Swish! Fantasy NBA Shooting Guards and why they rock
What a decent Shooting Guard brings to your team
If you didn’t know, Ray Allen dropped 25 points, grabbed 5 boards and had 3 assists against a Heat team which was overrawed by the powah of the C’s. Ray Allen is a shooting guard. Some people don’t like shooting guards for fantasy purposes. Some people don’t like Ray Allen. Shame!
More seriously. If you hang out on fantasy forums, if you chat to your friends in your league and if you read strategies on ESPN, you are more than likely to know the ‘Point Guards and Power Forwards’ theory. Goes something like, pick a point guard, pick a power forward. Snooze. Repeat. You finish your draft and you have Devin Harris and Anthony Randolph. You can tick all the boxes, but if you ignore a whole class of players simply because of some common misconceptions, you are not doing yourself any favours.
If you want an example of a solid player to add your roster, look no further than Ray Allen. While some Shooting Guards age poorly (see Peja Stojakovic), Allen is the opposite. While he may not drop 20+ points anymore, he has improved his field goal percentages significantly over the last three seasons with Boston. This season, despite a form slump smack bang in the middle of winter, he averaged 16.3 points at 47.7% from the field. He also chips in with 3 free throw attempts per game at 90%+. You throw in his 1.8 triples, 3.2 boards, 2.6 assists and 0.8 steals per game and there is no area which hurts your team. The best part? All of this comes with low turnovers (1.6 this season, the lowest of his career).
While Ray Allen might be the exception, there are other extremely efficient shooting guards who will get the job done as well. This season, Eric Gordon, despite the injuries, managed to shoot 44.9% from the field and 1.9 triples. George Hill is another for next season who should hold down the starting shooting guard spot. He played 78 games this season and averaged 12.4 points at 47.8% from the field. Ditto John Salmons.
Of course there are players you need to watch out for. The high volume shooting types, Kevin Martin, Jason Terry or J.R Smith come to mind, can and will destroy your field goal percentage for weeks on end when they hit a form slump. But if they are playing well, it’s a source of great points, three’s, percentages and low turnovers. A fantastic example who I think will thrive next season is O.J Mayo. Mayo has jacked his FG% up this season while lowering his assist:turnover ratio and maintaining his other volume stats despite the rise of other teammates around him. This bodes well for the future. He is a shooting guard who chips in everywhere.
I’m not advocating creating a team of shooting guards because clearly it is hard to base your team around that type of player. But what I am saying is don’t ignore quality fantasy prospects because someone once told you SG’s are worthless. This season just passed, the top 25 SG eligible players ranked in the top 68 players according to Yahoo. While I’m not going to chase Trevor Ariza (number 68) at the first available opportunity, I am going to take him over a Michael Beasley type player who hardly shows up most days despite the potential.
Joakim Noah and Nene, where to from here?
Two men with a shared past are having an impact on the post season in one way or another. Joakim Noah has a big mouth but can ball to back it up. Nene just let’s his basketball do the talking and is an important piece if the Nuggets want to progress past the Jazz. Both were lottery picks which at some stage belonged to the Knicks before being on traded. Today both played and have put up some decent numbers in their respective two playoff games to date. From a fantasy perspective, I think it will be very interesting as to who will be drafted first in season 2010-11. Let’s break it down.
While Noah couldn’t find a way past LeBron and the Cavs today, he did manage to do his thing. This includes 25 points, 13 boards, a steal, a block and solid percentages. That’s basically the big guy in a nutshell. He is the heart and soul of the Chicago team, and while not it’s best player, deserves some serious fantasy love next season. HIs per36 numbers this year are impressive. Nearly 13 points, over 13 boards and almost 2 blocks per game. However Noah also drinks from the cup of fantasy hemlock. Plantar Facilitis. He missed 18 games this season and only started in 54 total. This is the reason his Yahoo average rank is only 62. Sift through his game log and there are some pretty sad rows which really impact on his per game figures.
There are two good trends though when looking at Noah. If he can play this well against a Cavs team which is loaded with talent across the floor, he can get it done next season against the Detriot Pistons 4 times a year. His minutes, despite missing large parts of the season, are still equal to 2008-09. You can expect, when healthy, Noah to average 36-38 minutes per game. 13/13/2 with +50% from the field and a new found knack for the free throw (74% on the season)? Not bad for a big man.
You won’t hear Nene talking about his game (or Cleveland) like Noah does but if you have had the pleasure of being an owner in recent seasons, you will appreciate his game. The big man is Mr. Efficient when it comes to field goal percentage. In the playoffs so far, he has shot 7-10 in both games. You will see lots 5-8, 6-8, type games from Nene who also chips in with important steals and blocks. This season past, Nene started every game at Center. That’s a major reason he ended up with an overall ranking of 19, pretty impressive for a guy who only shoots 70% from the line.
Nene is a lock for a quality second tier Center. He does everything right, doesn’t hurt you anywhere and has turned into a very consistent player.
The question is therefore who would you take? A this stage, with Noah out there putting up great numbers against the best in the business, with all that upside and better per36 number, you would seriously be looking at him in the early 4th round. Most people might be surprised at this, but the figures don’t lie. Nene, while putting up great numbers this year, probably won’t have the same impact next season. You can be sure that someone will over pay for him early, limiting your chance to pick him up at a reasonable stage in the draft (mid-late 4th round).
2009-10
Joakim Noah (Yahoo Rank: 99 total, 62 ave): 50.4%, 74.4%, 10.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.6 blocks, 1.8 turnovers
Per 36: 12.8 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, .6 steals, 1.9 blocks, 2.2 turnovers
Nene (Yahoo Rank: 18 total, 29 ave): 58.7%, 70.4%, 13.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks, 1.5 turnovers
Per 36: 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks, 1.6 turnovers
Playoffs 2010, Fantasy 2011?
What the NBA playoffs are telling us about future fantasy options.
Brandon Jennings is the real deal.
While some people might have their doubters about a young PG who shoots so much and lacks a proper haridresser, the reality is that the kid can get it done when required. In the Bucks first playoff game against a far superior Hawks team, Jennings had a game high 34 points, while shooting 4 three pointers and 56% from the field. During the last season his field goal shooting was a serious liability but nearly all second year guards make a leap in this regard (see Westbrook, Russell and Mayo, O.J as this years prime examples). He also struggled to provided a consistent source of assists. There were only three against the Bucks, but with Salmons creating his own shot and Kurt Thomas starting at Center, this was always going to be the case. Next season should see more minutes, more effective choices and a lower assist:turnover ratio. There will be a house full of quality point guards next season in Fantasy but if you are after a solid middle round pick, Jennings is your guy. This type of game should become more commonplace as his career lengthens.
Kevin Garnett still has stock as a fantasy option.
It’s not high after the past two seasons being marred by injury, but he has said himself numerous times, he has the will to keep playing at that high level and expects to fully recover this off-season from the various ailments and bone spurs which have been bothering him. Now, if you’re a risk adverse fantasy player, you won’t be touching KG. On the other hand, 16 points, 9 boards, 60% from the field with a few steals and blocks thrown in is nothing to laugh up. I don’t want to be advocating the next 2011 version of Elton Brand, but when I’m looking for value in the early-middle rounds on draft day, I won’t be ignoring this former number one pick. As Doctor DRE would say, “don’t forget about me (KG)”.
Jermaine O’Neal will not shoot +50% from the field again. Ever.
If you haven’t had a chance to catch game one, have a sneak peak at the poor shooting and down right terrible decision making by JON. Unless he ends up in New York or Golden State, his days as a fantasy relevant Center are fading quickly. I’ll acknowledge he was playing against top tier defense, but Kendrick Perkins wasn’t even playing that well. O’Neal missed several 18 footers, missed opportunities around the rim and even air balled a put back offensive rebound. Yuck. It’s not a good sign when that kind of stuff has been your bread and butter for the majority of your career.
Paul Millsap is going to be a quality 2nd tier PF/C.
As Money Memo went down (and in my opinion, taking the Jazz with him) for the rest of the season, Millsap stepped in for 37 minutes. In that time, he had 15 points, 10 boards, 3 blocks and shot 7 from 13 from the field. He might not have the finesse under the hoop of Boozer, but he can block, which adds a whole other dimension. Fantasy watchers have been waiting for 2 solid seasons for the Jazz and Boozer to set Millsap free and if you want him in your team next year, you will have to act very quickly on draft day.
Chauncey Billups will never get old.
Well, that’s a lie. But it doesn’t seem like it at the moment. And for me, that’s a little bit of a concern. I know next season he will keep dropping three’s, dishing out assists and having a free throw percentage to die for, but I don’t know if he is early second round material anymore. He was sloppy with the ball against the Jazz (3 turnovers in 29 minutes). He will have Ty Lawson sitting behind him, willing his coach to play him more minutes. This is not to say Billups isn’t going to be a great player next season. He will be. BUt more in the getting pretty old, good dude to keep around the clubhouse, type role. HIs minutes will dip because they can. Even in this game, Lawson clocked in for 21 minutes. Not an insignificant amount. I hate even writing this about him because he seems like one of the best players to have on a team, but I am steering clear until the third round. The next group of uber PG’s (Rose, Curry) are already passed him.
Andrew Bynum is worth the risk.
Now, this one might be a non-starter with many people. I know many owners will have been burned by Bynum is the past two years and is probably near the top of many ‘do not draft’ lists, along with GIlbert Arenas and Elton Brand amongst others. However, Bynum is young. He is a stud. To top it off, he plays alongside another 7 footer. I know this first playoff performance was against an OKC team which lacks any kind of depth in the middle, but Bynum will see this a lot in the future. He had 13 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks. I see him putting up big numbers next year with Kobe demanding less of his teammates. The Lakers don’t have that much offensive fire power apart from Bryant and Gasol, so this will mean great things for the big fella. If you can stomach the injury risk, he is a handy middle round Center who could explode and mark his name on the map in fantasy 2010-11!
Some further reading:
Unsung Player Day
I stumbled across two things this afternoon which really made my day.
The Golden State Warriors Bench was looking a little bit sad. And when I say a little bit, I mean a whole lot. Poor buggers, at least the season is over.
However more fun is this idea from With Malice. Unsung Player Day. I really don’t want enough basketball to see these sort of dudes but reading the various players who are listed made me think about my recent trip overseas and some of the basketball games I saw in in the depths of winter. While JaVale McGee has bumped his average playing time up to about 16 minutes per game this season, when I saw him in early December he was struggling to stay on the court long enough to even foul effectively. On December 2nd, he didn’t get any time at all. On December 4th, the big guy finally got his chance, playing in 5 minutes and 23 seconds of pure madness against the Raptors.
But it was more about his role in the team which impressed me. The Wizards were a pretty happy team at the time. It seemed like there were lots of jokes happening, laughing on the benches and a general sense of good times before the games started. At the center of this was JaVale McGee. Big. Tall. Pretty hopeless looking. Sam Cassell worked on his post game for five minutes in practice before seeing Brandon Haywood and moving on.
When he did get on the court, it was like the game had transformed. While the Raptors liked to run, Brandon Haywood does not. McGee on the other hand had no problems. Up and down about 20 times in his 5 minutes of fame. He even deflected a ball for a credited steal, made a basket and pumped up the crowd behind Gilbert Arenas in the 4th quarter as the Wizards were starting to fail.
Now with Haywood out of town, McGee is seeing big minutes. But judging from his numbers, he might be better suited as an unsung player, at least until his game is developed a little bit more. All the best to him (and his brother who works in Georgetown flipping burgers).
The Way It Had To End
Today I lost my fantasy final due to three factors. Below I rank them. But first, a quick recap. I had the number four pick in the draft and took Kevin Durant. Yeah, I know. I’m just that good. But more seriously, I lost by 18 points and 5 three pointers. Pretty devastating.
1) Stephen Curry.
How was I to know this little punk ass kid would destroy everything that was good in the world? For those of you who believe rookies are not worthy of fantasy basketball drafts (and looking ahead to Evan Turner and John Wall), here are Curry’s April stats (last 8 games). 26.4 points, 6.4 boards, 8.1 assists, 2.6 steals, 3.1 triples, 46.9% from the field, 89.5% from the stripe. OK, he only blocks 0.4 shots per game and turns the ball over 3.1 times per. But. BUT. Those stats rank him as the number one player in the game over that period. Yeah, I said it. Number one.
I was involved in an interesting argument this afternoon in my fantasy league chatter as to where he would fall in next year’s draft (because, you know, 5 minutes before the last games end, it’s time to start thinking about that stuff). I nearly fell out of my chair when people seriously thought he would be available at the end of the second round. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This guy is a stud and unless Don Nelson gets fired or hit by a bus, 2010-11 is the Stephen Curry coming out party. When you can hit 26 foot pull up transition three pointers with finesse similar to the way Eddie House wears his jewerly on the bench, then things are heading in the right direction.
Needless to say, in my final, Curry dropped 167 points, 19 threes, 39 boards, 43 assists, had 17 steals, hit every second shot and nailed 93.8% of his free throws. Thanks for nothing Stephen. I’ll be seeing you in the FIRST round next year.
2) Lamar Odom is a liability.
Yeah, that’s right. I said it. Here is my prediction for the NBA Finals. The Cavs vs. some team not the Lakers. That’s about as technical as I get. Fun facts about LO this season. He attempted 182 three pointers, good for over 2 per game. Success rate? 31.9%. Yuck. Since he replaced Andrew Bynum in the starting line up on March 21, the Lakers are 6-7 with losses to teams including the Clippers and the Hornets. Admitedly, today’s loss against the Clippers saw some starters sitting. But here is a question, shouldn’t your bench and some starters be able to beat the Clippers if you want to go anywhere in the playoffs? Answer: No.
No-one should fall for the Lakers trap next year in fantasy drafts. This is where my rant really gets going. I have a formula which I just thought up. Stick with me. Kobe Bryant is a twat. But he is also surpremely talented. This year, he put up second round numbers because… well… he has played for 14 seasons now. Every season he keeps playing, he is going to drop a draft round. Facts to back this up? None. YET. But watch his FG% slip. Watch his FT attempts slide. Watch his assist:turnover ratio climb. I don’t care how many buzzer beaters you make. I’m not taking him before 19 next year and by then he’ll be long gone.
3) Brandon Roy is a poor man’s… Monta freakin’ Ellis??
Let’s compare:
Roy: 65 games, 21.5 points, 4.4 boards, 4.7 assists, .473, .780, 1.1 triples, 0.9 steals, 2 turnovers
Ellis: 64 games, 25.5 points, 4.0 boards, 5.3 assists, .449, .753, 1.2 triples, 2.2 steals, 3.8 turnovers
OK. There are a few differences (TOs, steals, percentages are little off) but it’s close enough. Close enough to say that Roy wasn’t even close to Ellis this season.
Roy finished up the season ranked 49 in averages and 66 in total. Umm, yuck? I know he was injured throughout the season. I know he had not one, but two Centers, go down. I know he had a new teammate who apparently can still play a bit. But when I drafted him at number 13 (big deep breath), I really expected some sort of return on my investment. This is what I got. I got Monta Ellis, but worse. How does this even make sense? Why am I still thinking about Stephen Curry?
…
Fantasy is over for another year. And now the fun begins. Thinking about next season…
Congrats to Mexican Landslides in my league who pipped me at the post. Was a pretty stellar rookie season. Don’t expect the free pass next year =)
Thanks to GMTR who organised my other league where, despite a strong finish, I ended up 10th thanks to a combination of Marc Gasol getting the gimps and a general sense of apathy after I missed the top-6 playoffs.
And to everyone else. Here is my top 12 baring obvious big changes which will cause mock draft lists to change 1652 times between now and late October when the next season starts.
Durant, LeBron, CP3, Wade, Curry, Dirk, Granger, Howard, Lopez, D-Will, Bosh, Wallace
…
Awards Watch. Fantasy Hoopster makes some noise. As always, vote in his polls (Tyrus Thomas and Kevin Durant in case you didn’t know by now). I read his stuff whenever it comes out, solid analysis all season long. Hope it continues in 2010-11!
I looked for other links but came up empty. I’m sure there will be some more tomorrow. Or maybe that’s it for the year.
Fantasy Basketball Awards 2009-10
I suppose these are not the best player, best 6th man etc etc, but more like awards of how I feel during the fantasy season. Everyone has different opinions in most things fantasy related, this is just my take.
The Fantasy Machine Award – David Lee
Can you think of a more consistent player this season? Sure, for a starting Center he never learnt how to block (0.5 per game) but it seemed every single time I glanced at a Knicks scoreboard, there was a 20 and a 10 staring right back at me alongside Lee’s name. When you throw in his league high 3.6 assists per game, the fact he never misses games and his ridiculous shooting percentages, it all comes into place. And just for kicks, his Yahoo average draft position? 45.6. That’s just nasty.
The What The *&! Award – Al Jefferson
You would be forgiven for thinking that Jefferson was injured for sinigficant amounts of time this season. However, you’d be wrong. He has missed just 6 games this year but more than anything, he has missed the ball in his hands. This season in Minny, he attempted under 15 shots per game. If you want something to compare that against, he had 19 last year and 17 the year before that. Throw a four year low in rebounding (9.2), a three year low in scoring (17.1) and a pretty large regression blocks (1.3, down from 1.7) and you see why owners who took Big Al early in the second round are disappointed. The biggest let down though, is that the potential was there however owners could never tell which Al Jefferson would show up. In March, AJ was 19/11/2 but even that included a 5 game stretch without 10+ boards. Who knows what’s in store next year.
The I Didn’t Know He Could Do That Award – Zach Randolph
While everyone knew he could put up 20/10, no-one really expected it. Nor did anyone think he would fit into Memphis or play every game. Z-Bo proved the doubters wrong and had one of the most productive power forward seasons. He easily compares to players like Carlos Boozer and even Tim Duncan. While he still likes to jack the more than occasional three bomb (29% on 0.7 attempts per game) and struggles on the block (0.4 per game), he kept his turnovers low (2.2) while contributing 20.8 points and 11.7 boards per game. It’s impressive in anyone’s language. You can expect to see him go around the third or fourth round next season.
The I Wish I Had Of Taken Him Award – Marc Gasol
While he has missed a few games at the end of the season, this year’s Yahoo average draft pick number 119 has been a pleasant surprise for owners. I thought his numbers would dip considerably with Da Beet and Z-Bo onboard in Memphis but the more manly of the Gasol brothers stepped up and proved himself. He shot 58.6% from the field on 14.6 points per game, which when paired up with his 9.3 boards and 1.6 blocks per, put him in the conversation with significant 2nd tier fantasy centers.
The I’m Glad I Didn’t Touch Him Award – Greg Oden/Anthony Randolph
The worst thing about Oden is he after owners picked him up on the cheap at the back ends of the draft, he actually played like a demon. 11/8/2 while shooting 60% from the field and under 2 turnovers… all in 24 minutes! He was the bargain of the season. Then just when you everything was going to plan, he does his knee (and takes naughty photos). Just like that, it was over nearly before it even started. Poor Portland? Poor fantasy owners more like it.
At least Oden gave you something. Do you remember the sheer excitement surrounding Ant-Rand back in October? Well. If. You. Dont. Go. Back. And. Look. Phew. Everyone did it. He was a standard 6 round pick. It’s not your fault… blame Don Nelson. Just remember, sometimes the risk isn’t worth the reward and despite all the hype and skills in the world, events can conspire against even the best fantasy prospect.
The I Told You So Award – Andrew Bogut
Now, no-one likes the cocky bloke in the corner, but Andrew Bogut was always going to have a productive fantasy year. It’s such a pity the big fella went down with an awful elbow injury but at least his fantasy doubters are gone for next season. His other worldly 2.5 blocks per game is second only to Dwight in the league, while his 16 and 10 was like gravy all season long. His turnovers? Down (1.9 per game). FT%? Up to a career high (62.9%). Delicious.
The Rookie Award – Steph Curry
I was going to go with ‘Reke because 20/5/5 is damn impressive, but you know what? That’s basically a 2nd rate Joe Johnson and I’m not about that. Curry, the little devil, can do many other things. Like drop 2.1 three bombs per game while still shooting 46% from the field. Throw in 1.9 steals and 87% freebies and you have a winner. Sure, the kid can’t play defense, but that just makes him a better fantasy player in my eyes. Also, anyone sharing a backcourt with Monta Ellis deserves some respect because that dude is a dead set loser. Curry – 2nd rounder next year. Lock it in.
The Old Guy Who Keeps Surprising Everyone Award – Marcus Camby
The three players sitting BEHIND Camby in average stats this season according to Yahoo? Kobe, Boozer and D-Will. Yes, you probably aren’t going to draft him over those guys, but this 86 year old knows how to get it done still. He has never been much of a scorer (7.5 points per game) but boy can he do big man stats with gusto. 2 blocks, nearly 12 boards, 1.3 steals and only 1.2 turnovers per game. In fantasy terms, that’s like bank interest and it just keeps compounding. I dare say he won’t go too early next year, but don’t be surprised when you see him name pop up on the rankings lists once again.
The That Guy Who Didn’t Surprise Anyone Award – Trevor Ariza
I really wanted it all to work out for Ariza. He was the one likeable guy on the Lakers championship squad and they basically screwed him. But what happens when he has to be a star? Epic fail. 39% shooting on nearly 14 shots per game (ouch), 65% from the free throw line and only marginal increases in blocks, steals and boards despite playing 50% more game time (36 minutes per game). Anyone who took Ariza, and most took him after the 8th round according to Yahoo, probably didn’t trust his transformation into a big game player. Well folks, in this case, everyone was right. Perhaps he can turn things around next season with the return of Yao but if you are going to jack up 6 three’s per game, you should try and hit more than 33% of them. Something to work on in the off season.
The Never Again Award – Jose Calderon
In my leagues, no-one liked Calderon. He fell all the way to #44 the league I invest my heart and soul into and even at that spot, he failed to live up to the hype. From my reckoning, there is always something fishy going on if the best thing you do (in this case, free throws), is only happening a tick over twice per game. I don’t care if you shoot 100%, it’s not going to make up for the fact I have Josh Smith playing at the PF. This season, Calderon found… the bench. I’m sure owners were sick of him after 4 weeks, let alone the whole season. Which is a tad ironic, because it was right at the end of the season where he kind of turned it around with some quality games. Next season, you can expect his mock draft spot to be in relative free fall compared to this season.
Some good end of season stuff from around the interwebs:
GiveMeTheRock ask just how good the King and the Durantula really are this season.
NBAMate’s resident fantasy guru has a wrap of the season
Tom Carpenter from ESPN has his fantasy awards while Rotoworld chip in with theirs as well.
C4 fantasy sports with his awards for the season.
Iggy, Crawford and T-Will highlight a solid session of NBA
Headlines
1) Andre Iguodala. The Sixers might not be winning many games recently, but Iggy has stepped it up. Today’s 33 points, 11 assists and 8 boards (4 triples, 5 steals) is just a continuation of his awesome form. In his past 5 games, he is shooting 64%, hitting 2 treys and grabbing 2.5 steals. His Yahoo O-Rank of 22 looks set to rise next season if he keeps it up. If he could shot free throws, he would be a first rounder.
2) Jamal ‘Mad Dog’ Crawford. Sometimes you might think about benching Crawford because ATL has a 3 game week with walk over opponents. Don’t do it. Ever. With J.J out, he led the Hawks with 29 points, 6 treys and 6 assists. Holy Easter Bunny. While he doesn’t do much except shoot and score, the fact that he does it better than anyone else in the league counts for something. Has to be the 6th man of the year. He is another who is set to climb the draft rankings next season.
3) Terrence Williams. I was on the T-Will bandwagon a long time ago… before I fell off it due to lackluster effort. That corner has officially been turned. Williams is showing in the late season that he can do just about anything. Today he has 14 assists (and only 2 turnovers) to go with 14 points. If given the opportunity, this man is going to make a major impact next year. He is a walking small forward double-double. When he increases his field goal percentage (when, not if), he will be the 2008 version of Richard Jefferson.
In Depth – Taj Gibson
All the fancy talk about Rookie of the Year is about Tyreke Evans and Steph Curry, which is more than understandable. What isn’t, is that there is very little talk about Gibson. While he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, he has done a few things others haven’t. He took a starting job off an established position player (Tyrus Thomas). He is still a chance to play in the playoffs. And most importantly, he has shown up to play when most required. In March, with Joakim Noah down and Thomas and Salmons shipped out, Gibson had his best month of his short career. He averaged 10+ points, 8+ boards, 1.3 blocks while shooting 51% from the field and a respectable 76% from the stripe (65% on the year). While the Bulls lost their first 9 games of March, Gibson showed he could play with the best going 9 from 14 against the Cavs and 6 of 10 against the Magic. These little signs are good for the future. In his last game, an 8 point victory over the Bobcats, he grabbed 15 boards even with Noah sitting in the paint to grab 16 of his own. The fact these two can play and gel together is good news for the Bulls and really great news for fantasy production next year. With a summer spent building on already solid fundamentals, this guy will be one to watch next year.
Stockwatch
Buy: Jose Calderon. If you look closely, you will see his struggles are over. 16 and 10, 2 triples and only one turnover. While he still can’t play defense (the above mentioned T-Will walked all over him), at least it should bring a smile to anyone who held onto him all season.
Sell: Andrew Bogut. In what I think is probably one of the saddest on-court stories on the year, Bogut suffered a probable season-ending elbow injury against the Suns today. With the Bucks cruising towards 5th place in the East against all expectations, this throws them into chaos heading into the playoffs.
Hold: Boris Diaw. You never know what you’ll get from the big frenchman (apart from the unexpected). He had 18 points to go with 7 boards and 6 assists against Chi-Town today but he one of the most frustrating players to own for fantasy due to his inconsistency, ability to turn the ball over and inability to hit the deep shots (despite always having a solid go)
Forecast
Basketball Monster says the Warriors have the 4th best schedule over the next week, which includes 4 games. When you mention that those four teams are the Raptors, T’wolves, Clippers and Wizards, it becomes downright juicy. One player in particular has become almost indispensable which is slightly amusing given Yahoo didn’t even have his photo until about 3 weeks ago. Anthony Tolliver, the former D-Leaguer and 6”9 Center is playing for big money next year. This week should cement it. Apart from perhaps the Raptors with Bosh and Bargnani, he will draw the bigger guys out of the paint, run and shoot all day. While this may or may not help the Warriors (who really knows what will happen on any given day), it will certainly be amazing for his fantasy production in the next week. As a starter he is averaging 13 points, 6 boards and 1.5 triples (nearly Bargnani numbers, expect he didn’t come with a 5th round draft pick). This week, you can expect bucket loads more of everything. In his two games against the Clippers so far, he averaged 24 points with 3 triples. Delicious. If there is one thing you can bank on in regard to the Warriors, whatever happens, it’ll be a ride.
Around the League
I may not agree with anything posted here, but it’s an interesting read. Stephen Jackson, your MVP.
And in related news, Jackson or Troy Murphy for keeper league next year? Weigh in here.
A closer look at Iggy’s numbers from today.
And a fantasy round up from GMTR.
What Thunder fans have been waiting for. And a recap of their win from a Mav’s perspective.
This sort of sums up my feelings of the Celtics. Although Bogut being out and them having a 4 seed may change that.
D-Wade is just disgustingly good.
And finally. If you are after a schedule grid, this is the best one I’ve found. While for instant results with a bit of extra, the previously mentioned Basketball Monster is the place to be.
Kevin Durant, John Salmons and Zaza show the world how it’s done
Headlines
1. The only question surrounding Kevin Durant and the Thunder at the moment are how far they will go in the playoffs. KD dropped 37, 8 boards, a perfect 15 from the line with 2 treys, a steal and only 2 turnovers. While the Celtics aren’t exactly what they used to be (sidenote: Kevin Garnett should be more like John Salmons when it comes to talking about the refs as well), Durant had a nearly common place performance which in itself is jaw-dropping. The campaign for a #1 pick in fantasy 2010-11 grows with everyday.
2. John Salmons. Apparently that whole period in Chi-Town was just a super long slump. Against the best team in the league, Salmons had 28 points, 7 assists, 5 boards, 3 triples and was a perfect 7 from the stripe. This man was obviously meant to play for Scott Skiles.
3. You know your in trouble when Zaza Pachulia has a double-double (his first in a season +). The Lakers it seems have dropped off the planet lately. In some aspects, they are downright hurting fantasy teams. Over the last five games, Kobe is 16-23 from the free throw line and averaging 4.4 turnovers, Lamar is shooting 41.5% and Ron-ron is an abysmal 4-22 from downtown. They have lost 3 of these games and look extremely shaky heading into April.
In Depth – O.J Mayo
Mayo’s volume stats have hardly moved an inch from rookie year to sophomore year. Normally, this would be cause for concern for NBA teams but Mayo is doing all the right things at the moment and in the recent past has been putting up some solid numbers for owners. With Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol performing well above average, the fact that Mayo has maintained his excellent rookie start has been impressive.
On the season, he has increased his field goal percentage by .022, a not insignificant increase. He has decreased his turnover rate by 0.6 per game. This are extremely good signs heading into the future as in fantasy he will make his name as a volume shooter and the two things which kill value there are low FG% and any notion of an above-average turnover rate.
In his past five games, he is averaging more than 20 points per game, 2 triples, over 5 rebounds and 3 assists. This is especially handy if you dump assists, as he is PG eligible but still fills it up. Next season, depending on what happens with Rudy Gay, could be a very significant one for Mayo.
Stockwatch
Obviously it’s playoff time and many leagues have stopped trading etc, but this would be in an ideal world.
Buy: Tyreke Evans. The kid is on an absolute tear. He has turned into a consistent triple-double threat, averaging 8.2 boards and 8.7 assists in his last 7 games. Scary good. He has already placed himself in serious early round chatter for drafting next year.
Sell: Jason Maxiell. Despite blowing away opponents for the last month and playing big minutes, his shine is now gone. Ben Wallace has returned to the lineup. Against Miami today, he had 4 minutes and 0 everything.
Hold: Jason Terry. While he exploded today for 29 points in 40 minutes, JET has been up and down recently and cannot be trusted. He is 8 from 23 from deep and depending on what Coach Carlisle thinks, he might get anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes per night.
Forecast
The Hawks play a maximum 6 games over the final playoff game for fantasy and that means Josh Smith, as his put back dunks and recent all round magic have demonstrated already, is in for a monster last effort. ATL is chasing that 3rd seed to avoid the Cavs early so shouldn’t go easy unlike some teams to end the season. Basketball Monster has him as the projected 6th most productive fantasy player next week but I think he’ll top that with some big performances in some massive games for playoff implications including Milwaukee, Cleveland, Charlotte and Toronto. Washington and Detroit will be plain ugly to watch though. All those doubting Tom’s at the season’s start have surely been proven wrong. If you want Smoove on your team next year, you will have to be extremely early to lock him up.
Around the league
A Stern Warning interviews the dudes who made SonicGate
Some quality tweets from NBA players
Breaking down Celtic Shoes
This is Hilarious. Ray Allen, green fog and a collection of awesome songs. What more could you want? (For the best song, scroll through to the 2 minute mark)
GiveMeTheRock with their take on Wednesday’s game
Hardwood on some Celtics talk and KG swearing
