Strategies

Fantasy Basketball Surprises Going into the Holiday Season

Every year there are always new surprises in the Fantasy world and this year is no different. There are many players who have raised their game to a higher level, some of which were unexpected. Continue reading our thoughts as we enter the holiday season.

The first on this list is Tyson Chandler. Chandler has seemingly been reinvigorated about his move back to the place where he won his first NBA Championship. It was quite obvious that the mentality in the Knicks franchise was not up to par with Tyson’s expectations. Nonetheless, Chandler is now helping the Mavericks win games and has been producing big numbers. He has been a rebound machine and has been anchoring the defense. Chandler always has high field goal percentages because he can finish at the rim with confidence. No one expected Chandler to have this kind of output, but those who drafted him late in the draft are now reaping the benefits.

Jimmy Butler has been absolutely killing it for the Bulls. Even with a more talented cast of players around him, Butler has easily been the best player on the team. Although some may argue that Noah is still nursing his injury and Rose hasn’t played enough minutes to get back into rhythm, Butler has put the Bulls on his back. He is producing crazy numbers with 21.7 ppg 5.6 rpg 3.4 apg 1.5 spg 0.3 bpg while shooting 49% from the field and 81% from the line. These are absolute killer numbers and it doesn’t look like Butler will slow down anytime soon. Coach Thibodeau is very high on Butler and chooses to give Butler all the minutes he can eat. He has easily replaced Luol Deng and is helping his team win games.

 

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Draymond Green has been an outstanding player for the Warriors especially with David Lee out. Green has really flourished in the new offense Coach Kerr has been implementing. He has been one of the reasons for the Warriors’ hot start and will with a doubt be the starting power forward even when Lee does return. Draymond has worked hard to get better especially with his 3 point shot. He is now averaging 13.5 ppg 7.6 rpg 3.1 apg 1.1 spg and 1.1 bpg while shooting 46% from the field and 74% from the line. His field goal percentage could be a bit higher, but that’s expected from a stretch four. Most stretch fours don’t have the greatest field goal percentage so 46% is actually a good percentage. Look for Draymond to continue producing stats all across the board.

Brandon Knight has also surpassed everyone’s expectations. He is producing great numbers at a consistent basis, but people still doubt that he can keep up with the numbers. Surprisingly, Knight has been one of the reasons why the Bucks are sitting at .500. It is pretty surprising to even hear that the Bucks are doing this well in the season. Knight has been able to produce 17.9 ppg 4.7 rpg 5.8 apg with 1.5 spg and 1.8 3-pters while shooting 45% from the field and 91% from the line. He is clearly the best player on the Bucks roster right now and is helping them win games. Knight is by no means an elite point guard, but it looks like he has the potential to become one in the near future.

Tobias Harris has also been a surprising player this year. He has been producing decent numbers for the past couple years, but this year he is finally breaking out. Harris has added much needed muscle and is helping the Magic make a name for themselves. With a strong nucleus of Vucevic, Oladipo and Harris, this trio of young talented players can become a strong force in the future. Harris has amplified his statistics to 18.9 ppg 7.9 rpg 1.8 apg 0.5 bpg and 1.0 spg while shooting 48% from the field and 82% from the line. He is also adding 1.1 3-pters a game, which makes him a well-rounded player. Tobias doesn’t look like he will slow down anytime soon and the Magic may have to pay him a good amount of money to sign him to a new deal. Harris, after all, deserves to get paid for the way he has played.