NBA News/Injuries/etc. (3/24/11)

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Kobe Bryant - G - Lakers

Kobe Bryant (ankle) and Derek Fisher (rest) sat out Thursday's practice.
There's nothing to worry about here. The Lakers have had two days off since their triple-overtime win over the Suns and are just trying to save their legs. Bryant may rest over the final week of the season, but he does not appear in danger of maintenance days anytime soon. Mar. 24 - 5:03 p.m. ET
Source: Kevin Ding on Twitter
 

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Deron Williams - G - Nets

Deron Williams will start if he is able to play in Friday's game against the Magic.
The Nets provided no new update on Williams Thursday. He is still planning on meeting the team in Orlando tomorrow and a decision on his status will be made then. If he can't go, Jordan Farmar will start again. At this point, we have no real clues as to what Deron and the Nets are thinking. Mar. 24 - 3:39 p.m. ET
Source: Newark Star-Ledger
 

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Marcus Camby - F/C - Trail Blazers

Marcus Camby (ankle) says he will play in Friday's game against the Spurs.
Camby sat out Tuesday's win over the Wizards, possibly as a precaution since the Blazers knew they could pound the lowly Wiz without him. Regardless, Camby was relegated to a bench role even before spraining his ankle last Sunday. Since that demotion he is averaging just 22.0 minutes per night. Proceed with caution. Mar. 24 - 3:18 p.m. ET
Source: Joe Freeman on Twitter
 

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Troy Murphy - F/C - Celtics

Troy Murphy rolled his right ankle during Thursday's practice and is day-to-day.
Murphy is averaging just 10.5 minutes a night in 11 games with the Celtics. And that has been with both O'Neals out. The Celts won't miss him if he ends up sidelined by this sprain. Mar. 24 - 3:17 p.m. ET
Source: Chris Forsberg on Twitter
 

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Ben Uzoh - G - Nets

PG Ben Uzoh has joined the Nets in Orlando and will be available for Friday's game against the Magic.
Uzoh was supposed to be with the Nets last night, but bad weather prevented him from getting to the arena on time. He'll back up Jordan Farmar, unless Deron Williams ends up playing Friday. The Nets had no new update on Williams Thursday. Mar. 24 - 3:14 p.m. ET
Source: Colin Stephenson on Twitter
 

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Stephen Jackson - G/F - Bobcats </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>The MRI on Stephen Jackson's hamstring showed no tear and the Bobcats have officially listed him as day-to-day.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>The results of this exam will allow Jackson to attempt to keep playing. Although coach Paul Silas admitted that shutting S-Jax down is a "distinct possibility," Jackson himself is a warrior that will not sit down himself. For now, consider Captain Jack very questionable for Friday's game in Boston. Once the Bobcats are officially eliminated from the playoffs, Jackson will almost certainly relent and rest.
Mar. 24 - 1:54 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Mike Cranston on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Andray Blatche - F/C - Wizards </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Andray Blatche (shoulder) said via Twitter that he is targeting Wednesday's home game against the Heat for his return.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Blatche was just interacting with a fan on Twitter, so nothing is official. But it doesn't sound like he has any plans to meet the Wizards on their current West Coast trip. That means he won't play Friday, Sunday or Monday. Trevor Booker and Yi Jianlian will continue to start at the forward spots.
Mar. 24 - 1:27 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Andray Blatche on Twitter</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>Following Wednesday's loss to the Magic, coach Mike D'Anoti said Amare Stoudemire is "tired."</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Stoudemire had just 13 points and seven rebounds last night. "We've worn him down a little bit and tonight we struggled a little bit," D'Antoni said of his stud power forward. The Knicks took an unscheduled off day Thursday to rest and we wouldn't be too worried going forward. Stoudemire is in tremendous physical condition and will be fine.
Mar. 24 - 1:16 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Newsday</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Baron Davis - G - Cavaliers </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Baron Davis (back) is listed as probable for Friday's game against the Pistons and will start if he plays.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Ramon Sessions will head back to the bench. Davis has missed six of the last seven games, so it's unclear what kind of shape he is in. But as the obvious best player on the roster, he'll have the ball in his hands every time down the court. Once at full strength, we'd expect about 31-33 minutes for Davis and 24-26 for Sessions.
Mar. 24 - 1:10 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Mary Schmitt Boyer on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Tyrus Thomas - F - Bobcats </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Tyrus Thomas (knee) and Stephen Jackson (hamstring) both sat out Bobcats practice Thursday, as expected.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Both players are in danger of being shut down for the year. With a matchup in Boston on Friday looming, the final nail in the Bobcats' playoff hopes should be hammered home.
Mar. 24 - 12:47 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Bobcats on Twitter</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Charlie Villanueva - F - Pistons </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Charlie Villanueva and coach John Kuester got into a verbal spat on the sidelines again Wednesday night.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>With 9:22 left in the fourth quarter, Kuester yanked Villanueva out of the game after some defensive lapses. Villanueva then started "yelling and pointing" at Kuester, according to the Free Press. Kuester just stared back at Charlie V. It's just more of the same for the Pistons and we wouldn't be surprised if Villanueva lands in the doghouse.
Mar. 24 - 12:42 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Detroit Free Press</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Kirk Hinrich - G - Hawks </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Kirk Hinrich played through a sprained right thumb in the second half of Wednesday's loss to the Sixers.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Hinrich logged almost 38 minutes and didn't appear bothered, so we're not overly concerned. It's likely just a jam that players go through all the time. Considering it's Hinrich's shooting hand we'd monitor the situation, but note that Jeff Teague played exactly zero minutes last night.
Mar. 24 - 12:06 p.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Jason Kidd - G - Mavericks </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Coach Rick Carlisle admitted that he may consider giving Jason Kidd some games off to rest as the Mavs prepare for the playoffs.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Kidd turned 38 yesterday and has played in all 70 games this season. With three sets of back-to-backs coming up over the next two weeks, owners need to be aware of maintenance days. "We'll talk about that internally as time goes on," Carlisle said. If/when Kidd gets a day off, J.J. Barea and Roddy Beaubois will become nice spot-starts. It won't be tonight as the Mavs have confirmed that Kidd will play.
Mar. 24 - 11:41 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: ESPN Dallas</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Tyreke Evans - G - Kings </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Coach Paul Westphal said that how much Tyreke Evans (foot, probable) plays Friday will depend on how Evans feels and doctors' advice.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Evans will scrimmage today for the first time since being medically cleared. Considering he has missed 19 straight games, out expectations are low. Look for Beno Udrih and Marcus Thornton to keep starting until Evans gets his legs under him, which could take some time. We'd stash Evans if we could afford it, but note that there are only 12 games left in the Kings' season.
Mar. 24 - 10:56 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Sacramento Bee</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Michael Beasley - F - Timberwolves </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Michael Beasley (hip) participated in most of Wednesday's practice.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Beasley is officially listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Mavs, but he does not appear in real danger of missing the game. With Kevin Love (groin) out, Beasley should get some extra shots and boards.
Mar. 24 - 10:53 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Udonis Haslem - F/C - Heat </TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodyCopy>Udonis Haslem (foot surgery) was spotted running sprints and dunking following Tuesday's practice.</TD></TR><TR><TD>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Haslem won't be rushed, but it appears he is getting close. "He's doing more each week," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's starting to do some light running now on the court." Haslem could end up being a major factor for the Heat in the playoffs.
Mar. 24 - 10:38 a.m. ET</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink>Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

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Fantasy related but good info....


Stew: Delfino Manifesto
Yes, we're beginning to enter that time of year when late-season injuries and rotation changes begin to cause odd occurrences in box scores. Take, for example, Sundiata Gaines dropping a career-high 18 points on Monday night. Or the fact that Jordan Crawford – who couldn't get anything resembling consistent run with the Hawks earlier this year – is now posting big lines on a nightly basis for the dreadful Wizards (more on Crawford in a minute).

Another phenomenon we see at this time of year is the random statistical explosion from an already established player, who for whatever reason has waited until now to validate the draft pick many of us (myself included) used way back in October. Which brings us to the headline player in this column…

TRENDSPOTTING

Three on the Rise:

Carlos Delfino: Even though he's already long gone off the waiver wire in most leagues, this recent scoring binge needs to be discussed in more detail. Especially considering that Delfino completely disappeared for two and a half months earlier this season while dealing with the aftereffects of a concussion, and is now single-handedly helping boosting fantasy owners through the playoffs with an obscene (and out of nowhere) 28.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.3 spg and 6.3 threes in his last three games. Obviously there's no way he keeps this up, but Delfino was very good down the stretch last season and is reprising that productivity once more.

Gerald Henderson: First, the bad: He's been a bit maddening with inconsistency and doesn't hit enough threes (just 3-for-21 on the season). However, with a Stephen Jackson hamstring shutdown reportedly looming, Henderson could be on the verge of a consistent spike in scoring. Henderson's output in the four games that Jackson has already missed this month: 18.8 ppg.

Sasha Vujacic: He's not Avery Johnson's preferred choice at small forward, but with Damion James (foot) sidelined on Wednesday, Vujacic dropped 18 points with four threes and two steals, and could have some short-term value in threes, steals and points for as long as James remains out.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Three on the Plummet:

Kendrick Perkins: Though he's starting at center for the Thunder, the results through his first five games in Oklahoma City fall very far short of inspiring: 4.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 0.8 bpg in an average of 24 minutes. Perkins will have his moments as far as rebounds and blocks are concerned, but his lack of involvement in the offense is a significant concern right now.

Ryan Anderson: After playing an average of 28 minutes per game between Feb. 27 and March 16, Anderson has averaged just 17 minutes (and 8.0 points) in his last three games. I would expect him to reemerge as a consistent factor in Stan Van Gundy's rotation, but his numbers this month (9.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.8 bpg, 1.9 threes) leave him slightly short of must-own territory.

Landry Fields: I know better than to fully write Fields off given his tendency to mix good games with bad, but there's no ignoring the fact that his last seven outings have been pretty uninspired: 8.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.4 spg and 1.4 threes on 38.2 percent from the field, including single-digit scoring in four of his last five. Like Anderson, he has the potential to heat back up quickly, but I won't argue with sending Fields to waivers if you've had enough.

FIVE QUICK-HITTING STATEMENTS OF FACT AND/OR OPINION

1) Jordan Crawford's last eight games: 20.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.8 spg and 0.9 threes (on 40.3 percent shooting). I know they're hollow stats on a bad team, but as a Hawks fan I'm wishing Crawford got more of a look before being dealt away.

2) Warriors starting center Ekpe Udoh has averaged 12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 2.0 bpg in his last two games, and though his offensive repertoire is still very much under construction, the potential for blocks makes him worth a look in many leagues.

3) Even though we shouldn't expect consistency, it's worth noting that Al Harrington (27 points on Wednesday) has posted 21.0 ppg, 1.5 spg and 3.5 threes in his last two games.

4) The fun appears to be over for Francisco Garcia, who has averaged just 6.8 ppg in his last four games and now has to deal with the impending return of Tyreke Evans.

Editor's note: For exclusive articles, chats, projections and more, check out the Rotoworld NBA Season Pass.

5) Deeper league alert: Gordon Hayward shot just 1-for-10 on Wednesday, but still posted a 7-4-3 line with two steals and a three and could produce some intriguing numbers if Andrei Kirilenko (knee) misses significant time.
 

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Fantasy related but good info....


Dose: Dwight Howard for MVP?
The NBA's MVP award has seen plenty of controversy over the past 10 years or so. After all, Steve Nash has two MVP awards while Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal each hold one, and while we all love Nash, nobody in their right mind would claim that Nash belongs in the same conversation as either of the former Laker teammates by any stretch of the imagination. After all, Bryant will likely be the only player for the next 20 years to sniff the fabled Michael Jordan comparison, while outside of Tim Duncan's underappreciated greatness -- Shaq is the closest thing we've seen to a player of Wilt Chamberlain's stature until a certain goofy center landed in Orlando.

And as the current landscape of the NBA gives residence to the dying supernovas of Bryant, Duncan, Shaq, and a who's who of one-time NBA champions, only two players have the pure physical talent to be transformational like Bryant, Duncan, and Shaq were – and like Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and the heroes of the 80s were before them.

Those two players are Dwight Howard and LeBron James. If they want to go right, they can go right. If they want to go over you, they can go over you. And if they choose correctly at most forks in the road, they'll get their way.

Ironically enough, both are taking the same type of lumps. They can't lead, they can't win the big game, and they don't have the mental toughness to hold the metaphoric jock straps of those that built the game before them. Both are deservedly in the MVP chase, and both are losing ground to the Golden Boys of the NBA, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant.

So why are they losing ground? Isn't the most valuable player the player that has the most value? Or is it something else?

If you had to hold a draft today for a winner take-all playoff, who would you select?

Many of you would select Kobe Bryant for the fact that he hasn't handed the crown off just yet. Some of you would select LeBron for his game-changing athleticism, that is, unless you opted for Dwyane Wade because he's the better player right now. Many of you would select Kevin Durant simply because you think he's better than all of them at this stage of his career. And there would even be some of you that take Tim Duncan, because at the most important position on the floor, center, his wily ways still command tremendous value on the basketball court. Besides, who's arguing with four championships?

And let's say that your livelihood was on the line. How many of you would care about Le Decision, or that Wade and James cancel each other out, or that Rose's humility and conference leading record make him the safe choice, or that Howard should be dominating with his God-given gifts, that Durant says all the right things, that a player's numbers are either up or down, or that they have teammates who are better or worse than the next guy?

You would take the guy that can win you four games in four straight series. Period.

Now James has shown his warts on a nationally televised loop that, in my mind, keep him from being the most valuable. If you consistently come up short when it matters most, then you're not the ambassador of Kwan. And with Miami stumbling through their early days as a living, breathing basketball organism, I could not in good faith give an award to Wade, who I believe has played better than James this season. Kobe has played very well this season, and there's no reason why he shouldn't be in the discussion, along with Durant and Rose.

And then there's Howard.

Howard, like James, is basketball checkmate. Like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar before him, Howard has the ability to beat you every time. Should he learn to make the baby hooks and convert on the drop steps, you cannot stop him. Should he learn how to make foul shots, you can't hack away at him. On both ends of the floor, he has been a force, and to me – just by being who he is, he cannot be excluded from the final round of the MVP decision-making process. It is impossible to ignore that for every game, he is going to get 14 possession-saving rebounds, score 23 points to impact the final tally, block 2.4 shots and alter many more while taking away a team's best post player, and space the floor so the team can make nearly 10 threes per game.

And while it's neither polished nor perfect, it is what it is, and just like Bill Clinton waxes poetic on what the definition of the word 'is' is – MVP voters parse with the same voracity.

But nobody questions the impact Howard has on the game. Howard is the reason guys like Hasheem Thabeet get drafted No. 2 overall, as a dominant figure in the post is The Fifth Element.

Derrick Rose can control the game on offense, but the jury is still out on his defense. Kobe Bryant is the most lethal closer of a generation, and Kevin Durant can score in so many different ways that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson stopped crashing weddings to take notes in Oklahoma City – but where does their influence stop on the other side of the court? Even with Howard's warts fully on display – the bad free throw shooting, the whining, the lax attitude of a silver medalist, and the lack of a go-to move – he still impacts the NBA more than any other player in the league.

And while I'm not holding my breath in wait for the NBA to grant me an MVP vote, if I had the choice, I'd be sure to throw away any 'Most Valuable Persona' or 'Must Validate the Press' accoutrements. I wouldn't be voting with a need to pick a guy from a winning team, or a need to pick a guy whose surrounding cast would flounder in his absence. I wouldn't pick a guy because he's not a jerk, or because he doesn't do stupid things, or because I don't have an axe to grind with him. If I was voting while Michael Jordan played, I'd have voted for Michael Jordan for 10 straight years.

And if Dwight Howard played like he did last night, every night, scoring 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting with 11 rebounds, one steal, and three blocks while hitting 11-of-13 freebies – I'd vote for him every year, too.

Because I'd draft him No. 1 overall to start the playoffs.

Pop's Prerogative

When Tim Duncan (ankle) went down on Monday night, the immediate question was whether or not DeJuan Blair could pick up where he left off weeks ago, and the mystery wasn't immediately cleared up last night. I've found that dealing with this question is easier working backwards, assessing the pieces surrounding Blair to find the conclusion, rather than asking whether or not Blair is going to start or not. The fact is that Pop has planned to use Antonio McDyess as a starter in the playoffs, and unless he's going to change that – he has to determine if bringing Blair into the starting lineup is going to affect continuity within the second unit.

Regardless of the answer to that question, Tiago Splitter is not answering any questions for Pop when he's getting winded after 17 minutes of mostly unproductive action. Splitter scored four points with seven boards last night, and while Blair wasn't much better with eight points, six boards, and two blocks, he clearly looked better than Splitter. The player that looked the best was Antonio McDyess, who may end up being the beneficiary of Duncan's injury, as he scored 13 points with 12 boards and a block. In my mind, the question of Blair vs. Dice is too close to call definitively, but I'll be rostering Blair for the chance he shows his big double-double numbers once more, and ready to move to Dice if this trend keeps up. Overall, I don't think Pop can afford to play Splitter big minutes, he doesn't want Dice playing much more than he is, and Matt Bonner is both slumping and hard to get behind too much. The result is that Blair should still be owned in most standard leagues, though he isn't a must-own player.

Carmelo Nuggets

The Nuggets are 11-4 since the Melo trade with 11 games coming against teams that are over .500, and they dispatched the Spurs for the first time this season, albeit without Duncan around. Al Harrington had his second straight appearance in the fantasy realm, scoring 27 points with five treys on 8-of-12 shooting in 28 minutes, and to me this wreaks of George Karl getting him involved to keep him ready for the playoffs. Harrington is making good on the minutes, but he needs to do this at least one more time before he should be considered in fantasy leagues. Meanwhile, Al's hot hand somewhat limited J.R. Smith, who was also hot with 6-of-9 makes (including two threes) for 18 points in just 20 minutes. With Arron Afflalo (hamstring) expecting to come back on Wednesday, this run by Harrington complicates the already small window Swish had to make his impression – but I still like him to be productive as long as Afflalo is out.

The other, more interesting piece that came out of last night's game was the return of Raymond Felton, who scored 18 points with eight assists, but also re-injured his ankle twice in the third and fourth quarters. He stayed in the game, and should be owned going forward unless bad news emerges, but Ty Lawson's owners may end up with some more unbridled run if that ankle keeps acting up.

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We're off to see the Wizards

Blake Griffin busted out of his slump in a huge way last night against the Wizards, triple-doubling for the first time in his career with 33 points on 14-of-19 shooting with 17 rebounds, 10 assists, a steal, and a block in a career-high 53.5 minutes as the Clips dispatched the Wiz in double-overtime. If you had anybody playing in this game outside of Trevor Booker, you're probably doing well this week. Eric Gordon scored 32 points with a full stat line and a game-tying three with 1.9 seconds left in regulation, Chris Kaman played sans-DeAndre Jordan and scored 28 points, 12 rebounds, one steal, and four blocks, John Wall scored a career-high 32 points with five boards, 10 assists, a steal, and a block, Jordan Crawford went off for 25 points, seven boards, a career-high 10 assists, four steals, and two threes, and even Yi Jianlian got into the act with a season-high 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting and seven boards.

From the Clippers fantasy standpoint, the only real question for owners is when Jordan will be healthy enough to play, as the pneumonia has kept him from eating and it may take a bit for him to get back on the court. And when he gets back, it's possible that Kaman's solid play will be rewarded with the starting job and/or more minutes. Whatever the case may be, Kaman is the player to own and if you're scrapping in the playoffs you need to take a long, hard look to determine if you can hold Jordan, even if patience is the preferred approach.

In Washington, however, everything revolves around the futures of Nick Young and Andray Blatche. Young warmed up last night but didn't play, which would be a good sign if there weren't so many overtures that both he and Blatche would be getting shut down. As of the time of this writing, no report from a reputable source has come across the wire, but I did see a gambling site that is right more often than it is wrong say that Young would be probable for Friday and that Blatche was expected to miss three games. This is not hard information, and since they refuse to source their information (but say their 'sources' are good), I'm not going to say who they are, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar report emerge later in the day. Whatever the case is, I'm holding Jordan Crawford until he gives me a reason not to, as I'm not convinced that Young will render him useless. As for Booker, who faced another physical match in Blake Griffin and scored just eight points with four rebounds, I'm holding him in most cases until we know Blatche is back but if a hot free agent comes along I'll probably make the move.

Aaron's Brook

I've written a few times about Aaron Brooks lately and the chance that Steve Nash would be shutdown early if/when the Suns fall out of playoff contention, and Brooks proceeded to play like a head-case and throw a basketball at a ref. Fortunately for Brooks, he turned it around with a good game in Tuesday's triple-overtime game in L.A., and then unsurprisingly picked up the slack for Nash, whose advanced age prohibits him from back-to-backs like that. He scored a season-high 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting (including four treys) with four rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in 34 minutes. Nash also played 22 minutes with 16 points and eight assists, and also spent time on the court with Brooks, too, and did not appear to aggravate any injury or increase his chances of being shutdown in any way. The only thing increasing his chances of being shutdown is the Suns' inability to make up ground in the standings, as they are still three games out of eighth place despite their win, as Memphis also won and holds the tiebreaker over Phoenix. Stashing Brooks isn't going to pay immediate dividends, but in championship week you could be holding a goldmine, so I can think of worse things to do with that last roster spot.

All aboard the Chuckwagon

It has been a banner season for the Chuckster, whose defense and passing have made him a must-start player in fantasy leagues, when the thought of paying attention to him two months ago drew laughs in some quarters. Not here, as we've been big fans of Hayes for a while now, and he went to town on the Warriors last night with his first career-triple double, scoring 13 points with 14 rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals. He won't have another game like this all year, and it comes against the Warriors, but it is the culmination of a season that has defied expectations. Don't sleep on him going forward.

The other news coming out of last night's blowout win was Luis Scola's 20 points with 10 boards and a rare block in 32 minutes. His knee still isn't 100 percent, and he is certainly a shutdown risk if the Rockets fall further behind than the two games they are trailing the Grizzlies for the last playoff spot, but owners have to be thrilled with last night's outing. They also may want to thrill themselves over to Patrick Patterson's corner, as the athletic PF would likely benefit from any Scola downtime, and has been relatively productive with three double-doubles in a row entering last night. He slowed down a bit with just eight points, nine boards, and two blocks, but looks like a good piece of insurance, and may have some standalone value, too.

Courtney Lee also posted 25 points with five threes and two steals in a start for injured Chase Budinger, who looks like he'll be back soon. If you own Lee, or are desperate enough to pick him up for the potential of another spot-start, you should hold him until Budinger proves he can return.

On the Golden State side, Dorell Wright busted out of his slump with a career-high 34 points with five rebounds, six assists, three steals, and one block, reminding everybody that he's not to be messed with. Keep him in your lineup going forward. Monta Ellis continued to look run down with 15 points, five boards, and five assists, while Stephen Curry returned to reasonable playing time levels with 16 points, six boards, six assists, two threes, and a steal in 30 minutes. You can't bench either of them, so cross your fingers and hope that both Keith Smart and nature bring favor to you.

Kings for a Day

The Kings turned back the Bucks in Milwaukee last night, and while we're not calling the Bucks out of the playoff race when the Pacers are the yardstick, it's a severe blow to lose this game and they fall behind by three games with the loss. Andrew Bogut's owners can only hope that the Bucks continue to win, as he is a risk to get injured whether they're in the playoff chase or not, but falling out of contention will be particularly bad for him. As for the Kings, Marcus Thornton scored 27 points with a full stat line, and Beno Udrih scored 25 points with a full stat line as well. The Rub? Tyreke Evans is expected to play on Friday night, and his minutes will be dictated by how he feels. 15 minutes sounds like a reasonable expectation, and overall we're not panicking. It sounds like all three players will get significant minutes, assuming Evans can stay healthy, and all three will hold enough value to be owned going forward. At least that's the hope.

Carlito's Way

The big story out of Milwaukee, however, is the tear that Carlos Delfino is on, as he set another career-high with 30 points and five threes, and is averaging 28.7 points per game over his last three contests. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Scott Skiles is going to continue playing his starters heavy minutes, and there are four guys with varying potential that could theoretically return and clog up the arteries again (Corey Maggette, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, Michael Redd), but after Delfino played all but one minute last night I'm hesitant to go against him. And after a season of (correctly) pointing out the crowded rotation, and the last month which has seen rocky mountain highs and rock-bottom lows, I'm cautiously optimistic he can provide at least low-end value going forward. And if he can carry your fantasy team like he's doing right now, then all the better.

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Today in Kuester

In today's Today in Kuester, I highlight the shouting match that Charlie Villanueva had with Q after being pulled in the fourth quarter. While it's yet another indictment of the situation in Detroit, I'm going to side with Q on this one. Charlie V was missing his defensive assignments, and all of the Detroit writers pointed to the fact that Kuester needed to pull his second unit faster than he did to start the fourth, which ended up costing him the game against the Heat. Fantasywise, Rodney Stuckey had just nine points and six assists, and will continue to be inconsistent off the bench, but there were no real aha moments to be had. Continue to deploy your Pistons with caution, and stay tuned for the next Today in Kuester.

Pacesetters

The Pacers turned away the Bobcats in Charlotte, and for all intents and purposes eliminated them from the playoff hunt. Stephen Jackson's hamstring is hanging by a thread, and while he sounds like a guy that's going to try to gut it out, the writing is on the wall. Gerald Henderson was charged with guarding Danny Granger as a result, which may have limited his offensive game to the 12 points he had, but he is worth an add to see if he can regain the numbers that had him producing as high as a second round value in 8-cat leagues for a stretch. He isn't going to be that good, but low-end value is certainly within his reach.

As for the Pacers, Granger went to town with 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting, and proved once again that when he plays efficiently, the Pacers win. Darren Collison left briefly with a bruised knee and returned, posting just seven points with four assists, and the hope here is that the knee injury isn't serious and that the Granger explosion is what held him down. Collison has been playing very well lately so he should get the benefit of the doubt barring bad news. The other piece of interesting news was that Frank Vogel said that he would be splitting time between starters Paul George and Tyler Hansbrough and bench players Brandon Rush and Josh McRoberts, going with a "hot-hand" approach. The good news is that Psycho T has had the hot hand recently, and did so last night with 24 points and five boards, but it adds an element of risk that owners are likely going to learn about the hard way if things go south.

Bemusement: The Boris Diaw Story

Boris Diaw isn't going to lose his job over it, but after not shooting a single shot last night he did everything he could to do so. The look on Paul Silas' face after the game when discussing Diaw was reportedly a mix of shock, bemusement, and exasperation, as Diaw continues to be the headcase with the versatile game owners crave. Backup Tyrus Thomas went down with a rib injury, and along with his knee injury, is a shutdown risk to go with being an unproductive risk. So if you own Diaw, or find him on the waiver wire, consider him to be a flier only for the chance his mood swings from disinterested to motivated by this latest embarrassment.

Doin' the Humph

It's low-hanging fruit to point out the impact that a fine woman can have on a man, but damn, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, here. Kris Humphries grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds to go with 18 points, two steals, and two boards in last night's overtime win against the Cavs. He started by flashing his talent in Dallas last season, and is now a must-start player until further notice. Jordan Farmar had 10 points and 10 assists and was the last PG standing in Jersey, with Sundiata Gaines lasting six minutes due to a hip injury, PG Ben Uzoh stuck at an airport after being called up from the D-League, and Deron Williams' shutdown tour set to land in Orlando for Friday's game. The plan is simple here. Hold and start Farmar while Williams is out, and unless you absolutely have to drop him, hang onto Williams until we get an up-or-down decision, either way.

The Cavs started Ryan Hollins to combat 7-footer Brook Lopez, knocking Samardo Samuels from his unexciting perch, as Samuels scored eight points with eight rebounds and a block in 22 minutes off the bench. Barring something unforeseen, however, it's likely that Samardo returns to his normal workload with serviceable, but uninspiring results, when the Cavs aren't playing somebody with Lopez's size. Elsewhere, the story is still the same in Cleveland. Baron Davis is expected to return Friday, and both he and Ramon Sessions should be held until the situation sorts itself out. J.J. Hickson went for 17 and 17, and Daniel Gibson got 33 minutes but scored just eight points with them, and without a scoring explosion from him I won't be paying attention much longer. One other note, Semih Erden could play Friday, which could knock the value out of Samuels, but if you're relying on Samuels you'll want to make sure Erden can survive on the court, first.

Caw, said the Hawk

The Hawks lost yet another game and put themselves into a dogfight for the No. 5 seed with Philly, who beat them 105-100. Jeff Teague followed his 20-point game up with a DNP-CD, while Kirk Hinrich scored 16 points with eight assists, before remembering that he's not allowed to shoot and clamming up for the entire fourth quarter. Al Horford posted mediocre numbers with eight points and nine assists, but lasted 37 minutes on his bad hammy. Josh Smith got hot with 33 points and 12 rebounds, while Joe Johnson had another mediocre outing with just 13 points. At least he got upset after the game, which could be the first step toward normalcy in Atlanta. Until they get things figured out, they'll be tough to gauge on a night to night basis, with fringe guys like Hinrich being hard to activate for fear of a donut.

Heads I win, tails you lose

Andre Iguodala (knee) was erroneously reported to be out of last night's game by their PR staff, but owners should be ready for more shenanigans, as he said that it would be a "coin flip" going forward as to whether or not he plays on a given night. Now all of the other quotes have not sounded that dire, but he'll be a risk going forward with no clear beneficiary if he does go out, aside from the corresponding bump Jrue Holiday and Elton Brand will get. As for Friday's game, Iguodala said, "we'll see." Owners have to just cross their fingers and hope that the Sixers stay close to the other teams they're jockeying with for playoff positioning. Jodie Meeks hit another five threes last night, and is now 36-of-76 (47.3%) from deep over his last 12 games.

Thursday Night Lights

The Wolves head to Dallas without Kevin Love, and Anthony Randolph will be the talk of the town, as he is custom-built to defend a guy like Dirk Nowitzki. That doesn't mean he won't fall all over himself and put up a ridiculous line in the process, or get pulled after 15 minutes of action after Kurt Rambis sees something he doesn't like. The fact is that he gets a two-game audition to make his case to both Rambis and owners. Call me a sucker, but I'm finding space to see if the lottery ticket gets cashed, but I'm not doing it at the expense of a consistent performer. Shawn Marion (wrist) is also expected back for the Mavs.

The only other game is the Hornets and Jazz, and while the Hornets are relatively healthy, we're still waiting to find out the status of Andrei Kirilenko (knee, back), Devin Harris (hamstring), and Derrick Favors (ankle). Unfortunately, anybody not named Al Jefferson (dislocated pinkie) and Paul Millsap (knee, body) is struggling, though I'm still firmly behind C.J. Miles despite his recent struggles. Unless I'm trying to protect my FG%, I'm still starting him in most circumstances, simply because somebody has to shoot the ball in Utah, and it's going to be him.
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Amir Johnson - F - Raptors

Amir Johnson (ankle) sat out Raptors practice Thursday.
Johnson, a notorious tough guy, played through the ankle sprain for 20 minutes last night but clearly isn't right. We suspect he'll play against the Warriors on Friday, but will likely come down to a game-time decision. Keep in mind that Johnson hasn't played more than 22 minutes in any of his last four games. Mar. 24 - 6:09 p.m. ET
Source: Paul Jones on Twitter
 

hacheman@therx.com
Staff member
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
139,160
Tokens
Amir Johnson - F - Raptors

Amir Johnson (ankle) sat out Raptors practice Thursday.
Johnson, a notorious tough guy, played through the ankle sprain for 20 minutes last night but clearly isn't right. We suspect he'll play against the Warriors on Friday, but will likely come down to a game-time decision. Keep in mind that Johnson hasn't played more than 22 minutes in any of his last four games. Mar. 24 - 6:09 p.m. ET
Source: Paul Jones on Twitter
 

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