It’s so funny to me how reluctant the average fantasy basketball player is to accept change in fantasy standings, but also how quickly someone’s opinion will change based on something they hear or perceive. For example, let’s take the case of Kevin Durant. Long slated to be a mega-stud in the NBA, KD broke out on a torrent last year. Let’s take a look at his beastly totals from last year:

.476/.863 FG/FT%    452FTM, 97  Tre’s,     1871 Pts,  482 REB,  205AST, 96st,  53blocks

Averaging 25.3 ppg, Durant was a gem. He’s young, incredibly athletic, and the precision outside shooting from a 6′9 G/F makes him almost unstoppable when he’s hot.

All of a sudden, people are saying that Durant is better than Lebron James. Folks, these types of statements are absurd. Let’s break this down for a second. Lebron plays on a team with Mo Williams, Delonte West, Zydryunas IlGauskas……..all guys who can put the ball in the basket. Durant played with Russell Westbrook ( shot only 39% from the field) ,  Jeff Green (noted for his defensive skills), and other noted incapables such as Robert Swift, Malik Rose,  D.J. White, and Etan Thomas. This year, with the addition of James Harden who is not only a capable scorer but someone who can create for himself, as well as useful contributors such as Desmond Mason and Shaun Livingston, don’t expect Durant’s scoring to go up. In fact, expect it to go down. Durant is not a “slasher”; he is a smart player who uses screens and exploits the match-ups that are available, but his strength lies in the mid and long-range shooting. With Harden holding down the SG spot, Durant will not be able to exploit match-ups against notably smaller opponents. Without another notable dominant category under his belt other than PTS, it is going to be hard to build your team around a SG outside of the top 5 in scoring, especially when you’re spending a high pick on him. Let’s take a look at another guy, who although might not be young, he is a superstar  that can be drafted 20+ picks later and provide you with comparable  stats. First let’s revisit Durant:

KD: .476/.863 FG/FT%    452FTM, 97  Tre’s,     1871 Pts,  482 REB,  205AST, 96st,  53blocks

XX:  .457/.830                    459 FTM,  119 Tre’s,    1658 pts, 457 Reb,  294 Ast,  80 st, 27blocks

While the stats are not exact, and the %’s and extra blocks would probably reinforce the fact that Durant should be drafted higher, Paul Pierce has been one of the most consistent fantasy performers of the last decade. Granted, nay-sayers will point to his fade down the playoff stretch last year, but let’s be serious: Pierce carried that team for most of the regular season and is the reason Boston was even able to make it out of the 1st round of the playoffs. Their strong regular season record ensured  a 1st round match-up against a weaker opponent, one who the Celtics could barely manage to scrape by.  Any higher  seeded team surely would have knocked Boston out in the 1st round. Also, just a reminder, NBA playoffs have nothing to do with Fantasy Playoffs.

Pierce is still a stud. He won’t score 25 ppg anymore, but his stats across the board still mean he’s worthy of a top 25 pick. With KG back, Pierce’s scoring numbers might take a small hit, but 19-20ppg is a solid number. In 2007-2008, with a healthy Garnett on the court, Pierce scored 1570 pts but added a very impressive 143 – 3’s ,    363 Assists,   and 101 steals. Expect a similar season in 09-10.Also,  Pierce has played in 79+ games a season 9 out of the last 10 years. Reliability is my favorite attribute.

So folks, if you’re playing Rotisserie Basketball, don’t overpay for points with a top 5 pick. This is a stats game, and points are readily available everywhere. It’s the more important categories like assists, steals and blocks that need to be addressed. To shine a light on it: 20 players averaged 20ppg or more last year; only 10 players averaged 7+ assists, and only 9 players averaged 9+ rebounds. There are needs to fill with every pick, so choose wisely.

DJ Mbenga- F/C  Los Angeles Lakers

Mbenga is one-half Belgian, one-half Congolese, and one-half useless. Perennially signed to intimidate opponents in the paint, the only person Mbenga intimidates is the closest reporter to the end of the bench, because that is where he sits for about 42 minutes every game. Unless you are in a 40 team league, stay away from the Belgian Bruiser.

Jerome James- C  Chicago Bulls

According to Chicago news wires, “Big Snacks” has cut back on the cheesesteaks and turned up his training regimen, and he’s hoping to make a dramatic comeback in 2009 and possibly scam one last team in free agency. Either way, the best logic is to stay away…..far, far away. The Knicks didn’t get that memo, but I hope you do.

Hamed Haddadi- C   Memphis Grizzlies

Hamed Haddadi might be the Prince of Persia, but in America his throne is a metal chair on the end on the bench. In fact, when the Lakers play the Grizzlies, not only do you get Gasol vs Gasol, you also get the fearsome matchup Mbenga vs Haddadi to see who will log the least playing time.

Malik Rose- PG/SG/SF/PF/C/Util- Oklahoma City Thunder

It’s sad to think that guys like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and Karl Malone don’t have Championship rings, but Malik Rose does. Malik is as useful as a blind witness. He could maybe win you an “Alley-Oops Clanked off the Backboard” category. It was a sad day for Knicks fans when Malik was traded…….and by sad, I mean amazing.

Mouhamed Saer Sene- C  Free Agent

The Senegalese Senator of Swats will be honing his defensive craft for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds this season, but don’t be surprised if he’s called up to help some unlucky team win last place and year-long humiliation. In his defense, Sene did perform well in D-League. A couple of solid outings in the NBA, and the Knicks could come calling with an offer.

C- Emeka Okafor

If you’re looking for a real, dominant center to hold down those REB and BLK numbers, look no further than Emeka Okafor. Long stamped with the “underachiever tag”, a trade to new Orleans could be exactly what Okafor needs to break through. Chris Paul helped transform Tyson Chandler, an athletic big man with relatively few offensive skills, into a double-double machine. Emeka was a double-double machine without the star pg(no disrespect to Ray Felton, he’s my boy). In the last 3 seasons, Okafor has eclipsed the 750 reb and 135 blk thresholds, including seasons of 875 rebounds and over 170 blocks. He also puts up a more than respectable 56% from the field. Last year, Chris Bosh shot 48% from the field and blocked 77 shots, just to put things in perspective. Don’t overpay for points at the C position.

PF- Luis Scola

With Yao slated be out most of if not the whole season, Luis Scola is an absolute no-brainer. Last year, Scola had the 11th most rebounds in the league. Safe to say he finishes top 10 again this year and probably even higher. Just remember, he doesn’t block any shots so his value is really at the PF position. A nice note, he did have 68 steals last year.  He averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.8 rpg in just over 30 minutes of play. Project that over 35-36 minutes, without Yao, and well…….I don’t want to offend any experts.

SF- Charlie Villanueva

Now that Detroit has rid itself of the Allen Iverson plague, let go of the skilled but aging big man Rasheed Wallace, and added the most dynamic 6th man in basketball in Ben Gordon, the road is paved for Charlie V to become a breakout star. After averaging 16.2 points and 6.7 reb  in just over 26 minutes last year, prepare to see his shiny head flying across your TV screen on a nightly basis. Detroit plans to turn him loose, which could produce frightening numbers. He hit almost 90 3’s last year, and that number will surely go over 100 in 09-10. He also shoots 84% from the line, and while he may not produce numbers like some of the big SF going in the first 2 rounds, he is a solid buy for 3’s, points, and rebounds from the sf slot.

SG- OJ Mayo

If it wasn’t for the Derrick Rose show in Chicago, Mayo would have surely been the NBA Rookie of the Year. Last year, Mayo was 13th in the NBA in 3ptm. He could strongly benefit from an increase in his .438 fg%, but the addition of Allen Iverson could mean more 3pt opportunities for Mayo and better shot selection. For an example why Mayo has solid value, let’s compare him to another SG going about 10-15 picks earlier.

Mayo- .438%   .879%    145-3’s   1516-pts   308-reb  262-ast  91 stl

J-Rich  .477%  .769%    129-3’s   1212-pts    319-reb  146-ast  76stl

…………

PG- Raymond Felton

RayRay just signed a 1 year deal with Charlotte, and I’m sure he wants to play well to cash in on some of that purported 2010 money. Last year, Felton was 10th in total assists, ahead of named like Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker, Baron Davis, Derrick Rose, and Andre Miller. He had 126 steals, also 10th in the NBA, ahead of noted ball-hawks Kobe Bryant, Devin Harris, and Caron Butler. Felton is ranked 107th in Y! leagues, and proves to pay much higher dividends than his current ADP.

Chauncey Billups- Unlike Detroit, where Billups played essentially 45 minutes a game and was considered the second or 1st scoring option with RIP,  he is getting older and there are many capable scorers in Denver like Melo and J.R. His FT%, 3PTM, and Pt’s are all solid, but most pG’s are good from the stripe, and he only had 506 assists and 93 steals last year. In comparison, Ray Felton had 553 assists and 126 steals, and Rajon Rondo had 659 assists and 149 steals. He’s a good value late in the 2nd round, but don’t spend too much for him if youre looking to solidify the main PG categories. There are cheaper options.

Kevin Garnett- Defense wins championships, but it doesn’t win fantasy basketball leagues. Garnett’s #’s have gown down across the board, and a bum knee is a concern for all prospective owners. The arrival of Rasheed Wallace and depth at PF in Boston’s lineup means youre paying for a 2nd round name and getting a late 3rd round value

Kevin Martin- SG, Sac. Yes, this guy is a scoring machine. But what else does he do? 42% from the field, and only 138 assists for a small guard. TIm duncan had about 250 assists on the other hand. Why not just get OJ Mayo 3-4 rounds later?

I had previously slammed Marty Appel’s book Thurman Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain for being just another Munson bio. This is probably because I didn’t get past the first three pages. After sitting down and actually taking the time to read the book, I have to say that this is THE Munson bio. Pretty much as deep as one would want to delve into the private life of one of New York’s most hallowed legends. Great for anyone who grew up in that time, but also for someone trying to turn back the clock and learn a good deal of Yankee history. This book isn’t just about Thurman, but about the Yankees too.

Take some time to check this book out.

Ok let’s cut the crap. Some one’s not in the Hall of Fame and I wanna know why…….

Player A(Hall of Famer)

In 1211 Games: .322 Avg / 1491 Hits / 812 R/ 42Hr / 523 Rbi

His Bio:

**** ******  was a stocky, hard-hitting, fierce-running and tough-sliding right fielder for the champion Giants of the 1920s. Aggressive and consistent, he was called “the greatest outfielder I ever saw,” by manager John McGraw. ****** hit over .300 for seven straight seasons and compiled a career average of .322. He led National League outfielders in assists on three occasions. A kidney disorder ended his career in 1926 and resulted in his premature death at the age of 30.

Player B (Snubbed)

In 1423 Games: .292 Avg / 1558 Hits / 696 Runs / 113 Hr / 701 Rbi

1st Yankee captain since Gehrig. 7-time All-Star in 10 years, ***** was one of game’s greatest clutch hitters. Stats & awards don’t do his career justice. Still loved decades after his death. Many Yanks achieved more but none meant more to team and fans.

So, let’s compare one more time……

A. 1211 Games: .322 Avg / 1491 Hits / 812 R/ 42Hr / 523 Rbi

B. 1423 Games: .292 Avg / 1558 Hits / 696 Runs / 113 Hr / 701 Rbi

Both adored by fans, both deserving Hall-of-Famers. But only 1 is in.

As Ross Youngs was loved during the roarin 20’s, so was Thurman Munson 50 years later. Thurman Munson deserves the game’s highest honor. It’s a shame that it hasn’t been done sooner, but Munson played the game with integrity and a steel determination. The Captan deserves a seat in The Hall.

Recently, I watched some punk from Boston named Rice get inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame. It took him every single one of his 15 eligible years to finally get voted in. This makes me upset. Here’s why…………

Let’s compare these two statistics. The first set is Jim Rice. The second set is a player who retired in 2000 who has not even come up in the discussion. He too was one of the most feared hitters in his decade. And like Rice, he had a tumultuous relationship with the media. Let’s compare.

Rice: 16 Seasons  2089 Games  1249 Runs  382 HR  1451 RBI .298 AVG  670BB  .502 SLG   .854 OPS

Player B: 12 Seasons 1539 Games  974 Runs  381 HR  1239 RBI  .295 AVG  683 BB  .564 SLG  .933 OPS

Jim Rice was an 8 time all star and has an MVP award. Albert Belle only went to 5 all-star games, but he was as good a hitter as any during the 90’s. His career OPS is almost 80 points higher than Rice’s, and he drew 13 more walks in 550 fewer games. If he wasn’t such a media heel, we’d be talking about this guy right now like they talk about Rice.

Albert Belle for Hall of Fame!!!!!!

Here are some feasible and some ridiculous ideas for the Knicks to consider. It’s already known that Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries have player options for the 2010/11 seasons, and most likely, since no other teams will pay them what our amazing Knicks pay them, they will take these options and literally screw the Knicks into possible century-long shittyness. Here’s some  moves the ‘Bockers  can attempt.

1. Eddy Curry and Larry Hughes(NY) <——> Tracy McGrady(HOU)

The salaries match up perfectly. Hughes can score and can play some decent defense, and the Rockets seem to have differences with Mr. Mac. With Yao out for an extended period of time, the new, slim Eddy(He lost 50 pounds) could actually be useful somewhere other than closing time at China Buffet.

2. Jared Jeffries(NY) <—–> Mike James(WASH)

James is the odd, old man out now that Washington has healthy Gilbert and Randy Foye. They can use some depth in the 3/4 spot, and the Knicks happen to have a clusterf*ck since we drafted Hill and Galinari in back to back drafts.

3. Eddy Curry (NY)<——–> STeve Blake and Darius Miles(POR)

Portland has expressed interest in bringing in another big body, especially with Greg Oden hurt 11 months out of the year. Blake provides depth at PG and3pt shooting. Miles provides a 9 million dollar contract to level things out.

4. Jared Jeffries (NY) <——–> Speedy Claxton (GSW)

With Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, there’s just no playing time for Speedy. Plus he’s a NY guy.

5. Jared Jeffries (NY) <—-> Tony Battie (NJ)

Same expiring contract scenario. Battie won’t play much in NJ behind Lopez, Boone, and Sean Williams. Knicks could use his defense and wisdom.

What do you guys think.

Here’s 10 facts about our old. buddy Jerome James who we miss greatly.

10. Jerome James won the Heisman without ever going to college.

9. When Jerome goes to Hooter’s, he order’s the whole Buffalo.

8. Jerome James leaps tall infants in a single bound.

7. Jerome is never late…..everyone else is just early.

6. You know the answer to Final Jeopardy last night? Jerome James

5. Jerome once blocked 200 shots in the first half of a high school basketball game.

4. Jerome James was Gatorade High School player of the year….in kindergarten.

3. What do you get when you cross Michael Jordan and Bill Russell? Jerome James

2. Jerome James clotheslined his Grandma when she was going for a layup.

1. Jerome James’ 100m Dash times:

With the wind: 10.4 sec

Against the wind: 11.8 seconds

After a cheesesteak: 2.4 nanoseconds.

For anybody out there who thinks bringing Jason Kidd to New York is a bad idea, I slap you with a ham.

Let’s take a look at 10 reasons why the Knicks MUST bring J Kidd to New York.

10. The Knicks suck. J Kidd is awesome.

9. J Kidd loves New York. New York loves J Kidd. I believe that’s a palindrome.

8. J Kidd fits perfectly into Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun system. Even better than Steve Nash.

7. Jason Kidd is one of the 5 greatest point guards to ever play this game. Say what you want, he’s a beast. The Knicks don’t have many top 5 anythings, except maybe the five worst contracts, or the five most out of shape players. Or the 5 worst draft picks in NBA history.

6. J Kidd still has gas in the tank. And it’s not 87. He’s not a “slasher” like Iverson, nor a half-court guy like Chris Paul. He doesn’t take a lot of abuse, and surprisingly, for a point guard, doesn’t even have the ball in his hands that much.

5. J Kidd pimps mad hoes.

4. I need a Kidd Knicks Jersey to hang to my Michael Jordan Knicks Jersey and Alex Ovechkin Rangers sweater.

3. Lebron James LOVES Jason Kidd. In fact, in an interview last year, Lebron was quoted as saying his two favorite basketball players of all-time are Penny Hardaway and Jason Kidd

2. Knicks don’t have time to develop young talent. Knicks need to win, and win now. Signing Kidd to a 3 year deal, at the mid-level price of 5.5 mil a year, is a steal. Then, when the Knicks steal Ricky Rubio from the TWolves, he’ll have a good mentor for a year.

1. Who else we gonna sign?