NBA Fantasy News 2011/2012

[HacheMan]

Danilo Gallinari goes down again

By Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

Fantasy owners and analysts were wondering about Wilson Chandler's value. Wonder no longer.


Chandler had a solid 13-point outing in his return to the Denver Nuggets, but his fantasy stock is soaring after Danilo Gallinari broke his thumb Monday against the Dallas Mavericks.


Gallo apparently sustained the injury when he hit the backboard while trying to block an Ian Mahinmi layup attempt in the third quarter. The fracture will take about a month to heal, but because it's his left thumb (non-shooting hand), Gallinari hopes he can eventually play with the injury. Still, he's likely to miss some time. As a result, fantasy owners should expect Chandler to receive starter's minutes, if not a starting assignment, in the short term. As of Tuesday morning, Chandler was available in about two-thirds of ESPN.com leagues.


In addition, Andre Miller left the Nuggets-Mavs game with a shoulder injury. Afterwards, though, Nuggets coach George Karl expressed hope that Miller would play on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons. The Nuggets should also have JaVale McGee on Wednesday; Karl didn't want to use McGee against the Mavs due to his limited practice time with his new team.


<!-- begin inline 1 -->MONDAY, MARCH 19

Highlights

Carlos Boozer, Bulls: 24 points (12-18 FG), 13 rebounds, 4 steals versus the Magic.
Kevin Love, Timberwolves: 36 points (13-23 FG), 17 rebounds, 3 3-pointers versus the Warriors.
Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 33 points (12-19 FG), 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 3-pointers versus the Nuggets.

Lowlights

Andre Iguodala, 76ers: 3 points (1-4 FG), 7 rebounds, 5 assists versus the Bobcats.
Jason Richardson, Magic: 2 points (1-7 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists versus Bulls.
Evan Turner, 76ers: 6 points (3-11 FG), 3 rebounds versus Bobcats.



<!-- end inline 1 -->Looking Back



• There are a couple of reasons not to get overly excited about Tristan Thompson's 27-point, 12-rebound performance. First, it came against the New Jersey Nets, who are currently employing 6-foot-9 Shelden Williams as their starting center. Second, the Cleveland Cavaliers hope to have Anderson Varejao back around April 1. Still, with the Cavs playing seven times in the next 12 days, Thompson is worth considering in leagues of at least 12 teams. Incidentally, new Net Gerald Wallace also went for 27-and-12 in that game.


• Derrick Rose (groin) is sitting out the Chicago Bulls' two-game road trip, but his backups are too risky to bother with in most formats. Against the Orlando Magic, C.J. Watson went 0-for-8 in the start while John Lucas contributed 20 points and four 3-pointers off the bench.


• Fantasy owners seeking blocks have a couple of options. Apparently Spencer Hawes (13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks) is near full strength, as the Philadelphia 76ers said that they would no longer limit his minutes. Hawes, who's available in about 70 percent of ESPN.com leagues, played 24 minutes Monday in the Sixers' rout of the Charlotte Bobcats. Deep-league owners in need of rejections could turn to Greg Stiemsma (four points, four blocks in 19 minutes). Stiemsma, of course, is very limited offensively, but with Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox both out for the season, the Boston Celtics figure to give him steady playing time from here.


• Corey Maggette (back) sat out against the Sixers, but with the Bobcats off until Friday, his absence may just be the one game.


• Nikola Pekovic (ankle) lasted only 11 minutes in the Minnesota Timberwolves' win over the Golden State Warriors. With Michael Beasley (toe) also limited, Derrick Williams (six points, 11 rebounds, three blocks) played 37 minutes.


• The New Orleans Hornets said that Eric Gordon (knee) is expected to practice next week. That being the case, Gordon could give fantasy owners something over the final three weeks of the season. He's available in more than 70 percent of ESPN.com leagues.


• J.J. Hickson agreed to a buyout on his expiring deal with the Sacramento Kings. The Phoenix Suns and Warriors are believed to have interest. Hickson could have some value, particularly if he lands with the Warriors, who barely use center Andris Biedrins and have no legitimate backup for power forward David Lee.


Looking Ahead



• The Kings will need more inspired play from Jason Thompson (18.3 points, 13.3 rebounds in his past three) when they host the Memphis Grizzlies. It's a tough matchup against the recently returned Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, but Thompson (available in about 75 percent of ESPN.com leagues) is one of Tuesday's top fill-in options. In other Kings news, Tyreke Evans practiced on Monday and is expected to return to action tonight as well, according to the Sacramento Bee.


• Kevin Martin (shoulder) has missed the past four games, but he's looking like a game-time decision for the Houston Rockets when they host the Los Angeles Lakers. If Martin doesn't play, Courtney Lee would get another start. Lee (98 percent availability), Chandler Parsons (85 percent availability) and the just-acquired Marcus Camby (65 percent availability) are all potential fill-ins.


• Al Jefferson (personal) will return to the Utah Jazz after missing two weekend games. Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter both played well in Big Al's absence. The Jazz host the Oklahoma City Thunder.


• Leandro Barbosa is expected to debut with the Indiana Pacers, who host the Los Angeles Clippers.

 

[HacheMan]

Down Goes Danilo Gallinari

Monday brought some more devastating injury news to fantasy owners, as Danilo Gallinari went down with a broken left thumb that could end his season. Here’s the breakdown of what happened in a six-game night, that also brought a breakout performance from the new starting center in Cleveland – Tristan Thompson.



Game News



Dallas Downs Denver, Gallinari Breaks Thumb



Danilo Gallinari suffered a fractured left thumb in Monday’s loss and didn’t return to the game. It’s not on his shooting hand, which is the good news, but there are reports that he could miss a month with the injury. If he’s out a full month, he’d only be back for the Nuggets final five games of the season. I wouldn’t cut him yet, but if we don’t get better news within 48 hours, owners will probably have to let him go. I haven’t been bullish on owning Wilson Chandler, but now that Gallinari is hurt again, that significantly changes things. Chandler made his season debut and had 13 points, four rebounds, two steals, a block and a 3-pointer in 28 minutes. If you can still get Chandler, he’s now a must-own player given Gallinari’s injury. Arron Afflalo had 24 points and two 3-pointers on 7-of-10 shooting, and should be locked and loaded as the starting 2-guard the rest of the way.



Andre Miller left Monday’s game with a right shoulder contusion and didn’t return, lasting just five minutes. Starter Ty Lawson struggled, hitting just 4-of-11 shots for 11 points, six assists and four turnovers, but should completely blow up if Miller’s going to miss time with the injury. JaVale McGee was held out of Monday’s game despite being healthy and ready to go, which is a fantasy buzzkill if you started him. George Karl might be ready to work him into the mix slowly, and McGee needs to play since the Nuggets only got six points and one rebound out of starter Timofey Mozgov. But because Karl didn't just throw him out there for Game 1 leaves me concerned that Karl might bring him along too slowly for anyone's liking. But do not cut him. Kenneth Faried cooled off with nine points and five rebounds, but still played 25 minutes. While Gallinari’s injury shouldn’t directly impact Faried, it could mean he sees a few more minutes per game, and I still like the idea of holding him.



Shawn Marion didn’t travel with the Mavs for Monday’s game due to a sore knee, leaving him questionable for Wednesday against the Lakers. The news isn’t all bad and he’s hoping to play on in that one. Lamar Odom took advantage of the extra minutes to finish with six points, a season-high nine rebounds, four assists and a steal in 26 minutes, and might finally be ready to start contributing for the Mavericks, but will take a hit once Marion is back. Brandan Wright had a season-high 15 points to go along with six rebounds and a block, and could be a beneficiary of Brendan Haywood being out this week with a sprained knee. Vince Carter had 14 points in 33 minutes, Jason Kidd had seven points, 10 dimes and four steals, and Roddy Beaubois made another start, finishing with 14 points, six assists and two 3-pointers in 36 minutes. Once Marion and Delonte West (finger) are back, Beaubois’ outlook becomes a bit cloudy, but he’s a safe start until it happens. Just keep in mind that Rick Carlisle is concerned about Beaubois’ heavy minutes of late, and he’s been known to shut him down in similar situations in the past. Center Ian Mahinmi had 11 points, five boards and zero blocks in the start, but should continue to get solid minutes at center with Haywood out all week. Dirk Nowitzki stayed hot with 33 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, a block and three 3-pointers on 12-of-19 shooting, and it seems like years ago that he was struggling mightily before being shut down by the Mavs for a week. If you bought low on him, congratulations.



Cavs Beat Nets



Tristan Thompson finally broke out on Monday with a career high of 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting, and added 12 rebounds and a block in 37 minutes, making his second straight start for the Cavaliers. I’m kicking myself for not featuring him in Waiver Wired, as I decided to leave him off the list after a mediocre performance in Sunday’s start. My bad. Kyrie Irving had 26 points, five boards, seven assists, a steal and three 3-pointers in the win, and held his own against Deron Williams. Daniel Gibson left Monday’s game with a sprained ankle and didn’t return, finishing with just four points on 1-of-5 shooting. He was coming on with Ramon Sessions in Los Angeles, but never got it going before the injury.



Deron Williams showed no signs of a calf injury and had 28 points, eight assists, two steals and four 3-pointers, but hit just 8-of-23 shots and committed five turnovers. Gerald Wallace hit 8-of-14 shots for 27 points and 12 rebounds in 40 minutes, and looks like he’s going to fit in just fine in New Jersey. MarShon Brooks had 10 points, four boards and two assists in 30 minutes, as he continues to struggle to live up to the hype. Gerald Green finally cooled off on Monday with five points on 2-of-6 shooting, and is a true risk vs. reward player. Monday didn’t work out if you used him, but he’s got three more games to get it turned around this week. Anthony Morrow remained inconsistent last night, hitting just 3-of-10 shots for six points and no threes, and will continue to be up and down off the bench. Shelden Williams played through a shoulder injury and had nine points, five boards and a block in 26 minutes, and remains a very low-end center option in deeper leagues. Jordan Farmar missed Monday’s game with his groin injury and remains day-to-day, but is hoping to play on Wednesday.



Bulls Crush Magic



Derrick Rose was out for the Bulls on Monday, as expected, and it’s unknown when he’ll play again due to his groin injury. Rose is targeting Saturday for a return, but is very iffy for that one at this point. John Lucas came off the bench for 20 points and four 3-pointers in 21 minutes, while C.J. Watson missed all eight of his shots for one point and three assists in a start for Rose. The Bulls have two more games this week, and my guess is Watson is going to be much better in those two, if Rose is out.



Dwight Howard had 18 points, 12 boards and three blocks, but the rest of the Magic were simply terrible in the 85-59 blowout against the Rose-less Bulls. There’s not much to read into this pathetic performance, and owners of Ryan Anderson, Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu simply have to hope for a bounce-back against the Suns on Wednesday.<!--RW-->



Wolves Hold On To Beat Warriors



Michael Beasley aggravated his toe injury on Sunday and was limited to 10 minutes, eight points and nothing else. Derrick Williams hit just 2-of-9 shots for six points and 11 rebounds, but will benefit if Beasley continues to miss time with the toe injury. Jose Juan Barea played through a swollen thumb and had six points, three rebounds, a season-high 10 assists and a steal in the win. Kevin Love blew up for 36 points, 17 rebounds and three more 3-pointers, as the Love Train continues to roll down the tracks. Luke Ridnour stayed hot with 11 points, 10 assists and a 3-pointer, while Anthony Tolliver stepped up with Beasley hurting, finishing with 10 points, five boards and two 3-pointers. Just keep an eye on him if Beasley misses time. Nikola Pekovic played through a pair of sore ankles, but lasted just 11 minutes with six points, two rebounds and a block. He’ll be iffy for Wednesday’s meeting with the Spurs, and owners have to hope a day of rest on Tuesday does the trick.



For the Warriors, Richard Jefferson played 29 minutes and had 19 points, four boards, two steals and two 3-pointers for the Warriors, kicking off his five-game week in style. If you rolled the dice on him, so far, so good. Nate Robinson had 13 points, seven assists and two 3-pointers, Klay Thompson overcame a terrible first half for 17 points, a steal, a block and three 3-pointers, and David Lee kicked in 25 points and nine rebounds in the loss. Dorell Wright cooled off for eight points and four boards on 3-of-7 shooting, but still managed two 3-pointers, two steals and two blocks. He still has four games to right the ship this week. Brandon Rush was in a lot of starting lineups this week with the five games, and had nine points, three rebounds, three assists and a 3-pointer, but Jefferson is definitely going to limit his value if he keeps getting such heavy minutes.



The Warriors attempted to hold a ceremony to retire Chris Mullin’s number, but owner Joe Lacob struggled in his presentation as boos rained down upon him from the home crowd. As Shaquille O’Neal said, it was the craziest jersey retirement ceremony of all time, as the fans aren’t happy about seeing Monta Ellis shipped out of town. And they’re probably not thrilled with Jefferson walking in and playing 30 minutes a night. If you missed the embarrassing “ceremony” in Oakland last night, you can see it here.



Sixers Destroy Bobcats



Corey Maggette missed Monday’s game due to a back injury and illness. He has never recovered too quickly from ailments, so it’s not all that surprising that he was out last night. If you own him, let’s hope he gets back on the court on Friday against the Bucks. Reggie Williams started in place of Maggette and had 13 points, six boards, two assists and a 3-pointer in 29 minutes, and is worth keeping an eye on if Maggette is shut down at some point. Tyrus Thomas has started seven straight games, but still hasn’t shown he’s worth owning in most leagues, and had just six points and zero rebounds in 15 minutes last night.



Spencer Hawes had 13 points, 11 boards and three blocks in 24 minutes for the Sixers on Monday, and might be good to go the rest of the way, since the Sixers don’t have any back-to-back games this week. Jrue Holiday got his four-game week off to a great start with 20 points, four rebounds and six dimes, and Elton Brand bounced back from an off night with 16 points and eight boards in the easy win. Thaddeus Young hit 10-of-12 shots for 20 points, six boards and two blocks off the bench, and remains a very reliable fantasy player despite coming off the bench for Philly. The same can be said for Lou Williams, who had 19 points, five assists and three 3-pointers, while starter Evan Turner cooled off, hitting just 3-of-11 shots for six points and three rebounds. Look for Turner to bounce back on Wednesday against the Knicks. Andre Iguodala attempted just four shots and hit one of them for three points, to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and a steal. Ouch.



Celtics Hang On Over Hawks



Josh Smith hit just 5-of-20 shots, but just missed a triple-double with 10 points, 11 boards and eight dimes, along with two steals and no blocks. He’s on pace for 100 shots for the week, and if you can survive last night’s poor shooting line, the numbers he racks up by the end of the week should simply be monstrous. Joe Johnson had 25 points, six boards and four 3-pointers (and turned it over seven times) in a tough loss to the Celtics. Jeff Teague added eight points, five rebounds and three assists, but with four more games this week, looks like a very strong play as well. Zaza Pachulia took some stitches during the game, but quickly returned to finish with 16 points, 13 rebounds and three steals, kicking off his five-game week in grand fashion. If you would have told me back in December that Zaza might end up being the difference maker for fantasy owners in Week 13, I would have thought you were crazy. Make sure he’s not available in your league. Kirk Hinrich played 37 minutes to finish with nine points, two rebounds, three assists, a block and a 3-pointer, but should be able to post a couple better lines with four games left in the week.



Ray Allen led the Celtics with 19 points and four 3-pointers, Rajon Rondo double-doubled with 10 points, 13 assists and six steals, Kevin Garnett had 16 points and eight boards in another start at center, while Paul Pierce struggled, hitting just 4-of-14 shots for 13 points, four turnovers and zero 3-pointers. He was in foul trouble, finishing with five of them, but should bounce back in the next one. Brandon Bass rewarded those of you who started him with eight points, 10 rebounds and a block in 38 minutes, and remains a solid fantasy option going forward.



League News and Notes



Tyreke Evans practiced for the Kings on Monday after missing two games with a sprained ankle, and is expected to play against the Grizzlies on Tuesday.



Kevin Martin missed Monday’s practice for Houston due to his sore shoulder, leaving his status for Tuesday’s game against the Lakers in serious doubt.



Leandro Barbosa should play 15-20 minutes in his Pacers’ debut on Tuesday.



Rodney Stuckey is dealing with a sore left big toe, which could have something to do with why he scored just seven points on Sunday. It sounds like he’ll play on Wednesday.



Ersan Ilyasova returned to practice on Monday after suffering from a bronchial condition and should start on Tuesday against the Blazers. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who is coming off a monster game on Friday, will return to the bench, but owners of Ilyasova have to be a little concerned about the sudden rise of Mbah a Moute.



Jose Calderon is expected to start for the Raptors on Tuesday against the Knicks, so expect Jerryd Bayless to cool off a bit.



Eric Gordon (knee) is expected to start practicing for the Hornets next week, but there’s still not a firm timetable on when he’ll play again this season, if at all. Carl Landry is expected back from a knee injury on Saturday, which should impact Gustavo Ayon’s minutes.



The Grizzlies are expected to sign Gilbert Arenas, if he passes a physical. With those back-to-back five-game weeks, Arenas is going to garner some attention in fantasy circles, but I’ll only believe he can still play when I see it happen.



J.J. Hickson has been bought out by the Kings after missing nine of his last 10 games with a back injury, and is expected to sign with the Warriors. Yes, he’s worth keeping an eye on, especially after seeing the Warriors turn Jefferson loose, but I wouldn’t cut a good player to get Hickson at this point.

 

[HacheMan]

Will Ramon Sessions start?
Who will get the minutes? It’s a simple question that rarely has a simple answer.

Coaches are constantly tinkering and toying with their rotations. Sometimes it has to with injuries and in other instances, it’s a result of ineffective play from a certain player. The impact this has on minutes played and thus statistical production is where we come in.

Every Tuesday for the rest of the season, I’ll explore a certain aspect of half the league’s rotations while attempting to get inside coaches’ heads. The idea isn’t to tell you what Kevin Love and LeBron James are going to do -- it’s to decipher how much burn fringe players are going to get.

Here’s last week’s Position: Point guard
Since acquiring Ramon Sessions last Thursday, coach Mike Brown has been hesitant to make any commitments at the point guard spot. He wants competition between Sessions and Steve Blake, and that’s fair.

"I don't want to guarantee anything or put anything in stone because I don't know if it's healthy to do that all the time," Brown said Saturday. "It's definitely Steve's job for the foreseeable future and it might be his job for the rest of the year. I don't know."

Brown went on to call Sessions’ integration into the Lakers a “process.” But even though the ex-Cav didn’t know the schemes, he logged 19 minutes on Friday and 22 on Sunday -- averaging 8.5 points and 5.5 assists. Blake played 28 and 26 minutes in those games, averaging 0.0 points and 2.5 assists.

The reason the Lakers went out and got Sessions is because he can penetrate a defense. He’s a playmaker, as seen by his other-worldly per-minute numbers at previous stops. Metta World Peace can’t make a play, Blake can’t penetrate, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum need someone else to set them up. The Lakers desperately need Sessions in the starting five and playing close to 30 minutes nightly. It’s a good bet to happen sooner rather than later.

In 89 career starts, Sessions has averaged 14.8 points, 7.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He won’t reach those numbers as the fourth option in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean there’s no upside. Be patient here.

Editor’s Note: For exclusive columns, chats, pickup advice, weekly rankings and much more, check out the Season Pass!

BLAZERS
Position: Center
After blowing up the team at the trade deadline, the Blazers are left with just five legit NBA players: Raymond Felton, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Jamal Crawford. All are locked into solid roles regardless of performance because they have no reasonable backups.

The spot that intrigues me more is at center, where Joel Przybilla is now starting. Remember that Przybilla was just signed off the street in late-February and has a history of really chronic knee issues. Right now, his backup is 39-year-old Kurt Thomas.

That brings us to 2009 No.2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet, who the Blazers acquired at the trade deadline. The Grizzlies and Rockets have already given up Thabeet, but he’s still 7’3/263 and he’s still only 25 years old. When Thabeet got 13.0 minutes per game for the Grizz as a rookie, he blocked 1.3 shots per game.

Considering their other options at center, the Blazers don’t have much to lose by giving Thabeet a chance. It’s something for deep-leaguers to monitor closely as our never-ending quest for blocks rolls along.

CLIPPERS
Position: Shooting guard
The Clippers made it pretty clear that they weren’t happy with Randy Foye as their starting shooting guard. Leading up to the trade deadline, they were linked to Ray Allen, Jamal Crawford, Raja Bell, Kirk Hinrich and J.R. Smith. They finally pulled the trigger on a deal in the 11th hour, acquiring Nick Young from the Wizards.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that coach Vinny Del Negro was forthcoming when asked what role he sees Young in. Del Negro said that he expects Young to start once he “learns the offense, plays, etc.” In fact, in Young’s very first game, he came off the bench for 28 minutes. Foye started, but lasted just 24 minutes.

Once Young settles in, that gap in minutes will grow even wider. Mo Williams is locked into 25-30 minutes per night as a scorer off the bench and Young will push for 30 as the starter. Chris Paul is going to play 35-39, so there’s just not enough room for Foye. Most owners should be able to do better.

GRIZZLIES
Position: Power forward
There’s not too much to talk about here. Zach Randolph has come off the bench in his first two games back so the Grizzlies can monitor his minutes closely. The shackles should come off as soon as this week, leading to the usual 32-36 minutes. The Grizzlies exercised extra precaution with Randolph’s knee, so there’s no concerns there.

The Position: Power forward
The surprise of the trading deadline was that the Hornets did not move Chris Kaman despite significant interest around the league. Owners that didn’t sell now have themselves the focal point of an offense playing at a high level. Over the last 12 games, Kaman is averaging 16.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while playing 34.3 minutes. He wouldn’t be doing that in any other spot in the league.

Meanwhile, Kaman staying is really bad news of deep-leaguers that have been riding Gustavo Ayon’s glue-guy skills. Jason Smith (concussion) is back and logged 20 minutes in his very first game following a six-week absence. Carl Landry (knee) is expected to return by Saturday at the latest and will eventually ramp up to his 21-25 minutes. Ayon’s arrow is pointing down as he’ll struggle to reach the 28.5 minutes per game he’s been playing over his last 20.

JAZZ
Position: Sixth man
It’s really, really hard to be a reliable fantasy performer as a bench player. Manu Ginobili, James Harden, Lou Williams and Jason Terry are the exceptions in that they get their minutes no matter what. Even when they’re not shooting well or when the second unit scuffles, the rotation is built so they stay on the court. Gordon Hayward cannot say the same.

In Hayward’s eight games off the bench this season, he’s averaged 28.3 minutes per night. He’s dipped as low as 19 and played as much as 37. It proves that Hayward’s role is dependent on game flow, which will lead to inevitable inconsistency. Position: Power forward
Someone asked me in Saturday’s live chat what the heck has gotten into Jason Thompson lately. The answer is a hot streak. It happens.

In his first 26 starts of the season, Thompson averaged 8.4 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 47.2 percent from the field. In his last three starts, he’s averaging 18.3 points and 13.3 rebounds while shooting 82.7 percent from the field and 77.7 percent from the free-throw line. (Thompson is a career 66.3 percent foul shooter). In other words, this three-game binge is unsustainable.

So even though J.J. Hickson has been bought out, Thompson projects to slip back to reality soon. He’s playing 28.3 minutes per game as a starter and that’s a reasonable expectation going forward.

MAVERICKS
Position: Shooting guard
Before we get too excited about Roddy Beaubois’ two straight starts and games with 35-plus minutes, coach Rick Carlisle has a reminder for us.

"One of the downsides to starting him is his minutes get run way up," Carlisle said. "He's not used to playing 35, 36 minutes a game. We got to be mindful of it because of the frequency of games."

Remember that Beaubois is just 24 years old and is perhaps the best athlete on the Mavs. Carlisle “concerns” sound like an excuse more than anything.

Regardless, it’s a reminder that Beaubois’ role is not secure despite difference-making talent. Once Shawn Marion (knee) and Delonte West (finger) get healthy, we’re going to have some duds. All we can do is ride Roddy B for now and see if he can finally convince Carlisle that he deserves 30 minutes nightly.

<!--RW-->

NUGGETS
Position: Small forward
The swingman spot here was starting to get really crowded. Arron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Al Harrington, Corey Brewer and Rudy Fernandez were all set to vie for minutes.

But on Monday night, Gallinari fractured his left thumb and is going to be out for an extended period. We can now say a big hello to Chandler, who was signed to a five-year, $37 million deal on Sunday. The Nuggets didn’t give Chandler that kind of money for their health -- they see him as an elite defender and playmaker than can see time at three different positions.

Last year, Chandler played 30.6 minutes per game in 21 appearances with the Nuggets. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 3-pointers and 1.1 blocks, but shot just 41.9 percent. The career 45.1 percent shooter has room to grow on those numbers now that Gallinari is down.

ROCKETS
Position: Center
Stat-geek/GM Daryl Morey has given coach Kevin McHale four bigs to work with: Samuel Dalembert, Luis Scola, Marcus Camby and Patrick Patterson. How McHale uses those bigs is up to him.

It’s pretty clear that the center spot is now a two-man timeshare. In Camby’s first game with the Rockets, he came off the bench for 19 minutes. Dalembert started and logged 20 minutes. The ironic part is that those minutes aren’t that far off of what each is used to.

On the season Dalembert is averaging 24.7 minutes while Camby was at 22.3. The difference now is that neither is capable of going off for one of those monster games that change weeks in the blocks or boards category for head-to-head owners. We’ll need an injury to regain upside.

SPURS
Position: Small forward
The Stephen Jackson acquisition is an interesting one due to Captain Jack’s history with coach Gregg Popovich. Unlike the predictable disaster that saw Jackson clash with Bucks coach Scott Skiles, Pop actually likes and respects Jackson. There won’t be any issues here.

Additionally, Jackson is a better player than Richard Jefferson at this point in their respective careers. S-Jax is a better penetrator, is more athletic and can create his own shot. Jefferson, who is now in Golden State, was playing 28.5 minutes as the starting small forward this season. We can safely expect Jackson to reach that level of burn sooner rather than later.

THUNDER
Position: Sixth man
The notion that Thabo Sefolosha’s return from a foot injury would affect James Harden’s minutes is simply wrong. Harden is more comfortable as a reserve and is playing 31.5 minutes per game in that role this season. In the three games since Sefolosha has been back, Harden has logged 34, 33 and 32 minutes. Nothing except injury can stop him from getting his usual minutes nightly.

WARRIORS
Position: Shooting guard/Small forward
With Steph Curry (ankle) possibly shut down for the year and Monta Ellis/Ekpe Udoh in Milwaukee, we’ve got a lot of new faces to work through.

Before we get to the wings, let’s establish what Nate Robinson is capable of. He’s started five straight games, logging 34.4 minutes per during that span. His only backup is D-League talent Charles Jenkins. In those five games, Robinson is averaging 16.4 points, 6.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.4 3-pointers. As mentioned in last week’s Dose, he’s locked and loaded.

It gets much trickier when we dive into the Klay Thompson, Dorell Wright, Dominic McGuire, Brandon Rush, Richard Jefferson mess. Some thoughts:

* Don’t read too much into Klay Thompson’s meager 22 minutes from Monday night. He started off in nightmare fashion, hoisting an air-ball on a wide open jumper and opening 0-for-6 from the field. The rookie was banished to the bench, but came on strong in the second half and finished with 17 points in just 22 minutes. The Monta Ellis trade was meant to pave the way for Thompson to establish himself as the starting shooting guard of the present and future. He’ll be more than fine.

* With Udoh gone, McGuire is going to get plenty of minutes up front instead of on the wings. Andris Biedrins can’t play and McGuire is an excellent rebounded/defender for his size. Over the last 11 games, McGuire is playing 25.7 minutes per night. Once J.J. Hickson gets up to speed, he’ll be battling Biedrins for burn as well.

* Dorell Wright is locked back in. Over the last six games, Wright is averaging 34.9 minutes per night. He’s averaging 2.8 3-pointers, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks and 7.1 rebounds during that span. Jump back on board.

* It’s going to be hard to trust the Richard Jefferson/Position: Shooting guard/Small forward
The Wolves lost Ricky Rubio and surprisingly didn’t make a move at the trade deadline. That’s left them with Martell Webster and Wes Johnson as starters on the wings. Yikes.

Webster has started seven games this year and is averaging 7.1 points in 28.1 minutes. Johnson has started 45 games and averaged 6.1 points in 22.5 minutes. We can safely ignore both.

What we can’t ignore is the impressive play of rookie Derrick Williams. The Wolves don’t like to play him at small forward, but if/when Nikola Pekovic (ankles), Michael Beasley (toe) and Rubio (knee) are all out, the No. 2 overall pick deserves a look. Williams’ per-36 minute numbers this season are 15.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.0 3-pointers, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks. His game is roto-friendly.

* The Suns are not listed as they are the only Western Conference team without any true question marks in their rotation.

 

[HacheMan]

Dose: Bayless Plays Less

After running our trade deadline coverage for the second straight year, I have to admit I have been feeling pretty raw over the past week or so. For anybody providing comprehensive fantasy analysis, this is already a 24/7, 60-80 hour per week job, and adding the deadline coverage I didn’t sleep all that much. It’s okay, though, as I recharged this weekend with some St. Patty’s Day debauchery and a hibernation for the ages. If I didn’t get to your Twitter or email, I can’t say that things will get better in the long-run as fantasy basketball traffic continues to obliterate records, but I doubt the inquires will be coming in faster than I can answer like they were last week.



To follow me on Twitter where the real-time dirt gets dished, click here.



BAYLESS PLAYS LESS



Jose Calderon (ankle) returned from a five-game absence on Tuesday, and had 11 points and nine assists in a surprising 35 minutes. During that five-game absence, Jerryd Bayless averaged 21.8 points, 2.4 threes, 3.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.6 turnovers while shooting 54 percent from the field and 84 percent from the line. During that time Bayless was a top-7 play in 8- and 9-cat leagues. Clearly, Bayless can hold his own on the offensive end, and defensively the comparison to Calderon isn’t even close. Calderon ranks 295^th in the league according to Synergy Sports in giving up 0.91 points per possession, and he allows opposing players to shoot 40.5 percent from the field (a high number in their measuring system) and 40.9 percent from distance. Compare those numbers to Bayless’ corresponding marks of 0.83 PPP (ranked 164^th), 36.8 percent, and 28.6 percent and you can see the gap is massive.



Bayless was held to 13 minutes last night, but of course he still managed seven points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He also suffered a hip pointer that didn’t really change the tenor of the position battle, and would have only added 5-10 minutes at most to his playing time. The injury doesn’t look too serious, but we’ll have to wait until sometime today to get an update.



Setting the injury aside for a moment and considering the disparity in what each player brings to the table, we’re really only left to speculate about whether or not Dwane Casey is willing to have a changing of the guard. Or, is he subscribing to the theory that a player (Calderon) can’t lose his position to injury or some other erroneous evaluation of personnel.



For now, owners have to look at their rosters and determine if they can stash Bayless away. His upside is tremendous, Calderon is an injury-prone guy, Bayless is the better player, and the Raptors are going nowhere with Calderon long-term. Similarly to Scottie Brooks, Casey gets little to no pressure in Toronto to justify his decisions, so we’ll be waiting game-to-game to see if Bayless can knock Jose out, assuming the hip pointer is minor as the local rags thought it was last night. I’ll be waiting it out in the fistful of places I own him, but if I were fighting for a playoff spot I wouldn't be passing up a hot free agent to do it.



DON’T RE-ENACT SCENES FROM PLATOON WITH CHARLIE SHEEN



Darren Collison (four points, two assists, 25 minutes) has taken up cliff diving for the Pacers, and finally George Hill (15 points, four rebounds, six assists, 6-of-7 FGs, 3 3PT) has shown us something after the Pacers gave up Kawhi Leonard for the right to acquire Hill during the draft. Hill is definitely the player to own going forward, though I don't have a ton of confidence in either guy. Tyler Hansbrough (17 points, three rebounds) was hot and David West (three points, two rebounds) was not, but we need to see Psycho T do it again before opening the power forward position up to discussion. Similarly, I’ll need to see Paul George (seven points, six rebounds, 24 minutes) fall off a cliff before I’ll plan on it happening. Leandro Barbosa (12 points, one three, 18 minutes) could complicate matters, but does Frank Vogel really want to turn to platoons this close to the playoffs?



TOP RAMON



Ramon Sessions isn’t starting yet, but he may as well be as he took the lion’s share of minutes last night. Sessions put up 14 points, two boards, four assists, and a steal on 6-of-9 shooting in 29 minutes, while “starter” Steve Blake had just two points and three assists in 19 minutes. I know there has been some talk about Sessions not starting, and even if it’s just a planned decision to put more playmaking on the second unit I’m not concerned. Add another five minutes to tonight’s totals and that’s what owners can expect nightly.



ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION



The Blazers are still a mess in reality, but the change away from Nate McMillan and trade of Gerald Wallace has been a blessing for anybody not named Nicolas Batum (12 points, five rebounds, one steal). Jamal Crawford also struggled last night with three points on 1-of-8 shooting, but that’s not totally out of character for a guy that runs hot and cold at times. I’m not overly worried about either of them, and I’m just loving my buy low candidates from earlier in the year Raymond Felton (18 points, nine assists, one steal, one block, six turnovers) and Wesley Matthews (21 points, nine rebounds, five threes, two steals, and one block). The problem wasn’t the talent, and even in the case of Felton the conditioning was a distant second to a broken locker room. I’m not going to say that Felton and his teammates didn’t help to make the mess, but he isn’t the first guy to report in one way or another that McMillan had issues pushing the right buttons (Jesus Shuttlesworth was).



A PAIR OF NICKELS



Tony Allen is going to be a popular add for the Grizzlies’ upcoming pair of five-game weeks, and after his 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, three rebounds, two assists, and three steals last night owners might as well make the move. Yes, there is some risk there, but it’s mitigated risk and he could also end up being a monster. Zach Randolph isn’t going to be rushed back into being ‘the man,’ and he avoided a scare last night after tweaking his knee in a pile-up with DeMarcus Cousins. He stayed in the game and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and two steals, so owners should be cautiously optimistic. Just remember that he approached rehab with a tremendous amount of caution. Similarly, Rudy Gay’s owners don’t have to panic that Z-Bo will steal their thunder just yet, as Gay continued to surge with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, six boards, and two assists. You can add O.J. Mayo to Allen’s boat in the five-game weeks, even after disappointing owners with six points in 17 minutes. His averages of 12 points, four boards, three assists, and 1.6 threes over his last five overrule one bad night.



IT’S BIODIGITAL JAZZ, MAN



Raja Bell (adductor) is out through at least Thursday and Josh Howard (knee) is out for the year, and I’ve been riding the Gordon Hayward (11 points, eight rebounds, two steals, block, 3PT) train more or less so you know I’m not stopping now. C.J. Miles, starting next to Hayward, scored 10 points with five rebounds, two assists, and three steals, and is an average-looking speculative add in 12-team leagues. Al Jefferson (16 points, six boards, four assists, one steal, one block) is back and Derrick Favors (seven points, nine rebounds, one steal, three blocks, 22 minutes) is back to being an inconsistent option in 12-team formats.


<!--RW-->
RIDE OR DIE



The Kings don’t have a lot to show in the standings for their growth this season, but covering the team this season it’s clear to me that Keith Smart has done a pretty good job. He’s not without his warts, and plenty of local media isn’t thrilled with the Maloof’s decision to extend his contract – but I get it. Smart is getting through to DeMarcus Cousins and that alone is good enough for me, but his energy is perfect for the job and his execution is at least in the right ballpark.



But back to the warts, I’ve been all over Smart for his decision (or indecision) regarding Isaiah Thomas, as Smart handed Thomas a sub-30 minute role after he single-handedly changed the dynamic of the Kings a few weeks back. When Mr. Relevant is on the floor, they look like a balanced, better team. The second unit, comprised of veterans Chuck Hayes, Donte Greene, and at the time Francisco Garcia and John Salmons --- had a few nice nights but they also had some dogs. Still, Smart continued to go with his vets at the expense of Thomas, who played virtually flawless basketball for most of his time on the court. Things have changed as of late, though, as Thomas’ minutes have dipped below the 30-minute mark just once in four games, after five games with no more than 28 minutes and one game during that span at 17 minutes. I opined at the time that maybe Smart just wanted to give his vets some run before phasing them out for the rest of the year and I'm still leaning that way.



Whether the goal is to win now or plan for next year, Thomas should eventually play 35-plus minutes per game and the sky is the limit. Really, they should be running him for 40 minutes per game as the kid can handle it. And if the powers that be aren't planning on using Thomas as their undisputed starter next year, they have no business running a professional basketball team. On offense, his decision-making and ball security are already plus assets. On defense, whether in the post, off the ball or running through screens, he is a plus player. With the press and off the court – he is a plus player. I have yet to see a single weakness. If you can find one, send it to me and I’ll eat my words.



Elsewhere in Sacto, Tyreke Evans (ankle) hopefully turned some heads with a selfless request to come off the bench in his return. He scored 13 points with four rebounds and three assists, and his production will be similar no matter where he plays. Who knows, a bench role could free him up for more one-on-one play, too. Marcus Thornton scored 31 points with seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals, and if you own him you’ll also be rooting for Thomas to play heavy minutes because the correlation is there. Jason Thompson has truly taken a step forward this season and proved it again last night with 14 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block. Smart’s handling of Thompson has been another ‘wart,’ as the Kings are night-and-day different with JT on the floor. And no, this production is not a fluke, as his post-game now includes a variety of flip shots that he didn’t have last year, he’s cutting down on his fouls, and playing smarter in general – which has been pretty obvious to those watching the games. He should be owned in most, if not all formats, and the only thing that can stop him is Smart playing the matchups.



DRAGIC’S MAGIC



Goran Dragic was perhaps the most predictable waiver wire pickup of the year to date, and did his work again last night with 16 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists, and a 3-pointer late to seal the Rockets’ win over the Lakers. I somehow managed to pick him up in my big money league with the fifth or sixth most FAAB money available, and I’m planning on riding him to the finish with Kyle Lowry looking to have about a 40 percent chance of playing before the playoffs start (the Rockets hold the No. 8 seed).



Kevin Martin missed another game with his shoulder injury, and the obvious question is whether or not there is anything other than his shoulder that is contributing to his absence. There were a few reports that he was unhappy with both Kevin McHale and also Daryl Morey prior to the deadline, and owners simply need to assess their roster and see if the juice is worth the squeeze. Every situation will be different. If you were able to grab Courtney Lee (23 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, three treys) and bench Martin you’re on the right track. On his own, Lee should be owned in all formats, but if your team is stacked and you have to drop a consistent starter he’s not an insta-grab, obviously. Martin’s return will be a drag for Lee. Samuel Dalembert (eight points, four rebounds, three blocks) is not a must-own player anymore with Marcus Camby in town, but nights like these are going to be in his vocabulary.



BUCK HUNTIN



The Bucks are playing an exciting brand of basketball right now with lots of movement and running, which has allowed them to support relatively consistent fantasy play from Brandon Jennings (15 points, six assists), newly acquired Monta Ellis (14 points, nine assists), Drew Gooden (19 points, four rebounds, five assists), recently productive Carlos Delfino (16 points, five boards, four threes), Ersan Ilyasova, Mike Dunleavy (15 points, three treys), and even Beno Udrih (15 points, four assists, four steals) in deeper formats. We know that Delfino, Dunleavy, and Udrih will come with question marks for obvious reasons including streakiness, health, and playing time, respectively. And for once in a very long time, Scott Skiles has stopped messing with players’ minutes. After checking into Ilyasova’s 23 minutes in a slow seven-point, four-rebound, and four-turnover effort last night, I’m guessing the same thing can be said going forward. Ersanity played his normal complement of minutes in the first half, and left mid-way through the third quarter before the rout was on. Owners just need to cross their fingers and hope that Skiles doesn’t tinker with what’s working.



ODDS AND ENDS



LeBron took a fall on his elbow and stayed in the game last night, and also took a shot to the head, so we’ll be watching his status in advance of his next game on Friday. If he is in any danger of missing it, you’ll have to be hiking around Yosemite to miss the update.



Nikola Pekovic is dealing with two hurt ankles, but the Spurs are more likely to bring him into the fold on Wednesday than the Warriors were on Monday.



Shawn Marion has no structural issues in his knee, but is still questionable for tonight’s game against the Lakers. Guessing here, but I think he’ll go.



Andre Miller will not go tonight after separating his shoulder on Monday. With Danilo Gallinari out for the foreseeable future, Arron Afflalo’s owners get a reprieve and Wilson Chandler should be owned in all 8/9 cat formats.



Rodney Stuckey’s toe injury is still on the radar after a slow weekend, and he will be a game-time decision tonight.



Richard Hamilton (shoulder) can lift his arm over his head, but his season still is in doubt. Ronnie Brewer had a slow night on Monday but is well worth watching as a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type player.



Andray Blatche (calf, conditioning) is being shut down for the next two weeks or so, and he was droppable a few days ago. He’ll compete for fantasy bust honors.



Nick Young got his first start and scored 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting with five rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer. I expect a much better brand of basketball out of Young going forward, as Chris Paul will undress him for all to see if Young does not oblige.

 

[HacheMan]

Parsons, Pachulia steadying forces

By Seth Landman | Special to ESPN.com
Now that the trade deadline has passed, we can take a look at the waiver wire without too many concerns over the way rosters will look for the rest of the season. Of course (and especially this season), injuries will still be a factor down the stretch, but now we know the general outline of which players stand a chance of being contributors and which will probably continue to remain bound to their respective benches.


Since -- as we have said before -- the waiver wire is now your only chance of upgrading your roster, and since roster upgrades are absolutely essential this late in the season if you want any chance of winning your league, this time of year is where you really earn your stripes as a fantasy owner. Here are some players you might want to consider adding:


Chandler Parsons, SF, Houston Rockets: I keep writing about him in these columns, and somehow he keeps piling up good fantasy stats while remaining on the waiver wire in most leagues. He missed a game against the Clippers last Saturday, but in his past four games he's played, he's averaging 11.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.5 3-pointers and shooting 50 percent from the floor. His value comes in the aggregate, as he's certainly capable of having a bad game from time to time (just four points and five rebounds in 22 minutes against the Suns on Sunday), but if you had been playing him the past two weeks, you'd be reaping larger benefits, as he's 44th on the Player Rater over the past 15 days. Parsons is available in 87.1 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues, and if yours is one of them, you should definitely pick him up.


Zaza Pachulia, C, Atlanta Hawks: Much to everyone's surprise, Zaza has improved as the season has gone on in the absence of Al Horford, and lately he looks a lot like a legitimate NBA center. He's been a double-digit rebounder in 10 of his past 12 games, and has been good for better than one steal per game during that stretch as well. He's not giving you much besides that -- right around 10 points without really doing you any favors in terms of field goal percentage -- but if you're desperate for help on the glass, Pachulia's as good an answer as you'll find in most leagues. He's just outside the top 50 on the Player Rater over the past 15 days, and should certainly continue being a player worth owning in fantasy leagues down the stretch.

Greg Stiemsma, C, Boston Celtics: The Celtics are certainly going to try to find a big man somewhere on the real-life waiver wire in order to make up for the fact that they've lost Chris Wilcox and Jermaine O'Neal to assorted injuries during the past few weeks. Neither, it would seem, will be coming back this season, and that's where Stiemsma comes in. He's barely inside the top 100 in the past week on the Player Rater, but that undersells him, at least to a certain way of thinking. Stiemsma carries just about all his value in one category: blocks. If that is the category you need, he can certainly help you. For the past five games, he's averaging 2.6 blocks in just 16.6 minutes, which is pretty remarkable; he misses the qualification cutoff, but among qualified players, only Serge Ibaka blocks more shots per minute. That means Stiemsma's recent numbers are not a fluke, and given the miles on Kevin Garnett's odometer, Stiemsma has a good chance of hovering right around 20 or so minutes per game for the long haul, even if the C's do manage to procure some sort of live body to help out in the frontcourt rotation. Ultimately, Stiemsma should only be on your roster if you are desperate for blocks.



Gerald Green, SG/SF, New Jersey Nets: As a green-blooded Celtics fan, it's hard for me to write about this former Celtic with any sort of objectivity. Frankly, I'm terrified he might become a real NBA player one of these days. He seems, at least, to be heading in that direction. In just 26.4 minutes per game in his past five contests, he's averaging a solid 14.4 points on 52 percent shooting from the floor. That is impressive, and it means that even with his across-the-board contributions in steals, blocks and 3s, field goal percentage is where Green has a chance to really earn his keep on your roster. Field goal percentage, especially this late in the season, is a hard category in which to move the needle, but having a guy jack up around 10 shots per game and make 52 percent of them absolutely helps. Green has never been afraid to shoot, and playing alongside a point guard like Deron Williams isn't going to hurt the sort of shots he gets. His windmill alley-oop dunk against the Rockets two Saturdays ago was one of the best in-game dunks I have ever seen, but it also served as a reminder that Green is an off-the-charts talent. That means it's possible that his top-50 ranking on the Player Rater during the past week is no fluke. Pick him up and drop someone with a little less upside while you still can.



Carlos Delfino, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks: Delfino is currently the starting small forward for the suddenly high-octane Bucks. That's a good position to have these days, it seems. He has been right around the team lead in minutes in both games since last week's deadline deal bringing Monta Ellis to town, and seems to be benefitting in terms of his numbers. Delfino's averaging 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals and most importantly, 3.3 3s per game in his past three games. The 3s are the category in which Delfino has the most staying power. For his career, he's a 36.5 percent shooter from long range and has made an impressive 1.2 per game in just over 22 minutes of playing time. This season, he's better, making 1.8 per game, but his recent numbers are no fluke. He's capable of staying hot on a long-term basis, and with the minutes he's currently playing, he belongs in fantasy lineups for lots of other reasons as well. He's still available in nearly 80 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues, and should be picked up in just about all of them. Amazingly, he's 32nd on the Player Rater during the past week despite the fact that he's played just three games.


Tristan Thompson, PF/C, Cleveland Cavaliers: Thompson is capable of not playing up to his potential on any given night, but when he manages to put it all together, it can really be a thing of beauty. See his 27-point (12-for-16 from the floor), 12-rebound performance in a win over the Nets on Monday night for evidence. It was only the second game he's started this season, and if it was a sign of things to come, you'll want to get in on the ground floor. The Cavaliers go up against Pachulia and the Hawks on Wednesday night, so you'll have a chance to see whether Thompson can follow up one great performance with another, but it's worth pointing out that the Cavaliers released Ryan Hollins following Thompson's big night, and Thompson was a high lottery pick last summer, so the Cavs certainly have already invested in him in a serious way. If you need help in points, rebounds and blocks (and can take a hit in free throw percentage, where Thompson shoots just 50 percent on the season), he's worth picking up, especially if you're looking to make a high-risk move that could pay off down the stretch.

 

[HacheMan]

Daily Dose: Gordon Goes Nuts



NBC has me on other assignments, so here are some highlights from the blurbs last night.



Ben Gordon hit all nine of his 3-point attempts en route to 45 points.



Jarrett Jack scored 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Warriors, which isn’t really an accomplishment. Klay Thompson might be a fantasy stud, but he is a brutally bad defender and next to Nate Robinson in the backcourt and with David Lee at center any achievement against GSW is to be taken with the appropriate salt. Speaking of Thompson, he had another banner night with a career-high 27 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four 3-pointers. I am about zero percent surprised, as owner Joe Lacob is hell-bent on making his draft pick look good.



LeBron James said he had a “stinger” and that no concussions tests were taken after his hard fall on Tuesday, so I fully expect him to play on Friday.



Manu Ginobili (hip) is not ready to play in back-to-back games, putting the cap on an otherwise predictably disappointing season. He’ll still be worth owning, but starting him is going to be a tricky endeavor in weekly leagues.



Marvin Williams (hip) did not play last night.



Derrick Rose (groin) did not play last night, and there was about a zero percent chance of him playing if he has yet to run on it. I’ll reiterate for the hundredth time that the Bulls are the Patriots of injury reporting and tell owners to plan accordingly. C.J. Watson won the war of the backups last night with a 15-4-3 line that included three treys in 32 minutes, while John Lucas had 13 points, four assists, and two threes in 17 minutes. Watson is the guy to bet on right now, but there is very little separation between the two.



If James Johnson wasn’t the most asked about guy to drop yesterday, he was close, and every time I sheepishly wrote that I’d keep or take J.J. and give the second-best option knowing that owners were looking at that guy because they were sick of Johnson’s inconsistency. Of course, he went out and scored 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal, which is actually a slow night when he’s ‘on.’ Barring a significant change I’ll continue to bet on him to finish strong, and hopefully Dwane Casey realizes soon that he’s coaching for ping pong balls. Andrea Bargnani (calf) continued to struggle in his return and posted an odd-ball eight points on 2-of-10 shooting with five rebounds and six assists. If he’s doing this next week I’ll be concerned about how he finishes.



I think we’ve blurbed the same exact Danilo Gallinari (broken non-shooting thumb) report three times in the last two days, which includes Gallo saying he wants to play sooner than the rough four-week timetable he got from doctors. I’ll just pose the question to you. Would you rush Gallo back sooner than 2-3 weeks before the playoffs? That’s the million dollar question owners are looking at as they weigh their rosters in this critical time.



Rodney Stuckey (toe) did not play.



Andre Miller (shoulder) see-sawed back and forth about his status but ultimately decided to play



Caron Butler (rest) got a day off, and his face-plant is precisely why he was on my ‘do not draft’ list. I was eating my words for a while there, though.



Deron Williams got ejected in the third quarter last night and he’s turning into a dark character as we head into the stretch run. He’s bitter, somewhat injury-prone, and playing for ping pong balls. Hang on and hope for the best.



Tony Parker left last night’s game with a strained left hamstring, and we’ll need to get the next update before knowing his status.



Pau Gasol is dealing with (non-shooting) elbow bursitis, which for now falls into the ‘don’t worry’ category.



J.J. Hickson speculation began to hit my inbox yesterday and I’m personally glad that he was signed by the Blazers, because now we don’t have to wonder what he might have done in Golden State, that boasts David “1,000 thread count” Lee at center.



Anderson Varejao (wrist) might get a relevant update on Saturday, so owners may want to consider a speculative stash on Friday or thereabouts. You’re gambling if you jump the gun, so hopefully you feel lucky.



Jerryd Bayless played one minute in last night’s game due to his hip pointer.



Carl Landry (knee) did not play on Wednesday, and I have no idea why anybody would seriously put stock in any report that he would play. If he plays, great, but projecting that is lazy analysis. On that same note, you would have to be pretty set to hang onto Brook Lopez right now. The Nets are expected to give an update on the status of Lopez on Friday, and there's a pretty decent chance he could be shut down for the season.

 

[HacheMan]

Post-deadline rotation fallout

By John Cregan | Special to ESPN.com

At this stage of our crazily compacted season, we're all in the same boat: riding the waiver-wire seas in search of ways to give our teams that bit of added spark that could be the difference between victory and defeat.


I like this stage of the season because it allows me to scratch my player-movement itch in a less invasive manner. A season's not going to be sunk because I dropped Jameer Nelson for Gustavo Ayon. But it could very well spell the difference in a close categorical battle or two.


It's also a good time to look to the wire. After the opening week of the season, this is the most fruitful free-agent period of the fantasy season. Thanks to the ripple effect of multiple trade-deadline deals -- and some subsequent buyouts and shutdowns -- we've got plenty of fresh names to kick around.


A couple of weeks back, I wrote a small novella on players I had my eye on planning for the post-deadline period. Now that the deadline has come and gone, I want to take a trip through some squads that have made some recent shifts in their rotations.


Charlotte Bobcats



Reasons for shift: Buyout, injury


The backcourt, as predicted, is a bit of a depressing mush, with D.J. Augustin and Kemba Walker wasting their upside while struggling to maintain consistent value in a time-share situation.



But ye basketball gods finally granted Boris Diaw a chance to catch on with a contender, as Diaw was finally bought out of the remainder of his contract. That, and a recent aggravation of Corey Maggette's oft-maligned back, has opened up some new opportunities up front in Charlotte.

Bismack Biyombo should already be on your radar, but Tyrus Thomas' minutes have been on a recent upswing (24.7 minutes per game during the past seven days). Thomas, who has to be one of the most added/dropped big men in fantasy history, has a very streaky pedigree. Once or twice a season, he'll go on a mini-tear as if to remind people that he was once a high lottery pick.


Taking Monday's team-wide clunker versus the 76ers out the equation (no Corey Maggette), Thomas has shown signs of building up into a mild roll as of late. He also now has small forward eligibility, giving him a nice little added dimension for forward-hungry squads.


Two more names I'll throw out: Reggie Williams and D.J. White. I think Charlotte will do everything they can to not shut down Maggette (he's their only reliable veteran scorer on the wing), but if Maggette remains sidelined, both Williams and White could flash enough fantasy potential to warrant a pickup.


Williams was one of Don Nelson's final D-League superstars (one of Nelson's special fantasy gifts was bestowing relevance upon heretofore unknown D-Leaguers), averaging 15.2 ppg down the stretch for Golden State in 2009-10. And D.J. White's solid per-40 numbers (15.2 points, 8.9 rebounds) have long fueled interest -- well, at least my interest -- as to what he'd put up given a steady diet of minutes.


Cleveland Cavaliers



Reason for shift: Trade


As promised, both Tristan Thompson and Alonzo Gee have made strides post-deadline. Thompson's 27-point, 12-rebound romp against the Nets and his newfound eligibility at center are both good reasons to give him a pickup. But be just as excited about his rising MPG, which is up to 31.4 in his past five games.


Alonzo Gee is one of the most-added players in fantasy, and is quietly giving the Cavs the most stable small forward play they've had since LeBron departed for the Heat.


One thing I like about Gee -- it's not his still-developing outside shot -- is the fact that he does something to help his owners every night. He was horrible from the field last night against the Hawks (1-9 FG, 0-3 on 3s), but still clawed his way to a near double-double (9 points, 13 rebounds), and threw in four assists as gravy.


Denver Nuggets



Reason for shift: Trade, Injury, End of Chinese Season


Denver is sort of a more stable and productive version of Sacramento; the Nuggets have a ton of players who could be top-50 fantasy players with more minutes, but there's too much depth at certain positions to let anyone truly break out.


Nene for JaVale McGee could be a masterstroke a year or two from now, but for now McGee's muddling Kenneth Faried's coming-out party. Between those two, Al Harrington, Timofey Mozgov and Chris Andersen, it's going to be a bit of a struggle for a big Nugget to be a huge night-in, night-out contributor.


Here's hoping George Karl eventually turns to a Faried-McGee pairing in the paint. In terms of style and skill set, they actually complement one another quite nicely. Oh, and is Wilson Chandler (one of my favorite players of the past couple of seasons) still available in your league? If so, stop reading this and go pick him up. I'll wait.


Detroit Pistons



Reason for shift: Rodney Stuckey's toe


Just throwing this in here in case Stuckey's injury becomes a lingering issue. Obviously, Ben Gordon (45 points last night) stands to gain in Stuckey's absence, but Will Bynum (10 points, 6 assists) could also contribute in deeper leagues.


Golden State Warriors



Reason for shift: Trade, Injury, Shutdown
Now can you see why I was so excited about Klay Thompson getting a starting gig? Overall, Golden State is currently fertile territory because the Warriors are very thin at several spots, those being point guard, power forward, and center.


Jeremy Tyler got the start at center Wednesday night in place of the injured Andris Biedrins (who can't buy a break). It's too bad Golden State didn't grab J.J. Hickson, because he could have been a prime late-season breakout candidate as a Warrior. Dominic McGuire could end up scrapping his way to 25-30 minutes a night. When he was getting that many MPG as a Wizard, McGuire could put together some intriguing stat lines, so keep an eye on him.
We're still looking at a time-share on the wing. It's going to be hard to predict whom out of Dorell Wright, Richard Jefferson and Brandon Rush will be productive. My guess is two out of three of those guys will be post a serviceable stat line per game, with the odd man out shifting on a nightly basis.


Los Angeles Clippers



Reason for shift: Trade


The easy assumption is that Nick Young's arrival spells the end of Randy Foye's fantasy relevance, but you can never truly count anyone out when Vinny Del Negro is filling out your lineup card.

Foye had a huge night (23 points) Wednesday as the starting shooting guard, with Nick Young (12 points) starting at small forward ahead of the temporarily moribund Caron Butler. Mo Williams looks like he'll retain his value regardless of who starts ahead of him.


Los Angeles Lakers



Reason for shift: Trade


And … I'm back. I actually took a break from writing this to pick up Ramon Sessions in one of my leagues. He had his best outing yet as a Laker (17 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds) Wednesday night at the Mavericks, and I'd assume he should be starting ahead of Steve Blake by next week. Also, don't forget about Matt Barnes, who seems to be enjoying playing with Sessions (58 points and 30 rebounds over his last five games).


Milwaukee Bucks



Reason for shift: Trade


Milwaukee is suddenly loaded offensively and is on a major roll, having won six straight. Both Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings have taken small hits in value, but the perpetually streaky Carlos Delfino (16.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.3 3s per game, 2.0 spg in his past three games) looks like he's about to go off on one of his binges. When he gets minutes and he's on, Delfino's the kind of guy who can help you win a week seemingly singlehanded.


Delfino could get pushed for minutes by the (also) newly resurgent Mike Dunleavy. In just 28.8 MPG, Dunleavy has averaged 18.8 points, 4.6 assists and 2.4 3-pointers in his past five games. He's been having a vintage, throwback month. To watch him play, it seems like he could have finally escaped the injury bug that sapped his firmly prodigious fantasy talent. With five more minutes a night, he could start cracking 20 ppg on a regular basis down the stretch. (On a personal note, I also love his SG eligibility.)

Minnesota Timberwolves



Reason for shift: Injury


Just a quick reminder; if Nikola Pekovic stays on the shelf, keep an eye on Anthony Tolliver. He's another ex-Don Nelson prodigy who had a nice run at the end of the 2009-10 season. I've always liked Tolliver because of his ability to add 3s from the center position.


San Antonio Spurs



Reason for shift: Trade, Injury, Resting for Playoffs

The creaky but still-dangerous Spurs are a tough team to peg. Gregg Popovich is going to have to rest Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker as much as possible, which means that fantasy opportunities will open up for other Spurs up and down the lineup. The problem is reliably predicting who's going to rest and when.


Kawhi Leonard seems like a strong play for the duration, but Stephen Jackson is still easing into his new team. I was bullish on Jackson as a Spur, but I may need to revise my outlook based on the small amount of minutes he's received to date. Daniel Green's been starting ahead of him at SG and producing (14 points, 7 rebounds Wednesday night), and it's conceivable Popovich uses Jackson as a sixth man.


Utah Jazz



Reason for shift: Injury


With Josh Howard undergoing yet another surgery, Gordon Hayward's going to receive a fresh opportunity to play his way onto the fantasy radar. With 28-30 MPG seemingly locked in, Hayward's a good bet for a late-season surge.


Washington Wizards




Reasons for shift: Trade, Shutdown


Nene's (22 points, 10 rebounds Wednesday night) been grabbing all the attention in the new-look Wizards' frontcourt, but don't sleep on the high-motor, medium-upside duo of Kevin Seraphin and Trevor Booker. Andray Blatche has been put on a (probably permanent) conditioning vacation, meaning there are minutes to go around for all three players. Roger Mason has been on fire from downtown since the trade, and could help some of you in need of 3s in medium-to-deep leagues.

 

[HacheMan]

Damaged Rose

When it comes to the big picture, the Bulls get it.

They know that the only thing stopping them from a rematch with the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals is an injury. So when it comes to the health of Derrick Rose’s groin, they will take no chances.

"We just want him to make progress,” coach Tom Thibodeau said earlier this week. “When he's healthy, he's healthy. We're not going to rush him back. We want him to be completely healthy. We think that's important."

Rose originally sustained the injury back on March 12 when he took off wrong while going for a layup against Jeremy Lin. He played through it to the tune of 32 points in 42 minutes that night, but actually made the injury worse.

Since then, Rose hasn’t even been able to run. He’s missed five straight games and is not expected to play Saturday either. Top beat writer K.C. Johnson is now calling the reigning MVP “week-to-week.”

All owners can do is continue to spot-start explosive backup C.J. Watson. In 13 starts this season, Watson is averaging 12.8 points, 4.2 assists, 1.9 3-pointers and 1.1 steals. It’s a reasonable expectation for the foreseeable future.

NEWS OF THE DAY #2
Owners of Spurs veterans already had a serious problem on their hands due to the schedule. Beginning Friday, San Antonio will play five games in six nights. During stretches like this, coach Gregg Popovich has shown no hesitation when it comes to simply tanking a game in exchange for rest for Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.

Matters took a turn for the worse on Wednesday night when Parker sustained a left hamstring strain and was unable to return. Even if the injury is “mild,” as expected, it’s just an excuse for Parker to take plenty of time off during this stretch.

Enter Gary Neal, who is an undersized shooting guard that has been masquerading as a backup point guard for much of the season. In seven starts this year, he’s averaging 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 3-pointers. Deep-leaguers should be aware.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
The Warriors are expected to make a decision by either this weekend or early next week on Stephen Curry’s (ankle/foot) status. At this point, it would be a surprise if the headline didn’t read “Stephen Curry finally shut down for season.” Curry is the future of the franchise and the team is in tank mode. There’s absolutely no incentive to risk further aggravation.

Nate Robinson has done just about what we thought he would with his seven starts, averaging 14.4 points, 6.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.4 3-pointers per game. Nasty Nate.

NEWS OF THE DAY #4
Marvin Williams (hip) is expected back on Friday. He’s not expected to get his starting gig back.

The Hawks like rolling with a three-guard lineup of Jeff Teague, Kirk Hinrich and Joe Johnson. In Hinrich’s 12 starts this year, the Hawks are 8-4. However, he’s averaging just 8.8 points, 2.9 assists, 1.3 3-pointers and 0.7 steals in those games. Productivity concerns for fantasy owners remain and Williams returning can only mean less minutes and shots, even if/when Hinrich sticks as the starter.

THURSDAY NIGHT INJURIES
1. Mo Williams left with a left toe injury and did not return. X-rays were negative, but Williams already had a down arrow thanks to Nick Young’s arrival.

2. Trevor Booker played 32 minutes, but after the game he said he feels like he “has a nail” in his left heel. He tweeted a picture of himself in a walking boot. Although Booker says he hopes to miss no time, there’s plenty of reason for skepticism.

3. Jason Thompson continued his stunningly torrid streak, ripping the Jazz for 19 points and 15 rebounds in 31 minutes. But with less than 10 seconds to go, he sustained an ankle/foot injury and could not put any weight on his left side. He had to be helped to the locker room and it had the looks of a pretty serious sprain. With J.J. Hickson in Portland, Chuck Hayes is the add here. UPDATE: After the game, Thompson called the sprain minor and said he expects to play Saturday. We'll see.

4. Trevor Ariza left in the third quarter with an ankle injury and didn’t return. THURSDAY NIGHT GAME THOUGHTS
Jason Smith made his return to the starting lineup, replacing Gustavo Ayon. He posted 17 points, eight boards and two blocks, but also clubbed Blake Griffin on a fast break. Smith is likely facing a suspension after getting ejected. … Greg Steimsma had five blocks and is now averaging 2.7 blocks over his last nine games. … It’s not just minutes Mike Dunleavy is losing with Monta Ellis in town -- it’s shots as well. Dunleavy got just eight up Thursday. … Chandler Parsons went off for 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. He’s playing some backup point guard and taking on a bigger role thanks to the Rockets’ injuries. … It doesn’t matter how much of a slump Nicolas Batum ever gets in. His game is a roto-dream. Hang on tight. … Tyreke Evans was given the choice if he wanted to start or come off the bench. Weird. Regardless, he’ll almost certainly start over INJURY FAST BREAK: GUARDS
Kevin Martin (shoulder) hasn’t practiced or played in 10 days. There’s no target date for his return, locking Courtney Lee into heavy minutes. … There’s nothing new to report on Kyle Lowry (bacterial infection). He doesn’t have a target date either and there’s speculation he could miss a couple more weeks. … Rudy Fernandez (back) is out for at least the rest of the regular season. … Jerryd Bayless (hip pointer) is day-to-day. He won’t push starter Jose Calderon from the training table. … Rodney Stuckey (toe) is questionable for Friday. If he returns, it’ll be a major blow to those that added Ben Gordon Wednesday. Gordon averages just 23.5 minutes per game as a reserve.

INJURY FAST BREAK: FORWARDS AND CENTERS
Nikola Pekovic (ankles) has been sent back to Minnesota for rehab. He’s tentatively targeting Sunday for a return, leaving rookie Derrick Williams as an interesting deep-league option Friday. … LeBron James (head, elbow) is sore but will be fine for Friday. … Corey Maggette (back) missed practice Thursday and is questionable for Friday. Reggie Williams is the handcuff. … Joel Anthony (ankle) is ready to return. … Shawn Marion (knee) is targeting Friday for his return. It’s bad news for those that have been riding Roddy Beaubois.

 

[HacheMan]

Wired: Top NBA Pickups

To kick off this edition of Waiver Wired, we’ll start with a piece about the Spurs I posted in Season Pass on Thursday, as I’m sure guys like Gary Neal, Kawhi Leonard and San Antonio, We Have A Problem




The Spurs have a crazy schedule the rest of the way, as they play five games in six nights starting on Friday, and then venture into April, when they have six sets of back-to-back games, and play 16 times in 26 nights. The only consecutive days off in April come on the 1^st and 2^ndand the remaining schedule is 3-4-4-5-3. Gregg Popovich watched Tony Parker go down on Wednesday night with a hamstring injury, and probably immediately had visions of the same thing happening to Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.



Pop is already famous for benching guys randomly and has said his goal is to get to the playoffs with everyone healthy, regardless of how much time off his old guys are going to need. They already utilize young players as much as any team in the league and those numbers could soon be on the rise given the brutal schedule facing the Spurs.



Gary Neal G



Neal had a nice line on Wednesday, as he filled in for Parker, who didn't return from the injury. Neal finished with 16 points, three assists, four steals and two 3-pointers, hitting 7-of-15 shots in 28 minutes. A lot of this depends on the severity of Parker's injury, which has been called "mild" in the early diagnosis, but there's a decent chance that he's sidelined for the five games in six days stretch. And if it happens, Neal and Manu Ginobili would both take over point guard duties. And when Parker is healthy enough to play again, he might still see limited minutes, which should mean good things for Neal. There's no telling how reliable Neal will be going forward, but given Parker's injury, I think he should be grabbed by any owner in need of a point guard, or any owner who has a player on the roster they've been wanting to cut.



MarShon Brooks and a suddenly cold (and with a bad schedule) Evan Turner seem like guys I would enjoy cutting to pick up Neal right now.



Kawhi Leonard SF



Leonard had 16 points, nine boards, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer in 38 minutes on Wednesday and is averaging 11 points, six boards, two steals and more than a 3-pointer per game in 33 minutes over his last five. Stephen Jackson played well too, also scoring 16 points in 22 minutes, but he's old (34) and Leonard is a rookie. Jackson's arrival is a bit of a concern for Leonard’s value, as is the way the Spurs like to spread the minutes around, but if you crawl into the head of Popovich for a minute, it makes sense for him to run Leonard into the ground the rest of the way, while picking his spots with Jackson from night to night. Leonard's minutes have been steady and should be even more so going forward, unless Pop decides to also start giving his young guys random nights off, too. Stranger things have happened.



Danny Green SG



Green played 29 minutes and had 14 points, seven rebounds and a block Wednesday, and is averaging 13 points, a steal and two 3-pointers over his last five games in 24 minutes. Again, Green is 25 years old and healthy, while Manu Ginobili is almost 35, constantly banged up and got a precautionary game off on Friday, with more likely to come. The Spurs may still not be comfortable with Manu playing in back-to-back games, which means Manu could get every other night off for the foreseeable future. Yes, I would consider dropping Manu, but I also think it makes sense to give Green a close look if you can use the numbers he's averaged over his last five.



Tiago Splitter and DeJuan Blair F/C



Splitter had 11 points, seven boards and five assists on Wednesday, while Blair managed just four points, six rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes. Tim Duncan had a huge night with 21 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, which means he'll be due for a night off soon. Duncan is almost 36, and has averaged 18 points, 12 boards and two blocks over his last five games, despite playing just 29 minutes per. But he's just as susceptible to a day off as any of his teammates, although Popovich did say recently that Duncan is healthy and in great shape. It doesn't matter, as he's going to get some nights off. I don't trust Splitter or Blair nearly as much as the other young guns mentioned earlier, but if you need a center, both should see pretty solid minutes from here on in.



Maybe I'm reading too much into the Spurs' schedule and overestimating Pop's need to keep the old guys healthy, but it sure looks like Neal, Leonard and Green are guys who should be picked up right now. The Spurs have the second best record in the West, and I'm betting that Pop will take a chance on dropping a few spots in order to keep his guys healthy, rather than go all out and try to get the No. 1 seed.<!--RW-->



Five Is the Magic Number?



Deciding what to call each week has become a guessing game in many leagues. Some sites combined All-Star Week with another, while others just use their own random week numbers, based on when the season should have started vs. when it did start, etc. But around these parts, the upcoming week is Week 14 and the playoffs in a majority of leagues run from Weeks 14-16. So let’s take a look at those three and see which teams have five-game schedules, and who the pickups might be. Outside of a couple players, the news isn't all that great.



Week 14 (upcoming)



5-Games:



Indiana:



Must Starts: Darren Collison, Paul George, Danny Granger, David West, Roy Hibbert



For Your Consideration



George Hill PG – Hill disappeared in Thursday’s amazing comeback win over the Wizards, but I’m not deterred. He was 0-for-5 and played just 18 minutes, and also struggled on Saturday, when he played 28 minutes, but hit just 1-of-7 shots. In his other three previous games he’s averaging nearly 15 points, five rebounds, five assists, a steal and two 3-pointers in 28 minutes. It’s become obvious that Frank Vogel is going to ride the hot hand between Hill and Darren Collison, but I’m still prepared to run Hill out there for five games and see what happens in some of my deeper leagues.



Tyler Hansbrough PF – If 10 points and four rebounds over his last five games float your boat, go for it. But David West survived his dislocated pinkie on Thursday night, or Hansbrough would be more of a must-add player than a mystery man.



Leandro Barbosa SG – Barbosa has played 18 and 15 minutes in his two games with the Pacers, scoring 12 and two points. He might still be worth a roll of the dice in a very deep league, but needs more games under his belt for Vogel to be used in most leagues.



New Orleans:



Must Starts: Jarrett Jack, Trevor Ariza, Chris Kaman



For Your Consideration



Marco Belinelli SG- Bello has been alternating good games with bad ones, averaging nearly 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and 1.6 3-pointers per game over his last five. Spread that out over five games and he could be a better play than many guys who only go three times. Just be careful not to bench a four-game stud for what Belinelli may or may not get you in the extra game.



Greivis Vasquez G – Vasquez is coming off the bench and averaging nine points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 3-pointers over his last five games, which should hold up going forward.



Jason Smith & Associates PF – I have been holding onto Gustavo Ayon in anticipation of this week, but a series of unfortunate events has happened, making Ayon nearly impossible to play. First of all, Smith has come out of nowhere in his return from a concussion to average 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on 13-of-22 shooting over his last two games. Secondly, he surprisingly started over Ayon on Thursday, limiting Ayon to just 11 minutes and zero points. And lastly, Week 15 (week after next)



5 Games



Memphis:




Must Starts: Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol



For Your Consideration



Tony Allen SG- Allen, who starts at shooting guard, is heating up at the right time, scoring between 14 & 18 points in three of his last five games, and is averaging 11 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 25 minutes over those five. His scoring has really picked up and if he stays hot for his three games in Week 14, he’ll enter must-start territory for Week 15.



O.J. Mayo SG – Mayo has cooled off, scoring just six points in each of his last two games, but I’m fine with that, as he played 29 and 17 minutes in those two. Over his last five, he’s at 9 points, 4 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals in 25 minutes, but has just two 3-pointers over that stretch. I plan on using him in Week 15 despite the recent struggles, if he plays well this week.



Marreese Speights is another guy worth a look, but with Zach Randolph back, he’s a longshot. Just keep in mind that Randolph could be held out for a game or two in a five-game week.



Sacramento



Must Starts: Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins



For Your Consideration



Jason Thompson PF – Thompson is still unowned in many leagues, but is on a major roll, double-doubling in five straight games and averaging an astounding 17.6 points, 13.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks over that stretch. He sprained his left ankle at the end of Thursday night’s game, but says he’s going to play on Saturday. I’m going to bench him for three games this week, in hopes that he’s at full strength and still rolling for the five games in Week 15. In my mind, he’s a must-own player at this point.



John Salmons SF – Salmons has been starting over Tyreke Evans, but is averaging just seven points, three boards and four assists over his last five. And given that Evans should be starting again by the time Week 15 rolls around, I’d ignore Salmons.<!--RW-->



Week 16 (2 weeks from now)



5 Games



Boston



Must Starts: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, Kevin Garnett



Brandon Bass PF – Bass is still not owned in a lot of leagues but is averaging 13 points, six boards, a steal and a block over his last five games. The Celtics go 4-4-5 over the next three weeks, making him a solid player to own in all leagues right now.



Charlotte



Must Starts: D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo



For Your Consideration



Kemba Walker G – Walker is averaging 9.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists over his last five and should see an increase in minutes as the season winds down, and I’m guessing he’ll be an automatic start in most leagues by the time Week 16 gets here.



Reggie Williams SF – If Corey Maggette remains in shutdown mode with his bad back, Williams will be a sneaky play in Week 16. He started their last game and had 13 points, six boards, two assists and a 3-pointer. If Maggette is back by then, he should be in most lineups that week, instead of Williams, but he’s always an injury risk.



Tyrus Thomas & D.J. White PF – These two show moments of potential all the time, but would need to get hot between now and Week 16 before I’d consider them. Put them on your watch list.



Cleveland



Must Starts: Kyrie Irving, Alonzo Gee, Antawn Jamison, Tristan Thompson



For Your Consideration



Gee and Thompson may not be owned in your league, but will likely be scooped up in all leagues very soon, if not by the end of the weekend. The Cavs go 4-4-5-4-3 to finish things out, meaning I would be happy to own both players the rest of the way.



Daniel Gibson G – Gibson is out with a sprained ankle right now, but could be rolling by the time Week 16 gets here, and should be a better option than starter Point Guards




Goran Dragic Rockets – Dragic is averaging 15 points, 11 assists, two steals and a 3-pointer over his last five and there are no signs that Kyle Lowry is going to return anytime soon. The Rockets finish 4-3-4-5-1.



Ramon Sessions Lakers – He’s still not starting, but is averaging 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 3-pointers in his last two, and should only get better. The Lakers finish 4-4-4-4-1.



C.J. Watson Bulls – Derrick Rose is “week-to-week” with his groin injury and Watson looks like a strong play until further notice, but the Bulls go 4-3-3-4-2 to finish out, which isn’t ideal.



Nate Robinson Warriors – Robinson is near 13 points, two rebounds, six assists, two steals and 1.6 3-pointers per game over his last five, and should be owned with Stephen Curry likely done for the year.



Jose Juan Barea Timberwolves - Barea blew up for 18 points, 11 assists and two 3-pointers on Wednesday, a night when Luke Ridnour disappeared, and should be in for a nice run to the finish. The Wolves go 4-3-4-4-1.<!--RW-->



Shooting Guards



Jordan Crawford Wizards – Crawford is averaging 18 points, two steals and nearly 1.5 threes per game over his last five, and those numbers could actually go up. The Wiz finish 4-4-4-3-3 and he should not be available in any leagues.



Klay Thompson Warriors – Thompson is averaging 18 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.4 3-pointers over his last five and is another must-own player. The Warriors finish 4-4-4-5-2.



Arron Afflalo Nuggets – Afflalo is finally hot, averaging over 20 points, three boards, three assists and more than a three per game over his last five. The Nuggets finish 4-3-4-4-2.



Gordon Hayward Jazz – Hayward is heating up again, averaging 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal over his last five, which includes a zero-point effort on Sunday. The Jazz finish up 4-4-4-3-2 and Hayward looks like a must-add player again.



Carlos Delfino Bucks – Delfino’s slump is finally over and he’s at 16 points, seven boards, two steals and three 3-pointers over his last four games. I have no idea if he’ll keep it going, but he’s worth a shot as the Bucks finish 4-4-4-3-3.



Mike Dunleavy Bucks – Ditto for Dunleavy, who is averaging 17 points, two boards, three assists and two 3-pointers per game over his last five.



Ben Gordon Pistons – Gordon exploded for 45 points and hit 9-of-9 3-pointers to go along with eight assists on Wednesday. We’ll have to see what he does on Friday, as he has scored in double figures in just three of his last nine games, and keep in mind that Rodney Stuckey was out for Wednesday’s explosion. The Pistons finish 4-4-4-4-2.



Courtney Lee Rockets – Kevin Martin is out indefinitely with a tear in his shoulder, while Lee continues to play well for Houston on most nights. He’s been hit or miss lately, but is still averaging 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and two 3-pointers over his last five, despite scoring just nine, seven and two points in three of those. He had 23 and 25 points in the other two, and the Rockets finish 4-3-4-5-1.



Chase Budinger Rockets – Budinger comes in at 10 points, six boards, one assist, one steal and one 3-pointer over his last five games.



Roger Mason Jr. Wizards – Mason failed to score in his last game, but had 19, 12 and 16 in three of his four previous games, making him worth a look in deeper leagues. 4-4-4-3-3.



Small Forwards



Wilson Chandler Nuggets – Chandler is starting for injured Danilo Gallinari and is averaging 12 points, 7.0 boards, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 3-pointer in his two games. And with Gallo not appearing to be close to a return, Chandler has become a must-own player.



Richard Jefferson Warriors – RJ is averaging 12.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.8 3-pointers over his last four games, getting over 30 minutes per game for the Warriors, who finish 4-4-4-5-2.



Brandon Rush Warriors – Rush is at 10 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2 assists, and about 1.5 blocks and 1.5 threes per game over his last five.



Dorell Wright Warriors – Wright has cooled off with the arrival of Jefferson, but is still at 11 points, five boards, a steal, a block and two 3-pointers per game over his last five.



Chandler Parsons Rockets – Parsons is starting and sits at 11 points, seven boards, three assists, a steal and a 3-pointer over his last five games. The Rockets finish 4-3-4-5-1.



Matt Barnes Lakers – Barnes is suddenly heating up for the Lakers (4-4-4-4-1), averaging 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.8 3-pointers over his last five. The schedule is nice and he’s feeling it.



James Johnson Raptors – Johnson runs hot and cold, but is averaging 11 points, four boards, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks over his last five games. The Raps finish 4-4-4-3-2.



Tayshaun Prince Pistons – Prince cooled off on Wednesday when Gordon went nuts, but is still at 15 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers over his last five. The Pistons finish 4-4-4-4-2, making him look like a solid add.



Power Forwards



Derrick Williams Timberwolves – Williams is hit or miss, but could be in line for more starts if Nikola Pekovic continues to sit with his ankle issues, and is averaging eight points, eight rebounds and nearly a block per game over his last five. Minnesota goes 4-3-4-4-1 to finish up.



Centers



Nene Wizards – Nene is playing well for the Wizards and appears to be healthy, so make sure he wasn’t dropped in your league. 4-4-4-3-3.



J.J. Hickson Trail Blazers – Hickson is ready to make his Blazers debut and given their lack of depth in the big-man department, he could make some noise in a deep league. 4-4-4-3-2.

 

[HacheMan]

Favors, Thompson offer late boost

By Josh Whitling | Special to ESPN.com

It happens every year around this point in the season: Fantasy owners become more complacent and less active in their leagues. I get it. Distractions such as March Madness and fantasy baseball preparations abound. Plus, if you're floundering toward the bottom of your league standings, it can be difficult to remain motivated to check your team daily and make roster decisions that maximize your team's value.


But there are several reasons to remain as active in your league as possible until the end of the season. First, you can capitalize on the complacency of other owners and make more of a jump than you'd expect. Also, it's satisfying to play the role of spoiler; even if you're not going to finish first in your league, fielding the best team possible undoubtedly affects other teams' positions in the final standings. Another reason is that it increases the viability and integrity of your entire league, and every participant remaining as competitive as possible has a utilitarian impact that increases overall fantasy karma. Finally, valuable free agents appear on the wire until the final day of the regular season for myriad reasons: injuries, coaching changes, players being rested for the playoffs, young players seeing their PT increase as auditions for the future -- all reasons to remain active on the waiver wire in order to get those top free agents and make your fantasy team, as well as your fantasy league, as excellent as possible. This final point is especially true in keeper formats, where you should be looking for late-season bargains that emerge regardless of your team's standing this season.


Let's take a look at some widely available free agents who have distinguished themselves of late and can still have an impact on your team's standing.


Eric Gordon, SG, New Orleans Hornets (30.2 percent owned): The other big name in the Chris Paul trade, Gordon's season has been decimated by a knee injury. He's supposed to return to practice next week, an indication that the team would like him to return this season. If you have an extra bench spot, Gordon could be a difference-maker in the final weeks of the season, and shrewd owners will add him now. Even if he's a shell of himself upon returning, he should help in points, 3-pointers and steals and is definitely worth a roster spot in all formats if he gets back on the floor.


Derrick Favors, PF, Utah Jazz (19.7 percent owned): Favors was born in 1991. That's just a reminder of how young he is, and when he averages 11.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game in his past five, he's putting up fantasy-worthy numbers now, even though his game is still developing. His potential is among the highest in the league for big men, and even though the Jazz have brought him along slowly due to frontcourt depth, he could explode at any point, and I want him on my roster when he does. He's averaging 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in his past 10, numbers already worth a roster spot, and he has nowhere to go but up.

Tristan Thompson, PF/C, Cleveland Cavaliers (10.6 percent owned): Thompson is starting at center, as the Cavaliers are looking to develop their future pieces as much as possible. The early returns are promising -- 15.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1 block and 0.7 steals in three starts so far, an accurate indication of the type of stats he'll put up. He won't wow in any category or put up eye-popping stats, but he is well-rounded and capable of scoring, rebounding and posting balanced defensive numbers at just 21 years old. Thompson possesses nice upside and, now that he's starting, presents low risk.


Jonas Jerebko, SF/PF, Detroit Pistons (6.4 percent owned): Jerebko is streaky but capable of providing efficient scoring, flirting with double-digit points and shooting in the upper-40s from the field (46.9 percent for the season, 47.6 for his career). He's on a promising end of a streak, with double-digit scoring in six of his past eight games, and provides a handful of 3s and steals (0.5 and 0.7 per game, respectively) to go along with his efficient scoring.


Courtney Lee, SG, Houston Rockets (5.0 percent owned): Lee struggles at times, but his stats always seem to balance out to him being helpful in points, 3s and steals. Kevin Martin is sidelined, so in Lee's past five games he's seen more minutes and put up 13.2 points, 2 3s and 4.4 rebounds per game. Martin has dealt with inconsistency himself during the past couple of months, so Lee winds up being productive with or without him. For the season, Lee is at 10.1 points, 1.4 3s and 1 steal per game.


Kevin Seraphin, PF, Washington Wizards (4.6 percent owned): Seraphin, a French player who started playing basketball later than the typical AAU kid in America, has a raw and promising game that is still developing. His blocks are fantastic -- at 3.87 swats per 48 minutes, he ranks seventh among players with at least 14 minutes per game, and he's averaging 1.2 blocks a game for the season in just 14.9 minutes per game. With Andray Blatche shut down for a few weeks as he regains his conditioning and the Wizards in full-on "look to the future" mode, Seraphin should continue seeing minutes off the bench despite the presence ofNene. He's averaging 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in his past five games, and in deeper leagues he should be a fantastic source of blocks going forward.

Gerald Green, SG/SF, New Jersey Nets (3.8 percent owned): Green went from the D-League, where he earned All-Star MVP honors, to being signed for the rest of the season by the Nets, proving the efficacy of the developmental league and how it can be wise for fantasy owners to pay attention to which players are having statistical success at that level. Green's best statistical trait is his 3-point shooting, and even with Gerald Wallace in the picture, he should still see around 20 minutes per game and drain more than one trey per contest. His length and athleticism help him accrue some steals and blocks, as he's averaging 1.2 3s, 1 block and 1.4 steals per game over his past five games, and 1.0 3s, 0.7 blocks and 0.8 steals per game for the season.



Matt Barnes, SF, Los Angeles Lakers (1.7 percent owned): Barnes has benefited from the roster shakeup in Los Angeles, flashing his "do a little of everything" skills during his past five games with averages of 11.6 points, 6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 3s. He's hit double-digit points in four of his past five after not accomplishing the feat in the prior six contests, and if you need some roster glue, Barnes provides a little in every category without hurting you anywhere.


Kirk Hinrich, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks (1.3 percent owned): Hinrich is starting in a three-guard set in Atlanta alongside Jeff Teague and Joe Johnson, and in his 12 starts this season, the wily vet is averaging 8.8 points, 1.3 3s, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. He's still a fantastic on-the-ball defender, which helps him earn decent defensive stats, and fellow point guard Teague can play off the ball, so Hinrich still gets close to three assists per game when given the opportunity (2.8 assists per game his past 10 contests). He won't provide the type of assists, 3s and steals that he did in his heyday, but he should be a solid source of all three now that he's entrenched in the Hawks' starting lineup.


Shelden Williams, PF/C, New Jersey Nets (0.6 percent owned): Williams is quietly having his best statistical season, with 6.2 rebounds, 0.7 blocks and 0.8 steals per game for the Nets, his seventh NBA team in six seasons. With Brook Lopez still sidelined with an ankle injury, Williams should provide nice defensive stats off the bench for New Jersey and is a deep-league option if you need modest rebounds, steals and blocks.


Dominic McGuire, SF/PF, Golden State Warriors (0.2 percent owned): McGuire's hustle and defense should continue earning him playing time for the Warriors, who are thin at the wing with Stephen Curry sidelined and Monta Ellis traded. The team can use the 4 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 1.1 steals per game that he's averaging over the past 10 contests. He's averaging 0.6 steals and blocks in just 15.8 minutes per game for the season, and if he continues seeing minutes in the mid-20s on a consistent basis, he could average a steal and a block per game for the rest of the season, making him an excellent find for deep-leaguers searching for defensive stats.

 

[HacheMan]

Dose: Team-by-Team Notes

Sunday night was tough for me. You guys know I play in Rick Kamla’s old league, League Freak, and I got knocked out of the playoffs by three rebounds, as Pau Gasol dominated and Mike Conley didn’t do much of anything. I had the games played and schedule all worked out for the rest of the playoffs, but didn’t get it done. In happier news, I made the playoffs in all of my leagues and will face Mr. Kamla in the Finals of our 30-team league, which is a three-week, best-of-3 bonanza. The League Freak paycheck is a nice one, and that’s what hurts. Oh well.



Atlanta – The Hawks got four overtimes on Sunday night and held onto beat the Jazz as Josh Smith and Joe Johnson wrapped up monster weeks for their fantasy owners. Jeff Teague, Zaza Pachulia and Kirk Hinrich all played a ton of minutes and put up some monster numbers, while Marvin Williams was actually relevant in the win. With four games again this week, the core of the team (minus Williams) should be in starting lineups again.



Boston – Avery Bradley scored a career-best 23 points on Sunday, filling in for Ray Allen, who was out with a sprained ankle. Allen is out Monday and iffy for the week, making Bradley worth a look in many leagues. The Celtics finish 4-4-5-3-2. Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass all should be good starts this week.



Charlotte – D.J. Augustin failed to score in 21 minutes on Friday, while Kemba Walker had 13 points and seven assists in 25 minutes that night. Corey Maggette scored 10 in his return from a back injury in that one, but I don’t trust him. Bismack Biyombo is playing heavy minutes, but isn’t a great option either, unless you’re thin at center. Gerald Henderson backed up his 29 points with seven on Saturday. This team is a mess, and while everyone from Walker to Byron Mullens deserves a look in fantasy, I’m not sure any of them are must-start players. The Cats finish 4-4-5-4-3.



Chicago – Joakim Noah was ejected Saturday for throwing the ball in the direction of an official, but it sounds like he avoided a suspension. C.J. Watson is rolling along in place of Derrick Rose, who remains out with a groin injury. We don’t know at this point when Rose, who has missed six straight games, will be back. Richard Hamilton is nearing a return, but is very risky, while Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer should be good to go. The Bulls have four games this week, but then finish 3-3-4-2, which is not good.



Cleveland – The Cavs go 4-4-5-4-3 to finish, and Kyrie Irving is rolling. Irving, Antawn Jamison and Alonzo Gee are all looking like must-starts at this point, while Tristan Thompson is also worth a look. And you should keep an eye on Daniel Gibson, who has been out with an ankle injury. Anderson Varejao is expected to play again this season, but also doesn’t sound close to a return from his wrist injury.



Dallas – The Mavs have just three games this week, but Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry are still solid options. I’d try to bench Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood if you have options. Delonte West is possibly due back from his finger injury on Tuesday, but he won’t do more than slow down Roddy Beaubois a little bit. Lamar Odom and Vince Carter shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups right now. The Mavs finish 3-4-4-4-1.



Denver – Arron Afflalo was suspended for Sunday, but will be back on Monday for the Nuggets' four-game week. They finish 4-3-4-4-2. Afflalo, JaVale McGee, Ty Lawson, Wilson Chandler and Al Harrington are all solid options, while Andre Miller and Kenneth Faried are decent options. Rudy Fernandez is done for the year due to back surgery.



Detroit – Rodney Stuckey is still dealing with his toe injury but is expected back on Monday, if all goes according to plan. Tayshaun Prince has struggled for a couple, but might still be worth a start, and Ben Gordon had 20 points and four 3-pointeers on Saturday after scoring 10 on Friday and 45 on Wednesday. I’m going to play him. Greg Monroe is a must-start, while Brandon Knight should be a decent point guard option. The Pistons finish 4-4-4-4-2.



Golden State – Nate Robinson was out again on Sunday with his hamstring injury but it sounds like he could play on Tuesday against the Lakers. Klay Thompson and David Lee are must-starts, while Robinson, Brandon Rush and Richard Jefferson all deserve a look. I’d bench Dorell Wright, after he played just 13 minutes on Sunday. If Robinson is out, Charles Jenkins deserves a look after going off for 27 points and six dimes on Sunday. Stephen Curry hasn’t yet been ruled out for the season, but I’m treating him as if he has been. The Warriors finish 4-4-4-5-2. Charles Jenkins blew up for 27 points filling in for Robinson, but it would have to be a pretty deep league to trust him.



Houston – Kyle Lowry is due for another series of tests on his bacterial infection in about a week, and I’m treating him as if he’s out for at least another 10 days or so. Goran Dragic is a must-start player, while Luis Scola, Chandler Parsons, Courtney Lee, Samuel Dalembert, Marcus Camby and Chase Budinger are all worth a close look, as the Rockets finish 4-3-4-5-1. Kevin Martin remains out indefinitely with his shoulder injury.



Indiana – The Pacers have five games this week, making Danny Granger, Paul George and Roy Hibbert must-starts. David West, Darren Collison, George Hill (season-high 24 Saturday) and Tyler Hansbrough (cheek) are all relatively healthy, and also deserve a look depending on your options. Dahntay Jones is also a possibility in very deep leagues. They finish 5-4-4-4-2.



Clippers – Mo Williams was out on Saturday with a toe injury, but it doesn’t sound too serious. Randy Foye is playing well, but will take a hit when Mo is back. With four games, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are must-starts, while Williams, DeAndre Jordan, Caron Butler, Nick Young and Foye all deserve a look.



Lakers – The Lakers finish 4-4-4-4-1 making Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Ramon Sessions must-starts until further notice. Matt Barnes is also hot, and is worth a look in many leagues, averaging nine points, six boards, three assists, a block and a 3-pointer per over his last five games.



Memphis – The Grizzlies play just three times this week, but don’t cut any of them, as they go 5-5-4-2 to finish up. Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph are playable with three games, but weigh options carefully. But with five games in each of the following two weeks, you can throw O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen into the must-own category, while Marreese Speights and Hamed Haddadi might be worth a deep-league look.



Miami – The Heat were rolled by the Thunder on Sunday, but have four games this week. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are all must-starts, as usual, while Mario Chalmers is struggling enough to be benched in most leagues. He had just three points and two assists on Sunday. The Heat finish up 4-4-4-5-2.<!--RW-->



Milwaukee – The Bucks finish 4-4-4-3-3, but Scott Skiles' rotation is tough to figure out. Brandon Jennings and Drew Gooden look like must-starts, while Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis (finger injury), Carlos Delfino and Mike Dunleavy all look like pretty solid options. Hopefully we get news on Monta’s finger on Monday.



Minnesota – The Wolves finish 4-3-4-4-1, so Kevin Love and Luke Ridnour are your must-starts this week. Nikola Pekovic is still dealing with his ankle injuries, and isn’t slated to play on Tuesday or Wednesday. Darko Milicic isn’t an option, but Anthony Tolliver has been playing well in Pekovic’s absence, making him worth a look if you’re desperate at center. Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams, Wayne Ellington and Martell Webster are the other players worth a look in most fantasy leagues.



New Jersey – I’m mildly concerned about Deron Williams possibly shutting it down at some point, but you have to keep playing him as long as he’s going for the Nets. Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace are also must-starts, while Shelden Williams, MarShon Brooks, Anthony Morrow and Gerald Green could be worth a look in deeper leagues. But all of those guys are too inconsistent for my liking. Brook Lopez will be out a couple more weeks, and I see no point in the Nets bringing him back this year. The Nets finish 4-4-3-3-2.



New Orleans – The Hornets play five times this week and Jarrett Jack is on fire. Chris Kaman missed Saturday with a virus, but should be back soon, while Trevor Ariza was out with a sprained ankle. I’m rolling with Ariza this week, but will also be looking for an update on Monday. Gustavo Ayon, Carl Landry and Jason Smith (suspended for Monday) are all playing pretty well, but are also likely to cancel each other out from game to game. Greivis Vasquez played well in Ariza’s absence on Saturday, and along with Marco Belinelli, is also worth a look in deeper leagues with five games. The Hornets finish 5-3-4-4-2.



New York – The Knicks will finish up 4-3-4-4-2 and Jeremy Lin and Amare Stoudemire are your must-start players. Sure, Carmelo Anthony is also a solid option, but he cost me in League Freak and I would play a guy like Nicolas Batum over him this week. And if you are tired of losing turnovers every week, Lin, who is expected to play through a sore knee, could possibly be benched if you’re deep at point guard. Stoudemire left Saturday’s game with some back tightness, but he says he’s going to play on Monday. Let’s hope he’s right. Tyson Chandler should also be a solid start, while J.R. Smith, Steve Novak and Landry Fields are all worth a look, but are as hit and miss as they come.



Oklahoma City – The Thunder play just three times this week, which is a scary thought for owners of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and James Harden, but all should be in lineups, depending on your options. Kendrick Perkins somehow scored a season-high 16 on Sunday, but I wouldn’t expect him to do it again anytime soon. The Thunder finish 3-4-4-4-2.



Orlando – The Magic finish up 4-3-4-4-2, making Dwight Howard and Ryan Anderson your must-starts in Orlando. Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and J.J. Redick are all worth a look and healthy, but are also a pretty inconsistent bunch.



Philadelphia – The Sixers go just three times this week, making most of them unplayable if games played count in your league. Andre Iguodala was a surprise scratch on Sunday with a sore knee, Thaddeus Young disappeared (and has been fatigued lately), and Evan Turner has been terrible, but did have 10 points and six boards on Sunday. There’s no word on Iguodala’s return date, but the hope is he’ll be back for the next one and play in all three games this week. Elton Brand and Lou Williams are worth a starting look, while Spencer Hawes is finally healthy and playing well if you need a center. The Sixers finish 3-4-3-4-3.



Phoenix – The Suns play three games this week and finish up 3-4-4-4-2, making all of them tough to start this week. And that’s too bad, as Marcin Gortat is on fire, while Shannon Brown and Markieff Morris played very well on Sunday. I’d think about starting Steve Nash and Gortat, but Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, Grant Hill and Morris are shaky, at best in a short week.



Portland – LaMarcus Aldridge was sick on Sunday but still had 18 points in 38 minutes, so he’ll hopefully keep playing through it. Jamal Crawford was 1-of-10 Sunday and is now 8-of-42 over his last four games. Raymond Felton went nuts with 24 points and four treys in that one, while Nicolas Batum played well with 17 points and a full stat line in the win over the Warriors. They finish 4-4-4-4-3, and Aldridge and Batum look like must-starts, while Wesley Matthews (2-of-12 Sunday) and Crawford are fantasy possibilities. Felton is also a must-start, except for the fact he could miss Tuesday's game to be with his ailing mother. If you’re very desperate at center, J.J. Hickson is worth a look, but I’d rather play Minnesota’s Anthony Tolliver with Pekovic sidelined for much of the week.



Sacramento – The Kings go 4-5-4-3-2 to finish the season, making DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton must-start players until further notice. Jason Thompson is dealing with a sprained ankle, but I’m praying he’ll be ready to go on Monday at Houston. If he’s out, John Salmons might be worth a look, but he’s a pretty risky option.



San Antonio – Tim Duncan got Sunday off due to being “old,” which was actually printed in online box scores. Gary Neal was also out on Sunday with a sprained foot, and will be questionable for Tuesday. Tiago Splitter was also out again with back spasms, making DeJuan Blair effective with 19 points, six boards and three steals. The Spurs only have three games this week, making all of them tough to start, especially with a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tony Parker (who is still dealing with a sore hamstring), Manu Ginobili, Duncan, Blair, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson are all worth a look, while Boris Diaw could have a decent run with his new team. But given the lack of games and the Gregg Popovich factor, I’d be careful when putting any Spurs into your lineup this week. They finish 3-4-4-5-3.



Toronto – DeMar DeRozan missed Saturday’s game with a sore ankle, marking his first missed game in two years. Consider him questionable for Monday. James Johnson is hot again and a solid play with four games, along with Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani, while Jerryd Bayless is iffy after missing his last game with a hip injury. Amir Johnson and Aaron Gray might also be worth a look, as is Gary Forbes, who started on Saturday for DeRozan and had 12 points and 13 boards. They finish 4-4-4-3-2.



Utah – The Jazz finish 4-4-4-3-3, making Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap must-starts. Gordon Hayward is hot, while Devin Harris, C.J. Miles and Derrick Favors are all hit or miss. Miles might be a sneaky play, hitting double figures in three of his last four games, as Raja Bell is facing microfracture surgery and Josh Howard is out for the year.



Washington – The Wizards finish 4-4-4-3-3, making John Wall and Jordan Crawford must-starts. Nene was out on Sunday with back spasms, giving Kevin Seraphin a start. Seraphin was solid with 15 points, 11 boards, two steals and a block, but is only going to be worth using if Nene remains out. Trevor Booker is playing well and also worth a look, and Jan Vesely had 11 points and six boards in Nene’s absence on Sunday. Chris Singleton might also be worth a deep-league look right now, but watch for news updates on Nene before putting him (or Seraphin) into your lineup.

 

[HacheMan]

Latest Word on Hayward

I’ll eventually be launching a full-scale investigation into the possibility of a 2011-12 Roundball Stew cover jinx, but at the very least we can say with certainty that there was a solid cover snafu last week with one Mike Dunleavy.

It’s not like Dunleavy had the worst week ever (12.3 ppg, 2.0 3s in four games), but it was a legitimate downgrade from the previous five games, which saw him average 20.8 ppg in his best five-game stretch since April 2008.

His problem, of course, is the presence of Monta Ellis, whose arrival has Dunleavy now averaging just 21 minutes in his last five. And with Ellis' recent finger injury apparently no cause for concern (per radio announcer Ted Davis), it's safe to expect Dunleavy's playing time to hover in the 20-25 minute range going forward.

In the meantime, let’s move on to the next player in line to either prove or disprove the presence of a cover jinx…

Ladies and gentlemen, Gordon Hayward. It’s rare these days that you get a second chance at a cover appearance, especially when you were as disappointing as Hayward was the first time around. To review: Hayward was the featured player in the Feb. 13 edition of Roundball Stew after averaging 14.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.8 bpg and 0.8 3s over his previous nine games. He then, of course, proceeded to drop a stink bomb of considerable proportions in the 10 days that followed, averaging a putrid 5.3 ppg over his next six games.

Fast forward to now, and Hayward is back – hopefully for good. After posting a 19-8-5 line (with two steals, two blocks and a 3) in 57 minutes of Sunday’s 4-OT loss to Atlanta, the 22-year-old has posted 15.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.8 bpg and 1.0 3s in his last four games. That surge in value has overlapped exactly with Josh Howard (knee) missing the past four games. And with Howard not guaranteed to make it back this season, Hayward (four games each of the next three weeks) should be locked in as a fantasy starter, with the sinister Stew cover jinx looming as perhaps the only factor that can ruin his resurgence.

(By the way, as mentioned, Hayward did play 57 minutes on Sunday evening and now has to play a road game in New Jersey on Monday, so I’m not expecting anything memorable from Hayward or Utah tonight.)

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Meanwhile, we have a Zaza Pachulia sighting. As a Hawks fan I get quite frustrated with Zaza in real life, mostly for his trouble finishing around the rim (he has had a couple notably awful late-game misses in recent weeks). However, that doesn’t matter much in fantasy, and over his last nine games, the Hawks’ starting center has posted 11.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.1 spg and 0.7 bpg. Atlanta’s schedule isn’t wonderful the rest of the way (4-3-3-4 the next four weeks, including this week), but he should be a solid source of points, boards and steals (with the occasional block mixed in) during those four-game weeks.

I like Jordan Crawford, but I’m terrified of his streakiness. Some numbers to consider: Between Feb. 14 and March 3 (eight games), Washington’s starting SG averaged 21.8 ppg on 52.8 percent shooting. But in the seven games that followed, he averaged just 12.0 ppg on an abysmal 30.7 percent from the field (14.4 FG attempts per game). And of course, as only a truly streaky human being could, Crawford has recovered to post 21.2 ppg on 47.6 percent shooting in his last five. He’s obviously worth the risk if you need points, steals and 3s, but be aware that Crawford has the potential to severely undermine your field goal percentage if he happens to be off during any given week.

Now, a few words on Chandler Parsons: I got quite a few questions about Parsons during the live chat I hosted on Friday, so I figured it was worth a paragraph discussing him here. First off, I would add Hayward (if available) over Parsons, but after that I wouldn’t hesitate to consider Houston's starting SF, whose schedule goes 4-3-4-5 the next four weeks (finishing with just one game during the season’s final half week). In his last nine games, Parsons has averaged 13.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.0 spg and 1.3 3s on 52.1 percent shooting from the field.

And yes, I would add Parsons ahead of Courtney Lee. I like Lee’s game and his opportunity with Kevin Martin (shoulder) still out, but Lee’s recent production has been accompanied by some frustration. Scoring totals over his last nine games: 17, 5, 21, 9, 25, 2, 23, 7, 15. That’s a classic case of good game/bad game, but altogether it adds up to 13.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 spg and 1.9 treys on 42.9 percent from the field. That’s pretty solid if you need points, steals and 3s (and can deal with inconsistency), but personally I prefer Parsons’ all-around stats and job security, whereas Lee would head back to the bench if/when Martin returns.

The good and bad on Brandon Rush: In his last nine games, Rush has played an average of 29 minutes, posting 10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg and 1.8 3s, including 10 points, 11 rebounds, a steal, four blocks and two treys Sunday night. The potential in 3s and blocks is intriguing, and I can understand starting him if you’re in great need of help in those categories. However, there are too many duds littering Rush’s game log for me to personally buy in – through his first 15 games of March, he has scored in single digits eight times.

Thoughts on Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard: Under most circumstances I would ignore the Spurs hovering around the waiver wire, because I don’t trust Gregg Popovich to be anywhere close to predictable with his playing rotation. With that said, the team’s schedule has my attention. After playing just three games this week, the Spurs go 4-4-5 the next three weeks, ending with a full slate of three games during the season’s final half week. With eight games in 11 days to close the season – and 16 games in 26 days of April overall – Popovich is going to have to continue relying on younger players, and Green and Leonard have been productive enough lately to warrant a look.

Some numerical proof: Green has posted 14.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg and 1.8 3s in his last six games, and Leonard has posted 11.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.5 spg and 0.8 3s in his last six. To reiterate, adding either player represents a gamble, but given the Spurs’ schedule, it’s a calculated one. (And for the record, if you are in a gambling mood, I would add Green first because of the potential in steals, blocks and 3s.)

Other Random Thoughts: Elton Brand in March (13 games): 12.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.9 bpg … Gerald Henderson has been scoring plenty lately (18.5 ppg in his last four games), but he’s still held back by a lack of peripheral stats (0.8 spg and no 3s in his last four games) … Deeper league heads-up: The absence of Josh Howard (and Raja Bell) hasn’t only helped Gordon Hayward, but also C.J. Miles, who has posted 10.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 0.8 bpg and 1.3 3s in his last four games.

 

[HacheMan]

Latest Word on Hayward

I’ll eventually be launching a full-scale investigation into the possibility of a 2011-12 Roundball Stew cover jinx, but at the very least we can say with certainty that there was a solid cover snafu last week with one Mike Dunleavy.

It’s not like Dunleavy had the worst week ever (12.3 ppg, 2.0 3s in four games), but it was a legitimate downgrade from the previous five games, which saw him average 20.8 ppg in his best five-game stretch since April 2008.

His problem, of course, is the presence of Monta Ellis, whose arrival has Dunleavy now averaging just 21 minutes in his last five. And with Ellis' recent finger injury apparently no cause for concern (per radio announcer Ted Davis), it's safe to expect Dunleavy's playing time to hover in the 20-25 minute range going forward.

In the meantime, let’s move on to the next player in line to either prove or disprove the presence of a cover jinx…

Ladies and gentlemen, Gordon Hayward. It’s rare these days that you get a second chance at a cover appearance, especially when you were as disappointing as Hayward was the first time around. To review: Hayward was the featured player in the Feb. 13 edition of Roundball Stew after averaging 14.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.8 bpg and 0.8 3s over his previous nine games. He then, of course, proceeded to drop a stink bomb of considerable proportions in the 10 days that followed, averaging a putrid 5.3 ppg over his next six games.

Fast forward to now, and Hayward is back – hopefully for good. After posting a 19-8-5 line (with two steals, two blocks and a 3) in 57 minutes of Sunday’s 4-OT loss to Atlanta, the 22-year-old has posted 15.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.8 bpg and 1.0 3s in his last four games. That surge in value has overlapped exactly with Josh Howard (knee) missing the past four games. And with Howard not guaranteed to make it back this season, Hayward (four games each of the next three weeks) should be locked in as a fantasy starter, with the sinister Stew cover jinx looming as perhaps the only factor that can ruin his resurgence.

(By the way, as mentioned, Hayward did play 57 minutes on Sunday evening and now has to play a road game in New Jersey on Monday, so I’m not expecting anything memorable from Hayward or Utah tonight.)

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Meanwhile, we have a Zaza Pachulia sighting. As a Hawks fan I get quite frustrated with Zaza in real life, mostly for his trouble finishing around the rim (he has had a couple notably awful late-game misses in recent weeks). However, that doesn’t matter much in fantasy, and over his last nine games, the Hawks’ starting center has posted 11.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.1 spg and 0.7 bpg. Atlanta’s schedule isn’t wonderful the rest of the way (4-3-3-4 the next four weeks, including this week), but he should be a solid source of points, boards and steals (with the occasional block mixed in) during those four-game weeks.

I like Jordan Crawford, but I’m terrified of his streakiness. Some numbers to consider: Between Feb. 14 and March 3 (eight games), Washington’s starting SG averaged 21.8 ppg on 52.8 percent shooting. But in the seven games that followed, he averaged just 12.0 ppg on an abysmal 30.7 percent from the field (14.4 FG attempts per game). And of course, as only a truly streaky human being could, Crawford has recovered to post 21.2 ppg on 47.6 percent shooting in his last five. He’s obviously worth the risk if you need points, steals and 3s, but be aware that Crawford has the potential to severely undermine your field goal percentage if he happens to be off during any given week.

Now, a few words on Chandler Parsons: I got quite a few questions about Parsons during the live chat I hosted on Friday, so I figured it was worth a paragraph discussing him here. First off, I would add Hayward (if available) over Parsons, but after that I wouldn’t hesitate to consider Houston's starting SF, whose schedule goes 4-3-4-5 the next four weeks (finishing with just one game during the season’s final half week). In his last nine games, Parsons has averaged 13.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.0 spg and 1.3 3s on 52.1 percent shooting from the field.

And yes, I would add Parsons ahead of Courtney Lee. I like Lee’s game and his opportunity with Kevin Martin (shoulder) still out, but Lee’s recent production has been accompanied by some frustration. Scoring totals over his last nine games: 17, 5, 21, 9, 25, 2, 23, 7, 15. That’s a classic case of good game/bad game, but altogether it adds up to 13.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 spg and 1.9 treys on 42.9 percent from the field. That’s pretty solid if you need points, steals and 3s (and can deal with inconsistency), but personally I prefer Parsons’ all-around stats and job security, whereas Lee would head back to the bench if/when Martin returns.

The good and bad on Brandon Rush: In his last nine games, Rush has played an average of 29 minutes, posting 10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg and 1.8 3s, including 10 points, 11 rebounds, a steal, four blocks and two treys Sunday night. The potential in 3s and blocks is intriguing, and I can understand starting him if you’re in great need of help in those categories. However, there are too many duds littering Rush’s game log for me to personally buy in – through his first 15 games of March, he has scored in single digits eight times.

Thoughts on Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard: Under most circumstances I would ignore the Spurs hovering around the waiver wire, because I don’t trust Gregg Popovich to be anywhere close to predictable with his playing rotation. With that said, the team’s schedule has my attention. After playing just three games this week, the Spurs go 4-4-5 the next three weeks, ending with a full slate of three games during the season’s final half week. With eight games in 11 days to close the season – and 16 games in 26 days of April overall – Popovich is going to have to continue relying on younger players, and Green and Leonard have been productive enough lately to warrant a look.

Some numerical proof: Green has posted 14.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg and 1.8 3s in his last six games, and Leonard has posted 11.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.5 spg and 0.8 3s in his last six. To reiterate, adding either player represents a gamble, but given the Spurs’ schedule, it’s a calculated one. (And for the record, if you are in a gambling mood, I would add Green first because of the potential in steals, blocks and 3s.)

Other Random Thoughts: Elton Brand in March (13 games): 12.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.9 bpg … Gerald Henderson has been scoring plenty lately (18.5 ppg in his last four games), but he’s still held back by a lack of peripheral stats (0.8 spg and no 3s in his last four games) … Deeper league heads-up: The absence of Josh Howard (and Raja Bell) hasn’t only helped Gordon Hayward, but also C.J. Miles, who has posted 10.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 0.8 bpg and 1.3 3s in his last four games.

 

[HacheMan]

Goran Dragic should maintain value

By Brian McKitish | Special to ESPN.com

With only four weeks left in the season, fantasy owners have been busy working the waiver wire for the stretch run. ESPN's Most-Added/Dropped list is an underutilized tool that helps us gauge the market value of some of the more fringe fantasy players. Making the right moves on the waiver wire can be the difference between a championship team and one that finishes just short. With that said, let's take a look at some of the most-added and dropped players over the past week.


The Top 130

Note: Brian McKitish's top 130 players are ranked for their fantasy value from this point forward in the 2011-12 NBA season. Previous rank is indicated in parentheses.1. Kevin Durant, SF, OKC (2)
2. LeBron James, SF, MIA (1)
3. Chris Paul, PG, LAC (3)
4. Kevin Love, PF, MIN (4)
5. Dwyane Wade, SG, MIA (5)
6. Russell Westbrook, PG, OKC (6)
7. Dwight Howard, C, ORL (7)
8. Deron Williams, PG, NJ (9)
9. Josh Smith, PF/SF, ATL (11)
10. Kobe Bryant, SG, LAL (8)
11. Al Jefferson, C/PF, UTAH (12)
12. Derrick Rose, PG, CHI (10)
13. Pau Gasol, PF/C, LAL (13)
14. LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C, POR (14)
15. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, DAL (15)
16. Andrew Bynum, C, LAL (17)
17. Marc Gasol, C, MEM (19)
18. John Wall, PG, WSH (16)
19. DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, SAC (26)
20. Paul Millsap, PF, UTAH (28)
21. Blake Griffin, PF, LAC (21)
22. David Lee, PF/C, GS (30)
23. Rudy Gay, SF, MEM (23)
24. Marcin Gortat, C, PHO (24)
25. Rajon Rondo, PG, BOS (29)
26. Kyrie Irving, PG, CLE (34)
27. James Harden, SG, OKC (32)
28. Greg Monroe, PF/C, DET (25)
29. Ty Lawson, PG/SG, DEN (22)
30. Steve Nash, PG, PHO (27)
31. Paul Pierce, SF/SG, BOS (31)
32. Marcus Thornton, SG, SAC (33)
33. Monta Ellis, PG/SG, GS (18)
34. Ryan Anderson, PF, ORL (35)
35. Tony Parker, PG, SA (36)
36. Kevin Garnett, PF/C, BOS (46)
37. Zach Randolph, PF, MEM (37)
38. Serge Ibaka, C/PF, OKC (39)
39. Joe Johnson, SG/SF, ATL (40)
40. Danny Granger, SF, IND (42)
41. Klay Thompson, SG, GS (86)
42. Nene, C/PF, WSH (67)
43. Andre Iguodala, SF/SG, PHI (43)
44. Gerald Wallace, SF/PF, NJ (44)
45. Joakim Noah, C/PF, CHI (45)
46. Roy Hibbert, C, IND (49)
47. Jeremy Lin, PG, NY (47)
48. Brandon Jennings, PG, MIL (38)
49. Nicolas Batum, SF/SG, POR (41)
50. JaVale McGee, C, DEN (48)
51. Jordan Crawford, SG, WSH (75)
52. Carmelo Anthony, SF, NY (20)
53. Tyreke Evans, PG/SG/SF, SAC (50)
54. Mike Conley, PG, MEM (51)
55. Kris Humphries, PF, NJ (53)
56. Carlos Boozer, PF, CHI (57)
57. Amare Stoudemire, C/PF, NY (54)
58. Chris Bosh, PF/C, MIA (55)
59. Luol Deng, SF, CHI (56)
60. Ramon Sessions, PG, LAL (84)
61. Manu Ginobili, SG, SA (59)
62. Tyson Chandler, C, NY (60)
63. Chris Kaman, C, NO (80)
64. Drew Gooden, PF, MIL (62)
65. Paul George, SF/SG, IND (63)
66. Goran Dragic, PG, HOU (113)
67. Jose Calderon, PG, TOR (76)
68. Andrea Bargnani, C/PF, TOR (64)
69. Antawn Jamison, PF, CLE (65)
70. Ersan Ilyasova, SF/PF, MIL (69)
71. Jason Terry, SG, DAL (66)
72. Jrue Holiday, PG, PHI (74)
73. Wilson Chandler, SF/SG, DEN (88)
74. Jarrett Jack, PG/SG, NO (73)
75. Luke Ridnour, PG, MIN (68)
76. Nate Robinson, PG/SG, GS (82)
77. Tim Duncan, PF/C, SA (77)
78. Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, POR (93)
79. Ray Allen, SG, BOS (70)
80. Nikola Pekovic, C, MIN (52)
81. Jared Dudley, SF/SG, PHO (79)
82. Channing Frye, PF/C, PHO (83)
83. Lou Williams, PG/SG, PHI (85)
84. Raymond Felton, PG, POR (90)
85. Luis Scola, PF, HOU (87)
86. Isaiah Thomas, PG, SAC (92)
87. Arron Afflalo, SG, DEN (95)
88. Jeff Teague, PG, ATL (89)
89. Evan Turner, SG, PHI (58)
90. DeAndre Jordan, C, LAC (78)
91. Brandon Knight, PG/SG, DET (91)
92. Rodney Stuckey, PG/SG, DET (81)
93. DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF, TOR (94)
94. Al Harrington, PF, DEN (100)
95. Kyle Lowry, PG, HOU (71)
96. Elton Brand, PF, PHI (105)
97. Alonzo Gee, SG/SF, CLE (111)
98. Kevin Martin, SG, HOU (72)
99. Devin Harris, PG, UTAH (112)
100. Jamal Crawford, SG/PG, POR (102)
101. Gerald Henderson, SG, CHA (103)
102. Corey Maggette, SF, CHA (101)
103. David West, PF, IND (96)
104. Jameer Nelson, PG, ORL (99)
105. Tristan Thompson, PF, CLE (NR)
106. Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, UTAH (129)
107. Nick Young, SG, LAC (107)
108. D.J. Augustin, PG, CHA (97)
109. Jason Kidd, PG, DAL (118)
110. Thaddeus Young, SF/PF, PHI (109)
111. Jose Juan Barea, PG, MIN (NR)
112. Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, CHA (110)
113. Stephen Jackson, SG/SF, SA (115)
114. Andre Miller, PG, DEN (108)
115. Carlos Delfino, SF/SG, MIL (NR)
116. Mario Chalmers, PG, MIA (116)
117. Jason Thompson, PF, SAC (NR)
118. Kenneth Faried, PF, DEN (121)
119. Spencer Hawes, C, PHI (NR)
120. Derrick Williams, PF, MIN (122)
121. Anderson Varejao, PF/C, CLE (123)
122. Eric Gordon, SG, NO (NR)
123. Trevor Ariza, SF/SG, NO (120)
124. Zaza Pachulia, C, ATL (NR)
125. Dorell Wright, SF, GS (125)
126. James Johnson, SF/PF, TOR (127)
127. Samuel Dalembert, C, HOU (128)
128. Shawn Marion, SF/PF, DAL (130)
129. Tony Allen, SG, MEM (NR)
130. Darren Collison, PG, IND (117)




Most-Added



Goran Dragic, PG, Houston Rockets (99.6 percent owned): Dragic made his debut in the top 130 a few weeks ago when we learned of Kyle Lowry's illness, but I've been tentative in moving him up in the ranks simply because his value will likely drop once Lowry returns. That said, we still don't have word on Lowry's return status, and it's beginning to look like his season might be in jeopardy at this point. Averaging 16.6 points, 9.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.0 3-pointers, Dragic would be a top-25 fantasy option if Lowry were to be shut down due to his bacterial infection.


Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors (92.4 percent owned): As expected, Thompson has taken full advantage of his opportunity with Monta Ellis out of town and Stephen Curry on the shelf. With 20.4 points, 1.6 steals and 2.6 3-pointers per game in his past five, Thompson is going to make his owners very happy during the stretch run.


Tristan Thompson, PF/C, Cleveland Cavaliers (24.6 percent owned): Featured in this space before as a youngster with quality per-minute rebounding and shot-blocking numbers, Thompson has been given an opportunity for extended minutes at center in Cleveland. He's still too raw to be considered a consistent option, and his value will suffer if/when Anderson Varejao returns, but with 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in four starts at center, he's still a prime pickup candidate for anyone in need of big-man stats.


Jason Thompson, PF, Sacramento Kings (55.0 percent owned): Historically a frustrating player to own because of his inconsistency, Thompson was on quite a hot streak before missing Saturday's game with an ankle injury. Thompson has averaged 12.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in his past nine contests, and certainly can help fantasy owners right now. Just don't be surprised if he falls back into his old inconsistent ways in the near future.


Mike Dunleavy, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks (78.9 percent owned): Call me skeptical, but I'm not rushing out to the waiver wire to add Dunleavy despite the fact that he's played very well recently, with 16.1 points per game over his past 10 contests. The Bucks suddenly have a ton of depth after the Monta Ellis trade, and Dunleavy is losing minutes to both Ellis and Carlos Delfino in recent action. With just 21.4 minutes per game in his past five, Dunleavy should come crashing back down to earth sooner rather than later. As far as pickups are concerned, I like Delfino's steals and 3-point shooting much better.


Zaza Pachulia, C, Atlanta Hawks (52.6 percent owned): Zaza isn't flashy or exciting, but he's quietly getting the job done in Atlanta, averaging 10.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 14 games since the All-Star break. Throw in the fact that he shoots well from the floor and the line and Zaza becomes quite valuable in fantasy leagues. Many (myself included) have slept on Pachulia to this point, but 52.6 percent of you have been enjoying his production for a few weeks now.


Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, Utah Jazz (42.7 percent owned): Thanks to the inevitable Josh Howard injury, Hayward has become one of my favorite pickup candidates over the past week. A versatile swingman, Hayward can do a little bit of everything with 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.2 blocks and 0.8 3-pointers in his past five games. It looks like the Jazz will roll with Hayward as their starter the rest of the way, and he should make the most of the opportunity.


Most-Dropped



Evan Turner, SG/PG, Philadelphia 76ers (43.0 percent owned): Well, that was quick. Just as quickly as folks jumped on the Turner bandwagon a few weeks ago, they jumped off it this week, after Turner posted just 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals while shooting 31.3 percent in his past five games. I wrote a glowing review of Turner when he was first named as a starter, and I'm not quite ready to abandon that analysis just yet. As a second-year player, we should expect some inconsistency, but I still believe in his long-term development. Granted, I understand that some fantasy owners can't be waiting around for Turner to develop as the season winds down, but those who dropped him should monitor his progress going forward at the very least.


Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, Charlotte Bobcats (30.4 percent owned): Biyombo has struggled of late with 5.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in his past five, but he's still providing useful defensive numbers even if they are slightly down from a few weeks ago. Biyombo will not contribute much on the offensive end, but those in need of blocks should certainly consider re-adding the rookie, as he's locked into 28-32 minutes per night for the frontcourt-challenged Bobcats.


Caron Butler, SF, Los Angeles Clippers (52.2 percent owned): Butler has been in a major funk since just before the All-Star break, and has averaged just 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.6 3-pointers while shooting 32.0 percent from the floor since the break. I had kept him in the top 130 up until this week in the hopes that he'd figure things out, but now that he's losing minutes it's unlikely that he'll turn it around before season's end. Most disappointing during this stretch is that Butler hasn't even been able to contribute in his strongest categories, steals and 3-pointers.


MarShon Brooks, SG/SF, New Jersey Nets (34.7 percent owned): I am still sold on Brooks' future, but he hasn't had much fantasy value in recent action with the Geralds (Green and Wallace) cutting into his minutes and production. Averaging just 9.6 points, 0.6 steals and 0.3 3-pointers in his past 10 games, fantasy owners can safely drop the promising rookie. Just be sure to file his name away for future reference in case injuries hit in New Jersey.


Nikola Pekovic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves (83.8 percent owned): Pekovic has been diagnosed with bone spurs in his ankle, and initial reports have not been clear on a return date. Given how valuable he's been -- 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds as a starter -- owners would be wise to hang on to the center until we get some more concrete information about whether or not he'll try to play through pain with the Wolves fighting for a playoff spot in the West.

 

[HacheMan]

Brandon Rush enjoys increased minutes

By Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

Stephen Curry is set to visit an ankle specialist this week, then make a decision about the rest of the season, but at this point I think it's safe to assume that the likely course of action for the Warriors is to shut him down. This means we start looking at players like Charles Jenkins (0.1 percent owned) , Brandon Rush (4.1 percent owned) and Richard Jefferson (22.7 percent owned) as fantasy options for the rest of the season.


In shallower leagues, Jefferson has been widely dropped after a strong start to the season, as he averaged 10.7 points and 2.4 3-pointers per game in January, then dropped to 7.3 and 1.5, respectively, in February. His move to the Warriors, where he's acting as sixth man, has been helpful to his stats, as he's averaging 11.8 points per game and playing 31.3 minutes versus 28.5 in San Antonio. So if you need cheap 3s, Jefferson is available in most leagues.


I'm a big fan of Rush in deeper formats that count turnovers, as he provides excellent 3s (1.4 per game) with some steals and blocks (0.5 and 0.8, respectively) and just 1.0 turnover per game. In his past five games, he's averaging 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 3s and 2.0 blocks, and with Curry's absence and Dorell Wright's inconsistency, Rush remains a fabulous option in those formats.


Jenkins is the deepest option, but on Sunday he started in place of Nate Robinson, who sat with a hamstring issue, and exploded for 27 points on 13-for-22 shooting with six assists and a 3-pointer in 40 minutes of play. His stats were obviously bolstered by Robinson's absence, but the Warriors are clearly focusing on the future, and will want to see what they have in the rookie out of Hofstra. Don't be surprised if he averages more than 20 minutes per game the rest of the way, and while he's not worth considering in standard formats, he could carve out value for leagues with 14 or more owners.
<!-- begin inline 1 -->SUNDAY, MARCH 25

Highlights


Joe Johnson, Hawks: 37 points, 8 rebounds against the Jazz.
Kevin Love, Timberwolves: 30 points (11-19 FG, 7-7 FT), 21 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks against the Nuggets.
Zaza Pachulia, Hawks: 15 points (6-11 FG), 20 rebounds, 3 blocks against the Jazz.Lowlights

Jamal Crawford, Trail Blazers: 4 points (1-10 FG), 2 rebounds, 1 assist against the Warriors.
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies: 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists against the Lakers.
Dorell Wright, Warriors: No points (0-4 FG), 4 rebounds in 13 minutes against the Trail Blazers.



<!-- end inline 1 -->Looking Back

• Nene missed Sunday's game with back spasms, which opened up time for Kevin Seraphin -- whom I featured in Working the Wire this past week -- to post 15 points, 11 boards, two steals and a block in 37 minutes. He was already worth a roster spot in deeper formats, but if Nene misses time, Seraphin is worth considering in all leagues if you need boards and blocks with efficient scoring.
• Ray Allen sat Sunday against the Wizards and will miss Monday's game against the Bobcats to rest his ankle. Avery Bradley capitalized on his absence Sunday, dropping 23 points (9-for-14 FG, 4-for-4 FT) in 40 minutes. The Celtics will likely be cautious with Allen as they'll want him fresh for the playoffs. Bradley should continue seeing increased run, but he isn't a statistical marvel and doesn't have any distinguishing category in which he'll shine when given more minutes. His perimeter defense is sound, and he could average more than a steal per game with increased minutes, but he doesn't shoot 3s and isn't worth considering as a fantasy option unless Allen is set to miss extended time.
• Wayne Ellington scored 17 points with three 3s on Sunday, marking his third consecutive game with double-digit scoring and at least one 3-pointer. He's seen increased run with Ricky Rubio out, and J.J. Barea missed Sunday's game with a thigh contusion, which opened up some more minutes. Ellington is averaging 0.7 3s in just 17.6 minutes per game but in March is at 1.0 3s per game, so if you need 3-pointer help in deep leagues, Ellington is surfacing as an option.
Looking Ahead

Kyle Lowry is still recuperating from the bacterial infection that's kept him out since March 10 and will miss at least another eight to 10 days. Keep Goran Dragic (16.6 points, 9.5 assists, 2.0 3s per game in 11 starts) in your lineup this week and likely next. … Rodney Stuckey has missed the past three games with a sore toe, and will be a game-time decision for Monday's contest. Stuckey has been scorching since the All-Star break (22.5 points, 5.1 assists, 1.0 3s, 0.9 steals, 83.8 percent from the stripe on 8.0 attempts per game in 10 contests), so monitor this situation and get him back in your lineup if he's a go. … Josh Howard is out for the season, so C.J. Miles and Gordon Hayward see a bump in value and go from deep-league starters to worth considering in shallower formats.

 

[HacheMan]

Dose: Is Amare Done?

Monday was a bit crazy with several late scratches, career-high scoring nights, injury news, and overall bedlam as the fantasy playoffs get underway. Let’s take a look at what happened.



Injury Report & Game News (ordered by importance of news, not all teams covered)



Knicks - Amare Stoudemire’s back injury doesn’t sound good and he’s heading to see a specialist to see if he’ll need surgery. The bottom line is that he’s out indefinitely and could easily be shut down for the season. Carmelo Anthony tweaked his groin on Monday, but played through it and finished with 28 points, 12 boards, a steal and a block, and if he survives his gimpy groin, should be a much better fantasy player the rest of the way if Amare is done. While I can’t sit here and tell you to drop Amare immediately, I will tell you that I would be hesitant about holding on until word comes down next week on whether or not he’ll have surgery. Especially if there’s a hot free agent out there you can pick up. And secondly, there’s not a guy on the Knicks’ bench who becomes must-own if he’s done, as the team will absorb the hit. Although, Iman Shumpert started at shooting guard last night and had 11 points and a full stat line, and is worth keeping an eye on in all leagues going forward. Especially if Amare’s injury means Shumpert becomes the full-time SG for New York.



Jeremy Lin was out with a sore knee but sounds likely to try to play on Wednesday. I benched him in my 30-Deep matchup against Rick Kamla, slotting Gerald Green in there instead. Thanks to Aaron Bruski for giving me the courage to do so, as Green went off last night. Baron Davis started for Lin, but hit just 3-of-12 shots and committed nine turnovers. He also had 13 points and seven assists, but is only worth a look if Lin is going to miss more time.



Bulls - Derrick Rose (groin) and Richard Hamilton (shoulder) were out again for the Bulls, and neither has a firm return date in mind. C.J. Watson had 17 points, eight dimes and three 3-pointers, and is a must-start as long as Rose is out.



Rockets - Rockets guard Goran Dragic tweaked his ankle in overtime on Monday, but vows to play on Tuesday. Owners will have to see if it swells up overnight, but Dragic rolled again last night, finishing with 14 points, four boards, 10 assists, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer. Earl Boykins arrived in Houston and had 10 points and five assists, but will only be worth a look if Dragic is going to miss time, and it doesn’t sound like he will.



Kyle Lowry will be re-evaluated on April 7 and admitted he might be done for the season. I’ve been urging owners to drop him for a couple weeks, and am not ready to change my mind on that one. Kevin Martin hasn’t practiced since March 11 and remains out indefinitely with his shoulder injury, giving Courtney Lee some solid, albeit inconsistent, production. And in case you’re wonder, yes, I’m fine with dropping Martin too. You simply have to have healthy players during the playoffs, right?



Marcus Camby tore ligaments in his left wrist on Monday, but says he’s going to play through it. If Kobe Bryant can do it with his shooting wrist, Camby should be able to play through this for the Rockets. Patrick Patterson exploded for a career-high 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but I need to see him do it a couple more times before biting.



Kings - Jason Thompson was a late scratch for the Kings with his ankle injury and owners can only hope he’s ready for action on Wednesday against the Spurs, as he’s coming off five straight double-doubles. My guess is he’ll play. John Salmons left Monday’s game with a hip injury, but had fallen out of the starting lineup behind Tyreke Evans, anyway. DeMarcus Cousins blew up for a career-high 38 points, 14 boards, two steals and a block, Marcus Thornton had 27 points and Isaiah Thomas played 48 minutes in the OT loss.



Warriors - Nate Robinson’s hamstring injury remains a mystery, leaving him iffy for Tuesday against the Lakers. Stephen Curry doesn’t sound like he needs surgery, but there are still no real indications that he’ll play again this season. He could, but I still think it’s a real longshot. If Nate is out again, look for Charles Jenkins to have another good game.



Blazers - Raymond Felton will miss Tuesday’s game to be with his ill mother, but is expected back on Thursday. Jamal Crawford should play well tonight, but his shot has been broken lately.



Sixers - Andre Iguodala is iffy for Tuesday with his sore knee, but my gut says he’ll play. He’s been dealing with the pain for a while now, and regardless of what my gut says, owners have to cross their fingers here. He’s a true game-time decision. Spencer Hawes should be ready to roll from here on out, if he can stay healthy. But it sounds like the minutes restriction has been lifted. And Thaddeus Young has quieted down lately, dealing with some fatigue. The three-game week should help all the Sixers catch their breath.



Raptors - Jerryd Bayless tried to play through his hip injury last night, but left after just 12 minutes. He’s likely to be a shaky play for the next few games. DeMar DeRozan was out again with a sprained ankle, so Linas Kleiza got hot and scored 18 points with three 3-pointers off the bench. DeRozan will also be questionable for Wednesday. James Johnson played through the flu, but didn’t have a great game. I’m expecting more from him on Wednesday. Gary Forbes stayed hot, starting again at shooting guard and finishing with a career-high 21 points and four 3-pointers. He’s averaging 17 points, seven rebounds and a 3-pointer per game over his last three games, but will come back to earth once DeRozan and Bayless are healthy.<!--RW-->



Wizards - Trevor Booker was out with foot/knee issues and is considered day-to-day. His absence gave Kevin Seraphin another start and he had 12 points, five rebounds and a block. He’s been playing well while filling in for Nene and Booker, making him worth a look in some deeper leagues. Nene played through his back injury and had eight points, nine boards, two steals and no blocks.



Pistons - Rodney Stuckey returned from a toe injury and had 24 points, two 3-pointers, zero assists and four turnovers. The bottom line is that he’s healthy and you can put him back in lineups. Ben Gordon left early with a groin injury, leaving his status for the rest of the week in doubt. He was hot coming in, and I’m hoping you didn’t jump on him like I did.



Hornets - I foolishly dropped Gustavo Ayon and his five games to pick up a red-hot Ben Gordon, but the move backfired – at least early. Ayon started at center last night and had eight points and eight rebounds, as Chris Kaman was out with an illness. Carl Landry chipped in with 14 points, 10 boards and a block, but things are about to get messy. Jason Smith’s suspension is over and Kaman should be back on Wednesday, meaning a full-blown timeshare for all four bigs in New Orleans. I expect Smith to start at power forward and Kaman at center, meaning Ayon and Landry would come off the bench. And figuring out who is going to play well from night to night could get very tricky. But with four games left this week, any of the four might be a decent add right now, but expect inconsistency when dealing with them. Trevor Ariza returned from his ankle injury, but missed all three of his shots and scored three points. He still has four more games to right the ship, and the good news is he played.



Eric Gordon is likely to start practicing at some point in the next 10 days, and could even return to game action for the Hornets after missing most of the season with a bum knee. My guess is he just wants to prove to teams that he’s healthy, and I’m not running out there to pick him up. There’s a pretty chance he’ll be dead weight until your league is all but wrapped up.



Clippers - Mo Williams is expected to miss the next two weeks (at least) with his toe injury, meaning Nick Young and Randy Foye should continue to log heavy minutes. Foye struggled for five points, and has been very up and down, while Young had 17 points and four 3-pointers off the bench on Monday after scoring 16 on Sunday.



Bucks - Carlos Delfino left Monday’s game with a groin injury which helped Mike Dunleavy blow up for 26 points and five 3-pointers. If Delfino’s going to miss time, Dunleavy will become a must-add player, if he’s not there already. Drew Gooden struggled against Tyson Chandler (5 & 6), but should bounce back against the Hawks in the next one. Monta Ellis played through his finger injury, but hit just 2-of-14 shots for four points and four turnovers. Can we just send him back to Golden State, already? Ersan Ilyasova had just two points in 19 minutes after going for 22 points and eight boards on Saturday, which I will blame squarely on the shoulders of Scott Skiles (for now). Ilyasova should bounce back, and would also benefit if Delfino is going to miss time.



Nuggets – Danilo Gallinari is now claiming that he’ll be ready to return on Friday, April 6. His thumb injury won’t be fully healed by then, but there has been some belief all along that he may tape it up and play. If he was dropped in your league, he’s worth a look, but it’s still going to be crowded on the wings in Denver. JaVale McGee started at center and had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. The news is that he’s starting, so make sure he’s in your lineup. Arron Afflalo returned from a suspension and scored 22 points and two 3-pointers, and should be safe to get back in there, as well.



Nets - Rookie Jordan Williams hit 5-of-6 shots for a career-high 13 points to go along with six rebounds and two steals. Kris Humphries was 0-for-6 last night for two points and 10 rebounds, which is probably why the kid got minutes. I will give Williams a look in my 30-team league, but that’s as far as he goes at this point. Anthony Morrow is day-to-day with a shoulder injury and Jordan Farmar will be re-evaluated on April 5 for a groin injury. And this impacts Gerald Green, who had 20 points, four 3-pointers, three steals and a block on Monday. When he’s on, he’s a beast, and I think he deserves a look in most leagues, even though he came out of nowhere to become relevant this year.



Celtics - Ray Allen missed another game with a sprained ankle and remains day-to-day. Avery Bradley started in his place again, but had just 11 points and four rebounds, despite playing 40 minutes. Consider Allen iffy for Wednesday. Paul Pierce had his best game in nearly three years with 36 points and 10 rebounds in a laugher over the Bobcats.



Timberwolves - Jose Juan Barea is out Tuesday and Wednesday with a thigh injury, which is too bad after he blew up for that 25-10-14 triple-double on Friday. Nikola Pekovic is hoping to return on Friday, but it sounds like there’s a chance his ankle spurs could cause him to shut it down for the year. Keep your fingers crossed for Friday, but don’t be surprised if he misses the whole week. And for the record, that is purely speculation from me. Luke Ridnour is banged up with a sore groin, nose and back but it sounds like he’ll play through it, while Michael Beasley plans on playing through his toe problem on Tuesday. Anthony Tolliver is a sneaky pick-and-play right now, as the Wolves don’t trust Darko Milicic enough to use him with Pekovic out.



Pacers –George Hill played just 15 minutes on Monday, as Darren Collison got hot and a had a big game. I’m not giving up on Hill yet, as I expect the two guards to trade off big nights from here on out.



Magic – Ryan Anderson blew up to hit a career-best eight 3-pointers on his way to 28 points, and has now hit 143 threes in just 49 games.



Heat – Dwyane Wade had a monster fantasy line with 24 points, five rebounds, six assists, four 3-pointers and four blocks, but the Heat fell to the Pacers, losing their second straight game.



Bobcats – Byron Mullens is suddenly hot, going for 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks on Monday, and 17 points and 10 boards on Saturday. I have no idea if he’ll keep it going, but if you’re using a guy like J.J. Hickson at center, Mullens looks like a better option for now. D.J. Augustin is in a horrible slump and Kemba Walker was awful on Monday. The team is just so bad it’s tough on the point guards to make anything happen. And why Paul Silas is still coaching there is beyond me.

 

[HacheMan]

Healthy Hawes

Who will get the minutes? It’s a simple question that rarely has a simple answer.

Coaches are constantly tinkering and toying with their rotations. Sometimes it has to with injuries and in other instances, it’s a result of ineffective play from a certain player. The impact this has on minutes played and thus statistical production is where we come in.

Every Tuesday for the rest of the season, I’ll explore a certain aspect of half the league’s rotations while attempting to get inside coaches’ heads. The idea isn’t to tell you what Kevin Love and LeBron James are going to do -- it’s to decipher how much burn fringe players are going to get.

Here’s last week’s Position: Center
The Sixers exercised extreme caution with Spencer Hawes as he returned from an Achilles injury. He played in five-minute bursts at first, then six and then seven. On Sunday, he lasted eight minutes in the first quarter before coming out. And with three full days off following Tuesday’s game against the Cavs, the reset button is about to be hit. Starting Friday, coach Doug Collins should have free reign to use Hawes as he sees fit.

In Hawes’ first 14 games of the season, he played 27.6 minutes per night and the Sixers went 12-2. Now the Sixers are fighting for the Atlantic Division title and are desperate for playoff positioning. Expect Collins to try to squeeze as much as possible out of Hawes, making 27-30 minutes nightly a strong bet.

With those kind of minutes, Hawes’ roto-friendly game is on the upswing in a big way. Remember that in those 14 games, Hawes averaged 10.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. He's in a true contract year and remains extremely motivated to finish out the season strong. There's significant upside here.

BOBCATS
Position: Center
Coach Paul Silas says that his starting center, Bismack Biyombo, is actually a natural power forward. He also says that his backup center, Byron Mullens, is also better suited to play power forward. That’s a problem for fantasy owners as Silas appears hesitant to play the duo together.

Biyombo was not injured on Monday when he logged just 15 minutes. Simply put, he and starting power forward Tyrus Thomas got outplayed by Mullens and Derrick Brown.

Still, Biyombo owners shouldn’t be overly concerned. Mullens is a pure jump-shooter and jump-shooters of Mullens’ caliber inevitably go cold. Prior to Monday, Biyombo had played at least 28 minutes in nine of his previous 10 games. That’s going to be the norm once Mullens comes back to earth, leaving Biyombo with his usual blocks and boards upside.

BUCKS
Position: Small forward
When the Bucks gave up Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson at the trade deadline, they lost two guys that weren’t even playing. They got back Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh, two guys that are playing. Clearly, the rotation was going to get squeezed.

The biggest losers were Tobias Harris, Shaun Livingston, Beno Udrih and Mike Dunleavy. But on Monday night, Dunleavy saw some light as Carlos Delfino went down with a groin injury. After the game, Delfino conceded that he was in substantial pain. And as we’ve seen with Derrick Rose, serious groin injuries can linger for weeks.

Coach Scott Skiles prefers Dunleavy as a reserve, but that doesn’t really matter. He once again has a clear path to playing time and a role as the team’s best perimeter shooter. Dunleavy also has ideal size for a small forward, which is important now that Monta Ellis is locking down the shooting guard spot. The 30 minutes Dunleavy logged on Monday night are sustainable for as long as Delfino is out.

BULLS
Position: Point guard
John Lucas has certainly put up some extremely impressive numbers while Derrick Rose (groin) has been sidelined. But make no mistake, this is C.J. Watson’s job.

Over the last five games, Watson is playing 33.0 minutes per night. Lucas is at 18.6 minutes during that span. There shouldn’t be any questions as to who the handcuff is here, even if Lucas gets hot every now than then.

CAVALIERS
Position: Center
At the 2011 draft combine, Tristan Thompson measured in at 6’7.5” without shoes and 227 pounds. That’s clearly not optimal size for a center. But with Anderson Varejao (wrist) still lacking a target date, Ryan Hollins dumped and Semih Erden inept, coach Byron Scott is rolling with the rookie at the pivot.

Scott says that he can get away with playing Thompson at center because of the dearth of true big men in the league. The coach certainly has a point. On Tuesday, Thompson will match up on Spencer Hawes. On Wednesday it’s Greg Monroe and on Friday it’s Drew Gooden.

Since finally cracking the starting lineup five games ago, Thompson is averaging a hefty 35.5 minutes per night. The production will be inconsistent as a 21-year-old raw prospect, but the minutes are safe until Varejao returns.

CELTICS
Position: First big off bench
The Celtics are in a position they’re not accustomed to. At 27-22, they’re tied atop the Atlantic Division and in a major fight for playoff positioning with just a month left. Therefore, the starting five is logging some absurdly heavy minutes despite their collective age.

Outside of those five, one sneaky play can be found. Thanks to the season-ending injuries of Jermaine O’Neal and Chris Wilcox, undrafted rookie Greg Stiemsma has solidified a role as the first big off the bench. Over the last 10 games, Stiemsma is averaging 2.5 blocks, 1.2 steals and 3.8 rebounds while playing just 18.1 minutes per night. If Kevin Garnett or Position: Shooting guard
The Hawks surprisingly kept Kirk Hinrich and his expiring contract at the trading deadline. It was yet another sign that they see him as their starting shooting guard for the foreseeable future, thus making Marvin Williams a sixth man.

In Hinrich’s 15 starts this season, the Hawks are 10-5. In all other games, they are 20-15. Larry Drew’s team is currently on a four-game winning streak and he’s talked openly about how much he likes the three-guard starting unit.

Over the last 10 games, Hinrich is averaging 11.2 points, 3.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 3-pointers per game while playing 38.5 minutes. Those numbers are sustainable even though the minutes will come down now that Williams is healthy.

KNICKS
Position: Shooting guard/Small forward
Amare Stoudemire (back) could be done for the season. The guy was playing 33.2 minutes per night, so we’ve got a massive hole in the rotation here.

Coach Mike Woodson likes the idea of going small and it makes sense. Carmelo Anthony is 6’8/230 and extremely powerful. He can certainly guard power forwards like Ryan Anderson (Wednesday), Josh Smith (Friday) and Antawn Jamison (Saturday).

That leaves the shooting guard and small forward spots wide open for some combination of Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields, J.R. Smith and Steve Novak. On a night-to-night basis, we can generally expect a hot-hand situation here. Smith has the most upside thanks to his explosiveness while Shumpert’s defensive abilities gives him the best chance at 30-plus minutes.

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MAGIC
Position: Shooting guard
Coach Stan Van Gundy was recently asked what was up with Jason Richardson.

“I think he’s healthy,” Van Gundy said. “He’s just playing very poorly.”

That attitude is reflected in Richardson’s minutes. Over the last five games, he’s averaging just 6.4 points on 33.3 percent shooting while playing a mere 26.2 minutes per night. During that same span, J.J. Redick is averaging 7.4 points on 41.2 percent shooting while playing 22.0 minutes.

Richardson will continue to start as the Magic are rolling along at 32-18. But the veteran certainly doesn’t have an extended leash to shoot his way out of slumps anymore. Van Gundy isn’t afraid to make this a value-killing timeshare.

NETS
Position: Sixth man
Even with Jordan Farmar (groin) out indefinitely, the wing rotation here is crowded. Despite a nasty shooting slump, MarShon Brooks needs significant burn as a big piece of the future core. Over the last 15 games, Brooks is playing 27.6 minutes per night even though he’s shooting 39.9 percent.

Additionally, Gerald Wallace’s arrival at the small forward spot and coach Avery Johnson’s insistence on using DeShawn Stevenson clutters things. Oh, and Anthony Morrow (shoulder) is expected back Wednesday.

Therefore, we can’t expect consistency out of D-League callup Gerald Green. Although he can certainly play and is still only 26 years old, Green has logged less than 18 minutes in two of his last five games. During that span, Green is averaging 10.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 3-pointers and 1.2 steals while playing 23.6 minutes. That’s a realistic expectation.

PACERS
Position: Point guard
As mentioned time and again in this space, Darren Collison is not going anywhere as the starting point guard. George Hill may have more raw talent, but Collison has started every game this season for a team that’s 29-19. Changing things with perhaps the most consistent rotation in the league with one month left in the season would make no sense.

As the starter, Collison gets the first chance to get the hot hand on a nightly basis. He also gets a chance to establish the hot hand at the outset of the third quarter nightly. Therefore, Hill’s minutes are going to be inconsistent. Over the last five games, he’s played anywhere from 15 to 28 minutes. Collison’s range was 24 to 35 during that span. Expect similar distribution going forward.

PISTONS
Position: Shooting guard
I was confused by all the excitement over Ben Gordon’s outburst last week. Everyone realized that only came because Rodney Stuckey (toe) was out, right?

In 18 starts this year, Gordon is averaging 16.1 points in 33.4 minutes per game. In 20 games off the bench, he’s averaging 8.8 points in 22.7 minutes per game. It’s really that simple. If/when Gordon gets his groin healthy, he’ll still need an injury to Stuckey or Position: Shooting guard
Before we get too excited about Gary Forbes’ hot streak, we need to be aware of the injury situation here. DeMar DeRozan (ankle) has missed two straight games and is day-to-day. Jerryd Bayless tried to play through his hip pointer Monday but aggravated and is now day-to-day as well. But when healthy, Forbes is really the third shooting guard. In 33 games off the bench this year, the former undrafted free agent is averaging just 11.3 minutes.

WIZARDS
Position: First big off bench
When Nene Hilario and Trevor Booker are healthy, this rotation is pretty set. But with Nene’s chronically sore back acting up, Booker dealing with plantar fasciitis and the Wizards at 11-38, we’re going to get some random DNPs up front.

Kevin Seraphin went 17th overall in the 2010 draft for a reason. He has soft hands at 6’9/278 and is still only 22 years old. In six starts this season, the fast-developing Frenchman is averaging 10.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and shooting 54.7 percent from the field. The kid can play. Deep-leaguers should be monitoring injury reports closely to see when Seraphin will be getting starts.

* The Heat are not listed as they are the only Eastern Conference team without any true question marks in their rotation.

 

[HacheMan]

Biyombo, Batum keepers to target

By Tom Carpenter | Special to ESPN.com

The trade deadline has passed in most leagues, but in keeper leagues, the decision-making process never really ends. Not only are we going to have to decide which players to keep for next season, but since most keeper leagues allow offseason trading, we'll have the chance to acquire new keepers during the summer.


Last year, I discussed offseason trade strategy. You can follow that link to get some ideas for what types of players you should target in general and some good angles for acquiring quality keepers at a reasonable cost.


Of course, most of the top players in the game are obvious keepers, but if it costs you a draft pick to keep a guy, or if you did an auction and you have to consider how much of your budget you'll need to spend to keep a player under contract, you're going to want to aim for some guys whose career arcs remain on an upward trend. Let's take a look at some young players who haven't maxed out their stats but whose fantasy futures are blazingly bright.

Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, Charlotte Bobcats: About all we knew about Biyombo when he was drafted was that he was a physical freak of nature who had played very little basketball. Of course, just because you have skills doesn't mean you'll churn out fantasy stats; Biyombo's teammate Tyrus Thomas has established that annually. However, Biyombo's production has risen each month in his rookie season, and he has averaged 6.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 27.0 minutes in his 22 starts, shooting 44.7 percent from the field. The scoring should be slow to come, but that's all right if he can pull in double-digit rebounds and block three shots per game next season, which is fully in his range.


Nicolas Batum, SF/SG, Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers finally opened up their roster via trades so that Batum should be a starter and central part of their offense for years to come. In 12 February games, he averaged 17.8 points, 2.5 3s, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks and shot 49 percent from the field and 83 percent from the line. This is pretty much the max we can expect from him as a fantasy option, but what a max that is -- 3s, swipes, blocks and excellent percentages. Don't let him off your team in keeper leagues.


Tristan Thompson, PF/C, Cleveland Cavaliers: It may take a couple of seasons for Thompson to get up to speed, but he's given us a little taste of his potential during his rookie campaign. In five starts, he averaged 35.0 minutes, 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. He shot 52.9 percent from the field during that stretch, though his free throw shooting was an unimpressive 69.6 percent. Odds are he starts next season and comes close to this production.


Ty Lawson, PG/SG, Denver Nuggets: Lawson is reminiscent of Stephen Curry, sans the balky ankles, because he's a point guard who maintains great percentages, while piling up steals and 3s. Lawson doesn't take enough 3-pointers to match Curry in that category, but any PG who can fill out those other categories is going to be a fantasy stud. If he were to get 14-15 shots and 4-5 3-point shots per game, he would have top-15 potential.


Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors: The rookie went from sleeper to "cat out of the bag" in a matter of days. In 10 starts for the Warriors, he has averaged 18.0 points, 2.2 3s and 3.1 dimes per game. Expect plenty more of this next season and beyond.


Paul George, SF/SG, Indiana Pacers: Players who don't score a ton of points regularly don't get the fantasy props they deserve. Take George, for instance. Over his past 28 games, he's averaged 2.2 steals, and he knocked down nearly 1.8 3s per game prior to the All-Star break. The problem with his scoring is that he's been inconsistent (47.6 percent shooting in January, 41.9 in February and 45.8 in March), which has limited his ability to claim shots in the Pacers' offense (10-11 per game the past two months). George has "sleeper" written all over him if he can get enough shots next season.


Nick Young, SG, Los Angeles Clippers: The fact Young is a regular on both ESPN's Top 10 highlights and the Not Top 10 says all you need to hear about Young's fantasy potential -- tons of skills and an equal amount of boneheadedness. What hopefully will counter that boneheadedness is a combination of job security (Clips traded for him and he has basically no competition for minutes) and having Chris Paul running at his side, giving him the ball in good spots to score. Young has tremendous upside next season.

Nikola Pekovic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves: He's not a big shot-blocker, but he should have no problem averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds with quality percentages. He has a secure role as the Wolves' starting center going forward, and Kevin Love draws all of the attention in the paint, so Pekovic should continue to churn out great stats next year and beyond.


MarShon Brooks, SG/SF, New Jersey Nets: It may be hard to commit to a guy who has taken 11 3s over his past five games … and missed every single one of them. However, he has the ability to develop into a player who can score, drop 3s and swipe balls at a good clip. He should be the future for the Nets at shooting guard, which means the opportunity for a big sophomore campaign is there.


Marcin Gortat, C, Phoenix Suns: Like Pekovic, this big Eastern European center has his role locked in with the Suns and doesn't need a lot of touches to make a difference. He's averaged 16.0 points this season on just 11.9 shots per contest. Toss in nearly 10 boards, 1.5 blocks and 56 percent shooting and you have a quality fantasy center. There's little risk of his production dipping next season, unless the Suns' roster changes drastically.


Jerryd Bayless, PG/SG, Toronto Raptors: My fascination and commitment to Bayless has been well-documented this season. Of course, he's remained a tease, in part due to coach Dwane Casey's dedication to using Jose Calderon over Bayless and in part due to his inability to stay healthy. Currently, he's battling a hip pointer. However, his upside is just too high to give up on. Consider that in 11 starts this season, he's averaged 17.8 points, 2.2 3s, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals, while knocking down 45.0 percent of his field goal attempts and 83.7 percent from the charity stripe. If the Raps ever truly turn him loose, he'll be a fantasy stud.

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Raymond Felton - G - Trail Blazers </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Coach Kaleb Canales said Tuesday night he expects Raymond Felton to return to Portland on Wednesday and should be available for Thursday's game.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">It likely all depends on how his mother's heart surgery goes, but as of now, the Blazers expect Felton to be back and ready to go on Thursday.
Mar. 27 - 8:58 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Ben Golliver on Twitter</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Stephen Jackson - G/F - Spurs </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Rumors are floating that Stephen Jackson will get a night of rest from Gregg Popovich on Tuesday night.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">That's the only name we've heard thus far, and while it hasn't been confirmed, we're guessing he won't play tonight.
Mar. 27 - 8:54 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Jeff McDonald on Twitter</td></tr></tbody></table>