Kevin Martin(notes) is back, meaning the feeling out process between K-Mart and Tyreke Evans(notes) can begin (again).
• Kevin Martin returned to the court Friday, after missing 32 games since fracturing his wrist in early November. The Kings
were 1-4 at the time of the injury, with Martin having averaged 30.6
points and 3.4 threes in 42 minutes per game. Tyreke Evans has emerged
as a two-way game changer in the months since, averaging 22.3 points,
81-percent foul shooting, 5.5 boards, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6
blocks in 28 games over that stretch. The Kings also enjoyed some team
success despite K-Mart’s absence, winning 12 of 22 games before a
recent swoon (2-8). There is significant interest in whether Martin and
Evans can form a mutually beneficial pairing, as it will help determine
the future of the franchise.
The lines weren’t stellar in their
first attempt to re-connect, a 98-86 loss to the 76ers. Evans scored 14 points on
3-of-13 shooting in 36 minutes, adding four assists, three turnovers,
and three steals. Martin jumped right back into the starting five and
played 34 minutes, scoring 19 points on 4-of-10 shooting, with two
threes, two assists, three turnovers, one steal, and one block. One
very good sign was that the two combined to make 17 of 17 foul shots.
Omri Casspi(notes) was something of a non-factor for the Kings (6 points,
2-of-6 FG), while Jason Thompson(notes) had a very good game (19 points, 16
boards, 5 assists, 4 turnovers, 3 blocks). The Kings are right back at
it on Saturday, taking on the Wizards in Washington, and then play once
in the span of five days.
• The 76ers got yet another
double-double from Samuel Dalembert(notes) (28 minutes, 17 points, 12 boards,
3 blocks) and a rare showing of efficient offense from Thaddeus Young(notes)
(20 points, 9-of-14 FG, 2-of-2 FT) in the win over the Kings. Young has a ways to go
to make up for his horrific production over the past month (12 points,
0.1 threes, 40% FG, 70% FT over his past 15 games).
• You want to talk about defense? The
Bobcats limited the Spurs to 76 points on 39-percent shooting, with no
player scoring more than 11 points. All was not completely lost for the
Spurs from a fantasy perspective, however. DeJuan Blair(notes) followed up
Wednesday’s 28/21 explosion with 11 points and 16 boards in another 31
minutes of playing time. Blair is picking it up just as Matt Bonner(notes) nears his return
from a broken hand, so we’ll have to see if he can keep it up and stop
Bonner from making a play for the starting gig. Antonio McDyess(notes) has
made it clear that he prefers life as a reserve.
• Boris Diaw(notes)
scored 26 points, hit four threes, grabbed 11 boards, and had two
blocked shots in 37 minutes against the Spurs. And there was much rejoicing.
He’s now scored in double-figures in three of the past four games,
posting averages of 16 points on 52-percent shooting, 2 threes, 8.5
boards, 5 assists, 1.8 turnovers, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks.
Meanwhile, Raymond Felton(notes) has felt the squeeze – he had four points on
1-of-7 shooting Friday and has averaged 9.5 points over the past four
games.
• There were plenty of good numbers
to go around in the Bulls’ 121-119 win over the Wizards in double
overtime. Derrick Rose(notes) delivered a big line (37 points, 9 boards, 6
assists) in a whopping 50 minutes of playing time to lead the Bulls,
while Antawn Jamison(notes) turned in his most complete line of the season (34
points, 3 threes, 18 boards, 5 assists, 0 turnovers, 1 steal) in 55
minutes … And it was yet another 20-plus point effort from Randy
Foye(notes), who has now averaged 20.6 points, 1.4 threes, 4 boards, 7.8
assists, 1.8 turnovers, 1 steal, and 1 block in five games since
replacing Gilbert Arenas(notes) in the starting five.
• Speaking of Arenas, his saga took its next step Friday, as he pled guilty
to a felony count of carry a pistol without a license. His sentencing
date is March 26, and there is no reason to expect his indefinite
suspension to be modified before that date, at least not for the
better. His plea deal with prosecutors means he probably won’t see more
than six months in jail, but the fact that his sentencing wasn’t
announced today makes it likely he’ll spend at least some time in jail.
In case it still needs to be said: it’s safe to drop him in re-draft leagues.
• Kris Humphries(notes) saw 27 minutes of playing time in his second
game with the Nets (15 points, 8 boards, 2 steals, 1 block) and should
emerge as the sole backup big for the Nets, as Josh Boone(notes) and Tony
Battie(notes) are eliminated from the rotation. Deep-leaguers should take note
here, as his per-25 minute averages over the past four seasons include
10 points, 7 boards, and 1.4 steals-plus-blocks and Yi Jianlian(notes) hasn’t
exactly been the picture of health during his three NBA seasons.
• Robin Lopez(notes) [game log]
has been a DNP-CD more often than not in recent weeks, but was
productive Friday (11 points, 6 board, 6 blocks) in his first extended
playing time of the season (31 minutes). Lopez limited Channing Frye’s(notes)
impact (21 minutes, 5 point, 1 three, 3 boards), but nobody should be
in panic mode, although it’s worth noting that Frye has totaled 16
points in the past three games.
• Big games from Richard Hamilton(notes) (32 points, 10 assists, 7
turnovers, 3 steals) and Ben Wallace(notes) (13 points, 21 boards, 5 assists,
1 turnover, 2 blocks) helped the Pistons best the Hornets in overtime,
110-104. Chris Paul(notes) put up another herculean effort (24 points, 2
threes, 5 boards, 14 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 steals) and got the usual
from David West(notes) (25 points, 9 boards). Devin Brown’s(notes) slump reached a
new low (21 minutes, 0 points, 0-of-3 FG), while Marcus Thornton(notes) scored
in double figures for the fourth straight game (30 minutes, 13 points,
2 threes, 5 boards, 2 steals).
• It’s impossible to ignore the fact that Jose Calderon(notes) (26 minutes,
21 points, 3 threes, 6 assists) outperformed Jarrett Jack(notes) (22 minutes,
10 points, 1 three, 1 assist) for the second consecutive game. For now,
Jay Triano appears satisfied with the current rotation, but that could change if this becomes more of a trend.
• Chris Duhon(notes) is swooning once again, as he’s averaged 4.5 points on
23-percent shooting over the past four games. Shocking, I know.
• Memphis went roughly nine players deep with useful fantasy lines Friday, thanks to the friendliest matchup around. The Timberwolves have allowed 110 points on average over the past 18 games.
• While Kevin Durant’s(notes) overall numbers have improved as the season
has progressed, one area that has been working against his fantasy
impact is assists-to-turnovers. His Friday line was an exaggerated
version of the trend: 30 points, 4 threes, 14-of-16 FT, 13 boards, 0
assists, 8 turnovers, and 1 steal. As for his overall AST:TO ratio, it
was 3.5:3.7 in November, moved to 2.8:4.1 in December, and so far is
2.1:5.1 in seven January games.
• In two games since aggravating his right wrist injury, Dwyane Wade(notes)
has averaged 36 points on 64-percent shooting, 5 boards, 8.5 assists,
4.5 turnovers, 3 steals, 0.5 blocks, and made 22 of 22 free throws …
Jermaine O’Neal(notes) followed up Wednesday’s season-high of 24 points with
his first double-double in nearly six weeks (32 minutes, 16 points, 13
boards, 4 blocks).
• Pau Gasol’s(notes) return was felt throughout the Lakers’ lineup, as the
team’s percentages were 50/46/83 in the 126-86 shellacking of the
Clippers. The Lakers had averaged 116 points in five games before Gasol
was hurt and 93 points in the six games that he missed … Andrew Bynum(notes)
averaged 19 points on 53-percent shooting, 11.8 boards, and 1.5 blocks
in Gasol’s absence, and went for 20/7/2 in the easy win over the Clips.
The Lakers and fantasy owners are anxiously waiting to see if he’s
headed for another downturn now that Gasol is back. Lamar Odom’s(notes) streak
of 11 games with at least 10 rebounds ended emphatically, as he barely
managed double figures in minutes (11 minutes, 7 points, 2 boards, 4
fouls).
• Chris Kaman’s(notes) back pain is/was significant enough that he’s had an epidural, the third of his career. He missed his third consecutive game Friday and his status for Saturday remains up in the air. DeAndre
Jordan(notes) has started the past three games in Kaman’s stead, averaging 13
points on 80-percent shooting, 7.7 boards, and 1.7 blocks in 29
minutes.
• The Warriors’ depth chart is so thin these days that Stephen Curry(notes) was allowed to stay in Friday’s game after having fouled out.
They started with only eight healthy players and lost Anthony Morrow(notes) to
injury, while Andris Biedrins(notes) and Chris Hunter(notes) has previously fouled
out. Both Monta Ellis(notes) and Curry played all 48 minutes, while Morrow lasted only four before leaving with a right knee sprain. He’s due to have an MRI on Saturday.
• Jodie Meeks(notes) followed up 21 points in 31 minutes Wednesday with zero points and three fouls in 13 minutes Friday.
• This just in: the Magic are struggling. Matt Barnes’(notes) -14 was the "best" number of any of the team’s starters in the 102-87 loss to the Blazers Friday. Rashard
Lewis(notes) and Jameer Nelson(notes) weren’t terrible offensively, but Vince Carter(notes)
was horrific in his return from a shoulder injury and Dwight Howard(notes)
attempted only seven shots and made three of 10 free throws. The team
has lost six of eight games and is desperate to get everyone healthy
and on the same page.
The upcoming schedule is a mixed bag, with matchups with the Lakers,
Pacers, Kings, Bobcats, Grizzlies, Celtics and Hawks on tap for the
next two weeks. From a fantasy perspective, it’s basically "hold"
situations all around.
• What made the Blazers’ win over the Magic particularly impressive
was that they did it without Brandon Roy(notes), who was inactive because of a
hamstring strain.
The team got good production from Andre Miller(notes) (19 points, 9 assists),
Steve Blake(notes) (18 points, 4 threes, 6 assists), LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) (14
points, 14 boards), and Martell Webster(notes) (24 points, 5 threes, 9
boards). Jarryd Bayless managed just one point in 20 minutes as the
starting shooting guard. Rudy Fernandez(notes) had 10 points in 18 minutes in
his second game since returning from back surgery.
• Does Greg Oden(notes) have a shot to play this season? He hasn’t been officially ruled out yet, but I wouldn’t be rushing to the wire in the wake of this "news". It’s still a (very) long shot.
• Sundiata Gaines’(notes) game-winner
grabbed the headlines Thursday but the more relevant fantasy stories in the
Jazz’s win over the Cavs was that both Deron Williams(notes) and Andrei
Kirilenko(notes) left the game
with injuries. Williams aggravated his right wrist injury, did not
practice Friday, and his immediate availability is unknown. AK was on
the court Friday, was feeling better than he was "supposed to be", and
thinks he’ll "probably" be able to give it a go on Saturday. Frustrated
Kirilienko owners should note that he was recently singled out by Jerry
Sloan as someone he’d like to get more minutes and touches for, so I
still recommend holding him in standard leagues.
• The rough target
for Kevin Garnett’s(notes) return from his hyper-extended right knee is next
Friday, January 22. He’s resumed workouts and the team is hoping that
he’ll be ready to rejoin the active roster after a few practices,
including the day before that target … Rasheed Wallace(notes) is a strong possibility to return on Monday.
—
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