The Bulls are the Blazers have the most games this week, so snag guys from their rosters
Kobe Bryant reaches a new milestone.
The Bulls are trying to turn their season around, but instead of fresh blood on the court, they are looking to the guy with the piece of chalk who is drawing the Xs and Os. Meanwhile, teams like the Heat and the Cavs are showing how dependant they really are on one guy. Miami would flounder without Dwyane Wade, and Cleveland has trouble making games competitive without LeBron James leading the charge on the floor. If either team wants to make a serious step towards the playoffs, other players will have to step up and contribute. Speaking of stepping up, Caron Butler has been fantastic in the absence of Gilbert Arenas. When Arenas does return, look for the Wizards to take their game to another level.
Five Games: Chicago and Portland
With five games this week, both teams have players who must start. Obviously, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon need to be in your lineup if you have them. And Brandon Roy is playing some amazing ball, as is LaMarcus Aldridge. In fact, the Blazers are far exceeding expectations, at least in the first half of the season. Chicago and Portland will face off against one another later in the week as well, which should be a good match up.
Four Games: Boston, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Sacramento
The Pistons are looking to be the class of the East, even out dueling the Celtics in their match up. When players like Chauncey Billups come out and admit that Detroit has literally grown bored with the regular season (a sentiment they seem to share with fellow veteran Shaquille O’Neil), yet they still manage to dominate the Central Division (by more than seven games), it kind of makes you wonder what gear they can up it in when the playoffs begin. Meanwhile, Tracy McGrady owners have either had feast or famine. Feast when he’s on the court, and famine when he’s injured. Right now, McGrady is out, resting an injury he suffered to his knee. Keep an eye on his status, as he is expected to be back by December 31st, and you will want his numbers as soon as he is healthy.
Three Games: Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Indiana, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Jersey, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Utah
Indiana will have a strong week, especially since they got Ike Diogu back from his calf injury. And his play since his return clearly says that he has not missed a beat. The Spurs have proven how versatile they are lately. Even with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker sidelined with injuries, the Spurs have remained competitive behind the play of Manu Ginobili. Now that Duncan and Parker are back, look for the Spurs to roll off a few wins. Especially with a weak lineup this week with the Knicks and the Grizzlies in the mix.
Two Games: Cleveland, Dallas, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Miami, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington
The Lakers are on a role, behind their floor general Kobe Bryant. In fact, Bryant recently passed a huge milestone: 20,000 points. Even more impressively, he reached that number faster than Michael Jordan or Wilt “the stilt” Chamberlain. The other L.A. has not been quite as hot, but injuries have shattered any hope of having a decent season up to this point. They do get a weak opponent this week in Minnesota.
Best Games
Sunday, December 30th, 2007
Boston Celtics at Los Angles Lakers
In a classic match up, the Lakers face the Celtics early this week. While the Celtics have rearmed themselves with all-star pickups in the off-season, Kobe Bryant is slowly solidifying his place in basketball history. With Andrew Bynum asserting himself, L.A. should have a solid shot at pulling off the upset.
Sunday, January 3rd, 2007
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets
The Spurs are the champs and they have been playing like it. Even with Duncan and Parker missing time, they were able to remain in first place in their division. Having said that, they will face a strong opponent in the Nuggets. Denver’s strength is their offense. You can count on Bruce Bowen to help on the defense, but he cannot stop all of the weapons that Denver has. Look for another shootout with dynamic stars like Carmelo Anthony and Manu Ginobili lighting up the scoreboard.
Top Players This Week
Point Guards
Kirk Hinrick
Chauncey Billups
Chris Paul
Shooting Guards
Ben Gordon
Brandon Roy
Ray Allen
Richard Hamilton
Power Forwards
Kevin Garnett
Rasheed Wallace
David West
Shooting Forwards
Luol Deng
Travis Outlaw
Paul Pierce
Centers
Ben Wallace
LaMarcus Aldridge
Antonio McDyess
Yao Ming
Sleepers
Tyrus Thomas
Joe Smith
Steve Blake
Morris Peterson
Travis Timmons has been with Sports Grumblings since 2007. However, he has been involved in fantasy sports since his early college days in 1997 and hasn’t been able to stop playing since. His diverse body of writing includes many creative endeavors such as video game reviews and poetry.