Category: NBA

Last Call On Amir Johnson

Amir Johnson is the 13th rated fantasy power forward over the last month of the NBA season.

Analysis: Amir averaged 7.5 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 1.0 SPG and 10.0 PPG in 28 minutes of floor time last year. This year his stats are very similar and Amir already has a career high 9 three pointers made. Amir is shooting 59% from the field and he’s 75% from the stripe this season. He is averaging 33 minutes per game over his last five games and has 12 blocks during that span.

Amir Johnson does have power forward and center position eligibility in most leagues. He is available in 8-15% of leagues despite his consistent play over the last two months of the season. He has been eating some major minutes lately and the steals and occasional three ball certainly adds to his value as a big man.

Another interesting power forward to monitor is Amar’e Stoudemire. His health is always a problem but he should be ready to go on Tuesday night. His minutes have been up in the low twenties over the last few weeks which is a good sign. He’s recorded two twenty-plus point performances and he’s getting to the line 4.2 times per game over his last six games. Amar’e is available in 60-80% of fantasy leagues.

Selling High- Shumpert

Iman Shumpert has recorded back-to-back 25 plus point games in the last week and is averaging 20 PPG in three games this month.

Analysis: Iman Shumpert is better in real life than as a fantasy shooting guard. Shumpert does have a few good things going for him which includes multiple position eligibility in most leagues. Shumpert is averaging 28 minutes per game this year which is solid. He is also averaging 4.8 RPG and 1.3 SPG, both are top seven marks among qualified shooting guards. However, this is where the positives end.

Shumpert is shooting just 40% from the field this year and for his career. He’s averaging just 7.5 PPG and he’s only getting to the line 1.2 times per contest which negates his solid free throw percentage(82%). Shumpert is a fine player and his three ball frequency will hopefully improve over time as it has in the last week on the road but as it stands now he is only a deep league add. He may have top seven marks in rebounds and steals but he’s 36th among shooting guards in scoring, 32nd in threes made and 39th in free throws made.

Iman Shumpert is available in 40-60% of fantasy leagues.

Under The Radar- Channing Frye

Channing Frye is not your typical fantasy big man but he is putting up numbers that merit roster consideration.

Analysis: Frye has averaged 14.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.2 3PM in his last five games. He’s shooting 47% from the field this season and shoots 81% from the stripe for his career. This year he’s averaging 0.8 BPG and 0.9 SPG in 27 minutes of floor time per night.

The former Arizona product has dual position eligibility(PF/C). He will hurt you a bit in blocks and rebounds but his three ball is elite at his position. He currently ranks 3rd among power forwards in three pointers made. Channing Frye is available in 40-50% of fantasy leagues.

Another interesting power forward is Glen Davis. He’s not a sexy fantasy power forward but he’s getting the job done. In his last five games his line looks like this- 7.2 RPG, 10.6 PPG, 48% FG, 0.8 BPG, 0.8 SPG. The biggest asset Davis has going for him is his floor time, he’s averaging 31 minutes per game this year which is a top fifteen mark for power forwards. He is available in 25-70% of fantasy leagues.

Stock Rising- Henson

John Henson is off to a productive start in his second professional NBA season.

Analysis: Henson was an elite shot blocker at UNC but it took some time and muscle to acclimate to the pro game down low. It appears Henson has it figured out, he is posting a solid line at this point in the season- 2.1 BPG, 5.9 RPG, 10.1 PPG, 52% FG%. Henson is 6th in the NBA in blocks per game despite playing just twenty-four minutes per game.

The blocks and field goal percentage will remain solid but expect the rebounds to increase. In fact, Henson is averaging nearly eight boards per game in his last five games. He can be a real difference maker in the blocks department but like many other big men he does struggle at the line. He’s shooting just 60% from the stripe this year on about two attempts per game. He shot below 50% from the line in his two years at UNC and he shot 53% last year as a rookie, so we are seeing progress. At the moment he is available in 30-60% of fantasy leagues.

NBA Week One Recap

Week one in the NBA is almost over and it did not come without surprises.

Analysis: Obviously Michael Carter-Williams, Trevor Ariza, DeAndre Jordan and Miles Plumlee are the hottest players on the wire. They are on fire right now and are unavailable in most leagues. Then you have the somewhat proven guys that received very little love in the draft that are playing well- JJ Hickson, JJ Redick, Iman Shumpert and Mario Chalmers. But the big surprise here is Vitor Faverani.

Faverani has 9 blocks and 21 rebounds through two games, averaging 32 minutes per contest. Faverani shot 59% from the field last  year for Valencia and was a 79% free throw shooter. He wasn’t much of a shot blocker but a 6’11” big with thirty plus minutes per game is bound is fill up the stat sheet. He is available in 93-99% of fantasy leagues.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is another player to watch. He’s not going to be that twenty point per game stud you want him to be but he will do the little things which include high percentage field goals and free throws. Thus far this season MKG is averaging 28 minutes per game. What that means is the rebounds, steals and blocks should be very respectable for a fantasy small forward. He is available in 75-85% of leagues.