How should one build around Dwight Howard??

[Meeks]

13 team roto league, all regular cats except rebs are split to off and def. Any tips?

[FantasyMVP]

I wrote a blog post on this exact subject. Keep in mind that it's just for fun and not a fully proven strategy. As well as the fact that Dwight is getting drafted much higher in roto leagues than what I expected when I wrote this. It is possible though.

http://fantasymvp.ca/?p=22

[Meeks]

I wrote a blog post on this exact subject. Keep in mind that it's just for fun and not a fully proven strategy. As well as the fact that Dwight is getting drafted much higher in roto leagues than what I expected when I wrote this. It is possible though.

http://fantasymvp.wordpress.com/2010/09 ... d/#more-22

I'll give it a read, thank you sir!

[rpa]

It's possible but very difficult. To start with there's no getting around it: you have to punt FT%. The problem here (and especially with a 13 team league) is 2 fold:

1) It's entirely possible that you have to take Dwight around the top 10. In a 13 team league that means that you're picking somewhere around 17th or later with your 2nd pick meaning you could very well miss out on the only 2 PGs to pair with Dwight: Rondo & Kidd.

2) Picking Dwight so early basically forces you to put up a neon sign announcing to everyone in your league exactly who you're targeting. Everyone knows you want Rondo or Kidd. Everyone knows you want Gasol, Jefferson, &/or Duncan. Everyone knows you want JRich. It's hard enough drafting when your targets are unknown. When they are it becomes exceedingly difficult.

As FantasyMVP noted in his writeup you can try to NOT punt FT% with Howard and instead punt TOs but I disagree with the effectiveness of that. It's far easier to find low turnover players in the draft (especially big men) than it is to find guys with a large, positive impact on FT%.

[azuresou1]

Punting in roto is death, since it's unlikely you'll score well enough in other categories to make up for only getting 1 point in FT%.

I'd draft Dwight if I had a FT machine drafted early, like a Durant or an Amare. That said, I would still likely need another FT machine. So say you pick Durant first, and then Chauncey slips to the end of the 2nd round. I'd take him and then Dwight, since Durant and Chauncey will cover Dwight's weakness.

[azuresou1]

Hah. I just checked FantasyMVP's article and it's pretty much what I just wrote.

[ThirtyThree]

In a H2H league how does your strategy change? Do you just punt FT%? Is it possible to keeps FTs in the mix if you've got a couple FT machines on your team?

[azuresou1]

In H2H Dwight goes around 2-4 rounds earlier, so it's much harder to acquire volume FT shooters who hit at good %'s, so it usually makes more sense to go with other players who are bad at FTs but great elsewhere like Josh Smith or Rondo.

So a roto draft in which you draft 5th might have you taking Dirk, Melo, and Dwight in your first three rounds.
A H2H draft in which you draft 5th might have you taking Dwight, Josh Smith, and Iguodala in your first three rounds.

[FantasyMVP]

Hah. I just checked FantasyMVP's article and it's pretty much what I just wrote.

Great minds think alike!

[FantasyMVP]

In a H2H league how does your strategy change? Do you just punt FT%? Is it possible to keeps FTs in the mix if you've got a couple FT machines on your team?

It's more tolerable to punt a category in head to head than it is in roto. If you lose a category every week in h2h, then your basically only getting 1 loss to your record per week. In roto your losing a full 12 points (depends how many ppl are in your league). If you can max up the majority of categories then you will still contend in a h2h league.

Throw guys like Dwight, David Lee, and Noah together and you'll win rebounds, blocks, and fg% every week. Automaticly putting you at 3-1. Dwight, rondo, Josh Smith and your winning in blocks, assists, steals, and rebounds. So you just ignore free throws completely and try to get everything else as much as you can.

[Crackfool]

In roto, if you take Howard, you MUST draft Kevin Martin and Corey Maggette in later rounds. No one else really can help your FT% like they do, and still be available past round 3.

[azuresou1]

I'm not so keen on Martin and Maggette this year. Yao being back along with Aaron Brooks' ballhoggery means fewer touches for Martin. I foresee Maggette sucking in Milwaukee.

I'd really only take Dwight if my first two rounds are some combination of Durant, Dirk, Melo, Granger, or Chauncey.

[ThirtyThree]

Give me your opinion on this situation. I'm inheriting a keeper team and my keepers are Love, Jennings and David Lee. It's H2H scoring but for some reason these people are deathly afraid of Dwight and he is almost a lock to slip to the second round. Given my keepers, how do I build around him? Jennings and Love are brutal shooters (Love is .45% for a big man) and these guys are all strong FT%. Does it make sense to make a play for Dwight if he slips to me? And given my roster makeup do I try to salvage FTs?

[FantasyMVP]

Give me your opinion on this situation. I'm inheriting a keeper team and my keepers are Love, Jennings and David Lee. It's H2H scoring but for some reason these people are deathly afraid of Dwight and he is almost a lock to slip to the second round. Given my keepers, how do I build around him? Jennings and Love are brutal shooters (Love is .45% for a big man) and these guys are all strong FT%. Does it make sense to make a play for Dwight if he slips to me? And given my roster makeup do I try to salvage FTs?

I'll do the math for you, just because I want to help you win

Lee - averaged 3.3/4.1 free throws per game, over an 82 game schedule = 271/336

Jennings - averaged 2.7/3.3. over an 82 game schedule = 221/271

Love - averaged 3.8/4.6, over an 82 game schedule = 312/377

Howard - averaged 5.9/10, over an 82 game schedule = 484/820

For a GRAND TOTAL OF: 15.4/22 per game = 70% or 1288/1804 = 71.3%

So considering that 1 quarter of your roster and highest usage players only make up for 70-71% from the line. You would likely finish last in the free throw category, or lose every week in a h2h. Trying to salvage the category will be way to hard and will put you at risk.

Now based on the make up of that four man team. You'll likely win Rebounds every week, and likely field goal percentage with both Dwight and Lee although Jennings may ruin this once in awhile. You'll still need to up your squad in threes, assists, and steals. An elite point guard can help you with that. So if that's the strategy you want to take, then by all means do it. Just keep in mind that you have to be elite in a number of categories.

[Bank Shot]

Ok so I had a H2H draft last night (12 teams, standard cats) and I tried going for the Dwight strategy because I had a later pick. A couple big name guys dropped (Curry and J Smith) so I had to grab them. How'd I do/how can I improve since I'm not totally convinced I have all the "Dwight" cats locked up (primarily FG%).

Curry (Rondo went late 1st)
Arenas (didn't want but he fell quite a bit and I needed points)
Felton
Kirlenko
Josh Smith
Troy Murphy
Dwight
M. Gasol
Andre Miller
T. Williams
Udrih
Gooden
McRoberts

Thanks in advance boys

[cochiseuofm]

How the heck did you get Curry, Dwight and Josh Smith in a 12 person H2H league? None of those guys should have fallen to you in the 3rd round, lol. Those are three guys that easily could, and maybe should, have gone in the 1st round of a H2H league (unless people passed on Dwight because they went by his roto ranking.)

Anyways you have a very good team in a 12 person league. I don't really see you losing rebounds, blocks, or steals very often. I'd say try to get a few more three-point specialists instead of guys like Arenas and Miller, if available, to compliment Curry's ability from the outside. Kleiza could be a good add if he is available. He'll give you points and threes.

[azuresou1]

It's a steal that you got Dwight, Josh Smith, and Stephen Curry all within the first 3 rounds of a H2H.

It's solid overall, although there are some picks I don't really love (Udrih, Gooden, McRoberts, Felton, Kirilenko). Still, very good draft.

[Bank Shot]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I was the 9th pick, so I got Dwight then Curry just after the turn. I think people were worried about Nellie not being there anymore.

Not sure WTF people were thinking with J Smooth though. Kidd was actually there as well. Two managers had some questionable strategies to say the least.

I'm not crazy over a couple of picks as well. I had a nice 3 round stretch where I had guys snipped the pick before me. I'm looking to flip to Kirilenko, I don't really think I need his blocks and steals. I actually like the McRoberts pick if he gets the PT. Solid FG% and rebounding plus the occasional 3? I'll take it. The extra PGs were taken so I'd be competitive with assists since I don't have a big time assist guy.

Looking at the wire these are the top guys in terms of 3s using last year's numbers:
Butler
Q-Rich
Delfino
Peja
Dudley
Charlie V

Anyone worth a look?

[FantasyMVP]

That draft is disgusting! Well done my friend! Curry, Smith, and Dwight is ridiculous. The rest of the draft is decent too. McRoberts is a solid sleeper, T-Will is killing preseason, Udrih will likely start at pg and doesn't hurt you anywhere, Gooden will be leaned on heavily with Bogut hobbled. The only picks I didn't like were Arenas and Murphy. Arenas scares me and Murph has a messed up back.

You still probably need to up your fg% and get more reliable guards. Try to package Andre Miller and Arenas or something for a higher tiered point guard.

[Bank Shot]

Thanks FantasyMVP. Arenas and Miller for Nash? Then pick up a guy like Calderon perhaps?