The odd aspect about Howard’s absence is that it has actually helped the Mavs. They are playing much better without him. The main reason why is the play of JJ Barea. Barea is a small guard who has played stunningly well in the last handful of games. Not only can he create plays, Barea is also a quality scorer. He can shoot from range and also finish at the basket. In the fantasy world, he’s definitely a player to pick up right now if you have the room on your roster. He’s not going to stay this hot forever but he probably has cemented a large role for himself going forward.

Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd are all playing about how you’d expect. Nowitzki’s shooting percentage is a bit low but his scoring and rebounding are up. Terry is like Nowitzki — lower than usual shooting percentage but more points. Kidd’s points, assists and rebounds are down a bit but he’s swiping steals at a good rate and also shooting the ball very well.

No one else on the Mavs is too interesting fantasy-wise. Brandon Bass scores the ball at a good clip but doesn’t get enough minutes. Erick Dampier is a good rebounder but he too isn’t getting consistent minutes.

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Brandon Bass, Dallas Mavericks
Bass has had a couple big preseason games in his last two outings. The Mavericks were high enough in the summer to give him a guaranteed contract. That said, there chances aren’t great that he earns a spot in the Mavs’ rotation. However, keep an eye on him because he can rebound and score when given minutes.

Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
Bargnani is starting to really blossom north of the border. He led the Raptors in scoring in Toronto’s victory over the Bulls. He had 19 points in 25 minutes, making 7-of-12 shots from the field. He’s never going to be a big rebounder or shot blocker, but Bargnani is highly skilled and should eventually turn into a reliable starter.

Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards
Blatche is having a great preseason for the Wizards. In fact, he is leading the team in scoring in addition to his typical all around play. He led the Wizards in scoring again on Friday night with 20 points. Blatche also chipped in with eight boards, four assists and three steals in 24 minutes.

Wizards Training Camp vLog

Post from: Expert Fantasy