NBA News/NBA Player News 1/30/07

[Hache Man]

Once again, much of this is Fantasy Basketball News

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









Do You Trust This Shoulder?
Injuries: an equal-opportunity destroyer and creator of value. LeBron James is just the most recent NBA superstar to be dealing with a physical malady, and unless he (again) returns to action before his sore toe fully heals, it probably won't be easier to target him in trade than it is right now. Because of that, the man in need of a Sprite-sponsored theme song finds himself among the Buy-Low crowd this week.

Buy Low

Dwight Howard – F/C, Orlando Magic
Guess how many times Howard has been held under 10 rebounds in back-to-back games this season. Before Monday night, it was just once, coming on November 3 and 5. So what, you ask? The 21-year-old beast man has been an automatic double-double on most nights, and the aforementioned occurrence obviously has been extremely rare. And this newest two-game absence of double-digit rebounds came in a home-and-away series with the Hawks – four on Friday and seven last night – meaning that the funk likely is out of his system. I'll give you that buying Howard at a lowered rate would be very difficult (and would require immediate action), but this might be the last time this season that he's held to such a low total of boards in two straight games.

Andris Biedrins – F/C, Golden State Warriors
By simply perusing the game log of Biedrins since the eight-player swap between Golden State and Indiana, one might think that the acquisition of Al Harrington has hurt the value of the 20-year-old big man. And even though the Latvian youngster has averaged just 8.5 points and 6.5 boards since Harrington came to town, a slightly closer examination reveals that he was in foul trouble for three of the four contests and was kept out of the end of the fourth due to it being a blowout. Biedrins has no real competition for minutes at center now that Troy Murphy is gone, so now is a great time to buy him.

Earl Watson – PG, Seattle SuperSonics
Watson was sensational for his first five games after moving into the Seattle starting lineup, averaging 9.4 points, 10.8 assists, 1.4 3-pointers and 0.8 steals, but atrocious shooting performances and a near void of long-range success (likely due to a bruised shoulder) have marred his last four affairs. His averages in assists (7.3) and steals (1.75) have held rather strong over that time, however, and though Sonics coach Bob Hill has switched his lineup ad absurdum this season, this new group of starters has enjoyed a decent amount of success. Unless Watson's shoulder suddenly causes him to lose large chunks of court time, he should bounce back in the near future.

LeBron James – SF, Cleveland Cavaliers; Ben Wallace – C, Chicago Bulls; Carlos Boozer – F/C, Utah Jazz
Having this group of players as buy-low candidates has absolutely nothing to do with performance. That's not a surprise; each of the three has been an upper-echelon fantasy option this season. But all three currently are dealing with injuries, and nothing panics fantasy owners more than lost production. And though none figures to miss much time – LeBron, for example, may not sit for more than a few games to rest his toe ailment – it's easiest to acquire studs while they're not on the court. The maladies of Wallace (sprained left knee) and Boozer (bruised left knee) may subdue their production once they return, so the duo of big men may also have their stock at a low for a little while.

Andrea Bargnani – SF/PF, Toronto Raptors
Suffice it to say that the No. 1 pick of the 2006 draft was catching fire from downtown in January before the flu forced him to miss a game last week. Up to that point in the month, Bargnani sank 24 of 53 attempts (45%) from beyond the arc, putting him at 2.1 threes per contest. In the two games since his return, the six-foot-ten small forward has struggled; he scored just nine total points with one 3-pointer in the last two games. Bargnani won't help much in rebounds, but anyone looking for a solid third forward that can get threes and blocks should try to acquire him while he's down.

Sell High

Gerald Wallace – SG/SF/PF, Charlotte Bobcats
We all know the inherent risk in having Wallace on fantasy teams. Still, many of us have been incapable of breaking ourselves from the sweet addiction that is his fantasy stats when healthy. Well, Wallace currently is dealing with a previously separated shoulder that he says will bother him for the remainder of the season. Given his predilection for missing time, that may not bode well. Wallace's numbers since returning from his seven-game hiatus – 20.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG and 0.6 SPG – have been outstanding, and that should make it easy for concerned owners to get significant value in return for him.

Anthony Parker – SG/SF, Toronto Raptors; José Calderon – PG, Toronto Raptors
In a resurgent return to the NBA, Parker has proven that he's capable of being with the big boys. His stats have improved each month since the season began, and those from January (13.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.1 3PG, 1.4 SPG) should have made him a fantasy starter in just about every league. But his value doesn't figure to get much higher than it is right now, especially while T.J. Ford is out with a sprained ankle. If you can package Parker with another solid player to acquire a substantial upgrade, go for it.

Calderon, meanwhile, has been the major beneficiary of Ford's absence. Parker's shots have been up a bit in the four games that Ford has missed, but Calderon, who proved last season that he could put up many assists while running the point, has had excellent value. The 25-year-old Spanish guard should soon go back to fantasy irrelevance unless Ford is hurt worse than currently is known; Calderon's numbers in the last four games (14.25 points, 9.25 assists, 1.0 threes and 1.0 steals) may enable him to be traded for something of minor value.

Smush Parker – PG, Los Angeles Lakers
Outside of 3-pointers, steals and modest amounts of points, Smush practically contributes nothing to fantasy teams. His assists numbers are even worse than last year, which is hard to fathom despite the Lakers' offense running through Kobe, and even his free-throw percentage is poor. But Parker's averages in threes and steals have been higher in January than in any other month this season, and owners desperate for help in both categories probably will bite on those respectable numbers.

Ricky Davis – SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves
It remains to be seen whether Davis' team-imposed, one-game suspension on January 21 quelled the angst between him and the Timberwolves, but the 27-year-old guard-forward has maintained his blazing ways over the past four weeks. Davis has shot 47.8 percent from long distance in the month of January, nailing 2.1 per game in the process. That average is by far his best of the season; Davis made just 17 of his 68 attempts (25%) from behind the arc during the 2006 portion of his second year in Minnesota. If you'd like to cash in on his hot streak or are worried that his problems with the team could get him shipped out of town, go ahead and put out feelers for Davis.

Chucky Atkins – PG, Memphis Grizzlies
Even though the veteran guard isn't owned in too many leagues, he currently is riding high due to Damon Stoudamire's bout with back spasms. The ailment has definitely impacted the stats of Mighty Mouse, although he already has posted a 10-assist performance since it seemed to be at its worst. Atkins, however, took advantage: he had 15 assists and six 3-pointers in the contest that Stoudamire originally left due to the spasms. Chucky (22 points, seven assists, three 3-pointers and a steal) had another nice night on Monday, and his averages from the first month of 2007 (13.9 PPG, 5.8 APG, 1.7 3PG, 0.6 SPG) should be sound enough to find a taker.

[Hache Man]

	Iverson injures ankle, drops 31 points
	Allen Iverson - G - DEN - Jan. 30 - 12:19 a.m. ET
	Allen Iverson had team-highs of 31 points and eight assists in Monday's loss to the Bobcats. Iverson rolled his right ankle coming down for a rebound with eight minutes left in the second quarter. He went to the trainer's room to get retaped and returned two minutes later and played the rest of the game. He'll be evaluated again Tuesday but should be available for Wednesday's contest against Portland.Jan. 30 - 12:19 a.m. ET

[Forecast 28]

Hache Man: You had a good idea yesterday that Minnesota might
give Phoenix trouble...I made the mistake of thinking that the
afternoon-to-night situation wouldn't bother Phoenix that
much, but they faded in the second half...I saw the game, and
Kevin Garnett played the best game I have seen, without a
doubt, by any player this season...Surprised that you were talking
up Denver yesterday...I thought we had agreed down in
the Bahamas that they have a fair share of unanswered
questions...I will get back to you via e-mail in the next
few days.

[Hache Man]

KG Cools Off Suns
It took Kevin Garnett's finest performance of the season to finally cool of the Suns. Phoenix's 17-game winning streak came to a halt 121-112, courtesy of the T-Wolves and a 44-point explosion by the Big Ticket on Monday.

Garnett, who added 11 rebounds, shot 18-of-29 from the field and was at his best down the stretch, scoring 15 points in the fourth against a Suns' team that came in having won 33 of their past 35. Just two other teams have done that in NBA history, so this win for Minny was huge.

The 44-point show represented the second-best scoring output of KG's career. Ironically, his highest scoring game (47 points) also came against Phoenix, back in 2005. All told, his was Garnett's first 40-point effort of the year and the fourth of his career.

On the injury front, the Dose has the latest on LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, Wally Szczerbiak, Steve Francis and T.J. Ford plus some huge suspension news about Kobe.

Atlanta Hawks

You think Joe Johnson likes to play the Magic? The past five times his Hawks have beaten Orlando, Johnson has been the main man, averaging over 31 PPG. On Monday, he was up to old magic tricks, using a huge second half to wind up with 34 points, six boards and five assists to lead Atlanta over Orlando. Johnson is up to 24.9 PPG for the year, increasing his scoring average every season he's been in the NBA. Johnson's recent hot play has been made possible by Josh Smith's return to prominence. If there were any doubts that J-Smooth is over his hernia issues, you can dispel them after he recorded a fourth straight double-double last night. His numbers over this stretch are now 20.5 PPG and 11 RPG. This pair gives Atlanta a tremendous one-two punch.

Boston Celtics

Wally Szczerbiak's ankle wasn't feeling any ill effects in practice yesterday. That's the good news. The bad news is his shooting touch was left on the sidelines. Does 30 percent shooting over the past nine games turn you on? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Charlotte Bobcats

Gerald Wallace scored 25 points with 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks (including a key swat in the final minute) Monday to propel the Bobcats to victory. Pushed to PF while Emeka Okafor takes over center for the injured Primoz Brezec, Wallace has stepped up his work on the glass, averaging 8.9 boards for the past seven games. Speaking of Okafor, he can't miss lately. After last night's 9-for-12 performance, he's now shooting almost 70 percent over the past seven games. Sean May's knee is bugging him again, forcing him out on Monday. No word on when he'll be back.

Chicago Bulls

It looks like Ben Gordon in well on his way to a second Sixth Man Award in the past three years, guiding the Bulls to a 3-1 mark last week by averaging over 26 points, over four boards and over four assists per game. Assuming Gordon doesn't remain a starter for the rest of the year, I like his chances of bagging the hardware considering he's up to a career-best 21.6 PPG and 3.6 APG through 45 games. Ben Wallace's knee injury has improved to the point that he was off crutches Monday. He still couldn't practice but at least he could walk normally. Originally, there were fears that the injury could end his season, but now there's even a chance he could play as soon as Wednesday. Consider Big Ben day-to-day.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Gulp. LeBron James' bruised and sprained toe isn't getting any better while he tries to play through it, so that will likely mean he'll need to sit for a spell, probably starting Tuesday against the Warriors. After tweaking the toe twice in Sunday's loss, King James sat out the team's full-contact practice session on Monday. The idea of sitting infuriates LeBron, but he understands that he'll keep re-injuring the toe if he doesn't allow it time to heal. And playing on a bum toe is limiting his explosiveness. James is officially a game-time decision for tonight's contest. Does that sink the Cavs? Not necessarily. Cleveland is actually 7-2 without LeBron since he joined the club in 2003. He needs to sit for a game or two and nip this problem in the bud before it becomes a more serious issue when the team will be jockeying for playoff positioning down the stretch. Meanwhile, Daniel Gibson will start over Eric Snow at PG tonight. It will end a streak of 139 straight starts by Snow, and hopefully will add some offense to the Cavs' attack. Keep an eye on Gibson as a possible waiver wire addition.

Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki, riding a streak of eight straight double-doubles, will look to lead Dallas to a 14th straight home victory tonight against the Sonics.

Denver Nuggets

Allen Iverson rolled his ankle in the second quarter Monday, but after getting it taped up, got right back out there. He'll be evaluated today, but I expect A.I. to be fine for tomorrow's game considering he wasn't exactly slowed by the injury, leading the Nuggets with 31 points and eight assists. Steve Blake missed both his shots last night, each of them 3-point tries, in taking a goose egg. He did pitch in with five assists, however, so the dimes should maintain his fantasy value. It's been five games since Carmelo Anthony returned from his lengthy suspension, and he's averaging 29.4 PPG. However, Denver has dropped three straight, even though both its big guns are firing on all cylinders. What's up with that?

Detroit Pistons

Rasheed Wallace will look to build on his recently improved scoring numbers as Detroit takes aim at Eastern Conference supremacy (which is rapidly becoming the NBA equivalent of kissing your sister) against the Wizards on Tuesday.

Golden St. Warriors

Al Harrington is on fire right now and the timing is perfect with the Warriors about to embark on their longest road trip of the year. They might catch a break tonight, as there's a good chance the Cavs will be LeBron-less.

Houston Rockets

With Yao Ming expected to remain sidelined for several more weeks, Juwan Howard looks like a great play right now. He sank 10-of-15 from the field last night for 20 points while adding 10 boards and dropping six dimes. It's like Howard's having a Fab Five moment…oh, wait a second…right…the Fab Five never existed. Never mind. T-Mac came through with 25 points, five assists and four boards – despite sitting out in the fourth quarter. He now has at least 24 points in 12 of his last 14 games, but as always, McGrady's back remains a concern.

Indiana Pacers

I like the Pacers' chances of increasing their home winning streak to four games tonight. Injury-riddled Boston is in town and the Celtics have only won five of their past 32 games in Indy, dating back almost 20 years.

L.A. Lakers

Kobe Bryant will have a game to sit and think about throwing his elbows around. After nailing Manu Ginobili in the face on Sunday, Bryant has been slapped with a one-game suspension, to be served tonight when the Lakers square off against the Knicks. I guess the Knicks won't have to worry about who will guard Kobe now, but it's a nasty blow for his owners. In the interest of fantasy owners everywhere, the NBA should only be allowed to announce suspensions on Sundays. Somebody tell David Stern's wife to suggest this idea to the commish. Tell her it will help save endangered animals.

Memphis Grizzlies

Pau Gasol has started to really help owners in the blocks department. After managing 14 blocks over an eight-game stretch, Gasol suddenly has 14 in the past two after swatting eight shots last night. Oh, he managed to score 34 points and pull down eight boards on Monday as well. Gasol's trade value keeps rising. Mike Miller hit another four 3-pointers on his way to a 27-point, six-assist, four-rebound night. We're not even at the all-star break yet and this dude is already just six treys behind his entire total from last year. Eddie Jones has agreed to a contact buyout which could see him waived as soon as today. Wow…we didn't see this one coming. And honestly, until very recently why would anyone care? But Jones has started to produce lately, so owners that started him this week may be left holding the bag.

Miami Heat

Shaq still isn't ready for back-to-backs but tonight he'll play his first home game since November. Let's hope the big man is capable of logging close to 20 minutes as he very slowly returns to form.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks will need more heroics from Mo Williams if they hope to snap a four-game road losing skid tonight in Miami.

Minnesota Timberwolves

We could have a Rashad McCants sighting soon. Coach Wittman says McCants is getting "pretty close" to returning, but the new head man in Minny wants to see the soph in a few more practices before working him into a game. McCants offers a nice outside touch, but his fantasy impact will be minimal other than the minutes he'll take away from the current backcourt rotation. One of the players most likely to be affected by McCants' return is rookie Randy Foye. He had a nice across the board game last night with eight points, six assists and five boards and ranks fifth among rookies with 8.9 PPG, but Foye could see a few less minutes when McCants is ready to get back on the court.

New Jersey Nets

Vinsanity is on one of his patented hot streaks. Carter poured in 33 last night – 29 in the second half after sitting most of the first half with foul trouble – including a 35-foot shot at the buzzer to propel the Nets past the Jazz 116-115. He shot 10-of-15 and in the past three games, he's averaging over 35 PPG. Carter got some help from Eddie House on Monday. This House has looked vacant the past few games, but he drained three 3-pointers en route to 19 points off the bench last night. Of course, House's touches were up because Bostjan Nachbar was a surprising scratch as he came down with the flu. Hopefully, Nachbar will be back at it tonight as he's been on a nice roll.

NOK Hornets

Kudos to those of you who waited on David West while he dealt with an elbow issue for a couple of months. He's rewarding you now with an average of over 16 points and nine rebounds since his return. Last night, West went off for 21 points and 10 boards and as long as Peja and Chris Paul remain sidelined, West is the Hornets' go-to guy. While West is doing the scoring, Tyson Chandler has been the chairman of the boards for the Hornets. After yanking down 16 rebounds while adding 14 points and four blocks Monday, Chandler is now averaging career highs with 11.1 RPG and almost 2 BPG. Best of all, lately he's been an amazingly consistent help to your team in rebounding, reaching double digits off the glass in 11 of 14 games this month.

New York Knicks

Wasn't it interesting how the Steve Francis contact buyout talk died as soon as Stephon Marbury's knee started becoming a problem? Francis is back practicing with the team and says he may need only two more weeks before he returns. The swelling has gone down and suddenly Stevie Franchise may be thrust back into the Knicks' plans this year.

Orlando Magic

Sure, most of us expected Darko Milicic to be the starting PF in Orlando by now. But let's put things in perspective: we're talking about a 21-year-old kid here. After Monday's, nine-point, eight-rebound, two-block effort off the bench, he's now averaging career highs with over 7 PPG, 5.0 RPG and almost 2 BPG in 21.9 MPG. A fantasy stud he is not, but the promise is still tremendous.

Philadelphia 76ers

Andre Miller disappeared last night, managing just six points and two assists in his lowest-scoring game since January 9. He's been very steady this year, so don't sweat it. Philly plays four times next week, so use Miller without hesitation. Willie Green is obviously still slowed by his knee. He managed just two points on 1-6 shooting Monday after getting only three points the game before.

Phoenix Suns

Phoenix's run is finally over at 17, but don't blame Steve Nash. He racked up 20 points, 18 assists and nailed a trio of treys on Monday. He also received yet another feather in his cap for helping to build the winning streak. After leading his Suns to another undefeated week last week with 22.5 PPG and over 14 APG, Nash was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the second straight time, and third time this season. The two-time defending MVP will also have a chance to show off what he can do in the PlayStation Skills Competition on All-Star Saturday, competing against defending champion Dwyane Wade, Kobe and LeBron. What? No Smush Parker this year? Raja Bell keeps dialing long distance. He nailed five 3-pointers last night en route to 26 points, giving him at least three long bombs in nine of the past 11 games. With 120 treys on the year, Bell is behind only Gilbert Arenas and Mike Miller in that department.

Portland Trailblazers

If he stays healthy, Brandon Roy definitely looks like the best bet for the Rookie of the Year. He scored 19 points with four boards and four assists and nailed a pair from downtown on Monday. LaMarcus Aldridge was out of action Monday with a stomach virus. The rook is questionable for Wednesday's game, meaning more minutes are likely for both Joel Przybilla and Jamaal Magloire.

Sacramento Kings

Mike Bibby bounced back after a tough game Saturday with five 3-pointers Monday night. All told, he racked up 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting.

San Antonio Spurs

Note that Tony Parker was dealing with a sprained thumb in the second half of Sunday's game. This may help explain his lackluster 6-for-17 performance from the floor. He did nail all seven free throws, however, so I wouldn't overly worry about this.

Seattle Sonics

Let's see…the Sonics take a 12-game road losing streak into Dallas, winners of 13 straight at home. If I were a betting man…

Toronto Raptors

T.J. Ford, out the past four games with an ankle injury, looks ready to return Wednesday. The Little Engine that Could was back at practice Monday, and his return has Coach Mitchell elated. As well as Jose Calderon has played, Mitchell is worried about the amount of minutes he's had to lug while Ford has been sidelined.

Utah Jazz

Carlos Boozer sat out last night after bruising his knee Saturday. He had an MRI yesterday, but he won't reveal the results until he gets another opinion from his own doctor. Uh, that can't be good news. On the one hand, he says his all-star appearance won't be affected and he hasn't even ruled out playing tomorrow night. On the other hand, Boozer showed up on crutches last night and if the results from the MRI were good, why does he want a second opinion? I'd be worried here. In the meantime, Jarron Collins started for Boozer on Monday. On the plus side for the Jazz, Andrei Kirilenko returned from his ankle injury last night. AK-47 looked rather sluggish, however, managing just eight points, three rebounds and one assist. Foul trouble didn't help, but the fact is Kirilenko is struggling through the worst offensive season of his career.

Washington Wizards

Antawn Jamison, who's scored 69 points in the past two games, will look to keep his Wizards in first place in the East with a win over Detroit tonight. This could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.

[Hache Man]

	LeBron to sit for Tuesday's game
	LeBron James - F - CLE - Jan. 30 - 1:12 p.m. ET
	As his comments alluded yesterday, LeBron James (bruised and sprained toe) will sit out tonight's game against the Warriors. It's a tough break for owners in weekly leagues that started him after he played on Sunday, and they should be ready for a possible multi-game absence from James. The statements of the young superstar certainly foreshadowed an absence. "When you have a sprain, there's not much treatment you can do," he said. "It's not like you can get the swelling to go down by icing it. It's a sprain, so it's something that's going to nag on and nag on if you keep playing on it." Cleveland plays again on Thursday in Miami.Jan. 30 - 1:12 p.m. ET

[Hache Man]

	Hornets' Paul could return as soon as Wednesday
	Chris Paul - G - NO - Jan. 30 - 2:22 p.m. ET
	Chris Paul, who has missed 17 straight games due to a severely sprained ankle, is set to practice today and could even be available for Wednesday night's game against the 76ers. The smallish point guard has taken part in the team's shoot-around workouts and a few running drills over the last week, but today should participate in an intrasquad scrimmage and go through all practice drills. "I'll notice if he limps or if he can't make a shot," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "He's so eager to get back on the court and try it, and we'll see how he looks." Scott prefers for Paul to practice twice before playing in a game, but added that he could play Wednesday if he gets through Tuesday without limitations. Check back for the latest on his condition.Jan. 30 - 2:22 p.m. ET Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune

[Hache Man]

	Shaq injures calf in practice
	Shaquille O'Neal - C - MIA - Jan. 30 - 1:48 p.m. ET
	After pulling a muscle in his left calf during Monday's team practice, Shaquille O'Neal joined Dwyane Wade on the sidelines for the end of the session. Whatever happened doesn't sound good. "Shaq came up lame early on in practice, (and) felt something pop in his calf," interim coach Ron Rothstein said. "We're not sure what the ramifications of that are going to be." It could be a complication of the knee injury that kept him out for two months, but either way, we cannot expect that he'll play tonight against Milwaukee. If the injury turns out to be serious, this will be an absolute waste of a fantasy season for O'Neal.Jan. 30 - 1:48 p.m. ET Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

[Hache Man]

	Kobe Bryant suspended for Tuesday
	Kobe Bryant - G - LAK - Jan. 30 - 12:16 p.m. ET
	Kobe Bryant has been suspended one game without pay for striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili in the face, the league announced Tuesday. The incident occurred on Sunday, with 2.7 seconds remaining in the fourth period of the Lakers 96-94 loss to the Spurs at Staples Center. Bryant will serve his suspension tonight when the Lakers play the Knicks in New York. This is somewhat surprising as the Spurs downplayed the elbow on Monday. "It's probably just a natural movement for a shooter coming down," coach Gregg Popovich said. "I doubt Kobe would do that. That's not his style." Maurice Evans will probably have a big night in place of Kobe. Jan. 30 - 12:16 p.m. ET

[Hache Man]

	Ben Wallace's knee injury not serious
	Ben Wallace - F/C - CHI - Jan. 30 - 12:07 p.m. ET
	Ben Wallace's knee injury is sounding better with each day, as athletic trainer Fred Tedeschi said Monday the team's initial fears of a hyperextension and sprained left knee were false alarms. Wallace suffered a contusion to his tendon below the knee, which is causing pain and swelling. Wallace didn't practice Monday, but is reportedly off crutches, out of an immobilizer and walking normally again. "The way we had to carry him off, we thought we were dealing with potentially a season-ending injury," Tedeschi said. "But our initial exam [on Saturday] looked good. The MRI [on Sunday] confirmed the exam. And now we realize what we're dealing with is where the head hit the front of the knee." Wallace will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip and it's even conceivable he could play on Wednesday, although he's listed as day-to-day.Jan. 30 - 12:07 p.m. ET Source: Chicago Tribune

[Hache Man]

	Wade misses end of Monday's practice
	Dwyane Wade - G - MIA - Jan. 30 - 1:39 p.m. ET
	A chronically sore left knee caused Dwyane Wade to miss the end of Monday's practice session. The Heat are shorthanded once again, and being without Wade for tonight's game against the Bucks would be a blow to both Miami and fantasy owners alike. It doesn't sound like Wade will miss the game, but checking back after tipoff couldn't hurt.Jan. 30 - 1:39 p.m. ET Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

[Hache Man]

Gary Payton - G - Heat

The upper-respiratory infection that caused Gary Payton to miss Saturday's game kept him out of Monday's practice and may sideline him on Tuesday.

Jason Williams is dealing with a pair of ailments, and that could leave rookie Chris Quinn to exclusively run the point tonight against the Bucks. Jan. 30 - 1:58 p.m. ET

[Hache Man]

Jason Williams - G - Heat

In addition to being without Shaquille O'Neal (calf) and Dwyane Wade (knee) for the end of Monday's practice, the Heat did not have Jason Williams (left foot inflammation) or Gary Payton (upper-respiratory infection) present.

Williams also underwent tests for a lower-abdominal strain that came back negative. Both guards may miss tonight's game against Milwaukee, and that would leave rookie Chris Quinn as the lone point guard available for action. If needed, Dorell Wright and Antoine Walker would be called to carry more ball-handling responsibilities. Jan. 30 - 1:55 p.m. ET

[Hache Man]

	Shaq, Jason Williams out on Tuesday
	Shaquille O'Neal - C - MIA - Jan. 30 - 6:40 p.m. ET
	As expected, Shaquille O'Neal is out for Tuesday's game after suffering a calf injury in yesterday's practice. Jason Williams is also out due to a left foot injury and a abdominal strain, so look for Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton to have big games.Jan. 30 - 6:40 p.m. ET

[Hache Man]

	Iverson won't play on Wednesday
	Allen Iverson - G - DEN - Jan. 30 - 6:54 p.m. ET
	ESPN reports that after Allen Iverson sprained his ankle in the first quarter of Monday's loss to Charlotte, he will not play Wednesday night in Portland. www.eog.com AI continued to play against the Bobcats, but the injury pestered him quite a bit once he was done. "I thought I just rolled it and that was that, but it continued to bother me throughout the game," he said. "It tightened up on me real bad when I came out in the fourth quarter." Iverson did not travel with the team and owners probably will have to wait until Thursday for a better idea of his status for Friday. Steve Blake and J.R. Smith likely will start together in the Denver backcourt, giving each a temporary boost in value.Jan. 30 - 6:54 p.m. ET www.fantasysportspicks.com www.eogcontests.com

[Hache Man]

	Q. Richardson out on Tuesday
	Quentin Richardson - G/F - NY - Jan. 30 - 7:29 p.m. ET
	Quentin Richardson is out for Tuesday's contest against the Lakers due to a strained elbow in his shooting arm. We're glad that it wasn't his back acting up, but a bum shooting elbow isn't exactly great news. His absence allowed Jared Jeffries to reenter the starting lineup; check back for updates on Richardson's condition.Jan. 30 - 7:29 p.m. ET

[Hache Man]

Chris Paul - G - Hornets

As expected, Chris Paul practiced on Tuesday and could be back in action on Wednesday or Friday after missing about a month with a sprained ankle.

"I would love to play tomorrow, but Coach (Byron Scott) said to come to shootaround in the morning and I'll see how it feels, and then we'll talk from there," Paul said. "If I don't play tomorrow, hopefully I'll definitely be able to play by Friday." Jan. 30 - 6:44 p.m. ET