This is It
In the final scene of the movie Braveheart, the man who stood at the gallows pole offered William Wallace the chance to say one word. As the story goes, he didn't say that one word and he was torn limb by limb and decorated about England as a warning to all that dare cross the King.
Tonight, the people of Cleveland get to reverse the roles, and they get to tear the King apart with every ounce of fervor they can muster (hopefully) without embarrassing their city even more than the Chosen One did that fateful night in July. And while it's must-see TV, and will probably break some television records, I can't help but feel some degree of sadness. Tonight, in front of millions, LeBron James will be changed forever – even more than he has been already – and if you don't think he's scared beyond all belief you're kidding yourself. He's in this position because he wants his court to love him – and they don't. And they won't. And to think, one word could have ended it all.
"Sorry."
This simple little word stands for so much in our society. We are a forgiving bunch. We love a comeback story – just ask Michael Vick. And for somebody that we crowned King before he won an NBA title, he appeared to do everything in his power to wear it right. Single-handedly taking down the Pistons in 2007 to go to the Finals, the two MVPs he won and practically gave to teammates in the hometown gymnasium that started it all, the loyalty to his friends and to those that helped him along the way – we bought it all hook, line, and sinker.
But really, shouldn't we all have known better? Shouldn't we have known not to get invested when we've been down this road before? The scores of athletes that have let us down should have warned us, right?
Yes, but this one was different.
This one wined and dined us. His game – a cross between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, was unselfish and unstoppable. He said and did all the right things (or so we thought). Even the team pictures before games that didn't wear well on those who thought that game-time was a time for gladiators, and not giggles, were still widely hailed as exhibits in team-building. He lived in the highlight reels. And maybe we wouldn't have cared so much if he didn't have the chance to become the greatest player of all time, even if he had a long way to go. The Summer of LeBron was about to strike in full force, and people weren't fatigued with him like they were with Brett Favre – there was legitimate excitement.
Then came Game 6 in Boston.
And before that it was 'the elbow.' LeBron started to shrink faster than Costanza in a swimming pool. And though you couldn't put a finger on it, you could sense that he wanted out.
Out in the way that his jersey came off before he made it to the tunnel.
We knew what was next, but the overtures said otherwise. His MVP speech may as well been made in front of Clevelanders holding signs that said Loyalty, just like a you'd see a politician give, as he spoke about commitment to Akron no less than a half-dozen times (and if you recall, nobody knew nor cared at the time about the dichotomy between the two rival cities). His first high school coach Keith Dambrot said at the event, "I'd bet my house that he stays. Why else would you do things like this?'' Media mouthpiece for Team LeBron, Chris Broussard, wrote after watching the event "you couldn't help but think – he ain't leaving."
The next months felt more like a prom than a multi-million dollar professional weighing his options. Maverick Carter and World Wide Wes setup their version of speed dating, all while his haggard old girl stayed home, did the laundry, and tried to rearrange the furniture in ways that he liked (and my apologies Cleveland, I love you no matter what you look like).
The peasants sat about and gossiped like schoolgirls. Where will he go? I hear he was seen with what's her name. Oh, hell no, there's no way he'll take Kaman to the prom! Meanwhile, him and his high court had it all planned out. He had been cheating all along. He knew it. Cleveland knew it but didn't have the guts to get out. They begged and pleaded. They cried. They showed South Park.
He was already gone.
This is the reason he is reviled now. It's not the ill-conceived Decision, it's not the commercial that wags his finger in all of our faces, it's not 'the bump', and it's not the choice to take his talents to South Beach.
He lied.
He sold us all a bill of goods and made us think he was something that he was not. He led Cleveland on and left them at the altar. He said to them, "it's not you, it's me," and left them with a couple of kids, a new apartment they couldn't afford payments on, and descended upon prom from the rafters with two new toys on each arm – just one day after breaking up.
As the story goes he wasn't elected Prom King, that award went to Kevin Durant. His friends, most of them left him. His billion dollar brand? That's next. The Heat, they're already getting tired of media plants, the antics, the unwanted scrutiny, and the losing. Heck, even if he wins, he loses – it's Dwyane Wade's team.
One word can end the pain for him, for Cleveland, and allow things to return to the natural order. Like that family member that's always in a bind, we just want him to get his mind right. We want to root for the guy. But he's just not going to say that word. Instead, he's going to throw chalk in the face of his former lover, and if Anderson Varejao were to go Hacksaw Jim Duggan on him at that moment he would never have to buy a beer in Cleveland for the rest of his life. Like William Wallace, this King would rather lose his crown than say that word, but his cause isn't freedom – it's fiefdom. And for that, we get the biggest spectacle the NBA has seen, maybe ever.
And in the middle, one man will stand defiant. All by himself.
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[SIZE=+1]Wednesday Night Rundown[/SIZE]
Clippers 90, Spurs 85 – Mr. Griffin, Gravity is a Rule, Not a Suggestion
www.miamiheat.ws
Blake Griffin won the NBA Dunk contest well before the All Star break on Wednesday, and largely put any of our prior comments about selling high to rest, scoring 31 points with 13 boards, four assists, two steals, and a block while making 14-of-21 shots from the field. He should only be traded now if you're getting a couple of studs in return, as he's no longer afraid of getting blocks and he's a monster everywhere else. Baron Davis also returned from a 10-game hiatus, coming off the bench for seven points on 2-of-6 shooting with 10 assists and a three. He looked pretty darn good and if he's on your league's waiver wire it's time to pick him up. There's no telling how long he can hold up and if he can stay out of the doghouse, but it's worth finding out. Eric Bledsoe scored five points with four rebounds and seven assists, but he's destined for a time-share at best as long as Baron is healthy and he can safely be dropped for a hot free agent.
The Spurs looked gassed from their game against the Warriors on Tuesday, in particular Tim Duncan, who had just eight points and five rebounds after triple-doubling the night before. Adam Levitan told owners to shop him hard over the 24 hours after Tuesday's game, and hopefully a few of you were able to make that happen. He's still Tim Duncan, but the random DNPs and the fact that the offense no longer runs primarily through him are the main concerns. Manu Ginobili complained that he was woken up by hotel staff the night before and it showed, as he scored just 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting and was uncharacteristically out of control in the game's final quarter. Tony Parker was seen having lunch with Eva Longoria before the game, and she got the last laugh as he scored just two points with four assists and sat out most of the second half. At least owners can be thankful that there doesn't appear to be an injury.
Click here for Boozer's debut, Joe's elbow, and a shootout at the O.K.C. Corral….
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Magic 107, Bulls 78 – Carlos Boozer's Debut Goes Splat
I guess you knew things were off to a bad start when Luol Deng ran out when Boozer was introduced, and since they're both 6'9" forwards from Duke we'll cut him some slack. But the story here was the question on everyone's fingertips – who will get all the rebounds, Boozer or Joakim Noah? The answer was neither. Noah was shutout on the glass for the first time since December 27, 2008, and Boozer collected just two himself. I'm blaming it on Noah's chance encounter with John Elway in a hotel steam room in Denver. To sum it up, we learned nothing from this performance except that there will be a bunch of panicked owners this morning. Reserve judgment until we see more, as the ugly lines went all around. Boozer played 22 minutes with five points, two steals, and a block to go with his two boards. Noah had 16 points and four dimes to go with his bagel, Luol Deng had eight points and four boards, and Derrick Rose celebrated his NBA Player of the Month award with 15 points, four assists, and two threes.
The only interesting news for Orlando was Rashard Lewis' knee injury, which doesn't appear too serious, but it's worth watching. He had 13 points and three treys before bowing out in the third quarter. If he misses time, then Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, and Quentin Richardson will all be worth keeping an eye on. Bass had 17 points and five rebounds, Jameer Nelson scored 24 points with nine assists, Vince Carter had 22 points and all appears fine with his knee, so far. Dwight Howard added 13 points and 12 boards in the blowout win.
Hawks 112, Grizzlies 109 – Joe's Elbow Says No Mo'
Early Wednesday news broke that Joe Johnson would be out 4-6 weeks and will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove a 'loose body,' which is something I've been trying (and failing) to do at the gym for months now. There have been a lot of questions about who will pick up the slack, and by Wednesday's result we didn't learn too much, but Marvin Williams and Jamal Crawford should be the primary beneficiaries while everybody else picks up some touches. Williams had 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal, and is worth a look to see if he can duplicate some of his early season success. Both him and starter Maurice Evans are coming off knee injuries, which are slightly worrisome, and in the case of Evans it's almost sure to limit any upside. Evans had nine points and a three in 21 minutes, which could start looking pretty familiar. Jamal Crawford had 16 points and a season-high eight assists, and should be in starting lineups until further notice.
Zach Randolph showed up on Wednesday with 19 points and 19 boards, his best line in some time, and hopefully this gets him going again. Rudy Gay, who has slowed down pretty good since his blistering start, had 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting, and Mike Conley had 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting with nine assists. Conley had the same exact shooting line in his last game, and owners should strongly consider selling him high. He's playing a bit over his head right now. O.J. Mayo had another mediocre outing with 10 points, a three, and not much else, and I wouldn't blame you for dropping him right now. Xavier Henry (three points) isn't doing much, but the sixth man role just isn't that productive in Memphis. Marc Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds with a block for his third double-double of the year. He's been fairly disappointing, but hang in there. He's doesn't figure to fall off a cliff and is a good bet to improve.
Thunder 123, Nets 120 – Shootout at the O.K.C. Corral
It only took three overtimes to settle this one, and just as Jordan Farmar was the question of the night on Tuesday night, he rewarded the owners that took a chance on him with a career-high 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting with three treys, nine assists, and two steals. Devin Harris' MRI results came back and presumably didn't show a tear, as the team is calling his knee injury a sprain, and he is out for at least two games. After that he will be re-evaluated, and given his history he could conceivably miss more. He may not, but for the time-being Farmar is worth being owned in all formats. And while he's likely not available anymore, if he is, you should exercise some judgment with who you drop since he's a short-term pickup. Brook Lopez also got his first double-double of the year, and took three overtimes to do it, so we don't know whether to laugh, cry, cheer, or all three. It's better than earlier in the year when he was making us sneeze and fart. Troy Murphy is still in Avery's ever-expanding doghouse, playing 15 minutes with four points and three assists, which means that Kris Humphries' owners should stay cautiously optimistic. The Humph had six points and 15 boards. Avery is just as frustrating as Don Nelson was, but not nearly as fun. Terrence Williams will not be recalled from the D-League, which is another sign that Harris' injury isn't serious, but I can't in good consciousness rule out that Avery is just being vindictive. Either way, he doesn't deserve to be owned until he's in the real NBA, at a minimum. Anthony Morrow hit a running 26-footer to send the game to OT, and finished with a season-high tying 25 points with three treys and five boards. He looks ready to go on a hot streak with some of Harris' touches in hand.
On the other side it was the Russell Westbrook show, and it's time to stop calling him the No. 2 option in OKC. It's more like 1A. And while Kevin Durant missed Wednesday's game with a knee injury, it should in no way take from Westy's 38-point, 15-rebound, nine-assist, and three-steal performance. You can bag on his 14-of-32 shooting line all you want, but he single-handedly delivered a win with all 13 of the Thunder's points in the deciding third overtime. He is a beast in both fantasy and reality, and while it's premature he is the Thunder's MVP so far this year. Durant is being called day-to-day heading into Friday, and no MRI has been scheduled as of yet, which is obviously good. If there was ever a time to buy low on KD, it is now. Serge Ibaka got yet another start due to injury, and had 11 points, six rebounds, and four blocks before fouling out after 30 minutes. He's doing enough to keep owners satisfied, even if they're still a bit tense. And Jeff Green, he simply had a career-high 37 points on 12-of-21 shooting with four treys, five 3-point plays, five rebounds, four assists, and three big FTs to send the game to its third overtime.
Raptors 127, Wizards 108 – Return of the Rookies
John Wall (knee) and Ed Davis (knee) are on two completely different career arcs, but both rookies returned to action after injury on Wednesday. Wall continued Flip Saunders' pattern of bringing his injured troops off the bench for significant minutes, playing 32 in total, and had 19 points with eight assists, two steals, and a three. All looks well for him and his owners and he should be locked back into lineups. Davis, on the other hand, was a bit of a surprise as the odd man out in the PF battle with Joey Dorsey and Amir Johnson, but threw his hat into the ring with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, and 24 minutes while outplaying Johnson, who got the start and is still the favorite for value despite last night's result. Amir scored four points with three rebounds and two blocks, and also tweaked his ankle early in the game which may have influenced the result a bit, but that's just a guess. Joey Dorsey had five points, eight boards, three steals, and a block. Given the fluky nature of the blowout combined with Amir's tweaked ankle we're still ranking these guys Johnson-Dorsey-Davis, though things got a lot tighter last night. DeMar DeRozan got hot and had 20 points with six rebounds, three assists, and a three on 7-of-11 shots from the field, and says he's over a hamstring issue and may be ready to start producing after a one-week trough. Sonny Weems joined the party with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists, Jerryd Bayless did too with 16 points, six boards, five assists, and two threes in 24 minutes that were augmented by garbage time, as did Leandro Barbosa with 16 points and two threes. Linas Kleiza was not so lucky with just eight points and four boards, and Peja Stojakovic (knee) did not play. Jose Calderon had 11 points and eight assists, and along with DeRozan and Weems are the preferred plays here simply because they're starting. Things won't look so rosy when the Raptors come back to Earth.
For the Wiz, Gilbert Arenas had an awful night with seven points on 1-of-10 shooting. He has been rolling and a night like this is enough to stagger his trade value, that is, if you're in the camp that wants get rid of him. His name has also been popping up in a potential trade to Orlando, but both owner Ted Leonsis and Magic G.M. Otis Smith have denied any contact. What does it mean? It's hard to say, but I feel pretty good about trading him the next time he goes on a tear given his injury risk. JaVale McGee had the center spot all to himself with Hilton Armstrong serving his one-game suspension for his flagrant foul on Monday, and scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting with seven boards and a block. Congrats if you didn't let his back bruise deter you from starting him this week. He looks good to go. Kirk Hinrich scored 15 points with five assists, and with Al Thornton (ankle) returning things are going to get crowded.
Rockets 109, Lakers 99 – Lake Show Loses Four in a Row for First Time Since 06-07
If the world wasn't caught up in Lebronamania, you can bet all eyes would be turned on the Lakers, since no Phil Jackson coached team has won a championship with a four-game losing streak. And no, Pat Riley is not going to take his job anytime soon, either. The big news here was that Pau Gasol left briefly due to sore hamstrings, and anytime owners hear the words 'Gasol' and 'hamstrings' there is bound to be some panic. For what it's worth after the game he said he's 'not thinking about missing Friday,' but we'll see what kind of reports turn up during the day. Chances are he'll play, and he finished with eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, and a block while shooting 2-of-8 from the field. Kobe Bryant tweaked his finger a bit during the game but there was no mention of it in the post-game, and finished with 27 points on 10-of-24 shooting with four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Picking up the slack for Pau was Lamar Odom, who had a season-high with 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting (including two threes) with 11 rebounds and two blocks. His sell-high situation when Andrew Bynum returns has been covered a lot here, and while I've been of the mind that he'll take a small hit I'm less worried with each passing day. Kobe and Pau need him to pick up the slack.
The Rockets got stellar play from Shane Battier, who scored 17 points on 5-of-7 FGs with six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and four treys. He's a guy that won't hurt you anywhere but FG%, and is a solid sell-high prospect right now with Aaron Brooks (ankle) and Yao Ming (foot) out. Speaking of which, Brooks is targeting Dec. 10 for his return, but that's just a tentative date as he's yet to see how his ankle will respond to heavy workouts. The window to sell Kyle Lowry is rapidly closing, and is likely shut. Yao is targeting Tuesday's game for his return, but outside of deeper leagues or daily leagues I don't think he's worth the hassle. Luis Scola, who had 14 points and nine boards last night, has really slowed down after a blistering start, and it all started when Brooks exited stage left. Buy him low while you can.
Click here for the new Brandon Roy, the Larry Sanders Show, and Dr. A's last straw….
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Celtics 99, Blazers 95 – Wes is the New Roy
Brandon Roy played in the second game of the back-to-back last night and actually said he felt better in the fourth quarter than on most nights, and scored 18 points with three rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes. This qualifies as good news but we're witnessing a passing of the torch to Wesley Matthews, who scored 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting with five threes, two steals, but no rebounds or assists. He sure looks like the best player in Portland right now, but I'm still selling him right now while the public doesn't quite know what to make of him and is scared to death of Roy's knee. Wes looks like he'll keep up the solid play all year, but his lack of versatility makes this an easy call for me. And as for Roy, keep working those phones and you can even up your price a bit with each passing game he's healthy – I just don't trust a word out of his mouth when it comes to his knee. Nothing against him, but if I was in his shoes I'd be saying anything I could to make myself feel better. Marcus Camby left briefly with a leg injury in what is your seemingly weekly reminder that he's no spring chicken. He's another guy that you should be open to moving at the right price. For you Nicolas Batum enthusiasts – he's still struggling and had just four points, two boards, two assists, and a block in 15 minutes off the bench. Feel free to drop him for a hot free agent.
For the Celtics, the only real news is that Rajon Rondo's hamstrings are still bothering him, and he spent extra time in the whirlpool after the game. I'd be more worried if not for the fact that Doc Rivers actually used him more during the fourth quarter because Nate Robinson's foot was hurting him, as Nate lasted just three minutes last night. Rondo was still effective with 10 points and 10 assists and a three, and despite the uneasiness his various injuries give me I like buying him low right now. To me it's a calculated risk. Shaq O'Neal scored 14 points and had four rebounds and a block, and I'm all for selling him high right now. There's no telling when he'll get his next prescribed rest. Paul Pierce pitched a near-perfect game with 28 points on 9-of-11 shooting with four treys to go with seven rebounds, a steal, and a block, and Kevin Garnett's rolled ankle from Tuesday was a non-factor. He finished with 17 points, eight boards, and a block, and I'm selling the idea that he can make it a full year without getting injured. Big Baby had his second straight solid night with 16 points and seven boards, yet I'm still not rallying the troops to pick him up just yet. One look at his game log will tell you why.
Nuggets 105, Bucks 94 – The Larry Sanders Show
Bucks rookie Larry Sanders got another start with Andrew Bogut (back) out and Drew Gooden (foot) limited, and nearly triple-doubled with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and an NBA season-high tying eight blocks (Dwight Howard). He hadn't done much in his previous spot starts so if you somehow started him I'm asking where you keep the flux capacitor, since it's what makes time travel possible. Bogut has a 'very good chance' of playing against Howard and the Magic on Saturday, so all of the Bucks' big men will slide down a spot. Given Bogut's likely return, the chance that Gooden improves on the 10 minutes he played last night, and Sanders' inconsistency -- I'm nowhere near taking the bait on Larry. Corey Maggette (ankle, flu) returned to action and scored 17 points with no rebounds and four assists, and Ersan Ilyasova struggled on 2-of-9 shooting to finish with seven points, nine rebounds, and four assists. El's line isn't that bad, but his long-term prognosis isn't good once the Bucks get healthy. John Salmons finally put up a decent line with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting with three treys, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block, and owners should be selling hard right now. He hasn't been able to produce even with guys out.
The story on the Denver side was none other than J.R. Smith, who is now in the honeymoon stage of his on-again, off-again relationship with George Karl. He had 20 points and tied a career-high with 10 rebounds to go with two threes, 8-of-16 shooting, and two steals. Karl has been raving about his work ethic in practice lately, but what I'm more stoked about is the fact that he pulled this off while Arron Afflalo (38 minutes, 12 points) and Chauncey Billups (34 minutes, 16 points, nine assists) both played normal minutes and had fairly normal production, even if Carmelo Anthony got ejected late in third quarter. Smith's pattern is to get into Karl's good graces, play well, get comfortable, and then revert to his bone-headed ways, so pick him up and ride him while he's hot, and while you're at it try to pawn him off on somebody. It's a win-win all the way around. Nene had a season-high with 24 points and nine rebounds, two steals, and a block, and his 8-of-9 shooting brought him to an NBA leading 61.9% FG mark. His rebounding is back up to normal levels and I'm not too bothered by the pending return of Kenyon Martin, and if his owner is then make a move. He gets a special bonus for having the funniest NBA file photo on this side of Big Baby. Check it out.
Mavs 100, Wolves 86 – Tyson Chandler's Punch-Out
Tyson Chandler set a Mavs record for rebounds in a quarter last night (14), which was the only real news to come out of this snooze-fest, as the Mavs ran away with things pretty early and their starters didn't play too much. Chandler ended up with 18 ribbies total to go with nine points in just 22 minutes. Jason Kidd continued to frustrate owners with five points on 2-of-11 shooting and four assists, and actually played 28 minutes, while guys like Dirk Nowitzki (10 points, one rebound, one assist, 23 minutes) and Caron Butler (10 points, one rebound, two assists, 20 minutes) got some rest. Shawn Marion has been playing well off the bench lately, and had 16 points with eight boards, two threes, and two steals, and is worth a roster spot in deep leagues and worth consideration in standard leagues – at least as a short-term add. My guess is that he cools off at some point.
The Wolves were severely outclassed in this one, and had no chance when Michael Beasley went out with two quick fouls. Pedestrian lines were abound – Kevin Love had 12 points with 15 rebounds, which is saying something when preceded by the word 'pedestrian.' Beasley finished with 16 points, a steal, a block, and three boards, while Darko Milicic scored 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting with eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. He's averaging 17 points, eight boards, and three blocks in his last five games, but still doesn't get much respect around the league and may still be flying under the radar in your fantasy league. He's still somebody to target.
Utah 110, Pacers 88 – Deron Taketh, but Doesn't Giveth Away
The Jazz started off with a 35-17 first quarter and never looked back. Deron Williams made 24 points with 16 assists and no turnovers look easy, Al Jefferson scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and two blocks, Paul Millsap had 16 points with eight rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko kept rolling along with 18 points, seven boards, and two steals. The highlight of the night for the home crowd may have been Gordon Hayward's shot-clock beating three in the waning seconds of garbage time – which reminds me how much I wish he made that shot in the Final Four. It would have been the greatest shot of all time.
The Pacers struggled and the only significant development was Brandon Rush starting and playing 42 minutes while Mike Dunleavy only saw 16. Rush's numbers weren't eye-popping, as he scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting (including three treys) with two rebounds, one assist, and a block, but he may have done some damage in the position battle last night. He's somebody to look at, even if my enthusiasm is slightly curbed. Hibbert has been on a bit of a blocks drought with just five of them in seven games, but that will improve. He scored 15 points with five boards, and Danny Granger couldn't find the range with 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting (1-of-6 from downtown), while Darren Collison had 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the loss.
Hornets 89, Bobcats 73 – Dr. A Tells It How It Is
Other than Gerald Wallace (elbow) and D.J. Augustin (flu) both playing, as expected, the only interesting thing coming out of the Hornets' nest were Dr. A's blurbs on Trevor Ariza and Marcus Thornton (conveniently linked for your pleasure). Let's just say he was on one. Ariza thinks he's a 3-point shooter, the problem is that he's just not any good at it, and he needs to start taking the ball to the hoop. Until then, his 38.5 FG% and 31.3 3PT% are killing owners and in FG% and shallow formats he should be dropped. And if you're staring at Baron Davis or J.R. Smith in normal formats, go ahead and make the move. Thornton played 10 minutes and had seven points, and he's still nowhere near being useful. Marco Belinelli's owners have right to be concerned as he didn't play in the second half, and rookie Quincy Pondexter and Willie Green both saw meaningful minutes in front of him. Chris Paul had nine points, 14 assists, five rebounds, and four steals, and is quietly the number one fantasy player in both eight and nine-cat leagues. David West had 22 points, six boards, two steals, and two blocks, and getting poked in the eye Tuesday obviously wasn't a problem.
The Bobcats were without Stephen Jackson who was suspended for arguing with officials, and completely fell apart in the fourth quarter when the Hornets went to a zone. As you can imagine, scoring 73 points total there wasn't much to crow about. Augustin survived for owners with 13 points and six assists, Dominic McGuire drew the start for Captain Jack and was predictably mediocre with two points, eight rebounds, and an assist, and Gerald Wallace dispelled his injury-prone tag once again and suited up to score 18 points with five boards and two steals.
Heat 97, Pistons 72 – Sparring Partners
You had to be worried about this being a trap-game if you were a Heat fan, but the adrenaline was simply too high in anticipation for Thursday's big game for the Heat to let themselves down. The Pistons also helped by being a mess, with no starter scoring more than nine points. The only bright spot in the game was Greg Monroe, who could be worth a pickup now that John Kuester is talking about 'making changes.' His effort stood out while the vets mailed it in and he finished with a team-high 15 points to go with eight boards. I'd be more excited about him if he didn't play in Detroit, but he's worth a look if you need a big man.
Last but not least, the Heat played like they wanted to have the game put away by halftime so they could rest up for Thursday. LeBron James scored 18 points with six rebounds, three assists, and a steal, and went at Tracy McGrady a few times like he wanted to truck him. If you don't recall, T-Mac said earlier in the week that LeBron and Dwyane Wade weren't a good match on the court. Chris Bosh had 16 points, seven boards, and four assists, and after scaring his owners to start the year is a solid play now. Dwyane Wade struggled with foul trouble all game, but he wasn't really needed, and he finished with 16 points and not much else in 18 minutes. If anything, the rest was good for his wrist, hangnails, and whatever else is threatening him these days.
[SIZE=+1]Thursday Night Lights[/SIZE]
You know all about the early game, and there are no real injuries in either that game or the Suns-Warriors late game. Alvin Gentry is not concerned about Grant Hill's foot sprain, saying he "doesn't think he's ever questionable." The Suns-Warriors tilts are usually a fantasy bonanza, which is a nice way of chasing down whatever we get from LeBronapalooza. I'll be on Twitter, and have already locked the doors and put in my pizza order. See you all later tonight.
In the final scene of the movie Braveheart, the man who stood at the gallows pole offered William Wallace the chance to say one word. As the story goes, he didn't say that one word and he was torn limb by limb and decorated about England as a warning to all that dare cross the King.
Tonight, the people of Cleveland get to reverse the roles, and they get to tear the King apart with every ounce of fervor they can muster (hopefully) without embarrassing their city even more than the Chosen One did that fateful night in July. And while it's must-see TV, and will probably break some television records, I can't help but feel some degree of sadness. Tonight, in front of millions, LeBron James will be changed forever – even more than he has been already – and if you don't think he's scared beyond all belief you're kidding yourself. He's in this position because he wants his court to love him – and they don't. And they won't. And to think, one word could have ended it all.
"Sorry."
This simple little word stands for so much in our society. We are a forgiving bunch. We love a comeback story – just ask Michael Vick. And for somebody that we crowned King before he won an NBA title, he appeared to do everything in his power to wear it right. Single-handedly taking down the Pistons in 2007 to go to the Finals, the two MVPs he won and practically gave to teammates in the hometown gymnasium that started it all, the loyalty to his friends and to those that helped him along the way – we bought it all hook, line, and sinker.
But really, shouldn't we all have known better? Shouldn't we have known not to get invested when we've been down this road before? The scores of athletes that have let us down should have warned us, right?
Yes, but this one was different.
This one wined and dined us. His game – a cross between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, was unselfish and unstoppable. He said and did all the right things (or so we thought). Even the team pictures before games that didn't wear well on those who thought that game-time was a time for gladiators, and not giggles, were still widely hailed as exhibits in team-building. He lived in the highlight reels. And maybe we wouldn't have cared so much if he didn't have the chance to become the greatest player of all time, even if he had a long way to go. The Summer of LeBron was about to strike in full force, and people weren't fatigued with him like they were with Brett Favre – there was legitimate excitement.
Then came Game 6 in Boston.
And before that it was 'the elbow.' LeBron started to shrink faster than Costanza in a swimming pool. And though you couldn't put a finger on it, you could sense that he wanted out.
Out in the way that his jersey came off before he made it to the tunnel.
We knew what was next, but the overtures said otherwise. His MVP speech may as well been made in front of Clevelanders holding signs that said Loyalty, just like a you'd see a politician give, as he spoke about commitment to Akron no less than a half-dozen times (and if you recall, nobody knew nor cared at the time about the dichotomy between the two rival cities). His first high school coach Keith Dambrot said at the event, "I'd bet my house that he stays. Why else would you do things like this?'' Media mouthpiece for Team LeBron, Chris Broussard, wrote after watching the event "you couldn't help but think – he ain't leaving."
The next months felt more like a prom than a multi-million dollar professional weighing his options. Maverick Carter and World Wide Wes setup their version of speed dating, all while his haggard old girl stayed home, did the laundry, and tried to rearrange the furniture in ways that he liked (and my apologies Cleveland, I love you no matter what you look like).
The peasants sat about and gossiped like schoolgirls. Where will he go? I hear he was seen with what's her name. Oh, hell no, there's no way he'll take Kaman to the prom! Meanwhile, him and his high court had it all planned out. He had been cheating all along. He knew it. Cleveland knew it but didn't have the guts to get out. They begged and pleaded. They cried. They showed South Park.
He was already gone.
This is the reason he is reviled now. It's not the ill-conceived Decision, it's not the commercial that wags his finger in all of our faces, it's not 'the bump', and it's not the choice to take his talents to South Beach.
He lied.
He sold us all a bill of goods and made us think he was something that he was not. He led Cleveland on and left them at the altar. He said to them, "it's not you, it's me," and left them with a couple of kids, a new apartment they couldn't afford payments on, and descended upon prom from the rafters with two new toys on each arm – just one day after breaking up.
As the story goes he wasn't elected Prom King, that award went to Kevin Durant. His friends, most of them left him. His billion dollar brand? That's next. The Heat, they're already getting tired of media plants, the antics, the unwanted scrutiny, and the losing. Heck, even if he wins, he loses – it's Dwyane Wade's team.
One word can end the pain for him, for Cleveland, and allow things to return to the natural order. Like that family member that's always in a bind, we just want him to get his mind right. We want to root for the guy. But he's just not going to say that word. Instead, he's going to throw chalk in the face of his former lover, and if Anderson Varejao were to go Hacksaw Jim Duggan on him at that moment he would never have to buy a beer in Cleveland for the rest of his life. Like William Wallace, this King would rather lose his crown than say that word, but his cause isn't freedom – it's fiefdom. And for that, we get the biggest spectacle the NBA has seen, maybe ever.
And in the middle, one man will stand defiant. All by himself.
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[SIZE=+1]Wednesday Night Rundown[/SIZE]
Clippers 90, Spurs 85 – Mr. Griffin, Gravity is a Rule, Not a Suggestion
www.miamiheat.ws
Blake Griffin won the NBA Dunk contest well before the All Star break on Wednesday, and largely put any of our prior comments about selling high to rest, scoring 31 points with 13 boards, four assists, two steals, and a block while making 14-of-21 shots from the field. He should only be traded now if you're getting a couple of studs in return, as he's no longer afraid of getting blocks and he's a monster everywhere else. Baron Davis also returned from a 10-game hiatus, coming off the bench for seven points on 2-of-6 shooting with 10 assists and a three. He looked pretty darn good and if he's on your league's waiver wire it's time to pick him up. There's no telling how long he can hold up and if he can stay out of the doghouse, but it's worth finding out. Eric Bledsoe scored five points with four rebounds and seven assists, but he's destined for a time-share at best as long as Baron is healthy and he can safely be dropped for a hot free agent.
The Spurs looked gassed from their game against the Warriors on Tuesday, in particular Tim Duncan, who had just eight points and five rebounds after triple-doubling the night before. Adam Levitan told owners to shop him hard over the 24 hours after Tuesday's game, and hopefully a few of you were able to make that happen. He's still Tim Duncan, but the random DNPs and the fact that the offense no longer runs primarily through him are the main concerns. Manu Ginobili complained that he was woken up by hotel staff the night before and it showed, as he scored just 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting and was uncharacteristically out of control in the game's final quarter. Tony Parker was seen having lunch with Eva Longoria before the game, and she got the last laugh as he scored just two points with four assists and sat out most of the second half. At least owners can be thankful that there doesn't appear to be an injury.
Click here for Boozer's debut, Joe's elbow, and a shootout at the O.K.C. Corral….
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Magic 107, Bulls 78 – Carlos Boozer's Debut Goes Splat
I guess you knew things were off to a bad start when Luol Deng ran out when Boozer was introduced, and since they're both 6'9" forwards from Duke we'll cut him some slack. But the story here was the question on everyone's fingertips – who will get all the rebounds, Boozer or Joakim Noah? The answer was neither. Noah was shutout on the glass for the first time since December 27, 2008, and Boozer collected just two himself. I'm blaming it on Noah's chance encounter with John Elway in a hotel steam room in Denver. To sum it up, we learned nothing from this performance except that there will be a bunch of panicked owners this morning. Reserve judgment until we see more, as the ugly lines went all around. Boozer played 22 minutes with five points, two steals, and a block to go with his two boards. Noah had 16 points and four dimes to go with his bagel, Luol Deng had eight points and four boards, and Derrick Rose celebrated his NBA Player of the Month award with 15 points, four assists, and two threes.
The only interesting news for Orlando was Rashard Lewis' knee injury, which doesn't appear too serious, but it's worth watching. He had 13 points and three treys before bowing out in the third quarter. If he misses time, then Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, and Quentin Richardson will all be worth keeping an eye on. Bass had 17 points and five rebounds, Jameer Nelson scored 24 points with nine assists, Vince Carter had 22 points and all appears fine with his knee, so far. Dwight Howard added 13 points and 12 boards in the blowout win.
Hawks 112, Grizzlies 109 – Joe's Elbow Says No Mo'
Early Wednesday news broke that Joe Johnson would be out 4-6 weeks and will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove a 'loose body,' which is something I've been trying (and failing) to do at the gym for months now. There have been a lot of questions about who will pick up the slack, and by Wednesday's result we didn't learn too much, but Marvin Williams and Jamal Crawford should be the primary beneficiaries while everybody else picks up some touches. Williams had 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal, and is worth a look to see if he can duplicate some of his early season success. Both him and starter Maurice Evans are coming off knee injuries, which are slightly worrisome, and in the case of Evans it's almost sure to limit any upside. Evans had nine points and a three in 21 minutes, which could start looking pretty familiar. Jamal Crawford had 16 points and a season-high eight assists, and should be in starting lineups until further notice.
Zach Randolph showed up on Wednesday with 19 points and 19 boards, his best line in some time, and hopefully this gets him going again. Rudy Gay, who has slowed down pretty good since his blistering start, had 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting, and Mike Conley had 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting with nine assists. Conley had the same exact shooting line in his last game, and owners should strongly consider selling him high. He's playing a bit over his head right now. O.J. Mayo had another mediocre outing with 10 points, a three, and not much else, and I wouldn't blame you for dropping him right now. Xavier Henry (three points) isn't doing much, but the sixth man role just isn't that productive in Memphis. Marc Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds with a block for his third double-double of the year. He's been fairly disappointing, but hang in there. He's doesn't figure to fall off a cliff and is a good bet to improve.
Thunder 123, Nets 120 – Shootout at the O.K.C. Corral
It only took three overtimes to settle this one, and just as Jordan Farmar was the question of the night on Tuesday night, he rewarded the owners that took a chance on him with a career-high 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting with three treys, nine assists, and two steals. Devin Harris' MRI results came back and presumably didn't show a tear, as the team is calling his knee injury a sprain, and he is out for at least two games. After that he will be re-evaluated, and given his history he could conceivably miss more. He may not, but for the time-being Farmar is worth being owned in all formats. And while he's likely not available anymore, if he is, you should exercise some judgment with who you drop since he's a short-term pickup. Brook Lopez also got his first double-double of the year, and took three overtimes to do it, so we don't know whether to laugh, cry, cheer, or all three. It's better than earlier in the year when he was making us sneeze and fart. Troy Murphy is still in Avery's ever-expanding doghouse, playing 15 minutes with four points and three assists, which means that Kris Humphries' owners should stay cautiously optimistic. The Humph had six points and 15 boards. Avery is just as frustrating as Don Nelson was, but not nearly as fun. Terrence Williams will not be recalled from the D-League, which is another sign that Harris' injury isn't serious, but I can't in good consciousness rule out that Avery is just being vindictive. Either way, he doesn't deserve to be owned until he's in the real NBA, at a minimum. Anthony Morrow hit a running 26-footer to send the game to OT, and finished with a season-high tying 25 points with three treys and five boards. He looks ready to go on a hot streak with some of Harris' touches in hand.
On the other side it was the Russell Westbrook show, and it's time to stop calling him the No. 2 option in OKC. It's more like 1A. And while Kevin Durant missed Wednesday's game with a knee injury, it should in no way take from Westy's 38-point, 15-rebound, nine-assist, and three-steal performance. You can bag on his 14-of-32 shooting line all you want, but he single-handedly delivered a win with all 13 of the Thunder's points in the deciding third overtime. He is a beast in both fantasy and reality, and while it's premature he is the Thunder's MVP so far this year. Durant is being called day-to-day heading into Friday, and no MRI has been scheduled as of yet, which is obviously good. If there was ever a time to buy low on KD, it is now. Serge Ibaka got yet another start due to injury, and had 11 points, six rebounds, and four blocks before fouling out after 30 minutes. He's doing enough to keep owners satisfied, even if they're still a bit tense. And Jeff Green, he simply had a career-high 37 points on 12-of-21 shooting with four treys, five 3-point plays, five rebounds, four assists, and three big FTs to send the game to its third overtime.
Raptors 127, Wizards 108 – Return of the Rookies
John Wall (knee) and Ed Davis (knee) are on two completely different career arcs, but both rookies returned to action after injury on Wednesday. Wall continued Flip Saunders' pattern of bringing his injured troops off the bench for significant minutes, playing 32 in total, and had 19 points with eight assists, two steals, and a three. All looks well for him and his owners and he should be locked back into lineups. Davis, on the other hand, was a bit of a surprise as the odd man out in the PF battle with Joey Dorsey and Amir Johnson, but threw his hat into the ring with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, and 24 minutes while outplaying Johnson, who got the start and is still the favorite for value despite last night's result. Amir scored four points with three rebounds and two blocks, and also tweaked his ankle early in the game which may have influenced the result a bit, but that's just a guess. Joey Dorsey had five points, eight boards, three steals, and a block. Given the fluky nature of the blowout combined with Amir's tweaked ankle we're still ranking these guys Johnson-Dorsey-Davis, though things got a lot tighter last night. DeMar DeRozan got hot and had 20 points with six rebounds, three assists, and a three on 7-of-11 shots from the field, and says he's over a hamstring issue and may be ready to start producing after a one-week trough. Sonny Weems joined the party with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists, Jerryd Bayless did too with 16 points, six boards, five assists, and two threes in 24 minutes that were augmented by garbage time, as did Leandro Barbosa with 16 points and two threes. Linas Kleiza was not so lucky with just eight points and four boards, and Peja Stojakovic (knee) did not play. Jose Calderon had 11 points and eight assists, and along with DeRozan and Weems are the preferred plays here simply because they're starting. Things won't look so rosy when the Raptors come back to Earth.
For the Wiz, Gilbert Arenas had an awful night with seven points on 1-of-10 shooting. He has been rolling and a night like this is enough to stagger his trade value, that is, if you're in the camp that wants get rid of him. His name has also been popping up in a potential trade to Orlando, but both owner Ted Leonsis and Magic G.M. Otis Smith have denied any contact. What does it mean? It's hard to say, but I feel pretty good about trading him the next time he goes on a tear given his injury risk. JaVale McGee had the center spot all to himself with Hilton Armstrong serving his one-game suspension for his flagrant foul on Monday, and scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting with seven boards and a block. Congrats if you didn't let his back bruise deter you from starting him this week. He looks good to go. Kirk Hinrich scored 15 points with five assists, and with Al Thornton (ankle) returning things are going to get crowded.
Rockets 109, Lakers 99 – Lake Show Loses Four in a Row for First Time Since 06-07
If the world wasn't caught up in Lebronamania, you can bet all eyes would be turned on the Lakers, since no Phil Jackson coached team has won a championship with a four-game losing streak. And no, Pat Riley is not going to take his job anytime soon, either. The big news here was that Pau Gasol left briefly due to sore hamstrings, and anytime owners hear the words 'Gasol' and 'hamstrings' there is bound to be some panic. For what it's worth after the game he said he's 'not thinking about missing Friday,' but we'll see what kind of reports turn up during the day. Chances are he'll play, and he finished with eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, and a block while shooting 2-of-8 from the field. Kobe Bryant tweaked his finger a bit during the game but there was no mention of it in the post-game, and finished with 27 points on 10-of-24 shooting with four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Picking up the slack for Pau was Lamar Odom, who had a season-high with 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting (including two threes) with 11 rebounds and two blocks. His sell-high situation when Andrew Bynum returns has been covered a lot here, and while I've been of the mind that he'll take a small hit I'm less worried with each passing day. Kobe and Pau need him to pick up the slack.
The Rockets got stellar play from Shane Battier, who scored 17 points on 5-of-7 FGs with six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and four treys. He's a guy that won't hurt you anywhere but FG%, and is a solid sell-high prospect right now with Aaron Brooks (ankle) and Yao Ming (foot) out. Speaking of which, Brooks is targeting Dec. 10 for his return, but that's just a tentative date as he's yet to see how his ankle will respond to heavy workouts. The window to sell Kyle Lowry is rapidly closing, and is likely shut. Yao is targeting Tuesday's game for his return, but outside of deeper leagues or daily leagues I don't think he's worth the hassle. Luis Scola, who had 14 points and nine boards last night, has really slowed down after a blistering start, and it all started when Brooks exited stage left. Buy him low while you can.
Click here for the new Brandon Roy, the Larry Sanders Show, and Dr. A's last straw….
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Celtics 99, Blazers 95 – Wes is the New Roy
Brandon Roy played in the second game of the back-to-back last night and actually said he felt better in the fourth quarter than on most nights, and scored 18 points with three rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes. This qualifies as good news but we're witnessing a passing of the torch to Wesley Matthews, who scored 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting with five threes, two steals, but no rebounds or assists. He sure looks like the best player in Portland right now, but I'm still selling him right now while the public doesn't quite know what to make of him and is scared to death of Roy's knee. Wes looks like he'll keep up the solid play all year, but his lack of versatility makes this an easy call for me. And as for Roy, keep working those phones and you can even up your price a bit with each passing game he's healthy – I just don't trust a word out of his mouth when it comes to his knee. Nothing against him, but if I was in his shoes I'd be saying anything I could to make myself feel better. Marcus Camby left briefly with a leg injury in what is your seemingly weekly reminder that he's no spring chicken. He's another guy that you should be open to moving at the right price. For you Nicolas Batum enthusiasts – he's still struggling and had just four points, two boards, two assists, and a block in 15 minutes off the bench. Feel free to drop him for a hot free agent.
For the Celtics, the only real news is that Rajon Rondo's hamstrings are still bothering him, and he spent extra time in the whirlpool after the game. I'd be more worried if not for the fact that Doc Rivers actually used him more during the fourth quarter because Nate Robinson's foot was hurting him, as Nate lasted just three minutes last night. Rondo was still effective with 10 points and 10 assists and a three, and despite the uneasiness his various injuries give me I like buying him low right now. To me it's a calculated risk. Shaq O'Neal scored 14 points and had four rebounds and a block, and I'm all for selling him high right now. There's no telling when he'll get his next prescribed rest. Paul Pierce pitched a near-perfect game with 28 points on 9-of-11 shooting with four treys to go with seven rebounds, a steal, and a block, and Kevin Garnett's rolled ankle from Tuesday was a non-factor. He finished with 17 points, eight boards, and a block, and I'm selling the idea that he can make it a full year without getting injured. Big Baby had his second straight solid night with 16 points and seven boards, yet I'm still not rallying the troops to pick him up just yet. One look at his game log will tell you why.
Nuggets 105, Bucks 94 – The Larry Sanders Show
Bucks rookie Larry Sanders got another start with Andrew Bogut (back) out and Drew Gooden (foot) limited, and nearly triple-doubled with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and an NBA season-high tying eight blocks (Dwight Howard). He hadn't done much in his previous spot starts so if you somehow started him I'm asking where you keep the flux capacitor, since it's what makes time travel possible. Bogut has a 'very good chance' of playing against Howard and the Magic on Saturday, so all of the Bucks' big men will slide down a spot. Given Bogut's likely return, the chance that Gooden improves on the 10 minutes he played last night, and Sanders' inconsistency -- I'm nowhere near taking the bait on Larry. Corey Maggette (ankle, flu) returned to action and scored 17 points with no rebounds and four assists, and Ersan Ilyasova struggled on 2-of-9 shooting to finish with seven points, nine rebounds, and four assists. El's line isn't that bad, but his long-term prognosis isn't good once the Bucks get healthy. John Salmons finally put up a decent line with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting with three treys, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block, and owners should be selling hard right now. He hasn't been able to produce even with guys out.
The story on the Denver side was none other than J.R. Smith, who is now in the honeymoon stage of his on-again, off-again relationship with George Karl. He had 20 points and tied a career-high with 10 rebounds to go with two threes, 8-of-16 shooting, and two steals. Karl has been raving about his work ethic in practice lately, but what I'm more stoked about is the fact that he pulled this off while Arron Afflalo (38 minutes, 12 points) and Chauncey Billups (34 minutes, 16 points, nine assists) both played normal minutes and had fairly normal production, even if Carmelo Anthony got ejected late in third quarter. Smith's pattern is to get into Karl's good graces, play well, get comfortable, and then revert to his bone-headed ways, so pick him up and ride him while he's hot, and while you're at it try to pawn him off on somebody. It's a win-win all the way around. Nene had a season-high with 24 points and nine rebounds, two steals, and a block, and his 8-of-9 shooting brought him to an NBA leading 61.9% FG mark. His rebounding is back up to normal levels and I'm not too bothered by the pending return of Kenyon Martin, and if his owner is then make a move. He gets a special bonus for having the funniest NBA file photo on this side of Big Baby. Check it out.
Mavs 100, Wolves 86 – Tyson Chandler's Punch-Out
Tyson Chandler set a Mavs record for rebounds in a quarter last night (14), which was the only real news to come out of this snooze-fest, as the Mavs ran away with things pretty early and their starters didn't play too much. Chandler ended up with 18 ribbies total to go with nine points in just 22 minutes. Jason Kidd continued to frustrate owners with five points on 2-of-11 shooting and four assists, and actually played 28 minutes, while guys like Dirk Nowitzki (10 points, one rebound, one assist, 23 minutes) and Caron Butler (10 points, one rebound, two assists, 20 minutes) got some rest. Shawn Marion has been playing well off the bench lately, and had 16 points with eight boards, two threes, and two steals, and is worth a roster spot in deep leagues and worth consideration in standard leagues – at least as a short-term add. My guess is that he cools off at some point.
The Wolves were severely outclassed in this one, and had no chance when Michael Beasley went out with two quick fouls. Pedestrian lines were abound – Kevin Love had 12 points with 15 rebounds, which is saying something when preceded by the word 'pedestrian.' Beasley finished with 16 points, a steal, a block, and three boards, while Darko Milicic scored 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting with eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. He's averaging 17 points, eight boards, and three blocks in his last five games, but still doesn't get much respect around the league and may still be flying under the radar in your fantasy league. He's still somebody to target.
Utah 110, Pacers 88 – Deron Taketh, but Doesn't Giveth Away
The Jazz started off with a 35-17 first quarter and never looked back. Deron Williams made 24 points with 16 assists and no turnovers look easy, Al Jefferson scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and two blocks, Paul Millsap had 16 points with eight rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko kept rolling along with 18 points, seven boards, and two steals. The highlight of the night for the home crowd may have been Gordon Hayward's shot-clock beating three in the waning seconds of garbage time – which reminds me how much I wish he made that shot in the Final Four. It would have been the greatest shot of all time.
The Pacers struggled and the only significant development was Brandon Rush starting and playing 42 minutes while Mike Dunleavy only saw 16. Rush's numbers weren't eye-popping, as he scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting (including three treys) with two rebounds, one assist, and a block, but he may have done some damage in the position battle last night. He's somebody to look at, even if my enthusiasm is slightly curbed. Hibbert has been on a bit of a blocks drought with just five of them in seven games, but that will improve. He scored 15 points with five boards, and Danny Granger couldn't find the range with 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting (1-of-6 from downtown), while Darren Collison had 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the loss.
Hornets 89, Bobcats 73 – Dr. A Tells It How It Is
Other than Gerald Wallace (elbow) and D.J. Augustin (flu) both playing, as expected, the only interesting thing coming out of the Hornets' nest were Dr. A's blurbs on Trevor Ariza and Marcus Thornton (conveniently linked for your pleasure). Let's just say he was on one. Ariza thinks he's a 3-point shooter, the problem is that he's just not any good at it, and he needs to start taking the ball to the hoop. Until then, his 38.5 FG% and 31.3 3PT% are killing owners and in FG% and shallow formats he should be dropped. And if you're staring at Baron Davis or J.R. Smith in normal formats, go ahead and make the move. Thornton played 10 minutes and had seven points, and he's still nowhere near being useful. Marco Belinelli's owners have right to be concerned as he didn't play in the second half, and rookie Quincy Pondexter and Willie Green both saw meaningful minutes in front of him. Chris Paul had nine points, 14 assists, five rebounds, and four steals, and is quietly the number one fantasy player in both eight and nine-cat leagues. David West had 22 points, six boards, two steals, and two blocks, and getting poked in the eye Tuesday obviously wasn't a problem.
The Bobcats were without Stephen Jackson who was suspended for arguing with officials, and completely fell apart in the fourth quarter when the Hornets went to a zone. As you can imagine, scoring 73 points total there wasn't much to crow about. Augustin survived for owners with 13 points and six assists, Dominic McGuire drew the start for Captain Jack and was predictably mediocre with two points, eight rebounds, and an assist, and Gerald Wallace dispelled his injury-prone tag once again and suited up to score 18 points with five boards and two steals.
Heat 97, Pistons 72 – Sparring Partners
You had to be worried about this being a trap-game if you were a Heat fan, but the adrenaline was simply too high in anticipation for Thursday's big game for the Heat to let themselves down. The Pistons also helped by being a mess, with no starter scoring more than nine points. The only bright spot in the game was Greg Monroe, who could be worth a pickup now that John Kuester is talking about 'making changes.' His effort stood out while the vets mailed it in and he finished with a team-high 15 points to go with eight boards. I'd be more excited about him if he didn't play in Detroit, but he's worth a look if you need a big man.
Last but not least, the Heat played like they wanted to have the game put away by halftime so they could rest up for Thursday. LeBron James scored 18 points with six rebounds, three assists, and a steal, and went at Tracy McGrady a few times like he wanted to truck him. If you don't recall, T-Mac said earlier in the week that LeBron and Dwyane Wade weren't a good match on the court. Chris Bosh had 16 points, seven boards, and four assists, and after scaring his owners to start the year is a solid play now. Dwyane Wade struggled with foul trouble all game, but he wasn't really needed, and he finished with 16 points and not much else in 18 minutes. If anything, the rest was good for his wrist, hangnails, and whatever else is threatening him these days.
[SIZE=+1]Thursday Night Lights[/SIZE]
You know all about the early game, and there are no real injuries in either that game or the Suns-Warriors late game. Alvin Gentry is not concerned about Grant Hill's foot sprain, saying he "doesn't think he's ever questionable." The Suns-Warriors tilts are usually a fantasy bonanza, which is a nice way of chasing down whatever we get from LeBronapalooza. I'll be on Twitter, and have already locked the doors and put in my pizza order. See you all later tonight.
