Tip-In Points: Speed Racer Goes Into Mach 5
Anyone can suggest adds and drops for the NBA fantasy fans out there, but few make those suggestions from the gut. We’ve also sprinkled in tons of helpful stats for all fantasy formats too. Because that’s the kind of fantasy help you deserve.
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Kevin Martin, SAC Y’see that smile on the young man’s face in the above picture? That’s the confident smirk of an assassin. But more than a killer grin, it’s the look of a pro suddenly girded by an above-average, occasionally downright sparkplug group of supporting … uh, assassin assistants (assassistants?). Martin returned for his first games in over two months, only to find himself in a completely different situation than when he left. That new situation being that he’s no longer the only bonafide stud. That’s not a bad situation to be in necessarily, although last season if K-Mart shot 10-for-27 in two games as he’s done here, he knew nothing would change. Now? Maybe Tyreke Evans or Jason Thompson touch the ball a few additional times. Then again, who else on the Kings is going to shoot 11-for-11 from the line? I was wrong to question Martin’sa authority.
While you were getting drunk on Boone’s Farm with your neighbor (don’t deny it!) here’s what else you missed in the NBA this weekend:
Kevin Durant, OKC Scissors cut paper. Paper covers rock. And Thunder smashes Heat. More specifically Kevin Durant smashed the Heat Saturday night. Kid Dynamite blew up for 35 points and 10 rebounds, making 75 percent of his shots from the floor. Did he score 35 because he was on fire or was he on fire, so he opted to go ahead and score 35? Either way he’s averaging 32.5 in a dozen games since Christmas. Ho-ho-holy crap.
Ben Gordon, DET Missed both games this weekend. That’s three in a row. The only thing more sore than his groin are Pistons fans excited about him joining the team this season.
Zach Randolph, MEM Comeback Player of the Year? Most Improved Player of the Year? Forrest Whitaker Lookalike of the Year? I’ll leave the award-choosin’ to someone else. But his 25.8 pts / 15.9 rbds through his last eight games is too peachy to not mention.
Ty Lawson, DEN Returned after a few weeks on injury vacation. But with Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups also back from injury, Lawson’s big minutes have been cut down to more Lawson-sized minutes.
Dwyane Wade, MIA On Friday, D’Wade scored 37 points without sinking a three. On Saturday he scored 24 and never even attempted a long bomb. In fact, he hasn’t had a three-pointer since last Sunday’s game against the Clippers. Corey Maggette doesn’t get what the big deal is.
Brandon Jennings, MIL Went 1-for-8 on Saturday. Shootin’ 39 percent on the season. That’s rookie ball, son.
Carlos Delfino, MIL Dropped a season-high 28 points Saturday night. There were six treys wrapped up in those 28 points. He also had four steals off the bench. That’s some sweet buckshot.
Roy Hibbert, IND Scored a career-high 27 points on Saturday. He seems to do well when his teammates do poorly. If I knew how to spell “schadenfreude” I’d totally nickname him that.
Samuel Dalembert, PHI Dalembert doesn’t anticipate missing games while he returns to Haiti. Good news for Dalembert and good news for fantasy owners with Dalembert on their team. He’s been averaging 14.3 rebounds per game in the last six contests, two of which saw him grab 20+.
Tim Duncan, SAS Had 10 points and shot 33 percent from the field on Friday. Dropped 23 points the next day on 65 percent shooting. Apparently that “rest one game in back-to-backs” only counts if he doesn’t suck the first night.
Richard Jefferson, SAS Went 0-for-3 with three points on Saturday. So that was an awesome offseason pick-up, huh?
David Lee, NY Came within one assist of a triple-double on both Friday and Saturday night. The only thing to do now is discuss which three-point-chucking Knick deserves the blame for missing that final D-Lee kick-out? Al Harrington went 6-for-15 from the arc this weekend. Let’s go with him.
Josh Howard, DAL 12-for-42 (29 percent) since his return from injury three games ago. If you insist on inserting him into your lineup, use safety tongs.
Erick Dampier, DAL Didn’t score a point on Sunday. This was predicated on him not taking a shot or shooting a free throw. Tomorrow we’ll discuss how turnovers are good for the other team.
Amar’e Stoudemire, PHO STAT’s stats are still below his career averages, but for what it’s worth his FT% has steadily improved each month .700 in October, .737 in November, .767 in December, .797 (47-for-59) in January. Jrue story.
Andrea Bargnani, TOR If Chris Bosh skips town between now and next season, it’s pretty clear to whom the keys to Raptor kindom will belong. Bargnani has averaged 19 pts and 9 rbds to go along with more than 2 blocks and threes all month long. Eat it, America.
L I N E O F T H E N I G H T
35 min. / 50 FG% / 83 FT% / 23 pts / 13 rbds / 2 asts / 2 blks / 0 tos
Chris Bosh, TOR The head Raptor has made half of his shots in 15 of his last 17 games and now leads the league in double-doubles. That’s both excellent and steady. I was dumped once for being both. It was one of those “it’s not you, it’s me” deals. I mean, how can you be too excellent and too reliable? The more I think about it, the more I begin to think she was full of it. Being excellent shouldn’t hurt so much. But it does. Just ask Bosh’s ego when he’s New York’s third choice in the offseason free-agent pool.
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Top photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports via Getty Images
Bosh photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports via the AP
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