The NBA playoff is just a few weeks away and we still don’t know who is assured of the last two or even the last four playoff spots in the East. Right now the fourth-8th seed are the Miami Heat(38-32), Philadelphia 76ers(36-33), Detroit Pistons (34-36) and the Chicago Bulls (34-38). These teams aren’t safe yet since there are a some teams just a few games behind them. If you’re a fantasy basketball fan, you are probably loving the East right now. Why? (more…)
I haven’t been able to update this section lately but all is not too late since there are still a lot of players you can pick up to help your team reach first place or just enough to make to the playoffs. We are down to our last month so it’s important that you play close attention to the waiver wires and fix your roster everyday. So here are some of the fantasy basketball pick ups you may still find.
Chris Andersen, PF-C, Denver Nuggets (22% owned)
With Nene out, Andersen will get the bulk of minutes at the center position and he is a very good source for blocks and rebounds. When Nene comes back, as long as you’re in a deep league you can still hold on to him.
Marreese Speights, C, Philadelphia 76ers (10% owned)
He has been up and down mainly because he is a rookie but if you’re in a deep league you have to have this guy on your roster. Good source of rebounds, blocks and fg%.
Fred Jones, SG, LA Clippers (4% owned)
The Clippers are clearly struggling and they’ve had a hard time having able bodies to play on a nightly basis that’s why journeyman Fred Jones has been given a chance. He has scored double figures in four out of the last five games and is a decent source of threes and steals. Surprisingly, he has been giving a block in three straight.
Kyle Weaver, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder (1% owned)
This guy has been under the radar of most people but he has been producing lately. 45% FG shooting for a guard with a three in the last five out of six games. An all around guy who will give you three rebounds and three assists, a steal and very good ft shooting. Surprisingly, his scoring has been up after the trade for Thabo Sefalosha to the Thunder.
Kurt Thomas, C, San Antonio Spurs (3% owned)
The veteran can still play that’s for sure as he has been playing well of late grabbing rebounds and with that occasional putbacks. The Spurs will try to be cautious with Duncan’s knee as we near the playoffs, Thomas is the only reliable big man off the bench for them. Grab him if you really need help in the boards.
Nicola Batum, SG-SF, Portland Trailblazers (2% owned)
He has been scoring double figures in three out of the last four games and has been hot shooting the three. An all around guy also who will give you steals and an occasional block. But this guy should only be grabbed if you’re in a deep league.
Michael Finley, SG-SF, San Antonio Spurs (14% owned)
He has been hot with the threes lately due to an increase in minutes when Manu Ginobili went down with an injury. He won’t be on fire every night but as long as he is getting minutes the points, threes and occasional steals will keep on flowing. Grab him now!
Brandon Rush, G-F, Indiana Pacers (3% owned)
You knew how he was capable of scoring 20 in a games in December when Dunleavy was out. Now that he is given minutes, it’s also a given that he will score in double figures in most games in the last month of the regular season. Just be sure you can take his 37% fg shooting.
Other players you may pick up:
Goran Dragic, PG, Phoenix Suns – A short term pick up if Nash will be out a little longer.
Antoine Wright, SG, Dallas Mavericks – Grab him if he is still in the waiver wires.
Francisco Elson, C, Milwaukee Bucks – The Bucks are thin at the center position and he’s starting.
Travis Diener, PG, Indiana Pacers – No Granger. No Dunleavy. Ford is in and out of the lineup.
Keyon Dooling, PG, New Jersey Nets – Good source of points and threes.
Let’s just hope that this does not start an injury trend for the Milwaukee Bucks. With Andrew Bogut and Charlie Bell out the last couple of games, Milwaukee loses another starter, Michael Redd. But this time it will for the rest of the season. Redd injured his left knee in the third quarter of Saturday night’s game againt the Sacramento Kings at the Bradley Center.
He underwent and MRI the following day and learned that he had torn both the MCL and ACL.
“I’m deeply disappointed but everything in life happens for a reason and this is God’s plan for me,” Redd said in a statement issued by the team. “I have faith in my teammates and coaches to continue to work together to make our fans proud. I will be supporting them wholeheartedly from the sidelines and working equally hard to return to the court in the best condition possible for next season.”
The Bucks are 22-25 right and 8th in the East. Other players will have to step up if they want to hold on to their playoff spot.
This, of course, isn’t good for any Michael Redd owners. After missing 14 games in November he’d have to sit out the rest of the season now. As the cliche goes, when one window closes another one opens and that other window is what you’ll have to find. You can find them in these players: Ramon Sessions, Charlie Bell and Tyronn Lue.
When Redd was out during the start of the season, Sessions played a big role in the back court with Luke Ridnour. It looks like that that situation will happen again this time. So grab Sessions in your league right now if he is still available. He’s your man if you need assists and occasional steals. If he’s not available then Charlie Bell figures to get minutes and he is also a good pickup.
Damon Jones who has been rotting at the end of the Bucks bench might also get some minutes. If you’re in a twenty team league, Jones is worth a look since he could be a good source of threes.
We still don’t know what coach Scott Skiles will plan to do but Luc Richard Mbah a Moute played well during Redd’s absence and that was the time he was noticed in the fantasy world. He has been inconsistent lately but with the extra minutes being shared, it looks like Mbah a Moute will get some of those and hopefully become more consistent. This guy might not be in your waiver wires right now, but if you’re doing a trade maybe you could package this guy and sent to your team.
When an injury to a team’s starter occurs, it give their back up players an opportunity to shine. I say opportunity because it doesn’t necessarily translate into success. It still depends if he’ll be making the most out of his minutes like what Paul Millsap is doing now that Carlos Boozer is out. Here are some of the starting centers who are out with injuries in the past month and their back ups you can pick up. (more…)
