fBasketballBlog

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. (continue reading…)

Good Guy Greg: Plays for the Pistons, still offers solid fantasy value. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Depth chart:
PG: Rodney Stuckey**, Brandon Knight, Will Bynum
SG: Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Tracy McGrady*, Terrico White
SF: Austin Daye, Tayshaun Prince*, Kyle Singler
PF: Charlie Villanueva, Chris Wilcox*, Jonas Jerebko**, Jason Maxiell, DaJuan Summers*
C: Greg Monroe, Ben Wallace, Vernon Macklin

* unrestricted free agent
** restricted free agent (continue reading…)

Dudley's deserving of a late-season pickup if he's still available in your league. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

Game watch:
4 games: BOS, CHA, CHI, CLE, DEN, DET, LAC, LAL, MIL, NJ, NY, OKC, PHO, SAC, TOR, WAS
3 games: ATL, DAL, GS, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIN, NO, ORL, PHI, POR, SA, UTA

Waiver-wire watch:

• Jared Dudley: he’s started his last four games and has averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, three steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.8 threes in that stretch
• Tony Allen: he won’t hit many threes, but Allen is doing a lot in just about every other column, especially steals
• Jerryd Bayless: he had a great line in his start Saturday without Jose Calderon; if Calderon misses more time with his bum hammy, Bayless will finish the season as a stud
• Ed Davis: he’s racked up three double-doubles in his last four games and is worth a look if you need big-man stats, especially while Andrea Bargnani is out (continue reading…)

The ghost of Rip Hamilton is haunting the NBA again. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

Game watch:
4 games: ATL, BOS, CHI, CLE, GS, IND, MEM, NJ, NY, PHO, SAC, SA, TOR, UTA, WAS
3 games: CHA, DAL, DEN, DET, LAC, LAL, MIA, MIL, MIN, NO, OKC, ORL, PHI, POR
2 games: HOU

Waiver-wire watch:

• Richard Hamilton: averaging 15.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 threes so far this month
• Tony Allen: thieving machine is putting up good all-around numbers too
• Jodie Meeks: averaging 14.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.8 threes in March (continue reading…)

If this photo doesn't get you excited about the Pistons this season, then...you're right. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Depth chart:
PG: Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, Terrico White
SG: Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Tracy McGrady
SF: Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers
PF: Jonas Jerebko, Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell, Chris Wilcox
C: Ben Wallace, Greg Monroe

Relevant fantasy players and projected draft positions/per-game stats:
Rodney Stuckey – G (Rd. 9-10): 16 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 5 Ast, 1.5 Stl
Ben Gordon – SG (Rd. 9-10): 19 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 3 Ast
Charlie Villanueva – PF (Rd. 11-12): 13 Pts, 1 three, 5.5 Reb
Richard Hamilton – G/F (Rd. 11+): 12 Pts, 1 three, 3.5 Ast
Tayshaun Prince – F (Rd. 12+): 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 2.5 Ast
Greg Monroe – F/C (Rd. 13+): 8 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk
Jonas Jerebko – F (Rd. 13+): 10 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 1 Stl
Ben Wallace – C (Rd. 13+): 4 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk
Will Bynum – PG (Rd. 13+): 8 Pts, 3.5 Ast
Tracy McGrady – G/F (Rd. 13+): 5.5 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Ast (continue reading…)