FANTASY / PLAYER NEWS
Raja Bell: Wrist: Expected to be Waived Sunday
Update: Bell (wrist) will be waived on Sunday, Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Analysis: The Warriors need to waive a player in order to sign the recently acquired Reggie Williams for the rest of the season. With Bell already out for the season after undergoing wrist surgery and the fact that his contract is expiring, waiving him makes the most sense for the Warriors.
Mehmet Okur: Illness: Will Not Play Saturday
Update: Okur (illness) will not play in Saturday's game against the Hornets, Salt City Hoops reports.
Analysis: Okur left Friday's game in the second quarter with a stomach ailment and was not able to return to the game. The Jazz's next game is on Monday.
Kenyon Martin: Knee: Evaluation Scheduled, Return Still
Update: Martin (knee) is scheduled to be reevaluated early next week, but his expected date of return is still unknown, the Denver Post reports.
Analysis: If Martin is still experiencing soreness he'll be asked to continue resting his knee for another four to five days before the doctors recheck his knee again. He won't even begin preparing for his return until the soreness in his knee is gone.
Mehmet Okur: Illness: Game-Time Decision Saturday
Update: Okur (illness) remains a game-time decision for Saturday's game against the Hornets, the Jazz' official site reports.
Analysis: Okur left Friday's game in the second quarter with a stomach ailment and was not able to return to the game. There are only seven games on Saturday, so owners shouldn't have too many lineup decisions to make. Okur isn't known for having a lion's heart, and we'd suggest rolling the dice on another player if you can't wait until game-time to set your lineup.
Andrei Kirilenko: Calf: Out Saturday, Could Return Monday
Update: Kirilenko (calf) will miss Saturday's game against the Hornets as he continues to work through complications with a strained left calf injury, the Jazz' official site reports.
Analysis: Kirilenko told the press on Friday that he anticipated missing Saturday's game, so his absence is no surprise, but whether or not he'll be ready to play on Monday is of the utmost importance to weekly league owners. Check his status on Sunday before setting your lineups.
Marco Belinelli: Back: Out Saturday
Update: Belinelli (back) will not play in Saturday's game against the Nets due to a sore lower back, Raptors' play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin reports.
Analysis: Belinelli has been in and out of the lineup over the past two weeks, and he's become too inconsistent to roster in most leagues at this point of the season.
Stephen Curry: Ankle: Will Return and Start Saturday
Update: Curry (ankle) will return from a two-game absence and start in Saturday's game against Memphis, Comcast Sports Net Bay Area reports.
Analysis: Curry missed the Warriors' last two games with a sprained left ankle. He's established himself as an elite fantasy player and should be active in all lineups.
Wilson Chandler: Groin: Out Seven to 10 Days, Possibly the Rest of the Season
Update: Chandler (groin) will miss the next seven to 10 days and is in jeopardy of missing the remainder of the season, the New York Daily News reports.
Analysis: Chandler's absence from the lineup should give Bill Walker consistent run over the closing weeks and makes Walker a great pick up.
David Lee: Knee: Probable for Sunday
Update: Lee (knee) believes he will be ready to play in Sunday's game against the Rockets, the New York Daily News reports.
Analysis: Lee missed his first game of the season on Friday with knee tendinitis. It's slightly disheartening to be getting surprise injury news in the midst of the fantasy playoffs, but hopefully Lee's absence from Friday's lineup gave him the rest he needed to be able to finish the season strong. With the Knicks out of playoff contention, it wouldn't be surprising to see them be cautious with their key players and shut them down. Nothing is imminent, but there are reasons to be concerned.
Jermaine O'Neal: Ankle: Out Saturday
Update: O'Neal (ankle) will not play in Saturday's game against the Bobcats after injuring his left ankle in the second half of Thursday's loss to Orlando, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Analysis: O'Neal has enjoyed a relatively productive fantasy season this year, but he continues be a injury risk and somewhat frustrating player to own.
Jonathan Bender: Finger: Out for Rest of the Season, Set to Undergo Surgery Monday
Update: Bender (finger) will undergo surgery on his broken ring finger on Monday and miss the rest of the season, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: Bender was signed as a mid-season addition to the Knicks with the hope that he could rebuild a career that was previously derailed by injuries. Unfortunately, he'll have wait until next season now to continue his improbable comeback.
Rudy Fernandez: Quadriceps: Out Sunday
Update: Fernandez (quadriceps) did not travel with the team to Phoenix and will miss Sunday's game against the Suns, the Blazers' official site reports.
Analysis: Fernandez left Friday's game in the third quarter with a strained left quadriceps and will be day-to-day going into next week.
Lamar Odom: Will Play Despite Sore Shoulder
Update: Odom is expected to play Sunday against the Wizards despite his sore left shoulder, the Orange County Register's Kevin Ding reports.
Analysis: Odom may even start, since Andrew Bynum is expected to miss around two weeks with a strained Achilles. Bynum's absence will likely make Odom a strong fantasy play, though his comments about his shoulder are slightly worrisome. "I don't expect to shoot the ball well; I don't expect to rebound well," Odom said. We still think that if he's healthy enough to play, he's probably healthy enough to be effective.
Tyreke Evans: Concussion: Out Sunday, Will be Reevaluated on Monday
Update: Evans (Concussion) will miss Sunday's game against the Clippers, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: Evans underwent a cat scan and X-ray that both came back negative. It was confirmed that he did suffer a slight concussion, will miss Sunday's game, and is scheduled to be reevaluated on Monday. Owners in weekly leagues will have a tough choice to make for the coming week.
Tyreke Evans: Jaw Not Fractured
Update: Evans has a slight concussion, but did not suffer a fractured jaw Friday night as originally feared, the Sacramento Bee's Jason Jones reports. He will not play Sunday against the Clippers.
Analysis: Evans is scheduled to be reevaluated Monday, which will hopefully produce an expected timetable for his return. The good news is that his jaw isn't fractured, which would have ended his season, but he could still be facing an absence of a week or more.
Ben Wallace: Knee: Out Sunday
Update: Wallace (knee) will miss Sunday's game against the Cavs after injuring both of his knees in Friday's loss to the Pacers, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Specifics on Wallace's injuries have not been released yet, but he missed eight games with a sore right patellar tendon before returning for Friday's game. His absence should allow Jason Maxiell to reassert himself in the starting center position. Wallace's presence in Friday's lineup had a significant impact on Maxiell's fantasy line.
Andrew Bynum: Likely Out Until April
Update: An MRI on Bynum's strained left Achilles' tendon revealed no rupture, be he is not expected to return until April, the Orange County Register reports.
Analysis: Fortunately, Bynum seems to have avoided a major injury, but his owners will be forced to work without him for at least a week and a half. He'll be re-evaluated next week, while Lamar Odom - who is dealing with an injury of his own - likely slides into the starting lineup.
Ben Wallace: Out Sunday
Update: Wallace, who injured both his knees in Friday's loss to the Pacers, will not play Sunday against Cleveland, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Wallace returned to the lineup Friday after an eight-game absence only to get injured once again. Look for Jason Maxiell to move back into the lineup against the Cavs.
Joakim Noah: Foot: Will Play Limited Minutes Saturday
Update: Noah (foot) will play in Saturday's game against the Sixers but will be limited to a maximum of 10 minutes of action, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Noah has missed the Bulls' last ten games, all losses. He'll be limited tonight and won't likely play enough down the stretch to warrant a place on fantasy teams.
Joakim Noah: Will Play Saturday
Update: Noah (foot) will play Saturday against Philadelphia, the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson reports.
Analysis: The Bulls were expected to hold him out until next week, but it looks like the hyper-competitive Noah talked his way onto the active list as Chicago slides further out of the playoff picture. He'll be limited to 10 minutes at the most, which obviously isn't enough to post much of a meaningful stat line.
Derrick Rose: Wrist: Will Play Saturday
Update: Rose (wrist) will return from a four-game absence due to a sprained left wrist when the Bulls play the Sixers on Saturday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Rose injured his wrist in the Bulls' March 11 loss to the Magic and missed the next four games as a result. The Bulls are in the midst of a 10-game losing streak, and they may be rushing Rose back to help keep their playoff hopes alive. Rose was reported to be favoring his wrist during Friday's shootaround, and it's likely still tender. He's essentially a must play, but we're tempering our expectations at this point.
Ben Wallace: Tweaks Knee in Return
Update: Wallace left Friday's loss to the Pacers late in the fourth quarter after tweaking his knee, Mlive.com reports.
Analysis: Friday marked Wallace's return from an eight-game absence with a right knee patella tendon strain. It's still unclear if he suffered a setback or if the Pistons were just being cautious by holding him out for the remainder of the game.
Jason Maxiell: Double-Double Streak Snapped
Update: Maxiell scored 10 points and grabbed five boards in Friday's loss to the Pacers.
Analysis: That snaps Maxiell's streak of five straight double-doubles. Ben Wallace returned from an eight-game absence Friday night, and while Maxiell still held on to the starting gig, he only saw 27 minutes of action. Even if Wallace doesn't reclaim the starting job, his presence will eat into Maxiell's minutes for the remainder of the season.
Steve Nash: Double-Double on Friday
Update: Nash played 34 minutes Friday, scoring 15 points with 10 assists and seven rebounds in a 110-100 win over the Jazz.
Analysis: The Suns had been keeping his minutes down a bit (53 over the previous two games) the last couple of games but in a crucial contest with playoff seed implications against the Jazz, Nash got a full workload. The reduction in court time hasn't impacted Nash's production much though, as he had his third straight double-double Friday.
Earl Clark: Tearing Up the D-League
Update: Clark followed up a 27-point, 12-rebound D-League debut on Wednesday with a 19-point, 10-rebound effort Friday, the Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: He also had two steals and two blocks Friday as the Iowa Energy locked up a playoff spot. He'll play one final game for Iowa Saturday before returning to the Suns.
Chris Andersen: Probable for Saturday
Update: Andersen (ankle) is officially listed as probable for Denver's game against Milwaukee on Saturday according to the team's media notes.
Analysis: Andersen is dealing with knee tendinitis and a broken left ring finger in addition to his sprained ankle. He did play on Thursday against New Orleans and didn't appear to suffer any setbacks in 30 minutes of court time which is a good sign. We'd recommend you use him as you normally would, but make a point to check his status prior to the game.
Anderson Varejao: 10 Rebounds off the Bench
Update: In 34 minutes of play Varejao pulled down 10 rebounds Friday to go along with three blocks.
Analysis: Varejao didn't produce much on the offensive end with three points Friday. His pressence was felt mainly on the defensive side of the ball. Varejao's minutes may decline when Zydrunas Ilgauskas returns. The first day Ilgauskas can re-sign is Monday.
Ty Lawson: Questionable for Saturday
Update: Lawson (shoulder) will attend Saturday's pre-game shootaround but is still expected to miss the club's game against Milwaukee, the Denver Post reports.
Analysis: Lawson, who has missed the club's last 10 games with the strained shoulder, is officially listed as questionable in the Nuggets' media notes. We'd recommend you keep him benched until he returns and plays a full game without any setbacks.
Pau Gasol: Double-Double on Friday
Update: Gasol (tonsillitis) had 17 points and 14 rebounds in Friday's win over Minnesota.
Analysis: Andrew Bynum suffered an Achilles injury that may keep him out for a while, which only boosts Gasol's value going forward.
Derek Fisher: Able to Play Friday
Update: Fisher (hip) was able to start Friday against the Timberwolves, but finished with just two points on 0-of-6 shooting.
Analysis: Fisher played just 16 minutes, so perhaps his hip/groin injury is still bothering him.
Jordan Farmar: Scores 12 on Friday
Update: Farmer (finger) had 12 points (4-of-8 FG), six rebounds, two assists and two steals in Friday's win over the Timberwolves.
Analysis: Farmer had been hampered by a finger injury recently, but he played 27 minutes on Friday and should be fine moving forward.
Mo Williams: Scores 18 in Win
Update: Williams was the second leading scorer in Friday's win with 18 points on the night.
Analysis: William was 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Williams did add four assists, however he also committed five turnovers.
Michaela Pavlickova: Misses Friday's Game
Update: Pavlovic (calf) missed Friday's game against the Lakers.
Analysis: He has missed Minnesota's last three games with the injury.
Beno Udrih: Scores 26 in 2OT Loss
Update: Udrih had 26 points (11-of-24 FG, 2-of-3 3Pt, 2-of-4 FT) in Friday's double-overtime loss to the Bucks. He added nine assists and four steals.
Analysis: Udrih has posted a couple of big games this month and could be headed for more consistent opportunities if Tyreke Evans' injury is as serious as expected.
DeJuan Blair: Solid Night in Blowout Win
Update: Blair had 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the Spurs' blowout win over the Warriors on Friday.
Analysis: Friday was the first time in seven games that Blair scored in double figures, and his increased minutes were due more to the blowout nature of Friday's win than anything else. While he occasionally flashes potential, Blair doesn't get enough run to be a fantasy play.
Brandon Jennings: Drills 8 Threes
Update: Jennings had 35 points on 12-of-28 shooting, including eight three-pointers, in Friday's double-overtime win over the Kings. He added eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Analysis: With a rough February behind him (10.7 points per game), Jennings is playing like a Rookie of the Year candidate again, averaging 20.8 points over his last six games while shooting over 48 percent from three-point range.
Carlos Delfino: Returns to Lineup
Update: Delfino (ankle) returned to the lineup Friday against Sacramento, recording 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in Milwaukee's double-overtime victory.
Analysis: Not a great line, but that fact that Delfino logged 47 minutes is a pretty strong indication that his ankle won't be a problem moving forward.
Darko Milicic: Double-Double In Loss
Update: Milicic scored 16 points with 12 rebounds in 29 minutes in Friday's loss to the Lakers. However, he left late in the fourth quarter with back spasms, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Analysis: He started at center again and continues to get extended playing time as the T-Wolves audition him for next season.
Rudy Fernandez: Leaves with Quad Injury
Update: Fernandez left Friday's game in the third quarter with a strained left quadriceps and did not return, The Columbian reports.
Analysis: Fernandez was scoreless in 14 minutes before departing. He hasn't been seeing a ton of playing time recently, but is enough of a three-point shooter (21 makes in his first seven games this month) to make him valuable in that category. Consider him day-to-day.
Michael Beasley: Thigh Still Bothersome
Update: Beasley said his bruised left thigh still bothers him, but that it's no big deal, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Analysis: Beasley has played in two games with the thigh, most recently a 32-minute stint against the Magic on Thursday. It looks like he's not as aggressive and his production has been a bit off, but he's playing Saturday night against the Bobcats if you need him.
Andray Blatche: Able to Play Friday
Update: Blatche (ankle) was able to start Friday's game against the Trail Blazers. He had 12 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Analysis: Blatche had scored fewer than 20 points just once in his previous seven games, so this certainly wasn't the type of game we're used to seeing. However, he played 36 minutes - right in line with what he's been averaging - and should bounce back to his 20-point ways before long.
Robin Lopez: Double-Double in Friday's Win
Update: Lopez had 19 points (7-of-9 FG, 5-of-6 FT), 10 rebounds and four blocks in Friday's win over Utah.
Analysis: After a rough start to March, Lopez seems to be righting the ship with 31 points and 19 rebounds over the Suns' last two games.
Amar'e Stoudemire: Drops 44 on Utah
Update: Stoudemire rattled off 44 points on 14-of-16 shooting (plus 16-of-18 from the line) Friday against the Jazz. He rounded out his night with seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
Analysis: Utah's smallish front line had absolutely no answer for Stoudemire, who is on a tear right now, averaging 32.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over his last five games.
Grant Hill: Scores Just 4
Update: Hill (head) played Friday against the Jazz but finished with just four points on 1-of-6 shooting.
Analysis: His scoring has been highly inconsistent lately, but he did chip in elsewhere Friday, finishing with two rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Deron Williams: Able to Play Friday
Update: Williams (ankle, shoulder, wrist) was able to play Friday against the Suns. He finished with 13 points, six assists and a steal.
Analysis: Williams is fighting through multiple injuries right now and shot just 4-for-14 on Friday. Utah plays again Saturday night, but there haven't been any indications that Williams could miss the game.
Wesley Matthews: Able to Play Friday
Update: Matthews (knee) was able to play Friday against the Suns. He finished with nine points on 3-of-7 shooting, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Analysis: His knee doesn't appear to be at 100 percent, but he can still help owners in deeper leagues, especially while Andrei Kirilenko is out.
Brandon Roy: Socres Winning Basket Versus Wizards
Update: Roy scored the winning basket with 0.3 seconds left Friday night versus Washington. Overall, though, he shot only 4-of-18 from the floor.
Analysis: Roy's 48% field goal percentage is more telling than this single difficult night of shooting.
Marcus Camby: Contributing Big in Hustle Stats
Update: Despite scoring only two points on 1-of-6 shooting versus Washington on Friday, Camby more than made up for it with 19 rebounds, four blocks, and two steals.
Analysis: No, he won't post close to 20 boards every night, but this is a very Camby line otherwise. His owners won't mind the 36 minutes, either.
Andrew Bynum: Goes Down with Achilles Injury
Update: Bynum left Friday's game against the Timberwolves with a strained left Achilles' tendon, the Los Angeles Times reports. "He'll probably miss a little while," coach Phil Jackson said.
Analysis: Bynum was running downcourt when he felt a pop, forcing him out of the game immediately. He was in a plastic walking boot after the game and is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday. "t was just really sharp, really quick," Bynum said. "One or two seconds of super sharp pain." Look for Lamar Odom to move into the starting lineup with Bynum out, and hopefully we'll receive word of a potential timetable for Bynum's return on Saturday.
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