Eric Gordon; Out Indefinitely

Well, it looks like Eric Gordon was just downgraded from game time call tonight night against the Spurs to being out indefinitely. This is really bad news for the Hornets as he is their max player and seems to have the hardest of times getting on the court. For fantasy owners that took a shot on Gordon during their draft, this is certainly a blow, however you probably  didn't take him higher than the seventh round so it is a storm you should be able the weather as expectations had to be tempered already. I am not recommending dropping Gordon just yet. GM Dell Demps said he will make a statement at the appropriate time so monitor the situation closely. Roger Mason and Austin Rivers will see a bump in minutes in Gordon's absence.

Opening Night Recap: Anderson Varejao's Huge Night

So the first night of the NBA season is in the books and we had some interesting fantasy developments to discuss. Lets take a look game by game.

Anderson Varejao

Washington @ Cleveland: Nothing really positive coming from the Wizards last night on the fantasy front as they lost 94-84 to the Cavs. Pretty pedestrian numbers across the board. So lets move on the Cavs. As expected, Kyrie Irving was a star scoring 29 points, 3 assists, and 6 rebounds. The assist number is a bit troubling but that should improve as the season progresses. Rookie Dion Waiters started in the back-court next to Irving and showed why he was worth a late round flier. He put up a line 17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers while completely outplaying fellow rookie Bradley Beal. If waiters isn't owned in your league, that should change immediately. Two big performances came from the Cavs frontcourt as well. Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson both showed why they will be a force to be reckoned with this season. Varejao scored 9 points, 23 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 blocks while Thompson had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. They feasted on a Wizard frontcourt that was extremely banged up so don't expect gaudy numbers like this every night however both Thompson and Varejao can comfortably be inserted into starting lineups going forward.

Brandon Bass

Boston @ Miami: In what was the marquee match-up of the NBA's opening night, the defending champion Heat were able to rout the Celtics 120-107. Rondo was great in the loss, posting a line of 20 points, 7 rebounds, 13 assists. Rondo will continue to produce at an elite level throughout the duration of the season. Brandon Bass, who many pegged as a breakout candidate this year had a big night with 15 points and 11 rebounds. He will have to fend off Jared Sullinger for the starting role but Bass should be owned as long as he remains the starting PF in Boston. Jason Terry had a down night, but be patient with him as he adjusts to his new team. Lebron James picked up right where he left off last year, showing everyone he really is the best player in the world. Lebron was able to post a line of 26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in only 29 minutes. Lebron left the game with cramps but doesn't seem to be anything serious. Expect many more nights just like this one. Dwayne Wade also showed why  he was worthy of a late first round pick with 29 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers also posted solid numbers in the win.

Pau Gasol

Dallas @ Los Angeles Lakers: The new look Lakers were not able to hold off the banged up Mavericks last night in LA. They looked out of sync all night and should have some growing pains early on. Darren Collison posted a solid line with 17 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Many have Collison pegged for a bounce back year and performances like this are a step in the right direction. O.J. Mayo, who I was extremely high on going into this season struggled mightily with his shot last night. Do not let this performance deter you from owning him. Mayo remains in line for a big year in Dallas. Shawn Marion had 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block in a very impressive performance. He should continue to post solid lines as long as Dirk remains sidelined with a bad knee. Kobe Bryant scored 22 points in the loss but wasn't  able to get much else going as I mentioned LA looked out of sync in coach Mike Brown's Princeton offense. Steve Nash, who debuted for the Lakers last night didn't have one of his best nights. He managed just 7 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists. Look for Nash to improve on these numbers one he settles into the offense. Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol both looked pretty good in the slow tempo, half court Princeton offense. Dwight had 19 points, 10 rebounds and a block in his Lakers debut while Gasol posted a huge line of 23 points, 13 rebounds,  6 assists, and 3 blocks.

Notes:

With three games looming tomorrow to kick off the NBA season there are some quick news and notes that need to be addressed.

James Harden; In a pretty shocking move, the Thunder decided to ship one of their rising stars, James Harden along with three other players to the Houston Rockets. In return the Thunder will get Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first round picks and one second round pick. I believe the fantasy impact of this trade will be huge. Harden will sign a max extension with the Rockets and become the focal point of that offense. I was high on Harden coming into this season, and this trade only adds to his value. If you have yet to draft, target Harden in the second round. Kevin Martin will continue to be a useful fantasy starter in OKC. He will still be relied on for some scoring.

Kobe Bryant; The Black Mamba is suffering from a strained foot and was unable to practice on Sunday. His status for the opener remains in question and if we don't get any more news before most lineups lock in weekly formats on Monday, you may want to play it safe and keep Kobe on your bench.

Tyson Chandler; Tyson Chandler, who banged up his knee in a preseason contest says he is on track to play Thursday vs the Nets. An MRI cleared Chandler of any structural damage in his knee and confirmed this injury was simply a bone bruise. Even if he is in the lineup, he may experience some lingering effects from the injury. With center being a pretty deep position this year, it may be a good idea to plug someone else in your lineup until he proves he is back to normal.

Eric Gordon; The oft-injured guard was able to practice on Sunday without any restrictions  This is a good sign that he will be ready to go on on Wednesday when the Hornets open their season. Gordon is being drafted around the 8th round of most fantasy drafts and if he able to get his knee healthy, he certainly has the talent to return mid to early round value.

Draft Analysis: Round 8

Glen Davis

Ersan Ilyasova

Round 8
Pick	Team	Player	Elapsed Time	Pts
1		Noah, Joakim C CHI	26 sec	0/0
2		Gallinari, Danilo SF DEN	9 sec	0/0
3		Teague, Marquis PG CHI	10 sec	0/0
4		Ilyasova, Ersan PF MIL	16 sec	0/0
5		Williams, Mo PG UTA	33 sec	0/0
6		Davis, Glen C ORL	8 sec	0/0
7		Thornton, Marcus PG SAC	1 min 14 sec	0/0
8		Henderson, Gerald SG CHA	1 min 15 sec	0/0
9		West, David PF IND	4 sec	0/0
10		Stuckey, Rodney PG DET	44 sec	0/0
11		Afflalo, Arron SG ORL	7 sec	0/0
12		Nelson, Jameer PG ORL	14 sec	0/0
Several guys went in round 8 that I happen to really like this year. Starting with my selection of Ersan Ilyasova. Ersan seemingly came out of nowhere last year and became somewhat of a force off the waiver wire fantasy wise. Coming into this season  however, the secret is out. Ersan seems to have the inside track to be the starter at PF for the bucks when the season kicks off. Im looking for a solid year out of Ilyasova and love him if he falls to you in round 8. Glen Davis and Aaron Afflalo alike will be relied on for a lot of the production that comes out of Orlando this season. Although the results for the Orlando Magic may be pretty dismal this year as they enter into rebuilding mode, look for solid years from both Big Baby and Afflalo.

Draft Analysis: Round 6

So here is Round 6 

Round 6
Pick	Team	Player	Elapsed Time	Pts
1		Duncan, Tim PF SA	8 sec	0/0
2		Faried, Kenneth PF DEN	31 sec	0/0
3		Hibbert, Roy C IND	1 min 1 sec	0/0
4		Williams, Lou SG ATL	29 sec	0/0
5		Humphries, Kris PF BKN	28 sec	0/27.7581
6		Thompson, Klay SG GS	8 sec	0/0
7		Mayo, O.J. SG DAL	21 sec	0/0
8		Randolph, Zach PF MEM	9 sec	0/0
9		Ginobili, Manu SG SA	8 sec	0/0
10		Garnett, Kevin C BOS	1 min 4 sec	0/0
11		Knight, Brandon PG DET	16 sec	0/0
12		Beal, Bradley SG WAS

So round 6 is kicked off with Tim Duncan. Hard to believe he is still going strong but in round 6 he gives you some pretty decent value. Safe pick without a incredibly high ceiling.

Ken Faried is a player who is coming into this seasons with big expectations. Seems like every fantasy expert out there is pegging this as a huge breakout year for the manimal. I don't disagree and love this pick early in the 6th.

Hibbert is actually a guy who fell a little bit in this draft. Solid value here in the 6th.

Lou Williams was selected by yours truly. Williams should see more playing this year in Atlanta than he did with Philly and look for him to capitalize on that.

Kris Humphries is a guy who  never seems to get the respect he deserves. The guy has pretty much been good for a double double every night for the past few years. He finds himself in a crowded front court this year and that may finally slow him down, but worth a shot in the sixth round.

Klay Thompson was great last year if you were able to pick him up mid-year and ride him the rest of the way. With Monta out of town, and Stefan Curry always hurt, look for Golden State to rely on Klay for scoring this year.

OJ Mayo is a guy I have pegged for a breakout season this year in Dallas and I love this pick in the 6th round.

The next three picks are pretty standard in Zach Randolph, Manu Ginobli and Kevin Garnett although you can possibly make the case that ZBO fell a little too far.

Brandon Knight is worth discussing here. The very talented youngster is entering his second year with Detroit. His rookie season had some ups and downs and proved not to be very relevant fantasy wise. This year should be different and he could be in line for a breakout. I wouldn't blame you for waiting another round in an attempt to target Knight in the 7th.

Bradley Beal rounds out the 6th round as a bit of a flier. He was selected 3 overall in this years NBA draft and as looked pretty good in the preseason. It will be interesting to see what happens when Wall is finally back in the fold.

Draft Analysis : Round 5

Round 5
Pick	Team	Player	Elapsed Time	Pts
1		Granger, Danny SF IND	46 sec	0/0
2		Wall, John PG WAS	34 sec	0/0
3		Lopez, Brook C BKN	24 sec	0/25
4		Nowitzki, Dirk PF DAL	4 sec	0/0
5		Wallace, Gerald SF BKN	31 sec	0/26.2759
6		Davis, Anthony C NO	0 sec	0/0
7		Felton, Raymond PG NY	15 sec	0/0
8		Lillard, Damian PG POR	1 min 9 sec	0/0
9		Scola, Luis PF PHO	34 sec	0/0
10		Collison, Darren PG DAL	55 sec	0/0
11		Beasley, Michael PF PHO	58 sec	0/0
12		Stoudemire, Amar'e PF NY	3

To kick off round #5, Danny Granger was selected with the #49 overall pick. This falls right in line with his ADP on CBS and I have no problem drafting Granger here. His numbers were down last year which explains why he has fallen into the fifth round but I wouldn't be shocked if we see a bounce back year from him.

John Wall is injured again, and will start the year on the sidelines. Wall should miss the first month of the season but when healthy should be considering a quality start at the point guard position.

Brook Lopez is in line for a big year. As I have mentioned previously, quality big men are really at a premium in the association. Lopez provides good value in the fifth round, who I think has a third round ceiling.

Dirk has opted for surgery on his knee and is not expected back until late November. Dirk would not be a guy that I would not be targeting in my draft, but if he falls far enough you will have to consider it. He certainly cannot be relied upon as your # 1 forward, but once he gets healthy, he will be a solid option once again.

I think Gerald Wallace was over drafted here. Crash's style may finally be catching up to him as his scoring has been down the past two years. I would target Wallace in the sixth round if he were still on the board.

Anthony Davis, the first overall pick in the NBA draft was taken with the #54th pick. Its typically feast or famine when it comes to a rookies fantasy value. Davis should make an immediate impact with the Hornets and could average close to a double double right away. He was able to gain valuable experience playing with team USA this summer in London. Solid pick in the fifth round.

With the #55 pick, Raymond Felton was selected. I simply cannot endorse this pick. People probably remember how big a fantasy stud Felton was in his last stint with the knicks, however its a lot different this time around. Point gaurd friendly Mike D'Antoni is no longer at the helm (remember Linsanity), along with the fact that Knicks went ahead and signed Jason Kidd to "back Felton up".  Look for Kidd to get the majority of the minutes in late game "big spots" and eat away at Feltons value. Target Felton in the seventh.

The second rookie to be selected in this draft was Damien Lillard. I'm expecting a big year from Lillard who has been handed the keys to the car in Portland. Although I would prefer to take Lillard in the 6th round, I have no problem with someone reaching to secure him in the 5th. Solid pick.

In what was probably the least sexy of all my picks, I selected Luis Scola with the 57th overall pick. He has signed with PHX after spending the last few seasons in Houston. Look for the pick n roll combo of Scola and Goran Dragic to work very well in PHX. Scola's numbers are never going to jump off the page at you, but you know what you are going to get with him.

Darren Collison is a player who I have targeted as a breakout candidate this season. He will be running the point in Dallas. Solid pick in the fifth round.

I am looking for Beasley to have his most successful season yet. He is actually being encouraged to shoot more this season, and we all know he has no problem looking for more shots. Still a little early to take in the 5th round but its a gamble that could certainly pay off.

Although I had STAT pegged for a bounce back season a few weeks ago , his knees are acting up on him already. The start of the regular season is in  doubt for STAT. Pass on STAT in the mid rounds. Let one of you fellow owners deal with his injury headaches all year.

Draft Analysis : Round 4

The mid-rounds of the draft is the spot where the quality owners begin to gain an edge over the rest of the league. Anyone can draft the first few rounds flawlessly. So lets take a look at round 4.

Round 4
Pick	Team	Player	Elapsed Time	Pts
1		Gasol, Marc C MEM	26 sec	0/0
2		Bosh, Chris PF MIA	1 min 4 sec	0/0
3		Boozer, Carlos PF CHI	39 sec	0/0
4		Lowry, Kyle PG TOR	34 sec	0/0
5		Millsap, Paul PF UTA	17 sec	0/0
6		Bargnani, Andrea C TOR	58 sec	0/0
7		Deng, Luol SF CHI	21 sec	0/0
8		Evans, Tyreke PG SAC	5 sec	0/0
9		Harden, James SG OKC	4 sec	0/0
10		Gordon, Eric SG NO	56 sec	0/0
11		Horford, Al C ATL	6 sec	0/0
12		Teague, Jeff PG ATL	59 sec	0/0
With the #37 pick overall Marc Gasol was selected, In my opinion he actually slipped a little too far and  will provide late second round value. Great pick to start off the fourth round. // Bosh at #38 is solid. It is a pretty safe pick being that his numbers are going to be consistent this year, however I think his upside is capped at third round value. Although i think Boozer was drafted a little early here, I cant really argue with the pick, he is going to be relied on for more scoring until D Rose gets back. Kyle Lowry was picked with the #40th overall pick by yours truly. Lowry is now with the Raptors and I look for Lowry to have another big year and return second round value.  #41 was used on Paul Milsap, Milsap is a player I have loved for several years and should be in line for another big year. The main concern with him is if youngster Derrick Favors will finally realize some of his potential and eat into Milsap's production.  With the lack of quality centers in the association, selecting Bargani at #42 is ok. I personally would have waited and tried to get him in the 5th round. Like I mentioned with Boozer, Deng is also going to be relied upon for more scoring until D Rose comes back. Should be a big year for Deng and think #43 is good value for him.  Tyreke Evans is interesting. After a great rookie season, the youngster has struggled. He certainly could be in for a bounce back year and I think mid 4th is about where he should be going, I just would let one of your fellow owners be the one to take a shot on him. There are more reliable options available in the 4th round . Harden is a solid pick in round 4 coming off the bench as the sixth man of the year in OKC. Eric Gordon is uber talented but constantly injured. He is another one who could be in line for a huge bounce back year, especially since New Orleans doesn't have many quality options on offense. He is questionable for the season opener but I think he is worth taking a shot on. Rounding out the draft we have two Atlanta Hawks, Al Horford, who spent the majority of last season hurt, is solid value late in the 4th. Teague is a pick which could prove to be highly valuable or a complete bust.The Hawks traded for the oft-injured Devin Harris this off season and Teague could end up losing his starting gig to Harris over the course of the year. Go with a more reliable option here.

Draft Analysis: Rd 3

Round 3 is where you can really begin to win your league. This is where it gets interesting;

Team	Player	Elapsed Time	Pts
1		Gay, Rudy SF MEM	23 sec	0/0
2		Pierce, Paul SF BOS	52 sec	0/0
3		Curry, Stephen PG GS	28 sec	0/0
4		Bynum, Andrew C PHI	6 sec	0/0
5		Iguodala, Andre SF DEN	3 sec	0/0
6		Johnson, Joe SG BKN	32 sec	0/0
7		Dragic, Goran PG PHO	6 sec	0/0
8		Monroe, Greg C DET	43 sec	0/0
9		Holiday, Jrue PG PHI	20 sec	0/0
10		Walker, Kemba SG CHA	1 min 3 sec	0/0
11		Lin, Jeremy PG HOU	40 sec	0/0
12		Conley, Mike PG MEM	32 sec	0/0
Rudy gay is a solid pick to start the third round, this is right where his average draft position is and should prove to be decent value.  I cant say that I love the Paul Pierce pick at #26. Pierce is aging fast and is not the player he used to be. I would feel more comfortable taking Pierce in the 4th round. Stephen Curry is a player I tend to stay away from due to the fact that he is extremely fragile, and chances are he will spend some time sidelined with an injury at some point this season, however its tough to pass on Curry in the third round. If Curry manages to remain healthy all year, he should certainly outperform this pick at #27. Bynum is currently dealing with some knee injuries but like I have said before, he is the second best big man in the game right now. Great pick at #28.  Iguodala went at #29, he is now in Denver after spending his entire career in Philly. I do not anticipate a major drop in his production and am very comfortable with taking Iggy at #29. Joe Johnson is interesting at #30, he is now playing in Brooklyn, sharing a back-court with one of the games best point guards in Deron Williams. I believe you would be better served trying to scoop Joe up in the fourth round. Goran Dragic is interesting at #31. There is certainly a lot of buzz around Dragic in fantasy circles this offseason. He is now running the show in PHX after spending last year backing up Kyle Lowry in Houston. Im looking for a breakout year from Dragic and think he will provide third round value this season, solid pick. Greg Monroe at #32 may be the best pick of this round. Look for Monroe to have a monster year and return second round value.  Jrue Holiday was taken at #33 by yours truly. I would have loved to have Monroe here, but Holiday was the next best thing. He has improved each year in this league and I expect Jrue to become a household name this season playing with an elite big man in Bynum. Look for Jrue to return second round value.,  The next two picks went to Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin. I think both went way to early, and I have both pegged as busts for this season. Rounding out the third round is Mike Conley, who unlike Walker or Lin, provides great value at the end of the third round. Look for Conley to improve on his solid year last year.

Draft Analysis: Round 2

This is my continued analysis of the second round of the draft from below;

Round 2
Pick	Team	Player	Elapsed Time	Pts
1		Wade, Dwyane SG MIA	17 sec	0/0
2		Lee, David PF GS	6 sec	0/0
3		Anthony, Carmelo SF NY	16 sec	0/0
4		Irving, Kyrie PG CLE	20 sec	0/0
5		Cousins, DeMarcus C SAC	12 sec	0/0
6		Parker, Tony PG SA	5 sec	0/0
7		Aldridge, LaMarcus PF POR	1 min 9 sec	0/0
8		Nash, Steve PG LAL	2 sec	0/0
9		Jefferson, Al C UTA	14 sec	0/0
10		Gasol, Pau PF LAL	30 sec	0/0
11		Jennings, Brandon PG MIL	24 sec	0/0
12		Ellis, Monta SG MIL	34 sec	0/0
Due to the fact that Wade is somewhat injury prone, and plays in an offense where he is no longer the focal point, i feel that #13 is a tad bit early for him. That said, its certainly not a huge mistake there.  David Lee is a huge reach at #14. I have him targeted in the mid to late third round. If Bogut can get healthy, which is a huge if, he will steal some of Lee's production.  Melo at #15 is interesting. You know he is going to get his points, and will be a solid fantasy player all year, however I feel there was better value out there at #15.  For example, Kyrie Irving, the reigning rookie of year. Irving was selected with the #16th overall pick by yours truly. I love Kyrie's upside this year and think he will end the year as one of the top 4 guards. If Irving is still on the board in the middle of round 2, scoop him up as quick as you can. Cousins at #17 is also an extremely solid pick, and would have been my selection at 16 had someone else scooped up Irving already. Cousins is entering his third year in the NBA and if continues where he left off in the  second half of last season, he can certainly provide first round value. Tony Parker at #18 is a little too early for me but he has been doing it for years so I get it. Lets watch and see if his off season eye injury has any lingering effects.  Lamarcus Aldridge is a great pick at #19. Expect another solid season from LA. Then there is Steve Nash at #20. Every year I shy away from Nash due to age but he continues to prove me wrong, Maybe playing in Los Angelas with Kobe and Dwight will do wonders for his value, maybe it wont.  Then we have two big men in Al Jefferson and Pau Gasol at #21, and #22. Jefferson is the man in Utah and will continue to provide big numbers. Gasol is more of a wild card due to the fact that touches are going to be hard to come by with that new Lakers roster.  Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis rounded out the second round. Both are pretty solid picks here. They will share the backcourt for the Bucks,  however I do like Jennings upside a little better than Monta.

Draft Analysis: Round 1

Here are the results and a little analysis of the first round of a CBS head to head draft that I participated in; Draft Results
Round 1
Pick	Team	Player		Pts
1		James, LeBron SF MIA		0/0
2		Durant, Kevin SF OKC		0/0
3		Paul, Chris PG LAC		0/0
4		Westbrook, Russell PG OKC		0/0
5		Bryant, Kobe SG LAL		0/0
6		Smith, Josh PF ATL		0/0
7		Rondo, Rajon PG BOS		0/0
8		Williams, Deron PG BKN		0/39.4
9		Love, Kevin PF MIN		0/0
10		Howard, Dwight C LAL		0/0
11		Lawson, Ty PG DEN		0/0
12		Griffin, Blake PF LAC		0/0
So pick #1 is a no brainier  the only reason to not go Lebron first overall is if you just truly hate him as a player/person, and even if that is the case, you should still be selecting King James with that pick.  Durant at #2 is pretty standard as well, cant go wrong there. CP3 at #3 is a solid pick, however you always have to worry about his durability. CP3 was able to remain healthy for the majority of the season last year so we shouldn't expect anything different this year. He is solid at #3.  Russell Westbrook has emerged as one of the top talents at G, and with no Derrick Rose in the first round of this years draft, I have no issues with him being the second guard off the board.  I do take issue with Kobe at #5 overall, although he finished second in scoring last year, age will begin to catch up with him, as will new additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, who will both command offensive touches. I would feel more comfortable with Kobe early in the second round.  Josh Smith at #6 is a great value. The guy fills up the score sheet. Expect a big season from him.  Rondo at #7 may seem like a bit of a reach here, however this leagues scoring system does not take into account field goal percentage or free throw percentage. Rondo is a stud in this league, solid pick at #7. Deron at #8 is another pick I love. He has more talent around him this year which should provide a nice bump to his assist numbers, and we all know he can score at will.  Kevin Love at #9 (my pick) is worth discussing. Before K Love broke his hand doing knuckle push ups  he was the consensus #3 pick in the draft. Naturally this news allowed him to fall six spots to me. The injury seems to be less severe than initially suspected and should only keep him out the first few weeks of the season. I have the utmost confidence that i will be able to out manage the rest of the owners in this league until I get my stud back in a few weeks. If you feel you are a sophisticated owner capable of weathering this storm for a few weeks, and find K Love falling through the first round, take a shot on him. There is very good value there.  Dwight Howard seems to be getting healthy and when he is right, he is the top C in the game, good pick at #10.  Ty Lawson was chosen at #11, and although I really like his upside this year, is a bit of a reach in the first round, mid to late second round is where the right value is for Lawson.  Rounding out the first round was Blake Griffin at #12, durability issues have plagued him throughout his career but he certainly has first round upside if he remains healthy all year.

Draft Prep: Bust Alert;

I wanted to take a minute and just reaffirm a previous post;

• http://fantasytipoff.blogspot.com/2012/10/fantasy-bust-jeremy-lin.html

Lin has struggled mightily with his shot this preseason, and although he did dish out 12 dimes in Wednesdays preseason game, he was 3-9 from the field. Like I said previously, someone will reach for Lin in your draft, just do no be that guy. You will be much better off for it. 

Draft Prep: Sleeper Alert

Aaron Afflalo: Orlando Magic G 

Aaron is actually becoming a pretty popular sleeper pick which may inflate his value a little too much, however I feel he is worth a mention here. Throughout his young career, Afflalo has been part of a crowded back court in Denver. Whenever given the opportunity however, he was usually able to put up some pretty solid numbers. This year, Afflalo finds himself in the unfamiliar situation of being relied upon for scoring for a rebuilding Magic team. Target Afflalo in the mid rounds of your draft.

Breaking News: Kevin Love breaks hand

Kevin Love: Timberwolves, PF

In news that is sure to shake up the landscape of the first round of your draft, Kevin Love will be out approximately 6 weeks with a broken hand. Love had been going in the top five in many fantasy drafts, and certainly was deserving of such a high pick. He is a fantasy monster who is good for a double double night in and night out. The injury happened during a workout on Wednesday morning.

• Love becomes a huge gamble in the first round, being that he will likely miss the first 12-14 games. Taking a shot on him in the second round and dealing with the pain of having him on your bench to start the year may be the best strategy here. 

Draft Prep: Sleeper Alert

Darren Collison:  Dallas Mavericks, PG
The Mavs became pretty desperate at point guard once prized free agent target Deron Williams resigned with the Nets and Jason Kidd departed for the Knicks. The Mavs had to deal for Darren Collison, an extremely capable player to run the point. He is entering a contract year so clearly the motivation will be there for him to perform at a high level.

• with  career averages of 12.1 points, 5.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and a steal per game, it would be easy to overlook Collison, however this is the first season, save the few months in New Orleans that he filled in for an injured Chris Paul, that he will really be handed the reigns of the offense. He is currently being drafted in the 9th round, I think he is worth a flier in the 7th or 8th. 

Draft Prep: Breakout Season; Big Baby Davis

Glen Davis: Orlando Magic, C/F

Glen Davis is in line to be the starting power forward for the Magic this season. This is coming on the back of a pretty special final month of season last year. During that month Big Baby was able to average 16.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals on 50.3 percent shooting over 12 games. Obviously this production wasn't realized until the Dwightmare was finally sidelined with a back injury. Well guess what, Dwight has taken his talents and bad back to LA putting Big Baby in line for a major role in Orlando this year. Orlando is clearly in a rebuilding mode for the foreseeable future and are going to rely heavily on guys like Glen Davis and Aaron Afflalo this season.

Draft Prep: Injury Update, Dirk

Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas Mavericks, F

Dirk did not play in the Mav's preseason game Tuesday due to soreness in his knees. Sound familiar ? Of course it does, Dirk spent the first two months of the season last year complaining about knee soreness and his production reflected this. Many chalked this up to the fact that he didn't have a real training camp to get himself into playing shape. Dirk certainly turned it around towards the end of the year and for those of you who bought low on him, you were rewarded. Now Dirk is dealing with soreness and swelling of his 34 year old knees, which could possibly plague him the entire season. he has even thrown the idea of a potential knee surgery out there.

• I would not feel comfortable taking Dirk in the second round, it seems as if his age is finally catching up to him. Let someone else take a risk on Dirk this year, there will be better options waiting for you in round two.

Fantasy Bust: Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin: Houston Rockets PG

Jeremy Lin sent the world on fire last February averaging 20.9 points, 8.4 assists, 4.0 boards, 2.1 steals a game with the Knicks. It was a tremendous story and a lot of fun to watch. But as quickly as it caught fire, it fizzled out just as quick. So what happened ? The return of Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks lineup proved very detrimental to Lin's production. Couple that with the fact that Carmelo lobbied for the departure of head coach Mike D'Antoni, who's fast paced, pick and roll offense was the perfect match for Lin's style. Under coach Mike Woodson, Lin's numbers were 15 points and just over 6 assists per game, which was then followed by a season ending knee injury. Over the summer Houston acquired Lin in free agency. Many wonder if this was more of a basketball or a business decision with Houston looking to capitalize on the Asian market like they did with Yao.

• Someone is going to reach for Lin in your draft, just don't be that guy. Lin has a tendency to turn the ball over way to often. Not to mention the secret is out on this Harvard product. Once opposing defenses finally decided to press Lin, it was almost embarrassing to watch. He looked like a fish out of water. Pass on Lin in your drafts, there are going to be much better talent where is projected to go.

Brekaout Season : OJ Mayo

OJ Mayo : Dallas SG
Mayo had a really strong year in 08-09, followed by a few years coming off the bench for Memphis where he saw a dip in minutes and production. Although he remained fantasy relevant, he has never lived up to the potential many thought he had coming out of USC. This may very well be his breakout campaign. Mayo was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks this off season and coach Rick Carlisle has confirmed that he will be their starting shooting guard.  Look for a big year from Mayo and feel good about drafting him in the middle rounds of your draft.

Draft Prep: Sleeper , Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard: San Antonio F
The second year player out of San Diego State is poised for a huge breakout season. He has already earned the respect and trust of coach Pop. Kawhi started 39 regular season games along with all 14 playoff games last year. Pop has also stated that he expects Kawhi to be a future star in this league and that they would like him to be a Spur for life. There is no doubt that the Spurs will attempt to give Kawhi an increased role offensively this coming season. Defensively he is outstanding, earning comparisons to Bruce Bowen. Leonard only played in two summer league games and averaged 25 points, 6 rebounds, and three assists.

• Hopefully the fanfare remains relatively low leading up to most drafts. I could see Kawhi becoming very popular in fantasy circles, however if you find yourself in the late rounds with Kawhi still on the board, go ahead and feel confident in that selection.

Draft Prep: Sleeper Alert

Mo Williams: Utah, Jazz PG
Mo Williams was traded from the Clippers to the Jazz this summer. Combine that with Utah shipping point guard Devin Harris and his expiring contract to Atlanta, and Mo Williams becomes the clear starter at the point guard position. This makes for some sneaky fantasy potential this coming season. Mo spent last year relegated to backing up Chris Paul in LA averaging 13.2 points, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.8 treys in 28 minutes per game. Numbers which I see him improving on this season. He should have no trouble racking up the assists this year with a very talented front court featuring the likes of Al Jefferson, Paul Milsap, and Derrick Favors.

• Projections: 16 points, 7 assists, 1 steal , and is a player who can knock down the trey. Target Mo Williams in the middle rounds of your draft.

Bounce Back Year ??

Amar'e Stoudemire: PF, New York
There is no doubt that last season was extremely dissapointing for Amer'e Stoudemire. The lack of chemistry with new teammates, injury woes, and personal hardship all played a role in his sub par season. You have to go back two seasons, when Stat and Felton were running an effective pick and roll, that he was a force to be reckoned with fantasy wise. Stat's value seemed to disappear once owner James Dolan decided he was going to ship Felton off to Denver along with a glut of other talent for Carmelo. This trade came much to the dismay of coach Mike D'Antoni. Needless to say, Carmelo won that battle and had D'Antoni run out of town the following season. A season that was shortened by a lockout and which didn't allow for any time for the two superstars of the Knicks to mesh. Add Tyson Chandler to that equation and you get a very disappointing fantasy year for Stat.

The good news is expectations are low coming into this season. Certainly a fall from fantasy grace when CBS has you ranked behind Ryan Anderson in terms of forwards. Right now Stat is projected to go around the 5th or 6th round of fantasy drafts. I wouldn't mind taking a shot on him in the 4th. Here is why......

• This team will finally a full training camp in order to gain some chemistry going into the season.
• Raymond Felton is back in the fray running the point and like I mentioned before, the last time that Stat was a fantasy force was before Felton was shipped out of town.
• Personal hardships and injuries have been put behind him for now. Sure, his back could always act up again, but he will start the seaso healthy.
• Carmelo has stated that he will sacrifice points for a championship. Now I don't think the Knicks are championship contenders, but hey, that's a start.
• Last, and what I consider the most important development is that Stat has reinvented his game over the summer. He spent a great deal of time with Hakeem Olajuwan in Houston this summer working on developing a post game. Clearly Stat isn't the athlete he once was so this is definitely going to be a boon to his scoring going forward.

Rookies::

As I'm sure you already know, its never easy taking a rookie on draft day. You simply do not know what you are going to get. Sure these kids were stars in college or internationally but that doesn't always translate in the association, especially not right away. Of course, there are plenty of success stories amongst rookies come draft day. Look no further than Kyrie Irving last year, Blake Griffin the year before (I know it wasn't technically his first year in the league,) or even John Wall a few years back. These guys made an immediate impact for their respective teams, and made many fantasy owners very happy they took a chance on them. My whole league laughed at me when I selected Kyrie Irving in the 6th round last year. Joke was on them. So lets take a look at the rookies we should be targeting come draft day this year.

Anthony Davis: C Hornets
Davis was the number one overall pick in last years NBA draft coming out Kentucky. He spent the summer winning a gold medal with Team USA, and although he didn't see too much live action, you gotta believe that experience did wonders in terms of making him NBA ready.  Sure, Davis is only nineteen and his game definitely still needs some work but he is certainly a threat for a double double game in and game out. He proved to be an above average shot blocker at Kentucky and that should translate immediately in the association. Target Davis on the early side of the mid rounds. Centers are hard to come by.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: F Bobcats
Like Davis, MKG is also a nineteen year old product of Kentucky. He was selected second overall in last years NBA draft and should also make an immediate impact. The Bobcats could certainly use an injection of talent. Its been reported that Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap has been working with MKG on a "hitch" in his jumper. Target MKG as a mid to late round option on draft day.

Damian Lillard: G Trail Blazers
Hasn't come into the league with the fanfare of Davis or MKG but the Blazers have already dubbed Lillard their starting point guard for the foreseeable future. This bodes well for his immediate fantasy value as he is not competing with a veteran point guard for minutes. Lillard tore up summer league, and this doesn't seem to be a fluke. I see Lillard developing a nice pick and role with LaMarcus Aldridge. Target Lillard in the mid rounds of your draft but I think there is some serious upside here.

Draft Prep : Injuries Part 2

Andrew Bynum: Knee
Miraculously Bynum was able to stay healthy for an entire year last year, and had his best year as a pro. Many thought maybe he had put his injury problems in the rear view, many thought wrong! Bynum is currently dealing with knee issues and is expected to be sidelined for three weeks as a precuation. What to do come draft day ??

• Missing three weeks would still put Bynum on track to be ready for the opener, and as long as this is truly precuationary then I still believe that he is worth a late first rd/early second rd pick. Keep an eye on what develops overs the next few weeks.  There is no doubt he is the second best big man in the game and now that he has become the main dog in philly, look for his numbers to reflect that.

Stephen Curry: Ankle
After an offseason ankle surgery, the team is saying that Curry's ankle is as healthy and strong as possible. As of now it seems as if he has regained his explosiveness however his young career has been riddled with injuries.

• When healthy, sky is the limit on his talent, especially now that shoot happy Monta Ellis isn't sharing the backcourt with him. However, I would temper expectations come draft day. I just cant endorse gambling on one of my first two picks on a guy who hasn't proven he can handle the grind of an entire NBA season. Let him fall to you in the middle rounds, and if he gets snapped up earlier, you can feel good knowing you dont have to worry about an injury on a nightly basis.

Blake Griffin: Torn Meniscus
Griffin was forced to miss the London Olympics this summer in order to undergo surgery on his torn meniscus. He has been cleared for full contact and should be 100 percent when the season opens. Expect another solid season from Griffin who is almost a lock to average a double double.

• This isn't the first time  Griffin has dealt with a knee injury, so it is a bit concerning, however I think you can go ahead and draft him as if he were completely healthy. What you really need to watch when thinking about drafting him is your leagues scoring structure. If free throw percentage is a catagory, you may want to wait until the middle rounds for Blake. He is simply awful from the stripe.  

Draft Prep: Injuries, Part 1

Draft Prep::

With the NBA season tipping off less than a month from now, there is a good chance your fantasy basketball draft is sneaking up on you. Are you prepared ???? I doubt it. Chances are you are still focused on improving your 1-3 fantasy football team, wondering why you drafted Chris Johnson, Matt Stafford and Ryan Matthews with such high picks. 

What I love about fantasy hoops is when its time to give up on your fantasy football team because you have been decimated by injuries, you can turn to hoops to reinvigorate your love for fantasy sports.

This post is going to focus on Big Name Injuries, and how to proceed on draft day:

Derrick Rose: Torn ACL
Derrick Rose is going to present a draft day dilemma for many fantasy owners. When he is right, there is no question that he is a top five fantasy guy. Dude can flat out ball. Although most reports have him progressing faster than anticipated, its still highly unlikely that you see him in live action prior to the all star break. So what to do ?

• I personally do not love drafting injured players to stash them on your bench, however D-Rose is a different kind of talent. Would I take him in the first five rounds of my draft, absolutely not. I think you get good value on D-Rose rd 6.

Dwight Howard: Back
Dwight Howard is currently recovering from his off season back surgery. As of right now he has been ruled out for the Lakers preseason opener on Sunday, however he is practicing with the team. The good news is that it looks like Dwight will be ready for the season opener, however, how does he adjust to his new team ??

• Not only is Dwight recovering from off season back surgery but he also has to work on his image coming off last season's "Dwightmare." How is Dwight going to fit into his new role on the Lakers after Kobe has declared this is still his team. The Lakers are full of capable offensive threats which may limit Dwight's touches. In my opinion, Dwight remains the top fantasy center and mid first round pick due to his defense and rebounding numbers.

Kyrie Irving: Hand
Kyrie Irving fractured his right hand hitting a padded wall during a summer practice in Las Vegas. The reigning rookie of the year has stated that his hand is fine and that he is completely ready to go for the start of training camp.

• Point Guard has become a very deep position in the NBA, but Kyrie has proven that he is the guy in Cleveland. He has clearly earned the trust of coach Byron Scott, and no longer has Ramon Sessions behind him on the depth chart. Reports also state that he has added 5lbs of muscle to his frame. Expect an even bigger year for Irving than last. A year worthy of a mid to late first round pick for this emerging star.

Part two of this post will include what I consider the second tier of big name injuries..... Stay Tuned

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