Zac's Corner

A "Follow" for A "Follow"

Time’s Threat to the Throne It was just six years ago when the City of Sacramento saw its lone professional sports team make it to the playoffs.  And six years from that, it seemed as if the Kings were truly amongst the finest of what the NBA had to offer.  Today, with talks of the franchise relocating, the Kings may soon be dethroned from the capital of California.  Time is truly the strangest thing about life, because no one really knows where they are going to be a half-dozen years from now.  But with how good that Sacramento Kings team was at the start of the millennium, it was awfully hard to see the fall of a sports organization in such a short period of time. —————————————————————————————- June 2nd, 2002 — Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals The memory is vivid for every Kings fan.  For a Los Angeles Laker fan, the memory maybe gone considering all of the rivalries they have had since then — San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.  But boy, did these teams clash better than any other iconic rivals would. Walking into Arco Arena (Now renamed to Sleep Train Arena), it was difficult finding a person that would wear the color yellow to a Kings game.  It wasn’t hard to find anyone wearing purple, but just so long as they had it mixed with the basic color pattern of black and white.  For you see, anyone accused of being a Laker fan at this time would be heavily scolded by the sound of the cowbells rattling in their ears.  After a miraculous (and now thanks to former NBA official, Tim Donaghy, controversial) Game 4 loss at the Staples Center, the Kings find themselves going the distance with the two-time defending champs in a series that should already been over.  The series was 3-2 heading back to Sacramento but Game 6 was another chance that got away.  As for the final game that was decided at the end of regulation?  Well, it was just the Lakers’ destiny to win, I guess.  Down by two with less than 90 seconds to go, in front of the loudest NBA arena; the final possessions for the Kings were nothing to cheer about.  Mike Bibby dribbled down and missed a 18-foot jumper, followed by a turnover from Hedo Turkoglu, a Doug Christie 3-pointer that hit the side of the backboard and a long range attempt by Chris Webber that touched every single part of the basket but the net itself. Destiny may have helped the Lakers advance to the NBA Finals, but it was the better team that failed to capitalize on the four key opportunities. After that collapse, the Kings vowed to come back to that stage.  But as history now shows, nothing is guaranteed.  Regardless of how many games a team has played in a season, there will always be one game that defines the fate of a franchise.  For the 27 years in Sacramento, the Kings have only been to the W.C.F. once and held the best record in the conference twice.  Despite the loss to the Lakers, most basketball fans could have sworn the Kings would return. But also basketball fans today would be left to say that those memories were short lived.  Still, it is hard not to argue that the early 2000’s Sacramento Kings was one of the best squads to not win a championship.  ————————————————————————————— Oh, the memories. From C-Webb and Peja Stojakovic’s chase for the regular season MVP to the questionable but in the end beneficial trade for Mike Bibby, there was just so much in between for a group of guys that seemed out of place with the setting.  Webber’s collegiate and professional career was what put him in the spotlight, but it would make even more sense for him to play for a team in a bigger market. Bobby Jackson and Lawrence Funderberg looked as if they belonged back in the middle of the country. Scot Pollard gave off the playboy vibes, having most of us believe he was stuck at a frat party in some college near his hometown of San Diego.  And if Stojakovic, Turkoglu or Vlade Divac was handed a map of the United States when they first entered the league and was asked to locate Sacramento, it probably would have taken them the longest out of all the other 27 locations (‘Golden State’ would be an exception). But what made the Kings the best at the time was the collective chemistry with the talent that they had.  The post players could hit mid-range jumpers efficiently but the backcourt was even better from beyond the arc.  The post players would also pass the ball better than any frontcourt in the league, so the offense would be continual movement of the rock until someone would be open for the best shot opportunity.  And, who can forget, the variation of great of defensive players.  By variation, I mean from the Doug Christie “Up-in-your-face” D to Divac’s masterful flopping techniques (which unfortunately, is no longer legal in today’s game).    With the way I am describing the Kings, someone who was just learning about them would be given the impression that they were ‘good guys’.  And the ironic part about it was, they really weren’t.  They were in a way, a second coming of the Detroit Pistons squad back in the late 80’s.  They were the “Bad Boys” and they enforced that cliché belief of nice guys finishing last.  Hopefully the team picture above will help clarify their identity, but what most of the NBA fans remember about the Sacramento Kings at the start of last decade was that they were the team you loved to hate.  Here’s the thing about hate; it’s a sign of respect.  People hated the Kings because they were so damn good and the attitude they carried around was something no fan from the opposing team would like to see.  But at the end of the day, the Kings were a team you had to tip your hat off to. After 2006, there was a lot less ‘hat tipping’ to the Kings.  The franchise hasn’t come close to making the postseason and two seasons ago was the start of talks about the Maloof brothers moving the team elsewhere.  While the Maloofs are given the stink eye by most fans, Mayor Kevin Johnson is looked at as a hero for keeping the Kings in Sacramento for the time being. It has been over a decade since that Game 7 versus the Lakers took place.  And for the citizens in Sacramento, it still haunts them till this day.    

Time’s Threat to the Throne

It was just six years ago when the City of Sacramento saw its lone professional sports team make it to the playoffs.  And six years from that, it seemed as if the Kings were truly amongst the finest of what the NBA had to offer. 

Today, with talks of the franchise relocating, the Kings may soon be dethroned from the capital of California. 

Time is truly the strangest thing about life, because no one really knows where they are going to be a half-dozen years from now.  But with how good that Sacramento Kings team was at the start of the millennium, it was awfully hard to see the fall of a sports organization in such a short period of time.

—————————————————————————————-

June 2nd, 2002 — Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals

The memory is vivid for every Kings fan.  For a Los Angeles Laker fan, the memory maybe gone considering all of the rivalries they have had since then — San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.  But boy, did these teams clash better than any other iconic rivals would.

Walking into Arco Arena (Now renamed to Sleep Train Arena), it was difficult finding a person that would wear the color yellow to a Kings game.  It wasn’t hard to find anyone wearing purple, but just so long as they had it mixed with the basic color pattern of black and white.  For you see, anyone accused of being a Laker fan at this time would be heavily scolded by the sound of the cowbells rattling in their ears. 

After a miraculous (and now thanks to former NBA official, Tim Donaghy, controversial) Game 4 loss at the Staples Center, the Kings find themselves going the distance with the two-time defending champs in a series that should already been over.  The series was 3-2 heading back to Sacramento but Game 6 was another chance that got away.  As for the final game that was decided at the end of regulation?  Well, it was just the Lakers’ destiny to win, I guess. 

Down by two with less than 90 seconds to go, in front of the loudest NBA arena; the final possessions for the Kings were nothing to cheer about.  Mike Bibby dribbled down and missed a 18-foot jumper, followed by a turnover from Hedo Turkoglu, a Doug Christie 3-pointer that hit the side of the backboard and a long range attempt by Chris Webber that touched every single part of the basket but the net itself.

Destiny may have helped the Lakers advance to the NBA Finals, but it was the better team that failed to capitalize on the four key opportunities.

After that collapse, the Kings vowed to come back to that stage.  But as history now shows, nothing is guaranteed. 

Regardless of how many games a team has played in a season, there will always be one game that defines the fate of a franchise.  For the 27 years in Sacramento, the Kings have only been to the W.C.F. once and held the best record in the conference twice.  Despite the loss to the Lakers, most basketball fans could have sworn the Kings would return. But also basketball fans today would be left to say that those memories were short lived.  Still, it is hard not to argue that the early 2000’s Sacramento Kings was one of the best squads to not win a championship. 

—————————————————————————————

Oh, the memories.

From C-Webb and Peja Stojakovic’s chase for the regular season MVP to the questionable but in the end beneficial trade for Mike Bibby, there was just so much in between for a group of guys that seemed out of place with the setting.  Webber’s collegiate and professional career was what put him in the spotlight, but it would make even more sense for him to play for a team in a bigger market. Bobby Jackson and Lawrence Funderberg looked as if they belonged back in the middle of the country. Scot Pollard gave off the playboy vibes, having most of us believe he was stuck at a frat party in some college near his hometown of San Diego.  And if Stojakovic, Turkoglu or Vlade Divac was handed a map of the United States when they first entered the league and was asked to locate Sacramento, it probably would have taken them the longest out of all the other 27 locations (‘Golden State’ would be an exception).

But what made the Kings the best at the time was the collective chemistry with the talent that they had.  The post players could hit mid-range jumpers efficiently but the backcourt was even better from beyond the arc.  The post players would also pass the ball better than any frontcourt in the league, so the offense would be continual movement of the rock until someone would be open for the best shot opportunity.  And, who can forget, the variation of great of defensive players.  By variation, I mean from the Doug Christie “Up-in-your-face” D to Divac’s masterful flopping techniques (which unfortunately, is no longer legal in today’s game).   

With the way I am describing the Kings, someone who was just learning about them would be given the impression that they were ‘good guys’.  And the ironic part about it was, they really weren’t. 

They were in a way, a second coming of the Detroit Pistons squad back in the late 80’s.  They were the “Bad Boys” and they enforced that cliché belief of nice guys finishing last.  Hopefully the team picture above will help clarify their identity, but what most of the NBA fans remember about the Sacramento Kings at the start of last decade was that they were the team you loved to hate. 

Here’s the thing about hate; it’s a sign of respect.  People hated the Kings because they were so damn good and the attitude they carried around was something no fan from the opposing team would like to see.  But at the end of the day, the Kings were a team you had to tip your hat off to.

After 2006, there was a lot less ‘hat tipping’ to the Kings.  The franchise hasn’t come close to making the postseason and two seasons ago was the start of talks about the Maloof brothers moving the team elsewhere.  While the Maloofs are given the stink eye by most fans, Mayor Kevin Johnson is looked at as a hero for keeping the Kings in Sacramento for the time being.

It has been over a decade since that Game 7 versus the Lakers took place.  And for the citizens in Sacramento, it still haunts them till this day.    

Alone on the Mound San Francisco is an interesting city.  It’s not too loud, but far from quiet.  There’s iconic bridges, diverse colleges, and just the simple Nor-Cal living that gives the Bay a certain magic to all of it’s citizens.  It is also home to one of the beloved teams in baseball, the Giants.   With a rising fan base since the franchise captured the 2010 World Series title, people are familiar with some of the stars that are still on the team.  And by some, I (unfortunately) mean some.  It’s not like Giant fans would not have liked to say goodbye to Cody Ross or Jonathan Sanchez, send ‘Get Well Soon’ cards to Brian Wilson or Freddie Sanchez, see the mental collapse of unsung hero Aubrey Huff, or wish for Tim Lincecum to have such a terrible season.  But who’s to complain if the Giants are still on top of the National League West division, right?  After all, that’s what the fans like to see. The 2010 motto “Torture,” was a meaning held close to all Bay area fans since the team first moved from New York in 1958.  And ironically, just like the rise of the Giants since the Post Barry Bonds era, the new face of the franchise is experiencing just what the peak of his career really is. Everyone, meet Matt Cain.   This Alabama-bred machine has gone unnoticed up until the magical 2010 season, and has moved to the front of the pitching rotation this year.  For a right-hand thrower that has had a sub 3.00 ERA his entire career, his record does not give him much credit (78-76).   And really, it hasn’t been Cain’s fault so much.  It’s just been a terrible inconvenience for him since the Giants have not had a solid batting lineup.  But the past is the past and Cain is past the halfway mark of the season, not to mention is in a race with the New York Mets pitcher, R.A. Dickey, for the N.L. Cy Young award.  Cain is having the best year yet, with a 10-3 record and a 2.74 ERA.   Who wanted to say the Giants G.M., Brian Sabean, didn’t make a smart move by offering Cain a contract extension worth five-years and $112.5 million dollars?  Two years ago, most fans could not have predicted the Giants picking Cain over Lincecum as their franchise pitcher.  Lincecum has two Cy Young awards in his trophy case, while Cain is still fishing for his first.  While Lincecum has been on the decline since those vintage days, Cain has looked the same: efficient.   Started off the season with a one-hit shutout on opening day at AT&T Park and came back two months later to become the 22nd major league pitcher to ever throw a perfect game.  The only thing that really is changing from the stat sheet is the run support, which is able to get Cain more W’s for the season.   It’s good seeing Cain getting the recognition he finally deserves.  And for the Bay Area to keep him practically a secret all these years, knowing full well what he was capable of doing.   Again, the city isn’t the loudest.  But how can anyone be so quiet not to share that Matt Cain would become this good over time?

Alone on the Mound


San Francisco is an interesting city.  It’s not too loud, but far from quiet.  There’s iconic bridges, diverse colleges, and just the simple Nor-Cal living that gives the Bay a certain magic to all of it’s citizens.  It is also home to one of the beloved teams in baseball, the Giants.  

With a rising fan base since the franchise captured the 2010 World Series title, people are familiar with some of the stars that are still on the team.  And by some, I (unfortunately) mean some.  It’s not like Giant fans would not have liked to say goodbye to Cody Ross or Jonathan Sanchez, send ‘Get Well Soon’ cards to Brian Wilson or Freddie Sanchez, see the mental collapse of unsung hero Aubrey Huff, or wish for Tim Lincecum to have such a terrible season.  But who’s to complain if the Giants are still on top of the National League West division, right?  After all, that’s what the fans like to see.

The 2010 motto “Torture,” was a meaning held close to all Bay area fans since the team first moved from New York in 1958.  And ironically, just like the rise of the Giants since the Post Barry Bonds era, the new face of the franchise is experiencing just what the peak of his career really is.

Everyone, meet Matt Cain.  

This Alabama-bred machine has gone unnoticed up until the magical 2010 season, and has moved to the front of the pitching rotation this year.  For a right-hand thrower that has had a sub 3.00 ERA his entire career, his record does not give him much credit (78-76).  

And really, it hasn’t been Cain’s fault so much.  It’s just been a terrible inconvenience for him since the Giants have not had a solid batting lineup.  But the past is the past and Cain is past the halfway mark of the season, not to mention is in a race with the New York Mets pitcher, R.A. Dickey, for the N.L. Cy Young award.  Cain is having the best year yet, with a 10-3 record and a 2.74 ERA.  

Who wanted to say the Giants G.M., Brian Sabean, didn’t make a smart move by offering Cain a contract extension worth five-years and $112.5 million dollars?  Two years ago, most fans could not have predicted the Giants picking Cain over Lincecum as their franchise pitcher.  Lincecum has two Cy Young awards in his trophy case, while Cain is still fishing for his first.  While Lincecum has been on the decline since those vintage days, Cain has looked the same: efficient.  

Started off the season with a one-hit shutout on opening day at AT&T Park and came back two months later to become the 22nd major league pitcher to ever throw a perfect game.  The only thing that really is changing from the stat sheet is the run support, which is able to get Cain more W’s for the season.  

It’s good seeing Cain getting the recognition he finally deserves.  And for the Bay Area to keep him practically a secret all these years, knowing full well what he was capable of doing.  

Again, the city isn’t the loudest.  But how can anyone be so quiet not to share that Matt Cain would become this good over time?

The Man in the Iron Mask It’s scary to think that Kobe Bryant has been in the NBA since 1996 and still has a lot left in the engine.  Even if he has broken bones and (because of Dwayne Wade) a broken nose to go with it.  Bryant has been banged up for most of his career, yet he refuses to sit out any games unless it’s physically impossible for him to get back out on to the hardwood.  Unlike the other players that went prep to pro, Bryant is determined to still be out on the court and let the adrenaline take the pain away with the risk of him inflicting more pain to himself.    The most games Bryant has ever missed in a season was 32, and that was in his third year with the Los Angeles Lakers.  The high school phenoms that have had their young, fragile bones get demoralized because of the transition to all-year round basketball — Trace McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, Amare Stoudemire, Shaun Livingston and others — have had injuries plague them and possibly stop from making any further progress in their careers.  Bryant, with all of the injuries he has sustained throughout his career, is no exception to getting hurt but you still see him out every night carrying the load of the Lakers’ brunt work every night.   What is Bryant’s secret?  Did he take a few notes when he played with the NBA Iron-Man, A.C. Green, at the start of the Millennium? Is he so motivated to prove his critics wrong? So far, he’s surpassed former teammate and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal in career points and Championship rings.  Plus, he’s already got an edge in that Lebron debate and is the closest thing to greatness that everyone from generation has seen since Michael Jordan.  So what can it be that drives Kobe Bryant to still be standing? Whatever it is, this plastic mask that the new Iron-Man will be wearing is something that will be iconic as Jordan wearing the number 45 for a brief time.  Who knows, maybe it will be something that he wears for the rest of his playing days.  One thing is for sure: There is no stopping Kobe Bryant!

The Man in the Iron Mask

It’s scary to think that Kobe Bryant has been in the NBA since 1996 and still has a lot left in the engine.  Even if he has broken bones and (because of Dwayne Wade) a broken nose to go with it.  Bryant has been banged up for most of his career, yet he refuses to sit out any games unless it’s physically impossible for him to get back out on to the hardwood.  Unlike the other players that went prep to pro, Bryant is determined to still be out on the court and let the adrenaline take the pain away with the risk of him inflicting more pain to himself.   

The most games Bryant has ever missed in a season was 32, and that was in his third year with the Los Angeles Lakers.  The high school phenoms that have had their young, fragile bones get demoralized because of the transition to all-year round basketball — Trace McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, Amare Stoudemire, Shaun Livingston and others — have had injuries plague them and possibly stop from making any further progress in their careers.  Bryant, with all of the injuries he has sustained throughout his career, is no exception to getting hurt but you still see him out every night carrying the load of the Lakers’ brunt work every night.  

What is Bryant’s secret?  Did he take a few notes when he played with the NBA Iron-Man, A.C. Green, at the start of the Millennium? Is he so motivated to prove his critics wrong? So far, he’s surpassed former teammate and future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal in career points and Championship rings.  Plus, he’s already got an edge in that Lebron debate and is the closest thing to greatness that everyone from generation has seen since Michael Jordan.  So what can it be that drives Kobe Bryant to still be standing?

Whatever it is, this plastic mask that the new Iron-Man will be wearing is something that will be iconic as Jordan wearing the number 45 for a brief time.  Who knows, maybe it will be something that he wears for the rest of his playing days.  One thing is for sure: There is no stopping Kobe Bryant!

Merry March Madness all you College B-Ball fans!

Merry March Madness all you College B-Ball fans!

Thursday’s Top 5: NBA Fantasy’s Hidden Mysteries (excluding Jeremy Lin) Well it’s that time of year again: the half-way mark of the NBA season.  For those of you playing fantasy basketball this season, your team is either sitting comfortably on top of the rankings or struggling to make the moves you need in order to get that star player you most desperately want.  Well fear no more because there are players that may have not been chosen on draft night but can still add to your production (or can even use as trade-bait).  Of course, Jeremy Lin was the greatest surprise and has not only fantasy owners but even the New York Knicks up and running.  There are however 32 teams in the league and there have been a lot of players flying under the radar as this lock-out stricken season begins to hit its peak.  Here are some other names that you should be on the lookout for as this Thursday’s Top Five is basically “The Best Undrafted Fantasy Players, Besides Jeremy Lin”.

Thursday’s Top 5: NBA Fantasy’s Hidden Mysteries (excluding Jeremy Lin)

Well it’s that time of year again: the half-way mark of the NBA season.  For those of you playing fantasy basketball this season, your team is either sitting comfortably on top of the rankings or struggling to make the moves you need in order to get that star player you most desperately want.  Well fear no more because there are players that may have not been chosen on draft night but can still add to your production (or can even use as trade-bait). 

Of course, Jeremy Lin was the greatest surprise and has not only fantasy owners but even the New York Knicks up and running.  There are however 32 teams in the league and there have been a lot of players flying under the radar as this lock-out stricken season begins to hit its peak.  Here are some other names that you should be on the lookout for as this Thursday’s Top Five is basically “The Best Undrafted Fantasy Players, Besides Jeremy Lin”.

#5: Rodney Stuckey, Point Guard, Detroit Pistons Ok, so he might have been drafted and he might have been well known because of his previous years with the Detroit Pistons (averaging around 16 points and five assists the past two seasons), but still with the way Stuckey started off, things did not look good.  He got hurt on January 4th and rookie Brandon Knight seemed ready to take off with the starting job, but then Stuckey returned later that month and was able to grab it right back.  At one point, Stuckey was owned by only half of the fantasy teams on ESPN and now he is practically on every team.  What to expect from Stuckey for the second half of the season is for him to continually get to the charity stripe (Averaging 11.2 free-throw attempts in his last five contests) and the occasional outbursts of assists.

#5: Rodney Stuckey, Point Guard, Detroit Pistons

Ok, so he might have been drafted and he might have been well known because of his previous years with the Detroit Pistons (averaging around 16 points and five assists the past two seasons), but still with the way Stuckey started off, things did not look good.  He got hurt on January 4th and rookie Brandon Knight seemed ready to take off with the starting job, but then Stuckey returned later that month and was able to grab it right back.  At one point, Stuckey was owned by only half of the fantasy teams on ESPN and now he is practically on every team.  What to expect from Stuckey for the second half of the season is for him to continually get to the charity stripe (Averaging 11.2 free-throw attempts in his last five contests) and the occasional outbursts of assists.

#4: Jeff Teague, Point Guard, Atlanta Hawks Did you draft him?  Did you really draft him?  Because if you did, then you’re practically a fortune-teller!  Jeff Teague has been nothing but superb for the low-key Atlanta Hawks.  Despite the Hawks losing five of their last six games, Teague has been a vital part for the team.  He was really an uncertain pick for most owners on draft night, but the glimpses of Teague in college days at Wake Forest transformed into a casual thing.  Not bad for a guy who’s started all 34 games for the Hawks and is able to provide all-around qualities for fantasy owners who are in desperation for certain stats to be filled (FG%, FT%, steals, and assists-turnover ratio).

#4: Jeff Teague, Point Guard, Atlanta Hawks

Did you draft him?  Did you really draft him?  Because if you did, then you’re practically a fortune-teller!  Jeff Teague has been nothing but superb for the low-key Atlanta Hawks.  Despite the Hawks losing five of their last six games, Teague has been a vital part for the team.  He was really an uncertain pick for most owners on draft night, but the glimpses of Teague in college days at Wake Forest transformed into a casual thing.  Not bad for a guy who’s started all 34 games for the Hawks and is able to provide all-around qualities for fantasy owners who are in desperation for certain stats to be filled (FG%, FT%, steals, and assists-turnover ratio).

#3: Isiah Thomas, Point Guard, Sacramento Kings Too Soon?  Well it doesn’t matter because finally the Sacramento Kings can say they have a point guard (Sorry, Jimmer).   Over the last five games, Isiah Thomas has scored in double digits and is averaging 18.4 points to go with his six assists.  In Sacramento’s last three games, Coach Keith Smart has left his 5’9” leader out for over 115 minutes.  So it’s safe to give Thomas a gamble for the second half of the season.

#3: Isiah Thomas, Point Guard, Sacramento Kings

Too Soon?  Well it doesn’t matter because finally the Sacramento Kings can say they have a point guard (Sorry, Jimmer).   Over the last five games, Isiah Thomas has scored in double digits and is averaging 18.4 points to go with his six assists.  In Sacramento’s last three games, Coach Keith Smart has left his 5’9” leader out for over 115 minutes.  So it’s safe to give Thomas a gamble for the second half of the season.

#2: Nikola Pekovic, Center, Minnesota Timberwolves You never would have seen this one coming with how stacked the T’Wolves Frontcourt is (Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and rookie Derrick Williams), but Nikola Pekovic has emerged as one of the top-fantasy producers over the past month.  While Love and Ricky Rubio may be getting all of the attention for Minnesota being relevant for the first time since Kevin Garnett left,  Pekovic has done all of the dirty work down low as throughout the month of February he has been averaging 17.2 points and 10.4 rebounds a game.  The only thing that hurts him from being number one is the chance of him having to share minutes with the likes of Love and Williams, but other than that Pekovic and the T’Wolves have a very bright future if he can keep up with the consistent play.

#2: Nikola Pekovic, Center, Minnesota Timberwolves

You never would have seen this one coming with how stacked the T’Wolves Frontcourt is (Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and rookie Derrick Williams), but Nikola Pekovic has emerged as one of the top-fantasy producers over the past month.  While Love and Ricky Rubio may be getting all of the attention for Minnesota being relevant for the first time since Kevin Garnett left,  Pekovic has done all of the dirty work down low as throughout the month of February he has been averaging 17.2 points and 10.4 rebounds a game.  The only thing that hurts him from being number one is the chance of him having to share minutes with the likes of Love and Williams, but other than that Pekovic and the T’Wolves have a very bright future if he can keep up with the consistent play.

#1: Ersan Ilyasova, Forward, Milwaukee Bucks This guy can help you.  He can help you more than Drew Gooden can and when Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova can assist you even more.  In the month of February, Ilyasova is averaging 14.2 points and 11 rebounds per game and if you missed it, he single-handily won the game for Milwaukee almost a week ago with a 29 points/25 rebounds performance.   He has been nothing less than impressive and he should be on every fantasy team from now until the end of the season.

#1: Ersan Ilyasova, Forward, Milwaukee Bucks

This guy can help you.  He can help you more than Drew Gooden can and when Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova can assist you even more.  In the month of February, Ilyasova is averaging 14.2 points and 11 rebounds per game and if you missed it, he single-handily won the game for Milwaukee almost a week ago with a 29 points/25 rebounds performance.   He has been nothing less than impressive and he should be on every fantasy team from now until the end of the season.