Drafting is on the minds of most fantasy hoops fanatics this week. You may be busy with NFL leagues and haven’t had time to prepare for the NBA, but there are many resources here to help. We keep you current on breaking news every morning in the Fantasy Spin. Our Division Previews looked at every player on every team. The Depth Chart is updated every week. Our single best feature may be the Fantasy Basketball Primer. If you’re new to the game,
No game escapes our scrutiny. Every morning, we look at what happened on the court, from a fantasy perspective. Then we guess what might happen next, and who we think might do well. We are sometimes spectacularly wrong, but predictions are hard, especially about the future. The vast majority of you are in at least one Rotisserie or Head-to-Head league. I’m in a few too many, each different and enjoyable. Compared to long experience at those traditional formats, I’m a novice
The decision of Dirk Nowitzki to have knee surgery isn’t a complete surprise. It will cost him all of November, a definite setback to his owners, including Mark Cuban. If there’s any consolation, Dirk should be much better in the second half; the non-surgical option might have ruined his entire season, with the Mavericks and in fantasy leagues. You cannot replace a Hall-of-Famer. Elton Brand will start at PF. How much he has left, we’ll find out. Brandan Wright is also in
NBA news changes every day, but the Spin format is consistent. If one item has a huge fantasy impact, it leads. Then we look at the previous night’s games for anything (positive or negative) that might help you prepare for a draft or manage your team. Next is a preview of tonight’s NBA games, in a speculative mode, pointing out what to watch for. That segment becomes even more important when the games count; it will include a few tips. Finally, we mention
Our 2102-2013 Depth Chart has been updated. Version 2.0 adds some newcomers, makes a few position changes and reflects injuries. It’s a consensus of the most likely starters and backups for all 30 teams. If your league drafts more than 300 players, we haven’t gone deep enough. The chart is not only a convenient look at expected roles. Each player’s name links to his stats page and you’re one click away from full team rosters. For the last few weeks, we
A loyal reader from Singapore asked about Harrison Barnes yesterday. Almost simultaneously, Bruce Wrigley’s weekly column examined the battle between Barnes and Brandon Rush for minutes at SF. Then the rookie started last night and scored 20 points on 8-11 shooting. Is he suddenly a hot fantasy commodity? Not exactly. The Warriors were playing at home against Maccabi Haifa, which is hardly the best team in Israel, which is not the strongest foreign league. They do have a wealthy owner
It was not a good day for the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki was scratched with “swelling and soreness” in his knee and the team lost by 14 to FC Barcelona Regal in Spain. OJ Mayo missed all seven of his shots, Brandan Wright went 1-7 and Vince Carter 2-7; Elton Brand played 32 minutes as the emergency starter, for a modest 10 points and 3 rebounds. Chris Kaman was their best player, with a solid double-double. Stay tuned for updates on Nowitzki.
$1,000 Fantasy Hoops Contest Our friends at FanDuel have created a one day tournament for Sheridan Hoops readers. There’s $1,000 in prize money! It’s on October 31, limited to 555 teams. There’s a $2 entry fee per team, but each owner can enter up to five teams. The top 61 finishers win a cash prize; first place earns $200, second $125, third $100 on down to $4 (double your investment) for 61st place. For FanDuel members or anyone ready to deposit a minimum