Empty the Bench

By: Zachariah Blott

Orlando’s JJ Redick lives at the line on his way to 22

Magic SG Redick went for 20+ points for only the third time this season on January 6 against the visiting Raptors. After the most prolific three-point shooting collegiate career ever, and literally writing the book making the video on shooting, he’s finally topping 40% from long range for a season (43%). But instead of getting his 22 from downtown on Wednesday—missing 6 of 8 shots from deep—he rode the free-throw line to glory.

Redick, not known for having the type of game that causes defenders to foul him (i.e. he’s slow and a shooter), got to the line for a career-high 11 free throws, connecting on 10. So in the 108-103 loss to Toronto, JJ ended up scoring a lot (rare), not hitting his triples (rare), and getting to the charity stripe at will (rare).

Got any lottery numbers for us to play, Mr. Redick?

Indiana keeps Timberwolf glass cleaners grounded

It took 17 games, but a team finally kept both Al Jefferson and Kevin Love under double-digit rebounds in the same contest. The Pacers are the first club to accomplish this feat since Love returned on December 4 after sitting out the first month with a broken hand. The Minnesota pair was held to 6 (AJ) and 8 (KL) boards for the game on January 2. Of course Minnesota lost the game, which probably would have happened anyway considering they’re 7-28, but at least they’re not losing 15 in a row anymore. On the season, Love and Jefferson are averaging 12.5 and 9.1 boards, respectively.

Clippers’ Father Time can still board

Marcus Camby will turn 36 years old in two months, and it somehow seems like he’s been in the league even longer than his 14 seasons. Either way, the former skinny Minuteman is still grabbing rebounds at a crazy rate, collecting 11.6 per this year, so it shouldn’t be a big surprise that he pulled down 13 and 15 in two games this past week. What’s notable is that he did this against the Lakers and the Trail Blazers, two of the best rebounding teams in the NBA. And it just so happens the 16-18 Clippers won both of these tough contests.

JJ Redick photo credit: Icon SMI

Zachariah Blott cannot recommend Rick Telander’s “Heaven Is A Playground” enough.

By: Zachariah Blott

We’re not quite halfway through the 2009-10 season, but there’s already been plenty written about the MVP race. Earlier this week I took a look at the top post players in these early discussions, and now it’s time to break down the most deserving perimeter threats.

(If there’s some confusion why LeBron is here and Durant and Carmelo were with the post players, it’s because he gets his team’s offense going from the perimeter, unlike the other two who only get their own scoring going from out there. James is in the top eight in the NBA in assists, and he also ranks first on his team in this category. The other two are nowhere in the vicinity of either accomplishment, and James’ assist-turnover rate looks like that of a guard [not even close for Carmelo and Durant].)

Who’s Most Likely to Win

Here are the top eight perimeter players in the MVP discussion, listed in order of their likelihood of winning. I’ll include the key information anyone in the media or at your local sports bar would deem relevant.

1 – LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
28.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 7.8 rpg, Cleveland is 28-9, he’s become a good defender.

2 – Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
30.2 ppg, 2 spg, 3 buzzer beaters, LA is 28-7, he has 4 rings.

3 – Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
18.4 ppg, 11.2 apg, 44% 3FG%, Phoenix is 23-13, he’s won 2 MVP’s already.

4 – Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
21.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.9 apg, Atlanta is 22-12 and a true Eastern contender.

5 – Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
20.1 ppg, 10.5 apg, 2.2 spg, New Orleans is 17-16 even with minimal talent.

6 – Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers
22.8 ppg, 5 apg, Portland is 22-15, his teammates are all injured.

7 – Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
26.4 ppg, 6.2 apg, 5 rpg, 1.6 spg, 1.2 bpg, Miami will make the playoffs, he has a ring.

8 – Deron Williams, Utah Jazz
19.5 ppg, 9.8 apg, Utah is 19-16 and could make the playoffs in the tough Western Conference.

Blott breaks down these eight MVP-caliber studs after the break…

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By Andrew Thell

Unless you play playoffs fantasy football, and I strongly suggest that you do, the dust has settled on another season of our imaginary NFL leagues. Experiences will obviously vary based on success and wagers recouped, but I think it was one of the finest campaigns in recent memory. Everybody has a sob story (or two, in my case), but the fantasy gods were surprisingly even-handed this season. For the most part smart, diligent owners who weren’t afraid to take risks were rewarded. That’s exactly how we want it to go.

Regardless of how the fates treated you, there was much to be learned from the season. It’s easy to simply dust your hands and walk off into a sunset of fantasy hoops, and I intend to do just that, but first I want to take a few minutes and see if we can’t glean some lessons from the imaginary season that was. Hopefully it’ll provide some insight now, and feel free to bookmark and come back as your 2010 draft approaches for a refresher. The easiest way to tackle it is probably the same way you’ll approach filling out your rosters on draft day next summer: position by position.

Quarterback

Drew Brees and Peyton Manning had fantastic seasons, that much is undeniable. Tom Brady was no slouch either, though he didn’t quite meet draft-day expectations. The owners who drafted that trio with their first- or second-round pick may not have experienced the same success. That’s because savvy owners who waited and took Aaron Rodgers, Matt Schaub, Brett Favre, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo or Ben Roethlisberger got nearly identical or even better production at a fraction of the cost – and were in turn able to pair that production with a Chris Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson.

There’s a flip side, of course. Those who waited and went into the season counting on a Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb, Joe Flacco, or Matt Ryan were left high and dry. Depending on where they were taken, those were all solid picks on draft day given the information we had to work with. They just didn’t pan out. It happens. The lesson? Don’t draft a big name in the first round, but also be sure to draft more than one solid option. You can afford to wait on your starting QB for a few rounds, but be sure you don’t wait too many for a backup that you’d be comfortable starting. There’s a good chance you’ll be doing just that more than once.

Running Back

Year after year rookie running backs remain some of the biggest draft-day bargains. And they are a tremendous source of value most seasons, but we need to recognize these guys as what they are: unknown commodities. Lottery tickets. They could blow up just as easily as fizzle out. This year I was scrambling in every draft to get Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, Chris Wells, LeSean McCoy and Shonn Greene so I could install them as my RB3 or even RB2 in some cases. That didn’t work out so hot.

Stocking up on lottery tickets is great, but just remember to treat them as such. Don’t spend the dog food money on ‘em. Put yourself in a position to take advantage of a breakout season or merely unexpected depth, not one one where you’re crippled if they don’t pan out.

The three biggest surprises with the most fantasy impact this season were Chris Johnson, Jamaal Charles and Ray Rice. We at ETB were bullish on Johnson and Ray last summer, but I certainly didn’t see Rice finishing fourth among all RBs or CJ’s history-making season coming. And Nobody saw Charles’s breakout coming. Nobody. One thing I will say is: go out of your way to target RBs who can not only rush the football but also be extremely effective in the passing game, and not just in PPR leagues. They will stay on the field and get touches, and opportunity is everything in fantasy football. Even if their team is down by 20 points in the first quarter they can still have a huge fantasy game. Even if their team’s offensive line and defense completely fall apart, they can maintain big season-long value. Other than that – draft incredibly athletic, lightning quick guys who will run between the tackles better than anybody could have possibly imagined. Works every time.

2009 fantasy football lessons from the WRs, TEs, DEFs and Ks after the jump …

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By: Zachariah Blott

We’re not quite halfway through the 2009-10 season, but a number of NBA writers out there are already handicapping the MVP race. I’d say it’s a little early to do so, but it looks like I’m already late to the table. Either way, let’s dissect the post players whose names have been tossed around in the MVP discussion; perimeter players to come.

Who’s Most Likely to Win

The NBA’s MVP award is very much like college football’s Heisman Trophy. You know the drill: look at the top glory teams, find the players on these teams who the highlight-minded media were talking about before the season started, make sure these players have a high overall ranking in one or two glory statistics, replay their highlights ad nauseum, and predictably hand one of them the award. This is why we end up with Mark Ingram carrying home the NCAA’s top individual award over Toby Gerhart and Ndamukong Suh, while Tim Tebow somehow even gets mentioned with them.

That being said, here are the top nine post players in the MVP discussion, listed in order of their likelihood of winning. I’ll include the key information anyone in the media or at your local sports bar would probably deem relevant.

1 – Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
30 ppg (career high), 6.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, Denver is 21-13 and made the Western Conference Finals last year, his defense has improved, he’s never won one and deserves it.

2 – Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
25 ppg, 8 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 1.1 spg, 39% 3FG%, Dallas is 23-11.

3 – Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
16.9 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 2.5 bpg, Orlando is 24-9, he won the 2008 Dunk Contest and 2009 Defensive Player of the Year Award.

4 – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
20 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg, San Antonio is 20-12, he has four rings.

5 – Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
23.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg, Toronto will make the playoffs (unlike last year), he was part of the Redeem Team that won gold in 2008.

6 – Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
16.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg, LA is 27-6, he plays with Kobe Bryant.

7 – Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
28.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.5 spg, OKC is 18-15 and improving, his defense has improved.

8 – Amar’e Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
20.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 0.8 bpg, maybe it’s time he deserves some of the credit Steve Nash always received.

9 – Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
15 ppg, 7.6 rpg, Boston is 24-8, he plays with passion and is the C’s leader.

Blott breaks down these nine MVP-caliber studs after the break…

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By Brian Spencer

Tayshaun Prince is to the Detroit Pistons what the ewoks were to Return of the Jedi.

Prince is and always has been a very capable plus player who fit in exceedingly well for his perenially contending Detroit Pistons teams. At a long 6-9, he does a little bit of everything: brings the ball up the floor in a pinch, hassles bigger players with his freakish wingspan, knocks down open shots, takes it to the hole, finds open teammates with pretty passes, and comes up with big plays on either end of the floor when his team needs it most.

He’s a proven, durable NBA commodity who can likely help a team in the playoff hunt win games now. And with just 1 more year and $11.1 million left on his contract, there’s no long-term commitment concerns for anybody out there interested in buying.

Though he’s not exactly stormed back onto the scene since returning from a ruptured disc that sidelined him for much of the season, his trade value won’t get much higher than it is between now and the February trade deadline. Work those phones, Trader Joe, and sell to the highest bidder. There’s no other way.

We know this Pistons team will not compete this year; sure, they’ll probably battle for a low playoff seed in the top-heavy East until the bitter end in April, but there’s no reason to believe they’ll stand much of a chance against the Cavs, Celtics, Hawks, or Magic in the first round. The franchise would welcome the additional short-term revenue from two playoff games, but Pistons fans aren’t stupid, especially after last year’s humbling sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers.

They want to see momentum, movement, and hope for a brighter long-term future–not listen to hollow talk about making some noise in the playoffs. Trading Tayshaun Prince (or Rip Hamilton) won’t magically fix the flawed product we see today, but it’d be a solid investment in a franchise that could actually get back in the conversation earlier than some might think.

This was a great run for Prince in Detroit: he won a NBA title, flirted with All-Star status, was named to four consecutive NBA All-Defensive Second Teams, scored a cameo in Snoop Dogg’s Hood of Horror. But just like there comes a time for most coaches, successful or not, to move on to other endeavors, so do players once thought untouchable become necessarily expendable.

Prince is an above-average complimentary piece, and that’s just fine. He is what he is. What’s becoming increasingly evident is that he is not a cornerstone for a team in transition like Detroit is. After such a long absence, some rust on his game should be expected, but what I’ve seen since his return isn’t rust: it’s a man who’s lost his way on the court and in this system. He doesn’t seem to have much more of a role here other than to play and play well.

I don’t have the ideal trade partner in mind; I won’t guess about the compensation Dumars would command or the offers he’d receive. But when I see Austin Daye, the 15th overall pick of last summer’s draft, immediately fall out of John Kuester’s rotation, I think Prince has to go. Daye’s future in Detroit is longer than Prince’s, and with this team essentially using this season as on-the-job training for next year, Daye needs all the minutes he can get.

When I see Jonas Jerebko, who stepped into the starting lineup for Prince and has earned the right to stay there, also take a hit in his minutes, I think Prince has to go. Jerebko is still starting after sliding over to the power forward spot (while big free-agent signee Charlie Villanueva watches from the bench), but his court time will shrink with Prince in the mix.

The ewoks stole valuable screen time from Darth Vader, Han Solo, and others; Tayshaun Prince is stealing valuable minutes from Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko. The ewoks may have saved the day on the forest moon of Endor, but they also forever soured the final chapter of the Star Wars trilogy; Prince may have won a title for the Pistons, but his lingering presence is mucking up the youth movement in Detroit.

Here’s where the similarities end, however: George Lucas can’t (won’t?) go back and fix his mistakes–only add to them with his nightmarish CGI fascination–but there’s still time for Joe Dumars to do what must be done. Help us, Mr. Dumars… you’re the Pistons’ only hope.

Tayshaun Prince Photo Credit: Icon SMI

By: Zachariah Blott

Lakers’ SF Lamar Odom did it right on the first day of 2010 by posting a 20-10 in LA’s 109-108 victory over the Evans-less, Martin-less, I’m-not-kidding-they-really-are-near-.500 Sacramento Kings. And not just any old 20-10, like the 30 and 11 posted by Sacramento’s Spencer Hawes, but an exact 20-10: 20 points and 10 rebounds. It had the numerical simplicity and purity that Woody Allen’s friend Rob in “Annie Hall” alluded to when describing his dating life: “Twins, Max! 16 years old. Can you imagine the mathematical possibilities?”

The game will be remembered for Kobe Bryant’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer, and Pau Gasol’s double-doubles are frighteningly frequent for someone who has to collect 4 offensive boards a game to even get a respectable amount of shots for someone shooting 55%, but Odom is the Laker who hit calendar perfection on the opening night of 2010.

Good job, Candy Man! I’m sure Nostradamus is smiling from the grave.

Zachariah Blott cannot recommend Rick Telander’s “Heaven Is A Playground” enough.