Yardbarker: Troy Murphy

2008 Fantasy Hoops Rankings: Power Forwards

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:49:37 -0500

FIO and TalkHoops.net staff writer Zach Harper breaks down the Top 25 power forwards heading into fantasy basketball drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list.

Team Preview #20: Indiana Pacers

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:24:30 -0500

LAST SEASON The Pacers won 36 games under new Coach Jim O'Brien, a year after winning 35 games under Rick Carlisle. The difference? In '06-07, they had a 92.4 pace factor (10th), made 5.9 threes (17th), dished out 20.5 assists (19th), and scored 95.6 points (24th) per game. In '07-08, they had a 97.7 pace factor (3rd), made 9.2 threes (3rd), dished out 22.7 assists (7th), and scored 104.0 points (7th) per game. The result? A more exciting squad and much better fantasy stats. OFFSEASON MOVES Key Additions: TJ Ford, Jarrett Jack, Nesterovic, Brandon Rush, R. Hibbert, J. McRoberts, M. Baston Key Losses: Jermaine O'Neal, Flip Murray, Diogu, Kareem Rush, Jamaal Tinsley?, Shawne Williams? Jermaine O'Neal's wish was finally granted, as he got traded to Toronto over the summer for TJ Ford, Nesterovic, and Maceo Baston. I remember Baston throwing down a lot of dunks as a Michigan Wolverine, and thought he had potential as the Bulls' very last pick (#58) in 1998. While he helped turn Maccabi Tel Aviv into a Euroleague powerhouse, he's played just 614 total minutes in the NBA. What's odd however, is that he played in 16 games for Toronto in '02-03, 47 games for Indiana in '06-07, back to Toronto for 15 games last season, and now he's back in Indiana. At 33 years old, is this the year that he finally gets some serious playing time? With Ike Diogu also gone (sent to Portland for Jack & McRoberts), perhaps. The Pacers also received two 1st round picks in their trades, netting swingman Brandon Rush (to replace his brother Kareem!) and 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert. TJ Ford will basically replace Jamaal Tinsley, whom the Pacers are actively shopping. Don't be surprised if Shawne Williams is sent packing as well, as Indy is trying to cleanse itself from any troublemakers. Perhaps their most unheralded yet most intriguing pickup was the 21-year old McRoberts, who was born & raised in Indiana before starring at Duke. ROTATION / PLAYING TIME It sounds like Tinsley's days in a Pacers uniform are over, so T.J. is now running the show. While Tinsley always flashed potential, Ford will be much more dependable. If healthy, I project he'll start and play around 30 minutes per game. It took 6 years, but Mike Dunleavy, Jr. finally showed why he was the #3 overall pick in '02. He set career-highs in nearly every single category and shot the ball way better than he ever did before. He's found a home in Indiana, so he's a lock to duplicate the 36 mpg that he averaged last season. Backing up both guys will be Jarrett Jack, who performed fairly well as Portland's 3rd guard. I'll project 22-24 mpg for him off the bench, which means much fewer minutes for both Marquis Daniels & Travis Diener. At small forward, Danny Granger is one of the most underrated young players in the league and is only going to get better. He saw nearly 38 minutes of action after the break, so expect the same for '08-09. I think Brandon Rush is a much better defender and athlete than his brother Kareem, so I'm expecting him to play a key role as a rookie. He'll get at least 10 minutes per game, and perhaps up to 20 if Williams is traded and they give Granger a chunk of minutes at power forward. Like Dunleavy, Troy Murphy has never sniffed the postseason. The Notre Dame grad hasn't been that spectacular since signing a lucrative 6-year deal for $58 million in 2005, but his minutes should go up this year with Jermaine & Ike now out of the picture. I'm projecting 32-33 minutes for Murph and a solid bounceback campaign. At center, Jeff Foster will likely start and pull down mad rebounds as always. He averaged 24.5 mpg last season, but that number may fall to 22-23 with Nesterovic around. Rasho should get 18-20 minutes at center, which leaves some garbage time for Hibbert until he proves himself. Baston & McRoberts will battle for the remaining big man minutes, and could even play a key role if someone gets hurt. DON'T SLEEP ON: Troy Murphy Looking at his recent stats, it's hard to believe that Murphy was one of just 5 players to average 15+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in '04-05. Since then, his role on the Warriors declined, he was traded to the Pacers, and he's had to battle for minutes ever since. But it's time for Troy to step up. And based on his Post All-Star numbers, I think he's ready. After the break, his minutes rose to 31.8 and he put up 14.8 points, 7.7 boards, 2.4 assists, .7 steals, .5 blocks, and 1.4 threes while shooting a rock solid 50.5% FG and 42.2% 3P. While those shooting %'s are sure to decline a bit, the rest of his numbers could easily rise with a few more minutes. So I'm going to project around 15 points, 9 boards, .5 blocks, and 1.5 threes per game. The blocks are weak, but the threes are money for a center-eligible player. Did you know? Only 4 players have ever been named Big East Player of the Year TWICE: Chris Mullin (St. Johns), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Richard Hamilton (UConn), and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame). BE CAREFUL OF: Mike Dunleavy As I said before, Lil Dun had a career-year in '07-08. His 17.3 PER blew away his previous high of 15.1 (set in '03-04), and the green light from Jim O'Brien helped him finish 12th in 3P% (42.4%) and 17th in threes per game (2.0). And he was surprisingly consistent, shooting 48% FG or better in 4 of the 6 months. Mike D. turns 28 next month, so he's in his prime, but I'm doubtful that he can duplicate last season's stats. For starters, I think the Pacers will have a more balanced scoring attack this season, as Murphy will get more shots and Ford is a better scorer than the Tinsley/Diener/Andre Owens PG trio. I also like Jack & Rush off the bench. They're not going to steal any minutes away from Dunleavy, but they could steal a few rebounds & assists. And lastly, I'd estimate that the chances of him shooting better than 42.4% from beyond the arc are about 12%. He's still a Top 50 fantasy player, but you need to be careful. ROUND BY ROUND TARGETS (Where you should draft these guys in an 8-cat Roto league with 12 teams and 14 man rosters) Click on the link to find out!

Shawn Marion and Dan Fegan's Big Mistake?

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:49:17 -0500

I respect Dan Fegan for his ability to get big time deals for his players (at least on the team contract side…endorsements are another story). He's been known for squeezing extra funds out of GMs for guys like Erick Dampier ($13 mil per season), Jason Richardson ($11

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Hornets' New Look Edition

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:56:06 -0500

The Timberwolves aren't the only team who will have new uniforms this season, the Hornets unveiled their new look uniforms on Wednesday. They will not only have new uniforms this coming season, but also new colors, a new logo, and a new floor, which will be unveiled Friday. And, let's not forget that they have a new player with a new championship ring in James Posey. Oklahoma City has waived 14 year veteran Donyell Marshall. Marshall is in the final year of a contract that would have paid him $5.9 million. Oklahoma City must pay Marshall the remainder of his guaranteed salary and it will count against the team's salary this season, but it opens up a roster spot for him. Including restricted free agent center Robert Swift, who they haven't signed yet, Oklahoma City will have 14 players under contract when they sign their two rookies. Devean George and the Dallas Mavericks have reached an agreement on a new two-year contract worth approximately $4 million. George's refusal to be included in the trade for Jason Kidd almost prevented Kidd from becoming a Maverick. George's refusal cost Mavs owner Mark Cuban more than $11 million last season in additional payroll and luxury-tax payments. It seemed as though his days in Dallas were numbered but new coach Rick Carlisle was eager to keep him with the team and now he will remain with the team for another 2 years/ The Miami Heat and forward Dorell Wright have agreed to terms on a two-year deal. It is expected to be finalized this week. A restricted free agent, Wright had been given a qualifying offer of $2.9 million for 2008-09. His new contract will start at roughly the $2.9 qualifying offer. This gives the Heat 13 players under contract for next season. The Heat are also in talks with Jamaal Magloire who postponed his visit to Miami because of Tropical Storm Fay. Magloire would definitely be an upgrade over Mark (I'll get the rebound if I don't have to work for it) Blount. Heat free agent center Earl Barron agreed to a one-year deal with Fortitudo Bologna of the Italian League. The Heat had not attempted to re-sign Barron, who will make close to $2 million in Europe. Shaun Livingston's rehab is progressing. Reports are that he has been playing five-on-five, for at least the past week and a half, at fitness trainer Tim Grover's facility in Chicago. It was also confirmed Wednesday that Livingston has progressed to playing full-scale, full-court pickup games with the contingent of 20 or so NBA players that work out regularly at Grover's site. He is an unrestricted free agent and if healthy, could become one of the league's top point guards and a top defender. Some team is going to take a chance on him and be rewarded big time if he gets back to pre-injury playing form. Team USA will play Argentina for the gold I guess it is fitting that the two teams with the most NBA players should be still playing at the end. Argentina has Luis Scola, Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni and may give the US more of a challenge than any of the others they might have faced in the gold medal round. NBA teams always hold their breath when they have key players on the Olympics teams because there is always the chance of an injury. Pau Gasol comes to mind as he broke his foot playing on the Spanish National Team a couple of years back. In their last game against the United States, Andrew Bogut injured his ankle and that has to have the Bucks wringing their hands. He said that it popped and that can't be a good thing. The Raptors' Jose Calderon was also injured in Spain's win over Croatia. It was described as a strained adductor. I can see why an NBA team would try to discourage players from participating in the Olympics. I know it is an honor to play for their country, but it has to take a lot out of them even if there isn't an injury. Brandon Roy is anxious to play basketball again. Six days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, Brandon Roy arrived at the Blazers' practice facility without crutches or any noticeable limp. He says that he will definitely be ready for training camp. Bill Walker had a similar surgery and has been working out in Boston since his surgery. The Celtics haven't signed him yet, but I think they will because Danny went out of his way to get him from Washington. I think he will be able to contribute this season if given the opportunity. The Sixers have officially signed Theo Ratliff to a veteran's minimum contract. They needed another big man when their second year center Jason Smith went down with an ACL injury. Ratliff's agent said that the former Celtic passed on 2 more lucrative offers to sign for the veteran's minimum as a backup center. He said that he chose Philly because he wants to help win the Eastern Conference. I wonder if that means that he harbors some kind of ill will toward the Celtics. He played only 2 games for the Celtics before he and his expiring contract were shipped to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. He said that he also liked Philly because he knows coach Mo Cheeks and knows the city and he believes that the team is going to be good. I think they are going to be good too. Philly should give the Celtics a run for the division title. With new point guard TJ Ford in Indiana, Larry Bird is still hoping to trade Jamaal Tinsley but so far hasn't has much luck. Bird said earlier this week that he thinks things will pick back up after Labor Day because a lot of league officials are either on vacation or at the Olympics in Beijing. Ford is expected to workout with teammates Mikebu Dunleavy and Troy Murphy this week. The Suns finally have their point guard in their second round pick, Goran Dragic whose contract will be worth close to $8 million over four years. His deal will start at about $1.8 million with at least $1 million of that going to his Tau Ceramica buyout. If he is as good as they are saying he is, they may have a steal. Although, I expect the bigger steal in the draft will be Bill Walker who was grabbed by the Celtics at #49. Guard D.J. Strawberry's status is still in flux for the coming season. The Suns have until Oct. 31 to exercise his option for a $711,517 salary, $200,000 of which is guaranteed once he makes the opening night roster. Without him, the Suns would need to sign a 13th player. The US Women's team advanced to the finals by beating Becky Hammon and the Russian team in a hard fought contest. They fell behind early but pulled ahead in the second half. There were several hard fouls that resulted in technical free throws and the game was much closer than any they have played so far but the Americans pulled it out 67-52 in the end. They will play on Saturday for the Gold Medal.

Milwaukee Bucks doomed to mediocrity

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:38:41 -0500

For the 2009 season, the Milwaukee Bucks will pay Andrew Bogut, Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson, and Mo Williams $50 million, when they could've saved time by flushing the money down the toilet.

The All-NBA Most Untradeable Team

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:43:13 -0500

Who are the most untradeable players in the NBA?

Top 30 NBA Centers

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:15:50 -0500

When it comes down to the best center in the NBA, there's no question that Dwight Howard is #1, with Yao Ming finishing second. Howard's averaging a 22 PPG and 18.2 RPG and 3.8 BPG in the playoffs, numbers that haven't been seen since Wilt Chamberlain. The other 4 positions will be posted over the week. Player (Current Team/Former Team) PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, BPG * = Best in Category (R) = Rookie Blocks 1.5+ Shown Blocks and Steals Shown if both are 1+ 1. Dwight Howard (ORL) 20.7, 14.2*, 1.3, 2.2 BPG 59.9% FG 2. Yao Ming (HOU) 22*, 10.8, 2.3, 2 BPG 3. Pau Gasol (LAL/MEM) 18.9, 8.4, 3.2, 1, 1.5, 58.9% FG (LAL) 4. Al Jefferson (MIN) 21, 11.1, 1.4, 1.5 BPG 5. Chris Kaman (LAC) 15.7, 12.7, 1.9, 2.8 BPG 6. Marcus Camby (DEN) 9.1, 13.1, 3.3, 1.1 , 3.6* 7. Andrew Bogut (MIL) 14.3, 9.8, 2.6, 1.7 BPG 8. Andrew Bynum 13.1, 10.2, 1.7, 2.1 BPG, 63.6% FG (35 games) 9. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (CLE) 14.1, 9.3, 1.4, 1.6 BPG 10. Tyson Chandler (NOH) 11.8, 11.7, 0.2 11. Samuel Dalembert (PHI) 10.5, 10.4, 0.5, 2.3 BPG 12. Brad Miller (SAC) 13.4, 9.5, 3.7*, 1, 1 13. Shaquille O'Neal (PHX/MIA) 13.6, 9.1, 1.7, 59.3% FG (Season) 14. Andris Biedrins (GSW) 10.5, 9.8, 1 15. (R) Al Horford (ATL) 10.2, 9.6, 1.5 16. Rasheed Wallace (DET) 12.7, 6.6, 1.8, 1.2, 1.7 17. Mehmet Okur (UTA) 14.5, 7.7, 2 18. Brendan Haywood (WAS) 10.6, 7.2, 0.9, 1.7 BPG 19. Troy Murphy (IND) 12.2, 7.2, 2.2 20. Kendrick Perkins (BOS) 7, 6.1, 1.1, 1.5 BPG, 61.6% FG* (Season) 21. Eddy Curry (NYK) 13.7, 4.2, 0.5 22. Josh Boone (NJN) 8.2, 7.3, 0.8 23. Andrea Bargnani (TOR) 10.2, 3.7, 1.1 24. Nazr Mohammed (CHA/DET) 7.6, 6, 0.9, 61.7% FG (CHA) 25. Darko Milicic (MEM) 7.2, 6.1, 0.8, 1.6 BPG 26. Erick Dampier (DAL) 6.1, 7.5, 0.9, 1.5 BPG 27. Joel Przybilla (POR) 4.8, 8.4, 0.4 28. (R) Joakim Noah (CHI) 6.1, 5.6, 1.1 29. Fabricio Oberto (SAS) 4.6, 5.2, 1.2, 60.8% FG 30. Mark Blount (MIA/MIN) 8.4, 3.8, 0.6 31. Johan Petro (SEA) 6, 5.1, 0.4

Pacers-112 Hawks-98

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:54:03 -0500

It's amazing to me how much the Hawks offense relies on Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson both being N*Sync. If Joe or Mike don't say It's Gonna Be Me then the offense says Bye Bye Bye and the defense won't be far behind. A big no homo to that last paragraph. Bibby was 0-8 and didn't even look as if he cared. His defense was atrocious and his shot was obviously not falling. Johnson was 13-24 however it wasn't enough. As I said both Bibby and Johnson have to be extremely effective for the Hawks to win and play off of each other. The team has an extremely low basketball IQ and they turn the ball over a lot and the shooting has to be there. One thing I did like last night was Josh Smith getting a technical foul and immediately getting called for a flagrant on the next inbounds. Josh Smith wants to win and there's no denying that. Another thing I noticed was Al Horford playing the first 6:30 of the game and the Hawks were I believe +1, and Mike Woodson pulls him with his 2 fouls and he doesn't see action for the rest of the half.....by that point it was too late. The Hawks just looked like a team that didn't want to win, the Pacers wanted it more and they took it. PS: Joe Johnson played 44+ minutes in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. Damn you Mike Woodson, straight to hell.

Center Rankings for the Stretch Run (42 Players Deep)

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:46:34 -0500

It's the stretch run for fantasy owners, so now is a good time to evaluate all of the top players and rank them at their respective positions. I'll start with the centers, where Amare Stoudemire has risen above the pack. For my stretch run rankings, I've grouped players into "levels" or tiers. Level 10 players are the "Best of the Best" and Level 1 players you don't even want to think about owning. What level is Shaq on???

Daily Babble: The NBA's Ugliest Shots

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:22:33 -0500

Inspired by the sight of one Andris Biedrins in the Chicago-Golden State game. You won't be surprised by the man who continues to lead the way in this department.

The Fantasy Basketball Stock Watch

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:40:55 -0500

Pau Gasol is now a Laker. Shaquille O'Neal is a Sun and Shawn Marion is a member of the Heat. This week's transactions may have just shifted the powers in the Western Conference. One thing it definitely has done is give us plenty to talk about. But what affect do these deals have on the fantasy basketball landscape, if any? Let us look at the fall out of those deals and other goings on around the league that could help your team up to and beyond the All-Star break.

A View of the Hardwood

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:53:07 -0500

The biggest news of the night came out of South Florida when discussions of a trade between the Suns and Heat leaked to a South Florida newspaper concerning Shaquille O'Neal and Shawn Marion. This is an interesting move to consider for the Suns, however, to me it doesn't make any sense. The Suns are a run and gun-type team. Adding a big man like Shaquille would be placing a square peg in a round hole. Amare Stoudemire is an ideal center for the Suns thanks to his run and gun offense, plus his recent development as a shot-blocker in the half court. Of course, the Suns may be waving the white flag, acknowledging that they can't win a title with their current high tempo style of play.

Fantasy Basketball Keys to Success

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:47:19 -0500

Raise your hands if you are completely exasperated by the 2007-08 fantasy basketball season. Your nurses won't undo the straps on your straight jacket for you, will they? I know the feeling. I'm a hair's-width away from being committed myself. I'm stuck in sixth place. Man, sixth place. In fantasy basketball that might as well be 178th place. It is so hard to move in the standings at this time of year. My only shot is to openly root for everyone else's players to get injured. Ah, fantasy sports. It sure brings out the best in us. Hopefully you are still in the running for a shot at your league title unlike me, your humble servant and omniscient expert on everything. We are about to enter a crucial stretch on the fantasy hoops schedule - the time after the Super Bowl and before your baseball draft when the NBA kind of rules the fantasy world with a limp fist. I would imagine most of your league is asleep by now. The Rotowhine editorial board's expert advice: You should stay awake. That will be $39.95. Here's a list of 10 players who will be a major factor in the fantasy landscape over the next crucial couple of months.

Artest, O'Neal Evade Each Other Again, Kings Hold Off Pacers 110-104

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:29:03 -0500

Once again the Pacers would make a 4th quarter run. In their last game, they went on a 51-29 run against the Warriors to end the game after being down by 17 points. Coming off of that win and beating the Kings at Sacramento last week, the Pacers were ready to go. Well, not really. 1ST QUARTER Jermaine O'Neal and former Pacer Ron Artest did not see each other on the court for the 4th straight time, thanks to O'Neal's bruised knee which will sideline him for 2 weeks. They still haven't talked to each other. Marquis Daniels was also out. Former Pacer and Indiana native Brad Miller would be honored for his work with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. He wasn't the only one with fans out there, because Francisco Garcia had 2 fans wearing his Louisville #32 jersey. Kevin Martin would be the first of the 3 Kings coming back from injury to make it into the starting line-up, replacing Francisco Garcia. The Kings would start off hot with a 9-0 to lead up to a 12-2 run led by Beno Udrih. The Pacers would storm back with a balanced attack. Kareem Rush scored straight 7 points during that run. Mike Bibby came out with a 3 pointer and Artest was booed, but not as much as he was in Detroit, came out with with two 3 pointers. The Kings led 27-22. 2ND QUARTER After Mikki Moore's 2 dunks, Stephen Ghram, twin of Joey Ghram, highlighted a 13-0 run with 2 dunks, putting up the Pacers 31-36. Bibby and Udrih came stopped the run with back-to-back 3 pointers from the same spot. Both teams would trade shots, but the Kings would go on an 8-2 run to lead at the end of the half 48-42. Jamal Tinsley would have 8 assists at the end of the half. 3RD QUARTER The Kings would make it an a 11-0 run as Moore had another dunk and Udrih hit another 3 pointer. As the Kings would lead a solid attack, the Pacers would be quiet slipping behind in scoring, trailing by as much as 12 points. The Pacers in the 4th quarter would make one final push to take out the Kings. 4TH QUARTER The Kings took a 86-71 lead as the Kings would try to build to their lead. It looked like the Kings put up the Pacers, but they would try to cut into the lead, which is exactly what they did. The Pacers would get a 13-2 run that looked like a blur. It lasted 2 minutes and 14 seconds and led to the Pacers trailing 101-99. Another close game for the Kings. Miller and Bibby would make 3 free throws but Mike Dunleavy would hit another clutch 3 pointer. Bibby and Miller would hit free throws for the rest of the night as Rush hit a shot, but it would not be enough to put away the Kings. The Kings would win 4 out of 6 games and pull off a winning 2-1 road trip as they get the win 110-104. After starting off 0-9 on the road, the Kings have gone 6-4 on the road and have gone 0.500 ever since that win, and are 17-22 Who said Mikki Moore was only good with Jason Kidd on his side? He had his 4th 20 point 10 rebound game with 22 points (7 dunks), 11 rebounds and an assist. Miller also had a double double with 11 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block. Kevin Martin had 22 points, 2 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Beno Udrih had 20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block. Ron Artest came off the bench with 15 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and steals each, but a horrible 6 turnovers. Mike Bibby had 11 points, 4 rebounds and assists each and 2 steals. Francisco Garcia had 7 points, a rebound and 2 assist while John Salmons had 4 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. The Pacers couldn't come back against the Kings like they did the Warriors, but put up a good fight as they fall to 18-23. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Kareem Rush had 22 points, 4 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jeff Foster had a double double with 11 points and rebounds each, 5 assists and 2 steals. Mike Dunleavy had 15 points and 7 rebounds while Stephen Ghram had 15 points, 3 rebounds and a steal. Jamal Tinsley had only 4 points but had 13 assists and 4 rebounds. Travis Diener, who scored a career high 19 points against the Kings, only had 4 points and 3 assists. David Harrison served his 4th out of 5 games as part of his suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy. He will serve his last game when the Pacers go on the road to play the Sixers. The Kings will go home to play the Nets.

Out-paced

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:29:25 -0500

Golden State got destroyed in the fourth quarter against Indiana, blowing a 17-point lead and losing 125-117.The Dubs stole the ball 12 times in the first quarter but could never quite put the Pacers away. Baron Davis scored 24 but was out dueled by Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy who scored 29 and 24 respectively.