Hello and happy weekend to the fantasy basketball world. It’s crunch time with many leagues’ playoffs wrapping up and roto contests speeding to the finish line. I’m coming to you from the boardwalk of Pacific Beach in the San Diego area. Spring Break! Woooo! [Yeah, dude, you’re old and have three kids with you; settle down.] So, I’m going to get right into the Friday Night recap, and skip the story about that one time I rented an AirBnB in a really sketchy part of town and there was a creepy basement with some sort of gargoyle living in it that would look up to me and screech, “Mamu?!”
Please, blog, may I have some more?
This Grizzly Bear’s Got Back
March 18, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 2 Commentsby: PhilOssie
If Charles Barkley and Zach Randolph had a baby, it would be weird because as far as I know, men still can’t have babies [you’re canceled!]. But metaphorically speaking, if they had a basketball baby, it very well could look like Kenneth Lofton Jr. – and it sure as heck would play like him.
The undrafted rookie got his first taste of NBA rotation minutes last night, and helped the Grizzlies overcome a 29 third-quarter deficit to beat the Spurs in overtime, 126-120. K-Loft finished with 11 points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3pt, 2-4 FT), 7 rebounds, an assist and a block in 14 minutes. Most of his production came during an 8-minute second-half stretch.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Lesson Learned While Fishing for Bassey
March 11, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
It’s playoff season, and in standard head-to-head leagues like the Razzball Writers’ League, every waiver wire pickup is critical at this point. Facing Beats By Dray in the first round, I head into the weekend hoping I didn’t chum the waters on (as in, threw up all over) my chances to advance.
All week, San Antonio second-year big man, Charles Bassey, has been discussed as a hot wire add for the tanking Spurs. Bassey has been a borderline standard league over the last few weeks, averaging about 8 points, 7 boards, 2 assists a steal and a block a game in 17.5 minutes.
I’ve been trolling around the Bassey interest all season, which he spent much of tearing up the G League. In 14 games in the minors, he was 3rd in fantasy points (yes, G League keeps track of fantasy points per game leaders on its stats page), averaging about 23-10-2-1-2 on 67% shooting. The Spurs saw enough positives in his development to fully guarantee the former Western Kentucky Hilltopper’s contract for its first two years. With that vote of confidence, and the tank rolling, it makes sense to believe Bassey could be a strong asset for fantasy playoffs.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Orange (and Blue) Julius
March 4, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
After Julius Randle hit one of the more ridiculous game-winning threes last night to push the Knickerbockers past the Heat, I came up with the above headline. The only problem: I’ve never actually had an Orange Julius – which may be a sin in some cultural circles. Without a frame of reference to consider how Randle may compare the American quencher, I turned to my wife for help:
“It’s like better than an icy.” “I thought it was a smoothy. So it’s like an icy?” “No it’s not an icy.” “So what is it?” “It’s hard to describe. It’s indescribable. It’s like magic.” “So it’s like a mix between an icy and a smoothy?” “No. You’re obviously not getting it. Who are you trying to compare it to?” “It doesn’t matter, I just haven’t had one so just want a description to see if there’s any comparison.” “The most delicious thing I’ve put in my mouth.”
And that was the end of that conversation.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Mr. Monk goes for 45
February 25, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
Did you know that the title for every episode of the USA series “Monk” started “Mr. Monk …” As in, “Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus”; “Mr. Monk Joins a Cult”; and who could forget, “Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa Claus”?
I feel like the Kings should be working up a cross-promotion deal to revitalize the series (originally set in the Bay Area), but set up the road in Sacramento and with Malik Monk casted as Tony Shalhoub’s sidekick. Or maybe that’s just the cabin fever settling in since I am in Oregon, where anything more than 3 inches of snow causes mass hysteria and shuts everything down.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Bull Duren
February 11, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
A night after the trade deadline, the NBA turned into the streets of Pamplona (figuratively speaking), as young bulls were released in the fantasy landscape left by an action-packed deadline. And none caused as much carnage as the Piston’s Jalen Duren.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Rookie Report: The JALEN n JAYLIN Show
February 8, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball |by: PhilOssie
Last night, we all got to witness a celebration of greatness. And this article is not meant to disrespect that by any means …
BUT DID YOU SEE WHAT JALEN AND JAYLIN DID OUT THERE?!?!?
With all eyes watching history being made by Lebron James, rookie conundrum-of-names Jalen Williams and Jaylin WIlliams helped the young Thunder team beat the Lakers, 133-130 – in L.A., in front of more celebrities than have ever attended an OKC Thunder home game [fact check maybe needed].
Please, blog, may I have some more? Ant-man: Quantum-3-mania
February 4, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
Last night I was able to test out a new Seuss-style story during my kids’ bedtime:
“An Ant-man with cool fluffy hair, who went the nation’s capital and let it rain from behind the arch. He was hitting ‘em on the pull up. He was hitting ‘em on the spot up. He nailed 3s on the swing. He nailed 3s on the run. He hit 3s from the corner, at the top. He created a skookum of 3s like it was a skookum of tallywade ….”
Please, blog, may I have some more? Slo Mo-tion for me, Slo Mo-tion for me
January 28, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
Iiiiitttt waaaas k-k-kiiiinnnd-uhhhv a slooooow F-f-frrrriiiiidayyyy niiiite innn thaaaa Ennn-Beeee-Aaaaa, wiithh-th ooonnnleeeee fiiiiiive gammmmess ooon the d-d-dooockkkkett …
It is difficult to write in slow motion. It’s got to be even harder to play a professional sport in slow motion. But the man they call Slo Mo [still wondering why his nickname isn’t The Sloth, since he even resembles the lovable creature], Kyle Anderson, is the enigma [another nickname possibility!] of the modern day game where stinging athleticism makes headlines.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Tour de Franz
January 21, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
The Magic have been everyone’s favorite fantasy outlet this season, from Bol Bol Euro-stepping into monster jams to Paolo Banchero compiling historic rookie numbers. The play of Franz Wagner has by no means been lost in all the excitement, but his games of late have been next level good. Over his last six games, he’s averaging 24 points on 55% shooting, 68.3 TS%, pitching in about 4 boards, 3 assists, a steal and 3 threes per game.
Please, blog, may I have some more?The legend grows.
With the Jazz hanging on to a 1-point lead with seconds left on the clock, Collin Sexton stepped to the line and choked away two free throws in a row. But our hero, Walker Kessler, Utah Ranger – who kicks posterior not just for a living, but for America – bullied his way to an offensive rebound and was fouled.
There, he faced his most challenging nemesis of all: the free throw line. What’s he do? But, of course, he steps up and drains back-to-back; turns, and flashes a look to the camera that says, “Even I can’t believe how much of a badass I can be.”
Please, blog, may I have some more? Failin’ on JALEN
January 7, 2023 | 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |by: PhilOssie
This week I thought I’d try out a combo of the Rookie Report and Friday Night recap articles [nice excuse for not getting work in on time, Phil!] and feature the rookies at play on a single night in the Association. I’ll also add a few quick hit notes at the bottom from a fairly uneventful Friday Night in the Association.
Please, blog, may I have some more?