Kravitz: Fantasy Basketball, Potential Saviors after Week 6

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Accruing talent for your fantasy hoops squad is a threefold process: draft, trades and free agent acquisitions. A combination of guile (waiting on that player you covet to drop in the draft; buying low, selling high with trades) and good fortune (grabbing Ricky Rubio in the 13th round) is necessary in each.

Hopefully you spent ample time preparing for and had a successful draft, as it is the foundation for an owner with hopes of finishing “in the money.”

Don’t hold your breath negotiating with another owner to acquire players via trade—yesterday, someone proposed I accept (get ready…) Jrue Holiday for Dwight Howard! “Seriously?” was the one word needed to decline with unmitigated disbelief.

Collecting players off the free agent wire is the best chance of improving your team post draft. Some free agent pickups are but walking into luck (such as having the first pick in the supplemental draft, where Ryan Anderson awaits). Most pickups take a bit more thought, some leagues more than others.

Our 8-CAT league is a free agent free-for-all, with each team receiving $150 of make-pretend money for the season to bid on available players, seven nights a week. This necessitates daily monitoring of injuries and player performance. Some owners barely make a free agent move all season, while others add and drop players like a day trader on Wall Street.

I prefer the system of our 9-CAT league: each team has 12 free agent pickups per season; free agents are picked up in priority order, meaning you make a pick, you go to the bottom of the list; moves are once a week, after Sunday’s games; you pick up a player, you must play that player the entire week that follows.

The deeper your league, the less likely you are to snag free help. The chances of hitting it big with a free agent (say, a player worthy of a fourth round pick) may happen a few times per season. Think Kyle Lowry during the second half of 2010-11. Pick up a few quality free agents to supplement your draft and you are in good shape. Ignore free agents and you disregard the potential to improve your team.

A key to acquiring free agent talent to being prepared to take advantage when opportunity presents itself–it could be due to injury or simply a change in coaching philosophy. Our 9-CAT league has nine teams, each of whom drafts 17 players. Free agents are slim pickings. The only player I have picked up this season worth a sniff is Evan Turner. Our 8-CAT league has nine teams, but only 15 players each, or 135 players total. So far, I’ve lucked out collecting Andre Miller and Landry Fields.

Here’s a list of 7 players to keep an eye on in standard 8-CAT leagues (with free throws made). Each of these players is owned in less than 30% of CBS Leagues, meaning they are most likely sitting on your league’s waiver wire:

Nikola Pekovic, Minnesota Timberwolves (30% owned)

Analysis: In leagues that mandate utilizing player positions, a center eligible player is a valuable commodity. Over the past two weeks Pekovic has come off the bench to produce averages of 12.3 points on 61.2 FG% and 7.4 rebounds. This is in 22.7 minutes per game. During last night’s game, Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman finally (finally!) benched starting center Darko Milicic and began the second half with Pekovic. If this move becomes permanent, estimate adding another twenty-five percent to Pekovic’s point and rebound figures. If it’s not too late, grab Pekovic immediately.

Nate Robinson, Golden State Warriors (21% owned)

Analysis: Robinson is a 5’7 bundle of offensive explosives just waiting for an opportunity to detonate. As a backup, Robinson is averaging 10.1 points, 0.9 3-point shots-made, 2.3 free throws-made, 4.8 assists and 1 steal. Should either Stephen Curry or Monta Ellis be forced out due to injury (the former has battled ankle injuries the past two seasons), Robinson is immediately plugged into a starting guard slot and his statistics could increase by more than one-third.

Jordan Farmar, New Jersey Nets (14% owned)

Analysis: With Deron Williams manning the point in New Jersey, there’s zero chance Farmar starts at the “one”. Given the Nets may lose Williams as an impending free agent at season’s end, team management could decide to deal him prior to this season’s trade deadline if Dwight Howard is sent to a place where he plans to stay. In such a case, Farmar should become the starter at the point. In the 18 games Farmar started last season for the Nets he averaged 13.7 points, 1.5 3-point shots-made, a whopping 9.1 assists and 1 steal.

Goran Dragic, Houston Rockets (11% owned)

Analysis: I own Kyle Lowry in both our 8-CAT and 9-CAT leagues. In the latter, I also own Dragic as insurance in case Lowry goes down. How good is Dragic when given the chance to run a team? The sample size is small, but in two games this season he started for Lowry, Dragic averaged 15.0 points on 55.0 FG%, 1.5 3-point shots-made, an amazing 9.5 assists and 1.5 steals. A slightly larger sample size is from last season, in which Dragic started five games and averaged 13.4 points, 1.6 3-point shots-made, a surprising 7.8 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.4 steals and even 0.6 blocked-shots.

Randy Foye, Los Angeles Clippers (5% owned)

Analysis: I recall “renting” Foye last season when injuries forced him into the Clippers’ starting lineup. While starting 24 games Foye averaged 16.1 points, 1.9 3-point shots-made, 3.5 free throws-made, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals. Considering the Clippers may be the league’s deepest team at guard—Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Mo Williams are each ahead of Foye on the depth chart—there would need to be at least two players injured before Foye could have significant fantasy value. But he also could get traded.

Isaiah Thomas, Sacramento Kings (5% owned)

Analysis: In a two game stretch earlier this season Thomas earned extra playing time as Marcus Thornton was out and Tyreke Evans was struggling to get himself into playing shape. The diminutive Thomas had 20 points on 6 for-12 shooting, 3 3-point shots-made, 5 free throws-made and 6 assists in one game, and 13 points and 5 assists in the other game. Should Evans go down, take a flyer on Thomas.

Jamaal Tinsley, Utah Jazz (5% owned)

Analysis: Welcome back to the N.B.A., Mr. Tinsley. Thursday night, in only his third start since 2007-08, all Tinsley did was dish out 13 assists. Granted, it’s been five seasons since Tinsley started with any consistency, but the Jazz’s starter at the point is the enigmatic Devin Harris whose tenure is on life support. In 36 games starting for the Pacers in that 2007-08 season, Tinsley averaged 12.5 points, 1.1 3-point shots-made, 3.9 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.8 steals. Lightning in a bottle, anyone?

Marc Kravitz, based in Philadelphia, provides Quality Assurance Mystery Shopper services to Restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He is a Mixed Martial Arts fanatic and Fantasy Basketball junkie. In Fantasy Hoops, “Krewtime” has finished “in the money” in 85% of the leagues he has participated in. Follow Marc’s fantasy advice on Twitter @Marc_Kravitz

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Kravitz: Most overrated NBA fantasy players after Week 5

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The foremost reason fantasy league owners are typically challenged making trades is due to the varying opinions of player values. Everyone loves his or her own guys, most notably following the draft.

League drafts have now long since passed and at this point, so too have pre-draft valuations and player expectations. That guy you drafted in the second round might not be more than a Top 70 player at this point (that would be you, Amare Stoudemire!) and that late round selection you may have snickered at is currently a Top 40 player (welcome to the NBA, Ricky Rubio).

Fantasy hoops is not “real life” basketball, where players such as Reggie Miller and Joe Dumars were more valuable to their NBA team than their fantasy owners.

Fantasy hoops is typically eight categories—and all categories are not valued equally. Blocked shots and assists, given the limited number of players that excel, are twice as valuable as 3-point shots made and free throws made. In other words, an average of 0.8 blocks per game is the value equivalent of 25 ppg per game if properly weighing category values. A versatile fantasy player—one who can contribute in at least six of eight categories—is always worth more than a guy who puts up 20 points and 10 rebounds but does little else.

It’s why Andrei Kirilenko is my all-time favorite fantasy player—he was a veritable Swiss Army knife of a fantasy player.

Here’s a list of my Top 5 Overrated Fantasy Players after the first five weeks of play in standard 8-CAT leagues with free throws made:

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

2011-12 Stats:  21.3 ppg, 52.1 fg%, 3.8 ftm, 11.2 reb, 3.1 ast, 0.9 stl, 0.6 blk

Analysis: Griffin had fantasy owners salivating over his numbers last season, but at times fretting this season—such is the difference between being drafted in the first or sixth round. The points, rebounds and field goal percentage production has been satisfactory. However, an athletic big man averaging a measly 0.6 blocks per game will crush your team’s chances of competing in that category, and if you’re averaging only 3.1 assists per game you had better bump your Steals higher than 0.9 per game. Griffin has not lived up to the status of being drafted in the Top 10 as he was in most leagues.

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

2011-12 Stats:  13.9 ppg, 52.5 fg%, 1.1 3s, 1.8 ftm, 2.2 reb, 10.2 ast, 0.5 stl, 0 blk

Analysis: Nash is the league leader in assists per game. Otherwise, his steals are paltry for a guard, he barely gets to the free throw line, his points per game and 3-point shots made are just average, and even the value of his superb field goal percentage is tempered given he only shoots the ball 10.5 times per game.

David Lee, Golden State Warriors

2011-12 Stats:  18.8 ppg, 52.2 fg%, 3.1 ftm, 10.2 reb, 2.2 ast, 1.1 stl, 0.5 blk

Analysis: Lee was drafted #34 in both our 8-CAT and 9-CAT leagues. His numbers are a bit deceiving in that his rebounds and field goal percentage are very useful and points per game are pretty good, but his free throws made and steals are just average and assists and blocks paltry. This is what happens to fantasy numbers when a player is a traffic cone on defense and a spot-up jump shooter on offense.

Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

2011-12 Stats:  19.2 ppg, 42.9 fg%, 2.1 3s, 3.2 ftm, 3.8 reb, 3.8 ast, 0.9 stl, 0.4 blk

Analysis: 19.2 points and 2.1 3-point shots made per game reads well, until you dig deeper and realize Johnson excels at nothing else and your league tabulates eight categories. Johnson is beautiful to watch in crunch time when he takes over the ball and his teammates get out of his way and let him go one on five, and typically successfully at that. But therein lies the difference between fantasy and reality basketball.

Kevin Martin, Houston Rockets

2011-12 Stats:  20.1 ppg, 42.5 fg%, 2.2 3s, 4.0 ftm, 3.1 reb, 2.7 ast, 0.8 stl, 0.1 blk

Analysis: If you thought Joe Johnson’s numbers looked good, then Martin’s 20.1 points and 2.2 3-point shots made per game of course look even better. Yeah, to the guy in our league that drafted Channing Frye with the #36 selection! K-Mart’s Free Throws Made is a valuable contributor, but the rest of his nightly fantasy line is typically dreck.

Marc Kravitz, based in Philadelphia, provides Quality Assurance Mystery Shopper services to Restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He is a Mixed Martial Arts fanatic and Fantasy Basketball junkie. In Fantasy Hoops, “Krewtime” has finished “in the money” in 85% of the leagues he has participated in. Follow Marc’s fantasy advice on Twitter @Marc_Kravitz

 

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Kravitz Fantasy Basketball Top 5 Players and Sleepers after Week 4

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The random luck of picking league owner names out of a hat for draft positions has always been the bane of my fantasy basketball existence. Each year upon receiving the e-mail with the draft order results from one of my two leagues’ commissioners, you’ll typically read my team’s moniker, “Krewtime”, between sixth and ninth in either nine-team league.

Lebron James was the first selection in both our 8-CAT and 9-CAT league drafts, and he’s more than lived up to that status. After eschewing shooting three-pointers for the first two weeks of the season, James has reinstated this aspect of his repertoire and is now the only fantasy player to consistently fill all eight (or nine for those in Ast/To leagues) categories on any given night.

While injuries have usurped the fantasy value of first rounders Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade—not to mention crushing the “money” hopes of their fantasy owners worldwide—other top picks have performed as expected. In addition to LeBron, the other consensus top picks, Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant, have been beasts. Good luck persuading someone in your league to deal you one from this trio.

While attempting to trade for a top-of-the-food-chain stud during the season is near impossible, making an offer for a player you deem a sleeper candidate to break out is considerably more feasible. Target the right player and he can push your squad “into the money.” Sleepers aren’t necessarily players you pick up off the waiver wire but guys who are perceived to have lower value than they actually are worth, or could be worth more should a significant injury occur to a teammate.

Here’s a list of my Top 5 Fantasy Performers after the first four weeks of play and Top 5 Fantasy Sleepers to watch out for in standard 8-CAT leagues with free throws made:

TOP 5 PLAYERS

Lebron James, Miami Heat

2011-12 Stats:  29.9 ppg, 56.3 fg%, 0.7 3s, 7.2 ftm, 7.9 reb, 7.6 ast, 2.0 stl, 0.8 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: King James has been all that and then some in the land of fantasy basketball thus far. LeBron has produced the type of stats expected of the consensus premier fantasy player, but with the unexpected addition of top-level field goal percentage (when a player takes 18 shots per game and makes them at the clip James has, you are almost guaranteed to be among the leaders in the category). An 8-CAT night is a pleasant surprise coming from most players; from Lebron, it’s the norm.

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

2011-12 Stats: 20.2 ppg, 57.5 fg%, 5.4 ftm, 16.1 reb, 2.4 ast, 1.4 stl, 2.3 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Howard may have given some owners pause using a top 3 pick on him this season due to the ongoing uncertainty of his future. D12 has excelled as typical in field goal percentage and blocks, and been very good in scoring, steals and free throws made. This season Howard has ratcheted his rebounding up to a new level, averaging a career-high 16.1 per game.

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

2011-12 Stats: 26.5 ppg, 49.8 fg%, 1.7 3s, 6.3 ftm, 6.9 reb, 3.3 ast, 1.1 stl, 1.2 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Any drama involving the on-court harmony between Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook and KD has escaped the NBA’s lowest maintenance superstar. While only among the top producers in one of the eight major fantasy categories (points per game) Durant consistently fills seven categories a night, only failing to generate significantly in assists.

Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

2011-12 Stats: 14.9 ppg, 53.0 fg%, 3.6 ftm, 10.6 reb, 3.0 ast, 1.1 stl, 2.4 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Once upon a time the younger of the Gasol brothers was a relatively unknown second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers included in a trade to Memphis for his older brother Pau. Until this season Gasol was a very solid fantasy center, a top 50 player. This season—coincidence or not with injured teammate Zach Randolph no longer taking up space down low—Marc has arguably raised his level to top 5 production, increasing his numbers nearly across the board. Even better for his owners, his assist totals have been increasing recently.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

2011-12 Stats: 30.4 ppg, 45.4 fg%, 1.2 3s, 6.9 ftm, 5.5 reb, 5.7 ast, 1.4 stl, 0.4 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Mea Culpa time. As noted in last week’s column I bumped down Kobe on my draft boards this season. Formerly a first-round lock in fantasy hoops, I surmised this to be the season age and old legs caught up with the Black Mamba. Rather than ceding some of the offensive load this season to Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, Bryant has instead increased his numbers in nearly every category, most notably scoring. Rather than slipping to top 25 status as I surmised, Kobe still ranks among the top 5 fantasy players.

TOP 5 SLEEPERS TO WATCH

Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks

2011-12 Stats: 12.4 ppg, 45.8 fg%, 0.9 3s, 5.8 ast, 2.3 st, 0.4 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Teague was such an afterthought last season the Hawks brass traded midseason for a point guard, Kirk Hinrich. A late-round pick in most fantasy league drafts this season, Teague has slowly taken the reigns of the team now that team leader Al Horford is most likely gone for the year. His steals are already among the league’s leaders, and his assist and point totals have been increasing. Teague could very well end up averaging 14 points and 6.5 assists per game, if not more.

Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers

2011-12 Stats: 10.4 ppg, 46.8 fg%, 6.3 reb, 2.9 ast.

Analysis/ Prognosis: ET is a vital part of the 76ers’ vaunted bench (also know as the “Night Shift”). The confidence and swagger of last season’s #2 overall pick has seemingly grown by the game. Earlier this week Turner put up 20 points and 11 rebounds versus Denver. I was lucky enough to pick him up off the waiver wire this past Sunday in our 9-CAT league. Turner’s game is versatile enough to play significant minutes at either guard position or at small forward for the 76ers. It would not come as a surprise to watch Turner regularly put up 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists per game moving forward.

Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers

2011-12 Stats: 10.3 ppg, 47.6 fg%, 7.4 reb, 1.3 st, 1.5 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Brand will not live up to the huge free agent contract the 76ers signed him to or his 20 point/10 rebound games of yesteryear. While most fantasy owners simply look at his lowly points per game average, smart owners will notice his rebound, steal and block numbers are quite useful. Ostensibly still rounding into shape, watch EB’s points (and most likely free throws made) increase to 14 per game over the next month.

Brandon Knight, Detroit Pistons

2011-12 Stats: 12.4 ppg, 1.6 3s, 3.6 reb, 3.3 ast, 0.9 st

Analysis/ Prognosis: Brandon Knight fantasy owners will benefit moving forward given that he is a lottery pick on a team lacking pizzazz, and the Pistons’ guard rotation has been decimated with injuries. With Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum again sidelined, Knight’s playing time at lead guard only will increase.

Luke Ridnour, Minnesota Timberwolves

2011-12 Stats: 12.5 ppg, 49.0 fg%, 1.3 3s, 3.5 ast, 0.9 st

Analysis/ Prognosis: It was assumed Ricky Rubio would eventually take over as starting point guard this season for the Wolves, and that Ridnour would be sent to the bench. Not many prognosticators would have predicted Rubio to become a starter a dozen games into his rookie season. Less would have predicted that Rick Adelman would name Ridnour his starting shooting guard, where he should flirt with 14 points, 1.5 three-pointers and 5 assists per game, while maintaining one of the highest field goal percentages for a guard.

 

Marc Kravitz, based in Philadelphia, provides Quality Assurance Mystery Shopper services to Restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He is a Mixed Martial Arts fanatic and Fantasy Basketball junkie. In Fantasy Hoops, “Krewtime” has finished “in the money” in 85% of the leagues he has participated in. Follow Marc’s fantasy advice on Twitter @Marc_Kravitz

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Kravitz: Fantasy Basketball Surprises after Week 3

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To win your fantasy basketball league, or at least finish “in the money,” you must have a successful draft on a number of levels, including deciding when the right time is to select a particular player. Through the first eight rounds of a draft I tend to go for value picks, players who dropped lower than my projections dictate.

In our 9-CAT league, which includes Assist/Turnover Ratio, point guards are valued at a premium. I projected Kyle Lowry as the #7 overall player. Given the stellar statistics he comprised over the second half of last season, I guessed Lowry would be selected somewhere between late 2nd round and 3rd round of our nine team draft, therefore doubting his availability for me at #26. As it turned out, he was, and I was thrilled. More importantly he has lived up to my pre-draft projection.

I lucked out with drafting Lowry. Luck was not on my side in terms of drafting Jose Calderon, who, given his ridiculously high Assist/Turnover ratio (this season it is 5.40), I had ranked #18 on my big board. I rolled the dice, hoping Calderon would be off the radar of my fellow fantasy competitors. I waited and waited, planning to select the Spaniard in the 8th round. Another team owner drafted him in the 7th round – I texted that person following the draft congratulating him on the pick. Through three weeks, Calderon has been a beast of a fantasy player.

Then there are the players I either projected rather low (Hedo Turkoglu, Ricky Rubio) or excluded altogether from my big board (Spencer Hawes, Ryan Anderson) that have far exceeding expectations.

Here’s a list of my Biggest Fantasy Basketball Surprises after the first three weeks of play, including my pre-draft projected stats and current stats, as well as analysis and prognosis for the rest of 2011-12:

Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

Projected Stats:  12.0 ppg, 53.0 fg%, 2.9 ftm, 7.5 reb, .9 stl, 1.65 blk

2011-12 Stats:  13.0 ppg, 49.0 fg%, 3.4 ftm, 10.9 reb, 1.5 stl, 2.7 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: I’ve always been a big Marc Gasol fan, ranking him among quality mid-tier fantasy centers such as Nene. Pau’s little brother has taken his game to an elite level so far this season, averaging 10.9 rebounds and an Andrei Kirilenko-like 1.5 steals and 2.7 blocks. Gasol ranks second only to Dwight Howard in terms of fantasy centers. Even when Zach Randolph returns from injury Gasol could maintain producing as a top 10 player.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Projected Stats: 24.5 ppg, 45.1 fg%, 1.4 3s, 5.6 ftm, 4.9 reb, 4.6 ast, 1.2 stl, 0.1 blk

2011-12 Stats: 31.2 ppg, 46.1 fg%, 1.1 3s, 7.2 ftm, 5.8 reb, 5.5 ast, 1.2 stl, .04 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: I projected Kobe’s production to begin its decline this season as it typically does with any NBA superstar entering their 15th season of play. When asked for my opinion, I mocked my buddy for selecting Kobe #16 in our 8-CAT draft (he lasted until #34 in our 9-CAT league). Over the past five games, Bryant is averaging a staggering 39 points per game. His points per game average is at its highest since the 2006-07 season, and free throws made since the 2007-08 season. While the Black Mamba is no mere mortal I can’t see him sustaining this level of production over the course of the season: sell high if you can.

Spencer Hawes, Philadelphia 76ers

Projected Stats: n/a

2011-12 Stats: 11.1 ppg, 61.8 fg%, 9.2 reb, 2.9 ast, 2.07 ast/to ratio, .8 stl, 2.07 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Hawes has done little over the course of his career other than fail to live up to the standards of being a lottery pick. We have heard players proclaim, “I’m in the best shape of my career” a million times. Well, Hawes apparently got himself in peak shape this offseason and has outperformed just about everyone’s wildest expectations. He went undrafted in both of our fantasy leagues. His rebound and blocked shot numbers have been terrific, and he’s even helping fantasy owners in assists and ast/to. Given the 76ers are a team without a superstar, there is no reason to believe Hawes won’t continue producing.

Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets

Projected Stats: 15.0 ppg, 41.5 fg%, 1.7 3s, 6.0 ftm, 5.7 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.0 stl, .5 blk

2011-12 Stats: 16.9 ppg, 45.9 fg%, 1.4 3s, 4.3 ftm, 4.9 reb, 2.8 ast, 1.9 stl, .6 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Gallo showed last season in New York and Denver he could shoot threes and earn trips to the free throw line. He was drafted #52 and #65 in our two leagues. His numbers are down in threes and free throws, but up in most others, most notably field goal percentage, assists and steals. I would not be surprised if Gallo’s threes and free throws return to last season’s numbers and for his value to rise to top 30 status.

Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

Projected Stats: 7 ppg, 38.8 fg%, 0.0 3s, 2.5 reb, 4.5 ast, 1.55 ast/to ratio, 1.0 stl

2011-12 Stats: 10.4 ppg, 46.0 fg%, .7 3s, 4.1 reb, 8.0 ast, 2.51 ast/to ratio, 1.7 stl

Analysis/ Prognosis: Given Rubio’s well chronicled struggles while playing professionally in Europe the past few seasons not many people anticipated such a quick transition to NBA success. Rubio was drafted in the 13th round in both of our fantasy leagues. He was already putting up quality numbers in field goal percentage, assists and ast/to while coming off the bench in Minnesota. Now that he is starting expect his production to increase in the latter two categories.

Jarrett Jack, New Orleans Hornets

Projected Stats: 12.5 ppg, 51.0 fg%, 2.7 ftm, 3.0 reb, 5.4 ast, 2.4 ast/to ratio, .1 blk.

2011-12 Stats: 14.2 ppg, 40.9 fg%, 2.6 ftm, 4.4 reb, 8.0 ast, 2.76 ast/to ratio, .5 blk

Analysis/ Prognosis: Jack is a journeyman point guard playing for a team that’s been missing its lone star player (Eric Gordon) for most of the season. Someone handling the ball for the Hornets has to put up numbers. Upon Gordon’s return I anticipate Jack’s assists to decrease, but his field goal percentage to increase thus maintaining performing like a top 50 player.

Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic

Projected Stats: 9.0 ppg, 43.5 fg%, 1.5 3s, 2.1 ast, 1.9 ast/to ratio

2011-12 Stats: 14.4 ppg, 48.4 fg%, 2.4 3s, 5.2 ast, 2.28 ast/to ratio

Analysis/ Prognosis: After declining numbers the past five seasons Hedo’s game is unexpectedly rejuvenated. How unexpected? He was drafted in the 13th round of our 17 round 9-CAT league and went undrafted in our 8-CAT league. Given that he shares distribution duties with oft-injured Jameer Nelson Turkoglu’s numbers should maintain.

Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic

Projected Stats: n/a

2011-12 Stats: 17.2 ppg, 45.4 fg%, 3.3 3s, 7.3 reb, 2.0 ast/to ratio 

Analysis/ Prognosis: Anderson went undrafted in our 9-CAT league and was the final selection (#135) in our in our 8-CAT league. I expected him to hit three pointers; but not do much else. I excluded him from my draft boards. Anderson has increased his numbers in most categories this season—even threes! His production has been consistent the first three weeks of the season; no reason to expect it to change.

 

Marc Kravitz, based in Philadelphia, provides Quality Assurance Mystery Shopper services to Restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He is a Mixed Martial Arts fanatic and Fantasy Basketball junkie. In Fantasy Hoops, “Krewtime” has finished “in the money” in 85% of the leagues he has participated in. Follow Marc’s fantasy advice on Twitter @Marc_Kravitz

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Kravitz, Fantasy Spin: Sunday, January 15

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PHILADELPHIA –

Highlight Performance:

Kyle Lowry, Houston Rockets – Once again Kyle Lowry dominated a basketball game, last night’s victim being the Portland Trailblazers. Against Raymond Felton and his backcourt mates Lowry had 33 points on 13 – 26 field goal attempts, 4 free throws made and 3 three-pointers, as well as 8 rebounds and 9 assists (and a 2.25 Ast/TO ratio). He’s flirted with a triple-double numerous times this season; should only be a matter of time.

Performance to Forget:

Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings – Perhaps former head coach Paul Westphal wasn’t the problem in Sacramento? The Dallas Mavericks blew the Kings out of the American Airlines Center last night, 99 – 66. The Kings shot a combined 22 – 86 (25.6 fg%) from the field. Among the chief culprits was their starting point guard: Evans shot a measly 1 – 8 from the field totaling 3 points, and dished out but 2 assists. On the season Evans is only averaging 3.7 assists per game.

Players to Watch:

Byron Mullins/ Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats – a team lacking a star player or identity, the Bobcats are a work in progress on a game-by-game basis. Against Golden State last night Charlotte started a three-guard lineup with Gerald Henderson moving to small forward and rookie Kemba Walker joining D.J. Augustine in the backcourt (mercurial Boris Diaw was shifted to the bench). Walker scored 23 points on 8 – 15 field goal attempts, 5 free throws made and 2 three-pointers, and contributed 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot. Mullins, a second year center, has averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds over the past five games. He does little else in terms of fantasy contribution but is a serviceable center.

Injuries:

Andray Blatche, WAS – shoulder, day to day

Al Horford, ATL – shoulder, 3 – 4 months

Michael Beasley, MIN – mid-foot sprain, indefinitely

Carmelo Anthony, NYK – sprained ankle, day to day

Stephen Curry, GSW – sprained ankle, day to day

Richard Hamilton, CHI – groin, day to day

Courtney Lee, HOU – calf, day to day

Andrea Bargnani, TOR – calf strain, day to day

Marcus Camby, POR – ankle, day to day

Andrew Bogut, MIL – concussion, day to day

Grant Hill, PHX – knee, day to day

Steve Nash, PHX – back, day to day

Jason Richardson, ORL – knee, day to day

Dwyane Wade, MIA – ankle, day to day

James Johnson, TOR – ankle, day to day

Marc Kravitz, based in Philadelphia, provides Quality Assurance Mystery Shopper services to Restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He is a Mixed Martial Arts fanatic and Fantasy Basketball junkie. In Fantasy Hoops, “Krewtime” has finished “in the money” in 85% of the leagues he has participated in. Follow Marc’s fantasy advice on Twitter @Marc_Kravitz

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