As always I will give you the best play at each Center, Forward, and Guard. Then I will list out some sleepers to help round out your lineup.

Be sure to check injury reports and follow me at @Cui2iousGeoi2ge on Twitter.

Big Money Ballers 

Marc Gasol(C, 136000) - Gasol put up 20/10 game one, and that will easily be repeated again tonight. He’s worth every penny as is fantasy point production should only increase if Memphis wants to win this series

Kevin Durant (F, 200000) - KD is the sole chance of the Thunder making a finals run in this years NBA playoffs with Westbrook done for the year. He’s is extremely expensive but you almost have to pay the price for his ridiculous fantasy production. With only a 2 game slate tonight find a way to fit him in.

Paul George (G, 164000) - PG is a triple double threat any game as he proved during the Hawks series. Truly one of the rising stars in the NBA he will continue to get it done on both sides of the court for the Pacers as they look to beat the Knicks.

Penny Pushers

Tayshaun Prince(F, 64800) - Prince has been a boom/bust type player all throughout the playoffs but on two game nights you only have so many options. His salary won’t break your team and with so few options his potential upside makes him a great play.

David West(F, 96800) - West’s matchup against the porous Knick front court is going to continue to be great for his fantasy production this series. His price should be quite a bit higher than this due to his production. Get him in your lineups before that price goes up!

Quincy Pondexter(F, 42400) - Quincy won’t do anything fancy for your team but he is a great low salary play to allow you to fit in more stars in your lineup. He’s seeing consistent minutes off the bench and getting in consistent production.

Kevin Martin(G, 70400) - Kmart is finally performing like OKC wanted him to, and he’s doing it just in time with it being the playoffs. He will continue to provide a lot of scoring to fill in for the points missing with Westbrook’s absence and is seeing a lion’s share of minutes in the playoffs.

Reggie Jackson(G, 85600) - Reggie’s production wasn’t as high game one of this series as it was during the Houston series because Conley is a much tougher defender then Beverley/Lin. That being said, Westbrook is still out and Reggie is still seeing a ton of minutes. He might not put up quite the numbers he did in round 1 but he’s still going to get it done.

Lance Stephenson(G, 88000) - Lance has been a double double machine throughout the playoffs and put in a great showing game one versus the Knicks. His salary sits at a beautiful price for his production and is a no brainer play tonight.

Tyson Chandler(C, 61600) - If you don’t want to pay for both Hibbert and Gasol tonight then Chandler remains pretty much your only cheaper option. He has been far removed from his normal self, but at this price he can save you some cap space and still get some work in.

As always I will give you the best play at each Center, Forward, and Guard. Then I will list out some sleepers to help round out your lineup.

Be sure to check injury reports and follow me at @Cui2iousGeoi2ge on Twitter.

Tonight begins Game 1 for the Miami/Chicago and the Golden State/San Antonio series.

Big Money Ballers 

Joakim Noah(C, 93600) - Noah for this price is absolutely crazy. His foot is feeling great again and he dominated the Nets game seven with a huge double double and 6 Blocks! Miami is not going to be able to slow him down and he rebounds and puts back in shots for fantasy glory.

LeBron James (F, 164000) - King James may seem like an obvious play but he’s usually not quite worth the money you have to spend for him. Tonight is a little different, Wade is not 100% which always increases LBJ’s production and on such a small slate of games he becomes a must play for his tremendously high ceiling.

Tony Parker (G, 132000) - Tony Parker balled so hard against the Lakers and now he has had plenty of rest and will look to ball so hard against Curry. He is also 40000k cheaper than Curry tonight with a whole ton upside and a nice high floor.

Penny Pushers

DeJuan Blair(C, 55200) - Blair has been putting up some decent fantasy numbers the last 2 games in the series with the Lakers. With Splitter most likely out tonight he will see enough minutes to pay for his low salary. If Splitter plays buyer beware because Popp’s rotations change all the time.

Jimmy Butler(F, 84000) – Butler has seen a nice increase in production with Luol Deng sick. Deng has been ruled out of tonight’s game one already meaning Butler will see close to if not over 40 minutes once again.

Kawhi Leonard(F, 90400) - Golden State is lacking anyone to shut down Leonard’s production. The Warriors pretty much lack defense altogether. The Spurs will need Kawhi on both offense and defense as they look to slow down the high scoring Warriors.

Marco Belinelli(G, 45600) - Belinelli is hands down a must play tonight for his ridiculously low price. With Deng already ruled out Marco will start and play at least 30+ minutes.

Mario Chalmers(G, 77600) - Chalmers has been surprisingly productive in the playoffs. Don’t be fooled Miami still remains the team of the Big 3, but with so few options tonight Super Mario will round out a team nicely.

Louisville vs. Oregon

What to Watch For

There is no doubt that Louisville is a more talented team all around, led by their back court of Peyton Siva and Russ Smith. Both Siva and Smith will have to continue their stellar play to advance the Cardinals. Oregon is led by freshman Damyean Dotson who has lit it up thus far in the tournament. The freshman has averaged 20 PPG which is 9 points above his season average. Oregon’s success or failure might come down to him.

Prediction

I don’t think Oregon has enough fire power on the offensive end to keep up with Louisville. I like Louisville to advance to the Elite 8.

Duke vs. Michigan State

Everybody enjoys the underdog match-ups in the NCAA tournament, but Duke and Michigan State will meet in a match-up of traditional powers. The court will be filled with excellent players and the sidelines will include two hall of fame coaches in Mike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo.

What to Watch For

Duke has a premier shooter in Seth Curry and a strong inside presence in Mason Plumlee. With this being said, I believe the key for Duke is Ryan Kelly. Kelly has struggled thus far in the tournament, but he is a stretch “4″ player that poses match-up nightmares for defenders. For the Spartans, Derrick Nix needs to play big underneath the hole. He has to clean up the glass and force difficult shots when Duke comes into the paint.

Prediction

I believe this game will come down to second chance points which favors Duke, and for that reason I’m going with the Blue Devils.

LaSalle vs. Wichita State

A pair of Cinderellas will meet in the Sweet 16 in the West Region. The LaSalle Explorers and Wichita State Shockers will play for a birth in the Elite 8. LaSalle had to play an extra game to get here, but both teams have pulled off upsets to be put in this position.

What to Watch For

LaSalle is led by Ramon Golloway who has made a name for himself in the tournament. Galloway is a strong athlete that will try to push the tempo against the Shockers. Wichita State is also an athletic team that poses a physical presence. It will be interesting to see how their physical type of play is matched up against LaSalle’s more finesse game.

Prediction

I like Wichita State and their physical type of play to get past LaSalle.

Ohio State vs. Arizona

Arizona has defeated Belmont and Harvard while the Buckeyes have taken care of Iona and Iowa State to get here. Arizona will have to continue their hot shooting streak if they want to take down Ohio State.

What to Watch For

Mark Lyons and Aaron Craft will be going head-to-head in the back court. I believe whoever gets the best of this match-up will ultimately lead their team to victory.

Prediction

Aaron Craft and DeShaun Thomas will be too much for Arizona to handle and the Buckeyes will march on to the Elite 8.

Kansas vs. Michigan

Kansas vs. Michigan is another heavyweight match-up. The Jayhawks are coming off a pretty dominant performance over North Carolina and Michigan is coming off an impressive win against Virginia Commonwealth.

What to Watch For

Kansas will need freshman Ben McLemore to play to his potential if they have any chance of taking Michigan down. On the other hand, Big Ten Player of the Year Trey Burke will lead Michigan. Jeff Withey will have to keep Burke and Hardaway Jr. out of the lane.

Prediction

I like Michigan to advance over Kansas because of their back court play.

Florida Gulf Coast University vs. Florida

The battle of Florida is usually between Florida State and Florida, but FGCU wants a say in that. The Cinderella 15 seed is coming off wins over Georgetown and San Diego State. Florida has been dominant in their two victories over Northwestern State and Minnesota.

What to Watch For

Erik Murphy has to stay out of foul trouble for the Gators because he is vital to the Gators offense. They shoot the three ball as a team at .383% which led the SEC this season. FGCU will need another prime-time performance from Sherwood Brown if they are going to take down the Gators.

Prediction

I believe the Cinderella story will finally end and the Gators will advance to the Elite 8.

Indiana vs. Syracuse

The Hoosiers are coming off a toughly fought game against Temple where they overcame a 31 point performance from Khalif Wyatt. Syracuse will look to continue their momentum coming off a win against California.

What to Watch For

Victor Oladipo will have to be aggressive the entire game and get some help from the back court of Jordan Hulls and Yogi Ferrell. The Orange will look to their back court of Michael Carter-Williams and Brandon Triche to advance them to the Elite 8.

Prediction

I like Indiana’s balanced scoring attack to defeat Syracuse. They hit the three point shot at a high rate and have a good inside presence with Cody Zeller.

Miami vs. Marquette

Marquette has had two tense games thus far and will face another one against Miami. The Hurricanes edged Illinois in their second round game by a score of 63-59.

What to Watch For

Vander Blue will have to carry the load for Marquette and Shane Larkin will have to do the same for Miami. Also, watch for Kenny Kadji of Miami to have a big impact on the game because of his versatility.

Prediction

I like Miami’s back court in Larkin and Durand Scott to will the Hurricanes to victory.

If you play daily fantasy games below, I have listed a few start and sits based off of Fantazzle’s Salary Cap games.  If you’re looking for players, these players are worth the value based off of their salary that Fantazzle has set for them.

Start

(F) Erik Murphy-Florida-$17,550

Murphy is a stretch “4″ that can score in a lot of different ways and pose a tough cover for FGCU.

(F) Kenny Kadji-Miami-$20,850

Kadji is a play-maker and works well off ball screens with Larkin.

(C) Kaleb Tarczewski-Arizona-$13,200

Tarczewski will match-up well with Ohio State’s front line.

Sit

(C) Amir Williams-Ohio State-$5,000

Williams has not played much in the tournament and has not produced when he’s been in.

(G) Mark Lyons-Arizona-$13,650

I look for Craft to completely shut down Lyons.

(G) Brandon Triche-Syracuse-$13,350

Triche will most likely draw Oladipo who is a shutdown defender.

Syracuse PG Michael Carter-Williams will have a big game vs. Montana on Thursday

The first full day of the NCAA tournament ranks indisputably as one the highlights of the sports year. If after calling in to work and filling out the perfect bracket you still can’t get enough of the madness, here are some recommendations for your fantasy college basketball lineups.

Round One | Starts            

Center

Sim Bhullar – New Mexico State ($8,250)

The 7’5 freshman’s game has grown throughout the season, culminating in a 16 point, 15 rebound, five block performance versus Texas-Arlington in the Western Athletic Conference championship game. The Aggies will need to exploit the mismatch Bhullar creates inside early and often in their bid to upset Saint Louis.

Forward 

Juvonte Reddic – VCU ($21,300)

VCU and Akron will be an up-tempo contest and Reddic figures to be one of the main beneficiaries. Reddic has starred for the Rams with  14.4 points, 8.3 rebounds on the season while making significant contributions in blocked shots and steals as well. The stars appear aligned for a big round one performance.

Anthony Bennett – UNLV ($18,300)

Next summer, Bennett will almost certainly be jumping to the next level as a top 10 selection in the NBA draft, but for now he is the main threat for a dangerous Runnin’ Rebels squad. Equally potent under the basket and spotting up beyond the arc, the 6’8 forward has the potential to be one of the fantasy stars of the 2013 college basketball tournament, beginning with a big round one against Cal.

Guard

Michael Carter-Williams – Syracuse ($19,050)

6’6 point guard Michael Carter-Williams has been a tough matchup for his Big East foes all season long- for the Grizzlies of Montana MCW will be a nightmare. One of the nation’s leaders in steals (2.7) and assists (7.7), the sky is the limit for Carter-Williams on Thursday.

Tim Hardaway Jr. – Michigan ($15,600)

Unlike many of the nations other top teams, the Wolverines figure to have a dog fight on their hands against Nate Wolters and South Dakota State. In a tight and high scoring affair, MU’s leading scorer, Trey Burke, will be tasked with matching up with Wolters, leaving Hardaway Jr. to pick up some of the offensive slack. Buy the Wolverines’ shooting guard with confidence.

Round One | Sits 

Center

Gorgui Dieng – Louisville ($21,600)

Louisville’s man in the middle has been a rebounding and shot blocking force this season and typically would be an excellent anchor to your lineup. However, the Cardinals are playing arguably the best basketball in the country right now and will likely incinerate #16 North Carolina A&T so instantly and so completely Dieng might find himself relaxing on the bench for much of the second half. Gorgui Dieng will eat up too much of your salary cap to be a good option for round one.

Forward 

Laurence Bowers – Missouri ($22,650)

Mizzou’s leading scorer, Bowers is one of the nation’s most dangerous offensive players. The #9 Tigers have drawn a difficult round one opponent in Colorado State, a team that plays at a deliberate pace and is typically very stout under the basket. Bowers will have to work for everything he gets Thursday, and that might not be as much as you were hoping for.

Colton Iverson – Colorado State ($22,850)

CSU’s star big man Colton Iverson will be facing one of the deepest and most talented front courts that he’s seen this year in the form of Bowers and the Missouri Tigers.  Iverson won’t be shut down, but he won’t be running wild either.

Guard 

Tray Woodall - Pitt ($19,800)

In what could very well be the lowest scoring contest on Thursday, the defensively-oriented Pitt Panthers take on the stingy Shockers of Wichita State. Woodall has been the Panthers’ leading scorer and is Jaime Dixon’s number one option, but in a tight and low-scoring game there are probably more dynamic options for your lineup.

Peyton Siva - Louisville ($19,500)

Siva figures to suffer the same fate of Dieng as Rick Pitino may sit his star point guard after the Cardinals’ round one game gets out of hand. Siva might be the most dangerous point guard in the tournament but you’ll want to wait until later rounds to add him to your fantasy lineup.

March Madness 2013

The 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has been set. In recent years, there has been a dominant team in the bracket such as Kentucky last year. This year’s tournament is up for grabs with Louisville getting the overall number 1 seed in the tournament, but did the committee give them the best draw to the Final Four? This has been debated back and forth and many think they were put in a tougher region than other number 1 seeds. I will offer some of my insights on my predictions and players to watch highlighting each region in the NCAA 2013 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Midwest Region has a potential meeting between Louisville and Duke in the Elite 8. I like Louisville to get out of this region and advance to the Final Four, but they could potentially have a tough 2^nd round matchup with Missouri. Alex Oriakhi has a national championship under his belt with Connecticut and Phil Pressey is one of the nation’s top point guards. This could pose a difficult cover for Louisville in the 2^nd round. Oklahoma St. and Oregon is another intriguing matchup in the 5 vs. 12 game. Oregon is coming off a win in the PAC 12 tournament and Oklahoma St. has one of the most talented freshman’s in the nation in Marcus Smart. Smart is averaging 15.4 PPG and if the Cowboys are going to make a run in the tournament, Smart has to step up and lead them. Another player to watch in this region that could impact the tournament is Greg McDermott. McDermott ranks 2^nd in the nation in scoring with 23.1 PPG and with defenses keening on him, this could open up his teammates to put the ball in the hole. The emergence of Ryan Kelly has jolted Duke’s offense, but they have been a little too inconsistent for me to get out of this region. Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans have always found a way to stay around in the tournament, but I don’t believe they have enough play makers on the offensive end.  This leads me to the Louisville Cardinals who have plenty of playmakers with Peyton Siva and Russ Smith and a strong inside presence with Gorgui Dieng. The one thing they might lack is they are not a great three point shooting team. Despite this, I still think Louisville will make it out of this region and find their way to the Final Four.

Gonzaga claimed the number 1 seed in the West Region and face off against Southern U in the opening round. The Bulldogs will look to Kelly Olynyk to lead them in a deep run in the tournament. The potential player of the year candidate is a tough matchup for any team because he can step outside and hit a three or post up and score. Wisconsin faces a tough first round opponent in Ole Miss, but I like Wisconsin to win this game and do some damage in the tournament. Wisconsin controls the tempo of the game very well and their scoring comes from a number of different players. I believe their style of play fits the NCAA tournament very well. Arizona, Kansas State, and New Mexico are all other teams in this region that could pull off a run. Arizona was regarded as one of the nation’s top teams in the beginning of the year, but they had a series of ups and downs. Kansas State is led by Rodney McGruder who leads the team with 15.7 PPG. The Lobos of New Mexico had good quality wins this year over Connecticut, Cincinnati, UNLV, and Colorado State. They are peaking at the right time of the year with a conference championship win over UNLV. The sleeper of this region could be the Iowa State Cyclones. Thier high powered offense ranks 4^th in the nation at 79.6 PPG and I look for them to get past Notre Dame in the first round. It is going to be tough for the Irish to slow Iowa State down and I don’t believe they have enough offensive threats to score with the Cyclones. This brings me to Ohio State who I think will get out of this region and advance to the Final Four. They are also a team peeking at the right time coming off a conference championship over Wisconsin and are led by Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft. Thomas is a tough cover for any defensive player and averages 19.5 PPG and Craft is one of the nation’s top defensive players.

The South Region is loaded with quality teams in Kansas, Georgetown, Florida, and Michigan. Kansas has a strong offensive attack led by freshman Ben McLemore and a potent inside presence with Jeff Withey. The Hoyas of Georgetown are led by Otto Porter Jr. who has a complete game. If Georgetown wants to make a deep run, they are going to need their playmaker to continue his stellar season in the tournament. Michigan needs to find some help for Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. if they want to get out of the South Region. The Wolverines have shown that they can’t depend on just Burke and Hardaway Jr. to win games. I believe the sleeper team in this region could be Virginia Commonwealth. Despite their loss to St. Louis in the Atlantic 10 championship game, Shaka Smart’s defensive press could lead the Rams out of this region. They have plenty of good athletes that speed up the tempo of the game which benefits their offense if they can cause turnovers on the defensive end. I also like Minnesota to get out of the first round with a win over UCLA. Tubby Smith won a championship with Kentucky in 1998 and is a coach that is known for his preparation. UCLA is without their point guard Jordan Adams with a broken foot. Adams was the Bruin’s 2^nd leading scorer behind freshman sensation Shabazz Muhammad. Muhammad will have to carry the load if UCLA is going to make any noise in the tournament. I predict Georgetown to move on in the South Region in an Elite 8 victory over Michigan.

The Indians Hoosiers landed the number 1 seed in the East Region. The Hoosiers are very well balanced on the offensive end led by Sporting News Player of the Year Victor Oladipo. Sophomore big man Cody Zeller also poses a threat down in the low post with his playmaking ability. Look for Christian Watford to have a strong tournament. Watford is a versatile 3 that can also play the 4. Watford is shooting the three ball at .491% and can also take his defensive player off the dribble to the goal. North Carolina State could be a tough potential 2^nd round matchup for the Hoosiers because of the athleticism they possess. They have a balanced scoring attack that is led by C.J. Leslie and a deep threat in Scott Wood who shoots .443% percent from beyond the arc. I don’t believe there will be any sleeper in this region and I think it will come down to Miami (FL), Syracuse, and Indiana. Syracuse has a strong backcourt with Michael Carter-Williams and Brandon Triche. C.J. Fair is also a versatile 3 man that poses a difficult matchup for defensive teams. Syracuse will have to get some added offense in the post if they want to make it out of this region. The Hurricanes of Miami are led by sophomore point guard Shane Larkin who shoots the ball well and puts his teammates in a good position to succeed. Durand Scott is the leader of the Hurricanes and when he goes, they go as well. Kenny Kadji is a good stretch 4 player who has been consistent all year for Miami. I ultimately look for Indiana escaping this region with a win over Miami in the Elite 8.

My final four consists of Louisville vs. Ohio State and Indiana vs. Georgetown. I like Louisville and Indiana to meet in the national championship with Louisville coming out on top. As I presented earlier in my article, I like the backcourt of Peyton Siva and Russ Smith. Louisville also has an attacking pressing defense that speeds up the game and forces turnovers that turns into offense.

If you play daily fantasy games below, I have listed a few start and sits based off of Fantazzle’s Salary Cap games.  If you’re looking for players, these players are worth the value based off of their salary that Fantazzle has set for them.

Start

(C) Gorgui Dieng salary of $21,600. This is a high salary, but Dieng will be utilized a lot in Louisville’s 1^st round matchup.

(G) Phil Pressey salary of $17,500. Pressey is the vocal point of Missouri’s offense and will have the ball in his hands a lot.

(G) Marcus Smart salary of $26,500. Smart can fill it up and I look for him to do the same against Oregon.

Sit

(G) Mark Lyons salary of $13,650. Lyons is shooting 24% from the floor in his last 3 games.

(G) Antonio Barton salary of $5,000. Barton has not played in any of the last three games and don’t expect him to play in the first round.

(G) Ron Baker salary of $8,625. Baker has not played in the last two games for Wichita State and I look for him to struggle against a physical Pitt defense.

In January I found my self again facing a similar issue. Being in the top spot of my NHL fantasy draft I knew I would have a shot to draft Sidney Crosby. Why shouldn’t I, he is considered by most to be the outright best player in the NHL isn’t he? But like Adrian Peterson, Crosby is coming off a horrific injury that has plagued him the last two seasons and there are a lot of other great players out there like Malkin, Sedin, Stamkos or even Ovechkin. I knew Crosby was a risk but I had learned from my mistakes. After passing on Peterson I decided I would not do the same with Crosby. I decided to take him at the top spot in the draft which was at least three or four spots higher then he went in many leagues. Since drafting him, Crosby has done nothing but score points and win me fantasy games. No one else in the league is close to Crosby’s ridiculous league-leading 45 points and I am looking like a genius. Crosby is not just having a good season- he is having a great season. He is in complete control of the race for the Heart Trophy and the Art Ross while passing and scoring the puck at an unprecedented rate. His incredible passing abilities were on full display this Sunday against the New York Islanders where he racked up five assists in a single game.

Anyone who happened to put the historically average Chris Kunitz on their fantasy team should probably send Crosby a big old thank you letter because Crosby has made this “average Joe” look like Joe Sakic. In Kunitz’s 10 seasons in the NHL the most goals he has over totaled in a season was 26; that is 0.317 goals per game. This season, playing with set-up master Sidney Crosby, he has 17 goals and 36 points over just 26 games. Thats an average of 0.654 goal per game. Not only is Crosby a great fantasy player but anyone playing on his line is as well.

Like him or not, Crosby has proven he is still the best player in the NHL and a sure thing number one overall pick in fantasy hockey. If Adrian Peterson and Sidney Crosby have taught us anything its that fantasy sports aren’t that hard. Don’t over think it. If you have the first pick then pick the best player. I guess its a little too late to hear this though- I am sure you won’t be seeing Adrian Peterson and Sidney Crosby falling too far in next year’s fantasy drafts.

James Mitchell

Fantasy Basketball

Kevin Durant-Durant takes over the top spot with impressive performances this past week.
Kobe Bryant-Still in the top three, the Lakers made it to .500 and he’s still one of the best.
Chris Paul-Proves why he’s the top point guard in the NBA with over nine assists per game.
LeBron James-In the top five no doubt, but with considerable competition behind him.
James Harden-Hot on King James’ trail, The Beard takes over the number six spot this week.
Carmelo Anthony-Still scoring with the best of them, he put on a show for the Lakers on Christmas day.
Tim Duncan-The best big man in the league,but there are other bigs who just might surpass him this year.
David Lee-Your go to guy for double-doubles this year. He puts up 20 and 10 nearly every night.
Stephen Curry-Hitting threes at a rapid pace, Curry secures a spot in the top ten.

Nicolas Batum- He’s lighting up the stat sheet once again and really deserves to be in the top ten of fantasy basketball.

Waiver Wire Work -Stats are over the last 7 day period, not a season average.

Ramon Sessions-He’s shooting good and putting up over fourteen points a game along with a steal and a three.
Mario Chalmers-Giving you nine points, two rebounds, and two assists per game while hitting almost two threes and two steals.
Thabo Sefalosha-He does give you a steal and a three per game while shooting good.
Shane Battier-He has been putting up decent numbers with his minutes while getting in two threes and a block which a great line in fantasy basketball.
Patrick Patterson-He’s out for the next three games for the Rockets, but once he’s back he should be in every lineup.
Marcus Camby-He’s only playing eight minutes a game, but once he gets more minutes he could be a good pick from the waiver wire.
Marco Belinelli-He’s getting more playing time and will have some good games in the near future.
Matt Bonner-If he could get more playing time he could be worth a look in deeper leagues.

Rodney Stuckey-He’s playing good and can be found for a bargain right now on some waivers.
 

As is the case with fantasy basketball, you must avoid injuries to be successful. Here are some players who are injured but could eventually help your team.

Injuries

Chris Bosh-He missed one game with an illness, but he is back in action now.
Anderson Verejao-He has a right knee injury and it is uncertain as to when he’ll return.
Kyle Lowry-He has a torn tricep and should not be in any lineups.
Tyreke Evans-He has a sore left knee and could return to action Friday against the Knicks.
Mo Williams-He is out indefinitely after injuring his right thumb.
Glen Davis-He is out four to six weeks with a left shoulder strain.
Gerald Henderson-He is day to day with a shin contusion.
Andrea Bargnani-He has a sore right elbow and it is unclear when he’ll return to the court.

Trending Upwards- In fantasy basketball, you must find the one guy off the waiver every year who will produce for you.

Robin Lopez-Averaging eighteen points and eight rebounds and three blocks over the last week.
Bernard James-Averaging twelve points, nine rebounds, an assist, a steal and three blocks this past week.
Shane Battier-He is hitting two three-pointers a game but he can do a little bit of everything.
Marcus Morris-He’s averaging two threes and a block a game to go along with  thirteen points, three  rebounds and two assists a game over the last week.
John Salmons-He’s putting up twelve points, five rebounds and five assists per game since last week.
Jordan Hill-He’s giving you seven points and five rebounds while shooting good from the field and the free throw line.

nba fantasy ak47 kirilenko

Fantasy Basketball Rankings, Sleepers, Waiver Wire Work and more. This data is compiled from several sources related to fantasy basketball.

1.Kobe Bryant-Brings it in all categories, except blocks. Play him every day in every format.

2. LeBron James-He still packs a punch in fantasy land. Play him with impunity.

3. Kevin Durant-Same as top 2, but it’s a tough battle to be on the top of the heap right now.

4.Tim Duncan -Still putting up great numbers for the Spurs and should continue all season.

5. Chris Paul- Don’t forget about CP3. He’s tough to surpass as the top point guard in the game.

6.Joakim Noah-Big men just don’t have the same game as Noah. He’s lanky, and he’s an above average defender which is a plus in fantasy basketball.

7.James Harden-He’s clutch and he’s always worth a spot on fantasy basketball rosters no matter what .You just have to play him every day so you can  to get the most out of him.

8.Anderson Varejao - He’s a big man who can hit free throws and he’s averaging nearly 15 rebounds a game. It’s a win – win situation when you can play him every day with your team.

9.Stephen Curry-He’s on the top of his game right now so there’s no reason to keep him sidelined. Keep in mind though, he is injury prone to some extent.

10.Andrei Kirilenko- AK47 is back and better than ever with consistant playing time. He’s putting up great numbers and will continue as long as he’s in the lineup.

Waiver Wire Work -Stats are over the last 7 day period, not a season average.
                                         Points     Reb     Ast     Stl     Blk     TO           Mins

Taj Gibson                       6.3          4.9       0.9     0.5      1.1     1.0            20:00
Carlos Delfino                9.1          3.6       2.0     0.9      0.1     1.5            24:00
Jason Thompson        11.2          7.8       1.3     0.7      1.0     1.0            30:00
Derrick Williams            8.5          4.5       0.4     0.3                 0.6           18:25

Kirk Hinrich                     6.2          2.3       5.3     0.9      0.4     1.8            27:10
Jodie Meeks                    8.4          2.0       0.9     0.8      0.0     0.9            18:02
Markieef Morris              8.9          4.9       1.4     0.7      0.6     0.9            22:31

Waiver Wire Considerations

Jason Richardson
Amir Johnson
Kosta Koufos
Brandon Wright
Alan Anderson

Jonas Valanciunas
Nate Robinson
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Kevin Seraphin

As is the case with fantasy basketball, you must avoid injuries to be successful. Here are some players who are injured but could eventually help your team.

Injuries 

Mike Dunleavy-Just came back from a knee injury, but he is inconsistant at best.

Hedo Turkoglu-Broken left hand will keep him out for quite a while. Consider other options at this point.

Trevor Ariza-Missed  quite a few games with a calf injury. Could be back soon though so keep an eye on him.

Chase Budinger-He has a torn left meniscus and will be out for quite some time it seems like.

Kawhi Leonard-He was assigned to NBA D League in Austin and will undergo a medical rehab assignment there for right knee tendinitis.

Richard Hamilton-The Chicago Tribune reports that Hamilton says he’s improving from a sprained left foot.

Beno Udrih-He is recovering from a sprained ankle and should not be considered in any format.

Jason Smith -May need surgery to repair a shoulder injury. He’s not valid in any formats right now.

Tyrus Thomas-A left calf strain is keeping him out right now.

Trending UPwards- Players who could perform well this week depending on the number of games thier team plays. This is a good indication of players who are about to hit the fantasy jackpot so to speak. You can find undervalued players who will perform at a top tier level for minimal risk:

Ricky Rubio -Minnesota plays four games this week and he should see ample minutes. He could be limited or on restricted minutes so think a little bit before you go and drop someone for him.

Austin Rivers-He’s a rookie, but should see some decent playing time and he is starting to shoot a bit better than he has in the past. So give Rivers a spin if you’re feeling lucky and want to toss the fantasy basketball dice.

Matt Barnes-He can be erratic in his statistics, but keep in mind that over the last five game’s he’s averaging nearly 15 points, close to 5 rebounds and even throws in steals, blocks and threes.

Marquis Daniels-Milwaukee plays four games this week and he could be a valuable part of every team in every format this week. Consider him a strong play for the week.

Markieff Morris- He plays four games this week and is one of the best young big men in the game. He is playing an average of 23 minutes per game over the last week or so. He should be in your lineup if you have him on your roster.

Nick Young-He just had a 30 point game over the weekend. He is primed and ready to go for the 76ers. In fantasy basketball he’s what would be called a low risk-high reward player. Get him if he is on your waiver wire because he will be gone soon.

Ben Gordon-the Bobcats play four games this week and that is pure gold in fantasy basketball. You can’t do any wrong by adding Gordon at this point, he will get minutes but production will be slightly inconsistent at times.

CJ Miles-He’s getting some playing time with the Cavaliers and he is producing good numbers, so go out onto the waiver wire and pick him up if your team needs a little boost from a quality player like Miles.

Rasheed Wallace- He’s out of retirement and he’s coming off the bench, but he’s still a quality player and can be a valuable asset on any fantasy basketball team.

kobe bryant fantasy basketball 2012

Fantasy Basketball Rankings, Sleepers, Waiver Wire Work and more. This data is compiled from several sources related to fantasy basketball.

1.Kobe Bryant-Kobe is the best in fantasy basketball once again because of his ability to work the court in all areas including the rarer categories like steals and blocks.

2. Kevin Durant -Right on the heels of Kobe Bryant is this young stud who makes other players look bad just by stepping on the court. He hits threes, gets steals and blocks while doing all the other things a fantasy stat sheet stuffer does.

3. LeBron James -Another stud in fantasy basketball is King James with his abilities on the court. He can do everything.

4.Tim Duncan -He’s in the top five once again after posting good numbers again this season.

5. Chris Paul- He’s probably the best point guard in the NBA, but there are other young points who can play just as well.

6.Joakim Noah- He’s proved he’s worth a spot in the top ten of fantasy basketball with great all around numbers.

7.Carmelo Anthony -He continues to score at will with no end in sight. Keep him in your lineup in all formats at all times.

8.Dwight Howard – With Gasol out he’s a very valuable chip in fantasy basketball.

9.Stephen Curry -He’s on fire and will remain in the top ten for the foreseeable future.

10.Ryan Anderson -He’s a great value and has proved it game after game with above average threes and great all around stats.
Waiver Wire Work -Stats are over the last 7 day period, not a season average.

                                    Points     Rebounds      Assists          Steals         Blocks         Turnovers  

Shawn Marion            10.0              7.3                     2.9                 0.7               0.7                       1.9
Eric Bledsoe               10.0               2.9                     2.9                 1.5              0.7                        1.6
Derrick Favors             9.1                7.2                     0.6                 0.9              1.8                        1.5
Corey Brewer              11.8              2.9                     0.7                 1.2              0.3                        0.3
Gary Neal                     11.6              3.0                    1.9                  0.6              0.0                        1.5
Elton Brand                   6.6                6.4                    1.4                  0.7             1.3                        1.5

Waiver Wire Considerations

Kyle Korver
Nate Robinson
D.J. Augustin
Shannon Brown
Drew Gooden
James Johnson

Injuries

As is the case in fantasy basketball, you have to avoid injuries in order to be successful.

This week we look at what players are injured and when you can expect them back in your lineup.

Derrick Rose- Could be February before he’s back in action.

Marcus Camby-Camby has missed eight straight games with a foot injury.

Hedo Turkoglu-He has a broken left hand and will not return very soon.

Nicolas Batum-He played Thursday night and should be good to go in all formats.

Kawhi Leonard-Not expected to play on the Spurs current road trip.

Brook Lopez-He is expected to return Friday

Pau Gasol-Looks like he will miss additional action due to a knee injury.

Trading

LeBron James – Can be had for a pretty penny. I myself just traded Dwight Howard and Paul Pierce for LeBron James and Tiago Splitter. Decent deal and James is worth it in the long haul ad I’ve won a lot of leagues with him in my lineup.

Tim Duncan – He’s having a great year once again and can be had for a nice combo deal of maybe a small forward/forward and a good guard or big man.

Anthony Davis – He’s a rookie, but he’s a player worth keeping an eye on in all formats of play. Fantasy basketball is a good indicator of how well players are actually playing at any given time.

Flops of the Week

Vince Carter- Carter should be helping carry the load in Dallas with Dirk gone for a little longer, but in the land of fantasy basketball, he can be dropped in favor of some of the aforementioned players.

Robin Lopez- A lot was expected of the new center, but he has thus disappointed with few points but a nice size of rebounds. He will have to turn it around for him to be valuable in fantasy basketball.

Samuel Dalembert-lack of playing time is what is hindering him right now. Just eighteen minutes per game doesn’t help his fantasy value.

Rajon Rondo

Hi, my name is Chris Gingrich and I’ll be your guide through the land of fantasy basketball. All the waiver wire moves to make, all the trades to look for and most of all, how to win.

Lets start off with some rankings.

1.Kobe Bryant- He’s the man right now with his historic milestone of reaching 30,000 career points.

2.Kevin Durant- Still worthy of the number one spot, but Kobe can’t be stopped right now.

3.Chris Paul- Still proving that he’s the top point guard in the league without a doubt.

4.LeBron James-He’ll get into his groove eventually, but he’s handily in the top 5 for now.

5.Tim Duncan- Still the best big man in the game without a doubt. The Big Fundamental will prove his worth over the course of the long season.

6.Stephen Curry- Still young and full of potential. The injury bug is always a risk here, but for now he’s on fire.

7.Chris Bosh- One of the premier big men in the league. Always a valuable asset in fantasy land.

8.Serge Ibaka- A great shot blocker and overall defender, but defense only goes so far, he needs to step up his scoring game to get into the top five.

9.Ryan Anderson – A do it all big man. It’s the threes that are key here, not many big men hit threes. 10.James Harden – Yes, hes awesome, and his top 10 player ranking proves that.

Keys to Success for this Week Look out for teams with four games this week, and more importantly, keep them in your lineup. The more games, the more points, the more points you score the better your chances of winning. Look out for injured players every day. Keep your eye on the injury reports because if you don’t, it will come back to bite you later in the week. Don’t be fooled by the guys who put up a good game or two and then go back to being bench warmers. Don’t add someone to your team who will inevitably burn you with injuries, poor play or just no playing time. Fantasy basketball is all about capitalizing on opportunities, not making your team worse by capitalizing on bad opportunities. Allow your team to find itself. What I mean by this is, don’t go dropping players who are doing poorly right now. The players you drafted in the first 5 rounds are your building blocks for the entire season like it or not. Give the players a chance to come around and you will be happy you did.

Waiver Wire Work – In Fantasy basketball, you have to work the waiver wire every day if you expect to build a winning team.

Jason Kidd, PG, NYK- Seems like he’s got some fuel left in the tank in New York which keeps him valuable in fantasy games 

Carl Landry, F, GS- Always consistant with the great field goal and some nice numbers to round it out.

Andre Miller G, DEN – Andre Miller is a dynamic point guard who can fill the stat sheet.

Eric Bledsoe, PG/SG, LAC- A combo guard with the skills to match. Keep an eye on him.

Marvin Williams SF, UTA- A good small forward, but playing time might be limited in Utah.

Derrick Favors, PF/C, UTA- Same as with Williams, he’s talented, but so are other players on the Jazz.

Tiago Splitter, C, SA- An excellent big man with good timing and great skills. He’s on plenty of waivers right now.

Daniel Gibson, PG/SG, CLE- He can give you the threes, but leaves something to be desired in the field goal department.

Shane Battier, F, MIA- A kind of jack of all trades but master of none. He can fill up the stat sheet once in a while though.

Dante Cunningham, PF, MIN- He seems to have found his role with the Wolves, now lets hope he can get more playing time.

Trades to Look For – Trades happen in fantasy basketball when both teams have a couple key players they are willing to both trade. Trades must be balanced for it to work out right. These players might be top ranked, but someone might be willing to part ways with them for the right deal.

Stephen Curry – Yes, he’s good. But his fantasy goodness also comes with the promise of injuries. Look for someone willing to part ways with this oft injured guard.

Joakim Noah – He’s a talented big man, but there is always somone looking for a good guard in every leauge. Maybe it’s time to trade him while his value is still high.

O.J. Mayo – He can hit threes like nobody’s business. Make him yours with a small offer of one or possibly two non top 25 guys.