Tip-In Points: Duel In The Suns
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.
________________________
Amar’e Stoudemire, PHO Amar’e threw down 16 points (33 percent from the floor) and grabbed five rebounds. Not a crime. But there’s trouble a-brewin’ for Stoudemire owners as rumors that the Suns have become aggressive in getting something for their all-star forward before the trade deadline. Amar’e's on the outs. He knows it. And if history is any indication, he’s going to pout until something happens. Until he’s moved (or the deadline passes) his shot selection will grow poorer along with his rebounding aggressiveness.
In his last two games he’s shot 36 percent, averaged five rebounds and 15.5 points. Last season leading up the the All-Star game rumors of Amar’e's demise with Phoenix were full throttle. How’d he do? Between January 31 and February 11 Stoudemire averaged 19 points (on 49 percent shooting) and eight rebounds – all below his season averages last year. The media (and his fantasy owners) said he was pouting, a theory that was not put to rest simply because then-coach Terry Porter had been fired. Stoudemire played two of his best games against the Clippers and then scratched out an eye to end his season.
Stoudemire’s a diva. If you didn’t know that when you drafted him, you do now.
Keep your eye on Robin Lopez, Channing Frye and the trade rumors about Amar’e. They’ll all come into play soon enough.
More divas (and folks that play alongside divas) below.
Brandon Rush, IND Since moving to the starting lineup six games ago he’s shot better than 50 percent from the floor in five of them and scored at least 14 points in four including 16 last night. With big brother Kareem getting sent down to the D-League, Brandon’s got to do all the scoring for the Rush family now.
Louis Williams, PHI Last week I called shenanigans on Eddie Jordan’s use of Louis Williams. That was when he was starting. Three days later he was moved to a reserve role and has averaged 28 minutes in the three games since the switch, 13.7 points on nine shot attempts per game to go along with 4.7 assists. In the nine games Williams started this month, he averaged 30 minutes, 13.6 points and three assists. He’s more efficient now, but I have no idea why. No one in Philadelphia does either.
Allen Iverson, PHI Dropped 20 points for the fifth time this season on Monday and the flibbertyjillionth time in his career.
Ricky Davis, LAC He’s played at least 26 minutes in the last four games since Eric Gordon’s gone down with injury. He hadn’t played 26 minutes in any of the previous 40 games. I’d pass on this pick-up.
Kevin Garnett, BOS KG’s averaging 15 points and three rebounds in the two games since his return. This may be fine for Boston, but not for your fantasy team. Benchslap him until he shapes up.
LeBron James, CLE Shot 39 percent against the Heat. Plus some other stuff.
Anderson Varejao, CLE Dub-dubbed for the sixth time (13/10) after having played the second-most minutes of his season (35:58). Still, he’s not worthy of a fantasy spot. Your mother and I think you can do better if you just apply yourself.
Dwyane Wade, MIA Had 30 at halftime. Shot 1-for-8 in the second half. It’s like a paper snowflake that looks pretty when you cut both halves, but when you open it whole, it just looks goofy.
Jameer Nelson, ORL On this team, Jammer has essentially two roles – get assists and hang onto the ball in the process. We’re gonna call his one assist and six turnovers on Monday a misunderstanding of his roles.
Zach Randolph, MEM Zach-Attach double-doubled with 23/19 last night. He has more offensive rebounds halfway through this season than he’s had in all but two full seasons so far in his career. He’s nine total rebounds from besting his boards from all of last season. What does that mean for his fantasy owners? Oddly nothing. With the exception of rebounding, Randolph is not on pace to beat any of his career-bests in any counting categories. Downer!
Richard Jefferson, SA 1-for-8 from the field Monday. Forget Jefferson. Forget his upside. Forget the New Jersey years. Whatever you do however – don’t forget the Alamo.
Kirk Hinrich, CHI Hinrich had 18 points and five assists against San Antone. It’s amazing what an extra five minutes a game and a fancy starter’s introduction will do for a fella.In the last month since Cap’n Kurt was moved into the starting rotation he’s averaing four more points, almost two more assists and a 90 percent bump in jersey sales by old white women in the greater Chicagoland area.
Derrick Rose, CHI Ankle’s healthy. And now that his lower appendage is hunky-dunky, he’s using it to kick his sophomore slump to the curb. He’s driving to the rim a ton more which has ths driven his field-goal percentage up from 45 percent in December to 51 percent in January. It’s because he’s closer to the rim when he shoots, you see? And those are easier shots for him to make. Basketball. It really is a very simple sport. 23 pts./ 5 rbds./ 7 asts. this month.
Joakim Noah, CHI Still a bit wonky from his sore left foot. Wonky being the clinical term here. Eleven points and five boards in 25 minutes.
Josh Smith, ATL Dropped 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, stole four balls and blocked another four. Not a bad game. Not a bad game a’tall.
Aaron Brooks, HOU Scored 15 points on 20 shots. More like Errorin’ Brooks. AmIright? AmIright?
Trevor Ariza, HOU Shot 4-for-11. Bad, but not worse than Brooks. Sheesh. He can’t even lead his team in the poorest performance of the night. This man is officially the biggest loser – and not in that fat person TV show where it’s a goal to be the biggest loser. This is the real world where losing is for losers.
Grant Hill, PHO Four minutes is what you got from Hill yesterday as he bruised his heel early in the game and didn’t return. He’ll be out Tuesday and perhaps longer. Goran Dragic picked up the slack draining a career-high 32. As noted above, the Suns are in supreme flux and should be watched as closely as Klum doing pilates.
Wesley Matthews, UTA Twenty-one points in 23 minutes from the bench. Career-highs in points and free-throw attempts (7).
Andrei Kirilenko, UTA Lookit this: 68% FG / 25.5 pts / 7 rbds / 2 asts / 1.5 stls / 2 blks. These are the averages of the last two games in which AK47 has played 36 minutes or more (Wednesday, Monday). Get ‘im while he’s hot. Start him against teams that are a good match for Utah.
Carlos Boozer, UTA Four blocks in three games. That’s downright power forward-ish. So was his season-high 20 rebounds. He hasn’t grabbed at least 20 boards since April 2007. How many times a week do you suppose Boozer tries to get himself traded by calling other teams pretending to be GM Kevin O’Connor?
Carmelo Anthony, DEN DNP (ankle sprain). Should return Wednesday. Joey Graham sat in and played a mean zither.
Arron Afflalo, DEN Spellcheck had 24 points off only 11 shots with seven dimes to boot. Best performance by guys named Arron all week.
J.R. Smith, DEN Not benched. But he was seen walking down Abbey Road without any shoes. Do with that information what you please.
Brandon Roy, POR DNP (still). He’ll be out until Friday and he’s not taking calls.
Andre Miller, POR He shot 1-for-8 but handed out 10 assists. Great. Now I’ve gone cross-eyed.
Peja Stojakovic, NO Shot 1-for-5 with an assist. An assist.
Marcus Thornton, NO Took over the starting SG spot now that Devin Brown is Chicago-bound. He scored 19 points (three 3ptm). Not a bad pick-up. Unless he falls flat. The don’t come crying to me.
Chris Paul, NO 24 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists in a slow game. He’s shooting over 50 percent in his last five games. See? Here at Tip-In Points, we get results. CP3 heard the call.
L I N E O F T H E N I G H T
45 min. / 64% FG / 82% FT / 27 pts / 15 rbd / 3 asts / 6 blk / 4 to
Dwight Howard, ORL “Hey Dwight, it’s cool, man. The Grizz are solid this year. We’ll get ‘em next time, huh?” Yeah. I’m really not feelin’ the pep talk now dawg. “Yeah but, you win some you lose some, D. You don’t see me getting all down about it.” That’s the problem, J.N … Six turnovers, man? Six! I made 9-of-11 free throws. Six turnovers, J.N.? “Aw, don’t be like that Dwight–” No, I’m gonna be like that. I may never make 80 percent of my free throws ever again. You couldn’t have gotten a few more assists, J? “Sorry Dwight. My knee ain’t right and–” Just stop that, Jameer. Your excuses demean the both of us. Lemme just sit here silently for a minute while I figure out why just lookin’ at Mike Conley makes me giggle.
___________________
Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Sports via Getty Images
Comments are closed
