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2009 Midseason Fantasy Hoops Awards (Part 1)by Eric Wong AKA Roto EvilFantasy MVP (Roto): Chris Paul 20.9 points5.4 rebounds 11.1 assists 2.7 steals .7 threes 2.9 to's 49.5% FG 86.7% FT Paul finished the '07-08 season as the #1 ranked fantasy player, but he's been even BETTER this season. Once again, he leads the league in both steals and assists, and it's his dominance in these two categories that makes him so special. His steals average is the highest mark since Nate McMillan nabbed 2.96 per game in '93-94, and the only other player in NBA HISTORY to average 11+ assists and 2.6+ steals in the same season is John Stockton (Stockon did it 5 years in a row from '87-'92, while this will be Paul's 2nd year in a row). Another area where Paul is emulating Stockton (as well as Steve Nash) is with his rock solid shooting %'s. Only a handful of guards are capable of shooting 50% from the floor, but CP3 is right there. He's also shooting a career-best 86.7% from the line, which is extra valuable because he's getting to the line 6.9 times per game this season as opposed to just 4.9 last year. And if all that wasn't enough, he's also pulling down a career-high 5.4 rebounds, which is 2nd behind Kidd among all point guards. Quite simply, Chris Paul is shaping up to be one of the greatest point guards of all-time. Fantasy MVP (H2H): LeBron James 27.6 points7.2 rebounds 6.6 assists 2.1 steals 1.3 blocks 1.2 threes 3.1 to's 49.7% FG 77.7% FT CP3 is still the better Roto player due to his dominance in assists, but LeBron's versatility makes him the #1 Head-to-Head player thus far. James still isn't a very good 3-point shooter (29% 3P this season and just 32% 3P for his career), but his current FG% and FT% are at career-high levels. In previous years, LeBron's FT% was a major liability, to the point where you had to consider punting that category. But his 78% from the line this season is a major improvement, and it's even good enough to win that category if you surround him with several guys over 80%. Unfortunately, LeBron is playing a career-low 37.2 minutes, which has hurt his points, rebounds, and assists. However, his 3.33 combined steals + blocks is a career-high, and the addition of Mo Williams has cut down his turnovers quite a bit. He's not dominating any one category like CP3, but LeBron currently ranks 2nd in points, 5th in steals, 11th in assists, 26th in FG%, 28th in blocks, and 38th in rebounds. This gives you the flexibility to win H2H matchups in a variety of ways, which is why he's my 1st half MVP for Head-to-Head (and points-based) leagues. All-Fantasy 1st teamPG: Chris Paul (see above)SG: Dwyane Wade 28.9 points4.9 rebounds 7.4 assists 2.3 steals 1.6 blocks .8 threes 3.7 to's 47.3% FG 75.4% FT If Wade's bounceback season has surprised you, then you must not have watched the 2008 Olympics. He proved that he was healthy over the summer, which is why I was ecstatic to pick him at #5 for my Cool Hand Evil team. Most people thought that Kobe was the #1 shooting guard hands down, but in my Draft Guide, I warned that Wade "could be more valuable than Kobe in 8-cat leagues." Those words have come true, and Wade's stats are nothing short of brilliant. Let's start with his combination of points, assists, and FG%. Since 1974, only 4 players have averaged 28+ points and 7+ assists while shooting over 47% from the field in the same season: Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and now, Dwyane Wade. Now let's examine his combination of steals and blocks. Since 1981, only 6 players have averaged 2.2+ steals and 1.5+ blocks in the same season: Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan (twice), Hakeen Olajuwon (twice), David Robinson, Gerald Wallace, and now, Dwyane Wade. "Flash" is also making a career-high .8 treys per game, and he's cut his turnovers down drastically, from 4.4 last season to 3.7. The only area where I'd like to see some improvement is from the free throw line. 75.4% isn't bad per se, but since he's attempting 10 freebies per game it kind of hurts, and he DID shoot over 80% from the line in '06-07. Still, if you drafted Wade you can't complain. The guy's been a stud, and he hasn't missed a single game (knock on wood). SF: LeBron James (see above)PF: Dirk Nowitzki 25.9 points8.6 rebounds 2.5 assists .7 steals .8 blocks 1.0 threes 2.1 to's 47.5% FG 91.5% FT If you were too scared to pick Wade at #5, then you probably took Dirk. Based on his stats after the All-Star break last year, this wasn't a bad idea at all. In my Mavericks team preview, I chose Nowitzki as my Dallas player not to sleep on, citing his improved numbers with Jason Kidd in the lineup. Sure enough, Dirk's '08-09 numbers are very similar to his post All-Star stats. He currently ranks 5th in scoring, 6th in FT%, 17th in free throw attempts,17th in rebounds, and 48th in blocks. However, his 1.0 threes per game and 47.5% FG shooting are somewhat disappointing, because he made 1.6 treys and shot 50% from the field last year with Kidd. Still, his turnovers are very low for being an elite scorer and the rest of his numbers are solid across the board. C: Yao Ming 19.9 points9.5 rebounds 1.8 assists .4 steals 1.7 blocks 3.1 to's 54.3% FG 86.2% FT First, the bad: Yao's minutes, points, field goal attempts, and free throw attempts are at their lowest averages in 4 years, and his boards, blocks, and assists have also declined considerably from last season. Now, the good: his decreased playing time (33.3 mpg this season compared to 37.2 last year) has helped keep him healthy, and he's missed just 1 game thus far (knock on wood). And despite the lower numbers, he still ranks in the Top 12 in boards, blocks, and FG%, and the Top 25 in points and FT%. Also, I feel like making up a new stat right now, because I want to tell you that Yao's FTFG is at a career-high level. Much like SLOB (SLugging percentage x On-Base percentage) for baseball, FTFG (Free Throw percentage x Field Goal percentage) attempts to combine two measurements of scoring (Power ability x Getting on base vs. Making free throws x Making fied goals) to spit out an even more useful number. Yao's .468 FTFG (.862 FT x .543 FG) ranks 3rd overall this season and is considerably higher than his career mark of .433. Who are the current leaders in FTFG? Excluding guys who have played fewer than 750 minutes, your Top 20 are: 1. Jose Calderon (.491) 2. Carl Landry (.474) 3. Yao Ming (.468) 4. Amare Stoudemire (.461) 5. Steve Nash (.459) 6. Ray Allen (.458) 7. Nene Hilario (.450) 8. Jameer Nelson (.447) 9. Maurice Williams (.439) 10. David Lee (.439) 11. Dirk Nowitzki (.438) 12. Pau Gasol (.437) 13. Kevin Garnett (.437) 14. Chris Paul (.429) 15. Grant Hill (.426) 16. David West (.426) 17. Mehmet Okur (.416) 18. Kobe Bryant (.413) 19. Tony Parker (.409) 20. Jason Terry (.406) I'd say that's a pretty good list of efficient scorers & accurate shooters. What do you think? *In case you're wondering why I chose to multiply the two percentages rather than add them (On-Base + Slugging, or OPS, is a more common baseball stat), consider that a guy who shoots 50% from the field and 80% from the line is more desirable than a guy who shoots 40% from the field and 90% from the line. Adding the figures together, both would equal 1.3, but using my formula, the former player is (rightfully) considered superior (.400 vs. .360). All-Fantasy 2nd teamPG: Chauncey Billups 18.6 points2.7 rebounds 6.7 assists 1.4 steals .2 blocks 2.0 threes 2.1 to's 41.8% FG 90.7% FT Billups is smiling because the move to Denver has done wonders for his fantasy stats. Now that he's in his hometown, he's averaging career-highs in points, steals, and shot attempts, and the former Colorado Buffalo star ranks 8th in FT%, 10th in assists, 17th in threes, 19th in free throw attempts, 23rd in steals, and 28th in scoring. To see how much better he's been than the man he got traded for, let's look at their assist-to-turnover ratios. Billups ranks 5th overall with a 3.23 ratio, while Iverson is 47th with a 1.99 ratio. Of course, we can also compare their records, where Denver has gone 26-11 with Billups in the lineup while Detroit has gone a mere 18-17 with Iverson. When you consider Melo's injury and sub-par play, the losses of Camby and Najera over the summer, and Detroit's superior depth, what Billups has done for Denver deserves a standing ovation. SG: Kobe Bryant 27.0 points5.6 rebounds 5.1 assists 1.3 steals .4 blocks 1.3 threes 2.9 to's 47.6% FG 85.8% FT In the "Player Profiles" section of my Draft Guide, I said that Kobe's "minutes, points, and rebounds may decline this season as the Lakers give him more rest and use a more balanced scoring attack. However, it wouldn't surprise me if he set a career-high in FG%." All of those things have come true, as his 47.6% shooting from the field is a career-best, but his minutes, points, and rebounds are at their lowest marks in years. Unfortunately for Kobe owners, many of his other stats have plummeted as well. In '07-08, Bryant averaged 1.8 steals, 1.8 treys, and 9.0 free throw attempts. This season, those numbers are down to 1.3, 1.3, and 7.2, respectively. Those are big drop-offs, and they've really hurt his fantasy value. Of course he's still an elite fantasy player, but if you picked him ahead of CP3 or LeBron, you made a huge mistake. SF: Danny Granger 26.4 points5.2 rebounds 3.4 assists 1.1 steals 1.4 blocks 2.7 threes 2.7 to's 45.0% FG 86.8% FT Granger had a breakout year last season, but in '08-09 he's emerged as one of the top all-around players in the league. With Mike Dunleavy sidelined for most of the 1st half, Granger has taken his game to the next level and then some. His points have soared to over 26 per game (4th), he's averaging 2.7 treys (2nd), and he's making 87% of his free throws (18th) on 7.2 attempts per game (11th). If that wasn't enough, Danny has also improved his blocks to 1.4 (25th) and his assists have jumped up to 3.4 (7th among all forwards). He's a really fun player to watch, and I hope that more people realize how great he is. Bottom line: picking LeBron #1 in Round 1 wasn't a bad idea, but taking Granger #1 in Round 2 would have been even better. If this guy doesn't make the All-Star team it's a travesty. PF: Kevin Garnett 16.1 points9.2 rebounds 2.6 assists 1.2 steals 1.3 blocks 1.7 to's 52.0% FG 85.0% FT While Garnett is no longer a Top 5 fantasy player, he's still getting the job done by contributing in every category. He currently ranks 13th in boards and 27th in blocks, and his accurate shooting is one of his greatest assets. Among players averaging over 15 points, KG is 1 of just 5 guys shooting over 50% from the field and 80% from the line (Amare, Yao, Tony Parker, and Jameer Nelson). I considered Chris Bosh for this spot, but CB4's lack of steals and blocks is very disappointing. While KG is averaging 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks, Bosh is averaging just .7 steals and .9 blocks. That's a big difference, and it's enough to give Garnett All-Fantasy honors for the umpteenth year in a row. C: Marcus Camby 12.3 points13.8 rebounds 2.1 assists 1.0 steals 2.6 blocks 1.7 to's 50.9% FG 72.2% FT Camby had a slow start to the season, missing the first 3 games and totaling just 7 points and 16 boards in his first 2 contests. Since then, he's been a fantasy juggernaut, averaging 12.8 points and 14.2 boards in his last 33 games (22 double-doubles). While his blocks per game are down considerably (from 3.6 to 2.6), he still ranks 2nd in that category and is battling Dwight Howard for the rebounding title. His dimes have dropped now that he's out of Denver, but he's still one of the leading centers in both steals and assists. One stat that Marcus has improved quite a bit is his FG%: he's making over 50% of his shots for the first time in 8 years! He doesn't score a ton of points like the other elite fantasy centers, but he makes up for it by commiting very few turnovers and not killing your FT% a la the Man-Beast. With both Kaman and Randolph going down with injuries, Camby has had to pick up the slack, and he's done just that. All-Fantasy 3rd teamPG: Jason Kidd 8.9 points6.7 rebounds 8.3 assists 2.3 steals .5 blocks 1.6 threes 2.4 to's 40.0% FG 80.0% FT Believe it or not, Kidd has taken the title of "Best Fantasy Point Guard over 33 Years Old" away from Steve Nash this season. When you look at Jason's FG% split stats, this is somewhat surprising. After shooting a respectable 46.5% from the field in November, that dropped to 36.5% in December and has plummeted to 28.6% in January. But the poor shooting is no surprise, and thankfully, he's attempting a career-low 7.8 shots per game. The categories where Kidd has really improved his value over last season are steals and turnovers. After grabbing a modest 1.7 steals in '07-08, he's averaging a whopping 2.32 per game this season. Not only is this a career-high for Kidd, but it's the highest average for a player over 33 since the great Jerry West nabbed 2.6 steals per game in '73-74 (West was also 35 years old, but he played in only 31 games that season). Kidd is also averaging just 2.44 to's per game, which is a huge improvement over the 3.3 turnovers that he committed last year. Devin Harris has blossomed into a star, but Kidd is still putting up elite numbers. SG: Joe Johnson 22.0 points4.5 rebounds 6.1 assists 1.0 steals .4 blocks 2.1 threes 2.3 to's 43.5% FG 81.7% FT Johnson is having another stellar season, and he deserves a lot of credit for the Hawks having the 4th-best record in the East. Once again, he's among the league leaders in scoring (11th), threes (15th), and assists (17th), and his boards and blocks are solid for a guard. Brandon Roy and Kevin Durant are both viable candidates, but Roy has missed 4 games (Joe is on pace to play in all 82 games for the 6th time in his career) and Durant commits 1 more turnover per contest (Johnson's 2.3 turnovers is his lowest average in 4 years). SF: Rashard Lewis 19.1 points5.9 rebounds 2.6 assists 1.3 steals .6 blocks 3.0 threes 2.1 to's 44.4% FG 85.3% FT While Lewis was pretty good last year, he's improved his stats in nearly every single category this season. Of course, his main value comes from his 3-point shooting, where he's leading the league with 3.0 treys per game and his 42.3% 3P ranks 23rd overall (both are career-highs). He's also been excellent from the charity stripe, where he's shooting a career-best 85.3% (36th) on 3.8 attempts per game (compared to 3.2 last year). Rashard has also rounded out his fantasy game by slightly increasing his boards, blocks, steals, and assists. Those averages are now much closer to his usual numbers when he played for Seattle, making him a Top 15 fantasy player once again. PF: Amare Stoudemire 21.3 points8.1 rebounds 2.2 assists 1.1 steals 1.1 blocks 2.9 to's 54.7% FG 82.8% FT It's tough to call a guy who ranks 8th in FG%, 8th in FT attempts, 12th in scoring, 20th in rebounding, 33rd in blocks, 43rd in steals, and 49th in FT% a major disappointment, but such is the case for Stoudemire. After a dominating '07-08 season, there's only one direction his stats could have gone. Fewer points were expected under Terry Porter, but the drop-offs in FG% (55% down from 59%) and blocks (1.1 per game down from 2.1) have been tough to swallow. Still, Amare has been good enough to earn 3rd team honors over Bosh (more steals and blocks and better FG%), and there's a chance his numbers will improve in the 2nd half. C: Dwight Howard 20.2 points14.1 rebounds 1.4 assists 1.0 steals 3.2 blocks 2.8 to's 56.3% FG 58.0% FT Dwight Howard needs a bigger head. Seriously, look at the dude's body. He just turned 23 last month, but Howard has already established himself as the most dominant physical force in the game today. His points, rebounds, and FT% are actually slightly down from last season, and his FG% has slipped considerably (from 59.9% last year to 56.3%), but he's made up for it by increasing his blocks per game from 2.1 last season to 3.2. He's also cut his turnovers down from 3.2 to 2.8, improving his stock in 9-cat leagues. While Al Jefferson is the better Roto player, Howard's dominance in the big man cats is too great to ignore. Excluding Marcus Camby, Howard produces 16% more boards and 54% more blocks than the 3rd place guy in each category, showing how he can carry teams in those cats. Since I believe that you can still win with Howard in Roto leagues if you punt FT%, I'm giving him the nod as my #3 All-Fantasy center. All-Fantasy Honorable Mentions (25 & Under squad)Devin Harris: 22.3 points, 6.4 assists, 1.5 steals, .9 threes, 45.3% FG, 83.0% FTI was very high on Devin coming into this season and he hasn't disappointed. In a special note sent out to my Draft Guide customers, I said: "If he's still available after pick #50, do NOT let him pass you!" Harris currently ranks 4th in free throw attempts, 9th in scoring, 13th in assists, 15th in steals, and 48th in FT%, and his FG% is solid since he doesn't take many threes. His assists will go up in the future when New Jersey gets more weapons (LeBron?), but he needs to improve his durability issues (6 games missed this season after missing 18 last year).Brandon Roy: 22.6 points, 5.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 2.0 to's, 47.1% FG, 81.9% FTAfter shooting just 75.3% FT on 5.0 attempts last year, Roy is up to 81.9% and 7.2 attempts this season. His FG% has also improved quite a bit, and he's averaging career-highs in points, rebounds (4.8), and blocks (.4). The only negatives are the lack of threes and the missed games (he's never played 80+ games in his career).Kevin Durant: 24.1 points, 6.2 boards, 1.3 threes, 1.2 steals, 47.2% FG, 85.4% FTAfter a solid rookie campaign, Durant is putting up monster numbers in his second season. He currently ranks 6th in scoring, 12th in 3P%, 22nd in FT attempts, 31st in FT%, 39th in steals, 45th in rebounds, and 50th in FG%. The 6.2 boards are a huge improvement over last year, when he pulled down a meager 4.4. His shooting %'s are outstanding, but he also ranks 6th in turnovers with 3.2 per game and his .77 assist-to-turnover ratio is terrible. If he can cut down on the to's (or increase his assists), he'll move past guys like Joe Johnson & Rashard Lewis.Chris Bosh: 23.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, .9 blocks, 49.9% FG, 80.3% FTBosh is averaging career-highs in points and free throw attempts (9.0), and ranks in the Top 7 in both categories. Since he makes over 80% of his freebies, he's a huge help in that category, but his .69 steals and .88 blocks per game are pretty weaksauce. If he could just swat 1.4 shots like he did his first 2 seasons in the league, he would have easily beaten out KG for 3rd team honors.Al Jefferson: 22.1 points, 10.6 boards, 1.7 blocks, 1.9 to's, 49.0% FG, 75.0% FTJefferson's rebounds are down thanks to Kevin Love, but his points and blocks are up, and he's improved his free throw shooting (for the 5th year in a row) to a respectable 75%. The 24-year old is awfully close to being the #1 fantasy center in the league, but he'll have to wait another year or two.ALL-VALUE TEAMSThese are the guys who win you fantasy titles: players you draft in the later rounds who perform like top picks. Predicting their breakout seasons is essential to fantasy success, which is why I tried to recommend my favorite picks to you before the season started. Many of them were mentioned, either in my free Team Previews or in my Draft Guide sleeper articles. If you drafted a few of them, there's a good chance your team is at or near the top of the standings.All-Value 1st teamPG: Jameer Nelson 17.1 points3.4 rebounds 5.4 assists 1.2 steals 1.9 threes 1.9 to's 51.1% FG 87.5% FT In this free article posted in September, I examined players that made or came close to making my exclusive 1+ Three, 47% FG club. When it came to Jameer Nelson, here's what I said: "Jameer fell just short of making both cut-offs last season. One reason I'm optimistic is that he shot 50.5% FG after the All-Star break while making 1.42 threes per game... he's capable of making the club (and putting up much better fantasy stats) in '08-09." Much better fantasy stats indeed. Jameer's rebounds and assists are about the same as last year, but his shooting has improved by leaps and bounds. Building off his post All-Star 3-point shooting, he's making a career-best 1.9 treys per game (23rd) on a blistering 45.4% 3P (5th). The superb shooting from beyond the arc has allowed him to make a career-best 51.1% of his shots from the field (1st among all guards), and his 87.5% from the line (17th) is also a personal record. Nelson has also cut down on his turnovers, allowing him to post the 15th best assist-to-turnover ratio. He's going to have a tough time maintaining his current shooting percentages, but Jameer has been a Top 20 fantasy player thus far, which is superb for a guy who fell past pick #80 in most leagues. SG: Jason Terry 20.6 points2.5 rebounds 3.7 assists 1.4 steals .3 blocks 2.1 threes 1.9 to's 46.6% FG 87.1% FT Jason Terry has been nothing short of brilliant thus far. With Josh Howard ailing, it is Terry who has stepped up as the Mavs #2 scorer, increasing his points per game by 33% over last season. Despite starting just 7 games, the "Jet" currently ranks 10th in threes, 16th in scoring, and 28th in steals per game. His accuracy has also been rock solid, as he ranks 16th in FT% and is shooting over 46% from the field for the 5th year in a row. While I love the numbers above, here are 2 more underrated aspects of JT's game. He's averaging .3 blocks per contest this season (2nd best among players under 6-3), and has now racked up 154 rejections in his 10-year career. He's also played in every game this season, meaning he's missed just 7 games TOTAL in the past 7 seasons (compared to 79 games missed in the past 6 seasons for Howard). If you drafted Terry, you've been handsomely rewarded. SF: Jeff Green 16.2 points6.4 rebounds 1.9 assists 1.1 steals .6 blocks 1.3 threes 2.1 to's 44.3% FG 77.0% FT Here's what I said about Jeff Green in my Oklahoma City team preview, where I chose him as my Thunder player not to sleep on: "Green struggled mightily as a rookie and was wildly inconsistent from a fantasy standpoint. He finally put up solid numbers in April, when he averaged 15.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1 steal, .4 blocks, and .3 threes per game, but he shot just 40.7% FG and 15.4% 3P that month. However, I'll contribute that more to him being inexperienced and less to him being a poor shooter. One positive sign is that Green played very well in the Orlando Summer League. In 4 games, he averaged 22.8 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals, while getting to the line 13.3 times per game and shooting 79.2% FT. He also made a few treys, which is an area where the Thunder are desperate for help. He'll still be inconsistent, so don't go crazy and use a Top 100 pick on him, but if he falls to the 11th or 12th round, Green is definitely worth a gamble." Now, check out those April numbers again and compare them to this season's stats. As expected, Green has improved considerably from beyond the arc (38.7% 3P in '08-09 after just 27.6% 3P last year), which has enabled him to make a respectable 1.3 treys per game. He was starting at small forward earlier in the season, but the move to power forward has helped out his stats immensely, as he's averaging 7.2 boards and shooting 45.9% from the field in 24 games since December 1st. The former Hoya star fell past pick #120 in most leagues, making him my #1 All-Value pick at small forward. PF: David Lee 15.3 points11.4 rebounds 2.1 assists 1.0 steals .4 blocks 2.1 to's 58.1% FG 75.5% FT Here's what I said about David Lee in my free article regarding How to Predict Career Years: "In 29 starts last season, Lee averaged 13 points and 10.3 boards in 33.9 minutes, to go along with his usual excellent shooting %'s. Unfortunately, Isiah chose to bring him off the bench more often than not, which really limited Lee's fantasy value. But fortunately there's a new coach in New York, and Mike D'Antoni is no moron. He knows how athletic the former Gator is, and how Lee can beat most power forwards running the floor. As a result, he should get a lot more fast-break buckets this season. Lee is also a better passer than his 1.2 assists per game in '07-08 would indicate, and while he doesn't swat a lot of shots, his steals and blocks are bound to go up with more minutes. At 25 years old, Lee seems primed for a breakout campaign. Much like Jim O'Brien helped Dunleavy Jr. take his game to the next level, D'Antoni is going to unleash D. Lee's abilities on the rest of the league." D. Lee had a slow start, coming off the bench in 7 of the Knicks' first 9 games. But in 32 starts, he's averaging a monster 36.5 minutes, 16.1 points, 12.4 boards, and 1.2 steals on 58.2% FG and 78.3% FT shooting. As I suggested, his steals and assists have shot up this year (blocks have remained at .4 since he's guarding centers now), and he's the ONLY player in the league who ranks in the Top 5 in both rebounds and field goal shooting (Howard has fallen to 6th in FG%). The beast has been unleashed! C: Nenê 14.9 points8.0 rebounds 1.4 assists 1.2 steals 1.4 blocks 1.9 to's 60.5% FG 73.9% FT If you're one of my "followers," I gave you 3 warnings. In my Denver team preview posted in August, I picked Nene as my Nuggets player not to sleep on: "To see what kind of stat potential he has, just look at his post All-Star stats from '06-07. In those 30 games, he averaged 32 minutes, 13.9 points, 8.3 boards, 1.1 steals, and .8 blocks per game while shooting a monstrous 62.4% from the field and a decent 72.7% from the line. Nene will likely fall far in your draft for obvious reasons, but this guy has Top 50 potential if healthy." I picked him again as 1 of my 15 Career Year Candidates, and right before draft day, recommended him as 1 of 10 Players to Target. If you listened, you got an incredible return on your investment, because Nene fell past pick #100 in almost every single league. He's rewarded you by leading the league in FG% and ranking in the Top 25 in both boards and blocks. Among all centers, his 1.24 steals per game ranks 1st and his 14.9 points is 5th best. Nene's free throw shooting has also been very respectable, and best of all, he's missed only 1 game thus far. I'm guessing that a lot of teams with Nene are winning their leagues. All-Value 2nd teamPG: Chris Duhon 12.3 points3.9 rebounds 8.0 assists 1.2 steals 1.7 threes 3.0 to's 42.4% FG 87.5% FT Way back in July, I stated that "Chris Duhon is going to be a Top 100 fantasy player in '08-09." I also chose him as 1 of my Career Year Candidates in my exclusive Draft Guide article, saying that "a career-high in steals is likely" and "6.5 dimes or more is possible." Thanks to his 39+ minutes of solid play, he's exceeded expectations. The "7 Seconds or Less" offense has done wonders for his 3-point shooting, as his 1.7 treys (31st) and 40.9% accuracy from beyond the arc (34th) obliterate his previous career-highs. The former Blue Devil also ranks 6th in assists, 18th in FT%, and 45th in steals, and his 3.9 boards per game ranks 6th among point guards. A lot of people didn't have faith in Duhon as a starting PG, but if Mike D'Antoni believed in him, you should have too! SG: Ben Gordon 20.0 points3.3 rebounds 3.7 assists .7 steals .3 blocks 2.2 threes 2.7 to's 44.7% FG 85.9% FT I'll be honest: I slept on Ben Gordon this year. Last season I had him ranked highly, but he burned me with just 3.0 assists and 43% shooting from the field. And when the Bulls drafted Derrick Rose and were unable to unload any of their other guards (Hinrich, Hughes, Sefolosha), I became very wary. Gordon's contract dispute over the summer didn't help things, as I thought he would start off on the wrong foot with new coach Vinny Del Negro. When he agreed to just a one-year qualifying deal, I considered that he would be playing for a new contract, but ultimately, I avoided him due to Chicago's surplus of guards. Well, the Bulls' backcourt thinned out quickly, as Kirk Hinrich hurt his thumb in their 6th game of the season and missed the next 31 games. Meanwhile, Gordon returned to his '06-07 form, shooting 45% from the field once again and dishing out a career-high 3.7 dimes. He currently ranks 8th in threes, 18th in scoring, 26th in FT%, 30th in 3P%, and 47th in assists, and he's even blocking a career-high .34 shots per game. What did I learn from Ben Gordon? Never underestimate guys playing for a new contract! SF: John Salmons 18.9 points3.9 rebounds 3.4 assists 1.0 steals .2 blocks 1.3 threes 2.3 to's 47.6% FG 81.8% FT Earlier in the summer I wasn't very high on Salmons, but I warmed up to him when Francisco Garcia suffered a serious calf injury. Right before the last weekend of preseason, I sent an email out to all of my Draft Guide customers with "10 Players to Target." When it came to John Salmons, I said that he's "a good value pick in the 8th round, and a steal if you can get him in the 9th." A great value pick indeed. Not only did Garcia miss the first 17 games of the season, but Kevin Martin also got hurt and missed 22 games of his own. As a result, Salmons became one of Sacramento's go-to guys on offense, and his career-high numbers in points and assists reflect that. Surprisingly, John has also improved his 3-point shooting by leaps and bounds. The veteran is currently making 1.3 treys per game on 40.2% shooting from beyond the arc, which blow away his previous highs of .6 and 35.7%, respectively. Still, his numbers are bound to decline in the 2nd half. PF: Troy Murphy 12.3 points11.3 rebounds 2.5 assists .8 steals .4 blocks 1.9 threes 1.4 to's 44.8% FG 76.4% FT Troy Murphy is another guy who I recommended on several occasions. In my Pacers team preview posted in August, I chose Murphy as my player not to sleep on, pointing to his solid post All-Star stats from last year and the fact that he'll have to step up with Jermaine O'Neal out of the picture. In my Draft Guide, I also chose him as 1 of 15 "Career Year Candidates" and ranked him #70 overall for 9-cat leagues. Those who paid attention got an excellent value pick, because Murphy fell past pick #100 in many leagues. In you remember, Murphy averaged a double-double in '02-03, '04-05, and '05-06, and he's back to his old ways. The former 2-time Big East Player of the Year currently ranks 5th in rebounds with 11.3 and 9th in double-doubles with 21, despite missing 5 games. Another reason I love Murphy is his ability to make threes as a center-eligible player. His 1.9 treys per game ranks 22nd overall and is 2nd best (behind Al Harrington) among all big men. The career-best 2.5 assists are just icing on the cake. C: Brook Lopez 11.4 points8.1 rebounds .8 assists .6 steals 2.0 blocks 1.8 to's 48.5% FG 81.3% FT Brook's season stats mask how good he's really been, because his playing time was limited in the Nets' first 7 games. But then Josh Boone got hurt and the 20-year old rookie was thrust into the starting lineup. In 33 games as a starter, Lopez has averaged 12.7 points, 8.9 boards, and 2.2 blocks on 49.2% FG and 81.5% FT shooting. Those are extremely impressive numbers for a rookie, and he's exceeded almost everyone's expectations. Lopez currently ranks 4th in blocks and 20th in rebounds, and he joins Yao Ming, Mehmet Okur, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas as the only centers shooting over 48% from the field and 80% from the line. Statistically speaking, those numbers have allowed him to surpass more proven centers such as Brad Miller, Andrew Bynum, Andrew Bogut, Shaquille O'Neal, Emeka Okafor, Jermaine O'Neal, and Tyson Chandler. When you consider that all of those guys were likely drafted AHEAD of Brook, that makes him one of the top value picks of the season. All-Value 3rd teamG: Mike Bibby 16.1 points3.6 rebounds 5.3 assists 1.3 steals .2 blocks 2.4 threes 1.4 to's 44.9% FG 81.2% FT Here are some excerpts from my Hawks team preview: DON'T SLEEP ON: Mike Bibby "The last time we saw Bibby, he was getting schooled by Rajon Rondo in the Playoffs... And if you compare his 13.9 points, 6.0 assists, and 1.3 steals in '07-08 to the 19.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.6 steals that he averaged in '04-05, it seems that Mike Bibby has fallen off. But those numbers are somewhat skewed, as he played a lot better after being traded to the Hawks... And don't forget that Bibby battled major injuries last year. Right before the season started, he tore ligaments in his thumb and had to miss the first 36 games. Then in February, he bruised his heel and was often seen limping around the court. If people are high on Acie Law (I'm not), then they'll likely shy away from Mini-Me this year, making him a potential mid-round value pick." Well, Bibby has bounced back in a big way, especially from the 3-point line. The veteran is making a career-high 2.4 treys per game (5th) while shooting a career-best 42.2% from beyond the arc (26th), which has allowed his FG% to climb to a respectable 45%, his highest mark in 5 years. In 9-cat leagues he's been a stud because he's committing just 1.4 turnovers, good enough for the 3rd best assist-to-turnover ratio (behind Chris Paul and Jose Calderon). G: Rajon Rondo 11.0 points4.9 rebounds 8.0 assists 2.2 steals .2 blocks .2 threes 2.6 to's 50.5% FG 64.0% FT Likewise, here's what I said about Rondo in my Celtics team preview posted way back on July 31st: DON'T SLEEP ON: Rajon Rondo "At first glance, Rondo seems like he's just a 2-category fantasy player, finishing 13th in steals and 22nd in assists per game last year. However, his FG% was rock solid at 49.2%, his turnovers were fairly low at just 1.9 per game, and the only PG's who pulled down more rebounds were Jason Kidd and Baron Davis. Of course, he still can't make a three to save his life and his free throw shooting was horrendous at just 61.1%, but that just means there's plenty of room for improvement in the 22-year old's game and fantasy value. After averaging 30 minutes and 5.1 assists per game in the regular season, he pumped those numbers up to 32 minutes and 6.6 dimes per in the playoffs, a very promising sign for the season ahead. His offensive game is still unpolished, but he should be a decent #2 or excellent #3 point guard in '08-09." Sure enough, Rondo's postseason success has given him the boost of confidence that he needed to become one of the top point guards in the Eastern Conference. His scoring and threes have improved very little and he's still a terrible free throw shooter, but his assists have shot up 57% from last season, and he now ranks in the Top 10 in both assists and assist-to-turnover ratio. Rondo also ranks 4th overall in steals and 3rd among point guards in rebounds and FG%. When this guy learns how to shoot, he's going to be a fantasy stud. G: Ray Allen 17.9 points3.4 rebounds 2.6 assists .9 steals 2.4 threes 1.7 to's 49.1% FG 93.3% FT It's funny how expectations work. Going into last season, Jesus was still considered a fantasy stud. Sure, everyone expected his numbers to slip a bit since he was going from the #1 option in Seattle to having to share the ball with Pierce & KG in Boston, but he was still considered a top fantasy guard. Instead, Allen's minutes, points, steals, and shot attempts plummeted. Before the All-Star break, he shot just 42.6% from the field. After the break, he averaged just 15.6 points on 11.3 shots per game. His poor play continued into the Playoffs, where he made just 38.5% of his shots in Boston's first two series. He finally righted his ship and helped the Celtics win a title, but as far as fantasy owners were concerned, the damage had been done. As a result, many people avoided the 33-year old on draft day. At first glance, Allen's '08-09 stats are no better than last year's. In fact, his rebounds, assists, threes, and shot attempts have decreased even further. However, his shooting accuracy has improved greatly, as he's making a career-best 49.1% of his field goals and 93.3% of his free throws. Not only does he rank 4th in FT%, but he's attempting more freebies than the 3 guys ahead of him. His stellar FG% has been even more impressive. Among the 21 players making 2+ threes per game, Allen is the ONLY one shooting over 48% from the field. My exclusive 1+ Three, 47% FG club exists for a reason, and that's because very few players are able to help you out in both categories. Ray Allen is doing just that thus far, which is why he joins Rondo on my All-Value 3rd team. F: Tayshaun Prince 14.5 points7.1 rebounds 3.1 assists .6 steals .8 blocks .5 threes 1.3 to's 44.8% FG 77.6% FT Prince is another guy whose stats were down last year. His 32.9 minutes and 13.2 points per game were his lowest averages in 4 years, and his threes also dropped considerably. Most disappointing were his steals and blocks. The guy is a top-notch defender with a condor wingspan, but he COMBINED for just .9 steals + blocks last season, which was simply unacceptable. As a result, Tayshaun fell past pick #120 in most drafts this season. Sensing that he could be a nice value pick, I chose him as 1 of my 15 Career Year Candidates, saying that "with a new defensive-minded coach and no proven backup behind him, Prince should see more minutes in '07-08." Sure enough, his 38 minutes per game are a career-high. Over the summer, Prince won a gold medal playing for team USA, and he used that momentum to get off to a blistering start, averaging 17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.4 threes in his first 9 games. He hasn't made many threes since then, but the rest of his stats are solid. Michael Curry has asked him to play a lot more power forward this season, and he's responded with 7.1 boards (a career-high) and .8 blocks (his highest average in 4 years). Prince is also the only forward in the league averaging over 3 dimes and under 1.5 turnovers per game, giving his value a serious boost in 9-cat leagues. And to top it off, Tayshaun hasn't missed a single game for a remarkable 6th year in a row! C: Andris Biedrins 13.8 points12.0 rebounds 2.2 assists 1.3 steals 1.6 blocks 2.0 to's 55.8% FG 56.2% FT Biedrins is another breakout big man that I saw coming. In August, I picked him as my Warriors player not to sleep on, and I also chose him as 1 of 5 "Young Breakout Stars" in my Draft Guide exclusive. Here's an excerpt: "I think Biedrins is ready to show people that he's worth every cent of his new contract. Last season, Andris was just a few rebounds shy of averaging a double-double... But if you throw out the 17 games in which he didn't start, Biedrins averaged 10.5 rpg. Baron, Monta, Pietrus & Barnes were all solid on the boards, so there's extra glass to clean in Oakland. He'll never average 20 ppg, but with Baron gone and Monta out, he'll play a bigger role and score more points... He swatted just 1.24 shots per game last season, which was well below his career-high of 1.66 from the season prior, so expect his blocks to bounce back. I have Biedrins ranked just below Okur & Kaman and just ahead of Bogut and Chandler in my 8-cat center tiers, but he may emerge as the best of that pack. In fact, if Bynum struggles or can't stay healthy, Biedrins could be more valuable than him too." Unfortunately, other top minds also had their eyes set on Biedrins. In my 5 leagues, Roland Beech (82 games), John Hollinger (ESPN), and my buddy Steven Malk (winning the RotoEvil Challenge league since Day 1) all grabbed the lengthy Latvian, but I still managed to take Andris in one league. Basically, Biedrins has been a fantasy beast this season. He currently ranks 3rd in rebounds, 5th in double-doubles, 7th in FG%, 16th in blocks, and he hasn't missed a game. Among centers, he also ranks 2nd in steals and 3rd in assists. My team that has both Nene & Biedrins? It's sitting in 1st place overall out of 60 teams. All-Value Honorable MentionsOJ Mayo: 19.4 points, 2.9 assists, 1.8 threes, 1.0 steals, 44.5% FG, 88.6% FTHere's what I said about Mayo after drafting him in 2 of my 5 leagues: "I usually avoid drafting rookies, but I couldn't resist a tall glass of OJ Mayo. I didn't have to overreach to get him either, as I picked him #85 in one league and got him for just $4 in my auction draft. He's going to be inconsistent, but he's also going to get as many minutes and shot attempts as he can handle, which is something that few rookies are allowed to do." Mayo has more than lived up to the hype, ranking 12th in FT%, 25th in scoring, and 25th in threes. However, after shooting 48% from the field in November his FG% has been falling steadily.Andrei Kirilenko: 12.9 points, 5.9 boards, 1.6 steals, 1.4 blocks, 79.7% FTDespite starting just 6 games this season, AK-47 has been a rock solid fantasy player. He ranks 13th in steals and 23rd in blocks, and much like Prince, contributes in every category. After shooting just 70% from the line a few years ago, he's back up to 80% FT and getting to the line over 5 times per game. And with 3.2 dimes to just 2.0 turnovers, his 1.59 assist-to-turnover ratio is 6th best among all forwards.Kenyon Martin: 13.1 points, 6.6 boards, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks, 49.6% FGFor some reason K-Mart fell past pick #110 in most leagues, making him a very nice value selection. He currently ranks 11th in steals, 29th in blocks, 30th in FG%, and 41st in boards, and he's extra valuable in 9-cat leagues because he doesn't commit many turnovers. His free throw shooting has been horrendous, but somehow he's made 12 of 22 threes this season!Mehmet Okur: 17.8 points, 8.5 boards, 1.2 threes, .5 blocks, 49.8% FG, 83.6% FTOkur is another guy who I mentioned on multiple occasions. In my Utah team preview posted in August, I named him as my Jazz player not to sleep on, pointing to his excellent stats in the 2nd half and postseason: "After the All-Star break, Okur started balling. In those 27 games, he averaged 17 points, 10.3 boards, 2 assists, .9 steals, .3 blocks, and 1.9 threes per game while shooting 48% from the field and 80.7% from the line. Those are near stud-like stats, and he didn't slow down in the playoffs... He'll be more than worthy of a 5th round pick, but he could fall to the 6th, at which point you should not hesitate to draft him." I backed that up by choosing him as one of my "Career Year Candidates," and he's delivered thus far. With Boozer out for much of the first half, Okur has stepped up to pull down 8.5 boards (19th) and score 17.8 points (32nd) per game. In case you're wondering, that's more rebounds than Amare & Bynum, and more points than Pau & Aldridge. His 1.2 treys are a little disappointing (still 4th-best among centers), but he's made up for it with his superb shooting percentages. Okur's 42.7% from beyond the arc ranks 17th, his 83.6% from the line ranks 3rd among centers, and his 49.8% from the field is a career-high. The 8 missed games are a bummer, but he's still been an excellent value pick.Shaquille O'Neal: 17.7 points, 8.9 boards, 1.5 blocks, 2.0 to's, 59.3% FGIf it wasn't for the 7 games that O'Neal has sat out, he might have edged out Biedrins for 3rd team honors. Quite simply, Shaq has is having a brilliant season for a guy who turns 37 in March. With Terry Porter making him a focal point of the offense, he's averaging 17.7 points (5th among centers) while committing a career-low 2.0 turnovers per game. He currently ranks 2nd in FG%, 17th in boards, and 20th in blocks, and all three numbers are superior to Amare Stoudemire's. Most surprising of all is that Shaq is shooting 62.8% from the line, which is not only a career-high but just the 2nd time in his career over 60%. He says that he reverted to his "high school form" to start December, and sure enough, he's made 68.4% of his freebies since then. I'm not sure why he waited so long, but his fantasy owners are thanking him for being a top value pick this season.Top Last Round Picks/ Free Agent Pickups#1: Paul Millsap (in 21 starts)35.2 minutes 18.0 points 11.5 rebounds 2.5 assists 1.4 steals 1.2 blocks 2.0 to's 56.8% FG 69.4% FT In case you weren't sure what Millsap could do with more playing time, I suggest looking at those numbers again. He started the season in his usual backup role, scoring just 4 points in 20 minutes in the season opener. Then Okur missed a few games, and then Boozer went down with a serious knee injury. So Millsap stepped up, and he dominated the paint like few players have done this season. From November 24th to January 7th, he dropped a ridiculous 19 straight double-doubles. Unfortunately, he sat out 6 games of his own with a sore knee, but you can't complain if you picked him up for free. When he's starting, Man-sap's numbers look very similar to Carlos Boozer's, except for one big difference. While Carlos has never blocked more than .7 shots in a season, Millsap is averaging 1.2 rejections this year, which is more than Amare, Marion, Bosh, Dirk, and both Gasol brothers. Considering you could have grabbed him with a last round pick in nearly every single league, Millsap is hands down the #1 pickup for '08-09. I can tell you one thing: there's no way that's happening next year. With Boozer's departure over the summer being a near certainty, Millsap is going to be Utah's starting power forward from the get-go. Now that the secret's out, he's not gonna fall very far. #2: Rodney Stuckey (in 22 starts)35.9 minutes 17.3 points 4.1 rebounds 5.5 assists 1.5 steals .7 threes 2.3 to's 49.2% FG 75.6% FT Stuckey got off to a poor start this season, averaging just 8.9 points on 38.6% FG shooting in his first 14 games. If he was drafted in your league, he was likely dropped during his rough November. But in early December, Michael Curry decided to move Iverson over to shooting guard, giving Stuckey a permanent spot as Detroit's starting point guard. Sensing this change, I named Stuckey my #1 pickup for Week 7. Since the recommendation Stuckey has been rock solid, averaging nearly 18 points, 6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He's shooting almost 50% from the field as a starter and is playing over 36 minutes nearly every single night. He doesn't make many threes, but he's capable of big scoring nights (one 40-point game and one 38-point game in the past month) and should only get better. If you drafted Rodney, dropped him early on, and weren't able to pick him back up, I truly feel for you. #3: Delonte West 33.3 minutes12.3 points 3.1 rebounds 3.5 assists 1.5 steals .2 blocks 1.8 threes 1.1 to's 46.7% FG 83.1% FT Here's what I said after drafting Delonte West in 2 of my 5 leagues (as late as pick #179): "West flies under the radar because he doesn't score 20+ points very often. And when you factor in the addition of Mo Williams, that made a lot of people just flat out ignore Delonte in drafts this year. I think that's a mistake, because he's still going to get big minutes, and he's still going to put up solid all-around stats." The veteran guard hasn't disappointed, as he currently ranks 17th in steals, 32nd in threes per game, 34th in 3P%, and 50th in assists, while his shooting %'s are rock solid. He's been especially valuable in 9-cat leagues: West is the ONLY player in the league averaging over 3 assists and under 1.2 turnovers per game, making his 3.07 assist-to-turnover ratio 8th best in the league. Delonte's tenacious D has been a huge reason for Cleveland's success this season, but unfortunately, he's going to be sidelined for awhile as a result. West broke his right wrist last week attempting to block a shot (career average of .5 rejections per game), and now he's going to miss up to 6 weeks with the injury, meaning you'll have to look elsewhere for some wiyah hangahh action. #4: Nate Robinson (in 23 games before January)30.8 minutes 16.6 points 4.3 rebounds 4.0 assists 1.6 steals 1.9 threes 2.3 to's 45.0% FG 86.1% FT In another Draft Guide exclusive, I chose Nate Robinson as 1 of 5 "Young Breakout Stars." Nate Robinson (24 years old, 4th season) "I don't think the comparisons to Leandro Barbosa should be ignored. Neither player is a true point guard, but both are limited by their size. Both are also solid 3-point shooters. Nate shot just 33.2% 3P last year, but 39-40% in each of his first 2 seasons. And of course, both guys are blazing fast, which you know Mike D'Antoni will utilize to his advantage. In Barbosa's 4th season (also at the age of 24), he busted out for a career-high 18.1 points, 4.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.4 threes per game while shooting 47.6% FG and 84.5% FT. If Nate's post All-Star numbers are any indication, it could be his turn for a breakout year. In the 2nd half, he averaged 14.4 points, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.2 threes, and just 1.5 turnovers in 30.2 minutes per game while shooting 81.4% FT. Unfortunately, he shot just 28.8% 3P, which dragged his FG% down to 43.5%, but it wouldn't surprise me if his %'s improved quite a bit in '08-09." Sure enough, Robinson has enjoyed a breakout season. He was extremely efficient in November, shooting 49.3% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc while making 2 treys and grabbing 1.6 steals per game. He upped his scoring average to 19.9 in December, but his 3-point shooting slipped to 29.8%. In January, lil' Nate has been mired in a huge slump, making just 6-of-43 threes (14%) thus far. But he'll break out of it soon, and he's already produced excellent numbers for a guy who was available in the last round in many leagues. #5: Steve Blake 30.9 minutes11.6 points 2.3 rebounds 4.7 assists 1.1 steals 2.2 threes 1.6 to's 43.6% FG 85.7% FT After averaging just 8.5 points and .7 steals last year, Blake could have easily been had in the last round of most leagues this season. I drafted him #176 overall in one league, and I've been very pleased with the results. Blake has been money from beyond the arc, shooting a career-best 43.4% 3P (12th) while making 2.2 treys (13th). He ranks 33rd in assists with nearly 5 per game, and his solid 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 11th. Some people scoffed when I chose Blake as the starting PG for my All-White American team, but the guy is extremely dependable, and he helped lead Portland to a 23-14 record when he was healthy. Unfortunately, he separated his shoulder recently and is going to be out for a few weeks, but Blake has already given his owners everything they could have hoped for and more. #6: Andrea Bargnani (in 22 starts)34.4 minutes 16.7 points 6.2 rebounds 1.5 assists .6 steals 1.4 blocks 2.1 threes 1.8 to's 46.4% FG 87.0% FT If you got burned by Bargnani's dreadful '07-08 campaign (38.6% FG, 3.7 boards, .5 blocks), then you probably didn't even consider drafting him this time around. And when he went scoreless in 2 of Toronto's first 3 games, he was likely dropped in several leagues, because his playing time was very inconsistent with Jermaine O'Neal around. But it didn't take long for O'Neal to get injured, and Bargnani has replaced him admirably. Coming off the bench, Andrea is shooting just 41% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc this season. But as a starter, those numbers shoot up to 46.4% FG and 47.4% 3P. In the month of January, Bargnani has been Toronto's #2 scoring option, and it looks like he's secured more minutes for himself the rest of the way. Most surprising has been Andrea's willingness to guard centers and bang down low. Last year, he clearly wasn't comfortable in the paint, as evidenced by his low board and block numbers. This season he's doing a decent job, and he's even earned praise from the man he replaced. I guess the former #1 pick has some game after all. #7: Derek Fisher (in 24 games since Dec. 1st)34.6 minutes 12.0 points 2.8 rebounds 4.5 assists 1.6 steals 1.8 threes 1.4 to's 44.0% FG 85.9% FT In Fisher's first 15 games, he shot a forgettable 37.2% from the field and grabbed just .8 steals per game. As a result, he was dropped in most leagues. Even if you drafted him and hung onto him, you don't really get kudos, because his emergence as a solid starter is only due to Jordan Farmar undergoing knee surgery. Since December 1st, he's playing nearly 35 minutes per game, and his season average of 31.7 mpg is his highest in 6 years. Still, I give D-Fish credit for improving his play when his team really needed him. He shot a rock solid 49.6% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc in December, and he's grabbing 2 steals and dishing out 5.2 assists per contest in January. For the season, he ranks 6th in assist-to-turnover ratio, 16th in FT%, 28th in steals, and 35th in threes, which is excellent for a guy who wasn't drafted in many leagues. #8: Russell Westbrook (in 23 starts)34.1 minutes 15.9 points 5.0 rebounds 5.5 assists 1.4 steals .4 threes 3.4 to's 45.9% FG 76.3% FT If Westbrook was drafted in your league, he was likely dropped within the first few weeks due to his inconsistent numbers. Rookie point guards aren't usually given the keys to the team right away, but when Scott Brooks (a former PG himself) replaced PJ Carlesimo in late November, he immediately threw Westbrook into his starting lineup. When this happened, I named Russell my #1 pickup for week 6. Since the promotion, Westbrook has been a rock solid source of steals and assists. Thanks to his excellent athleticism, he's also a good rebounder, and he's capable of big scoring nights (two 30+ point games already). He's not a great 3-point shooter, but he knows his limitations and doesn't jack too many up. The major negative with Westbrook is his 3.4 turnovers as a starter, but that's to be expected from a rookie PG playing on a young team. #9: Eric Gordon (in 25 starts)39.3 minutes 16.6 points 2.8 rebounds 2.5 assists 1.1 steals .6 blocks 1.6 threes 2.1 to's 45.0% FG 85.3% FT In the Clippers' first 5 games, Gordon scored a TOTAL of just 10 points on 2-for-8 shooting. His playing time increased after that, and he was thrust into the starting lineup when Cuttino Mobley was traded. After that happened, I named him my #2 top pickup for week 6 (right behind Westbrook). Since then, he's averaging nearly 40 minutes per game and has proven to be a very gifted offensive player. Eric doesn't have the ideal height for a shooting guard, but he's extremely strong and deceptively quick. He likes to put his head down and go to the rim (7.6 free throw attempts per game in January), which is great for his fantasy owners because he shoots over 85% from the line. His outside shot can be streaky, but he already has seven games with 3+ treys. If that wasn't enough, he's even blocking a shot every other game! The rookie has clearly benefited from LA's injury woes, but unless you're a Clippers fan, what do you care? #10: Mario Chalmers: (in 30 games before Jan. 1st)32.2 minutes 10.3 points 2.8 rebounds 4.6 assists 2.0 steals 1.6 threes 2.0 to's 43.4% FG 70.8% FT Long before he was named Miami's starting PG, I picked Chalmers as my Heat player not to sleep on. I said that he was "one of my favorite last round point guard picks," and pointed to his potential in steals and threes: "Chalmers led the Big 12 in thefts in all 3 of his seasons at Kansas (2.6 per game for his CAREER) and was named the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year this past season. He's also a superb outside shooter, a skill that Miami could really use. He improved his 3P% every year at Kansas (37.5% to 40.4% to 46.8%), and as a result, he ranked in the top 10 in the nation in True Shooting percentage with a blistering 66%." Sure enough, Chalmers leads all rookies in steals and ranks 4th in both threes and assists. To see how good he can be, just check out his December 30th line where he scored 21 points, made 6 of 7 threes, dished out 8 dimes, and grabbed 3 steals in a win over Cleveland. He also recorded a ridiculous 9 steals in one game vs. Philly, suggesting that he could be a Top 3 steals guy down the road. Mario has cooled off considerably in January (just 29.6% 3P), but Mario's been a super last round pick to say the least. Top Free Agent Pickups - Honorable MentionsTrevor Ariza: 9.2 points, 5.2 boards, 1.8 steals, .6 threes, .4 blocks, 48.1% FGNot only has Ariza has been a key player in the Lakers' rotation, but he's been extremely efficient when he's on the floor. He ranks 7th in steals despite playing under 25 minutes per game (2nd in steals per minute behind Chris Paul), and he's shooting 54.5% on 2-point shots. In deep Roto leagues, he's proven to be very valuable.DJ Augustin: 12.5 points, 4.3 assists, 1.6 threes, 91.4% FT before Jan. 1stAugustin quickly proved that he belongs in the NBA, dishing out over 4 assists per game and shooting over 40% from beyond the arc in both November and December. Not only is he an excellent free throw shooter (91.6% for the year), but he's proven to be very adept at getting to the line (eight games with 6+ FT attempts). With six 20+ point games already under his belt, Augustin has a very bright future. Unfortunately, he's currently out with an abdominal injury.Kelenna Azubuike: 15.7 points, 6.2 boards, 1.3 threes, .9 steals, in 17 startsHere's what I said about Azubuike when explaining why I picked him on more than one team: "Corey Maggette is going to replace the scoring punch that Baron & Monta provided, but who's going to replace everything that Barnes & Pietrus did? That would be one of my favorite Warriors and the man with the bulging biceps: Mr. Azubuike. In 17 starts last season, he averaged 12.9 points, 5.4 boards, and 1.5 threes per game. With a bigger offensive role this season, he could improve on those stats, making him a solid fantasy option to have on your bench." Indeed.Wilson Chandler: 14.9 points, 1.4 threes, .9 blocks, 83.3% FT in 34 startsChandler has gotten a chance to play big minutes for the Knicks this season. He doesn't dominate in any category, but his stats are pretty solid across the board. Not many guys are capable of averaging one three, one steal, and one block per game, but Wilson is awfully close in just his 2nd NBA season. Unfortunately, he's shooting just 30.8% from beyond the arc this season, which has pulled his FG% down to a sub-par 41.8%.Marquis Daniels: 15.3 points, 5.0 boards, 1.1 steals, 46.2% FG in 31 startsMy #1 pickup for Week 3 filled in admirably for Mike Dunleavy, averaging 16.4 points and 6.5 boards in November, and then 15.7 points and 1.3 steals in December. He shot over 46% from the field in each month, which is solid for a free agent shooting guard pickup. Unfortunately, Daniels is currently out with a groin injury and will be hard pressed for minutes when he returns.Boris Diaw: 14.4 points, 6.8 boards, 5.1 assists, 1.1 threes, 48.5% FG in 16 startsThe one-time fantasy star wasn't very reliable at the start of the season, but a trade to Charlotte opened up more minutes for him. Since then, he's been a very solid option for assists, while contributing in all of the other cats as well. Unfortunately, he's coughing the ball up 3.3 times per game and shooting just 62% from the line as a starter.Marc Gasol: 11.7 points, 7.4 boards, 1.1 blocks, 52.5% FG, 72.7% FT in 31 startsPau's younger brother has proven to be a very capable NBA player. He ranks 14th in FG%, 31st in boards, and 36th in blocks, which is very solid for a guy wasn't drafted in some leagues. He doesn't have the upside of say, a Spencer Hawes, but it will be interesting to see how much he improves.Spencer Hawes: 12.1 points, 7.4 boards, 1.7 blocks, .7 threes in first 25 gamesVery few players got off to as good a start as Hawes did this season. He grabbed 14 boards and blocked 6 shots in game 1, and if fantasy players didn't take notice of THAT, they had to after he made an astounding 11 of his first 14 threes to start the season. The 20-year old center quickly became one of the hottest early season pickups. In the month of November, he shot 50% from the field while averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 boards, 1.8 blocks, and .8 threes per game. Of course, that type of production would have been impossible to sustain, and those numbers plummeted to 33.9% FG, 1.4 blocks, and .2 threes per game in December. He hasn't done much since then, but if you rode the early season Hawes wave, you surely enjoyed it. And if you managed to trade him for a more proven player before he cooled down, then kudos to you.Jarrett Jack: 15.2 points, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 49% FG, 90.2% FT in 13 startsJack struggled in November, averaging just 8.7 points on 39.8% shooting. However, his minutes have gone up since then and he was moved into the starting lineup a few weeks ago to replace the ailing TJ Ford. Much like Marquis Daniels, Jack has put up rock solid numbers as a starter. They shouldn't come as a surprise either, as he put up very similar stats when he started for Portland in '06-07.Roger Mason: 14.8 points, 2.8 assists, 2.7 threes, 89.7% FT before Dec. 1stWith Ginobili out to start the season, Mason got off to a hot start, scoring 26 points, making 5 threes, and dishing out 7 assists in his first 2 games. As a result, I named him my #2 top pickup for week 2. If you grabbed him, you reaped the rewards, because Tony Parker injured himself soon after. Suddenly, Mason was one of San Antonio's top scoring options, and he responded by averaging 15.1 points and a ridiculous 2.7 treys in the month of November. He's still making a ton of threes, but with Parker & Ginobili back, it's tough to rely on him.Fantasy MVC: Mike D'Antoni Is there any question who the Most Valuable Coach is for fantasy purposes? Only 60 players are featured in this article, but 4 of them are from the Knicks, where Lee earned 1st team All-Value honors, Duhon earned 2nd team All-Value honors, Robinson was my 4th best last round pick, and Chandler was an honorable mention free agent pickup. If their performances have surprised you, then A) you underestimated the Mike D'Antoni factor, and B) you didn't read my Knicks team preview posted over 4 months ago.
For almost all of my other team previews, I picked just ONE player not to sleep on, but for New York, I chose "All of the Knicks" (except for Eddy Curry), because "ALL of them could provide you with better value than where you pick them." To show what kind of magic D'Antoni's "7 Seconds or Less" offense can do, I compared the Suns' team statistics from '03-04 to '04-05, and suggested that he could do something similar for New York. "And while you can't expect the Knicks' turnaround to be as sudden and drastic, their offense will likely be much improved in '08-09." Now, let's check out those team stats... In '07-08, the Knicks went 23-59 (.280) and had a pace factor of 91.6 (15th). They averaged 96.9 points, 42.5 rebounds, 18.7 assists, 6.4 steals, 6.0 threes, and 14.5 turnovers per game while shooting 43.9% FG, 33.7% 3P, and 72.7% FT. In '08-09, the Knicks are 15-24 (.385) and have a pace factor of 97.0 (2nd). They are averaging 102.9 points, 42.3 rebounds, 21.6 assists, 7.2 steals, 10.4 threes, and 15.3 turnovers per game while shooting 43.4% FG, 35.8% 3P, and 80.1% FT. Now do you believe in the D'Antoni factor? What about my analysis and recommendations? Part 1 showed all of the Good from the 1st half. In Part 2, we're going to check out the Bad and the Ugly... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ How are my teams doing?NFBBC Team 1: 1st place overall (out of 60 teams)This is the 4th year in a row that I've competed in the unofficial "National Fantasy Basketball Championship." With a $650 entry fee and a grand prize of $6,500 for whoever wins their league + the overall title (a combination of the 5 leagues), there is some serious competition. Despite using my 2nd round pick on Carmelo Anthony, an injury to Zach Randolph, and having to drop the useless Joakim Noah early on, my "Cool Hand Evil" team has been in 1st place in my league and in 1st place overall since the 3rd week of the season. Among the 60 players in this article, I drafted Wade, Biedrins, Nene, Green, Azubuike, and Blake, and picked up Daniels early on. For my post-draft analysis of Cool Hand Evil, click here.82games "Experts" league: 1st place (out of 10 teams)This is the 2nd year in a row that I've competed in the 82games "Draft Only" league. This league uses 8-cat Roto scoring with NO pickups or trades, and features the likes of Roland Beech (82games), Matthew Berry (ESPN), John Hollinger (ESPN), Jonathan Givony (DraftExpress), Tommy Beer (Hoopsworld), Chris Liss (Rotowire), and others. The idea is to have a maintenance-free league that focuses on pure drafting skill. Despite using my first 2 picks on Amare and Butler and Tyson Chandler being a major disappointment (and now hurt), my team has been in 1st place for several weeks. Among the 60 players in this article, I drafted Stoudemire, Bosh, Lewis, Harris, Okur, Mayo, and Terry. You can follow along here.RotoEvil Challenge league: 2nd place (out of 14 teams)The RotoEvil Challenge league was designed as an experiment to combine both Roto scoring and Points scoring. We had one normal draft, but the teams were plugged into two separate "leagues" and the scores from each are combined to determine the overall leader. In an effort to attract other so-called "experts," I offered to throw in extra prize money if I finished near the bottom of the standings. Many readers were up to the challenge, but Andre' Snellings (Rotowire, NBA.com) was the only big name. Despite using a 5th round pick on Mike Miller and Josh Howard being hurt half the time, "A Tribe Called Evil" has been in 2nd place for several weeks now. Among the 60 players in this article, I drafted Garnett, Jefferson, Roy, Martin, Duhon, Lopez, Azubuike, and West, and picked up Gordon. Click here for Roto scoring and here for points scoring.Hollinger Scoring league: 2nd place (out of 12 teams)I was invited to join a league with John Hollinger and several other ESPN employees. We did an auction draft (my first one in years) and are using John's game scores formula for scoring. Despite spending $19 on T-Mac (easier to swallow since there's an IR and daily moves) and dropping Okafor before he got hot, my "Do the Right Evil" team has been in 2nd place for most of the season (actually in 3rd, but the team ahead of me has played 29 more games and is well ahead of pace for max games). Among the 60 players in this article, I drafted LeBron, Yao, Bibby, Mayo, and Martin, and picked up Millsap. RotoEvil contributor Craig P. is running away with the league title. Follow the standings here.NFBBC Team 2: 4th place (out of 12 teams)My other NFBBC team has struggled. With the 11th overall pick, I decided to gamble on Deron's bad ankle, and it hasn't paid off. This team has also suffered serious injuries to Redd, Randolph, and now, Delonte. However, after spending the first few weeks at the bottom of the standings, my "Gil Scott-Evil" team has climbed to a respectable 4th place in its league and 23rd overall (out of 60 teams). Among the 60 players in this article, I drafted Yao, Harris, Lee, Murphy, and West. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------How many of these top players are on your fantasy teams, and have they led you to the top of the standings?Part 2: The Bad and the Ugly |
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