Shane Battier, Rockets

Check your league’s default settings because those trade deadlines are rapidly approaching, if they haven’t already passed.  By now, if you’re still paying attention, you know what your needs are.  Scour the waiver wire and look for those hidden gems, some of which are listed below.  Also scan the rest of the league for under appreciated commodities, many of whom are also listed below.  Make your team over with statistical value in mind—not player value.  It’s been written here at Hello, ROTO time and time again, players don’t win leagues; stats win leagues.  You don’t get bonus points for having the most NBA All-Stars (whither Allen Iverson).  Points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks…that’s where the bread-n-butter is, my friends.

PG

SHALLOW: Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets.  He’s till filling in at the point for an injured CP3, and still doing a damn good job.  While his scoring has declined slightly from February’s 21.6 PPG, but his assist totals thus far in March have been staggering—14 and 15 in consecutive games.  He’s also a solid source of steals and FG% (among guards).  Scoring can be had anywhere, but we haven’t seen assist totals like these since Chris Paul was running the point. 

DEEP: Rodrigue Beaubois, Dallas Mavericks.  Granted, it was only one game against a bad Timberwolves team, but Beaubois has quite the showing off the bench on March 3.  6-of-9 from the field including 3-of-5  three-pointers made us believe for a moment that perhaps he’s capable of filling in for Jason Terry as the PG sharpshooter in reserve role down the stretch, but only in the deepest of deep leagues.

SG

SHALLOW: Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets.  Teaming with Collison in the Hornets backcourt, albeit not in a starting capacity, is Thornton, a player who’s averaged 25.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 3-pointers over his last six games.  That’s not a fluke.  He’s good and only getting better with more playing time.

DEEP: C.J. Watson, Golden State Warriors.  With Monta Ellis still sidelined with a back injury, Watson has been starting at the two-guard.  Watson’s 19 PPG through two March games are nice, what really jumps off the page for ROTO owners are his, get this…five steals per game.  In fact, Watson has recorded at least two steals in every game in which he’s played for 11 straight.

SF

SHALLOW: Shane Battier, Houston Rockets.  Making over the team at the trade deadline also made over the rotation, and Battier was one of the beneficiaries.  Since the All-Star break, Battier’s rebounds have jumped from 4.3 per game to 7.1, and he’s blocking a ridiculous (for a SF) 2.4 shots per game.  This is the same Battier ROTO owners used to draft in the seventh round.

DEEP: Nicholas Batum, Portland Trailblazers.  The team needed one…more…scorer, and they seemed to have found one in Batum.  He’s now started six consecutive games at SF and among them were two fantasy gems—31 and 21 points respectively.  He should be owned in basically all formats right now, but his mere 20% ownership suggests thinner leagues are slow on the uptake.

PF

SHALLOW: Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards.  A repeat performer at Hello, ROTO, Blatche probably deserves to remain in this position until he’s reached 100% ownership.  He’s on fire—26.7 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks over his past three games make it okay to gloss over his 9-cat. homicidal 5.3 turnovers per game.

DEEP: DeJuan Blair, San Antonio Spurs.  When the story broke about Tim Duncan looking at fewer minutes in the second games of back-to-backs, DeJuan Blair became a hot(ter) commodity.  He started the Spurs last game (technically at center), and played okay in 25:52—8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.  Should his minutes increase (and they should), so too should his production.  We still remember his 28-point, 21-rebound game in January, don’t we?

C

SHALLOW: Drew Gooden, Dallas Mavericks.  Since returning from injury, Gooden’s averaged 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds, or, about the kind of production owners expect from their fantasy center.  What makes Gooden special are his ratios.  He’s posted a 53%FG and 91%FT over his past six games, and ROTO owners know these numbers can be a big help from the C position.

DEEP: J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavilers.  Among the NBA’s most improved players, he’s now getting even more attention (and minutes) with Shaquille O’Neal effectively out for the year.  He’s now getting a chance to score (12.8 PPG over his last 4), and he’s averaging 2.4 steals and blocks combined.  His ownership will not remain at its current sub-20% rate for long.  Act now.

Rim rockers?  Jive-talkers? Email me: damianschaab@sportsgrumblings.com