D.Granger’s fantasy owners are seeing their season flash before their eyes, while K.Love’s are wondering what Kurt Rambis’ deal is.
• Danny Granger(notes) missed Wednesday’s game and is out indefinitely after taking a hard elbow to the cheek on Tuesday. A CT scan of his head and neck came back negative but the team is taking no chances and "will evaluate him on a day-to-day basis." This is obviously gut-wrenching for his fantasy owners, but I can’t condone a drop in standard leagues before waiting at least a few days for more specifics. Dahntay Jones(notes) started Wednesday (29 minutes, 10 points, 6 boards, 1 steal) and certainly looks like a decent short-term play [schedule] if you have a roster spot in play. Granger owners: keep your fingers crossed and update your Watch List in the event that a move will eventually be necessary.
• Wilson Chandler(notes) has shut it down in an effort to rest a nagging groin injury that first occurred in mid-January. Although his season hasn’t officially ended, neither he nor the Knicks are interested in risking a major injury while playing out the string for this disaster of a team. Here’s a telling Mike D’Antoni quote:
"He will take as long it needs," D’Antoni said. "He needs to have a good
summer of work. We don’t want to rush him back and risk any injury. I’m
hoping two, three weeks. But if it’s the rest of the year, it’s the
rest of the year."
Fantasy owners that were only going to get two games from Chandler next week as it was [schedule] and he’s droppable in standard leagues. Bill Walker(notes) is next in line on the depth chart – he started Wednesday but dealt with foul trouble (23 minutes, 8 points, 4 fouls). His career per-36s are useful (14.8 points, 0.8 threes, 4.2 boards, 1 steal) and he showed in college and the D-League that he can at least score.
Chandler had been averaging 38 minutes since the All-Star break, so we’re talking about substantial minutes being up for grabs. If T-Mac were to shut it down at some point, it would mean even more available minutes for players like Walker and Toney Douglas(notes). Even Eddie House(notes) is hurting right now. With the Knicks only playing two games (DEN, @PHO), you can’t plan on much more than 30 points, two threes, eight boards, and two steals this coming week. If it comes to it, you can drop him on Friday for someone with a Saturday game and still get a three-game week from the roster spot. Week 23 brings four games (@UTH, @POR, @GSW, @LAC), so both he and Douglas will be factors at that point.
• Chris Paul(notes) is getting closer to a return, and his current targets are either Saturday (@UTH) or Monday (DAL). Figure on the trio of Paul, Darren Collison(notes), and Marcus Thornton(notes) monopolizing the minutes at both guard spots moving forward, and there’s room for all three players to produce even after Paul gets back. All three players should fall between the high 20s and mid 30s on any given night.
• Andrei Kirilenko(notes) lasted just 17 minutes (9 points, 1 steal, 1 block) Wednesday before aggravating a left calf injury that had cost him the previous two games. He left the arena in a walking boot and will be re-evaluated before the team’s back-to-back on Friday/Saturday (@PHO, NOR). He’s officially day-to-day, but there’s certainly a chance that he won’t be able to go Friday. C.J. Miles(notes) and Kyle Korver(notes) stand to benefit for as long as AK is less than 100% … Deron Williams(notes) is also banged up. He came down awkwardly on his left ankle early in Wednesday’s game and then aggravated a left shoulder injury late in the game. He’ll have a precautionary MRI on the shoulder Thursday but isn’t expected to miss any time as of yet.
• Stephen Curry(notes) missed Wednesday’s game with a sprained left ankle and is day-to-day. He was a late scratch, as he didn’t feel right shortly before game-time despite no problems at shootaround earlier in the day. We’ll need to see a Friday update before we know his status for the Warriors’ upcoming back-to-back (Fri @SAS, Sat @MEM). C.J. Watson(notes) and Reggie Williams(notes) are both viable options with Curry out.
• Luol Deng(notes) suffered a set-back while testing his calf injury and was limping noticeably on Wednesday. His original target was Saturday but that now appears to be in jeopardy, barring a sudden turnaround in two days. We don’t know exactly how much longer Deng will need to recover, but James Johnson(notes) (30 minutes, 13.3 points, 1.3 threes, 3.5 boards, 1 steal, 1.5 blocks in four starts) makes for a reasonable option for the team’s upcoming back-to-back (Fri CLE, Sat @PHI) and possibly beyond … Also for the Bulls: all involved parties are hopeful that both Derrick Rose(notes) (wrist) and Joakim Noah(notes) (plantar fasciitis) will return Saturday. Noah would see very limited minutes if he were able to return. And Taj Gibson(notes) keeps playing while his plantar fasciitis gets worse, making him a pretty risky option at this point.
• If he believes that Kevin Love(notes) is healthy, then why did
Kurt Rambis play him for only 17 minutes in the team’s 22-point loss to
the Jazz? Could it be that some recent
comments rubbed Rambis the wrong way? This is how Rambis explained
what Love needs to be doing these days:
"He’s just got to continue to fight through with whatever
frustration
he’s feeling now. That’s what guys do at this level.
You’ve got to let go, move forward. Whatever is frustrating him, you let
it go and continue to do the things that are his strengths. "
What remains to be seen is if he’s allowed to move forward with
playing time commensurate to his place in the team’s talent depth chart.
If the current trend continues against the Lakers on Friday [schedule],
then his already tenuous relationship with fantasy owners may be pushed
to the brink.
• Carlos Delfino(notes) sat out Wednesday game with a left ankle bone bruise but would be "surprised" if he missed another [schedule], calling it "nothing big." Charlie Bell(notes) got the start Wednesday but was not a factor (24 minutes, 3 points).
• Thaddeus Young(notes) is officially day-to-day with a right thumb fracture, but Eddie Jordan said that he didn’t expect him to play any earlier than a week from now. He’s waiver material in standard leagues. Jason Kapono(notes) (23 minutes, 10.7 points, 2 threes over the past three games) is in line for more playing time with Young out.
• Marc Gasol(notes) has a slight tear in a muscle on the left side of his collarbone and appears likely to sit through the weekend, and possibly longer. Gasol had this to say:
"It’s kind of detached. Every time I try to stretch with
my arm and reach, it hurts pretty bad. Hopefully, it’s not
(season-ending). It’s a very painful thing, but we’re going to see how
it feels from day to day."
Hasheem Thabeet(notes) has averaged 9 points, 9.5 boards, and 3 blocks in two starts and could be a solid add if that season-ending talk suddenly turns less hopeful (and Thabeet then stays out of foul trouble). It’s worth noting that the Grizzlies only play four games in the next 12 days [schedule].
• For the Pistons: both Rodney Stuckey(notes) and Ben Wallace(notes) were full participants in Thursday’s practice and will be in the lineup Friday. Both players will come off the bench, meaning Will Bynum(notes) and Jason Maxiell(notes) will remain in the starting five. While Stuckey figures to start again very soon, the specific plans for Wallace remain up in the air. It’s doubtful that the Pistons would demote Maxiell if he continues his current level of production (five straight double-doubles), but Wallace’s contract is expiring and he’s something of a franchise icon.
• Game 1 for the "new-look" point guard situation in Toronto: Jose Calderon(notes) 28 minutes, 9 points, 1 three, 6 assists, 0 turnovers, 2 steals; Jarrett Jack(notes) 20 minutes, 7 points, 4 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal. Jack’s fantasy potential has not completely disappeared, but he’s definitely on shaky ground at the moment.
• Devin Harris(notes) has missed the past two games with an upper respiratory infection but hopes to play on Saturday … Terrence Williams’(notes) first game as a starter had some good (33 minutes, 13 points, 7 boards, 1 steal) and some bad (4 of 16 FG, 3 turnovers), but that’s the exchange you have to be comfortable making. His recent performances have certainly been solid, but you can’t really white-wash his 39-percent shooting on the season.
• Status quick-hitters: Gerald Wallace(notes) (ankle) has been medically cleared and will
play Friday … Joe Johnson(notes) (Achilles) remains questionable
for Friday. Maurice Evans(notes) (35 minutes, 16 points, 4 threes, 5 boards
Wednesday) would get another start if he can’t go … Andray Blatche’s(notes)
ankle sprain has been called mild and he
expects to play on Friday … Yes, Louis Williams(notes) anticipated a
return to the starting lineup as much as you did. Your move, Eddie
Jordan … Chris Andersen(notes) (finger, ankle) will "try"
to play Thursday.
—–
Photos via Getty Images