Admit it, despite the fact that San Antonio’s Tony Parker hasn’t missed fewer than 10 games in any of his previous three seasons, you thought you were going to make it through 2011 with an almost completely healthy Tony Parker. What’s next? Manu and Granger remain healthy all season? Iggy and Dalembert actually miss a game. Don’t be stupid. Things like that never happen. No, you (and me) and likely any team doing well in their leagues are going to be doing less well with Monsieur Parker shelved due to a calf strain. I told you to pick up George Hill (and Gary Neal for you deep leaguers in no hurry) yesterday. Today he’s likely to be gone. If he’s not gone, it’s probably because the rest of your league stopped paying attention back when Rashard Lewis was still “just slumping a bit.” If that’s the case, why are you still only in second?
Here’s what else went down in fantasy basketball last night:
Antawn Jamison -His season is over. Back date that statement to October. Almost every Cleveland forward will benefit from this, but not enough to make a clear winner emerge here. My guess is that the Cavs (magically) become even more awful and no one really steps up.
Andrew Bogut – Hurt his ribcage on Saturday, couldn’t practice Monday, won’t play today. Might miss more days.
Josh Smith – And the hurts just keep on rolling! He pulled or strained or jerked his MCL late in the first half and didn’t return in the second. The early word is that he’s okay and won’t miss time. You know what they say, the early word gets to affirm.
Kirk Hinrich – Wonky knee and a ton of games all stacked up close together forced him out of this one. He’ll be in the next one.
Jeff Green – 5/2, with a block in 19 minutes. If I had told you that a healthy Glen Davis would hold almost twice as much value as a healthy Jeff Green on March 1, you would have spit in my salad. Then I would have looked at you and kept eating it. I know I would do this because if I was eating a salad, it must have meant I was friggin’ starving and absolutely anything would do.
John Wall – 9/3/10, with two steals, but forced up a ton of terrible shots against Chicago’s D. Still, he’s my choice for Rookie of the Year in a world where Blake Griffin played games last season. I wrote a bit more about it on my sister-site. (Plug!) There’s more basketball graphs to help you crawl out of that depression you don’t want anyone to know about. That’s right. I noticed. You can’t sneak that shizz past me.
Andray Blatche – I had Blatche pegged to have a terrible game against the Bulls, returning from his hip injury. Turns out, he played the best among the Wiz (14/11). The Bulls gore almost everyone they face. But just as the occasional Spainard or rodeo clown makes it over a wall before getting a horn shoved through their mouths. Blatche was that rodeo clown last night.
Joakim Noah – 19/11, on 8-for-10 shooting.In his first four games since returning from injury he’s averaging 10.3/13. Also, the league is a brighter place.
Steve Nash – Shooting 10-of-39 (.256) in his last three games.How the hell is Brandon Jennings (.389) shooting better than Nash and Chris Paul (.367) in the last five games!?! The fit has really hit the shan now.
Anthony Morrow – One of the six best games of the season. 22/3/2, with five threes. We were kinda hoping this would be one of his 30 best games at this point, but whatever.
Brook Lopez – 28/10. Whoa there, Brook! Way to grab rebounds while Channing Frye hangs out by the three-point line!
Danilo Gallinari – Out 7-10 days with a broken toe. Last week was the trade deadline and rosters went bonkers. This week is apparently the deadline to eff up fantasy rosters right before the playoffs start. I have a team with Smoove, Parker, Felton and Gay. So first place was fun for a couple months. Imagine how giddy I am right now.
Raymond Felton – Hey! Speak of the devils! 16/5/7 in 30 minutes off the bench, six more minutes than Ty Lawson (6/3/3). My hands have been thrown in the air. Before the end of this sentence I will begin waving them around as if I just don’t care.
J.R. Smith – Had eight points through three quarters and ended with 19. Betcha he doesn’t clear 13 in the next game.
Kenyon Martin – Averaging 16/10.5 in his last two. But more importantly, he looks good. Nimble, but in a manly way. I’m surprised to find myself recommending him.
Al Jefferson – Jefferson’s going off lately. In his last six games he’s averaging an Amar’e-like 27.2/11, along with 2 bpg. I’m not going to say he didn’t get along with Deron Williams … so that’s the end of this blurb.
Mo Williams – 16/2/5, with five steals in his debut with the Clippers. It’s likely that he’s happier to be in L.A. than on a terrible team that clearly haunted him in some way. And although I don’t expect him to dominate, Tonight’s line (in addition to .389, with 2 treys and three tovs) is completely reasonable. Also, I never thought I’d see the day where getting sent to the Clippers was a gigantic step up.
DeMarcus Cousins – Shot 1-for-8 from the bench. DeMerit Cousins.
Marcus Thornton – KaBoOm! Hit a season-high 29 points, on the strength of his free throw-shooting (10-for-12). He also had three steals and the Kings won. Monty Williams generally ignored the Hornets winning record in games Thornton played more than 22 minutes and I certainly wouldn’t put it past Westphal. A nice speculative pickup now on the strength of Thornton’s perfomance mingled in with the weakness of the Sacramento Kings.
