ESPN Fantasy Basketball Blog

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, NOV. 19

HIGHLIGHTS

Tim Duncan, Spurs: 21 points (including 7-of-8 from the free throw line), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 1 steal versus the Jazz. Peja Stojakovic, Hornets: 25 points (7-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc) and 13 rebounds against the Suns. Pau Gasol, Lakers: 24 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block versus the Bulls.

LOWLIGHTS

Andrew Bynum, Lakers: 11 points (5-of-12 shooting), 8 rebounds, 1 block and 2 turnovers in 24 minutes versus the Bulls. Luol Deng, Bulls: 6 points (3-of-11 shooting), 6 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 1 steal and zero assists in 36 minutes against the Lakers. David West, Hornets: 6 points (2-of-11 shooting), 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 fouls in 29 minutes versus the Suns.

The only silver lining that Pau Gasol owners could find in his perpetual "day-to-day" injury status was that when he returned, he'd probably be pretty darn healthy. After posting a team-high 24 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and one block in his return, Gasol provided a huge sigh of relief for those who selected him with a late first- or early second-round pick.

Of course, the biggest question was not what Gasol would do once he returned, but rather how the other members of the Los Angeles Lakers' frontcourt would be impacted. To that end, fantasy owners are kicking themselves: Andrew Bynum logged just 24 minutes, scoring 11 points on 12 shots, while Lamar Odom logged less than 26 minutes off the bench. However, things weren't all bad; this was the first game Bynum ran into foul trouble, with four of them in his 24 minutes, which was as much of a reason for his limited minutes as Gasol's return. It's still a positive sign that Bynum was heavily involved in the offense when he was in, with 12 shots. And the nice thing about Gasol is that, even when he's on fire, he doesn't use up many possessions: his 24 points came on 9-of-15 shooting and a 6-of-6 mark from the free throw line.

That said, there still must be some concern for Bynum owners who didn't sell high on him before this game. Bynum is going to have to find another way to get some points, namely the free throw line: Despite averaging 19 points in more than 37 minutes per game this season, he's averaging only 4.8 free throw attempts after going 1-for-2 from the charity stripe Thursday. Considering Bynum's size and talent, that is nearly unacceptable; an extra two points per game from the free throw line would do a lot to ward off any possible lack of touches caused by Gasol's return. Owners of Lamar Odom (11 points in 26 minutes), however, only wish the solution were so simple.

Browsing the Box Scores

• With 15 more rebounds on Thursday, Joakim Noah now has double-digit rebounds in eight consecutive games. He's averaging an obscene 4.6 offensive rebounds per game, looking extremely motivated and active on the court. A much-improved foul rate has allowed him to stay on the court to log 30-plus minutes consistently for the first time in his career. If there was still any doubt, the fact that Noah was able to leave his mark -- he also chipped in four assists, four steals and two blocks -- on the best frontcourt in basketball should confirm that he is the real deal, and an early front-runner for the NBA Most Improved Player Award. Congratulations to Noah, and anyone lucky enough to own him.

• John Salmons shot the ball well (7-for-13 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc) for the second consecutive game, but it's the lack of peripheral stats that makes him overrated in fantasy leagues: He added just three assists, two rebounds and zero steals or blocks in 29 minutes. With the Chicago Bulls' balanced attack on offense, and the unlikelihood of Salmons' repeating last season's sharpshooting, see if you can use Salmons' recent improvement -- or any future big game -- to sell him off to some unsuspecting sucker.

• We may have to add Darren Collison to the list of impact rookie point guards soon, as the diminutive player out of UCLA looks like he could be a decent fill-in for Chris Paul the next couple of weeks. Collison was not shy in his third start, hoisting 15 shots -- some ill-advised -- in 32 minutes Thursday. But on a team that will struggle for an offensive identity without its best player, it's a good sign that Collison is not shy. He's active on the defensive end, too (six steals in his past four games) and managed to get to the line six times versus the Phoenix Suns while chipping in five assists. Deeper leagues should be all over him.

• The monster game by Peja Stojakovic (25 points -- including seven 3-pointers -- on 9-of-19 shooting) deserves a mention, and if you're in need of 3-pointers, he certainly looks like a nice pickup. But keep in mind his chronic back woes likely will make it tough for him to log heavy minutes on a consistent basis. And while his 13 rebounds were a nice surprise, he's usually the definition of a one-trick pony.

Looking Ahead

Although news is that Andrew Bogut will be out for two to four weeks with a leg contusion, don't expect any specific Milwaukee Bucks player to carve fantasy value out of the situation. General manager John Hammond suggested Bogut would be replaced by "committee." Hakim Warrick is probably the best bet to make an impact, but investing in Warrick is often fool's gold. Another side effect of Bogut's injury? Keep an eye on opposing centers versus the Bucks; last season without Bogut, the Bucks were a defensive sieve against centers. … The Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and especially the Golden State Warriors are the five teams allowing opponents to shoot 40 percent or better from beyond the arc. That should be a boon to any 3-point shooters on the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers, each of whom has a matchup with one of the aforementioned teams. Other fantasy-friendly matchups include the Bucks-Grizzlies, Kings-Rockets and Hawks-Hornets (all on Saturday). On the flip side, unfriendly box scores should include contests between the Celtics-Magic, Bobcats-Bucks, Celtics-Knicks (unfriendly for the Knicks, anyway) and Hornets-Heat, which are all contests between teams who don't push the ball much, have elite defenses, or both. … Udonis Haslem (shoulder), Quentin Richardson (back), Mehmet Okur (flu, although probable), Tony Parker (ankle), Manu Ginobili (groin; doubtful), LeBron James (wrist; probable), Troy Murphy (back), Devin Harris (groin; probable), Marcus Camby (back) and Andres Nocioni (hip) are considered day-to-day heading into the weekend.

Posted by Seth Landman

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18

HIGHLIGHTS

Rajon Rondo, Celtics: 18 points (8-12 FG), 12 assists, 7 rebounds against the Warriors. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Nets: 31 points (9-20 FG, 12-14 FT), 10 rebounds, 3 steals against the Bucks. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 41 points (14-29 FG), 12 rebounds against the Spurs.

LOWLIGHTS

Danilo Gallinari, Knicks: 0 points (0-2 FG), 2 rebounds, 0 assists against the Pacers. Jose Calderon, Raptors: 13 points (4-14 FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists against the Jazz. Mo Williams, Cavaliers: 6 points (2-13 FG), 2 rebounds, 6 assists against the Wizards.

With the Atlanta Hawks posting a 10-2 record that tops the entire league and having won six straight, they are definitely looking like they might be more than just a pretty good playoff team. This is not, of course, unrelated to fantasy, where Josh Smith, Joe Johnson and Al Horford are all in the process of submitting career seasons statistically.

The most impressive player, though, given how things looked in Atlanta last season, has to be Josh Smith. A consensus top-20 fantasy player heading into last season, Smith was a huge disappointment, suffering precipitous drops in every single fantasy category besides field goal percentage, despite playing roughly the same amount of minutes per game as the season before.

Not so this time around. Smith has, thankfully, stopped taking 3-pointers. Amazingly, even though he's taking fewer shots per game than he has since 2005-06, he's making more than he ever has, and is sporting a 59 percent mark from the floor. What's more, he's becoming a voracious rebounder. He's averaging 8.9 boards per game on the season, but 13.2 per game over his past five. For good measure, he's blocking 2.6 shots per game and grabbing 1.7 steals, too. He's back to being a great source of assists for a power forward at 3.8. The least impressive thing about his line might actually be the 17.8 points per game he's chipping in. Add it all up, and he's basically dead even with Steve Nash and Carmelo Anthony in terms of per-game fantasy value. Basically, he's the player we thought he would be last year, and there's no reason to think it won't continue.

Looking Back

Speaking of the Hawks, Joe Johnson dropped 30 on the Miami Heat on Wednesday night and is averaging nearly 27 points per game over his past five. As usual, he's playing way too many minutes, so we can probably expect the same sort of midseason shooting swoon we usually get from Johnson sometime in the coming months; for now, there are few better scorers out there. … As for the Heat, despite the loss, it was an encouraging performance from Michael Beasley, who scored 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting after submitting two pretty terrible games in a row against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Jersey Nets. … Dahntay Jones put up some more great numbers for the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks, finishing with 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Sure, it was against the Knicks, but he's been on fire lately. I can't imagine his doing this for a whole season, but this seems like a hot streak worth riding for a while, especially given his contributions on the defensive end. … Though it came in a blowout loss to the Orlando Magic, it's worth noting that Thunder rookie James Harden had the first good statistical performance of his career on Wednesday, putting up 24 points (including 6-for-7 on 3-pointers) in 31 minutes. Unfortunately, many of those minutes came once the game was already in hand, so we shouldn't read too much into it quite yet. … As for the Magic, Rashard Lewis played his second game of the season and seems to have shaken off most of the rust. He nearly posted a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Obviously, he belongs in your lineup every night. … It took 42 minutes of playing time, but Elton Brand had his first double-double of the season for the Philadelphia 76ers in their win over the Charlotte Bobcats, finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and six blocks. This is the sort of night I was expecting when I said I'd draft him over David Lee at the start of the season. Brand's ship hasn't sailed quite yet, and with Marreese Speights out for the foreseeable future, Brand's going to get a ton of minutes for the next couple of months. … Make sure Washington Wizards forward Antawn Jamison is on your active roster going forward, as he had an amazing 31 points and 10 rebounds in their huge win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. … Lost in all the hubbub in Milwaukee regarding Brandon Jennings has been some stellar play out of Andrew Bogut, who is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over his past five games. He seems to have developed some real synergy with Jennings on the pick-and-roll, and should keep benefiting from the rookie's great start. … The New Jersey Nets still can't seem to win a game, but promising swingmen Terrence Williams and Chris Douglas-Roberts both looked great against the Milwaukee Bucks, each putting up a double-double with good assists and steals numbers. Douglas-Roberts has been good (when not suffering from swine flu) all season, but Williams needs games like this to show that he can score with some semblance of efficiency, so this is a great sign. … Let the record show that in the Memphis Grizzlies' win over the Clippers, Marcus Williams got most of the run at point guard over Mike Conley. If that continues, Williams won't be a great fantasy option, but he'll definitely be a good source of assists. … The Utah Jazz seem to have found something good in rookie point guard Eric Maynor. He continued to play well in limited action even with Deron Williams back in the lineup, putting up 15 points, four rebounds and six assists in 23 minutes. He might be worth keeping in deep and keeper leagues.

Looking Ahead

The San Antonio Spurs could be without Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker for Thursday's game against the Jazz. Ginobili strained his groin against the Dallas Mavericks, while Parker was a late scratch for that game but may play this one. However, given the matchup against Deron Williams, it might not be a great night to play him anyway, especially when he's beat up. … Chris Paul routinely torches Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns when they meet, but seeing as how Paul won't be suiting up this time around, if you need some assists, you may want to try picking up Darren Collison. The New Orleans Hornets' rookie point guard had 12 points and six assists in just 23 minutes against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, and might be primed for another big statistical game against a Suns team that tends to see point guards put up big nights. … It appears that Pau Gasol will get his first start of the year against the Chicago Bulls, and I'd have him in my lineup right away; he's one of the game's elite fantasy players.

Posted by Tom Carpenter, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, NOV. 17

HIGHLIGHTS

Nene Hilario, Nuggets: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks versus the Raptors. Brook Lopez, Nets: 26 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks against the Pacers. Will Bynum, Pistons: 24 points (9-12 FG, 6-6 FT) and 6 assists against the Lakers.

LOWLIGHTS

Kirk Hinrich, Bulls: 3 points (1-9 FG), 6 assists against the Kings. Derrick Rose, Bulls: 10 points (2-10 FG), 7 assists versus the Kings. Charlie Villanueva, Pistons: 2 points (1-6 FG) and 4 rebounds against the Lakers.

The Warriors played their first game since shipping Stephen Jackson off to the Charlotte Bobcats Monday. While they did have new pickup Vladimir Radmanovic in the starting lineup, they had only seven players in uniform. Raja Bell, who came over with Radmanovic, is expected to undergo what likely will be season-ending wrist surgery. A free agent at season's end, he likely will never set foot on the hardwood in a Warriors uni. The Warriors also will play the rest of the season without Kelenna Azubuike, who is slated for surgery to repair a torn patella tendon.

The absence of Jackson, Bell and Azubuike has opened up a lot of playing time and touches, so we should all watch the Warriors' box scores closely in the coming weeks. Of course, things may still change dramatically, as Monta Ellis may be the next one out the door, depending how a meeting with Warriors' management goes Thursday. And, of course, there's coach Don Nelson, the kingmaker and heartbreaker of Fantasyland. With Nellie, we'll never know exactly who will be playing how much and when, but we do know that if Nelson likes a player at a given moment, that player will be a fantasy star.

In Tuesday's small sampling, we saw Stephen Curry back in the starting lineup. He played 41 minutes, scored 23 points, dished out seven dimes and dropped two 3s. I really think the rookie is going to become a consistent fantasy option sooner than later, even if Ellis doesn't get traded.

Anthony Randolph came off the pine for 13 points and eight boards in 24 minutes. He continued to produce and make mistakes; that duality is why we fantasy folk love him and why Nellie keeps pulling him off the court.

Corey Maggette churned out 19 points and 11 boards in 32 minutes as a reserve, the fourth straight game with at least 19 for the forward.

Newbie Radmanovic picked up 11 points and a lone 3-pointer, though he attempted six shots from beyond the arc. And Anthony Morrow scored 18 points with four 3s in 35 minutes of work.

I'd hold onto all of these guys in standard-sized leagues just to see how things work out in the next three or four weeks.

Looking Back

• Shaquille O'Neal's shoulder injury kept him out again Tuesday, Anderson Varejao was a late scratch due to a bruised hip and Jamario Moon exited the contest between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in the third quarter after spraining his ankle. Second-year big man J.J. Hickson stepped up, though, with a career-best 21 points and nine rebounds, hitting all nine of his field goal attempts. He seems to have a real chemistry with LeBron James and had scored 38 points in his previous two games, as well. Ride him while the other bigs are out; Shaq and Varejao are unlikely to ball Wednesday.

• Al Thornton has benefited from Eric Gordon's absence. Replacing Gordon in the starting lineup, Thornton scored 15, 12 and 20 points in the three games leading into Tuesday's run with the New Orleans Hornets, whom he promptly busted up for 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting. He really doesn't do anything else in fantasy terms, but if you need points, he can score them in bunches.

• It seems like every week I have to mention Roy Hibbert. It's not my fault the sleeper has come alive since Troy Murphy went down. He picked up his fourth double-double of the season Tuesday, hitting 9 of 11 shots for 19 points, 10 boards and 3 blocks.

• It didn't take J.R. Smith long to find his scoring touch after his seven-game suspension. He scored 18 points last Wednesday, then 20 more points Friday and exploded for 19 on Tuesday -- in the first half! Smith finished the contest with 29 points and five 3s in 25 minutes, but he was outdone by his Denver Nuggets teammate Nene's fantastic all-around game: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 dimes, 4 steals and 4 blocks.

Looking Ahead

• Jameer Nelson is slated to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He's expected to miss four to six weeks of action. Jason Williams could make a little noise as the new starting point guard Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. We should also see Vince Carter handling the ball more often, and that could actually help Rashard Lewis get into rhythm a little quicker after missing the start of the season due to a suspension. It could also help Carter find his own rhythm, since he's been out of sync so far.

• The Washington Wizards expect to get Randy Foye back from his ankle injury and might get Antawn Jamison (questionable) back from his bum shoulder. They'll have a tough return, though, as the Wiz run up against LeBron and the Cavs. If the Wizards finally get their full rotation healthy, we'll need to watch the box scores closely to see exactly how their fantasy values shake out.

• Also note that the Minnesota Timberwolves expect to have Al Jefferson back in the mix after missing two games due to the death of his grandmother. Get him into your lineups and hope he can get his game rolling after a slow start to the season.

Tom Carpenter is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

Stephen Jackson owners, you just might be OK with your guy in Charlotte. Perhaps it's Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw owners who should be concerned.

I know, it's only one game. Still, how does Wallace attempt just five shots in 46 minutes? And even though Diaw was an outstanding 10-of-13 from the field, will the Frenchman's assists decline with the ball in Jackson's hands? Diaw had just a single dime on Monday -- this after averaging 5.0 helpers through his first nine games.

On the bright side, Jackson is undoubtedly happy to be out of Oakland, and with him in the lineup, the previously punchless Bobcats shot a season-best 50.7 percent in their loss in Orlando. Plus, I had to laugh when I saw Larry Brown invoke Allen Iverson's name while explaining why he'll have no problems with Jackson.

MONDAY, NOV. 16

HIGHLIGHTS

Joe Johnson, Hawks: 35 points, 9 assists, three 3-pointers versus the Trail Blazers. Jason Kidd, Mavericks: 9 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists and three 3-pointers against the Bucks. Josh Smith, Hawks: 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks against the Trail Blazers.

LOWLIGHTS

Jamal Crawford, Hawks: 6 points (2-10 FG) against the Trail Blazers. Stephen Jackson, Bobcats: 13 points (4-14 FG, 4-8 FT), 9 rebounds, but 4 turnovers versus the Magic. Rashard Lewis, Magic: 10 points (4-15 FG), 2 rebounds, no 3-pointers against the Bobcats.

Looking back

While the Bobcats-Magic tilt featured Jackson's debut and Rashard Lewis' return, Ronald Murray turned out to be the night's offensive star. The veteran went for 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting in 34 minutes. He'll never be a legitimate fantasy factor, but with Raja Bell out of the picture, Murray is capable of 15 points with a 3-pointer and a steal per night. That's worth something in leagues of 12 or more teams.

As for Lewis, he understandably struggled with his shot after sitting out the season's first 10 games. Be patient this week, as the Magic face the Thunder and Celtics in their next two games. So far at least, the Thunder are actually comparable to the C's from a statistical standpoint. Both teams currently hold opponents to less than 44 percent shooting and around 5.0 3-pointers.

Monday offered a bit of intrigue for deep leaguers. The Blazers' Rudy Fernandez had 19 points, four 3-pointers and four steals against the Atlanta Hawks, marking the third time in four outings that the reserve has reached double figures. More impressively, Fernandez is averaging 1.8 steals and 1.6 3s for the season. Travis Outlaw's injury may be helping him get more time off of the bench, but apparently Fernandez got in late against the Hawks due to a poor stretch of play from Andre Miller. Fernandez, who's available in more than 90 percent of ESPN.com leagues, is worth adding in daily lineup leagues, especially since the Blazers draw the Warriors and Timberwolves in two of their next three games.

Drew Gooden (22 points, 14 boards versus the Bucks) had another big performance filling in for Erick Dampier. However, Dampier, who has an undisclosed illness, has rejoined the team after being released from a Detroit hospital. Damp could return sometime during the Mavericks' upcoming three-game homestand.

The Bucks, meanwhile, may actually offer some fantasy value beyond Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut -- at least if you're in a deep enough league. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Ersan Ilyasova both registered big minutes and solid numbers against the Mavs. Though limited offensively, Mbah a Moute has established himself as a Scott Skiles favorite during his year-plus in Milwaukee. After playing 42 minutes in Monday's overtime affair, the native of Cameroon is averaging 38 minutes in his past three games while producing 10.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in that span. Even compared to Mbah a Moute, the 22-year-old Ilyasova is a speculative pick. Still, Monday's 19 points, 12 rebounds, four triples and two steals are an eye-opener. What is clear is that the Bucks' current starting forwards, Hakim Warrick and Carlos Delfino, aren't giving them anything, so both Mbah a Moute and Ilyasova are at least worth watching.

Neil Tardy is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

In a move that probably won't shock anyone, the Golden State Warriors finally cut the cord and dealt Stephen Jackson to the Charlotte Bobcats. Of course, other players were involved. The Warriors dealt Jackson and third-year point guard Acie Law and received Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic in return.

For the Bobcats, this deal is all about Jackson. The Bobcats desperately need scoring, and Jackson should slide very comfortably into the starting shooting guard role (moving to small forward when Gerald Wallace plays power forward). The important thing to remember, however, is that even though Jackson likely will have a lot of freedom on offense, he's going from the fastest-paced team in the league to the slowest, and that should take a bite out of his numbers.

Rather than expecting the 20 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds Captain Jack put up last season in almost 40 minutes per game, his numbers probably will be closer to the 17 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds he's averaging so far this season. In other words, he's still a very valuable fantasy player, but not quite as valuable as he was last season.

Law could see some minutes at point guard, considering how terrible Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin have been in the early part of the season, but he definitely won't get the minutes he'd need to show up on your fantasy radar.

One player who does benefit for the Cats is Wallace, who no longer has to initiate so much of the offense himself. With Jackson getting him more open looks, Wallace should quickly improve on the woeful 35 percent shooting that has plagued him and his fantasy owners so far this season.

On the Warriors side, John Hollinger points out that Bell's contract will expire after this season. With Golden State having a glut of promising shooting guards (even with Kelenna Azubuike out for a while with a knee injury) and the fact that Bell probably would prefer to ply his trade for a contender, it stands to reason that a buyout is coming sometime soon. If not, Bell probably will be a really good source of 3-pointers when he plays (he was making almost two per game on the slowest-paced team in the league and is going to the fastest) but won't be worth owning for much else.

Radmanovic, on the other hand, has a player option for next season for nearly $7 million dollars that he definitely would be unable to recoup on the free-agent market during the summer, so he'll be in Golden State for at least this season and next unless the Warriors can get someone to bite on his terrible contract.

On a team that plays as fast as the Warriors, adding a 6-foot-10 player who can shoot the lights out is definitely an intriguing proposition. That said, he's not a good player overall, and he plays a lot smaller than his size. With Azubuike out for a couple of months, Radmanovic might see a bump from the 16.6 minutes per game he was playing in Charlotte, but even on an offensive machine like the Warriors, Vlad Rad won't do enough statistically to be worth your time.

As for the remaining Warriors, Jackson's 33.3 minutes per game likely will be distributed among Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow and Anthony Randolph. So far this season, those three have been fringe fantasy players at best, but if they're playing 25 or more minutes per game, they're all worth owning in most leagues. That should be the case now. Morrow especially looks like a good pickup, as he is the rare player who can score and make 3-pointers while actually helping your field goal percentage.

Also look for Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry to add an assist or two to their averages. They are really the only players the Warriors have left who can facilitate offense for their teammates. That was a big part of Jackson's game, and Curry and Ellis will have to do more of that now that he's gone.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, NOV. 13-15

HIGHLIGHTS

Kevin Durant, Thunder: 40 points, eight rebounds, two 3s, one steal, one block on Sunday. Brandon Jennings, Bucks: 55 points, seven 3s, five rebounds, five assists on Saturday. Aaron Brooks, Rockets: 33 points, six rebounds, four assists, five 3s on Sunday.

LOWLIGHTS

Ben Gordon, Pistons: 5 points, 1-for-16 shooting from the floor on Sunday. Tyson Chandler, Bobcats: 4 points, 8 boards in just 25 minutes on Saturday. Richard Jefferson, Spurs: 4 points in 35 minutes of play on Saturday.

A rash of injuries attacked the NBA this weekend, although none more significant than when Chris Paul left Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers with an ankle injury, then left the arena in crutches. Now, the top player in fantasy hoops will miss 1-2 weeks, dealing damage to teams who own him, and opening up opportunity for some intriguing fantasy players.

The New Orleans Hornets' backcourt situation has already been a mess this season, as Bobby Brown, Devin Brown, Morris Peterson and others had been in the running to be Paul's backcourt mate. Darren Collison is the most exciting name amid the other guards, but hasn't had much opportunity yet. Here we go ...

Collison scored 18 points and picked up some slack Friday night. However, based upon his final college season stats (14.4 points, 4.7 assists, 1.6 steals), he looks to be a better player in real life than in fantasy. He'll be serviceable as he gets minutes in Paul's absence, but won't fill up the stat sheet and isn't worth dropping a dependable player simply because he's getting a few weeks of heavy run.

This is not to say that you shouldn't do this in the right circumstance, as I detailed in the most recent Working the Wire, but signs indicate that Collison will be mediocre statistically. He followed up Friday's game with 10 points, four assists and two steals in 26 minutes for his first NBA start, and is primarily an option for Paul owners looking to plug a hole. Bobby Brown had seven assists off the bench, and loves the outside shot (six attempts from 3-point range), indicating he could have more fantasy value since he at least has a specialty.

• Marreese Speights tore his MCL, will miss two months, and has officially broken the hearts of fantasy owners who fell in love with him during this early season. Samuel Dalembert benefits most, and even though he's frustrating, you've gotta upgrade him. Josh Howard is out until December, and this entire season isn't looking good for him. Shawn Marion will continue to get plenty of minutes, and not having Howard around helps him and Drew Gooden establish value.

• Jamaal Tinsley is back after signing with the Memphis Grizzlies, and the fantasy world could feel the ripples soon. It'll take some time for him to crack the lineup and get back into game shape, but Tinsley is an assist demon (seven per game for his career), more capable than Marcus Williams of backing up Mike Conley, and will have relevance this season. He's worth a speculative add if you've got the roster spot in deeper leagues.

Looking back:

• Eric Maynor had a nice game subbing for Deron Williams on Friday (13 points, 11 assists, one steal, one 3), and has played his way into the backup role. Williams is healthy, and Maynor is nowhere near having fantasy value right now, but it hadn't been clear who would benefit if Williams did miss time, and now it looks like it will be Maynor.

• Rafer Alston made me look good for including him as an ideal short-term add by notching a 17/10/10 triple-double Friday. Keep riding him with Devin Harris sidelined, and expect him to still have some value in 3s, steals and assists once Harris returns.

• With all the Toney Douglas-Nate Robinson attention in New York, it's forgotten that Chris Duhon is the starting point guard. Head coach Mike D'Antoni has recently reiterated this, and Duhon is the only one of the three who is a real assist threat. The stats are all that matter in fantasy, and as long as Duhon is starting for the Knicks, he's going to put up better stats than either Robinson or Douglas.

• Danilo Gallinari continues to impress, although my least favorite part about it is that it seems to have cut into the value and potential growth of one of my preseason favorites, Wilson Chandler. Chandler's numbers are down across the board this season, and he posted an unimpressive eight points and two boards Friday, while Gallinari went off for 19 points, 10 rebounds and four 3s.

• Jason Thompson has been an absolute monster over his past five games (20.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, one steal, 1.2 blocks) and Friday was no different, as he went for 27 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks, including a 9-for-10 performance from the stripe. He's inexplicably unowned in a third of ESPN leagues, a number that will quickly dissolve as he's emerging as a nightly fantasy starter.

• Oh yeah, Brandon Jennings dropped 55 Saturday night. He's pretty good, and I'm pretty sure his hair naturally grows in the shape of a Mohawk.

What you might have missed:

• Rodney Stuckey dropped 28 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, and is averaging 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists over his past five games. He's not a pure point guard who'll dominate in the assist category, but Stuckey has taken a step forward this season.

• Kareem Rush came out of nowhere to play 29 minutes off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, and Marco Belinelli also played 29 minutes off the bench for the Toronto Raptors. Both are 3-point threats if getting minutes, so pay mind if you need 3s in deep leagues and have already sifted through the commonly suggested names.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, NOV. 12

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Beasley, Heat: 24 points, 6 rebounds, 2 3-pointers and 2 steals versus the Cavaliers. Andrew Bynum, Lakers: 26 points (13-18 FG), 15 rebounds and 3 blocks against the Suns. Mo Williams, Cavaliers: 25 points (10-15 FG) and 5 3-pointers versus the Heat.

LOWLIGHTS

Leandro Barbosa, Suns: 9 points, an assist and a 3-pointer in 20 minutes against the Lakers. Jason Richardson, Suns: 5 points (2-9 FG, 0-5 3-pt FG), 3 rebounds and no assists versus the Lakers. Amar'e Stoudemire, Suns: 8 points (2-15 FG) and 5 rebounds in 22 minutes against the Lakers.

Sophomore forward Michael Beasley is averaging 13.9 points per game this season, a mark identical to his rookie average, but he showed a glimpse of his immense potential Thursday by posting 24 points on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who finished third in defensive efficiency last season and currently rank fifth. Although he picked up only six rebounds to go along with his scoring outburst, he chipped in two 3-pointers, two steals and a block while going 4-for-4 from the line.

This was the big game Beasley's owners had been waiting for; it was only his second game with more than 15 points scored this season, unacceptable considering he is expected to be the Heat's No. 2 option. Toss in the fact he was just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc entering the game and has only two games all season in which he's pulled down more than six rebounds, and Beasley actually saw his ownership drop 10.7 percent in the past week.

That is why we preach patience in the early part of the season, though, as chances are that Beasley will step it up sooner rather than later. It also makes sense that the Heat would take it slowly with their oft-troubled forward, but Thursday's performance marked both his most minutes in a game and his third consecutive game with at least 30 minutes. He launched 17 shot attempts, just four fewer than Dwyane Wade, who dropped 36 points, and six more attempts than player who had the next most, Jermaine O'Neal with 11. To put it succinctly, shame on you if you were one of those impatient few. Beasley still is likely to deliver on the breakout season many of us, including myself, expect. If so, what qualifies as his best game of this young season might end up a footnote when it's all said and done.

Looking Back

• Surely it couldn't have been much of a surprise to see Andrew Bynum (26 points, 15 rebounds) go off with the likes of the Suns' Channing Frye defending him, but it nonetheless was a pleasant sight to see in his return from an elbow injury. The 39-plus minutes he's averaging are a concern -- that doesn't sound ideal for a player who has missed a combined 79 games in the past two seasons -- but the bright side is that he's able to log that many minutes, as he's currently sporting the best foul rate (2.8 per game) of his career.

• It was an ugly night all around for the Suns, but specifically for Leandro Barbosa. It marked a continuation of his struggles; he finished the night scoring nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. Since combining for 41 points in his first two games, Barbosa has scored just 37 in four games, topping double-digits just once. With almost zero production outside of points and 3-pointers, Barbosa has been a tremendous disappointment for owners expecting a bounce-back season, and since he comes off the bench to begin with, he's not a guy you should display much patience with.

• Don't get too excited about J.J. Hickson's 18 points in 31 minutes. Anderson Varejao picked up four fouls in 14 minutes and Shaquille O'Neal accumulated five in 21 minutes, necessitating such use. That said, both players tend to be foul-prone, so Hickson is worth a look in deeper leagues as long as he's starting. And back-to-back scoreless nights from Quentin Richardson undoubtedly burned many of his new owners; you should know better than to place much faith in him at this stage of his career.

Looking Ahead

Paul Millsap owners should keep a close eye on the Jazz's next two games, against the 76ers on Friday and the Cavaliers on Saturday. Word is that coach Jerry Sloan might look to shake up the starting lineup a bit, although it's unknown precisely what that entails. Considering Andrei Kirilenko's improved shooting (43.8 percent from beyond the arc), the Jazz could go small with Kirilenko at the 4, leaving Carlos Boozer and/or Mehmet Okur coming off the bench, or could replace Boozer with Millsap outright. … Contests between the Warriors-Knicks, Rockets-Kings (Friday), Timberwolves-Grizzlies and Warriors-Bucks (Saturday) should be run-and-gun affairs, as each team ranks in the league's upper echelon in terms of pace. On the flip side, games between the Trail Blazers-Hornets, Nets-Magic (Friday), Bobcats-Trail Blazers and Nets-Heat (Saturday) should all be plodding affairs, with every team involved ranked in the bottom half in possessions per game. Also, make sure to note who the top defenses are -- the Bucks, Celtics, Heat, Thunder, Cavs and Bobcats, in descending order of effectiveness, are the only teams allowing fewer than one point per possession -- so you can set your lineups accordingly. … Chris Douglas-Roberts (swine flu), Ryan Anderson (ankle), Thaddeus Young (shoulder), Russell Westbrook (ankle), Nate Robinson (ankle), Pau Gasol (hamstring), T.J. Ford (back) and Josh Howard (ankle) are all day-to-day entering Friday's contests.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11

HIGHLIGHTS

• Danny Granger, Pacers: 31 points (12-24 FG), 16 rebounds and 2 blocks versus the Warriors. • Luis Scola, Rockets: 22 points (10-15 FG), 15 rebounds and 3 steals against the Grizzlies. • Josh Smith, Hawks: 22 points (10-15 FG), 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals versus the Knicks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Dwight Howard, Magic: 11 points (3-3 FG, 5-12 FT) and 7 rebounds against the Cavaliers. • John Salmons, Bulls: 5 points (1-11 FG), 5 rebounds and 2 assists versus the Raptors. • Peja Stojakovic, Hornets: 0 points (0-8 FG), 2 rebounds and no assists against the Suns.

The New York Knicks might be a dysfunctional mess, but these days, they are a dysfunctional mess with a particular style, and that style is fantasy gold for them and for anyone they face.

Just check out their box scores on a nightly basis. I know Al Horford is a really good player, but you're just not going to see him put up 25 points against most teams. The Hawks' four most important fantasy commodities -- Horford, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson -- all had productive nights against the Knicks on Wednesday, and even the wings off the bench, Maurice Evans and Jamal Crawford, were both in double figures when all was said and done. Basically, on a night-to-night basis, you can pretty much be sure that even your marginal fantasy players will contribute when they face the Knicks.

The most important thing to remember about the Knicks, though, is this: It does not matter whether a player is "good" or not; if you get minutes on the Knicks, you will put up numbers as long as you are not Jared Jeffries. The Knicks currently have seven players you need to know about in just about any fantasy league: David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Chris Duhon, Larry Hughes, Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari and rookie combo guard Toney Douglas. That list doesn't even include Nate Robinson, who is nursing a sprained ankle but is a good fantasy player when healthy. Not a single guy on that list is a guy you would want to build a team around in real life. Actually, not a single one is really even good enough to be a No. 2. And yet, they score a ton of points and can be a scary team to face on nights when they get hot.

For now, my advice is this: Know your Knicks. If you pay attention to the minutes, to who is starting and to who is playing well, you can give your lineup a boost most nights. (Of course, this also means that it's time to start being wary of Larry Hughes again, who came off the bench Wednesday night after starting and playing pretty well this past week.)

Looking Back

Despite the loss for the Warriors, it was an excellent Wednesday night for all of you Anthony Randolph fans out there. He put up his second straight great fantasy night (23 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, three steals) and seems to have carved out enough playing time to start living up to his major promise. … The Warriors lost to the Pacers, who had the misfortune of losing T.J. Ford to back spasms five minutes into the game. When Ford's back is involved, it's important to tread with caution; if he misses significant time, Earl Watson is worth a look if you need the assists. … In case you haven't been paying attention, after his 30 points in 31 minutes against the Bobcats' defense, Charlie Villanueva is averaging 20.4 points per game in just 29 minutes of action in his past five games. He's not doing much else at the moment, but that kind of scoring probably makes him worth keeping in your lineup on a regular basis. … It was another terrible game for Elton Brand and another great game for Marreese Speights (19 points, nine rebounds) in the 76ers' win over the Nets, and one has to wonder, as John Hollinger did on Tuesday, how long it'll be before Speights forces his way into the starting lineup. Either way, Speights should be in your lineup just about every night at the moment. … It was a huge night for Brandon Jennings in the Bucks' nice home win against the Nuggets. The kid put up 32 points, nine assists and four rebounds, and was a clean 11-for-19 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the line. I continue to expect great things all season. … He's still not quite himself (only 1-for-5 on 3s against the Bucks), but J.R. Smith was good enough (18 points in 28 minutes against a good defensive team) to safely stay in your lineup unless something drastic happens. … Richard Jefferson has definitely found his groove in San Antonio, and after throwing up 29 points against the Mavs, he's averaging 21.4 in his past five. His numbers will take a hit when Tony Parker and Tim Duncan return, but he seems to be back to his usual self for the time being. … You can't put up 20 points and 11 rebounds uglier than Chris Kaman did Wednesday night (9-for-26 from the floor, four turnovers), but he's putting up huge numbers on a consistent basis lately, and it should continue as long as he's healthy.

Looking Ahead

Only two games on the docket for Thursday night: the Cavaliers at the Heat and the Suns at the Lakers. … It might be a good night to play Shaquille O'Neal if you have him, as the Heat have been pretty susceptible to centers putting up good numbers, and Shaq played only 20 minutes against the Magic on Wednesday night. … It'll be interesting to see how the matchups play out in the Suns/Lakers game, but if Grant Hill has to spend a lot of time guarding Kobe, Hill is going to have a tough time scoring, and the same goes for Jason Richardson. Still, with all of the Lakers' injuries, both probably belong in your lineup.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Tom Carpenter, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, NOV. 10

HIGHLIGHTS

• Erick Dampier, Mavericks: 14 points (6-6 FG), 20 rebounds and 3 blocks versus the Rockets. • Joakim Noah, Bulls: 12 points, 21 rebounds and two blocks against the Nuggets. • Jason Thompson, Kings: 21 points and 14 rebounds versus the Thunder.

LOWLIGHTS

• Gilbert Arenas, Wizards: 7-for-20 field goals and 12 turnovers against the Heat. • Trevor Ariza, Rockets: 9 points (3-10 FG) in 32 minutes versus the Mavericks. • Mike Conley, Grizzlies: 7 points (3-10 FG), 4 assists in 31 minutes against the Trail Blazers.

The Denver Nuggets have been balling since Oct. 28, but J.R. Smith was suspended the first seven games, so he wasn't slated to make his season debut until Tuesday night on the road versus the Chicago Bulls. As it turns out, though, we may have seen the last of J.R. Smith. Don't worry, this has nothing to do with Smith's semi-permanent room in coach George Karl's doghouse. Smith just announced before the game that he wants to go by his given name, Earl.

Immaturity, on and off the court, has been about the only knock against Smith; his 24-day jail sentence and regular trips to the aforementioned doghouse are examples. Let's hope this name change is representative of a greater change for Smith, and that this is the season where he fully matures as a man and a baller. He certainly showed a lot of growth as a fantasy option last season, when he averaged 17.9 points, 2.9 assists and 2.9 3-pointers, while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 83.2 from the stripe after the All-Star break.

He came off the bench in his debut Tuesday, just like he did for nearly all of last season. Whether he starts or not, and whether you call him J.R. or Earl, Smith will be on the floor late in games, get close to starter's minutes and drain a ton of 3-pointers. Smith was eased into things Tuesday, finishing with just five points on 1-of-9 shooting, five assists and no 3-pointers in 29 minutes of action.

It shouldn't take long for him to get his 3-point game revved up, so you might as well get him into your lineups now.

Looking Back

• Derrick Rose got off to a slow start this season, but he's shown signs of life lately. He dished out 11 assists last Thursday and churned out 22 points and 5 dimes Tuesday against the Nuggets. He also played a season-high 39 minutes and hit 10 of his season-high 17 field goal attempts. An ankle injury disrupted his preseason, but he looked spry Tuesday and it appears that his conditioning is catching up. He's a great buy-low candidate before he gets up to full speed.

• Randy Foye sprained his ankle against the Miami Heat and didn't return. It didn't look good at the time, and considering Foye's lengthy injury history (55 missed games the previous two seasons), we may not see him on the floor for a while. He was getting enough action recently that he looked like a potential source of scoring and 3-pointers. Keep an eye on him when he's back in the mix, especially if Gilbert Arenas goes down.

• Speaking of Agent Zero, neither Arenas (calf) nor Vince Carter (ankle) were expected to play on Tuesday, but they both did. Arenas started and nearly posted a dubious triple-double: 21 points, 8 assists and 12 turnovers. He also shot an atrocious 7-of-20 from the field. Meanwhile, Carter came off the bench but still managed to post 15 points and three 3-pointers in 25 minutes, though he had his own shooting woes, hitting just 5 of 16 shots.

• Erick Dampier may be 34 years old, but the big man can still dominate the boards. He ripped down 20 rebounds and added 14 points and three blocks Tuesday against the Houston Rockets. Ride him while he's hot, because history says it won't last for long.

• Joakim Noah topped Dampier by dominating the Nugs' interior to pull down 21 boards. He's now averaging 13.4 rebounds, 10.8 points and 2.4 blocks this season. With Tyrus Thomas out for at least a month, Noah should remain a fantastic play.

Looking Ahead

• Eric Gordon is expected to miss at least the next 10 days due to a groin injury. The Los Angeles Clippers obviously will take it easy with Gordon, who was off to a hot start (18.9 ppg, 4.0 apg, 1.7 spg, 2.6 3s, 50.6 field goal percentage). Rasual Butler and Al Thornton will benefit the most from Gordon's absence. Butler can be a decent source of 3s, but that's about it. Thornton can score, but doesn't even shoot 3-pointers. In deep leagues, Sebastian Telfair might see enough run now to help you in assists. The Clips play the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday, so there should be plenty of opportunity for Gordon's replacements to produce something.

• Be sure to check out the Indiana Pacers against the Golden State Warriors to see how Roy Hibbert and Anthony Randolph fare. Hibbert's benefiting from the absence of Troy Murphy and Randolph from the absence of Andris Biedrins. Murphy's listed as questionable for Wednesday's game, but Biedrins is out for at least a couple of weeks. Both Hibbert and Randolph carry plenty of fantasy potential, so make sure they aren't on waivers right now.

Tom Carpenter is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

MONDAY, NOV. 9

HIGHLIGHTS

• Manu Ginobili, Spurs: 36 points, 8 assists, 6 3-pointers and 4 blocks versus the Raptors. • Steve Nash, Suns: 21 points, 20 assists (but 7 turnovers) against the 76ers. • Deron Williams, Jazz: 16 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals versus the Knicks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Elton Brand, 76ers: 10 points, two rebounds and a block against the Suns. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 11 points (4-14 FG), two rebounds, a steal and a block versus the Jazz. • Deron Williams, Jazz: 5 points (2-10 FG) and 7 turnovers against the Knicks.

Say this for the Spurs' big three: When one of them goes down, the other two generally step up. And when two of them go down, the third one goes to town.

At least that was the case on Monday. With Tony Parker and Tim Duncan sidelined, Manu Ginobili did it all. Seriously, there wasn't a fantasy category in which he didn't help you. We'll stick with the biggies though: 36 points, 14-of-16 from the line, eight assists, six triples and four blocks. Think about those last three numbers for a moment. Eight assists, six triples and four blocks from the same player in the same game. Is there anyone else you can imagine coming up with a line like that? Maybe LeBron James. Maybe. That's simply an incredible set of stats there. And to think Ginobili was averaging just 13.8 points and shooting 39.2 percent going into Monday.

Ginobili may have done it all, but he didn't do it alone. George Hill produced 22 points and five assists in Parker's absence, while Richard Jefferson -- who's often maligned for his empty stat lines -- came through with 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. If you snared Hill from free agency, congrats on your forethought, but with the Spurs playing just twice over the next eight days, it's hard to say how much more you'll get out of him. Both Parker and Duncan are considered day-to-day with their ankle injuries.

Also out of the lineup on Monday was the Clippers' Eric Gordon. Gordon has a sore left groin, and coach Mike Dunleavy didn't sound confident of a quick return.

"Hopefully, we get him back as soon as possible," Dunleavy told the Los Angeles Times. "Won't put a timetable on it, we just need the kid to get 100 percent. A groin is one of those injuries that can be lingering."

Rasual Butler took Gordon's place in the lineup Monday against the Hornets. Butler hasn't shot well so far, but the Clippers do have an inviting schedule ahead. Their next five games include matchups with the Raptors (Nov. 13), Hornets (Nov. 17) and Grizzlies (Nov. 18), three of the NBA's worst four teams at defending the 3-pointer. So if you're in a deep league and need treys, Butler could work out for you.

Looking Back

While it's worth mentioning the big performances from stars (32-and-10 for Chris Bosh, 23-and-14 for Carlos Boozer and 24-and-10 for Chris Paul), you know it was a strange night in the NBA when the Knicks were part of the lowest-scoring contest. Actually, the night's box scores make me think of a sandbox with little kids: I see some sharing (20 assists for Steve Nash, 16 for Deron Williams and 15 for Stephen Jackson), some takeaways (four steals for Jackson and Larry Hughes) and some monstrous messes (the Timberwolves turned it over 28 times against the Warriors, while the Sixers surrendered 15 3s to the Suns).

But back to that Knicks game. Rookie Toney Douglas had his second straight good showing, as he hit three from downtown en route to 21 points while playing the entire fourth quarter versus the Jazz. Douglas' playing time has climbed for five straight games, while Chris Duhon continues to struggle. Could Douglas be on his way to supplanting the vet? As we've already seen this season, some rookies handle the point guard role better than others, but anyone who's potentially dishing for Mike D'Antoni is worth keeping an eye on. For what it's worth, I just added Douglas in a 16-team league, and I may get him for a 14-team league.

As I spelled out in the current Fantasy Forecaster, don't give up on Anthony Randolph. With Andris Biedrins and Ronny Turiaf both out, Randolph finally got some minutes, and, predictably, he filled it up (23 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks) against the woeful Timberwolves. The Pacers and Knicks are up next for the Warriors.

I leave you with one more name for deep leaguers' watch lists. In his second start of the season, the Hornets' Devin Brown went for 25 points, five 3s and three steals. The 30-year-old probably won't do much else, but if he keeps starting he could be worth up to 1.5 treys a night.

Neil Tardy is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

The Portland Trail Blazers rocked the three-guard set for the second time Sunday with the following odd results:

• Blazers' points: 116
• Fantasy-relevant quote of the night: "Having two point guards on the floor makes it easier when I run the floor. I know one of those two guys is going to see me." -- LaMarcus Aldridge
• Most minutes played by a Blazer: 27 for Steve Blake
• Brandon Roy points: 2 (fewest in more than two years)
• Assists leader: Roy with seven

Upgrade Miller now that he's in the starting lineup, but viewing him as a true fantasy point guard is foolish because he shares the floor with two other players who can bring the ball up and distribute. Roy will be fine, but Blake is also worth downgrading because of the shared duties. Martell Webster is the real loser, as he has been sent to the bench and likely will be only a 3-point specialist.

Looking Back

• Marreese Speights started the second half of Sunday's game with the first unit, and a changing of the guard should be in order sooner than later.

• With Kevin Martin out for a couple of months, Beno Udrih is the hottest unpronounceable name in fantasy hoops. He dropped 20 points with six assists on Sunday, and his 35 minutes were the most of any Kings backcourt player.

• Omri Casspi will also benefit from Martin's absence, and he clearly has won the heart of Kings coach Paul Westphal. Sunday night, he posted a versatile 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 3s and 3 steals. He'll be inconsistent but has already showed that he's going to have an impact in this league.

• Andray Blatche had another stellar game off the bench, scoring 20 points with five rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 33 minutes, more than Brendan Haywood and Fabricio Oberto. But peep this disconcerting quote from Flip Saunders: "He was dead tired. He can't even run up and down the court. He had four straight mental mistakes. Andray can't play the major minutes." Still love the guy, but his coach questioning his ability is a red flag.

• D.J. Mbenga started again for the Lakers in the absence of Andrew Bynum and caught the eye of nightly box score examiners with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks in 30 minutes of play. This is after a 13-rebound, 4-block performance Friday. Bynum missed his second consecutive game with a strained elbow, and Pau Gasol's hammy has kept him out since the preseason, so when both are healthy, Mbenga's value is nonexistent. However, on Sunday he showed that he has the ability to contribute down the road if an opportunity eventually emerges.

What You Might Have Missed

• Josh Howard made his season debut Saturday night, scoring 16 points with three steals in 24 minutes. The uncertainty of his injury left him unowned in 5 percent of leagues, and his presence hurts the value of both Shawn Marion and Jason Terry, who each saw his fewest minutes in any game this season Saturday.

• John Salmons had his first fantastic game of the season Saturday (27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 3s, 1 block). Although his statistical ineptitude has largely been due to poor shooting, his peripheral stats are excellent (2.3 steals, 1.2 3s, 0.7 blocks). If you want a versatile guard, especially in a turnover league, Salmons does a little bit of everything without being inefficient, and now that his shot has awakened, he could be in line for his finest season with Ben Gordon out of Chicago and increasing rapport with Derrick Rose. He's one of my favorites and an ideal buy-low candidate.

• Allen Iverson began his personal leave of absence -- I like to call it his spirit quest -- which is excellent for Mike Conley, who had 16 points and six assists on Saturday and is very quietly averaging six assists, a steal and a 3. Nice buy-low option.

• Josh Smith had 22 points, 6 blocks, 9 rebounds and 7 assists Saturday, the first time in recent memory a player has posted six or better in those four categories (which used to be AK-47's specialty).

• Many dismissed Jamal Crawford when he failed to score 20 points in each of his first three contests, although the sixth-man role is one that takes some getting used to. Now Crawford is in a groove backing up Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson at both guard positions. He's scored 25 or more points in three of his past four games and will be gone in every league soon, so strike if you have the chance.

• J.J. Redick had another three 3s Friday, and even when Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis are healthy and in the Magic's rotation, Redick will continue to see playing time and retain fantasy value even if his minutes dip into the low-20s. He's averaging six attempts from downtown per game so far this season, so I expect he'll still average around two 3s made per game.

• Charlie Bell will see increased minutes with Michael Redd sidelined, and I like him as a short-term 3s and steals option. He has at least one steal or 3-pointer in each of his past five games and will see his opportunities increase with Redd's surgically repaired knee keeping him off the floor.

• Rafer Alston is starting at point guard for the Nets for the next few weeks as Devin Harris rests his injured groin, and he's undoubtedly worth starting in nearly all formats while the primary point guard. He dropped 20 points, 7 assists and 3 3s Saturday night in 44 minutes of play. He'll shoulder the load with Harris gone, and even though he'll likely find himself on the waiver wire once Harris returns, Alston is a fantastic short-term option.

Josh Whitling is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

It's been a while, but Carlos Boozer poured in 27 points on 12-for-20 shooting versus, of all teams, the San Antonio Spurs. The last time Boozer dropped as many as 27 points in a regular-season contest was on March 28, 2008 versus the Los Angeles Clippers, so this was definitely a long time coming. And his primary competition for playing time, Paul Millsap was middling, with nine points, six rebounds and four fouls in 26 minutes.

The big night still puts Boozer at just 15.6 points per game, six-tenths of a point below last season's mark, but the bright side is that he's averaging a full shot attempt more per game, while his assists have also shot up. Meanwhile, Millsap is averaging 24 minutes and 4.4 fouls per game after averaging 3.8 fouls in 30 minutes last season. It seems Millsap will never learn how to stay out of foul trouble, and unless Boozer gets hurt or traded, his fantasy value is quite limited considering he was, on average, the 89th player selected in drafts. If you do own him, you should have expected this; you have to be ready to either be patient or to cut bait now and go fishing on your league's waiver wire. As for Boozer owners, things look back to status quo. He seems well on his way to putting last season's disappointment behind him and proving himself worthy of the third- or fourth-round pick it probably cost to grab him. Now he just has to stay healthy.

THURSDAY, NOV. 5

HIGHLIGHTS

• Carlos Boozer, Jazz: 27 points, (12-for-20 shooting), 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks versus the Spurs • Shaquille O'Neal, Cavs: 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks (zero free throw attempts) in 31 minutes versus the Bulls • Deron Williams, Jazz: 27 points (11-19 from the field), 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block versus the Spurs

LOWLIGHTS

• Manu Ginobili, Spurs: 11 points (3-for-8 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 3-pointer against the Jazz • Mehmet Okur, Jazz: 10 points (4-for-10 from the field), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 fouls in 28 minutes versus the Spurs • Mo Williams, Cavs: 11 points (4-for-13 from the field), 6 assists, 2 rebounds and 1 3-pointer versus the Bulls

Browsing the Box Scores

• Tyrus Thomas came off the bench to log 12 minutes, which has to be considered a good thing given that he was doubtful due to the flu. Taj Gibson started and had a nondescript game in his place -- 11 points on 12 shots and seven rebounds -- and it will be interesting to see if head coach Vinny Del Negro uses this as an opportunity to further limit Thomas' minutes in the future.

• He's owned in just 8.9 percent of leagues, but Anderson Varejao, who posted a double-double for the second consecutive game, deserves a long look. Despite Shaq joining the fray in the Cavaliers' front court, Varejao's defensive quickness is more vital to the Cavs than ever, and this could be the year Varejao finally averages more than 30 minutes per game. He doesn't hurt you anywhere and is great filler when you're in-between quality pickups and you just need a solid and stable player.

Looking Ahead

• Pay close attention to the Kings' games Saturday against the Jazz and Sunday versus the Warriors. Assuming Kevin Martin's broken left wrist keeps him out for about two months, a lot of playing time -- and shot attempts -- should open up for Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih and Omri Casspi. Andres Nocioni also should benefit, as the Kings suddenly need playmakers, and Nocioni has never been shy about chucking up shots.

• Keep in mind that both Andrew Bynum (elbow) and Pau Gasol (hamstring) are expected to miss Friday's contest. Andris Biedrins (back) and Ronny Turiaf (knee) are questionable for the Warriors, and you should also keep an eye on Leandro Barbosa (wrist) and Trevor Ariza (virus), whose statuses are also up in the air. Veterans Tayshaun Prince (back) and Richard Hamilton (ankle) are also expected to be unavailable through the weekend. Bump up your expectations of Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Anthony Randolph (crosses fingers), Shane Battier and Will Bynum.

• Charlie Bell played 34 minutes in a start against the Bulls on Tuesday despite four fouls, and chipped in 11 points, five rebounds and three assists. He's not a bad option when the Bucks face the Wolves on Friday and host the Knicks on Saturday. Rasual Butler also may be an option in deeper leagues against Golden State Friday, as Al Thornton is questionable with the flu.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

Yes, the New Jersey Nets have had their problems in the early going, especially with the injury to their starting point guard and best player, Devin Harris. That said, no one expected much of the Nets this year anyway, and there certainly have been some bright spots on the wing positions. Chris Douglas-Roberts and rookie swingman Terrence Williams both look like keepers, and both also appear to have some fantasy value this season, too.

Douglas-Roberts has had three straight productive games for the Nets and seems to have the starting small-forward spot on lockdown. He's good for points and rebounds, and has been doing his share in steals and blocks of late, too. He's doing a great job of getting to the line and converting free throws, and has a wide enough variety of shots that he should be able to handle it when defenses start adjusting to him. Over his past three games, he's averaging over 21 points and 5 rebounds per game, and those numbers could continue for the next week or so until Devin Harris returns. Even after that, CDR should produce enough to be worth owning. He's only owned in 9 percent of leagues at the moment, but should probably be owned in all of them.

Williams isn't getting the same amount of playing time as Douglas-Roberts, but has been productive nonetheless. Right now he's not quite worth playing, but he's got potential in the defensive categories and as a rebounder from the wing.

The Nets may have gotten blown out at home by the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, but the trend of their young players improving seems to be happily continuing.

Looking Back

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwyane Wade, Heat: 40 points (14-26 FG), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks against the Wizards. • Andrea Bargnani, Raptors: 22 points (8-16 FG), 12 rebounds, 2 blocks against the Pistons. • Chris Paul, Hornets: 39 points (14-23 FG, 8-8 FT), 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals against the Mavericks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Grant Hill, Suns: 0 points (0-5 FG), 3 rebounds against the Magic. • Jose Calderon, Raptors: 9 points (4-11 FG), 2 rebounds, 1 assist against the Pistons. • Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 12 points (4-15 FG), 5 rebounds, 2 assists against the Hornets.

After playing only sparingly the first three games of the season, Quentin Richardson is finally seeing some productive playing time for the Miami Heat of late. In particular, he's averaging 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over his past two games, making nine 3-pointers over that stretch, too. If the Heat are going to play Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley at the big man spots, Richardson's ability to rebound will be key going forward, and he's probably worth owning in most leagues until he gets hurt. … Charlie Villanueva owners can take heart in the fact that he had a pretty good game against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday by racking up 16 points, seven rebounds, a block, a steal and two 3s. He's the best scoring big man the Detroit Pistons have, and once he gets settled, he should start putting up those numbers on a regular basis. … Andrea Bargnani had his first double-digit rebounding game of the season, which is a good sign for those of you looking to get the occasional rebound out of your starting center. … Nuggets rookie Ty Lawson has been a bit up and down, but had a great game in the blowout win over the Nets, finishing with 23 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the floor. Obviously, those are not the sort of numbers you can expect every night, but he should be in your lineup any time the Nuggets face some weak competition. … For those of you who have yet to jump on the Roy Hibbert bandwagon, the Indiana Pacers center has had two straight double-doubles and is averaging 2.3 blocks per game for the season. He should be in your lineup most nights, especially against any team with a sub-par defense. … Minnesota Timberwolves center Oleksiy Pecherov had the best game of his short career against great Boston Celtics frontline, which seems like it should be a good sign for things to come; I wouldn't pick him up quite yet, but if he follows this game up with another good one, he might be worth an add until Kevin Love returns from injury. … The Houston Rockets' Chuck Hayes is not a flashy player, but he's averaging 13 points and 11.5 rebounds over his past two games, while contributing 2.4 steals per game for the season. A lot of nights he won't score much, but at least you know he won't hurt your field goal percentage. If you need steals, he's a great place to turn. … Jamal Crawford is on a major hot streak for the Atlanta Hawks at the moment, and considering how thin their bench is, he may be worth an add if you need scoring and 3s over the next few weeks.

Looking Ahead

Only two games on the docket for Thursday night, so there's not much to look forward to, but it may be a good night to play your marginal San Antonio Spurs players against the Utah Jazz, as the Jazz have been among the worst defensive teams in the league through the first week of the season. In particular, DeJuan Blair and George Hill might be in line for big games. … The Cleveland Cavaliers, on the other hand, are back to playing some pretty stingy defense since their two-game skid to start the season. It could be a long night for the Chicago Bulls' Luol Deng, who will have to deal with LeBron James on defense. Deng is playing well enough that he should be in your lineup anyway, but if you have lots of better options, don't hesitate to use them.

Posted by Tom Carpenter, special to ESPN.com

Pretty much all of the preseason fantasy hype for rookie point guards went to Tyreke Evans and Jonny Flynn, but people seemed to sleep a bit on Brandon Jennings. The thinking was that while Evans had to beat out the likes of Beno Udrih for minutes with the Sacramento Kings, and Flynn had to hold off Ramon Sessions for minutes with the Minnesota Timberwolves, at least they didn't have to battle a rookie-hating coach like Scotty Skiles.

The trouble is that's a bit of an oversimplification of Skiles' thinking. Skiles doesn't hate rookies; he hates players who don't play hard and don't play smart basketball, which typically includes most rookies. Thus far, though, Jennings has proved worthy of Skiles' demanding standards and has been rewarded with minutes and opportunities to succeed in fantasy terms.

After nearly posting a triple-double in his NBA debut and averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.5 3-pointers in his first two contests, Jennings had the chance to prove himself against another young point guard, Derrick Rose, on Tuesday. Rose got the better of Jennings as the Chicago Bulls won by two, but Jennings had another solid game: 25 points, 2 3-pointers, 4 dimes and 2 steals.

If by some miracle, he's still on your waiver wire, don't hesitate to grab him. With Michael Redd out at least the next couple of weeks, Jennings could establish himself as a quality fantasy option for the rest of the season. He took a whopping 23 shots Tuesday and should control the Bucks' offense, so long as he keeps playing hard and smart for his coach.

What went down on Tuesday

TUESDAY, NOV. 3

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs: 40 points (12-for-22 shooting, 15-for-16 free throw shooting), 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks versus the Jazz. • Rasheed Wallace, Celtics: 20 points, 6 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, 1 block versus the 76ers. • Ron Artest, Lakers: 20 points, 6 assists, 5 steals versus the Thunder.

LOWLIGHTS

• Kevin Garnett, Celtics: 3 points (1-for-7 shooting), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 blocks, 0 steals versus 76ers. • John Salmons, Bulls: 7 points (3-for-15 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists versus Bucks. • Elton Brand, 76ers: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 block, 1 steal in 28 minutes versus Celtics.

• Officially, Tyrus Thomas missed Tuesday's game due to the flu. Hopefully it's neither a case of swine flu nor a case of doghouse flu. There are plenty of rumors that Thomas and coach Vinny Del Negro are at odds after the coach sat Thomas for the entire fourth quarter of Sunday's game. Let's hope this is just a little bump in the road, because Thomas can be an absolute fantasy stud when he's focused and on the court. In the meantime, rookie Taj Gibson started and mustered just five points and six boards in 20 minutes, but Luol Deng owned the glass with 20 rebounds to go with 24 points.

• Vince Carter returned to action Tuesday after missing one game with a sprained ankle. Unfortunately, just like in his first two games with the Orlando Magic, he had another two-dimensional statistical performance (15 points, 3 3-pointers). So far, his boards and dimes have been limited, and he has yet to top 16 points in a game. He's bound to boost all of those numbers eventually, but with Rashard Lewis coming back relatively soon, it appears unlikely that we'll see Vinsanity anywhere near his max fantasy value this season.

• Also back in the mix Tuesday evening was Caron Butler. If you took him in your draft, you knew you were playing with fire, so be glad that his bruised left kneecap cost him only one full game. He missed 11 of his 23 shots Tuesday, but he racked up 22 points and 6 boards. It appears safe to keep him in your lineups for now, though the really safe move would be trading him while he's actually healthy and on the court.

What's coming up Wednesday

• Tayshaun Prince had the second-longest active streak in the Association by playing 496 straight games, but he sat out Tuesday and will miss at least another two contests due to a back injury. With Rip Hamilton also in the infirmary again Wednesday, Will Bynum could be a sneaky play against the Toronto Raptors. The speedy and tireless guard had 20 points, 2 assists and 2 steals Tuesday.

• The big matchup Wednesday -- and I mean B-I-G -- is Phoenix Suns big man Amar'e Stoudemire versus Orlando Magic big man Dwight Howard. Superman got in foul trouble Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons and basically didn't post any stats (8 points, 5 boards, 3 blocks) in his 16 minutes of action. However, Howard admitted that he aggravated a shoulder injury originally sustained Sunday, which is something to keep an eye on Wednesday against Amare. STAT has had a pretty quiet start to the season, but I think he will be eyeing his battle with a dinged-up Howard as a chance to bust loose with a big STATistical game.

• A bruised lower back kept Troy Murphy out Tuesday. He has a long history of injuries, so it wouldn't be surprising if he skipped Wednesday's run with the Knicks. If Murphy's out or limited, we could see another solid performance out of Roy Hibbert, who racked up 14 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks in Murphy's absence Tuesday.

• If you look at the Philadelphia 76ers' box score from Tuesday, you'll wonder if the starters all went home at halftime. Essentially that's the case, as they got pounded by the Boston Celtics 105-74. I'd recommend ignoring that Sixers' box score, since it came against the C's. I'd also recommend sitting most of your T-Wolves on Wednesday, so you don't end up having to ignore another box score involving the Celtics.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

When an NBA player buries 18 3-pointers in a three-game span, everyone notices, not just fantasy owners.

Of course Danilo Gallinari couldn't keep up that pace. On Monday against a New Orleans Hornets team that was focused on defending the perimeter, the second-year player from Italy scored just nine points on 2-for-9 shooting.

In the past week, Gallinari's ownership in ESPN.com leagues has skyrocketed from 4 percent to more than 45 percent. And despite his showing versus the Hornets, you'll want to keep that number going up. The 21-year-old has the ability, and Mike D'Antoni and the Knicks will continue to give him opportunities. Even in his quiet 37 minutes Monday, Gallinari gave you five assists, a couple of steals and a block. There seems to be a bit more to his game than just the 3s, and he will have more big nights from downtown, too. Gallinari should be owned in all leagues.

Browsing the box scores

MONDAY, NOV. 2

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kevin Martin, Kings: 48 points (14-for-27 shooting), 7 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals versus the Grizzlies. • Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 24 points, 20 rebounds and 4 steals versus the Nets. • Chris Paul, Hornets: 32 points (12-for-18 shooting), 13 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 3-pointers at New York.

LOWLIGHTS

• Tyreke Evans, Kings: 3 points (0-for-4 shooting), 4 assists and 3 rebounds versus the Grizzlies. • Danilo Gallinari, Knicks: 9 points (2-for-9 shooting), 5 assists and 2 steals versus the Hornets. • Yi Jianlian, Nets: 4 points (1-for-4 shooting), 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers at Charlotte.

• After attempting an incredible 116 treys in their first three games, the Knicks spent a bit more time in the paint Monday. David Lee finished with 28 points (on 13-of-17 shooting), Al Harrington got 24 more points off the bench and Chris Duhon eased his owners' concerns with his best showing of the young season: 18 points, nine assists, two steals and two 3s. Larry Hughes also enjoyed another big night, with 20 points, six boards and a couple of 3s. Not bad for someone who didn't get off the Knicks' bench the first two games. With Nate Robinson sidelined for up to two weeks because of a right ankle sprain, Hughes should play plenty for the time being. While you shouldn't expect Hughes, a 41 percent field goal shooter in his career, to maintain his accuracy, the Knicks do have six games in the next 11 days, a stretch that includes favorable matchups against the Pacers, Bucks and Warriors. Hughes is available in more than 80 percent of leagues. Add him if you have the roster space.

• I would tell you to add Aaron Brooks, but that ship has sailed. The Houston point guard shined again in Salt Lake City, going for 19 points, nine assists and a couple of 3s against the Jazz. His 50 percent shooting through four games comes as a bit of a shock, given that Brooks connected at less than 41 percent after assuming a starting role last season. In retrospect, though, maybe his 45.3 percent shooting in the '09 playoffs was a sign of things to come. I think Brooks is for real. See if you can swing a deal; maybe the Brooks owner in your league thinks he can "sell high" on him.

• The Grizzlies-Kings tilt featured the return of Allen Iverson and a stellar 48-point showing from Kevin Martin, but take note of rookie Omri Casspi, who contributed 15 points, three 3s, two steals and two blocks in 30 minutes off Paul Westphal's bench. The deep-leaguers aren't even on Casspi yet -- he's virtually unowned in ESPN.com leagues -- but you are likely aware that the Kings don't have a lot of talent beyond Martin. Casspi is worth a look in leagues of at least 12 teams.

Looking ahead

Tyreke Evans is battling an ankle sprain and now coming off a three-point night. Jonny Flynn turned it over five times in just 22 minutes against the Clippers and watched Ramon Sessions once again get more minutes. Such is the life of a rookie point guard -- at least, most rookie point guards. On Tuesday, though, we'll get another chance to see what Brandon Jennings (a player I recently addressed in my Week 2 Forecaster) can do, this time against Derrick Rose and the Bulls.

In his first two NBA games, all the 20-year-old has done is register a near triple-double in his debut against the Sixers and spark a comeback victory (with 24 points and three steals) over the Pistons. Not surprisingly, Jennings is currently the third most added player in ESPN leagues (behind Gallinari and Marc Gasol), but he can still be had in more than 35 percent of leagues.

Even more enticing: With Michael Redd now reportedly out for at least two weeks, Jennings might be asked to shoulder even more of the offensive load for the Bucks. While fantasy owners should have known what they were getting with the oft-injured Redd, at least his strained left patella tendon is unrelated to last season's ACL and MCL injuries. Veteran Charlie Bell is expected to fill in for Redd, which is news that obviously won't excite fantasy owners.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

Many players who stunned us with strong starts to the season provided more evidence that they are "for real" over the weekend with further exhibits of statistical prowess. We saw at least one more impressive performance from the following most-added/discussed players:

Marreese Speights, Andray Blatche, Marc Gasol, Danilo Gallinari, Martell Webster, Grant Hill, Marvin Williams, Mike Miller, Anderson Varejao

Keep perusing every box score and err on the side of impulsiveness when deliberating whether or not to add a player you've been watching after he has another good game. With each one, more and more owners add him, and soon the players able to help you through waiver-wire acquisitions will be mostly limited to those who capitalize upon circumstance (injury, trade, coaching change, etc.) and aren't readily available. Since rotations become solidified soon and time distribution becomes consistent, it's vital to grab those who will earn more minutes than expected, monitor every injury and positional battle, and use the first few weeks of the season to get the foundation of your roster in place. The players mentioned above are going to be gone soon, if they aren't already, so don't wait for one more good game before adding one that you like or fits your needs, since it'll likely be too late after one more big night.

Looking back

• Sure, Matt Barnes played 40 minutes (12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals, 2 3-pointers, 2 steals), Ryan Anderson had another five 3-pointers, Dwight Howard went 14-for-16 from the stripe, and Vince Carter and Mickael Pietrus missed time, but J.J. Redick's 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 3s stole the scene for the Magic. He's marginal at best with a healthy Carter, although he proved with this game that he's finally developed some serious fantasy potential.

• Chauncey Billups was underrated in drafts again this year. Not by me, though, after realizing how difficult it is to find a "stud" in the free throw percentage category.

• O.J. Mayo scored 40 points on 17-for-25 shooting, four 3s, five boards and four assists. He was another guy who was underrated in drafts, and unless Allen Iverson averages 35 minutes per game and the entire Grizzlies backcourt stays healthy all season, logic indicates he'll take a step forward in his second season, regardless of his supporting cast. Heck, Zach Randolph notched seven assists on Sunday, so maybe Memphis is where selfish players go to be reborn.

• Jeff Teague is forgotten in a rookie point guard class with Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn and Ty Lawson, but he's a nice little player who has a bright future in the league and a clear line toward being the point guard of the future for the Hawks. He had 12 points, three assists and a 3-pointer in 14 minutes, and has the skill set to provide assists, steals and 3s down the road.

• Al Horford put up a bit of a clunker (six points, nine rebounds, one block), but I'm not worried in the slightest. His 2.7 blocks per game is delightful, and they trended significantly upward from year one to year two (0.9 to 1.4). I'm envisioning a huge season from Horford.

What you might have missed

• Andray Blatche went 15-for-18 for 30 points Saturday night, marking the first time in my memory in which the highlight of his game wasn't his block total. He's becoming more well-rounded, and has a chance to shine with Antawn Jamison sidelined for the next month or so. He's for real, but prepare for some forgettable nights to go along with the spectacular ones.

• Andre Iguodala proved he's going to be an all-around monster this year after two big performances (highlighted by 32 points against the Knicks), and the assists will increase as predicted with Andre Miller gone.

• Chris Kaman (22.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.8 bpg through four games) is reminding us of his insane start a couple years ago, and has everyday start value especially with Blake Griffin out for at least six weeks.

• Terrence Williams is a versatile guard (8.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 1.5 3s his final season at Louisville) who will find his way onto the floor, although it'll take an injury to Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts or Rafer Alston for him to have immediate, consistent value.

• Erick Dampier is the unquestioned starting center for the Mavs, and his 22.9 minutes per game from last season should be closer to 26 minutes per game, and even though the Mavs stocked up their frontcourt in the offseason, Dampier is still the most dominating presence they have in the defensive paint and is their only real option when they want to shift away from an up-tempo style. Depend on 8.5 boards and 1.5 blocks, and he's the type of above-average blocks specialist who does provide in one other category (rebounds), and since he's a vet he's much more stable.

• Delonte West (13 points, one 3-pointer, one steal) and Larry Hughes (18 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, one 3-pointer, one block) crept on the scene a bit late, and posted solid performances in their late debuts. They are strikingly similar fantasy players, volatile and unpredictable, yet strangely productive basically every time they're on the court. Keep a very close eye on both, and if either emerges from their team's glut of guards as one earning big minutes, add them freely. I give West an edge in value in a bubble, but I give the edge to whoever's going to earn more minutes.

Josh Whitling is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

With only two games played last night, both aired nationally, there's not too much to harp about, so let's knock this out in bullet point form.

• Even on a (supposedly) hobbled ankle, Derrick Rose looked great in his 33 minutes, piling up seven assists with only one turnover. He also earned himself five free throws, but converted only three. While he will improve on last season's 3.1 free throw attempts per game -- he could even double them, in fact -- it's not going to do much for his owners if he doesn't convert approximately 80 percent of them. Considering it's his primary area for growth this season, it's something to keep an eye on.

• Outside of Tim Duncan, the Spurs couldn't do much of anything right, but Manu Ginobili's owners found solace even in an off night. Despite going 3-for-11 from the field, Ginobili still chipped in six rebounds, four assists, a 3-pointer and a steal while going 5-for-5 from the line. In his two games, he's averaging six free throw attempts, five and a half 3-point attempts and 11 field goal attempts, so even though he's only shooting 36 percent, his aggressiveness is an indication of his health. And even though the Spurs will undoubtedly rest him at every opportunity, he remains unique in being able to produce like a starter while playing less than 30 minutes a game.

• Luol Deng demonstrated why Reggie Miller labeled him one of the best mid-range shooters in the game, leading the Bulls with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting. Although he's fairly one-dimensional (just two free throw attempts, two assists, one steal and zero blocks or 3-pointers), he looks like he's back, and well-worth that end-of-the-draft gambit you took on him.

• For those of you in deep leagues, note DeJuan Blair's four fouls in 13 minutes. While talented, don't look for a fantasy impact this year, as fouls almost always plague rookie big men. But speaking of fouls, it's nice to see that the Bulls' pair of big men, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah (two each) were able to stay out of foul trouble. With Thomas now in his fourth season and Noah in his third, it will be their foul rate more than anything that decides whether or not they break out.

• So far, the "Andre Miller coming off the bench" experiment has been disastrous, as his 3-for-11 performance Thursday has him shooting 27 percent in his first two games. On the bright side, however, he's still attempted 11 shots per game, and has managed to dish out six assists per game in just 26 minutes, so he's definitely forcing the issue when he's in the game. But with Steve Blake (zero points on 0-for-3 shooting) doing woefully little to justify his starting spot, Miller probably won't be on the bench for long.

• While Greg Oden looks ready to contribute from a performance standpoint (21 rebounds and seven blocks in his first two games), he picked up five fouls for the second straight game. Because blocks are so rare, Oden will have his uses, but if he can't temper the foul problems, he's going to be maddening to own all year long.

Looking ahead

The season gears into overdrive this weekend, with 20 combined games on the slate. Here's a brief overview of what to keep an eye on:

• Matchups between two teams that employ extreme differences in style, like the run-and-gun Sacramento Kings against the half-court execution of the New Orleans Hornets, are always intriguing. Which style will exert its force on the game? Do teams that rarely push the ball in the open court gain a few extra possessions when they face an up-tempo team, or does the latter lose them? Contests between the Knicks-Bobcats and Kings-Hornets will give some insight.

• Keep in mind that neither Pau Gasol nor Allen Iverson, who are both dealing with hamstring injuries, is expected to suit up over the weekend.

• Make sure to start your marginal players when two up-tempo teams meet. This weekend give extra consideration to your Warriors, who face the Suns on Saturday; your Grizzlies and Nuggets, who will also meet; and your Wolves, who will travel to Phoenix to play the Suns on Sunday.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28

HIGHLIGHTS

• Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: 30 points (11-22 FG), 8 rebounds, 5 assists against the Jazz. • Jeff Green, Thunder: 24 points (9-13 FG), 4 3-pointers, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks versus Sacramento. • Al Horford, Hawks: 24 points (11-17 FG), 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks against the Pacers.

LOWLIGHTS

• Tyson Chandler, Bobcats: 0 points (0-5 FG), 6 rebounds, 3 turnovers against the Celtics. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 15 points (5-14 FG), no rebounds, no assists versus Miami. • O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies: 9 points (2-12 FG), 6 rebounds, 2 assists against the Pistons.

For anyone worried that Brook Lopez would wilt under the pressure coming off his stellar rookie season, it appears that your fears can wait another night, but don't get too excited about his 27 points, 15 boards and five blocks against the Timberwolves, either.

Without Kevin Love, the Wolves don't have a lot of size to throw around at the moment, and as good an offensive player as Al Jefferson can be, he's going to get his shot blocked with regularity, too.

Lopez, no doubt, is a fantastic fantasy player, but for the time being, a lot of centers are going to have huge nights against the Timberwolves, the way they do against the Knicks (see Jermaine O'Neal's 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat), the Suns (Chris Kaman's 22 and 9; Marcus Camby's 23 and 11), and the Warriors (Luis Scola's 21 and 11).

Let this all be an example that in fantasy, it matters quite a bit whom you are facing. Let's not start bailing on Tyson Chandler and Boris Diaw because they had a bad game against the Celtics' ridiculous interior defense. Let's not start thinking Jermaine O'Neal is back to being his old 20-and-10 self because he had a good game against David Lee. Fantasy basketball is a game of matchups, and even though we can do a reasonably good job projecting season-long numbers in the aggregate, it's important to remember not to put too much stock in one game, especially this early in the season.

Under the boards

Although, as I said above, Scola's bounce-back night came against the Warriors and might not mean too much, the fact that he played 35 minutes is a great sign after playing just 22 minutes against the Trail Blazers in the first night of the Rockets' back-to-back. Go ahead and rely on him fully going forward. … With J.R. Smith suspended for another six games and the less-than-exciting Anthony Carter starting at the point for the Nuggets, it appears that rookie Ty Lawson is going to get good minutes off the bench in Denver. He won't average the 17 points and six assists he had against the Jazz on Wednesday, but he's worth playing in deep leagues for the next two weeks. … You can play a similar game with the Magic's Ryan Anderson, who will get plenty of run with Rashard Lewis suspended for another nine games. … With regard to Tim Duncan, there's probably not much you can do about the fact that he's going to play only 22 minutes on some nights. That's how it is with the Spurs, and it'll be that way all season. He's always worth starting; in 22 minutes, he's still capable of the near double-double he had against the Hornets. … Rasual Butler (19 points, three 3-pointers against the Suns) is a better player than Al Thornton for the Clippers at this point, and saw more minutes against the Suns. In deep leagues, Butler's definitely worth owning as a 3-point specialist, but at this point, I'd be hard-pressed to say what Thornton gives you from a fantasy perspective. … One would like to see more than five rebounds out of Raptors' center Andrea Bargnani, but the fact that he threw up 28 points in 30 minutes against the Cavaliers is probably a good sign for Bargnani going forward. … Danilo Gallinari played 28 productive minutes off the bench for the Knicks against the Heat, and finished with 22 points and six boards. All seven of his made field goals were 3-pointers, and that fact alone probably makes him worth a prospective add in most leagues.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, OCT. 27

HIGHLIGHTS

• LeBron James, Cavaliers: 38 points, 8 assists, 4 blocks, 4 3-pointers versus Boston. • Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 33 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals against the Clippers. • Lamar Odom, Lakers: 16 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists against the Clippers.

LOWLIGHTS

• Baron Davis, Clippers: 2 points (1-10 FG), 8 assists against the Lakers. • Luis Scola, Rockets 3 points (1-6 FG), 4 rebounds against Portland. • Jason Terry, Mavericks: 12 points (4-15 FG) versus the Wizards.

As the only Washington Wizards fan I know, it hurt me deeply to go through an entire season in 2008-09 without ever finding a single statistical reason to just once use a Wizard as a lead story in a Basketball Blog.

Well, it's a new year, and all it took was the return of the player formerly known as Agent Zero to turn around the trend. Playing on the road, Gilbert Arenas threw himself a coming-out party that turned into a major fantasy event. This wasn't like his previous "comebacks," when one couldn't help but see visions of Penny Hardaway amongst the limping, and the possibility of Arenas' becoming a pass-first point guard.

This was the dominant Arenas of old, to the tune of 29 points and nine assists.

You usually can't take too much from one game, but I offer this as the rare exception. This wasn't about rust or a skill set, this was about his first step.

After a nearly two-year absence -- since he played just 15 games the past two seasons -- and a somewhat enigmatic preseason, owners let Arenas slip to the end of the third round (average draft position of 29). The owners who gambled on Arenas have hoped against hope that Tim Grover could work his rehabilitative magic -- in the same way he had done with Dwyane Wade -- and restore Arenas to his Hibachi-like ways of old.

Last night, it took only about half a quarter to witness that Arenas' explosiveness had indeed returned. He scored in a variety of ways. He scored at will. It was 2006-esque.

Now, the question becomes whether Arenas reverts to his old assist numbers (5.5 per game in his career), or channels his newfound maturity to dial up some additional dimes. He's still threatening to shoot fewer 3-pointers, which his owners will accept as long as the assists go up.

Who knows exactly what the future holds, but if you got Arenas on the cheap in any of your drafts, accept my congratulations. You couldn't have asked for a better start.

Under the boards

If Gilbert Arenas was the top comeback story of the night, Andrew Bynum was comeback 1A, stuffing his stat line (26 points, 13 rebounds) in Pau Gasol's absence. … A lot of owners are going to rue passing on Eric Gordon (21 points, 4 assists, 2 3-pointers, 2 steals) in the fifth round. There wasn't a more underrated shooting guard (ADP of 60) in recent drafts. … The Wizards' depth means it's going to be hard to peg which particular Wizard is going to benefit the most from Antawn Jamison's one-month absence. But the smart money here is on Andray Blatche (20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks). He's been a sexy sleeper since what seems like the mid-1980s, and with the Wizards looking painfully thin at the 4, he should average 30 minutes a night through Thanksgiving. … I know Shawn Marion (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks) isn't what he used to be, but anyone capable of a double-double and multiple steals and blocks was worthy of at least a seventh-round pick. … Jason Kidd had an ugly opening game (4 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists), and though he'll bounce back, I think we'll be seeing this version of Kidd a lot this season. … The Celtics and Cavaliers offered up a cautionary tale for fantasy owners: This is what happens when two deep, defensive-minded contenders play one another. Both teams are in that select group that can put up 95 points while offering an almost totally unproductive box score to fantasy owners (along with the Spurs). Paul Pierce (23 points, 11 rebounds, 2 3-pointers) and Rajon Rondo (8 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) are both top-40 players, but it's hard for me to see Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett putting up big numbers on a night-in, night-out basis. … The first place I look when I scan a Rockets box score? Blocked shots. Will they get even 3 a night this (Yao-less) season? On the positive side, they should generate a lot of steals and 3-pointers this season as necessity will force Rick Adelman to run a more wide-open style. … It took a late preseason injury to land Martell Webster in Portland's starting five, but Webster managed a sneaky-good stat line (14 points, 2 3-pointers, 2 steals and a block) in only 25 minutes of play. He won't score a ton, but should make for a nice bench player in deeper leagues. Greg Oden had a Ben Wallace-type night, swatting five shots and collecting 12 rebounds while attempting only three shots from the floor. … Preseason fears of a developing time-share at point guard in Portland were realized for at least one evening, with Steve Blake and Andre Miller combining for a measly 16 points and 11 assists. At least Miller attempted two 3s, which never, ever, ever happened back in Philadelphia. … Travis Outlaw (23 points, 3 3-pointers) continues to be lethally efficient despite a criminally low allotment of minutes. … Keep an eye on Rasual Butler. If he continues to steal minutes from Al Thornton, he'll make for a nice 3-point specialist in deeper leagues.

John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

HIGHLIGHTS

• Daniel Gibson, Cavaliers: 28 points, 4 3-pointers, 7 assists, 2 steals versus Philadelphia. • Danny Granger, Pacers: 35 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 3-pointers, 3 steals, 3 blocks against Milwaukee. • Shawn Marion, Raptors: 34 points (15-18 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 assists against the Bulls.

LOWLIGHTS

• Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: 12 points (3-18 FG), 6 rebounds, 1 assist against Portland. • Ron Artest, Rockets: 10 points (4-12 FG), 5 rebounds, 5 assists versus Dallas. • Boris Diaw, Bobcats: 7 points (3-8 FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists against the Magic.

In sizing up who played well on the final day of the season, there's a lot of looking to the past. A good game on the last day of the season can feel like a slap in the face to the fantasy owner who waited all year for it, unless that owner was one of the lucky ones who just won his or her league.

It would be foolish, for all of that looking backward, to not try to take some stock of what might happen in 2009-10, of course. Next season looms over our heads so often once our hopes have been dashed and we've realized that any hope we have has to be put off a year if it's going to sustain itself. The truth is, there's no way of knowing. Changes big and small will occur during the playoffs and the offseason, which will color even the most stellar of final-week performances. You have Ramon Sessions putting up double-doubles and looking like an all-around magician to end one season, and languishing on the pine behind Luke Ridnour to start the next one. We are not coaches or decision-makers, we fantasy lot.

And yet, we are. It's time now to start thinking about who our sleepers are, and to scour the rosters of the non-playoff teams we won't see again for some time to find the guys we're likely to reach for in our drafts next season, just to be sure we get them on our side. After all, in some way, they belong to us. We use the word "own" a lot in fantasy, and yes, it's just fantasy, sure, but it's also something we spend quite a bit of our time thinking about. It feels like we just might have something to do with it.

Personally, I'm looking at Brandon Rush, who put up three straight 20-point games to close out the season for the Pacers, and is versatile enough to find minutes in that lineup even if Mike Dunleavy is able to return and be healthy next season.

I like Jason Maxiell, who maintained a PER above the league average this season, despite playing inexplicably fewer minutes than he did last season (he recorded just his second double-double of the season last night against the Heat).

I'm looking at a veteran like Mike Miller, who had been such a good fantasy player in the past, but struggled with injuries all season. Miller averaged 10.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the final five games of the season, but he'll slip in drafts next season because he spent so much of this season banged up and ineffective.

The point is, I'm choosing my guys now. Not because I think it's important strategically, but just because it's fun to think about.

Under the Boards

The Magic flexed their muscles on the final day of the season and showed why they are such a great defense, holding the Bobcats to 73 points. As such, it was a bad night to be playing any of the Bobcats, unless you miraculously knew to start Dontell Jefferson (even he was only impressive when you compare it to the putrid performances of everyone else on the roster). … Rudy Gay had a nice game shooting for the Grizzlies (8-for-13 from the floor, 20 points), but finished with zero rebounds in 38 minutes of action. That, friends, is insane. To say I'm worried about his long-term prospects would be a massive understatement. … Shaun Livingston didn't do anything that special during the final weeks of the season for the Thunder, but for a guy this talented and this perpetually injured, just playing in actual NBA games seems like a major victory. As long as he's around, you have to pay attention to him in fantasy, because there aren't many players who come through the pipe with more potential. … As predicted, there wasn't a whole lot of defense going on between the Warriors and the Suns. The guy who really played big was Anthony Morrow, who finished with 33 points on 13-for-22 shooting from the floor to go along with 12 boards. The guy can play, and the Warriors have an extremely affordable team option on him for next season. Sadly, I don't think this bodes well for him. That team is so guard heavy that it takes injuries to get Morrow as much playing time as he needs. It's a situation that bears watching, though, because the dude is the real deal. … Finally, Caron Butler was heroic for the Wizards in their loss to the Celtics, throwing up 38 points and nearly willing his terrible team to a victory. The Wizards got 67 games (his most in three seasons) of highly effective basketball out of Butler this season and totally wasted it. I'm praying he can stay healthy in '09-10, but the fact that 67 games is a step forward for him is most certainly a bad sign.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

HIGHLIGHTS

• C.J. Watson, Warriors: 38 points (16-16 FT), 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 3-pointers at Utah. • Ben Gordon, Bulls: 39 points (13-25 FG), 7 3-pointers versus the Bobcats. • Richard Jefferson, Bucks: 35 points (13-21 FG), 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals versus the Thunder.

LOWLIGHTS

• Dwight Howard, Magic: 7 points (2-7 FG), 8 rebounds, 4 blocks at New Jersey. • Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 3-pointers at Chicago. • Kevin Love, Timberwolves: 5 points (2-8 FG), 6 rebounds versus the Suns.

I know it's Easter, but my mind has drifted to another holiday. I'm thinking of the scene in "It's a Wonderful Life" when George Bailey and his guardian angel, Clarence, are in the bar, and George is puzzled by Nick the bartender's hostile attitude.

Clarence responds, "You'll see a lot of strange things from now on."

And that's where fantasy hoops owners are in these final days of the NBA regular season. It's like Pottersville, sans the bleakness. We're looking around, and we're not quite sure what we're seeing.

I mean, was that really C.J. Watson, in just his fourth start since December, carving up the Jazz for 38 points Saturday in Salt Lake? Is Sebastian Telfair, the 39-percent career shooter, really connecting at a 55-percent rate in April? Is Will fantasy's best Bynum over the next four days?

If you're still in the running for a fantasy championship, embrace this new, alternate reality. Between now and Wednesday, players like C.J., Bassy and Will Bynum could make a big difference in closely contested leagues.

Under the boards

After struggling with his shot for much of the season, Hedo Turkoglu ran off a nearly nine-game stretch of 49 percent shooting. I say "nearly" because Turkoglu sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter at New Jersey and didn't return. The injury doesn't appear serious, but it's unlikely he'll play Monday at Milwaukee. Owners should probably cut ties with Turkoglu. … Here's my quick list of top free agents for the remainder of the season. And I'm emphasizing the word "free" here: Each of these players is available in more than 90 percent of ESPN.com leagues.

1. C.J. Watson, PG, Warriors -- With Jamal Crawford sidelined by back problems, Watson has started the past two games. Fantasy owners could find him especially helpful in free throw percentage. Watson is a perfect 33-of-33 over his previous five games, including Saturday's robotic 16-of-16 performance. One caveat: Watson's minutes could slip slightly if Marco Belinelli returns for the final game or two.
2. Lou Williams, SG, 76ers -- Williams is averaging 17.2 points and 1.8 steals since Thaddeus Young went down. Get him in your lineup for Tuesday, even if it is against Boston. That Sixers-Celtics game is one of only three on the schedule that night.
3. Keyon Dooling, PG, Nets -- Devin Harris probably won't return this season, so Dooling (12 points and 10 assists Saturday) could get you some good numbers against the Bobcats and Knicks this week.
4. Sebastian Telfair, PG, Timberwolves -- Telfair is indeed on a great run over his past five games: 18.2 points, 4.0 assists, 1.6 3s and 1.2 steals.
5. Will Bynum, SG, Pistons -- Bynum isn't getting a ton of minutes (just 21 in his 16-point, 6-assist showing at Indiana), but his 20-plus attempts per 48 minutes this season shows he's not reluctant to put it up.
6. Brandon Rush, SG/SF, Pacers -- Since returning to the starting lineup, Rush has turned in the occasional big game, like Saturday's 21 points and five triples versus the Pistons.
7. Rodney Carney, SF, Timberwolves -- After missing two games with a hip injury, Carney returned with 17 points and six rebounds against the Suns. If you need 3s, the 25-year-old has shown he can sink them in bunches.
8. Ronald Murray, SG, Hawks -- Tuesday's three-game slate also includes Atlanta hosting the Heat. It's a good time to roll the dice on Flip, since Miami surrenders the fifth-most 3-pointers.
9. Jared Dudley, SF/PF, Suns -- This is a guard-heavy list, but with the Suns resting their regulars now, Dudley could contribute from the forward position. Surprisingly, Dudley is averaging 2.4 3s over his past five.
10. Rob Kurz, SF, Warriors -- Kurz hadn't played much until Saturday, when he logged 38 minutes -- and scored 21 points with four treys -- at Utah. Even if he is one of only seven (maybe eight) healthy Warriors, it's hard to count on him. But if you need 3s, he's a tempting play when Golden State closes out the season at Phoenix on Wednesday.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

Friday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies all but confirmed our worst fears about the Phoenix Suns' fantasy prospects for the final week of the season. With the playoffs now out of reach, it was thought the Suns might rest their starters, and as suspected, not one Phoenix player broke the 30-minute mark against the Grizzlies. Most concerning was the lack of minutes for Steve Nash (19), Shaquille O'Neal (17) and Jason Richardson (25) on the night. The Suns had been a cash cow for fantasy owners during their push for the playoffs, but it looks like head coach Alvin Gentry is going to spread the minutes around equally the rest of the way. Those that were relying on Nash, Shaq and J-Rich may want to think about considering alternative options for Phoenix's final three games of the season.

Under the Boards

FRIDAY, APRIL 10

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chris Paul, Hornets: 42 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and three 3-pointers while shooting 14-for-25 from the floor and 11-for-12 from the line. • Josh Smith, Hawks: 30 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks on 10-for-19 shooting from the floor. • Tony Parker, Spurs: 31 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and a steal on 9-for-15 shooting from the floor.

LOWLIGHTS

• Devin Harris, Nets: 1 point, 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 0-for-5 shooting from the floor before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. • Andray Blatche, Wizards: 5 points, 2 rebounds and a block in just 11 minutes of action. • Andrea Bargnani, Raptors: 9 points, 3 rebounds and a block while shooting just 4-for-16 from the floor and 0-for-4 from the 3-point line.

Devin Harris had a miserable night for the Nets, going 0-for-5 from the floor before leaving the court with a shoulder injury. His status for the remainder of the season is in doubt and owners will have to make a decision if they want to carry him the rest of the way. Chris Douglas-Roberts saw some extra run with Harris down and scored 16 points while adding two blocked shots in 30 minutes. Give CDR a shot if it looks like Harris will be shut down. … Lou Williams scored 17 points while adding a steal in just 23 minutes for the Sixers on Friday. Williams has filled in admirably for the injured Thaddeus Young and is averaging 16.4 points, 1.8 steals and 1.3 3-pointers over his past five games. … Marvin Williams returned to the lineup for the Hawks, but scored just five points in 12 minutes as Mike Woodson is playing it safe to keep Williams healthy for the playoffs. Ronald "Flip" Murray will take a hit in production but still scored 15 points in 33 minutes on the night. … Michael Beasley started in Jamario Moon's absence (groin) and scored 23 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and snagged two steals in 38 minutes. Beasley's rookie season has been a disappointment, but he could pay dividends over the last few games of the season if Moon is forced to miss more time with the injury. … Glen "Big Baby" Davis put up 22 points to go with eight rebounds and two steals in the Celtics' victory over the Heat. He is averaging 14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 0.8 steals over his past five games and is a solid fill-in for the injured Kevin Garnett. … With their loss to the Thunder, the Bobcats are officially out of the playoff race in the East. That means we're likely to see a healthy dose of D.J. Augustin the rest of the way. Augustin scored 20 to go with a steal and three 3-pointers in 35 minutes in the loss and will be a major force for points, steals and 3-pointers for the remainder of the season. … It's nice to see that Caron Butler (21 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) and Antawn Jamison (24 points, 12 rebounds and three 3-pointers) can produce despite the fact the Wizards have nothing left to play for. Their production over the past week has been a pleasant surprise, but even more surprising has been the play of Brendan Haywood. Haywood dropped 15 points and 9 rebounds with 5 blocks on Friday night and is averaging 10.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over his past five games. He makes for a fine addition if you need help on the glass or in the shot-blocking category.

Wilson Chandler continued his hot streak with 22 points and eight rebounds while adding a steal and a 3-pointers in a victory over the Orlando Magic. Chandler is averaging 18.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 3-pointers, 1.2 blocks and a steal over his past five games. … It was nice to see Tim Duncan (14 points, 9 rebounds) on the court for more than 30 minutes Friday, but he is going to be awfully tough to rely on the rest of the way. Seeing just 28.6 minutes per game over his past five, we'll have to lower our expectations for Duncan going forward. … Andrew Bynum scored 13 points and added six rebounds in 30 minutes in his second game back from a knee injury. It looks like Bynum will provide modest stats for fantasy owners down the stretch. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol (12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block) will get a chance to rest a little after playing heavy minutes in Bynum's absence. … Those that thought DeAndre Jordan would be a solid pickup for the last week were severely disappointed to see Marcus Camby (22 minutes, 0 points, 11 rebounds) and Chris Kaman (29 minutes, 14 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks) back on the court Friday night. Surprisingly, despite the return of Camby and Kaman, Brian Skinner managed to put up 21 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in a victory over the Kings. With Camby and Kaman back in action, it will be tough to rely on any one player in the Clippers' frontcourt going forward. … Yao Ming missed Friday's game, which explains the huge nights for Luis Scola (28 points, 9 rebounds) and Dikembe Mutombo (10 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks). Yao's injury is not considered serious, but the Rockets may opt to limit his minutes to keep him fresh for the playoffs. With that said, Scola looks like a fantastic play for the remainder of the season. … The Warriors got Andris Biedrins back Wednesday, but they were still shorthanded Friday with Monta Ellis and Jamal Crawford joining Stephen Jackson, Brandan Wright and Corey Maggette on the shelf. Ellis is thought to be out for the Warriors' final three games and Crawford's status could be in jeopardy as well. … Anthony Randolph (17 points), Kelenna Azubuike (32 points, three 3-pointers) and Anthony Morrow (16 points, 3 steals and two 3-pointers) will be huge the rest of the way as the Warriors pack it in. C.J. Watson (18 points, 9 assists, 3 steals) could also make for a sneaky pickup for the final few games.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

Andrew Bynum, who put up 16 points and seven rebounds in just 21 minutes last night against the Nuggets, is a tremendous talent who is, of course, going to make the Lakers a lot more formidable provided he can stay healthy for the playoffs. That said, I want to use this space to focus on just how good Pau Gasol is. Gasol, in basketball terms, is 14th in the league in player efficiency rating (PER) and ninth in value added (VA). Looking further into the numbers, it's because he's scoring more efficiently than he ever has, and combining that efficiency with terrific rebounding, plenty of assists and nary a turnover. Based on usage, he has had what could be considered more impressive seasons in the past, leading a pretty thin Grizzlies team to multiple playoff berths, but this iteration of Pau Gasol is the ultimate teammate, a perfect complement to Kobe Bryant, and perhaps the most underrated player in the league.

This isn't irrelevant to fantasy, either. He's eighth overall on the Player Rater, and 15th overall if you account for averages. Those who drafted Gasol anywhere near his average draft position of 37 got what is arguably a first-round talent. And in leagues that count turnovers, he's even more valuable; he commits fewer turnovers than anyone ahead of him on the Rater apart from Dirk Nowitzki. All in all, it makes him one of the best big-name values in fantasy this year, though I bet most people who don't own him are aware of that fact.

Next year, people will argue that his numbers will go down because Bynum won't get hurt again, but you should keep last night in mind, when Bynum made his return and Pau still eviscerated the Nuggets to the tune of 27 points, 19 rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes, during which the Lakers scored 15 points more than the Nuggets. Pau's going to give you late-first-round talent again next year, and despite his fantastic play this year, you'll likely still be able to get him a lot later.

Under the boards

THURSDAY, APRIL 9

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ron Artest, Rockets: 26 points (10-for-18 FG), 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 3-pointers at Sacramento. • Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 33 points (11-for-19 FG, 9-for-10 FT) against the Nuggets. • Francisco Garcia, Kings: 17 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 3 3-pointers against the Rockets.

LOWLIGHTS

• Chris Andersen, Nuggets: 1 point, 8 rebounds, 0 blocks against the Lakers. • Trevor Ariza, Lakers: 4 points (1-for-8 FG), 1 rebound, 0 steals against the Nuggets. • Kirk Hinrich, Bulls: 9 points (4-for-9 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists against the 76ers.

Although Tyrus Thomas is scoring more these days -- 16.4 points per game over his past five games -- he's also not rebounding as much anymore (just 4.2 boards per game over that same stretch). Remember, though, that the primary reason to own Thomas is his production in the defensive categories; any points and rebounds he gives you are basically gravy, especially if he's hitting half his shots from the floor. … For all the problems the Sixers are going to have over the next few games with Thaddeus Young out, Andre Miller still looks great. He's averaging 17.8 points, 8.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds over his past five games, and in many ways he has been the best player on the Sixers for much of the season. … If you don't absolutely need Aaron Brooks on nights when he's going to hover right around 10 points and two 3-pointers made, you're better off sitting him right now. The Rockets are solid, but Brooks is doing nothing in the other categories and is missing a lot of shots these days. … Spencer Hawes is going to lay a dud once in a while for the Kings, but his 22-point, 11-rebound performance against the Rockets on Thursday was his third 20-10 game in his past five games. He should probably be in your lineup every night. … The Nuggets have been great of late, but on nights when they lose, you look at the box score and notice that they are starting at least one guy (Dahntay Jones) and sometimes two (Jones and Johan Petro) that coach George Karl doesn't want to play more than 10 minutes or so. Chris Andersen didn't have a good game against the Lakers last night, but given how well he has played most nights, I'd like to see him start, along with J.R. Smith. As of now, I still think both of those guys, Andersen and Smith, are worth having in your lineup, despite the occasional dud.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8

HIGHLIGHTS

• Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: 31 points (8-8 FT), 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks against the Thunder. • Vince Carter, Nets: 33 points (11-18 FG), 5 3-pointers, 12 rebounds, 5 assists versus Boston. • Rajon Rondo, Celtics: 31 points (10-15 FG, 11-13 FT), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals against the Nets.

LOWLIGHTS

• Antawn Jamison, Wizards: 7 points, 6 rebounds against Cleveland. • Rashard Lewis, Magic: 6 points (2-8 FG), 2 rebounds, no assists versus the Grizzlies. • Nate Robinson, Knicks: 4 points (2-13 FG), no 3-pointers against Detroit.

There aren't a ton of players putting up numbers any of us would consider entirely "surprising" at this point of the season, but, as always, there are the players we have been hearing about all along and tend to overlook anyway. Often this happens because of a modest bump in playing time that turns ordinary numbers into numbers that make you say, "Hey, that guy is pretty good!" while pouring over the box scores.

In assessing what happened Wednesday night, two players stand out to me as guys who are available on the waiver wire and should provide you with some top-notch stats in the final days of the 2008-09 NBA season. They are the Nuggets' Chris Andersen and the Timberwolves' Sebastian Telfair.

Supporting Andersen is easy: He's had an extremely positive season in the wake of his troubling multiyear suspension from the league for violating the league's substance abuse policy. We've all been aware of the fact that he's been able to put up remarkably high shot-blocking numbers in extremely limited minutes all season long. Now, though, head coach George Karl seems to be leaning on Andersen more and more.

Sure, his competition has been relatively weak of late, but Andersen just posted seven blocked shots in 28 minutes Wednesday night against the Wolves. More importantly, in terms of his future playing time, Andersen's plus/minus numbers are reflecting that the Nuggets are simply blowing teams away when he's on the floor. He's not going to score points, but he's also not going to miss a lot of shots; and at this point there's a very good chance he could single-handedly go out and win you the blocks category with just one good night if you are in a head-to-head format. He really should be played in all formats right now by anyone who needs a boost in boards and blocks.

Telfair, on the other hand, is a guy whom it's become increasingly difficult to root for over the years. Perhaps this reflects why he's owned in only 2.5 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues at the moment, even though he has posted four extremely productive games in a row. During those four games, Telfair is shooting 53 percent from the floor and has made a total of eight 3-pointers. He's also averaging 17.5 points and 5.0 assists in that stretch while playing an average of 31 minutes per game.

There are some red flags with Telfair: He's still coming off the bench and is a notoriously bad shooter most of the time, but it's not as though we're at the beginning of the season here. We're looking for Telfair to be great for only three more games. Those games are against Phoenix, Dallas and Sacramento. These teams don't exactly feature Gary Payton-in-his-prime at point guard. Win or lose, Telfair can put up numbers against these guys, and at this point, if you need some points and assists, it would be wise to have him do it for your team.

Under the Boards

Shelden Williams continues to put up good rebounding numbers for the Wolves, but Kevin McHale's current rotation is making it hard for anyone to put up eye-popping fantasy numbers. Telfair and Kevin Love are both worth playing, but beyond that, there isn't a sure thing on the roster. … Ignore the terrible shooting night from Anthony Morrow of the Warriors. He's a good shooter, and you shouldn't change your perception of him because of one awful night. Heck, he's been shooting well in an awful situation all season and it shouldn't stop now. … If Jarrett Jack is available in your league, by all means pick him up. He's putting up 17.6 points, 6.2 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his past five games for the Pacers while shooting 55 percent from the floor and 15-for-16 from the line. … Besides the Hawks' top four players -- Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Al Horford and Josh Smith -- you don't have to play anyone else right now. As Wednesday's win against the Bucks showed, the Hawks are a good team, but they are not a deep team, and as such, it would be risky to rely on Ronald Murray or Maurice Evans to put up useful numbers on any sort of consistent basis. … Speaking of good starters, the Pistons looked great last night (albeit against the Knicks), mostly on the strength of great games out of Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton and Antonio McDyess. Those are their three best fantasy options right now, and unless you need scoring, I think you can entirely stop playing Tayshaun Prince. Prince is owned in almost all leagues, but is providing you with nothing besides a little bit of scoring that you could be getting from Sebastian Telfair or Jarrett Jack. It's not like Prince even shoots a good percentage; he's at 41 percent from the floor in the past five games.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

Budding star Thaddeus Young's ankle injury will sideline him for the rest of the season, ending a stretch of what was arguably his finest month as a professional; he had seven straight 20-point games before his injury. But there's a ray of sunshine here. Young's injury has opened the door for 76ers sixth man Lou Williams, who scored 20 points Tuesday for the second time in four games since Young went down and has seen his minutes increase to an average of 29.7 in those games.

It's a convenient occurrence for the Sixers, who are going to need Williams in the playoffs whether Young returns or not. Williams has to be brimming with confidence right now, and without Young around, Andre Miller and Williams have been battling it out behind Andre Iguodala for scoring option No. 2. The Sixers are starting Willie Green, who provides little of anything (what is the team's obsession with this guy anyway?). But with the playoffs on the horizon, down another one of their top scoring options, they have no choice but to play Williams as the production warrants it. Williams gets to the line consistently, averaging 5.2-free throw attempts per game in just 25 minutes per since the All-Star break, and when he's hot, as he is this month (48 percent from the field, including 50 percent from beyond the arc), he's an exciting value pickup in fantasy.

Under the boards

TUESDAY, APRIL 7

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ryan Gomes, Timberwolves: 24 points (11-for-21 FG), 13 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 3-pointers against the Clippers. • Tim Duncan, Spurs: 25 points (11-for-20 FG), 15 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 assist against the Thunder. • John Salmons, Bulls: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 2 3-pointers versus the Knicks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Chris Duhon, Knicks: 2 points (1-for-4 FG), 6 assists, 3 turnovers and 2 steals in 27 minutes against the Bulls. • Baron Davis, Clippers: 12 points (5-for-16 FG), 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals versus the Timberwolves. • Rasual Butler, Hornets: 7 points (3-for-9 FG), 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal against the Heat.

Hakim Warrick's 13-point game Tuesday marked his fourth double-digit outing in his past five games, and the notoriously streaky Warrick seems to be playing pretty well right about now. Don't expect any miracles, but he's getting to the free throw line often (7-for-8 versus the Blazers) and could earn himself more minutes down the stretch. … The Rockets earned a big win over the Magic thanks to Yao Ming (20 points, 16 rebounds) showing up Dwight Howard (13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks). Yao's previously debilitating injuries always seemed fluky and non-predictive, and this season he is on pace for his first full season in three years. With his insane percentages and consistent blocks, he should resume his status as a first-round pick in fantasy leagues next season. … For the eighth consecutive game, only seven rotational players for the Bulls logged 20-plus minutes. Fortunately, Tyrus Thomas was one of them. The inconsistent Thomas has earned a starter's minutes and is rewarding owners with some of his best play of the season (18 points, six rebounds, four blocks, two steals and two assists Tuesday). … Craig Smith returned from a calf injury and had 16 points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench. Before his injury, he had earned starting consideration and was showing the ability to put the ball in the hoop consistently, making him a deep-league special. … You probably forgot all about him, but Peja Stojakovic returned from a back injury and racked up 24 points, including five 3-pointers, against the Heat, adding six rebounds and four steals. Julian Wright's minutes (10 off the bench) and starting job went kaput, and Rasual Butler hasn't exactly been lighting it up either, so the Hornets will count on Stojakovic to provide balance for Chris Paul and David West if they hope to push into the playoffs on a strong note.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 5

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chris Bosh, Raptors: 31 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks against the Knicks. • Will Bynum, Pistons: 32 points (9-15 FG, 14-16 FT), 7 assists versus the Bobcats. • Jason Kidd, Mavericks: 19 points (6-8 FG), 20 assists, 3 3-pointers against Phoenix.

LOWLIGHTS

• Matt Barnes, Suns: 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists at Dallas. • Tim Duncan, Spurs: 6 points (2-7 FG), 7 rebounds against the Cavaliers. • Derek Fisher, Lakers: 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist versus the Clippers.

Will Bynum's 31-point explosion came mostly in the fourth quarter, when he set a franchise record with 26 points. When Allen Iverson returned last week, I was worried it would kill Bynum's value, but now that The Answer is shelved, and Bynum put this performance forward, it's clear the little spark plug will be one of the late-season bloomers we're discussing come draft day next season. He has to battle for minutes with the longer, taller Arron Afflalo, who was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field Sunday, including three 3-pointers. It's a frustrating situation, because both players have played well with increased opportunity, but they also kill each other's value. Even though Bynum is the one who set the record, Afflalo's game is better suited for fantasy, as he actually shoots 3s, and these two will continue to trade off big nights for the Pistons' second unit.

Under the Boards

Shelden Williams scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, this coming off a 12-point effort on Friday. With Kevin Love and Craig Smith sidelined, Williams is a decent short-term option if you're in need of rebounding in deep formats, as Williams is doing everything he can to be more than just the husband of the best player in the WNBA. Love simply missed the game due to the flu, but Smith has missed four games with a bum calf and is questionable for Tuesday's contest, so Williams has a bit more time to shine. … D.J. White made his NBA debut in impressive fashion, scoring 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting in 18 minutes off the bench for the Thunder. Shaun Livingston has scored 10 points in each of his contests as a member of the Thunder, and on Sunday he also had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. The team is clearly thinking about the future, and since both White and Livingston are factors to be evaluated, both should see solid minutes from here on out. … Peja Stojakovic played in his second game since missing 14 contests with a bad back. He's coming off the bench, a role that could suit him well as long as he keeps gunning 3-pointers. He's 4-for-15 from behind the arc in his two games since returning, and even if he sees decreased minutes from this point forward, Peja will always be a healthy source of 3s. … Jamal Crawford was apparently in Nellie's doghouse a few weeks ago, and now he's playing all 48 minutes, scoring 20 points with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 3s. That gives him 59 points and seven 3s in his past two contests, and if you can stomach his shooting percentage, Crawford's suddenly a stud again. … Speaking of studs, Kelenna Azubuike scored 30 points with 15 rebounds and a pair of 3s. He's an absolute must-start in all formats. … Lou Williams was the only Sixer with a decent line, scoring 14 points with 2 3s and 3 steals in 31 minutes off the bench. He's averaging 16.7 points with 1.3 3s and 1.7 steals in three April contests, and is currently playing some of his best ball of the season. … Reggie Evans grabbed 11 boards and started at power forward for the third straight game with Thaddeus Young sidelined with a sprained ankle. Young will probably miss the rest of the season, so pencil Evans in for about nine rebounds per game and nothing else the rest of the way. … Sebastian Telfair scored 18 points with two 3s for the second straight game, and he's surfaced as a solid scoring option as the sixth man for the Wolves. … Rookie Darnell Jackson started for the Cavs in place of Anderson Varejao, who sat with an injured wrist. From a fantasy perspective, Jackson is just a warm body, and even in his senior season at Kansas he failed to boast impressive numbers.

Josh Whitling is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

NBA teams are battling for playoff position, and little is decided. This is good news for fantasy owners.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwight Howard, Magic: 21 points (9-12 FT), 23 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, 3 steals at Atlanta. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 33 points (15-17 FT), 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 3-pointers, 2 steals at Washington. • J.R. Smith, Nuggets: 34 points (12-20 FG), 7 3-pointers, 3 assists, 2 steals versus Clippers.

LOWLIGHTS

• Vince Carter, Nets: 4 points (2-10 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists at Chicago. • Eric Gordon, Clippers: 7 points (1-10 FG), 2 assists at Denver. • Antonio McDyess, Pistons: 4 points (2-9 FG), 5 rebounds, 3 assists at Philadelphia.

As long as NBA teams have something to play for over the final week and a half, your star players will keep playing regular minutes. And sometimes, you might even get a little extra. For instance, in Philadelphia, the 76ers wanted to clinch a playoff spot at home, so coach Tony DiLeo played both Andre Iguodala (31 points, nine rebounds) and Andre Miller (a triple-double) for the entire second half against the Pistons. Although the Sixers got their win over Detroit, expect them to keep pushing for fifth or even fourth place in the East. Atlanta will likely get in the 4-5 playoff matchup, but the East's sixth-place team (probably Miami or Philly) must contend with Orlando or Boston in the first round.

Speaking of the Magic, they seem motivated to get that second spot in the East. Not sure what Dwight Howard owners love more about Saturday's massive line: the double-20s in points and boards, or the fact that he went 9-of-12 from the stripe against the Hawks.

Really, no team's playoff position is completely secure. Even the Cavs and Lakers, who both comfortably lead their conferences, are vying with each other for home court throughout the postseason. I'm sure by the last night or two of the regular season, some big names will get a night off. It happens every year. But for the most part, it looks like you'll be able to count on your key players down the stretch.

Under the boards

Something tells me I'm going to draft J.R. Smith too early this fall. I can't help it. He is just 24, and at his best, he's practically unguardable. Seven more triples against the Clippers, and Smith needed only 26 minutes to do it. Incredibly, he can still be had in more than 40 percent of ESPN.com leagues. The only problem with adding Smith and teammate Chris Andersen is that the Nuggets play just four more games. But it's not a deal-breaker. If you need 3s, you have to get J.R. if he's there. And if you need blocks, Andersen, at 87 percent available, is probably your best option. … As I note in the current Fantasy Forecaster, the schedule is unkind to other top free agents as well. For instance, Ramon Sessions is putting up crazy numbers (16 points and 11 dimes Saturday) for the second straight April. But the Bucks, like Denver, have only four games left. Again, though, if you need assists, it's hard to pass on Sessions, who's available in 38 percent of leagues. … That's now two starts and two double-doubles for Brendan Haywood, but the Wizards are another team that's down to four games. If you need a center, take Haywood (98 percent available), but if you're looking for boards in general, first try Anthony Randolph (91 percent available). … Vince Carter tweaked his left Achilles tendon in practice Friday, and it showed against the Bulls. But despite managing just four points in 28 minutes, V.C. will apparently go against the Sixers today. … Here's a name for you deep-leaguers: Ryan Anderson. In his best showing since joining the Nets' starting lineup four games ago, the rookie went for 17 points, 10 boards, two steals and a 3-pointer against Chicago. Anderson is virtually unowned in ESPN.com leagues. … While the Grizzlies are headed for the NBA lottery, Mike Conley could provide some serious help to a fantasy team making a championship run. The Memphis point guard had another terrific night Saturday, with 17 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four 3s against Milwaukee. Despite being one of the most popular adds on ESPN.com, Conley remains available in 70 percent of leagues.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

To call the Golden State Warriors shorthanded Friday night would be the understatement of the year. Don Nelson's club was without Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Brandan Wright. In fact, with so many injuries, the Warriors had to have Marco Belinelli (ankle), despite the fact that he had no chance of playing, just so that they would have the minimum eight players active.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chris Paul, Hornets: 43 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals and four 3-pointers on 16-for-28 shooting from the floor and 7-for-8 shooting from the line. • LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers: 35 points and 18 rebounds with a steal and a block while shooting 14-for-24 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the line. • Francisco Garcia, Kings: 29 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and four 3-pointers in a loss to the Suns.

LOWLIGHTS

• Carlos Boozer, Jazz: 6 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals on just 1-for-9 shooting from the floor. • Kevin Love, Timberwolves: 2 points and 6 rebounds on 1-for-3 shooting from the floor in 26 minutes. • Kevin Durant, Thunder: 13 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists with no steals, blocks or 3-pointers in a loss to the Blazers.

We've all had a fun time trying to figure out Nellie's ever-changing rotations this season, but not even he could mess this one up. And, for the first time this season, we actually have a clear picture of what to expect in Golden State going forward. With so many injuries, Nelson has no choice but to give Jamal Crawford (39 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 3-pointers), Anthony Morrow (24 points, 5 3-pointers) and Anthony Randolph (20 points, 15 rebounds and a block) plenty of run going forward. Ellis is not expected to miss too much time, but Jackson is done for the year, and Maggette may soon follow suit. With that said, we can feel confident that Morrow and Randolph will be productive fantasy players the rest of the way.

Under the boards

I'll admit that I was wrong about Manu Ginobili's playing time upon his return from an ankle injury. Ginobili saw 36 minutes and put up 16 points with seven rebounds, seven assists and three 3-pointers in a 126-121 victory over the Pacers and looks fine to finish the season for fantasy teams. … It would have been nice to see Brandon Rush get after it a little more on the defensive end, but he continued to play well, with 14 points, four rebounds and two 3-pointers on 6-for-10 shooting from the floor. With Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels out of action, Rush is looking like a great pickup with 18.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 3-pointers over his past five games. … Raja Bell left Friday's contest with a calf injury and could be done for the season. D.J. Augustin (9 points with a steal and a 3-pointer) will start in his absence. Augustin has been highly productive as a starter this season with 20.1 points, 6.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.1 3-pointers in nine starts. He won't be that productive the rest of the way, but still makes for a great late-season addition. … Glen "Big Baby" Davis scored 19 points and added a steal and a block while shooting 7-for-10 from the floor in a victory over the Hawks on Friday. Davis has averaged 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and a steal over his past five games and should continue to log heavy minutes while Kevin Garnett sits with a knee injury. … The Blazers completely overwhelmed Oklahoma City from the start Friday en route to a 107-72 victory. LaMarcus Aldridge (35 points and 18 rebounds with a steal and a block) has a career night for the Blazers while dominating Nenad Krstic and Nick Collison in the paint.

Talk about making a statement. The Orlando Magic made quick work of the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 116-87 victory Friday night. The game was never really in reach for the Cavs, and both teams decided to rest their starters in the fourth quarter. With that said, don't get too concerned with the lack of minutes for Dwight Howard (27) or LeBron James (32). … Kyle Korver was already looking like a fine pickup, but he should see even more playing time with C.J. Miles expected to miss a week with a dislocated finger. Korver saw 32 minutes Friday and finished with 19 points and two 3-pointers. … With Randy Foye out of action, Ryan Gomes (25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 3-pointers), Mike Miller (14 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) and Rodney Carney (25 points, 5 3-pointers) have stepped up their games for the Timberwolves. If Foye continues to miss time, Carney and Gomes will log heavy minutes for Kevin McHale in Minnesota. … Kevin Martin rested his sore ankle Friday night, which was a surprise considering that he dropped 50 on the Warriors in his last game. With Martin out, Francisco Garcia got loose for 29 points, four rebounds, five assists, four 3-pointers and a steal. Garcia should already be owned in your league, but his value gets a big boost if Martin has to miss any more time. … Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson continued to put up numbers for Sacramento, as Hawes finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and two steals, while Thompson scored a career-high 23 points and added 6 rebounds and a steal. Hawes and Thompson are receiving a ton of minutes down the stretch as the Kings look forward to next season, and both should be owned in all fantasy leagues at this point. … Leandro Barbosa, who had missed the past seven games with a groin injury, returned to the court Friday to score 15 points with a steal and a 3-pointer in just 14 minutes of action. Barbosa had been playing very well before the injury, and he should be picked up for the team's final six games.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 2

HIGHLIGHTS

• Caron Butler, Wizards: 25 points (11-11 FT), 4 assists versus Cleveland. • LeBron James, Cavaliers: 31 points (11-18 FG), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 3-pointers at Washington. • J.R. Smith, Nuggets: 28 points (8-13 3-pointers), 7 assists, 1 turnover against the Jazz.

LOWLIGHTS

• Carlos Boozer, Jazz: 15 points (7-23 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 turnovers at Denver. • Samuel Dalembert, 76ers: 4 points (1-6 FG), 10 rebounds against the Bucks. • Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz: 6 points (1-10 FG), 4 rebounds, 1 assist versus the Nuggets.

If you had told me Chris "Birdman" Andersen would post a player efficiency rating of 18.72 -- in the top 50 overall and virtually tied with guys like Rajon Rondo, David West and Caron Butler -- in his first season back from his drug suspension, I would have politely told you that you were quite mistaken.

Well, you would have been correct. And to this point in the season, Andersen is ranked 100th overall on ESPN.com's Player Rater -- despite playing just 20 minutes per game. That means if you had picked him up at the start of the season, it probably would have been a good idea to just play him all along, even though it seemed he wasn't getting enough minutes to be a factor.

We talk a lot about guys who specialize in one category. Andersen would be a charter member of that club if it weren't for the fact that in addition to being an absurdly good shot-blocker -- forget the fact that he's leading the league in blocks per minute by a sizable margin; he's second in the league behind Dwight Howard in blocks per game -- he also is a reasonably productive offensive player who gives you a bump in field goal percentage and is a tremendous rebounder.

And practically nobody owns him. The guy is available in 90 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues right now, even though he's coming off a game against the Jazz in which he blocked eight shots. Let's be clear about this: I don't care who you are, not just anybody can go out and block eight shots in 30 minutes of playing time. Birdman needs to be owned in your fantasy league, and if nobody else is going to do it, you probably should. For the fantasy playoffs, it's quite possible that he could win you the blocks category almost by himself.

Under the Boards

Other weirdness in Denver: Chauncey Billups scored 17 points Thursday, only four of which came from made field goals. He was 13-for-14 from the stripe. J.R. Smith was 8-for-13 from behind the 3-point line and 0-for-1 from inside the arc. It's like everyone on the Nuggets, Birdman included, just decided to turn themselves into exaggerations of themselves for one night, and it worked. … I'd keep playing Paul Millsap down the stretch. I know he's given you some off nights of late and his minutes have been down, but his recent averages are still better than what's on the waiver wire, and he's always a threat to post a double-double, even in limited action. … If you're not playing Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood, you should be. I wouldn't start them over any sure things, because they still are apt to miss a game here and there, but Arenas has been effective thus far, and Haywood is a good bet to give you a double-double when he's out there. Just make sure you check out their situations and make sure they're scheduled to play. … Ramon Sessions followed up his triple-double Wednesday with a double-double Thursday, 18 points and 10 dimes, and even threw in five rebounds and four steals. He is absolutely worthy of starting every night right now.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1

HIGHLIGHTS

• Monta Ellis, Warriors: 42 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals against Sacramento. • Kevin Martin, Kings: 50 points (23-26 FT), 5 3s against the Warriors. • Paul Pierce, Celtics: 32 points (11-12 FT), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks versus Charlotte.

LOWLIGHTS

• Courtney Lee, Magic: 6 points (1-4 FG), 1 assist against the Raptors. • O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies: 18 points (7-20 FG), 1 rebound, 7 assists against Washington. • Charlie Villanueva, Bucks: 13 points (6-20 FG), 7 rebounds versus the Lakers.

One of the more remarkable stat lines I've seen all season belongs to Anthony Randolph, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday night against the Kings. Randolph was 7-for-9 shooting from the floor and 3-for-3 from the line. Those numbers are pretty good for a rookie, right? Well, get this: He played only 19 minutes.

In fact, Randolph is averaging a double-double in his past five games while seeing just 28.6 minutes per game. Of course, the way Don Nelson yanks around Randolph's minutes has become a hot topic (just check out Bill Simmons' recent mailbag for more on this front), and rightly so. Randolph's player efficiency rating (PER) is currently 16.90, which ranks third on the team behind Andris Biedrins (hurt) and Brandan Wright (also getting his minutes yanked around, also hurt).

Sadly, the reason Randolph played only 19 minutes in an overtime game against the Kings is simple: fouls. He picked up five of them. You can't stay on the floor when you're picking up fouls at a rate like that. He's averaging 6.25 fouls per 48 minutes on the season. There's nobody fouling that much who's playing more than 25 minutes per game on average, so you certainly can't complain about the 28.6 minutes per game Randolph is averaging of late.

Or can you? Based on efficiency, Randolph, again, is currently the third-best player on the team, and the guys who are better are hurt and play pretty much the same position as he does. It would seem to me that the best way to teach a guy not to foul would be to allow him to play through his mistakes and foul out once in a while. For all his trouble fouling, Randolph has been tossed for it only once all season, and that was in a victory against the Mavericks.

The bottom line is, Randolph can play, and with averages of 11.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.2 steals in his past five games, he's certainly worth playing in most fantasy leagues. It seems as though Nellie is actually trying to give him some minutes, and if Randolph can figure out this fouling issue, he might just help you win your league in the next couple of weeks.

Under the Boards

The Kings-Warriors contest in Oakland was, of course, a shootout. I'll let you look over at the sidebar to see the main culprits, but Francisco Garcia's line of 22 points (three 3-pointers), four rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks is exactly the kind of well-rounded production that makes him such a special fantasy player right now. … Julian Wright saw some big minutes (35, to be exact) for the Hornets against the Clippers and had 18 points (8-for-13 from the floor), nine rebounds, three assists and two steals to show for it. Not bad for a guy owned in less than one percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues. … Ray Allen salvaged a terrible game in regulation, knocked down a bunch of 3s in two overtimes, and came out with an OK-looking fantasy line in a win. He's really been shockingly great all season in terms of fantasy, which is not what most of us thought would happen. … Ramon Sessions had a triple-double last night for the Bucks in their loss to the Lakers. We might be about to see another tantalizing late-season run from Sessions, who has been playing pretty well of late. He should at least be a good source of points and assists (and rebounds from the point guard spot) the rest of the way. … You can probably just shut down Allen Iverson in fantasy the rest of the way. His four points on 1-for-8 shooting from the floor against the Nets, coupled with his comments about not being 100 percent right now and wanting to retire if he can't get a starting role next season leave me feeling that his relevance for fantasy owners this season is probably over. I hope this isn't the end of the line for A.I. He doesn't deserve to go out this way.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 31

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kevin Love, Timberwolves: 23 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals against Dallas. • Derrick Rose, Bulls: 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists against the Pacers. • David West, Hornets: 40 points (15-25 FG, 10-10 FT), 9 rebounds, 6 assists versus Sacramento.

LOWLIGHTS

• Mike Bibby, Hawks: 7 points (2-9 FG), 1 rebound in 31 minutes against Philadelphia. • Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cavaliers: 4 points (2-11 FG), 6 rebounds versus the Pistons. • Mehmet Okur, Jazz: 6 points (1-7 FG), 3 rebounds, 5 fouls against the Trail Blazers.

David West had a near-perfect all-around fantasy performance on Tuesday, as he tied a season and career high with 40 points, adding nine rebounds and six assists, against the Kings. He not only shot 60 percent from the field but also was perfect from the free-throw line for the fourth consecutive game, and he's now 34-for-34 in those games. He's averaging a season-high 21.7 points and 9.9 rebounds in March, and chipped in a block and steal, too, as he continues to -- along with Chris Paul (15 points, 15 assists, one turnover) -- carry the Hornets en route to the playoffs.

The underlying lesson in this performance is that it was against the Kings, a team that simply doesn't play defense. They have been battling the Wizards all season for last in defensive efficiency, and the Hornets scored 111 points on just 91 possessions, shooting better than 53 percent as a team, even though Paul was just 5-for-15 from the field. Rasual Butler shot his way out of a slump, with 18 points and four 3-pointers, ending a seven-game stretch in which his highest scoring output was 14 points. Even Julian Wright got in on the action, converting seven of his eight shot attempts and posting a solid all-around line of 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block in 31 minutes. It was Wright's third consecutive start at center, and with Tyson Chandler expected to remain out for a week or two more, Wright is turning himself into a value pickup.

The Kings' best defensive player, Francisco Garcia, has again been pushed to the bench thanks to the return of Andres Nocioni (23 points), leaving a starting lineup with offensive potential but little defensive intensity to speak of. The team long ago seemed to mail it in, with just seven wins in the past three months, so fantasy stars and yeomen alike will continue to post monstrous lines against the team.

Under the Boards

Tuesday was the second Bulls game in a row Brad Miller (37 minutes) received more minutes than Joakim Noah, and his phenomenal all-around play -- he had 14 points, eight assists and five rebounds against the Pacers -- is starting to deserve notice. Noah's starting job could be at risk soon. … Jarrett Jack is off and running as the Pacers' starting point guard, now averaging a whopping 40 minutes per game in his past four contests. The strange thing is, the man he replaced, T.J. Ford, is also flourishing in his bench role; the difference is that Ford, who's shooting 60 percent in five games off the bench, can't continue his hot shooting forever, while Jack has averaged 18.0 points and 1.5 steals per game since the All-Star break. … Pacers forward Troy Murphy returned from his knee injury and posted a double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds) in 37 minutes, while his short-term replacement, Jeff Foster, had a DNP-CD just a couple of days after consecutive 16- and 18-rebound performances. It's safe to get Murphy back in your lineup. … Manu Ginobili made just his fifth start of the season -- and first since Dec. 9 -- and, with 17 points and three assists in 29 minutes, seems close to returning to his normal level of production. That's just in time for the Spurs, who, after losing by one point to the lowly Thunder at home, are just 5-6 in their past 11 games. … With 11 assists against the Nuggets, Chris Duhon had just his second double-digit assist performance this month, but both have occurred in the past five games and he's back to averaging 8.6 assists per game in that span. The peripheral stats could use some work, but it looks like, after a significant bump in the road, Duhon's value is on the way to recovery.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

MONDAY, MARCH 30

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwight Howard, Magic: 22 points, 18 rebounds at Miami. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 42 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals versus the Magic. • Deron Williams, Jazz: 24 points, 13 assists against the Knicks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Charlie Bell, Bucks: 5 points (2-9 FG) at New Jersey. • Vince Carter, Nets: 9 points (3-11 FG), 3 rebounds, 1 assist against the Bucks. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 24 points, but 8 turnovers and just 3 rebounds versus the Jazz.

For a comparatively slow night late in the NBA schedule, Monday's slate still managed to feature several top-shelf performances from some of fantasy's best guards. Dwyane Wade, Deron Williams, Monta Ellis, Jamal Crawford and O.J. Mayo all turned in solid-to-stellar games, highlighted by Wade's 42-point performance against the Magic.

But beyond that, there was also a nice showing from some less-heralded backcourt players who could be steals in your next draft.

Going into this season, the top 150 revealed a few big names, then an encouraging amount of depth in the fifth-to-ninth-round range (I know I snagged Mike Bibby and Jameer Nelson in Rounds 8 and 9.) Beyond the draft, there were plenty of contributors to be found on the waiver wire: Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, to name a couple.

I don't see the dynamic changing much going into next season, where you'll find a surprising amount of production after the marquee names are gone from the board. Take a look at some of the lesser names from Monday's games that could be in for solid 2010s: Mike Conley, Mario Chalmers and Ramon Sessions. The three are a statistically diverse group of players with different types of box scores.

The two keys to Conley's development this season were the Kyle Lowry trade and the hiring of Lionel Hollins. Barring a Ricky Rubio-style windfall in the draft, Conley should enter next season entrenched as the starter on a team with two rapidly maturing NBA scorers (Rudy Gay and Mayo) and a legitimate center (Marc Gasol). He rebounds unexpectedly well for a point guard and is hitting his 3-pointers with more consistency.

It took a couple of injuries for Sessions to boost his minutes to the level he was accustomed to late last season. However, once Sessions became the lead player in the Bucks' backcourt (and Milwaukee's last point guard standing), he quickly became a top-15 player at his position. He also rebounds well, and scraped a triple-double on several occasions.

Forget the fact that Chalmers fell into the NBA draft's second round: he came out of the box already producing at an elite level in steals. Last night, he purloined five, raising his average to 2.0 per game on the season, good for fourth-best in the NBA. Like Conley, Chalmers' 3-point shot has come on as the season has progressed. It's the key to his offensive game, as he gets plenty of opportunities at open looks courtesy of the attention affixed to Dwyane Wade.

What all of this means is that, come Halloween, you should think twice before reaching on an aging star such as Steve Nash or Jason Kidd. There's going to be plenty of quality guard play to be had in the middle-to-late rounds once again.

Under the Boards

If Richard Jefferson had shot like last night (8-of-12) during the past month, the Bucks and his fantasy owners would probably still be in playoff contention. He's had one of the more atrocious stretches in recent memory from the field (54-of-144 since March 10), especially for a player once associated with solid percentages. … Aside from Brook Lopez' double-double, the only Net to post fantasy-worthy numbers was Chris Douglas-Roberts (14 points, 4 assists). Definitely a one-game aberration. … If you're wondering why Larry Hughes played only 16 minutes, he rolled his ankle. Consider him day-to-day. … Other than that, the wide-open Knicks-Jazz matchup offered several good-to-great contributions to fantasy squads, as the Knicks rallied from a big deficit and made things interesting down the stretch. Best of all was the fact that both teams combined for 25 steals (and, unfortunately for some owners, 37 turnovers). … Kyle Korver continued his on-off pattern, hitting a 3-pointer on his way to 16 points. … Carlos Boozer had a monster night (21 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals), while Paul Millsap still got 32 minutes and was serviceable (12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals). … Al Harrington had a nice game in some respects (24 points, 3 steals, 8-of-8 free throws), but also missed eight 3-pointers and committed eight turnovers. … I mentioned in the Daily Notes that I had a funny feeling Joe Alexander could have some late-blooming value. For one game, at least, he pushed himself onto the fantasy radar with 16 points, two 3-pointers and four assists. You have to take the numbers with a large grain of salt, as Alexander logged heavy minutes in a mind-numbingly depressing blowout of the Nets. But with Milwaukee fading from playoff contention, Alexander is probably in line for at least 20 minutes a night from here on out. That's probably good enough to make him a one-game pickup for people looking for 3s, with some upside in other categories.

John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 29

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chris Bosh, Raptors: 31 points (11-11 FT), 15 rebounds against the Bulls. • Caron Butler, Wizards: 31 points (13-15 FT), 13 rebounds, 2 3s, 2 steals versus Indiana. • Jose Calderon, Raptors: 22 points (8-11 FG), 19 assists, 2 steals, 3 3s against Chicago.

LOWLIGHTS

• Matt Barnes, Suns: 4 points (1-6 FG), 4 rebounds versus Sacramento. • Al Horford, Hawks: 4 points (1-6 FG), 5 rebounds in 33 minutes against the Lakers. • Roger Mason, Spurs: 0 points (0-4 FG), 4 rebounds, 1 assist at New Orleans.

Two big stories came out of the Pacers-Wizards contest (that sentence isn't written very often), as Caron Butler produced his first big game since March 11, scoring 31 points with 13 rebounds, two 3s and two steals while going 13-for-15 from the free throw line. Butler has been frustrating at times this season, with a dip in steals and field goal percentage and a significant jump in turnovers (up to 3.2 per game, sixth-most in the league). He doesn't have much help on the Wizards, so it's not completely his fault, but his skill set translates to the fantasy game beautifully, and I'm not concerned about his long-term progression. He has been nearly forgotten after sitting much of March with an injury, but he's primed to give teams a late-season push and should have no problem being a top-50 player from here on out.

The other big story: Mr. Brandon Rush, who went off for 29 points and 10 boards, giving him 58 points in his past two contests and five straight in double digits. Is this for real? His athleticism, length and shooting touch are undoubtedly legit, and there's a reason the Pacers made the draft-day move to acquire Rush. I'd look for about 15-17 points per game with 1.5 3s and decent peripherals from Rush from this point forward, and this late-season surge will make him a popular sleeper candidate come draft day next season. Remember, he is a rookie, so some clunkers will be strewn amid his good days, but the long-term prospects are looking very nice for the rookie out of Kansas.

Under the Boards

Allen Iverson returned for the Pistons and played 21 minutes off the bench, scoring eight points. He'll be eased back into a more significant role, regardless of whether it's off the bench or in the starting lineup. And as nicely as both Arron Afflalo and Will Bynum played during stints of his absence, there won't be enough minutes for either of them to be especially effective once AI is up and running with Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton. … Ryan Hollins snared 12 rebounds and blocked two shots in 25 minutes of play off the Mavericks' bench. That's 20 rebounds and six blocks in the past two games for Hollins, who has been the primary big man off the Mavericks' bench instead of the disappointing Brandon Bass. He's worth a look in deep formats if you need boards and blocks, just don't expect him to average 10 and three the rest of the way. … Gilbert Arenas didn't play for the Wizards following his season debut Saturday (15 points, 10 assists, two 3s), but Javaris Crittenton did, and scored 19 points in 43 minutes as the Wizards' starting point guard. In his past four contests, Crittenton has started two of them and is averaging 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 0.8 steals. His length should translate into nice defensive stats if he ever gets consistent minutes, which will be completely based upon Arenas' availability this season. Upgrade Crittenton, but temper your expectations knowing his minutes will be inconsistent. … Brad Miller is proving he still has value coming off the Bulls' bench: He had 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a block in the overtime loss to the Raptors. Miller's March stats are his best of any month; he's averaging 13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 50.8 percent on field goals, 80.7 percent on free throws, 0.6 steals, 0.6 blocks in 29 minutes per game. His move to the Bulls was ideal for fantasy owners, as Miller's stats have increased and Spencer Hawes has begun to flourish in Sacramento. … Hawes matched his career high with 20 points, to go with 10 rebounds, a steal and two blocks against the Suns on Sunday, and he's a valid option in every league. … Vince Carter's March rampage continued, as he dropped 36 points and eight rebounds. He is averaging 24.8 points, 2.7 3s, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks this month. He's ranked ninth on the Player Rater for the past 30 days, and VC's play is harkening us back to the early 2000s, when life was easier and he was winning dunk contests. … Mo Williams had 22 points, five assists, two 3s and two steals, but left late in Sunday's game after injuring his finger. X-rays were negative, so I wouldn't be worried too much, although his shooting touch could be hampered in the near future until he adjusts and/or heals.

Josh Whitling is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

Gilbert Arenas made his season debut Saturday and surprised everyone by playing 29 minutes and posting a double-double (15 points, 10 assists) in his return from a knee injury. He was a little rusty, as he shot just 3-for-12 from the floor, but he looked quick and did not appear to be limited by his injured knee. All in all, it was a fantastic performance for a guy who hadn't played all season, and he proved why he is one of the league's best point guards when healthy. Now, before we get too excited here, realize that Arenas has already self-imposed a rule that he will not play in back-to-back games for the Wizards. He also almost didn't suit up Saturday when he felt some discomfort in his surgically repaired knee during pregame warm-ups. Needless to say, he is a risky investment at best, so tread carefully if you are thinking about picking him up for the stretch run.

With Agent Zero back, Caron Butler's return from a seven-game absence (groin) flew under the radar. Butler managed 11 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals in 35 minutes and it was nice to see that he was healthy enough to stay on the court for that long. Like Arenas, I'm taking a cautious approach to Butler's return. While it looks like the Wizards want to see what their starting lineup will look like next year, there's still little to gain from running them both out on the court if they are hurting. And with that said, any tweaks or pain for either player will likely send them right back to the bench.

If Butler and Arenas can somehow stay on the court, their presence would hurt popular fantasy pickups Nick Young (13 points in 24 minutes) and Andray Blatche (15 points and a block). Blatche appears to be the safer investment of the two as it was nice to see that he still managed to receive 34 minutes on Saturday night. Continue to run Blatche out there, but Young owners may want to think about going in a different direction.

Under the boards

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 23 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and a 3-pointer while shooting 7-for-12 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the line. • Mehmet Okur, Jazz: 26 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 3-pointers and a steal in a 104-99 victory over the Suns. • Wilson Chandler, Knicks: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks and 2 3-pointers in a loss to the Bobcats.

LOWLIGHTS

• Jason Richardson, Suns: 4 points and 2 steals on just 2-for-11 shooting from the floor in a loss to the Jazz. • Mike Conley, Grizzlies: 2 points and 3 assists with no steals or 3-pointers on 0-for-8 shooting from the floor in a loss to the Blazers. • Charlie Villanueva, Bucks: 9 points and 7 rebounds with no steals, blocks or 3-pointers on just 4-for-15 shooting from the floor in a loss to the Heat.

Brandon Rush got his third straight start in Indiana and responded with 29 points while adding a steal, a block and two 3-pointers. Rush is now averaging a versatile 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.8 3-pointers in 10 starts this season. Fantasy owners should certainly considering adding Rush as there are few options available that possess as much upside as this kid. … It's unfortunate that the Bulls have only two games in the upcoming week because they've been quite fantasy-friendly during their playoff surge over the past few weeks. Led by John Salmons (22 points, four 3-pointers), Ben Gordon (25 points, three steals) and Tyrus Thomas (18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 blocks), the Bulls will continue to go hard as they look to wrap up a playoff spot in the East. … Gerald Wallace torched the Knicks (what else is new) to the tune of 23 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and a 3-pointer while shooting 7-for-12 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free throw line. That's an impressive performance, even if it was expected that he'd light it up against the Knicks. … Gilbert Arenas wasn't the only one that was impressive in his return to the court; Richard Hamilton scored 31 points with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 3-pointers in 38 minutes on Saturday after missing six games with a groin injury. It looks safe to get him back in your lineups. … Charlie Villanueva's recent struggles continued as he saw just 23 minutes and finished with nine points and seven rebounds on just 4-for-15 shooting from the floor. This was the third game in a row in which Charlie V was limited to less than 30 minutes and his owners have to be slightly concerned about his prospects going forward if his minutes don't pick up soon.

Both Baron Davis (stomach) and Marcus Camby (ankle) sat out for the Clippers on Saturday. In their absence, Mike Taylor (11 points, six assists and a steal) and Chris Kaman (16 points, five rebounds and a block) picked up the slack. Unfortunately, Taylor also suffered a knee injury during the contest and his status for their next game is now in jeopardy. Look for Kaman and DeAndre Jordan to continue to fill in for Camby, while Fred Jones and Eric Gordon will pick up the slack if Davis and Taylor can't go. … Grant Hill and Matt Barnes continue to prove that they are reliable options with Leandro Barbosa on the shelf, as Hill scored 19 points with 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and a block and Barnes scored 14 points with 10 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 3-pointers. Keep them in your lineup at least until Barbosa returns. … After six straight DNP-coach's decisions, Jamal Crawford returned to the lineup to score 30 points on five 3-pointers in a game high 42 minutes of action. It makes absolutely no sense that Don Nelson would give Crawford that much run after benching him, but most owners know that it's impossible to predict what Nellie will do next. Needless to say, Crawford is a high-risk/high-reward option the rest of the way. … With Stephen Jackson out for the season, Kelenna Azubuike (21 points, 9 rebounds, three 3-pointers), Anthony Morrow (18 points, four 3-pointers) and Anthony Randolph (10 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 blocks) helped to pick up the slack Saturday night. Azubuike is the safest investment of the bunch, but Morrow and Randolph are fantastic high-upside gambles at this point in the season.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

HIGHLIGHTS

• Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: 43 points, 11 rebounds, two 3-pointers and a steal on 18-for-29 shooting from the floor and 5-for-6 shooting from the line. • Pau Gasol, Lakers: 36 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks while shooting 14-for-19 from the floor and 8-for-10 from the line. • Josh Smith, Hawks: 22 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks in a loss to the Celtics.

LOWLIGHTS

• Rasual Butler, Hornets: 5 points, 4 rebounds and a 3-pointer on just 2-for-11 shooting from the floor in 40 minutes of action. • Mike Miller, Timberwolves: 2 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists while taking just two shots in 26 minutes in a loss to the Cavs. • O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies: 6 points and 4 assists with no steals or 3-pointers on just 2-for-6 shooting from the floor.

It was a good news/bad news kind of night in the NBA as fantasy owners received good news when Devin Harris (shoulder) returned to the court, but bad news on Stephen Jackson, Marcus Camby, Baron Davis and Kevin Garnett.

Harris looked a little rusty going just 4-for-13 from the floor, but was able to play 37 minutes and finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds 14 assists, one 3-pointer and a steal in a loss to the Cavaliers. The run for Keyon Dooling (20 minutes) and Chris Douglas-Roberts (4 minutes) appears to be over and Harris' owners have to feel like they've dodged a bullet on this one as it looks like he'll be just fine going forward.

Now for the bad news. Stephen Jackson confirmed on Friday that his season is officially over as he will undergo surgery on his toe. With the injury, owners should rush to the waiver wire ASAP to see if Kelenna Azubuike or Anthony Morrow (in that order) are available. Both 'Buike and Morrow figure to log heavy minutes with Jackson out.

Marcus Camby left Friday's contest after just three minutes with a sprained ankle and initial reports suggest that he'll be out for 1-2 weeks. Given how late we are in the season, Camby could easily be shut down for the year with the injury. Teammate Baron Davis missed Friday's game with a stomach ulcer and although we don't know how long he'll be out, we can't rule out the possibility that he'll shut it down for the year given his history in bad situations such as these. Look for Mike Taylor (23 points, 2 3-pointers) to step it up in Davis' absence while Chris Kaman and DeAndre Jordan should see more minutes with Camby down.

Kevin Garnett missed Friday's game against the Hawks with a sore left knee, and news has surfaced that he may be forced to miss a few more contests to get healthy for the playoff run. As I mentioned in yesterday's Working the Wire column, owners really need to consider dropping KG for an option with better prospects. Even if KG doesn't need to miss any more games, his minutes will be seriously limited the rest of the way.

Under the Boards

Kobe Bryant briefly left Friday's game with an ankle injury, but was able to return in the second half and log 41 minutes in the Lakers 103-95 victory over the Nets. Kobe scored 14 points while adding nine assists, four steals and three 3-pointers in the win, but his owners need to be concerned that his minutes will be cut slightly in order to keep him healthy for the playoffs. The Lakers have already wrapped up home court advantage and Phil Jackson does not need to be running Kobe out on the court for 37-40 minutes a night, especially if this ankle injury flares up. … Marc Gasol (27 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals) was able to get going with Spencer Hawes getting into early foul trouble. Gasol had been struggling as of late, so don't get too excited about his performance against a dismal defensive team in Sacramento. … O.J. Mayo finished Friday's game with just six points on 2-of-6 shooting from the floor in 24 minutes and it appears as though he has hit the proverbial rookie wall. With just 12.2 points per game over his past five, Mayo has been particularly frustrating to own as of late. … Thaddeus Young scored 21 points and added seven rebounds, two steals and a 3-pointer in a loss to the Bobcats on Friday night. Young has caught fire in recent action and is averaging 24.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals over his past five games. … With Nate Robinson apparently in the doghouse, Chris Duhon (15 points, 7 assists, 1 steal and 4 3-pointers) appears to be back on track for the Knicks. Duhon had been struggling in recent action so be sure to check your waiver wire if an owner in your league decided to dump him. … Julian Wright started at center for the Hornets and made the most of the opportunity with 11 points and 14 rebounds while adding a steal and a block. Of course, Wright is not a center and he was able to operate more freely against the defensively challenged Knicks, but he also has a ton of upside as well and should get more opportunities with Peja Stojakovic (back) and Tyson Chandler (ankle) sidelined. … Despite coming off the bench, Randy Foye managed to score 18 points and drill six 3-pointers in 30 minutes on Friday night. It's unfortunate, but with Kevin McHale shuffling his lineups, Foye and Kevin Love (18 points, 6 rebounds and a block) are the only two players in Minnesota that you can trust at this point in the season. … As Gregg Popovich looks to get his team healthy and ready for the playoffs, he was able to rest Tony Parker (27 minutes), Tim Duncan (13 minutes) and Manu Ginobili (17 minutes) in the Spurs 111-98 victory over the Clippers. The game got out of hand fairly quickly, so we shouldn't expect their minutes to be cut like this every night, but owners should still prepare for the possibility that Pops will limit his stars down the stretch. If that is the case, give Drew Gooden (14 points, 5 rebounds), Matt Bonner (10 points, two 3-pointers) and Michael Finley (11 points, three 3-pointers) a look in San Antonio. … Jason Kidd missed his first game of the season on Friday with a sore lower back. In his absence, Jose Juan Barea had 22 points, 4 assists and 2 steals. Kidd's injury is not considered serious, so JJ's performance could be short-lived.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 30 points (10-18 FG, 9-10 FT), 8 rebounds, 7 assists versus Detroit. • Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers: 26 points (11-19 FG), 9 rebounds, 6 assists against Phoenix. • John Salmons, Bulls: 27 points (12-22 FG), 5 assists versus the Heat.

LOWLIGHTS

• Matt Barnes, Suns: 2 points (1-8 FG), 4 rebounds, 3 assists against the Trail Blazers. • Tayshaun Prince, Pistons: 7 points (3-13 FG), 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers versus the Lakers. • Rodney Stuckey, Pistons: 5 points (2-8 FG), 2 rebounds, 3 assists against the Lakers.

Some games, you look at the box score, and things don't make a whole lot of sense. Last night's tilt between the Suns and Trail Blazers in Portland, as I study it now, is most certainly one of those games. First, the Blazers, the second-best rebounding team in the league in terms of margin, were outrebounded by the Suns. Second, they were outrebounded mostly because they got a combined 45 minutes and just two rebounds out of Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden. Those guys, even now, currently are first and ninth in the entire league in rebound rate. I can't express to you how amazing this is. Third, the Blazers won the game anyway.

OK, having said my piece about the rebounding, it's the whys about the win itself that I think are important for fantasy. Basically, the Blazers got fantastic performances from Brandon Roy, who is always fantastic, and LaMarcus Aldridge, who seems to be always fantastic but gets completely ignored most of the time by people like me. What strikes me as most amazing about the two of these guys, even in light of their statistical accomplishments, is the fact their best skill is probably their extreme ability to take care of the ball. Besides Antawn Jamison, there's nobody in the league with as high a usage rate and as low a turnover rate as LaMarcus Aldridge, and I think it's that combination that's going to end up making him an elite fantasy player some time in the near future.

First, let's just say that what Aldridge gives you right now, in terms of fantasy, is significant, but certainly nothing to write home about. His 18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists are good numbers, but they don't look like the stats of an elite power forward, and they are most definitely a tier below guys like Al Jefferson and David West. Nearly one steal per game is solid for a big man, but it's mitigated by the somewhat disappointing 0.9 blocks (down from 1.2 last season). Aldridge's 48.2 percent shooting from the floor is impressive when you consider how many jump shots he takes, but isn't as good as most good players his size, again, because of all the jump shots.

For all of that, Aldridge is clearly a prodigious talent. His range is beginning to slowly extend out to the 3-point line, and yet he's got better low post moves than just about anyone in the league. His rebound rate is down, but maybe that's because he's playing with two of the best rebounders in the league, in terms of rate, in Oden and Przybilla. He hasn't been a great shot-blocker, but the three blocks against the Suns looked pretty great on Thursday night. He's 23 years old, and so far has improved every year he's been in the league. Right now, he's 47th on the Player Rater (76th if you go by averages), and I see him improving on both those numbers quite a bit next season. For the rest of this season, you can probably expect closer to the 26.5 points and 12.0 rebounds he's averaged in his past two games than the aforementioned 18 and 7 he's averaged for the season.

Under the Boards

Rudy Fernandez is heating up for the Trail Blazers, going for 19 against the Sixers and then 23 against the Suns. The Blazers' next game is against the Grizzlies in Portland, so you can probably expect Fernandez to stay hot. … Dwyane Wade was back to being himself after a bad shooting night, putting up 31 points on just 21 shots. Obviously, you weren't worried about him anyway, I hope. … Can't say the same about Wade's teammates, who were totally whipped by the Bulls. Six players had decent fantasy nights for the Bulls, including all five starters and Brad Miller off the bench. … It's evident that the Pistons are in major trouble without Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace, as their best player on Thursday night was Will Bynum, who had 25 points and 11 assists in 34 minutes as the Pistons were trounced by the Lakers. You can't really take anything from a performance like this. Besides Antonio McDyess' double-double, all the rest of the Pistons' numbers are suspect until they are healthy.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25

HIGHLIGHTS

• Monta Ellis, Warriors: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals against the Mavericks. • Danny Granger, Pacers: 28 points, 3 steals, 2 blocks versus Miami. • Tony Parker, Spurs: 42 points (18-25 FG), 10 assists against Atlanta.

LOWLIGHTS

• Randy Foye, Timberwolves: 8 points (1-10 FG), 1 rebound, 4 assists against the 76ers. • Rajon Rondo, Celtics: 9 points (4-11 FG), 5 assists, no steals versus Orlando. • Charlie Villanueva, Bucks: 8 points (4-11 FG), 3 turnovers against the Raptors.

Every year, there are players who are far greater in actual games than they are in fantasy, and vice versa. These are usually frustrating cases -- times when a player we really love to watch (think Shaquille O'Neal) just isn't very good in fantasy, or times when the box scores we end up getting attached to just don't live up to the hype when we watch the players play (think Zach Randolph).

Still, one of the great surprises this season, both in actual basketball and in fantasy, has been the re-emergence of Shaq as someone we need to pay attention to. Sure, he was Dwight Howard before Dwight Howard in the sense that his terrible free throw shooting mitigated some of his value, but to see him ahead of guys like Rudy Gay, Shawn Marion and LaMarcus Aldridge on the Player Rater is not something I expected at the start of the season.

Of course, in the actual games, Shaq's importance this season can't be overstated. Looking at the leaderboard for John Hollinger's new Value Added statistic, Shaq has been worth more wins to the Suns than any player on the team, including Steve Nash, and frankly, it isn't really even close. As such, Shaq has become the sort of player who is tremendous on the court, fun to watch and not really all that valuable in fantasy. He's valuable enough, though. Perhaps we don't consider him this way, but he really has been one of the great value picks this season. The bottom line is that, in many leagues, Shaq wasn't drafted at all, and now he sits among the top 70 fantasy players in the league and is an automatic start every night in most leagues. If you saw all of this coming, congratulations. I did not, but it has been great to watch.

Under the Boards

Speaking of Shaq, he had sort of a sneaky line last night in the Suns' victory against the Jazz: 12 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and just one turnover (he tried a no-look feed to a cutting Grant Hill). Of course, the Suns were a minus-6 with Shaq on the floor and they won anyway. Maybe I don't know anything. … In the continuing watch to see whether Paul Millsap can contribute with Carlos Boozer playing big minutes, Millsap got 33 minutes to Boozer's 38 and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Not too shabby. … You can't pay too much attention to the numbers people put up against the Knicks, but the Clippers' Mike Taylor put up 35 points, which will likely be his career high for a long while. I wouldn't buy on him yet. The fact that he got to the line seven times is encouraging, but I'll need to see this happen again to believe it's possible. … Chris Duhon is officially back to playing way too many minutes (43 against the Clips), but his shot still isn't really falling, and even though the 10 assists he had are encouraging, I'm worried about him for the rest of the season. … Joe Johnson is shooting the ball pretty well of late and had 30 points in the Hawks' loss to the Spurs. He seems to have entirely snapped out of the funk he was in for a while, but he's still carrying way too much responsibility on the defensive end to be a consistently high-percentage shooter. … Dwyane Wade had a terrible game by his standards, but I wouldn't worry about it. They way he's been going, he was overdue for an off night shooting the ball.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 24

HIGHLIGHTS

• Will Bynum, Pistons: 20 points (10-16 FG), 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals against Chicago. • Tim Duncan, Spurs: 21 points (11-13 FT), 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks versus the Warriors. • Tyrus Thomas, Bulls: 18 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists versus Detroit.

LOWLIGHTS

• Arron Afflalo, Pistons: 2 points (1-7 FG), 3 rebounds, no assists in 21 minutes against the Bulls. • Carlos Boozer, Jazz: 13 points (6-15 FG), 8 rebounds, 5 fouls against Houston. • Corey Maggette, Warriors: 6 points (1-8 FG), 3 rebounds, no assists in 22 minutes versus San Antonio.

It's been a while since we've heard from Kirk Hinrich, who has been rendered a non-factor in the wake of Derrick Rose's rookie campaign. Rose sat out Tuesday's contest with a sprained wrist -- suffered from a dunk attempt during Monday's game -- and Captain Kirk filled in admirably with 24 points, three 3-pointers, eight assists and three steals in a season-high 46 minutes. He actually led the team in both scoring and shot attempts (23), perhaps determined to show everyone that he's still a starting-caliber point guard.

Rose has been told to rest for two or three days -- "I can barely turn a door knob," he said -- so Hinrich may start again on Thursday versus the Heat.

His counterpart for much of Tuesday was even more impressive, though, as Will Bynum came off the bench and logged much of his 34 minutes at point guard. Arron Afflalo was ineffective (two points, 1-of-7 from the field), so Rodney Stuckey moved to the 2 and Bynum responded with the extra playing time by scoring 20 points and handing out nine assists and turning the ball over only once.

For Bynum, it's his second 20-point output in his past three games. Meanwhile, Afflalo's output has come to an abrupt halt, combining for 19 points in his past three games after scoring 40 in his previous two. The Pistons still have Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton and Allen Iverson battling various injuries for what feels like forever, and at this stage of the season, production is all you care about.

Under the Boards

Tyrus Thomas played 40 minutes to Tim Thomas' four as the Bulls tighten up their rotation in preparation for the playoffs. It's only the second time all month the good Thomas has seen 40-plus minutes, and he delivered huge games in both of them; maybe coach Vinny Del Negro is ready to trust him again. … Neither had very productive games, but Corey Maggette's minutes suffered again as Kelenna Azubuike started and logged 38 minutes against the Spurs. Maggette is just 2-for-18 in his past two contests, and has been mired with playing time in the mid-20s during the past week. Meanwhile, Azubuike is comfortably in Don Nelson's good graces, averaging 36.6 minutes in his past five games. You knew the shoe had to drop for Maggette sometime, but it couldn't have come at a worse time for his fantasy owners. … Shane Battier's 18 points against the Jazz were his highest total since Feb. 17, and his second-highest of the season. He's 12-for-18 in his past four games, and hopefully it's a sign his brutal shooting slump is coming to an end. He's a useful utility player when he's making his jumpers. … Nick Collison had another productive game off the bench, chipping in 10 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes. He's averaging a season-high 8.7 rebounds in March, with 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks, and since he doesn't kill you anywhere, he's worth a look in deeper leagues.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

MONDAY, MARCH 23

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwight Howard, Magic: 29 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks at the Knicks. • Antawn Jamison, Wizards: 32 points, 12 rebounds, 3 3-pointers, 2 steals against Chicago. • Ronald Murray, Hawks: 30 points (12-18 FG), 5 assists, 5 3-pointers versus the Timberwolves.

LOWLIGHTS

• Rudy Gay, Grizzlies: 8 points (2-9 FG), 4 turnovers at Miami. • Eric Gordon, Clippers: 8 points (3-12 FG), 5 turnovers against the Celtics. • Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers: 12 points (5-18 FG), 6 assists in overtime versus Philadelphia.

Ah, if it were only early February.

After weeks of ducking the media (at least by Agent Zero standards), Gilbert Arenas leaked he is supposedly, apparently, perhaps, just maybe coming back Saturday versus the Pistons. In fantasy, Arenas passed his sell-by date about a month ago; at this point, he's only a late-season afterthought. While I wouldn't (couldn't) recommend him to a playoff team this second, I think he's a perfect consolation bracket pickup.

One must apply a Jay Cutler-level of faith in Arenas' public statements, but his sheer unpredictability could make it fun for an owner playing for pride. What do you have to lose?

On the other hand, all of Arenas' accompanying red flags -- no back-to-backs, only one road game (and at stingy Cleveland), limited minutes, general kookiness -- should be enough to keep a responsible owner locked in a tight playoff battle into the Steve Blakes, Courtney Lees and Grant Hills of this world. (I repeat: do not pick up Arenas if you are in the playoffs this week, even if it's just for Saturday. Well, maybe for that Cleveland game.) But why not use Hibachi to provide some late-season sizzle to a lower division fantasy squad? Just think what a boost he'd provide in your imaginary locker room!

You can't say he's going to come back and average 30 points per game down the stretch, but I also don't think it's going to be an Elton Brand dip-your-toe-in-before-the-summer-and-proceed-to-destroy-the-hopes-and-dreams-of-Clipper-Nation type of comebacks. Arenas wouldn't come back just for that. By all accounts, he wants to make a Superman-esque splash. Arenas was already quoted that he won't stand for a few minutes here and there. He'll be gunning for "SportsCenter."

While the odds are against his having a big game Saturday, the odds are equally high he'll have a couple of big nights before the end of the regular season.

Or he might not play at all.

Under the Boards

Grant Hill had his first double-double in forever in the Suns' fantasy-friendly matchup versus the Nuggets. I really can't fathom how he's still parked on so many waiver wires, especially in a playoff situation. He's got a lot of hidden strength beyond the points -- strong percentages, nice assists and steals -- and is personally motivated to play all 82 games (a luxury at this point in the season). Phoenix is rolling, and somebody has to score all those points. … Courtney Lee (22 points, two 3s, three steals) keeps getting it done in the 3s and steals departments. … Javaris Crittenton had the best fantasy night of his Wizards career (18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists), but it looks as if his momentum might be blunted by Gilbert Arenas' comeback. … Randy Foye (19 points) put up his most encouraging line since his recent return from an ankle injury. More importantly, he shot 7-of-10 from the field and made it safe for his owners to plug him back into their lineups. … With Shaquille O'Neal inflicting some foul trouble on Nene (10 points, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls), Chris Andersen logged some extra minutes and finished with 12 points to go along with his customary two blocks. … Jamaal Magloire (10 points, 12 rebounds) got the start for Jermaine O'Neal, who took a one-game sabbatical to rest his hip. … Mike Bibby (20 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds) is returning to his February form and should continue at this clip until the Southeast crown is decided. … Lots of great stat lines out of Philly-Portland. My favorite was Andre Iguodala playing like it was 2007 with 25 points, two 3s, 5 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. Andre Miller wasn't far behind with a frontcourt kind of double-double (27 points, 10 rebounds), but only three assists. … On the Portland side, LaMarcus Aldridge continued to be Bosh-like with 24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks and 5 assists. … Greg Oden cracked 25 minutes and responded with 13 points and 8 rebounds. … Kevin Love (17 points, 6 rebounds) continues to put up points and rebounds, but needs to supplement those numbers with some blocks and/or steals if he wants to be a true fantasy force.

John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

The sheer insanity that is Steve Novak's 3-point shooting spree continued Sunday, as he went 3-for-4 from behind the arc. He has now gone 24-for-38 in his past six games and is averaging 2.4 3-pointers per game on 43.2 percent shooting from behind the arc since the All-Star break.

He provides nothing else, unless you count extremely low turnover totals and slightly helpful percentages, but he's pouring in 3s at an alarming rate and must be grabbed immediately (if he's available) if your team needs treys. His eligibility at power forward provides the ability for you to make up ground in 3s from a position that typically doesn't provide it. In fact, Novak has the fourth most 3-pointers of power-forward-eligible players behind Rashard Lewis, Al Harrington and Troy Murphy. One of the most unknown and unheralded players in the league has become a fantasy force over the past few weeks, exhibiting the unpredictability of this game we love.

Under the boards

SUNDAY, MARCH 22

HIGHLIGHTS

• Luis Scola, Rockets: 19 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, three steals at San Antonio. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 39 points, six assists, two 3s, two steals, four blocks at Detroit. • Kevin Durant, Thunder: 30 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal at Minnesota.

LOWLIGHTS

• Aaron Brooks, Rockets: Five points, two assists, one 3-pointer at San Antonio. • Samuel Dalembert, Sixers: Four points, four rebounds, two blocks at Sacramento. • Delonte West, Cavaliers: Three points, five assists, three rebounds, one 3-pointer at New Jersey.

Samuel Dalembert's inconsistency can be maddening, exemplified by the rebounding totals in his past four games: 14, 6, 23 and just 4 on Sunday night. It all averages out to solid overall numbers, but he's a dangerous player to depend on in head-to-head formats, since two of his three games in any given week can be clunkers. … Meanwhile, Philly's Thaddeus Young continues to perform well, as he dropped 22 points, six boards, two steals and a block on the Kings on Sunday night. He's averaging 20.4 points per game in March and has become an option in any format if you need scoring assistance. … Spencer Hawes flashed his passing skills and almost recorded a triple-double Sunday, with 21 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. He added a 3-pointer and a steal, and it's starting to look like he was a steal for the Kings as the 10th overall pick, as well as for any fantasy owner who grabbed him earlier this season. There's no doubt he has similarities to Brad Miller, and the sophomore should blossom into one of the best passing centers in the league over the next few seasons. … Keyon Dooling has started the past four contests for the Nets with Devin Harris sidelined, and even though Chris Douglas-Roberts turned heads with some impressive performances in those games, Dooling should remain a steady source of points, assists, 3s and steals since there is no clear timetable for Harris' return. … Brandan Wright followed up his 25-point effort Saturday night with four points Sunday, and he and Anthony Randolph will both be extremely inconsistent and not worth relying on down the stretch, despite their incredible talent. … Kurt Thomas started in place of Matt Bonner at center for the Spurs on Sunday, but there was no clear reason for the move, and it's hard to say whether it's permanent. Thomas is an efficient player on the floor -- he snared nine rebounds in 30 minutes and is averaging nine per game over his past three games -- and if he's consistently starting, he'll be a source for rebounds and nothing else in very deep formats. … Andre Iguodala is emerging as the leader of the Sixers after a somewhat disappointing start to the season, and his overall numbers are still down from last year. But since the All-Star break, Iguodala is averaging 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.1 3s and 1.5 steals per game, and 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 3s, and 1.6 steals over his past five games. … I love to see Corey Maggette doing what he does best, going 9-for-9 from the stripe, making him 38-for-39 in his past five contests. There are few players who provide the number of attempts at the percentage that Maggette does, and even though a player's contribution in percentage categories can be difficult to gauge at times, Maggette is a top player to target anytime you need help from the stripe.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

As far as Kevin Garnett's fantasy value for the rest of the regular season, I agree with our Brian McKitish, who says fantasy owners should temper their expectations. At least for this week, though, I think KG remains a solid play.

SATURDAY, MARCH 21

HIGHLIGHTS

• Jason Richardson, Suns: 35 points (13-for-18 FG), 6 3-pointers, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks versus Wizards. • Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers: 30 points (11-for-19 FG), 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals at Milwaukee. • Jarrett Jack, Pacers: 31 points (13-for-14 FG), 6 rebounds and 2 steals at Charlotte.

LOWLIGHTS

• Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 3 points (1-for-4 FG), 5 assists and 3 rebounds versus Pacers. • Paul Pierce, Celtics: 6 points (2-for-6 FG), 6 rebounds and 3 assists at Memphis. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 8 points (3-for-11 FG), 5 rebounds and 3 assists at Orlando.

On Saturday, in his second night back after missing 13 games with a knee injury, Garnett played 17 minutes at Memphis. Given that limited action, 10 points (on 5-of-7 shooting), four boards and two blocks is a good line. But for fantasy, it's not all that impactful.

Garnett should see more time this week, however, as coach Doc Rivers said before the Celtics' game against the Grizzlies that he plans to extend Garnett's minutes on Monday against the Clippers. Although the Celtics play four times in the week ahead, my guess is that Rivers is looking at Wednesday's tilt at Orlando. You know the C's, who are battling the Magic for the No. 2 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, want to win that game. I can see Garnett approaching 30 minutes that night. The Celtics also should have ample motivation for their game at Atlanta on Friday. Boston then will host the Thunder on Sunday.

Garnett may not hit his season averages (16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks) next week. But if he plays at least 24 minutes a night, that should be enough time for him to help you.

Under the boards

It was a tough night to be a Gerald Wallace owner. After carrying your team in the stretch drive by averaging 26.5 points in his previous four games, Crash crushed you. He ran into early foul trouble and managed just three points against the Pacers. … But hard-core fantasy owners will look at that box score and see that Brandon Rush started in the Indiana backcourt. The rookie's miserable 38 percent shooting is toxic for fantasy, but with Miami, Chicago and Washington ahead (the Heat and Wizards yield tons of 3s), Rush with starter's minutes is a tempting add in deep leagues. … Another recent addition to an NBA starting lineup is Portland's Travis Outlaw. He went for 17 points at Milwaukee and has a pretty favorable week ahead with the Blazers hosting Philadelphia, Phoenix and Memphis. … I doubt I've hyped any player more relentlessly this season than Tyrus Thomas. Why do I keep coming back to Thomas? Because he's owned in just 25 percent of ESPN.com leagues and is a hustler. After his (Bulls-record) 29-game streak with a blocked shot ended last week, Thomas had three rejections Saturday -- along with 15 points and 16 boards -- against the Lakers. Chicago has five games in the coming week, making Thomas a must-add in head-to-head leagues. … Speaking of that L.A.-Chicago game, the Lakers' Trevor Ariza had another nice line with 18 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Ariza, who's available in 90 percent of ESPN.com leagues, is an excellent consolation prize if you missed out on Thomas. … The Knicks, not surprisingly, are in a state of upheaval. David Lee missed his first game of the season Saturday, but he's expected to play Monday when New York has its return match with Orlando. Despite a sore right Achilles tendon, Al Harrington played against the Magic on Saturday but went only 3-of-11 from the field. In that same game, Larry Hughes left after aggravating a toe injury. Best guess at a Knicks starting lineup for Monday versus Orlando: Chris Duhon, Quentin Richardson (Q dropped 33 on the Magic on Saturday), Wilson Chandler, Harrington and Lee.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

Kevin Garnett finally returned to the court after missing 13 games with a knee injury, but will it be too little, too late for fantasy owners? Doc Rivers took it easy with his prized possession Friday, limiting KG to just 14 minutes in an 80-77 victory over the Spurs. One has to wonder if Rivers will continue to take it slow with Garnett because the Celtics will be looking to heal up to get ready for what's sure to be a playoff battle between Cleveland, Orlando and Boston in the Eastern Conference. Garnett, who scored just 10 points with four rebounds against the Spurs, will need to be 100 percent healthy if the Celtics are going to defend their title. Doc Rivers knows this, and you can bet that he'll do everything to ensure that KG is healthy for the playoff run. Of course, Rivers will also want to make sure that Garnett has his conditioning back as well, so we should expect KG to play somewhere around 25 minutes per game going forward. Unfortunately, that's not what fantasy owners want to hear. If Garnett is going to match or improve on his season averages of 16.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks, he'll need more minutes than he's likely to get the rest of the way. I'm happy to see KG back in the lineup, but his owners need to prepare for the fact that he may not be as productive as he was prior to going down with the knee injury.

Under the boards

FRIDAY, MARCH 20

HIGHLIGHTS

• J.R. Smith, Nuggets: 40 points with 3 steals and 3 3-pointers on 15-for-23 shooting from the floor in a victory over the Wizards. • Antonio McDyess, Pistons: 24 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal for the injury-depleted Pistons. • Samuel Dalembert, Sixers: 15 points, 23 rebounds and a steal in a victory over the undersized Warriors.

LOWLIGHTS

• Larry Hughes, Knicks: 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting just 1-for-8 from the floor in a brutal loss to the Sacramento Kings. • O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies: 6 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists on just 2-for-5 shooting from the floor in 34 minutes. • Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: 6 points, 2 rebounds and a block in just 20 minutes after getting into early foul trouble against the Raptors.

Gerald Wallace showed no ill effects of the bruised left knee he suffered in Wednesday's game against Sacramento; he went off for 30 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 2 3-pointers in a 102-89 victory over the Raptors. It is nice to see Wallace back on the court after Wednesday's scare, and with the Bobcats just a game out of the final playoff spot in the East, you can bet that he'll continue to play through the injury the rest of the way. … It was the Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani show for Toronto as the two combined for 62 of the Raptors' 89 points on the night. Bosh was able to get loose for 35 points and 7 rebounds with Emeka Okafor in foul trouble, while Bargnani had 27 points, 7 boards and 4 3-pointers on the evening. I'm still slightly worried that even a minor injury could cause Bosh to shut things down once April rolls around, but Bargnani appears to be set to post big numbers the rest of the way. … James Singleton had another double-double -- his third in his past five games -- with 10 points, 11 rebounds and a steal in a victory over the Pacers. Singleton is worth a look in deeper leagues for those needing help on the glass. … Dwyane Wade returned to the court after missing one contest with a hip flexor issue and scored 27 points with 8 boards, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in a loss to the Nets. … With Devin Harris out, Keyon Dooling had another solid effort with 10 points, 8 assists, 2 steals and 2 3-pointers in the victory. He's looking like a very nice pickup option for Harris owners. Chris Douglas-Roberts (18 points, 4 rebounds with a steal and a 3-pointer) is also starting to get some run for the Nets. CDR has seen 27 minutes in each of his past two games and could turn into a very nice sleeper pickup for points and steals down the stretch. … The Kings put a beating on the Knicks as all five starters scored in double figures. Francisco Garcia (16 points, 5 rebounds with a steal, a block and a 3-pointer) should already be gone in your league, but check to see if Spencer Hawes (18 points, 13 rebounds), Jason Thompson (18 points, 12 rebounds) and Beno Udrih (20 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists) are available. … The Pistons were without Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton, but still managed to defeat the lowly Clippers on Friday night. Leading the way was Antonio McDyess (24 points, 17 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks), who has been absolutely dominant on the glass as of late. His value will take a bit of a hit when the Pistons heal up, but McDyess is playing at such a high level that he should retain a decent amount of value the rest of the way. Will Bynum also took advantage of all the injuries, with 22 points, 6 boards and 3 steals in the victory, but Arron Afflalo managed just 4 points on 1-of-6 shooting from the floor.

Thabo Sefolosha struggled to put the ball in the basket but still provided a steal and a block in Oklahoma City's 101-94 loss to the Jazz. Thabo won't score much now that Kevin Durant (24 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists) and Jeff Green (15 points, 9 rebounds) are back, but he's still a valuable commodity in fantasy leagues because he is averaging 2.4 steals and 1.8 blocks per game over his past five. … Carlos Boozer had 15 points and 9 rebounds in the victory while Paul Millsap chipped in with 14 points and 7 rebounds for the Jazz. Both of these guys are playing well enough for fantasy owners, but they seem to be canceling each other out a little in the paint: Booz is averaging 14.9 points and 11.9 rebounds while Millsap is putting up 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this month. Like I said, those are still good numbers, but they are nowhere near where we hoped they would be. … In other Jazz news, Mehmet Okur played just 12 minutes before leaving with an eye injury. If he needs to miss more time, it will be Millsap and Andrei Kirilenko who will need to step up their games in Utah. … Caron Butler was a no-show with a hamstring injury again, and his owners need to start worrying about a possible shutdown at this point in the season. … One of my favorite pickup candidates, Dominic McGuire, had another versatile performance with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists while adding a steal and a block in 32 minutes. … With the injuries piling up in Washington, keep an eye on Nick Young, who scored 20 points and drained two 3-pointers in 35 minutes Friday. … The Wizards are one of the league's worst defensive teams, so it should come as no surprise that J.R. Smith dropped 40 points while drilling three 3-pointers on the evening. … Take a good long look at former Knick Renaldo Balkman if you are in need of a defensive specialist down the stretch. Balkman (9 points, 6 boards, 3 steals) is a stud defender and is averaging 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks over his past five games. … Jamal Crawford's fantasy owners have to be concerned about where he stands with head coach Don Nelson right now. Crawford received another DNP-Coach's Decision on Friday and is a risky play at best going forward. With Nellie going young lately, Brandan Wright put in a nice 25-point, 6-rebound, 1-steal, 1-block performance in 28 minutes. He makes for a nice high risk/high reward gamble for the stretch run.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

HIGHLIGHTS

• Pau Gasol, Lakers: 21 points (9-15 FG), 14 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block against the Warriors. • LeBron James, Cavaliers: 26 points (10-22 FG), 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 blocks against the Trail Blazers. • Lamar Odom, Lakers: 16 points (5-9 FG, 6-6 FT), 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks against the Warriors. • Joel Przybilla, Trail Blazers: 13 points (4-4 FG), 11 rebounds, 2 blocks against the Cavaliers.

LOWLIGHTS

• Stephen Jackson, Warriors: 10 points (5-17 FG), 0 3-pointers, 4 turnovers against the Lakers. • Jason Terry, Mavericks: 8 points (3-13 FG), 7 rebounds, 4 assists against the Hawks. • Delonte West, Cavaliers: 9 points (4-14 FG), 0 3-pointers against the Trail Blazers.

Far be it from me to try to predict with any consistency what Don Nelson's lineup for the Warriors is going to look like on a night-to-night basis, but based on recent results, it appears that Kelenna Azubuike is back in Nellie's good graces. Azubuike has consistently been a very important contributor when he's gotten minutes. He's of particular help in points and 3-pointers, a combination that isn't necessarily too difficult to find elsewhere, but he also has the sort of skill set that allows him to have nights when he gets a bunch of assists; plus, he's been a decent source of steals and blocks from time to time as well.

Of course, there's no way of knowing when Nellie will decide he doesn't want Azubuike in his lineup anymore. That said, things with the Warriors tend to be streaky, and we're right at the beginning of what could be a streak of fantasy goodness for Azubuike. He had 25 points, eight rebounds, one steal, one block and five 3-pointers in Thursday's loss to the Lakers. Available in 75 percent of ESPN leagues, he's a great pickup, especially in head-to-head leagues, who could really help you out over the next couple of weeks.

Under the Boards

Monta Ellis had a really nice night against the Lakers along with Azubuike. Ellis finished with 27 points on 11-of-19 from the floor, made all five of his free throws, and added five assists and three steals. These are the kind of games I think we can expect from Ellis for the rest of the season; he seems to have recovered fully from his ankle injury at this point. Now, if his team could only win. … Nobody owns him, but Trevor Ariza is now starting at small forward for the Lakers and putting up some very fantasy-worthy lines. Try 14.6 points, 2.8 steals and 1.6 3-pointers over his past five games. He's available, and if you need steals, there is no better place to look right now. … Another triple-double and another win for LeBron James. How many times does this have to happen before I won't feel like I have to report it anymore? … The Blazers might have been able to beat the Cavaliers if they'd been able to get more minutes out of Greg Oden. They were a plus-5 when he was on the floor, but he played only 12 minutes and had five fouls. You can see the potential here, though. Seven points, nine rebounds and a block in 12 minutes of action is nothing to sneeze at. … You really can't say enough about how good Joe Johnson has been for the Hawks last year. His shooting numbers are still rough some nights, but it's because he's carrying so much of the load both offensively and defensively. Consider the fact that Marvin Williams has been hurt and Josh Smith is having the most disappointing season of his career, and yet the Hawks are sitting at 41-28, the same record as the Mavericks, the team they beat Thursday. Johnson is on my short list of people who should probably be in the MVP conversation but aren't.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18

HIGHLIGHTS

• Baron Davis, Clippers: 11 points (4-10 FG), 20 assists, 8 rebounds against the Wizards. • Paul Pierce, Celtics: 36 points (14-23 FG), 11 rebounds, 5 assists against the Heat. • Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 25 points (6-13 FG, 11-11 FT), 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks against the Kings.

LOWLIGHTS

• Spencer Hawes, Kings: 2 points (0-3 FG), 0 rebounds, 6 fouls against the Bobcats. • Kenyon Martin, Nuggets: 4 points (1-4 FG), 4 rebounds in 24 minutes against the Grizzlies.

I don't know how it happened, but somewhere along the way Antonio McDyess became the best player on the Pistons. I don't mean that exactly, of course. Richard Hamilton has a better player efficiency rating, Tayshaun Prince is a better defender, Rodney Stuckey has a lot of promise off the bench, Rasheed Wallace still can be great when he's engaged and involved, and let's not forget Allen Iverson, who currently is hurt and struggling this season but still is one of the best players of his generation. For all that, though, it has been McDyess who has kept the Pistons afloat this season, hovering around .500 and primed to make the playoffs carrying the "Team Nobody Wants To Face" label.

Over his past five games, McDyess is averaging 16.0 points, 15.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. He also is playing an absurd amount of minutes, due to an injury to Wallace and the fact that Kwame Brown isn't worth having in the game most nights. McDyess is averaging 41.8 minutes over this recent five-game stretch and ran for 51 minutes in double-OT against the Rockets on Wednesday just for good measure. Even when Wallace is back and healthy, it is clear the Pistons are going to rely heavily on McDyess. It also is clear that for really the first time since a major injury that derailed the early part of his career, McDyess is playing heavy minutes and putting up monster numbers. It's something most of us probably thought we'd never see again: McDyess as an elite fantasy player. Perhaps it won't last long term, but for the last few weeks of this season, that's exactly what he is.

Under the Boards

You can go ahead and get Danny Granger back in your regular lineup; in just his second game back from a foot injury that kept him out for an extended period, he went for 35 points (12-for-24 from the floor, 5-for-9 on 3-pointers), 10 rebounds and two blocks in a loss to the Trail Blazers. He should settle right back into being one of the 10 best fantasy players in the league. … Rashad McCants put up 30 for the Kings with Kevin Martin sidelined by the flu. We already knew McCants could score in bunches when given minutes. The real question is, can he earn any minutes when Martin is healthy? And the answer, on a team already sorely lacking on the defensive end, is probably no. … Dwight Howard set a season high for assists with seven against the Bucks. His previous high this season was four. This is not a player who passes very effectively. If he can turn passing out of double-teams into an effective weapon, he'll be that much scarier down the road. … Derrick Rose certainly got the best of Russell Westbrook in the matchup of the two best rookie point guards this season. He had 25 points on 12-for-14 shooting, and his team won by six. Westbrook struggled, scoring just 15 points on 16 shots, not a ratio you want for your point guard. … Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo were nothing short of heroic in carrying the Celtics to a big win over the Heat, but it is clear that without Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and now Leon Powe (out two to three weeks with a right knee strain), the Celtics are in trouble. For now, the guy to play besides Pierce and Rondo is Kendrick Perkins. If he can stay out of foul trouble (that's a huge if), he'll be a great source of blocks and rebounds down the stretch.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 17

HIGHLIGHTS

• LeBron James, Cavaliers: (15-27 FG, 9-10 FT), 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 4 3-pointers and 1 block versus the Magic. • Al Horford, Hawks: 23 points (9-13 FG), 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal versus the Kings. • Brad Miller, Bulls: 21 points (7-8 FT), 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block versus the Celtics.

LOWLIGHTS

• Rashard Lewis, Magic: 6 points (3-15 FG, 0-8 3-pointers), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal versus the Cavaliers. • Jason Kidd, Mavericks: 2 points (1-6 FG), 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal versus the Pistons. • Francisco Garcia, Kings: 6 points (2-7 FG), 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers and 1 assist versus the Hawks.

The news on the injury front keeps getting worse. It was learned Tuesday that the sprained ankle that Andris Biedrins suffered Friday will keep him out until April. Meanwhile, Richard Hamilton did not play Tuesday due to a nagging groin injury and is doubtful for Wednesday as well.

Biedrins' injury is debilitating, as the playoffs in head-to-head leagues just started, so finding a replacement for a No. 1 center like Biedrins is no easy task. Because of the poor timing, it will be tough for fantasy owners to keep him on the roster, as there's no guarantee the Warriors -- who are well out of the playoff picture and have fickle coach Don Nelson manning the ship -- will even risk bringing Biedrins back in April. It could offer Nelson a convenient chance to get a longer look at youngsters Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph. Fortunately, there's an obvious replacement in Ronny Turiaf, who has excelled in previous starts at center, and had a nice all-around line of 7 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks on Tuesday.

For Hamilton, while the injury is day-to-day, things don't sound particularly optimistic. Hamilton missed time in December and January with the same groin injury, and he sounds worn down at this point. "The injury is getting worse," a frustrated Hamilton told reporters. "There's no way I can play and the only thing that actually makes it better is rest."

It's a tough break for owners because Hamilton was having his best month of the season, averaging 22.8 points, a whopping 8.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 38 minutes. In the meantime, Allen Iverson's back is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Wednesday, so if Hamilton's injury does keep him out for more than a couple of days, it will be hard to hold on to him considering Iverson may not be far from returning and thus eating into his fantasy value.

In the meantime, Arron Afflalo will fill in for Rip, and did well on Tuesday, scoring 16 points -- including four 3-pointers -- and grabbing six rebounds in 39 minutes. Until either Hamilton or Iverson returns, though, the weight will be on the shoulders of Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey and Antonio McDyess to step it up and keep the Pistons as a top-eight seed, so don't be surprised to see monstrous lines from the trio in the coming days.

Under the Boards

After starting at point guard in his last game and struggling, Francisco Garcia was back on the bench against the Hawks, recording 6 points, 4 fouls and 3 turnovers in 28 minutes. Since starting eight consecutive games, he's seen his playing time cut as Andres Nocioni has been inserted into the starting lineup. Plus, with Beno Udrih returning from a foot injury, Garcia is no more than a fringe player. … Kendrick Perkins followed his 26-point outburst against the Bucks with another double-double, posting 14 points, 10 boards, 4 blocks and 4 assists. His shot attempts have more than doubled this month, and Kevin Garnett's injury may be more serious than originally thought, as he has still yet to practice. … Leon Powe injured his right knee on Tuesday, which accounts for his four minutes of playing time. He's questionable against the Heat on Wednesday. … Trevor Ariza started his fourth consecutive game and is really coming on. He had another nice all-around game, with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 3-pointers and 2 steals in a season-high 36 minutes, and he's had at least two steals in each of his four starts. … John Salmons tied a season high with 38 points versus the Celtics, but failed to dish out an assist in the process. That's become a trend: Since joining the Bulls, his assists have dropped from 3.7 in Sacramento to 1.6 for Chicago.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

It's playoff time in fantasy hoops. Regardless of whether you're in the quest for a title or the "consolation" bracket (fantasy's NIT), it's time to start thinking about next season. And a chief method for doing just that is to look at actual NBA teams also currently thinking about next season.

As the also-rans turn to the future, and begin giving their future fantasy impact players (youngsters with upside) 30 to 35 minutes a night, owners need to get a bead on which players are closing out strong.

Some teams are just too dilapidated to sift through. Because of current injuries or future salary-cap ramifications, rotations such as the Kings' and Wizards' will little resemble the lineups they'll feature on opening night for 2009-10. The key is to pinpoint which losing teams are gaining some sort of steam and building momentum as the season closes out.

Monday's slate featured two teams, Oklahoma City and Memphis, that are stocked with young players who could make an impact in 2009-10.

Oklahoma City now trots out its own up-and-coming "big three" of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook. If Green and Westbrook can take the step Durant did this season -- mainly shoring up field goal percentage -- they both will be top-40 players by next All-Star Weekend.

But the other member of the Thunder who has grabbed fantasy interest of late is Thabo Sefolosha. Since coming to Oklahoma City, he has provided a new level of defensive intensity, which was on display during last night's upset of the Spurs. Sefolosha, averaging 3.2 steals and 1.2 blocks over his past five games, is the rare fantasy player who doesn't need 10 shot attempts a night to be a force.

Memphis is another young team on the rise whose rotation has jelled under a new system. The Grizzlies might not be winning a ton of games, but the second-half ascensions of Marc Gasol and Mike Conley have big fantasy ramifications going into next season.

Gasol's numbers for March (16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) are eerily reminiscent of another Gasol who once resided in Memphis. Marc Gasol might not get to his brother's lofty statistical level, but he should be a solid No. 1 center next season. His rise has been keyed by the improved play of Mike Conley.

Conley's numbers have been on the upswing since Kyle Lowry was dealt to the Rockets. I like Conley because he's the kind of player who will turn to other areas for production if his shot isn't falling, which means he rarely has a worthless night. In February, he averaged almost five rebounds per game, a gaudy stat for a point guard. In March, he has cranked up his scoring, including a career-high 31 points against the Sixers. This week, Conley put up the first back-to-back 20-point-night stretch of his career.

Both the Thunder and Grizzlies remind me of last season's Bobcats as teams that might struggle to make the NBA playoffs but feature improving rotations that produce four to five worthwhile fantasy lines per night.

Under the boards

MONDAY, MARCH 16

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ben Gordon, Bulls: 43 points (14-23 FG), 8 3-pointers against the Heat. • Joe Johnson, Hawks: 30 points, 4 3-pointers, 2 steals versus New Orleans. • Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 25 points, 8-for-13 FG, 8-for-8 FT, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block versus the Raptors.

LOWLIGHTS

• Jeff Green, Thunder: 10 points, 4-for-15 FG versus the Spurs. • Russell Westbrook, Thunder: 10 points, 4-for-17 FG versus the Spurs. • Anthony Parker, Raptors: 11 points, 3-for-10 FG, 6 turnovers at Charlotte.

There were several ugly shooting performances Monday that could singlehandedly submarine a team's field goal percentage for the entire week. Ron Artest missed his first 11 shots on his way to 7-for-23 from the floor, and Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook shot a combined 8-for-32 against the Spurs. … Devin Harris sat out Monday's drubbing at the hands of the Nuggets because of a sore shoulder. He could have an MRI today. If he misses more time, Harris owners should take a short-term look at Keyon Dooling, who put up 17 points and 6 assists in relief. I was hoping for a little more down the stretch out of Yi Jianlian (4 points), who has shot 9-for-30 from the floor over his past five games. … Renaldo Balkman was nearing a double-double (8 points, 8 rebounds) before leaving Monday's game early because of a groin strain. … Rasual Butler continued his string of double-digit games with 11 points against the Rockets. … D.J. Augustin, another good young player to watch, put up 15 points in 20 minutes. … Luis Scola complemented his (now almost automatic) double-double with two steals. He'll need to figure out a way to be a factor in the defensive departments if he wants to get to the next level in fantasy. … Aaron Brooks (14 points) is still playing well despite being bogged down in a time-share with Kyle Lowry (6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists). … Joel Przybilla had a double-double (13 points, 13 rebounds) against Marc Gasol. … In an upset over Michael Finley and Roger Mason, Matt Bonner was the mystery third Spur to put up decent numbers (10 points, 8 rebounds) in Manu Ginobili's absence.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

Vince Carter turned heads Sunday night, scoring 41 points with seven rebounds, six assists, five 3-pointers and two steals while shooting 13-for-26 from the floor and 10-for-10 from the stripe. Carter is having his worst statistical season since an injury-plagued 2004-05 campaign, although recently he has been posting monster numbers. His March averages of 24.1 points, 2.8 3s and 1.4 steals are the highest of any month, and he's ranked No. 48 on the Player Rater over the past month. Carter is in an ideal situation to be selfish, as there are plenty of shots for him to take for a Nets team with nothing to play for.

Don't be surprised if Carter's recent excellence continues, and after frustrating owners all season long, he's ready to post impressive individual statistics. I wouldn't be surprised if he averaged over 25 points per game from here on out, and if he continues attempting 6.3 3s per game, as he has this month, he should remain over two 3s per game.

Under the boards

Dwight Howard's 28 points and 20 rebounds were obviously impressive, but his performance is an excellent example of how harmful he can be to your fantasy team as well, since he shot 8-for-17 from the stripe with seven turnovers. One of his powerful knees also might have damaged the value of some fantasy teams, as he collided with Deron Williams, forcing Williams to sit for much of the game and be ineffective afterward. Williams shouldn't miss time, but his game could be affected if this injury impacts his mobility. … Richard Hamilton 's assist parade continued Sunday, when he had 12 dimes, totaling 42 in his past four games. With Allen Iverson out, Hamilton has taken the role of primary distributor, and look for Hamilton's success to continue as Rodney Stuckey has shifted into more of a scoring role. … Antonio McDyess' recent hot play continued Sunday, as he scored 19 points with 12 boards while shooting 8-of-10 from the field. His numbers have been staggering since entering the starting lineup in mid-February, and over his past eight games, McDyess is averaging 13.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 0.9 steals while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and 100 percent from the line. Those who added him a month ago are undoubtedly reaping the benefits, as McDyess has become an automatic start.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15

HIGHLIGHTS

• Vince Carter, Nets: 41 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 3-pointers, 2 steals, 13-for-26 from the field, 10-for-10 from the line against the Clippers. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 5 3-pointers, 1 block at Cleveland. • Antawn Jamison, Wizards: 30 points, 9 rebounds, 2 3-pointers, 2 steals, 1 block, 12-for-13 from the line against the Kings.

LOWLIGHTS

• Mario Chalmers, Heat: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists at Philadelphia. • Marquis Daniels, Pacers: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assists at Toronto. • Ray Allen, Celtics: 8 points, 5 rebounds at Milwaukee.

… Danny Granger returned after missing 11 games, and scored 10 points off the bench in 18 minutes of play. He still attempted seven 3-pointers, and even though it'll be a few games before he's playing like a first-rounder again, he should definitely be back in your lineup. … Mike Conley has been fantastic the past couple months and is averaging 15.4 points, 5.7 assists, 1.6 3s and 1.0 steals while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor and 94.4 from the stripe in March. He had 20 points, seven assists and three 3s Sunday night, and will be a popular sleeper on draft day next year if he can maintain his No. 51 ranking on the Player Rater over the past 30 days. … The best thing about the putrid Kings playing the awful Wizards is that a multitude of impressive fantasy performances come out of a game with two defenses this bad. Spencer Hawes had 20 points and nine rebounds, while Jason Thompson had 14 points, 14 boards and four blocks. This is the frontcourt of the future for the Kings, and both players will have increased fantasy value next season as the team likely will build around them. … Andray Blatche had 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and has a prime opportunity with Caron Butler sidelined because of a bum hamstring. He's a solid shot-blocker, averaging at least 1.4 per game in each of the past three months, and with swats being such a commodity this late in the season, Blatche is a nice addition if you want to bolster your block totals. … Leon Powe fouled out in 24 minutes, and Kendrick Perkins seemed to remember that he's supposed to be the second-best big man on the Celtics, scoring 26 points with 12 rebounds and two blocks in Kevin Garnett's absence. Upgrade him because of all the Celtics' injuries, and don't be discouraged by Powe's clunker; he remains a must-start as long as KG is sidelined. … Larry Hughes had another solid game starting in the Knicks' backcourt alongside Nate Robinson. Hughes had 15 points, three steals and two 3s, and is averaging 19.3 points, 2.3 steals and 2.1 3s in March, numbers worth starting on any team.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

I fully expect that sometime in May, LeBron James will receive his MVP trophy before a Cavaliers home playoff game. Everything is in place for it to happen. He's amazing, and his Cavs probably will win the Eastern Conference, or at least end the regular season with the best record in the conference. The best players on the best teams become NBA MVPs. That's just how it is.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwyane Wade, Heat: 50 points (19-for-39 FG), 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 3-pointers, 4 steals and 2 blocks versus Jazz. • Deron Williams, Jazz: 30 points (12-for-24 FG), 13 assists and 5 rebounds at Miami. • Jermaine O'Neal, Heat: 28 points (10-for-19 FG), 8 rebounds and 5 blocks versus Jazz.

LOWLIGHTS

• David West, Hornets: 10 points (4-for-14 FG), 4 rebounds and 2 blocks at Chicago. • Derrick Rose, Bulls: 4 points (2-for-9 FG), 7 assists and 4 rebounds versus Hornets. • Jason Richardson, Suns: 6 points (3-for-9 FG) and 5 rebounds versus Thunder.

But there's still a race to determine the MVP of fantasy hoops, and the front-runner is Dwyane Wade.

During the past month, Wade's tremendous season has crossed the threshold into otherworldliness. After Saturday's 50-point performance in a triple-overtime win over Utah, Wade is averaging 37.2 points, 10.4 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks in 13 games since the All-Star break.

D-Wade is just in a zone. Although he's a career 48.4 percent shooter, Wade is shooting 55.3 percent from the floor during this torrid stretch. And where did the 3-pointers come from? Until 2008-09, Wade had never made more than 22 triples in a season. But since the break, he has 26 3s, an average of exactly 2.0 per night.

Wade is on the brink of averaging 30 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and a 3-pointer. I did a very quick check, and I couldn't find anyone who has done this for a whole season. LeBron was in the ballpark last season, falling short (if you can call it that) with 7.2 dimes and 1.8 steals. Michael Jordan was close a few times, too. But there's no one else.

The scary part is, after his injury-marred 2007-08 season, Wade slipped out of the top five in many, if not most, fantasy drafts. With Dwyane Wade in 2009, you're looking at a historic season -- and, even as a first-round fantasy pick -- a huge draft day bargain.

Under the boards

Is Renaldo Balkman for real? He is, as long as Kenyon Martin is hurting. It's hard to find a definitive word on Martin's condition, but we know that when given minutes, Balkman cleans some serious glass as he did during his 14-point, 14-rebound and 2-steal showing versus the Thunder. If you're convinced you won't miss the last guy on your roster, sure, add Balkman, who has averaged 10.7 points and 12.7 boards in his past three games. This week's soft schedule -- New Jersey, at Memphis and Washington -- gives the Nuggets incentive to rest Martin. … If you're in a league that counts turnovers, you take a hit with Wade, who averages 3.6 this season. Of course, with D-Wade, it's a small price to pay. But how much are Russell Westbrook's turnovers worth? After eight more giveaways at Phoenix, the rookie is averaging 4.5 turnovers since the break. That, coupled with 41.0 percent shooting, really puts a damper on Westbrook's other postbreak numbers (19.5 points, 5.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals). … If you're wondering where D.J. Augustin's 18 points (his highest output since Feb. 11) came from, back spasms limited Raymond Felton to 28 minutes. Felton's condition doesn't seem serious, but if you hear anything about his missing games, pounce on Augustin. The Bobcats play the Raptors twice, along with the Kings and Pacers, this week. … More well-rounded options are probably available to you, but Michael Finley and Kyle Korver continue to rack up the 3s. Finley sank five treys (for the second straight game) at Houston, while Korver buried four from downtown in the marathon at Miami. Utah plays only two games this week, but the first is Tuesday versus Washington, the league's worst team in 3-point defense. Finley, who has averaged 3.2 3s in his past five games, is a threat as long as Manu Ginobili remains sidelined. … Zach Randolph missed the Clippers' game at Denver because of his father's funeral, but apparently he'll play Sunday versus the Nets.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

HIGHLIGHTS

• LeBron James, Cavaliers: 51 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and 4 3-pointers in an overtime victory over the Kings. • Leon Powe, Celtics: 30 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks while shooting 10-for-14 from the floor in 41 minutes against the Grizzlies. • Jason Kidd, Mavericks: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals and 5 3-pointers in a loss to the Warriors.

LOWLIGHTS

• Francisco Garcia, Kings: 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, a 3-pointer and 6 fouls in just 23 minutes against the Cavs. • Caron Butler, Wizards: 5 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and a steal on 1-of-7 shooting from the floor in just 18 minutes before leaving with a hamstring injury at halftime. • Marquis Daniels, Pacers: 8 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists on just 4-for-14 shooting from the floor in a loss to the Hawks.

It may be too little too late, but Monta Ellis put up a brilliant 29-point, 11-rebound, three-assist, one-steal effort in Friday's 119-110 victory over the Mavericks. This came off the heels of a 19-point, six-assist, one-steal performance in his return from a seven-game absence on Wednesday. With averages of 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and a steal in two games since his return, Ellis may finally be healthy enough to help fantasy owners for the stretch run. He was dropped in many leagues after his initial comeback attempt appeared to fail, and while it may be a long shot, you should certainly check to see if he's available in your league. There is no doubt that he's a risky guy to hang your hat on right now (particularly with Don Nelson running the show), but his upside is undeniable and he could finally be ready to reward fantasy owners who have been patient with him all season long.

Under the boards

Danny Granger's knee injury is proving to be even more worrisome than initially suspected. He missed his 10th consecutive game Friday as the Pacers are in the middle of a battle for the final playoff spot in the East. One would think that he'd be pushing it to come back for the playoff run, so he has to be hurting pretty bad if he can't go now. Marquis Daniels, who has played well in Granger's absence, couldn't step up against the Hawks finishing with just 8 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists on 4-for-14 shooting from the floor in 35 minutes. He didn't have his game last night, but should be fine going forward as long as Granger is out. … Antonio McDyess has been a rebounding machine as of late and on Friday in Toronto finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. He's getting some extra run with Rasheed Wallace sidelined and has averaged 12.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game over his past five. … Don't read too much into Andrea Bargnani's lack of minutes on Friday. He played just eight minutes before leaving early with the flu. In his absence, Chris Bosh went off for 27 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a loss to the Pistons. … Bargnani wasn't the only one suffering with the flu last night -- the bug also limited Kevin Love in Minnesota. Love finished with just six points and four rebounds, but did salvage the night by blocking four shots in just 26 minutes of action. … After struggling since the acquisition of Larry Hughes, Wilson Chandler is starting to get back into the grove with 24 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 3-pointers and a block on Friday night. His recent production seems to be coming at the expense of Al Harrington, who had just 12 points and three rebounds in 23 minutes. … With Chris Duhon hurting, Nate Robinson blew up for 25 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and a 3-pointer on Friday night. Robinson is going to be huge while Duhon mends.

Willie Solomon had 18 points with five 3-pointers and a steal in a loss to the Cavs on Friday. He played well while backing up Jose Calderon in Toronto and could have some sneaky value if the Kings decide to take a deeper look at him down the stretch. … Bobby Jackson has been playing well with Beno Udrih out, but he left Friday's contest with an undisclosed injury after 28 minutes. He still managed to put up 19 points with six rebounds, a steal and two 3-pointers, but check back later for a status on his injury. … Andris Biedrins saw just eight minutes before leaving with an ankle injury in a victory over the Mavericks. The injury gave Ronny Turiaf some extended run and Turiaf responded with 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in 25 minutes. If Biedrins' ankle injury lingers, Turiaf will be a nice pickup candidate for rebounds and blocks. … LeBron James had a monster game in an OT victory over the Kings, and while he was feeling it from the outside, Anderson Varejao was doing the dirty work on the inside. Varejao scored 18 points and pulled down 12 rebounds while adding a steal in 40 minutes and has averaged a solid 11.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 0.8 steals over his past five games. He will continue to log heavy minutes in the paint for the Cavs with Big Ben Wallace out of action. … It was the Leon Powe show for the Celtics on Friday night as Powe went off for 30 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks for the Celtics. Powe clearly has considerable upside with Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis out, but is still fairly inconsistent on a night-to-night basis. Still, Powe should be added as a short-term filler for points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage. … Caron Butler's balky hamstring is proving to be more than just a little worrisome for his owners. He left Friday's contest at halftime when the hammy tightened up and finished with just five points, two rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes. With Andray Blatche also departing early due to an injury, Dominic McGuire (42 minutes) and Nick Young (33 minutes) saw some extra run. McGuire had another versatile effort with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and a block while Young got hot for 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. McGuire may not score much, but he brings enough to the table in the scarce fantasy categories that he deserves a look in most leagues. He is averaging 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks in seven games in March. … With Hedo Turkoglu out, Mickael Pietrus blew up for 21 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 5 3-pointers in Friday's 112-103 victory over the Wizards. There's no way he'll keep this up once Turk returns, but there have been rumors that he'll regain his starting spot over Courtney Lee in the near future and last night's gem will only help his cause. Be sure to keep a close eye on his playing time after Hedo returns.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

Another game, another road win for the Cavaliers, another triple-double for The King.

LeBron James finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, three steals and three blocks in a game in which Cleveland entered the fourth quarter trailing (as they did on Tuesday at the Clippers) and made up all the ground they needed and more down the stretch to get the win. More significantly to the fantasy world, LeBron had his third consecutive triple-double. Over those three games, he hasn't only put up huge numbers in points, rebounds and assists, but he also has averaged two steals and two blocks as well.

I used this space Thursday to pay homage to the fantasy greatness of Chris Paul, who still is, at the moment, the best fantasy player in the land. LeBron is certainly in the conversation, though, and what he has done over the past three games statistically (despite not shooting well from the field) gives us a glimpse of that all-too-possible future in which LeBron throws up numbers like this for an entire season.

The fact that he's putting up better defensive stats this season is no fluke, either; he's absolutely killing himself on both ends of the floor, and it shows up in every sort of stat you can imagine. The Cavaliers are pretty much the best team in the league when he's on the floor and an unmitigated disaster when he's on the bench. According to 82games.com, there isn't any starter in the entire league with a lower opponent's player efficiency rating than LeBron. Not only is he the best overall player in the league, not only is he in many ways the best offensive player in the league (in terms of his ability to score and create looks for teammates), but he's also perhaps the best defensive player in the league.

All of which makes it more amazing how good Chris Paul is in terms of fantasy value. The fact that CP3's combination of stats can even compare to LeBron's, much less be favorable, is completely astonishing. Still, it doesn't take much imagination to wonder how soon LeBron might be averaging a triple-double for a whole season. If that happens, even Paul will have to take a back seat to the King.

Under the boards

THURSDAY, MARCH 12

HIGHLIGHTS

• Pau Gasol, Lakers: 23 points (10-for-15 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks against the Spurs. • Tony Parker, Spurs: 25 points (10-for-18 FG), 9 assists, 2 3-pointers against the Lakers. • Mo Williams, Cavaliers: 30 points, 6 3-pointers, 2 steals against the Suns.

LOWLIGHTS

• Derek Fisher, Lakers: 10 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals against the Spurs. • Roger Mason, Spurs: 7 points (3-for-9 FG), 3 assists, 0 rebounds, 0 steals against the Lakers. • Delonte West, Cavaliers: 6 points, 2 assists, 7 turnovers against the Suns.

After hardly playing for more than a week, Sasha Pavlovic managed 28 minutes against the Suns for the Cavs and scored 16 points. It's a fluke, though. He's too risky to start; when Delonte West is playing well, there are pretty much no minutes for Sasha. … Matt Barnes continues putting up great fantasy numbers, and he even led the Suns in minutes played against the Cavs. He should be owned in all formats at this point, but chances are he's available in your league anyway. … Here are Pau Gasol's numbers over his past five games: 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.6 blocks, 56 percent shooting from the floor, and 85 percent shooting from the line. Why isn't anyone talking about this guy? He's my favorite reason why Kobe shouldn't be the MVP; after all, Gasol was the best player on a 50-win team just a few seasons ago. Besides Manu Ginobili and Paul Pierce, Gasol is the best "second-best player" on a team in the league. … Michael Finley has been a great source of points and 3-pointers over the past few games (he had 25 points and five 3s against the Lakers), but remember that the stats will disappear once Ginobili comes back.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 37 points on 14-of-23 shooting, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks at the Rockets • Joe Johnson, Hawks: 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting and 9 assists against the Jazz. • Antonio McDyess, Pistons: 21 points, 22 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block against the Knicks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Mike Bibby, Knicks: 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting, 2 assists, 1 rebound against the Jazz. • Vince Carter, Nets: 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting, 2 rebounds, 2 assists against the Warriors. • Ben Gordon, Bulls: 4 points on 1-of-10 shooting, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers against the Magic.

It's easy to forget in all the talk about the MVP race that Chris Paul consistently is the best fantasy player in basketball. Take a look at his line from Wednesday night's game against the (admittedly terrible) Wizards: 30 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 11-of-16 shooting from the floor and 8 of 9 shots from the line. The most amazing thing about that line is that it isn't even that far out of the ordinary.

Despite the Hornets' major injury concerns -- Tyson Chandler has missed 22 games, Peja Stojakovic 10 and David West 6 -- Paul has his team sitting at 40 wins and 23 losses, just a half game out of third place in the Western Conference. Along with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, CP3 is part of a clear first tier of players, statistically speaking. However, Paul dominates statistically mostly as a distributor, which makes him markedly different from the types of players we usually see at the top of the fantasy charts. (Read John Hollinger's comparison of Chris Paul to Magic Johnson.)

In the wake of yet another triple-double, I want to remind everyone that although Paul should be in the MVP discussion along with LeBron, Kobe Bryant, Wade, and Dwight Howard, in the fantasy world, CP3 is the player whom we all should take with the first draft pick come next season, provided he doesn't get injured. Paul probably should be the top pick the year after that as well, which says something when you consider he's hitting his prime at the same time as LeBron.

Under the boards

The Jazz are still finding ways to give Paul Millsap plenty of minutes, so his value hasn't dried up too much since Carlos Boozer returned to the lineup. Millsap went for 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal in 30 minutes of action in a loss to the Hawks, and he should be able to duplicate those numbers pretty regularly. You can worry if his minutes start to fall below 30. … Mike Bibby is sinking like a rock. The Hawks managed to beat the Jazz, but Bibby was a total nonfactor. At this point, he's worth playing only against weak opponents until something changes. … Corey Maggette managed 18 points despite going 1-for-4 from the field against the Nets; he did it by going 16-for-20 from the foul line in just 31 minutes. … Leon Powe has averaged 18.3 points and 10.3 rebounds for the Celtics in his past three games. If those are numbers you need (he doesn't help much in other areas, though he has been hot from the foul line), he's worth playing until Glen Davis and Kevin Garnett return to action. … I told you all that Thaddeus Young was going to start playing well again, and there he was throwing up 29 points on 13-for-20 shooting from the floor against the Raptors on Wednesday. Again, I think he'll finish the season strong, and he deserves to be in your lineup. … The Knicks knocked off the Pistons in Detroit, but Chris Duhon had a terrible night and sat for most of the second half. He's just too beat up and isn't worth playing anymore. … Thabo Sefolosha is probably the best value out there. Nobody owns him, but he's a starter playing major minutes for the Thunder, and in his past five games he's averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.8 blocks. In the loss to Denver on Wednesday, Thabo was just 3-for-10 from the floor but had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

HIGHLIGHTS

• Larry Hughes, Knicks: 39 points (13-20 FG, 8-9 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 3-pointers, 4 steals against the Bucks. • LeBron James, Cavaliers: 32 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks at the Clippers. • Troy Murphy, Pacers: 23 points, 7 3-pointers, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals versus Utah.

LOWLIGHTS

• Chris Duhon, Knicks: 5 points (1-5 FG), 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 turnovers against Milwaukee. • Richard Jefferson, Bucks: 16 points (3-16 FG), 3 rebounds, 5 turnovers versus the Knicks. • Delonte West, Cavaliers: 2 points (1-6 FG), 1 rebound, 2 assists against the Clippers.

Sidelined for the previous 47 games with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, Chris Kaman made his return Tuesday night versus the Cavaliers, starting and logging 29 minutes. It was nice to see him suit up despite his team being well out of the playoff picture, and it was a nice surprise to see him immediately return to the starting lineup. His rust showed, with five fouls and four turnovers to just six points on 3-of-11 shooting and four rebounds, but that was to be expected. Before his injury, though, Kaman was off to a great start, averaging 13.9 points on 57.1 percent shooting, with 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

His arrival does create a logjam in the frontcourt, as Marcus Camby also returned from dealing with migraines and an earache that resulted in a loss of balance. Kaman and Camby, along with Zach Randolph and Al Thornton, give the Clippers four big men for three spots. Randolph is their most consistent offensive force, so you have to figure his role is safe, but Camby -- when healthy -- has been a beast, while Thornton can get most of his minutes as a 3.

Camby's skill set probably is the one most suited to coming off the bench, so his owners are holding their collective breath. While Kaman won't be able to average the 35-37 minutes he averaged over the past couple of seasons, he still can be of value in fantasy leagues with his rebounding and shot blocking. Those in deep leagues should run to pick him up, but shallow-leaguers can hold off and wait to see how things shake out or utilize him as a streamer for the stretch run. Another factor to weigh: With Kaman and Camby patrolling the middle for the entire game, the Clippers' woeful defense definitely should improve. They did manage to hold the Cavs to 87 points on 39 percent shooting, leading much of the game before a fourth-quarter collapse. With all their regular contributors healthy and back on the court, the Clips should play the spoiler down the stretch against unsuspecting teams.

Under the Boards

Andres Nocioni made his second consecutive start for the Kings, logging a team-high 43 minutes despite five fouls. He scored 16 points on 17 shots, and he definitely is getting an extended look as coach Kenny Natt shakes up the lineup. Despite being pushed to the bench, Francisco Garcia scored 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, including four 3-pointers, and chipped in his customary two blocks and one steal in 30 minutes. Nocioni has solidified himself as a solid short-term pickup, but as long as Garcia is hovering around 30 minutes per game, he will continue to contribute to your fantasy team, too. … Spencer Hawes has seen his value shoot up in recent games; with 20 points in 40 minutes versus the Thunder, he now is averaging 19.6 points and 39.4 minutes in his past three games. Like Nocioni, he had five fouls Tuesday -- and had nine combined fouls in his previous two games -- so the reins definitely have been let loose. He's shooting better than 51 percent from the field since the All-Star break, so this might be the beginning of quite a tear. … The Mavericks had a big win over the Suns, stretching their lead for the final playoff spot to five games, and Jose Juan Barea was a big factor. He got the start at shooting guard and scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting as Antoine Wright was pushed to small forward in place of Josh Howard. This allowed Jason Terry to flourish off the bench, adding 25 points. It will be interesting to see whether the moves become permanent. Barea normally is quite productive when he receives minutes, and there is a lot of uncertainty about the severity of Howard's ankle injury, so keep a close eye on the Mavs in the coming days. … It doesn't look like Paul Millsap is devoid of value quite yet, as he continues to flourish in a bench role, with 22 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes Tuesday. Carlos Boozer returned from a sprained ankle but struggled again with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting and four fouls in 28 minutes. His minutes might continue to be limited by fouls -- he's had at least four fouls in five of his seven games since returning from his knee injury -- and the Jazz really have no reason to force the issue with Millsap playing so well. … Chris Duhon had another stinker of a game, with as many turnovers as points, while Nate Robinson (32 points) and Larry Hughes (39 points) continue to play extremely well. While not ideal, both can take over most of the ballhandling duties, and now Duhon is seeing his playing time cut. You have to be happy about getting three months of fabulous production out of him, but he's wearing down and now's the time to cut him if you haven't done so already.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

MONDAY, MARCH 9

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ben Gordon, Bulls: 43 points (14-23 FG), 8 3-pointers against the Heat. • Joe Johnson, Hawks: 30 points, 4 3-pointers, 2 steals versus New Orleans. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 48 points (16-21 FG), 12 assists, 5 3-pointers, 4 steals, 3 blocks against Chicago.

LOWLIGHTS

• Tyson Chandler, Hornets: 2 points, 5 rebounds at Atlanta. • Tyrus Thomas, Bulls: 4 points, 5 rebounds in Miami. • Hedo Turkoglu, Magic: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists at Detroit.

From a fantasy perspective, Monday's Heat-Bulls David Lean-epic kerfuffle resembled one of those magical runs in craps where a hot shooter catches fire, building a burgeoning crowd of onlookers, providing a dizzying amount of numerical reward for all involved.

Of course, in this instance, Dwyane Wade was the hot shooter, extending the game into two extra sessions and 257 combined points before deciding he'd had enough and called it a night. Wade's version of "calling it a night" involved purloining John Salmons and canning the runner for 3 as the buzzer sounded.

Mr. Wade delivered a cornucopia of statistical goodness onto fantasy owners' laptops around the globe, allowing for four elite-level nights and seven additional fantasy-worthy efforts.

Lost in the shuffle was poor Ben Gordon, who seems to have recently mentally filed for free agency. In his past two contests, Gordon has shot 24-for-42 for 77 points and 12 3-pointers. And don't forget John Salmons, who parlayed 54 minutes into 29 points, two blocks and two assists (on only 10-for-24 shooting, but his owners will take it), and Derrick Rose, who scored 23 points but somehow managed only three assists. Up front, Joakim Noah (11 points, 15 rebounds) and Brad Miller (9 points, 10 rebounds) made the most of their time-share.

What made Wade's night all the more impressive was his ability to elevate his teammates' numbers. Yes, he scored 48, but he also dished out 12 assists, including a visceral alley-oop to Jamario Moon that constituted his third-most thrilling moment of the night. Moon (13 points, 2 blocks), Udonis Haslem (10 points, 8 rebounds), Jermaine O'Neal (11 points, 3 blocks, 2 steals), Mario Chalmers (17 points, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 3s), and Michael Beasley (18 points, 7 rebounds) all were beneficiaries of Wade's heroics.

Oh, and in case I forgot, both teams also combined to shoot 84 percent from the line (62-for-74). All around, an astounding amount of "Better Basketball," that is, unless you're Tyrus Thomas (4 points, 4 fouls).

Under the Boards

Hornets-Hawks was calibrated, its defense at playoff-level intensity, making for an ugly game with some uglier field goal percentages (a combined 40 percent from the field). David West still supplemented his meager 16 points with 20 rebounds. … Marvin Williams sat due to the back injury he sustained Saturday and could be out for the near future. … The Pistons are rolling without Allen Iverson (and Rasheed Wallace, who left early with a calf strain). Richard Hamilton (29 points) tallied a career-high 14 assists, including a shockingly beautiful feed to Jason Maxiell for a dunk. Antonio McDyess turned back the clock with 13 points and 18 rebounds. … Dwight Howard continued his binge of double-doubles with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. … Javaris Crittendon (two points) finally got a start at point guard for the Wizards, but didn't land on the fantasy radar as distinctly as I'd hoped. … The Timberwolves are tough to watch without Al Jefferson, but are putting up some nice numbers. Kevin Love (16 points, 11 rebounds) is finding some consistency in Al Jefferson's absence. Sebastian Telfair (14 points, 6 assists) has put together the best month of his career. Unfortunately, Randy Foye had to be carried to the locker room with an ankle sprain. Consider him day-to-day. … Caron Butler (27 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) cracked a double-double for the first time since February 8. … Aaron Brooks (19 points) rebounded from Sunday's Shaq collision and continued to make his time-share with Kyle Lowry look like a poor choice of substitution patterns. … Joel Przybilla (12 points, 18 rebounds) and the Blazers took it to the Lakers in Portland. … Supersub Travis Outlaw scored 22 points in 25 minutes. … Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom might find themselves on the sidelines for a game or so in the wake of Ariza's decidedly flagrant foul on Rudy Fernandez. It was a scary moment, but I'm betting Fernandez (11 points) will be back sooner than later.

John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

Fantasy hoops owners and commentators spend a fair amount of time wondering whether Dwight Howard's free-throw shooting makes him toxic for fantasy. But have you seen Josh Smith lately?

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 34 points (13-24 FG, 8-8 FT), 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks versus Wizards. • Mike Conley, Grizzlies: 31 points (14-21 FG), 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 3-pointers versus 76ers. • Eric Gordon, Clippers: 35 points (12-18 FG), 6 assists, 5 3-pointers and 2 steals versus Pacers.

LOWLIGHTS

• Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cavaliers: 4 points (2-8 FG) and 4 rebounds versus Heat. • Marvin Williams, Hawks: 4 points (2-8 FG), 3 rebounds and 2 steals versus Pistons. • Chris Duhon, Knicks: 5 points (2-4 FG) and 3 assists versus Bobcats.

A night after Hawks coach Mike Woodson benched him for the second half, Smith was one of Saturday's standouts, putting up 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks against Detroit. It had been exactly a month since his last double-double.

But perhaps the best thing about this performance, for Smith owners, was that J-Smoov went 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. Let's just say that represents significant improvement for him.

Over his previous six games going into Saturday, Smith was 2-of-16 from the stripe. No, I didn't neglect to put a "1" in front of that "2." He really missed 14 out of 16 free throws. What's more, in an 18-game span from Jan. 28 through Friday, Smith made just 20 of 65 foul shots (30.7 percent). With that confoundingly frigid spell, Smith is shooting 56.0 percent for the season. And yes, that means he's fallen behind Howard and his 60.9 percent success rate.

Of course, for fantasy, Howard still does far more damage in this category, because he gets to the line 10.9 times a night. Smith averages only 4.9 free-throw attempts in 2008-09, and since the All-Star break he's slipped to 3.2 tries per game.

The other difference between Smith and Howard is that while Howard will probably be a 60 percent foul shooter the rest of the way, Josh, as a 70 percent career foul shooter before this season, at least offers the potential to do much better.

Mark Price, the NBA's career leader in free-throw percentage and current Hawks shooting consultant, said as much the other day, though the way he said it wasn't super-reassuring.

"I was with Josh Smith the other day in practice, and he made 91 out of 100," Price said. "Then he goes into the game, and he misses one, he misses two, and it becomes a mental hurdle. It's been a work in progress, for sure."

Yikes. I'm not being snarky, and I don't mean to be alarmist, but did anyone else read that quote and think of this guy?

Under the boards

Saturday was a night of, um, many happy returns. After missing four games with a sore shoulder, Eric Gordon dropped 35 points and five triples on the Pacers. Mike Conley chipped a tooth the other night but bounced back with a career-high 31 points against the Sixers. And three who sat Friday -- Stephen Jackson (23 points, 11 assists), Corey Maggette (22 points, five assists, five boards) and Randy Foye (23 points, including 10-of-10 from the line) -- played and produced Saturday. But out of this group, take note of Gordon, who's inexplicably available in almost 40 percent of ESPN.com leagues, and Conley, who can be had in more than 80 percent of leagues. That's some serious free-agent help there. … Any team with Chris Paul (21 points, 13 assists and six steals versus the Thunder) slashing through the lane is going to have some free looks on the perimeter. And that brings us to Rasual Butler. With 20 points Saturday, Butler is averaging 17.4 points, 2.4 3s and 49.7 percent shooting since the All-Star break. At 90 percent availability, the 29-year-old swingman is looking roster-worthy for most fantasy formats. … A night after playing all but the last 67 seconds at Detroit, Anthony Randolph racked up five fouls and five turnovers in 21 minutes at Milwaukee. It's impossible not to be intrigued by the kid's abilities -- over his past nine he's averaging 8.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 rejections -- but with Kelenna Azubuike's pending return, Randolph's minutes should slip back to the mid-teens.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

I don't own Josh Smith in any fantasy leagues; not because I didn't like him entering the season, but mostly because the logistics didn't work out. He was either gone before I picked in the late first round, or gone before my pick came up in the mid-to-late second round. Boy did I get lucky. Don't get me wrong, Smith is still having a fine fantasy season with 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, but those numbers are well below our expectations for the season, as his game has regressed in nearly every relevant fantasy category -- particularly from the free throw line, where he's hitting just 55 percent of his attempts on the year. What's worse is that he's struggling more and more as the season progresses. Last month he averaged just 12.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.8 blocks and so far this month (four games) he's averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 1.3 blocks. Again, those are decent numbers for your regular run-of-the-mill fantasy player, but they're certainly not late-first-round, early-second-round material, if you ask me.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwyane Wade, Heat: 42 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 3-pointers while adding a steal and a block on 17-for-23 shooting from the floor. • Steve Nash, Suns: 32 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists, 4 3-pointers and a steal on 14-for-27 shooting from the floor in a 114-112 loss to the Rockets. • Deron Williams, Jazz: 25 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists and 2 blocks in a 97-91 victory over the Nuggets.

LOWLIGHTS

• Jose Calderon, Raptors: 3 points and 6 assists on 1-of-6 shooting from the floor in a loss to the Heat. • Tim Duncan, Spurs: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and 5 turnovers in just 18 minutes in a blowout victory over the Wizards. • Nene, Nuggets: 10 points, 4 rebounds and a steal on just 2-for-7 shooting from the floor in 38 minutes.

The frustrations over his poor play must have come to a head last night, as Smith and head coach Mike Woodson apparently got into a heated argument at halftime (which reportedly could be heard in the hallway outside the locker room) that resulted in Smith's taking a seat on the bench for the entire second half. Smith finished the contest with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in just 21 minutes of play and the Hawks lost to the Bobcats, making this their seventh loss in the past 10 games.

I cannot pretend to tell you how this will affect his play going forward. It could either motivate him (think Carmelo Anthony's big night after the suspension), or it could send his season into a deeper tailspin. It's not a good sign that both Smith and Woodson refused to speak to the media after the game, and one has to wonder if he'll receive further discipline as a result of the argument. I don't know about you, but this situation would make me very nervous if I were relying on Smith to carry my team the rest of the way.

Under the Boards

Chris Bosh owners can thank Shaquille O'Neal for keeping their star player motivated for the rest of the season. Since Shaq's "RuPaul" comment, Bosh has gone out and dominated with an average of 29.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks over his past three games. Bosh scored 34 against the Heat on Friday night and will probably be looking to prove Shaq wrong the rest of the way. … Don't get too concerned about Brook Lopez's poor scoring effort Friday. Lopez finished with just eight points and six rebounds in 24 minutes -- he got into early foul trouble going up against Dwight Howard. That will happen to the best of them, but Lopez's owners have to be happy that he was still able to create two steals and block three shots in the loss. … Rajon Rondo gave us a scare when he left briefly with an ankle injury, but he returned to the court to score six points while handing out 10 assists and two steals in 30 minutes. … The Warriors were missing Stephen Jackson (hamstring), Corey Maggette (ankle), Kelenna Azubuike (back) and Andris Biedrins (personal) on Friday, which explains why you'll see a bunch of minutes from Marco Belinelli, Anthony Randolph, Rob Kurz, Jermareo Davidson and Anthony Morrow in last night's box score. Don Nelson is too fickle with his lineup to rely on any of these players despite the fact that he's trying to give his younger guys more time on the court. The only one that excites me among that group is Randolph, but I'm still not rushing out to the wire to pick him up anytime soon. … The Pistons have found their groove since Allen Iverson went down with a back injury, and Rodney Stuckey is a big reason why. Stuckey went for 14 points, eight assists and three steals Friday night and has finally put his slump behind him. I'm thinking that he's safe to rely on the rest of the way, but there's still a risk that he could be negatively affected upon AI's return. … Aaron Brooks shook off a few poor outings to score 30 points with three assists and four 3-pointers in a 114-112 victory over the Suns. Brooks will be inconsistent, but he's still a fine addition for anyone looking for point guard stats this late in the season. … Matt Barnes got another start for the Suns and responded with 17 points, nine rebounds, four 3-pointers and a steal in the loss to the Rockets. Now that he's in the starting lineup, Barnes is a must-add for anyone in need of 3-point shooting. … As he's been known to do when Luke Ridnour is injured, Ramon Sessions went off for 20 points and 11 assists after Ridnour left Friday's contest early with a shoulder injury. Sessions always lights it up when Ridnour is out, but he is mediocre when Ridnour is able to stay on the court. Keep that in mind before getting too excited about Friday's line. … It's nice to see Joakim Noah continue to rebound and block some shots despite the arrival of Brad Miller. Noah grabbed 13 boards and blocked a shot in 25 minutes against the Bucks on Friday and is a solid addition for fantasy owners looking to bolster their front line for the stretch run. … Randy Foye missed Friday's tilt with the Lakers with a hip pointer, but Mike Miller could not get anything done in his absence. Miller went just 0-for-4 from the floor and finished with zero points in 32 minutes. Thankfully, he was able to salvage some fantasy value by grabbing five rebounds and handing out nine assists. … Sebastian Telfair returned to the court for the Wolves and had 18 points in 28 minutes of action. Go ahead and scoop him up if he was dropped in your league, as Bassy was averaging a solid 11.8 points, 5.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.4 3-pointers before the injury.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

Carmelo Anthony's 38 points in 38 minutes against the Trail Blazers are a great sign going forward for the Nuggets and for Anthony's fantasy owners. I've written about Carmelo quite a bit this season, mainly because he has been largely disappointing, and being disappointing, in some cases, makes you a great value going forward. You take value where you can find it, and when someone who everyone agrees can be one of the best 10 players in the league is underachieving, it's worth the time it takes to consider what might be going on.

In Anthony's case, for whatever reason, I've chosen to believe this season has been filled with good signs in the midst of all the bad ones. For one, his struggles have come on the offensive end; his field-goal and free-throw percentages are as low as they've been in four seasons. But on the other side of the coin, he has become an improved passer and defender, and for the second straight season we've seen him make strides toward becoming the strong rebounder so many people thought he would be. That's not to mention the fact that Anthony doesn't turn 25 until May.

I take this 38-point showing as a sign things could really come together for Anthony and the Nuggets during the final month or so of the season. Perhaps his one-game suspension was a wake-up call that he needs to be more engaged. For years, I've been telling anyone and everyone I know that Anthony would lead the league in scoring at some point during his career; interestingly, that seems more far-fetched than ever even though he should be entering his prime in the next couple of seasons. Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, even Danny Granger and Al Jefferson all seem like more reasonable bets, perhaps, at this point. Still, at his best, Anthony is just about as good as most of those guys, and I think he's going to show it for the rest of this season and into the playoffs.

Under the Boards

I was excited to see Julian Wright get the start in place of Peja Stojakovic, who was out with back spasms for the Hornets. Wright has the tools to be a fantasy monster someday, but being trapped behind James Posey and Stojakovic has killed his numbers this season after an extremely promising rookie season. For now, he's irrelevant. If you see his minutes start clicking up toward 30, he might be worth a prospective add for the stretch run. … Tough night for the Mavericks, who followed up their big win against the Spurs (in which they were torched by Tony Parker but won anyway) with a big loss on the road to the Hornets (in which they were torched by Chris Paul and got crushed). I don't know what to make of either of these teams over the long haul, but I'll just say again here that you need to start your point guards against Jason Kidd. He's giving up huge games these days. … Steve Blake is not playing well lately, and it showed last night for the Trail Blazers. Blake is averaging just 8.2 points and 4.0 assists on 35 percent shooting from the floor in his past five games. The starting point guard on a team with this many weapons should be a major fantasy asset, but with Blake, I'm of the opinion that you shouldn't even play him most nights.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rudy Gay, Grizzlies: 35 points (9-9 FT), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals against the Clippers. • Paul Pierce, Celtics: 31 points (12-14 FG), 5 assists versus New Jersey. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 35 points, 6 rebounds, 16 assists against the Suns.

LOWLIGHTS

• Steve Blake, Trail Blazers: 9 points (2-9 FG), 2 assists against Indiana. • Jamal Crawford, Warriors: 11 points (4-15 FG), 1 rebound, 1 assist in 35 minutes versus Chicago. • Michael Finley, Spurs: 5 points (2-8 FG) in 37 minutes against the Mavericks.

We are witnessing what seems to be a brief Larry Hughes renaissance in New York during the past week. On Wednesday, he put up 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals against the Hawks. In retrospect, the renaissance doesn't feel all that surprising. After all, the Knicks have turned a mediocre talent like Chris Duhon into a fantasy stud in one season; imagine what Mike D'Antoni can do for a talent like Hughes. The problem, of course, is that we always forget how talented Hughes is because he's always injured and can't shoot.

Hughes hasn't posted a PER (Player Efficiency Rating) above the league average of 15 since 2004-05, but that season he put up a 21.63, which proves that he has been an All-Star caliber player in the past. Sadly, that feels like a past life at this point. That season was a long time ago, and Hughes has now slid onto the wrong side of 30. Still, in an up-tempo offense in which he's surrounded by players who can all handle the ball and score, Hughes still has the natural ability to be an important fantasy commodity.

Looking ahead toward next season, Hughes is an interesting case. New York is still trying to shed salary, so for the moment one would have to expect that Hughes' salary of $13.7 million coming off the books after next season is a commodity the Knicks will want to hang on to. Playing for Mike D'Antoni in a system with lots of possessions means that as long as Hughes gets minutes, he's going to score points and be a good source of steals. He'll hurt your field goal percentage, but he won't really hurt you anyplace else.

For this season, I think he's worth picking up. His minutes will get cut a bit once Nate Robinson and Jared Jeffries are back in the lineup, but the bottom line is that Hughes actually does deserve to get minutes on that team, and as long as that happens, he's going to be a helpful fantasy player in all formats.

Under the Boards

Well, we said Al Horford would have a big night against the Knicks, and he did, going for 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks while shooting 9-for-14 from the floor. By all means, start your centers against the Knicks. I promise that the Al Harrington/David Lee/Wilson Chandler combination will not deter anyone from a monster game. … It's nights like Wednesday, when LeBron James throws it into cruise control and puts up 23 points on 11 shots in 33 minutes, that you realize just how terrifyingly good at basketball he is. … Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is putting up 10.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, a steal and a block per game while going 14-for-19 from the floor overall in his past three games. Those are helpful numbers that you can absolutely grab off the waiver wire right now. If you're holding on to someone worse, you have to ask yourself, why? … Huge night in Miami for just about everyone on the Suns and Heat. You can't take much away from this, because the teams combined for 264 points in regulation, but it's yet another reason to play as many people as possible against the Suns these days. … Ignore that 3-for-11 shooting from the floor and Joakim Noah had a phenomenal night against the Warriors (which is to be expected). He went for 14 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks. He had a great game against the Rockets about a week ago, too. If he can string together a few of these in a row, I think we'll know we're on to something legit. … Dallas got some lucky shooting down the stretch to hold off the Spurs, but it was pretty jarring watching Tony Parker just get whatever shot he wanted for the final three minutes of the game. If it weren't for a Jason Kidd trey from the corner with 31 seconds to play, I think the Spurs probably would have won the game. Make sure you start your point guards when they are going up against Kidd; he simply can't keep up any more.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 3

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rashard Lewis, Magic: 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 3-pointers against Phoenix. • Brook Lopez, Nets: 24 points (9-12 FG, 6-7 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 blocks versus Milwaukee. • Troy Murphy, Pacers: 23 points (8-12 FG), 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 3-pointers, 2 steals, 2 blocks against the Kings.

LOWLIGHTS

• Kenyon Martin, Nuggets: 6 points (3-13 FG), 3 rebounds, 4 assists against Detroit. • John Salmons, Bulls: 9 points (4-13 FG), 4 rebounds, 1 assist versus Charlotte. • Gerald Wallace, Bobcats: 10 points (4-11 FG), 4 rebounds against the Bulls.

Don Nelson has been irking fantasy owners with his decision to bench one of his starters each game to free up playing time for his younger players and, indeed, nearly did it again on Tuesday, threatening Corey Maggette's status before relenting at the last minute.

Maggette was fine and had his usual game -- 16 points off the bench -- but lost in the criticism of Nelson is the effect he's had on Stephen Jackson's production over the past month. Nelson has leaned on his captain especially hard recently, running him out for an unbelievable 44 minutes a game in February. Jackson responded with the best month of his life: 27.3 points, 8.1 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 2.6 3-pointers and 2.1 steals on 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 83.8 percent from the free-throw line.

That didn't stop Nelson from passing up Jackson in his rotational benchings, as he sat out Sunday's contest versus the Jazz, but Captain Jack had no problem resuming his lofty level of play, pouring in 23 points, to go along with seven rebounds and six assists in just 29 minutes in a blowout of the Timberwolves. You could make a convincing argument that, if anything, Nelson's love for Jackson should be tempered -- he averaged more than four turnovers in February and was struggling to clear 40 percent from the field before his outburst -- but fantasy owners couldn't care less as Jackson has leapfrogged into the stratosphere just in time for his owners to make a playoff push.

It's difficult to assess how sustainable such production is -- eight assists per game, really? -- but he has also defied expectations since Day 1. Jamal Crawford is the only other capable ball-handler, and he's not high on Nelson's list of priorities; the majority of Jackson's extra shot attempts and assists have come at the expense of Crawford. There's also no telling how much gas is left in Jackson's 30-year-old body, as he's been leading the league in minutes per game all season long. Nonetheless, it's not often you see a player put in a statistical month that even LeBron James would blush at, and it's one worth standing back for a second and praising.

Under the Boards

It hasn't taken long for Rodney Stuckey to reemerge in the wake of Allen Iverson's back injury, as Tuesday was the third consecutive game he shot 50 percent or better; he finished with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, converting 9-of-10 free throws. All three of those games were big wins, too: two road wins against the Magic and Celtics, and a win against the Nuggets. Iverson's injury may or may not be serious, but it's probably safe to assume he'll come off the bench upon his return either way. … Shawn Marion bounced back from the flu to pick up his fourth double-double with his new team, contributing 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals. On the downside, Marion hasn't hit a 3-pointer since Jan. 7, but the move to Toronto has increased his assists to help cover the loss, as he's now averaging 3.8 per game if you toss out his six-minute Dallas game when he had the flu. … With 20 points and 16 rebounds versus the Raptors, Luis Scola extended his double-digit scoring streak to 10, which -- surprise, surprise -- has coincided with Tracy McGrady shutting it down for the season. Even the return of Carl Landry, who scored 22 off the bench, hasn't affected Scola, as the Rockets have no choice but to emphasize their frontcourt. Considering the team is 8-1 without T-Mac, though, it's turning out to be a blessing in disguise. … Danny Granger is prepping for a possible return Wednesday, but in the meantime Jarrett Jack continued his strong play, scoring 26 points against the Kings, his fourth 20-plus effort in five games. Granger will push either Jack or Marquis Daniels (18 points, but 7-of-18 from the field) to the bench. Jack's size works against him, but the Pacers are still within striking distance of the playoffs and have to prioritize performance. Jack also has been a much better player as a starter, averaging 15.2 points, 4.3 assists and shooting 47.9 percent in 34 opportunities.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

MONDAY, MARCH 2

HIGHLIGHTS

• LeBron James, Cavaliers: 42 points (10-10 FT), 8 rebounds, 6 3-pointers at Miami. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 41 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 steals versus Cleveland. • Russell Westbrook, Thunder: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists against the Mavericks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Michael Beasley, Heat: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers against the Cavaliers. • Samuel Dalembert, 76ers: 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block versus New Orleans. • Peja Stojakovic, Hornets: 6 points, 3 rebounds against the 76ers.

Last night's marquee matchup of Cavaliers-Heat promised a great individual matchup. After all, in 18 head-to-head appearances, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have averaged 29 and 27 points, respectively. But what fantasy owners got out of LeBron-Wade was one of the great one-on-one fantasy events in recent history. And yes, it's past the trade deadline in many leagues, and there's nothing opposing owners can do but stop and stare, but the sheer statistical magnitude of the evening demands closer inspection.

First off, both players cleared the 40-point barrier while hitting better than 50 percent from the floor (James: 42 points on 13-of-21 shooting; Wade: 41 points, 16-for-30). How many other instances this season have there been two players who scored at least 40 in the same game? One, on Jan. 23, when Eric Gordon and Kevin Durant went for 87 combined points. Before that -- in non-overtime games -- you have to go back to 2007 with Deron Williams and Josh Howard.

This was the second time James and Wade both cracked 40 in the same game, but what edges last night toward history are the numbers beyond the point totals.

LeBron also drained six of his seven 3-pointers, went 10-for-10 from the line, grabbed eight rebounds, collected four assists and added a steal and a block for good measure. D-Wade was even better, adding nine assists, seven rebounds, two 3-pointers and a mind-blowing seven steals. According to ESPN's research team, the last player to hit those totals (throwing in the 42 points) in the same game: Michael Jordan. And Wade did all this in the wake of Friday's personal destruction of the Knicks (46 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists).

All of this occurred on the anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, which is still the greatest single box score in NBA history (36-for-63 from the field, 28-for-32 from the line, 25 rebounds). Now that would have been a nice way for an owner to have started his or her week.

Under the boards

It was impossible to ignore the gaudiness of the LeBron-Wade matchup, but Nenad Krstic's line (26 points, six rebounds) almost took up the same amount of fantasy importance. Why? Because Krstic is available in approximately 99 percent more leagues than Wade or James, and is center-eligible. He's clearly gained the upper hand on Nick Collison, but it remains to be seen if he can keep this up once Jeff Green returns. … Speaking of underowned players, Rasual Butler (16 points, 10 rebounds, 3-of-5 3-pointers) outplayed Peja Stojakovic yet again. … Marvin Williams attempted a team-high 15 shots versus the Wizards. A night in which Williams outshoots Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby is about as rare as a Luis Scola block, but it's an encouraging sign for owners as the Hawks enter the stretch drive. … Dominic McGuire (6 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 1 block) compiled about three-quarters of a triple-double, as he continues to post diverse yet unsizzling stat lines. I realize most people would be happier with a 20-point, three-rebound type of game, but McGuire is the kind of player who gives you a solid foundation week in, week out without needing a ton of field goal attempts. Sort of an anti-Marvin Williams. … Another player producing a la McGuire: Delonte West, who attempted only six shots but still had a decent night (8 points, 6 assists, 2 3-pointers, 5 steals, 1 block). … Roger Mason had an Antoine Walker-esque shooting night (1-for-9), but still contributed nine rebounds and five assists. … Andray Blatche (12 points, 4 rebounds) has seen his minutes climb back into the 30-minute range, but I wonder if he's going to round out what's been a pretty nice season in a time-share with JaVale McGee (14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks). … Jamario Moon (11 points, 8 rebounds) didn't record a steal or a block, but came close to a double-double, and more importantly, played 37 minutes. … Josh Howard reinjured his balky ankle and left early with only seven points.

John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 1

HIGHLIGHTS

• Matt Barnes, Suns: 26 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 3-pointers, 3 steals against the Lakers. • Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 49 points, 11 rebounds, 3 3-pointers against Phoenix. • Shaquille O'Neal, Suns: 33 points (13-18 FG), 7 rebounds, 3 assists versus the Lakers.

LOWLIGHTS

• Ray Allen, Celtics: 10 points (2-10 FG), no 3-pointers versus Detroit. • Mike Bibby, Hawks: 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists against the Cavaliers. • Kevin Love, Timberwolves: 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks against Houston.

Troy Murphy's season for the ages continued Sunday night, when he finished with 22 points, 18 rebounds, four 3-pointers, two steals and a block. Despite his staggering numbers, Murphy still isn't getting the credit he deserves this season, both in the fantasy game and for his actual play for the Pacers. He's ranked 20th on the Player Rater for the season and fourth in the past 30 days, and if he finishes with more than 11 rebounds and two 3s, both of which he is currently averaging and should continue to do so, he'd be the first to achieve the feat this decade. (I couldn't even find the last player to do so.) Don't view Murphy as a sell-high or a fluke; with Danny Granger's injury looking like it's going to take a while to heal, Murphy should continue posting monster games on a consistent basis. Even though he isn't viewed this way by the general fantasy public, Murphy is a top-20 player.

Under the Boards

Tim Duncan returned to action after missing three games with a sore knee, and came off the bench to score 14 points with four rebounds and three steals. His return was questionable, and the fact he came off the bench and posted a pedestrian performance makes me feel like he's gonna go off in his next game. He'll undoubtedly return to the Spurs' starting lineup and should already be back in yours. … Mo Williams and Delonte West seem primed to trade off good games, which is simply painful for owners of either player. Sunday was Mo's night, as he scored 20 points with four 3s, coming off a nine-point performance Friday night. … Matt Barnes went off for 26 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, five 3s and three steals, and I'm a huge fan of how his skill set translates to the fantasy game. I drafted him in most leagues believing he'd thrive in the Suns' offense, and though it's taken awhile, he's scored in double figures in five of the past six games and is definitely worth a pickup if you're looking for a player with upside. … Jason Terry returned with a glove on his hand and scored just eight points off the bench. It'll be a gradual process for the sharpshooter to be 100 percent effective, and I'd wait until he posts a big game before getting him back in your lineup. … Stephen Jackson was the latest victim of Don Nelson's "I'll randomly bench veterans for entire games" experiment. It's unpredictable and shouldn't affect anybody's value too significantly, although it should put a chip on S-Jax's shoulder and he should come out gunning next game. … Chris Andersen snared another 12 boards and blocked three shots, and at this point he's worth owning in nearly all formats. … Craig Smith scored 20 points with six rebounds off the bench, his second straight night with double-digit points. Even though Ryan Gomes benefits more from Al Jefferson's absence, it's opened up playing time for Smith, too, and he's done well with it recently. … Allen Iverson missed Sunday's game, allowing Richard Hamilton to go off for 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Iverson is set to return on Tuesday, however, so closely monitor how Rip's stats respond. … Paul Millsap had 17 points, six rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes off the bench, and even though he's far from the double-double machine he was earlier in the season with Carlos Boozer starting, he's still a solid play. … Chris Bosh owners are undoubtedly pleased with his 28 points and 10 rebounds Sunday night, although the 40-plus minutes of play came with Shawn Marion sitting on the bench for all but six minutes of the game with the flu. I'm still wary of what his value will be for the rest of the season, and advise looking at the games in which Marion was in the lineup as a better indication of what to expect from Bosh.

Josh Whitling is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

Here's a riddle: Imagine the world's unluckiest fantasy hoops owner. Then compile the list of high-profile players who are either out for the season, or maybe (in the case of Andrew Bynum) only out 'til the playoffs: Amare Stoudemire, Al Jefferson, Michael Redd, Jameer Nelson, Elton Brand, Andrew Bogut, Tracy McGrady, Mike Dunleavy and Bynum.

SATURDAY, FEB. 28

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwyane Wade, Heat: 46 points (16-29 FG, 12-12 FT), 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks and 2 3-pointers versus Knicks. • Ron Artest, Rockets: 32 points (13-24 FG), 6 rebounds, 6 3s and 3 steals at Chicago. • Zach Randolph, Clippers: 33 points (12-21 FG) and 9 rebounds versus Bobcats.

LOWLIGHTS

• Dwight Howard, Magic: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks at Philadelphia. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 16 points (4-16 FG) and 4 rebounds at Miami. • Recuperating Jazz players: 12 points, 8 rebounds combined for Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko versus Kings.

Now, how many of these guys do you think our hypothetical, bad-penny carrying owner drafted? I'll say six. Given their respective draft positions going into the 2008-09, it's hard to imagine any owner drafting Stoudemire, Jefferson and Brand. In fact it's hard to imagine any team coming out of draft day with two of those three. But I can picture a team with one of those guys, plus Redd, Jammy and either Bogut or possibly Bynum as a second center. And I can picture this owner getting cute and taking a mid-round flyer on T-Mac and/or a late-round flyer on Dunleavy.

When you think of the thousands of fantasy hoops leagues out there, odds are this pitiful dude actually exists. And you just know that, on top of all those guys, his roster has to include Luol Deng.

Yep. It appears Deng is the latest star player to have his season cut short. He had a decent run from mid-January to early February, but his numbers haven't been good since then. Apparently his shin has been bothering him these past few weeks. The Bulls probably should have been on this before now.

In the second quarter of Saturday's game with Houston, Deng went to the bench and didn't return. According to the Chicago Tribune, postgame X-rays showed a likely stress fracture of the right tibia. An MRI is pending, but it's looking like Deng's season is over.

If Deng is done, John Salmons owners likely benefit. Salmons was coming off the bench in Chicago, and he hadn't played more than 32 minutes in his first four games with the Bulls. His stats weren't special Saturday, but he did see 39 minutes of action. Expect him to start from here. I'd also take note of what Derrick Rose did against the Rockets: 16 points in the fourth quarter, 22 points, eight boards, seven assists and three steals overall. I think Rose is headed for a big finish. It's just a hunch, but when it comes to the supremely talented, I'll play hunches.

Under the boards

Apparently Larry Hughes is good to go in New York. After seeing only about 15 minutes in each of his first three games with the Knicks, Hughes went for 25 points Friday at Philadelphia. Then Saturday at Miami, he started at shooting guard and finished with 19 points, including four triples. Hughes is available in more than 90 percent of ESPN.com leagues but probably not for long at this rate. … Maybe it's a result of Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko still trying to get to full speed after their injuries, but what ever the reason, Ronnie Brewer has been terrific lately. After his career-high 26 points against the Kings, he's averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in six games since the All-Star break. And Brewer is still available in more than 20 percent of leagues. … While we're on that Kings-Jazz game, Rashad McCants loves to shoot. That tendency didn't go over well in Minnesota, but the Kings want to see what their newly acquired player can do. And McCants has scored 17 and 12 points while getting two steals in each of his past two games. He's available in more than 85 percent of leagues. … I've been touting Courtney Lee as a deep-league find for a while, but that 18-point, 4-trey showing at Philly is an aberration. The Magic were down double digits in the fourth quarter, Dwight Howard was in foul trouble and guys were at least guarding Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. So Lee chucked 3-pointers -- 12 in all -- and went 6-for-18 overall. Don't expect that to happen again; Lee hadn't attempted more than 11 field goals in a game all season. Still, he's now reached double figures in five straight. In leagues of 12 or more teams, Lee can pad your numbers in 3s and steals.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

Stephon Marbury saw only 12 minutes of action in his Celtics debut, but he was actually somewhat impressive despite the limited minutes with eight points, two assists and a steal in relief of Rajon Rondo. Marbury, who is owned in 9.2 percent of fantasy leagues, has been making his way up ESPN.com's Most Added list with a plus-two percentage change since his release from New York. Forgive me for the pessimism, but I'm not sure why owners are feeling the need to run out and acquire a backup point guard who will struggle to earn playing time as long as Rondo is healthy. Perhaps Marbury will have some value when April rolls around and Doc Rivers decides to rest his starters for the playoff run, but he's certainly not worth a pickup right now, especially not when better point guard options are readily available. Instead of jumping the gun on Steph, owners needing point guard stats should consider adding starters like Jarrett Jack (28.4 percent owned), Mike Conley (19.9 percent owned), Aaron Brooks (8.4 percent owned) and even Sebastian Telfair (3.6 percent owned).

Under the boards

FRIDAY, FEB. 27

HIGHLIGHTS

• Al Horford, Hawks: 21 points, 22 rebounds and a block on 8-for-14 shooting from the floor in a victory over the Heat. • Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 41 points, 9 rebounds and a 3-pointer on 16-for-30 shooting from the floor and 8-for-10 shooting from the line. • Shaquille O'Neal, Suns: 45 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and a block on 20-for-25 shooting from the floor.

LOWLIGHTS

• Mike Bibby, Hawks: 0 points, 2 assists on 0-for-7 shooting from the floor in just 18 minutes while battling flu-like symptoms. • Luol Deng, Bulls: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal on 2-for-8 shooting from the floor in 30 minutes. • Sebastian Telfair, Timberwolves: 2 points, 2 assists and 3 turnovers on 0-for-5 shooting in 21 minutes of action.

In our obligatory injury news, Kevin Durant scored just six points before leaving in the first quarter with a sprained right ankle. He left the arena on crutches and there is still no word on a timetable for his return. This is obviously a devastating blow to his owners as Durant was averaging 33.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.9 3-pointers this month. Jeff Green (28 points), Russell Westbrook (33 points) and Thabo Sefolosha (12 points) stand to benefit the most if Durant is forced to miss more time. … John Salmons had his best game as a Bull with 25 points in 31 minutes and is suddenly starting to earn more playing time for Vinny Del Negro. It's looking like Salmons will actually be alright going forward, but he still won't have the same value he had in Sacramento. Chicago is just too deep now and the stats will be spread out. Take Luol Deng, for instance. Deng scored just four points despite logging 30 minutes. That's just not going to cut it. … Those in deeper leagues will want to keep an eye on Dominic McGuire in Washington. On Friday, McGuire had his third double-double in his past five games with 10 points, 11 rebounds, plus a steal and three blocks and is now averaging 9.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over his past five. … The Pistons finally got back on the winning track and they did it without Allen Iverson thanks to big nights from Rodney Stuckey (22 points) and Richard Hamilton (31 points, 6 assists, 3 steals). Stuckey had been struggling mightily in recent action so his owners will have to hope that he can build on this success. Some folks have grown tired of his poor play, but I do not recommend dropping him just yet as he has enough talent to turn things around down the stretch. … Brandon Rush continued to show flashes of brilliance with 17 points and three 3-pointers against the Celtics on Friday night. Rush has a ton of upside so be sure to keep a close eye on Rush's development with both Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger out. … Larry Hughes finally busted out in New York with 25 points, four steals and three 3-pointers in 33 minutes. Anyone has upside in Mike D'Antoni's offense, but I think we'd have to see this again before we start getting too excited about Hughes' potential. Remember, Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler will still get their numbers in New York. … As Ramon Sessions (eight points, two assists in 23 minutes) and Luke Ridnour (14 points, three assists in 28 minutes) continue to duke it out in the backcourt, Charlie Bell (21 points, three assists, one steal and five 3-pointers) has quietly become a solid option averaging 15.6 points, 0.8 steals and 3.2 3-pointers over his past five games. He deserves a pickup for those that need a 3-point specialist. … The Timberwolves had a miserable night and their starters took a seat on the bench in the 102-82 loss to Portland. With that said, don't read too much into poor efforts of Randy Foye (13 points on 5-of-15 shooting), Ryan Gomes (six points in 29 minutes) and Kevin Love (two points, three rebounds in 28 minutes). … Greg Oden missed another game with his worrisome knee injury and Joel Przybilla again proved to be a solid addition for rebounds and blocks with eight boards and three blocks in 33 minutes in the victory over Minnesota. … The Suns had no problem scoring 133 points without Steve Nash as Shaquille O'Neal went off for 45 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and a block and Louis Amundson pitched in with a 20-point, 10-rebound, four-block effort. Shaq had been phenomenal since Amare Stoudemire's injury, but Amundson is worth keeping an eye on just in case Shaq's body breaks down toward the end of the season. … Nene's return (eight points, seven rebounds in 20 minutes) didn't hurt Chris Andersen one bit. Andersen had 11 points, 12 boards and seven blocks against the Lakers. His production in points and rebounds will likely fall off the table once Nene is back to speed, but he's still worth holding on to deep leagues if you need the blocks. … Anderson Varejao started in place of Ben Wallace but managed just six points, five rebounds, one steal and one block in 28 minutes. Varejao should see more minutes with Big Ben out and should be better than this on most nights. … Andris Biedrins had 18 points and 13 boards before leaving Friday's game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. It didn't look too bad so he shouldn't be out long but Ronny Turiaf will enjoy success if Biedrins misses time. … With Beno Udrih out, Bobby Jackson saw 36 minutes and scored 18 points with two steals and three 3-pointers in a victory over the Clippers. Jackson could be a decent short-term pickup option for those in deeper leagues. … Francisco Garcia and Andres Nocioni proved they can coexist in Sacramento as Garcia provided a versatile 15 points, six assists, two steals, one block and a 3-pointer while Nocioni pitched in with 17 points and three 3-pointers in the win.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

It wasn't a fair fight to begin with in Los Angeles, where the Lakers hosted the Suns, but you have to be impressed with the Lakers' efficiency and the way they pasted an inferior opponent from start to finish. There was no letting up; the Lake Show won every quarter of this one, which is no surprise when you consider that Lamar Odom was 11-for-12 from the floor and Kobe Bryant was 10-for-13. Kobe and Odom each did most of their damage in the immediate basket area, too, which doesn't bode well for the Suns. Without Amar'e Stoudemire, the Suns are forced to go long stretches without a legitimate big man patrolling the paint. Even when Shaquille O'Neal is in the game, he doesn't have the speed to react to multiple situations simultaneously.

But without Amar'e, it's still feasible that the Suns could keep a game like this close, so the real story here is what happens to the Suns without Steve Nash, who is nursing a sprained right ankle? Doug Collins said on TNT during the game that backup point guard Goran Dragic's eyes looked big, and I think that's an apt description. He's the only other true point guard (whatever that means, in this case) on the roster, and he had four turnovers in 17 minutes. The rest of the time, the Suns rolled with Leandro Barbosa, Grant Hill and Matt Barnes, all of whom would be better suited doing other things. Nash may be showing some serious signs of slippage in 2008-09, but he's perhaps more important to the Suns than ever. They are a mess without him. Right now, Nash is listed as day-to-day, but a few losses could push the Suns so far out of the playoff race that they might not be able to recover.

The concern here, fantasy-wise, is that Nash ends up sitting out for an extended period, either now or toward the end of the season. This is not one of those cases in which an injury means increased opportunities for other guys. This is one of those cases in which guys like Barbosa, Barnes, Hill and Jason Richardson are all going to suffer statistically if Nash isn't around.

Under the Boards

Between being covered by Shane Battier and Ron Artest, it was a rough night for LeBron James, who managed 21 points but never really looked in sync. The lesson? You might not want to start your mediocre swingman when he goes up against these Rockets. LeBron can put up 21 on an off night, but most guys can't. … Ben Wallace broke his right fibula and will be out 4-6 weeks. That means more minutes for Anderson Varejao, who should go back to being good for a near double-double every night. I wouldn't have said this at the start of the season, but this injury really hurts the Cavs. … I really like how Von Wafer is playing these days for the Rockets. He's giving them the consistent outside shooting they need to go along with Yao Ming in the post. Wafer put up 19 points in 21 minutes against one of the league's best defenses, too. If you need points and 3s, I really like him at the moment. … Jared Dudley did a nice job stuffing the stat sheet for the Suns in their loss. He had 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 26 minutes off the bench. Seeing as he's one of the only good rebounders the Suns have at the moment, it stands to reason that he could see more action in the coming weeks. … Trevor Ariza didn't have his shot going for the Lakers, but he had as good a 3-for-9 game as I've ever seen. He made two 3-pointers and finished with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals. Not a bad fantasy line, if you ask me.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25

HIGHLIGHTS

• Devin Harris, Nets: 42 points (13-23 FG, 11-11 FT), 6 assists, 3 3-pointers against the Bulls. • Dwight Howard, Magic: 24 points (8-9 FT), 21 rebounds, 4 blocks versus New York. • Josh Howard, Mavericks: 27 points (10-16 FG), 7 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 blocks, 4 3-pointers against Milwaukee.

LOWLIGHTS

• Raja Bell, Bobcats: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 37 minutes against Sacramento. • Steve Blake, Trail Blazers: No points (0-9 FG), 1 rebound, 1 assist in 24 minutes versus San Antonio. • Rudy Gay, Grizzlies: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 29 minutes against the Pacers.

One thing we should all understand at this point is that if Zach Randolph doesn't put up a lot of points in a game for the Clippers, it won't be because he's not willing to shoot the ball. Z-Bo hasn't been shy in his two games since serving his two-game suspension for punching the Suns' Louis Amundson in the face last week. He had 27 points on 23 shots against the Warriors and then, amazingly, 30 points on 30 shots in a home win against the Celtics. For his past five games, he has scored 103 points on 96 shots. This is not a good ratio, folks, and at 46 percent shooting, he's not really helping your field goal percentage much. But in terms of raw production, there aren't many better places to look.

We can chalk up the 30 attempts against the Celtics partly to the fact that Eric Gordon had to leave the game early with a bruised shoulder, but looking at Randolph's game log shows that he's more than a willing shooter no matter who is surrounding him. When healthy, the Clippers have a ton of guys who can score -- Al Thornton, Baron Davis, Gordon, Ricky Davis -- but Zach Randolph's whole game is scoring and rebounding. He doesn't do anything else, really. He doesn't play defense, pass, get to the line, etc. As always with Zach, if you need someone to boost your scoring and rebounding numbers, he's absolutely your man. If you are all set in those categories, Zach is not going to help your team in any way.

Under the Boards

Tony Parker was a monster for the Spurs: Not only did he have another great game -- 39 points, five boards, nine assists -- but did it again without Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, while making Steve Blake look totally awful. Parke is on a real roll at the moment. … Paul Pierce dislocated his right thumb twice against the Clippers, and even though X-rays came back negative, this is a situation that bears watching. The Celtics have been quick to rest or bench their stars when injuries start to nag, and Pierce has played more minutes than any other Celtic thus far this season. … Marc Gasol had a nice game against the Pacers, with 22 points and 15 rebounds for his first double-double in two weeks. Right now, he's a good matchup play, but he has struggled against teams with good interior defenders in recent weeks. … Nobody on the Bulls played more than Ben Gordon (33 minutes) against the Nets, which is maybe a good sign that Gordon will keep getting minutes, but a bad sign that no one will get enough minutes to be a truly great fantasy option. … Chris Duhon had a bizarre night with 10 assists, 7 rebounds and not a single point scored in 37 minutes against the Magic. Games like this are actually encouraging. It's good to know that if Duhon's offense suffers, he's still a decent contributor. … After playing just over 20 minutes in three straight games, Kevin Love got 36 minutes for the Timberwolves against the Jazz and managed a very efficient 24 points and 15 rebounds; as we've been saying all along, if he gets minutes, he's going to be a beast in the rebounding category in particular. … Brandon Bass got 30 minutes for the Mavs against the Bucks and put up 18 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four blocks; there's no question that if he sees 30 minutes a game, he can be a major producer.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, FEB. 24

HIGHLIGHTS

• Boris Diaw, Bobcats: 27 points (10-12 FG),10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks against Phoenix. • Shaquille O'Neal, Suns: 20 points (7-12 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 blocks versus the Bobcats. • Tony Parker, Spurs: 37 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists and just 2 turnovers against the Mavericks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Jeff Green, Thunder: 10 points (4-14 FG), 9 rebounds, no 3-pointers, steals or blocks against the Lakers. • Roger Mason, Spurs: 7 points (3-10 FG), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, no 3-pointers versus Dallas. • Rodney Stuckey, Pistons: 8 points, no rebounds, assists or steals in 30 minutes against the Heat.

John Cregan discussed Marquis Daniels' and Jarrett Jack's recent uptick in minutes on Tuesday, and owners are beginning to take note, as Daniels and Jack are the fourth and fifth most-added players the past week. But No. 3 on that list, Ryan Gomes, is owned in even fewer leagues and, after a 23-point performance against the Raptors, has now scored 20-plus points in four consecutive contests. Gomes added nine rebounds, five assists and two 3-pointers on 8-of-12 shooting in his best line of the season.

Gomes is owned in only 16.4 percent of ESPN leagues and has really solidified himself as one of the best sources of value for the rest of the season. He's averaging 20.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 3-pointers in the five games since Al Jefferson was confirmed out for the season with a torn ACL. It's hard to believe Gomes will continue dropping 20 points with regularity, but he's the No. 2 scoring option by default, and he's definitely not shy about shooting, since he's averaging 16.0 field-goal attempts in those five contests. He's turning into a poor man's Al Harrington with a few more assists and steals, and the best part is he has no obvious threat for playing time and is on a bad team that can continue to let him produce nightly. Deep and mixed leaguers alike should scoop Gomes off the free-agent list immediately.

Under the Boards

Aaron Brooks scored 20 points and played 33 minutes to Kyle Lowry's 15, so it looks like Brooks will get an extended look as a starter. On the downside, Brooks was only 8-for-20 from the field, and unless he suddenly betters his .402 field-goal percentage, he could really drag down your percentages. … His six-game streak of two or more steals came to an end, but Leandro Barbosa still nabbed a steal for the eighth consecutive game, which has helped him average 2.1 steals in 27.0 minutes this month. He's also averaging 17 shots in his past three games, and he very well could lead the Suns in scoring for the next month and a half. … Since scoring 20 points in the Suns' first game under Alvin Gentry, Grant Hill has scored just 20 points total in his next four games. Meanwhile, Matt Barnes shot 50 percent from the field and nailed two 3-pointers in his third straight game; the Suns are fighting for a playoff spot, so don't be surprised to see a lineup change soon if Hill keeps struggling. … With 13 assists versus the Timberwolves, Jose Calderon has now compiled double-digit assists in three consecutive games, even though new teammate Shawn Marion is shooting only 40 percent. Marion has 50 field goal attempts in those three games, by the way, so don't be surprised if you see The Matrix's scoring reach the high teens like back in the day. … Nenad Krstic tied a season high with 11 rebounds versus the Lakers, and is averaging 27 minutes in his past six games. He's yet to make the most of those minutes -- he only scored five points in 32 minutes Tuesday -- but it seems he's gradually taking more and more of Nick Collison's minutes.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by John Cregan, Special to ESPN.com

MONDAY, FEB. 23

HIGHLIGHTS

• Devin Harris, Nets: 39 points, 5 3-pointers, 8 assists versus Philadelphia. • Zach Randolph, Clippers: 27 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals against the Warriors. • Nate Robinson, Knicks: 41 points (11-18 FG), 8 rebounds, 4 3-pointers versus Indiana.

LOWLIGHTS

• Chauncey Billups, Nuggets: 3 points (1-8 FG), 5 assists against Boston. • Brook Lopez, Nets: 7 points, 5 rebounds versus the 76ers. • Beno Udrih, Kings: 5 points, 2 assists against New Orleans.

In many leagues, the cascade of season-altering injuries during the past two weeks took a lot of the steam out of ESPN trade deadline activity. It's easy to see why: So many teams have been radically altered so suddenly that serious deal-making has become impossible. Looking around, there are just too many holes to fill on too many teams.

The positive from all the roster turnover is the high degree of waiver-wire opportunity. Yes, your team might have been crippled by the loss of one, maybe two, maybe three high-profile players (in one league, I lost Jameer Nelson, Al Jefferson and Kevin Garnett in the span of two weeks). But chances are that many other teams in your league are facing the same challenges. What's important is to not pout or panic, but to keep hitting the wire in the hopes of picking up a low-risk, high-reward player (in my case, two or three).

For evidence of what's out there, look no further than the Indiana Pacers. With both Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy on the shelf, minutes and shot opportunities are being redistributed throughout Jim O'Brien's offensively accommodating squad. It's very similar to what's happened with Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva in Milwaukee. On Monday night, we saw Marquis Daniels (28 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) and Jarrett Jack (33 points, 3 3-pointers, 2 steals) fill the void in impressive fashion.

Both Daniels (45 percent owned) and Jack (20 percent owned) possess what waiver-wire players need the most: a high degree of athleticism and 35 minutes a night.

And of course, we're not looking just at players who are ascending due to injury. Many others are snapping up minutes due to the flurry of minor deals that took place leading up to the NBA trade deadline. Monday's Kings-Hornets matchup highlighted a few names that have been trending upward on the wire. Beno Udrih, Spencer Hawes, Andres Nocioni and Francisco Garcia all could be fantasy difference-makers during the season's final weeks.

I'm well aware that Aaron Brooks and Kevin Love might not have the same sizzle as Tracy McGrady or Jefferson. But these types of players don't cost you a thing but a roster spot and certainly can keep you alive and kicking in the race for a playoff berth. As we know, anything can happen once you get to the playoffs.

Under the Boards

Lost in the sublime "clutchosity" of Devin Harris' buzzer-beater was the fact that his late 3 boosted him to 39 points, his third-highest total of the season. What's even more impressive to his owners is the fact that the perpetually dinged Harris has missed only six games to date this season. … Carlos Boozer might have logged only one field goal (and on a goaltending call, no less), but his owners care about only one number: 21 minutes played. … Chris Duhon's swoon (4 points, 5 assists) continued against the Pacers. Keep a close eye on how Larry Hughes' role in the Knicks' rotation develops in the coming weeks. … Not only did Nate Robinson score a season-high 41, but he also was the Knicks' second-leading rebounder with eight. … Josh Smith had a rough night. He scored just 11 points, missed all six of his free throws and was ejected for a flagrant foul on Matt Harpring. … Yi Jianlian hit the all-important 30-minute barrier for the first time since returning from injury. I've said it before: He has more upside than most waiver-wire candidates. … Joe Johnson posted the emptiest 17 points you'll ever see (no rebounds, assists or steals) against the Jazz. … Here's what happens when I predict an off night for the road-weary Celtics: They hand the Nuggets a near-historic home drubbing. Leon Powe (16 points, 5 rebounds) showed he could be the prime beneficiary of Garnett's injury. … Tyson Chandler (15 points, 10 rebounds) seems to be shaking off the effects of his near-banishment to the Thunder. Either that, or he's newly motivated to prove his worth to the Hornets. … Lou Williams (10 points) occasionally flashes some fantasy potential, but he doesn't play enough minutes to warrant being a permanent part of rosters in medium-to-shallow leagues. Even at his best, he provides only points and 3s. … Rasual Butler finally cooled off but still contributed a couple of 3-pointers and 12 points.

John Cregan is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Josh Whitling, Special to ESPN.com

The Toronto frontcourt is becoming an intriguing fantasy story, and Sunday's box score provides an interesting glimpse of what we might expect from the key players involved. Shawn Marion played a team-high 43 minutes and attempted 20 shots, which provides an indication that he'll be more involved in Toronto than he was in Miami, even with Chris Bosh on the floor. Good news for Marion, not so good news for Bosh, who is coming off an injury and now must share the glory with two other forwards.

Bosh had 11 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and a block Sunday, and even if he's back at full strength, he'll undoubtedly see some sort of hit in value with the addition of Marion. If Bosh owners can still get top-15 value in return, it might be a good idea to shop him around. Andrea Bargnani is the other player involved in the points sharing, and he had no problem jelling with Marion, scoring 28 points with 10 rebounds, three blocks, one steal and three 3-pointers. This situation has forced us to re-evaluate these three players, and the immediate conclusion is to upgrade Marion, downgrade Bosh, and remain neutral on Bargnani.

Under the boards

SUNDAY, FEB. 22

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwyane Wade, Heat: 50 points (17-for-30 shooting, 14-for-15 free throws), 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 3s, 1 steal, 1 block at Orlando. • Charlie Villanueva, Bucks: 36 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 7 3-pointers versus Denver. • Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: 33 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal at Milwaukee.

LOWLIGHTS

• D.J. Augustin, Hornets: 1 point, 3 assists at Houston. • Wilson Chandler, Knicks: 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists at Toronto. • Derrick Rose, Bulls: 3 points on 1-for-9 shooting at Indiana.

Charlie Villanueva's "awesomeness" continued Sunday, as he scored a season-high 36 points with seven 3-pointers, including one half-court shot. He should be able to continue his dominance for the rest of this season, and it'll be interesting to see if he can carry over his numbers to next season with a fully healthy Bucks roster. … Speaking of the Bucks, Ramon Sessions isn't allowing Luke Ridnour's return to spoil his party, as he scored 27 points with eight assists and three steals. … John Salmons and Brad Miller both came off the bench for the Bulls, with Salmons scoring 12 points and Miller snagging 10 rebounds. Both players' values take a definite hit until they're fully incorporated into the Bulls' rotation, especially Salmons, who was a key offensive force for the Kings. Now that he's being worked in instead of incorporated, and with fellow sharp-shooter Ben Gordon having a hot hand, it's nearly impossible for Salmons to regain the value he had in Sacramento. Miller, meanwhile, likely will play 20-25 effective minutes off the bench and have value only in deeper leagues. … Delonte West is back with a vengeance for the Cavs, scoring 25 points with five rebounds, four assists, a steal and 5-for-5 from 3-point land. We love his versatility, and he immediately becomes fantasy-viable again, though his return should harm Mo Williams' stats. Williams has had to do almost everything in the backcourt with West sidelined, but he was overshadowed by West's big game Sunday, tallying just 11 points, four assists and two 3s. … The Suns failed to scored 140 points for the first time in four contests but allowed a Kevin Garnett-less Celtics to score 128 points, including 32 points from Rajon Rondo, 31 from Ray Allen and 26 from Paul Pierce. The most noteworthy part about the Celtics' box score is that Brian Scalabrine replaced Kevin Garnett in the lineup and played 37 minutes, scoring 14 points with two 3s. He won't win any slam dunk contests, but Scalabrine can shoot 3s and might have some short-term value in deep formats. … Don't give too much credence to DeAndre Jordan's 15 points and 12 rebounds, as Zach Randolph was sitting due to suspension and Marcus Camby is out with an ear infection, both short-term issues. … Rafer Alston's second game for the Magic was encouraging; he started and had 12 points, nine assists and two 3s. Alston's stats shouldn't change much following his move to Orlando, which is good news to fantasy owners banking on his 3s, assists and steals. … Steve Blake started his third consecutive game since returning from injury, and he turned heads with 17 assists Sunday night, including 14 in the first quarter! He is primarily helpful for his assists and 3s (he won't score gobs of points), but it's looking like Blake will regain the value he had before his injury. … Kevin Love continues to start at center for Minnesota and rack up double-doubles on a near-nightly basis. In Sunday's game, though, he barely made it, scoring 11 points with 10 rebounds in 22 foul-plagued minutes. He's averaging 11.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in February, and I could see that number consistently improving for the rest of the season. … D.J. Augustin had another bad night off the bench, and it's clear that he needs to be in the starting lineup to find his groove. Bench him until further notice.

Josh Whitling is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Neil Tardy, Special to ESPN.com

Sometimes a player can have too good of a matchup. Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker owners learned that Saturday.

SATURDAY, FEB. 21

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dwyane Wade, Heat: 25 points (9-9 FT), 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals versus the 76ers. • Roger Mason, Spurs: 25 points (9-15 FG), 5 3-pointers, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals at Washington. • Russell Westbrook, Thunder: 31 points (13-24 FG), 11 assists and 5 rebounds at Golden State.

LOWLIGHTS

• Tony Parker, Spurs: 9 points and 4 assists at Washington. • Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 12 points and 5 rebounds versus Kings. • Kevin Martin, Kings: 11 points (3-8 FG), 3 rebounds and 2 steals at Dallas.

Surely Nowitzki, who was coming off a 9-point performance the previous night in Houston, would bounce back at home against woeful Sacramento? The thing is, though, the Kings are so bad, the Mavericks didn't really need their star. Dirk played a season-low 26 minutes and finished with just 12 points and five boards.

As for Parker, you might figure him for a big night against the Wizards. The Spurs are without Manu Ginobili, and Washington allows opponents to shoot 47.7 percent from the field and dish a league-high 24.3 assists per game. But no such luck. Instead, Roger Mason and Michael Finley (each dropped five buckets from downtown) predictably punished the Wizards, who are also the league's worst team in 3-point defense. Meanwhile, Parker hardly broke a sweat in the 31-point blowout; he finished with nine points and four assists in just 23 minutes.

At least the Warriors and Thunder didn't disappoint. A meeting in Oakland of the worst and fifth-worst scoring defenses produced most of Saturday's memorable lines. Stephen Jackson led Golden State with 26 points, nine assists, three 3s and three steals, while Oklahoma City's young trio of Kevin Durant (32 points), Russell Westbrook (31 points, 11 assists) and Jeff Green (27 points, 15 boards) was huge. But even here, there's a catch: Those four players combined for 23 turnovers.

Under the boards

Mason's performance in D.C. against his former team ended a lengthy shooting drought. He'd shot less than 45 percent in 15 of his previous 16 games. While the current Fantasy Forecaster includes a caveat about Mason, perhaps he now has the confidence boost he needs. With his average of 2.2 3s, Mason can definitely give your team a boost in 3-pointers, and he's available in 71 percent of ESPN.com leagues. … Andres Nocioni's Kings debut was far from stellar -- he was just 2-of-10 against the Mavs -- but when I look at the box score, it's Jason Thompson who has me concerned. I've certainly touted Thompson since he rejoined the starting lineup, but the over-aggressive rookie consistently takes himself out of games, as he's fouled out four times this month. Having 6-foot-7 forwards Francisco Garcia and Noc on the court together may not be ideal, but it's workable. Once Drew Gooden gets healthy, it will be interesting to see how Sacramento sorts out minutes among the two ex-Bulls, Garcia, and youngsters Thompson and Spencer Hawes. … One King who seems to be on firm ground is Beno Udrih. That's a surprise, given his long-running spat with coach Kenny Natt. But Udrih now has three straight games of 18 points. At 60 percent availability, Udrih offers some appeal as a free-agent add, but note that the Kings play just 12 games in March.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

There were so many great fantasy performances Friday night that I don't know where to start with this blog. LeBron James dropped 55 points on the Bucks. Leandro Barbosa blew up for 41 points against the Thunder. Kevin Durant proved once again that he's a sure-fire first-rounder next season with a brilliant all-around game, including 35 points, and Kobe Bryant scored 11 of his 39 points in overtime to defeat the Hornets. I could keep going, but unfortunately, the top fantasy story Friday had nothing to do with great performances on the court. Instead, yesterday's fantasy news was dominated by injury talk (what else is new?). Not only did we learn that Kevin Garnett will miss two to three weeks with a knee injury, but we also found out that Amare Stoudemire could miss the rest of the season after undergoing eye surgery.

FRIDAY, FEB. 20

HIGHLIGHTS

• LeBron James, Cavaliers: 55 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 8 3-pointers on 16-of-29 shooting from the floor. • Kevin Durant, Thunder: 35 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 3 3-pointers on 12-for-23 shooting from the floor and 8-for-9 shooting from the line. • Leandro Barbosa, Suns: 41 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 steals and 5 3-pointers on 16-of-21 shooting from the floor.

LOWLIGHTS

• Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: 12 points, 8 rebounds and 5 personal fouls in 31 minutes. • Peja Stojakovic, Hornets: 5 points, 2 rebounds and a 3-pointer on just 2-of-11 shooting from the floor. • Ramon Sessions, Bucks: 12 points, 2 assists and a steal in just 22 minutes in Luke Ridnour's return to the court.

KG's injury is slightly easier to swallow. He'll be back in a few weeks, and at least now we can have a little more confidence in our players when they face the Celtics. Garnett drives the Celtics' defense, so while Boston still will be a tough matchup for the opposition, it won't be as stifling as it has been with KG in the lineup. The Celtics will lean more on the other two legs of the tripod -- Paul Pierce and Ray Allen -- to help compensate for the loss, while Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe and Glen "Big Baby" Davis will see slight bumps in production. Perkins already is owned in most leagues, so I don't see any potential pickups as a result of the injury. You might want to give Powe a shot if you are desperate for points in a deep fantasy league.

As for Stoudemire's injury, well, that was just heartbreaking. Not only did it come without warning, but folks were just starting to get excited about him, as new coach Alvin Gentry has the team off and running like he's the second coming of Mike D'Antoni. At least we can take solace in the fact that the rest of the Suns will get huge boosts in production the rest of the way. Barbosa in particular stands to benefit from the injury, as Phoenix will be forced to play with a smaller lineup. In a sign of things to come, Barbosa started Friday night and dropped 41 points with seven boards, seven assists, six steals and five 3-pointers in the victory over the Thunder. Make no mistake about it, "The Brazillian Blur" is going to have a humongous second half, thanks to both the coaching change and Stoudemire's injury.

Shaquille O'Neal, who many thought would suffer under Gentry, will be asked to play more minutes in the post with Stoudemire out. And while it remains to be seen whether his body can handle getting up and down the court every night, he at least regains some of the luster he lost when the coaching change was announced. Shaq scored 22 points with nine rebounds and a block Friday night, so life without Stoudemire started out pretty well for him.

If you're looking for potential pickups on the Suns, you might want to try Matt Barnes. Barnes played 30 minutes off the bench Friday and posted 14 points, six rebounds, nine assists, four steals and two 3-pointers in the victory; he should see ample playing time going forward.

Under the boards

Rafer Alston didn't start but played 29 minutes in his debut with the Magic. He was just 1-for-9 from the floor but handed out eight assists to go along with three steals. It looks like it will be business as usual in Orlando -- great assists, steals and 3-pointers but a devastating field goal percentage. … As expected, Aaron Brooks got the bulk of the minutes for Houston at the point. He scored 19 points while adding 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 3 3-pointers in 33 minutes. Newcomer Kyle Lowry played just 14 minutes in his Rockets debut. I expect Lowry will earn more minutes and cut into Brooks' production as he becomes more comfortable, but Brooks is a nice pickup for now. He currently is averaging 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.1 3-pointers and a steal in eight starts this season. … The shorthanded Knicks ran the Raptors out of the gym in a 127-97 victory. With Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox out, Wilson Chandler, Al Harrington, David Lee and Nate Robinson posted big numbers. Things will get a little more crowded once Hughes and Wilcox join the lineup, but everyone should still have value in D'Antoni's system. … Speaking of teams being shorthanded, none of the Bulls' newcomers dressed Friday, and that meant huge games for Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas. Enjoy the production while you can, because things will get very crowed once Brad Miller and John Salmons join the lineup. … Francisco Garcia had a tough shooting night but still provided a versatile 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 2 3-pointers. With his ability to contribute in nearly every fantasy category and Salmons out of town, Garcia is a must-own. … As expected, Marquis Daniels and Jarrett Jack continued their solid play with both Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger on the shelf. Jack went for 18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 3-pointers, while Daniels finished with 24 points, 2 steals and a 3-pointer in a victory over the Timberwolves. Expect both to remain hot at least until Granger returns to the lineup. … Randy Foye (36 points, 4 steals, 5 3-pointers) and Ryan Gomes (26 points, 2 steals, 2 3-pointers) have stepped up their game on the offensive end with Al Jefferson out and will continue to do so. … With Tyson Chandler sitting out, the Hornets have run with a smaller lineup, and Rasual Butler has reaped the reward. He hit 6 3-pointers Friday en route to a 31-point effort. He will continue to provide points and 3-pointers as long as Chandler is out. … Nenad Krstic got a start over Nick Collison and finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds and a block in 28 minutes, while Collison added 14 points, 8 rebounds and a block in 24 minutes. It's looking like this will be a timeshare the rest of the way.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 19

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tim Duncan, Spurs: 18 points, 18 rebounds, 3 blocks at Detroit. • Allen Iverson, Pistons: 31 points, 7 assists, 2 turnovers against the Spurs. • Antonio McDyess, Pistons: 13 points (6-9 FG), 13 rebounds, 2 blocks versus San Antonio.

LOWLIGHTS

• Ray Allen, Celtics: 12 points (4-15 FG), 3 turnovers at Utah. • Richard Hamilton, Pistons: 4 points (2-10 FG) in 34 minutes against the Spurs. • Kyle Korver, Jazz: 2 points (1-7 FG) in 25 minutes versus Boston.

As of this moment, it is unclear whether the knee strain Kevin Garnett suffered going up for an alley-oop in the second quarter of Thursday night's game against the Jazz is going to keep him out for an extended period of time, but on a night in which none of the four teams in action scored more than 90 points, Garnett's injury has to be the big story. That's because without him, the Celtics' defense is simply not the same unit.

The Jazz put up 30 points in the fourth quarter and 52 in the second half after managing just 38 in the first half (13 in the first quarter when Garnett was quarterbacking things). In terms of fantasy, it would seem that on nights when Garnett doesn't play, you don't have to think of the Celtics as prohibitive for certain lineup decisions. Looking at the shot chart, the main area that seems to be different is midrange jump shots; in the first half, with KG in the game, the Jazz were missing them; in the second half, they were on fire. It's possible the Jazz simply caught fire, and it's possible that, in Salt Lake City, the Jazz would have beat the Celtics with a healthy Garnett anyway, but this seems like something to at least consider going forward if he misses any time.

Under the Boards

Andrei Kirilenko played in his second game since returning from injury. He's not getting many minutes, but in the two games he's averaging 13.5 points, 2.0 steals, and a block in just 17.0 minutes, and is 9-for-11 from the floor overall. … A week after putting up 15 rebounds against the Mavericks, Rajon Rondo had just one board in 33 minutes against the Jazz. I guess he won't be averaging a triple-double for the rest of the season after all. … If Garnett misses some time, expect more minutes for Kendrick Perkins. He had 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks against the Jazz, and was 6-for-6 from the floor. Make sure he's in your lineup any time KG is out. … With Manu Ginobili down for a few weeks, you can go back to starting Roger Mason. He had an off game against the Pistons, but should be a really good contributor in points and 3-pointers during the next two weeks or so. … Depending on matchup, the Spurs' Matt Bonner looks like a great big-man option most nights right now. He's averaging 32 minutes during his past five games and has made 14 3s in that span. He is shooting an amazing 50 percent for the season on 3s, so clearly this is no fluke.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Seth Landman, Special to ESPN.com

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chris Paul, Hornets: 36 points (14-22 FG), 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals against Orlando. • Amar'e Stoudemire, Suns: 42 points (15-20 FG, 12-13 FT), 11 rebounds against the Clippers. • Dwyane Wade, Heat: 37 points (12-13 FT), 12 assists, 4 steals versus Minnesota.

LOWLIGHTS

• T.J. Ford, Pacers: 6 points (2-9 FG), 4 rebounds, 4 assists in 35 minutes at Charlotte. • Jermaine O'Neal, Heat: 13 points, but just one rebound in 27 minutes against the Timberwolves. • Hedo Turkoglu, Magic: 7 points (2-10 FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists at New Orleans.

On Wednesday, the Bulls and the Kings came to terms on a large trade sending Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Michael Ruffin and Cedric Simmons to the Kings for Brad Miller and John Salmons. (Ruffin was then sent to the Trail Blazers for Ike Diogu.) The Kings, of course, did this for what amounts to purely financial reasons. Gooden and Nocioni are good players, but Gooden comes off the books this summer, and it's hard to see him getting re-signed by a rebuilding Kings team. Nocioni's contract goes through 2011-12, but gets cheaper as it goes on.

For the Bulls, this trade makes a lot of basketball sense. Miller is the sort of player they haven't had since Eddy Curry, an offensively skilled big man. Salmons is a scorer with a reasonable contract, which might let Chicago get around having to re-sign Ben Gordon during the summer.

Fantasywise, the implications are many. For one, if you are a Kevin Martin owner, congratulations. He was already unquestionably the best offensive player on the Kings, but now there really seems to be no second option.

Additionally, Spencer Hawes is now the only true center on the Kings' roster besides Mikki Moore (who played only six minutes on Wednesday night, even though he was the backup center). Hawes was impressive at the beginning of the season, and his ability to block shots and make 3-pointers has the potential to make him special in fantasy.

Things look pretty great for Gooden and Nocioni, as well. Both are players who have shown in the past that they can put up big numbers given the minutes. Gooden, in particular, will be working extremely hard while playing out his contract. On a team in dire need of rebounding, both Nocioni and Gooden should be good sources of points and rebounds for the rest of the season, but Gooden is the better option by far.

On the Bulls' side, Miller should be a good option down the stretch as well. He's already averaging 11.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season, and I'd expect all of those numbers to see a slight uptick from here on out. He'll be part of a three-man rotation of big men with Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, with Luol Deng probably seeing some time at the 4, as well.

Things are a little more complicated for Salmons in moving to the Bulls. Salmons was the man in Sacramento for most of the first part of the season while Kevin Martin was hurt, and has been at least the second option on offense since then. He's a very good, well-rounded player who can score efficiently from outside and is a pretty good facilitator as well. However, he has lost a bit of aggressiveness during the past month or so and is getting to the line less as a result, and now he's moving to a team that already has a guard rotation in place. He's certainly not a better scoring option than Ben Gordon or Deng, so he'll likely get fewer looks the rest of this season. If you haven't gotten rid of Salmons in a trade yet, it's going to be awfully hard to do so now, even if he ends up being a pretty good player on what should be a good team the rest of the way.

Under the Boards

Phoenix scored 142 points a night after scoring 140, and even though both games were against the Clippers, I think it's safe to say that their "seven-seconds-or-less" approach is back in a big way. The guy to really buy into right now is Leandro Barbosa, who is far more suited to the up-tempo style of play. In a related story, if you have Amare Stoudemire, please hang on to him. … Lamar Odom's 22 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes against the Warriors was, believe it or not, his worst game of the past few weeks. Odom has been killing it lately, putting up 19.2 points, 16.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks in his past five games. … Ronny Turiaf continues to play well filling in for Andris Biedrins for the Warriors; he had 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks against the Lakers. … Sebastian Telfair had 30 points, eight assists and six 3-pointers against the Heat, but unless you need the assists, he's still a hard guy to own on a regular basis. With a player like Telfair, it's probably best to use a game like this to try to get something better for him. Just don't rely on him to shoot 50 percent from the floor too often. … Carmelo Anthony's 14 rebounds in the Nuggets' win against the Sixers are significant because they point to the fact that he is rebounding so much more in general this season. With a little more improvement next season, he could be the 20-10 guy he was in college for Syracuse. I think he's still struggling to score a bit -- he shooting just 44 percent in his past five games -- but he has been making 3-pointers more reliably this season and should be a huge contributor down the stretch. … The way Chris Paul manhandled the Magic from the point guard position in the first quarter was one of the most beautiful things I've seen all season. He was playing with so much confidence it seemed like no one was guarding him. Call me crazy, but I think he and Tyson Chandler are going to get their mojo back in the coming weeks. I would definitely be buying on Chandler if he does end up staying in New Orleans.

Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Adam Madison, Special to ESPN.com

TUESDAY, FEB. 17

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kevin Durant, Thunder: 47 points (16-27 FG, 11-13 FT), four 3-pointers against the Hornets. • Dwight Howard, Magic: 45 points (16-23 FG, 13-18 FT), 19 rebounds, 8 blocks against Charlotte. • Lamar Odom, Lakers: 15 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks versus the Hawks.

LOWLIGHTS

• Mike Bibby, Hawks: 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist at the Lakers. • Al Harrington, Knicks: 11 points (3-11 FG), 4 turnovers against the Spurs. • Rodney Stuckey, Pistons: 3 points (1-6 FG), fouled out in 31 minutes versus Milwaukee.

The Pistons lost their fourth straight game Tuesday night, but inserting Antonio McDyess into the starting lineup was a rousing success. McDyess blew up for 24 points on 11-of-15 from the field, along with 14 rebounds and two blocks.

This is the second lineup shakeup in recent weeks for the Pistons, and now that they are losers of 13 of their past 18, you sense a bit of desperation. As far as McDyess is considered, that's a good thing, as the team is looking for anything that works, and it's hard to argue with his production even in limited minutes. He's averaging 7.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks in 26 minutes this season, and becomes a legitimate double-double threat as a starter.

The biggest challenge will be McDyess' ability to stay on the court to take advantage of those extra minutes, as he's averaging 3.1 fouls in those 26 minutes. That's a major reason he's remained a bench player for most of the past handful of seasons, and it's hard to believe that number is suddenly going to turn around for a 34-year-old. Even against the Bucks, a team starting Francisco Elson, Charlie Villanueva and Richard Jefferson on its front line, McDyess still picked up three fouls in his 41 minutes.

So McDyess's value immediately goes up, and he should be picked up if you have an available roster spot, especially in deeper leagues, but his upside is probably going to be limited. But he's a ferocious rebounder and a fierce competitor who should be fairly productive, even if Tuesday's contest goes down as his best game of the season.

Under the Boards

Roger Mason saw a boost in minutes with Manu Ginobili sidelined due to a bum right ankle, and scored 20 points on 7-of-17 from the field, including three 3-pointers. Ginobili is day-to-day, and it's not the same ankle he had surgery on, but at the same time Ginobili is fairly injury-prone and there's nothing wrong with keeping an eye on his replacement. … Mike Miller has shown flashes of his old versatile offensive self, and an output like 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists against the Wizards is enough to make anyone stand up and take notice. Averaging 40 minutes in two games since Al Jefferson's injury, Miller's stock is on the rise. … Coming off the bench, Andray Blatche returned from a knee injury and contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in 27 minutes. Taking the minutes of Dominic McGuire and Darius Songaila shouldn't be too difficult, and Blatche remains the Wizard with the most second-half potential. … It seems the All-Star break did Paul Millsap's gimpy knee some good, as he had his best game in three weeks with 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks versus the Grizzlies. Carlos Boozer now isn't likely to return until next week, and the Jazz have four games in the next week, so Millsap could have value for a little longer. … Zach Randolph threw a punch at the Suns' Louis Amundson and is likely to see a suspension; as it is, he had just four points and two rebounds in 11 minutes. Marcus Camby (ear infection) was out as well, so DeAndre Jordan had a decent game (five points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes) off the bench, and could do so again Wednesday night.

Adam Madison is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.

Posted by Brian McKitish, Special to ESPN.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 12

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: 37 points, 8 rebounds, two 3-pointers against the Celtics. • Rajon Rondo, Celtics: 19 points, 15 rebounds, 14 assists versus Dallas. • Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers: 37 points (14-21 FG), three 3-pointers, two steals against Golden State.

LOWLIGHTS

• Kelenna Azubuike, Warriors: 6 points (1-6 FG) in 25 minutes against the Blazers. • Luol Deng, Bulls: 6 points, 3 rebounds versus Miami. • Kendrick Perkins, Celtics: 0 points, 9 rebounds, a block, 4 turnovers in 26 minutes against the Mavericks.

Those that are still waiting for Monta Ellis to shake off the rust were happy to see him enter All-Star weekend on a high note with 20 points while adding three steals and a 3-pointer on Thursday night. Ellis has had a few bumps in the road while working his way back into game shape after a serious ankle injury. Clearly, his conditioning isn't where it needs to be yet, and while he has shown glimpses of the explosiveness that made him a 20-point-per-game scorer last season, he hasn't been able to bring that level of intensity for a full game. It's tough to knock down jumpers when your legs aren't underneath you and that's exactly why he's shooting just 38 percent from the floor since returning to the court. But if Thursday was any indication, Ellis could finally be getting back into game shape. He saw a season-high 44 minutes in the victory over the Blazers, but the best news of the night was that he got better as the game progressed, scoring a few key buckets late in the contest. With Monta getting his game legs back, look for him to come out of the gates on fire in the second half, as he'll get some much-needed rest during All-Star weekend.

Under the boards

Ben Gordon's 34-point effort wasn't enough to hold off Dwyane Wade and the Heat on Thursday night, when a late dunk by Shawn Marion sealed the deal for Miami. Gordon didn't get much help from teammate Luol Deng (6 points, 3 rebounds), as he struggled to get anything going on the offensive end. … Tyrus Thomas continued his solid play with 15 points, eight rebounds, a steal and two blocks in the loss. He's been uncharacteristically consistent as of late and should be owned in all fantasy formats at the moment. Still, one has to wonder if the inconsistency will reappear sometime soon. … Perhaps motivated by a matchup with Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley went off for 21 points, seven rebounds, a steal, two blocks and a 3-pointer. If Beasley could only bring that type of effort to the court every night. … Greg Oden managed to score eight points while grabbing 11 rebounds, despite playing just 18 minutes in Portland's loss to the Golden State Warriors. Foul trouble was the culprit again for Oden, and as much as I wish I could be optimistic about Oden's prospects for the second half, I just can't due to his constant foul trouble. … With Monta Ellis hot, it was Jamal Crawford's stats that suffered the most, as he took just nine shots from the floor and finished with 12 points. It won't always be Crawford who suffers when Ellis is hot, but owners should be aware that there is not enough rock for Ellis, Crawford, Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson to share once Ellis is back to form. … Ronny Turiaf continued his stellar play with Andris Biedrins out of the lineup with 14 points, 11 rebounds and a block in the victory against the Blazers. Keep Turiaf in mind if Biedrins' ankle injury lingers after the break.

Brian McKitish is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.