NBA News/Injuries/etc. (4/11/11)

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hacheman@therx.com
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Marcus Camby - F/C - Trail Blazers

Marcus Camby (neck) was a part of the first unit in team practices on Monday and says he will play in Tuesday's game against Memphis.
It's a good sign for Camby owners but we temper the optimism a bit. If the Blazers knock off Memphis tomorrow and New Orleans loses one of their last games, Portland will most likely sit Camby the last game. Apr. 11 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Source: Joe Freeman on Twitter
 

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Al Harrington - F - Nuggets

Al Harrington (achilles) will not play in Monday's game against Golden State.
This is a bit of a surprise scatch and a let down for fantasy owners hoping to see Harrington take advantage of all the injuries to the rest of the Nuggets rotation. With Al Harrington out the Nuggets will rely even more heavily upon Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario to hold down the front court. Apr. 11 - 2:06 p.m. ET
Source: Chris Dempsey on Twitter
 

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Wilson Chandler - G/F - Nuggets

Wilson Chandler will not play in Monday's game against Golden State as he continues to rest his gimpy ankle.
With Chandler, Danillo Gallinari (ankle), and Al Harrington (achilles) all out and Arron Afflalo (hamstring) limited, J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton could be given a green light offensively. Expect any healthy body to get plenty of minutes for the Nuggets. Apr. 11 - 2:02 p.m. ET
Source: Chris Dempsey on Twitter
 

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Evan Turner - G - 76ers </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Evan Turner will likely get the start in place of the Andre Iguodala (knee) in Monday's game against the Magic.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>While Turner has had glimpes of potential he's had a very quiet season. Anything's possible but don't expect to see any fireworks from Turner tonight.
Apr. 11 - 1:13 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Michael Preston on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Danilo Gallinari - F - Nuggets </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Danilo Gallinari (ankle) has ruled himself out for Monday's game against Golden State but is aiming for a Wednesday return against Utah.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Gallinari tried rehabing the ankle for a Monday return but he needed a few more days rest. With the playoff position virtually locked for the Nuggets there is little reason to risk injury.
Apr. 11 - 1:09 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Aaron Lopez on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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J.J. Redick - G - Magic </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>J.J. Redick did not participate in the team shootaround and will not play in Monday's game against Philadelphia.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>This was to be expected. His chance of playing Monday was very slim. If he does play on Wednesday it's not likely that he will make much of an impact.
Apr. 11 - 1:02 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Josh Robbins on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Gilbert Arenas - G - Magic </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Gilbert Arenas' status for Monday night's game is in doubt due soreness.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>There's no word as to where the soreness is but we're assuming it's in his knee which has been bothering him all year. Orlando's playoff position is locked so these kind of moves are to be expected.
Apr. 11 - 12:59 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Josh Robbins on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Monta Ellis - G - Warriors </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>After suffering a grade-2 concussion in Sunday's game and spending the night in a local hospital, Monta Ellis has been released and will miss the remaining games of the season.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>This is rough news for the remaining owners relying on Ellis to close out the season. With Ellis out the Warriors will look to Stephen Curry, Dorell Wright and Reggie Williams to shoulder the offensive load.
Apr. 11 - 12:50 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Golden State Warriors on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Deron Williams - G - Nets </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Deron Williams is scheduled to surgery to remove bone fragments and scar tissue on Monday.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Initial expectations are that he will be restricted from any basketball activities for the next six to eight weeks. If he follows typical procedure he will resume light drills after this period and progressively work his way back onto the court.
Apr. 11 - 12:09 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Al Iannazzone on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Josh Smith - F - Hawks </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Josh Smith (knee) will play on Monday but will only see limited minutes.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>With their playoff picture decided it looks like the Hawks don't want to do anything to jeopardize their key players. Keep your expectations low for Smith's return.
Apr. 11 - 11:59 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Michael Cunningham on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Andre Iguodala - G/F - 76ers </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Andre Iguodala has been ruled out for Monday's game to give his ailing knee rest before the playoffs.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>He's been fighting knee tendinitis for much of the second half of the season so this shouldn't be a surprise. With the Sixers now trailing the surging Knicks in the playoff race it makes sense to get Iggy as much rest as he needs before the post-season.
Apr. 11 - 11:06 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Michael Preston on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Mike Miller - G/F - Heat </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Mike Miller's status (thumb) for Monday's game is still in doubt.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>He's a shaky play even when healthy. He's a safe player to avoid in the final games.
Apr. 11 - 10:32 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Miami Herald</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Andris Biedrins - C - Warriors </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Andris Biedrins (ankle, personal) is currently not with the team due to the birth of his son in his homeland of Latvia.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>He's been away from the team several days now but the reason why has finally been disclosed. It's doubtful that he would be playing even if he were available.
Apr. 11 - 9:53 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: San Francisco Chronicle</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Amare Stoudemire - F/C - Knicks </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni hopes that Amare Stoudemire (ankle) will play on Tuesday.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>The Knicks do not want Stoudemire to go into the playoffs having sat out four straight games. His minor ankle tweak is likely still sore, but we'd expect to see him Wednesday if not Tuesday. We should know more after Monday's practice.
Apr. 11 - 12:40 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Marc Berman on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Fanntasy related but good info...



NBA's Final Countdown
Things are about to get very weird for the final three days of the NBA season, if they weren't already weird coming in. If the Spurs beat the Lakers on Tuesday it would set up a potential second-round matchup between the two in the playoffs. In other words, if there was ever a time and chance for Gregg Popovich to sit every good player and tank a game, it will be for this one, as you have to think the Spurs would rather not face the Lakers in Round 2. And given that this should be an obvious night off for Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, I could see Pop turning the tables and at least starting his regular unit, but that's just a wild guess by me. Either way, using any Spurs in that game looks like a big risk to me. Richard Jefferson, Tiago Splitter, DeJuan Blair, George Hill and Gary Neal should all be worth a look if the Spurs go into tank mode.

Then there was this cryptic tweet from A. Sherrod Blakely regarding the Celtics:

Question from @shawnriv: Do u think Doc will rest Rajon, Paul, KG & Ray the next 2 games before the playoffs start?
Answer from Blakely: It's being considered.


The Heat and Celtics actually played an entertaining and meaningful game on Sunday, and while the Heat ended up dominating, there was plenty of tension, drama and battling throughout. But since the Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins, they just don't look like a confident team. It's like their hearts are no longer in it and they kind of remind me of Charlie Brown walking around with his head down with that solemn music playing in the background. And it looks like the Celtics are going to get the Knicks in Round 1. My guess is the Celtics will pull that one out in seven games, but if the Knicks play well, it's conceivable they could end Boston's season early.

Follow me on Twitter for updates throughout the NBA Playoffs.

The bottom line here is that the following teams have nothing left to play for, other than to get the playoffs or their vacations started as soon as possible.

West

The Spurs are really the only playoff team definitely ready to chill in the West. The Lakers, Mavericks, Thunder, Nuggets, Blazers, Hornets and Memphis are all still battling for position, which means their healthy players should be good to go.

The Rockets, Suns, Jazz, Warriors, Clippers, Kings and Timberwolves are all out of it and who they put on the floor could be a real crapshoot.

Monta Ellis was hospitalized after banging his head on the floor last night and you have to think his year is over. Other injured guys we may not see again this season include: Wilson Chandler, Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Chris Kaman, Darko Milicic, Kevin Love, Raja Bell and Andrei Kirilenko. Jason Kidd is also talking about sitting out Wednesday's finale if they have nothing to play for, which means Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler should also be watched closely in that one for shutdown news.

Injured players who are expected to try to finish include Paul Millsap, Marcus Camby, Luis Scola, Danilo Gallinari, Chris Andersen and Arron Afflalo. Scola is the guy I'm most worried about in this group.

East

The Bulls have cliched homecourt throughout the Eastern Finals, while the Magic and Hawks are pretty much locked into a first-round meeting, although the Hawks need a win to guarantee it. The Pacers are locked into the No. 8 seed and a meeting with the Bulls, while the Heat, Celtics, Knicks and Sixers are the other playoff teams that could still move up or down slightly. The Bulls, Celtics, Magic and Hawks are the favorites to rest some players, so stay tuned for news on them each day this week.

The non-playoff teams include the Bucks, Bobcats, Pistons, Nets, Wizards, Raptors and Cavaliers.

Injured players who have been shut down or could be in the East include: Shaquille O'Neal, Stephen Jackson, Tyrus Thomas, Shaun Livingston, Anthony Parker, Samardo Samuels, Tracy McGrady, Ben Wallace, Will Bynum, Mike Miller, Andrew Bogut, Deron Williams, Anthony Morrow, Kris Humphries, Lou Williams, Sonny Weems, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Amir Johnson, Leandro Barbosa, Nick Young, Trevor Booker, Josh Howard and Rashard Lewis. Joakim Noah doesn't look great right now and could get somr rest for his ankle, while I'm sure Derrick Rose (39 points Sunday) could use a day off. Whether he takes one or not remains to be seen. If Noah takes a break, Taj Gibson could be a nice pickup.

Amare Stoudemire and Josh Smith are both hurting, but it sounds like there's a decent chance both players will play tonight. Stan Van Gundy also said he's not planning on limiting Dwight Howard over the last two games, but could change his mind.

Weekend News and Notes

Chris Paul was held scoreless for the first time in his career Sunday, going 0-for-6 and handing out 10 assists. Marco Belinelli played well and Trevor Ariza is worth a look for the final three days of the season.

Kevin Durant scored 31 points on 15 shots to lead the Thunder over the Lakers Sunday, sending the Lakers to their fifth straight loss, as the Thunder won their fourth straight game. The Spurs have also won four straight games as the 'tank watch' begins.

The Knicks are hot entering the last three days of the season after winning seven straight games, with Carmelo Anthony hitting the game-winner over the Pacers on Sunday. The Bulls are also on a seven-game winning streak, while the Hawks have lost four straight games.

Reggie Williams will likely start the final two Warriors' games for injured Ellis and makes for a nice fantasy pick up.

James Johnson, Ed Davis, DeMar DeRozan and Jerryd Bayless all look like strong plays down the stretch for the Raptors.

Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic look like good plays for the Nets, along with Brook Lopez.

O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen could finish up strong for the Grizzlies, Kwame Brown, Boris Diaw, Gerald Henderson, Dominic McGuire, Dane Cunningham and D.J. White are worth a look in Charlotte, while Charlie Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey were nice for the Pistons.

Ty Lawson hit 10 3-pointers on Saturday and finished with a big line. He's young and should finish out for the Nuggets, while still sharing time with Raymond Felton. Kenyon Martin could get some rest for his old legs, while I could also see Nene getting a night off. J.R. Smith, Al Harrington and Gary Forbes could gets some nice run down the stretch for Denver.

Anthony Randolph, Wes Johnson and Martell Webster could finish strong for the Wolves, while John Salmons, Drew Gooden (triple-double Saturday) and Brandon Jennings should be solid for the Bucks. Carlos Delfino is an option, but has really been struggling lately. I don't trust him or any of his teammates farther than I could throw Scott Skiles.

Baron Davis and J.J. Hickson look good for the Cavs, while Ramon Sessions and Daniel Gibson are also worth a look.

Devin Harris remains on shutdown alert with his hamstring injury for the Jazz, who are depleted with injuries right now. Earl Watson could start if Harris is shutdown, while Derrick Favors is making a nice case to be used in fantasy leagues right now.

Goran Dragic should get nice run for the Rockets with Kyle Lowry done, while Brad Miller, Chuck Hayes, Chase Budinger and Patrick Patterson are all sneaky plays right now.

Othyus Jeffers looks like a sneaky play for the Wizards, while Jordan Crawford, John Wall, JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche should finish up strong.

Corey Brewer could get some more nice run for the Mavs after starting and scoring 20 on Friday.

Jared Dudley and Aaron Brooks should be fine plays for the Suns.

Jodie Meeks could be a sneaky play for the Sixers with Lou Williams sidelined.
 

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Fantasy related but good info...



Wired: The Fantasy Awards
Here are the Fantasy Hoops Awards for the year. Aaron Bruski and I combined our thoughts on this one and chances are, if you're still reading about fantasy hoops, you won your league, or had a nice year, and many of your players will be listed below. Enjoy.

Fantasy MVP

Alexander: LeBron James
Bruski: LeBron James

Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire & Monta Ellis.

Dr. A: LeBron overcame playing with two very skilled offensive players in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to have another huge fantasy season. Whether or not the Heat can advance to the Finals remains to be seen, but in terms of fantasy, LeBron was better to own than Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. We had Durant as our preseason favorite to take this crown, but the strong play of Russell Westbrook derailed that train.

Bruski: Ironically, the choice comes down to James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and though Durant didn't win a positional award by my accord, he was probably James' closest competition. And the two were very close statistically, with James carrying advantages in field goal percentage, assists, and steals, and Durant carrying advantages is free throw shooting, blocks, and threes. Add it up and James has a slight edge in a per-game valuation, and with two extra games under his belt the advantage gets more pronounced cumulatively. My guess is that these two are going to do battle for these honors for the next five years.

Best Point Guard

Alexander: Chris Paul
Bruski: Derrick Rose

Honorable Mention: Russell Westbrook & Stephen Curry.

Dr. A: Paul was somewhat quiet, but still had a huge season and stayed pretty healthy, despite concerns about his knee. I could have gone with Rose here, like Bruski did, but Paul's owners were in good shape all season and he led teams to a lot of titles. However, that zero-point game on Sunday was painful.

Bruski: Yes, you read that right, I listed Rose. To clarify, Chris Paul was the most valuable PG on the year, but since I'd venture to say the majority of leagues have some form of playoffs, I have to give the nod to Rose. Over the last month, Rose scored 26.6 points with 1.9 threes, 3.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks while shooting 46.5% from the field and 90.8% from the foul line. Paul's numbers were just behind, as he scored 16.5 points with 0.6 threes, 5.2 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.1 blocks while shooting 46.2% from the field and 79.7% from the foul line. And while Paul was giving owners fits with the early signs of Brandon Roy syndrome, Rose was hanging in TV land with Katy Perry. Advantage, Rose.

Best Shooting Guard

Alexander: Monta Ellis
Bruski: Dwyane Wade

Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili & Kevin Martin.

Dr. A: It was tough to pass on Wade here, but Ellis got the minutes from Keith Smart and had a monster fantasy season, playing in five more games than Wade up to this point. Yes, he crumbled in the fantasy playoffs, but based on his draft position (outside of Round 1), I'm giving Ellis the nod over Wade – who might be the best player in the league when healthy. Ellis is probably done for the season after going to the hospital on Sunday with a head injury.

Bruski: Wade falls down a million times, milks it, and gets right back up. And while he was one hangnail away from sitting out seemingly all year long, he stayed healthy and played in 75 games to date. His closest statistical comparison is Monta Ellis, who only creeps closely when you look at cumulative values. As you'll see with the SF discussion, Miami proved to be a more fertile fantasy ground than we thought it would be entering the year.

Best Small Forward

Alexander: LeBron
Bruski: LeBron

Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant

We covered this in the MVP section.

Best Power Forward

Alexander: Kevin Love
Bruski: Amare Stoudemire

Honorable Mention: LaMarcus Aldridge, Josh Smith, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Millsap & Kevin Garnett.

Dr. A: Bruski and I failed to talk about position played before putting this together, so we're stuck. I had Amare as my No. 1 center, but I can't argue with Bruski having Amare as a PF. Love was a fantasy beast all season, but a groin injury sidelined him down the stretch, when it really mattered to his owners. Maybe I should have gone with Aldridge or Smith, but it's hard to argue with what Love did before going down with the injury.

Bruski: Amare pooped out at the end, and if anybody with his body of work had started to top the charts late I'd give this a second look, but that didn't happen so Amare gets my nod. And while Kevin Love put up some monster numbers this season, his lack of steals and blocks and low field goal percentage kept him from taking the next step into elite territory. As for Love's potential for improvement in those areas? It's not going to happen when he's pinning down his guy well before a shot is released to get rebounding position, and otherwise jacking up a bunch of threes.

Best Center

Alexander: Amare Stoudemire
Bruski: Dwight Howard

Honorable Mention: Pau Gasol

Dr. A: Amare had a huge year and rewarded owners who took him with a first-round pick. His minutes were ridiculous and while he has been sitting recently in preparation for the playoffs, he came through in a big way for owners. I almost went with Dwight Howard as well, but it's still no secret that his free throws and turnovers remain a problem. I'll let Bruski handle the love for Dwight.

Bruski: Even in 8-cat leagues that count his awful 59.2% free throw percentage, Howard was still able to rank as the best true center of the bunch with high second round value (cumulative). He added a few new post moves and started to get a little bit meaner, which comes when the weight of expectations start to get a little heavier.

Keep reading for the rest of the awards.
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Fantasy Steal of the Draft

Alexander: Dorell Wright
Bruski: Dorell Wright

Honorable Mentions: Monta Ellis, Kevin Love, Paul Pierce, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Martin, Jrue Holiday, J.J. Hickson, Beno Udrih, Michael Beasley & Channing Frye.

Dr. A: Wright was likely gobbled up near the end of your draft and hit a ton of 3-pointers, as well as racked up huge fantasy numbers along the way. If he was drafted in your league, he was the obvious choice here.

Bruski: There's been some debate about whether or not Dorell Wright should be listed in the 'draft steal' section or the 'waiver wire pickup' section of the awards, which to me says all you need to know about a guy that was a flier pick in many drafts. Being a Warriors fan and following him in the preseason, it was clear to me early on that he would be productive in Golden State, and that one thought carried almost all of my teams to the promised land.

Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickup

Alexander: Kyle Lowry
Bruski: Kyle Lowry

Honorable Mention: Serge Ibaka, Marcin Gortat, Kris Humphries, Landry Fields, Jordan Crawford, Wesley Matthews, Nick Young, Tony Allen & Marcus Thornton.

Dr. A: Lowry was possibly dropped in some leagues when Aaron Brooks returned from his ankle injury, but it was Lowry who held onto the starting job and the numbers before Brooks was finally sent packing to the Suns. If you picked up Lowry and held onto him, you might have won your league due to a savvy move on the wire.

Bruski: There can be arguments made for guys that got hot during the playoffs (Jordan Crawford, Marcus Thornton) and an argument can be built for guys like Marcin Gortat and Kris Humphries, too. For my money, you just can't overlook the breadth of Kyle Lowry's work, as he held off Aaron Brooks and put up monster numbers in 71 starts.

Fantasy Bust

Alexander: Joe Johnson
Bruski: Brandon Roy

Honorable Mention: Joakim Noah, Rashard Lewis, O.J. Mayo, Marcus Thornton, Rashard Lewis, Aaron Brooks, Antawn Jamison, Jeff Green & Brandon Jennings.

Dr. A: Johnson finished with 8th-round fantasy value, and while he was still rather productive, he just no longer looks like a player who should be taken in the first three rounds of fantasy drafts. He stayed healthy and still really hosed his owners, so I'm going with him as my bust of the year. How can Thornton be on both the Bust and Pickup list? It's pretty simple, in that he killed those of us who drafted him in October, and then likely came through for another team in your league late for someone who grabbed him off waivers after he was traded to the Kings.

Many folks will have Brook Lopez on their Bust list, but he played well late and was still at least productive throughout the season, despite being outrebounded by several guards in the league.

Bruski: As he did with the Portland brass, Brandon Roy sold owners a bill of goods that implied he had a functioning knee. As it would go he didn't, and many owners' seasons were crippled early on.

Fantasy Rookie of the Year

Alexander: Blake Griffin
Bruski: Blake Griffin

Honorable Mention: Greg Monroe, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins & Landry Fields.

Dr. A: Bruski covers this pretty well and Blake was a no-brainer for this award. Therefore, I'll let Aaron do the heavy lifting.

Bruski: Griffin will get overdrafted next season, and depending on your format his value swings wildly, but no other rookie came close to equaling his fantasy value over the entire season, though John Wall has come on late and outproduced him in the playoffs. When you factor in Wall's midseason struggles and injury concerns, it's clear that the points go to Griffin. And when you add into the mix that you got to watch your guy put on a show every night, there really is no contest here.

Most Frustrating Player To Own

Alexander: Danny Granger
Bruski: Brook Lopez

Honorable Mention: Joe Johnson, Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, Any Piston, Stephen Curry, Marc Gasol, Carlos Delfino, Andrew Bogut, Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Jeff Green, Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, DeJuan Blair, Tyreke Evans, JaVale McGee.

Dr. A: Danny Granger missed a Sunday game late with the flu that cost me a shot at a championship. He also shot it miserably at times, jacking up ill-advised 3-pointers and playing without any semblance of discipline. He's not a leader and reminds me more of Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion than anyone else. He's a solid NBA player, but I pity the Pacers for having him being options No. 1 and 2 in Indy. I'm putting him on my "never again" list, although that could end up being a bad decision in the long run.

Dr. A (for Bruski): Any time your starting center and high draft pick grabs less than six rebounds per game, it's going to be a rough season. Lopez had five or less boards in 37 games (and counting) and three or less 12 times. C'mon, man.

Fantasy Coach of the Year

Alexander: Larry Drew
Bruski: Tom Thibodeau

Honorable Mention: Doc Rivers, Paul Silas, Rick Alderman, Frank Vogel, Vinny Del Negro, Scott Brooks & Nate McMillan.

Dr. A: You could rely on the Hawks' rotation throughout the season and it's hard to blame Drew for Joe Johnson's problems. I'm putting that one on Joe.

Bruski: Like many things coaching related, the personnel made all the difference here, as I could write the Bulls blurbs before the game was even played. And like a referee that doesn't get noticed, Thibs found a rotation at shooting guard and let his other four starters play heavy minutes. There were other coaches who faced a greater degree of difficulty on their jump, but when you can set it and forget it with Thibs -- I can't vote against the guy.

Worst Fantasy Coach of the Year

Alexander: John Kuester
Bruski: John Kuester

Honorable Mention: Avery Johnson, Jim O'Brien, Keith Smart, Scott Skiles & Monty Williams.

Dr. A: Kuester's rotations, random lineup changes, misuse of Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe (early) and Austin Daye, as well as the situations with Rip Hamilton and Tracy McGrady, made Kuester the toughest guy in the league to get a read on. He won't have a job next season, and has no one to blame but himself. I didn't think a guy like Kuester or Keith Smart (GSW) could make me miss Don Nelson, but these two pulled it off. Not to mention Avery Johnson.

Bruski: One month ago I would have voted Avery Johnson for his overwhelming mental kung fu grip, but I cannot ignore the mess in Detroit. Surely, those cats had already devoured Flip Saunders, and Kuester was probably dead to rights before he arrived -- but good god man have some dignity. You don't deactivate a player in Rip Hamilton, who helped deliver a championship to your city, when he can start for any number of teams in the league -- and you certainly don't get into a urination match with him, either. Daily rotation changes, players openly laughing at him and disrespecting him, and generally pinning the tail on the wrong donkey -- John Kuester took train wreck to a whole new level.
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Rajon Rondo - G - Celtics

The Celtics will give Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and possibly Paul Pierce Monday night off to rest their stars in preparation for a playoff run.
Be warned, they're also likely to sit Wednesday as well. The Celtics are still in the running with the Heat for the second seed but the team brass believe the prudent call is to give their aging core as much rest as they can. We're wondering how the Celtics intend to fill this void but our guess is that Jeff Green and Delonte West will be called upon to pick up the slack. Apr. 11 - 6:41 p.m. ET
Source: Mike Prada on Twitter
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Ben Wallace - F/C - Pistons

Ben Wallace (knee) is expected to miss the final two games of the season.
He's been ruled out for Monday night's game and there's little reason to play him Wednesday. Greg Monroe should get some nice run in his absence. Wallace is at the end of his career and injuries and younger talent have passed him up. Apr. 11 - 6:33 p.m. ET
 

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