duncan228
09-20-2008, 10:51 PM
Pure Fantasy: Balance key to drafting power forward (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Pure_Fantasy_Balance_key_to_drafting_power_forward .html)
David Kendrick - Express-News
There are no shortage of strategies to building a successful fantasy basketball team, but one of the big ideas to remember is that you must strike a balance. This is especially important when drafting a power forward. As an example, let's look at three of the top players at this position and players whom you might want to draft as complements to these power forwards.
JOSH SMITH, HAWKS
Highs: His 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals per game make him a coveted player.
Lows: Typically, you want your big men to shoot at least 50 percent from the field. Smith shot 46 percent last season.
Complement: Smith will cost you a first-round pick, so you can write off fellow first-round pick Suns PG Steve Nash (50.4 FG%). But Raptors PG Jose Calderon (51.9 FG%) should be available later.
RASHARD LEWIS, MAGIC
Highs: Lewis hit 226 3-pointers and was the 16th-ranked fantasy player on NBA.com last season.
Lows: Like Smith, Lewis doesn't do your field-goal percentage any favors, shooting 45.5 percent. He also pulls in only 5.4 rebounds per game.
Complement: Lewis will likely be drafted in the third round. Two guards who could be available even later: Sixers PG Andre Miller (49.2 FG%, 4.0 RPG) and Wolves SG Mike Miller (50.2 FG%, 6.7 RPG).
ANTAWN JAMISON, WIZARDS
Highs: A virtual lock to average around 20 PPG, 9-10 RPG and 1.5 3-pointers per game. Jamison might not be an elite fantasy power forward, but he's not that far off.
Lows: Like the power forwards listed above, Jamison hits only 43.6 percent of his field-goal attempts (all shoot plenty of threes, helping to explain the low percentages).
Complement: Jamison should be drafted near the end of the third round. Around the fifth or sixth round, take a look at Warriors SG Monta Ellis (53.1 FG%), who will be out a little while after having ankle surgery but should be active for the majority of the season. A bonus is Ellis could get time at point guard and qualify there.
NBA: Power forward rankings
Stoudemire still sizzling
The NBA position rankings continue with a look at the power forwards, broken into tiers.
TIER 1
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
1. Amare Stoudemire, Suns — 25.2 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG — Will be just fine without D'Antoni.
2. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks — 23.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 79 3PM — Should see great looks thanks to Kidd.
3. Kevin Garnett, Celtics — 18.8 PPG, 53.9 FG%, 9.2 RPG — Move to Boston hurt fantasy game.
4. Elton Brand, 76ers — 17.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.9 BPG — Value stays high after move from L.A.
5. Shawn Marion, Heat — 15.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG — Struggled after trade from Phoenix.
6. Josh Smith, Hawks — 17.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.8 BPG — Scoring up three-straight seasons.
TIER 2
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
7. Tim Duncan, Spurs — 19.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 2.0 BPG — Low FT% is only knock on his game.
8. Rashard Lewis, Magic — 18.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 226 3PM — Set career high with 3PM last season.
9. Carlos Boozer, Jazz — 21.1 PPG, 54.7 FG%, 10.4 RPG — Sixth in NBA with 51 double-doubles.
10. Antawn Jamison, Wizards — 21.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 120 3PM — Should score more with Arenas out.
11. Lamar Odom, Lakers — 14.2 PPG, 52.5 FG%, 10.6 RPG — Scoring could dip with Bynum back.
TIER 3
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
12. Chris Bosh, Raptors — 22.3 PPG, 49.4 FG%, 8.7 RPG — J. O'Neal won't crush Bosh's value.
13. David West, Hornets — 20.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG — PPG, RPG each up last four seasons.
14. LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers — 17.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 BPG — Rookie Oden could hurt RPG, BPG.
15. Michael Beasley, Heat — 26.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG* — Averages of 17 PPG, 7 RPG reasonable.
16. David Lee, Knicks — 10.8 PPG, 55.2 FG%, 8.9 RPG — Will be huge if he starts for D'Antoni.
17. Al Harrington, Warriors — 13.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 153 3PM — Will continue to help with 3-pointers.
TIER 4
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
18. Charlie Villanueva, Bucks — 11.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 55 3PM — Should benefit from Yi Jianlian trade.
19. Zach Randolph, Knicks — 17.6 PPG, 45.9 FG%, 10.3 RPG — Could stay put because of big contract.
20. Troy Murphy, Pacers — 12.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 94 3PM — Set career high with 3PM last season.
21. Thaddeus Young, 76ers — 8.2 PPG, 53.9 FG%, 4.2 RPG — 10.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG in 22 starts as rookie.
22. Kenyon Martin, Nuggets — 12.4 PPG, 53.8 FG%, 6.5 RPG — RPG should increase with Camby gone.
23. Al Thornton, Clippers — 12.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.2 APG — Should come off bench behind Camby.
TIER 5
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
24. Boris Diaw, Suns — 8.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.9 APG — If he becomes a starter, watch out.
25. Hakim Warrick, Grizzlies — 11.4 PPG, 50.2 FG%, 4.7 RPG — 16.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG as a starter.
26. Kevin Love, Wolves — 17.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG** — Rookie should start right off the bat.
27. Nick Collison, Thunder — 9.8 PPG, 50.2 FG%, 9.4 RPG — 10.6 PPG, 10.2 RPG after All-Star break.
28. Drew Gooden, Bulls — 12.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.2 APG — Played well after trade from Cavaliers.
29. Andres Nocioni, Bulls — 13.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 126 3PM — Unfortunately, not likely to start.
30. Chris Wilcox, Thunder — 13.4 PPG, 52.4 FG%, 7.0 RPG — Should play 25+ minutes per game.
* — statistics from Kansas State University
** — statistics from UCLA
Multiposition players
These power forwards are also eligible at other positions in many leagues.
• Chris Bosh, Raptors (C)
• Nick Collison, Thunder (C)
• Tim Duncan, Spurs (C)
• Ryan Gomes, Wolves (SF)
• Al Harrington, Warriors (C)
• Antawn Jamison, Wizards (SF)
• David Lee, Knicks (C)
• Shawn Marion, Heat (SF)
• Andres Nocioni, Bulls (SF)
• Amare Stoudemire, Suns (C)
Did you know ...
The only player to average more blocks per game than Hawks forward Josh Smith last season was former Nuggets center Marcus Camby (3.6), who should start at power forward for the Clippers this season. Smith was the only player to average at least 1.5 SPG and 2.0 BPG. ... Amare Stoudemire has shot at least 55 percent from the field in each of his last three full seasons. He shot 59 percent last season. ... Boris Diaw averaged 12.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 5.0 APG in 19 starts last season. That's noteworthy, because Shaquille O'Neal has missed at least nine games in each season since 2000-01.
Backups ... for now
None of these players is a star, but each is worth tracking closely this season.
• Andrea Bargnani, Raptors: Last season was a big disappointment for the former No. 1 pick, but Jermaine O'Neal could help his game. With defenses paying attention to O'Neal and Chris Bosh down low, Bargnani should play some small forward and have open 3-point looks.
• Andray Blatche, Wizards: He's had his share of trouble off the court, but on it the 21-year-old has shown promise. In 15 starts last season, he averaged 11.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
• Luis Scola, Rockets: The former Spurs pick isn't worth drafting given the Rockets have a legit Big Three with Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest. But those players have been injury-prone, and if one goes down again, Scola is worth picking up for rebounding and field-goal percentage.
• Ryan Gomes, Wolves: Don't write off Gomes if Kevin Love wins the starting job. The transition to the NBA after one college season likely won't be easy for Love, and Gomes has proven he can hit the 3-pointer.
• Jason Thompson, Kings: The Kings took a risk drafting Thompson so high, which means they don't want to look stupid. That could translate to plenty of playing time on a team that is rebuilding.
David Kendrick - Express-News
There are no shortage of strategies to building a successful fantasy basketball team, but one of the big ideas to remember is that you must strike a balance. This is especially important when drafting a power forward. As an example, let's look at three of the top players at this position and players whom you might want to draft as complements to these power forwards.
JOSH SMITH, HAWKS
Highs: His 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals per game make him a coveted player.
Lows: Typically, you want your big men to shoot at least 50 percent from the field. Smith shot 46 percent last season.
Complement: Smith will cost you a first-round pick, so you can write off fellow first-round pick Suns PG Steve Nash (50.4 FG%). But Raptors PG Jose Calderon (51.9 FG%) should be available later.
RASHARD LEWIS, MAGIC
Highs: Lewis hit 226 3-pointers and was the 16th-ranked fantasy player on NBA.com last season.
Lows: Like Smith, Lewis doesn't do your field-goal percentage any favors, shooting 45.5 percent. He also pulls in only 5.4 rebounds per game.
Complement: Lewis will likely be drafted in the third round. Two guards who could be available even later: Sixers PG Andre Miller (49.2 FG%, 4.0 RPG) and Wolves SG Mike Miller (50.2 FG%, 6.7 RPG).
ANTAWN JAMISON, WIZARDS
Highs: A virtual lock to average around 20 PPG, 9-10 RPG and 1.5 3-pointers per game. Jamison might not be an elite fantasy power forward, but he's not that far off.
Lows: Like the power forwards listed above, Jamison hits only 43.6 percent of his field-goal attempts (all shoot plenty of threes, helping to explain the low percentages).
Complement: Jamison should be drafted near the end of the third round. Around the fifth or sixth round, take a look at Warriors SG Monta Ellis (53.1 FG%), who will be out a little while after having ankle surgery but should be active for the majority of the season. A bonus is Ellis could get time at point guard and qualify there.
NBA: Power forward rankings
Stoudemire still sizzling
The NBA position rankings continue with a look at the power forwards, broken into tiers.
TIER 1
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
1. Amare Stoudemire, Suns — 25.2 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG — Will be just fine without D'Antoni.
2. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks — 23.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 79 3PM — Should see great looks thanks to Kidd.
3. Kevin Garnett, Celtics — 18.8 PPG, 53.9 FG%, 9.2 RPG — Move to Boston hurt fantasy game.
4. Elton Brand, 76ers — 17.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.9 BPG — Value stays high after move from L.A.
5. Shawn Marion, Heat — 15.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG — Struggled after trade from Phoenix.
6. Josh Smith, Hawks — 17.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.8 BPG — Scoring up three-straight seasons.
TIER 2
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
7. Tim Duncan, Spurs — 19.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 2.0 BPG — Low FT% is only knock on his game.
8. Rashard Lewis, Magic — 18.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 226 3PM — Set career high with 3PM last season.
9. Carlos Boozer, Jazz — 21.1 PPG, 54.7 FG%, 10.4 RPG — Sixth in NBA with 51 double-doubles.
10. Antawn Jamison, Wizards — 21.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 120 3PM — Should score more with Arenas out.
11. Lamar Odom, Lakers — 14.2 PPG, 52.5 FG%, 10.6 RPG — Scoring could dip with Bynum back.
TIER 3
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
12. Chris Bosh, Raptors — 22.3 PPG, 49.4 FG%, 8.7 RPG — J. O'Neal won't crush Bosh's value.
13. David West, Hornets — 20.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG — PPG, RPG each up last four seasons.
14. LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers — 17.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 BPG — Rookie Oden could hurt RPG, BPG.
15. Michael Beasley, Heat — 26.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG* — Averages of 17 PPG, 7 RPG reasonable.
16. David Lee, Knicks — 10.8 PPG, 55.2 FG%, 8.9 RPG — Will be huge if he starts for D'Antoni.
17. Al Harrington, Warriors — 13.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 153 3PM — Will continue to help with 3-pointers.
TIER 4
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
18. Charlie Villanueva, Bucks — 11.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 55 3PM — Should benefit from Yi Jianlian trade.
19. Zach Randolph, Knicks — 17.6 PPG, 45.9 FG%, 10.3 RPG — Could stay put because of big contract.
20. Troy Murphy, Pacers — 12.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 94 3PM — Set career high with 3PM last season.
21. Thaddeus Young, 76ers — 8.2 PPG, 53.9 FG%, 4.2 RPG — 10.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG in 22 starts as rookie.
22. Kenyon Martin, Nuggets — 12.4 PPG, 53.8 FG%, 6.5 RPG — RPG should increase with Camby gone.
23. Al Thornton, Clippers — 12.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.2 APG — Should come off bench behind Camby.
TIER 5
RK., PLAYER, TEAM — 2007-08 STATS — COMMENT
24. Boris Diaw, Suns — 8.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.9 APG — If he becomes a starter, watch out.
25. Hakim Warrick, Grizzlies — 11.4 PPG, 50.2 FG%, 4.7 RPG — 16.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG as a starter.
26. Kevin Love, Wolves — 17.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG** — Rookie should start right off the bat.
27. Nick Collison, Thunder — 9.8 PPG, 50.2 FG%, 9.4 RPG — 10.6 PPG, 10.2 RPG after All-Star break.
28. Drew Gooden, Bulls — 12.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.2 APG — Played well after trade from Cavaliers.
29. Andres Nocioni, Bulls — 13.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 126 3PM — Unfortunately, not likely to start.
30. Chris Wilcox, Thunder — 13.4 PPG, 52.4 FG%, 7.0 RPG — Should play 25+ minutes per game.
* — statistics from Kansas State University
** — statistics from UCLA
Multiposition players
These power forwards are also eligible at other positions in many leagues.
• Chris Bosh, Raptors (C)
• Nick Collison, Thunder (C)
• Tim Duncan, Spurs (C)
• Ryan Gomes, Wolves (SF)
• Al Harrington, Warriors (C)
• Antawn Jamison, Wizards (SF)
• David Lee, Knicks (C)
• Shawn Marion, Heat (SF)
• Andres Nocioni, Bulls (SF)
• Amare Stoudemire, Suns (C)
Did you know ...
The only player to average more blocks per game than Hawks forward Josh Smith last season was former Nuggets center Marcus Camby (3.6), who should start at power forward for the Clippers this season. Smith was the only player to average at least 1.5 SPG and 2.0 BPG. ... Amare Stoudemire has shot at least 55 percent from the field in each of his last three full seasons. He shot 59 percent last season. ... Boris Diaw averaged 12.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 5.0 APG in 19 starts last season. That's noteworthy, because Shaquille O'Neal has missed at least nine games in each season since 2000-01.
Backups ... for now
None of these players is a star, but each is worth tracking closely this season.
• Andrea Bargnani, Raptors: Last season was a big disappointment for the former No. 1 pick, but Jermaine O'Neal could help his game. With defenses paying attention to O'Neal and Chris Bosh down low, Bargnani should play some small forward and have open 3-point looks.
• Andray Blatche, Wizards: He's had his share of trouble off the court, but on it the 21-year-old has shown promise. In 15 starts last season, he averaged 11.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
• Luis Scola, Rockets: The former Spurs pick isn't worth drafting given the Rockets have a legit Big Three with Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest. But those players have been injury-prone, and if one goes down again, Scola is worth picking up for rebounding and field-goal percentage.
• Ryan Gomes, Wolves: Don't write off Gomes if Kevin Love wins the starting job. The transition to the NBA after one college season likely won't be easy for Love, and Gomes has proven he can hit the 3-pointer.
• Jason Thompson, Kings: The Kings took a risk drafting Thompson so high, which means they don't want to look stupid. That could translate to plenty of playing time on a team that is rebuilding.