Above the Rim: Two Impact Players to Look At

With 2009 upon us, the NBA season is almost at its halfway point. Teams are beginning to look at ways to improve and injuries are starting to affect teams’ performances. Two contenders in the East, the Celtics and the Cavs, are experiencing this right now.

Celtics, Stephon Marbury
Marbury has not played in a game this season and only appeared in 24 last season, but the rumor mill started swirling last week with reports of Marbury headed north to Boston. In those 24 games last year, Marbury averaged 13.9 points and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 41.9% from the floor and 37.8% from 3-point range. Considering that those 24 games is the only game time Marbury in at least 20 months, he should be pretty fresh if the Celtics manage to acquire him. In 2006-2007, his last full season, Marbury averaged 16.4 points and 5.5 assists while shooting 41.5% and 35.7% from downtown. If Marbury plays for Boston, his statistics won’t approach either of these numbers, although it is reasonable to expect his percentages to remain about the same considering he stayed consistent over the past two seasons. His long absence from the game could lead to some rust on his game and even lower percentages, especially in the first games he plays.
Marbury’s acquisition will have a big effect on the Celtics, both on the court and for fantasy owners. Marbury has a track record of being a distraction on a team, and his teams do not have a lot of success. It would be interesting to see if Marbury would hurt the Celtics or if they team can focus him and overcome his tendency to irritate the players around him.
From a fantasy perspective, if the Celtics acquire Marbury, he would almost definitely mean a reduction in minutes for back up guards Tony Allen and Eddie House. Both are solid contributors off the bench, averaging approximately 8 points per game, but those numbers would not continue with their playing time getting cut. Starters Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo could also lose some minutes to Stephon if the Celtics pull the trigger on a deal. Even if the minutes are not cut significantly, there is a question of how well Marbury would gel with the current Celtics. The team plays pretty well together now and a player with such a strong personality could disrupt that.

Cavs, Anderson Varejao
I have been contemplating including Varejao in my articles for some time now as his play has steadily improved this season, especially his jump shot. Now, with starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas out for at least a month with a fractured ankle, Varejao will be in the starting lineup and should see increased minutes. In 4 games starting in place of Ilgauskas this season, Varejao is averaging 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, as well as 1.8 steals. On the season, Varejao is shooting over 56% overall, and over 59% as a starter. Against Chicago on Friday, Varejao had 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals while shooting 9 of 14 from the floor and 8 of 13 from the free throw line. In the 3 games prior to his start, Varejao had 2 games of 10 rebounds and 1 of 13, including 2 double-doubles. In nearly 40 minutes of a loss to Washington on Sunday, Varejao contributed another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Look for Varejao to continue this type of production for at least the next month while Ilgauskas is injured. When Ilgauskas comes back, Varejao should still be a solid fantasy option, but owners may want to trade him while his value is still high before he returns to his back-up role.
While Ilgauskas is out, another intriguing option on the Cavs is rookie J.J. Hickson. In 18 minutes against the Bulls on Saturday, Hickson has 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks off the bench. He continues to earn playing time in Mike Brown’s rotation as the season progresses due to his improvement on defense, and, with Ilgauskas injured, he is now the main back-up in the post for the Cavs. Hickson followed up his impressive game against the Bulls with 18 minutes against the Wizards on Sunday, although his numbers dipped to 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block. Hickson’s leaping ability will lead to consistent rebounds and blocks, while his ability to run the floor will help lead to some easy buckets. J.J.’s scoring ability in the half-court offense is still pretty raw, but he has a decent jump shot inside of 15 feet and can score with his back to the basket. While I wouldn’t rely on Hickson to score or rebound in double figures, he could average a solid 6 points and 6 rebounds with a block or two over the next month while Ilgauskas is out. If you are thin in the post, he may be worth a look.

(Statistics as of January 2nd)

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