Fantasy Basketball: Week 10 Recap

Photo Credit: Yzukerman

Well hello ladies. The All-Star Break is in the rear view window and for most leagues there are only three or four weeks until the playoffs, so it is time to make that push. Stream to maximize the number of starts and spend a little time to analyze your opponent’s squad so you know exactly what categories to chase or dump.

More after the jump:

Studs & Duds
STUDS
Ty Lawson – Lawson owners got a slight scare when he suffered a sprained ankle prior to the break, but he only missed a couple games and has been on a tear since returning. He is averaging less than seven assists per game on the season, but over ten the last four games. The guy is an absolute pimp and is incredibly reliable, although he has been somewhat under the radar. Ty is killing it from deep and once Danilo Gallinari and Nene Hilario are fully healthy his assist numbers should remain high.

Andrew Bynum – I am still in shock that Bynum has stayed healthy throughout this condensed season. His knee was bothering him, but it supposedly isn’t a concern at the moment. The fact of the matter is he is an absolute beast and will continue to carry your squad in rebounds and blocks. I have a hard time recommending that you buy high, and I wouldn’t really recommend selling high either unless you can give up some of those stats.

Mike Conley – The guy leads the league in steals at 2.5 per game and has been killing it recently. Conley isn’t a great scorer, although he had two 20-point performances last week along with two double-digit assist totals. Apparently the kid is taking his role very seriously and studying up on film, so don’t expect a serious drop off.

Kevin Garnett – The old man has been absolutely dominating at center, filling in for the injured Jermaine O’Neal. He has been healthy all year and owners should check their league settings to see if and when he will gain C eligibility. The hip is healthy so ride the wave.

Metta World Peace – It looked like the prospect of the late Ron Artest becoming relevant in fantasy this season was about as likely as World Peace actually occurring, but he has been dominant in March and Mike Brown is rewarding him with PT. You know what you are getting with this firecracker, but if he keeps getting 30+ minutes, he can give u a nice little boost in all categories besides the percentages.

Steve Novak – Although he is a one category contributor, Novak is hitting .475 from deep this season and will offer those in deep leagues a solid boost in threes even though the Knicks are healthy and quite deep. Stevie only gets about twenty minutes a game, but he can singlehandedly give you the boost to win threes in deeper leagues.

Honorable Mentions – Deron Williams, Ryan Anderson, Paul George, Marc Gasol

DUDS
JR Smith – Swish is having a hard time adjusting to the NBA after absolutely dominating in China. He is getting a fairly respectable 20 minutes a game considering how packed the backcourt is in NY, but he isn't doing much with that time. Hold on to him in 14+ man leagues for now, but everyone else should feel free to dump.

Vince Carter – Vinsanity is shooting poorly and moving down the totem pole in Dallas. With Roddy Beaubois doing work once again and Delonte West near a return, it looks like it might be time to search the wire for better options.

Greivis Vasquez – The move to the bench has really killed this dude’s value. Although Jarrett Jack is not doing so hot either and is always one hangnail away from an injury, there isn’t much to do besides stash him in deeper leagues and drop him in shallower leagues.

Amar’e Stoudemire – STAT has looked somewhat sluggish the entire season and experts have criticized him for rarely “playing above the rim.” He picked it up in February, but the numbers should remain down for the rest of the year. His rebounds and defensive numbers are quite disappointing, and with the Knicks' newfound depth, I wouldn’t expect a serious bounce-back.

Carlos Boozer – Joakim Noah is on fire and Taj Gibson has earned himself some extra minutes. There doesn’t seem to be an injury, but Boozer’s numbers are down recently. Chicago is winning and Thibodeau is just doing his thing at the moment. Don’t fret, the Booze man will be fine.

Tony Allen – The guy is falling apart and is losing minutes. With Zach Randolph returning soon, Tony probably belongs on the wire with all the other bums. I have some serious investment in Allen and I plan on holding on to him in half of my leagues, but I must admit I’m pretty scared.

Carlos Delfino – Delfino has been struggling with his shot for some time now, but Skiles has stuck with him. Unfortunately, the supporting stats have started to disappear as well and his leash looks shorter. If you have some patience I’d try and bunker down, but don’t be afraid to cut him.

Ben Gordon – It is not fun to own this guy as you never really know what to expect. The only constant has been high turnovers. He rolled his ankle last week but looks to be getting healthier so hold tight.

Quick Hitters
-Nene and Gallo finally returned to action although they saw limited minutes. There hasn’t been any setbacks reported and they should both regain their rhythm by the time the fantasy playoffs come around.

-Chris Bosh missed some time due to the death of his grandmother but is back. He is a pretty damn reliable guy to own and it is always nice to start studs that help out the percentages.

-JaVale McGee/Andray Blatche – McGee is constantly arguing with coach Randy Wittman, but seems to be out of the doghouse for now. Blatche returned from a calf injury and has been an absolute bum because the booing fans hurt his feelings. The Wizards are a mess and if you can trade either one of them for close to sticker value I’d pull the trigger.

-Unfortunately, Brook Lopez is out once again and although the timetable is set for three weeks I doubt we'll see him again. Don’t kill your season by wasting a spot on Brook when he might not offer any help for the remainder of the season. Those in weekly leagues and folks firmly entrenched at the top of the standings can keep their fingers crossed and stash.

-On paper, the Knicks have stars to lead the squad and depth to fill in the holes... but they still blow. Due to this newfound depth guys like Landry Fields, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Baron Davis, and Steve Novak will have to earn their minutes. At the moment, it looks like Shumpert is the safest and Landry has taken the biggest hit in minutes. Monitor the situation closely and make moves accordingly.

Good luck this week and feel free to tweet at your boy for any questions or advice @HisDudenessOfNY.