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Yao MingIf draft position can attest to position scarcity, people look no further.  In most fantasy leagues, owners are required to start two centers, providing for quite a quandary given the decrease in the use of the big man over time.  When you do finally lock up a solid center, chances are that you’ll get plenty of blocks and rebounds, but how many centers are top scoring options on their team?  Can you find one that will not decimate your free throw shooting?  Do any of them hit threes? 

Centers are the necessary evil of fantasy basketball, and if you want to survive, you’re going to have to ensure that you have at least two solid options.  A quick glance at this list and you won’t find model citizens of health, so even two is a bit thin.  Most of this list will be gone by the time round three is finished, so while those other positions are looking very nice, plan ahead or you could be regretting your decision come round 10.  Does it hurt to use draft picks on guys that will most likely give no more than four categories?  Sure does, but not as much as starting guys that give considerably less than that that were drafted later on.  Here’s a breakdown of the big men you’re going to want to target on draft day.

Click to continue reading 2007-08 Preseason Center Rankings


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Power forward is likely the most important position in fantasy basketball.  They can knock out FG%, FT%, rebounds, points, and blocks with only one of your picks.  If you draft them right, they can allow you to go cheap at center, the least deep position in fantasy hoops.  There is so much depth at the four spot that you can get lucky and take an elite power forward early or wait for one later on. Remember also that the majority of good centers are power forward eligible, adding to the aforementioned depth.  However, you’ll probably want to play those F/C players at center, but it’s nice to have options and flexibility while you’re drafting.

Click to continue reading 2007-08 Preseason Power Forward Rankings


Luol Deng!
The Fig Cap: Everybody get down tonight. Everybody Luol Deng tonight.

Ron Chow is doing fine. He’s not sick. He’s not having relationship issues. He’s not stressed at work. He just has other things going on and needs to step away. Hopefully it is temporary. In the meantime, you can catch the little tribute for Ron here. Ron and I are co-managing a team in our Dropping Dimes Experts League this year. Luol Deng was drafted by Nels at Give Me The Rock with the 13th pick in the 3rd round, the 41st pick overall. Here, his name took quite a bit longer to come off the board.

Round 6, Pick 3: Luol Deng, SG/SF, Chicago Bulls

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft 2007: Round 6, Pick 3 - Luol Deng


David West Is Happy

The Fig Cap: “Thanks for the love DD… you’re making me so goofy right now.”  Yeah, that’s how we roll.

West is one of the more underrated players in the NBA for a few reasons: 1) He plays for the Hornets, a historically “ugh” team, although their future is looking good, 2) He plays with Chris Paul, which isn’t a bad thing at all, especially when you’re on the receiving end of a Paul pass, but it doesn’t help your recognizability factor, and 3) He plays in the Western Conference, which is full of some pretty good forwards.  However, in the fantasy game, all we care about is production, right?  Well, West will keep you happy and put up some very good numbers for your team, especially this much later in a draft.  We’re talking the ultimate underrated PF value pick.  Yeah, I said it… okay, if you get him in the mid-rounds.  If you go for West too early because I’m telling you how good he is, well, that will make him overrated, right?

Round 6, Pick 2: David West, PF, New Orleans Hornets

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft 2007: Round 6, Pick 2 - David West


Amare
Our second annual Dropping Dimes Experts League had its draft last night. Ron Chow and I are co-managing a team this year. What follows is a log of the draft from our perspective but something more important comes first.

Ron is taking a leave of absence from Dropping Dimes. One of the original four writers here, Ron will be missed. He was a regular contributor to our mock blog and during the season helped out with our rankings and wrote a feature called “Injury Impact.” He says it’s a break, but it feels like when a girl tells you that and it’s actually a break-up. So cheers to you, bro, and good luck with everything.

Click to continue reading Tribute to Ron Chow and our Experts League Recap


Jason Terry self props
People who follow “real” basketball probably have a small beef with Terry going at this point. After all, the Mavs have enjoyed much success in recent years, and “Jet” is one of the main reasons why.

We focus on fantasy hoops here. And thus, the perspective from this angle sometimes differs from reality. That is why all-stars like Tony Parker and Richard Hamilton have yet to see their names called in this draft blog, while some “questionable” players with known limitations in their game have been picked. Real life game sometimes does not translate into fantasy sports. Ask anyone who passed on Peyton Manning or Tom Brady multiple times while taking a running back who has never made the Pro Bowl.

So let us look into why Terry is more of a commercial airliner than a jet and how he stands to be good value at this point in the draft.

Round 6, Pick 1: Jason Terry, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft 2007: Round 6, Pick 1 - Jason Terry


T.J. FordWhen I think of huge arms in the NBA, I think of a few players.  Shaquille O’Neal comes to mind.  Who can forget the chisled arms of Karl Malone?  Even “Thunder” Dan Majerle had some cannons. 

Oh, and who can forget…um…

Round 5, Pick 12: T.J. Ford, PG, Toronto Raptors

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft Blog 2007: Round 5, Pick 12 - T.J. Ford


Kobe Bryant

The Fig Cap: “Hey, D, you got a little mustard on your chin… yeah, right here.  Maybe you should stop eating, chubby, and concentrate a little more on these rankings.”

When you think of a shooting guard, you think jumpers, dunks, and basically, a lot of points being scored.  While all of that is true, in a fantasy basketball sense, you want players who do more than simply score and add to one to three categories.  And when you look at the top shooting guards, you’ll find that they contribute in several categories.  Surprisingly, the top guys in the two-guard game drop a lot of dimes, but maybe it shouldn’t be too surprising because basketball is a team game.  For your reading pleasure, the top shooting guards who will help your team win the fantasy game.

Click to continue reading 2007-08 Preseason Shooting Guards Ranking


Lamar on Deng
The Fig Cap: Lamar, cuz wrestle…for the ball is what he does.

Have you seen a “don’t-er” lately? What’s a “don’t-er,” you ask? They are everywhere. They operate by telling you what not to do. Don’t draft injured guys. Don’t draft rookies. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. Behind the scenes, they are the ones always making the stinging criticisms, because it is easier being the one to cut down an idea rather than the one trying to trail blaze with an original thought. In fantasy sports you can find lots of people that tell specialize in telling people what is wrong and should not be done…and with good reason…to a point. Guessing correctly who is a bust and who is a sleeper is part of the game. My beef is the reality of needing to roll the dice at some point in the draft is just as much a part of the game. Because taking 70 cents on the dollar every round by going with safe picks might guarantee a top half finish in your league, but the odds of winning it all are slim.

So let us now talk about what to do if you do end up drafting a guy like this.

Round 5, Pick 11: Lamar Odom, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft 2007: Round 5, Pick 11 - Lamar Odom


Ben Wallace vs. Ben Wallace

The Fig Cap:  Defensive Ben Wallace vs. Offensive Ben Wallace… hmm… I’ll take defensive Ben Wallace even though he’s made of plastic.  Yeah, offensive Ben Wallace is.  Just.  That.  Bad.

Like the Fig Cap says, Big Ben’s offense is bad.  Bad and ugly.  Sort of like Wallace himself.  I mean, no offense, but if you saw him in a dark alley wouldn’t you “accidentally let yourself go” (in your pants)?  Okay, okay, so I’m stooping low to Kevin Smith type of humor, but I like that sort of thing.  In any case, it’s not all bad with Mr. Wallace as he can do other things very well that doesn’t include the basketball snapping twine.  For example, his hair brings great entertainment value - “Is it going to be braided or is it going to be Don King CRAZY?!?!?!”

Round 5, Pick 10: Ben Wallace, C, Chicago Bulls

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft Blog 2007: Round 5, Pick 10 - Ben Wallace


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