Hebrews 11:1

Find out why Devin Harris, Larry Hughes, and Chris Paul should be on your fantasy radar in this week’s FantasyFanatics.com Headlines from the Hardwood!

On the Rise

Devin Harris – Guard – Nets: Just coming off an injury and being dealt to a new team, Harris has had no problems making an impact for the Nets. In his first two games back, he is averaging 21 points, 3 rebound, 3.5 assists, and an amazing 3.5 three pointers a game. He will not be able to keep up the three point production or probably even the scoring pace, but, he seems to be thriving away from the demanding coaching style of Avery Johnson.

Larry Hughes – Guard – Bulls: The Bulls have a stable of guards, but it does not seem to bother Hughes much. He has absolutely thrived since arriving in Chicago. He is producing his best numbers since his time in Washington. In his first five games, he is averaging 19 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.

Chris Paul – Point Guard – Hornets: Paul has been incredibly good lately, even adding a more reliable three point shot. The scary thing is that he is only 22-years old, so we probably have not seen the best he has to offer yet. It may just take a top three pick to get the Hornets’ rising star in next season’s draft.

On the Way Down

Al Harrington – Forward/Center – Warriors: Harrington has been yanked in and out of the starting line-up all season. His minutes have also resembled a yo-yo this season. However, this latest move to the bench was in favor of up-and-coming rookie Brandan Wright. Harrington still has some fantasy value, but no longer seems like a sure-fire starter.

Andrei Kirilenko – Forward – Jazz: Even before this latest hip injury, Kirilenko had been struggling lately. His February averages of 9.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists does not inspire much.

Marvin Williams – Forward – Hawks: It seems as though Williams is reverting to his inconsistent 2006-07 form. In the fourteen games since February 1st, he has scored in single-digits in half of those games and managed seven or more rebounds three times. Williams still has a bright future ahead of him, but you may want to sit him until he breaks out of this current funk.

Top 10 Fantasy Ballers as of Week 18:
RANK LAST WEEK

1. Chris Paul 1
2. Kobe Bryant 2
3. Amare Stoudemire 3
4. LeBron James 7
5. Marcus Camby 5
6. Dirk Nowitzki 8
7. Baron Davis 6
8. Chauncey Billups 9
9. Allen Iverson 10
10. Shaun Marion 4

For the second week in a row there were no new faces in the top ten, however, there was plenty of movement. Shawn Marion was the biggest loser, as the trade to Miami has now dropped him nine places from the top ranked player in all of fantasy hoops to the tenth best, barely clinging onto this chart. The trade for Shaquille O’Neal appears to have exposed Marion as nothing more than a glorified role player. He does not post up, and has yet to get in sync with Dwayne Wade for a pick-and-roll style offense. While his points have remained the same, his turnovers have spiked, his shooting percentages dropped, and his outside shooting has taken a severe hit. Indeed, Marion will learn that he was better off in Phoenix, both in reality and fantasy.

LeBron James was the biggest winner of the week, jumping from the 7th spot to the 4th best player in fantasy hoops. That’s what a date with the Knicks will do for you! LeBron enjoyed a remarkable run, scoring at least 38 points all three games, while averaging nearly 2 blocks, 2 steals, 5 assists, 7 rebounds, and 5 three-pointers. He even knocked down 12 of 12 free throws in back-to-back contests. LeBron continues to make strides towards the top spot, but it will be something as simple as free-throw shooting that will dictate whether he will make it to the top.

On the Fantasyfanatics.com Forums:

QUESTION: In a 8 cat. roto, (3′s, Assts, Pts., FG%, FT%, Blocks, Boards, Stls) 15 team, non keeper league. We start any combination of 8 players, but I have a problem. The problem is there are a couple of FA pickups that could help me out in the total rebounding category, (Krstic and Perkins), a place where my team is fairly weak, but who do I drop to make that pickup is a concern. As I said, it seems like a good problem to have, but still a problem. Maybe a trade is in order? Here is my team:

B Davis A G
B Udrih A G
E Watson A G
R Foye A G
A Thornton A F
L Aldridge A F
R Lewis A F
S Dalembert A C
A Bargnani RS F
G Wallace RS F
T Young RS F

All of these players over the last week or two have been getting 30 minutes of playing time a game, so who do I drop? What a headache, help is appreciated.

ANSWER: In fantasy sports you sometimes have to sacrifice a better player in general, for a player that better serves your team. On that note, I would drop either Young, or Foye. If you believe that their upside is too great, and can afford to give up assists, drop Watson. Perkins is on a hot streak right now, and can offer you blocks and rebounds. I’ve grabbed him in my league, and recommend that you do the same.

Written by lead expert Rob Shaw and Brian Wagoner

This weeks Headlines from the Hardwood looks at some players on the rise and ranks the top ten fantasy players from the past week.

The Stock Report

On the Rise
Vince Carter – Guard/Forward: Carter has been relied upon to shoulder more of the ball-handling duties since Jason Kidd was shipped to Dallas. The result has been an assist average of 6.4 in the five games without Kidd. Even more incredible is that his shooting has not suffered. He is hitting 47% percent of his shot attempts over those five games.

Randy Foye – Guard: Many fantasy owners have been eagerly waiting Foye to put together a string of productive games. Over his last five games, he is averaging 13.2 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.0 three pointers a game. He is likely to see continual improvement as he get more comfortable with his teammates.

Drew Gooden – Power Forward: Although he has not yet started in Chicago, Gooden appears to have benefited to his move to the Windy City. He is the best option that the Bulls currently have at the power forward spot, especially offensively. He could put up a double-double average the rest of the way.

Jeff Green – Forward: The departure of Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West open up big minutes for Green. In the four games since the trade, Green is getting more than 35 minutes a night. He has used that opportunity to put averages of 14.3 points and 8.8 rebounds during that span. The problem is that he does not help you in any other category.

On the Way Down
Raja Bell – Shooting Guard: It has been almost three weeks since Bell was able to score in double figures, including a 0-3, zero point outing in 36 minutes against the Lakers. If he is not scoring, especially from the arc, then he is not worth a roster spot.

Ronnie Brewer – Guard/Forward: Remember when Brewer was a great free agent pick up? Remember when he scored in double figures in 19 of his first 20 games this season? Oh, and remember when he averaged 2.6 steals per game through November? Yeah, I do . . . barely, but it seems like a distant memory to me now. Brewer will still put together a decent night here and there. However, due to spotty minutes, he is not worth a place on your active roster.

Derek Fisher – Point Guard: There may not be a colder shooter on the planet right now than Fisher. He is shooting only 32% over his last eight games. Also, a young star in the making, Jordan Farmar, is stealing minutes from him. Fisher should get hot again eventually, but wait this one out with him on your bench.

Yi Jianlian – Power Forward: Seriously, does anyone in non-keeper leagues still have this guy around? Look elsewhere this season, but keep him on your radar for next year. Also, if you are playing in a Fantasy Olympic League, Yao’s injury gives Yi a boost in the Bejing games for Team China.

Thabo Sefolosha – Guard/Forward: Sefolosha has proven that he is a very good option as an NBA-caliber starter. However, he looks to be the odd man out with Larry Hughes on board and Ben Gordon and Luol Deng returning from injury. Too bad, he was a great source for steals.

Top 10 Fantasy Ballers
RANK LAST WEEK
1. Chris Paul 1
2. Kobe Bryant 2
3. Amare Stoudemire 3
4. Shawn Marion 4
5. Marcus Camby 5
6. Dirk Nowitzki 8
7. LeBron James 7
8. Baron Davis 6
9. Chauncey Billups 9
10. Allen Iverson 10

For the second time of the season, there is absolutely no change in the top ten of the fantasy rankings. In fact, the top five players hold their spots, while Dirk Nowitzki climbs the charts. The Mavericks’ power forward is averaging a season-best 26 points per game this month after a minor hangover from last year’s playoffs to begin the season. Baron Davis fell two spots. This was likely a result of some horrendous shooting, as he went 10-40 in back-to-back games, including 2-16 shooting from beyond the arc and just 2-4 from the charity stripe.

More insight on the top fantasy hoops player:

CHRIS PAUL, POINT GUARD, HORNETS
It may be shocking that a 6’0”, 175 lbs. point guard is atop the fantasy rankings, but this is something that we will likely have to get used to for years to come. This season, Paul has become a better shooter, draining over a three-pointer per game while raising his field goal percentage to 48%. In reality, he is deadly down the line of close games, as he drains a Steve Nash-like 88% of his free throws. Just like Nash, Paul also knows how to distribute the ball to his scorers with 11 assists per game, compared to just 2.5 turnovers. Unlike Nash, Paul is also lethal on defense with a staggering 2.7 steals per game and even four boards per game out of a small frame. His daily 20.9 points might only get higher as he gains experience in the league. Paul is simply as good as it gets. He dominates all but one category, but then again, how many point guards provide blocks anyway?

By FantasyFanatics.com Lead Expert Rob Shaw and Brian Wagoner