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Fantasy Updates
 West leveled by pick, leaves Game 6
David West, PF NO
News: David West, who played with back pain in Game 5 of the Hornets' playoff series against the Spurs, fell to the floor Friday in Game 6 at San Antonio after being picked from behind by Spurs forward Robert Horry, who was called for an offensive foul. Laying face down on the floor, West put his left arm behind him and rested it on his lower back before going to the locker room. West is considered questionable for Game 7 Monday night in New Orleans.
Analysis: West averaged career highs in scoring (20.6), rebounds (8.9), assists (2.3), blocks (1.3) and minutes played (37.8) during the 2007-08 regular season. He also appeared in and started a career high 76 games. He is one of the prime beneficiaries of playing alongside a great young point guard like Chris Paul. He's really emerged as a solid No. 1 Fantasy forward the last three years and can be had at a pretty decent value in the early rounds come Draft Day.
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Chandler able to play in Game 6
Tyson Chandler, C NO
News: Hornets center Tyson Chandler had to be helped to the bench after dropping to the floor with a bruised left foot in the fourth quarter of New Orleans' playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. But he was back in the lineup for Game 6 at San Antonio and he was able to score 14 points in a losing effort at San Antonio.
Analysis: Chandler averaged a double-double for the first time in his career during the 2007-08 regular season. He averaged 11.8 points and 11.8 rebounds, with the scoring being a career-high for him. He shot 62 percent from the field for a second straight season. He has always been a very solid rebounder, but the emergence of Chris Paul into perhaps the best point guard in the league has improved Chandler's offensive output. He averaged making 4.8 field goals per game and much of that came on the receiving end of alley oops passes for Paul. Expect this combination to continue in 2008-09, with Chandler being a decent option as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy center or a very, very solid No. 2.
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Gasol retains center eligbility
Pau Gasol, C LAL
News: Pau Gasol started 36 games at center and 30 at power forward during the 2007-08 regular season, allowing him to retain eligibility at both positions entering 2008-09. He started all 27 games he played for the Lakers after being traded there at the five.
Analysis: Gasol will likely move exclusively to power forward in the upcoming season with Andrew Bynum healthy. That means he likely won't have center eligibility for the 2009-10 season, but Fantasy owners don't have to worry about that yet. As a player who averages 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists, he'll be worth drafting in the first or second round as an elite No. 1 Fantasy center -- even ahead of Bynum, who will start at the five for L.A.
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Thomas not a factor in 2007-08
Kenny Thomas, PF SAC
News: Kings F Kenny Thomas appeared in just 23 games during the 2007-08 regular season, the fewest of his NBA career. He averaged 12.3 minutes per appearance.
Analysis: Thomas is not going to be playing a significant role at this stage in his career -- especially on a team with as many power forward options as the Kings. He won't be worth drafting for Fantasy purposes in 2008-09.
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Abdur-Rahim has worst season yet
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, PF SAC
News: Kings F Shareef Abdur-Rahim averaged a career-low 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in only six appearances during the 2007-08 regular season. He missed most of the season after undergoing two knee surgeries.
Analysis: Abdur-Rahim said he is not considering retirement, but at this point Fantasy owners should avoid investing anything more than a late-round pick on him in the hopes that he can return to around 10 points and five rebounds per game.
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Moore has decent season in Sacramento
Mikki Moore, PF SAC
News: Kings F Mikki Moore appeared in all 82 games during the 2007-08 regular season. It was the first time in his 10-year NBA career that he appeared in 82 games. He also started a career-high 79 games at power forward for the Kings.
Analysis: Moore didn't "break out" until his ninth NBA season last year with the Nets after Nenad Krstic got hurt. He parlayed that into a deal with Sacramento and became the team's regular power forward. He can be around 10 points and 10 rebounds on some nights, but isn't anything more than a No. 4 forward in most Fantasy formats, worth a pick in the late rounds, despite his starting gig.
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Williams still not a major factor
Shelden Williams, PF SAC
News: Shelden Williams appeared in 28 games for Sacramento during the 2007-08 regular season after being traded over from Atlanta. In those games, he averaged just 5.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists.
Analysis: Williams actually saw his most playing time as a rookie in Atlanta, but wasn't a very productive player statistically. He's still young and there is time for him to turn it around, but he likely won't have the playing time at the beginning of the season to do so in 2008-09. Fantasy owners should invest no more than a very late-round pick on him in Fantasy drafts.
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Journey continues for journeyman Johnson
Anthony Johnson, PG SAC
News: Anthony Johnson appeared in 69 games during the 2007-08 regular season. He played 42 games for the Hawks and 27 for the Kings. He started 41 games for Atlanta, but only 11 for Sacramento.
Analysis: Johnson only averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 assists in his time in Atlanta, so he isn't really a productive Fantasy option at this point in his career even when he gets playing time. In Fantasy leagues, he won't be worth anything more than a late-round pick.
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Udrih ups his value in Sacramento
Beno Udrih, PG SAC
News: Beno Udrih will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. He increased his value during the 2007-08 regular season with the Kings after being signed as a free agent when he was released by the Spurs. He started 51 games and averaged 14.4 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in those games.
Analysis: Udrih will be sought after by several teams that are in need of a starting point guard. He's going to a solid selection in the middle rounds as a No. 3 Fantasy guard, depending where he winds up.
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Hawes shows some flashes as a rookie
Spencer Hawes, C SAC
News: Kings C Spencer Hawes appeared in 71 games as a rookie. He started eight games toward the end of the season with Brad Miller injured and averaged 12.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Analysis: When the Kings drafted Hawes last summer out of the University of Washington, Hawes drew a lot of comparisons to Brad Miller. He's a very solid passer for a big man and can also be a prominent scorer and an above-average rebounder. He's worth owning in most keeper leagues as he'll likely be the replacement for Miller in another year or two. As a backup, his value in Fantasy leagues is that of a late-round flier -- an excellent insurance policy for Miller.
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Garcia steps up for Kings
Francisco Garcia, SF SAC
News: Kings G/F Francisco Garcia averaged career highs in scoring (12.3), rebounding (3.4) and minutes played (26.5) during the 2007-08 regular season. He started 20 games during the season due to injuries to Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest.
Analysis: Garcia averaged 16.4 points in 20 games as a starter and proved he could be a useful Fantasy option when given the playing time. He doesn't figure to have a starting job in 2008-09 on a regular basis, but could be in for a career season if Ron Artest skips town. He's worth a low-end investment in the middle-to-late rounds as a sleeper reserve with some upside.
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Miller enjoys bounce-back season
Brad Miller, C SAC
News: Kings C Brad Miller had a resurgent season in 2007-08 after averaging just 9.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in 2006-07. He also appeared in 72 games and averaged 34.9 minutes after suffering through various injuries the previous season.
Analysis: Miller had two months -- January and February -- in which he averaged 10.8 rebounds per game to go with over 15 points. He can still be an elite Fantasy center from time to time, but Fantasy owners can't rely on him to be that over the course of an entire season. In March and April -- when most Fantasy championships were decided -- he slowed down and his numbers dipped. He only played in two games in April. Fantasy owners should look to draft him as a luxurious No. 2 Fantasy center if at all possible in 2008-09 Fantasy drafts.
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Salmons still buried in Sacramento
John Salmons, SF SAC
News: Kings G/F John Salmons averaged career highs in scoring (12.5), rebounding (4.3) and minutes played (31.0) during the 2007-08 regular season. However, he did most of his damage in 41 games as a starter when the team was without Kevin Martin and Ron Artest.
Analysis: As a starter, Salmons averaged 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists. As a reserve, he was only useful in deeper Fantasy formats as an occasional stopgap. Fantasy owners have to take a flier on him in the later rounds in the hopes that he finds himself in a starting role at some point during the season. The possible offseason departure of Artest would also do wonders to his Fantasy value. If Salmons becomes a starter. He'd be a sleeper in the middle rounds as as possible No. 2 Fantasy guard or forward.
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Martin averages career-high 23.7
Kevin Martin, SG SAC
News: Kings G Kevin Martin averaged career highs in scoring (23.7), rebounding (4.5) and minutes played (36.3) during his fourth NBA season in 2007-08. He appeared in just 61 games, though, due to a groin injury.
Analysis: Martin has become the Kings' best offensive weapon over the last two seasons and is also a very prominent three-point shooter. He averaged 1.8 per game in 2007-08 and shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc. His only negative in Fantasy is that he doesn't contribute much else outside of the scoring. If he can continue to increase his rebounding as he has in each of his seasons in the league, he could get to around five per game to go with two assists. That would make him a more appealing option in Rotisserie formats.
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Douby gets little playing time
Quincy Douby, SG SAC
News: Kings G Quincy Douby averaged just 11.9 minutes per appearance during the 2007-08 regular season, his second in the league. He saw a season-high 34 minutes of action on April 15 at the L.A. Lakers in his last game of the season and he scored a career-high 32 points.
Analysis: Douby at least left the season on a high note. He shot 11-for-22 from the field in that game. He likely won't approach that many shots in most games in 2008-09, but should begin to see more playing time in his third NBA season. He'll be worth a flier in some deep leagues.
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Kobe (back) plays, leads Lakers
Kobe Bryant, SG LAL
News: Kobe Bryant scored 26 points despite not attempting a field goal in the fourth quarter as the Lakers beat the Utah Jazz 111-104 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Bryant tweaked his back in the opening minutes of Sunday's 123-115 overtime loss at Utah that tied the Western Conference semifinals 2-2 and had been questionable for Game 5. "I just had to pick my spots," he said. "I knew I wasn't 100 percent healthy, so I wanted to get us off to a good start, give us an emotional boost. Then in the third quarter, there were moments where I had to pick it up, and I was able to do that. And in the fourth quarter, Lamar (Odom) and Pau (Gasol) took it from there."
Analysis: Kobe averaged 28.3 points while playing all 82 games despite tearing a pinkie ligament in February. That was actually down from the 31.6 average he had a season ago, but he appeared in all 82 games for the first time since 2002-03 and led the Lakers to the top seed in the Western Conference. His MVP award came on the heels of a regular season in which he seemed to mature as a total player, getting others involved and making his team better in the process. Playing alongside the likes of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum (when healthy) could actually result in a slight decline in his scoring numbers again next season, but a 28-6-5 season isn't too shabby. The NBA MVP will be worth a top-5 pick in all Fantasy formats once again in 2008-09.
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