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      2009 NBA Preview: Pacific Division

      October 14, 2009 /

      This year, we’re doing a division-by-division preview with quick-hitting analysis for every team in the league. If a franchise is a legitimate championship contender, I’ll focus on what stars have to line up for a title run. If a team is a playoff “also-ran,” I’ll identify the weaknesses that have to be shored up via trade, free agency or draft over the next couple of seasons to make it a contender. If a team is likely to miss the playoffs, I’ll take a look at the salary cap, and provide a blueprint for how the team should proceed in the near future to get back in the postseason. At the end of each divisional preview, I’ll provide some (random) thoughts for the fantasy hoopsters out there.

      For each division, I’ll pick the order of finish. You’ll also see the team’s league-wide preseason rank in parenthesis. Be sure to check back over the course of the next couple of weeks for previews of each division.

      Los Angeles Lakers (1)
      The biggest obstacle for the Lakers this season is Ron Artest. This may sound odd, but the franchise is rolling the dice that Ron-Ron can behave for another season. They gave up on the quietly improving Trevor Ariza and made a big move to add the unruly Artest to the roster. This is risky, especially for a team coming off an impressive title run. Why fiddle with your chemistry like that? Well, GM Mitch Kupchak is well aware that the Lakers aren’t getting by on chemistry. They are a group of very talented players, held together loosely by Phil Jackson’s thoughtful approach and Kobe Bryant’s will to win. In other words, chemistry may not matter to the Lakers, because it’s a by-product of winning. (For most teams, it’s the other way around.) There’s no doubt that Artest brings a lot to the table, but he’s the biggest change from last season, so if the Lakers take a step back, he’ll probably get the blame. Meanwhile, it appears that the big lineup question surrounds the Lamar Odom/Andrew Bynum quandary, but the truth is that Bynum’s game has not developed enough to demand that he be on the floor in crunch time. Odom can shoot (albeit, only a little) and is a terrific ball handler/passer, so Jackson knows that he can better space the court than Bynum can. When both Bynum and Pau Gasol are on the floor, the lane gets clogged and Kobe can’t find driving lanes, so look for Odom to get the edge in minutes again this year. But back to Artest — assuming he accepts a reduction in his offensive role, the Lakers are the odds-on favorites to once again represent the West in the Finals.

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      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Limbaugh expected to be dropped from bid for Rams

      October 14, 2009 /

      According to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Rush Limbaugh is expected to be dropped from a group bidding to buy the St. Louis Rams.

      Dave Checketts, chairman of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues and the point man in the Limbaugh group attempting to buy the Rams, realizes he must remove the controversial conservative radio host from his potential role as a minority member in the group in order to get approval from other NFL owners, the sources said.

      Three-quarters of the league’s 32 owners would have to approve any sale to Limbaugh and his group. Earlier this week, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay predicted that Limbaugh’s potential bid would be met by significant opposition. Several players have also voiced their displeasure with Limbaugh’s potential ownership position, and NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith, who is black, urged players to speak out against Limbaugh’s bid.

      Ultimately, the sources said, Checketts must reconfigure his group and find another investor to make his bid more viable.
      Exactly when Limbaugh will be dropped is uncertain, though some familiar with the situation said it could be within the next week. It is unclear if the two sides even have spoken.

      Checketts and his group would have to find a financial substitute if they do drop Limbaugh, but one shouldn’t be too hard to find. The NFL is widely popular and I’m sure a sound financial risk for a potential owner, even in a bad economy.

      While I’m sure he’s upset that he didn’t have the opportunity to own a stake in the Rams, Limbaugh has gotten plenty of publicity for his radio show. But in the end, he was too controversial of a figure for the league to inherit. If there are plenty of financial suitors available, why take a risk on someone like Rush Limbaugh if you’re the NFL?

      NFL

      Fantasy Quick-Hitters: Calvin, Moreno, Stover, Cotch and Sims-Walker’s “lady friend”

      October 14, 2009 /

      Calvin Johnson misses practice, “hobbling” on sideline. The Packers are mediocre against the pass and are likely to jump out on the Lions so Dennis Northcutt, Bryant Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew could all see a lot of work on Sunday. Northcutt is a pesky possession receiver, so he’s a sleeper in PPR leagues.

      Buckhalter practices, but Moreno still working with first team. The Chargers can’t stop the run, so look for Moreno to have a nice game. Keep an eye on Buckhalter, however. If he’s probable heading into the game, he could steal touches from Moreno. If he’s questionable or out, Moreno becomes a better start.

      Adam Vinatieri out for six weeks; Colts sign Stover. This is actually good news — it just didn’t seem like fantasy football without Matt Stover. He’s a solid kicker and should score well with the Colts. It’s not often kickers make fantasy news, but it’s safe to cut Vinatieri if you have him on your roster.

      Jerricho Cotchery may not play. He tweaked his hamstring on Monday night and may need to shut it down for a week. The arrival of Braylon Edwards and a matchup with the Bills make it likely that the Jets will proceed with caution. David Clowney played pretty well on Monday night and would be a sleeper in 12-team leagues if Cotch can’t go.

      Mike Sims-Walker was suspended for missing bed check.       Apparently, he was out with a lady friend. The Jags really struggled without their top WR, but his presence probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference. He did it all for the nookie, the nookie, the nookie.

      Fantasy Football, News, NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      2009 NFL Week 6 Odds & Point Spreads

      October 14, 2009 /

      Along with a complete listing odds, here are previews for some of the Week 6 matchups in the NFL.

      Ravens (3-2) at Vikings (5-0), 1:00PM ET
      This is a matchup that features two teams heading in different directions. The Vikings are soaring with Brett Favre under center, while the Ravens have dropped two in a row after starting the season 3-0. Opponents are loading up the box to stop Adrian Peterson and Favre is beating them through the air. The Ravens need to figure out a way to pressure Favre or else they’ll be victim No. 6 for the Vikings. It’ll also be interesting to see how Minnesota’s defense does after surrendering 400 total yards to the lowly Rams last week in St. Louis.

      Giants (5-0) at Saints (4-0), 1:00PM ET
      After scoring over 40 points in each of their first two games, the Saints’ offense has been held to “only” 27 and 24 points, respectively, in their last two contests. Drew Brees and company will get a huge test this weekend against a Giants defense that ranks No. 1 in the NFL. That said, New Orleans will be well rested coming off a bye and has been playing outstanding defensively so far this year. The Saints will also have their full complement of backs, as Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell are both healthy and will form a trio with Reggie Bush in New Orleans’ backfield. This matchup will determine which of these teams is the best in the NFC, if not the NFL.

      Bears (3-1) at Falcons (3-1), 8:20PM ET
      The Sunday night matchup pits two teams that produced one of the more thrilling finishes in 2008 when Matt Ryan led the Falcons to a last-second victory after the Bears had taken a late lead. Chicago will be fresh coming off its bye, but Atlanta is 2-0 at home and exploded for 45 points last week in San Francisco. The Bears have had issues in their secondary this year, but Jay Cutler had plenty of success against the Falcons’ defense last year in Atlanta as a member of the Broncos. This primetime matchup could turn out to be a shootout in the Dome.

      Broncos (5-0) at Chargers (2-2), Monday, 8:30PM ET
      Before the season started, many people figured that these teams would have reverse records when they met in Week 6. But it’s Denver that has run away with the AFC West lead in the early going, while San Diego was left searching for answers heading into their bye last week. This has the makings of a great matchup, because the Bolts can score at will but not many teams are playing better defensively than the Broncos are right now. A win for the Chargers could help turn the tide in the division, while a loss would once again put them in catch up mode in the second half (much like last year).

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      NFL

      Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW): Week 6

      October 14, 2009 /

      The strategy behind DTBWW is that each week, you pick up a defense, preferably one playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. To see how this approach performed last season, click here.

      Last week, I recommended three DTBWW picks. Let’s see how they fared…

      #1 49ers: 1 SK + 1 INT = 2 fantasy points
      #2 Bills: 6 PA (8) + 1 SK + 1 INT = 10 fp
      #3 Cowboys: 4 SK = 4 fp

      Unless you had the Bills, this was not a very good week for DTBWW. The Falcons made the 49ers look like a bunch of high schoolers, and while the Cowboys sacked Matt Cassel four times, they didn’t create any turnovers or keep points off the board.

      Through Week 5, the top DTBWW pick is averaging 11.8 fantasy points, the #2 pick is averaging 9.2 fp and the #3 pick is averaging 9.6. Combining the three groups, DTBWW is averaging 10.2 fp on the season. Those are DT7 numbers.

      Let’s take a look at this week’s picks. Keep in mind that to be eligible for DTBWW, a defense must be available in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues. (I’ve seen the Packers available on a few waiver wires, and if they’re available, I’d pick them first; they play the Lions at home.)

      Pick #1: Cincinnati Bengals (vs. HOU)
      The Texans are just a mediocre matchup, but the Bengals defense is playing very well of late, posting at least seven fantasy points in each of its five outings. The game is at home, so that should help.

      Pick #2: Washington Redskins (vs. KC)
      Again, the Chiefs aren’t a great matchup, but the Redskins defense has been pretty solid of late and if the offense can put a few drives together, Washington should have a nice day.

      Pick #3: Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. STL)
      The Jags have one of the worst fantasy defenses in the league, but these are the Rams we’re talking about. Teams have averaged 16.4 fantasy points against St. Louis, so even the Jags should have a pretty nice day.

      Bonus Pick: If you run out of options, the Bucs have a nice matchup at home against Jake Delhomme and the Panthers. Opposing defenses have scored 14.0 fp against Carolina this season.

      Fantasy Football

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