Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Enigma of Fantasy Basketball


Week 16 of the NFL marked the end of our league’s fantasy football season, and in most years, this would be the end of my fantasy sports activity until next September.  This year; however, I agreed to join a fantasy basketball league.  I was swept up in the excitement of the return of the NBA, and fantasy basketball seemed like a great idea at the time.  It was not until later that I realized the league was actually for money, but after negotiating the commissioner from twenty dollars down to ten, I was ready to go.  A few days before the draft I began to research players, and it did not take long to realize that I had no idea what I was doing.  Does anyone really understand how you’re supposed to manipulate the categories in order to field the best team?  Does it make sense that blocked shots are equally as important as points scored? Why is Quadruple Doubles a category?  These are just a few of the many questions fantasy basketball provided me with.

                Coincidentally, I ended up at a Georgetown game during our league’s draft.  While I don’t like missing drafts, I figured it was probably for the better that a computer that understood the system would draft for me.  Even though I still don’t completely understand the system, fantasy basketball has done nothing but contribute to my enjoyment of the NBA early in this season.  I’d go so far as to say you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a player on your team make a game winning block, not only winning the game for his team but potentially for yours (Thank you Luol Deng).  The satisfaction received from watching Ryan Anderson drill a three, which not only contributes to the points category but also the three pointers made category, is immense.  On the flip side, watching John wall miss shots and turn the ball over to not only hurt your hometown Wizards but also your fantasy team is nothing short of devastating. 
Unlike fantasy football, where you only really hold your breath when the ball is in the air headed to your wide receiver or in the hands of your running back, fantasy basketball is full of constant action.  Stats matter on both sides of the floor, so if you flip the channel for even a second you could miss a steal, dunk, or assist for one of your guys.  I look forward to learning the intricacies of the game, from how to balance your talent to maximize output in all the categories to making trades to beef up your team’s assist totals.  All this being said, the NBA is a long season, and odds are I will eventually stop checking my team.  But for now, I’ll be sure to check my phone and pour one out for those 3 blocks Ed Davis had or four 3’s Dorrell Wright knocked down, and I’ll be smiling when I do it, because every block, assist, or point is a step closer the fighting Jan’s Girlfriends will take towards the championship and that cash money.

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