Fantasy Fridays: Centers

It is the last of the positions that we have covered that you need for a great overall fantasy team. They are the main rebounders, blockers, and low post scorers. In order for your team to be successful, you need centers. So why not get the best of the centers? Here are the top ten.

10. Dwight Howard: Yes, it is Superman himself. Averaging 15.8 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1.3 Blocks per game, and 1.2 APG, Dwight Howard had a pretty good season stats wise. But last season, we learned that Superman wasn't as invincible as we thought. Despite averaging pretty good numbers last season, Dwight Howard played only 41 games. That's half the season. Yeah, pretty bad, am I right? So if you do grab Dwight, buyer beware, he could be out for half the season.

9. Al Horford: The Hawks had a great season partially because of him. And he is one heck of a fantasy player. I really think anybody who gets him will profit. While he averaged 15.2 PPG, 1.3 Blocks, 7.2 rebounds, and 0.9 steals, his assisting numbers were what caught my eye. Last season he averaged 3.2 APG! You will definitely find numbers that you won't get from any other centers with Al Horford.

8. Brook Lopez: He demonstrated last year that he has the ability to stay healthy as he played in 72 games. And last year, he had some great numbers as he averaged, 17.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.8 Blocks, and 0.6 steals. While you do have the risk for him to be injured, Brook Lopez can be really productive, especially now that Deron Williams is gone. Are you willing to take the risk is what you have to ask yourself.

7. Al Jefferson: Big Al had an okay season last year, but it was a big disappointment from the season he had before. In the 2013-14 season, Al averaged 21.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 Blocks. I mean, that is wonderful numbers there Al. But last season, everything dropped except for his blocks. His points went down to 16.6 PPG, and his rebounds went down to 8.4 RPG. Al might just have a rebound season however. He very well could. If he does, it will be rewarding.

6. Nikola Vucevic: This man had a breakout season, last season as he averaged 19.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2 APG, and shot 52% from the field. He is not the best defensively but he will get you rebounds and score. He is going to most likely a sleeper so watch him closely and get him if he is a steal.

5. Marc Gasol: As great of a player Marc is, he is not the best when it comes to fantasy. However, Marc is still at the beginning of his career, and can improve offensively, he is a great defender. Last season he averaged 1.9 blocks and 0.9 steals. One thing that many people miss when they look at Marc's stats is his assisting number. Last season, he averaged 3.8 APG, along with 17.4 PPG, and 7.8 RPG. He is a good fantasy player, don't sleep on him.

4.  Hassan Whiteside: One of the best fantasy pickups that has ever happened from the waivers, happened last season. That was when Hassan had 12 blocks, 14 Points, and 13 Rebounds on Nation television. And Hassan will most likely see a big increase in playing time and I do expect him to become an all-star this next season. I do expect a lot of blocks, rebounds, and points from Hassan this season.

3. Greg Monroe: I honestly think that Greg Monroe will have his best season yet. After having a double-double season last year, Greg Monroe is at the best point of his life, and I expect him to average about 20 PPG, and 12 RPG. Not to mention, he might not be a great blocker, but Monroe can definitely steal the ball as he averaged 1.1 steals last year. Greg Monroe will be a great player to have on your fantasy team.

2. DeAndre Jordan: He lead the league in rebounds (15) and field goal percentage (71%). Not to mention he averaged 1 steal per game and 2.3 blocks. He only scores 12.1 PPG but scoring should be the reason why you got him. DeAndre Jordan is a player unlike any other. Get him if you can.

1. DeMarcus Cousins: He averaged 24.1 PPG last season along with 12.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.5 Steals, and 1.7 blocks. He may average 4.3 turnovers and 4.1 fouls, but how can you argue with these stats. You really can't. He may have some downsides, but he is a beast on both offense and defense and is a great rebounder. Take DeMarc.

Well, there you have it, all five position worth of the top 10 fantasy players at their positions. If you want the other positions, click here. Well, hope you do well with your fantasy team. Until next week... Aaron Jaros. 

Fantasy Friday: Riskies

This week on Fantasy Friday, we are going to talk about all you people that like to take risks. Because if you like to take risks, these are the guys you need to take. With these players, there will be risk, but the rewards could be high. So let's count 'em down!

10. Karl-Anthony Towns: This guy is a big risk. He will probably be one of the best fantasy players alongside Anthony Davis in the future, but we have no idea how his rookie season will be.We know that he can play great defense, shoot the ball, rebound, and pass. But we don't know how he will be.

9. Otto Porter: Going into his 3rd season in the NBA, Otto Porter is looking for major improvement. After averaging 10 PPG, 8 RPG, 1.8 APG, and 1.2 SPG and shooting 37% from the 3 point line in the playoffs, he could defiantly be a great addition to your team, but he could also just end up averaging 6 PPG.

8. Tristan Thompson: This man could be your guy to get your rebounds, blocks, assists, and hopefully some points. If he plays enough. The Cavs have such a big roster for PF and Centers including Kevin Love, Varejao, and Mozgov, that Thompson might not get much playing time.

7. Wesly Matthews: Coming off an injury is tough, and not to mention, he is on a completely different team. The question is can Matthews do it. I mean this guy could average 20 PPG this year, and he could average 11PPG this year. We don't know so buyer beware.

6. Tim Duncan: Timmy could be a great addition to your team. But let's face it, Ol' Timmy's gettin' old. It might not be long before he gets a severe injury or his numbers drop drastically due to his age. Last year he averaged about 14 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3 APG, and 2 Blocks per game, so he could average those numbers again, or he could go "it's time to hang 'em up". So take him if you want, but you could end up with a retiree by the end of the season.

5. Joe Johnson: Johnson averaged 14 PPG last season, but now his fellow overpaid player, Deron Williams, is gone. Which could open up the for Johnson to get into the offense. You can't forget just how great Joe Johnson is, but you also can't forget how he looks nothing like his old self. Are you willing to take the chance with Joe?

4. Deron Williams: Deron Williams hasn't averaged this low of point since his rookie year and his assist numbers are way down too. But maybe all Deron Williams needed was a change of scenery right back to his hometown to get him going again. He could be averaging 18 PPG and 10 APG again, or be even lower. So go ahead and get him, just don't say I didn't warn you.

3. Brook Lopez: This could be Brook Lopez's healthy season, or it could be another one where he has another foot injury. Chances are it's the foot injury. But, if he is healthy, you could be getting 20 points and 20 rebounds along with 5 blocks a night. Wouldn't that be nice? Yeah, it would! Brook Lopez is a BIG risk, but the rewards are so valuable.

2. Kevin Martin: This man always seems to average about 20 PPG. Snubbed as an all-star about 3 times, this guy will just score and score and score, that is, if he can stay healthy. He had a broken wrist last season and didn't know. He scored 37 points right after he broke it in a game. He was out for a while. While he did get a broken wrist, most of Martin's injuries have been minor. But another problem facing Martin is that he may need to step it down on the scoring as many other scorers such as Wiggins, LaVine, Shabazz, and Towns step into the mix. This could mean that Martin would have to step down on the scoring, but he could end up averaging 20 PPG again.

1. Paul George: After that freak of nature incident with Team USA, Paul George has came back averaging 8.8 PPG in 6 games, but we all know that if he is back to his old self next season, you need him on your team. Paul George is entering his 6th season. In the 2013-14 season (the year before his injury) George averaged 21.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.9 Steals per game while only giving up 2.5 turnovers per game. Paul Goerge would be one of the best players to have on your fantasy roster if he were to average those numbers again. So go ahead and take him, because he is worth the risk.

So if your feeling lucky, go ahead and take some of these guys, but if you aren't just stay away from them. These guys are high risk high reward. So go head and take them, if you dare!

Fantasy Friday: Sleepers (Aug. 14)

Well, when you are picking people to be on your fantasy roster, there are those who you will want to pick, but then there are the people who you won't even think about picking, so I'm going to tell you who those people are. They are, the sleepers.

10. Derrick Favors: This guys averages 16 PPG, 8 RPG, and 1.5 APG last season. This season will be even better for the guy if he can stay healthy. He will really help you on the defensive end as he averaged over 1 block per game last season.

9. Ricky Rubio: This guy might give you the occasional 20 point game, but he is much more valuable on the other categories. He will for sure give you the assists as he dished out about 8.8 APG last season. He will also rebound for you as Rubio is a big rebounder. Last, he will give you steals, many of them. He has been second in the league in steals 2 years. You might be concerned Rubio won't be healthy but he has been through an 82 game season. It will be a risk if you take him.

8. Wesly Matthews: This man can really help you on offense as he makes almost 3 three pointers a game but can also be a big help on defense I don't know how he will fit on the Mavs but I'm assuming his defensive numbers will go up on that team.

7. Eric Bledsoe: This is a great PG to have on your fantasy team. He will give you offense but he will also rebounds and assists as he averaged 5.2 RPG and about 6 APG. I would pick this defiantly pick this guy up if you can. He is a great fantasy guy.

6. Reggie Jackson: Averaging about 17 PPG with the Pistons last season, Reggie Jackson is looking like a guy that no one seems to be noticing. He will give you scoing and assists. I don't think that he will really be a guy you can rely on to do anything else. And I don't have a clue if he will do really good next to a guy like Branndon Jennings. If you do get Jackson, It should be for scoring and assists.

5. DeMar DeRozan: He is one of the best players on here but I put him at number 5 only because this guy will not be a huge sleeper that everyone skips over. If he does fall to you, I would recommend picking him up. He averaged a quite 20 PPG last season and other than his 3pt%, he doesn't have many downsides.

4. Gordon Hayward: I think Hayward will be a guy that people will pass up on a lot. He averaged a good 19 PPG last season and has contributed in every area for the Jazz. He can shoot the 3 and can help you out with steals. I would pick him up in a heartbeat.

3. Rudy Gay: You absolutely need to watch this guy. He is not only a scoring machine averaging about 21 PPG, but he does everything else. This guy is a wonderful fantasy guy. He would be at number 1 but I think people won't sleep on him as much as the other people, but if this guy come to you, pick him up!

2. Brook Lopez: This guy will give you the FG%, rebounds, scoring, and blocks if he is healthy. He is a risk, a really big risk. However, if he is healthy, he will be a great person to have on your fantasy team. I think that his scoring load will increase now that Deron Williams has left and I believe that he could be even better in fantasy this year. This all will depend on his health though.

1. Nikola Vucevic: This guy is the ultimate fantasy sleeper. You wouldn't really think about Vucevic when you think of the Magic, but that is who you should think of. He is really going to be an offensive guy as he averages over 19 PPG and 2 assists. Not to mention, this guy shot about 52% from the field. The biggest thing is that he is one of few people to average a double-double as he had 10.9 RPG. This would be the sleeper to pick up if he falls down to you. Get Vucevic if you can. He will make you team so much better.

Remember, sleepers aren't always the best available, so don't pick Vucevic if you have the #1 pick. Don't do it! But if people pass on these guys, get em!

Hawks VS Nets (game 1)

Final Score: Hawks win 99-92



Hawks lead series 1-0

This was a great game. Both teams I thought played pretty good. It's hard to beat the Hawks though. They play good overall basketball. This was a game where so many players had great games. Let's take a look at the Hawks first.

The Hawks were great. Not to mention, they have just shown something that they had never shown before. Trying to get someone the ball. Now, I'm not talking about "give the ball to LeBron and watch what he does." I'm talking about, this guy is making shots, he will draw attention when we give him the ball, which will give us good shots. Lets give Korver the ball more. Korver ended the game with 21 points and 5-11 from 3-point range. That is really good. If they are to make it to the finals, they need someone they can give the ball to and count on to make a shot or play. That guy in this game was Korver. Now, it wasn't like Korver was the only one getting the ball. Everyone was scoring, that's Hawks basketball. They just seemed a little more apt to get it to a single person.

The Nets need to change a little bit. In this game, the scoring was even all around for their team. Which is what you want to see from the Nets. The biggest problem was turnovers. Young had 4 and Jack had 5. The whole team had 17. That needs to go down. The second thing is free throw percentage. The Hawks and Nets took the same amount of free throws but the Nets made 15-22 Free throws. The Hawks made 21-22. That is a 6 point difference. If the Nets made the same amount as the Hawks, the final score would be 99-98. But the outcome would be different. The Nets would have a chance to tie and play the foul game if it were that close. But it wasn't that close because the Nets didn't make their free throws and the Hawks did.

This is going to be though for the Nets. They don't play that well at home and I don't think they can win that much against the Hawks on the road. It's going to be tough for the Nets. I would like to see them prove me wrong though.

Brook Lopez leading the way to the Playoffs

The Brooklyn Nets are stepping it up. They want the playoffs more than anyone right now. Who's leading the way? It's not Thaddeus Young or Deron Williams. Although they have both helped in a big way, It's Brook Lopez taking on the challenge. Brook Lopez just took on the scoring load and is plowing a way to the playoff picture. Coming off a devastating injury from last year, Lopez is looking better than ever. Just take a look at his game logs from the last 11 games.

"Brook Lopez against Bobcats" by bwjcaptures - Flickr: bobnets (53 of 58). Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brook_Lopez_against_Bobcats.jpg#/media/File:Brook_Lopez_against_Bobcats.jpg

VS Portland: 32 PTS, 9 REB,
AT Atlanta: 11 PTS, 6 REB,
VS Toronto: 30 PTS, 17 REB, 2 AST
AT New York: 18 PTS, 7 REB, 5 BLK
VS Indiana: 24 PTS, 11 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK
VS Lakers: 30 PTS, 11 REB, 4 BLK
VS Cleveland: 20 PTS, 9 REB
AT Charlotte: 34 PTS, 10 REB, 2 STL, 3 BLK
VS Boston: 31 PTS, 4 REB, 2 BLK
AT Indiana: 26 PTS, 4 REB, 4 BLK
VS Milwaukee: 32 PTS, 18 REB, 5 BLK


Pretty good right? Just look at the game vs Milwaukee. He has had 6 game with at least 30 points in his last 11. Brook Lopez is a great player. Lots of people forget because of his injury he had. If he can keep this up in the playoffs, expect this team to possibly upset some fans if they win a round in the playoffs.