lisztomania/sports: discuss: Lists of Five, Vol. 6 (Fantasy Hoops Special)
I’m ecstatic!
The NBA is coming off a season that boasted a 22-game win streak, a frantic trade deadline, last year of the Isiah Thomas misadventure in New York, eight Western teams with 50 wins or more, the greatest MVP race ever since 1993 when Charles Barkley won over Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan, and the Boston Celtics capturing their 17th title after a 22-year drought. 2007-2008 NBA, along with my move to the Philippines—where the only team sports that exists in the world is basketball—rejuvenated my love for the association.
It rejuvenated it so much that I wanted to inaugurate fantasy basketball amongst friends. Sadly, it failed, which was tremendously unfortunate but I should save the reasons for another post or else, I would probably take up the whole page content limit of blogger.com. Because I don’t have enough friends in Canada that follow the NBA psychopathically, I’m stuck playing with strangers in Yahoo and ESPN fantasy leagues. And because I’m playing with strangers and I’m running teams in five different leagues, I don’t have a fantasy draft diary to offer for you beautiful citizens.
Instead I have a generous amount of lists of five!
Five most important positions in fantasy basketball, in order
1. Point Guard
2. Center
3. Power Forward
4. Small Forward
5. Shooting Guard
Five healthy guys who I’m staying away from because of their history of injuries
1. Marcus Camby
2. Greg Oden
3. Yao Ming
4. Tracy McGrady
5. Shaquille O’Neal
Five healthy guys whom I still love in spite of their history of injuries
1. Dwyane Wade
2. Baron Davis
3. Andrew Bynum
4. Kenyon Martin
5. T.J. Ford
Five guys whom I’m cautious of because they just got paid
1. Josh Smith
2. Andre Iguodala
3. J.R. Smith
4. Baron Davis
5. Delonte West
Five guys whom I love because they’re in the last year of their contract
1. Carlos Boozer
2. Charlie Villanueva
3. Drew Gooden
4. Mike Bibby
5. Anderson Varejao
Five guys who always seem to wind up on my teams this year
1. Joe Johnson
2. Al Horford
3. Devin Harris
4. Mo Williams
5. Kirk Hinrich
Five guys going too high in ESPN live drafts
1. Kevin Garnett (pick 9)
He’s going too high because he’s the best guy from Boston, and he used to average 23 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks on a regular basis, back when he used to be the automatic first overall pick in any fantasy drafts. Now he seems to be content with averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds, trapping pick-and-rolls, and headbutting the padding underneath the basket.
2. Shawn Marion (pick 10)
Why a drop off in every stat aside from assists? Simple. He doesn’t have Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni in his life anymore. You know those high school quarterbacks who break up with their prom queen girlfriends after senior year, only to realize that they’re not really that big of a catch in college? Shawn Marion’s the high school quarterback.
3. Carmelo Anthony (pick 19)
Denver is brimming with disfunction this year. But even so, aside from a ton of points, he’ll only get you 6 rebs, 3 assists, and a steal a game. He doesn’t block any shots, nor does he shoot in a high percentage, nor does he shoot a lot of three’s. I want more from a second round pick.
4. Ray Allen (pick 41)
This isn’t Jesus Shuttlesworth anymore from He Got Game. If you want 17 points and 2.5 three’s per game, might as well take Mike Miller or Peja Stojakovic in Round 5, or Mike Bibby in Round 9.
5. Michael Beasley (pick 50)
Only because rookies are frightfully inconsistent. Would you rather have Michael Beasley or Al Horford? Beasley or LaMarcus Aldridge? Would you rather have him or take a risk on a D’Antonied Zach Randolph? Him or a Drew Gooden’s facial hair choices?
Five Guys I’m high on who are going in rounds 13 to 15
1. Chris Duhon (pick 142)
2. Charlie Villanueva (pick 128)
3. Luis Scola (pick 125)
4. Sean Williams (pick 141)
5. Earl Watson (pick 131)
Five Guys not being drafted in the top 150 on ESPN.com whom I really like
1. Marcus Williams
2. Jason Maxiell
3. Matt Barnes
4. Wilson Chandler
5. Sebastian Telfair
Five possible choices for #1 overall pick
1. Lebron James, Cle, SF
2. Lebron James, Cle, SF
3. Lebron James, Cle, SF
4. Lebron James, Cle, SF
5. Lebron James, Cle, SF
So who’s #1 to #5, then?
1. Lebron James, CLE, SF
2. Chris Paul, NOH, PG
3. Amare Stoudemire, PHO, PF/C
4. Kobe Bryant, LAL, SG
5. Dwight Howard, ORL, C
#6 to #10?
6. Allen Iverson, DEN, PG/SG
7. Elton Brand, PHI, PF
8. Deron Williams, UTA, PG
9. Dwyane Wade, MIA, SG
10. Steve Nash, PHO, PG
#11 to #15?
11. Chauncey Billups, DET, PG
12. Baron Davis, LAC, PG
13. Joe Johnson, ATL, SG/SF
14. Al Jefferson, MIN, PF/C
15. Dirk Nowitzki, DAL, PF
#16 to #20?
16. Marcus Camby, LAC, PF/C
17. Rudy Gay, MEM, SF/PF
18. Chris Bosh, TOR, PF/C
19. Carlos Boozer, PF
20. Kevin Garnett, BOS, PF
The NBA is coming off a season that boasted a 22-game win streak, a frantic trade deadline, last year of the Isiah Thomas misadventure in New York, eight Western teams with 50 wins or more, the greatest MVP race ever since 1993 when Charles Barkley won over Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan, and the Boston Celtics capturing their 17th title after a 22-year drought. 2007-2008 NBA, along with my move to the Philippines—where the only team sports that exists in the world is basketball—rejuvenated my love for the association.
It rejuvenated it so much that I wanted to inaugurate fantasy basketball amongst friends. Sadly, it failed, which was tremendously unfortunate but I should save the reasons for another post or else, I would probably take up the whole page content limit of blogger.com. Because I don’t have enough friends in Canada that follow the NBA psychopathically, I’m stuck playing with strangers in Yahoo and ESPN fantasy leagues. And because I’m playing with strangers and I’m running teams in five different leagues, I don’t have a fantasy draft diary to offer for you beautiful citizens.
Instead I have a generous amount of lists of five!
Five most important positions in fantasy basketball, in order
1. Point Guard
2. Center
3. Power Forward
4. Small Forward
5. Shooting Guard
Five healthy guys who I’m staying away from because of their history of injuries
1. Marcus Camby
2. Greg Oden
3. Yao Ming
4. Tracy McGrady
5. Shaquille O’Neal
Five healthy guys whom I still love in spite of their history of injuries
1. Dwyane Wade
2. Baron Davis
3. Andrew Bynum
4. Kenyon Martin
5. T.J. Ford
Five guys whom I’m cautious of because they just got paid
1. Josh Smith
2. Andre Iguodala
3. J.R. Smith
4. Baron Davis
5. Delonte West
Five guys whom I love because they’re in the last year of their contract
1. Carlos Boozer
2. Charlie Villanueva
3. Drew Gooden
4. Mike Bibby
5. Anderson Varejao
Five guys who always seem to wind up on my teams this year
1. Joe Johnson
2. Al Horford
3. Devin Harris
4. Mo Williams
5. Kirk Hinrich
Five guys going too high in ESPN live drafts
1. Kevin Garnett (pick 9)
He’s going too high because he’s the best guy from Boston, and he used to average 23 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks on a regular basis, back when he used to be the automatic first overall pick in any fantasy drafts. Now he seems to be content with averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds, trapping pick-and-rolls, and headbutting the padding underneath the basket.
2. Shawn Marion (pick 10)
Why a drop off in every stat aside from assists? Simple. He doesn’t have Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni in his life anymore. You know those high school quarterbacks who break up with their prom queen girlfriends after senior year, only to realize that they’re not really that big of a catch in college? Shawn Marion’s the high school quarterback.
3. Carmelo Anthony (pick 19)
Denver is brimming with disfunction this year. But even so, aside from a ton of points, he’ll only get you 6 rebs, 3 assists, and a steal a game. He doesn’t block any shots, nor does he shoot in a high percentage, nor does he shoot a lot of three’s. I want more from a second round pick.
4. Ray Allen (pick 41)
This isn’t Jesus Shuttlesworth anymore from He Got Game. If you want 17 points and 2.5 three’s per game, might as well take Mike Miller or Peja Stojakovic in Round 5, or Mike Bibby in Round 9.
5. Michael Beasley (pick 50)
Only because rookies are frightfully inconsistent. Would you rather have Michael Beasley or Al Horford? Beasley or LaMarcus Aldridge? Would you rather have him or take a risk on a D’Antonied Zach Randolph? Him or a Drew Gooden’s facial hair choices?
Five Guys I’m high on who are going in rounds 13 to 15
1. Chris Duhon (pick 142)
2. Charlie Villanueva (pick 128)
3. Luis Scola (pick 125)
4. Sean Williams (pick 141)
5. Earl Watson (pick 131)
Five Guys not being drafted in the top 150 on ESPN.com whom I really like
1. Marcus Williams
2. Jason Maxiell
3. Matt Barnes
4. Wilson Chandler
5. Sebastian Telfair
Five possible choices for #1 overall pick
1. Lebron James, Cle, SF
2. Lebron James, Cle, SF
3. Lebron James, Cle, SF
4. Lebron James, Cle, SF
5. Lebron James, Cle, SF
So who’s #1 to #5, then?
1. Lebron James, CLE, SF
2. Chris Paul, NOH, PG
3. Amare Stoudemire, PHO, PF/C
4. Kobe Bryant, LAL, SG
5. Dwight Howard, ORL, C
#6 to #10?
6. Allen Iverson, DEN, PG/SG
7. Elton Brand, PHI, PF
8. Deron Williams, UTA, PG
9. Dwyane Wade, MIA, SG
10. Steve Nash, PHO, PG
#11 to #15?
11. Chauncey Billups, DET, PG
12. Baron Davis, LAC, PG
13. Joe Johnson, ATL, SG/SF
14. Al Jefferson, MIN, PF/C
15. Dirk Nowitzki, DAL, PF
#16 to #20?
16. Marcus Camby, LAC, PF/C
17. Rudy Gay, MEM, SF/PF
18. Chris Bosh, TOR, PF/C
19. Carlos Boozer, PF
20. Kevin Garnett, BOS, PF
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