Fantasy Basketball: Power Forwards

October 14, 2019 | Power Forwards, Rankings | 33 Comments

I now understand why this forward position is named power, as it is a microcosm of society at large. There is the 1% vs everyone else. For fantasy basketball, there is Giannis Antetokounmpo vs womp womp womp. While all the other positions have multiple players who could legitimately vie for the top spot, everyone bends the knee to G. This is 1985-1989 Mike Tyson-esque domination. Could a Buster Douglas come out of nowhere? Sure, as black swan events can never be discounted, but outside of injury to G, that scenario is highly unlikely.

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Fantasy Basketball: Memphis Grizzlies Preview

September 24, 2019 | Memphis Grizzlies |

by: Jalen Eutsey

The 2019-20 Grizzlies are going to be a lot of fun to watch. Ja Morant is going to be dunking on fools and buzzing screaming lefty passes by defenders’ ears. Jaren Jackson Jr. is going to keep bombing from deep and blocking everything in sight at the rim. Brandon Clarke is the perfect pick and roll lob partner for Morant, as he’ll have plenty of opportunities to sky above ten feet and throw down feathery Morant passes. Kyle Anderson is going to keep cheekily breaking down defenses with his awkward, dawdling euro-step game and random bursts of quickness. The Grizzlies are also going to be bad this season, but that’s okay. A great League Pass team doesn’t always rack up the W’s, take last year’s Sacramento Kings for example. The Kings were a fast-paced ball of fun even though they ultimately wound up missing out on the playoffs—expect the same from this year’s Grizz.

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Fantasy Basketball: I Will Not Walk 500 Miles, but I Did C. J. Shoot

March 14, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 23 Comments

by: Son

Out of all the sports, basketball is the most projectable, as there are more possessions to provide a larger sample size. But that doesn’t mean variance doesn’t exist. Blake Griffin can miraculously block a shot one game or DeAndre Jordan can shoot 8-for-9 from the free throw line on any given night. The LA nightlife can affect a team’s performance or the hotel wifi could cause players to go on tilt which affects their performance on the court. Whatever the reason, shit happens sometimes.

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
33	3	0	0	0	2	8/12	11/16	3/4

C. J. Miles did that. C. J. Miles never does that. He hasn’t scored more than 15 points in any game this season. To be fair, C. J. Miles used to do that. His career high is 40 points, back in 2010. In his prime, he’d only average around 12-13 points, but he’d go off for 30+ points every once in a while. Anyways, he will likely score 5 points in the next game, so in no way am I advocating walking 500 Miles with him. With that said, it’s always nice to acknowledge greatness, even if it probably won’t be replicated.

Here’s what else I saw last night:

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Fantasy Basketball: Myles Ahead of the Competition

March 6, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 13 Comments

by: Son

You’re all aware of the safety warning, “objects in the mirror are closer than they appear,” right? If not, please text me before you drive so I can stay home. Anyways, the warning is placed on the side mirrors of cars because the convexity of the mirror, while allowing one to see more area, also makes objects appear smaller. This gives the impression that an object is closer than it appears. So easy a SON can get it. Well, if you’ve been reading me all year, you know that I walked 500 Myles earlier in the season. It was a challenging endeavor, but all worth it in the end, as last night Myles Turner was able to post a career-high in…..

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
10	11	2	0	7	2	1/1	3/11	3/4

…..blocks. He had posted 6 blocks in a game five times in his career. Now, due to my loyalty when things were tough, Myles let me ride shotgun as we drove along the coast and reminsced. As he was telling me stories of his childhood, I got freaked out when I saw Brook Lopez’s face in the mirror. It kept getting bigger and bigger, like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. I was about to pass out when Myles just turned, smirked, and said, “chill out, Son. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.” He then calmly explained that Lopez was a distant second to him in blocks because he played seven fewer games. Myles has 159 blocks on the season in 57 games, compared to 143 in 64 games for Lopez. That breaks down to 2.79 vs 2.23. Whew. Anyways, from a fantasy perspective, the blocks are great and he provides tres from the big man position, but because he likes to hang out on the perimeter, the boards, points, and efficiency from the field are light. He also doesn’t provide dimes. With that said, over the past four games, he’s been a top 25 player primarily on the blocks alone, as he’s Myles ahead of the competition in that category.

Here’s what else I saw last night:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Fantasy Basketball: Capela Done With Rehearsals

February 28, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 14 Comments

by: Son

Clint Capela was producing at a top 20 level, averaging 17.1 points, 12.5 boards, and 1.8 blocks. Then, he suffered a thumb injury and missed 14 games. Upon his return, D’Antoni gave him 33, 28, and 34 minutes of run, in which Capela produced top 100 value. Every performer needs a warm up or time to get into the groove. Well, if last night was any indication, Capela is done with rehearsing and reading for prime time.

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
23	17	2	1	1	0	0	10/16	3/4

Capela played a team-high 41 minutes. Now, Kenneth Faried did miss some time last night due to injury, so that may explain some of the minutes bump, but Capela looks ready to go for the stretch run. Prior to the injury, he was averaging close to 35 minutes per game and produced three 20/20 games. The Rockets are getting healthy and I can’t wait to see what the main act provides.

Here’s what else I saw last night:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Fantasy Basketball: Bealieve

February 23, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes |

by: Kevin

Beal is too good for this John Wall-less Wizards team. He did everything in his power to carry his squad, but it still wasn’t enough. As long as Washington seems to think they should be fighting for the 8th seed, Beal should be rolling with some real top 15 potential.

Bradley Beal

FG	FT	3PT	Points	Reb	Assists	Steals	Blocks	TO
16/25	10/10	4/10	46	6	7	0	1	1

If the Wizards come to their senses, Beal’s minutes and production will come down, but for now, fantasy GMs should be ecstatic to roster the All Star. He should offer huge boosts in scoring with plenty of production across the board. Last night, there was a lack of defensive stats, but he was too busy making nearly half his team’s points. Also of note, check those free throws!

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Fantasy Basketball: P. S. – Pascal Siakam Is No Afterthought

February 14, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 28 Comments

by: Son

P. S. stands for postscript, which comes from the Latin word postscriptum and literally means “written after.” It’s used for an afterthought, not cool enough to be a part of the main piece. Like, oh by the way, I forgot to mention this but blah blah blah. It gets a bad rap, but as Shaun Usher of the Wall Street Journal wrote, “The P. S. is the most charming part of a letter. It’s the wink you give as you walk away.” It’s the cherry on top, the bam for the wham, and the mic drop. Like, P. S. – You the shiznitz. What? What?! Which segues perfectly to Pascal Siakam.

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
44	10	2	0	3	4	4/5	15/25	10/12

A career-high in points scored. On the season, Siakam has been a top 40 player, but over the past four games, he’s been top 25. The usage rate has spiked to 28 and he’s averaged 35.3 minutes, 26 points, 1.5 tres, 9 boards, 3 dimes, 1.3 steals, and 1 block while shooting 50% from the field and 81% from the line on 8 attempts! He literally does it all. Like literally, as he can play center or be a point forward. The improvement in his game has been nothing short of amazing. P. S. is no longer an afterthought and has to be a no-brainer for Most Improved Player.

Here’s what else I saw last night:

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Fantasy Basketball: It’s Good to be Young

February 13, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 30 Comments

by: Son

Even though Trae Young was selected with the number five overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, there were haters and skepticism as to whether he would be able to perform in the League. He’s too small. He turns the ball over too much. He’s going to get abused on defense. All of those things were evident early on. Yet, he showed flashes of why some were infatuated with him. In his third professional game, he scored 35 points and dished out 11 dimes, while turning the ball over only once. Granted, it was against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but that’s a professional team with professional ball players. Hmmm, maybe that’s debatable but they do collect checks for playing basketball so…As the season progressed, there were trials and tribulations mixed in with performances of rapture. Last night was pure bliss.

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
22	6	14	1	1	6	3/9	6/19	7/9

Yes, the turnovers were high, but he was in total control running the offense last night. The Lakers defense was/is truly offensive, but Young carved them up with expert precision, even nutmegging LeBron James. Most of the hype surrounding Trae was due to his range on his jump shot, but his vision and passing ability are just as lethal. They just didn’t get as much pub. Trae has duds from time to time, but the consistency has been much better than earlier in the season. Hey, he’s still only 20 years old! The mental fortitude, calmness, and development have been impressive to watch. Trae was outside the top 200 for fantasy earlier in the season. Now, he’s just outside the top 100. I didn’t think Trae would be a fantasy asset until next year, but I can see him finishing in the top 100. It’s good to be Young.

Here’s what else I saw last night:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Fantasy Basketball: Here’s to You, Mitchell Robinson

February 10, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 4 Comments

by: Joel

Koo-koo-ka-choo, Mitchell Robinson, Fizdale loves you more than you will know. Last night he went 15-7-0-0-3-0 on 7-of-9 shooting and made his lone FT. Played 22 minutes off the bench against the Raptors, and the Knicks almost pulled off the improbable victory. The infusion of new talent has given them a boost and for their sakes, I hope they don’t win too many games and miss out on Zion Williamson. That being said, there should be plenty of opportunities for the young guns to get playing time to show they’re worthy of a roster spot next year. One Knick, who’s part of the future plans is Robison. He’s averaging two blocks on the season in under 18 minutes per game. He’s also “shooting” nearly 70% on the year. His one caveat is the 51.7% FTs. He’s really in the DeAndre Jordan ilk, which makes the addition of Jordan seem like a smart move by the Knickerbockers. Hopefully, he can mentor the rook and show him how to become a great NBA center. If he listens to his free throw shooting advice, he’ll be shooting 67.7% by his 11th season. Not too shabby! Anyway, here’s what else went down in the NBA last night:

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Fantasy Basketball: Ross – Success For Less

February 8, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 77 Comments

by: Son

My wife’s favorite store is Ross, as she loves to find a good bargain. I could drop her off, go play some hoops, return, and she’d still be merrily rummaging through the racks. I always clown her, but she does find good deals, so respect. Plus, she enjoys it. I don’t get how she could get so into shopping for clothes, though, but that’s exactly what she says when I spend countless hours on fantasy. We all have our thing. Anyways, last night I asked my wife, “Can you believe that Terrence Ross has been a top 40 player over the past seven games, and he’s only owned in 57% of leagues? What a bargain!” As you can well imagine, no sexy time for me, but at least I derived some satisfaction from the performance Ross exhibited last night.

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
32	5	1	0	0	1	6/13	13/23	0

In 31 minutes. Despite coming off the bench, over the last seven games, Ross has been averaging 29.4 minutes, 20.3 points, 3.9 tres, 4.9 boards, and 1. He’s had a usage rate of 26 and been jacking up 17 shots per game! The dimes are a paltry 1.3, but what do you expect? Shooters shoot. In fact, back in 2013, Ross produced a 51-burger, so he’s always had the ability to score. Now, there will be bouts of inconsistency, especially from a fantasy persepective, as he is a jump shooter (only 10.6% of his shots come from within 10 feet of the basket) who derives most of his value from scoring. Ross has scored in single digits 12 times this season. With that said, he does get the minutes, shot attempts, and opportunities to produce. And he’s cheap! Nothing beats a good bargain.

Here’s what else I saw last night:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Fantasy Basketball: Buy/Sell – You Get a Trade, Everyone Gets a Trade!

February 6, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Buy/Sell | 6 Comments

by: Kostas

The NBA trade deadline is upon us! There are already some deals that have been finalized and more are sure to be done by tomorrow, so this week’s article will be structured in a different format than usual. Instead of looking at Buy/Sell players individually, we will review each trade for fantasy winners and losers, in chronological order. But first, as per usual, let’s take a quick look at last week’s suggestions.

Patrick Beverley has been a steady contributor for the short-handed Clippers and only stands to benefit without Tobias Harris (more on this trade later). Another trade influenced Trey Burke’s value but unfortunately, he takes a huge hit in Dallas and is an easy cut candidate. Shabazz Napier and Jerryd Bayless had good performances this past week and will continue to produce until their respective teams get healthier. Finally, I still maintain that D’Angelo Russell is a prime sell candidate and his shooting this past week only reinforced this belief.

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Fantasy Basketball: (T)obias (H)arris (C)lippers

February 6, 2019 | Fantasy Basketball Daily Notes | 36 Comments

by: Son

I used to smoke plenty of trees back in the day. Now, no more smoking at all, as I’m trying to be healthier, but I will still partake in the gummy treats. Regardless of the delivey method, the THC (tetrahydrocannobinol) still gets me nice and toasty, which is what the experience of owning and watching Tobias Harris play this season has been. Last night….

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	3PT	FG	FT
34	7	5	0	0	6	6/7	13/21	2/3

For the season, Harris is a top 25 player. Is he a superstar? That’s debatable, as he doesn’t contribute much in the D cats and the usage is only 25. Most of the superstars have usage rates in the 30s. With that said, he provides 20+ points, 2 tres, 7 boards, and 4 dimes with good percentages. He also hasn’t missed a game this year, despite being banged up. The prior two years, Harris played 80 and 82 games. There’s value in that, as one cannot accumulate fantasy points if one is not on the court. Anyways, Harris is an UFA after this season and will get paid. He’s also only 26 years old, entering the prime of his career, so there’s a chance that he can continue improving. That would make all his owners nice and toasty indeed.

UPDATE: Harris, along with Boban Marjanovic, and Mike Scott were traded to PHI for Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, 2020 1st, 2021 1st via MIA (unprotected), 2021 2nd, and 2023 2nd.

All hail The Logo.

That PHI starting lineup looks kind of diesel as well, though.

Ben Simmons
J. J. Redick
Jimmy Butler
Tobias Harris
Joel Embiid

Here’s what else I saw last night:

Please, blog, may I have some more?