Elton Brand mollywhopped the Knicks with a 28/5 line and perpetuated my prediction that Brand would have his best season since 2006. And he is. And I’m awesome. And Brand is awesome. And every fantasy team that was able to snap him up in the middle or late rounds of their drafts are all the more awesome for it. He’s a 15/9 lock averaging over a block a game and was largely ignored until the eighth or ninth rounds of most drafts. The best thing about Brand is he’s going to keep on giving, like a warm, kind lover. ‘Cause he’s in the Eastern Conference, where any team outside of the top four are scared to death of falling out of the playoffs. Which means there won’t be any letup. Which means the Sixers are a go until mid-April. I’d rather own LeBron or Wade over Brand for the next two months, obviously, but Brand or Garnett? It gets a little dicier. Brand or anyone on the Magic not named Dwight? You see what I’m saying. Raise a glass to Sir Elton and watch the riches come runnin’.
Here’s what else I saw in fantasy basketball:
Jrue Holiday – 1-for-8 on Sunday and 10-for-44 in his last four games. There was a weak triple-double mixed in there, but not much else. He’s got a young man’s inconsistency, yes, but a year ago he was averaging 5/2/3 while shooting under 40 percent from the floor. He’s vastly improved and stands to keep going. Stash him, but don’t drop him. And if you don’t have him, try and get ‘im. And if someone is trying to get him from you, tell ’em … well, you know what to tell ’em.
Roy Hibbert – 11/3/4 in 26 minutes. Won the wager with Brook Lopez (13/5/2 in 28 minutes) on which 7-footer could play the most minutes and provide the least 7-foot-type production.
Dahntay Jones – Played 10 minutes, then 12, then 14 and finally 20 minutes in the four games this week and has increased his scoring from three to three to seven to 18. He’s naht an ahption in anything other thahn deep formahts, but in deep formahts he’s worth a lahng, hahrd look.
Timofey Mozgov – 3/8, with a trio of blocks in his first start since November 16. He won’t be much of a scoring threat, but if his confidence (and stamina) doesn’t leave him like it did early in the season, he could be a Kendrick Perkins-like source of rebounds and blocks. Don’t snap him up, but pay attention for another game or two.
LeBron James – 12/6/4, four steals and six turnovers. This is what he plays like when he has a Superbowl party to attend, imagine what he’ll play like in the final weeks of the regular season after the Heat clinch home court advantage in the playoffs?
Eddie House – 15 points, including three treys. He’s been playing well lately. Do you know how I know? ‘Cause Eddie House won’t stop telling me.
DeAndre Jordan – 3/6, and a block in a foul-plagued game. He’s this season’s version of 2008 Chris Andersen. In the end, his value is too limited to help your team more than hurt it.
Aaron Brooks – He’ll miss Monday’s game because he pouted about being taken out of Houston’s last game. Ironically, he was taken out for guys like Lowry and Martin have outplayed him and therefore, most fantasy owners are probably happy that rooks won’t be around Monday to mess up their rosters. That’s irony, right? Me and Alanis get that confused with coincidence sometimes.
Marquis Daniels – Bruised spinal chord. Out a month. Watching him call was some scary shizz. Also some scary shizz? The fantasy team affected by losing Marquis Daniels’ output.
Rajon Rondo – Season-high 26 points, but also turned over the ball six times. That’s a nice feather in his cap, and your cap. Can’t have too many feathers.
Gilbert Arenas – 0-for-7 on Sunday and has only shot better than .450 once in his last 14 games. I think Gil is under the impression he’s supposed to be the guy that clanks shots off the rim for Dwight to grab for putback dunks. Someone ought to tell him that’s Hedo’s job.
