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The All Bench Team

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Categorized as: Author: Patrick, Fantasy Basketball
Posted on: December 8th, 2008

A lot of times, when we talk about breakout players or free agent pickups, we focus on guys who are starting or getting the opportunity to start, as if being a starter is the magic pill that makes guys good. And sure, minutes matter quite a bit when taking into account fantasy value, but there are plenty of players who average decent minutes off the bench.

So, I’d like to salute those players who do more with less, who bring it without the benefit of being introduced to the crowd. Here is the all bench team, which includes players who have started in less than half their teams’ games (with games started in parenthesis).

PG – Jason Terry (26%) – Terry is currently the top rated bench player according to the GMTR crystal ball. He’s currently the 30th best fantasy player this year despite starting in only 26% of the Mavs games this season (though he is averaging 35 minutes a game). So, instead of starting Terry, Dallas has thrown out, in order, Antoine Wright, Jerry Stackhouse, Antoine Wright, Gerald Green, Antoine Wright, and most recently, Jose Juan Barea. Gerald Green’s box scores are particularly hilarious to look at.

SG – Nate Robinson (20%) – In the D’Antoni system, Robinson has danced his way to a 14/4/4 line with close to 2 threes a game. People were hoping that he’d get the starting gig after the departure of Jamal Crawford. Instead, he got himself an unfortunate injury to the man region, which he unfortunately reaggravated by trying to come back too soon on Dec 5th. His competition for the SG spot is Quentin Richardson, so you’ve got to think Robinson has a good chance to be starting at some point this season.

SF – Andrei Kirilenko (0%) – the only “all bench” starter to actually not have started yet this year, if you’ve ever owned AK, you know the drill. He does a little bit of everything and occasionally explodes for some of the most insane lines you’ve ever seen. Somehow it all adds up in the end. Just don’t ask me to do the math.

PF – Paul Millsap (41%): Millsap IS currently starting in place of the Booz. And here is what he’s averaging in those starts: 17 points, 11 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.1 blocks. And 3.7 fouls. So, he is what we thought he was. Three years ago! And with Boozer likely returning this week, it looks like he’ll head back to the small cage where the Jazz keep him 6 months a year.

C – Spencer Hawes (43%): Ok, I called this the all bench team and then throw out 2 starters in a row. Sure, Hawes currently is starting (as a PF for the Kings), but I’m including him in here because he’s started less than 50% of his teams games and the C spot is a little thin. Ok, a lot thin (just look at the backup center). In his second year, Hawes has shown he can ball, averaging over 12 and 7 in 29 minutes a game and pushing Jason Thompson out of a starting role.

Bench: Rudy Fernandez (0%), Trevor Ariza (0%), Ramon Sessions (20%), Anderson Varejao (0%).

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Other Stuff Like This:

  • Evan
    I've got three of the Bench Team's bench players--Ariza, Fernandez, and Sessions.
  • Nice assortment of players. I agree Terry is the best of the bunch.
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