Fantasy related but good info.....
Tony Parker Injures Calf
The weekend gave us plenty of fantasy extremes, from the joy of owning Chase Budinger on Saturday, to wondering if it was a mirage on Sunday, while Melo and LeBron put on an entertaining show for the world to watch. Melo scored 29 and added nine rebounds, while LeBron missed a game-tying three at the buzzer. The Heat were in control early, but never really recovered from a 16-0 run the Knicks went on to end the first half.
As for Budinger, I'm not budging on calling him a must-own player, although you might have a better four-game option this week, as the Rockets play just three games.
In case you missed Waiver Wired, it's a big one. That will tell you all about who to pick up, and a little about who to drop, while we'll focus on the latest injury buzz around the league as you prepare to set lineups.
But first, one player I didn't mention in Waiver Wired was Eric Bledsoe, who has been starting at point guard for the Clippers. Mo Williams is about ready to get back in the swing of things and should end up starting for the Clippers at some point, but he's still got to get his head right, while also dealing with a sprained ankle. His status is still unknown for tonight's game against the Kings, but we should get some news this afternoon. Bledsoe hasn't really torn it up in multiple starts this season, but is always worth a look as long as you know he'll be playing with the first unit.
And while we're on the Clippers, Eric Gordon's return date is still completely up in the air, as he can't even shoot 3-pointers right now. There was some talk of him returning tonight, but I don't think that's happening now. Just leave him benched until further notice, and hope that he doesn't need surgery at some point. And if you own Randy Foye, I'd just keep running him out there.
Tony Parker could miss a couple games
Tony Parker went down last night with a calf injury and the expectation is that he's likely to miss a couple games. George Hill is a nice-looking four-game pick up with this news, while Parker should be benched unless we get a more uplifting report this afternoon. Additionally, while Parker is out, Manu Ginobili will likely go off, as he scored a season-high 35 last night, dropping 18 on the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter to secure the comeback win.
Cold In Cleveland
Antawn Jamison broke his left pinkie finger on Sunday, but we're not likely to get an update on his status until Tuesday. The good news? It's his non-shooting hand, and just a pinkie. The bad news is that it's a broken bone and he needs that hand to catch, rebound and help guide his shot. Jamison is tough, but whether or not he really wants to go through that kind of pain to play in more meaningless Cavaliers games this week is up for debate. If I own him, I bench him.
While we're talking about the Cavs, Baron Davis finally passed his physical and is in Cleveland. However, he didn't play on Sunday, when Ramon Sessions went for 20 points, six boards and 10 assists. Sessions has been brilliant for the Cavs this season, and it's a shame that Baron is going to eventually take over this party. It could happen Wednesday against the Spurs, but that's far from guaranteed to happen. I wouldn't start Davis this week, but I'd also be very hesitant to start Sessions, unless we get news that Baron's swollen knee will keep him out this week. Having said that, Byron Scott's latest quote about Davis gives Sessions and his owners a little hope. "I definitely think he's the starter when it's all said and done," he said. That leads me to believe that Sessions could start for at least another week, but starting him in weekly leagues is still a bit risky. Do you feel lucky?
Murphy and Celtics like peas and carrots?
Troy Murphy has reportedly reached a buyout agreement with the Warriors and has narrowed his search for a new team down to Boston, Miami and Orlando, with the Celtics looking like the best bet to land his services. And given they don't have a healthy center other than Nenad Krstic, Murphy is going to get some nice run as soon as he's back in basketball shape and under contract. My guess is we'll see him in about a week, and in a Boston uniform, so if you picked him up recently and can hold out a little longer, it might pay off. He has to be bought out by Tuesday night to be eligible for the playoffs, which doesn't appear to be a problem at this point. In other buyout news, Mike Bibby could be heading to the Hawks, and Rasual Butler to Chicago, but those aren't nearly as exciting as exciting as Murphy in Boston.
Blatche's hip not so square
Andray Blatche's hip and ankle problems are still an issue, or at least I think they are. Updates were few and far between over the weekend, but news is going to start rolling out this afternoon after shootaround. The Wizards play the Bulls tonight, but I'm guessing we'll have a much better idea of his status in a few hours. I've got him benched in my leagues right now, but fully plan on changing it up if word comes down that he'll play after missing his last two games.
Spirit of St. Luis
Luis Scola left Sunday's game with a strained left knee and didn't return, finishing with just six points and six boards on 3-of-13 shooting. It's just a three-game week for the Rockets, making Scola a pretty risky prospect, while backups like Brad Miller and Patrick Patterson aren't worth a look, either. While it's potentially good news for Chuck Hayes, owners of Scola should probably plan on playing it safe and benching him this week.
Rip City
LaMarcus Aldridge gave his owners a scare last night, leaving in the first quarter and going straight to the locker room with a left knee injury. He returned later with a wrap on the knee, and actually looked pretty healthy. I don't think his knee is anything to worry about, so keep him in your lineup. Just beware that he is a big man playing in Portland, so anything is possible.
And while we're talking about Portland, on a side note, Gerald Wallace made his debut last night and was fairly quiet in 29 minutes, but the surprising news of the night was that Nicolas Batum played 36 minutes. He didn't do much with them, but it's possible he could continue to get enough run to hold some value, so continue to monitor him. Brandon Roy played just 18 minutes and the Blazers go back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning he'll likely miss one of those. No thank you. Marcus Camby returned from his five-week absence due to a knee injury and failed to score in 20 minutes. He looked OK and while he's a bit risky this week, can be started if you have limited options in the middle.
Touch Me I'm Sick
Andrea Bargnani was a surprise scratch on Sunday, although we had it on Rotoworld prior to game time. He was out with the flu, and while it's usually a one-day deal, we've seen guys miss as many as three games due to an illness. The Raptors host the Hornets on Tuesday and play just three games this week. If he misses that one, it becomes a two-game week, making him a bit risky. I doubt we have a new update on his status prior to Tuesday, but it is possible. Weigh options carefully and start him at your own risk, although my gut says he'll play in all three. Ed Davis started in place of Bargnani and eight points, five rebounds and three blocks, while Amir Johnson was hot, hitting 10-of-13 shots for 21 points and seven boards.
Motown Meltdown
We still don't really know anything new out of Detroit, which is not only troubling for the owners of guys like Tracy McGrady and Tayshaun Prince, but also players like Will Bynum, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye, Ben Gordon and others. If Prince is over his back injury and T-Mac is still in John Kuester's rotation, those other guys take a hit. If not, they're all playable. Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey feel like fantasy must-starts to me, but the rest of the players on this team are a crapshoot. Hopefully we get some updates this afternoon, although the Pistons don't play until Tuesday at Milwaukee, and have just three games this week.
JT's ankle still a mystery
Jason Thompson left Saturday's game with a sprained left ankle and hasn't been heard from since. If we don't get more information before you set your lineup, you probably have to bench him, but we'll know one way or another on Monday, as the Kings play at 10 p.m. Eastern. If you're wondering about guys like Samuel Dalembert and Marcus Thornton, I say start them, along with DeMarcus Cousins. Just keep an eye on Cousins, as he was pretty ticked off Saturday about losing his starting job to Dalembert.
Can Danny Ainge Predict the future?
Kendrick Perkins, instead of being out three games, is now out for three weeks due to sprained MCL in his left knee. You have to wonder if Danny Ainge could see this coming before he traded him to the Thunder. The great news is that it's not the same knee that he had surgically repaired over the summer and just returned from. The bad news is that he's going to have very little time to gel with the team before the playoffs, and a setback is always a possibility. But something tells me Serge Ibaka's owners don't mind seeing Perk in street clothes. Nick Collison is going to get a lot of run over the next few weeks, but is only worth a look in very deep leagues.
Brand New Love
Elton Brand dislocated his finger on Sunday, but played right through it. It's worth keeping an eye on, but if he was able to keep going on Sunday, I'm guessing he'll be OK for his next one.
Bucks Stop Here
Ersan Ilyasova has a concussion and has fallen out of the starting unit, while Corey Maggette is perfectly healthy, and nearly out of the rotation. Andrew Bogut's elbow is an ongoing concern but he's playing through it, and while you might see Michael Redd's name kicked around in the near future, do yourself a favor and ignore him. Brandon Jennings was awful in his last one, but despite just a three-game week, I'd probably run him out there if I owned him. I'll be seeing him this week in another big meeting with Mr. Kamla. Johns Salmons is pretty much a must-start at this point, Carlos Delfino is hit or miss, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is intriguing, but far too inconsistent to use. Do yourself a favor next year and just avoid all of them on draft day.
Net Loss
Anthony Morrow, who is now coming off the bench for the Nets, played 31 minutes on Saturday, but had an X-ray taken on his sore right knee. That came back negative and I'm guessing no news is good news. But coming off the bench, he's far from a must-start player at this point. Jordan Farmar sprained his ankle on Saturday and could miss some time, making Ben Uzoh worth keeping an eye on. I said keeping an eye on, not picking up.
Convenient-Mart
Kenyon Martin was out for the Nuggets on Friday with the flu, but says he'll play against the Hawks tonight. He's been playing well and makes for a sneaky fantasy play for four games, although two of those are a back-to-back.
