Daily Fantasy Diagnosis: 11.4
Dirk Nowitzki (photo. Monte Isom)
Beast of the Night: Dirk Nowitzki was an absolute animal last night, putting up 40 points on 55 percent (12-22) shooting from the field and 94 percent (15-16) from the line, chipping in a three-pointer along with 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 5 blocks and no turnovers. He scored 29 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, playing like Mehmet Okur bad-mouthed David Hasselhoff. You can’t get much better than this in fantasy ball and Diggler is in for a great year.
Noteworthy Lines:
Carmelo Anthony – 6-17 FG (35%), 11-14 FT (79%), 2 3ptm, 25 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO; It’s time to exhale. This is more like the ‘Melo we’ve known and though his red-hot start shouldn’t be tossed out the window, his owners should see this as their reality check.
Luol Deng – 7-16 FG (44%), 9-11 FT (82%), 1 3ptm, 24 Pts, 20 Reb, 2 Blk, 2 TO; He looks healthy and ready to consistently contribute for his fantasy owners. However, as evidenced here, Deng is usually only good for points, boards and a subtle mix of steals and blocks – nothing more.
Jamal Crawford – 8-16 FG (50%), 9-9 FT (100%), 2 3ptm, 27 Pts, 2 Reb, 7 Ast; Crawford’s minutes have increased from 13:36 in the Hawks’ first game this year to 34:16 last night. As expected, his rising production is hurting Mike Bibby’s value. Be confident in starting Crawford if you need points and threes.
Roy Hibbert – 6-11 FG (55%), 2-2 FT (100%), 14 Pts, 12 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 4 Blk, 1 TO; This is what his owners wanted to see on draft day. This could be the start of his arrival, but he still amassed five fouls last night.
Shelden Williams – 5-8 FG (63%), 1-2 FT (50%), 11 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Ast; When the Celtics blow out opponents, Williams will produce. The way Boston’s been playing this year, Williams could have very decent value down the stretch of the season. Don’t start him every week, but be aware of this trend.
Andre Miller – 1-6 FG (17%), 3-4 FT (75%), 5 Pts, 11 Ast; I guess this is a start. Miller still split time with Steve Blake but he seems to have won the matchup last night.
Elton Brand – 2-6 FG (33%), 2-4 FT (50%), 6 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk; His struggles continue, especially against good teams. It might be too early to for his owners to fret, but Brand might be in for a rough year.
Waiver Wire Appeal:
Matt Barnes – 11 Pts, 7 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Blk, 2 TO; He benefited from the absence of Mickael Pietrus, but Barnes remains an intriguing, dynamic player that should be considered in deeper leagues.
Thabo Sefolosha – 12 Pts, 2 3ptm, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 TO; He’s got a pretty good hold on the starting shooting guard spot in Oklahoma City and is playing 32+ minutes a game. He’s inconsistent but should be getting attention in most leagues.
Dahntay Jones – 20 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk; He’s not good for anything besides points and the occasional steal, but Jones is getting some decent minutes and doing well with them.
Daniel Gibson – 14 Pts, 4 3ptm, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl; Boobie is a good source of threes, though a streaky one.
Quentin Richardson – 18 Pts, 4 3ptm, 10 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO; He’s starting for Miami and could be heating up. (Pun intended.)
Injuries:
Troy Murphy (back): unlikely to play tonight
Dwight Howard (shoulder): won’t miss time, but he’s hurting, sounds angry about fouls from opponents
Drew Gooden (ribs): doubtful for tonight
Richard Hamilton (ankle): unlikely to play tonight
Tayshaun Prince (back): unlikely to play tonight
Kobe Bryant (fever): played well last night, will play tonight
Yi Jianlian (knee): sprained knee, return date unknown
Vince Carter (ankle): tweaked it again last night, consider him a game-time decision
Leandro Barbosa (wrist): status uncertain for tonight, didn’t play last night
For Tonight:
Al Jefferson’s progress meets a brick wall as the Timberwolves host Boston tonight.
Trevor Ariza welcomes his former crew in Houston, Ron Artest returns.
Let’s see what Nowitzki has left in the tank after last night’s domination.
Will Crawford overshadow Bibby’s return to Sac-town?
Allen Iverson plays again tonight. Monitor his minutes and grumbling after the game.
Throughout the season, be sure to leave your questions, comments, concerns, trade offers, roster problems and more in the comments below.
Follow Jason on Twitter at @fbasketballblog.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DIMEMag.
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November 4th, 2009 at 10:26 am
The Real Tyrone says:
Ain’t no doubt ya’ll that Dirk be one of dem best-shootin cats of all time yo. Cat be hittin dem treys widout no problem and b dishin dopey dimes yo.
True thugs NEVER lie
The REAL Tyrone
November 4th, 2009 at 10:31 am
tp land says:
Doc, i’m considering trading Bynum because Gasol is on his way back.
What do you think ?
Is it a good time ? Is he going to produce when Gasol comes back ? Trade, but for which player ?
Thanks for your tips Doc !
November 4th, 2009 at 10:33 am
calvin brodus says:
melo had a below average game last night (by his standards) but he is for real this season. he will LIGHT UP nj tonight…count on it.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:38 am
VINTAKULAR says:
Dime needs a new Dirk picture, that hoodie pic is overused
November 4th, 2009 at 10:52 am
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@tp land: If you’re going to trade Bynum, the next week or so seems like a prime time to do it.
However, I don’t think Bynum will be too affected by Gasol’s return. He’ll still be a starting center for all fantasy teams.
If you’re looking for a center in return in a one-for-one, Marc Gasol, Chris Kaman, Andrea Bargnani, Marcus Camby, Al Horford and Brook Lopez should be on your radar.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Joe says:
Doc my team is reeling
Granger, Gasol, Calderon, G. Wallace, Bargani, Gay, Nelson, A. Randolph, Artest, Diaw, Kaman.
Bench T. Evans, Douglas-Roberts, B. Wallace
Can any of these free agents help? Looking more for a guy with long term potnetial than a short term fix.
Free Agents:
A. Blatche, B. Miller, P. Stojaković, S. Battier, Y. Jianlian, L. Hughes, T. Outlaw, R. Fernandez, M. Webster, C. Maggette, C. Brewer, J. Harden, A. Morrow
Thanks
November 4th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Aron Phillips says:
@VINTAKULAR
Haha. But it’s so good!
November 4th, 2009 at 11:04 am
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Joe: Tough break with a lot of those guys, but most will recover their lost value soon enough.
Here’s how I rank those free agents, approximately:
1. Corey Brewer
2. Brad Miller
3. Shane Battier
4. Andray Blatche
5. Travis Outlaw
6. Peja Stojakovic
7. Yi Jianlian (if he doesn’t miss too much time)
8. Rudy Fernandez
9. Larry Hughes
10. Martell Webster
11. Corey Maggette
12. Anthony Morrow
13. James Harden
November 4th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Joe says:
Thanks Doc where do Douglas Roberts and Ben Wallace fit in that list would you drop either of them for Corey Brewer or Brad Miller?
November 4th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Rizwan says:
Hey FD, I’m hurting picking Derrick Rose over Steve Nash. What kind of fantasy year do yout think he will have?
I need to trade one of my centers, I got Kendrick, B Lopez and Hibbert. I’m thinking Kendrick.
Its over for Paul Milsap, in terms of his fantasy value. Agree?
Finally, Thaddeus Young is not doing anything for me. Is he likely to pick it up because the offense seems a weird fit for him.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:21 am
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Joe: CDR is intriguing with Yi out. He scored 20 of the Nets’ 68 points on Monday when Yi went down. I think he’ll be solid for the next couple weeks as Yi, Harris and Hayes recover from injuries and worth holding onto.
Wallace is great for FG%, boards, steals and blocks, but with his lack of value elsewhere, I’d strongly consider dropping him for Brewer or Miller.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Rizwan says:
Another quick question, Ramon Sessions is on waiver along with Danilo Gallinari. Pick up?
November 4th, 2009 at 11:26 am
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Rizwan: Yeah, bad idea picking Rose ahead of Nash, but what’s done is done. Rose will have a good year, but he’s still dealing with a weak ankle and should come around sometime this month. But his lack of threes really limits his value as a PG.
Yeah, Perkins is the weakest of the three, but will also get you the least in return.
I’m not giving up on Millsap just yet. He belongs on fantasy benches right now, but with Boozer’s touch-and-go health, I can’t see him being droppable just yet.
Young has been a letdown so far, but he’s still getting 38 minutes a game. There isn’t a single Sixer who’s been consistently good this season, so give the roster a few more games to sift things through.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:27 am
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Rizwan: Gallo shouldn’t be available in any leagues, so pick him up now!
Sessions isn’t nearly as appealing now, but will be more appealing down the line.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Rizwan says:
Just dropped Kendrick for Gallo!
November 4th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Fraz says:
Whats the deal with Amare? He seems to be getting off to a slow start. You think he’ll come around or should I try to work a trade with him now before the season gets to far along.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
cmarcelo20 says:
Hey Doc! need some help
I play in a 8 cat roto league
+ points for 1 -ppg, 3-steals,3-blocks, 1-rebs, 2-assits
- points on 1- fouls and 1- to’s
Here’s my roster you think I should drop anyone for
stephen jackson, sammy dalembert, rasheed wallace, sessions, courtney lee, udonis haslem, haywood or any other suggestions. thanks
cp3, iggy, d.rose, jason thompson, jeff green, b.lopez, noah, chris kaman, millsap, steph curry, troy murphy, jonny flynn
November 4th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
J HUSTLE says:
Dirk is killin so far this season. 10 yrs plus in the league and still nobody can stop him
November 4th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Jay says:
Doc!!
Question for you…what the hell is going on with Biedrins? He’s been playing like 20 min a game and he is underachieving on a team with no bigs at all. I’m thinking about trading him but what should I be asking for? or do you recommend me keeping him?
Thanks!
November 4th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Fraz: Yeah, slow start but he picked up his rebounding last night and was efficient offensively. He’ll come around very soon and if you’re gonna trade him, now’s not the time.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Jay: Nellie is killing his value, sadly. With no Turiaf though, Biedrins could see a boost in minutes/numbers, so watch him tonight.
I’d keep him a little while longer, and if he still isn’t producing, look to package him with another player.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
where high ankle sprains happen says:
hey doc,
should i drop frye for mo williams or young money?
i need assist and both have been shooting the 3 fairly well
November 4th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@where high ankle sprains happen says: That’s a tough call. I like Frye just as much as the other two right now.
I think Williams will be the most steady of the three, Jennings has the most potential for filling up the stat sheet in other cats, and Frye will hit the most threes.
If you could drop someone other than Frye to nab one of those two, that’ be ideal, but it sounds like you’re in a very shallow league so that might be tough.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
DoubleA says:
I had been considering dropping Marvin Williams for Gallo but over the weekend somebody beat me to him, leaving me Luol Deng instead. I’m already leading the league in 3’s so I think I ended up better off.
I’m also starting to think my pick of Brand this year is a little wishful thinking like my drafting Tomlinson in football this year…
November 4th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@DoubleA: You weren’t alone with Brand, but it’s still early.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Jay says:
Whats Up Doc..
Thanks for the heads up of Biedrins…However, i just had one more questions for you
Would you trade O.J. Mayo & Diaw for Salmons & Odom?
I’d be getting Mayo & Diaw
Thanks
November 4th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Jay: I’m afraid of how Iverson will affect Mayo (and Conley) in Memphis, but I’m also expecting Odom’s value to take a hit once Gasol returns (maybe this Friday).
I think that’s a fair deal for both sides. You’d be getting the two more consistent players in that trade, though Salmons should turn it around soon enough.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Ian says:
doc
nash and ak or curry (not the fat one) and melo?
November 4th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
nola says:
shallow league: trade amare for chauncey and bogut?
November 4th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Ian: Hm, you might need to clarify that.
If you mean, Nash and AK/Curry FOR Melo, I’d say the Nash side wins by a slight margin.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@nola: I like that deal for both sides, especially since that’s about fair value for an underperforming Stoudemire. Bogut looks good and benefits from Redd’s absence.
I’m assuming you’re giving up Stoudemire, in which case, if you need threes and assists go for it. It’s always a risk to trade away such a high pick though.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@cmarcelo20: Your most droppable players are Millsap and Flynn.
The most attractive free agents in your league are Wallace, Lee, Haslem and Haywood, in approximate order.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
fLaVa says:
Hey Doc,
My Bosh/Speights FOR his Okur/Nelson ?
November 4th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@fLaVa: Pretty even deal there. You gain on threes and assists, so if that’s what you’re gunning for, looks good to me, especially with Nelson really coming on as of late.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:01 am
Matt says:
Doc – Should I trade Troy Murphy for Chris Kaman?
November 5th, 2009 at 2:22 am
Matt says:
Also, someone offered me a trade of Chris Bosh and Ben Gordon for Kobe Bryant. Should I accept?
November 5th, 2009 at 2:23 am
Matt says:
Btw, its a keeper league in which we get to keep 2 players every year. Currently Deron Wiliams and Kobe are my keepers. There are 13 roster spots.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:03 am
The Fantasy Doctor says:
@Matt: Interesting idea there. If you want more boards and blocks and can afford to lose out on threes and FT%, this is a solid deal.
The Kobe deal is appealing. I’d be hard-pressed to turn that down, but be aware that Gordon’s value will take a slight hit when Rip returns, and Bosh is always an injury concern. If you can stomach those two things, go for it.
I also like Bosh and Gordon as keepers, given their ages.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
martin says:
Should I drop tayshaun prince for corey maggette?
Just acquired barnes and quentin richardson