Give Me The Rock
this is fantasy basketball
Not everyone can be the greatest. Sometimes it’s important to celebrate lesser achievements, like the Golden Globes or the time you got a gold star for not eating paste in kindergarten. So I present to you, the Eddie House All-Stars, a collection of talent that does the most with the least. What does it take to be an Eddie House All-Star?
1. Play less than 20 minutes a game
2. Rack up mad stats during that limited playing time.
It’s as simple as that. Bonus points for playing in a lot of games. No bonus points for intangibles. Intangibles are something one does when not in the act of shooting. The Eddie House All-Stars does need to waste it’s time with intangibles. Onto the team.
Starters
Marcus Williams (PG): Easily the best point guard for the Eddie House All-Stars. He averaged close to 10 assists per 48 minutes and still found time to shoot the ball, averaging 20 points (per 48). It’s too bad he’s stuck behind Jason Kidd on the Nets, as he’s got the ability to be more than just an EH All-Star.
Eddie House (SG): How about that. An entire Nets’ backcourt! House gets grandfathered onto the team as long as he plays less than 20 minutes a game, which unfortunately should be the rest of his career. He provides this team with much needed firepower – which is kinda his thing – averaging close to 9 threes per 48 minutes. That was good for 12th in the league last season (former EH All-Star JR Smith was first at 12.5).
Tyrus Thomas (SF): He’s more of a power forward, but this is an all-star team, so who really cares what position he plays. If he did play 48 minutes a game, his defensive stats would be off the charts, although he’d also average over 8 fouls a game. So, he’s a little excitable, but the Eddie House All-Stars encourages that kind of balls-out effort. Fouls are a stat, right?
Paul Millsap (PF): Bonus points for being the only EH All-Star to play in all 82 games last season. Millsap actually had some real fantasy value for a couple weeks last season due to Jazz injuries at various times. But ultimately, he’s stuck behind Carlos Boozer on the Jazz for now, so he’ll just have to keep on making the most of his 18 minutes a game.
Etan Thomas (C): Every good all-star team needs a published poet. The Eddie House All-Stars are no different. Thomas slides under the threshold by playing 19.2 minutes a game, but on a 48 minute basis, he would lead the all-star team with close to 15 rebounds and 4 blocks a game.
The Bench
This team can play some lockdown defense in the paint, but they’re going to need some offense off the bench. Carlos Arroyo (PG) and Brian Cook (F) will have to take the shots when Eddie House is on the bench. Arroyo also brings some assists (7.4 per 48) with him and Cook will hit some threes (2.1 per 48).
Although they don’t provide quite the same defense as the starters, both Ronny Turiaf (F) and Stromile Swift (C) are going to block their fair share of shots and grab some rebounds. And since the team already has a poet, they really could use a dancer.
Those are the Eddie House All-Stars for 2006/2007. And it’s not all fun and games. I’ve learned two things over the course of writing this post. First, it’s apparently a lot easier to come of the bench for 15-20 minutes a game and contribute defensively than it is to contribute offensively. While there were a boatload of guys whose per 48 minute rebounds were over 10 and per 48 minute blocks were over 3, Marcus Williams and Carlos Arroyo were pretty much the only guys contributing a significant amount of assists. If Etan Thomas magically played 48 minutes a game, he would league the league in rebounds by about 2 a game over Kevin Garnett. On the other hand, the 48 minute a game Eddie House would be 15th in the league in scoring, right ahead of Zach Randolph. Remember that for your fantasy leagues.
Second, the team actually contains some guys to keep a watch on fantasy wise. With more minutes, Marcus Williams, Tyrus Thomas, Paul Millsap, and even Stromile Swift could be in for breakout seasons. Thomas is especially likely to get more minutes as he impressed at the end of last season and was a beast in the summer league. Tyrus Thomas – don’t get to comfortable on the Eddie House All-Stars, there’s another all-star team that may want you in a couple years.
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