NBA Fantasy News 2009-2010

HacheMan · Dec 29, 2009

Milwaukee's Benched
Monday's games were interesting, to say the least, with the Lakers, Celtics, Nuggets and Blazers losing, while former doormats like Memphis, Oklahoma City, Charlotte, Sacramento, Golden State and Philly all won their games. Weird, huh?

Bobcats Take Out Bucks, Stars Benched

The Bobcats beat the Bucks badly last night, and while there isn't much news coming out of Charlotte (other than Flip Murray's 16 points and another big line from Gerald Wallace), the Bucks made all kind of noise. Brandon Jennings hit 9-of-18 shots for 24 points and seven assists, finally giving those of us who own him a reason to smile. Meanwhile, Andrew Bogut, Michael Redd and Carlos Delfino struggled in the first half, causing Scott Skiles to bench them for the entire second half of the game. I look for Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (9 & 10) to replace Delfino for the next game, but you have to think Redd and Bogut's jobs are safe.

Thunder Crush Nets

The Nets lost their 10th straight last night, but got solid production from Yi Jianlian (career-high tying 29 points) and Courtney Lee (17 points, full stat line), while Chris Douglas-Roberts missed another game. He'll dig into Lee's stats when he returns from his sprained ankle, but I still think the two can play together. Rafer Alston also returned from his injury for two points in 12 minutes. Yi should be owned in all leagues, obviously, and Alston is an afterthought as long as Devin Harris and Keyon Dooling are healthy.

The Thunder got 40 from Kevin Durant on 15-of-22 shooting, as he continues to laugh in the face of folks who got down on him after another slow start. Russell Westbrook was solid with a double-double after last week's strong showing, while James Harden went 0-for-10 from the floor. At least he got minutes and shots, right? Nenad Krstic, Nick Collison (double-double) and Serge Ibaka (nine boards) were all effective, with Krstic leading the way with 19 points, seven boards, a steal and a block.

Grizzlies Best Wiz In OT

Zach Randolph's dream-like run continued on Monday with 23 points and 19 rebounds. He's been as hot as any player in the league lately and this line is starting to look like an average night for him. That makes six straight double-doubles for Z-Bo, who is averaging 28 points and 18 boards over his last five games - ridiculous. Marc Gasol added 20 points and 11 boards in the win. O.J. Mayo had 28 points, seven boards and six assists, marking the first time in his career he's had at least five boards and five dimes in three straight games, while Mike Conley caught fire with 22 points and five assists on 9-of-15 shooting. He was a tough start this week after his recent shooting woes, so congratulations if you had him in there. The Grizzlies have now won three straight games and look like they might have a shot at sneaking into the playoffs if they stay healthy. Rudy Gay was out with a sprained ankle, but the injury doesn't sound serious. He aggravated the pre-existing condition on Saturday and was too sore to go last night. DeMarre Carroll started in his place, but has no value.

For the Wiz, Gilbert Arenas had five threes, 30 points, five assists, five steals and four rebounds, just missing out on a 5x5 line by one board. Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler both scored 24, and Brendan Haywood broke out of a funk with 12-9-5 in the loss.

Suns Bounce Lakers

Pau Gasol has cooled off, going for 13 points and five boards in last night's loss to Phoenix, while Andrew Bynum played well early before chilling with 14 points, nine boards and a couple blocks. Lamar Odom started for Ron Artest and had nine points and 13 boards despite hurting a couple fingers on his shooting hand. He plans on playing through the injury. Artest was out again with his concussion, but there is some hope that he'll play tonight. Kobe Bryant appeared to aggravate a couple injuries, but says he has no plans of sitting any time soon.

Channing Frye double-doubled in the win, Jared Dudley was big with 19 points and three more 3-pointers (along with a bunch of other goodies), while Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire played well. Dudley is worth a hard look in almost any league right now. Jason Richardson struggled on 1-of-6 shooting, but had been playing well coming in. Thankfully, I had him on the bench. Leandro Barbosa had 11 points in 16 minutes, but I think I'd rather own Dudley, as weird as that sounds.

Sixers Roll Blazers

Samuel Dalembert was solid in the return of Allen Iverson with 14 points, eight boards and three blocks, and I'm mad I went with Nazr Mohammed over him in on league this week. Iverson returned from a four-game absence with 19 points, four boards, five assists and three steals on 3-of-9 shooting, and it looks like he'll play about 30 mpg going forward, which is probably good news. Congrats are in order if you rolled the dice on him this week. Lou Williams was effective with nine points, five boards, five assists and three steals, while Elton Brand scored a season-high 25 off the bench to go along with nine boards. Apparently, he's back and can play in the Sixers' running offense. Willie Green missed this one with an ankle injury, while Marreese Speights had 14 points in just 17 minutes. Thaddeus Young had just four points, and is too inconsistent to be used right now.

Juwan Howard was bad for the Blazers with six points and two boards, and can be dropped for a hot free agent. That said, he had it tough, going against the Sixers bigs. Jeff Pendergraph had a career night with 11 points and five boards in 19 minutes, while Rudy Fernandez is hoping to be back from back surgery by the end of the month. Ditto for Nicolas Batum, who is coming back from shoulder surgery.

Nuggets Fall To Kings

Nene had a great line of 25 points, eight boards, three assists, three steals and three blocks, but it wasn't enough against the Kings. Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points, Kenyon Martin double-doubled and Ty Lawson had 12 points and six dimes in the absence of Chauncey Billups. CB should be back for the next one, meaning Lawson's run is probably over. J.R. Smith hit just 1-of-9 shots for four points and no threes, but keep in mind he was 2-of-10 for seven points just before his 41-point, 10 3-pointer explosion last week.

Beno Udrih started for Tyreke Evans, who was a late scratch with a sprained ankle, and had 17 points, five boards, seven assists and two steals in the win. Donte Greene had 17 points and has hit double digits in three straight, while Andres Nocioni caught fire, hitting 6-of-7 shots and four threes for 21 points and six boards. Don't get too excited, as he had scored a total of 10 points in his previous four games. He just got hot, and I'd rather own Omri Casspi, who had 11 points and six boards in another start. Jon Brockman is worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues, as he went for six points and 10 boards in the win. I suspect Evans will be back for his next game, as it sounds like he almost played last night.

Warriors Beat the Celtics, Force 25 TOs

Anthony Randolph started at power forward, which is fantastic news, and overcame a slow start for 18 points and nine boards on 7-of-15 shooting. He scored six straight at one point in the third quarter, which gave the Warriors the lead and momentum. He didn't block a shot, but as usual, should be owned in all leagues despite his inconsistency and the fact he plays for Nellie. Andris Biedrins finally returned but is not in game shape, failing to score in 14 minutes. Don't play him until he starts producing. Monta Ellis continued his tear with 37 points on 15-of-26 shooting, and has scored at least 33 in three straight. Stephen Curry played just 11 minutes, benched in favor of C.J. Watson, who had 11 points, seven dimes and a career-high seven steals. Curry is still the man and the starter, but didn't get a chance tonight. Hopefully Nellie will continue to play him, while Watson is worth a look as well.

Paul Pierce was out again for the C's, but could be back as soon as Saturday vs. Toronto. Ray Allen scored 24 points, while Rajon Rondo went off for 30 points, 15 assists, three steals and six TOs on 11-of-18 shooting. The C's were confused by the Warriors, and committed a season-high 25 turnovers as a result. Glen Davis left late with a sprained ankle and should be considered day-to-day until we get more information.

News and Notes

Tracy McGrady appears to have played his last game for the Rockets and the team is working to trade him. Don't expect to see him in action again until closer to the Feb. 18 trade deadline, with the Knicks being a team he's been linked with, although a deal is far from imminent.

The Cavs are reportedly shopping Zydrunas Ilgauskas, with the Pacers' Troy Murphy a possibility for exchange. Again, just a rumor.

Nate Robinson was fined $25K for publicly demanding a trade, although it's already been protested by the players' association.

Jonas Jerebko sounds like he could be locked into the starting PF job for Detroit until further notice, meaning he should retain much of his early value.

Charlie Villanueva's plantar fasciitis is still a concern and he is a guy you can cut right now to pick up a hot free agent.

Jim O'Brien's job as coach of the Pacers is safe, according to Larry Bird, so don't look for the Pacers to play inspired ball anytime soon.

Tyson Chandler is likely to miss the whole week with his foot injury. Nazr Mohammed is starting and playing well, although he struggled with early foul trouble Monday. That allowed DeSagana Diop some early run and he posted seven points and three boards Monday, both easily season highs. Nazr is still the man while Chandler is out though.

Trevor Ariza is dealing with a shin injury, leaving him questionable for tonight's game against the Hornets. Hopefully we'll have an update later today.

Jose Calderon remains out with his hip injury and there's still no target date for his return.

HacheMan · Dec 30, 2009

Delonte's Big Dunk

In Your Face

The Cavaliers nearly held the Hawks scoreless in the fourth quarter last night, keeping them without a point until there were only about three minutes left in the game. By then it was too little, too late, but the Hawks somehow kept the score respectable. The Cavs look like a new team since beating the Lakers on Christmas, and have as good a chance as anyone to win it all. Here are three things we learned.

1. Delonte West is not scared of Josh Smith. At all. First of all, West had 17 points off the bench and a solid all-around game. In fact, his minutes have been hovering around 25 per lately, meaning he's a solid target on waiver wires. But this dunk on Josh Smith was simply spectacular. And it wasn't the only time he's done something like that. Smith didn't take kindly to West's technical-foul inducing taunting after the dunk, nor the Cleveland bench's explosion, and may have some payback in mind for tonight's rematch in Cleveland.

2. LeBron James doesn't have to go off for the Cavs to win. LeBron nearly had a triple-double, but was contained by solid Hawks' defense and scored just 14 points on 6-of-20 shooting. Something tells me that if Kobe has a night like that, the Lakers aren't winning.

3. The Hawks are close, but not there yet. There's been a lot of chatter about the Hawks thus far, as they came into last night's game as one of the elite team's in the East, and one of the better teams in the NBA. And yes, they're a solid NBA team. But they still lack playoff experience, don't really have a true clubhouse leader and won't have a shot at winning a championship unless every single player plays above their head for a month-long playoff run. I love Joe Johnson and he is the team's leader, but still doesn't take on a true leadership role like the league's elite ones do, at least in my opinion.

Nervous Shakedown For Wizards

The Thunder crushed the Wizards 110-98 last night as Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook all played well for the OKC, while all five Wiz starters scored in double figures. Flip Saunders is displeased with his 10-20 team and went off after the game. Here are three things we learned.

1. Kevin Durant is good. Real good. After his last scoring blitz ended after a nine-game tear, he started a new one and has now scored 30, 38, 30, 40 and 35 points in his last five games.

2. The Thunder are good. Pretty good. They've won four straight games for the first time in almost four years (and first time ever in OKC) and are starting to look like a team to be reckoned with at 17-14. They have more wins than the Raptors, Bulls, Heat, Pistons, Pacers and Wizards, and match the Jazz with 17 W's. In other words, it's too bad they don't play in the East, where they'd be a No. 5 seed right now.

3. Flip Saunders is ticked off. Real ticked off. He's promising lineup changes and is irate with his team's lack of defense. "Spots will be open. If guys don't like it, that's fine but that's the way it's going to be," he said. "I'm not going to sit there, stand there and look at that any more. You evaluate for 30 games where you're at. Right now, where it's going, it ain't getting done." I wish I was smart enough to figure out who is going to take the hit here, but I'm not. If I had to guess, I'd say we'll see a little less Caron Butler, who just hasn't seemed to figure it out, and possibly more Andray Blatche. I'm not sure there's any reason to panic yet if you own Wizards, but once Flip makes his changes, there might be. But also consider that quote was said in frustration after the game and he'll probably calm down some before benching his studs.

Firing Up the General Lee

The Knicks beat the Pistons last night, as the Pistons, who have now dropped eight straight games, just can't seem to figure out to do with all their new moving parts. Here are three things we learned.

1. David Lee is probably the most underrated player in the game today. Lee went off, again, for 30 points and 12 rebounds last night, and led the league in double-doubles last year. When the league you're playing in includes Dwight Howard and you are pulling in more double-doubles than him, you are a very good player. Lee has six straight dub-dubs and 16 on the year, and continues to impress anyone who watches him play. And while many people, me included, thought he might have trouble matching last year's incredible season this time around, he's coming pretty close.

2. Rodney Stuckey is the only player for the Pistons who can be trusted right now, with Ben Gordon a close second. Will Bynum was out with a pair of sore ankles, while Stuckey had 15 points, eight boards and five assists, and Gordon scored 17 with two 3-pointers. Richard Hamilton scored 18, but didn't do much else, while Tayshaun Prince added two excruciating points in his start.

3. Ben Wallace can still play basketball. Wallace had seven points, eight boards, a steal and a block last night. He's been useless if you like for your fantasy players to score points. But his rebounds (9.7), steals (1.3) and blocks (1.0) have been solid and fantasy-worthy this season.

The Colts Quitting Is Not the Only Annoying Thing Going On In Indy

The Pacers are simply terrible, and as unwatchable as they've ever been. Adding insult to injury, literally, is the fact that Troy Murphy went down with a sprained ankle last night and could miss some time, while Danny Granger remains out for the losers of seven straight. The Bulls easily handled the Pacers, as Tyrus Thomas looks like he really cares. Additionally, the Bulls are now included in the Tracy McGrady rumors. Here are three things we learned.

1. The Pacers have a lot of average bigs. Roy Hibbert, who came off the bench behind Solomon Jones, had 17 points and six rebounds, Solo added 13 points, three boards, a steal and a block, and Josh McRoberts came out of nowhere for nine points and two rebounds in 28 minutes. All three guys will get extra minutes with Murphy down, but Hibbert is still the only one I trust. And I use that word loosely.

2. The Pacers and their coach are grasping at straws. Jim O'Brien is one of the worst coaches I can recall getting a huge vote of confidence from his boss for a team with no direction. He changes the starting lineup and rotation constantly (T.J. Ford was back in there last night) and his players simply don't appear to like him. Nor do they appear to care. Take this with a grain of salt, but an argument could be made to cut every Pacer you own in a fantasy league. And Larry Bird would probably like to do the same thing in reality. However, at this point, it's just time for Bird and O'Brien to go away and let someone else run the show.

3. Tyrus Thomas looks really good. He hit just 2-of-10 shots but had 15 rebounds, three blocks, a magnificent dunk and plenty of hustle plays. Thomas may very well end up being this season's greatest waiver-wire steal. John Salmons showed signs of life with 17 points, five assists and three 3-pointers off the bench (pick him up if he was dropped and just hang on for the ride), while Derrick Rose stayed hot. How bad is the East? The Bulls are in second place in their division with a 12-17 record.

Spurs Aren't Dead Yet

Just as everyone is about to write the Spurs off, Manu Ginobili decides to start playing ball. The Spurs beat the Timberwolves last night, but more importantly, the whole Spurs team looked like they finally figured it out at the same time. Three things we learned.

1. The Spurs are still going to be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. Gregg Popovich said something the other day like 'thanks goodness the playoffs aren't starting now, or we'd be in trouble.' And while he's right, he's also very aware that January's not even here yet, meaning the Spurs have plenty of time to pull it together. They got solid production from Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, a near triple-double from Manu Ginobili, a great effort from Richard Jefferson, and 18 points from Roger Mason. Jefferson had 24 points and four 3-pointers, and as usual, should be given a look if a frustrated owner dumped him recently. In fact, fantasy owners also want to think about Manu, RJ, Mason and DeJuan Blair right now.

2. Kevin Love is a poor man's version of David Lee, double-doubling in 12 of his 14 games played this year, and just missed making it 14-of-14 by a few boards and points. He's a waiver-wire wonder and is really paying off for those of you who waited him out.

3. How good are the Spurs? 18-11 and the No. 5 seed in the West. And they haven't even started playing yet.

Hornets Stars Play Fantasy Pinball

The Rockets beat the Hornets, but the Hornets' fantasy stars were fun to own last night. Three things we learned.

1. Chris Paul is probably the best point guard in the world. He had his first triple-double of the season with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, but that wasn't all. He added two steals and two blocks while committing just one turnover on the night. That is sick.

2. David West is still alive and kicking. Many of West's owners have been truly disappointed with his performance this season, but he probably made up for it with last night's 44-point explosion, which included 12 boards, two steals and two 3-pointers on 18-of-30 shooting. Hopefully he was in your lineup. His offense sucked the life out of the rest of his team, as Peja Stojakovic failed to score and Devin Brown had just eight points.

3. The Rockets don't need Tracy McGrady. Despite West's and CP3's heroics, the Rockets held on to win by eight points. Trevor Ariza played through his shin injury, but hit just 5-of-15 shots as his shooting woes continue. That will have to change at some point, and it's hard to imagine how much better the Rockets would be if Ariza wasn't shooting 37% from the field, 32% from 3-point land and 65% from the line this year. Aaron Brooks has been a steady and stable force at the point, and had 27 points and five threes, Shane Battier came out of nowhere for his second 20-point game of the season, while Luis Scola double-doubled and Carl Landry scored 18 in the win. Enjoy New York or Chicago, T-Mac.

Kobe, Kobe, Kobe

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers held off the Warriors last night, although I should probably rephrase that. Kobe Bryant held off the Warriors last night, pulling his team to a tough 124-118 win despite playing with just two or three fingers, one arm and a sore knee, in addition to whatever else might be bothering him. Three things we learned.

1. Kobe is the best basketball player in the world and is the odds-on favorite to win the MVP Award right now. He scored 44 points and hit 16-of-16 free throws while taking over the game in the second half and fourth quarter. He's won two straight Player of the Week awards and is probably on his way to a third after last night's performance, which included 11 assists. He's scored at least 34 points in five straight, and seven of his last nine. Bryant averaged 37.7 ppg last week, to go along with 8.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.7 steals. Wow.

2. Pau Gasol is still hot, while Andrew Bynum is still not. Gasol had a season-high 27 points to go along with 13 boards, while Bynum had 11 points and seven boards. I guess an optimist looks at Bynum and says 'at least he's still playing,' which is not a bad way to approach him. But his lack of rebounding and inconsistency is starting to wear thin on his owners, me included. Ron Artest was out again and has suffered some memory loss from his concussion, but might be back for Friday's game against the Kings.

3. The Warriors are a team no one wants to face. From Don Nelson's "crazy" lineups and rotations, to Monta Ellis scoring at will, nobody wants any part of the Warriors right now. I'm not saying they're a great team, and as long as Nellie keeps leaning so heavily on Vladimir Radmanovic, they probably won't ever be, but they are scoring a ton of points and are fun to watch. Stephen Curry jumped back into the mix last night, Andris Biedrins showed he remembers how to play, Corey Maggette led the team with 25 points, while Anthony Randolph played well in just 18 minutes, racking up a 5x4 game with six points, six boards, five assists and five blocks. He wasn't in foul trouble, so we'll just assume that Nellie still hates him (and his fantasy owners). C.J. Watson has been cooking for three straight games, averaging 13 points, 4.6 assists, three steals and two 3-pointers over that stretch. I picked him up in a couple leagues and you should also give him a look.

HacheMan · Dec 31, 2009

Party Like it's Your Birthday
Wednesday night was pretty glorious if you were a Cavs fan. If you were a Hawks fan, not so much.

Prior to the game, LeBron and his band of idolizing teammates celebrated his 25th b-day by posing for a fake photo while wearing party hats, during which King James was inexplicably handed something that looked like either a leather sofa cushion or Marcellus Wallace's briefcase from Pulp Fiction. The Hawks didn't retaliate to this semi-disrespectful display, but you get the feeling that if an old-school type like Charles Oakley had been in the building, he would have neck-tackled LeBron into the nearest stanchion the first time he went to the bucket.

Once the game started, King James celebrated his birthday with a monstrous 48-point outing, helping the Cavs overcome a 17-point third-quarter deficit when Anderson Varejao hit a flukey three (which, based on replays, should have been ruled a two) with 17.2 seconds left to give the Cavs the lead. A very happy birthday for LeBron, and a very unsavory kick to the groin for ATL.

Other things to know from the Cavs-Hawks matchup:

Joe Johnson bounced back from a 15-point Tuesday with 35 against Cleveland… Mike Bibby got hot early and finished with 20 points, his highest output since Nov. 27 and just his fifth double-figure scoring effort in December… Varejao's three was a complete and utter fluke, but he was still solid with 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks… The Hawks have stated their intention to protest due to a late possession on which their shot clock was never reset (resulting in a turnover). Protests are generally dismissed by the league, but there is a legitimate gripe here (says the bitter Hawks fan).

Now, onto the rest of the happenings from the last Wednesday night of 2009:

BUELLER… BUELLER… BUELLER… FRYE

Channing Frye had the best night of what has been a very solid season thus far, hitting for a season-high 26 points and adding 10 boards, six threes, two steals and two blocks. Also throwing up a matching 26 was Amare Stoudemire, who could have had a lot more if he hadn't played just 23 minutes in a lopsided Phoenix win.

Also of note for Phoenix, Leandro Barbosa (17 points) flipped places with Jared Dudley (three points) in terms of value, but I wouldn't read too far into that given that this was a blowout. Dudley is still the preferred choice over Barbosa until we see this particular occurrence repeat itself a few more times.

With Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both out due to knee injuries (and both having been ruled out for Saturday), Eddie House led the Celtics with 19 points and Shelden Williams scored a season-high 14 in a very forgettable game. On a positive note, Rajon Rondo played through his hamstring injury and finished with 13 and eight, while Pierce fill-in Tony Allen was solid again with a 12-7-6 line.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA

If you're an owner of Allen Iverson, Lou Williams or Andre Iguodala, you have to be thrilled with how things went on Wednesday. First of all, all three were productive: Iverson went for 20 points, a season-high two threes and season-high three steals, Williams posted 22, four and four and Iguodala went for 19, seven and nine in a Sixers victory.

If there's a down note here, it's that Samuel Dalembert and Marreese Speights had quiet nights, but neither is playing enough minutes right now to be trustworthy, and Elton Brand (14 points, five boards in 28 minutes) is the only Sixers big man worth a consistent start.

Sacramento was without Tyreke Evans (who sounds iffy for the rest of the week), but got 21 points from both Omri Casspi and Donte Greene, who are both worth using right now but will take a hit when Evans and Kevin Martin are back. Speaking of Martin, he has been cleared for non-contact work, but will reportedly remain out until at least Jan. 12, when he's next scheduled to meet with doctors.

BLOWOUT CITY

Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd were back in Scott Skiles' starting lineup after being benched for the second half on Monday, but it didn't save Redd's numbers (six points in 26 minutes) and it sure didn't save the Bucks, who lost by 25.

The positives for Milwaukee were 15 and 10 for Bogut, 20 for Brandon Jennings and signs of life for Ersan Ilyasova, who had 13 points, seven rebounds and three treys. Other than that it was mostly a forgettable night for Milwaukee, and if you own the aforementioned Redd (4.7 ppg in his last three games), you need to get him benched for now.

Orlando got 25 from Vince Carter and 17 from Dwight Howard, who shot 8-for-11 after the Magic stated their plans to get him the ball deeper in the post. Howard would have been in line for a huge game had he played more than 24 minutes in the blowout.

The bad news from this one is that Jameer Nelson struggled to four points on 1-of-7 shooting, and after the game Stan Van Gundy told the Orlando Sentinel that Nelson has been limited in practice due to swelling in his surgically-repaired knee. The bigger problem on Wednesday may have been that Nelson reportedly slept just one hour on Tuesday night due to a family issue, but the knee is obviously a cause for concern. Hopefully he only ends up missing practices, not games, and will have a chance to bounce back against Minnesota on Friday.

FRONTLINE WOLVES

Though Minnesota lost, it was a big night for the Minnesota frontcourt tandem of Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. Jefferson went for 21 points, nine boards, four assists and, most importantly, a season-high five blocks. Love messed around and – almost – with 17 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two treys. Jonny Flynn struggled, but the rookie PG will do that from time to time.

On the Utah side, the line that stands out most is Mehmet Okur, who went for 16 points, eight boards, two threes and two blocks, his second straight game posting exactly 16 and eight. Okur's aggressiveness has been in check this season, but it's very encouraging to see him hoisting a season-high 18 attempts on Wednesday.

Also of note, Ronnie Brewer broke out of a slump to score 20, but has only hit double digits twice in his last eight games and isn't trustworthy in 10-team leagues.



HUNGRY BEARS AND ROTTEN PACERS

Don't look now, but the Grizzlies have won five of six to move their record to 15-16 after drubbing the Pacers on Wednesday. Rudy Gay showed his ankle was just fine with 31 points, while Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol added 28 and 21, respectively. And Mike Conley continued his strong run with 13 points, seven assists, two threes and three steals. Remember, he had a very good second half last season and there's no reason he can't duplicate that this season.

While the fantasy dynamics are currently very stable and easy to forecast in Memphis, the same can't be said for Wednesday's opponent, Indiana.

It's hard to know where to start with this disgusting mess of a team, but T.J. Ford got benched for the entire second half, allowing Earl Watson to post eight points, 10 boards and six assists. Quite simply, trusting either one in fantasy leagues right now is a bad idea.

Also bad was Mike Dunleavy (zero points in 16 minutes), who was looking "dead-legged," according to a quote from Jim O'Brien in the Indianapolis Star. Personally I'd be cutting Dunleavy and moving on in 10- or 12-team leagues, but I can understand being a bit more patient in deeper formats.

On a positive note, Luther Head got his first start of the season and blew up for 30 points. No telling if he keeps starting, but it's time to add him and find out. Also playing very well was Roy Hibbert, who erupted for a season-high 25 points with 13 rebounds, his first double-digit rebounding effort since Nov. 18. This is why you've hopefully been stashing him on your bench rather than dropping him, though he's still likely to be inconsistent going forward.

In the midst of the chaos, the promising but infuriating Brandon Rush had 15 points and three treys, but I don't trust him whatsoever. Tyler Hansbrough sat again due to his ear infection, and Troy Murphy is expected to be out five to seven days due with a sprained ankle. Fun times in Indiana.

YOU'RE A REAL MAN, ANDREA

Andrea Bargnani continued his recent run by tying a season-high with 28 points, while Chris Bosh went for 33 (his highest output since Dec. 4) as the suddenly-hot Raptors won their fifth in a row.

The bad news for Toronto was that Hedo Turkoglu left early with a knee bruise and should be considered day-to-day for now (keep an eye on Marco Belinelli and Sonny Weems in deeper leagues should Turkoglu miss any time).

The Bobcats got a season-high 30 from Stephen Jackson, 23 from Raymond Felton and 15 points and 16 boards from Gerald Wallace, which actually represents a slightly off night for Crash these days. Meanwhile, Boris Diaw failed to hit double figures for the ninth consecutive game, but still showed mild signs of a pulse with nine points, three rebounds and three assists. I can understand dropping him, but I would advise benching him and sitting tight a little longer if possible.

In other Charlotte news, Tyson Chandler is expected to miss at least another week due to his foot injury, while Larry Brown reportedly had a talk with Jackson regarding his attitude. For now I'm not concerned, and something tells me that if this becomes a big issue, S-Jax will be going directly to the media to let us know.

JERSEY DEFEATS YORK

Stop the presses: the Nets won for the third time all season, getting 21 and 14 from Brook Lopez, a well-rounded 17-7-8 from Devin Harris, 17 from Chris Douglas-Roberts in his return to action and 22 from the suddenly formidable Yi Jianlian.

While seeing Harris and CDR post strong games is encouraging, the real story here is Yi, who has averaged 22.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg in four games since returning from injury. And I don't care that he doesn't have a single assist – the consistent aggression here is the key. I still expect some ugly nights in the future, but Yi has very clearly taken a significant step forward and is worth owning in all leagues.

The bright spots for the Knicks were David Lee (nearly messed around and got a triple-double with 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists) and Al Harrington, who had 25 points, nine boards and three blocks.

WELCOME BACK, MARCUS

Marcus Camby returned from a one-game absence to finish with seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, Eric Gordon broke out with 24 points, six assists and five steals and Chris Kaman (25 and nine) topped 20 points for the eighth time in nine games.

For the Blazers, the most noteworthy lines came from the inconsistent but intriguing Jerryd Bayless (14 points, eight assists in 28 minutes) and Jeff Pendergraph, who took advantage of an early LaMarcus Aldridge ankle sprain to finish with eight points, 14 boards and two blocks. Aldridge's ankle sprain doesn't sound serious and he could play on Saturday, so Pendergraph should remain on waivers unless you're in a deeper league.

Lastly, Andre Miller was victimized by Bayless' productivity with six points and three assists, but will be better than this most nights.

IN OTHER NEWS…

– Chauncey Billups sounds unsure if he'll be able to return from his groin injury on Saturday, as he's reportedly having trouble cutting. Ty Lawson could be in for another start.

– On Tuesday, Nate Robinson posted on his Twitter account that he thinks he could be back on the court soon. Believe it when you see it, but there's nothing wrong with taking a flier on Nate if you have an open roster spot.

– A story in the Washington Post fueled speculation that one of the Wizards' Big Three (Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler or Antawn Jamison) could be moved, but at this point things appear to be very much in the speculative stage. Butler's numbers in particular would benefit from a change of scenery, or from Arenas changing addresses, but for now hoping for a new destination for either one is probably wishful thinking.

TONIGHT

A whopping five Thursday games on the docket. The Sixers and the Clippers will ring in 2010 in the final game of the calendar year, but on the earlier side I'm interested to see how Charlie Villanueva does after reportedly having a heart-to-heart with coach John Kuester about his lack of run (12 minutes) on Tuesday. The good news is that Villanueva claims his plantar fasciitis is feeling better, so hopefully he can get back on track soon.

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually curious to see what happens in the Spurs game, largely because Manu Ginobili appears to have his mojo back after a near triple-double and because new starting center DeJuan Blair (9.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg in his last three games) has brought some much needed fantasy intrigue to that squad.

TOMORROW

The future will be upon us, and Dr. A will be here to tell you how to navigate Day 1 of life as a fantasy basketball owner in 2010.

HacheMan · Jan 3, 2010

Barnestorming!
[SIZE=+1]Smaller To Average-Sized Leagues[/SIZE]

These players may or may not be available in smaller to average-sized leagues consisting of 10-12 teams with rosters somewhere around 12-15 players. That should cover a majority of the fantasy hoops leagues in existence. If your league is any smaller than that, the waiver options are endless and it's just too difficult to try to figure out whether you should pick up Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng or Jason Richardson.

Matt Barnes G/F Magic - Suddenly, Barnes is possibly the hottest pickup on this list. He's starting for the Magic and after posting a surprising double-double on Friday, backed it up with a season-high 23 points to go along with four boards, three assists and five 3-pointers in Saturday's win over the Nets. That should seal his spot in the starting unit, his coach is saying great things about him right now, and there's no reason he shouldn't be owned in even smaller leagues. However, don't be suckered into thinking he's going to play at this level consistently with teammates like Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson.

Nate Robinson G Knicks - Nate blew up on Friday night for 41 points against the Hawks, taking over the game and hitting some of the shots of the year in his first game back after a 14-game absence. He had been planted on the bench due to a Mike D'Antoni coach's decision, and while Friday's performance was one of the feel-good stories of the New Year, I find it hard to believe he'll come close to matching that performance again on Sunday. He's still likely to be traded and where he lands will obviously have a huge impact on his value, but Nate is worth grabbing and holding onto in almost any league now that he's back in the rotation.

Omri Casspi F Kings - Casspi has simply been amazing over his last three games, averaging 22 points, eight rebounds and a couple threes, scoring 21, 22 and 23 points over that stretch. He had 22 points, 11 boards and four 3-pointers in Saturday's loss, and while his hot run is going to come to an end at some point, he's certainly earned a spot in Paul Westphal's rotation. If you didn't play Casspi this week, you likely missed out on the hottest run he'll have all season. That said, he's still worth owning in nearly every league. Kevin Martin's return will hurt, as will Tyreke Evans' full recovery from a sprained ankle. But if you're holding a useless player like T.J. Ford, Andres Nocioni or Boris Diaw, there's no reason not to grab Casspi.

Earl Watson PG Pacers - T.J. Ford has fallen all the way out of the rotation for the time being, although I find it hard to believe he won't start again for the Pacers at some point this season. Meanwhile, Earl Watson, who I reluctantly featured here a couple weeks ago, is still starting and producing for the Pacers. He had 12 points, nine assists and a 3-pointer on Saturday and is averaging 10 points, seven boards, 7.5 assists over his last two, both of which were starts. At least for now, Watson is the starter in Indy and deserves to be grabbed in all leagues until we see how this plays out. His field goal percentage is a hassle, but he doesn't take enough shots to ruin a whole team. It's funny. I said on Twitter the other day that nearly any Pacer could be dropped at any time in any league, and now this column seems to be filled with them. But that's also because they're bouncing from team to team in fantasy leagues like nobody's business.

Roy Hibbert C Pacers - Hibbert is another guy who seems to show up here week after week for the confused Pacers, but there's never been a better reason to pick him up after back-to-back 20-point performances. Hibbert has been bouncing between the starting unit and reserves, as Jim O'Brien simply can't make up his mind, but has been playing very well from both spots. He's averaging 15 points, seven boards and a block over his last five, and those numbers jump up to almost 21 points and nine rebounds over his last three. I preached patience with him all year, but we're still not out of the woods as long as O'Brien is his coach.

Luther Head G Pacers - The Pacer-fest continues with Head, who is now the starting shooting guard in Indy. He's scored 30 and 21 points in his last two and scored 19 a few games before that. He's averaging 18 points over his last five and his hit 11 3-pointers over that stretch, while all indications are that he's going to stick in the starting five for the foreseeable future. Yes, Danny Granger's return will hurt, but that is still far from guaranteed, and Mike Dunleavy is still a candidate to go down with an injury any day now.

Spencer Hawes C Kings - Hawes scored a career-high 30 points Friday against the Lakers, to go along with 11 rebounds, and appeared to be ready to dominate. Of course, he turned around on Saturday with nine points, four boards, a block and a 3-pointer in a loss to the Mavericks, hitting just 3-of-10 shots. But the signs of a turnaround are there for Hawes, and I think he should be owned in most leagues if you need a center.

Quentin Richardson G/F Heat - Q has been up and down all season and is always an injury risk, but has played in eight straight games now. There have been some duds in there, like his zero-point game against the Spurs on New Year's Eve, and a couple 8-point lines, but he's also hit double figures in five of those eight and topped 20 twice, including on Saturday when he hit six 3-pointers. He's hit 23 treys in his last eight games and the Heat play four times next week. Yes, he is possibly just setting us up for the letdown, but it's a chance I'm willing to take. And if you caught the Sebadoh reference in that paragraph, I'm impressed.

Others To Consider

Jamal Crawford, Kirk Hinrich, Boris Diaw, Anderson Varejao, Ty Lawson, Chris Andersen, Anthony Randolph, C.J. Watson, Mike Dunleavy, Rasual Butler, Blake Griffin, Mike Conley, Ersan Ilyasova, Luke Ridnour, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee, Peja Stojakovic, Andre Miller, Beno Udrih, DeJuan Blair, Roger Mason, C.J. Miles.

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Keep reading for more waiver wire pickups.

[SIZE=+1]Normal-to-Deeper Leagues[/SIZE]

These players may generally be available in 12 to 14-team leagues.

Martell Webster G/F Blazers - Webster has given us reasons to get excited earlier this year, but has also let us down each time. He blew up again on Saturday against the Warriors (who else?) with 21 points, 11 boards, two blocks and four 3-pointers, but this one feels a bit different, as the Blazers have been decimated by injuries. He's averaging 13 points, five rebounds and two 3-pointers over his last five games, but will likely be inconsistent for those of you who pick him up. Then again, that's the way it works on the wire, especially in deeper leagues.

Rasheed Wallace F/C Celtics - Sheed suddenly looks rejuvenated due to the news that Kevin Garnett is going to miss at least another 10 days with his hyperextended knee. Wallace played well Saturday, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block and two 3-pointers. He should start at power forward for at least the next four games, and possibly longer.

Jose Juan Barea G Mavericks - JJB is still cooking, despite the odds being stacked against him. He's still starting over Josh Howard and is averaging about 13 points, four assists and a 3-pointer over his last five games. In his final 11 December games he hit double figures in scoring eight times and topped the 20-point plateau in three of them. He also started out January on a high note, scoring 17 points on Saturday. Howard may steal his job eventually, but JJB is worth playing until it happens.

Devin Brown G Hornets - Brown is still flying under the radar but has quietly hit double figures in scoring in four of his last five games, knocking down 12 3-pointers and averaging 14 points over that stretch. He's not going to do much besides score and hit threes, but he should grab three or four boards a night, and is also an excellent free throw shooter. If you're in a weekly league, give him a look.

Side note: While I was writing this Brown piece, I decided I needed him in my main league. We have no waivers in that one, just add/drop and then players are immediately available to whoever gets to them first. I have been add/dropping Ersan Ilyasova and Brown throughout the week, and quickly went in to drop Ilyasova and pickup Brown. An hour later, as I'm wrapping up the column, I see an email that another owner has picked up Allen Iverson, who is/was on my team. Yep, I accidentally cut Iverson instead of Ilyasova, and now he is no longer on my team. Oh well.

Taj Gibson F Bulls - I'm still not sure how, but Gibson continues to start and produce for the Bulls. He double-doubled on Saturday with 10 points, 12 boards and three blocks against the Magic, but had failed to hit double digits in points or rebounds in his prior four games. Gibson is not a must-own player with Tyrus Thomas back in the mix, but he still might be worth a look in real deep leagues as long as he hangs onto the starting job.

Others To Consider

Tony Allen, Drew Gooden, Arron Afflalo, Will Bynum, Anthony Morrow, Kyle Lowry, Tyler Hansbrough, Hakim Warrick, Ramon Sessions, Udonis Haslem, Ryan Anderson, Leandro Barbosa, Jared Dudley, Donte' Greene, Andray Blatche.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

[SIZE=+1]Extremely Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Glen Davis F Celtics - Davis had 15 points and five boards in 20 minutes on Saturday and should get some nice run with Kevin Garnett sidelined for the next four games or so. If you need a big man in a really deep league, he might be ready to start putting up some solid numbers.

Jerryd Bayless G Blazers - Bayless played a ridiculous 40 minutes in his last game but hit just 2-of-11 shots for six points. Wildly Inconsistent should be his middle and last names, as he's scored 6, 14, 2, 8, 31, 9, 6, 10, 29 and 14 points in his last 10 games. Steve Blake's out for a week with pneumonia, so this is a great week to pick-and-play Bayless in many leagues.

Ryan Gomes F Timberwolves - Gomes is still plugging along at about six points, two rebounds and 20 minutes per game, which is a far cry from what he was doing before he suffered a severely sprained ankle. He's still probably not even 100 percent, and a guy named Kevin Love came back from a broken hand and took his job and role. However, I don't think Gomes is done just yet and think he could even move back into the starting lineup soon in place of Damien Wilkins. If Gomes was dumped in a deep league, now's probably the time to grab him and stash him away.

Josh McRoberts F/C Pacers - McRoberts is suddenly playing/starting for the Pacers with big men Tyler Hansbrough (ear), Troy Murphy (ankle) and Jeff Foster (back) all out right now. He had seven points and eight boards in his first start over the weekend, and also hit a 3-pointer. He also cut off his hair, so you might not have recognized him. He's averaging about 25 minutes, nine points, five boards, a block and has hit two threes in his last three games. Obviously he's a deep-league special with a ticking clock, but is worth a short-term look.

Patrick Mills, G Blazers - Mills isn't even in the NBA yet, as he's still rehabbing from foot surgery in the D-League, although he's not taking it easy. Dude blew up for 38 points, 12 assists and seven treys in his D-League debut over the weekend, and should be called up to Portland in the next couple days. Again, with Blake out, Mills is going to get some run. I grabbed him in a 30-team league on Saturday, and while it may take a league that deep for him to have actual value, he's worth keeping an eye once he arrives in Portland and gets into a game.

Others To Consider

Dahntay Jones (quietly working way back in), Sam Young (big game Saturday), Jeff Pendergraph (starting?), Dante Cunningham (10 rebounds Saturday)

HacheMan · Jan 4, 2010

Gilly...
Gilbert Areas is amazing. Before his knee problems, he was one of the most dynamic and exciting players in the league, and was even taken with the No. 1 overall pick in my main hoops league in 2007. Thankfully, I was not the guy who made that mistake, as Arenas played just 13 games that season, had a couple knee surgeries and then came back for two games last year. He hasn't missed a game yet this season, but I think that's about to change. But even though he's playing, the Wizards are awful, Flip Saunders is as frustrated as any coach in the league, and you have to get the sense that the Wizards are ready to simply blow up the team and start over.

Since the gun story came to light, Arenas has gone on a Twitter rampage. He comments on rumors that Shaquille O'Neal has been sleeping with his fiancée', of course denying them. He rips Yahoo! Sports and Peter Vescey for not having their facts straight, and goes on to attempt to tell some jokes, which are pretty shady themselves. The writing is awful and the guy doesn't appear to have any internal dialogue or judgment before posting whatever pops into his head. The fact his agent or one of his handlers hasn't stepped in and shut the feed down is borderline incredible, but Arenas might really be so much of a loner that no one is there to step in and stop him.

The Saturday Night Live Skit Gilly reminds me of Arenas right now. Gilly is an elementary student constantly getting in trouble and the theme song says it all. "Her name is Gilly and she's at it again, causin' lot of ruckus like a barnyard hen, she's always bringin' trouble, her head is like a bubble, knock, knock, who's there? It's Gilly." Gilly, did you point a loaded gun at the head of your teammate? Gilly, did you lose $25K while gambling on a team flight? Gilly, did you post non-stop on Twitter all night like a drunken sailor?

Emails have been rolling in from Agent Zero's owners wanting to know who should be picked up in case Arenas is shut down for the season, and maybe that's an indication that we haven't done a good enough job of trying to project what will happen. So here's my take.

Arenas is in serious trouble, whether or not he wants to acknowledge it. He could face a lengthy suspension, even if he's only found guilty of bringing guns to his locker room (which he's already admitted to). Add in the talk about an actual standoff, with him and Javaris Crittenton pointing guns at each other over a gambling debt in the locker room, and going to jail becomes a real possibility. That would also clear the way for the Wizards to get out from under his ridiculous contract, and then his future in the NBA becomes an issue.

The Wizards, who are still reeling from the death of owner Abe Pollin, appear to be ready to blow up the team, with Caron Butler's name being floated for Kirk Hinrich right now. As for the players currently on the roster, it would seem that Randy Foye makes the most sense to take over at point guard if Arenas is done. He should be owned and stashed in most leagues right now, while Earl Boykins is also a possibility. I doubt Boykins is ready to become a full-time starter at this stage of his career, but you never know. Mike Miller is also due back soon from a calf injury, and would also see a bump if Arenas is shut down. But the bottom line is that changes are likely coming in Washington, and someone like Hinrich or Nate Robinson could end up becoming the point guard there.

I don't have a feel for when an Arenas suspension will be handed down, but it does appear to be imminent, and I doubt he plays more than 10 more games this season. My guess is Arenas will be suspended indefinitely and for the remainder of the season, while Crittenton could get 20 games or so if he in fact drew a weapon on Arenas. Crittenton didn't appear to bring guns to the locker room, which is why Arenas is potentially in more trouble. That's just a guess, but if you own Arenas, it's time to start planning to be without him in the near future. And Foye looks like the best player to grab at this point.

Continue reading for Weekend Headlines & Injury Report

Weekend Headlines

I'll include a full injury report at the end of this post, but here are some of the headlines from the long weekend.

Pacer Woes

The Pacers beat the Wolves over the weekend to end an eight-game losing streak, but were rocked by the Knicks on Sunday 132-89. Luther Head looks like a solid pick-and-play right now, while Roy Hibbert has been playing well, although he's still dealing with foul trouble. T.J. Ford is all the way out of the rotation, unable to grasp Jim O'Brien's offense, meaning Earl Watson is starting at point guard. He hasn't exactly been lighting it up, but is still worth owning in many leagues. Troy Murphy, Tyler Hansbrough and Jeff Foster are all hurt, meaning Josh McRoberts has been starting, but is too shaky to start in most leagues. Mike Dunleavy is showing signs of life, but is also a questionable fantasy starter as concerns about his surgically repaired knee are legitimate, as he is not playing very well. How O'Brien's job is not in jeopardy is beyond me, but Larry Bird has no plans on removing him, despite the fact the Pacers look like a D-League team.

Boom, Boom, Pau

Pau Gasol went down on Sunday with a left hamstring injury. The good news is that is not the hammy that kept him out for the start of the season. The bad news is that the injury could be serious and the Lakers are concerned. He'll have an ultrasound today. If I owned him in a weekly league, I don't think I'd start him for Week 11. And if he's out, look for Andrew Bynum to have a big week, as he hit all eight of his shots for 19 points, five boards and four dimes on Sunday. Ron Artest was out again and is very shaky for Tuesday, meaning Lamar Odom, who had 15 & 15 on Sunday, will continue to post big numbers if Artest is out with a concussion. Jordan Farmar had a career-high 24 points in Sunday's blowout of the Mavs, but is not trustworthy enough to be used.

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Blazin'

Brandon Roy is on fire with all of Portland's injury woes right now and is playing at an MVP level. LaMarcus Aldridge is out Monday with his ankle injury, but is hoping to play on Tuesday. Martell Webster is a very intriguing pick-and-play after his 21 points, 11 boards and four 3-pointers in his last game, but has been very inconsistent this season. Andre Miller is nearly a must-start with Steve Blake iffy for the week with pneumonia, while Jerryd Bayless is a sneaky deep-league play after going 40 minutes in his last game. He hit just 2-of-11 shots, but could have a couple big lines this week. Patty Mills has been called up from the D-League after he exploded for 38 points, 12 assists and seven threes in his D-League debut. He's going to get some minutes, starting tonight, and I am contemplating starting him in my 30-team league.

Melo & Chauncey

Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups sat out the weekend and there's no word on their availability for the next one, as both remain day-to-day. I think I'd start Melo this week, but Billups still seems too risky to me. And that's not to say that Melo is a safe play, by any means, as he continues to deal with a knee injury. Nene has been hot and had 24 points and 15 boards Sunday, while Ty Lawson has posted back-to-back lines of 23 points and nine assists. I love Lawson, but he'll probably be disappointing if Billups is back this week. Chris Andersen left Sunday's game with a sprained left ankle, leaving his week in jeopardy.

Celtics Injury Woes

Paul Pierce is 50-50 to play through his knee injury on Wednesday, while I do think Rajon Rondo will go through his hamstring pull in that one. Kevin Garnett is not likely to play this week, but could possibly return from his knee injury over the weekend. Rasheed Wallace is a good play right now, while Glen Davis is an option in deep leagues.

Red Hot Cats

After racking up just one win on the road this year, the Bobcats shocked the Heat on Saturday and then beat the Cavs last night in Cleveland. Gerald Wallace's dream season continues, while Boris Diaw's nightmare won't end. I get a ton of emails about Diaw and I think it's time to cut bait, as he simply can't seem to produce with the offense running through Stephen Jackson, who is also hot, in Charlotte.

Thunderstruck

Kevin Durant has scored 30 points or more in seven straight games, while Russell Westbrook is hot, averaging 15 points, five boards, 10 assists, 1.6 steals and nearly a block per game over his last five. He missed a triple-double by one board in his last one and had zero turnovers to go along with his 13 assists. Wow. The Thunder play three times this week, but it's hard to imagine Westbrook being on benches now that he's feeling it.

Rappin'

Andrea Bargnani blocked five shots and grabbed eight rebounds on Sunday, and is now averaging 20 points, five boards, two blocks and more than a 3-pointer per in his last five games. Jarrett Jack played well on Sunday, but Jose Calderon could return from his hip injury on Wednesday, making Jack a very risky play. Hedo Turkoglu missed Sunday with the flu and is dealing with a knee injury, but I think I'd go ahead and play him if options are limited.

Bullish

The Bulls have won four straight games and it's probably not a coincidence that Tyrus Thomas has been back for all four of them.

Knick Knacks

Nate Robinson scored 41 points heard 'round the world on Friday, but backed it up with just six points on 2-of-11 shooting in Sunday's romp over the Pacers. Larry Hughes ripped coach Mike D'Antoni for losing his job due to an injury, but it's tough to feel sorry for him, especially the way Wilson Chandler is playing, not to mention the return of Nate. Not to say I told you so about Larry, but…David Lee's also having another dream season, while Chris Duhon bounced back to life against the Pacers' D-League outfit with 18 points, six 3-pointers and seven dimes.

Quick Hits

Vince Carter left Saturday with a sprained ankle, but says he'll play on Tuesday. It didn't look good on TV, but he says he doesn't swell.

Jason Richardson is struggling again and I don't have the stones to play him right now.

Allen Iverson had 17 points and seven assists Sunday and can be started with confidence for now. Andre Iguodala hit just 2-of-9 shots for eight points, but remains a must-start despite his up-and-down performance.

Anthony Randolph tweaked his back when Andris Biedrins "playfully" jumped on him in practice, leaving him a bit iffy this week. Why a guy as big as Biedrins is playfully jumping on anyone is a huge concern, and this reminds me of the time Dan Dickau slammed Dirk Nowitzki's shooting hand in a car door. Maybe we should start calling Biedrins 'Lennie' – the huge character from Of Mice and Men who accidentally squished puppies and people for a hobby.

Omri Casspi and Matt Barnes are on fire right now. Casspi had 22 & 11 in his last game, and is averaging 18 points, eight boards and two 3-pointers over his last five, while Barnes backed up a solid double-double with 23 points and five 3-pointers in his next game. Both are starting, and both deserve to be picked up and started in many leagues.

Monta Ellis is still very hot, scoring 30 or more in six of his last eight games.

Michael Redd had 27 in his last one, meaning he can be used by owners again, while Andrew Bogut had 23 & 15.

Continue reading for the Monday Morning Injury Report

Monday Morning Injury Report

Rajon Rondo – hamstring – My guess is he'll play Wednesday.
Kevin Garnett – knee – I don't expect to see him this week.
Paul Pierce – knee – 50-50 for Wednesday, start at own risk.
Marquis Daniels – wrist – Out until All-Star break.
Tyson Chandler – foot – Iffy for week, but Mohammed stunk in Week 10.
Leon Powe – knee – Getting closer, but not yet.
Erick Dampier – knee – Missed Sunday and was awful in previous two.
Chris Andersen – ankle – Not worth risk after leaving Sunday.
Carmelo Anthony – knee – No info available yet, will be a little risky.
Chauncey Billups – groin – Still day-to-day. Watch for updates today.
Rodney Stuckey – ankle – Sounds like a go for Tuesday.
Will Bynum – ankles – Missed Thursday, but could be back Tuesday.
Charlie Villanueva – foot – Playing through plantar fasciitis, but not well.
Anthony Randolph - back – Freak accident leaves status up in air.
Tracy McGrady – personal – Won't play for Rockets while they try for trade.
Chase Budinger – ankle – Could play this week, but not worth risk.
Troy Murphy – ankle – Day-to-day, watch for update today.
Tyler Hansbrough – ear – Ditto.
Jeff Foster – back – Ditto. No hurry to rush him back.
Danny Granger – heel – No word of target date for return yet.
T.J. Ford – healthy – Fourth-string point guard, inexplicably.
Blake Griffin – knee – Still targeting next week. Bench for now.
Pau Gasol – hamstring – Ultrasound coming, very risky start.
Ron Artest – concussion – Iffy for Tuesday, I'd probably bench him.
Luke Walton – back – Hopeful to practice soon.
Jarvis Hayes – hamstring – Should play this week, but not much value.
Sean Marks – leg – Out indefinitely, no value when healthy.
Etan Thomas – flu – Krstic much better option in OKC.
Vince Carter – ankle – Says he'll play Tuesday, but a little risky.
Steve Blake – pneumonia – Iffy for whole week, hello Miller, Bayless, Mills.
LaMarcus Aldridge – ankle – Out Monday, hoping for Tuesday, risky.
Rudy Fernandez – back – Targeting Jan. 18.
Kevin Martin – wrist - Won't play before Jan. 12, just keep waiting.
Francisco Garcia – wrist – Targeting return at All-Star break.
Matt Bonner – hand – Still a couple weeks away.
Michael Finley – ankle – Still out with injury, not much value healthy.
Jose Calderon – hip – Hoping to play Wednesday, start at own risk.
Hedo Turkoglu – flu – Missed Sunday, but should be ready Wednesday.
Reggie Evans – foot – Could play soon, but not much value.
Gilbert Arenas – personal/knee – 4 games, but future so murky.
JaVale McGee – knee – Day-to-day, no reason to play him.
Mike Miller – calf – Could play Tuesday, at least time to pick him up.

HacheMan · Jan 4, 2010

New Year's Resolve
I stopped formally making New Year's resolutions back in '03, when my written declaration to "Pilot small, homemade space pod to Planet Jupiter" did not come to fruition as planned. As you can imagine, the disappointment of having failed on that particular mission was simply too great to bear.

However, I do still make New Year's resolutions when it comes to fantasy basketball, and this season, in an effort to force myself to achieve (an endeavor I refer to as "Project Jupiter"), I have decided to make my hoops resolutions public.

Resolution #1: Acquire Luther Head and Matt Barnes from free agency.

I have placed this one at the top of the list because these are two individuals readily available in fantasy leagues who can help out your squad right now. Head has taken over the starting SG job for the Pacers – a revolving door for much of the season – and averaged 23.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.3 spg and 2.3 threes in his last three games. He remains a bit undersized for a two guard, but for now he looks like Jim O'Brien's best option.

Barnes, meanwhile, has usurped the small forward job from the maddeningly inconsistent Mickael Pietrus and went for 17 and 11 on Friday followed by a 23-point, five-three outing on Saturday. As is the case with Head, I'm not yet convinced that we'll be seeing this kind of production from Barnes a month from now, but there's absolutely no reason not to capitalize for as long as both players remain hot.

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Resolution #2: Stash away Earl Boykins.

As legend has it, Boykins' father used to carry his diminutive son to the gym in a duffle bag when he was much younger and extraordinarily petit. For the record, that is not the kind of stashing I am referring to.

With all signs pointing to a potentially massive suspension for Gilbert Arenas, it's high time that proactive owners in competitive leagues (and not just Arenas owners) got Boykins on their roster. I'm not certain that he would start if and when Arenas gets suspended, but he would be a big beneficiary. In the four games in which he has received at least 25 minutes this season, Boykins has averaged 17.5 ppg, 3.3 apg and 1.5 threes.

I know what you're going to say next – what about Randy Foye? And my answer to that is yes, you should look to see if Foye is out there first, but he's already owned in 31 percent of Yahoo leagues as opposed to just 2 percent for Boykins.

If you're feeling disappointed that you missed out on Foye, don't weep extensively. Just a hunch, but I have a feeling that Boykins could prove to be as productive or potentially more productive than Foye even if Foye gets the starting nod ahead of Mr. Duffle.

Resolution #3: Remain patient with Andris Biedrins, and buy low if the opportunity presents itself.

I understand your frustration. Biedrins is averaging more personal fouls than points (3.7 to 2.7) and has failed to block a shot in three games since returning from his abdominal injury. Making matters worse, he reportedly injured Anthony Randolph's back by mimicking the tendency of Warren from There's Something About Mary to playfully cause injury with ill-advised piggyback rides.

But as frustrated as you are, it's important to remember that Biedrins missed 24 games and is still finding his way back into shape (or searching for his baseball, to use another Something About Mary analogy). You can probably get him relatively cheap from a frustrated owner right now, and I would be in strong support of attempting to do so.

Resolution #4: Explore trade value of Derrick Rose.

On one level, Rose is on fire, averaging 25.1 ppg and 6.1 apg on 48.3 percent shooting in his last seven games entering Monday.

But during that same span, Rose has totaled just one three and three steals, which underscores his most glaring deficiencies as a fantasy asset. Despite strong season averages in points (18.4) and assists (5.7), Rose's value is hindered significantly by his lack of threes (just 2-for-12 on the season) and steals (an average of 0.7).

Without legitimate contributions in those two categories, he is nothing more than a mediocre fantasy point guard who is undoubtedly more productive and dynamic in real life. For the season, Rose ranks #97 in Basketball Monster's rankings for eight-category leagues. During his standout rookie year in 2008-09, he ranked #85.

The bottom line is that neither the threes nor the steals are coming in bunches any time soon, but the good news is that Rose may have more perceived value than his actual value on paper. Now is a good time to find out how much he's worth.



Resolution #5: Sell high on Omri Casspi.

You may not want to hear it with Casspi having scored in double figures in 18 of his last 21 games and averaging a cool 22.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 3.0 threes in his last three, and I get that. But the fact of the matter is that things are going to get significantly worse with field goal attempt vacuum Kevin Martin getting closer to a return, and Casspi – though likely to maintain some value – is certain to lose a fair share of touches once K-Mart is back.

Resolution #6: Don't cut ties with Boris Diaw – yet.

I've been advising patience with Diaw in hopes that he would adjust, and for the most part it has become readily evident that he's not going to produce consistently with Stephen Jackson in town. However, it's still hard to outright give up on a guy getting as much playing time as he is (36 minutes per game in his last six), even if the most recent of those outings saw him go scoreless in 38 minutes.

Despite his wretched scoring of late (his last time hitting double figures was Dec. 11), Diaw has still managed 4.3 apg in his last eight games. He's obviously nowhere close to good enough to start, but he's still involved enough in Charlotte's plans that he should be sitting on someone's bench.

Resolution #7: Jettison Tracy McGrady.

I won't personally be doing any jettisoning because McGrady was not and will never again be on any of my fantasy teams, but it still befuddles me that in these early days of 2010, McGrady remains owned in 53 percent of Yahoo leagues.

On one level, I can understand stashing someone away in hopes that they'll be traded to a better situation, but there's a fine line between patience and indifference, and I am of the opinion that T-Mac belongs on waivers in most self-respecting, active leagues of 10-14 teams. If and when he does get traded, everyone can madly scramble to the waiver wire as so many of us did when Nate Robinson broke out for 41 points on Friday night (because let's face it, it's pretty fun dropping whatever beverage, item of food or piece of expensive chemistry equipment you're holding and sprinting to the nearest Internet module when things like that happen).

In the meantime, McGrady remains on indefinite leave from the Rockets and should be on indefinite leave from fantasy rosters until the moment it becomes obvious that he should again become relevant.

Resolution #8: While we're tossing out the likes of McGrady, go ahead and remove all that excess chaff from your roster.

This isn't so much a personal resolution as it is a reaction to looking around my various leagues and seeing fantasy dead weight like Larry Hughes, Mario Chalmers, Brad Miller and Grant Hill occupying rosters based solely on name recognition in 10-14 team leagues. Honestly, I would almost rather see another owner scoop up an intriguing free agent from under my grasp than have to see valuable games repeatedly wasted on these decidedly tired options. Cut the aforementioned players loose and don't look back unless you're in an extremely deep league.

Resolution #9: Do everything humanly possible to make 2010 the year of the 20-minute nap.

So far, so good.

Resolution #10: Mention Twitter.

I've been meaning to mention that I have been holding down a relatively low profile on Twitter for quite some time.

I'll never claim to post updates as frequently as Chad Ochocinco, and if you're the sort of person who doesn't appreciate it when writers (myself included) stray off topic in chats and columns, then my Twitter feed is not what Chubbs would refer to as your "Happy place."

With that said, if you're interested in some (occasionally) insightful witticisms mixed with a smattering of sports-related commentary, then allow me to be the first to say welcome aboard.

HacheMan · Jan 5, 2010

West of the Fields
Here's what transpired between Monday and Tuesday's Daily Doses, as well as a recap of the four games played on Monday night.

[SIZE=+1]News and Notes for Tuesday's Games[/SIZE]

Golden State @ Denver

Anthony Randolph's back injury doesn't sound too serious, meaning he should be in the starting lineup on Tuesday against the Nuggets. He's likely to be joined by Ronny Turiaf, Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and Corey Maggette. Turiaf's knee becomes a problem when it cools down, so the Warriors are going to let him play right after pre-game warm-ups, moving Andris Biedrins to the bench. Vladimir Radmanovic is dealing with a sore Achilles, but his ship has sailed. The Warriors cut injured Mikki Moore, meaning Chris Hunter will be with the team for the rest of the season.

Carmelo Anthony (knee) and Chauncey Billups (ankle) don't sound likely to play Tuesday due to their injuries. They haven't been ruled out, and could play, but the latest report we had as of Monday made it sound as if they would rest in preparation for Friday's meeting with the Cavs. Chris Andersen's ankle injury sounds like it will keep him out for most of the week, meaning Nene and Kenyon Martin should see a boost in production. Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson should also be solid if Melo and Mr. Big Shot are out.

Houston @ Lakers

Chase Budinger is now expected to play against the Lakers tonight after missing a couple weeks with an ankle injury.

Lamar Odom's flu bug that caused him to miss Monday's practice doesn't sound like it will keep him from playing tonight. Additionally, Ron Artest also sounds likely to go through his concussion. Pau Gasol, on the other hand, is listed as doubtful due to a left hamstring injury. The good news is that it's not the same hammy that kept him out for the start of the season, but it does sound like his entire week is in jeopardy – hello, my name is Andrew Bynum. Luke Walton is also nearing a return from a back injury, but has no fantasy value. Kobe Bryant has nine technical fouls, trailing only Rasheed Wallace (11) and Kendrick Perkins (10). A one-game suspension is handed down at 16.

Orlando @ Indiana

The Pacers are hoping to get Troy Murphy back from an ankle injury on Friday, although it's possible he could return sooner. Tyler Hansbrough and Jeff Foster remain day-to-day with their injuries, while T.J. Ford is now a serious trade candidate after being booted from the rotation by coach Jim O'Brien. Yeah, I can't believe O'Brien has a job and Ford doesn't, either. Danny Granger is working out and appears to be just a week or two away from returning from his heel injury. I look for Luther Head to have another nice game for Indy, while Earl Watson is due for a big line, as well. Roy Hibbert could bounce back from foul troubles, but it's not likely against Dwight Howard.

Vince Carter practiced Monday and is slated to start for the Magic tonight after suffering a sprained ankle in his last game. He doesn't get enough credit for playing through injuries over the last four years.

Washington @ Philadelphia

Mike Miller is expected to return from his calf injury for the Wizards on Friday, but could be back even earlier. Pick him up if you need a 3-point shooter. Javaris Crittenton isn't scheduled to talk to authorities regarding the gun drama surrounding Gilbert Arenas and the Wizards, making me think that loaded guns were never drawn in the locker room. Arenas is far from being in the clear, but he seems to be in less jeopardy if there wasn't a full-blown confrontation in the locker room. I still expect a lengthy suspension, but it's possible Arenas won't be shut down for the year. Stay tuned.

Detroit @ Dallas

Rodney Stuckey is expected to start on Tuesday at Dallas despite a sprained ankle, but Will Bynum is out for at least the next two games with a pair of sprained ankles. Chucky Atkins will see some minutes in his stead.

Erick Dampier is expected to play through a knee injury on Tuesday, but was probably better off left on benches after stinking it up in the previous two games he played in.

Phoenix @ Sacramento

Francisco Garcia practiced in limited fashion for the Kings on Monday, but is still at least two to three weeks away from a return. I'm expecting a bounce-back game from Spencer Hawes, Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans, while Omri Casspi will likely stay hot.

Channing Frye and Jason Richardson will be looking to bounce back from an awful night when the Suns lost to the Grizzlies on Saturday.

Other games on the docket for Tuesday include Chicago @ Charlotte, Milwaukee @ New Jersey and Memphis @ Portland.

Celtics vs. Heat Wednesday

Paul Pierce is still 50-50 to play through his knee injury for the Celtics on Wednesday, so start him at your own risk. Kevin Garnett is likely going to miss at least 10 days with his hyperextended knee, but Rick Kamla and Dennis Scott of NBA TV speculated on Monday that he could be held out for considerably longer with the injury. Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis will get plenty of run in his absence, while Tony Allen could be a sneaky play if Pierce remains out. Rajon Rondo is still dealing with a hamstring injury, but it sounds like he'll be ready to go against the Heat in Miami.

I don't normally work on Monday nights, but was on the clock last night. And I was all over Twitter, answering questions, providing insight and talking smack. If you're not following me or @Rotoworld_BK, you should be.

Continue reading for Monday's NBA Fantasy Game Recaps and the new Quasi jam!

[SIZE=+1]Monday Fantasy Recaps[/SIZE]

Clippers Down Blazers

The Clippers beat the Blazers on Monday, as Chris Kaman had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. He's scored 20 or more in 10 of his last 11 games, and also has double-doubles in nine of his last 13. He's yet to have a 30-point outing, but I bet it's coming soon. Marcus Camby had 15 rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks, and if you're nervous about owning the walking injury, now's a good time to move him.

For the Blazers, Brandon Roy hit just 2-of-12 shots for six points, breaking his streak of scoring at least 23 points in a game at 15. He revealed after the game that he's dealing with a sore hamstring, which clearly bothered him on Monday. My guess is he'll play tonight, but he's probably a game-time decision. Andre Miller blew up for 22 points, 16 assists and three steals, doing most of his damage in the first half. Now that Steve Blake is sidelined with pneumonia, Miller has finally been turned loose. Let's hope it lasts, as he had 23 points and six dimes in his previous outing. Martell Webster, who was highlighted in Waiver Wired, had a season-high 25 points, six rebounds and five 3-pointers, and was an excellent pick-and-play choice this week, while Juwan Howard hit 8-of-11 shots for 16 points, four boards and a monster dunk in the face of Kaman.

Jazz Fall At Home To Hornets

The Jazz lost at home to the Hornets, marking New Orleans' first win in Utah in nearly four years. Deron Williams had 17 points and 11 assists, but suffered a sprained right wrist during the game. He stayed in a played through it, but his status for Wednesday is a little iffy for now. Ronnie Brewer had just four points and a steal, and it might be time to cut him, as he's only producing in every other game. The Jazz don't look good at all, and you can expect trade rumors to start flowing in Salt Lake.

Chris Paul hit just 5-of-15 shots, but had a crazy steal near the end to seal the win. He finished with 12 points, six boards, nine dimes and three steals. Devin Brown, who I also recommended in Waiver Wired this week, hit 11-of-20 shots and five 3-pointers for a career-high 30 points. Who knows how he'll play the rest of the week, but he clearly had it out for his former team. He came off the bench, as James Posey was given the start. Posey had 12 points, two 3-pointers, five boards, two assists and a steal, meaning you should get him on your radar ASAP. Emeka Okafor was quiet with five points, eight boards and three blocks, but is healthy. Look for him to bounce back on Wednesday against the Thunder.

Bulls' Winning Streak Stopped At Four

Tyrus Thomas hit just 3-of-12 shots for seven points, six boards and a block in his first dud for the Bulls. Hopefully it was just an off night, but it's important to remember that he has spent most of his short career being a fantasy tease. John Salmons was awful, hitting just 1-of-8 shots without much else. I still can't tell you to flat-out cut him, but if he's killing you and you can't take it anymore, let him go. As we posted in his blurb, you might sleep a lot better if he's no longer on your team. Kirk Hinrich was solid with 15 points, three boards, seven assists, four steals and two 3-pointers, and should be grabbed if he's available in your league. Joakim Noah bounced back from an off night with 14 points, 14 boards and two blocks, and while Thomas has hurt his production some, he's still capable of doing this every night. The Bulls saw their four-game winning streak snapped.

The Thunder got another monster line from Russell Westbrook with 29 points, seven boards, six assists and two steals, while Kevin Durant had his 30-point scoring streak stopped at seven games after scoring "just" 25 points. James Harden broke out of a slump with 13 points, three 3-pointers and four assists, while Jeff Green was awful with six points in 14 minutes. The same thing happened with Green last Monday, but then his minutes returned to normal for the rest of the week. I guess the moral of this story is to bench Green on Mondays? The Thunder have now won five of their last six games.

Heat Cook Hawks

Michael Beasley scored 22 points (20 in the first half) to go along with eight boards, two blocks and a 3-pointer as the Heat demolished the Hawks in Miami. My guess is the Hawks were out late in South Beach, as they simply looked lethargic from the opening tip. Dwyane Wade finished things up by scoring 28 points, while Quentin Richardson had eight points, 10 boards and a 3-pointer despite hitting just 1-of-7 shots. Jermaine O'Neal was out with a groin injury, but there is hope he'll play on Wednesday against the Celtics. Jamaal Magloire had 10 boards and two blocks, but should be ignored in most leagues.

Joe Johnson hit 4-of-15 shots for 11 points, while Josh Smith was 3-of-9 for eight in the loss. Jamal Crawford was the only Hawk showing a pulse, as he finished with 23 points, and as I said earlier, these guys looked like a bunch of my fraternity brothers after a late night back in '88. Things should get better on Wednesday when they try to break a four-game slide against the Nets.

HacheMan · Jan 6, 2010

Skip Fest 2010

Skip Fest

It was quite a busy day on Tuesday, making it tough for me to make use of my 'day off.' Rafer Alston was apparently the story of the day, but that all depends on what size league you play in. In case you missed it, Alston, who was bought out by the Nets, is now expected to sign with the Heat in the very near future, where he would presumably take over as the team's starting point guard, replacing Carlos Arroyo. Additionally, Chris Quinn was traded to the Nets, but don't worry about that one unless you play in a 30-team league.

As I wrote in the Season Pass today, if guys in your league were starting players like Mickael Pietrus, Mario Chalmers or Carlos Delfino this week, the Alston news is huge, and guys were probably tripping over each other while racing to the waiver wire to get to him first. But if Mike Conley and Chris Duhon are available on waivers in your league, the news that Rafer appears likely to sign with the Heat means almost nothing. I picked him up in two leagues, dropping Roger Mason Jr. and Rasual Butler for him. Makes sense, right?

I wouldn't cut guys like Conley, Nate Robinson, Kirk Hinrich, Jose Juan Barea, Luther Head, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings, Duhon or Andre Miller for him, because there's no guarantee, and in some cases, no chance, that Alston will be as good as them. But if you want to cut a guy like Mike Bibby, Matt Barnes, Glen Davis, Anthony Morrow, Roger Mason Jr., T.J. Ford, Earl Watson, Taj Gibson, Anthony Parker, Chris Andersen, Ersan Ilyasova, Rasual Butler, Quentin Richardson, Randy Foye, James Harden, Will Bynum, Jarrett Jack, and obviously, Arroyo or Chalmers for him, go for it.

I have never been a huge Alston fan, as his inconsistency and poor field goal shooting have always been a pain in the neck, but when a starting point guard falls out of the sky in a deep league, there is reason to be excited. And would I rather own Alston than Mason Jr. and Butler? Absolutely. I also got an email yesterday asking if Jason Richardson should be dropped for Alston, which I found to be a little humorous. As a J-Rich owner, I too am annoyed with his inconsistency, but I can't imagine Rafer being more reliable than him. Hope that helps clear up what you should do with him, because I'm not sure I can stand any more Tweets or emails about good ol' Skip-to-my-lou.
And as far as what he's going to do? I would expect about 13 points, 5.5 assists, two steals and 1.5 3-pointers per game, with the same inconsistent shooting that he's always provided throughout his career.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

Tuesday's Fantasy-worthy News

Still MIA

Carmelo Anthony (knee), Chauncey Billups (groin) and Chris Andersen (ankle) were all out again for the Nuggets, while Nene tweaked and ankle, and Ty Lawson sprained his in a strange and dramatic win over the Warriors. Nene played through it, so the hope is that he can go on Friday against the Cavs, but Lawson didn't return to the game. The hope is that both Melo and Billups will be able to go on Friday, but we probably won't have a good idea on how likely that is to happen until after Thursday's practice. Andersen is likely out for the week, while we'll have to wait and see on Lawson, Billups and Melo.

Pau Gasol was out Tuesday and sounds highly unlikely for tonight with his hamstring injury, and it's quite possible he won't play this week. Andrew Bynum, as usual, had a big line with Pau in street clothes, going for 24 points, eight boards, two steals and a block, and is going to have a big week with Pau iffy.

Rookie forward Tyler Hansbrough (ear infection) did not suit up for the Pacers on Tuesday, nor did Troy Murphy (ankle), Jeff Foster (back), Danny Granger (heel) or T.J. Ford (benched). Murphy should play at some point this week, but owners of these players should just keep an eye on news blurbs for info. Granger is still probably at least 10 days away.

Erick Dampier missed another game with his knee injury but could play this week. Drew Gooden has been playing well in his absence and had 10 points and 18 boards in his absence, so congrats if you played him last night. Dampier wanted to play last night and is day-to-day, but was struggling before going down.

Mike Miller (calf) did not play on Tuesday, though it sounds like he could have if needed. Coach Flip Saunders said before the game that Miller could get spot minutes, but obviously opted to hold him out in the first of back-to-back games. He should return vs. the Cavs on Wednesday, so stay tuned. Miller is a guy who should be grabbed in many leagues by owners in need of threes.

Brendan Haywood missed Tuesday's game with the flu and is questionable tonight against the Cavs.

Deron Williams (bruised and sprained right wrist) will be a game-time decision on Wednesday vs. the Grizzlies. X-rays were negative, but Williams will have an MRI on Tuesday afternoon, which should determine his status. Hopefully we have an update this afternoon about his status for tonight's game. My gut says he'll play.

Kings forward Donte' Greene started over Beno Udrih and injured his right ankle in the first half on Tuesday. He returned in the second half, but his stint was brief and he only logged 17 minutes. The injury doesn't sound serious and he had five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, salvaging a decent fantasy line.

Continue reading for injury returns and game recaps

Many Happy Returns

Playing through a sprained ankle, LaMarcus Aldridge finished Tuesday's game with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one block. He played 41 minutes and should be good to go. Brandon Roy bounced back from Monday's awful six-point performance, finishing Tuesday's win over the Nuggets with 27 points (9-of-18 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs), three rebounds, nine assists and three steals. So much for the sore hammy, huh? Andre Miller double-doubled for the second straight game with 16 points and 10 boards, and has become a must-start with Steve Blake sidelined.

Hedo Turkoglu is expected to return from a missed game with the flu on Wednesday. Turk has also been battling a knee injury lately, making him a shaky start until he gets going. Toronto Star reporter Doug Smith had travel problems on Sunday, meaning we did not know Turk would be a surprise scratch in that game until it was too late.

Jose Calderon is scheduled to return on Wednesday against the Magic, but he'll likely come off the bench. "If I've got to be coming from the bench the first two, three, four, five games, or whatever, it's Jay's (Triano) call. He's the coach," said Calderon. It would be nice to see Calderon come back and dominate, but he wasn't exactly a force of nature before the injury.

Ron Artest started Tuesday's win over Houston, his first game since suffering a concussion in a Christmas Day accident. He had just seven points, seven rebounds and four turnovers in 33 minutes, but lines like that have been common for Artest this season. He's worth owning in most leagues, but is not a must-start player. Lamar Odom played through an illness and went off vs. the Rockets on Tuesday, just missing a triple-double with 17 points, 19 rebounds, nine assists and one block in 39 minutes. He's been on a tear with Artest out, and now looks like a good time to sell high.

Paul Pierce sounds as if he's fully recovered from his dueling knee procedures and should play tonight against the Heat. Rajon Rondo is not a lock like Pierce appears to be, but it also sounds like he will play through his strained hamstring. Eddie House didn't travel with the team due to the flu, so I don't expect to see him tonight, while Kendrick Perkins is likely a game-time decision, also fighting the flu. He traveled with the team. It will also be interesting to see what Tony Allen does tonight, as many owners picked him up because of Pierce's problems. As for Kevin Garnett, he remains out with a hyperextended knee and there's no target date for his return.

Jermaine O'Neal missed his last game with a groin injury but the Heat were hopeful that he'd be able to play tonight against the Celtics. Again, watch for info on him.

Anthony Randolph played through a back injury, but wasn't great, finishing with 11 points and five boards in a controversial loss to the Nuggets.

Chase Budinger returned from a sprained ankle for Houston, but had just two points in nine minutes.

Jarvis Hayes made his long-delayed return from a hamstring injury on Tuesday, posting seven points and six rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench. I can't imagine him having value in your league, but keep an eye on him.
The Clippers are targeting January 20 as the day Blake Griffin will make his long awaited debut. Griffin would play limited minutes against the Bulls that night if he's ready to go after suffering a knee cap injury prior to the start of the season.

Big Lines From Tuesday (as well as some duds, ahem, Vince)

Pacers Shock Magic

Roy Hibbert exploded (again) in the Pacers upset win vs. Orlando on Tuesday, scoring a career-high 26 points (10-of-19 field goals, 6-of-9 free throws), grabbing eight boards, and blocking four shots in 35 minutes. He managed not to foul out and paid off if you gambled and started him against Dwight Howard. I, unfortunately, was not that smart and left him on a couple benches. Hibbert has scored 20 or more in three of his last four games. I've preached patience with him all year, but owners should just enjoy the ride while it lasts. It's hard to imagine him playing at this level for too much longer, but it is possible. He's averaging more than 19 points, seven boards and two blocks over his last five.

Luther Head finished Tuesday's win with 18 points, two assists and a steal in 31 minutes, the fourth straight game he has scored at least 18 points. Remember when Dahntay Jones was on fire early for the Pacers? I expect Head to cool off in the near future, especially once Granger is back, but he's a solid deep-league play right now.

Dwight Howard had just two points and five turnovers in nine minutes at halftime on Tuesday after being dominated by Hibbert. He finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in a terrible loss to the Pacers. Vince Carter played through a sprained ankle but had just six points on 2-of-15 shooting, while Rashard Lewis added just four points on 2-fo-8 shooting. These guys are really hurting each other in fantasyland. Mickael Pietrus got hot and scored 16, while Matt Barnes had 13. Pietrus was probably not in many lineups, as he's been struggling since losing his starting job to Barnes.

Wizards Comeback At Philly

Antawn Jamison tied his season-high with 32 points in Tuesday's comeback win over the Sixers, making 13-of-20 field goals and 5-of-5 free throws. He grabbed 14 rebounds and chipped in a 3-pointer and a steal. He could be in store for a big second half if Gilbert Arenas has the book thrown at him by David Stern. Arenas had 19 points and 14 dimes, smiling all the way despite the fact a long-term suspension still seems likely. My guess is he gets a minimum of 20 games, and a max of the rest of the season. Yes, maybe the guns weren't loaded and there was no hand-to-hand combat in the locker room, but Stern can't be pleased with all the negative attention this is bringing, and my guess is he'll act sooner than later since Arenas has already admitted he brought the weapons to the locker room. Nick Young caught fire in the fourth quarter to finish with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting (2-of-2 from downtown), but don't expect him to do that very often. Miller's return will hurt his minutes and production. Caron Butler had just eight points and four boards, and he just can't seem to find a groove under Flip Saunders.

Samuel Dalembert blew up for 20 points and 20 rebounds in the loss (against the centerless Wizards, who were without Haywood), but somehow failed to block a shot. Lou Williams had 19 points, three 3-pointers and two assists, and is returning to form. Andre Iguodala scored 20 and filled the stat sheet, while Allen Iverson had just four points. He's going to be inconsistent and is still not fully healthy, so weigh your options carefully before starting AI on a daily basis. Thaddeus Young was also disappointing with five points, and has become too inconsistent to use in most leagues.

Continue reading for more game recaps

Bobcats Shock Bulls

Gerald Wallace played well again, going off for 32 points, while Flip Murray tossed in 25 off the bench. Murray has some potential, but is very inconsistent, while Wallace could be heading to Dallas for the All-Star Game. Boris Diaw started hot on Tuesday, but cooled off to finish with five points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals, five blocks and three turnovers. I still don't think he's going to ever fully get it going, but he's a hard guy to tell someone to flat-out cut. But it can be done if an owner deems it necessary. Don't look now, but the Cats have won four of their last five games.

The Bulls got 18 & 9 from Luol Deng, Derrick Rose had 24 points and nine assists, and John Salmons bounced back from a terrible game with 19 points, seven boards, three assists, a steal and three 3-pointers on 7-of-12 shooting. Like a scene from Groundhog Day, I've encouraged patience with Salmons all year and it might finally be paying off, as he's scored 15 or more in four of his last five games. Tyrus Thomas was bad for a second straight game with six points and five boards, but did have a steal and a block. The Bulls have lost two straight, and it's my hope that Vinny Del Negro finally figures out the Bulls best chance to win is when Thomas gets heavy minutes and is allowed to change the course of the game. We'll see. Kirk Hinrich also had 12 points, seven assists and two threes, and should be owned in most leagues now.

Bucks Rip Nets

Carlos Delfino played a whopping 37 minutes for 17 points (7-of-11 shooting), five rebounds, three assists, three steals and zero turnovers off the bench. I'm still not sure where this came from, but I need to see it again before getting too excited. Ersan Ilyasova was terrible, while Brandon Jennings just hasn't played well for a month now. He only played 25 minutes and scored nine points. He needs a pep talk about getting aggressive again in the worst way, but I'm not sure who is going to give it to him. If you want to cut Ilyasova, go for it.

Yi Jianlian scored 22, but Devin Harris was awful, missing all four of his shots for five points in the loss. He did have six boards and seven assists.

Mavs Thump Pistons

Shawn Marion tied his season-high with 18 points on Tuesday, hitting 5-of-7 field goals and all eight of his free throws, adding seven rebounds in 27 minutes. I'm not sure there's a more boring player to own in fantasy this year. Gooden had 10 points and 18 boards in Damp's absence, while Jason Terry scored 26. Jose Juan Barea fell back to earth, failing to score, and it's possible his hot streak is officially over.

Charlie Villanueva had 17 points, four 3-pointers, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block off the Pistons bench on Tuesday, and your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not this is a sign he's ready to start playing like this on a daily basis. Rip Hamilton scored 20 and Rodney Stuckey had 15 despite a sprained ankle, but the Pistons are one of the worst fantasy teams around. You just never know who's going to get hot, and they are almost too deep for their own good.

Nuggets Pull Out Nail Biter Over Warriors

Nuggets forward Joey Graham got another start for Melo and had 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, one steal, one block and three turnovers. He may get another shot on Friday, but shouldn't have value once Melo is healthy again. J.R. Smith had 21 points (8-of-20, one 3-pointer) and hit the game-winning free throws, but is so inconsistent. I'm still holding him in a shallow league, but will only play him when he has a four-game week and is coming in kind of hot. What a mess. Kenyon Martin easily set a season-high with 27 points, going 11-of-18 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line, with 13 rebounds and one steal. You could almost see this one coming with Melo in street clothes.

Monta Ellis scored 32 points on Tuesday, making 14-of-29 FGs, but he committed an awful foul on Smith with the game clock expiring, allowing the Nuggets to squeak out a 123-122 victory. Ellis has now scored 30 or more in seven of his last nine games. Stephen Curry was also hot early and finished with 26 points, five boards, six assists, three steals and six 3-pointers on 10-of-13 shooting. Unfortunately for me, he was on my bench. Corey Maggette scored 35 points on 12-of-16 shooting and hit 11-of-12 free throws. He's been very hot lately, scoring 21 or more in 10 of his past 11 games.

Grizzlies Stay Hot, Win At Portland

O.J. Mayo and Zach Randolph stayed hot with 27 points a piece, while Mike Conley struggled with foul trouble before fouling out. I am still a fan and think he should be owned in most leagues, despite the inconsistency. The Grizzlies are actually over .500 at 17-16 and have won eight of nine games! And these weren't gimmes, with wins at Portland, Phoenix and Indiana, and at home against the Nuggets during the streak.

Martell Webster looks like the pickup of the week, as he had another strong line of 21 points, five 3-pointers and three steals. Congratulations if he was in your lineup this week, but I'm not sure how long he'll keep it going. But it's probably worth a shot to find out.

Suns Shine In Sacramento

Steve Nash had 30 points and 12 assists on Tuesday, as the Suns defeated the Kings in Sacramento to snap a seven-game road losing streak. Amare Stoudemire shocked the world with some steals and blocks, finishing with one of his best lines of the season with 24 points, eight boards, three steals and two blocks. Nice. Jason Richardson bounced back with 20 points, nine boards and two threes, but it's still hard to trust him from game to game. Leandro Barbosa had just five points on 1-of-7 shooting, and is one of those guys I'd cut for Rafer Alston.

Omri Casspi was on fire in Tuesday's loss to the visiting Suns, scoring 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting with three 3-pointers. He added seven rebounds and one assist, with zero turnovers, and has been on fire for a couple weeks now. It may come to a crashing halt at some point, especially once Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia are back from their broken wrist. Logic tells us to sell high on him, but I'm kind of enjoying the run, and will probably just hang with him until the well runs dry. Tyreke Evans left Tuesday's game briefly with a right ankle injury, but returned to finish with 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block. He started at point guard last night, moving Beno Udrih to the bench. Udrih was quiet, finishing with eight points and four assists, but did play well down the stretch. If he has been permanently moved to the bench, it might be time to let go. Donte' Greene started in his place, as mentioned earlier. Spencer Hawes played just 18 minutes for four points and three rebounds, but there is no report of an injury. I still contend he should be held in case he ever gets in a flow, but he is not an everyday starter at this point.

Get ready for 10 games on Wednesday night. It's going to be fun.

HacheMan · Jan 7, 2010

Agent Ø? More Like Plain Zero
And that, my friends, is why you don't fashion your fingers into fake pistols and publicly call your sport's commissioner "mean" when you're in the midst of a weapons probe, no matter how innocuous you believe your role in said weapons probe may have been.

In addition to the bombshell news that Gilbert Arenas is suspended indefinitely (and all signs point to him being done for the year at the very least), some fairly grim details emerged on Tuesday in the Washington Post with regard to Javaris Crittenton apparently loading and cocking his gun in the locker room.

That may mean a suspension for Crittenton is on the way as well, but that won't have an impact in fantasy leagues. What does have a considerable impact is the departure of Agent Zero, and in his absence the key question becomes: Who's going to benefit more, Randy Foye or Earl Boykins?

The short answer, I believe, is that both could be worth owning in leagues of 12 or more teams, while both are likely to be borderline options in shallow 10-team leagues.

Looking at it more in depth, Boykins started and had 10 points and six assists in just 19 minutes, but he may have played more had the Wizards not lost by 23. And it's worth noting that in the four games in which he has gotten 25 or more minutes this season, Boykins has averaged 17.5 ppg, 3.3 apg and 1.5 threes.

Foye, meanwhile, had 18 points off the bench and has more upside than Boykins, but will also probably be more erratic. Nick Young started and had 14, but he's largely a one-dimensional scorer and will take a clear hit in value when Mike Miller returns, presumably on Friday. And I do think Miller is worth adding in 10-team leagues, though he'll likely be rusty when he first comes back.

Also notable from Wizards country, Caron Butler – who gets a very clear boost in value with Arenas out – struggled to just eight points in 38 minutes and looks like an excellent buy-low option right now.

Now, onto the rest of the action from a 10-game Wednesday:

JUST SAY NO TO VICE

The Celtics were very clearly not victimized by the curse of South Beach that hit the Hawks the other night in Miami. Rajon Rondo (25 points, eight assists) and Paul Pierce (17 points) were both strong in their return from injury, while Kendrick Perkins (flu) went for 20 and 10 and Ray Allen added a rare four steals and two blocks to a 22-point night. Also solid was Rasheed Wallace (16 points, nine boards), who has nice value for as long as Kevin Garnett remains sidelined.

For Miami, Dwyane Wade scored a season-high 44 and has posted three big games in 2010 after a couple off nights to close out 2009. Jermaine O'Neal returned with 14 points and eight rebounds and Michael Beasley struggled to five points and five rebounds, but I think Beasley's off night was due more to foul trouble and a good Celtics' D than any major issue coexisting with O'Neal.

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BROOKS WAS HERE

I know I've used that headline before, but it's basically impossible to avoid when Aaron Brooks goes off, and go off he did on Wednesday, with a season-high 34 points to go with six threes. Sure, he doesn't get a lot of assists, but it's hard not to enjoy Brooks' production this season. Another enjoyable player has been Carl Landry, who dropped a season-high 31 in the loss to Phoenix. Meanwhile, Shane Battier went scoreless and Luis Scola went for a hollow 11 and five, but they'll do things like that from time-to-time.

For Phoenix, the big headlines were another big game for Channing Frye (22 points, six threes, three blocks) and another boost of confidence from Jason Richardson, who had an outstanding all-around game in his second straight 20-point night. We likely haven't seen the last of his inconsistency, but J-Rich remains worth owning (and usually worth starting) in just about any league.

LOTTERY-BOUND, BUT ENTERTAINING

The most significant news from Golden State's win over Minnesota was that we got a long-awaited sighting of something resembling vintage Andris Biedrins (eight points, eight boards, five blocks). He's still not fully back to form, but is getting closer. Corey Maggette had another big game with 28, nine and four, and owners should be considering selling high given his penchant for injuries and refusal to consistently amass threes or steals. The enigmatic Anthony Randolph had 15 points, five boards and three blocks in 24 minutes, which again leads to the frustration of wondering why he can't consistently get 35 minutes, but at least he's producing in limited time.

For Minnesota, Jonny Flynn struggled to 1-for-11 shooting, but you're going to have to accept inconsistency if he's on your squad. Al Jefferson (26 points, 14 boards, two blocks) and Kevin Love (23 points, 16 rebounds, six assists) not surprisingly shredded the flimsy Warriors' D. Love was helped to the locker room after a knee-on-knee hit with Maggette, but eventually returned to the game and should be fine in the long run.

ORLANDO, DO YOU LIKE IT?

The scuffling Magic lost their third straight, but got a huge game from Rashard Lewis (24 points, five rebounds, five threes, five steals), a mixed bag from Dwight Howard (20 points, 12 rebounds, one block, nine turnovers) and 16 and eight from Jameer Nelson, who has averaged 14.5 ppg, 7.0 apg and 1.5 threes in his last four games. J.J. Redick was also good with 22 points, but is only a deep league option at this point.

Under the category of "rotten," we can file Vince Carter (seven points) and Matt Barnes (six points). Carter is playing through an ankle injury but should bounce back before too long, while Barnes is attempting to prove that he's not trustworthy even in a starting role. Hold onto him in deeper leagues, but feel free to cut him if you recently added him in a 10-, 12- or 14-team format.

For Toronto, the key development was the return of Jose Calderon, who came off the bench for five points and eight assists behind starter Jarrett Jack (15 points, seven assists). Jack is likely to remain the starter for now, but the two were playing together down the stretch and are capable of quietly coexisting, though neither will consistently post big stats while both are healthy.

By the way, that "Orlando, do you like it?" line was a rare reference to the movie Ghost, in case you missed it. Almost as rare as a real-life Bigfoot sighting.



REDEMPTION, THY NAME IS NEW JERSEY

The Hawks held a players only meeting after four straight losses and responded with a 30-point lambasting of the Nets. Jamal Crawford led the way with 29 to tie a season-high in just 24 minutes, while Josh Smith made friendly conversation with a triple-double (11 points, nine rebounds, seven assists).

It was largely a lost night for the Nets, though Yi Jianlian looked aggressive and determined again on his way to 19 points, 11 boards, a steal and a block. He should absolutely, 100 percent be owned in all leagues. Devin Harris was also solid with 15 points, eight assists and four steals, though it's worth noting that the Nets' TV crew was talking about how much defensive attention Harris is getting this year without Vince Carter around to draw double teams. Considering that he's still adjusting to being the focal point, it's worth keeping expectations somewhat in check and realizing that a full return to last year's form is not guaranteed.

SURLY HORNET ALERT

New Orleans won its fourth consecutive game on Wednesday despite another relatively quiet scoring night from Chris Paul (14 points, 13 assists, three steals). CP3 has hit for 20 points just once in his last six games, but fret not – the points will come. David West has now been very solid (or better) in four of his last five, going for 19 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. And Devin Brown reminded us that at the end of the day he's still Devin Brown by going for 11 points one game after dropping a career-high 30.

For the Thunder, the primary takeaway is that the scuffling Jeff Green scored 20 with five rebounds, two threes and a whole bunch of zeros. Not the most dynamic line, but a sign that he could be emerging from a recent slump.

THE FIGHT FOR LOS ANGELES

The Clippers snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Lakers behind 25 points and 10 assists from Baron Davis, 21 and 14 from Chris Kaman, six points, 13 boards and two blocks from Marcus Camby and 18 points from Eric Gordon. Also showing up was the productive version of Rasual Butler, who had 14 points, two threes and two blocks. Butler is solid if you have patience in a deeper league, but if you're the kind of owner who lives and dies by daily box scores, he will drive you insane.

The Lakers were without Pau Gasol, who has a slight tear in his hamstring. That sounds scary, but it's not believed to be as bad as the hammy that sidelined him for 11 games earlier this season. As expected, Andrew Bynum (15 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks) and Lamar Odom (nine points, 16 rebounds, five assists) both enjoyed another spike in production with Gasol out. Kobe Bryant scored 33 with eight assists, but shot just 10-for-30.

WELCOME TO MUNDANEVILLE

By far the least intriguing game on the slate Wednesday was the Spurs-Pistons matchup, but it did have fantasy relevance. First of all, don't look now, but the Pistons have lost 11 straight. Their primary bright spot was Richard Hamilton, who scored 29. Charlie Villanueva also had 14 and eight off the bench, but in not so good news, Rodney Stuckey suffered a knee injury on a drive to the basket and left the game. We were still awaiting word on the severity of that injury as of Thursday morning. Meanwhile, Ben Gordon had just 11 points in 28 minutes and looks like a good buy-low at the moment.

For the Spurs, starting center DeJuan Blair had 10 points and eight boards but remains inconsistent, while Tony Parker went for exactly 23 and six in a second straight game.

BLOWOUT COUNTRY

The Jazz munched a tired Grizzlies squad on Wednesday, getting some unexpected contributions in an easy win. Most notable: 24 points for C.J. Miles, 10 assists from Ronnie Brewer and a vintage 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks from Andrei Kirilenko. In the instance of Miles and Brewer, it's worth noting that increased opportunities came because Deron Williams (sprained wrist) was sidelined, and in the instance of Kirilenko, it's worth hoping beyond hope that this is the start of something big (though I'll believe that when I see it).

The Grizzlies simply had nothing left playing the second of a back-to-back, so we won't dwell on their stats much. What should be mentioned is that all five members of the starting lineup are dealing with some kind of ailment. Mike Conley has right shoulder soreness, O.J. Mayo has a sore hip, Marc Gasol has an elbow bruise, Rudy Gay is still slowed by his sprained ankle and Zach Randolph tweaked his knee in a scary fall on Tuesday night. The good news is that all five are healthy enough to play through their injuries, and I expect a bounce-back game from the Grizz on Friday night.

TONIGHT

An odd sight on the schedule: a one-game Thursday (apparently there's some sort of college football match taking place this evening). Anyhoo, the Bobcats are taking on the Knicks in what should be a very enjoyable evening for Gerald Wallace and friends against New York's fantasy-friendly D. I'm also intrigued to see what Nate Robinson does after scoring 41 and six in his two games since being cryogenically unfrozen. My slightly random hunch: 19 points. Ice cream for everyone if I end up being correct.

HacheMan · Jan 8, 2010

Hey, Mr. Wilson!
The Gilbert Arenas tornado has passed, at least for the time being, and there was only one game in the NBA last night, thanks to the Texas – 'Bama game. Or, should I say the 'Bama game. Despite a lack of activity, there's still plenty to talk about, like the fact the Knicks beat Charlotte, and that Rafer Alston signed with the Heat on Thursday afternoon.

Knicks Survive Bobcats

The Knicks hit a bunch of late 3-pointers last night to beat the Bobcats in New York. I know it's hard to believe, but this was actually pretty good basketball game. Chris Duhon's 3-pointer broke a tie with about two minutes left and then Danilo Gallinari, playing through a sore shoulder, drained two more that helped seal the win for the Knicks. Wilson Chandler, who has been playing very well for about a month now, scored a season-high 27 to go along with seven boards, six assists and a 3-pointer. Thankfully, the "Is Wil-Chan going to ever get it going or is he a bust?" emails have stopped. And hopefully, you held onto him, as he's scored 23 or more in four of his last five.

Gallinari hit five more 3-pointers, putting his season total at 96, which is good enough to lead the league. Al Harrington was a late scratch with a strained left calf, leaving him questionable for Saturday @ Houston. And if he misses that one, owners in weekly leagues may have a tough 4-game decision to make for Week 12. Duhon added 10 points, five boards, six dimes and three 3-pointers of his own, as he's still playing well enough to be used in most leagues. Nate Robinson hit a couple threes and scored 10 points, but is by no means a must-start as of yet. Startable? Yes.

The Bobcats got 26 points from Stephen Jackson, but it took him 26 shots to do it, and he added a couple threes, seven boards, three assists, three steals and a block. Boris Diaw had 12 points, six boards, six assists, two threes and a steal, and is starting to show signs of life. He had just five points in his last one, but added four boards, six assists, two steals and five blocks. I am still not convinced he's going to finally start living up to the hype, but he's worth a look if he was dropped in your league.

Flip Murray scored 20 with four 3-pointers a night after he scored 25 with three from downtown, and is a guy you'll want to keep a close eye on in case he does it again in the next one. If he does, he should be considered by owners in need of threes. He's averaged nearly 14 points, two 3-pointers and 23 minutes in his last five games. Tyson Chandler was out again with his foot injury, and there's still no target date for his return. He was injured on Dec. 22 when reports suggested he'd miss at least a week, but it was pretty much a given that he'd be out longer than that, as he never seems to come back on time, let alone early. Nazr Mohammed was picked up around that time in many leagues, but has been awful, averaging less than eight points and three boards in his last five, and has only one block in that stretch.

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News and Notes – Or Should I Just Call It An Injury Rundown?

Bulls

Luol Deng is bothered by a sore thumb and his numbers have dipped recently. He's averaging about 14 points and seven boards over his last five, but has hit just one 3-pointer over that stretch. Blame the injury, or the return of Tyrus Thomas, but I do expect Deng to continue to be a solid play as long as his thumb doesn't cause him to miss any games.

Jazz

Deron Williams is still suffering from a wrist injury and will be a game-time decision tonight against the Grizzlies. We'll hopefully have an answer on him one way or the other in the afternoon. Ronnie Price missed practice with a sore shoulder, meaning Sundiata Gaines could be forced into heavy minutes on Friday. Andrei Kirilenko will also see some minutes at point guard if Williams and Price are out.

Grizzlies

Mike Conley is dealing with a shoulder injury, which might help explain his recent drop off in production. I'm not giving up on him just yet, as he was playing well before his most recent slump. O.J. Mayo has a sore hip, Rudy Gay's ankle is still hurting and Zach Randolph is dealing with a sore knee, but all are expected to play tonight.

Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony participated in Thursday's practice in a limited fashion and will likely be a game-time decision against LeBron James tonight due to his knee injury. You know he wants to play in this one, so my gut says he'll try to go. Nene and Chauncey Billups (ankles) sound likely to play tonight, while Ty Lawson and Chris Andersen (ankles) probably won't be in uniform. We should have more information on all these Nuggets Friday afternoon.

Timberwolves

Kevin Love appears to be OK after suffering a frightening knee bruise on Wednesday, as well as a poked eye. I expect him to be fine for Friday's meeting with Pacers.

Pacers

Danny Granger (heel) has been practicing without limitations and his return is getting closer. He's not expected to play this weekend, but a return date of Monday against Toronto seems like a possibility.

Blazers

Brandon Roy (hamstring), LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) and Andre Miller (back) are all a little gimpy right now, but should play tonight against the Lakers. Miller reportedly blew up and got into a shouting match with Nate McMillan during Thursday's practice, but McMillan downplayed the incident. Miller's been playing very well lately and looks like a must-start for as long as Steve Blake is out with pneumonia. I also think Miller will be playable when Blake returns, which could be Sunday against the Cavs. Rudy Fernandez is about a week or so away from returning from back surgery, and he will likely cut into the production of a red-hot Martell Webster.

Lakers

Pau Gasol's hamstring injury will keep him out again on Friday, but he could be ready to go by the start of next week. Then again, maybe not. Luke Walton (back) is practicing and hopes to return next week as well.

Kings

Donte' Greene (ankle) hasn't practiced in a couple days and is listed as doubtful for the weekend, which is good news for Beno Udrih and Omri Casspi.

Mavs

Erick Dampier is listing himself as a game-time decision for Friday due to a knee injury, but it feels like Drew Gooden has taken over for him. I still think Damp will start when healthy, but I imagine his best games of the season are behind him.

Celtics

Eddie House could travel to Atlanta for Tonight's game and play through the flu, but I would not plan on using him. Still no target date on Kevin Garnett's knee, and my guess is he'll be out at least another week.

Bucks

Joe Alexander is practicing through his hamstring injury for the Bucks, but it would have to be a pretty deep league for him to be worth picking up.

Tidbits

Rafer Alston signed with the Heat on Thursday and could play on Friday against the Suns. However, he's a much safer bet for Sunday against the Clippers, as he hasn't had a chance to fully practice with the Heat yet.

Tyrus Thomas is not happy with his playing time lately and I still can't believe he's not starting. Maybe Thursday's griping will get through to Vinny Del Negro and he'll get more minutes, and possibly a starting job, soon.

Ryan Gomes appears to be close to moving back into the starting lineup for the Timberwolves, replacing Damien Wilkins. Gomes went on a scoring spree of 27, 20, 15, 23, 16 and 21 points in consecutive games just before getting hurt (ankle), but isn't likely to return to that kind of form now that Love is healthy. But he is worth a close eye if he gets his job back. He should produce in points, rebounds and threes if it happens, but I doubt he can score more than 11 or 12 a game going forward.

Two quick notes on Gilbert Arenas.

1. If you're still holding him, waiting to find out if his suspension will be for the rest of the season, I say don't bother. Yeah, there's a chance he plays again this year, but it reminds me of this exchange between Lloyd and Mary in Dumb and Dumber.

Lloyd: What do you think the chances are of a guy like you and a girl like me... ending up together?
Mary: Well, Lloyd, that's difficult to say. I mean, we don't really...
Lloyd: Hit me with it! Just give it to me straight! I came a long way just to see you, Mary. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Mary: Not good.
Lloyd: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Mary: I'd say more like one out of a million.
Lloyd: So you're telling me there's a chance... *YEAH!*

Cut him.

2. The Wizards are thinking about disciplining teammates who were laughing at his finger-gun shooting display prior to the (likely) final game of his season. If you look at the photo, my guess is you won't find a single player not enjoying the ill-timed shenanigans. Therefore, I doubt suspensions would he handed out, unless the team just decides to dock everyone one game's pay and forfeit a game. Not likely. But fines for everyone? Maybe.

HacheMan · Jan 10, 2010

Don't You Forget About Sammy D
I'm taking a new approach today for Waiver Wired. Or at least that's my plan going in. Just like the Patriots are being hit quickly right now, this is my own version of quick hits.

[SIZE=+1]Smaller To Average-Sized Leagues[/SIZE]

These players may or may not be available in smaller to average-sized leagues consisting of 10-12 teams with rosters somewhere around 12-15 players. That should cover a majority of the fantasy hoops leagues in existence. If your league is any smaller than that, the waiver options are endless and it's just too difficult to try to figure out whether you should pick up Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng or Jason Richardson.

Randy Foye G Wizards - Many folks thought Earl Boykins would be 'the man,' but really, has he ever been 'the man' in his NBA career? Foye started his last game, looked great, and should be added in every league. He's scored 18, 20 and 18 in his last three games, hitting four 3-pointers and handing out almost five assists per. He's also in the midst of another huge line on Sunday, with 18 points and six assists at the start of the fourth quarter.

Samuel Dalembert C Sixers - Dalembert has been a bit up and down, as coach Eddie Jordan just can't seem to make up his mind on anything (remember a guy named Marreese Speights?), but has been on fire lately. He's averaging 12 points, 11 boards, a steal and 3.5 blocks over his last five. Jordan getting fired could help or hurt, but Sammy deserves a shot in any league.

Mike Miller G/F Wizards - Started and played 39 minutes in his first game back, going for a devilish 6-6-6, but more good things are coming. He's a candidate to be traded to a contender, but with the Wiz he's got a chance to do big things. And while we're talking Wiz, Nick Young and Boykins still deserve a look. His minutes are way down on Sunday, and Young is getting serious clock, so make sure Miller isn't injured before buying in.

Rafer Alston PG Heat - Started right out of the gate for the Heat and while he didn't play all that well, did have 10 points, four dimes, three boards, a steal and two 3-pointers. If you need a point guard, don't be scared.

Rasheed Wallace F/C Celtics - Kevin Garnett's return date remains a mystery and Wallace has filled in nicely with 11 points, 5 boards, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, and has hit eight 3-pointers in his last five games.

Nate Robinson G Knicks - The 41-point explosion was a fluke, but he's scored 20 and 10 in his last two, hitting five 3-pointers over the stretch. I'm starting him with four games this week, and he's averaging 19 points and two 3-pointers per over his last four games.

Boris Diaw F Bobcats - Diaw has quietly averaged 6.6 points, 5.4 boards, 5.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks and has hit three 3-pointers in his last five games. Wow. I still don't trust him, and scoring is obviously an issue, but you can't argue with those numbers.

Courtney Lee G/F Nets - Lee blew up for 28 points in his last game and could finally be getting ready to get hot. He's averaging 12 points, four boards and has hit six treys in his last five games.

Martell Webster G/F Blazers - Webster was a fantastic pickup last week and had the most productive week of his life, averaging 19 points, six boards, a steal and has hit 17 threes in his last five games. My guess is his best work is now behind him, and the return of Rudy Fernandez and Steve Blake will hurt a little, but he's still worth owning in most leagues.

Ersan Ilyasova F Bucks - Ilyasova's second major slump of the season is behind him and he's playing well again. He's averaging 10 points, 7.5 boards, two assists, a steal and has hit eight 3-pointers in his last five games. And the Bucks play four times this week.

Kirk Hinrich G Bulls - Hinrich is at 14 points, six assists, 1.6 steals and has drained 12 3-pointers in his last five, making him worth a pickup.

Tyrus Thomas F Bulls - Thomas is in a major slump, getting crushed by Joakim Noah in about the same number of minutes. Owners are jumping ship on Ty, but he will bounce back. The only problem is that it's anyone's guess as to when it happens.

John Salmons G/F Bulls - Salmons is quietly playing better, averaging 12 points, three boards and a 3-pointer per over his last five. He's not a must-start, but is worth holding in most leagues, as usual.

Peja Stojakovic G/F Hornets - Has been in a bad slump but was playing well on Sunday and is an instant source of threes if you're in need.

Andrei Kirilenko F Jazz - AK-47 is averaging about 11 points, five boards, three assists, two steals and a block over his last five, which should be worth something in most leagues.

Charlie Villanueva F Pistons - Villanueva might be getting healthy again for the terrible Pistons (12 straight losses), and could be headed toward the starting lineup, as his offense is something the Pistons' starting lineup desperately needs. He's hit double digits in four straight, averaging seven boards and two 3-pointers per game in that stretch. Now might be the time to get him in case he does become a starter soon.

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[SIZE=+1]Normal-to-Deeper Leagues[/SIZE]

These players may generally be available in 12 to 14-team leagues.

Spencer Hawes F/C Kings - Paul Westphal can't make up his mind on whether or not to start Hawes, but he had 17 points, five boards, a block and a 3-pointer in his last game off the bench and has scored in double digits in two straight. He's still not a must-own or a must-start, but he could be by the end of the week.

Matt Barnes G/F Magic - Barnes was great on Saturday with Vince Carter out of the lineup and had a decent week. He's averaging 13 points, six boards and has hit eight 3-pointers over his last five games, as he continues to start for the Magic.

J.J. Redick G Magic - Redick started for injured Vince Carter Saturday and had 17 points and three 3-pointers in that one. He's actually scored between 11 and 22 points in his last five, hitting 14 3-pointers, and with talk of him possibly replacing Carter in the starting lineup, at least semi-permanently, he deserves a look in any league right now. Just don't expect much besides points and threes.

Mickael Pietrus G/F Magic - Pietrus showed signs of life this week off the bench and is averaging 10 points, four boards, a steal and a 3-pointer over his last five.

Ryan Gomes F Wolves - Gomes may or may not be starting soon, but he's averaging 15 points, six boards, four assists, two steals, a block and a 3-pointer over his last two games.

Flip Murray G Bobcats - Flip has hit double figures in scoring in four straight games and is shooting lights out. He's averaging 15.6 points and has hit 12 3-pointers over his last five, making him worth a look if you need a shooting guard. The question is, can he keep it going?

Jarrett Jack G Raptors - Jose Calderon is back, but it looks like he may split minutes with Jack going forward. He's averaging 12 points, six assists, 1.4 steals and has hit seven 3-pointers over his last five games.

Jerryd Bayless G Blazers - Bayless is still very inconsistent and takes a hit with Blake returning Sunday, but is averaging 12 points, three boards and four assists over his last five, while shooting it poorly.

Grant Hill G/F Suns - Hill was mired in a nasty slump, but broke out in his last one for 18 points, 13 boards and five assists on 7-of-11 shooting. He's not a must-own and could disappear in his next one, but that line should at least catch your attention.

Drew Gooden F/C Mavericks - Erick Dampier is back, but Gooden had been playing well before missing his last game with a finger injury. He is averaging 8.5 points, 11 boards, 1.5 steals and a block over his last four games. Damp is also worth a look, as he's back as the starting center.

Ronny Turiaf F/C Warriors - With Anthony Randolph out for at least a week or two (presumably) with an ankle injury, Turiaf should figure more prominently in the Warriors' game plan. He is averaging just three points, three boards and two blocks over his last five, and is also dealing with a sore knee, but is worth a look in deep leagues.

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[SIZE=+1]Extremely Deep Leagues[/SIZE]

Devin Brown G Hornets - Brown was in a couple of my lineups when he went off for a career-high 30 with five 3-pointers to kick off the week. But he's scored just 8 and 5 in his last two games. He is worthy of a roster spot in deep leagues and should hit some threes with four games in Week 12, but is not a must-own player. He's also playing pretty well halfway through Sunday's game. Roger Mason Jr. is a similar player to keep an eye on if you need threes.

Ime Udoka F Kings - Udoka came out of nowhere for two big games in the absence of Donte' Greene, and may have earned more minutes going forward. He's averaging 15.5 points, eight boards, 1.5 steals and has hit six 3-pointers over his last two games. Greene, Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia are going to come back on rain on this parade, but for the short term in a very deep league, he might be the most promising player on your wire.

A.J. Price PG Pacers - Price had 23 points, three dimes, two steals and three 3-pointers on Saturday and with the Pacers going nowhere, could eventually start over Earl Watson. Off the bench, he's still averaging 12 points, four assists and a steal, and has hit seven 3-pointers in his last five games.

Austin Daye F Pistons - The Pistons have lost 12 straight games and they have nothing to lose by giving the rookie minutes. He had 10 points, seven boards, three assists, a block and two 3-pointers in his last game and should be in line for more minutes. Again, a deep-league possibility.

Jason Maxiell PF Pistons - Max is starting for the Pistons right now, averaging 4.5 points, 6.5 boards and a steal over his last two.

Willie Green G Sixers - With Allen Iverson's knee issues Green is worth a look in deeper leagues. He had 15 points, six boards, four dimes and two 3-pointers without AI on Saturday, so just keep your eye on him.

Marvin Williams F Hawks - Williams is a forgotten man in Atlanta, but is averaging 11 points, a steal and a 3-pointer over his last five games.

Dorell Wright G/F Heat - Wright got hot in his last one, going for 15 points, seven boards, four steals and a 3-pointer, while Quentin Richardson continues to lob bombs at owners who dare to start him. Wright could be on the verge of taking over Richardson's role, making him worth a watchful eye over the next few games.

Sam Young F Grizzlies - Young is all or nothing, scoring 22 points in two of his last five. The problem is the 2, 6 and 8 points he scored in the other three, along with the fact he doesn't do much outside of scoring.

Chris Hunter F/C Warriors - Hunter should get more minutes with Anthony Randolph sidelined indefinitely, but is only an option in 20-team leagues.

Jon Brockman F Kings - Brockman started his last game and had five points and 12 rebounds. My guess is Spencer Hawes will eventually become a full-time starter, but in the meantime, keep an eye on Brockman.

HacheMan · Jan 11, 2010

Spontaneous Combustion
Much like the helpless succession of drummers in This is Spinal Tap, sometimes in the world of fantasy basketball, people just explode.

One recent example of this fact of fantasy life was Anthony Randolph, who on Friday night – in the midst of an 11-game streak during which he had averaged 13.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.0 spg and 2.4 bpg – simply landed on his ankle in precisely the wrong way.

The good news is that he did not literally spontaneously combust like the drummers from Spinal Tap, but in essence, that's what happened to that particular spot in your fantasy lineup. Here you were with a terrific young drummer who was only beginning to tap (pun intended) his immense well of potential, and suddenly, without warning, he's gone (or at least unavailable for a yet-to-be-determined period of time).

For the record, Randolph's sudden calamity is not to be confused with the phenomenon known as telegraphed combustion, which is precisely what happened to Michael Redd on Sunday night. The difference between the two is that Randolph's injury came completely out of the blue, while Redd – now done for the season – was just about the biggest red flag this side of The People's Republic of China. And not to incite an unwieldy game of I told you so, but on that particular front, you were warned.

So what can you do in the future to avoid the plague of combusting ankles and knees? In the case of Randolph, there was nothing to be done. Bad luck is simply bad luck, and if he exploded on you unexpectedly, I will now channel Robin Williams playing Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting and tell you, "Look at me, son. It's not your fault."

However, there are instances in which it is technically your fault, and Redd represents one of them. There are players on numerous fantasy rosters in every league who are essentially ticking injury time bombs. I often refer to them as "hot potatoes," but will now add the term "combusting drummer" to the lexicon. And if you weren't aggressively shopping the blatantly brittle Redd after he had scored 27 and 24 points in two of his last three games, then at least to some extent, that one is on you.

Taking a forward-looking approach so as to avoid future unwelcome explosions, here are other players who fall in the category of time bomb/explosive band member:

– Kevin Garnett: He's currently hurt, but let this be a reminder to deal him away as soon as he comes back and posts five or so solid games as I don't think this will be his last leg trouble of the season.

– Luol Deng: The latest news on the thumb injury is at least a souvenir-sized red flag.

– Josh Howard: Consider him the current poster child for Hot Potato Syndrome.

– Monta Ellis: He's not a full-blown time bomb, but the fact that he has played 45 or more minutes in 15 of his last 18 games is a concern. I realize that dealing him is easier said than done, and make sure you get a top-15 player in return if you decide to go another direction.

– Danny Granger: He's not as big of a concern as Garnett or Howard, but is officially fragile in the always worrisome foot/knee areas.

– Jermaine O'Neal: Fairly durable thus far, but I only see things getting worse for him as the season goes on.

– Al Jefferson: We're beginning to hear the word "soreness" associated with his surgically repaired knee with more frequency. I don't think he's necessarily going to combust, but I worry about some missed games down the line.

– Jameer Nelson: I own him in multiple leagues and am not actively shopping him at the moment, but I'd be lying if I said I fully believed he was going to last the season in one piece. Since he's in the midst of a small slump, I'd advise waiting until he heats back up before dealing him.

– Allen Iverson: Two words: R thritis.

– Caron Butler: The fact that he has averaged 63 games the last three seasons is always a looming concern, but I'm slightly less worried because I think he has something to prove with Gilbert Arenas out of the picture.

– Marcus Camby: Another player whose injury track record should cause some concern and I understand the logic behind selling high, but make sure you get a significant return. Camby is more valuable than a lot of people think.

– Corey Maggette: Reckless style of play + has averaged 59 games the past five seasons + has averaged 24.5 ppg his last 13 games = sell high.

– Gerald Wallace: It pains me to put him on here, but I have to admit that his insane disregard for human life (particular his own) makes him a risk. Just keep in mind that he's a second-round value right now, so don't sell him short.

(Translation: I know Wallace has a chance to explode like so many other drummers have, but there is no way in the world I can possibly bring myself to stomach the notion of trading him.)

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Another reminder: I'm on Twitter. You can follow me right here.

MORE REDD/RANDOLPH FALLOUT

I wish there was a clear waiver wire winner in the wake of Michael Redd's season-ending injury, but there isn't.

In terms of players readily available on waivers, the two clearest beneficiaries are Charlie Bell and Carlos Delfino. Neither one is much of an option in 10-team leagues, but if you're in a deeper format and need a replacement, I would probably lean toward Delfino. Like Bell, he's going to have some maddening nights, but there's no ignoring the fact that Delfino has averaged 11.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.8 spg and 1.8 threes in the 18 games in which he has received 25-plus minutes entering Monday night.

If you own Anthony Randolph (or simply need blocks), I am fully in support of adding Ronny Turiaf.

Turiaf is rather brittle-legged himself and has yet to top eight points or six boards in a game during what has been an injury-plagued season, but he's a more versatile fantasy player than you think. Last season, in the 29 games in which Turiaf played 25 or more minutes, he averaged 8.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.0 apg and 2.9 bpg, and similar production is feasible for as long as Randolph remains out (though I would set expectations slightly lower in all four categories given the fact that Turiaf has been dinged up).

LET'S GET TRENDY

LaMarcus Aldridge has just seven blocks in his last 18 games, an average of 0.38 per game. I would love to call that an isolated trend, except that he's only averaging 0.44 per game on the season. There's still room for improvement (Aldridge averaged 1.0 bpg last season), but there's also plenty of cause for concern… Samuel Dalembert's numbers the last five games (12.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 bpg) are screaming through a megaphone for owners to sell… I know there are some frustrated Josh Smith owners out there because I'm finding myself frustrated as well, but it's worth keeping in mind that even while ostensibly struggling, he has still averaged 13.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.4 apg, 0.8 spg and 1.2 bpg in his last five. That includes a game the Hawks lost by 17 after apparently falling victim to the South Beach nightlife, and a game the Hawks lost by 32 after apparently falling victim to the temptations of gift shops in Orlando. As slumps go, we should all be so lucky.

HacheMan · Jan 11, 2010

Spontaneous Combustion
Much like the helpless succession of drummers in This is Spinal Tap, sometimes in the world of fantasy basketball, people just explode.

One recent example of this fact of fantasy life was Anthony Randolph, who on Friday night – in the midst of an 11-game streak during which he had averaged 13.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.0 spg and 2.4 bpg – simply landed on his ankle in precisely the wrong way.

The good news is that he did not literally spontaneously combust like the drummers from Spinal Tap, but in essence, that's what happened to that particular spot in your fantasy lineup. Here you were with a terrific young drummer who was only beginning to tap (pun intended) his immense well of potential, and suddenly, without warning, he's gone (or at least unavailable for a yet-to-be-determined period of time).

For the record, Randolph's sudden calamity is not to be confused with the phenomenon known as telegraphed combustion, which is precisely what happened to Michael Redd on Sunday night. The difference between the two is that Randolph's injury came completely out of the blue, while Redd – now done for the season – was just about the biggest red flag this side of The People's Republic of China. And not to incite an unwieldy game of I told you so, but on that particular front, you were warned.

So what can you do in the future to avoid the plague of combusting ankles and knees? In the case of Randolph, there was nothing to be done. Bad luck is simply bad luck, and if he exploded on you unexpectedly, I will now channel Robin Williams playing Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting and tell you, "Look at me, son. It's not your fault."

However, there are instances in which it is technically your fault, and Redd represents one of them. There are players on numerous fantasy rosters in every league who are essentially ticking injury time bombs. I often refer to them as "hot potatoes," but will now add the term "combusting drummer" to the lexicon. And if you weren't aggressively shopping the blatantly brittle Redd after he had scored 27 and 24 points in two of his last three games, then at least to some extent, that one is on you.

Taking a forward-looking approach so as to avoid future unwelcome explosions, here are other players who fall in the category of time bomb/explosive band member:

– Kevin Garnett: He's currently hurt, but let this be a reminder to deal him away as soon as he comes back and posts five or so solid games as I don't think this will be his last leg trouble of the season.

– Luol Deng: The latest news on the thumb injury is at least a souvenir-sized red flag.

– Josh Howard: Consider him the current poster child for Hot Potato Syndrome.

– Monta Ellis: He's not a full-blown time bomb, but the fact that he has played 45 or more minutes in 15 of his last 18 games is a concern. I realize that dealing him is easier said than done, and make sure you get a top-15 player in return if you decide to go another direction.

– Danny Granger: He's not as big of a concern as Garnett or Howard, but is officially fragile in the always worrisome foot/knee areas.

– Jermaine O'Neal: Fairly durable thus far, but I only see things getting worse for him as the season goes on.

– Al Jefferson: We're beginning to hear the word "soreness" associated with his surgically repaired knee with more frequency. I don't think he's necessarily going to combust, but I worry about some missed games down the line.

– Jameer Nelson: I own him in multiple leagues and am not actively shopping him at the moment, but I'd be lying if I said I fully believed he was going to last the season in one piece. Since he's in the midst of a small slump, I'd advise waiting until he heats back up before dealing him.

– Allen Iverson: Two words: R thritis.

– Caron Butler: The fact that he has averaged 63 games the last three seasons is always a looming concern, but I'm slightly less worried because I think he has something to prove with Gilbert Arenas out of the picture.

– Marcus Camby: Another player whose injury track record should cause some concern and I understand the logic behind selling high, but make sure you get a significant return. Camby is more valuable than a lot of people think.

– Corey Maggette: Reckless style of play + has averaged 59 games the past five seasons + has averaged 24.5 ppg his last 13 games = sell high.

– Gerald Wallace: It pains me to put him on here, but I have to admit that his insane disregard for human life (particular his own) makes him a risk. Just keep in mind that he's a second-round value right now, so don't sell him short.

(Translation: I know Wallace has a chance to explode like so many other drummers have, but there is no way in the world I can possibly bring myself to stomach the notion of trading him.)

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Another reminder: I'm on Twitter. You can follow me right here.

MORE REDD/RANDOLPH FALLOUT

I wish there was a clear waiver wire winner in the wake of Michael Redd's season-ending injury, but there isn't.

In terms of players readily available on waivers, the two clearest beneficiaries are Charlie Bell and Carlos Delfino. Neither one is much of an option in 10-team leagues, but if you're in a deeper format and need a replacement, I would probably lean toward Delfino. Like Bell, he's going to have some maddening nights, but there's no ignoring the fact that Delfino has averaged 11.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.8 spg and 1.8 threes in the 18 games in which he has received 25-plus minutes entering Monday night.

If you own Anthony Randolph (or simply need blocks), I am fully in support of adding Ronny Turiaf.

Turiaf is rather brittle-legged himself and has yet to top eight points or six boards in a game during what has been an injury-plagued season, but he's a more versatile fantasy player than you think. Last season, in the 29 games in which Turiaf played 25 or more minutes, he averaged 8.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.0 apg and 2.9 bpg, and similar production is feasible for as long as Randolph remains out (though I would set expectations slightly lower in all four categories given the fact that Turiaf has been dinged up).

LET'S GET TRENDY

LaMarcus Aldridge has just seven blocks in his last 18 games, an average of 0.38 per game. I would love to call that an isolated trend, except that he's only averaging 0.44 per game on the season. There's still room for improvement (Aldridge averaged 1.0 bpg last season), but there's also plenty of cause for concern… Samuel Dalembert's numbers the last five games (12.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 bpg) are screaming through a megaphone for owners to sell… I know there are some frustrated Josh Smith owners out there because I'm finding myself frustrated as well, but it's worth keeping in mind that even while ostensibly struggling, he has still averaged 13.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.4 apg, 0.8 spg and 1.2 bpg in his last five. That includes a game the Hawks lost by 17 after apparently falling victim to the South Beach nightlife, and a game the Hawks lost by 32 after apparently falling victim to the temptations of gift shops in Orlando. As slumps go, we should all be so lucky.

HacheMan · Jan 13, 2010

Your Attention Please
A little before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, it was looking like the first thing I was going to talk about in this column would be either Stephen Jackson's career-high 43 points, Baron Davis' triple-double or Chris Kaman's back injury.

Then something rather unexpected happened.

With 47.8 seconds left in the third quarter of Clippers-Grizzlies and the aforementioned Boom Dizzle at the free throw line, flashing lights suddenly became visible in the background at FedEx Forum.

"We had a fire alarm here or something and the fans are headed for the exit," said Clippers TV play-by-play man Ralph Lawler.

"Well, I'm just looking at everybody in the building getting up and leaving," chimed in analyst Mike Smith.

Lawler then read an announcement that had also been put up on the big screen in red letters: "May I have your attention please! An emergency has been reported. Leave the building by the nearest exit. Do not use the elevators."

"Does that mean us too?" Lawler asked.

"I would think so," Smith responded.

Lawler added, "We're supposed to get out of here, folks."

Then, silence.

I really can't remember watching a sports broadcast of any kind during which the commentators literally took off their headsets and evacuated, though I can recall many instances in which the commentators no doubt wanted to.

Turns out the emergency was due to a broken water main (those are painful – had one myself back in '82), and they were back playing again about 30 minutes later.

My primarily lingering question here in all of this: Why was the announcement on the big screen made in the first person, and who is this omnipotent "I" who was asking for our attention? Was it a panicked P.R. employee who had little time to write and inadvertently used the singular "I" rather than the plural "we"? Was it a fire safety director with an inflated sense of self-importance? Or was it, perhaps, a Gollum-like creature who lives in the bowels of FedEx Forum and refers to old pulled pork sandwiches salvaged from the trash as "The precious"?

Some things, unfortunately, we may never know.

WHAT WE DO KNOW

As I was planning to point out before the brief water main diversion, Chris Kaman hurt his lower back. According to the Clippers' TV crew, he's not expected to play on Wednesday and is headed for an MRI on Thursday. None of that is encouraging given Kaman's injury history, and it's time to add DeAndre Jordan if you're in need of boards, blocks, incredibly raw upside and horrendously awful free throw shooting (more on Jordan in a few minutes).

Some good news on the injury front: Kevin Martin is now targeting a return to action on Friday, which means its time to start mentally preparing ourselves for Omri Casspi's value to take a hit. There is a chance he'll continue to be worth owning after Martin returns, but that, as a wise man once said, is in the hands of Paul Westphal. Don't do anything rash like dropping Casspi until we see how this shakes out.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Another reminder: You can follow me on Twitter right here.

CAPTAIN JACK WILL GET YOU POINTS TONIGHT

Stephen Jackson went ballistic for a career-high 43 on Tuesday, but some might argue that S-Jax's outburst was only the second-most important Bobcats occurrence of the night. The first? The resurgent Boris Diaw notching just his second double-figure scoring game since Dec. 11, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and three blocks. The previously slumping forward has now hit for exactly six assists in five straight games and has averaged 12.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.3 bpg and 1.3 threes in his last three.

In other Bobcats news, Raymond Felton struggled to 2-for-7 shooting, but had four assists, a steal and a block and made some big plays down the stretch. Gerald Wallace also shot an ugly 2-for-10, but had eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

For Houston, the red-hot Aaron Brooks caught wretched shooting fever as well (3-for-14), but at least all three of his makes were threes. Luis Scola had 18 points and 14 boards (not a huge surprise), adding four assists and a block (pleasantly surprising). Trevor Ariza filled up the stat sheet with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two threes, while Carl Landry had an off game with 10 points and three rebounds, but at least added two steals and a block.

YEEEEAAAAAHHHH FOYEEEEEEEEEE

It's not every day that Randy Foye gets a shoutout from Flavor Flav around these parts, but the new Wizards PG earned it with 20 points, five rebounds, 10 assists, two threes, a steal and a block. I thought Earl Boykins was going to have some value with Gilbert Arenas out of the picture, but Foye is currently rendering Boykins borderline useless – Mr. Duffle had just eight points and one assist on Tuesday.

Antawn Jamison had 31 and 10, but the more interesting subplot in Washington involves Caron Butler, who had just 14 points, four rebounds and two assists and still isn't fully rolling in the absence of Arenas. I'm beginning to think that Flip Saunders' offense just isn't Caron-friendly, but I still expect Tough Juice to up his value as we go forward. Stick with him for now.

Meanwhile, Mike Miller sat out due to his recurring calf injury and reportedly could miss another week. Unfortunately, his replacement, Nick Young, is inconsistent (eight points, four assists, two threes on 2-for-9 shooting), but still worth owning in deeper leagues (think 12 or more teams).

Did I mention that the Wizards actually lost to the Pistons, who ended their 13-game losing streak? Charlie Villanueva led the way with 23 points (his most since Dec. 12) and a season-high five threes, while Jonas Jerebko (13 points, seven rebounds, a three and a block) is looking like a nice deep-league option once again. Ben Gordon sat out due to his groin injury, and there's no word yet on his availability for Friday.



AFTER THE FIRE (ALARM)

Memphis came back from 18 down to beat the Clippers behind matching 24's from Rudy Gay (who rolled his left ankle late but had no trouble continuing to play through it) and Marc Gasol. Of the two, Gasol's line was considerably more formidable, featuring 15 boards, two steals and two blocks. Zach Randolph couldn't get anything done early against Marcus Camby, but then finished with 20, eight and four after Camby left due to a stomach virus. Mike Conley returned from a one-game absence and was solid with 13 points, five assists, two threes and a block.

For the Clippers, Davis nearly recorded a triple-double in the first half and finished with a 27-12-12 line, adding five steals and a block. DeAndre Jordan matched his career-high with 23 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and will be an intriguing option for as long as Kaman is out. Eric Gordon had 18 points and an encouraging six assists after having averaged just 1.0 assists in his last three games.

BAD TIMES AT THE LAKE

Not surprisingly, Lamar Odom (10 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, two blocks) and Andrew Bynum (23 points, eight boards, two blocks) had big games with Pau Gasol sidelined. Also not that surprising, the Lakers lost for the third time in four games sans Pau.

Updating FingerWatch '09-10, Kobe Bryant actually shot well (7-for-10), but only played 32 minutes in the 20-point loss and was seen hobbling off late after struggling through back spasms. Kobe sounds confident that he'll be able to play on Wednesday, but his status hadn't been fully determined as of Wednesday morning and owners should check back during the day for updates.

In other finger-related news, Ron Artest (13 points, eight rebounds) is considered questionable for Wednesday due to a sprained right index finger. The guess here is that he pops about 11 ibuprofen and plays through it, but this is another check back during the day situation.

For the Spurs, Tim Duncan posted a beastly line of 25 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and four blocks, while George Hill was formidable off the bench with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists but is still not an option outside of extremely deep leagues.

WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS?

It wasn't exactly a water main breaking, but the Kings staged an old-fashioned power outage of their own on Tuesday night, shooting just 4-for-22 in the fourth quarter to turn a two-point game into a 21-point blowout loss. Most of the Kings' lines ended up being fairly ugly, with Tyreke Evans' 18 points (on 5-for-16 shooting), Omri Casspi's 11, 11 and five and Beno Udrih's 15 points being the best of a rotten collection. Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes did very little against Dwight Howard, which shouldn't come as a big surprise.

Speaking of Howard, he demolished the undersized Sacramento frontcourt with a season-high 30 points to go with 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. It has been a disappointing season from a scoring standpoint for Howard, but unfortunately I don't think one game against a lightweight frontline has solved his problems getting easy looks.

Mickael Pietrus was big off the bench with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but is still too inconsistent to trust. Meanwhile, the Orlando TV announcers commented that Jameer Nelson was notably in pain due to his surgically-repaired knee, but he actually looked solid en route to 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two threes in just 25 minutes. Those numbers would have looked better had he not sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Magic blew the game open.

In an interesting injury-related subplot, Orlando moved to 5-1 on the season without Vince Carter, who could return on Friday but may or may not have a spot in the starting lineup when he does.

TONIGHT

Eleven games are on the schedule, but much of fantasy-land is focused on one injury: that pesky wrist belonging to Dwyane Wade. His status was uncertain as of Wednesday morning, so keep checking back throughout the day. The smart money (which is not my money, but belongs to someone much smarter than me) says that he'll play, because few scoring-prone human beings in their right minds opt to sit out a matchup against Golden State.

HacheMan · Jan 13, 2010

Your Attention Please
A little before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, it was looking like the first thing I was going to talk about in this column would be either Stephen Jackson's career-high 43 points, Baron Davis' triple-double or Chris Kaman's back injury.

Then something rather unexpected happened.

With 47.8 seconds left in the third quarter of Clippers-Grizzlies and the aforementioned Boom Dizzle at the free throw line, flashing lights suddenly became visible in the background at FedEx Forum.

"We had a fire alarm here or something and the fans are headed for the exit," said Clippers TV play-by-play man Ralph Lawler.

"Well, I'm just looking at everybody in the building getting up and leaving," chimed in analyst Mike Smith.

Lawler then read an announcement that had also been put up on the big screen in red letters: "May I have your attention please! An emergency has been reported. Leave the building by the nearest exit. Do not use the elevators."

"Does that mean us too?" Lawler asked.

"I would think so," Smith responded.

Lawler added, "We're supposed to get out of here, folks."

Then, silence.

I really can't remember watching a sports broadcast of any kind during which the commentators literally took off their headsets and evacuated, though I can recall many instances in which the commentators no doubt wanted to.

Turns out the emergency was due to a broken water main (those are painful – had one myself back in '82), and they were back playing again about 30 minutes later.

My primarily lingering question here in all of this: Why was the announcement on the big screen made in the first person, and who is this omnipotent "I" who was asking for our attention? Was it a panicked P.R. employee who had little time to write and inadvertently used the singular "I" rather than the plural "we"? Was it a fire safety director with an inflated sense of self-importance? Or was it, perhaps, a Gollum-like creature who lives in the bowels of FedEx Forum and refers to old pulled pork sandwiches salvaged from the trash as "The precious"?

Some things, unfortunately, we may never know.

WHAT WE DO KNOW

As I was planning to point out before the brief water main diversion, Chris Kaman hurt his lower back. According to the Clippers' TV crew, he's not expected to play on Wednesday and is headed for an MRI on Thursday. None of that is encouraging given Kaman's injury history, and it's time to add DeAndre Jordan if you're in need of boards, blocks, incredibly raw upside and horrendously awful free throw shooting (more on Jordan in a few minutes).

Some good news on the injury front: Kevin Martin is now targeting a return to action on Friday, which means its time to start mentally preparing ourselves for Omri Casspi's value to take a hit. There is a chance he'll continue to be worth owning after Martin returns, but that, as a wise man once said, is in the hands of Paul Westphal. Don't do anything rash like dropping Casspi until we see how this shakes out.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Another reminder: You can follow me on Twitter right here.

CAPTAIN JACK WILL GET YOU POINTS TONIGHT

Stephen Jackson went ballistic for a career-high 43 on Tuesday, but some might argue that S-Jax's outburst was only the second-most important Bobcats occurrence of the night. The first? The resurgent Boris Diaw notching just his second double-figure scoring game since Dec. 11, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and three blocks. The previously slumping forward has now hit for exactly six assists in five straight games and has averaged 12.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.3 bpg and 1.3 threes in his last three.

In other Bobcats news, Raymond Felton struggled to 2-for-7 shooting, but had four assists, a steal and a block and made some big plays down the stretch. Gerald Wallace also shot an ugly 2-for-10, but had eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

For Houston, the red-hot Aaron Brooks caught wretched shooting fever as well (3-for-14), but at least all three of his makes were threes. Luis Scola had 18 points and 14 boards (not a huge surprise), adding four assists and a block (pleasantly surprising). Trevor Ariza filled up the stat sheet with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two threes, while Carl Landry had an off game with 10 points and three rebounds, but at least added two steals and a block.

YEEEEAAAAAHHHH FOYEEEEEEEEEE

It's not every day that Randy Foye gets a shoutout from Flavor Flav around these parts, but the new Wizards PG earned it with 20 points, five rebounds, 10 assists, two threes, a steal and a block. I thought Earl Boykins was going to have some value with Gilbert Arenas out of the picture, but Foye is currently rendering Boykins borderline useless – Mr. Duffle had just eight points and one assist on Tuesday.

Antawn Jamison had 31 and 10, but the more interesting subplot in Washington involves Caron Butler, who had just 14 points, four rebounds and two assists and still isn't fully rolling in the absence of Arenas. I'm beginning to think that Flip Saunders' offense just isn't Caron-friendly, but I still expect Tough Juice to up his value as we go forward. Stick with him for now.

Meanwhile, Mike Miller sat out due to his recurring calf injury and reportedly could miss another week. Unfortunately, his replacement, Nick Young, is inconsistent (eight points, four assists, two threes on 2-for-9 shooting), but still worth owning in deeper leagues (think 12 or more teams).

Did I mention that the Wizards actually lost to the Pistons, who ended their 13-game losing streak? Charlie Villanueva led the way with 23 points (his most since Dec. 12) and a season-high five threes, while Jonas Jerebko (13 points, seven rebounds, a three and a block) is looking like a nice deep-league option once again. Ben Gordon sat out due to his groin injury, and there's no word yet on his availability for Friday.



AFTER THE FIRE (ALARM)

Memphis came back from 18 down to beat the Clippers behind matching 24's from Rudy Gay (who rolled his left ankle late but had no trouble continuing to play through it) and Marc Gasol. Of the two, Gasol's line was considerably more formidable, featuring 15 boards, two steals and two blocks. Zach Randolph couldn't get anything done early against Marcus Camby, but then finished with 20, eight and four after Camby left due to a stomach virus. Mike Conley returned from a one-game absence and was solid with 13 points, five assists, two threes and a block.

For the Clippers, Davis nearly recorded a triple-double in the first half and finished with a 27-12-12 line, adding five steals and a block. DeAndre Jordan matched his career-high with 23 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and will be an intriguing option for as long as Kaman is out. Eric Gordon had 18 points and an encouraging six assists after having averaged just 1.0 assists in his last three games.

BAD TIMES AT THE LAKE

Not surprisingly, Lamar Odom (10 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, two blocks) and Andrew Bynum (23 points, eight boards, two blocks) had big games with Pau Gasol sidelined. Also not that surprising, the Lakers lost for the third time in four games sans Pau.

Updating FingerWatch '09-10, Kobe Bryant actually shot well (7-for-10), but only played 32 minutes in the 20-point loss and was seen hobbling off late after struggling through back spasms. Kobe sounds confident that he'll be able to play on Wednesday, but his status hadn't been fully determined as of Wednesday morning and owners should check back during the day for updates.

In other finger-related news, Ron Artest (13 points, eight rebounds) is considered questionable for Wednesday due to a sprained right index finger. The guess here is that he pops about 11 ibuprofen and plays through it, but this is another check back during the day situation.

For the Spurs, Tim Duncan posted a beastly line of 25 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and four blocks, while George Hill was formidable off the bench with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists but is still not an option outside of extremely deep leagues.

WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS?

It wasn't exactly a water main breaking, but the Kings staged an old-fashioned power outage of their own on Tuesday night, shooting just 4-for-22 in the fourth quarter to turn a two-point game into a 21-point blowout loss. Most of the Kings' lines ended up being fairly ugly, with Tyreke Evans' 18 points (on 5-for-16 shooting), Omri Casspi's 11, 11 and five and Beno Udrih's 15 points being the best of a rotten collection. Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes did very little against Dwight Howard, which shouldn't come as a big surprise.

Speaking of Howard, he demolished the undersized Sacramento frontcourt with a season-high 30 points to go with 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. It has been a disappointing season from a scoring standpoint for Howard, but unfortunately I don't think one game against a lightweight frontline has solved his problems getting easy looks.

Mickael Pietrus was big off the bench with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but is still too inconsistent to trust. Meanwhile, the Orlando TV announcers commented that Jameer Nelson was notably in pain due to his surgically-repaired knee, but he actually looked solid en route to 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two threes in just 25 minutes. Those numbers would have looked better had he not sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Magic blew the game open.

In an interesting injury-related subplot, Orlando moved to 5-1 on the season without Vince Carter, who could return on Friday but may or may not have a spot in the starting lineup when he does.

TONIGHT

Eleven games are on the schedule, but much of fantasy-land is focused on one injury: that pesky wrist belonging to Dwyane Wade. His status was uncertain as of Wednesday morning, so keep checking back throughout the day. The smart money (which is not my money, but belongs to someone much smarter than me) says that he'll play, because few scoring-prone human beings in their right minds opt to sit out a matchup against Golden State.

HacheMan · Jan 14, 2010

Bye, Bye Blake
I usually handle game news on Wednesday nights, leaving Matt Stroup with the daunting task of trying to summarize a 13-game night in one column, but the tables have been turned this week due to a few schedule changes. Blake Griffin, DeJuan Blair, Brandon Roy, Kobe Bryant, Al Jefferson, Aaron Brooks and even Chuck Hayes all made headlines on Wednesday. Now let's try to figure out what should matter to fantasy owners going forward.

See Ya - Blake Griffin Out For Year

Blake Griffin will not play this season due to the stress fracture in his left knee that will now require surgery. Obviously it would have been a better plan to have the surgery when he was first injured, but the Clips were trying to avoid the worst-case scenario. Go ahead and drop him if you were holding him, and expect for Marcus Camby (20 rebounds after leaving his last one early with the flu) and Chris Kaman (back) to continue to hold things down in the paint. It sounds like Kaman's MRI went well and he is hoping to play on Friday. If you want to pick up DeAndre Jordan in the meantime, feel free to do so. As injury prone as Camby and Kaman are, Jordan should get his chances over the second half.

Kobe can still play when he should be in street clothes

Kobe Bryant played through a sore back and his numerous finger injuries to score just 10 points in 35 minutes last night. Of course, two of his 10 proved to be the game-winning points over Dallas, as his shot with 28 seconds remaining proved to be the difference. I am officially concerned about Kobe missing a game or two, as he almost chose to sit out last night's win. And if you somehow had the sack to bench him this week, congratulations are in order (depending on who you actually ran out there instead). Other things that went down in this game that you need to know about:

Andrew Bynum had 22 & 11 as Pau Gasol missed another game with a hamstring injury.
Gasol is due back on Friday, so Bynum's run could be about to end – again. Ron Artest double-doubled, but is still not a fantastic fantasy option this season, while Lamar Odom also posted one with 18 & 14. Everything is coming up roses right now for fantasy owners of Lakers who aren't named Pau or Kobe. As for Bynum, I'm still going to stick with him, as Gasol is clearly not out of the woods yet and he has shown in the past he can play with PG. We'll see.

For the Mavs, they got 30 points and 16 boards out of Dirk Nowitzki, while Josh Howard finally replaced Juan Jose Barea in the starting five and had 18 points and three 3-pointers. Time to roll with Howard if you can.

DeJuan Blair Needs More Minutes

DeJuan Blair took advantage of a Tim Duncan DNP-CD on Wednesday for career highs of 28 points and 21 rebounds in 31 minutes, as the Spurs beat the Thunder in OT on Richard Jefferson's game-winner. Gregg Popovich acted shocked at what Blair had done after the game, but we're not sure why. Every single time the kid has gotten minutes this year, he's flirted with double-doubles and solid numbers.

The bad news for Duncan is that this might encourage Pop to be more willing to bench him for Blair going forward. We hinted that Duncan's minutes were about to get funky after Tuesday's game, and also had his DNP posted well before the game started on Wednesday, so it pays to keep up with our news blurbs. I've been preaching doom and gloom with Duncan's DNPs all year, and while we've only seen two of them so far, we've got a long way to go. And now it sounds like Duncan could sit either end of several back-to-backs in the future. The Spurs have 10 sets of them coming up, including one this weekend, two in February, five in March and two in April. Let the good times and guess work roll. Tony Parker was solid with 28 points, eight assists and three 3-pointers, while Manu Ginobili was not, going 0-for-10 for two points. Russell Westbrook had another big night for the Thunder with 25 points, six boards and 13 assists in the tough loss.

Draft a new fantasy team today at SnapDraft!

Brandon Roy's Hamstring Problem Sounds Serious

Brandon Roy's hamstring tightness is officially a big deal. "I don't want to have to miss two weeks of basketball," said Roy. "After it got really tight, I told coach, 'This could be serious' ... I've strained it before, so I know the feeling, and it's like we are on the cusp again.'' Roy said he wants to keep playing, but the Blazers' training staff will probably have the final word. Consider him questionable for Friday's home game, but it sounds like a couple missed games here and there are better than the alternative.


Other Injury Concerns

Kevin Martin should return from his broken wrist on Friday, freaking out Tyreke Evans owners worldwide. I don't think Martin is going to completely ruin Evans, nor do I think he's going to make him unplayable. Yes, Evans owners should be slightly concerned, but that's about it. But if you own Beno Udrih, prepare for a big drop off.

Steve Nash suffered a nasty lip injury last night that required stitches both inside and outside of his mouth, but played through it to finish with 20 points and nine assists. He should be good to go.

Vince Carter missed Wednesday's game with his shoulder injury and remains day-to-day. That makes three straight games missed, as Matt Barnes blew up for 28 points, nine boards and two 3-pointers last night. Barnes and Mickael Pietrus have both been playing well in Carter's absence, and Carter's availability for Friday will likely be based on what he does at today's practice. Stay tuned.

Dwyane Wade played through a sore wrist and looked great, hitting 10-of-15 shots and 15-of-15 free throws for 35 points, seven boards, nine assists and three steals. Crisis avoided.

Devin Harris also played through a wrist injury and had 15 points and six assists on 5-of-13 shooting. I saw a question on Twitter about trading Jose Calderon straight up to get Devin Harris, which I am in favor of. While I don't trust Harris from an injury standpoint, he at least has upside, while Calderon offers the same injury risk, yet will be locked in a timeshare with Jarrett Jack the rest of the way.

Vladimir Radmanovic left last night's game with an Achilles' injury, which is not cool. After all the time I've spent writing about him and all the times he's been picked up by fantasy owners, it's quite an unfortunate turn of events. We'll hopefully know more on his condition Thursday for Friday. And with Vlad-Rad now down, Anthony Morrow will be forced back into the spotlight. He responded last night with 24 points and four 3-pointers, meaning it's time to jump back on his bandwagon. Andris Biedrins had six points, eight boards and three blocks, and will also be forced into more minutes if Vlad-Rad is down for a while. C.J. Watson also left with a finger injury and is day-to-day.

Al Harrington played through his calf injury to finish with 17 points and seven rebounds, as he continues to defy the odds and play through injuries.

Rudy Fernandez returned from a back injury and had two points on 1-of-5 shooting. He might be worth a deep-league pickup, but will only be truly valuable if Roy were to be shut down with his hammy.

Other Big Performances From Wednesday

Aaron Brooks went off for a career-high 43 points in a triple-OT win over the Timberwolves, adding in five assists and just one turnover in more than 59 minutes. Shane Battier added 14 points, 12 boards, three assists, two steals, five blocks and two 3-pointers the night, while Al Jefferson went off for the Timberwolves by dropping 26 points and 26 boards on the center-less Rockets. Brooks and Jefferson should obviously be starting for fantasy teams, while Battier is worth owning in some instances. We all know he has the potential to post bit numbers every night, but he simply doesn't do it consistently. Ryan Gomes scored 18 points off the Wolves bench and we still think he's worth a close eye, while Chuck Hayes had the night of his life for Houston, finishing with 10 points, a career-high 17 rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks. Keep in mind this was a triple-OT game and that Hayes is simply not an offensive weapon. In other words, he's a sucker bet.

Ersan Ilyasova hit 9-of-15 shots for 24 points, five boards and four 3-pointers last night. Jodie Meeks scored a career-high 21 on 9-of-17 shooting with three 3-pointers, and could be good for more good games with Michael Redd out. Luke Ridnour had 12 points and eight assists, and remains a solid pickup if you need a guard.

Jermaine O'Neal scored a season-high 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds. And yes, owners should be thinking "sell high" after this one.

Mike Dunleavy scored 30 and hit four treys for the Pacers, which may or may not have been a fluke, but it does appear that the slump is over.

Marvin Williams had 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocks in a win over the Wizards, and has been playing pretty well lately. Check out his game log and recent stats and see if he might be able to help your team.

Samuel Dalembert stayed hot with 12 points and 21 rebounds, but there are serious concerns about him missing time after last night's devastating earthquake in Haiti. I imagine basketball isn't the No. 1 thing on his mind today.

Peja Stojakovic's most recent slump is over after he scored 20 and hit four threes last night. He's available in many leagues and is worth a grab if you need threes.

Jeff Green double-doubled last night with 16 & 10, and if anyone figures out how to predict what he will do from night to night, just let me know.

Not So Big Nights

Rafer Alston missed all four of his shots and had just one point in 27 minutes. He'll eventually get it going, so just stick him on your bench for now.

Andre Iguodala was just 2-of-9 for four points last night, but should remain in all starting lineups.

Lou Williams had just five points last night on 1-of-7 shooting, and is getting weird minutes from coach Eddie Jordan. I expect him to bounce back, so consider him in a mini-slump for now.

Dwight Howard hit just 1-of-7 shots for eight points in last night's loss. He did have 13 rebounds, but Stan Van Gundy isn't doing something right with Dwight, as opposing big men usually dominate against the Nuggets. And why Dwight is only getting seven shots is beyond me.

A.J. Price had just three points last night, finally cooling off. Dunleavy got hot and Earl Watson played well again, leaving Price without as many touches as he'd been getting. Roy Hibbert was demoted (again) but had 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in a loss to Phoenix. And the fact he did so on a night when Troy Murphy played well (not great, with 9 points, 14 boards), gives Hibbert owners hope for the future.

HacheMan · Jan 15, 2010

Down Goes Deron
Quiet Riot?

With just two games on the docket for Thursday it figured to be a quiet evening, but Sundiata Gaines made sure we wouldn't forget it anytime soon. After LeBron James led the Cavaliers back from a big deficit late in the game, Gaines hit a 3-pointer in the face of Anthony Parker at the buzzer for the one-point win. The Jazz were down five near the end, but missed free throws from Parker and Zydrunas Ilgauskas left the door open for Gaines to hit his first NBA 3-pointer. The Cavs blitzed the Jazz for a 20-4 run late, with LeBron taking over and scoring 18 of those 20, but it wasn't meant to be for the Cavs. My guess is LeBron is hopping mad at his mates for missing the free throws after he single-handedly brought them back from no man's land. Yeah, LeBron missed a late free throw too, but grabbed the offensive board and knocked down a ridiculous 3-pointer that appeared to win the game.

Despite the win, this was a tough night for the Jazz, as Deron Williams (right wrist aggravation) and Andrei Kirilenko (hyperextended knee) both left the game early and didn't return. I have no idea what the story is with Williams, but it is highly concerning, as this is the same wrist that kept him out of three games recently (not to mention the one he shoots with). And now that it's banged up again, owners have to worry about him shutting it down for a week in order to get fully healthy. That's not a prediction, but it is a possibility. We should have more news this afternoon on Williams.

As for AK-47, hyperextended knees are not good news in fantasy hoops and my guess is he could miss a week. If that's the case, it's a shame, as he was just starting to come on and had been a hot pickup in fantasy leagues. We should also know more about AK this afternoon, but you can bet both players will probably be listed as 'day-to-day.' You know who else is day-to-day? Kevin Garnett, and pretty much has been since Dec. 28, but more on him later. If AK is out for long, C.J. Miles, Ronnie Brewer and possibly Wesley Matthews will all be worth a look.

While Gaines was the hero last night, it's important to remember that this was just his fifth NBA game and he played only nine minutes (scoring nine points). If Williams misses time, Ronnie Price is the guy you'll want to pick up, and not Gaines. Price had 13 points, two dimes, a steal and a 3-pointer last night in 20 minutes. He's not going to save your fantasy team, but owners in deep leagues might be able to plug him in for a few games if Williams is out. Just keep in mind that Price isn't a picture of health himself, suffering from a painful shoulder injury. If both Price and D-Will are out, then Gaines comes into play in fantasy action.

Mo Williams has scored 10 or less in three straight games and hit just 4-of-12 shots last night. I'm not sure what the deal is, but it probably has something to do with the fact that LeBron is setting the fantasy world on fire. He did it again last night with 36 points, nine boards, five assists, five steals and four 3-pointers on 12-of-20 shooting. I can't believe he didn't block a shot, but I actually feel guilty for even mentioning that, as his lines have simply been monstrous. My guess is the guy currently winning your league owns LeBron, and hopefully that's you.

Bullish In Beantown

The Bulls beat the Celtics in Boston, handing them their sixth loss of the year at home. That's significant, as the Celtics lost six times in the Garden in each of the last two seasons, and we're only half way home. Paul Pierce led the home team with 20 points and Kendrick Perkins' stellar play continued with 14 points, 10 boards and five blocks, but Doc Rivers and company couldn't come up with an answer for Luol Deng.

That's right, the guy with the fractured thumb who was supposed to crawl under a rock and never be heard from again hit 8-of-13 shots and 9-of-10 free throws for 25 points, four boards, two steals and two blocks as the Bulls won their third straight game. Joakim Noah had his typical big line (15-11-4) and Kirk Hinrich played well, but the Bulls got nothing (once again) from Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons.

Thomas played just 17 minutes, but still managed four steals and seven rebounds. I have no idea what Vinny Del Negro is doing with him, but Thomas is still a freak despite the limited minutes. The guy has 10 steals in two games! As usual, I'm just keeping him benched and hanging around, waiting for VDN to turn him loose again, but I wish I had something else to say about him. I am guessing this is probably the 20th time in the last three years I've written the same paragraph about TT, and it's getting old.

Salmons is in no better shape after hitting 2-of-9 shots for five points and five rebounds. He also hit a 3-pointer, but didn't have a single assist, steal or block on the night, despite playing 33 MINUTES off the bench. Vinny, if Salmons doesn't care and isn't even going to try, please leave him on the bench and let Tyrus play. Thank you.

News and Notes

Gilly

Gilbert Arenas has been formally charged with a felony, has reached a plea agreement and is set to plead guilty today. He'll likely avoid jail time, but that doesn't mean he's back in the NBA's good graces. I'm not sure if the TNT boys suggested that Arenas could play again this season, or where that's coming from, but I simply can't see it happening. David Stern's indefinite suspension almost certainly includes the rest of this season, and I would be shocked and amazed if he plays again this year. Hold him if you have an IR to stash him on, but I would recommend cutting him for someone actually playing NBA basketball. Additionally, I see almost no way that Arenas will ever play another game for the Wizards, either.

Welcome Back

Pau Gasol is expected to play tonight after missing six games and most of a seventh with a hamstring injury. As an Andrew Bynum owner, I'll be watching closely. I'm going to just pretend like Bynum's last stint with Gasol never happened and hope that he can still produce and be effective playing alongside PG. We've seen him do it before, so hopefully we'll see it again.

Kobe Bryant missed Thursday's practice with his tweaked back, but it sounds like he's a go for tonight against the Clippers. Go ahead and put him down for Warrior of the Week when Kamla and 3D break it down on Monday. We knew he was iffy to play in all three games coming into the week, but I'm still a bit surprised he's actually going to pull it off. But it hasn't been pretty, despite the game-winner he hit in his last one. You know Kobe's hurting by looking at the numbers – 10, 16 and 12 points in his last three, hitting 49-of-132 shots in his last six, good for just 37 percent. If you somehow had the stones to bench him this week, it could have actually paid off, but you've got to give him credit for trying. Kevin Martin would be in the hospital right now and have a cast on his right hand.

Brandon Roy sounds very iffy tonight against Orlando with his hamstring injury, and this quote has me thinking he'll sit for a game or two. "I don't want to have to miss two weeks of basketball," said Roy. "After it got really tight, I told coach, 'This could be serious' ... I've strained it before, so I know the feeling, and it's like we are on the cusp again.'' Maybe he'll play, but I'm not expecting him.

Ben Gordon is iffy with a groin injury as the Pistons (and Nets) continue to be a fantasy black hole. I'd be surprised if he goes against the Hornets tonight, but he hasn't been ruled out. Ditto for Tayshaun Prince and Will Bynum.

Monta Ellis is dealing with a sprained left ankle, but has been playing through it. And with only eight guys available tonight, he's going to have to have a big game against the Bucks. We posted a blurb about Anthony Morrow losing minutes to Cartier Martin, but I'm not sure we hit the intent of the information. Morrow is going to play at both SG and SF, and had 24 points and four treys in his last game. Three of the healthy eight are Martin, Chris Hunter and Devean George. That's right – two D-League specialists and George, who has pretty much been MIA for the past two years. C.J. Watson (finger), Ronny Turiaf (ankle) and Vladimir Radmanovic (ankle) are all doubtful tonight, meaning Morrow, Ellis, Stephen Curry, Corey Maggette and Andris Biedrins will likely start, with Martin, Hunter and George coming off the bench. If you're in a super-deep league, Martin's probably worth a look, while I think Morrow is a solid and sneaky fantasy play right now.

Allen Iverson (knee) practiced on Thursday and sounds like a go tonight against the Kings.

Kevin Martin is set to return to action tonight in Philly and is already plugged into the starting lineup with alongside Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes. In short, I assume Evans will remain a valuable fantasy point guard, while Beno Udrih's run is likely over. Omri Casspi will take a hit with the return of Martin, but it's great news that he's starting. I also still think Hawes is going to bounce back soon, and recommend grabbing him if you have room. I guess Martin's a decent fantasy play tonight since he's starting, and I can't wait to see how things shake out for the Kings.

Ty Lawson (ankle) won't play again tonight and has limited potential as long as Chauncey Billups is healthy.

Rasheed Wallace is targeting a Monday return from his foot injury, meaning this week was a lost cause for those of you who rolled the dice on him with no Kevin Garnett. And speaking of KG, Doc Rivers said there's an "outside chance" Garnett will return a week from today against the Blazers. That's obviously not a stone-cold lock, but there is at least some light at the end of the tunnel.

Tim Duncan will hopefully be back on the court tonight at Charlotte after a surprise DNP, but all eyes will be on DeJuan Blair, who had 28 points and 21 boards in his last one. My guess is he goes back to his old ways and puts up about eight points and seven boards in 18 minutes, but we'll have to see.

Josh Howard should start for the Mavs tonight against the Thunder, and should be picked up in all leagues now that he's back in the starting unit.

No word on whether Vince Carter will miss his fourth straight game tonight, as he's simply listed as day-to-day. Look for him to come off the bench upon his return from a shoulder injury. I'm guessing his availability will be determined after shootaround.

We also still don't know Chris Kaman's status for tonight, but the last we heard his MRI went well and he's going to try to play through his back injury. Consider him a game-time decision.

Trading LeBron

I was asked on Twitter what a LeBron owner can expect in return for trading him, and my short answer is that I simply don't think it's even worth the time to look at trading LeBron. You would need to get a Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant or Chris Paul in return, as well as another Top 10-15 player like Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace or Carmelo Anthony. And given the fact that LeBron is healthy and some of those guys aren't, I wouldn't even think about it. LeBron was traded recently in one of my leagues for Vince Carter, Jason Thompson and Trevor Ariza. Yep, I'm serious. And the kicker is that I'm playing the new LeBron owner, who didn't even have to give up Andre Iguodala, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Kendrick Perkins or Corey Maggette. Yes, it's ridiculous and as you can probably imagine, things aren't going all that well for me in that league this week. Way to go, Mr. Seitz. So if you own LeBron, don't make a mistake and move him, unless you get Chris Paul and a true stud in return. And even then, it's probably not worth it.

HacheMan · Jan 19, 2010

Nervous Shakedown
I'm not sure where to even start to recap 24 teams worth of goods from Monday. We had some stellar surprises, some new lineups, some duds, some surprise DNPs and plenty of other goodies. Let's take a look at 10 things fantasy owners need to know from MLK Day.

Matt Stroup will be chatting NBA hoops today at 3 p.m., so check him out here.

And if you missed his marathon blog session on yesterday's action, it's worth a look.

[SIZE=+1]1. Shake up in Phoenix[/SIZE]

Jason Richardson and Channing Frye are out of a starting job in Phoenix, replaced in the lineup by Leandro Barbosa and Robin Lopez. The end result was the same for the Suns, as they lost to the red-hot Grizzlies. And the plan is the same for the next game, as Alvin Gentry appears to like what he saw yesterday, despite the loss. Barbosa wasn't much better than normal, while Richardson (8 points, 24 minutes) and Frye (3 points, 14 minutes) both really struggled. Then there was Lopez, who was featured in Monday's Waiver Wired column, blowing up for 19 points, seven rebounds, a steal and three blocks on 8-of-10 shooting. J-Rich's mind has been "boggled" and he thinks it is "unfair." Maybe he should have thought about that before stinking up the joint in every other game for most of the season. Bottom line – Lopez is worth a pickup of you need blocks. J-Rich and Frye should be benched. Barbosa is 50-50 for having solid value, but probably worth a grab if you have someone to cut, and if he keeps the starting job. But how long this experiment lasts is anyone's guess, and it's possible that it actually works to motivate Richardson.

[SIZE=+1]2. Wired's Crystal Ball[/SIZE]

I got a ton of props email for the calls on Kris Humphries and Robin Lopez in Waiver Wired. I'm not sure what got into me, but it seems like nearly every player I put in Monday's column went off. Some of the highlights:

Ben Wallace – season-high 16 points, 14 boards.
Carlos Delfino – double-double, 2 stls, 2 blks, 3 threes
Kris Humphries – career game
Robin Lopez – career game
Jonas Jerebko – another solid start
Anthony Tolliver – 24 min., 8 points, 6 boards for GSW
Marcus Thornton – 16 points – Not in Wired, but was Season Pass Pickup of the Day

There were a few duds like DeShawn Stevenson and Ersan Ilyasova mixed in, but it was a good day, and I hope that some of you were able to grab a couple of the hot guys and get them into your lineups. And now I'm hoping they can keep it going.

[SIZE=+1]3. Looks like I picked the wrong week to start…[/SIZE]

Brandon Roy (hamstring), Richard Hamilton (flu), Kevin Love (flu), Gerald Wallace (ankle), Richard Jefferson (back), Kirk Hinrich (flu), Al Thornton (ankle), Andrew Bynum (stomach flu) and Chris Wilcox (back) all did not play or suffered an injury on Monday.

Roy and Hinrich were game-time decisions and couldn't go, Love and RJ were surprise DNPs, while Wallace, Wilcox and Bynum went down during their games. Most of these guys are going to be fine for the next one (Bynum included), but here's what you need to worry about.

Wallace sprained his left ankle late in the game and seemed very concerned about it afterwards. The good news is he played through it and was walking on it, but I would not be at all surprised if he misses at least a game or two. We should know more about his condition tonight.

Love has strep throat, which kept his teammate, Ryan Hollins, out for six games. My guess is Love will be back a whole lot sooner, but you never know.

In an odd twist of something, Austin Daye, Ryan Gomes and George Hill started for Rip, Love and RJ, and all scored 16 points, and had ridiculously similar lines.

Daye – 16 points, 6 rebounds, 0-for-6 from 3-point land
Gomes - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 3-pointers
Hill - 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 3-pointers

Weird, huh?

[SIZE=+1]4. Many happy returns[/SIZE]

Mike Miller, Allen Iverson, Chris Kaman, Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace all returned from injuries and played pretty well last night. Miller is the hot pickup here and he had 13 points, four boards, four assists, a block and a 3-pointer, while hitting all four of his shots and all four of his free throws.

[SIZE=+1]5. Fire and Ice in NYC[/SIZE]

Nate Robinson, who was on three of my benches, caught fire and hit five treys and 11-of-18 shots for 27 points, while Chris Duhon might as well have stayed in bed. Duhon missed all three of his shots, failing to score and finishing with five assists and four turnovers. He's failed to score in two straight, has lost his legs again, and continues to be one of the most annoying fantasy point guards to come along in recent memory. Do you cut him? Bench him? I'm not sure what the answer is, but either way, you need to get him out of your lineup. And the same dilemma applies to Nate. Do you dare start him? Given Duhon's ineffectiveness, it looks like it's time to roll with him again, but beware that Mike D'Antoni doesn't exactly trust him still.

[SIZE=+1]6. Got ROY?[/SIZE]

Tyreke Evans had 34 points, seven assists, two steals and three blocks. Still think Kevin Martin (9 points) is going to kill his value? I don't either. Stephen Curry now looks like his main competition for the ROY award, as he went off for 26 points, 10 boards, six dimes, five 3-pointers, a steal and a block in another unlikely GSW win. And Brandon Jennings had 25 points, seven assists and four 3-pointers in the Bucks' OT loss to the Rockets. Jennings is playing a little better, but still struggling with his shot, while Evans and Curry are must-starts every time they play. Evans is still leading the ROY race by about a mile as far as I'm concerned.

[SIZE=+1]7. Career Day[/SIZE]

Jonny Flynn, John Salmons, Luis Scola, Kris Humphries, Robin Lopez and Shannon Brown all had big lines. Flynn scored a career-high 29 as the Wolves overcame a 20-point deficit to beat the Sixers, and may have gained some much-needed confidence in that one. Salmons had 25 points, four boards, four assists, four 3-pointers and two steals, but was not only playing the Golden Sieve Warriors, but got a start in place of Hinrich (flu). Scola scored a career-high 27 (but didn't have a block, as usual), Humphries scored a career-high 21, Lopez had the huge line mentioned above, and Brown scored a season-high 22 in a tough Lakers win.

I don't think Brown is worth owning in most leagues, but all of these other guys are.

[SIZE=+1]8. Opposite of Career Day[/SIZE]

Tyrus Thomas, Emeka Okafor, Eddie Jordan, Josh Howard and Vince Carter all had bad days on Monday.

Many folks are done with Thomas and are dropping him. Frankly, I'm tired of writing about him and will leave it at this. I'm just keeping him around on benches for now, but will not be starting him until something gives/changes.

Okafor played just 14 minutes for two points, two boards and a bock yesterday. He's not hurt, but simply couldn't defend the pick-and-roll or Tim Duncan, and was having some foul issues. Hopefully he bounces back in the next one. Josh Howard's struggles continued as he scored just three points, while Vince Carter struggled with his shot to score nine in a loss to the Lakers.

Howard has hit just 6-of-31 shots in his last three, while Carter is just 4-of-18 in his two games since returning from a shoulder injury. He's still starting for now, but I'm not sure that Stan Van Gundy's not on the verge of bringing him off the bench.

As for Eddie Jordan? His Sixers blew a 20-point lead to the Timberwolves, which could easily be the final straw for president Ed Stefanski. And once Jordan is fired, it will be very interesting to see what happens to guys like Samuel Dalembert, Lou Williams and Marreese Speights.

[SIZE=+1]9. GSW Bonanza[/SIZE]

The Warriors are really fun to watch right now, as they consistently are running out of bodies by the end of their games. But because they are so thin right now, the numbers have been a bit ridiculous. Monta Ellis shot the ball 39 times yesterday and scored 36 points to go along with a fat stat line (or is it phat?). Corey Maggette hit 11-of-14 shots and 10 more free throws for 32 points, six boards and five assists. Andris Biedrins torched the Bulls for nine points, 19 boards and eight blocks, and was on pace for a triple-double at halftime, Curry posted the big line listed earlier in this column, and D-League specialists Cartier Martin and Anthony Tolliver were effective off the bench.

Tolliver had six points and eight boards, but tweaked his knee in the second half. He has no value in most leagues, but is in my starting lineup in my 30-team league. And I couldn't be happier with his first game as a Warrior. Hopefully he can keep playing through his injury. As for Martin, he's certainly worth a look as long as the GSW is so injured. And props to them for beating the Bulls yesterday. Ellis is playing 48 minutes a night and proving he's got heart. He may run out of gas at some point, but I'm not sure that owners should even think about trading him right now.

[SIZE=+1]10. Grizzly Bear[/SIZE]

The Grizzlies continue to roll along, winning nine straight at home and posting a 15-5 record in Memphis. Remember when everyone (including me) was blasting them for acquiring Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson? AI did them a huge favor by bailing, and Randolph is playing at an incredibly high level. They got big lines from four of five starters, while Mike Conley is doing a nice job of quietly driving the train.

Zach – 27 & 11
Gay – 31 & 9, plus a steal, three blocks and three 3-pointers
Gasol – 19 & 7, two blocks
Mayo – 28 points, five boards, five assists, three blocks and five 3-pointers

They've won four straight, eight of their last 10 and sit 4.5 games behind the Mavericks at 22-18. Only four teams in the Eastern Conference have a better record, but they play in the West, where they barely trail the Jazz, Thunder, Rockets and Suns for a playoff berth. Now let's see if they can keep it going.

[SIZE=+1]Tuesday[/SIZE]

Only two games on the docket tonight as the Raptors visit Cleveland, and the Pacers are at Miami. Enjoy

HacheMan · Jan 20, 2010

Tough Decisions
[SIZE=+1]Waiver Wired, The Sequel[/SIZE]

The sudden hot play by Robin Lopez, Kris Humphries and Carlos Delfino has caused my email and Twitter to blow up. Additionally, Tyrus Thomas, Erick Dampier and Yi Jianlian are being dropped like hotcakes due to their poor play. What is the right answer when looking at adding one of these hot free agents? I'm not sure I have the answer, but I'll attempt to make some sense of it.

I'm also sure I'll be answering plenty of questions regarding this situation in Wednesday's Live Season Pass NBA Chat at 3 p.m.

Lopez is now starting over Channing Frye, who has been terrible lately, and blew up for 19 points, seven rebounds, a steal and three blocks on MLK Day. He's averaging 15 points, five boards and four blocks over his last three games after not doing much the first half of the season. I have no idea if he's going to stay in the starting lineup for long or not, but if you need blocks, he might be your guy.

Lopez was taken with the 15th overall pick in the 2008 Draft and the Suns appear ready to use him. He's been great over these last three, but could easily disappear again in the near future. While that doesn't seem likely, it is possible. But if you need a center and have someone to cut, he's an automatic pickup right now. You have to think that Frye and Jason Richardson (who has also been benched), are going to end up back in the starting lineup at some point. But until it happens, Lopez looks like nearly a sure bet to at least put up serviceable big-man numbers going forward.

Leandro Barbosa will start again over Richardson and also deserves a close look in all leagues. I just don't see J-Rich's move to the bench as permanent. At least not yet.

Humps had a career-high 21 points to go along with seven rebounds on MLK Day, and is averaging 15 points and eight rebounds in his three Jersey games. Now, do I understand why a team with just three wins and a bunch of youth is giving this guy heavy minutes? No way. If I was running the show in loserville, Terrence Williams, Courtney Lee and CDR would be getting all the touches, while Devin Harris and Brook Lopez would go through the motions while trying not to get hurt. Seriously Kiki, your team is 3-37 and you're all fired up about Humps? Weird. I have no idea how long it will last, but I had him in several lineups this week and am pretty happy about it. If you own Ersan Ilyasova or Omri Casspi, Humphries is a good-looking alternative.

Delfino is suddenly hot again, as Ilyasova has been disappearing every other game or so. Delfino has hit double digits in scoring in three straight, including MLK Day's double-double, and is averaging 17 points, seven rebounds, two steals and three 3-pointers over his last three games. Scott Skiles is very fickle and could shut him out again at any time, and Jerry Stackhouse is en route to Milwaukee, but I still think Delfino is a guy to grab right now. Just keep in mind that he's only hit double digits in scoring in consecutive games three or four times this season.

So, in summary, all three players are worth adding. It just depends on whom you're going to cut to get them. And I would not recommend cutting Frye or J-Rich, but get them on your bench until we see how this plays out.

In most cases I'd also recommend holding onto guys like Tyrus Thomas and Yi Jianlian, but I don't have as much faith in Erick Dampier getting hot again. Other guys who are cuttable right now include Ilyasova, Casspi and Chris Duhon. There are plenty of other candidates out there who can be dropped, but you need to weigh your decision carefully. Lou Williams, Rafer Alston and Allen Iverson are three other players being dropped right now. I think I'm OK with dumping AI and Rafer, as the injury risk and lack of production are annoying and ever present. But with a new coach likely to arrive in Philly at some point, I'm not ready to give up on Sweet Lou yet.

I know that doesn't answer everyone's question, but at least gives you something to chew on when looking to make a move.

Tuesday's Games

There were only two games on the slate Tuesday night.

[SIZE=+1]Heat Blast Pacers[/SIZE]

The Heat crushed the Pacers on Tuesday, led by Dwyane Wade's 32 points, four 3-pointers, three assists, two steals and three blocks on 12-of-20 shooting – and he did all of that in just three quarters of the blowout. Wade is shooting 58 percent over his last five games, hitting 53-of-92 shots. He blames his wrist injury for him putting more arc on his shots, and if he needs to hit his wrist with a hammer every week or so to keep banging jumpers, I'm good with it.

Michael Beasley, who has been inconsistent all year, had 20 points and 10 boards, while Jermaine O'Neal added 10 points and six boards in the blowout. I still think Beasley is going to come on in the second half, so just stick with him.

For the Pacers, Danny Granger a big problem tonight, hitting just 2-of-16 shots for eight points. He's 6-of-29 in his last two, but is reportedly healthy. He'll get it turned around, but it could be too little, too late for owners this week, as the damage has been done.

Brandon Rush was solid with 17 points, 10 boards, a three and a block, and could be ready to turn it on - maybe. He's been highly disappointing all season, but maybe…Dahntay Jones is coming on again and had 13 points, Roy Hibbert scored 12 and Troy Murphy had 11 points. Jones can be used in very deep leagues, but there are better guys to pick up in regular-sized joints. And Hibbert is another guy I think should be held onto for the rest of the season.

Luther Head (ankle) and Tyler Hansbrough (ear) were out again for the Pacers, and Head will hurt the value of Dahntay Jones, and possibly Rush, upon his return.

[SIZE=+1]Cavs Beat Raptors[/SIZE]

The Cavaliers beat the Raps 108-100 Tuesday, led by LeBron James and his near triple-double. He finished with 28 points, nine boards, 11 assists, three, steals and three blocks, and hit 8-of-18 shots and 12-of-14 free throws. He's averaging career highs in field goal percentage (51), free throw percentage (78), 3-point percentage (37) and assists (7.7), and is showing no signs of slowing down. He shot nearly 82 percent from the line in 13 November games, and his free throw shooting is not nearly the issue it used to be, giving him the most fantasy value of his career.

Mo Williams left briefly with a left shoulder injury but it doesn't appear to be serious. He had 22 points, four 3-pointers and 10 assists, marking just the third time this season he's had 10 dimes in a game. Oddly, he hasn't had a nine or 11-assist game yet, and has handed out eight of them just once this season.

Shaquille O'Neal hit 7-of-10 shots to score 16 points, becoming just the fifth player to score 28,000 points in his career. The other four are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. It's scary to think about how many points he would have scored had he not missed about 5,000 free throws in the last 15 years.

Shaq also made some waves late Tuesday by saying that he could get LeBron James into the Dunk Contest if Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter joined him, giving the prize money to Haitian relief. An interesting concept, but it's probably too late to make it happen for this year's All-Star Game. Then again, maybe it's not.

Hedo Turkoglu was useless for the Raptors, who came in hot, winning 10 of their previous 13 games. Turkoglu hit just 1-of-6 shots for three points, but did add three rebounds, three assists and two steals in the loss. He's really struggling right now, hitting just 14-of-50 shots in his last six games. I'm also getting questions as to whether or not he should be dropped. I guess owners can if they're so inclined, but he's a guy I'd rather see benched than flat-out dropped.

Jose Calderon cooled off, hitting just 2-of-9 shots for six points and six assists, while starter Jarrett Jack had 11 points and three dimes. Calderon's trade value is kaput, but at least he was playing fairly well coming into this one.

Andrea Bargnani continues to produce for Toronto and had 19 points, six boards, three 3-pointers and a block in the loss. I caught some heat for being so high on Bargnani coming into the season, but he's producing, just as I had hoped. He's ranked 18th in the league in blocks, 22nd in 3-pointers, 38th in scoring and 45th in rebounding this season, and his ability to score, block shots and hit from downtown give him exceptional value at center.

[SIZE=+1]Quick Change[/SIZE]

The Kings announced on Tuesday that Spencer Hawes and Omri Casspi will be benched in favor of Jon Brockman and Donte' Greene. If your waiver wire is bare, Greene is probably worth an add (cutting Ilyasova?), but don't cut another productive starter for him. Hawes is another guy I'd recommend benching over cutting, but if you've owned him all year, it might be time to let go. He's been as frustrating as anyone to own. Brockman's a solid rebounder, but it's hard to see him offering long-term value. We'll see.

[SIZE=+1]Injury News[/SIZE]

Will Bynum (ankles) is out again for the Pistons on Wednesday, Richard Hamilton (flu) and Chris Wilcox (back) are probable, and Ben Gordon (groin) is questionable. Charlie Villanueva says his foot injury is feeling much better thanks to a massage therapist. I have no idea if Gordon is going to play or not, but my guess would be 'not.'

Blazer Brandon Roy says he'll play through his hamstring injury on Wednesday, but he's still not a guarantee. It will come down to a game-time decision and the training staff, and keep in mind he thought he'd play on Monday, too. He even removed himself from the bench in the second half to avoid the urge to run out there. Having said all that, my gut says he'll play.

Rasheed Wallace has been dealing with a groin injury in addition to his foot problem, but is playing through it. He'll take a hit when Kevin Garnett returns on Friday. There's possibly an outside chance that KG will play on Wednesday after a good practice session on Tuesday, but the Celtics are saying he won't play until Friday at the earliest.

Kirk Hinrich should be good to go for the Bulls tonight after a bout with the flu, while John Salmons is now extremely iffy after not traveling with the team due to his own bug. If he sits it will be a shame after Monday's nice line.

Andrew Bynum missed Lakers' practice on Tuesday dealing with a gastro issue, which also limited him on Monday. Hopefully he's good to go against the Cavs on Thursday. The couple days off should mean he plays.

Kevin Love missed T-Wolves practice Tuesday with his strep throat and everyone is a little antsy after Ryan Hollins missed six games with the same illness. The Wolves host the Thunder tonight, and will need Love if he's able to go. Consider him a game-time decision.

Josh Smith (Achilles) and Joe Johnson (foot) are both on the injury report for the Hawks, who have managed to stay incredibly healthy this season. Joe says he won't miss any games with the foot problem, while Smoove doesn't sound in much jeopardy of missing this one, either.

Charlotte's Gerald Wallace missed practice with his sprained left ankle and it sounds like he'll be a game-time decision tonight against the Heat.

For the Warriors, Ronny Turiaf still doesn't know when he'll go through a full practice with his ankle injury, Anthony Morrow will miss 1-2 weeks with a knee injury, and Vladimir Radmanovic is doubtful for Wednesday with his Achilles injury. That means we'll see more Cartier Martin, who is expected to sign another 10-day contract any day now, while Anthony Tolliver is probably questionable with his knee injury. The fact that Tolliver wasn't listed on the injury list is either because I'm the only person who knows he's playing for the Warriors, or because the injury isn't enough to keep him out tonight.

And while it's not an injury note, expect for Jerry Stackhouse to make his Bucks debut tonight. I'm not expecting much, but if you're in a deep league and need a warm body, think about grabbing him if he plays well.

HacheMan · Jan 21, 2010

I Am G-Pain
Ankle sprains are only a state of mind.

Or at least that's the impression Gerald Wallace gave off on Wednesday. Two days after what appeared to be his first worrisome injury of the season (oddly timed with some of my league mates' efforts to put a written jinx on him), Wallace arrived at shootaround and issued exactly the declaration fantasy owners wanted to hear: "It would have to be broken for me not to play."

He then went out and not only played, but unleashed a vintage Wallace line of 20 points, 10 rebounds, two threes, two steals and five blocks. In his last four games, the Charlotte wrecking ball has averaged 24.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.0 spg, 3.3 bpg and 1.3 threes while shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 90.6 percent from the line. And now that he has fixed his free throw stroke and is hitting threes, I see Wallace – already a top-20 talent – as a top-15 player going forward.

(For the record, there are some instances in which the phrase "Assuming he stays healthy" should be presumed even if it's not written. This is one of those instances.)

Here's a look at some of the other key headlines from a 13-game Wednesday:

LOPEZ & LOPEZ, ESQ.

The big story in Phoenix on Wednesday was new Suns starter Robin Lopez taking on twin brother Brook Lopez, and neither one disappointed. Brook went for 26 and 13, and Robin had 20 points, seven rebounds and a block, further solidifying his grip on the starting role while Channing Frye played just 14 minutes again. I still think it's too soon to drop Frye, but it's not too soon to be officially quite worried.

For Phoenix, Jason Richardson broke out for 26 points off the bench, suggesting that a demotion from the starting five may have been just the motivation he needed. Leandro Barbosa had just nine points in 20 minutes and isn't a trustworthy option whether starting or coming off the bench. Also of note: Amare Stoudemire (27 points) had three blocks for the second time in three games, but I'm still not convinced that's going to become a recurring trend.

For New Jersey, Kris Humphries was solid with nine points, seven rebounds and a block. Lines like that are more in line with what Humphries will do if he continues to get 25 or so minutes off the bench, which is why he is not a must-own player in 10-team leagues.

Other than Humphries, Lopez and Yi Jianlian (14 points, six rebounds, three assists), the Nets are an absolute mess fantasy-wise. Courtney Lee had a steal and a block but not much else, Chris Douglas-Roberts was awful and Devin Harris had 11 points and seven assists but shot just 4-for-14. If I owned Harris in any leagues, I'd be looking for a sell-high point sometime in the next month. The threat of an eventual injury-related shutdown looms significantly.

A reminder: For exclusive stat projections, rankings and more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass.

Another reminder: I'm on Twitter. You can follow me right here.

DELFINO: SPANISH FOR "DOLPHIN"?

Not exactly. But Delfino has displayed the intelligence and underrated athleticism of a dolphin lately, averaging 20.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 spg and 4.3 threes in his last three games. Inconsistency has (and will continue to be) one of his calling cards, but he's well worth owning in most formats right now.

Delfino got the starting nod over Ersan Ilyasova (nine points, five rebounds), and at this point I can understand cutting the inconsistent Ilyasova. Just be prepared for him to bounce back, because he always seems to find a way to do so.

WHAT ANKLE PAIN? (PART II)

Despite telling the San Francisco Chronicle that he was in "severe pain" at shootaround, Monta Ellis played all 53 minutes of an overtime loss and had 39 points and 10 assists. If you're concerned about injuries with Ellis, make sure you get a top-15 player in return.

Corey Maggette posted a 33-9-6 line and continues to be a percentage monster, while Andris Biedrins had four points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three blocks as a solid follow-up to his huge game on Monday.

Owners in deeper leagues should note that Devean George (nine points, a three, three steals) played a whopping 40 minutes and Chris Hunter had nine points, six rebounds and a block, but neither player will be a factor once Ronny Turiaf and Anthony Morrow are back.

For Denver, Chauncey Billups had what would have been the line of the night on another Wednesday, but his 37-8-8 with six threes somehow nearly gets lost in the shuffle. That 37 points ties a career-high for Billups, who is making up for lost time from his groin injury by averaging 26.3 ppg in his last six games.

CB4 GOES BALLISTIC

Speaking of huge lines nearly getting buried, Chris Bosh – not to be outdone by Denver's CB1 (Chauncey Billups) – went berserk for 44 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, sinking most other Raptors' productivity with his huge night. The only Toronto players who really salvaged useful lines were Hedo Turkoglu (13 points, four rebounds, four assists, three treys, two blocks) and Jose Calderon (16 points, four rebounds, five assists in just 21 minutes). I have little doubt that Calderon is ready to put up the stats that owners are looking for, but unfortunately I don't see Jarrett Jack disappearing from the picture.

I already mentioned the most relevant Bucks news (Delfino's eruption), but it's worth adding that Andrew Bogut went off for 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks (he'll do that from time to time), while Brandon Jennings killed an otherwise solid night by shooting 5-for-21 (again, not a surprise). Jerry Stackhouse made a decent Milwaukee debut with three points, five rebounds and four assists, but is only worth adding in deeper leagues at the moment.



SACTO SHAKEDOWN

Sacramento lost to the Hawks by 11 on Wednesday, but owners have to be fairly pleased to see Tyreke Evans score 24 (on 9-for-17 shooting) and Kevin Martin score 23 (on 8-for-18 shooting). Similar shot attempts, similar production. That should work just fine.

Meanwhile, Donte Greene and Jon Brockman joined the starting five, but neither did much (in fact, Greene was awful) and neither should be a consideration outside of deeper leagues.

Omri Casspi (16 points, eight rebounds) and Beno Udrih (eight points, eight assists) both showed signs of life off the bench, but neither is a must-start player in 10-team leagues at this point.

MIAMI MELTDOWN

In case you missed it, the Heat were ghastly last night, losing to Charlotte 104-65. You can write off just about every Miami line in this one, though it is worth noting that Dwyane Wade, playing through a wrist injury, is just 12-for-25 from the free throw line in his last three games after going 22-for-22 in the two games before that.

BETTER HERE THAN IN INDIANA

The Pacers are an absolute mess right now. Yes, Danny Granger bounced back from his 2-for-16 game to score 25, and that should not surprise you. And it's nice to see Earl Watson post 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and six steals, but inconsistency is still a huge issue.

Meanwhile, one game after going for an encouraging 17 and 10, Brandon Rush proved that he's still not ready for prime time by going for four points and virtually nothing else. Don't be surprised to see Dahntay Jones (17 points) or Mike Dunleavy (12 points, two threes, two steals) rejoin the starting five, but neither one is a terrific option.

Making matters worse, a report in the Indianapolis Star indicates that Jim O'Brien is considering sending either Roy Hibbert or Troy Murphy to the bench. Hibbert struggled immensely against Dwight Howard on Wednesday, though that's not necessarily a surprise given Hibbert's penchant for inconsistency and the fact that Dwight was no doubt looking for payback after Hibbert got him for 26, eight and four earlier this month. Fantasy-wise, Murphy would likely respond better to coming off the bench, though it won't be good news for either Hibbert or Murphy if one of them is demoted.

Speaking of Dwight Howard, he went for a season-high 32 points and somehow had four steals and no blocks. Matt Barnes was huge with 10 points, 16 boards, six assists and three steals and looks like a player to sell high right now.

Meanwhile, Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson both struggled, and while I think Nelson should be startable most nights, Carter – who claims to have discovered a mechanical flaw in his jumper – needs to be planted on your bench for now.

TEAMS THAT BEGIN WITH THE LETTER "P"

Naturally, when discussing Portland and Philadelphia, we'll begin by discussing some Positives. For Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge looked good again with 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a block, while Andre Miller continued his recent strong play by scoring 24.

The bad news for Portland: Martell Webster came crashing down after a recent hot streak to shoot just 1-for-9, while Brandon Roy left early and looks likely to miss the next couple of games after aggravating his hamstring injury.

For Philly, Samuel Dalembert came directly off a plane from Haiti and finished with 10 points, 15 boards and a block, and Lou Williams had a solid line (11 points, seven assists, two steals and a three) despite again sitting out the fourth quarter. To repeat: Eventually this situation will work itself out, and while you don't necessarily have to start Williams right now, dropping him would not be wise.

Allen Iverson was ineffective with nine points and four rebounds, and this is just speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him miss a game or two coming up due to his arthritic knee.

A SOUND OF THUNDER

Oklahoma City got its 24th win of the season (surpassing last season's win total) behind 31 points from Kevin Durant, but fantasy-wise the more significant note pertains to Jeff Green. Green has been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but has averaged 14.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 0.8 spg, 1.0 bpg and 0.8 threes in his last five games. Statistically speaking, think of him as a higher-octane Marvin Williams.

On the Minnesota side of things, Al Jefferson went for 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, Jonny Flynn followed up a 29-point, nine-assist game with a quieter 10 points and eight assists and Ryan Gomes played "bad game" on the "good game, bad game" roulette wheel. None of those occurrences should be a big surprise.

More notable for Minnesota was Corey Brewer's huge line of 25 points, five rebounds, six assists, two threes, five steals and a block to continue a recent trend of excellent play. In his last five games, Brewer has averaged 18.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.0 bpg and 2.0 threes. This looks like a solid sell-high point on Brewer, but I can also understand the logic behind sticking with him given the undeniable potential here.

Meanwhile, Kevin Love missed a second straight game due to strep throat. No word yet if he'll be available on Friday.



CHURNING PISTONS

The Pistons have now won four out of five after Rodney Stuckey (27-11-6) led the way in a win over Boston. Statistically, Stuckey is like Derrick Rose plus steals, minus some field goal percentage. Fantasy-wise, it's truly a shame that neither one of them hits threes.

Richard Hamilton returned from a one-game absence due to illness and posted 12 points, four rebounds and eight assists, while Ben Wallace returned to his scoring norm (six points), but added 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. With Hamilton back, Austin Daye returned to the bench but still had nine points, eight rebounds, a three, a steal and a block in 25 minutes. Jonas Jerebko didn't do much for a third straight game, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him lose his starting job when Tayshaun Prince returns this weekend.

JAZZ 4, SPURS 0

The Jazz beat the Spurs for the fourth and final time this regular season behind 31 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks from Mr. Contract Year, Carlos Boozer, who could end up staying in Utah beyond the trade deadline with the Jazz suddenly having won six of eight. Also beastly for the Jazz was Andrei Kirilenko (26 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block), but you just can't trust him for strong production consistently.

On a slightly disconcerting Utah note, Deron Williams (18 points, 10 assists) says his wrist is still bothering him, but the good news is that Utah plays just one time in the next four days.

For the Spurs, Manu Ginobili was big off the bench (22 points, five rebounds, eight assists) and has averaged 6.7 assists in his last six games despite some erratic scoring lately. Tony Parker had 20 points, but continues to deal with heel trouble, making him someone owners should consider shopping.

Starting center DeJuan Blair was solid but unspectacular with four points, 11 rebounds and two blocks, while Richard Jefferson returned to score 12 points but failed to get his starting job back from George Hill (16 points), who has become an intriguing waiver wire option, particularly in deeper leagues.

THE MEMPHIS FAB FIVE

Memphis has one of the most balanced starting fives in the league, so it should come as no surprise that Mike Conley (15 points, two threes, three steals), O.J. Mayo (15 points, eight assists), Marc Gasol (15 points, two steals, four blocks), Rudy Gay (26 points) and Zach Randolph (25 points, 12 rebounds) can all post useful fantasy lines on the same night.

For the Hornets, Chris Paul went without a steal for the second straight game, but I think we're nitpicking considering that he had 21 points, six rebounds and 13 assists. Marcus Thornton scored 12 to extend his double-figures streak to seven games. Thornton has averaged 12.9 ppg and 1.7 threes during that stretch, making him a useful option in deeper leagues.

THAT PESKY TOE

The biggest headline from the Clippers' win over the Bulls was Eric Gordon leaving early with a toe injury. There's no word yet on the severity, but toe injuries can linger, so we're going to have to watch this one closely and hope it's not serious. If Gordon's out, Ricky Davis (eight points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Al Thornton (17 points) would be the main beneficiaries, but neither is a very exciting option in 10-14 team leagues.

Did I mention that Marcus Camby had 25 rebounds, three steals and two blocks? I certainly can't argue with the notion of selling high given his track record with injuries, but I will repeat myself for what feels like the hundredth time on the Camby front: Don't confuse selling short with selling high. If you're dealing Camby, you need to get a big return.

As for the Bulls, John Salmons was out with the flu, Derrick Rose was huge, the good Tyrus Thomas showed up and Kirk Hinrich shot a wretched 3-for-14. As for Thomas, I can understand not wanting to deal with his inconsistency, but lines like Wednesday remind us why he still needs to be owned in most leagues.

ONE POINT? NO PROBLEM

Dallas is remarkably now 9-0 in its last nine one-point games, with the notable fantasy developments from a win over Washington being Josh Howard sitting out with an illness and Drew Gooden posting 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in just 22 minutes off the bench. Starter Erick Dampier had just six points and four rebounds, and while this is still a platoon, Gooden is a sneaky deep-league option despite coming off the bench.

Speaking of sneaky, Mike Miller had eight points, four assists and two threes on just 3-for-5 shooting and needs to be more selfish. Antawn Jamison had an off night, but Randy Foye was large again with 26 points and Brendan Haywood had 13 and 18. Caron Butler shot just 7-for-20 on his way to 20 points and 10 rebounds, but the encouraging note here is that he got 20 shot attempts. The outlook quietly continues to trend upward for Tough Juice.

TONIGHT

Two games on the schedule: Lakers at Cavs, where the surprise news from Thursday morning is that Mo Williams is expected to sit due to a shoulder sprain, making Delonte West an intriguing short-term option. The late tipoff features Clippers at Nuggets, a game that threatens to get ugly with the Clips playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road in high altitude, possibly sans Eric Gordon. Nevertheless, look for Marcus Camby to wreak some big-time havoc against his former team even though the Clips will probably lose by about 18.