RotoSynthesis Blog Posts for NBA

How Are Those NBA Sleepers Doing?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:00 PM 0000

Just over a month ago, we checked in on three potential sleepers for the NBA season. How're they doing so far?

The Killer ABs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 38:00 PM 0000

I had intended to just blog about Andrew Bogut today, but the news that he is injured and out for a few weeks was a bit of a buzz kill. So instead, I decided to expand this to shed some light on all three of the young big men in the league sharing the 'AB' initials: Andrew Bynum, Andrea Bargnani, and Andrew Bogut.

Case Study: Elton Brand

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 47:00 AM 0000

Coming into the year with a preseason ADP of 39.2 (Y! Sports), Elton Brand has been one of this season's biggest disappointments thus far with a per-game rank of 111 through 11 games. His market value is especially relevant at the moment as he is coming off his best performance of the season. Brand owners now find themselves in an interesting quandary, unsure of where to go from here.

Hitting the NBA Reset Button - Eastern Conference

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 34:00 PM 0000

A little over three weeks into the season and things we knew when the season started are no longer true. Injuries, trades, coaching changes and personnel changes have altered rotations, changed starting lineups and increased some players' value. Who are the players benefitting from early season lineup tweaks in the Eastern Conference?

What's Next for Iverson?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 48:00 AM 0000

It seems clear Iverson won't pull a Latrell Sprewell and fade away while he still has some productive basketball left in his body. But where will he land? And should fantasy owners have any interest when he does?

Moving on Up

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:00 AM 0000

With their overtime win Monday night, the Hawks are making the jump from the middle class to the NBA's upper crust. Entering the season, all the talk was the improvments made by Boston, Cleveland and Orlando, but little was mentioned of the Hawks, who unglamorously returned the same core for a third straight season. Well, they wake up Tuesday morning leading the conference with a 9-2 record, which includes road victories over Boston and Portland and impressive home wins against the Trail Blazers and the Nuggets. Atlanta now has won five in a row after a bewildering end-of-a-roadtrip loss to Charlotte.

Dominant Offense but Shaky Defense...Barkley and Dirk

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:00 AM 0000

This topic is a spin-off from the Michael Jordan thread of last week. In the excellent discussion on that thread a mini-debate broke out as to how Charles Barkley compares to Kevin Garnett. The gist of the brief debate was to question whether Barkley was enough better than Garnett offensively to make them comparable in value as overall players despite Garnett’s huge defensive advantages. The thing is, though, to me there is a much better comp for Barkley in this generation than Garnett: Dirk Nowitzki.

What is Iverson's Legacy?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 44:00 PM 0000

What are we talking 'bout? We're talking 'bout *IVERSON*.

Jennings vs Rose

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 48:00 PM 0000

Last year Derrick Rose was the NBA Rookie of the Year. One year later, would you take him over current rookie point guard phenom Brandon Jennings?

Trend Spotting

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM 0000

An early look at some of the more significant statistical trends that are having major negative effects on players' values.

Many Happy Returns?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00 AM 0000

Once upon a time, Tracy McGrady was getting mentions in those "the next Jordan" conversations, and Eddy Curry was being touted as a building block for one of the league's highest-profile franchises.

Quick Starters: Buy or Sell?

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 49:00 AM 0000

The first few weeks of the fantasy hoops season are a real mixed bag. It counts, but at the same time it really doesn't. As us fantasy hoops enthusiasts scour box scores trying to pick games apart and get an early read on players, we must also keep in mind that we are dealing with sample sizes of five games or less here. While early signs of life from players like Marc Gasol and Danilo Gallinari are certainly encouraging, their current averages and ranks will almost surely be significantly off from what they will be at the end of the season. The real question is how far off will they be?

Knick Rotation Taking Shape?

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 57:00 AM 0000

Mike D'Antoni's system is so fantasy-friendly, any changes in the Knicks' rotation are worth watching. Based on last night's game against the Hornets, it seems New York may be settling on a rotation.

Bad Start

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:00 PM 0000

The Hornets are 1-3 out of the gate after losing to the Knicks Monday night, their lone win a fourth-quarter come-from-behind affair at home over Sacramento. The Pistons are 1-2 after falling to the Bucks on Saturday. Two playoff teams from 2009 threatening the lottery in 2010. We've seen Detroit's decline coming for a few years now, but the Hornets are a stealth job.

Buy Low on the Sixers

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:00 PM 0000

All of the blowouts on Wednesday night made it hard to discern how well players will fare in fantasy this year. However, one team showed their true colors, and it wasn't pretty.

Opening Thoughts

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 45:00 PM 0000

The NBA season is finally upon us, so let's move past all the preseason speculation and delve into Tuesday's freshly baked batch of games. Even though opening night called for a short order of four games, there was plenty of action and a fair share of fantasy-relevant observations to take away.

Opening Night

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00 PM 0000

Really nice win for Washington and new head coach Flip Saunders Tuesday night, going into Dallas and leaving with a 102-91 win over the Mavericks. The Wizards flew under my radar during training camp and preseason, but they looked ready to make the Southeast Division one of the best in the league in 2009-10.

Can I get a Mulligan?

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 58:00 AM 0000

On yesterday's RotoWire Fantasy Sports Hour radio show, I predicted Blake Griffin would be rookie of the year.

Oops.

Krypto-Nate vs. Lou Williams

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 53:00 PM 0000

A friend recently presented me with a keeper league question: who to save... Lou Williams or Nate Robinson?

3 NBA Sleepers To Watch

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 41:00 AM 0000

In basketball more than most sports, players can make big leaps in statistical production as their careers progress. Here are three players who fit that mold this year, and thus qualify as potential sleepers in your drafts.

Earlybird Special: 4-Before-4

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 58:00 AM 0000

In this article I'll take a detailed look at a few players who are being overdrafted in the early rounds (1-4). This may be a bit controversial given their perceived values at the moment, but bear with me. Just set aside your preconceived notions for the duration of this piece and you'll come away convinced as to why you should avoid these players at their current ADPs.

Rookies Worth Watching - Preseason Edition

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:00 AM 0000

Generally, rookies make for a bad investment in fantasy leagues. But the economic climate, injuries, and some teams' laser-focus on the free agent class of 2010, could open up opportunities for NBA newbies.

Dude, He Was My Sleeper

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 40:00 PM 0000

Francisco Garcia's forearm injury will cost him and the Kings at least four months, but does anyone care that I've lost my sleeper?

Where Should We Rank Dwight Howard?

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:00 PM 0000

If it's basketball season, it must be time for me to talk about Dwight Howard. If Howard isn't my favorite player in the league, he's probably pretty close. If you're a Superman fan like me, you might be shocked by his ranking in Justin Phan's otherwise-excellent cheat sheet:

DeJuan Blair: The NBA's New Per-Minute All-Star

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 34:00 AM 0000

It's painfully early, but it looks like the Spurs got another steal late in the draft...