Tier 1: Success comes from hard work
JokerSmoker and PB and G have a 7 game lead over everyone else. They also at the top in number of transactions in the league. Not all work out, but these two have just done a great job all year. Well, of course, JokerSmoker took the big fat L last week to yours truly!
Tier 2: Good things come to those who wait
Kostas, BeatsbyDray, the Oracle, and PhilOssie are still in the pole position. Maybe, they can spring an upset? Maybe after the deadline these guys crushed their pickups better than the author did?
Tier 3: I’m not as smart as I thought I was
Alas, Mr. Hooper, Son, and myself are on the outside looking in. While obviously things can change, it’s time to look back at what went wrong for our squads. I hate being 6 games back; it feels like I actively did something to screw it up!
So what went wrong in my draft?
My main issue was overconfidence in my ability to project talent, and I was overaggressive on………..
Scottie Barnes. This was an awful pick, and basically screwed up my entire roster. I had already drafted Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards; Barnes would have to become a first round pick in order to salvage my base stats. Fantasy sports are all about projecting; I need to be careful and not project guys to be first round talents until they show that ability.
I’ve had some success in home leagues, at one point in a dynasty going 41-0, so my lack of success this year is jarring to me. I know you all feel bad for me. Please, sympathy! This is all hard on my self esteem. Which leads me to the final tier……….
Tier 4: You can learn a lot from losing
Luigi and High Risers, actually are sorta close to me. Yancey, you can learn a LOT from this year!
Interesting Transactions
Josh Green on the Mavericks has had a lot of run lately. His last four games have been between 37-40 minutes. I think the Mavericks are going to use him like this for the rest of the season after their risky deadline moves. Green went to Mr. Hooper, which stinks, because he’s ahead of me and could still make the playoffs. My life lesson here is to check your stupid phone on deadline day, don’t worry about if the Bulls are going to get enough for Zach LaVine, worry about your fantasy team you big dummy!
PB and G beat me to Larry Nance Jr. Zion Williamson had some bad news drop as he aggravated his hamstring injury and will miss “weeks” after the all star break. Aside from humanity being deprived from viewing my favorite player on the court, well, there isn’t an upside here. Nance will continue to do what he’s done all year. I don’t know what to do with Zion. Have to keep him. I have him in a long term keeper league and am just ever so sad.
Side note: at one point my home league I traded Karl Anthony Towns for Zion. Seemed big at the time. Wow, how do things change.
Going to be honest
This league is pretty good, as I’ve said before. Most of the important guys traded were already owned. So in your leagues, there might be more guys available than in this one. Teams to keep an eye on after the deadline for PT:
Blazers: Who replaces Josh Hart? Is it Nassir Little? Cam Reddish? Joy on a basketball court, Mattisse Thybulle?
Grizzlies: Who’s minutes does Luke Kennard steal? It looks like Tyus Jones is the biggest loser in a case of a Duke alumni stealing minutes from another one. Kennard won’t have a ton of value unless Desmond Bane misses time. So with both Jones and Kennard, they are good streamers if a starter misses time, but nothing much else.
Hornets: Tank mode activated. Mason Plumlee obviously loses about all his value, which is a killer to y’all who have been relying on him. Mark Williams would be a good pickup, and hit 12 points 11 boards his first game as a starter. Of course, Nic Richards lurks at any given moment. That’s about all that will change now that I look at it.
Nets: They aren’t going to roll over. They are legitimately talented. In his first game, Mikal Bridges had 23 points and six boards. Against the Sixers, no less, a good team! The wild Cam Thomas ride is over; he only had 18 minutes. I watched him against the Bulls; he really doesn’t have much of a clue of how to actually play basketball besides scoring. He’s not getting minutes, since he’s now like their 8th best player. Ben Simmons seems to be nailed to the bench and for good reason.
If you’re psychotic and do dynasty leagues, Bridges could be a first round value. Of course, I thought that about Scottie Barnes, but Bridges has a legitimate floor and now is their best offensive player. I’d get him and pay a high price.
Thanks again for the honor of reading my stuff, and as always hit me in the comments, but gently. I’m a bit fragile.
