FANTASY / PLAYER NEWS
Thabo Sefolosha: Takes Advantage of Extra Opportunity
Update: Sefolosha scored 17 points (6-for-9 FG, 5-for-5 FT) with six boards, two assists and two steals in 27 minutes of action Wednesday night.
Analysis: Sefolosha was in his second consecutive start in place of Kirk Hinrich, and responded with one of the best games of his career. Hinrich is not expected to be out long, but it appears that while he is out Sefolosha is worth keeping an eye on.
Danny Granger: Stepping Up his Game
Update: Granger led the Pacers with 29 points (7-for-15 FG, 12-for-12 FT), nine boards, three treys, two blocks and two assists in 40 minutes of action Wednesday night.
Analysis: Granger has really stepped up his game this month with Jermaine O'Neal (knee) and Jamaal Tinsley (knee) both ailing. He has averaged 20.4 points, 7.6 boards, and 2.2 treys per over his last five games.
Brad Miller: Big First Half in Toronto
Update: Miller had 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots in Sacramento's 116-91 loss at Toronto Wednesday.
Analysis: Most of Miller's offensive production came in the first half when he scored 14 points. He shot 5-of-7 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the line in 35 minutes.
Kareem Rush: Bombing from Downtown
Update: Rush drained five treys on his way to 19 points (7-for-11 FG) and three boards in 28 minutes.
Analysis: Rush's long-range shooting game is perfectly suited for a shoot-out with Golden State. He is taking advantage of his new expanded role as the perimeter threat for the Pacers, and has some value in deeper leagues.
Jermaine O'Neal: Forced to Leave Game with Sore Left Knee
Update: O'Neal was forced to leave the game in the first quarter Wednesday night with a sore left knee.
Analysis: This is the second time in the last week that O'Neal had to miss action due to the sore knee. This is a very disturbing trend, and something that all O'Neal owners should be nervous about.
Travis Diener: Takes Advantage of Extra Opportunity
Update: Diener scored 11 points with six assists, two boards and a trey in 32 minutes of action off the bench Wednesday night. He could not get his shot working from the field (2-for-12 FG), but made up for it with a perfect night from the stripe (6-for-6 FT).
Analysis: Diener did not start, but he is the one that has received the extra minutes and responsibilities with Jamaal Tinsley out. If Tinsley has to miss an extended period, Diener could be worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues.
Baron Davis: Flirted with Quadruple-Double
Update: Davis scored 24 points with seven assists, seven steals, six boards, two blocked shots and a trey on Wednesday night against the Pacers.
Analysis: Davis was within shouting distance of a quadruple-double, and is playing as well as any guard in the league right now.
Matt Barnes: Strong Game but Inconsistent Minutes
Update: Barnes scored 18 points (8-for-15 FG) with nine boards, six assists, two treys and a steal in 34 minutes of action Wednesday night.
Analysis: Barnes has been too inconsistent lately to start, as he got more minutes Wednesday than his previous two games combined and more points than his previous three games combined.
Al Harrington: Filling it Up from Deep
Update: Harrington knocked down five treys on his way to 22 points in 29 minutes Wednesday night. He also added six boards and a steal.
Analysis: Harrington has been hot from long-range lately, with 13 treys in his last four games.
Darrell Armstrong: (Ankle) Plays Wednesday Night
Update: Armstrong (ankle) played nine minutes Wednesday night in New Jersey's loss to New York.
Analysis: Armstrong was questionable entering the game. The Nets are off until Saturday when they begin a six-game West Coast swing against the Clippers.
Matt Carroll: Fourth Consecutive Double-Digit Scoring Game
Update: Carroll scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting (3-of-5 3pt) with five rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal in 31 minutes Wednesday night in Charlotte's victory over Orlando.
Analysis: Carroll now has four straight double-digit scoring games off the Bobcats' bench, averaging 15.0 points in 34.5 minutes per game during that run while dropping 10 3-pointers. The team could use his offense and he appears to be coming out of a December funk.
Gerald Wallace: Lots of Touches
Update: Wallace scored 36 points on 12-of-30 (1-of-8 3pt) shooting from the field and 11-of-14 from the free-throw line Wednesday night in Charlotte's victory over Orlando.
Analysis: The Bobcats -- with wins over New Jersey, Boston, Denver and Orlando in the last six games -- are playing some of their best basketball of the year right now. And Wallace has been front and center in the offense. He's averaging a little more than 24 shots per game in the last four while averaging 32.3 points during that span.
Shaquille O'Neal: Returns From Hip Injury
Update: O'Neal returned to game action Wednesday night after missing eight games with a hip injury.
Analysis: O'Neal was back in the starting lineup for Miami, scoring 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 8-of-12 from the free-throw line with 10 rebounds and two assists before fouling out in 32 minutes in Miami's loss to Chicago. O'Neal was getting a lot of touches in his first game back.
Randy Foye: Return To Practice Delayed
Update: Foye (knee) will not return to full practice until at least Tuesday due to muscle soreness, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Analysis: Foye has been cleared to resume full practice after sitting out all season due to a stress reaction in his knee, but it looks like he needs to work on his conditioning and the T-Wolves want to play it safe with any setback. He may not play in a game until the middle of February at this rate.
Beno Udrih: Playing Time Slashed
Update: Udrih played just 18 minutes and scored three points with seven assists in Sacramento's 116-91 loss to the Raptors Wednesday night.
Analysis: If anyone is wondering what effect Mike Bibby's season debut would have on Udrih's playing time, they can simply point to Bibby's 29 minutes of action at Toronto. However, Sacramento might begin showcasing Bibby to potential trade partners around the NBA, so don't read too much into Udrih's short stint yet. Start panicking if the same situation continues into February.
Mike Bibby: Scores 19 in Season Debut
Update: Bibby made his season debut and scored 19 points in the Kings' 116-91 loss at Toronto Wednesday night.
Analysis: Bibby shot 7-of-12 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range. In 29 minutes, he had six rebounds, four turnovers and no assists. Sacramento looked awful in the second half, but Bibby can't be blamed, as his shooting stroke looked excellent and his conditioning appeared fine.
Mo Williams: Misses Wednesday's Game
Update: Williams missed Wednesday's game against the Hawks because of a stomach illness, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said Williams came down with the flu-like symptoms Tuesday night. Royal Ivey took Williams' spot in the starting lineup Wednesday.
Mike Bibby: Thumbs Up Wednesday
Update: Bibby (thumb) made his season debut Wednesday night, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Bibby came off the bench Wednesday, but it shouldn't be too long before he is logging starter minutes with the Kings -- that is, if he is not dealt.
Eddie House: Will Start Wednesday
Update: House will start Wednesday night in place of the injures Rajon Rondo (back, hamstring), the Boston Globe reports.
Analysis: Tony Allen, who has started in place of Rondo before, will share the point guard job with House.
Rajon Rondo: Out Wednesday
Update: Rondo will not play Wednesday night's game against the Blazers because of back and hamstring injuries, the Boston Globe reports.
Analysis: Rondo, who is listed as day-to-day, missed Saturday's game and was limited in Boston's previous game. Eddie House and Tony Allen will split the point guard job in place of Rondo.
Thabo Sefolosha: Makes Second Straight Start
Update: Sefolosha is making his second straight start on Wednesday, replacing the injured Kirk Hinrich (back).
Analysis: Sefolosha started in Tuesday night's loss to Orlando, scoring nine points with three assists and two steals in 30 minutes. Hinrich is not expected to miss a lot of time, but it will be interesting to see how much coach Jim Boylan uses him going forward -- especially as the Bulls fall farther down the standings.
Jamaal Tinsley: Misses Game Wednesday
Update: Tinsley sat out Wednesday's game against the Warriors because of a sore left knee, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Travis Diener started in his place. More on Tinsley's status in the coming days.
Joakim Noah: Denies Confrontation with Ben Wallace In Locker Room Took Place
Update: Noah, who returned Tuesday after a two-game suspension - one management-issued and one teammate-issued - said whoever leaked a story about his confrontation with Ben Wallace in the Bulls' locker room after the team's loss to Orlando is dividing the team. Noah, speaking on WSCR-AM (670), denied a confrontation took place, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Analysis: Two newspapers reported Noah and Wallace had to be separated by Luol Deng in the visiting locker room in Orlando. The clash apparently was sparked by the antics of Wallace during the Bulls' loss to the Magic. At one point, with the Bulls losing by 28, television cameras picked up Wallace laughing on the bench. Noah's comments will not help his already shaky standing with the rest of the squad and stay tuned for the next episode of "as the team collapses" playing at an arena near you.
Andris Biedrins: Dealing With Bruised Left Thigh
Update: Biedrins, who has been playing with a bruised left thigh, had his worst game of the year on Tuesday, failing to score (0-for-5 from the field) in 25 minutes of action, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Analysis: "Obviously, Biedrins is still suffering from that leg (injury)," Warriors coach Don Nelson said on Tuesday, "because I can't remember a worse game that he's ever played." The leg injury could explain Biedrins poor play over the last couple of weeks. He's only averaging 5.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in 25.0 minutes over his last five games.
Andres Nocioni: Doubtful For Wednesday With A Bruised Hip and Side
Update: Nocioni is day-to-day after his frightening fall late in the third quarter of the Bulls' 102-88 loss to the Magic Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Nocioni went flying over Keith Bogans and fell on his back, side and elbow. He had to be helped off the court. But he was calling himself "lucky" afterward as he was not seriously injured. If Nocioni can't play and with Kirk Hinrich doubtful, look for Thabo Sefolosha, Adrian Griffin and Viktor Khryapa to see more than expected playing time.
Kirk Hinrich: Doubtful For Wednesday With Back Spasms
Update: Hinrich, who missed Tuesday's game with back spasms, is unsure about his availability for Wednesday's game against Miami, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Hinrich said his back began to bother him after a fall against Philadelphia on Friday. If Hinrich does not play, look for Thabo Sefolosha to start again.
Ben Wallace: Locker Room Confrontation
Update: Wallace, who finished with just four points, three boards and two assists in the Bulls' 102-88 loss to Orlando Tuesday, got into an argument about attutude on the bench with Joakim Noah in the locker room after the game, forcing Luol Deng to step between them and ease the tension, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: To quote the old Michael Ray Richardson line, "the ship be sinking" as the change from Scott Skiles to Jim Boyaln has so far done little to stem the tide of inept play in Chicago. Wallace has been a major disappointment since signing with the Bulls two seasons ago and reportedly was seen laughing on the bench during the fourth quarter of the blowout loss. If the Bulls do end up officially out of the race come late-February, early-March, will they shut down Wallace and let his injuries heal while playing Aaron Gray and Tyrus Thomas?
Jamaal Tinsley: Misses Practice
Update: Tinsley missed practice on Tuesday to rest a number of nagging injuries, including the hamstring injury that sidelined him earlier this month, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Analysis: Tinsley is questionable for Wednesday night's game against Golden State. Andre Owens would start if Tinsley can't go.
Guillermo Diaz: Plays for the First Time
Update: Diaz, who signed a 10-day free agent contract on Jan. 8, saw his first action of the season during the Clippers' win over the Suns Tuesday.
Analysis: Diaz played five minutes and grabbed a rebound for his only stat in the box score. Los Angeles is expected to offer the guard a second 10-day contract. His first 10-day contract expires on Friday.
Tim Thomas: Playing Well Lately
Update: Thomas had 11 points, five assists and two steals in the Clippers' 97-90 win over the Suns Tuesday night.
Analysis: Thomas has played very well as of late. In his last three games, he is averaging 37.3 minutes, 17.3 points and 5.3 assists while shooting 60.5% from the field. Don't ever expect much rebounding from Thomas, however. The power forward's season average in that category is a paltry 4.8 per game.
Chris Kaman: Gimpy But Rebounding
Update: Kaman (ankle) scored nine points, grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds and blocked two shots in the Clippers' 97-90 win over Phoenix Tuesday.
Analysis: Kaman was just 3-of-14 from the field, but he is battling a mild ankle sprain and it appeared to limit his offensive effectiveness against the run-and-gun Suns. He is third in the NBA in rebounding at 13.8 per game.
Arron Afflalo: Out of Rotation
Update: With Rodney Stuckey now healthy, Afflalo has fallen out of the rotation, the Detroit News reports.
Analysis: Although Afflalo played 18 minutes in the blow-out loss to the Knicks on Sunday, he's played only 33 minutes in the other seven January games.
Tony Parker: Still Not Back to 100 Percent
Update: Parker has not fully recovered from a heel injury he suffered on Nov. 30, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Analysis: "He definitely doesn't have the same explosion," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's still trying to find his total focus back and get his heel healthy." Popovich said he has confidence Parker will get his game back to the level that made him MVP of the 2007 Finals, as long as his heel heals fully. This may explain why Parker has not gone to the basket as much in the last month and instead has settled for more jump shots. Parker is down about three percentage points from last season from the floor. Parker is currently shooting 49.2 percent from the floor.
Josh Smith: Numbers Down Despite Win
Update: Smith had just 10 points (5-of-10 FG, 0-of-1 3-PT), four rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks in the Hawks' win over the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Analysis: After a 35-point outburst against the Wizards, Smith has had two sub-par games in a row scoring just 19 points. Look for him to bounce back on the offensive end, as he is too good of a player to be in a slump for long.
Joe Johnson: Leads Balanced Attack
Update: Johnson had 22 points (7-of-14 FG, 3-of-6 3-PT, 5-of-5 FT), four rebounds, and five assists in the Hawks' win over the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Analysis: There were no fantasy superstars in this game for the Hawks, as six players scored in double figures. Johnson has been solid in January averaging 21.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists while making two 3-pointers a game.
Corey Maggette: Vital in Clips Victory Over Suns
Update: Maggette had 21 points, five rebounds and five turnovers in the Clippers' win over Phoenix Tuesday night.
Analysis: The small forward scored seven points during a 21-8 run late in the third quarter to help stake Los Angeles to a 74-63 lead. Maggette played 37 minutes and shot 7-of-13 from the floor.
Amar'e Stoudemire: Leads Suns in Scoring Tuesday
Update: Stoudemire scored 29 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Tuesday's loss to the Clippers.
Analysis: He shot 11-for-22 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Stoudemire has now scored 25+ points in seven of his last 10 games.
Jose Calderon: Lighter Workload Tuesday
Update: Calderon played 'just' 30 minutes on Tuesday, scoring eight points with five assists, three rebounds and two steals in a 103-89 loss to the Pistons.
Analysis: He probably needed the rest (relatively speaking) after Sunday's double OT win over the Trail Blazers.
Chris Bosh: Double-Double in Loss Tuesday
Update: Bosh played 34 minutes on Tuesday, scoring 16 points with 11 rebounds in a 103-89 loss to the Pistons.
Analysis: He didn't seem to have much in the tank following Sunday's double OT win over the Trail Blazers, but still managed to make a decent impact on the score sheet.
Michael Doleac: Out With The Flu
Update: Doleac missed Tueday's game due to the flu.
Analysis: He rarely gets off the bench, so this isn't a significant fantasy development.
Mike Bibby: Destination New York?
Update: Bibby (thumb) is being coveted by the Knicks according to two league sources, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: Sacramento clearly needs help in the frontcourt and Bibby is the one player who Kings President Geoff Petrie can trade to change that landscape. Ron Artest, a native New Yorker, is also a possibility, but he brings a ton of baggage. It has been no secret the Kings want power forward David Lee because of his reasonable contract and vast upside.
Antonio Daniels: Knee Flares Up
Update: About 90 minutes before the Wizards played the Knicks on Tuesday, Daniels was in uniform, but soreness in the same knee that caused him to miss seven games in December kept him out of the game, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Daniels will be listed as day-to-day and have his right knee further evaluated Wednesday or Thursday. The Wizards have not ruled him out of Friday's game against the Knicks, the Washington Times reports.
Ron Artest: Available to Play Wednesday
Update: Artest (elbow) will return on Wednesday against the Raptors, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: Initially, Artest will come off the bench. He was out of action for two weeks after having five bone chips removed from his right elbow. Mike Bibby (thumb) will also return against Toronto, giving Sacramento a full complement of players for the first time this season.
Kenyon Martin: Misses Game Due to Staph Infection
Update: Martin missed Tuesday's game against Atlanta after receiving treatment for a staph infection on his buttock, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: We don't make this stuff up people and we clearly aren't going to dig for more information on this injury than was already given. Consider Martin day-to-day but we don't see this particular "injury" keeping him out for Thursday's game against Utah.
Oleksiy Pecherov: Plays 18 Minutes in Loss
Update: Pecherov played 18 minutes in Tuesday's 105-93 loss to the Knicks, scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds.
Analysis: Pecherov hadn't played more than four minutes in a game all season, and had only appeared in three games all year. Now that he's healthy, expect Pecherov to be worked into the team's frontcourt rotation.
Caron Butler: Scores 24 Against Knicks
Update: Butler had 24 points and eight rebounds in the Wizards' 105-93 loss to the Knicks on Tuesday.
Analysis: Butler shot 0-4 from three-point range on Tuesday, and has made only one of his last 16 three-point attempts. Butler contributes in a variety of statistical categories, but his three-point shooting is wildly inconsistent.
Vince Carter: Bad First Halves
Update: In the past two first halves, Carter is shooting just 1-of-10 from the floor with five points, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: "I'm being aggressive. Some shots are not falling. I'm trying to find the open man, not trying to force shots," said Carter, who is averaging 13.0 points (21.1 for the season) in the two games. These things happen sometimes. As a fantasy owner, you just have to be patient and not do anything rash.
Marcus Williams: Getting Help
Update: The Nets brought in former NBA head coach John Lucas to work with Williams for a few days, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: "He worked with Sean (Williams) in the spring and summer, so when we went down in the summer I talked about bringing him in to work with Marcus, being that they're both lefty point guards," coach Lawrence Frank said. "John has a great way with people. Initially, John came in for training camp -- he was here a couple of days -- but Marcus broke his foot, so we wanted to bring him back." Williams, who missed the first eight weeks of the season because of a broken foot, is trying to get his conditioning and timing back.
Antoine Wright: Questionable Wednesday
Update: Wright is questionable for Wednesday night's game against New York because of a sore right ankle, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: Wright recently returned from an ankle injury and is likely still feeling a little pain. He's played a total of 30 minutes in the past three games after missing eight.
Darrell Armstrong: Questionable Wednesday
Update: Armstrong is questionable Wednesday night with a left Achilles' strain, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: Armstrong recently moved up to second on the depth chart behind Jason Kidd, but it hasn't translated into real fantasy value. If he can't go Wednesday, Marcus Williams will get his minutes.
|
   |
||||||
Copyright © NBA Media Ventures, LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of NBA.com may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. By accessing any information beyond this page, you agree to abide by the Privacy Policy / Your California Privacy Rights and Terms of Use.
NBA.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network
