Yes, there are 16 more games in the NCAA tournament today, making the NBA an afterthought for countless hoops fans. Sure, your bracket is important and the Madness is contagious, but season-long fantasy leagues are based on the pro game and it’s getting to be crunch time, with trade deadlines looming, Head-to-Head playoffs around the corner and Roto standings getting tighter.
There are also daily leagues at DraftStreet (both NCAA and NBA) for fun and profit. Be sure to enter the Sheridan Hoops Freeroll, where someone will win $100 cash, no strings attached. There are 14 consolation prizes worth another two hundred bucks, and it costs absolutely nothing to play. Your odds are even better in $2 leagues, where entries are capped and the prize pools are considerably larger. Details and my picks on Page 4.
Thursday Results
PHI @ DEN: Maybe the Nuggets were overconfident. Like me, they underestimated the 76ers, who probably should have won. Ty Lawson (heel) and Wilson Chandler (shoulder) sat out, so Andre Miller (21 PTS, 8 AST, 3 REB) played almost 40 minutes and Corey Brewer (29 PTS, 5 STL) had the big night we predicted, but nobody else was particularly brilliant for Denver. Meanwhile, 24 hours after a horrid game, all five Philly starters reached double figures. Jrue Holiday (18 PTS, 15 AST, 6 REB, 4 STL) and Spencer Hawes (17 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST, 4 BLK) were terrific and Damien Wilkins (24 PTS, 4 STL) had a potential game-winner blocked at the buzzer. They did blow an 8-point lead in the final two minutes, and Evan Turner (12 PTS) missed two crucial free throws with seven seconds left that might have iced the game. Winning 14 in a row takes talent, effort and a certain amount of luck.
POR @ CHI: These Blazers certainly have heart. LaMarcus Aldridge (28 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK) and Damian Lillard (24 PTS, 7 AST, 4 REB) did the scoring and J.J. Hickson (9 PTS) snatched a career-high 22 rebounds away from one of the league’s better centers. Joakim Noah (18 PTS, 6 REB) led the Bulls, but didn’t block a shot and was a -24, while Carlos Boozer (16 PTS, 11 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL) was -30 in 32 minutes. Taj Gibson (14 PTS, 9 REB, 2 STL) played an energetic 25 minutes after missing ten games with a knee injury, but Kirk Hinrich (2 PTS on 1-7 shooting) wasn’t nearly as sharp after missing seven games with a sore foot. Portland is still technically alive in the West playoff race; realistically they are 3.5 games back of the Lakers with only 14 to play.
MIN @ SAC: There was a silver lining (or three) hidden in the dark cloud for Minnesota, as Chase Budinger (9 PTS, 4 REB, 1 STL) looked good in 17 minutes after missing four months, and Ricky Rubio (12 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL) was superb for someone with a mild groin strain. Nikola Pekovic (18 PTS, 12 REB) is now up to 34 minutes and rounding into form, but they still lost another game. Isaiah Thomas (24 PTS, 6 AST, 3 REB) led the Kings, with Tyreke Evans (21 PTS, 5 AST, 5 REB) making eight of 11 shots. DeMarcus Cousins (15 PTS, 14 REB) was limited to 28 minutes by foul trouble but his old Kentucky teammate Patrick Patterson (11 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK) played a solid 31 minutes off the bench. Owners of Marcus Thornton (2 PTS in 9:30) must really hate Keith Smart, who seemed to forget the gunner dropped 25 on the Clippers two nights earlier.