Fantasy Related But Good Info.....
Farmar in the Dell, or Devin
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Injury Roundup[/SIZE]
Nets point guard Devin Harris suffered a left knee injury on Tuesday and will have an MRI on Wednesday. It sounds like he's certainly out for Wednesday's game and could miss several weeks. And if the MRI turns up a torn meniscus, which is the fear, Jordan Farmar is going to be a very hot pick up in fantasy. If you have an open roster spot, it makes sense to go ahead and add Farmar now. As we've said in the past, injuries are always a big concern for Harris and it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. Farmar had 17 points, three boards and four assists, and is a safe add right now if you have someone to cut. Also, expect Terrence Williams to get a call up from the D-League, but don't expect big production from him.
Stephen Jackson has been suspended for Wednesday's game for berating officials and will be back on Friday against New Jersey. That could mean some extra minutes for several players, but we're guessing Tyrus Thomas will have a nice line tonight.
Vince Carter returned for the Magic on Wednesday after missing three games with a knee injury. He had 13 points in 27 minutes, while J.J. Redick had 10 points and two threes in 21 minutes. Keep your eye on Redick off the bench and get Vince back into your lineup.
Milwaukee's Andrew Bogut will likely miss his fifth straight game with back spasms on Wednesday, and has missed six games already. His troublesome arm hasn't shut him down yet, but it's possible that will become his next issue. Expect to see him back in the fold on Saturday, if things go well.
The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony skipped Monday's practice but is still hoping to play Wednesday through the flu.
Clippers center Chris Kaman is hoping to return from his knee injury this weekend. Don't put him in your lineup until you see him play a game. And if he was dropped in your league, pick him up.
Baron Davis (knee) could play on Wednesday if Tuesday's practice went well for him. "Baron will play tomorrow," Clips coach Vinny Del Negro said. But then he backtracked. "I should say this: I want to see how Baron feels [Wednesday] after today's practice … and I'll make that decision." Davis hasn't played meaningful minutes in a month and it remains to be seen if or when he'll get back into the starting five.
Carlos Boozer's pinkie isn't feeling well but it still sounds like he's on track to make his Bulls debut tonight. Feel free to start him, but it could make sense to keep him benched if you have other options. Either way, the great Joakim Noah-Boozer experiment is about to begin. Taj Gibson practiced Tuesday through a foot injury, but loses fantasy appeal with the return of Boozer.
Gerald Wallace (elbow) practiced Tuesday and should be good to go for Wednesday night for Charlotte. Ditto with D.J. Augustin, who is limited by a sinus infection.
Hornets forward David West's eye injury doesn't appear to be an injury at all and he should be in starting lineups.
Hawks star Joe Johnson is dealing with a sore right elbow, which probably explains his poor play of late. He's not a must-start player right now, but I still think he'll get it turned around once he's fully healthy.
Mike Miller (thumb surgery) started shooting on Tuesday and would like to play for the Heat on Christmas Day, but a January return is looking more realistic.
www.miamiheat.ws
There's still no timetable on the return of Suns center Robin Lopez (knee), so Channing Frye should keep rolling until further notice.
Joel Przybilla is now targeting a Friday return for the Blazers vs. Washington. If you need boards and blocks, and are fine in points, JP might be worth a look in deep leagues.
Yi Jianlian is practicing again for the Wizards and nearing a return from his knee injury.
Kenyon Martin is making progress from his knee injury and could return for Denver within a few weeks. Yeah, he's playing for a contract, but we're not expecting any miracles.
The Grizzlies' Darrell Arthurs was out Tuesday with a groin injury and is day-to-day.
Kevin Garnett rolled an ankle on Tuesday but played through it, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He should be OK, but is worth checking out on Wednesday to make sure it doesn't swell up.
Samuel Dalembert left Tuesday's game with right patella tendinitis and didn't return. We're guessing it's just general knee soreness, but his injury is probably a reason DeMarcus Cousins went off for a career-high 20 points and eight rebounds after being thrown out of Monday's practice. Cousins is a complete fantasy crapshoot, but looked good tonight. Maybe he'll be the big winner in the Landry benching, but we'll have to wait to find out. Francisco Garcia returned to action for the Kings after a bout with the flu and had six points on Tuesday.
Keep reading for Tuesday night game notes.
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Tuesday Game Notes[/SIZE]
Philadelphia Freedom
One look at the Sixers box score from Tuesday night will tell you the Sixers lost to the Blazers. However, despite just four shots from Andre Iguodala, two rebounds from Elton Brand, one assist from Jrue Holiday (fouled out), and 3-of-12 combined shooting from Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young, the Sixers won the game. Yuck.
For the Blazers, Wesley Matthews replaced Nicolas Batum in the starting five and had 26 points and two 3-pointers on 9-of-16 shooting. Pick him up. Batum struggled again, missing all four of his shots in 13 minutes to finish with two points. Batum has been awful in three straight and I'm thinking he can be dropped now that Matthews is starting. Brandon Roy played 33 minutes but had just 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting. The Blazers have three sets of back-to-back games coming up, starting Dec. 13, which will make it tough to start Roy in those weeks. We don't know if he'll miss one game of back-to-back sets, but it's quite possible he will.
Dwight Shut Down, But Magic Beat Pistons
Dwight Howard was somehow limited to a season-low nine points to go along with 14 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and six turnovers on 4-of-8 shooting by the Pistons on Tuesday. We have no idea how the likes of Greg Monroe and Jason Maxiell were able to contain the big man, but it happened.
Rondo Leads C's Over Cavs
Rajon Rondo had 23 points, five rebounds and 12 assists on 11-of-17 shooting to lead the Celtics over the Nets. Foot pain? What foot pain? Glen Davis added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and it would have been nice had he done this was he was in fantasy lineups a couple weeks ago. Marquis Daniels came out of nowhere for 16 points, four rebounds, two steals and a block on 7-of-10 shooting, but don't expect that type of line very often.
The Cavs got 16 points and 12 boards out of Anderson Varejao, who should be owned in most leagues despite some inconsistent play. J.J. Hickson had 11 rebounds, which were offset by the single point he managed. I dropped him in most leagues and don't feel bad about it – yet. Antawn Jamison struggled off the bench, hitting just 3-of-10 shots for six points and three rebounds, and is as frustrating to own as any player in fantasy. Daniel Gibson had his best line in recent memory with 16 points and a 3-pointer on 5-of-6 shooting, but he obviously got hot. Ramon Sessions continued his strong play off the bench with 14 points and four dimes, and is worth a look in deep leagues.
Knicks Down Nets
Raymond Felton, who is ranked at No. 5 on Basketballmonster.com, between Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry, had 21 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and a 3-pointer on 10-of-15 shooting. Wow. We knew he'd be a stud under Mike D'Antoni, but it was tough to see this type of production coming. Congratulations if you own him. Amare Stoudemire had 35 points, nine rebounds, two steals and a block, and is now averaging 36 points, 12 boards and a block over his last two games, and has scored in double figures in every game this season. He is living up to the hype after a slow start. Wilson Chandler started with Ronny Turiaf (knee) out again and had 27 points, 11 boards, three blocks and a 3-pointer, while Danilo Gallinari's shooting woes continued. He hit just 3-of-11 shots for two 3-pointers and 13 points. Surely, he'll start making his shots, right?
For the Nets, aside from the Devin Harris injury, Brook Lopez scored a season-high 36 points and added three blocks on 14-of-24 shooting, but had just five rebounds. How this guy doesn't have a double-double this season is one of the great NBA mysteries.
Lakers Lose Again, This Time To Memphis
The Lakers have lost three straight (Jazz, Pacers, Grizzlies), yet I doubt you will hear the media freaking out about it, which is what happened when the Heat went on a recent losing streak. Ron Artest, who hit 5-of-11 shots and two 3-pointers for 12 points, added just one rebound and one assist, and missed a 3-pointer that would have won the game. It was a terrible shot with Rudy Gay in his face, and he also missed a wide open three at the end of the Indiana loss. Making matters worse is the fact Kobe Bryant (29 points) passed it to Ron-Ron and then demanded the ball back for a three to win it. He was ignored and Artest's shot never had a chance, thanks to great defense by Rudy Gay. Suffice it to say that Kobe is not happy about it.
For the Grizzlies, Mike Conley torched Derek Fisher and Steve Blake to hit 10-of-13 shots and four 3-pointers on his way to 28 points, three boards, three assists and two steals. The Lakers are having serious problems with opposing point guards, and made Conley look like Deron Williams tonight. Trust that Phil Jackson is aware of the problem and will be trying to find a way to fix it. I just don't know that they have the personnel at point guard to find a solution.
Granger Torches Kings As Pacers Win Again
Danny Granger, who is having a great fantasy season thus far, had 37 points, seven boards, two assists, two steals, a block and three 3-pointers on 12-of-19 shooting Tuesday. He also hit 10-of-11 free throws for the Pacers, who have shockingly won four of their last five, which includes wins at Miami and the Lakers. They have a tough road coming up with games at Utah and Phoenix up next, but suddenly look like a playoff team in the East. Brandon Rush had six points and Mike Dunleavy had seven, making for a painful fantasy timeshare. Roy Hibbert had 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a block, but has blocked just five shots in his last six games. He's playing well, but his fantasy owners are begging for more blocks. They should be coming.
Tyreke Evans hit just 4-of-14 shots and committed six TOs, but finished with 16 points, seven boards, nine assists and a 3-pointer in the loss. Hopefully he's on the verge of getting hot. Jason Thompson's debut as a starter left something to be desired, as he had just seven points and seven rebounds. Carl Landry had eight points, five boards and two blocks, and it will be interesting to see how this timeshare works out. DeMarcus Cousins played well (as previously mentioned), while Beno Udrih got hot and hit 9-of-12 shots and two 3-pointers for 24 points. He had just one assist, but it's nice to know he's still alive. I still find it hard to believe he'll come off the bench all season, and this could be a sign that it's time to pick him up and stash him until Paul Westphal comes to his senses. Donte Greene had six points and nothing else, and it's beginning to look like he's going to be inconsistent despite starting at SF (at least for now).
Tim Duncan's Third Career Triple-Double Leads Spurs
Tim Duncan exploded for 15 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists and two blocks in Tuesday's win over the Warriors. It's good to know the Warriors are still going to give up career lines to the opposition on any given night. This was just the third trip-dub of Duncan's career. Manu Ginobili stayed hot with 27 points, six boards, three assists, five steals and three 3-pointers on 8-of-13 shooting. He's been fantastic and will continue to get it done as long as he stays healthy. DeJuan Blair started at center and had 16 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the year, but had been terrible - as in unplayable - in his previous four games. We're going to blame this one on the Warriors, and need to see him do it a couple more times before taking the bait. I will say that it was impressive to see him do this on a night when Duncan went off.
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry stayed hot with 32 points, three rebounds, five assists, a steal, a block and three 3-pointers on 13-of-22 shooting. He's clearly a Top 10 fantasy player despite the fact he's not had one of those "wow" games yet. It's coming. Monta Ellis hit just 6-of-16 shots for 12 points, three assists and no threes, but had scored between 18 and 26 points in his previous four. Yes, he's cooled off, but will get it going again. Andris Biedrins had just four points and zero blocks, but added 18 rebounds in the loss. If you can figure out what nights Biedrins is going to do this, you should play the lottery. David Lee had 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals on 7-of-12 shooting. He's back.
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LeBron: Will He Or Won't He?[/SIZE]
There are 12 games on Wednesday night, but everyone's attention is turning to Thursday when LeBron and the Heat visit Cleveland. LeBron has said he will "probably" break out his formerly popular powder toss, but left the door open to chicken out. Either way, his quote regarding the matter is a classic. "I probably will," he said. "That's a ritual for myself." Yes, LeBron. That is a ritual for yourself, so let's see you do it. Odds of someone trying to foul him on the way up, or throwing beer at him, are high, but one thing's for sure. You, me and any other hoops fan we know is going to be watching on Thursday. Can't wait.
