The 2017/18 season is underway and oh, how so much has already happened.
The Celtics‘ season will go on without the help of free agent addition Gordon Hayward. LeBron’s team has already made a lineup change and the Bucks look like legitimate Eastern Conference contenders behind the MVP-level play of the Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Rockets are experiencing life without their prize offseason acquisition, as Chris Paul‘s injured knee is expected to keep him sidelined for another 2-3 weeks. The Warriors are alternating blowout wins with puzzling losses and Eric Bledsoe is on the lookout for a barber outside the Phoenix region.
That’s just the tip of the league’s iceberg and Hoops Rumors wants to help you make sense of it all from a fantasy basketball perspective. Check out some notes and analysis from around the league:
- Mike James should be on the fantasy radar in all leagues, as he replaced Bledsoe in the Suns‘ starting lineup on Monday. The point guard played 27 minutes in Monday’s win over the Kings, scoring 18 points and dishing out seven assists while going 50% from behind the arc. The threat of Phoenix bringing back another point guard in a Bledsoe trade is real, but enjoy James’ production as we wait to see what kind of deal unfolds.
- While the Suns were more competitive in their first game since firing coach Earl Watson, the defense remains an issue. The team is giving up a league-high 125.3 points per game. If you have a player going against Phoenix, make sure he’s in your lineup.
- The Mavericks have the worst defensive rating in the league but don’t be fooled. That figure is influenced by match-ups against the fast-paced Hawks, the high-powered Rockets, and the explosive Warriors offenses. Expect this team to gravitate toward the middle of the pack on defense, especially with tilts against the Grizzlies, Sixers, and Jazz looming.
- What to do with Markelle Fultz in fantasy? Drop him. While the Sixers are putting the No. 1 overall pick on the floor, he’s clearly not healthy and his agent recently told ESPN that his client “literally cannot raise up his arms to shoot the basketball.” Yikes. The injury, coupled with the Sixers’ history of being cautious with ailing players, makes Fultz unworthy of a roster spot right now.
- The Cavs are also dealing with injuries woes at the point guard position, as Derrick Rose is sidelined with an ankle issue and Isaiah Thomas is still working his way back from a hip ailment. Rose will at least miss the next two games (tonight vs the Bulls and Wednesday vs the Nets) and LeBron James will step in as the starting point guard, a role we all know he’s capable of dominating. LBJ is worth the price in daily against Chicago tonight and, assuming he plays the second-half of the back-to-back, against the Nets on Wednesday.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Tuesday afternoon.
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If James is PG, then Love can move back to PF and TT to C. With Crowder and any of the 4 SGs, thats a big team for nowadays. Like it. Well I like all their lineups, it’s just unsteady and unclear overall.
PG: James
SG: Wade
SF: JR Smith
PF: Crowder
C: Love
This would be the best lineup they could put on the court but since Wade doesn’t want to start they should go with
PG: James
SG: Shumpert
SF: Smith
PF: Crowder
C: Love
And have Wade and Thompson come off the bench
Long-run, James and Love are outside of their comfort zones, so using this vs weaker teams makes the game harder than it should be. Also Smith isn’t what he used to be. But true, at any given point, James at the 1 and Love at the 5 is the most dangerous.