Dose: Dumpster Diving
Covering fantasy hoops at this time of year is a lot like diving into a dumpster to find a cigarette butt.
And with that let’s dive right in!
For all of your fantasy hoops information and lessons to grow on, click here to follow me on Twitter.
TANK TOP THIS
The Warriors nearly screwed up their own tank job last night against the Hornets, but for all the things I’ve criticized Monty Williams for – the man does not tank with in-game decisions. Williams kept all his key guys in while the Warriors benched theirs, and the Hornets came back to win the game. The cost to New Orleans? The third-worst record in the league. Now they’re tied with the Kings and Cavs at 21 wins for the No. 4-6 slots in the draft as of tonight. The Warriors still need to lose in the finale to complete their epic tank job, as a loss would put them in a tie for the seventh-worst record and a win would give them the eighth-worst record.
As it would go, one of the selling points of the Monta Ellis/Andrew Bogut deal was the organizationally-embraced tank job to keep their first round draft pick this summer. If they land a top-7 pick, they keep it. If not, the Jazz get the pick that one day many moons ago was a glimmer in Marcus Williams' eyes. The Warriors' odds of staying in the top-7 if they lose on Thursday? 75 percent. If they win? 10 percent. Methinks they shouldn't have beaten the Wolves on Sunday. Enter the Spurs on Thursday, and as Doc put it in the blurbs, Gregg Popovich might enjoy torturing them by tanking even harder than the Warriors will be that night. And if Pop doesn’t want to play basketball god by outcoaching Mark Jackson to a Spurs loss, he can always laugh at Richard Jefferson’s remaining $23 million contract lumbering up and down the court.
Charles Jenkins played 42 minutes on his bum wheel last night, scoring 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting with five rebounds and 10 assists. With Nate Robinson (hamstring) unlikely to play on Thursday in my opinion, look for Jenkins to have plenty of opportunities but it’s anybody’s guess if he can make anything of them against a strong Spurs squad. Klay Thompson scored 16 points but was pulled because of the tank job, playing just 27 minutes. Owners shouldn’t be worried, here. He’ll be played just long enough to be promoted as basketball Jesus on the telecast, and another 27 minutes sounds about right. Mickell Gladness had four blocks and is worth a look if you’re desperate in that category, but that’s about it. Jeremy Tyler took 17 shots in an NBA game last night, and somewhere Red Auerbach is crying. Tyler (13 points, eight boards, one steal) is worth a look if you need a big man, even on a busy Thursday night as he'll get as much run as he can handle.
Brandon Rush scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting (including three treys) with four rebounds and a steal, and played just 17 minutes in the tank-a-thon. Regardless, I like Rush’s chances of putting up similar numbers before getting yanked to preserve a loss on Thursday. I don’t like Dorell Wright’s (ankle) chances of playing, because he can help the Warriors win and he’s probably on his way out of town, despite the fact that his contract is affordable and his per-minute numbers held relatively steady despite being misused by Mark Jackson. And if anybody is wondering, yes, I’m still a Warriors fan. Pain is just part of the deal.
THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT
Eric Gordon did not play for the Hornets last night and will miss the finale (shocker), leaving the skeleton crew to go to work. Marco Belinelli scored 23 points with two threes, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals, and while he’ll miss Klay Thompson’s forgetful defense he’ll be a nice play on Thursday against the Rockets for those needing threes. Greivis Vasquez is obviously a must-start player unless something strange happens, and scored 11 points with six boards and seven assists. Gustavo Ayon had 13 points with seven boards, four assists, one steal, and four blocks, but the standard Warriors disclaimer applies. He’ll have more trouble against Marcus Camby (if he plays) and Samuel Dalembert (if he plays).
Al-Farouq Aminu has major flaws, namely his handles and his confidence on offense, but he put up another solid line of eight points, 11 boards, two assists, and a steal, and I like him in most lineups even on a busy night. The capability for steals and blocks is just too tempting. Carl Landry did what Carl Landry does scoring 14 points with six rebounds and nothing else. Watch for an update on Jason Smith (ankle), but this should be the unit that gets heavy run. And one more thing, the Rockets might come out for blood after the Hornets dealt them a loss last week that all-but ended their playoff hopes, for whatever that is worth at this time of year.
THE GOLDEN GROIN
The early game between the Hawks and Clippers was enjoyable, if for anything because Chris Paul is a triple-rectified golden god of the basketball court. If his knee doesn’t fall off next year, then I’ll officially have swung and missed, and I’ll also be asking for the name of his German doctor. He scored 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting (4-of-6 from deep, 10-of-11 from the line) with five boards, eight assists, and two steals, but it wasn’t enough as the Clippers ultimately lost to the Hawks. The bad news for his owners is that he emerged with a groin injury, and though the Clippers still have to win tonight against the Knicks to avoid losing home court advantage to the Grizzlies, they’re not going to risk any more than 10-15 percent of Paul’s future health in order to do it. For what it’s worth, the Grizzlies need a win against a Magic team on Thursday that may or may not have something to play for.
Blake Griffin was the other story from last night’s game, as he put up a season-high 36 points on 17-of-23 shooting with eight rebounds, three assists, and a block. Wowza. I’d be more critical of Randy Foye’s disappearing act of zero points on 0-for-3 shooting with two rebounds and four assists, but only Griffin and Paul showed up to score last night. Mo Williams had seven points on 3-of-8 shooting in 28 minutes, and is worth a play tonight despite the result and will be a must-play guy if Paul can’t go. Nick Young (five points, one three) will be a risky play even if Paul and another (e.g. Caron Butler) are out. Butler returned from a hip injury to score nine points with seven boards, but carries plenty of risk of rest and ineffectiveness. DeAndre Jordan played 32 minutes and did his thing with a steal and two blocks with nine boards, and looks like a decent play tonight in blocks formats. Eric Bledsoe would be a sneaky play if Paul cannot go, especially if you’re hunting steals.
LIVING ON A PRAYER
The other side for the Hawks was business as usual, with Joe Johnson hitting a prayer three-pointer last night to seal the win. He finished with 28 points, seven boards, and three assists in a manageable 30 minutes. Josh Smith had 18 points, 10 boards, five assists, and a steal in 31 minutes, and Jeff Teague was a mixed bag before deciding to turn on the afterburners for 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting with three boards, two assists, one three, one steal, and two blocks in 29 minutes. Marvin Williams played his normal 27 minutes and put up 11 points with four boards, three assists, and a steal, and after a rocky start to the year he eventually developed some low-end consistency.
Ivan Johnson is high on the list of people I do not want chasing me, and aside from a poster block of DeAndre Jordan he had six points, seven boards, and two swats. Zaza Pachulia (foot) will be held out or play a very limited role in the finale, and I like Johnson in most lineups. The Hawks can protect home court advantage with either a win on Thursday against the Mavs or a loss by the Celtics against the Bucks on the same night. Both games start at the same time and Doc Rivers has said that he will play his starters to try to win home court, but I’m going to treat that as a guideline and not gospel.
CRAP SANDWICH
As for the Celtics last night, their game with the Heat might have been the worst in NBA history. The Heat started a classic silly-season lineup of Shane Battier, Dexter Pittman, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers (flu), while the Celtics ran with Avery Bradley, Sasha Pavlovic, Ryan Hollins, Brandon Bass, and Paul Pierce. The Celtics won by the whopping score of 78-66 and you had to squint real hard to find useful fantasy lines. Bradley, a popular play this week, scored eight points on 2-of-10 shooting with two rebounds, three assists, and three steals, Pavlovic scored 16 points with two threes, a steal, and a block, and Bass went for eight and eight. Pierce played just 18 minutes and scored eight points with six turnovers and not much else. Marquis Daniels made some noise with 13 points, five boards, four assists, two steals, and a block, and E’Twaun Moore went for seven and seven with a three. As for Thursday’s outlook, the only fringe Celtics I have the stones to play are Bradley and maybe Daniels, assuming guys get ruled out at the last second.
Of the hurt guys, it’s safe to assume that Kevin Garnett is going to go after Doc River’s comments, with Greg Stiemsma (sore feet) being the next most likely guy to go based on what we know. From there, Rajon Rondo (back) ranks ahead of Ray Allen (ankle) in terms of his chances to play, and Allen’s injury has many wondering if he’ll be effective during the playoffs. Mickael Pietrus (knee) could use all the rest he can get, but if the Celtics are really going to try to win on Thursday then he could see the court. I’d need a bunch of starters to be ruled out and Pietrus to be declared relatively healthy to gamble on him, though. For the Big Four and even Brandon Bass, it’s fair to wonder about how much they will play, especially if Rivers is keyed into the out-of-town scoreboard.
MEET THE HEAT
For the Heat, beat writers are already suggesting that the Big Three will be out for the finale on Thursday, setting up a repeat of last night’s whatever you call it. Mario Chalmers scored eight points with three rebounds, five assists, and a steal, or as he calls it – progress. I think Erik Spoelstra will use Thursday to continue getting his confidence back. Mike Miller had eight points, two threes, five turnovers, two steals, and a block, but might have a bit more trouble against a team like his old Wizards squad on Thursday (did I type that?). Dexter Pittman had 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, but for whatever added difficulties Miller will face they will be doubled or tripled for Pittman. Udonis Haslem had six points, 13 boards, and a steal, and will be a safe, low-end play if you need rebounds (unless he too is rested). Shane Battier scored five points with one three, and you have to listen hard to hear the people who claimed his addition would put the Heat over the top. James Jones hit three triples for 11 points to go with his six boards, and is a decent play if you’re trolling for threes on Thursday.
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CHEMISTRY KINGS
The Kings traveled to OKC and gave the Thunder a run for their money, before giving way late due to chemistry issues and the like. DeMarcus Cousins had a technical rescinded and was allowed to play, scoring 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting with seven boards, two steals, and a block. I hope that he has been given a green light to explore his outside game, because my faith in Keith Smart as a positive in Sacramento hinges on his ability to keep Cousins moving in the right direction. If he hasn’t given the green light, we’re looking at Cousins doing what he wants – and that culture just has to go for them to do anything going forward.
Speaking of that culture, Tyreke Evans had a good night with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting and a full stat line, but still bogged down the offense and looked like a fish out of water. Isaiah Thomas (11 points, five boards, nine assists, not enough ROY 2<sup>nd</sup> place votes) was seen giving Evans the business for needlessly fouling an OKC 3-point shooter late, in the Kings’ metaphoric moment of the night. Jason Thompson doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the year he has turned in, as he put up 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting with six boards, a steal, and a block. Don’t sleep on his abilities next year, even if he still has to prove he can do it again.
Travis Outlaw got another start and Terrence Williams (illness) has mysteriously fallen off the face of the Earth, which is notable because the excitement about T-Willie’s abilities in the Kings’ quarters has been palpable. He’s essentially a cheaper, passing version of Evans, and is a Hail Mary play at best if he goes on Thursday. Outlaw came out and scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting with two threes, seven boards, four steals, and two blocks in this lightly contested game, and after a line like that he’s certainly worth a look in the finale, assuming both Williams and Marcus Thornton (quad) are out. This year’s Lakers/Kings finale won’t have the cachet of last year’s tear-jerker, but I’d expect the Kings to be up for it and I wouldn’t say unequivocally that Thornton won’t play, either. He’s doubtful, for sure, but that game means a lot to the players and fans, and he’s a gamer.
DURANT DURANT
The Thunder played their starters for three quarters and that seems to be the plan for tonight, and Kevin Durant still has the scoring title to chase – and no matter what he says he was gunning for it at least a little bit last night. I even caught a glare from him in Westbrook’s direction after Westy dribble-drived instead of passing to KD, but truthfully that meme is garbage to me so I didn’t even go to the tape to see if what I saw actually happened. Durant put up 32 points on 7-of-19 shooting (3-of-6 from deep, 15-of-16 from the line) with nine boards, two steals, and a block. Westbrook finished with 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks, and while things won’t be as easy against the Nuggets tonight a similar approach should be expected.
Serge Ibaka was silenced for four points, three boards, and one block in 20 minutes, and if we take Scott Brooks’ erroneous decision to play him 27 mpg as the baseline it all makes sense given the fourth quarter embargo on starters. Daequan Cook was the James Harden beneficiary with 19 points, four threes, and five boards, and I like his odds to win that title again tonight. Admittedly, I had pimped Thabo Sefolosha (11 points, two threes) in the Season Pass yesterday, but seeing Cook in action last night he looks healthy and seasoned enough for fantasy use tonight (assuming Harden is out). Derek Fisher scored 11 points with five assists, which will be his ceiling tonight if he gets another 29 minutes. Give him a look unless your league counts defensive blow-bys as a stat.
As for Harden, he has been all-but ruled out for tonight’s game, but since the concussion wasn’t all that serious and the Metta World Peace suspension verdict has been handed out he is free to return if he feels well. Peace's suspension came in at seven days, and I wouldn't have fought you if it was five games and I wouldn't have fought you if it was 10 games. I'll leave it to the shock bloggers to play judge, jury, and executioner. The Thunder benefit from the suspension, as they will see up to two less games of World Peace and the Lakers will obviously be a man down for the chance to face OKC in the second round (assuming they get there, too).
JEFFERSON MOVIN' ON UP
In the first real playoff-type game we’ve seen this season, the Suns went into Utah and got handed their walking papers in a game that didn’t feel as close as the 118-110 score suggested. The story of the game was Utah’s dominance down low, which wasn’t helped by the absence of Channing Frye (shoulder). There was some off-hand talk of Frye being questionable for tonight’s game, but with the Suns eliminated I don’t see why he would play if he couldn’t play in the must-win game last night. Al Jefferson (18 points, 16 boards, four assists, two blocks) is a legitimate late-game force down low, and Paul Millsap (26 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block) is as underrated as they come, too. Because the Jazz have Derrick Favors (13 points, 11 boards, one steal, five blocks) and Big Turkey Enes Kanter in the fold, some lucky team is going to snag Millsap at a bargain price if/when the Jazz move him.
Gordon Hayward chipped in with 11 points, eight assists, two steals, and a three, and Devin Harris had 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two threes. Surely the Spurs aren’t thrilled about the Jazz winning the No. 8 seed, as they profile a lot like Memphis did last season with their bigs. The Jazz also have a shot at the No. 7 seed, but they’ll need a Denver loss tonight before that’s a possibility. I could see Millsap, Harris, and Jefferson all resting on Thursday if Denver wins, but that’s just a guess.
DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN IN MIAMI
The Suns needed to play a perfect game with Frye out and Grant Hill able to play just three minutes. Marcin Gortat never recovered from having his shot blocked five times, and while he grabbed 12 boards he hit just 1-of-8 shots for two points and a block. He was also benched late for Robin Lopez, because Jefferson was red-hot, but Lopez got destroyed, too. It will be a bit of a dicey situation with Gortat, whose mindset entering the offseason will be heavily impacted by how he played in last night’s must-win game. It’s up to Gentry if he decides to mend that with unfettered minutes tonight against the Spurs, or if he doubles-down on the message by giving extra minutes to Lopez. Surely, the air is out of the balloon for the Suns, though Steve Nash’s potential final game as a Sun tonight might keep things on the up and up. Nash went for 14 and 11 and playing with solid rim protectors next season his defensive liabilities can be covered up. He’ll be a huge story in free agency this summer.
Shannon Brown is a ball-stopper on offense and makes plenty of mistakes on the court, but is a must-start guy on a slow Wednesday night with Hill looking like he is done. Brown had 12 points, five boards, two assist, two threes, and a steal last night. Jared Dudley (15 points, six boards) is a solid play unless we get reports of guys being rested. Markieff Morris looked like a rookie last night on his way to six points, four boards, and nothing else, and Hakim Warrick was the better play with 12 points, five boards, three assists, and a steal. Michael Redd hit three treys for 15 points, and is only worth a look in those departments for the desperate.
THE REST OF YESTERDAY'S REST NEWS
Rodney Stuckey: His knee has popped up on the radar, making him a shutdown candidate. Ben Gordon and Austin Daye are the guys to watch.
Jameer Nelson: His calf injury didn’t appear serious, and he and his teammates are learning how to play together. I like his chances of playing Wednesday, even if we disregard the Magic’s need to win 1-of-2 games to preserve their No. 6 seed.
Danny Granger (knee): He’s out for the finale. Leandro Barbosa, Tyler Hansbrough, and Jeff Pendergraph are the beneficiaries.
Jason Kidd: Rick Carlisle suggested that he could be rested for Thursday’s finale, and frankly, I think the Mavs want the Thunder – who they’ll get as long as they stay in the No. 7 seed, as expected. I personally don’t want the Mavs and Thunder to play in the first round, because I was planning on betting against the Thunder and the spread consistently until the public caught up. A Western Conference Finals rematch will only freak out the public money.
Matt Barnes: He’s going to rest up that ankle, and with MWP out the sneaky plays in his stead are going to be Devin Ebanks and Andrew Goudelock.
Thaddeus Young: Once the DNP guys were announced minutes after the Sixers’ win on Monday, it appeared he would be the guy to carry the torch. Not anymore. He has been ruled out for the final two games along with Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand. Lou Williams was “probable” to miss the final two games, but now he’s traveling with the team and owners need to keep their ears to the ground. It’s likely he has a minor, unreported injury, and it would be surprising if he gets forced into any action that would worsen it. Working for him and his owners, the Sixers don’t want to totally flop heading into the playoffs, so keeping Sweet Lou in the rotation will bring some semblance of sanity. I’m on a Spencer Hawes-watch, as his back and Achilles’ inuries make him a rest-candidate. All of this fall-out leaves Evan Turner, Jodie Meeks, Nikola Vucevic, Lavoy Allen as possible pickups (and that’s my order, category needs set aside). Turner is a strong bet to break out, and Meeks is a decent bet to provide serviceable numbers with a bunch of upside. The last two guys are risky and only for the desperate, but somebody has to accumulate stats, right?
Gary Neal (shoulder): Pop isn’t messing around, and Neal is out for the final two games. So instead of guessing all five numbers and the Powerball, you just need the five numbers. Good luck.
Amare Stoudemire (back): Says he’ll play if the Knicks have a chance to move up, and they do have that chance, but the real prize isn’t between them and the Sixers for No. 7 and No. 8. The real prize is the outside shot they have to catch the Magic at No. 6 (NYK two games back, both teams have two to play), which takes the Knicks out of the Heat/Bulls firing line and gives them a more manageable matchup with the Pacers. Look for Amare to play on Wednesday, with Thursday’s game being dependent on whether or not the six-seed is still in play.
Al Harrington (knee): He wants to play tonight, but for a guy with a maintenance-type injury I don’t see how the Nuggets let him go out there. That said, they play the Thunder tonight, and they may view a win as a way to avoid a rematch of last year. The Nuggets can win the No. 6 seed and a series against the Lakers with two wins, or a Dallas loss on Thursday against the Hawks. I'd rather take my chances against the No. 2 Thunder on the whole, especially given the Lakers' size and experience, but I can play devil's advocate and connect the dots between a Nuggets preference to play the No. 3 Lakers. It goes something like 'McGee and Manimal go to Hollywood' over 'play the guys that beat you last year.' Regardless of Harrington’s status tonight, the Nugs would have to have a clear cut reason to play Harrington on Thursday to put him through a back-to-back.
Covering fantasy hoops at this time of year is a lot like diving into a dumpster to find a cigarette butt.
And with that let’s dive right in!
For all of your fantasy hoops information and lessons to grow on, click here to follow me on Twitter.
TANK TOP THIS
The Warriors nearly screwed up their own tank job last night against the Hornets, but for all the things I’ve criticized Monty Williams for – the man does not tank with in-game decisions. Williams kept all his key guys in while the Warriors benched theirs, and the Hornets came back to win the game. The cost to New Orleans? The third-worst record in the league. Now they’re tied with the Kings and Cavs at 21 wins for the No. 4-6 slots in the draft as of tonight. The Warriors still need to lose in the finale to complete their epic tank job, as a loss would put them in a tie for the seventh-worst record and a win would give them the eighth-worst record.
As it would go, one of the selling points of the Monta Ellis/Andrew Bogut deal was the organizationally-embraced tank job to keep their first round draft pick this summer. If they land a top-7 pick, they keep it. If not, the Jazz get the pick that one day many moons ago was a glimmer in Marcus Williams' eyes. The Warriors' odds of staying in the top-7 if they lose on Thursday? 75 percent. If they win? 10 percent. Methinks they shouldn't have beaten the Wolves on Sunday. Enter the Spurs on Thursday, and as Doc put it in the blurbs, Gregg Popovich might enjoy torturing them by tanking even harder than the Warriors will be that night. And if Pop doesn’t want to play basketball god by outcoaching Mark Jackson to a Spurs loss, he can always laugh at Richard Jefferson’s remaining $23 million contract lumbering up and down the court.
Charles Jenkins played 42 minutes on his bum wheel last night, scoring 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting with five rebounds and 10 assists. With Nate Robinson (hamstring) unlikely to play on Thursday in my opinion, look for Jenkins to have plenty of opportunities but it’s anybody’s guess if he can make anything of them against a strong Spurs squad. Klay Thompson scored 16 points but was pulled because of the tank job, playing just 27 minutes. Owners shouldn’t be worried, here. He’ll be played just long enough to be promoted as basketball Jesus on the telecast, and another 27 minutes sounds about right. Mickell Gladness had four blocks and is worth a look if you’re desperate in that category, but that’s about it. Jeremy Tyler took 17 shots in an NBA game last night, and somewhere Red Auerbach is crying. Tyler (13 points, eight boards, one steal) is worth a look if you need a big man, even on a busy Thursday night as he'll get as much run as he can handle.
Brandon Rush scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting (including three treys) with four rebounds and a steal, and played just 17 minutes in the tank-a-thon. Regardless, I like Rush’s chances of putting up similar numbers before getting yanked to preserve a loss on Thursday. I don’t like Dorell Wright’s (ankle) chances of playing, because he can help the Warriors win and he’s probably on his way out of town, despite the fact that his contract is affordable and his per-minute numbers held relatively steady despite being misused by Mark Jackson. And if anybody is wondering, yes, I’m still a Warriors fan. Pain is just part of the deal.
THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT
Eric Gordon did not play for the Hornets last night and will miss the finale (shocker), leaving the skeleton crew to go to work. Marco Belinelli scored 23 points with two threes, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals, and while he’ll miss Klay Thompson’s forgetful defense he’ll be a nice play on Thursday against the Rockets for those needing threes. Greivis Vasquez is obviously a must-start player unless something strange happens, and scored 11 points with six boards and seven assists. Gustavo Ayon had 13 points with seven boards, four assists, one steal, and four blocks, but the standard Warriors disclaimer applies. He’ll have more trouble against Marcus Camby (if he plays) and Samuel Dalembert (if he plays).
Al-Farouq Aminu has major flaws, namely his handles and his confidence on offense, but he put up another solid line of eight points, 11 boards, two assists, and a steal, and I like him in most lineups even on a busy night. The capability for steals and blocks is just too tempting. Carl Landry did what Carl Landry does scoring 14 points with six rebounds and nothing else. Watch for an update on Jason Smith (ankle), but this should be the unit that gets heavy run. And one more thing, the Rockets might come out for blood after the Hornets dealt them a loss last week that all-but ended their playoff hopes, for whatever that is worth at this time of year.
THE GOLDEN GROIN
The early game between the Hawks and Clippers was enjoyable, if for anything because Chris Paul is a triple-rectified golden god of the basketball court. If his knee doesn’t fall off next year, then I’ll officially have swung and missed, and I’ll also be asking for the name of his German doctor. He scored 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting (4-of-6 from deep, 10-of-11 from the line) with five boards, eight assists, and two steals, but it wasn’t enough as the Clippers ultimately lost to the Hawks. The bad news for his owners is that he emerged with a groin injury, and though the Clippers still have to win tonight against the Knicks to avoid losing home court advantage to the Grizzlies, they’re not going to risk any more than 10-15 percent of Paul’s future health in order to do it. For what it’s worth, the Grizzlies need a win against a Magic team on Thursday that may or may not have something to play for.
Blake Griffin was the other story from last night’s game, as he put up a season-high 36 points on 17-of-23 shooting with eight rebounds, three assists, and a block. Wowza. I’d be more critical of Randy Foye’s disappearing act of zero points on 0-for-3 shooting with two rebounds and four assists, but only Griffin and Paul showed up to score last night. Mo Williams had seven points on 3-of-8 shooting in 28 minutes, and is worth a play tonight despite the result and will be a must-play guy if Paul can’t go. Nick Young (five points, one three) will be a risky play even if Paul and another (e.g. Caron Butler) are out. Butler returned from a hip injury to score nine points with seven boards, but carries plenty of risk of rest and ineffectiveness. DeAndre Jordan played 32 minutes and did his thing with a steal and two blocks with nine boards, and looks like a decent play tonight in blocks formats. Eric Bledsoe would be a sneaky play if Paul cannot go, especially if you’re hunting steals.
LIVING ON A PRAYER
The other side for the Hawks was business as usual, with Joe Johnson hitting a prayer three-pointer last night to seal the win. He finished with 28 points, seven boards, and three assists in a manageable 30 minutes. Josh Smith had 18 points, 10 boards, five assists, and a steal in 31 minutes, and Jeff Teague was a mixed bag before deciding to turn on the afterburners for 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting with three boards, two assists, one three, one steal, and two blocks in 29 minutes. Marvin Williams played his normal 27 minutes and put up 11 points with four boards, three assists, and a steal, and after a rocky start to the year he eventually developed some low-end consistency.
Ivan Johnson is high on the list of people I do not want chasing me, and aside from a poster block of DeAndre Jordan he had six points, seven boards, and two swats. Zaza Pachulia (foot) will be held out or play a very limited role in the finale, and I like Johnson in most lineups. The Hawks can protect home court advantage with either a win on Thursday against the Mavs or a loss by the Celtics against the Bucks on the same night. Both games start at the same time and Doc Rivers has said that he will play his starters to try to win home court, but I’m going to treat that as a guideline and not gospel.
CRAP SANDWICH
As for the Celtics last night, their game with the Heat might have been the worst in NBA history. The Heat started a classic silly-season lineup of Shane Battier, Dexter Pittman, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers (flu), while the Celtics ran with Avery Bradley, Sasha Pavlovic, Ryan Hollins, Brandon Bass, and Paul Pierce. The Celtics won by the whopping score of 78-66 and you had to squint real hard to find useful fantasy lines. Bradley, a popular play this week, scored eight points on 2-of-10 shooting with two rebounds, three assists, and three steals, Pavlovic scored 16 points with two threes, a steal, and a block, and Bass went for eight and eight. Pierce played just 18 minutes and scored eight points with six turnovers and not much else. Marquis Daniels made some noise with 13 points, five boards, four assists, two steals, and a block, and E’Twaun Moore went for seven and seven with a three. As for Thursday’s outlook, the only fringe Celtics I have the stones to play are Bradley and maybe Daniels, assuming guys get ruled out at the last second.
Of the hurt guys, it’s safe to assume that Kevin Garnett is going to go after Doc River’s comments, with Greg Stiemsma (sore feet) being the next most likely guy to go based on what we know. From there, Rajon Rondo (back) ranks ahead of Ray Allen (ankle) in terms of his chances to play, and Allen’s injury has many wondering if he’ll be effective during the playoffs. Mickael Pietrus (knee) could use all the rest he can get, but if the Celtics are really going to try to win on Thursday then he could see the court. I’d need a bunch of starters to be ruled out and Pietrus to be declared relatively healthy to gamble on him, though. For the Big Four and even Brandon Bass, it’s fair to wonder about how much they will play, especially if Rivers is keyed into the out-of-town scoreboard.
MEET THE HEAT
For the Heat, beat writers are already suggesting that the Big Three will be out for the finale on Thursday, setting up a repeat of last night’s whatever you call it. Mario Chalmers scored eight points with three rebounds, five assists, and a steal, or as he calls it – progress. I think Erik Spoelstra will use Thursday to continue getting his confidence back. Mike Miller had eight points, two threes, five turnovers, two steals, and a block, but might have a bit more trouble against a team like his old Wizards squad on Thursday (did I type that?). Dexter Pittman had 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, but for whatever added difficulties Miller will face they will be doubled or tripled for Pittman. Udonis Haslem had six points, 13 boards, and a steal, and will be a safe, low-end play if you need rebounds (unless he too is rested). Shane Battier scored five points with one three, and you have to listen hard to hear the people who claimed his addition would put the Heat over the top. James Jones hit three triples for 11 points to go with his six boards, and is a decent play if you’re trolling for threes on Thursday.
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CHEMISTRY KINGS
The Kings traveled to OKC and gave the Thunder a run for their money, before giving way late due to chemistry issues and the like. DeMarcus Cousins had a technical rescinded and was allowed to play, scoring 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting with seven boards, two steals, and a block. I hope that he has been given a green light to explore his outside game, because my faith in Keith Smart as a positive in Sacramento hinges on his ability to keep Cousins moving in the right direction. If he hasn’t given the green light, we’re looking at Cousins doing what he wants – and that culture just has to go for them to do anything going forward.
Speaking of that culture, Tyreke Evans had a good night with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting and a full stat line, but still bogged down the offense and looked like a fish out of water. Isaiah Thomas (11 points, five boards, nine assists, not enough ROY 2<sup>nd</sup> place votes) was seen giving Evans the business for needlessly fouling an OKC 3-point shooter late, in the Kings’ metaphoric moment of the night. Jason Thompson doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the year he has turned in, as he put up 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting with six boards, a steal, and a block. Don’t sleep on his abilities next year, even if he still has to prove he can do it again.
Travis Outlaw got another start and Terrence Williams (illness) has mysteriously fallen off the face of the Earth, which is notable because the excitement about T-Willie’s abilities in the Kings’ quarters has been palpable. He’s essentially a cheaper, passing version of Evans, and is a Hail Mary play at best if he goes on Thursday. Outlaw came out and scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting with two threes, seven boards, four steals, and two blocks in this lightly contested game, and after a line like that he’s certainly worth a look in the finale, assuming both Williams and Marcus Thornton (quad) are out. This year’s Lakers/Kings finale won’t have the cachet of last year’s tear-jerker, but I’d expect the Kings to be up for it and I wouldn’t say unequivocally that Thornton won’t play, either. He’s doubtful, for sure, but that game means a lot to the players and fans, and he’s a gamer.
DURANT DURANT
The Thunder played their starters for three quarters and that seems to be the plan for tonight, and Kevin Durant still has the scoring title to chase – and no matter what he says he was gunning for it at least a little bit last night. I even caught a glare from him in Westbrook’s direction after Westy dribble-drived instead of passing to KD, but truthfully that meme is garbage to me so I didn’t even go to the tape to see if what I saw actually happened. Durant put up 32 points on 7-of-19 shooting (3-of-6 from deep, 15-of-16 from the line) with nine boards, two steals, and a block. Westbrook finished with 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks, and while things won’t be as easy against the Nuggets tonight a similar approach should be expected.
Serge Ibaka was silenced for four points, three boards, and one block in 20 minutes, and if we take Scott Brooks’ erroneous decision to play him 27 mpg as the baseline it all makes sense given the fourth quarter embargo on starters. Daequan Cook was the James Harden beneficiary with 19 points, four threes, and five boards, and I like his odds to win that title again tonight. Admittedly, I had pimped Thabo Sefolosha (11 points, two threes) in the Season Pass yesterday, but seeing Cook in action last night he looks healthy and seasoned enough for fantasy use tonight (assuming Harden is out). Derek Fisher scored 11 points with five assists, which will be his ceiling tonight if he gets another 29 minutes. Give him a look unless your league counts defensive blow-bys as a stat.
As for Harden, he has been all-but ruled out for tonight’s game, but since the concussion wasn’t all that serious and the Metta World Peace suspension verdict has been handed out he is free to return if he feels well. Peace's suspension came in at seven days, and I wouldn't have fought you if it was five games and I wouldn't have fought you if it was 10 games. I'll leave it to the shock bloggers to play judge, jury, and executioner. The Thunder benefit from the suspension, as they will see up to two less games of World Peace and the Lakers will obviously be a man down for the chance to face OKC in the second round (assuming they get there, too).
JEFFERSON MOVIN' ON UP
In the first real playoff-type game we’ve seen this season, the Suns went into Utah and got handed their walking papers in a game that didn’t feel as close as the 118-110 score suggested. The story of the game was Utah’s dominance down low, which wasn’t helped by the absence of Channing Frye (shoulder). There was some off-hand talk of Frye being questionable for tonight’s game, but with the Suns eliminated I don’t see why he would play if he couldn’t play in the must-win game last night. Al Jefferson (18 points, 16 boards, four assists, two blocks) is a legitimate late-game force down low, and Paul Millsap (26 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block) is as underrated as they come, too. Because the Jazz have Derrick Favors (13 points, 11 boards, one steal, five blocks) and Big Turkey Enes Kanter in the fold, some lucky team is going to snag Millsap at a bargain price if/when the Jazz move him.
Gordon Hayward chipped in with 11 points, eight assists, two steals, and a three, and Devin Harris had 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two threes. Surely the Spurs aren’t thrilled about the Jazz winning the No. 8 seed, as they profile a lot like Memphis did last season with their bigs. The Jazz also have a shot at the No. 7 seed, but they’ll need a Denver loss tonight before that’s a possibility. I could see Millsap, Harris, and Jefferson all resting on Thursday if Denver wins, but that’s just a guess.
DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN IN MIAMI
The Suns needed to play a perfect game with Frye out and Grant Hill able to play just three minutes. Marcin Gortat never recovered from having his shot blocked five times, and while he grabbed 12 boards he hit just 1-of-8 shots for two points and a block. He was also benched late for Robin Lopez, because Jefferson was red-hot, but Lopez got destroyed, too. It will be a bit of a dicey situation with Gortat, whose mindset entering the offseason will be heavily impacted by how he played in last night’s must-win game. It’s up to Gentry if he decides to mend that with unfettered minutes tonight against the Spurs, or if he doubles-down on the message by giving extra minutes to Lopez. Surely, the air is out of the balloon for the Suns, though Steve Nash’s potential final game as a Sun tonight might keep things on the up and up. Nash went for 14 and 11 and playing with solid rim protectors next season his defensive liabilities can be covered up. He’ll be a huge story in free agency this summer.
Shannon Brown is a ball-stopper on offense and makes plenty of mistakes on the court, but is a must-start guy on a slow Wednesday night with Hill looking like he is done. Brown had 12 points, five boards, two assist, two threes, and a steal last night. Jared Dudley (15 points, six boards) is a solid play unless we get reports of guys being rested. Markieff Morris looked like a rookie last night on his way to six points, four boards, and nothing else, and Hakim Warrick was the better play with 12 points, five boards, three assists, and a steal. Michael Redd hit three treys for 15 points, and is only worth a look in those departments for the desperate.
THE REST OF YESTERDAY'S REST NEWS
Rodney Stuckey: His knee has popped up on the radar, making him a shutdown candidate. Ben Gordon and Austin Daye are the guys to watch.
Jameer Nelson: His calf injury didn’t appear serious, and he and his teammates are learning how to play together. I like his chances of playing Wednesday, even if we disregard the Magic’s need to win 1-of-2 games to preserve their No. 6 seed.
Danny Granger (knee): He’s out for the finale. Leandro Barbosa, Tyler Hansbrough, and Jeff Pendergraph are the beneficiaries.
Jason Kidd: Rick Carlisle suggested that he could be rested for Thursday’s finale, and frankly, I think the Mavs want the Thunder – who they’ll get as long as they stay in the No. 7 seed, as expected. I personally don’t want the Mavs and Thunder to play in the first round, because I was planning on betting against the Thunder and the spread consistently until the public caught up. A Western Conference Finals rematch will only freak out the public money.
Matt Barnes: He’s going to rest up that ankle, and with MWP out the sneaky plays in his stead are going to be Devin Ebanks and Andrew Goudelock.
Thaddeus Young: Once the DNP guys were announced minutes after the Sixers’ win on Monday, it appeared he would be the guy to carry the torch. Not anymore. He has been ruled out for the final two games along with Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand. Lou Williams was “probable” to miss the final two games, but now he’s traveling with the team and owners need to keep their ears to the ground. It’s likely he has a minor, unreported injury, and it would be surprising if he gets forced into any action that would worsen it. Working for him and his owners, the Sixers don’t want to totally flop heading into the playoffs, so keeping Sweet Lou in the rotation will bring some semblance of sanity. I’m on a Spencer Hawes-watch, as his back and Achilles’ inuries make him a rest-candidate. All of this fall-out leaves Evan Turner, Jodie Meeks, Nikola Vucevic, Lavoy Allen as possible pickups (and that’s my order, category needs set aside). Turner is a strong bet to break out, and Meeks is a decent bet to provide serviceable numbers with a bunch of upside. The last two guys are risky and only for the desperate, but somebody has to accumulate stats, right?
Gary Neal (shoulder): Pop isn’t messing around, and Neal is out for the final two games. So instead of guessing all five numbers and the Powerball, you just need the five numbers. Good luck.
Amare Stoudemire (back): Says he’ll play if the Knicks have a chance to move up, and they do have that chance, but the real prize isn’t between them and the Sixers for No. 7 and No. 8. The real prize is the outside shot they have to catch the Magic at No. 6 (NYK two games back, both teams have two to play), which takes the Knicks out of the Heat/Bulls firing line and gives them a more manageable matchup with the Pacers. Look for Amare to play on Wednesday, with Thursday’s game being dependent on whether or not the six-seed is still in play.
Al Harrington (knee): He wants to play tonight, but for a guy with a maintenance-type injury I don’t see how the Nuggets let him go out there. That said, they play the Thunder tonight, and they may view a win as a way to avoid a rematch of last year. The Nuggets can win the No. 6 seed and a series against the Lakers with two wins, or a Dallas loss on Thursday against the Hawks. I'd rather take my chances against the No. 2 Thunder on the whole, especially given the Lakers' size and experience, but I can play devil's advocate and connect the dots between a Nuggets preference to play the No. 3 Lakers. It goes something like 'McGee and Manimal go to Hollywood' over 'play the guys that beat you last year.' Regardless of Harrington’s status tonight, the Nugs would have to have a clear cut reason to play Harrington on Thursday to put him through a back-to-back.
