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After a slow start, Mayo roared back with a wicked weekend. (Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Weekend Wonder: O.J. Mayo averaged 24.5 points, 4.5 threes, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and 2.5 turnovers in his two games over the weekend. He shot 44.7 percent from the field and 100 percent from the line. I’m trying to think of a clever way to incorporate the word “mustard” or “ketchup” here, but I can’t.

Lines for Discussion:
Rajon Rondo (10/29): 4-12 FG (33%), 2-6 FT (33%), 10 Pts, 10 Reb, 24 Ast, 1 Stl, 7 TO

Dwight Howard (10/29): 8-15 FG (53%), 3-7 FT (43%), 19 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (continue reading…)

That's Millsap for you. (NBA.com)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Beast of the Night: Paul Millsap finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks and 1 turnover against the Suns. He shot 69 percent (9-13) from the field and 33 percent (1-3) from the line. It’s early in the season, but these types of lines will be commonplace for Millsap this season.

Lines for Discussion:
Dwight Howard: 7-9 FG (78%), 9-19 FT (47%), 23 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 Blk, 3 TO

Vince Carter: 8-12 FG (67%), 0-1 FT (0%), 2 threes, 18 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast (continue reading…)

New uniforms, new look: D-Will has a new lineup to lead this season. (NBA.com)

Depth chart:
PG: Deron Williams, Earl Watson, Ronnie Price, Sundiata Gaines
SG: Raja Bell, Othyus Jeffers
SF: Andrei Kirilenko, Gordon Hayward, C.J. Miles
PF: Paul Millsap, Jeremy Evans
C: Al Jefferson, Mehmet Okur

Relevant fantasy players and projected draft positions/per-game stats:
Deron Williams – PG (Rd. 1): 19 Pts, 1.5 threes, 3.5 Reb, 10 Ast, 1 Stl
Al Jefferson – F/C (Rd. 2-3): 19 Pts, 10 Reb, 1.5 Blk
Paul Millsap – PF (Rd. 6-7): 14 Pts, 7.5 Reb, 1 Stl, 1.5 Blk
Mehmet Okur – F/C (Rd. 9-10): 10 Pts, 1 three, 5 Reb, 1 Blk
Andrei Kirilenko – F (Rd. 9-10): 12 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 1.5 Stl, 1.5 Blk
Raja Bell – SG (Rd. 12+): 10 Pts, 2 threes
C.J. Miles – G/F (Rd. 13+): 9 Pts, 1.5 threes
Gordon Hayward – G/F (Rd. 13+): 8 Pts, 1.5 threes
Earl Watson - PG (Rd. 13+): 5 Pts, 3.5 Ast (continue reading…)

What does Yaouch Ming have to do with Dolph Lundgren? Probably nothing, but whatever. (Keith Allison/Flickr)

With every new season there’s a fresh list of fantasy basketball players that are on the verge of being given up on. Some of these players are walking DNPs that have one more shot to prove that they can play a full season, or something close to it; others are players who have coyly toed the line between fantasy goodness and fantasy greatness for a few seasons and are testing our collective patience; others have failed to fulfill past “sleeper” labels; still others are former studs who have regressed into duds in recent seasons and have one last shot at a redemptive comeback season before they’re permanently locked in the cellar.

Here’s a list of nine such players teetering on the edge of utter hopelessness this season (from a nine-category perspective), along with a rating of how close they are to being lost causes. We’ll use an uber-macho scale of Dolph Lundgrens (1 = not that close from final doom, 5 = direly close). Why nine, and why Dolphs? Look no further than here for a visual explanation.

It’s go time. (continue reading…)

Yeah, that's right Gilbert -- your number's finally been called. (Keith Allison/Flickr)

Round seven and still going strong.

It’s been a fun ride so far and this middle part of the draft is where it gets really exhilarating. The pressure of conforming to general opinion from the earlier rounds is gone, but the pickings aren’t yet slim enough that you can let up a bit like you may be able to do in the latter rounds. This is where you start seeing and doing things you might not have expected heading into the draft, and where big-time steals are made.

Henry got me nodding, grimacing and raising my eyebrows in round six, so I’m hoping to give him (and you) a similarly emotional ride here in round seven.

If you need to catch up, here are round one, round two, round three, round four, round five and the aforementioned round six.

I could call this round the “Dirty Dozen,” since there are so many dudes being taken here that might cause you to groan in boredom and agony. But there are some exciting picks, too. Read on and hold onto your butts — this might be a rocky one: (continue reading…)