Fantasy Friday (Nov. 20)

So this was an interesting week. I would like to point out some injuries again that may affect your fantasy team before we get to our weekly awards.

Anthony Davis: Injured again. While the injury seems to be day to day. I expect these injuries from him all season as we have had many of them in the past.

Bradley Beal: Hopefully he will be back soon. He provides great numbers for his team and he is really useful. Don't get too worried with Beal, because he should be back strong.

J.J. Redick: He is likely to comeback soon and it won't be long before he is putting up 3-pointers.

Derrick Rose: I would be worried about him because this always seems to repeat each year. Derrick Rose is at all time lows over his career, so if you have him, you might want to look to trade him if you can.

Over-Performers Of The Week

1. Nicolas Batum: He did pretty good this last week. While he only had 4 points one night, the other 3 he had 24, 33, and 28 points. Not only that but he has shot over 50% from the 3-point line and from the field as well as averaging 5 rebounds and 4 assists this week.
2. Brandon Knight: This week he has averaged 21 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.7 RPG, and 2 steals. However, he has averaged over 3 turnovers so be sure to watch out for that.
3. Kristaps Porzingis: If I didn't include this guy, people would be screaming at me. He had 2 average games, then he had a 29 point, 11 rebounds game with a block thrown in there. Porzingis is over-performing this week, and New York hopes it continues.

Under-Performers Of The Week

1. Ty Lawson: This week he has averaged 4 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 rebounds. Not only that but he has averaged 25% from the field, 50% from FT, and 11% from 3-point range as well as averaging 2.3 turnovers. Pretty bad huh?
2. Markieff Moris: He has a 6 point game and a 5 point game this week. He is also not doing so hot in the rebounding category.

Pick-Ups Of The Week

1. Mario Chalmers: Ever since being traded, this guy has been playing great, averaging 18.7 points, 1.7 steals, and 3.2 threes this week. Chalmers is only owned by 29% on Yahoo, and 20.5 on ESPN.
2. Nikola Jokic: He wasn't the best this week, but he did have a great game. Last game he had 23 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Pretty impressive. He is only owned by 19% on Yahoo and 4.7% on ESPN!
3. Jameer Nelson: This man hardly ever commits turnovers and he will get you assists and rebounds. This week he has brought in some scoring too averaging 10.5 points and 3 assists and I do expect these numbers to rise as long as Mudiay continues to struggle. He is owned by 2% on Yahoo and 2.5% on ESPN.

Keep your eyes on Chris Paul guys. He had a great game after coming back from his injury last night against the Warriors. See you next week.

Fantasy Friday: Preseason Pickers

The Preseason has been great. It has given us a preview of some great players and has given us a picture of what they will be like in the regular season. Take a look at the guys you need to pick up.

10. Nikola Vucevic: Well, this man can play basketball. We know he can rebound and we know he can score. But one thing Vucevic has shown us in the preseason is his passing and defense has improved. He had a great 5 blocks total so far and 4 steals. He also has 10 assists in 6 games. He is looking pretty snazzy, and improved. His recent 24 points and 14 rebounds game makes it seem like you need Vooch on your fantasy team.

9. Kyle Lowry: He doesn't look much better from last season, but the reason why he is on here is because people were very concerned when he played very poorly in the playoffs, but I can assure you Lowry is just fine. And if 40 points in 1 preseason game isn't enough, I don't know what is.

8. Nicolas Batum: Batum looks better than he ever has. This fantasy stats filler looks great in a lot of categories. He has had 2 double-doubles so far and he has passed the ball well. He will be a key player for the Hornets and looks like he will be filling the stat sheet.

7. Paul George: Nobody was really sure how Paul George was going to do, but I can assure you PG-13 is looking great. He has shown us a double-double and a 35 point night. He has scored and passed the ball, and is looking mighty fine on the court.

6. Andre Drummond: There was some questioning whether Andre Drummond would get more offensive opportunities when Greg Monroe went to the Bucks, and it seems like he is getting more opportunities. So far, in 7 games, Drummond has not scored less than 12 points in a game. He also had a 21 point night and is looking very strong offensively. Of course, Drummond's best area is his defense and his rebounding. He has 6 blocks and 6 steals total along with 88 rebounds. All of this being in just 7 games, where Drummond isn't playing many minutes. Expect him to be very strong offensively and defensively when the season comes along.

5. C.J. McCollum: This man is going to be in the running for 6th man of the year and most improved player. He has been doing a great job of scoring, rebounding, and passing the basketball, and he has been doing it at a high rate. How is 18.3 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.6 RPG, and shooting 40.5% from the 3-point line not impressive.

4. Jeremy Lin: Surprise, Surprise, Jeremy Lin is coming back, but this time he is more of a role player. He might just be the best role player out there, and he is going to be a steal in the draft, mainly because he has been going undrafted. While he didn't look so great with the Lakers, he has averaged 15.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 47.1% from the 3-point line in 6 games with the Charlotte Hornets. Great job Jeremy!

3. Derrick Williams: Honestly, I don't even know how I can put this man at number 3 and not in a higher position because this mans preseason performance has been absolutely spectacular. This man is going to be on the free agents list for your league most likely, so pick him up. He has averaged 16.2 PPG, and 3.8 RPG. I'm asking myself, do I even know this player? Derrick Williams will give you points. Derrick Williams, didn't see that coming.

2. Gerald Green: Nobody could foresee a guy who just got a finger amputated, averaging 16.9 PPG, and shooting 41.2% from deep. But he has done it and Gerald Green is looking better than ever as we are seeing him hit some clutch shots lately. Good for Green!

1. John Jenkins: Who? The man who is averaging 20.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 1.5 APG, that is who. John Jenkins is averaging stats nobody who even dream of him averaging. He has done the impossible and hopefully it carries over to the regular season. Pick him up now, before someone else does.

Fantasy Friday: Small Forwards

Small Forwards can be great players to have on your team. If you remember, there were actually 3 Small Forwards starting for the East in the 2014 All-star game. There are a lot of great Small Forwards and you must pick them wisely. Hopefully, this article with help you with that problem. So without further ado, here are the top ten NBA fantasy Small Forwards for the 2015-16 season.

10. Luol Deng: This man is slowing down. No doubt. But he will be a big influence on the upcoming season for the Heat. What does he have to offer you say? Maybe a steal or an assist? Well, he will give you about 5 RPG and 14 PPG. That's it? Well, he is a good shot selection. He will give you about 35% from three. But the main thing is he shoots a high FG%. Really high. Infact, he has a FG% of 46.9% and shoots over 50% from inside the three point line. This veteran player will give you some scoring and great shot selection.

9. Nicolas Batum: He had an off-season last year but I expect him to get back on track with his new team. You might say that Batum is getting too old but the fact is that he is only 28 and if Batum was going to have a breakout season, this would be the season. Last year he dipped down to 9.4 PPG after he averaged over 13 the year before, scaring fantasy owners. But with a change of scenery, Batum could be a great fantasy player seeming that he is a great rebounds and can pass the ball well. Not only that, he is a great defender with his length. Batum would be a great guy to pick up for your fantasy team.

8. Chandler Parsons: Parsons is going into only his 5th season in the NBA. He averaged over 15 PPG last season and I wouldn't be surprised if he raised that this upcoming season. Let's face it, Dirk is getting old, and he can't keep taking on this big scoring load, someone is going to have to take a little weight off. And Parsons is the man. He will provide few turnovers and will give you great shooting.  Parsons is a great offensive player and would be a great addition to your team.

7. Gordon Hayward: He is perhaps the best player that is not yet an all-star. He averaged 19.3 PPG last season and he lead his team in a great second half of the season run. Hayward is most likely going to be snubbed in your fantasy draft so pick him up now!

6. Andrew Wiggins: After almost averaging 17 PPG last season in his rookie campaign, Wiggins is looking to make the all-star team this season as the game will be held in his native homeland, Canada. Wiggins was a dominant figure on offense last season for the Timberwolves but he also was a big help on defense, taking on big guys like James Harden and LeBron James. He proved he could guard them both, blocking both of them when the Wolves played them. Wiggins will provide some defense but will bring a boat load of offense to whoever has him.

5. Kawhi Leonard: Averaging 16.5 PPG last season for the Spurs, Kawhi proved why he was the 2014 Finals MVP. He had shown that he could score well and this next year, he is looking for his first all-star appearance. However, it isn't Kawhi's scoring that makes him stand out to fantasy owners. Kawhi averaged 7.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.8 Blocks, and 2.3 Steals while only averaging 1.5 Turnovers last season. If he improves even more next season, expect Kawhi to be one of the ultimate fantasy players.

4. Carmelo Anthony: When Injuries struck last season, Carmelo went down and averaged only 24.2 PPG. Carmelo is now 31. He is obviously on the decline. While he will give you scoring and rebounding, his numbers will most likely start to drop. Another thing is if he can stay healthy. His health has proved to be questionable every year. That is why I put him at 4.

3. Rudy Gay: He averaged a career high of 21.1 PPG last season and I expect it to get even higher this next season. Gay is a great Defensive player that will also help a little in the assist and rebound department. Unlike LeBron James though, Rudy Gay is a great shooter. He is going to give you threes and will do a lot of scoring. Scoring is Gay's main category. If you need a scorer, Gay will show you the way.

2. LeBron James: He averaged 25.3 PPG, 7.4 APG, 6 RPG, and 1.6 steals last season, LeBron is a stat machine. However, he will hurt you in turnovers and shooting. To be fair, LeBron is not the best shooter and that is the main reason why he is not the best Small Forwards in fantasy. However, he is a really great player to have on your fantasy team. Most likely he will be taken very early on though, so I don't think you will be able to get him at a good position.

1. Kevin Durant: KD is not nice. Leading the league in score for 3 consecutive years is not nice. Shooting way above average from FG, 3, and FT is not nice. Being an above average defender and averaging 1.2 steals and 1 block over his career is not nice. Being a great overall player by averaging 3.5 APG and 7 RPG over his career is not nice. KD may have injured last season, but in all of his other seasons, KD never missed more than 8 games. That's not nice. Let's face it KD is not a nice player... Unless he is on your fantasy team. 

So, are you going to listen too me. I don't know. I honestly don't care how you run your fantasy team. I'm just trying to help. You might choose Andre Iguogala as your first pick. I would say that is a stupid decision, then with my luck, Iggy would have a 24 PPG, 9 RPG, 6 APG, 1.6 Blocks, and 2.3 steals per game season. Then you would tell me I was wrong and I would feel like an idiot. So, I'm just going to save the time and just not even care how you run your fantasy team and let you do what you want. These are just who I think will be the best small forwards for the NBA fantasy in the 2015-16 season. So go ahead and listen to me or take Iggy, I don't care. Take some chances and have some fun this fantasy season. See you next Friday fantasy lovers.

Grizzlies VS Trailblazers (game 5)

Final Score: Grizzlies win 99-93



Grizzlies win series 4-1

It's all over. Another series finished. The Grizzlies just were too much for the for the hurt and lacking Trailblazers. Let's take a look at what the Portland Trailblazers did right and wrong.

The Blazers had a great contribution form C.J. McCollum as he had 33 points and shot 7-11 from 3 point range. He wasn't enough to give this team the win though. Even though Batum had a horrible shooting night, he still had 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Damian Lillard only shot 1-8 from the 3 point line. He had shot like that all series. Arron Afflalo just couldn't shoot. He was scoreless in the game. The Blazers also had 18 less rebounds than the Grizzlies. All of those things contributed to the loss in game 5 for the grizzlies.

The Grizzlies just played great. They controlled the boards, dominated in the paint, and played great defense. One thing they could have done better is shoot the 3. They only shot about 7% from three point range. That's pretty sad. Defensively, Tony Allen played great. He had 5 steals and 2 blocks. The Grizzlies had an astonishing defensive rating of 94.6. Beno Udrih played absolutley horrible. He had a defensive rating of 111 and an offensive rating of 65.3! That's a net rating of -46.6. Absolutely horrible! Udrih was great in pretty much every game of the series, but game 5 he couldn't do anything. He is going to have to play better in the next series if Conley is still out. If Conley is back, I don't see this guy play much if he continues to play like this. Of course, this was just one game. I expect him to bounce back in game 1 against the Warriors. 

The Grizzlies are moving on. I will miss the Trailblazers and all their crazy three point shooting they gave us. I wish the Grizzlies best of luck going into the next series. They are going to need it.

Grizzlies VS Trailblazers (game 4)

Final Score: Trailblazers win 99-92



Grizzlies lead series 3-1

The Blazers finally get one. It took them a while. It really didn't look like they'd get one either. Damien Lillard finally started to get his game together, and you could see how great the Blazers can be. But they can do better. Let's see how.

The Trailblazers get the win. How? Let's look at Lillard. He had 32 points to go along with 7 assists. The guy that stood out to me was Nicolas Batum. He had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. He also had the best defensive rating on his team. The biggest thing was Meyers Leonard and C.J. McCollum. They both a plus/minus of 23 and had the best offensive ratings for their team. They needed to step up as Afflalo ended the night shooting 0-5 from the field and had no points. They are going to have to have him step up in the next game though.

The Grizzlies played great. They were missing Mike Conley but that can't be an excuse. Zach Randolph can't be shooting 20 shots and only making 6. He also can't have 3 of the Grizzlies 9 turnovers. That can't happen. They also need to rebound better. The lost in the rebounding section 40-50. The Grizzlies should be the best rebounding team. Get a body on Batum. Other than that they looked pretty solid. Gasol was regular Gasol with 21 points and 6 assists. But he only had 7 rebounds. The Grizzlies are a great team and they just need to step up their game a little bit. If they can do that, they will win this series. 

Grizzlies VS Trailblazers (game 1)

Final Score: Grizzlies win 100-86



Grizzlies lead series 1-0

Trailblazers could not take the Grizzlies as the Grizzlies had a blow-out win. The Grizzlies had great production from the bench and played great inside defense. Let's take a look at the Trailblazers and what they need to change next game.

Damien Lillard is an inconsistent player. He will score 30 one night and 0 the next. This was a night where he just couldn't make anything. He was 0-6 from three point range and finished with 14 points. For them to even have a chance to win a game, they need Lillard to produce. Aldridge is doing his part. He had a total of 32 points and 14 rebounds. That is not enough though. Nicolas Batum just has to keep doing what he is doing, which is everything. This guy is doing everything out on the court. Keep it up Batum.

The Grizzlies are doing great. They are playing great defense, getting everyone involved, and their bench is producing. Udrih had 20 points off the bench. They can work on their spacing a little. Sometimes it seems like they are all cramped up on the court and they need to space out a little. The only other thing is for Conley to get better. He is a crucial part of their offense and defense. Other than that, just keep it up.

The Small Forward Play

"Rudy Gay Kings" by Mike - Flickr: (2013-12-21) Kings at Magic 21. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rudy_Gay_Kings.jpg#/media/File:Rudy_Gay_Kings.jpg

Besides LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, who are the best Small Forwards. The Three I'm about to show you are my favorite small forwards. They do so much and they are some of the best players out there.

3. Nicolas Batum: This guy is a great player. His lenght is amazing and it allows him to grab rebounds and get off a good shot. He averages only 9.7 PPG but gets 5.8 Rebounds per game and 4.8 Assist per game. With that being said, he averages about 1.9 turnovers per game. His ability to make cuts always makes him a dangerous threat. This is a deadly role player for Portland, and you have to know where he is all the time.

2. Chandler Parsons: He is a great scorer and can put the ball on the deck. He is playing with a deteriorating Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. He has to step up if this team is going to be upsetting some teams in the playoffs. Chandler Parsons should never be underestimated. He averages about 15.7 points per game and shoots about 38% from 3 point range. His field goal percentage is at about 46%. He is a great shooter, and his height allows him to shoot above everyone. Chandler Parsons is one of the most underrated small forwards in the NBA.

1. Rudy Gay: This is the most underrated player in the NBA. I don't care if you say Monta Ellis or Mike Conley is, because they are not. The fact is, we talk about who the most underrated players are, and draw them attention by doing so. No one ever says Rudy Gay is the most underrated player. Look at this guy. He averages 20.9 PPG, about 6 RPG, 45.5% from the field, and 35.5% from 3 point range. I honestly think, besides LeBron and Carmelo, this guy is the best small forward in the NBA. He doesn't get credit for it though. None of these three guys do.