NBA Fantasy Hoops: Picks and Rolls 12/03

- The Season's Over -

NBA Fantasy Hoops: Picks and Rolls 12/03

December 3, 2007

(Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)

Push It:

Jose Calderon: Despite technically being a backup, Calderon is 9th in the Association in assists with 7.8 per game while shooting a scalding 48.9% FGs and 89.5% FTs on the season. He’s been even better of late, going for double-digit assists in five consecutive games. In the six games since starter TJ Ford went down with the nerve problems Jose is dropping 11 dimes a game. That makes him one of the best PGs in fantasy basketball with those stellar percentages, and you have to think he’s earned a true timeshare with Ford upon his return.

Andray Blatche: He finally received C-eligibility in most fantasy leagues this week, and that’s a huge bonus for this blocks machine. Owners can now plug him into the F, SF, PF and C slots, making him a versatile option who should provide strong FG% and elite swats numbers. Blatche and Brendan Haywood are stealing one another’s minutes right now, but we think Eddie Jordan will finally decide that both of these guys need to get consistent playing time. To me, it makes a lot of sense to roll with Daniels at the point, Butler at off-guard, Jamison and Blatche at the forward positions and Haywood in the middle. If that happens, look out: Andray put up 12 points, 13 boards and 5 blocks in his only start of the season.

Brad Miller: The Brad Miller from two seasons ago is rearing his head again, and his owners could not be more pleased. He’s averaging 13 points, 11.7 boards, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks with just 0.7 TOs over the last week. That’s the type of solid production in each category that made him a second-round pick last year. Miller’s shtick is his ability to provide decent center stats while putting up elite FT% and assist numbers from the position, so those head-to-head teams built around traditional guard stats should be looking to add the big man.

Andrew Bynum: Bynum, on the other hand, will not give you too many guard stats, but he’s been playing like a real NBA center of late. One of the NBA’s youngest players is starting to cash in on his unlimited potential, averaging 11.4 points, 10.5 boards and 2.4 blocks a game on 59.3% FGs in his eight starts this season. He has at least 1 block in all but two games and swatted 7 on Sunday. Kwame Brown should still be out for a while, but even when he returns Bynum is the best big man on the Lakers’ roster and should be in line for consistent minutes.

Stephen Jackson: Classy Guy Ben Gordon: He’s a volume shooter who may never be one of the NBA’s better efficiency players or defenders, but Gordon has started making his fair share of shots over the seven days. He’s hitting 53.8% FGs, hasn’t missed a FT and is averaging 4 threes, 27.5 points, 5 boards and 4 assists over the last week. Gordon is capable of putting up tremendous scoring numbers and he’s starting to heat up, so make an offer now before it’s too late if you’re in need of points and threes.

Stephen Jackson: Don Nelson was convinced that Jackson’s absence played a huge role in the Warriors’ horrible start. He called Jackson the “heart and soul” of his team, and while it sounded silly at the time, he may have been right.

In addition to playing tremendous defense against the opposing team’s best wing player every night, Jackson is also averaging 23 points, 2.8 steals, 4 assists and 5.3 boards with 2.5 threes over Golden State’s last four games. You never know when the next roster shakeup will happen in the Bay Area, but it appears Nellie is committed to Jackson and while the FG% won’t stay that high, he could continue to put up big numbers in this high-octane offense going forward.

Jamaal Tinsley: Tinsley has been fantastic all year, but he’s really turning it on in the last four games. Over that stretch the playmaker is posting 1.5 threes, 16.3 points, 5.5 boards with an incredible 9.5 assists and 3.8 steals. Jim O’Brien’s offense has been good for a lot of players in Indiana this year, and foremost among them is the dynamic Tinsley. He’ll never be as good in the NBA as he is on fantasy rosters, but the guy can drive and dish and can continue to put up great numbers as long as Indy runs and he logs heavy minutes.

Jamario Moon: ‘REO Speedwagon’ Moon has been the biggest surprise in fantasy this season and already earned one mention in this column. The undrafted, 27-year-old rookie has really come out of nowhere to cement himself as the token defensive stopper in the Raptors’ starting lineup. He’s putting up monster numbers over the last week with 10.3 points, 10 boards, 1.3 steals and 1.7 assists in his last three games. This guy is not going to be a huge scorer, but his fantasy bottom line is rock solid and if his owner is looking to sell high feel free to buy in.

Brandon Bass: With the Maverick’s new emphasis on defense and limiting Dirk’s minutes, Brandon Bass has become a full-fledged member of the rotation. The third-year man out of LSU is probably contributing more to the Mavs than he is to fantasy squads, but Bass has the type of game that fits perfectly on the end of the bench for elite fantasy teams. He won’t blow you away anywhere, but he’s also not a liability in any way and provides more points, boards and blocks (on better percentages) than anybody you’re likely to find on the wire: 10.1 points, 4.9 boards and 1 block on 49.5% FGs and 89.8% FTs. Don’t drop anybody special for Bass, but those searching for somebody to anchor the bottom of their rotation could do a lot worse.

Slow it Up:

Dirk Nowitzki: Avery Johnson is committed to getting Dirk more rest this season so he doesn’t burn out in the playoffs. They’re trying to limit him to 35 minutes a game, and his overall fantasy line will slightly suffer as a result. His numbers are down pretty much across the board this season and he’s grabbed just 6.8 rebound a game over the last four contests. If you can get another top-5 pick in return, do it. I just don’t get the feeling Dirk is going to be one of the top fantasy players in the league this year. He’s still going to be fantastic and it’s hard to imagine him falling out of the top-15, but Nowitzki is going to have a hard time justifying that lofty draft position.

Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images LeBron James: Color me concerned. LeBron’s sprained finger looked like no big deal at the time and I fully expected to see him in the next game against Toronto. He sat out that one and the next important contest against the Celts, so the Cavs are clearly concerned about this as well. The injury is on his non-shooting hand so the odds are that the best basketball player on the planet should still be fine, but the longer this lingers the bigger concern it becomes– NBA players have had surgery on sprained fingers before…

Pau Gasol: Gasol’s free-throw shooting is way up this season, but that’s about it. He’s no longer as much of a focal point in the Grizzlies running offense, attempting nearly a career-low of 12.6 shots a game and an actual career-low of 2.3 assists per. Over the last week Pau is putting up just 5.7 boards and 1 block on 46.3% FGs, poor numbers considering he was drafted primarily for those three stats. It’s still early and Gasol has plenty of time to adjust, but now might be the time to sell high on a name brand that inexplicably has an O-Rank of 9 in Yahoo! fantasy hoops.

Rashard Lewis: Lewis’ game is entirely dependent on his outside shooting, even more now that he’s paired with the inside presence of Dwight Howard. Lewis has hit less than 42% of his FGs for six straight games and has nailed just 10 of his 45 three-point attempts in that span. He still has one of the sweetest strokes in the NBA and should be fine over the long haul though, so don’t do anything drastic if you own him and make an offer or two now if you don’t.

Chris Bosh: We love Bosh at ETB, but neither of us wanted anything to do with him in our fantasy drafts this season. He’s just too fragile and a major injury concern on a number of fronts. If the foot doesn’t worry you, then the knee or the groin should. Bosh has not played a minute since leaving in the second period against Memphis last Wednesday because of that strained groin. I’d like to tell you everything is going to be OK, but I just don’t have confidence in the lanky PF/C’s ability to stay healthy this season and beyond.

Jason Richardson: Jason Richardson has never been a model of efficiency, but he’s in a major shooting rut right now. J-Rich is hitting only 41.4% FGs and 54.6% FTs on the season, horrible numbers for a player the Bobcats brought in to be their primary scorer on the perimeter. The 2.6 threes , 5.5 boards and 2.7 assists are decent, but not enough to warrant the third-round pick many spent on him in their draft.

Brandon Roy: Sophomore Slump? Perhaps, but we still believe in Roy’s skills and think he’ll start to recover and day now. Still, it seems like something is wrong and his owners need Roy to produce when he’s healthy with a potential foot injury/surgery looming around every corner. His numbers are down in every statistical category but assists so far this season. Over the last four games the ROY has hit just 22.6% FGs and 63.6% FTs en route to 8.5 points. Ugly. The whole Blazers roster is in a slump and a state of flux, and Nate McMillan is going to make some changes very soon. Roy has been asking to play point, and getting the chance to handle the ball more could only be good for his fantasy value. Consider him a good buy-low.

(LeBron James Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Possibly Related Content: