Fantasy Basketball: Strategies for Pulling Off the Ultimate Upset
By Alpine
Jan 18, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) congratulates his team during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 127-111. Aldridge leads with 30 points and 12 rebounds. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
I received many inquiries and questions after my last article, Fantasy Basketball: Never Say Die! I tried my best to coax you into taking a long look in the mirror and honestly assessing your team in order to give yourself a true chance at fantasy gold. My first three questions were:
- Can my squad beat the top two teams in the league?
- Do I have a gaping positional need?
- Do I have a category that I never win?
If your team is suffering in the standings, do not throw a pity party. Get to work! If you play in a 12-man league, only 25 percent of the league is in the top three. I would bet that habitual FantasyCPR readers are more likely to be included in that population, but fantasy basketball can be a cruel adventure. Many variables contribute to poor results, so it is crucial to maintain focus throughout the season. It is human nature to disengage mentally and pretend not to care when we do not achieve our desired results. In fantasy basketball and countless occupations, the most successful people tend to give the greatest effort because they are continually rewarded with peer and self-satisfaction. Therefore, if your season is not panning out quite as you had planned, fight your instincts!
Here are two more questions to ask yourself:
4. Do I have five legitimate categorical strengths?
If you have followed my work for any length of time, you know that I am a competitive and passionate fantasy player. If I determine that I cannot compete with the top two teams, I am going to load up on the categories where they are the most susceptible. If I have a mediocre team, I would rather be eliminated in the first round while taking risks rather than finishing in fourth place and never giving myself a chance at winning it all. Determine your strengths by looking at your league’s category rankings or by entering them in Basketball Monster’s team analysis tool. If you are a fairly balanced squad in 4th-12th place, you need to start making some trades in order to specialize.
5. Do I have two categories that I never win?
You: “Alpine, you are recommending punting two categories? Are you crazy?”
My rebuttal: You are not in the top 3 or 4 for a reason. Your team is not good enough to win it all. What are you going to do about it? If you are satisfied being picked off slowly by archers from a distance, that’s your business. I am storming the castle and trying to claim the throne.
You: “That’s a great medieval analogy. I might need a dragon or three to win it all this year…a la Khaleesi.”
My rebuttal: Your dragons must have a good playoff schedule in order to pull off the upset. Start positioning yourself now. Let the trades begin!
Let me hear from you at alpinefantasy@yahoo.com.