NBA News/NBA Players News 3/10/07

[Hache Man]

Much of this is Fantasy Basketball News

However, it is great info/capping material which keeps you in the know......









Crunch Time

There are officially five weeks remaining in fantasy basketball, so we are officially in crunch-time. Waiver-wire gems continue to pop up left and right though, so it's key to continue to manage your rosters as we approach our fantasy playoffs. Guys like Brian Cook, Eddie Jones, Chuck Hayes, Earl Watson and Willie Green have picked up their games late and are worthy additions down the stretch. In this edition of The Week Ahead, we'll touch on these players, as well as recap the latest on the injury front for Joe Johnson, Jason Kapono, Delonte West and Jermaine O'Neal, as well as break down the entire league's schedule for week 20.

[SIZE=+1]Keep An Eye On: [/SIZE]
statistics exclusively from 2/22 ? 3/7:
The Blazers have been a very pleasant surprise in the West this season, and have a bright future with their nucleus of young players. Coach Nate McMillan just awarded the starting center duties to rookie LaMarcus Aldridge and the No. 2 selection has responded. The 21-year-old is averaging 13 PPG and 6.2 RPG over the past couple weeks, including his first 30-point performance. In fact, he's never even had a 20-point game. He'll get steady minutes the rest of the way and is going to be something special down the road.
In a perfect world for Phil Jackson, Brian Cook would be coming off the bench sparingly, while Lamar Odom and Luke Walton got the majority of minutes at the swingman positions. However, injuries have put a damper on the zen master's ideal plans. With Odom possibly out for the season and Walton out at least another week, Cook has been awarded a large role in L.A.'s offense once again. He's averaging 18.7 PPG, 9 RPG and 1.7 BPG the past three contests and is one of the most popular pickups in fantasy now. He should continue to have value the final couple months, so scoop up the lanky forward.
The Jazz have been getting some steady scoring from veteran Matt Harpring recently as they continue to cruise away with the Northwest Division (41-19, 11 games in front of Denver). The scrappy forward is averaging a respectable 17.6 PPG on 56% shooting over his past seven contests. Utah will be on an east-coast road trip in week 20 and Harpring is a nice option with the four-game slate.
Sonics coach Bob Hill has been known to shake things up from time to time, and fantasy owners know that Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis are the only two players in Seattle you can always count on, when healthy. Most recently, Luke Ridnour has lost his value with a demotion to the bench in favor of Earl Watson. The new starting point guard is averaging a cool 11.6 PPG, 5.5 APG and 1.5 SPG, while hitting 12 3-pointers over his past eight games. With Ridnour dealing with a pain in the neck ? and I'm not referring to Hill's coaching style ? Watson will continue to be a decent No. 3 fantasy guard.
It took an injury to Rodney Carney to give Willie Green his starting role again, but the fourth-year guard has made the most of his opportunity. He's 16 PPG in his past four contests and will continue being a mainstay with coach Mo Cheeks' first unit for the foreseeable future due to his fine play. The Sixers are slated for four contests next week, so expect strong numbers from Green ? use him as your No. 3 guard.

[SIZE=+1]Game Totals in Week 20: [/SIZE]
Five games: none
Four games: BOS, CHA, DAL, DET, HOU, LAC, MIA, NJ, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA
Three games: ATL, CHI, CLE, DEN, GS, IND, LAL, MEM, MIL, MIN, NO, NY, SA, SEA
Two games: WAS

[SIZE=+1]Interesting Matchups: [/SIZE]
Monday, March 12 - Houston @ Phoenix:
It's your classic confrontation ? offense vs. defense? The Rockets enter Monday's contest with the No. 2 ranked defense in the league, surrendering a paltry 90.8 PPG, while the high-powered Suns are scoring a jaw dropping 110.7 PPG ? more than five PPG more than any other squad. With Yao Ming back in the fold, Houston is a team to be reckoned heading into the postseason.

Wednesday, March 14 - Phoenix @ Dallas:
Who gets your vote for MVP this season? Dirk Nowitzki or Steve Nash? They are undoubtedly the top two selections for the awards. After being teammates for six seasons in Dallas, the two superstars remain very close friends. It's amazing to believe that the Mavs actually landed both players on the same night ? Draft Day 1998 ? before Nash returned to Phoenix as a free agent in 2004. To this point, Dallas has the best record in the league (51-9, 16 straight wins), while the Suns have the second-best (44-14).

Thursday, March 15 - L.A. Lakers @ Denver:
Thursday's TNT matchup consists of three of the top-five scorers in the game. Carmelo Anthony leads the way with a 30.2 PPG average, while defending scoring champion, Kobe Bryant, ranks right behind him at 29.2 PPG. Allen Iverson has fallen to No. 5, but is averaging five points less with Denver than he was in Philly. In his career, the Answer has four scoring titles ? only Michael Jordan (10) and Wilt Chamberlain (seven) have more.

Saturday, March 17 - Phoenix @ Denver:
Saturday's tilt between the Nuggets and Suns is assured to be a fast paced, high-scoring barnburner. The fantasy stud-trios of Melo, Iverson and Marcus Camby will go toe-to-toe with Shawn Marion, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. Phoenix won their only meeting this year, 113-108, led by 36 points and 13 boards from Amare.

Sunday, March 18 - Dallas @ Detroit:
Sunday's A.B.C. matinee matchup between the Mavs and Pistons features the No. 1 seeds in each conference, and possibly a preview of this year's Finals. It also features the losers of each of the past two championships. In February, Detroit went 10-1, while the Mavs cruised to a perfect 10-0 mark. Dallas has quietly won 37 of the past 39 games now ? the best run in the history of the league.

[SIZE=+1]Team-by-Team Injuries/Schedule: [/SIZE]
Atlanta Hawks PHI, @bos, @ind
Joe Johnson (leg) ? might be out for the season
Marvin Williams (back) ? day-to-day
Speedy Claxton (knee) ? day-to-day, might be out for the season
Johnson could be out three to four weeks, and possibly the rest of the season with a deep contusion in his right calf muscle. J.J. was kicked by Esteban Batista Monday vs. Miami and was later kneed in the thigh by Eddie Jones. A hematoma formed under the calf muscle later that night, and Johnson had to go to the hospital the next morning. If he doesn't get some rest, it's possible he could develop compartment syndrome, which occurs when the blood builds up in the pocket between the muscle and the bone, requiring draining. In his absence, look for Josh Childress and Salim Stoudamire to see an increase in scoring.

Boston Celtics @chi, ATL, @dal, @sa
Theo Ratliff (back) ? out for the season
Tony Allen (knee) ? out for the season
Wally Szczerbiak (ankle) ? out for the season
Ryan Gomes (foot) ? day-to-day, doubtful for Friday
Delonte West (concussion) ? day-to-day, doubtful for Friday

Charlotte Bobcats ORL, SAC, LAC, @mil
Othella Harrington (knee) ? might return in early March
Sean May (knee) ? out until at least mid-March
Emeka Okafor (calf) ? out indefinitely, might return in week 20
Brevin Knight (abdominal) ? day-to-day
Monday's contest would have featured one of the best up-and-coming rivalries in the league, but it looks like it won't happen now because of a nagging calf injury to Okafor. Dwight Howard and Okafor represent two of the best young bigmen in the game; they were selected No. 1 and 2 in the 2003 draft and then righteously finished 1 and 2 in the Rookie of the Year balloting later that year. This season, both players rank in the top-five in rebounding and are double-double threats every time they lace 'em up. Okafor has been out since Feb. 24, but it sounds like there is a slim chance he could return in week 20.

Chicago Bulls BOS, @phi, @mem
Andres Nocioni (foot) ? hoping to return in early April
Malik Allen (heart) ? day-to-day

Cleveland Cavaliers SAC, @mem, UTA
Daniel Gibson (toe) ? out until mid-March

Dallas Mavericks @gs, PHO, BOS, @det
After starting out 0-4, Dallas has gone 51-5 since. That's ri-freakin-diculous and is also the best run in the history of the NBA. 70 wins are a realistic goal for the best squad in the game. They'll be tested with games against Detroit and Phoenix this week. The Pistons are one of the few squads that actually have beaten them since the first week of the season.

Denver Nuggets POR, LAL, PHO
Kenyon Martin (knee) ? out for the season
J.R. Smith (knee) ? questionable for Fri vs. Det
Carmelo Anthony (personal) ? day-to-day
Melo missed Wednesday's game against Golden State in order to be present for the birth of his first child, but is expected back for Friday's game against Detroit. Earlier in the week, coach George Karl hinted that he might be removing the league's leading scorer from the starting lineup because he hasn't liked Anthony's attitude and play recently. "I think that's the next move," Karl said of the possibility. "I've told 'Melo in the last two weeks. 'I don't think you're listening as well as you need to listen.' For me, the next step is to change the democracy back to a dictatorship." The Nuggets have gone just 9-12 since he's returned from his 15-game suspension and, despite their immense talent, they are on the bubble for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

Detroit Pistons @sea, @por, @pho, DAL
Lindsey Hunter (suspension) ? out 10 games
Rasheed Wallace (ankle) ? day-to-day, questionable for Fri vs. Den

Golden St. Warriors DAL, MIN, @ sea
It's been a long, cruel season for Jason Richardson this year. After a slow start due to conditioning and getting acclimated with his new coach and teammates, JRich then missed a month and a half due to a broken hand, he's finally putting up the numbers that we expected from him. His scoring improved in each of his first five seasons in the pros, but Richardson is currently averaging a career-worst 14.1 PPG at this point. Following 28-point and 29-point performances this week, that is steadily climbing though. Over the past couple weeks, he's posting 18.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 4.0 APG, and is once again an elite fantasy alternative.

Houston Rockets @pho, LAC, @tor, @phi
Bob Sura (knee surgery) ? out indefinitely, might be out for the season
Bonzi Wells (eye) ? day-to-day
Dikembe Mutombo (knee) ? day-to-day

Indiana Pacers @min, WAS, ATL
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) ? day-to-day
Marquis Daniels (knee) ? day-to-day
O'Neal aggravated a persistent knee injury on Wednesday, but contrary to prior reports that had him out for a week, he is officially listed as questionable for Saturday's game against Philadelphia. He underwent an MRI Thursday and the results are expected back sometime Friday. Let's hope the injury the news isn't as bad as it was for Joe Johnson, Lamar Odom or Dwyane Wade recently.

L.A. Clippers @sa, @hou, @cha, @nj
Shaun Livingston (knee) ? out for the season
Sam Cassell (groin, ankle) ? day-to-day, hopes to return Fri
Zeljko Rebraca (back) ? out indefinitely
Quinton Ross (hip) ? day-to-day
Cassell (strained abdominal, strained groin) who said he hopes to be ready Friday's game, but could remain out until the Clippers begin their final big trip Tuesday at San Antonio. Look for recently acquired Jason Hart to take over the starting point guard job if Cassell misses more time.

L.A. Lakers @den, POR, MIN
Vladimir Radmanovic (shoulder) ? likely out for regular season
Chris Mihm (ankle) ? out for the season
Luke Walton (ankle) ? hoping to play 3/15 vs. Den
Lamar Odom (shoulder) ? might be out for the season
Ronny Turiaf (back) ? day-to-day
Kwame Brown (ankle) ? day-to-day, out Friday
Walton was ruled out for the rest of the Lakers' road trip because of a sprained right ankle that has also been racked by tendinitis. He's hoping to return for next Thursday's contests against the Nuggets. With Odom also sidelined, Brian Cook will continue getting regular minutes at small forward. Odom will wait two to three weeks before deciding a course of action for his torn labrum. It's a similar injury to Dwyane Wade, so he's hoping to return by the end of the regular season to be ready for the playoffs, but feel free to drop him unless you have room on your reserves. ? Kwame Brown (ankle) returned Tuesday night after sitting out the previous two months. He might have come back too early though, as the Philadelphia Enquirer is listing him as out for Friday's contest. That will mean more minutes for Andrew Bynum in the middle.

Memphis Grizzlies NJ, CLE, CHI
Chucky Atkins (ankle) ? day-to-day, might return Sat vs. Cha
Brian Cardinal (knee surgery) ? out for the season

Miami Heat UTA, @nj, SAC, ORL
Dwyane Wade (shoulder) ? hoping to return just before playoffs
Jason Kapono (ankle) ? might return in mid-March
Wayne Simien (salmonella) ? out indefinitely
Dorell Wright (flu) ? day-to-day
Kapono, who suffered a high left ankle sprain on Monday, will be reevaluated in 10 days and is expected to miss at least six games. Coach Pat Riley said that he would be out for an indefinite stretch, adding, "It's going to be a while." In his absence, look for Antoine Walker or James Posey to get extra burn. Walker pitched in with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on Wednesday, but is infamously known as a streaky player, while Posey started, logged 37 minutes and drew an impressive four charges on the defensive side of the ball.

Milwaukee Bucks TOR, SA, CHA
Bobby Simmons (heel) ? out for the season
Dan Gadzuric (shoulder) ? return late March
Earl Boykins (thumb) ? out until at least late March

Minnesota Timberwolves IND, @gs, @lal
Eddie Griffin (team decision) ? not expected to return
Mark Madsen (ankle) ? out until mid-March
Trenton Hassell (ankle) ? out indefinitely, doubtful this weekend

NOK Hornets NJ, @ny, @was
Peja Stojakovic (back) ? out indefinitely, might be out for the season

New Jersey Nets @mem, @no, MIA, LAC
Nenad Krstic (knee) ? out for the season
Richard Jefferson (ankle) ? might return Sat @ S.A. or Mon @ Mem
Jefferson (ankle) went through Thursday's practice and could return Friday against the Rockets, although it sounds like Saturday vs. the Spurs is more realistic.

New York Knicks @tor, NO, TOR
David Lee (ankle) ? out indefinitely
Jamal Crawford (ankle) ? out for regular season
Nate Robinson (flu) ? day-to-day
Stephon Marbury has been on a tear recently, especially from the perimeter. Coney Island's Finest is averaging a cool 29.1 PPG and 5.0 APG in his past seven contests, including 30-of-59 from 3-point range. With Crawford sidelined the remainder of the regular season, Steph is doing his best to carry New York into the postseason. With three games this week, he's a must-start in all formats. ? Lee is probably out for Saturday's game against Washington and could miss another week with his high ankle sprain.

Orlando Magic @cha, UTA, SAC, ORL
Hedo Turkoglu (face) ? day-to-day
Tony Battie (thumb) ? return mid-March

Philadelphia 76ers @atl, CHI, UTA, HOU
Shavlik Randolph (ankle) ? hoping to return in mid-March
Rodney Carney (shoulder) ? out indefinitely

Phoenix Suns HOU, @dal, DET, @den

Portland Trailblazers @den, DET, @lal, SEA
Darius Miles (knee surgery) ? out for the season
Joel Przybilla (knee) ? out for the season
Raef LaFrentz (heel) ? out indefinitely

Sacramento Kings @cle, @cha, @mia, @orl
Ron Artest (team suspension) ? out indefinitely
The police have responded to five 911 calls from the Artest household since last August, two of which were in regards to domestic disturbance. Trouble seems to find Mr. Artest. If you rolled the dice on him, he's definitely been a bit of a nightmare at times. He's out indefinitely now after the most recent arrest and his comeback is very up in the air. John Salmons has taken his place in the starting lineup and is a decent pickup all a sudden. He should get 30-plus minutes per contest and is known to fill up the stat sheet when given the playing time. Grab him if you still can.

San Antonio Spurs LAC, @mil, BOS

Seattle Sonics DET, GS, @por
Luke Ridnour (neck) ? out indefinitely
Danny Fortson (knee) ? out indefinitely
Robert Swift (knee) ? out for the season
Ridnour (neck) will not travel with the Sonics for their weekend games against Boston and Toronto. He plans to stay in Seattle and rehab the herniated disc in his neck before returning to action on Tuesday. Ridnour needs to have a full range of motion before he gets back on the court. Watson should be a fine play again next week because of this.

Toronto Raptors @mil, NY, HOU, @ny
Anthony Parker (ankle) ? day-to-day
With Parker sidelined with an ankle injury, it has opened the door for former Blazer Juan Dixon to get some decent playing time. He was inserted into the starting-five on Tuesday and has logged 30-plus minutes in three of the past four contests now. He erupted for 24 points against Cleveland last week, then followed it with 14 points in his first start. This production could be short-lived though, as Parker is expected to return on Sunday.

Utah Jazz @mia, @orl, @phi, @cle

Washington Wizards @ind, NO
Etan Thomas (personal) ? day-to-day
Just two games on the slate for Washington. Although it's hard to bench any of the big-trio, their value will be somewhat limited this period.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NBA News/NBA Players 3/10/07

Re: NBA News/NBA Players 3/10/07

<TABLE width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=vaLabel vAlign=top align=middle width=100 rowSpan=5> </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Jermaine O'Neal out three games at least </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Jermaine O'Neal - F/C - IND - Mar. 10 - 11:11 a.m. ET</B> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>After undergoing an MRI, Jermaine O'Neal (knee) will miss at least the next three games.
The test on O'Neal revealed a sprained left knee. He aggravated it in Wednesday's loss at Utah and the Pacers plan to re-evaluate him after this Wednesday's game against Washington. Even if he is able to return after that, he would only be held to one game in week 20, so keep him reserved. To make matters worse, Marquis Daniels is out for four games and Jamaal Tinsley is doubtful for tonight.
Source: Indianapolis Star
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NBA News/NBA Players News 3/10/07

<TABLE width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=vaLabel vAlign=top align=middle width=100 rowSpan=5> </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Artest could return as early as Sunday </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Ron Artest - F - SAC - Mar. 10 - 10:07 a.m. ET</B> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Ron Artest is expected to return to the Kings very shortly, possibly as early as Sunday against the Nuggets.
All indications are that Artest's absence will be short. Sacramento is two games behind Denver and currently the No. 9 seed in the West, so it would make sense to bring him back for this big game. "I've had some discussions with his attorney, and obviously had discussions with his agent and with Ron, too... It's a serious situation going forward," president Geoff Petrie said. John Salmons will return to his reserve role when Artest does come back.
Source: Sacramento Bee
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NBA News/NBA Players News 3/10/07

<TABLE width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=vaLabel vAlign=top align=middle width=100 rowSpan=5> </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Jefferson expected to rejoin starting-five </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Richard Jefferson - F - NJ - Mar. 10 - 11:04 a.m. ET</B> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Barring a setback, Richard Jefferson (ankle) is expected to start Saturday night in San Antonio.
RJ admitted he was "a little rusty" in his first game back Friday, finishing 1-for-6 with two points. "My wind was fine," Jefferson said. "I didn't really feel fatigued at all." Coach Lawrence Frank added that he is under no minutes restriction, because the ankle is 100 percent sound, but still a little sore. The only limits will be how long Jefferson's wind holds out.
Source: Bergen Record
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NBA News/NBA Players News 3/10/07

<TABLE width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=vaLabel vAlign=top align=middle width=100 rowSpan=5> </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>May might return after 20-game absence </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Sean May - F - CHA - Mar. 10 - 10:17 a.m. ET</B> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>Sean May (sore right knee) returned to practice on Friday and might play Saturday night against Memphis.
May has been out since Jan. 26 with a bone bruise on his right knee, missing a total of 20 straight contests. With Emeka Okafor sidelined as well, Charlotte can definitely use his offense on the low blocks. They've lost seven straight now. If May doesn't play Saturday, it sounds like he'll definitely be back Monday against Orlando.
Source: Charlotte Observer
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NBA News/NBA Players News 3/10/07

Big Al has C?s Rolling
You would think that after Al Jefferson took home last week's Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors and exploded for another 31 points on Friday, Coach Rivers might want to talk about his big man's offensive touch.

Yet, for Rivers, D was the key.

"Al woke up in the second half defensively and he was fantastic. In the first half, we was as bad as he was good in the second half," Rivers said.

The same could be said for the Celtics as a team, as they allowed the Sonics to build a 16-point lead and shoot 66 percent in the opening half. But Boston roared back, holding Seattle to just 31 percent shooting after halftime and going on a key 17-0 run in the third quarter to take over the game.

After last night's 118-103 win, a team that had lost 18 straight has suddenly won five of its past six.

And Big Al is a huge part of that, despite suffering a sprained arch in Boston's game on Wednesday.

He scored 14 of his points in the fourth quarter to help put the game out of reach and also added 16 boards, four assists, two blocks and a steal while shooting an amazingly efficient 13-for-17 from the field.

Clearly, he's not satisfied with a mere Player of the Week Award. How about Player of the Month? With over 25 PPG and over 15 RPG so far in March, Jefferson is definitely an early favorite. The third-year man has taken a huge step forward this year, and become a dominant post player.

Not too shabby for a dude who lasted until the 12th round in the Rotoworld Expert League draft last fall. I've been high on Jefferson since the C's grabbed him 15th overall in 2004, but injuries and inconsistency have held him back in his first two years. While I expected a breakout for Big Al this season if he could stay healthy, I never saw this kind of leap forward coming.

While we marvel at how fast Jefferson has moved on up, in today's Dose we also file injury reports on Delonte West, Emeka Okafor, Mickael Pietrus, Jermaine O'Neal, Maurice Evans, Jason Kapono, Earl Boykins, Trenton Hassell, Antoine Wright, Boris Diaw, Luke Ridnour, Anthony Parker and Caron Butler, plus an update on the status of Ron Artest.

Atlanta Hawks

Marvin Williams returned to the Hawks' lineup Friday, a mere game and a half after taking a beat down by Shaq Daddy that resulted in a back contusion. Williams managed 17 points, two assists, two steals and a block before fouling out.

Boston Celtics

Gerald Green has been shifted into the Celtic starting five over Brian Scalabrine. Give the kid a Tommy Point after an immediate contribution of 19 points, three 3-pointers, three boards and an assist. Green's as inconsistent as they come, but I've been expecting big things from him for a while. Perhaps this is the first sign. Speaking of signs, Delonte West's continued headaches in the wake of his concussion suggest that he might be out for a while. Coach Rivers thinks so anyways. West missed Friday's action, and if he's out again Sunday, you'd be best to find a replacement. Check back for a report later in the day, because West, known for his toughness, will try to practice today and get back out there on Sunday. On Friday, the C's went with Rajon Rondo in his stead, so maybe the rook's worth another look. He can help you across the board and pitched in last night with 20 points and a couple of steals, the first time in over a month he's reached double digits in points. Ryan Gomes (strained foot) missed Friday's game and won't be re-evaluated until Sunday, so he might also be a shaky play next week. Rivers suggests that Gomes is "probably, definitely out for Sunday." I see?well, that clears that up.

Charlotte Bobcats

It doesn't look like Emeka Okafor will be ready to return next week as the Bobcats had hoped. He missed practice Friday, so his strained left calf makes the big man a very shaky play in Week 20. The news is better for Sean May, however. He was able to practice yesterday, so he might play tonight after missing the past 20 games with a bone bruise on his knee.

Chicago Bulls

There's great news on the Malik Allen front as he was released from the hospital after being treated for an irregular heartbeat that knocked him out of action on Thursday. A cardiologist will examine Allen back in Chicago this weekend, but the Bulls expect him to make a complete recovery. However, no timetable has been established for his return yet.

Denver Nuggets

New daddy 'Melo returned to the Nuggets last night. Now let's see if he can get his act together and avoid the demotion that's been rumored as a possibility. So far, the results are not encouraging as he sunk just 6-of-21 on Friday for 17 points. Yes, Detroit's defense was all over him, so let's cut him some slack. Anthony should bounce back against the Kings on Sunday (although reports now suggest that Ron Artest could be back for that game). Eduardo Najera was able to play through whatever pain he had in his knee on Friday, pitching in with 11 points. J.R. Smith is having plenty of knee problems himself in the wake of his surgery on February 21. He played on Tuesday, but has been out since and the discomfort he's experienced is now expected to keep him sidelined until Thursday. Keep an eye on A.I. and his elbow, as he fell hard on it again last night. He says he's OK, but this bears tracking.

Detroit Pistons

Rasheed Wallace was able to play through his sore ankle Friday and he exploded for 17 points, 10 boards, five assists, four steals, three 3-pointers and a block. But his most important stat of the night was technical foul No. 16, meaning it's automatic suspension time. Sheed will sit out Sunday, and is now a major risk going forward as he could earn suspensions at any time down the stretch. Wallace owners knew this was coming (doesn't it happen every season?), and now have to roll the dice every week.

Golden St. Warriors

Foul trouble limited Jason Richardson to just 18 minutes last night, so he wasn't much of a factor, managing a mere eight points with one steal. Mickael Pietrus, suffering from stomach flu, was out of the lineup, but with the Warriors nearly back to full strength, there hasn't been much room for him these days anyways.

Houston Rockets

Yao Ming is being held together by tape ? literally. Just a few games into his comeback from a busted leg, Yao dislocated a finger Wednesday and played last night with two fingers taped together. It didn't seem to affect his FT shooting (12-for-13), so that's a relief. In fact, Yao wound up playing 30 minutes despite missing some time in the second half with a bruised thigh and enjoyed his finest game since coming back with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Still, the big guy is getting beat up a bit. After an argument with Coach Van Gundy about PT, Kirk Snyder was put on the inactive list. It's not as if he had any value before this, but now the chances of him emerging as useful are even more remote.

Indiana Pacers

Indy's injury woes are growing by the day. An MRI on Jermaine O'Neal revealed a sprained left knee, an injury that will force him to the sidelines for at the least the next three games. Marquis Daniels has been ruled out for the next four games or more because of knee tendinitis and Jamaal Tinsley is doubtful for Saturday after skipping practice Friday because of a sore left foot.

L.A. Clippers

Chris Kaman's PT has taken a nosedive this week, and he didn't even start Friday as Coach Dunleavy opted to start Tim Thomas and go with a smaller, faster lineup against the running Warriors. Kaman played only 19 minutes off the bench and managed just six points, six boards and a steal. If his PT remains this low on Sunday, you may be forced to seek another option for next week's play. Sam Cassell returned from his groin injury last night. That's the good news. The bad news is he's obviously nowhere near 100 percent and played just five minutes off the bench behind starter Jason Hart. It doesn't look like Sam-I-Am is close to regaining his starting job.

L.A. Lakers

Kwame Brown did play Friday after all, and how: he enjoyed a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards, while adding four assists and a couple of steals in 34 minutes. Now certainly Brian Cook's foul trouble helped open the door for extra action for Kwame, but he could rapidly pass Andrew Bynum in value with another couple of games like this. The Lakers sound like they won't be signing Scottie Pippen after all. Maurice Evans' knee is bothering him, so it may need to be drained again.

Memphis Grizzlies

Damon Stoudamire hasn't exactly flourished with Chucky Atkins off nursing an ankle injury. Mighty Mouse has shot less than 30 percent from the field in three of his last four games heading into action last night, but he showed signs of life Friday with a 5-for-12 performance for 13 points with nine assists, two steals and one 3-pointer. Atkins should be back later this weekend, so Stoudamire's big chance to have some value will be ending shortly. Pau Gasol was benched for the entire third quarter last night, hence his substandard line of 10 points and four boards. This is the second time recently that Gasol has wound up in Coach Tony Barone's doghouse.

Miami Heat

Shaquille O'Neal has been on fire from the field since the start of February, sinking 61 percent of his shots. He was at it again Friday, nailing 13-of-16 for a season-high 32 points while pulling down nine boards. The big guy can still be a major force offensively it seems. Dwyane Wade says the rehab on his shoulder is on schedule, but it will be weeks before we know whether he will truly be able to return this season. Jason Kapono's protective cast will be removed from his ankle in about a week, but he'll likely need some extra time after that to rehab before returning to the Heat.

Milwaukee Bucks

Earl Boykins, out with torn ligaments in this thumb, thinks he'll be able to come back in a couple of weeks, but with a healthy Michael Redd, Mo Williams and Charlie Bell, minutes will be hard to come by. Andrew Bogut, who has never missed a game in his NBA career, is questionable for Saturday after twisting his ankle Wednesday.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Mark Madsen returned from his ankle injury on Friday, but so much for Minny's plan to use him as part of a rotation against Shaquille O'Neal. He played just three minutes, but even if he played significant minutes, Madsen has no fantasy value. Trenton Hassell will miss Saturday's game because of his ankle.

New Jersey Nets

Antoine Wright (sprained elbow) remained sidelined on Friday, providing another opportunity for Bostjan Nachbar to step up. And step up he did, with a career-high 29 points thanks to four triples. Nachbar also pulled down seven boards, but he's been maddening to own given his scoring in the last five: 23, 8, 21, 5, 29. Sense a pattern? I'd expect another lame game from him next time out, but the run may be over anyways with RJ back in the fold. Jefferson only played 16 minutes last night and looked rusty (1-for-6) in his first action since having ankle surgery in late-January, but no doubt that total will be rising soon and will come at the expense of Nachbar. In fact, unless he suffers a setback today, RJ is expected to start tonight.

NOK Hornets

The player that Coach Scott said was "nowhere to be found" over the past few games showed up last night when David West came through with 19 points, nine boards, four assists and a block. Not bad after he crashed for a season-low of just four points on Tuesday, sparking Scott's missing person report.

New York Knicks

Coach Thomas continues to insist that the topic of buying out Steve Francis's contract has never come up. And would you like to buy a bridge in Brooklyn while you're at it? David Lee was able to practice lightly yesterday, but it looks like he'll miss a seventh straight game Saturday.

Philadelphia 76ers

Team president Billy King says Mo Cheeks will return as the coach next season, despite ongoing rumors that Larry Brown would take over. This is a surprisingly fair decision considering Cheeks has essentially got himself a new team in the wake of the A.I. deal. Philly's suddenly won six straight and pretty well blown any chance it had of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Andre Miller played a big role in win No. 6 of this streak when he scored 23 points and dished eight dimes. Miller won't normally take 19 shots in a game, but it sure was nice to see him get his first 20-point game of this calendar year.

Phoenix Suns

Raja Bell had to spend some time in the locker room last night after knocking knees with Desmond Mason. Bell returned to the court, so I don't expect this to be a problem, especially since he wound up with 17 points and drained five treys. To be safe, monitor him this weekend. Is Shawn Marion's hand still bothering him? He only attempted six shots Friday, his lowest number of the season and just the sixth time all year he had less than 10 shots. The Matrix wound up with a mere six points as a result, but he pitched in with 11 boards, five assists and a block. Marion had a nice game on Wednesday, so I'm going to guess this was an anomaly and expect a bounce back next time out. Boris Diaw, who played 37 minutes last night, said he had some back pain after the game. Let's hope this doesn't sideline him again, as he was reticent to play with pain previously.

Sacramento Kings

I didn't expect to see Ron Artest back until at least after his March 22 arraignment, but now there are indications he will return to the Kings as soon as Sunday. This is a surprise, but with a big game against Denver coming up that has heavy playoff implications, apparently Artest's legal woes will be overlooked for the time being.

Seattle Sonics

The Danny Fortson situation reached a head this week in Seattle when he missed shootaround on Tuesday and then skipped practice Thursday, as he apparently didn't think he had to be there. The Sonics have suspended him for two games without pay, a sentence that will cost the troubled big man $146,577. Fortson has been out since January 5, battling a sore knee and another malady, best described as general ineffectiveness. Chris Wilcox looks like he's snapping out of his funk, recording his second double-double of March on Friday when he scored 12 points and pulled down 10 boards. Wilcox's minutes are creeping back up again, so he could be in store for a hot streak. Luke Ridnour is making nice progress from his herniated disc, and is expected to be ready to get back in action on Tuesday.

Toronto Raptors

Anthony Parker, out for the past five games because of an ankle sprain, will likely be back in action Sunday after he was able to practice with the team on Friday. Juan Dixon should head back to the bench, but he definitely opened some eyes in Parker's absence.

Utah Jazz

Mehmet Okur says he will be away from the team when his wife gives birth to their first child, expected to happen on March 22. The Jazz only play three games that week, so Okur probably won't be worth using in Week 21.

Washington Wizards

Caron Butler, after apparently was kicked in the knee on Wednesday, skipped practice Friday as his knee was swollen. But there was no pain, X-rays were negative, and Butler is expected to be in action Saturday. It looks like you can keep him active. Etan Thomas, who's been out for personal reasons, is expected to return to the Wizards tonight.