Delonte West(notes) and DeJuan Blair(notes) are making cases for more widespread ownership, while Mike Bibby(notes) and Charlie Villanueva(notes) are struggling. And can/will anything slow Kobe Bryant’s(notes) roll?
• Kobe Bryant suffered the fracture in his right index finger on
December 11, and has also dealt with the stomach flu, a tweaked knee,
and a strained right elbow in the 10 games since the injury. Check out
his averages in those 10 games: 42 minutes, 34.5 points, 48% FG (26.5
FGA), 1.3 threes, 87% FT (9.2 FTA), 6.3 boards, 5.2 assists, 3.6
turnovers, and 2 steals. In a word, wow.
• Any time Andrew Bynum(notes) is having a problem with his knee, it’s notable, so take note.
Bynum
has been dealing with discomfort in his right knee that he
described as tightness around where the kneecap meets the quad muscle.
While all indications are that this is not a major or structural issue,
it’s also notable in a morbid way that Bynum has suffered major knee
injuries during the month of January in each of the past two seasons.
He turned in another "okay" line Tuesday (24 minutes, 11 points, 7
boards, 0 assists, 4 turnovers, 2 steals, 0 blocks), while Pau Gasol(notes)
was big-time (27 points, 12 boards, 3 blocks).
• Ron Artest(notes) missed his third consecutive game because of a concussion. He’ll run on a treadmill Wednesday to see whether or not he might be able to rejoin the active roster Friday.
• Corey Maggette(notes) keeps getting it done for the Warriors. His 25
points Tuesday game him 20-plus in nine of the past 10 games, a stretch
in which he’s averaged 23.2 points on 65-percent shooting,85-percent foul shooting (9.4 attempts) and 5.8 boards in 34 minutes.
He started at small forward for the second consecutive game, ahead of
Anthony Morrow(notes), with Andris Biedrins(notes) (26 minutes, 6 points, 8 boards, 6
fouls) and Anthony Randolph(notes) (19 minutes, 6 points, 6 boards, 5 assists,
1 steal, 5 blocks) forming the starting frontcourt. Could this be the
Don Nelson’s "standard" starting five moving forward, along with Monta
Ellis(notes) and Stephen Curry(notes)? (Yes, that’s a rhetorical question.)
• Another solid game for Delonte West Tuesday (29 minutes, 17 points, 1 three, 5 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, +24 in an 11-point win), pushing his averages over the past seven games to 11 points on 55-percent shooting, 0.3 threes, 3.4 boards, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 26 minutes. You’re going to want him on your roster(s) if/when the offense catches up with those great supporting numbers.
• The tough month for Mike Bibby’s fantasy owners continued Tuesday, with the usual mash-up of numbers (27 minutes, 2 points, 0 threes, 3 boards, 7 assists, 1 turnover, 2 steals). He’s averaged just 25 minutes in 12 December games, thanks to Jamal Crawford(notes) seeing a steady 30-plus minutes (34 Tuesday) and Maurice Evans(notes) earning more playing time (averaging 20 minutes in December). Bibby’s line in December hasn’t been all bad, but it’s certainly not been all good: 7.5 points on 36-percent shooting, 1.5 threes, 4.5 assists, 1 turnover, and 1.3 steals. That’s some terrible offense with pretty solid supporting stats, the reason he’s clocking in at 100th in per-game rank over the past month. If you aren’t already lacking in terms of scoring, then he’s at least been a serviceable option on most nights.
• The Wizards loss to the Thunder Tuesday (110-98) was their 10th in 13 games, a stretch in which they’ve allowed 107 points per game to the opposition. Flip Saunders was incensed during and after the game and let fly with a few choice quotes:
"Spots will be open. If guys don’t like it, that’s fine but that’s the way
it’s going to be. I’m not going to sit there, stand there and look
at that any more. You evaluate for 30 games where you’re at. Right now, where
it’s going, it ain’t getting done … I can go out there on that floor and take anybody on our team on
one-on-one at 52 years old and drive right around them. We’ve
got to wake up. As I told them: Don’t think it can’t get any worse, because it
can."
That’s strong language, and it’s true that the Wizards are a mess, but what can Saunders really do at this point? None of the big three are going to lose minutes, and benching Brendan Haywood(notes) certainly won’t improve their team defense. That leaves shooting guard, where it’s already been musical chairs all season. The phrase "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" seems to be applicable here.
• The Knicks’ box score was a thing of beauty Tuesday, with numbers you would hope for right down the line. Wilson Chandler(notes) (23 points, 9 boards, 3 steals, 1 block), Chris Duhon(notes) (13 points, 3 threes, 7 assists), David Lee(notes) (30 points, 12 boards, 5 assists), Jared Jeffries(notes) (8 boards, 2 steals, 3 blocks), and Danilo Gallinari(notes) (16 points, 4 threes) all turned in excellent lines in the 104-87 victory. Al Harrington(notes) was even useful (13 points, 1 three, 6 boards, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, 1 steal) despite dealing with foul trouble (24 minutes, 5 fouls).
• The Pistons’ offense, on the other hand, continues to sputter as they attempt to get everyone back to 100 percent and establish a set rotation. They’ve averaged 81 points as a team over the past five games and aren’t likely to work out the kinks in the immediate future.
• Charlie Villanueva played through flu-like symptoms and his continued battle with plantar fasciitis, making none of his four shots in 12 minutes. Over the past six games, Charlie V has made 12 of 52 shot attempts (23%).
• The Pacers switched their starting lineup (again) in advance of their matchup with the Bulls – with T.J. Ford(notes), Dahntay Jones(notes), and Solomon Jones(notes) replacing Earl Watson(notes), Brandon Rush(notes), and Roy Hibbert(notes) – and then went on to fall behind 34-15 after one quarter in an eventual 104-95 loss. The Pacers’ team situation got a mention in Monday’s Skinny (as did the Bulls’), so I’ll save the bandwidth here, as this loss obviously didn’t do anything to help the situation.
• The Bulls got a combined 55 points on 20-of-35 shooting (57%) from Derrick Rose(notes) (28 points, 6 assists), Kirk Hinrich(notes) (10 points, 2 threes, 5 assists), and John Salmons(notes) (17 points, 3 threes, 5 assists), exactly the kind of production the Hinrich/Salmons role swap was intended to produce.
• Luol Deng(notes) has been dealing with a left thumb fracture that is quite painful, but he’s been able to play through it since it’s his non-shooting hand. He scored 15 points (6-of-10 FG, 1 three) and grabbed eight boards in 37 minutes Tuesday.
• It’s good to see Tyrus Thomas(notes) back in action, as he has the skill-set to deliver among the most dynamic fantasy lines in the game [insert proverbial big "if" about consistency and health]. In two games, he’s totaled 29 points, 24 boards, two steals, and five blocks in 63 minutes. Thomas is going to play big minutes regardless, but a few more games like these and Vinny Del Negro (or whoever is the Bulls’ coach) will have no choice but to move him into the starting lineup.
• DeJuan Blair was limited a bit by foul trouble Tuesday (24 minutes, 4 fouls), but still turned in a serviceable line in his fifth start (11 points, 6 boards, 1 block). Another reason to consider adding Blair to your fantasy roster(s): Antonio McDyess(notes) (21 minutes, 4 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks) says that coming off the bench is his comfort zone,
so Blair could hang on to the starting spot even when Matt Bonner(notes)
returns from his hand injury. If the Spurs continue their strong play
for the next few weeks (9-2 over the past 11 games), there will be little motivation to make a
change to the starting five.
• Manu Ginobili’s(notes) massive line (14 points, 3 threes, 9 boards, 10 assists, 1 turnover, 3 steals) is certainly a welcome sight, but what has to currently be at the top of his fantasy owners’ wish list is some consistency of production.
• David West(notes) (44) and Chris Paul(notes) (16) combined for 60 of the Hornets’ 100 points Tuesday, although the two-man show fell short in the 108-100 loss to the Rockets. West added 12 boards, four assists, two steals, and made two threes in a game (on four attempts) for the third time in his career. Paul registered the 11th triple-double of his career (11 boards, 10 assists) and also had two steals and two blocks. Strangely enough, Paul was a -11 in his 42 minutes, while Peja Stojakovic(notes) was a +12 in 29 minutes, despite all zeros outside of four boards.
• Shane Battier(notes) had one of his better performances of the season Tuesday (20 points, 5 threes) and has been in something of a groove of late. Over the past eight games, he’s averaged 10 points on 50-percent shooting, 2.4 threes, 3.9 boards, 2.8 assists, 1.4 turnovers, and 1.8 steals-plus-blocks. Given his current ownership level (53%), a quick check of the wire isn’t a terrible idea, particularly if you are in a roto league.
• File this under "we all saw it coming": Tracy McGrady(notes) has been granted an indefinite leave of absence while the Rockets seek a trade, with T-Mac adding, "I don’t care if I go to the damn moon." To paraphrase some discussion from Monday’s Skinny,
don’t expect anything to happen much before the February 18 trade
deadline and don’t be surprised if the two parties end up parting ways
via a buyout shortly after the deadline expires.
• Some early updates for Wednesday’s games: Paul Pierce(notes) (knee) is out; Marcus Camby(notes) (knee) is questionable; Rudy Gay(notes) (ankle) is expected to play; Tyreke Evans(notes) is doubtful; Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) (ankle) will be a game-time decision; and Troy Murphy(notes) (ankle) is not expected to play.
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Photos via Getty Images
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