To The Tin

Now that the NBA’s All Star festivities have come to a merciful end, it is time to get back to actual, competitive basketball. The first half of the 2009-2010 season provided a number of surprises for fantasy managers, including the emergence of Devin Harris and the decline of Steve Nash.

But what does the second half of the season have in store?

Here is a look at what to watch for as your fantasy team begins the stretch run…

Fading into Bolivian: Look for these players to fade down the stretch-

Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers SG/SF-Granger is fourth in the NBA in scoring and has emerged as one of the best young players in the NBA. But he has been dinged-up in recent weeks and has yet to play a full season as a go-to scorer.

Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets PG-Harris is averaging 21 ppg and 6.5 apg this season, but his small build and aggressive style combined with a history of injuries and playing for the woeful Nets doesn’t suggest a strong finish.

Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks PG/SG/SF-Johnson has shot just 35 percent over the last month, and his scoring has been very inconsistent lately. 3-pointers are normally a big part of his game, but he is struggling from the outside this season. I expect Josh Smith to emerge in the second half, and Marvin Williams put up big offensive numbers prior to the All-Star break, so look for Johnson’s scoring to continue to decline.

Jason Richardson, Phoenix Suns SG/SF-Leandro Barbosa is finally playing well after a slow start. J-Rich got picked up yesterday for doing 90 in a 35 with his three-year old in the back seat, and has been suspended for one game by the Suns. I look for Barbosa to slowly cut into his minutes as the season continues.

Rasheed Wallace, Detroit Pistons PF/C-The 34 year-old Wallace could be nearing the end of the road. He is averaging 12 ppg and 7 rpg but has looked awful defensively. He will get minutes because the Pistons have no alternatives, but his bad knees will lead to minimal production for the remainder of the season.

Allen Iverson, Detroit Pistons PG/SG-The Pistons have been unable to trade A.I., and his production will decline if Rip Hamilton continues to play well. Rodney Stuckey struggled prior to the break, but will continue to get minutes. Look for A.I. to be phased out as the season winds down.

Jamal Crawford, Golden State Warriors PG/SG-Crawford is an explosive scorer, but there aren’t enough shots to be had in Golden State now that Monta Ellis has returned. Since Stephen Jackson handles the ball the majority of the time, Crawford’s assist numbers are minimal. He has little value unless he is scoring about 20 per game.

Chris Duhon, New York Knicks PG-The former Dukey has enjoyed a breakout season under Mike D’Antoni, but he has struggled in recent weeks. Duhon is averaging a career-high 39 mpg and could be wearing down. He will still get his assists, but look for his shooting percentages to suffer in the second half.

Randy Foye, Minnesota Timberwolves PG/SG-Foye looked like a bust until he began playing well in early December. Al Jefferson’s absence will allow defenses to focus on Foye, making it difficult for him to match his first half numbers of 16.2 ppg and 4.7 apg.

Derek Fisher, Los Angeles Lakers PG-Fisher has logged big minutes this season and will probably see a reduction in playing time during the second half now that Jordan Farmar is healthy. He is still a good option in deep leagues, but look for his numbers to decline.

Rising up: Look for these players to flourish down the stretch-

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder SG/SF-This might seem obvious given that Durant is already averaging 25.5 ppg and 6.7 rpg, but I look for even better things during the second half. In fact, I think Durant has a chance to win a scoring title this season. His all-around game a shooting percentage should continue to improve throughout the second half.

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns PG-Some people think that Nash is done, but I strongly disagree. The Suns should get back to pick-n-roll basketball now that Alvin Gentry has supplanted Terry Porter. Look for a big spike in production from Nash and his teammates.

Amar’e Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns PF/C-It’s no secret that S.T.A.T didn’t get along with former coach Terry Porter, but the coaching change in Phoenix means that he apparently won’t be traded. The Suns will try to give Stoudemire more touches on the offensive end, which will make him happy and more importantly improve his rebounding and blocked shot numbers.

Amar'e should get more shots under new head coach Alvin Gentry. (Pic via Getty Images/Fanster.com)

Michael Beasley, Miami Heat SF/PF-Beasley should move into the starting lineup now that Shawn Marion has finally been traded. A gifted scorer, Beasley will also provide solid rebounding numbers.

Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks SF/PF-Smith hasn’t been scoring much this season, and is shooting just 58 percent from the free throw line. I look for him to have a strong second half and pick up some of the scoring slack from Joe Johnson. He will always give you some blocks and steals even if he isn’t scoring.

Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors PG/SG-Ellis has a horrible shooting percentage right now, but his explosiveness seems to be returning. He will certainly get plenty of minutes, so look for Monta to average almost 20 ppg in the second half.

Raymond Felton, Charlotte Bobcats PG/SG-Felton is a restricted free agent following this season and wants to get that paper. The former UNC star has been very inconsistent this season and is shooting just 39 percent from the field, but I look for him to make a push in the second half.

Eric Gordon, L.A. Clippers PG/SG-E.G. is one of many talented rookies in the NBA, and he has a great chance to lead his peers in scoring this season. The Clippers are content to give him the ball and allow him to launch. Since he didn’t really start to see big minutes until mid-December, Gordon should be fresh and finish strong.

Nick Collison, Oklahoma City Thunder PF/C-Collison has modest numbers but will get plenty of action now that Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith have been traded to the New Orleans Hornets. Expect a handful of double-doubles from the former Jayhawk.

Tyrus Thomas, Chicago Bulls PF/C-Thomas has really picked up his play since Jan. 1 and will get plenty of minutes for the remainder of the season. He still has an alarmingly low shooting percentage, but he should averaging 15 ppg and 8 rpg over the in the second half. It is also possible that he will stop trying during the final weeks, so stay tuned.

Asked but not answered: Fantasy questions that will be answered during the next few weeks-

Who will win rookie of the year, and which rookie(s) will fade? I like Derrick Rose to win R.O.Y honors this season. He is strong and is one of the few rookies who can fill up the stat sheet in two categories each game. Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook and Michael Beasley will make a strong push during the second half. This is the best rookie class in years, so I look forward to watching it closely as the season winds down.

Will there be any big trades that have fantasy implications? It doesn’t look like it, but you never know. I look for Jermaine O’Neal to play well with the Miami Heat and put up big numbers. Drew Gooden and Brad Miller will probably be traded, but don’t expect any earth-shattering deals.

How will Greg Oden finish the season? While Kevin Durant is emerging as a superstar, Oden is battling injuries and has been mediocre at best this season. He could improve, but right now Joel Przybilla is a better player. Yikes. But a strong finish could help improve his fantasy draft status next season.