The Staff: Weekly Update

NBA Ultimate Resources
Weekly Update
by KFL Writer Min Lee

Watching the San Antonio Spurs climb back in the third quarter against Dallas Mavericks, I was reminded of the Pistons’ championship series against the Lakers in 2004. The Pistons stifled the star-studded Laker lineup on the defensive end, rotating beautifully on pick-and-rolls and swarming the guy with the ball even when Lakers made extra passes. The Spurs showed the same tenacity on Sunday when they went on a 19-0 run in the third quarter and gutted out the 88-81 victory. For the game, they shot a dismal 33% from the field (Parker 4-21, Duncan 7-21) but also had only five turnovers. Never count out the Spurs for the championship…

Pick-ups of the Week:

Mickael Pietrus: Anyone on the Warriors’ starting line-up is a viable fantasy option, and Pietrus is now one of them. He gives you rebounds, 3’s, steals, and often blocks.

Jason Williams: Some fantasy owners dropped Williams after he came down with a jammed thumb against the Raptors, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him that much. He played 41 minutes last game against the Bobcats and had 19 points, 8 assists, and 3 treys.

Ryan Gomes: I’ve always been hesitant to add Gomes because he’s only known for getting points and rebounds. Lately he’s been getting starting minutes, however, and his production has soared. Over the last nine games, Gomes is averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He’s also shooting 90% from the charity stripe.

Juan Carlos Navarro: It’s uncertain whether Navarro will get starter minutes in the near future, but he has three 20-point games out of the last five and is averaging 3.5 treys in the last six.

J.R. Smith: His minutes have been down lately (averaging 16.3 minutes over last six), but it helps that he fits into the high-powered, run-and-gun Nuggets offense. He’s deadly from the three-point line (13 treys over last six) and gets a fair share of steals. And you never know when he’ll explode offensively as he often does.