NBA 2009-2010 Fantasy Basketball
A General Manager's Guideline to the Best Fantasy Season
Oct 25, 2009
The NBA 2009-2010 season is on the horizon. As teams gear up to get ready for a basketball new year, fans and game enthusiasts alike are setting up their own teams in fantasy leagues. But before the first ball is tipped off, here are some guidelines for a successful fantasy general manager season.
Do the Homework on NBA Statistics Everyday
Tip 1: Check each box score daily
Game stats are great resources to look out for who's hot, who's on the rise and who holds trade value. Fantasy is after all a game of numbers, and each NBA player goes through strides in a season. Last year, players like Spencer Hawes and Charlie Villanueva started well but fell off the wagon towards the latter part of the season. Knowing when to pick up or let go players is crucial to good team management.
Tip 2: Be up to date on all players news
In an 82-game season, injuries and transactions are inevitable. Keeping tabs on player news leads to a GM who is proactive in making the right drops and additions for his or her own squad. "You won't get to watch all the games. Keeping up to date with news gives you tips and pointers that your opponents might not know," says Bruce Fakoory, a Yahoo! fantasy basketball GM who placed in the top 3 in the past three seasons. For example, Chris Andersen proved to be a great pick-up after the Denver Nuggets player came off a two-year suspension and burst into one of the most efficient big men last season. Websites such as Rotoworld and RealGM offer the best up-to-the-minute news.
Trades can Make or Break the Season
Tip 3: If it ain't broken, don't fix it
Throughout the season, some GMs tend to get bored with their lineup and tamper with their team by trying to "upgrade" for big-name players. Don't lose focus on the goal at hand (winning the match). Fantasy will always be about stats, not popularity. Big-name players don't necessarily equate to efficiency.
Tip 4: But also, don't hesitate to make trades
Teams must be assessed on a weekly basis. Observe who is being productive and who is becoming a liability. Fakoory thinks it is important to keep an eye on a player's progress to ensure an advantage when proposing trades. He says, "You want people to think they're receiving a high value in return. If you have a player who is performing on a high level right now but you foresee him slowing down in the future: trade him early. You get a few weeks of productivity out of him and your opponent will think he or she is getting a tune up."
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