FANTASY / PLAYER NEWS
Bostjan Nachbar: Sore Back
Update: Nachbar entered Tuesday night's game with a sore back, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: Nachbar said he was over-compensating for a sore ankle, but whatever the cause, it wasn't a factor on Tuesday. He scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting with 10 rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes. Players with sore backs don't hit the boards like this.
Stromile Swift: Attends Shootaround; Inactive Tuesday Night
Update: Swift attended the Nets' morning shootaround, but was inactive for Tuesday night's game against the Lakers, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: With Nenad Krstic (knee) being brought along slowly, Swift could get some decent early minutes as the third big in the rotation.
Kevin Garnett: Could Miss Friday's Game
Update: Garnett (abdominal strain) is expected to sit out Friday's return to Minnesota, the Boston Globe reports.
Analysis: Garnett sat out Tuesday's game and will miss Wednesday's game against the Clippers.
Jianlian Yi: Sits Out Tuesday
Update: Jianlian (shoulder) sat out Tuesday night's game against Memphis.
Analysis: Charlie Villanueva started in place of Jianlian, who strained his right shoulder in Saturday's loss to Houston.
Vince Carter: Team-High 27 Points
Update: Carter scored a team-high 27 points on 10-of-26 shooting (6-of-8 FT) with four assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes Tuesday night in New Jersey's loss to the Lakers.
Analysis: Carter has come under some scrutiny lately for being as willing to pass the ball as shoot it, but that wasn't the case on Tuesday. The 26 field-goal attempts were the most Carter has put up since December.
Nenad Krstic: Few Minutes Again
Update: Krstic played a little more than three minutes Tuesday night in his second game back since returning from rehabbing his injured left knee.
Analysis: Krstic has played a total of six minutes in his two games back. The addition of Stromile Swift and the development of Josh Boone and Sean Williams will serve to limit Krstic's minutes. It may help his knee in the long run, but his fantasy value will be next to nothing at this rate.
Damon Stoudamire: 11 Points in First Start With Spurs
Update: Stoudamire had 11 points including two 3-pointers in 22 minutes as the Spurs defeated the Pacers on Tuesday.
Analysis: Stoudamire got the start but split the time with Jacque Vaughn. Expect both to get around 20-25 minutes a night until Tony Parker comes back in a little more than two weeks.
Manu Ginobili: Plays 27 Minutes in Win
Update: Ginobili had 15 points (6-of-13 FG, 3-of-6 3-PT 0-of-1 FT), three rebounds and seven assists in the Spurs' win over the Pacers on Tuesday.
Analysis: Ginobili was able to have his minutes limited due to a big third quarter, and the Spurs are hopeful to get Ginobili back down to around 30 minutes a game.
Tim Duncan: Another Big Game
Update: Duncan had 19 points (7-of-12 FG, 5-of-8 FT), 15 rebounds, six assists and a steal in the Spurs' win over the Pacers on Tuesday.
Analysis: Duncan continues to be on a roll as he has 10 double-doubles in his last 11 games.
Larry Hughes: Solid Night Shooting the Ball
Update: Hughes who has been plagued all season with a poor shooting touch (35%) from the field, was 6-of-13 for 18 points Tuesday night.
Analysis: Hughes looks to be coming around a bit, hopefully you own a more stable guard or two in your line-up. He's worth a flyer at this point if he's still available in your league. Just be careful, because his low shooting percentages may cost you in a given week. On a good note, Hughes did manage six assists, two steals, and a block against the Celtics.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas: Back-to-Back Double-Doubles
Update: Ilgauskas going against the K.G.- less Celtics turned in a solid double-double performance with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
Analysis: Ilgauskas solid play continues right into the all-star break where he will receive much needed rest for last leg of the season. His latest outing gives the big man 22 double-doubles on the season.
LeBron James: Big Night Across the Board
Update: In a huge matchup against the league leading Celtics, James put in 33 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds.
Analysis: James just missing another triple-double by one rebound, also had five steals, two blocks and connected on four long-range bombs. Even without Kevin Garnett in the line-up this was an impressive M.V.P. statement game.
Richard Jefferson: Returns to Game
Update: Jefferson returned to Tuesday night's game against the Lakers after suffering an eye injury from a Lamar Odom elbow.
Analysis: The initial shot to Jefferson's eye socket looked nasty, but other than a black eye it appears he will be okay.
Kevin Garnett: Garnett Sits Versus Cavs
Update: Garnett sat his fourth consecutive game due to an abdominal strain on Tuesday against Cleveland.
Analysis: Garnett remains questionable for Wednesday night's game against the Clippers. Coach Doc Rivers indicated that Garnett would probably play if it was a playoff game, the Boston Herald reported Monday. "There's no date (for his return)," Rivers said. "It could be as early as this weekend or it could be after All-Star break (Feb. 15-17)."
Richard Jefferson: Facial Injury
Update: Jefferson left Tuesday's game with a facial injury.
Analysis: Jefferson's return to the game is questionable.
Shaquille O'Neal: On the Trade Block
Update: The Heat are in talks to deal O'Neal to Phoenix for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: The Suns must be convinced that they're not going to be able to keep Marion around after this season, while the Heat are seeking cap relief for this summer with a number of talent free agents poised to hit the open market.
JJ Redick: Unlikely to Play or get Traded
Update: Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said Redick is unlikely to play or be dealt this season, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: This comes less than a week after Redick's agent requested a trade. The former 11th-overall pick has played in just 20 games this year -- mostly in irrelevant minutes. Carlos Arroyo, Keyon Dooling and Maurice Evans all will be free agents this summer, so Redick provides the team with an insurance policy at guard heading into the 2008-09 season.
LeBron James: Going Too Fast
Update: James was fined $259 Tuesday after pleading no contest to a speeding charge stemming from a ticket issued Dec. 30.
Analysis: He was cited for driving 36 mph over the speed limit while driving home from the airport. There should not be any kind of penalty from the Cavs or the league office.
Jerry Stackhouse: Eying Friday Return
Update: Stackhouse (hamstring) said he wants to practice before returning to game action, and is targeting Friday's game against the Grizzlies for a return, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Analysis: "He's not ready yet," coach Avery Johnson said. "When we get him back, hopefully we can get him back strong between that period and the All-Star break and have him strong for the rest of the year." Stackhouse has not played since Jan. 23, but should take on a full load of minutes when he returns.
Marcus Camby: Still Not Improving
Update: After sitting out the past two games, Camby said his knee is "not getting any better, it's not getting any worse," the Denver Post reports.
Analysis: Coach George Karl said he may play Camby less than the 35.1 minutes per night he was seeing before sitting out. Look at how he performs when he returns from this injury, but it may be time to look for a buyer.
Kurt Thomas: Leaves Monday's Game With Eye Injury
Update: Thomas left in the third quarter of Monday's game because of a scratched right eye, the Seattle Times reports.
Analysis: He did not return after leaving. No word yet on his status for Wednesday's game against the Kings. Nick Collison should enter the starting lineup and see a bump in minutes if Thomas is forced to miss time.
Kobe Bryant: Sits Out Monday's Practice
Update: Bryant sat out practice Monday, but coach Phil Jackson cited playing three games in four days, and not any kind of injury, as the reason Kobe sat, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Analysis: Bryant should definitely play in Tuesday's game against the Nets, and new toy Pau Gasol should take some of the pressure off of him.
Jamal Crawford: Denies Trade Rumors
Update: Crawford is denying a report out of Seattle that said he wants to be traded, the New York Daily News reports.
Analysis: Crawford is unlikely to get traded due to his status as one of coach Isiah Thomas' favorite players. Still, he's probably at the peak of his trade value, averaging a career-best 19.9 points per game.
Michael Redd: Out Two More Games
Update: Redd (knee) did not travel with the team for their two-game road trip to Tuesday's game at Memphis and Wednesday's game at Dallas, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.
Analysis: Royal Ivey has been filling in nicely the past few games and should continue to do so until Redd returns. We'll check back on Redd's status after the road trip.
Al Harrington: Could Become Permanent Sixth Man
Update: Harrington could become the Warriors sixth man with the news that Chris Webber will start at power forward, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Analysis: "I've always wanted Al as the sixth man, but I couldn't afford to do it all the time," Warriors caoch Don Nelson said. "I'll switch off in my starting lineup like I've been doing, depending on matchups, but I think that makes us a better team to have him come off as my machine-gun guy.
Harrington is only averaging 13.0 points and 3.4 rebounds over his last five games and could see his production dip even more if Webber plays substantial minutes.
Chris Webber: Will Start At Power Forward
Update: Webber will be in the Warriors starting lineup on Thursday and could remain a starter for the rest of the season, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Analysis: "Absolutely, I think he should start," Warriors coach Don Nelson said after practice Monday. "I'm planning on starting him every game." The Warriors new starting five looks to be Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson and Webber with Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins or Matt Barnes starting at center depending on the matchup. It remains to be seen how much Webber has left in the tank, but he could be a decent source for rebounds and assists if he gets 25+ minutes a night.
Sebastian Telfair: Season-High 12 Assists
Update: Telfair scored six points with a season-high 12 assists in Monday's loss to Houston.
Analysis: Randy Foye continues to come off the bench after missing the first three months of the season witha knee injury. Foye's playing time should increase, but so far it's not clear whether Telfair or Marko Jaric will see reduced minutes.
Randy Foye: Scores Just Four Points
Update: Foye scored just four points with one assist in 15 minutes in Monday's loss to Houston.
Analysis: Foye has started slow since his return with a knee injury with just 16 points in his last three games. It looks like it may take awhile before he's ready to return to the starting lineup as he may need to shake off the rust after missing the first three months of the season.
Kareem Rush: Misses Practice
Update: Rush missed practice on Monday with a stomach virus, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Analysis: Rush should be able to go on Tuesday night against San Antonio, but keep an eye out before game-time to make sure he's not a late scratch.
Theo Ratliff: Could Return To Practice Soon
Update: Ratliff (knee) could return to practice later this week, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Analysis: Ratliff had surgery Dec. 18 to repair a torn meniscus. He'll start at center and get significant minutes when he returns, but it may still be a few weeks before he's ready to play.
Carlos Arroyo: Double Digits for the Third Straight Game
Update: Arroyo scored 12 points in Orlando's loss to Dallas on Monday night.
Analysis: Arroyo has played much better since Jameer Nelson returned four games ago and is averaging 14 points per game over his last three contests. Nelson is out of the lineup again, but be wary of picking up Arroyo despite the recent hot stretch as he's been very inconsistent this season.
Jameer Nelson: Misses Another Game
Update: Nelson sat out Orlando's Monday night's loss to Dallas.
Analysis: Nelson has missed the last two games and Carlos Arroyo continues to start in his place.
Dwight Howard: Scores 28 in Loss
Update: Howard shot a very efficient 11-of-16 from the field and scored 28 points, but it wasn't enough as the Magic fell to the Mavericks on Monday night.
Analysis: Howard had a rare single-digit rebounding effort Monday night and only had one block. However, Monday's point total was his highest since January 12.
Maurice Evans: Scoring Average Way Up
Update: Evans scored 16 points in Orlando's loss to Dallas on Monday night.
Analysis: Evans has scored at least 13 points in his last four games and has made at least two threes in each contest. Pick him up if he's still available.
Brad Miller: Crossing His Finger
Update: Miller (finger) is optimistic he will be able to play against Seattle on Wednesday, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: Optimism is nice, but Miller's pain tolerance will be a big factor considering finger injuries, particularly when stitches are involved, can make shooting and rebounding extremely difficult. The center sliced his right index finger while washing dishes during a Super Bowl party on Sunday, requiring nine stitches.
Andrea Bargnani: Hot Streak Continues Monday
Update: Bargnani had another good game Monday, scoring 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting with five rebounds, three assists and two three-pointers.
Analysis: He's now posted back-to-back 20+ point efforts, and is averaging 17.5 points over his last six games.
Leandro Barbosa: Big Night Monday
Update: Barbosa had a huge shooting night Monday, hitting 11-of-17 shots (5-of-9 from three point range) to lead the Suns with 30 points.
Analysis: The last time he scored even 20 points was back on January 17, nine games ago. Barbosa is probably overdue for a good stretch, but in a shallow league you should probably wait for him to prove he's heating up before you go back to him.
Manu Ginobili: Minutes A Concern
Update: Coach Gregg Popovich wants to try and limit Ginobili's minutes as he has played over 40 minutes in each of the last two games, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Analysis: "His minutes might go up a bit, but we're trying not to," Popovich said. "I don't want to overplay him to the point where he runs out of gas." Typically a reserve off-guard, Ginobili started in Parker's place at the point in each of the Spurs' past two games - a loss at Seattle and a victory at Phoenix. He played around 40 minutes in both contests, bumping his season average to more than 30 per game for the first time this year.
Boris Diaw: Poor Showing Off the Bench Monday
Update: Diaw was back on the bench Monday and failed to score a point in 20 minutes of action.
Analysis: He did have four assists and three rebounds, and the Suns didn't particularly need a big night from him, but it was still disappointing given how he'd played when Grant Hill was out. Look for coach Mike D'Antoni to continue rotating Hill and Diaw in the small forward spot to try and keep both productive.
Joe Johnson: 18 Points in Win
Update: Johnson (ankle) had 18 points (7-of-17 FG, 2-of-3 3-PT, 2-of-3 FT), three rebounds, four assists and a steal in the Hawks' win over the 76ers on Monday.
Analysis: This was Johnson's best effort in his last several games, but it is still not up to his regular season averages. A combination of his injured ankle and being tired appear to be the culprit.
Josh Childress: Continues Hot Shooting
Update: Childress had 21 points (9-of-11 FG, 3-of-4 FT), six rebounds and a block in the Hawks' win over the 76ers on Monday.
Analysis: Childress has been on fire from the floor hitting 19-of 22 from the floor in his last two games. Childress also provides a decent amount of boards for fantasy players.
Grant Hill: Returns to Starting Lineup Monday
Update: Hill was back in the starting lineup Monday, but coach Mike D'Antoni indicated afterwards that he might rotate Hill and Boris Diaw in the small forward spot, the Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: "We'll go back and forth," D'Antoni said. "It's not settled. We'll check it out and see how it goes. I expect all seven of [the players in the rotation] to play around 30 minutes and produce as starters. That's where we've got to get to. It might be different matchups going different ways. Nothing should be set in concrete." Hill scored seven points with five assists and two boards Monday while Diaw was almost invisible, so don't be surprised if the two switch roles again.
Cuttino Mobley: Outside Stroke Coming Back
Update: Mobley had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals in the Clippers' win over the Knicks Monday night.
Analysis: Mobley shot 5-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-5 from the arc. In his last 10 games, Mobley is averaging 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists. His outside shot, which disappeared in December because of elbow and groin problems, has come back, evidenced by his 49.1% mark from the field.
Tim Thomas: Leaves With Back Spasms
Update: Thomas left Monday's game at New York after back spasms felled him during halftime.
Analysis: The Clippers' starting power forward played 14 minutes and shot 3-of-7, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Currently, his status is questionable for Wednesday at Boston. Al Thornton, Aaron Williams and Josh Powell are options to take his place in the opening lineup.
Charlie Villanueva: May See More Playing Time
Update: Villanueva may see increased playing time due to Yi Jianlian's shoulder injury, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Analysis: Villanueva has grown frustrated with his playing time in recent weeks. This may open up some more minutes for him, but it would only be temporary. There is a chance that Villanueva gets traded this year or in the offseason.
Jianlian Yi: Has MRI on Injured Right Shoulder
Update: Jianlian underwent an MRI on his right shoulder on Monday after injuring it in Saturday's loss, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Analysis: The Bucks were awaiting the results of the MRI before they decide how Yi will sit out. He did travel with the team on their current road trip, but it's likely that he'll miss at least one or more games. Charlie Villanueva would get more time if Yi can't play.
Ron Artest: Another Controversial Comment
Update: Artest believes Reggie Theus is doing a commendable job, but the player concedes the Kings would be better off without the controversial forward on the roster, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: "He's (Theus) doing good; he's doing good," Artest said. "I just think they (the Kings) would be better if I wasn't on the team. I think (Theus) would be doing much better." The small forward cited the names of John Salmons and Francisco Garcia as players who have had their development stunted by Artest's presence. Artest stirred the pot in January when he said he will opt out of his contract at the end of the 2007-08 season. He believes management does not appear interested in making a long-term commitment to him. Now that the pot is stirred, it's starting to boil over.
Udonis Haslem: Will Not Travel With The Team
Update: Haslem (ankle) will not travel with the Heat to play Detroit and Philadelphia, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: Haslem has now missed three consecutive games with a high-ankle sprain. Earl Barron has started two of those games.
Shaquille O'Neal: Hip to be Re-evaluated
Update: O'Neal (hip) and the Heat will find out Tuesday if he is ready to start light workouts, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: O'Neal has missed the Heat's last six games and will not make the teams next road trip to Detroit and Philadelphia.
Travis Outlaw: Double-Double
Update: Outlaw had 16 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes Monday night in Portland's loss to Denver.
Analysis: That's 12 straight games of double-figure scoring for Outlaw, who is having a breakout season. He figures to get more playing time in the next few weeks with James Jones felled by tendinitis in his left knee.
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