Five pickups readily available in most leagues…
1. TREVOR BOOKER-PF-Wizards- For those of you shaking your heads, even bad teams have fantasy relevant players. Booker is one such person. He seems to have been given the starting nod again and didn’t disappoint. On Monday, playing his most minutes in a game all season, 43, the 1st round pick of the Timberwolves out of Clemson, scored 19 points. He had just 4 boards but also contributed with 3 steals and 3 blocks. He’s owned in just under 20% of most leagues.
#35 Wizards Trevor Booker stuffs one home! Photo: bulletsforever.com
2. NIKOLA PEKOVIC-C-Timberwolves- The 6′ 11″ 290 lb. beast of a center has been tearing it up of late. In his last four games, he’s averaged around 32 minutes a game and started on Saturday vs the Rockets and again on Tuesday vs the Kings. The start coming as Kevin Love sits out his 2 game suspension for stomping on the face & upper body of Louis Scola. In those last four Pekovic has averaged 18.5 points and almost 11 rebounds. Why this 1st pick in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft is still available in 70 % of leagues is a head scratcher.
#14 Nikola Pekovic has been a beast over the past 4 games. Photo: 1500espn.com
3. ALONZO GEE-SG/SF-Cavaliers- In his first start at SG this season on Tuesday vs the Heat, Gee poured in 17 points on 6-11 shooting and added 1 three, 1 block, and 2 steals. In his last five games he’s averaged 14.8 points, 1.7 threes, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in 30 minutes per game. Gee, in his third year out of Alabama, has scored in double digits in all of his last five. He is only owned in 13% of Yahoo! leagues alone and if you’re in need of threes, steals, and points, we recommend picking him up in 12 team leagues.
4. JORDAN CRAWFORD-PG/SG-Wizards- Yes, another Wizards player…Crawford has come on over the last six games scoring in double-digits in all of them. He won’t fill a stat sheet all the way up, but he will give you points (almost 14 in his last 4 games), threes (7 in his last 4 games), and steals (he averages about a steal per game). He backs up SG Nick Young and will come in and play the one behind John Wall as well. You should take a flier out on him to replace a player or use him for streaming on those barren Monday and Thursday night schedules.. Owned currently in around 24% of leagues.
5. CHRIS KAMAN-PF/C-Hornets- With Jason Smith (concussion) and Carl Landry (knee) both out, Kaman will see an increase in his minutes so this could be the perfect time to pick up the veteran. He’s been on the trading block for a while and seems ready to go back to work as he scored a double-double on Monday with 10 points, 12 boards, and 2 blocks in just 22 minutes on the floor. We recommend you take a flier on him for the moment and watch and see if those type of numbers stay consistent. Available in about half of Yahoo! leagues.
PLAYERS TO WATCH…
IVAN JOHNSON-PF/C-HAWKS- He’s had a double-double in two of his last three games. He’ll play again on Wednesday.
RANDY FOYE-PG/SG-Clippers- In the wake of Chauncey Billups’ season ending injury (Achilles), Foye will be the starting shooting guard and will be part of a three guard alignment which will include Chris Paul and Mo Williams. Foye has started six games on the year, averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 assists, 2.0 3-pointers and 1.8 steals in 32.5 minutes.
#4 Randy Foye will get to start at shooting guard in place of Chauncey Billups. Photo:getfreshdaily.com
FANTASY FURNACE 
As a Hawks fan, I’d say buy Ivan Johnson…he’s going to play a lot with so many injuries around him.
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Lots of injuries…Johnson proved to be a key member of the Hawks’ rotation after All-Star center Al Horford was lost for at least three months with a torn pectoral muscle and backup Jason Collins sprained his left elbow last week. In fact, the Hawks waived their only draft pick, center Keith Benson, to keep Johnson.
Look, he’s a 27 year old rookie who will not have many more opportunities to show what he can do in the NBA, so I think he’ll try to make every minute on the floor count. In the meantime, he’ll serve as ZaZa’s backup and deserves watching. If he keeps his well known temper at bay, keeps his nose clean, and has the kind of games he’s had over the past three, then he has a shot at being a decent pick up in deeper leagues.
Thanks Sean!
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In my hyper-competitive all of those players have been picked up except for Ivan Johnson. Sometimes I wish I played against a bunch of unknowing, inactive scrubs. Too bad, Johnson only played 10 minutes last night.
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Even Foye? Wow, and as of this a.m. he’s only 19% owned in Yahoo! leagues.
Okay, if you need points and threes, you might consider SF/PF Steve Novak. He’s helped filling the void left by Carmelo and will continue to do so for another 10-14 days. In the last 2 games he’s scored 38 points to go along with 10 3-pointers, 7 boards, 1 steal & 1 block. He & Lin have a nice rapport going and Novak is available in over 95% of leagues so even your savvy competitors shouldn’t have stashed him…yet.
As for Ivan Johnson, Zaza was kept in the game longer because if the matchup with 7′ 2″ Hibbert who was held to just 10 points. Still think he’s worth a flier.
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I picked up Foye immediately after Billups went down, like 20 minutes after the game was over. I like that Novak idea too bad I am out of moves for the week, damn 4 move cap. Johnson doesn’t fit my system, but I agree he’s worth I flyer if you have a spot at the end of your bench.
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