Danilo Gallinari-  This is the type of player that can be the go to guy for scoring and I believe that he will be just that for the Nuggets next year.  He can shoot the 3 with the best of them and can rack up points quickly when given the opportunity.  His defense even improved a bit after the trade to Denver and he should be able to build on the fine year he had last year.

David Lee-  He averaged 16.5 pts last year to go with 9.8 boards and just over 3 assists.  He also averaged a steal per game.  He isn’t a shot blocker by any means but that isn’t why you drafted him in the first place.  He is solid in the percentage categories and can anchor your team in boards.  Plus, he won’t have to deal with that strange bite infection elbow thing that happened this last season.  He is a very solid keeper.

John Wall-  16.4 ppg to with 8.3 assists, 1.7 threes, and 4.6 boards is a pretty nice year for a rookie.  He probably would have won R.O.Y. honors if  Blake Griffin (obvious keeper so I’m not going to talk about him) hadn’t missed all of last year.  Wall’s percentage are little scary but he showed improvement in the second half.  if he could just get a couple of better players around him he could be a really special player next season.

Dorell Wright- He plays in a system that fits his style perfectly.  This could have been a fluke season for him but I think he will continue to play at the same level next season.  He averaged 16.4 ppg, 5.3 boards, 3 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.4 threes.  If he can replicate his numbers next season he will be a highly sought after player.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
3. Utah Jazz
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Washington Wizards
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Detroit Pistons
9. Charlotte Bobcats
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Utah Jazz
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets

Other leagues have already adjusted to begin the playoff push. But regardless of what type of league you’re in, we’ll go over a few pointers you can use to give you the best chance of playoff success.

Fantasy basketball isn’t like simply betting on the games. Internet casinos and sports books set odds on teams, not on individual players’ success. So we already know this is a different monster – a game that requires sporadic and scattered talent to outplay competition. To that end, you certainly have to approach the games differently than if one solid team were playing.

First up, it’s time to stop relying on quick injuries to heal. The aforementioned Nash and Boozer aside, you also have to look at players like Channing Frye, Rudy Gay and Eric Gordon. Drop them from our rosters outright. Even if they show up healthy, odds suggest they simply won’t be productive enough to help you through the playoff push.

Next, aim at winning counting categories only; six of nine standard categories go on stats, like rebounds, steals, points, assists, three-pointers and blocks, so focus on building your roster to win those six categories. Put your best players forward at each respective position. Make sure they’re well-rounded players, too, and not one-trick ponies. You shouldn’t sacrifice a goose egg in one category to pad another.

You also have to become more of a dictator-like presence for your team. This means that being a basic manager is out. You need to micromanage the little details, like studying one-on-one matchups and making sure your guys statistically bests your opponents.

It’s true that statistics won’t always pan out. You could be 90% to catch a 10 in real money blackjack, for a quick example, and easily catch a 2. Such is life. And the same holds true for basketball. Your guy might have the edge on paper but end up playing a bad game. However, that’s something you’ll have to eat. Going with the averages and ignoring that proverbial gut feeling is how teams win.

Make sure you’re always studying the schedule. Pay attention to which teams have more games, which players of yours are doing well due to supporting cast or are simply heating up, and make sure you pounce on “hot” players to put in matchups.

ROUND 1

ROUND 2

ROUND 3

ROUND 4

ROUND 5

ROUND 6

ROUND 7

ROUND 8

ROUND 9

ROUND 10

ROUND 11

ROUND 12

ROUND 13

Omri Casspi might find himself as a bench player this year.  So far the Kings have started what seems to be everyone else at Forward but Casspi.  A bench role could help preserve him through the entire season.  He fell off in the last half of the the season last year probably from overexposure.  Not so much oncourt but offcourt.  He had a lot of appearances due to being the NBA’s first Israeli player.  Maybe the Kings will learn from this.

Blake Griffin has been a beast so far in the preseason.  With John Wall predicted by many to be the Rookie of the Year, Griffin is doing everything he can to put himself into contention.  Griffin missed all of last year with a broken knee cap so he is still eligible as a Rookie.

Anthony Randolph is looking at a bench role to start the season.  He hasn’t been consistent enough with his jumpshot so far in preseason.  He should see plenty of minutes however.  He has a chance to have a breakout year in Mike D’Antoni’s system as long as he can get a little more consistent with his shooting.

The NBA now has a team that in theory can compete with the LA Lakers for a Championship.  In reality though, the Heat are three great players, (James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh) with absolutely ZERO depth.  In their attempt to clear out enough cap space to land LeBron, Bosh and resign Wade, they have completely destroyed their roster.  Some people would say that it was a great move.  Others would say that the season is very long and you need key role players to make it through the season and the playoffs.  LeBron has shown that he can take his team all the way on his own but was never able to finish the job by himself.  He hopes that the new Big-Three will make that possible.

Fantasy owners will now have to deal with LeBron losing shots per game, gaining assists, losing rebounds and probably losing some play making opportunities.  Wade, like LeBron is a play maker.  Bosh thinks he’s a play maker when in reality he is a nice complimentary player.  The difference between this Big-Three and the Big-Three in Boston is simple.  Boston has Ray Allen (3pt. dagger thrower), Paul Pierce (play maker) and Kevin Garnett (all out student of the game).  All of which when playing well together require a double team.  LeBron and Wade both require double teams but Bosh doesn’t.  Plus Boston has the depth that is so badly needed in the NBA and so badly lacking in Miami.

Don’t get me wrong, the Heat will be an amazing team to watch.  But, it will be tough for them to sustain throughout the entire year with absolutely no bench.  If they could make some more moves to add some depth, they could easily be considered Championship contenders.

The Lakers have a great system in Kobe Bryant (play maker) and Pau Gasol (dominant Big) with Lamaar Odom (Bosh’s future role) coming off the bench.  But, they too have the much needed depth to sustain the full season and the rigors of the playoffs.

Cleveland has nothing now.  Their hearts have been ripped out and thrown in a blender.  It is sad to see LeBron leave the Cavs.  He was everything to that city.  I really wish he would have stayed.  I guess a silver lining in all of this could be that he didn’t leave strictly for money.  He truly believes that Miami is the best place for him to win and to keep on winning for years to come.  Who knows?  Maybe the Heat will contend for the next 5 years.  They have two great players in James and Wade and a nice building block in Bosh, but salary cap space and the lack of depth caused by it will really hold these three back from what they are capable of.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bosh end up on another team in a few years just to make room for some role players.  Egos shouldn’t be an issue.  Pat Riley is the master of controlling a locker room.  Bosh would be the only concern here.  He is on record saying that he isn’t a second option on offense.  Well, in a way he is right.  Now, he’s the third option.

Amir Johnson has decided to forgo  free agency and instead chose to sign a 5 year, $34 million deal to stay with the Toronto Raptors.

Mike Miller has been offered a 5 year, $30 million deal from the Los Angeles Lakers.  He has also had meetings with the Heat and the Knicks.  It is rumored though that both LeBron James and Dwayne Wade want Miller to sign with whichever team they sign with.

Brendan Haywood was offered a mid-level exception by the Detroit Pistons.  That probably won’t be enough to bring the 7 footer to Detroit.

Rudy Gay has agreed in principle with the Grizzlies to a 5 year, $66.5 million deal, the max allowed for a player with his tenure in the league.

John Salmons and the Bucks are nearing a deal that could be worth close to $40 million over 5 years.  It seems as though there are just some minor details that need to be hammered out.

Channing Frye has been offered a 5 year, $25 million offer from the Suns but has decided to check out all of his options first.  His game is perfectly suited for the Suns and he most likely won’t get a better offer somewhere else.  So you can pretty much assume that he will be staying in Phoenix.

Jordan Farmar was not tendered a qualifying offer from the Lakers so he is officially an unrestricted free agent.  He has received interest from multiple teams, including Indiana who is looking for PG help.

Jason Kidd has said that he would be open to coming off the bench in order to help with the development of Roddy Beaubois next year.  This is highly unlikely.  Kidd did have a pretty solid season last year but he did slow down toward the end of the season.  Most likely he will still be the starter but his minutes might be cut to give Beaubois some more PT.

John Wall is the only player that the Wizards have scheduled so far for a workout.  The Wizards have the first pick in the upcoming draft and everyone believes that they will take Wall, but what does that mean for Gilbert Arenas?  More on that later.

Charlie Villanueva has decided to stay in Detroit this off season to work with head trainer Kevin Rand.  He was disappointed with his first season as a Piston due to it being riddled with injuries.  Hopefully he can right the ship and stay healthy for next season.

Andrew Bynum says that he will be ready to play in Game 4.  He was limited in Game 3 by the injury and most likely will be limited in Game 4.  If he is healthy he can be a force but right now it doesn’t look like he is at 100%.

Grant Hill has exercised his one year player option and will return to the Phoenix Suns next year.

Rumor has it that the Timberwolves have their eyes set on signing Rudy Gay this off-season and that they have made it a priority.

Where will LeBron James end up?  Nobody knows.  NY has the perfect market for him.  Chicago has a great market for him and a better team to surround him with.  Golden State has no chance of getting him but I can still hope can’t I?

Sergio Rodriguez has signed a 3 year deal with Real Madrid.  He would have been a restricted free agent this year.

Zach Randolph is a thug, but you already knew that.  He has been reportedly linked by authorities to 2 criminal investigations this off season.  One involving an Indianapolis drug ring and another involving a fight outside a club in Los Angeles.  No charges have been filed as of yet.