FANTASY / PLAYER NEWS
Chauncey Billups: Dominates Down the Stretch
Update: After being played to a stand-still by Rajon Rondo through three quarters, Billups exploded for 12 fourth quarter points (including the game-winning free throws) on his way to 28 points and eight assists Wednesday night.
Analysis: Billups once again showed why he has the nickname "Mr. Big Shot", as he hit shots from all over the court to take over the game late against the Celtics.
Anthony Johnson: Filling the Hawks' Void at Point Guard
Update: Johnson scored 21 points (9-for-15 FG, 2-for-2 FT) with nine assists, two boards and a trey in 37 minutes of action Wednesday night.
Analysis: Johnson has had three strong games in a row now, and appears to be putting some distance between himself and the other Hawks point guards.
Marvin Williams: Run of Strong Play Continues
Update: Williams led the Hawks with 26 points (9-for-17 FG, 8-for-10 FT), 10 boards, two assists, and two steals in 47 minutes of an overtime victory Wednesday night.
Analysis: Williams has scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games, a stretch where he is averaging 21 points, six boards, and almost two steals per game.
Beno Udrih: Six 3-Pointers at Milwaukee
Update: Udrih (shin) hit a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 24 points in Sacramento's win at Milwaukee on Wednesday night.
Analysis: What a difference a day makes. Udrih was unconscious from downtown, shooting 6-of-7 from three-point range. On Tuesday night, the point guard was 0-of-8 from the field and was inadvertently kicked in the left shin by Jason Kidd, prompting his removal from the game. He wore a protective sleeve on his injured leg against the Bucks.
Tracy McGrady: Leaves Game with Sore Knee
Update: McGrady left Wednesday night's game against Orlando early due to a sore left knee, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: McGrady shot only 1-11 from the field in the first half and did not return for the second. He also was limping noticeably while he was in action. McGrady has been bothered by a sore knee for about two weeks now and had the injury aggravated Saturday against Dallas. We'll keep you posted when more is disclosed on the extent of the injury.
Dwyane Wade: Fantasy Feast on Wednesday
Update: Wade exploded for 36 points, 10 assists, six boards, two blocks and a steal in 49 minutes of an overtime victory Wednesday night. He was 8-for-17 from the field, and a whopping 20-for-22 from the line.
Analysis: Wade has been a bit up-and-down as he tries to return to health, but this was another reminder of just how dynamic he can be when he is feeling it.
Chris Quinn: Back in the Starting Line-up
Update: Quinn was back in the starting line-up Wednesday night, and responded with 12 points (3-for-6 FG, 5-for-5 FT), seven assists, three steals, a block and a trey in 40 minutes of action.
Analysis: Quinn has played well when given minutes, but loses time when Jason Williams is healthy enough to play. Williams was out again Wednesday night, and if he succumbs to injury for any period of time Quinn appears ready to produce when called upon.
Chucky Atkins: Nearing a Return?
Update: Atkins is back in practice with the Nuggets and could return during the last week of December, the Rocky Mountain News reports.
Analysis: The Nuggets are very thin in the backcourt and Allen Iverson has been logging very heavy minutes. A healthy Atkins could take some of the load off of AI.
Alonzo Mourning: Tears Tendon, Career Over?
Update: Mourning tore the patella tendon in his right knee Wednesday, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: This is a career-threatening injury for the 37-year-old. Details should shake out in the coming days as to who will back up Shaq with Mourning out.
Troy Hudson: Hip Injury Could End Career
Update: Hudson is scheduled to meet with two medical specialists about his injured hip that could force him to retire, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: The injury developed this year and has been bothering him since training camp. Warriors coach Don Nelson had a pessimistic outlook, saying "I think Troy is probably done, I don't think he'll play again."
Theo Ratliff: Out at Least Six More Weeks
Update: Ratliff underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will be out at least six weeks, the Timberwolves announced Wednesday.
Analysis: Ratliff has only appeared in six games this season for the struggling Timberwolves.
Beno Udrih: In the Lineup on Wednesday
Update: Udrih (shin) was in the starting lineup for Sacramento's game against Milwaukee on Wednesday night.
Analysis: There was lingering doubt about his condition after being accidentally kicked by Jason Kidd late in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's game at New Jersey.
Ray Allen: In Lineup Wednesday
Update: Allen (ankle) was in the lineup for the Celtics' matchup against the Pistons Wednesday.
Analysis: He led the Celtics with 12 points and was perfect from the field through the first 15 minutes, so the ankle problem seems to be an issue of the past.
Jason Williams: Does Not Play Wednesday
Update: Williams did not play in Wednesday night's game because of a hyperextended knee, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: He said he suffered the injury in Monday's game, and it swelled up Wednesday morning. Chris Quinn filled Williams' point guard spot. Hopefully we will get word on when Williams is supposed to come back following the game.
Alonzo Mourning: Leaves Wednesday's Game
Update: Mourning left Wednesday's game after injuring his knee in the first quarter, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: No immediate news on how bad he injured it, but we'll keep you posted.
Jamaal Tinsley: Out with Thigh Bruise
Update: Tinsley missed Wednesday's game against Philadelphia because of a left thigh bruise, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: He played through it Monday, and only made one field-goal on eight attempts. He's day-to-day.
Ben Wallace: Out Wednesday
Update: Wallace sat out Wednesday's game against the Wizards with a sore foot, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: He has bone spurs in his left foot that reportedly flared up in the Bulls' loss to the Lakers Tuesday. An MRI revealed no stress fracture, but the team plans on taking his return on a day-to-day basis. Aaron Gray, who played 20 minutes in Tuesday's loss, should see more playing time in Wallace's absence.
Brandon Roy: Likely to Start Wednesday
Update: Roy said during Wednesday's shootaround that he will play Wednesday night against the Raptors after missing a practice with flu-like symptoms, The Oregonian reports.
Analysis: It sounds like Roy is still not 100 percent, but will be ready to go. "If 10 is the best I'm about a 7 right now,'' Roy said. The flu seems to have been going around the locker room, as two other players have had similar symptoms in the past 10 days.
Richie Frahm: Starts at Shooting Guard
Update: Frahm, who was signed on Dec. 14, started at shooting guard and scored 13 points in the Clippers' loss to Toronto on Tuesday.
Analysis: Quinton Ross has been troubled with lower back problems and Cuttino Mobley was out with a stomach virus, precipitating a change in the lineup. Frahm made the most of his chance, nailing two 3-pointers for Los Angeles in the first quarter and later contributing during a late fourth-quarter rally. He finished 5-of-10 from the floor with five rebounds in 32 minutes. Unless he's starting for an extended stretch, Frahm's fantasy value is slight.
Brevin Knight: Vanishes in the Final Period
Update: Knight scored four points and dished six assists in the Clippers' loss to Toronto on Tuesday.
Analysis: Knight had six assists in the first quarter, and then disappeared from the landscape. He also added a steal and three rebounds in 22 minutes of action. Lately, Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy has been using Dan Dickau at point guard in the fourth quarter of games, leaving Knight out of the playing rotation. When Sam Cassell (calf) returns, Knight and Dickau will battle for minutes.
Joakim Noah: DNP-CD Tuesday, First Time Since Nov. 15
Update: Noah didn't play by coach's decision for the first time since Nov. 15 in Phoenix in the Bulls' 103-91 loss to the Lakers Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: With Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich all playing at least 32 minutes and Ben Wallace's 20 minutes of inaction taken by Aaron Gray, there was little remaining playing time. Tyrus Thomas played 23 minutes and Joe Smith 13 with Chris Duhon as the only other bench player besides Thomas and Gray to see significant action. With Chicago also playing Wednesday, look for Noah to be back in the rotation.
Chris Kaman: Rough Two-Game Stretch
Update: Kaman played 42 minutes, scored 12 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and blocked three shots in the Clippers' loss at home to the Raptors Tuesday night.
Analysis: "We struggled making some shots," Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We did not get a lot out of our post game. We missed some shots around the basket. Kaman was just 5-of-15 from the floor, making him 11-of-34 in his last two games, a 32.3% clip. He had three of his shots blocked against Toronto but continues his supremacy on the boards.
Demetris Nichols: Sent to Iowa of NBDL
Update: The Bulls assigned Nichols Tuesday to the Iowa Energy, their Development League affiliate, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Nichols replaces JamesOn Curry on the Energy roster.
Carlos Delfino: Teases a Double-Double Off the Bench Tuesday
Update: Delfino scored eight points with eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and a three pointer in Tuesday's win over the Clippers.
Analysis: As one of the Raptors' key bench players he doesn't get consistent enough minutes to be a fantasy starter in shallow leagues, but his multi-category potential makes him very useful in most other formats.
Dahntay Jones: Averaging Double-Digit Minutes
Update: Jones played 15 minutes, scored four points and grabbed six rebounds in Sacramento's victory at New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Jones, who was signed on Dec. 10, has been a spark plug off the bench in his brief Sacramento career. In three games, he is averaging 12.7 minutes and 4.3 points. However, it would take a major change in his role to warrant a fantasy acquisition.
Jamario Moon: Ties Career High in Scoring Tuesday
Update: Moon tied his career high (set about two weeks ago) with 16 points in Tuesday's win over the Clippers.
Analysis: He shot 8-for-12 from the floor, and added five rebounds and three blocks. He's been going through some typical rookie struggles recently, even though Moon is anything but a typical rookie, so while consistency could be a problem his potential and blocks make him an every-week starter in most leagues.
Oleksiy Pecherov: Making Progress
Update: Pecherov, who has been out since late October with a hairline fracture in his right ankle, removed his protective walking boot Monday and rode a stationary bike during practice, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Pecherov is still two to three weeks away from being cleared to practice.
Chris Bosh: More Trips to the Line Tuesday
Update: Bosh scored 24 points, including shooting 12-of-16 from the free throw line, with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Tuesday's win over the Clippers.
Analysis: He shot just 6-of-22 from the floor, however. While Bosh is still not quite playing at the level he established last season, he has scored in double digits in 17 straight games.
Andres Nocioni: Turns Right Ankle Tuesday, Expected to Play Wednesday
Update: Nocioni turned his right ankle late when Lamar Odom inadvertently hit him with a leg kick as both players ran upcourt in the Bulls' 103-91 loss to the Lakers Tuesday. Nocioni said he would play Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Nocioni had 14 points and seven rebounds in the loss and is still seeing solid playing time after being moved back to the bench following the return of Luol Deng earlier in the month.
Ron Artest: Has to Head Outside
Update: Artest scored 20 points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots in the Kings' win over the Nets Tuesday night.
Analysis: Artest was 6-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point land. New Jersey's frontcourt, particularly Sean Williams and Josh Boone, gave him fits in the first half, so he stretched his offense out to the perimeter and helped the Kings' cause by hitting some crucial 3-pointers. Sacramento plays again on Wednesday at Milwaukee. Artest is averaging 10.0 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 32.1% in the second game of back-to-backs this season.
Andrea Bargnani: Nothing in the Tank?
Update: Raptors assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini, who recruited Bargnani for Benetton Treviso prior to both of them ending up in Toronto, believes that Bargnani's poor recent play is the result of exhaustion, the Toronto Sun reports.
Analysis: "Both physically and mentally," Gherardini said. "This was the first season in his career that he didn't stop over the summer (Bargnani played for Italy at the European championships) and those two months might have carried over into the season." There wouldn't seem to be a solution here, as the Raptors can't afford to simply bench him and let him rest, but at least Bargnani doesn't seem to be hiding a serious injury.
Aaron Gray: Replaces an Ineffective Ben Wallace Tuesday
Update: Coach Scott Skiles has been hinting at playing Gray for weeks. On Tuesday, he followed through-at the expense of Ben Wallace in the Bulls' 103-91 loss to the Lakers, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Wallace, who failed to grab a rebound in the first half, was first replaced by Gray at the 4:11 mark of the first quarter. Gray finished with eight points and six rebounds in 19:53, all season highs, and could see minutes going forward if Wallace continues to struggle.
Ben Gordon: Season Long Slump Continues Tuesday
Update: Gordon continued his season-long slump with just eight points on 3-of-9 shooting in the Bulls' 103-91 loss to the Lakers Tuesday.
Analysis: After a big Opening Night, Gordon has averaged just 17.3 points in November and 16.1 points in December, well below the 21.4 he averaged last season. It appears as if Gordon is just in a shooting and scoring slump as no injury looks to be in the mix, so the only hope is that he can get out of it as quickly as he got into it.
Beno Udrih: Kicked by Kidd
Update: Udrih had to leave Sacramento's game at New Jersey on Tuesday night after he was kicked in the left shin, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: "I tried to contest (Jason Kidd's shot), and think he saw he was going to miss the shot and he tried to draw the foul," said Udrih. "He kicked his leg and kicked me right here in the muscle. I couldn't feel anything." The Kings' starting point guard finished 0-of-8 from the floor with eight assists in Sacramento's win. He left at 2:09 of the fourth quarter after playing 29 minutes. Additionally, Udrih has lost feeling in one of his fingers, and it has affected his shot during the team's five-game road trip. It would not be out of the realm to see Udrih on the bench, resting his injuries on Wednesday at Milwaukee.
Kirk Hinrich: Another Solid Effort
Update: Hinrich continued his recent strong play with 17 points and eight assists but committed six of the Bulls' 18 turnovers in the team's 103-91 loss to the Lakers Tuesday.
Analysis: Hinrich also committed five fouls in the game and is averaging 2.8 turnovers and 3.4 fouls per contest, high on the team in both categories. Despite those two negatives, he seems to have reversed his slow start and looks like the Hinrich of old the past five games.
Ben Wallace: Another Poor Game Tuesday
Update: Wallace (sore back) played 28 minutes, scoring two points while grabbing five boards, in the Bulls' 103-91 loss to the Lakers Tuesday.
Analysis: Wallace has been sitting out practices to rest his back while playing in games. He has posted single digit rebounding games in three of his last four contests and has seen his fantasy value decline due to his drop in production.
Maurice Ager: Sent to D-League
Update: The Mavericks sent Ager to the NBDL on Monday.
Analysis: After starting two games early in the season, Ager had become a non-factor, and some D-League seasoning may be good for him.
Kobe Bryant: Scores 18 Against Bulls
Update: Bryant (groin) had 18 points, six rebounds and three steals in the Lakers' 103-91 win over the Bulls on Monday.
Analysis: Bryant still seemed affected by his groin injury, and the Lakers' upcoming stretch of three games in four days may do nothing to help his cause.
Sasha Vujacic: Scores 19 Against Bulls
Update: Vujacic had 19 points, three assists and two rebounds in the Lakers' 103-91 win over the Bulls on Tuesday.
Analysis: Tuesday was Vujacic's second straight double-digit scoring game, and we expect him to receive more playing time over the next few games, due to these strong performances. While we don't think he'll take over a starting spot anytime soon, he could 25 minutes of run over the next few contests.
Francisco Elson: Out Against Memphis
Update: Elson (sprained left ankle) is out against Memphis, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Analysis: Look for more time for Matt Bonner and perhaps Robert Horry with Elson out.
Tony Parker: Out Against Memphis
Update: Parker (sprained left ankle) will not play against Memphis, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Analysis: Parker will miss his fourth straight game. Parker is tentatively scheduled to rejoin the team this weekend. We'll keep you posted.
Bostjan Nachbar: Scratched Tuesday
Update: Nachbar (ankle) was a scratch from Tuesday night's game against the Kings, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: Nachbar tried to give it a go during the morning shootaround, but still can't change direction well. "It improved, but not as much as we wanted," Nachbar said. "The bone is still sore. So it's not as bad as it was." The Nets play Miami Thursday and Nachbar will attempt to play then.
Manu Ginobili: Worn Out
Update: Ginobili has had to play more minutes due to the injuries to Tim Duncan and Tony Parker and it has taken its toll on his production, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Analysis: "I don't feel as good as I did two weeks ago," Ginobili said. "I feel tired." Ginobili was transcendent in the first two games with Duncan out, producing consecutive 37-point nights to ignite victories over Dallas and Utah. In the four games since, Ginobili has struggled to recreate that magic. He is averaging a respectable 14 points but is shooting a woeful 26 percent from the field. With Parker tentatively scheduled to rejoin Duncan, who returned to action in the team's previous game, by the end of the week, Ginobili should be able to get some rest and be more productive.
Stephon Marbury: Excused From Practice
Update: Marbury was excused from Tuesday's workout because it was the birthday of Marbury's father, who recently passed away, the New York Post reports. His availability for Wednesday night's game against Cleveland is not known.
Analysis: Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said if Marbury is available, he probably won't be in the starting lineup. Fred Jones will start in the backcourt in Marbury's place.
Vince Carter: Ankle No Problem
Update: Carter (ankle) scored 15 points to go along with six rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes Tuesday night in New Jersey's loss to Sacramento.
Analysis: Carter received treatment for the ankle the past two days, but was never seriously in doubt to play against the Kings.
Marcus Williams: Makes Season Debut
Update: Williams (foot) made his season debut Tuesday night in New Jersey's loss to Sacramento.
Analysis: Williams played just four minutes in the loss, going 0-for-3 from the field with a rebound. They'll bring him back slowly and he'll eventually replace Darrell Armstrong as Jason Kidd's backup at the point.
Mehmet Okur: Doubtful Wednesday
Update: Okur (shoulder) is listed as doubtful for Wednesday night's game at Charlotte, the Deseret Morning News reports.
Analysis: Okur has missed the last four games because of a strained left trapezius muscle. Jarron Collins has been starting in his place.
Matt Harpring: Will Miss Wednesday's Game
Update: Harpring (gastric distress) will not join the Jazz in Charlotte for its game Wednesday night against the Bobcats, as originally planned, the Deseret Morning News reports.
Analysis: Harping, who will miss his third straight game because of the condition, has been held over for additional tests to be performed Thursday. The new plan calls for Harpring to join the team Friday night in Orlando.
Nazr Mohammed: Will Start Wednesday
Update: Mohammed will start at center Wednesday night against the Jazz, the Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Mohammed has played one game since being traded to Charlotte and was used off the bench. His primary role is that of a defensive force, someone who can take some pressure of Emeka Okafor and allow Okafor to better focus on his offensive game. The Bobcats are making a conscious effort to feature Okafor in the offense.
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