DET @ CHI: Forgive the baseball reference, but Luol Deng might be the next Wally Pipp, the Yankee who sat out with a headache, lost his job to the young Lou Gehrig and never got it back. Jimmy Butler (18 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST) has been terrific while Deng (hamstring) has missed three games. Joakim Noah (10 PTS, 18 REB) was strong all night and Nate Robinson (11 PTS, 7 AST) provided a fourth-quarter spark as the Bulls rallied to win an ugly game. Brandon Knight led the tired Pistons with 13 points, and Greg Monroe (9 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST) battled Noah, but the team scored just 14 points in the final frame to let this one slip away.
BRK @ MIN: Avoiding the letdown I feared, the Nets took command in the first half and held off the shorthanded T-Wolves. Deron Williams (18 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL) and Brook Lopez (22 PTS, 7 REB, 2 BLK) did most of the damage, with Joe Johnson (18 PTS, 3 AST, 3 REB) close to his January average. Andrei Kirilenko (15 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST) led Minnesota and the bench may be better than the remaining starters, as Dante Cunningham (14 PTS, 3 REB, 2 STL) and journeyman Chris Johnson (12 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK) are a lot more mobile than Greg Stiemsma. For that matter, J.J. Barea (11 PTS, 8 AST, 4 REB) had a better night than Ricky Rubio (5 PTS, 6 AST, 3 STL) who continues to frustrate his impatient owners.
DEN @ HOU: The Rockets played better than they have recently; it just wasn’t good enough to beat the very sharp Nuggets. James Harden (23 PTS, 7 AST, 3 REB) needs just a bit more help, and the fantasy value of Jeremy Lin (9 PTS, 3 AST in 24 minutes) is plummeting, courtesy of Kevin McHale. They were a better team in real life and fantasy when Kelvin Sampson was coaching. Ty Lawson (21 PTS, 7 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL) dominated all three Houston PG, and Wilson Chandler (20 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL in 23:44) had his best game (excluding the Chinese league) in nearly two years.
NOH @ SAS: When I mentioned to a friend recently that Tiago Splitter is ready to (eventually) take over from Tim Duncan, he expressed great disbelief. Last night, with Duncan (knee) sitting out, the big Brazilian had 25 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in 32 minutes. Manu Ginobili (hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (knee bruise) were also injured, and coach Gregg Popovich was ill. Tony Parker (24 PTS, 13 AST) won his battle with Greivis Vasquez (15 PTS, 11 AST, 5 REB) and the shorthanded Spurs prevailed. Ryan Anderson (16 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST) was sharp off the bench for New Orleans, Eric Gordon had 17 and Anthony Davis (9 PTS, 7 REB) played on his wonky ankle.
WAS @ UTA: The Wizards are better than you think. Just the presence of John Wall (14 PTS, 8 AST in 26:40 off the bench) has changed the whole team’s attitude. Emeka Okafor (6 PTS, 17 REB, 2 BLK) held his own against Al Jefferson (11 PTS, 10 REB, 2 BLK) and the Jazz were fully extended to turn back a determined late rally by the visitors. Paul Millsap (16 PTS, 15 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK) was the difference, but we are still waiting for a Utah big man to be traded.
PHO @ SAC: Before we give new coach Lindsay Hunter too much credit, beating the Kings is progress, not some great achievement. DeMarcus Cousins (15 PTS, 15 REB, 5 AST) committed six of Sacramento’s 24 turnovers and Tyreke Evans (16 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST) dominates the ball, reducing the fantasy value of both PG. Rookie Thomas Robinson (12 PTS, 14 REB) may soon take over from Jason Thompson, whose slump is entering its third week. Luis Scola (21 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST) led the Suns, and the enigmatic Michael Beasley (19 PTS, 6 REB in 22 minutes) has played three good games in his last four.