In addition to the 20-plus points and nine rebounds he again provided the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki handed out a career-high 3.5 assists per game this season.

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The most important aspect of fantasy sports is to know statistics. While the argument of who is the NBA MVP can last forever, the answer can be calculated when it comes to fantasy sports. Who's the Best is a weekly article that tests the knowledge of fantasy sports fans. Three different players will be listed. The article will examine which of the players is the best based on the statistics that they posted during the 2007-08 season. The article will analyze each player's season as well as offer a future outlook. 

Who is the best power forward in fantasy hoops?

OPTION A:  Kevin Garnett, PF, Celtics
OPTION B:  Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Mavericks
OPTION C:  Carlos Boozer, PF, Jazz

The Best: OPTION B - Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Mavericks (77 Games, 48% FG, 88% FT, 24 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg)

EXPECTATIONS:

Never before had a playoff performance reaped such havoc on a player's fantasy value.  Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the best record in the NBA in '06-07, but when the Mavs got knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by the Warriors, many fantasy hoopsters took notice of Nowitzki's lack of confidence and eight-point performance in what turned out to be his final game of the season. With the up-and-coming Josh Howard on the squad, many fantasy hoops managers assumed Nowitzki will take a backseat to Howard as the Mavs look for something new in the '07-08 NBA season. Still a fantasy star, conservative estimates has Nowitzki scoring 20 points with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and fine percentages in this basketball season. 

THE OUTLOOK:

As expected, Nowitzki struggled early in the season trying to put his playoff struggles behind. Through the first three months of the season, Nowitzki was passive on offense, as the scorer who averaged at least 24.6 points per game in each of the past three seasons failed to average as many as 23 points in any of the first three months. In February, Nowitxki finally awoke. He began shooting more, and his aggressiveness on offense came with an increase in confidence. After the All Star break, Nowitzki averaged 25.5 points, while knocking down 48 percent of his three-point attempts (an increase of 19 percent). By season's end, Nowitzki played in 75 or more games for the ninth straight season, and offered sensational statistics including 23.6 points, 3.5 assists, and 8.6 rebounds. These are numbers that you can expect each season from Nowitzki, assuming the Mavericks don't bring in a post presence on offense. The fact is that last year's playoff performance proved that Nowitzki is a sensational shooter, and a fine scorer, but he is not much of an interior scorer. On that note, as long as the Mavericks offense runs through the perimeter, you can expect big numbers from Nowitzki. Keep an eye on the Mavericks activity during the off-season to see if there is a change of plan in sight. 

The Second Best: OPTION A -- Kevin Garnett, PF, Celtics (71 Games, 54% FG, 80% FT, 19 ppg, 9 rpg, 1.3 bpg)

EXPECTATIONS:

Garnett never was a selfish player, and even on a losing Timberwolves team he would give the ball up and rack up the assists. On a new tea for the first time in his NBA career, the rebounds and assists should stay the same, while his points might drop just a tad thanks to the trio of scorers on the Celtics. I would expect his shooting percentage to soar now that he won't have to work quite as hard for his baskets thanks to the talent that will surround him. I'd look for 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists with sensational percentages from the field and at the line. 

THE OUTLOOK:

Garnett took the fewest total of shots per game since his rookie season, and still shined in both reality and fantasy. As expected, his scoring went down to 19 points per game, while his shooting percentage was a career best at 54 percent. Defensively, Garnett chipped in with 1.3 blocks and 1.4 steals. With the ball in his hands less than ever before, Garnett cut his turnovers to 1.9 per game, the lowest rate since his rookie season. The fine rebounding of Kendrick Perkins and Paul Pierce, combined with the fact that Garnett averaged just 33 minutes per game (seven minutes less than last year's average) had an impact on his rebounding (9.2 per game), which failed to crack double-digits for the first time in nine seasons. At the age of 32, Garnett is no longer a kid, and his fantasy numbers will likely continue to take a hit, as the former first overall pick in many fantasy leagues will now find himself getting more and more rest during the regular season to prepare for a fresh run in the playoffs each season. Of course, that does not make him irrelevant. In fact, the Celtics ability to rest their star during the regular season is a similar practice to how the Spurs keep Tim Duncan fresh for the playoffs. They keep their franchise player glued to the bench during blowouts, with the occasional day-off to nurse any lingering pain. Garnett is still a fine first round option, thanks to his well-rounded play, and his ability to dominate when he is on the floor. 

The Third Best: OPTION C -- Carlos Boozer, PF, Jazz (81 Games, 55% FG, 74% FT, 21 ppg, 10 rpg, 1.2 spg)

EXPECTATIONS:

Carlos Boozer has had to shed many labels in his NBA career. Out of Duke, many NBA scouts believed that he was overrated, which led to his second round draft selection.  He was then considered greedy and lazy, after fleeing the Cavaliers after a handshake agreement with the team's owner. Jazz ownership wasn't too pleased when Boozer took longer than expected to heal from several injuries. After playing just 84 games in his first two seasons with the Jazz, Boozer was then labeled injury-prone. Last season, Boozer finally had a chance to shed the labels. Sure, you may want more blocks from your power forward spot, but the 56 percent shooting from the field and 11.7 boards are nice. He is also an above average passer and his strong field goal percentage make up for the below average percentage from the line. Think of Boozer as a Zach Randolph-type player who can put up 20 points and 10 rebounds on a daily basis. 

THE OUTLOOK:

It's now back-to-back sensational seasons for the Utah Jazz leading scorer. Boozer averaged a career high 21.2 points per game, while shooting a respectable 74 percent from the line, and a dominant 55 percent from the floor. His rebounding was solid at 10.2 per game, but the greatest surprise came in his defensive statistics, where he averaged .5 blocks per game (his best in four seasons), while establishing a career high with 1.2 steals per game. At the age of 26, Boozer is certainly in his prime, and a repeat of his production can be expected for the '08-09 season. After playing in a career high 81 games, the injury label has been left in the past, making Boozer a decent late first round, or second round selection in next season's fantasy drafts. 

Rob Shaw is the lead expert for FantasyFanatics.com, the premiere fantasy sports community