NBA Fantasy News 2010/2011

[HacheMan]

Deron Williams finally done?
Point guard play is the easiest thing to acquire at all levels of basketball. While NBA teams struggle for decades to acquire a difference-making big man like Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin or Pau Gasol, the little guys are a dime a dozen.

It makes perfect sense -- there are more people closer to six-feet-tall in this world than there are people around seven feet. The overall sample size of guards is bigger, so there is simply more talent at the position. We can see the effect this has on the league in backup point guard numbers.

With news that Deron Williams is visiting a hand specialist Wednesday instead of traveling with his teammates to Detroit, Jordan Farmar is a must-add. In 13 starts this season, Farmar is averaging 13.5 points, 8.9 assists, 1.6 treys and 1.2 steals per game.

Williams is not definitely done for the year, but he did offer this quote after hitting a game-winner and dishing out 21 assists last night: "It ended on a good note." I'd be surprised to see him in any of the final five games.

MORE POINT GUARDS WORTH OWNING
Backup point guards are flashing their ability all over the league down the stretch. Jerryd Bayless was at it again Tuesday night with Jose Calderon (hamstring) sidelined, going for 19 points and five assists against the Knicks. In his last three starts, Bayless is averaging 22.6 points and 7.0 assists per game. Even if/when Calderon returns, Bayless is locked into 30 minutes.

Will Bynum is proving he has borderline NBA-starter talent. He had 14 points and two steals against the Wizards Tuesday and is averaging 15.3 points with 2.6 steals over his last three games -- all starts. With Rodney Stuckey deep in the doghouse and Tracy McGrady locked into a bench role, Bynum is well worth using down the stretch.

Heck, even Earl Watson is giving value to deep leaguers. Watson had 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three treys and two steals Tuesday night. Devin Harris (hamstring) is fighting to get back, but I would make the fragile starter prove it on the court before giving up on Watson.

For forward-thinking owners, Rodrigue Beaubois should be considered. Coach Rick Carlisle said Tuesday that Jason Kidd will rest at some point during the next five games, setting Roddy B up for big minutes. His per-36 minute stats this season: 18.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 treys, 1.4 steals.

Kyle Lowry was a backup guard at one point this season and we all see what he has done. I'd consider Lowry in the third or fourth round next season. The same can be said for Ty Lawson, who popped off for 28 points against the Thunder Tuesday. Ramon Sessions, Toney Douglas, Jarrett Jack and George Hill are all off the fantasy radar now, but are one injury away from must-owns.

<BIG>TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES</BIG>
Considering the wild 13-game slate tonight, not all the news has been flushed out yet. Check the news page all night/morning/afternoon for updates. But here are some things on my mind with each team as we head into the final seven days of the season:

ATLANTA
* Josh Smith (knee) will reportedly sit out the next two games, in addition to the one he missed Tuesday night. Smoove's sprain is not serious, but the Hawks are virtually locked into the No. 5 seed.

BOSTON
* The Celtics are optimistic about Shaquille O'Neal's latest injury (calf strain), but they forget that 39-year-old guys do not recover like 25-year-olds. This center spot is a black hole in fantasy as Jermaine O’Neal is incapable of logging big minutes and Glen Davis is proving to be a mediocre talent at best.

CHARLOTTE
* The Bobcats lost to the lowly Cavs on Tuesday night, making it extremely unlikely they can catch the Pacers for the No. 8 seed. Stephen Jackson can be dropped for a healthier player -- even if Captain Jack guts out one more the threat of in-game injury is high.
* Here are Dante Cunningham's numbers since starting for Jackson at small forward: 11.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists. We can do better.

CHICAGO
* Joakim Noah returned from his ankle Tuesday, posting 12 points with four rebounds, four steals and four assists. The ankle is sore, but he should continue to play. The Bulls' starting five needs to build some continuity.
* Carlos Boozer came into Tuesday's game with an illness, but played nearly 35 minutes and flirted with a triple-double.
* While the No. 1 seed in the East is almost locked up, the Bulls have bigger fish to fry. They should be focusing on finishing with a better record than the Lakers so they have home-court advantage in the playoffs. I do not expect any maintenance days.

CLEVELAND
* Baron Davis and Ramon Sessions continue to split time pretty evenly. Both are decent plays thanks to their excellent per-minute production, but the upside here is capped.
* Speaking of upside, preseason sleeper J.J. Hickson is turning into a beast. He had 16 points and 19 rebounds Tuesday -- and check out these last 10 numbers: 19.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 51.7 percent from the field.

DALLAS
* Coach Rick Carlisle appears settled on Shawn Marion as his starting small forward.
* Tyson Chandler (back) practiced Tuesday and appears on track to play Wednesday.
* See above for a note on Jason Kidd and Rodrigue Beaubois.

DENVER
* Arron Afflalo (hamstring) did not play Tuesday, will not play Wednesday and is questionable for Friday. Wilson Chandler will continue to start as a low-end play.

DETROIT
* Rodney Stuckey took a DNP-CD for the second straight game, punishment for his latest feud with coach John Kuester. It's probably too late for him to get out of the doghouse this season, meaning Will Bynum is locked in.

GOLDEN STATE
* Ekpe Udoh is really raw. He will start the rest of the year, but has not topped 20 minutes in either of his last two games. Only those in desperate need of blocks should hang on.

HOUSTON
* The Rockets are hanging on to playoff hopes by a thread, so coach Rick Adelman's rotation has gotten really tight. All five starters are a good bet for 30-plus minutes nightly until elimination.

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INDIANA
* The Pacers are very close to locking up the final playoff spot in the East, but are actually expanding their rotation. The even timeshare between Tyler Hansbrough -- who has hit a wall -- and Josh McRoberts is not worth chasing.
* I expect Mike Dunleavy to get his starting shooting guard back from Paul George very soon. The Pacers desperately need Dunleavy's offensive ability in there with the first unit and George has been downright bad. Those in search of treys should be monitoring.

L.A. CLIPPERS
* Chris Kaman returned from the flu Tuesday and immediately got the starting job back from DeAndre Jordan. That makes this situation very clear.
* Eric Gordon's minutes were limited Tuesday simply because other guys were getting it done. Do not panic.
* Ryan Gomes (knee) may be done for the year, giving Jamario Moon a chance to start the rest of the way.

L.A. LAKERS
* Pau Gasol sent the hoops world buzzing by getting an MRI Monday, but he is fine. Gasol played 32 minutes Tuesday, scoring 19 points with five rebounds and four assists.
* Andrew Bynum also sent a message that his knee is just fine. He popped off for 12 points, 23 rebounds and four blocks.
* Limited minutes for the Lakers' stars -- but not games off -- is usually Phil Jackson's style.

MEMPHIS
* The Grizzlies are three games clear for the No. 8 seed with four games to go. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are candidates to sit out in the final game, but everyone else should be a go.

MIAMI
* Dwyane Wade (quad) missed practice Tuesday and is questionable for Wednesday. Unlike most NBA players, he likes to exaggerate his injuries rather than downplay them. He is headed for a true game-time decision, with James Jones or Mike Miller serving as possible replacements.
* Mike Bibby is going to stick as the starting point guard for now, but Mario Chalmers (knee) return caps his upside. Only consider Bibby as a 3-point specialist Wednesday if Wade sits.

MILWAUKEE
* Carlos Delfino (rib) made a surprise return Tuesday, posting seven points in nearly 34 minutes.
* Andrew Bogut is one of the biggest shutdown candidates around right now thanks to his painful elbow injury. Wednesday could very well be his last game, with Drew Gooden getting a potential boost if that is the case.

MINNESOTA
* Kevin Love (groin) is not going to play Wednesday, but says he would like to return on Saturday. I am not really buying that -- Love already aggravated his groin once and the Wolves are fighting for ping-pong balls.
* The Wolves went small again Tuesday, starting Michael Beasley at the four and Wayne Ellington at the two. But it's really just a hot-hand situation -- if Anthony Randolph catches fire like he did Tuesday, he will get the minutes. The same can be said for Anthony Tolliver and Martell Webster. I am avoiding the mess altogether.

NEW JERSEY
* With the Nets decimated by injury, Sasha Vujacic is worth a look. He had 17 points, 10 rebounds, four treys and three steals last night while playing 37 minutes.
* See above for notes on Deron Williams and Jordan Farmar.

NEW ORLEANS
* Chris Paul had a little scare with his surgically repaired knee Sunday, but is fine.
* Carl Landry's numbers since David West went down: 20.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 53.6 percent from the field.

NEW YORK
* Coach Mike D'Antoni said he does not plan on resting any of his starters ahead of the playoffs. It is a good move as the Knicks are still working to find their groove in the Carmelo Anthony era.
* Do not chase Toney Douglas' 28-point night Tuesday. It came in a blowout and Douglas is a poor bet to top 24 minutes most nights.

OKLAHOMA CITY
* The Thunder are so young that there is no need to rest any of their guys down the stretch. This remains the most stable and predictable rotation in the league.

ORLANDO
* Dwight Howard wants rest but coach Stan Van Gundy does not want to give it to him. The compromise is going to be a reduction in minutes, but likely no games off.

PHILADELPHIA
* Lou Williams (hamstring) is done for the regular season.
* With Williams out Tuesday, Evan Turner came off the bench for 21 points and five assists in 33 minutes. I am still not buying the No. 2 overall pick. His jump shot is wildly erratic and was such a liability before last night that he was getting DNP-CDs. Desperation play only.
* News emerged Tuesday that Elton Brand has been playing with a fractured left hand for a month. That is nice to know, but it has only affected Brand's game marginally. He had 12 points, five boards, three blocks and two steals in 35 minutes Tuesday night.
* Andre Iguodala (knee) and Brand (hands) are good bets to sit out the final game or two of the season.

PHOENIX
* Steve Nash returned from a flu bug and played nearly 35 minutes Tuesday night. He genuinely seems excited about playing out the season.
* Vince Carter got hot and took some of Jared Dudley's minutes Tuesday, but he will not make it a trend. Dudley remains the preferred fantasy play.

PORTLAND
* Marcus Camby hurt his neck Tuesday night. Considering his injury history, sitting out the rest of the regular season is certainly a possibility. Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews will get big boosts if Camby does indeed miss time.

SACRAMENTO
* Coach Paul Westphal has solved his logjam in the backcourt well. He puts Beno Udrih on the bench and watches Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton go off. They won impressively in Houston Tuesday and this rotation is set.
* Sam Dalembert popped off for 21 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and three steals Tuesday night. He is just as likely to post four points and eight boards next time out, but the blocks make it worth the risk. Use him.
* Omri Casspi has completely fallen out of the rotation and hinted that he wants a trade. Hard to blame him.

SAN ANTONIO
* For now, all the Spurs are healthy. But as we saw last week, mass rest is always possible. Coach Gregg Popovich puts more emphasis on freshness than he does on the No. 1 seed.

TORONTO
* Andrea Bargnani (ankle) started Tuesday, but left after eight minutes due to soreness. At this point, a shutdown is a real possibility. Ed Davis, who had 22 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday, is a must-add.
* Jose Calderon (hamstring) was a game-time decision but ended up sitting. With Jerryd Bayless playing so well, Calderon's potential role upon his return is uncertain.

UTAH
* Devin Harris (hamstring) missed another game but says he will play Thursday. Color me skeptical.
* Kyrylo Fesenko was going to start on Tuesday, but then he injured his thumb in practice Monday. So coach Ty Corbin went with Derrick Favors and the rookie responded: 14 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, one steal. Deep leaguers could do worse despite the anemic free-throw shooting.
* Gordon Hayward went off for 22 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and two treys Tuesday as a reserve. The Jazz want to get a long look at their rookie down the stretch -- he is bordering on must-start status.

WASHINGTON
* The Wizards announced Tuesday that Nick Young, Rashard Lewis, Josh Howard, Cartier Martin and Trevor Booker are all out for the year.
* Maurice Evans is certainly taking advantage of his opportunity. Over the last seven games, he is averaging 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 treys a night. He is the exact kind of player the hungry owner should be looking at

 

[HacheMan]

Stew: Hello Hayward
There's little time to mince words: As of Thursday, there are seven nights of basketball remaining in the NBA regular season, and if you're here, you are probably looking for a late-season boost in an effort to win your league. With that in mind, I'm altering the Stew format slightly this week to focus entirely on players of value who might be available on your waiver wire. So without any further intro, let's dive directly into:

TEN ON THE RISE:

Toney Douglas: After a brief scoring lull during the latter part of March, Douglas has bounced back to average 18.7 ppg, 4.3 apg, 1.3 spg and 4.0 threes through three games in April, and will only see his value increase if Chauncey Billups (thigh) is unable to play on Friday. If you're in a daily format, make sure Douglas isn't still available in your league. And at this point, I would start him with confidence even if Billups does play.

Rodney Stuckey: Naturally, just as soon as Stuckey had become too risky to start due to his disciplinary benching from John Kuester, the Pistons guard unleashed a 22-5-10 line against the Nets on Wednesday night. It's time to add him if he got dropped by a frustrated owner after the benching.

Gordon Hayward: Emerging late in the season is better than emerging never, and Hayward has made a notable impact in his last two games, averaging 20.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg and 2.0 threes heading into a matchup with Portland Thursday night.

Jordan Farmar: He should be gone from your waiver wire given the chance that Deron Williams (wrist) might be shut down, but it's worth double-checking just to be sure. Farmar had 18 points, 11 assists and four threes in a start on Wednesday and has averaged a standout 13.9 ppg, 9.0 apg, 1.1 spg and 1.8 threes in 14 starts this season.

Carlos Delfino: He has averaged just 8.0 ppg on a combined 6-for-20 shooting in his two games since returning from a rib injury, but Delfino's late-season M.O. has been busting out enormous games when they're least expected, as evidenced by him averaging 7.3 ppg during an eight-game stretch in March, then following it up with a three-game stretch during which he uncorked 28.7 ppg and 6.3 threes (yes, that was a long sentence). It's just a hunch, but I've got a feeling Delfino may have at least one more random three-point barrage left.

Ed Davis: With Andrea Bargnani (ankle) iffy going forward, Davis (20 percent owned in Yahoo leagues) warrants an add wherever available. The rookie big man has posted 12.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 0.7 spg and 1.0 bpg in his last seven games.

Gerald Henderson: Eighteen percent owned in Yahoo leagues at this late stage of the season, Henderson has hit for double figures in each of his last 10 games, including a career-high 32 points on Wednesday. Henderson's stats over those last 10 outings: 16.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.6 bpg.

Paul George: Many of us have been waiting for this breakout all season, and George's 23-6-4 line with five threes, two steals and a block legitimately qualifies as eye-catching. I'm not quite ready to fully get on board with a late-season George surge given that he had averaged just 4.4 ppg in his previous five games, but I can understand giving him a look if you're in need of a high-upside late-season gamble.

Aaron Brooks: With Steve Nash only good for limited minutes at the moment (and sitting out the 2nd and 4th quarters on Wednesday), Brooks made himself heard with 19 points and six assists in 26 minutes against Minnesota. He's not a wildly exciting play right now unless Nash actually sits out a game, but fantasy owners could do far worse if looking for a late-season boost in points, assists and threes.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Gilbert Arenas: His 25-point outburst on Wednesday night definitely caught my attention, but I'm only intrigued by the notion of deploying him on Saturday if Jason Richardson (knee) or Jameer Nelson gets a night off from Stan Van Gundy. It'll be worth watching our news blurbs about the Magic as the weekend approaches.

By the way, I didn't mention Jerryd Bayless because I assumed he'd already be gone after averaging 24.0 ppg, 6.0 apg and 2.0 threes through four games this month, but if the Raptors guard is somehow still available in your league, I would immediately add him ahead off all the other players previously discussed.

 

[HacheMan]

CP3, Lee, and Victory
The NBA took Monday off so we could all get together and gather up some bricks for the homeless, and has played 25 games since then. In the process, many league titles may have already been decided. And many of you are dumpster diving for category boosts, but just don't bring that up the next time you're trolling the bar at 1:30 in the morning.

I'm just going to say it again so maybe we can get some momentum on the topic, but I think there should be an industry-wide move away from using this week in league playoffs. Teams are getting increasingly savvy with how they deploy guys down the stretch, and anywhere you can take the luck factor out of fantasy sports – I'm down. After all, why bust your ass all year to have the title decided because the Hawks were five games away from everybody in the standings.

If you want to compete with the big boys, follow us on Twitter for breaking news and analysis. Here we are:

@docktora
@mattstroup
@adamlevitan
@mistysp200
@aaronbruski

Hot Fantasy Nights

I'm tempted to link to Kate Upton doing the Dougie at the Clippers game, but I'll let you find it yourself. And for the chance my girlfriend reads my column today, let's just say it's a cultural/pop music phenomena that's taking the world by storm.

Ah hell, here's the link, you be the judge.

The rest of the hot fantasy nights came on the, um, hardwood last night and here they are:

Chris Paul scored 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting (including a three) with nine rebounds, 10 assists, and one steal. The Hornets clinched a playoff spot for the third time in four seasons, and win or lose (likely lose) in the first round – Paul is just a few weeks away from playing the leverage game. Fantasywise, he exploded after the concussion, slowed down a bit in the playoffs, and totally redeemed himself last night. I expect him to play until the seedings are set, and the Hornets, Grizzlies, and Blazers are separated by just one game a piece. When it was announced today that he had his knee drained for the fifth time this season, it didn't surprise me at all. And call me out on it if it doesn't happen, but I'm calling my shot now – he'll be Brandon Roy the year following the next.

David Lee looks like the David Lee everybody hoped he would be when they drafted him, scoring 22 points with 17 rebounds, five assists, four steals, and a block. Something should be said for getting it done when it counts, but a number of teams that drafted him may not be around to celebrate it. Dorell Wright has been hit by the surge, and had another off-night with 10 points, seven boards, two assists, and two steals, but still played a whopping 44 minutes and should stay in lineups for the bounce back game.

Blake Griffin scored 35 points on 15-of-20 shooting with 11 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block, but missed a key free throw late that cost the team, hitting 5-of-8 freebies on the night. Format is the big issue with him, and he clearly has a habit of taking plays off on defense. Should he be drafted in the first round next year in formats that penalize his free throw shooting and defensive deficiencies? Maybe is the best I can come up with right now. Put it this way, you could do worse, but I'm guessing he'll be overdrafted next year, regardless.

Brook Lopez scored a career-high 39 points on 14-of-20 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists last night, and stormed out of the locker room after the game, presumably because the Nets lost. Again. It's strange that one loss out of many would get him upset, particularly after such a good game, but then again I get the sense that he and his brother aren't the toughest guys around. If you cover up his name when looking at his stats over the second half of the year, owners would probably be celebrating him, but the horrid start, draft position, and the rebounding problems are too much to overcome.

Gerald Henderson joined a list he isn't likely to grace too many times in his career, scoring a career-high 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting with five rebounds and four assists. Stephen Jackson may get shutdown by the time I'm done typing this column, and Henderson needs to be owned in all formats. When writing the book on Henderson's season, all you need to write is: 18-foot jumper off the curl. And while we're on the topic, Boris Diaw is forced by the fact that the Cats are playing a lottery team lineup to produce. He had 17 points, five boards, seven assists, two steals, and two threes on 7-of-11 shooting. He's worth the gamble right now. As for Dante Cunningham and his 16 points and 10 rebounds last night, I'm not taking the bait until I'm 14 teams deep at least.

Rookie Paul George finally had the breakout game owners were hoping for all year, scoring a career-high 23 points with six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. My gut tells me this is a one-game thing, but with the Pacers wrapping up the eight-seed last night, maybe they're more inclined to feed him (and rest Danny Granger).

The Best of the Rest

Shawn Marion needed a Caron Butler injury to nudge him along, but he has proven to be a solid fantasy asset down the stretch. He scored 21 points with 10 boards last night, and as long as the Mavs are flirting with losing the No. 3 seed, I'm not worried about his playing time. Brendan Haywood spot-started for Tyson Chandler (back), and went off for a season-high 19 rebounds and five blocks. If he gets another start, owners trolling for those categories would be wise to take a chance on him.

Russell Westbrook scored 26 points with seven boards, seven assists, and three steals, and while Kevin Durant scored 29 points too, there is a growing chorus of folks that believe that Westbrook had a better fantasy year. I don't know if I'm fully on board with that, but when one of the voices is Doctor A, I'm certainly pondering it. Michael Beasley is enjoying Kevin Love's absences, and had another nice night with 24 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and five steals.

Greg Monroe should get third place in the rookie of the year voting, because he is carrying the Pistons right now, with all due respect to Landry Fields. Monroe scored 20 points with 10 rebounds and a full stat line, and I wish the Warriors could have landed him in the draft.

LeBron James scored 29 points with eight assists, two steals, and two blocks, but had just two boards, and frankly I expect more when Dwyane Wade (thigh) is out. I really think James is capable of a 40-10-10 line if Wade misses their next game. Marcin Gortat scored 20 points with 16 rebounds, a steal, and a block, and one has to wonder if Alvin Gentry was trying to keep his mentally weak center, Robin Lopez, from totally detaching by not benching him. Sure, the Suns didn't have a real shot at anything in the postseason, but starting Gortat sooner would have won more games. J.J. Hickson scored 28 points with 10 boards and a block, and has hit 50 percent of his shots in April. He might have struggled enough this season with various issues to be had at a reasonable value next year, all things equal.

Today in Kuester

John Kuester doesn't deserve the criticism for this go-around with Rodney Stuckey, and Stuck fessed up and was reinserted back into the lineup in a big way last night, scoring 22 points with five boards and 10 assists. The pattern with guys like he and J.R. Smith, or anybody that gets disciplined, is that after they get broken down they get built back up. That's why Smith had 23 points with five boards and three assists last night after pouting through 16 minutes on Tuesday. Will Bynum left the game and didn't play the second half last night with a calf injury, Tracy McGrady was a DNP-CD, and Stuckey played the entire second half. If the injury forces Bynum to miss time, then Kue will need to either activate McGrady (which he may not want to do) or start Stuckey, so stick all of that into your Kuester pipe and smoke it.

Richard Hamilton bounced back with 25 points, five boards, and nine assists after going 1-of-11 on Tuesday and getting pulled, and since Tuesday was the only bad game he's had in a while I'm still buying here. It's almost as if Kuester is trying to make good with Rip and the fans down the stretch.

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Restapalooza and Seed Warfare

The Lakers will not rest their guys down the stretch according to Phil Jackson, and they shouldn't, as they are just 2.5 games back of Chicago in the home court standings, and a half game ahead of the Celtics. The Heat are one full game back, too. I'm not ruling out rest, and believe it will be a fluid situation right down to the wire. And for added motivation, while Kobe Bryant should be on more MVP voters' tongues, he isn't, and he is not only playing for MVP honors – but is competing with Dwyane Wade for the second guard spot on the All-NBA First Team. Don't think he doesn't know that.

The Mavs fell into a slump at the wrong time, and now lead the Thunder by just one game for the No. 3 spot, and the Thunder have the tiebreaker. The difference between playing the Nuggets and the bottom three seeds is significant. This is great news for Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler, though if either sit, then Brendan Haywood and J.J. Barea (12 points, 10 assists) will be worth a look.

On the other side of the equation is the race for the No. 6 slot in the West, as a trip to face Dallas will be much more desirable than the Lakers and Spurs, and as mentioned the bottom three teams (Hornets, Blazers, Grizzlies) are separated by just one game. Look for their players to play until the matter is decided, though Marcus Camby (neck) is already ruled out for tonight. Give Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews added consideration.

The Nuggets don't have much to play for, and their rotation has turned vanilla quick, with Ty Lawson, Nene, Danilo Gallinari, and Kenyon Martin being relatively safe plays, and Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, and J.R. Smith being the risky guys night-to-night. Chris Anderson (knee) is hopeful to play Friday, but I really don't see them rushing him back if he's not ready, and the same goes for Arron Afflalo (hamstring).

The Rockets are out of contention, and Goran Dragic is now worth watching since Houston is emphasizing playing him. He scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting with two threes in 23 minutes, and should Rick Adelman give his vets some time off after a hard grind, he'll be capable of some big numbers. Adding and/or starting him right now in a standard league is a bit much, however.

The Suns are spiraling toward a massive timeshare, with nine guys playing between 19 and 32 minutes last night. Steve Nash played 22 minutes with six points, four boards, and nine assists, Channing Frye went scoreless on four shot attempts in 27 minutes, and Jared Dudley was useless in 21 minutes with seven points, three boards, and a steal. Grant Hill managed to score 17 points, but did it in just 19 minutes. Meanwhile, Aaron Brooks came off the bench for 19 points and six assists, and I like owning him in any league that I'm short on PGs or PG stats. I'm guessing that Alvin Gentry is letting the vets go out on their own terms here, but there may be a directive soon from above to play the young guys – especially with their next two games being on the road. As for when they return home, they will play Monday and Wednesday of next week, and for the latter game against the Spurs – my guess is that it will be Nash's going away party.

As for Dudley, I like his future a little less than I did yesterday, but it still makes sense that he gets minutes. I don't start him unless my options are limited, but I probably own him unless I have to make a move. I've been worried about a Frye shoulder injury, and while there is no report, you don't have two scoreless nights in two weeks if you're completely right. Make the move if you have to, but realize he may have a big game left in him. Everybody else is worth taking a hot-hand approach with.

In Cleveland, Baron Davis (knee, back, body) is playing through his ailments, and probably wants to prove everybody wrong at this point. He really is hindered so I'm not ruling out a shutdown at some point, however. He scored 19 points with 12 assists and needs to be in all lineups as long as he's playing, and while Ramon Sessions slowed down with 15 points and two assists off the bench, as long as you don't hear the word 'hernia' he's a decent low-end option.

Josh Smith (knee) would have played if it was a playoff game, and will be out until at least Monday, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more absences since the Hawks have nothing to play for. There's nothing concrete about guys other than Smoove missing time, however, so play on. Jamal Crawford should continue to produce as long as any of the big three are out.

Break yourself

Why not lead off with Andrew Bogut, who has no current injury, but has plenty of reason to bow out with the Bucks officially eliminated from the playoffs last night. He already has major offseason elbow surgery planned, has a bum back, and is probably broken down in ways we don't even know. Drew Gooden was horrible last night with just nine points and not much else in 19 minutes, but had been playing much better than that over the past week or so, so if I need a forward I own him. Carlos Delfino hit a big three last night, but that isn't paying the bills for owners after a nine-point outing with two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 28 minutes. My guess is the rib injury is still hurting him, and with the Bucks out of things, the rotation in Milwaukee scares me. Corey Maggette also might have been injured last night, but typically news came from a Twitter follower, who obviously reports much more than the Milwaukee press. And while we're reporting the news, John Salmons suffered a gash to his head and left the game late, and unless it's worse than we believe it is, he shouldn't miss any time because of it. Finding a beneficiary out of this bunch is trivial, though Larry Sanders should also be on the radar.

Chris Kaman left last night's game with a knee sprain and is day-to-day, but it sure sounds like it will be the last straw for him this year. DeAndre Jordan should be owned in all formats.

Deron Williams' (wrist) status will be updated on Friday before their game with the Knicks according to Avery Johnson, but hopefully we'll learn something sooner about both he and Kris Humphries (foot). Obviously, the statuses of Jordan Farmar and Dan Gadzuric hang in the balance, though I'll leave you to figure out which one doesn't belong. Anthony Morrow (knee) is also questionable, and should he miss the game then you can play Sasha Vujacic in a standard league with a bit better confidence, though he's not a must-start player. My gut tells me that Williams is done, but that the hedging from Avery and Co. was in order to sell tickets and/or win against their rival. Now that Amare Stoudemire (ankle) and Chauncey Billups (thigh) are questionable, I don't know if the game will have as much cachet, but it's anybody's guess if that helps or hurts the decision if it's being made based on economics or rivalry terms.

Speaking of Stoudemire and Billups, we've heard Mike D'Antoni tell us that minor injuries wouldn't keep guys out only to have them sit, so owners need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Billups said that this thigh contusion wasn't as bad as the prior one, and Stoudemire has called his injury minor, too. Toney Douglas should be owned in all formats for both the production he'll have a shot at if both guys play, but also the big line he'd likely put up if one or both miss the game. If both guys are out, Landry Fields and Shawne Williams could also be worth a desperation stab.

In Toronto, Andrea Bargnani (ankle) missed Wednesday's game, as did Leandro Barbosa (finger) and Amir Johnson (ankle, back, body). Jose Calderon (hamstring) played and missed all seven of his shot attempts, but did manage four points and nine assists on the night. Jerryd Bayless was not devastated by Calderon's start, as he poured in 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting with two rebounds and three assists, though his line looked more like a souped-up version of Barbosa than his typical PG driven play. What does that mean? If Calderon stays on the court, then look to Barbosa's health as a guide for Bayless' play. That said, he won't be leaving any of my lineups anytime soon – it's his time now.

Ed Davis was a disappointment even with Bargnani and Johnson out, scoring just two points with five boards, while Reggie Evans went off with 15 points and 13 boards. How Jay Triano gets away with playing Evans at this time of the year is anybody's guess, but it probably comes down to some useless maxim like 'put your best guys out there.' And for what it's worth, Evans is providing a core function a team needs, though it's debatable who the more effective player(s) really are. There was a Sonny Weems sighting as he scored 17 points with four boards and four assists, while steady low-end 14-team league producer James Johnson was hindered to the tune of two points, three boards, and three assists. If Bargnani is out, I'll probably use Davis again, even knowing the risk, and while in theory Johnson should have value down the stretch – he's much too risky to use even in deeper leagues.

Jason Richardson missed last night's game with knee soreness, and Stan Van Gundy is starting to sound like a guy who will be resting his players. Gilbert Arenas scored 25 points with six threes and not much else in 45 minutes in his place, and this might be the time the Magic try to get his confidence back up. If Richardson misses more time, go ahead and plug Arenas in if you're struggling to find options.

Andre Iguodala has been banged up for weeks, and after an AP report questioned his health, I turned to resident basketball, baseball, and football expert Adam Levitan for the real scoop, as he also covers the Sixers beat. He believes that the Sixers want to turn their slump around, and with seeding still an issue, he believes he'll play Friday and Monday unless he's more hurt than anybody is letting on. Either way, with Lou Williams (hamstring) questionable to return to the playoffs, and Elton Brand (hand) possibly in line for some rest, Jrue Holiday will be a force down the stretch. And if Thaddeus Young is somehow unowned in your league, he shouldn't be. Young scored 25 points with seven boards, and I believe he'll play like a must start player for the rest of the year.

Stephen Curry tweaked his ankle last night and Monta Ellis landed on his wrist, but honestly, until there's a report ruling them out of a game they're not leaving my lineups. They both stayed in the game and looked fine, too.

Darko Milicic, as Doc put it last night, has injured his ankle more times this season than times he entered the game for the Pistons in his rookie year. He simply can't be counted on, and now is the time to gamble on Anthony Randolph with Darko and Kevin Love's (groin) seasons in doubt. Randolph scored 19 points with three rebounds and three assists last night, while Anthony Tolliver represents the safer play with less upside, and scored 10 points with nine boards in the starting lineup.

And while it's not an injury, since it should be an absence let's just go ahead and recognize Dwight Howard, who threw the ball in the opposite direction of a ref after getting a 10-second count at the free throw line last night – drawing his 18th technical foul and automatic one-game suspension. My guess is that the league isn't going to set a precedent by removing this tech, either. His petulance will cost him the MVP award this year, though in no way can anybody say definitively that Derrick Rose is the more valuable player this season. Rose's hype is based on many different factors that all deserve credit, but the notion that he is somehow more valuable than Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Howard is contrived. I love the player, but the media is trying to outdo themselves, here. Regardless, Howard is probably going to crush his owners by missing a game, and in that game Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass will be worth added consideration.

 

[HacheMan]

Rose Seals Deal On MVP
There were just two games in the NBA on Thursday night, but that's not going to stop us from taking a look around the league as the season winds down. The latest superstar to officially shut it down is Deron Williams, who will have wrist surgery today. Additionally, it was announced just after I posted this column that Andrew Bogut is done for the year as well. See Rotoworlld Player News for details.

FantasyPostseason.com

But before we jump into what's going on with the players in the league, I thought I'd let you know about the NBA Fantasy Playoff league we put together here at Rotoworld. It looks like most of the owners in this one will consist of the Rotoworld Hoops Crew you know and love, with a couple rock stars filling in the last couple spots. In any case, there aren't many sites out there that offer fantasy playoff leagues, but we found one at Fantasypostseason.com. We're going to have a live draft, start 2 G, 2 F, 1 C, 1 F/C and 2 Flex players, with points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks all worth 1 point. Turnovers are –1, while Double-Doubles are worth 3 bonus points, Triple-Doubles are worth 8, and a 30-point scoring game is worth 5 bonus points.

The site and setup are very flexible and you can really customize it in any fashion you're in the mood for. So if you're as sad to see the season end as we are, roll your league over to Fantasypostseason.com and enjoy some bonus fantasy hoops through most of June. I'll be back with some strategy advice and a look at how our draft went in upcoming columns.

Additionally, I'll have my year-end Fantasy Awards Column out this weekend in place of a new Waiver Wired, so look for that on Sunday. And my first NBA Mock Draft is on tap for next week as well.

Thursday Night's Action

Bulls Throttle Celtics

The Bulls crushed the Celtics last night, as the Twitter community continued to ask the question on the mind of most Celtics fans. Which is, why in the world did Danny Ainge trade Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green? Yeah, I get that they were going to lose Perk after the season, as well as that they needed to get younger. But it really feels like Boston went from having a decent chance at winning it all to having no chance with the trade. And yes, maybe he assumed Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal would be fully healthy by the playoffs, but again, those are not the guys who took you within a game of a title last year, and they're both hobbling around on one leg, or less. Had Ainge had this same mentality when he pulled off the deals for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, he would have never done it, knowing the window for a ring was going to close so quickly. At least they got one championship, but I don't see how the Celtics win the East this year, let alone make it to the Finals. And while this probably isn't fair, trading Perkins, the core of the team defense, away for Jeff Green when you already have Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett really feels more like something the Hawks would have done a few years ago, and not today's Boston Celtics.

Garnett double-doubled with 10 points and 10 rebounds last night, while Pierce and Green scored 10 points each. There they are – the only highlights for the Celtics. Oh, and Jermaine O'Neal played 16 minutes for five points, zero rebounds and two blocks, while we still haven't seen the much anticipated return of Shaq, which could happen on Sunday.

For the Bulls, Derrick Rose posted his standard line of 30 points, five boards, eight dimes, two steals and two 3-pointers, and put an exclamation point on the MVP Award last night. Joakim Noah hobbled through his sprained ankle and played solid D, but owners were certainly hoping for more than two points, six boards and a couple blocks. He had ice packs on various body parts whenever he was on the bench last night and played just 23 minutes. He's playing the role of warrior, but you have to wonder if he's about to get another couple games off before the playoffs start. Luol Deng scored 23 and Carlos Boozer double-doubled as the Bulls are now primed to capture the No. 1 seed in the East on Friday night with a win over Cleveland. And just to humor myself, the Bulls would also clinch if Boston loses at home to the Wizards. And if that happens, Chicken Little himself will make a personal appearance at the Garden after tonight's game.

Blazers Blast Jazz

Marcus Camby was out with a sore neck, Brandon Roy somehow scored 11 points in 21 minutes, and the Blazers got rock-solid performances out of Gerald Wallace, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews, sending the Jazz to yet another loss. Matthews had 18 points, seven boards and two threes, and might be worth grabbing if he was cut in your league, while the same goes for Batum.

For the Jazz, rookie Gordon Hayward finally cooled off a bit with just 10 points, C.J. Miles stayed ice cold, going 3-of-11 last night for six points. He's now hit just 3-of-24 shots from beyond the arc over his last five games. Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson double-doubled, while Devin Harris returned from a seven-game absence with 26 points, five assists, five 3-pointers and seven turnovers. If you want to pick him up, it seems to make sense, although I'm still in a bit of shock that he returned at all from his hamstring injury.

News & Notes

Nets Deron Williams (wrist surgery) and Kris Humphries (ankle/back) are both done for the season, while Anthony Morrow is expected to return to action on Friday night. Jordan Farmar is an automatic start, or at least he should be, while it's anyone's guess whether Avery Johnson will go with Dan Gadzuric, Travis Outlaw or Brandan Wright at power forward. When Williams had an MRI in Utah it was determined surgery was not needed, but obviously things took a turn for the worse between then and now, and it's become pretty obvious that he shouldn't have been playing through the injury all this time.

Amare Stoudemire will be out for the Knicks on Friday night due to his sprained ankle, while Chauncey Billups is expected to start despite his thigh injury. Start Billups at your own risk, but make sure you've got someone else in there beside Amare tonight. Shawne Williams is expected to start in his place, while there's also been talk about Shelden Williams starting at center for the playoffs.

Josh Smith (knee) is out again for the Hawks and isn't expected to play until Monday.

Dwyane Wade is probable for the Heat tonight against the Bobcats, which means he's very likely to play, although it's possible his minutes could be limited.

There's still no word on whether Jason Kidd (knee) and Tyson Chandler (back) will play on Friday night, but it sounds like there's a decent chance each of both giving it a go.

Kevin Love (groin) and Darko Milicic (ankle) are still on shutdown watch for Minnesota and we should have an answer soon on both of them. In other news, Ricky Rubio is expected to play for the Wolves next year, if the NBA can avoid a lock out, although I'll believe RR in a Wolves uniform when I see it.

Leandro Barbosa (finger) and Amir Johnson (ankle) are game-time decisions tonight, while Andrea Bargnani (ankle) and Jose Calderon (hamstring) didn't even travel with the team. My guess is Bargs and JC are done for the season. Reggie Evans, Jerryd Bayless and Ed Davis are the big winners in this mess.

The Magic are off until Sunday, when Dwight Howard will sit out with another suspension. Quentin Richardson will also be suspended, although that one doesn't really matter in fantasyland. Ryan Anderson will start in his place.

The Memphis Grizzlies can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Kings tonight.

 

[HacheMan]

Wired: The Fantasy Awards
Here are the Fantasy Hoops Awards for the year. Aaron Bruski and I combined our thoughts on this one and chances are, if you're still reading about fantasy hoops, you won your league, or had a nice year, and many of your players will be listed below. Enjoy.

Fantasy MVP

Alexander: LeBron James
Bruski: LeBron James

Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire & Monta Ellis.

Dr. A: LeBron overcame playing with two very skilled offensive players in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to have another huge fantasy season. Whether or not the Heat can advance to the Finals remains to be seen, but in terms of fantasy, LeBron was better to own than Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. We had Durant as our preseason favorite to take this crown, but the strong play of Russell Westbrook derailed that train.

Bruski: Ironically, the choice comes down to James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and though Durant didn't win a positional award by my accord, he was probably James' closest competition. And the two were very close statistically, with James carrying advantages in field goal percentage, assists, and steals, and Durant carrying advantages is free throw shooting, blocks, and threes. Add it up and James has a slight edge in a per-game valuation, and with two extra games under his belt the advantage gets more pronounced cumulatively. My guess is that these two are going to do battle for these honors for the next five years.

Best Point Guard

Alexander: Chris Paul
Bruski: Derrick Rose

Honorable Mention: Russell Westbrook & Stephen Curry.

Dr. A: Paul was somewhat quiet, but still had a huge season and stayed pretty healthy, despite concerns about his knee. I could have gone with Rose here, like Bruski did, but Paul's owners were in good shape all season and he led teams to a lot of titles. However, that zero-point game on Sunday was painful.

Bruski: Yes, you read that right, I listed Rose. To clarify, Chris Paul was the most valuable PG on the year, but since I'd venture to say the majority of leagues have some form of playoffs, I have to give the nod to Rose. Over the last month, Rose scored 26.6 points with 1.9 threes, 3.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks while shooting 46.5% from the field and 90.8% from the foul line. Paul's numbers were just behind, as he scored 16.5 points with 0.6 threes, 5.2 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.1 blocks while shooting 46.2% from the field and 79.7% from the foul line. And while Paul was giving owners fits with the early signs of Brandon Roy syndrome, Rose was hanging in TV land with Katy Perry. Advantage, Rose.

Best Shooting Guard

Alexander: Monta Ellis
Bruski: Dwyane Wade

Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili & Kevin Martin.

Dr. A: It was tough to pass on Wade here, but Ellis got the minutes from Keith Smart and had a monster fantasy season, playing in five more games than Wade up to this point. Yes, he crumbled in the fantasy playoffs, but based on his draft position (outside of Round 1), I'm giving Ellis the nod over Wade – who might be the best player in the league when healthy. Ellis is probably done for the season after going to the hospital on Sunday with a head injury.

Bruski: Wade falls down a million times, milks it, and gets right back up. And while he was one hangnail away from sitting out seemingly all year long, he stayed healthy and played in 75 games to date. His closest statistical comparison is Monta Ellis, who only creeps closely when you look at cumulative values. As you'll see with the SF discussion, Miami proved to be a more fertile fantasy ground than we thought it would be entering the year.

Best Small Forward

Alexander: LeBron
Bruski: LeBron

Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant

We covered this in the MVP section.

Best Power Forward

Alexander: Kevin Love
Bruski: Amare Stoudemire

Honorable Mention: LaMarcus Aldridge, Josh Smith, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Millsap & Kevin Garnett.

Dr. A: Bruski and I failed to talk about position played before putting this together, so we're stuck. I had Amare as my No. 1 center, but I can't argue with Bruski having Amare as a PF. Love was a fantasy beast all season, but a groin injury sidelined him down the stretch, when it really mattered to his owners. Maybe I should have gone with Aldridge or Smith, but it's hard to argue with what Love did before going down with the injury.

Bruski: Amare pooped out at the end, and if anybody with his body of work had started to top the charts late I'd give this a second look, but that didn't happen so Amare gets my nod. And while Kevin Love put up some monster numbers this season, his lack of steals and blocks and low field goal percentage kept him from taking the next step into elite territory. As for Love's potential for improvement in those areas? It's not going to happen when he's pinning down his guy well before a shot is released to get rebounding position, and otherwise jacking up a bunch of threes.

Best Center

Alexander: Amare Stoudemire
Bruski: Dwight Howard

Honorable Mention: Pau Gasol

Dr. A: Amare had a huge year and rewarded owners who took him with a first-round pick. His minutes were ridiculous and while he has been sitting recently in preparation for the playoffs, he came through in a big way for owners. I almost went with Dwight Howard as well, but it's still no secret that his free throws and turnovers remain a problem. I'll let Bruski handle the love for Dwight.

Bruski: Even in 8-cat leagues that count his awful 59.2% free throw percentage, Howard was still able to rank as the best true center of the bunch with high second round value (cumulative). He added a few new post moves and started to get a little bit meaner, which comes when the weight of expectations start to get a little heavier.

Keep reading for the rest of the awards.
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Fantasy Steal of the Draft

Alexander: Dorell Wright
Bruski: Dorell Wright

Honorable Mentions: Monta Ellis, Kevin Love, Paul Pierce, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Martin, Jrue Holiday, J.J. Hickson, Beno Udrih, Michael Beasley & Channing Frye.

Dr. A: Wright was likely gobbled up near the end of your draft and hit a ton of 3-pointers, as well as racked up huge fantasy numbers along the way. If he was drafted in your league, he was the obvious choice here.

Bruski: There's been some debate about whether or not Dorell Wright should be listed in the 'draft steal' section or the 'waiver wire pickup' section of the awards, which to me says all you need to know about a guy that was a flier pick in many drafts. Being a Warriors fan and following him in the preseason, it was clear to me early on that he would be productive in Golden State, and that one thought carried almost all of my teams to the promised land.

Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickup

Alexander: Kyle Lowry
Bruski: Kyle Lowry

Honorable Mention: Serge Ibaka, Marcin Gortat, Kris Humphries, Landry Fields, Jordan Crawford, Wesley Matthews, Nick Young, Tony Allen & Marcus Thornton.

Dr. A: Lowry was possibly dropped in some leagues when Aaron Brooks returned from his ankle injury, but it was Lowry who held onto the starting job and the numbers before Brooks was finally sent packing to the Suns. If you picked up Lowry and held onto him, you might have won your league due to a savvy move on the wire.

Bruski: There can be arguments made for guys that got hot during the playoffs (Jordan Crawford, Marcus Thornton) and an argument can be built for guys like Marcin Gortat and Kris Humphries, too. For my money, you just can't overlook the breadth of Kyle Lowry's work, as he held off Aaron Brooks and put up monster numbers in 71 starts.

Fantasy Bust

Alexander: Joe Johnson
Bruski: Brandon Roy

Honorable Mention: Joakim Noah, Rashard Lewis, O.J. Mayo, Marcus Thornton, Rashard Lewis, Aaron Brooks, Antawn Jamison, Jeff Green & Brandon Jennings.

Dr. A: Johnson finished with 8th-round fantasy value, and while he was still rather productive, he just no longer looks like a player who should be taken in the first three rounds of fantasy drafts. He stayed healthy and still really hosed his owners, so I'm going with him as my bust of the year. How can Thornton be on both the Bust and Pickup list? It's pretty simple, in that he killed those of us who drafted him in October, and then likely came through for another team in your league late for someone who grabbed him off waivers after he was traded to the Kings.

Many folks will have Brook Lopez on their Bust list, but he played well late and was still at least productive throughout the season, despite being outrebounded by several guards in the league.

Bruski: As he did with the Portland brass, Brandon Roy sold owners a bill of goods that implied he had a functioning knee. As it would go he didn't, and many owners' seasons were crippled early on.

Fantasy Rookie of the Year

Alexander: Blake Griffin
Bruski: Blake Griffin

Honorable Mention: Greg Monroe, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins & Landry Fields.

Dr. A: Bruski covers this pretty well and Blake was a no-brainer for this award. Therefore, I'll let Aaron do the heavy lifting.

Bruski: Griffin will get overdrafted next season, and depending on your format his value swings wildly, but no other rookie came close to equaling his fantasy value over the entire season, though John Wall has come on late and outproduced him in the playoffs. When you factor in Wall's midseason struggles and injury concerns, it's clear that the points go to Griffin. And when you add into the mix that you got to watch your guy put on a show every night, there really is no contest here.

Most Frustrating Player To Own

Alexander: Danny Granger
Bruski: Brook Lopez

Honorable Mention: Joe Johnson, Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, Any Piston, Stephen Curry, Marc Gasol, Carlos Delfino, Andrew Bogut, Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Jeff Green, Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, DeJuan Blair, Tyreke Evans, JaVale McGee.

Dr. A: Danny Granger missed a Sunday game late with the flu that cost me a shot at a championship. He also shot it miserably at times, jacking up ill-advised 3-pointers and playing without any semblance of discipline. He's not a leader and reminds me more of Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion than anyone else. He's a solid NBA player, but I pity the Pacers for having him being options No. 1 and 2 in Indy. I'm putting him on my "never again" list, although that could end up being a bad decision in the long run.

Dr. A (for Bruski): Any time your starting center and high draft pick grabs less than six rebounds per game, it's going to be a rough season. Lopez had five or less boards in 37 games (and counting) and three or less 12 times. C'mon, man.

Fantasy Coach of the Year

Alexander: Larry Drew
Bruski: Tom Thibodeau

Honorable Mention: Doc Rivers, Paul Silas, Rick Alderman, Frank Vogel, Vinny Del Negro, Scott Brooks & Nate McMillan.

Dr. A: You could rely on the Hawks' rotation throughout the season and it's hard to blame Drew for Joe Johnson's problems. I'm putting that one on Joe.

Bruski: Like many things coaching related, the personnel made all the difference here, as I could write the Bulls blurbs before the game was even played. And like a referee that doesn't get noticed, Thibs found a rotation at shooting guard and let his other four starters play heavy minutes. There were other coaches who faced a greater degree of difficulty on their jump, but when you can set it and forget it with Thibs -- I can't vote against the guy.

Worst Fantasy Coach of the Year

Alexander: John Kuester
Bruski: John Kuester

Honorable Mention: Avery Johnson, Jim O'Brien, Keith Smart, Scott Skiles & Monty Williams.

Dr. A: Kuester's rotations, random lineup changes, misuse of Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe (early) and Austin Daye, as well as the situations with Rip Hamilton and Tracy McGrady, made Kuester the toughest guy in the league to get a read on. He won't have a job next season, and has no one to blame but himself. I didn't think a guy like Kuester or Keith Smart (GSW) could make me miss Don Nelson, but these two pulled it off. Not to mention Avery Johnson.

Bruski: One month ago I would have voted Avery Johnson for his overwhelming mental kung fu grip, but I cannot ignore the mess in Detroit. Surely, those cats had already devoured Flip Saunders, and Kuester was probably dead to rights before he arrived -- but good god man have some dignity. You don't deactivate a player in Rip Hamilton, who helped deliver a championship to your city, when he can start for any number of teams in the league -- and you certainly don't get into a urination match with him, either. Daily rotation changes, players openly laughing at him and disrespecting him, and generally pinning the tail on the wrong donkey -- John Kuester took train wreck to a whole new level.

 

[HacheMan]

Wired: The Fantasy Awards
Here are the Fantasy Hoops Awards for the year. Aaron Bruski and I combined our thoughts on this one and chances are, if you're still reading about fantasy hoops, you won your league, or had a nice year, and many of your players will be listed below. Enjoy.

Fantasy MVP

Alexander: LeBron James
Bruski: LeBron James

Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire & Monta Ellis.

Dr. A: LeBron overcame playing with two very skilled offensive players in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to have another huge fantasy season. Whether or not the Heat can advance to the Finals remains to be seen, but in terms of fantasy, LeBron was better to own than Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. We had Durant as our preseason favorite to take this crown, but the strong play of Russell Westbrook derailed that train.

Bruski: Ironically, the choice comes down to James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and though Durant didn't win a positional award by my accord, he was probably James' closest competition. And the two were very close statistically, with James carrying advantages in field goal percentage, assists, and steals, and Durant carrying advantages is free throw shooting, blocks, and threes. Add it up and James has a slight edge in a per-game valuation, and with two extra games under his belt the advantage gets more pronounced cumulatively. My guess is that these two are going to do battle for these honors for the next five years.

Best Point Guard

Alexander: Chris Paul
Bruski: Derrick Rose

Honorable Mention: Russell Westbrook & Stephen Curry.

Dr. A: Paul was somewhat quiet, but still had a huge season and stayed pretty healthy, despite concerns about his knee. I could have gone with Rose here, like Bruski did, but Paul's owners were in good shape all season and he led teams to a lot of titles. However, that zero-point game on Sunday was painful.

Bruski: Yes, you read that right, I listed Rose. To clarify, Chris Paul was the most valuable PG on the year, but since I'd venture to say the majority of leagues have some form of playoffs, I have to give the nod to Rose. Over the last month, Rose scored 26.6 points with 1.9 threes, 3.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks while shooting 46.5% from the field and 90.8% from the foul line. Paul's numbers were just behind, as he scored 16.5 points with 0.6 threes, 5.2 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.1 blocks while shooting 46.2% from the field and 79.7% from the foul line. And while Paul was giving owners fits with the early signs of Brandon Roy syndrome, Rose was hanging in TV land with Katy Perry. Advantage, Rose.

Best Shooting Guard

Alexander: Monta Ellis
Bruski: Dwyane Wade

Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili & Kevin Martin.

Dr. A: It was tough to pass on Wade here, but Ellis got the minutes from Keith Smart and had a monster fantasy season, playing in five more games than Wade up to this point. Yes, he crumbled in the fantasy playoffs, but based on his draft position (outside of Round 1), I'm giving Ellis the nod over Wade – who might be the best player in the league when healthy. Ellis is probably done for the season after going to the hospital on Sunday with a head injury.

Bruski: Wade falls down a million times, milks it, and gets right back up. And while he was one hangnail away from sitting out seemingly all year long, he stayed healthy and played in 75 games to date. His closest statistical comparison is Monta Ellis, who only creeps closely when you look at cumulative values. As you'll see with the SF discussion, Miami proved to be a more fertile fantasy ground than we thought it would be entering the year.

Best Small Forward

Alexander: LeBron
Bruski: LeBron

Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant

We covered this in the MVP section.

Best Power Forward

Alexander: Kevin Love
Bruski: Amare Stoudemire

Honorable Mention: LaMarcus Aldridge, Josh Smith, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Millsap & Kevin Garnett.

Dr. A: Bruski and I failed to talk about position played before putting this together, so we're stuck. I had Amare as my No. 1 center, but I can't argue with Bruski having Amare as a PF. Love was a fantasy beast all season, but a groin injury sidelined him down the stretch, when it really mattered to his owners. Maybe I should have gone with Aldridge or Smith, but it's hard to argue with what Love did before going down with the injury.

Bruski: Amare pooped out at the end, and if anybody with his body of work had started to top the charts late I'd give this a second look, but that didn't happen so Amare gets my nod. And while Kevin Love put up some monster numbers this season, his lack of steals and blocks and low field goal percentage kept him from taking the next step into elite territory. As for Love's potential for improvement in those areas? It's not going to happen when he's pinning down his guy well before a shot is released to get rebounding position, and otherwise jacking up a bunch of threes.

Best Center

Alexander: Amare Stoudemire
Bruski: Dwight Howard

Honorable Mention: Pau Gasol

Dr. A: Amare had a huge year and rewarded owners who took him with a first-round pick. His minutes were ridiculous and while he has been sitting recently in preparation for the playoffs, he came through in a big way for owners. I almost went with Dwight Howard as well, but it's still no secret that his free throws and turnovers remain a problem. I'll let Bruski handle the love for Dwight.

Bruski: Even in 8-cat leagues that count his awful 59.2% free throw percentage, Howard was still able to rank as the best true center of the bunch with high second round value (cumulative). He added a few new post moves and started to get a little bit meaner, which comes when the weight of expectations start to get a little heavier.

Keep reading for the rest of the awards.
<!--RW-->
Fantasy Steal of the Draft

Alexander: Dorell Wright
Bruski: Dorell Wright

Honorable Mentions: Monta Ellis, Kevin Love, Paul Pierce, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Martin, Jrue Holiday, J.J. Hickson, Beno Udrih, Michael Beasley & Channing Frye.

Dr. A: Wright was likely gobbled up near the end of your draft and hit a ton of 3-pointers, as well as racked up huge fantasy numbers along the way. If he was drafted in your league, he was the obvious choice here.

Bruski: There's been some debate about whether or not Dorell Wright should be listed in the 'draft steal' section or the 'waiver wire pickup' section of the awards, which to me says all you need to know about a guy that was a flier pick in many drafts. Being a Warriors fan and following him in the preseason, it was clear to me early on that he would be productive in Golden State, and that one thought carried almost all of my teams to the promised land.

Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickup

Alexander: Kyle Lowry
Bruski: Kyle Lowry

Honorable Mention: Serge Ibaka, Marcin Gortat, Kris Humphries, Landry Fields, Jordan Crawford, Wesley Matthews, Nick Young, Tony Allen & Marcus Thornton.

Dr. A: Lowry was possibly dropped in some leagues when Aaron Brooks returned from his ankle injury, but it was Lowry who held onto the starting job and the numbers before Brooks was finally sent packing to the Suns. If you picked up Lowry and held onto him, you might have won your league due to a savvy move on the wire.

Bruski: There can be arguments made for guys that got hot during the playoffs (Jordan Crawford, Marcus Thornton) and an argument can be built for guys like Marcin Gortat and Kris Humphries, too. For my money, you just can't overlook the breadth of Kyle Lowry's work, as he held off Aaron Brooks and put up monster numbers in 71 starts.

Fantasy Bust

Alexander: Joe Johnson
Bruski: Brandon Roy

Honorable Mention: Joakim Noah, Rashard Lewis, O.J. Mayo, Marcus Thornton, Rashard Lewis, Aaron Brooks, Antawn Jamison, Jeff Green & Brandon Jennings.

Dr. A: Johnson finished with 8th-round fantasy value, and while he was still rather productive, he just no longer looks like a player who should be taken in the first three rounds of fantasy drafts. He stayed healthy and still really hosed his owners, so I'm going with him as my bust of the year. How can Thornton be on both the Bust and Pickup list? It's pretty simple, in that he killed those of us who drafted him in October, and then likely came through for another team in your league late for someone who grabbed him off waivers after he was traded to the Kings.

Many folks will have Brook Lopez on their Bust list, but he played well late and was still at least productive throughout the season, despite being outrebounded by several guards in the league.

Bruski: As he did with the Portland brass, Brandon Roy sold owners a bill of goods that implied he had a functioning knee. As it would go he didn't, and many owners' seasons were crippled early on.

Fantasy Rookie of the Year

Alexander: Blake Griffin
Bruski: Blake Griffin

Honorable Mention: Greg Monroe, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins & Landry Fields.

Dr. A: Bruski covers this pretty well and Blake was a no-brainer for this award. Therefore, I'll let Aaron do the heavy lifting.

Bruski: Griffin will get overdrafted next season, and depending on your format his value swings wildly, but no other rookie came close to equaling his fantasy value over the entire season, though John Wall has come on late and outproduced him in the playoffs. When you factor in Wall's midseason struggles and injury concerns, it's clear that the points go to Griffin. And when you add into the mix that you got to watch your guy put on a show every night, there really is no contest here.

Most Frustrating Player To Own

Alexander: Danny Granger
Bruski: Brook Lopez

Honorable Mention: Joe Johnson, Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, Any Piston, Stephen Curry, Marc Gasol, Carlos Delfino, Andrew Bogut, Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Jeff Green, Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, DeJuan Blair, Tyreke Evans, JaVale McGee.

Dr. A: Danny Granger missed a Sunday game late with the flu that cost me a shot at a championship. He also shot it miserably at times, jacking up ill-advised 3-pointers and playing without any semblance of discipline. He's not a leader and reminds me more of Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion than anyone else. He's a solid NBA player, but I pity the Pacers for having him being options No. 1 and 2 in Indy. I'm putting him on my "never again" list, although that could end up being a bad decision in the long run.

Dr. A (for Bruski): Any time your starting center and high draft pick grabs less than six rebounds per game, it's going to be a rough season. Lopez had five or less boards in 37 games (and counting) and three or less 12 times. C'mon, man.

Fantasy Coach of the Year

Alexander: Larry Drew
Bruski: Tom Thibodeau

Honorable Mention: Doc Rivers, Paul Silas, Rick Alderman, Frank Vogel, Vinny Del Negro, Scott Brooks & Nate McMillan.

Dr. A: You could rely on the Hawks' rotation throughout the season and it's hard to blame Drew for Joe Johnson's problems. I'm putting that one on Joe.

Bruski: Like many things coaching related, the personnel made all the difference here, as I could write the Bulls blurbs before the game was even played. And like a referee that doesn't get noticed, Thibs found a rotation at shooting guard and let his other four starters play heavy minutes. There were other coaches who faced a greater degree of difficulty on their jump, but when you can set it and forget it with Thibs -- I can't vote against the guy.

Worst Fantasy Coach of the Year

Alexander: John Kuester
Bruski: John Kuester

Honorable Mention: Avery Johnson, Jim O'Brien, Keith Smart, Scott Skiles & Monty Williams.

Dr. A: Kuester's rotations, random lineup changes, misuse of Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe (early) and Austin Daye, as well as the situations with Rip Hamilton and Tracy McGrady, made Kuester the toughest guy in the league to get a read on. He won't have a job next season, and has no one to blame but himself. I didn't think a guy like Kuester or Keith Smart (GSW) could make me miss Don Nelson, but these two pulled it off. Not to mention Avery Johnson.

Bruski: One month ago I would have voted Avery Johnson for his overwhelming mental kung fu grip, but I cannot ignore the mess in Detroit. Surely, those cats had already devoured Flip Saunders, and Kuester was probably dead to rights before he arrived -- but good god man have some dignity. You don't deactivate a player in Rip Hamilton, who helped deliver a championship to your city, when he can start for any number of teams in the league -- and you certainly don't get into a urination match with him, either. Daily rotation changes, players openly laughing at him and disrespecting him, and generally pinning the tail on the wrong donkey -- John Kuester took train wreck to a whole new level.

 

[HacheMan]

The NBA's Silly Season
It's the NBA's silly season and the shutdown-fest is in full effect. I'm going to go team-by-team and try to give a brief overview of expectations over the next two evenings, when the season will mercifully come to an end around 1 a.m. on Thursday morning. Six teams play Tuesday night, and all 30 go on Wednesday.

22 Teams Played Monday Night

Orlando Beats Philly

Magic - Starters all played at least 30 minutes and it sounds like Stan Van Gundy should use a similar plan for the season finale vs. the Pacers. Ryan Anderson was surprisingly good off the bench last night. Magic will face Hawks in Round 1.

Sixers - Starters all played heavy minutes, except for Andre Iguodala, who rested with a sore knee. I doubt Iguodala is will play on Wednesday vs. Pistons, either. And whether his replacement in that one is Evan Turner (again) or Andres Nocioni (who started the second half last night), you can probably find a better option. The Sixers are locked into a first-round meeting with the Heat, but my guess is Doug Collins will still play his starters in the finale.

Charlotte Beats New Jersey

Bobcats - Starters all played very heavy minutes with Dante Cunningham leading the way with 21 points. All five starters were in double figures, D.J. Augustin hit the game-winner and all five look like relatively safe starts Wednesday vs. the Hawks.

Nets - The starters all played heavy minutes in the loss, but only Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar and Brook Lopez should be trusted on Wednesday, when the Nets wrap up the year at Chicago.

Wizards Beat Celtics' JV Team

Wizards - Starters played heavy minutes, especially Jordan Crawford and John Wall, and pulled off an overtime win against the "Celtics." JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche would have played more minutes, but both fouled out in this one. The Wiz have a chance for yet another road win on Wednesday, and should go for it at Cleveland.

Celtics - Doc Rivers benched all his stars, rolled out the B-team, and used the Wizards to make Jermaine O'Neal look relevant again. New starters O'Neal (if he can still walk this morning), Glen Davis, Jeff Green and Von Wafer all deserve a look tomorrow against the Knicks. Those two teams will meet in the playoffs, and neither team is expected to use the starters much, if at all, on Wednesday. Delonte West also started last night, but left with an ugly leg injury after McGee fell on him. He could be out awhile.

Heat Down Hawks

Heat - Here's where things get tricky. LeBron James absolutely went off, Dwyane Wade was his normal self and Chris Bosh had a solid game, as usual. And now that we know the Heat will face the Sixers after clinching the No. 2 seed in the East, we really don't know if Erik Spoelstra is going to give the Super Friends a day off. I really don't have a feel for this one, so keep an eye on Rotoworld.com Player News until we start getting some hints out of Miami. And even if the Heat rest the Big 3, I doubt the options for you to pick up will be all that great on Wednesday vs. Raptors. And believe it or not, the Heat might not even need the Super Friends to beat the Raps right now.

Hawks - For the Hawks, who have been locked into a first-round meeting with the Magic for some time now, Josh Smith returned from a sore knee and played well, but the starters all got 26 minutes or less. In fact, 10 players played at least 20 minutes, so you can expect more of the same on Wednesday vs. the Bobcats. And that means using any Hawk is going to be a bit risky. And Smith doesn't sound like a lock for this one, so watch for more news on him.

Cavs Beat Pistons

Cavs - Starters played pretty nice minutes, although Baron Davis' back was bothering him (as usual) and Semih Erden was in foul trouble (as usual). Baron might take Wednesday off, making Ramon Sessions a solid option (as usual). Sessions had 17 points and nine assists last night, Daniel Gibson was solid, Alonzo Gee scored 16 and J.J. Hickson had another big line. The bench all played well and my guess is you'll see most of the Cavs who are in uniform play decent minutes vs. the Wizards. The good news is both of these teams still want to win, which should not be overlooked.

Pistons - Eight players saw at least 20 minutes last night and that should be the case again on Wednesday vs. the Sixers. I'm sure you heard about Charlie Villanueva freaking out on Ryan Hollins, and he's nearly guaranteed to be suspended for that one, and possibly for a couple games to start next season. Rodney Stuckey is/was the only point guard available and played 45 minutes last night, posting a huge line. The next highest minute-count was 33 for Jason Maxiell. With only eight players likely available, expect a similar box score on Wednesday.

Bucks Beat Raptors

Bucks - Brandon Jennings, John Salmons and Drew Gooden all played heavy minutes as starters, and all played very well in the win. No one else on the team scored more than six points, yet the Bucks still won, which tells us how bad the Raptors really are right now. Start these three again on Wednesday at Oklahoma City, but who else will step up for Milwaukee is a great mystery.

Raptors - The no-namers all had big fantasy lines. Joey Dorsey was a last-minute start for Reggie Evans (finger) and went off for 10 points and 20 rebounds, a steal and a block in the most shocking line of the night. Jerryd Bayless, Ed Davis and James Johnson also started and played fairly well, and I expect more of the same on Wednesday against the Heat. The big question is whether Evans plays or not, while guys like Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon have probably seen their season come to an end.
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Jazz Beat Hornets

Jazz - The Jazz played the starters heavy minutes, which even included Devin Harris. I am not sure why, but if they did it last night (and won), they'll probably do it again tomorrow against the Nuggets and go out on a high note.

Hornets - The starters played normal minutes for the Hornets and Chris Paul bounced back from a scoreless night with a decent line. They've lost two straight, are still jockeying for position, and could play some sort of spoiler role against the Mavs on Wednesday. The regulars should be safe plays.

Dallas Takes Out Rockets

Dallas - We saw the regular minutes and rotation last night for the Mavs, although Corey Brewer went from a starter in his previous game to nine minutes last night. Dallas moved a ½ game in front of the Lakers for the No. 2 seed, and will probably be tied again after the Lakers play the Spurs tonight. My guess is your Mavs are safe for Wednesday night vs. New Orleans.

Rockets - The Rockets played just seven guys and they all played heavy minutes. Point guard Goran Dragic was a great pickup if you went for it (Kyle Lowry is done), and all seven players are worth a serious look again on Wednesday against the Timberwolves. Luis Scola's season sounds like it's over, making Chuck Hayes, Brad Miller and Patrick Patterson relevant.

Denver Smacks Warriors

Nuggets - Nene and Arron Afflalo left with injuries and are not likely to play on Wednesday, while Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler were already out. Ty Lawson, Raymond Felton, Gary Forbes, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Chris Andersen and even Kosta Koufos all played well for Denver, and – outside of Koufos - look like nice options again Wednesday against the Jazz. The Nuggets are close to being locked into a first-round matchup with the Thunder, but it's still not official.

Warriors - Stephen Curry, Reggie Williams and Dorell Wright all had nice lines with Monta Ellis out, but the Warriors couldn't hang with the Nuggets. The starters all played pretty normal minutes and I expect Keith Smart to do it again on Wednesday against the Blazers.

Thunder Stop Kings

Thunder - Things still aren't decided in the West, although it looks like the Thunder will play Denver in Round 1. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka were all money again last night, and should be started again on Wednesday vs. the Bucks.

Kings - The Kings did everything they could to try to win at home, despite Tyreke Evans being a late scratch with a sprained ankle. They'll finish up the season at home against the Lakers, and if you don't think the Kings are going to give an insane effort in that one, you're crazy. This could be the last game in Sacramento and Evans is expected to return for that one. Evans, Marcus Thornton, DeMarcus Cousins (career-high 30 last night), Beno Udrih, Samuel Dalembert and Jason Thompson should all be decent options for what is sure to be an emotional night.

Suns Stop Wolves in OT

Suns - The Suns admirably gave it their all in a tough overtime win against the Wolves. Neither team had anything to play for, but Steve Nash had 16 assists, Jared Dudley had five 3-pointers and five steals, as well as a fat stat line, while Channing Frye caught fire, hitting a career high of nine 3-pointers, as well as scoring a career-high 33 points in the win. Marcin Gortat and Grant Hill were also very solid and it feels like they'll try to do it again at home against the Spurs tomorrow.

Wolves - The Wolves had four players score at least 20 points for the first time this season (Luke Ridnour, Michael Beasley, Anthony Tolliver and Anthony Randolph). All four of those players played very well, as Ridnour just missed a triple-double, and I fully expect them to do it again on Wednesday against the Rockets, despite not having anything to play for. And in case you missed it, Darko Milicic is done for the year, and Kevin Love is not expected to play in the finale at this point.

Six Teams In Action Tuesday Night

Bulls @ Knicks - They'll play the Amare-less Knicks and despite a bad cold, Derrick Rose is ready to go in this one. My only concern is Joakim Noah, who hasn't looked great lately. He'll still probably play, and despite being locked in as the No. 1 seed in the East, the Bulls are going all-out tonight. And if they win and San Antonio loses, they'll enter Wednesday's finale with home court for the Finals on the line.

Amare has been ruled out, but it sounds like the rest of the regulars should see solid run for New York tonight. However, expect a full shutdown against the Celtics on Wednesday, meaning guys like Shawne Williams, Toney Douglas, Ronny Turiaf and Bill Walker could become very relevant in fantasy.

Grizzlies @ Portland - Memphis will play the Blazers tonight while still jockeying for some playoff position, and I expect a normal effort from both teams.

Spurs @ Lakers - The Spurs have still not clinched homecourt through the Finals, but could come a step closer with a win tonight. However, don't be surprised to see the big names see limited minutes in this one as the Spurs may care more about getting rest than securing homecourt a month and a half from now. The Lakers will tie the Mavs for the No. 2 seed in the West with a win and Phil Jackson said he isn't going to rest his starters. The Lakers have lost five straight games and a win is probably more important for their mindset than anything else. In short, I think the Laker regulars are safe, and while I'd like to think the same for the Spurs, Gregg Popovich could go out and try to win this game, or bench all his starters. And we probably won't know which road he's taking until just before game time, although there are early rumors that Tim Duncan is not likely to play tonight.

Two Teams, 1 Game

The Pacers and Clippers play just one time this week, finishing the season on Wednesday, when every team in the league plays.

The Pacers will host the Magic and probably try to win the game, while the Clippers host the Grizzlies. Chris Kaman is likely being shut down, but my guess is the regulars from both teams are fine to start tomorrow night.

 

[HacheMan]

Down Goes Andrew Bynum
Well here it is. The final day of the season. The last Daily Dose of the year. And another fantasy NBA season in the books. As usual, it was a blast bringing the coverage to you and I hope we helped you win a league or two.

Before we get to the cancellation of the Vegas Summer League and Andrew Bynum's knee of spaghetti, I'll be back this weekend with a look at the upcoming NBA draft and a fantasy playoff league preview, followed by complete NBA Playoffs coverage, including some columns and a boatload of news blurbs. We'll have the NBA Draft covered, and then all the lockout news there is to report. Hopefully the league has learned something from the baseball strike that it took me about 10 years to get over. We'll see. In any case, enjoy the last day of the regular season, the playoffs and good luck in your baseball leagues!

Fantasy Playoffs

One of the fantasy playoff leagues I'm in will feature eight members off the Rotoworld staff, as well as rock stars Stephen Malkmus and Brian Rosenworcel. I am hoping to have a fantasy playoff column up this weekend, along with a mock NBA draft, so be on the look for that. Our draft is set for Monday night, and if you're looking for a site to host your fantasy playoff drafts, check out FantasyPostseason.com!

No Vegas, Baby

The NBA has reportedly canceled the Vegas Summer League as they prepare for a lock out. I'm just hoping a deal is reached and we'll have a full season of hoops next year, but right now the outlook is bleak.

Tuesday Night's News

Lakers Lose Bynum, Handle Spurs

The Lakers won a game! But the news is not good in L.A. as Andrew Bynum went down with a hyperextended right knee and he'll have an MRI today. His left leg didn't really look all that great when he went down either, and while the Lakers are talking about him only missing a couple playoff games, Bynum says he'll be ready for the start of the playoffs. We won't know for sure until his MRI results come back, but the reality is that he could miss a huge chunk of the playoffs, if not the whole shebang. And if you've got an NBA playoff fantasy draft coming up, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom's stock just went way up.

As for the game, the Lakers struggled, but still beat the Spurs' JV team, getting 27 from Kobe Bryant, 23 from Odom and 17 & 17 from Gasol. Bynum is out tonight, as the Lakers will play at Sacramento. This is going to be a heck of a way to wrap up the regular season. It's the last game on the schedule tonight, this could be the last game the Kings ever play in Sacramento, and the Lakers are treating it as a must-win game to lock up the No. 2 seed, where they currently sit in a tie with Dallas. Kobe picked up another technical foul, putting him at 15, and also was caught on camera screaming a homophobic slur at an official. He might get a fine for it, but I doubt seriously he'd be suspended for tonight's game. And if he picks up a tech tonight, he'd be suspended for the first game of next season, and not a playoff game.

As expected, the Spurs benched their stars, oblivious to a chance to win homecourt throughout the playoffs, as Gregg Popovich decided that resting his old guys is more important. Richard Jefferson started, but the rest were reserves – as in George Hill, Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair and Tiago Splitter. Blair had a double-double, but no one else really did too much. The stars are expected to be back in the starting lineup tonight, but after seeing Bynum go down last night, my guess is Pop doesn't give them a ton of minutes against the Suns.

Bulls Beat Knicks

Derrick Rose had another sweet performance last night as he locked up the MVP Award, Carlos Boozer had 22 rebounds, and Luol Deng double-doubled as the Bulls beat the Knicks. However, Joakim Noah left with a sprained ankle and is questionable for tonight. His ankle has been a problem for some time and it seems like he's having trouble getting it back to 100 percent. If any of you own Stephen Curry, you know the feeling. The Bulls and Spurs now have identical records as they aim for homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. And if they both win, they will also have identical records in all the tie breaker scenarios, so the homecourt winner will be decided by a random draw.

The Knicks were without Amare Stoudemire but the rest of the starters played, led by Carmelo Anthony's 21 points. Bill Walker had 18 off the bench and is a guy that looks like a nice play tonight, as the Knicks are not expected to use their regulars against the Celtics tonight, and vice versa.

Zach Randolph Sits As Blazers Beat Grizzlies

Zach Randolph and Tony Allen were surprise DNPs for last night's loss, and Randolph will sit out again tonight when Memphis wraps up the regular season against the Clippers. They're currently slated to play Spurs as the No. 8 seed, and before Bynum went down, probably preferred that. But either way, they're going to get San Antonio or the Lakers as the No. 7 or 8 seed (tied with Hornets currently), so it may not matter. Randolph is out again tonight as he'll rest his elbow (think Rodney Dangerfield in Caddy Shack – "My arm! It's broken!"), and it sounds like there's a chance Allen, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley could also sit out tonight. .

O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur started last night, with Mayo scoring 13 points and hitting two threes. He looks like a decent start tonight, and while Arthur wasn't great last night, he's probably still worth a roll of the dice with no Z-Bo. Hamed Haddadi nearly double-doubled with nine points and 10 boards, making him an interesting pick-and-play possibility tonight, along with Mayo, Arthur, Sam Young, Shane Battier, and maybe Greivis Vasquez.

It was business as usual for the Blazers, as the starters all played normal minutes, while Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez were solid off the bench. The problem is they clinched the No. 6 seed, meaning that the starters could all get some serious rest tonight against the Warriors. Start them at your own risk and stay tuned to Rotoworld player news for the latest info.

Keep reading for the rest of the News & Notes.
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News & Notes

Luis Scola isn't expected to play tonight for the Rockets, making Patrick Patterson, Chase Budinger and Brad Miller worth a look.

The Knicks should rest several starters tonight, so don't expect to see Amare Stoudemire, while Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups don't sound all that likely to play either. Like I said above, Bill Walker, Toney Douglas, Shelden Williams, Landry Fields and Shawne Williams should all get nice run.

Josh Smith is iffy tonight with a sore knee and the Hawks could rest several players. Jeff Teague might be a sneaky play, but the rest of the Hawks are a crapshoot. Zaza Pachulia could also get some run.

Stephen Curry is a game-time decision with another sprained ankle tonight, while Monta Ellis is out. Dorell Wright and Reggie Williams should both be in lineups against the Blazers.

Kosta Koufos will start for Denver tonight and scored 18 on Monday, making him a decent option, while Kenyon Martin, Nene, Arron Afflalo and Raymond Felton are all expected to sit tonight. Ty Lawson, Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler and Chris Andersen all look like solid options. Danilo Gallinari is a game-time decision with sprained ankle, but even if he plays, his minutes could be limited.

The Heat are expected to rest all their starters, making guys like James Jones, Mike Miller (who will try to play on a bum ankle and a very sore left thumb), Eddie House and even Dexter Pittman worth a look. Then again, a late report on Tuesday quoted Chris Bosh as saying the big names would play tonight. If they do, I doubt they play heavy minutes against the Raptors.

Along with Andrew Bynum, Steve Blake (chicken pox) is out for the Lakers, while it sounds like Matt Barnes could sit with a sore knee. I lost a fantasy league back in the day when the Suns' Kevin Johnson came down with the chicken pox at the end of the season. He was already gimpy, so I called the Phoenix newspaper (pre-internet) to verify that KJ would be playing. I was told he was good to go, but he then came down with the pox the following day, was locked into my lineup and ruined my run at a championship. As I stated earlier, the Lakers want to win this game so expect the regulars to get their minutes.

For the Raptors, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon, Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson and Leandro Barbosa are all out. Joey Dorsey had 20 boards on Monday, while Jerryd Bayless, Ed Davis, DeMar DeRozan and James Johnson all look like nice fantasy options. Sonny Weems is iffy with a sore knee.

Chris Kaman had an MRI on his sore right knee Tuesday, leaving him very iffy tonight. That makes DeAndre Jordan a nice play tonight, while it's unclear what Vinny Del Negro will do with the rest of the starters. My guess is they'll play.

C.J. Miles is not likely for the Jazz tonight, making Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors looking like sneaky plays tonight.

The Pacers are expected to play their starters tonight, but we expect them to see limited minutes.

Kevin Love and Darko Milicic aren't expected to play tonight, making Anthony Randolph and Anthony Tolliver looking like solid fantasy starts. Luke Ridnour and Michael Beasley could also finish up strong for the Wolves.

Andre Iguodala is a game-time decision for tonight and I wouldn't be surprised to see him rest. Andres Nocioni and Evan Turner would fill in for him, while Thaddeus Young could also have a nice game.

Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas aren't expected for the Bobcats tonight, meaning Gerald Henderson, D.J. Augustin, Boris Diaw, Dante Cunningham and Kwame Brown are the guys who should be in fantasy lineups.

Dwight Howard is expected to play for the Magic, but how long Stan Van Gundy goes with his starters is up for debate. If you own Howard, you almost have to start him. Gilbert Arenas is out with his sore knee.

We're still waiting for a Charlie Villanueva suspension after Monday's meltdown, but it hasn't happened yet. Look for Rodney Stuckey to have a big line tonight, but don't look for Charlie V. to be in uniform.

If a team you're interested in wasn't listed here, search for the player in Rotoworld News Blurbs, as well as check out Tuesday's Dose, which covered all 30 teams. I'll be here tonight blurbing all 15 games and I don't recall every team being in action on one night in the past. Going out with a bang.

 

[HacheMan]

Stew: Holiday in 2011-12
Though we all disagree on numerous things (such as the existence of the Loch Ness Monster and pronunciation of potato), we should all be able to agree that the first half of April is a somewhat bizarre time in the world of professional basketball. How else can you explain Jerryd Bayless averaging 22.5 ppg, 5.6 apg and 1.8 threes while carrying numerous owners to league titles this month, or Gordon Hayward breaking out with 16.4 ppg and 1.7 threes on 58.1 percent shooting in the final seven games of an otherwise quiet rookie year?

However, the key thing with April stats is that they can't all be evaluated equally. Bayless, for example, may not have the same opportunity at the outset of next year that he had this April, so his late-season surge could end up being forgotten. But there are plenty of late-season performances that are useful barometers in determining future stats. And with next season in mind, I'm looking ahead (and taking the optimistic outlook that there will be basketball next season) with a preview of 10 players I'm watching closely for a notable boost in productivity in 2011-12.

Paul Millsap: Yes, he already posted strong stats in his first year as a full-time starter (17.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.9 bpg), and I do expect a jump into the 18-19 ppg range and 8-9 rpg range next year. But the main reason I'm noting Millsap here is the potential for another stat you don't always get from power forwards: threes. Millsap shot a very respectable 39.1 percent (9-for-23) from downtown in 2010-11, and recently told the Salt Lake Tribune that he wants to improve his range heading into next year. I'd be surprised to see him make a Kevin Love-esque leap in threes, but something like 0.6 per game would be very nice (Borat voice) for Millsap's value.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Jrue Holiday: His second year in the league was defined somewhat by inconsistency, but Holiday still finished the year with healthy averages of 14.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.0 threes as a 20-year-old starting PG. You can bet I'll be drafting him to see what he can do at age 21.

DeMarcus Cousins: I don't really like watching him play (largely because he sulks too much, makes some wretched decisions and often looks like he's more concerned about his numbers than anything else), but none of those things hinders his potential fantasy value – and in fact, the last factor (chasing numbers) obviously helps it. Bad percentages aside (43.0 from the field, 68.7 from the line), Cousins' across-the-board stats were great for a rookie big man (14.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg), and like Holiday, he'll be just 21 years old when the 2011-12 season begins.

Blake Griffin: Wow Stroup, you're really going out on a limb saying that Blake Griffin is going to improve next year. I know, I know. It's revolutionary stuff. But my main point here isn't to inform you that Griffin is improving; it's to clarify what his potential value is for next year. And most importantly, I would warn not to be fooled by his season ranking of No. 57 on Basketball Monster's eight-category leaderboard. Why? Because from March 1 on, he ranked No. 34 overall. And even with his trouble from the free throw line, a leap into the top-25 seems well within the realm of possibility.

Greg Monroe: For essentially the last two months of the season (Feb. 16 to April 13), he averaged 13.6 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 spg and 0.8 bpg, a Nene-esque stat line that placed him No. 28 in Basketball Monster's rankings during that run. Don't forget about him heading into next year's drafts.

Marcus Thornton: The No. 16-ranked player on Basketball Monster's leaderboard for the final month of the season, Thornton emphatically declared that he's not just a scorer by averaging a "Take that, Monty Williams" 21.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.7 spg and 2.0 threes in his last 18 games. And for those concerned that Thornton might not be able to produce alongside Tyreke Evans, Lil Buckets (or Monsieur Buckets, as he's known in France) posted 20.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.7 threes in his final 12 games after Evans returned from injury on March 25 (Evans played in 11 of those games).

JaVale McGee: Each of his last two seasons have had rather noisy finishes: 13.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 2.9 bpg in April 2010, and 13.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg and 2.9 bpg from March 1 until the end of this season (23 games). He's still capable of generating some rather perplexing moments, but I'd bet on McGee becoming notably more consistent in 2011-12.

Andray Blatche: The first name on this list I'm feeling somewhat reluctant about, I feel obligated to mention Blatche here despite what was a somewhat disappointing season in 2010-11. Yes, he improved his scoring (14.1 to 16.8), rebounding (6.3 to 8.2), assists (2.3 to 2.5), steals (1.1 to 1.5) and averaged 0.8 blocks, but his 18 missed games were something of a dagger, especially considering that many of those came during a crucial part of the year (the second half of March). With that said, I can't ignore that Blatche was tremendous in April yet again this year (23.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.1 spg, 1.3 bpg), and I'm reluctantly resigned to the fact that there's about a 61 percent chance I'll be drafting him again this fall.

Marcin Gortat: He posted 13.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg and 1.3 bpg on 56.3 percent shooting in 55 games after coming over from Orlando, and has a chance to boost those numbers into the 15.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg range in his first full season for the Suns.

James Harden: I may have been guilty of hyping Harden prematurely dating back to his rookie year in 2009-10, but he finally got the playing time to truly showcase his potential in the second half of this year. From March 1 through the end of the season, Harden posted 15.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg and 1.7 threes, and those numbers should only improve given his age (22 in August) and potential promotion to the starting five next year.

 

[HacheMan]

Playoffs: Where To Draft CP3?
The regular season is over, but that doesn't mean you still can't have some fantasy fun throughout the playoffs. I participated in an industry NBA fantasy playoffs league draft on Thursday night and thought I'd share the results. Additionally, I'll make some NBA Playoffs predictions as well.

Eastern Conference Round 1

1 Bulls vs. 8 Pacers – Bulls in 5 – Am I crazy for even having Indy taking one game?
2 Heat vs. 7 Sixers – Heat in 5 – Again, no way Heat lose this one, right?
3 Celtics vs. 6 Knicks – Celtics in 7 – I am torn on this one, but going w/ the favorite.
4 Magic vs. 5 Hawks – Magic in 6 - Hawks have lost six straight, but will win two.

East Round 2

1 Bulls vs. 4 Orlando – Bulls in 7 – This will be a very fun series if all are healthy.
2 Heat vs. 3 Celtics – Heat in 5 – Boston should lose this one without Kendrick Perkins.

East Finals

1 Bulls vs. 2 Heat – Heat in 7 – I'm not a Heat fan, but think they turn it on starting now.

Western Conference Round 1

1 Spurs vs. 8 Grizzlies – Spurs in 6 – If Manu stays hurt, this one could get wild.
2 Lakers vs. 7 Hornets – Lakers in 4 – NO has no chance, especially without David West.
3 Mavs vs. 6 Blazers – Mavs in 7 – This is a coin toss, really.
4 Thunder vs. 5 Nuggets – Thunder in 7 – The series I'm most looking forward to.

West Round 2

1 Spurs vs. 4 Thunder – Thunder in 7 – I am loving Serge Ibaka in playoff leagues.
2 Lakers vs. 3 Mavs – Lakers in 6 – Not many folks scared of this Dallas team – for now.

West Finals

2 Lakers vs. 4 Thunder – Thunder in 7 – Do I believe this with all my heart? Not really.

NBA Finals

2 Heat vs. 4 Thunder – Heat in 6 - LeBron & Wade aren't going through all this hell for nothing.

NBA Champions: Miami Heat

NBA Fantasy Playoffs Draft Recap

I got together with nine industry insiders on Thursday night and we knocked out a draft in just under an hour. We'll do it again on Monday night over at Fantasypostseason.com and I'll be back to wrap that one up as well. I somehow got the first pick and decided pretty quickly I was going to take LeBron James. You start 2 G, 2 F, 1 C and 3 Flex players, with no bench. Here's the scoring system:

Assists & Rebounds = 2 points each
Blocks = 6
FTM & Points = 1
Steals = 5
3-pointers = 3
TOs = -3

As you can see, blocks and steals pay big, while the key objective is still to have as many decent players as you can on teams going deep into the playoffs. I didn't know going in if we could add/drop and found out later we cannot. I wish I'd known this going in, as my last pick was pretty bad. I also wasn't thrilled with taking Jason Kidd over Carlos Boozer, but you never know – it could work out.

Here's how it went down.

Round 1

Steve Alexander 1. LeBron James MIA
Justin Phan 2. Kobe Bryant LAL
Jason Hahn 3. Derrick Rose CHI
Ryan Lester 4. Pau Gasol LAL
Matt Buser 5. Paul Pierce BOS
Jeff Andriesse 6. Kevin Durant OKC
Tom Lorenzo 7. Dwyane Wade MIA
Greg Fox 8. Russell Westbrook OKC
Eric Wong 9. Dwight Howard ORL
Patrick Madden 10. Manu Ginobili SAN

Surprises

I was fairly shocked at the Pierce pick, as many people seem to think the Knicks can take down the Celtics in Round 1, while they'll have a tough time winning in Round 2 as well. And since I have the Thunder and Heat going so deep, I thought both Durant and Wade would go higher. And with Manu Ginobili doubtful for Game 1, a first-round pick on him looks pretty risky.

Round 2

1. Tim Duncan SAN
2. Chris Bosh MIA
3. Rajon Rondo BOS
4. Lamar Odom LAL
5. Joakim Noah CHI
6. Andrew Bynum LAL
7. LaMarcus Aldridge POR
8. Kevin Garnett BOS
9. Luol Deng CHI
10. (me) Serge Ibaka OKC

Surprises

Nothing here surprised me, including my Ibaka pick. With blocks being worth 6 and me having the Thunder going to the Finals, Ibaka was going to go here or with my next pick. If the Celtics get upset early, owners of Rondo, KG and Pierce are all going to be crushed, but you can say that about any favorite going down early.

Round 3

1. (me) Jason Kidd DAL
2. Carlos Boozer CHI
3. Dirk Nowitzki DAL
4. Tony Parker SAN
5. Ray Allen BOS
6. Josh Smith ATL
7. Gerald Wallace POR
8. James Harden OKC
9. Amare Stoudemire NYK
10. Carmelo Anthony NYK

Surprises

Like I said, I panicked here by taking Kidd, and would have taken Boozer or Parker instead if I had a do-over. With the Hawks looking like a lock to go down in Round 1, this was too a little too early for Smoove, in my opinion.

Round 4

1. Chauncey Billups NYK
2. Jason Richardson ORL
3. Glen Davis BOS
4. Ron Artest LAL
5. Zach Randolph MEM
6. DeJuan Blair SAN
7. Andre Miller POR
8. Al Horford ATL
9. George Hill SAN
10. (me) Hedo Turkoglu ORL

Surprises

Nothing too surprising here, although with the Hawks starting to fly off the board, I'm surprised no one was grabbing guys like Danny Granger or Chris Paul. Yes, James Harden, George Hill and Hedo Turkoglu were taken before CP3. But with the Hornets & Pacers all but dead in the water, it will be a short run for Paul. I liked my Turkoglu pick, as the Magic have a shot at winning the East.

Round 5

1. (me) Raymond Felton DEN
2. Taj Gibson CHI
3. Ryan Anderson ORL
4. Jameer Nelson ORL
5. Tyson Chandler DAL
6. Jason Terry DAL
7. Kendrick Perkins OKC
8. Jeff Green DAL
9. Mike Bibby MIA
10. Richard Jefferson SAN

Surprises

I took Felton over Ty Lawson due to Lawson's injury, but it was a tough call that I struggled with. The Bibby pick raised my eyebrows, but he's probably worth it if the Heat goes to the Finals. I would have waited another round to grab him.

Round 6

1. Shawn Marion DAL
2. Derek Fisher LAL
3. Joe Johnson ATL
4. Mike Conley MEM
5. Marc Gasol MEM
6. Brandon Bass ORL
7. Wesley Matthews POR
8. Ty Lawson DEN
9. Nene DEN
10. (me) Gary Neal

Surprises

With Manu hurting I was happy with Neal here, while it will be interesting to see if Joe Johnson can break out of his slump and play well in five or six games for the Hawks. Fisher will join Bibby on Wong's team, so he's hoping for a Heat-Lakers Finals, at least when it comes to these two guards.

Round 7

1. (me) James Jones MIA
2. Danilo Gallinari DEN
3. Nicolas Batum POR
4. Shaquille O'Neal BOS
5. Wilson Chandler NYK
6. Chris Paul NOH
7. Joel Anthony MIA
8. Jamal Crawford ATL
9. Marcus Camby POR
10. Elton Brand PHI

Surprises

I was good with Jones here, as long as the Heat go to the Finals, while the big names on bad teams finally started flying off the board in the form of Paul and Elton Brand. Yes – Joel Anthony was taken one pick after Paul, while Shaq, Wilson Chandler, Jones and other scrubs went in front of him.

Round 8

1. Jrue Holiday PHI
2. Matt Barnes LAL
3. Andre Iguodala PHI
4. Danny Granger IND
5. Tony Allen MEM
6. Kyle Korver PHI
7. Shannon Brown LAL
8. J.R. Smith DEN
9. Ronnie Brewer CHI
10. (me) Mario Chalmers MIA

Surprises

I was determined to take the best player available here, with my sights set on Holiday, Iguodala, Granger, Allen, Korver and J.R. Smith. When they were all gone, I was trying to decide between Mike Miller, Eddie House, Roddy Beaubois and Chalmers. I made the wrong call (it's fair to call it a choke), but I had a vision of Miller sitting out with injuries, and House and Roddy B being buried on the bench. But then again, that's exactly where Chalmers is going to be, unless Bibby gets hurt. This was simply a bad pick by me.

This league is just for fun and the draft was a blast, with the drama over when Paul and Granger would go intense. And really, it's not unrealistic that those two will easily put up bigger numbers in 5-6 games than some of the players taken well before them who might play an extra 6-8 games or so. But that's the beauty of this type of league – there are no wrong answers until your player, no matter how bad he is, is sent off to the fishing boat.

Good luck in your drafts!

 

[HacheMan]

Kyrie Irving Wears No. 1
Here's our first NBA mock draft of the year, so you can expect plenty of changes between now and the actual draft, taking place on June 23. The lottery will also likely end up causing a different order in the Top 14 than what we've got here.

1. Timberwolves - Kyrie Irving PG Duke

He's the best point guard in the draft and while he's not as fast as Derrick Rose or John Wall, he's quick enough to keep defenses honest. The Wolves may skip him if Ricky Rubio is really coming to the NBA next season, but they really don't need a big forward like Derrick Williams, either. David Kahn seems to have a thing for drafting point guards, and could easily do so again if they land the No. 1 pick. Jonny Flynn won't be back next season, and Irving would make sense to back up Luke Ridnour if that's the case.

2. Cavaliers - Derrick Williams F Arizona

Williams recently announced he was entering the draft and he could go No. 1, depending on who gets the pick. The Cavaliers would happily take point guard Kyrie Irving to back up Baron Davis next year, but if they don't have a shot at him, Williams is too good to pass up. Playing time would be an issue in Cleveland with J.J. Hickson and a healthy Anderson Varejao around.

3. Raptors - Kemba Walker PG UConn

He became a household name during the NCAA tournament and while his size is an issue (6-feet, 180 pounds), plenty of other small men have succeeded in today's NBA. Think Brandon Jennings. And with Jose Calderon always injured and Jerryd Bayless looking more like a permanent backup point guard, Walker makes sense in Toronto.

4. Wizards – Harrison Barnes SF North Carolina

Barnes will be able to play either wing position in the NBA and has a strong hoops IQ. With Josh Howard always hurt and Rashard Lewis on the downside of his career, Barnes makes sense in Washington and would be a nice addition to the rest of their young guns, which include John Wall, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford.

5. Kings – Brandon Knight PG Kentucky

Beno Udrih has done a serviceable job as point guard in Sacramento and even exceeded expectations. Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton are also already in the guard stable and the Kings' real need is a small forward. But Knight is going to be a pretty good NBA point guard and Paul Westphal might enjoy having someone with a more up-tempo game running his offense. If Harrison Barnes falls, the Kings would probably grab him, but if it doesn't happen, Knight could be their guy. The Kings will also probably give SF Jan Vesely a close look as well, while I could also see Knight end up getting drafted by the Jazz a pick later.

6. Jazz (via Nets) – Jimmer Fredette PG BYU

Gordon Hayward came on strong near the end of the season and the Jazz could try to grab a hot name that wouldn't be booed on draft day, as Hayward was. Fredette is a household name and while I have him higher than most other drafts I've seen, I don't see how he's going to fall out of the Top 10. Yes, he struggled in his final college game, but is a pure scorer, as well as a point guard, and the Jazz aren't exactly deep at either guard position. If they don't get Jimmer, Brandon Knight could be their guy.

7. Pistons – Jan Vesely SF Czech Republic

The Pistons are still hurting from their selection of Darko Milicic and might be a little gun shy about taking another European player so high in the draft. They also need a point guard, as it's become clear they don't really trust Rodney Stuckey in that position. Or, at least John Kuester didn't, but he won't be coaching the team next season. Jimmer Fredette could also end up here, along with nearly any other player listed in this column. The only place the Pistons are truly set is with Greg Monroe, who they can use at PF or C. Vesely's a 6-11 small forward who is a confident shooter, who will draw comparisons to Andrea Bargnani.

8. Cavaliers (via Clippers) – Enes Kanter C Turkey

Kanter was ruled ineligible to play for Kentucky after receiving more than $30,000 from his Turkish team, although the money was used mostly for furthering his education. Therefore, we haven't seen much of Kanter over the last year as he was serving as a student assistant coach at UK. Kanter is 6-11, 265, meaning he clearly has the size to play center in the NBA. The Cavs have Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson, but neither is a true center. Project or not, the 18-year-old Kanter has the potential to be a very solid NBA center and may not even fall out of the Top 5. And if he had played for Kentucky this year, he might even be the No. 1 overall pick, and I probably would have won my NCAA bracket pool with UK as my pick to win it all.

9. Bobcats – Jonas Valanciunas C Lithuania

The Cats seem to be set at PG (D.J. Augustin), SG (Gerald Henderson), SF (Stephen Jackson) and PF (Boris Diaw/Tyrus Thomas), but they start Kwame Brown at center. That's obviously a problem, although Kwame actually exceeded some expectations for the first time in his career in the second half of this season. Valanciunas is a skinny center, built in the mold of Andris Biedrins, but is also possibly the best on in the draft. We'll see if Michael Jordan will draft for need, or try to trade up to get his Carolina man – Harrison Barnes. He could also be drafted much higher than this if his workouts go well.

10. Bucks – Kawhi Leonard SF San Diego State

Leonard has had a pretty tough life thus far, but really turned heads with a great freshman year at San Diego State. He could be a tweener in the NBA, but several guys without a true position have found a home. I don't know if he'll really be a Top 10 pick, but if his workouts go well, I could see the Bucks taking a flier, as they don't really need guards or big men.

11. Warriors – Bismack Biyombo F/C Congo

Ekpe Udoh and Biyombo appear to have a similar skills set, but the Warriors are desperately hurting for big bodies. Biyombo is a bit of an unknown coming out of the Congo, but Chad Ford is on board, as are most of the other mock drafts I have seen. He's got points/rebounds/blocks triple-double potential and a relatively simple buyout from his professional team, clearing the way for him to play in the NBA once the lockout issues are resolved.

12. Jazz – Alec Burks SG Colorado

Burks is a true shooting guard and would fit in very well with the Jazz. He's one of the smoothest scorers coming out of college and most importantly, can create his own shot. He could end up being taken in the Top 10, but No. 12 feels right as of now.

13. Suns – Donatas Motiejunas F/C Lithuania

Motiejunas surprisingly pulled out of last year's draft and then tore it up in the Italian league this season. He's a great shooter, both from the floor and beyond the arc, and appears to be one of the more NBA-ready players in the draft. The Suns could use another power forward besides Channing Frye, and Motiejunas looks like a nice complement to Marcin Gortat. He's another guy I could easily have in the Top 10 in a future column.

14. Rockets – Jordan Hamilton SF Texas

Like Alec Burks, Hamilton is a smooth scorer and plays best when he's the main cog in a team's offense. That means it could take him a while to get going in the pros, but he might be the best pure shooter in the draft, and his quick release will be a key to his success in the pros. The Rockets have some needs at the wing and Hamilton makes sense – especially since he's already in Texas.

15. Pacers – Klay Thompson G/F Washington State

Thompson is another scoring wing player and would be a senior at Washington State this year if he stuck around. Shot selection could be an issue, and the Pacers don't need to hear that with Danny Granger firing up bombs with no conscience, but their biggest hole is still at shooting guard, as they have failed to draft one that could take over. The jury is still out on Paul George, who had a decent rookie season, but it would not be surprising to see them take another one this time around.
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16. Sixers – Terrence Jones SF Kentucky

The Sixers would love to see one of the top centers take a fall to 16 so they could get a possible replacement for duds like Spencer Hawes, Tony Battie and Marreese Speights, but a pick this low won't get it done – at least as of now. Andre Iguodala always feels a step closer to a departure out of Philly and Jones has the potential to replace him down the line. Many folks think Jones should stay at Kentucky for another year to develop, but he's got enough upside to be taken with a Top 15 pick now. A lot of where he's drafted will depend on how his workouts go, but No. 16 looks about right.

17. Knicks – Marcus Morris PF Kansas

The Knicks could use a center, but can also slide Amare Stoudemire there and play a real power forward. They've got one in Shelden Williams, but it's pretty clear he should not be starting in the NBA. Morris is ready for the NBA, is going to be a nice rookie and reminds me a bit of Greg Monroe, who was a very pleasant surprise this season. As of right now, No. 17 feels right for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if I have him in the Top 10 by Draft Day. The Knicks need a big man who can score besides Stoudemire and I think they will have a steal on their hands if they can get Morris this late.

18. Wizards (via Hawks) – Chris Singleton SF Florida State

The Wizards are set with three young guards and a couple solid big men, but as I stated earlier, are lacking at small forward. It wouldn't surprise me to see them use both of their first-round picks on that position. And Singleton has the potential to be another Josh Smith or Gerald Wallace, which I'm pretty sure would make John Wall and company happy. I think he's another potential steal for such a late pick in this draft.

19. Bobcats (via Hornets) – Nikola Mirotic PF Spain

This 6-10 big man can score, rebound, block shots and steal the ball, and the Bobcats need more bigs. He's been extremely efficient in Europe and while there's a chance he won't still be on the board this late, I think Michael Jordan would take the bait if he is.

20. Timberwolves (via Grizzlies) – Nolan Smith G Duke

Smith is a combo guard and it's still unknown whether he can be turned into a real NBA point guard given his turnover issues. But he was able to run Duke's offense when Kyrie Irving was out and played well enough last season to be a lock for a first-round pick. The Timberwolves have a thing for point guards, and if Ricky Rubio isn't coming to America, Smith is a guy they'll look at. The Wolves also have a bit of a hole at shooting guard, making him look like an even more logical choice with this pick.

21. Trail Blazers – Justin Harper PF Richmond

With all the Blazers' centers on the verge of their next knee surgery, LaMarcus Aldridge has been playing a lot more center than they planned on. Gerald Wallace is getting to old to play much more power forward, making Harper a good fit in Portland. While he's truly a power forward, he's one of the best shooters in this draft, if not the best, and his jumper, combined with his size and strength, are going to be NBA assets. His game also seems to suit what the Blazers need and he looks like a great fit.

22. Nuggets – Markieff Morris PF Kansas

The Nuggets are still looking to find a replacement for Carmelo Anthony, although Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler should have solid futures in Denver. Their true need is power forward, making Justin Harper and Morris solid options. Morris is not as good as his twin brother, Marcus, just yet, but he's not too far away. He's already got NBA size (6-10, 235) and is a physical rebounder, but can also knock down an 18-footer if left open. Kenyon Martin is (literally) on his last leg and Chris Andersen isn't getting any younger. Morris looks like a great fit in Denver.

23. Rockets (via Magic) - Jeff Taylor SF Vanderbilt

Taylor developed a 3-point shot in his junior season and is an amazing athlete, able to run the floor at will. He's another guy who might imitate Gerald Wallace and Josh Smith, and the Rockets could use someone who can run the floor with Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin. Chase Budinger will likely start at small forward, but they're certainly not deep at the position, making Taylor a nice fit.

24. Thunder – Travis Leslie SF Georgia

Leslie might be the best athlete in the draft and is a dunk highlight reel waiting to happen. There are questions about his outside shooting, and while the Thunder could really use someone to hit threes, Leslie would be an excellent replacement for Jeff Green, whom they traded to the Celtics this year. He won't see much playing time in OKC due to playing behind the guy who led the league in scoring for the second straight year, but given time to develop, could turn into a very solid (and exciting) NBA player at some point in the future.

25. Celtics – Reggie Jackson PG Boston College

Jackson showed an improved jumper last season and would make for a nice-sized point guard at 6-3. He has shown playmaking skills and is unselfish, while also able to play off the ball. The Celtics have many needs as one of the oldest teams in the league, but getting another guard who could play both spots makes sense.

26. Mavericks – Trey Thompkins PF Georgia

Dirk Nowitzki isn't getting any younger and the Mavericks would be wise to get a young PF they can start grooming for the future. Thompkins had a nice season at UGA, averaging 16.4 points, 7.6 boards and 1.7 blocks per game. The knock on him is that he isn't all that athletic and didn't show much improvement last year, but he's a guy that could stick in the NBA as he learns how to play the game.

27. Nets (via Lakers) – Kenneth Faried PF Morehead State

Faried has a great nose for the ball, is one of the best rebounders in college history and will dive for loose balls without hesitation. Hustle is a word that best describes him and the Nets could use a solid blue-collar guy to do the dirty work that Brook Lopez isn't capable of.

28. Bulls (via Heat) – Josh Selby SG Kansas

Selby has all kinds of potential but hasn't really lived up to the hype as of yet. The Bulls are lacking at shooting guard, which is really their only glaring need. They've got time to wait, as they certainly didn't struggle with a hole at the 2 during the regular season.

29. Spurs - Tobias Harris F Tennessee

At 6-8, 210 he's going to be an undersized power forward, but can shoot it well enough that he might be able to play some small forward in the NBA. Gregg Popovich doesn't seem to trust DeJuan Blair and they've got plenty of young talent in the backcourt. Richard Jefferson will have to be replaced at some point, and Harris wouldn't be a bad place to start.

30. Bulls – JaJuan Johnson, F/C Purdue

He was the best scorer in the Big Ten and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year. He averaged 20.5 points, 8.6 boards and 2.3 blocks per game and would learn a lot playing behind Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. He may fall into Round 2, but I bet he performs well in workouts and ends up in the first round.

 

[HacheMan]

Next year's starters
It's important to evaluate the season while it's still fresh in our minds. By the time the next NBA campaign comes around, we very well may have forgotten more than we care to. After all, the NBA's impending lockout projects to be much worse, much nastier and much longer than the NFL's current stalemate.

We already know we will likely not have a chance to evaluate rookies and fringe players in Summer League. A full preseason is also a long shot. So we need to think about what we saw this year -- and how it projects whenever basketball is played again.

From a rotations perspective, that means thinking about new faces in starting fives. I am not going to talk about guys like Kyle Lowry, Marcus Thornton or Marcin Gortat -- they have established themselves as starters already. These are players I think could make the leap permanently into starting lineups next season -- before we even see what free agency, trades and coaching changes brings.

1. Jared Dudley, SG, Suns: It would be a shock if Vince Carter is not waived this summer. The Suns can dump him at a $4 million price-tag, or keep him for $18 million. Anyone that saw Carter play this season knows this is an easy decision.

Enter Dudley, who has turned himself from a defensive stopper and glue guy into deadly shooter and scorer. The Suns gave him a five-year contract extension in November, locking him in as a core of their future. And in 15 starts this season, he averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.7 treys. He would have no problem replicating those roto-friendly numbers as a starter.

2. Gordon Hayward, SG, Jazz: Veteran defensive stopper Raja Bell began this season as a starter, but quickly showed how far he has fallen at age 34. He is incapable of getting his own shot off or creating, something the Jazz desperately need more of with Deron Williams gone. Hayward, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2010 draft, should have no problem beating Bell out for the starting gig.

In seven April games, Hayward averaged 16.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 1.7 treys while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. That shooting percentage is unsustainable, but Hayward is an underrated athlete. Adding some size this offseason should give him a bump in boards and steals.

3. James Harden, SG, Thunder: Coach Scott Brooks is a big believer in roles, so it makes sense that he stuck with Thabo Sefolosha as his starting shooting guard all season. After all, the Thunder won 55 games. But something happened with Harden midway through this year as he turned the corner and appeared to really "get it."

Showing an ability to penetrate and dish as well as finish with power, Harden established himself as a rising star. The Thunder beat writers are already speculating that Harden will be a starter next year and that has tantalizing upside for fantasy owners. In 28 games after the All-Star break, Harden averaged 15.8 points, 1.7 treys and 1.2 steals -- while playing just 28.5 minutes a night. With 32-25 minutes nightly, Harden will be a nice value pick. He does not turn 22 until August.

4. Jerryd Bayless, PG, Raptors: Jose Calderon has his nose in front now as the veteran, but that is very tenuous. Remember that back in July, the Raptors had a deal on the table that would have sent Calderon to Charlotte and Boris Diaw to Toronto. In other words, they are not sold on Calderon.

That brings us to Bayless, an electric combo guard that was the No. 11 overall pick back in 2008 -- but is already on his third NBA team. He is not the floor leader or passer that Calderon is, but he can really score. In eight April games with Calderon hobbled, Bayless averaged 22.5 points, 5.6 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.1 steals. Dealing Calderon and paving the way for Bayless makes a ton of sense.

5. Kris Humphries, PF, Nets: Some observers thought the Nets gave up too much to get Deron Williams, but Humphries really softens the blow of losing prospect Derrick Favors. Humphries is an impending free agent, but he will very likely be brought back as the starting power forward. With finesse center Brook Lopez needing help down low, Hump provides the perfect compliment.

In 44 starts this season, Humphries averaged 10.7 points, 12.0 boards, 1.3 blocks and shot 51.6 percent from the field. Now motivated by a likely starting role, he could even work toward a bump in offensive production next season.

6. C.J. Miles, SF, Jazz: The Andrei Kirilenko era has likely run its course in Utah. He is an impending unrestricted free agent and has admitted that a clean slate elsewhere may be a good idea. Since the Jazz do not want to play Paul Millsap at small forward full time, starting Derrick Favors is not an option. The most likely lineup is Devin Harris, Gordon Hayward, Miles, Millsap and Al Jefferson.

Although Miles appeared to hit a wall late this season, he remains a plus-scorer and 3-point shooter. He will be a 3-point specialist with upside if he can secure the gig.

 

[HacheMan]

Drafting Pau In Playoff League
I was involved in another fantasy NBA Playoffs Draft on Monday night and thought I'd share the results. We did this one at Fantasypostseason.com and I'm happy to report everything went smoothly, and stats were retro'd in for the games we missed with a simple email telling them to do so. I don't like this team as well as the first one I drafted, but this one also doesn't have LeBron James on board. I had the eighth pick and got Russell Westbrook. Here are the settings we used for this one.

Draft 2 G, 2 F, 1 C, 3 Flex.

Points = 1 point
Rebounds = 2
Assists = 2
Steals = 3
Blocks = 3
TOs = -2
Double-Double = 2
Triple-Double = 5
30+ Scoring = 3

Draft Results

This league was made up of a lot of the Rotoworld Hoop staff, as well as a couple rock stars. Here's the owners and draft order.

Round 1

1. Ethan Norof – LeBron James - MIA
2. Aaron Bruski – Pau Gasol - LAL
3. Chris Wright – Dwyane Wade - MIA
4. Adam Levitan – Dwight Howard - ORL
5. Brett Vandermark – Derrick Rose - CHI
6. Brian Rosenworcel of Guster – Kevin Durant - OKC
7. Ryan Knaus – Joakim Noah - CHI
8. Dr. A – Russell Westbrook - OKC
9. Stephen Malkmus of Pavement – Kobe Bryant - LAL
10. Scott Shniderman – Carlos Boozer – CHI

Thoughts: Gasol at No. 2 was a bit of a surprise after his poor start, but Bruski apparently thinks the Lakers are going deep. Other than that, Round 1 went as planned, and Pau is still a Top 10 guy, any way you slice it.

Round 2

1. Chris Bosh - MIA
2. Serge Ibaka - OKC
(me) 3. Zach Randolph - MEM
4. Tim Duncan - SAS
5. Luol Deng - CHI
6. Rajon Rondo - BOS
7. Lamar Odom - LAL
8. Andrew Bynum - LAL
9. Kevin Garnett - BOS
10. Dirk Nowitzki - DAL

Thoughts: Malkmus scooped up my man Ibaka early in Round 2, which triggered me going on a Grizzlies run. And with Dallas up 2-0 in their series against the Blazers, Dirk looks like a steal with the final pick of Round 2.

Round 3

1. Tony Parker - SAS
2. Paul Pierce - BOS
3. Manu Ginobili - SAS
4. Amare Stoudemire - NYK
5. Carmelo Anthony - NYK
6. Chris Paul - NOH
7. LaMarcus Aldridge - POR
(me) 8. Marc Gasol - MEM
9. Al Horford - ATL
10. Ray Allen – BOS

Thoughts: If you don't get a center in Round 1 or 2, say hello to Marc Gasol or Tyson Chandler, as the center situation got very tight, very quickly. Chris Paul, Al Horford, Amare Stoudemire, LaMarcus Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony could all be one-and-done players. Then again, so could Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Gasol.

Round 4

1. James Harden - OKC
2. Jason Kidd - DAL
(me) 3. Jason Terry - DAL
4. Josh Smith - ATL
5. Jameer Nelson - ORL
6. DeJuan Blair - SAS
7. Raymond Felton - DEN
8. Gerald Wallace - POR
9. Andre Miller - POR
10. Mike Conley - MEM

Thoughts: This is the round where every player taken should be a shaky one, but Malkmus pulling Kidd looks great after Tuesday's win. I then choked by taking Terry. If Memphis can hang on and advance, Conley was a steal for Ethan.

Round 5

1. Tyson Chandler - DAL
2. Glen Davis - BOS
3. Joe Johnson - ATL
4. Nene - DEN
5. Jeff Green - BOS
6. George Hill - SAS
7. Hedo Turkoglu - ORL
(me) 8. Shawn Marion - DAL
9. Marcus Camby - POR
10. Kendrick Perkins – OKC

Thoughts: Chandler was the last solid center on the board and Dallas is looking good at 2-0. Ryan snagged Hedo Turkoglu here, which looks like a steal if the Magic can get by the Hawks, although Josh Smith has done a nice job of shutting Turk down so far. Camby and Perkins are both starting centers, but I don't really trust either of them.

Round 6

1. Ron Artest - LAL
2. Wilson Chandler - DEN
(me) 3. Mike Bibby - MIA
4. Derek Fisher - LAL
5. Matt Bonner - SAS
6. Chauncey Billups - NYK
7. Jason Richardson - ORL
8. Danny Granger - IND
9. Ty Lawson - DEN
10. Toney Douglas – NYK

Thoughts: I grabbed Bibby in hopes the Heat would go to the Finals, while Ryan turned some heads with his final three picks of Derek Fisher, Ronnie Brewer and Landry Fields. That's a tough way to finish up. Douglas could be nice with Chauncey Billups iffy for the rest of Round 1, but the Knicks are in an 0-2 hole. Wright went with Danny Granger, who may only have two more games in which to annoy me this year.

Round 7

1. Danilo Gallinari - NYK
2. Thabo Sefolosha - OKC
3. Richard Jefferson - SAS
4. Andre Iguodala - PHI
5. Joel Anthony - MIA
6. Taj Gibson - CHI
7. Ronnie Brewer - CHI
(me) 8. Jamal Crawford - ATL
9. Elton Brand - PHI
10. J.R. Smith - DEN

Thoughts: Brian's finish down the stretch was also interesting, with Matt Bonner, Taj Gibson and Nicolas Batum. You have to love this kind of draft, where a guy like Bonner goes ahead of Chauncey Billups, and Joel Anthony goes ahead of Jamal Crawford.

Round 8

1. Ryan Anderson - ORL
2. Kurt Thomas - CHI
(me) 3. Tony Allen - MEM
4. Landry Fields - NYK
5. Nicolas Batum - POR
6. Trevor Ariza - NOH
7. Kenyon Martin - DEN
8. Wesley Matthews - POR
9. Shannon Brown - LAL
10. Jermaine O'Neal - BOS

Thoughts: Anything goes in the last round, including Kurt Thomas. I stuck with my Memphis theme with Tony Allen, while the Shannon Brown pick was pretty sneaky by Aaron if the Lakers keep going.

Playoff Predictions

In case you missed them in my previous column:

East

Round 1

Bulls over Pacers in 5
Heat over Sixers in 5
Celtics over Knicks in 7
Magic over Hawks in 6

Round 2

Bulls over Magic in 7
Heat over Celtics in 5

Eastern Finals

Heat over Bulls in 7

West

Round 1

Spurs over Grizzlies in 6
Lakers over Hornets in 4
Mavs over Blazers in 7
Thunder over Nuggets in 7

Round 2

Thunder over Spurs in 7
Lakers over Mavs in 6

Western Finals

Thunder over Akers in 7

Finals

Heat over Thunder in 6

 

[HacheMan]

Playing the per-36 minute game
Playing the per-36 minute game is dangerous. Sometimes, like in the cases of Kevin Love, Ty Lawson, Jrue Holiday or Serge Ibaka, it works to perfection. The formula there is simple: Take a young player seeing limited minutes, project his stats over 36 minutes, hope he gets something near those minutes and laugh all the way to the bank.

The execution of this plan isn't nearly that simple. First and foremost, it's rare that a player sees such a significant bump in minutes from year to year. Second, many players are not able to produce in 32-36 minutes like they can in short bursts off the bench -- the idea of diminishing returns. And finally, fantasy value can be compromised by other owners being aware of per-36 minute upside (see Randolph, Anthony).

That said, when looking for future statistical heroes, playing the per-36 minute game is a valuable tool. Previously, I looked at guys that may land permanent starting gigs next season. As we continue to look back on the 2010-11 season, here are six candidates that have exciting per-36 minute potential:

1. Ryan Anderson, F, Magic
Per-36 minute stats: 17.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 3.4 treys, 1.0 blocks, 0.8 steals

If you don't see the upside here, you need to think about the kind of year that Channing Frye had. As I mentioned in this space when Frye first landed a starting gig, the ability to both shoot the trey and board/block is unique. Anderson's skill set definitely fits that category.

Anderson played just 22.3 minutes per game this season. If he can earn a bump to 28 or 30 with improved defense, he'll likely be one of my favorite sleepers next year.


2. Tyrus Thomas, F, Bobcats
Per-36 minute stats: 17.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 2.8 blocks, 1.3 steals

There always seems to be an excuse for why Thomas can't get a chance. Too inconsistent, too injured, too many off-court issues. The bottom line is that he is still just 24 and remains a major talent on a team desperate for exactly that -- talent.

The Bobcats were close to trading Boris Diaw last summer and could explore that again. With a full offseason of health, Thomas would be a high-risk, high-upside kind of sleeper. I always give extra slack and chances to elite shot-blockers.


3. Ed Davis, F, Raptors
Per-36 minute stats: 11.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.5 blocks, 0.9 steals

I regretfully omitted Davis from my list of players possibly headed for starting gigs next season, so I'll squeeze him in here. While Davis' offensive game remains raw, it's not jump-shooting raw. He's a dunking, put-back kind of player so his field-goal percentage (57.6 percent as a rookie) is spectacular.

The power forward spot in Toronto is crowded (Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans), but Davis clearly has the most upside for a young, rebuilding team.


4. Roddy Beaubois, G, Mavericks
Per-36 minute stats: 17.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 treys, 1.5 steals

It's obviously very concerning that Beaubois fell out of the rotation late in the year and lost his starting gig to DeShawn Stevenson. But you don't have to be an expert to see that Roddy B has special offensive talent. He absolutely leaps off the screen as faster, quicker and more explosive than most other NBA players. That can't be taught.

If he can just put some consistency together, or get traded to a bad team, the fantasy upside would be monstrous. Another idea would be working on his pure point guard skills so he can take over for a declining Jason Kidd.


5. Thaddeus Young, F, Sixers
Per-36 minute stats: 17.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.4 blocks

Coach Doug Collins was repeatedly asked about giving Young a bump in minutes -- especially during playoff time. But Collins says that Young gets "worn down" with anything more than 28-29 minutes because the 22-year-old plays so hard. Add that to the fact that Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand are unlikely to go anywhere, and an increase in minutes for Young does not seem likely.

That said, Young is an impending restricted free agent that will be demanding a large contract. He will almost certainly be back with the Sixers, but can they really pay a guy heaps of money to play 28 minutes? This is a situation to monitor.


6. Austin Daye, SF, Pistons
Per-36 minute stats: 13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.7 treys, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks

Even though the Pistons were going nowhere this season, coach John Kuester refused to play his young players. With Kuester likely gone, that should change. And with impending free agent Tayshaun Prince hinting that he has played his last game in Detroit, Daye should be the main beneficiary in terms of minutes.

However, Daye's performance as a starter this season (11.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 treys, 25.9 minutes) is a little concerning. He could be a "diminishing return guy." He could also just be a kid that is 23 years old and needs a coach to show confidence in him. I see Daye is a flier for now, pending offseason moves.