FANTASY NBA: Scouring the Box Scores

The best way to keep up with the free agency market in your league is to scan box scores as often as you can. With Allen Iverson being traded from Philadelphia to Denver as well as rotation issues on the rosters of inactive trade teams, there are some things to sort out. And when there are things to sort out in terms of who gets minutes, there are opportunities to find value before anyone else.

Beginning with the 76ers, the biggest winners appear to be Andre Iguodala and Willie Green. Both are taking far more shots now that Iverson's 20-plus attempts per night have gone west. Iguodala is not available in your league, but Green might be. His field goal shooting has been far from stellar, but if you can absorb that, you'll get a nice boost in his scoring, rebounding and assist numbers.

In Boston, guard Tony Allen continues to put up big numbers in Wally Szczerbiak's absence. He went for 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks against the Warriors last night and has now scored in double figures in four straight games. Teammate Al Jefferson has played big and grabbed at least 10 rebounds in six straight games. If either is available on your waiver wire, go get them now.

Charlie Villanueva is working his way back from an elbow injury and scored an efficient 16 points on 5-of-8 field goals, 2-of-2 3-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws. He recently missed a game against Minnesota with shoulder tendonitis, so monitor his healthy closely before making any roster moves involving him. When he's 100%, he's got the game of a Top 50 fantasy player.

My guy, Memphis PF Alexander Johnson, scored nine points in just 13 minutes, but the problem was, he also picked up six fouls. Portland's Travis Outlaw continued a nice scoring streak, but more importantly, he continued a very nice shot blocking streak. Outlaw blocked four shots against the Rockets last night, giving him 14 over the last six games (2.3/game).

Shaun Livingston is officially a fantasy stud, no matter whether Sam Cassell is playing or not. He is playing big minutes and putting up progressively bigger numbers. His value is going to snowball, so if you have any thoughts of picking him up or trading for him, my suggestion would be to do it ASAP. Same goes for Toronto PF Andrea Bargnani, who is scoring in different ways, blocking shots and putting up better rebounding numbers.

FANTASY NBA: A Surprise Contributor in Memphis

By Dustin Hockensmith

There seems to be a piece of the pie for everyone on the Memphis Grizzlies roster, even since the team's star, Pau Gasol, has returned to the lineup. Chucky Atkins, Hakim Warrick, Dahntay Jones, Mike Miller and Rudy Gay are all getting chances to put up numbers, and a new face has emerged in forward Alexander Johnson. Some good points and rebounds numbers from Johnson have been nice for fantasy teams, but his ability to blend and contribute in different ways should encourage consistent real life playing time.

The return of Gasol has actually helped Johnson's value. With the wiry Gasol inside, head coach Mike Fratello has elected to go with more width at the power forward. Johnson has replaced one of his chief competitors for playing time, Hakim Warrick, in the starting lineup, which is a great sign. Lawrence Roberts and Jake Tsakalidis represent the Grizzlies' only other real size, and neither complement Gasol as well as Johnson.

Whether he continues to start should not matter, Johnson should log steady minutes as long he keeps hustling and making plays. A second round pick in this past year's draft, Johnson has averaged 10.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in his last four games. He has shown the ability to shoot a high percentage from the field (59 pct.) and from the free throw line (72 pct., decent for a big man), so he might be worth a fantasy manager's while.

Have some optimism with Johnson; take him on if you can spare a roster spot. There might be a small window to get production out of him, but he has earned some time on the floor in the next few games with good play. Play him until he stops getting the minutes and hope for that to never happen.

FANTASY NBA: Matt Barnes, Fantasy Stud?

MATT BARNES
With Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy injured, Matt Barnes is making the most of his minutes. As a starting SF, check out his line: 14.8 PPG on 54.9%, 2.4 3PM, 6.2 REB, 3.0 AST, 1.6 STL, 1.2 BLK, 85.7 FT% and 1.2TO.

Right now, Matt Barnes is essentially a top five fantasy NBA player. Who knows how long it will last or what will happen when Richardson and Murphy come back. But to get even one game like last night's 32 point, 11 rebound, three assist and three steal effort seems worth the chance.

SEAN MAY
In the off chance Sean May is still available in your league, pick him up. He slipped in the 2005 NBA draft because of concerns over his body, a la Carlos Boozer. While Bobcat teammate Raymond Felton and Hawk Marvin Williams got all the draft day love, May was the reason the Tar Heels beat Deron William's squad in the 2005 NCAA Championship Game.

Point is, I expect Boozer-like things from May.

May's averages seem rather pedestrian, but he's rattled off five 10+ rebound games, seven 15+ point games and three 5+ assist games this season.

ANTHONY PARKER
Anthony Parker is terribly inconsistent and I would proceed with caution when considering him on your team. Every single one of his statistical categories, however, has improved in December. He's getting over 32 MPG as a starter, up from just under 30.

If you're going to take a flyer on a guy, why not have it be on the starter who is getting more minutes?

BRENDAN HAYWOOD
Etan Thomas sprained his left ankle and Brendan Haywood started in his place last night, good for 12 points and 13 rebounds. He's already averaging 2.3 blocks a game. If you need a center, he's you're guy--for now.

JARED JEFFRIES?
Keep your eyes on Jared Jeffries, although I wouldn't pick him up now. Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas knew Jeffries for most of his life and both share the Indiana connection. He quite possibly could fill a prominent role on the team, despite previously doing little to validate his 2002 lottery selection.

He started last night at PF--possible eligibility at SG, SF and PF--and scored 15 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and had three steals.

FANTASY NBA: Striking Before the Iron Gets Hot

In a competitive Fantasy NBA world, the free agency market can be cruel to slow-to-react shoppers. Recognizing who CAN be good before he actually starts producing is incredibly important, and it's an art of judgment and timing that helps you sift through all the unpredictability. The market is on the verge of getting hot, so it is now time to really do your homework; the breakdown below should help you get started.

Recommendations by Position:

Point Guards
Shaun Livingston, PG LA Clippers: If Livingston's on my team, he never makes it to the waiver wire in the first place. If he's there in your league, pick him up immediately. Sam Cassell is going to fade down the stretch, and Livingston is already putting up solid numbers (7.6 pts, 4.5 assists, 0.9 blocks) in spite of the 14-year veteran. What puts him to the top of the point guard free agent list is his length and ability to block shots; that will keep his value high until the triple-doubles start coming. Pick-up Potential: Daniel Gibson, Cleveland (consistent playing time, consistent production are keys); Sebastian Telfair, Boston (needs to shoot the ball better, more consistently); Chucky Atkins, Memphis (needs to keep up this pace, not die of old age).

Shooting Guards
Luther Head, PG/SG Houston Rockets: Head is shooting the lights out from 3-point range, and he won't be stopping anytime soon. He has a big man in the post in Yao Ming and a star in Tracy McGrady that can penetrate and kick and keep giving him open looks. Sure, his numbers across the board are a little weak, but there are only eight other players in fantasy basketball that average more 3's per game, and none of them are on your waiver wire. Pick-up Potential: Martell Webster, Portland (has upside, exceptional length and freedom to fire away from downtown); Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando (percentages, scoring are down, turnovers are up so far).

Small Forwards
Andrea Bargnani, SF/PF Toronto Raptors: Combines the field goal percentage and blocks of a power forward with the scoring and 3-point shooting of a small forward. Neither numbers by themselves are particularly impressive, but he's averaging 13 points, 1.0 block and 1.3 three-pointers a night in his last six games. To put thsoe numbers into perspective, there are four players in all of basketball that are averaging at least one block and one 3 per game for the year. Pick-up Potential: Chuck Hayes, Houston (not much scoring, but he's hitting the glass HARD); Martell Webster (see above).

Power Forwards
Craig Smith, SF/PF Minnesota: Smith's got to show better rebounding potential to warrant a pick-up, but if Kevin Garnett gets dealt, there are 12 more potential rebounds to go around. He is scoring points in limited minutes, but is very inconsistent in the rebounding and hustle categories. His value is directly tied into his potential on the boards though, so look for consistent 5+ rebound games and strike before anyone else does. Pick-up Potential: Al Jefferson, Boston (a better immediate pick than Smith); Travis Outlaw, Portland (just when he was getting better, he picked up five fouls and scored zero points in 10 minutes Wednesday).

Centers
LaMarcus Aldridge, SF/PF/C Portland: Multi-position eligibility is a nice bonus for a nice fantasy player. His rhythm was disrupted when he took an elbow to the mouth on Nov. 28, but he's averaged 9.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in the four games since. His season percentages aren't bad, either - 53.9% from the floor, 80.8% from the line. Pick-up Potential: Alonzo Mourning, Miami (2.6 blocks per night is a big number); Mark Blount, Minnesota (it's likely no other free agent big man has better scoring prowess).

FANTASY NBA: Stop Doubting Tyronn Lue

He's been unwanted in Fantasy NBA for years now, but Atlanta PG Tyronn Lue has become a pretty good player. The acquisition of Speedy Claxton was thought to have hurt his fantasy value this season, but Lue's stock has only gone up in my eyes. He's not a starting point guard in the NBA, but this season, he's been one of the top reserves and a candidate for 6th man of the year.

Lue has not started a game in 2006-07, but has still found a way to score in double figures in 12 straight games. Throw in 1.7 three's and 4.6 assists per night over that time, and he has made for a pretty useful fantasy point guard. Don't think that Lue has done anything out of the ordinary from his career numbers (he's averaged at least 10 ppg in 4 of the last 5 seasons), he has just carved out a bigger niche in the Atlanta offense. His percentages, which have always been solid, have improved but not spiked, and he is a virtual lock for 45 percent shooting and 85 percent free throw shooting.

Go pick him up now.

Other 3-point help out there comes at a greater sacrifice to your overall team goals, but there are some options. Nearly all of Houston PG/SG Luther Head's 9.5 ppg have come by way of the 3-pointer, as he has knocked down at least two 3's in nine straight games. He's also shooting an insane 48.7 percent from downtown.

Veterans Chucky Atkins, Brent Barry and Hedo Turkoglu offer some help there, but don't add any kind of excitement to your roster. Both Head and Martell Webster offer a little upside to go along with their long-range prowess so watch for their weak scoring averages to improve and strike if or when that happens. Webster already has given some hope with 18 points on Sunday.

FANTASY NBA: Emerging Forces

SHALLOW LEAGUES

In my league (which is actually ridiculously deep or "subterranean"), someone dropped PG/SG Randy Foye. I'm sure this happened in plenty of leagues where patience is not a requisite for a league championship, so it deserves to be pointed out he should be picked up immediately if he's available.

You cannot teach a player to be clutch. Coaches rely on this intangible and players who have it get the opportunity to shine. Last night, Foye scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Mavs. En route to victory against the Clippers Saturday he scored 14 of his 15 points in the fourth. He's stepping up in a big way against quality opponents while Kevin Garnett is occupies defenses. The other stats should fill out in time, which is awesome potential for the 13th man.


DEEP LEAGUES

Miami G/F Dorrell Wright is finally cracking the rotation. Drafted in 2004 out of high school, he barely saw the light of day on the Heat bench despite having some freakish athletic gifts. He developed a knowledge of the game, being coached by Pat Riley, playing with some legendary veterans and being part of a championship team. Now, he is budding into a star. With Riley calling out his team, Wright should continue to get minutes as long as keeps earning them.

In three games as a starter, his line: 8.7 PPG on 50%, 100% FTP, 11.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG and 1.0 TO.


SUBTERRANEAN LEAGUES

I was one of the many Knicks that attended the 2006 draft who booed Isiah Thomas' draft selection of SF Renaldo Balkman (for the record, Kenny Bloggins called Isiah drafting the most unconventional player possible). While PG Marcus Williams appears capable of being Jason Kidd's successor, Balkman is a high energy rebounder and shot blocker, who has the ability to lead the fast break.

Channing Frye will be inactive for five weeks and Quentin Richardson and Jared Jeffries are out for about a week apiece. Balkman will get more minutes too after coming off a truly spectacular game against Chicago.

In 20 minutes, his line: 10 PTS on 50% FGP, 1 3PM, 13 REB, 3 AST, 3 BLK, 1 STL and 1 TO.

FANTASY NBA: One Small Step Last Night, One Giant Leap to Come

By Kenny Bloggins and Steve "Supreme Commander" Cernak

Every Weighed Bloggs staffer picked up New Orleans’s C Hilton Armstrong around midnight. He is an absolute stud-in-waiting playing alongside MVP candidate Chris Paul.

With Tyson Chandler injured, Byron Scott surprisingly started the 12^th overall pick in last June’s draft because of the athleticism he has is rare in a 6-foo-11 frame. Armstrong moves like a small forward and his long limbs don't get in his own way. And because he'll seldom be the focus of an opposing team's game plan and qualifies as a center, he's a must-have on your fantasy roster.

Armstrong emerged against the Detroit Pistons. In his first career start, he scored 17 and grabbed 9 boards. He also showed some guts and heroics in the final seconds, first sinking the winning free throw and then swatting away his own miss on the second attempt as time expired.

Remember, Armstrong was successful at UConn, along with fellow 2006 draftees PG Marcus Williams, SF Rudy Gay and PF Josh Boone. Now he's in a better position to succeed because of Paul's brilliance, SF Peja Stojakovic's zone-busting shot and he'll play alongside front court stalwart David West.

Fantasy NBA: Andrew Bynum

By Steve "Supreme Commander" Cernak

Andrew Bynum is my early favorite to become this year's Boris Diaw.

I don't mean that he's going hit every statistical category. What I'm telling you is he available in one out of every two leagues and will be one of the best centers in the league.

Last night I watched Screamin' A. Smith's show. Kobe Bryant said he's at the Laker's practice facility at 5:30 AM rehabbing his knee and Bynum is there by 6:30 or 7:00 AM practicing his game.

That's ridiculous (in a good way). He puts the hours in now that are required to be legendary--at 19 years of age.

PICK BYNUM UP NOW.