Kobe Bryant leading the way for the 2011 NBA All-Star game
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, NBA, News,
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angles Lakers is leading the overall voting for the 2011 NBA All-Star game, which is appropriate considering that the game will be played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Others leading the way for the Western Conference are Chris Paul at the one-guard, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony at the forwards, and oddly, Yao Ming at center. Yao has been out for a bit now due to another injury issue and won't play in the game at all. When the coaches make their reserve selections, one of them will start in Yao's place. In the East, the leading guards in voting are Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade with LeBron James and Kevin Garnett in the lead in voting for forwards, and Dwight Howard at the five spot. The official starters will be named on January 27.
Read More | ESPN
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NBA mulling over purchase of New Orleans Hornets
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Front Office, NBA, News,
The NBA is considering buying the New Orleans Hornets in order to guide the sale of the franchise to another buyer, perhaps another city. The sale by George Shinn, majority owner of the Hornets, to minority owner Gary Chouest brought some optimism earlier this year, but the proposed sale has collapsed with Chouest rescinding his offer. The NBA would like to keep the team in New Orleans, but that would be up to the new owner, whomever that may be. However, the NBA will try its best to keep the Hornets in New Orleans. The same can't be said about superstar Chris Paul staying, however. His remaining with the team is likely tied to the ownership situation.
Read More | ESPN
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Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson are 2010 All-star starters?
In the last update of NBA all-star balloting before the starters are announced on January 21, 2010, one can easily see two travesties within the voting leaders. I have checked my calendar a billion times since the new year to make sure it actually is 2010 and not 2000. Allen Iverson, after playing only 13 games this year, leads Vince Carter by more than 185,000 votes for the right to start in the Eastern Conference backcourt alongside Dwyane Wade. The Answer being the answer to so many fans’ question of who should start in the all-star game this year is an equation that has all sorts of holes in it, but with an insurmountable lead, us sane NBA fans will just have to find a way to accept it.
However, there is still enough time to right the other wrong.
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2010 NBA Mock Draft December Version
Posted by Phil Partington Categories: Fantasy, NBA, NCAA, College Basketball,
June is the month for the NBA Draft, when fans and experts alike chart players and teams to determine which future prospect will be taken by which team. The process is both exciting and captivating, as it hints at the future of many NBA ball clubs. Yet, NBA Draft buzz doesn’t start in June. Even though the college basketball season is just underway, murmurings of where players might go in the 2010 NBA Draft have already surfaced. Here’s an early look at how the draft might shape up.
1. New Jersey Nets select PG John Wall, Kentucky, 6-4, 195lbs
Wall is the consensus top pick at this point. Wall has great size and athleticism for a point guard. After six games, he’s averaging 18.5 ppg, 7.8 apg, 4.0 rpg, 2.5 spg, while shooting 56% from the field and 80% from the line. He somewhat resembles Derrick Rose. Though the Nets have Devin Harris, it’s hard to imagine them passing on a potential superstar like Wall.
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December 2010 NBA Fantasy Waiver Steals
Posted by Phil Partington Categories: Fantasy, NBA,
One month of the 2009-2010 NBA season is nearing an end and the rabid excitement of many fantasy basketball team owners has calmed a bit, which is why now is the perfect time to grab those waiver wire steals. There are several factors that can suddenly change the stripes of a fantasy player, including injuries to other players, trades, and other changes in circumstances. Here are players to nab if they’re still available in your league’s waiver wire or free agent listings:
Peja Stojakovic, New Orleans Hornets
Need three-point shooting? Peja’s sunk 15 treys in the last three games. With Chris Paul out for a month, Peja’s trying to be more of a leader and is getting more shots as a result. He barely gets any turnovers and usually shoots solid percentages, so go ahead and grab him if he’s available.
Dahntay Jones, Indiana Pacers
Jones has earned a spot in the starting rotation and the return of Troy Murphy shouldn’t hurt his minutes at all. Murphy’s return will probably have more of a negative effect on center Roy Hibbert’s minutes. Jones is a do-it-all forward, almost like a poor man’s Danny Granger. In the last four games, he’s averaged 19.5 ppg, 4.5 rbpg, 2.0 spg, and 1.8 bspg, while shooting 51% from the field.
Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets
Collison is a rookie and he hasn’t collected as many threes or steals as one might want in a point guard, but in Chris Paul’s absence, he’s been solid, averaging 15.0 ppg and 7.0 apg with low turnovers, while shooting 94% from the line in four games. He should only get better as he gains more and more confidence as the team’s starting point guard.
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NBA Fantasy Alphabet: Eastern Conference, Week 2
I appreciate musical mash-ups. Fantasy Alphabet will be my mash-up combining articles that look at hot waiver wire pick-ups, players of the week, and notable injuries. The format will consist of quick hits focusing on one player per team, and arranged in alphabetical order to help make quick scanning easier. This week, I arrange the teams in reverse alphabetical order because I want to shine the spotlight on the artist, I mean player formally known as Agent Zero.
Washington Wizards: Gilbert Arenas. I experienced immediate non-buyer’s remorse on Arenas. Over his first four games, he averaged 36 minutes of playing time while putting up 26.5 ppg on 47.3% shooting and 6.3 apg. On the down side, he has coughed the ball up four times a game, and has shot less than 80% from the charity stripe. Yet his threats to curb his three-point shooting have not come to pass, as he has drained two moneyballs a game. I took Andre Iguodala over him in one league after much deliberation, and opted for Vince Carter in another, and feel okay about those selections, but will still shake my head in frustration any night Gilbert goes for 30-plus. He came back to earth a bit on Friday against the Pacers as the Wizards were down pretty much from the start, but he shot 50% for the game so there are still good signs from a down game.
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2009-2010 NBA Midwest Division Preview
Posted by Phil Partington Categories: Editorial, NBA,
If it weren’t enough that the NBA’s Midwest Division looks much different than last season, a few teams, notably, the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks made key additions, and Rockets’ star big man, Yao Ming, just had to injure himself for the duration of the season. That curveball may open things up for younger teams to move into the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Spurs are seeing its NBA championship window close every year. In response, the team added several key free agents to make a push to compete with the Los Angeles Lakers in the West.
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Fantasy NBA: Analysis of First Round
The one-man mock draft has been fun, but as “one man” writing, I would be lucky to get deep into the fourth round before the season opens. Thus, the focus will shift on topics such as analyzing average draft position (or ADP), which will hopefully benefit those still yet to draft.
Fantasy basketball writing, in general, is still dominated by emphasis on roto leagues. Let us take a look at typical first round selections, but from a head-to-head standpoint. Comments will be geared towards a H2H league that employs the standard nine categories (FG%, FT%, 3PTM, Pts, Rebs, Ast, Stl, Blk and TO).
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One Man Mock Draft, Fantasy NBA 2009: Round 2, Pick 11
A great addition to Yahoo fantasy basketball has been the mock draft feature. At any time, you can join a mock draft with real live folks like yourself and prep for your real league together. Different size leagues and different types of leagues are available. In the chat section during a mock draft I participated in earlier this week, someone remarked that his or her first three picks last year were Elton Brand, Al Jefferson and Jose Calderon. Despite that injury-riddled trio, this person apparently still cruised to his league title. It is hard to tell how much kudos he/she deserves, as it seems quite probable that the league this person participated in was weak. A good fantasy GM dominating a bad league should find a better league.
On the other hand, fantasy hoopsters know there is absolutely nothing wrong with a good player suiting up for a bad team. A lot of fantasy goodness can be head with these types of situations, as this next player illustrates.
Round 2, Pick 11: Devin Harris, PG, New Jersey Nets
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One Man Mock Draft, Fantasy NBA 2009: Round 2, Pick 5
So who wins the bronze medal in fantasy point guards heading into this season? Chris Paul gets consideration for first pick overall, so calling him the first point guard to be taken comes across as a big understatement. Deron Williams sits solidly in the #2 position. As you prepare for week 1 of the NFL season, keep in mind that NBA teams will open their training camps in just a few weeks. At least four to five point guard-eligible players will come off the board in between the early second round and the beginning of the third round. I always like a point guard who can score as well as shoot the three, plus of course dish the rock in elite fashion. “Mr. Big Shot” took his trade to his home state team in stride and led them to the conference finals last season.
Round 2, Pick 5: Chauncey Billups, PG, Denver Nuggets
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