Well, the NBA season is headed down the home stretch and you may find yourself in a situation where you need to attack certain fantasy categories. For those rotisserie basketball guys, you may need to shore up in some cats and catch up in others. Blocks is a category that usually has more teams closer together due to the fact that this is just not as plentiful a commodity as other stats like points, rebounds, and assists. With that said, if you pick up a few regular ball swatters and give them some play, you may find yourself gaining faster in blocks than any other category. Here are a list of guys that may be available in your league that put up solid block numbers.

1. Chris Andersen, F, Denver Nuggets – They call him Birdman for a reason; white boy got hops. Andersen is a mad man on the court who specializes in the art of rejection. For the year, he is averaging 2.33 blocks per contest, but in the past two weeks — much of which has seen Nene out — he has been even better, averaging 3.75 a game. You can almost justify giving someone a starting gig in fantasy if they block nearly four shots a game. That is like having a gunner that drops 30 a night. Birdman also gives you boards and a nice shooting percentage.

2. Ronny Turiaf, C, Golden State Warriors – Turiaf started getting more playing time with Andris Biedrins out, and he produced. So now, even with Biedrins back, Turiaf is getting some clock. He’s averaged over two blocks a game for the year, and is certainly going to contribute with some scoring and boards when he gets his minutes.

3. DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers – As long as Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby and Zach Randolph keep missing action for various reasons, Jordan will get you blocks and rebounds. The blocks, 11 in his last three games, is the real key to why he may hold value. Kaman is supposed to come back soon if his MRI goes well, so make sure to pay attention to that if you decide to go after Jordan.

4. Dominic McGuire, F, Washington Wizards – Although McGuire has recently cooled down in the blocks department, he is still averaging about 1.7 a game for the last three weeks. He is a young, energetic guy who the Wizards figure to use a lot as they participate in the Blake Griffin Tankfest of 2009.

5. Anthony Randolph, F, Golden State Warriors – If you have seen the Warriors play over the last two months, I am sure you have seen the raw ability of Randolph. In addition to being in good favour with coach Don Nelson right now (although he all know how that can change at any moment), he has at least one block in every game in March. Randolph can score and rebound in addition to blocking, so he is a prime late run pickup if you have a roster spot to spare.

6. Kendrick Perkins, C, Boston Celtics – With Kevin Garnett still out a few more games, Perkins will receive elevated minutes on the court. Perkins is a double-double threat every time he gets enough clock, and he’s also a capable shot blocker. If he is a free agent, he is a decent option at centre.

7. Roy Hibbert, C, Indiana Pacers – Hibbert can not seem to stay on the court more than 20 minutes a game because of his inability to stay out of foul trouble. This big stiff is assured of at least a block a game if he just puts his hands up. I am not in love with him as a fantasy option, but if you are in a deep league or are desperate, it could work.

8. Andray Blatche, F, Washington Wizards – Blatche has all the tools to be a stud, but he is still a bit lackadaisical on the floor. As discussed above, the Wizards will give young guys a lot of minutes as their season fades away into oblivion. Blatche, when he gets PT, is good for over a block a game.

9. Joel Pryzbilla, C, Portland Trail Blazers – As long as Greg Oden stays out, the Vanilla Gorilla will continue to swat shots in the Rose Garden. If you really need a centre, consider Przybilla, as he will rebound and block shots for you.

10. Brandon Bass, F, Dallas Mavericks – If you are so, so desperate, Bass has averaged a block a game in the past three weeks. He could do more if he got a chance, but he only sees 15-20 minutes a game, so it is hard to put up great numbers.

Welcome to Part Three of the Field Goal percentage series, where we will take a look at the big fellas and their success flushing the rock. Centres, by nature, play down low and usually shoot a much higher percentage than other positions. The catch is that they are usually not gunners, and their field goal attempts are usually lower than the typical high scoring guard or forward. There are some big men that get lots of looks at a high success rate, and those are who we are targeting in this list. Remember, these rankings take into consideration the actual percentage coupled with the field goals attempted per game. Obviously, more field goals attempted by a player will affect this roto category more.

Top 10 Fantasy Ranking, Field Goal Percentage, Centres

1. Nene, Denver Nuggets (61%, 9.1 FGA, 14.7 PPG): The Brazilian big man has found success in the paint this year. Throw it down big fella, throw it down! Many have considered him an excellent sell high candidate for months because of his injury history, but we’re into late-February and he’s still balling.

2. Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix Suns (59.5%, 11 FGA, 17.4 PPG): Just when everyone thought the Diesel was out of fuel, he posts All-Star numbers with an all-world swagger. Other than resting the occasional game earlier in the season, Shaq has been a reliable fantasy presence all year long. As much as he hurts your free throw percentage, he helps your field goal percentage even more.

3. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic (56.9%, 12.5 FGA, 20.7 PPG): Howard is scary talented and he will only continue to get better. Seeing as how most of his baskets are dunks, he shoots a very high percentage with over a dozen looks a game.

4. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers (56.3%, 12.4 FGA, 18.3 PPG): The Spaniard has solidified the centre position for the Lakers with Andrew Bynum out for an extended period of time. While Lamar Odom has picked up on the rebounding front, Gasol takes over more touches in the paint, which can only lead to more scoring opportunities. Kobe Bryant understands that Pau needs the ball, and he will let him get his touches.

5. Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats (57.6%, 9.7 FGA, 14 PPG): Okafor’s great percentage with nearly 10 attempts a game will certain help you in this category, and the fact that he’s a such a great rebounder and shot blocker as well is gravy.

6. Andris Biedrins, Golden State Warriors (56.8%, 9.4 FGA, 13 PPG): Biedrins is an interesting player because it seems like all his baskets are garbage follow dunks. His fantasy owners do not care how he scores, they just love his rebounding and high shooting percentage. You may be surprised to know that he gets almost 10 field goal attempts a game in a guard-oriented Warrior offense.

7. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets (54.5%, 13.1 FGA, 19.9 PPG): The 7′6″ Chinese icon is so good down low, which is evident by his nearly 55 per cent shooting on over 13 attempts a game.

8. Kendrick Perkins, Boston Celtics (59.8%, 5.7 FGA, 8.1 PPG): The Boston big man could get more looks in the upcoming weeks with Kevin Garnett sidelined. Perkins is a high percentage shooter, but does not get very many touches with all of the talent surrounding him. He is a marginal fantasy player, but he will help you in FG percentage in a pinch, while putting up nice rebounding and block totals.

9. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers (50.1%, 11.3 FGA, 13.7 PPG): Big Z is back from injury and doing his thing. He takes a lot of jump shots for a centre, but is deadly accurate.

10. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies (52%, 7.8 FGA, 10.9 PPG): Joining his brother on the top 10 list, baby bro Marc can hold his own down low. The Grizzlies are a young team on the rise and they have a very promising centre. As Gasol develops more on the offensive end, his field goal numbers are sure to only improve.

Low Shooting Percentage, Centres

1. Rasheed Wallace, Detriot Pistons (42.8%, 11.6 FGA, 12.9 PPG): I am not sure how many more years this former Tar Heel has left as a starter. It seems like he is a fading star with a deteriorating jumper. He does take a lot of threes, but his shooting hurts your FG percentage if you start him at centre. I would look to move him if at all possible.

2. Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors (42.4%, 11.5 FGA, 13.8 PPG): Even though Bargnani does not have the typical skill set of a centre, he is nearly seven feet tall. He is a rising star in the league and I am sure his field goal numbers will improve down the stretch, but overall, he’s been so inconsistent this season. The problem is that if you start Bargnani at centre, you are not only getting a low number from him, but you’re also missing out on the high number from most other centres who are instead starting for another fantasy team.

3. Spencer Hawes, Sacramento Kings (44.4%, 9.6 FGA, 10.2 PPG): With Brad Miller shipped to the Bulls, Hawes is the man in the middle for the Kings. He has had an up and down first half of the season, but should improve with time. Hawes has solid post moves that will start to work after repetition and game experience. Consider him a sleeper for nice production down the stretch with an improved field goal percentage.

Check in later in the week to see Part 1 of the second series of The Hidden Truth!

Centres

Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers: The Georgetown alum hasn’t exactly set the league on fire during his inaugural campaign, but he is averaging 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in five February tilts – both of which are monthly bests. The Pacers (4 1/2 games out of the eighth seed) aren’t going anywhere and may be more inclined to give the rookie some additional run in the final months. Chalk him up as a second-half sleeper in deeper leagues, especially since none of the other centre options on the Pacers have exactly grabbed the job and run with it.

Best of the Rest

While the Wizards have been exiled to hoops purgatory this season, JaVale McGee was a bit of a bright spot heading into the All-Star break. The University of Nevada product has averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game over his last seven contests, though his propensity to rack up the whistles (28 fouls in that stretch) is limiting his minutes…Those in very deep leagues might want to sneak a peek at Sean Marks if Tyson Chandler’s ankle injury lingers…The situation is a bit murkier for constant Troll resident Joakim Noah this week as Amare Stoudemire could be headed to the Windy City. If Noah stays his minutes could be cut, if he goes who knows what his role will be in Phoenix? He’s still a solid addition, but don’t view him as a season-long option just yet.

Forwards

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: The loss of Al Jefferson (knee) will almost certainly push Love into a more prominent role offensively for the Wolves. In his first game without Big Al, Love played a career-high 38 minutes and launched 14 shots (his second-highest total), finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. If for any reason he remains available in your league, add him immediately.

Travis Outlaw, Portland Trail Blazers: He has already been a pretty steady performer this season, but Outlaw has ramped up his play in February, totaling 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He’s absolutely deserving of a roster spot in all but the shallowest of leagues.

Ryan Gomes, Minnesota Timberwolves: Love doesn’t figure to be the only statistical beneficiary from Jefferson’s injury as Gomes should carry a larger offensive load going forward. He’s averaging 14.3 points and north of 36 minutes a night this month and is a capable three-point shooter to boot. Gomes’ peripheral numbers are modest at best, but those looking for a scoring boost needn’t look any further.

Best of the Rest

Wilson Chandler is back in the starting lineup after a six-game hiatus and hung 27 points on the Clippers on Wednesday. If someone discarded him when he went to the bench feel free to snatch him off the waiver wire…The Lakers recently shipped Vladimir Radmanovic to the Bobcats, where the veteran figures to see a lot more playing time. He has scored 34 points and gone 8-for-15 from downtown in two games since the move and could be worth a flier for his scoring potential…Marreese Speights poured in 49 points in Philly’s final three games before the break – put him on your radar…With Andris Biedrins out with an ankle injury, Ronny Turiaf is putting up 10.7 points and 7.0 boards a night. He’s worth a look in deep leagues, but Biedrins is expected to return immediately after the All-Star break…Jason Kapono has tallied 51 points in his last three contests and is a great natural shooter. However, he hasn’t produced with any consistency this year. Proceed with caution.

Guards

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies: Everyone that was ready to write off the former fourth overall pick needs to take a step back and re-evaluate what’s going on in Memphis under the stewardship of Lionel Hollins. Conley has started the team’s last 13 games and over the last eight he’s averaging 14.5 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Those aren’t ideal assist totals for a point guard, but he has huge talent and is a great second-half sleeper.

Best of the Rest

Charlie Bell dropped 21 and 20 points, respectively, in Milwaukee’s last two games and knocked down 17 of his 26 shots in the process. He figures to see plenty of time at least until Luke Ridnour returns, making him a solid addition…A pair of injured players (Cleveland’s Delonte West and Dallas’ Jerry Stackhouse) should be returning soon and could immediately step into prominent roles. Those hurting for backcourt depth can consider either man as a possible flier…Kyle Weaver has started the last seven games for the Thunder. His numbers haven’t impressed thus far, though the fact that he’s averaging nearly 31 minutes a night makes him worthy of watch-list status in deep leagues.