|
|
| Three of Utah's most promising stars joined forces, all posting double-double efforts, to lift the Utah Jazz over the Seattle SuperSonics, 115-101. Carlos Boozer scored 26 points with 9-of-16 from the field and 13 rebounds. Deron Williams posted 15 points, going just 5-of-11 from the field, with 14 assists. Last but not least, Mehmet Okur scored 24 points, going a surprising 8-of-17 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point land, with 10 rebounds. |
|
|
|
| As has too often been the case, the efforts of LeBron James have gone to waste as the Cavs fall, 98-108, despite his personal gains. LeBron scored 29 points with 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the loss. |
|
|
|
| Returning from games missed due to a thigh ailment, Andrew Bogut made a splash in the Bucks' 108-98 win over Cleveland, scoring 16 points with 15 rebounds and three blocked shots on the evening. Bogut isn't this good too often, but the potential is there to shine in times of need. |
|
|
|
| Mo Williams put the hurt on the Cleveland Cavs this evening, posting 29 points with 13 assists and five rebounds in a 108-98 win. Williams has struggled with abdominal pain in recent weeks but appears to be doing just fine now. |
|
|
|
| With new levels of playing time and a pertinent responsibility presented with each game, Danny Granger is showing why he can be a star for any team in this league. In the 108-101 victory over Chicago, Granger posted 18 points with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. Granger is enjoying a great month and continues to reward fantasy owners with solid all-around numbers. |
|
|
|
| Troy Murphy continues to carry the hot hand for the Pacers, scoring 24 points with eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Murphy is getting his chance to show and prove as others fall to injury or apathy, and he's taking full advantage. |
|
|
|
| Spencer Hawes hit the floor running this evening, and despite a tough 111-117 loss to Memphis, the rookie shined bright, scoring 19 points with 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Hawes still has a ways to go before he’s making this kind of noise daily, but today’s performance is a good sign. |
|
|
|
| The Memphis Tigers got a much-needed morale victory over the Sacramento Kings, 117-111, Saturday night, and of all things unforeseen, it was Darko Milicic who led the way. Milicic posted 19 points and 10 rebounds with three blocked shots, his second double-double in four games. |
|
|
|
| The Hornets pulled a huge win over Boston this evening (113-106) and David West led the way, scoring 37 points with four rebounds. West has been the key for New Orleans since coming back fro injury and continues to work as the primary weapon of choice for Chris Paul and the Hornets as they seek to solidify a high seed in the upcoming playoffs. |
|
|
|
| In a game that might speak volumes about the upcoming NBA playoffs, Paul Pierce tried his best to keep the East in the nation’s good graces, but the Celtics fell short 106-113 to the New Orleans Hornets. Pierce went 9-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, scoring 28 points with six rebounds and two assists. Pierce appears to have continued his role as the primary guy for Boston, even with the addition of Kevin Garnett. Getting past teams like this in the playoffs will be a concern if they can’t all get it right. |
|
|
|
| Nazr Mohammed , averaging 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, posted his 10th double-double of the season, scoring 16 points with 14 rebounds in the Bobcats’ 94-82 win over the Miami Heat. Mohammed has this in him and should do it more often, but at this point your fantasy team is better off elsewhere. |
|
|
|
| Vince Carter put forth another strong personal effort in New Jersey’s 87-91 loss to Philadelphia this evening, posting 27 points with eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Vinsanity could be on the verge of a hot streak with big point totals matched with solid rebounds in each of his last three games. |
|
|
|
| Samuel Dalembert worked both sides of the floor and picked up a double-double to help his Philadelphia 76ers find a win over the New Jersey Nets, 91-87. Dalembert cleaned the boards for 18 total rebounds (nine offensive, nine defensive) with 11 points, five blocked shots, an assist and a steal. |
|
|
|
| In a disappointing effort for the big man, Dwight Howard scored just 11 points in Orlando’s 90-98 loss to Atlanta. Howard swiped 16 rebounds off the glass to ease the pain for some fantasy owners, but the notable lack of scoring in recent weeks is a major concern. Howard has just 27 COMBINED points in his last three games. He consistently grabs double-digit rebounds, but the scoring has got to improve. |
|
|
|
| Joe Johnson was at it again, scoring 34 points with seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals in Atlanta’s 98-90 win over the Orlando Magic. Johnson has been a fantasy mainstay this season, but this is the first time since March 8th that he went over 30 points. |
|
|
|
| Ron Artest will be sitting tonight's game versus Memphis out due to right elbow stiffness, according to the Sacramento Bee. Artest has been playing through the pain but will not be available for fantasy rosters this evening. |
|
|
|
| New reports indicated center Andrew Bynum may in fact return to the floor for the Lakers before the playoffs beging, according to ESPN.com. Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who on Tuesday said Bynum would not be ready to play until the playoffs begin, said Wednesday that the center could return as early as two weeks before the start of the first round. "I threw that out there [Tuesday] to kind of take everything off the table," Jackson said. "We're [now] saying it was three weeks as of [last] Sunday. It would give him a week -- four games, three games." Bynum has been out since January 13th when he dislocated his left kneecap and bruised a bone landing on a teammate's foot while going for a rebound. |
|
|
|
| Ben Wallace has not traveled with the team for tonight's game against Milwaukee and will not be available to play, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Wallace will be examined again tomorrow after suffering back spasms in Friday night's game against the Toronto Raptors. His status will be updated as we learn more. |
|
|
|
| The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Jameer Nelson described his year as his most injury-filled season of his basketball career.
Nelson has missed 10 games with the following: concussion, back strain, strained tendon in his right foot, strained right hamstring, notes the report.
"This is probably the healthiest I've been in a long time," Nelson said before the game. "I had injuries nobody knew about, as far as the media was concerned, and I tried to play through it.
"I never make excuses," he said, "and when I step on the court, I play to the best of my ability."
The Magic guard is averaging 11 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists per game. |
|
|
|
| Andre Miller , who is coming off a miserable performance on Friday night, told the Philadelphia Daily News his back was OK. It was his abdomen that was ailing him now.
The abdominal strain, which the point guard suffered the same day he hurt his back in a March 10 game against Boston, has been slow to heal.
"The back is better, but it's more the abdomen that is aggravating me," Miller said before the Sixers' game at Amway Arena against the Orlando Magic. "It's more sore than the back."
The fantasy relevant guard told the paper he expects the abdominal injury to continue bothering him until the season ends. |
|
|
|
| Brad Miller (right elbow bursitis) said he was a game-time decision to face the Grizzlies on Saturday night, this according to the Sacramento Bee. The Kings are beat up, branded average, and struggling to keep healthy bodies on the floor. The Kings go on the road tonight with limited health and face a beatable Memphis team. Miller is key to their success, however. |
|
|
|
| Kenny Thomas continues to fight the injury bug. He is still not fully recovered from a foot injury that has limited his playing time of late, this according to the Sacramento Bee. The forward didn't travel with the team to Memphis and will be inactive until further notice. |
|
|
|
| Kings head coach Reggie Theus told the Sacramento Bee that following the Kings' Friday loss to San Antonio, he was unsure whether Beno Udrih would be ready to play tonight against Memphis. Udrich has been a solid fantasy option since Mike Bibby was traded to Atlanta. |
|
|
|
| It's possible that rookie standout, Al Thornton , is hitting the proverbial rookie wall. In 40 minutes of action on Friday night against the Trail Blazers, Clippers' rookie forward Al Thornton scored just five points on a horrific 2-of-10 shooting. Thornton hasn't been a full-time starter this year but his 12 points and 4 rebounds per game have garnered the rookie attention in fantasy circles. |
|
|
|
| Frontcourt swingman Josh Powell continued with his solid play on Friday night scoring 21 points, pulling down six boards, and adding two helpers. It was Powell's seventh straight start for the Clips replacing the injured Chris Kaman (sore back). Powell is undersized at the center position, but his athleticism and quickness make up for his lack of size. |
|
|
|
| Ben Wallace was forced to the sidelines in Friday night's game against the Raptors due to back spasms. The former All Star power forward was unable to return. Wallace finished with six rebounds and just one point in the Cavs victory. Wallace's status for Saturday's game in Milwaukee is considered a game time decision. If Wallace is inactive look for Anderson Varejao to get the start. |
|
|
|
| Andrew Bogut (left thigh bruise) is expected to play tonight when the Bucks battle the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Bogut active, it means the fantasy value, and minutes for Dan Gadzuric, will be reduced. Before Bogut suffered the thigh ailment, he was averaging 17 points and 13 boards in the two previous games. |
|
|
|
| Earl Watson doubled his season scoring average on Friday night with 20 points, and he also dished off seven assists in the Sonics loss to the Lakers. Watson has scored at least 10 points with seven or more assists in five of the last seven games for the Sonics who have lost 10-straight games. |
|
|
|
| Lamar Odom was one of eight Lakers in double figures on Friday night as he scored 13 points, had 12 rebounds and dished off four assists in only 29 minutes of action. Odom, who didn't even play in the fourth quarter, took only six shots on the night (making five) in his fifth straight double-double. |
|
|
|
| Luke Walton scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter, long after the Lakers and Sonics game was decided as the team from LA emerged victorious 130-105. Walton hasn't had many big games this year, but tonight he was 8-for-11 from the field and grabbed five boards with four assists in just 23 minutes of action. |
|
|
|
| Tracy McGrady scored a team-high 26 points on 11-for-23 shooting in the Rockets 109-106 victory over the Warriors on Friday. McGrady certainly did it all on this night as he also had eight rebounds and eight assists, though he did turn the ball over five times in the game. |
|
|
|
| Baron Davis scored 27 points, had five rebounds, dished out four assists, made three 3-pointers and turned the ball over five times in a loss to the Rockets on Friday night. The Warriors just didn't have enough on this night though all five of their starters scored at least 15 points. |
|
