Category: NBA

Last Call On Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson is one of the hottest power forwards in the NBA and the fantasy world is taking notice.

Analysis: Jason Thompson has outperformed Kenneth Faried, DeMarcus Cousins and Carlos Boozer thus far this year. Faried, Cousins and Boozer are all owned in 100% of fantasy leagues while Thompson is not. Faried doesn’t hit free throws, Cousins’ field goal percentage is a joke(42%) and Boozer is simply overrated. Yet Thompson remains available in half of leagues and continues to be an under the radar fantasy performer at this point in the season. He’s averaging 7.8 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 11.1 PPG and he’s shooting 51% from the field this year. His free throw shooting is respectable(73%) and he has been getting to the line more as of late.

Thompson is getting about thirty minutes of floor time over the past few weeks and he’s taking advantage of it. Thompson is averaging 9.9 boards per game in the month of December, that is impressive. He isn’t a flashy player on a big market team which is why he isn’t universally owned but he does produce when given the minutes.

Three Ball Help- Randy Foye

Randy Foye’s minutes in Utah have risen recently and to no one’s surprise so has his fantasy production.

Analysis: Randy Foye has been averaging thirty minutes per game over the past few weeks and his increased playing time is paying off. Foye has averaged 3.0 three pointers made and 6.6 three point attempts over his last five games. His greatest asset has always been his long range shooting ability so it’s good to see him shooting threes at a career high clip.

Foye may have point guard/shooting guard eligibility but you can’t really play him at the point. He only averages 1.8 assists per game this year and has not been a viable fantasy point guard since his days in Minnesota years ago. But Foye does bring some others tools to the fantasy table. He’ll give you about one steal per game and he’s a career 86% free throw shooter. He is available in eighty percent of leagues which doesn’t exactly make sense since he is getting thirty minutes per and hoisting up threes like it’s going out of style but keep in mind that he can hurt you with his field goal percentage if and when he cools off.

Last Call On Patrick Patterson

Patrick Patterson is not rebounding the ball particularly well but he is producing.

Analysis: Patrick Patterson is on a tear right now and he is still available in about half of fantasy leagues which will not last long at all. Patterson has three 20 point games over his last four contests and he’s averaging over thirty minutes per game in the last week. On his current five game streak he’s putting up 19.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG and he’s shooting 56% from the field. He’s also hitting over one three per game as his attempts from beyond the arc have increased dramatically this year.

Everyone is in love with Patterson now but it is rather disappointing that he is receiving so many minutes(29.7/g) yet he’s only averaging five rebounds per game. It’s just something you are going to have to live with from the power forward as the fantasy season moves along. He does pick up steals and blocks around a 0.5 per game clip, so he does contribute but not significantly in those areas. Keep in mind that Patterson is the hot power forward on the wire at the moment and he’s been playing great ball for over a week so many people are starting to catch on.

Who Is Tristan Thompson?

Tristan Thompson is an impressive athlete but can he be relied upon going forward this fantasy basketball season?

Analysis: Tristan Thompson is one streaky player and this week has certainly had its ups and downs. Despite his sporadic play Thompson has still managed to average 9.2 RPG to go along with 9.4 PPG over his last five games. Although the rebounding has been great Thompson only managed two blocks and zero steals in that five game stretch. His season average of .9 SPG and .3 BPG is absolutely unacceptable in the fantasy world. This is the type of athlete that can and should be averaging over one block and one steal per game quite easily. His struggles at the line this year(56%) is also killing his fantasy value but he just may be a double-double machine in the making.

It is too early to tell what the season holds for Thompson but if the blocks are not there he isn’t worth anyone’s time. He is in a similar situation to the one Derrick Favors was entering his second year in the league. In Derrick’s case, he really didn’t start playing consistent ball until last April and it may be the case with Thompson this year. Either way it goes his blocks and steals will ultimately tell his fantasy story this year because the rebounding is there.

Stock Rising- Dorell Wright

Dorell Wright is producing some quality fantasy numbers for the Sixers thus far this year.

Analysis: Dorell Wright is averaging 12.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.3 SPG, .71 BPG, 2.4 3PM and is shooting 85% from the line in seven games this year. Wright is producing in six fantasy categories but he’s only owned in about forty percent of leagues. His stat line should not come as a surprise, he played very well for the Golden State Warriors two years ago when he got tons of minutes. This year Wright is averaging thirty minutes per game which seems to suit him just fine.

The twenty-six year old veteran is not without his faults. Wright shoots just 43% from the field for his career and is shooting below 40% this year. Many fantasy owners should be willing to take the hit in field goal percentage with a guy who can contribute in six fantasy categories. As long as Wright is hitting threes, rebounding and racking up the steals there should not be a reason why he isn’t universally owned in fantasy leagues.