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The NBA fantasy basketball season has begun and though it’s oh so young, some of what we’ve seen is here to stay, and yes, I too hope for more Vince-like dunks over Mourning. We’ve seen our players in action and its time to grade ourselves on our drafts. We all know our first few picks were fine, or will be fine (injuries happen, and no Artest didn’t do that on purpose) but its those later picks that matter in long run, and so, here it is, rising and falling stock just after the first few games, the guys who can make or break your squad, and those surprises that could lead you to the promised land.

On The Rise

Zaza Pachulia (Atl - C): Zaza Pa who? Exactly, and if you’re still guessing, he’s the Hawks center. Zaza currently ranks second in offensive boards. He grabs nearly 10 boards a game and scores about 13 points with 1 block. His fg% may look a little like Iverson’s but Zaza is adjusting to a starting role and increased minutes and I’d figure his fg% to spike in the near future as the Hawks learn how to play together. He has a nice ft%, which is always an added bonus for big guys who normally break you in that area. Pick this guy up now if he’s available, and if he’s not, well kick yourself for not drafting him with your last pick. You knew you were just gonna drop Darko, right?

Ricky Davis (Bos - SG, SF): I never liked should be starters coming off the bench, and neither did Ricky Davis. The last time he started, in Cleveland, Ricky averaged 15, 5, and 5, numbers he hadn’t come close to reaching until now. As a bonus, Ricky is currently fourth in the league in steals and with the way The C’s are playing right now, I don’t see Tony Allen returning and taking back his old job. The core coming off the bench is a bit more experienced and Doc Rivers doesn’t need Ricky to nurse them any longer. Expect big things and big dunks from Ricky this year, something like 17, 5, and 5, 1.5 steals, almost a three a game, and a Vince like dunk over Zo sometime soon. And Ricky, when you do it, flex that muscle…

Tayshaun Prince (Det – SF): Sure they call him Tay-Tay and the prince, but this guy’s been playing like the king of the court. With Brown out and Saunders in, a more freelanced offense allows us to finally see what guy’s like Tayshaun can do. In the past, Tayshaun has been a good source of a little bit here and little bit there, but this year, I look for him to score more, jack up a few more threes, and still be his usual pesky self on the defensive end. I can still see him swatting the life out of Reggie and the Pacers…

Lamar Odom (LAL – SF): Here’s the plan, let’s let Odom be Pippen, Kobe be Jordan, and Phil be Phil, and then let’s win 6 championships. Not a bad plan, and sure I pray for the outcome, but this year, I’ll take making the playoffs. With Odom acting as the point, his assists have already spiked while his points and boards have not decreased. Look for Odom to grow more aggressive on the offensive end while still keeping his teammates involved. He’s missed a lot of gimmies early this season and I’d expect that to end soon. If there’s one thing Phil thrives on its efficiency, so expect Lamar to take better shots which will cause his fg% to steadily rise. I see Odom at around 17.5, 10, and 5. If he’d just grow out his hair to that small, puffy fro, maybe we’ll all really believe he’s Scottie.

Darius Miles (Por - SG, SF): I think he’s is as tired as we are with that middle name “bust”, cause it seems that this year, we’re seeing a new Darius Miles. (see that, no more middle name). On a team of kids and rising stars who are years away, Darius has somehow figured to be the responsible babysitter, a situation he’s not used to, but seems to be thriving in. He’s scoring more than he ever has and playing more minutes because he seems to be one of the only sources of stability on the court. I don’t expect the young guards to have big offensive efforts, and knowing that Przybilla and Ratliff are offensively challenged shot blockers, the scoring load is squarely on the shoulders of Zack Randolph and Darius Miles. But can he handle the load for entire season? He just might have to. Congrats on the maturation young man, we knew you had it in you! Well some of us did.

Marcus Camby (Den - C): Sure he’s been a fantasy headache with his injuries and such, but the shoes on the other foot as for once Camby needs to fill a void instead of watch from the sidelines as others attempt to play his role. With Nene out for the season, Camby is the only real inside presence for the Nuggets. K-Mart has a bum knee and might not even beat Chris Webber in the high jump, and so, every rebound and every block is Camby’s. And the biggest surprise? Camby is not only taking more shots, he’s making more shots, as he seems to be more involved in the offense than he ever has. He’s shooting at a remarkable 56% and scoring 16 a game. Is it more important for him to stay healthy this year with Nene out? Of course. But does that mean he can? You never know for sure, but one thing we do know is that when this guy’s healthy, he can blow your mind, well statistically at least.

On The Fall

Damon Stoudamire (Mem – PG): Mighty Mouse meet Bobby Jackson. You will be sharing minutes at the point, and neither of you will be given enough time to get your offense going. This is Grizzly world where the rotation means less minutes and lower stats. Damon carried the load for the Blazers for the second half of last season, and by the season’s end, he had averaged almost 15 shots a game, 6 of those being threes. Damon’s the type of player who needs some time before catching fire and he won’t be given that time in Memphis, as nobody is. He’s now shooting 8 shots a game, only 3 threes, and playing 29 minutes, and so his numbers are down across the board. They’ve found their shooters in Eddie Jones and Mike Miller and so it seems that Mighty Mouse won’t be at the top as one of the three point leaders. With no time to get mighty in Memphis, maybe now he’s just…Mouse.

Al Jefferson (Bos – PF): You were bragging on the draft board before you selected him in the ninth round. You said, “steal of the draft baby, sleeper pick of the year”. And then, you picked Al Jefferson and now, the league laughs when you drop him for a nobody. There was a lot of hype that this guy would get a lot more minutes, maybe crack the starting lineup, and while this hype isn’t completely dead, it just doesn’t seem viable any longer. LaFrentz can spread the floor and shoot the three, and Blount, well, he’s doing more of something this year, he’s scoring. In this first week, Big Al’s numbers look identical to his numbers last year and it’s hard to see a big spike anytime soon. Any time you take a guy for upside though, you gotta wait, but as of right now, I think I’d rather have Darko. Well, I’ll drop him for Collison…yah that sounds right.

Larry Hughes (Cle – SG): One of the best fantasy 2 guards last year, Hughes seems a bit out of place. He’s not a great outside shooter, and with Lebron as the slasher and ball handler, Hughes seems like a puzzle piece to a puzzle in some city other than Cleveland, He brings a great deal to the defensive end, but this year, he will take less shots, grab less boards, take less threes, and the ball will be in his hands for less time which means minimal chances for assists. Drafted in the third or fourth round in many leagues, Hughes is not in the situation to play like that caliber of a fantasy player. Wait for a big offensive game, and sell high, if you can.

Joel Przybilla (Por – C): The Thrilla came out of nowhere last year as his block parties were as monstrous and as raucous as those I can’t remember from my college years. He was a great source of blocks and boards and we predicted the same for this year, maybe even with a little bit more offense. What we all forgot is Zack Randolph’s nose for the ball, and his knack for grabbing 10 boards a game, and the simple fact that Zack was absent for the Thrilla’s killer parties. Joel’s boards, points, and most importantly minutes are down and his numbers are starting to look like Ratliff’s in the past. Sure he’ll get you some blocks, but there are guards who are pulling down more boards than the Thrilla and it doesn’t look like he’ll be a part of that offense anytime soon. The party has been shut down Joel, throw a big one, and maybe we’ll turn our heads again.

Kenyon Martin (Den – PF): This ain’t the ferocious dunking machine we once knew so well. Remember those Kidd to K-Mart highlights? Well, now you hear about K-mart sitting out with bum knees and taking ill-advised jumpers. His numbers have dropped significantly since he left New Jersey where in his final year he averaged almost 17 and 10. Don’t expect his sub-par numbers as a Nugget to spike anytime soon, he’s already sitting out games with a sore left knee. Hey man, at least get a tech or two like you used to and keep us interested. What’s a poor man’s store version of K – Mart? Payless? Wal-Mart? New nickname, take your pick.

Agree? Disagree? Argue for arguments sake? Email me stankubrick@aol.com

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