[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