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A look at the movers and shakers within the Fantasy Sports Performance Index.

More from FSPI Analyzer March 22: Pursuit of Excellence March 15: Iggy Time March 8: King James FSPI Analyzer Archives Explore the Ratings!

Paul Pierce was just starting to look like the Pierce of old -- and by old, I mean vintage November 2006. But after a 32-point performance against Orlando on March 28 -- a double-overtime Celtics win in which he played 53 minutes, sold nachos during timeouts and gave piggyback rides to young fans at halftime -- Pierce gave the impression that he had just played his final game of 2006-07.

OK, I made a lot of that stuff up, but unfortunately for Pierce owners, the part where he ruminates about shutting it down is fiction-free. But then, what else would you expect in a season where so many big-name players have been sidelined by big-time injuries?

Read about Pierce, and others who are hurtin' for certain, in this week's NBA.com Fantasy Sports Performance Index (FSPI) Starring Five.

Starring Five

FSPI position based on 2006-07 ratings through Tuesday, March 27.

Shawn Marion - SF/PF, PHO (FSPI Rating: 4)

For what it's worth, the FSPI isn't the only place where Marion checks in at No. 4. He's also fourth in scoring on his own team, with Leandro Barbosa having just bolted by him in a Brazilian blur. Since missing a pair of games with a bruised right hand about a month ago, Marion is averaging only 11.8 points per game. Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni recently speculated that Marion's hand is still bothering him, a logical assertion given The Matrix's marked decrease in shot attempts, steals and three-point success. But for Marion owners, the scary part is that with Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Barbosa, the Suns don't necessarily need his offense.

Jason Terry - PG/SG, DAL (32)

Not that you weren't getting your three-point fix from Terry during the first three months of 2006-07, but since the All-Star break, the 29-year-old simply can't miss. In this span, he's averaging nearly 20 points and 2.5 treys a game while shooting an absurd 59.2 percent from the floor and 51.3 percent from beyond the arc. Terry's season -- which began with him shooting 44.9 percent before the break -- shows why fantasy owners should be patient with proven players.

Paul Pierce - SG/SF, BOS (48)

In his last seven games, the 29-year-old is averaging 27.9 points and 2.4 three-pointers while shooting 46.8 percent from the field. However, Pierce is still dealing with injuries to his left foot and left elbow that caused him to sit out almost two months. After the Orlando game, he said: "My body, I've got to start listening to it. Sometimes it hurts for me to straighten out my arm. I've got to think about my future and I've got to listen to the doctors and see what they think." What I think is that fantasy owners shouldn't expect much more from Pierce this season. And what I wonder is if there are any fantasy owners who haven't felt the pain of losing one key player to injury this season. If you're out there... choke on it, ya lucky pups.

Yao Ming - C, HOU (54)

Yao has rehabbed his leg, but he's still rehabbing his game. Clearly, he's not the dominant player who was averaging nearly 26 points a game until he broke a bone under his right knee on Dec. 23. In his first 12 games since his return, the 26-year-old's scoring is down by nearly five points a game. Given the nature of his injury, it’s possible more telling that Yao has just 1.3 blocks per game in that span. He was swatting more than two shots a night before getting hurt. Yao has had some big games lately -- including a 24-point, 15-rebound effort against the Clippers on March 28 -- but it will likely be next season before Yao returns to the fantasy elite.

Mehmet Okur - PF/C, UTA (58)

Sometimes a slump is just a slump. Sometimes, as with Yao, it's the result of a player trying to perform while recovering from injury. And sometimes real life priorities intervene. The latter situation applies to Okur, who recently went through a three-game span where he averaged 5.7 points and 25 percent (6-of-24) from the field. During that time, Okur's wife, Yeliz, gave birth to their first child, Melissa. Okur acknowledged that the experience left him worn down and sleep-deprived. But is in his last two games, the 27-year-old is looking like himself. He scored 16 points against Washington on March 26 and went for 23 points and 12 boards against Minnesota on March 28. Best of all, both mother and daughter are doing well.

Doing the Splits

Trend-spotting with the FSPI: Here's who's running hot and cold this month.

FANTASY FIND:

Tarence Kinsey - PG/SG, MEM

The undrafted rookie from South Carolina is getting a chance to play with Mike Miller sidelined, and he's averaging 18.7 points while shooting better than 50 percent in his last three games. I'd be lying if I said I knew whether Kinsey could keep this up, but it doesn't appear that Miller, who has tendonitis in both knees, will be back any time soon. So Kinsey should keep getting the minutes.

FANTASY FIZZLER:

Darko Milicic - PF/C, ORL

While the Magic try to hold on to eighth place in the Eastern Conference, it appears that Milicic is losing his place in the rotation. The 21-year-old, who lost his starting spot to Tony Battie earlier this month, has averaged just 17 minutes per night during Orlando's last six games. In addition, Milicic played just two minutes in the double-overtime loss to Boston on March 28.

Neil Tardy is a fantasy expert for www.TalentedMrRoto.com, which features free advice, news, stats and analysis for all fantasy sports. It was nominated for four FSTA awards, including best site. Contact him at njt64@TalentedMrRoto.com.

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

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