After four long days of fun and frivolity that did absolutely nothing for our stats, there’s a busy Tuesday night of “real” pretend action for fantasy owners. Before we look at all nine games, Gerald Henderson is expected to return tomorrow and should be owned in all leagues. In another Bobcats note, Corey Maggette skipped Monday’s practice. That means Reggie Williams could be in for one big game on Wednesday, if not more. Also, Richard Hamilton participated fully in Bulls practice yesterday and could be ready to return.
In the Air Tonight
The Pacers host Golden State, and if Stephen Curry (foot ligament) can’t play, little Nate Robinson could have a big night. If you like hunch plays, Brandon Rush might be inspired against his former team. Indiana is on a roll, and with George Hill back, has a relatively healthy, deeper and very talented lineup. Big Roy Hibbert can only feel more confident after his first all-star experience.
Boston visits Cleveland on a rare five-game losing streak. There’s been talk of Chris Wilcox replacing Jermaine O’Neal in the starting five, though both are currently day-to-day with nagging injuries. The Celtics big man to own (apart from Kevin Garnett, of course) is Brandon Bass, who is almost ready to return from a knee strain. For the Cavs, it appears that Anthony Parker is nearly ready, but his game isn’t fantasy-friendly.
In Detroit, you never know what to expect. The Pistons have improved from a disastrous 4-20 start and won seven of their last 11 games, with Greg Monroe and a talented backcourt leading the way. The Sixers continue to struggle with no true center. For at least the next couple of weeks, Nikola Vucevic is probably their best option. Not sure if Elton Brand (thumb) will play; word is he may be affected by that injury all season.
New Orleans at Chicago looks like a mismatch, but I was really impressed by the Hornets in their back-to-back-to-back road swing to end the first half and expect they will continue the improved effort. It’s possible that Emeka Okafor and Jason Smith will both return, which would probably cut more into the minutes of Gustavo Ayon than Chris Kaman. For the Bulls, even if Rip does play, he’ll be coming off the bench. As a speculative FA, you could do worse. Also, C.J. Watson has been cleared to return, and does have some value even when Derrick Rose is 100% healthy.
The Raptors should have Linas Kleiza back tonight in Houston. There seems to be some confusion about his health. The surgically-repaired knee had nothing to do with his recent absence, it was a bump to his other knee in the Knicks game. There was also a report that Andrea Bargnani is travelling with the team, but he has yet to practice and remains out indefinitely.
In Milwaukee, they really need Drew Gooden, who just might return tonight from a wrist issue and other minor aches. That would bump Jon Leuer from the starting C job he tried gamely to fill. Ersan Ilyasova has been on a roll in PTS and REB. There’s not much to say about the Wizards.
Dallas will be without Lamar Odom, on personal leave. If you still own Mr. Kardashian, I admire your tenacity and optimism. His fantasy “value” has been negative all year. Rodrigue Beaubois is back with the team after a death in the family, and might get run with Delonte West still healing. The visiting Nets are as close to full strength as they have been in ages, with Brook Lopez getting stronger each game and Kris Humphries expected back from a mild calf strain.
The Jazz, just 3-11 on the road, are in Sacramento. I’m not a Kings fan in real life, but they are one of my fantasy secret weapons. The improvement and even maturity of DeMarcus Cousins is a big reason. In a much smaller package, Isaiah Thomas has also been a boost to my teams. For Utah, Raja Bell is a game-time decision. He may have lost his starting job anyway to Josh Howard, who will play SF and move Gordon Heyward to SG.
Way past my bedtime, the Timberwolves visit the Clippers. I’d PVR this one, but we’re happily snowed in this week at a cottage near Algonquin Park, which also means the Spin is being cranked out on a noisy old laptop instead of the usual PC in my home office. It will be fun to watch Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Love bang with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan up front, and the Chris Paul vs. Ricky Rubio battle is just as interesting.
Other Items
Kobe Bryant may (or may not) have suffered a mild concussion and we have yet to hear definitively whether he will play tomorrow. Stay tuned. Luol Deng, after a scary fall on his sore wrist early in the All-Star game, is apparently OK. Danilo Gallinari says the swelling in his ankle has gone down and estimates he’ll be back on the court in ten days.
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