A look ahead, week 2

Week 1 is nearly in the books, save for a couple of games. Personally, I like having a Knick or a Raptor on my team, because they like to those noon Sunday games once the NFL schedule goes by. Also, those Pacific division teams like those Sunday night games, so sometimes your week hangs in the balance because you need Stephen Jackson to throw the ball into the fourth row a few times. It's been known to happen.

Anyway, week 2 is coming, and there hasn't been anything earth shattering about week 1, except if you had Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis active, which was kind of a pisser. And special thanks to the guys I matched up against the the GMTR Reader and GMTR Monster league for keeping Carmelo Anthony active even though he was out 2 games for sauce + vroom-vroom. If only he didn't get 11 pts. in the 4th quarter Saturday night, it would have been perfect.

Looking back, based on Basketball Monster numbers, Chris Paul is the number 1 rated player so far, to be expected. Greg Oden is dead last, only a few spots behind the aforementioned Carmelo. Quit smiling, JJ Redick you're not too much better. Go write a poem. And the Pistons need to hurry up and play some more games, because right now Walter Herrmann is a top 20 player.

Forward, this is the first real week, as plenty of teams have 4 teamers, as opposed to the crappy Bucks, who may have wanted you to play Luke Ridnour as your PG. The Lakers are the only team that plays 2 games, maybe that will help all those Kobe opponents. Thank Jobu I don't have any real Lakers in my lineups, because that thing may not shake out for a while, and I don't want to have to sort through it in week 2.

Teams that play 4 - Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Utah. Here are guys who are on those teams that you think will be good plays because they have the full game complement, but will probably just piss you off:

Boston - the poster boy for this, Ray Allen.

Charlotte - Raymond Felton. Not on my watch.

Chicago - Tyrus Thomas. Damn, those blocks are appealing. Everything else, not so much. That Lamarcus Aldridge draft day trade is looking mighty smooth, Mr. Paxson. Drew Gooden will confound me again this year. He could be a non-express bus this year, a lot of pickups and dropoffs.

Cleveland - Anderson Varejao. He's on my watch list, as he'll be on the floor for the Cavs in crunch time. Cleveland needs a few more overtimes to convince me.

Dallas - Desagana Diop/Eric Dampier. Are fouls a category in your league?

Detroit - Tayshaun Prince. Every time he puts up a twenty point game, he'll come back with a 2 point game. In head-to-head leagues, I call him Roster Poison. A friend of mine who went to Kentucky used to call him Dijon, like the mustard. She probably still does. Tayshaun is like dijon mustard when it comes to a burger. It would not be your first mustard choice, and if you overdo it, it ruins the experience. Of course, if you mix it with some honey, you can have a nice chicken finger dipping sauce. Where am I going with this? I sometimes like dijon mustard, and I usually don't like Tayshaun in head to head. I'm done.

Golden State - Demarcus Nelson. Nice little story, but there's probably a reason he was undrafted. Of course, Charlotte drafted Alexis Ajinca, so maybe there isn't a reason. I've watched a ton of Duke games over the last 2 decades, and he is probably one of the least inspiring players in my memory. In his early years there, he seemed to always be good for 1 or 2 offensive fouls a game. He'll be jerked around by Nellie soon. Al Harrington, Kelenna Azubuike, tell him how it is.

Houston - Aaron Brooks. I'm starting to like this guy. I'm not one to wish ill will on anyone, but if a high ankle sprain were to happen to Skip To My Lou sometime soon, I'd like to see what would happen if he had plenty of rest (and soup, maybe a nice tomato basil).

Los Angeles Clippers - Al Thornton. I've got him on a couple rosters. Maybe it's the Italian in me, but he's going to give me the agita like I've eaten to much pasta e fagioli.

Memphis - Darrell Arthur. Nice to see you put up results when they decide to give you the start. Darko's another candidate for your 4 gamer headache as well.

Phoenix - Leandro Barbosa. Holy crap, he had a JJ Redick like week. I don't think this is what people were expecting when they thought to themselves in round 9 of their drafts, "I need a PG and some guy to hit threes."

Sacramento - Beno Udrih. Everybody who stayed away from him on draft day, remember that feeling.

Utah - Carlos Boozer. 20 and 10 - like he'll keep that up all year. No, I mean Paul Millsap. Boy, if they ever traded this guy to Charlotte. It's a shame that Utah is not dumb and Charlotte is not bright.

Oh well, off to watch some Bucks-Knicks on NBA TV. Who's genius idea was it to make the numbers so small on the scorebox in the bottom left corner? I'm in Atlanta, maybe I'll knock on their door.