Bleacher Report - Fantasy Basketball

Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts: Nov. 17, '09

Ryan Lester — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:19:29 -0500

Here’s a look at some fantasy basketball players that blew up the box score last night.

Anthony Morrow, Golden State Warriors
35 minutes, 18 points, 6-10 FG, 2-2 FT, 4 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover

With Raja Bell out with a sore wrist, Morrow got plenty of action. He didn’t disappoint. He’s a great addition.

J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers
34 minutes, 21 points, 9-9 FG, 3-4 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

What a shooting performance. Hickson continues to thrive in the starting role. Don’t sleep on him any longer.

Chris Douglas-Roberts, New Jersey Nets
44 minutes, 27 points, 11-25 FG, 5-5 FT, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers

CD-R has fully recovered from H1N1 and had his best game of the year. He’s a great play while the Nets deal with their injuries.

Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City Thunder
35 minutes, 2 points, 1-6 FG, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 turnover

He didn’t score much, but I love how he contributed in three other categories.

Daequan Cook, Miami Heat
24 minutes, 17 points, 5-11 FG, 3-4 FT, 4 three-pointers, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal

Cook finally got his groove back after missing time with a shoulder injury. He’s pretty much only useful if you need threes though.

Al Thornton, Los Angeles Clippers
40 minutes, 30 points, 12-17 FG, 6-7 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 turnovers

Al continues to put up big numbers. He’s averaging 19.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over his last four games.

Devin Brown, New Orleans Hornets
31 minutes, 16 points, 4-10 FG, 5-6 FT, 3 three-pointers, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers

Brown had a nice game in Chris Paul’s absence, but has yet to be a consistent contributor. Devin Brown, Bobby Brown, and Marcus Thornton have picked up their game, but Darren Collison remains the best fantasy guard on the Hornets right now.

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
22 minutes, 17 points, 6-9 FG, 4-6 FT, 1 three-pointer, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 turnovers

DeMar hasn’t had much of a Rookie year so hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Don’t add him yet though.

Marco Belinelli, Toronto Raptors
23 minutes, 16 points, 5-11 FG, 3-3 FT, 3 three-pointers, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers

Marco has averaged 14.0 points and 3.0 three-pointers per game over his last three games. He’s a great add if you need help in those categories.

Donte Green, Sacramento Kings
31 minutes, 24 points, 10-19 FG, 2-6 FT, 2 three-pointers, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

Green is too inconsistent for my tastes.

Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons
22 minutes, 13 points, 5-8 FG, 3-5 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks

Maxiell has been so quiet this year. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, but don’t add him yet.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

Read more Fantasy Basketball news on BleacherReport.com

NBA Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Wonders (Nov.17th)

kevin roberts — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:11:50 -0500

I'll bet you wish you had picked up Brandon Jennings in the first week of your fantasy basketball league. That, or you wish you hadn't sold high on him after his previously career-high of 32 points.

Once he dropped the 55 on Golden State, your head dropped back, and you couldn't believe it.

Chalk a loss up for you and many others, my friend. But there's more where that gem came from. Whether it be as a result of injuries, roster moves, or just a switch in philosophy (or coaches), there are always a few players waiting to break-out, sitting on the waiver wire.

Here are the top five guys available in over 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues:

Chase Budinger, F, Houston Rockets (Available in 96% of leagues)

Stat Line: 9.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 35% 3P, 43% FG

Budinger is averaging just under 20 minutes per game for the Rockets, and while he's yet to put together some real consistency, is good for ten plus points just about every other night, and has topped 11 points in five games already this season. He's also a bit of a three-point demon, as he's dropped in 12 trey's in just ten games.

He isn't a star, but he could be with time in a Rocket's offense that doesn't overly rely on anyone outside of Trevor Ariza to score. Pick the over-achieving second round pick as he's just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

Ryan Anderson, F/C, Orlando Magic (76%)

Stat Line: 14.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 42.9% 3P, 47.4% FG

Anderson was huge in the beginning of the season, but due to line-up frenzy and constant roster changes on other teams, a large amount of owners gave up on him after an injury cost him six straight games.

He was eased back into the rotation and scored 12 points in just under 20 minutes against the Charlotte Bobcats, and considering his 24+ minutes per game prior to his injury, you can expect him to locate his shooting touch again and possibly get back into the starting line-up.

Anthony Morrow, G/F, Golden State Warriors (66%)

Stat Line: 11.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 53.3% 3P, 51.4% FG

Morrow hasn't had great success sine joining the starting line-up three games ago, but judging by his awesome talent and versatility, as well as the departure of distraction Stephen Jackson, he's worth an investment.

Stash him on your bench until he gets past a rough stretch he's currently stuck in, but he's much too valuable (long-term) to be riding the waiver wire.

Dahntay Jones, G/F, Indiana Pacers (80%)

Stat Line: 16.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 46.4% FG

Until this season, the former Blue Devil was primarily a role player and a defensive specialist, but his early season solid play hasn't stopped, and the relatively unknown Jones is dropping in a nice stat line that would be a welcomed addition to any fantasy squad.

After scoring ten plus points in all but one game this season, including 25 in his last game, it's time to realize that Jones is for real in 2009, and that he needs to be owned.

Andres Nocioni, F, Sacramento Kings (85%)

Stat Line: 11.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 33.3% 3P, 42.2% FG

Nocioni isn't flashy, but he's been getting it done at a solid rate ever since finding his way into the Kings' starting line-up five games ago. Since then, Nocioni has scored ten plus points in every single contest, and has grabbed at least five rebounds in four of five games.

He isn't a stud by any means, but he shoots solid percentages, can chip in some points, and is producing solid board help from the forward position as a starter.

In five games as a starter, his numbers look a lot prettier, as he's put up 13.8 points per game and five boards per game. Again, nothing spectacular, but he's one of the better players available in most leagues.

Read more Fantasy Basketball news on BleacherReport.com

Stephen Jackson Traded to Bobcats for Raja Bell: NBA Fantasy Basketball Impact

John Lorge — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:56:11 -0500

It is no surprise that the Golden State Warriors were the first team to make a major deal this season, trading the disgruntled Stephen Jackson (and Acie Law) to the Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic.

Charlotte fans have to be happy; while they don't really need Law, the addition of Jackson gives them a big wing who can help this team score some points with his shooting and his ability to create for others.

If you're a Warriors fan (and I'm sorry if you are), another shooting guard and a player who thinks he's a shooting guard isn't exactly what the team needs.

This may not be the final move either team makes this season, but it will impact your fantasy basketball season. Let's take a closer look.

Charlotte Bobcats

Going from the highest-scoring team in the NBA to the lowest-scoring team usually doesn't turn out well from a fantasy basketball perspective, but Jackson owners need to remain optimistic about the move.

This season Jackson was playing six fewer minutes per game than each of the last two seasons, and it impacted his scoring by four points. All of the turmoil in the East Bay was reflected in his free-throw and three-point percentages, and Jackson was simply not hitting his potential.

The Bobcats will have to decide if they want to go big with their lineup (starting Jackson at shooting guard and leaving Gerald Wallace at small forward), or if they want to move Wallace to the power forward, which would put Boris Diaw on the bench in order to start second-year combo guard D.J. Augustin or rookie Gerald Henderson at the two.

Overall, Jackson is a better basketball player than Bell. His ability to play the two or the three means he should play mid-30s minutes, and in that time he will produce a high-teens scoring average. Jackson focuses on defense, so you can trust he will earn steals, and he is one of the most underrated passing wings in the NBA.

It seems like coach Larry Brown isn't ready to play Gerald Henderson big minutes, and this should open the door for Augustin to play over 20 minutes per game, something he hasn't done since Nov. 6.

There is no need to sell any Bobcats because of the move. If you are in a deep league, Augustin should become relevant—maybe even Henderson too. If there is an owner in your league disappointed in Jackson's numbers, take him at a discount, because he is going to a team that will need him to win games.

Golden State Warriors

Although Raja Bell does like to shoot the three (something he will be allowed to do freely in Oakland), his size and defense give Golden State two things they didn't have at shooting guard. The problem is the Warriors have too many guys who can play the position to begin with.

The starting backcourt of Steph Curry and Monta Ellis has been a failed experiment in GS to date, and while Anthony Morrow is an impressive shooter, he doesn't have the all-around game of Bell.

As long as Bell can avoid injuries, he should continue to play over 30 minutes per game and will get more attempts in that time with the increased pace of the game, giving him the potential to average over 15 points for the first time in his career.

Monta Ellis owners shouldn't worry about the move, as he will continue to be the driving force of the Warriors offense. If you own Morrow, it is primarily for threes; he may take a hit in overall scoring, but he will still get his looks when in the game.

Role player Kelenna Azubuike would have earned more playing time with the trade but a patella injury has him sidelined indefinitely. In Azubuike and Jackson's place Corey Maggette should enter the starting role and be a start-worth fantasy player, until he gets hurt.

Now that Jackson is gone, the Warriors will need Anthony Randolph to do even more, and I wouldn't be surprised if he enters the starting lineup soon, as long as he can avoid injuries.

This move doesn't look good for Morrow or Curry owners, but Randolph is a guy worth getting, as is Maggette. Bell has a relatively low price tag; he isn't a stellar fantasy performer, but he's a nice addition if you are looking for a shooting guard.

Read more Fantasy Basketball news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Hoops Waiver Wire Bin Vol. 2

Ryan Lester — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:48:37 -0500

I’ve scoured the fantasy basketball waiver wires to find gems so you don’t have to.

Earl Watson, PG, Indiana Pacers

Watson averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.0 blocks, 2.0 three-pointers, and 1.0 turnovers last week for the Pacers. He shot 61.5 percent from the floor, 60 percent from downtown, and 88.9 percent from the line.

On the year, he’s averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks, 1.4 three-pointers, and 1.0 turnovers. He has a cap number of $3.07 million, and is owned in 8 percent of Yahoo! and 1.2 percent of ESPN leagues.

Ben Wallace, PF/C, Detroit Pistons

Big Ben averaged 4.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 2.7 blocks, and 0.3 turnovers in three games last week. He shot 85.7 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from the line.

On the year he’s averaging 3.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.7 blocks, and 0.7 turnovers while shooting 65.2 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent from the line. He has a $2.81 million cap number, and is owned in 35 percent of Yahoo! and 7.3 percent of ESPN leagues.

Will Bynum, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons

Will averaged 21.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks, 0.3 three-pointers, and 1.0 blocks last week. He shot 62.9 percent from the floor, 85.7 percent from the line, and 33.3 percent from downtown.

On the year he’s averaging 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.4 three-pointers, and 1.8 turnovers. He has a $1.40 million cap number, and is owned in 15 percent of Yahoo! and 5.6 percent of ESPN leagues.

Ersan Ilyasova, SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks

Ersan averaged 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 three-pointers, and 0.5 turnovers last week. He shot 46.7 percent from the floor, 100 percent from three, and 100 percent from the line. On the year he’s averaging 8.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, 0.9 three-pointers, and 0.9 turnovers while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from downtown, and 92.9 percent from the line.

He has a cap number of $1.37 million, and is owned in 2 percent of Yahoo! and 0.7 percent of ESPN leagues.

Brandon Rush, SG/SF, Indiana Pacers

Brandon averaged 10.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 three-pointers without making a turnover last week. He shot 42.1 percent from the floor, 66.7 percent from downtown, and 25 percent from the line.

On the year, he’s averaging 7.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.1 blocks, 0.9 three-pointers, and 1.1 turnovers while shooting 38.9 percent from the floor, 27.3 percent from three, and 37.5 percent from the line. He has a $2.23 million cap number, and is owned in 25 percent of Yahoo! and 1.9 percent of ESPN leagues.

Carl Landry, SF/PF, Houston Rockets

Carl averaged 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.8 blocks, and 0.5 turnovers last week while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor and 85.7 percent from the line.

On the year he’s averaging 14.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 turnovers while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor and 88.9 percent from the line. He has a $2.68 million cap number, and is owned in 48 percent of Yahoo! and 21.8 percent of ESPN leagues.

George Hill, PG, San Antonio Spurs

Hill averaged 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.3 blocks, 1.3 three-pointers, and 1.0 assists last week. He shot 52.8 percent from the floor, 44.4 percent from three, and 69.2 percent from the line. He picked up his game when Tony Parker got hurt, but played well in Parker’s return.

On the year he’s averaging 12.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.0 three-pointers, and 1.1 turnovers. He has a $1.15 million cap number, and is owned in 6 percent of Yahoo! and 1.4 percent of ESPN leagues.

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute, SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks

Luc averaged 9.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 0.5 three-pointers, and 2.0 turnovers last week. He shot 46.2 percent from the floor, 100 percent from three, and 83.3 percent from the line.

On the year he’s averaging 4.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.1 three-pointers, and 1.6 turnovers while shooting 32.5 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from three, and 75.0 percent from the line. He has a $2.31 million cap number, and is owned in 5 percent of Yahoo, and 1.2 percent of ESPN leagues.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

Additional fantasy basketball info:

- Fantasy Basketball Week Four Schedule (click for article )

- 11/15/09 Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts (click for article )

Read more Fantasy Basketball news on BleacherReport.com

NBA: Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts

Ryan Lester — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:07:50 -0500

Here’s a look at some fantasy basketball players that blew up the box score last night, but before we get started, check out this week’s NBA schedule as you prepare to set your fantasy rosters.

Drew Gooden, Dallas Mavericks

37 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-8 FG, 3-3 FT, 11 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TO

Gooden started for Erick Dampier, and recorded his first double-double. Gooden will start against Milwaukee today as well, so he is a decent addition for daily transaction leagues.

Rodrique Beaubois, Dallas Mavericks

19 MIN, 14 PTS, 6-6 FG, 2-2 3PM-A, 1 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL

A decent game for Beaubois, but no need to snatch him off the waiver wire.

Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons

29 MINS, 27 PTS, 11-16 FG, 4-4 FT, 1-2 3PM-A, 2 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL

Bynum continues to score in bunches while Rip Hamilton is out.

Al Thornton, Los Angeles Clippers

33 MINS, 20 PTS, 7-16 FG, 6-9 FT, 5 REB, 1 AST, 2 TO

Thornton cracked the 20-point mark for the first time this season. He’s averaging 15.7 points over his last three games. If he’s available in your league, he’s a good short-term fix.

David Andersen, Houston Rockets

25 MINS, 19 PTS, 9-14 FG, 1-3 3PM-A, 6 REB, 3 TO

Andersen easily had his best game on the season, as Chuck Hayes and Luis Scola were nearly invisible. Don’t expect this sort of outburst regularly.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

Read more Fantasy Basketball news on BleacherReport.com

NBA Fantasy Pickups: Nov. 16-22

Hot Stove New York — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:35:26 -0500

Week 4 (Nov. 16-22)

Teams playing four games: Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Indiana, Miami, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Portland, Toronto

Teams playing three games: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Utah, Washington

Teams playing two games: Minnesota

Players to Look Out For

Darren Collison (Hornets) —With the injury to Chris Paul, Collison started at point guard and had 10 points, four assists and two steals in 25 minutes last Saturday. Paul could be out for about a month which increases the value of the rookie.

Marcus Thorton (Hornets) —Thorton should receive extended minutes off the bench with the injury to Paul. Thorton has scored 32 points over in last two games including a career high 20 last Friday.

C.J. Watson (Warriors) —Watson scored a season high 19 points vs. the Knicks last Friday. He is shooting 51 percent from the field and averaging a steal per game.

Wes Matthews (Jazz) —Matthews has scored in double-figures in four of his past six games. Deron Williams has missed the past two games which is why Matthews has been starting. The undrafted rookie has played well enough to receive extended minutes in the future.

Jamaal Tinsley (Grizzlies) —Tinsley signed a one-year deal with the Grizzlies on Saturday. In his eight seasons in the NBA he has averaged seven assists per game.

Honorable mention: Jordan Hill (Knicks), Ryan Hollins (Timberwolves), Amir Johnson (Raptors)

Read more Fantasy Basketball news on BleacherReport.com