Jan. 16 -- Welcome to the Stat Rat, your weekly sliver of proof that mathematics really is useful in everyday life. Before basking in the spawn of our proprietary algorithms, take a moment to consider what it actually means to be a Mover or Shaker:

Stat Rat Movers= Players who've seen a recent spike in production over the past week compared to the entire season up until that point.

Stat Rat Shakers= Players who've seen a recent decrease in production over the past week compared to the entire season up until that point.

Minute Movers= Players who've seen a recent spike in playing time over the past week compared to the entire season up until that point.

Minute Shakers= Players who've seen a recent decline in playing time over the past week compared to the entire season up until that point.

Stat Rat Movers

Andres Nocioni is getting the hang of being a sixth (or seventh or eighth) man. In his first three games after losing his starting spot, the Argentinian managed just 12 points total. But in the five games since, he's shooting nearly 60 percent and averaging 17.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.4 three-pointers. If you have Gerald Wallace, you wish every day was Friday the 13th. The Charlotte swing man compiled one of the best lines of the year against Milwaukee on January 13: 21 points, 15 boards, four blocks and a truly freaky eight steals. If you have Raja Bell, you wish every month was January. OK, that's pushing it, but the fact is the Phoenix guard is averaging 18.4 points and 51.6 percent from the field since new year's.

Rnk Player - POS - Team Last 7 thru 1/7 +/-
1 Gerald Wallace - F - CHA 2.05 0.48 1.57
2 Dwyane Wade - G - MIA 2.07 0.76 1.30
3 Andrei Kirilenko - F - UTA 1.69 0.50 1.19
4 Rafer Alston - G - HOU 1.20 0.04 1.16
5 Samuel Dalembert - C - PHI 1.19 0.33 0.86
6 Carmelo Anthony - F - DEN 1.29 0.49 0.80
7 Stephon Marbury - G - NY 1.09 0.32 0.77
8 Andres Nocioni - F -CHI 1.00 0.25 0.75
9 Raja Bell - G - PHO 0.99 0.25 0.74
10 Allen Iverson - G - PHI 1.47 0.80 0.67

Stat Rat Shakers

Speaking of the Suns, Leandro Barbosa returned to the lineup January 14 against Cleveland and scored seven points in 19 minutes. Barbosa had missed 24 of the previous 26 games with what's described as a Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament of his left knee. I'm not sure what that means either; all I can tell you is that no one gets a grade of “3.“ When he was healthy, Barbosa was averaging about 16 points and 25 minutes a night. Should he regain that amount of court time, it would figure to come at the expense of Eddie House and/or James Jones. The latter saw only eight minutes of action in that Cavs game. I don't know about you, but I'm done waiting for trendy fantasy sleeper Al Jefferson to wake up. He's averaging just four points and 12 minutes in his last four games. Nah, I can't give up on the lad yet, not when Raef LaFrentz, the guy who's technically ahead of Jefferson on the depth chart, is averaging an equally putrid 3.6 points and 19 minutes in his last seven.

Rnk Player - POS - Team Last 7 thru 1/7 +/-
1 Richard Jefferson - G/F - NJ -0.64 0.50 -1.14
2 Tracy McGrady - G - HOU -0.44 0.48 -0.93
3 Al Jefferson - F - BOS -0.64 0.11 -0.75
4 Charlie Villanueva - F/C - TOR -0.47 0.23 -0.70
5 Leandro Barbosa - G - PHO -0.66 0.04 -0.70
6 Jon Bary - G - HOU -0.79 -0.12 -0.67
7 Jose Calderon - G - TOR -0.54 0.12 -0.66
8 Mickael Pietrus - G/F - GS -0.77 -0.11 -0.66
9 Tony Parker - G - SA -0.14 0.48 -0.62
10 Mo Williams - G - MIL -0.27 0.33 -0.60

Minute Movers

Jacque Vaughn has started the past three games for the ailing Richard Jefferson, but after a 10-point, five-assist, five-steal performance against San Antonio on Jan. 10, he's not done anything, much less anything close to what Jefferson would do. By averaging 12 points over his last six games, Kirk Snyder is keeping J.R. Smith on the Hornets bench. Stromile Swift was a Minute Mover, but as a result of a case of severe conjunctivitis in his left eye, he's moved to the sidelines, and should miss at least one more game. Boy, Houston sure seemed set at the center position when the season started.

Last 7 Days

Through 1/7
Rnk Player - POS - Team Gms Min/Gm Gms Min/Gm +/-
1 Jacque Vaughn - G - NJ 4 32.80 28 10.00 22.80
2 Juwan Howard - F - HOU 3 46.30 31 29.10 17.20
3 Antoine Wright - G/F - NJ 2 17.50 1 2.00 15.50
4 Stromile Swift - F/C - HOU 1 37.00 31 22.20 14.80
5 Vladimir Radmanovic - F/C - SEA 5 35.20 31 21.10 14.10
6 Jameer Nelson - G - ORL 3 40.00 31 26.50 13.50
7 Raymond Felton - G - CHA 4 34.80 33 21.50 13.30
8 Dikembe Mutombo - C - HOU 4 27.50 27 14.30 13.20
9 Kirk Snyder - G/F - NOK 3 27.00 22 14.30 12.70
10 Bernard Robinson - G - CHA 4 30.00 26 17.70 12.30

Minute Shakers

It's not reflected here, but with Mike James out with back spasms, Jose Calderon got a start for the Raptors against New York on January 15. The rookie went for 13 points and 10 dimes (or 86 cents American.)

Last 7 Days

Through 1/7
Rnk Player - POS - Team Gms Min/Gm Gms Min/Gm +/-
1 Richard Jefferson - G/F - NJ 1 2.00 30 40.00 -38.00
2 Tracy McGrady - G - HOU 1 19.00 23 38.60 -19.60
3 J.R. Smith - G - NOK 3 5.30 28 24.80 -19.50
4 Bostjan Nachbar - F - NOK 2 3.50 13 22.20 -18.70
5 Jose Calderon - G - TOR 3 12.70 28 29.20 -16.50
6 Keyon Dooling - G - ORL 1 4.00 6 20.00 -16.00
7 Sergei Monia - F - POR 1 0.00 22 15.30 -15.30
8 Jon Barry - G - HOU 1 5.00 16 29.10 -14.10
9 Tyson Chandler - F/C - CHI 3 11.70 30 25.70 -14.00
10 Vitaly Potapenko - F/C - SEA 2 1.50 22 14.50 -13.00

Neil Tardy is a fantasy expert for NBA.com. His column The Stat Rat runs every Monday as part of the NBA.com Premium Scouting Report. Contact him at NJT64@TalentedMrRoto.com.

The views expressed by the TalentedMrRoto.com represent only the views of the writers; they do not represent the views of the NBA or any NBA team.