Growing old isn't for sissies -- nor are the last three weeks of the Challenge.
I don't know what it's like to be old. Having four living grandparents, though -- all of them either in their eighties or nineties -- it seems like it's pretty tough. It's not just that, as an octogenarian, you're unable to live the active lifestyle of years past, with all the downhill skiing and wild boar hunting and whatnot. No, it's not just that stuff, but all the normal stuff, too. Stuff like, I don't know, walking into the next room or even just sitting down. Even that stuff poses something of a challenge.
So, no, I don't know what it's like to be old. But my sense is that maybe -- just maybe -- the last three or so week of the Pick One Challenge might provide something of a window in the life of the elderly. I mean, do you remember back in Week One, when every last player was available and the world was each and every Challenger's oyster? Well, Week Twenty-Three isn't exactly the same. In Week Twenty-Three, almost all of the worthy plays have been made. No more LeBron vs Kobe-type decisions. Now it's more along the lines of Samuel Dalembert vs Jameer Nelson -- which is to say, guys who are good for 20 PRA on average and maybe 25-28 PRA on a good day. That's not what I'd call "choice" territory.
Below are some players who you might not've picked and who might still be of some benefit even this late in the figurative day. Oh, and my picks for this week are down there, too. A word of warning, though: you might wanna cover your eyes.
NOTABLE RECENT PERFORMANCES
(Note: Listed in order of Craziosity. Totals don't include Sunday games.)
Player: Jermaine Taylor - HOU
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 10.5 / 24.0 (3)
General Thoughts: Taylor was in the starting line-up for the Rockets Saturday night versus the Lakers. And in case you didn't just read that sentence, allow me to repeat it in bigger, more noticeable letters: TAYLOR WAS IN THE STARTING LINE-UP FOR THE ROCKETS SATURDAY NIGHT VERSUS THE LAKERS. In that game, he played 30 total minutes and put up a PRA line of 15/5/3 (good for a rookie-doubled mark of 46 PRA). All indications are that he'll start for the time being.
Player: Eric Maynor - OKC
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 19.3 / 32.0 (4)
General Thoughts: Maynor averaged a full 27 minutes per contest in the four games leading up to Sunday. His performances over that same time frame range from an excellent 15 point, 4 rebound, 11 assist line on March 21st at Indiana to a 2/0/1 line at home versus the Lakers on March 26th. In short: the minutes are good; just pick your spots.
Player: Ryan Anderson - ORL
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 11.6 / 29.0 (1)
General Thoughts: The good news: Anderson had a sweet 29.0 average PRA last week. The bad news: it was only in a single game. The other good news: it was in the most recent game (as of press time). Anderson's 24 minutes on March 26th were the result of an injury to Mickael Pietrus. However long the latter is out will almost certainly dictate the performance of the former.
Player: Reggie Williams - GS
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 40.0 / 50.5 (4)
General Thoughts: I think maybe I mentioned Williams sometime in the last couple weeks. I know, for sure, that I picked him at some point over the last two weeks. The bottom line is, he's starting for Golden State. Ya heard!
Player: Tayshaun Prince - DET
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 21.0 / 29.7 (3)
General Thoughts: Prince's weekly average is artificially inflated by his 27-point ourburst on March 26th at New Jersey (a game, incidentally, that Detroit managed to lose). That's not a total you can expect with any frequency from the lanky forward. Even without that, though, Prince possesses a well-rounded game that he's been able to exhibit a litte more recently with the assorted injuries surrounding the Detroitoise.
RECENT INJURIES
Player: Kevin Martin - HOU
Injury: Shoulder
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Chase Budinger, Jermaine Taylor
Player: Lou Williams - PHI
Injury: Back
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Jrue Holiday
Player: Thaddeus Young
Injury: Thumb
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Jason Kapono
Player: Al Thornton
Injury: Hip
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Alonzo Gee?!?
NOTHING BUT THE PICKS
Date: Monday, March 29, 2010
Player: Boris Diaw - CHA
Opposition: vs Toronto
2009-2010 Averages: 11.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.8 APG (20.1)
General Thoughts: Diaw isn't a superstar of a pick, but he offers a well-rounded game and, typically, a whole bunch of minutes. Add to all that the fact that he'll be playing Toronto at home, and Diaw becomes a competent -- if not entirely thrilling -- pick. In other news, Tracy McGrady, Bill Walker, and whatever other Knicks are playing tonight. If you haven't picked them yet, maybe do it soon.
Date: Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Player: Alonzo Gee - WAS
Opposition: at Houston
2009-2010 Averages: 7.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.6 APG (20.8 PRA)
General Thoughts: I didn't know who Alonzo Gee was until about 35 minutes before I typed these words. Still, starting for the injured Al Thornton, he's played 30 minutes per game in the last two contests for Washington (as of press time). Thornton isn't expected back before tonight's game. So while the proverbial iron is hot, I'll be striking. Rookie Bonus in da house!
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Player: Wayne Ellington - MIN
Opposition: vs Sacramento
2009-2010 Averages: 6.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.0 APG (20.2 PRA)
General Thoughts: I've been meaning to go with Ellington for a while, but, for whatever reason, there's always been one pick or another that made more sense. Tonight, though, is very much the night for Ellington. Sacramento allows the sixth-most points per game in The League, and, amongst other of my available picks, probably only Eric Gordon versus Toronto represents something like a fallback option.
Date: Thursday, April 01, 2010
Player: Jameer Nelson - ORL
Opposition: at Dallas
2009-2010 Averages: 12.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 5.4 APG (20.4 PRA)
General Thoughts: It's not the worst case scenario, this pick, but it's not much better than that. Jameer Nelson's a fine player, and he's healthy for the moment, which is saying something. There's a chance -- if Mickael Pietrus is still out -- that I might go the way of Ryan Anderson with this pick. Anderson put up 29 PRA for a game in Pietrus's absence. I wouldn't necessarily expect a repeat performance, but Anderson's a better player than he's been getting credit for.
Date: Friday, April 02, 2010
Player: Tracy McGrady - NY
Opposition: at Golden State
2009-2010 Averages: 8.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.3 APG (15.5 PRA)
General Thoughts: I don't wanna shock you or anything, but you're gonna find out sooner or later, so here it is: Tracy McGrady is no longer one of the best players in the NBA. Crazy, right? Well, it's true. And yet, for however true it is, there might also be some Pick One value here. For one, he plays for the Knicks. For two, the Knicks are playing the Warriors. And for three -- hmm, there might not be a three. Sorry, guys.
Date: Saturday, April 03, 2010
Player: Samuel Dalembert - PHI
Opposition: vs Toronto
2009-2010 Averages: 8.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 0.8 APG (18.4 PRA)
General Thoughts: Allow me to apologize in advance: this pick isn't super interesting. If you were to ask me, "Cistulli, why'd you pick Dalembert?" I'd be forced to answer, "Meh." I don't even know what that means. What I do know is that my only other real option tonight was Luke Ridnour. Yes, people: Luke Flipping Ridnour. In my attempt to find a silver-ish lining,I found that Dalembert averaged about 24 PRA last week. One would be hard-pressed to call that a bid deal.
Date: Sunday, April 04, 2010
Player: Eric Maynor - OKC
Opposition: vs Minnesota
2009-2010 Averages: 4.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 3.1 APG (19.3 PRA)
General Thoughts: I've got three potential Thunderers left: James Harden, Serge Ibaka, and Eric Maynor. Luckily, in addition to this match-up against the T-Wolves, Oklahoma City also has games against Phoenix and Golden State, if I'm remembering correctly. So why Maynor now? Because (a) he's been getting around 27 MPG recently, (b) Harden's just coming back from injury, and (c) Ibaka -- uh, well, it seems unwise to pit him against accomplished rebounders such as Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. That's what my mind grapes are saying, at least.
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