DAILY BASKETBALL HOOPS
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By InsideHoops.com | 2008-09
In fantasy basketball, fans join a fantasy basketball league, learn that league's rules, and draft a custom team of real NBA players. Success of a fantasy basketball league team depends on the success of the team's real-life NBA players. InsideHoops.com provides daily fantasy basketball news. Also, post on the InsideHoops fantasy basketball forum, where you and other fantasy basketball players get and give advice on players, your team and fantasy strategy.
Daily Fantasy Basketball News
By InsideHoops.com
MONDAY, MARCH 16 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Devin Harris (Nets) hurt his shoulder. If it's a real injury, Keyon Dooling's fantasy basketball value skyrockets... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) has been on fire lately, but will be suspended for one game due to too many technicals... Vince Carter (Nets) went nutty yesterday, but these days that usually means he'll be quiet for a game or two... Allen Iverson (Pistons) could be back at the end of this week. He'll come off the bench, though Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton's value will drop a bit anyway... Chris Duhon (Knicks) will barely play lately while he heals up. Nate Robinson will get more minutes... Steve Novak (Clippers) had a real game, but it's almost surely just a fluke... Matt Barnes (Suns) has been hot lately, but the Suns have had some massive scoring games so almost everyone on that team has inflated points and assists lately... JJ Redick (Magic) is getting legit bench minutes lately... Samuel Dalembert (76ers) is blocking shots like crazy lately... Andris Biedrins (Warriors) is out at least one week with an ankle sprain.
Some hot fantasy basketball centers worth noticing lately are Shaquille O'Neal (Suns), who is playing some of his best ball lately, Al Horford (Hawks), who appears stronger and even more rugged since returning from injury, Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), who is stepping up lately, and Joakim Noah (Bulls), who is hitting the boards hard. As for fantasy hoops forwards, Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) is dropping 29 ppg this last week or so, Antawn Jamison (Wizards) is putting up huge stats lately, Troy Murphy (Pacers) is scoring and rebounding, and Matt Barnes (Lakers) is on a hot streak. As for guards, Russell Westbrook (Thunder) is rocking the whole stat-sheet lately, Jarrett Jack (Pacers) is shining, and Andre Miller (76ers) is dropping 25 ppg this last week along with his usual assists and rebounds... Amare Stoudemire (Suns) won't return this season, even for the playoffs, reports the Arizona Republic... Drew Gooden has signed with the Spurs. He could be good for around 10-12 points and maybe 7 rebounds. Obviously it depends on the minutes he gets... Joe Smith has signed with the Cavaliers. He could be good for maybe 6 points and 6 rebounds.
WEDNESDAY, FEB 11 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Amare Stoudemire (Suns) trade rumors will continue until the deadline, but his value will remain the same no matter where he goes... Vladimir Radmanovic (Bobcats) may have more value on Charlotte than many expected... Hot fantasy basketball centers lately, aside from the usual top superstars: Mehmet Okur (Jazz) continues to do big things while key teammates are out injured. Brook Lopez (Nets) is hot and will probably stay that way all season, and maybe forever. Ronny Turiaf (Warriors) is getting more minutes while Andris Biedrins is out. Matt Bonner (Spurs) is putting big stats up lately, but that probably won't continue, even as his minutes stay up. Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Troy Murphy (Pacers) is stepping up, though Mike Dunleavy being hurt meant more shots had to go to somebody. Zach Randolph (Clippers) is dominating lately in points, rebounds and field goal percentage. Hot fantasy hoops guards: Kevin Durant (Thunder) is going nutty lately. Richard Hamilton (Pistons) has adjusted to his bench role and is basically still worth what a good starter is... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) is going crazy lately.
THURSDAY, FEB 5 FANTASY BASKETBALL
OJ Mayo (Grizzlies) is rocking even harder than usual lately. He's a fantasy basketball star for good... Hot fantasy basketball playerslately, aside from the usual top superstars: Brook Lopez (Nets) continues to do as well as InsideHoops.com has predicted he would. Stephen Jackson (Warriors) is stepping up. Al Harrington (Knicks) is tossing up big point totals lately. Tyrus Thomas (Bulls) is playing better. Devin Harris (Nets) is doing as well as he had been earlier in the season. Randy Foye (Timberwolves) has been good for a while now... Tyronn Lue was traded from the Bucks to the Magic, where he'll play backup point guard to Anthony Johnson, who starts in place of Jameer Nelson, who may be done for the entire season... Keith Bogans, who Lue was traded for, could have value on the Bucks with Michael Redd being out. watch their rotation closely... Elton Brand (76ers) continues to play hurt... Antonio McDyess (Pistons) has a bigger role on the team these days, and local reports say he may become a starter, though minutes matter far more than whether a player starts or not... Are the Suns going to give up on Amare Stoudemire? People are talking... Deron Williams (Jazz) is back tonight... Jermaine O'Neal (Raptors) went block-crazy yesterday, with nine.
THURSDAY, JAN. 29 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Andrei Kirilenko (Jazz) needs foot surgery. It hasn't been said how long he may be out, but we randomly guess it should be a few weeks... Marcus Camby (Clippers) is back in action. He'll start off slow at first and then pick things up... Elton Brand (76ers) went shot-blocking crazy yesterday. Keep an eye on him and give him about two weeks to adjust to being back. And watch see if he affects Andre Iguodala's stats... Kirk Hinrich (Bulls) remains inconsistent... Greg Oden (Blazers) appears to be ready to consistently put up double-doubles... Eddie House (Celtics) is going three-point crazy... Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavaliers) should be back any game now... Derrick Rose (Bulls) has been falling off the last two months... Richard Hamilton (Pistons) is day-to-day. He's also limited now that he's being used off the bench. But the rotation could change... Baron Davis (Clippers) is back, but he was total garbage yesterday.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Monta Ellis (Warriors) is playing, for the first time this season. Jamal Crawford is hurt, but when healthy I assume he'll start alongside Ellis, with Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike in the ridiculously undersized frontcourt, along with the usual starting center, Andris Biedrins... Hot fantasy basketball centers, aside from the usual top stars: Andrew Bynum (was his 42-point game a fluke?), Shaquille O'Neal, Andrea Bargnani (could continue as long as Jermaine O'Neal is out), Greg Oden (his numbers should keep fluctuating.. Hot fantasy hoops forwards: Al Thornton, Charlie Villanueva, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw, David Lee. Hot guards: Mike Conley, Kevin Durant (mainly due to one insane game, though), Anthony Parker (but Jose Calderon is now back so he'll steal stats), Mike Bibby (though he's had to score more with a few Hawks injuries), and Eric Gordon... The Suns are a mess lately, so while their stars will keep playing keep an eye on that situation... Kobe Bryant is dishing more assists lately... Danilo Gallinari (Knicks) may not play back-to-back games. But watch him, he may develop some fantasy basketball bench value someday... Yao Ming left yesterday's game with a sore knee. The Rockets are the walking wounded... Mike Conley (Grizzlies) is looking legit lately... Marcus Camby (Clippers) should finally be back in action any game now.
MONDAY, JAN. 19 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Here are recently-hot fantasy basketball centers. As always this is aside from the usual top stars at the position: Brad Miller (should stay pretty good all season), Brook Lopez (should keep progressing all season), Andrea Bargnani (as long as Jermaine O'Neal is out it seems like Bargnani will do big things - so watch for an O'Neal trade), Matt Bonner (he's on the Spurs, who could make a change at any time to improve their center spot)... Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Andre Iguodala (started the season slow but he's hot lately - but will Elton Brand's return throw things off?), David Lee (regular double-doubles), Shawn Marion (stepping up lately as trade rumors swirl), Jeff Green (the Thunder are playing well lately even when they lose)... And hot fantasy hoops guards: Jameer Nelson (has played well all season and should continue to do so), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons rotation could change, watch it) and John Salmons (Kings)... Kendrick Perkins (Celtics) isn't returning just yet. He's still day-to-day... Luke Walton (Lakers) is returning to action... Elton Brand (76ers) is returning any day now... Jamaal Magloire (Heat) looked good. But until proven otherwise, it's a fluke... Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavaliers) should be back in about two weeks... Marcus Camby (Clippers) remains day-to-day... Anthony Parker (Raptors) had a huge game, but it was mainly due to Jose Calderon still being out.
SATURDAY, JAN. 17 FANTASY BASKETBALL
We're daily, once again. I promise. Maybe not seven days a week, but at least five or six... Here are hot fantasy basketball centers -- not including the obvious top stars like Yao Ming or Dwight Howard: Andrea Bargnani, Brad Miller, Brook Lopez, Jeff Foster... Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Danny Granger (at this point he's a fantasy basketball star and should stay that way forever), Andre Iguodala (playing like a star lately), David Lee (he got 21 rebounds yesterday), and Francisco Garcia... As for hot fantasy basketball guards: Mike Bibby, Jameer Nelson, Jamal Crawford and Luke Ridnour... Kobe Bryant put up a triple-double yesterday... Michael Redd scored 44 yesterday. He still looks slow, though... Antawn Jamison is all banged up, but playing... Zydrunas Ilgauskas should be back in a week... Jerryd Bayless had a huge game for the Trail Blazers a few days ago, but will continue to play behind Sergio Rodriguez.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Andrew Bynum (Lakers) continues to not step up, and was pretty lousy yesterday. Looks like his development as an NBA player will remain gradual... Fantasy basketball centers who are relatively hot lately (aside from the usual top stars): Brad Miller (Kings), Andrea Bargnani (Raptors - if your league calls him a center), Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Matt Bonner (Spurs), Anderson Varejao (Cavaliers)... Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Danny Granger (Pacers), Troy Murphy (Pacers), Nene (Nuggets), David Lee (Knicks), Boris Diaw (Bobcats)... Hot fantasy basketball guards: Kevin Martin (Kings), Eric Gordon (Clippers), Andre Miller (76ers), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons), Ben Gordon (Bulls), Randy Foye (Timberwolves)... Ron Artest (Kings) is banged up lately... DeShawn Stevenson (Wizards) is banged up... OJ Mayo (Grizzlies) is playing hurt lately. It could affect him... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) is out 2 weeks... John Salmons (Kings) lost fantasy basketball value when Kevin Martin returned... With Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) out for weeks, JR Smith and Linas Kleiza's fantasy hoops value improves.
THURSDAY, JAN. 1 FANTASY BASKETBALL
Anthony Parker (Raptors) is about to start getting more minutes... Kelenna Azubuike (Warriors) is stepping up lately... Andrea Bargnani (Raptors) went nuts yesterday. Consider it a fluke unless he starts putting real stats up regularly... Aside from the usual top stars, here are some hot fantasy basketball centers lately: Marcus Camby, Marc Gasol, Andris Biedrins, Brook Lopez, Al Horford, Andrew Bogut, Brad Miller... Hot forwards lately: Stephen Jackson, Jeff Green, Tayshaun Prince, Andrei Kirilenko, Hakim Warrick, Andray Blatche... Hot fantasy hoops guards lately: Jose Calderon, Kevin Durant, Devin Harris, OJ Mayo, Ben Gordon, Rodney Stuckey, Russell Westbrook... Jamal Crawford (Warriors) is extra inconsistent lately. Standard for Crawford as well as any Warriors... Charlie Villanueva (Bucks) is playing awful basketball lately.
TUESDAY, DEC. 30, 2008
The Pistons may make Allen Iverson or Richard Hamilton a sixth man sometime soon. This isn't definite. If this happens, Rodney Stuckey's value increases, and whoever the sixth man is goes down in value, though chances are the minutes distribution for those three players might remain in the same general ballpark... Kevin Garnett (Celtics) may start playing fewer minutes soon, in an effort to keep him fresh for the playoffs... Kevin Martin (Kings) should be back sometime soon... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) may be ready to step up, after a not too impressive start to the season. Keep an eye on him... Brandon Roy (Blazers) is banged up and day-to-day... Charlie Villanueva (Bucks) has been playing fewer minutes lately... Steve Nash (Suns) has back spasms and is day-to-day. This issue comes and goes every now and then. This isn't new... Eddy Curry (Knicks) is weeks away from returning, according to multiple reports. It's not clear how he'd fit into the run-and-gun Knicks style even when he's healthy, though... Fantasy basketball players who are hot lately, aside from the usual top stars at each position: Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Andris Biedrins (Warriors), Rasheed Wallace (Pistons), Brook Lopez (Nets), Aaron Gray (Bulls), Andrei Kirilenko (Jazz), Stephen Jackson (Warriors), Andray Blatche (Wizards), Jeff Green (Thunder), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Jose Calderon (Raptors), Derrick Rose (Bulls), Kyle Lowry (Grizzlies), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons).
SUNDAY, DEC. 28, 2008
Welcome to the return of InsideHoops.com's daily fantasy basketball tips... Richard Jefferson (Bucks) is in a slump lately. Keep an eye on that... These are the league's current hot centers (aside from the famous superstars who are always doing extremely well): Brook Lopez (Nets), Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Rasheed Wallace (Pistons), Kosta Koufos (Jazz - though this is mainly because both Boozer and Okur have been out) and Joel Przybilla (Trail Blazers). Hot forwards lately: Jermaine O'Neal (Pacers - may count as center), Rudy Gay (Grizzlies), Hakim Warrick (Grizzlies). Hot guards lately: Tony Parker (Spurs - always very good but even better lately), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Chauncey Billups (Nuggets - always good but even better than usual these days), Jameer Nelson (Magic), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons), and Keyon Dooling (Nets - just a bench player but stepping up lately)... Ramon Sessions (Bucks) has been decent all season... Brad Miller (Kings) has been stepping down, not up. He's still a versatile center who puts up plenty of stats, though... Jamaal Tinsley (Pacers) is still on the trading block, and if he ever found a starting job would have instant fantasy basketball value... Rashad McCants (Timberwolves) is putting up stats lately. Keep an eye on him... Mehmet Okur (Jazz) is still day-to-day... Luol Deng (Bulls) could miss around one week... Josh Smith (Hawks) still has a sore ankle which hasn't healed yet. He's playing through it. Hopefully it doesn't get worse... Kevin Martin (Kings) should be back soon, but the team doesn't know when.
MONDAY, DEC. 15, 2008
Al Harrington (Knicks) is hot lately... Mike Miller (Timberwolves) continues to not shoot enough... Trevor Ariza (Lakers) has been his team's best small forward... Kevin Durant (Thunder) is rebounding better lately... Craig Smith (Timberwolves) stepped up yesterday with 18 points on only 8 field goal attempts. He's scoring and rebounding lately... Pau Gasol (Lakers) continues to do big things... Russell Westbrook (Thunder) has struggled majorly lately, but the team won't give up on him anytime soon and he's still the superior fantasy basketball player to Earl Watson... Mike Beasley (Heat) scored 20 yesterday... Matt Bonner (Spurs) had a big game Sunday and actually has a little bit of fantasy basketball value... Kevin Love (Wolves) is rebounding like wild lately, but that's it... Carlos Boozer (Jazz) remains out and isn't returning just yet... Roy Hibbert (Pacers) started at center but that may not happen regularly, or again... Anderson Varejao (Cavaliers) is hot lately... Mehmet Okur (Jazz) is hot lately and has added pressure while Boozer is out... Jeff Foster (Pacers) has fantasy basketball value worth noticing... Rashard Lewis (Magic) is hot lately... LaMarcus Aldridge (Blazers) is doing big things lately... Zach Randolph (Clippers) is rocking lately... Mo Williams (Cavs) is a big-time fantasy basketball guard lately... James Posey (Hornets) went bonkers yesterday, nailing 6 threes for 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Consider it a fantasy fluke.
MONDAY, DEC. 8, 2008
Chris Duhon (Knicks) had another big game with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists against the Pistons. His fantasy basketball value should stay the same or rise a bit as the season progresses. But don't expect games like that on a constant basis... Luther Head (Rockets) has fantasy basketball value as long as Tracy McGrady is injured... Jermaine O'Neal (Raptors) put up a great fantasy basketball game yesterday with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks on good shooting. Wait for him to do that a few more times before taking it too seriously... Luke Ridnour (Bucks) continues to start at point guard, but backup Ramon Sessions appears to be the better fantasy basketball player. Both players were lousy yesterday against the Lakers, though... Michael Redd (Bucks) and Richard Jefferson (Bucks) were so bad yesterday that coach Scott Skiles barely played them and the other starters giving the bench big minutes. That's presumably a one-time thing... The Pistons may soon start Rodney Stuckey at point guard, going to a smaller lineup and possibly pushing Kwame Brown to the bench. Keep an eye on that... The Knicks continue to use a very short bench. Last night only two reserves got minutes. This makes their starters more valuable in fantasy hoops... Steve Blake (Trail Blazers) rocked the Raptors yesterday... Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) started at center and only shot 3-of-10, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. He could soon start averaging something like 12, 10 and 2, on better shooting, pretty soon... Ray Allen (Celtics) nailed 7 threes and had 35 points yesterday, though he contributed little else... Kevin Garnett (Celtics) grabbed 20 rebounds... Derek Fisher (Lakers) continues to dish very few assists considering he's a point guard. This isn't anything new... Hot lately: Marcus Camby (Clippers), Mehmet Okur (Jazz), Caron Butler (Wizards), Paul Millsap (Jazz), David Lee (Knicks), Andre Miller (76ers), Chris Duhon (Knicks).
TUESDAY, DEC. 2, 2008
Mike Miller (Timberwolves) had a big game with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. He's had an extremely quiet season so perhaps this is a sign of better things to come... Corey Brewer (Timberwolves) is out for the season. He was playing backup-level minutes, so this won't have a huge fantasy basketball impact. Rashad McCants should have increased value now, though... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) had 14 points and 14 assists. It was against the weak Wolves, though... Emeka Okafor (Bobcats) was also terrific with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks... Dwight Howard (Magic) continues to rebound and block like crazy... With injuries to the Magic backcourt, JJ Redick got 31 minutes, but all he was able to come up with was 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Anthony Johnson wasn't much better... Rajon Rondo (Celtics) keeps rocking, and for the season isn't scoring much but fills the entire stat-sheet quite nicely... Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavaliers) is hot lately. So is Al Horford (Hawks)... Danny Granger (Pacers) is one of the best fantasy basketball forwards lately. And Troy Murphy (Pacers) is hot, too... Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) is also rocking lately. And Russell Westbrook (Thunder) is picking things up over the last week.
SATURDAY, NOV. 29, 2008
Chris Bosh (Raptors) continues to dominate and yesterday had 30 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks. He's become a fantasy basketball superstar... Mike Bibby (Hawks) continues to score decently with 15.1 ppg but he continues to be very low on assists for a point guard... Eric Gordon (Clippers) is emerging... Andre Iguodala (76ers) isn't doing as badly as people think. Aside from low scoring, he's contributing nicely in multiple stat categories... Greg Oden (Blazers) rebounded decently yesterday but other than that he was junk. He may continue to play lousy for the near future, with occasional good games... Anthony Morrow (Warriors) continues to be used inconsistently by coach Don Nelson (that should not be a surprise). He played 18 minutes off the bench yesterday and did very little... Ben Wallace (Cavaliers) is playing around 24 minutes per game this season, grabbing 7 rebounds, blocking almost 2 shots, getting almost one steal, but not scoring or getting assists. The usual... Jose Juan Barea (Mavericks) had a very good passing game yesterday... Kevin Love (Timberwolves) is only shooting 34.8% this season and in 22 minutes per game is getting around 8 and 6... Dwyane Wade (Heat) is a top fantasy basketball superstar this season. It may continue all year... Jason Kidd (Nets) is putting up lots of double-doubles lately... Andrew Bynum (Lakers) had a foot issue but played great yesterday and appears fine... Tyson Chandler (Hornets) isn't playing well lately. He should recover, we assume... Jamaal Magloire (Heat) is back. Will that cut into Udonis Haslem's minutes? Magloire doesn't do much, but he still could get some run...
THURSDAY, NOV. 27, 2008
Deron Williams (Jazz) is finally back in action, and hopefully stays healthy for good this time. He came back too early last time... Allen Iverson (Pistons) skipped practice today and as a result may receive fewer minutes next game than usual. Other than that, it's no big deal... Carlos Boozer (Jazz) remains out injured... Andrew Bynum (Lakers) has a foot issue. It's probably not serious, but more will be known tomorrow... Kevin Martin (Kings) could be back this weekend. If you own him there's a good chance you can activate him for this coming week, but obviously wait for confirmation before doing so... Chris Kaman (Clippers) is playing hurt. It's almost always bad for fantasy basketball owners when a good player does this... Josh Boone (Nets) is still day-to-day, but Brook Lopez is playing so well in his place that the Nets should consider handing full minutes over to Lopez. That may not happen though as Boone isn't going down without a fight... Shane Battier (Rockets) is finally back in action, though his fantasy basketball value is always pretty limited because he's not a star, but a star role player, and they don't measure good screens on the stat sheet.
MONDAY, NOV. 24, 2008
Randy Foye (Timberwolves) rocked in a win against the Pistons and put up 23 points and 14 assists. He may have blown past Sebastian Telfair for good now... Jermaine O'Neal (Pacers) is banged up and needs to rest. Consider him day-to-day. Hopefully this isn't a season-long trend. Hate to keep saying that... John Salmons (Kings) has had a terrific fantasy basketball season. But once Kevin Martin comes back his numbers should decrease... The Lakers were amazingly balanced in production yesterday, which isn't good for fantasy hoops owners who have any of their players... Ray Allen (Celtisc) nailed 5 threes yesterday. For the season he's averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists, but shooting badly from three-point range so far, not including yesterday... Tony Allen (Celtics) did big things off the bench yesterday. Watch him closely. He's putting up 8.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per agme this season but those stats may increase a bit soon... Andrea Bargnani (Raptors) continues to start as a very big small forward. That's no sure thing to continue all season... It's expected that once the physicals are all confirmed and done that Jamal Crawford (Warriors) will start at guard alongside Anthony Morrow, while Stephen Jackson plays small forward. Kelenna Azubuike's fantasy basketball value should suffer. He happened to have a really good game yesterday, though... Dwyane Wade (Heat) won East player of the week. Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) won it for the West... Derrick Rose (Bulls) is a friggin' star, as you likely already know... Ben Gordon (Bulls) scored 28 yesterday, with 5 threes. For the season BG is putting up 20.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 3.8 apg and this should continue all season probably, or get a bit lower assuming Kirk Hinrich gets healthy and isn't too lousy. Larry Hughes (Bulls) isn't happy with his limited minutes, by the way.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 19, 2008
Derrick Rose (Bulls) continues to look fantastic. This will continue... Luol Deng (Bulls) is having a lousy year. Looks like the Bulls shoudln't have given him that new contract, because he's stealing money at this point... Anthony Morrow (Warriors) had another big game with 25 points on fantastic shooting. But other than points, threes and FG% he contributed almost nothing. Still, keep an eye on him... Al Horford (Hawks) hurt his ankle yesterday, but hopefully it's minor... Zaza Pachulia (Hawks) is basically good for bench-level points and boards, until Josh Smith returns, when Horford will shift back to center... TJ Ford (Pacers) is having a great season, but bombed yesterday. It's a fluke... Danny Granger (Pacers) shot 13-of-18 for 34 points yesterday... Gerald Green (Mavericks) starts at shooting guard lately but plays limited minutes... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) still can't make three-pointers. He hits under 29% of them... Sean May (Bobcats) got 12 minutes yesterday but still stinks... DJ Augustin (Bobcats) was nice off the bench yesterday... DeShawn Stevenson (Wizards) continues his bad shooting from last season... Anthony Parker (Raptors) isn't doing much this season as a starting shooting guard, scoring 11 on lousy shooting, getting some steals but not doing much else... Hedo Turkoglu (Magic) is shooting badly this season, both regular field goals and three-pointers. Keep an eye on that... Ben Wallace (Cavaliers) this season is good for rebounds, a steal and block, and literally almost nothing else. This is probably permanent... Brook Lopez (Nets) put up a nice double-double yesterday. He can do this regularly with minutes... Wilson Chandler (Knicks) shoots a decent amount of shots, but rarely gets to the free throw line... Quincy Douby (Kings) shot 0-of-9 yesterday. He has little fantasy basketball value... More fantasy basketball tips and observations coming this afternoon.
MONDAY, NOV. 17, 2008
Devin Harris (Nets) has been a fantasy basketball star lately. Watch him and see if it continues. He'll probably come back down to Earth, but should remain an up-and-coming star for years to come... What's up with Suns point guard Steve Nash? He's shooting 46.9%, which is very good but slightly low by Nash's high standards, but more importantly he's only averaging 13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game with very few steals. Has old age caught up? Or is the change in system with Terry Porter taking over from Mike D'Antoni affecting his fantasy basketball value? Probably a combination of the two, but he may finally be getting old... Andrea Bargnani (Raptors) has an increased role lately. Watch him... Lamar Odom (Lakers) is struggling lately. He'll probably be hot and cold all season as a bench star... Sebastian Telfair (Timberwolves) is starting at point guard but former starter Randy Foye plays way more minutes and has more fantasy hoops value... Ime Udoka (Spurs) is being used inconsistently lately... Mike Dunleavy (Pacers) remains out with a knee that is refusing to finish healing. He hasn't played this season... Kevin Love (Timberwolves) isn't having a great rookie season as hoped and is considered backup material at this point... Zach Randolph (Knicks) has been a double-double machine and should continue to do that all season... Roger Mason (Spurs) is playing well lately, though both Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are out... Jason Richardson (Bobcats) still isn't ready to return. Same with Kevin Martin (Kings) and Francisco Garcia (Kings)... Beno Udrih (Kings) is doing great lately... Jose Calderon (Raptors) is still out and could be back any game now, but it's not definite when he'll return... Nick Young (Wizards) is playing well lately. It could continue all season until Gilbert Arenas returns, bumping the rotation around a bit... Wilson Chandler (Knicks) should continue to have a fairly large role on the team for the near future... Deron Williams (Jazz) remains questionable. But Mehmet Okur (Jazz) is back from a family situation.
THURSDAY, NOV. 13, 2008
Brad Miller (Kings) had a monster game yesterday. He appears very good again, like he was in the past. Hold onto him... Dwight Howard (Magic) put up an insane triple-double yesterday with 30 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks. He did it against the Thunder, who stink. Still, he's a star... Wilson Chandler (Knicks) rocked yesterday, though he did it against the Grizzlies, who stink. Still, Chandler keeps getting better... Jason Thompson (Kings) may keep getting real minutes and a real role this season... Rudy Fernandez (Trail Blazers) continues to look good. Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) continues to look out of shape, but at least he's playing, so hopefully he improves over the next two weeks... Beno Udrih (Kings) had a huge game yesterday. Watch him... Raja Bell (Suns) is struggling this season. Is age slowing him down for good? Teammate Steve Nash (Suns) is scoring just 13 ppg and not doing a lot aside from dishing assists... Udonis Haslem (Heat) has no blocks this season... Jose Calderon (Raptors) seems day-to-day. He's having a fantastic season so far... The Bulls signed Lindsey Hunter. This has little fantasy basketball impact... Josh Smith (Hawks) is out 2-4 weeks, but multiple reports suggest he'll be back sooner rather than later... Aaron Brooks (Rockets) put up a big game. He won't be taking the starting job from Rafer Alston anytime soon but could get increased minutes soon... Baron Davis (Clippers) isn't quite comfortable with the coach's game plan just yet. It could show with more inconsistent play... Danilo Gallinari (Knicks) should probably be given up on for the season... LeBron James (Cavaliers) is the best stat player in the league. Old news... Mike Conley (Grizzlies) isn't impressing anyone. Give him more time, but he isn't showing much... Leandro Barbosa (Suns) is scoring big lately... Tracy McGrady (Rockets) is tossing up bricks this season, but there's no reason to think it'll continue. He has to get better, right? ...
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12, 2008
Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) is returning to action. Watch him closely. InsideHoops.com guesses he'll play limited minutes for the next week or two, possibly longer, and slowly ease his way into becoming a real force. Until then, it's possible his fantasy basketball value remains a bit limited... JR Smith (Nuggets) is in a slump lately. Watch that situation... Jason Thompson (Kings) is starting and getting more minutes. Sign him if he's available, but know that it's quite possible he loses minutes soon. He's no lock, but has fantasy bench value... Jason Richardson (Bobcats) had minor exploratory knee surgery and is day-to-day. He could miss a few games... Morris Peterson (Hornets) has a minor injury and is day-to-day... Brandon Roy (Trail Blazers) has had back spasms. Keep an eye on reports mentioning that and see if it eventually becomes serious... Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) is back... Devin Harris (Nets) is close to being back. He might play tonight, but if not, the next game is likely... Knicks rookie Danilo Gallinari, who has almost no fantasy hoops value, may wind up having back surgery which would keep him out for a long time... Sebastian Telfair (Timberwolves) is starting over Randy Foye for now, but that could change. Neither guy has been good this season. Foye is the better of the two, though, even if Telfair keeps starting.. Elton Brand (76ers) hasn't been special this season, but should steadily improve as he and the 76ers get used to each other... Deron Williams (Jazz) is back in action, but physically limited for now. He'll probably be himself again in a week or so.
MONDAY, NOV. 10, 2008
OJ Mayo (Grizzlies) is on fire and already has very big fantasy basketball value which will only get bigger. He should remain hot all year, and forever... Spencer Hawes (Kings) might keep his somewhat decent fantasy basketball value even though Brad Miller returned... Tony Parker (Spurs) is out about 4 weeks. Manu Ginobili (Spurs) may be back in early or mid December... Thabo Sefolosha (Bulls) starts (for now), but he's been awful and has very little fantasy basketball value... Andrea Bargnani (Raptors) is hot lately... Kevin Martin (Kings) is day-to-day with an ankle sprain... Al Harrington (Warriors), already playing fewer minutes than he wants, has a lower back issue which is being examined... Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) is starting to get angry at his teammates for not playing hard... Jordan Farmar (Lakers) has a big game. His fantasy basketball value remains limited... Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) was dizzy and is being checked upon... Ron Artest (Rockets) hasn't been particularly consistent and Houston could change the lineup a bit once Shane Battier returns... Tony Allen (Celtics) rocked yesterday but remains a bench contributor, nothing more... Francisco Garcia (Kings) is still out and may not play for weeks... Antonio McDyess (Nuggets) will probably be a free agent soon. If he wants to return to the Pistons he can't sign for 30 days... Josh Howard (Mavericks) is day-to-day.
THURSDAY, NOV. 6, 2008
Al Harrington (Warriors) may play very limited minutes until he's presumably traded, which could happen today, tomorrow, next month, next season, no one knows... Brandan Wright (Warriors) had a huge game, his first that we can remember since he's been drafted. Consider it a fluke for now... Randy Foye (Timberwolves) has been struggling and it's possible Sebastian Telfair takes a chunk of his minutes and possibly his starting job if this continues. Keep an eye on that. Also, Kevin Love could become a starter and get more minutes sometime soon... Nicolas Batum (Trail Blazers) started his first game, though he's young, still developing and even if he continues to start may just split minutes with the other swingmen/small forwards on Portland's roster. And keep in mind that Martell Webster will return and reclaim minutes eventually... Shane Battier (Rockets) could practice soon... OJ Mayo (Grizzlies) is doing well and may average big-time stats pretty much permanently. Watch him rise. Meanwhile, point guard Mike Conley has been lousy, and there's no guarantee he gets particularly better. He could, but we're not positive... Chris Douglas-Roberts (Nets) is out a week or two, though he has almost no fantasy basketball value... Mike Dunleavy (Pacers) continues to be struck by injury and doesn't seem to be healing particularly quickly... Brad Miller (Kings) should be back any game now, possibly Friday. This hurts Spencer Hawes' fantasy hoops value... Tony Parker (Spurs) went insane yesterday. Consider it a fluke. He's not going to drop 50+ points too often... Corey Maggette (Warriors) is day-to-day... Andrew Bynum (Lakers) hit the boards hard yesterday, but is still not impressive from a fantasy perspective. He may just improve little by little over time... Wilson Chandler (Knicks) looks good and could get slightly increased minutes as time goes on.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5, 2008
Shawn Marion (Heat) is trying to get used to a mask to protect his broken nose and hates it. It could affect his play... Tyson Chandler (Hornets) should finally be healthy tonight or next game... Peja Stojakovic (Hornets) is still nursing a bad ankle and if he plays tonight it'll probably be in limited minutes. He may not be totally fine until after the weekend... Kenyon Martin (Nuggets) has a few minor injuries that he can probably play through, they he won't be 100 percent out there... Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) may try to score 44 points tonight in honor of Obama (source: Denver Post) though he said that in practice and was probably just kidding. Or was he? ... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) and teammate Emeka Okafor are banged up and day-to-day... Allen Iverson (Pistons) and Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) aren't cleared to play yet... Dwight Howard (Magic) is bricking his free throws in a bad way. But he's blocking shots like crazy... Jason Terry (Mavericks) went off against the Spurs and showed big life to his game. Keep an eye on him as he and other Mavs adjust to new coach Rick Carlisle... Eric Gordon (Clippers) isn't playing much. Watch and see if that changes in the next week or two.
MONDAY, NOV. 3, 2008
Iverson/Billups fantasy basketball trade analysis: It's being reported by the Boston Globe, Associated Press, ESPN and 50 other outlets that the Nuggets are going to trade Allen Iverson to the Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. I think the fantasy basketball value of both Iverson and Billups will stay pretty much the same. Iverson might score a bit less, but his field goal percentage might rise a little bit. Billups should put up his usual stats. Antonio McDyess has limited fantasy hoops value now and I think that'll stay the same. He'll play backup to both Kenyon Martin and Nene. Jason Maxiell's fantasy value should increase a bit. Kwame Brown also becomes more important for the Pistons. As for the Nuggets, McDyess shouldn't take away from either K-Mart or Nene. And, it's possible the Nuggets buy McDyess out, which means he'd not play for them and could sign anywhere.
SATURDAY, NOV. 1, 2008
Marcus Camby (Clippers) should play Monday. Pay close attention and see how he fits alongside Chris Kaman... Eddy Curry (Knicks) is benched and has almost no fantasy basketball value right now, but that could change in the future. Same with Stephon Marbury... Eduardo Najera (Nets) should be playing soon, though he'll have very limited fantasy basketball value... Sean May (Bobcats) is out of shape and coach Larry Brown has benched him in favor of Jared Dudley, who is playing as a very undersized power forward. There's no guarantee that Dudley keeps the job, though. InsideHoops.com predicts he winds up going back to the bench, because he's simply not a power forward so it's just a short-term fix... Tyson Chandler (Hornets) is day-to-day... Al Harrington (Warriors) is a candidate to be traded. If he's on your fantasy basketball team, watch that situation closely... The Magic aren't thrilled with Jameer Nelson's play so far in this early season. Keep an eye on that situation.
-----------------------------------------
FROM LAST SEASON:
MONDAY, MAR. 24, 2008:
Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) hurt his left ankle and leg on Sunday and could be out at least two weeks. Official word should come today. If he's out, the fantasy basketball value of Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse should go up, at least in the points category... Lamar Odom (Lakers) went off on the boards yesterday, grabbing 22, with 19 points and plenty of other good stuff. Though, it was against the Warriors, who play undersized and often give big boards up... A stack of key Kings are banged up and day-to-day... Robert Horry (Spurs), who has almost no fantasy basketball value even when healthy, has knee issues... Jamaal Tinsley (Pacers) won't come back from injury until next season... Gilbert Arenas (Wizards) should finally be back in action any day now... Brent Barry (Spurs) has re-signed with the team. His fantasy basketball value will be very limited, though... Brendan Haywood (Wizards) is having a decent season... Jamario Moon (Raptors) is grabbing rebounds like crazy lately... Manu Ginobili (Spurs) was fantastic yesterday... Jason Kidd (Mavericks) barely ever scores in double-digits, lately.
DAILY FANTASY BASKETBALL NEWS
By InsideHoops.com
TUESDAY, MAR. 18, 2008:
Daniel Gibson (Cavaliers) remains out for at least another few weeks. It's a shame that he's taking so long to get healthy.... Chris Webber (Warriors) isn't coming back yet, and even when he does coach Don Nelson may barely use him, according to the Contra Costa Times... Pau Gasol (Lakers) definitely isn't playing in the next few games... Carlos Boozer (Jazz) is day-to-day... Hakim Warrick (Grizzlies) puts up nice points and rebounds when given proper minutes, though he doesn't do a lot else... Shawn Marion (Heat) is back, but playing semi-hurt... A big stack of Kings are banged up... Udonis Haslem (heat) has some left foot/ankle issues that could be a problem... Trevor Ariza (Lakers) probably won't play again this season. He's been injured for quite a while.
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DAILY FANTASY BASKETBALL NEWS
By InsideHoops.com
TUESDAY, DEC. 17, 2007:
NBA.com reports: "Rasheed Wallace is a menace to the fantasy owner in need of a center. His 43-percent shooting puts him at No. 51 among centers, and in the last 11 games he's dropped to 40. Worse, he sinks just 28 percent of his TPA -- taking attempts away from better shooters. All this for a guy who's getting 13.2 points and under seven boards per game? Please." ... NBA.com reports: "Playing just 27 minutes Sunday as the Lakers bumped off the Clippers, Andrew Bynum went 6-for-8 for 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked a whopping six shots and even pitched three assists. Had the Lakers' crosstown rivals been better competition, the second-year center might have stayed in the game longer and tallied his fourth straight game with double-digit rebounds." ...
TUESDAY, DEC. 4, 2007:
Mike Dunleavy (Pacers) continues his great season, putting up 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists... Steve Nash (Suns) had 18 points and a ridiculous 17 assists last night... Amare Stoudemire (Suns) had 42 points on just 24 shots plus 13 rebounds and 4 assists...
TUESDAY, DEC. 4, 2007:
Jared Dudley (Bobcats) got a start yesterday and was terrific with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals on good shooting. If you have an open roster spot or a few scrubs at the end of your bench then sign him now. Otherwise, wait and see if he does it again, because he's no lock to keep starting and getting big minutes... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) shot 0-of-8 yesterday... Jason Richardson (Bobcats) shot 3-of-17 and did little else... Jose Calderon (Raptors) seems to always put great fantasy basketball stats up each time he gets minutes, which usually only happens with TJ Ford is out... Looks like Jamario Moon (Raptors) will keep getting big minutes. His stats are inconsistent, though... Al Horford (Hawks) may put up a double-double every night for the rest of the season... The Sixers are rumored to be close to changing general managers. So perhaps some trades may happen in the near future... Brandon Roy (Blazers) put up an incredible 26 point, 9 rebound, 7 assist night... Travis Outlaw (Blazers) was big off the bench yesterday. Rudy Gay (Grizzlies) shot 12-of-16... Erick Dampier (Mavs) had 10 rebounds and 6 blocks yesterday. A fluke, probably... Kirk Hinrich (Bulls) keeps missing, going 5-of-16 yesterday... Andres Nocioni (Bulls) shot 6-of-9 yet went 15-of-16 on free throws for 30 points... Tim Duncan (Spurs) is going to be OK and may just miss a handful of games... Kwame Brown (Lakers) isn't back just yet... Darko Milicic (Grizzlies) sprained an ankle and he's day-to-day... Jameer Nelson (Magic) has been great... Monta Ellis (Warriors) rocked yesterday...
Give and get fantasy basketball advice from other fantasy hoops players on the InsideHoops fantasy basketball forum.
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Devin Harris (Nets) hurt his shoulder. If it's a real injury, Keyon Dooling's fantasy basketball value skyrockets... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) has been on fire lately, but will be suspended for one game due to too many technicals... Vince Carter (Nets) went nutty yesterday, but these days that usually means he'll be quiet for a game or two... Allen Iverson (Pistons) could be back at the end of this week. He'll come off the bench, though Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton's value will drop a bit anyway... Chris Duhon (Knicks) will barely play lately while he heals up. Nate Robinson will get more minutes... Steve Novak (Clippers) had a real game, but it's almost surely just a fluke... Matt Barnes (Suns) has been hot lately, but the Suns have had some massive scoring games so almost everyone on that team has inflated points and assists lately... JJ Redick (Magic) is getting legit bench minutes lately... Samuel Dalembert (76ers) is blocking shots like crazy lately... Andris Biedrins (Warriors) is out at least one week with an ankle sprain.
Some hot fantasy basketball centers worth noticing lately are Shaquille O'Neal (Suns), who is playing some of his best ball lately, Al Horford (Hawks), who appears stronger and even more rugged since returning from injury, Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), who is stepping up lately, and Joakim Noah (Bulls), who is hitting the boards hard. As for fantasy hoops forwards, Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) is dropping 29 ppg this last week or so, Antawn Jamison (Wizards) is putting up huge stats lately, Troy Murphy (Pacers) is scoring and rebounding, and Matt Barnes (Lakers) is on a hot streak. As for guards, Russell Westbrook (Thunder) is rocking the whole stat-sheet lately, Jarrett Jack (Pacers) is shining, and Andre Miller (76ers) is dropping 25 ppg this last week along with his usual assists and rebounds... Amare Stoudemire (Suns) won't return this season, even for the playoffs, reports the Arizona Republic... Drew Gooden has signed with the Spurs. He could be good for around 10-12 points and maybe 7 rebounds. Obviously it depends on the minutes he gets... Joe Smith has signed with the Cavaliers. He could be good for maybe 6 points and 6 rebounds.
Amare Stoudemire (Suns) trade rumors will continue until the deadline, but his value will remain the same no matter where he goes... Vladimir Radmanovic (Bobcats) may have more value on Charlotte than many expected... Hot fantasy basketball centers lately, aside from the usual top superstars: Mehmet Okur (Jazz) continues to do big things while key teammates are out injured. Brook Lopez (Nets) is hot and will probably stay that way all season, and maybe forever. Ronny Turiaf (Warriors) is getting more minutes while Andris Biedrins is out. Matt Bonner (Spurs) is putting big stats up lately, but that probably won't continue, even as his minutes stay up. Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Troy Murphy (Pacers) is stepping up, though Mike Dunleavy being hurt meant more shots had to go to somebody. Zach Randolph (Clippers) is dominating lately in points, rebounds and field goal percentage. Hot fantasy hoops guards: Kevin Durant (Thunder) is going nutty lately. Richard Hamilton (Pistons) has adjusted to his bench role and is basically still worth what a good starter is... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) is going crazy lately.
OJ Mayo (Grizzlies) is rocking even harder than usual lately. He's a fantasy basketball star for good... Hot fantasy basketball playerslately, aside from the usual top superstars: Brook Lopez (Nets) continues to do as well as InsideHoops.com has predicted he would. Stephen Jackson (Warriors) is stepping up. Al Harrington (Knicks) is tossing up big point totals lately. Tyrus Thomas (Bulls) is playing better. Devin Harris (Nets) is doing as well as he had been earlier in the season. Randy Foye (Timberwolves) has been good for a while now... Tyronn Lue was traded from the Bucks to the Magic, where he'll play backup point guard to Anthony Johnson, who starts in place of Jameer Nelson, who may be done for the entire season... Keith Bogans, who Lue was traded for, could have value on the Bucks with Michael Redd being out. watch their rotation closely... Elton Brand (76ers) continues to play hurt... Antonio McDyess (Pistons) has a bigger role on the team these days, and local reports say he may become a starter, though minutes matter far more than whether a player starts or not... Are the Suns going to give up on Amare Stoudemire? People are talking... Deron Williams (Jazz) is back tonight... Jermaine O'Neal (Raptors) went block-crazy yesterday, with nine.
Andrei Kirilenko (Jazz) needs foot surgery. It hasn't been said how long he may be out, but we randomly guess it should be a few weeks... Marcus Camby (Clippers) is back in action. He'll start off slow at first and then pick things up... Elton Brand (76ers) went shot-blocking crazy yesterday. Keep an eye on him and give him about two weeks to adjust to being back. And watch see if he affects Andre Iguodala's stats... Kirk Hinrich (Bulls) remains inconsistent... Greg Oden (Blazers) appears to be ready to consistently put up double-doubles... Eddie House (Celtics) is going three-point crazy... Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavaliers) should be back any game now... Derrick Rose (Bulls) has been falling off the last two months... Richard Hamilton (Pistons) is day-to-day. He's also limited now that he's being used off the bench. But the rotation could change... Baron Davis (Clippers) is back, but he was total garbage yesterday.
Monta Ellis (Warriors) is playing, for the first time this season. Jamal Crawford is hurt, but when healthy I assume he'll start alongside Ellis, with Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike in the ridiculously undersized frontcourt, along with the usual starting center, Andris Biedrins... Hot fantasy basketball centers, aside from the usual top stars: Andrew Bynum (was his 42-point game a fluke?), Shaquille O'Neal, Andrea Bargnani (could continue as long as Jermaine O'Neal is out), Greg Oden (his numbers should keep fluctuating.. Hot fantasy hoops forwards: Al Thornton, Charlie Villanueva, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw, David Lee. Hot guards: Mike Conley, Kevin Durant (mainly due to one insane game, though), Anthony Parker (but Jose Calderon is now back so he'll steal stats), Mike Bibby (though he's had to score more with a few Hawks injuries), and Eric Gordon... The Suns are a mess lately, so while their stars will keep playing keep an eye on that situation... Kobe Bryant is dishing more assists lately... Danilo Gallinari (Knicks) may not play back-to-back games. But watch him, he may develop some fantasy basketball bench value someday... Yao Ming left yesterday's game with a sore knee. The Rockets are the walking wounded... Mike Conley (Grizzlies) is looking legit lately... Marcus Camby (Clippers) should finally be back in action any game now.
Here are recently-hot fantasy basketball centers. As always this is aside from the usual top stars at the position: Brad Miller (should stay pretty good all season), Brook Lopez (should keep progressing all season), Andrea Bargnani (as long as Jermaine O'Neal is out it seems like Bargnani will do big things - so watch for an O'Neal trade), Matt Bonner (he's on the Spurs, who could make a change at any time to improve their center spot)... Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Andre Iguodala (started the season slow but he's hot lately - but will Elton Brand's return throw things off?), David Lee (regular double-doubles), Shawn Marion (stepping up lately as trade rumors swirl), Jeff Green (the Thunder are playing well lately even when they lose)... And hot fantasy hoops guards: Jameer Nelson (has played well all season and should continue to do so), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons rotation could change, watch it) and John Salmons (Kings)... Kendrick Perkins (Celtics) isn't returning just yet. He's still day-to-day... Luke Walton (Lakers) is returning to action... Elton Brand (76ers) is returning any day now... Jamaal Magloire (Heat) looked good. But until proven otherwise, it's a fluke... Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavaliers) should be back in about two weeks... Marcus Camby (Clippers) remains day-to-day... Anthony Parker (Raptors) had a huge game, but it was mainly due to Jose Calderon still being out.
We're daily, once again. I promise. Maybe not seven days a week, but at least five or six... Here are hot fantasy basketball centers -- not including the obvious top stars like Yao Ming or Dwight Howard: Andrea Bargnani, Brad Miller, Brook Lopez, Jeff Foster... Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Danny Granger (at this point he's a fantasy basketball star and should stay that way forever), Andre Iguodala (playing like a star lately), David Lee (he got 21 rebounds yesterday), and Francisco Garcia... As for hot fantasy basketball guards: Mike Bibby, Jameer Nelson, Jamal Crawford and Luke Ridnour... Kobe Bryant put up a triple-double yesterday... Michael Redd scored 44 yesterday. He still looks slow, though... Antawn Jamison is all banged up, but playing... Zydrunas Ilgauskas should be back in a week... Jerryd Bayless had a huge game for the Trail Blazers a few days ago, but will continue to play behind Sergio Rodriguez.
Andrew Bynum (Lakers) continues to not step up, and was pretty lousy yesterday. Looks like his development as an NBA player will remain gradual... Fantasy basketball centers who are relatively hot lately (aside from the usual top stars): Brad Miller (Kings), Andrea Bargnani (Raptors - if your league calls him a center), Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Matt Bonner (Spurs), Anderson Varejao (Cavaliers)... Hot fantasy basketball forwards: Danny Granger (Pacers), Troy Murphy (Pacers), Nene (Nuggets), David Lee (Knicks), Boris Diaw (Bobcats)... Hot fantasy basketball guards: Kevin Martin (Kings), Eric Gordon (Clippers), Andre Miller (76ers), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons), Ben Gordon (Bulls), Randy Foye (Timberwolves)... Ron Artest (Kings) is banged up lately... DeShawn Stevenson (Wizards) is banged up... OJ Mayo (Grizzlies) is playing hurt lately. It could affect him... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) is out 2 weeks... John Salmons (Kings) lost fantasy basketball value when Kevin Martin returned... With Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) out for weeks, JR Smith and Linas Kleiza's fantasy hoops value improves.
Anthony Parker (Raptors) is about to start getting more minutes... Kelenna Azubuike (Warriors) is stepping up lately... Andrea Bargnani (Raptors) went nuts yesterday. Consider it a fluke unless he starts putting real stats up regularly... Aside from the usual top stars, here are some hot fantasy basketball centers lately: Marcus Camby, Marc Gasol, Andris Biedrins, Brook Lopez, Al Horford, Andrew Bogut, Brad Miller... Hot forwards lately: Stephen Jackson, Jeff Green, Tayshaun Prince, Andrei Kirilenko, Hakim Warrick, Andray Blatche... Hot fantasy hoops guards lately: Jose Calderon, Kevin Durant, Devin Harris, OJ Mayo, Ben Gordon, Rodney Stuckey, Russell Westbrook... Jamal Crawford (Warriors) is extra inconsistent lately. Standard for Crawford as well as any Warriors... Charlie Villanueva (Bucks) is playing awful basketball lately.
The Pistons may make Allen Iverson or Richard Hamilton a sixth man sometime soon. This isn't definite. If this happens, Rodney Stuckey's value increases, and whoever the sixth man is goes down in value, though chances are the minutes distribution for those three players might remain in the same general ballpark... Kevin Garnett (Celtics) may start playing fewer minutes soon, in an effort to keep him fresh for the playoffs... Kevin Martin (Kings) should be back sometime soon... Stephen Jackson (Warriors) may be ready to step up, after a not too impressive start to the season. Keep an eye on him... Brandon Roy (Blazers) is banged up and day-to-day... Charlie Villanueva (Bucks) has been playing fewer minutes lately... Steve Nash (Suns) has back spasms and is day-to-day. This issue comes and goes every now and then. This isn't new... Eddy Curry (Knicks) is weeks away from returning, according to multiple reports. It's not clear how he'd fit into the run-and-gun Knicks style even when he's healthy, though... Fantasy basketball players who are hot lately, aside from the usual top stars at each position: Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Andris Biedrins (Warriors), Rasheed Wallace (Pistons), Brook Lopez (Nets), Aaron Gray (Bulls), Andrei Kirilenko (Jazz), Stephen Jackson (Warriors), Andray Blatche (Wizards), Jeff Green (Thunder), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Jose Calderon (Raptors), Derrick Rose (Bulls), Kyle Lowry (Grizzlies), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons).
Welcome to the return of InsideHoops.com's daily fantasy basketball tips... Richard Jefferson (Bucks) is in a slump lately. Keep an eye on that... These are the league's current hot centers (aside from the famous superstars who are always doing extremely well): Brook Lopez (Nets), Marc Gasol (Grizzlies), Rasheed Wallace (Pistons), Kosta Koufos (Jazz - though this is mainly because both Boozer and Okur have been out) and Joel Przybilla (Trail Blazers). Hot forwards lately: Jermaine O'Neal (Pacers - may count as center), Rudy Gay (Grizzlies), Hakim Warrick (Grizzlies). Hot guards lately: Tony Parker (Spurs - always very good but even better lately), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Chauncey Billups (Nuggets - always good but even better than usual these days), Jameer Nelson (Magic), Rodney Stuckey (Pistons), and Keyon Dooling (Nets - just a bench player but stepping up lately)... Ramon Sessions (Bucks) has been decent all season... Brad Miller (Kings) has been stepping down, not up. He's still a versatile center who puts up plenty of stats, though... Jamaal Tinsley (Pacers) is still on the trading block, and if he ever found a starting job would have instant fantasy basketball value... Rashad McCants (Timberwolves) is putting up stats lately. Keep an eye on him... Mehmet Okur (Jazz) is still day-to-day... Luol Deng (Bulls) could miss around one week... Josh Smith (Hawks) still has a sore ankle which hasn't healed yet. He's playing through it. Hopefully it doesn't get worse... Kevin Martin (Kings) should be back soon, but the team doesn't know when.
Al Harrington (Knicks) is hot lately... Mike Miller (Timberwolves) continues to not shoot enough... Trevor Ariza (Lakers) has been his team's best small forward... Kevin Durant (Thunder) is rebounding better lately... Craig Smith (Timberwolves) stepped up yesterday with 18 points on only 8 field goal attempts. He's scoring and rebounding lately... Pau Gasol (Lakers) continues to do big things... Russell Westbrook (Thunder) has struggled majorly lately, but the team won't give up on him anytime soon and he's still the superior fantasy basketball player to Earl Watson... Mike Beasley (Heat) scored 20 yesterday... Matt Bonner (Spurs) had a big game Sunday and actually has a little bit of fantasy basketball value... Kevin Love (Wolves) is rebounding like wild lately, but that's it... Carlos Boozer (Jazz) remains out and isn't returning just yet... Roy Hibbert (Pacers) started at center but that may not happen regularly, or again... Anderson Varejao (Cavaliers) is hot lately... Mehmet Okur (Jazz) is hot lately and has added pressure while Boozer is out... Jeff Foster (Pacers) has fantasy basketball value worth noticing... Rashard Lewis (Magic) is hot lately... LaMarcus Aldridge (Blazers) is doing big things lately... Zach Randolph (Clippers) is rocking lately... Mo Williams (Cavs) is a big-time fantasy basketball guard lately... James Posey (Hornets) went bonkers yesterday, nailing 6 threes for 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Consider it a fantasy fluke. 
Chris Duhon (Knicks) had another big game with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists against the Pistons. His fantasy basketball value should stay the same or rise a bit as the season progresses. But don't expect games like that on a constant basis... Luther Head (Rockets) has fantasy basketball value as long as Tracy McGrady is injured... Jermaine O'Neal (Raptors) put up a great fantasy basketball game yesterday with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks on good shooting. Wait for him to do that a few more times before taking it too seriously... Luke Ridnour (Bucks) continues to start at point guard, but backup Ramon Sessions appears to be the better fantasy basketball player. Both players were lousy yesterday against the Lakers, though... Michael Redd (Bucks) and Richard Jefferson (Bucks) were so bad yesterday that coach Scott Skiles barely played them and the other starters giving the bench big minutes. That's presumably a one-time thing... The Pistons may soon start Rodney Stuckey at point guard, going to a smaller lineup and possibly pushing Kwame Brown to the bench. Keep an eye on that... The Knicks continue to use a very short bench. Last night only two reserves got minutes. This makes their starters more valuable in fantasy hoops... Steve Blake (Trail Blazers) rocked the Raptors yesterday... Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) started at center and only shot 3-of-10, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. He could soon start averaging something like 12, 10 and 2, on better shooting, pretty soon... Ray Allen (Celtics) nailed 7 threes and had 35 points yesterday, though he contributed little else... Kevin Garnett (Celtics) grabbed 20 rebounds... Derek Fisher (Lakers) continues to dish very few assists considering he's a point guard. This isn't anything new... Hot lately: Marcus Camby (Clippers), Mehmet Okur (Jazz), Caron Butler (Wizards), Paul Millsap (Jazz), David Lee (Knicks), Andre Miller (76ers), Chris Duhon (Knicks).
Mike Miller (Timberwolves) had a big game with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. He's had an extremely quiet season so perhaps this is a sign of better things to come... Corey Brewer (Timberwolves) is out for the season. He was playing backup-level minutes, so this won't have a huge fantasy basketball impact. Rashad McCants should have increased value now, though... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) had 14 points and 14 assists. It was against the weak Wolves, though... Emeka Okafor (Bobcats) was also terrific with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks... Dwight Howard (Magic) continues to rebound and block like crazy... With injuries to the Magic backcourt, JJ Redick got 31 minutes, but all he was able to come up with was 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Anthony Johnson wasn't much better... Rajon Rondo (Celtics) keeps rocking, and for the season isn't scoring much but fills the entire stat-sheet quite nicely... Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cavaliers) is hot lately. So is Al Horford (Hawks)... Danny Granger (Pacers) is one of the best fantasy basketball forwards lately. And Troy Murphy (Pacers) is hot, too... Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) is also rocking lately. And Russell Westbrook (Thunder) is picking things up over the last week.
Chris Bosh (Raptors) continues to dominate and yesterday had 30 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks. He's become a fantasy basketball superstar... Mike Bibby (Hawks) continues to score decently with 15.1 ppg but he continues to be very low on assists for a point guard... Eric Gordon (Clippers) is emerging... Andre Iguodala (76ers) isn't doing as badly as people think. Aside from low scoring, he's contributing nicely in multiple stat categories... Greg Oden (Blazers) rebounded decently yesterday but other than that he was junk. He may continue to play lousy for the near future, with occasional good games... Anthony Morrow (Warriors) continues to be used inconsistently by coach Don Nelson (that should not be a surprise). He played 18 minutes off the bench yesterday and did very little... Ben Wallace (Cavaliers) is playing around 24 minutes per game this season, grabbing 7 rebounds, blocking almost 2 shots, getting almost one steal, but not scoring or getting assists. The usual... Jose Juan Barea (Mavericks) had a very good passing game yesterday... Kevin Love (Timberwolves) is only shooting 34.8% this season and in 22 minutes per game is getting around 8 and 6... Dwyane Wade (Heat) is a top fantasy basketball superstar this season. It may continue all year... Jason Kidd (Nets) is putting up lots of double-doubles lately... Andrew Bynum (Lakers) had a foot issue but played great yesterday and appears fine... Tyson Chandler (Hornets) isn't playing well lately. He should recover, we assume... Jamaal Magloire (Heat) is back. Will that cut into Udonis Haslem's minutes? Magloire doesn't do much, but he still could get some run...
Deron Williams (Jazz) is finally back in action, and hopefully stays healthy for good this time. He came back too early last time... Allen Iverson (Pistons) skipped practice today and as a result may receive fewer minutes next game than usual. Other than that, it's no big deal... Carlos Boozer (Jazz) remains out injured... Andrew Bynum (Lakers) has a foot issue. It's probably not serious, but more will be known tomorrow... Kevin Martin (Kings) could be back this weekend. If you own him there's a good chance you can activate him for this coming week, but obviously wait for confirmation before doing so... Chris Kaman (Clippers) is playing hurt. It's almost always bad for fantasy basketball owners when a good player does this... Josh Boone (Nets) is still day-to-day, but Brook Lopez is playing so well in his place that the Nets should consider handing full minutes over to Lopez. That may not happen though as Boone isn't going down without a fight... Shane Battier (Rockets) is finally back in action, though his fantasy basketball value is always pretty limited because he's not a star, but a star role player, and they don't measure good screens on the stat sheet.
Randy Foye (Timberwolves) rocked in a win against the Pistons and put up 23 points and 14 assists. He may have blown past Sebastian Telfair for good now... Jermaine O'Neal (Pacers) is banged up and needs to rest. Consider him day-to-day. Hopefully this isn't a season-long trend. Hate to keep saying that... John Salmons (Kings) has had a terrific fantasy basketball season. But once Kevin Martin comes back his numbers should decrease... The Lakers were amazingly balanced in production yesterday, which isn't good for fantasy hoops owners who have any of their players... Ray Allen (Celtisc) nailed 5 threes yesterday. For the season he's averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists, but shooting badly from three-point range so far, not including yesterday... Tony Allen (Celtics) did big things off the bench yesterday. Watch him closely. He's putting up 8.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per agme this season but those stats may increase a bit soon... Andrea Bargnani (Raptors) continues to start as a very big small forward. That's no sure thing to continue all season... It's expected that once the physicals are all confirmed and done that Jamal Crawford (Warriors) will start at guard alongside Anthony Morrow, while Stephen Jackson plays small forward. Kelenna Azubuike's fantasy basketball value should suffer. He happened to have a really good game yesterday, though... Dwyane Wade (Heat) won East player of the week. Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) won it for the West... Derrick Rose (Bulls) is a friggin' star, as you likely already know... Ben Gordon (Bulls) scored 28 yesterday, with 5 threes. For the season BG is putting up 20.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 3.8 apg and this should continue all season probably, or get a bit lower assuming Kirk Hinrich gets healthy and isn't too lousy. Larry Hughes (Bulls) isn't happy with his limited minutes, by the way.
Derrick Rose (Bulls) continues to look fantastic. This will continue... Luol Deng (Bulls) is having a lousy year. Looks like the Bulls shoudln't have given him that new contract, because he's stealing money at this point... Anthony Morrow (Warriors) had another big game with 25 points on fantastic shooting. But other than points, threes and FG% he contributed almost nothing. Still, keep an eye on him... Al Horford (Hawks) hurt his ankle yesterday, but hopefully it's minor... Zaza Pachulia (Hawks) is basically good for bench-level points and boards, until Josh Smith returns, when Horford will shift back to center... TJ Ford (Pacers) is having a great season, but bombed yesterday. It's a fluke... Danny Granger (Pacers) shot 13-of-18 for 34 points yesterday... Gerald Green (Mavericks) starts at shooting guard lately but plays limited minutes... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) still can't make three-pointers. He hits under 29% of them... Sean May (Bobcats) got 12 minutes yesterday but still stinks... DJ Augustin (Bobcats) was nice off the bench yesterday... DeShawn Stevenson (Wizards) continues his bad shooting from last season... Anthony Parker (Raptors) isn't doing much this season as a starting shooting guard, scoring 11 on lousy shooting, getting some steals but not doing much else... Hedo Turkoglu (Magic) is shooting badly this season, both regular field goals and three-pointers. Keep an eye on that... Ben Wallace (Cavaliers) this season is good for rebounds, a steal and block, and literally almost nothing else. This is probably permanent... Brook Lopez (Nets) put up a nice double-double yesterday. He can do this regularly with minutes... Wilson Chandler (Knicks) shoots a decent amount of shots, but rarely gets to the free throw line... Quincy Douby (Kings) shot 0-of-9 yesterday. He has little fantasy basketball value... More fantasy basketball tips and observations coming this afternoon.
Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) is returning to action. Watch him closely. InsideHoops.com guesses he'll play limited minutes for the next week or two, possibly longer, and slowly ease his way into becoming a real force. Until then, it's possible his fantasy basketball value remains a bit limited... JR Smith (Nuggets) is in a slump lately. Watch that situation... Jason Thompson (Kings) is starting and getting more minutes. Sign him if he's available, but know that it's quite possible he loses minutes soon. He's no lock, but has fantasy bench value... Jason Richardson (Bobcats) had minor exploratory knee surgery and is day-to-day. He could miss a few games... Morris Peterson (Hornets) has a minor injury and is day-to-day... Brandon Roy (Trail Blazers) has had back spasms. Keep an eye on reports mentioning that and see if it eventually becomes serious... Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) is back... Devin Harris (Nets) is close to being back. He might play tonight, but if not, the next game is likely... Knicks rookie Danilo Gallinari, who has almost no fantasy hoops value, may wind up having back surgery which would keep him out for a long time... Sebastian Telfair (Timberwolves) is starting over Randy Foye for now, but that could change. Neither guy has been good this season. Foye is the better of the two, though, even if Telfair keeps starting.. Elton Brand (76ers) hasn't been special this season, but should steadily improve as he and the 76ers get used to each other... Deron Williams (Jazz) is back in action, but physically limited for now. He'll probably be himself again in a week or so.
Shawn Marion (Heat) is trying to get used to a mask to protect his broken nose and hates it. It could affect his play... Tyson Chandler (Hornets) should finally be healthy tonight or next game... Peja Stojakovic (Hornets) is still nursing a bad ankle and if he plays tonight it'll probably be in limited minutes. He may not be totally fine until after the weekend... Kenyon Martin (Nuggets) has a few minor injuries that he can probably play through, they he won't be 100 percent out there... Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) may try to score 44 points tonight in honor of Obama (source: Denver Post) though he said that in practice and was probably just kidding. Or was he? ... Raymond Felton (Bobcats) and teammate Emeka Okafor are banged up and day-to-day... Allen Iverson (Pistons) and Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) aren't cleared to play yet... Dwight Howard (Magic) is bricking his free throws in a bad way. But he's blocking shots like crazy... Jason Terry (Mavericks) went off against the Spurs and showed big life to his game. Keep an eye on him as he and other Mavs adjust to new coach Rick Carlisle... Eric Gordon (Clippers) isn't playing much. Watch and see if that changes in the next week or two.
Marcus Camby (Clippers) should play Monday. Pay close attention and see how he fits alongside Chris Kaman... Eddy Curry (Knicks) is benched and has almost no fantasy basketball value right now, but that could change in the future. Same with Stephon Marbury... Eduardo Najera (Nets) should be playing soon, though he'll have very limited fantasy basketball value... Sean May (Bobcats) is out of shape and coach Larry Brown has benched him in favor of Jared Dudley, who is playing as a very undersized power forward. There's no guarantee that Dudley keeps the job, though. InsideHoops.com predicts he winds up going back to the bench, because he's simply not a power forward so it's just a short-term fix... Tyson Chandler (Hornets) is day-to-day... Al Harrington (Warriors) is a candidate to be traded. If he's on your fantasy basketball team, watch that situation closely... The Magic aren't thrilled with Jameer Nelson's play so far in this early season. Keep an eye on that situation.
Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) hurt his left ankle and leg on Sunday and could be out at least two weeks. Official word should come today. If he's out, the fantasy basketball value of Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse should go up, at least in the points category... Lamar Odom (Lakers) went off on the boards yesterday, grabbing 22, with 19 points and plenty of other good stuff. Though, it was against the Warriors, who play undersized and often give big boards up... A stack of key Kings are banged up and day-to-day... Robert Horry (Spurs), who has almost no fantasy basketball value even when healthy, has knee issues... Jamaal Tinsley (Pacers) won't come back from injury until next season... Gilbert Arenas (Wizards) should finally be back in action any day now... Brent Barry (Spurs) has re-signed with the team. His fantasy basketball value will be very limited, though... Brendan Haywood (Wizards) is having a decent season... Jamario Moon (Raptors) is grabbing rebounds like crazy lately... Manu Ginobili (Spurs) was fantastic yesterday... Jason Kidd (Mavericks) barely ever scores in double-digits, lately.
Daniel Gibson (Cavaliers) remains out for at least another few weeks. It's a shame that he's taking so long to get healthy.... Chris Webber (Warriors) isn't coming back yet, and even when he does coach Don Nelson may barely use him, according to the Contra Costa Times... Pau Gasol (Lakers) definitely isn't playing in the next few games... Carlos Boozer (Jazz) is day-to-day... Hakim Warrick (Grizzlies) puts up nice points and rebounds when given proper minutes, though he doesn't do a lot else... Shawn Marion (Heat) is back, but playing semi-hurt... A big stack of Kings are banged up... Udonis Haslem (heat) has some left foot/ankle issues that could be a problem... Trevor Ariza (Lakers) probably won't play again this season. He's been injured for quite a while.