Now THIS is the Luka we all expect to see, not his bricklaying doppelganger who’s plagued us with his presence too many times this season. It was a proper shootout in Texas last night, with Luka emerging the victor. He’s still only the 22nd-ranked player in fantasy despite projections, but, shooting like this should catapult him back into the top-10 if he can keep it up.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Author: Van Ailwood
I began playing fantasy hoops in '99, and while I struggled with...well, just about everything as it was also my first year of college, it was a keeper league on an erstwhile fantasy site, Sandbox. I did make one good move: A trade toward season's end that guaranteed the title for the other manager, and while other details are fuzzy, I traded Kobe and some spare parts for Shaq. Yes, that Shaq. I held onto Allen Iverson as my second and final keeper, meaning the 11 other managers were going to get stuffed somewhere intrusive the next year. To my lasting chagrin, the owners bailed for Yahoo! the following season and declared there would be no keepers, carried over or going forward, so, I quit (that league). It's been nothing but fantasy travesties ever since. I've won a few here and there, and I'm still good enough to walk into any public league and win with minimal effort, but it's been mostly pain, much of it self inflicted. I'll divulge in advance I bleed Celtic green, but love no league like the NBA, and no sport as much as hoops. Christian Wood is legit, Zion is the next Grant Hill as far as players who suffer multiple career-derailing injuries, and, when considering my analysis, please note I'm still baffled that Nik Stauskis didn't make it with the handle and stroke he showed at Michigan in a league where Gordon Hayward is a max player twice over, and Duncan Robinson is a commodity.
Read some of Van Ailwood's 9 posts
I would be looking forward to a Celtics-Lakers matchup any time my beloved C’s are good, nevermind when they’ve got a primetime Saturday game during a pandemic when the only safe thing to do is stay home, anyway. Needless to say, my night was ruined.
Please, blog, may I have some more?6 turnovers?! Giant stiff. Joker’s dominance is getting laughable, and he’s the current no. 1 overall player in Yahoo! What plaudits can I add? Well, he put the fear of god into Jae Crowder in a game earlier this season, and Crowder’s one of the scariest dudes in the league. You’ll see why I loved that particular moment in, uhh, a moment. Jamal Murray put up 26/6/5 with a strong night that included a step-back, buzzer-beating 3-ball to force OT, but it’s tough to win top spots when Joker is your co-pilot.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Saturday Roundup for Fantasy Basketball
January 17, 2021 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: Van Ailwood
First 30-point, double-double debut by teammates in NBA history per Yahoo! Sports. Friggin’ Brennan Huff and Dale Doback have reunited to stuff shit up. “Look at the turnovers, though!” That’s like telling someone about the terrible gas mileage that their monster-truck gets before the demolition derby, nobody’s gonna care about that right now.
Does the Harden deal leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth? Can you imagine what would happen if we put on 25 pounds and told our respective partners that they needed to change? Given that Harden played 39 minutes (Durant clocked 40), any physical impediments haven’t manifested themselves, yet, so The Beard’s The Belly doesn’t seem to be anything that should concern us as fantasy owners.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Saturday Roundup for Fantasy Basketball
January 10, 2021 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 2 Commentsby: Van Ailwood
Should I just call it the ‘Rona Roundup? Sheesh. Like half of my fantasy rosters and half of my beloved Celtics can’t hoop at present because of this scourge. My ability to marginally function during all this madness right now largely depends on access to NBA hoops and steak. You mess with that? I get cranky and mouthy. Even though some players are ineligible right now who would otherwise be available in normal times, I’m focusing on the positive: Most players are active.
And I can say negatives things about them to soothe myself.
So you know what? I’mma try something new this week with my round-up: Two players from each team, one of whom did the Best Work, and one who is the Biggest Jerk and probably killed your fantasy team (as long as they played).
Please, blog, may I have some more?Saturday Recap for Fantasy Basketball
January 3, 2021 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: Van Ailwood
Wall continued to look rejuvenated posting this line over 37 minutes, and if I bet you $5 that his usage rate was over or under 37.5, you’d probably take the over and ask me for my Venmo as it was 35.8. It was a bit maudlin for Rockets announcer Bill Worrell to repeatedly claim last night that the 2010 no. 1 overall pick looked like he was still in high school, but Houston must feel slightly better paying him $40-plus million the next three years with this level of production.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Saturday Recap for Fantasy Basketball
December 27, 2020 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 2 Commentsby: Van Ailwood
The consensus no. 1 fantasy draft pick (despite the over-40 rec-league bod) may have frustrated owners early, but it was Second Christmas last night, with a stat line as beefy as Harden’s mid-section. While he had a chance at a game-winner, the Christmas Spirit must have bubbled over as he actually tried to pass (right to new Blazers F/C Robert Covington), Harden produced over 44 minutes what fantasy owners paid for in his debut.
Please, blog, may I have some more?2020-21 Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
December 22, 2020 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: Van Ailwood
Fantasy projections aren’t easy. We look to others in the industry for guidance without plagiarizing or pilfering, overanalyze quotes from team personnel, and process the preseason (paltry as this one is) like we’re being given tea leaves to read — when by and large they should be treated like used tea bags and be tossed. Yet, we try to put forth the best information possible — even if some of it is conjured from the Ether — because, above all, NONE of us want to hear about it later if we miss poorly.
Please, blog, may I have some more?2020-21 Boston Celtics Preview
December 21, 2020 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 1 Commentby: Van Ailwood
Fantasy projections are hard. We look to others in the industry for guidance without plagiarizing or pilfering, overanalyze quotes from team personnel, and process the preseason (paltry as this one is) like we’re being given tea leaves to read — when by and large they should be treated like used tea bags and be tossed. Yet, we try to put forth the best information possible — even if some of it is conjured from the Ether — because, above all, NONE of us want to hear about it later if we miss poorly.
Please, blog, may I have some more?