Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com
Yes, I know
Rajon Rondo had an oversized night. But I'm here to ballyhoo the top
fantasy story of the morning, and there's a clear No. 1 with a bullet.
Boris Diaw attempted 23 shots.
| MONDAY, DEC. 15 |
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HIGHLIGHTS
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• Rajon Rondo, Celtics: 25 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals versus Jazz.
• Danny Granger, Pacers: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals at Washington.
• Joe Johnson, Hawks: 28 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds versus Bobcats. |
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LOWLIGHTS
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• Jason Kidd, Mavericks: 4 points (0-5 FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds in 36 minutes against Denver.
• Beno Udrih, Kings: 4 points, 3 assists in 28 minutes against Minnesota.
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It feels like Boris Diaw didn't attempt 23 shots in November.
All season, I've written about the gaping fantasy hole at the 4 in Charlotte's lineup. The situation just bellowed for someone to step in, get 35 minutes a night and become a statistical factor. I really hoped that as Sean May played his way into shape, he'd be the answer.
What I didn't foresee that the hole would be filled via trade with Diaw. There hasn't exactly been a rush to the waiver wire in the wake of the trade. Diaw is still only owned in 65 percent of all leagues. But a look at history should encourage you to pick him up (which is precisely what I did).
Back when my house was worth something other than a bailout, Diaw quietly put together one of the great fantasy success stories of recent memory. After going undrafted in every league, Diaw found himself a starter in the wake of Amare Stoudemire's microfracture procedure. Diaw went from spending time on the waiver wire next to Dan Dickau to leading many a fantasy championship team.
Diaw has struggled in subsequent years with a certain lack of aggression. Many lesser writers pointed toward his French roots, but I would counter that it's hard to be Napoleonic when you're 6-foot-8. I would also say he possesses the French virtue of the gift of (statistical) diplomacy. He's essentially an overgrown point guard. He won't tally six assists like he did in 2005-06, but under Larry Brown, he should average 3-4 assists a night.
Oh, did I mention he's perfect for Larry Brown? If there's a coach east of Don Nelson and south of Mike D'Antoni who could maximize Diaw's potential and get him to be more offensively assertive, it's Brown. Again, Diaw attempted 23 (23!) shots Monday night, but a 25-point night is an aberration in Diaw's world. You should expect night-in, night-out production, whether it's assists, rebounds, blocks or steals. He's an ideal fantasy bench player because of his ability toward evenly distributed box scores. He won't set any particular category en feu, but he'll deliver across the board. Just plug him in, and you'll be happy. I promise.
Under the Boards
Paul Millsap strengthened Utah's position in its upcoming free-agency negotiations with Carlos Boozer yet again by basically being Carlos Boozer but with shot-blocking ability. If you can get anything of value for Millsap, do it now, because when Boozer comes back, Millsap flies back to the bench. I'm guessing Millsap will retain marginal value, but I'd find a disgruntled Boozer owner looking for a nice set of handcuffs. … Jameer Nelson (32 points, 5 3-pointers) owners continue to hope Dwight Howard takes all the time he needs to enjoy the holidays and come back relaxed and ready in 2009. & If we're truly gravitating toward our best and brightest, someone should create a cabinet post for Mike D'Antoni. Nate Robinson went 1-for-10 on 3-pointers but still totaled 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. That's true managerial genius. & Mario Chalmers arguably had his best night as a pro (20 points, 8 assists). It was an off night for Dwyane Wade, but Chalmers shouldn't be unowned in medium to deep leagues. & The coaching change in Sacramento appears to benefit Spencer Hawes (15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks), who's going to get a lot of playing time from now on. I'm wondering if Jason Thompson's value will rise as well. & And after turning heads with 20 points Saturday, Rob Kurz was a DNP-Coach's Decision against the Magic. Thanks, Don Nelson.
John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.
