tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50172412757627307002024-02-07T21:20:51.452-08:00The PulseYour source for Fantasy Basketball commentary and advice, brought to you by the writers of FantasyBasketball.com.J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-69259681286120861302009-06-25T10:33:00.000-07:002009-06-25T10:34:56.394-07:00Live 2009 NBA Draft Coverage!We're doing a live podcast tonight - feel free to call in, chat or just listen! <a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=123">Click here to get to the FantasyBasketball.com show page! </a>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-89601261419774853832009-04-09T09:32:00.000-07:002009-04-09T09:33:31.772-07:00Add and Drop GuysThurs(3)<br />Carl landry (sac)<br />Von wafer(sac)<br />Anthony carter (lal)<br />Klieza(lal)<br />Theo Ratliff (Chi)<br />Speights (chi)<br />Donte greene (hous) 4 games in 5 days<br /><br />Sat (7)<br />Fred jones (por)<br />Turiaf (Utah)<br />Ryan Anderson (orl)<br />Brian skinner (16 and 14) (por)<br />Carney craign smith telfair (pho)<br />Charlie bell (OKC)<br />Batum(clippers)<br />Shaun Livingston(mil)<br />Przybilla (LAC)<br /><br />Sunday 6 games<br />Ratliff (tor)<br />Speights<br />Donte greene (SA)<br />Farmar (Memphis)<br />Chalmers (knicks)<br />Haslem<br />James jones<br />D cook<br />Jared Jefferies<br />Delonte west (boston)<br />JJ Barea (NO)<br /><br />Tues 3 games<br />Chalmers (atl)<br />Flip murray(mia)<br />Haslem(atl)<br />James jones(atl)<br />Moon(atl)<br />Ratliff(boston)<br />Speights(boston)<br />Daequancook(atl)<br />Mikki moore(philly)<br />Big baby(philly)Michael Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145970973493269803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-204846423452326542009-04-05T07:50:00.000-07:002009-04-05T08:11:34.492-07:00Dial It Up From Distance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincL7Y7OfSgWThzLa2OO607MD0hcbBJcdPRohBjnD155SwR_rNRExLd5GfVmLN71g5vv5DvA819GIIQxiiCbS2_eqCOpz81otcxFj3ZgdLvioVbf9BRzEXFFDKugDWH9_LKdDtT4seSiU/s1600-h/g_J.R.Smith180x250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincL7Y7OfSgWThzLa2OO607MD0hcbBJcdPRohBjnD155SwR_rNRExLd5GfVmLN71g5vv5DvA819GIIQxiiCbS2_eqCOpz81otcxFj3ZgdLvioVbf9BRzEXFFDKugDWH9_LKdDtT4seSiU/s320/g_J.R.Smith180x250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321224485296543954" border="0" /></a>All Denver Nuggets' shooting guard J.R. Smith has done over the past 10 games is average 23.1 points while burying an absurd 53.9% of his shots and hitting 43 three-pointers. There isn't a hotter shooter in the NBA right now, and while he's probably not available, he's probably the only Denver candidate outside of Carmelo Anthony that I'd feel comfortable starting in weekly leagues during the team's four-game Championship Week slate.<br /><br />Smith has been quite a find in fantasy leagues this season, as just last night, he set a career high for three-pointers made in a season (162). As a matter of fact, he's got career highs across the boards - points (15.0), rebounds (3.7), assists, (2.9) and steals (1.0). His increased proficiency combined with a REAL point guard coming to town has given Smith an exciting new ceiling of potential the rest of this season and in the future. Chauncey Billups has really changed the direction of this man's career.<br /><br />What's more, Smith has been on a gradual incline over the past couple of seasons, getting to the point where we expected something special this year. He disappointed early on, but has since gotten adequate playing time (read: Iverson left town and Coach George Karl saw the light) at 27.9 minutes per game in 2008-09. The increase in three-pointers made hasn't gone unnoticed either: 149 (2006-07), 157 (2007-08) and currently, Smith has 162 threes in 2008-09.<br /><br />Looks like Smith isn't just a solid option in your fantasy leagues this week... he may be a end-of-the-bench keeper candidate and a top-50 player for 2009-10. He's HOT HOT HOT!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGBXhDZXTqY&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGBXhDZXTqY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-34523582209066053942009-03-27T15:32:00.000-07:002009-03-27T18:02:57.090-07:00Saved by Zero? Probably not.There was a commercial running like crazy a few months ago for Toyota. You might have seen it. If not, check it out really quickly:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2JcOb9yVZnU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2JcOb9yVZnU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />The point of this whole exercise is that in this entry, Zero stands for Agent Zero. A lot of people have been asking whether they should pick up Gilbert Arenas, former scoring savant. News has broken that he'll make his 2008-09 season debut Saturday, so here's our take on how to handle the situation.<br /><br />Here's what we know:<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arenas will not play in back-to-back games</span> - This happens twice the rest of the season. The Wizards play on March 28 & 29, then again on April 1 & 2. From the looks of things, Arenas will play Game 1 of back-to-backs.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arenas is coming off a series of knee surgeries</span> - Regardless of the health of Arenas' surgically-repaired knee, he'll have to get used to trusting his body in NBA-paced action. Yes, he's practiced plenty and appears ready to perform, but the mental side of his return should not be understated.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arenas has not played in an NBA game for about year</span> - Borrowing from the previous bullet, we really don't know how quickly Arenas will take to get back to 100 percent. The efficiency of his running, cutting, jumping and simply setting up for jump-shots off the dribble will all be part of the transition back to NBA prominence. Will it happen immediately? Likely not.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Remember, it's late March</span> - Yes, the Wizards want to get Arenas some minutes to help build team chemistry before the end of the year, but how much is Washington willing to risk? They made a huge investment in Arenas, and there's absolutely no way they screw with the future of their franchise.<br /></li></ul>So, with all of those factors in play, what do you do? Basically, if you have a dead spot on your roster and you play in daily league (12 teams or more), go for it. If you play in a weekly league, he's really not worth your time, as the Wizards have by far the worst playoff schedule the rest of the way (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 23</span> - 3 games; <span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 24/25</span> - 4 games).J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-80813410336679718102009-03-22T08:30:00.000-07:002009-03-22T08:55:54.739-07:00Garnett Back; The Disappearing Man<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QybpQEtjcr9TjyhQlLVbWT2U0YxbT3jlAqAxQigjBHzjo7U8mYQSijf32FyWWKjp1t9cZ1-Jo4w4PDK0uYDRMIc7oAlpDizlEt9k_oaBwbtbV4PcFUH8_pSZFPyX8eQFGyq3HXtQjrY/s1600-h/kg.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316041360581609858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 258px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QybpQEtjcr9TjyhQlLVbWT2U0YxbT3jlAqAxQigjBHzjo7U8mYQSijf32FyWWKjp1t9cZ1-Jo4w4PDK0uYDRMIc7oAlpDizlEt9k_oaBwbtbV4PcFUH8_pSZFPyX8eQFGyq3HXtQjrY/s320/kg.jpg" border="0" /></a>Whether you're a Timberwolves fan, Celtic fan or just a fan of Kevin Garnett, it's always good to see "The Big Ticket" return from injury. The NBA - and your fantasy roster - simply isn't the same without the multi-dimensional, super-intense power forward. He and his 17-point, 8.6 rebound numbers have played a couple of games for Boston this week, notching only <strong>15 and 17 minutes in each</strong>. This, of course, isn't enough to count on in the playoffs, but in a four-game week in Week 22, it could be the last time this season you get to place KG in your lineup. The fact of the matter is that <strong>Week 23 is the horrid two-game variety for Boston</strong>, and you likely won't be able to justify inserting Garnett, no matter how much you want to.<br /><div></div><br /><div>***</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Hakim "The Disappearing Man" Warrick</strong> has re-surfaced yet again this season, dropping 20 points and six rebounds against Boston on Saturday (3/21). What's more, Warrick is putting up <strong>15.75 points and 4.75 rebounds</strong> over the past four games. As usual, you've got to start him with extreme caution, because as we've learned in 2008-09 (and before), Warrick's value never levels off. Expect a dip in production, followed by a nice three-game stretch before the end of the year.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong><em>Notes:</em></strong> </div><br /><ul><br /><li>In a massive resurgence, <strong>Samuel Dalembert</strong> went for 15 points and 23 points last night and has had an incredible 10-day stretch of <strong>9.5 points and 14.5 boards with 2.2 blocks</strong>. You won't find a much better option at center in the NBA right now.</li><br /><li><strong>Monta Ellis</strong> has continued his hot streak, putting up <strong>25.1 points per game</strong> over the past six... also putting up 4.3 rebounds and 4.6 rebounds over that span. Gotta love it!</li></ul>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-33919263209850430502009-03-17T18:28:00.001-07:002009-03-17T18:34:03.093-07:00March Madness at FantasyBasketball.com!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghClioH-QonWcxZlJFHJzBPtmJ3rspByR9KfIWXf3Q8qSGJfJMfx57ZPCXLcoYvZ6b8S7DUwBpB__00QChwrL64YOV7IxAN4SOE0xJqu_HuscSY9es_5WmoE8eFr1-boEAZWbgdh9NtMw/s1600-h/mayhem.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghClioH-QonWcxZlJFHJzBPtmJ3rspByR9KfIWXf3Q8qSGJfJMfx57ZPCXLcoYvZ6b8S7DUwBpB__00QChwrL64YOV7IxAN4SOE0xJqu_HuscSY9es_5WmoE8eFr1-boEAZWbgdh9NtMw/s320/mayhem.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314334934024595042" border="0" /></a>What's up everyone? The NCAA Tournament is only TWO DAYS away! As you can imagine, most basketball fans are filling out brackets for their office pool or with a group of friends. At FantasyBasketball.com, there's an opportunity for you to do the same thing! As a matter of fact, you can win up to $200 without paying a penny.<br /><br />It's called <a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com/madness09/default.html">March Mayhem</a>, and you can continue to sign up for our bracket until Thursday morning. So get your picks in and try your luck against the hundreds who have already signed up!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com/madness09/default.html">Sign up TODAY!!!</a>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-31257426155160479172009-03-06T14:04:00.000-08:002009-03-06T14:15:34.486-08:00Player Report: Larry Hughes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iFD6mEsNQhQexkWJcGkQbYOpm3mTSn1lZ6tzPTT9FWwKifiscoEbT0mbeogq1Eu2VxoeGHGoua3kIB5b3dEWm0XRijObgvTUMW9buCfxYWcg6i7sbD2Cybsf9XwcazV_30slO2I_nvw/s1600-h/3170240577.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iFD6mEsNQhQexkWJcGkQbYOpm3mTSn1lZ6tzPTT9FWwKifiscoEbT0mbeogq1Eu2VxoeGHGoua3kIB5b3dEWm0XRijObgvTUMW9buCfxYWcg6i7sbD2Cybsf9XwcazV_30slO2I_nvw/s320/3170240577.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310199728155996914" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Larry Hughes</span> was supposed to fade into the sunset, a man completely useless to 12-team fantasy owners for the remainder of his career because of wild shooting and general overpopulation at the guard position on pretty much every team he’s been a part of lately. Granted, the man had a nice start to the year, with 12.2 and 12.8 points per game in November and December, respectively. Then, as usual, injury struck, and Kirk Hinrich returned to the lineup, making Hughes expendable.<br /><br />The trade deadline came, and he was shipped to New York in what was seemingly another stop on Hughes’ disappointing path. He played his first three games, and as expected, put up horrible numbers (3.3 points, 1 rebound, 0.66 assists and 18% shooting) and looked to be the odd man out, yet again. But when I saw his 2/27/09 line of <span style="font-style: italic;">25 points, four rebounds, two assists and four steals with three 3s</span>, I made like Janice from the show <span style="font-style: italic;">Friends</span> and freaked out (see below).<br /><br /><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SjiP57ma0yY&hl=en&fs=1&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SjiP57ma0yY&hl=en&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="364" width="445"></embed></object><br /><br />Hughes hasn’t looked back from there, posting <span style="font-style: italic;">22.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.0 steals and three 3s a game over the past three</span>. And he got the blessing of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike D’Antoni</span> on top of that… Hughes will get the starting nod for the rest of the season in New York. Now that’s something we can use on a fantasy roster.<br /><br />What does the future hold for Larry? It’s not clear yet, but we’ve got some good news: his production didn’t come as a result of injury or a slumping player, and he’s guaranteed minutes for the rest of the season. So we know one thing… this is the perfect storm for Hughes to be a fantasy contributor the rest of the way. In fact, as a 30-year-old, we may yet see the return of the 2002 or 2003 version of Hughes (<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOT 2004... still thought of as an aberration</span>), where he put up near-20 ppg numbers while offering solid peripherals in Washington.<br /><br />What's more, the Knicks are looking for a scorer now that <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jamal Crawford</span> is gone, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Q-Rich</span> couldn't get it done. Really, Hughes completes this team, and that's a very good thing for those of you who rostered him immediately. Good luck as you continue your quest for fantasy basketball glory!J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-8272154358483078522009-02-27T08:06:00.000-08:002009-02-27T08:35:26.518-08:00Player Report: Ron Artest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZljpEAWFuc0MqIHfEnSZSyZvT9Lh4J_JgsX20URs0xXf4N2LRgrpygSV1Csr-JLGVeIWRyM-nYicbJyElk_BY6D7_4mihVuqtdSHAOML73S9jIuVAla9LicJUrSjnfM3NrXaXy9KMsU/s1600-h/c79ab4d7-f581-4280-8762-2803c15df8a3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZljpEAWFuc0MqIHfEnSZSyZvT9Lh4J_JgsX20URs0xXf4N2LRgrpygSV1Csr-JLGVeIWRyM-nYicbJyElk_BY6D7_4mihVuqtdSHAOML73S9jIuVAla9LicJUrSjnfM3NrXaXy9KMsU/s320/c79ab4d7-f581-4280-8762-2803c15df8a3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307510775585062546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ron Artest</span> has been extremely effective over the past seven games, and it’s due almost entirely to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tracy McGrady</span> being out of the lineup. During this wicked seven-game stretch, Artest has torched opponents to the tune of 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists while picking up 1.4 steals and burying 2.8 threes per game while shooting 57% 3pt. and 46.8% overall from the field.<br /><br />Not convinced after a particularly bad/injured stretch? Well here’s more. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Aaron Brooks</span>, the Rockets’ new starting point guard, is almost a clone of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rafer Alston</span>, who was dealt last week to the Orlando Magic. Brooks buries three pointers, drops dimes and plays good defense, all things the Rockets need to move forward come playoff time. In addition, his three-point shooting ability keeps defenders honest – no cheating to the wings, where capable long-range gunners Artest, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Shane Battier</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Von Wafer</span> reside.<br /><br />And best of all, Ron-Ron plays excellent defense, which has been Houston’s forte for the past few years. If you didn’t catch Cleveland/Houston last night, you missed a defensive clinic, courtesy of the Rockets. They (Artest) held LeBron James to just 21 points, and blanketed other shooters… the result was James’ first game EVER without an assist, which is saying something – the guy averages 7.3 a game!<br /><br />You've gotta love the fact, too, that Artest has a ridiculously good shot blocker in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yao Ming</span> under the basket, so he can waste less energy following his man to the rim... simply funneling players toward Ming will suffice.<br /><br />There’s no end in sight for Artest’s production. As long as he stays healthy and level-headed, he’s a perfect fit for the Rockets.<br /><br />***<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Writers Needed!</span></span><br /><br />Last up, we’re <span style="font-weight: bold;">looking for a couple of writers</span> to join our staff for the summer and next basketball season. You’ll have the chance to participate in our Draft Guide and provide content for FantasyBasketball.com, along with opportunities to work on our weekly radio show and our blog, The Pulse. Please send writing examples and a cover letter to me, Jamaal Gilbert, at <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Jamaal@FantasyBasketball.com</span>. Detail your experience in the industry and why you would be a good fit at FantasyBasketball.com.J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-5981760165277929952009-02-20T05:05:00.001-08:002009-02-20T05:07:59.676-08:00Final Trade Analysis... 7:07 AM, Feb. 20Here's the last deal we have to analyze... for the other four from previous days, scroll down just a bit!<br /><br /><em>Rafer Alston has been traded to the Magic in part of a three-team deal. The Rockets will receive point guard Kyle Lowry and PF Brian Cook, while the Grizzlies get a first-round draft pick from Orlando in return.</em><br /><em></em><br />Wow... this was a late-in-the-day deal that has plenty of fantasy appeal in most leagues... Rafer Alston heads to the <strong>Orlando Magic</strong>, where he'll immediately be slotted as the starting point guard... effectively ending Anthony Johnson's string of extra minutes. Alston will go back to being the fourth option in an explosive offense, but the good news is that assists should come in bushels now. Unfortunately, you Hedo Turkoglu owners will see his dimes fall a bit. All in all, this deal offers the Magic a rudder to their playoff-contending ship, and they could go a long way with Alston at the helm.<br /><br /><strong>The Rockets</strong> receive a new point guard in the deal as well... Kyle Lowry. Unfortunately for Lowry, Houston already has a PG-in-waiting with Aaron Brooks, who's slated to start. Good news for Lowry though - Brooks, while impressive in limited playing time, isn't the highly-touted entity the Mike Conley is/was. There's a chance for playing time here, and you should be monitoring the situation for fluctuation in minutes. For now, stick with Brooks as your pick-up du juor.<br /><br /><strong>Last up, the Grizzlies got three things in this deal.</strong><br /><br /><strong>1)</strong> PF Brian Cook, who further muddles the frontcourt situation, but probably won't be much of a factor in Memphis.<br /><br /><strong>2)</strong> A first-round pick, which is actually pretty good value for Kyle Lowry, even though it's Orlando's pick (and they're pretty much a lock to be in the bottom six first-rounders).<br /><br /><strong>3)</strong> A clear path of playing time for Mike Conley. Ever since Conley started getting big-time minutes, there's been a bit of a shadow cast over his name because of Kyle Lowry's decent play this season. Now that the preverbial "monkey" has been taken off his back, Conley becomes a solid starter in most 12-team leagues for the rest of the year. Enjoy!<br /><br /><em>Thanks for reading our continued coverage of the NBA Trade Deadline... for more trade analysis from previous deals, scroll down just a bit! Have a great day!</em>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-31618828566569575942009-02-19T11:50:00.000-08:002009-02-19T11:53:22.553-08:001:50 p.m. Trade Deadline DayAlright folks… here are a few deals that went through today, along with our expert analysis.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The Bulls have traded Larry Hughes to the Knicks for Tim Thomas, Anthony Roberson and Jerome James, according to league sources as reported by ESPN.com.</span>
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<br />In one of two deals so far today, the Knicks acquired Larry Hughes, who could play a decent role for New York. He won’t get a ton of minutes, but there’s a possibility for court time behind Chris Duhon, Nate Robinson and Quentin Richardson. The Bulls, on the other hand, got Thomas (again) and a couple other players they may never use. Tim Thomas sulked his way out of town last time, but hopefully he’s grown up a bit and can contribute in Chicago’s ever-expanding frontcourt.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Bobby Brown has reportedly been traded to Minnesota along with Shelden Williams in exchange for Rashad McCants and Calvin Booth.</span>
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<br />Another small deal here. The main pieces are McCants and Williams, who’ll both remain bench players, but could see court time. Shelden Williams will help short up a decidedly shallow frontcourt in Minnesota, teaming with Kevin Love, Craig Smith and Jason Collins to try and fill Al Jefferson’s enormous shoes. Sacramento receives McCants, who despite his sometimes-explosive array of offensive moves, has been a major disappointment for Minnesota. In an off-the-bench role behind the likes of Kevin Martin and Beno Udrih, McCants could offer some three-point shooting in Sacto.
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">ESPN.com is reporting that the Knicks have traded Malik Rose's expiring contract to Oklahoma City for Chris Wilcox and his expiring deal.</span>
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<br />There’s no way Wilcox is happier with this deal than the previous one with New Orleans, but at least he’s out of Oklahoma City. This trade has interesting implications with David Lee, Jared Jeffries and Al Harrington around, and they all could lose a little playing time now that Wilcox is around. On the flipside, Malik Rose will continue to have ZERO value for your fantasy team.
<br />
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Continue to check back for more updates later today, and for our complete analysis of the Drew Gooden/Salmons, etc. deal, look below! </span>
<br />J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-8285117477149671982009-02-19T07:17:00.000-08:002009-02-19T07:20:46.581-08:0011:17 AM, Trade Deadline DayThe trade deadline is here! The Pulse is your source for in-depth analysis on each trade, so keep checking back for updates!<br /><br />First off, let’s talk about the most recent trade: <span style="font-style: italic;">John Salmons and Brad Miller to Chicago for Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicago</span><br /><br />The first thing we see in Chicago is another logjam at the center/power forward position, and this time, the center is legit. Brad Miller comes to town and will immediately (when healthy) start for the Bulls. This downgrades Joakim Noah considerably, but probably hurts Tyrus Thomas a bit less. Thomas will still play an athletic “4” spot for Chicago, and being that Miller isn’t a prolific rebounder or shot-blocker, things should be fine. And the fact that Andres Nocioni was shipped out definitely thins the frontcourt depth behind Thomas.<br /><br />The two players that are likely to see the biggest decrease are John Salmons and Luol Deng, as they both play the small forward position. Salmons will see big minutes off the bench, and we could see coach Vinny Del Negro letting the two battle it out for the starting role. Both players will be fringe starters in 12-team leagues for the time being.<br /><br />Derrick Rose now has a couple more nice options, so his assists could certainly increase, and because Chicago isn’t completely out of the playoff race, they could be a scary no. 6 seed in the postseason.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sacramento</span><br /><br />I love Sacramento’s side of this trade, if only because it gives some younger players a chance to shine. Immediately, you have to notice Spencer Hawes will hop into the starting lineup full-time now that Miller is gone. Al Horford-like numbers could be on the way… think double-double with two blocks. He’s a huge winner here.<br /><br />Drew Gooden’s current injury situation will probably allow Jason Thompson some good minutes for the time being, but he’ll share with Andres Nocioni anyway. That, and if Gooden has some sort of miraculous recovery from what’s been called a “sports hernia”, he could slice into Hawes’ minutes, too.<br /><br />Francisco Garcia wins too – John Salmons was blocking his playing time, and now he’ll get upwards of 30 minutes a night for the rest of the year.<br /><br />I’m excited for how this baby’ll play out – good things ahead!J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-28114409983589360482009-02-17T14:05:00.000-08:002009-02-17T14:08:10.913-08:00Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma City<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1iyN5jL4Rm5rZzetd9gtBpTzAUsvqhundG_YRBa66VkEagJe6Dh5wfOPOqqXyfkELd_2bTGDIIb3ImpG5gmqlP26yd9FpwnwL_Rszy6YzvZpbiUUXQnhk7pt6Jon8E61LBRdW_DDN2M/s1600-h/t_chandler.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1iyN5jL4Rm5rZzetd9gtBpTzAUsvqhundG_YRBa66VkEagJe6Dh5wfOPOqqXyfkELd_2bTGDIIb3ImpG5gmqlP26yd9FpwnwL_Rszy6YzvZpbiUUXQnhk7pt6Jon8E61LBRdW_DDN2M/s320/t_chandler.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303891504219855794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Tyson Chandler was traded to the Thunder for Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith, along with the 50th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. It's a salary-based trade, and here's the fallout:</span><br /><br />When it comes to making trades in the NBA, teams are a lot more strange than us Fantasy GMs. They think a lot more about money and long-term advantages than short-term gain (unless, of course, a championship is a possibility). In the case of the recent Tyson Chandler trade, the Hornets didn't feel like they could win a title, and instead got rid of a bit of a cancer on their team.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hornets</span></span><br /><br />New Orleans loses a great rebounder and alley-oop finisher in Tyson Chandler, but the truth is, he wasn't much of a scorer. In Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, the team adds valuable frontcourt depth - something that was exposed when Chandler and David West went down before the All-Star Break. Both Smith and Wilcox can score as well, and it's likely Wilcox gets the remaining starts at center this year.<br /><br />Expect him to contribute around 10-12 points and 6-8 rebounds a night, as long as he stays healthy and starts. Wilcox seems to be the biggest winner in this deal.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thunder </span></span><br /><br />Oklahoma City has some pretty obvious reasons for landing Chandler - I mean, the guy is a rebounding machine (when healthy), and he's still a young player. As a member of the Thunder, he'll have plenty of rebounding opportunities, but it's likely that with Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant around, the scoring chances will be few and far between.<br /><br />Good news, though - the blocks should go up, as the perimeter defense will likely filtered to Chandler instead of having opposing point guards systematically locked-down by Chris Paul on most nights.<br /><br />Chandler could be "the missing piece" in OKC's development puzzle... this team should grow into a contender over the next few years.J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-35283106897896727272009-02-13T10:55:00.000-08:002009-02-13T14:58:42.794-08:00Marion and Banks for O'Neal and Moon<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090213/capt.4fe93b79b0d2450795e7b8011638de2a.bulls_heat_basketball_cxa106.jpg" border="0" width="260" height="400" alt="" id="Matrix" /><br />The Miami Heat have agreed to trade <span style="font-weight:bold;">Shawn Marion</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Marcus Banks</span> to the Raptors for <span style="font-weight:bold;">Jermaine O'Neal</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Jamario Moon</span>. The deal that everyone has been talking about has finally happened. It's not exactly an earth-shattering deal with regards to value, but there are a lot of slight increases.<div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Winners</span></span></div><div><br />The Raptors as a whole should see an increase since they will likely push the ball more with Marion in and J.O. out. They'll get more possessions, and more possessions mean more fantasy goodies.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight:bold;">Shawn Marion</span> will get some more value based on the similarities of the Raptors and the Phoenix team he played for last season. Marion isn't great at creating his own shot, so Calderon and Bosh should help him get more space and give him more lanes in which he can cut to the hoop much like Nash and Stoudemire did in previous years. Toronto is 26th in turovers forced, so hopefully Marion can contribute in steals. Marion should also get his old number back, too (Ricky Davis had 31 last year).</div><div><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Andrea Bargnani</span> will now be the unquestioned center for Toronto. Bargnani posted his largest lines with J.O. out with injury. Andrea should be able to get a slight increase in points, rebounds, field goal percentage, and blocks. He'll likely have to guard a larger opponent which will help him gets some blocked shots while playing weak side D in the post. J.O. out of town also decreases his chances that he falls off the fantasy map like he has so many times.</div><div><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Michael Beasley</span> will likely slide into the starting small forward spot for the Heat. Beasley didn't really see an increase in production while Marion was out with injury. However, Beasley injured his knee around the same time which could have affected his minutes. Beasley should see more minutes, point, and triples for the rest of the season.</div><div><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jermaine O'Neal</span> becomes the only true big man for Miami. O'Neal probably has the best chance of breaking out in this deal considering his lack of competition. He will certainly increase his seven RPG and likely increase his 14.3 PPG. On the other hand, taking on the bulk of the weight down on the blocks only increases the likelihood that his knee injury comes back to bite him.</div><div><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Marcus Banks</span> gets packaged with Shawn Marion yet again and gets an increase in value. Banks became relevant last year after seemingly the entire Heat team couldn't play due to injury. He goes from finite value to small value because Banks will need Calderon to suffer an injury (likely a hammy), but Roko Ukic looked great Wednesday night against the Spurs. Banks shouldn't be added yet, but you never know.</div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Other Winners: Joey Graham, Jason Kapono, and Chris Quinn</span><br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Losers</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight:bold;">Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, and Mark Blount</span> will all move down one spot to make room for J.O. Udonis is really the only guy that's owned in most leagues, but he should probably be cut in 10-team leagues.</div><div><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jamario Moon</span> could move into a starting role for Miami, but he'll have to compete with Michael Beasley. Beasley should win the job which would relegate Moon to a bench role.</div>Michael Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145970973493269803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-45951672455833347852009-02-12T13:35:00.000-08:002009-02-12T16:12:27.555-08:00Ball Street Bits<img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.nba.com/media/poy06_robinson_600px.jpg" alt="" id="Nate" border="0" width="400" height="400" /><br />Let’s hit some of the injury news first:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jameer Nelson</span> will likely have season-ending surgery on his torn labrum. The rehab should have him ready to rock by the season opener next year. The Magic haven’t made it official yet, so Nelson owners in deeper leagues should wait to cut him until it is certain he is out for the season. Chances are that the Magic will announce it over the break and it shouldn’t hurt to hold Nelson while there are no games being played.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ray Allen</span> hyperextended his right thumb last night against the Hornets. A hyperextended thumb isn’t that big of a deal for a basketball player and his main problem would be pain with dribbling the ball and catching and deflecting passes. He might sit tonight, but he will probably play in the All-Star Game and next week's game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Shawn Marion</span> bruised his left eye orbital bone in practice on Wednesday when Michael Beasley accidentally hit him in the eye. Marion is questionable for tonight, and he should be ready for next week since it’s not the type of injury that will cause him to play differently.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Carlos Boozer</span> has yet to begin his running regiment for the Jazz. It was previously stated he was scheduled to come back on February 17 (coincidentally the same date as Gerald Wallace), but that is looking cloudy at best. The bad news on Boozer means good news for <span style="font-weight:bold;">Paul Millsap</span>. Millsap has been struggling mightily lately and could be a good buy-low candidate. His stock is in the toilet though, so make sure you don't give up too much.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chris Kaman</span> is nearing a return from his left foot injury. Obviously if Kaman is on your wire, then you need to scoop him. Kaman’s return would hurt the value of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Marcus Camby, Zach Randolph, and Al Thornton</span> on some scale, but the owners of those three shouldn’t try to trade them unless the price is right.<br /><br />Alright, on to last night’s action:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> Raymond Felton</span> (15 points, nine dimes, eight boards, five steals, one three, and one block) and <span style="font-weight:bold;">D.J Augustin</span> (24 points, four assists, five rebounds, four threes, and a steal) both had huge lines for the victorious Bobcats. While <span style="font-weight:bold;">Raja Bell</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Gerald Wallace</span> heal from injuries both Felton and Augustin should flourish. It should be interesting to see if Felton gets dealt which would increase Augustin’s value exponentially.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Hakim Warrick</span> scored 31 points and grabbed eight boards in 43 minutes for Memphis. The 31 points are outstanding, but season-high 43 minutes are what really catches my eye. Warrick also played more minutes in his last two games (37 and 38) than he has all year long. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rudy Gay</span> didn’t play which is the main reason for the explosion, but it looks like it might be time to scoop Warrick for good. The Grizzlies will likely be making a deal at the deadline which could increase Hakim’s value if he stays put.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nene Hilaro</span> had his fourth below average game in a row with just 12 points and four boards. Nene has been getting into foul trouble which explains the dearth of stats. Over his last four games Nene has scored just 8.3 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds. Nene’s owners might be a bit worried that Melo has hurt him drastically, but it has been the fouls.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Joe Johnson</span> had his second good game in a row with 27 points, four dimes, and a three on 10-of-16 shooting. That’s also back-to-back games of shooting over 50-percent which hasn’t happened since November 14 and 15. Joe Cool had just one game above 50-percent for January, and these two games have certainly eased the minds of his owners over the break. Johnson should be a top-20 player down the stretch.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Charlie Bell</span> dropped 20 points in 35 minutes for the Bucks. He should be owned in all 14-team leagues at this point. <span style="font-weight:bold;"> Keith Bogans</span> might factor into the rotation as the season progresses, so don’t expect 20 from the Spartan on a regular basis.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">T.J. Ford</span> (14 points and 13 dimes) and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Jarrett Jack </span>(21 points, six dimes, two steals, and two threes) both put up big numbers for the Pacers. It seems congratulations are in order if you held onto Ford and he should continue to be a force for the remainder of the season as long as he’s healthy. On the other hand, Jack’s numbered spiked based on <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mike Dunleavy </span>struggling with his knee. Jack will have value in 12-team leagues while we wait for the news on Mike D.<br /><br />The Rockets had a multitude of solid lines against the Kings. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Yao Ming</span> (24 points, 18 boards, a steal, and a block), <span style="font-weight:bold;">Ron Artest</span> (19 points, three treys, four dimes, and a steal), <span style="font-weight:bold;">Luis Scola </span>(19 points, 11 rebounds, and a steal), and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Shane Battier</span> (five points, five steals, a block, and a three) all had solid outings. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rafer Alston</span> dropped $1.30 (that’s 13 dimes), but shot just 2-of-10 from the floor for five points. The news on <span style="font-weight:bold;">McGrady </span>looks pretty grim, so all the Rockets should see an increase in value. Owners in shallow leagues can probably cut McGrady.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Deron Williams</span> had yet another huge game with 31 points, 11 assists, and a steal on 12-of-17 shooting. Deron is the second best PG in fantasy and should be a top-10 performer for the remainder of the season.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lamar Odom</span> scored 19,grabbed 19 rebounds, blocked two shots, and stole one in another monstrous game for the Lakers. Hello! L.O. has averaged 18 boards in his last three and could be a top-50 option as long as <span style="font-weight:bold;">Andrew Bynum</span> stays on the shelf. Odom owners might want to keep an eye on Bynum’s rehab and try to ship him before your league’s trade deadline.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nate Robinson</span> had the best inch-for-inch game in the history of fantasy basketball last night against the Clippers (quick, call the hyperbole police on me!). His line was 33 points, 15 dimes, nine rebounds, two threes, and five steals. Nate also only had one turnover, played 52 minutes and chucked up 11 three-point attempts for the Knicks. Nate Rob would become a top-40 option if the MRI on Duhon’s bum ankle comes back with any significant ailment.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Baron Davis</span> scored 13 points, made two triples, grabbed six boards, had 20 assists, blocked one, and stole one last night against the Knicks. He also only shot 5-of-17, but the six-cat line leaves a nice taste in the mouth of Baron’s owners over the break. The Clippers made 15 triples which was the primary factor in Baron’s high dime output. BINGO!!<br /><br />Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the All-Star festivities in the Valley of the Sun.Michael Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145970973493269803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-48358892374828608952009-02-11T05:20:00.000-08:002009-02-11T05:35:28.194-08:00<div face="verdana"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb7nqzrO2JPBRmV5fC30GeWaKt_fpUpHMV9IaQzqlS88MFTOyi4D62z_kWMACglsJa6CVBNnmOvVCv2vz3obs7yEnz018uJKiNxSX0RuqgHuPlCOIP7LvjiwxXLTTJLTWWmTdBIgU5ug/s1600-h/pick+up.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296229040016983106" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 80px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb7nqzrO2JPBRmV5fC30GeWaKt_fpUpHMV9IaQzqlS88MFTOyi4D62z_kWMACglsJa6CVBNnmOvVCv2vz3obs7yEnz018uJKiNxSX0RuqgHuPlCOIP7LvjiwxXLTTJLTWWmTdBIgU5ug/s320/pick+up.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Kevin Love - Minnesota</strong></span> </div><div face="verdana"><em></em></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><p>Season Stats (January-per game):<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxinSzMkvO0SNEtBx_xfz_ryn-LORUPcCzwuO1_SKohUoZEymvjYIYmqxk-LdkxaZOhHvQ3J7dYCowMbwiRf55K5F0iyzfbniIjXah5HjvG_Dm5s7WRM3fhGdkj3k-sZxBnaTBjGP2b0/s1600-h/klove.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxinSzMkvO0SNEtBx_xfz_ryn-LORUPcCzwuO1_SKohUoZEymvjYIYmqxk-LdkxaZOhHvQ3J7dYCowMbwiRf55K5F0iyzfbniIjXah5HjvG_Dm5s7WRM3fhGdkj3k-sZxBnaTBjGP2b0/s320/klove.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301531778022671730" border="0" /></a></p></span></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">16.8 pts, 3.95 reb, 2.95 ast, .68 stl, 0.5 blk. Shooting: 50.7% FG, </span></span></em><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">88% FT, 1.7 - 3pts made.<br /><br /></span></span></em><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif';font-size:9;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">Thanks to a torn ACL, Al Jefferson is lost for the season. This is by far the worst injury of the year, and if you had Jefferson then believe me – I feel your pain, and despair for that matter. Dude was a rock, arguably an All-Star, and one of the most consistent players for fantasy owners. Plus he was a center, and we all know that quality centers are becoming more and more scarce these days. Still, there’s no point in mourning the loss for the rest of the season. If you’re in a shallow league, there’s a decent chance that Kevin Love is available on the wire. If you see him, snatch him up fast. If he’s gone, then he’s a good player to make a trade offer for, because his numbers will almost certainly go up. He’s already started the past three games for the T’Wolves, and has been playing at a higher level for the past couple of weeks. His numbers since January 2nd: 12.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, .5 blocks, 53 percent from the field, 81 percent from the line. His numbers should get better as he gets used to playing bigger minutes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=65">Read the rest of Brian Lucero's weekly waiver-wire picks here at Fantasy Basketball.com! </a></span><br /></span></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:verdana;font-size:9;" ></span>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-77981971360668205582009-02-07T13:40:00.000-08:002009-02-07T14:05:32.741-08:00Adam Morrison traded to the Lakers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1-oEwf9_Hr1hYQAibhyphenhyphen_aNZhc0BOE5Xu58Hx4GOITkFxfpTp3Wkj3YqhlMeL55lh0cfEf2XnY4Gfkx8ZYueEfrmkF0B47jbBWb5jNp0NfW0GDCBlDARQ3z9Ebhw6pYE_ZKu_G2Dy_n0/s1600-h/1morrison.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1-oEwf9_Hr1hYQAibhyphenhyphen_aNZhc0BOE5Xu58Hx4GOITkFxfpTp3Wkj3YqhlMeL55lh0cfEf2XnY4Gfkx8ZYueEfrmkF0B47jbBWb5jNp0NfW0GDCBlDARQ3z9Ebhw6pYE_ZKu_G2Dy_n0/s320/1morrison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300179788732110338" border="0" /></a>So long, Adam.<br /><br />The Charlotte Bobcats sent Morrison and forward <span style="font-weight: bold;">Shannon Brown</span> packing today, and in return received the Lakers' <span style="font-weight: bold;">Vladamir Radmanovich</span>.<br /><br />This trade immediately impacts Charlotte's rotation. The Bobcats' <span style="font-weight: bold;">Boris</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Diaw</span> stands to lose some value with the presence of another smooth-shooting power forward. Expect Radmanovich to average 15-20 minutes per game, which is a larger role than he had with the Lakers.<br /><br />In Los Angeles, there should be very little impact. The deal simply provides some extra backcourt depth, which is something they already had plenty of.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Look for more trade news and analysis here at The Pulse and on our home web site at <a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com">FantasyBasketball.com</a>!</span>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-70170080613114070942009-02-06T06:19:00.000-08:002009-02-06T06:31:11.954-08:00Week 16 Fantasy Guide<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Each week, the writers of FantasyBasketball.com offer their thoughts, opinions and statistical research to get your lineup in tip-top shape. Here's an excerpt from our "Starts vs. Sits" section of the Guide...</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Riding the Pine</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRJNUaOYTaMFX0xBzOWRuAHnrxWsAnSrGGbE1VYVh3not-3gu3u3978mUW3cf342kf-Ey_oCL1IW2SNnsjuMwGRAv85m9HkZPf6aQ00lRsoIDz5LYQl9HucH8ZGAOg8kLQ6oF18C1xVE/s1600-h/randy-foye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRJNUaOYTaMFX0xBzOWRuAHnrxWsAnSrGGbE1VYVh3not-3gu3u3978mUW3cf342kf-Ey_oCL1IW2SNnsjuMwGRAv85m9HkZPf6aQ00lRsoIDz5LYQl9HucH8ZGAOg8kLQ6oF18C1xVE/s320/randy-foye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299691565261446322" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Randy Foye, Minnesota Timberwolves –</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > It’s been a tough stretch for Mr. Foye – he’s shooting 34% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc over the past eight games, which really isn’t helping the Wolves one bit. Yeah, he’s scoring 17.8 points, 5.9 assists and 1.75 threes per game over that stretch, but in a one-game week, your percentages are liable to take a nasty hit. Minnesota’s increased level of competition has found Foye drawing tougher on-ball defenders. Expect him to adjust and start making a higher rate of his shots, but bench him next week.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Get 'em in your lineup</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Antonio McDyess, Detroit Pistons – </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Have the Pistons finally found a center? Antonio McDyess sure looks like a man on a mission lately, putting up 49 rebounds in the past four games (12.25). If Dice keeps cleaning the glass like this, and getting a ton of minutes (32.75, past 4), he’s worth a start/pick-up in 12-team formats. It’d be nice to get some more points, but let’s not get too picky.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=63">Read the rest of the Weekly Guide here!</a><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-28492117041553647442009-02-03T08:02:00.001-08:002009-02-03T08:13:02.791-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb7nqzrO2JPBRmV5fC30GeWaKt_fpUpHMV9IaQzqlS88MFTOyi4D62z_kWMACglsJa6CVBNnmOvVCv2vz3obs7yEnz018uJKiNxSX0RuqgHuPlCOIP7LvjiwxXLTTJLTWWmTdBIgU5ug/s1600-h/pick+up.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296229040016983106" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 80px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb7nqzrO2JPBRmV5fC30GeWaKt_fpUpHMV9IaQzqlS88MFTOyi4D62z_kWMACglsJa6CVBNnmOvVCv2vz3obs7yEnz018uJKiNxSX0RuqgHuPlCOIP7LvjiwxXLTTJLTWWmTdBIgU5ug/s320/pick+up.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>Raja Bell - Charlotte</strong> </div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><em></em></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><em><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><p>Season Stats (January-per game):</p></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">16.8 pts, 3.95 reb, 2.95 ast, .68 stl, 0.5 blk. Shooting: 50.7% FG, 88% FT, 1.7 - 3pts made.<br /><br /></span></em></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><em></em></div><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana;">Raja Bell started the season well enough, then seemed to be reverting to the inconsistent player he was last season. Then, of course, he was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats and has been flying under the radar ever since. He missed five games at the beginning of January, but since then he has averaged 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 three pointers per game over the past three weeks. The biggest difference is that he is playing no less than 34 minutes over the past 10 games and is averaging over 12 shot attempts per game. He’s shooting 51 percent from the field, 36 percent from downtown, and 88 percent from the free-throw line in that span. The injury to Gerald Wallace certainly won’t hurt Bell’s production, but he was playing well and getting plenty of shot attempts even with Wallace in the lineup. That’s encouraging since his value shouldn’t be affected much – if at all – when Wallace does return. If you’re in a 10 or 12-team league, he is well worth adding at this point.</span>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-22901611183466875622009-01-28T16:37:00.001-08:002009-01-28T16:38:16.438-08:00Pick and Roll Radio Show tonight!Check us out <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pickandroll">here!</a> Live from 7:00-8:00 Central time (8:00-9:00 EST).J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-8960680285611532882009-01-27T22:00:00.000-08:002009-01-28T16:39:14.053-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb7nqzrO2JPBRmV5fC30GeWaKt_fpUpHMV9IaQzqlS88MFTOyi4D62z_kWMACglsJa6CVBNnmOvVCv2vz3obs7yEnz018uJKiNxSX0RuqgHuPlCOIP7LvjiwxXLTTJLTWWmTdBIgU5ug/s1600-h/pick+up.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296229040016983106" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 80px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb7nqzrO2JPBRmV5fC30GeWaKt_fpUpHMV9IaQzqlS88MFTOyi4D62z_kWMACglsJa6CVBNnmOvVCv2vz3obs7yEnz018uJKiNxSX0RuqgHuPlCOIP7LvjiwxXLTTJLTWWmTdBIgU5ug/s320/pick+up.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><strong>Monta Ellis - Golden State</strong> </div><div></div><div><em><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><p>Season Stats (per game):</p></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">15 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 0.5 blk, 2 TO. Shooting: 40% FG, 57.1 FT, 2 - 3pts made. </span></em></div><p><div><em></em></div><div></div><div><p>It’s possible that Ellis has been stashed away on someone’s roster all season, but if he’s been left out there on the wire and no one has picked him up yet, pick him up immediately. In his two games back, he’s averaged 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one thee-pointer. He’s shooting 40 percent from the field and 57 percent from the free-throw line, but those numbers will improve once he gets a few more games in. He shot 53 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw line last season. There are a ton a players in Golden State that have been getting minutes sporadically all season, but Ellis is sure to be a fixture in the starting lineup from here on out. </p><p></p></div><div></div><div>Check out the rest of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.fantasybasketball.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=45">this week's pickups </a>at FantasyBasketball.com!</div><div></div><p></p><div><em>- FantasyBasketball.com Writer Brian Lucero</em></div>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-2156317097016878002009-01-26T20:54:00.000-08:002009-01-26T21:28:36.493-08:00Marvelous MondayEach day, we're going to try and post SOMETHING on The Pulse. On Mondays, we'll call it "Marvelous Mondays" or something. It's a fluid name right now because I just made it up. Anyway, here are the top three lines from Monday night.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets</span> - 27 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists, seven steals, 7-of-13 FG, 12-12 FT.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrm5g0m_oGDOjc1ekfnPfBPHAebPVZSKULEOzfibqLIn5Ad2Ek7__-bYh_LrImUkV-h1TvLfOv-KxtGx-X3SGlgCLnsGp9ihg3kaRBaUO_JY1mjniCfkq4_Xt7uVGuXtI-CovaSwIXTJM/s1600-h/chris+paul+pulse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrm5g0m_oGDOjc1ekfnPfBPHAebPVZSKULEOzfibqLIn5Ad2Ek7__-bYh_LrImUkV-h1TvLfOv-KxtGx-X3SGlgCLnsGp9ihg3kaRBaUO_JY1mjniCfkq4_Xt7uVGuXtI-CovaSwIXTJM/s320/chris+paul+pulse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295840823356623090" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Um, CP3 just showed everyone why it's important to make him a top 2 pick in EVERY SINGLE LEAGUE for the second half of the season. He and LeBron James are in a class of their own, and it's become apparent that he can pick teams apart whether or not David West is playing. And yes, that's a scary thing.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat - </span>35 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals, 13-of-19 FG, 9-10 FG.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Wade scored 37% of his team's points last night, and continues to keep the Heat afloat while Shawn Marion deals with a tough groin injury. If there's one glaring weakness in his game, it's Wade's inability to hit the three-point shot. Luckily for him, his mid-range game is deadly, so defenders still have to respect any hesitation or ball fake. Another really stellar line from Wade last night. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amar'e Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns - </span>22 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 9-of-13 FG and 4-4 FT.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Not since December 6 has Amar'e tallied 15+ rebounds, so last night's explosion was a welcome sight. Let's hope collectively that Stoudemire can keep his intensity level this high on a more regular basis... our preseason top 5 pick is hovering around #9 at the moment. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">And now, the worst line of the night, brought to you by Mike Gallagher's singing voice...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ron Artest, Houston Rockets - <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">When you look at Artest's on-the-surface line, it's not so bad, considering it's his second game back after a seven-game absence. But when you check his shooting numbers, it's enough to make you head to the restroom and toss up your dinner. Artest hung a 4-for-19 (21%) shooting line from the field and a somehow-worse 1-of-10 from three-point range. He did, however, make both of his free-throw attempts. As of press time, there was no apology issued to fantasy owners by Artest or on his behalf. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></span>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-23171820373451222752009-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:002009-01-25T17:49:35.946-08:00Code Redd<img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/fd/fullj.881ee771e0805456fb43ea68fcdb448e/881ee771e0805456fb43ea68fcdb448e-getty-82994326sd006_sacramento_ki.jpg" alt="" id="Redd" border="0" width="260" height="400" />An MRI revealed that <span style="font-weight: bold;">Michael Redd</span> has torn his ACL and MCL in his left knee. This devastating news will end his season and require surgery. Most ACL surgeries require at least eight months of rehab and Redd could miss the beginning of next year, too.<br /><br />The Bucks will need to fill a major hole since Redd was playing 38 MPG and averaging 24.2 PPG this calendar year. There's not player that can replace Redd (like Millsap and Boozer), but Milwaukee will look to get more production from their regulars in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Charlie Villanueva, Richard Jefferson, Andrew Bogut, and Luke Ridnour.</span> Villanueva stands the most to gain and goes from a sell-high player to a legitimate top-70 player.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Charlie Bell</span> is still recovering from a sprained ankle, but upon his return he should start and get around 27 minutes. Bell is worth an add in 16-team leagues right now. The former Spartan could emerge as a 12-team player since he is capable of scoring 20 on any given night. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ramon Sessions </span>should also see close to 30 minutes and is now worth owning in all 12-team leagues.<br />Scott Skiles can be unpredictable from time to time, so it wouldn't be impossible for guys like <span style="font-weight: bold;">Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Tyronn Lue, and Malik Allen</span> to gain significant value.Michael Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145970973493269803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-13429179344950184862009-01-25T08:14:00.000-08:002009-01-25T08:41:00.990-08:00Michael Redd Sustains Knee InjuryThe severity is not yet known, but Michael Redd strained his left knee Saturday night in a win over the Sacramento Kings. Redd said he landed on PG Luke Ridnour's foot after attempting a shot under the basket. According to <a href="http://www.madison.com/">Madison.com</a>, Redd will undergo an MRI today (Sunday) to see if there's any severe damage. At this point, it's looking like he's day-to-day, but any tearing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlqZ7i7KPwqqDpvDGAhN5uix6EbYXrtXiijy7sYFgj1gqhcXug0O1HmpypZ2xnOGQs-EFGJNyJDMw1UXonPrp8AB7BfQEqIoiFAVnLs6bNITMN-4NLt57NXZz24pdcj1VRLPIXJV7dyU/s1600-h/redd+spot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlqZ7i7KPwqqDpvDGAhN5uix6EbYXrtXiijy7sYFgj1gqhcXug0O1HmpypZ2xnOGQs-EFGJNyJDMw1UXonPrp8AB7BfQEqIoiFAVnLs6bNITMN-4NLt57NXZz24pdcj1VRLPIXJV7dyU/s320/redd+spot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295267952494575554" border="0" /></a> would keep him out for weeks-to-months. We'll have the latest updates on The Pulse and on tomorrow's Monday M*A*S*H Unit on <a href="http://www.fantasybasketball.com/">FantasyBasketball.com</a>.<br /><br />In addition, it's time to e<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>xpect more from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ramon Sessions</span> in the coming games while Redd is sidelined. Milwaukee will have to find playmaking and long-range shooting off the bench, and he's the most likely candidate for a bump in minutes.<br /><br />Updates will follow! Check back later today...<br /><br />*****<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Rapid Fire</span></span><br /><br />New Orleans Hornets center <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tyson Chandler</span> looks to be out through the All-Star Break, so don't get your hopes up for an early return... <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brandon Roy</span> had a franchise-record 10 steals last night... <span style="font-weight: bold;">LeBron James</span> neared a triple-double with 31 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists... <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brad Miller</span> did too (14-13-9)... <span style="font-weight: bold;">Caron Butler </span>is getting back on track offensively as he put up 31 points last night. Unfortunately, he committed nine turnovers, too... <span style="font-weight: bold;">Deron Williams</span> lit up Cleveland for 16 assists Saturday night and is averaging 10.9 apg in January, up from 9.7 in all of 2008.J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-49722841969326747972009-01-24T06:14:00.000-08:002009-01-24T08:06:57.052-08:00Saturday Morning Fantasy Basketball Blitz<div><em>What's up everyone - it's the first written Saturday Morning Fantasy Basketball Blitz of the year... we decided that this would be a better way to get everyone the information. So, here goes...</em><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Injuries</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong>Yao Ming - </strong>The only injury of note last night... Ming left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury and did not <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6ghJ4ibia93JjZGnNm7qRU3AoHO16loh4kg6zAWy_QyaCx61HVPdI2CqP2QT6eWTZCQK4umbamQoaLI8_KnBJFGgrlRZGbLNMthy-_RyoPdUXFEBky_UyYDOpMjuquZSEXPvma_trsY/s1600-h/yao.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294892228531184946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 319px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6ghJ4ibia93JjZGnNm7qRU3AoHO16loh4kg6zAWy_QyaCx61HVPdI2CqP2QT6eWTZCQK4umbamQoaLI8_KnBJFGgrlRZGbLNMthy-_RyoPdUXFEBky_UyYDOpMjuquZSEXPvma_trsY/s320/yao.jpg" border="0" /></a>return. X-Rays were negative, and he's day-to-day at this point. </div><br /><div><strong>Jamal Crawford - </strong>Crawford sustained a minor hamstring injury before the game last night and was ruled out in Monta Ellis' return. </div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3366ff;"><strong>Top Lines of the Night</strong></span></div><br /><div><strong>Eric Gordon </strong>buried five three-pointers on the way to a career-high 41 (12-of-19 FG) points with four assists and a couple of rebounds. <strong>Kevin Durant </strong>busted out for a massive 46 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. He cashed in from the free-throw line too... 24-of-26 from charity stripe. <strong>Gerald Wallace (28 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast, 5 stl, 2 blk) </strong>and <strong>Boris Diaw (26 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, blk) </strong>led the Bobcats to a big-time win over Phoenix last night. Wallace hit all three of his three-point attempts while Diaw canned 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. <strong>Al Jefferson </strong>led the Wolves in rebounds and tied Randy Foye with a game-high 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He added two blocks on the night. <strong>Chris Paul </strong>had a nifty double-double in a losing effort last night, putting up 23 points and 12 dimes while shooting 53 percent from the field on 15 attempts. Teammate James Posey nailed seven three-pointers on 11 attempts (24 points, 4 rebounds) as well. <strong>David Lee</strong> stretched his double-double streak to six games Friday, contributing 19 points and 14 rebounds (6-of-11 shooting). <strong>Jose Calderon </strong>made a triumphant return to the starting lineup for Toronto, and helped his team with 23 points (9-for-10 FG) and 10 assists with no turnovers. Impressive. Milwaukee's<strong> Charlie Villanueva </strong>was the lone bright spot in a lopsided loss to the Hawks, tallying 27 points and seven rebounds... he also his five three-pointers in six attempts. <strong>LeBron James </strong>netted a game-winning 19-foot jumper on the way to an amazing 32-9-8-3-2 line... James added two three-pointers on the night, as well. <strong>Danny Granger (2 blocks/3 steals) </strong>paced the... uh... Pacers with 25 points, six boards and five assists last night. He also buried three triples and hit all 12 of his free throws on the night. </div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Unfortunate Lines of the Night...</span> </strong></div><br /><div><strong>Emeka Okafor stunk it up last night,</strong> as he was limited by Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire. He shot just 2-of-6 from the field for a meager five-point, eight-rebound night. He didn't even register a block... ugly. <strong>Rodney Stuckey/Tayshaun Prince/Allen Iverson </strong>each struggled mightily in a blowout loss to Dallas, shooting a combined 38%. Prince and Iverson didn't offer any peripherals of note, but Stuckey added three assists with five turnovers for a rancid AST/TO ratio. The Bucks' <strong>Richard Jefferson </strong>scored just five points on 1-of-6 from the field. He only played 21 minutes in the team's embarrassing 30-point loss.</div><br /><div><em>Thanks for reading today, and be sure to check out the Pulse for FantasyBasketball.com writer opinions and other thoughts during the week! The Blitz will be back next Saturday morning!</em></div></div>J-mizzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09450300514956965332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5017241275762730700.post-24058137109564089142009-01-20T22:09:00.000-08:002009-01-20T22:40:54.634-08:00Tuesday Night Recap<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/15/fullj.b1ad2337159691b49ea06966c70828fb/b1ad2337159691b49ea06966c70828fb-getty-82991119sd026_atlanta_hawks.jpg" border="0" width="260" height="400" alt="" id="Bibby" /><br />Line of the Night<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mike Bibby</span>: 31 points (on 12-21 shooting), six assists, two rebounds, five three-pointers, and five steals.<br /><br />Atlanta at Chicago<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mike Bibby</span> had his best line of the year with setting a season-high in points and steals. The five steals were the most he had since 2004. Bibby was also the first player this season to drop 30 while making five from distance and stealing five. Bibby’s surprising season is primarily because of his stellar shooting (45.8-percent on the season). However, Bibby has cooled in January with only a 43.6-percent made from the floor. The 43-percent should be what Bibby shoots for the rest of the year and it’s highly unlikely he will continue his hot season. If you can get a top-40 guy for Bibby, then it would be a good idea to move him.<br />The window on buying low on <span style="font-weight:bold;">Josh Smith</span> is starting to close. J-Smoove (17 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists) has posted double-doubles in two straight, and has scored 19.3 PPG this month. Smoove hasn’t delivered his fantasy calling card with defense by only blocking 0.7 shots and stealing 1.3 balls per game this month. J-Smoove owners shouldn't be worried about bringing the D, but just a reminder that he blocked 2.6 shots per game over February and March last season. In previous years the main concern with Smith has been his shooting, and he has made 53-percent of his shots in his last 14 games.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Joe Johnson</span> (16 points, five rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and two triples) continued his shooting struggles against the Bulls by just making 5-of-18 from the floor. Joe cool has failed to make 50-percent of his shots in 12 games straight. He should turn it around, but did have a rough January and February last year before getting hot in March and April. He’ll be fine.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Kirk Hinrich</span> (13 points, eight assists, a steal, and a three) continues to show he will be valuable in the Bulls backcourt. The Bulls front and backcourt rotations are pretty deep and it can feel like a roulette table to try and predict which player will have a good game (better check which uniforms they are wearing before betting on red or black).<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Drew Gooden</span> did not play because of a sore groin and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Tyrus Thomas</span> (six points, one rebound, and four blocks) salvaged his day by providing four blocks. Tyrus is going to be a headache all year long, but he should provide value for the rest of the season. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Joakim Noah</span> (9 points, 11 rebounds, and a block) followed his 18-rebound game on Monday will 11 boards on Tuesday. He should only have short-term value while Gooden heals.<br />It appears that <span style="font-weight:bold;">Larry Hughes</span> will be dealt to the Nets in exchange for <span style="font-weight:bold;">Bobby Simmons</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Maurice Ager</span>. The remaining Bulls would keep similar value since Simmons should provide the same amount of minutes as Hughes. Hughes would get a slight boost and hurt <span style="font-weight:bold;">Keyon Dooling</span> slightly.<br /><br />Indiana at San Antonio<br />The Pacers were frigid Tuesday by shooting just 37-percent. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Danny Granger’s</span> (17 points, one rebound, one assist, and nothing else) 16-game streak of scoring 20-plus was snapped due to only making 5-of-15 from the floor. Don’t worry, even Batman has some bad showings (especially “Batman Forever”). Not many things positive happened for Indy, but <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mike Dunleavy</span> (15 points, three boards, and two threes) looked good, but <span style="font-weight:bold;">Marquis Daniels</span> (nothing but a rebound) played only six minutes and should be owned in only very deep leagues.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tim Duncan</span> (27 points, 10 rebounds, and a block) made 10-of-15 and looked great for the Spurs. Duncan had seven straight games where he didn’t shoot above 50-percent. Timmy dominated the paint and should stay the course for the rest of the year. The icing on the cake of his line was that he also made 7-of-8 from the line.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Manu Ginobili</span> (26 points, eight rebounds, three assists, four treys, two steals and a block) filled the stat sheet and made 8-of-10 from the floor. Manu has been a bit sporadic so far this year, and it appears he might not be the super stud like last year. However, he should be the fourth or fifth best player on most fantasy rosters.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Matt Bonner</span> (two points, seven rebounds, and a block) didn’t do much, but he’s still worth hanging onto in most leagues.<br /><br />Sacramento at Denver<br />Just when you thought it was totally safe to play <span style="font-weight:bold;">Brad Miller</span> (two point, three assists, three rebounds, and two steals), he stunk it up for the Kings on Tuesday. Miller was coasting by averaging 25 points and 15.5 rebounds over his last two. He should be OK for the remainder of the year, but I don’t think he will drop 30 points again. The Kings let the game get away with horrible D, so a lot of garbage time hurt the Kings’ starters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Linas Kleiza</span> (27 points and six rebounds) set a season-high with 27 points and <span style="font-weight:bold;">J.R. Smith</span> (19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals) had great games for Denver. J-Ruff (We got a J. Smith as J-Smoove, why not a J.R. as J-Ruff?) scored 15 in the first half and looked like he actually cared about his shot selection. It’s fairly obvious that their value is strictly short-term, and their values should plummet when Melo returns in a couple weeks. It might be a good idea to throw them into a multi-player trade.<br /><br /><br />Minnesota at Utah<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Craig Smith</span> (six points and three rebounds) continued his inconstant ways for Minnesota, and probably should not be owned due to his lack to contribute in categories other than points and rebounds. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rodney Carney</span> didn’t score and can’t really be counted on after back-to-back duds.<br />On the other hand, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Ryan Gomes</span> (19 points, five rebounds, three steals, and three treys) and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sebastian Telfair </span>(17 points, nine dimes, three rebounds, two threes, and a steal) continued to prove they should be owned in 12-team leagues.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Paul Millsap</span> (28 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and two steals) reminded his owners how beastly he is by making 12-of-20 from the floor. Millsap hadn’t produced much since his knee injury on January 7th, but he should be considered a number one forward until Boozer comes back. Yeah, number one forward as in top-15 player for the next three weeks. As for when Boozer comes back, I really don’t know how much he will hurt Millsap specifically. Boozer won’t be the top-20 player he was predicted to be, but he’ll be fine and should draw minutes from Millsap, Okur, and Kirilenko fairly equally. Furthermore, it’s not a guarantee that Boozer stays healthy for the rest of the year since he couldn’t really stay on the court for Cleveland a few years ago.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Andrei Kirilenko</span> (five points, three rebounds, one steal, and a block) sprained his ankle in the game. Kirilenko wasn’t 100-percent going into the game and it seems certain that he will miss a couple games. C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer should get some more minutes while AK47 isn’t loaded into the lineup.Michael Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145970973493269803noreply@blogger.com0