February 15, 2016

NBA expert Seth Finkelstein's mid-season rankings for fantasy basketball. He ranks players' fantasy value for the second half of the 2015-16 NBA season.

What's up RotoBallers. Welcome to part one of my mid-season fantasy basketball rankings. The 2015-16 NBA season has kicked into high gear and we’ve seen some very exciting games thus far. Most notably, the Warriors started the season on a tear winning their first 24 games consecutively.

However, there are more budding stars in this league than the Splash Brothers out west and King in the east. Here are my top 25 players for the second half of the 2015-16 season. Stay tuned for 26-50.

Position Eligibility Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List

The Top 25: Mid-Season Fantasy Basketball Rankings

1. Stephen Curry (PG/SG, GS) - He's the best player in the game. He brings it every single night. He has the highest PER among players, 32.66, the best field goal percentage among guards, 51 percent, and leads the league in scoring with 30 points a game.

2. Russell Westbrook (PG, OKC) - This guy is a maniac and I love it. He's almost averaging a triple-double; 25 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and he has 2.5 steals a game.

3. Kevin Durant (SF/PF, OKC) - I place him behind teammate Westbrook, due to his 4.5 assists a game. Plus (for selfish reasons), I prefer Westbrook as a player.

4. Kawhi Leonard (SG/SF, SA) - What a huge step Leonard took this year. He is averaging a carer high 20 points per game, and is fifth in PER. I'd also say he's the best defender in the league; his arms are so long that he disrupts so much of the other team's offensive flow. He also leads the league in defensive win shares with 3.6.

5. Anthony Davis (PF/C, NO) - Davis is averaging a double- double. I wish Alvin Gentry wasn't such a bad coach, though. If Gentry was somewhat competent, Davis's stats could be even better.

6. Draymond Green (SF/PF, GS) - He's the heart and soul of the Warriors. When he is fired up, so is his team. His stats this season are career highs; 15 ppg, eight rebounds, 7.6 assists, 47 percent shooting, and 40 percent from three! Remember when Bill Simmons called him out for his three point shooting? And he's a top five defensive player; fourth in the league in defensive win shares and defensive rating.

7. James Harden (SG/SF, HOU) -  He's second in the league in scoring, 27 points per game, dishes out 7 assists per game and brings in six boards. Him leading the league in turnovers, yet again, doesn't help his cause either.  If only he could play defense, and broke up with Khloe Kardashian...

8. LeBron James (SF/PF, CLE) - James's three point percentage is at his lowest since his rookie season, 29 percent, but he's LeBron. A great trade chip, and a huge intimidation factor when facing off against a fantasy team that boasts him.

9. DeMarcus Cousins (PF/C, SAC) - He's the best center in the league. If you think Andre Drummond is better, then look at their free throw percentage: Cousins, 74 percent, Drummond 36 percent. Besides that, Boogie is averaging a career high 26 points per game, to go along with 11 rebounds. He does need to stop shooting four 3-pointers a game. That is absurd.

10. Chris Paul (PG, LAC) - The Clips are 11-2 without Blake Griffin, thanks to Chris Paul. When Griffin was playing, Paul was averaging a 17 points, nine assists, and three rebounds. But without Griffin, Paul has been averaging 20 points per game, five rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals. He's stepped up his game and so have the Clippers. Too bad Paul and the rest of the Clips continually whine and whine.

11. Paul George (SG/SF/PF, IND) - After missing the majority of last season, PG-13 has came out firing. He's averaging a career high in points, 23.5, to go along with seven rebounds and three assists. He's also sixth in defensive win shares.

12. Jimmy Butler (SG/SF, CHI) - Without Butler, the Bulls would be dead. He has a career high in points, 22.5, and assists, 4.3. He also gets to the foul line a ton, attempting the third most in the league this year.

13. Paul Millsap (PF/C, ATL) - Millsap doesn't get enough credit. He's 10th in PER and is quietly having a career year. His stats (all career highs): 18.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks. He's shooting 49 percent from the field. Millsap is also fifth in defensive win shares.

14.  Andre Drummond (PF/C, DET) - I couldn't place him any higher because of his horrid free throw shooting. As Dan Patrick said, shoot underhand or try something else at least. If Stan Van pulled a fan out of the crowd, he would hit more foul shots than Drummond. Besides that, he has been a monster all year.

15. DeMar DeRozan (SG/SF, TOR) - Yes, I have DeRozan this high and over teammate, Kyle Lowry. He leads the team in points, 23.3, also a career high. DeRozan is shooting 44.5 percent from the field. That's better than Lowry.

16. Kyle Lowry (PG, TOR) - Lowry is having himself a career year in points, 20.7, rebounds, 5, and field goal percentage, 41.9 percent. He and DeRozan have led the Raptors to the second spot in the Eastern Conference.

17. John Wall (PG, WAS) - Great stats and the only bright spot on the Wizards this season.

18. Pau Gasol (PF/C, CHI) - The 35-year-old is still looking spry as he averages 16 points, 11 boards, and two blocks.

19. Damian Lillard (PG, POR) - We knew his numbers would go up when Aldridge left. But his field goal percentage is a career low, 41.5 percent.

20. Klay Thompson (SG/SF, GS) - He started off slowly, but since Christmas he has been averaging 22 points a game, with 4.5 rebounds. In that span, he is shooting 45 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three point land.

21. Chris Bosh (PF/C, MIA) - Great move by Bosh staying in Miami and not going to Houston two offseason ago. Now he is the best player on the Heat and his stats show it.

22. Karl-Anthony Towns (PF/C, MIN) - The rookie has been phenomenal averaging close to a double-double, shooting 53 percent, to go along with two blocks.

23. Blake Griffin (PF/C, LAC) - The Clippers have gone 11-3 without Griffin. What does that say? Either way, the stats will be there. His injury bumps him down to here.

24. Dwight Howard (C, HOU) - Averaging a double-double, but to be on a team with James Harden and Ty Lawson, and have your record only be 23-22. That's a red flag. His missed games are pain, but he's a beast in the games he does play.

25. J.J. Redick (SG, LAC) - He is so close to being the sole member of the 50-50-90 club. He's shooting 49 percent from the field, 49.5 percent from three, and 88 percent from foul line. Only six players are in the 50-40-90 club. In the 1995-96 NBA season, Steve Kerr entered the 50-50-90 club, and today, is still the only one to achieve that remarkable feat. Need more reason for him to crack the top 25? He's averaging 16 a game and is eighth in made 3-pointers.

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