Player News

Mickael Pietrus: Almost Perfect

Update: Pietrus knocked down all seven of his shots from the field (including three 3-pointers) and also went 6-for-7 from the line Friday night on his way to 23 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Analysis: A television announcer during the game Friday night suggested that Pietrus' good play may be in part due to relief at the trade deadline passing, putting an end to the pressure that he might be traded soon. Whether this is true or not, he must string together a few good games in row before he regains fantasy value.

Amir Johnson: Still in Rotation

Update: Johnson was a DNP-CD Thursday, causing quite the tizzy with the Detroit faithful, the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: Coach Flip Saunders heard the complaints over the benching of the popular Johnson, but assures that Johnson's place in the rotation is safe. Game matchups and Jason Maxiell's strong early play conpired to keep Johnson out of the game.

Rodney Carney: Solid Game Off Bench

Update: Carney (foot) scored 18 points (8-for-11 FG) with eight boards and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: Carney rarely gets minutes these days, so consider this game an exception.

Rodney Stuckey: First Start of Career

Update: With Chauncey Billups in Detroit due to a personal matter, Stuckey will get his first-career start Saturday night against the Clippers, the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: Stuckey has some family and friends in the Los Angeles area, so it's nice for him that this worked out. No word yet on how long Billups will be gone.

Chauncey Billups: Will Miss Saturday's Game

Update: Billups is expected to miss Saturday's game against the Clippers due to a personal matter, the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: Rodney Stuckey will get the first start of his career. No word from Pistons officials yet on how much time Billups is expected to miss.

Marcus Camby: Dominates the Interior Again

Update: Camby pulled down 17 boards and blocked six shots to go with 12 points and a steal on Friday night. Analysis: Camby posts video game rebound and block numbers so often that games like this have become the norm.

Carmelo Anthony: Big Double-Double

Update: Anthony had a big all-around game Friday night, scoring 30 points (13-for-25 FG, 4-for-5 FT) with 14 boards, six assists, two blocks and a steal. Analysis: The points are a given for Anthony, but it is the contribution to other categories that makes this game stand out for him.

Al Thornton: Career Night for Rookie

Update: Thornton exploded for 33 points (13-for-22 FG, 5-for-6 FT) with 12 boards, four assists and two treys in 35 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: Thornton is averaging more than 19 points and seven boards per over his last five games, and continues to make a late season surge in the rookie of the year race.

Javaris Crittenton: Big Game Off the Bench

Update: Crittenton came off the bench Friday night to record 22 points, three assists, three boards and a steal in 34 minutes of action. Analysis: Crittenton got most of his minutes Friday at the shooting guard position playing next to either Kyle Lowry or Mike Conley. This was the first time he has played more than 18 minutes in his last five games, though, so take this game as an exception unless he follows it up with more minutes next game.

Kyle Lowry: Outplays Conley Off the Bench

Update: Lowry scored 18 points (6-for-11 FG) with six assists, four boards and three steals in 32 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: Meanwhile Conley scored only nine points with one assist in 17 minutes. This was the third time in the last four games that Lowry has played at least 28 minutes and scored in double figures.

Jerry Stackhouse: Catch 23

Update: Stackhouse knocked down all 11 of his free throws on his way to 23 points and four assists in 33 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: This was the second time in the last three games that Stackhouse has scored 23 points, as he has been scoring better than starter Jason Terry this week.

Jason Kidd: Flirted with Triple-Double

Update: Kidd had his best game since re-joining the Mavs Friday night, scoring 21 points (9-for-18 FG) with 11 boards, nine assists, a steal, a block and a trey. Analysis: Kidd had it all working on Friday night, and with this performance his averages have increased to 11.8 assists, 10.6 points, 7.2 boards and 3.0 steals over the last five games.

Darius Songaila: Moves Into Starting Line-up

Update: Songaila moved into the starting line-up Friday night for the Wizards, and responded with 14 points (6-for-7 FG), four assists, three boards, three steals and two blocked shots in 31 minutes. Analysis: Songaila is worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues if he can hold his spot in the line-up. That is not a given, though, since his competition Andray Blatche also played well Friday night.

Antonio Daniels: Plays Well Through Ankle Injury

Update: Daniels (ankle) scored 16 points with six boards, five assists and a steal in 37 minutes against the Bulls Friday night. Analysis: Daniels has slowed down his pace since first moving into the starting line-up earlier in the season, and the ankle injury may have been a part of that. Perhaps his game on Friday was an indication that he is starting to get a little healthier.

Andray Blatche: Double-double Off the Bench

Update: Blatche scored 17 points (7-for-13 FG, 3-for-3 FT) with 10 boards, two blocks, two assists and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench Friday. Analysis: Despite coming off the bench, Blatche bounced back strong from two consecutive disappointing performances.

James Jones: Scores Eight in Return

Update: Jones, who missed 12 games with a sore left knee, returned to action Friday night against the Lakers. Analysis: Jones played 18 minutes off the bench and scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting. He'll likely gradually return to see the 25 minutes a night he saw before the injury, and he's a good option in deeper leagues for those in need of 3-pointers.

Deron Williams: Good Game Despite Loss

Update: Williams scored 22 points (8-of-14 FG) and handed out 10 assists in Friday night's game against the Hornets. Analysis: Despite the solid night, Williams was still outplayed by Chris Paul, who had 24 points and 16 assists. Nonetheless, Williams finished February with outstanding numbers -- in 13 games he averaged 19.7 points and 10.5 assists.

Joel Przybilla: Snags 12 Boards in Big Win

Update: Przybilla pulled down 12 rebounds in a win over the Lakers Friday night. Analysis: Przybilla has been a force on the boards lately as he's averaged 10.3 rebounds a game over his last 10.

Jarrett Jack: Strong Game Off Bench

Update: Despite coming off the bench again in Friday's game versus the Lakers, Jack was a major factor in the win. He contributed 21 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Analysis: Make that two consecutive games with 21 points for Jack, who has made the most of his on-and-off reserve role. In the past two games, he's shot a staggering 69.6 percent (16-of-23) and has only turned the ball over three times.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Big Part in Win

Update: Aldridge had a team-high 22 points with eight rebounds in Friday night's win over the Lakers. Analysis: Aldrige shot 10-of-18 from the floor and added two assists and three steals in 36 minutes of action.

Brandon Roy: Active And Productive

Update: Roy, who missed two games with a sprained ankle, returned to the starting lineup Friday. He finished with 20 points (6-of-15 shooting), 12 assists and five rebounds in a win over the Lakers. Analysis: The assist total was a career-high for Roy. Make sure you get him back in your lineup in time for Sunday's game against the Warriors.

Ronnie Brewer: Solid Game

Update: Brewer scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 32 minutes Friday against the Hornets. Analysis: Brewer added four rebounds in the loss. He's seen 30-plus minutes in two consecutive games, a trend that needs to continue if Brewer is to become a viable fantasy option.

Dikembe Mutombo: Big Game for Mutombo

Update: Mutombo had four points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in 18 minutes Friday. Analysis: He's not likely to play consistent minutes even with Yao Ming out, so we'd probably hold off on picking him up except in very deep leagues.

Rookie Ranking - Week 15

Overall Rankings - Week 15

1. Al Horford, F-C, Atlanta G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 47 31.4 9.3 10.0 1.2 0.9 1.0 .469 .000 .659 Last Week: 2 | Drafted: 3 Why does Horford deserve to overtake the No. 1 spot from Durant 15 weeks into the season? Let's take a quick look at the résumé through 47 games: 23 games with 10 boards or more (including eight games with 15-plus bounds), 17 games of 10-points or more, 14 games with two blocks or more, nine games with two steals or more and the Hawks would be in the playoffs if they started today. If that's not enough, he has already lapped his father's production as a NBA player several times over. Tito Horford had 93 points and 84 rebounds in his three-year career, while his son already has totals of 435 and 468.

2. Kevin Durant, G-F, Seattle G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 49 33.1 19.4 4.1 2.3 0.9 1.1 .402 .287 .865 Last Week: 1 | Drafted: 2 Last week consisted of one game, one loss and 10 missed shots on 12 shot attempts for Durant Durant. When he's at his best, there's no rookie in his realm. The problem is, KD's "best" only seems to come around once every four games or so. The only award you should be in the running for if you're performing at 100 percent in only 25 percent of your team's games is the Cy Young, I'm sorry.

3. Luis Scola, F-C, Houston G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 51 21.5 8.5 5.3 1.2 0.6 0.2 .512 .000 .602 Last Week: 4 | Drafted: 56 by San Antonio in 2002 Houston has won 11 of its last 12 games and Scola has upped his production during that span to 9.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while stepping into the starting lineup. With two stars in Yao and McGrady, two glue guys in Battier and Scola and two more talents in Alston and Wells, the Rockets are a team that the rest of the West doesn't want to draw come playoff time.

4. Al Thornton, F, L.A. Clippers G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 46 22.1 10.2 3.6 0.9 0.5 0.4 .426 .333 .702 Last Week: 7 | Drafted: 14 Thornton is climbing up the rankings at a rapid rate after averaging 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in three games last week - two of them ending in Clippers wins. The only young pup to have a better week was Uno the dog.

5. Jamario Moon, F, Toronto G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 46 28.2 8.1 6.1 1.1 1.0 1.4 .455 .290 .688 Last Week: 3 | Drafted: Undrafted Is Jamario Moon a better player or a better story? In support of the "player" argument, Odysseus had versatile outputs of 16 points vs. the Clippers, eight points on 4-for-4 shooting and two blocks against the Timberwolves and eight points and eight rebounds against the Spurs last week. In support of the "story" argument, consider the fact presented to me by D-League expert Matt Brennan: Moon only averaged 5.0 points in 59 games in the Developmental League! Your numbers are supposed to be inflated in the minors, not the other way around.

6. Sean Williams, C, New Jersey G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 47 21.0 7.5 5.5 0.4 0.5 1.9 .543 .000 .622 Last Week: 6 | Drafted: 17 Will the future core of the New Jersey Brooklyn Nets feature Williams at the five, Josh Boone at the four, Boki Nachbar at the three, Antoine Wright at the two and Devin Harris at the one? More importantly, is that a good team? If Williams keep swatting MVPs like in this picture, I think the team will be OK.

7. Juan Carlos Navarro, G, Memphis G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 51 25.5 10.8 2.6 2.2 0.6 0.0 .419 .386 0.814 Last Week: 5 | Drafted: 40 by Washington in 2002 Navarro has been in and out of the starting lineup this season and I don't think Coach Iavaroni has settled on what version of JCN helps the team more. Is it the starter who pours in 14.2 points per game, but shoots .403 from the floor and .361 from three, or the substitute who scores 9.1 per, but is more accurate with percentages of .432 from the floor and .407 from deep?

8. Thaddeus Young, F, Philadelphia G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 44 17.1 6.5 3.8 0.6 0.7 0.2 .519 .250 .705 Last Week: 9 | Drafted: 12 We know about Florida's and Ohio State's representation in last summer's draft, how about some ink for Georgia Tech? Thaddeus Young is coming on strong and Javaris Crittenton dropped 10 points in his third game with the Grizzlies.

9. Yi Jianlian, F, Milwaukee G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 50 27.1 9.6 5.8 0.9 0.6 1.0 .433 .286 .831 Last Week: 7 | Drafted: 6 Yi was relegated to the bench, but it looks like he could be back in the starting five now that Charlie Villanueva is resting a sore ankle. More games like the 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting and five rebounds he had on Monday, and the starting spot will be his to lose.

10. Rodney Stuckey, G, Detroit G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% 26 16.0 5.7 1.7 2.4 0.9 0.0 .394 .143 .756 Last Week: The Next 10 | Drafted: 15 Stuckey is finally showing the type of game that had draft pundits comparing him to a young Dwyane Wade last spring. He appears fully recovered from the broken left hand that sidelined him for the first six weeks of the season as he scored in double figures (while shooting .615 from the floor) in three Pistons wins last week.

TOP 5 Teams of the Week

TEAM (LAST WK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
1	Detroit (2)	37-13	Off: 113.0 (3), Def: 103.8 (3) -- The Pistons have quietly won eight straight, sharp on both ends of the court. If they take care of business in Atlanta and against the Pacers, they should be going into the break as the best team in basketball, and the only one with three All-Stars.
2	Boston (1)	39-9	Off: 111.3 (10), Def: 99.5 (1) -- With Sunday's win over the Spurs, the Celtics are now 16-0 against the West. They've got a five-game trip with stops in Denver, Golden State, Phoenix and Portland right after the break.
3	Utah (7)	33-19	Off: 113.2 (2), Def: 107.0 (11) -- The Kings ended Utah's 10-game winning streak on Friday, but the Jazz kept their 12-game streak at home alive with Saturday's win over the Bulls. At 22-3 at EnergySolutions Arena, the Jazz are tied with Dallas for the best home record in the league.
4	New Orleans (3)	34-15	Off: 111.9 (8), Def: 105.7 (6) -- Wednesday's double-OT win over the Suns was an absolute classic and the Hornets' 13th straight win in overtime (an NBA record). Fascinating stat though: The Hornets are last in the league in free throw attempts per possession (0.22). One would think that a team that doesn't get to the line often would struggle in close games.
5	Phoenix (4)	36-15	Off: 114.2 (1), Def: 108.2 (15) -- Shaq is practicing and could play Wednesday or Thursday. And it's a small sample size, but in the four games the Suns have played without Shawn Marion this season, their defensive rating is 113.7. That's pretty bad.

Paul, Hornets Spoil Kidd’s Dallas Debut

New Orleans 104, Dallas 93

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 20 (AP) -- Perhaps Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets don't need any blockbuster trades to keep pace with their Western Conference rivals.

Paul had 31 points, 11 assists and a career-high nine steals, spoiling Jason Kidd's debut with Dallas and lifting the New Orleans Hornets to a 104-93 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night.

"We were excited that we would be their first game (with Kidd),'' Paul said. "We knew it was going to take some time for them to get used to playing with those guys and we took full advantage of it.''

Kidd, acquired Tuesday from New Jersey, looked out of sorts at times, committing six turnovers.

"He made some great passes and some of the time guys weren't looking for the ball,'' Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. "This is kind of like a mini-training camp. We just don't have a lot of time. But at the same time, we need every practice and every game for everybody to get on the same page and everybody to get used to playing with Kidd.''

Kidd has had one full practice and one game-day shootaround with his new team. He finished with eight points and five assists.

"I caused a couple of breakdowns,'' Kidd conceded. "We can build on this. ... I have some bad habits. I just have to make some adjustments and look at the game. I just need to keep getting the feel of everybody and go to practice tomorrow.''

Meanwhile, Paul's dazzling performance on both ends of the floor had the enraptured crowd on its feet, raining down chants of "M-V-P!'' for their own All-Star point guard while a banner offering similar sentiments flapped from the upper deck.

"It's fun to watch. I was getting pumped up,'' said Hornets center Tyson Chandler, who at one point early in the fourth quarter was jumping along the sideline, arms raised triumphantly, while waiting to check into the game. "Tonight was unbelievable. The guy was all over the place. He took a personal challenge to go out and just, I mean, he was incredible. I haven't seen anything like that in a while.''

While Paul dribbled surgically through Dallas' defense, Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson shot with precision from the perimeter, combining for eight of the Hornets' 10 3-pointers as New Orleans won its fifth straight.

Stojakovic made three 3-pointers and finished with 18 points, while Jackson hit five and wound up with 17 points. David West also scored 18 for New Orleans, despite playing with foul trouble in the second half.

"It was a game we had to come in and be dominant and show everybody what we could do,'' Jackson said. "We've got so many great shooters and guys who can make plays, when one person gets going it opens up the floor for everybody else.''

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 31 points. Reserve Jason Terry scored 14 points and Erick Dampier added 11.

Paul, whose nine steals also tied a franchise high, scored 19 points in the third quarter, when he hit all seven of his shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, to help New Orleans surge to an 11-point lead.

New Orleans began to pull away when Stojakovic hit a jumper and Paul followed with an open 3 after Kidd got tangled up with two other players and fell. Soon after, Paul fed Hilton Armstrong inside for a three-point play, then Paul capped a 10-2 run with a pull-up jumper with just over a second left in the third quarter to give New Orleans a 75-64 lead heading into the final period.

New Orleans widened its lead to 17 in the fourth quarter, when Jackson made two of his 3-pointers and Dallas began to look tired and miss shots.

Neither team led by more than six during an intense but sometimes sloppy first half during which both teams turned the ball over 11 times.

Nowitzki and West each scored 14 points during the first two periods, but both also were called for three fouls.

Kidd made an immediate contribution on Dallas' first possession, feeding Josh Howard for a basket inside. However, he sometimes looked out of synch with his new teammates, who sometimes pulled him aside after unfruitful possessions and pointed out instructions.

Some of Kidd's problems had more to do with Paul, who set a franchise record for steals in a half with seven.

Dallas outshot and outrebounded New Orleans during the first half, but Stojakovic and Jackson each hit three 3-pointers and Stojakovic turned one of those into a four-point play when he was fouled. Paul then hit a pull-up jumper in the final minute of the second quarter, giving New Orleans a 47-44 halftime lead.

Bryant’s 41 Help Lakers Spoil O’Neal’s Suns Debut

LA Lakers 130, Phoenix 124

PHOENIX, Feb. 20 (AP) - Kobe Bryant spoiled Shaquille O'Neal's debut with Phoenix. The Suns believe with the big guy just getting started, there are better days ahead.

Bryant, despite his dislocated right pinkie, scored 41 points to help the Lakers to an intense 130-124 victory over Phoenix on Wednesday night.

Lakers newcomer Pau Gasol added 29, including a breakaway dunk that put Los Angeles up 123-117 with 1:15 to play. Lamar Odom added 22 for the Lakers, who won their sixth in a row to move into a tie with Phoenix atop the Pacific Division.

O'Neal scored nine of his 15 points in the final quarter and grabbed nine rebounds in 29 minutes against his old team in his first game in nearly a month.

"I'm in better shape than I thought I was,'' he said, "the adrenaline factor and just being out there with the guys.''

O'Neal came to the Suns a week ago in an unexpected trade that sent Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami. O'Neal played for the Lakers from 1996-2004.

"He did seem to get stronger as the game went on, which is incredible,'' Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I did really think he'd run out of steam sometime in the second half, and he really didn't. Him not being used to anything that we do - 124 points - I didn't think we could put that many up, just starting out.''

Amare Stoudemire had 37 points and 15 rebounds for Phoenix, while Steve Nash added 26 points and eight assists, and Leandro Barbosa and Grant Hill each had 17 points.

"I think everyone was excited for the game and to lose is difficult,'' Nash said, "but I think if you take a step back it's encouraging. I thought Shaquille was great, and I think the possibilities are very exciting.''

The Lakers improved to 3-1 against the Suns, clinching the season series and knocking Phoenix out of a virtual tie with New Orleans for the best record in the West.

I Kidd You Not. Nets, Mavs Reach a Deal

Nothing could keep the Mavericks and Nets from completing the NBA's fourth blockbuster trade in February.

After a week of rumors and speculation, a trade veto and bringing a player out of retirement, the Mavericks and Nets reached a deal Tuesday that sends Jason Kidd back to the city where his Hall of Fame career began.

Dallas acquired Kidd, Antoine Wright and Malik Allen from New Jersey in exchange for Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, DeSagana Diop, Keith Van Horn and first-round draft picks in 2008 and 2010.

It appeared a deal between the two teams was finalized last week, but Mavericks forward Devean George exercised his right to veto the trade, forcing the two teams to go back to the drawing board. Van Horn, who hasn't played since the 2006 NBA Finals, was then brought into the picture and agreed to a sign-and-trade with Dallas to help make the deal go down financially. To make room to sign Van Horn, the Mavericks waived rookie Nick Fazekas.

The 35-year-old Kidd, who began his career in Dallas in 1996, had been with the Nets since 2001. He represented the East in Sunday's All-Star Game.

"He's a once in a lifetime type of guy to play with and coach," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said of Kidd. "He's had an unbelievable impact on everyone in this organization and we wish him nothing but the best."

Kidd is expected to be in the Mavericks' lineup tomorrow night when they visit the Hornets.