NBA News/NBA Fantasy News 2007/2008

[Hache Man]

Firing on all Cylinders

The Eastern Conference, long ridiculed as the weak half of the NBA -- the easy way to the Finals -- has bragging rights at the moment. The top two teams in the NBA currently – by a significant margin – both reside in the East.

The critics of Boston's early season success said 'just wait until the Celtics take on those Western clubs.' Well, Boston's been there and done that now, going 9-0 so far against the Western Conference. Now, it is Detroit's turn to prove it is for real.

Having won their 10th straight game on Wednesday, the Pistons face nine of their next 14 games this month on the road, including visits to Dallas and San Antonio.

For now, however, the Pistons are firing on all cylinders, improving to 25-7 overall, including an overwhelming 17-2 mark against the East after spanking the Wizards last night. Detroit is coming off a 15-2 December and, so far, has kept rolling in January. This is the most games it's won in a row since reeling off 11 straight two Januarys ago. Of course, the Pistons aren't simply beating their opponents now – they are thrashing them, with an average margin of victory of 16.8 points during this streak. Is anybody else looking forward to Saturday's rematch against Boston?

Richard Hamilton continued his resurgence and stuck it to his old team, scoring at least 20 points for the fifth straight game, while adding nine assists and seven rebounds – the first time all season he's put up at least sevens across the board. He lit up Washington for 13 points in the second quarter alone.

Rip's in his sixth season with Detroit and he's starting to make noise among the team's all-time greats. Last night's showing vaulted him Gene Shue into 10th place on the Pistons' all-time scoring list.

Hamilton's assists are up this year with 4.5 per game, but his scoring has dropped substantially. However, Rip has gotten progressively better as the season has worn on, and if he continues to get the kind of touches he got Wednesday, the points will come. Hamilton shot nearly 55 percent from the field last month. He's led the Pistons in scoring in each of the last six games, finally justifying his draft position after a substandard start to the season.

One of the best parts about Detroit's success is that it has afforded the team the chance to reduce the minutes of its starters. All four holdover starters from last year are playing significantly less this year: Hamilton is down to 34.2 MPG from 36.8; Tayshuan Prince is at 33.2 MPG after playing 36.6 last year; Chauncey Billups was at 36.2 and he's now at 33.3; and Sheed is down to 31 MPG from 32.2. Fantasy owners probably aren't thrilled with this development, but it can't help but keep these guys fresh, which will likely mean less time on the sidelines. So if you're willing to look at the big picture, keeping you guy healthy all season is not a bad thing at all.

Of course, it helps that the Pistons' bench is excelling. Last night, for instance, Detroit's reserves scored 33 points to Washington's eight. Jason Maxiell alone managed 15 points and seven boards off the bench, and although he's been reduced to a fringe fantasy option, I still love this guy as a big-time sleeper. Given the minutes he's logging, you know that an Antonio McDyess injury is coming soon.

While we wonder whether Detroit can match Portland's NBA season-best 13-game winning streak, let's review the remainder of Wednesday hardwood happenings…

• Deron Williams dished a season-high 20 dimes on Wednesday and scored 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Williams had some struggles with his shot in December, but has really turned things around the past few games. He even pitched in with two blocks last night. Although he's hit one 3-pointer in three straight games, Williams isn't employing the outside shot as much this year, but his ability to draw more fouls has more than compensated as he develops his offensive game. He's now recorded at least 10 assists in a game 15 times this year.
• What in the world did John Salmons eat for breakfast yesterday? He went absolutely berserk last night, nailing 13-of-18 from the field and 5-for-5 from the line for a career-best 32 points. But it doesn't stop there. He also put up 11 rebounds, six assists, six steals, a block and a three-pointer. Oh man. Talk about filling the stat sheet. Sure, it was only the woeful Knicks, but this was an impressive outing regardless. On the bizarre chance that no one has grabbed this dude in your league, you better do so immediately. With Ron Artest out for a month, Salmons is going to have serious value. He's been a very durable player over the past few years and if he gets his touches from beyond the arc, look out. Salmons is sinking a ridiculous 46 percent of his attempts from downtown.
• Speaking of the woeful Knicks – you know, that team that has been guaranteed to win a championship under Isiah Thomas' watch – they have now dropped five straight and are looking down at only Miami in the East. With six games to make up and six teams to pass, the postseason is looking like a long shot, never mind Thomas' near-hallucinatory title talk. Stephon Marbury returned to the team after almost a month and Eddy Curry was put back in the starting lineup, yet the Knicks were still pummeled at home by a Kings' team that was missing three of their best players. Starbury did his job with 16 points, three boards, two steals and two treys, yet he only managed four assists and who knows when he'll be capable of playing serious minutes or when he'll next be on the sidelines. Curry managed 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Great, right? But on the flipside, he had just three rebounds, recorded no steals or blocks, sunk just 4-of-11 from the line and turned the ball over four times. It's the same old, same old for Curry. Not enough rebounding from a big man. And the fact that, notwithstanding last night, his scoring has been down so precipitously this year has rendered him a very unsteady fantasy option. Don't be seduced by his 24-point night just yet. Let's wait and see if he can actually help you in some other categories before making a claim on Curry. As for Thomas, can someone please inject him with a dose of reality?

Injury Report

Well, we finally know what's wrong with Tracy McGrady: yesterday's ultrasound and MRI revealed a strained popliteal tendon. No, I've never heard of it, either. But the diagnosis – seven to 10 more days on the sidelines – remains the same, so we suppose that's good news. In the meantime, even though he's not starting, Bonzi Wells looks like the big winner here, so he should be a great pickup for the week. Wells scored 25 points last night with nine boards and a block.

Tip-ins: Is it too early to start the Rasheed Wallace technical foul watch? Last night, he earned his sixth of the year. You've got to love the 16 points, eight boards and two blocks Sheed put up last night, but it looks like he's once again headed for some suspensions in the later part of the season when you need him the most…Antonio Daniels was back in action after sitting seven games with a knee injury. He scored 18 points and will remain a hot pick up this week…The Wizards haven't beaten a winning team since December 1…Freshly-turned-23-year-old LeBron James broke out of a recent scoring drought with 36 points (32 in the second half) in 40 minutes on 13-of-22 shooting from the floor and 9-of-11 from the line. King James added a pair of steals…Brad Miller continues to make a play for Comeback Player of the Year. He hit 9-of-16 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the line for 26 points Wednesday to go along with 16 boards, a block and a 3-pointer. Miller's weight loss this year has really solved the problems he had last season with plantar fasciitis, allowing him to again play heavy minutes. The results have been fantastic…Dirk Nowizki is starting to get hot again, shooting the lights out last night en route to 29 points with six assists, three treys and three blocks as Dallas exacted more revenge on the Warriors. Having sunk 28 of his last 31 attempts from the charity stripe, it looks like Nowitzi's FT struggles (relatively speaking, that is) are over…Sure, KG's numbers are down, but every now and then, Garnett can still take over a game. Wednesday, he scored 11 of his 26 points in the final seven minutes to help Boston become just the sixth team in history to open a season 27-3. The Big Ticket shot 11-of-15 from the field and added three blocks with two steals…With Miami continuing to struggle – it lost its fifth straight last night – you've got to start worrying about the second half of the season when the Heat may decide to shut down the battered Dwyane Wade. He's still dealing with his shoulder and last night hurt his pinkie as well, yet continues to excel, nailing 10-of-16 for 27 points with eight assists and four steals. Flash even drained a rare 3-pointer last night. Should you think of dealing him? It's something to consider with Miami clearly going nowhere this season. Wade was "really sore" after the game, according to Coach Riley, but there's no word if he'll be sidelined all…It's time to consider Mike Conley, Jr. Having recently returned from a lengthy absence because of his shoulder, Conley was given his first start of the year last night and he helped lead Memphis past Indy with seven points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. He's going to be a hot waiver wire commodity this week, especially with Damon Stoudamire landing on the inactive list…How important is Stephen Jackson to the Warriors? After starting the year 1-6 – including dropping their first six games – with him suspended, they've gone 18-7 since until running into Dallas last night. Apparently, Golden State's domination of Dallas, which included a 6-1 record the past two seasons and last year's upset of the Mavs in the first round, is over. After getting hammered by the Mavs on Wednesday, the Warriors have slipped to 0-2 against them this season. Baron Davis was a complete non-factor last night, missing his first five shots en route to a 2-for-14 night. Despite Wednesday's setback, the Warriors recovery after such a horrible start has been most impressive indeed. This team could be a serious threat come playoff time…Kobe, LeBron and…Caron? These are the only three players in the NBA who are averaging at least 20 PPG with six rebounds and four assists. Butler has been a major stud with Agent Zero out, leading the conference in steals per game while shooing almost 50 percent from the floor….You may want to consider dumping Ronnie Brewer, who is losing minutes since Kyle Korver arrived in Utah. C.J. Miles, who has played well lately, could be a factor here as well…Manu Ginobili (finger) was able to fully practice yesterday, but he is not expected back in action tonight. This weekend seems like a likely bet, however....Michael Redd had to sit out the fourth quarter Wednesday after taking a knee to the thigh. It's unknown how bad this injury is, so check back later in the day to see if Redd will have to sit against the Wizards tomorrow night.

[Hache Man]

All The King's 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). utahjazz.com

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.

[Hache Man]

Uh oh! Deng dings up Achilles
After a relatively quiet night with three games on Thursday's schedule, things get cracking again on Friday with 12 matchups. Here's the rundown.

The Blazers won for the 15th time in 16 games by beating the Bulls in double-overtime last night, as Brandon Roy poured in 25 points to go along with 11 dimes, while LaMarcus Aldridge chimed in with 14 points and a season-high of 13 rebounds. All is not well in Chicago, who got strong games from the Ben's and Joe Smith again, but may have lost Luol Deng to an Achilles' injury. Deng left last night's game and will have an MRI, probably today. We may not know much about Deng's future until Friday night or Saturday. Ben Wallace had 12 points, 14 boards and four blocks, while Ben Gordon scored 32 despite hitting just one three in the loss. Smith had 31 points, 11 boards and four blocks! I was kind of high on him coming into the season, but quickly backed off after drafting him in a couple leagues. It looks like my first instinct was right about him, except that it took a couple months and a coaching change to make it happen.

The Nuggets knocked off the Spurs last night as Allen Iverson scored 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting and Marcus Camby had 18 boards and four blocks. Speaking of blocks, Kenyon Martin returned from a hamstring injury and scored just four points, but added seven boards and seven blocks. George Karl will keep both K-Mart and Nene on short leashes as they continue to work their way back from injury. For the Spurs, Tony Parker led the way with 20 points and nine assists, while Tim Duncan added 20 points, 14 boards, two steals and two blocks. Duncan suffered a thumb injury in the second half when he was hit by K-Mart, but played through it. He left the arena with a protective wrap on his thumb, but it's said to only be there for precautionary reasons. Manu Ginobili missed another game with his finger injury, making it four straight games he's missed.

The Sonics got Kevin Durant back but, not surprisingly, lost to the Suns. Durant scored 28 after missing a game with a finger injury and the Sonics also got 20 points, seven boards, eight assists and no turnovers from Earl Watson, despite the return of Luke Ridnour. Luke failed to score in 10 minutes, but I'm starting to wonder if Watson is the answer for them at point guard. He is for now, but that could change again in the near future. Luckily, I have him in my lineup in one deep league. Amare Stoudemire scored 34 points on 11-of-19 shooting as the Suns somehow overcame a 20-point deficit in a throwback game.



News and Notes

LeBron James missed practice with a sore big toe and is a bit iffy for tonight's game against the Kings, but I'm guessing he'll play.

Michael Redd missed practice on Thursday with a thigh injury and is questionable for tonight's game against the Wizards. We'll keep an eye out for an update throughout the day.

Chris Wilcox returned from a knee injury last night, only to leave a short time later with a dislocated pinkie. He's already been ruled out for Sunday's game at Washington, and may miss all of next week's games as well. Get him on your bench and feel free to run Nick Collison out there for as long as Wilcox is out.

Andrei Kirilenko tweaked his back on Thursday, making him very questionable for Saturday's game at Portland. AK-47 missed several games in 2005-06 with a back problem, but hasn't had any issues in the past couple seasons. He's already banged up with a shoulder injury, so there's a decent chance he won't play in his next game.

Damon Stoudamire is demanding a trade from the Grizzlies after being demoted to third string/emergency point guard by coach Marc Iavaroni. Tough to blame Stoudamire here, as he needs to log minutes to maximize his pay according to his contract. Mike Conley is now a good pickup in all formats, and Anthony Johnson's owners have to hope that Mike Woodson doesn't get the same idea and replace Johnson with Acie Law at the point in Atlanta. The Grizzlies visit the Celtics tonight. Good luck with that one, boys.

Eric Dampier missed yesterday's practice with a sore leg for precautionary reasons and is expected to start tonight against the Heat.

The flu bug hit several NBA players yesterday, as Drew Gooden, Zach Randolph and Renaldo Balkman all missed practice. Z-Bo and Balkman traveled to San Antonio with the Knicks, while Gooden is questionable for tonight's home game against the Kings.

Kelenna Azubuike's knee is acting up again, so consider him day-to-day. He's a tough fantasy play now that he's fallen out of Don Nelson's rotation anyway.

Bonzi Wells scored a season-high 25 points in his last game, but was playing through a very sore shoulder. He says he's going to keep playing through the injury and will avoid an MRI because he's scared of what might be discovered. Of course, we all know what happened to the last Rocket that didn't want to have an MRI. Yep, Tracy McGrady said that about his knee a couple weeks ago, and we basically haven't seen him since. Bonzi will hopefully be ready to go for tonight's game at Orlando.

Vladimir Radmanovic tweaked an ankle in practice yesterday and is now day-to-day with the injury. That should mean more minutes for Luke Walton and Trevor Ariza. Meanwhile, Ronny Turiaf should start in place of Lamar Odom tonight against the Sixers. Odom was suspended for tonight's game after tackling Ray Allen on Sunday.

Willie Green, who said recently he's not sure when he'll be 100% again, is set to play at the Lakers tonight after missing six games with a groin injury.

In other action, the Hawks visit the Pacers and the Pistons are at Toronto to visit Chris Bosh, also known as the "used car salesman." There's a late-breaking story that T.J. Ford is going to play again this season, but he doesn't say when that will be. Think about grabbing him if he's available in your league. The Bobcats are at New Jersey where Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace will try to stay hot.

The Nuggets are at Minnesota, where Ryan Gomes is suddenly a starter and has double-doubled in his last two games. I'm not convinced he'll remain the starter, but he's worth a shot right now. The Hornets visit the Warriors tonight in what should be a fantastic matchup between Chris Paul and Baron Davis.

[Hache Man]

Jazz's Brewer hits a sour note
A brief disclaimer before you dig into Bench/Start's Week 11 picks: all recommendations are relative, meaning that while Tayshaun Prince and Carlos Arroyo could finish with similar production in matching four-game weeks, I strive to address the varied expectations attached to each player. Most owners' gut reactions would probably be to start Prince and bench Arroyo, so I play the devil's advocate and present the opposite argument. Of course, if your team is stacked with point guards, Arroyo won't be very helpful for you, and if your team is short on lanky swingmen, Prince could be a good fit.

Also, if you started Chris Duhon last week, I take partial blame: yes, I recommended "running him out there to see what happens", but that was before he dropped two horrible lines over the weekend. So be forewarned: there are lots of games to be played between this column's creation and the beginning of Week 11. For best results, take what I think and combine it with liberal amounts of what you know, then shake, stir, and dominate your opponents.

A quick note on the crumbling Knicks franchise: I landed this job by sending a rather scathing preview of the Knicks' season to Dr. A. I wasn't 100% on, as I predicted a bounce-back season for Marbury, but my introductory paragraph, written before this year's debacle unfolded, is telling. Here is an excerpt:

"I loathe writing about this team. Up until two years ago I lived in northern New Jersey, bearing witness to the Knicks' gruesome sort-of-rebuilding process. I can still remember when Isiah Thomas was seen as the potential savior of the franchise—this was before his blind managerial bungling was correctly attributed to his black executioner's hood (it is hard to see in those things). There is very little that is positive about the Knicks. Anyone who remains a Knicks fan must be either 1) wealthy and only interested in good seats at MSG, 2) too immersed in the slow-motion soap-opera train-wreck to care how poorly the team is playing, 3) a completely exasperated die-hard Knicks fan, or 4) a genuine masochist. I think the Knicks should go ahead and sign Allan Houston out of retirement (he is considering a comeback) to bring this whole thing full circle. Oh, wait a second! What was I thinking? The Knicks have revitalized their franchise and built a solid foundation for the future by trading for Zach Randolph. Hats off to Isaiah, the Oracle of MSG!"

Amazingly, the Knicks actually did consider resigning Houston. Okay, I promise not to harp on the Knicks suckiness any more this season. And now, without further nonsense, my picks for Week 11…

TWO games: Nuggets, Clippers, Trailblazers

THREE games: Hawks, Celtics, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Heat, Timberwolves, Nets, Hornets, 76ers, Spurs, Kings, Sonics, Raptors, Jazz, Wizards

FOUR games: Bobcats, Pistons, Warriors, Rockets, Pacers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Bucks, Knicks, Magic, Suns



BENCH

Tayshaun Prince: The Pistons boast a comfortable 25-7 record, tops in the Central division, but Tayshaun Prince's owners don't have much to smile about. In one of my leagues, an owner recently tried to trade Prince to me in exchange for Daniel Gibson, but eventually dropped Prince for T.J. Ford after I refused the offer. Why would I turn down a sure starter and hang on to an undersized, one-dimensional backup guard? There are a bunch of reasons. For one, Gibson has the potential to break out this year, especially since the Cavaliers are actively shopping "point guard" Larry Hughes. But the real reason I declined is Prince's season averages: 13.6 points on 46% shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.2 turnovers, with only .4 steals and .3 blocks per game.

Those numbers aren't horrible, but they amount to about 10th round value, despite being right in line with his career averages. If Prince threw in 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, his fantasy lines would look a lot different, but he's never averaged better than .9 in either category in his career (although one of his blocks, against a fast-breaking Reggie Miller in the playoffs, is one of the most memorable things I've ever seen). I'm not saying you should drop him outright—weekly owners can actually use him in a pinch during the Pistons' four-game Week 11—but his owners need to realize that they're never going to get better than ninth- or tenth-round value. Particularly in daily leagues, Prince is prone to underwhelming performances, and should only be a regular starter for optimistic Pistons' fans.

Andrea Bargnani: There's been plenty of chatter about Bargnani ever since he resurfaced in the Raptors' starting lineup. His demotion to a reserve role had landed him on many waiver wires, and although he should once again be owned in all formats, he is still a very shaky start in Week 11. The Raptors have three games scheduled, and Bargnani's last three games (all as a starter) should be sufficient evidence for you to keep him benched for a while longer: he averaged 9 points on 36% shooting (sandwiching a scoreless game between 11- and 17-point efforts) 3.6 rebounds, one assist, 1.3 blocks and 2.6 turnovers.

Bargnani is intriguing to fantasy owners because of his versatility; he typically qualifies as everything from a small forward to a center, and can rack up plenty of blocked shots and three-pointers once he gets comfortable. Unfortunately, he's still trying to get back into a consistent rhythm, and needs to remain on your bench until he is displaying his full potential.

Ronnie Brewer: And the big loser is…Ronnie Brewer? Kyle Korver's surprise arrival in Utah was expected to impact the development of bit-players C.J. Miles, Morris Almond (well, ensure that he stays in the D-League), and even Ronnie Price, but unfortunately it has been Brewer who's taken a backseat. In his last three games, Brewer is averaging a mere seven points, one rebound, two assists and one steal. Worst of all, coach Jerry Sloan, whose doghouse has accommodated tougher characters than Brewer in the past, recently criticized his defensive effort, saying, "Ronnie has got to work a lot harder defensively. With his athletic ability, he's got get up and guard guys. He can't back off of them and give them open jumpers."
utahjazz.com
Without sufficient minutes (he has played more than 30 minutes only one time in the last seven games), Brewer can't rack up steals, and without lots of steals he will struggle to help your fantasy team. Korver is a pretty lousy defender himself, and Brewer is talented enough to overcome this apparent demotion, but for now fantasy owners need to sideline Brewer in a meager three-game Week 11.

Nazr Mohammed: Briefly, because I recommended starting Mohammed in Week 9, when he had just arrived in Charlotte: Mohammed needs to be benched immediately. Bobcats' coach Sam Vincent changes his coaching philosophies overnight, literally contradicting himself on multiple occasions. Is Raymond Felton more effective as a shooting guard, or does limiting him to point guard focus his energy and enable him to be more effective? Should Emeka Okafor be a power forward, buoyed by Nazr Mohammed's interior presence, or is Okafor incapable of chasing more athletic power forwards around the perimeter?

The bottom line is that the Bobcats are underachieving, and as the losing continues, so will the lineup changes. At present, Vincent won't play Okafor and Mohammed at the same time, so Nazr is now a reserve big-man, a role unsuited to consistent fantasy value. His numbers have plunged in recent games, and what seemed like a hopeful situation has become as ugly as the Bobcats' playoff odds. Get him benched, and keep him benched until Vincent brainstorms another doomed lineup which features Mohammed in a bigger role.



START

Joe Smith: In Smith's past six games, he has scored 13 or more points five times, capped by Thursday's 31 point, 11 rebound, four blocked-shot explosion. The promotion of new interim coach Jim Boylan bodes extremely well for Smith's fantasy potential: in the six games since Scott Skiles' firing, Smith is averaging 15 points on 55% shooting, seven rebounds, 1.3 blocks and .6 turnovers in only 27 minutes per game.

Boylan has stated that he wants to tighten his rotations and get his best players more minutes, so Smith's upward trend should continue for a while. He's a consistent double-double threat with solid shooting and freethrow percentages, and will contribute close to a steal and a block per game without turning the ball over much. Smith is available in a ton of leagues, but his value is at the point where I can comfortably recommend him in the Bulls' three-game Week 11.

Mike Conley: By now, you probably all know that Conley has vaulted past Damon Stoudamire and Kyle Lowry on the Grizzlies' depth-chart, and is now the team's starting point guard. If Lowry were going to get a shot at the job, it would have happened while Conley was sidelined with a shoulder injury, and Stoudamire is not only on the inactive list, he is demanding to be traded. All of this leads me to believe that Conley will be the Grizzlies' starting point guard for the rest of the year.

First things first: go check if Conley is still available in your league. If he is, pick him up immediately, and drop whichever frustrating scrub you've got clinging to the bottom rung of your lineup. Once you've acquired the talented rookie, feel free to start him right away. The Grizzlies' have a four-game slate in Week 11, and although the evidence is extremely limited, it appears Conley will thrive as a starter. In his one and only NBA start, he notched seven points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals in 34 minutes. More importantly, the Grizzlies won the game, one of only nine victories this year.

Cautious owners might opt to wait until Conley has proven himself as a starter, but the Grizzlies only have two four-game weeks scheduled in the next two months. In my occasionally humble opinion, Conley is a solid fantasy starter in Week 11.

Carlos Arroyo: If you own Arroyo, this is the week to start him. Yes, the $35-million dollar man (Jameer Nelson) is healthy, but the Magic have won three of four games with Arroyo as a starter, and he should easily see 30 minutes a game in the upcoming four-game Week 11. Arroyo is a classic backup point guard; he's not too flashy, he's not too explosive and he's a mediocre scoring threat, but he is consistent. The most minutes he's ever averaged was 28 minutes in 2003-04 with the Jazz, when he posted career-highs of 12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, five assists, 2.2 turnovers and one steal per game.

In his last four games with the Magic, Arroyo has surpassed many of those high-water marks: in 30 minutes a game, he's averaging 15 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He has only one steal and one three-pointer (two typical point guard staples) but he's making up for it with only three turnovers over the same stretch. Allen Iverson, in a two-game week, would have to average 30 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists a game to match Arroyo's recent production. Bottom line: if you picked up Arroyo, there won't be a better week to play him than Week 11, so either get him in your lineups or drop him for someone better. UPDATE: Arroyo did nothing in Friday's game, finishing with eight points, two turnovers, and nothing else. Either he got injured, or his brief surge in value is at an end.

Rafer Alston: Yes, the Start category is point-guard heavy this week, but I don't dictate the ebb and flow of players' value, I merely comment on it. Alston's selling point is two-fold: the Rockets play four games this week, and Tracy McGrady won't be available for any of them. With T-Mac is out, Alston always gets more minutes and seems to spice up his game, at least offensively. As evidence, consider his recent performance, mostly without McGrady: in the last eight games, Alston has hit double figures in scoring seven times (he didn't score more than eight points until the Rockets' ninth game this season) while drilling 2.4 three-pointers a game.

There is an obvious downside to starting him, since his rebound and assist totals aren't astounding, he turns the ball over a fair amount, and his steals could use improvement. Still, the Rockets are relying on him heavily without McGrady, and for that reason alone Alston makes a fine, opportunistic play in a loaded four-game Week 11. With my luck, he'll drop a string of 3-of-14 shooting nights and earn me the ire of fantasy owners everywhere (I recently got my first piece of international fan mail, from Italy), but I have confidence in Skip-to-my-Lou this week.

That's it for this week's Bench/Start. Love it or hate it, I'm gonna keep writing, so check back next week for another round of recommendations.

As usual, I'll try to field any specific questions in as timely a manner as I can, so feel free to email me.

[wideopen21]

watched Conley play the last couple of days and he is the real deal.

[wideopen21]

Arenas has said that he is targeting a MArch 15th return. "They say I'll be at 100 percent around February, mid-February, somewhere around the all-star break," wrote Arenas, who hasn't been cleared for any running or jumping yet. "But I'm going to be in extra wait mode, just to be sure."

[Hache Man]

Nocioni back to form
Hello again everyone. Last week's picks featured a few guys who ended up playing very well for the week and a few guys who didn't. Let's take a look back.

Last Week's Picks

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

Forwards: Francisco Garcia, Kyle Korver, Dorell Wright, Charlie Villanueva, Trevor Ariza, Joe Smith

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

Arroyo, Cassell, Stuckey, Garcia, Korver, Villanueva, Smith and Bargnani all panned out and should also be considered for this week as well, while guys like Owens, Mohammed and Moore are also doing just enough to stay on the radar.

This Week's Picks

Teams

Miami Heat Scrubs

With injuries to Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Alonzo Mourning, Dorell Wright and Jason Williams, the Heat have been using whoever they can find to fill in the gaps. We've seen a resurgence from Mark Blount over the past couple games and he could have some value. That will only be the case (for the most part) when Shaq is out, but as of this minute, Blount is playable in deep leagues.

Point guard Chris Quinn has been playing very well since J-Will went down and his last three games have been surprisingly efficient. He's averaging 13 points, nearly four assists, two rebounds, nearly two steals, two threes and two turnovers, while hitting 15-of-29 shots for the week. If you need a point guard and threes in a deep league, he's certainly worth a look. Williams played on Sunday and could be back at nearly full strength for the upcoming week, but Quinn is going to get minutes. Williams is also on the trading block, which is something else to keep in mind here.

Daequan Cook has averaged 11 points over his last six games, and while he doesn't steal the ball, he's hit 11 threes over that stretch. With the return of Wade on Sunday, Cook's a little iffy to be reliable for fantasy use, but he's certainly worth a look in deeper leagues.

Blount, Quinn and Cook are all worth picking up in deeper leagues, but you'll have to weigh your options carefully before starting any of them.

Minnesota Timberwolves Roster

The Wolves' starting rotation is anything but stable, but we saw the re-emergence of Rashad McCants this week, while Marko Jaric appears to be back as well. Ryan Gomes also had some nice lines. All three of these guys should be given a look, with McCants looking like the most stable player. McCants has hit five threes and scored 55 points in his last two games and should be picked up if you need threes. He's not reliable coming off the bench, but is hot right now. Jaric and Gomes are both starting for now, but that could change at any time in the near future. Randy Foye will see the doctor on Monday for another evaluation, but Jaric should have some value for another week or so.

Guards

Mike Conley - Grizzlies

Conley has probably been scooped up in every league, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on him. He should be the starting point guard in Memphis the rest of the way and is averaging nine points, four boards, 4.5 assists, two steals and two turnovers in his three starts. He's hit 11-of-24 shots over those three games, and while his numbers aren't mind blowing, he should get better every week. With four games in two of his next three weeks, Conley will be starting for a lot of fantasy teams.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Anthony Carter - Nuggets

Carter just keeps producing as the starting point guard for the Nuggets, although he's likely available in most leagues. It still feels like Chucky Atkins is eventually going to buzz-kill him, but for now, Carter looks great. He's been especially solid in his last two games, going for 16 points, 11 assists and three steals on Friday and five points, 15 assists, two steals and three blocks on Sunday. He should be considered in all leagues if you need a point guard.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.

Josh Childress/Anthony Johnson - Hawks

Childress had a career night on Friday, going for 26 points and eight rebounds in a loss at Indiana on 10-of-13 shooting. He's hit double figures in three straight games and has swiped six steals during that run as well. He's finally healthy and it looks like he's about to start living up to the preseason hype. The Hawks finally gave Anthony Johnson 35-plus minutes again on Saturday, and while they didn't win, were in the game and Johnson had 14 points and 10 assists. Hopefully Mike Woodson keeps giving him minutes going forward. The Hawks have a ton of 4-game weeks in the second half of the season, so now is an especially good time to pick these guys up.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues.

Kareem Rush - Pacers
indianapacers.com
Rush is not a must-have player and has been inconsistent, but has shown flashes of being a solid 3-point resource for fantasy teams. Rush is becoming the Pacers' sixth man and scored 12 points and two 3-pointers in the first half on Sunday night. He had scored in double figures in five straight games before missing a game with an ankle injury, and then came back to score six and 20 in his next two games heading into Sunday. He's already hit 32 threes on the season and usually hits at least two per game when getting solid minutes. He won't do much outside of scoring and threes, but could be a nice add in deeper leagues.

Recommendation: Should be owned in deep leagues if you need threes.



Forwards

Wally Szczerbiak/Jeff Green - Sonics

Damien Wilkins' run is mercifully over, with Jeff Green taking over his starting job. Green hit double figures in his three starts last week before scoring just eight on Sunday. He hit just 4-of-13 shots in that game, but had been shooting it very well prior to his off night. He's also capable of racking up boards, assists and steals and shouldn't hurt you anywhere. The fact he's starting makes him look like a pretty safe pickup right now.

Wally scored 18 and hit four threes on Sunday, and has been playing well off the bench. He won't do much outside of those two categories, but has hit at least two threes in eight of his last nine games. Seattle has a lot of 4-game weeks going forward, making both players attractive in weekly leagues.

Recommendation: Both players are offering value and should be owned in most leagues.

Tim Thomas - Clippers

Thomas is finally back from a knee injury, although he didn't do much in his return, scoring seven points and hitting a three on Sunday. He was out for almost five full games with the injury, and had hit double figures in seven of nine games in December when he wasn't injured. He also had a very nice November and should continue to average around 14 points, five boards and a couple threes per game going forward. I'm a little concerned about Al Thornton stealing some of TT's minutes, but Thomas is going to have to play and score if the Clippers are going to start winning again. The Clips only play twice in Week 11, but have a ton of 4-game weeks the rest of the way.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues

Jamario Moon/Anthony Parker - Raptors

Moon was hot to start the season but has since been dropped in most leagues. Parker has never really been hot, but if you can catch him on the right night, he can really help your team. Then again, you catch him on the wrong night and he can hurt you. He scored 20 points and had nine rebounds on Sunday, and has now scored in double figures in four of his last eight games, further evidence that the guy is up and down like a yo-yo. AP's only broken the 20-point plateau three times this season, but has recorded a steal in nine straight games and has hit a three in six of those. In fact, he hit a 3-pointer in 20 straight games from early November through mid-December. If you need steals and threes and can handle the inconsistency, Parker could be your man.

Moon is still starting for the Raps and may be coming around again. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks on Sunday, and has hit double figures in three of his last four games, going for eight point in the other one. He had recorded a steal and block in four straight games heading into Sunday, but didn't have a steal in that one. He's going to be inconsistent, but could be on the verge of returning to his early-season form. Give him a look if you need steals and blocks.

Charlie Bell

Bell has just been awful this season after putting up surprisingly good stats last year. However, that changed on Sunday when he went off for a season-high 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting. And more importantly, the Bucks actually won the game, which could mean that Bell could continue to get some run. Of course, it's important to note that Michael Redd was out again, and that Bell came off the bench behind Bobby Simmons. Bell could emerge as the sixth man in Milwaukee and have some value going forward. Just don't expect any miracles, which will instead be replaced by inconsistency. His last four games have seen him score 4, 12, 0 & 27 points, further driving that point home.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues.

Centers

Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah, Joe Smith, Andres Nocioni - Bulls

Noah had suddenly become a factor for the Bulls, while Thomas fell off the face of the earth and Smith has been playing like it's 2001 again. But on Saturday, Thomas finally emerged from the darkness for his best game in forever, finishing with 14 points, nine boards, a steal and three blocks. Noah, on the other hand, played just two minutes and failed to score, and there was no report of an injury. Smith struggled in that one as well, hitting just 3-of-13 shots for nine points and seven boards, but did have two steals and three blocks on the night. I'm not sure how to figure out which guys are worth owning. Prior to Saturday, Noah looked like a no-brainer over TT, but I'm not sure now. I'd rank them Smith – Thomas – Noah for now. They all generally do the same things, but Thomas has the most upside of the three. I'm not sure I'm ready to go grab him again after being burned by him multiple times this season, but the fact of the matter is that he's worth another shot at this point.

Andres Nocioni woke up in a start for Luol Deng on Saturday, going for 26 points, five threes and five rebounds. He's hardly been usable to fantasy owners this season, but could be on the verge of getting hot again. Saturday's game is just what the doctor ordered and you should probably grab him if he was dropped in your league.

Recommendation: Smith and Nocioni should be owned in most leagues, Thomas should be considered in all leagues and Noah should be considered in deep leagues.

Nenad Krstic - Nets

Krstic is reportedly close to returning to the Nets, which is going to limit the fantasy value off Josh Boone and Sean Williams. Both players have had their flashes of brilliance, but if Krstic comes back and is healthy, I'd rather own him. Rod Thorn eloquently said "We definitely think he'll definitely be back," but no one seems to know when. Krstic is running again, but sounds like he has a 50-50 shot at playing in January. I'm not sure I'd run out and pick him up right this second, but keep your eye on him. And if you're in a deep league and centers are scarce, it might be worth securing him now. The reality of the situation is that Krstic will likely do more harm to Williams and Boone than actually helping your fantasy team on his own.

Kurt Thomas/Nick Collison - Sonics

Collison has been ballin' with Chris Wilcox down with a pinkie injury, while Kurt Thomas is suddenly relevant again. Collison had 13 points and 17 boards on Sunday, while KT had seven points and 13 rebounds. Once Wilcox returns, the three will all cancel each other out, as they have been doing for most of the season. But if you are desperate for a center in a deep league, Thomas and Collison are both probably worth owning. I'd rank them in this order; Wilcox - Collison – Thomas.

Recommendation: Wilcox should be owned in most leagues, Collison should be considered in most and Thomas should be considered in deep leagues.

[Hache Man]

Desperate, but not serious?


Take Me Down To the Infirmary

Tim Duncan – knee – Not a serious injury, but start at own risk.
Amare Stoudemire – personal – Missed Sunday's practice, should play.
Jamaal Tinsley – hamstring – Missed 5 straight, due back soon.
Tracy McGrady – knee – hoping for Friday, start at own risk.
Dwyane Wade – shoulder – Played Sunday, should be OK.
Andrei Kirilenko – back – Status up in the air, I'm benching him.
Ron Artest – elbow – Not due back this week, bench.
David West – hip – Missed Saturday, hoping for Wednesday.
Richard Jefferson – knee – Doesn't sound serious, but may need MRI.
Jamal Crawford – shoulder – Says he's fine, but start at your own risk.
Michael Redd – thigh – Missed last two, start at your own risk.
Shaquille O'Neal – hip – Missed five straight, no sense in playing him.
Luol Deng – Achilles – Not likely for Tuesday, hoping for Friday.
T.J. Ford – back – Career not over, return date still a mystery.
Brandon Roy – tailbone – Questionable for Wednesday, start at own risk.
Jason Williams – knee – Returned Sunday, struggled. Bench him.
Daniel Gibson – shoulder – Should be fine to start.
Vladimir Radmanovic – ankle – Could miss whole week, bench him.
Sasha Vujacic – ankle – Day-to-day, start at own risk.
Quentin Richardson – thigh – Left last game, might finally lose job.
Tim Thomas – knee – Returned Sunday, but Clips go twice this week.
Kevin Martin – groin – Now looking likely for Jan. 16, bench him.
Mike Bibby – thumb – Targeting Jan. 16, bench him.
Jerry Stackhouse – thumb – In soft cast, play it safe and bench him.
Chris Wilcox – pinkie – Likely out two more games, bench him.
Renaldo Balkman – flu – Could get bump in minutes with Q-Rich hurting.
Jamaal Magloire – personal – Back soon, but no value.
Nenad Krstic – knee – Running again, but could be a month away.
Derek Anderson – knee – Day-to-day, no fantasy value.
Donyell Marshall – wrist – Practicing again, but don't play him.
Dorell Wright – ankle – Has missed a week, should be back soon.
Antoine Wright – ankle – Has missed seven games. Bench him.
Malik Allen – back – Day-to-day. No value when healthy.
Kirk Snyder – personal – Out Monday.
Steve Francis – quad – Out for week.
Brent Barry – calf – Out for week.
Raja Bell – flu – Left last game with flu, should be fine.
Austin Croshere – back – Hoping for Monday, no fantasy value.

News and Notes

LeBron James had "one of those games" on Sunday, going off for 39 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and set a Cavs' record for fourth-quarter scoring when he torched the Raptors for 24 points in the quarter. In one league, LeBron brought me back from a 4-5 deficit to a 6-3 win with that one.

Manu Ginobili returned from a five-game absence with a finger injury and scored 23 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter of a win over the Clippers. It looks like it's fine to get Manu back in your lineup, while the Spurs now have to worry about Tim Duncan's knee tonight. I'm leaving Duncan in my lineup this week, but don't feel all that great about it.

Several fantasy fringe players had strong lines yesterday and deserve some extra attention. Derek Fisher, Chris Quinn, Al Thornton, Jamario Moon, Nick Collison, Wally Szczerbiak, Charlie Bell and Antonio Daniels all had nice games on Sunday and might be worth picking up in your league.

Bigger names who performed well on Sunday, in addition to LeBron and Manu, included Andrew Bynum, Andrew Bogut, Mike Miller, Pau Gasol, Chris Kaman, Dirk Nowitzki, Jose Calderon, Chris Bosh and Caron Butler.

Monday

Just two games on the slate for tonight as the Suns host Denver and the Spurs visit the Warriors. I'd feel much better about Duncan if he had a few days to recover from his knee injury. Consider him a game-time decision for tonight. Amare Stoudemire's absence from Sunday's practice is a little scary, but word on the street is that his kids were sick so he stayed home. He was clearly unhappy after Saturday's game, but I don't think there's a chance he doesn't show up tonight.

Emails

Dr. A…I have been reading about u recommending Mike Conley as an up and comer and J Terry has been on my bench for weeks. What do u think dropping Terry for Conley? I need help in AST, 3 PTM & BLK. Eyap.

That is a fantastic question and I'm not really sure how to answer it. Conley is going to get better each week, while there's no way that Terry continues to struggle like this all year. I guess the answer is that if you're not using Terry anyway and won't even know he's gone, grab the kid with the upside. It all depends on the depth of your league and your team's needs. And I'm guessing if Conley is sitting out there on waivers, your league is fairly shallow and Terry probably has marginal value anyway. If you want to do it, I don't have a problem with it. Good luck!

Dr A,

My league is a 7 cat roto. Pts, Rbds, Asts, Stls, 3s, FTs and Blks. My starting five is D Howard 4gms, R Gay 4gms, A Jamison 3gms, Deron Williams 3gms, Mo Williams 4gms. It is hard to start Conley over Deron with 3gms or Mo with 4gms. Starting Harrington with 4gms over Jamison with 3gms is a tough one.
Should I start Conley 4gms or Al Harrington 4gms instead of any of the 5 above?

Doug

Doug, I would stick with what you got. Sitting Deron and Jamison for a player with an extra game is intriguing, but the odds are that it will come back to bite you since those two are almost guaranteed to be stellar every night.

Dr. A - Would you drop Wilcox to grab Josh Boone? Ben

Another great question, Ben. It's tempting, but when Krstic comes back, Boone is going to struggle again. If you're just looking for a short-term fix, it makes sense. But I still think Wilcox will have more value than Boone over the course of the season.

[Hache Man]

Foye is practicing again
There were only a pair of NBA games last night, but they were arguably better than the football game you were probably watching. The Suns dusted the Nuggets in the "early" game, while the Warriors beat the Spurs in an overtime thriller in the later game.

Last Night's Action

Shawn Marion abused the Nuggets for 27 points, 14 rebounds, five treys and six blocks while the entire Suns' team played well against Allen Iverson and company. The surprise of the night was Marcus Banks and his seven 3-pointers. Banks scored 23 points last night, had 11 on Saturday and suddenly warrants a watchful eye. That said, there's little chance he'll have any fantasy value as long as Steve Nash is walking.
dallasmavericks.com
For the Nuggets, AI hit the 30-point plateau for the third straight game with 32 points, while Nene had one of his best lines of the season with 12 points, nine boards and a couple steals. Anthony Carter, on the other hand, was awful, hitting just 1-of-6 shots for five points, four rebounds and five assists. He had been very hot and I still like him going forward, but it's important to remember that he was marginal before blowing up for two great games in a row. I do feel bad though, as I told someone in yesterday's chat that he would have a nice line last night. Oops. He won't score a ton of points, but should be an assist machine for as long as he's starting.

The Spurs got 32 points and 13 rebounds from Tim Duncan despite a sore left knee, but it wasn't enough to overcome a late blitzkrieg from Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson. Diddy finished with 34 points, 14 assists, six rebounds and three 3-pointers, all without committing a turnover, while Jackson overcame a horrific shooting night for 29 points. My gut tells me to move Davis, but I've decided to just ride him out. He scored a ridiculous 69 points by himself for my 30-team league squad last night and I just can't let go. But once he goes down, that team is toast. Al Harrington (9 & 1) was terrible off the bench, while Mickael Pietrus (13 points) and Kelenna Azubuike (12 points on 7-of-7 shooting) picked up his slack. Matt Barnes started, but was ill and gave way to Azubuike. All three guys are too inconsistent in the minutes department to start in most fantasy leagues. The Spurs got 31 & 8 from Tony Parker and 20-6-4 from Manu Ginobili in the loss.

News and Notes

There are nine games on Tuesday and 11 on Wednesday, and here's what you need to know going in.

Andrei Kirilenko is doubtful for tonight's meeting with the visiting Pacers, and owners have to hope his back injury isn't going to linger for long. The good news is that if you don't own AK-47 but have Mehmet Okur, Memo should play well for as long as Kirilenko is shelved. utahjazz.com

Luke Ridnour, who has been useless this season, has been shut down indefinitely again with his lingering quad injury, meaning Earl Watson should continue to hold his value going forward.

Jared Jeffries should start for the Knicks tonight in Chicago, sending a struggling and injured Quentin Richardson (thigh) to the bench, where he belongs. Jeffries won't have much value, but I'm pretty psyched about his promotion and the fact I'm starting him over Chuck Hayes this week in my 30-team league.



Randy Foye has been cleared for non-contact practice and his knee is finally healing. He should be playing by the end of the month and if you want to pick him up, go for it. Honestly, I've probably gotten more questions this season about Foye than any other player, and they're not easy to answer. I'm not expecting any miracles from him, especially with the way Randy Wittman jerks that rotation around, but he's probably worth owning if you have someone you can live without to cut. Here come more Foye emails.

T.J. Ford will see another specialist and there is still no timetable on his return, although he's still indicating that he's going to play this year.

Brandon Roy sat out Monday's practice and isn't sure if he'll be able to play through his tailbone injury on Wednesday, leaving him as a game-time decision for Nate McMillan. Joel Przybilla (back), Channing Frye (elbow) and James Jones (knee) all missed practice as well, but they're all expected to play tomorrow against the Warriors.

I'm hearing that Luol Deng isn't likely to play again until Friday, although he hasn't been ruled out for tonight's game yet. Let's just say I'd be very surprised to see him in uniform, so look for Andres Nocioni to have another big night. Noce missed Monday's practice with the flu, but it sounds like he'll go tonight.

John Salmons is listed as probable for tonight against the Magic, which is great news if he ended up in your lineup this week. He sprained his right ankle and missed yesterday's practice, and will technically be a game-time decision. Brad Miller was also out with the flu but will hopefully be able to go tonight. sacramentokings.com

Brevin Knight has a left fibula stress reaction, but will continue to play through it. He may be the most fragile player in the league, which gives some hope to Sam Cassell owners.

Erick Dampier has a knee injury that will require an MRI and his status is up in the air for the remainder of the week. If Damp is ruled out for an extended period, DeSagana Diop might suddenly have value again.

Jamaal Tinsley practiced on Monday and says he's playing tonight, although he still has to be cleared by the Pacers' training staff. He's missed five games with a hamstring injury and was benched by many owners. It remains to be seen as to whether or not that was the right call. He may not play tonight and should be rusty if he does. Here's a shocker - Jermaine O'Neal's left knee is acting up again and caused him to miss yesterday's practice. He's going to be sitting out a ton of practices in hopes of him being able to go in games. Consider him a permanent game-time decision for now. indianapacers.com

It sounds like Trevor Ariza will start over Luke Walton for the Lakers tonight at Memphis. The move is said to be because of bone spurs in Walton's right ankle, but if Ariza tears it up for a few games, it's conceivable he could win the job because of his defense. There's also a good chance that the Magic are going to look back on that trade as a huge mistake. Keep your eye on Ariza tonight and move on him if you are feeling it.

Andrew Bogut will have more plays run for him in Milwaukee and his season-high 25 in his last game was not a fluke. Feel free to make some low-ball offers for him before he gets permanently hot for the cold Bucks.

The Wright brothers are nearly back from their ankle injuries. The Heat's Dorell has joined the team in Minnesota and is hopeful for tonight, while the Nets' Antoine says he will play in one of the team's next two games. And yeah, I know they're not really brothers.

Richard Jefferson skated through practice on Monday and his knee injury appears to be nothing to be concerned about.

My buddy Snyder told me yesterday that the found a printed out copy of yesterday's Dose that I wrote in the men's room at his office. I worked at the same place in the early 90s, but he's one of the few guys left there who knows me. Not sure what it means, but I thought it was kind of cool.

[Hache Man]

Nightmare on Ocean Drive
I'm not sure where to even start for today's Dose but there's plenty to talk about. The Heat lost to the Timberwolves? The Knicks beat the Bulls? Eddy Curry plays like a 7-foot tall, 300-pound center? What in the name of Larry Brown is going on here?

Nightmare in South Beach

Do you think it was a coincidence that Pat Riley came out and said that the dual role of coaching and being team president for the Heat is not working out on the same night his team was spanked by one of the worst teams in NBA history? That's right…The then 4-29 Wolves reached out and touched the now 8-27 Heat in what has to be the low point in the careers of Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and Riley, or anyone else associated with the team for that matter. And I hear Isiah Thomas is filing some sort of grievance because the Knicks are no longer alone as the laughing stock of the NBA. Like Britney's addiction to the paparazzi, Isiah appears to be addicted to controversy and living in Jerry Seinfeld's bizarro world.

But back to the Heat. Shaq's out until at least Jan. 16 with a hip injury and Wade is still hobbling around with a list of nagging injuries too lengthy to mention here. If you want a real indication of how bad Wade's hurting, just look at last night. Yeah, he scored 25 points and had a decent all-around game (outside of some clutch missed freebies and six TOs), but do you think there's any way a healthy D-Wade let's this kind of embarrassment happen? A healthy and prideful Wade would have probably taken over the game for 50 points and a triple-double, while hitting the free throws to win the game. Maybe this new low will somehow inspire the team, although given the fact that Ricky Davis and Mark Blount didn't even bother to show up against their former team, I think that's unlikely. In fact, Ricky Buckets' uninspired performance last night was actually the biggest surprise of the evening in my eyes. He was coming off a season high and could only manage 2-of-5 shooting, five points and five turnovers against his ex-mates? Really, Ricky?
dallasmavericks.com
All right. That's probably enough about the Heat, but if you own Wade it's time to seriously try to get rid of him. And if you're smart, you'll target owners who haven't been reading me all year, as I have never been a Wade guy this season. I didn't even have him in my preseason Top 24 and caught some "heat" for it…But if he's still playing in March, I will be amazed.
utahjazz.com
And while we're talking about bad teams, what got into the Knicks and Eddy Curry last night? Curry lit his former team (the Bulls) up for 29 points, eight boards and four blocks on 11-of-14 shooting. He didn't even score against them in their last meeting and somehow even hit 7-of-10 free throws last night. And to put in perspective just how great last night's game was, dude had managed just a total of four blocks in his last 17 games! He's actually played pretty well since Isiah benched him, so make sure he wasn't dropped in your league. Stephon Marbury (18 points, three 3-pointers) also appears to be back for the Knicks, who may just be the third worst team in the league now. Congratulations, guys.

And I'm still trying to figure out what happened to the Wizards last night as they were throttled by the Rockets. Antonio Daniels crushed owners with his 0-of-2, two-point game, while Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison combined to shoot 9-of-29 for 26 points. Yuck. Hopefully the trio bounces back Friday against my Hawks. Well, at least in the fantasy world.

Jason Kidd racked up his third straight triple-double, and 10th of the season, but the Nets fell to the Bobcats. Wha' happened?

And a shout out to Derek Fisher, who hit 10-of-11 shots and five threes in the Lakers win over the Grizzlies. Kobe Bryant said later that Fisher's lone miss was actually a pass, technically making him 10-for-10 on the night. Wow.

Rashad McCants is feeling it for the Wolves and should be one of the hottest pickups in fantasy right now. He's scored between 21 and 34 in his last three and is a serious threat from downtown. Marko Jaric was also nice with 17-4-8 and should be playable until Randy Foye returns.

And speaking of feeling it, Rick Kamla pointed out last night on Fantasy Hoops that Jason Richardson may be the hottest player in the league, and I have to agree. He hasn't scored less than 21 points in nine straight games and has hit at least two threes in 25 of his last 27 games, and even hit one in each of the other two! He got off to a very slow start this season, but props to you if you hung with him through the dark period.



Doctor and the Medics

On the injury front, Ray Allen might miss tonight's game with a pinched nerve in his neck that is causing serious problems with his right arm. It's bothered him for five games now, so even if he plays tonight, he's probably better off on your bench. Tony Allen should start in his place tonight and have a nice line against the Bobcats.

Brandon Roy (and Rotoworld) gave owners a scare yesterday when talk emerged of him shutting it down for a week with his tailbone. Order was restored later in the day when he suggested he'd play tonight, but this injury could linger for a bit. Keep your fingers crossed that he plays tonight and the injury gets better instead of worse.

Michael Redd sat out his third straight with a thigh injury and Charlie Bell was solid again in his absence, going for 21 points. Bell will take a hit when Redd returns, which could be soon. I saw video of him working before the game and it looked like he almost gave it a shot last night. Hopefully he's back tonight against the (gulp) Heat. This game will have a playoff atmosphere to it, as both teams will desperately be trying to win. The Bucks got a surprising win at Philly last night, and will look to keep it going against the East's doormat. And if you're in a weekly league, grab some Bucks. They play five times the week after next and a guy like Charlie Villanueva, who is playing well, could make the difference in a 5-game week.

Keith Bogans and Jamaal Tinsley returned from their injuries last night and both players can be put back into fantasy lineups, although they were both a bit rusty. indianapacers.com

Kevin Durant left last night's loss against the Cavs with a sprained ankle, but it sounds like he's going to try to play tonight. Another crisis avoided, but there's no guarantee he plays against the Nets.

Jermaine O'Neal played through his knee injury last night, sort of. He had just nine points and four boards, and his owners have to be shaking in their boots as some missed games appear to be on the horizon for JO. He hasn't scored more than 13 points in his last four and logged just four or less rebounds in three of those. indianapacers.com

Luol Deng (Achilles) and Tracy McGrady (knee) both sat out last night again, but both are hoping to play on Friday. We should have a T-Mac update later today, so keep your eyes peeled.

I just taped a video segment for NBCSports.com (a weekly hoops show called "Buzzer Beater" – Watch for it) in which the topic of Darius Miles came up. I also got a D-Miles email today from someone wanting to know if he's worth picking up. Yes, he's back to practice and says the knee feels great, but the dude is still way out of shape and I see no way he has any value this year (or any other, for that matter). Put him out of your mind. Far out of your mind.

Lastly, Detroit rookie-phenom Rodney Stuckey's hand is fully healed, but he tweaked an ankle in yesterday's practice, making him a game-time decision tonight at Dallas.

[Hache Man]

Flu Season

The Phoenix Suns must be wondering what will happen next.

Already hampered by a flu bug that's sweeping its way through the locker room, the top team in the Western Conference lost Grant Hill for a couple of week to appendicitis early in the day on Wednesday.

And last night, opponents finally figured out a way to stop point guard Steve Nash – just infuse him with stomach flu. A weakened Nash only lasted 24 minutes before coming out in the third quarter, and he was clearly laboring, managing just 3-of-8 from the field for nine points and four assists with four turnovers.

The Suns were able to rally in the second half and pull out a victory over Indiana in OT, but Nash did not join the rest of his teammates on the late flight to Utah for tonight's game. There's a chance, however, he'll still catch up with the team should he feel better. Leandro Barbosa, already experiencing a nice boost in value with Hill out, should get the starting assignment and be in line for a big performance should Captain Canada be ruled out Thursday. Marcus Banks, who has worked his way back into the rotation of late, should get some extra burn, too.

Unfortunately, the ills and spills don't stop there for the Suns. Shawn Marion took a hard fall on his right shoulder and elbow and after the game was seen wincing while getting dressed.

On the plus side, Raja Bell, limited to three minutes of action Saturday because of that flu bug that made him lose six pounds, is looking much better now. After he exploded for a season-best 27 points with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, a block and six treys, it's clear Bell will also be a major beneficiary in the wake of Hill's health woes.

And, of course, it sure helped that Amare Stoudemire did his thing, going off for 25 points and 11 rebounds. When Stat hits the 20-10 mark, good things happen for the Suns – always. This season, Phoenix is 14-0 when he does so.

At least coach Mike D'Antoni, also under the weather, hasn't lost his sense of humor about the Suns being ravaged by illness. "We had a couple of guys that had a bug, and we had two or three in the first half who probably should have had an appendectomy," he quipped to the Arizona Republic.

For Indy, which blew an 83-69 lead to lose its eight game in nine tries, the news keeps getting worse. Jermaine O'Neal (knee) is still unable to play in the second half of back-to-back games. Travis Diener, who was actually looking decent for once, had to come out early after spraining his ankle. And Kareem Rush, who got to start with J.O. out, was also forced out early with a back injury, although he said he'll be ready to go for the Pacers' next game on Saturday. Now that the Cavs are playing much better, the Pacers find themselves in serious trouble, with the final playoff spot in the East slipping further away.

No doubt the Pacers are stoked to get Jamaal Tinsley back from his hamstring injury earlier in the week, and his 19 points, 11 assists, two blocks and two steals last night sure were sweet for his owners. But Tinsley decided to try to take over the game down the stretch, and he sunk just 4-of-18 shots in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, giving him an overall night of 8-for-26. He also continued to put up way more long distance attempts than he should considering how badly he's done this year in that department (28.5 percent from beyond the arc). Nights like Wednesday's 0-for-7 aren't helping. Uh, dude, you might want to try to get some of your teammates involved at crunch time. indianapacers.com

With the Suns continuing to hold on to the top spot in the West but looking suddenly vulnerable these days, let's turn our attention to the rest of the action that was on Wednesday…

• Al Horford did it again last night. The Hawks' rookie, who has already managed to knock T.J. Ford out earlier this season, collided with Anderson Varejao Wednesday, leaving the Cav forward with a bruised left knee and Achilles injury. Sideshow Bob already was slowed by a quad injury, and it was showing as he went just 1-of-4 for two points and five boards in 24 minutes before getting hurt and coming out early in the fourth quarter. So these new injuries could definitely be a problem despite the fact Varejao is insisting that he'll be fine. This may not be as bad at it looked, but we'll know more after he undergoes an MRI today to discover how serious the Achilles injury is. Drew Gooden got a bit of extra PT, and responded with a double-double, so look for him to have more value over this stretch.
• With T-Mac out, Yao Ming is playing some heavy minutes and he's been doing his best to keep the Rockets rolling, going off for a season-high 36 last night as Houston won its season-best fourth straight game. Of course, it was only against the Knicks (damn, I think I might manage double digits against them), but the big man was superb, sinking 14-of-21 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the line. He added 11 rebounds and three assists, and is now averaging 26.4 PPG over the past five. I'm worried about the workload he's carrying these days, and overall, I still want to see him get to the line more often to help supplement his totals, but right now Yao is capable of carrying your team. By the way, maybe McGrady shouldn't hurry back. Houston has gone 6-2 since he went down. Yes, two of those wins are against New York, a team the Rockets have won seven straight against, but Houston's hot streak has it back in the playoff hunt, closing in on the Warriors, who are spinning their wheels lately.
• Andrei Kirilenko (back), who has missed the last two games, is considered doubtful for tonight's game against Phoenix, as is teammate Ronnie Price (ankle). Utah could definitely use all hands on deck against the Western Conference-leading Suns, and AK-47 calls himself a game-time decision, but he's barely practiced, so I wouldn't hold my breath on this one. Kirilenko's role in the Jazz offense has increased this season after last year's debacle, and overall, he's made a nice comeback, but you probably won't be able to count on him until next week. utahjazz.com

Injury Report

After Boston's nine-game winning streak was snapped by (gasp) the Bobcats, it's hardly time to press the panic button as a Celtic fan, but I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear the good news: Ray Allen (neck) and Glen Davis (knee) are expected back in action tomorrow night against the Nets. Allen was in a serious slump before sitting last night, and he looked very good in shootaround Wednesday, so let's hope taking a game off will help him shake his recent woes. Given that his overall numbers have dropped dramatically in Boston's three-star system, Allen owners can ill afford to have him missing time or playing at less than 100 percent. Davis' injury was poorly timed, as he was really starting to gain traction and had gone off for a career-high 20 points Saturday in the win over Detroit. Big Baby could definitely be someone to keep an eye on as he earns more PT off the Boston bench.

Tip-Ins: T.J. Ford, cleared to begin working out yesterday, went home to Houston to continue rehabbing his back and neck. Raptor officials remain cautiously optimistic that Ford will return to the court at some point this season, but at this point, there's no timetable…You think Jason Richardson has started to settle in as a Bobcat? After a sluggish start (16.9 PPG in November), he's gotten better and better (20.2 PPG in December; 28.2 PPG in January) and is now looking unstoppable. In leading a shocking upset over Boston, J-Rich went off for 34 points Wednesday – his 10th straight game of at least 20 points – and added nine rebounds, three assists and two steals…Lots of changes in Orlando, as Jameer Nelson returned to the starting lineup in favor of Carlos Arroyo and Maurice Evans got a start over Keith Bogans. Nelson came through with 14 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two treys, so perhaps the benching worked. Evans had 13 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal and is someone to at least track with Bogans struggling off the bench Wednesday...LeBron James bounced back after somewhat of an off game on Tuesday, nailing 13-of-22 last night for 31 points with 10 rebounds, three steals and a block. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for Cleveland…Brandon Roy looks like he's skating on thin ice these days. He was questionable heading into last night's action with a tailbone injury and hurt his right knee just before halftime, although he was okay for the second half. Clearly, these woes are affecting his shooting, as he was just 4-for-12 for eight points. On the plus side, Roy is capable of helping in other areas, as evidenced by his eight dimes and eight boards. With Portland scorching (17 wins in 18 games), there is no reason for the Blazers to push him too hard right now, so Roy's value could wane for a few games…Don't sweat Baron Davis' disaster of a game last night – 1-for-6 for four points, one assist and one rebound in just 14 minutes. With the Warriors looking early like they would become the latest victim of the Portland onslaught, coach Nelson pulled the starters quickly. I'm worried about the minutes the injury-prone B. Diddy has logged this year anyways, so a quiet night is a good thing in the big picture. Davis, who has been throwing up long distance shots like they are going out of style, is enjoying a tremendous season, so his owners should not fret if Nellie wants to go all Nellie-like every now and then and sit his stars…Coach Reggie Theus is getting frustrated that Kevin Martin (groin) is still not ready for game action, but reports indicate that K-Mart will be good to go Monday…Fantastic news for Shaun Livingston, as reports suggest he will make a full recovery. He's been out with a horrific knee injury suffered 10 and a half months ago, but team officials now believe he'll return before the end of the season. I don't expect miracles this year, but it's a good story nonetheless…Isiah Thomas got the heave-ho last night for going on to the court to argue a call. He may have bumped the official so could face a suspension pending a review. Is this the break the Knicks need to turn around a nightmare season?...Rafer Alston will remain a hot pickup this week after pouring in 20 points last night to go along with eight assists, six boards and three 3-pointers…Maybe it's time to reconsider Luis Scola. He scored nine of his 19 points in the final quarter and pitched in with two assists and two steals. Watch him…Another Rocket worth tracking is Chuck Hayes. If he can throw up more games like last night (13 rebounds), he'll help take the pressure off of Yao on the glass and will earn himself more PT...John Salmons' fantasy value is nearing an end anyways, but he may miss tonight's game because of a fever…Brad Miller (flu) has been missing practice lately, but is expected to suit up tonight…I don't care how deep your league is – give up on Zaza Puchulia (toenail) already, people! Al Horford will continue to start – and injure opponents – for the remainder of the season. The rook racked up another double-double last night, and tossed up his second straight multi-block game. dallasmavericks.com

[Hache Man]

Week 12: The Dirty Dozen
Grant Hill (appendectomy), Ray Allen (neck), Jermaine O'Neal (knee), Chucky Atkins (sports hernia), Steve Nash (flu), Shaq Daddy (hip) and Anderson Varejao (knee) each got some bad news on the injury front Wednesday, while Mike Bibby (thumb), T.J. Ford (spine, back), Kevin Martin (groin), Tracy McGrady (knee) and Erick Dampier (knee) got some positive news. We've got all the latest in this edition of The Week Ahead.

Game Totals in Week 12:
Four games: CHA, CHI, DEN, GS, NJ, NY, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, SEA, TOR
Three games: ATL, BOS, DET, LAC, MEM, MIA, MIN, MIL, ORL, SA, UTA, WAS
Two games: CLE, DAL, HOU, IND, LAL, NO

Interesting Matchups:
Wednesday, Jan. 16 -Golden State @ Indiana: On Jan. 17 last year, the Warriors shopped off Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy to Indiana in exchange for Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington in part of a blockbuster eight-player deal. The two teams face off on Wednesday.

Thursday, Jan. 17 - Cleveland @ San Antonio: The Spurs made quick work of the Cavs during the championship last season winning four straight, but you can expect LeBron James to make this a game. The Cavs are riding lately winning four straight, while the Spurs have a dogfight ahead of them in the Southwest division with Dallas and New Orleans a 1/2 game back.

Thursday, Jan. 17 - Phoenix @ L.A. Lakers: The Suns have been a thorn in the side of the Lakers recently, knocking them out of the playoffs each of the past two seasons. However, with the emergence of Andrew Bynum and the return of Derek Fisher, the purple and gold have their best team since Shaq ran the Staples Center.

Saturday, Jan. 19 - Portland @ Orlando: With the exception of the high-flying Celtics (29-3), the Blazers (21-13) and the Magic (22-14) represent the two most improved teams in the game. Brandon Roy and Dwight Howard have truly joined the elite class this season.

Keep An Eye On:
(statistics exclusively from December 26 – January 8)
Joe Smith, CHI 8 G, 16.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Rashad McCants, MIN 8 G, 16.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 18 3-pointers
Anthony Carter, DEN 7 G, 8.3 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG
Bonzi Wells, HOU 7 G, 13.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG
Ryan Gomes, MIN 8 G, 12.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG

Michael Finley, SA 7 G, 15.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 17 3-pointers
Kurt Thomas, SEA 6 G, 7.7 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG
Lou Williams, PHI 8 G, 12.6 PPG, 3.1 APG, 1.5 SPG
Nate Robinson, NY 6 G, 16.7 PPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 16 3-pointers
Francisco Garcia, SAC 7 G, 15.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 11 3-pointers

Devin Harris, DAL 6 G, 14.8 PPG, 5.0 APG, 2.0 SPG
Charlie Bell, MIL 8 G, 8.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.3 APG
Sean Williams, NJ 7 G, 9.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 55% FG
Josh Boone, NJ 7 G, 9.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG
Daequan Cook, MIA 7 G, 11.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 14 3-pointers

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks DEN, @mil, @tor
Speedy Claxton (knee) – likely out for the season
Salim Stoudamire (ankle) – day-to-day
Zaza Pachulia (toe) – day-to-day

Boston Celtics WAS, POR, PHI
Ray Allen (neck) – day-to-day
Glen Davis (knee) – day-to-day
Allen and Davis sat out Wednesday's contest, but are expected back on Friday. The Celtics suffered their worst loss of the season at home against the lowly Bobcats without them. Expect them to start up another nine-game win streak very soon though – they are the cream of the crop in the league, and look poised to have one of the best seasons in history.

Charlotte Bobcats DEN, ORL, @no, MEM
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Othella Harrington (knee) – out indefinitely
Derek Anderson (knee) – day-to-day
The Bobcats are developing one of the best 1-2 punches in the game with Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson. The two have scored at least 20 points in each of the past six games, becoming the first 'Cats teammates to accomplish the feat. Even with the immense talent of the new dynamic duo, Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor, wins have been tough to come by. We'll see if Wednesday's upset in Boston will spark them.

Chicago Bulls @orl, @mia, GS, DET
Luol Deng (Achilles) – day-to-day

Cleveland Cavaliers @mem, @sa
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely
Anderson Varejao (knee) – day-to-day
Varejao left Wednesday's contest with a left knee and ankle injury and was unable to return. The injury looked serious when it occurred, but the Brazilian big man was able to walk off on his own power. Afterwards he said his knee was fine, but his Achilles' tendon is what was bothering him more. He'll undergo an MRI on Thursday on his lingering Achilles' injury. He could sit out a couple contests so Drew Gooden should see a slight spike in value in the interim.

Dallas Mavericks @sac, SEA
The Mavs got Erick Dampier (knee) and Jerry Stackhouse (thumb) back in action Wednesday night. The Mavs only play twice in Week 12 though, so Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard are the only guys worth consideration in this short week.

Denver Nuggets @cha, @atl, UTA, MIN
Chucky Atkins (hernia) – might be out for the season
Atkins is scheduled to have surgery on his sports hernia next week, and could very well miss the remainder of the season. He isn't expected to be allowed to run in the next two months and won't be able to return until early April at the earliest. This devastating news boosts the fantasy value of Anthony Carter.

Detroit Pistons TOR, SAC, @chi

Golden St. Warriors @min, @ind, @chi, @mil
Troy Hudson (hip) – out for the season, will likely retire

Houston Rockets PHI, SA
Tracy McGrady (knee) – day-to-day
Steve Francis (quadriceps) – out indefinitely
TMac will be evaluated on Thursday to determine if he'll be able to return. He's been sidelined since Dec. 23, but could return on Friday. We should be hearing something soon on his status and it sounds encouraging that he'll be able to play in Week 12. The Rockets only go twice though so Yao Ming appears to be the only option worth using.

Indiana Pacers GS, SAC
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) – day-to-day
JO will reportedly be unable to play in back-to-back games due to lingering soreness in his left knee. That means Shawne Williams (22 points on Wednesday) and Ike Diogu could have some temporary value when he has to sit. After leading the Pacers in scoring each of the past six seasons, he's third behind both Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger, while scoring just 15.6 PPG – his lowest total since 2000.

L.A. Clippers PHO, @uta, NJ
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Paul Davis (knee) – out for the season
Aaron Williams (wrist) – day-to-day

L.A. Lakers @sea, PHO
Vladimir Radmanovic (ankle) – day-to-day
Chris Mihm (Achilles') – return late January

Memphis Grizzlies CLE, SEA, @cha
Since returning from a 20-game absence due to a shoulder injury, Mike Conley is averaging 9.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.2 RPG and 1.6 SPG, and has surpassed Damon Stoudamire as the team's starting point guard. The Grizzles have said they won't be out Mighty Mouse, but it seems likely he could be dealt before the Feb. trade deadline. I could see him going to the Clippers – they seem to like washed up, injury prone veterans.

Miami Heat CHI, POR, NY
Dorell Wright (ankle) – day-to-day
Smush Parker (personal) – out indefinitely
Shaquille O'Neal (hip) – out until at least Jan. 16 vs CHI
Alonzo Mourning (knee) – out for the season, will likely retire
The Heat's franchise is in absolute disarray and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better any time soon. Shaq will miss at least another week with his lingering hip injury, Zo had a career-ending injury, Dwyane Wade is mired with several serious injuries that have truly hampered his play and coach Pat Riley has hinted that this is going to be his final year coaching the troubled franchise. And what is up with Smush Parker? I would have loved to see this altercation he had with a parking lot attendant. He must have actually lived up to his name and smushed the car parker. After winning it all two seasons ago, they are currently the worst team in the East and it's not going to get any better any time soon. They've lost nine straight now.

Milwaukee Bucks @uta, ATL, GS
Michael Redd (thigh) – day-to-day
Desmond Mason (thumb) – return late February
Dan Gadzuric (shoulder) – day-to-day
Jake Voskuhl (hip) – out indefinitely

Minnesota Timberwolves GS, @pho, @den
Randy Foye (knee) – return late January

NOK Hornets SEA, CHA
Over the past couple weeks there hasn't been anybody hotter than Chris Paul. He's averaging a sizzling 24.0 PPG, 11.6 APG, 4.1 RPG and 3.4 SPG in his past seven contests. His amazing stretch has also translated into eight wins in the Hornets past nine games. He earned Western Conference Player of December and is well on his way to becoming the first player to average 20 points, 10 assists and 3 steals in a season. Milwaukee and Atlanta can't be too happy they passed on him in the 2005 draft.

New Jersey Nets POR, NY, @lac, @pho
Nenad Krstic (knee) – out indefinitely

New York Knicks WAS, @nj, @was, @mia
Renaldo Balkman (flu) – day-to-day

Orlando Magic CHI, @cha, POR
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season
Jameer Nelson reclaimed his starting job Wednesday night against the lowly Clippers, coming through with 14 points and nine dimes. Carlos Arroyo went back to his reserve role, logging just seven minutes and scoring four points. It appears Arroyo's impressive stretch could be over so put him back on your benches as well.

Philadelphia 76ers @sa, @hou, @bos, TOR
Keep an eye on Thaddeus Young, who is averaging a cool 11.8 PPG and 6.0 RPG in his past four contests. It seems that he's benefited the most by the departure of Kyle Korver. Lou Williams has also picked up his game, scoring in double figures in a career-best six straight games, while averaging a cool 14.1 PPG in that stretch. With four games slated this upcoming week, he's worth using as your No. 3 guard.

Phoenix Suns @lac, @lal, MIN, NJ
Grant Hill (appendix) – return late January
Steve Nash (flu) – day-to-day
Hill underwent an emergency appendectomy Wednesday night and is expected to miss about two weeks. The oft-injured veteran had started all 34 of the Suns first games – his longest stretch of consecutive games since he played with the Pistons in 1999-2000. Raja Bell (six 3-pointers) and Leandro Barbosa (25 2nd[--' half points) each canned six 3-pointers in his absence Wednesday night, and appear to be the two that will benefit the most in Hill's absence … The flu has been floating around the Suns locker room recently, costing Bell a contest late last week. Well, it's got to two-time MVP Steve Nash now. He was forced to leave Wednesday's game early and did not travel with the team for Thursday's contest in Utah. It's still possible that he might improve overnight and then join up with his teammates, but that doesn't seem likely. He'll likely be able to return on the weekend though.

Portland Trailblazers @nj, @bos, @mia, @orl
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain
Steve Blake (calf) – day-to-day
Brandon Roy was able to return from a tailbone injury Wednesday night only to leave just before halftime with a knee injury. He was able to return in the second half, but it initially looked like a very serious injury so there was some fear the franchise's top player was seriously injured. He was able to salvage his night still, posting eight points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Blazers won for the 17th time in 18 games. They've leapfrogged over Denver recently and now lead the Northwest.

Sacramento Kings DAL, @tor, @det, @ind
Mike Bibby (thumb) – could return this week
Ron Artest (elbow) – return late January
Kevin Martin (groin) – scheduled to return on Monday vs DAL
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
It's been one injury after another for the Kings this season, but they finally got some rare good news this week. Starting point guard Mike Bibby was able to practice at full speed on Monday and didn't show any ill signs of his injured thumb that has kept him sidelined all season long. He'll likely be back soon though and that will transversely affect PG Beno Udrih's value eventually. Martin was also back practicing at full speed this week and should be back by Monday's contest against Dallas. So once Artest returns later this month, the Kings will finally be back at full strength.

San Antonio Spurs PHI, CLE, @hou
Brent Barry (calf) – day-to-day

Seattle Sonics LAL, @no, @mem, @dal
Luke Ridnour (quadriceps) – out indefinitely
Chris Wilcox (finger) – day-to-day
Robert Swift (knee) – return mid-January
Wilcox will be a game-time decision for Friday's game vs San Antonio as he recovers from a dislocated pinkie finger. Ridnour is also close to returning but Seattle still has a logjam at point guard. He's been one of the biggest busts of the season thus far and it's uncertain if he'll ever have value this year.

Toronto Raptors @det, SAC, ATL, @phi
T.J. Ford (back) – out indefinitely
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely
Ford was cleared to resume workouts Wednesday after he visited a spine specialist. It's unclear when he'll be able to return to practice or game action still, but this is definitely a sign in the right direction. Despite being cleared, it wouldn't be a shock if Ford still misses a few more weeks because this could be a career threatening injury if Ford takes another big hit. Jose Calderon will remain an upper echelon point guard option for the immediate future.

Utah Jazz MIL, @den, LAC
Andrei Kirilenko (back) – day-to-day
AK47 doesn't think he'll be able to go for Thursday's contest against Phoenix, so it's likely he'll miss his third straight contest. He hasn't been able to practice since he endured the injury. C.J. Miles will be in line for another start in his place. Kirilenko should be able to return by the weekend though – monitor his status prior to Week 12.

Washington Wizards @bos, @ny, NY
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery) – might be out for the season

[Hache Man]

Season over for Arenas?
Thursday's three-game night didn't teach us much from a fantasy standpoint, especially in the Suns-Jazz game that featured more big names in suits than in uniforms.

The Suns were blitzed by the Jazz with Steve Nash (flu), Shawn Marion (elbow) and Grant Hill (appendectomy) out. Those of you hoping for big things from Boris Diaw can't be very happy today after his five points, two rebounds and two assists last night. If he couldn't produce in last night's game, I'm not sure he will again this year. Leandro Barbosa scored 25 and Amare Stoudemire was nice with 21 and 14, but Raja Bell was just 2-of-9 and the Suns just weren't ready for this game. That said, Bell and Diaw should be better on most nights with Hill out for a couple weeks.

Utah was led by Mehmet Okur's 22 points and 17 rebounds, and as I say in the chat every Monday, Okur is only going to shine when Andrei Kirilenko is on the bench. AK has been out with a back injury and remains day-to-day. Carlos Boozer somehow had just one rebound last night, but it was a blowout. Ronnie Brewer, who has probably been the most dropped player in the last three weeks, hit 9-of-14 shots for 21 points, but I'm still not sure you can read too much into this game or the stat lines. utahjazz.com

The Grizzlies lost a late lead and close game to the Kings last night, despite 31 points and four threes on 9-of-13 shooting from Rudy Gay. In case you haven't noticed, Gay has taken a step to the next level and is going to be a second-round fantasy pick next year. Mike Conley played well, scoring 15 points and hitting two threes on 5-of-7 shooting, although he only dished out three assists in the loss. Francisco Garcia hit the game-winner for the Kings, a three from the corner that gave him 22 points. Brad Miller and John Salmons both played very well despite battling the flu and Salmons single-handedly took over the game late. Miller finished with 22 points, 10 boards, five assists, two steals and a block, while Salmons had 28 points, 11 boards and seven assists. The Sacramento Bee compared his performance to Michael Jordan famously playing through the flu, although this was still just a regular-season win over the Grizzlies. But as a Salmons owner in multiple leagues who watched the game, I must say it was quite impressive. Beno Udrih scored 25 points and hit a couple threes, but added just three assists in the win. More on the Kings later.

The Spurs have dropped two straight after last night's defeat to the Pistons, but should get well soon. They play Minnesota and Philly in their next two, and if they lose either game there will be cause for concern. Tim Duncan had 24 points, 15 boards, five assists, a steal and a block, and even hit his free throws last night. Tony Parker (4-of-15, 12 points) and Manu Ginobili (3-of-12, 9 points) both struggled in the loss. If you traded Manu when he was on fire, it's starting to look like you made the right call. MG's still playing with a splint on his finger, and clearly isn't his normal self right now.

The Pistons manhandled the Spurs last night, led by Rasheed Wallace's 23 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Sheed appears to be getting up for "big" games, which is really the only time you're guaranteed that he'll go off right now. Tayshaun Prince had 17 points for his best game in some time, but he continues to fail to live up to expectations again this season.

There are 11 games on Friday night and highlights include the Celtics at New Jersey, Wizards at Hawks and the Magic at the Nuggets. Most of the other games feature teams with good records against teams with bad ones, except for Chicago @ Philly, who are both struggling.



Musical Chairs

Maurice Evans started at shooting guard for the Magic and should do so again tonight when they visit the Nuggets. When he was still with the Lakers, I always thought he would be a solid fantasy player if Kobe Bryant ever went down and it looks like he's about to get his chance to show his stuff. I'm not sure he's for every owner, but if you're unhappy with the end of your bench and want to shake things up, grab him. Don't ask me whether you should go with Evans, Jamario Moon or Anthony Carter. Their values are all similar and they all play different positions. But Evans is a guy you should immediately put on your radar.

Thaddeus Young could be in the starting lineup for the Sixers tonight after playing well over the last couple weeks. Willie Green or Reggie Evans would get a demotion if Young does start. I'd rather own Maurice Evans than Young, simply because of his experience. But Young is definitely another guy to keep your eye on.

Jason Williams should be back in the starting five for the Heat tonight, sending Chris Quinn to the bench. J-Will is likely available in most leagues and comes with no guarantees because he'll probably get hurt again. But if you're desperate at point guard and own Quinn, go ahead and switch him out for Williams.

Michael Redd is hoping to play tonight at the Lakers, but will come off the bench when he returns. The Bucks are talking about leaving him on the bench going forward, but I don't buy that for a minute. True, the Bucks have somehow won three straight without Redd, but he's not going to be a sixth man for them for long. At least, I hope not.
sacramentokings.com
Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby are close to returning for the Kings and Martin could even play tomorrow. Bibby will be back at Toronto on Jan. 16 and both players will also supposedly be coming off the bench when they return. I'm getting a ton of John Salmons/Francisco Garcia/Beno Udrih questions and the simple fact is that they're all going to lose value when Martin and Bibby return. But until we find out how serious Reggie Theus is about this "bench-role thing," and with Ron Artest still out for a couple weeks, I'd just sit tight with the aforementioned guys. That is, unless you can sucker someone into giving some real value for them in trade.

Bad Medicine

Udonis Haslem is battling the stomach flu and is questionable tonight. At nine losses in a row, I'd say the Heat's chances of beating the Hornets in New Orleans without Haslem would sit around 5%.
dallasmavericks.com
Tracy McGrady's return from a knee injury has been pushed back to next week, as owners grow more frustrated by the minute. Do you start him next week in weekly leagues? I don't know, but probably not. Those of you who started Redd this week because he "just had a thigh injury" are taking a hit and could probably offer some advice to T-Mac's owners. Hopefully you don't somehow have both players in your lineup this week. Yao Ming has a bum ankle, but it sounds like he'll play against the Timberwolves tonight. The Rockets are on a roll without T-Mac and the Washington Post has an interesting blog from Michael Lee about teams that are winning without their stars, if you're interested.
indianapacers.com
Gilbert Arenas blogged Thursday that if he's not back by March, he'll "see you next season." I have been telling those of you who email me about Arenas to dump him because he's going to be so cautious with the knee even if he returns. Of course, everyone else on the Wizards is convinced he's going to come back and finish the year, but I just don't see much point in hanging onto him. Just my opinion.

Anderson Varejao is very iffy for tonight with a knee and Achilles injury, and the fact they recalled Cedric Simmons from the D League is not a good sign. I doubt AV plays tonight.

Chris Wilcox is a game-time decision for the Sonics, while it's possible that Luke Ridnour could play tonight through his lingering quad injury. Don't expect much if he gets into the game against the Mavs.

Luol Deng is hoping to play tonight after missing several games, but it sounds like the Bulls are leaning toward keeping him out for his third straight game tonight.

[Hache Man]

Week 12: Kings' Carousel
Many fantasy owners will find themselves undermanned in Week 12, with six teams featuring two-game schedules. Star players affected by the schedule include LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady (day-to-day w/ knee), Jermaine O'Neal (won't play back-to-backs), Danny Granger, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler. If you are in a weekly league, you might have to play the numbers game this week, multiplying a few players' average stats by the number of games they play and then comparing the results. dallasmavericks.com

Take note: This is likely the last week that my column will appear in its current form. Soon it will be appearing on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning with a greater focus on hot vs. cold players, rather than Bench/Start. This frees me from the restrictions of games-played, although I will still include the games-played lists for easy reference. The biggest change will be when it posts, so watch for it when you wake up on Wednesdays.

TWO games: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Rockets, Pacers, Lakers, Hornets

THREE games: Hawks, Celtics, Pistons, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Timberwolves, Bucks, Magic, Spurs, Jazz, Wizards

FOUR games: Bobcats, Bulls, Nuggets, Warriors, Nets, Knicks, 76ers, Suns, Trailblazers, Kings, Supersonics, Raptors

BENCH

Andres Nocioni: The Bulls play four times next week, which is typically enough for a borderline fantasy player like Nocioni to make an impact. However, Nocioni has had his value bounce around like a basketball lately, the result of fluctuating playing time, inconsistent play and, most recently, the flu. He's been starting in place of injured Luol Deng (Achilles/back), but Deng could return any game now, which will move Nocioni back to the Bulls' bench.

If Chicago wants to be a threat in the playoffs this year (not likely) they are going to need a huge lift from Nocioni. He's capable of providing 15 points, 1.5 three-pointers, six rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and a ton of energy in limited minutes off the bench. This season, however, he's shooting a lousy 41% from the field, averaging a full rebound less than he did last season and is turning the ball over 3.26 times per 48 minutes, which isn't pretty for a backup forward.

Nocioni has enough versatility to help fantasy owners once he's playing consistently, but in Week 12 his owners are better off sidelining him. Until we've seen how Luol Deng's return affects Nocioni, until we've seen proof that Jim Boylan will play him for a consistent 28+ minutes per game, there are too many variables for him to be relied upon. Better luck next week.

Thoughts on the Kings' Carousel: The Kings are a tangled mess of possibilities heading into Week 12. John Salmons is playing at an incredibly high level, and Garcia has also been impressive lately, averaging 18 points, five rebounds, 1.5 steals and nearly 40 minutes over his past six games. Both guys have lifted the Kings during the team's recent spate of injuries, while providing solid value for their fantasy owners, but there is bad news on the horizon. sacramentokings.com

Both Kevin Martin (groin, due back on the 12th) and Mike Bibby (thumb, due back on the 16th) should return next week, creating a sudden log-jam everywhere but in the Kings' front-court. Reggie Theus has stated that he'll ease Martin and Bibby back into the rotation (read: bench roles), but it's almost inconceivable that Garcia will continue to play almost 40 minutes a game, as he has over the past few weeks. Garcia is presumably the odd-man out, since he is currently filling Kevin Martin's role and his production can be replaced. Kevin Martin, on the other hand, should see at least 30 minutes a game, and will be a fine fantasy starter for as long as he stays healthy.
www.sacramentokings.ws
Salmons has a chance to retain enough fantasy value to be a starter in the Kings' four-game week. He's perfected the point-forward role, averaging close to 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals over his last five games, and it will be hard for Reggie Theus to relegate production like that to the bench.

It gets even trickier, though. Nobody, perhaps not even Reggie Theus, knows how the Kings will utilize Mike Bibby and Beno Udrih once Bibby returns. Will they play in tandem with Bibby as a shooting guard, as Theus has hinted, or will one of them operate as a utility-guard off the bench? My best guess is that until Ron Artest returns (he is the starting power forward in Theus' envisioned small-ball lineup), Bibby plays off the bench as an all-purpose guard. He isn't even due back until Wednesday, so don't consider starting him this week. Udrih, therefore, should have at least one more week of solid production ahead of him before the Kings' rightful starters reclaim their jobs.

For a few weeks now, I have been trying in vain to trade away both Udrih and Garcia, in anticipation of their fantasy demise. Unfortunately, there aren't many owners blind enough to trade for a player who is standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for a push. My recommendation, in summary, is to start Salmons, start Udrih, start Martin (assuming he looks okay this weekend) and bench Bibby and Garcia.



BENCH (continued)

Nene/Kenyon Martin: Most owners have an inordinate amount of faith in Nene. This is his sixth season in the NBA, but he already has a lengthy list of injuries to his credit. Additionally, he hasn't managed to average more than 26 minutes, 12 points, seven rebounds, one steal or one block in any of the past four years. When you consider the opportunities he's had without a healthy Kenyon Martin in the lineup, there's no reason to think he'll miraculously produce great numbers in the Nuggets' suddenly-healthy front-court. This season, he hasn't played more than 26 minutes, scored more than 12 points or grabbed more than nine rebounds in a game. Enough said. Even in weekly-lineup leagues, the Nuggets' four-game week isn't enough to salvage Nene's weak fantasy production.

That's not to say that Kenyon Martin is a picture of health. He already has seven DNPs to his credit, and has doctor's orders to limit his minutes to under 30 a game. There was a stretch in early December when Martin's minutes spiked to the mid-30s, but nothing indicates that that is a trend which will resurface. The Nuggets play four games this week: in K-Mart's last four games (with a healthy Nene behind him) he is averaging about eight points and six rebounds. Throw in the fact that he's always one mistimed leap away from the injured list, and it's obvious why Martin is a fantasy tease. Think you can get better production from someone else? So do I.

Clippers who aren't Chris Kaman or Corey Maggette: Outside of Chris Kaman's dominant performance this year, the Clipper are a mess, both in fantasy and reality. Cuttino Mobley continues to be owned in most leagues, mostly because his name is associated with offensive production. This year, however, he's averaging 12 points on 42% shooting, a career-low 1.0 three-pointers, career-worst 79% free-throw shooting, three rebounds, three assists and a career-worst 0.8 steals. Think his elbow bursitis and other injuries are still bothering him? Maybe just a little bit.

The Clippers' point guards are a wreck this year, as well. Brevin Knight is one of the league-leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio, but can't play more than 15 minutes a game without aggravating a stress reaction in his leg. Sam Cassell is old, injured, unhappy and averaging less than four points over the Clippers' last three games. Dan Dickau…well, I'm not even going to waste my time.

Then there are the forwards. Al Thornton simply hasn't panned out the way we imagined after his strong showing in the pre-season. Ruben Patterson's departure was supposed to free up minutes for Thornton, which it has, to an extent. He's averaging over 30 minutes in the Clips' last three games and it looks like he could come on strong in the second half of the season. For now, however, Thornton's production is too inconsistent to rely on him, especially since Tim Thomas has just returned from injury. That's right, Tim Thomas is back, but he's coming off the bench right now. If you're in desperate need of three-pointers and points, consider Thomas in the Clippers' three-game week. His all-around game leaves much to be desired, however, and until he's a starter seeing 30 minutes on a regular basis, he (like so many other Clippers) is best left alone.

Matt Barnes/Mickael Pietrus/Kelenna Azubuike: Each of these guys have proven that, when given sufficient playing time, they can post some impressive statistics. Unfortunately, none of them are being given sufficient playing time (Barnes: 23 minutes, Azubuike: 25 minutes, Pietrus: 18 minutes).

Mickael Pietrus is rumored to be on the trading block, and if he is moved before the February 21st deadline, it could be a boon for the fantasy value of all three players, who would all suddenly become hot properties – at least until the dust settles.

Until then, we're just going to have to accept that this team is coached by Don Nelson. The man started Brandan Wright instead of Al Harrington on a whim (the Warriors lost the game). Andres Biedrins and Al Harrington should both have consistently great numbers, but are yanked in and out of the rotation based on nightly matchups, and Matt Barnes doesn't have much value even when he's starting. With the Warriors, fantasy owners need to rely on known commodities like Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, since everyone else on the team is, to a greater or lesser degree, a gamble.



START

Anthony Carter: Yes, Chucky Atkins' recent surgery for a sports hernia is a large reason why I'm highlighting Carter this week (the Nuggets also play four times). He deserves kudos for his recent play, however, as he's averaging nearly nine points, four rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals over the last three games.

Carter has been efficient, as well, shooting 50% from the field and 40% from downtown (albeit on only 17 attempts) while racking up nearly as many steals (34) as turnovers (39). I don't have the Elias sports bureau on speed-dial, but I'm sure there aren't too many point guards with a similar steals-to-turnovers ratio. (I did a brief exploration, and discovered that while Allen Iverson has 115 turnovers vs. 74 steals, Chris Paul has a miraculous ratio of 83 turnovers vs. 96 steals!)

Offensively, Carter is a true score-second point guard, and thus makes a perfect compliment to Allen Iverson in the Nuggets' backcourt. Atkins' unfortunate surgery should keep him out for a minimum of eight weeks, meaning that Carter should be an uncontested starter for the rest of the season. Unspectacular, yes. But in a four-game week, he doesn't have to be spectacular to help your team in the standings.

John Salmons/Beno Udrih/Kevin Martin: See "Kings' Carousel" in the BENCH section.

Ricky Davis: Slick Ricky is having some trouble adjusting to the Heat; he's expressed surprise that the Heat are one of the leagues' worst teams, even while averaging his lowest totals in five years in points and assists. In his past two games, both without Dorell Wright (ankle) or Shaquille O'Neal (entire body?) in the lineup, Davis seemed to be shooting lights-out (that is, in the dark, with the lights out), as he managed a combined 14 points on only 4-of-12 shooting. This, naturally, set off alarm bells for his owners heading into Week 12.

Despite the disappointing statistics, Davis is (almost by default) going to be an integral part of the Heat's game-plan for the rest of the year. He scored only nine points in his last game, but salvaged the night with 10 rebounds and six assists, and has enough versatility to offer his owners some hope on even the darkest of shooting nights. Dorell Wright is due back soon, as is Mr. O'Neal, but Davis should easily play 35 minutes a night, and provide serviceable value in the Heat's four-game Week 12.

That is it for this week's Bench/Start picks. Don't forget that in the next couple of weeks, the column will shift to Wednesday mornings, with a slightly tweaked format.

[Hache Man]

Cat Mobley is heating up
Hello again everyone. I will be out of town next weekend, but will still be producing this column. However, I don't expect it to be as thorough as I'd like, so I'm going extra deep this week. I normally cover about 12 potential pickups, but I hit close to 30 players in this one. Also, the chat will take place Monday at 2 p.m. EST time this week (Jan. 14), and on Tuesday of the following week, the day after MLK day (Jan. 22). See you there.

Last week's picks featured a few guys who ended up playing very well for the week and a few guys who didn't. Let's take a look back.

Last Week's Picks

Heat and Timberwolves players (Dorell Wright, Mark Blount, Jason Williams, Rashad McCants, Ryan Gomes, etc.)

Guards: Mike Conley, Anthony Carter, Josh Childress/Anthony Johnson, Kareem Rush

Forwards:: Wally Szczerbiak/Jeff Green, Tim Thomas, Jamario Moon/Anthony Parker, Charlie Bell

Centers: Bulls centers, Nenad Krstic, Kurt Thomas/Nick Collison

Conley, Carter, Childress, Szczerbiak, Thomas, Moon, Parker, Bell and Collison all played very well and should be given consideration again this week. Carter might be the hottest pickup in the league right now, and should remain a great source of assists the rest of the way. Especially with Chucky Atkins (hernia) done for the year.

Anthony Johnson continues to start for the Hawks, but has become quite inconsistent, while Kareem Rush got some starts for the Pacers in between an ankle injury. Jeff Green has struggled recently, but should still have a decent outlook for the second half, while Krstic still hasn't returned to action. Kurt Thomas is a decent source of rebounds (sometimes), but that's about it. Both Collison and Thomas will take a hit when Chris Wilcox returns from his finger injury, which should be on Monday night.

This Week's Picks

Guards

Antonio Daniels - Wizards

He should continue to start for the Wiz the rest of the way and should already be owned in most leagues, but hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire. His numbers since a return from a knee injury have been fine, but he upset many of his owners with a 2-point, 2-assist dud on Tuesday. He bounced back with 14 & 7 and 9 & 5 in his next two games, and should be a fine starting point guard the rest of the way.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Jameer Nelson - Magic

Nelson got his starting job back after losing it for four games, but he should not have been dropped except in shallow leagues. He's averaged 12 points, seven dimes and nearly two threes since his return to the starting lineup three games ago and should hold the job all season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.

Rashad McCants - Timberwolves

McCants has had enough huge lines recently that he is probably no longer available in your league. He scored between 21 and 34 points in a three-game stretch last week and has scored nine and 17 points since then. I am in agreement with most of the free world that he should be owned and starting in most leagues, but beware of the inconsistency, both in his play and minutes. Here are his minutes over the last 10 games:

40, 25, 36, 24, 32, 19, 19, 21, 25 and 35

I don't care who you are, it's tough to produce consistently when your minutes fluctuate that wildly.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Randy Foye - Timberwolves

I have probably gotten more questions about Foye than any other player this season. With the news that he's finally ready to return in the near future, he's been a popular pickup over the past several days. As for what he's going to give you, it's all going to depend on the health of his knee, his physical condition and how Randy Wittman chooses to use him. I'd say we should see at least 10 points and five assists out of him, with a ceiling of 15 points and seven assists. But there are a lot of guards in Minnesota and I don't really trust Wittman and his lack of a rotation nearly halfway through the season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues

Cuttino Mobley - Clippers

Mobley has been bouncing around waiver wires all season long but is hot again. He scored 20 points in his last game and has hit double figures in eight of his last nine games. He's still not a starter, but is emerging nicely as a sixth man after being hurt for much of the season. He's hit seven 3-pointers in his last four games should be a nice source of points and threes going forward.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues



DeShawn Stevenson - Wizards

I really thought Stevenson was going to be a solid fantasy pickup when Gilbert Arenas went down, but he never really got it going initially. But after finishing December and starting January with five straight games of scoring in single figures, he's suddenly turning it on. He's scored 19 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 16 points over his last four games. He's hit a three in 16 consecutive games and has also been posting solid numbers in assists, rebounds and steals. He won't hurt you anywhere and is finally playing like he should have been all along.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues

Nate Robinson - Knicks

As much as I don't want to trust Nate Robinson, it's hard to deny what he's been doing recently. He's hit double digits in nine of his last 10 games and has hit 24 threes over that stretch (excluding Sunday's game). The minutes have been solid during the run, peaking at 42 (in his last game) and bottoming out at 26, and he's scored between 16 and 25 points in eight of those games. Isiah Thomas is very unhappy with his team, and vice versa, but it's clear that he has a soft spot for Robinson. If you need points and threes, with some rebounds and assists thrown in, give him a look.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues

Maurice Evans - Magic

Evans is suddenly starting for the Magic over Keith Bogans and could continue to do so as long as he is playing solid defense. If Evans pans out for Orlando, it will help take the sting out of losing Trevor Ariza in the trade to L.A. He's started three straight and has averaged 13 points, and has at least one three and steal in each of them. He's not likely to put up monster numbers as long as Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson are around, but won't hurt you anywhere and should be a source of threes and steals.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues

Jason Williams - Heat

J-Will was left for dead in many leagues as it appeared that Chris Quinn was on the verge of permanently taking over the point guard duties in Miami. After missing five games with a sore knee, Williams came back slowly, scoring just three points in his return. But since then he's scored 23 and 12 points in two games and hit six treys in those two. I don't trust Williams, his knee or the Heat, but if you need a starting point guard who can get you some threes, you could probably do worse.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues

Thaddeus Young - Sixers

There were rumors that Young would replace Willie Green in the starting lineup and it could still happen. Green currently has the value as long as he's starting, but the Sixers have lost six straight and seven out of eight games. Young has been quite inconsistent, but has hit double digits in three of his last five games, scoring 11, 16 and 16 in them. He's a good source of steals and will hit the occasional three, but I'm guessing he only has value in very deep leagues.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues

Juan Carlos Navarro - Grizzlies

Navarro and his minutes have been as tough to figure out as any player in the league, but he's heating up again. If you can make sense of this let me know…In his last five games, here's the story, with his most recent game listed first.

34 minutes, 20 points and four threes
36 minutes, 10 points and two threes
13 minutes, 3 points, one three
17 minutes, 3 points, zero threes
17 minutes, 20 points, three threes

Obviously he's a nice source of threes, but is so up and down you are running a risk any time you start him.

Recommendation: Should be considered in some leagues by owners desperate for threes.



Forwards

Kenyon Martin - Nuggets

Martin is not the safest pickup around, but until we find out what Nene's problem is that will keep him out indefinitely, Martin is going to get plenty of minutes. Of course, he will need to stay healthy for that to happen, so we'll see how that goes. K-Mart has played in five straight games and has hit double figures in three of them. The minutes are there though, as he's logged between 23 and 38 in those games, and he should be near 32 per game while Nene is out.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues on a short-term basis

Al Thornton - Clippers

Thornton is tough to get a read on and much less appealing when the other Clippers' forwards (Tim Thomas, Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley) are healthy, like they are now. Here are the point totals for his last 13 games, his most recent game listed first.

2, 11, 17, 15, 6, 4, 14, 25, 8, 4, 8, 10, 4

I don't know what you do with that information, other than admire it for it's inconsistent nature. Thornton's a good-looking rookie, but is too inconsistent to be depended upon in normal-sized leagues.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues

Charlie Villanueva/Charlie Bell - Bucks

If you are in a league that sets weekly lineups, go ahead and grab one of these guys if you can. The Bucks play five times the week after next, which can give you quite an advantage on your competition. Bell doesn't look quite as appealing with the return of Michael Redd, but still managed 18 points and seven assists in his last game. I don't trust Villanueva either, but he's good for one big game per week. And with five of them in the week after next, we could see big things from Charlie V in Week 13.

Recommendation: Both players (and their teammates) should be considered in weekly leagues.

John Salmons/Francisco Garcia - Kings
sacramentokings.com
Salmons and Garcia are being dropped like hot potatoes right now with the return of Kevin Martin, and pending returns of Mike Bibby and Ron Artest. Salmons and Garcia are going to continue to get minutes, but the jury is still out on whether or not they're going to hold any fantasy value. I'm guessing that Salmons will still be ownable in most leagues, while Garcia will bounce on the waiver wire for a while. Both should still have fantasy value until Artest returns, so feel free to grab them for some short-term help. But if you own them and want to trade them while you can still get something in return, that ship has already sailed.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues, at least for short term.

Anderson Varejao - Cavaliers

Varejao is not a great fantasy pickup because he will split time with Drew Gooden, who starts in front of him. But his line of 16 points, two steals, two blocks and a career-high 18 boards in his last game was simply amazing. He wasn't even supposed to play after suffering an ankle and knee injury, but played the best game of his life. He's grabbed nine or more rebounds in five of his last seven games and has hit double digits in scoring in three of his last five games. Pick him up if you need boards, but expect plenty of inconsistency as long as he's coming off the bench behind Gooden.

Recommendation: Should be considered in deep leagues

Trevor Ariza - Lakers

Ariza is bound to get some starts for the Lakers this season, but it might take injuries to teammates to give him the minutes he needs to have value. He's played 24 or less minutes in his last four games and has been in single digits in three of those. He has six steals over his last three games and is a good rebounder, but he will only have serious value if Luke Walton gets hurt.

Recommendation: Should be considered in very deep leagues

Shawne Williams - Pacers
indianapacers.com
The Pacers say they're going to play small ball the rest of the way and that means more minutes for Williams. He scored 22 on Wednesday and 10 on Saturday, hitting a three in each game. See what he does Sunday night against the Warriors and then give him a look.

Recommendation: Should be considered in very deep leagues



Centers

Nazr Mohammed - Bobcats

Not much to say here. He was a hot pickup when traded to the Bobcats, was dumped by many owners when he went to the bench, and is a hot pickup again now that he's producing off the bench. He has three straight double-doubles and has blocked four shots in his last two games. His biggest attribute could be field goal percentage, as he's hitting over 56% from the floor this season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues

Mark Blount - Heat

Blount has been scoring while filling in for Shaquille O'Neal at center, but hasn't exactly been posting solid big-man numbers. He had 27 points on 13-of-16 shooting in his last game but added just three rebounds and zero blocks. He has just three blocks on the year and one of those came in the fourth game of the season. His season-high in rebounds is seven, despite getting 30 minutes per game over his last six, and he's really not reliable for much more than points. He's scored at least nine per game in his last six and is averaging 14 points over that stretch. As I said, he won't do a whole lot for your fantasy team, but with centers so tough to find, he probably has value - At least until Shaq is back to full speed.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues

Darko Milicic - Grizzlies

Someone suggested I should have given Darko some love last week, but I had pretty much decided that I was done with Darko for the season and maybe his career. But when you look at the numbers, you'll find that Darko is still a shot-blocking monster and has fantasy value. But outside of blocks and boards, he's just too inconsistent. His minutes fluctuate, as he's gotten 14 or less in three of his last 10 games, and he's hit double figures in just three of those. But the blocks have been rock-star like, as he's averaging nearly three per game over his last eight (23 blocks). I am still not biting on Darko, but if he was cut in your league and you need the blocks, go get him.

Recommendation: Should be owned in many leagues, especially if you need blocks

Josh Boone - Nets

Boone is suddenly hot, but if you picked him up in a free throw percentage league, you quickly learned that he's a poisoned apple. He's hit double figures in four of his last five games and is averaging 12 points and 10 boards over that stretch, hitting 26-of-47 shots. The bad news is that he's hit just 8-of-25 freebies in those games, going 0-for-6 in his last game. Boone is worth owning and playing much better than teammate Sean Williams, but make sure you can handle the free throw damage if you think about picking him up.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues

Jeff Foster/Troy Murphy - Pacers
indianapacers.com
Jermaine O'Neal is playing again on Sunday night, meaning Foster and Murphy will see their minutes limited. Keep your eye on this situation though. O'Neal's knee is not right and will be a problem all year (probably), and Foster and Murphy will be hot pickups if he goes down.

Recommendation: Should be on radar screens given Jermaine O'Neal's gimpy knee

[Hache Man]

Fallen Giant?

Upset of the Year?

I turned on the Knicks – Pistons game last night wondering just how bad of a slaughter it was going to be. When the satellite fired up the Pistons were down by about 25 points and Clyde was telling us not to adjust our sets. That the Knicks were actually blowing out the Pistons at the Garden. Zach Randolph was great, the Pistons were awful (30% shooting) and the Knicks finally had something good happen to them. Of course, Eddy Curry struggled and Stephon Marbury sat with a mysterious ankle injury, but for one night, the Knicks actually looked good.

59 Times the Pain

Here's the Monday injury report, followed by what you might have missed over the weekend.

Raymond Felton – ankle – Iffy for Monday, start at own risk.
Rajon Rondo – back – Doubtful for Monday, bench him this week.
Shaquille O'Neal – hip – Probable for Weds., but I'd bench him.
Mike Bibby – thumb – Should play Weds, start at own risk.
Stephon Marbury – ankle – Mysterious injury, start at own risk.
Andrew Bynum – knee – Out for Monday, MRI, bench him.
Josh Howard – personal – Should play Monday, start him.
Nene – unknown – Out indefinitely, bench or cut him.
T.J. Ford – back – Will play again, but who knows when?
Tracy McGrady – knee – Out until Saturday, bench him.
Grant Hill – appendectomy – Bench him for next two weeks.
Nick Collison - quad - Iffy for Monday, start at own risk.
Chris Wilcox – finger – Iffy for Monday, but says he's playing.
Randy Foye – knee – Re-evaluation on Monday, bench for now.
Steve Blake – calf – Iffy for Monday, start at own risk.
Baron Davis – shoulder – Playing through pain, start him.
Jermaine O'Neal – knee – Played well Sunday, start at own risk.
Deron Williams – back spasms – Playing through pain, start him.
Kobe Bryant – respiratory infection – Scored 37 with it on Sunday.
Corey Maggette – knee – Playing through pain, start him.
Joakim Noah - suspended - Sat out last two, should return soon.
Jeff McInnis – quad – Iffy for Monday, start at own risk.
Quinton Ross – eye – Day-to-day, start at own risk.
Zaza Pachulia – toe – Iffy for Tuesday, bench until further notice.
Ronnie Price – ankle – Day-to-day, no fantasy value.
Sasha Vujacic – ankle/back – Bench until further notice.
Vladimir Radmanovic – ankle – Bench until further notice.
Chucky Atkins – hernia – Done for the season.
David Harrison – drug susp. – Due back Jan. 23.
Steve Francis – quad – Bench until further notice.
Brent Barry – calf – Out for few more weeks.
Luke Ridnour – quad – Continuously day-to-day, bench him.

dallasmavericks.com

News and Notes

Based on that injury report, several players should see a short-term bump in value, including Eddie House and Tony Allen in Boston (Rondo), Fred Jones and Nate Robinson in New York (Marbury), Kwame Brown and Ronny Turiaf in L.A. (Bynum), Kenyon Martin in Denver (Nene) and Jarrett Jack in Portland (Blake).

For the Lakers, Brown could see a bump in value with Bynum going down last night. Many owners will be in distress over Bynum's injury and we all just have to hope that this only costs him two games this week, and that the MRI doesn't turn up any bad news. The good news is that X-rays were negative and he says it doesn't hurt to put weight on it, or to move laterally. Hopefully he avoided a disaster this time around.

The latest report out of Indy over the weekend was that Jermaine O'Neal wasn't going to play in back-to-back games, but that sure wasn't the case over the weekend. After struggling through a knee injury for four bad games, O'Neal finally shut it down on Wednesday and took the night off. That was the second of a back-to-back situation and he returned for another bad game on Saturday (12-7-2), leaving his status in doubt for Sunday. Hopefully you had him in there though, as he blew up for 27 points, nine boards and six blocks against the Warriors, proving once again that there's nothing better for an ailing superstar than a game against Golden St. O'Neal will remain just as iffy for this week, so good luck with him.

The Marbury – Isiah feud appears to be back at full strength, with Marbury sitting out the Sunday's game with "some foot problems," and Isiah saying "He's not playing tonight so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it if he decides to play again." What? If he decides to play again? If you own Marbury, I really don't know what to tell you, but it's good to see that the Knicks will keep us guessing all year. I'd hate to see things become normal there, at least until Isiah is finally removed from the bench.

Luol Deng returned from his Achilles' injury on Sunday and played well, scoring 28 points as the Bulls got trounced by the Hawks, so go ahead and get him back in your lineup. Hopefully, Ben Gordon's disappearance wasn't directly related to the return of Deng.

Brandon Roy scored a career-high 33 points and added 10 assists in Sunday's tough, double OT loss to the Raptors, so his sore tailbone looks good to go.

For the Raptors, Anthony Parker is playing very well and had 25 points and three 3-pointers, Jose Calderon added 22 points, 10 assists and three 3-pointers, while Chris Bosh's tear continued with 38 points, 14 boards and three blocks. Since posting a strange line of 21 points and one rebound Wednesday, Bosh has scored 78 points and grabbed 25 boards in his last two games. Nice.

Joakim Noah was benched by his teammates for Sunday's game after suffering a team suspension in his previous one. He got into an argument with an assistant coach and has now been punished by the team, the coaching staff and his teammates. I'm guessing he's learned his lesson and should be back in uniform for their next game.

Look for Kenyon Martin to get some more run this week. Martin played 38 minutes in his last game, the first without Nene around. Nene is out indefinitely with an unknown medical condition and coach George Karl says he doesn't even know what's wrong with him. Stay tuned.

Pau Gasol had a nice line last night and I'm not hearing much complaining from his owners anymore. He had 21 points, a season-high 18 rebounds, eight dimes and four blocks as the Grizzlies lost again, this time to the Lakers. Mike Miller was also nice with 27 points and four threes, while Rudy Gay struggled with his shot, hitting just 5-of-19 of them.

Anderson Varejao was big on Friday night with 16 points, 18 boards, two steals and two blocks, despite what looked like a serious knee and ankle injury coming in. I highlighted him in this week's Waiver Wired column if you're thinking about picking him up.

Also, props to Samuel Dalembert for Friday's 21 points and 20 rebounds. That was impressive.
utahjazz.com
The Sked

We've got six games on Monday: Denver @ Charlotte, Washington @ Boston, Portland @ New Jersey, Philadelphia @ San Antonio, Milwaukee @ Utah and Lakers @ Seattle.

Things to look for include: Charlotte's point guards, or lack thereof. Both Felton and McInnis could miss tonight's game. Rondo is not likely to play for Boston so Tony Allen could post a big line, although he let us down last time we said that when starting for Ray Allen. Blake may be out for Portland, giving Jarrett Jack a start, and the Lakers will likely be without Bynum, Vujacic and Radmanovic, while the Sonics may or may not have Wilcox and Ridnour

[Hache Man]

Fantasy Trend: Bogut Unleashed
This being the first ever "NBA Fantasy Trends" column, it's a bit conflicted about it's own identity. I've carried over much of Bench/Start's in-depth discussions, but dispensed with games-played (if you're interested in games-played, check out The Week Ahead). Players are considered on their own merits, not compared against other players on the list (except where appropriate).

The column is also quite long. Too long, perhaps. In future weeks I expect to cover about five players who are heating up, and five who are cooling down. Any and all feedback is appreciated, so thanks in advance.

Trending up

Andrew Bogut: The Bucks' big-man is finally dipping into his offensive arsenal with some consistency, thanks to coach Larry Krystkowiak's long overdue emphasis on developing a post-game. Bogut has a sweet touch with his left hand and is an excellent passer for a seven-foot center short on pure athleticism. Over his past six games, Bogut is averaging 20 points on ridiculous 68% shooting, and he notched a career-high of 29 points last Saturday against the Suns (14-of-16 shooting).

Bogut is averaging 8.9 rebounds, same as last season, and his assists have fallen slightly, from 3.0 to 2.3. However, he has cut down on turnovers and, more importantly, increased his blocked shot average from a measly 0.5 last season to 1.7 this season.

He still has some growing to do, but has indisputably become an effective center in the NBA and, therefore, in fantasy leagues. The Bucks are committed to feeding him the ball and riding his post-game, so there's no reason he can't play (nearly) this well all season long.

Jameer Nelson: Nelson has had a tumultuous couple of weeks, forcing his owners to wait out a DNP followed by a brief demotion in favor of point guard Carlos Arroyo. Fortunately, Nelson has since regained his starting job, while Arroyo has played 16 minutes—total—in the Magic's last three games.

Nelson's numbers this season aren't stunning, but he has sacrificed some of his scoring for increased assists. In fact, he is averaging career-highs in both rebounds (3.9) and assists (6.0), by wide margins. The trauma of Nelson's recent brush with the bench might have shaken some of his owners' faith in him, but don't let one hiccup fool you. Nelson is locked-in as the Magic's point guard, and deserves a comfortable spot in any fantasy owners' starting lineup.

Dorell Wright: Wright recently returned from a five-game layoff because of a sprained ankle, but played only 5 minutes in his first game back. His role with the Heat should be clear within the next two weeks, and if he's starting (moving Ricky Davis to the bench, which has already happened once this season) he is definitely worth a pickup.

The only real issue is minutes. If, for instance, Dwyane Wade were to shut it down for the season at some point, Wright would immediately have tremendous value. For his career, Wright is averaging 5.5 points on 45% shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 assist, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks in only 17 minutes a game. Multiply those numbers (or look at his lines this season when he has gotten 30+ minutes) and you'll see what gives him special fantasy appeal. A shooting guard/small forward who could average 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks for your team would be nothing less than a waiver wire gem. He hasn't reached that stage yet, and right now he's just trying to get healthy, but keep a close eye on Wright because he could have a breakout second half of the season.

Emeka Okafor: It's been a rough year for Okafor. He's seen slight decreases in his shooting and free-throw percentages, points, rebounds and assists, but the most dramatic figure is his 1.8 blocks per game, down from 2.6 last season.

Okafor is essentially his own worst enemy; he's too slow and tentative to defend most power forwards, leaving him to battle opposing centers on a nightly basis. He has the ability to draw fouls, with his garbage-man offensive abilities, but has a crippling 60% career free-throw average, down to 53% this season.

Okafor's inability to defend the perimeter means Bobcats' coach Sam Vincent prefers to separate Okafor and newly acquired big-man Nazr Mohammed. Initially, the minutes and statistics of both players suffered, but lately Mohammed has been producing solid numbers off the bench, and Okafor is finally settling down. The resurgent perimeter play of Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace has prevented defenses from collapsing the paint, allowing Okafor to rack up 38 points on 65% shooting and 28 rebounds in the past two games combined. Okafor is always a bit of a fantasy gamble, but right now the odds are stacking up in his favor.

Joe Smith: I talked at some length about Joe Smith in my Bench/Start column two weeks ago, but I think his situation warrants another once-over. He's the veteran, starting power forward on an underperforming Bulls team short on chemistry. His primary backup is Tyrus Thomas, whose inconsistency has been well-documented, by Rotoworld and anyone who has ever owned him.

Despite a plethora of injuries, throughout his career Smith has averaged a solid 12 points on 45% field-goals and 80% free-throws, seven rebounds and one block in 28 minutes. He's now played 30+ minutes in five straight games for the Bulls, and has been heating up, scoring double-digit points in nine of his past 11 games. Smith has also blocked at least one shot in seven straight games, and is averaging 2.3 blocks in the last four. He has solid long-term value, but can probably be had for next to nothing right now, so try to secure him before his stock rises any higher.

Mo Williams: Mo Williams is undercover for the Bucks this year. His numbers are very similar to his numbers last year, and the Bucks aren't playoff contenders, so not a lot gets said about the team's explosive point guard. Williams has scored 20+ points in four of the Bucks' last five games, and has clearly been more aggressive on offense than he was earlier in the season. Michael Redd's return will steal some of Williams' thunder, offensively, but Redd is an "assist-me" machine, so his impact on Williams sort of evens out in the long run.

With season-highs of 35 points, four three-pointers, nine rebounds, 15 assists and six steals, there's no doubting Williams' potential fantasy impact. Some nights he combines it all and thrills his owners, but he has a (less and less frequent) tendency to vanish on some nights; witness Saturday's line of seven points and three assists in 30 minutes. Lately, however, Williams has been hot more often than not, and the progression of Andrew Bogut as a low-post presence should only work to Williams' benefit, giving him another assist target, and more space in which to operate.

Boris Diaw: Yes, this is Boris Diaw's time to shine. Grant Hill's emergency appendectomy cleared the way for Diaw to step into a 30-minute-a-game starting role and reassert his dynamic play-making. One of the greatest waiver-wire gems just a few seasons ago, Diaw has been languishing on frustrated owners' benches all season long, as he struggles to his lowest averages in three years in field-goal percentage, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and points.

But if Diaw is going to have a breakthrough, this has to be it. In the Suns' last game, Diaw returned to his versatile ways, notching 21 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes. His owners should already be shopping him around after that performance, hoping that an owner will be attracted by his potential and sold on his recent numbers. Once Hill gets back, Diaw's value is almost certain to plummet, so toss him out of the window of opportunity while it's still open. It's known as the Defenestration of Diaw, and I guarantee it will help your team.

Trending down

Jamaal Tinsley: Tinsley started out his 2007-2008 campaign with uncharacteristically strong and consistent point guard play, leading the Pacers to a high-water mark of 14-13 on December 22nd. Tinsley was speaking boldly about not missing a game all season, about playoff aspirations and about the Pacers being underrated. And then they started losing, dropping game after game and currently sitting at 17-22, good enough for third place in the Central division. indianapacers.com

One cause for the Pacers' slide was that Tinsley broke his promise: he not only missed a game, he missed six games over a two-and-a-half week span. Tinsley has lousy career shooting averages of 39% field-goals, 30% three-pointers and 71% free-throws, but nothing could have prepared his owners for the bricks he's been throwing up in the past week or so. In the four games since his return from injury, Tinsley shot a horrific 36% field-goals, 7% three-pointers (yes, you read that correctly, he is 1-of-13) and 53% (!) free-throws. He averaged seven assists and 2.6 steals over the same stretch, but also turned the ball over 3.75 times a game.

Tinsley's career-high rebound (4.0) and assist (8.5) totals cover most of his faults, but in leagues that count percentages and turnovers, he hurts his owners just as much as he helps them. Now there is the added wrinkle of point guard Travis Diener's surprise 28-minute, 19-point performance on Saturday, which probably is a fluke, but still sounds a warning for Tinsley's owners. With his ability to tank your weekly percentages and his tendency to get injured, it's probably a good idea to wait for Tinsley to heat up, then immediately pawn him off on an owner who is desperate for assists and steals.

Andrea Bargnani: Somebody needs to grab a hold of Bargnani and tell him that he is moving backwards. The number-one overall draft selection in 2006 has regressed this season in minutes played (22), field-goal percentage (39%), rebounds (3.4) and points (9.4). Bargnani has been so inconsistent that the Raptors actually shifted him to the bench in favor of Rasho Nesterovic (with the lame reasoning that Rasho needs to play as soon as he's warmed up). The move failed to inspire Bargnani, or Nesterovic, or the Raptors, and so we find ourselves facing a familiar dilemma: how can you drop a guy who has enormous potential and versatility, Gumby-like position flexibility and a starting job?

The sad truth is that potential doesn't win any fantasy championships, even in keeper leagues. Bargnani is averaging 22 minutes per game. He hasn't had more than seven points, three rebounds, or one assist in any of his past four games. If you can trade him, do so. If you can't, consider dropping him in favor of pretty much any appealing free agent; you'll feel better for it, and will crack a smile every time you see a Bargnani-style clunker in the box-scores.

Ronnie Brewer: Brewer's fantasy appeal is contingent upon two things: steals and field-goal percentage. He shines in those two categories (two steals a game with 53% shooting), but is mediocre everywhere else. When he was playing a consistent 30-35 minutes a game, he made up for paltry rebound (2.9) and assist (2.2) totals by grabbing close to three steals a night. What he's mired in right now, however, is a Korver-induced coma. Yes, the unlikeliest of anti-heroes, Kyle Korver, has basically ruined Brewer's fantasy value. Korver hasn't dislodged Brewer from the starting lineup, but he has been commanding 20 minutes a night off the Jazz bench, directly reducing Brewer's playing time.

In the six games since Korver joined the Jazz, Brewer is averaging 11 points on 57% field-goals and 72% free-throws, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He is managing a microscopic 0.5 turnovers per game, but Brewer's fantasy game shouldn't rely solely on his admirable efficiency.

The numbers aren't terrible (as I said, he is efficient), but they're not what fantasy owners were hoping for when they drafted Brewer, or stole him as a free agent. He's still starting for the Jazz, so he's probably stashed on an owners' bench somewhere, but until he consistently gets more minutes, he is a likely bust in the second half of the season.

Beno Udrih/Francisco Garcia/John Salmons: The demise of these three Kings' players has always been a matter of time, and it looks like the hourglass is finally running out. Kevin Martin is already back, and Mike Bibby and Ron Artest are both expected to play on Wednesday. This immediately creates a deficit in minutes, as the Kings have seven players who are expected to provide solid fantasy value (Udrih, Bibby, Garcia, Martin, Salmons, Artest, Miller), which is an impossibility. sacramentokings.com

The likely losers, as we've said before, are Udrih, Garcia and Salmons, although one or two of them could retain some value. Udrih is intriguing, since Bibby is considered a likely trade target, but we might not know the final verdict until February 21st. If you can afford to keep Udrih—an under-producing point guard—on your bench for that long, it's worth a shot. As for Garcia and Salmons, both are essentially un-tradable until we've seen what their new roles will be, so owners are forced to take a wait-and-see approach. We'll know before too long, for better or worse.

Darko Milicic: Most fantasy owners are skeptical of Darko's long-term prospects, and I count myself among them. Too often, his impressive block totals lure us into a false sense of security, convince us that Darko has finally found a measure of consistency, and…well, that's when reality intrudes in the form of a three point, four rebound, one block, four turnover evening. So I'll say for the record: don't expect Milicic to score the ball, or to rebound the way somebody his size ought to. Don't expect him to shoot free-throws with accuracy, or hang on to the ball, or steal the ball. But if you're willing to pick him up with few expectations beyond the requisite 2.5 blocks a night, you'll be a satisfied customer.

If you're starting Brendan Haywood and Kurt Thomas side-by-side, Darko might be for you. If you picked up Johan Petro after his 22 point, nine rebound, three block outing, Darko might be for you. If you still can't believe your good luck at having landed Nazr Mohammed…well, you get the idea.

Brendan Haywood: I'm personally trying to shop Haywood right now. His numbers are steady, and he's likely to average between 25-30 minutes a game, but I'm big on upside, and Haywood just doesn't have much. His once-a-month block explosions notwithstanding, Haywood's numbers are fairly pedestrian (averaging 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds this season), and Andray Blatche is a constant threat to his playing time. Eddie Jordan has been using a more matchup oriented rotation lately, leading to Haywood's averages of only eight points and four rebounds in his last three games.

Now, Haywood has been solid this year. He is a pleasant fantasy surprise, and could continue to produce similar numbers for his owners all season long. Just beware that while things can get much bleaker for Haywood, fantasy-wise, there isn't too much that he can improve on.

[Hache Man]

The Camby Man Can

Monday Games - News and Notes

The Bobcats stayed hot on Monday, beating the Nuggets behind 40 points and a full stat sheet from Gerald Wallace. Wallace tweaked an ankle and left the game briefly, but returned to finish. Matt Carroll is someone to keep an eye on, as he scored a season-high 19 and is averaging 15 ppg over his last three. Raymond Felton returned from an ankle injury and had seven points and 15 dimes, but hit just 3-of-12 shots, and Emeka Okafor broke out of a funk for 19 points, 13 boards and three blocks in the win. The Nuggets were led by Carmelo Anthony's 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting, but he was seen grimacing throughout most of the game after tweaking his back, which is obviously something to keep an eye on. Marcus Camby was dominant again with 20 points, 23 rebounds, six assists and six blocks. Wow. Anthony Carter got off on the wrong foot for new owners this week with seven points and just four assists, while Eduardo Najera, who could have some value with Nene out, missed the game with an elbow injury.

The Wizards beat the Celtics for the second straight time last night with Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison leading the way, but it was DeShawn Stevenson's line of "4's" that was most impressive. He scored 16 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists, four 3-pointers and four steals, all while shooting 40%. Nice. Stevenson is suddenly hot and looks like a solid fantasy starter, at least for right now. Rajon Rondo started for the C's, but sat out most of the fourth quarter with a sore back after posting just four points and two assists. Consider him day-to-day.

The Blazers won again, this time beating the Nets as LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 as the Blazers won for the 18th time in 20 tries. Steve Blake was a surprise starter despite a calf injury and had five points and five assists, while Brandon Roy scored 16. The Nets were awful, led by Malik Allen's 17 points and eight boards. Don't be fooled into thinking he has fantasy value, as Jersey got just 29 points from their version of the "Big 3."

The Sixers dropped their seventh straight game on Monday, giving up 18 points, 16 boards, six assists and two blocks to Tim Duncan. Brent Barry is expected back on Thursday from a calf injury. Samuel Dalembert stayed hot, going off for 12 points and 20 boards, while Willie Green had 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting. I like Green, but he doesn't do much other than score. Andre Miller missed part of the game with an eye injury, but was able to finish, while Andre Iguodala scored 19 points and grabbed four steals despite a hip injury.

Deron Williams went off for 33 points, 10 assists, five boards and four steals as the Jazz beat the Bucks. Andrew Bogut continued his strong play with 23 points and 10 boards on 9-of-12 shooting for the Bucks. Bogut is probably still a solid buy-low guy, as the Bucks are going to continue to fee him the ball. utahjazz.com
dallasmavericks.com
Dallas lost a barnburner to the Kings when John Salmons countered Jason Terry's floater near the buzzer. Salmons had 22 points, as did Francisco Garcia, who added five boards, four threes and two steals, while Kevin Martin threw in 39 points in the win. Martin has hit 21-of-25 shots in his last two games. Terry got back on track with 25 points, seven assists and three 3-pointers and Devin Harris had one of his best lines of the season with 25 points and seven assists on 8-of-10 shooting. Josh Howard returned from a personal leave and had 11 points and six rebounds. Jerry Stackhouse sat out with a hamstring injury. sacramentokings.com

The Lakers beat the Sonics in overtime behind Kobe Bryant's season-high 48 points, but he needed (gulp) 44 shots to do it. Kobe has scored 122 points in his last three games. Kwame Brown, starting for injured center Andrew Bynum, had 10 points and 10 boards. The Sonics saw the return of Luke Ridnour (10 points, 11 assists) and Chris Wilcox (12 points, nine rebounds, two blocks) from injuries, but Nick Collison was the big story, finishing with 24 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. He was iffy coming into this one with a quad injury, but was a beast. Wally Szczerbiak scored 18 points, while Kevin Durant struggled with his shot again, hitting just 6-of-26, for 19 points. Most of the Sonics' players mentioned will be inconsistent throughout the rest of the season, so play them at your own risk.



Injury News and Notes
Bynum is out for approximately two months after suffering a dislocated kneecap. Tough blow for fantasy owners, myself included. If you were surprised to learn that Kwame was picked up in your league yesterday, you soon found out why it happened.

Stephon Marbury is begging to have ankle surgery so he can shut it down for the next two months, but for now, he's in a walking boot and out for the next two games with bone spurs. If he shuts it down, Nate Robinson should continue to have excellent value the rest of the way.

Ron Artest (elbow) made it through another practice yesterday and appears to be ready to play on Wednesday, along with teammate Mike Bibby (thumb). Guys like John Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih might hold some fantasy value going forward, but have almost no chance of putting up the numbers they have up to this point. Cut them if you must, but the best course of action is to sit tight until we see what happens. sacramentokings.com

Chris Webber says he'll be back in the league in two weeks and has narrowed his search for a team down to three suitors. I doubt he has fantasy value, but you never know.

Nene is out indefinitely with an undisclosed medical problem. The Nuggets expect to be without the big man for a "significant amount of time," so Kenyon Martin is the big winner here. Guys like Najera (when healthy), Linas Kleiza and even J.R. Smith should also see a bump in minutes for the Nuggets.

Dwyane Wade attempted to squash thoughts of shutting it down yesterday, saying "To say shut it down right now is a joke." The key for me is the "right now" part of that quote, as there is no reason Wade or Shaq should be playing once the Heat are out of the playoff race. But props to Wade for thinking of the paying customers and talking about gutting it out for as long as he can.

Kirk Hinrich (back) and Luol Deng (Achilles) missed practice on Monday, but both are expected to go tonight.

Peja Stojakovic's back tightened up on him after Sunday's game, but made it through Monday's practice.

Chris Kaman tweaked an ankle in Saturday's game and is questionable for tonight vs. the Suns. It's hard to believe, but the Clips have won just 10 games this season. Corey Maggette missed practice on Monday with an illness. He's already week-to-week with a gimpy knee, so owners should cross their fingers that he's in uniform tonight.

Deron Williams, despite the monster line for the Jazz, is dealing with a sore throat, sprained ankle and sore back right now. He's giving no indication that he will miss time, so just monitor this story for now. utahjazz.com

Randy Foye is expected to be re-evaluated today and has been participating in Wolves' practice. I'm guessing he'll play next week, if not sooner.

Jameer Nelson missed Monday's practice with a foot injury, but is expected to start for the Magic tonight.

Nenad Krstic is working his way back from knee surgery and could play by the end of the month. If he comes back close to full strength, he should have some value the rest of the way.

[Hache Man]

Is Nene's season over?
While the talk of the league was LeBron James and his 51 points on Tuesday night, the fantasy story was also about point guards. Owners incurred a few painful no-shows, while there were also some big lines coming surprising places. And on a sad note, Nene's season may be over due to a testicular tumor that was removed on Monday.

LeBron, Rip and the Wizards

Bron-Bron was fantastic, torching the Grizzlies for 25 in the fourth quarter and overtime, and compiling one of the sickest fantasy lines you'll ever see. In addition to the season-high 51 points, he finished with eight boards, nine assists, three steals and a block, hitting 18-of-28 shots and 6-of-12 threes on the night. He struggled at the line, going just 9-of-16, but who cares? One of the reasons I thought LeBron should be going No. 1 in fantasy leagues this year is because we've seen the ceiling of other stars like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion, but LeBron is just starting to figure this thing out. I can't even imagine what kind of lines he's going to be putting up two years from now. dallasmavericks.com

Rip Hamilton had one of the greatest lines of his life with 39 points, five threes, four rebounds and six assists, but was overshadowed by James. Hamilton was coming off his worst game of the season, scoring just three points in a loss to the Knicks on Saturday.

Speaking of which, how did the Wizards beat the Celtics twice in a row and then lose to the Knicks? It's pretty obvious that they were tired and probably looking ahead to…Oh wait – they get to play the Knicks again on Friday, when they will try to extract some revenge. They also could have lost because they were without their starting point guard, Antonio Daniels, who sat with a knee injury. Or maybe it was because they couldn't stop Jamal Crawford, who hit six treys on his way to 29 points and four assists on 11-of-19 shooting. Or maybe it was due to the fact that Daniels' replacement, Roger Mason, didn't record an assist despite scoring 20 points and running the offense. It was likely a combination of those factors, and that they were due for a letdown.

Point Guard Fest

As for point guards who failed to show up last night, in addition to Daniels, Kirk Hinrich's gimpy back left him in street clothes as the Bulls brutally lost to the Magic, and Anthony Carter may as well have not dressed for Tuesday's loss to the Hawks. Carter managed to miss all five of his shots but did have seven assists despite not scoring. He still has two chances this week to break out of the funk, but as a fellow Carter owner, I'm not real happy with him right now. Hinrich is very iffy for tonight with back spasms, while Daniels says he will play on Friday. However, Wizards' coach Eddie Jordan isn't as confident that Daniels will play Friday and may keep him out for one more game to get him a full week of rest.

In other point guard news, Anthony Johnson had a nice line in the Hawks' win, Baron Davis had another big game, just missing a 5x5 line and Mike Conley scored a career-high 20 points with seven dimes on 7-of-10 shooting. If Conley starts making shots, he's going to be fun to watch over the second half. Andre Miller bounced back from an eye injury to lead the Sixers to a win over the Rockets with 26 points, six assists and three steals as Philly snapped a seven-game losing streak in the process. And teammate Lou Williams was also nice, going for 18 points, six assists and three steals.

Nate Robinson had another nice line with 14 points, eight assists and a couple threes, and should continue to see plenty of minutes off the Knicks' bench with Stephon Marbury possibly done for the season. Steve Nash had a typical Nash line with 14 points and 13 assists, but the Suns fell to the Clippers, handing them their first win of 2008. The point-guard line of the night belonged to Sam Cassell, who couldn't miss, finishing with 32 points, six boards and seven assists on 15-of-21 shooting as the Clips won for just the 11th time this season.

Cassell, Williams, Johnson, Robinson, Daniels and Conley could all be available in your league, but Conley, Daniels and Robinson are the only guys I'm high on as far as having reliable fantasy value, although Williams would be a hot pickup if Miller were traded. As for Cassell, it's important to remember that he's perpetually injured and has only topped the 20-point plateau five times this season. Use him at your own risk.



The Bulls

The Bulls looked awful last night and don't seem to be playing any harder for Jim Boylan than they were for Scott Skiles. Ben Wallace has a new nickname in Chicago, as the local media has taken to calling him "Big Bust" instead of "Big Ben." His fat paycheck is going to waste and he was seen laughing and having a jolly-good time on the bench last night as the Wizards put them away in the third quarter. "Bust" finished with just four points, three boards and two assists, and didn't even have a steal or a block. Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni each played just 15 minutes, combining for 5-of-13 shooting and 12 points. Hopefully the Bulls get this figured out by the time they play the Heat tonight. Additionally, Joe Smith looked old last night with just two rebounds, while the only member of the team who looked like he cared was Joakim Noah, who had 12 points, a career-high 11 rebounds, a steal and a block. He was back after a two-game hiatus, and didn't take kindly to Wallace leading the charge to keep him deactivated for a second straight game on Sunday. Simply put, the Bulls are a mess.

The Magic

Hedo Turkoglu is officially slumping after last night's 2-of-11 shooting line for eight points. He's struggling with his shot and has scored 14 or less points in five of his last six games. Meanwhile, Rashard Lewis is finally heating up, scoring 20-plus in five straight games, which is probably not a coincidence. Hopefully Turkoglu's fall from grace is temporary, but we'll have to see what happens in the next couple games.

The Nuggets

J.R. Smith has seen a boost in minutes over his last two games, scoring 21 points with four threes last night in 28 minutes, and going for 12 points in 18 minutes in his previous game. With Kenyon Martin out with a staph infection last night, and Nene possibly out for the season, George Karl is going to be forced to play Smith going forward. I haven't seen a timetable for K-Mart's return, but it was surprising to learn he wasn't playing last night. As for Nene, he had a tumor removed from his testicle that was apparently discovered while he was having an NBA drug test performed. He is very lucky that it was detected so early and he's expected to make a full recovery, even if the tumor is found to be cancerous. But he is going to be sidelined for weeks, if not the rest of the season. Eduardo Najera is going to see some extra minutes the rest of the way, but he couldn't get it going in his return from an elbow injury last night, missing all five of his shots and failing to score. Keep your eye on him.

The Grizzlies

Darko Milicic left last night's game after just five minutes after aggravating a knee injury during shootaround and will have an MRI today. It's possible he could be sidelined for a few games, giving Juan Carlos Navarro some hope. Yeah, we've seen this before with JCN, but he was big last night with 26 points and six treys on 9-of-16 shooting. A center going down doesn't usually mean big things for a shooting guard, but the Grizzlies are likely to play a small lineup if Darko is going to miss time, so watch his status closely. If he's ruled out for an extended period, JCN should be a solid pickup. Rudy Gay was big again last night with 30 points, nine boards and three 3-pointers, and is probably going to be a second-round fantasy pick next season.

More Big Busts

Ben Wallace wasn't the only disappointing center last night, as two guys with the same initials (A.B.) battled for the worst line of the night. The nod goes to Andrea Bargnani, who finished 0-for-4 with zero points and five rebounds in the Raptors' loss to the Pistons. He's proven to be worthless this season and is not showing any signs of becoming dependable, as disappointing as that is to say. For the Warriors, Andris Biedrins probably had the worst game of his career, failing to score after missing all five of his shots and not even recording a block in 26 minutes of action. He did have eight rebounds, but was terrible. He should bounce back, but has scored just 12 points in his last four games. Don Nelson says Biedrins is still suffering from a leg injury, but AB said after the game that his leg is fine. We can't pin this one on Nelson, as Biedrins got plenty of time…He just had a bad night. If he doesn't get it going by the end of the week, you have to think about benching him.

[Hache Man]

Celtic Salvation

Facing its first rough patch of the season -- consecutive losses and three defeats in its past four games -- the Boston Celtics found salvation from a player who has struggled most of the season.

Ray Allen – A.K.A. "Jesus," because of the character he played in He Got Game -- scored a season high 35 points Wednesday to lead Boston past blazing Portland 100-90. www.bostonceltics.ws

Boston had dropped two straight to Washington – its first consecutive losses of the year -- so Allen's breakout, including 9-of-13 shooting for 26 second-half points, was very well timed. Ray Ray has been a source of frustration for his owners most of the season, heading into action last night averaging just 17.6 PPG (his lowest scoring output since 1998-99) and shooting just 41.2 percent – a career worst.

Oh sure, ankle injuries and a pinched nerve in his neck have contributed to Allen's struggles, but owners were definitely expecting more when he teamed up with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce this season. www.bostonceltics.ws

KG did his thing last night with 26 points, but with Pierce struggling (3-for-11 from the floor, 6-for-11 from the line), Allen's heroics were vital to Boston snapping its mini skid.

Allen said he's feeling better physically than he has all season, so it's great news if you own him and having been waiting for him to put up the kind of numbers we're accustomed to seeing.

Portland entered the game as the hottest team in the last over the past few weeks. The Northwest Division-leading Blazers had dropped just two of their past 20 games before running into the Atlantic Division leaders. Portland is having a phenomenal season, but if it is serious about making some noise come playoff time, it's going to have to learn to win on the road. Last night's setback dropped the Blazers to an unacceptable 6-12 away from the Rose Garden.

It was great to see Allen break out and employ his deadly 3-point shooting. Limited to just 6.5 attempts per game this season, Allen was getting plenty of love last night, nailing 4-of-10 from beyond the arc while adding three assists and a steal.

With Boston appearing to be back on track and Allen looking like he's finally ready to reward his patient owners, let's turn our attention to other events from the Wednesday that was in the NBA…

• Peja Stojakovic owners can breathe a little easier this morning after he looked fine in nailing 6-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-6 from downtown, for 23 points and four rebounds. After he went 0-for-5 on Sunday, coming out early when his back stiffened up, there was plenty of reason for concern, given the issues he's had with his back in recent years. But let's not hit the panic button just yet. I'd really like to see Peja get more looks from downtown, considering how well he's shot the ball from beyond the arc this year. It would definitely help him improve upon his 14.5 PPG average – the lowest output Stojakovic has managed since his sophomore season in the NBA.
• Can Gerald Wallace get any hotter? Crash went off for 36 points with 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block last night to help Charlotte rally from 16 down in the third quarter to defeat Orlando. Wallace's 12-of-30 – yes, he took 30 shots -- from the floor was nothing to crow about, but an 11-for-14 performance from the line was sweet. Talk about heavy minutes – Wallace is averaging 47.6 MPG over the past five, but it sure doesn't seem to be slowing him down. I do want to know what the deal is with the outside shooting barrage, though. He's averaging 3.5 3-point attempts this year – more than twice as many as he's ever put up – and it's getting even crazier, with three straight games of eight attempts. But lest you think Crash isn't crashing the glass anymore, think again. He's averaging a career-high eight FT attempts per game this season, including 14 per night over the past three. Wallace, with at least 21 points in eight of his last nine games, has taken his game to a brand new level this year.
  utahjazz.com
• The Hornets have moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Southwest Division after hammering the Sonics yesterday. The key for New Orleans appears to be getting double-doubles from Tyson Chandler and Chris Paul. When his dynamic duo each go off for a double-double in the same game – as they have 12 times this year – the Hornets haven't lost once. Chandler had 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while he pulled down 21 rebounds and added two steals and an assist. Paul was less impressive, managing just 12 points as his scoring continues to slip with less touches of late. But he did drop 11 dimes to help New Orleans to a third straight victory.

Injury Report

Jameer Nelson struggled through a two-point, two-assist game Wednesday, finally succumbing to a strained tendon in his right foot and coming out in the third quarter. Carlos Arroyo, meanwhile, took advantage of the extra burn, potting 17 points and three rebounds while nailing a pair of treys. There's been no word on whether Nelson will be out more than day-to-day, but if he is going to miss some action here, get ready to pounce on Arroyo.
dallasmavericks.com
Tip-ins: Back and hamstring woes kept struggling Rajon Rondo sidelined Wednesday. Eddie House started and came through with 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. He's getting plenty of burn lately, and could provide a nice short-term pickup for those needing help in 3-pointers. Do note, however, that Rondo expects to return Friday…Kirk Hinrich (back) has missed two straight. Chris Duhon didn't exactly take advantage last night, but Thabo Sefolosha filled it up nicely and his shooting has been off the charts the past couple of games. If Captain Kirk's back woes become more serious, this tandem will start to look attractive…Stop the presses – the Knicks have won three straight for the first time all year. What was that Isiah was saying about a championship? Jamal Crawford has been lights outs, recording back-to-back six-trey games and potting a season-high 35 points last night. He's never shot better since arriving in New York four years ago…Chris Bosh had his sights working last night, canning 11-of-12 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line for 31 points with three steals…Shaq's back after an eight-game stretch on the sidelines because of his hip. He scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds, but sadly, it was not enough for the Heat, losers of 11 straight games…Speaking of returning stars, Sacramento got a pair of them back Wednesday. Mike Bibby (thumb surgery) made his season debut, scoring 19 points with six rebounds off the bench. Ron Artest, who missed the last nine games because of elbow surgery, looked shaky, sinking just 2-of-10 in his return. sacramentokings.com Watch the King situation closely over the next few games, because with this pair back in action, plus K-Mart returning last week, PT is going to be dispersed much differently…The Pacers had a massive rally last night to beat a hot Warrior team and win their second game in three tries. Now that the Nets have slowed down, Indy is just a game back of the final playoff spot in the East. Indiana, led by Danny Granger's 29, got the offense in gear, scoring a season-high 125 points, including a season-best 46 in the fourth quarter alone. With Jamaal Tinsley out with a sore left knee, Andre Owens got the start, but it was Travis Diener who saw big minutes off the bench, even if his shooting (2-for-12) was suspect. Jermaine O'Neal, meanwhile, coming off a big game on the weekend, is also dealing with a sore knee (as usual), so he had to come out in the first quarter and didn't return. Can I interest any of you J.O. owners in some Pepto Bismo? Perhaps David Harrison could pick up the slack during O'Neal's newest stretch on the sidelines? Oh, that's right…he's still serving a suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug program. Then you've got Ike Diogu. So much for him making headway in Indy – he's been a healthy scratch three straight games…Kenyon Martin (staph infection), MIA the past couple of games, is expected to return tonight. Nene's still out indefinitely, so K-Mart will definitely get plenty of burn…Starbury is convinced he'll need foot surgery, so don't be counting on him rescuing your team. Go ahead and cut him. Nate Robinson, meanwhile, gets a great boost in value for the remainder of the season…Yi Jianlian, who has been struggling badly this month, only managed to shoot 5-of-16 from the field Wednesday, but he was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line for 16 points with nine rebounds and two blocks. Maybe you shouldn't cut the rook quite yet....The MRI on Darko Milicic's knee was negative, so he's expected back in action tomorrow night.

[Hache Man]

Five Bucks Goes a Long Way
The Bucks have the season's sole five-game period in Week 13, while the Raptors are the only squad that plays just twice. It's rare when Andrew Bogut has more value than Chris Bosh, but that's the case this week.

Stephon Marbury, Andrew Bynum and Nene all went down this week, while Shaq, Ron Artest, Mike Bibby and Luke Ridnour have returned. The Week Ahead breaks it all down to help you set your lineup for Week 13.
sacramentokings.com
Game Totals in Week 13:
Five games: MIL
Four games: ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MIN, NJ, NO, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, SA, SAC, SEA, TOR, WAS
Three games: DET, GS, MIA, NY, UTA
Two games: TOR

Interesting Matchups:
Monday, Jan. 21 - Detroit @ Orlando: With the exception of the Celtics (30-6), the Pistons (29-10) and the Magic (24-16) represent the other two division leaders and that next top two teams. Orlando has surprising performed much better on the road (16-8) than at home (8-8). These two teams play again in Motown on Friday.

Wednesday, Jan. 23 - Portland @ New Orleans: If you were going to build a team around a young player in this league, you just can't go wrong with either Brandon Roy or Chris Paul. Both are playing at an All-Star level and have quietly got their teams into first place within their difficult divisions.

Wednesday, Jan. 23 - L.A. Lakers @ San Antonio: The Lakers (26-11) have quietly emerged into the top team in the West, and third-best overall behind the Celtics (31-6) and the Pistons (29-10). L.A. will be without bigman Andrew Bogut for a while, but they are still the hottest team in the league with seven straight wins.

Sunday, Jan. 27 - Cleveland @ L.A. Lakers: LeBron vs Kobe - that's about as good as it gets. James is first in the NBA in scoring (29.8 PPG), while Bryant is second (27.6 PPG). Kobe has been the scoring champion that past two seasons, so expect him to pick it in the second half to continue that streak.

Keep An Eye On:
(statistics exclusively from Jan. 2 – Jan. 15)
Nate Robinson, NY 8 G, 16.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 17 3-pointers
Anthony Carter, DEN 7 G, 8.7 PPG, 7.9 APG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG
DeShawn Stevenson, WAS 8 G, 12.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 14 3-pointers
Devin Harris, DAL 7 G, 15.3 PPG, 5.1 APG, 2.0 RPG
Josh Boone, NJ 7 G, 9.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.0 BPG

Mike Conley, MEM 8 G, 11.1 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Anthony Parker, TOR 6 G, 16.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 14 3-pointers
Luther Head, HOU 8 G, 13.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 13 3-pointers
Mark Blount, MIA 6 G, 14.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 66% FG
Juan Carlos Navarro, MEM 8 G, 11.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 18 3-pointers

Ryan Gomes, MIN 7 G, 14.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG
Luis Scola, HOU 8 G, 11.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 56% FG
Jarrett Jack, POR 6 G, 9.7 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.2 RPG
Thaddeus Young, PHI, 8 G, 8.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Travis Outlaw, POR 6 G, 13.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.0 BPG

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:
Atlanta Hawks POR, @den, @sea, @por
Speedy Claxton (knee) – likely out for the season
Salim Stoudamire (ankle) – day-to-day
Zaza Pachulia (toe) – day-to-day

Boston Celtics @ny, TOR, MIN, @orl
Rajon Rondo (back) – day-to-day
The Celtics finally got some production from Ray Allen on Wednesday, as the All-Star broke out of a funk with a season-high 35 points. In his previous eight games, Allen averaged a meager 10.7 PPG on 33% shooting, and the Celtics were actually starting to look beatable. www.bostonceltics.ws

Charlotte Bobcats SA, DAL, @chi, PHI
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Othella Harrington (knee) – out indefinitely

Chicago Bulls @mem, IND, CHA, PHO
Kirk Hinrich (back) – day-to-day
Andres Nocioni (hip) – day-to-day

Cleveland Cavaliers @mia, WAS, PHO, @lal
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely

Dallas Mavericks @was, @cha, LAL, DEN
Jerry Stackhouse (hamstring) – day-to-day
dallasmavericks.com
Denver Nuggets @lal, ATL, NJ, @dal
Chucky Atkins (sports hernia) – likely out for the season
Kenyon Martin (staph infection) – day-to-day
Nene Hilario tumor) – out indefinitely
Nene has been released from the hospital after having a testicular tumor removed on Monday, and it sounds like there's a chance he could miss the remainder of the season. The good news is the tumor was proved to be benign on Thursday. With KMart also dealing with an injury, Eduardo Najera is in store for some rare minutes at the power forward position.

Detroit Pistons @orl, @phi, ORL

Golden St. Warriors MIN, NJ, NY
Troy Hudson (hip) – out for the season

Houston Rockets SEA, @sea, @por, UTA
Tracy McGrady (knee) – targeting Jan. 19
Steve Francis (quadriceps) – out indefinitely

Indiana Pacers @phi, @chi, @mil, @mia
David Harrison (suspension) – return Wednesday Jan. 23
Jamaal Tinsley (suspension) – day-to-day
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) – day-to-day
indianapacers.com
L.A. Clippers UTA, SAC, @no, @mem
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – likely out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Paul Davis (knee) – out for the season
Aaron Williams (wrist) – day-to-day
Quinton Ross (eye) – day-to-day

L.A. Lakers DEN, @sa, @dal, CLE
Andrew Bynum (knee) – return mid-March
Vladimir Radmanovic (ankle) – day-to-day
Chris Mihm (Achilles') – return late January
Sasha Vujacic (ankle) – day-to-day
In the wake of the loss of Andrew Bynum, the two players that seem to benefit the most from his loss are Kwame Brown and Ronny Turiaf. Brown started on Monday night and came through with 10 points and 10 rebounds, both season-highs, while Turiaf poured in 14, his third-highest scoring effort of the season.

Memphis Grizzlies CHI, ORL, @was, LAC
Darko Milicic (knee) – day-to-day

Miami Heat CLE, SA, IND
Smush Parker (personal) – out indefinitely
Shaquille O'Neal (hip) returned to action after an eight-game absence and poured in 24 points with 10 rebounds in 33 minutes, but the Heat still lost their 11th straight game. Back in the day, this was a bad game for Shaq, but nowadays this is a monster line. After some people close to Shaq said he should shut it down for the season, a monster line like this is very encouraging for the Big Fella. Miami has quickly gone from one of the best teams in the league to one of the worst though – with the worst record in the East, they will need a small miracle to make the postseason.

Milwaukee Bucks @no, PHO, IND, @tor, WAS
Desmond Mason (thumb) – return late February
Mo Williams (flu) – day-to-day
Jake Voskuhl (hip) – out indefinitely

Minnesota Timberwolves @gs, PHO, @bos, NJ
Randy Foye (knee) – return late January
Foye, who has been sidelined with a stress fracture in his left knee, was able to participate in Minnesota's practice Monday, minus the five-on-five, full-contact stuff. He felt good afterwards and was scheduled to meet with the Timberwolves medical staff to determine his return date. There's some speculation that he could return within the next week, but expect it to take him a few weeks to return to a serviceable fantasy option. If he's still available in your league though, grab him and stash him on your reserves. He should be the TWolves No. 2 scoring option after the All-Star break.

NOK Hornets MIL, POR, LAC, @sa
Peja Stojakovic (back) – day-to-day
Peja has been dealing with some back stiffness lately, but fully intends on playing Wednesday's game against Seattle. He's been so up-and-down all season long, but has value in the Sonics four-game week. Expect a couple 20-point games and a couple weak efforts.

New Jersey Nets @sac, @gs, @den, @min
Nenad Krstic (knee) – targeting Jan. 29 vs MIL
Antoine Wright (ankle, flu) – day-to-day
News out of Jersey is Krstic is now hoping to return at the end of January against the Buck, when the Nets return from their road trip. Krstic was becoming one of the better big men in basketball last season before he went down, and he proved he's a ways away from returning in his limited action this week. Don't expect much from him this season, but he should be able to return like gangbusters next year. He'll likely cut into Sean Williams and Josh Boone's minutes in the frontcourt, but I'd personally rather have either of those cats than Krstic for the remainder of this season.

New York Knicks BOS, PHI, @gs
Stephon Marbury (ankle) – likely out for the season
Marbury is planning on undergoing an MRI on Thursday to determine if he has fractured bone spurs in his left ankle. If he does – and it sounds Starbury is hoping he does – he'll elect for surgery and miss the remainder of the season. There's no doubt that Marbury went through some difficult times following the death of his father, but it's been a pathetic effort for a guy that is scheduled to make over $42 million this season and next. Go ahead and write him off now – lightening-quick Nate Robinson will be a decent option for the remainder of the season. He's averaging 16.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 3.0 APG in his past eight contests, and should post similar numbers the rest of the way.

Orlando Magic DET, @mem, @det, BOS
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season

Philadelphia 76ers IND, DET, @ny, @cha
The Sixers have been getting some good production out of Samuel Dalembert since the turn of the new year. He's averaging a cool 14 PPG, 11.9 RPG and 2.1 BPG in his past eight games – including four 15-rebound games in the past six contests. Previous to that he had just one game with that many boards in the season's first 33 contests.

Phoenix Suns @mil, @min, @cle, @chi
Grant Hill (appendectomy) – return late January

Portland Trailblazers @atl, @no, HOU, ATL
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain

Sacramento Kings NJ, @lac, @uta, @sea
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
Mike Bibby (thumb) and Ron Artest (elbow) made their returns on Wednesday, Bibby's season debut. He had 19 points, six rebounds and four 3-pointers, while Artest returned with four points on 2-for-10 shooting.
sacramentokings.com
Kevin Martin has been spectacular since returning from his groin injury, scoring 32 PPG on a sizzling 84% shooting (21-for-25) in two games. He isn't quite completely back into game shape, but still a dominating weapon. On Tuesday, he said he wasn't totally ready to return to the starting lineup, but make sure you put him back in yours. With four games in Week 13, he's going to post monster numbers. With the trio back in action, John Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih will see a decrease in stats.

San Antonio Spurs @cha, LAL, @mia, NO
Brent Barry (calf) – day-to-day

Seattle Sonics @hou, HOU, ATL, SAC
Robert Swift (knee) – return mid-January
Delonte West (plantar fasciitis) – day-to-day
Luke Ridnour (quadriceps) and Chris Wilcox (finger) are back in action for Seattle, and both players looked very strong in their returns on Monday. Ridnour logged his first double-double of the season, and looks to finally be turning the corner after an unlucky, injury-mired season. He's sat out 21 games this season due to ailments, but Seattle is hopeful he's finally turning the corner. If he's available on your waiver wire, he's worth grabbing but with the Sonics logjam at the position, who knows if he'll ever be able to play with consistency over an extended period … West is dealing with plantar fasciitis now and that is an injury that is notorious for lingering for long periods of time.

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

Utah Jazz @lac, SAC, @hou
utahjazz.com
Washington Wizards DAL, @cle, MEM, @mil
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery) – targeting mid-March
Antonio Daniels (knee) – day-to-day
The Wizards got a nice surprise Tuesday when Thomas was cleared to return to participate in non-contact drills. He underwent aortic valve replacement surgery to repair a leak in his heart and wasn't expected to play at all this season. He's still without a timetable and it's conceivable he won't be able to suit up for months still.

[Hache Man]

End of an era in New York?
A three-game night in the NBA resulted in a huge line from Linas Kleiza, a loss for the Spurs and Lakers, and an amazing performance by Marcus Camby, as he channeled Shawn Bradley in a win over the Jazz.
utahjazz.com
Thursday's Games

The Cavs beat the Spurs when Manu Ginobili missed a shot at the buzzer. MG had a big night, leading the Spurs with 31 points and four threes, while LeBron James (surprise) led the Cavs with 27 and another full stat line. For the Cavs, Anderson Varejao had another double-double with 12 points and 14 boards, while Larry Hughes continues to frustrate the new fantasy owner he has from week to week. Last night's disappointment came in the form of a 2-of-7 shooting performance and four points. Nice. The Spurs got a solid game from Tim Duncan and saw the return of Brent Barry, who had been out with a quad injury, but also are worried about Tony Parker's heel injury. He's got bone spurs in his left heel and it has been an issue since Nov. 30. He's playing through the injury right now, but owners should be a little worried that he could miss some games. He's also going to have to consider surgery at some point if the problem doesn't heal itself. I'm going to continue to start him though, until he misses a game.
www.bostonceltics.ws
Linas Kleiza had the game of his life last night, hitting 13-of-21 shots and four threes for 41 points in 40 minutes of action. He obviously was thrilled that Kenyon Martin missed another game with a staph infection in his rear, but Kleiza is sure to take a hit when K-Mart returns. Kleiza has been a very hot pickup over the last 15 hours and he will probably hold onto some value for as long as Nene's out. Speaking of Nene, we're still awaiting the results of tests on the tumor he had removed, but cancerous or not, he's still expected to miss a significant chunk of time and might not even play again this season.
dallasmavericks.com
Marcus Camby had 24 rebounds and 11 blocks for the craziest double-double we've seen since 1996. Shawn Bradley was the last player to post a DD that didn't include points or assists when he had 12 rebounds and 10 blocks in November of that year. Camby is a freak right now and if he stays healthy, will probably be taken in the first round of your draft next year. Anthony Carter managed to leave me without the urge to cuss him last night with 11 assists and four steals. For the Jazz, Deron Williams had his usual fine line with 23 points and 12 dimes, while Ronnie Brewer played a season-low 12 minutes in the loss. He was benched after blowing a defensive assignment and his fantasy value appears to have bottomed out. In my estimation he's probably been dropped by more fantasy owners than any other player in the last 10 days or so.
sacramentokings.com
The Suns easily handled the Lakers behind a massive line by the Matrix. Shawn Marion had 20 points, 16 boards, two threes, three steals, a block and zero turnover in the win, while Steve Nash handed out a season-high 20 assists. Nash was great in the post-game interview, sarcastically saying that the Suns and Boris Diaw "suck." Diaw was nice, hitting his first six shots and finishing with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals on 9-of-13 shooting, but also committed six turnovers. Grant Hill is planning on coming back Tuesday, which means Diaw owners should get two more solid games out of him this weekend.

As a Kobe Bryant owner in several leagues, last night's game was a little frustrating to watch. His line was nice, but it was such a quiet 30 points. He sat during the first six minutes of the fourth quarter and never even looked for his shot until late in the third quarter, after the Lakers were down by 20 for most of the second half. Oh well. Sasha Vujacic returned from an ankle injury and hit two threes in 10 minutes, Lamar Odom had 19 points and 19 rebounds, and Kwame Brown was booed off the floor by the Laker faithful after a miserable night. He scored eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, didn't get back on defense, didn't crash the boards and didn't do much of anything besides turning the ball over. He had seven TOs and just six boards. Ronny Turiaf might be a more reliable big man at this point, although he had nine points and just four boards.

News and Notes

As expected Stephon Marbury has probably played his last game as a Knick after opting to have left ankle surgery to have bone spurs removed. I'm fairly certain that he wins the award for the most news blurbs this season, after his strange summer of discontent and the constant drama surrounding Isiah and the Knicks since the day the season started. He will be missed from an entertainment standpoint, although I'm not sure this is the last we've heard from him this year - At least from a news standpoint. He's going to play somewhere next year, although it could be in Italy. Jamal Crawford is now the man in New York, while Nate Robinson also looks pretty good. The Knicks have won three straight and play at Washington tonight.

Tracy McGrady says he will not play on Saturday due to his left knee injury and you should probably consider him week-to-week for the time being. I'm not sure what to tell you to do with him, but his trade value is zilch and you can't cut him.

Gilbert Arenas says he's going to come back to play 25-30 games after the All-Star Break, but I'll believe it when I see it. He started shooting yesterday, so it's quite possible I could be completely wrong about him. But I would be shocked if he comes back and plays at a high level this season.

Elton Brand is going to be evaluated in late January and could be cleared to run and jump off both feet for the first time since suffering a ruptured Achilles back in August. If he's cleared, he could offer some playoff help to his owners. Maybe.

Darko Milicic's knee injury is just a bruise, so owners will have to continue to wonder when to start him and when to bench him, while Juan Carlos Navarro doesn't look quite as great as he did yesterday. Darko's owners were probably secretly hoping he had a serious knee injury so they could drop him without hesitation, but he doesn't appear to be taking his blocks and going home at this point.

Jamaal Tinsley is expected to play for the Pacers on Saturday after being deactivated and sent home for their last game. indianapacers.com

Antonio Daniels remains a game-time decision for tonight with a sore right knee. It's possible Eddie Jordan will hold him out again as the Wiz don't play again until Monday, which would give him a full week of rest. The Wizards play much better with Daniels (14-7) than without him (3-5). Roger Mason and DeShawn Stevenson will handle the PG duties tonight against the Knicks if he's out.

Jameer Nelson had his foot treated yesterday and says he's fine, yet remains day-to-day and a game-time decision for Saturday against the Blazers. The way he's playing right now, I'd bench him until further notice if you have someone else to play in his place.

Vladimir Radmanovic is having an MRI on his injured right ankle, as it doesn't appear to be healing. The longer he's out, the better Trevor Ariza looks. Luke Walton continues to play on his gimpy ankle.

Chris Kaman missed another Clippers' practice due to his sore left ankle, but was able to play through it in his last game, grabbing 18 boards but struggling with his shot.

Fabricio Oberto suffered a chest bruise when he was inadvertently head-butted by LeBron last night, but the injury doesn't sound serious.

I'll be writing Waiver Wired in my car on Saturday on our way to South Carolina for another Band of Horses fiesta, and it will cover the second-half weekly schedules for all 30 teams, as well as players to think about picking up. Look for that column to post sometime on Saturday night or Sunday.

[Hache Man]

2nd Half Schedule Breakdown
So much for a "vacation weekend." It's about 38 degrees and has been pouring down rain for two days in Charleston, SC, but I'm sure most of you are dealing with the same weather, if not worse. Since we're about halfway through the season I thought I'd throw out each team's remaining schedule, broken down by the number of games played per week, Sunday-Monday, the rest of the way. The first number you see is Week 13, which starts this Monday, Jan. 21, while the final number you see is Week 25, which starts on April 14. All-Star Weekend occurs during Week 16, so beware that most teams play just two games in that one, as well in Week 25.

I've also included the number of 4-Game weeks and total number of remaining games played, which is how I've ranked each team. I also bolded random two-game weeks that don't' fall at the All-Star Break or the final week of the season. The Raptors play just twice this coming week, for example, when many other teams play four games.

46 Games

L.A. Clippers 4-4-4-2-3-4-4-4-4-4-4-3-2 = 46 games, 9 four-game weeks.

Chris Kaman and Corey Maggette are obviously money here, while Tim Thomas, Cuttino Mobley, Sam Cassell and possibly Elton Brand see a surge in value given the great schedule for the Clippers. This schedule is as good as it gets the rest of the way and if you can trade your Orlando Magic players for Clippers in weekly leagues, you might be too guilt ridden to sleep at night.

45 Games

Atlanta Hawks 4-3-4-2-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3-2 = 45 games, 8 four-game weeks.

Marvin Williams, Al Horford and possibly Josh Childress look like decent second-half plays, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith look like superstars, and Anthony Johnson and Acie Law could even have some value with this great schedule.

44 Games

Boston Celtics 4-2-4-2-4-4-3-4-4-4-3-4-2 = 44 games, 8 four-game weeks.
bostonceltics.ws
Good news for owners of the big three, while Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House and Tony Allen will all flirt with value the rest of the way. The C's have that awesome schedule despite the two-gamer in Week 14, just so you're aware.

L.A. Lakers 4-4-4-2-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-4-1 = 44 games, 8 four-game weeks.

Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. With Bynum out for the bulk of the above schedule, it should be the Kobe-show in L.A., with some Lamar Odom thrown in on the side. Derek Fisher, Luke Walton, Trevor Ariza, Ronny Turiaf and Kwame Brown will also be popular waiver-wire fodder the rest of the way.

San Antonio Spurs 4-3-4-2-3-4-4-4-4-4-3-3-2 = 44 games, 7 four-game weeks.

No matter what San Antonio's schedule says, nothing changes. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have value, while the Brent Barry's and Michael Finley's of the world wait for one of them to get hurt in order to shine in fantasy leagues. Duncan is going to be a beast during that stretch of five straight 4-game weeks.

Washington Wizards 4-4-4-2-3-4-3-3-4-4-4-3-2 = 44 games, 7 four-game weeks.

Do you think Gilbert Arenas will be back for that 4-4-4-3-2 stretch to end the season? You might be right. DeShawn Stevenson and Antonio Daniels will continue to tease, discourage and please owners all season, Caron Butler will finish with a career year (again) and Antawn Jamison will prove his worth despite being under-appreciated. Etan Thomas will eventually come back and make it even tougher to own Brendan Haywood and Andray Blatche.

43 Games

Chicago Bulls 4-3-4-2-3-4-4-2-4-4-3-4-2 = 43 games, 7 four-game weeks.

These are the "average" schedules. Keep your eye on Thabo Sefolosha, who could replace Chris Duhon in the starting lineup at some point.

Denver Nuggets 4-3-4-2-3-4-3-4-4-3-4-4-1 = 43 games, 7 four-game weeks.

It will be interesting to see if Anthony Carter is still racking up assists two months from now. It will also be interesting to see if Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby are still healthy then, and if Carmelo Anthony is still living up the hype. Linas Kleiza is a super-hot pickup right now, and I can't wait to see if he pans out.

Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3-4-2-4-4-3-4-4-3-3-3-2 = 43 games, 6 four-game weeks.

Six four-gamers from LeBron and 43 remaining games? That helps ease the suffered from his current 2-game week. If you're in a super-deep league, keep your eye on Donyell Marshall's pending return. Oh, did I fail to mention Larry Hughes? It was not an oversight.

Dallas Mavericks 4-3-4-3-3-4-3-4-3-3-4-4-1 = 43 games, 6 four-game weeks.
dallasmavericks.com
Not a bad schedule for the Mavericks, but it looks about as mediocre as their record thus far.

Minnesota Timberwolves 4-3-3-2-3-4-4-3-4-3-4-4-2 = 43 games, 6 four-game weeks.

The Wolves' schedule is one of the most interesting because many players who will be getting minutes down the stretch are still available in leagues. The schedule is nice, the players are at the mercy of Randy Wittman and the entire thing is a crapshoot. But keep your eye on guys like Craig Smith, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green and Corey Brewer (among others), who could emerge with some value out of this mess. Al Jefferson, of course, is still the man here, while the fantasy world waits to see if Randy Foye is going to show up or not.

New Orleans Hornets 4-3-3-2-3-4-4-3-3-4-4-4-2 = 43 games, 6 four-game weeks.

No surprises here, although I predict that Jannero Pargo and Bobby Jackson start getting swiped up off waivers before the season ends. It would take an injury for that to happen, but Chris Paul isn't exactly a man of steel. And for the record, I think Tyson Chandler has a big second half.

Sacramento Kings 4-3-3-2-4-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-2 = 43 games, 6 four-game weeks.
sacramentokings.com
The Kings are causing as much fantasy angst as team in history right now. They have a decent schedule the rest of the way, but not great. Will John Salmons, Francisco Garcia or Beno Udrih have value during that 4-4-4 stretch in a month? I don't know.



42 Games

Seattle Sonics 4-3-3-1-4-4-4-4-3-4-3-4-1 = 42 games, 7 four-game weeks.

The Sonics play just once over the All-Star Break and final week, which is important to keep in mind. But that also leaves them with seven four-game weeks, which is pretty good. That being said, who on the Sonics is dependable enough to produce for your team? That's right…No one. Maybe Kevin Durant, Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison, Jeff Green, Earl Watson, Luke Ridnour, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak or Damien Wilkins (RIP) will be rolling for that 4-4-4-4 stretch a month from now, but the odds are not in your favor. I say trade your Sonics, including Durant, and use the good sked as an incentive to get them off your team.

Miami Heat 3-3-4-2-2-4-3-4-4-4-4-3-2 = 42 games, 6 four-game weeks.

The Heat has that crucial stretch of four straight four-game weeks around the fantasy playoffs. If Shaq and Dwyane Wade are both still playing by then, I will be surprised. Udonis Haslem and Ricky Davis should have value all season, while Wade and Shaq will be brilliant when healthy. The rest of the team is a mess, with Dorell Wright constantly up an down, Jason Williams constantly injured, and Daequan Cook and Chris Quinn constantly wondering how many minutes they're going to play each night. Oh, and they have that annoying two-game week immediately following the All-Star Break. Ouch.

New York Knicks 3-4-4-1-4-3-4-3-3-4-4-3-2 = 42 games, 6 four-game weeks.

I don't even know what to say here. Decent schedule, Jamal Crawford looks great, Eddy Curry is once again useless and the fact Isiah Thomas still has a job is one of the most interesting sports stories in history. All kidding aside. Nate Robinson should be owned in all leagues, even though he won't start at point guard for the Knicks. And if you're planning a protest at the Garden prior to the end of the season, let's have some "Free Lee!" shirts made up. I'll buy one, or a couple dozen.

Portland Trailblazers 4-2-4-2-4-4-3-4-3-4-3-3-2 = 42 games, 6 four-game weeks.

An average schedule for the league's most pleasant surprise. Keep your eye on Travis Outlaw, Joel Przybilla, Jarrett Jack and Martell Webster, as usual. And vote to get Brandon Roy onto the Western Conference All-Star Team. He deserves it.

Milwaukee Bucks 5-3-3-2-3-4-3-3-2-4-4-4-2 = 42 games, 5 four-game weeks*

With five games coming this week, Bobby Simmons goes and sits out Saturday's game with a neck problem, leaving those of us who picked him up for the occasion in a quandary. I imagine that Simmons, Charlie Bell and Charlie Villanueva will be starting in many leagues this week with five games, while the rest of the schedule isn't great. Once this week passes us by, their schedule is one of the worst, especially given that 2-gamer the first week of the fantasy playoffs. The 4-4-4-2 finish is strong though, which is great news for Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut owners in H2H leagues.

Charlotte Bobcats 4-4-3-2-3-3-4-3-3-4-4-3-2 = 42 games, 5 four-game weeks.

Nothing to love about this schedule, but it could be worse. I expect the Nazr Mohammed emails to roll in after the last couple games from the big man (or should I day "non-games"), while Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson will continue to dominate as long as they're healthy. As for Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor, I've given up. I can't figure it out. Oh, and Matt Carroll is worth a serious look right now, as he should continue to sparkle off the bench the rest of the way.

Houston Rockets 4-3-3-2-4-3-3-4-4-3-4-3-2 = 42 games, 5 four-game weeks.
www.houstonrockets.ws
Tracy McGrady is back, Yao Ming never left and Rafer Alston seems to be in a good place right now. Outside of that, you're rolling the dice with any of the Rockets. Of course, Shane Battier, Luther Head and Luis Scola deserve a watchful eye, while Steve Francis, Mike James and Bonzi Wells are due to emerge from the dust again at some point.

Memphis Grizzlies 4-3-3-2-4-3-3-3-4-4-4-3-2 = 42 games, 5 four-game weeks.

Talk about a fantasy mess…As I write this, Juan Carlos Navarro is on fire, Darko Milicic has been benched, Rudy Gay is the next superstar, Mike Miller has a back problem and Pau Gasol is finally playing like himself. Oh, and Mike Conley is now the starting point guard. That leaves Kyle Lowry out of the mix and he should be avoided at all costs, while Bobby Jones suddenly looks like a potential pickup in deep leagues – If he sticks with the team after signing that second 10-day contract. It's nice to see Marc Iavaroni channeling Hubie Brown this season. We'd hate to see fantasy owners ever becoming comfortable with their Grizzlies.

New Jersey Nets 4-3-4-2-3-3-4-3-4-4-3-3-2 = 42 games, 5 four-game weeks.

Nothing good here, but nothing bad, either. The fact the Nets get two games at the break and end of the year is good.

41 Games

Philadelphia 76ers 4-2-4-2-4-3-3-4-3-4-3-3-2 = 41 games, 5 four-game weeks.

41 games is the bottom of the barrel, for the most part, just like the Sixers in reality. Trade them, especially with that nasty 2-game week in the near future. I love Samuel Dalembert the rest of the way, and owners can expect more of the same from the Andre's. But you wanna know what's wrong with Philly? The fact that they only have three players worth discussing. Yes, Lou Williams, Willie Green and Thaddeus Young are intriguing, but are they really going to make a difference this year? In fantasy or reality? Nope.

Phoenix Suns 4-2-4-2-3-3-4-3-3-4-4-3-2 = 41 games, 5 four-game weeks.

The Suns have one of the worst remaining schedules and two games in an upcoming week. If you haven't traded Steve Nash, Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire by now, you probably won't. But look into some trades with teams at the top of this list. Trading Matrix for Josh Smith gains you four games and three additional 4-game weeks…I'm just saying…

Toronto Raptors 2-3-3-2-3-4-4-4-4-3-4-3-2 = 41 games, 5 four-game weeks.

With two games this week most Raptors are sitting in weekly leagues, with the exception of Chris Bosh. The Schedule's not great, but that middle run is great, when it goes 4-4-4-4-3-4…Hopefully T.J. Ford will be back for that, while owners of Jose Calderon need to start making other plans. And yes, this means that you can pick up Jamario Moon if you've been sitting on the fence.

Utah Jazz 3-4-4-1-3-4-4-4-3-3-3-3-2 = 41 games, 5 four-game weeks.
utahjazz.com
If you own Jazz players in weekly playoff leagues, you'll want to start moving them. You don't want that 3-3-3-3 schedule at the most crucial point in the season, do you? Especially from someone like Andrei Kirilenko, who has been so unpredictable lately.

Detroit Pistons 3-3-3-2-4-3-4-3-3-4-3-4-2 = 41 games, 4 four-game weeks.

Four four-game weeks left for the Pistons? Ouch. In reality though, they're going into the real playoffs rested, that's for sure.

Golden St. Warriors 3-3-2-2-3-3-4-3-4-4-4-3-2 = 41 games, 4 four-game weeks.

As if Baron Davis' banged up body and injury history wasn't enough of a reason to trade him…What an awful weekly schedule for the Warriors, although that 4-4-4-3 finish is nice for the playoffs. Baron for Kobe? You gain three games and four 4-game weeks in the deal if you're getting Mamba. Wow.

Indiana Pacers 4-3-3-2-3-4-3-3-4-3-4-3-2 = 41 games, 4 four-game weeks.
indianapacers.com
Outside of Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger, forget about the Pacers the rest of the way. Hopefully Jermaine O'Neal is back in time for that 2-gamer prior to the All-Star Break. Ugh.

40 Games

Orlando Magic 4-3-3-2-4-3-3-4-4-2-3-3-2 = 40 games, 4 four-game weeks.

[Hache Man]

JO KO'd for Pacers?
Happy MLK Day, everyone! After a measly one game on Sunday, we get 13 of them on Monday, with three starting at 1 p.m. EST. There's plenty of injury news out there, with Jermaine O'Neal now talking about shutting it down for the year. While it's not at all surprising to hear him say that, it is certainly disappointing. More on him later. indianapacers.com

Healthy Sick

Jermaine O'Neal – knee – Says he's probably done for the year.
Kenyon Martin – buttocks – Will try to play Monday, start at own risk.
Luol Deng – Achilles – Missed Saturday, start at own risk.
Mike Miller – back – Missed Saturday, start at own risk.
Jameer Nelson – foot – Missed Saturday, I'd bench him this week.
Tracy McGrady – knee – Played Saturday, but left early. Start at own risk.
Grant Hill – appendectomy – Hoping to play Tuesday, start at own risk.
Kirk Hinrich – back – Played Saturday off bench, might be limited.
Rajon Rondo – back – Will try to play Monday, risky start.
Anthony Johnson – suspended – Out Monday – now 3-game week.
Marquis Daniels – leg – Missed last game, risky start.
Chris Duhon – knee – Talking MRI, could miss time, bench.
Bobby Simmons – neck – Tempting with 5-game week, but risky.
Trevor Ariza – foot – Broke foot in Sunday's practice, bench.
Scot Pollard – foot – No reason to play him.
Zaza Pachulia – toe – No reason to play him, either.
Bobby Jackson – hamstring – Not believed to be serious, but risky play.
Andrew Bynum – knee – Out for 7-8 more weeks.
Vladimir Radmanovic – ankle – Injury not healing, bench for now.
Nenad Krstic – knee – Should return in the next few weeks.
Nene – tumor – Could miss rest of the season.
T.J. Ford – neck/back – He'll play, but who knows when?
Steve Francis – quad – Still out indefinitely.
Mickael Pietrus – nose – Shouldn't keep him from playing, but risky start.
Austin Croshere – back – Might play this week, but no value.

Sunday's Game

The Suns beat the Nets on Sunday, led by Amare Stoudemire's 28 points. Shawn Marion had five steals, Boris Diaw filled up the sheet with 14 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Raja Bell canned five threes in the win. As tempting as Diaw may be right now, Grant Hill is hoping to play tomorrow, which could render Diaw useless. Richard Jefferson led the Nets with 24 points, while Vince Carter's shooting woes continued. He was just 4-of-13 for 10 points and is shooting 37% over his last five games.

News and Notes

Jermaine O'Neal told the Indy Star that he might just shut it down for the rest of the season in order to get his left knee fully healthy, once and for all. Everyone from Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster to Danny Granger and Shawne Williams will see an increase in value if JO shuts it down for the year. I'm guessing he's done, especially given the fact the Pacers don't look like a playoff team this year. They actually have been playing well without him and you'll want to see which Pacers pick up the slack in his place. O'Neal is worried about doing more significant damage by playing and doesn't want to have his "entire knee replaced 10 years from now." Can't blame him for that one. indianapacers.com

Tracy McGrady (knee), Mike Miller (back) and Luol Deng (Achilles) are all somewhat of a mystery right now and I'm thankful that I don't have to make a decision on any of them. I'm hearing that Deng's injury is still day-to-day, but he should play, while I am in the dark on T-Mac and Miller. If you have safer options, you have to think about using them this week.

Rajon Rondo (back), Kenyon Martin (staph infection) and Grant Hill (appendectomy) all sound likely to play in their next games. If one of them is your best option, you can start them, but keep your fingers crossed. Bobby Simmons (neck) is iffy for today's game, but is still tempting in weekly leagues with five potential games.

Trevor Ariza broke his foot in Sunday's practice so Luke Walton and Kwame Brown will see a boost in minutes. If Kwame is still available in your league, as much as it kills me to say this, he's probably a must pick-up with Bynum, Vlad-Rad and Ariza all out.

Matt Barnes sat out Saturday's game due to a lineup card malfunction on the part of assistant coach Keith Smart. Smart listed Mickael Pietrus twice on the lineup card and omitted Barnes altogether. Barnes was just getting hot again for the Warriors, while Pietrus left the game with a nose injury. I am tempted to pick Barnes up and run him out there, but last time I did that it was a disaster thanks to our boy Nellie.

Chris Kaman nearly had a triple-double on Saturday with 10 points, 12 boards and nine blocks. I was writing the Waiver Wired column while that was going down and didn't even know about it when we made him the "cover boy" for that column. The Clippers' schedule rocks, and Kaman has been fantasy gold all year. If you own him, don't let him go.

Anthony Johnson was suspended for one game after throwing an elbow to the back of Jose Calderon's head on Friday. The Hawks play four times this week, but AJ will play in just three of them.
dallasmavericks.com
Jameer Nelson's foot is acting up again and he might be forced to sit out a large chunk of time in the future. Play him at your own risk, and think about picking Carlos Arroyo up again in deep leagues.

With Deng and Chris Duhon (knee) both hurting, Thabo Sefolosha suddenly looks like a nice pickup. He was already threatening to steal Duhon's job, sliding Kirk Hinrich over to point guard, and would look even better if Duhon's knee MRI comes back with bad news.

Monday's Sked
bostonceltics.ws
1:00 p.m. – San Antonio @ Charlotte, Dallas @ Washington and Boston @ NY
2:00 p.m. – Portland @ Atlanta, Indiana @ Philly
2:30 p.m. – Seattle @ Houston
3:30 p.m. – Milwaukee @ NO, Utah @ Clippers
4:00 p.m. – Minnesota @ Golden State
5:30 p.m. – Chicago @ Memphis
7:00 p.m. – Detroit @ Orlando
8:00 p.m. – Cleveland @ Miami
10:30 p.m. – Denver @ Lakers
utahjazz.com
Sadly, I won't get to see or follow many of these games, making my favorite hoops day of the year somewhat of a non-event. But there will be plenty to talk about in Tuesday's Dose. Several of these games can be seen on television. Boston @ New York will be carried on NBA TV, while the Bulls @ Memphis, Cavs @ Miami and Nuggets @ Lakers will all be broken down by Ernie, Charles and Kenny tonight. Enjoy.

[Hache Man]

Good Call, Bad Call



With 13 games yesterday there is plenty to talk about. Rather than bore you with a brief synopsis of each game, we'll just take a look at some good calls and bad calls fantasy owners made on MLK Day.

Good Calls

Kareem Rush – If you picked him up and played him yesterday, good call! He had 25 points and five threes in the Pacers' win over Philly and is averaging 22 ppg over his last three.

Charlie Villanueva – CV may have been picked up in weekly lineup leagues with five games this week, and he got started on the right foot, going for 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting as the Bucks lost to the Hornets. With four more games this week, one more solid line out of CV should secure his status as a success for the week. And if he is in your lineup, well done. He was awful last week. Teammate Bobby Simmons played through a sore neck, but only scored eight points. He has four chances to redeem himself.

Kendrick Perkins – Perkins blew up for 22 points in the first half against the human sieve known as Eddy Curry, and finished with a career-high 24 points in a Celtics' romp over the Knicks. He added eight boards, two steals and a block on the night. I don't know why you would have played Perkins this week, but nice call if you did. As for Curry, it's time to start using any opposing center against him for your fantasy team. bostonceltics.ws

DeShawn Stevenson – Stevenson struggled last week and I benched him in most of my leagues, especially given the return of Antonio Daniels. Of course, Stevenson went off yesterday for 18 points, four boards, three assists and four threes in a Wizards' romp over Dallas.

Emeka Okafor – Okafor had 21 points and 10 boards, marking the first time the Bobcat has broken the 20-point plateau since Dec. 12.

Travis Outlaw – TO scored 23 points and hit the game-winner for Portland in OT to beat the Hawks in Atlanta yesterday. He hit 9-of-14 shots and added a couple blocks, getting his week off to a quick start. You also made a good call if you started Joe Johnson and Josh Smith for the Hawks, but that was a no-brainer.

Tyson Chandler – Chandler had 20 points and 15 boards on 9-of-11 shooting yesterday. I know some guys were trying to decide whether to play TC for four games or Chris Bosh for two. In hindsight, Chandler looks like the right call with the Hornets playing three more times this week.

Ryan Gomes – Gomes went off for a career-high 35 points to go along with 11 rebounds and is averaging nearly 21 ppg over his last six games. He's actually become dependable for fantasy owners, and the Wolves finally won a game, beating the Warriors.

Marko Jaric – Jaric blew up for 16 points, 10 boards, eight assists, three steals and three 3-pointers on Monday, which probably ticked many of you off. He scored a total of 10 points in four games until scoring 14 on Saturday, which probably wasn't enough incentive for you to have him active for this big game.

Mike Miller, Luol Deng, Kenyon Martin – All three were iffy coming in and all three played. Miller scored 24, Deng had 13 and K-Mart had 16 points, 11 boards and two steals. Nice call if you rolled the dice on these guys.

Hedo Turkoglu – Turk broke out of a slump with 26 points, five boards and eight assists on Monday. I had him on the bench in one league because of his recent poor play, but maybe the drought is over. The Magic beat the Pistons yesterday.

Linas Kleiza – Carmelo Anthony suffered a serious ankle sprain last night, opening the door for Kleiza to see major minutes. He had 21 points and four threes in the Nuggets' loss and it's possible Melo could end up missing a couple weeks with the injury. Give Kleiza a look, and congrats if you somehow started him this week.

Derek Fisher – Fisher got hot a couple weeks ago, hurt me in a head-to-head league and then busted me again last night for another owner after being traded. Fish hit six treys and scored a season-high 28 points as the Lakers rolled the Nuggets.

Monta Ellis and Matt Barnes – Ellis was almost a must-start for the Warriors, despite just three games in weekly leagues, while Barnes has suddenly turned it on again. Ellis had 28 points in the loss, while Barnes had 22 points, seven boards, four assists and two steals on the night.

Rasheed Wallace - Sheed was a great call with 15 points, 15 boards and five steals, but he's nearly a must-start every week anyway.
Bad Calls

Quentin Richardson and Paul Pierce - Were ejected in the third quarter of the C's – Knicks' game for arguing yesterday. bostonceltics.ws

Jason Terry – Jet broke a string of six games in double figures with four points on 2-of-7 shooting. dallasmavericks.com

Gerald Wallace – Crash left Monday's game with soreness in his knee and calf. He's questionable for Wednesday, but was productive before leaving. I'll be thinking positive thoughts for Wallace, as I need him to play.

Kevin Durant – The rook hit just 4-of-13 shots and has clearly hit a wall. He's hit just 10-of-39 shots in his last three games.

Tracy McGrady – T-Mac hobbled off Houston's bench and scored 17 points Monday, but is doing a lot of talking about his sore knee. He says it hurts, that it won't heal until after the season and that he's not likely to play in the All-Star Game. If the Rockets continue to struggle and fall out of the playoff race, look for T-Mac to be the latest huge name to enter the "I'm shutting it down" pool, along with Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal and possibly Gilbert Arenas and Elton Brand.

Andrei Kirilenko – AK-47 got into early foul trouble and never got it going last night, finishing without a point and just one rebound and three assists. Yuck. He hasn't looked right since returning from an injury, but hopefully he's going to return to form after bottoming out. utahjazz.com

Daniel Gibson – Boobie hit just 2-of-10 shots for a season-low four points, but the Cavs still managed to beat the Heat, handing them their 14th straight loss despite getting 42 points from Dwyane Wade (easy call, but a good one).

News and Notes

Carmelo Anthony's ankle sprain was not pretty last night. It looked like the kind of sprain that could keep him down for some time and I would not be surprised if he misses a couple weeks. Then again, I've been wrong before and he seems like a fast healer. If you own him, keep your fingers crossed.

Darko Milicic and Andrea Bargnani are doing their best to help us forget about Kwame Brown being a monumental bust. Darko has been called out by coach Marc Iavaroni about his lack of offensive moves, while Bargnani doesn't appear to have a clue about how to play defense against opposing centers. If you need blocks, go ahead and continue to roll with Darko, but know that the minutes are going to be shaky with both players.

Nenad Krstic is expected to return from knee surgery next week and could have a little value. Just don't cut somebody reliable to get him.

Mike Bibby and Ron Artest are expected to start tonight against the Nets. I'm guessing that will send Beno Udrih and John Salmons to the bench. sacramentokings.com

Bobby Jackson will miss about a week with a hamstring injury. Trevor Ariza will miss two months with a broken foot for the Lakers. Get some Luke Walton, Kwame Brown and Ronny Turiaf if you need to pick someone up. Donyell Marshall (wrist) has been cleared to practice for the Cavs, so those of you in 16-team leagues or so might want to keep your eye on him. Zaza Pachulia was sent to the locker room during yesterday's loss by Hawks coach Mike Woodson, as Pachulia's value has hit a new low. Etan Thomas is making his way back from heart surgery for the Wizards, but won't see much playing time this season.

[Hache Man]

AK-47 needs to reload

Hopefully you were able to watch a few games during this busy week in the NBA, there is no shortage of interesting developments to discuss in this week's edition of NBA Fantasy Trends. If you feel like some fantasy-relevant NBA news is slipping past you, I recommend signing up to have the Daily Dose emailed to you—trust me, it's indispensable.


Denver Nuggets: Battered and Deep-fried

Carmelo Anthony sprained his ankle on Monday night, adding to the Nuggets' recent misfortunes. Fortunately, Carmelo is expected back fairly soon, but his teammates haven't all been so lucky. Nene might not return this season after having surgery to remove a malignant tumor in his testicle. Eduardo Najera hyper-extended his elbow a while ago, and was forced to miss the Nuggets' most recent game. Kenyon Martin has played limited minutes on his surgically-repaired knee and just returned from a nasty staph infection, and Chucky Atkins is lost for the season with a 'sports hernia'. Out of all this wreckage, you'd think some clear fantasy winners would emerge, but so far we've had a Linas Kleiza sighting, a consistent but boring point guard (Anthony Carter), and not much else.

Reserve guard J.R. Smith has a reputation for volatility. He has his mail delivered to coach George Karl's doghouse, is streakier than Haley's comet, and repeatedly makes immature decisions once he gets the basketball in his hot little hands. He has also managed to score double-figure points in four of the Nuggets' last five games, and with the Nuggets' rash of injuries, he has earned some fantasy interest.

I'm happy to opine that Smith should not be picked up, outside of very deep leagues. He will only offer value while both Carmelo Anthony and Eduardo Najera are out, which isn't a very spacious timeframe. Even with both of those guys out, his value is borderline and wholly dependent upon the accuracy of his three-point shooting. Good free agents aren't readily available, but you can do better than J.R. Smith (he had zero points, three rebounds and two turnovers in the Nuggets' most recent game).

Linas Kleiza has been a clear beneficiary of the Nuggets' glut of injuries: he's played 38 minutes in each of the past three games, using the extra time to average 24 points, three three-pointers and seven rebounds. The scoring numbers are exaggerated by Kleiza's 41-point out-of-body experience last Thursday, but if he continued to play 30+ minutes he would post some impressive stats.

Sadly, his productive streak will end soon. Once Carmelo returns, Kleiza will shift back to a reserve role and eventually compete with Najera for minutes. This will inevitably cause fantasy owners everywhere to curse their bad luck, then drop Kleiza. If you own him, start him while he's hot and trade him if you're able, because you can't actually capture lightning in a bottle; only lightning bugs, and they die pretty quickly.

Nene's illness means that Kenyon Martin will have substantial value for the remainder of the season, and Martin deserves to be owned in most leagues. His health often fluctuates, however (10 DNPs already this season), making it hard to expect consistent fantasy production. Basically, he makes a fine fantasy starter when he's healthy, and once he's playing well you should unload him on an eager owner.

Chucky Atkins' injury has propelled Anthony Carter into a 30+ minute role as the Nuggets' starting point guard, giving Carter obvious value outside of shallow leagues. Over the last nine games, AC is averaging a paltry seven points per game, but has pleased owners by averaging nine assists, three rebounds and two steals during the same stretch. His offensive limitations are glaring, and they do affect his fantasy efficiency, but the waiver wire is barren this time of year, and owners will likely take what they can get.

Von Wafer is one of the most over-looked fantasy options in Denver right now. Oh wait…no, I take that back. He just has a cool name.



Second-Hand Centers

As we enter the second half of the season, a group of third- and fourth-tier centers are vying for fantasy attention. Most player values have leveled out, leaving waiver wires bare and forcing desperate owners to gamble on the likes of Kendrick Perkins, Mark Blount, Jeff Foster, Nazr Mohammed and Kwame Brown.

Kendrick Perkins' 24 point, eight rebound, two steal and one block explosion against the Knicks on Monday inspired plenty of owners to pick him up. He's going to be the Celtics' starting center all season long, but nothing suggests that his big game is a sign of things to come. bostonceltics.ws

A few unsettling facts: Monday was only the seventh time all season that Perkins has scored double-digit points, and he's only had double-digit rebounds twice. On Monday, he made 6-of-6 free throws, which raised his season average to a Shaq-like 58%. The Celtics don't play the Knicks every night, so Perkins won't always be feasting on marshmallow frontcourts and should play at or slightly above his season averages of seven points, six rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. It makes sense to start him in very deep leagues, but in average leagues it reeks of desperation.

Mark Blount's fantasy value is inversely proportional to Shaquille O'Neal's health. Shaq flies to L.A. for physical therapy, Blount flies off waiver wires—then Shaq returns to the Heat and Blount returns to the waiver wires. The latest development occurred on Tuesday, when it was announced that O'Neal has a lingering left hip injury and is expected to sit out for at least two weeks, and possibly much longer. Fantasy owners now need to decide whether Blount, with no competition for minutes in the Heat's overwhelmed front-court, is capable of posting some consistent fantasy numbers.

The short answer, though unsatisfying, is that it depends on the size of your league. Blount has played 30 or more minutes in three games this season, and in those games he averaged 16 points on 64% shooting and five rebounds. However, he's a poor rebounder for such a big guy, and doesn't offer much in terms of blocks or steals. If you're in a deep league, consider tossing him on the end of your bench, but don't expect him to exceed his numbers from last year, when he played a career-high 31 minutes per game and averaged 12 points on 50% field-goals and 75% free-throws, six rebounds, two turnovers and less than one assist, steal, or block. If those numbers appeal to you, pick him up and hope for the best.

Jeff Foster is another backup big-man benefiting from a fellow center's misfortune. Pacers' stalwart Jermaine O'Neal recently admitted that he may have come back too soon from off-season knee surgery. Much like Shaquille O'Neal, he'll be sidelined for a minimum of two weeks, but hasn't ruled out shutting it down the season. It seems like Foster would have immediate, obvious value, but that's not true for a number reasons: 1) Foster is offensively-challenged, averaging five points in 20 minutes a game during his career. He hasn't even attempted 10 shots in a game this season. 2) Foster has a ridiculous total of eight blocked shots this season, one fewer than Pacers' point guard Jamaal Tinsley. 3) The Pacers are perfectly content to play small-ball, starting Troy Murphy at center and leaving Foster to plug in the gaps as a reserve player. indianapacers.com

What this means is that Foster is a spotty fantasy center. He's viable only because he doesn't turn the ball over, shoots with tolerable percentages and is a beast on the boards (career average of seven rebounds in 20 minutes per game). Only pick him up if you're in need of a mediocre center capable of averaging double-digit rebounds and not much else.

Nazr Mohammed is locked into the Bobcats' bench, and it's starting to take an obvious toll on his fantasy production. From January 6th to January 12th, a stretch of five games, Mohammed averaged 17 points on 60% shooting, 11 rebounds, one steal and one block. That is great, but it didn't last: in the Bobcats' five most recent games, Nazr has averaged a mere 8 points on 42% shooting, six rebounds and 0.4 blocks.

Which is the real Mohammed? Because he is stuck in a reserve role, I'm forced to conclude that his fantasy value is going to be erratic all year long. He'll have his 9-of-13 shooting, 12 rebound gems, but you have to be willing to slog through some slumps to get to them. If you've got the space or have an immediate need, Mohammed is probably the safest of the big-men that have been discussed so far.

Kwame Brown has had a rough beginning as the Lakers' default starting center. In the first game after Andrew Bynum's knee injury, Brown heard a chorus of boo's from the home crowd as he struggled to a final line of eight points, seven turnovers and six rebounds. He played a bit better in the next game, going for seven points and 11 rebounds, but he's not blocking many shots (zero in his last three games, 0.8 per game this season) and might not be completely healthy.

Bynum is out for a minimum of eight weeks, meaning Brown has two months of potential fantasy value—too bad potential isn't a fantasy category. Brown's ceiling is 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two turnovers, one steal and one block per game, but even that is probably too optimistic. If you've got faith in Kwame (and I have no idea why you would), go ahead and pick him up—after all, you can always drop him.



More Trends and Observations

Andrei Kirilenko has struggled since returning from a back injury, but his zero point, one rebound performance on Monday was an enormous caution flag in the fantasy community. The good news is that he went to the bench because of early foul trouble. The bad news is that he stayed on the bench because C.J. Miles was playing very well. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is struggling to find enough minutes for Miles, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Matt Harpring, and has even toyed with the idea of a lineup change. Kirilenko might not return to flirting with triple-doubles, but he's much better than his recent play suggests. Intrepid owners should consider buying-low on AK-47, while his disgruntled owners are still computing that zero-point night. utahjazz.com

Despite being moved to the Kings' bench, Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia are clinging to some fantasy value by shooting lights-out. They'll have to keep it up to warrant a spot on any fantasy rosters. John Salmons, meanwhile, has completely bottomed-out since the Kings' regulars (Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest) returned to the lineup. He averaged four points and a 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the three games prior to injuring his ankle during Tuesday's game. If he's out for an extended period, Garcia could take on extra minutes, but otherwise the Kings' starting five is going to hold all the fantasy chips. sacramentokings.com

Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa both stand to lose some minutes and production now that Grant Hill (appendectomy) has returned for the Suns. Diaw takes the biggest hit, and he isn't likely to maintain the numbers he's compiled in the past week or two, but Barbosa should be fine. Despite being a reserve player, his minutes rarely fluctuate enough to alarm fantasy owners.

Kevin Durant is in a major funk right now. He's played enormous minutes for a rookie, and he's the focal point on the Sonics' offense (and subsequently the focal point of opposing defenses). Every defender in the NBA knows that the more physical they play him, the more he struggles to score, so don't expect things to get much better as the season drags on. Durant will be nearly unstoppable once he bulks up, but for now he's still a skinny kid blessed with extraordinary talent, who is prone to getting bullied.

That's it for this week's edition of NBA Fantasy Trends. As usual, I appreciate all of your email, so send me any comments or questions you can come up with.

[Hache Man]

Ding, Deng Y'all
Two games made for a light night in the NBA, but there was plenty of news to keep us busy throughout the day. The Kings got their "real" starting lineup on the court together for the first time on Tuesday and the results were spectacular, while Steve Nash scored a season-high 37 points as the Suns came from behind in the second half to beat the Bucks.
And in news headlines, Melo's ankle injury may not be too bad, Shaq could miss a month (or retire), Randy Foye scrimmaged and several big names missed practice yesterday. In addition, there's late-breaking news that Luol Deng will be out for a week with his Achilles' injury, giving Andres Nocioni increased value.

Tuesday's Games

The Bucks were beating the Suns at the end of the third quarter last night, but Michael Redd disappeared in the fourth quarter (again) and the Suns rolled to an easy win. Redd had a stellar fantasy game with 28 points, five boards, five assists, two steals and two threes, but his 4th-quarter collapses are at least annoying to his owners, if nothing else. Yi Jianlian, who was in many lineups with five games this week, had just six points and three boards, and has scored a total of 10 points in his two games this week. Sadly, Bobby Simmons, Charlie Bell, Charlie Villanueva and even Royal Ivey were probably better 5-game plays than Yi this week. Can you say "hitting the wall?" Andrew Bogut continued his stellar play with his seventh straight double-double (buy-low candidate), While Mo Williams was a surprise DNP after suffering a pinkie injury on his left hand in Monday's game. That one hurt and he's day-to-day.

For the Suns, Steve Nash took advantage of a decision by the Bucks to defend the paint and shot 23 times, hitting 13 of them and finishing the game with a season-high 37 points and 10 assists. Andrew Bogut held Amare Stoudemire in check (kind of), but he still had 19 points, 12 boards and three blocks on 6-of-8 shooting, while Raja Bell hit four threes on his way to 19 points. Bell is healthy again and has hit nine threes and averaged 19.5 points over his last two games. Grant Hill returned after missing seven games after his appendectomy and had eight points and three assists on 2-of-5 shooting. His return surely hindered Leandro Barbosa (eight points, 3-of-11 shooting) and Boris Diaw (five points, five boards, five assists), but Barbosa should bounce back. If you've been enjoying some Diaw over the past two weeks, the party is probably over.

The Kings trounced the hapless Nets, who looked they just didn't care as they lost their sixth straight game. Lawrence Frank's job is in jeopardy, as his team may have quit on him. Vince Carter was nice, hitting 9-of-13 shots for 21 points and eight assists, but didn't hit a 3-pointer. Josh Boone played through a sprained ankle, but missed all five of his shots to finish with two points and three boards. Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest all started for the Kings last night, marking the first time that's happened this season. The results were fantastic, as the Kings set several season highs with three straight wins, 128 points and 15 3-pointers. Seven Kings players torched the Nets for double figures, led by Artest's 27 points. Francisco Garcia scored 13 and hit three 3-pointers in 30 minutes, but that could be deceiving, as John Salmons lasted just two minutes before leaving with a sprained ankle. I'm guessing he's day-to-day. As for Beno Udrih, the numbers were nice, as he was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and hit a couple threes, but played less than 18 minutes. The game was a blowout, so I would have guessed he would have gotten more run, but the return of Bibby is probably going to make Udrih a fantasy bench rider. At least, until Bibby gets traded to Cleveland. sacramentokings.com

News and Notes

Shaquille O'Neal is being shut down for two weeks with his hip injury and could miss up to a month. On top of that, there are rumors that Shaq could actually retire, but that's clearly speculation. I seriously doubt he plans on going out like this. And on a side note, Mark Blount is going to be a real hot pickup again, so grab him if you need a center.

Nene's tumor was cancerous and he had his right testicle removed, but is expected to make a full recovery. It also sounds like the cancer is gone and he has a good chance of avoiding it going forward. He's going to miss about two months, so there's no reason to hold him except in the deepest of leagues.

Zaza Pachulia was suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team, but you won't even know he's gone tonight.

Chris Webber is hoping to play for the Pistons, but you have to think if they wanted him they would have already made a roster move in order to clear a spot for him. His former coach, Jim O'Brien, also ripped him prior to Monday's game, saying it appeared his career was nearly over back in 2005. Webber will be intriguing upon his return to the league, but I doubt he has much fantasy value regardless of where he plays.

Stephon Marbury has ankle surgery yesterday and I don't expect him to play again this season, although that door is still slightly open.

Randy Foye scrimmaged with his team yesterday and if he doesn't have any setbacks with the knee, it sounds like he could play as soon as next week.

Tracy McGrady is slated to come off the bench again tonight, with Bonzi Wells getting another start. Bonzi played well in his last game and could be worth a one- or two-game flier. Disgruntled guard Mike James didn't make the trip to Seattle due to the pending birth of his fourth child. He hasn't even played in the last four games.

Carmelo Anthony's ankle sprain doesn't sound too serious, as the swelling is "minimal" and he's in "moderate" pain. He's still doubtful for tonight, but it doesn't sound like he'll be out for too long. Linas Kleiza should get the start tonight, and while I doubt Melo will play, I wouldn't be shocked if he was in uniform come game time.

The list of players who missed Tuesday's practice is fairly long, and includes Pau Gasol (back), Chris Duhon (knee), Chris Kaman (ankle), Corey Maggette (ankle), Sam Cassell (back), Gerald Wallace (calf), Travis Diener (foot), Jameer Nelson (foot), Troy Murphy (knee), James Posey (finger), Luol Deng (Achilles), Brandon Bass (foot) and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (shin).
dallasmavericks.com
Out tonight: Jameer Nelson, James Posey, Chris Duhon, Luol Deng, Brandon Bass.
bostonceltics.ws
Doubtful: Carmelo Anthony.

Questionable: Gerald Wallace (game-time decision), Troy Murphy, Travis Diener.

Questionable, but should play: Sam Cassell, Corey Maggette, Chris Kaman, Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Injury fill-ins will include Kleiza for Melo and Thabo Sefolosha, who will start again in place of Duhon. Duhon is out indefinitely with a left knee bruise, so Sefolosha is a very intriguing pickup right now. Tonight will mark his sixth consecutive start, and he could end up winning the job for the rest of the season. In his last five games, he's averaging 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. If he keeps the job, he should be a steals machine. With the late news that Deng is out for at least a week, look for Andres Nocioni to get several more starts for the Bulls. The Bulls are two game behind the Pacers for the final playoff spot in the East, so tonight's meeting with Indy is nearly a must-win for both teams.

[Hache Man]

Spanish Armada
A lot of bubbles were burst at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on Wednesday night.

Boston's NBA-leading defence is not impenetrable after all; someone in the Atlantic Division can beat the Celtics; and Andrea Bargnani is alive. bostonceltics.ws

Finally, not that anyone should still have any doubts about this, but Jose Calderon can run the offense for a winning NBA team – quite effectively, in fact.

Calderon was the hero last night, converting a clutch three-point play with seconds remaining as the Raptors rallied to beat Boston 114-112.

The Spanish Fly was deadly accurate, nailing 8-of-10 from the floor (including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc) and all five of his attempts from the charity stripe for 24 points in 39 minutes. He capped his superb night by dropping 13 dimes and picking Celtic pockets for three steals.

Of course, Calderon – if he wasn't drafted -- has long since been picked up in every league with normal starter T.J. Ford out indefinitely, but those of you astute enough to grab him on draft day or snag him early have really reaped the rewards. And he's definitely showing no signs of slowing down. How about 11.8 APG over the past four? Does that work for you? He's picked up his outside shooting as well, canning eight treys over this stretch, and Calderon has also been a nice source of steals. Let's not forget that he's sunk 23 straight free throws in January.

Of course, Calderon wasn't the only Raptor on fire Wednesday. This team barely missed a shot last night, sinking 58 percent from the floor, 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from beyond the arc and all 19 of their free throw attempts. I don't care how good Boston has been this season -- when you come up against a team that hot, you're going down.

Boston Coach Doc Rivers took it in stride. As he said, half the players in the NBA couldn't shoot that well from 3-point range even if they were alone in the gym. So he's treating the game as an anomaly, as he probably should considering how airtight Boston's D has been. bostonceltics.ws

Bargnani, a huge disappointment this season and particularly invisible lately, going nine straight games without reaching double digits in points, exploded for 20 points with seven rebounds and seven assists. Those hanging on to the struggling soph have to pray this is the start of something big.

For Boston, winners of three straight heading in, it was just its seventh loss in 40 games. Boston hadn't had more than two opponent players get 20 points against them in the same game this season. Last night, the Raptors had four do it, with Chris Bosh (23) and Anthony Parker (23) joining Calderon and Bargnani. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, you've got to go back to December 30, 2005 to find the last time someone did that to Boston.

That great Celtic defense I was talking about? The one that's held opponents under 42 per cent from the floor and had given up over 100 points just four times this year? Well, it went AWOL on this night, but give credit to Toronto's shooters.

This marked the first time in 10 games this season that an Atlantic Division rival had beaten Boston. I doubt the Celtics are sweating, with their division lead down to 11 games, but it's a big confidence builder for Toronto.

The Raptors, meanwhile, look like they are turning the corner, winning six of their past eight games to keep pace with Boston and put some serious distance between them and the struggling Nets.

With Toronto realizing it can finally slay the Beast of the East, let's turn our attention to the rest of the action from Wednesday night…

• Okay, you can start thinking about dumping Beno Udrih whenever you're ready. Unless, of course, you're absolutely sure Mike Bibby will be traded any day. Even in his reduced PT, Udrih has continued to supply nice offensive numbers off the bench, but Wednesday, he completely tanked. In just 15 minutes of action he was shut out on 0-for-4 shooting and contributed just one assist. Given a chance to start for most of the first half of the season, Udrih has enjoyed a breakout year, but it's time for you to evaluate other options for your team.
  sacramentokings.com
• With Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Chris Duhon all out for the disappointing Bulls, someone is going to get a chance to step up. Last night, it was Captain Kirk. Recently returned from a back issue, Hinrich exploded for a career-high 38 points to lead the Bulls past Indy. He was on fire, nailing 14-of-21 from the field, 4-of-5 from 3-point range and all six of his FT attempts. Hinrich dished 10 assists, pulled down seven boards and recorded two steals in a fantastic all-around game. Hinrich has been deadly from the line this year (90 percent), but it's been an awful season for him. However, he has a chance to be fantasy gold for the next little stretch with the Bulls dealing with multiple injuries. Joakim Noah is another man who looks like he'll benefit from this rash of injuries. He was the first man off the bench Wednesday, double-doubling with 14 points and 15 boards while adding three steals in 34 minutes. Neither Tyrus Thomas nor Joe Smith are stepping up, so Noah is looking like a good waiver wire bet, especially in deeper leagues. Gordon, by the way, had X-rays taken on his wrist and they came back negative. He's considered questionable for Friday and he could miss up to a week.
• Keep an eye on Ime Udoka for the Spurs. Other than the occasional big night, he's been mostly invisible this season after a bit of a breakout with Portland last year. However, Coach Popovich has talked about Udoka taking a bigger role with the Rodeo road trip around the corner, and we've seen him get significant minutes off the bench the past two games. Last night, Udoka hit 7-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for a season-high 18 points to go along with five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Udoka won't knock defensive specialist Bruce Bowen from the starting lineup, but he's pecking away at his minutes, and this is something you should watch closely, especially since Bowen's modest offensive contributions keep getting smaller.

www.dallasmavericks.ws

Tip-ins: So what's the deal with Paul Pierce? He's gone nine straight games without leading the Celtics in scoring and is averaging just 17.1 PPG this month…Tony Allen proved he's someone who at least needs to be tracked, going off for 15 points in just 17 minutes last night, scoring 14 straight points for Boston at one point. If injury strikes Boston's front five again, Allen will be valuable…Looking for 3-point help? Carlos Delfino was 5-for-5 from beyond the arc last night and has nailed 13-of-21 in the past five games…Tim Ducan exploded for 28 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block Wednesday. Over the past five, he's been a defensive stalwart, averaging 14.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks…Allen Iverson's left wrist must have been bothering him, as he sunk just 6-of-21 last night, but considering he was questionable to suit up at all, his owners must be pleased with the 29 points, six assists, three steals and two treys that A.I. dropped on the Hawks…Minny shocked the Suns Wednesday thanks to a career game from Al Jefferson. He set a new personal best with 39 points and pulled down 15 rebounds while pitching it with two steals…Josh Smith finally put up his first triple-double last night, going off for 22 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, five blocks and three steals. Okay, so he struggled with his shooting (8-for-23) and he turned the ball over seven times, but Smoov gave his fantasy owners a night to remember…Danny Granger was yet another player who set a new career high in points on Wednesday, pouring in 33 while pulling down seven boards and adding four assists, two steals, a block and four treys. With J.O. out, Granger is clearly the man in Indy…Still in Indy, David Harrison is back from his drug suspension but he only played five minutes last night. If he got some significant PT, Harrison could definitely be a decent source of blocks…The latest on the never-ending Seattle PG saga: Luke Ridnour had 10 points and eight assists last night and given more significant minutes off the bench, he's picked up the pace of late. At best, I'd say keep watching. We're loathe to recommend anyone from this mess…Of course, Seattle continues to go nowhere fast, dropping a franchise-record 12th straight game last night despite a solid shooting night from Kevin Durant (12-of-23 for 25 points). Nice to see the kid pitch in with a couple of blocks, but he didn't do much else.

Team Report

Okay, we knew things were going to be bad with the Clippers this year with Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston both out and Sam Cassell being in a seemingly constant day-to-day state. But the club surprised many by jumping out to a 6-4 start. Then, came the losing -- a 4-19 stretch which culminated in recent public sniping between owner Donald Sterling and coach Mike Dunleavy. Great.

Sure, the playoffs are pipe dream, but the Clips seem to have righted the ship somewhat, winning three of their past five, including a convincing 111-85 pasting over the Kings last night, their most lopsided win this season. Where would this team be without Chris Kaman? He had 21 points and 20 rebounds Wednesday for his fifth career 20/20 game. Eleven of those rebounds came in the first quarter alone, just two shy of the franchise record for boards in a quarter, shared by Michael Cage and Lorenzen Wright.

It's time to take another look at rookie Al Thornton. He came through with 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks last night, and is averaging 19.7 PPG over his past three, making him an intriguing waiver wire option.

Corey Maggette, despite six turnovers, continued his fine season as the Clippers' main scoring option, popping in 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting with four assists. His shooting touch just keeps getting better. He's sinking 46 percent of his shots from the floor this year – the third straight season his percentage has risen. And Maggette is absolutely on fire over the past five games, hitting 41-of-71 for 57.7 percent shooting.

Tim Thomas, enjoying a solid season, has seen a decrease in minutes in the past couple of games, but he enjoyed a big night Wednesday with 17 points, three assists and a pair of 3-pointers.

One Clipper you want to continue to avoid like the plague is Quinton Ross. Never known for his offense, what little he did supply has gone missing this year. Ross was 0-for-6 from the field last night and has missed – are you ready for this? – his last 19 shots. Yikes.

[Hache Man]

Diesel down for the Heat


There are four teams that only play two games next week. Two of the teams double dipping in Week 14 are fantasy juggernauts – Boston and Phoenix, while Portland has some very solid fantasy options as well. Philadelphia 76ers is the final team with only two games, and outside of Andre Iguodala, it's hard to recommend any Philly players for next week. Should you think twice before playing KG, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Brandon Roy or LaMarcus Aldridge? Probably not, but if you are on the fence about borderline fantasy players like Rajon Rondo, Raja Bell, Grant Hill, Travis Outlaw or Andre Miller you might want to see if there are better options out there.

Well, it's the same story, just a different season, as both O'Neals are once again injured. The big news coming out of Indianapolis is the word that Jermaine O'Neal could be done for the year. JO backed off a bit after it was first discussed by calling it a "worst case scenario," but any time the words out-for-the-year are used in relation to a player who was probably a top three round draft pick it's always an eye-opener. The best-case scenario is that Jermaine returns in two weeks, so there is not much good news here, but we will do our best here at Rotoworld to keep you in the loop. The update from South Beach is that the Big Diesel is once again derailed. Shaq actually came back strong last week, averaging 16 PPG over four games with many fantasy players ready to buy back in on the Shaq train. But his hip injury has flared back up and the Heat is shutting him down for at least two weeks. Will the Big Fella be out for the year as well? The Heat aren't going anywhere this season and they will have to think long and hard before bringing back Shaquille before he is ready.

In addition to both Jermaine and Shaquille O'Neal possibly going out for the year, Stephon Marbury had ankle surgery this week and is going to be out for the rest of the season. Has Starbury played his last game in The Big Apple? Only time will tell. Also, out of Chicago, Luol Deng and Chris Duhon have been ruled out for a minimum of one and up to three weeks and Ben Gordon sat out Wednesday night's win over Indiana. Not good news for a Bulls team in desperate need of some wins to get back into the playoff picture in the East.

Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo, Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Kenyon Martin, Bobby Simmons, Peja Stojakovic and Grant Hill all returned to action this week.

Game Totals in Week 14:

Four games: CHA, LAC, LAL, NYK, UTA, WAS
Three games: ATL, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GST, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NOR, NJN, ORL, SAC, SAS, SEA, TOR
Two games: BOS, PHI, PHX, POR

Interesting Matchups:

Monday, Jan. 28 –Denver @ New Orleans: New Orleans (29-12) is perhaps the surprise team in the West, hanging with Dallas for first place in the Southwest Division. Chris Paul is playing at an all-world level and probably helping many fantasy teams to first place in their leagues to this point. Denver (25-16) is also at the top of their division, the Northwest, but is under .500 on the road this year (7-11). Can Denver pull off the W in The Big Easy? Should be a fun game to watch as the Nuggs have two of the top four scorers in the league in AI and 'Melo and the Hornets have the #1 SPG and #3 APG magician in CP3.

Tuesday Jan. 29 - Golden State @ Houston: After starting out a disastrous 0-6, the Warriors (25-18) are 25-12 since. They have recovered very nicely from their horrific start and it can be mostly attributed to the stellar play of Baron Davis. B-Diddy has shockingly remained healthy the entire season to date and has been a key cog to many first place fantasy teams. For the Rockets (23-19), Tracy McGrady returned at the end of last week after missing 11 games, but was in obvious pain in his first game back and based on his injury plagued history, you have to wonder if he will be able to make it through the rest of the year in one piece. The Rockets went 7-4 in his absence, so it will be interesting to see if he takes some additional time off to try to get ready for the playoffs.

Wednesday, Jan. 30 – Cleveland @ Portland: The Cavaliers (23-18) are red-hot winning 10 of their last 12. All-everything LeBron James, is doing all he can to make sure that Cleveland has a legit shot to get back to the Finals. James is the league leader in PPG at 29.7 and also throws in over 7 RPG and APG for good measure. We haven't seen this balanced of a stat line go up each and every night since another #23 graced the court in the 90's. Along with the Hornets, Portland (25-17) is perhaps the biggest surprise of the NBA season so far, winning 13 in a row back in December and 25 overall. Many thought the Blazers would be down and out after losing #1 pick Greg Oden for the season, but they are playing as well as anyone right now and have to be considered one of those teams that none of the so-called favorites would want to play come playoff time.

Thursday January 31 – Los Angeles Lakers @ Detroit: This matchup was prime twenty years ago in 1988, when Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Joe Dumars put up a valiant effort, but lost in seven games to Magic, Byron Scott and Kareem in the '88 NBA Finals. Now, in 2008, the matchup is once again exciting, as the Lakers (27-13) have been playing amazing ball recently, winning 8 of their last 10. Kobe is playing like a legit MVP candidate and is ready to take on one of the East's elite as they travel to Motown to take on the Pistons. Detroit (30-13) is 14-4 at home and also playing very well this season. A loss to the Kings on Friday and the Bulls on Saturday slowed some of their momentum, but a win over Philly Wednesday night put them at the 30 win mark for the season.

Thursday January 31 – Dallas @ Boston: Dirk vs. KG- Last year's MVP vs. this year's? Nowitzki is out to prove last year's first round playoff loss was a fluke and if the Mavericks (28-13) can win in Boston it might be just the statement they are looking for. The Celtics (33-7), had only 3 losses in their first 32, but have gone on to lose 4 of their last 8. A win over one of the West's best teams will look to put an end to the C's mini-slump. bostonceltics.ws dallasmavericks.com

Keep An Eye On: (Stats exclusively from Jan. 8 – Jan. 21)

Ryan Gomes 7 G, 19.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2 APG, 1.1 SPG
Travis Outlaw 7 G, 17 PPG, 6 RPG, 53% FG, 1 BPG
Kareem Rush (IND) 7 G, 14.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 18 3-pointers
Jordan Farmar 7 G, 13.1 PPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 17 3-pointers
Nate Robinson 9 G, 14.6 PPG, 5.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 13 3-pointers
Linas Kleiza 6 G, 16.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 14 3-pointers
Thabo Sefolosha 8 G, 7.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG
Anthony Parker 7 G, 15.3 PPG, 4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 16 3-pointers
Mike Conley 8 G, 10.8 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.8 RPG, 1 SPG, 8 3-pointers
Anderson Varejao 6 G, 10.2 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1 BPG, 1.3 SPG
Sam Cassell 6 G, 16 PPG, 6 APG, 1.3 SPG
Jamario Moon 7 G, 9.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 1.9 SPG
Jeff Foster 7 G, 7.4 RPG, 54%FG, 2.3 APG, 5.6 PPG
Kwame Brown 7 G, 6.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 0.6 BPG

Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule:

Atlanta Hawks @phx, @lac, NJN
Speedy Claxton (knee) – likely out for the season

Boston Celtics @mia, DAL
Scot Pollard (ankle) day-to-day
James Posey (finger) return next week
bostonceltics.ws
Charlotte Bobcats @lac, @sac, @gst, @den
Adam Morrison (knee) – out for the season
Sean May (knee) – out for the season
Othella Harrington (knee) – out indefinitely

Chicago Bulls MIN, @ min, @sac
Chris Duhon (knee) out until February
Luol Deng (Achilles) out until mid-February
Ben Gordon (wrist) day-to-day

The Bulls are the walking wounded right now, with three prominent players going down with injuries in the last week. With a home-and-home against a terrible Timberwolves team and a less-than-imposing Kings squad next week, the Bulls need to start their march to the playoffs now or never.

Cleveland Cavaliers @por, @sea, LAC
Donyell Marshall (wrist) – out indefinitely
Sasha Pavlovic (foot) day-to-day

Dallas Mavericks @mem, @bos, @det
Brandon Bass (foot) day-to-day
Jerry Stackhouse (hamstring) day-to-day
dallasmavericks.com
Denver Nuggets @noh, @mem, CHA
Chucky Atkins (sports hernia) – likely out for the season
Nene (tumor) – Return late-March
Carmelo Anthony (ankle) – day-to-day
Eduardo Najera (elbow) day-to-day

Detroit Pistons @ind, LAL, DAL

Golden St. Warriors @hou, @ nor, CHA
Troy Hudson (hip) – out for the season
Mickael Pietrus (flu) day-to-day
Austin Croshere (back) day-to-day

Houston Rockets GST, @ind, @mil
Kirk Snyder (personal) – out indefinitely
Steve Francis (quadriceps) – out indefinitely

T-Mac is playing right now coming back from a knee injury, but he is limping around on the court and clearly isn't the same. It would be a huge surprise if he doesn't sit out a few games in the near future to get his knee completely healthy again.

Indiana Pacers DET, HOU, ORL
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) – out until at least early February
Troy Murphy (knee) – day-to-day
indianapacers.com
L.A. Clippers CHA, ATL, @min, @cle
Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) – likely out for the season
Elton Brand (Achilles') – might return in February
Paul Davis (knee) – out for the season
Aaron Williams (wrist) – day-to-day

L.A. Lakers NYK, @det, @tor, @was
Andrew Bynum (knee) – return mid-March
Vladimir Radmanovic (ankle) – return late January
Chris Mihm (Achilles') – return late January
Trevor Ariza (foot) – return mid March

Ariza was announced as out for eight weeks with a broken bone in his foot. With the runaway Most Improved Player Andrew Bynum sidelined, Kwame Brown has a golden opportunity to shed his bust label that has followed him for years. The Lakers are red hot and Brown has talent in there somewhere. Laker Nation hopes Kwame puts it all together and keeps the Lake Show running full throttle.

Memphis Grizzlies DAL, DEN, UTA

Milicic returned on Monday, which continues to play havoc on Juan Carlos Navarro's fantasy value. When Darko starts, JCN doesn't get enough minutes to get consistent fantasy value. Mike Miller also returned from a one game absence (back), with a solid game on Monday vs. Chicago and decent game on Wednesday vs. Orlando.

Miami Heat BOS, @orl, NJN
Alonzo Mourning (knee) – out for season
Shaquille O'Neal (hip) – out until at least mid February

Can it get any worse in the South Beach sports scene? The Dolphins went an NFL worst 1-15, the Marlins finished in last place with a 71-91 record in the NL East and the Miami Heat have lost 14 in a row on their way to an Eastern Conference worst 8-32 record. It is really amazing how quickly this team has aged, as it was less than 2 years ago, when the Heat were raising Larry O'Brien's trophy as NBA Champions. To add injury to insult, Shaquille O'Neal had to shut it back down for a minimum of two weeks, but more realistically at least a month, with inflammation and fluid in his left hip. You have to wonder when the Heat will pack it in for the season and shut down D-Wade for the rest of the year as he tries to stay healthy laboring through injuries to his shoulders, knee and shin.

Milwaukee Bucks @njn, @phi, HOU
Desmond Mason (thumb) – return late February
Mo Williams (finger) – day-to-day
Jake Voskuhl (hip) – out indefinitely

Minnesota Timberwolves @chi, CHI, LAC
Randy Foye (knee) – return late January
Theo Ratliff (knee) – return mid-February

Ryan Gomes exploded for a career-high 35 points along with 11 rebounds on Monday. Gomes has four 20+ efforts in his last six games and helped the T'Wolves snap a 16 game winning streak with the big game. Gomes is someone to keep your eye on if he continues to get minutes in Minnesota.

New Jersey Nets MIL, @mia, @atl
Nenad Krstic (knee) – targeting Jan. 29 vs. MIL
Antoine Wright (ankle, flu) – day-to-day

New Orleans Hornets DEN, GST, @sac
Bobby Jackson (hamstring) – return late January

In an interesting stat, the Hornets are a perfect 16-0 when scoring over 100 points this season. At 29-12, is there a more underrated top 3 on any team than Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler in the Association? I certainly don't think so. Stojakovic returned from a back injury averaging 17.5 PPG over his last four games. The Hornets are percentage points ahead of Phoenix for the best record in the West. Truly unbelievable.

New York Knicks @lal, @uta, @por, @sea
Stephon Marbury (ankle) – likely out for the season

Orlando Magic MIA, @phi, @ind
Tony Battie (shoulder) – out for the season
Jameer Nelson (foot) – Day-to-day

Philadelphia 76ers MIL, ORL

Phoenix Suns ATL, SAS
After missing the Suns' last seven games, Grant Hill returned from his appendectomy with 8 pts and 3 assists on Tuesday. Whatever run Boris Diaw was getting is about to take a serious hit as Hill will start getting more tick in the games to come. Meanwhile, Phoenix received a huge game from Steve Nash on Tuesday night against Milwaukee. The 2 time MVP poured in 37 points, his second highest single-game output of his career, while adding 10 assists, 2 steals and 4 rebounds in the monster game. The Suns are near the top of the West and don't look to slow down anytime soon.

Portland Trailblazers CLE, NYK
Greg Oden (knee surgery) – out for the season
Darius Miles (knee surgery) – return date uncertain

Sacramento Kings CHA, NOR, CHI
Shareef Abdur-Rahim (knee) – out for the season
sacramentokings.com
The Kings' lineup situation is very fluid right now, as Reggie Theus is doing his best job trying to keep everyone happy with Ron Artest and Mike Bibby coming back from injuries. Artest and Bibby are finally both back in the starting lineup and John Salmons, Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia could be in for some inconsistent minutes and stat lines in the future. And although he was back on Wednesday, Salmons also injured himself in Tuesday's game, so he will have an even harder time carving out minutes going forward.

San Antonio Spurs @uta, @sea, @phx
Brent Barry (calf) – day-to-day

Seattle Sonics SAS, CLE, NYK
Robert Swift (knee) – return end of January

Toronto Raptors @was, WAS, LAL
T.J. Ford (back) – out indefinitely
Jorge Garbajosa (leg) – out indefinitely

Jamario Moon was named to his first Slam Dunk contest in New Orleans in February. He is an exciting young athlete and his last name will make it just too easy for a witty headline if he ends up winning the contest. Moon's rare ability to chip in both steals and blocks consistently makes him a hot commodity in fantasy circles. Meanwhile, Andrea Bargnani needed a huge bounce back game and got it on Wednesday by scoring 20 points in a surprising win in Boston. There were whispers that Bargnani's tank was on empty as he was struggling mightily in his last eight games, averaging only 4.1 ppg. Maybe Wednesday's big game and win was the kick start that Bargnani needed going into the second half of the season.

Utah Jazz SAS, NYK, @was, @mem
utahjazz.com
Washington Wizards TOR, @tor, UTA, LAL
Etan Thomas (heart) – likely out for the season
Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery) – targeting mid-March
Antonio Daniels (knee) – day-to-day

The Wizards were playing their best ball of the season coming into Wednesday night's game vs. Cleveland, winning seven of their last nine games. Then they put up their worst game of the year, losing to the Cavaliers by 36. The Wizards hope to get back to their winning ways in the next few weeks, because they received some good news when Agent Zero, Gilbert Arenas, was cleared to go through extensive shooting drills for the first time since undergoing knee surgery back in November. Hibachi says he expects to return to game action just after the All-Star break and that he will be able to play in 25 to 30 games in the second half of the season.

[Hache Man]

Does Kidd still care?


Remember when the Miami Heat used the rallying cry of "15 Strong" on their way to the Championship less than two years ago? Well this year's cry (which is not of the rallying variety) is "15 Straight," which is how many games the Heat have now dropped in a row. I know Wade's a little dinged up, Shaq's out and they lost James Posey, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton, but it's really hard to believe they haven't managed a single win. They had last night's game against the Spurs in the bag, up between 8-10 points late, but couldn't hold off Tim Duncan (who hit a ridiculous, clutch fadeaway late) or Manu Ginobili (who torched them for 18 points, 11 boards and eight assists).

The last time they won was Dec. 22 against Utah, but it's not like they're getting blown out. In their 11 January losses, only two of the final scores were greater than a 10-point deficit. They've had just as many problems with luck as they have health over the streak, and they only have three games left in January to stop the madness. If they lose tomorrow and Tuesday in Miami to the Pacers and Celtics, they'll tie the franchise record with 17 straight losses. And they could set a new one on Wednesday when they travel to Orlando. Dwyane Wade is still playing very well for the Heat (27 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals), but I am sticking to my guns that at some point, there will be no point in continuing this year. That's not a guarantee and I've been wrong before, but the odds are certainly on my side.

Lastly, Shaquille O'Neal gave a small speech about being the son of a drill sergeant and honoring his commitment to play for the Heat through the 2009-10 season.

Mark Blount scored 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting last night and added five rebounds his line. He's not producing in the big-man categories, but obviously has value as long as Shaq's out. Daequan Cook also missed last night's game with the flu. For the Spurs, Tim Duncan had 30 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. Tony Parker struggled with 12 points and one assist, but we later learned he almost didn't even travel to Miami due to a case of the flu. And Brent Barry aggravated his calf injury and could be lost for several weeks. If you picked him up after Wednesday's start, go ahead and grab someone else.

The Bucks crushed the Pacers behind Michael Redd's huge line of 37 points, five treys, five rebounds, five assists and a steal, but his most impressive stat may have been the fact he didn't have a single turnover despite all that damage. Mo Williams returned to the starting lineup after missing a game with a sprained pinkie finger, finishing with nine points and nine dimes. Bobby Simmons is really coming on (16 points, eight rebounds, three 3-pointers, three steals), but unfortunately, it's just in time to welcome back Desmond Mason from a thumb injury. Mason is targeting Feb. 2 for a return date, and even if Simmons keeps the starting gig, Mason is going to present fantasy problems for him from a minutes standpoint. That said, I rolled the dice on Simmons in a couple leagues due to the five-game week and it's paying off in a big way. But I have since cut him.

For the Pacers, Jamaal Tinsley was a surprise scratch (again) with a sore knee, while Troy Murphy made his return from a knee injury of his own. Tinsley owners have to be getting tired of the guessing game, and after the best start of his career, Tinsley is back to being Tinsley. Hopefully you traded him when he was feeling it, as his value has likely been cut by 75% since its peak a month or so ago. Murphy had just four points and six boards, but should be ready to start producing if he can stay healthy enough to be in uniform every night. Jeff Foster has been solid since Jermaine O'Neal went down, despite Jim O'Brien's claims to be a "small-ball" team. indianapacers.com

The Nets lost their seventh game in a row last night to the Warriors, and it really looks like they don't care. Jason Kidd's play has been uninspired and he's having problems with his shot and turnovers. And it's probably not a coincidence that he hasn't had a triple-double since the losing streak began. Vince Carter was solid, despite being blasted by Magic Johnson all night, finishing with 29 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Magic says his knees are shot and that he's just another player nowadays. Josh Boone tore it up last night with 21 points, 17 boards and two steals. Isn't fantasy hoops great? I was feeling proud of myself for benching him this week after his 2-point, 3-rebound disaster on Tuesday, but kind of have the opposite feeling right now. Kidd suffered a jammed right thumb last night, serious enough that he had X-rays taken, but they were thankfully negative. But if he was already having problems with TOs and his shooting, a bad thumb is not going to help. Hopefully he plays tonight at Denver. Boki Nachbar hurt his wrist (X-rays also negative) and, like Kidd, is iffy for tonight. Richard Jefferson's hip injury is finally behind him, and it showed by his line of 34 points, five boards and nine assists last night.

For the Warriors, Baron Davis had his second triple-double of the season with 25-12-10 and added five more steals and three 3-pointers to an amazing line. BD's only hit double figures in boards twice this season, both resulting in trip-dubs. The scary news is that he logged 46 minutes again, and we all know that his body can only take so much abuse. Keep your fingers crossed if you own him. And if you can stand the thought of living without him, his value will not be higher this season than it is right now. Monta Ellis had a career-best 39 points and added three steals, but isn't producing a ton of numbers in the other cats. As long as he's scoring and getting minutes, I'm fine with that.

News and Notes

The Bulls are an absolute mess, with Luol Deng out for a few weeks, Chris Duhon sidelined for at least another week and now a potentially serious wrist problem for Ben Gordon. I've been saying for weeks that Joe Smith's right knee was going to act up and it's now happening. He's questionable for his next game and his production has taken a big hit. Feel free to bench him, or even cut him if you want to pick someone up. Joakim Noah looks like a good choice, while Tyrus Thomas could be on the verge of having value again. I've been pimping Thabo Sefolosha for a while now and he should be owned in most leagues.

Sasha Pavlovic will miss a couple months with a foot injury, meaning Daniel Gibson, Devin Brown and possibly even Damon Jones will see a boost in value for the Cavs.

Matt Harpring's test results revealed that he doesn't have Crohn's disease or cancer, and might be worth a look in deep leagues as his minutes will increase as he returns to full health from a gastrointestinal disorder.

Elton Brand has been cleared to start running and jumping, and could return in February or March.

Kevin Garnett and Al Jefferson are looking to go off against one another tonight as the Wolves visit Boston. Odds are they both have a big night, as long as they don't let their emotions and desire to play well interfere with their game. As you know, they were the key pieces in a trade between the two teams last summer. James Posey (finger) is doubtful. bostonceltics.ws

Chris Wilcox has lost his starting job to Nick Collison, so feel free to bench him until he turns it around. Meanwhile, Collison looks like a solid fantasy starter to me right now.

Jameer Nelson will miss his fourth straight game on Friday with a foot injury, so keep him benched.
Stromile Swift turned an ankle last in his last game and is iffy for tonight. Hopefully your fantasy dreams aren't in his hands.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim has started running again after knee surgery, but still isn't likely to play this season. While things aren't going well for the Nets right now, props to Rod Thorn for passing on him in 2005 after he failed a physical, forcing Thorn to reverse a trade that would have brought him to Jersey.

Jerry Stackhouse is doubtful tonight with a strained hamstring and will have an MRI, while Brandon Bass is a game-time decision with an Achilles' injury.

[Hache Man]

Where You Been, Chris?
Hello again everyone. Last week's column was a second-half schedule breakdown piece, so there are no WW guys to review this time around. There were several players who did not make the list this week, but easily could have, and I'll list them at the end of the column. I also listed some guys who could be the beneficiaries of trades.

This Week's Picks

Guards

Kareem Rush - SG – Pacers

Rush has been hot for a couple weeks and posted big numbers for his owners during Week 13, hitting 14 threes and double-digits for all four of his games. He's now started nine straight games and is showing no signs of heading back to the bench. While he's truly a 3-point specialist, Rush did average close to five rebounds and a steal per game for the week, as well. If he's still available in your league, he probably shouldn't be. indianapacers.com

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Carlos Delfino - G/F – Raptors

I'm not sold on Delfino, and have not picked him up, but there's no arguing with his last two games. After failing to score against Atlanta and Philly last weekend, Delfino scored 15 against the Celtics and 18 against the Bucks in his two games this week. He was hot, hitting 9-of-11 threes over those two and 12-of-19 shots overall. Delfino's production this season has been weird, as he'll get hot for a few games and then disappear before getting hot again a week later. Grab and start him at your own risk, but it's possible that this is the real thing this time, and not just a false alarm.

Recommendation: Should be considered in most leagues, especially if you need threes.

Jordan Farmar - PG - Lakers

I owned Farmar in several leagues earlier this season, but let him go. I hardly even noticed, but he's been somewhat steady over the last few weeks. January has been good to Farmar, as he came into Sunday's game averaging 12.4 points, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.9 threes. After averaging 20 minutes per game over the first three months of the season, his minutes went up in January, to 22 mpg. He hit two more from downtown on Sunday and could be worth a pickup in your league. In keeper leagues, it's very conceivable that he could be the starting point guard for the Lakers next year.

Recommendation: Should be given consideration in most leagues if you need a PG.

Jannero Pargo - PG – Hornets

Pargo had a nice week, but will obviously continue to backup Chris Paul for as long as CP3 stays healthy. Over four games last week, he averaged 13.75 points, 3.5 assists, .75 steals and 1.75 threes per game. He'll be hot and cold as long as he's coming off the bench, but could be worth owning in deep leagues, or by owners of Paul who are looking for an insurance policy.

Recommendation: Should be monitored by owners desperate for a PG in deep leagues.

Forwards

Tyrus Thomas - F/C – Bulls

Thomas is tough to get a handle on, but got 32 minutes on Sunday, finishing with 10 points, 11 boards, two steals and two blocks. As I posted in his news blurb, in the three games he's gotten 30-plus minutes this season, he's averaging 17 points, 12 boards, two steals and two-plus blocks per game. Joe Smith's knee and game are heading downhill quickly, and Thomas could move into the starting lineup at some point. If he does, the minutes and production should follow. He'll still have to deal with Joakim Noah, but Thomas got the minutes on Sunday. He's all upside and should be a great source of boards, blocks and steals, but is probably only worth owning if he starts for the Bulls. Keep your eye on him.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all formats, and picked up if he starts.

Matt Barnes - G/F – Warriors

Like Larry Hughes, Barnes burned me when I picked him up and played him earlier this year. But he's coming on again, getting over 30 minutes per game over his last four heading into Sunday. He averaged 19.75 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and shot over 50% over that four-game stretch, but got just 11 minutes and two points on Sunday. As long as he's playing for Don Nelson, he's going to probably be unreliable. But if Nellie gives him minutes and he's in your lineup, you'll be pleased. Good luck on figuring out when that will happen from week to week and game to game.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues, but is a risky fantasy starter.

Boris Diaw - G/F/C - Suns

Diaw had a nice week with Grant Hill recovering from an abdominal injury and then suffering from back spasms. With Hill out for much of this month, Diaw was averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.4 threes while shooting 49% in the month of January heading into Sunday's game. He had 11 points, six boards, four assists, a steal and a block on Sunday, despite struggling with his shot (2-of-10), and could end up seeing minutes going forward, even when Hill returns. Then again, if Hill stays healthy, Diaw will likely become an afterthought again down the line.

Recommendation: Should be given consideration in all leagues.

Matt Harpring - G/F – Jazz

Harpring has finally been given a clean bill of health after dealing with a mysterious gastrointestinal illness for much of the year, although his knee will always be a concern. He's averaging 11.75 points and a steal per game over his last four and shoots it well from both the field and line. He's not a great multi-cat player, but could get better as the season continues. Give him a look if you need a swingman in a deep league. utahjazz.com

Recommendation: Should be considered in very deep leagues.Centers

Mark Blount - C - Heat

When the news of Shaquille O'Neal going down indefinitely again broke, Blount should have been picked up in most leagues. However, he's still not owned in over 50% of leagues I've looked at. Blount doesn't produce in the big-man categories as well as we would like to see, but he's scoring and starting at center with Shaq down. He's averaging 21 points and four boards over his last two games, and those numbers should remain steady over the next couple weeks. Again, not a great option if you're desperate for boards and blocks, but he could find one or two big lines each week. If you need a center, think about grabbing Blount.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most two-center leagues.

Chris Wilcox - F/C - Sonics

Wilcox may have been cut in your league after being demoted in favor of Nick Collison, but he was a surprise starter on Friday and should remain in the first unit due to the fact he pouts and doesn't appear to put forth a full effort when coming off the bench. In his last two games, both starts, he's averaging 14 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He should be able to put up those kind of numbers every night, making him a hot pickup right now if he was dropped in your league.

Recommendation: Should be owned in most leagues.

Andrea Bargnani - F/C – Raptors

I'm not sold on Bargnani being an everyday starter, but his recent resurgence is noteworthy. His last two lines are as follows:

13 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 2 3-pointers.
20 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 3 3-pointers.

He also got minutes in those two games, clocking in at 40 and 20, respectively. Prior to the last couple outings, he played just 20-plus minutes in one of his last seven games. I don't trust him and I don't know if the minutes are going to be there or not. But I do think he's worth a flier in case the playing time sticks. If they do, the production should follow.

Recommendation: Should be considered in all leagues based on his potential.

Jeff Foster/Troy Murphy - F/C – Pacers

It's tough to tell which big man in Indy will have the most value with Jermaine O'Neal sidelined for at least another week, as Foster started a couple games this week, with Murphy getting the nod in Saturday's loss to the Heat. Foster has the ability to average a double-double when starting, while Murphy should be a nice source of points, boards, threes and blocks. Foster averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 boards in two recent starts, while Murphy had nine points and 10 boards in Saturday's start. If Murphy can actually stay healthy, we're guessing he's the better fantasy option, but he's been inconsistent and banged up all year (and his shooting percentage isn't great). If you're strictly looking for boards, Foster should be a nice source of them whether starting or coming off the bench. indianapacers.com

Recommendation: Both big men should be given consideration by owners thin at center.

Rest of the Best

Drew Gooden – F – Cavaliers – With the news of Anderson Varejao's ankle injury keeping him out for several weeks, Gooden looks great again.

Nate Robinson – G – Knicks – Hot pickup and should be owned in most leagues.

Thabo Sefolosha – G/F – Bulls – I've hyped him as much as I can for two weeks, but am a little concerned about Chris Duhon's return to action and the fact Duhon got heavy minutes on Sunday.

Daniel Gibson – G – Cavaliers – Should emerge with injury to Sasha Pavlovic.

Larry Hughes – G – Cavaliers – Playing better now, and could be worth owning with Pavlovic out for two months. That said, I have made a pact with myself not to own him again this season.

Desmond Mason – G/F – Bucks – On the verge of returning from thumb injury, but Bobby Simmons and Charlie Bell will split time with him upon his return.

Bobby Simmons – G/F – Bucks – Had a nice week until Sunday, but return of Mason hurts.

Jameer Nelson – G – Magic – Carlos Arroyo was unimpressive in Nelson's absence. Grab him if he was cut in your league, but bench him until you see him produce.

Ime Udoka – F – Spurs – Keep your eye on him, as there's an outside chance he could be starting at some point in the near future.

Wally Szczerbiak – G/F – Sonics – Got threes?

Luis Scola – F/C – Rockets – Posted 11 points, 12 boards and 18 & 6 in his last two, but still too unreliable.

Kwame Brown/Ronny Turiaf – F/C – Lakers – Someone has to step up with Andrew Bynum down, and both players can be used in deep leagues.

Josh Boone – F/C – Nets – Had a couple great lines, then was outshined by Sean Williams on Sunday. Boone still looks like the best big man in Jersey.

Chris Andersen – F/C – Hornets/Free Agent – Eligible for reinstatement as of Sunday and could sign with a team if the Hornets waive him. They're expected to do just that, but I have no idea if Andersen will actually contribute or not. At least we know he won't be missing dunks on All-Star Weekend.

Antoine Wright – G/F – Nets – Playing fairly well, but still very inconsistent. Should only be considered in very deep leagues.

Donyell Marshall – F – Cavaliers – Varejao's ankle sprain is of the serious variety, and after Gooden, Marshall is next in line to absorb his minutes. But not a serious candidate in most leagues until he starts producing.

The Return and Trade Talk

It's time to move on guys like Elton Brand, Gilbert Arenas and Randy Foye, who are going to try to return from their injuries sometime between February and March. I'm not dropping solid players to get them, which could end up being a mistake.

Also start thinking about beneficiaries from potential trades, as the deadline is fast approaching (Feb. 22). Below are some players whose names keep coming up in rumors, with the replacement player who would benefit the most from a deal. In case you missed it, Jason Kidd's agent has reportedly requested to be traded from New Jersey. If it happens, Marcus Williams would become a hot pickup.

Mickael Pietrus – Matt Barnes
Jason Kidd – Marcus Williams
Andre Miller – Lou Williams
Larry Hughes – Daniel Gibson
Pau Gasol – Hakim Warrick, Juan Carlos Navarro, Stromile Swift
Jason Williams – Chris Quinn, Daequan Cook
Ricky Davis – Dorell Wright
Ron Artest – John Salmons, Francisco Garcia
Mike Bibby – Beno Udrih
Sam Cassell – Brevin Knight, Dan Dickau

Also think about scooping up Damon Stoudamire at some point, as it appears that he could easily end up in Boston. He's not a guaranteed starter there (or anywhere), but would certainly hurt the value of Rajon Rondo.

[Hache Man]

Seeing Redd on Sunday
So much to cover, so little time. Let's dive in.

Take Me Down to the Infirmary

Raymond Felton – ankle – Iffy for Monday, probable for Wednesday.
Michael Redd – knee – Surprise DNP Sunday. Start at your own risk.
Desmond Mason – thumb – Targeting Sat., Feb. 2
Ben Gordon – wrist – Could play Tuesday, start at your own risk.
Chris Duhon – knee – Could miss entire week. Good news for Sefolosha.
Luol Deng – Achilles – Likely out 1-2 more weeks. Play Nocioni.
Chauncey Billups – elbow – Should be a safe play.
Anderson Varejao – ankle – Looks serious, bench him. Hello, Gooden.
Sasha Pavlovic – foot – Out until March, Hughes, Gibson benefit.
Kevin Garnett – ab strain – Iffy for Tuesday, Posey solid in absence.
Chris Kaman – shin – Questionable for Monday, start at own risk.
Elton Brand – Achilles – Running, jumping – Hope for February.
Mike Conley – rib/chest – Could miss entire week. Lowry hot.
Pau Gasol – back – Questionable Monday, start at your own risk.
Stromile Swift – ankle – Start at your own risk, if you dare.
Shaquille O'Neal – hip – Doesn't sound close, Blount looks good.
Bobby Jackson – hamstring – Could play this week, Pargo better play.
Fred Jones – flu – Should play, but no reason to start him.
Trevor Ariza – foot – Out until March.
Andrew Bynum – knee – Out until March.
Jameer Nelson – foot – Missed five straight, still day-to-day. Bench.
Devin Harris – ankle – Crutches, walking boot. Might play, but I'd bench.
Jerry Stackhouse – hamstring – Should play at some point this week.
Nenad Krstic – knee – Could return around All-Star Break.
Carmelo Anthony – ankle – Hoping for Monday, start at own risk.
Jamaal Tinsley – knee – Missed two straight, start at own risk.
Jermaine O'Neal – knee – Will miss week, then be re-evaluated.
T.J. Ford – back/neck – Supposed to play again, but who knows when?
Yao Ming – respiratory infection – Iffy for Tuesday, start at own risk.
Brent Barry – calf – Out for several more weeks.
Grant Hill – back spasms– Iffy for Tuesday, and the week. Diaw!
Robert Swift – knee – Could return soon?
Michael Doleac – flu – Does it matter?
Theo Ratliff – knee – Could return around All-Star Break.
Randy Foye – knee – He's getting closer, could play this week, bench.
Austin Croshere – back – Doesn't matter.
Gilbert Arenas – knee – Targeting All-Star Break
bostonceltics.ws
Big Lines From Sunday

LeBron James scored 41 and added nine boards and four assists to beat Kobe Bryant (33 points, 12 boards, six assists) and the Lakers. Hedo Turkoglu scored 27 and one of his three 3-pointers was a game-winner over the Celtics as he wrapped up a big week. Dwight Howard had 18 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks, and actually went 6-for-6 from the line for the Magic, while Rajon Rondo played through a sprained ankle and had 15 points and six steals. If only he were consistent. Boris Diaw shot poorly but had 11 points, six boards, four assists, a steal and a block in a win over the Bulls, while Kirk Hinrich scored 31, and Tyrus Thomas double-doubled in the loss. Diaw looks good with Hill iffy, while Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas are very intriguing possibilities for the Bulls.
indianapacers.com
Hawks' point guard Anthony Johnson had 12 points, 11 rebounds and two threes in a loss to the Blazers, Mo Williams blew up for 25 points, five threes, five assists, five rebounds and three steals to help the Bucks offset Caron Butler's 40 points and beat the Wizards. Charlie Bell also came through with 22 points, four threes, six rebounds and six assists. Too bad he only does that once every 10 days or so.

Richard Jefferson scored 35 but the Nets' slide continues, as Al Jefferson lit them up for 40 points and 19 rebounds for the win. Nate Robinson had 22 points, four rebounds, eight assists and two steals in a loss to the Warriors, and with four games this week, I'm giving Nate the nod over Thabo. Although, with Duhon out for the week, I need to make sure I can't find room for Thabo in my lineups. For Golden State, Andris Biedrins scored 11 points and an NBA season-high 26 boards, while Stephen Jackson stepped up and hit three quick threes in the fourth quarter to help my fantasy team and the Warriors win the game.
sacramentokings.com
Kevin Martin scored 26 points and hit the game-winner to down the Sonics, Dirk Nowitzki scored 32 points and added 11 boards, four assists and two blocks in a win over the Nuggets, while Anthony Carter finally showed up in the loss. Carter had just two assists, but found his shot to score 20 points, hit four threes and grab five boards and a couple steals. Andrei Kirilenko's game appears to be back as he filled the stat sheet again last night, while Tracy McGrady and Luis Scola played well in Yao Ming's absence.
utahjazz.com
Bust Lines From Sunday

Raja Bell cooled off to hit just 2-of-11 shots for five points, but I'd still ride him this week. Andres Nocioni was 3-of-13 for seven points, Joe Smith's knee continues to crush his value, as he had just four points and six rebounds (Ty Thomas is coming on), while Carlos Arroyo is wasting his starting opportunity. Arroyo had just two points and four boards yesterday, and turned it over six times. It's hard to believe, but you can bet Stan Van Gundy is dying to get Jameer Nelson back. Jason Kidd, fresh off the rumors of his agent demanding a trade, had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in the Nets' ninth straight loss after posting a triple-double in his last game. Man, how bad are the Nets? And Marko Jaric failed to score, going 0-of-6 from the floor in the Wolves' win. If you can figure out on which nights Jaric is going to flirt with triple-doubles, and which nights he's going to stink, you should start playing the lottery.

Highs in the 30's on Saturday

Saturday night's scoring was interesting. There were just four games, but Dwyane Wade, Corey Maggette and Jason Richardson all scored 35 points, Rudy Gay had 34, Andre Iguodala scored 33 and David West scored 32.
dallasmavericks.com
News and Notes

There were plenty of unpleasant (or pleasant) surprises (depending on if you owned or were playing against the following guys) on Sunday, as Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, Michael Redd and Charlie Villanueva were all game-time DNPs. It's one thing to know your guy isn't playing, but is there a worse feeling than noticing that Redd isn't posting numbers in the box score and then heading to Rotoworld to find out why? I felt bad about Garnett since we posted earlier in the morning that he was expected to play, but it sounds like he was a go until later Sunday morning.

Chris Andersen is eligible to apply for reinstatement from a drug suspension. I doubt he has much value if he comes back, but you never know.

The Warriors appear to be hell-bent on signing Chris Webber, which is funny because he and Don Nelson basically hated each other for the last 10 years or so. Now it's a love fest and Nellie's saying they can't win in the playoffs without C-Webb. Nellie's just as unpredictable off the court as he is on it, so it's nice to know that he's consistent.

[Hache Man]

CP3 4 MVP?
For a four-game night there was a long list of news streaming throughout the day on Monday. Jason Kidd and Chris Webber made headlines, Pau Gasol and Raymond Felton returned to action, and a pair of Clippers were sent home with of the flu.

Monday's Headlines

Kidd Done in Jersey

Surely you've heard by now, but Jason Kidd says he's done in New Jersey. He's not mad, but it's clear that he sees no future with the Nets and it's become obvious that his "call in sick" text message back on Dec. 5 was directly related to his frustration with his situation. "Sometimes, when you ride a wave, you get to the end and that's all there is," Kidd said. "That's where we are." The list of interested teams thus far includes Dallas, the Lakers and Cavaliers, while the Nuggets have also inquired about what it would take. In addition, I'm pretty sure that there are 25 other teams "interested," but Dallas looks like the front-runner to me. Then again, I'm not sure I should be offering my opinions on trade rumors. I stupidly said in yesterday's chat that Kidd might not be as likely to be traded as Ron Artest and Mike Bibby, but after last night's news, it's pretty clear that his days in Jersey are numbered. sacramentokings.com

As for Marcus Williams, Kidd's backup at point guard, yes – I think he is a solid pickup if you can get him without cutting a good player. Numbers? He won't be anywhere near Kidd's constant triple-doubles, but there's no question that Williams will have value if the Nets don't get a starting point guard in return. Maybe 12 points, 6 assists, 1.5 steals and a three per game?

Chris Webber and Nellie – Reunited and It Feels So Weird

C-Webb and Don Nelson had a big falling out in 1994, but are now back to being, as Forrest Gump would say, "like peas and carrots." Webber has already signed a one-year deal with the Warriors and will join the team tonight for a matchup with the Rockets. Still no word on whether he's playing tonight, but I would guess he won't dress. As for trying to figure out Webber's role in the rotation? Good luck. I'm not even going to try to guess what Nellie will do here. It literally runs the gamut, as Webber could be used sparingly, never entering some games, or he could immediately be inserted into the starting lineup and play 35 minutes a night. Neither of those scenarios is likely to play out, as my guess would be that C-Webb would be the first or second guy off the bench and log somewhere around 20 minutes per game once he gets in the flow. In deep leagues that could be worth something, as Webber could ideally average nine points, five rebounds and three assists if he can stay healthy. But he's basically going to be playing on one leg, playing for a coach whose only consistent quality is inconsistency and he's almost 35 years old. He can't be coming into this thing in great basketball shape, but could end up providing a little something to fantasy owners.

Long Time, No See

Did you catch that blurb we posted in the middle of the night about Earl Boykins being back in the league? No one is saying where, but he's supposedly going to sign with someone by the end of the week. Depending on where he goes, you can add him to your list of potential point-guard pickups, along with Damon Stoudamire, who was officially waived by the Girzzlies last night. Stoudamire appears to have a decent chance of landing in Boston, but the Spurs, Raptors and Suns are also reportedly showing interest. If he goes to Boston, he'll have some fantasy value.

Ooh, My Arm, I Think It's Broken!

Mavs' PG Devin Harris will miss at least two to three weeks with a bone bruise in his severely sprained left ankle. The report I read said he could return to "activity" in two to three weeks, so it's possible he could need an additional week to get back in shape and be ready to play. Jason Terry will start and Juan Jose Barea will come off the bench and back him up. Neither player was spectacular in Harris' absence last night, but the Mavericks blew out the Grizzlies. Barea may or may not end up having much value over the next month, so monitor him.

Michael Redd skipped this week's two-game road trip due to his knee injury and is targeting a return to action on Saturday. Don't write that down in ink, as we know what happened last year when he hurt his knee while dunking. Two knee injuries on two dunks? Don't let Redd participate in All-Star Weekend, although I'm not sure he could hurt himself shooting threes. This injury sounds much less serious than last year's, so hopefully he's back at it on Saturday, and hopefully you started someone else in weekly leagues.

Anderson Varejao's ankle injury appears to be pretty bad. No timetable yet, but he's back in Cleveland undergoing more tests and I'm guessing that this is a, in the words of Reggie Miller, "monther," meaning he'll be out for that long. If Drew Gooden is sitting out there in your league, I'd go ahead and grab him.
indianapacers.com
Yao Ming practiced on Monday despite an upper respiratory infection and should play tonight, while Tracy McGrady and Bonzi Wells were out with the flu. I'm not sure why the NBA seems to be hit so hard by the flu bug, but it cost Chris Kaman (who may have been out anyway with a shin injury) and Corey Maggette a game last night. Hopefully Bonzi and T-Mac can go tonight, and Kaman and Maggette can play on Wednesday.

(Update: Kevin Garnett has been ruled out for Tuesday) Garnett (abdominal strain) has been called doubtful tonight by Doc Rivers on several occasions over the past two days. KG was supposedly so irate that he wasn't allowed to play on Sunday that he didn't even join the team on the bench. KG wants to play tonight, Doc wants him to sit. I've noticed Rivers saying one thing and doing another in regards to injuries in the past, and if Garnett wants to play tonight, don't be surprised if he convinces Doc to start him at shootaround. But the bottom line is that he's being called doubtful to play by his coach. bostonceltics.ws

Carmelo Anthony nearly quoted Oasis after missing Sunday's game, saying "Definitely Monday." A direct quote of "Definitely Maybe" would have been more appropriate, as Melo was unable to go again last night, his fourth straight missed game with a sprained ankle. He was still having trouble with it prior to the game and he'll remain a game-time decision until we see him on the court again.

Ben Gordon owners will not be pleased to hear this quote from just after Monday's practice, when he said "I still can't really shoot with it," in regards to his bum wrist. Gordon was gloom and doom about the injury last Thursday, hinting that he could miss a week and that he wasn't going to come back until it was right. The he came out over the weekend and said it had improved and he was ready to give it a shot, and now, as of Monday, he still can't even shoot a jump shot. Which wouldn't be that big a deal for Shaq or Tim Duncan. But Gordon is a shooting guard who makes his living from, um, shooting from the outside. Owners who played Gordon this week should expect the worst and hope for the best, as I'm not sure when he'll play again.

Grant Hill says he'll play tonight for the Suns after missing much of his last two games with a back injury. Boris Diaw owners will be pleased to know that Diaw will continue to start, maybe for an extended time frame, as Hill is slowly brought back up to speed. And if the Suns play better with Diaw in the lineup, it's conceivable that Hill could end up as the sixth man. But the good news is that his back is feeling better and he's on the verge of getting back on the court. And if Diaw was cut in your league (or never owned), think about grabbing him.

T.J. Ford might come off the bench for the rest of the season when he returns. Of course, that's assuming he actually returns at all. Everyone, including Ford, has said he is going to play again this season, but there are no current signs that he's close to a return. I'm to the point where I think Calderon is going to be the man the rest of the season, with or without Ford.

Elton Brand actually dunked a basketball recently and says that his rehab from a ruptured Achilles is going very well. He didn't go so far as to speculate when he might return, saying he'll need to start moving laterally and playing one-on-one before he'll have an idea on a target date. I'm guessing late February.

Monday's Games

Marcus Camby had his worst game in recent memory (3 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 0-of-5 shooting) and I wrote in the post-game blurb that I hoped he wasn't injured. Well, news broke later in the morning that he was playing through a left knee injury and was very close to missing last night's game because of it. Based on the useless line we got from him, I almost wish he would have taken the night off to fully heal. He's due for a break anyway. Hopefully he didn't aggravate the injury and can play the rest of the week. One of my better fantasy teams got off to a shaky start last night as it featured Camby, Kaman and Maggette. Ouch. J.R. Smith also reportedly suffered a lower back contusion for the Nuggets, but I haven't seen much information about it up to this point. The Nuggets were run off the court by Chris Paul, who had the line of the night with 23 points, nine boards and 17 assists to go along with some other goodies. Paul is the first-half MVP in fantasy and reality, and the New Orleans faithful told him that last night, chanting MVP throughout the game. Jannero Pargo (13 points, seven assists) was nice again and should be on the verge of being a hot pickup, while Melvin Ely exploded for 16 points and nine rebounds for his best line in months. He's on my bench in a 30-team league and he shouldn't be owned in yours.

Erick Dampier bounced back from a bad night with 11 points and 12 rebounds last night, and is killing his owners with inconsistency. There's one guy every year that goes off on your bench and sleeps through starts, and I'm guessing many of you feel that way about Dampier this season. Kyle Lowry was nice in lieu of Mike Conley, going for 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, and can be picked up if you need a point guard. I still think Conley will return to the starting job once his ribs/chest injury feels better, but you never know. Pau Gasol returned from a two-game absence with a sore back for 13 points, five boards and two blocks. I benched him this week and I'm kind of happy about that, at least as of today. Darko Milicic was awful again last night, while Stromile Swift returned from his sprained ankle to score two points. Congrats guys…You managed to score four total points in another blowout loss. Hard to believe that two of the biggest fantasy busts of the modern era are both Grizzlies right now. That said, Darko still should be owned if you are desperate for blocks. Update: Hearing rumors of a Swift suspension while posting this column – Check player news blurbs for more information.

The Spurs fell at Utah last night, committing 19 turnovers. Tim Duncan had seven of them, but at least had 27 and 11, while running mate Tony Parker was dreadful. Parker hit just 1-of-7 shots for five points, three assists, four turnovers and no steals. What? Hopefully it was just an off night and the heel's not bothering him. I think this was just the second time he hasn't hit double figures in scoring this season. Manu Ginobili had a big night, along with the Jazz's Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko. Manu's trying to win the Sixth Man award, Boozer's trying to get himself onto the All-Star Team and Kirilenko is trying to torture fantasy owners who sold low on him in the last two weeks. Kirilenko's numbers over the last three games? Nearly 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks and 2 3-pointers. Add in the fact he's hit 21 of his last 30 shots, including 9-of-10 last night, and there's not much left to say. Hopefully you still own him and hopefully he's in your lineup. utahjazz.com

Gerald Wallace had another huge line for Charlotte as they blitzed the Clippers in L.A. Raymond Felton made a triumphant return from an ankle injury with 10 points, eight dimes and two 3-pointers on 3-of-6 shooting, although many of you probably had him on your bench after his coach said he wouldn't play until Wednesday. I've heard a lot of anti-Felton sentiment from his owners over the last few days, so I'm guessing that you're still feeling that way if you had him on your bench last night. I guess he can't win for losing. The Clippers got a season-high 29 points from Tim Thomas, who also had 13 rebounds and five assists, but failed to hit a 3-pointer. Strange night in L.A., as Thomas and Cuttino Mobley both played 40-plus minutes for the Clips and didn't hit a three (their specialty), while Nazr Mohammed, a boards and blocks specialist, had one board, no blocks, but three steals. Go figure. Al Thornton and Josh Powell started in place of Maggette and Kaman, but didn't do too much, but we did get an offensive explosion from Quinton Ross. Ross scored 15 last night after posting a total of 16 points in 11 previous January games. Solid. dallasmavericks.com

[Hache Man]

Fantasy Trend: A Bull Market?
Welcome to another edition of NBA Fantasy Trends. This week we focus on some fringe fantasy options, get category-specific, and…well, read on and you can finish the thought yourself.

Assisted Living: Anthony Johnson & Anthony Carter

It takes some effort to differentiate these two journeyman point guards. They were born eight months apart, in South Carolina and Georgia, respectively. Johnson is one inch taller, but both guys are listed at 195 pounds. They both stumbled into full-time starting jobs this season. They even frequently sport the same bald-headed, fu Manchu look. But, to keep things simple, Johnson plays for the Hawks and Carter plays for the Nuggets.

The similarities persist in fantasy-land, as seen when we compare their season averages:

Anthony Johnson: 6.8 points on 42% FG and 79% FT, 2.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.8 three-pointers, 1.0 steals and 1.3 turnovers. Used to be threatened by Acie Law, but now owns the starting job outright.

Anthony Carter: 8 points on 46% FG and 78% FT, 3.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 0.5 three-pointers, 1.4 steals and 2.0 turnovers. Used to be threatened by Chucky Atkins, but now owns the starting job outright.

Anthony Carter is marginally better in most categories, and is therefore the safer option. Neither player's job is in danger at the moment, but Denver is reportedly seeking a point guard (ideally, Jason Kidd), which could hurt Carter's value, and Johnson has to worry about Acie Law and Tyronn Lue encroaching on his playing time. Unfortunately, even when they're getting maximum minutes, neither guy offers more than steals and assists.

Coming Attractions: Thabo Sefolosha & Dorell Wright

Sefolosha has been one of the hottest pickups in recent weeks, and has played fairly well: in his last eight games, he's is averaging 11 points on 45% shooting, six rebounds, two assists and two steals per game. The fact that he can play small forward in addition to shooting guard makes him a valuable asset in the Bulls' undersized backcourt. His length easily makes him one of their best perimeter defenders, he steals the ball with regularity and also posts above average rebounds for a guard. His playing time has fluctuated from 43 minutes to 23 minutes, but overall he's getting plenty of burn with Ben Gordon (wrist), Luol Deng (Achilles' tendon) and Chris Duhon (knee) all sidelined.

Although Sefolosha has earned a spot on fantasy rosters with his recent strong play, I have a difficult time seeing the trend continue. Luol Deng is due back in about two weeks, Ben Gordon is taking his recovery one game at a time, and Chris Duhon just recently shut himself down for at least a week. This leaves Sefolosha with a solid week or two of value, and owners should exploit the situation while they still can. Sadly, unless Nocioni plays heavy minutes as a power forward, there will soon be too many options at shooting guard/small forward for Sefolosha to log 30+ minutes per game.

Dorell Wright: I touched on Wright a few weeks back, but he deserves another mention. He's recovered from the ankle injury which sidelined him earlier in the season and has settled into the Heat starting rotation. Tellingly, Wright has played 30+ minutes in 10 games this season (including the two most recent), and in those games he has averaged 12.4 points on 57% shooting, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.9 blocks and only 0.7 turnovers. Thabo who?

Those are very impressive numbers, and it's reasonable to think that he'll replicate them for as long as he's seeing a consistent 30 minutes a night (oh, that magic number). Ricky Davis, Wright's main competition for minutes, is mired in a horrific nine-game slump, averaging five points on 31% shooting, two turnovers and less than one steal per game. Wright's name has surfaced in various trade rumors, but all fantasy owners need to know is that he's posting fantasy-worthy numbers as a starter, and pretty soon he won't be available in your league.



Three's Company: Kareem Rush & Matt Carroll & Daniel Gibson

So you need some three-pointers, eh? Of these three guys, Gibson is likely owned in your league, Rush may have vanished off waiver wires once Jermaine O'Neal went down, and Carroll has likely been picked up and dropped a few times already. indianapacers.com

Each player's situation has changed over the course of the season, so we'll examine their average numbers from only the past month:

Kareem Rush: 13.6 points on 42% FG and 66% FT, 2.4 three-pointers, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.9 turnovers. (Average value: 9th round)

Daniel Gibson: 10 points on 41% FG and 78% FT, 2.0 three-pointers, 1.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 turnovers. (Average value: 10th round)

Matt Carroll: 8.8 points on 43% FG and 72% FT, 1.1 three-pointers, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.5. (Average value: 12th round)

As you can see, Rush posted the best numbers over the past month. Rush is also the only player in this group who has a regular starting job, which can't be overstated. Coach Jim O'Brien has even hinted that if Jermaine O'Neal comes back, the Pacers won't shy away from the wide-open style they are establishing, which is great news for Rush. The only downer here is his nagging sore knee. He shot 37% from the field over the past three games, but he still has double-digit shot attempts in six straight games and 11-of-13 overall. He's getting minutes and he's staying aggressive, so even with a sore knee, Rush is a fairly reliable fantasy option.

Gibson probably has less value than Rush right now, but not by much. I truly expected him to play a larger role once Sasha Pavlovic went down, but coach Mike Brown has opted to fill the gap at shooting guard with bigger players (Ira Newble?), for defensive purposes. It doesn't look like Gibson will escape his instant-offense role anytime soon, which limits his value. He rarely turns the ball over, has hit at least one three-pointer in all but four games, and is worth starting when he's shooting accurately. Unfortunately, he hasn't shot 50% or better from the field in five straight games, his longest such streak of the season. Hopefully he'll get hot soon, enabling owners to benefit from Pavlovic's absence.

Trailing somewhere behind the pack, gasping, dehydrated and seeing mirage finish lines, is Matt Carroll. His game is predicated on shooting three-pointers, yet he's hitting only 1.1 per game in the past month. There are a number of obstacles to Carroll's fantasy value. The equation, roughly: Lack of minutes + Lack of versatility + Lack of defensive ability = Don't bother picking this guy up. Carroll has actually regressed as a starter in Raymond Felton's absence, so it might be good news for Carroll that Felton is expected back soon.

Just for the record: Despite starting for the Hornets—the team with the MVP-candidate point guard and the best record in the West—Morris Peterson, supposed three-point specialist, has been worse than any of these guys.

Cutting Room Floor: Thaddeus Young & Kyle Lowry

Young started the 76ers last game, replacing bruising power forward Reggie Evans. The Sixers are young, they are losing a ton of games and they openly acknowledge that the team is in a rebuilding phase, meaning minutes are available for "project" players. Louis Williams is arguably the Sixers' biggest threat off the bench, but Young's size and perceived versatility have lifted him into the starting five.

It's too early to tell if he'll stick as a starter, of course, or if he'll be worth owning if he does. Young's last name is appropriate, since he's nineteen years old. Nineteen years old and playing against power forwards of all stripes, it's no wonder his first career start wasn't a giant leap forward: he was held to six points and four rebounds in only 18 minutes of play.

If your fantasy team is scraping to make the playoffs, or scrapping for position in a roto league, acquiring Young might not make sense for you. In fact, even owners sitting comfortably in the standings don't have much to gain by taking him on. All owners, however, should keep one eye on his minutes and the other on his production, and be ready to pounce at the first sign of a breakout.

Kyle Lowry: Lowry has obvious value for the week or so that Mike Conley is sidelined. He's a solid rebounder, can score reasonably well, and makes a versatile fantasy option at point guard. Lowry's fatal flaw is that Conley is expected back within a week. The Grizzlies aren't winning with Lowry as a starter and it's unlikely that he'll wrest the job away from Conley, but you can't discount a guy who, over the past three games (all without Conley in the lineup) is averaging 17 points on 47% shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 0.3 turnovers (in fairness, he's shot a horrendous 53% on free throws (16-of-30) over the same stretch).

Don't assume that Conley's return will completely eliminate Lowry's usefulness, however likely that may seem. It should only take a couple of games with Conley in the lineup before we know how Marc Iavaroni will split time between his talented point guards, and a 30-minute role for Lowry is within reason. In other words, don't drop Lowry too soon: you should always hear the verdict before hanging the defendant.



Point of no return: Rajon Rondo & Kirk Hinrich
bostonceltics.ws
Rajon Rondo: Rondo's value isn't slipping too much, but there is cause for concern. His frailty seems to be catching up with him, as he has recently battled through a bruised back, then a strained hamstring, then a sprained ankle. The injuries left the Celtics wondering why they never installed a proper backup point guard (trust me, they don't want Eddie House as the primary ball handler), and they are now reportedly pursuing Sam Cassell and Damon Stoudamire. Both veteran guards would willingly defer starting duties to Rondo, but their presence would naturally cut into his production. For a guy who's already a bit spotty with the stats, a simple 5-7 minute reduction in playing time could be disastrous. There's no reason to overreact and unload him, but if you can send out some feelers and get good value for Rondo in a trade, it's probably a wise move.

Kirk Hinrich: Hinrich is balling right now. He's finally found a groove, and my advice is to trade him. It seems counter-intuitive to trade a guy the moment he starts playing up to his ability, but in this case it is (in my opinion, of course) the obvious move. For the same reason Thabo Sefolosha makes a risky pickup, Hinrich makes a terrific sell-high candidate: the pending return of Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon and Luol Deng. I'm not claiming Hinrich will revert to the awful player he was early in the season, only that his nose is pressed to his statistical ceiling, and he's likely to get worse, rather than better. If there's an owner in your league who needs a point guard, try pawning Hinrich off on him, and see what happens. It may be a fantasy league, but you still won't know until you try.

Gross Percentages: Larry Hughes & Rafer Alston

Anytime Larry Hughes comes up, you know things are going to get ugly. There is the hideous 35% shooting, or the disfiguring 2.3 assists vs. 1.9 turnovers per game from a starting "point guard". In case this isn't manifestly obvious, Larry Hughes is not a point guard. If I were Cavs GM Danny Ferry, I would do whatever it takes to get a decent point guard playing alongside LeBron. Ferry's fiscal restraint has been admirable, especially in an era plagued by more and more 'bad contracts', but come on! Yes, LeBron can handle the ball for the majority of a game, but he's only doing it because it is necessary for the Cavaliers to win. LeBron has one of the sickest vertical leaps in the game, yet how many alley-oops have you seen him convert in his career? Hmm…

Getting back on topic, we all know Hughes' potential, his failures, etc….no need to repeat that. What's worth noting is that he's played surprisingly well ever since Sasha Pavlovic went down. He's scored 41 points in the past two games combined, and now has at least one steal in 13 straight games, averaging 1.9 steals per game over that stretch.

The drill is, I say that Hughes is playing well and has potential, but warn you about his evil alter ego, Larry Airballs. The reality is, if you're still holding on to Joe Smith or Carlos Arroyo (or if you've simply got an open roster spot), by all means, make the switch. You can always drop Hughes and watch another owner squander their waiver position by claiming him.

Rafer Alston is a polarizing fantasy figure. His healthy assist and steal totals have lured many owners into picking him up. For a while he sits on your bench. Then he drops nine assists and four steals in a game, so you kick yourself and start him the next day. Inevitably, he ruins you with a 2-of-11 shooting, one rebound, four assist and one steal evening, compounding things with five turnovers.

Now, this won't make sense to you if your league doesn't count percentages. But many leagues are eight-categories or more, and in those formats Alston silently poisons the well with season averages of 39% on field goals and 65% on free throws. Mercifully, he doesn't attempt many free throws, so the percentage isn't weighted too heavily…but 65% FT from a starting point guard? If you've got the stomach for that sort of thing, and your team can sustain his awful shooting, go ahead and start him.

Oh, one other thing counting against Alston: I don't have statistics to prove this, but observation suggests that Alston is more efficient with Tracy McGrady out of the lineup. Unfortunately for Rafer, T-Mac is back, T-Mac is starting, and T-Mac finished his last game with nine assists. Alston finished that game with eight points on 4-of-13 shooting, three rebounds and one assist. You'll feel lighter on your feet if you drop him. UPDATE: Alston went buck-wild on Monday night, dropping 17 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists and two steals. He shot 7-of-19 from the field, tied his season-high in rebounds and recorded just his third double-double of the season. I can't blame you for wanting to own him after this line, but remember that inconsistency is his calling card. It is also worth noting that T-Mac missed this game with the flu.

[Hache Man]

One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Just Can't Seem To Get It Right Today

Has that catchy Kia commercial caught your ear yet? Joe Purdy sings about not being able to get anything right and giving up, while car owners can't remember which side of the car the gas tank is on because they have to hit the pump so infrequently. Anyway, I'm not sure how it happened, but the AP's original story about Jason Kidd yesterday stated that he "skipped shootaround," yet no one seemed to be freaking out about what that actually meant. Of course, I took it and ran, throwing out the possibilities that he could be done as a Net or was simply avoiding the media. An hour or so later, the AP retracted the report and said that Kidd was at shootaround, but just not speaking the media. What a strange error to make. I now own Marcus Williams in a couple leagues due to the false alarm, while I got several emails from guys who also made the move after the original news broke. Fortunately, there could be worse things than owning Marcus a little prematurely. As for if, when or where Kidd is going, it's still too early to tell. But if the Cavaliers can find a way to get him to Cleveland, LeBron James will be the happiest guy in the league.

Today's reports have Damon Stoudamire going to San Antonio, which you could see coming with last night's news that Tony Parker is being shut down with heel spurs. Don't expect any miracles from Damon, but grab him if you need threes and assists. Of course, this means Stoudamire's probably not going to Boston, Phoenix or anywhere else. And no, I have no idea how long Parker is going to be out, but I don't think his season is in jeopardy. They just want to get him healthy.

Don't Call It A Comeback

Randy Foye, everyone's favorite fantasy topic for the last two months, actually played in an NBA game last night. And he played well. And he should play well again tonight (if his knee didn't explode after the game). May the constant "Foye prediction" emails rest in peace. Grant Hill (back spasms) returned for 16 points in a cakewalk over my Hawks, Yao Ming returned from an upper respiratory infection for 36 points and 19 boards in a win over the Warriors and Charlie Villanueva (back) was back for the Bucks.

One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, Chris Kaman, Corey Maggette, Joe Smith and Damien Wilkins all missed Monday or Tuesday's game with the flu. Dwyane Wade and Smith will sit out Wednesday as well and I'm guessing we see a lot of other guys dropping with it soon. I'm not sure why, but the flu seems to hit the NBA hard every year. Ray Allen was in the hospital, and Smith and Wade already being ruled out must mean they're really sick. Allen's illness was termed an unrelated stomach virus, so hopefully it's no more serious than the flu. Al Thornton has it now as well, making several Clippers questionable for tonight, while Gordan Giricek is also ill for Philly. bostonceltics.ws

Paging Side Show Bob and Mr. Longoria

As I mentioned earlier, Parker has been shut down for the immediate future by coach Gregg Popovich. He says TP's not happy about it and hasn't said how long he'll be out, but you can bet that Pop is going to sit him until he's fully healthy. Pop doesn't really care all that much about the regular season, but the Spurs have already lost 16 games and got beat by the (gulp) Sonics last night. He needs all his soldiers healthy for the playoffs.

Anderson Varejao will be out until after the All-Star Break with a left high ankle sprain. Grab Drew Gooden if you can and keep your eye on Donyell Marshall.

Udonis Haslem went down with a sprained ankle last night and has already been ruled out for tonight's game and possibly a week, leaving the Heat with barely enough bodies to field a team. Hello Earl Barron and Luke Jackson. Yikes.

Hip To Be Square

Caron Butler's strained hip flexor came out of the blue as he was a surprise DNP last night. I first caught wind of it just before game time on a Wizards' blog and the late move prompted his owner in my main league to ask why we didn't find out about the injury on Monday. If the Wizards didn't practice Monday, there was likely no way for the local media to find out that Butler was hurt. The team doesn't call a media contact and say "CB is hurting and could sit a couple games this week, so make sure his fantasy owners out there know." Butler doesn't show up to practice, a beat writer finds out why and makes his own observations and then reports on it. And unfortunately, it depends on what beat writer/publication you're talking about as to whether or not we actually get the news. Brandon Roy gets a hangnail? The boys in Portland are on it. Rudy Gay has hip replacement surgery? Hopefully we'd find out before he started rehab.

Luke Walton suffered a hip pointer last night and didn't return to the game. The rest of the injury news from yesterday saw Michael Redd sit with a sore knee, Ben Gordon with a wrist injury and Jamaal Tinsley with a sore knee. Jameer Nelson should be back tonight from a foot injury, while Tinsley is expected to play Friday. Redd and Gordon are both hoping to play sometime this week, while Redd's teammate, Desmond Mason, is also planning a return from a thumb injury on Saturday. Willie Green is iffy for the Sixers with a sprained ankle and the Nets' Jason Collins left last night's game with a knee injury. That could mean good things for Sean Williams and Josh Boone (again).
utahjazz.com
You'll Get Nothing and Like It

Stromile Swift has been suspended for tonight's game for conduct detrimental to the team. I'd like to pretend that could help Darko Milicic play well tonight, but who am I kidding? Oh, and Chris Webber officially became a Warrior yesterday and should play with the team next week, possibly on Thursday. I own Monta Ellis in a couple leagues and am a little scared about Webber's presence, and I even cut Matt Barnes last night because of Webber. Barnes has been unreliable already, and I couldn't stand the thought of what C-Webb is going to do to his minutes. We'll see.

Tuesday's Good, Bad and Ugly

Jose Calderon had a huge line and is showing no signs of slowing down. The guy should probably be going to the All-Star Game. Chris Bosh had 37 and 12 in an overtime loss to the Wizards, while DeShawn Stevenson hit five threes, Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 20 rebounds and Andray Blatche had 19 points and eight boards in the win. Butler will miss at least one more game, so the same crew should play well again in the next one. Andrea Bargnani was ugly again, going 1-of-6 in 17 minutes for three points. I give up.

Travis Diener, Jeff Foster, Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger all started and played very well for the Pacers last night. Diener's run is coming to an end with the return of Tinsley, but the two could split time. Foster and Murphy in the lineup sent Kareem Rush back to the bench where he hit three treys and scored nine. Not sure if the big lineup was just a one-time thing in honor of the Pistons, but I'm guessing it was.

Rajon Rondo, Eddie House and Tony Allen all played well in the absence of the "Big 3," while Leon Powe destroyed the Heat with 25 points and 11 boards. No reason to pick him up, but it looks like he's going to be a very capable fill-in for KG if necessary. Paul Pierce was bad last night, going 2-of-9 for seven points. With KG and Allen out, logic told us that Pierce would blow up for 50 points and a triple-double. Oops. Despite nothing from Pierce, Garnett and Allen, the C's still wiped the floor with D-Wade (1-of-9, seven points) and the Heat. Ugly. bostonceltics.ws

Royal Ivey had 19 points and six assists in another start for Redd but the Bucks fell to the Nets, allowing them to break a nine-game losing streak. Ivey has been on a nice run, but I'm guessing it's about over. Kidd's night wasn't pretty (9-5-11, 1-of-6 shooting), but he did hit some clutch shots down the stretch to win the game for his team. Aw, how sweet. Tissue please.

Ben Wallace had 12 rebounds, three assists, four steals and two blocks last night. Not his best line ever, but at least we know he still has a pulse. Joakim Noah double-doubled in place of Smith last night, while Tyrus Thomas put up some numbers in limited minutes. Kirk Hinrich scored 27 in the win over the Wolves. Ryan Gomes was ugly for the Wolves, failing to hit a shot or score in 32 minutes. I told you I don't trust the Wolves, and this is why.

Stephen Jackson had 25 points, five threes and a bunch of everything as the Warriors fell to the Rockets. Rafer Alston bounced back last night with 17 points, eight boards, 12 assists and a couple threes and steals, Yao blew up for 36 & 19 and Luis Scola scored 12 points in a start. Keep your eye on him, as he'll be a hot pickup if he has truly replaced Chuck Hayes in the lineup for good. sacramentokings.com

Amare Stoudemire busted the Hawks for 24 points and four blocks on 10-of-11 shooting, while Boris Diaw had another huge line, starting over Grant Hill. Diaw should be owned in all leagues. Outside of Marvin Williams, the Hawks were pathetic last night. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith combined to hit 6-of-27 shots for 16 points. I'm worried about Joe's left leg, as he's been playing through a sore ankle and calf. I'm hopeful a DNP isn't around the corner. The good news is he got some rest, playing just 25 minutes in the blowout.

The Knicks' Nate Robinson had 22 points and four threes last night and David Lee double-doubled in a loss to the Lakers. Kobe nearly had a trip-dub, Kwame Brown double-doubled in the win, Ronny Turiaf had 14 points, nine boards and five blocks, and Sasha Vujacic scored 20 while hitting five threes. All three of these Lakers could have some value, but Turiaf looks like the best bet to me. dallasmavericks.com