2009-2010 Week 15 Fantasy Basketball Guide

Categorized as: Author: Erik, Fantasy Basketball
Posted on: January 31st, 2010

Don Nelson is just frustrating me to no end. I pick up Anthony Tolliver after the fella logs in a couple of good games. You know, legitimate eye-openers, double-double performances. So here I am, feeling like a genius for getting the jump on some of the other managers in my leagues. Just like a cold shower, Nelson shocks me back into the reality that is the Golden State Warriors, and decides to return Tolliver to the bench. If I wasn’t afraid of jail time and the corresponding unwanted (by me) sexual experiences that can come with it, I was really tempted to go out into the streets and gouge someone’s eyes out. In the end, I opted to drop him in favor of some better prospects in the pool. The very next night, I am slapped in the face to see him start once again.

While my therapist tells me that Don Nelson is not specifically out to get me or out to ruin my fantasy basketball success, thoughts of paranoia filled my mind as I struggled to find some rhyme or reason in his system… that didn’t help.

Well that was last week’s fantasy basketball highlight for me. How was your week?

Moving on, Week 15 is not as going to be as game-filled as last week, but injured stars are still abound and there are of course some new players to look at as pick-up options. I would, however, personally stay away from Anthony Tolliver.

Teams with FOUR games: ATL, BOS, CHI, DEN, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, NJN, NOR, POR, SAC, WAS

Teams with THREE games: CHA, CLE, DAL,DET GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, NYK, OKL, ORL, PHI, PHO, SAN, TOR, UTA

There’s only ONE team with TWO games this week and that’s the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sit your Al Jeffersons, Kevin Loves, and Jonny Flynns.

Team in focus: New Jersey Nets

Devin Harris has been out for a week. I took advantage and used Keyon Dooling in a couple of my daily changes leagues. Now if you’re in a weekly changes league, I would still hold off on plugging Harris back in for this week in spite of him being expected to return. He will definitely be weighed down by injury-rust and won’t probably get off with starter’s minutes from the get go. Sit him down until his game stabilizes.

It’s time to let go. Chris Douglas-Roberts, or CDR for blogging convenience, has just been killed by the return of Yi Jianlian. Shortly after his splash of a return, Yi killed his own value by being his inconsistent self once again. Drop Yi in standard leagues and drop CDR in 16-man or shallower. Kris Humphries, who came to the Nets in a trade with Dallas for Eduardo Najera has had some erratic and yet promising performances. Keep an eye on his minutes and/or how terribly Yi is playing lately, he will likely take some of those minutes and opportunities from the Nets’ overpaid Chinese import.

Brook Lopez. What can I say? I love ya bud! (no homo – as Dennis Velasco loves to say, or has to often qualify)

Courtney Lee is back and health. Plug him in.

Terrence Williams is showing some flashes of what New Jersey grabbed him for. I would hold off on grabbing him yourselves from your FA pools, just yet. A string of four good games, will be needed by this kid to return into good standing in my fantasy basketball watch list.

Injuries and Replacements:

George Hill is going to have some value this week as he fills in for injured Tony Parker. The same can be said about Paul Millsap as he steps in for Carlos Boozer.

Brandon Roy is expected to return this week. It’s a bit of a gamble to insert him right away. He will probably be taking it easy in his first couple of games back. So the second-round pick form won’t be there just yet. For now, Rudy and Steve, well obviously Andre, will be picking up most of the back court slack. Nicolas Batum has had a couple of good games. He will be challenging Martell Webster for some of those minutes at SF. Keep your eyes on him.

Daniel Gibson has been doing a decent job, at least from the three-point shooting end of things, while filling in for Mo Williams who is still several weeks away from returning.

Marcus Thornton has been awesome as the Hornets new starting SG! Grab him… yesterday!

Matt Bonner is back, he should give DeJuan Blair’s fantasy value a hit. Well a small one. As Bonner gets healthy(er), consider him as a prospective deep-league small-ball team target.

Chris Paul has a knee injury and that makes Darren Collison, once again, a must-look in most leagues and a must-pick-up in deep ones.

Joakim Noah has been playing well despite struggling with plantar fasciitis. Hooray for modern sports medicine. It should be safe to plug him in this week. Speaking of the said injury, Ron Artest appears to be doing a lot better nowadays and seems to be on his way to a recovery as well.

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Tags: Brandon Roy, Brook Lopez, Darren Collison, Devin Harris, George Hill, Joakim Noah, Kris Humphries, Marcus Thornton, Matt Bonner, Nicolas Batum, Tony Parker