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From The Key: Joe Cool
by Rick Kamla - Senior Editor, Fanball.com
Friday, February 6, 2004
I know you've seen Joe Johnson's fine lines, but have you seen his game?
If you have, then you're digging his new nickname: Joe Cool. If you haven't, may I kindly recommend purchasing NBA League Pass and/or a ticket to an arena near you?
I knew Joe had been cool to fantasy owners since the Stephon Marbury trade on Jan. 5, and I knew this Joe had no ordinary game. But after watching him pour in a career-high 31 points from a courtside seat at The Garden last Saturday night, I am here to tell you this 22-year-old has extraordinary game.
He reminds me of Penny Hardaway in his prime—a lethal big guard who slithered his way to the paint with a tricky handle and pure basketball instincts. Joe can score from deep, in-between, and in the paint, but he's also got that sixth sense that allows him to dime teammates seemingly at will.
Plus, like Penny back in his salad days, Joe Cool has been loading up the box scores with fantasy goodies. To wit, in the first 17 games after the trade, Joe averaged 22.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 threes. He topped the 20-point mark in 14 of 17, including the last seven. And perhaps best of all, he logged 40-plus minutes in 11 of 17.
It will be interesting to see how Amare Stoudemire's healthy return affects Joe's numbers in the long run, but it wasn't a problem on Wednesday night against Portland. Despite 21 points and 6 rebounds from Amare, Joe still managed 25 points and 8 rebounds.
If Amare can stay healthy, Joe's scoring may come down a little bit, but because Joe is the man with the ball in his hands, he'll remain a rock-star fantasy player going forward.
Joe Cool
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