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 dropped its fifth straight game last night – the most losses in a row for the Cavs since February/March 2006 – and finds itself sitting in ninth place in the East with a 9-11 record. Uh, LeBron, can you get better soon, please? King James (finger) missed his fourth straight last night, and with Larry Hughes (leg), Donyell Marshall (wrist) and Anderson Varejao (contract dispute) still MIA, this team is looking pretty different than the one that walked away with the Eastern Conference Championship last season. On the good news front, the Cavs matched the Bobcats' offer sheet to Varejao, so he could be back as soon as next week. Don't expect Sideshow Bob to get many touches, but he can definitely provide a boost in rebounds for your team. Hughes may also be back next week…Just when you thought it was safe to replace Damien Wilkins on your fantasy team, he came through with a big effort last night, scoring 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while nailing three 3-pointers and dishing four dimes. If you haven't cut him yet, keep him on your bench for the time being…Andrew Bynum returned after missing one game because of the flu, and while his scoring and rebounding continued to appear a bit under the weather, he managed three blocks, three assists and two steals, so not all was lost. At any rate, get this double-double machine back in your lineup immediately.

[Hache Man]

The Bug Keeps Biting
The injury bug continues to rip through the league, as superstars like Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and now Kevin Martin are stuck on the sidelines. However, in the real world and in the fantasy realm, one man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. Jamario Moon, John Salmons, Kurt Thomas and Beno Udrih are just a few of the players that have taken advantage of their increased minutes with some strong production recently. We'll take a look around the NBA in this edition of The Week Ahead and preview Week 7 of the fantasy hoops season.

Game Totals in Week 7:
Four games: ATL, DAL, DET, GS, IND, LAC, MIN, MIL, NY, ORL, PHI, POR, SAC, SEA, TOR, UTA
Three games: BOS, CHA, CHI, CLE, DEN, HOU, LAL, MEM, MIA, NJ, NO, PHO, SA, WAS
Two games none

Keep An Eye On:
(statistics exclusively from November 22 – December 4)
Antoine Walker, MIN 7 G, 13.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 14 3-pointers
Jason Maxiell, DET 6 G, 13 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Jamario Moon, TOR 6 G, 9.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.3 BPG
Juan Carlos Navarro, MEM 6 G, 17.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 19 3-pointers
Travis Outlaw, POR 6 G, 15 PPG, 6.7 RPG

Sebastian Telfair, MIN 7 G, 12.1 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.6 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Carlos Delfino, TOR 6 G, 15 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 15 3-pointers
Antonio Daniels, WAS 6 G, 10.5 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.2 RPG
Al Horford, ATL 6 G, 9.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG
Daniel Gibson, CLE 7 G, 12.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 17 3-pointers

Rajon Rondo, BOS 6 G, 6.7 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Lou Williams, PHI 7 G, 10.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.6 APG
Jordan Farmar, LAL 7 G, 10.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 14 3-pointers
Kelenna Azubuike, GS 7 G, 10.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG
Beno Udrih, SAC 5 G, 15.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG

Interesting Matchups/Schedule:
Wednesday, Dec. 12 - Utah @ Phoenix: This game features two of the top-three highest scoring teams in the NBA, and division leaders in the Northwest and Pacific divisions. With Deron Williams and Steve Nash handling the ball for each squad, you can expect a high-scoring and competitive barnburner.

Thursday, Dec. 13 - San Antonio @ L.A. Lakers: TNT's late game consists of the defending champs vs the two-time defending scoring champion. Hopefully, Tim Duncan (ankle) will be able to return for this one, as the Lakers took two of three last season.

Friday, Dec. 14 - Orlando @ Charlotte: Dwight Howard has taken his game to the next level this season, and is likely the MVP of the league after a month of play. Averaging 23.2 PPG, 15.1 RPG and 3.0 BPG, Howard is this generation's Shaq. The 2004 draft's No. 1 selection will go against the No. 2 selection, Emeka Okafor Friday in North Carolina. 2004-05 Rookie of the Year winner Okafor is averaging a modest 13.1 PPG and 11.4 RPG early on.

Sunday, Dec. 16 - Boston @ Toronto: Last season, the Raptors were one of the most improved teams in the league, winning the Atlantic division behind All-Star Chris Bosh (groin, questionable). They'll take on the new top team in the East Sunday as the Celtics come to town for a bigtime Eastern Conference matchup.

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks @orl, TOR, @det, CHA
Speedy Claxton (knee) – out indefinitely
Zaza Pachulia (head) – day-to-day
Lorenzen Wright (hamstring) – day-to-day
Tyronn Lue (calf) – day-to-day

Boston Celtics SAC, MIL, @tor
The Celtics continue to be the league's best team through six weeks with a sizzling record of 15-2. They currently have a four-game winning streak, a perfect 9-0 home record and a 5-0 division-mark. The Big Three are all scoring at least 19.5 PPG and continue to get strong play from role players Eddie House, James Posey and Glen Davis as well.

Charlotte Bobcats LAC, ORL, @atl
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Ryan Hollins (shoulder) – day-to-day
Keep an eye on Jared Dudley with the Bobcats. He was recently inserted into the starting lineup and has responded by averaging 9.4 PPG and 6.6 RPG in his past five contests, and looks like he's going to see regular time for the immediate future.

Chicago Bulls SEA, @ind, NY
It's been a long season already for Kirk Hinrich, who is averaging career-lows across the board and struggling mightily with his shooting (35% FG). He was replaced by Chris Duhon each of the past couple contests and could be in store for a permanent demotion if he doesn't break out this funk soon. Duhon has responded big-time though, averaging 12 PPG, 7 RPG and 7 APG in his past two games with the increased minutes and looks like he could surpass Hinrich as the Bulls starting point guard.

Cleveland Cavaliers IND, @nj, PHI
LeBron James (finger) – day-to-day
Larry Hughes (leg) – return late December
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely
After the Bobcats signed Anderson Varejao to a three-year offer sheet, the Cavaliers responded by quickly matching the offer to keep their Brazilian rebounding machine. For some reason, Varejao said he didn't want to return to the Cavaliers, but it looks like he's going to be heading back to Ohio after all. Not sure why he wouldn't want to play on the Eastern Conference's defending champions along side superstar LeBron James for $6 million per year, but Varejao was reportedly insulted by the Cavs offer. We'll see if he can put this month-long holdout behind him and play at a high level again. If and when he does return, the value of Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas will likely drop a bit.

Dallas Mavericks @ny, @tor, NO, @hou
Devean George (foot) – return early December
Eddie Jones (ankle) – return early December

Denver Nuggets @mem, @hou, ATL, GS
Chucky Atkins (groin) – return early January
Nene (thumb) – return early January

Detroit Pistons @mem, @hou, ATL, GS
Rodney Stuckey (hand) – return early December

Golden St. Warriors SA, @por, LAL, @det
Mickael Pietrus (head) – day-to-day
Coach Don Nelson is known for his musical chairs mentality with his starting lineup. Shooting guard Monta Ellis has entrenched himself in the starting lineup though with his torrid play of late. The 22-year-old is averaging a jaw dropping 21.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 3.3 APG while shooting 54% from the floor in his past seven contests. The Warriors have six players averaging in double figures – with four scoring 15+. Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Ellis, Al Harrington, and Andris Biedrins are all quality plays, while Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus all have value as well.

Houston Rockets @phi, DET, DAL
Steve Francis (back) – day-to-day

Indiana Pacers @cle, CHI, TOR, @mia
Ike Diogu (calf) – return mid-December
Troy Murphy (Achilles') – day-to-day
Over the past couple weeks, there hasn't been too many more productive players than point guard Jamaal Tinsley. In seven games, he's averaging 18.9 PPG, 9.4 APG and 2.9 SPG and has done his best to shake his "injury-prone" reputation. The Pacers are slated for four contests so the floor general should be in store for a monster week … Mike Dunleavy has also picked up his game, averaging a cool 18.3 PPG and 5.3 RPG in that span.

L.A. Clippers @nj, @cha, @mem, @lal
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Sam Cassell (calf) – day-to-day

L.A. Lakers SA, @gs, LAC
Kwame Brown (knee) – return early December
Ronny Turiaf (concussion) – day-to-day

Memphis Grizzlies DET, LAC, @orl
Darko Milicic (ankle) – day-to-day
Mike Conley (shoulder) – return mid-December

Miami Heat @pho, WAS, IND
Smush Parker (personal) – out indefinitely
After playing in his first nine games of the season without a dunk, Dwyane Wade slammed it home three times on Monday in Utah, and is almost all the way back. Flash said that his knee is feeling much better and it's just a matter of time before the Heat turn it around. They are just 3-7 since he returned from his knee and shoulder surgeries, but there's no way this team will continue playing this bad – at 4-13, they are currently the worst team in the East.

Milwaukee Bucks @sac, ORL, @bos, MIN

Minnesota Timberwolves @was, @phi, SEA, @mil
Randy Foye (knee) – out indefinitely
Marko Jaric (foot) – day-to-day
The TWolves should get combo guard Marko Jaric back soon; he was able to practice fully Wednesday and might only have to sit out one more contest. He was playing well before going down, averaging 16.5 PPG and 6.3 APG in his previous four contests. He and Sebastian Telfair should have decent value until Foye is finally able to return … Antoine Walker is considered questionable for Thursday's contest with Atlanta because of a badly sprained ankle.

NOK Hornets @den, @dal, PHO
Morris Peterson (back) – day-to-day

New Jersey Nets LAC, CLE, @ny
Jason Kidd (migraine) – day-to-day
Marcus Williams (foot) – return in December
Antoine Wright (shoulder) – day-to-day
Josh Boone (head) – day-to-day
There's some speculation that Kidd did not miss Wednesday's game against New York because of a migraine, but because he is hoping to either get traded or ink a contract extension. Rumors are starting to swirl that the veteran could possibly be headed to the Mavericks, Lakers or Cavaliers. He openly denied asking for an extension recently, so we'll have to wait and see how this one pans out.

New York Knicks DAL, SEA, @chi, NJ
Mardy Collins (ankle) – day-to-day
Eddy Curry (ankle) – day-to-day
Stephon Marbury (ankle) – day-to-day

Orlando Magic ATL, @mil, @cha, MEM
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season
Carlos Arroyo (personal) – day-to-day

Philadelphia 76ers HOU, MIN, SAC, @cle

Phoenix Suns MIA, UTA, @no

Portland Trailblazers @uta, GS, UTA, @den
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain
Miles returned to practice for the first time in 13 months on Wednesday. He's still at least six weeks away from returning to game action.

Sacramento Kings MIL, @bos, @phi, @was
Mike Bibby (thumb) – targeting late January return
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – day-to-day
Kevin Martin (groin) – return late January
The Kings have been hampering bad by the injury bug throughout the season. After being without Mike Bibby for the first couple months, they will now be without their leading scorer – Kevin Martin – for the next 4-6 weeks. The sharpshooter left Tuesday's game with a groin strain and will be sidelined until the New Year. In his place, look for John Salmons to pick up his game again – with Ron Artest out for the first seven games because of suspension, Salmons averaged a respectable 22.6 PPG, 4.0 APG and 3.9 RPG.

San Antonio Spurs @gs, @lal, DEN
Tim Duncan (knee) – day-to-day
The Big Fundamental sat out last game with a high ankle sprain and remains day-to-day. The Spurs have insisted that the injury is not serious though and there's a 50/50 chance he could play on Friday. He was able to practice with the team on Tuesday so that's a great sign. Manu Ginobili dropped 37 points vs Dallas on Wednesday in a nice comeback win. The Argentinean is averaging 20.3 PPG off the bench through 19 games and is a synch for the Sixth Man of the Year award at this point.

Seattle Sonics @chi, @ny, @min, @uta
Luke Ridnour (quadriceps) – return mid-December
Robert Swift (knee) – return early January
With the Sonics frontcourt dismantled by injuries, Kurt Thomas has rekindled his youth in Seattle recently. The 13-year veteran is averaging a respectable 5.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 1.0 BPG in his past five contests and should continue having decent value until Collison or Swift return. While in this rebuilding phase, they will continue to give big men Johan Petro, Mouhamed Sene, Swift and Collison minutes when healthy, although Thomas could give them their best chance to win. Collison (nose) returned with 18 points and 17 rebounds Wednesday … No teams play only twice in Week 7 and Seattle is the sole team with two contests in Week 8.

Toronto Raptors @atl, DAL, @ind, BOS
Andrea Bargnani (knee) – day-to-day
Chris Bosh (groin) – day-to-day
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely
With T.J. Ford plagued by an arm stinger the past couple weeks, Jose Calderon has played admirably as the Raptors starting point guard. He's proving he's one of the league's top backup point guards and is capable of averaging double-digit assists in a full-time role. Over the past couple weeks, he's averaging 12.2 PPG, 11.2 APG and 3.8 RPG. In fact, the Spaniard has dished out nine+ dimes in each of his past seven contests. Ford returned Wednesday with a 27-point game, but you can expect Calderon to continue having strong value for the foreseeable future.

Utah Jazz POR, @pho, @por, SEA

Washington Wizards MIN, @mia, SAC
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery) – return early February

[Hache Man]

Return of the Point Guards

Jason Kidd, Stephon Marbury and T.J. Ford could all return to the starting lineup on Friday, while Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani didn't even make the trip to Boston for tonight's meeting with the Celtics.

Kidd was at today's shootaround and should be set to go against the Rockets tonight, unless he is stricken by another "migraine" later today. Kidd stated his case yesterday, saying that he was truly too sick to play in Wednesday's game. He's clearly unhappy with his current situation, but owners can expect him to play from here on out. Raptors' point guard T.J. Ford is close to winning back his starting job, with coach Sam Mitchell leaving it up to Ford as to when he starts again. Based on the fact that Ford has to have a little doubt in the back of his mind about the stability of his job with Jose Calderon playing so well every time he goes down, I think Ford, who scored 27 in his last game off the bench, will be back in the starting unit tonight.

A day after burying his father, Stephon Marbury has decided to play tonight at Philly and will be in the starting lineup. The sudden death of his father has helped stop the anger, laughs, booing and criticism in New York, at least for the time being. Whether you love Marbury and the Knicks, or aren't a fan, you have to feel for all involved right now, and especially Marbury. That said, I still have a hard time believing that Isiah still has his job.

Raptors Bosh and Bargnani are obviously out again for the third straight game after not even traveling with the team with respective groin and knee injuries. It would be nice if teams would just list guys (like LeBron James) with what their status really is instead of the old standby of "day-to-day," but that's how it goes.

Tim Duncan (ankle/knee) has a 50-50 chance of playing tonight against the Jazz, but it sounds like there's a better chance the Spurs will hold him out until their next game, which is Tuesday. Duncan is likely on your bench already, and I'd probably leave him there even though there's a chance he could go tonight. Tony Parker's dealing with an ankle injury, but it's not slowing him down right now.

Luke Ridnour could return tonight against the Bucks after missing 11 games with a quad injury. I think he'll play, while plantar fasciitis will likely cause Delonte West to miss another game. Earl Watson will probably start, but Luke is going to get six or so starts at point guard once he's fully healthy so that P.J. Carlesimo can finally decide who his starter will be. The way things have gone thus far, it really doesn't matter which one starts for your fantasy team, as you'll end up cutting them three days later.

Stromile Swift missed another practice with the flu yesterday and is iffy for tonight as the Grizzlies take on the Hornets. Darko Milicic should play, but then again, that's what we said last time as he sat out with a sprained ankle.

The Kings host the Clippers tonight at Arco and John Salmons should be in the starting lineup in place of Kevin Martin. I swiped Salmons in about every one of my leagues, and despite having Martin stuck in one lineup currently, I couldn't be happier about landing him. Francisco Garcia was being considered for the starting job, but it looks like Salmons is going to be the man. If he's somehow available in your league, pick him up. Doesn't matter how small your league is either. I beat Rick Kamla to the punch for Salmons in League Freak, where I'm currently up 5-3 in our H2H matchup this week, thanks to Devin Harris and Kirk Hinrich being in his lineup.

Speaking of Hinrich, he has a real shot at landing on the Bulls' bench and it could happen tonight at Detroit. Even if Hinrich starts, he'll likely finish the game on the bench if he continues to play like Stanley Hudson. Fans of the The Office know what I'm talking about. In reality, Hinrich should have been benched already. He's completely lost his confidence and could use less pressure on his shoulders right now. I don't think he'll be permanently benched for Chris Duhon, but a week or so of coming off the bench should do him some good. And I'm not a big fan of picking up Duhon either, regardless of whether he starts tonight or not, except in very deep leagues. Luol Deng (knee) and Ben Gordon (ankle) are both gimpy, but should play tonight. Maybe getting Hinrich out of the lineup will make the rest of the Bulls better. We'll probably find out soon enough.

Sam Cassell will rejoin the Clippers on Saturday with hopes of playing on Sunday after missing the last four games with a calf injury. That means he's out tonight and coach Mike Dunleavy doesn't sound too confident that he'll play on Sunday, but there's a chance. Ruben Patterson isn't happy with his role with the Clips right now, and a finger injury really dropped him out of the rotation. Given the fact the Clippers can't win right now, despite ridiculous numbers from Chris Kaman, maybe it's time to get Patterson more minutes.


Last Night

Corey Brewer blew up for 18 rebounds, five assists and four steals against the Hawks, but Joe Johnson ruined his coming-out party by hitting an off-balance 20-footer to win the game at the horn. Brewer was likely a one-hit wonder last night, but grab him if you have some junk on the end of your bench. Marko Jaric flirted with a triple-double in his first game back from a foot injury and should be picked up in most formats. Craig Smith had 20 points and nine boards, and if you can figure out who's going to be big from night to night for the Wolves, you need to start playing the lottery. Josh Smith was nasty again for the Hawks, who blew a huge lead in this one, with 11-of-19 shooting, 28 points, seven boards, two steals and seven blocks. The world is such a wonderful place when Smoov's shot is falling. Josh Childress suffered a groin injury last night, and we all know that could mean he's done for a while. We'll pass the details along when we get them.

Allen Iverson backed up his 51- point game with 35 points, 12 assists and five steals as the Nuggets beat the Mavs last night. Kenyon Martin had 18 & 7, while Linas Kleiza had 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Jason Terry really struggled for Dallas, who played about as much defense as our man Stanley Hudson does. Terry hit 2-of-7 shots for five points and the occasional off night is one of the downsides to him coming off the bench. 'Irk' was nice last night with 32 points on 10-of-20 shooting (and 10-of-10 from the line), but until 'Allas' gets its defensive problems worked out, they're going to continue to lose games. Devean George returned from a foot injury and failed to score, while Devin Harris continues to struggle. He was 5-of-14 last night and has hit just 17-of-55 shots in his last five games.

Dwyane Wade flirted with a triple-double last night as the Heat lost to the Blazers to give Portland it's first two-game winning streak of the year. Shaq is not happy about his lack of touches and called out his team last night. Daequan Cook had 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting and has scored in double figures in four of his last five games, averaging 14 ppg and one-plus threes over that stretch. If you need a shooting guard in a deep league, it's time to move on him. Travis Outlaw stayed hot with 20 points, seven boards and a block without committing a turnover, and should be owned in all leagues. Brandon Roy was also nice, going for 25-5-6 with a block thrown in. The Blazers are off tonight, while the Heat look for their fifth win of the season in Golden State. Good luck with that one, Shaq.

[Hache Man]

Outlaw Makes Good
This week, the NBA re-introduced mandatory microphones and in-game interviews for coaches (along with video-taped locker-room sessions) during certain nationally televised games. They tried this once before, years ago, but it was a failed experiment. The reception has been just as icy this time, with numerous coaches arguing against what they consider an invasion of the privacy and sanctity of their job. The NBA has promised to ruthlessly edit out any strategic conversations, foul language and the like, but that's just the problem: why go to such great lengths just to show a video montage of Jerry Stackhouse exhorting his teammates again and again, "Let's go, let's go, let's go"? We already get enough bland coach-speak during post-game interviews, and the league is guaranteeing that it will only air the most benign, obvious comments that fall from a coach or player's lips. Why bother? If the NBA really had the fans in mind, they would have offered half-time interviews with the home team's cheerleaders, instead of George Karl telling us that passing the ball is good.

Fortunately, this reality-TV-style monitoring doesn't have any fantasy implications, so let's skip ahead to Week 7 and I'll try to help you decide who to bench and who to start: 14 teams play three games and 16 teams play four games, so there's no lack of tough calls to be made. As usual, games-played and injuries feature prominently in this week's breakdowns, so read on for some insights before setting your lineups.

THREE games: Celtics, Bobcats, Bulls, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Rockets, Lakers, Grizzlies, Heat, Nets, Hornets, Suns, Spurs, Wizards

FOUR games: Hawks, Mavericks, Pistons, Warriors, Pacers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Bucks, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Trailblazers, Kings, Supersonics, Raptors, Jazz

BENCH

Jason Richardson: It doesn't please me to recommend that you bench Jason Richardson, but he is really struggling to find his comfort zone with the Bobcats, and has enough downside that in a three-game week you can probably do better. J-Rich is averaging career-lows in field goal percentage (40.1%), free throw percentage (a miserable 56.8%) and assists (2.6 per game) while turning the ball over 2.3 times per game. He has managed to drill a career-high 2.7 three-pointers per game, and adds 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals to his stat lines. He can be started in a pinch, but his poor percentages and turnovers nullify his upside and make him a borderline fantasy starter in a three-game week.

Tim Duncan: This is a judgment call, and nobody likes to bench their star players (especially after they've been sitting for a week or two), but it might be wise to bench Duncan for one more week. Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich said that there is a 50-50 chance Duncan will return from his injury on Friday, but the more likely scenario is that he'll play against the Warriors on Tuesday. The Spurs only play three games in Week 7, so if Popovich protects Duncan by limiting his minutes, owners could be hard-pressed to get typical production from their star big-man. If you don't have enough solid options, Duncan will probably be safe to start, but in the interest of prudence I recommend waiting until we see him make it through a game or two. Of course, if he starts on Friday and logs 30 ore more minutes, you can safely disregard my perhaps overly-cautious advice and start him as you normally would.

Antonio Daniels: Antonio Daniels was, quite rightly, a popular pickup after Gilbert Arenas' surprise knee surgery. Suddenly Daniels became the Wizards' default starting point guard for at least three months, and initially it looked like he would have huge value for those owners fast enough to claim him off the waiver wire. After his hot start, however, Daniels has cooled off considerably; he hasn't scored more than 16 points in the past 10 games, hasn't attempted a freethrow in the past four, and has only three steals in his past six games, compared to 15 turnovers. His rebound and assist totals are still respectable, but he rarely hits any three-pointers and will have a hard time helping owners in a three-game Week 7. Look elsewhere for a starter this week, unless your lineup requires that you gamble on Daniels.

Tumultuous Timberwolves: The Timberwolves play four games next week, but only offer two players, Al Jefferson and Marko Jaric, who are certain to help fantasy squads as starters. The rest of the Timberwolves' fantasy considerations are so inconsistent that they can't be relied upon even in a favorable week. Sebastian Telfair has borderline value as a starter, but the return of Marko Jaric quashes whatever excitement he recently stirred up, and the starting job is likely Jaric's from now on. Promising rookie Corey Brewer exploded for 18 rebounds, five assists and four steals on Thursday, but his career-best night needs to be duplicated before he escapes sleeper status and starts for your team. Rashad McCants has value entirely contingent upon his streaky jumpshot, and Craig Smith has been impressive lately but probably won't see enough minutes to be consistent as a fantasy starter. Avoid the temptation to jump on the hot hand this week, although Brewer, McCants and Smith all deserve consideration as future fantasy starters and can be stashed away if you have the space.

START

John Salmons: If you were still hanging on to John Salmons, or if you picked him up soon after Kevin Martin went down with a groin injury, congratulations are in order (unless you own K-Mart, in which case condolences are more appropriate). Salmons was a monster during the beginning of the season, while Ron Artest was sidelined by a suspension. He has been officially named Martin's replacement in the starting lineup, and with Martin sidelined for 4-6 weeks, Salmons is more than an abbreviated fill-in. After Martin was injured against the Jazz, Salmons scored 13 straight points for the Kings, a positive omen for the month ahead. Kings' coach Reggie Theus knows that Salmons is reliable: "Five or six times in a row I went right to [Salmons] and he made something happen. You put him in the spots where he can play and he can usually make it happen." Francisco Garcia should also see a surge in value and is worth picking up, but Salmons is an immediate starter in a four-game Week 7; averages of 40 minutes, 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals are actually within Salmons' range for as long as he is starting.
sacramentokings.com
T.J. Ford: T.J. Ford has been coming off the Raptors' bench since he returned from an arm stinger that sidelined him for a total of five games. In Wednesday's loss to the Suns, however, he posted 27 points on 12-of-19 shooting in only 23 minutes of play, and coach Sam Mitchell has basically said that Ford can re-enter the starting lineup as soon as he feels ready. Jose Calderon has played brilliantly as a starter, but his value takes a definite hit with Ford's imminent reemergence. It is conceivable, given the Raptors' explosive offense, that both Ford and Calderon will both have serviceable value next week, but my money is on Ford to reclaim his starting gig and post superior numbers. Watch the Raptors' games on Friday and Sunday very closely, since they should give a more accurate picture of each point guard's role heading into a four-game Week 7.

Marko Jaric: Marko Jaric has never been very reliable as a fantasy option, but with Randy Foye's extended absence due to injury and Sebastian Telfair's proven mediocrity, the Timberwolves have turned to Jaric for point guard leadership. He has proved to be up to the task, averaging nearly 16 points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block in four games before missing two contests with an ankle injury. Jaric returned to the court on Thursday and flirted with a triple-double in 38 minutes – there is nothing to suggest that he won't resume starting over Telfair in the four-game Week 7 ahead. Jaric isn't likely to hold this type of value once Randy Foye returns, so start him this week and hope that he stays red-hot.

Travis Outlaw: I'm going out on a limb here, but Travis Outlaw has been earning more and more minutes in the Blazers' rotation and looks poised to have a productive four-game Week 7. He is averaging right around 30 minutes per game over his past six games, and has put up nearly 15 shot attempts per game over that stretch, averaging 17 points on efficient 49% shooting. Toss in 7+ rebounds, 1+ block and less than one turnover per game, and Outlaw is emerging as a worthwhile fantasy starter. His assist (1.3), free-throw (64%) and steal (.7) totals could be improved upon, and plenty of other players have four-game weeks, but once you've exhausted your stars and need a solid utility player to round out your lineup, consider Outlaw. Skeptical owners should at least consider stashing him on their benches until he proves his recent play isn't a fluke; he is probably still available in your league, but won't be for long if he builds on his recent play.
dallasmavericks.com
That will do it for this week's Bench/Start recommendations. As ever, your lineups are dependent upon your roster, so examine all your options and wait until Sunday's games have been played before committing to your Week 7 lineup. Any questions or comments are welcome, I'll do my best to respond quickly and help you win your league, one week at a time.

[Hache Man]

Wrong place, wrong time
Let's dive right in, as I'm a little pressed for time today. Here's a "quick hits" list of injuries that might help you set your lineup for the day/week and then I'll hit some highlights (or lowlights) from the weekend.

If I say to "start him," it doesn't necessarily mean he's a great fantasy play this week. It simply means that it sounds like he's safe to start for your team if you want to play him. www.houstonrockets.ws

LeBron James – finger – Says he's playing Tuesday. Start him.
Tim Duncan – knee – Has been targeting Tuesday all along, start him.
Andrea Bargnani – knee – Supposed to practice today, start him.
Stephon Marbury – personal - Out Monday, needs more time to grief, bench him.
Sam Cassell – calf – Still not ready to go, bench him.
Josh Childress – groin – Questionable for Monday, start at your own risk.
Jason Williams – ankle – Doubtful for Monday, bench him.
Rafer Alston – groin – Questionable for week, start at your own risk.
Peja Stojakovic – groin – Iffy for Wednesday, start at your own risk.
Morris Peterson – back – Iffy for Wednesday, start at your own risk.
Kurt Thomas – lip – Took three stitches, go ahead and start him.
Delonte West – foot – Hoping to play Tuesday, start him at your own risk.
Antoine Walker – ankle – Questionable, start him at your own risk.
Luke Walton – ankle – Says he'll play Thursday, start him.
Kwame Brown – knee – Missed 11 straight, bench him.
Randy Foye – knee – Exam today, hoping to play in next 10 days.
Keith Bogans – quad – Iffy for Monday, start him at your own risk.
Eddie Jones – ankle – May play this week, but it's too early. Bench him.
Darius Songaila – ankle – Could miss game or two, bench him.
David Harrison – back – Hoping to play Tuesday, start at your own risk.
Kevin Martin – groin – Return late January.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim – knee surgery – Done for the season.
Lou Williams – head – Expects to play Monday, start him.
Bobby Simmons – personal – Missed last two games, bench him.
Tyronn Lue – calf – To miss the next couple weeks.
Zaza Pachulia – concussion – Iffy for the week, start at your own risk.
dallasmavericks.com
Big Numbers

There were several big lines over the weekend…Here are the highlights.

Andrew Bynum had 20 points, 11 boards and five blocks on Sunday, Jason Kidd logged his 93rd triple-double and Mo Williams scored 33 points, grabbed six boards and added four steals and a four threes in his best game of the season on Sunday.

Dwyane Wade had 35 points and 10 assists, while Chris Bosh returned to action and had 21 points, 10 boards, two steals and four blocks after missing several games with a groin injury. Larry Hughes also returned to action on Saturday and had a nice game, going for 22 points after missing 11 straight with a leg injury.

Rajon Rondo had 18 points, seven boards and five assists on 9-of-13 shooting on Saturday.

Deron Williams scored 41 points and Josh Howard had 47 on Saturday, While Michael Redd scored 41 in Friday's game, the same night that Chris Paul exploded for 43. Steve Nash also had a season-high 19 assists on Friday.
utahjazz.com
Not So Big Numbers

There were also several terrible fantasy performers over the weekend…Here's a few that caught my eye.

T.J. Ford – three points, four assists. Still shaky from injury, I'm guessing.

Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry – These guys have just been awful lately…Zach's mad because he got benched in the second half of his last game, while Curry's mad the offense doesn't revolve around him any more. Good times at the Garden.

Juan Carlos Navarro has fallen off the face of the earth, or at least out of the Memphis rotation. He'll be back at some point, but you'll want to think about getting him on your bench.

Gerald Wallace was 1-of-3 for three points in a loss to the Pistons. Hopefully that was just a fluke.

Big Trade

I traded Kevin Garnett to get Kobe Bryant in my main league on Sunday, and also shipped out Jamario Moon for Mehmet Okur. I think the Moon for Okur was a no-brainer given my needs (threes), although Moon's numbers are better up to this point. As for the KG for Kobe trade, I was strong in blocks (thanks, Smoov) and boards and needed threes and points. And I was also growing tired of watching the C's open up 30-point leads and then watching my stud sit on the bench for the entire fourth quarter.

Big Gunfight

In case you missed it, Pacers' point guard Jamaal Tinsley got into a good, old-fashioned shoot out on the streets of downtown Indy early Sunday morning. Long story short, according to reports out of the Indy Star…He and his entourage were at a club (not far from where Stephen Jackson did some shooting a while back at a different venue) at 3 a.m. traveling in his Rolls, Benz and Charger. Some guys started hassling Tinsley about the vehicles and how much money he makes and then followed him and his crew downtown. Tinsley pulled into a hotel for safety when a pickup truck and another car pulled up alongside and opened fire with an assault rifle, LBC style.
indianapacers.com
Tinsley was in the passenger seat of the Rolls, which took hits to the windshield and driver's side window, while one of Tinsley's other cars was hit five times. It sounds like Tinsley stayed at the hotel with the Pacers' equipment manager, who was struck in both elbows (although the injuries weren't serious), while his brother took off after the gunmen. Apparently, they raced around the Monument Circle in the center of downtown (which is a road made of bricks, and the landmark you see on television when you watch a Colts game on a national broadcast) as the other Tinsley fired retaliation shots.

Tinsley says he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but this is at least the third time he's been in such a place in recent memory. Hopefully he's finally learned his lesson and will just party at his mansion next time. He missed practice on Sunday, but is expected to return on Monday and then play at Cleveland on Tuesday. Since he hasn't been charged with any wrong doing (yet), he's probably not even going to get a suspension. But I'm guessing the judge that allowed his trial to be pushed back so he could play in Cleveland on Tuesday isn't very happy.

[Hache Man]

Can You Feel the Man Love?

There are plenty of big story lines after Monday's games. LaMarcus Aldridge, who hasn't even played a game this week, has been shelved with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Tracy McGrady went down with a sprained ankle and Josh Smith outplayed Dwight Howard as the Hawks beat the Magic in Orlando.

The Aldridge news hit me pretty hard last night. He's one of the anchors on my 30-team roster, and with him in my lineup and out of action, I can go ahead and chalk up two losses this week. He's also in my lineup in another industry league, which I was winning until LeBron James went down last week. The thing that really hurts about Aldridge was that he didn't practice yesterday or travel with the team, yet there was no news out there about him until after 11 p.m. on the East Coast. Monday is lineup day in weekly leagues, so had there been a blogger at practice, disaster could have been avoided by many of us. The Oregonian does a nice job of getting news out as early as possible and broke the story on Aldridge last night, so my guess is that they got us the info as soon as they had it. But that doesn't lessen the sting.

McGrady's injury is a different story, as he at least got out there and played, scoring 12 points in 25 minutes. His injury doesn't sound like the end of the world, but it also doesn't sound good ("He wasn't moving very well"). I'm guessing he misses a game or two with it, but it's too early to tell how bad the injury is. In the meantime, Bonzi Wells exploded for 24 points and Luther Head had 18 and four threes in last night's loss to the Sixers. Of course, like you, I own Wells in some deep leagues and he's rotting away on the bench, where he should be. But with TMac iffy for the rest of the week, I sure wish he was in my lineup. www.houstonrockets.ws

Sam Cassell (calf) isn't likely to play this week, which shouldn't come as a surprise, so hopefully he's on your bench. Rasheed Wallace (leg), Baron Davis (personal) and Kenyon Martin (knee) all missed practice on Monday, but should be ready to go for their next games. If it were up to me, I wouldn't let any of them practice again this season. They are all getting heavy minutes and will probably be banged up the rest of the way.

Daniel Gibson missed Cavaliers' practice with a wisdom tooth issue and isn't likely to play tonight against the Pacers. Larry Hughes should start in his place, although there is some good news for Gibson owners this morning. Coach Mike Brown says he "enjoyed" having Hughes come off the bench in his last game and might leave Gibson in as the starting point guard. Gibson's stock has definitely taken a hit with Hughes' return, but I'm not sure his fantasy value is dead yet.

LeBron James says he's playing tonight, so let's just hope he doesn't aggravate his already tender finger. I'm a little nervous about that, as I'm sure he is. Chris Bosh made it through Monday's practice without any issues with his groin so it sounds like he's going to be fine, at least for now. Tim Duncan (knee) is a game-time decision and Tony Parker is dealing with a pair of gimpy ankles, but I'm guessing they both play at Golden State tonight.

Al Harrington is going to come off the bench and be completely useless on some nights for Don Nelson's Warriors, but he's also going to start and lead the team in scoring and rebounding occasionally. It's just the way it is and owners are going to have to get used to inconsistency from Harrington going forward. The toughest thing will be figuring out when to play him. You don't want to run him out there when he's cold, but if he's on your bench you'll miss his good games. He could end up having all his production while in your reserves and if you aren't ready for that kind of stress, it might be time to sell him for whatever you can get. His name certainly still has value, as do his overall numbers.


Last Night's Action

Stephon Marbury was out last night due to the death of his father. He clearly tried to return too soon and now it's unknown when he'll return. The booing in the Garden last night might have been at an all-time high, prompting Isiah Thomas to reportedly lecture the crowd behind the Knicks' bench, blaming them for the many of the Knicks' problems right now. "We're missing layups because you're booing," Thomas supposedly told them. And Isiah is clearly worried about the fragile psyches of Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry. Curry was booed more than even Isiah last night, which is hard to believe. Well, maybe not, as he was 3-of-13 in last night's loss to Dallas and has been in single digits in five of his last seven games. At least Zach Randolph bounced back last night with 24 and 11, while Fred Jones was solid in relief of Marbury with 16 points, five boards, four assists and two steals. Is it time to pick him up? Probably, but please don't ask me what to do with him after that. The score was closer than the game, as Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 36 in the win. Devin Harris was awful despite the absence of Marbury and the win, scoring three points and handing out four assists on 0-of-3 shooting.
dallasmavericks.com
Oh, and the Knicks settled with Anucha Browne Sanders for $11.5 million yesterday. You guys know I'm not a big Isiah fan, but regardless of who the president/coach has been for the last year and a half, it is truly amazing that he still has a job. Now the Knicks have basically paid Sanders to go away, which is what they should have done in the first place instead of dragging Isiah and Marbury through court with embarrassing details emerging about their behavior over the summer. I don't own a single Knick on any of my teams this year, and for that I am thankful. Then again, I might have to go and pick up Jones to see what happens.

Grant Hill, Amare Stoudamire, Raja Bell and Shawn Marion all scored 19 points for the Suns yesterday, but it wasn't enough as the Heat beat them in Phoenix. We finally had a Shaquille O'Neal sighting, as he went for 18 points and 11 boards, while Dwyane Wade stayed hot with 31 points. Dorell Wright had 16 points and 12 boards, posting his second double-double in three games. Pick him up and see what happens. Udonis Haslem had 21 points and 12 boards for his sixth double-double. He's cooled off after a hot start, but maybe he's on the verge of getting it going again.

Andre Miller's strong play continued with 17 points, 12 assists and three steals, while Willie Green had 20 points, six boards, four assists and a three on 8-of-15 shooting in a win over the Rockets. I played him this week in League Freak over Haslem. Reggie Evans had just one rebound and says he's playing through a sprained rotator cuff. Hopefully he can keep going, but some missed games could be in his future.

Josh Smith outplayed Dwight Howard last night, leading the Hawks to an impressive win in Orlando. The Hawks controlled this one from the start, as Smoov ended up with 25 points, 16 boards, five assists, four steals, four blocks and two threes. Wow. He hit just 7-of-20 shots but was 2-of-4 from downtown and 9-of-13 from the line. He was the player of the week in the East and might win the award again this week if he keeps this up. Anthony Johnson had 15 points, six boards, five assists and three steals and if you need a point guard, he's worth a flier. The Hawks are now 10-10 and I don't think Mike Woodson is ready to start Acie Law full time as long as AJ is producing and the team is winning. Al Horford was in foul trouble early and often while trying to stop Howard, but will bounce back in their next game. Hedo Turkoglu had 22 points, seven boards, five assists and three 3-pointers for Orlando and is the biggest reason that Rashard Lewis is not meeting expectations this season. Lewis had 15 points, but hit just 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. Howard finished with 14 points, 18 boards and two blocks, but took just seven shots, committed five more turnovers and hit 6-of-14 free throws. He's going to have a monster year for the Magic, but owners are going to have to live with the free throws and turnovers in the process.

John Salmons looks like the pickup of the year after another solid line last night. He had 22 points, five boards, a steal, two blocks and three 3-pointers as the Kings beat the Bucks. Francisco Garcia was nearly as nice with 15 points, four boards, three assists, three steals, a block and two 3-pointers.

[Hache Man]

Crisis Avoided!
Injuries, Pop and Nellie were all the rage on Tuesday night, as T.J. Ford suffered a possibly serious neck injury, Tim Duncan was held out by his coach despite being listed as "probable," and Don Nelson toyed with fantasy owners by switching up minutes and his rotation in a win over the Spurs.

Raptors Injuries

Ford was the victim of a flagrant foul from rookie Al Horford late in Tuesday's game and took a scary fall, landing hard on his back and banging his head on the floor. This probably wouldn't have been a big deal had it been any other player, but Ford missed the entire 2004-05 season with a spinal injury and recently suffered an apparently spine related "arm stinger." While the visual aspects of watching this were not as gruesome as Shaun Livingston's knee injury last year, I got the same kind of feeling in my stomach as Ford laid on the floor sobbing before he was placed on a stretcher and carried away. There is great news this morning though, as he's been released from an Atlanta hospital, is on his way back to Toronto and has been medically cleared. I still don't think he'll play against the Mavs tonight, but you never know. Horford didn't mean to hurt Ford, and simply misjudged his attempt to block a shot. The Hawks were down less than 10 with about a minute and a half left in the game, so he had every right to try to make a big defensive play, but many people are questioning why he went so hard after the ball. Horford went and visited him in the hospital last night and Ford was reportedly receptive to the visit.

Backup point guard Jose Calderon suffered a dislocated finger, Jamario Moon injured a calf and Jason Kapono left with a wrist injury. Kapono didn't return to the game, but Calderon and Moon played through their injuries.

Andrea Bargnani returned from a knee injury and missed all four of his shots, failing to score. Feel free to cut him if you own him, but don't be upset when he gets it going later this season. He has to get it going at some point, right? Carlos Delfino's hot run came to an end last night, but he and Anthony Parker might still have some value if Kapono, Ford and Bargnani remain gimpy.

Pop's Change of Heart

I swear I saw Tim Duncan in his warm-ups prior to last night's game, but was flipping between games and on "T.J. Ford watch" when they announced that he would not play. It took me a few minutes to figure it out, as guys like LeBron James and Rasheed Wallace also came off the bench last night, but it finally became apparent that Duncan was out. Gregg Popovich said Duncan was "probable" after Monday's practice. The timing was perfect for TD owners in weekly leagues, as the info broke in plenty of time to get him active. I answered emails and wrote in the live chat that Duncan was a safe play this week. Some time between the end of Monday's practice and the start of Tuesday's game, Pop pulled a complete 180, shelving Duncan and then adding insult to "injury" by calling him doubtful for Thursday and hopeful for Saturday. We can basically chalk up another lost week for Duncan after initial reports indicated he would miss just two games with his knee and ankle injuries. The good news is that he isn't seriously injured, but Pop's sudden change of direction is a tough pill for many of us to swallow. If Duncan was probable for Tuesday and didn't play, maybe he'll be in the starting lineup on Thursday after being deemed doubtful. Oh, and Matt Bonner went off for career highs of 25 points and 17 boards in his absence. The 17 boards are a season high for anyone on the Spurs. Go figure.

dallasmavericks.com

Warriors' Rant

Matt Barnes has two injured hands but was fantastic on Tuesday, while Monta Ellis reportedly left the game sometime in the second half with a thigh injury. Ellis wasn't playing anyway, as Don Nelson pulled him after just four minutes and a turnover and then had him back up Baron Davis. Kelenna Azubuike and Barnes were great last night, while Ellis, Al Harrington (who started at center) and Andris Biedrins (who came off the bench) all saw very limited action last night. It's tough to get mad at Nellie right now in real life, as the Warriors are winning and beat the Spurs last night, but from a fantasy perspective, this was just another chapter in the "Nellie Diaries." I'm too over it to even say much more here, but if you own any Warriors other than Baron and Stephen Jackson, you run the risk of having them fall out of the rotation without any notice. It's probably best to wait for Ellis and Harrington to have a couple big games and then move them. Barnes and Ellis are questionable tonight, but I'm guessing both will play.

Return of the King

It's hard to believe that the return of LeBron James is only good for fourth place on this list, but it was one of the least surprising developments of the night. He came off the bench for the first time in 333 games and played with a padded glove on his left hand, but looked good in limited action. Welcome back, LeBron.

The Round Up

Anderson Varejao returned for Cleveland and split minutes evenly with Drew Gooden. If you can still move Gooden for decent value, do it. Larry Hughes exploded for one of the best games of his career (36 points, five threes, three steals, two blocks) and has been great since his return, while Daniel Gibson sat out after having a wisdom tooth removed. Jason Kidd had another (ho hum) triple-double with 11-10-11, Josh Boone had 14 rebounds and has replaced Sean Williams in the Nets' rotation, and Timberwolves forward Craig Smith blew up for a career-high 36 points and added eight boards in another loss.

Rasheed Wallace came off the bench with "tired legs" and struggled, so owners have to hope he's OK. Jason Maxiell played well in the start, while Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton had two of their best games of the year in an easy win over the Grizzlies. Troy Murphy started at center for the Pacers as Jeff Foster sat with back spasms. Murphy has bounced from team to team this fantasy season, and will likely continue to do so. Kirk Hinrich appears to be officially back after a nice line last night, while Tyrus Thomas made his first appearance in three games with 20 minutes of garbage time in an easy win over the Sonics. Andres Nocioni played just 11 minutes, but I still haven't heard why. Don't bite on Thomas (yet) and I'm guessing Noce was just getting some rest in a blowout.

Martell Webster scored a season-high 26 points just as it looked like Travis Outlaw was going to steal his job. Outlaw still looks good though, so be patient. Jarrett Jack also had a great game off the bench as the Blazers somehow beat the Jazz in Utah for their fourth straight win. Joel Przybilla had 10 boards and five blocks, and could be a solid play while LaMarcus Aldridge is out. The Jazz have now lost four straight, as Andrei Kirilenko left with a nose injury and Mehmet Okur didn't finish the game due to a shoulder strain. Both players are expected to be in action tonight, although there's a chance they could sit. utahjazz.com

Tracy McGrady (ankle), Rafer Alston (groin), Eddie Jones (ankle) and Stephon Marbury (personal) are all questionable for Wednesday, but there's a chance all four could play tonight. Kendrick Perkins (toe) and Scot Pollard (back) are doubtful tonight, meaning Kevin Garnett will likely get his first start at center

[Hache Man]

Rush Hour

Heading into this season, we put Jamaal Tinsley on our list of 2007-08 Busts and Kareem Rush made it on our Sleepers list.

Uh, yeah…we were bang on there, weren't we? Tinsley has been absolutely lights out playing under new coach Jim O'Brien, while Rush has been sleeping so deeply, we'd have to say he's actually in a coma.

We were stoked about his possibilities this year because of his great outside touch: "Rush, who played in the Baltic League last year, has been signed by the Pacers to provide a threat from the perimeter. Although he played just two games in Summer League, he was among the best players there, showing an ability to light it up with 13 points in the first quarter alone one game. With just the underwhelming Mike Dunleavy and Maquis Daniels in front of him, Rush has a chance to carve out some serious PT in Indy, and the former Laker could really provide a nice fantasy surprise because of his 3-point shooting." indianapacers.com

Well, Kareem was obviously in no Rush to prove us right, but he finally came through Wednesday night, sinking 9-of-13 from the floor including 3-for-6 from downtown en route to 22 points as the Pacers recovered from a 16-point first-half deficit and pummeled the woeful Bulls. Rush poured in 16 points in the second half when Indy took over the game.

Those seeking help with 3-pointers need to pay attention if Rush has finally awoken from his season long slumber.

Tinsley, meanwhile, whether he's getting shot at or not, continues to find ways to make his shots fall. He drained 7-of-14 (including nailing at least two treys for the fifth straight game) last night for 18 points, while pitching in with eight assists, three steals and even a block. I'm still worried about the heavy minutes he's playing as to me he's the ultimate sell-high candidate, but so far, so good for the Pacer guard.

Jermaine O'Neal remains a huge part of the Pacer game as long as his knee holds up. Last night, he scored 16 points in the first half and 18 overall to go along with nine rebounds, four blocks and a steal. Those blocks represented a season high and have to be taken as a great sign for his owners, frustrated by the fact that J.O. is averaging a full block less per game than he did last season.

While we wonder how many owners will be in a huge Rush this morning to pick up Kareem and his three-pointers, let's check in on the rest of the NBA action from Wednesday night…

• Chipped tooth? Whatever. Nothing is stopping Steve Nash these days, as he racked up his sixth straight double-double last night to lead the Suns to another win despite having to deal with a Carlos Boozer elbow that sent part of one of his chicklets flying. He sunk three 3-pointers, pulled down six boards and pitched in with a steal, while sinking 10-of-12 shots for 29 points to go along with 11 assists. It was great to see Nash come through with a big shooting night, as even with his streak of DDs, he's been in a shooting slump over the past week, sinking just 13-of-36 from the floor in the past three games. utahjazz.com
• Tony Parker is dealing with not one, but two sore ankles, so he may not play tonight when the Spurs play the Lakers. Parker has really struggled with his shooting in the last three games, so the team may decide he could use some downtime to get back to full strength. Parker is a huge part of the Spurs' offense, leading the team in shots taken by a wide margin, so if he's out, it will allow Manu Ginobili a great opportunity to rebound after his offgame on Tuesday. Michael Finley will likely get more PT and way more touches than usual, as well.
• Despite his strong rebounding numbers this season, Shawn Marion's overall totals have slipped, but that may be changing. He had another stat-stuffing game last night, pouring in 26 points on 12-of-19 shooting with one 3-pointer, 15 rebounds and five blocks. It looks like the Matrix has rediscovered his scoring touch with 21 PPG over the past three and his outside game – down this year -- is also coming around with four treys in the past two. How about those blocks? Try 13 swats in the past three. Owners that took Marion with a mid first round pick this year are finally starting to earn some serious dividends.

sacramentokings.com
Injury Report

Tim Duncan (knee), scratched again on Tuesday, plans to try to talk his way into the lineup tonight, even though Coach Greg Popovich has called him "doubtful." Don't be surprised to see the Big Fundamental, out the past three games, back in action Thursday.

Tip-ins: After scoring another 30 points with 12 assists last night, Chris Paul is up to 29.8 PPG in December…Starting beside him in the Hornet backcourt for the injured Morris Peterson on Wednesday was Jannero Pargo. Many thought Bobby Jackson would get the assignment, but it was Pargo, and although he struggled with his shot, he has proved he can score in the past, so could have some nice value while MoPete's back heals…Michael Redd, whose PT is down slightly this year, came through with a rare all-around effort. With 27 points and 10 boards, he enjoyed his first double-double of the year, but with nine assists thrown in for good measure, Redd just missed out on the first triple-double of his career…Rashard Lewis is on a serious rampage from beyond the arc lately, canning a half dozen treys Wednesday, which gives him 14 for his past three. Lewis scored 20 points last night to go along with three assists, two steals and a block. The steals were nice to see, as Lewis' numbers have slipped in that category this year…T-Mac's ankle is assumedly okay after he played through a sprain yet still put up 29 points, six assists and two steals. He nailed three from downtown…T.J. Ford (neck, back) plans to take around a week off to recover from his ails after his scary fall on Tuesday. This kid is so unbelievably talented, but man, he has taken a beating in his career. Still, it was great to see him come back and sit on the bench last night, just to try to show his teammates that he was okay…Mehmet Okur was out of action last night with a sore shoulder. It's just as well, as he's really been struggling of late. Maybe some down time is just what he needs as Okur seeks to find his scoring touch again. Paul Millsap got the start for Okur and he came through big time, scoring 20 points with 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. If Okur's continues to struggle offensively when he returns, this situation could bear watching…With Jeff Foster (back) out day-to-day, Troy Murphy has a chance to pick up the slack. He did so on Tuesday with a double-double, but didn't get a chance last night, getting ejected after mixing it up with Tyrus Thomas…Despite his big-time scoring since returning, Larry Hughes, for the time being, will come off the bench and play the two-guard spot. Pick him up quick – he's on a roll, and if he's not being asked to play PG, it's good news for his ability to score points…Martell Webster is still starting for the Blazers, but for how long? He explodes for a season-high 25 and then manages just two points in nine minutes last night. To be fair, he had the flu, and had to leave early. Webster is still very young and is definitely improving as he becomes a bigger part of the team's offense, but Portland has options. Travis Outlaw has been playing brilliantly lately, scoring at least 20 in four of the past five games. How do you keep this guy on the bench? Hell, even James Jones came through with 21 last night, and he's been pumping in plenty of points off the bench, too….With Starbury still out of action, Jamal Crawford is picking up the slack, hitting a trio of treys last night on his way to 29 points, while dishing six dimes. Crawford has struggled from beyond the arc, so last night's 3-for-6 shooting from downtown was a nice boost for his owners…What's up with the Mavs? They dropped to 14-9 after getting whipped by the Raps last night – the first time Dallas has lost to Toronto in eight games, stretching back over four years. Scoring hasn't been a problem for this team, but last night Dallas was held to a season-low 76 points. Struggling Devin Harris (stomach flu) missed the game, and now Josh Howard could be out, having to leave early Wednesday after getting poked in the eye. Dirk Nowitzki? Well, we thought he was getting untracked after draining a season-best 36 points last game, but last night he sunk just 6-of-15 for 13 points. He's especially struggled from beyond the arc this season. The Mavs are one of the better shooting teams in the NBA, but they sure didn't show it last night, missing their first seven shots en route to an awful 38.5 percent night from the floor. dallasmavericks.com

[Hache Man]

'Tis the Season
Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Tracy McGrady are back in action, and Tim Duncan, T.J. Ford, Peja Stojakovic and Stephon Marbury are all expected back soon. As Christmas approaches, one thing that all fantasy owners want is a healthy lineup. It's sometime avoidable, but never fair when injuries dictate how your team ultimately performs.



Game Totals in Week 8:
Four games: CHI, CLE, GS, HOU, IND, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIN, NY, ORL, TOR, UTA
Three games: ATL, BOS, CHA, DAL, DEN, DET, LAC, MIL, NO, PHI, PHO, POR, SA, SAC, WAS
Two games SEA

Keep An Eye On:
(statistics exclusively from November 29 – December 11)
Jose Calderon, TOR 7 G, 10.6 PPG, 7.9 APG, 60% FG
Carlos Delfino, TOR 7 G, 13.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 18 3-pointers
Bonzi Wells, HOU 6 G, 14.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG
John Salmons, SAC 5 G, 18.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Travis Outlaw, POR 6 G, 16.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG

Sebastian Telfair, MIN 6 G, 13.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
Willie Green, PHI 7 G, 15.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Reggie Evans, PHI 7 G, 8.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG
Anthony Johnson, ATL 7 G, 5.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.3 SPG
Craig Smith, MIN 6 G, 16.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 63% FG

Dorell Wright, MIA 5 G, 10.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.0 APG
Kurt Thomas, SEA 6 G, 6.8 PPG, 10 RPG
Fred Jones, NY 7 G, 9.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.6 APG
Nick Collison, SEA 4 G, 9.8 PPG, 10.5 RPG
Chris Duhon, CHI 7.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.7 APG

Interesting Matchups:
Monday, Dec. 17 - New Orleans @ Portland: Monday features a battle between the last two Rookie of the Year winners, as Brandon Roy takes on Chris Paul. Roy is averaging 17.8 PPG and 5.1 APG, while CP3 is breaking out for 21.0 PPG and 9.8 APG.

Wednesday, Dec. 19 - Detroit @ Boston: The Celtics will be tested this week with three tough Eastern Conference foes. The Pistons (15-7) have a nice four-game lead in the Central, while the C's have lengthened their lead in the Atlantic to 6.5 games.

Wednesday, Dec. 19 - Orlando @ Houston: This coming hump-day presents a faceoff between to of the best big men in the game. Dwight Howard, who has been the best surprise early on, will take on 7'6" Yao Ming as the Magic try to bring their road dominance to Houston.

Thursday, Dec. 20 - L.A. Lakers @ Cleveland This is what people want to see… Kobe vs LeBron in primetime on Thursday. Both have been continuously compared to Michael Jordan as the league's new ambassador. Last season, Cleveland went 2-0 as James averaged 28 PPG and Bryant scored 25 PPG. In the TNT night game, TMac and the Rockets take on Carmelo and the Nuggets.

Sunday, Dec. 23 - Orlando @ Boston: This game features the top-two teams in the East. The Celtics have jumped out to an immaculate 11-0 record at home, while the Magic have gone a league-best 11-3 away from the Magic Kingdom.

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks UTA, MIA, @was
Speedy Claxton (knee) – out indefinitely
Tyronn Lue (calf) – return late December
Zaza Pachulia (head) – day-to-day

Boston Celtics DET, CHI, ORL
Kendrick Perkins (toe) – day-to-day
With Perkins sidelined, Glen Davis got his first pro start Wednesday and came through with a monster line of 16 points and nine boards thanks to his blue collar hustle and brute strength. In fact, he could be a better fantasy alternative than Perkins going forward.

Charlotte Bobcats UTA, NY, @mil
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season

Chicago Bulls LAL, @was, @bos, HOU
After coach Scott Skiles threatened to bench Kirk Hinrich for his horrid play, the starting point guard has finally turned it around. He's averaging 14 PPG and 7.3 APG in his past four contests and has apparently kept his job safe from emerging Chris Duhon – for the time being at least. Hinrich's overall numbers remain significantly down still though. We'll see if he can turn it around.

Cleveland Cavaliers MIL, @ny, LAL, GS
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely
Daniel Gibson (mouth) – day-to-day

Dallas Mavericks ORL, PHO, LAC
Josh Howard (eye) – day-to-day
Devin Harris (stomach) – day-to-day
dallasmavericks.com
Denver Nuggets HOU, @por, @sac
Chucky Atkins (groin) – return early January
Nene Hilario (thumb) – return early January

Detroit Pistons @bos, MEM, HOU
Rodney Stuckey (hand) – return early December
Antonio McDyess left Wednesday's game with a sprained ankle and is day-to-day on the injury report now because of it. In his place, Jason Maxiell is salivating for an opportunity to shine. He's averaging career-bests of 9.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 1.5 BPG this year.

Golden St. Warriors @mem, @min, @nj, @cle
Monta Ellis (thigh) – day-to-day

Houston Rockets ORL, @den, @chi, @det
Tracy McGrady was able to bounce back Wednesday night after leaving the prior contest with an ankle sprain. He exploded for 29 points with six assists and good shooting, so the injury appears to be nothing serious. He'll return to Orlando for a contest next week, then host the Nuggets, Bulls and Pistons in Houston.

Indiana Pacers @ny, PHI, @min, WAS
Jeff Foster (back) – day-to-day
Ike Diogu (calf) – return early January
indianapacers.com

L.A. Clippers TOR, @dal, @sa
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Sam Cassell (calf) – day-to-day
Quinton Ross (back) – day-to-day
With Cassell sidelined for another week at least likely, Dan Dickau finally picked up his game Wednesday night to make up for some of the missing production. Dickau hit 5-of-7 shots for 16 points and five assists and should have some value in larger leagues.

L.A. Lakers @chi, @cle, @phi, @ny
Luke Walton (ankle) – day-to-day
Kwame Brown (knee) – day-to-day

Memphis Grizzlies GS, SA, @det, PHI
Mike Conley (shoulder) – return mid-December

Miami Heat MIN, @atl, NJ, UTA
Jason Williams (ankle) – day-to-day
Smush Parker (personal) – day-to-day

Milwaukee Bucks @cle, SAC, CHA
Bobby Simmons returned from a three-game layoff due to personal reasons on Wednesday, but was held to just two points on 0-for-3 shooting. Desmond Mason continues to get more playing time than Simmons, and is outscoring and out-rebounding Simmons. He's capable of posting around 14 PPG and 7 RPG when he sees ample playing time so he's worth holding on to for some decent numbers in the second half.

Minnesota Timberwolves @mia, GS, IND, @no
Randy Foye (knee) – out indefinitely
Craig Smith came back down to earth Wednesday after an impressive stretch. He exploded for 36 points the prior game on 14-for-22 shooting, and averaged 21.3 PPG over a four-game span, giving his team a much need punch. He's still available in many leagues so consider taking a flyer on the second-year player.

NOK Hornets @por, @sea, MIN
Peja Stojakovic (groin) – day-to-day
Morris Peterson (back) – day-to-day
With the Hornets minus two of their small forwards, Rasual Butler has been getting more playing time lately. He came through with 18 points, five boards and four 3-pointers Wednesday, and should continue to have decent value until Peja and/or MoPete return to action.

New Jersey Nets SAC, @mia, GS
Marcus Williams (foot) – return in December

New York Knicks IND, CLE, @cha, LAL
Stephon Marbury (personal) – day-to-day
Quentin Richardson (knee) – day-to-day
Steph missed Wednesday's game due to the death of his father and could sit out the Knicks next two contests as well. That means Fred Jones will likely get a couple more starts in his absence (vs Chicago and New Jersey). Nate Robinson is also seeing more court time lately, averaging 14 PPG in the past three games.

Orlando Magic @dal, @hou, UTA, @bos
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season

Philadelphia 76ers @ind, LAL, @mem
Rodney Carney (flu) – day-to-day
The much-improved Lou Williams is plagued by a broken toe currently, and will likely see a decrease in his lofty numbers for the immediate future while he recovers. After sitting out a contest with the injury, the third-year veteran returned with a 1-for-8 shooting performance.

Phoenix Suns @sa, @dal, TOR

Portland Trailblazers NO, TOR, DEN
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain
LaMarcus Aldridge (foot) – return mid-December

Sacramento Kings @nj, @mil, DEN
Mike Bibby (thumb) – targeting late January return
Kevin Martin (groin) – return late January
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
The Kings lost Abdur-Rahim for the remainder of the season after he played just six games. He underwent arthroscopic surgery Friday to remove bone spurs and joint lining from his right knee. His absence will give Brad Miller and Mikki Moore consistent playing time from here on out.
sacramentokings.com
San Antonio Spurs PHO, @mem, LAC
Tim Duncan (knee) – day-to-day
Tony Parker (ankles) – day-to-day

Seattle Sonics NO, TOR
Delonte West (foot) – day-to-day
Robert Swift (knee) – return early January
After a very disappointing start to the season, Luke Ridnour put together his best game of the season Wednesday against New York, scoring a dozen points on 5-for-5 FG and handing out three assists in 17 minutes of action. He's been dealing with quadriceps and nose injuries, but is apparently finally getting back to health. With Earl Watson and Delonte West also vying for minutes, somebody is going to see a major drop of value in Ridnour's return.

Toronto Raptors @lac, @por, @sea, @pho
T.J. Ford (back) – out indefinitely
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely
Ford got away with a little scare Tuesday night with his hard fall from a collision with rookie Al Horford. He checked in to the hospital, was evaluated and released later that night. He's also already been cleared to return to action, but will likely sit for another week before he tries to come back. Jose Calderon has great value in Ford's absence during the meantime – he's a double-double threat every game … Keep an eye on Kris Humphries as well – he's averaging 11 PPG and 7 RPG during six contests in December with the team short-handed with injuries.

Utah Jazz @atl, @cha, @orl, @mia
Mehmet Okur (shoulder) – day-to-day
It the last 13 years, there has only been six 5x5 games (five+ points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks), and Andrei Kirilenko has three of them. His numbers are up across the board this season after an off-year.
utahjazz.com
Washington Wizards CHI, ATL, @ind
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee) – return late February
Darius Songaila (ankle) – day-to-day

[Hache Man]

NY Zone a Result of the Sieve
Due to a minor family emergency (things are better now, thanks for asking), the Dose is very late today. My apologies. I'm going to change the format up today and try a team-by-team rundown like I used to do – Simply because it's the easiest way for me to crank this out. I'm going to try to hit just bullet points in an effort to have the whole thing included in the version that is emailed out to some of you. If you haven't signed up to have the Dose emailed to you and want to, it's as simple as clicking a button when you're signed in to the site.

Hawks – Al Horford is suspended for tonight's game at Detroit for his flagrant foul on T.J. Ford. Zaza Pachulia might get a start, if he plays through a head injury.

Celtics – Kendrick Perkins will play through his toe injury, while Scot Pollard is out with a back injury against the Bucks.

Bobcats - Primoz Brezec is back in the starting lineup and most of the guys who are supposed to play well are playing well right now, except for slumping Jason Richardson.

Cavaliers - Daniel Gibson is questionable with swelling in his mouth, LeBron James will continue to play through his finger injury and Larry Hughes appears to be destined for a bench role, but is on fire right now. The Cavs are at Jersey tonight.

Bulls - The suddenly hot Bulls will face Eddy Curry, the Knicks and a newly installed zone defense for New York tonight. No injuries to speak of, although Tyrus Thomas has been suspended for his altercation with Troy Murphy on Wednesday.

Mavericks - Josh Howard will play through a minor eye injury while Devin Harris is iffy with the flu. Eddie Jones is back and should start eventually, but looked sluggish on Wednesday. dallasmavericks.com

Nuggets - PG Anthony Carter is playing well and there is no injury news coming out of Denver right now. Eduardo Najera returned to action in his last game.

Pistons - It sounds like Antonio McDyess (ankle) should play tonight, meaning Jason Maxiell will come off the bench.

Warriors - Monta Ellis (thigh) is a game-time decision and you can pretty much call anyone on the team outside of Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson a game-time decision for fantasy owners, as there's no way to know who Nellie will be starting. I haven't seen anything about Matt Barnes being out with his hand injuries, and just picked him up in one league for his four-game upcoming week.

Rockets - Luther Head is in the rotation, Steve Francis has dropped out of it (and missed yesterday's practice with a sore knee) and Mike James is now behind Head on the depth chart. Chuck Hayes is locked in as a starter, but has no fantasy value.

Pacers - Jeff Foster remains iffy with a sore back, meaning more minutes for Troy Murphy. If you can figure out when to play Murphy and when to bench him, you're smarter than I am. indianapacers.com

Clippers - The Clips waived Ruben Patterson yesterday, Sam Cassell remains out with a calf injury and Dan Dickau is a guy you'll want to keep an eye on in the meantime.



Lakers - Andrew Bynum was ejected for arguing last night, but left in a timely manner and shouldn't face a suspension (in my opinion). Derek Fisher suffered a knee injury but says he's fine and Kobe Bryant played through a shoulder and apparent injury to his ribcage. They face the Warriors tonight, which should be fun.

Grizzlies - Hakim Warrick is suddenly being thrust into the rotation and is in front of Stromile Swift on the depth chart now. If you are one of those owners desperate enough to grab Matt Bonner after Wednesday's explosion, Warrick is a guy who could actually help your fantasy team. Mike Conley is close to a return to action, while I still can't figure out what Marc Iavaroni is doing with Juan Carlos Navarro. Pau Gasol is iffy with a toe injury tonight, so keep your fingers crossed if you own him.

Heat - Jason Williams started for the Heat last night, but was useless. I wouldn't drop him for Chris Quinn, but he can certainly be dropped if you need to pick up a hot free agent. Dorell Wright started and got just 11 minutes last night, so who knows what Pat Riley and the Heat are going to do from game to game?

Bucks - No news here, except that Yi Jianlian might get enough write-in votes to be named an All-Star starter, which I'm guessing would be a first.

Timberwolves - Craig Smith cooled off in his last one but is still a nice pickup – Or at least should be. Theo Ratliff will have exploratory knee surgery so forget about him for a while.

Nets - Marcus Williams is close to returning from a broken foot, which will give the Nets some backup at point guard. The Nets host the Cavs tonight.

Hornets - Peja Stojakovic (groin) and Morris Peterson (back) are day-to-day with their injuries, while Melvin Ely suffered a fractured eye socket in his last game and is out tonight. Keep your eye on Jannero Pargo, who started for Peterson in his last game. If he gets another start or two, he could steal the job.

Knicks - The Knicks are in Chicago tonight where they'll break out a new zone defense to try to provide a stop gap for the defensive sieve that is Eddy Curry. Quentin Richardson might be out with a knee injury and Stephon Marbury is still on bereavement leave after the death of his father. There's still no word on when he'll play again, and I have some thoughts on his absence. However, I'm just going to keep them to myself for now. And speaking of the Knicks, what kind of dirt must Isiah have on James Dolan in order to still have a job?

Magic - Carlos Arroyo is out tonight with a foot injury. Jameer Nelson had better play well, as there is chatter about a lineup change. Keith Bogans, who has cooled off, could also be in jeopardy. Rashard Lewis will play through a stiff neck, saying "I can't let my boys down." Solid.

76ers - Rodney Carney is iffy with the flu and Samuel Dalembert was a beast in his last game with nine blocks. Here's to hoping he stays hot.

Suns - Steve Nash is feeling better, but is still dealing with shoulder, neck and back issues, in addition to the loss of most of one of his front teeth. Leandro Barbosa is being encouraged to keep shooting despite his recent inconsistency.

Blazers - LaMarcus Aldridge remains out with plantar fasciitis but said yesterday he hopes to play Monday. Martell Webster left Wednesday's game with the flu, allowing Travis Outlaw to have a big game. Webster is questionable. Watch the position battle closely over the weekend. And in case you missed it, Joel Przybilla has been fantastic since Aldridge went down.

Kings - The Kings are at Philly tonight with no new injuries to report. Hopefully for my sake, John Salmons gets it going tonight. sacramentokings.com

Spurs - Tony Parker (ankle) is out for Saturday and could miss multiple games, while it sounds like Tim Duncan (knee) should play. Both sat out Friday's loss to the Lakers.

Sonics - Delonte West has missed five straight games, Luke Ridnour is a guy to keep and eye on and Kevin Durant appears to be getting better by the week.

Raptors - T.J. Ford is out for the week but the rest of the Raptors are fighting through their injuries, including Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon, Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono and Andrea Bargnani.

Jazz - Mehmet Okur is questionable for Friday against the Blazers and I'm guessing Paul Millsap gets the start. The Jazz have somehow managed to lose five straight games, one of which was to the Blazers in Utah! utahjazz.com

Wizards - DeShawn Stevenson led the Wizards in scoring last night, but don't get too excited. I bet he doesn't do it again for a month. Washington is one of six teams off tonight.

[Hache Man]

Week 8: Captain Kirk's Revenge
Week 8 in the NBA has only one team with a two-game schedule, the Seattle Supersonics. Other than that we're looking at another even week, as 16 teams play three times and 13 teams play four times. Injuries are dominating the landscape this week; a brief list of injured players includes Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Monta Ellis, Peja Stojakovic, and LaMarcus Aldridge, while many others are nursing nicks and bruises. Once again, many owners are being forced to dig deep into their benches for production: that's where Bench/Start can help. Read on for some specific advice, and feel free to contact me with any lineup questions you have for the week, or weeks, ahead.

TWO games: Supersonics

THREE games: Hawks, Celtics, Bobcats, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Clippers, Bucks, Nets, Hornets, 76ers, Suns, Trailblazers, Spurs, Kings, Wizards

FOUR games: Bulls, Cavaliers, Warriors, Rockets, Pacers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Heat, Timberwolves, Knicks, Magic, Raptors, Jazz

BENCH

The Sonics: The Sonics are the only team with two games scheduled for Week 8, and are therefore at a major disadvantage in weekly-lineup leagues. Kevin Durant is full of pluses and minuses: he averages a solid 20 points per game, but does so on 40% shooting. He averages over a steal and a block per game, but has 3.3 turnovers to match. Chris Wilcox is averaging 14 points and seven rebounds, but those numbers multiplied by two aren't too imposing. The Sonics' point guards (Luke Ridnour, Earl Watson, and Delonte West, who is out with plantar fasciitis) are too unreliable to use even in a four-game week, and their best wingman so far has probably been Damien Wilkins, who suddenly hasn't scored double-digit points in four games. None of the Sonics' players are spectacular enough to deserve a spot on your fantasy roster, so keep them benched until they have a more favorable slate of games.

Tony Parker: Hopefully owners of Tim Duncan took last week's "perhaps overly cautious" advice (which it was) and benched Tim Duncan. If you gambled on him, then Gregg Popovich's 'better safe than sorry' approach to injuries has already burned you once. Those of you who own Tony Parker have received an object lesson and should bench him in the Spurs' three game Week 8. Parker missed Thursday's game with a lingering ankle sprain originally suffered on November 28th, and both he and Popovich have said that he needs to rest longer and will miss at least one or two more games.

The Spurs play on Saturday, which means that in an ideal world Parker will rebound from his nagging injury and play three effective games next week. However, caution forces me to assume that he will be out longer than one game, and when he does return, especially if it is early next week, the Spurs could protect him by limiting his minutes. On top of all that there is the possibility that the injury will still hamper his effectiveness (as seen in his 19-of-50 shooting in three games prior to sitting out). The bottom line is that in a three-game week, Parker should only be started by owners with enormous, umm, bravery.

Ben Wallace: Big Ben is back on the bench. This is his third appearance in Bench/Start, because—and this is always a bad sign—his value fluctuates so often. In July of 2006, the Chicago Bulls invested $60 million into an aging center who has always been an offensive liability, and you know they've been feeling some buyer's remorse. This year, Wallace has scored double-digit points only two times (both 10-points efforts) while averaging a career-low 34.2% from the field. More disturbing is his 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game—both his lowest averages in eight years.

The numbers are partially due to fluctuating minutes, as Chicago searches for any lineup that can win games. Wallace has sat out entire fourth quarters, and 25 minutes played are just as likely as 42 minutes. He has the ever-improving Joakim Noah breathing down his neck and he's already battling back pain, which has forced him out of two practices but no games. The Bulls play the Knicks on Friday and Wallace could easily dominate the Knicks' soft, sagging front-court, but don't expect him to consistently post good numbers. In a four-game Week 8, Ben Wallace can be started in a pinch but has too much going against him to be a starter until he's producing on a regular basis.

Cuttino Mobley: This is obvious, as the Clippers play three times next week and Mobley has been terrible lately. He has shot better than 45% only one time in his past 15 games, and hasn't grabbed more than four rebounds in a game during that stretch. He started out the season ridiculously hot and looked poised to produce strong offensive numbers with Elton Brand out of the lineup, but has been a different player since elbow bursitis and a groin injury sidelined him for three games. The injuries are still lingering, and although Mobley could still surface as a strong fantasy player at some point, he is unplayable right now. You probably knew this, I just needed to vent about how bad he's been lately. www.houstonrockets.ws

Francisco Garcia: Garcia was thrust back into fantasy lineups after Kevin Martin suffered a groin strain (likely to sideline him for the next 4-6 weeks), but he is a borderline starter at best in a three-game week. Garcia's value was at its highest while Ron Artest was suspended to begin the season, but he won't put up the same numbers he did then while Kevin Martin is sidelined. The reason is Beno Udrih, who didn't play until the fifth game of the season but has since established himself (at least until Mike Bibby gets back) as the Kings' starting point guard, a position John Salmons had been occupying with Bibby out. Garcia is now reduced to stealing whatever minutes he can from starters Artest and Salmons, and while it might be enough for him to help your team, I recommend benching him if you have other options. The Kings play three games in the next four weeks, including next week, so his owners will be facing the same tough decision for at least that long. sacramentokings.com



START

Andrew Bynum: Bynum has been playing well enough this season that most fantasy owners probably have him locked in as their number two center. If some owners are on the fence about the talented 20-year old, I think you should start him in a four-game Week 8, sans Kwame Brown. Yes, Kwame is still sidelined by his sprained left knee and ankle that has kept him out of a dozen straight games. However, he is nearing a return and could even be back sometime next week. His return shouldn't eliminate Bynum's fantasy efficacy, but it certainly won't help, so play Bynum while you still can. He is averaging nearly 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game in only 25 minutes, so he can't sustain much of a decrease in playing time and still warrant starting for your team.

The good news, at least for Bynum's owners, is that Kwame will probably see limited minutes when he first returns. Eventually, though, as he regains his strength and conditioning, he is sure to stifle Bynum's value. Fantasy owners might consider starting Bynum in a nice four-game Week 8 and then trading him away before his value takes a hit. Of course, we'll have to see Kwame stay healthy for longer than two games for that to happen, so I can't blame you if you're skeptical. Run Bynum out there this week, then make your own informed decision about his future prospects.

Craig Smith: I almost shied away from recommending Smith as a starter, but he's been playing very well lately (averaging 18.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in his last five games) and looks poised to have some long-term value. Theo Ratliff is set to undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery to determine the cause of mysterious soreness in his knee, so we can safely rule out his return before the All-Star break. This forces Al Jefferson to play as the Timberwolves' center and leaves the power forward slot up for grabs. Craig Smith erupted for 36 points last Tuesday, but did it in the absence of both Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner. In Walker's first game back with the Wolves, Smith's numbers dwindled down to eight points and two rebounds in 28 minutes, which may or may not be a sign of things to come.

The Wolves play on both Friday and Saturday, so you'll have a few more opportunities to observe whether Smith is going to play enough minutes to warrant starting for your team. If he plays well, you should run him out there while Greg Buckner is still sidelined by a calf strain. Best yet, the Timberwolves play four games next week, which makes starting Smith even less of a gamble.

Kirk Hinrich: Captain Kirk is now firmly in command of the bridge. Oh wait, I got this mixed up with my weekly column for the official Star Trek fan-club. Kirk Hinrich is now firmly in command of the Bulls' starting point guard job. Briefly threatened by backup Chris Duhon, Hinrich responded with some of his best games of the season, averaging 12 points on 48% shooting, four rebounds, seven assists, and 1.5 steals over his last four contests. The Bulls play four times next week, and although many owners are still stinging from Hinrich's miserable play this year, I can happily recommend him as a starter in Week 8.

Andre Miller: I try to discuss players who might present difficulties for their owners, and occasionally I do get burned (see: Monta Ellis in Week 6). The 76ers play only three games next week, but Miller has played incredibly well lately, averaging 14.6 points on 45% shooting, 3.4 rebounds, 10.6 assists, and 1.8 steals over the 76ers last five games. Other than being vaguely referred to as a tradable commodity, Miller has nothing threatening his stranglehold on the Sixers' starting point guard job. Lou Williams looked poised to break out a few weeks ago, but limited minutes and a toe injury have dampened his prospects. Miller is shaping up to be a stable fantasy option, even in three-game weeks.

That does it for this week's Bench/Start recommendations. Unfortunately time and space dictate how many players and situations I can touch upon in a given week, but send me an email about any questions specific to your lineup. As always, have fun during the week ahead, in fantasy and reality.

[Hache Man]

Better in reality than fantasy
Monday brings with it an eight-game slate with a few intriguing story lines. The Pacers are at New York for the probable return of Stephon Marbury, Dwight Howard and the Magic take on Dirk and the Mavs in Dallas, the Warriors will try to bounce back from an embarrassing blowout in Detroit on Sunday, while the Blazers will go for their eighth straight win as they host the Hornets.

Sunday featured four NBA games and here's what you missed if you were busy watching the Giants' D getting abused, Jessica Simpson jinxing Tony Romo, or Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker losing championships for their owners. Speaking of which, did you see Brian Westbrook take a knee at the goal line yesterday? I am really curious as to how many fantasy owners lost or won their playoff game by a few points because of his unselfish act. All I can say is that I'm glad I didn't have Westbrook going yesterday, as I'm not sure I could have handled watching him shut it down on a gimme TD that would have put the Eagles up by two scores with less than two minutes to play.

Don't look now, but the Blazers have somehow won seven straight games and three in a row on the road after taking out the Nuggets in Denver last night. LaMarcus Aldridge was out for the Blazers all week, but they got strong performances from Joel Przybilla, Travis Outlaw, Brandon Roy and James Jones. They've got a real shot at getting to eight in a row as the Hornets come calling. Roy was money last night, going for 26 points, six boards, a season-high 11 dimes and a steal on 11-of-27 shooting, while Channing Frye had his best game of the season. Frye got hot early and hit 10-of-13 shots for 20 points, nine boards and a block. He should get one more start (at least), as Aldridge sounds very doubtful for tonight. I tried to get Aldridge on the bench in several leagues, but I just didn't have better options. He wants to play, but it sounds like Nate McMillan is going to sit him for at least one more game.

Jones hit 4-of-6 shots and three 3-pointers to finish with 14 points and seven boards. Jones didn't make it into this week's Waiver Wired column, but there's no doubt he's a hot pickup right now. He's scored in double figures in six of his last eight games and has racked up 20 3-pointers over that stretch. In fact, I'm going to have to go pick him up myself. Travis Outlaw continues to live up to the hype and had 17 points, five boards, two assists, two steals and a block last night. Nice. The Nuggets were led by Allen Iverson's 38 points and six dimes, while Marcus Camby had one of the strangest lines of his career. Four points, seven rebounds, nine assists, two blocks in 34 minutes. I didn't have the time to find out when the last time assists was his highest category when he played at least 30 minutes, but I'm guessing it hasn't happened often.
utahjazz.com
The Lakers beat the Clippers behind 32 points from Kobe Bryant. Kobe could have won me a fantasy game with two more free throws, but he sat out the last few minutes of the game with the Lakers up big. Andrew Bynum wrapped up a monstrous week with 14 points, nine boards and six blocks and is really looking like a beast. He's officially a must-start, at least for now. Sasha Vujacic had 14 points, all of which came in the fourth quarter. If you're thinking about picking him up, make sure Jones isn't available first.
sacramentokings.com
The Clippers were without Tim Thomas last night due to a sprained ankle. He's day-to-day and Paul Davis got the start in his place, finishing with 10 points and five boards. Al Thornton came off the bench for eight points and two boards, which was disappointing. If you picked him up, don't expect early returns, but look for him to offer more value in the second half of the season. I don't see Davis having any value. Chris Kaman has become a machine and he went off again last night, finishing with 18 points, 16 boards and four more blocks. Crazy. Dan Dickau had 10 points and five dimes, Corey Maggette scored 27 and their newest acquisition, Richie Frahm, added five points in 23 minutes. Cuttino Mobley is still hurting and played just 22 minutes last night. I'd make sure he's on your bench until he looks healthy again. And while I don't recommend Frahm, I did pick him up in my 30-team league.
indianapacers.com
The Warriors were blasted by the Pistons in Detroit on the opening of their East Coast road trip. They weren't ready for the blizzard-like conditions or the early start time and Don Nelson cashed in his chips early. "That's the way it goes sometimes -- we pulled the plug early on this one," Nelson said. "We've got a game tomorrow, and sometimes you have to think beyond just one game. We played the bench and we got a loss, but we were going to get that anyway." That is somewhat reassuring for the owners of Baron Davis, who suffered through a two-point, one-assist game on 1-of-8 shooting in 23 minutes (which, combined with LaMarcus Aldridge, led to another 0-2 week for me in the 30-team league). Kelenna Azubuike was useless as well, failing to score in seven minutes of action. Matt Barnes led them in scoring with 15 after racking up just two points in his last game. I actually picked Barnes up last week and am toying with the idea of starting him this week – Which does not make me feel very good. However, he's scored at least 15 in three of his last four. The Warriors are in Memphis tonight.
www.houstonrockets.ws
The Pistons were led by Tayshaun Prince's 23 points, but Rasheed Wallace had just six points and six boards on 3-of-10 shooting. He didn't have a three, but did record a couple blocks. I'm not sure what his problem is, but Sheed has been in single digits in four of his last five games. He's surely frustrating you if you own him, but you have to think he'll get it turned around. dallasmavericks.com

The Celtics ho-hummed their way to their 20th win on the season and have now won nine straight games with a win at Toronto, even with Ray Allen on the shelf with a bum ankle. Allen is expected back on Wednesday after missing two games. Kevin Garnett had 16 points, eight boards, six dimes, a steal and no blocks in the win. Yeah, that's a fine line, but not worthy of a Top 5 fantasy pick. I've heard some rumblings that he might be hurt, but I don't see it. I just think the C's only care about playing D and winning games, and they're usually up big which is putting KG on the bench late. He hasn't blocked a shot in three games and has seen less than 30 minutes in four of his last nine. And in three of those, he clocked in at under 25 minutes. Yuck. They're 20-2 thus far, so don't expect Doc Rivers to change a single thing about how he's running the team. Garnett owners should expect better times ahead as the C's schedule will toughen up a bit. But with such a heavy "team first" attitude in Boston, it's starting to look like he won't live up to the early season promise he offered. Chris Bosh led the Raps with 17 points, 13 boards, five assists and two steals, while Kris Humphries continued his strong play with 12 points, nine boards and two blocks. He's hit double figures in four of his last five games and will help you in scoring, rebounds, steals and blocks if you want to pick him up. Andrea Bargnani was 0-of-3 and failed to score, as his miserable season continues. I'm not sure how he's this bad, but he is. If you want to cut AB and pick up Humphries, you have my blessing. However, I am still convinced that Bargnani is going to be a fantasy factor at some point this season.

[Hache Man]

Chasing False Hope

Several big names returned to action on Monday, including Jermaine O'Neal, Rashard Lewis, Stephon Marbury and Daniel Gibson, while Eddie Jones got back in the starting five for the Mavericks. Lewis is still very sore and his neck problem could keep him out for more games, but as of now, he's playing. Rather than hit each game today, I'm going to cover several story lines sitting out there currently.

Isiah

Isiah Thomas has fully lost his team and now appears to be in a battle of wills with owner James Dolan. Zeke has been trying his best to get fired for a couple months now, and called out his team for not having any heart after last night's train wreck against the Pacers. The lowlight of the night came when Zach Randolph decided to argue with the refs instead of play D, leaving the Pacers' Troy Murphy wide open for a three (which he hit). Well, there were other lowlights too, like the fact the Knicks let Mike Dunleavy torch them for a career-high 36 and didn't even put up a fight in the fourth quarter. The players are not happy about Isiah's harsh comments after the game about them not having any heart, etc. and it's possible that Isiah is hoping for full-blown revolt, which would leave Dolan with no choice. I'm not sure why Dolan won't just fire him and get it over with, as Isiah says he'll fight to the "death" and never give up. The players have quit and Isiah has done everything he can think of to get himself fired, but you have to wonder if Dolan is just going to continue to let the team implode until Thomas finally removes himself from the bench. It is worse than a soap opera, and more like a hidden camera show. Maybe Ashton Kuchar will come running out from behind the scenes soon and tell Dolan that he just got punked.

Nets Front Line and Free Agent Merry-Go-Round

We broke some news yesterday afternoon that could have big fantasy implications. Before I get to that, I just wanted to say that I feel like we're a bunch of greyhounds at the racetrack chasing the stuffed rabbit trying to land that free agent that will make a difference. The list of waiver-wire busts is large, while the number of guys you picked up and are offering value is low. While every season will bring a big free agent or two out of nowhere (2005-06's Boris Diaw and 2006-07's Leandro Barbosa), the reality is that it's very tough to find a season-changing player off the wire. Forwards Sean Williams, Andray Blatche, Craig Smith, Paul Millsap, Tyrus Thomas, Eduardo Najera, Joe Smith, Luis Scola, Ronny Turiaf, Al Thornton, Hakim Warrick, Stromile Swift, Darko Milicic, Dorell Wright, Brandon Bass, Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons, Nenad Krstic, Jamaal Magloire, David Lee, Channing Frye, Boris Diaw and Jamario Moon have all been hot pickups and then let us down (for the most part). Travis Outlaw and Mikki Moore aren't on the list yet, but the jury is still out on them.

Well, it's apparently time to start recycling these guys through for Round 2, as it sounds like Sean Williams and Josh Boone will start for the Nets tonight, replacing Jason Collins and Malik Allen. You have to admit that this is intriguing news, so go ahead and add Boone to the list of false hopes and then make plans to pick them both up. It gets a little tiring constantly chasing guys who don't fully pan out, but it's part of the deal when you sign up to play fantasy hoops.

After Monday, here are the guys who are being scooped up in leagues as I write this: Williams, Boone, Eddie Jones (six boards, six assists in start at SG), Jerry Stackhouse (21 points), Anthony Johnson (17 points, 14 assists, three 3s Monday), Nazr Mohammed (potential in Charlotte), Stromile Swift (Darko hurt), Kyle Lowry (18 points) and Diaw (11-5-6 Monday). I highlighted Johnson in Waiver Wired this week, which helps offset the early call on Hakim Warrick. dallasmavericks.com

In addition, Jason Terry owners are on the verge of letting go after last night's eight-point game, while Larry Hughes' owners are jumping ship faster than you can say "Anthony Johnson." Jamaal Tinsley hit 1-of-8 shots, Eddy Curry was terrible again, Drew Gooden has bottomed out with the return of Anderson Varejao, and Marko Jaric failed to score last night. Other disappointments included Michael Doleac starting over Craig Smith in Minnesota and Jarron Collins starting over Paul Millsap in Utah. It just doesn't make sense. And while no one is cutting Andris Biedrins today, his owners are starting to freak out. Nellie started him last night, but played him just 13 minutes. Biedrins has just four blocks in his last eight games and two double-doubles, a result of seeing his minutes cut drastically by his coach. Travis Outlaw hit just 1-of-12 shots for eight points, but that was simply an off night. Warrick got his week off to a terrible start after I pimped him in Waiver Wired, but he got 23 minutes and still has time to prove his worth this week.


Darko sacramentokings.com

The big injury news of the night concerned Darko Milicic, who apparently aggravated his ankle injury after just eight minutes of action. This was a strange deal, as the initial recap didn't mention anything about it and the Grizzlies' beat writer, who should know more about what's going on with the Grizzlies than anyone else out there, said Darko was benched due to ineffective play and made no mention of the injury in a post-game column. I heard from a few different sources that Darko actually went down with an ankle and then found a recap that stated that information. I also heard later that he could miss 2-4 weeks, but that is clearly nothing more than message board speculation at this point. Just consider him day-to-day until we get some information out of Memphis. And if you've had it "up to here" with Darko (who might be a reincarnation of Stromile Swift), feel free to cut him for Sean Williams, Josh Boone, Stro or Warrick. Realistically, Darko should easily have more value than those guys, but he doesn't.
indianapacers.com
We Talkin' 'Bout Practice?

Caron Butler (flu), Antawn Jamison (flu) and Tracy McGrady (knee) all missed Monday's practice, but I'm guessing all three play in their next game. If they're not in the starting lineup though, you'll know why. Rafer Alston has not practiced, but is hoping to play Wednesday through a groin injury. The Rockets play four games in five nights, so they're going to be careful with him. Cuttino Mobley (flu) and Vince Carter (ankle) also missed practice on Monday and will be game-time decisions tonight. Richard Hamilton was out for the Piston' practice on Monday, but it sounds like he was just getting some relief from some nagging injuries. Peja Stojakovic is still not practicing either and won't play on Wednesday with his groin injury. Mehmet Okur's shoulder injury is still a factor and he could also miss several more games, while the Spurs' Tony Parker appears to have been shelved for the week. Hopefully you benched him.
www.houstonrockets.ws
Monday Game Tidbits

Other things you may have missed on Monday – Carlos Boozer busted the Hawks for 39 points, but had just 12 boards in a loss. As I mentioned above, Jarron Collins started in front of Millsap again and outplayed him 28 minutes to 17 minutes. How annoying is that?

I mentioned Curry's bad game…You may notice the 16 points, solid shooting and 8-of-10 free throws and think I'm being harsh. Well, two rebounds, no blocks and seven turnovers from someone as big as Curry is simply unacceptable. He's almost useless.

If you were playing against LeBron James last night, thank your lucky stars his finger is not right. He scored 31 points in a double-OT win, but you have to think that he would have gone for 50-plus had this game happened prior to his injury.

Al Jefferson went for 22 points and 20 boards, while Udonis Haslem had 18 points, 16 boards, three steals and a block as the Heat beat the Wolves.

Baron Davis bounced back last night while Stephen Jackson and Monta Ellis were both big in a win over the Grizzlies. I didn't blurb it, but Kelenna Azubuike was perfect last night, as he continues to occasionally show signs of life.

The Suns beat the Spurs in a weird game. Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash didn't exactly light the Spurs up, but Tim Duncan had his best game of the season with 36 and 17.

Tyson Chandler was perfect for the Hornets, going 8-of-8 from the floor and racking up 16 points and 19 boards. He also had his first block in four games. utahjazz.com

[Hache Man]

Where have you Ben?
I know that fantasy writers, including myself, tend to jump the gun on hot prospects, but there's nothing more satisfying for me than pimping a guy like Sean Williams, who was prominently featured in Tuesday's Daily Dose, and then having him exceed expectations in his next game. If you were able to grab him at some point in the last 48 hours, or owned him before he blew up for 11 points, seven rebounds, two steals and EIGHT blocks last night, enjoy this feeling. It's possible that this could be his best game of the season. Not likely, but possible. He could end up going back to the bench, he could end up starting the rest of the way – Anything can happen. Especially given the fact we went through this same scenario with him a couple weeks ago and that the Nets are still losing games. Also keep in mind this is a guy who most scouts said was not ready for the NBA. A shot-blocking freak, but someone who wouldn't be able to deal with NBA schemes this year. So far, he looks fantastic and should continue to be a shot-blocking force in fantasy. Congratulations if you were able to pick him up (again), and I'm hopeful that Rotoworld helped you get it done. Now we just have to hope he can keep it going.

Josh Boone wasn't quite as exciting last night, pulling an Antoine Wright, posting one of his worst lines of the past 10 days in his first start of the season. Boone should be fine and the two young big men could actually trade lines in their next game. There are 13 games tonight, but we'll have to wait until Thursday to see them again, when the Nets take on the Heat. Maybe that matchup will help the Nets right the ship.

There are several story lines out there surrounding tonight's schedule, one of which is the return of Nazr Mohammed, who will start at center for the Bobcats tonight. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you have to run out and pick him up, but there's a chance, and maybe a good one, that he will be a hot pickup after some strong play in the next 10 days. Michael Jordan brought him in because the team needed a center and the guy is a winner. He's not usually the centerpiece of good teams, but he won a championship with the Spurs and the Pistons aren't too shabby. There were times over the past four years when Mohammed looked like a beast in San Antonio and New York, but could never get it going for long stretches at a time. Pick him up if you have an extra roster spot. If you want him but don't want to cut any of your players, see how he looks tonight and then make a decision. Just keep an eye on him.

As if that's not enough to think about, fantasy refugee Tyrus Thomas is back in the Bulls' rotation again. He had 10 points, six boards, four assists, two steals and three blocks last night, which is exactly the type of line that had me so excited a month ago. But the kid's minutes have been all over the place this season. He bottomed out after a pair of benchings on Dec. 7 & 8, but has gotten 20-plus minutes in two straight, which would have been three straight had he not gotten into a fight with Troy Murphy (which led to an ejection, followed by a suspension). Even after the suspension, Scott Skiles went back to him last night for 23 minutes. Really, that's all we're asking for here, is 20-plus minutes per game. Many owners will be gun shy about picking Thomas up again, but the numbers don't lie.

Last Night, She Said

The Lakers beat the Bulls, the Kings beat the Nets in New Jersey and the Raptors took out the Clippers on Tuesday night.
sacramentokings.com
The Kings' John Salmons scored a career-high 31 points and added seven assists, three steals and two threes. He's been very nice since Kevin Martin went down and might be the free agent pickup of the year at this point. Francisco Garcia had 24 points and five treys, but nothing else. Kobe Bryant played through his groin injury but struggled, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-19 shooting. Hey, at least he played, right? Teammate Sasha Vujacic had 19 points and is averaging 16.5 ppg in his last two games. I'm still not biting.

Ben Gordon was awful for the Bulls again, going 3-of-9 for eight points. He's having a terrible December to go along with his terrible year, so I'd bench him until something changes. He's scored 13 or less in six of his last eight games as the nightmare continues. A spot off the bench could be just what the doctor ordered. And Anthony Parker is in the same boat for the Raptors, going 0-of-6 and failing to score. He's been useless since Chris Bosh returned from his injury and I cut Parker yesterday. Speaking of Bosh, congratulations on passing Antonio Davis to become the team's career leader in rebounds after his 24 & 9 last night. And Bosh's teammate, Jamario Moon, finally showed up again last night. Speedwagon tied a career high with 16 points, five boards and three blocks on 8-of-12 shooting. Of course, in the process he crushed Kris Humphries (9 & 4), who I know some of you picked up this week. It's early.

And in the "WTF?" move of the night, Richie Frahm, who was signed as a free agent off the wire last week by the Clippers, got his first career start, while promising rookie Al Thornton saw just 11 minutes of run. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Frahm had 12 points, five boards and three treys on the night. I picked him up in my 30-team league, but haven't given him a second thought anywhere else. What he's doing starting for the Clips is beyond me, especially since they supposedly cut Ruben Patterson so Thornton could get more minutes. Ugh.

Lastly, the Grizzlies waived Tarence Kinsey in order to try to "catch lightning in a bottle" with Jeremy Richardson (who will debut Friday). I don't like this move. We know Kinsey can play and I'm hearing he's going to sign with the Hornets. Keep your eye on Richardson, but I have a feeling this is going to come back to bite the Grizz. And if Kinsey does sign with the Hornets, it could mean we have a new SG. Morris Peterson has been terrible and I would love to see Kinsey get an opportunity in New Orleans.

Knick Knacks

Knicks' fans are holding a "Pink Slip Protest" in front of the Garden right now in hopes of getting James Dolan to take action and fire Isiah Thomas. Stephon Marbury, whose father passed away back on Dec. 2, skipped practice Tuesday (excused) because it would have been his father's birthday. Now it's unknown if Marbury will show up for tonight's game and he has even hinted at retiring. I seriously doubt that he's going to retire this week, or retire a Knick, or leave them to go play in Italy. In any case, hopefully he'll be back at full strength by the New Year. My mom died suddenly when I was 24 years old and I have a lot of thoughts about this whole situation, but also know that everyone handles these things in their own way. Let's just say that I'm fairly sensitive about my fantasy players and how they deal with life and death. I was still updating this very website in June from the hospital room on the same day my wife delivered our fourth child, and I'm pretty sure that I would have suited up that night if I played for the Hawks. Hell, Dinosaur Jr. was playing in Atlanta that night and I was supposed to be at the show. No, I didn't go, which goes to prove that I'm not completely insane. But the thought did cross my mind, and my wife is cool enough that she probably would have let me.

Take Me Down to the Infirmary

Here's a brief injury rundown…

Brandon Roy (flu) – Missed Tuesday practice. Will start
LaMarcus Aldridge (foot) – Expected to start tonight
Ray Allen (ankle) – Expected to start tonight
Tim Thomas (ankle) - returned for Clippers with 10 points
Andres Nocioni (ankle) – No information available/Questionable
Beno Udrih (hand/leg) – Has numb shooting finger, sore leg. Questionable
Stephon Marbury (bereavement) – No practice Tuesday, talking retirement. Questionable utahjazz.com
Nene (thumb) – Cleared to practice Friday, return next week
Chucky Atkins (groin) – Cleared to practice, targeting Dec. 26 return
Mehmet Okur (shoulder) - Doubtful Wednesday, could linger
Marcus Williams (foot) – Returned to action Tuesday
Darko Milicic (ankle) – No information available/Questionable
Rashard Lewis (neck) – Playing, but day-to-day
Tracy McGrady (knee) – Practiced Tuesday/Probable
Cuttino Mobley (flu) – Missed Tuesday's game, day-to-day
Sam Cassell (calf) – Not likely before Christmas
Kurt Thomas (ankle) – Practiced Tuesday/Probable
Delonte West (foot) – Out indefinitely
dallasmavericks.com

[Hache Man]

Mr. Big Shot Beats Boston

After turning the ball over and giving the Celtics a chance to win, Chauncey Billups knew what he had to do when he got a second chance.

"I knew there was enough time to get a pump fake, if I didn't have a clean look and I saw him running at me," said Billups of the foul he drew against Tony Allen with one-tenth of a second left in Wednesday's tie game against the Boston Celtics.

And, as he's done so many times in his career, Mr. Big Shot stepped up to the line and calmly nailed both free throws to give Detroit the win in a statement game, as Boston was finally handed its first home loss of the season.

In a playoff-type game, the Celtics, off to a franchise-best tying 20-2 start -- including nine straight wins heading in -- were finally brought back to earth by their Motown rivals, 87-85, in what many think could be an Eastern Conference Finals preview.

Billups continued his offensive roll of late with a game-high 28 – a dozen coming in the decisive fourth quarter. He's averaged 22.6 PPG with 4.0 RPG and 1.4 SPG over the past five, and has been particularly deadly from beyond the arc in the last three games with seven treys. Billups also dished eight dimes last night, snapping a mini slump where he hadn't been contributing much in that category.

Anyone concerned that the now 31-year-old Mr. Big Shot would be slowing down needs not worry. The Pistons have trimmed his minutes a bit, and that has meant slightly less touches, but the extra rest has obviously helped as Billups is draining shots at a 44.5 percent clip – a career best. His 3-point shooting has rebounded slightly (especially, as mentioned, over the past few games) and he's getting to the line more often (a career-best 6.5 attempts per game) where, as evidenced last night when he sunk 10-of-11, he's been lights out, nailing 91 percent on the season.

Thanks to a commitment to defense, Boston has shown remarkable improvement this season, as I discussed earlier this week. However, this team will need to figure out how to get past Detroit if it has designs on a trip to the Finals. The Pistons have now won 14 of their last 15 against the Celtics.

So while Boston hopes the answer to defeating Detroit is under the tree next week, let's take a quick tour around the rest of the NBA…

• Gordan Giricek, whose PT has dropped dramatically this season, looks like he's done like dinner in Utah after an altercation with head coach Jerry Sloan during Wednesday's game. Sloan sent Giricek to the locker room and then later ordered the back-up two-guard to go home to Salt Lake City. "I didn't do anything wrong," Giricek said. "And I don't have no comment for anything." Perhaps the Jazz should order Giricek to take some English classes after that gem of a statement. At any rate, you've got to figure his days in Utah are done after this episode. That actually might not be a bad thing for him considering his value has been in free fall for the past couple of seasons.
• It looks like Flash is back. After hitting 8-of-17 for 36 points last night, he's now averaging 30 PPG in his last three contests. Flash had one of those great all-around games Wednesday we've come to expect with 10 assists, six rebounds and two blocks. How about a 20-for-22 showing from the charity stripe? This dude has been living at the line lately, with 50 FTs made over the last three games. Think about that for a second. Fifty bonus points in just three games? That's sick.
• Yao Ming didn't exactly light it up on offense last night (7-for-18 for 19 points), but he sure did continue his rebounding roll, dominating Dwight Howard on the glass to the tune of a season-best 17 boards. Yao is pulling down 14.7 boards per game over the last three contests. He added two steals and three blocks Wednesday, giving him 10 blocks over the last three games. Yao's scoring has dropped significantly this year, but he's enjoying the finest rebounding season of his career and it looks like, if he stays healthy, he'll break his career high in steals, not that this is a category you come to expect much from him in, but it's a nice little bonus. www.houstonrockets.ws

Injury Report

LaMarcus Aldridge (plantar fasciitis) returned to the Blazers last night after sitting out the previous five games. He looked a bit rusty, sinking just 7-of-15 shots for 15 points to go along with only seven boards in 37 minutes, while failing to get a steal or a block. Aldridge has thrived in a starting role on the red-hot Blazers, winners of nine straight games, but you have every reason to be a bit concerned about this injury, usually a malady that tends to linger all season long. It looks like Aldridge should be re-inserted into your lineup for now, but I'd suggest constant monitoring of this situation. And if anyone has been making inquiries about his availability, now might be a good time to hear them out.

Tip-ins: The Cavs are reeling, but King James continues to roll, nailing 12-of-21 from the field and 5-of-6 from the line for 32 points Wednesday. He adding eight boards and hit a trio of treys. LeBron's shooting has been phenomenal this year, with a career-best 48.5 percent from the field…Monta Ellis keeps seeing consistent PT – a rarity on the Warriors – and he's been making the most of it, hitting 10-of-15 shots last night en route to 24 points with five boards and five assists in 36 minutes. As long as Nellie doesn't yank him from the starting five, Ellis is a great play…Caron Butler put an exclamation point on his career season, recording the second triple-double of his NBA career Wednesday with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He hit three 3-pointers to help end an offensive slump and added three steals in a tremendous all-around game. Both of his triple-doubles have happened this season…Is there anyone hotter than Brandon Roy right now? The dude could win Western Conference Player of the Week for the third straight time the way he's rolling now. He nailed 10-of-16 last night for 25 points to go along with nine rebounds and eight assists, falling just short of his first career triple-double. Roy also drained three 3-pointers as Portland rallied to beat the Raptors. If Roy stays healthy this year, something special is going to happen for the Blazers…You better hurry up and grab Anthony Johnson. He's flying off waiver wires everywhere after his three-game binge of 16.3 PPG and 10.0 APG. He's even beginning to light it up from outside with four treys in the last two games. Johnson has emerged from the Hawk PG murkiness as the starter and he doesn't look like he's going to surrender this honor anytime soon given his sudden scoring prowess…Emeka Okafor is still playing big minutes and he recorded a pair of blocks Wednesday, but you've got to wonder if Nazr Mohammed's presence will eat away into Okafor's scoring and rebounding. He sunk just 2-of-8 for six points with just nine rebounds – not the kind of numbers you expect from your double-double machine. Let's wait and see how this plays out for a couple of games before panicking…Tony Parker, out the past four games because of his ankles, says he'll definitely be back in action Saturday…Sean Williams and Josh Boone will remain in the Nets' starting lineup for the time being. If you need blocks, Williams is your man…Stephon Marbury was a surprise DNP last night, and it appears he might need some rest before he's ready to play again…Chucky Atkins (groin), could make his season debut as soon as Friday. Anthony Carter's limited value is about to crash…Delonte West, out the past eight with plantar fasciitis, expects to return Friday. Wait and see how he performs before assessing how his presence will affect the ever-murky Seattle PG situation.

Game of the Night

Houston at Denver: This is a battle between two Western teams that have been a bit underwhelming of late. Houston has struggled recently and is battling to get back into the playoff picture, while Northwest Division-leading Denver is enjoying a big year, but is spinning its wheels right now and suddenly has to worry about a hard-charging Blazer club.

The Nuggets' recent domination of the Blazers – especially in Denver – appears over. Denver's nine-game home winning streak against Portland ended Sunday. Prior to that, the Nuggets had downed the Blazers 15 times in 17 tries in Denver.

Offense hasn't been a problem for the Nuggets, as they rank fourth in the NBA with 106.3 PPG, led by Allen Iverson, third in the association with 25.9 PPG. A.I. looks to be getting on one of his infamous rolls, averaging 34 PPG in the last two. Carmelo Anthony, on the other hand, has struggled with his shot in recent games. Over the past five, he's sinking just 34.9 percent from the floor including a substandard 6-for-17 showing on Sunday. 'Melo is averaging just 17 PPG in his last two outings.

Linas Kleiza is starting to look like a good option in deeper leagues, especially for those seeking help in 3-pointers. He's nailed 10 from downtown over the past six games and that's helped him pick up his scoring of late, with 13.5 PPG in his last two contests.

As for Houston, things are looking grim as Tracy McGrady (knee) is not expected to suit up tonight. The team will try to help him deal with the pain so he can play, but it's not sounding promising. www.houstonrockets.ws

[Hache Man]

A Christmas Showdown
An NBA team's depth chart is constantly changing…

Here today, gone tomorrow.

Lou Williams, Craig Smith, Nazr Mohammed and Sean Williams are some of the latest players on the rise now. Anthony Carter, Kwame Brown and Delonte West are on the fall, and Alonzo Mourning and Troy Hudson might have suddenly just played their last game in the NBA.

The Week Ahead will take a look around the league and discuss what players suddenly have more fantasy value. We'll also preview the upcoming week of action – including Christmas Day matchups between Miami and Cleveland, and Phoenix and the Lakers. There only three teams that are scheduled for four games this week, with the vast majority of franchises slated for three. We'll get you up to speed now.

Game Totals in Week 9:
Four games: BOS, MIA, PHO
Three games: CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GS, HOU, IND, LAL, MEM, MIN, MIL, NJ, NO, ORL, PHI, POR, SA, SAC, SEA, UTA, WAS
Two games ATL, HOU, LAC, NY, TOR

Interesting Matchups/Schedule:
Tuesday, Dec. 25 - Miami @ Cleveland: Christmas has featured a Shaq/Kobe faceoff each of the past few seasons, but with that feud now squashed, it's time to start a new tradition. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James will now be under the spotlight this holiday in a matchup of the past two seasons Eastern Conference champions.

Tuesday, Dec. 25 - Phoenix @ L.A. Lakers: In the nightcap, Kobe Bryant will host two-time MVP Steve Nash and the Suns, who have dominated LA when it counts the most. Phoenix has eliminated the Lakers in the first round each of the past two seasons, so the much improved purple and gold will be looking for some revenge.

Thursday, Dec. 27 - Cleveland @ Dallas: Thursday's primtetime TNT matchup features the league's last two losers in the NBA Championship. LeBron is currently averaging 29.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 7.6 APG and is looking as an early favorite to follow Nowitzki's footsteps as the league's MVP. Ray Allen and the Celtics also travel to Seattle to take on his old teammates tonight.

Friday, Dec. 28 - Denver @ Golden State: Friday's tilt between the Nuggets and Warriors will feature two of the most explosive offenses in the game. GS ranks No. 2 in scoring (108.8) and Denver ranks No. 4 with 106.3 PPG. The Nuggets feature two of the top-five scorers in the game and five total double-digit scoring games, while Golden State has six scoring 10+, including two over 20 PPG. The two teams also play in Denver on Sunday in the finale of the home-and-home contests.

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks IND, @dal
Speedy Claxton (knee) – out indefinitely
Tyronn Lue (calf) – return late December
Josh Childress (groin) – day-to-day
Salim Stoudamire (ankle) – day-to-day
Keep an eye on Anthony Johnson – he's averaging 19 PPG and 11.5 APG in his past two contests now. After being mired with injuries since coming to Atlanta, he's playing his best basketball in a Hawks uniform. Acie Law will likely supplant him as the team's starter eventually, but Johnson definitely has the hot hand now … The Hawks only play twice in Week 9 so Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams should probably be left on your bench this week.

Boston Celtics @sac, @sea, @uta, @lal
The Celtics took their first home loss Wednesday in a hard faught battle with the Pistons, losing by two points. Ray Allen (ankle) returned from a two-game absence with 24 points – including a game-tying three in the closing seconds. Boston will be out on the west coast for Week 9.

Charlotte Bobcats WAS, NO, @orl
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Newly acquired Nazr Mohammed got his first start in a Bobcats uniform Wednesday against Utah and came through with 11 points, seven boards and three blocks in a victory. He's worth picking up to be your No. 2 center right away. When he got regular minutes with the Knicks in 2003-05, he averaged 10 PPG, 8 RPG and 1 BPG. Expect similar numbers with Charlotte.

Chicago Bulls @sa, MIL, @ny
Ben Wallace (foot) – day-to-day

Cleveland Cavaliers MIA, @dal, @no
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely

Dallas Mavericks @uta, CLE, ATL
dallasmavericks.com
Denver Nuggets MIL, @gs, GS
Chucky Atkins (groin) – return early January
Nene Hilario (thumb) – has returned to practice, day-to-day
The Nuggets could get Atkins, who has missed the entire season with a groin injury, as early as Friday. He said he won't return until he's 100% and said he is about 80-85% now. He'll obviously have some rust when he does return and will eventually take over the starting point guard job from Anthony Carter … After taking his annual trip to his coach's doghouse, J.R. Smith and coach George Karl are on better terms following a recent closed-door meeting. Smith got benched because his total lack of defense of late, but is expected to rejoin Denver's rotation right away.

Detroit Pistons @nj, IND, @ind
Rodney Stuckey (hand) – return early December
There's a ton of speculation that the Pistons will sign big man Chris Webber probably sometime in January to bolster their frontcourt. He won't come back with last year's role though – instead of being the starter, he'll be the No. 4 big man in their deep rotation and see about 10 minutes per game. Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess are cemented into the starting lineup, while Jason Maxiell has emerged into the team's primary big man off the bench.

Golden St. Warriors MIN, DEN, @den
Troy Hudson (hip) – likely out for the season
It sounds as if Huddy's career could be finished after the combo-guard continues to deal with lingering pain in his hip and groin. Coach Don Nelson seemed to think that Hudson would be done for the season, and retirement would be the next logical step.

Houston Rockets @mem, TOR
Tracy McGrady (flu) – day-to-day
Steve Francis (flu) – day-to-day
TMac was forced to miss the second half of Wednesday's game because of knee pain and is expected to sit out Thursday's contest with Denver as well. He did travel with the team and will get treatment throughout the day, but it sounds like he'll sit it out. Bonzi Wells and possibly even Luther Head should see a bigger role with McGrady in street clothes.
www.houstonrockets.ws
Indiana Pacers @atl, @det, DET
Ike Diogu (calf) – return early January
Jamaal Tinsley (thigh) – day-to-day
With Tinsley sidelined Wednesday, Marquis Daniels came off the bench with a career-high 26 points and three 3-pointers in a win over Philly. He's averaging 10 PPG on the season now, but his numbers continue to be very sporadic. He's got 11 games with six points or less, and six contests with 15+ points. indianapacers.com

L.A. Clippers PHO, @pho
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Sam Cassell (calf) – day-to-day
Cuttino Mobley (flu) – day-to-day

L.A. Lakers PHO, UTA, BOS
Kwame Brown (knee) – day-to-day
Brown is likely about a week away from returning still. He's sat out the past 14 games with the knee injury and might find himself without a spot when he returns; Andrew Bynum has truly emerged into a star in his absence. Brown will obviously be eased back into the rotation when he does return, but you can expect Bynum to remain having a major role in L.A.'s offense. He's good for about a double-double every time he plays, so Brown's value as a Laker could be in the rear view mirror.

Memphis Grizzlies NO, HOU, @sa
Mike Conley (shoulder) – return late December
Pau Gasol (toe) – day-to-day

Miami Heat @cle, @phi, ORL, @was
Smush Parker (team decision) – out indefinitely
Jason Williams (knee) – day-to-day
Alonzo Mourning (knee) – Likely out for the season
Zo tore the patella tendon in his right knee during Wednesday's OT loss to Atlanta signaling the likely end of his illustrious career. Instead of being stretchered off the court, he shook off the help and walked off himself. "That's not the way I envisioned myself walking off the court for the last time in my career," he said. "I've been through so much in my life. If I had to crawl off the court I would have. Nobody was going to push me off on a stretcher off the court." In his 15 seasons, he averaged 17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 2.8 BPG while shooting 53% from the floor. Mark Blount will see a larger role off Miami's bench in his absence … Keep a close eye on Chris Quinn as well. With Smush Parker possibly done with the Heat after his ordeal with a parking attendant and JWill sidelined due to a nagging knee injury, Quinn has now started five games at point guard. He's scored 12, 12, 13 and 22 in four of his past six contests.

Milwaukee Bucks @den, @chi, NJ
Charlie Villanueva (ankle) – day-to-day
Desmond Mason (thumb) – day-to-day

Minnesota Timberwolves @gs, @por, @sea
Randy Foye (knee) – out indefinitely
Marko Jaric (flu) – day-to-day
Antoine Walker (ankle) – day-to-day
Theo Ratliff (knee surgery) – out at least six more weeks
Keep an eye on Craig Smith – he's scored 30, 36 and 20 in his past eight contests. He's also mixed in games of eight, eight and three points, so it's apparent he's got a lot to learn still.

NOK Hornets @mem, @cha, CLE
Peja Stojakovic (groin) – day-to-day
Morris Peterson (back) – day-to-day
Peja was able to return to practice Wednesday, but is still not ready to return to game action. It's conceivable he could be back for Saturday's contest though – coach Byron Scott is being very cautious not to rush him back. Morris Peterson tied a career-best with 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting in his absence Wednesday.

New Jersey Nets DET, WAS, @mil
Marcus Williams (foot) – has returned to action
Nenad Krstic (knee) – out indefinitely
Bostjan Nachbar (ankle) – day-to-day
The Nets got a much need jolt in their last game with Sean Williams and Josh Boone joining the starting lineup. Williams blew up with 11 points, seven rebounds and eight blocks in a losing effort, while Boone is averaging 10 PPG in his past three contests. Coach Lawrence Frank said he'll give the youngsters at least one more start each.

New York Knicks @orl, CHI
Stephon Marbury (personal) – day-to-day

Orlando Magic NY, @mia, CHA
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season
Carlos Arroyo (foot) – day-to-day

Philadelphia 76ers MIA, @sac, @por
Rodney Carney (flu) – day-to-day
Lou Williams returned from a toe injury Wednesday and it's becoming increasingly likely that he'll be the Sixers starting point guard by season's end. After a couple seasons under the microscope, the straight-from-high school star-in-the-making has improved leaps and bounds this season. He averaging a respectable 10.5 PPG and 3.6 APG and with the constant trade rumors surrounding veteran Andre Miller, Williams is ready to become a fantasy stud.

Phoenix Suns @lal, @lac, LAC, @sac

Portland Trailblazers SEA, MIN, PHI
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain
LaMarcus Aldridge (foot) – returned on Wednesday
The Blazers expected their winning streak to nine straight contests Wednesday night in Portland as they escaped with a victory over the Raptors. Portland also got their young big man back as LaMarcus Aldridge returned from a five-game absence due to a foot injury. He responded with 15 points and seven assists. With the nucleus of Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Jarrett Jack, Travis Outlaw, Steve Blake and Joel Przybilla, the Blazers are proving they are a bona fid playoff team out West.

Sacramento Kings BOS, PHI, PHO
Mike Bibby (thumb) – targeting late January return
Kevin Martin (groin) – return late January
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
sacramentokings.com
San Antonio Spurs CHI, TOR, MEM
Tony Parker (ankles) – might be out until Saturday
Francisco Elson (ankle) – day-to-day
Mr. Parker is planning on returning to action by Saturday, but continues getting headlines from his off-the-court actions lately. He's suing a website for $20 million that alleged he had an affair with a model since his marriage with actress Eva Longoria.

Seattle Sonics @por, BOS, MIN
Robert Swift (knee) – return early January
Delonte West (foot) – day-to-day
The Sonics have been without West for the past eight games due to plantar fasciitis. He said he hopes to return for Friday's contest against Toronto, but will nevertheless likely find himself out of Seattle's musical chairs-logjam at point guard. Currently, Earl Watson is entrenched as the starter while Luke Ridnour continues to see more minutes. But that could change any day….

Toronto Raptors @sa, @hou
T.J. Ford (back) – out indefinitely
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely

Utah Jazz DAL, @lal, BOS
Mehmet Okur (shoulder) – day-to-day
Matt Harpring (abdomen) – day-to-day
utahjazz.com
Washington Wizards @cha, @nj, MIA
Antonio Daniels (knee) – return early January
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee) – return late February

[Hache Man]

Houston, we still have a...
Despite a limited three-game Thursday schedule, there is plenty of news to cover in today's Dose. Let's get to it.

Housecleaning - There will be no chat this Monday because it's Christmas Eve, but I do plan on being back on New Year's Eve for the next one. We'll call it tentative for now. Coverage shouldn't change much over the holiday weekends, although some game news could happen a little later than normal, etc. Also, I've noticed myself making more typos in blurbs and am blaming it on transitioning to a laptop from my desktop, along with failing eye sight in my advanced age. I'll get it straightened out soon enough. Hope you are all winning your leagues and have a great Holiday Season.

Doctor and the Medics - Tracy McGrady sat out Thursday with his sore knee and there are no guarantees that he'll be ready to play on Saturday. He could be, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him miss another game or two. He's a classic game-time decision. Luther Head started in his place and scored 22 points, while Bonzi Wells scored 17. Wells needs more minutes, but until he gets them he'll have very limited value. The Rockets are just 12-14 and have lost three straight games.

Kenyon Martin left with a hamstring injury last night. Owners just have to be relieved that this wasn't the "big one" we've kinda been waiting for. It wasn't his knee, so it could have been much worse, and he made the trip to Portland for tonight's game, which is a great sign. Marcus Camby took a nasty fall in overtime last night and I was surprised to see him get up. I was even more surprised to see him stay in the game, although the trainers told George Karl to ride him while he could because Camby was going to be very sore today after injuring his back in the fall. The Nuggets are in Portland tonight, but the availability of Camby and K-Mart is unknown at this point. Questionable is probably accurate. Chucky Atkins made a surprise return from a groin injury last night and looked good, going for 13 points and three 3-pointers. His return should render Anthony Carter useless going forward, and Carter ended his farewell tour on a bang, hitting the game-winning shot in double overtime. Nene has been cleared to practice, but it's still unknown when he'll play in a game. Lastly, Carmelo Anthony hit his first nine shots of the second half after going 2-of-17 prior to the break, finishing with 36 points and a career-high 16 boards. Maybe the slump is over.

I don't like the sound of all this T.J. Ford chatter at all. He's seeing specialist after specialist and there's no target date for him to start practicing and there's been no validation that his career is not in jeopardy. I hope he's OK, but the longer we go with no news, the bleaker things are going to start to look. If you own Jose Calderon, hold onto him for dear life.

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James had their head-to-head duel on TNT last night as the Cavaliers beat the Lakers, and LeBron outperformed Kobe. LeBron had 33 points, 10 boards, five assists, a steal and a block, while Kobe had 21 points, five boards and five assists. Neither superstar shot it well or hit a three last night, but LeBron's finger looks fine right now. Kobe, on the other hand, has to be limited by that groin injury. His season high is 45 points, which he posted on opening night, and he's only cracked the 30-point plateau twice in his last 11 games. Yeah, there's more to fantasy hoops than scoring, but it's not like Kobe is lighting it up anywhere else, either. I'm mildly concerned, but it appears that he can turn it on or off when he wants as you might have noticed by some of the dunks he's been throwing down.

Antoine Wright went down with an ankle injury injury on Thursday night that could sideline him for a few games, although X-rays were negative. If he's out for long, Vince Carter will see more minutes, while Malik Allen will too. Bostjan Nachbar didn't get off the bench last night, but should eventually work himself back into the rotation.

Peja Stojakovic has been practicing but is still day-to-day.

Mehmet Okur is out for tonight and doubtful for Saturday with his shoulder injury, while Matt Harpring should play a few minutes tonight. Gordan Giricek is back in Utah after being sent home by Jerry Sloan. Okur has some value, but it would take an extremely deep league to find GG or Harpring on a roster. utahjazz.com

Rookie Rodney Stuckey is set to make his debut for the Pistons after missing the start of the season with a broken hand. I love his game and think he's going have a solid career, but I can't see him getting enough run with Detroit this year to offer fantasy value.

Rashard Lewis is questionable again for tonight with his lingering neck injury, although X-rays and an MRI revealed no serious damage on Thursday.

Desmond Mason is now out for 6-8 weeks and will undergo surgery on his left thumb. I'm not sure which guy is going to start, and it may be a combination of both, but Charlie Bell and Bobby Simmons are going to be flying off the shelves in deep leagues over the next 24 hours.

Marko Jaric was still very sick yesterday and is questionable for tonight's game, while Gerald Green is set to get more minutes after a strong performance on Wednesday. Randy Wittman is toying with his lineup every night and the Wolves are clearly the worst team in the league. I'm all for picking up Randy Foye, Rashad McCants, Green and Craig Smith, but you never know what's going to happen with them from night to night. I don't own any of them in any of my eight leagues, for the record.

Ike Diogu is set to return tonight for the Pacers, but should only have real value if one of the Pacers' bigs suffers an injury.

It's old news already, but Alonzo Mourning's season and career are, for all practical purposes, finished. The one thing I've heard over and over again from everyone who has commented on Zo is "hard worker." He'll be missed.



Fool's Gold Rush -As usual, a couple more hot pickups struggled last night while Dorell Wright continues to tease the fantasy community from week to week. Josh Boone and Sean Williams struggled with foul trouble all night, although Boone woke up to play well in OT. Boone had 11 points, eight boards and two blocks, while Williams had six points, four rebounds, one steal and one block in 15 minutes. Coach Lawrence Frank knows he needs Williams on the floor, so don't panic just yet. Malik Allen hit 9-of-11 shots for 18 points, but I see no way he will continue to have value, although the loss of Antoine Wright gives him a shot. The Heat's Dorell Wright had 13 points, seven boards and three blocks last night, making him a hot pickup in many leagues again. I'm staying away from him this time around, but some of the guys I've become sold on recently are Anthony Johnson, the aforementioned Williams and Nazr Mohammed. Chucky Atkins is going to be flying off the shelves like Wii's as well, but I think you have to be in a pretty deep league to make him a priority right now.

Headlines from Thursday - Vince Carter Scores 31 as Nets beat Heat in OT.

Dwyane Wade scores 41 points in 45 minutes as Heat lose second straight overtime game.

Shaquille O'Neal gets just seven shots (again) before fouling out in the fourth straight game, despite absence of Alonzo Mourning. Takes nine or less shots in 11 of last 13 games.

Yao blows up for 26 points, 19 rebounds, six dimes and two blocks in tough double-OT loss to Nuggets.

Magic Johnson: The Yao and T-Mac experiment is "not working" and the team looks much better when the two are not on the court together.

Tracy McGrady: "I don't know if we're a running team or a half court team."

Anderson Varejao officially hits Drew Gooden with knock-out blow for fantasy owners with 11 points, 15 rebounds and four steals.

Chris Wilcox wants P.J. Carlesimo to choose a point guard and stick with him, and preferably wants one who can run the pick-and-roll. Wilcox is stumbling, but should turn it around.

Gary Payton wants to play for the Celtics as Rajon Rondo's backup. Makes sense to me.

Top 10 List from Miami - Check out this Miami Heat Top 10 List in today's Herald…Good stuff!

[Hache Man]

Could Shaq be back?
TWO games: Hawks, Rockets, Clippers, Knicks, Raptors

THREE games: Bobcats, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors, Pacers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Bucks, Nets, Hornets, Magic, 76ers, Blazers, Spurs, Kings, Sonics, Jazz, Wizards
dallasmavericks.com
FOUR games: Celtics, Heat, Suns

I haven't often recapped the previous week's Bench/Start recommendations, mainly because this column is written early on Friday, with lots of games still to be played. Still, I can't resist boasting about last week's picks a few days prematurely. sacramentokings.com

Bench: The Sonics (weak numbers + two-game week), Tony Parker (two DNPs so far), Ben Wallace (two-point game, followed by DNP), Cuttino Mobley (DNP with stomach flu), Francisco Garcia (in two games combined he has 31 points on 36% shooting, four rebounds, one assist, four turnovers, one steal and zero blocks). indianapacers.com

Start: Andrew Bynum (averaging a double-double and three blocks over two games), Craig Smith (big disappointment with his minutes limited to mid-20s), Kirk Hinrich (struggling with FG% and TOs, but otherwise solid), Andre Miller (played okay in one game so far). utahjazz.com

A quick note about Weekly vs. Daily leagues, which Dr. A touched on in a column earlier this week. I try to incorporate 'games played' into my discussions of player's relative value in the week ahead, because many of you do play in weekly leagues. It also, as Dr. A pointed out, adds a lot of depth to the discussion, since daily-lineup owners may not even have to choose between two healthy players for an entire week. Daily lineups usually have a limit on games played per position, though, so for those who play in daily-lineup leagues I weigh as many factors (other than games played) as I can, things that might affect a player's ability to start and be effective for your team. Pretty simple, but let me know how I'm doing.

Now, Week 9 in the NBA is lurking and fantasy owners need some advice. Let's get to it.

BENCH

Boris Diaw: A few statistics pertinent to my recommendation that you bench Diaw in Week 9, despite the Suns' four games: he has scored double-digit points only five times this season, is averaging 2.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds over the Suns' last 12 games, and shows no signs of improving in the near future. He hasn't played 30 minutes in a game in a month, and the best news for his owners this week might be this bit of (probably groundless) speculation from the Chicago Tribune: "The Suns have been arguing on the court and on the bench, and there has been outspoken criticism of Boris Diaw, who seems a likely trade possibility." He's too versatile to let go outright, both statistically and with his usual center eligibility, but if the trade deadline passes and he remains with the Suns, you're going to have to trade him for nothing or drop him outright. Even in a lenient four-game Week 9, it's difficult to see Diaw warranting a spot in your starting lineup.

Eddy Curry/Zach Randolph: I don't own Eddy Curry in any leagues and I never will. He's really quite terrible. The always lively Yahoo! Sports analyst Matt Buser created something most of you probably know about, "The Eddy Curry Line". The gist: "a player must average more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined." Most years, Curry leads the league in this obscure and miserable statistic, and new teammate Zach Randolph is another habitual offender. Dr. A has mentioned that at times it seems like the two morph into one player, efficient on offense but sporadically committed and never imposing on defense.

Randolph is at least doing enough on offense to distract from his skimpy all-around game, but in a two-game week you probably can't afford his limited fantasy offerings. Curry is mired in a ridiculous and well-publicized slump, averaging 9.8 points over his last 12 games. With only one double-digit rebounding performance this year, the flaws in his game are glaringly obvious. The bottom line, in reality, is that he makes too much money and can score too easily not to figure into the Knicks' plans. The bottom line in fantasy, however, is that he barely produces enough to remain on your bench, let alone crack the starting lineup in a two-game week. Maybe when Isiah finally gets fired Curry's numbers will improve, but in my opinion it's like asking a cat to be a dog.

Tracy McGrady: I'm going to keep this brief, because things could change overnight with T-Mac and his balky knee. Basically, he's been struggling through varying degrees of pain for a while now, and had to exit Wednesday's game because he started experiencing sharp pain in his knee. He reported that his lateral movement is non-existent, but says he doesn't want to have an MRI for fear of revealing a serious injury. He didn't play on Thursday and his status for next week is, at least right now, extremely uncertain. The Rockets play on Saturday and Sunday, but only twice next week, so unless T-Mac miraculously resurfaces this weekend with his knee problems a thing of the past, you should leave him on your bench, with your fingers crossed for Week 10.

Nursing Nuggets: Two prominent Nuggets went down this week, both of whom have lengthy injury histories. Of course I am referring to Marcus Camby (back) and Kenyon Martin (hamstring), both of whom are question marks heading into the Nuggets' game on Sunday. If they don't suit up, or if they are severely limited, you have to consider them bench material in a three-game Week 9.

Camby is notorious for torturing fantasy owners with DNPs, while K-Mart has missed the better portion of a few years with knee surgeries followed by setbacks in his recovery. The health of both of these guys is essential to the Nuggets' postseason aspirations, so the team is unlikely to gamble by bringing them back early. Again, Sunday's game is the best indicator of whether or not you can deploy them next week, but my best guess is that K-Mart will be out and Camby will be limited, even if he has returned.

Grizzlies' point guards: The Grizzlies' point guard situation hasn't budged much this season. Damon Stoudamire is still starting but rarely plays more than 25 minutes in a game. Kyle Lowry is flashing enormous potential in around 30 minutes per game, but just can't get over the hump, statistically, to warrant starting in a three-game week. Mike Conley is still recovering from a strained right shoulder, but should only muddy things up even more once he returns. Don't expect much from any Grizzlies' point guards this week or this season, unless they change the structure of their rotation.



START

Shaquille O'Neal: If Shaquille O'Neal donated all of his bricks from the freethrow line to charity, Ronald McDonald could have built a small subdivision by now (4,838 bricks, and counting). Shaq's downside can't be ignored, and sub-50% freethrow shooting is only the beginning. He is averaging career-lows in minutes played (28 a game), points (14.3), assists (1.4) and second-worst ever totals in rebounds (7.6) and blocks (1.7). Surprisingly, despite the reduced minutes Shaq is still turning the ball over 2.9 times per game (his career average) and racking up four personal fouls per game (the most since his rookie year). To top it all off, he has fouled out of a personal-worst four straight games.

So why, in the face of all of these horrific numbers, would I recommend Shaq in Week 9? Two reasons: Alonzo Mourning and a four-game week. For you weekly-lineup owners, Shaq is one of a small handful of centers with four games, giving him an immediate edge over other borderline number-two centers you might be considering. Alonzo Mourning has probably played in his last NBA game after tearing a patellar tendon in his knee this week, thrusting Shaq into a bigger role for the under-manned Heat. New recruit Mark Blount will be called upon to pick up some of the front-court slack, but the main burden will fall, as usual, to the Diesel. He'll foul out, he'll turn the ball over, but if you're in a pinch and need a center, next week is about as favorable as it gets for Shaquille O'Neal.

Nazr Mohammed: Why not? Mohammed has three games this week, which leaves him with nothing to recommend him but his merit. In his second game with the Bobcats, Mohammed tallied 17 points, eight rebounds and, admittedly, four turnovers. The Bobcats much prefer to keep Emeka Okafor at power forward, and Mohammed is the consistent starting center that Primoz Brezec never was and likely never will be. He is guaranteed the starting job, and with 30 minutes per game on the horizon he is worth starting over plenty of other centers.

It'll take Nazr a while to fully adapt to the Bobcats'…I'll be kind and call it an 'offensive system', but in the meantime his 2004-2005 season in New York should say enough. That year, he averaged 10 points on 50% shooting, eight rebounds, one steal, one block and 1.5 turnovers in a career-high 28 minutes per game. This season, with the Bobcats, he could easily eclipse all of those numbers.

DeShawn Stevenson: I love recommending opportunistic starters, guys whose value is about to be snuffed out at any moment but could still help your team for a while. Stevenson is averaging almost 30 minutes a game this year, but has been a mediocre fantasy player, at best. What elevates him this week is his recent performance and apparently increased role; after taking double-digit shot attempts in only four of his first 19 games this year, Stevenson has taken 10 or more shots in his last five games and converted the added looks into 15.8 points per game. Over that same five-game stretch, he has added 3.6 three-pointers, three rebounds and four assists per game. Those numbers aren't going to get him on any All-Star ballots, but they could improve your team's overall production, especially if you're in need of a three-heavy shooting guard. Stevenson is not a sure-thing, but owners willing to ride the hot hand should gamble and play him in the Wizards' three-game Week 9.

David Lee: David Lee should finally get enough minutes to produce for his owners this week, if barely. Thanks to D. Corridon for a head's up here, but since the Knicks only play two times next week, Lee probably isn't worth starting in most weekly leagues. This recommendation, therefore, is for daily-lineup owners who have had Lee bouncing on and off of their benches all season long. Averaging a measly 25 minutes per game this year, Lee's owners have needed to be very patient as the Knicks' losing takes its toll on their rotation. Eddy Curry, by rights, should have lost some minutes with his recent play, while David Lee has been as consistent as ever. On Wednesday, Lee recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds in 38 minutes, numbers that could easily carry over into Week 9. Watch his statistics this weekend very closely, but consider him a likely starter.

That's it for Week 9's Bench/Start recommendations. Check back next Friday for another round, but until then here are a few extra names for your consideration:

Bobby Simmons would benefit if Desmond Mason misses extended time. Bonzi Wells will be asked to play plenty of minutes if Tracy McGrady is seriously injured. Eduardo Najera will be Kenyon Martin's main replacement if his hamstring injury forces him out for a while. www.houstonrockets.ws

[Hache Man]

Bibby's about a month away
Happy Holidays, everyone. I am hoping to post a Daily Dose on Monday, but there probably won't be one for Christmas Day, unless I'm feeling especially motivated. No chat on Monday, but I should be back on New Year's Eve (Monday) for the next one.

Here are last week's Waiver Wired candidates. I try not to highlight the same players in back-to-back weeks, so if you're interested in one of these guys, you can check the archives to see what I said.

Guards: Wizards guards, Willie Green, Maurice Evans, Anthony Johnson

Forwards: Travis Outlaw, Al Thornton, Hakim Warrick, Craig Smith

Centers: Nazr Mohammed, Josh Boone

Nick Young started the week at point guard for the Wizards, while Roger Mason finished with the job. DeShawn Stevenson wasn't exactly the offensive juggernaut I was looking for, but will clearly have value as long as Antonio Daniels is out. Mason was great in his start on Saturday, going for 15 points and five assists, and should start at point guard until Daniels comes back. Green was out with an injury for part of the week, while Maurice Evans is quietly working his way into the mix in Orlando. Johnson seemed to come into his own for the Hawks. I was not exactly bullish on picking him up, but he had a huge week for the Hawks and looks like the starter for as long as he's healthy. If he's still available in any leagues, he shouldn't be. Especially with the news that Speedy Claxton is officially done for the year (again).

Outlaw struggled with his shot this week, but the minutes are still there and I'm still feeling him. Thornton was huge on Saturday after Tim Thomas went down and his stock looks higher now than it did a week ago, while Hakim Warrick was just terrible for the Grizzlies. I don't know what happened, but after it looked like he would easily see an increase in minutes and opportunities, he completely disappeared this week. Smith is going to be inconsistent, and the same can be said about the entire Timberwolves team this season.

The center calls were nice, as Mohammed and Boone were two of the hottest pickups by Sunday.

This Week's Recommendations

For this week's recommendations I'm going to hit more players and less details on each. Here we go.

Guards

Chucky Atkins - G - Nuggets

Chucky is back after making a surprise appearance for the Nuggets on Thursday, although he struggled a bit on Friday. Eventually, if his groin injury is not aggravated, he's going to move into the starting lineup. Cutting Anthony Carter in order to pick up Atkins is almost mandatory.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues.

Eddie Jones/Stackhouse - SG – Mavericks
dallasmavericks.com
Jones is starting and Stackhouse is playing well off the bench. If you're in a deep league, these guys have a lot more value today than they had two weeks ago. Jones should be a solid source of assists and steals, with the occasional scoring outburst and potential for threes. Stackhouse has been scoring and racking up rebounds and free throws. Both players are responsible for hurting the value of Jason Terry. I'd rather have Stack than Jones, but it also depends on your needs.
dallasmavericks.com
Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues

Luke Ridnour - PG – Sonics

Luke is finally ready to get the run at point guard that's been talked about for a few weeks now. It's hard to say for how long it will last, or if it will definitely happen, but I'm pretty confident that the other two guys (Earl Watson, Delonte West) haven't done much to impress their coach, and Ridnour is the most polished and experienced point guard on the team. I'm guessing he starts in his next game and could have averages of around 13 points and six dimes. If you need a point guard, give him a look. But even in a best-case scenario, he's going to be splitting time with the aforementioned players.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues

Morris Peterson - G/F – Hornets

I was wrong about Mo Pete this year, as he has been awful. But he's suddenly hitting threes and scoring points. I'm not sure he's turned the corner or not, but it's hard to ignore a couple of his last games. He's gone 5-21-6-25-10 in the scoring department in each of his last five games. Included with a couple of those gaudy point totals was a boatload of threes. In that five-game stretch, he's racked up 12 threes without even hitting one in two of those. There's a very good chance he could continue to stink it up going forward, but then again, it's hard to believe he got off to this slow of a start.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues

Nate Robinson - PG – Knicks

Stephon Marbury is out indefinitely and I'm not sure when we'll see him again. Fred Jones and Jamal Crawford are going to probably remain in the starting lineup, but Nate is a high-energy player that actually has the power to stop the Knick faithful from booing. He gives his all when he's on the floor and has actually been putting up decent numbers. He's hit double figures in three straight games and is a good source of points, rebounds and threes, with a little bit of everything else thrown in as well.

Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues.

Michael Finley - SG – Spurs

Manu Ginobili's thumb injury is a concern, although I'm not sure that it's as bad as Gregg Popovich is making it out to be. But it is concerning, nonetheless. If he's going to miss time, Finley is going to see a bigger role, along with Brent Barry. These are guys who should only be considered in deep leagues, but both could be on the verge of having more value over the next two weeks than they have up to this point.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues

Mike Bibby - PG – Kings
sacramentokings.com
Bibby is now a month away from returning from his thumb injury. That's not as long as it sounds, so make sure he's not available in your league. It's time to move on him.

Recommendation: Should be considered, and eventually owned in all leagues



Forwards

David Lee - F – Knicks

Lee has the potential to be a double-double machine and Eddy Curry is going through the worst stretch of his career recently. I know I've said this a million times, but a lineup change is coming, and it's coming soon. Isiah finally said after Sunday's game that a lineup shakeup is in order as the current starters are coming out of the gates at a snail's pace each night. It would be shocking to see Curry remain a starter, at least for the near future, and Lee is his logical replacement.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues.

Charlie Bell/Bobby Simmons - G/F – Bucks

Desmond Mason is gone for the next couple months after thumb surgery, meaning we have a new starting SF in Milwaukee. For now it's Bell, but Simmons may get his shot as well. Regardless of who is starting, the two are going to both see a big increase in value. I like Bell over Simmons for now, simply from a health standpoint, but it's impossible to know who will offer the most value in the long run. Charlie Villanueva could also see a bump in production, but not as big as Bell and Simmons.

Recommendation: Should be given consideration in all leagues.

Cuttino Mobley - G/F – Clippers

Tim Thomas and Sam Cassell are hurting, and Corey Maggette is probably on the verge of hurting, meaning Mobley should be getting some serious minutes going forward. Of course, Mobley is hurting too and if he's available in your league, his injuries are the reason why. He's hit double figures in scoring in six of his last eight games, and while he's still banged up, it's time to grab him if you need points and threes.

Recommendation: Should be given consideration in all leagues.

Anthony Parker - G/F – Raptors

Parker went from being owned and started in most leagues to being dumped in most of them, after he had trouble staying consistent despite starting for the Raptors. Maybe I'm speaking too soon, as he had just two points in 17 minutes of Saturday's loss to the Suns. But prior to that game, he had scored 16 and 18 points, although those were also losses to the Sonics and Blazers. He's been inconsistent all season when you look at it, and will likely continue to play that way the rest of the year. But if you are in a deep league and need steal and threes, with the occasional big-scoring game, you could do worse.

Recommendation: Should be given consideration in all leagues.

Martell Webster - G/F – Blazers

Webster fell out of favor when Travis Outlaw started coming on, but held onto his starting job and is playing well again. He's scored between 13 and 19 points in three straight and has hit double figures in five of his last seven. He' still starting and has been on a 3-point binge, hitting nine of them in his last three games. Outlaw's going to get hot again and limit Webster's production, but he should hold onto the starting job and should be a nice source of threes, especially when his confidence is high like it is right now. That said, I would still rather own Outlaw at this point.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues

Wally Szczerbiak/Jeff Green - F – Sonics

Damien Wilkins is really struggling with his shot and has hit double figures in just three of his last 10 games. He somehow continues to start, but a change could be coming. Both Wally and Green have had a few big lines in recent weeks and if you're tired of Wilkins and his mediocrity, gambling on one of these two guys could pay off at some point.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues

Centers

Sean Williams - F/C – Nets

Williams has been picked up and dropped, and picked up again in all leagues thus far, and that trend could continue. He's been saddled by foul trouble in a couple recent games and it was not surprising to see him struggle against the small Warriors. But if he can hang in the starting lineup, some big nights should be coming soon. He could still end up leading the league in blocks, although it's a long shot. But the blocks alone make him worth owning in most formats. Good luck getting him in your lineup just before he gets hot.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues

Nene - F/C – Nuggets

Nene is on the verge of a return to action, although it could be another week or so before we see him. I'm not expecting huge numbers and I'm also not sure he'll stay healthy. But he's a good shot blocker and steals guy, giving him instant value. And with Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby currently banged up, he's worth a flier in most formats.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues

Aaron Gray - F/C – Bulls

Gray was nice in a start for injured Ben Wallace and his minutes should continue to increase going forward. Bone spurs in Wallace's foot could continue to cause him problems, and Gray has proven that he can post a line that includes some points, boards and assists. He's only valuable in deep leagues, but with the uncertainty surrounding Big Ben, Gray is someone owners should be looking to put on their bench.

Recommendation: Should be given consideration in deeper leagues.

Earl Barron/Mark Blount - F/C – Heat

Alonzo Mourning is done for the year which means we're an injury away from Shaquille O'Neal from seeing Barron or Blount forced into the spotlight. These guys are not must-haves, but could have some value, especially in super-deep leagues.

Recommendation: Should be monitored closely in deeper leagues.

[Hache Man]

Merry Christmas, You're Fired!
Merry Christmas, you're fired! Those are basically the words Bulls' coach Scott Skiles awoke to on Monday. With several poor coaching performances taking place this season, Skiles' kind of slipped past me. The Bulls are just 9-16, but it still seemed like he had (somewhat) control over his team and that things were on the verge of turning around. Then again, the reality of the situation is that the players probably grew tired of his style and hearing the same voice every day and needed a change. It's bad news for Skiles, and really bad timing, but you know he'll bounce back from this and immediately becomes one of the hottest free agents on the market. And how ironic would it be if he ended up replacing Isiah in New York? Although I doubt he'd want to go and deal with James Dolan at this point. In fact, who would?

Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20,000 points in the NBA, hitting the mark at 29 years, 122 days. The only other two guys to accomplish the feat before the age of 30? Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. Wow.
dallasmavericks.com
With the "reality" news out of the way, a segment of the fantasy world is collectively holding its breath while Tracy McGrady undergoes an MRI on his sore knee today. Manu Ginobili is also going to miss some time with his sprained finger, so both of these guys should probably be on your bench until we get some more information on their status. Both players sound nearly guaranteed to miss at least one game this week, although Marcus Camby called himself "very doubtful" for Sunday and then played.

T-Mac initially refused to have an MRI on the knee because he was scared of what it might show. That makes no sense to me and I'm surprised the Rockets let him get away with that. I mean, isn't that the exact scenario that you should have an MRI done? Then again, I hate going to the dentist or doctor for fear of getting bad news, so his mindset makes sense, but then again, I'm not a professional athlete with a knee out of whack, either. The Clippers' Tim Thomas is also having an MRI on his knee today.

The Knicks are on the verge of a lineup change, and it sounds like it will really happen this time. Eddy Curry has been lethargic to start games and has then spent the rest of the night on the bench recently. I think I wrote something two weeks ago (as well as two years ago) about David Lee replacing him in the starting lineup, and it is looking like a reality this time. The Knicks are getting out of the gate so slowly they spend the rest of the night playing catch up. Quentin Richardson has no business starting either and I think that Nate Robinson would be a nice addition to the starting unit to give them some energy out of the gate. But at this point, the only thing we can really bank on is Curry heading to the bench. Once again, the time to pick Lee up is now.

In other Knicks' news, Jamal Crawford failed to make a shot in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Lakers, but blew up to score 30 points in the second half, almost single-handedly bringing the Knicks an amazing come-from-behind win. It wasn't meant to be though, as David Lee's inbounds pass was swiped by Jordan Farmar, who dunked to end the game.
indianapacers.com
There are a lot of trade rumors out there right now, as the names of Andre Miller, Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Damon Jones, Jason Williams and Ricky Davis continue to surface. Nothing is set in stone, but it sounds likely that at least a few of these guys are going to be traded before the February deadline.
utahjazz.com
The Cavaliers were torched by the Warriors on Sunday and booed heavily by the home crowd. A lot of ire was directed at Larry Hughes, who was just 1-of-8 on the night and who single-handedly destroyed one of my fantasy teams this week. I wish I could have been in Cleveland so I could personally boo him after I took the bait and started him this week. Let's see, Larry. In four fantasy games this week (in a fairly shallow League Freak), you had a game-high of eight and scored a total of 20 points, hit 9-of-37 shots, zero 3-pointers and added nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Thanks. Adding insult to injury was Hughes' attitude after being booed on Sunday, saying that "one guy" wasn't the reason they are losing. Actually, that "one guy" is doing everything he can to get traded out of Cleveland. He's complaining about the fans, complaining about coming off the bench and after two very nice lines in a return from injury, hasn't done a single thing to help his basketball team. One insider says he will be traded well before the February deadline. The sooner he's gone, the better off the Cavs will be, in my opinion. He's long gone from my fantasy teams, but the damage has been done. Thanks for nothing.

Maybe I'm in a bad mood after two of my football teams had a bit of an implosion on Sunday. I really struggled between starting Brett Favre and Marc Bulger this week. My heart said Bulger, as Favre has been pretty awful against the Bears over the last couple years, but the numbers and multiple people I trust said Favre. It ended up biting me big time and while I still hold the lead in both of my title games, 15 points out of LT/B Marshall (in one game) or Antonio Gates/SD D (in the other) tonight finish me off. And then I got cute and started a shaky Cardinals' D at home against the hapless Falcons instead of going with the reliable Titans. The Falcons, of course, looked great, as did the Titans' D. Then Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor laid goose eggs last night, completely ruining an otherwise perfect day. I don't mind seeing my fantasy teams get beat, but when it's simply because I made stupid decisions, I don't deal with it very well. Oh well.

Have a great Christmas and enjoy a night off from hoops as you get ready for the big day.

[Hache Man]

Eleven straight and on fire!
Christmas Games

Brandon Roy and his Blazer teammates didn't play well on Christmas Day, but they were still able to get their 11th straight win at the expense of the Sonics. It's hard to believe what the Blazers are doing this season, but they are clearly one of the feel-good stories of the NBA thus far. Roy and his boys struggled with their shooting, with Roy going just 7-of-23 for 17 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge (1-of-10) and Martell Webster (1-of-7) couldn't get it going either. But the Blazers hung on with hustle and defense, got 16 rebounds from Joel Przybilla and are now just .5 games back of Denver for first place in the Northwest. Webster might have been a hot pickup after posting three solid lines in a row, but was disappointing last night. I still think Travis Outlaw's a better player to own. Wally Szczerbiak scored 19 for Seattle but offered little else.
dallasmavericks.com
Kobe Bryant scored 38 points, Andrew Bynum scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting (while adding 12 boards, two blocks and a season-high four assists) and Trevor Ariza was effective in his first start for the Lakers, who beat the Suns to win their ninth game in 11 tries last night. Ariza got the start in place of injured Luke Walton (ankle) and because of the matchup with the Suns. Walton shouldn't be out long and it's possible that Phil Jackson could start Vladimir Radmanovic instead of Ariza if Walton remains sidelined. Keep your eye on Ariza and don't be afraid to grab him in extremely deep leagues. But don't expect him to log starter's minutes unless the Lakers continue to suffer injury problems. Raja Bell returned from missing a game with back spasms and hit four threes on his way to a 15-point night. Reports after the game were that Bell's back was in good shape. The Lakers are just 1.0 game back of the Suns now, and who would have guessed that would be the case back in October?

The Cavaliers beat the Heat as Larry Hughes replaced Daniel Gibson in the starting lineup. Hughes was off with his shot, as usual, but did offer six assists and four steals. He should continue to start, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Gibson get his job back and Sasha Pavlovic go to the bench at some point. Gibson hit four threes and scored 16 points off the bench. I'm not going to pick Hughes up again this year for personal reasons, but feel free to give him a look if he gets it going. LeBron James had a solid game, but Dwyane Wade really struggled for the Heat yesterday, hitting just 7-of-18 shots and 8-of-16 free throws on his way to 22 points. He's dealing with a sore right shoulder and owners have to hope it doesn't become a serious injury. Rumors of him not being able to raise the arm above his head aren't going to calm any nerves, either. However, it's not the same shoulder he had surgery on.

Injury News and Notes

There are 11 games on Wednesday and the big story is that Stephon Marbury WILL NOT play against Orlando tonight. The big story on Christmas morning was that he would fly with the team and play tonight, but apparently the first Christmas without his dad was too tough for him to handle. There are conflicting reports out there about Steph's absence. Some think it's related to the grief he is dealing with over the loss, while others think he's still mad at Isiah and is doing whatever he can to sabotage the team. It's probably some combination of the two. I honestly can't believe how many blurbs Marbury and the Knicks have gotten since last summer, but they have constantly been in the news every week since last season ended. Deemed Team Titanic II by the New York press, I can't wait for Herb Williams to write a book about what he's seen go down since Larry Brown replaced him three years ago. I also can't wait to learn what scoop Marbury has on Isiah, and Isiah has on owner James Dolan. I don't even know what to tell you about Marbury as a fantasy prospect anymore. Who knows when he'll play again? And even if he returns, who knows if he'll even try.

Oh, and they're going to supposedly have a major lineup overhaul tonight, with Eddy Curry likely going to the bench. It's possible there could be several new players in the starting five tonight, so check the blurbs after the game for the breakdown. Dwight Howard has to be licking his chops over this one, and I wouldn't be surprised if Curry doesn't get one more start tonight, although it's not likely.



Warriors Baron Davis (thigh) and Stephen Jackson (knee) were both almost held out of Sunday's game…Just something to be aware of heading into tonight's home game against the Timberwolves.

Tracy McGrady's knee MRI came back negative, which is great news. He's not expected to play on Friday, but that's a long time between games and it's not out of the realm of possibility that he could give it a go.

Clippers' Tim Thomas is scheduled for an MRI on his left knee today, so we'll hopefully have some news on him tonight. If the news is bad, you'll want to own Al Thornton. Corey Maggette missed his last game with a knee injury but we won't know his status until the team practices today. They don't play until Thursday night.

Hedo Turkoglu quietly suffered an ankle injury on Sunday and is questionable for tonight's game against the Knicks. I benched him this week, but there's a chance he could play. Rashard Lewis' neck injury sounds like it is improving, so he has hopefully missed the only game he will because of it.

Marcus Camby admirably played through Sunday's game despite a mid-back contusion, along with general soreness throughout his entire body. He'll be questionable all week, but if he plays tonight against Milwaukee, he should be good to go. Kenyon Martin is hoping to play tonight with a hamstring injury. He's missed two games and we haven't gotten an update since he spoke after his last game. Consider him questionable.

Reggie Evans (shoulder), Willie Green (groin) and Lou Williams (toe) all missed Monday's practice. The team got Tuesday off, so we aren't likely to know their availability until game time tonight when the Sixers host the Heat. Green's groin injury is not severe, but could still keep him out for multiple games. I'm going to guess that Evans and Williams play, but would be surprised to see Green on the court tonight.

Caron Butler is being called a game-time decision tonight against Charlotte with sprained ankles, but also says that he might not be able to go on Friday, either. My gut says he'll play, but my gut also said to play the Cardinals' D over the Titans' D. Antonio Daniels (knee) is going to be back much earlier than expected and is hoping to play on Saturday. If you badly need a point guard, give him a look.

The Spurs host the Bulls tonight, but I'm guessing Manu Ginobili's finger injury could keep him out all week. Then again, Gregg Popovich could just be pulling our legs.

Timberwolves Rashad McCants and Marko Jaric should be over their bouts with the flu for tonight at Golden State, but Craig Smith and Gerald Green could be sidelined by the illness now.

Mehmet Okur is being called a game-time decision tonight with his shoulder injury, while Gordan Giricek has still not returned to the team after being banished by Jerry Sloan last week. The Jazz host the Mavericks tonight. utahjazz.com

[Hache Man]

Out With the Old...
Christmas is now in the rear view mirror and nothing but wrapping paper shrapnel and soon-to-be-returned gifts remain under the tree. I hope Santa Claus brought you everything you wanted for Christmas and you had a nice relaxing time with your friends and family.

This Tuesday is January 1st – New Year's Day, 2008. It's a time for new starts, unfamiliar beginnings and a clean, fresh slate. It's also a world-renowned social holiday, a day off from work and the official finish of 2007.

Out with the old, in with the new…

As we set our resolutions for '08 and reflect on '07, The Week Ahead is here to help you set your best lineup for Week 10. We'll break down the latest on the injury list, preview the upcoming week's schedule and reveal several players that are worth keeping an eye on.

Game Totals in Week 10:
Four games: CHA, CHI, DET, HOU, IND, MIN, MIL, NO, PHI, POR
Three games: ATL, BOS, CLE, DAL, DEN, GS, LAC, MEM, MIA, NJ, NY, ORL, SA, SAC, SEA, TOR, UTA, WAS
Two games LAL, PHO

Interesting Matchups:
Wednesday, Jan. 2 - Golden State @ Dallas: After one of the best seasons in the history of the league last season (68-14), the Mavericks were upset by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. With coach Don Nelson now in Golden State and his protégé Avery Johnson at the helm in Dallas, this is now a bona fid rivalry.

Thursday, Jan. 3 - San Antonio @ Denver: The Spurs and the Nuggets, who both find themselves in first place in their respected divisions, clash on TNT this Thursday. The Nuggets score 106.1 PPG, fourth-best overall, while the Spurs are surrendering a meager 93.0 PPG, third-best defensively. With Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby, this matchup could feature half of the Western Conference All-Star roster.

Friday, Jan. 4 - Detroit @ Toronto: The Pistons are one of the hottest teams in the league now, winning six straight contests – five in double figures. They'll travel to Canada to take on Chris Bosh and the Raptors this Friday. The Pistons won two of the three contests last season.

Saturday, Jan. 5 - Boston @ Detroit: Saturday represents a meeting of the top-two teams in the NBA. At 22-3, the Celtics have jumped out to the best record in basketball. They'll be tested this week against the mighty Pistons, who defeated them 87-85 last week thanks to two free throws with 0.1 seconds remaining. Boston will definitely be looking for some revenge.

Keep An Eye On:
(statistics exclusively from December 13 – December 26)
Derek Fisher, LAL 8 G, 12.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, 28 3-pointers
Sebastian Telfair, MIN 6 G, 11.8 PPG, 7.0 APG
John Salmons, SAC 5 G, 18.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.6 SPG
Rajon Rondo, BOS 5 G, 15.0 PPG, 5.8 APG< 4.0 RPG, 2.2 SPG
Devin Harris, DAL 5 G, 16.2 PPG, 5.4 APG, 2.2 SPG

Yi Jianlian, MIL 5 G, 16.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Anderson Varejao, CLE 7 G, 8.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.1 SPG
Travis Outlaw, POR 6 G, 12.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG
DeShawn Stevenson, WAS 5 G, 16.2 PPG, 4.2 APG, 1.6 SPG
Anthony Johnson, ATL 5 G, 12.4 PPG, 8.2 APG, 1.0 SPG

Josh Boone, NJ 5 G, 12.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.0 BPG
Nick Collison, SEA 5 G, 9.4 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG
Ryan Gomes, MIN 6 G, 12.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Nazr Mohammed, CHA 4 G, 14.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.8 BPG
Paul Millsap, UTA 6 G, 11.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks @cle, @ind, NJ
Salim Stoudamire (hamstring) – day-to-day
Speedy Claxton (knee) – out for the season
Tyronn Lue (calf) – return late December

Boston Celtics HOU, MEM, @det
Boston has quietly won 12 of the past 13 contests and looks in firm control of the East this season. Baring an injury to the Big Ticket, The Truth or Jesus Shuttlesworth, the Celtics look poised for their first championship in 22 years.

Charlotte Bobcats IND, CHI, @nj, MIL
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Othella Harrington (knee) – out indefinitely
The Bobcats players will be commodities for the next month or so. They are scheduled for five straight weeks with four contests (10-14). That means that Gerald Wallace, Jason Richardson, Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton should remain active until February – baring injury.

Chicago Bulls ORL, @cha, POR, SAC
It sounds as if the Bulls are going to go with head assistant coach Jim Boylan to be their new interim head coach after the sudden firing of Scott Skiles. The team has decided they will go with the same system already in tact. Heading into the season, the Bulls were predicted to be one of the powerhouses in the East, but have stumbled out to a 9-17 record – dead last in the Central. The decline of Kirk Hinrich and Ben Wallace, in my opinion, are the major reasons this team has taken a step backwards early on.

Cleveland Cavaliers ATL, SAC, @tor
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely
The Cavs have to be very pleased with the production they are receiving from PF Anderson Varejao after a long contract holdout. The Brazilian is averaging 8.1 PPG and 8.0 RPG on 58.1 shooting through his first eight contests. In that span, Drew Gooden has seen their minutes and production fall though, averaging 10.4 PPG and 6.3 RPG in that span … The team is also reportedly shopping Larry Hughes after a dreadful run in Cleveland. He returned from an 11-game absence due to a bruised thigh and scored 58 points in his first two games back. Since then, however, he's scoring just 6.0 PPG in his past seven games. A change of scenery would likely be the best thing for him at this time.

Dallas Mavericks GS, MIA, @min
dallasmavericks.com
Denver Nuggets SA, @min, PHI
Nene returned to action Wednesday night after missing almost two months with a thumb injury. He scored 11 points and looked strong in his limited action. Kenyon Martin (hamstring) also returned to play, but failed to score. Although the two players have immense talent, injuries have absolutely robbed them of their full potential throughout their careers … At point guard, the Nuggets are finally health again. Anthony Carter continues to start, while Chucky Atkins returns to full form. Atkins is expected to eventually take a hold of the starting job, but for the time being, it still belongs to Carter.

Detroit Pistons MIL, @was, @tor, BOS

Golden St. Warriors @hou, @dal, NO
Troy Hudson (hip) – out for the season, might retire
Austin Croshere (back) – out indefinitely

Houston Rockets GS, @bos, @orl, NY
Tracy McGrady (knee) – day-to-day
Yao Ming (head) – day-to-day
Steve Francis (flu) – day-to-day
The Rockets will get their Yao Ming back in action Friday night, but will not likely have the services of Tracy McGrady. An MRI revealed no further damage to TMac's sore left knee. There remains some swelling around the injury and he's listed as "doubtful" for Friday and said he expects to miss 3-4 more games. This holiday season will give him a nice, long stretch to rest and recover. It sounds like he should still be benched for Week 11 though.

Indiana Pacers @cha, MEM, ATL, @lal
David Harrison (back) – return early January
indianapacers.com
L.A. Clippers MIN, NO, SA
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Paul Davis (knee) – out for the season
Corey Maggette (knee) – day-to-day
Tim Thomas (knee) – day-to-day
You never know when it's going to hit, but it can totally dismantle a team in an instant. The injury bug has hit some teams hard this season. The Clippers have resembled a MASH unit more than a basketball team lately. Despite the long awaited return of veteran Sam Cassell, the rest of the team seems to be dropping like flies.

L.A. Lakers PHI, IND
Luke Walton (knee) – day-to-day
Kwame Brown (knee) – day-to-day

Memphis Grizzlies @ind, @bos, MIA
Mike Conley (shoulder) – day-to-day

Miami Heat MIL, @dal, @mem
Alonzo Mourning (knee) – out for the season, will retire
Jason Williams (knee) – day-to-day
Chris Quinn (ankle) – return early January
Smush Parker (personal) – out indefinitely

Milwaukee Bucks @det, @mia, WAS, @cha
Desmond Mason (thumb) – return late February
With Mason out 6-8 weeks with his finger injury, it should open the door of opportunity for Bobby Simmons, who has been nearly invisible all season. He got a start at small forward on Wednesday, but only responded with two pints and four boards. He and Charlie Bell will continue to split the minutes at the position for the immediate future.

Minnesota Timberwolves @lac, POR, DEN
Randy Foye (knee) – out indefinitely
Rashad McCants and Marko Jaric both returned from the flu-bug on Wednesday after sitting out the previous few games. Each scored 15 points in the loss. Their return to action will slightly hurt the values of Sebastian Telfair and Ryan Gomes, who have thrived in their absence.

NOK Hornets TOR, @lac, @gs, @pho

New Jersey Nets @orl, CHA, @atl
Antoine Wright (ankle) – day-to-day
Nenad Krstic (knee) – out indefinitely

New York Knicks SAC, @sa, @hou
Stephon Marbury (personal) – day-to-day
It remains unknown when (and if) Marbury will rejoin the Knicks. He decided to skip the team's trip to Orlando and stay behind with family. The passing of his father has obviously affected him a significant way. With the struggling Knicks in desperate need for an overhaul to get them going again, perhaps his leave of absence was the main reason he hasn't been waived or traded yet. It's clear that coach/GM Isiah Thomas and Steph don't see eye to eye, and for the Knicks to thrive again, one of the two will likely need to go.

Orlando Magic @chi, NJ, HOU
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season

Philadelphia 76ers @sea, @uta, @lal, @den
Willie Green (groin) – day-to-day

Phoenix Suns SEA, NO

Portland Trailblazers @uta, @min, @chi, UTA
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain
The Blazers are enjoying perhaps their best stretch of basketball in about five years or so. They've won 11 straight games now and don't seem ready to slow down. After being considered the thugs of the league for a few years, then a long stretch of poor play, the franchise has been quietly and effectively rebuilt with the strong nucleus of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Martell Webster, Jarrett Jack and Travis Outlaw, this team has a very bright future.

Sacramento Kings @ny, @cle, @chi
Mike Bibby (thumb) – targeting late January return
Kevin Martin (groin) – return late January
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
sacramentokings.com
San Antonio Spurs @den, NY, @lac
Manu Ginobili (finger) – day-to-day
Francisco Elson (ankle) – day-to-day

Seattle Sonics PHI, @pho, @was
Robert Swift (knee) – return mid-January

Toronto Raptors @no, DET, CLE
T.J. Ford (back) – out indefinitely
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely
There remains a ton of doubt around when T.J. Ford is going to return to action after re-aggravating his back (and spine) injury. Doctors have cleared him to return to basketball activities, but he's being cautious because of his condition called, "spinal stenosis." The condition can cause pain and a loss of feeling in the lower extremities so the lightening quick point guard could be sidelined for a very long time. Jose Calderon has been superb in his absence. On the season, the Spanish guard is averaging 10.9 PPG and 8.0 APG – seventh in the NBA.

Utah Jazz POR, PHI, @por
Gordan Giricek (personal) – out indefinitely
Mehmet Okur (shoulder) – back in action
Okur returned Wednesday night after sitting out the previous seven contests with a shoulder injury. He logged 41 minutes and didn't suffer any setbacks, so it seems safe to return him to your starting lineups as well. In his absence, Paul Millsap was truly impressive though and has proved that he can play in this league at a high level.
utahjazz.com
Washington Wizards DET, @mil, SEA
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery) – return late February
Antonio Daniels (knee) – return early January
With the Wizards clod of injuries, they have been getting some decent performances from some unlikely players lately. Roger Mason Jr. has taken over the starting point guard job until Daniels returns, and has done an admirable job. Mason is averaging a cool 22 PPG, 5 RPG and 4.5 APG the past two starts – including six 3-pointers Wednesday night.

[Hache Man]

Christmas Carlos
Carlos Boozer saved the Jazz from what would have been a crushing defeat on Wednesday night. utahjazz.com

After jumping out to a commanding 16-0 lead, Utah needed two points at the buzzer to regain just a one point advantage at halftime over a Dallas club that finally looks like it's rounding into form after a pedestrian start.

But Boozer – an absolute fantasy stud all season – put the Jazz on his back late and came through with six of Utah's final seven points to help seal a 99-90 victory.

The win for the Jazz was huge considering how it has struggled down the stretch in games so far this year – a big part of the reason why Utah is plodding along at 16-14 after winning 51 games last season.

Don't be blaming Boozer for the Jazz woes, however. He's been as good as almost anyone in the game this season. Despite some foul trouble, Boozer shook off a sub par night Saturday with a game-high 21 points Wednesday on an efficient 8-for-13 shooting night. He added nine boards and two steals. Boozer is cruising along with a career-high 24.6 PPG this season – good for sixth in the NBA. He's also enjoying another excellent rebounding year, also sixth with 11.5 per game. Better yet, Boozer has stepped up with his free throw shooting – a definite weak area last year.

The key, as always, will be his ability to stay healthy. Boozer has missed just one of Utah's 30 games so far, so if he can continue to avoid the type of major injury that has plagued him over the past few seasons, he'll be fantasy gold all year long.

For the Jazz, this big win pulled it within a game of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, currently owned by the Trail Blazers, who apparently haven't lost a game since the Reagan administration.

Utah is definitely taking care of business at home with a 10-2 mark. It's just that road thing – 6-12 – that is proving difficult. The Jazz get another try tomorrow night – in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Uh, good luck with that. Fortunately, 11 of the club's next 16 games are a home, providing hope that they can reverse their current 3-9 skid.

More good news for the Jazz: Mehmet Okur was back in action after sitting the previous seven games with a shoulder injury. He looked very rusty at first – sinking just two of his first 10 shots – but came through with a pair of important buckets in the final 4:13 to help seal the win. Okur also managed six boards and a block in 40 minutes, so he looks like a safe bet to get back in your lineup.

While we wonder whether Boozer can help lift the Jazz back to where it needs to be, let's review the remainder of Wednesday's NBA action…

• Watching what he's doing lately, it's hard to believe that Monta Ellis wasn't starting earlier this season. He nailed 13-of-21 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line last night for a career-best 35 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Hell, he even tossed in a rare block. Why not? Ellis is doing it all right now, averaging 24.0 PPG with 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists over the past five games. While he's not taking as many 3-pointers this year, and his FT shooting has slipped (after a rough start, however, he definitely appears back on track in that area), it's hard not to be stoked about how Ellis has taken his game to the next level this season. Let's just hope that his hip injury doesn't act up again after he appeared to land on it again late in Wednesday's game. The way Ellis is grooving right now, an injury is the only thing that could stop him.
• Chris Paul continues to blow us away with the fact that he seems to get better every single time he takes the court. He nailed 17-of-25 last night, including five from beyond the arc, en route to a 40-point game. Despite that barrage of shots, Paul somehow found time to dish nine dimes, pull down five boards and earn five steals. His touches are way up this year, and although he's not getting to the line as often, who cares? The dude is finding a way to score thanks to his massively improved touch from the floor. But what's most amazing is that it's not just about his scoring – Paul's assists are up significantly too, with a career-high average of 10 per game. Is there a more valuable man in fantasy basketball right now? I don't think so.
• Now this is the kind of all-around game you've come to expect from Gerald Wallace. Last night, he sunk 11-of-21 from the floor and 9-of-12 from the line for 32 points with nine rebounds, eight assists, two steals, a block and a three-pointer. Crash has generally been healthy this year, and his touches are up, leading to a career-best 19.5 PPG. What's up with his decreased rebounding this year, however? After 16 double-doubles last season, he's had exactly one this year – and that came way back in the season opener.

Injury Report

Nene was back in action Wednesday – his first appearance since a thumb injury knocked him out early last month. He played solidly with 11 points and seven rebounds, so as long as Kenyon Martin is dealing with hamstring issues, Nene looks like a strong pickup. These two injury-prone vets will likely cannibalize each other's value until one of them goes down with an inevitable injury and the other steps up (until he gets hurt, of course).
dallasmavericks.com
Tip-ins: Jason Terry took an 0-for-10 from the field Wednesday. He can't seem to get into a groove with his shot lately. Every time it looks like Jet will take off (as he did on Friday, nailing 6-of-10), he slips again…Carmelo Anthony, who managed just four double-doubles last year, has done it in four straight games. I am loving 'Melo's improved rebounding totals…I don't think Marcus Camby's back is an issue. He went nuts last night with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks, adding five assists, two steals and a three-pointer. It was his first career triple-double. Camby's FT shooting has been horrible this season, but he is helping you in so many other areas right now, you probably just don't care that much…Speaking of excelling through injuries, Hedo Turkoglu shook off his ankle sprain and sunk 10-of-15 shots for 26 points with six rebounds, six assists, three 3-pointers and two steals. Hedo is obviously completely over the mystery ailment that afflicted him the past couple of seasons and good health and endurance have allowed him to take his game to a new level…Maybe getting lifted from the starting lineup was the tonic needed to get Zach Randolph going. Z-Bo shook off his offensive slump with 22 points off the bench. As long as he continues to stay healthy, Randolph will have value, regardless of whether he's starting or not...Eddy Curry, rumored to be suffering from a bit of a Christmas cheer OD, is still starting – and still sucking. He was charged with two quick fouls and then benched until the fourth quarter. Curry is simply not helping anyone these days. Silver lining: his FT shooting has been better of late…lost in the Boston hoopla is the fact that Detroit is playing unbelievable basketball this year. The Pistons have won 13 of their past 15, hammering the Nets last night for their sixth straight win. The keys for Detroit have been defense – it's held its opponents under 90 points in seven straight games – and putting opponents away in the third quarter – Detroit has outscored its opponents 84-50 in the third quarter over the past three games. Another good sign for Detroit is that Richard Hamilton, who has been middling this year, came through with 22 points last night. If Rip can start to light it up like we're accustomed to seeing, the Pistons will be even tougher to beat…It looks like Damon Jones is done in Cleveland, asking for a trade back to Miami, a place he should have apparently never left, as it's been downhill since for "the best shooter in the NBA." Jones has taken DNP-CDs in four of the past five…Sam Vincent says he plans to keep Ray Felton at the PG position, which means that there could be more two-guard minutes for Matt Carroll. If Carroll gets more PT and the number of outside touches he had last year, he'll be valuable. Watch this one closely…As for Felton, he's done much better in this area lately, but turnovers have been a problem for him, so more practice at the point might not be a bad idea at all…It looks like KG's double-double drought is over, with three in his past four games after going 10 games without one...Tracy McGrady estimates he'll be out another week because of his knee injury. Well, at least it's not his back.

[Hache Man]

Changing of the Guard!
Thursday was a quiet night in the NBA that saw LeBron and the Cavs get back on track with a tough win over the Mavericks, the Suns crush the Clippers and the Celtics pull away late from the Sonics.

There isn't a lot of game news to report from that trifecta, although some of the headlines include Larry Hughes finally posting a decent line, Dirk blowing up for 19 points and 20 rebounds, Amare dominating Chris Kaman with a 30-point, 15-rebound and 4-block night, Paul Pierce torching Seattle with 37 points and five threes and Delonte West playing well against his old team with 19 points and eight assists for the Sonics.

In other news, Corey Maggette returned from his knee injury and scored 21 in the loss, while Kaman had his streak of 12 straight double-doubles broken with his worst line of the year. He still had nine points, nine boards and two blocks, and was due for an off game. Now we just have to hope it's a temporary thing. Other disappointments included Raja Bell (two points on 1-of-6 shooting), Erick Dampier (one point, two boards), Daniel Gibson (eight points, 2-of-8), Jason Terry (11 points, 3-of-11), Ray Allen (10 points, 4-of-13), Rajon Rondo (1 points, five assists, 0-of-3) Nick Collison (four points, six boards, 2-of-6) and Shawn Marion (nine points, 29 minutes).

News and Notes

There is plenty to talk about around the league heading into the weekend with a big lineup change in Chicago, T-Mac, Shaq and Pau Gasol injury updates, and several other happenings around the league.

I posted the Bulls news around 2:30 this morning and it appears to be fairly significant. In case you missed it, Jim Boylan was named the interim coach and didn't waste time shaking things up. Chris Duhon will start at point guard, Kirk Hinrich will shift to shooting guard and Ben Gordon will come off the bench.

Gordon has always been better off the bench than as a starter, but he might not feel all that great about the demotion once it becomes official tonight. He is saying all the right things, but can't be happy about it. Hinrich will get less assists as a shooting guard, but has struggled so badly the change might do him good. And while I'm not the biggest Duhon fan around, I must admit that I picked him up in most leagues after posting the news. He was already playing fairly well in limited minutes with his reserve role, but should be better as a starter. He's going to be a decent source of threes, assists and points, if Boylan gives him 25-30 minutes per game. We'll have to see how things go tonight against the Bucks. I still haven't given up on Tyrus Thomas yet, but did let him go in one league to get a starting point guard. I have no idea how the Bulls will use Thomas going forward, but I do know that John Paxson wants to run the young guys. Stay tuned.

Take Me Down to the Infirmary

Tracy McGrady is going to miss "about a week" with his knee injury and Luther Head has been named a starter in his place. I wouldn't be surprised to see Head carry value all the way through the end of next week, so I like the idea of picking him up to fill a short-term need. He should offer a lot of threes and points over the next four to six games. Rafer Alston and Bonzi Wells should also be a little better, but Head should benefit the most from T-Mac's absence.

Shaquille O'Neal (hip) and Jason Williams (knee) are both day-to-day for now. I have no idea if they're playing tonight against the Magic, but given the fact I picked up and played Jason Williams this week (4 games) and he's already missed one, my fingers are crossed. To say that Shaq and the Heat have been disappointing this season is quite an understatement. And there are no signs of things getting better. In other Heat news, Smush Parker has been invited to re-join the team, probably because they're looking at Daequan Cook as their starting point guard if Williams is down. Speaking of Cook, he's someone who might be worth a pick up

Clipper Tim Thomas had an MRI on his knee on which came back negative. He's now day-to-day and his return will limit the value of Al Thornton.

The Magic's Jameer Nelson is not hurt, but his job is in jeopardy. Part of the reason I picked up Duhon was because I own Nelson. I had previously secured Carlos Arroyo in case Nelson is benched, but Duhon looks like the better opportunity for now. Nelson is still struggling with the loss of his father over the summer and it appears that Stan Van Gundy is about ready to make a move, going to Arroyo or Keyon Dooling. Even if that happens, I bet Nelson bounces back and reclaims the job at some point. It's possible Nelson could come off the bench tonight, but we'll have to wait and see.



Antonio Daniels is close to returning for the Wizards and could even play tonight.

Sonics' point guard Luke Ridnour aggravated his calf injury and will probably miss a couple more games. This has quickly turned into a lost season for Ridnour, as well as the Sonics.

Brandon Roy missed yesterday's practice for personal reasons, but is expected to play tonight.

Yao Ming has been bothered by the flu and facial laceration, but is expected to play tonight, while Bonzi Wells returned to practice from a bout with the flu yesterday.

T.J. Ford spoke about his injury yesterday and your guess is as good as mine as to if and when he returns. If you need to cut him to get a warm body in your lineup, feel free. He might retire, or he might get back on the floor next week. Unfortunately, even Ford doesn't know what he's going to do yet, as he copes with risking his livelihood by playing again, as well as scaring his family and friends every time he makes contact in a game.

Pau Gasol says his toe injury is fully responsible for Wednesday's disappointing line, so it makes me wonder when he's ever going to be healthy again. He's on my bench for now. Also, Stromile Swift is starting at center for the Grizzlies, while Darko Milicic comes off the bench. I have no faith in Stro, as you know. I'm going to consider Gasol day-to-day, although he's not listed on the injury report for the Grizzlies.

Kevin Martin says he's about a week to 10 days away from a return from a groin injury, while Mike Bibby is targeting Jan. 16 for a return from his thumb injury. Reggie Theus is chirping about both of them having to work their way back into the starting unit, but once they're back in the mix and fully healthy, they're going to start – At least according to me. sacramentokings.com

Gordan Giricek was welcomed back to the Jazz today, but still has no fantasy value.

And for my daily dose of Stephon Marbury, the Knicks say he will be back sometime "after the new year," while Isiah Thomas acknowledged that he's unsure as to when Marbury will return. I'm with Isiah on this one, as I'm not sure if or when we'll see Marbury back in action and looking like Marbury again. And the lineup changes likely haven't stopped for the Knicks yet. Don't be surprised to see Nate Robinson, Malik Rose or even Jerome James crack the starting five at some point in the future. Yes, desperate times call for desperate measures

[Hache Man]

Memphis blues for Pau Gasol
This week's Bench/Start doesn't need much of an introduction; a few sentences will have to suffice, as I would rather spend my (limited) time discussing players' prospects in the week ahead. Hopefully you all remembered, during the busy holiday season, to set your lineups for this week. If you were too busy buying last-second gifts or if you were stranded in O'Hare on Sunday when you usually set your lineup, never fear; one week won't make or break your fantasy season, and there's always Week 10 to rally back in. And now, here are some thoughts on the week ahead—as usual, feel free to email me any and all questions.

TWO games: Lakers, Suns

THREE games: Hawks, Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Nets, Knicks, Magic, Spurs, Kings, Sonics, Raptors, Jazz, Wizards www.sacramentokings.ws
utahjazz.com
FOUR games: Bobcats, Bulls, Pistons, Rockets, Pacers, Timberwolves, Bucks, Hornets, 76ers, Trailblazers
indianapacers.com
BENCH

Craig Smith: I snagged Smith in multiple leagues a few weeks ago, convinced that after posting multiple 30-point games he would develop a consistent 30-minute role for the Timberwolves. It hasn't happened. Although the Timberwolves have the league's worst record at 4-23, they won't commit to Smith, preferring instead to shuffle him out of the lineup in favor of Antoine Walker and, unbelievably, even Michael Doleac.

Smith has only one double-digit rebounding game this season, and he averages a worthless .3 assists, .4 steals and .3 blocks, meaning that when he isn't scoring 20+ points, he isn't helping your team. NBA coaches are rarely as eager as fantasy owners to see a hot player log 40 minutes on a nightly basis, so I'm not holding my breath on Smith. Drop him if you want to, because with a healthy Antoine Walker around, Smith just isn't the fantasy treat he ought to be.

Corey Brewer: Brewer, Craig Smith's teammate, has been similarly disappointing in fantasy leagues. He has been starting for the Wolves and occasionally posting impressive numbers, but his offense is severely lacking (averaging 5 points a game on 31% shooting) and he is too inconsistent to start on a weekly basis. He demanded the attention of fickle fantasy owners with an 18 rebound, five assist, four steal night on December 6th, but has struggled to post anything close to those numbers since. Listed at 6'9" and 185 pounds, Brewer obviously has a long way to go before he realizes his full potential: he's not going to play more minutes than he's been getting lately (averaging over 30 minutes per game over his last 10), and it's hard to see him suddenly becoming efficient on offense. Keep him in the back of your mind, but dropping him is a liberty you should probably take at this poi
Jason Maxiell: I'm torn about this one. I like Maxiell, and I feel like he deserves to be owned, but find myself opposed to starting him in an extremely favorable four-game week. The reason why is his recent play. He's averaging around 9 points, six rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 23 minutes per game this season, but hasn't grabbed more than four rebounds in any of his last five games, and hasn't scored 20 points in a game all season. He doesn't hurt you with turnovers, but his only true upside is blocks, and that is a gamble: since blocking six shots on December 16th, Maxiell has only two blocks in his last four games. He can be started in a pinch, with fingers crossed and breath baited, but you're better off waiting for his role to increase (or at least for greater consistency) before relying on his fantasy production.

Larry Hughes: Yes, Hughes is back in the Cavaliers' starting lineup, resuming his role from last season as an out-of-position point guard. He's been yo-yoing between owners' lineups and the waiver wire all season long, but many owners scooped him up after this most recent promotion. So, with a three-game slate in Week 10, what makes Hughes unworthy of starting for your team? How about 33% field goal shooting, a 1.2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (I can see why they made him a point guard), 2.8 rebounds and less than 10 points a game.

Unless Hughes miraculously discovers his shot and starts passing the ball with an efficiency that defies his career to this point, he is a bummer to have in your fantasy team's starting lineup. If you optimistically picked him up recently, I won't say you should drop him outright, but I must insist that you bench him in Week 10.
dallasmavericks.com


START

Al Harrington/Andris Biedrins: We all know that the Warriors are a fantasy roller-coaster for owners of anyone besides Baron Davis or Stephen Jackson. At the bottom rung we have Mickael Pietrus and Matt Barnes, both potential starters who have been relegated to small roles off the bench. Then there are the guys caught in fantasy limbo: Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis. Now, Ellis sometimes disappears inexplicably, but his value is at least consistent enough that his owners can start him in a three-game week without much thought, and recently he's been absolutely on fire. Biedrins and Harrington, on the other hand, play different minutes every night, depending upon matchups.

It's hard to distinguish patterns in the play of Biedrins and Harrington, and even daily-lineup leagues don't help very much when it comes to deciding when to start and when to bench these guys. At this point, my best advice is to start them: both guys are averaging over 27 minutes per game and, despite their inconsistency, they've been providing fifth-round value this season. You might get burned by an off-night or two, but until something changes, both of the Warriors' "big-men" deserve a spot on your roster.

Pau Gasol: The fact that I even have to recommend Pau Gasol in a three-game week means that things aren't going well in Memphis. Gasol has been struggling to adapt to new coach Marc Iavaroni's free-flowing offensive schemes, and his whole game is suffering as a result. He is averaging career-lows in points (17), steals (.3) and blocks (1.3) with only eight rebounds a game—nearly two full rebounds less than he was grabbing last year. His owners are no doubt alarmed by recent events, as well. Gasol injured his big toe in practice a few weeks ago and missed four games as a result. He had 31 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back, but followed up that performance with eight points and eight rebounds—his lowest point total since December 15th, 2006 (when he was returning from an injury).

This recent quote did little alleviate his owners' unease: "[The injured toe] is absolutely on fire. I'm not 100% physically and I'm just trying to fight through it right now. Unfortunately, I'm not healthy enough to show what I can do. I know it will get better because of the kind of person that I am." I'm not sure what that last part means, but if you have a shred of faith in Gasol, this is the ideal time to trade for him. Another angle that should be mentioned is the possibility of a trade. Chicago Tribune writer Sam Smith is either 1) clairvoyant 2) intimate with the GMs of every team in the league, or 3) obsessed with seeing his own name in print. Regardless, he had this to say about Gasol: "The belief around the NBA is he could be traded by the deadline in February, but with the Grizzlies facing financial doom, the price would probably include picking up several bad Memphis contracts. Not too many teams have the resources to do that."

Gasol isn't 100% healthy, he probably hears all of the trade rumors, and he might be embarking on an extended slump. Nevertheless, consider this: 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a block per game aren't typical Pau Gasol numbers, but they're still better than most players can manage. If you have a deep team, it's okay to bench him in case his flaming toe severely hampers his production. But if you're deciding between Pau Gasol and, say, Francisco Garcia (or any other barely borderline starter) I think it's safe to start the seven-foot Spaniard in a turbulent Week 10.

Antonio McDyess: This isn't much of a stretch, since the Pistons play four times next week. McDyess is a constant double-double threat (he recently had five straight) when he's healthy and getting 30+ minutes a game, and both of those conditions exist for him in Detroit right now. Fellow power forward Jason Maxiell (see: Bench) cuts into his minutes and production, but they've already proven that they can effectively co-exist. Nothing indicates that McDyess' numbers will diminish, and he's almost a must-start in a four-game Week 10.

Chris Duhon: Duhon is one of my typical 'opportunistic' starters, although he has more long-term potential than most guys in that category. First of all, before you even finish reading this column you should go make sure that he's not available in your league. I'm not saying that he's going to be amazing, but he has officially been named the Bulls' starting point guard, and for that alone he deserves to be owned.

Why he should be starting for your fantasy team next week? How about the following average line, which should be well within his grasp as a starter, assuming he plays 30+ minutes: 14 points (on only 40% shooting), four rebounds, six assists, one steal and 1.5 three-pointers. In a four game week, with the Bulls committed to establishing him as a starter, there might not be a better time to start him. Things could go south, the Bulls could be sloppy and ineffective, and it might look like an unwise decision to start him, but if that's the case he won't be the Bulls' point guard for long anyway. So, if you were the owner who reacted quickest and picked him up, I recommend starting him and seeing what happens. The Bulls play four times in Week 10, so he should have enough opportunities to outplay three-game guards like Jameer Nelson, Sam Cassell, Anthony Johnson, Larry Hughes, Jason Williams and Kyle Lowry.

As a quick footnote, I would also start Ben Gordon in the Bulls' four-game week, since he has proven that he can be effective in a reserve role. Kirk Hinrich I'm not so sure about. He's not exactly a pure shooter (41% for his career), and suddenly playing shooting guard (guarding and being guarded by bigger guys than he's used to)…well, it adds up to a huge question mark in my mind. Of the three Bulls' guards most affected by the recent changes, Hinrich stands out in my mind as the one most likely to suffer a letdown.

That's it for this week. Have a rocking New Years, don't forget to set your lineups, and check back next Friday for another round of Bench/Start suggestions.

[Hache Man]

Ron-Ron is Down-Down
I spent much of the weekend in Atlanta with Band of Horses, who are playing four straight shows there through Monday night. Needless to say, I had a great time, but I'll spare you the gory details…If you want to chat BoH, send me an email.

I watched the Hawks lose to the Mavericks on Saturday (courtesy of Hooters) and I wasn't very happy about Anthony Johnson's performance. He struggled, while Acie Law played well. I'm hoping it was a fluke, as I still think the Hawks need Johnson to play well in order to win games. Maybe they were just giving Law some extra run in his homecoming.

Last Week's Picks

Guards: Chucky Atkins, Luke Ridnour, Morris Peterson, Nate Robinson, Michael Finley, Mike Bibby
sacramentokings.com
Forwards: David Lee, Charlie Bell/Bobby Simmons, Cuttino Mobley, Anthony Parker, Martell Webster, Wally Szczerbiak/Jeff Green

Centers: Sean Williams, Nene, Aaron Gray, Earl Barron/Mark Blount

Robinson, Finley, Bibby, Lee, Simmons, Mobley, Webster, Szczerbiak, Williams, Nene and Gray would probably all make the list this week, except that I don't use the same players in back-to-back weeks.

This Week's Picks

Guards: Carlos Arroyo, Sixers guards, Sam Cassell, Rodney Stuckey, Carlos Arroyo, Marquis Daniels/Andre Owens

Forwards: Francisco Garcia Kyle Korver, Maurice Evans, Dorell Wright, Charlie Villanueva, Trevor Ariza

Centers: Nazr Mohammed, Mikki Moore, Andrea Bargnani, Kwame Brown

Guards

Carlos Arroyo

Although it's not official, all indications are that Arroyo is on the verge of replacing Jameer Nelson at point guard for the Magic. Nelson was out with a back injury in his last game, and it's possible that Arroyo may have gotten the start even if Nelson was healthy. Nelson is going to have value again this season, and I'm not cutting him where I own him. However, I am cutting guys like Luther Head and Chris Duhon to get Arroyo. GM Otis Smith is saying that Nelson is their guy, but coach Stan Van Gundy has said more than once that Nelson needs to get it going or a change will need to be made. The Magic are only going to wait for so long for Nelson to get healthy, happy and productive. Feel free to pick Arroyo up if you have someone to cut, but think twice before starting him until we learn more about the position battle and Nelson's injury.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues, especially by Nelson owners.

Sixers Guards

Willie Green, Lou Williams, Gordan Giricek and Rodney Carney are all going to see some extra minutes after the trade that sent Kyle Korver to the Jazz for Giricek. Willie Green is an obvious winner here, and should be owned in most leagues, but Lou Williams is also going to see a big boost. He had a bad game on Sunday, hitting just 3-of-14 shots, but the key is he got 29 minutes. Of course, Green was out with a groin injury, so Williams may not get 30 minutes a night when they're both healthy. But Williams is going to suddenly have some fantasy value and is a solid pickup in deep leagues, even though he's really a point guard.

Recommendation: Green should be owned in most leagues (when healthy) and Williams should be considered in most leagues. Giricek and Carney should struggle to have value.

Sam Cassell

Cassell finally came back with a solid game on Friday, but was back on the trainer's table the next day. When healthy, Cassell easily has starting value in fantasy leagues. The question is, will he be fully healthy again this year? While most of these guys are the equivalent of chasing fool's gold, Cassell is even more so due to his injury history and age. Pick him up and play him if you want to, but be prepared for some last-minute DNPs.

Recommendation: Pick him up and start him if you think he can stay healthy.

Rodney Stuckey

Stuckey is finally healthy and should be on the verge of getting some minutes for the Pistons. He's averaging 9.5 points and 17.5 minutes over his last two games. He could come in around 20 minutes per game when it's all said and done, and could easily average 10 points per game. He should be a nice source of steals and will help you in most categories, while not hurting you in any.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues

Marquis Daniels/Andre Owens

With the news that Jamaal Tinsley will miss a week with a hamstring injury, either Daniels or Owens is going to have to pick up the slack. If Daniels can stay healthy, he could be on the verge of a huge week, while Owens will likely start, but hand the reins over to Daniels after the start of the game. Daniels had nine points, seven boards and three assists in his last game, but should be much better than that on most nights, as long as he's healthy.
indianapacers.com
Recommendation: Daniels should be a good short-term pickup in most leagues



Forwards

Francisco Garcia

Garcia is a late addition with the news that Ron Artest is going to have elbow surgery. It's probably too late for you to get Garcia after he scored 30 points on Sunday after the Artest news broke. I missed out of him in nearly every league while I was taking a nap. Snooze you lose. Hopefully you were able to grab him. He won't score 30 every night, but should be a big fantasy factor without Artest around.

Kyle Korver

Korver was traded to the Jazz and while I'm not sure of exactly what his minutes will look like with his new team, he is going to possibly give Ronnie Brewer a run for his starting job, while also hurt whatever value guys like Matt Harpring and C.J. Miles had. If the trade would not have happened, Miles was getting hot enough to pick up. But for now, Korver is the guy with fantasy value. We know he can shoot the three, but if he's coming off the bench and in the same role for the Jazz as he was the Sixers, his value shouldn't change much. However, I'm guessing a fresh start and a new point guard could be just what he needed, and I like the idea of owning Korver right now. We'll see if he pans out in Utah.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues, although he may not start producing for a week or two.

Dorell Wright

Ricky Davis is the guy you want to pick up for Miami right now, but he shouldn't be available in any leagues. Dorell Wright on the other hand, should be. He suffered an ankle injury in his last game, but is hoping to play on Tuesday. He's very iffy for that one, so I'm not sure I'd start him right now. But with Jason Williams, Shaquille O'Neal and several other Heat players down, Wright is going to get some run, but will also be inconsistent.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues, but injured ankle is a concern.

Charlie Villanueva

While we thought Charlie Bell or Bobby Simmons would step up in the absence of Desmond Mason, it's been Charlie Villanueva who has been producing off the bench. Simmons deserves a look as he's starting, but CV scored 15 and 17 points in two straight games, before mysteriously logging just 13 minutes in his last game. There's no report of an injury and the Bucks' schedule is nice in upcoming weeks, as they go 4-4-3-5 in January.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues, especially in deeper leagues with weekly lineups.

Trevor Ariza

Ariza is starting to come on, averaging 13 points, six rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 steals and a block over his last two games heading into Sunday. Of course, that production came with Luke Walton sidelined with a sprained ankle, and when Walton returned on Sunday, Ariza still started and had eight points, three boards, three assists and a steal in 25 minutes. He's not for every owner, but is probably worth a flier in deep leagues.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues, but beware the return of Luke Walton.

Joe Smith

Smith has been playing well for the Bulls lately, as Tyrus Thomas has fallen completely out of the rotation. He has double-double potential every night, but could go down with a sore knee at any time. As long as he's starting for the Bulls and Thomas is sitting on the bench, Smith could actually end up helping your team.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues

Centers

Nazr Mohammed

This is not Nazr's first appearance in this column and he should already be owned in all leagues. But the fact is, he's not. He wasn't great in his last game, going for just four points and six boards, but has hit double figures in points and boards in four of his last six, and has eight blocks over that stretch. Enough said.
utahjazz.com
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Mikki Moore

Moore is making yet another appearance on this list and had a season-high 20 points to go along with 12 boards and a block on Sunday. With Ron Artest out indefinitely, Moore should be a hot pickup right now. He's averaging eight points and 5.5 boards on the season, but those numbers are on the rise. With Artest hurting, I'm thinking he should be owned in most leagues.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all sized leagues.

Andrea Bargnani

Bargnani is starting again, but posted a less than stellar zero points and six boards on 0-of-5 shooting in his last game. He also had a steal and a block in that one. The fact he's back in the starting five is good news and there's a chance that he'll finally start producing again. He scored 11 and 13 in his previous two games and while he'll be inconsistent, he could emerge from the fray with decent stats this week.
dallasmavericks.com
Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues, as long as he' starting.

Kwame Brown

I am not a big fan of Kwame Brown, but the fact he's back and could end up starting at some point deserves a mention. I certainly hope that Andrew Bynum continues to start, and you have to think he will. But Phil Jackson is not opposed to starting Brown and Bynum really struggled against Boston Sunday, fouling out with eight points, two boards and a block. Kwame played just 16 minutes and had three points and seven boards. If you're in a real deep league and need a center, Kwame is a warm body you can look at.

Recommendation: Should be considered in real deep leagues.

[Hache Man]

T-Mac, Artest down and out
I'm wasting no time or space this morning. Here's the NBA injury report and what I would do with these guys if I owned them myself and didn't have obvious better options to go with.

Injury Report for Week 10

Willie Green – groin – Wants to play, but I would bench him this week.
Rajon Rondo – hamstring – Wants to play and I am starting him.
Tim Thomas – knee – Looking to play on Wednesday, start at your own risk.
Salim Stoudamire – ankle – Don't play him until you see him in a game
Tyronn Lue – calf – Don't play him until you see him in a game
Dorell Wright – ankle – Hoping for Wednesday, but risky play – bench.
Smush Parker – discipline – Trade is coming, but not yet.
Shaquille O'Neal – hip – Return date unknown, bench.
Jason Williams – knee – Return date unknown, bench.
Chris Quinn – ankle – Return date unknown, bench.
Andrei Kirilenko – Shoulder – wants to play, but should miss a couple games.
Ron Artest – elbow – Probable surgery, out for two weeks.
Kevin Martin – groin – Getting closer, but I'd bench him this week.
Mike Bibby – thumb – Targeting Jan. 16 return.
Jamal Crawford – hand – X-rays were negative, but return a mystery.
Stephon Marbury – personal – Returned to team, but I'd bench for now.
Antoine Wright – ankle – Hoping to play Wednesday, start at own risk.
Kenyon Martin – hamstring – Missed 4 of last 5, I'd bench him.
Jameer Nelson – back – Shaky before the injury, bench him.
Jamaal Tinsley – hamstring – Out a week, bench him.
David Harrison – back – Could return soon, bench him.
T.J. Ford – neck – Retirement not likely, but who knows when he'll play?
Tracy McGrady – knee – Now talking weeks instead of days – bench.
Steve Francis – flu – Should be close to return, shaky value either way.
Brent Barry – calf – Likely to miss entire week.
Manu Ginobili – finger – Could play or miss entire week, play at own risk.
Chris Wilcox – knee – Left last game, iffy for next one. Start at own risk.
Kevin Durant – finger – Left last game, iffy for next one. Start at own risk.
Luke Ridnour – quad – Bench until you see him play again and he's starting.
Randy Foye – knee – Exam coming Jan. 7, bench this week.
Austin Croshere – back – Did you even notice he wasn't playing?
Antonio Daniels – knee – Could play Wednesday, start at own risk.

The Trade

The Sixers sent Kyle Korver to the Jazz for Gordan Giricek on Saturday. I think Korver has potential for an increase in value for the Jazz, while Lou Williams gets a boost for the Sixers. Ronnie Brewer could take a hit for the Jazz, while C.J. Miles, who was coming on, doesn't look so hot now. We'll see. utahjazz.com

Uh Oh

Breaking news alert - Tracy McGrady's knee injury suddenly sounds fairly serious and the Rockets are now talking like it may take him weeks as opposed to days to return. This is exactly what his owners didn't want to hear, and this is also the reason that T-Mac is such a catch-22 fantasy player. Regardless of how well things are going, you just know he's going to get hurt.

Ron Artest will reportedly need elbow surgery, although a date has yet to be set for the procedure. I'm not sure how long he'll be out, but it will be for at least a minimum of two weeks. As you already know, Francisco Garcia suddenly looks real good. sacramentokings.com

Andrei Kirilenko now says his shoulder injury is going to cost him a couple more games. I don't have many options in a deep league, but it sounds like I need to come up with an alternative plan to playing AK-47 this week.

Jamal Crawford has a hand injury, X-rays were negative and he's day-to-day. That's all I know.

Kevin Durant suffered a finger injury and his status for tonight is probably a game-time decision. Same goes for Chris Wilcox (knee) and Luke Ridnour (quad).

Antonio Daniels sounds ready to come back from his knee injury, so I think you could start him if your options are real limited.



Sunday's Action

The Blazers won their 13th straight game and remain the feel-good story of the league. Brandon Roy had 22-6-6 and they got contributions from across the board last night, which isn't great news in the fantasy world. The Sixers got 24 points out of Andre Iguodala and 17 points and 11 assists from Andre Miller, but Samuel Dalembert was nearly invisible in this one.

I needed one three and a couple steals from Kobe Bryant on Sunday…What did we get? Six-of-25 shooting, 0-of-6 from downtown and zero steals. Are you kidding me? Boston manhandled the Celtics in L.A. and it's getting a bit ridiculous what the Celtics' D is doing to the opposition. Or maybe it was the tight shorts the Lakers wore for the first half as some sort of throw-back tribute. If you didn't see it, I'm not joking. The Lakers were wearing short-shorts and whoever came up with that idea is probably not feeling well today. The Lakers were no better after changing into their normal britches at halftime and the entire team was 29-of-82 last night, good for 35%. Ouch.

Tony Allen started in place of Rajon Rondo and had 16 points and four assists. Rondo was a last-second scratch with a hamstring, but said he could have played. I imagine he'll return for his next game. Paul Pierce scored 33 and Kevin Garnett is back to his old self again, posting a classic KG line across the board (22-12-6-2-3, 9-of-13 shooting).

Ben Gordon was 11-of-15 off the bench for 25 points as the Bulls crushed the Knicks. Eleven of the Bulls 12 active players got in the game, with the odd man out being Tyrus Thomas. Ouch. I think Isiah's "two week period" of getting his ship righted is about up, but now he'll just say he can't win without Jamal Crawford around. Nate Robinson scored 19, Zach Randolph double-doubled in a return to the starting five, and Eddy Curry pouted his way off the bench for 12 points and eight boards on 3-of-9 shooting in 22 minutes. Brilliant.

Golden State beat Denver last night in a game that was nearly void of fantasy news. Matt Barnes finally got minutes and produced again for Don Nelson, while Marcus Camby shot just 2-of-9 from the floor in the loss.

Mike Conley returned to the Grizzlies to further clutter their backcourt and I'm not sure any guard who plays for Memphis is startable right now. Mike Miller qualifies, but if you look at his game log, he's been pretty inconsistent over the past two weeks as well. Oh, and they got creamed by the Spurs, who got a huge night from Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Michael Finley.

The Suns put six players in double figures and overcame big lines from Francisco Garcia, John Salmons and Mikki Moore to beat the Kings last night.

Oh and other news I didn't have time to dive into: Larry Hughes still can't shoot, Andre Miller is still on the trading block and Chris Webber still wants to play in the NBA. Happy New Year, everyone.

[Hache Man]

All is quiet on New Year's Day
I spent New Year's Eve rocking with Band of Horses again, and was treated to a career-high night from my boys - Two-plus hours and 21 songs at the Earl in Atlanta. A fun time was had by all and I was able to handle the morning news as well as this column despite rolling in at 3 a.m. I figured since there are no games today, it might be a good time for a team-by-team quick hits column. It may be a little too long to all be contained in the email version, but you're all chilling at home today anyway, right?

Hawks - All is quiet in Atlanta right now, as the fantasy world awaits to see if Acie Law's nice game in Dallas on Saturday was a fluke, or the beginning of the end of Anthony Johnson. I'm going with fluke, but may change my mind if it happens again tomorrow at Cleveland. Salim Stoudamire and Tyronn Lue remain out for the Hawks.

Celtics - The Celtics are 26-3 and will host the Rockets on Wednesday in Boston, where they're 14-1. Rajon Rondo is iffy for that game with a hamstring injury, but I'm really hoping he plays, since he's in one of my lineups this week.

Bobcats - I dropped the ball on Nazr Mohammed this week, as I did not see the role off the bench coming. New starter, guard Jeff McInnis, has no value, but I still think Mohammed does. I don't foresee McInnis starting for too long, so Nazr should get his job back at some point. But until he does, don't be afraid to bench him. Raymond Felton is struggling, but should come around again, while Gerald Wallace torched the Pacers with 36 points (and a bunch more) last night.

Bulls - Ben Gordon is back and we saw a sign of life from Andres Nocioni last night. Joe Smith is also playing pretty well, while Tyrus Thomas has fallen out of the rotation (for the most part). Gordon will try to keep it going at Charlotte tomorrow. Scottie Pippen dissed Gordon and Kirk Hinrich recently, which is documented in the news blurbs.

Cavaliers - Donyell Marshall (wrist) is getting ready to start practicing again, so give him a look in extremely deep leagues. Headlines out of Cleveland include: Larry Hughes still can't shoot. LeBron's finger hurts, but won't limit him. Damon Jones wants out. Drew Gooden has been rendered useless by Anderson Varejao. Daniel Gibson is now coming off the bench.

Mavericks - Jason Terry is just 20-of-63 shooting in his last six games, but at least he's still trying to break out of the funk. He'll get there. Most of the Mavs are struggling with inconsistency, but you can depend on Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki. dallasmavericks.com

Nuggets - Kenyon Martin (hamstring), Allen Iverson (personal) and Marcus Camby (illness) all missed Monday's practice, but could all play on Thursday. Nene will have value again, but it's going to take him some time to shake off the rust. And don't forget about Chucky Atkins, who could still eventually start at PG for the Nuggets.

Pistons - Keep your eye on rookie Rodney Stuckey, who appears to have some value in deep leagues. Meanwhile, the Pistons are quietly rolling along at 24-7. They visit the Wizards tomorrow.

Warriors - Don Nelson continues to tinker with his lineup and there are rumors of Mickael Pietrus going to Miami or Memphis. If it happens, he'll have some immediate value. Monta Ellis has been fantastic, and Al Harrington has been a fine play when he gets minutes. Unfortunately, that's not an every-night thing.



Rockets - Tracy McGrady (knee) and Steve Francis (quad) are going to miss several more games, while Bonzi Wells is providing some fantasy value in his absence. We were thrown an early curve ball by Rick Adelman, who told us that Luther Head would start, and not Wells. Oops. Rafer Alston played well last night, and continues to hold his value.

Pacers - Jamaal Tinsley remains sidelined, while Andre Owens starts and Marquis Daniels fills in off the bench. I think Daniels is the better play, but Owens was solid last night. Kareem Rush was out with an injury, while Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy played well before fouling out. indianapacers.com

Clippers - Tim Thomas (knee) is hoping to play on Wednesday, while Shaun Livingston and Elton Brand are hoping to play this season. With the team so banged up, guys like Richie Frahm and Josh Powell are even going to get a little run, so keep an eye on the role players in L.A.

Lakers - Did you catch the Lakers' short-shorts on Sunday? Crazy. Andrew Bynum struggled in that one before fouling out, but should be fine. And with Luke Walton back, it will be interesting to see what becomes of Trevor Ariza. Watch that position battle closely.

Grizzlies - The Grizzlies are awful and Mike Conley is back, further cluttering their backcourt. Pau Gasol, Mike Miller and Rudy Gay have fantasy value, but you really are rolling the dice with any other player on the team. At least they're healthy.

Heat - The Heat are banged up, Ricky Davis and Jason Williams are on the trading block and even Luke Jackson could end up playing point guard. Outside of Dwyane Wade, who is still an injury risk, and Udonis Haslem, there's not much fantasy hope in Miami. Davis is worth starting right now, but a trade would surely hurt his value, while Dorell Wright isn't reliable.

Bucks - Mo Williams (Achilles) was a surprise DNP yesterday, which crushed owners everywhere – Especially with the early lineup deadline thanks to the afternoon games. I slept through that one too. I wasn't working games on Monday so I never checked the starting times. Had I done so, I would have included reminders in the Dose and Waiver Wired columns. Rookie mistake, except that I'm not a rookie. No new news on Mo today, who will be questionable at Miami on Wednesday.

Timberwolves - The Wolves have the most unstable lineup in the league and I've stopped trying to figure it out. Only Al Jefferson is safe on a nightly basis. And for those of you expecting miracles from Randy Foye when he comes back, I'm simply expecting inconsistency.

Nets - The Nets have won two straight but are at Orlando tomorrow for a tough test. Antoine Wright should return from an ankle injury tomorrow, not that that means much.

Hornets - Byron Scott ripped his bench on Monday, saying "Our bench right now is so bad. It puts a whole lot of pressure on the starters." He added: "I can't even call it a bench. I don't know what it is. I have no clue." Wow. Think about how bad it would be if Morris Peterson wasn't starting.

Knicks - Where do I start? Isiah is still the coach, Stephon Marbury is questionable for his next game, Jamal Crawford says he's playing tomorrow and Eddy Curry is pouting while coming off the bench.



Magic - Dwight Howard continues to beast along, going for 17-22-5 on Monday, while Hedo Turkoglu hit a game-winner, Jameer Nelson played well off the bench and Carlos Arroyo played well as a starter. Arroyo is the starting point guard, for now. But don't cut Nelson. Let's just see what happens.

Sixers - Willie Green is still day-to-day and Lou Williams had a nice line last night, despite hitting just three shots. I like him the rest of the way. Andre Miller remains in trade rumors, but just keep plugging him in your lineup for now.

Suns - Not much to say here. They're 22-9 and off until Thursday.

Blazers - The streak was broken last night and you have to wonder if things would have been different had Nate McMillan (death in family) been there. LaMarcus Aldridge went nuts with 36 points on 12-of-17 shooting, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Jazz. The Blazers' streak ended at 13 games. Keep your eye on Jarrett Jack, who is coming on again.

Kings - Mike Bibby (thumb) looked good at practice yesterday and he is on target for Jan. 16, while Kevin Martin (groin) should be back next week. The new starting lineup should be Bibby and Beno Udrih in the backcourt, with Martin, Artest and Brad Miller up front. That is, when Artest returns from elbow surgery. Until then, John Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Mikki Moore should be solid plays. sacramentokings.com

Spurs - Manu Ginobili (finger) is hoping to play on Thursday at Denver, but is probably a game-time decision. Michael Finley has been solid in his absence and Manu could be limited by a splint on his shooting hand when he returns.
Fantasy Sports - Fantasy Football* - Fantasy Sports News - Fantasy Football Mock Draft - Fantasy Basketball - Fantasy Football Advice
Sonics - Kevin Durant missed his first game on Monday, while Chris Wilcox (knee) and Luke Ridnour (quad) were also out. All are questionable for Thursday, and Durant could struggle with his shot while wearing a protective glove for his finger injury.

Raptors - The Raptors beat the Hornets on Monday and got solid output from all the starters, including Jamario Moon, Andrea Bargnani and Anthony Parker. They're off until Friday.

Jazz - The Jazz snapped Portland's 13-game winning streak last night in the surprise return of Andrei Kirilenko, who played well. It sounded like he would miss a couple more games until Monday afternoon, so he landed on my bench, unfortunately. Hopefully he got "stuck" in your lineup with the early deadline. Kyle Korver had 11 points and should continue to get better with his new team. utahjazz.com

Wizards - Antonio Daniels is expected to start on Wednesday, so think about picking him up if he was cut in your league. Andray Blatche had 18 points, seven boards and three blocks on Saturday, so put him back on your radar.

Happy New Year!

[Hache Man]

Marbury: Third time a charm?
After Tuesday's idle night in the Association, we get 12 games on Wednesday. There's been very little news since yesterday's Daily Dose, so I'll highlight the latest news and take a look at each game on tonight's schedule. In addition, I've received a surprising number of requests from you guys who are trying to locate the schedule breakdown column I posted about a month ago. I'm not sure where the link is either, so I'm simply going to post it again at some point on Wednesday or Thursday, so keep your eye out for it if you want to get a games-played advantage on the competition in weekly leagues.

Lamar Odom has been suspended for Friday's game against the Sixers for tackling Ray Allen on Sunday. Odom was upset he didn't get a call at the other end and took it out on Allen, who is lucky he wasn't injured after being sent into the seats by Odom. The Lakers only go twice this week, so if you started Odom, my condolences.

Rajon Rondo was cleared to play tonight through his hamstring injury after Doc Rivers saw him go at shootaround this morning. I couldn't be happier about that since I've got him in a lineup, and the news is even sweeter given the fact it really sounded like he wouldn't play until the 11 a.m. update.

It would be shocking to see Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Williams or Dorell Wright play tonight, as all three are going to miss multiple games with their injuries. None of them should have been in lineups this week to begin with, and their absence should mean good things for Dwyane Wade, Ricky Davis, Daequan Cook and Udonis Haslem. It's unknown when any of the three will play again.

Ron Artest is probably going under the knife as you read this. He's having elbow surgery and will probably miss three to four weeks with the injury. In addition, he says he would welcome a trade to the Knicks, making him about the only person I can think of who would actually want to be part of that circus right now. Speaking of the Knicks, Jerome James is close to returning to action and Isiah wants to get him 10 minutes a night for interior defense. Whatever. Isiah's just hoping that James can do at least one productive thing before he retires in order to not make the signing look like the worst move Thomas has made in his career. I'd consider picking up James in my 30-team league, but I'm not even going to waste my time and effort to go get him. Stephon Marbury is probably going to play tonight, marking his third return to the team since his father's death, but no one knows how much, as usual, while Jamal Crawford is expected to play through his hand injury.

Mo Williams is going to play for the Bucks tonight after missing his last game with a sore Achilles. That was a surprise DNP so his owners who have him in weekly leagues have to be thrilled with this news.

T.J. Ford might begin practicing this week but I'm not holding my breath. The Toronto Star's Doug Smith is convinced that there's no chance Ford will retire or shut it down for the season, but on the flip side, I haven't heard Ford say that he won't, either. There's a decent chance that Ford could practice this week, just like there's a decent chance he won't. But if you've held on for this long, you might as well hold onto him for another week or two and see what happens.



Game Previews

Chicago @ Charlotte – Bulls try to make it three out of four sans Scott Skiles, as Ben Gordon will try to stay red-hot. Charlotte is slowly crumbling and Sam Vincent is making excuses instead of facing reality. He suggested recently that the team's record might look very different if he wasn't missing "40 points a night" from Adam Morrison and Sean May, both done for the year. Huh?

New Jersey @ Orlando - The Magic will start Carlos Arroyo again as it remains to be seen when Jameer Nelson will win his starting job back. For the Nets, owners of Josh Boone and Sean Williams will anxiously wait to see if they will please or disappoint tonight. And Antoine Wright should return from a sprained ankle tonight, which could have meaning in deep leagues.

Memphis @ Indiana - Mike Conley is on the verge of racking up minutes at point guard, but the Grizzlies' backcourt is so crowded I don't know that it really matters. Either way, Conley, Kyle Lowry, Juan Carlos Navarro, Mike Miller and Damon Stoudamire are all going to get minutes. If you want to pick Conley up, feel free, but don't be surprised to find yourself fishing for Lowry or JCN a week from now. Jamaal Tinsley remains out for the Pacers, meaning Andre Owens and Marquis Daniels will battle for his minutes and production.

Detroit @ Washington - The Pistons are quietly lurking in the East and plotting a way to take the Celtics out this spring. In Washington, the return of Antonio Daniels should crush the value of Roger Mason. But don't expect any miracles from Daniels, who wasn't performing all that well before he got hurt. And as I mentioned yesterday, keep your eye on Andray Blatche.

Atlanta @ Cleveland - We'll get to find out if Acie Law is finally ready to contribute to the Hawks tonight. If you own Anthony Johnson, I think tonight is an important test for him to prove that he's going to continue to see heavy minutes the rest of the way. Donyell Marshall is close to practicing again for the Cavaliers, which is just something to keep in mind. The Cavs sent Cedric Simmons to the D League today.

Milwaukee @ Miami - Mo Williams is back as two of the league's blandest teams match up in Miami.

Houston @ Boston - No T-Mac means plenty of Bonzi Wells with a little Luther Head thrown in on the side. Shane Battier and Rafer Alston have also been solid without McGrady around. Boston should advance their record to 27-3 with a win tonight, and will have Rajon Rondo around to help. McGrady is still technically day-to-day and could play at any time, but I'd be shocked to see him tonight.

Sacramento @ New York - Marbury and Crawford should play tonight while it looks like Eddy Curry is the latest Isiah Thomas mistake. Curry's starting days might be officially over, at least as long as Zeke is coaching the team. Francisco Garcia and John Salmons owners have to be excited to see their guys get extra run without Artest around.

Portland @ Minnesota - The Blazers will look to start a new streak as Randy Wittman will continue to confuse us with a different look every single night. Want to pick up a suddenly hot Ryan Gomes? Go for it, but be prepared to drop him for Rashad McCants or Craig Smith by the weekend.

Golden St. @ Dallas - This should be a fun game to watch. Both teams are healthy and they really don't like each other. A Warriors win in Dallas will have Mavs' fans in a frenzy, while a bad game from Dirk Nowitzki will also start a lot of unnecessary trade talk in Dallas.

Philadelphia @ Utah - Lou Williams will need another nice line tonight to solidify his value in his new owners' minds, while Willie Green will be out again with his groin injury. Kyle Korver could have a big night against his former team, if he can handle his emotions. He's still in a hotel in Utah and it happens to be the same one the Sixers are staying in.

New Orleans @ L.A. Clippers - The Hornets, who according to their coach (and the stats) have no bench, will take on the injury-riddled Clippers. If Cuttino Mobley is still available in your league, it's time to pick him up. Tim Thomas is hoping to return from a knee injury tonight, while Chris Paul, David West and Peja Stojakovic should all have nice lines for the Hornets.

[Hache Man]

Plan for your playoff leagues

Here is a column that was featured in the Draft Guide to offer pre-draft strategy for owners. It should come in handy when analyzing trades and roster moves if your league uses weekly lineup deadlines. Enjoy.

Analyzing the NBA schedule is actually fun for me, as I like gathering as many 4-game weeks as I can when I set my lineups each week. In playoff leagues, looking at the schedule for each player from weeks 21-24 is also quite useful, as you can put together a team on draft day that could help you dominate in the playoffs with the right planning. Make sure you figure out your league's exact playoff periods before just assuming the ones I used will fit your situation. I planned on commentary for each team, but the column is already too long, so just the pertinent facts about each team's schedule are included.

I will breakdown each team's first-half schedule, second-half schedule, playoff schedule and overall number of 2-game weeks (as well as 1-game weeks, if applicable). I'll then give each team a grade for its 1st half, second half and entire schedule, as well as the playoff schedule. The 1st half and 2nd half Grades may not add up to the team's entire schedule grade, because that's based largely on total number of 4-game weeks. Use the first-half/second-half data when considering trades during the season. Trading for an Atlanta Hawk in January makes sense, as their early schedule is awful, while you will want to think about unloading a Magic player after Week 11. Also, be sure to check to see exactly when your playoff period is, as well as when your season ends.

It's also important to keep the number of games played in mind early in the year when your team is struggling. If you own Hawks, Celtics, Clippers, Spurs, Kings or Wizards, you're team may not be performing at the level you expected. But there's a good chance that it's directly related to their lack of games in the first half of the season.

There's only one 5-game week this year and it belongs to the Bucks. It comes in Week 13, so it will have no playoff implications. Dallas also managed to get a 3-game week for the All-Star Break, so owners of Mavs will have a distinct advantage that week, as other teams play just once or twice.

And if you're thinking of drafting Elton Brand (who's out indefinitely), the Clippers' schedule features 4-game weeks in nine of the final 11 full weeks of the season, including weeks 21, 22 and 23. If Brand comes back around the All-Star Break, his schedule will rock for the rest of the season, including the playoffs, along with guys like Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman.

I generally ignored the All-Star Break Week and Week 25, except under the "2-game week" category if they play just one game that week.

I didn't award an 'F' for any team's entire schedule because the teams that only have nine 4-game weeks don't have any 2-game weeks, either.

This year's schedule doesn't look like it includes as many glaring differences as some in the past, but when you consider Kobe Bryant has four more 4-game weeks on his schedule than Gilbert Arenas, Kevin Martin, Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups, it's intriguing. Of course, Kobe also has his share of 2-game weeks, while those other guys never play twice during a regular week.

Full Season and Fantasy Playoffs Schedule Breakdown

13 4-Game Weeks

1. Lakers

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, three 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24= eight 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-4-3-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 2, 10 and 12 – 1-game week 25

Grades

1st Half – C+
2nd Half – A-
Entire Season – A
Playoffs - B

12 4-Game Weeks

2. Clippers

Weeks 1-12 = three 4-game weeks, three 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = nine 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 1, 9 and 11

Grades

1st Half – D-
2nd Half – A+
Entire Season – B+
Playoffs – B+

3. Knicks

Weeks 1-12 = six 4-game weeks, two 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game week, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 1 and 9. 1-game week for All-Star Break

Grades

1st Half - B
2nd Half – C+
Entire Season - B+
Playoffs - C

4. Sonics

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = 7 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-3-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 6. 1-game week at All-Star Break and Week 25

Grades

1st Half – C+
2nd Half – B-
Entire Season – B+
Playoffs - C

11 4-Game Weeks

5. Hawks

Weeks 1-12 = three 4-game weeks, two 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = seven 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 1 and 9

Grades

1st Half – D
2nd Half – B+
Entire Season - C
Playoffs – C

6. Celtics

Weeks 1-12 = three 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = eight 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 4-4-3-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 1 and 14

Grades

1st Half – D+
2nd Half – B+
Entire Season - C
Playoffs – B



7. Bobcats

Weeks 1-12 = six 4-game weeks, two 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 1 and 5

Grades

1st Half – B
2nd Half – D+
Entire Season - C
Playoffs – C

8. Bulls

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = seven 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 4-4-3-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 5 and 20

Grades

1st Half – C-
2nd Half - B
Entire Season - C
Playoffs - B

9. Nuggets

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = seven 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-3-4-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 11, 1-game week for Week 25

Grades

1st Half – C-
2nd Half – B-
Entire Season - C
Playoffs – A

10. Warriors

Weeks 1-12 = seven 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 4-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 2 and 15

Grades

1st Half – A
2nd Half – F
Entire Season – C
Playoffs – B+

11. Rockets

Weeks 1-12 = six 4-game weeks, two 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-3-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 9 and 12

Grades

1st Half – B
2nd Half - D
Entire Season - C
Playoffs - C

12. Pacers
indianapacers.com
Weeks 1-12 = seven 4-game weeks, two 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = four 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-3-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 6 and 12

Grades

1st Half – B-
2nd Half - F
Entire Season - C
Playoffs - C

13. Magic

Weeks 1-12 = seven 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 4-2-3-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 6, Week 22

Grades

1st Half – A
2nd Half - F
Entire Season - C
Playoffs – F

14. Suns

Weeks 1-12 = six 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 3-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 10 and 14

Grades

1st Half – B
2nd Half - D
Entire Season - C
Playoffs - C

15. Blazers

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 3-4-3-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 11 and 14

Grades

1st Half – C+
2nd Half - C
Entire Season - C
Playoffs - D



16. Raptors

Weeks 1-12 = six 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24= five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 4-3-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 9 and 13

Grades

1st Half – B
2nd Half - D
Entire Season - C
Playoffs - C

10 4-Game Weeks

17. Cavaliers

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-3-3-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 12

Grades

1st Half – C-
2nd Half - C
Entire Season - D
Playoffs – D-

18. Mavericks
dallasmavericks.com
Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-3-4-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 12. 1-game week for Week 25.
*Special Notice - 3-game week at All-Star Break (all other teams play 1-2 games).

Grades

1st Half – C-
2nd Half – C
Entire Season - D
Playoffs - C

19. Grizzlies

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 1

Grades

1st Half – C+
2nd Half - D
Entire Season - D
Playoffs – B+

20. Heat

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 4-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 17

Grades

1st Half – C
2nd Half - C
Entire Season – D+
Playoffs – B+

21. Timberwolves

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-3-4-4
2-Game Weeks = 1

Grades

1st Half – C
2nd Half - C
Entire Season - D
Playoffs - A


22. Bucks

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 2-4-4-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 3 and 21
*Special Notice – 5-game week for Week 13

Grades

1st Half –C+
2nd Half - D
Entire Season - D
Playoffs – A-

23. Hornets

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-4-4
2-Game Weeks = Week 12

Grades

1st Half – C-
2nd Half - C
Entire Season – D+
Playoffs – A+

24. Sixers

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Playoffs = 3-4-3-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 14

Grades

1st Half – B-
2nd Half - D
Entire Season - D
Playoffs – D

25. Spurs

Weeks 1-12 = three 4-game weeks, one 2-game week
Weeks 13-24 = seven 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-4-3-3
2-Game Weeks = Week 6

Grades

1st Half – D
2nd Half – B+
Entire Season - D
Playoffs – C-

26. Jazz
utahjazz.com
Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 =five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-3-3-3
2-Game Weeks = None. 1-game week for Week All-Star Break

Grades

1st Half – C+
2nd Half - D
Entire Season – C (no 2-game weeks)
Playoffs – D-

9 4-Game Weeks

27. Pistons

Weeks 1-12 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = four 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-3-4
2-Game Weeks = None

Grades

1st Half – B-
2nd Half - F
Entire Season – D (no 2-game weeks)
Playoffs – C

28. Nets

Weeks 1-12 = four 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = five 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-4-3-3
2-Game Weeks = None

Grades

1st Half – C+
2nd Half – D
Entire Season – D (no 2-game weeks)
Playoffs - C

29. Kings
sacramentokings.com
Weeks 1-12 = three 4-games weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = six 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 3-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = None

Grades

1st Half – C-
2nd Half - C
Entire Season - D (no 2-game weeks)
Playoffs - C

30. Wizards

Weeks 1-12 = two 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Weeks 13-24 = seven 4-game weeks, zero 2-game weeks
Playoffs = 4-4-4-3
2-Game Weeks = None

Grades

1st Half – F+
2nd Half – B-
Entire Season – D (no 2-game weeks)
Playoffs – B+

[Hache Man]

All The Kings Men
There's utter chaos in the Big Apple, complete serenity in Beantown, some revitalized magic in the Magic Kingdom and an awakening in the City of Roses. With two months of the season in the history books, the standings and stat leaderboards have taken shape. The Heat, Bulls and Rockets will need to play some catch-up in order to live up to their expectations, while the Kings, Clippers and Wizards have been dismantled by the injury bug.

Ron Artest, Tracy McGrady and Jamaal Tinsley are the latest players to succumb to injury, catapulting Francisco Garcia, Bonzi Wells and Marquis Daniels in the fantasy picture. With 2007 now behind us, The Week Ahead will break it all down for you to help you prepare for Week 11 of the fantasy hoops season.

Game Totals in Week 11:
Four games: CHA, DET, GS, HOU, IND, LAL, MEM, MIL, NY, ORL, PHO
Three games: ATL, BOS, CHI, CLE, DAL, MIA, MIN, NJ, NO, PHI, SA, SAC, SEA, TOR, UTA, WAS
Two games: DEN, LAC, POR

Interesting Matchups:
Monday, Jan. 7 - Denver @ Phoenix: Monday's game between the Suns (109.4 PPG) and Nuggets (106.9 PPG) features two of the top-three highest-scoring teams. Both franchises are also in first place in their respected divisions.

Wednesday, Jan. 9 - L.A. Lakers @ New Orleans: Chris Paul (24.5 PPG, 10.4 APG, 3.0 SPG) is playing at an MVP level this season and was honored by being named Western Conference Player of December. He's on pace to become the first player in the history of the league to average 20 PPG, 10 APG and 3 SPG.

Thursday, Jan. 10 - Detroit @ San Antonio: With the exception of the red-hot Celtics, the Pistons and the Spurs are the best two teams in the NBA. The two veteran-rich squads have also combined to win four of the past five NBA championships.

Thursday, Jan. 10 - Phoenix @ Utah: TNT's late game features matchups between two of the league's best point guards and big men in the league now. Carlos Boozer (24.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG) and Deron Williams (19.4 PPG, 8.7 APG) host Amare Stoudemire (21.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG) and Steve Nash (16.8 PPG, 12.4 APG).

Sunday, Jan. 13 - Portland @ Toronto: Fresh off a 13-game win streak, the Blazers head to Canada to take on the Raptors.

Keep An Eye On:
(statistics exclusively from December 20 – January 2)
Bonzi Wells, HOU 6 G, 12.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 1.8 SPG
Ryan Gomes, MIN 6 G, 15.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Sebastian Telfair, MIN 6 G, 11.7 PPG, 7.0 APG, 1.2 SPG
Linas Kleiza, DEN 11.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG
Rajon Rondo, BOS 5 G, 10.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.0 APG, 2.4 SPG

Joe Smith, CHI 6 G, 12.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG
Yi Jianlian, MIL 5 G, 14.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.4 BPG
Paul Millsap, UTA 6 G, 12.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 62% FG
Josh Boone, NJ 5 G, 11.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 55% FG
Luther Head, HOU 6 G, 12.7 PPG, 16 3-pointers

Luis Scola, HOU 6 G, 11.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG
Roger Mason, WAS 5 G, 14.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 12 3-pointers
C.J. Miles, UTA 6 G, 12.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, nine 3-pointers
Channing Frye, POR 5 G, 9.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 60% FG
Wally Szczerbiak, SEA 5 G, 16.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 13 3-pointers

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks CLE, WAS, CHI
Salim Stoudamire (hamstring) – day-to-day
Speedy Claxton (knee) – out for the season

Boston Celtics CHA, @nj, @was
Boston has jumped out of the gate with an amazing 27-3 record. They are 7-0 against Atlantic division foes, 14-1 at TD Banknorth Garden, 8-0 against the West and riding a seven-game winning streak. Paul Pierce was named the East's Player of the Week after leading Boston to a 4-0 record on their west coast road trip. The Truth has been out of this world – he averaged 27.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 4.3 APG in the week to win his second weekly honors this season.

Charlotte Bobcats NJ, @bos, @cle, DET
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Othella Harrington (knee) – out indefinitely
Since Michael Jordan participated in a Bobcats practice a couple weeks back, Jason Richardson has been on an absolute tear. The former Warrior has scored at least 25 points in six straight contests and is averaging 28.7 PPG in that span. He's also got an impressive streak with 10 straight games with at least two 3-pointers, and 25 consecutive with at least one trey … Nazr Mohammed started out like gangbusters with the Bobcats, but has been moved to the bench recently and his numbers have fallen dramatically. It doesn't seem fair that he is getting demoted, after averaging 14.4 PPG and 11.8 RPG in his first five games, but coach Sam Vincent doesn't seem willing to play both Mohammed and Emeka Okafor on the court at the same time.

Chicago Bulls NY, @phi, @atl
The Bulls are finally starting to show some signs of breaking out of their season-long slump under the tutelage of new interim coach Jim Boylan. Chicago is now 3-1 under Boylan with their sole loss coming from a buzzer-beater in overtime from Hedo Turkoglu on NYE. In those four games, it's been Ben Gordon who has carried the franchise by averaging 29.3 PPG – including a season-best 39 in the loss. He's obviously embraced his return to the bench and is one of the hottest players in the game now.

Cleveland Cavaliers SEA, @atl, CHA
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely

Dallas Mavericks DET, @sea, @lac
dallasmavericks.com
Denver Nuggets @pho, ORL
Kenyon Martin (hamstring) – day-to-day
The Nuggets are one of three teams that only play twice in Week 11. It's never easy to stash Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby or Allen Iverson on your bench, but this would the week to do it.

Detroit Pistons @dal, @sa, @cha, @ny
The Pistons are riding high on a 10-game win streak now, winning by double figures in eight of those contests. They will play four games away from the Palace of Auburn Hills in Week 11 – including difficult tests in Dallas and San Antonio.

Golden St. Warriors SA, @por, MEM, IND
Troy Hudson (hip) – out for the season, might retire
Austin Croshere (back) – out indefinitely

Houston Rockets @was, @ny, MIN, NO
Tracy McGrady (knee) – return mid-January
Steve Francis (flu) – day-to-day
An MRI recently revealed that TMac only has swollen ligaments in his knee and no tears, but the perennial All-Star speculates he could be sidelined as long as three weeks with his deep bone bruise. He'll be evaluated daily, but count him out against Orlando this week and likely most – if not all – of next week. He said he could miss up to seven games still. Therefore, from out of the darkness, Luther Head and Bonzi Wells are strong fantasy alternatives.

Indiana Pacers @uta, @pho, @sac, @gs
David Harrison (back) – return early January
Jamaal Tinsley (hamstring) – return early January
indianapacers.com
L.A. Clippers ORL, DAL
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Paul Davis (knee) – out for the season
Tim Thomas (knee) – day-to-day

L.A. Lakers @mem, @no, MIL, MEM
Chris Mihm (Achilles') – return late January
Lamar Odom (suspension) – suspended this Friday

Memphis Grizzlies LAL, @sac, @gs, @lal
Mike Conley started at point guard over Damon Stoudamire on Wednesday, and could very well keep the job for a while to come. Mighty Mouse is averaging just 7.3 PPG and 3.9 APG – his worst stats of his 13-season career. Who would have thought his best two seasons of his career would have been his first two years in the league? Conley returned from a 20-game absence due to a shoulder injury just before New Year's Eve, and is in store for major minutes going forward.

Miami Heat @min, @mil, @no
Alonzo Mourning (knee) – out for the season, will retire
Jason Williams (knee) – day-to-day
Shaquille O'Neal (hip) – day-to-day
Dorell Wright (ankle) – out about a week
Smush Parker (personal) – day-to-day
With Shaq sidelined and Zo out for the season, the Heat will likely be using Mark Blount at center at lot in the foreseeable future. He's been very quiet with Miami thus far, averaging just 2.8 PPG and 1.9 RPG through the first two months. However, he started on Wednesday and should see 20-30 minutes per night now. If you're looking for a backup center, scoop him up.

Milwaukee Bucks @phi, MIA, @lal, @pho
Desmond Mason (thumb) – return late February
Mo Williams (Achilles') – day-to-day

Minnesota Timberwolves MIA, @hou, @sa
Randy Foye (knee) – out indefinitely

NOK Hornets LAL, MIA, @hou

New Jersey Nets @cha, SEA, BOS
Antoine Wright (ankle) – day-to-day
Nenad Krstic (knee) – out indefinitely

New York Knicks @chi, HOU, TOR, DET
Despite numerous protests and pleas from fans for a change in the Knicks front office, it appears Isiah Thomas, team president and coach, is not willing to step down. As a Knick fan, I personally find Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season
The Magic have tweaked their starting lineup a bit by moving Jameer Nelson off the bench lately and starting Carlos Arroyo. GM Otis Smith said the starting point guard job belongs to Nelson, when healthy but coach Stan Van Gundy doesn't seem ready to make that switch. Arroyo is averaging a respectable 14.5 PPG and 5.5 APG in the past four contests since the promotion. With Nelson understandably still deeply affected by the passing of his father, his production has been very erratic through two months, so a reserve role might be the best thing for him. With four west coast road games in Week 11, both players are worth using as your final guard now.

Philadelphia 76ers MIL, @tor, CHI
Willie Green (groin) – day-to-day

Phoenix Suns DEN, IND, @uta, MIL

Portland Trailblazers GS, @tor
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain
Only two contests for the red-hot Blazers this week, so it's worth reserving Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster and Jarrett Jack.

Sacramento Kings ORL, MEM, IND
Mike Bibby (thumb) – targeting late January return
Kevin Martin (groin) – return late January
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
Ron Artest (elbow) – return late January
Another one bites the dust… The Kings now have four former starters wearing street clothes after Artest underwent surgery on his right elbow to remove a bone spur. The enigmatic star is expected to miss about 3-4 weeks with the injury, so there's a chance he might be back until February. In his absence, Sacramento will have to lean heavily on players like Francisco Garcia, John Salmons and Mikki Moore. sacramentokings.com

San Antonio Spurs @gs, DET, MIN
Manu Ginobili (finger) – day-to-day

Seattle Sonics @cle, @nj, DAL
Kevin Durant (finger) – day-to-day
Chris Wilcox (knee) – day-to-day
Luke Ridnour (quadriceps) – day-to-day
Robert Swift (knee) – return mid-January

Toronto Raptors PHI, @ny, POR
T.J. Ford (back) – out indefinitely
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely
The Raptors have now been out without Ford for three weeks and there still remains no indication when their lightening-quick point guard will be back. Toronto is giving him all the time he wants to recover, both physically and mentally. There is, however, a realistic possibility that Ford might have to retire though. After sitting out a year from a bruised spinal cord, it's possible Ford could permanently sustain injuries in his lower extremities with another fall. Jose Calderon remains a threat for 10 points and 10 assists every night now.

Utah Jazz IND, PHO, ORL
utahjazz.com
Washington Wizards HOU, @atl, BOS
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery) – return late February
The Wizards got some firepower back on Wednesday as Antonio Daniels (knee) returned to action with 18 points and two assists. Roger Mason filled in quite well in the starting role in his absence, but will likely be heading back to the bench. Daniels is a quality play with three games in Week 11.