Online Gambling, Online Sportsbooks at Eye on Gambling provides Live Odds Sports News Free Picks Sports Betting and Gambling Odds Online at eog.com - View Single Post

Hache Man · 07-23-07, 06:03 PM

More Fantasy Sleepers
By now everyone knows the name Tim Donaghy. Even non-fans, like my dad, know who Donaghy is. In case you've been living in a cave, he's the NBA referee accused of gambling on games he officiated and providing inside game information to mobsters. While I doubt he was betting on a specific team to win or lose, it's possible. What's more likely is that he was controlling whether or not a team would hit the "over/under." Referees can easily control how many total points teams combine to score in an NBA game by simply calling more fouls early and putting teams in the penalty, creating a free throw fest and lowering scoring. On the flip side, refs can call fewer fouls and let teams play, resulting in a high-scoring affair.

In any case, I would not be shocked if other refs were involved in the scandal. Looking at the now famous Game 3 in last year's playoffs when the Spurs beat the Suns, it's clear that Donaghy wasn't the only guy making questionable calls. You can make your own decision here.

I don't have the answers as to what will happen as a result of the allegations against Donaghy, but I find myself siding with Mavs' owner Mark Cuban, who said: "The NBA took a hit today. Behind that hit is a catalyst and opportunity for significant change that could make the NBA stronger than it ever has been. It's a chance to proactively put in place people, processes and transparency that will forever silence those who will question the NBA's integrity." While it's clear that changes are coming to the NBA, hopefully the league will be made better after learning from its mistakes. Some are predicting the league won't survive the scandal, but I'm guessing it will take more than a dirty ref or two to bring it down.

Last week's column was hard core, covering everything you need to know from every team in the league. This week I'm going to take a shorter approach and hit on some more sleepers you should be thinking about prior to your fantasy draft this fall. And it won't take your entire lunch hour to read.

But first, I have to comment on Andrew Bogut's new haircut. Check this out – Bogut's hair. If you can't link to the picture, he's shaven his head and left only a small, braided pony tail on the back. It not only makes you forget about the patch on the back of Drew Gooden's head, but sent me straight back into 1980 for the movie Airplane, when that Joe Izuzu guy was a Hare Krishna with a similar do. Even though Bogut and Gooden get credit for the league's worst hair, my vote would still probably go to the Cats' Walter Herrmann, who is a dead ringer for Fabio.

More Fantasy Sleepers

Chucky Atkins - Point Guard – Denver Nuggets

Atkins appeared to be on the downside of his career in Memphis last year despite averaging 13.2 points and 4.6 assists, but will now handle the starting point guard duties for the high-powered Nuggets. Anthony Carter is promising to give him a run for his money for the starting gig, but I think the job is Atkins' to lose. A probable starting lineup of Atkins and Allen Iverson in the backcourt, along with a front line of Carmelo Anthony, Nene and Marcus Camby (if he's not traded) should give Atkins plenty of chances to hand out assists and bury open threes. Add in the fact that J.R. Smith may not be mentally ready for the season after this summer's car accident that resulted in the death of his best friend, and Atkins should be in store for at least 35 minutes per game. But the important thing to remember here is that he's still Chucky Atkins and hasn't averaged more than 13.6 points and 5.3 assists in any season. However, he's a strong 3-point shooter and the potential of him being a fantasy steal in Denver is great. I am targeting him as a Top 10 point guard this season after he finished last year with ninth-round value in standard eight-cat leagues. We'll see.

Danny Granger - Guard/Forward – Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are struggling, to put it mildly, but the one ray of hope they do have is Granger. He improved dramatically in year two last season, averaging nearly 14 points per game and hitting a surprising 1.3 threes per night. He's missed just four games in two years and all signs are pointing to new Pacers' coach Jim O'Brien running the offense through Granger and Jermaine O'Neal. Given his solid shooting percentage and ability to hit threes, Granger could average 17 or more points this season. He should also grab more than five boards a night and can hit free throws, making him a guy who won't hurt you anywhere. I really think he's going to breakout in year three and he was worth the first pick of the sixth round in 12-team, eight-category leagues last year. Target him in Round 4 this year, which should be about right for the promising young star.

Corey Maggette - Guard/Forward – Los Angeles Clippers

News flash! Mike Dunleavy says he's going to start Corey Maggette this season. After battling with Dunleavy regarding his role with the team over the past two seasons, this is huge news for Maggette's fantasy prospects. "He will be a starter, for sure," Dunleavy said. "We're fine. Things ended up well for us." I don't wan to get carried away here, but Maggette should return to being a fantasy stud again this year. Maggette showed great improvement in his stats in each of his first six years in the league, peaking in the 2004-05 season when he averaged 22. 2 points, 6.0 boards, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and nearly a three per game. He also committed 3.0 turnovers that year, and they'll continue to be high again this season. He's always an injury risk, as he's managed to play more than 70 games in just three of his eight seasons, but he made it through 75 contests last year. While it may be tough for him to get his numbers to where they were in the 04-05 season, he should flirt with them, making him worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick. And that's quite a step up from the seventh-round value he offered last year. I think he's a solid pick in the fourth round and becomes a serious potential steal any time in the fifth round or later. He should qualify at both guard and forward, but we're guessing he starts at small forward, with Cuttino Mobley starting at shooting guard.

Derek Fisher - Point Guard – Los Angeles Lakers

Derek Fisher was released by the Jazz so he could move to an area offering sufficient health care for his daughter, who has a rare form of eye cancer. He immediately made the Lakers his first choice and is hoping his return to La La Land will help persuade Kobe Bryant to put his differences with the organization behind him and get ready for the season. With Smush Parker unceremoniously dumped by the Lakers this summer and Jordan Farmar's poor summer league play, the Lakers are excited to have Fisher under wraps. He'll start at point guard and will be backed up by Farmar and rookie Javaris Crittenton. We expected better things from Fisher last season, but he struggled to find his role in Utah. His role is pretty clear in L.A., as he is easily locked in as the starting point guard for Phil Jackson. Fisher had just 12th-round value last season, and while I'm not expecting any miracles this year, he should make for an excellent value pick in the middle rounds of your draft.

Mike Miller - Guard/Forward – Memphis Grizzlies

Mike Miller put up some outrageous numbers from downtown last year and finished with the best statistical season of his career. He missed the final 12 games of the season with patella tendonitis in both knees but appears to be back on track after he scored 22 points and hit four threes in the second quarter of a Team USA scrimmage over the weekend. He hit 202 3-pointers last season, finishing just three behind Gilbert Arenas and Raja Bell, who both played several more games than Miller. Once he went down last season, Tarence Kinsey stepped up and played admirably in his absence, but Miller should be ready to start hoisting and hitting threes again on opening night. If everything falls into place for Miller, it's possible he could average 20 points, five boards, five assists, one steal and three threes per game, which would put his value near the second round. He was worth an early fourth-round fantasy selection last year and the fourth round is exactly where he should be targeted again this season. I'm a little leery of his knee problems, but he should lead the league in 3-pointers made this year and put up solid all-around numbers. That is if new coach Marc Iavaroni gives him the green light like Tony Barone did last season. Either way, don't overpay for him by taking him higher than the fourth round. Let's just hope he loses the girls' head band.

Devin Harris - Point Guard - Dallas Mavericks

Avery Johnson has said that Harris will see a bigger role this season, meaning he could finally be on the verge of the breakout season we've all been waiting for over the last three years. Then again, looking at the numbers, he'd have to improve significantly to take a big leap in value. He had his best season last year, but that still resulted in only 10 points and less than four assists per game. But he shot 49% from the floor and 82% from the line despite hitting just 28% of his 3-point attempts. Chances are he's going to be given the reins to the offense and it's likely his assist average could top five per game this season, with his points going up slightly as well. He doesn't commit many turnovers and should easily swipe more than one steal per game again. He's not worth targeting as a No. 1 point guard just yet, but could prove to be quite a value pick in the middle rounds of your draft. He had eighth-round value last year despite the low numbers, and could easily jump up to being worth a fifth-rounder without too much effort.

Louis Williams - Combo Guard – Philadelphia 76ers

Williams is not a true point guard but there's no doubt he can score. He had a huge summer-league performance, averaging 25.2 points, and produced several high-scoring games because of his quickness. He has a knack for getting into the lane and shot a whopping 13.6 free throw attempts a game in the summer league to go along with five dimes a night. Because he's not a true point guard there are concerns about him being able to find open teammates. Andre Miller wills start at point guard, but Williams could start at shooting guard with Andre Iguodala playing small forward, or be Miller's backup. Either way, it looks like a near guarantee that he'll be a big part of the Sixers' rotation this season. Williams will compete with Kyle Korver and Rodney Carney at the 2, but should be an excellent late-round value pick that could end up being one of the steals of your draft. "His maturity out here was one of the biggest things I was impressed with," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Running a basketball team, and when he had to look to score, he scored, and when he had to look to pass, he passed." I'm always cautious about pimping someone just because they had a nice summer league run, but Williams did score in double figures in five of the Sixers' last six games last season and he looks like the real deal to me.

Rafer Alston - Combo Guard – Houston Rockets

I have Skip listed as playing for the Rockets and that's where he is – For now. But with Mike James and Steve Francis on board, the Rockets appear to be openly shopping Alston. Miami came out of the summer without a new point guard and the last one left on the board, Brevin Knight, appears to be headed to the Clippers. Don't be surprised to see Alston back in Miami, where he came into his own in the 2003-04 season. He's always a 3-point threat and has averaged double-figure scoring in four straight seasons, hitting nearly two threes per night over that stretch. He also averaged 1.5 steals per game over the past four seasons, but shot under 39% from the floor in three of them. His field goal percentage is always a fantasy buzzkill, but the threes, steals, assists and points will always give him positive fantasy value. He's played in 80-plus games in three of his last four seasons and had fourth-round value last year with the Rockets. If he stays in Houston, he'll really struggle to have even fifth-round value this year, but a trade to the Heat could make him a Round 4 steal.

07-23-07, 06:03 PM	#8
Hache Man Moderator On The Rays' Wagon Join Date: Aug 19, 2005 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 46,321	Re: NBA News/NBA Fantasy News 2006/2007 More Fantasy Sleepers By now everyone knows the name Tim Donaghy. Even non-fans, like my dad, know who Donaghy is. In case you've been living in a cave, he's the NBA referee accused of gambling on games he officiated and providing inside game information to mobsters. While I doubt he was betting on a specific team to win or lose, it's possible. What's more likely is that he was controlling whether or not a team would hit the "over/under." Referees can easily control how many total points teams combine to score in an NBA game by simply calling more fouls early and putting teams in the penalty, creating a free throw fest and lowering scoring. On the flip side, refs can call fewer fouls and let teams play, resulting in a high-scoring affair. In any case, I would not be shocked if other refs were involved in the scandal. Looking at the now famous Game 3 in last year's playoffs when the Spurs beat the Suns, it's clear that Donaghy wasn't the only guy making questionable calls. You can make your own decision here. I don't have the answers as to what will happen as a result of the allegations against Donaghy, but I find myself siding with Mavs' owner Mark Cuban, who said: "The NBA took a hit today. Behind that hit is a catalyst and opportunity for significant change that could make the NBA stronger than it ever has been. It's a chance to proactively put in place people, processes and transparency that will forever silence those who will question the NBA's integrity." While it's clear that changes are coming to the NBA, hopefully the league will be made better after learning from its mistakes. Some are predicting the league won't survive the scandal, but I'm guessing it will take more than a dirty ref or two to bring it down. Last week's column was hard core, covering everything you need to know from every team in the league. This week I'm going to take a shorter approach and hit on some more sleepers you should be thinking about prior to your fantasy draft this fall. And it won't take your entire lunch hour to read. But first, I have to comment on Andrew Bogut's new haircut. Check this out – Bogut's hair. If you can't link to the picture, he's shaven his head and left only a small, braided pony tail on the back. It not only makes you forget about the patch on the back of Drew Gooden's head, but sent me straight back into 1980 for the movie Airplane, when that Joe Izuzu guy was a Hare Krishna with a similar do. Even though Bogut and Gooden get credit for the league's worst hair, my vote would still probably go to the Cats' Walter Herrmann, who is a dead ringer for Fabio. More Fantasy Sleepers Chucky Atkins - Point Guard – Denver Nuggets Atkins appeared to be on the downside of his career in Memphis last year despite averaging 13.2 points and 4.6 assists, but will now handle the starting point guard duties for the high-powered Nuggets. Anthony Carter is promising to give him a run for his money for the starting gig, but I think the job is Atkins' to lose. A probable starting lineup of Atkins and Allen Iverson in the backcourt, along with a front line of Carmelo Anthony, Nene and Marcus Camby (if he's not traded) should give Atkins plenty of chances to hand out assists and bury open threes. Add in the fact that J.R. Smith may not be mentally ready for the season after this summer's car accident that resulted in the death of his best friend, and Atkins should be in store for at least 35 minutes per game. But the important thing to remember here is that he's still Chucky Atkins and hasn't averaged more than 13.6 points and 5.3 assists in any season. However, he's a strong 3-point shooter and the potential of him being a fantasy steal in Denver is great. I am targeting him as a Top 10 point guard this season after he finished last year with ninth-round value in standard eight-cat leagues. We'll see. Danny Granger - Guard/Forward – Indiana Pacers The Pacers are struggling, to put it mildly, but the one ray of hope they do have is Granger. He improved dramatically in year two last season, averaging nearly 14 points per game and hitting a surprising 1.3 threes per night. He's missed just four games in two years and all signs are pointing to new Pacers' coach Jim O'Brien running the offense through Granger and Jermaine O'Neal. Given his solid shooting percentage and ability to hit threes, Granger could average 17 or more points this season. He should also grab more than five boards a night and can hit free throws, making him a guy who won't hurt you anywhere. I really think he's going to breakout in year three and he was worth the first pick of the sixth round in 12-team, eight-category leagues last year. Target him in Round 4 this year, which should be about right for the promising young star. Corey Maggette - Guard/Forward – Los Angeles Clippers News flash! Mike Dunleavy says he's going to start Corey Maggette this season. After battling with Dunleavy regarding his role with the team over the past two seasons, this is huge news for Maggette's fantasy prospects. "He will be a starter, for sure," Dunleavy said. "We're fine. Things ended up well for us." I don't wan to get carried away here, but Maggette should return to being a fantasy stud again this year. Maggette showed great improvement in his stats in each of his first six years in the league, peaking in the 2004-05 season when he averaged 22. 2 points, 6.0 boards, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and nearly a three per game. He also committed 3.0 turnovers that year, and they'll continue to be high again this season. He's always an injury risk, as he's managed to play more than 70 games in just three of his eight seasons, but he made it through 75 contests last year. While it may be tough for him to get his numbers to where they were in the 04-05 season, he should flirt with them, making him worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick. And that's quite a step up from the seventh-round value he offered last year. I think he's a solid pick in the fourth round and becomes a serious potential steal any time in the fifth round or later. He should qualify at both guard and forward, but we're guessing he starts at small forward, with Cuttino Mobley starting at shooting guard. Derek Fisher - Point Guard – Los Angeles Lakers Derek Fisher was released by the Jazz so he could move to an area offering sufficient health care for his daughter, who has a rare form of eye cancer. He immediately made the Lakers his first choice and is hoping his return to La La Land will help persuade Kobe Bryant to put his differences with the organization behind him and get ready for the season. With Smush Parker unceremoniously dumped by the Lakers this summer and Jordan Farmar's poor summer league play, the Lakers are excited to have Fisher under wraps. He'll start at point guard and will be backed up by Farmar and rookie Javaris Crittenton. We expected better things from Fisher last season, but he struggled to find his role in Utah. His role is pretty clear in L.A., as he is easily locked in as the starting point guard for Phil Jackson. Fisher had just 12th-round value last season, and while I'm not expecting any miracles this year, he should make for an excellent value pick in the middle rounds of your draft. Mike Miller - Guard/Forward – Memphis Grizzlies Mike Miller put up some outrageous numbers from downtown last year and finished with the best statistical season of his career. He missed the final 12 games of the season with patella tendonitis in both knees but appears to be back on track after he scored 22 points and hit four threes in the second quarter of a Team USA scrimmage over the weekend. He hit 202 3-pointers last season, finishing just three behind Gilbert Arenas and Raja Bell, who both played several more games than Miller. Once he went down last season, Tarence Kinsey stepped up and played admirably in his absence, but Miller should be ready to start hoisting and hitting threes again on opening night. If everything falls into place for Miller, it's possible he could average 20 points, five boards, five assists, one steal and three threes per game, which would put his value near the second round. He was worth an early fourth-round fantasy selection last year and the fourth round is exactly where he should be targeted again this season. I'm a little leery of his knee problems, but he should lead the league in 3-pointers made this year and put up solid all-around numbers. That is if new coach Marc Iavaroni gives him the green light like Tony Barone did last season. Either way, don't overpay for him by taking him higher than the fourth round. Let's just hope he loses the girls' head band. Devin Harris - Point Guard - Dallas Mavericks Avery Johnson has said that Harris will see a bigger role this season, meaning he could finally be on the verge of the breakout season we've all been waiting for over the last three years. Then again, looking at the numbers, he'd have to improve significantly to take a big leap in value. He had his best season last year, but that still resulted in only 10 points and less than four assists per game. But he shot 49% from the floor and 82% from the line despite hitting just 28% of his 3-point attempts. Chances are he's going to be given the reins to the offense and it's likely his assist average could top five per game this season, with his points going up slightly as well. He doesn't commit many turnovers and should easily swipe more than one steal per game again. He's not worth targeting as a No. 1 point guard just yet, but could prove to be quite a value pick in the middle rounds of your draft. He had eighth-round value last year despite the low numbers, and could easily jump up to being worth a fifth-rounder without too much effort. Louis Williams - Combo Guard – Philadelphia 76ers Williams is not a true point guard but there's no doubt he can score. He had a huge summer-league performance, averaging 25.2 points, and produced several high-scoring games because of his quickness. He has a knack for getting into the lane and shot a whopping 13.6 free throw attempts a game in the summer league to go along with five dimes a night. Because he's not a true point guard there are concerns about him being able to find open teammates. Andre Miller wills start at point guard, but Williams could start at shooting guard with Andre Iguodala playing small forward, or be Miller's backup. Either way, it looks like a near guarantee that he'll be a big part of the Sixers' rotation this season. Williams will compete with Kyle Korver and Rodney Carney at the 2, but should be an excellent late-round value pick that could end up being one of the steals of your draft. "His maturity out here was one of the biggest things I was impressed with," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Running a basketball team, and when he had to look to score, he scored, and when he had to look to pass, he passed." I'm always cautious about pimping someone just because they had a nice summer league run, but Williams did score in double figures in five of the Sixers' last six games last season and he looks like the real deal to me. Rafer Alston - Combo Guard – Houston Rockets I have Skip listed as playing for the Rockets and that's where he is – For now. But with Mike James and Steve Francis on board, the Rockets appear to be openly shopping Alston. Miami came out of the summer without a new point guard and the last one left on the board, Brevin Knight, appears to be headed to the Clippers. Don't be surprised to see Alston back in Miami, where he came into his own in the 2003-04 season. He's always a 3-point threat and has averaged double-figure scoring in four straight seasons, hitting nearly two threes per night over that stretch. He also averaged 1.5 steals per game over the past four seasons, but shot under 39% from the floor in three of them. His field goal percentage is always a fantasy buzzkill, but the threes, steals, assists and points will always give him positive fantasy value. He's played in 80-plus games in three of his last four seasons and had fourth-round value last year with the Rockets. If he stays in Houston, he'll really struggle to have even fifth-round value this year, but a trade to the Heat could make him a Round 4 steal.