Hello everybody! I have found out that most of my latest entries are about how exciting and great the Turkish Airlines Euroleague regular season have been lately. I guess you know that already, so I will skip this weekly recap - it's all on Euroleague.net, after all - and focus on something else that caught my eye this week. A workmate that recently joined the Euroleague staff is all hyped up about our very own Sportingbet Fantasy Challenge. I try to help him trading from time to time because he is a little bit lost. The other day he came to my desk - turning left, at the far end of the Euroleague office - and asked me to show him my team. He was shocked to see I had like 580 credits - all hard-earned, as you know and went crazy about it. "How did you get so many credits? What's the secret?"
All I could think is - another Fantasy fan that hasn't noticed my small little blog.
Happily, some people did, even at the other side of the Atlantic. Yes, our friends at Euroleague Adventures asked for permission to do a blog about the game. We discussed about possible bargains, Nick - who hosted the podcast - challenged me for the remainder of the game and I think it was very interesting and exciting to do. I hope I can be back soon - for instance, when the regular season is over. I hadn't done a podcast since the early ones on Euroleague.net, so I had forgotten how much fun it was. So if you wanna give it a quick listen, HERE. It is very strange to be called a guru, but seeing its definition - "one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others", it suits me well. Just that I am leading you all to the wrong path and making you look awful in Fantasy! Well, maybe before Game 1.
Fact is, I have improved my ranking each and every week since my terrible start. Right now, Meet The Boss ranks 6,368th, has 855.7 points - more than 250 away from Saulius Pakenas, who has led the competition since Game 2 - and has potential to keep rising. For the first time in the entire Fantasy Challenge season, I more or less like my team. Of course, Murphy's Law will make sure I have another 55-point week that will sink me for good. I have a lot of doubts this week - honestly, I don't know who to trade. I have two of the best point guards in the competition, three moneymakers like James Gist, Leon Radosevic and Joe Ingles, plus some of my favourite players, too. Damn, this is going to be tough.
So, instead of thinking who I should trade, let's see who I want to have. My top choice, the player I want this week, is none other than Roko Ukic of Fenerbahce Ulker. Plays at home against an injury-plagued Barcelona - his former team - and he is arguably in the best shape of his career. I also see Caja Laboral on the ropes and Stanko Barac doing very well. Laboral hosts Khimki in a must-win game for both teams. I am seeing that Mirza Teletovic has made just 4 of his ast 25 attempts from downtown. Some could argue about him not adjusting to the new three-point line. Well, if you wonder that, then you haven't seen Teletovic play too often. He could hit shots from his apartment in Vitoria - unlimited range! Teletovic usually steps up when his team needed him, and right now Laboral is with its back against the ball.
So I am going to trade Milos Teodosic and Mike Batiste. Teodosic plays in Malaga, so it won't be easy for Olympiacos. Same again, Partizan mt:s visits Maccabi Electra and then Gist should go but he will stop being underpriced this week and I would like to have some more credits, plus I have confidence in him against Pnini, Blu and Hendrix. I noticed that Martynas Gecevicius averages 13.6 index but just 7.5 in two games against Montepaschi. Sammy Mejia averages 13.6 index but just 9 in both games against Montepaschi. It is risky, but Bojan Bogdanovic has to go, too. So, Ukic and Teletovic in. My last trade will be Daniel Ewing of Asseco Prokom. Bobby Brown is gone, so Ewing has to take more responsibility. Prokom needs its leader to stay in the Top 16 race, so Ewing is in. Notice that I picked three players performing at home.
So Meet The Boss underwent some shocking trades that I would never do in real life. It looks like this in Game 8.
Point guards:
Roko Ukic - Young, ambitious, ready and facing his former team. Ukic should gave a good game.
Bo McCalebb - Cibona has a short rotation at point guard, so McCalebb may take advantage of that.
Shooting guards and small forwards:
Daniel Ewing - A well-deserved last-chance situation for Prokom. Ewing must step up against Zalgiris.
Joe Ingles - Underpriced and seeing more playing time without Mickeal and - maybe - Navarro.
Chuck Eidson - Our November MVP has been rock-solid. He should stay that way for a while.
Romain Sato - Facing a physical challenge against Kenny Gregory. Sato likes challenges. He stays.
Power forwards and centers:
Ksistof Lavrinovic - Even when Shaun Stonerook rejoined the team, Lavrinovic is a reference point on his team.
Leon Radosevic - Still underpriced, so it's the last - and best! - chance to earn some extra credits.
James Gist - Maccabi is deep at power forward but Gist has been very consistent so far.
Mirza Teletovic - I consider him a bargain at just 41 credits. Laboral needs to win to stay alive, too.
That's all from me this week! As usual, you can find me at fantasychallenge@euroleague.net anytime, from anywhere in the world! Enjoy a great Euroleague week - I will make sure our new Euroleague employee and fantasy rookie starts reading this blog...
POSTED BY
Javier Gancedo - Euroleague.net
DATE:
Sunday, December 05, 2010