NBA News/NBA Fantasy News 2007/2008

[Hache Man]

There's a Chill in the wire

Last Week's Recommendations:

Last week's list ended up having some solid value, and many of the same players may not still be available in your league this week.

Guards: Antonio Daniels, Monta Ellis, Jordan Farmar, Marko Jaric, Anthony Carter.
Forwards: Jeff Green, Vladimir Radmanovic, Brandon Bass, Jason Maxiell, Ruben Patterson, Eduardo Najera, Jared Dudley/Walter Herrmann

Ellis, Farmar, Jaric and Carter all excelled, while Daniels is still worth owning despite the less than stellar numbers. He should bounce back at some point, but I'm benching him for the upcoming week (3 games) until he gets hot again. Consider playing him based on your options. Anthony Carter deserves a look in all formats, as it appears that he will continue to start at point guard for the Nuggets. Jaric was cooking until he got hurt, so don't play him this week, while Farmar and Ellis look like strong plays again this week.

None of the forwards were particularly impressive, especially since Rasheed Wallace, Corey Maggette, Kenyon Martin and Gerald Wallace all returned from their injuries. That said, Maxiell posted a double-double on Sunday night against the Nets in a blowout.

[COLOR=#0000ff>Sebastian]Jason Williams[/color][/url] [/b]- PG – Heat

JWill has probably been bounced around from team to team thus far, and his benching in Miami didn't do anything to make him look any better from a fantasy perspective. But a funny thing happened when he started coming off the bench, and that's that he started producing again. In his last two games he's at 16.5 points and 5.5 dimes, and he had eight points and six assists on Sunday. Any way you slice it, especially with Smush Parker buried as deeply into a doghouse as one can be, Williams is the point guard in Miami. He'll hit threes, score points and log assists as long as he's healthy, and with four games this week, he should be a fine starting point guard in most leagues. Update: After this was posted, it was made known that JWill suffered a foot injury on Sunday and didn't return to the game. He's now iffy for Week 6, so check your options carefully before playing him.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues.

Nick Young - SG – Wizards

Young is averaging nine points over his last three games but did score a career-high 18 points in a recent game. He played just eight minutes in his last one though, but we haven't heard any word of an injury. Roger Mason had 15 points and two assists on Saturday, and with Gilbert Arenas down and Antonio Daniels struggling, Young is bound to get some run. I don't think he's worth a shot (yet) in most leagues, but if you're in a 16-team league, definitely give him a look. The same goes for Mason.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues.

Other guards to consider: J.R. Smith, Jordan Farmar, Eddie Jones, Matt Barnes, Kelenna Azubuike, Earl Watson, Delonte West, Luke Ridnour, Rajon Rondo, Antonio Daniels, Kyle Lowry, Beno Udrih, Rafer Alston, Steve Francis, Juan Carlos Navarro


Forwards

Jamario Moon - F – Raptors

I've been getting a surprising number of requests to pimp Moon, who has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season. Actually, it's not surprising that you have been clamoring for Moon to be included in this list, as shrewd owners want to get some props for making the right move. I own him in a couple leagues and touted him in an earlier Waiver Wired column, but figured it was time to give him some love again – Especially after I came across a solid nickname for him in a Toronto-based blog that I cannot remember the name of. "Jamario Speedwagon." For those of you who weren't yet rocking out in 1981, REO Speedwagon put out a record called Hi Infidelity that spawned a couple big hits and consumed me for a summer. Anyway, Moon is at 9.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks on the season. He's been a little inconsistent, and owners who are in love with scorers may have grabbed him and let him go. If he's available in your league, he's worth a roster spot, regardless of the size. And if Chris Bosh's groin injury is going to keep him out for a while longer, Moon should be in line for some big games.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Travis Outlaw - F – Blazers

Outlaw has been targeted for a breakout season for about as long as he's been in the league, but has never been able to get it done. This might finally be the year. He had 17 points and 11 rebounds in Sunday's loss to the Spurs and came in averaging 15 points and 5-plus boards in his last three games. I'm not sure of his exact role with the Blazers, and I'm not sure that the team knows either, but as soon as LaMarcus Aldridge gets into foul trouble, Brandon Roy struggles with his shot or Martell Webster isn't burying threes, Outlaw is the man Nate McMillan calls upon to right the ship. There are no guarantees with the other "TO" going forward, but as of now, it looks like a great time to add him to your roster if you have the room.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues.

Paul Millsap - PF – Jazz

I am not a big fan of Millsap from a fantasy perspective simply because he's got to go through Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur to get the ball in his hands. That said, he's still been putting up pretty solid numbers for a backup. He's averaged 14 points and almost eight boards in his last three games and was especially impressive in the one where Boozer and MO sat on the bench with injuries. With their status unclear going forward, Millsap is certainly worth a flier.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues.

Nene - F/C – Nuggets

I have no new news to offer on Nene. Nothing is coming out of Denver in regards to his return, so I'm sticking with the original theory that he'll be back around Christmas. I certainly hope this is true, as I'm treading water without him in my 30-team league. But if you are also hurting at PF, now is probably the time to start thinking about stashing Nene away for the future. The best news is that he's had most of the season to rest and rehab his knee and calf, which should mean he's ready to go once his thumb is healed. That is, if the rest of his body is in shape.

Recommendation: Should be considered for future in most leagues.

Other forwards to consider: Penny Hardaway, Anthony Parker, Wally Szczerbiak, Damien Wilkins, David Lee, Antoine Wright.

Centers

Brendan Haywood - C – Wizards

Haywood has seen his value crushed by the emergence of Andray Blatche, but the simple fact of the matter is that the two are canceling each other's value out. Haywood is still the more valuable of the two and there's a chance that Blatche could see more minutes at power forward, allowing Haywood to get 30 minutes per game. The good news is that he's locked into the starting job and is averaging 10 points, four boards and 2-plus blocks per game over his last three. He'll be inconsistent, but still has fantasy value despite the arrival of Blatche.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.

Kurt Thomas - C – Sonics

Simply put, Thomas has been a rebounding machine since Nick Collison went down with a broken nose early in the week. He's averaged six points and 15 boards over his last three games, but had just six points, eight boards and two blocks on Sunday. If you somehow lucked into playing him this week, congratulations. Meanwhile, Collison owners in weekly leagues were just trying to get by without their big man in action. I don't have the latest update on Collison's return status, but I'm guessing he'll be back this week. Either way, if you need a center or a power forward who can get you rebounds, Thomas looks like he's worth a shot. And given the fact that he was already starting before Collison went down, Thomas is going to continue to start at center for the foreseeable future. With him playing well, there's no reason for the Sonics to rush the return of Robert Swift.

Recommendation: Should be considered in leagues that start two centers.

Tyrus Thomas - F/C – Bulls

Thomas just keeps hanging on to enough value for me not to cut him, as he continues to start for the Bulls. Ben Wallace has finally gotten started, while the rest of the Bulls are slowly falling into line. Thomas is averaging seven points and seven boards over his last three, but doesn't have a block in that stretch. He does have a couple steals, but once the Bulls start winning games and finding their comfort zone, Thomas should return to being a steals and blocks specialist. He's not startable in most formats right now despite the four-game week ahead, but I still think he should be owned in most leagues.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.

Fabricio Oberto - C – Spurs

Tim Duncan went down with a knee injury on Sunday, and while we still don't know the severity of the injury, it sounds like he's going to be fine. With two games in the upcoming week for the Spurs, my initial recommendation is to bench Duncan immediately. And if we get bad news on the injury, someone is going to have to pick up the slack for him in San Antonio. The list of potential beneficiaries is nearly endless, but I guess it starts with Oberto, who had six points and nine boards on Sunday. Matt Bonner, Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Michael Finley and Francisco Elson would all see an increase in minutes and production if Duncan were to miss significant time, but there's no way of knowing who the best Spur to grab would be. I'll say Oberto for now, but Bowen and Elson are right there as well. But the bottom line is that it sounds like Duncan is going to be fine, meaning Oberto is an option only in deep leagues for teams in desperate need of a center.

Recommendation: All Spurs' bench players should be monitored until Duncan's status is determined.

Other centers to consider: Mikki Moore

[Hache Man]

Devastating Injuries for Wk. 6

Take Me Down to the Infirmary

Here's the injury run down for Monday. I wasn't able to present the Dose in this format last week, but hope to have it look like this every Monday from here on out. I'll be here at 2 p.m. EST for a live chat, so look for the link on the front page of Rotoworld at 1:45 today.

*PAYOR = Play At Your Own Risk

LeBron James – Finger – PAYOR (I'm starting him but I'm scared)
Chris Bosh – Groin – PAYOR (sounds like he's out for Monday)
Tim Duncan – Knee/Ankle – Bench him (2 games, he'll sit at least 1)
Manu Ginobili – Finger – Start him (played through it Sunday)
Jason Williams – Foot – PAYOR (I am benching him, but could play)
Carlos Boozer – Ankle – PAYOR (says he's feeling "a lot better")
Mehmet Okur – Back – PAYOR (game-time decision Monday)
Steve Nash – Elbow – Start him (injury limiting him, but playing)
Jermaine O'Neal – Shoulder/knee – Start him (played well in last game)
Richard Hamilton – Elbow – Start him (playing through injury)
Andrea Bargnani – Knee – PAYOR (likely out on Monday)
T.J. Ford – Thumb – PAYOR (playing through pain, could miss time)
Ronny Turiaf – Concussion – PAYOR (questionable)
Marko Jaric – Foot – Bench him (injury sounds more than mild)
Stephon Marbury – Personal - Bench him (father died Sunday, could miss week)
Nick Collison – Nose – Start him (should play Weds)
Al Thornton – Ankle – PAYOR (left last game)
Sam Cassell – Calf – PAYOR (likely to miss 1-2 games)
Acie Law – Ankle – Bench him
Kwame Brown – Knee – Bench him
Carlos Arroyo – Personal – PAYOR (left team for ill child)
Ron Artest – Personal – Start him (played last game/ill child)
Eddie Jones – Ankle – Bench him
Devean George – Foot – Bench him
Steve Francis – Back – PAYOR (missed last game)
Theo Ratliff – Knee – Bench him (might be back soon)
Mickael Pietrus – Head – PAYOR (left last game)
Matt Barnes – Head – Start him (played through injury)
Marquis Daniels – Knee – Bench him (two games + knee = 0)

There are some big names on that list of injured guys and I'm hopeful that some updates will come in throughout the day. That said, I don't think they will. LeBron will likely be a game-time decision for Tuesday, but the problem is, weekly lineups are due tonight (except for those of you in a certain huge, free league that inexplicably locks your lineup around two in the morning). I'm going for it and starting him this week, but I will not lie and tell you that I'm not highly concerned. I really thought he was going to go against the Celtics on Sunday. The injury is on his non-shooting hand, he hates the Celtics and it's "just a sprain." With those three factors at work yesterday, it's simply disturbing that he didn't play. Now I'm just hoping he plays at least two of four games this week and that he doesn't need surgery. Maybe I'm being overly dramatic here, but if a sprained finger on LeBron's non-shooting hand can keep him out for two and a half straight games, I am not feeling all that confident. Then again, it's just a sprained finger, right? Hopefully he plays on Tuesday and we don't have to worry about it anymore.

Then there are guys like Chris Bosh and Tim Duncan. Bosh and Duncan both sound like they'll miss at least their first game of the week and maybe more. With four games, there's a chance you could get three out of Bosh this week, but I think it's a long shot with his groin injury. It sounds like Duncan avoided disaster last night, but the Spurs aren't going to take any chances here. With only two games on the schedule in the next seven days, this is a perfect chance for ths Spurs (and you) to rest Duncan. I'm the only undefeated team left in a large industry league where I own Duncan, and I am pretty sure my winning streak is coming to an end this week. But it probably would have anyway since I own so many Pacers, Magic and Spurs players who go just twice this week.

In League Freak, which his Rick Kamla of NBA TV's league, I am actually starting Carlos Delfino and Anthony Parker this week due to my Pacers and Magic players going just twice. It's a somewhat shallow league and those guys might be stretches, but with Bosh and Bargnani both iffy for the week, I'm hoping for four solid games out of each of them. I'm playing Kamla head-to-head this week and we're both going with small lineups, as he'll be without Duncan and I'm benching Dwight Howard with just two games. With the Raptors' injury concerns, Parker, Delfino and Jamario Moon all look like strong plays this week. Add to it the fact that T.J. Ford is on a 20-minute timer and still playing in pain, and you can add Jose Calderon to the list of solid starts for the Raptors as well.


The New York Post is suggesting that Stephon Marbury could miss the entire week after the sudden passing of his father on Sunday. It's pretty sad that his dad, Don, had to endure all the booing of his son during the past couple weeks, as he attended many of the Knicks' home games. He was in attendance at the Garden on Sunday night, but reportedly left early for a hospital with chest pains, where he later died. Marbury was very close to his father and when you add in the drama surrounding the Knicks right now, along with the death of his aunt two weeks ago, you just have to hope Marbury gets through the next month with his sanity. You would think Mardy Collins is the logical replacement, but he hasn't played in the last couple games with an ankle injury. And Nate Robinson has simply fallen out of the rotation. So Fred Jones could actually be the guy who picks up most of Marbury's minutes, assuming he misses time. That said, I don't even know who to tell you to pick up here.

It sounds like Carlos Boozer is set to play tonight (according to him), while Mehmet Okur is more of a game-time decision. Sunday saw Jermaine O'Neal return to action and play well, so I'm thinking he's playable this week. Of course, in weekly leagues he'll only go twice for you, so it depends on your options.

There is Actually Some Good News

Ben Wallace blew up for 10 points, 19 boards, five steals and four blocks on Saturday. Wow. I was actually getting "should I cut Big Ben" emails there for a minute, so I'm glad order has been restored. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng are also waking up, and I'm almost certain that Hinrich's about ready to get it turned around as well. If I don't start getting the "thank God I didn't dump Hinrich" emails in the next 10 days, there will be a real reason for concern.

Lamar Odom finally broke out of his funk with 19-17-3 on Sunday, but I don't like his game right now. I think Odom is a guy you can sell to fill a need and get solid value in return. He's not posting any assists and doesn't look like he's fitting in too well at small forward. If he moves back to power forward, maybe he'll get it going.

Kenyon Martin had a season-high 20 points last night and added eight boards against the Heat. It looks like he's got a shot of making it back from the knee problems, so feel free to pick him up and play him if you want to.

Kevin Durant backed up his 35-point night with six points on 2-of-12 shooting on Sunday. This is why I don't own Durant in any of my eight leagues.

Grant Hill peaked with 28 points, eight boards, seven assists and three steals on Sunday, and this is the reason I wish I owned him in one of my eight leagues.

Clipper Chris Kaman had 22 points, 22 rebounds and five blocks last night, while Jamaal Tinsley had 29 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three 3-pointers for the Pacers. Yeah, I knew Kaman was going to be better this season and even thought he had a chance to be well above average without Elton Brand around, but this is getting ridiculous. The same can be said for Tinsley, who is obviously loving life under new coach Jim O'Brien. If you somehow ended up with both of those guys on your team, you should be near the top of the standings. Those guys are seventh-rounders who have been posting first-round production all season.

[Hache Man]

Varejao going to Charlotte?
Bron-Bron and Varejao

We've got a slow six-game night in front of us on Tuesday, but there is one question on everyone's mind. Will he, or won't he? You know I'm talking about LeBron James. Well, at least if you own him or are playing against him, you probably know that he remains day-to-day, is a game-time decision, etc. with his sprained finger. The good news? LeBron is day-to-day, the injury is simply a sprain on his non-shooting hand and X-rays were negative. The bad news? LeBron isn't talking about it, the Cavs really aren't talking about it and no one knows if he's going to play tonight, or this week for that matter. Coach Mike Brown offers some insight, but you won't learn much from it. ''It's a slow process, the injury he has,'' Brown said. ''It's a funny injury when you're talking about your knuckles and your fingers. When you get that ball in your hand, you have a lot of guys swiping at it...it's a tough thing to have to deal with." We'll know for sure sometime tonight if he's playing, as the Cavs host the Nets at 7 p.m. My guess is that he plays, but it's just that. A guess.

In other news, the Bobcats have signed Anderson Varejao to a three-year offer sheet. The Cavaliers will have a week to match the offer and it remains to be seen what they're going to do. If the Cavs match the offer, Varejao's not going to be very happy about it. He'll either show up and play for the Cavs or take the year off. If he's available in your leagues, he's worth a quick pickup until we see what's going to happen.

Last Night's Action

Last night's action resulted in more frustration for the Bulls and their fantasy owners, a great overtime game between the Warriors and Magic, a monster line from Josh Smith and new injuries to Devin Harris and Darko Milicic.

The Raptors were without T.J. Ford, Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh last night and there's no word on when any of them will return. They're all day-to-day, but much like LeBron, there's just no way to know. In the meantime, Jose Calderon continues his stellar play for them and had 12 points, nine boards, seven assists and three steals. Carlos Delfino led the team with 17 points and four threes, while Jamario Moon, Anthony Parker, Kris Humphries, Jason Kapono and Joey Graham are all picking up the slack in the absence of the stars.

The Raps blistered a lifeless Bobcats' team and Raymond Felton owners are scratching their heads this morning. Actually, they're probably doing more than that after Felton's 0-of-8 shooting night in just 20 minutes. Jason Richardson wasn't much better, going 3-of-17 for 12 points, but at least got 37 minutes of action. Jared Dudley was nice in his first start over Primoz Brezec with 16 points, 10 boards and three steals and can be picked up in deep leagues. As for Felton, he's 2-of-17 for five points in his last two games, but it appears to be nothing more than a slump. Hang in there with him, as he should get this worked out.

Josh Smith finally hit some shots last night…nine of them, in fact. He was 9-of-17 from the floor for 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two steals, four blocks and a three as the Hawks beat the Sixers in Philly. The last part of that sentence is apparently enough to get someone fired, as news broke early this morning that Billy King has been replaced as the GM of the Sixers by Ed Stefanski, who was the Nets' GM. Josh Childress had a nice game with 16 points and six boards, while Al Horford continued to impress with 12 points and 13 boards. Zaza Pachulia suffered a head injury, but has seen his value bottom out recently anyway. For the Sixers, Willie Green hit 10-of-14 shots and a three for a season-high 23 points in the loss.

While the Blazers were talking "shake up" yesterday, not much changed except that they finally got their first road win of the year in Memphis. Brandon Roy was huge with 26-9-7 in 41 minutes, while Travis Outlaw stayed hot with 21 points, seven boards and two blocks on 8-of-13 shooting. He also hit a couple late buckets that sealed the win and looks like a great pickup right now. James Jones got 25 minutes and hit four threes and is a player who should be given a long look if your league's waiver wire is a wasteland. For the Grizzlies, Mike Miller and Rudy Gay both caught fire and scored 30 points, while Pau Gasol had 14 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks, but hit just 4-of-14 shots on the night. It's tough to blame this one on the offensive schemes, as he would have had a fantastic night had he made half his shots. Darko Milicic left with a sprained left ankle after just five minutes of action and is day-to-day for now. Darko is doing his best Stromile Swift impression this year, and is probably on the verge of being cut in your league. If he is and you need a big man, grab him and stash him away. For those of you who rolled Juan Carlos Navarro out there this week, he was nice with 16 points and four threes. However, Kyle Lowry struggled, hitting just 1-of-8 shots for three points.

The Mavericks beat the Bulls last night behind Josh Howard's 27-10-6 and he hit 10-of-20 shots and a three in the win. Devin Harris played limited minutes after suffering a neck injury and is day-to-day. Actually, the Bulls probably beat themselves last night. Andres Nocioni blew up for 30 points off the bench, while Chris Duhon (12-9-5, two steals and a 3-pointer) was solid, but the rest of the team was just awful again. Kirk Hinrich – 5-of-16 for 18 points and five assists. Ben Gordon – 4-of-16 for 10 points. Luol Deng – 3-of-13 for nine points. Ben Wallace – 2-of-10 for four points. Yuck.
dallasmavericks.com
Jason Williams burned me by returning from his foot injury and going for 15 points and four assists as the Heat fell to the Jazz. I panicked with news of the injury and replaced him at the last minute with Damon Stoudamire in one league, which is going to hurt. Carlos Boozer returned to action and had 24 points and 15 boards, while Mehmet Okur came back from his back injury and had his best game of the season with 25 points, six boards and four threes on 10-of-14 shooting. Deron Williams matched Boozer's line with 24 points and 15 dimes as the Jazz continue to play well.
utahjazz.com
The Magic beat the Warriors in overtime last night as Dwight Howard went off for 18 points, 23 boards and seven blocks. He hit just 8-of-13 free throws and committed nine turnovers, so your league's format determines whether Howard is a stud or a buzz hassle. Maurice Evans scored 11 points and should be put on your radar screen, while Rashard Lewis scored 20 and Jameer Nelson finally got hot again, going for 22 points, eight boards, 11 assists and three 3-pointers. With two games this week, there's a good chance Nelson was on your bench, which is frustrating. Keith Bogans also scored a season-high 22 points and hit four threes on 9-of-12 shooting, so give him a look. Monta Ellis had 22-12-7 and five steals, while Baron Davis struggled on 6-of-23 shooting for 19 points and nine dimes.
www.dallasmavs.ws
Clippers Notes

Elton Brand is scheduled to be re-evaluated next Tuesday and we should finally have a target date on his return from a ruptured Achilles after that happens. In other Clippers' news, Corey Maggette aggravated his hamstring injury in his last game and is back to being day-to-day. Here's to hoping he plays tonight. They're at home against the Bucks, so Maggette should have a big game if he plays.

[Hache Man]

Another One Bites the Dust
We should really think about changing the name of this column to the "Injury Bonanza" or something, as big names seem to be falling, and in most cases, are slow to get up. Kevin Martin is the latest fantasy star to bite the dust, as he'll be lost for 4-6 weeks with a right groin injury. It was pretty shocking how quickly the Sacramento Bee declared him gone for such an extended time period last night (well more like 2 or 3 this morning), but I guess the severity of the injury was obvious without the need for serious testing. The other problem is that he could easily aggravate it and have to be shut down for even longer if he tries to return too early (see Chucky Atkins).

In the meantime, John Salmons should return to being a solid fantasy player for the next couple months, while Francisco Garcia should also have some value as well. This is just another tough break in a week filled with tough breaks, and I hope you don't have Martin, Chris Bosh and LeBron James on the same team. And just before I posted this column, it was announced that Eddy Curry sprained his ankle this morning and may not play tonight.

Take Me Down to the Infirmary

Here's a quick injury update from around the league.

LeBron James – Finger – Likely out for the week
Troy Murphy – Achilles – missed Tuesday, day-to-day
Andrew Bynum – Flu – missed Tuesday, questionable for Wednesday
Al Thornton – Ankle – missed Tuesday, day-to-day
Sam Cassell – Calf – missed Tuesday, could miss several more games
Darko Milicic – Ankle – left last game, says he'll play tonight
Chris Bosh – Groin – out for Wednesday
Andrea Bargnani – Knee – out for Wednesday
T.J. Ford – Thumb – will play on Wednesday
Delonte West – Ankle – questionable for Wednesday
Luke Ridnour – Quad – could see limited return Wednesday
Tim Duncan – Knee/ankle – out Wednesday, walking without limp
Stephon Marbury – Personal – questionable for Weds, Fri, Sat
Eddy Curry – Ankle – questionable for Wednesday
Marko Jaric – Foot – missed Tuesday, could miss more games
Steve Francis – Back – says he's playing Wednesday
Manu Ginobili – Finger – game-time decision for Wednesday
Devin Harris – Neck – says he's playing Wednesday
Antoine Wright – Shoulder – missed Tuesday, day-to-day
Tyronn Lue – Calf - missed Tuesday, day-to-day
Corey Maggette – Hamstring – played Tuesday
Al Jefferson – Knee – played Tuesday

Tuesday's Action

The Cavs lost another "LeBron-less" game last night and there's no telling how long he'll be out. In fact, Brian Windhorst at the Akron Beacon-Journal went so far as to call him "month-to-month" yesterday, but that sounds a little extreme to me. It does sound like he'll be shut down for at least the rest of the week and the only thing left to do is to hope he doesn't need surgery. As for playing him next week? That's going to be a very difficult decision. I guess my gloom and doom rant about LeBron on Monday wasn't too far off base. Now I just wish I would have listened to my gut and benched him this week. Daniel Gibson stepped up in his place with 17 points, six boards, four assists and four threes, while Shannon Brown made the most of a start and hit four treys on his way to 20 points. I don't think Brown is worth a pickup, but keep your eye on him. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Sasha Pavlovic were awful and need Bron-Bron to return just as much as his owners do. Anderson Varejao is again a member of the Cavs and should be back in uniform soon to buzz hassle Drew Gooden and his owners. Richard Jefferson scored a season-high 36 and Malik Allen added 10 points and nine boards in the easy win.

Brevin Knight scored nine points and had eight assists as he continues to fill in for Sam Cassell. Once Cassell returns, Knight won't be very appealing, but could be a nice fill-in until then. Chris Kaman "only" had 13 points and 11 boards last night, but topped it off with six blocks in a loss to the Bucks. Corey Maggette valiantly played through his hamstring injury and scored 20 points. The Bucks were led by 19 points, 12 boards and four blocks from Andrew Bogut as the Bucks got a tough road win. Mo Williams continues to play through a stiff ankle, but hit just 3-of-14 shots last night for eight points. Had he shot the ball well yesterday, he would have had a nice line, as he finished with seven boards, nine assists and two steals in the win.

The Kings beat the Jazz thanks to the fourth-quarter heroics of John Salmons, who should be picked up in all formats. Salmons scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and looks primed to go on another run with the news of Martin's injury. Deron Williams scored 30 points and added seven dimes and three treys, but wasn't enough to hold off the Kings. Francisco Garcia is also worth adding with Martin's groin likely to keep him out for at least five weeks.

The Lakers beat the Timberwolves despite some flu issues and a lineup change. Kobe Bryant scored 20 despite an upset stomach, the same bug that kept Andrew Bynum out of the lineup and into the hospital for and IV. Chris Mihm started for Bynum and had 11 points and seven boards. This game was a blowout so we saw 16 points from Sasha Vujacic and 15 from Trevor Ariza. Both players should be watched, but aren't yet worth owning in most leagues. The news here is that Luke Walton replaced Vladimir Radmanovic in the starting five, which is a move Lakers' advisor Tex Winters has been calling for. Walton had just 10 points and four boards last night, but if he stays in the first unit, better days are coming.

The Wolves got 40 minutes and 16 points out of Sebastian Telfair, who is the only point guard in the house right now, while Antoine Walker (10 points) and Al Jefferson (12 & 12 but just 4-of-14 shooting) played through their respective ankle and knee injuries. Marko Jaric missed the game with his foot injury and it's unknown when he'll return.

Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 42 points and added 13 boards, four dimes, a steal and a block, while Steve Nash lit the Pacers up for 18 points, 17 assists and just three TOs in last night's win. Leandro Barbosa hit just 1-of-8 shots for four points, but should bounce back tonight against the Raptors. Jermaine O'Neal was nice again for the Pacers, scoring a season-high 30 and kicking in 11 boards and a couple blocks. Another game or two like this and you might be able to trade him for some serious value. Danny Granger was awful last night, hitting just 2-of-11 shots for six points. I benched him in most leagues with two games, and unlike the similar move I made with Dwight Howard, it appears to have paid off. Especially since I replaced him with most of the healthy Raptors. Shawne Williams got a "matchup start" against the Suns, but scored just 11 points in 19 minutes.

Tayshaun Prince lit the Hawks up on 9-of-12 shooting for 23 points, four boards, two assists, a steal, two blocks and two threes in an easy win. Jason Maxiell had 13 points and nine boards off the bench and is now averaging 13 and 10 over his last four games. Grab him if you need a big man. The Hawks were awful and Joe Johnson and Josh Smith spent the fourth quarter on the bench after being abused by the Pistons. Josh Childress was solid though, going for 18 points as he's starting to come on.

[Hache Man]

A.I. Heads to Area 51

Somehow, it would have been much more fitting if Wednesday night's Lakers-Nuggets tilt had been played in southern Nevada instead of the Pepsi Center.

Perhaps Area 51 would have been more appropriate a locale, considering that would not only match the final points tally that Allen Iverson put up but -- given the area's renowned air of mystery -- would also match the strange quality in a matchup between two superstars where one (A.I.) more than doubled the output of the other (Kobe Bryant, 25 points), yet his team wound up on the losing end of this affair.

While that may not exactly constitute a UFO sighting, it's pretty rare footage indeed to see such a strange occurrence as we did last night in Denver.

Iverson was having one of those games, having nailed 17-of-23 for 49 points through three quarters. But Kobe Bryant, knocked out briefly with a shoulder injury and limited to just 13 points through three, wound up outscoring The Answer by 10 points in the crucial fourth, as the Lakers again rebounded to beat Denver.

And to think 'Melo was just harping Wednesday morning about last Thursday's "embarrassing moment" when Denver blew a 17-point lead and wound up losing to the Lakers by 28. So much for revenge.

The Lakers had balance – in addition to Kobe's 25, Vladimir Radmanovic scored 21, Derek Fisher put up 20 and Lamar Odom added 17 – while Denver had Iverson, Carmelo Anthony (26) and no other starter with more than six points.

LA's strategy of getting the ball out of A.I.'s hands in the final quarter worked like a charm as he managed a layup on four attempts for just two points. This, just a quarter after potting 16 of his team's 30 points.

The 51 points he threw down marked a new NBA season best, but it was just the fifth-best total in Iverson's illustrious career. A couple of years ago, he managed a career-high 60 against the Magic. And while this was one of the better individual efforts in Nugget history, Iverson's 51 point night was way off the team mark of 73, set by David Thompson back in 1978. But it represented the most points scored by a Nugget since Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf put up 51 in 1995.

Iverson's total was the most ever by a Nugget at the Pepsi Center, which opened in the fall of 1999.

Iverson, who played all 48 minutes, managed 33 points in the first half, which matched the most he's ever had heading into the third quarter.

While he's struggled from long distance this year (31.5 per cent), Iverson's overall numbers this year are amazingly consistent with what he did last season after the trade. After averaging 24.8 PPG, 7.2 APG and 3.0 RPG with the Nuggets last season, he's at 24.9 PPG, 7.1 APG and 3.0 RPG this year.

So while we try to figure out how scoring 51 isn't good enough to get your team a win, let's review the remainder of Wednesday's action around the NBA…

• You know when your wife says she has a "headache," so isn't in the mood to play? Well, there's talk that Jason Kidd's migraine that forced him to sit last night against the Knicks may qualify as something similar. Sources close to the Nets have suggested that J-Kidd is sitting out because he wants to either be traded or get a contract extension. "He's on strike," said a team source. Well, this is certainly one situation that bears closer scrutiny. The Mavs, the Cavs and the Lakers are possible trade partners should the Nets decide to bite the bullet and deal their veteran PG. Kidd hasn't been getting his shot off as much this year, but as always, he's racking up the assists and boards, making him a threat for a Triple-Double every time he steps on the floor. The possibility of him teaming with LeBron in Cleveland – something they have both publicly declared they'd like to do one day – is the stuff that fantasy is made of. Just imagine what those two stars could accomplish together.
• No Tim Duncan, no problem-o. With the Big Fundamental (ankle) out of action, Manu Ginobili stepped in to the starting lineup for the first time this season and put up a season-high 37 points on 12-of-24 shooting from the floor and 11-of-12 from the line. He added six assists, two steals and a block to lead the Spurs past their archrival Dallas, 97-95. I guess that index finger on Ginobili's shooting hand, that made him questionable for the game, wasn't an issue after all. Despite spending the entire season coming off the bench before last night, Ginobili has been given more offensive responsibility this year, and he's running with it. Assuming the Spurs don't keep him in the starting five, I can't see anyone touching Manu as Sixth Man of the Year this season.
• Andre Miller enjoyed his first double-double of the season Wednesday, nailing 10-of-16 from the floor en route to 26 points, with 12 assists, five rebounds and just two turnovers. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to lead Philly past the blazing Celtics, but Miller is definitely picking things up offensively of late. He's actually averaging 14 shots per game this year – the most he's ever taken in his career – and if his FT shooting wasn't so bad (61.5 percent), Miller would be having an even better season. He's even hoisting more shots from beyond the arc, however, Miller still can't hit them (0-for-9 from 3-point land this year). You've got to figure if Miller can raise his FT percentage back to his normal career rate of a shade under 80 percent, he'll be averaging about 16 to 17 points per game. Add in his recent assist binge (7.4 per game over the past five), and you've got something on your hands, here.

Injury Report

The constant drama surrounding the Sonic PG situation continued last night when Delonte West (foot) and Luke Ridnour (quad) were both out of action. Ridnour's been missing for a few weeks, but is getting close. He's expected to practice today and possibly return to action Friday. West was hurt in practice on Tuesday, but it is not considered serious. Check for a report later today, but he could also return Friday. Last night, that left the point guard duties to Earl Watson, and while he was decent, he didn't exactly take full advantage of the extra minutes (10 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal). You were probably expecting a better line than that, especially in the dimes department after Watson dropped 11 in a game last week. It appears that Watson won't be emerging from this three-headed beast with much value, after all.

Tip-Ins: It looks like Steve Nash's early-season butter fingers problem is a thing of the past. He recorded a season-high 18 assists last night against just three turnovers. Over the last four games, he's averaging 16 dimes with only 2.25 turnovers. Now, that's some serious efficiency…T.J. Ford (arm) was back in action Wednesday, putting up 27 points in just 24 minutes. Look for him to reclaim the starting PG gig from Jose Calderon shortly, although the Spaniard is still looking very strong (14 points, nine assists and three rebounds)…With Stephon Marbury out of action after all, Jamal Crawford got the starting assignment at PG and he went nuts, scoring 29 points, dropping seven dimes and nailing a trio of treys to lead the short-handed Knicks to a much-needed win over the Nets…Mike James and Steve Francis aren't playing much these days, and Bonzi Wells, with significant minutes over the past three games, is starting to look like an attractive pickup. He broke out for a season-high 24 points last night on 11-of-14 shooting, adding seven boards, two assists and a steal…Cleveland