FantasyNBA

Pick These Guys Up Off Your Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire This Week

by Pat Mayo, RotoExperts.com | 11:15 am, February 12th, 2013

Like with real NBA teams, we’re deep enough into the season for your fantasy basketball squad to have crafted an identity – although pinpointing its specific ipseity can be a tad vexing. Many – OK, all – of us harbor preconceived notions about our team. We know it’s strong in certain areas because that’s how we drafted it. Specious logic? Absolutely. Doesn’t stop it from existing as the prevailing thought process among most Fantasy players. Why bother looking at the actual totals when wallowing in self-delusion is such a simpler alternative? Turns out having Chris Paul doesn’t automatically make you awesome at assists. If Jamal Crawford, DeMar DeRozan and J.J. Redick make up the crux of your remaining guards, all you’ve done is zero-summed the category. I beg you, go take a quick peek at the numbers.

Now that you’ve been suitably taken aback, there’s no more time for truancy. Try a new, proactive approach: Raid the waiver wire and plunder its robust bounty. To give you a head start, here are some available, quick fix, stat-specific options. Photos via Getty:

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1.Field Goal Percentage: Patrick Patterson

Long the sleeper from Kentucky’s prodigious 2010 draft class, Patterson has developed a foothold in the Rockets’ rotation the last three weeks. Now playing starter‘s minutes, he’s cracked double digit points in nine of ten games, shooting 63% from the floor. If he can escape the always-malevolent trainer’s table, he’ll continue to boost the ratio.

2.Three Pointers: Randy Foye

Mo Williams’ extended absence, coupled with Gordon Hayward’s recent health woes, have forced Foye into 36 minutes a night, providing him with ample opportunity to bone up on his favorite pastime - launching threes whenever he damn pleases. Foye’s been killing it for almost a month now, averaging slightly south of three 3s over the Jazz’ past 17 games.

3.Rebounds: Emeka Okafor

Christmas miracles do exist. In the 25 games preceding Les Wizards' Boxing Day matchup with the Pistons, Okafor could only muster a pedestrian 6.2 rebounds per contest. In 24 post-Noel outings, he’s surged up to 11.1 a game. I guess it pays to be on the nice list.

4.Blocks: Samuel Dalembert

Through a bevy of injuries, and once being called the worst participant in Basketball Canada’s history, the big Haitian can still block a shot. Still standing 6-foot-11 helps. Larry Sanders' wonky back does too. Dalembert’s swatting two and half shots per contest in his last eight; so as long as he’s in uniform, consider him Deer Antler Spray to your block total.

5.Steals: Thabo Sefolosha

Steals are relatively unpredictable - they’re an opportunity-based stat, and having a player that oozes consistency like Sefolosha available in so many leagues is straight up wack. (But not wiggity wack, just the regular kind.) The Thunder stopper has notched at least one steal in his last 12 games, averaging 2.5 over that period. He’s not scared to block shots, either, at least recently. Un-customarily a large contributor to the category, Sefolosha has been posting almost one per game during his current defensive binge.

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