Thursday, October 30, 2008

2008-2009: First Impressions

The 62nd regular season is underway, and the league will see players exceed expectations, fall short, crumble to injury, step up from the bench, and many other escapades. FantasyTank reviews the day that was.

Jason Thompson - 18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 block
The Sacramento Forward-Center contributed big in a span of 22 minutes in their 98-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The clincher here is that he is playing his first NBA game.

Analysis: Going up against a frontcourt of Love and Jefferson is commendable, and while the committee of one does not consider Thompson's game as a fluke, throw in the fact that he will see less minutes once Brad Miller's five-game suspension has elapsed. Get him if you have an iffy big man (ex: Ben Wallace or Brendan Haywood) on your roster.

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Yi JianLian - 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
One of the newest Nets cagers, Yi was able to become a factor in the hub of the offense that is Vince Carter in their 95-85 win against the Washington Wizards.
Analysis: Yi will probably alternate one good game between two so-so ones, so do be wary of whether you give him the starting nod on your team. Wait until game #15 for more insights. However, you might like to check on the fact that he is given free reign to shoot from downtwon (2/2 3PTs).

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Darrell Arthur - 11 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
We all knew Marc Gasol (12 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks) was going to become an instant contributor to the Grizzlies, but nobody expected this performance from Arthur in their 82-71 loss to the Rockets.
Analysis: As long as he gets his minutes (27:10 vs Hou), expect him to contribute. It was a telling sign that he can perform well against a defensive-oriented team like the Rockets, so watch him progress as the season goes on.

***Injury updates: Greg Oden (Sprained foot, out 2-4 weeks)

Check up soon for the latest updates.

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