论我的死亡

Finally.

Breathe in. Breathe out. We're here, people. Fantasy basketball has finally arrived for the 2006-07 season. No, the season isn't starting tomorrow. No, we don't yet have a game open for registration (but, check back soon). But we are here, bringing you a full-court press on fantasy knowledge for the 06-07 season.

Look around. Enjoy the view. Immediately, you will notice significant changes around here. New bathroom in the back. Ferns hanging in the hallways. Floor has a nice shiny gloss that typically requires a "cuidado" sign.

Brand spanking new, baby. New Fantasy Resource Center. New Fantasy Stats Center. New Fantasy Games Center. New Fantasy Draft Center. New games.

We've gotta start somewhere. Let's start from the top.

Fantasy Resource Center

You know who we are. We're the source of more fantasy content and advice than you could ever need. This season, it's all free. Remember last year when you received one free article per day and needed to pay for the other 14 weekly pieces? No longer. We spread the love. More fun for everyone.

Content includes 14 weekly articles covering every subject imaginable to help your fantasy squad reach the promised land. Daily fantasy notes to preview the day's games and the fantasy implications. Rick Kamla's Living the Fantasy. Matthew Berry's Talented Mr. Roto.

In addition, we are expanding our daily fantasy news to cover all relevant stories. All of them. Need to know the latest on your injured player? We'll have it. Depth charts will be updated on a daily basis. New to the table will be Injury Reports, detailing all of the league's injuries and those players' expected returns. Weekly Fantasy Newsletter covering the week that was, the week ahead, and some exclusive content that can only be found by newsletter subscribers. Fantasy RSS delivered to your desktop. So. Much. More.

Fantasy Stats Center

We're just getting started, baby. You already know us for the most extensive basketball stats on the planet. Where do you go to get 104 sortable splits? Here. The premier fantasy rating system (FSPI)? Here. As a man with a shiny left glove once said, "Don't stop 'til you get enough."

There's no place to go but up after a Michael Jackson reference. The FSPI proved to be a great tool last season, but only applied to people in standard eight-category leagues. This season, we will make it customizable. Use turnovers? We're here. Field Goals Made? Check. Assist/Turnover ratio? All over it. Our ratings reflect your settings.

Other features on the check list include schedule analysis, which helps those in weekly transaction leagues target players on teams with the most games. Match-up analysis tracks the success rate of players versus the day's opposition so that you can maximize your lineup. Swap Shop is a whole new animal that will take pages to explain. In a nutshell, we'll help you make the best possible trade to help your team. Not talking about telling you that globally LeBron is more valuable than Wade. To your team, Wade may be more valuable than LeBron. With our help, you will win. Finally, there's a Draft Pick Trade Chart. Why would you need such a tool? Must have a game that allows trading of draft picks. We'll get to that later.

Fantasy Game Center

Ok, we'll get to that now. Two new full-season games this season: Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner and Pick One Challenge. Salary Cap Challenge returns for another run.

I need a full article to explain Commissioner. That we'll be coming soon -- the article and the game. Classic draft-and-trade game. All free. Every customizable feature available if you want it. Free keeper leagues. Customizable rules and settings. Five different scoring systems. Co-owner options. Co-commissioners. Trade draft picks (ah! There it is!). Five different draft types, including live and e-mail. Six different waiver types, including Auction. On and on and on. And, yes, it really is free. No tricks or gimmicks. Free.

If you played Drive to the Finals during the playoffs and enjoyed that game, you'll love Pick One Challenge. Similar premise. Each day, pick one player and accumulate fantasy points based on that player's points, rebounds and assists. The twist? You can only pick him once during the entire season. That's approximately 150 days and 150 players. You'll need to keep an eye on hot starts, injury reports and schedules. Schedules will be key. If you use Wade and Kobe in week one, what about Christmas day when the only game played is the Lakers versus the Heat? In addition, you'll get double points for rookies.

Also new -- and you've likely already heard about it -- is the Premier Fantasy Championship. Those in the "know" refer to it as the PFC. The most exclusive fantasy competition on the planet. Thirty people from around the world will need to get through a comprehensive screening process to compete. When we have our 30, each owner will run an NBA franchise. Pick a team and peg a franchise player to build your team around. That choice will determine your position in the draft, where you will fill the rest of the roster (you pick LeBron, you'll pick last; pick the weakest player, you'll pick first). After each of the first three months, the teams under .500 for that month will be up for a public vote, at which time they may be fired and replaced by a new GM. Winner becomes the first member of the NBA.com Fantasy Basketball Hall of Fame.

Fantasy Draft Center

Around this time, you will begin scouring the sports sites, looking for a good draft kit. Ours is widely considered one of the best, and this year it's better than ever. How is it better? Free. That's right, we like to give things away around here. I don't need to sell you on how good it is, only to collect your credit card number and turn my back on you when you're disappointed. Look around. Enjoy. It doesn't get any better.

In case you need a quick sales pitch, here it is. Matthew Berry's Draft Day Manifesto. Position-by-position analysis, projections and rankings of 350+ players. Injury analysis, off-season coaching moves, off-season player movement, rookie analysis, sleepers, risks and an expert mock draft. All here.

More to Come

If you've figured anything about us yet, you know that we like to dabble in the innovation. Stale is bad, new and exciting is good. There is still so much more to come, so keep coming back to NBA.com for all of your fantasy needs.

If it can get better, it will.