Tony Battie Dunk vs. Atlanta

Yes, Battie could really play at one point. With his rotator cuff surgery likely ending his 07-08 season prematurely, Rashard Lewis will see enough time at PF for Orlando to gain eligibility there in most leagues. Bump 'Shard up a few spots on your draft list as a result. If he stays healthy he should be in for a monster season.

Debbie Downers Of The NBA

A few days ago I wrote a blog about the Wild and Crazy Guys of the NBA, using the old Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd Saturday Night Live skit as inspiration. If you missed it you can check it out by clicking HERE. Today I will continue with the SNL theme by detailing the “Debbie Downers” of the league.

For those of you who aren’t big SNL fans, Debbie Downer (pictured above) is a character played by Rachel Dratch who constantly has something negative to say. Even when everyone around her is having a great time she finds a way to bring them down. In the NBA there are Wild and Crazy Guys who are fun to watch and have on your fantasy team, but there are also Debbie Downers, who suck the life out of the game and make watching them a chore. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t produce on the court, as many of them do. So I’m certainly not saying don’t draft these guys just because they aren’t as fun as the rest. You can win with them (well, most of them), you just won’t have as much fun as you would with a bunch of Wild and Crazy Guys on your team.

So here are the Debbie Downers of the NBA:

5. Jermaine O’Neal: Is there a bigger downer than having your big man shoot 43% from the field? Absolutely. Said big man can then become injury (and suspension) prone, playing an average of only 55 games over the last 3 seasons. JO has the ability to be a fantasy stud, but his percentages and injuries make him a big time party killer for your squad.
   

4. Danny Granger: Yes, that’s 2 Pacers in a row. And yes again, Granger is the guy that I recommended as my #1 sleeper pick this year. However, those who have seen Granger play know that he can be frustrating for owners with his passive nature. He likes to float on the perimeter and wait for the ball to get kicked out to him behind the arc, which means that he can go for long periods of time without accumulating any stats. Of course he usually ends putting up good numbers, but because he can be so frustrating to watch he has to be a downer.
   

3. Raja Bell/Manu Ginobili/Anderson Varejao etc: I, like many other NBA fans, absolutely hate flopping. So it’s a major downer to have to cheer for the worst of the worst when comes to the disgraceful art. Guys like Bell, Manu, and Varejao are unfortunately making a living off of their acting and deceiving skills. While sometimes I love the stats they put up their style of play makes me long for the days when NBA players could be more physical. Someone going Kevin McHale vs. Kurt Rambis on one of those guys would be poetic justice.
   

2. Tim Duncan: Hey, they don’t call him the Big Fun just because of his fundamentals. Duncan is so emotionless that the sight of him laughing made Danny Crawford kick him out of the game. Of course, it was a bad call, but I have to sympathize with Crawford a little. After all, it’s human nature to fear what is unfamiliar to us. Duncan will put up solid stats, but his infamous free throw percentage will drag you down like Kevin Federline did to Britney…or was it the other way around? Of course, what makes things worse is that you know on any other team Duncan would be capable of putting up stats that would make it worth taking on his free throw %, but on the Spurs he won’t get enough minutes. When all is said and done Timmay will be one of if not the best 4 to ever play the game, but on your fantasy squad he is about as exciting as watching paint peel.

1. Shaq O’Neal: At one point Shaq was the most dominant player in the league, capable of taking over games and making every other center in the league look like a JV player. Now the years of poor conditioning and weight problems have taken their toll. Shaq was always a free throw concern, but now he is also a guarantee to miss 20+ games every season and his numbers in every other category are slipping as well. At this point he really isn’t playable in most roto leagues. Perhaps the worst part about seeing the aging giant fade away is thinking about the potential that he never lived up to. Yes, even with 4 rings, one can’t help but think that if Shaq had the drive and work ethic of a player like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant he would be unquestionably the best center of all time. Having him on your team is a constant reminder of that fact, making Shaq the biggest Debbie Downer in the league.

Ok, everyone nice and depressed now? Hey, cheer up, the NBA season is just a few weeks away, and NBA.com will be showing a few pre-season games this weekend for those who need a little appetizer.

Next up for the Unpossiblog, I will break down the PG sleeper trio of Mike Conley Jr, Rajon Rondo, and Randy Foye. Look for that sometime Thursday evening.

-unposs

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The Resurrection Of Jamaal Tinsley

After getting a big vote of confidence from his new coach Jim O'Brien, Jamaal Tinsley could very well be on the path towards resurrecting his once promising career. Tinsley will start at PG for the Pacers this season and should be a good source of threes, assists, and steals, although his field goal percentage will likely remain low. A few seasons ago he averaged 6.5 assists, 1.5 threes, 15.4 points, and a whopping 2 steals per game. Of course, he only managed to play in 40 games that season, but the potential to put up solid numbers is still there. If he can stay healthy the coaching change in Indiana just might bring him back to fantasy relevance. For now bump him up a few spots on your draft list and keep an eye on how he does in pre-season games.


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Tales From Training Camp

All sorts of fantasy relevant training camp news came out yesterday and today:

• Kobe Bryant will be with the Lakers this season, and is happy that they tried to make a trade over the summer even though they were not succesful. If the Lakers don't get something done by next summer things might be different, but for right now Kobe is in the purple and gold armor and will be a fantasy monster once again.
  

• Dwyane Wade has no timetable for his return. While the optimistic opinion says that he will only miss the first two weeks of the season, there are rumors that he won't be back on the court until December. Pat Riley swears that the timetable for him to return is mid-November, but also says that they are going to be cautious with the injury. Wade's current top 15 draft position may end up being a little too high.

• Amare Stoudemire is having knee surgery...again. No, it's not a joke. Amare had successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee (not the microfracture one). Fortunately in this day and age the kind of surgery he is getting only takes a few weeks to recover from and really isn't too big of a deal. Kobe Bryant did the same thing last year and was his typical self. Don't let this scare you out of drafting the big man in the first round.
  

• Ben Wallace gets to wear his headband again. He got pulled from two games last season for wearing it because the Bulls have a ban on the band. However, they decided that this season they will make an exception for Big Ben's band. There was a time when Ben was a late second or early third round pick, but even his headband isn't going to bring him back to those levels again.
  

• Stephen Jackson got a new tattoo on his chest...of praying hands holding a gun (see picture above). Yes, the same Stephen Jackson who is suspended for the first 7 games of the season as a result of an incident stemming from him firing a gun into the air outside a strip club in Indy. He said, "I pray I never have to use it again". A little on the nose don't you think? As for his fantasy value, Jackson should have a solid season with the Warriors and is worthy of a late pick, but just remember that he will miss those first 7 games.
  

• Sean May is missing training camp to see an orthopedic surgeon about his right knee. He is seeing Dr. James Andrews, who is the best in the business at treating athletes. If his knee continues to be an issue it could mean an increase in playing time for Walter Hermann, as he could see minutes backing up both Emeka Okafor at the PF spot and Primoz Brezec at C.
  

• Stephon Marbury has been steadily descending into strange territory with his behavior. He has given several interviews over the summer that can only be described as bizarre. The Isiah Thomas trial (Isiah and MSG were found guilty, in case you didn't already know) could have a big impact on Marbury in particular since it was revealed during the trial that he had sex with an MSG intern in the back of his truck in 05. One can only wonder if we are watching a former superstar self destruct on a level that we are usually accustomed to only seeing Brittney, Lohan, Paris at. Hopefully Starbury pulls through this rough patch, but make sure you have a backup option ready at PG this season.
  

• Shawn Marion still wants out of Phoenix. However, he isn't going to talk about it anymore. Busting out his trademark double negative, Marion said, "I don't want to be bothered by this no more,"It sounds like the Suns aren't willing to let the Matrix out though, so he should still have plenty of value this year.

• Bellinelli may start at SG for the Warriors. This could potentially have a big impact on Monta Ellis' value this season. Of course, this could just be a motivational tactic that Nellie is using on Ellis, but you have to bump Monta down a round or two regardless. While doing so, Bellinelli should be moved up a round. He is still a rookie and may falter (remember Devin Harris started the first few games over JET Terry his rookie season) but if the minutes are there Bellinelli has the potential to be a solid contributor.
  

Wow, I could barely keep up with all of the news today! Check back later for my "Debbie Downers" of the NBA.

-unposs

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Wild And Crazy Guys

There are people out there who will tell you that there are more important things in life than winning. Those people say that because they’re losers. However, there is something to be said for having fun too. After all, very few of us would be willing to put in the amount of time that we do if fantasy basketball wasn’t fun.

Over the past month from perusing the various fantasy sites I have seen a countless number of rankings, strategies, and projections. What I don’t see a lot of, however, is experts taking the time to stop and discuss which players are flat out the most fun to own. I am going to try to fill that void today.

Before I do though I want to talk a little bit about NBA League Pass, aka the greatest thing ever. If you have the means I highly recommend getting NBA League Pass. Being able to watch every game of every player on your fantasy squad makes the game exponentially more enjoyable. It’s definitely worth the price, especially if you get in before the season starts and get an early bird rate.

The title of this post and picture are a homage to the Saturday Night Live skit "Two Wild and Crazy Guys" starring Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin. They were essentially the predecessors to the Butabi Brothers (Night At the Roxbury) and had one of the best skits of their era. Let's take a look at the "Wild and Crazy Guys" of the NBA today.

1. Gilbert Arenas: Arenas is, quite possibly, the most entertaining player in the league on and off the court. He is such an oddball off the court that you almost forget about what a talent he is on it. Who wouldn’t want a guy on their fantasy team that has the cajones to jack up a deep 3 for the win then turn around and start celebrating before the ball has gone in? It’s that “I can’t be stopped” attitude that makes Gilbert a ton of fun to watch, and the most entertaining player in basketball.

2. Dwight Howard: Does anyone remember the game “Slamball” that was on Spike TV a few years ago (back when they were TNN)? Basically the game tried to mix football, street basketball, and trampolines. Heavily padded players would go flying off of the trampolines and try to throw down the nastiest dunks that they could while roughing each other up with hard checks and physical play on the ground. Well, Dwight pretty much plays Slamball, except in the NBA. Oh, and he doesn’t need a trampoline. Just try not to focus on the fact that his free throw percentage is dragging your team down in the process.

3. Dwyane Wade: If you are a basketball purist you are likely offended by the number of calls Wade and others get by flinging themselves into defenders and then over-dramatizing the impact. While floppers may draw the ire of many fans, fantasy players love seeing their top free throw shooters get to the line. In addition to that, Wade will usually provide a few high light reel dunks along with some nice passes that makes him fun to watch. If you are watching for the love of the game though it’s best to avoid him, especially if you have high blood pressure already.

4. Kobe Bryant: He has the potential on any given night to go off and drop some ridiculous number of points on any opponent. When you have him on your fantasy team and he drops 81 on somebody it’s a very good day. What really makes Kobe fun to watch is that he scores all of these points (and gets assists, steals, boards, threes, free throw %) while shooting shots that no mortal should be able to make. He is one of the few players in the league who is truly unstoppable when he gets going.

5. Josh Smith: Check out the video I posted HERE for his credentials. J-Smoove is one of if not the most athletic player in the league, and will provide you with a ton of great dunks and blocks. Unfortunately, he has the tendency to not pick up his game until after the All Star Break. If he can finally live up to his potential all year he will justify his current second round average draft spot and then some. He alone is reason to never miss a Hawks game.

6. Steve Nash: Yes, people will call foul at Nash being a two-time MVP, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a ton of fun to watch. Even when he was with Dallas I considered Nash to be the most entertaining point guard in the league because of his creative passing. In particular, his one handed bounce passes while on the break are a thing of beauty. And his brilliance leads to…

7. Amare Stoudemire: Like Dwight Howard, Amare seems to enjoy dunking on people. When you combine his athleticism with Nash’s pinpoint passes you get an awe-inspiring display of talent and sheer power. When he is on your team you just sit back and watch your FG % climb with every dunk. Not to mention the fact that Amare shoots free throws at 80%. Oh, did I mention he can shoot the three now too?

8. Kirk Hinrich: For the old-fashioned player in us all. Captain Kirk plays that gritty, in your face defense that you can’t help but admire. Add to that his solid ball handling skills and three point shooting and you have a guy who is a lot of fun to watch. Just make sure you change the channel quickly when he is having an off night. When he’s cold he is freezing.... as in 4 for 17 from the field. It was nights like these that in past seasons had me putting Hinrich on my “least fun” list, but these days the good nights far outnumber the bad.

9. Allen Iverson: Yep, AI can still entertain with the best of them. And now that his FG % is respectable he can be just plain fun to watch for fantasy owners and casual fans alike. It’s still a wonder that someone so small can be so effective in the land of the giants.

10. Vince Carter: Yes, the way he got out of Toronto was shady to say the least. VC can still get up though, and will prove plenty of dunks that will make you oohh and ahh. Besides, anybody who can do this has to be on the list:

So there you have it. If you draft any of these guys and NBA League Pass is a must have. They will wow you with their skills, horrify you with their behavior, or leave you awestruck with their athleticism. Fantasy basketball is all about winning, but there are a few players who can help you win and have fun too.

Look for part two of this series continuing the SNL theme with the "Debbie Downers" of the NBA.

-unposs