LestersLegends.com

Anthony Gruppuso, US Presswire
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One of the players that is jumping off the shelves is New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin. In his past two games he’s 20 for 36 from the floor for an impressive 55.6 shooting percentage. He’s also made 12 of 16 (75.0 percent) of his free throws. He only knocked down one three-pointer, but it would hard to complain about that.
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Not with an average of 26.5 points per game. It’s not like that’s the only area he has contributed either. Lin added 3.5 rebounds per game, 7.5 assists per game, and 2.0 steals per game.
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With the kind of production it is easy to overlook the lack of three-pointers. Let’s face it, as long as he’s scoring like that does it really matter how he gets his?
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Lin has averaged 40.5 minutes during the two-game eruption. Obviously getting extended run is important if he’s going to continue to play at a high level. The Knicks do have other options at point guard (Iman Shumpert, Toney Douglas, Mike Bibby, and perhaps at some point Baron Davis).
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Nobody has ran away with the job yet so Lin is the current flavor of the month following his outburst.
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Lin does have a tendency to turn the ball over. In his final three years at Harvard he averaged 3.2 turnovers. Lin only had one on Saturday, but he followed it up with eight turnovers on Monday.
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Lin is owned in just over half of fantasy leagues. That number is only going to go up, especially in the short-term. Given the way he played the past two games, and the ability for point guards to put up big numbers in Mike D’Antoni’s system, Lin is a must-add if he’s still out there.
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• Can Amar’e Stoudemire Be Had at a Discount?

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Throwing out Amar’e Stoudemire’s three game 2005-06 season, he’s averaging less points (17.8) than he has since his rookie season, way back in 2002-2003. He’s four points per game below his career average, and 7.5 points below last year’s average in his first year with the Knicks.
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Not only is his scoring down, but his field goal percentage is off-the-charts down. We’re talking more than ten percent below is lifetime 53.4 percent shooting. The shooting woes run deep in New York. Only two players (Tyson Chandler and Landry Fields) getting significant run are above 47 percent. Fields is at 47.1 percent so even that isn’t entirely impressive. Of all the players to bounce back, Amar’e has the best odds.
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Also uncharacteristic of Amar’e Stoudemire is his lack of blocks. At 0.5 bpg he is only getting about a third of the blocks per game that he has got over the course of his career. Eight blocks in sixteen games just isn’t cutting it.
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It’s not a lost season by any means. Sure, the scoring isn’t the same, but 17.8 isn’t bad. Neither is a 8.4 rebound per game average. Assists have never been his strong suit, but he is averaging a career high 1.2 steals.
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Obviously getting Stoudemire isn’t going to be cheap. He’s still a huge name and it’s early enough that his owners may not be quite frustrated enough. His past eight games are helping your cause though. During that stretch he has as many 20+ point games as he has single-digit games. His scoring average is 14.6 ppg and his rebounding average is 7.8 rpg. He’s shooting 41.7 percent during the stretch. To make matters worse, he’s averaging 3.8 turnovers during the eight games, with at least five turnovers in half of the games.
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His owner may not be willing to move him right, but I bet he or she will listen. Given Amar’e's track record he’s a good bet to rebound. If you can get him at a discount, all the better.
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There is still room on the train, especially in Yahoo! leagues where New York guard Iman Shumpert is owned in about thirty percent of fantasy leagues. He’s not quite as available in ESPN leagues (55.0 percent), but there’s still time to add him.
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Especially thanks to a modest effort last night that saw him score 11 points, grab two rebounds, dish out three assists, and snatch one steal.
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In three games since taking over for Toney Douglas, who has essentially lost all fantasy value right now, Shumpert is proving to be a multiple-category fantasy weapon, averaging 13.0 ppg, 3.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 blocks, 2.7 steals, and 2.0 three-pointers. All while  shooting 48.4 percent from the floor, 42.9 percent from downtown, and 75.0 percent from the charity stripe. Not bad for a rookie getting his first run.
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He was a force at Georgia Tech last year averaging 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.4 three-pointers. It’s not a lock for Shumpert to remain in the starting job. Toney Douglas is capable if Iman stumbles, and Baron Davis’ return is looming.
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That’s tomorrow though. While it’s good to keep those things in mind, you still have to play in the moment and take advantage of a player that is seeing an uptick.
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He’s more valuable in Yahoo! leagues, which is odd considering that’s the one he’s owned in fewer leagues, because he has PG and SG eligibility. Most leagues have a generic “G” position and/or Utility slots. Shumpert will give you nice totals across the board, including a major bump in the steals category. Get him while he lasts.
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Also check out:

• Is Richard Jefferson Turning Back the Clock?
• DeMar DeRozan DeDominating
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• Fantasy Basketball Roundtable: Bust Edition

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By Jeff P.
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Reports have said the Knicks are excelling interest in power forward/center Bismack Biyombo also known as the “B-Smack”.
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Biyombo will work out with the Knicks on Sunday following a workout in Toronto, and Detroit Monday. This means that the big-man center could land as early as 5th pick to the Raptors.
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Bismack Biyombo is a without a doubt is a strong,athletic,explosive beast as he is compared to a worse version of NBA center Dwight Howard. There was even some whispers that Biyombo was in the age group of 23-26, that’s how developed he really is.
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Bismack Biyombo is a beguiling prospect. So why would the Knicks seek interest in him?.
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Bismack Biyombo is a vicious, defensive, and energetic center. It sounds like the perfect fit for the Knicks. In the Spanish ACB league, Biyombo was a true star. Biyombo even set a record there recording 12 points 11 rebounds and 10 blocks. That’s right ten blocks in one game.
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Who will the Knicks be willing to deal for Bismack Biyombo?
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The Knicks will seek to trade their own draft pick and a player( no one was mentioned yet, though Landry Fields could be a possible name as he was in a deep struggle in the second half of the season). Toney Douglas coming out of his sophomore year, could be a possibility.
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What’s the Knicks plan how late can they get him?
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He will most likely be in the range of 5th pick to 11th pick, unless he completely messes up in workouts and brings himself down, out of the lottery. Though that is unlikely and if the Knicks are greatly considering the 6″9′ center it’s doubtful they would rely on a chance like that.
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What will be his role in the rotation?
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He will most likely be the starting center in the lineup, unless a change of his current status. He is an excellent ball-handler, shooter, and defender and could probably fill in an empty spot next to Amar’e Stoudemire.
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If the Knicks aren’t successful on receiving him and they traded up for the draft pick already what’s the deal?
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Tristan Thompson, and Donatas Motiejunas are always backup plans. Yes, they aren’t listed as centers but at their heights it is likely they can fit in as a center. Or there is a possibility the Knicks can go for a point guard possibly Kemba Walker can be an option.
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Knicks fans start becoming excited because B-Smack can soon be a Knickerbocker.
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You can follow Jeff @ http://twitter.com/#!/TheMLBNBAexpert.
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Click here to see the LestersLegends 2011 NBA Mock Draft.

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Almost as refreshing as it was to stop hearing about where LeBron is going, it will be nice to have the Melo drama behind us. As pretty much everybody expected he landed in New York with the Knicks.
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Denver gets Danilo Gallinari, who should get a boost in value as one of the Nuggets’ primary scoring options. Wilson Chandler should also handle more of a scoring load with the Nuggets. Raymond Felton was also in the deal, but there are rumors he could be on the move. His value will likely take a hit regardless of where he goes. Ty Lawson’s value depends on whether or not he gets the starting job. If Felton stays, he will remain an inconsistent option. If he’s dealt, he could take off.
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Carmelo’s value should rise in New York. I could see him averaging between 28-30 in their system. Chauncey Billups also gets a nice bump as it is a very point guard friendly offense. Shelden Williams is an intriguing option that might be worth a look if you have roster space.