Fantasy Basketball Pros

5 Reasons the Lakers Will NOT Win the 2009 NBA Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 20:21:00 +0000

Last time I gave you 5 reasons the Lakers WOULD win the 2009 NBA Championship, and this time I will give you my top 5 reasons why they may fall short.

The Lakers will NOT win the 2009 NBA Championship because:

Andrew Bynum will overexert himself in the summer and reaggravate his knee injury.
In Bynum's exit interview with the media he said he would be ready to begin running in early July and from that point on he hopes to work with the same personal trainer that he did last summer (READ: the guy who helped Bynum bulk up and become the up-and-coming superstar center that we witnessed early last season). The first thing that comes to mind for me is whether he will be cautious enough to take the appropriate precautions so that he does not reaggrevate his serious injuries from last year. If he doesn't the Lakers may have to make due with what they had last season.
Mitch Kupchak does not make any strategic veteran acquisitions.
One of the greatest changes Kupchak made in the last couple of seasons outside (1) the acquisition of Pau Gasol and (2) not trading away Andrew Bynum was signing Derek Fisher. Fisher brought veteran leadership to one of the league's youngest teams and acted as a mentor for some of the Lakers' young guards (Sasha and Jordan). If the Lakers are to win the championship next year, they very well may need to take a page out of the Celtics' book and sign a strong, savvy veteran PF or SF to handle the physical attacks that opponents will bring at them. The league knows now that strong, tough, physical defense can slow down the Lakers, so LA will have to preempt these new schemes my getting bigger, more aggressive veteran players that can play big in the middle.
Kobe Bryant doesn't have enough in the tank/can't recover from pinkie injury.
Lets face it. Kobe Bryant has probably played more regular season, postseason and USA team games the last 10 years than any player in the NBA. He's also a ferocious gym rat when he's not "in season" (if you can ever say that). One might wonder how long Bryant can keep up such a torrid pace amid his increasing age and his minor injuries. If Bryant comes out sluggish in 2009 due to fatigue or he cannot sufficiently recover from an inevitable pinkie operation after the Olympics, the Lakers may have to begin the season without their superstar MVP, perhaps hampering their ability to win a championship.
The West becomes too competitive.
The Lakers may improve 10 fold and still not win the 2009 NBA Championship if they simply cannot get out of their uber-competitive conference. At least 5 teams that I can think of in the West could have been in the Finals this year (and might have even matched up better against the C's) and if the competition increases, it just may be too difficult for the Lakers to get back to the Finals.
Their team defense/physical toughness does not improve.
Phil Jackson probably realizes that team defense is probably the single most important thing he needs to teach to his young team this summer. The Lakers also need to improve their toughness around the basket, which I believe can only happen if Pau Gasol is "broken down" and rebuilt as a physical interior defender and post player (no more facing the basket).

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To hoops,
Farid

5 Reasons the Lakers Will Win the 2009 NBA Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:49:00 +0000

The Lakers WILL win the NBA Championship NEXT year because:

Andrew Bynum will be healthy (at least we hope).
Bynum averaged 13 points, 10 boards and 2 blocks a game in only 28 minutes a contest last season. He shot 64% from the field and was a steady big man in the middle for the Lakers not only on the offensive side, but on the otherwise weak Lakers defensive interior. He provided many of the Lakers defenders a last resort in the paint if their man got by them. He’s young, he’s tough and he’s shown he can bulk up and be the player that Kobe Bryant wants to play alongside of—as evidenced by his emergence early on this season.
Kobe Bryant will be hungrier than ever to win another NBA Championship.
Not many players can say they have won three world championships. At the same time, not many can say they’ve lost 2 in a row, either. Kobe Bryant is the utmost competitor and you can be sure that he will be working hard all summer to make it back to the Finals. It’ll start with the Olympics, and I’m sure it will end with countless hours spent in the gym pumping iron while his pinky recovers from an inevitable surgery that will need to be performed. Jackson will continue to harp to Kobe the importance of team basketball (which evaporated from his mind during the Finals) and the need to develop young players. Expect Kobe to take fewer shots next season in favor of more assists, more rebounds and better defense. He’s won the scoring title with out Shaq, the MVP of the regular season without Shaq, and will be wholeheartedly determined to win that elusive Title without Shaq next season.
Pau Ga-soft and Lamar O-Dumb will come into the season BIGGER and MORE FOCUSED.
There’s no doubt in any of our minds that these two players have the talent and the potential to be superstars in this league. In Pau’s case, he rolled through the playoffs in the West without many roadblocks, but encountered a much too physical, energetic and determined Kevin Garnett in the Finals. In the early stages of Game 6, Pau’s main drawback was brought front-and-center when he was nonchalantly tossed to the ground by a quick, physical move by Kevin Garnett. If the Lakers are going to win a championship against a team like the Celtics next season, Pau Gasol will need to hit the gym harder than he ever has this summer (and this will be hard because he will be playing for Spain in the Olympics), work with Kareem (Lakers Special Assistant Coach for big men) on his positioning and toughness on the block, and improve his soft defense. In Lamar’s case, the man just needs to be more focused and keep his head in the game for 48 minutes. Stupid fouls on the defensive side, overambitious drives to the hoop that result in offensive fouls on the offensive side, and just the general stupor that he usually finds himself in during big games HURTS the Lakers. Lamar needs to mature (and something tells me after this year’s Finals he will) and needs to understand exactly what the Lakers need from him—a focused intensity mirroring that of Kevin Garnett’s.
The Lakers bench will improve with this experience.
Without the emergence of Sasha, Jordan and Ronnie during different parts of the season AND playoffs for the Lakers, LA probably wouldn’t have earned the Number 1 seed in the West and home court for that duration. The Lakers bench was completely unknown to the league before this year and going forward I believe the confidence and experience that many of the young players on the bench have collected will help them going into next season. Sasha should continue to improve his defense so that he can stay with the leagues premier SGs (Allen just clowned him last game). Jordan should look to put a little muscle on and improve his jump shot (especially his three). And Ronnie should continue working on his low-post defense and mid-range jump shot.
The Lakers will improve their defense.
Lets be honest, the Lakers had no real trouble scoring against any team this year outside of the Boston Celtics. What they did have trouble with at times was TEAM DEFENSE. We all know Kobe has been All-NBA First Team Defense and that Lamar is a crafty defender as well, but the Lakers have really struggled with their spacing on defense. Routinely during the Finals, a player would get beat and nobody would be at home in the middle to help. I think Jackson and his entire coaching staff will begin to preach defense more and more this summer to the team. It will help enormously if Bynum can come back from his knee injuries and solidify the center of the defense like he did early on in the 07-08 season.

Check back in next time for the five reasons the Lakers will NOT win the NBA Championship next year.

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To hoops,
Farid

Lakers to Win NBA Finals: Playoff Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:55:00 +0000

I think we are in store for one of the best NBA Playoffs ever. The stories, the rivalries and the level of competition are all as strong as ever. The Western Conference will be hotly contested and the Eastern Conference will provide some great games as well. So in honor of what will be a fun next couple of months, here are my playoff predictions, round by round. For an empty NBA Playoffs bracket, click here.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

First Round: Eastern Conference
(1) Boston defeats (8) Atlanta: 4-0
Boston's defense suffocates the Hawks on offense.
(5) Washington defeats (4) Cleveland: 4-3
With an injured back, Lebron won't have enough in the tank. Should be the best series in the East.
(3) Orlando defeats (6) Toronto: 4-2
Bosh will have a spectacular series, but the Raptors will be just short.
(2) Detroit defeats (7) Philadelphia: 4-1
The Pistons will nonchalantly roll into the 2nd round with only one bump along the way

Quarter Finals: Eastern Conference
(1) Boston defeats (4) Washington: 4-1
The Wizards will put up a valiant effort, but they will be exhausted from a tough first round series. Defense again will win this series for the C's.
(2) Detroit defeats (2) Orlando: 4-2
I just can't see the Magic matching Detroit's experience in this series. Look for Chauncey to take over (20 and 10 a game).

Semifinals: Eastern Conference
(1) Boston defeats (2) Detroit: 4-2
I think both teams will surprise each other on the road, but in the end the Celtics will pull this one out. Both teams have strong benches, veteran leadership and lockdown defense, but I give the edge to KG and company for being more rested in the first two rounds.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

First Round: Western Conference
(1) Los Angeles defeats (8) Denver: 4-2
I actually A.I. and Melo' will single handily win a couple games for the Nuggets at home, but win it's all said and done, Kobe and Pau will take care of business at home.
(4) Utah defeats (5) Houston: 4-2
Should be a low scoring series. I don't think McGrady alone can will the Rockets to a victory. Expect the tandem of Williams and Boozer to once again emerge as superstars in the playoffs.
(6) Phoenix defeats (3) San Antonio: 4-3
This will be the best series of the first round. Defending champs against Shaq, Amare and Nash. What more could you ask for? (Yeah I guess I want Robert Horry to be healthy enough to play in this series, too) I give the edge to the Suns because the Spurs have been banged up all year and Amare and Shaq look hungrier than ever.
(2) New Orleans defeats (7) Dallas: 4-3
Dallas has shown they can beat New Orleans, so I think this series will be a lot closer than most think. I give it to CP3 though, with homecourt and 'something to prove'. Expect JKidd to play strongly in this series, and for Mark Cuban to threaten Avery Johnson with his job if he doesn't make it out of the first round.

Quarter Finals: Western Conference
(1) Los Angeles defeats (4) Utah: 4-2
Remember when Kobe went absolutely off on the Jazz after the Utah fans booed Derek Fisher for no apparent reason? Well I think the anger in Kobe and his teammates will carry on to this series as the Lakers narrowly defeat the Jazz.
(6) Phoenix defeats (2) New Orleans: 4-2
This will be a phenomenal series. Expect New Orleans to come out strong out of the gate, but for the veteran Suns to take care of business by the end. Shaq will play a huge role in this series.

Semifinals: Western Conference
(1) Los Angeles defeats (6) Phoenix: 4-3
Where amazing happens. The NBA will be thoroughly excited if this matchup occurs, as it would pit the four-time champion Shaquille O'Neal against his soon-to-be-named-MVP ex-teammate Kobe Bryant. I have no doubt in my mind that a series like this should go seven games and I only give the Lakers the margin because of their stronger team defense and bench. Lakers won't be able to contain Amare, but nor will the Suns Kobe.

NBA FINALS

(1) Los Angeles defeats (1) Boston: 4-3
Game 1 (in Boston): Lakers win 88-81
Game 2 (in Boston): Celtics win 95-74
Game 3 (in LA): Lakers win 96-94
Game 4 (in LA): Lakers win 94-87
Game 5 (in LA): Celtics win 91-77
Game 6 (in Boston): Celtics win 103-94
Game 7 (in Boston): Lakers win 94-93
Kobe Bryant drills a dead on three with 2 seconds remaining to give the Lakers the lead. KG takes a turn around 18 footer at the buzzer that just rims out. Lakers are the 2007-2008 NBA Champs.

So there you have it, I have the Lakers over the Celtics in a return to one of the most storied rivalries in all of sports. I give a push to the matchup between Kobe/Pau/Odom vs. KG/Pierce/Allen and predict that it will be the lesser known players that will determine this series. I think both teams have excellent second units, but that the Lakers will be able to put it together a little bit more. Expect Farmar, Sasha and Radmanovic to have a strong series. Powe, Allen and House will struggle.

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To hoops,
Farid

Top 10 Fantasy Basketball Players, 2008-2009

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:49:00 +0000

Now that this fantasy season is finished, it is never too early to look ahead to next year. If you were in a championship matchup this week in a H-2-H league, hope you won!

Lebron James – He may not have finished even close to #1 in Yahoo Rankings, but I still think he is the most complete player. He put up 30/8/7 with almost 2 steals and a block per game with absolutely nothing around him. Everyone knows Cleveland needs to get him help this summer or else King James might leave.
Chris Paul – I think he should win the MVP. Shoots a great percentage and will lead the league in assists and steals. That’s a damn good year. And he should only continue to get better when that Hornets core plays more together.
Kobe Bryant – Is there any doubt that Kobe is the best all-around player in the game right now? His fantasy numbers went down some this year so that the Lakers’ win percentage could go up. With a healthy Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol for an entire year, Kobe should only continue to produce great stats.
Amare Stoudamire – He looked amazing once Shaq came in, and now he will get an entire season with the Big Diesel next year. He is a truly great fantasy player, who will get you a ton of stats (but not too much actual +/- value). He and Nash have perfected the pick-and-roll just like Malone and Stockton.
Kevin Garnett – He has so much value beyond the box score and thus falls this far down the list. His numbers were down this year, but he is now the main reason for the greatest turnaround in the history of the NBA. That being said, he should still be good for about 20/10 and some great percentages and defense next year.
Dirk Nowitzki – Had a bit of a down year but has bounced back with a vengeance since his injury. He should improve on his scoring and rebounding from this year and continue to shoot pretty well. As much as I hated taking him over Lebron this year, I have to say he should be a darkhorse pick in the first round next year.
Shawn Marion – This will be the true darkhorse in the first round next year. With his injury, Marion fell off the map, but he should still be one of the top producers next year. He gives you every category and is a poor man’s version of Lebron.
Marcus Camby – I think I may have this defensive master a bit too high, but with the advantage he gives on blocks and rebounds, he should be a first round pick next year. He finally proved he could stay healthy for a full year.
Allen Iverson – He really jumped back into the superstar picture. Without Chris Paul, we would be talking about this guy as the best point guard. His assists are up, and he is a steals machine. And playing in that Nuggets tempo only helps his value.
Steve Nash – He really disappointed some this year, but he should still be good for percentages, threes, and assists. Has not played too well in terms of fantasy stats recently, but is still a top point guard.

Enjoy the playoffs everyone! We will be posting anything interesting during that run even though there may not be too much fantasy-related.

Keep in touch with FBP during the offseason as we begin our preparation for the 2008-2009 fantasy basketball season by signing up for our free RSS feed.

Mike
Senior Writer

3 More Days, 3 More Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:32:00 +0000

There are 3 more days of NBA regular season basketball to be played. This means leagues are coming to an end. If you are close in a H2H league playoff game or in a roto league, employ these tips!

Grab a Memphis Grizzlies player TODAY. The Griz play games the last 2 days of the regular season (Tue, Wed) against Portland and Denver on the road. I don't have to tell you how many points the Nuggets give up a game, do I?
Consider these guys: Andre Brown (13 pts, 18 boards in his last game), Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, Navarro (if available)
OR, Grab a Portland Trailblazer player TODAY. Like the Griz, the Blazers play on the last 2 days of the regular season, squaring off against Memphis and Phoenix. Both teams will give up a LOT of points. No brainer.
Consider these guys: Channing Frye, Steve Blake, Jarret Jack
Drop your Sac-town players TOMORROW. Sacramento plays its final game on Tuesday, so if you're in need of statistics on Wednesday and you're lineup isn't already filled, be sure to drop a Kings player tomorrow.

Congrats to all for making it this far. I am in a H2H league finals match right now and it'll probably come down to the wire--wish me luck!

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To hOOps,
Farid

Don't Pick up Luke Walton!

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:01:00 +0000

Please don't tell me you picked up Luke Walton last night after he had a pretty good game against the Clippers. Luke went for 18-5-4 (pt, reb, ast) with a steal and a block, which is a damn good line, but consider the following 3 points:

The Clippers are terrible, he won't replicate this performance against the likes of New Orleans, San Antonio or Sacramento (the Lakers final 3 opponents).
Luke Walton has been injured recently (just missed two games because of a strained right hamstring)
There are much better free agents out there. Think about players on these teams.

So don't pick up Luke. But do watch this amazing Nike commercial: did Kobe Bryant really jump over a car (Aston Martin)?

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To hoops,
Farid

Fantasy Basketball Pickups of the Night: Charlie Villanueva and Tyrus Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:04:00 +0000

CHARLIE VILLANUEVA

The rule is that if a guy shows up in this spot twice, he’s a good bet to be a decent pickup. So what happens when someone shows up three times? My guess is that he’ll be a star the rest of the year (all 4 games). CV scored 38 points on 56% from the field (although only 60% from the line) and added 12 rebounds and 7 threes. 7 THREES!!??? Yeah, he plays like a big man too. Should be a lot of potential for next year.

Second Best: TYRUS THOMAS

Only 10 points and 6 rebounds. His team (and my Bulls) get blown out by the Magic (I’m actually very happy about that). But when you add 2 steals and 5 blocks, it really doesn’t matter what else you do. I’ve been hyping up Thomas for a bit now, but I think he can only hit his potential with a different team (see Chandler, Tyson). That’s a shame. The Bulls can pick’em but can’t develop’em.

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Mike
Senior Writer

If I Were You, I'd Pickup a Rocket, Grizzly or Blazer

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:39:00 +0000

OK guys we've been talking about it for a while, but now it really is that time of year. All leagues will be completed on the last day of the NBA regular season, April 16th.

With that being said, I would like to recommend 3 teams that have favorable matchups the last 7 days (10th-16th) of the year: the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trailblazers. Here's how their schedules are looking the rest of the way:

Rockets: PHO, UTA, DEN, LAC
Grizzlies: MIA, MIN, POR, DEN
Blazers: SAC, DAL, MEM, PHO

*I've highlighted those games that I believe will be high scoring and very favorable for fantasy owners.

So start scouring the waiver wires and look for players on these teams. It's the final stretch so max out your games played in roto leagues (assuming you don't need to worry about TO's, FG% and FT%) and drop big name players if necessary. Don't be afraid to drop a big ticket player if he is going to be rested until the playoffs. Make intelligent, rational decisions and have no regrets.

Correction
Contrary to what I stated yesterday, you probably do not(!) want to pickup a Knicks (Wilson Chandler) or a SuperSonics player, as each of those teams have unfavorable schedules through the 16th.

Good luck and let me know if I missed a team you think is going to be dangerous. For daily pickups and other fantasy basketball advice, sign up for our free RSS feed.

To hoops,
Farid

I Don't Like Milkshakes, but I'll Take a Frye.

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:09:00 +0000

That's right, tonight's pickup of the night is the one and only:

CHANNING FRYE

I'll be the first to admit that this guy is definitely a stretch in terms of fantasy potential, but you gotta admit, the title was catchy, right? But seriously, Frye had the fourth best line of the night last night according to basketballmonster.com--and they know their stuff. So consider him wisely. Last night he put up 22 points, 11 rebounds 2 assists and 3 (!) steals in 38 minutes and led the Blazers to a 112-103 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers :-(

WILSON CHANDLER

Saying that the Knicks aren't in disarray is like saying In-n-Out Burger isn't delicious (full disclosure--I worked there for a year). So it's not a surprise that a Knickerbocker has landed on our Pickup of the Night list. To be honest, I'm not sure what the heck is going on with the Knicks other than Isiah is going to have a meeting with his new boss soon (ooh!). In terms of Chandler, the man put up 19 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks last night and put up 23 and 8 the other night, so he definitely should be looked at. Give it some thought and only pick him up if you need someone in his position.

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To hoops,
Farid

The NBA Regular Season is Over in 10 Days.

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:03:00 +0000

So make those last minute fantasy basketball adds and drops! Here's last night's pickup of the night:

CHARLIE VILLANUEVA

I cannot seem to make up my mind about this guy. He is really inconsistent and normally that would be bad for fantasy. But I think he’ll finish the year strong; the Bucks have nothing to play for and he wants to make a statement for next year. Case in point: Villanueva had 22 points on 50% shooting from the field (and 5-7 from the line) with 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and zero turnovers. He is definitely becoming the second option on that team with Mo Williams out.

Second Best: WILSON CHANDLER

Since I am a Chicago guy, I’m a big Chandler fan (he went to Depaul). He is a freakish athlete who probably came out a year early and got buried on the bench (not as hard to do as it seems, since the Knicks have a bunch of average players). But lately, with the current season (as well as the next three, most likely) just about over, Chandler has seen a lot of minutes. He actually played 44 last night and was mostly the reason the Knicks got a rare win. He had 23 points on 7-16 from the field and 8-10 from the line, eight rebounds, and no turnovers. Seems like a theme for the night.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Yahoo H2H Championships: Week 24 Powerful Pickups

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:35:00 +0000

So instead of just giving you 1-2 players to consider from last night, I've got 5 for you today. So for you fantasy owners that are contending for a Championship in your H2H or Roto leagues, consider these guys that can help you in certain categories.

Ben Wallace: 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks last two games since returning from injury
Louis Williams: 15 points, 4 assists, 2 steals last six games
Leon Powe: 18 points, 9 rebounds last 2 games; with the Celtics in good position in the East, expect KG to play fewer minutes the rest of the way
Darius Songaila: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.5 steals last two games
Francisco Garcia: can get you just about everything and really should've been locked up ages ago in your league, but you never know

Good luck this week everyone. It's almost time to start gearing up for the real NBA playoffs. For daily pickups and other fantasy basketball advice, sign up for our free RSS feed.

To hoops,
Farid

Big Man Pickups?

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000

JOAKIM NOAH

So tonight, the focus is on the bruisers in the middle. These guys may not get you many points, but they will shoot a high percentage from the field, block some shots, and pull down all of your rebounds. Case in point, last night Noah had just 10 points but was 4-5 from the field with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks. Not a bad all-around night for a guy that I thought was trash ever since the Bulls took him last year on Draft Day.

Second Best: JOEL PRZYBILLA

Godzilla had just 6 points on 2-4 from the field and 2-2 from the line, but pulled down 15 rebounds and contributed a block. The Trailblazers have packed it in for the season. They are in the loaded West and have lost Brandon Roy, probably for the year. But this man in the middle continues to pull solid minutes and definitely should be considered in deeper leagues. Who would have thought that at this point, I would have rather the Bulls signed him over Ben Wallace two offseasons ago. But then again, in retrospect, the smart money was to just keep Tyson Chandler.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Injured Stars Shine Again: Arenas, Brand, Gasol, Nowitzki All Surprisingly Return From Injury on Same Night

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:48:00 +0000

If you've read Fantasy Basketball Pros this year, you know what I think about the NBA. I think it's thriving. The level of competition is far superior to any other time in the league's history, nearly every city has a team to cheer for, and there are so many great story lines.

Well, surprising as it is to say, the NBA is getting even better with the return of some of its top guns. On April 2, 2008 4 stars returned to their team's. Pau Gasol returned from his ankle injury to lead the Lakers to a victory of Portland, Gilbert Arenas' knee troubles seem to have subsided, as the Wizard made a surprise return against Milwaukee and chipped in 17 points in 20 minutes in the losing effort, Dirk Nowitzki also made a surprise return from a high ankle sprain to help the Mavs rout a very tough Golden State team, and finally, Elton Brand surprised many by playing nearly the entire fourth quarter and leading the Clippers to a victory over the lowly Sonics.

With that being said, it's probably WAY too late to think about it now, but if any of these guys by chance is available in one of your leagues, 1) thank god for the gift, and 2) pick him up immediately. If they are not, consider this pickup of the night:

JAVARIS CRITTENTON

This guy came over in the Pau Gasol deal and if there is anything that Lakers gave up in that deal, it's Crittenton (I mean Kwame is garbage, so they actually benefited from unloading him). He hasn't gotten a whole lot of playing time this season in his rookie campagain (especially when he was in LA), but since Memphis is out of the playoff picture, his minutes have steadily increased. And boy has he been producing with the extra time. Last night he put up a top-10 line of the night, with 23 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists and a steal on 7-11 shooting (2-3 from 3). I don't expect him to cool off any time soon, so if you're in need of point guard help, consider Javaris (I love that name).

Second Best: NICK COLLISON

Collison won't be available in a lot of leagues, in fact ESPN says in about 50% of leagues he won't be. But it's worth a shot taking a look. The guy has been an absolute monster on the glass. Here are his rebounding stats alone the last five games (most recent first): 17, 8, 10, 21, 11. That's an average of 13.4 the last 5 games. In addition to that he's contributing around 10 points a game and a few assists. He plays a lot of minutes as a starter in Seattle, so I would definitely suggest picking him up if he is available.

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To hoops,
Farid

Pickup of the Night: April 1

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:39:00 +0000

ANTHONY CARTER

Do you pick up Carter in your league, or do you not? The Nuggets are a dynamic team, but Carter is behind AI, Melo, Camby, and Kenyon Martin in taking shots and getting stats. Well, Carter proved tonight he doesn’t need the ball to produce and should be on your fantasy team. Sure Carter only had 8 points on 3-5 from the field and 2-3 from the line. But he not only helped out with 10 dimes (and 2 rebounds), but he got an amazing 6 steals and 1 block, all while turning it over only once. Not bad at all for the guy whose name you can’t remember on the Nuggets.

Second Best: RODNEY STUCKEY

The rookie got the start tonight over Rip Hamilton and showed what he is made of. He got to the line 13 times (and made 12 free throws). 13 TIMES!!! And he’s a rookie! He also shot 50% from the field and added 2 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block. Not bad at all. Also, playing 33 minutes always helps the statline. He definitely looked better than fellow youngster Aaron Afflalo tonight.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Pickup of the Night: March 31

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:52:00 +0000

Looks like Brook and Robin Lopez of Stanford are declaring for the NBA Draft. I personally love these guys and I thought they alone would propel Stanford to the Final Four. But even better is the news that Robin Lopez is dating Michelle Wie. Someone should've told the Stanford student/professional golfer that she's dating the less-talented Lopez brother--I mean Brook might be able to land a huge contract, but how's Robin gonna compete with the $19 million Wie made in 2007. Here's to hoping Robin gets drafted with the 25th pick by San Antonio and Wie sits next to Eva Longoria at games. But I digress, onto the pickup of the night:

DEVEAN GEORGE

This guy has been straight ballin' as of late. I don't even know what was most impressive about his line last night. The 2 points? The 1-5 shooting? Nah, it's definitely the three personal fouls. George is owned in 0% of ESPN leagues, but with a season average of three and a half points per game, I think you should pick him up before your opponent does. APRIL FOOLS. Devean George's game last night was the worst rated line of the night last night as rated by Basketball Monster. I personally don't like him and I would never consider picking him up. Check him out looking like a fool in this interview, by the way.

The Real Pickup of The Night: C.J. MILES

This is the guy who's been starting for the injured Andrei Kirilenko. He's a Guard-Forward that can hit the long ball. Last night he had a spectacular game, scoring 29 points, with 4 boards and 5 dimes. He had 17 looks at the basket and hit 12 of those shots. He's started in each of the last 3 games for Utah, so look at him for a potential pickup this week while the Jazz are banged up. Oh and am I the only one that thinks he looks like a young Ray Allen in this pic?

Second Best: JOEL ANTHONY

A big man out in Miami, Anthony is a defensive beast. Last night he blocked 6 shots and forced 3 steals. He's not much of a scorer (only 5 points), but he was also able to bring down 9 boards for the Heat. Most importantly to me, though, Anthony played 31 minutes last night, so it looks as if Riley (or whoever the heck is there coaching games if he's gone) is looking to play him more off the bench. I don't think he's a pickup this week, but watch his play and consider him for next if you need defensive peripheral stats.

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To hoops,
Farid

Pickup of the Night: March 30

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:42:00 +0000

I’m sad to see Davidson out. How the hell did Stephen Curry decide to give the ball up at the end? Some news, though, is that cbs.sportsline.com is reporting that Curry will not go pro after this year, so it’s still at least another year before we will see him making threes for your fantasy team. Here is tonight’s Pickup of the Night:

BRANDON BASS

This is a guy who had me on his bandwagon when Dirk went down. He has some ability and the Mavs just are not that deep. 21 points and 5 rebounds while shooting 6-12 from the field and 9-12 from the line is respectable. He is the first guy off the bench for this team, at least until Dirk gets back, so look for him early and look for him often.

Second Best: LUIS SCOLA

I loved this guy when Yao first got hurt. Then I hated him. Now I like him again, as he is becoming more involved in the offense. Not too much of a line, just 24 points and 7 rebounds (nothing else, literally). He shot a respectable 7-12 from the floor (I only say respectable since he is a big man) and 10-12 from the line. T-Mac has been giving signs he’ll probably choke again in the playoffs, so we should see Scola’s role increasing in the final few weeks of the season.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Pickup of the Night: March 29

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 04:46:00 +0000

YI JIANLIAN

He is back from injury and has begun to string together some pretty good games. Look for him to get 25+ min/game for the rest of the year. Last night he scored 14 points, grabbed 8 boards and blocked two shots. Based on his FG%, it's safe to say he's been rusty the last few games, but expect him to improve with more action. And if you're in a head-to-head league, Yi is for you because Week 23 (next week) the Bucks have a pretty easy schedule, playing: NY, Was, Ind and Ind. I predict a strong Week 23 for Jianlian.

BORIS DIAW

Diaw has been on a pretty good stretch the last 5 games. He's been averaging 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and great percentages. Now add to that back-to-back games against Denver Monday and Tuesday, plus games against Minnesota and Dallas next week and Diaw looks like a great pickup for Week 23 fantasy owners. He won't be available in all leagues, but I'd definitely check.

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To hoops,
Farid

Pickup of the Night: March 28

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:20:00 +0000

Not very exciting NCAA tourney games tonight. That Curry kid is amazing. Maybe one day he’ll win pickup of the night, but not tonight. That honor goes to:

JOSH BOONE

That’s twice this week, but he has earned it. In 35 minutes, he recorded 15 points and 16 boards. But the amazing thing is the 6-8 from the field and equally good 3-4 from the line. Not too bad for a guy that usually kills you from the free throw stripe. Oh, and by the way, my mancrush Devin Harris had a huge night: 27 points, 4 threes, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists. He looks much better in a Nets uniform than he ever did in Big D.

Second Best: PAUL MILSAP

I gotta love this guy’s line last night. Only 13 points on 4-7 from the field and 5-7 from the line. Only 5 rebounds and 3 assists. But the 3 steals and 2 blocks really help, especially in H-2-H leagues. Utah is basically a team that is two-deep in fantasy talent right now, as AK47 has sucked recently. Milsap might be a guy that comes in with a lot of minutes, provides good shooting, rebounds, and plays defense. It’s worth a look if he’s available.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Pickup of the Night: March 27

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 06:01:00 +0000

Only three NBA games tonight (2 if you don't count that fact that the Heat played in one of them), so not much to choose from. My Bruins upended Western Kentucky so I'm pretty happy about that right now. But the Lakers suck (having lost to Charlotte), so I'm pretty bummed about them. But enough about me and my West Coast bias and on to the player of the night.

ARRON AFFLALO

This guy was a stud at UCLA but hasn't really got any minutes in this his rookie season with the Central Champion Pistons. Fortunately for him, Richard Hamilton has been banged up recently and the Pistons are in need of a substitute. And that's exactly what Afflalo has been. He has started the last three games and last night against the Heat (I know it's the Heat), he went for 15 and 7 with 2 steals and a block--not bad for the former Bruin. Pick this guy up if nobody is left in your league. But generally, keep an eye on him for the future. He may be a legitimate pickup in future seasons.

Second Best: CHRIS QUINN

It's hard to recommend this guy because he is playing on the worst NBA team on this Earth, but the guy has been putting up above-average numbers. In his last five games he is averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and THREE steals a game. In ESPN leagues he is being snatched up like crazy, so don't be the only guy on the block without him. The Heat may be in the shitters, but this guy can straight ball. Pick him up if you need some point guard help.

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To hoops,
Farid

Fantasy Basketball Podcast #3: Dirk, Paul and Webber

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Check out Fantasy Basketball Pros' third audio podcast here. We play "Fact or Fiction", where I ask Senior Writer Michael Yu three things:

Fact or fiction? Fantasy owners should drop Dirk.
Fact or fiction? Chris Paul is next years first overall fantasy draft pick.
Fact or fiction? Chris Webber is a hall of famer.

See how Mike answers these questions in the podcast. Him and I differ on question #2--listen to find out why.

For other fantasy basketball video posts and audio podcasts, check out our new media page, here. And for daily fantasy pickups, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed.

To hoops,
Farid

Pickup of the Night: March 26

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:21:00 +0000

This one was tough. There were three guys vying for the two spots on this post. But I excluded Ricky Davis even after a 28 point, 7 three, 9 rebound, and 6 assist game for two reasons. Davis is a turnover machine (kinda like Al Thornton) and the Miami Heat are the worst team in my recent memory. So the pickup of the night is:

JOSH BOONE

26 points on 9-12 from the field. 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. I only wish he didn’t shoot 50% from the line in 16 shots. 16 SHOTS!!! I’m glad I picked him up recently since he has been playing a lot more in the power forward role. He definitely validated the 32 minutes he got tonight. I’m just hoping he does not cost me free throws at the end of the week.

Second Best: THABO SEFOLOSHA

It’s true I’m a Bulls guy and so I favor them a bit, but I’ve touted this guy before and I think he’s for real. The Bulls got destroyed as always, and I’ve given up on the season. But I want to see the young guys, especially Thabo, play. He got 28 minutes and shot 8-11 from the field and 4-5 from three point range. Now remember, this is a guy who is supposed to be unable to shoot and should make a living on slashing and defense. Well, his shot looks alright to me. Add 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and only 1 turnover, and you’ve got a great fantasy option.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Pickup of the Night: March 25

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:36:00 +0000

For tonight's pickup of the night, I put together a quick podcas t with 5 potential pickups and 2 suggested drops for your fantasy team as we reach the midway point of Week 22.

Some of the players that I discuss in the podcast are:

Jerry Stackhouse
Erick Dampier
Cuttino Mobley
Joakim Noah
Kirk Hinrich
Jared Dudley
Matt Caroll

It's playoff time in Yahoo H2H leagues so let's help each other out, if you have a good pickup, let us know in the comments above. Also, I'd be interested to know what you think of the podcasts.

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To hoops,
Farid

Pickup of the Night: March 24

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:09:00 +0000

It’s funny that the Heat won a game starting Ricky Davis, Chris Quinn, Daequan Cook, Earl Barron, and Mark Blount. Looks like they, along with the Knicks, are really trying to win the draft lottery.

So tonight, the pickup of the night is:

HAKIM WARRICK

10-13 from the field. 7-8 from the line. 2 threes. 29 points. 7 rebounds. 3 steals. Wow. With lines that like from players every night, you could easily win 6 categories in a H2H league. The Grizzlies have given up on this year but are still playing hard (because they’re young and don’t know any better). Warrick is a prime example of this. Gobble him up if you get the chance.

Second Best: NENAD KRSTIC

Finally, he has a solid performance. It’s about 3 months too late for me. I dropped him a long time ago. But he does not look bad to pick up for your stretch run right now. 22 points on 9-15 from the field and 4-5 from the line ain’t too shabby, especially when you pair them with 6 rebounds. If he can take centers outside and make that shot, then he is dangerous.

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Mike
Senior Writer

Pickup of the Night: March 23

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:25:00 +0000

It's Week 22 and you know what that means, let the Yahoo H2H playoffs begin! To get you started during this tough stretch, consider some of these lesser known fantasy players that--for the most part--should be available in your league. These guys certainly aren't the best of the best, but they've been on hot streaks lately.

Good luck and be sure to share your Week 22 fantasy sleepers with us as well. The stats listed below are the player's averages for the previous week:

Kirk Snyder (Min, G) - 13 pts, 6 reb
Wilson Chandler (NYK, F) - 15 pts, 6 reb, 1 stl
Smush Parker (LAC, G) - 6 pts, 5 asst, 1 stl
Mardy Collins (NYK, G) - 11 pts, 4 reb, 6 asst
Donyell Marshall (Sea, F) - 8 pts, 3 reb

I recently came across a great fantasy basketball article over at Fantasy Sports Experience. Check it out, it's called: Fantasy Basketball Playoffs Cram Session. Great injury updates for Pau Gasol, Daniel Gibson, Jermaine O'Neal (screw you Jermaine, you cost me a top 2 finish), Chris Kaman, Gilbert Arenas, Andrew Bynum and more.

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To hoops,
Farid

Pickup of the Night: March 22

noreply@blogger.com (Farid) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:53:00 +0000

Wow the NCAA Tourney games were amazing today. Two great endings with Stanford and UCLA winning. Looks like there’s something special going on with the Pac-10. Here is our man for the night:

JEFF GREEN

I’ve actually been waiting for this rookie to get some more minutes and onto this list. Well, tonight is the night. Green had 23 points on 7-13 from the field and 7-8 from the line with 2 threes, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and even chipped in a block. Best part of all, he had only 1 turnover. With Chris Wilcox injured, he will get some starts and so look for the rookie tandem of Durant and Green to take over.

Second Best: Nazr Mohammed and Darko Milicic (tie)

I could not decide which guy to put on this list, so I put them both on. Mohammed shot an amazing 8-9 from the field and claimed 14 rebounds and 2 blocks to go along with his 16 points. Not to be outdone, Milicic had 19 and 10 with a steal and 3 blocks to go with 6-11 from the field and an uncharacteristically good 7-8 from the line. Most importantly to them (and not at all important to us since both teams suck), the Bobcats and Grizzlies both won.

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Mike
Senior Writer