Hache Man
"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"
Much of this is Fantasy Basketball News
However, it is great info/capping material which keeps you in the know......
Rocket Cleared for Takeoff www.eog.com www.eogcontests.com
www.fantasysportspicks.com www.therx.info www.therx.ws
The guy they call Flash stalls on possibly his most important decision of the year... The Celtics shut down Wally World prematurely again, while the Knicks lose Jamal Crawford for their late-season playoff push... Also, the Sonics are now without sharpshooter Ray Allen for a bit, the Bobcats could be minus Emeka Okafor for another week at least and the Clips have a big hole to fill at point guard. As we near the possible returns of Yao Ming, Baron Davis, Luke Walton, Richard Jefferson and a couple Wizards, The Week Ahead takes a look around the league at the latest breaking news. As usual, we'll get you caught up to date with the latest on the injury front and preview the upcoming week's schedule ? including two-game periods for Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash.
[SIZE=+1]Keep An Eye On: [/SIZE]
statistics exclusively from 2/15 ? 2/28:
It's been a lost season in Beantown this year for the Celtics. After losing their captain, Paul Pierce, for the majority of the first half, the team decided to shut down Wally Szczerbiak this week because of chronic ankle problems. With Tony Allen also shelved for the season, Delonte West is assured regular minutes from here on out. The southpaw combo-guard is averaging 15 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.5 SPG over the past couple weeks, and will continue to get around 35-40 minutes per game.
With Antawn Jamison sidelined the past few weeks, the Wizards have been getting some steady offense from their defensive specialist in his stead. DeShawn Stevenson is scoring 17.3 PPG in his past six contests ? a stretch that includes four of his five highest-scoring games of the season. Jamison and Caron Butler (back spasms) are expected back very soon, so this offense will likely be short-lived for Stevenson.
Marvin Williams is enjoying his best scoring clip of his brief career recently in ATL, scoring in double figures in eight straight contests. He's averaging 15.7 PPG and 6.0 RPG the past couple weeks with his first double-double of the year. Teammate Zaza Pachulia should reclaim his starting center job soon, as well ? he's getting 14.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG in his past six contests, and is once again a worthy No. 2 fantasy center.
The Knicks caught a bad break this week when it was announced that Jamal Crawford will require ankle surgery and is considering shutting it down. He's been the team's most consistent scoring guard, so New York will lean on Quentin Richardson and Nate Robinson to fill his shoes down the home stretch. Q put together a 24-point game Wednesday night and is an intriguing option the final couple months. New York plays just twice in week 19, so stash him on your bench for the time being.
Sharpshooter Matt Carroll has quietly been a very effective player for Charlotte this season. In fact, he's canned a 3-pointer in 33 of his past 34 games, including eight straight with at least two treys. He's scored at least 19 points in five of his past six contests and should continue to have value with Emeka Okafor nursing a calf injury. Only Kyle Korver (92%) is shooting better than Carroll (91.6%) at the charity stripe this season.
[SIZE=+1]Game Totals in Week 19: [/SIZE]
Five games: none
Four games: ATL, CLE, DEN, DET, GS, HOU, IND, LAL, MIA, SA, SEA, WAS
Three games: BOS, CHA, CHI, LAC, MEM, MIL, MIN, NO, NJ, ORL, PHI, SAC, TOR, UTA
Two games: DAL, NY, PHO, POR
[SIZE=+1]Interesting Matchups: [/SIZE]
Tuesday, March 6 - Houston @ Cleveland:
On Tuesday, LeBron James and the Cavs will host Tracy McGrady and the Rockets in a showdown of the No. 4 seed in the East and the No. 5 seed in the West. Houston hopes to get perennial All-Star Yao Ming sometime in the next couple weeks, but TMac has carried them in his stead, leading the team to a 19-11 record since Christmas. King James is averaging 32.2 PPG since the break.
Thursday, March 8 - Chicago @ Orlando:
Thursday's TNT showcases feature the Bulls and the Magic, followed by the Spurs and Kings. All-Star Dwight Howard is shooting 71% (116-for-164) over his past 13 games as the Magic fight for the final playoff seed in the East. With Nocioni likely done for the season, Luol Deng continues to dominate, averaging 20 PPG and 6.8 RPG the past couple weeks ? he's averaging career-highs across the board in his third pro season.
Friday, March 9 - Detroit @ Denver:
It's weird to think that Allen Iverson and Chris Webber started this season out as teammates in Philadelphia, and now both will be playing against each other in a matchup of two contenders. The Pistons, who went 10-1 in February with CWebb, look the class of the East heading into the second season, while the Nuggets have gone just 3-7 with Melo and The Answer together.
Saturday, March 10 - NO/Oklahoma City @ Utah:
Last season, Utah point guard Deron Williams was clearly outplayed by Chris Paul en route to winning the Rookie of the Year honors. This year, however, has been a completely different story. Williams has improved great strides in his sophomore campaign ? in fact, MVP Steve Nash (11.4 APG) is the only player with more assists than Williams (9.3).
Overall, their stats are amazingly similar, except for their records:
Deron Williams: 17.2 PPG, 9.3 APG, 3.5 RPG, 37-19 record
Chris Paul: 17.5 PPG, 8.7 APG, 4.1 RPG, 27-30 record
Sunday, March 11 - Dallas @ L.A. Lakers:
The Mavericks have been the gold standard of the league this season and look poised for their first title in the Mark Cuban-era. They just mustered their third winning streak of 12 or more, and have won an amazing 20 straight at the American Airlines Center. They'll travel to L.A. to take on the Lakers this Sunday, televised on ESPN.
[SIZE=+1]Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule: [/SIZE]
Atlanta Hawks @mia, WAS, MEM, MIN
Tyronn Lue (hamstring) ? out indefinitely
Boston Celtics HOU, SEA, CHI
Theo Ratliff (back) ? out for the season
Tony Allen (knee) ? out for the season
Wally Szczerbiak (ankle) ? out for the season
Wally World underwent ankle surgery Thursday and is officially lost for the remainder of the season. After missing the last seven games of last season with a knee injury, Szczerbiak will miss a grand total of 50 games this season because of four different ankle injuries. He's due to receive $12 million next season and $13 million the following year, so it's likely Boston is stuck with him and his injury woes. We'll have to see how he responds from surgery before knowing what kind of a role he'll have with the C's.
Charlotte Bobcats @uta, @pho, MEM
Othella Harrington (knee) ? might return in early March
Sean May (knee) ? out until at least mid-March
Emeka Okafor (calf) ? day-to-day
Okafor missed his third straight contest Thursday night because of a calf injury and underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury instead. There's talk that he could miss the remainder of the team's road trip, which would mean the UConn product would be out until at least March 10th. Gerald Wallace and Matt Carroll have been the team's most productive frontcourt scorers with Okafor sidelined.
Game to watch: Saturday's contest with the Grizzlies features two of the top rookies going toe-to-toe in Adam Morrison (13.0 PPG) and Rudy Gay (10.0 PPG). Only Brandon Roy (15.5 PPG) and Andrea Bargnani (11.1 PPG) average in double figures among first-year players.
Chicago Bulls @mia, @orl, @bos
Andres Nocioni (foot) ? out indefinitely, might be out for regular season
P.J. Brown (knee) ? day-to-day
Cleveland Cavaliers HOU, @det, @mil, IND
Larry Hughes (flu) ? day-to-day
Damon Jones (back) ? day-to-day
Dallas Mavericks NJ, @lal
Devean George (knee) ? day-to-day
Denver Nuggets NO, @gs, DET, @sac
Kenyon Martin (knee) ? out for the season
J.R. Smith (knee) ? might return in mid-March
Detroit Pistons GS, CLE, @den, @lac
Rasheed Wallace (ankle) ? day-to-day, game-time decision Fri vs. MIA
Starting center Chris Webber says his scratched left cornea is one of the worst injuries he's ever had, but he intends to play Friday. The Pistons are 15-4 since the University of Michigan star came back to his roots.
Golden St. Warriors @det, DEN, LAC, @por
Baron Davis (knee surgery) ? out indefinitely
Matt Barnes (knee) ? day-to-day
Stephen Jackson (toe) ? day-to-day
Davis is scheduled to rejoin the Warriors Thursday in New York after sitting out the previous 11 games because of a knee injury. There's still no word on his exact timetable to game action, but it sounds like it could be early next week once he's able to get a couple practices in. Monta Ellis would return to his reserve role, while Davis shares the starting backcourt with Jason Richardson. Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike will definitely see a drop in value when BDiddy returns.
Houston Rockets @cle, @bos, NJ, ORL
Yao Ming (knee) ? out until early March
Bob Sura (knee surgery) ? out indefinitely, might be out for the season
Ming practiced with the Rockets on Thursday for the first time since he fractured his right tibia Dec. 23. When asked if he could play as soon as Friday night against Denver, Yao said, "Don't set a trap for me. (The timetable) is on the doctor and coach." This is great news for the Rockets and Ming-owners. It sounds like he could be ready for the upcoming week now. Houston goes against Denver Friday, San Antonio on Saturday and then Cleveland on Monday. Expect the 7'5" All-Star back for one of those.
Indiana Pacers @sac, @uta, PHI, @cle
David Harrison (shoulder) ? day-to-day
L.A. Clippers SA, @gs, DET
Shaun Livingston (knee) ? out for the season
Sam Cassell (groin, ankle) ? day-to-day, might miss a couple games
Zeljko Rebraca (back) ? out indefinitely
Tim Thomas (back spasms) ? day-to-day
It was an absolutely horrific scene when 21-year-old guard Shaun Livingston dislocated his knee during a fast break Monday night. You couldn't help but shreak out loud at the site of his leg completely buckling underneath him. After tearing his ACL, PCL and MCL, tearing cartilage and dislocating his kneecap, he'll miss the remainder of this season and probably next year's as well, putting more of a load on Sam Cassell and backup point guard Daniel Ewing. Cassell tweaked his groin Wednesday night and could be in store for a few DNPs now. Ewing is only averaging 2.8 PPG and 1.1 APG, seeing sparing minutes up to this point, but is assured to get a ton more burn in the wake of these injuries. Keep your eye on him in deeper leagues.
L.A. Lakers @min, @mil, @phi, DAL
Vladimir Radmanovic (shoulder) ? likely out for regular season
Chris Mihm (ankle) ? out for the season
Luke Walton (ankle) ? day-to-day, doubtful for Friday vs. Sac
Kwame Brown (ankle) ? day-to-day, might return in week 19
Memphis Grizzlies @tor, @atl, @cha
Chucky Atkins (ankle) ? out indefinitely
Brian Cardinal (knee surgery) ? out for the season
Early reports on Atkins' ankle injury don't look to promising for the veteran. He left Wednesday's contest in a therapeutic boot and could miss an extended period. This is good news for Damon Stoudamire, who stands to see a big spike in minutes at the point.
Miami Heat ATL, CHI, MIN, WAS
Dwyane Wade (shoulder) ? considering season-ending surgery
Wayne Simien (salmonella) ? out indefinitely
Flash is scheduled to meet with doctors on Friday and make a decision as to whether or not he's going to go under the knife for season-ending surgery. He's been pondering the decision for the past week, but it sounds like the All-Star is leaning towards shutting it down so he can make a full recovery for next season. In his absence, Jason Williams and Shaquille O'Neal have picked up their games the most. JWill is averaging 13.3 PPG and 4.8 APG with 10 3-pointers in those four games, while logging an impressive 32.8 minutes per game with lingering abdomen and knee injuries.
Milwaukee Bucks @orl, LAL, CLE
Bobby Simmons (heel) ? out for the season
Dan Gadzuric (shoulder) ? return late March
Earl Boykins (thumb) ? out indefinitely, might be out for year
Minnesota Timberwolves LAL, @mia, @atl
Eddie Griffin (team decision) ? not expected to return
Mark Madsen (ankle) ? out until mid-March
NOK Hornets @den, @pho, @uta
Peja Stojakovic (back) ? out indefinitely, might be out for the season
New Jersey Nets @dal, @hou, @sa
Nenad Krstic (knee) ? out for the season
Richard Jefferson (ankle) ? expected to return in early March
Antoine Wright (elbow) ? day-to-day
The Nets are hoping that Jefferson will start practicing with the team again around March 7. He's been out since Jan. 20 and has able to shoot some jumpers over the past week. However, the true test will be when he starts exploding and jumping on his surgically repaired ankle. Keep him reserved for week 19, but it sounds like there's a chance he could return during the week sometime.
New York Knicks SEA, @was
David Lee (ankle) ? day-to-day, might return Fri vs. GS
Jamal Crawford (ankle) ? might be out for the season
Nate Robinson (flu) ? day-to-day
Steve Francis (knee) ? day-to-day, returning to practice Thursday
Orlando Magic MIL, CHI, @hou
Grant Hill (foot) ? day-to-day
Tony Battie (thumb) ? return early March
Philadelphia 76ers SEA, LAL, @ind
Shavlik Randolph (ankle) ? hoping to return in mid-March
Rodney Carney (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
A recent MRI revealed that Carney has a torn rotator cuff and labrum and is considered out indefinitely. That means more minutes for Willie Green, who has shown flashes of brilliance and ineptitude this season. He started Wednesday and came through with 20 points, and should continue to get regular burn for the immediate future.
Phoenix Suns CHA, NO
Shawn Marion (finger) ? day-to-day
Boris Diaw (back) ? day-to-day
Just two games on the slate for Phoenix this week; feel free to keep Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire in your starting units, but the Matrix, Diaw, Raja Bell and the red-hot Leandro Barbosa are risky options. Barbosa has scored in double digits in 15 straight and has canned a 3-pointer in 19 in a row. He's No. 7 in the NBA in treys (123) despite being the fifth offensive option with the high-flying Suns.
Portland Trailblazers SA, GS
Darius Miles (knee surgery) ? out for the season
Joel Przybilla (knee) ? out for the season
Raef LaFrentz (heel) ? out indefinitely
LaMarcus Aldridge broke out for a monster 30-point game Thursday night in the wake of the announcement that Przybilla would be shut down for the remainder of the season. He hit 12-of-19 shots and snared six boards in a preview of what's to come for the young Blazers squad. With Portland not a likely playoff team, Aldridge will get major minutes down the stretch.
Sacramento Kings IND, SA, DEN
Ron Artest (personal) ? day-to-day
San Antonio Spurs @lac, @por, @sac, NJ
Seattle Sonics @ny, @phi, @bos, @tor
Ray Allen (ankle) ? out indefinitely
Danny Fortson (knee) ? out indefinitely
Robert Swift (knee) ? out for the season
Allen missed Thursday's game because of inflammation in his left ankle that has been bothering him since January. He's able to shoot the lights out still, but has no explosiveness driving to the hoop. His status for Sunday's contest is very questionable at this point so be cautious starting him until he gets evaluated by a doctor.
Toronto Raptors @was, MEM, SEA
Anthony Parker (ankle) ? day-to-day
Utah Jazz CHA, IND, NO
Deron Williams (wrist) ? day-to-day
Washington Wizards TOR, @atl, NY, @mia
Caron Butler (back) ? day-to-day
Antawn Jamison (knee) ? day-to-day
According to a Wizards team source, the team is expected to get back some firepower on Sunday ? but they didn't specify on if it would be Butler or Jamison. Coach Eddie Jordan seemed to think Jamison was closer to returning to action than Butler, who continues to be plagued by back spasms. With four games in week 19, both a fine plays if healthy so monitor their status until the 11th hour.
However, it is great info/capping material which keeps you in the know......
Rocket Cleared for Takeoff www.eog.com www.eogcontests.com
www.fantasysportspicks.com www.therx.info www.therx.ws
The guy they call Flash stalls on possibly his most important decision of the year... The Celtics shut down Wally World prematurely again, while the Knicks lose Jamal Crawford for their late-season playoff push... Also, the Sonics are now without sharpshooter Ray Allen for a bit, the Bobcats could be minus Emeka Okafor for another week at least and the Clips have a big hole to fill at point guard. As we near the possible returns of Yao Ming, Baron Davis, Luke Walton, Richard Jefferson and a couple Wizards, The Week Ahead takes a look around the league at the latest breaking news. As usual, we'll get you caught up to date with the latest on the injury front and preview the upcoming week's schedule ? including two-game periods for Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash.
[SIZE=+1]Keep An Eye On: [/SIZE]
statistics exclusively from 2/15 ? 2/28:
It's been a lost season in Beantown this year for the Celtics. After losing their captain, Paul Pierce, for the majority of the first half, the team decided to shut down Wally Szczerbiak this week because of chronic ankle problems. With Tony Allen also shelved for the season, Delonte West is assured regular minutes from here on out. The southpaw combo-guard is averaging 15 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.5 SPG over the past couple weeks, and will continue to get around 35-40 minutes per game.
With Antawn Jamison sidelined the past few weeks, the Wizards have been getting some steady offense from their defensive specialist in his stead. DeShawn Stevenson is scoring 17.3 PPG in his past six contests ? a stretch that includes four of his five highest-scoring games of the season. Jamison and Caron Butler (back spasms) are expected back very soon, so this offense will likely be short-lived for Stevenson.
Marvin Williams is enjoying his best scoring clip of his brief career recently in ATL, scoring in double figures in eight straight contests. He's averaging 15.7 PPG and 6.0 RPG the past couple weeks with his first double-double of the year. Teammate Zaza Pachulia should reclaim his starting center job soon, as well ? he's getting 14.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG in his past six contests, and is once again a worthy No. 2 fantasy center.
The Knicks caught a bad break this week when it was announced that Jamal Crawford will require ankle surgery and is considering shutting it down. He's been the team's most consistent scoring guard, so New York will lean on Quentin Richardson and Nate Robinson to fill his shoes down the home stretch. Q put together a 24-point game Wednesday night and is an intriguing option the final couple months. New York plays just twice in week 19, so stash him on your bench for the time being.
Sharpshooter Matt Carroll has quietly been a very effective player for Charlotte this season. In fact, he's canned a 3-pointer in 33 of his past 34 games, including eight straight with at least two treys. He's scored at least 19 points in five of his past six contests and should continue to have value with Emeka Okafor nursing a calf injury. Only Kyle Korver (92%) is shooting better than Carroll (91.6%) at the charity stripe this season.
[SIZE=+1]Game Totals in Week 19: [/SIZE]
Five games: none
Four games: ATL, CLE, DEN, DET, GS, HOU, IND, LAL, MIA, SA, SEA, WAS
Three games: BOS, CHA, CHI, LAC, MEM, MIL, MIN, NO, NJ, ORL, PHI, SAC, TOR, UTA
Two games: DAL, NY, PHO, POR
[SIZE=+1]Interesting Matchups: [/SIZE]
Tuesday, March 6 - Houston @ Cleveland:
On Tuesday, LeBron James and the Cavs will host Tracy McGrady and the Rockets in a showdown of the No. 4 seed in the East and the No. 5 seed in the West. Houston hopes to get perennial All-Star Yao Ming sometime in the next couple weeks, but TMac has carried them in his stead, leading the team to a 19-11 record since Christmas. King James is averaging 32.2 PPG since the break.
Thursday, March 8 - Chicago @ Orlando:
Thursday's TNT showcases feature the Bulls and the Magic, followed by the Spurs and Kings. All-Star Dwight Howard is shooting 71% (116-for-164) over his past 13 games as the Magic fight for the final playoff seed in the East. With Nocioni likely done for the season, Luol Deng continues to dominate, averaging 20 PPG and 6.8 RPG the past couple weeks ? he's averaging career-highs across the board in his third pro season.
Friday, March 9 - Detroit @ Denver:
It's weird to think that Allen Iverson and Chris Webber started this season out as teammates in Philadelphia, and now both will be playing against each other in a matchup of two contenders. The Pistons, who went 10-1 in February with CWebb, look the class of the East heading into the second season, while the Nuggets have gone just 3-7 with Melo and The Answer together.
Saturday, March 10 - NO/Oklahoma City @ Utah:
Last season, Utah point guard Deron Williams was clearly outplayed by Chris Paul en route to winning the Rookie of the Year honors. This year, however, has been a completely different story. Williams has improved great strides in his sophomore campaign ? in fact, MVP Steve Nash (11.4 APG) is the only player with more assists than Williams (9.3).
Overall, their stats are amazingly similar, except for their records:
Deron Williams: 17.2 PPG, 9.3 APG, 3.5 RPG, 37-19 record
Chris Paul: 17.5 PPG, 8.7 APG, 4.1 RPG, 27-30 record
Sunday, March 11 - Dallas @ L.A. Lakers:
The Mavericks have been the gold standard of the league this season and look poised for their first title in the Mark Cuban-era. They just mustered their third winning streak of 12 or more, and have won an amazing 20 straight at the American Airlines Center. They'll travel to L.A. to take on the Lakers this Sunday, televised on ESPN.
[SIZE=+1]Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule: [/SIZE]
Atlanta Hawks @mia, WAS, MEM, MIN
Tyronn Lue (hamstring) ? out indefinitely
Boston Celtics HOU, SEA, CHI
Theo Ratliff (back) ? out for the season
Tony Allen (knee) ? out for the season
Wally Szczerbiak (ankle) ? out for the season
Wally World underwent ankle surgery Thursday and is officially lost for the remainder of the season. After missing the last seven games of last season with a knee injury, Szczerbiak will miss a grand total of 50 games this season because of four different ankle injuries. He's due to receive $12 million next season and $13 million the following year, so it's likely Boston is stuck with him and his injury woes. We'll have to see how he responds from surgery before knowing what kind of a role he'll have with the C's.
Charlotte Bobcats @uta, @pho, MEM
Othella Harrington (knee) ? might return in early March
Sean May (knee) ? out until at least mid-March
Emeka Okafor (calf) ? day-to-day
Okafor missed his third straight contest Thursday night because of a calf injury and underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury instead. There's talk that he could miss the remainder of the team's road trip, which would mean the UConn product would be out until at least March 10th. Gerald Wallace and Matt Carroll have been the team's most productive frontcourt scorers with Okafor sidelined.
Game to watch: Saturday's contest with the Grizzlies features two of the top rookies going toe-to-toe in Adam Morrison (13.0 PPG) and Rudy Gay (10.0 PPG). Only Brandon Roy (15.5 PPG) and Andrea Bargnani (11.1 PPG) average in double figures among first-year players.
Chicago Bulls @mia, @orl, @bos
Andres Nocioni (foot) ? out indefinitely, might be out for regular season
P.J. Brown (knee) ? day-to-day
Cleveland Cavaliers HOU, @det, @mil, IND
Larry Hughes (flu) ? day-to-day
Damon Jones (back) ? day-to-day
Dallas Mavericks NJ, @lal
Devean George (knee) ? day-to-day
Denver Nuggets NO, @gs, DET, @sac
Kenyon Martin (knee) ? out for the season
J.R. Smith (knee) ? might return in mid-March
Detroit Pistons GS, CLE, @den, @lac
Rasheed Wallace (ankle) ? day-to-day, game-time decision Fri vs. MIA
Starting center Chris Webber says his scratched left cornea is one of the worst injuries he's ever had, but he intends to play Friday. The Pistons are 15-4 since the University of Michigan star came back to his roots.
Golden St. Warriors @det, DEN, LAC, @por
Baron Davis (knee surgery) ? out indefinitely
Matt Barnes (knee) ? day-to-day
Stephen Jackson (toe) ? day-to-day
Davis is scheduled to rejoin the Warriors Thursday in New York after sitting out the previous 11 games because of a knee injury. There's still no word on his exact timetable to game action, but it sounds like it could be early next week once he's able to get a couple practices in. Monta Ellis would return to his reserve role, while Davis shares the starting backcourt with Jason Richardson. Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike will definitely see a drop in value when BDiddy returns.
Houston Rockets @cle, @bos, NJ, ORL
Yao Ming (knee) ? out until early March
Bob Sura (knee surgery) ? out indefinitely, might be out for the season
Ming practiced with the Rockets on Thursday for the first time since he fractured his right tibia Dec. 23. When asked if he could play as soon as Friday night against Denver, Yao said, "Don't set a trap for me. (The timetable) is on the doctor and coach." This is great news for the Rockets and Ming-owners. It sounds like he could be ready for the upcoming week now. Houston goes against Denver Friday, San Antonio on Saturday and then Cleveland on Monday. Expect the 7'5" All-Star back for one of those.
Indiana Pacers @sac, @uta, PHI, @cle
David Harrison (shoulder) ? day-to-day
L.A. Clippers SA, @gs, DET
Shaun Livingston (knee) ? out for the season
Sam Cassell (groin, ankle) ? day-to-day, might miss a couple games
Zeljko Rebraca (back) ? out indefinitely
Tim Thomas (back spasms) ? day-to-day
It was an absolutely horrific scene when 21-year-old guard Shaun Livingston dislocated his knee during a fast break Monday night. You couldn't help but shreak out loud at the site of his leg completely buckling underneath him. After tearing his ACL, PCL and MCL, tearing cartilage and dislocating his kneecap, he'll miss the remainder of this season and probably next year's as well, putting more of a load on Sam Cassell and backup point guard Daniel Ewing. Cassell tweaked his groin Wednesday night and could be in store for a few DNPs now. Ewing is only averaging 2.8 PPG and 1.1 APG, seeing sparing minutes up to this point, but is assured to get a ton more burn in the wake of these injuries. Keep your eye on him in deeper leagues.
L.A. Lakers @min, @mil, @phi, DAL
Vladimir Radmanovic (shoulder) ? likely out for regular season
Chris Mihm (ankle) ? out for the season
Luke Walton (ankle) ? day-to-day, doubtful for Friday vs. Sac
Kwame Brown (ankle) ? day-to-day, might return in week 19
Memphis Grizzlies @tor, @atl, @cha
Chucky Atkins (ankle) ? out indefinitely
Brian Cardinal (knee surgery) ? out for the season
Early reports on Atkins' ankle injury don't look to promising for the veteran. He left Wednesday's contest in a therapeutic boot and could miss an extended period. This is good news for Damon Stoudamire, who stands to see a big spike in minutes at the point.
Miami Heat ATL, CHI, MIN, WAS
Dwyane Wade (shoulder) ? considering season-ending surgery
Wayne Simien (salmonella) ? out indefinitely
Flash is scheduled to meet with doctors on Friday and make a decision as to whether or not he's going to go under the knife for season-ending surgery. He's been pondering the decision for the past week, but it sounds like the All-Star is leaning towards shutting it down so he can make a full recovery for next season. In his absence, Jason Williams and Shaquille O'Neal have picked up their games the most. JWill is averaging 13.3 PPG and 4.8 APG with 10 3-pointers in those four games, while logging an impressive 32.8 minutes per game with lingering abdomen and knee injuries.
Milwaukee Bucks @orl, LAL, CLE
Bobby Simmons (heel) ? out for the season
Dan Gadzuric (shoulder) ? return late March
Earl Boykins (thumb) ? out indefinitely, might be out for year
Minnesota Timberwolves LAL, @mia, @atl
Eddie Griffin (team decision) ? not expected to return
Mark Madsen (ankle) ? out until mid-March
NOK Hornets @den, @pho, @uta
Peja Stojakovic (back) ? out indefinitely, might be out for the season
New Jersey Nets @dal, @hou, @sa
Nenad Krstic (knee) ? out for the season
Richard Jefferson (ankle) ? expected to return in early March
Antoine Wright (elbow) ? day-to-day
The Nets are hoping that Jefferson will start practicing with the team again around March 7. He's been out since Jan. 20 and has able to shoot some jumpers over the past week. However, the true test will be when he starts exploding and jumping on his surgically repaired ankle. Keep him reserved for week 19, but it sounds like there's a chance he could return during the week sometime.
New York Knicks SEA, @was
David Lee (ankle) ? day-to-day, might return Fri vs. GS
Jamal Crawford (ankle) ? might be out for the season
Nate Robinson (flu) ? day-to-day
Steve Francis (knee) ? day-to-day, returning to practice Thursday
Orlando Magic MIL, CHI, @hou
Grant Hill (foot) ? day-to-day
Tony Battie (thumb) ? return early March
Philadelphia 76ers SEA, LAL, @ind
Shavlik Randolph (ankle) ? hoping to return in mid-March
Rodney Carney (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
A recent MRI revealed that Carney has a torn rotator cuff and labrum and is considered out indefinitely. That means more minutes for Willie Green, who has shown flashes of brilliance and ineptitude this season. He started Wednesday and came through with 20 points, and should continue to get regular burn for the immediate future.
Phoenix Suns CHA, NO
Shawn Marion (finger) ? day-to-day
Boris Diaw (back) ? day-to-day
Just two games on the slate for Phoenix this week; feel free to keep Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire in your starting units, but the Matrix, Diaw, Raja Bell and the red-hot Leandro Barbosa are risky options. Barbosa has scored in double digits in 15 straight and has canned a 3-pointer in 19 in a row. He's No. 7 in the NBA in treys (123) despite being the fifth offensive option with the high-flying Suns.
Portland Trailblazers SA, GS
Darius Miles (knee surgery) ? out for the season
Joel Przybilla (knee) ? out for the season
Raef LaFrentz (heel) ? out indefinitely
LaMarcus Aldridge broke out for a monster 30-point game Thursday night in the wake of the announcement that Przybilla would be shut down for the remainder of the season. He hit 12-of-19 shots and snared six boards in a preview of what's to come for the young Blazers squad. With Portland not a likely playoff team, Aldridge will get major minutes down the stretch.
Sacramento Kings IND, SA, DEN
Ron Artest (personal) ? day-to-day
San Antonio Spurs @lac, @por, @sac, NJ
Seattle Sonics @ny, @phi, @bos, @tor
Ray Allen (ankle) ? out indefinitely
Danny Fortson (knee) ? out indefinitely
Robert Swift (knee) ? out for the season
Allen missed Thursday's game because of inflammation in his left ankle that has been bothering him since January. He's able to shoot the lights out still, but has no explosiveness driving to the hoop. His status for Sunday's contest is very questionable at this point so be cautious starting him until he gets evaluated by a doctor.
Toronto Raptors @was, MEM, SEA
Anthony Parker (ankle) ? day-to-day
Utah Jazz CHA, IND, NO
Deron Williams (wrist) ? day-to-day
Washington Wizards TOR, @atl, NY, @mia
Caron Butler (back) ? day-to-day
Antawn Jamison (knee) ? day-to-day
According to a Wizards team source, the team is expected to get back some firepower on Sunday ? but they didn't specify on if it would be Butler or Jamison. Coach Eddie Jordan seemed to think Jamison was closer to returning to action than Butler, who continues to be plagued by back spasms. With four games in week 19, both a fine plays if healthy so monitor their status until the 11th hour.
