Curry was hot last night. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

Beast of the Night: Stephen Curry owned the Jazz last night, finishing with 29 points, five boards, 12 assists, three steals and a pair of threes. He shot 71 percent (10-14) from the floor, 88 percent (7-8) from the free-throw line and had three turnovers. This was a nice bounce-back game for Curry, who had just 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting in his previous two games. For the season, he’s averaging top 10 numbers, which is right in line with expectations. Now let’s hope his ankles stay intact.

Lines for Discussion:
Derrick Rose: 12-26 FG (46%), 6-9 FT (67%), 2 threes, 32 Pts, 4 Reb, 13 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; Rose has scored 32+ points in four of his last five games

Amar’e Stoudemire: 16-27 FG (59%), 2-4 FT (50%), 34 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO; STAT has been a huge disappointment so far this season and inconsistency will plague him the rest of the way, but there’s still a reasonable dose of optimism to be had here

Landry Fields: 7-10 FG (70%), 0-1 FT (0%), 3 threes, 17 Pts, 4 Ast, 1 Stl; in his last nine games, Fields is averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 threes, good for top 40 value

Wesley Matthews: 4-12 FG (33%), 1 three, 9 Pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl; Matthews has totaled 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, six steals and one three-pointer in his last three games

Monta Ellis: 12-21 FG (62%), 4-5 FT (80%), 3 threes, 33 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Stl, 3 TO; his poor shooting from the field (42 percent) weighs down his otherwise solid fantasy value

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Ivan Johnson: 10 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Blk, 2 TO (*)

Kyle Korver: 16 Pts, 3 threes, 2 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO (**)

C.J. Watson: 12 Pts, 1 three, 1 Reb, 3 Stl, 2 TO (*)

Iman Shumpert: 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 8 Ast, 1 Stl, 4 TO (**)

Greivis Vasquez: 16 Pts, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (***)

Tiago Splitter: 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO (***)

Gordon Hayward: 21 Pts, 1 three, 4 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO (***)

Jamaal Tinsley: 9 Pts, 1 three, 6 Reb, 13 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (**)

Ekpe Udoh: 7 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 Blk (**)

Timofey Mozgov: 11 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO (*)

Injuries:
Jason Collins (elbow): left last night’s game early; monitor his status

Gerald Henderson (hamstring): will miss 2-4 weeks

Luol Deng (wrist): day-to-day

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Anthony Parker (back): out tonight

Shawn Marion (knee): will play tonight

Brendan Haywood (back): likely to return tonight

Lamar Odom (illness): ditto

George Hill (ankle): hoping to be out for no longer than three weeks

Darko Milicic (knee, illness): uncertain for tonight

Jarrett Jack (knee): day-to-day

Jason Richardson (knee): didn’t practice yesterday; monitor his status

Devin Harris (hamstring): day-to-day

Earl Watson (ankle): day-to-day

Corey Brewer (personal): day-to-day

For Tonight:
See if Darren Collison can produce another solid line with Hill out of the lineup, as the Pacers visit the Mavericks.

For Next Week:
4 games: ATL, BOS, CHI, CLE, DEN, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NJN, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA, WAS
3 games: CHA, DAL, DET, GSW, NOR, SAS

[See another version of this post on DimeMag.com]

Yep, he's still No. 1. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Weekend Wonder: LeBron James averaged 28.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in two games over the weekend. He shot 57 percent from the floor, hit 94 percent of his free throws and turned the ball over 3.5 times per game. James is shooting 56 percent from the field so far this season, thanks to his apparently deliberate attempts to shoot fewer three-pointers and take shots closer to the rim.

Lines for Discussion:
LaMarcus Aldridge (1/20): 12-25 FG (48%), 9-14 FT (64%), 33 Pts, 23 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 6 TO; he’s quietly putting together top 12 averages so far this season

Stephen Curry (1/20): 5-15 FG (33%), 2 threes, 12 Pts, 2 Reb, 3 Ast, 3 TO; his minutes will likely be limited for a few games, but his owners should feel bold enough to start him

Danilo Gallinari (1/21): 9-19 FG (47%), 18-20 FT (90%), 1 three, 37 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; Gallinari is now shooting 46 percent from the field, his highest mark since arriving in the NBA and a big reason for his top 10 value so far this season

Amar’e Stoudemire (1/21): 4-9 FG (44%), 3-4 FT (75%), 1 three, 12 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 4 TO; he remains a decent buy-low target for owners desperate for change

Chris Kaman (1/21): 1-2 FG (50%), 1-1 FT (100%), 3 Pts, 1 Reb, 1 Blk, 2 TO; owners in need of immediate help, especially in shallower leagues, should feel free to swap him out

Marc Gasol (1/21): 8-11 FG (73%), 3-3 FT (100%), 1 three, 20 Pts, 11 Reb, 5 Ast, 1 Stl, 6 Blk; the man is averaging top five numbers so far this season and is outperforming the likes of Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Love

Devin Harris (1/21): 4-5 FG (80%), 1-2 FT (50%), 9 Pts, 2 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO; don’t feel bad about dropping him

Paul Pierce (1/22): 10-15 FG (67%), 12-15 FT (80%), 2 threes, 34 Pts, 8 Reb, 10 Ast, 3 Stl, 5 TO; Pierce is shooting just 41 percent from the field but remains a must-start player in all but the shallowest of leagues

DeAndre Jordan (1/22): 7-9 FG (78%), 2-4 FT (50%), 16 Pts, 16 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 Blk; too bad he doesn’t rebound like this every night — not that his owners are complaining

Anthony Morrow (1/22): 6-10 FG (60%), 4-4 FT (100%), 3 threes, 19 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 TO; nice line, but he continues to come off the bench and offer unreliable value

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
James Johnson: he’s starting and should be a fine all-around producer until further notice (***)

Shaun Livingston: Captain Jack’s loss is apparently Livingston’s gain, as he’s now starting and producing nice lines (**)

Bismack Biyombo: he’s inconsistent but is a good source of blocks (*)

Mickael Pietrus: owners in need of threes should give him a look (**)

Tiago Splitter: he posted a big 25/10/4 line Saturday with Tim Duncan out, but Splitter’s looked a lot better lately (**)

Mo Williams: the man has shot the lights out in his last three games and should be scooped up in most leagues (****)

Marreese Speights: unreliable but a decent big man to own in deeper leagues (**)

O.J. Mayo: he’s connected on 10 threes in his last three games (***)

Omer Asik: if Joakim Noah misses more time, Asik is worth a short-term pickup (*)

C.J. Miles: four of his last five games have been solid, and Miles is becoming a nice source of points, threes and steals (***)

Injuries:
Kirk Hinrich (shoulder): he’s hoping to play in the Hawks’ upcoming five-game road trip

Chris Wilcox (calf): day-to-day

Keyon Dooling (knee): day-to-day

Ray Allen (ankle): could play tonight

Rajon Rondo (wrist): monitor his status

DJ White (knee): day-to-day

D.J. Augustin (toe): day-to-day

Luol Deng (wrist): day-to-day

Chris Paul (hamstring): day-to-day

Dwyane Wade (ankle): day-to-day

Baron Davis (back): expected to practice today

Spencer Hawes (Achilles): game-time decision tonight

Andrea Bargnani (calf): day-to-day

Joakim Noah (ankle): day-to-day

Taj Gibson (ankle): day-to-day

Dirk Nowitzki (conditioning, knee): will miss three more games

Rudy Fernandez (Achilles): day-to-day

Arron Afflalo (groin): day-to-day

Ben Gordon (shoulder): day-to-day

Will Bynum (foot): day-to-day

Charlie Villanueva (ankle): day-to-day

Gerald Wallace (finger): day-to-day

Josh Howard (quad): day-to-day

Roy Hibbert (nose): left Sunday’s game with a broken nose but returned; monitor his status

Tristan Thompson (ankle): day-to-day

Daniel Gibson (personal): day-to-day

Darko Milicic (hip): day-to-day

Carmelo Anthony (wrist, ankle): monitor his status

Josh Harrellson (wrist): out for about six weeks

Iman Shumpert (back): day-to-day

Nikola Vucevic (quad): doubtful for tonight

John Salmons (illness): check his status for tonight

Marcus Thornton (thigh): day-to-day

For Tonight:
Watch to see if Stephen Jackson continues to come off the bench for the Bucks, as they host the Hawks.

Lamar Odom will see another start for the Mavs, who host the Suns tonight.

[See another version of this post on DimeMag.com]

All this fantasy value without a single three-pointer made. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Beast of the Night: LeBron James was big again last night, finishing 33 points, eight rebounds, 13 assists and two steals. He shot 57 percent (12-21) from the floor, 82 percent (9-11) from the free-throw line and had two turnovers. The man has yet to make a three-pointer and has only attempted one this season, but that has done nothing to drag down his fantasy value. King James remains far and away the best fantasy basketball player in the land.

Lines for Discussion:
Ryan Anderson: 7-16 FG (44%), 6-6 FT (100%), 3 threes, 23 Pts, 15 Reb; he’s averaging 19.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 threes per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 94 percent from the free-throw line — top five numbers

DeMar DeRozan: 9-18 FG (50%), 2-2 FT (100%), 5 threes, 25 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 TO; the three-point shooting is key to his otherwise yawn-worthy fantasy value

Boris Diaw: 12-15 FG (80%), 3 threes, 27 Pts, 3 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl, 5 TO; he remains a must-start player

Amar’e Stoudemire: 10-19 FG (53%), 4-5 FT (80%), 1 three, 25 Pts, 12 Reb, 1 Stl; his health remains the cap to his fantasy appeal

Joakim Noah: 5-9 FG (56%), 3-4 FT (75%), 13 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Blk, 5 TO; Noah’s first double-double of the season

O.J. Mayo: 4-9 FG (44%), 5-7 FT (71%), 1 three, 14 Pts, 4 Re b, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO; maybe the absence of Zach Randolph will be good for Mayo

Ricky Rubio: 5-9 FG (56%), 0-2 FT (0%), 2 threes, 12 Pts, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO; his strong shooting (53 percent from the field) and three-point making (a three per game) means I was completely wrong about this guy

Marcin Gortat: 10-15 FG (67%), 2-3 FT (67%), 22 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Blk, 2 TO; as his thumb mends, Gortat will recover fantasy value

Monta Ellis: 15-30 FG (50%), 4-4 FT (100%), 4 threes, 38 Pts, 2 Reb, 7 Ast, 2 Stl, 3 TO; though he’s dishing out a career-best rate of 8.2 assists per game, his field-goal percentage, scoring, rebounding and thieving have all dipped from their marks last season

DeMarcus Cousins: 9-12 FG (75%), 8-9 FT (89%), 26 Pts, 3 Reb, 3 Stl, 3 Blk, 2 TO; he’ll start again soon

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
James Johnson: 4 Pts, 8 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 TO (**)

MarShon Brooks: 17 Pts, 1 three, 2 Reb, 2 Stl, 1 TO (***)

Iman Shumpert: 18 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO (***)

Jordan Farmar: 11 Pts, 1 three, 1 Reb, 6 Ast, 3 TO (**)

Richard Hamilton: 14 Pts, 1 three, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 3 TO (****)

Norris Cole: 10 Pts, 1 three, 2 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 6 TO (**)

Evan Turner: 21 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 TO (**)

Brendan Haywood: 5 Pts, 12 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (*)

T.J. Ford: 9 Pts, 1 three, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 3 TO (*)

Chris Andersen: 8 Pts, 7 Reb, 3 Stl, 3 Blk, 1 TO (**)

Injuries:
LeBron James (ankle): monitor his status for tonight’s game

Dwyane Wade (Foot): ditto

Ray Allen (flu): monitor his status

Corey Maggette (hamstring): he could be out for a while; day-to-day

Rodney Stuckey (groin): day-to-day

Stephen Curry (ankle): yep, the same one; day-to-day

Lance Stephenson (ankle): day-to-day

Michael Beasley (finger): might sit out Friday’s game

Luc Mbah a Moute (knee): not expected to play tonight

Damion James (ankle): day-to-day

Deron Williams (ribs): day-to-day

Tyrus Thomas (ankle): could return as early as Friday

Nene (foot): day-to-day

Courtney Lee (calf): day-to-day

Tyler Hansbrough (hand): monitor his status

Zach Randolph (knee): a slight tear of his MCL will put him out of commission for up to eight weeks

Kris Humphries (shoulder): day-to-day

Trevor Ariza (groin): day-to-day

Jared Jeffries (calf): should return next week

Devin Harris (calf): monitor his status

Josh Howard (quad): day-to-day

For Tonight:
Check the statuses of LeBron and Wade, as the Heat visit the Hawks.

See if Andrew Bynum can continue his steamrolling tour in Portland tonight.

[See another version of this post on DimeMag.com]

What can Melo say? He loves that Knicks offense. (Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)

Beast of the Night: Carmelo Anthony kicked off the 2011-12 NBA season in a big way, finishing Christmas Day with 37 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, a block and four threes. He shot 59 percent (10-17) from the floor, hit 87 percent (13-15) of his free throws and had five turnovers. Melo clearly thrives in that Knicks offense and will prove himself worthy of a first-round pick this season.

Lines for Discussion:
Rajon Rondo: 11-19 FG (58%), 9-12 FT (75%), 31 Pts, 5 Reb, 13 Ast, 5 Stl, 5 TO; showed plenty of aggression and didn’t hesitate to take open jumpers

Tyson Chandler: 1-2 FG (50%), 5-8 FT (63%), 7 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 6 Blk; six blocks is nice, but just three rebounds against that Celtics frontcourt?

Amar’e Stoudemire: 8-11 FG (73%), 3-4 FT (75%), 2 threes, 21 Pts, 6 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO; keep those threes comin’

Kobe Bryant: 11-23 FG (48%), 6-7 FT (86%), 28 Pts, 7 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl, 8 TO; will continue to have flawed games as his wrist heals

Ryan Anderson: 9-17 FG (53%), 1-1 FT (100%), 6 threes, 25 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO; he’s in for a big season

Russell Westbrook: 6-17 FG (35%), 1-1 FT (100%), 1 three, 14 Pts, 7 Reb, 6 Ast, 3 Stl, 7 TO; a reminder of his flaws

Kevin Durant: 11-19 FG (58%), 6-11 FT (55%), 2 threes, 30 Pts, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO; if he keeps racking up those assists, he’ll be the clear-cut No. 1 in fantasy basketball

DeAndre Jordan: 1-2 FG (50%), 4-12 FT (33%), 6 Pts, 5 Reb, 8 Blk, 2 TO; still raw, but with those blocks, owners aren’t complaining

Stephen Curry: 2-12 FG (17%), 0-1 FT (0%), 4 Pts, 5 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 5 TO; owners have to wait for that ankle to heal

David Lee: 10-19 FG (53%), 1-2 FT (50%), 21 Pts, 12 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Blk, 4 TO; don’t call it a comeback

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Brandon Bass: 20 Pts, 11 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 TO

Udonis Haslem: 9 Pts, 14 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 3 TO

Steve Blake: 12 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 TO

Josh McRoberts: 6 Pts, 8 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Blk, 2 TO

Troy Murphy: 7 Pts, 8 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO

Andris Biedrins: 10 Pts, 8 Reb, 3 Blk

Brandon Rush: 12 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO

Injuries:
Iman Shumpert (knee): a sprained will put him out of commission for at least two weeks, probably longer

Reggie Evans (ankle): day-to-day

Jared Jeffries (calf): aggravated his calf injury and will miss 1-2 weeks

Mike Bibby (back): he was dressed but didn’t play yesterday; day-to-day

Marcus Camby (knee): practiced Saturday and is expected to start tonight

Paul Millsap (quad): practiced Saturday and should be ready to play Tuesday

Paul Pierce (heel): hoping to play Tuesday

Tyrus Thomas (ankle): didn’t practice Sunday and is doubtful tonight

Shawn Marion (finger): he fractured his left pinkie finger but will play through it

For Tonight:
See how many minutes Curry gets tonight, in the second game of a back-to-back set, as the Warriors host the Bulls.

The Hornets will have to rely on a small-name point guard, as Jarrett Jack serves his one-game suspension. Greivis Vasquez could be the guy to gamble on, if you’re in an incredibly deep league or if you enjoy these kinds of one-game plays.

[See another version of this post on DimeMag.com]

Yep, this will be fun. (Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images)

The 2011-12 NBA season is finally within reach, ready to be ripped open by the childishly eager fingers of ravenous fans. For fantasy basketball owners, the joy comes with a bit of business. Once they cut through the excitement of seeing the first tip-off of the season, they’ll immediately wonder how their draft picks will pay off, what clues they can pick up in the early going and which players sitting in the free-agent pool might be worth a pickup.

While making heavy-handed conclusions after just the first day of games isn’t recommended, it doesn’t hurt to have a list of things to watch and hope for during the first official day of this unique NBA season. Below is a Christmas Day wish list for fantasy basketball owners who have players participating in the first day’s games.

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks (12 p.m. EST):

• Healing for Paul Pierce’s bone bruise in his heel and a memorable Christmas Day performance
• Confidence and some form of a shooting touch for Rajon Rondo
• Protection for Jermaine O’Neal’s body, which will be heavily relied upon this season
• Extra rebounding opportunities for Amar’e Stoudemire, who will have to fight to maintain his rebounding average from last season now that Tyson Chandler’s on board
• A place for Landry Fields in the Knicks’ offense
• A place for Iman Shumpert in the Knicks’ offense
• A huge start to the season for Toney Douglas

Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks (2:30 p.m. EST):

• A triple-double and a pristine touch from the free-throw line for LeBron James
• Minutes for Norris Cole
• Plenty of open looks from three-point territory for Shane Battier
• A significant place for Udonis Haslem in the Heat’s rotation
• A glimmer of hope from Rodrigue Beaubois
• A performance to serve as an accurate indicator of Vince Carter’s value this season
• Enough minutes for Lamar Odom

Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers (5 p.m. EST):

• A high field-goal percentage from Derrick Rose
• Seamless integration into the Bulls’ offense for Richard Hamilton
• A more comfortable, productive role for Carlos Boozer
• Healing and protection for Kobe Bryant’s bum shooting wrist
• Confidence and a huge role for Pau Gasol, especially with Kobe’s injury and Andrew Bynum’s four-game suspension
• Across-the-board production from Josh McRoberts
• Something from Troy Murphy

Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (8 p.m. EST):

• A miraculously improved touch from the free-throw line for Dwight Howard
• Plenty of minutes for both Glen Davis and Ryan Anderson
• Sufficient minutes for J.J. Redick
• For the impressive weight loss to benefit Kendrick Perkins’ on-court production
• Even more signs of progress from Serge Ibaka
• A starting gig for James Harden
• An improved shooting touch for Russell Westbrook
• More assists than turnovers from Kevin Durant

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors (10:30 p.m. EST):

• A stupid number of assists from Chris Paul
• Fifty-percent shooting from the floor and plenty of threes for Chauncey Billups
• A pair of blocks and immaculate free-throw shooting from Blake Griffin
• A comfortable spot in the rotation for Mo Williams
• A coming-out party for DeAndre Jordan, with plenty of blocks and boards to go around
• An accurate indication of what Caron Butler will do this season
• Healing and protection for Stephen Curry’s ankle
• A focused Monta Ellis
• A strong sequel for Dorell Wright’s breakout 2010-11 campaign
• No tooth incident for David Lee, and a strong reminder of his fantasy appeal
• Minutes for Ekpe Udoh and Klay Thompson

You're not one of those people who still drafts Kobe in the first round, are you? (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

It’s time to get grinchy, which is a good thing.

We need some salt to cut through all the sweetness of discussions about sleepers, up-and-comers and late-round steals. So, to that end, below is a quick list of the five NBA players most likely to fall short of meeting their expected values heading into this season, the inherent value of their name or whatever residual impressions of value they’ve carried over from last season in some owners’ minds.

You can read the full article about the top five underperformers over at DimeMag.com. Below is just a list of the names with brief explanations — along with five bonus names, just for this blog’s readers.

See, even the Grinch values its audience.

• Kevin Garnett (PF, Boston Celtics): old age, limited/controlled minutes in a tough schedule
• Michael Beasley (SF/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves): overrated fantasy value, Derrick Williams
• Jason Terry (PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks): Vince Carter, Roddy Beaubois, Delonte West
• Paul Millsap (PF, Utah Jazz): Derrick Favors, trade potential
• Eric Gordon (SG, New Orleans Hornets): focal point of Hornets’ offense, focal point of opponents’ defense; injury history
• Tyreke Evans (PG/SG, Sacramento Kings): too much offensive tools on that squad, still hasn’t shown good decision-making
• Kobe Bryant (SG, Los Angeles Lakers): overrated for fantasy purposes, too much team/personal turmoil (powder keg)
• Amar’e Stoudemire (PF/C, New York Knicks): already reported to probably not play all 66 games, presence of Tyson Chandler
• DeMarcus Cousins (PF/C, Sacramento Kings): too much offense on that team, had glaring weaknesses last season (FG%, FT%, TOs)
• Caron Butler (SG/SF, Los Angeles Clippers): name is bigger than his fantasy value, not a prominent option on offense, his knee

'Melo vaults into first-round status thanks to that fantasy-friendly offense in New York. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Depth chart:
PG: Chauncey Billups, Toney Douglas, Anthony Carter*
SG: Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert, Andy Rautins, Roger Mason*
SF: Carmelo Anthony, Shawne Williams*, Bill Walker
PF: Amar’e Stoudemire, Jared Jeffries*, Shelden Williams*, Renaldo Balkman, Derrick Brown**
C: Ronny Turiaf, Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan

* unrestricted free agent
** restricted free agent

Relevant fantasy players and their projected draft positions/per-game stats:
- Carmelo Anthony, SF (Rd. 1): 45% FG, 80% FT, 2 Threes, 27 Pts, 7 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 2.8 TO
- Amar’e Stoudemire, PF/C (Rd. 2): 50% FG, 80% FT, 24 Pts, 7.5 Reb, 2.5 Ast, 1 Stl, 1.8 Blk, 3 TO
- Chauncey Billups, PG (Rd. 4): 42% FG, 90% FT, 2.2 Threes, 16.5 Pts, 3 Reb, 5.8 Ast, 1 Stl, 2.5 TO
- Toney Douglas, PG/SG (Rd. 10): 40% FG, 11 Pts, 1.5 Threes, 2.5 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1.5 TO
- Landry Fields, SG/SF (Rd. 11): 47% FG, 80% FT, 1 Three, 9 Pts, 6 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1.5 TO

Sleeper:
Shumpert

Most likely to surprise:
Douglas

Most likely to disappoint:
Billups

Category specialists:
- Threes: Anthony, Billups, Douglas
- Blocks: Stoudemire

Things to consider:
- Billups‘ health
- how the crowded backcourt shakes out
- the glaring lack of a reliable center

Team’s statistical NBA ranks from 2010-11:
- Pts: 2nd
- FGM: T-7th
- FGA: 6th
- FG%: 19th
- FT%: 2nd
- 3PTM: 2nd
- Reb: T-19th
- Ast: 15th
- TO: 10th
- Stl: T-8th
- Blk: 4th
- Pace: 2nd
- Offensive Efficiency: 5th
- Defensive Efficiency: 21st

Fantasy-friendliness for 2011-12: B+

Bonus:
Jared Jeffries is coming home

Youngsters might not remember, but back in Minnesota, KG was one B.A.M.F. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Reddit is a wonderful thing. Reddit’s r/NBA subreddit just makes it even wonderfuller.

User Browsing_From_Work recently posted a spreadsheet including all NBA player stats from 2004-2011, scraped from NBA.com. Go have fun with it. (The best way to play with the data is to go to “File” –> “Download as” –> “Excel,” then sort and fiddle to your heart’s content.)

Using that data, here are the 10 most efficient individual player seasons from 2004-2011:

1. LeBron James, 2009-10 (CLE): 32.42
2. Kevin Garnett, 2004-05 (MIN): 31.96
3. LeBron James, 2008-09 (CLE): 30.88
4. Chris Paul, 2008-09 (NOH): 30.46
5. LeBron James, 2007-08 (CLE): 30.33
6. LeBron James, 2005-06 (CLE): 29.42
7. Dwyane Wade, 2008-09 (MIA): 29.29
8. Kevin Garnett, 2006-07 (MIN): 29.17
9. Shawn Marion, 2005-06 (PHX): 28.85

Here are the 10 most efficient players in 2010-11:

1. LeBron James (MIA): 28.58
2. Kevin Love (MIN): 28.37
3. Dwight Howard (ORL): 28.31
4. Blake Griffin (LAC): 25.63
5. Pau Gasol (LAL): 25.40
6. Kevin Durant (OKC): 24.95
7. Dwyane Wade (MIA): 24.78
8. Amar’e Stoudemire (NYK): 24.59
9. Zach Randolph (MEM): 24.43
10. Dirk Nowitzki (DAL): 23.49

Do you notice any big names missing from these lists? What other interesting tidbits do you find in this data?

In the slightly tweaked words of Mary J. Blige, no more ‘Melodrama. It should come as a surprise to no one but the blindest Nets fan that Carmelo Anthony has finally landed in Manhattan to play for the New York Knicks. While the deal is awaiting league approval, and though some of these names will probably move again before Thursday’s trade deadline, here’s a quick look at the fantasy impact of this mega deal. To read my full thoughts on the fallout, head on over to DimeMag.com.

New York Knicks get: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman and Corey Brewer

Fantasy impact:
↔ Carmelo Anthony

↑ Chauncey Billups

↔ Amar’e Stoudemire

↑ Ronny Turiaf

↔ Corey Brewer

↔ Shelden Williams

↔ Renaldo Balkman

↔ Shawne Williams

↔ Toney Douglas

Denver Nuggets get: Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov

Fantasy impact:
↑ Ty Lawson

↓ Raymond Felton

↓ Danilo Gallinari

↓ Wilson Chandler

↑ Arron Afflalo

↑ J.R. Smith

↓ Timofey Mozgov

Minnesota Timberwolves get: Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry

Fantasy impact:
↑ Anthony Randolph

↑ Martell Webster

There shall be no Yao Ming here. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

Now that the NBA has announced its All-Star starters for 2010-11, it’s our turn. In case you missed it, back in late December we posted our “ballots” for the 2010-11 NBA fantasy All-Stars. The idea behind this was, “If the NBA can have us vote on each season’s All-Stars, why can’t we do the same for fantasy basketball?” Well, the people have spoken.

It’s clear that some players earned the most votes based purely on their straight-up values so far this season. In other cases, the reasons were a bit less obvious. Some races were close, others were blowouts. Below is a rundown of the results, along with my own votes and brief comments.

Eastern Conference starters (number/percent of votes for each position)
PG: Derrick Rose (71/37%)
My vote: Raymond Felton
Comments: There are three main reasons to vote for a player to be a fantasy All-Star: 1) he boasts the best averages so far; 2) he has offered the biggest returns based on his average draft position; or 3) you just plain like him. For me, Felton fulfills criteria Nos. 1 and 2. Yes, he’s slowed down a lot lately and looks like he’s burning out, but based on what he’s done so far in 2010-11, and based on the fact that he’s offered top-20 value despite being drafted around No. 60 overall (this and all other referenced average draft positions are according to Yahoo), Felton is a no-brainer for me. Rose is right there with him, but the tie-breaker is Rose was picked in the third round of most drafts and is offering top-20 value, a feat that isn’t as surprising as Felton’s. But hey, Rose is finally nailing threes, so who am I to rain on that parade?

SG: Dwyane Wade (82/43%)
My vote: Ray Allen
Comments: Wade has produced top-20 numbers so far, which falls far short of his average draft position of 6.0. But I have no qualms with having him win the race here. I’m picking Allen simply because he was supposed to be showing signs of atrophy this season. Instead, he’s improved upon six of the nine major statistical categories counted in fantasy leagues and has been a top-25 fantasy stud so far in 2010-11. Case closed.

SF: LeBron James (95/50%)
My vote: Paul Pierce
Comments: I’m a bit surprised to see James get so many votes here, not just because he’s been a bit of a disappointment, but also because he’s just not as likable as he once was. I’m fine with James here — after all, he’s averaging around 26/7/7. The reason I’d choose Pierce is because of his stunning averages so far. He has improved his scoring, field-goal percentage, rebounding, assists, turnovers and, by smaller margins, his blocks and free-throw percentage. All this has placed him among the top 15 fantasy players in the land thus far this season, which is pretty elite air. I was never a fan of Pierce for fantasy purposes, but I can’t deny his stellar play.

PF:  Josh Smith (64/34%)
My vote: Kevin Garnett
Comments: This was probably the most bewildering result to me. Yeah, Smith started out with a roar, but he’s since tapered off and has underperformed his average draft position (17.2) by putting up top-30 numbers so far this season. Smith’s bread and butter — his steals and blocks — have both dipped from their 2009-10 marks. Garnett should be the winner here. He’s taken a gulp from the fountain of youth, has his knee back and is averaging top-12 numbers. If that doesn’t convince you, maybe this will.

C: Amar’e Stoudemire (61/54%)
My vote: Al Horford
Comments: Stoudemire has proven his doubters wrong. He doesn’t need Steve Nash, he can rebound (on most nights) and he can really block shots (2.3 per game, tied for third in the NBA). So I don’t have a problem with this pick. I’d vote for Horford simply because he’s putting up slightly better value overall and was drafted nearly 1.5 rounds after Stoudemire.

Reserves (the second highest vote-getters at each position): Raymond Felton (57/29%), Ray Allen (35/18%), Paul Pierce (50/26%), Wilson Chandler (41/22%), Dwight Howard (28/25%)

Western Conference starters (number/percent of votes for each position)
PG: Chris Paul (61/36%)
My vote: Russell Westbrook
Comments: CP3 is the No. 1 overall fantasy player right now based on averages, so it’s not surprising at all to see him get the most votes here. I’m going with Westbrook because he’s far outperforming his average draft position of 35.6. Westbrook is putting up top-20 averages so far and has improved on his shooting from the field (a big weakness in his first two seasons in the NBA) and free-throw line, his rebounding, assists, steals and scoring from last season’s marks. The one downside is that he’s turning the ball over an insane 3.8 times per game (third worst in the league), but we knew that was one of his weaknesses coming into the season. I was a Westbrook doubter this fall, but he’s making me look a fool right now — maybe that’s the main reason I’m giving him my vote.

SG: Manu Ginobili/Monta Ellis (tied: 50/31% each)
My vote: Manu Ginobili
Comments: This was our only tie, and it’s understandable — both of these guys manage to put up exciting fantasy numbers on nearly every night they’re on the court, and despite their reputations for DNPs, both Ginobili and Ellis have managed to rack up a total of exactly zero DNPs so far this season. I’m voting for Batman because he’s averaging better numbers (top-five numbers, in fact) so far this season and he was drafted at around No. 39 overall. Ellis, on the other hand, is averaging slightly inferior numbers (top-15, which isn’t shabby) but was drafted at an average of No. 29 overall. There’s also the “Robert Downey Jr./’Iron Man’” factor here: We always knew Ginobili had the talent to be a fantasy stud — he just couldn’t stay healthy enough or play enough minutes to realize that potential. Well, 2010-11 arrived and so far, it has proven to be the perfect situation for Ginobili: health, a steady starting gig, a faster offense and a superstar teammate in decline. This season is his “Iron Man.”

SF: Kevin Durant (74/45%)
My vote: Dorell Wright
Comments: KD is doing his thing and that’s fine and dandy, but Wright has blindsided the fantasy basketball world this season. He wasn’t drafted in most leagues but has managed to rise up and produce averages good enough to rank him at No. 16 overall so far this season. If that isn’t a feel-good story, I don’t know what is. Wright gets my Amar’e nod of approval.

PF:  Kevin Love (76/46%)
My vote: Kevin Love
Comments: If you disagree here, I have nothing to say to you. Love was taken around No. 42 in drafts this fall and has feasted on the competition on his way to top-three value. The only thing he hasn’t done in 2010-11 is master the art of the high-five. Just give him time — Love will get the hang of it soon enough.

C: Pau Gasol (71/73%)
My vote: Pau Gasol
Comments: Gasol got the biggest share of votes of any of the starters in both conferences, and for good reason. The return of Andrew Bynum has been a bit of a downer for Gasol’s value, but he remains a player who does everything well. Just take a look at his averages so far in January: 17.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, one steal, 1.7 blocks and two turnovers per game. He’s also shooting 53 percent from the field and 86 percent from the charity stripe this month. The numbers and votes say it all.

Reserves (the second highest vote-getters at each position): Deron Williams (47/28%), Kobe Bryant (19/11%), Rudy Gay (42/25%), Dirk Nowitzki (51/31%), Serge Ibaka (9/9%)