 David Lee entered the 2010-2011 season as a consensus top-20 statistical performer before a series of setbacks including an infected elbow laceration that landed the Golden State forward in a Stanford, Connecticut hospital have all amounted to what has been a disappointing first half.
Entering the tail end of February, Lee has his Warriors on the outside and looking in on a playoff seeding, but a second half surge from the talented big man would go a long way to ensuring Lee and co. catch a glimpse of postseason action.
Over the previous two seasons David Lee has lauded himself as one of the game’s premier rebounders following consecutive years of 11.7 rebounds per contest. The 10’-11’ season is playing to a different tune as opponents have seen Lee’s tenacious rebounding ability take a hit as he’s pulling about 9.5 boards nightly as well as shooting a career low 49 percent from the field.
Prior to the afore mentioned elbow injury in November, Lee’s year has been marred by a slow start that saw him struggle to post double figure scoring outputs in October (10.7 PPG) but he closed out the 1st half of the season strong by compiling 18 consecutive double-digit scoring performances.
Lee will continue to anchor Golden State’s interior game which promises to foster a return to dominance for one of the NBA’s most dominant low post players.
 Like David Lee, Portland’s newly acquired Gerald Wallace has struggled to meet the expectations following a dominant ’09-’10 season while playing for Charlotte. Wallace has seen a dip in every statistical category which has been a large factor in his team’s disappointing season following a year that witnessed the Bobcats making the franchise’s inaugural playoff appearance.
A year ago Wallace was lauded as one of the game’s top all-around contributors as he was among Charlotte’s leaders in almost every category ranging from his 18.2 PPG to his 1.5 steals per night. A deep statistical analysis of Wallace shows that his year-long slump can be illustrated in his struggling PER (Player Efficiency Rating) which hovers at 14.8 contrasted by his 18.3 last season (League average at 15).
The change of scenery will likely spark an impressive stretch run for the veteran forward who can expect substantial playing time for a Trail Blazer team that needs a short-term replacement should Brandon Roy’s surgically repaired knees slow Portland’s star shooting guard. At the opposite end of the west coast is Ron Artest, who like Wallace, will be relied upon to deliver in March and April.
 This spring will be a vital turning point in the career of Lakers’ veteran forward Ron Artest. As Artest’s alma mater St. John’s climbs back into basketball relevance it seems that he is amidst a meteoric fall from the upper tier of small forwards. The Los Angeles wing man is scoring at a career low rate (7.9 PPG, 15 PPG career) and his shooting percentages are a far cry from where we’re accustomed.
At 39.7 percent from the floor, Artest isn’t even considered a scoring option for the Lakers which leads fans to believes that the 31-year-old will either fade into the bowels of coach Phil Jackson’s bench or make one last push as a capable shooter. There isn’t much promise following five games where Artest posted five points or less as a starter but March will serve as the most telling chapter in the roller coaster career of Ron Artest.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
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Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Conor Gereg, David Lee, Gerald Wallace, Ron Artest, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Lakers
 Changing Carmelo Anthony’s mailing address from Denver to New York was a long, painstaking process for the Nuggets, Knicks, and hoop fans alike. While Melo is the focal point of a long, deliberated trade that began in November, there are however ancillary pieces that will have a resonating impact on the remainder of the season.
Chauncey Billups will look to play out the remainder of his pricey ($27.5 MM) contract under Knicks’ coach Mike D’Antoni and his fast paced offense. Under this same system Billups will be replacing Raymond Felton who is amidst a career season, which can be attributed to the extra possessions allotted within New York’s system. Expect “Mr. Big Shot” to run the floor and rack up healthy scoring totals much like former D’Antoni point guards Steve Nash and Ray Felton.
Billups will have additional looks at outside shots with Amare Stoudemire drawing attention in the post and at 34 Billups still offers upper echelon production from the lead guard spot. Shooting a red hot 44 percent from 3PT makes Billups deadly threat from the perimeter which will only help in opening up shots for teammates.
And then there is of course Carmelo Anthony who won’t be bashful in maintaining his gaudy stat line, although the marquee forward is shooting an average of three less shots in ’10-’11. Melo is finally content now that he’ll be playing his home games at Madison Square Garden which should light a fire under the 26-year-old All-Star. Expect a return to his 2009-2010 form which saw Carmelo produce a nightly 28.2 PPG.
The remainder of the parts headed to New York will see limited opportunities to contribute although Corey Brewer will get plenty of fast break look akin to the way athletic forwards like Shawn Marion did within D’Antonti’s system in the mid 2000’s. Similarly the Minnesota could catch lightning in a bottle in Anthony Randolph who could see new life playing alongside a new group of young wing players in Wes Johnson and Michael Beasley.
Headed west are a trio of prominent names which highlight a multi-player package put together by Knicks General Manger Donnie Walsh. Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Ray Felton will all settle into similar roles with Denver and Nuggets’ head coach George Karl. Expect each player to take some measurable hit to their statistical production as Denver will see fewer offensive possessions when compared to New York and the Nuggets will look to platoon several of their remaining incumbent scoring options like Aaron Afflalo and J.R. Smith.
The final 28 games of the season should bring forth the best in Carmelo Anthony as he adjusts to a new offensive scheme that seems catered to his style of play. The focus may be on the Big Apple this spring but in the Rocky Mountains George Karl and company continue to stockpile young, promising players who are sure to develop into the next wave of talented Denver Nuggets.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.Leave a comment and let us know, or hit us up on Twitter @TheFantasyFix. Don't forget to use our Quick Fix for any questions about your fantasy lineups or trades
Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Conor Gereg, Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks, Raymond Felton
 Ray Allen’s record breaking three pointer to bypass Reggie Miller as the all-time leader in 3PT field goals casts the veteran shooting guard as one of the game’s greatest marksmen and at 35, he continues to fill up the nightly box score.
Allen’s shelf life has outlasted just about all of his counterparts taken beside him in the 1996 draft. In case you forgot that draft included names like Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Antoine Walker, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Kerry Kittles–all players who have failed to measure up to Allen’s remarkable longevity.
The former UConn Husky netted his 2561th three pointer to bypass Pacers’ legend Reggie Miller last week against the L.A. Lakers, but while Miller’s production trailed off in his final seasons, Allen has continued to produce at an unprecedented level.
Throughout his career Allen has fit into a variety of roles whether as a young budding guard in Milwaukee playing alongside Glenn Robinson and Vin Baker, or as the lone focal point as a Seattle Supersonic posting gaudy scoring lines (26.4 PPG in 06’-07’).
Today Allen has assimilated into his role as just one of many consistent contributors for a team-oriented perennial winner as a Boston Celtic but that unselfish role took a backseat last week, at least momentarily.
“My whole career I’ve been such a team-oriented guy,” Allen said after breaking Miller’s record. “But now it’s somewhat a moment for me to stand up and say this is something that’s important in my career.”
Efficiency has been the modus operandi for Allen who has seen his shot attempts drop dramatically since joining Boston in the summer of 2007. The veteran guard sees just 12.7 shots per contest, a modest output compared to the 21 nightly attempts he was able to hoist as a Sonic.
In order for Allen to maintain his high level scoring and still distribute the ball to the rest of Boston’s star studded lineup, he has had to convert shots at an exceptionally high rate.
The 2010-2011 season has seen the Celtics marksman shoot a career high 46 percent from 3PT range while knocking down a staggering 50.5 percent of shots from the floor. Ray Allen isn’t the only NBA veteran who continues to climb the statistical ladder among the league elites. Heralded active stars like Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki continue to write legendary scripts that are sure to adorn the plaques of Springfield some day.
Vince Carter’s relocation to the desert following a late December deal has been the jolt that the Phoenix Suns needed to push an aging group of stars towards a playoff seed.
The 2010-11 season has seen Carter pass the 20,000 point mark, a demarcation that usually signifies one as Hall of Fame criterion but Vince has proven to be an integral contributor to a talented Suns team.
At 34-years-old, Carter still brings nightly value by converting nearly 40 percent of his 3PT attempts while chipping in an average of 15 PPG. It seems that the former slam dunk champion doesn’t have many productive seasons left, but Suns coach Alvin Gentry will continue to feed his veteran guard minutes for as long as Carter continues to contribute.
Had the NBA’s collegiate rule prohibiting players from entering the league directly from high school been imposed in the mid-90’s, perhaps Kobe Bryant would have played against Vince Carter at the NCAA level.
It’s believed that Bryant and Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski had mutual interest which would have brought the high school phenom to Durham, but instead Bryant made the jump directly to the pro ranks and began carving out a legendary career in Los Angeles at just 17-year-old.
This season Kobe hasn’t lost a step following the Lakers championship run last spring. Bryant has seen a drop of five minutes of action per game this season which has dropped his scoring output to just over 25 PPG, while the Lakers star guard continues to shoot the ball just as effectively as ever (46.5 percent FG).
This season Kobe looks to pass Moses Malone for 6th on the NBA all-time scoring list at 27,409 career points and he has shown no signs of slowing down. Next on Bryant’s radar is Shaquille O’Neal, a moving target who currently sits at 28,590.
The 1998 draft saw eight teams pass on Nowitzki even after then Celtic’s coach Rick Pitino compared the German import to Larry Bird during a pre-draft workout.
Pitino promised the young German that he would be selected if he fell to Boston at the 10th pick but instead the Milwaukee Bucks selected Dirk before promptly sending him to Dallas in a deal involving Michigan Wolverine Robert “Tractor” Traylor and Notre Dame sharp shooter Pat Garrity.
Fast forward to 2011 and Nowitzki is preparing to suit up for his 10th All Star game and leads his Mavericks team who are again in pursuit of a return trip to the NBA finals. Currently, the Deutschland native sits at 22,108 career points, 24th all-time and on the heels of Clyde Drexler for 23rd.
Similar to Bryant, Dirk hasn’t let up as one of the NBA’s best. This season Nowitzki has shot the ball at a career best rate (52 percent) and his efforts have catapulted his Mavericks into the current three seed in the West.
Vince Carter may not make his way to Los Angles for the All Star game this February but he’s likely to join Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki for eternity in Springfield. In the meantime, expect these icons to continue to build on what has already been legendary careers… careers that make this a group of living legends.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
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Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Conor Gereg, Boston Celtics, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki
 Ed Davis Continuing our look at the NBA’s rookies (Part 1 here), here we take out the microscope and examine the second tier of last summer’s draft picks as we discover who’s worthy of a passing grade.
Cole Aldrich: Oklahoma City Thunder: F
Aldrich hasn’t played in a game since a four-minute cameo appearance against the Knicks on December 22nd. The former Jayhawk has appeared in a total of seven games in 2010-2011 and has failed to give Oklahoma City the serviceable backup to Serge Ibaka that the team has been looking for. Perhaps Aldrich’s sophomore season will be more promising.
Xavier Henry: Memphis Grizzlies: C-
Aldrich’s teammate while at Kansas, Xavier Henry seems to have found his role as one of Memphis’ more effective reserves. Considering the Grizzlies wealth of wing players Henry has contributed with a nightly 5.0 PPG while shooting a respectable 41.2 percent from the floor. The young forward has a long way to go before he works his way up the depth chart but he’s shown signs that he’ll be prepared for a more advanced role in coming seasons.
Ed Davis: Toronto Raptors: B-
After spending the beginning of the season in the developmental league, Davis has been a consistent contributor to a young Toronto team. Davis had scouts drooling during his freshman season during North Carolina’s title run, but Davis’ sophomore slump sent his stock plummeting. The young big man has rebounded since and is now a reliable scoring option (6.5 PPG) off the bench while also demonstrating his prowess on the glass (6.2 RPG) and at the defensive end (1.2 BPG). With Toronto’s playoff hopes long gone, expect Davis to become a building block north of the border for a long time.
Patrick Patterson: Houston Rockets: C
Patterson has battled for playing time alongside fellow young big man Jordan Hill. Head coach Rick Adelman likes Patterson’s rebounding (3.1 RPG per 13 MPG) tenacity and the efficient shooting stroke (58 percent FG) he brings in since being drafted out of Kentucky. Whichever of these promising post players wins the playing time battle will help the Rockets lift off for another playoff berth.
Larry Sanders: Milwaukee Bucks: C
The former VCU standout has been a viable option off of Milwaukee’s bench and proven to the league that he’s an intimidating defensive presence. Sanders has averaged 1.3 BPG in only 14 minutes of nightly action. In addition to his defensive force Sanders has rebounded the ball well at both ends of the floor (3.0) and contributed a modest 4.2 PPG. With Andrew Bogut soaking up a majority of the minutes in the post, Sanders will have to wait for his opportunity to arise.
Luke Babbitt: Portland Trail Blazers: F
Babbitt has struggled to see action at the NBA level after bouncing back and forth between Portland and their NBDL affiliate. Unfortunately for the rookie forward, Babbitt sits buried behind a plethora of wing players who give Portland the offensive and defensive help needed to compete. Until Babbitt’s game evolves to encompass an offensive and defensive threat, the 21-year-old will struggle to see any floor time.
Kevin Seraphin: Washington Wizards: D-
The Frenchman brings a 6’9’’ and 275 lbs. frame off the bench for a rebuilding Washington squad that continues to utilize Seraphin as an ancillary big body. The young center isn’t a threat to score the ball but he is a competent rebounder who can give Washington a few effective minutes on a nightly basis. Seraphin is still raw and will need a few more seasons to develop before he can be relied on as a legitimate post presence.
Eric Bledsoe: Los Angeles Clippers: B-
The young point guard has fallen off since behind replaced in the lineup by veteran guard Baron Davis. During a November stretch Bledsoe averaged 10.0 PPG while also dishing out a team leading 5.7 ASG. The former Kentucky Wildcat seems to be the long term option for the Clippers who have a stockpile of young, promising players who may give the Lakers a run for city bragging rights. Expect Bledsoe to take the next step towards a reliable option at point guard in coming seasons.
Avery Bradley: Boston Celtics: F
NBA scouts and speculators once saw the Bradley, the Tacoma, Washington product, as a legitimate lock-down defender whose athleticism would be an instant asset to any NBA club. Instead Bradley can only stake claim to having played in a handful of games while soaking up mere “garbage” minutes. The Celtics hoped that Bradley would fill the void left behind by Tony Allen but the young guard has yet to take the next step towards being a serviceable part of the NBA club.
James Anderson: San Antonio Spurs: F
Logging a total of only eight games thus far, Anderson is a work in progress who the Spurs will look to utilize in coming seasons. This season however, Anderson has been an afterthought and only recently has the former Oklahoma State Cowboy seen the NBA floor. Anderson was a constant scoring threat while at OSU but his offensive prowess has yet to translate to the professional ranks.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
Leave a comment and let us know, or hit us up on Twitter @TheFantasyFix. Don't forget to use our Quick Fix for any questions about your fantasy lineups or tradesTags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Conor Gereg, Cole Aldrich, Xavier Henry, Ed Davis, Patrick Paterson, Larry Sanders, Luke Babbitt, Kevin Seraphin, Eric Bledsoe, Avery Bradley, James Anderson
The role of an NBA rookie is one that is constantly evolving. A poster child for this claim is the Pistons’ rookie Greg Monroe. After struggling to find floor time early on, Monroe is now a staple of Detroit’s revamped rotation and looks to be one of the most promising prospects of the 2010 rookie class. Here we analyze Monroe and the other first ten picks from last summer’s draft for our annual rookie progress reports.
 John Wall: Washington Wizards: B+
Washington’s inability to find an effective and consistent second option has hurt Wall’s stat line though the rookie point guard hasn’t disappointed when it comes to rack up the thefts (1.7 SPG), tops among rookies, and Wall leads all first year players with his 9.3 APG. The final three months of the regular season will be spent feeling out the roster and seeking out Washington’s most promising players as the lowly Wizards look to build for 2012.
 Evan Turner: Philadelphia 76ers: C
Evan Turner has been a microcosm of the 76ers poor season: too young, inconsistent, yet displays flashes of the brilliance that may lie ahead. The young forward has hovered around the 7.0 PPG game mark while capping out at 4.5 nightly rebounds. Turner hasn’t displayed the scoring ability he exhibited while at Ohio State since the 22-year-old has posted a career high of only 23 points during a December 29th game at Phoenix. The Sixers may not have a playoff spot to contend for but rookie Evan Turner will be fighting hard to solidify himself as a reliable option going forward for a promising Philadelphia team.
 Derrick Favors: New Jersey Nets: C+
One can’t look at Favors, the youngest player in the NBA, and not think one word: Potential. Favors has shown flashes of brilliance off of Avery Johnson’s bench and the 19-year-old’s mercurial rise up the depth chart should give the young big man the playing time necessary to blossom into the elite level center that many expected. Favors hasn’t blocked shots the way that scouts expected although he has been one of the NBA’s most efficient rebounders per 48 minutes. Should Favors stay put this winter beyond the trading deadline, expect the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket to continue to develop in East Rutherford.
 Wesley Johnson: Minnesota Timberwolves: C+
Johnson has been perhaps one of the most consistent rookies this year although he’s unfortunately been consistently mediocre. The swingman enters February averaging just over nine points per contest and his secondary stats are less than impressive. Johnson concluded the final four games of January with double-digit scoring efforts and has started nearly half of Minnesota’s games. February and March should give Johnson an opportunity to cement himself as part of the Timberwolves’ long term plans.
 DeMarcus Cousins: Sacramento Kings: B
Many considered the young Cousins a dark horse pick for rookie of the year following a dominant freshman season at Kentucky. The developing big man has earned a starting role and since being named a starter the 6’10’’ center has averaged over 17 PPG and nearly 8 nightly rebounds. Expect Cousins to continue to grow on the Sacramento black as he works to refine his highly efficient inside game (43.3 FG%).
 Ekpe Udoh: Golden State Warriors: F
Last summer scouts fell in love with Udoh’s athleticism as the former Baylor Bear lead his team towards a deep run in March Madness. A year later Udoh is struggling to escape the bottom of Golden State’s bench. At only 23 there is certainly plenty of time for growth and perhaps the 2.7 PPG and 2.1 RPG are just the beginning of things to come but for now, Udoh has been a colossal disappointment.
 Greg Monroe: Detroit Pistons: B-
Monroe has come on strong since being inserted into the starting rotation on January 12th. As a starter Monroe has seen 27 minutes of action or more in all but two of Detroit’s games. In January Monroe averaged a near double-double, posting 11 PPG and 9 RPG while shooting a gaudy 60 percent from the floor. The former Georgetown Hoya will serve as one of the few bright spots for a disappointing Pistons team.
 Al-Farouq Aminu: Los Angeles Clippers: C
It’s easy to forget about Aminu considering the wealth of exciting young players the Clippers boast on a nightly basis. Following a pair of exemplary seasons at Wake Forest, Aminu seems to have found his niche as a second unit energy player capable of playing both the small forward and power forward positions. The 21-year-old’s peripherals aren’t going to catapult Aminu into the Rookie of the Year running but at 6.4 PPG and 3.4 RPG we can catch a glimpse at the young big man shimmering on L.A.’s bench.
 Gordon Hayward: Utah Jazz: D
Gordon parlayed an impressive March into a lottery pick selection but since his arrival in Utah Gordon has yet to dazzle the same way he did in Indianapolis while playing for the Butler Bulldogs. Like many of the names on this list, playing time has been an issue for Hayward who sees a shade above 11 minutes per game under head coach Jerry Sloan. The high point of Gordon’s ’10-’11 season was his 17 point and 6 rebound effort in a win against the Clippers where the rookie shot 6-12 from the field while splashing three 3PTers. Utah looks poised to make another playoff push, the only question for Hayward is whether he’ll have any part in it.
 Paul George: Indiana Pacers: B-
The new calendar year has been kind to the rookie forward out of Fresno State. George exploded up draft boards last summer before Larry Bird and the Indiana Pacers selected him 10th overall. George’s cumulative stats aren’t as impressive as one would hope but his 7.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG make him a serviceable body off the bench for Indiana. The Pacers front office continues to rave about George’s athleticism and his streaky scoring ability. The youngster scored 15 points or more four times during January and looks to stake claim to even more of a role under interim head coach Frank Vogel.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
Leave a comment and let us know, or hit us up on Twitter @TheFantasyFix. Don't forget to use our Quick Fix for any questions about your fantasy lineups or tradesTags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Conor Gereg, John Wall, Evan Turner, Derrick Favors, Wesley Johnson, DeMarcus Cousins, Ekpe Udoh, Greg Monroe, Al-Farouq Aminu, Gordon Hayward, Paul George
 Over the past 25 NBA seasons, only six players have staked claim as members of one of the game’s most statistical groups: the 40/50/90 club. What makes this club so exclusive is that only six players in the past 2 ½ decades have shot 40 percent from 3PT, 50 percent from the floor, and 90 percent from the charity stripe.
Even some of the game’s most heralded shooters have failed to reach the 40-50-90 threshold. Household names like Ray Allen, Jerry West, Glen Rice, Chris Mullin, and Alex English have all led notably iconic careers but even these sharpshooters fail to match the extraordinary stat line known by a select few.
The members of this exclusive statistical club include Larry Bird (‘86,’87), Mark Price (‘88), Reggie Miller (‘93), Steve Nash (2005,2007,2008), Jose Calderon (2007), and Dirk Nowitzki (2008) and with the final months of the season approaching, a handful of players find themselves in contention for a place among the 40-50-90.
In this 2010-2011 season, a few players have made their presence known as elite level shooters though they may again fall short. Among this short list of sharpshooters is Minnesota’s Luke Ridnour, who has long been one of the game’s premier marksmen since entering the professional ranks from the University of Oregon in 2003.
Ridnour’s 91 percent from FT, 44 percent from 3PT, and 47 percent from FG makes the veteran guard a prime candidate to join the club. Considered one of the league’s streakiest shooters, Ridnour has started all of Minnesota’s games since November 24th while boasting over 31 minutes of nightly playing time.
Along with Ridnour, Phoenix’s Steve Nash will again contend for another lights-out shooting season. Nash’s 92 percent FT, 41 percent 3PT, and 53 percent FG, place the former MVP among the NBA’s most likely to again crest the 40-50-90 threshold. Nash comes off a red-hot January that saw the 15-year veteran shoot a scalding 55 percent from the floor while torching opponents for 46 percent from 3PT and 95 percent from the free throw line.
Nash and Ridnour lead the pack skilled marksmen but there is however a second tier of young, skilled shooters making a push for the 40-50-90. Golden State’s Stephen Curry has become the go-to offensive option for the Warrior’s and in the process the 22-year-old has shot 94 percent FT, 42 percent from 3PT, and an impressive 48 percent collectively from the floor. Add to Curry’s stats a 2/1 assist-to-turnover ratio and 1.87 steals per game, together making Curry one of the game’s elite guards.
Behind Curry sits another sweet shooting young guard in D.J. Augustine whose 91 percent FT, 38 percent 3PT, and 44 percent FG place him among the upper echelon of the NBA’s point guards. Augustine has seemingly made the jump from a mid-level point guard to a floor leader who has proved to be able to distribute the ball (6.5 ASG) while punishing opponents with his consistent shooting touch. Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
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Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Conor Gereg, Steve Nash, Luke Ridnour, Stephen Curry, Larry Bird
 ↑ Ramon Sessions, PG – Cleveland Cavaliers
In an otherwise lost season for the Cavs, Ramon Sessions is seemingly one of the only bright spots (besides a slightly above average Antawn Jamison). In the midst of a 17 game losing streak, Sessions has stepped in as the starter and is embracing the role.
The former second round pick of the Heat (26th in ’07) has only 11 starts to his credit on the season, but has performed admirably considering the circumstances. As a starter, Sessions has a 12.7 PPG average and 4.4 assists…but wait, it gets better.
In the past six games, Coach Scott has rewarded Sessions with almost 34 minutes per game (besides the 11 minute aberration against Chicago on 1/22). And Sessions is rewarding the Cavs by averaging 19 PPG, 6.6 assists and almost four rebounds in those games.
For the month of January, Sessions averages currently sit at 14 PPG, 5.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds. He has scored in double digits in all but two of his team’s last 14 games. It’s hard to ask for more from an eight-win team at this stage of the game.
Sessions’ ownership rate has taken a remarkable leap to 55 percent and is projected to jump to 74 percent by next week. As impressive as this may be, owners are still hesitant to plug him into their starting lineup, with only 31 percent doing so. While there isn’t much hope for the Cavs this season, Sessions is turning heads and proving to be a vital part of the post-Lebron rebuilding era in Cleveland.
 ↑ Mario Chalmers, PG – Miami Heat
Let’s move on from the point guard who would have been dishing assists to LeBron to the one who actually will, at least going forward. Mario Chalmers has also been anointed as the starting point guard of his NBA squad.
Chalmers has actually been on the receiving end of a decent amount of playing time of late, so this announcement by the Heat is hardly more than a formality. In fact, since the beginning of December, Chalmers has averaged at least 26 minutes per game.
In his two official starts this season, Chalmers has a 12.0 PPG average along with 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Furthermore, in the Heat’s last five games, Chalmers has averaged 11.2 PPG, 3.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds. In addition, Super Mario has been contributing almost three 3-pointers made per game on 41 percent shooting from downtown.
While Chalmers will not light it up on most nights, he can be a decent contributor across multiple categories at any given time. He’s only owned in 9 percent of CBS leagues with a projected jump to 23 percent next week. That’s still low enough that he will fly under the radar. However, a few stand-out performances and he will surely get noticed quick, especially playing alongside D-Wade, C-Bosh and LeBron.
 ↓ Richard Jefferson, SF – San Antonio Spurs
It’s difficult to find fault with a first place team playing .844-ball and leading the NBA with 38 wins. But, if we had to look somewhere, it’s easy to point to Richard Jefferson and his disappointing play for the Spurs.
In a head-scratcher of a move, San Antonio committed $28 million over three years with an $11 million player option in ’13-’14 to Jefferson. This was his reward for averaging 12.3 PPG (with no significant contribution in any other category) in his first full season for the Spurs .
In return, Jefferson is averaging 12.2 PPG, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season. And, there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel as his numbers continue to slip. R.J. is averaging 8.6 PPG in January on 42 percent shooting. He’s put up eight games of single-digit scoring and even mixed in a goose egg against his old team, Milwaukee on 1/12.
I ask you this: Why pay a shooting forward a large chunk of change if he can’t shoot or score?? He’s still owned in 71 percent of CBS leagues but starting in only 24 percent. It’s difficult to imagine that he will have a renaissance this season after seeing him for the last one+ season in San Antonio. Sorry R.J., but you don’t belong on a fantasy roster any longer.
 And the Goat Award goes to...
This edition of the Stock Watch’s Goat Award goes out to the Detroit Pistons, as a whole. This once proud organization, which beat the Lakers convincingly in five games in 2004 to win the NBA championship has officially hit rock bottom.
After coming off a 27-win season, the Pistons currently sit at 17-28, only better than the Cavs in the Central Division. Their two high-priced free agent imports – Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva (signed to a total of $90 million in ’09) are combining for a whopping 24 PPG. The Pistons also added Chris Wilcox and brought back Ben Wallace for another tour of duty in ’09 (more money well spent). In addition, their ’09 first round pick Austin Daye is averaging 6.6 PPG on the season.
There have been persistent trade rumors surrounding Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton, but neither has been moved during this partial rebuilding process.
Management has allowed head coach John Kuester to completely obliterate Hamilton’s value by DNP’ing him for eight straight games. At least Prince has remained in the starting lineup and is averaging nearly 15 PPG, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
The time has come to completely tear the roster apart, trade whatever valuable pieces that remain, and completely rebuild around Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey. This is seemingly the only way to win back the fans in Detroit and to restore the franchise to its glory days. Mr. Dumars, I urge you to do this sooner than later.
Written by Rosti Satanovsky exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter@TheSportsFariah
Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball Advice, Fantasy Basketball, 2010, NBA, Stock Watch, Ramon Sessions, Mario Chalmers, Richard Jefferson, Detroit Pistons
 Cleveland Cavaliers’ owner Dan Gilbert may have been a bit aberrant when predicting that his depleted Cavs could contend, and possibly outperform LeBron James and the Miami Heat. After beginning the season at a respectable 4-3, the Cavs now sit nearly 20 games behind Central Division leader Chicago and the team has won only four games since their honorable November start.
With so few bright spots in Cleveland this season it’s far easier to point a finger at the players who haven’t performed up to expectations following the King’s departure. Point guard and floor leader Mo Williams, a consensus top 50 player entering the ’10-’11 season, has fallen well short of filling LeBron’s gaping void.
Since being acquired from Milwaukee in 2008, Williams has presented himself as one of the league’s most dynamic point guards while proving to be an effective and reliable second option for the Cavaliers. The ’10-’11 campaign has been a struggle now that the former Alabama Crimson Tide guard is expected to carry the weight of a diminished Cavaliers team and the burden of a downdraught basketball city.
Entering another week of play, Williams continues to post career lows shooting the ball from the field (38.7 FG percent) and posts career low free throw marks (82 percent) while heaving a grotesque 26.6 3PT percentage. Mo’s struggles on the offensive end have had reverberating affects causing the 29-year-old to strain at the defensive end of the floor and thus struggle to rebound (2.8 RPG), his lowest rate since 2005.
Part of the blame for William’s poor first half can be attributed to a nagging hip injury that forced him to leave a January 15th game against Denver after playing only five minutes. The Cavaliers have been cautious considering their paper thin depth and their investment in Williams who has two years remaining on his $51 MM contract.
The Cavaliers have seemingly hit rock-bottom and so has Williams. A healthy second half would go a long way to returning some value on a Mo Williams investment—and thus some wins for a desperate team. Considering his sustained track record and his ability to both score and distribute, Williams appears to be an ideal buy low candidate poised for an impressive spring.
 Moving forward in Portland
Brandon Roy’s surgery on both knees last week queued the arrival of Wesley Matthews as the beneficiary of newly bequeathed playing time. Averaging above 32 minutes nightly, Matthews has been something of a “Mc-Substitute”: All filler and no nutrition—a player who gets the playing time but posts deceptively ineffective statistics.
Matthews 16 points per contest looks great on paper but considering the heavy workload he’s seen while filling in for Roy, Matthews has failed to produce. His 1.6 assists is among league lows for the guards and his 3.1 rebounds per night is a disappointing accruement compared to that of Brandon Roy whose career rebound averages hover just below five rebounds per game.
Wes Matthews may have a handful of impressive scoring displays during December and January since being named the interim starter, but does however lack the consistency and overall peripheral production to place him among a the league’s elevated echelon of guards.
Portland will attempt to retool as the team looks to improve beyond their near .500 record. The Trail Blazers will need young Wes Matthews to provide his best Brandon Roy impression in order for his team to have any shot at playing into late April.
 The Clock is ticking in Memphis
The tribulations of O.J. Mayo in Memphis have been well documented during this 2010-2011 season, the worst of the 23-year-old guard’s career. After beginning the first 13 games of the season in a starting role, Mayo has since seen his role reduced and struggled to find his offensive groove off the bench. His 12.5 PPG this season are the lowest of his career and have triggered swirling trade rumors that would send the former third overall draft pick somewhere where he could see more playing time.
Mayo’s shooting rates are slightly below where we’re accustomed to seeing them which leads one to believe that O.J.’s down season is nothing more than the result of seeing less playing time. The former USC Trojan is far too talented to continue his low first half production into the late winter months and ultimately making Mayo a buy low possibility.
Memphis is loaded with a litany of players who require the ball in order to succeed: Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley. The trade deadline swap to send Mayo elsewhere would again open new opportunities for Mayo to display his potential in what is currently an overcrowded array of scorers in Memphis.
Following an early January quarrel on the team’s flight over unpaid debt from a card game with teammate Tony Allen, it appears that moving O.J. Mayo would be in best interest for both the Grizzlies and Mayo fans. At only 23, there is still plenty of reason to believe that Mayo has yet to reach his ceiling.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
Leave a comment and let us know, or hit us up on Twitter @TheFantasyFix. Don't forget to use our Quick Fix for any questions about your fantasy lineups or trades.Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Blog, NBA, Hoops, Conor Gereg, Mo Williams, Brandon Roy, Wesley Matthews, O.J. Mayo
 ↑ Greg Monroe, C – Detroit Pistons
This week the spotlight shines bright on a rookie center playing for the lowly Detroit Pistons. Monroe was taking a back seat to the 36-year-old Ben Wallace and his 3.2 points/6.5 rebounds per game average. That is, until Big Ben went down with an ankle injury.
Monroe promptly stepped in and has been taking advantage of the extra playing time with Wallace’s absence. He posted four straight double-doubles highlighted by his 16 point/13 rebound performance versus the Sixers last Saturday.
His FG percentage has been on the rise since December as well as his minutes played. In fact, he’s averaging a season-high 33 minutes/game in January after seeing increases each of the past two months. He’s also almost doubled his scoring and rebounding averages from December to January to a season high of 11.3 PPG and 9.1 rebounds/game this month.
The ex-Hoya had a polished game for a big man which is a major reason Detroit made him their seventh overall pick. After a rocky start to the season, Mr. Monroe is starting to pay dividends for the Pistons. He’s proving to be an integral part of the Pistons upcoming youth movement and rebuilding process.
Last week Monroe was owned in only 20 percent of CBS leagues, but he tops the list of the most added players and his ownership has already risen to 51 percent. By next week, he is projected to be owned by 77 percent. So, strike while the iron is hot because it appears that young Greg Monroe has arrived.
 ↑ Ryan Anderson, PF – Orlando Magic
Ryan Anderson is making it easy for the Magic to forget about Rashard Lewis and his bloated contract which was banished to Washington last month. Since that point, Anderson has become an integral part of Stan Van Gundy’s front court rotation.
In Anderson’s last twelve games, he’s averaged over 20 minutes and has scored in double digits in all but two of them. In the new year, he’s averaging 13 PPG along with 6 rebounds. What’s even more impressive is that he’s shooting 44 percent from three-point range while allowing the Magic to spread the court…similar to how Lewis used to, but for a lot less money. Anderson has also mixed in a handful of assists, steals and blocks making him a contributor across multiple fantasy categories on any given night.
The former first round pick of the New Jersey Nets was sent packing to Orlando in the Vince Carter dump, err trade in ‘09. Ironically, since that trade, the Nets have searched high and low for a quality PF. Meanwhile, Orlando was thought to have a glut of front court players, until their recent roster makeover when they traded Marcin Gortat and Lewis, leaving them with little front-court depth.
Anderson has quietly been making his case to wrestle the starting PF spot from Brandon Bass. And at this point, even though Bass still is the starter, the minutes are being split almost 50-50. It makes sense to jump on the Anderson bandwagon now while he’s owned in only 15 percent of CBS leagues.
 ↓ Jonny Flynn, PG – Minnesota Timberwolves
To say that Jonny Flynn has struggled in his sophomore season would be a tremendous understatement of his on-court performance to date. After missing the first 24 games of the season, he has returned to very little fanfare in Minnesota.
Jonny has played in only 16 games and eclipsed twenty minutes a whopping two times. He’s scored in single-digits in every game except for two. In January he has scored 23 points TOTAL for a 3.3 PPG average on 23.5 percent shooting. There really are no significant contributions from Flynn to be found, fantasy or reality.
The 2009 first round pick (6th) is still being shown some respect by fantasy owners with 51 percent holding onto him in CBS leagues. The flipside of that is he’s only being started by 4 percent, for obvious reasons. It’s best to avoid the ugly situation in the land of 10,000 guards.
 ↓ Kenyon Martin, PF – Denver Nuggets
What can be said about Kenyon and the albatross known as his contract which pays him $16 MM in its final year? After a promising start to his career, Martin has been besieged by injuries during his tenure in Denver.
This season, of course has been no different. After missing the first 26 games of the season, K-Mart suited up for only ten of the next 14 games. He’s averaging 5.9 PPG and 4.4 rebounds and playing only 18.4 minutes per game. If you’re looking for any silver lining in his stats, I guess you can point to his 51.9 percent shooting from the field.
It’s very unfortunate when a player is robbed of his athleticism and his career is derailed by injury after injury. But, there is no doubt that Denver’s front office will be very pleased to see Martin ride off into the sunset and clear his contract off the books once the season is over.
 And the Goat Award goes to...
This edition of the Stock Watch’s Goat Award goes out to the Zen Master himself, Phil Jackson. Yes, I know he is the second Laker to receive this prestigious award. But I can promise you, I’m not picking on them just because I’m a Celtics fan.
I’ve followed the career of Mr. Jackson for many years and have seen him amass every one of his championship rings with the Bulls and Lakers. I have nothing but the utmost respect for him as a coach.
However, it seems this year Jackson is coming off as a grumpy old man. He has a certain aura of negativity surrounding him, whether it’s feuding through the media, with Ron Artest or Mark Cuban; or losing games to teams they should beat handily.
They’ve already had two bad losses (Memphis, LAC) sandwiching a seven game winning streak, and that’s just in 2011. For the elite team they’re supposed to still be, they also lost to Milwaukee and Miami at home (by 19 and 16 respectively) and then to San Antonio by 15 in December.
I know, I know, the Lakers are still in first and do have 30-12 record on the season, tied for 3rd best overall in the NBA. It’s just that we’re not seeing the same swagger from Phil Jax and the Lakers we’re used to seeing. Maybe it has to do with him finally being fed up by dealing with the likes of Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum??
Written by Rosti Satanovsky exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter@TheSportsFariah
Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball Advice, Fantasy Basketball, 2010, NBA, Stock Watch, Greg Monroe, Ryan Anderson, Jonny Flynn, Kenyon Martin, Phil Jackson
 Rashard Lewis The story of Antawn Jamison is analogous to that of Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, or even Patrick Ewing: veteran players who have sojourned city to city in pursuit of a coveted NBA ring. In 2004 Jamison joined a talented Dallas Maverick team but failed to secure a title and was again disappointed by a series of early playoff exits as a Washington Wizard. Last season Jamison looked to have finally scored it big: a role as LeBron James’ sidekick and a likely beneficiary of a title. Instead, James left for greener pastures in Miami and Jamison is left carry the brunt of the load for a dismal Cavaliers team.
After a mid-January loss Jamison told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “It can’t get any worse than this,” following an embarrassing 112-57 loss against the Lakers. “If it is, y’all going to have to help me. I don’t know how much of this I can take. This, by far, is the bottom.”
Jamison’s Cleveland team looks to have hit the bottom but the veteran forward has continued to produce despite his team capsizing. Since the calendar turned to 2011 Jamison has posted multiple 30 point performances while logging nearly 40 minutes nightly. Without LeBron James, Jamison has shot the ball with more regularity and is attempting a career high of nearly five three pointers a game. Should the Cavaliers develop some semblance of cohesion this winter, it will surely be on the back of Jamison.
Who could have imagined that a mid-December trade to one of the NBA’s basement teams would awaken veteran star Rashard Lewis? Prior to being dealt from Orlando, Lewis had yet to log a double-figure rebounding performance but now as a Wizard Lewis has posted four in the past 15 days. For those who dispel the power of a change of scenery, Lewis has been the poster child for players looking to bounce back from a sluggish start.
Since playing in the Capital City Lewis has seen more floor time (38 MPG) than he had with Orlando and consequently his scoring output has also surged beyond the meager 11.5 PPG he posted in a Magic uniform.
Part of the newfound success for Lewis has been predicated on his adaptability in playing with star rookie point guard John Wall. “When you’re getting stops, you can run out and John (Wall) is pushing the ball, the defense collapses in the paint,” Lewis told Y! sports, “[I’m] wide-open on the perimeter.” For as long has Lewis gets open looks on the perimeter, the savvy forward will continue to give Washington the veteran presence they desperately need while contributed in all facets of the game.
Jamal Crawford’s season high 36 point explosion Wednesday against the Raptors is a fitting exclamation point on what has been a dominant stretch for one of the NBA’s premier combination guards. Crawford has seemingly found his groove and proved to be the catalyst for his surging Hawks team in the highly contested Southeast division. While his season averages are proportionately lower than his career production, Crawford has embraced the New Year and is one the league’s top scorers. Following a recent Atlanta win, Hawks’ star Joe Johnson said of Crawford, “He’s a guy who can really heat up and score in bunches.”
Crawford has done much more than merely score in bunches. The 30 year old has been on a torrid pace when shooting from the floor (45%) and his assist production is among the NBA’s elite from players off the bench. “When you’ve got guys like that coming off the bench,” Johnson said, “you’re a tough team to beat.” Expect Atlanta to stay hot amid winter’s chill for as long as head coach Larry Drew continues to allot Crawford minutes and opportunities to fill up the nightly box score.
Written by Conor Gereg exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com.
Leave a comment and let us know, or hit us up on Twitter @TheFantasyFix. Don't forget to use our Quick Fix for any questions about your fantasy lineups or trades.
Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Blog, NBA, Hoops, Antawn Jamison, Cleveland, Rashard Lewis, Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, John Wall, Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks, Conor Gereg
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