll take a back seat when Josh Howard returns, but he now looks like a decent prospect in a super-deep league. He has six 3-pointers and four steals over his last three games.

Jamaal Tinsley PG, Grizzlies – Don't look now, but Tinsley is quickly making a move for Mike Conley's job, or at least has a shot at earning a full-blown timeshare. As for Conley, he's a good candidate to be cut for a guy like Allen Iverson in all leagues, while Tinsley is a solid deep-league pickup right now. He's played between 21 and 26 minutes in his last three, scoring 16, 12 and seven points in those contests, hitting a couple threes, handing out eight assists and hitting all nine of his free throws.

Nazr Mohammed C, Bobcats – Tyson Chandler is back and starting, but that's not stopping Mohammed from looking like a deep-league center. He's averaging 12 points, 7.5 boards and 1.5 blocks over his last two games off the bench, and given Chandler's shaky injury history, is probably worth holding in deep leagues.

James Jones F, Heat – Quentin Richardson remains out with a back injury but is due back soon. Regardless, it looks like Jones may have stolen his job, and Jones has hit seven 3-pointers over his last four games, which were all starts. He scored 16 in one of those, but had just 5 or 6 points in the other three. He's not going to win your league for you, but if the waiver wire has dried up, he might be worth it for the 3-pointers alone – especially if he continues to start.

 

[HacheMan]

Conley Down In Tinsley Town
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

Tinsley Town

Jamaal Tinsley appears to have broken through the door in Memphis and is now the man at point guard after his strong play over the last several games – especially his nearly 30-minute romp on Sunday when he had 12 points, seven assists, three steals, a block and two 3-pointers, while Mike Conley played just 19 minutes. Chances are Tinsley was grabbed in your league last night (while I was driving across the country, missing out on him in every league). But if he wasn't, it's time to make the move. And while I'm not ready to declare Conley's fantasy season over, he is a guy who can be cut, as there's not telling when he'll become relevant again. But it sure looks and feels like Tinsley is now the main man at point guard for Memphis.

West of the Fields

Delonte West came out of nowhere on Saturday and had 10 points, 10 assists and four rebounds off the bench against Dallas, as Zydrunas Ilgauskas sat on the bench. West hadn't even scored in his previous two games, so don't get too excited here. But the bottom line is that he showed he can still play and still be a useful fantasy player if given the minutes. Big Z will be back in action in the next one, as the Cavs went small to match up with Dallas, but West is simply a guy worth keeping an eye on.

Pin the Center on the GSW Donkey

Ronny Turiaf started over Mikki Moore in the second half of Saturday's game, meaning he could be next in line to start at center for the Warriors. Sadly, even with Keith Smart coaching the team, Anthony Randolph is still not any closer to starting, as Nellie has apparently brainwashed Smart into thinking Randolph is a center (which he's not, by the way). In any case, if you're in a deep league, keep an eye on the Turiaf situation. I'm starting Randolph in a league or two this week, as the Warriors play four times, but this could be the final grasp at straws with him.

Indiana Jones

There are rumors in Indy that Dahntay Jones may start over Brandon Rush soon. There were also rumors that Ramon Sessions would start for the Timberwolves, but those ended up being wrong (for now), with Damien Wilkins moving into the starting five. Jones and Rush both play four games this week, and while Rush is tempting, he's very risky. And with Dunleavy back (limited to 20 minutes off the bench for now), Jones is also a little shaky. But if Jones ends up taking Rush's job soon, gambling on him for four games could pay off. Tough call. And while Roy Hibbert plays four times this week, I'm not starting him. Ersan Ilyasova, and possibly even Hakim Warrick, look like safer plays.

Milwaukee's Best

Michael Redd, arguably Milwaukee's best player, will not play on Monday as he's struggling to come back from knee surgery. No one has said it yet, but I get the sense he could be shut down for several more games/weeks in order to get healthy. This means that guys like Luke Ridnour, Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova are automatic starts with four games this week, while Carlos Delfino is a solid sleeper pick as well. Delfino has been very inconsistent, but has blocked six shots and hit nine 3-pointers over his last four games, and should be a solid contributor on a deep roster. Hakim Warrick, who has scored between 15 and 22 points in five of his last six games, is also a nice roll of the dice in Week 6.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

Rip City?

I posted a quick hit on Twitter Sunday that I wasn't so sure that Nate McMillan wasn't doing a worse coaching job than Lawrence Frank this season. Frank was fired later in the day, shortly before the Nets lost at the Lakers to fall to 0-17. I'm not saying the Blazers are comparable to the Nets at this point, especially since they still have a 12-7 record after a pair of ugly losses to Memphis and Utah.

What I am saying is that Nate doesn't seem to have much of a handle on his team, and appears to have even lost the faith of anyone not named Martell Webster and Greg Oden. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge are questioning their roles and struggling to find consistency, while Andre Miller is still wasting away on the bench (six minutes last game – really?). Oden is having a great season, but the Blazers still aren't sure how to effectively use him, Miller, Roy and Aldridge together. I'm not saying I have the answers, but then again, I'm not getting paid Nate-money to provide them, either. All I know is that I have not been happy with his coaching job from the start of camp, most of the players sure don't sound happy with him right now, and even Portland faithful are starting to wonder where this train is headed. Unlike the Nets, the Blazers have a deep and very talented roster, and despite the solid record, I think it's being mismanaged.

Keep reading for Weekend Headlines, Notable Numbers and the Injury Report
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In Case You Missed It – Weekend Headlines

Lawrence Frank fired – Nets lose again to fall to 0-17
Garnett incredibly efficient in Sunday's win
Landry goes 21 & 10 in absence of Scola
Timberwolves somehow stop bleeding with win at Denver, Gomes scores 27
Nate-Rob scores 22 in fourth quarter for Knicks
Ginobili back in action on Sunday
Sixers still discussing Iverson
Gerald Wallace back-to-back 30 & 10 games for Bobcats
Ben Wallace averaging 17 rebounds over last two games
Melo scores 50, Harrington 41 in same game on Friday

Noteworthy Numbers

Last Five Games Averages

Andre Iguodala – 17 pts, 8 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls, 1 blk, .8 threes
Ersan Ilyasova – 15 pts, 9 rebs, 1 asts, 1.2 stls, 1.5 threes
Nate Robinson – 19 points, 2 rebs, 3 asts, 2.8 threes

I Hurt Myself Today

Glen Davis – thumb – Not this week, but maybe the next one
Tony Allen – ankle – Another setback, ignore him in most leagues
Boris Diaw – undisclosed – Banged up and struggling, but should come around
Kirk Hinrich – thumb – Should get news Monday, but bench him for now
Tyrus Thomas – arm – No recent news, but should be nearing return
Shaquille O'Neal – shoulder – Playing again, but doesn't look great
Delonte West – personal – 10 points, 10 assists in last one, watch him
Quinton Ross – back – No value when healthy
Erick Dampier – undisclosed – May return this week, will split time w/ Gooden
Josh Howard – ankle – Still no target date for return
Charlie Villanueva – nose – Surgery coming, iffy for Wednesday. Bench him
Ben Gordon – ankle – Has missed two straight – Remains day-to-day
Tayshaun Prince – back – Moving better, could be a little closer to a return
Richard Hamilton – ankle – Keep benched until you see him play
Raja Bell – wrist – Out indefinitely with wrist surgery pending
Kelenna Azubuike – knee – Out for season
Andris Biedrins – back – Still no target date, keep him benched
Corey Maggette – hamstring – Playing through tight hammys, but startable
Luis Scola – eye – Says he'll play Weds despite missing most of Sunday
Tracy McGrady – knee – Who knows?
Tyler Hansbrough – knee – Iffy for Monday, start at own risk
Danny Granger – knee – Playing through it, must-start at this point
Blake Griffin – knee – Still 10 days or so away, grab if available
Luke Walton – back – Out for several more weeks
Michael Redd – knee – Out Monday, bench him until further notice
Andrew Bogut – leg – Not likely for Week 6, iffy for Week 7
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute – foot – Still iffy, Delfino, Warrick, Ilyasova solid bets
Kevin Love – hand – Targeting Dec. 11 – Pick him up if available
Eduardo Najera – back – No value when healthy
Yi Jianlian – knee – Could be back in very near future, watch him
Jarvis Hayes – hamstring – Could play this week, but not much value
Keyon Dooling – hip – Getting close, but only have value if Harris goes down
Peja Stojakovic – personal – Iffy for Tuesday, bench with two games
Morris Peterson – knee – Out of rotation anyway
Chris Paul – ankle – Keep him benched this week, hope for good news
Ike Diogu – knee – Still rehabbing knee
Eddy Curry – knee – Out again, to no one's surprise
Nenad Krstic - achilles - Day-to-day, risky play
Nick Collison – knee – Day-to-day, but not much value
Jameer Nelson – knee – Still out a couple more weeks
Lou Williams – jaw – Targeting late-January. Iverson, Holiday interesting
Elton Brand – hamstring – GTD on Monday, risky play
Marreese Speights – knee – Not likely for December
Leandro Barbosa – ankle – could miss a couple weeks, bench him
Travis Outlaw – foot – Out for several months
Spencer Hawes – knee – Missed Sunday, very risky for Week 6
Kevin Martin – wrist – Not likely for December
Francisco Garcia – wrist – Ditto
Roger Mason – Missed Sunday, Manu's back, so not much value
Andrei Kirilenko – back – Iffy for next couple, bench if you can
Paul Millsap – knee - Could play Monday, but a decent gamble if AK is out
Ronnie Price – toe – Still no target date
Kyle Korver – knee – Recent setback, ignore him for now
C.J. Miles – thumb – Iffy for week, bench him
Mike Miller – calf – Likely out for a couple more weeks, hello, Nick Young

 

[HacheMan]

Monta Climbing
Two weeks ago this Monday, and two days after his unforgettable 55-point outburst, I placed Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings under the Roundball Stew microscope, diagnosed the situation and made the firm recommendation that it was time for fantasy owners to sell high.

At the time of that suggestion, Jennings was averaging a rather lofty 25.6 ppg, 5.1 apg, 1.1 spg and 2.4 threes on 49.4 percent shooting. In eight games since, he has averaged 19.4 ppg, 5.9 apg, 1.3 spg and 2.3 threes on 37.2 percent shooting. And in his last four games entering Monday, his numbers have slipped to 14.0 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.8 spg and 1.8 threes on 28.9 percent from the field.

For the record, I don't bring this up to say I told you so on Jennings. Okay, maybe just a little bit, but the fact of the matter is I like Jennings and don't doubt that he'll have many more big games before the season is done. However, there's no denying that anyone who didn't try to sell him for a top-15 player after that 55-point game at least temporarily missed out on a chance to cash in the Jennings stock at maximum value.

And make no mistake, I know it's easier said than done when you have a player like Jennings in the midst of a hot streak like the one he was on. It just feels counter-intuitive – I mean, when you're flying along at 92 mph wearing an aviator jacket and white mock turtleneck blasting Lionel Richie at max volume in a Porsche convertible that you purchased at an extremely discounted price, the last thing you're thinking about is trading in that vehicle for a better one. At that point, all you're really considering is whether or not you're going to go with the duck confit or foie gras for dinner.

But remaining loyal to your beloved automobile, while entirely understandable, is not the best way to win a fantasy league – especially when you have a chance to trade in that Porsche for a Lamborghini, or better yet, a G5 (yes, we're talking about airplanes here, people).

And at this precise juncture of the season, it appears that your best chance to upgrade from very nice sports car to private jet is none other than Monta Ellis.

Let's take a look at his numbers as of Monday:

Season: 23.1 ppg, 5.5 apg, 2.4 spg, 46.5% shooting

Last four games: 32.3 ppg, 6.5 apg, 3.5 spg, 51.5% shooting

Quite simply (and as I'm sure you're very aware), the man has been going positively berserk lately – those obscene four-game numbers actually include a relatively quiet 18-point game Saturday night.

Do I think Monta can keep it up? Obviously if we're talking about his recent clip, the answer is no. Part of his elevated stats of late have been the product of the Warriors being extremely short-handed, resulting in Ellis averaging 45 minutes in the five games prior to Saturday's blowout loss. Quite simply, if he kept playing 45 minutes a game, he would lose a hubcap and blow a sparkplug before the end of December. There's a reason no one in the league actually averages 45 minutes – that reason being that NBA players are humans, not machines.

But aside from that 18-point game on Saturday, Monta has looked more or less like a basketball-playing cyborg of late, pushing his ranking in traditional eight-category leagues all the way up to #14 on basketballmonster.com.

I don't know what your expectations were coming into this season, but what he has done so far – and particularly in the last 10 days – has notably exceeded what I would have envisioned. And at this moment of the season, Monta is generating that humming sound normally associated with a top-10 type of player, even though I envision him ending the season closer to the 20-25 range.

In case there's any question, this is not me doubting Ellis' talent. I have seen him play plenty and know that he can be absolutely unstoppable. All I'm saying is that this moment in time – or better yet, one day after he presumably lights up Indiana on Monday night – feels like an early apex of his value, the high-water mark for an admittedly tremendous player who has recently been in a position to shoulder an inhumane amount of his team's statistical burden.

Should you trade Monta at all costs for fear that he's going to break down physically? No. I'm not overly worried about him breaking down because I don't think his minutes will stay this absurdly high. And I should add that I'm really not that worried about a massive drop-off in value. I'm simply taking a clinical, somewhat emotion-less, value-based approach and getting a feeling that now is the time to see what you can get.

So what should you be looking for in return? It's my opinion that you should be asking for a lot, and if you can't get it, there's nothing wrong with keeping Ellis on your roster. But you might as well check if there's a Monta-crazed owner in your league who would consider parting with someone like Dwyane Wade or Kevin Durant. Not to say that you should expect to be able to flip Monta for one of those two straight-up, but if you can get another owner to gauge Monta's value as being relatively close to Wade or Durant, you're in a position where you have to do everything you can within reason to make a deal work. I promise you, you'll enjoy the view from your G5.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

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FIVE RELATIVELY BRIEF THOUGHTS

1. Speaking of sell-high possibilities, Marc Gasol is currently #11 in Basketball Monster's rankings, just ahead of Steve Nash and just behind Dwyane Wade. However, as a Gasol owner on multiple teams, I'm personally staying put right now because he's not generating hype commensurate with his lofty ranking (while Monta has been a very noisy #14, Marc has been a rather quiet #11). And if I offered him to another owner for a top-15 or top-20 player, said owner would probably throw a beignet in my face. So for now, I'm simply going to hang onto Gasol and watch his silently monstrous production (particularly in FG%) boost my teams in the standings.

2. I got a little bit annoyed watching Jonny Flynn dial his own number too often Sunday night at the expense of ball movement, but there's no denying that the rookie is making significant strides in terms of NBA confidence. In his last four games, Flynn is averaging 17.8 ppg, 4.8 apg and 1.5 threes, rendering Ramon Sessions (six points, two assists on Sunday) nothing more than a high-upside backup right now.

3. Speaking of PG platoons, I am on board with the Jamaal Tinsley experiment. I know that Mike Conley was slowed by a shoulder sprain on Sunday, but the opportunity is right there for Tinsley, who has now averaged 13.3 ppg, 4.7 apg and 1.3 spg in his last three games. If you can handle his low FG% and high turnovers, Tinsley has a chance to be dynamic. During his last extended NBA run in 2007-08, he averaged 11.9 ppg, 8.4 apg, 1.7 spg and 1.0 threes in 39 games.

4. I am in sell mode on Aaron Brooks. Despite a strong game on Sunday, he is only averaging 13.0 ppg, 3.7 apg and 1.3 threes on 42.5 percent shooting in his last six games, which is disappointing after a hot start, but far more indicative of what he'll do over the long haul. It's time to see how much weight his current averages of 16.3 ppg, 5.5 apg and 1.9 threes can carry, because I'm taking the under on all three stats.

5. Cousin Eli, why is Rasheed Wallace still in your lineup? As some of you may remember from a chat I did a few weeks ago, I publicly chastised my cousin for hanging onto Al Thornton in the midst of his early-season struggles, thereby shaming Eli into dropping Al only to have the Clippers forward break out of his slump moments later and average 17.8 ppg in his last 10 games.

Sorry about that one, Eli. Though in my defense (and as a means of alleviating my guilt), Eli admits he was already thinking about dropping Thornton before I publicly called him out. Plus, Thornton really does very little other than score and shoot well from the field, and is actually a rather infuriating and overrated fantasy player in my opinion.

But enough about Thornton, let's talk about 'Sheed, who continues to find a spot in Eli's lineup and remains owned in an astonishing 84 percent of Yahoo leagues despite averaging just 9.0 ppg and 4.1 rpg on 37.7 percent shooting on the season. Furthermore, he has cracked double figures just twice since Nov. 4, shooting an even more awful 34.3 percent during that stretch.

Now wait a second, some of you might say – isn't this coming from the guy who has had James Harden on multiple rosters all season despite the rookie's fluctuating minutes and maddeningly inconsistent production? Yes, true, but I have held onto James Beard (my nickname for him due to his tremendously consistent facial hair) because he has a lot of upside, and because I still think that 30 minutes a night are coming before too long.

Meanwhile, the only chance 'Sheed has at 30 minutes a game – and accordingly, respectable fantasy numbers – is if Kendrick Perkins or Kevin Garnett goes down with an injury. And yes, I acknowledge that Garnett isn't the most sturdy-legged of basketball players these days, but I personally would rather take a shot on someone who's likely to help me in a week or two or three rather than annihilate my field goal percentage today with a past-his-prime role player averaging 21 minutes a game.

So to Eli and the legions of other Rasheed Wallace owners out there who haven't been able to sever ties based on past production and name recognition, you are free (nay, advised) to cut him loose.

Now to the rest of us, keep a close watch on Wallace once he hits waivers. If history is any indicator, 'Sheed will break out within one to two days of Eli waiving him.

 

[HacheMan]

Deng-Dong!
The Answer is…Philly Cheesesteak

Allen Iverson appears to be set to return to Philadelphia where he could/should very well start at point guard. By now he should be owned in all leagues, as it appears that he is indeed going to sign. Of course, we thought he was going to New York a few weeks ago. I'm not sure his arrival will hurt most of the players on the team, but he would potentially make Jrue Holiday even more useless than he currently is. And Willie Green, who played well last night, is also likely to take a hit. As for Iverson, I doubt we see the dynamic offensive force we remember from the last time he was wearing a Sixers jersey, but who knows? Either way, it should be fun to watch it go down.

C'mon, man

The Nets announced that Kiki Vandeweghe will take over head coaching duties for the remainder of the season, but won't start until Friday's game against the Bobcats. Yes, that means that poor Tom Barrise will coach the team on Wednesday at home against the Mavericks. I'm going to go ahead and say that it's pretty lame that Vandeweghe is not going to coach in that game, as he clearly doesn't want to have his name associated with loss number 18, which will mark the all-time worst start to the season for an NBA team. Instead, Kiki will try to play hero for beating the, well, beatable Bobcats on Friday to stop the bleeding. I'd rather see Kiki man-up and try to get a win over the Mavs, but then again, I don't know the full story, and maybe there's a good reason that he won't coach that game. Um, yeah.

The GSW crush the Pacers in Oakland

Monta Ellis set a new career high with 45 points before fouling out of Monday's easy win over the Pacers. He's averaging more than 35 ppg over his last five and looks ready to carry fantasy teams, as well as the Warriors.

C.J. Watson had 18 points, two 3-pointers, four boards, six dimes and three steals in 35 minutes, while Stephen Curry had just seven points, four dimes and three steals in 20 minutes. Maybe it's just a case of Watson getting hot last night, but I'm not so sure Keith Smart isn't ready to roll with Watson, leaving Curry owners hot under the collar. That said, Watson is only an option in really deep leagues – at least I think so. And hopefully Curry will bounce back tonight.

Jeff Foster started and had nine points and nine boards in Monday's blowout loss. Roy Hibbert looked awful, picking up three quick fouls and finishing with five fouls in 11 minutes. This was a run-and-gun game, but Hibbert has clearly fallen out of favor. Cut him if you must, bench him if you can. Troy Murphy was terrible against his former team, hitting just 1-of-7 shots for four points and 10 boards, but at least came away healthy and with his starting job intact. Dahntay Jones, in hindsight, should have been in starting lineups this week. He had 21 points and started the second half over Brandon Rush – and the move could be permanent. Mike Dunleavy played well again, finishing with 22 points, and can probably be moved into starting fantasy lineups at this point.

Jazz blitz the Grizzlies

Ronnie Brewer blew up for 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting, helped by the fact that Andrei Kirilenko was out with a back injury. If you started him this week, congratulations. Rookie Wesley Matthews, who has quietly been starting, finally woke up for a career-high 17 points. Give him a look in deep leagues. Paul Millsap played through a knee injury, but struggled for four points and three boards. We were hoping for more with AK out, but it was Brewer and Carlos Boozer (24 points, 15 boards, seven assists, three steals and a block) who shined.

Marc Gasol had just five points and three boards in the blowout loss, but should bounce back soon. Sam Young got a start for Rudy Gay (funeral) and had 17 points. Don't get too excited, as Gay is due back for the next one.

Drew Gooden came off the bench behind Erick Dampier, but still managed 15 points, 10 boards and two blocks in a tough win over the Sixers. Dampier's return hurts Gooden, but may not stop him from having value. Jason Kidd had a season-high 22 points with 11 dimes, six boards, four steals, three blocks and five 3-pointers, and these are the type of lines that help owners forget about those three-point nights. Dirk Nowitzki stayed hot with 28 points, while Jason Terry, who had just seven points, hit the game-winning shot for Dallas.

Elton Brand returned from his hamstring injury for 21 points and 10 boards. Whew. Samuel Dalembert was also huge, going for six points, a season-high 19 boards, three steals and three blocks. Willie Green played well with 23 points and eight boards in the loss. Stephen Malkmus started Kidd, Monta and Dalembert against my Bucks this week, and I'm in some early trouble.

Bulls lose a close one to the Bucks

Luol Deng (22 & 14), John Salmons (23 points, three steals, three blocks, one three), and Derrick Rose (19 & 7) all had big nights for the Bulls in a tough loss to the Bucks. Joakim Noah also bounced out of a slump with 16 points and 17 boards, so hopefully you didn't give up on him last week. Don't look now, but Deng is clearly one of the nicer fantasy surprises we've gotten this season.

Charlie Bell was suddenly the man last night, getting 16 points, four boards, five assists and two blocks in 40 minutes. Luke Ridnour left with a hamstring injury, allowing Bell to break out. But no, I don't trust him. Andrew Bogut returned from a leg injury in a big way last night, torching the Bulls for 22 points, 15 boards, three assists, three steals and four blocks. Wow. Ersan Ilyasova had a respectable 13 points and eight boards, while Carlos Delfino chipped in with 15 points and three 3-pointers. Brandon Jennings' shooting woes continued, as he hit just 5-of-15 shots (and three 3-pointers) for 15 points and eight assists. Not a bad line, but a far cry from where he was a couple weeks ago.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

Til' Tuesday Injury Report

Michael Redd – 'Just said no' to the Bucks upcoming two-game road trip due to his ailing knee. Are you surprised?

Mike Conley – Iffy for Wednesday with shoulder injury. He shouldn't have been in lineups anyway. Jamaal Tinsley had eight points and seven assists in a start, while Marcus Williams had 17 points, six assists and two threes. This is going to be a point guard cluster from here on out.

Rudy Gay – Returns Wednesday after surprise DNP for funeral on Monday. Why this information wasn't made available sooner? I have no idea.

Chris Paul - Has been working out but still can't cut on his ankle. Guesstimate that he's about 10 days away.

Anthony Randolph – Left Monday with a left ankle sprain that didn't look great on TV. Already ruled out for Tuesday, iffy for the rest of his four-game week. He is cursed, and therefore, so are his owners.

Ronny Turiaf – Injured himself in the third quarter Monday and with Anthony Randolph and Mikki Moore also hurting, get ready for a full helping of Chris Hunter. The Michigan product had eight points, two boards and a block, and could be sneaky deep-league pick-and-play for the rest of the week with all the big-man injuries for GSW.

Mikki Moore – Playing through a bone spur in his heel, set to have an MRI.

Andris Biedrins - Still a week or so away from returning from an abdominal strain.

Luis Scola – Out on Wednesday after getting seven stitches in his eyelid. Ouch.

Kirk Hinrich – Hoping to return for the weekend, but iffy with sprained thumb.

Luke Ridnour – Tweaked his hamstring, now iffy for week. This is a tough one, as he was hot and many of us rolled with him for four games.

Tracy McGrady – Still no target date for return. Again, are you really surprised by this?

Mehmet Okur – Left Monday with chest injury, finishing with five points in 15 minutes. Hopefully he'll be able to play in the next one.

Peja Stojakovic will be out again on Tuesday due to an ill family member, meaning Devin Brown and James Posey will get more looks.

Jermaine O'Neal is playing despite a very ill uncle in South Carolina, but served notice that he might have to leave unexpectedly at some point this week.

Charlie Villanueva tweeted just before his nasal surgery and is iffy for Wednesday against the Bulls.

Ben Gordon remains iffy for that game as well with a sprained ankle, but it sounds like he might give it a shot.

Leandro Barbosa could miss from up to two weeks to a month with a sprained ankle, and it just looks like this may not be his year (again). Cut him if you can get a healthy/hot player.

Nene missed Monday's practice with a bruised knee, but is listed as probable for tonight.

Chris Andersen missed Monday's practice with a sinus infection, but is still hoping to play tonight.

 

[HacheMan]

Welcome Back (again)
Allen Iverson officially signs with the Sixers, will play on Monday

Something told me it was going to be a good day when I got bored with my standard XM channels and did some surfing while taking my kids to school this morning, only to stumble across Pink Moon by Nick Drake. It's long been one of my favorite songs and you might remember it from this car commercial. Then, after never hearing the song on the radio before in my entire life, it showed up again at 10:10 a.m. on a different station. Weird, right?

Anyway, in between these two random moments, Allen Iverson officially joined the Sixers. And while that has nothing to do with pink moons or deceased underground rock stars somehow finding their way onto obscure satellite airwaves, I do have Iverson on several teams, and will be planting him into my starting lineups on Monday. My guess is Iverson should immediately start at point guard, and then might slide to shooting guard once Lou Williams returns. Then again, AI may play three games off the bench for the Sixers and then sign to play in Greece or Italy. But for now, it looks like this has the potential to work, and you have to think the Sixers are going to start him, as we already know how it will end if they don't. Thaddeus Young could be the long-term loser in this scenario, but there's not much sense worrying about that now, as Lou-Will is going to be out for at least another six weeks or so.

I know the "should I trade Andre Iguodala?" emails will start rolling in, but my hope is Iverson has no impact on the other AI. I think Iguodala will be fine, so just see what Week 1 with Iverson brings before doing anything drastic. That said, Iguodala's value is very high right now, so if you can get the right guy/guys in trade, it's certainly something to look at.

I'm hosting a live chat for Season Pass subscribers today at 3 p.m. See you there.

Notable News From Tuesday

Sippin' On Hennessy and Juice

One of the craziest things I've read in a while was a story this morning about Ron Artest admitting he used to drink Hennessy out of his locker at halftime of Bulls games. In my best John McEnroe voice, you can't be serious!? Artest went so far as to say he'd simply walk to a liquor store close to the stadium before the game, hook up a bottle of Hennessy, and then keep it in his locker. Wow. It will be very interesting to see what David Stern has to say about this, and you have to hope he's not suspended for something that happened so long ago. And as CBS' Ken Berger points out on Twitter, Artest, who loves him some media spotlight, picked the wrong week to drop this bombshell, as the world seems to be focused on Iverson and Tiger Woods right now. Then again, that's probably for the best.

Centers of Attention

It was a good night for several centers, as Andrew Bynum and Kendrick Perkins both made 9-of-10 shots. Bynum finished with 21 points and nine boards (sorry, no blocks) and Perk had 21 points, 12 boards and three blocks. I think Bynum will be fine on most nights, even with Pau Gasol around, while Perkins is having a career year, despite the arrival of Rasheed Wallace. Perk is averaging 11.4 points, 7.5 boards and 1.9 blocks, and should be owned in all leagues by now. Nene's great season continued to roll on last night with 18 points, 12 boards and two blocks on 7-of-10 shooting. I was down on Nene earlier, but it looks like I was wrong. I am still a bit concerned about an injury coming at some point, but he has been great.

As for Sheed, he's too inconsistent to use much right now, but does have a whopping eight technical fouls after just 18 games. Eight more and it's an automatic suspension. Nazr Mohammed had 16 points for the Bobcats, and has now hit double digits in five straight, despite playing behind Tyson Chandler.

Greg Oden also went off last night with 13 points, a career-high 20 boards and four blocks. He was on my bench with just two games this week, but hopefully he was in your lineup. Chris Andersen had 14 points, eight boards and five blocks for one his best games of the year, while Brendan Haywood had 15 points, nine boards and three blocks. Andersen and Haywood are worth a look in nearly every league, but Andersen has been quite inconsistent.

SnapDraft

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Don't Call It A Comeback

Andre Miller continues to confound fantasy owners (and waiver wires), as he bounced back with 18 points and six dimes last night. Quentin Richardson also exploded for 20 points and four 3-pointers for the Heat. As I said on Twitter last night, both of these guys fall under the "That Guy' umbrella. 'That Guy' being a guy who gets hot, so you pick him up and start him for obvious reasons. Then, disappears for the week you roll with him, forcing you to cut him. And then blows up again on waivers or someone else's team. Miller may even move back into the starting five soon, so he should probably still be owned in most leagues. I'm just too gun-shy to start him again right now.

The Beas Knees

Michael Beasley had a season-high 27 points to go along with eight boards on 8-of-15 shooting, and also hit 11-of-12 free throws. He's scored at least 14 points in seven straight games and looks like a must-start player from here on out. I preached patience with him early, saying that he should get better every month. That happened a little more quickly than I thought, and it's hard to imagine him playing much better than he is right now. And that is probably a sign that you should sell-high on him.

Anthony Morrow also scored 27 and is officially hot. He's scored between 15 and 27 points in five of his last six games, knocking down 18 3-pointers (three per game) over that stretch.
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More From 'That Guy' Files

Vladimir Radmanovic had 17 points, six boards and a 3-pointer last night and remains an intriguing pick up. Just think twice about using him, as he'd scored 2, 9, 4 and 14 points in his previous four games.

Larry Hughes had 11 points, six boards, a season-high 12 assists and four steals in last night's surprising win over the Suns. Hughes' points in last eight games – 11, 6, 16, 4, 6, 4, 13, 22. I'd trust him a lot more if Mike D'Antoni would yank Chris Duhon and start Hughes at point guard, but as long as that doesn't happen, he's going to be inconsistent.

Danilo Gallinari, who I cut a few weeks ago, had 27 points, 10 rebounds and six 3-pointers last night. Wow. Don't look now, but he's scored in double digits in 11 of his 16 games this season, and can probably be safely started again. Of course, he might be on your bench this week, and you now have to hope he doesn't disappear next week when you play him.

On the flip side, Nate Robinson failed to score last night, handing out two assists in just 11 minutes. I have no idea where this came from and there's no word of an injury yet. He had scored in double figures in five straight games coming in, and was probably moved into your lineup just in time for this dud. Maybe he's hurt, but if he's not, this is a mildly concerning line from Nate. He was averaging 19 points over his previous five games. Ouch. But the game was a blowout and Hughes was hot, so maybe Nate just got a night off.

Injury Roundup

Mike Bibby (ankle) plans on playing tonight, according to Bob Rathbun, voice of the Hawks for FSN.

LaMarcus Aldridge was a late scratch with a bruised right knee last night and should be considered day-to-day. His absence was probably a big reason that Oden had such a great game.

Anthony Randolph will miss seven to 14 days with his left ankle sprain. Grrrr. Cut him if you want, but I am just pretending like I don't even own him. So please don't remind me.

Luke Ridnour missed yesterday's practice with his hamstring injury and remains day-to-day. And of course, like Ant-Rand, is in my lineup for four games this week. And don't send me emails about how stupid you think weekly leagues are. I still love the games-played angle and some leagues are weekly, some are daily.

Yi Jianlian is close to returning to full practice after a knee injury, but a target date has still not been set. It's probably time to grab him if you want, but there's no guarantee he bounces back quickly from the injury.

Peja Stojakovic has now missed two straight for personal reasons and there's still no word on when he'll be back. Rotoworld will have it updated as soon as we know.

Ben Gordon (ankle) and Charlie Villanueva (nasal surgery) are both iffy for tonight, although I think both guys are traveling with the team. If I had to guess, I'd say Gordon plays and CV doesn't. But, that's just a guess. We should get an update this afternoon.

Kevin Love appears to still be on track for December 11, so pick him up if he's still on waivers in your league. That's only nine days from now.

Eric Gordon tweaked his left hamstring in his last game and missed Tuesday's practice, leaving him as a game-time decision for tonight against the Rockets.

This is not hoops related, but this story about Tiger is just crazy.

 

[HacheMan]

'93 'til Infinity
In comparison to most NBA Wednesdays, Dec. 2, 2009 was a relatively quiet one, with just 10 games on the calendar (as opposed to the customary 12 or 13). But unless you're dealing with a batch of cookies or a box of hand grenades, the difference between 10 or a dozen or a baker's dozen is more or less negligible. Which is to say that 10 games can still generate plenty of intrigue, which we will commence breaking down right now:

TURN BACK THE CLOCK NIGHT

With the Raptors playing the dreaded second night of a back-to-back on the road, the Hawks unleashed 146 points, their biggest scoring output since 1993, when Mookie Blaylock and Duane Ferrell still roamed the basketball earth. So if you panicked when you saw Chris Bosh's line (two points, five rebounds), or rejoiced when you saw DeMar DeRozan's (a career-high 21 points), don't. A lot of Raptors' stats got crushed and/or skewed in a blowout loss, while no Hawk other than Al Horford (24 points, seven boards) topped 16 points as the bench got extensive run. And despite playing limited minutes, recently slumping Joe Johnson dished out a season-high 11 assists.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

WELCOME TO BLOWOUT COUNTRY

Also playing a rather lopsided game were the Magic and the Knicks (Orlando led by 22 after three quarters). Again, no point in reading too much into a garbage-time infused matchup, but there are a few takeaways to focus on:

1) Tally up another strong night for Danilo Gallinari (20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two threes, four steals), and while I still expect inconsistency as teams dare him to drive, that makes two big games in a row and he's worth using for the threes alone (he's still averaging 3.0 per game).

2) Wilson Chandler (24 points) has been the center of a lot of owners' frustration, but his minutes have remained pretty consistent and he should only get better as the season progresses.

3) Larry Hughes (five points, two rebounds, three assists) is maddeningly inconsistent. Unfortunately you can't really risk benching him right now because his next big line could be just one game away.

LISTEN UP, SUN

There was one other significant blowout on Wednesday, with the Cavs walloping the Suns on, you guessed it, the second of a back-to-back on the road.

This explains why LeBron James, instead of firing up a ton of shots, simply messed around and (nearly) got a triple-double (12 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists). It also clarifies why no single Cav topped 14 points. It is notable that Anderson Varejao (nine points, eight rebounds, three steals, three blocks) is back to posting useful lines off the bench. And though J.J. Hickson (13 points, eight rebounds, nothing else) is starting, Varejao is the player I'd rather have on my squad in deeper leagues.

Though the Suns got crushed, the news wasn't all that terrible. Amare Stoudemire posted 12 rebounds (his first double-digit effort since Nov. 8) and Channing Frye broke out of a recent slump with 22 points. The only Phoenix starter who failed to hit double digits was Jason Richardson, who shot 2-of-11 but at least had seven rebounds and four assists.

UMM… CONGRATULATIONS?

The Nets made it official: As of this moment, they are the worst team in NBA history. But we're not going to get too caught up in the implications of New Jersey's 0-18 record, because in terms of fantasy leagues it really doesn't matter.

What does matter is that a full-blown youth movement appears to be coming, which means that you can forget about Josh Boone and Trenton Hassell (something you had hopefully already done) and focus on a much smaller core of Nets players. In addition to Brook Lopez and Devin Harris, the Nets to own going forward are Chris Douglas-Roberts (24 points on Wednesday), Courtney Lee (13 points, six rebounds, four steals) and Yi Jianlian (hopefully back in about a week). Also keep a close watch on Terrence Williams (eight points, six assists), who could post some intriguing stats as a sixth man under the Vandeweghe regime.

A.I. WATCH

If you're worried about Allen Iverson's impending return hurting Andre Iguodala's stats (and I can see at least a little bit of cause for concern), Iguodala gave you a great opportunity to sell at max value with 28 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, a block and three treys on Wednesday. Do not – repeat, do not – trade him for anything short of a top-20 type of player if you're going to make a deal.

As for the other Sixers, Thaddeus Young had 20 points, Elton Brand had 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench and Jrue Holiday had 15 points, three treys and two steals. Young and Brand are both likely to lose touches and shots once A.I. is in town, and Holiday should become altogether irrelevant. Meanwhile, Samuel Dalembert ended his recent run of strong play by sputtering to two points and six rebounds, but he's going to be inconsistent regardless of who's manning the point in Philadelphia.

FEELING GOOD, LOUIS

Luke Ridnour shook off recent hamstring trouble and posted 20 points. I'm confident in him as a fantasy starter until Michael Redd gets up to speed.

Elsewhere, Spencer Hawes returned from a one-game absence due to a sore knee to finish with 21 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and three treys. In his last five games, Hawes has averaged 16.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg and 1.4 threes.

Meanwhile, Ben Gordon (18 points on 6-of-16 shooting) returned from his ankle sprain, a goggled Luis Scola (eight points, seven rebounds) played through his eye injury and Rudy Gay returned from a personal absence to score 20 points.

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STATEMENT FROM THE OLD GUARD

Jason Kidd – Last two games: 19.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 10.5 apg, 4.5 spg, 2.0 bpg and 3.5 threes. If you've been deeply frustrated by his scoring average, this is your window to sell – just keep in mind that he has provided second-round value despite the lack of points.

Gilbert Arenas – Listed as old because he has an old man's knee, Arenas has hit for precisely 22 points and nine assists in each of his last two games, and owners have to love seeing him hoist 24 shots in a win on Wednesday.

Erick Dampier – Revealed that the reason he was hospitalized in November was numbness in his arm, then announced his return to form with 18 points, 11 boards and two blocks, rendering Drew Gooden (four points, three rebounds, two blocks) irrelevant. Since Gooden's outstanding run directly correlated with Dampier's absence, I see no reason to hang onto The Goods right now unless you're in a deeper league.

Marcus Camby – Last five games: 11.4 ppg, 16.2 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.0 spg, 2.6 bpg. Those are not typos.

John Salmons – Has hit for 22 or more points in three of his last four games and appears to be out of his early-season slump. And no, he's not technically that old, but he does turn 30 on Dec. 12.

STATEMENT FROM THE YOUNG GUARD(S)

Mike Conley – Just when we thought all hope was lost, he returned from a one-game absence due to a shoulder injury and scored a season-high 20 points with four threes, three assists, two steals and a block. If you added Jamaal Tinsley (zero points, three assists), cutting him for Conley looks like the right move, though I still want to see Conley do this two or three more times before I'm convinced he has flipped the switch.

Russell Westbrook – Shot just 1-of-11, but had a career-high 15 assists.

Jonny Flynn – Had 12 points and a career-high nine assists, and is now averaging 16.6 ppg, 5.6 apg and 1.4 threes in his last five games.

Nate Robinson – In this case, it was a bad statement (a DNP-CD). The advice here is to bench rather than drop and wait for the next hot streak before making a move.

QUICK THOUGHTS ON THE FANTASY MESS IN INDIANA

Roy Hibbert – Got off to a good start but finished with seven points, seven rebounds and a block in just 16 minutes. On one play, Hibbert dove to the rim wide open on a pick-and-roll but took a tentative lay-up instead of dunking it as the defense closed in. Then he missed a relatively easy tip-in. Pretty much sums up how lost he is at the moment. I think he'll eventually get it going again, but I can't blame you if you want to cut him.

Jeff Foster – Had six points, 18 rebounds and a block off the bench, but keep in mind that he's basically nothing more than a one-dimensional rebounder.

T.J. Ford – Had been better lately, but was awful on Wednesday (zero points, one assist in 20 minutes). Meanwhile, backup Earl Watson had 15 points in 28 minutes. This is a PG situation I'm very happy to avoid.

Dahntay Jones – Started, had 16 points, and looks like a safe play at least until Mike Dunleavy gets up to speed.

Mike Dunleavy – Had six points in 20 minutes and should remain on fantasy benches as long as he's on a minutes limit.

Brandon Rush – Only got into the game in the fourth quarter after Dunleavy had maxed out his playing time. In other words, he's not worth owning right now outside of deep leagues.

A FEW WORDS ON CENTERS

Joakim Noah – Statistically speaking, he's doing a very nice Andris Biedrins impersonation this season (seven points, 14 rebounds, five assists, three blocks).

Brad Miller – Uncorked a vintage bottle of Miller 2008 with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but don't get too excited – it was his first time reaching 30 minutes since Nov. 19.

Al Jefferson – Had just 12 points and nine rebounds, but I still think there's a 20 and 10 guy in there, so don't get frustrated and sell him short now.

Nenad Krstic – Deep league alert: Krstic left early with a sprained ankle, opening up an opportunity for Nick Collison, who returned from a knee injury to drop 18 points and seven rebounds on 8-of-9 shooting in 21 minutes.

MORE INJURY NEWS

Chris Paul (ankle) – reportedly could be back within a week.

LaMarcus Aldridge (knee) – Didn't practice on Wednesday and looks like a game-time decision for Saturday.

Greg Oden (ankle sprain) – Missed Wednesday's practice, but will hopefully be ready for Saturday.

Blake Griffin (knee) – Now unlikely to play until sometime after Jan. 1. Frustrating news if you've been hanging onto him, and I can see the logic behind cutting him for a productive free agent if your team needs a boost right now.

Eric Gordon (hamstring) – Sat out Wednesday and remains day-to-day.

Charlie Villanueva (nose) – Will hopefully be ready for Friday.

Kevin Love (hand) – Should be ready to return this weekend.

TONIGHT

The first game of the night features a bunch of old men punching each other in the gut as the Celtics take on the Spurs in San Antonio. Things should get considerably more dynamic with the late games featuring the Heat vs. the Nuggets and the Rockets vs. the Warriors. I'm particularly interested to see what the Mad Scientist (Don Nelson) does upon his return from the flu. Hopefully Item No. 1 on his agenda is not "Tamper with Monta Ellis' mojo." Truth be told, I think Monta will be fine, and the good news is that for the time being, Nellie still has limited options in terms of who he can play.

Speaking of options, I will now pitch a lateral to the esteemed Dr. A, who will be back here on Friday to let you know precisely how everything went down.

 

[HacheMan]

Wired - Landry Heating Up


[SIZE=+1]Normal Sized Leagues[/SIZE]

I guess the definition of a normal-sized league, at least in my mind, is one consisting of 10 to 12 teams with rosters somewhere around 12-15 players. That should cover a majority of the fantasy hoops leagues in existence. If your league is any smaller than that, the waiver options are endless and it's just too difficult to try to figure out whether you should pick up Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng or Jason Richardson. While it's nice to have those kinds of options available, it can drive you nuts on a daily basis trying to figure out if you should change your roster, so I'd suggest adding a few teams to your league next year.

Obviously, Allen Iverson and Kevin Love should have already been picked up in all leagues, but if they haven't been in yours, stop what you're doing and go get 'em.

Carl Landry F/C Rockets

Landry has scored at least 20 points in four of his last six games, but has benefited from a gimpy Luis Scola. Nonetheless, he's still got a ton of upside, but hasn't been blocking the ball as much as I'd hoped. I picked him up in several leagues and use him a spot starter based on matchups.

Tyrus Thomas F Bulls

Thomas is nearing a return, but probably still 10 days to two weeks away with a broken arm. He'll be a solid source of boards, blocks, steals and points if he gets his starting job back for the Bulls, and hopefully that will happen. In addition, a potential trade to the Knicks would probably increase his value. In other words, he's worth a grab-and-stash right now.

Chris Andersen F/C Nuggets

Andersen is playing much better and had nine points, 10 boards and three blocks on Thursday. He also had 14 points, eight boards and five swats in his previous game, but had been pretty quiet before that. If you need boards and blocks, he's probably worth a flier, just expect some scoring problems and the occasional off night.

Courtney Lee G/F Nets

Lee has struggled to come back from a groin injury but it sounds like he'll start on Friday, in place of Trenton Hassell. Lee has a ton of upside, including threes and steals, and now is a great time to grab him.

Vladimir Radmanovic F Warriors

Vlad-Rad is averaging 18.5 points, seven boards, three assists, two steals and 2.5 threes over his last two games. No telling how long it will last, but he's starting for a potent GSW offense, making him worth a look in nearly any league.

Follow Me On Twitter

Follow me on Twitter (click on the link to follow me, where you can see me defend Anthony Randolph, among other things). If I'm around and on my Twitter game, you can usually learn some nice fantasy hoops tidbits before they post to Rotoworld, or anywhere else. At other times, I just post stuff that I find interesting, funny or stupid.

[SIZE=+1]Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Deeper leagues are generally going to have 14 to 16 teams and go deep enough that most starters are not available on waivers. These players may not even be available in all deep leagues, but are generally available in many normal-sized leagues.

DeJuan Blair F Spurs

Blair has double-doubled in two straight games and might be coming on. He played 17 and 21 minutes in those two games after lingering around just 10 minutes prior to the explosion. He'll need 20 mpg to have value, but it appears that it could be ready to happen.

Mike Conley PG Grizzlies

Conley was all but left for dead before exploding for 20 points and four threes in his last game. Despite the presence of Jamaal Tinsley, he's still the starter and could be on the verge of starting to play better. His shoulder is still bothering him, but if you're holding Jrue Holiday, it makes sense to dump him for Conley.

Roy Hibbert C Pacers

Hibbert is still starting for the Pacers, who might finally be realizing they can't win without his defensive presence. He had 7 & 7 in his last game, which isn't great, but the hope is that his slump is about to end. If you're thin at center, grab him and see what happens over the next week or so. And if you already own him, just keep him on your bench until the Pacers figure out how they're going to use him.

Mickael Pietrus G/F Magic

Pietrus is quietly producing for the Magic, despite some ups and downs. He hit five treys and had 17 points in his last one, but was 0-for-5 and failed to score on Nov. 28 against the Bucks. The bottom line is that he's scored in double figures in nine of his 17 games and might be able to help an owner in a very deep league, especially since he has the potential to contribute in eight categories. Maybe he should have been in the 'Extremely Deep' section, but either way, he's worth keeping an eye on.

Toney Douglas G Knicks

With Nate Robinson in the doghouse again, maybe for good, Douglas is probably going to get some run again. He had 17 points and two threes in his last game, and will be worth a pickup if Nate-Rob continues to sit.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

[SIZE=+1]Extremely Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

C.J. Miles F Jazz

Miles is finally set to return from thumb surgery and could eventually start at small forward once he gets fully healthy (over Wes Matthews). He averaged nine points and a 3-pointer per game last year, but probably only has value if he does regain a starting role.
He's yet to play this season.

Nick Collison F/C Thunder

Nenad Krstic is uninspiring and injured right now (ankle), while Collison returned from a four-game absence with a knee injury on Wednesday and hit 8-of-9 shots for 18 points and seven boards in just 21 minutes. There's no telling if he keeps this up, but if you're in a real deep league he looks like a decent add right now.

Glen Davis F/C Celtics

Davis had the pins removed from his hand and is a couple weeks away from a return. We all know how well he played last year and he could have some real value if Kevin Garnett's knee acts up again. His value this year will be somewhat limited by the presence of Rasheed Wallace, but Davis should get some run once healthy.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute F Bucks

The Prince has been out for about 10 games with a foot injury but is finally ready to return. I'm kind of bummed about that, as he'll probably limit minutes for Ersan Ilyasova, but if you're in a deep league where rotation guys are nonexistent on the wire, he is probably worth grabbing.

Chris Hunter F/C Warriors

This truly is a really deep-league recommendation, as Hunter is barely putting up enough numbers to even get noticed. But he's played 21 and 26 minutes in his last two games, blocking three shots on Thursday. Once Anthony Randolph (ankle, day-to-day) and Ronny Turiaf (knee, day-to-day) return, Hunter won't see those kind of minutes. But if you're looking for a short-term stopgap player, he could help a very deep league owner out.