Ball Street Bits

Let’s hit some of the injury news first:
Jameer Nelson will likely have season-ending surgery on his torn labrum. The rehab should have him ready to rock by the season opener next year. The Magic haven’t made it official yet, so Nelson owners in deeper leagues should wait to cut him until it is certain he is out for the season. Chances are that the Magic will announce it over the break and it shouldn’t hurt to hold Nelson while there are no games being played.

Ray Allen hyperextended his right thumb last night against the Hornets. A hyperextended thumb isn’t that big of a deal for a basketball player and his main problem would be pain with dribbling the ball and catching and deflecting passes. He might sit tonight, but he will probably play in the All-Star Game and next week's game.

Shawn Marion bruised his left eye orbital bone in practice on Wednesday when Michael Beasley accidentally hit him in the eye. Marion is questionable for tonight, and he should be ready for next week since it’s not the type of injury that will cause him to play differently.

Carlos Boozer has yet to begin his running regiment for the Jazz. It was previously stated he was scheduled to come back on February 17 (coincidentally the same date as Gerald Wallace), but that is looking cloudy at best. The bad news on Boozer means good news for Paul Millsap. Millsap has been struggling mightily lately and could be a good buy-low candidate. His stock is in the toilet though, so make sure you don't give up too much.

Chris Kaman is nearing a return from his left foot injury. Obviously if Kaman is on your wire, then you need to scoop him. Kaman’s return would hurt the value of Marcus Camby, Zach Randolph, and Al Thornton on some scale, but the owners of those three shouldn’t try to trade them unless the price is right.

Alright, on to last night’s action:
Raymond Felton (15 points, nine dimes, eight boards, five steals, one three, and one block) and D.J Augustin (24 points, four assists, five rebounds, four threes, and a steal) both had huge lines for the victorious Bobcats. While Raja Bell and Gerald Wallace heal from injuries both Felton and Augustin should flourish. It should be interesting to see if Felton gets dealt which would increase Augustin’s value exponentially.

Hakim Warrick scored 31 points and grabbed eight boards in 43 minutes for Memphis. The 31 points are outstanding, but season-high 43 minutes are what really catches my eye. Warrick also played more minutes in his last two games (37 and 38) than he has all year long. Rudy Gay didn’t play which is the main reason for the explosion, but it looks like it might be time to scoop Warrick for good. The Grizzlies will likely be making a deal at the deadline which could increase Hakim’s value if he stays put.

Nene Hilaro had his fourth below average game in a row with just 12 points and four boards. Nene has been getting into foul trouble which explains the dearth of stats. Over his last four games Nene has scored just 8.3 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds. Nene’s owners might be a bit worried that Melo has hurt him drastically, but it has been the fouls.

Joe Johnson had his second good game in a row with 27 points, four dimes, and a three on 10-of-16 shooting. That’s also back-to-back games of shooting over 50-percent which hasn’t happened since November 14 and 15. Joe Cool had just one game above 50-percent for January, and these two games have certainly eased the minds of his owners over the break. Johnson should be a top-20 player down the stretch.

Charlie Bell dropped 20 points in 35 minutes for the Bucks. He should be owned in all 14-team leagues at this point. Keith Bogans might factor into the rotation as the season progresses, so don’t expect 20 from the Spartan on a regular basis.

T.J. Ford (14 points and 13 dimes) and Jarrett Jack (21 points, six dimes, two steals, and two threes) both put up big numbers for the Pacers. It seems congratulations are in order if you held onto Ford and he should continue to be a force for the remainder of the season as long as he’s healthy. On the other hand, Jack’s numbered spiked based on Mike Dunleavy struggling with his knee. Jack will have value in 12-team leagues while we wait for the news on Mike D.

The Rockets had a multitude of solid lines against the Kings. Yao Ming (24 points, 18 boards, a steal, and a block), Ron Artest (19 points, three treys, four dimes, and a steal), Luis Scola (19 points, 11 rebounds, and a steal), and Shane Battier (five points, five steals, a block, and a three) all had solid outings. Rafer Alston dropped $1.30 (that’s 13 dimes), but shot just 2-of-10 from the floor for five points. The news on McGrady looks pretty grim, so all the Rockets should see an increase in value. Owners in shallow leagues can probably cut McGrady.

Deron Williams had yet another huge game with 31 points, 11 assists, and a steal on 12-of-17 shooting. Deron is the second best PG in fantasy and should be a top-10 performer for the remainder of the season.

Lamar Odom scored 19,grabbed 19 rebounds, blocked two shots, and stole one in another monstrous game for the Lakers. Hello! L.O. has averaged 18 boards in his last three and could be a top-50 option as long as Andrew Bynum stays on the shelf. Odom owners might want to keep an eye on Bynum’s rehab and try to ship him before your league’s trade deadline.

Nate Robinson had the best inch-for-inch game in the history of fantasy basketball last night against the Clippers (quick, call the hyperbole police on me!). His line was 33 points, 15 dimes, nine rebounds, two threes, and five steals. Nate also only had one turnover, played 52 minutes and chucked up 11 three-point attempts for the Knicks. Nate Rob would become a top-40 option if the MRI on Duhon’s bum ankle comes back with any significant ailment.

Baron Davis scored 13 points, made two triples, grabbed six boards, had 20 assists, blocked one, and stole one last night against the Knicks. He also only shot 5-of-17, but the six-cat line leaves a nice taste in the mouth of Baron’s owners over the break. The Clippers made 15 triples which was the primary factor in Baron’s high dime output. BINGO!!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the All-Star festivities in the Valley of the Sun.