SH Blog: Carmelo ready to play power forward, Barkley dislikes Lakers offense

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When LeBron James made his move to the power forward position last season, things changed drastically – in a championship winning way – for the Heat. There aren’t too many small forwards that are versatile enough to play both small forward and the power forward positions: the difference in physicality is simply too significant to handle for most.

Another three that is capable of playing the four – and creating havoc in the process – is New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony. He, by far, tasted the greatest amount of success at Madison Square Garden last season while playing the power forward position due to Amare Stoudemire’s injury. Just how good was he? He averaged 29.8 points on 49.5 percent shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 12 April games. And oh, the numbers dropped down across the board again when Stoudemire returned in late April as Anthony switched back to his natural position.

Anthony may not like playing the role of a big man, but with Stoudemire out once again, it’s probably in the team’s best interest for him to sacrifice – something he has harped about in the preseason. The only question is, can he elevate the level of his team the way James did for the Heat by taking advantage of the opportunities created by playing a different position? It all depends on how far Anthony is willing to explore his game. He could never impact the game the way James does on the defensive end, but is capable of being just as dominant offensively. See how he feels about the situation, along with other noteworthy items from Tuesday below:

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Bernucca: Do injuries to Love, Nowitzki change West playoff picture?

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When we wrote last month that the Western Conference playoff picture would be filled in by the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves, it was assumed that both teams would have their alpha dogs at power forward.

Now that Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Love are both out until at least December, that picture could be changing.

Nowitzki and Love both are top-10 players whose presence instantly legitimizes their teams as playoff-worthy, regardless of the other 14 players sharing a locker room and airplane with them. It’s remarkable that neither has a back injury; after all, carrying a team is a heavy load.

With Nowitzki as the focal point, the Mavericks have made the playoffs 12 straight seasons, reaching the Finals twice and winning it all once. Over those dozen years, he has been joined by a teammate at All-Star Weekend just four times – Jason Kidd, Josh Howard and Steve Nash (twice).

Love hasn’t been doing his heavy lifting as long, but it is evident he has similar strength. The team’s first All-Star since Kevin Garnett left town over five years ago, Love had the Wolves nipping at a playoff berth last season despite a roster that seemed to be trying to set an NBA record for largest collection of underperforming lottery picks.

Both teams underwent significant personnel changes in the offseason that appeared to be upgrades. You can debate how good Dallas and Minnesota may be this season. But with Nowitzki and Love as the plowhorses, neither team was going to be bad.

Now?

Put it this way: The Golden State Warriors are probably supressing some glee.

The Mavs appear to better equipped to withstand Nowitzki’s absence, which is good, because it may be longer than the six weeks that was widely reported. If you read between the lines a bit, the team said it will be six weeks before Nowitzki can resume on-court activities. You know, stuff like shooting, practicing and scrimmaging.

Let’s say Nowitzki’s rehab is accelerated by one week, which he spends resuming on-court activities. That still means his absence would last six weeks and sideline him for 16 games until an anticipated return around Dec. 1.

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Bernucca: What the preseason has shown us so far

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Even for hoops addicts, watching NBA preseason games presents a challenge.

The baseball playoffs are under way, the college football and NFL seasons are in full swing, and there is this small matter of a presidential election.

There is no subscription package for the preseason. League Pass takes a pass until the regular season starts later this month. So the only way you can watch games right now is on NBA TV, which isn’t part of the basic package of a number of cable systems, or on your team’s cable network, if it decides to televise the game.

And if you are fortunate enough to find a preseason game on TV, it looks like the NBA on ‘shrooms. The games are in hoops hotbeds such as Winnipeg, Fresno and North Charleston. Superstars are in suits, scrubs are starting, substitutions are seat of the pants and players are drawing up last-second plays, as Tony Parker did for French compatriot Nando de Colo on Wednesday.

But that isn’t all that’s going on. If you look closely, players, coaches and teams are tipping their hands just a little bit. Because it’s the preseason, it may be nothing. Then again, it may be something.

Here’s some of what’s been going on.

1. Those projected 70 wins for the Lakers may be a stretch

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B.Roy scores 13 in return; Curry starts for Spurs; Lillard holds own vs. Nash

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An NBA game in Fargo? You’re darn tootin’! The Timberwolves played like a home team, even in North Dakota. J.J. Barea started at PG; Luke Ridnour has been battling back spasms and of course, the return date of Ricky Rubio (knee) is indefinite. The Russian Connection of Andrei Kirilenko and rookie Alexey Shved contributed very little but the big news was Brandon Roy playing 23:40 and scoring 13 points in his first game in 18 months.

That wasn’t really the Pacers, not without 60% of the starting lineup. Danny Granger (knee) is taking it slow; George Hill and David West got the night off. Paul George (16) was the only Indiana player in double figures and the only takeaway is that Sam Young might carve out a rotation spot.

Other Wednesday Games

TOR @ DET: I’m confused. Last year, the Raptors played ferocious team defense and scoring was an afterthought. So far this year, they seem more wide open with the ball, but they gave up 37 first-quarter points last night. John Lucas (16 PTS, 5 AST) is turning heads, mostly because Kyle Lowry (thigh) is out for a while. Jonas Valanciunas made his NBA debut with 13 minutes of energetic play; he blocked a couple of shots but was not a factor otherwise.

Both of these teams might be better than many people expect. Detroit won in part because coach Lawrence Frank is rotating his players by night, instead of dividing minutes among 18 or 19 guys. Ten Pistons played 20 minutes or more; Greg Monroe (17 PTS, 10 REB) was the best and rookie Andre Drummond (12 PTS, 7 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK) the most exciting. Not dressed, but expected to play the next exhibition while others sit, were Austin Daye, Jonny Flynn and three other rookies.

OKC @ HOU: A pair of rookies led the Rockets to an “upset” of an opponent making only a token effort. Terrence Jones had 20 points and Jeremy Lamb 12, as the Houston starters were on a short leash. Kevin Martin scored 11 in 9:23 and Omer Asik had 9 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST and 1 BLK in less than 17 minutes. For the Thunder, Cole Aldrich (10 PTS, 11 REB, 3 BLK) made the most of a rare start as Serge Ibaka was rested and Kendrick Perkins (wrist) was out. Russell Westbrook (19) and Kevin Durant (13) played, but not at full intensity.

ATL @ SAS: No Tim Duncan, no Tony Parker, no Manu Ginobili. Shades of last season, when the aging Big Three were often rested on the same night. Eddy Curry started at C, Josh Powell backed him up and French rookie Nando De Colo (11 PTS, 9 AST, 2 STL) played 28 minutes off the bench. The Atlanta lineup was nearly as odd; Louis Williams started at PG, with Jeff Teague running the second unit. Josh Smith was limited to just 13:25 while Damion James (21:31) played the most of any Hawk. Rookies John Jenkins (9 PTS in 20:53) and Mike Scott (11 PTS in 13:30) got their NBA feet wet.

PHO @ SAC: Thomas Robinson should be moving up your draft lists. The fifth-overall pick from Kansas had a great camp and is now being talked about as a combo forward, not just a PF. He scored 12 points in 28:41 last night and will be more important to this team than Jason Thompson, sooner than I expected. James Johnson played less than 20 minutes off the bench but was +16, with a juicy per-minute stat line.

For the new-look Suns, Wesley Johnson scored 18 bench points despite shooting 2-9 from deep. Michael Beasley was the most impressive of the starters. Both are getting a chance after disappointing in Minnesota and may take advantage.

POR @ LAL: So far, so good for Damian Lillard. The only rookie PG to be handed the keys to a high-powered offense, he held his own vs. Steve Nash and his ratio of 7 AST to 2 TO is encouraging. It seems clear that rookie Meyers Leonard (10 PTS & 5 REB in 17:36) will be in the rotation; depth could be a problem if the Blazers encounter injuries. The Lakers are pulling the old rope-a-dope on the league. Kobe Bryant (strained shoulder) didn’t play, Dwight Howard is on a timetable to be ready for opening night and the other starters are taking it easy. Ignore ALL their preseason numbers, especially 0-2.

Thursday’s Games

MIA @ LAC: For both teams, this is a goodwill tour of China and a chance to bond as teammates. This morning’s game in Beijing and Sunday’s “rematch” in Shanghai will be more about entertainment than competition; LeBron James and Blake Griffin will take turns electrifying the crowd.

Not only is Dwyane Wade (knee) being handled carefully this month, Mario Chalmers (quad) isn’t 100% and there’s no motivation for the Heat to take these games seriously. Chris Paul (thumb) sat out the Clippers’ exhibition opener and is doubtful to play today. Eric Bledsoe will look good in his place, but don’t get too excited about him for the regular season.

NYY @ WAS: The last time Raymond Felton ran the Knicks, he averaged a career-high 17.1 PPG and 9 APG. That was before Carmelo Anthony arrived. After poor seasons in Denver and Portland, can Felton bounce back? Can Amar’e Stoudemire co-exist with Melo? Did his summer work with Hakeem Olajuwon pay off? These and more questions will be answered, though probably not tonight.

For the Wizards, Nene has an ongoing problem with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which bumps Emeka Okafor and Kevin Seraphin up on draft lists. The PG situation is completely up for grabs while John Wall rehabs a broken leg; Jannero Pargo may emerge as the “winner” over A.J. Price and Shelvin Mack.

PHI @ ORL: The Sixers don’t have Andrew Bynum yet, and must replace Andre Iguodala. Most likely to embrace a larger role is Evan Turner, a SG-SF in many leagues who might add PG eligibility this year. The Magic are a mess, as our Jeff Nichols pointed out in his excellent preview of the Southeast Division. Gustavo Ayon impressed in his debut at C, Glen Davis is the likely PF and Al Harrington, when he gets healthy, will be the “stretch” big. Why they went after Nikola Vucevic in the Howard trade remains a mystery.

NOH @ CHA: The second half of a home-and-home is another chance for Anthony Davis to shine. The Unibrow didn’t get the memo about taking it easy in preseason; he poured in 22 points, adding 9 boards and a block, as the Hornets won by 15 on Tuesday. Austin Rivers was supposed to be a longer-term project, but the continued knee woes of Eric Gordon have opened the door for the rookie from Duke.

Charlotte is better than last year — being worse would be impossible — and their new star Michael Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t the only reason. I’ve been scrambling aboard the Byron Mullens bandwagon, as he has been shooting — and hitting — three-pointers, but he hyperextended his left knee late in that game and may not play this evening.

$1,000 Fantasy Hoops Contest

All month, we will be encouraging you to join the one-day fantasy tournament for Sheridan Hoops readers at our partner site FanDuel. There is a $2 entry fee, giving you a shot at 61 cash prizes totalling $1,000. First place wins $200, second $125, third $100 and so on. You win at least $4 (double your money) for finishing 61st or better among 555 teams. Pick nine players within a $60,000 salary cap and the team that compiles the most points — on October 31st only — wins.

The link above has more details, including including stat categories, how to play, and my team’s lineup. If you’re ready to compete in our event, this link takes you through the signup process to the entry page: Sheridan Hoops Opening Day $1,000 Fantasy Basketball Tournament.

Or, give FanDuel a test drive absolutely free; no credit card or deposit is required. They offer NFL leagues until the NBA begins, including some with no entry fee. Others cost from $1 to over $500 to join. Click their logo at the top of this page or in the sidebar to get started. Daily and weekly leagues are more fun, and more challenging, than you might expect.

We are here every morning by 9:00; the early Spin will be somewhat abbreviated on Thursdays and Saturdays to make way for our columnists. This afternoon, Bruce Wrigley takes his weekly look at the NBA and on Saturday, Jeff Nichols’ series on strategy continues. During the season, he’ll preview the upcoming fantasy week in that Saturday afternoon time slot.

Follow us on Twitter — @SheridanFantasy — all season.

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Fantasy Spin: October 8, 2012

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Sunday Games

GSW @ LAL: Way past my bedtime, the Warriors poured it on in the second half to trounce the Lakers. Festus Ezeli got the starting C assignment for Andrew Bogut, who is being brought along slowly. The Nigerian, by way of Vanderbilt, played 22:25 and while he didn’t fill the stat sheet, appears to be ahead of Jeremy Tyler (13:17) and Andris Biedrins (11:24) in the pecking order.

Round 1 in the SF “battle” went as expected. Brandon Rush started, but Harrison Barnes played more minutes off the bench and scored more points. Apparent third-stringer Richard Jefferson had 9 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST and a BLK in less than 16 minutes.

The Lakers side of the box score should be completely ignored. They shared minutes among 19 players, none of them Dwight Howard, and they will be ready when the regular-season bell rings, not before.

ORL @ NOH: In Mexico City, over 18,000 watched a lackluster contest. The Hornets won, but it wasn’t pretty. We’ll be reminding you all month not to overreact to “trends,” but Ryan Anderson came off the bench and shot 1-8 on 3PT attempts. Starting C Robin Lopez was brutal — turnovers, fouls and a -22 are all you can see beside his name. Big Solomon Alabi may get preseason minutes but Jason Smith could prove the best of the three to own.

With Eric Gordon sidelined, Austin Rivers got plenty of run at SG. Anthony Davis played well enough in his pro debut, and drew raves from our Jeff Nichols in a comment on yesterdays Spin, but the line that pops out came from Brian Roberts. The undrafted free agent, who impressed in the summer league, had 17 points in 27 minutes and could be the backup PG until Gordon returns. A new name for very deep leaguers to know.

Gustavo Ayon was an obvious start at C for the Magic in his home country and played very well. Without injured Arron Afflalo (hamstring) and Al Harrington (knee), E’Twaun Moore looked good off the bench, leading his team in minutes and points.

MIA @ ATL: Like the Lakers, Miami is confident and unhurried. Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem didn’t play for the Heat, who went with a starting backcourt of Norris Cole and Mike Miller. Not surprisingly, they lost, but super-sixth-man Ray Allen looked good. The Hawks went small — Zaza Pachulia (groin) didn’t play — and Kyle Korver started at SF. Atlanta also brought Louis Williams off the bench behind nominal starter DeShawn Stevenson, an interesting development if that persists. My esteemed Spin colleagues disagree, but I actually like Sweet Lou better in fantasy when he doesn’t start.

WAS @ CHA: Interesting how a stress fracture in the leg of John Wall benefits a SG, not a PG. A.J. Price started at the point, with Shelvin Mack running the second unit. Jannero Pargo (DNP, abdominal injury) may further cloud that picture. But it was rookie SG Bradley Beal (18 PTS in 26:50) and new Wizard Martell Webster (18 in 25:04) who did the most. Kevin Seraphin started at C because Nene  and Emeka Okafor didn’t play.

Against that depleted lineup, at full “strength” and at home, the Bobcats looked pretty good. In particular, Byron Mullens drained three triples, an interesting addition to the game of anyone with PF-C eligibility, and the second unit backcourt of Ramon Sessions (14) and Ben Gordon (16) could have some fantasy value. In his pro debut, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL in 26:42) looked like he belongs.

Monday’s Game

UTA @ GSW:  Back-to-back games at this stage seems unfair. The Warriors played well in L.A. but may not have the legs or wind yet to do it again 24 hours later. The Jazz have a new PG in Mo Williams and a plethora of PF. Offseason rumors had Derrick Favors taking over from Paul Millsap; they could play Millsap at the 3 and go huge, but can he guard SF?

Stephen Curry didn’t see the floor last night, but Mark Jackson had already said he wouldn’t play both nights, so he’s likely to appear for the home fans this evening.

Other News

Marcus Camby has a left calf injury that may keep him out ten days. His role is clear when healthy — brief stints behind Tyson Chandler — but the Knicks have other veteran bigs. It might be an “avoid them all” fantasy scenario.

Royce White, the promising Rockets rookie, hates to fly and was late reporting to camp. His representatives, the team and the league are working on a deal to let him travel by bus to as many road games as possible.

“What the Rockets are doing is astronomically appreciated by me and should be by the mental health community,” says the former Iowa State star. This story touches me on a personal level and makes me a huge fan of the young man; just not sure I’d draft him.

Jonas Valanciunas will not make an immediate preseason splash. The 7-foot Lithuanian is recovering from a calf strain and limited to non-contact drills. There was also a note that Aaron Gray may start at C for the Raptors with the rookie coming off the bench. Fear not, fellow JV owners; that’s the best possible news. He won’t foul as often against other backups, and will put up better offensive numbers.

His countryman Donatas Motiejunas has been slowed with an infection and is slightly behind the other Rockets in conditioning. The rookie has a better offensive game than Omer Asik and I’m predicting a timeshare. He is a very sneaky late-round flier.

FanDuel

Baseball is harder than hoops. There, I’ve said it. My free team in yesterday’s MLB Salary Cap league finished fourth of 10. Got a solid performance from my SP Wainwright, though his bullpen blew the W. In basketball, your man’s replacement can’t possibly affect his stats and there’s no one position that is nearly as important.

Also, in hoops a guy who is an established “double-double” player (either PTS-REB or PTS-AST) tends to be around those numbers every night. He might go 16-6, or 24-12, but he won’t put up a zero, barring injury or ejection. In hardball, even the greatest hitter routinely goes 0-4 at the plate. I had Curtis Granderson in my lineup against a relatively easy RH pitcher, dreaming of a two-homer game. No such luck; a walk and three outs earned me 0.25 points.

Meanwhile, the winner of that league used Ryan Hanigan of the Reds as his catcher, on the road in a pitcher’s park. His two hits and 3 RBI produced 5.5 valuable fantasy points. I’m not saying “it’s all luck,” the cry of losers everywhere. I’m saying that in a daily fantasy league, you need to make informed decisions and it helps if the ball (whatever size and shape) bounces your way.

We will try again today. It’s a 2-day MLB league, spanning Monday and Tuesday games. I’m going with Andy Pettitte ($7,600) as my SP, but that was a tossup with Jordan Zimmermann ($7,800). Either leaves a little over $27,000 from the salary cap to fill eight hitting slots. The best hitters cost $4,000 or more, and it’s difficult to find bargains under $3,000 — especially with only four games to choose from. I’m banking on Prince Fielder ($3,800) to break out against a pitcher returning from injury. That means “compromises” at other positions.

It’s simple and totally free to join FanDuel and you can start with a free baseball or football league. Basketball begins October 30; we’ll be playing every day on a $100 weekly bankroll.

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