Tip-In Points: Drew Buries More (With Dampier Out)
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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Drew Gooden, DAL Erick Dampier was out again on Sunday. He’s likely going to be in and out all season. That’s bad news for Damp owners but good(en) news for prospective Drew owners. Gooden shot 55 percent from the floor on Sunday with 15 points and 18 boards. In short, he outplayed Dampier’s normal output. T’wasn’t a fluke.
Is “t’wasn’t” a word? T’is.
Sunday marked Gooden’s 11 start this season as compared to Dampier’s 33. Damp averages 26 minutes per game (giving up playing time to Gooden), but with Dampier gone Gooden doesn’t give up as many minutes to the bench. In his 11 starts Gooden has averaged 30 minutes. It shouldn’t shock you to find that Gooden is averaging 3.6 more points per start, 2.7 rebounds and 0.1 assist than Dampier. Dampier is averaging an additional block every third game or so, but both are blocking at least one a game.
Gooden’s efficiency has improved from his reserve role to his starter role. He’s shooting 92 percent from the charity stripe as a starter (Damp’s shooting 59 percent) as compared to his 72 percent free-throw shooting as a reserve. Dampier’s field-goal percentage is better than Gooden’s (67 percent as compared to 46 percent). But 46% FG/ 92% FT is infinitely better for your fantasy percentages than 67% FG/ 59% FT. Nothing about Gooden’s shooting hurts your team. Dampier’s field-goal percentage is solid, but at eight points a game, it’s not strong enough to override his 59 percent free-throw shooting.
If you own Dampier, keep him, but understand that Gooden is your handcuff and the handcuff is a better starter than Dampier. Damp is set to return on Tuesday, but he’ll miss more games this season and if you have a free bench spot, Gooden isn’t a bad stash.
The rest of Sunday went down like this:
Brendan Haywood, WAS Haywood shot 7-for-8 from the floor, dropped 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked three shots. It was his 13th double-double of ’09-10. He’s averaging 10.7 rebounds per game this season and 2.1 blocks per game (career highs). His 9.8 points per game are second only to his 10.6 average two seasons ago. Smoke that which you have put in your pipe.
Caron Butler, WAS Rutler is emptying his tank a tad early this year. His minutes have increased this month (thanks, Gil), yet his points, rebounds, assists, steals, field-goal percentage, free throw percentage and three-point percentage have all dropped from December to January. Mountain Dew will be using Caron’s 2009-10 season in their commercials for why you ought to do the Dew.
Jason Kidd, DAL Personal issues. Probably had something to do with the *pinkie to mouth* kidds. He’ll be back on Tuesday.
Nate Robinson, NY Sugar Nate Robinson pulled a hammy and is day-to-day. He was spared the embarrassment of losing by 50 points at home to the Mavericks. Instead, he’s still living down the embarrassment of being benched for a month by the team that got whomped by 50 at home to the Mavericks.
Danilo Gallinari, NY Okay. After having played in the same game yesterday I’ve finally figured out the biggest difference between the Rooster and the player he’s most often compared to, Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk produces. Gallinari was 3-for-12 from the field with no treys. Italia!
Chris Duhon, NY Duhon shot 2-for-7 on Sunday with four points and four assists and sadly, that was his best game since January 13. He’s not injured, nor does he have the capacity to feel ennui. He’s just become the awful-est version of his awful self in the last eight games. He’s shooting 19 percent from the floor (10 percent from the arc), he’s only gotten to the line six times in eight games and managed to make only three of those shots. He’s averaging three points and five assists per game. All this and he’s still the New York franchise’s floor general. Drop this doode as soon as your fingers will allow. And hand me over a piece of that crow before you go, m’kay?
Jose Calderon, TOR Calderon has been back from injury for almost three weeks now but hasn’t played more than 27 minutes in a game yet. Matter fact, he got less than 16 minutes of burn in yesterday’s win over the Lakers. This is important to note (note it!) as Calderon has now started 22 games for the Raptors while Jarrett Jack has started in 23. Statistically these two are closer than anyone would have expected back in October. For the second half of the season, it looks as if their value will come down to who gets more minutes. Lately, it’s been Jack.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR Ten points off of 12 shots. He had six rebounds in 24 starter’s minutes. The rook has started all 45 Toronto games this season and his best game was a 21 point, three rebound, two assist affair in early December. He’s averaging 14 points, five rebounds and one assist per 36 minutes on the court, making him perhaps the most ineffective starter currently gracing the NBA with his presence. Duhon’s averaging 9/3/6.6 per 36, so you make the call. Toronto is giving him every chance to do well. Mostly he’s doing poorly, but at least he’s being given chances.
L I N E O F T H E N I G H T
40 min. / 46% FG / 100% FT / 1 3pt / 27 pts / 16 rbd / 9 asts / 1 stl / 1 blk / 4 to
Kobe Bryant, LAL He was a dime away from his 17th career triple-double. He still received Sunday’s parting gift which was a loss to the Raptors. L.A. has lost five of their last 10, but it feels like more. And it feels like it’s all Kobe’s fault. While a sophisticated basketball writer would note that Pau Gasol isn’t getting to the line as often as his averages suggest he should and missing more often than usual when he is there or that Ron Artest has a double case of plantar fasciitis (plantars fasciitis? plantar fasciiti? plantars fasciters?), the blue-ish milk leftover from my third helping of Lucky Charms suggests that I’m not sophisticated. So Kobe’s 39 percent field-goal shooting it is then.
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Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Sports via Getty Images
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