NBA News/NBA Fantasy News 2007/2008

[Hache Man]

Poor Rip has a bum hip

Just as fantasy playoffs fade, the real-life playoffs kick into gear…but keep in mind that Rotoworld is here all year long, pumping out updates and breaking news. On some long summer day when you're itching for an NBA fix, stop by the site for updated rumors, trades and injuries…you know, the building blocks of a successful campaign in 2008-2009.

Just pray that we never use the words 'ruptured', 'skiing', 'motorcycle', 'micro-fracture' or 'Isiah Thomas'…unless the latter is immediately followed by 'has finally been fired'.

Rasho Nesterovic—I just dropped Chris Kaman for Rasho in one league, and was actually surprised that he was still available—the next best option was either Ronny Turiaf or Josh Boone.

Here are Rasho's averages in the month of March: 13.6 points on 56% shooting, 77% free throws, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 blocks and 1.2 turnovers in 30 minutes per game.

That line isn't too stellar, but compared to the competition it's a supergiant. The Raptors' recent lineup shift worked to Rasho's advantage—he's now established as the team's starting center and is locked into a reliable 30-minute role. More blocks and rebounds would certainly be nice from a fantasy center, but I'm unwilling to ask more of Rasho, who has never averaged more than 2.0 blocks or 7.7 rebounds in a season.

If Andrea Bargnani is still owned in your league, it's because his owner has conceded defeat (or simply lost interest).

Richard Hamilton—Rip's hip is giving his owners fits, and as he sits and licks his injury it is obvious there is no quick fix (how's that for alliteration). But seriously, his owners are in trouble.

The injured hip has been bothering him for weeks, and finally got to the point where the Pistons—who are comfortably floating into the playoffs as the number-two seed—were obligated to shut him down. To his credit, Hamilton returned long enough to harass LeBron James into a 4-of-17 shooting night—only the next day he reported significant discomfort in the offending hip joint.

So far Rip is questionable for Tuesday's game, but coach Flip Saunders already declared his intention to bench a few starters whenever the Pistons play a weak team from now until the playoffs (Tuesday's opponent is the Timberwolves). Hamilton's injury almost guarantees that he'll be one of the benched players, meaning his owners have to calculate vague but foreseeable DNPs into the equation next week. I can't recommend dropping him outright, but if you're scrapping tooth and nail to win your league, someone more reliable (say, Travis Outlaw?) seems like a wise alternative.

The Pistons bench plays consistent minutes, but they are too low for owners to benefit. Aaron Afflalo—who will start whenever Hamilton doesn't—has cracked 30 minutes just once. It is Rodney Stuckey who has the best chance of sustained value, and even he is no better than a fringe option in the vast majority of leagues (a complete lack of 3-pointers really hampers his value). UPDATE: Hamilton was inactive on Tuesday, along with Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups. Stuckey scored a career-high 27 points in his second career start. He'll be inconsistent, but is worth picking up.

Chris Quinn/Daequan Cook— These two guys should have significant value for the rest of the season, provided Jason Williams doesn't return soon and spoil the fun. J-Will is supposedly returning this season, but his severely bruised thumb is in a cast and it's easy to see him shutting it down for good.

While Williams has been sidelined, Chris Quinn has proven that he can offer fantasy value even while dipping below 40% from the field.

In his last 10 games, NBA.com ranks Quinn as the second-most effective fantasy player among all sophomores, behind Rudy Gay and ahead of LaMarcus Aldridge.

In his last five games, Quinn has a ridiculous average of 3.4 steals to go along with 14.6 points on 34% shooting, 1.2 three-pointers, 28-of-33 (85%) free throws, 4.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and only 2.2 turnovers.

Cook isn't nearly as appealing, but is worth a look in many formats if he continues to log close to 35 minutes as a starter.

Cook's averages for the month of March: 11.8 points on 37% shooting, 2.2 three-pointers, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.8 turnovers. He's a lousy 62% from the free throw line, but attempts only 1.1 per game.

Returning from post-concussion symptoms on Monday, he turned the ball over six times in 29 minutes, but managed a respectable 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, four 3-pointers and six rebounds.

Bottom line: Neither guy will save your squad, but Quinn is obviously a valuable asset and Cook is more than capable of pitching in to help you win a few categories (he's best suited to chase someone down in 3-pointers).

Emeka Okafor—Okafor has shaken off his mid-season doldrums and is playing with some energy lately, even though the Bobcats now have nothing to play for but pride. Actually, Okafor is in a contract year, so his sudden spike in energy is understandable (and likely a great relief to his agent). Okafor's last eight games have broken down nicely:

First four games: Failed to play 28 minutes in a game, averaging 5.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

Last four games: Played a minimum of 34 minutes per game, averaging 17.3 points on 65% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

This quote goes a long way toward explaining the disparity: "It started to look like [Okafor] had lost his enthusiasm," Bobcats coach Sam Vincent said on Monday. "I though it was important that some of that passion came back. He expressed some things he wanted from the team, in terms of minutes."

Bottom line: Okafor's deficiencies are at least as obvious as his efficiencies, but he has the raw power and basic skill set to be an effective NBA front-court player for the next decade. In terms of the next week or two? He's on a roll, and I can only recommend starting him while it lasts.

Chris Kaman—This quote from Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy says all you need to know: ""Have you seen [Kaman's] ankle? It really blew up. I don't think we'll see him (playing) anytime soon." Given Kaman's already-ailing back, I see very little chance of the Kaveman appearing in another game this season.

Beno Udrih—For a guy who never had elite value, Udrih has a fanatical following in the fantasy community. Owners who polished their waiver wire gem for a few months are loathe to drop him without getting back a comparable free agent. Udrih could return soon, but I'm skeptical for multiple reasons: 1) He already tried to return, lasting all of 10 minutes before his back seized up on him, 2) the Kings have been out of the playoff picture for a very long time, and 3) coach Reggie Theus recently declared fill-in starter Anthony Johnson to be a better defender than Udrih. It's time to give up on Beno this season, or at least radically adjust your expectations.

Shawn Marion—If you've been holding onto Marion for this long, odds are you won't mind hanging onto him a few days more. My original recommendation was to drop him last weekend if there wasn't any good news on the horizon—turns out there wasn't. But if you still find yourself unable to relinquish your stud to the waiver wire, take comfort in the fact that Pat Riley has said Marion might return this week (though he's doubtful for Wednesday's game). Heat beat writer Ira Winderman believes Marion's motivation to return stems from Miami's desire to test him out at small forward, in anticipation of next season—but to me this makes no sense at all. Marion is essentially playing with a different (and incomprehensibly worse) team right now, and testing his suitability at small forward would seem lower on everyone's list of priorities than preserving his injured back before a contract year. We don't have to wait long to see whether he's actually coming back, so hang on to him this week and see what happens.

Jordan Farmar/Sasha Vujacic—Neither of these guys has much value at the moment. What should be highlighted is how much they stand to gain if Derek Fisher shuts it down for a while because of the partially torn tendon in his right foot.

Fisher has been playing through the injury, but Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged the uncertainty of Fisher's status on Monday: "We really don't know what's going to happen with this. We'll just have to wait and see how he's going to be and what direction it's going to take." Fisher played very well in Sunday's game against the Wizards—posting 17 points in 33 minutes of an overtime victory—but the injury will eventually require 2-3 months of inactivity to fully heal, and LA could easily rest him for a week or so prior to the playoffs.

Since the All-Star break, Sasha Vujacic is averaging 11 points and 2.5 three-pointers despite playing only 22 minutes per game. He might already be owned in your league, but absolutely should be owned if Fisher shuts it down.

Jordan Farmar's only weaknesses in fantasy leagues are blocks (0.1) and free throw percentage (67%)—outside of that, he's a reliably versatile option. That is, when he gets sufficient playing time.

In less than 21 minutes per game, Farmar is averaging 9.2 points on 46% shooting, 1.4 three-pointers, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.9 steals.

Farmar is therefore a prime candidate for a huge month of April, should Fisher sit out at some point.

As a brief follow-up on my previous Mark Cuban vs. Credentialed Bloggers debate: the NBA overturned Cuban's idiotic ban, so he proceeded to "prove his point" by opening the doors of the Mavs locker-room to any blogger who submitted halfway decent copy to his email inbox. There is no question that Cuban's motivations lie [sic] in his distaste for Dallas Morning-News blogger Tim MacMahon. The "media theory" element of his argument is laughable—my previous column poked numerous holes in it, and ESPN's resident hoops blogger Henry Abbott (among others) has exhaustively refuted the illegitimacy of bloggers-as-journalists. Oh well. Cuban has a silver spoon, a soapbox and an axe to grind—it's a noxious combination of metaphors, and does nobody any good in the real world.

Thanks for reading along this season as I transitioned from Bench/Start to Fantasy Trends , and continue to hammer out wrinkles in the format. There might be two more columns this season, but regardless I encourage anyone still reading to write and let me know what you did and did not like about the columns. Or just anything else you had on your mind. Thanks again…and have fun this week.

[Hache Man]

Bulls need to turn Tyrus loose

Tuesday's Game News

Despite an off night for Chris Paul and Peja Stojakovic, the Hornets held on to beat the Magic. Paul still double-doubled while hitting just 6-of-19 shots and Peja hit the game-winning three. Morris Peterson had his best game since early January, but I'm not biting unless he does it again in his next one. As usual, David West double-doubled in the win. For the Magic, Jameer Nelson was surprisingly out with his concussion, allowing Carlos Arroyo to get the start. Arroyo was just awful, and I'm still fairly annoyed that after numerous reports that Nelson would play, he didn't.

Andre Miller and Samuel Dalembert had big lines for the Sixers, who won their 20th game out of their last 27 by beating the fizzling Nets. Lou Williams and Willie Green both played well, and Williams is hot. Give him a look if you need a guard in a deep league. Thaddeus Young was quiet and is up and down like a yo-yo. Vince Carter had another nice line, but you have to wonder what he'll do once the Nets realize the dream is over.

The Pistons threw a pretty hard smack to the face to owners of Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton last night by deactivating all three. The news didn't break until about 7 p.m., so there was little anyone could do about it. Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess stayed in the starting five, but they could get some rest at some point, as well. Rodney Stuckey scored a career-high 27 and looks like he should be a solid play the rest of the way. Cut Chris Quinn to acquire Stuckey? Probably makes sense with Marcus Banks on the verge of a return. I am guessing the three stars will return for the next game, but it's almost impossible to figure out how many minutes the Pistons' regulars will play the rest of the way. Oh, and they made a huge comeback to beat the Timberwolves. Rashad McCants hit just 1-of-9 shots for two points, breaking a string of 10 straight in double digits.

The Knicks lost in overtime to the Bucks, as Zach Randolph returned to action from the flu and Quentin Richardson finally had a productive game. The Bucks were led by Michael Redd's 36 points and one of his best lines of the season, while Andrew Bogut returned from his broken nose for 24 points and 13 boards in 40 minutes. Bobby Simmons finally decided to play last night, going off for 24 points and leading the team in OT. I doubt it lasts, but then again, we have officially entered the silly season for teams with nothing to play for. As for Mo Williams and his measly 22 minutes and five points, reader Sean is going to fill you in on the details.

I'm a huge Knicks fan and I watched the entire game last night (gotta be a big fan to still be watching the Knicks). I also have Mo Williams on my fantasy team (as a backup now). The reason he didn't play much is because he was playing shoddy defense on Crawford. They brought in their rookie Sessions to guard Jamal and he did a really good job...Mo Williams had some bad fouls against Jamal and some bad turnovers... he also wasn't able to penetrate because the Knicks were focusing on interior D. All this led to Mo Williams only playing 22 minutes. No injury.

Sean

The Celtics handled the Bulls despite 20 turnovers, seven of which came from Rajon Rondo. Rondo still had a sweet line, if you survived the turnovers, while Ray Allen scored 22 and Kevin Garnett scored 20, and blocked four shots. bostonceltics.ws The C's are up six games on the Pistons, and you have to think KG and the other big names are fair game for a day or two off soon. Larry Hughes was awful, missing all six of his shots for two points, and it looks like I'll have no problems with my vow to never own him again (at least this year). Tyrus Thomas was big in the absence of Drew Gooden, and once again, it's time to roll TT out for your fantasy team. As I said in last night's news blurb, if Thomas actually pans out over the next two weeks, it will be the first time he hasn't actually made me look like an idiot. Don't be surprised if Gooden's ab strain ends his season and if Thomas starts the rest of the way.

Update: Looks like I spoke too soon about Gooden, as the latest news this morning has him promising to play again this year. I'm not sure it's possible for me to get excited about Tyrus Thomas without getting burned, but I'm still not convinced DG is going to play again.

Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson both struggled last night as the Warriors fell to the Spurs, who were led by solid lines from Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. The Warriors will need huge lines out of Monta and Captain Jack tonight when they face Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks. Andris Biedrins came off the bench and hit just 1-of-5 shots, but should bounce back against the Mavs, as he always seems to play well against them. It would help if Nellie puts him back in the starting five. Biedrins is dealing with a sore big toe, but Nellie is the bigger problem (Insert Sgt. Hulka joke here). dallasmavericks.com

Leandro Barbosa blew up for 27 points and five threes, but was helped by the absence of Grant Hill and the ejection on Raja Bell. I'm not sure Hill's coming back this week, so continue to play LB. Steve Nash was huge again, but Shaquille O'Neal's 2-of-9 free throw shooting probably cost the Suns the game. For the Nuggets, Anthony Carter had 10 assists and six steals in the win, while Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin all scored a bunch of points. I was on Rick Kamla's show last night and asked if he would cut Jose Calderon for Carter. He said no. I say yes.

Tracy McGrady hit 12-of-31 shots for 32 points, while Ron Artest hit 12-of-27 for 30 as the Kings shocked the Rockets. Luis Scola had another nice line with 20 points and eight boards, helping the Rockets out-rebound the Kings by 21. It didn't matter, as Artest's four boards, five steals and four 3-pointers were too much. Francisco Garcia suffered a knee injury, but it's not serious and he was able to finish the game, while Brad Miller was ejected after picking up a couple technical fouls. Shane Battier quietly had a huge line that included nine boards, four steals, four blocks and a 3-pointer. It would be nice if he scored a little more, but he's a solid fantasy role player.

As I posted in last night's Artest blurb, I think I've changed my mind about Artest shutting down. He was really into last night's game and Reggie Theus said they want to play the role of spoiler the rest of the way. Maybe he could sit against non-playoff teams, but I get the sense the Kings are going to pretend they're in a playoff race as they play good teams the rest of the way. There's also a decent chance Beno Udrih's season is over, which could mean big things for Garcia.

Loose Ends

I am predicting that Dirk will play tonight. In fact, I will be shocked if he doesn't play. He practiced for 40 minutes yesterday and was elevated to day-to-day. This is probably the game of the season for the Mavericks and if Dirk sits, he is probably severely injured.

Pau Gasol should play tonight as long as there's no swelling in his ankle this morning. He's been out for nine games, so it's time.

Brandon Roy will have an MRI on his groin today, but regardless of whether the results bring good or bad news, I see no reason for him to play again this season.

Chris Kaman's season is not officially over, but there's no way he plays again this year, in my opinion. You can cut him. Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley both sound like they will sit out tonight, while Elton Brand is set to make his return on Thursday. Want to cut Kaman for Brand? Go for it.

[Hache Man]

Return on Investment


If you've been hanging on to an injured NBA all-star hoping to get a return on your fantasy draft investment, chances are you had a pretty good day Wednesday.

There's so much news to discuss, that we're going to dispense with our usual Dose main story format and provide you with some quick highlights of the bonanza of good health reports that Wednesday ushered in:

• When Elton Brand ruptured his Achilles' tendon in August, we thought reports of him returning in February were overly optimistic. February turned to March and then to April, but Brand finally made his season debut last night, scoring 19 points with five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in 26 minutes. He's been flying off the waiver wire this week with news that he would make his return Thursday. The fact that he came back a day early means that there's a small chance that Brand is still available. It's doubtful, but you should probably double check.
• Gilbert Arenas, who underwent surgery on his knee in November and last competed on November 16, made a surprise return last night after missing the previous 66 games. He only played 20 minutes, but sunk 5-of-9 from the field, including 2-of-3 from long distance, for 17 points. Chances are Agent Zero is gone from your league's waiver wires by now, but, again, it wouldn't hurt to look.
• Pau Gasol showed some rust in his return from a nine-game absence because of an ankle injury, sinking just 3-of-8 from the floor for 10 points in 32 minutes. However, he did managed seven assists, six boards, a steal and a block, while rendering Ronny Turiaf to the scrap heap. It was a great sign that Gasol was able to log that many minutes, considering coach Jackson said that he would have been happy to get anywhere from 16 to 25 minutes out of his big man. How happy are the Lakers to get Gasol back as they fight for a conference title? They went 15-4 after acquiring him, but just 5-4 while he was out. There's even less a chance that Gasol was dropped in your league, but if you're playing in a deeper league, check the wire.
• Dirk Nowitzki, out since March 23 with an ankle sprain of his own, surprised many by his return Wednesday night, helping Dallas exact some revenge on Golden State. While Nowitzki did manage a 3-pointer and a block, he sunk just 6-of-15 for 18 points and had just five rebounds in 27 minutes of action. In any league in which he's been dropped, Disco Dirk has been getting scooped up already in anticipation of his return, so chances are you're out of luck, But always, a quick look is easy enough. With Nowitzki back, Brandon Bass is now officially worthless again. dallasmavericks.com
• Finally, Wednesday also brought the return of Andrei Kirilenko, who had missed a couple of games because of a calf injury. AK-47 managed just two assists and one block, but he did sink 6-of-7 from the field for 13 points with one 3-pointer and six boards in 24 minutes. In deeper leagues, Kirilenko could very well be available. utahjazz.com

Well, now that you're done checking your league's waiver wires for the availability of that quintet of all-stars, let's peruse the remainder of Wednesday's activity…

• While Gasol was making his return, Kobe Bryant was just doing his usual thing, scoring 14 of his 36 points in the final quarter to help the Lakers take out Portland and remain within striking distance of the Western Conference-leading Hornets. Kobe was superb, adding 13 rebounds, seven assists, four 3-pointers and three steals as LA kept its hopes alive of finishing first in the conference. Although Bryant's touches are down for the second straight season, he's stayed completely healthy this year and seems to be peaking at the right time, averaging 34.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 6.2 APG in the past five.
• Brandon Roy has missed the last three games with a groin strain, and not shockingly, Portland has gone 0-3 without him. In late-January, Portland was still looking fine with a 25-16 record, but the Blazers are just 13-21 since and now sit only one game over .500 in the quest for their first winning season since 2002-03. Fortunately, Roy's prognosis is looking rosier than we thought. Talk that he'll miss the rest of the season has subsided and now there's a chance the Blazers' main man will be back in action Tuesday. Wait for a weekend update before activating him, of course.
• Atlanta looks headed to the playoffs after downing Toronto in OT for its fifth straight win. It was a wacky game, but one thing is clear: if Mike Bibby is still hurting, it's not showing. He enjoyed one his finest games as a Hawk, scoring 26 points with 12 assists, six rebounds, five 3-pointers and three steals. In the past five games, Bibby is averaging 21 PPG, 7.8 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG and has nailed 18 treys. He's logging more minutes since arriving in Atlanta, and the numbers are rising as a result. However, this game could be protested by the Raptors. T.J. Ford sunk what appeared to be the game-winning basket at the end of regulation, but officials ruled time had expired. Replays, however, showed that the clock clearly started early. This isn't the first time that Ford and the Raptors have been burned by the Atlanta scorers, assuming it was the timekeeper and not one of the refs who started the clock early. Last year, a Ford layup was simply missed altogether. No one counted it on the scoreboard and it wound up changing the course of the game as the Raptors lost.

Injury Report

Ben Wallace (back) is still out despite being cleared to play, but Daniel Gibson did return to action Wednesday after he had come out early Sunday because of an ankle sprain. Boobie's shooting (1-for-7) suggests he's still not 100 per cent, so I expect to see Delonte West continue to start at PG. While Gibson fight his way back, the big winner here, as I discussed last night, may be Devin Brown.

Tip-ins: Channing Frye has played as many as 20 minutes in a game exactly once since February 27. Can you say bust?...Unless you're desperate for treys, Vladmir Radmanovic should probably be dumped. He managed 10 points last night for his second straight double-digit scoring effort, and he's poured in six 3-pointers in the past two games, but Radman simply offers too little in any other category to be employed for fantasy purposes…Derek Fisher is playing through his foot injury, and while many have dropped him, you may want to wait on that decision. His minutes are back up in the past two games and he's averaged 15 PPG and shot well during this stretch…Lamar Odom's scoring drought continued as he managed just 12 points, and he wasn't exactly pulling his weight on the glass (eight rebounds) or in the dime department (just one assist), either. He did, however, record three blocks and two steals…Jordan Farmar is still not playing enough to justify a roster spot, but considering what he can do in limited PT (10 points and three assists in just 17 minutes), he'll be an intriguing option should Fisher's foot condition worsen…The Lakers have won 50 games 29 times and are on the cusp on securing their 55th playoff appearance in 60 years. Talk about a model organization…Travis Outlaw is among the top wire plucks of the week and that won't stop after his 23-point, six-rebound, three-assist, one-steal, one-block performance last night…Martell Webster, another hot Blazer pickup, also scored 23 points with some fantastic shooting (7-for-11, including 6-of-9 from downtown). He added a steal, but with news that Roy could return next week, Webster's value may be limited…Yet another Blazer who's garnered great interest in Roy's absence is Steve Blake, and he kept it going with 12 points, 10 assists, three rebounds, two treys and a steal…Still with the Blazers, must-own PF LaMarcus Aldridge is definitely over that ankle sprain from last week. He's recorded back-to-back double-doubles, giving him 16 on the season after he managed just six as a rookie…Talk about an all-around game -- how about J-Rich's night? He scored 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting, while adding seven assists, six rebounds, four 3-pointers, two steals and a block. Okay, so he only sunk 1-of-3 from the line, but I doubt Richardson owners will quibble over that…Stephen Jackson has enjoyed a career year, but his shooting touch has gone AWOL at the absolute wrong time. He potted just 1-of-11 for two points last night, leaving him in a 3-for-23 skid in the past two games and 23-of-74 for the last five. This slump has Jackson down to 41 percent shooting for the year. Last season, he sunk 44.6 percent of hit shots after arriving in Golden State following the mega deal with Indy…Boston has matched the best single-season turnaround in NBA history, but that glorious feat comes with a fantasy price as Coach Rivers has said he plans on resting his Big Three down the stretch. It's time to keep an eye on some of the Celtic reserves like Leon Powe, Tony Allen, Glen Davis and James Posey…LeBron James fouled out, but with 29 points in 31 minutes, it looks like he's shaken off his recent scoring slump as he helped Cleveland end a six-game losing streak on the road…Tyson Chandler nailed all 10 of his shots from the field en route to 20 points as the Hornets hammered woeful Miami to retain their Western Conference lead. Chandler added 10 boards for his career-best 35th double-double of the season…The Wizards got Arenas back as discussed, but they lost two key players last night as both DeShawn Stevenson (sprained left ankle) and Antawn Jamison (sprained right shoulder) got hurt. At this point, both could miss time, but we'll know more later today. Caron Butler also got hurt, tweaking his wrist, but he should be fine…Yes, Memphis has one of the better offenses in the NBA, but 130 points? Oh right, the Knicks were in town…Utah has reached 50 wins for the second straight year. The glory years have returned in Salt Lake City...Jake Voskuhl is probably done for the year. If this is bad news for you (and you're not in Voskuhl's family), can I please join your league?...Al Thornton, who has been a massive waiver wire darling in recent days, continues to excel. Many were worried about how Brand's return would affect the rookie, but so far, so good as Thornton had 21 points, 10 rebounds, two treys, a steal and a block last night…Andris Biedrins was back in the starting lineup, but he still didn't play much (24 minutes) and with just seven points, eight boards and a block, is unreliable as a fantasy option right now. See how the weekend goes before deciding if you want the big Latvian active next week.

Team Report

It's time to give it for the Sixers, who despite losing two straight games before beating the slumping Nets on Tuesday, have won 20 of their past 27 games. It's been an incredible turnaround for the 76ers, who were 18-30 on February 4, but have battled back to become just the sixth team in NBA history to get back over .500 after being at least a dozen games under the mark at some point earlier in that season. To put that in perspective, consider that, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2004-05 Nets are the only other team to do that in the last 20 years.

After missing the playoffs the past two years, and sinking to just 35 wins last year (a total only reached after a 17-9 finish), the Sixers have ridden an improve defense this season to become one of the NBA's more pleasant surprises. If not for Doc Rivers and the Celtics' ridiculously amazing turnaround, Mo Cheeks would be very much in the running for coach of the year. Considering Philly didn't have the advantage of adding a Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen, its turnaround is pretty remarkable in comparison.

Watching the development of Louis Williams has been fun. The fact that this is his third NBA season makes it easy to forget that he's still only 21 years old. Williams keeps getting better and better as the season progresses – especially recently, with 15.4 PPG over his past five games – and is making a statement that he will soon be ready to become a starter in the NBA. He's certainly worth taking a risk on down the stretch for your fantasy team, depending on the size of your league.

Of course, Williams will be hard-pressed to overcome incumbent PG Andre Miller, who is signed through the end of next season and is enjoying his finest NBA season, scoring wise. While his assists and rebounds have slipped (as a result, Miller has just 13 double-doubles), the extremely durable PG has parlayed a career-high 14 AFG per game and a personal-best 49.5 FG percentage into a career-high in points per game.

Team leader Andre Iguodala has taken his offensive game to the next level. Although his rebounds and assists have slipped slightly this year, it's been a successful season for a variety of reasons. Iggy has stayed healthy this year, and while his PT is down slightly with the Sixers possessing a bit more frontcourt depth this season, he's shot the ball better this year and his perimeter game has continued to develop into an asset.

Samuel Dalembert had been slipping a bit recently, but he put up a monster line Tuesday with 15 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and two steals. After a couple of injury-shortened seasons, Dalembert has proved extremely durable the last two years, and he's averaging a double-double for the first time in his career.

From a fantasy perspective, this young team offers little else, but at various times, rookie Thaddeus Young has garnered interest, while vets Willie Green and Reggie Evans are periphery fantasy options in very deep leagues.

[Hache Man]

Jamison down, Matrix done

A few of my leagues have been shortened in the past year or two to end a week and a half before the regular season ends, meaning Sunday is the final day in those. But this year, that's not even early enough. I'm not going to waste the time to begin counting the number of players who have gone down early this season, but it's frightening, although not really abnormal. That number would also be offset by the strange number of returnees we had on Wednesday night, but it's almost gotten to the point that the fantasy NBA season should probably end on Week 20, which is sad. I hate it when the season comes to an end and the earlier we shut it down, the longer the offseason, etc. But I am getting my behind handed to me in the UBC league because I'm stuck with Jerry Stackhouse, Chris Kaman and Rafer Alston in my lineup, but I had little choice or alternatives given that lineups are set weekly and the league is really deep.

The good news about losing your league in a championship game in the final week or two of the season is that it's easy to blame it on the fact so many stars shut it down early. It actually helps take some of the sting out of losing. The bad news is that the best teams in each league will struggle to play well enough in the playoffs to win a title. The system's flaw is not restricted to fantasy hoops, but is a problem in all sports. Good luck trying to set your football lineup in Week 17, and enjoy losing your baseball finale because of some September call up no one (outside of Matthew Pouliot) had ever heard of. Yeah, you can eliminate playoffs or head-to-head from your league, but the reality is that most leagues will resist change. Anyway, my UBC team still has a full week to bounce back, but I get the feeling the hole is too big to climb out of. I can still take satisfaction in having the highest scoring team in the league during the regular season, even though my team looks more like the Heat right now than the Hornets.

House of Pain

Shawn Marion is the latest star to bite the dust, shutting it down for the rest of the season with a "foot injury." Yeah, I'm sure he's bothered by some fasciitis, but I'm also sure that if he were still in Phoenix, he'd be getting ready to try to win a championship instead of getting his golf clubs out of the closet.

Antawn Jamison's shoulder injury didn't result in any structural damage and the Wizards have yet to officially qualify for the playoffs. But the guy was in serious pain as well as a sling yesterday, and there's a chance he's done until the playoffs. DeShawn Stevenson's ankle injury may keep him out tonight as well, but he says he'll try to play. Andray Blatche could have a big week while Jamison is out.

Paul Pierce is likely out for Saturday's game due to the birth of a child. At least we got some notice on this one. If and when Kevin Garnett will sit is still an unknown, but you know there's at least a DNP or two coming his way, along with Ray Allen. As Doc Rivers said, they'll get their "All-Star Break" now since they didn't get a rest back in February. bostonceltics.ws

Kenyon Martin got a one-game suspension for flagrant fouls yesterday, so he's out on Saturday. Again, at least we know in advance, which is all you can ask for at this time of the season.

Yi Jianlian is out tonight with his knee injury, so Charlie Villanueva should be a safe play. I'm guessing Yi's season is over, which is true for almost any player on a non-playoff team who suffers a hangnail or scrapes his knee on the playground right now.

Andrew Bynum is running, but that's about it. I bet he gets in a game or two before the playoffs roll around, but that's it.

Rafer Alston is now down with a hamstring injury and his return date is anyone's guess. He's doubtful for tonight, meaning Bobby Jackson should get some nice run for a few games. BJax had 11 points and four assists last night, but I bet he's even better tonight. Tracy McGrady had a huge line for the Rockets in last night's win.

Richard Hamilton missed another practice on Thursday and is a game-time decision tonight. Keep him benched. He had a great first half, and hopefully you sold high on him.

Darko Milicic is questionable tonight with a shoulder injury, but he probably won't be in many lineups. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. Burn me six times, receive a life-time ban from my roster. Tyrus Thomas, you listening? Speaking of getting burned, the funniest part about a possible Darko shut down is that it would throw Kwame Brown back into the mix.

The Good News

The news isn't all bad though, as many guys sound close to coming back.

Brandon Roy is expected to return from a groin injury on Sunday.
Grant Hill is hoping to play tonight through a groin injury of his own.
Jameer Nelson should be back tonight after Monday's false alarm.
Carmelo Anthony (shoulder) is expected to play Saturday.
Dirk Nowitzki will get 24-26 minutes through a high left-ankle sprain. dallasmavericks.com
Mickael Pietrus could return Friday, but don't play him until you see him play.
Beno Udrih is hoping to return from his back injury on Tuesday.
Ronnie Brewer remains questionable with his groin injury.
Pau Gasol looks like he survived his return with no issues.
Gilbert Arenas also should be fine to play tonight.

Game Notes

Tyrus Thomas was (surprise) disappointing last night, Larry Hughes blew up for a near triple-double, and Ben Gordon had a nice line for the Bulls. I'm not sure where that Larry game came from, but let's see him do it again. Ty Thomas? Figures.

Ben Wallace made a triumphant return last night with six points, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Nice! But let's see him do it again, as well. LeBron James had another monster line, but was bothered by back spasms after the game. He'll probably play Saturday, but you never know. Daniel Gibson's return has been a complete bust, so let him go if you want to.

Martell Webster landed in the hospital with the flu last night, while Jarrett Jack played well in his absence, netting 19 points in the loss. Jack could be a solid play the rest of the way.

Francisco Garcia had 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with three boards, three assists, two steals and a block. If you were using Anthony Johnson to replace Udrih, you should have been using Garcia all this time. Spencer Hawes returned from an ankle injury for 11 points and four boards, but I think his return does more to hurt Brad Miller than it does anything else.
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Cuttino Mobley (heel) and Tim Thomas (Achilles) were out again last night, while Elton Brand had a nice line of 15 points, nine boards, three assists, a steal and two blocks. I doubt that was enough to push you into a championship, but if so, congratulations. Especially if you sat on him all year waiting for this moment. I'm guessing Leon Powe (Celtics) might put up Brand-like numbers the rest of the way, so let's see what happens there. Nick Fazekas scored a career-high 18 points and I'm thinking he could get plenty of garbage time over these last two weeks. He was helped by the fact that Al Thornton hit just 3-of-14 shots for eight points, while Corey Maggette had another big game for the Clips. I'm still predicting that a Maggette shutdown is coming…I just don't know when.

[Hache Man]

The Final Week Ahead

Game Totals in Week 24:

Four games: MIL, CHI, BOS, NOR, LAL, DAL, DEN, DET, SEA, MIN

Three games: PHI, CHA, LAC, MEM, ATL, MIA, UTA, SAC, NYK, ORL, NJN, IND, TOR, HOU, SAS, PHX, POR, GST, WAS

The recurring theme this week was the return of many NBA superstars around the Association. NBA All-Stars Dirk Nowitzki, Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand, Jermaine O'Neal and Pau Gasol all returned to the hardwood this week. It couldn't have come sooner for the fantasy owners who have patiently held onto these players hoping for a final week explosion propelling them to the fantasy winner's circle. dallasmavericks.com

With the Fantasy Playoffs upon us, your lineup decisions are more critical than ever. The most favorable schedule next week belongs to the Denver Nuggets. They have four games, three of which (@lac, @gst, @uta) are against teams who give up over 100 PPG. Throw in the fact that they are in a dogfight for the 8th and final seed in the West and they will be playing their best players trying to win every game. Slotting Carmelo Anthony or Marcus Camby into your lineups for next week is a no-brainer. Even though Allen Iverson has said that his broken finger is "getting worse," the Nuggets need to win every game left so The Answer is going to play and you should keep him in your lineup. Other usual borderline Nuggets starters, J.R. Smith and Anthony Carter, are also pretty safe starts next week.

Golden State is the team chasing the Nuggets for that last spot in the West playoffs, so they are on the outside looking in with so few games to go in the season. You know Don Nelson wants to get into the post-season again and repeat their playoff magic from last year. The Warriors score the most PPG and also have four games next week, one of which is against the team that gives up the second most PPG in the league (@mem). For those of you who drafted Baron Davis this season, I congratulate you. This was finally the year B-Diddy was able to stay healthy the entire season, and many of you have rode Baron to your fantasy title - or into the playoffs taking place right now. You can't even think about sitting him next week. Monta Ellis has exploded into superstardom this year and was a player who well exceeded his draft position. Monta was another player who helped many teams to fantasy playoffs or even championships. Due to the favorable schedule next week, you need to have Monta in your lineups as well next week. I'm sure if you are in the fantasy playoffs, you don't need me to tell you to play Baron Davis and Monta Ellis next week. I will say that borderline ballers like Kelenna Azubuike, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington all deserve a long look next week in most leagues.

Portland only has three games next week. When you throw in the fact that two of them are against teams that are in the top four of least PPG allowed (SAS, HOU), you really need to seriously consider looking for better options than any of your Trailblazers outside of LaMarcus Aldridge. Brandon Roy is supposed to come back on Sunday, but check back if he actually makes it back and what kind of numbers he can put up after missing the last three games with an injured groin. If Roy does make it back, it will also limit the value of other Blazers hoopsters Steve Blake, Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw who had picked up some value over the last few games.

Matrix Decoded

Shawn Marion has been shut down for the season due to his plantar fasciitis in his left heel. He will actually undergo the same OssaTron shock wave therapy that his new teammate Dwyane Wade started on for his rehab last month. The Heat have trotted out players named Stephen Lasme, Blake Ahearn, Kasib Powell and Alexander Johnson on a nightly basis over the last few weeks. I think its safe to say that before the season, less than 50% of fantasy players had ever even heard of these players, let alone had any of them on their rosters. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Fantasy MVP LeBron James has been battling back spasms over the last few days, but BronBron has been able to gut it out and hopefully will be playing in the most crucial week of the fantasy season next week.

Paul Pierce missed the C's game on Friday night, but he wasn't injured. The Truth was with his fiancée welcoming a baby Pierce into the world Friday night. It will be safe to get PP back into your lineups next week. bostonceltics.ws

Vince Carter was held out of Friday's game with a sore right ankle. Vinsanity thinks that by sitting on Friday, he will be able to play in the Nets game on Saturday. VC has also stated that he will not shut himself down if the Nets are eliminated from playoff contention. He looks to be a relatively safe play next week, but make sure Carter plays on Saturday without incident.

Due to a left knee sprain, Bucks F/C Yi Jianlian will be shut down for the rest of the season. Chairman Yi had a decent rookie year, finishing up with respectable averages of 8.6 PPG and 5.2 RPG. Charlie Villanueva will be a very solid player for the remaining games of the season.

Antawn Jamison sat out Friday night's game with a shoulder injury and might be able to return for next week's fantasy playoffs. Check back over the weekend to see if you can get Jamison into your lineups next week.

Richard Hamilton (hip) sat out the Pistons game on Friday night, having now sat out five of the last six games for Detroit. Coach Flip Saunders has reiterated that as long as the Pistons still have a shot at the #1 seed in the East, he will continue to give his healthy starters significant minutes. Whether or not Hamilton is considered healthy by next week will be a difficult prediction to make, but more information may be available after Detroit's Sunday night game against Miami.

Brandon Roy went through an extensive practice on Wednesday and pronounced himself ready to go for Sunday. Check back here on Rotoworld after the games on Sunday to see if B-Roy made it back into the lineup and if he looks to be a safe play for next week.

Chris Kaman returned from his injured back this week, but left the game on Monday with the "worst" one he's ever had. The Kaveman is up for the Most Improved Player award this year posting tremendous season-long fantasy numbers (15.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 2.8 BPG) for the first time in his career. Coach Dunleavy has said that it looks like Kaman has played his last game of the year for the Clippers, so if you need a healthy body, Josh Powell may be a pretty good emergency fill-in next week, as he looks to be the starting C the rest of the season for Los Angeles. I hope you aren't relying heavily on Tim Thomas or Cuttino Mobley in your fantasy playoffs, but both players sat out Thursday's game and are considered