by: kelder
Last article, I talked about guys that I’m just so over it with. It put me in such a bad mood that I couldn’t bear writing an article for an entire week. To cheer myself up, let’s talk about some fellas that I’m over the moon with after this season. My “must draft” list of […]
Please, blog, may I have some more? by: kelder
Every year, there are guys in the league who we own who ruin the entire experience for ourselves and others. Like, I’m just so over it. The All-Star break, and that game that happened on Sunday night that nobody I know of watched, is a perfect time to explore some of these guys who will […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?Tonight in NBA DFS we have 7 games, which is the perfect amount of games for me. There’s a lot of really solid options to choose from, but the options aren’t overwhelming either. My number one piece of advice for NBA DFS in general is to be on top of injury updates. Contests are won […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?
by: PhilOssie
Sam Merrill made it back-to-back career scoring highs Wednesday night, hitting 8-of-14 from behind the arch and finishing with 27 points, 3 boards, 2 assists and a steal, helping the Cavs pull away from the Jazz in the fourth quarter. The casual NBA fan would hear the name Sam Merrill and just assume we’re talking […]
Please, blog, may I have some more? by: kelder
Greetings from November Madness, AKA the NBA final play in tournament pool night! Now that I read it, November Madness doesn’t work. No alliteration. There were a few exciting games, though. Boston over Chicago This, however, was not one of the exciting games. Wow is Chicago bad. Like, they gave up a putback dunk to […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?
by: Kostas
In the NBA, it is very rare to hear a team announcer say something that is not a part of their job description. Most focus on their teams and their players, doing their job and rarely deviate. But boy did Brian Dameris, the announcer for the Dallas Mavericks, deviate from the norm of his colleagues. […]
Please, blog, may I have some more? by: PhilOssie
The end of each year is now deemed “Silly Season,” when resting vets on contenders and breakout youngsters on tanking teams play havoc with lineup decisions. Three weeks into the season, I now declare this time of the year “Wacky Season,” with Wednesday night a perfect example. There are players who started injured coming back, […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?Hello Razzball Nation! I am the self-proclaimed BBall Oracle (results may vary) here to provide you with my picks and insights for NBA DFS this season. We’re kicking off this year with a massive post-election day 14 game slate. On a slate this large there are so many viable plays that you don’t need to intentionally get different with ownership. Play the guys you think will score the most points even if you think that guy might be chalky.
My number one piece of advice for NBA DFS in general, but especially on a slate this large, is to be on top of injury updates. Contests are won and lost on backups becoming starters and starters getting increased usage from injuries. In the NBA random injuries happen every night, players get rested for no reason despite the NBA’s best efforts to deter it, and tank-itis is a horrible disease that will luckily not rear its ugly head for another few months. You need to be on top of your lineups up until lock and to give yourself the best chance to win even after lock to monitor late scratches and lingering questionable designations. There will be injury plays that open up with news tomorrow that we just don’t know yet.
That being said, with our current knowledge of injury news (Tuesday night) let’s get down to it. Pricing is always (Fanduel/DraftKings). I play tournaments and my picks will always bias towards volatility and upside.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Last night we saw the transition from Shaedon Sharpe the cool shiny gadget that’s just for show, to the I Gotta Have This In My Daily Life type of tool.
With Anfernee Simons out 6 weeks [sad face] and Scoot Henderson injured mid-game, Sharpe took over with 25 points in the second half, scoring on all three levels and finishing with a 27-7-5-1-2 stat line (9-16 FG, 3-6 3PT, 8-10 FT).
Sharpe has been hitting the glass early on this season, averaging nearly 6 per game (including several smooth offensive putbacks) and has 9 stocks in five games. I still need to see him continue to be aggressive, as the youngster tends to stand around and wait for his turn. If he can, this could be one of the better breakouts of the first couple months of the fantasy season.
Here’s what else was noteworthy to me on another packed Wednesday slate, with some boring blowouts and a couple nail biters.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Drafting rookies in fantasy basketball can be a lot like the fishing game at carnivals. The unknown of what’s going to happen is kinda fun and whimsical, you know you’re going to walk away with some sort of “prize,” but whatever rinky-dink toy or stuffed animal you get probably will depreciate in your mind faster than a new car off the lot.
Long before I was the expert Razzball analyst you’re reading now [“psshh above-average amateur at best”; “Shut up voice in my head, too early for you!”] I never trusted rookies much. The more I read, it was nice to learn this was the correct take to have in this realm.
Rookies traditionally underwhelm because they’re, well, rookies [DUH!]. They struggle with efficiency, which doubles in leagues counting turnovers, and lack the experience and game knowledge at the NBA pace that leads to an extra rebound here or assist there, or what have you that creates a reliable fantasy asset.
Last season was a classic example. There was a Rookie of the Year in Paolo Banchero putting up headline-earning stats, yet finished ranked 211 per game in 9-cat. There were studs who started hot and heavy like Benedict Mathurin but never improved on average-to-weak counting stats. Per usual, the big guys fared the best, with a fun breakout campaign by Walker Kessler (57) and some usable players at the end of the season in guys like Mark Williams (128), Jalen Duren (135) and Jabari Smith Jr. (144) – sniffing a double-double with a block can go a long way for guys on rebuilding teams. And then we had the surprise breakout of an older, more seasoned rookie in Jalen Williams, who finished ranked 73 in 9-cat, and was a top 20 player in the last two months of the season.
As the headline attempts to wittingly suggest, no matter how good the rookie, the general rule is to expect inconsistent fantasy production day-in and day-out. There will be some exciting bit lines and inevitable mistake-laden stinkers.
So let’s take a look at some of the class of 2023-24, as I’ve compiled a list of sure-fire analysis of steady that I’m 100% certain of….
Please, blog, may I have some more? by: Kostas
It has undoubtedly been a fun summer for basketball fans, starting with a highly anticipated draft class, continuing with some enjoyable trade activity in the league and finishing with a bang with one of the best, if not the best Basketball World Cup tournaments in history. So after watching too many World Cup games go to over 100 points for my European basketball brain, patiently waiting for a Lillard trade to materialize that hasn’t yet, reflecting upon the performance review of last year’s projections and overthinking about them at weird times at night instead of sleeping like a normal human being, I am excited to present you for the seventh straight year my 2023-24 top 155 projections for roto.
Please, blog, may I have some more?A little birdie told me our 2024 Fantasy Baseball subscriptions are live. The little birdie also said it includes our Draft War Room. You really wanna lose in a fantasy baseball league to a little birdie? Would be kinda embarrassing, tbhhttps://t.co/1ag7IFSYS0
— Razzball (@Razzball) January 8, 2024
