FANTASY BASKETBALL MID-SEASON REPORT: Part 1.

FANTASY BASKETBALL MID-SEASON REPORT: Part 1.

By Muntradamus

Beast Dome community,

The mid-way point for fantasy basketball is coming up.  Instead of doing the traditional player update with a brief paragraph to recap the player. I will be projecting out the 2^nd half of the season by giving the players outlook, along with if I think there stats will increase in the different categories.  I will also include my predicted NBA Season for the rest of the way later on.

Green = Stat will go up in the 2^nd half.

Red= Stat will down in the 2^nd half.

Black= Stat will stay about the same.

Let’s get to it..

(Trade Analyzer)

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76ERS (20-12) 3rd Seed in East

Andre Iguodala (8.1/10)

Stats: (35 Minutes, 1.1 3PTM, 61.7% FT, 12.4 Points, 5.3 Assists, 6.5 Rebounds, 1.8 Steal)

Second Half Outlook: Iggy is the star player of the 76ers.  He doesn’t necessarily take the most shots, but he will be on the court when the team is trying to win.  What makes Andre special is his ability to rack up assists at the forward position.  If you are trying to make a move in assists grab this guy.  If you need Points, 3PTM, look somewhere else.  I expect Andre to have a big second half as he pushes the 76ers to the playoffs with their best team since the Iverson days.

Jrue Holiday (7.5/10)

Stats: (35 Minutes, 13.6 Points, 4.6 Assists, 3.3 Rebounds, 1.0 3PTM, 1.6 Steal, 82% FT)

Second Half Outlook: Jrue has proven this year that no matter how bad he does, he will get the minutes the next night.  Knowing that, pushes his fantasy value forward going into the second half of the season.  Jrue has typically been a slow starter, then usually breaks out.  He is definitely capable of the feat, he just has to start hitting his shots.

Louis Williams (7.3/10)

Stats: (26 Minutes, 15.9 Points, 1.4 3PTM, 80.9 FT, 2.2 Rebounds, 3.8 Assists, .8 Steals)

Second Half Outlook: Lou has been one of the bigger surprises of the 1^st half of the season.  It is amazing that a bench player can be the team’s leading scorer, and Louis will do his best to make sure that trend continues.  As long as he keeps playing well, Lou will see the minutes.  Evan Turner lurks on the bench for a bigger role, but that will not come unless Lou really struggles.

Evan Turner (6.1/10)

Stats: (24 Minutes, 8.6 Points, 5.7 Rebounds, 2.7 Assists, 0.2 3PTM, 0.6 Steals)

Second Half Outlook: Turner has been on the wrong side of the 76ers guard rotation.  The talent, and potential is obviously there with Turner.  The minute are not, and without minutes you are not a fantasy basketball option.  If there is an injury to a starter or Lou, I see Turner playing a bigger role.  Until then just wait for someone to go down.

 

Elton Brand (6.4/10)

Stats: (28 Minutes, 10.1 Point, 6.7 Rebounds, 70.5% FT, 1.5 Blocks, 0.9 Steals)

Second Half Outlook: Veterans are going to have a tough 2^nd half due to the condescended schedule.  The good news for Brand is that he is playing for a playoff spot, so he will be going strong every game.  Brand will always have his inconsistent nights, because he is not even the best PF on the team.  Brand should be able to put up serviceable stats the rest of the season.

Thaddeus Young (6.5/10)

Stats: (28 Minutes, 12.7 Points, 4.6 Rebounds, 1.2 Steals, 1.2 Assists, 0.5 Blocks, 76% FT)

Second Half Outlook: Thaddeus could be a great fantasy asset if he was on the right team.  Playing for the 76ers he is going to leave his fantasy owners frustfrated with big nights mixed with medicore games due to inconsistent playing time.  As the season continues I expect Thaddeus to have more of an impact as the legs of Elton Brand may not have what it takes to last the whole season.

Spencer Hawes (5.6/10) +0

Stats: (28 Minutes, 10.5 Points, 8.3 Rebounds, 0.5 Steals, 1.5 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: Spencer has been battling the injury bug all season.  Do I expect it to stop?  No, once you’re injured and you don’t allow yourself to heal completely he is at a great risk of re-injuring himself.  Playing in a condescend 2^nd half schedule will make it even tougher for Hawes to recover in between games.  Hawes could put up some decent low-end #2 Center numbers.  But he could also miss a lot of time.

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BOBCATS (4-27) 15th Seed in East

Kemba Walker (7.3/10)

Stats: (29 Minutes, 13.2 Points, 3.8 Assists, 3.9 Rebounds, 1.2 3PTM, 1 Steal)

Second Half Outlook: I expected Kemba to have a big 2^nd half of the season since opening day.  The Bobcats are a terrible team, they have nothing to play for, and Kemba is their franchise player.  Expect the Bobcats at some point to see what they really got when they put their best offensive player in a position to shoot the ball 20 times a game.  His fantasy value will go up.

Boris Diaw (5.7/10)

Stats: (28 Minutes, 7.9 Points, 4.3 Assists, 5.4 Rebounds, 0.6 Steal, 0.6 Block)

Second Half Outlook: I would be very surprised if Boris Diaw ends the regular season as a starter for the Bobcats.  A starter for any team, if we’re going to go there.  The Bobcats have nothing to play for and they would benefit greatly in the long run if they tried out Tyrus Thomas in the PF spot than Diaw.  When Gerald Henderson comes back it will be interesting to see what the Bobcats do with Boris.  My guess is bench.

 
Gerald Henderson (5/10)

Stats: (34 Minutes, 15 Points, 4.4 Rebounds, 1.8 Assists, 0.9 Steals, 0.3 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook:  Henderson was once the go-to-guy in this Bobcat offense.  Since his injury, a lot has changed as far as the teams dynamics go.  Corey Maggette is back to being the go-to-guy, Reggie Williams is a threat for playing time.  D.J. Augustin is healthy and ready to be a fantasy contributor.  But most importantly Kemba Walker needs to take his shot attempts, and that will probably come away from Henderson.  I expect a waiver wire quality second half.

 

D.J. Augustin (7.2/10)

Stats: (32 Minutes, 13.1 Points, 6.5 Assists, 0.7 Steals, 1.4 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: D.J. is healthy and the Bobcats are going to run him as their starting PG.  D.J. was looking great before the injury, and he is their best chance of winning games.  As long as D.J. stays healthy he should be a great fantasy option.

 

Tyrus Thomas (4/10)

Stats: (23 Minutes, 6.1 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 0.8 Steal, 1.6 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: The Bobcats gave up on Thomas.  But that does not mean he will come back later.  I expect either a trade, or the Bobcats to give him another shot to be a fantasy performer.  He could dominate in the blocks/steals category at any time, but right now he is putting up Anthony Randolph fantasy quality.  

 

Corey Maggette (7.4/10)

Stats: (28 Minutes, 12.9 Points, 0.6 Steals, 4.8 Rebounds, 5.3 FT Attempts)

Second Half Outlook: Corey should be a great fantasy option for the majority of the second half.  He is already back to being the go-to-guy on the team after just one game off the bench.  The problem for Corey is that he plays for the Bobcats.  That typically means the team will be eliminated from the playoffs in Mid-March which results into Maggette sitting out at the end of the season.

 

Bismack Biyombo (6.7/10)

Stats: (16 Minutes, 3.6 Points, 4.4 Rebounds, 1.5 Blocks, 0.3 Steals)

Second Half Outlook: Bismack will feel like a NBA veteran by the time the season is over.  He should continue to get starts for the rest of the season, and finding fantasy centers are not easy.  His block/steal/rebound potential reminds you of Marcus Camby.  His scoring potential reminds you of Marcus Camby.  So in reality, you can end up with a Marcus Camby type player on your fantasy roster.  That is if you pick him up.

 

Reggie Williams (6.5/10)

Stats: (29 Minutes, 11 Points, 3.7 Rebounds, 0.5 Steals, 1.2 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: It is hard to imagine Reggie Williams having much of a role when Gerald Henderson comes back.  It was amazing enough to see him outlast Corey Maggette, and D.J. Augustin returning.  But to throw in Henderson, the type of player that plays Williams position.  That will result in waiver wire material very quickly.

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BUCKS (13-18) 9th Seed in East

Brandon Jennings (8.4/10)

Stats: (35 Minutes, 18.2 Points, 5.2 Assists, 1.6 Steals, 2.2 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: Jennings has been a disappointment since all the injuries took place for the Bucks.  Every now and then we will see a spark of the old Jennings, but for now he is mostly an underperforming star.  Eventually he will get his game going as players like Illysova, and Dunleavy become more relevant in the offense putting less pressure on Jennings to perform.  Will he reach the elite level this season?  He could if he starts knocking down his shots.

Mike Dunleavy (6.3/10)

Stats: (25 Minutes, 10.3 Points, 3.1 Rebounds, 79.3% FT, 1.1 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: Dunleavy needs more minutes on this squad.  His scoring potential is there, but he is locked up on the bench.  Eventually the team will figure out a way to get him 30 Minutes a game, but until then he is a very inconsistent fantasy player.  If you need 3PTM, this guy is a great steal.

Stephen Jackson (6.5/10)

Stats: (25 Minutes, 10.5 Points, 3.2 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steal, 1.2 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: It’s either Jackson gets traded, or he has 0 fantasy value.  He is not even on speaking terms with his coach, which makes the situation even worse.  There is no reason to believe it gets better before getting worse for Jackson and the Bucks.

Drew Gooden (7.3/10)

Stats: (25 Minutes, 12.7 Points, 6.2 Rebounds, 0.6 Blocks, 0.6 Steals)

Second Half Outlook:  Gooden’s wrist injury has really hurt his fantasy value.  Not only is he injured, but his backup Ersan Illysova has been playing at an elite level.  I expect Gooden to continue to be a solid option if his wrist injury is not a factor.  But the reality is, Gooden is old and the Bucks may go in a different direction.

Ersan Illysova (7.1/10)

Stats: (25 Minutes, 10.1 Points, 8.5 Rebounds, 0.6 Steals, 0.9 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: Ersan has been a lot more effective as of late with Gooden going down.  He appears to be a player that want to have in their future which should result in a solid second half for Ersan.  Ever since the 19 Rebound game he had when Bogut has gone down, Illysova has been a good option and is now heading ready to be a fantasy starter.

 

Carlos Delfino (6.7/10)

Stats: (27 Minutes, 9.7 Points, 1.4 Steals, 2.1 Assists, 3.5 Rebounds, 1.8 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: I expect Delfino to be a good fantasy contributor the rest of the way.  The Bucks appear committed to give Delfino the job with no competition as they have played him through his days where he failed to score double digits consistently.  Now that he is hot, he offers an excellent source of 3PTM, and Steals for the rest of the season.

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BULLS (25-8) 2nd Seed in East

Derrick Rose (9.3/10)

Stats: (36 Minutes, 22 Points, 7.8 Assists, 1.4 3PTM, 0.9 Steals, 0.7 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: D.Rose first needs to overcome all the injuries before we feel fully comfortable of his fantasy potential as the season continues.  As long as Rose is healthy he is an elite option, but this season the Bulls offense appears way more talented than it has in the past.  Expecting Rose to put up the MVP type numbers from a season ago may be a stretch, but he should come close enough.

Luol Deng (8.4/10)

Stats: (38 Minutes, 16.1 Points, 7.9 Rebounds, 3.2 Assists, 1.3 3PTM, 1.1 Steal, 0.7 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: Deng is proving through this time around after the wrist injury that he is capable of carrying this Bulls team when needed.  He may not score a lot of points, but he can distribute the ball and is almost playing at a Paul Pierce type level.  Do I expect this to last long term?  Probably not.  But his value as a fantasy player will remain solid as long as his wrist does not become an issue.

Joakim Noah (8.3/10)

Stats: (30 Minutes, 9.6 Points, 9.6 Rebounds, 0.7 Steals, 1.3 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: As the Bulls get healthier the amount of touches will go away from Joakim.  He has been great for the month of February, but gave us a bad 0 Point performance this past week that will remind us of his risk.  He would be a good candidate to sell high now because of injury concern and inconsistency history.

Carlos Boozer (7.9/10)

Stats: (30 Minutes, 15.6 Points, 8.4 Rebounds, 1 Steal, 0.5 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: Booz looks poised to continue his comeback season.  He is consistently one of the leading scorers every night and appears to be a big part of the Bulls offense even when Rose is healthy.  It is a bit concerning how many offensive weapons this team has when they are 100%, but expect Boozer to continue to put up his nice scoring with near double digit rebounds.  If you want to sell high, I would not blame you.

Rip Hamilton (5.7/10)

Stats: (31 Minutes, 14.2 Points, 0.7 Steals, 3.6 Assists)

Second Half Outlook: Rip needs to shoot in a heavy volume to be a fantasy contributor.  Right now he is not on a team that gives him that reality.  When there is an injury he becomes relevant, but right now he is having enough problems shaking off his own.

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CAVALIERS (12-17) 10th seed in East

Kyrie Irving (8.3/10)

Stats: (31 Minutes, 18.4 Points, 4.8 Assists, 3.5 Rebounds, 0.8 Steals, 1.2 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: The franchise player for the Cavs should continue to get more run time as the season continues.  Kyrie has looked great as a rookie scoring points and grabbing assists at a good rate, especially when you consider how many minutes he has played.  I expect Kyrie to be a great fantasy option as the season continues being the star of a team that is going to be playing to be ready for next season.

Ramon Sessions (7/10)

Stats: (26 Minutes, 10.5 Points, 5.6 Assists, 0.6 Steals, 0.7 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: Ramon is a good option if you need assists.  However if he gets traded to another team like many expect, he would be a must-start fantasy PG.  If he was playing normal starters minutes he could easily average double digit assists per game.

Anderson Varejao (7.1/10)

Stats: (32 Minutes, 10.8 Points, 11.5 Rebounds, 1.4 Steals, 0.7 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook:  Once Varejao is healthy towards Mid/Late March, you got yourself one of the most underrated fantasy centers of today.  This guy is a guaranteed double digit rebounding machine with good intangibles in the blocks/steals category.  If he is on your waiver wire you may want to pick him up so you avoid playing against him in the playoffs.

Antwan Jamison (8.4/10)

Stats: (32 Minutes, 16.7 Points, 6.2 Rebounds, 1.1 Steals, 0.9 Blocks, 1.4 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: Twan may have hit his ceiling this season and his value is starting to drop.  However there is still room for it to be great for another month.  If you do not trade Antwan before the end of March, you are potentially letting a player rot on your team.  As the season continues and the Cavs get eliminated early from playoff contention, it would not be surprising to see Tristan Thompson play as many minutes if not more than Jamison.  There is also a good chance Antwan gets traded to a contender, which could most likely hurt him since he will not be the #2 scoring option on that team.  Most likely.

Daniel Gibson (6.1/10)

Stats: (27 Minutes, 8.1 Points, 1.7 3PTM, 2.1 Assists, 0.8 Steals)

Second Half Outlook: Gibson has the potential to be a good threat in the 3PTM category.  Injuries and depth has been his major concern.  If Sessions gets traded Gibson becomes a great fantasy player to own as he will be someone that can easily see 25+ Minutes a game.  Which is plenty for a guy who wants to fire a 3PT shot whenever he gets the chance.

Tristan Thompson (6.5/10)

Stats: (19 Minutes, 7.1 Points, 5.5 Rebounds, 1.3 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: I expect Tristan to become a big part of the Cavs future which could start as early as March.  The Cavs like his play, and could soon be a fantasy option that plays 30 Minutes a game.  I like his upside and remains someone that should be owned in all 12 team leagues.

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CELTICS (15-15) 7th Seed in East

Paul Pierce (8.6/10)

Stats: (35 Minutes, 17.3 Points, 5 Rebounds, 5.4 Assists, 1.1 Steals, 0.5 Block, 1.6 3PTM)

Second Half Outlook: Pierce took a fantasy hit when Rondo returned from his wrist injury.  He is the type of player that needs to handle the ball in order to be a true fantasy stud.  Otherwise you have yourself a solid forward who will fill the stat sheet up like a poor version of Lebron James.

Kevin Garnett (7.9/10)

Stats: (31 Minutes, 14.1 Points, 7.8 Rebounds, 0.8 Steals, 1.1 Blocks)

Second Half Outlook: KG has found the fountain of youth all season.  However expecting KG to play at this level over a condensed 2^nd half of the schedule is not very realistic.  Chris Wilcox has emerged a serviceable option, so it would not be the most surprising thing for KG to rack up some DNP’s down the stretch.  KG is one start away at center from gaining eligibility in most leagues.  That would make him dominant.

Ray Allen (7.6/10)

Stats: (34 Minutes, 14.3 Points, 2.3 3PTM, 0.8 Steals, 91.4% FT)

Second Half Outlook: 3PTM and steals is all you can hope for with this guy.  He is still staying relevant on this deep team which bodes well for a solid 2^nd half.  He won’t be reaching 20 Points a game like he has in the past, but 15 is a good target for him.

Rajon Rondo (8.9/10)

Stats: (37 Minutes, 14.8 Points, 9.6 Assists, 1.6 Steals, 4.9 Rebounds)

Second Half Outlook: Rondo has stepped up his game this past week and reminded us why he was 2^nd round pick in fantasy basketball drafts.  I expect Rondo to continue his stellar season as he is by far the most electric player this team has.  The assists and steals will come at a premium, the points will remain a bit inconsistent but better than a season ago.

Brandon Bass (6.3/10)

Stats: (29 Minutes, 11.6 Points, 6.1 Rebounds, 0.7 Blocks, 0.4 Steals)

Second Half Outlook: Bass is a nice double-double threat when he is healthy.  But the truth is he does not reach the double-double numbers as often as you would like.  He should be added in all leagues now that he is nearing a return, but the fact that Wilcox has emerged from the bench gives the Celtics another big body to rotate him with.

Chris Wilcox (6/10)

Stats: (16 Minutes, 5.3 Points, 3.9 Rebounds)

Second Half Outlook: Once Brandon Bass returns, Wilcox will be more of a waiver wire type fantasy player than reserve.  He has some solid potential if KG were to go down, but when Bass comes back Wilcox will be playing behind him.

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ASK ANY FANTASY BASKETBALL QUESTIONS BELOW AND AN EXPERT WILL ANSWER THEM.

(FANTASY BASKETBALL MID-SEASON REPORT PART 2) Coming Soon..