Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (3) – He had no chance on the first go

With the NBA season just over the halfway mark, it is time to look back on some of the studs and duds of the first half in Fantasy Basketball. The Fantasy playoffs begin in nine weeks for many standard leagues, and it is likely that teams have been helped and hindered by their draft picks. That’s what makes the waiver wire so crucial, as injury fill-ins and rotation changes can greatly affect a player’s value to a lineup. While there are those players who you know will be consistent each year, there are others who never reach the heights of their expected leap or those who regress and never recover. Here are some Fantasy Basketball surprises and disappointments of the first half of the NBA season. The numbers listed indicate the average draft position. Surprises Hassan Whiteside (C – Mia, 140) - Here’s a guy who bounced around in Summer League and the D-League before catching on with the Heat in November. It took until January before Whiteside really exploded into Fantasy relevance, but if owners were lucky enough to grab him off the wire, they have reaped the rewards of his success. In 2015, Whiteside has averaged 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in only 23.2 minutes per game, highlighted, of course, by his triple-double with 12 blocks off of the bench. Jimmy Butler (SG/SF – Chi, 69.4) – Many predicted that Butler would make a leap this season and he hasn’t disappointed. Playing close to 40 minutes a night and a crucial part of the Bulls’ offence, Butler has seen his points per game increase by seven over last year. His shooting percentages are up across the board and has also made his defensive presence known. He is the frontrunner to win Most Improved Player and has definitely boosted his draft stock for next season. Draymond Green (SF/PF – GSW, 119.1) – Those who took a flier on Green in the later rounds have been rewarded for their risk, like the Warriors in the second round of the 2012 Draft. While he hasn’t torn up the league, he is able to stuff the stat sheet and gives solid production in every category. He has started every game for Golden State and is averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals per game, which are categories that owners know are the tightest each week in head-to-head matchups. It’s his five point and three rebound per contest increase that are some of Green’s highlights. Darren Collison (PG – Sac, 96) – Collison is enjoying a career year with the Kings, averaging 16.4 points as the team’s third option. He is ranked higher than players like George Hill and Deron Williams who were both drafted before Collison but have struggled with injuries all year. Owners wouldn’t have been blamed for passing on Collison for bigger names, especially because this is Collison’s fourth team in four seasons. If he was drafted as your team’s second or third point guard, he could very well end up being number one. Disappointments Lance Stephenson (SG/SF – Cha, 62.2) – Drafted ahead of the likes of Kevin Martin and Luol Deng, many expected Stephenson to be a featured member of the Hornets’ offence after signing a three-year, $27 million deal. What has resulted in the first half is Stephenson already on the trading block and disappointing many owners who expected a career year from him as a starter. Instead, Stephenson is shooting only 38.5% from the field and an ugly 15.3% from deep. He’s only averaging 9.8 points per game and is now coming off the bench after missing 14 games with a pelvic injury. Owners who chose Stephenson lost the gamble. Joakim Noah (C – Chi, 27.2) – Injuries have always been a concern for Noah, and while he managed to stay healthy last year, he’s already missed 11 games this season. His 7.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game are his worst in six seasons. Those who have expected Noah to eat up the glass should be mad at the arrival of Pau Gasol, who has re-emerged in his own right as a Fantasy star but at the expense of Noah. He will need to pick it up in the second half to justify why he was drafted so highly. Nicolas Batum (SF – Por, 26.2) – One of the stat sheet stuffers of Fantasy, Batum has reportedly been battling a wrist injury most of the season which has translated into poor numbers. His shooting has been woeful and he has regressed in points, rebounds and assists. He was likely drafted in the middle of the third round and that’s a tough area to miss on a pick. While Portland has been able to survive through his struggles, owners who were counting on Batum to be a heavy contributor have been left to look elsewhere. Rajon Rondo (PG – Dal, 51.3) – The days of Fantasy dominance for Rondo appear to be coming to an end. While he started the year off strong with the Celtics, it was his trade to Dallas that has gutted Rondo’s value. Never known for his shooting ability, Rondo has made only 26.3% of his free throws since being acquired by the Mavericks. He has really struggled to put anything on the stat sheet despite being in the starting lineup. Those who drafted Rondo for his ability to contribute in many categories are shaking their head at Rondo’s output this season. Michael Taylor Jersey . On Sunday, hell attempt to become the youngest driver to win a NASCAR Nationwide race on Iowas short track. The 20-year-old Blaney wont be the only kid pushing a podium finish. Adam Eaton Jersey . Van Slyke drove in a career-high four runs with two homers off struggling left-hander Tony Cingrani, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled away to a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, a rare comfortable win in their pitching-dominated series. http://www.officialnationalsgearshop.com/Nationals-Kevin-Long-Kids-Jersey/ . Alexander was released last week by the Edmonton Eskimos, where he spent the past three seasons at safety. He had 121 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles and seven interceptions in 51 regular-season and three playoff games. Shawn Kelley Jersey . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Brandon Kintzler Jersey . The senior threw for 319 yards and no interceptions in his final college game, leading No.Every night of the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN hockey analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan breaks down each goalies performance. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (4) – He had a strong game Sunday; was very good in tight with big saves on Crosby, Malkin and Neal in-crease. He had big saves on Gibbons and Goc on breakaways. It was a spirited effort, he even got involved with the extracurricular activities giving Crosby the shower with the water bottle. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (3) – He had no chance on the first goal; the second goal was bad, short-side, through the body on backhand by Hagelin. He did have big saves on Nash, and Kreider on a breaakaway in tight.dddddddddddd He was very aggressive with his stick around the net, poke check and around posts. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks (4) – He had big saves on Coyle, Neidereiter, and Koivu early on to show he was dialed in. He had a huge right pad save in the third to keep the score 2-1 on Neidereiter, and there was no better save than on Suter with the glove with 4:35 left in third. He was strong on post plays in the last minute on Parise. Ilya Bryzgalov, Minnesota Wild (4) – He had no chance on either goal Sunday. He was very good with rebound control, a lot of plays died because he did not allow a second shot. He had good saves on Hossa, Saad and Sharp and looked comfortable all night. He gave them a chance to win. ' ' '