Top NBA Fantasy Postseason Scorers Surprises and Disappointments

The NBA playoffs are just about half done, so it is a good time to look back at our projections and see how many were somewhat accurate and which projections fell flat or surprised. There could be a few upsets along the way. However, as the number of games dwindles, the rankings will not change much. I'll look at three categories of players: players we were more or less right about, players who have not or did not play up to their rankings, and players who have surprised.

No Surprises Here

LeBron James (My Ranking 1, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 1, Actual Ranking 7)
James has only been limited by the Heat's competition. He should be the top scorer by the end of the playoffs, which will come as a surprise to no one. Should the Heat meet the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be interesting to see what James can do against another strong defensive team (who, unlike the Bulls, are not crippled by injuries).

Kevin Durant (My Ranking 3, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 2, Actual Ranking 1)
If the Westbrook-less Thunder are eliminated by the Grizzlies, which seems likely, I wonder how long Durant's top ranking will last. As of Wednesday, he has an 80-point lead over Stephen Curry. If Curry and Carmelo Anthony are eliminated in the semifinals, James and possibly some of the Grizzlies will pass Durant. He was a worthy number two pick.

Carmelo Anthony (My Ranking 5, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 4, Actual Ranking 3)
Pretty much everyone knew that Anthony would hold the bulk of the Knicks' offense. While he has not shot well in the playoffs, the complete disappearance of J.R. Smith (who easily could have been one of the disappointments) has put even more onus on Anthony. While the Knicks might not hold up to their 2-seed, Anthony has dominated the ball enough to be a worthy FP pick.

Tony Parker (My Ranking 8, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 7, Actual Ranking 8)
Parker came into the playoffs with some injury concerns and re-injured his calf in Game 4 against Golden State. He has not let injuries slow him down and the veteran French point guard has led the Spurs. Unlike James, Parker did not let a first-round sweep slow him down. A battle against Mike Conley in the Western Conference Finals could be really intriguing.

How Could You Let Me Down?

Dwyane Wade (My Ranking 2, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 6, Actual Ranking 52)
The Heat haven't needed Wade to be at his best, but he has currently scored fewer points than Draymond Green and Omer Asik. The shooting guard is not healthy and will likely limp through the playoffs, so it looks like the NBA's Robin will continue to disappoint.

Chris Paul (My Ranking 7, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 8, Actual Ranking 30)
I thought Paul would lead the Clippers past the Grizzlies for the second straight year, but it didn't happen. Maybe Memphis is better without Rudy Gay. There has been some talk about dysfunction with the Clippers. Paul can be prickly. He is a free agent and could decide to leave in the offseason.

Al Horford (My Ranking N/A, Fantasy Postseason Ranking 10, Actual Ranking 42)
Horford was a solid performer for the Hawks this season, as he has throughout his career. The Pacers were not a good match up for Atlanta, and particularly for Horford who only posted two double-doubles in the six-game series. Josh Smith, another disappointment, could leave Atlanta in the offseason which could make Horford the main man for the Hawks (if he can stay healthy).

Deron Williams (My Ranking 11, Fantasy Postseason Ranking N/A, Actual Ranking 23)
With the Bulls' backcourt in dress slacks, I thought Williams would have his way with Chicago and help the Nets into the Semifinals. Coaching and defense won the series and the Nets did not have either. Williams had some moments, including a 32-point, 10-assist game in the triple-overtime loss. He has proven himself to be a second tier NBA star.

Where Did You Come From?

Stephen Curry (My Ranking N/A, Fantasy Postseason Ranking N/A, Actual Ranking 2)
Curry is causing me to have flashbacks to 2008 (what a great year!) when he led the Davidson Wildcats to the Elite Eight with wins over Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin in which he averaged 34.3 points as sophomore. He has been just ridiculous in the playoffs and has become a must-watch player.

Paul George (My Ranking 14, Fantasy Postseason Ranking N/A, Actual Ranking 4)
I am giving myself a hearty pack on the back for getting George in my top 20. The Pacers' best player has been an ace in the playoffs, although - like Anthony - he has not shot overly well. The third-year forward has provided a wealth of stats and could edge his way into all-NBA talk next year.

Marc Gasol (My Ranking 15, Fantasy Postseason Ranking N/A, Actual Ranking 5)
I hedged my bets with Paul by putting Gasol in the top 20. The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year does not have the most aesthetically pleasing game, but he is highly effective and works well with Zach Randolph (ninth-rated player). Add in Mike Conley Jr. as the sixth-rated player and you have a wealth of surprises coming from Memphis.

Harrison Barnes (My Ranking N/A, Fantasy Postseason Ranking N/A, Actual Ranking 10)
The David Lee injury has opened doors for the Warriors and may have actually helped the team. Lee's defensive shortcomings are fairly well known. Without Lee, coach Mark Jackson started the rookie Barnes as a small ball power forward and it has paid dividends. Andrew Bogut (number 24) has also been a huge surprise. Injuries have sapped Bogie's offense, but he is a staunch defender and shot blocker.

Fantasy Hockey Round 1 Musings.....

It is hard to believe that Round 1 is over already but the last two games ended hours ago and yet all we can talk about is that amazing Boston comeback. Lost in that was the fantasy bottom line. David Krejci and Henrik Lundqvist were the two best players at their respective positions. Meanwhile, we attempted to put out an APB for Alex Ovechkin and Marc-Andre Fleury (among others) but to no avail. There were so many players that looked to be sure things that fizzled in Round 1. Remember in the fantasy playoffs, it is a delicate balance. Do you want your players to play a lot? Yes. Do you want them to do that too often? That answer is no.

Simply, what we are going to do is list the best players first and then we will go with the worst. Everyone had those players that you swore was on a milk carton or damn well should be. Here is the Round 1 "cream of the crop".

Cream Of The Crop

1. David Krejci -- BOS -- 31.2 pts
2. Henrik Lundqvist -- NYR -- 24.4 pts
3. Craig Anderson -- OTT -- 23.1 pts
4. Jonathan Quick -- LAK -- 22.5 pts
5. Corey Crawford -- CHI -- 22.2 pts
6. Nathan Horton -- BOS -- 21.4 pts

Now For The Crap

1. Evgeni Nabokov -- NYI --   -9.2 pts
2. Peter Budaj -- MTL --  -6.6 pts
3. Cory Schneider -- VAN --   -4.4 pts
4. Mikko Koivu -- MIN --   -2.7 pts
5. Ryan Suter -- MIN --  -2.4 pts
6. Zach Parise -- MIN -- 0 pts

There may have been others but these (fairly or unfairly) were fantasy goats in Round 1. It will be interesting to see what happens in Round 2 as there are quite a few fantasy dynamic match-ups where lots of line adjustments will be made. I can guarantee that David Krejci will not wind up with 13 points again against the New York Rangers, or even close. That being said, the fun is trying to project the best and worst of the remaining four series. Now it begins to become a little tougher.

Ottawa Vs. Pittsburgh

Best:  Sidney Crosby, Tomas Vokoun, Craig Anderson, Erik Karlsson
Worst:  James Neal, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek

New York Vs. Boston

Best:  Derek Stepan, Patrice Bergeron, Henrik Lundqvist
Worst:  Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton, Rick Nash, Power Play

Los Angeles Vs. San Jose

Best:  Jonathan Quick, Antti Niemi, Joe Pavelski
Worst:  Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau

Chicago Vs. Detroit

Best:  Jonathan Toews, Corey Crawford, Henrik Zetterberg
Worst:  Jimmy Howard, Justin Abdelkader, Johan Franzen

There you have it ladies and gentlemen. It will be interesting to see how Round 2 does play out.

Fantasy Hockey Playoff Preview

Are your ready for some postseason fantasy hockey? Give me a hell yeah!

Hello everyone and welcome to something different. That is right. Fantasy postseason hockey is something that has existed, actually for almost a decade in various forms. Thanks to the kind folks at FantasyPostseason.com, I will be writing about my experiences in this realm. It should be a lot of fun no matter how this goes. The first post will be quick and simple. Please allow me to introduce myself.

I am a little different when it comes to fantasy hockey. Conventional logic and advanced stats ("fancy stats" as I like to call them) don't always apply. Truthfully I have played fantasy hockey in some form or another for more than 25 years. However, I am not ancient by any means. The key is always to adapt, adapt, and when all else fails, adapt. The fantasy landscape keeps changing so what may work in one league will not work in another. That is what has kept me in the business for so long. Taking risks and not being afraid to be wrong occasionally has actually served me well in both a humbling and satisfying way.

Okay. Let's chat playoffs and how a lot of these pools really work. There are always a few guys that come out of nowhere to have outstanding playoff seasons. Did anyone ever see Claude Lemieux as a playoff fantasy stud? I didn't. Did you see the Los Angeles Kings winning the Stanley Cup last year? Surely, that answer was no.

The usual suspects....

Ladies and gentlemen, there are always the players that will perform no matter what. They will get their points. Whenever Sidney Crosby comes back, you can expect him to feast on the New York Islanders like John Madden on Thanksgiving. Evgeni Malkin will get his points. Even Zach Parise is probably going to average a point a game for however short his team is in his playoffs. Those are the known quantities more or less. While we are at it, let's throw in Rocket Richard winner Alex Ovechkin into the mix. One of these players is going to go off early in a big way and that may be enough to help you along later when points are harder to come by.

Check for multipliers......

School kids always said to remember your multiplication tables. Some fantasy leagues offer a multiplier. As you move through the rounds....the numbers go up. Maybe a point is worth three points in the conference finals which creates a little uncertainty in the masses. Do I go for the guys I think will make it far or do I go for the sure thing? The problem is there are always upsets and the unexpected. However, the more players you guess right on means the less pickups you have to make in order to achieve success. Your points multiply without having to make as many moves which sets one up for the Stanley Cup Finals where having options is the name of the game.

Last But Not Least.....

Did you want a mini playoff preview here? This is what you need to know. I found this site last year just horsing around on the internet. It is called Playoff Status. Live it, learn it, and love it. There are schedules, probabilities, and statistics that most cannot find in one place. Also check the injury pages out there, whether they are on TSN, ESPN, or wherever. The key is just stay focused. If you have weekly lineup changes, don't miss it. That goes for daily changes as well.

Our All First Round Team......

• Evgeni Malkin -- C -- Pittsburgh
• Patrick Kane -- W -- Chicago
• Pascal Dupuis -- W -- Pittsburgh
• Erik Karlsson -- D -- Ottawa
• P.K. Subban -- D -- Montreal
• Jonathan Quick -- G -- Los Angeles

There you have it. Good luck and enjoy your leagues. Of course, watch for Sidney Crosby. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @ChrisWasselTHW.

NBA Western Conference Playoff Preview/Top 20 Player List

There are just two days left in the NBA season and almost all of the playoff pairings have been set. I previewed the Eastern Conference last week, so I will look at the Western conference this week. In the east, the Bulls and Hawks still need to decide who wants to play the Pacers and Nets in the first round. Everything else is set. Things aren't quite as settled in the west where the Nuggets, Clippers, and Grizzles are vying for the three-seed and there could still be some jockeying at the bottom.

Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City (60-21)
2. San Antonio (58-23)
3. Denver (56-25)
4. Clippers (54-26)
5. Memphis (55-26)
6. Golden State (46-35)
7. Houston (45-36)
8. Lakers (44-37)
--------------
9. Utah (43-38)

Eastern Conference

1. Miami (65-16)
2. New York (53-28)
3. Indiana (49-31)
4. Brooklyn (48-33)
5. Atlanta (44-36)
6. Chicago (44-37)
7. Boston (41-39)
8. Milwaukee (37-44)

1. Thunder vs. 8. Lakers (Thunder lead series 3-1)
Even with Kobe Bryant, the Lakers would not have had much of a chance against the Thunder. Behind 35 points from Bryant, the Lakers did win at home against Oklahoma City on Jan. 27, but OKC scored at least 114 points in the other three meetings. Los Angeles doesn't have the right personnel to slow down Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who should put up big numbers in this brief series (then hope the Clippers move on into Western Conference semifinals).

2. Spurs vs. 7. Rockets (Spurs lead series 3-1)
Coach Gregg Popovich is probably not troubled by the fact that the Rockets don't play much defense. In the three wins over the Rockets, the Spurs have averaged 123.3 points. The Rockets did manage a one-point win on Mar. 24 to avoid the season sweep. Tony Parker should be fully rested from his neck injury. He averaged 24.5 points and 9.0 assists against the Rockets. James Harden is the best player unlikely to make it past the first round. He could put some Fantasy Postseason squads in an early lead.

3. Nuggets vs. 6. Warriors (Nuggets lead series 3-1)
Like the 2-7 series, a match up of the Nuggets and Warriors would feature plenty of offense. If you are trying to decide among similar players toward the end of your draft, you could look for Nuggets who are one of the deeper teams in the league. In the four games between the two teams, only one team failed to score 100 points. It hurts that the Nuggets will be without Danilo Galinari, but Ty Lawson should reap the benefits. He averaged 16.0 points and 8.3 assists against Golden State, while Andre Iguodala provided 20.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Stephen Curry would be right behind Harden on the players likely to be eliminated in the first round.

4. Clippers vs. 5. Grizzlies (Clippers lead series 3-1)
This would be the best of the first round series. The Clippers ousted the Grizzlies from the playoffs last year in a seven-game series. In that series, Chris Paul averaged 20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 2.7 steals. He led the Clippers with 16.3 points, 8.7 assists, and 2.3 steals in the regular season against Memphis and I think he is one of the few players who can will his team to a win. I don't like the match up for Blake Griffin very much. Mike Conley has only shot 30.2% from the field and Zach Randolph just 37.3% against the Clippers. Marc Gasol has provided 16.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in the regular series loss.

Top 20
1. LeBron James
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Kevin Durant
4. Russell Westbrook
5. Carmelo Anthony
6. Tim Duncan

7. Chris Paul

8. Tony Parker

9. Chris Bosh

10. Serge Ibaka

11. Deron Williams

12. Ty Lawson

13. J.R. Smith

14. Paul George

15. Marc Gasol

16. Brook Lopez

17. Luol Deng

18. Blake Griffin

19. Josh Smith

20. Carlos Boozer