Fantasy Draft

I had a huge fantasy draft last night. 12 teams. Big money. Good times. Im not really a big fantasy guy. I have never really gotten into it. The over/under on how long I stay interested in my team is 14 days. But after last night, I might not have to fool around with my lineup the whole year cause I had a great draft. I got everyone I wanted to some extent. There is only really one or two guys that I missed on cause I thought I could get them late. Anyway, I am willing to take you inside my war room for a minute and give you some insight into why I picked who I did. I lucked out and started to the draft in the 3 hole.

1. CP3--LeBron and Kobe went 1-2 so it was on me in the 3 hole. I was set to take D Wade after his 28 8 8 debut the previous night. Then I was gonna go Amare. With about 30 seconds later I settled on CP3. I couldnt let him get by me. I think hes the hungriest guy in the league by far. The Hornets are getting serious run from all the experts. They have a lot on the line. A lot of people like them in the finals. Assists are at a premium in these fantasy leagues. I figure hes gonna go 19, 11, 6 minimum. Hes gonna have some huge scoring games too. And they are gonna be grinding to finish number 1 in the west so there gonna play every game hard. So CP3 goes to me.

2. Melo--It wrapped around back to me and I went scoring and rebounding. Carmelo is gonna have a big year. Scores and rebounds and gets some assists. Great FT%. Makes some 3s. AI is slowing down a little. The Nuggets are right on the cut line to make the playoffs in the west so every game is gonna matter. He is a little nicked up right now. I am not sure whats wrong with him. Im sure hell be in the lineup next week. But Melo scores the ball probably easier than anyone on the planet. Hoping he has a nice year.

3. Al Jefferson--Had a big fantasy year last year for the Wolves. Just a consumate 18 and 11 guy who is hopefully gonna go 22 and 12 this year. Gets you some blocks. Shoots a high percentage. Gonna be a good numbers/bad team (GNBT) but this is fantasy. Its a numbers thing not an integrity of a player thing. And this guy gives you some stats. K Love is gonna be a solid pro, but I dont think hes gonna take touches away from Al Jeff until next year. Almost went Chris Bosh here, but settled on Al Jeff.

4. Corey Maggette--Went off the board here a little. In hindsight, coulda got him A LOT later cause people were asleep on him. But I had to make sure I got him. I know he just got paid, but its gonna be hard for him not to average less than 25 a game in Nelly's system. He gets you some boards and his assists are gonna up a little cause theyll be flying up and down. Hes gonna get you some steals too. Moped Ellis is gonna be out til January at the earliest and Captain Jack isnt a volume shooter. Maggette gets to the line like crazy and shoots a great percentage. A little bit of a reach at round 4 but I couldnt take the chance of him getting auto-picked. I wasnt sure about the skill level of my peers. But this was a pick I had circled. I was getting Maggette no matter what.

5. Jamal Crawford--SLEEPER ALERT. I coveted this guy because I think he's gonna have a MONSTER YEAR. He went 29, 4, 4 in their debut win against the Heat the other night. Gets a lot of steals. Hes gonna thrive with D'Antoni. Crawford is nuts. He can easily score 50 points in a game any given night. I think hes gonna have at least 5 40 point games. He gives me 3s at a high clip too. He sneakily made 170 3s last year. That might go up this year cause hes gonna be shooting more. The Knicks are gonna be improved, but they are also gonna be getting killed some nights and hell get buckets in mop up time. He was another guy that I had to have and probably drafted too early cause no one drafting had a clue. But I know who I wanted so I grabbed him here.

6. John Salmons--This guy has been getting a lot of buzz by the experts. Hes a sneaky fantasy guy. Went 24, 8, 5 in the first game. No one ever gets to see the Kings. But hes a 17, 7, 5 guy who gets a lot of steals. Hes pretty consistent too. I had him high on my big board. I think hes gonna have a pretty good year. Probably could have gone big but this was a good value here. The Kings are another team that can never win but can almost win a lotta games. So they will be playing their main guys big minutes. Salmons is another guy that I am taking a gamble on to have GTBT.

7. Andrew Bogut--I went big here, with a guy that a lot of fantasy dorks like. Bogut gives you a double double, but more importantly is gonna give you some blocks and shoot a high percentage. Another guy who just got paid, and is a pussy who gets hurt a lot. But hopefully he stays healthy and has a productive year. So far I think Scott Skiles hasnt totally burnt them out yet. They seem to be playing hard for him. The Bucks are a lot better than they were last year despite losing Mo Money. R Jeff is still pretty good. Michael Redd is solid, and Villanueva is coming on like a freight train. But off the subject for a minute: How is Luke Ridnour still in the NBA? What championship are you winning with Luke Ridnour starting for your team? I have a list of guys that I just cant figure out how they stick in the league. Its amazing. Whats the case for Ridnour other than hes a safe bet not to get in trouble and make the organization look bad, hes cheap at only about $2 mil a year, and he can run an offense in a somewhat productive matter. Other than that he gets abused on D, cant really shoot anymore, and cant make anything happen for anybody. But back to Bogut, I addressed my need at big and got a decent fantasy guy. Almost went Andrew Bynum here.

I JUST WANTED TO STOP MY ANALYSIS OF THE FANTASY DRAFT TO SHARE SOME DISHEARTENING NEWS. I JUST LOOKED IT UP. LUKE RIDNOUR IS ON THE BOOKS FOR $7 MILLION THIS YEAR AND $7 MILLION NEXT YEAR. ONLY IN THE FUCKING NBA! UNBELIEVABLE.

8. Troy Murphy--Drank the Murphy Kool Aid after a big first game for the Pacers. Went 14, 15,5,2 with a couple 3s. He plays hard every night. Makes more 3s than you think. Rebounds the ball hard. Good guy to have.

9. Z BO--Stole Zach Randolph here, who has had a good pre-season and had an easy 20, 10 in the first game. Seems to be the big that is gonna get the touches for the Knicks. Hes relentless, tough, shoots FTs pretty well and cleans the glass. This was a definite steal here. It made up for the Troy Murphy pick a round ago. Him and Crawford could have huge years and keep the Knicks relevant.

10. Thaddeus Young--Picked him way too high here. Sentimental pick here based on the fact that he came onto the scene in a big way last year helping the Phillies go on a run and make the playoffs. But you know what youre gonna get with him--12 and 8 with a couple blocks and steals mixed in. Brand could help him cause Thad can go get some of his bricks and dunk um back in. But EB will most likely hurt him cause he demands the ball and holds it on the box for so long. But sidenote here--the 76ers are a joke. I mean are you kidding me? Anybody who thinks they are a contender in the east is an idiot. My man Jalen Rose made a big blunder putting them at #3 in his east rankings. Marc Stein has been drinkin the Sixers kool aid but I expect him to start to backpeddle a little bit cause hes pretty smart. But they are in a no way a threat to the Cavs or Celtics or Stons. That Elton Brand deal is BAD. He was good 3 years ago Ed Stefanski. Sure hes a good fantasy cause he gets 12 rebounds a game, but he cant hack it against good guys. He beats up on bad guys. I just hate that contract.

11. Marc Gasol--Drank the kool aid here after a productive double double the first game. Hes gonna be productive. Hes gonna have a lot of double doubles. He shoots FTs well. Theyre gonna be horrible so hell log a lot of minutes and put up decent numbers.

12. Mario Chalmers--Kind of a steal here no pun intended. He had a big first game albeit against the Knicks. Hopefully he gives me some 3s and steals.

13. Jason Thompson--Not the John Carroll Jason Thompson. The Rider Jason Thompson. On the night he got drafted 25 spots too early at #12, Coach Joe Mihalich, one of the most prominent minds in the college game today sent his son Matthew a funny text--"Pretty high pick for a pussy." Nevertheless, he had a nice 18,11 in his NBA debut. Hes gonna have to work hard to get into my rotation.

14. CDR--I picked him simply cause he has the best nickname going in my opinion. Simple. Sounds great. Fun to say. No other reason. Steals maybe. And plenty of two handed dunks off the wrong foot.

15. Aaron Brooks--This guy is pretty good off the Rockets bench. Hoping that Skip to my Lou gets in trouble which he has a custom of doing, and Brooks gets major minutes. Last night he had 14,5,5 in 20 minutes. Good 3 point shooter. Plays aggressive when he gets minutes.

GUYS I WANTED THAT I MISSED ON--Devin Harris (went right before I picked), Derrick Rose (gonna have some crazy games 8 steals maybe), Charles Villanueva (coming on nicely, gonna have nice numbers) Wilson Chandler (Mike D'Antoni loves him, thinks hes the next Matrix Marion), Jason Terry (3s), Nick Collison (pencil in 10 and 13 every night with a block), Mehmet Okur(great percentages, great shooter, jazz are good), Matt Barnes (gonna get a lot of Grant Hills minutes, gets steals and 3s) AND MOST OF ALL--David Lee (born to play for Mike D'Antoni, one of my favorite players in the league).

jc3