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Jan. 3, 2004:

Fantasy basketball news on InsideHoops.com: The Answerman is the unofficial, unauthorized, unrelenting, uncompromising, unpaid, unlicensed, uneducated though highly effective advice columnist at Insidehoops.com. He also dabbles in matters of the heart. He is here to answer all your questions.

Lets go right to the INBOX:

Dear Answerman...

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I have this trade on the table: Marbury and K.G. for Nowitzki and Stojakovic, should I do this trade?

Trading-Bury

Dear TB:

I am glad someone gave me the opportunity to comment on the Marbury-to-Knicks trade. The Knicks are a fantasy vacuum. New York sucks up good stats and put them in a bag where they wait to be disposed. I don’t know why.

It would seem like with Houston’s shot, minutes, and relative size at the two, he could trip into enough rebounds and assists to be useful. He doesn’t. Sprewell lost his steals in New York. Van Horn lost his field goal percentage. You do not want Knicks in your lineup (although Marbury may be an exception to this rule).

That being said, I still would not do this deal. You are not getting enough back for KG. Stojakovic’s numbers will be falling off upon Webber’s return. I would trade Marbury, though. You can probably get one of McGrady-Carter-Bryant for him, along with a some sort of specialist.

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I recently discovered insidehoops.com, and I really like the articles and your column in particular. Thanks!

This is my first season playing Fantasy Basketball, and I'm not sure what I can do to improve. I've noticed that the better managers in my league will bench players even when there are positions available. I've been playing everyone, regardless of how they are playing, and I'm doing OK in some categories and horrible in others. I’m in 10th place out of 15 now, and my weak points are free throws, steals, three pointers and turnovers - any suggestions?

Double-D

Dear DD:

In leagues that count percentages - of any kind - sometimes you are actually better off benching guys to improve. For example, if a team is strong enough in points, it can bench a guy like Steve Francis to reduce its turnovers and stop him from shooting down its field goal percentage. It’s a legitimate strategy that some ball-less owners use.

With regards to this being your first year playing, I recommend that you spend this year learning the game and its players. I know the point of the game is to win, but sometimes winning now costs later. Use your first year to mess around, try different players and trades, accumulate knowledge and use it for years to come.

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You are a horrible Sportswriter.

JT

True, but I am an excellent dancer.

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I have a question that a lot of players probably encounter. I can't find solid play at center. My C spot is a rotation of the ancient (Mutombo, C Robinson, Divac, Coleman) the established disappointments (Bradley, Laettner, Ostertag) and mysterious fill-ins (Gadzuric, Foster, Medvedenko). What should I do?

Thanks, EA

Dear EA:

This question that has plagued fantasy basketball owners since the beginning of time. It occurs in all sports, people are always looking for running backs, catchers, or centers that do anything.

My answer is to look at your team and see a category that you need support. Grab a center that can help. Laettner is a surprisingly good passer-stealer. Mutombo can still block shots. Diop is learning. Mihm is turning into a decent rebounder. Dale Davis shoots a nice field goal percentage. Antonio Davis is still a good rebounder. Jeff Foster, Lonny Baxter, and Gary Trent are getting minutes so they are happening on some regular stats.

Again, none of these guys can actually “save” your team, but they can all do certain things on an occasional basis that won’t necessarily hurt your team too often.

What more could anyone ask for?

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My wife is trying to drag me off to Mona Lisa Smile. Her argument is that The Cowboys are out of the playoffs now, and pre-postseason basketball is sooo unimportant. HELP!!!!! Foreign Hope.

Dear FH:

A very important question in Oscar season. There are plenty of really long, dry, intellectual movies in the theatres. My advice - if there is a movie that your woman wants to see - just go. Here’s why:

1) You have to start accumulating credit now. You want to sit around all-star weekend and watch the Three-Point Shootout, Rookie-Soph game and the Sunday All-Star game, start earning your rights now with Mona Lisa Smile. It's 24 hours of basketball versus two hours of Stiles-Roberts-Gylleanhall. It's worth it;

2) The Oscar season is really short. It's like five movies over two months. Guy movie season is the REST OF THE YEAR. You owe your girl. She went to X-Men II, the Hulk, Anger Management, and all the Matri with you. You owe her a movie;

3) Mona Lisa Smile is really awful. It's slow, it has no levity, Julia Roberts is bad in the movie. There is a chance your girl may notice this and get turned off to the next movie she has in mind. That‘s a huge win; and, finally

4) She’s your girl, do something she enjoys. Buy her flowers, take her out. buy her dinner, enjoy some wine, watch the movie, go out for coffee, listen to all her opinions about it, go home and make sweet love to her. Why not?

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I love reading your weekly column about Fantasy Basketball, and I would like to take this opportunity to ask you a little question about Voshon Lenard. I was very lucky to pick him up in the 4th week of the season, and he turned out to be a great 3PT and PTS producer for my team. However, I was wondering if this is the right time to shop him around.

RH

Dear RH:

Thank you. I post this question as a public service announcement to all my readers. Voshon has about three good weeks each season. His three weeks are over. Its time to bench him, trade him, dump him, and resign yourself to the fact that your Voshon era is over. Thank RH for signaling the end.