B-Ball, B-Fast: Resurgent (in) Jersey - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

B-Ball,B-Fast is a daily (9:00 a.m.) look at what happened the night before in the NBA from a fantasy basketball perspective. Check back early and often, or just save yourself the trouble and bookmark it.

Cup of Coffee
Richard Jefferson wasn't a popular guy in fantasy drafts this year. Owners drafted him somewhere between the 60-75 range, depending on the size and parameters of the league, based primarily on injury and a decline in production over the past three years. Those who took the gamble are getting paid handsomely, as Jefferson is averaging a career high 25 plus points per game after pouring in 36 against the Cavs last night. The assist and rebound numbers are down a bit, but he's efficient as ever from the floor and his range has improved (on pace for a career high in three's at a career high percentage); there's no reason to think, barring injury, that he doesn't finish what he started in 2004.

Hot Cakes
Jefferson wasn't the top scorer last night though, as Amare Stoudemire went off against the Pacers for 42/14/4. There were talks before the season started that he was ready to take his game to an even higher level than we'd seen before; he's "only" averaging 19.3 and 8.6 boards per game this year, both below his career numbers. But he's doing it in 28.6 minutes, which is nuts, really. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but if you can weasel your way into getting him, now would be a good time, before the Suns start really ratcheting up his minutes.

All Brevin Knight does is pass and steal - 9/1/8/2 last night - which as a fourth guard in fantasy, is flat out superb. There's a chance he's available in some leagues and Sam Cassell is still dealing with injury. Sam-I-Am is like 89 in alien years, so this probably won't be a one time thing.

Daily leagues should note that Chris Mihm is your starting center in Los Angeles with Andrew Bynum sick right now; he scored 11 points with seven boards and two dimes in 32 minutes last night. With two games against Golden State on the horizon (12/09 and 12/14) he could make a very nice streaming option.

Someone that could be more than a streamer, depending how his situation shakes out, is Anderson Varejao. He signed yesterday with the Bobcats, leaving the Cavs seven days to match the Bobcats offer. Varejao's made it known he doesn't care to play for the LeBrons and there are salary cap issues involved, so they may let him walk. If he ends up in Charlotte, he's a very nice add as a fourth forward or second center; Jared Dudley's value would take a hit though.

Broken Eggs
Kevin Martin left the Kings game against Utah last night with some sort of strained groin. Besides the obvious "Ouch" joke, it's worth noting that John Salmons ended up with 21 points, six boards and two dimes in 27 minutes. Either he or Francisco Garcia will start at the two with Martin hurt, but expect it to be Salmons who sees the biggest temporary boost in value.