RADIO
Hello again and welcome to another week of statistics that point in every direction. We'll continue to try our best to make sense of the endless numbers. The good news about this week: three players have made it very easy to see some promise in them going forward (no pun intended). Whether it is return from injury or an increase in playing time, these three forwards are looking like fantastic options for Fantasy Basketball Managers.
Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List
NBA Forwards: Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups & Sleepers
Thomas Robinson (PF/C, BKN) - 2% Owned
In the last three games, Thomas Robinson has averaged 22 minutes, 7.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. This is a big spike from his season averages of just 11.2 minutes, 3.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.5 steals in 58 games with the Nets. So what has changed recently for Robinson?
Robinson hasn't had much playing time this season, but he has had one game where he played 40.5 minutes and has had two games in which he played between 20-29 minutes. In the game that he played 40.5 minutes, Robinson accumulated 18 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. In the two games in which he averaged 21.9 minutes, Robinson averaged 9.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest. Robinson is time sensitive, for sure. If he is in the game for 20+ minutes of a game, which is the direction that the Nets are trending with him this month, then he is a massive threat for a double-double.
The Nets are looking to see what they have in Robinson and giving frequent rest to big men Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young. He makes an intriguing deep league add for those in need of cheap scoring and rebounding.
Mike Dunleavy (SG/SF, CHI) - 10% Owned
Since 2010, Mike Dunleavy has never averaged less than 1.5 three pointers per game and hasn't had a 3PT% under 38% for a season. Dunleavy had been inactive this season until February 6th. After taking some time to get re-acclimated to game play, Dunleavy's playing time has increased to 28.9 minutes per game for his four games played in the month of March and he has caught fire in a big way.
This month he is averaging 12 points, and has made 10-17 three pointers for a per game average of 2.5 three pointers per game, and a percentage of 58.8%. Dunleavy's absence may have caused people to forget what a force he is from beyond the arc, but he has amply reminded those who forgot. Dunleavy's sharp shooting should put him in the cross hairs of Fantasy Basketball Managers.
Tony Allen (SG/SF, MEM) - 44% Owned
After being out since February 21st, Tony Allen returned on March 7th in a big way by putting up 26 points, 5 steals, 4 assists, and 1 block against the Cavaliers in 34 minutes played. In between being derailed by injury, Allen hit an overlooked high point in the month of January. In 12 games in January Allen averaged 31.6 minutes, 10 points, 7.3 rebounds, and an incredible 2.25 steals per game. With Allen's playing time once again increasing with his return from injury, so will his fantastic defensive production.
This season Allen has had 35 games in which he has played between 20-40+ minutes, and in those games he has accumulated 69 steals for an average of 1.9 steals per game. Now that Allen has returned in a prominent role for the Grizz (one set in stone by the pile of injuries suffered by nearly every other prominent player on the Grizzlies roster, from guards Mike Conley and Mario Chalmers to big men Marc Gasol, Brandan Wright, and Chris Andersen), all Fantasy Basketball Managers should take notice and add him to their rosters before someone else takes advantage of his steal grabbing ability.
