But I’d love to know if he’s just in the zone, or if it’s a product of a weak supporting cast?...Scott Sargent

Sarge wrote this about Chris Bosh as part of his Sargent Says feature last week, after basking in the glow of another season of 24 kicking off. I am sure it is hard to keep up on Raptor news south of the border for obvious reasons. So here’s a friend helping a friend out.

Every so often on Dime Day, “Four Quarters” will feature one particular NBA team, going ten players deep into their roster. Whether it’s a small tidbit of news on the benchwarmers, or an opportunity to give major props to the all-stars around the league, as always we slant it towards the fantasy side of life.

All stats are as of January 21, 2007.
First Quarter: These types of players will only be useful in deep leagues, and then only as spot starters to plug up small holes on your team.

10. Rasho Nesterovic. Key stats: 5.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg.
Rasho has slowly endeared himself to a certain sector of Raptor fans with his invisible play. He has been pretty steady clogging up the inside on both ends of the court without making any major gaffes. He played well while Bosh was injured in December and he might have been worth a short-term add in very deep leagues back then. Averaging barely 20 minutes a game though will keep him from being a fantasy factor going forward even as he continues to start for the Raps.

9. Fred Jones. Key stats: 38.4 FG%, 8.2 ppg, 0.9 3pg.
Fred has been on the court less than 20 minutes TOTAL since January 9th. It seems this latest round of musical chairs for the two- and three- spots on this team is settle for now…and Fred is the one still standing without a chair, which means his butt is firmly on the pine right now.

Second Quarter: Here you will find players that might be worth a flier on at some point it the season. But as the first half designation suggests, don’t give them the ball in crunch time with fantasy glory on the line.

8. Jose Calderon. Key stats: 50.7 FG%, 81.4 FT%, 7.5 ppg, 4.1 apg, 1.3 TO
Numero Ocho, at times has played like a guard capable of starter minutes. I was at the game on Jan. 17 when the Raps beat the Kings 101-85, and Calderon was the floor general in the fourth quarter, finishing with 11 points and 9 assists. On Jan. 19 against the Jazz he scored 16 points and dished out 5 dimes. He has played at least 21 minutes over the last three games, and his assists come pretty cheaply when his turnovers are taken into account. Plus, his percentages are great. He’s an ideal Saturday night addition if you need to make a comeback on Sunday.

7. Joey Graham. Key stats: 48.8 FG%, 84.5 FT%, 6.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg.
Joey’s athleticism and potential have been talked about since before the draft last year. He has shown some big game potential, with games of 18 and 19 points this month. What’s been good for Joey though, has not been good for MoPete owners. More on that below.

Third Quarter: Players listed here are not big stars, but need to play key supporting roles if their fantasy teams are to be successful. If they are flopping though, your team will surely have some struggles.

6. Jorge Garbajosa. Key stats: 8.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.6 3pg, 1.1 spg.
It looks like “the Garbage Man” has grown weary of taking it to the curb, logging some serious court minutes since the summertime on the Spanish national time. He made a nice comeback with 16 points 6 rebs and two treys against the Kings, but most owners have probably put him out to be picked up with the rotten eggs and moldy bread. Still…a big man who can shoot the trey will be one of the most added players again if he finds his stroke and earns consistent minutes again.

5. Morris Peterson. Key stats: 44.4 FG%, 76.2 FT%, 11.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.7 3pg.
Ron Chow is the fourth of four core writers here. Both of us scratched our heads when we saw MoPete being taken as early as the third or fourth round in some drafts back on October. Point at a key stat, and it’s down from last year. The one exception is FG%, and that might be traced to the fact that he’s taking about five shots less per game. Last year during a career campaign, Mo averaged more than 38 minutes per game. In a contract season this year, many hopeful fantasy owners expected big things. Then 24.5 minutes of playing time this year is part of the problem. The emergence of Joey Graham, and the additions of Anthony Parker and Andrea Bargnani have hurt MoPete owners big time. I own him in my main league. I have been clenching my butt so tightly trying to stomach MoPete’s yo-yo box scores, that if I pass wind, it’s likely only the dog down the street would hear it. A friend who knows a guy at work who knows a guy says that the Raps are considering trading Mo to the Pistons for Antonio McDyess. I give the thumbs down on that idea.

4. Anthony Parker. Key stats: 46.9 FG%, 81.3 FT%, 11.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.2 3pg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 TO.
AP is a nice player to have for a big or deep league. He quietly gives you steady production in the bread and butter categories, all the while doing it efficiently with good percentages and a low amount of turnovers. Unless his shooting is off, coach Sam Mitchell usually has him play at least 32 minutes.

Fourth quarter: These players make up part of the core on their fantasy teams. They are the major producers on their NBA team, and include the best of the best. Occasionally an exciting young player with great fantasy upside also earns mention here.

3. Andrea Bargnani. Key stats: 10.3 ppg, 1.2 3pg, 0.9 bpg.
Getting major minutes on a team with a poor record will likely net Brandon Roy a lot of rookie of the year votes. I’ll take the Italian though, who has become a major contributor for a team who is in the playoff picture. Here’s a neat stat; Andrea has more treys so far this year than Dirk Nowitzki (49 to 39), the all-world player people like to compare the rook to just because both are European players who are tall and can shoot. To become a fantasy force, he will have to hang around the three-point arc less and break out the Windex more. With improved rebounding down the road, Bargnani might end up climbing up to third round status in a few years.

2. T.J. Ford. Key stats: 44.4 FG%, 80.7 FT%, 15.2 ppg, 7.7 apg, 1.2 spg.
Without any three-point range, Ford will never be a top tier fantasy guard. However, his percentages are solid and he is a top 10 dime disher and steady rock thief. Hometown fans often cringe during his out of control drives to the hole. And sometimes the Raps play better with Calderon at the one, especially in the second half. Despite that, fantasy owners will happily take this level of production for the rest of the year. Good job if you grabbed him in the middle-late rounds.

1. Chris Bosh. Key stats: 48.3 FG%, 21.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg.
If the refs eventually give Bosh the respect he deserves, he will finish the year averaging closer to 25 ppg. Already among the league leaders when it comes to trips to the free throw line, game in and game out, there are at least two no calls as CB4 gets hacked. He is delivering classic big man stats and deserves a starting spot on the Eastern conference all-star team. Hopefully the 12 games he has missed so far are there is in terms of his infirmary report. Enjoy the boost to your second half surge he is sure to give you. Starting next year, Bosh will be a first round fantasy pick across the board.

Until next time, when I look forward to doing a hack job on Sarge’s hometown Cavs or Dennis’ hometown Knickerbockers, good luck and good night.