More than half the teams in the league have four contests this coming week.  However, nearly half the league’s players are injured right now.  Here’s a look at 1/15-1/21:

Four games: Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, LA Lakers, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Utah, Washington.

Three Games: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, LA Clippers, Memphis, New Orleans, Orlando, Portland, Toronto.

Two Games: Denver, Seattle.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Last Buck Standing - Andrew Bogut, C:  Injuries… Michael Redd: OUT a month. Mo Williams: OUT 2-3 weeks. Charlie V: OUT indefinitely.  With 3 of their top 4 scorers currently out, Bogut and recently acquired Little Man, Earl Boykins, will have to pick it up on offense.  BV suggested “Buying” Bogut earlier this week, and I couldn’t agree more.  Just look at Milwaukee’s starting lineup tonight: Boykins, Bell, Patterson, Skinner, and Bogut. The former #1 pick only posted double-digit rebounds once in the first month of the season, but has grabbed an incredible 63 rebounds over his last four games.  Bogut will have no choice but to continue posting monster numbers over the next month, which should propel him to a strong second half as well.  If you have him, plug him in for four games next week; if you don’t, it’s probably too late to buy him.  Boykins, Bell, and Patterson are also solid starts over the next few weeks.

Last Celtic Standing (Gerald Green/Sebastian Telfair, G): Just when the Celtics were starting to get healthy upfront, their backcourt starts dropping like flies.  Pierce’s return date continues to be pushed back (he could miss another month), rising star, Tony Allen, was devastated by a season-ending ACL tear on his 25th birthday, and fragile Wally is sidelined again with a bum ankle.  So now Boston will be missing 3 of their top 4 scorers for some time as well.  Starting point guard Delonte West is also day-to-day with a bad back.  Enter G-Money and SeaBass.  20 and 21 years old respectively, they have not earned Doc Rivers’ confidence because of their shortcomings on defense, but the youngsters were thrust back into the starting lineup and will be seeing plenty of time on the court.  Also note rookie Rajon Rondo scored a season-high 23 points last night. 

Mikki Moore, FC:  There’s always a need for big men in fantasy basketball… so say hello to Mikki. He’s not young (31) and he’s never averaged more than 17 mpg in eight seasons.  If you take a look at the Nets’ current situation however, you’ll see why Moore has value right now… starting center Nenad Krstic is out for the season, Clifford Robinson is dealing with back problems and old age (40), and Jason Collins is the most inept starter in the NBA.  This leaves Mikki as the only able-bodied 7-footer on the team.  He’s averaging 14 and 10 on 65% shooting over his last 3 starts.  Those are certainly start-worthy numbers from a big man in just about any fantasy league.  Get him in your lineup for four games next week.

Keep on truckin’:

Andrew Bynum, C: Take a look at this rather telling statistic: Bynum averages 17 and 11 with 3 blocks anytime he plays more than 28 minutes in a game this season. In other words, Bynum + big minutes = Double doubles. He’ll get into foul trouble at times (as evidenced by his 5 fouls in 18 minutes last night), but the kid can play.  Lamar and Kwame are both still out, Junior Walton has been struggling, and even Kobe is a little nicked up. Keep the 7-foot teen in your lineups until further notice.

Jason Kapono, F: Shaq may be coming back, but Antoine Walker is still fat.  J-Kap is averaging 17/3/2 with 2.6 treys and 61%FG/80%FT in January. Smart start again for four games next week.

Sit ‘em down:

I know everyone is itching to get Denver’s newly acquired floor general, Steve Blake, in their lineups right away, but we should give him a week to adjust to his new digs.  The Nugs and Sonics each play only twice next week anyway, so you should keep the former Terp on your bench, along with the likes of J.R. Smith, Chris Wilcox, and Earl Watson.

A fairly busy week… Here’s a look at 1/8-1/14:

Four games: Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland, Toronto.

Three Games: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland, Indiana, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Seattle, Utah, Washington.

Two Games: Golden State, New York.

Get Chris Bosh back in your lineups ASAP if you haven’t already done so.  He posted 26/14/4 and 2 blocks in his first game back from injury.
I don’t really want to comment on Golden State’s Matt Barnes (23.3ppg, 8.2rpg, 3apg, 4.3 treys, 1.7 thefts over last 2 weeks) but I’m hating DM who picked him up in our league.
Mike Bibby owners were delighted to see the guard breakout with a season high 38 points on 12 for 21 from the field (and 16 trips to the charity stripe) last night.
Also, FYI: Arenas and Caron Butler are ranked #1 and #2 overall (basketballmonster.com) for the last two weeks of action. The Wiz have won 6 of 7 and 12 of their last 15 games.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Tyson Chandler, FC: Say what you want about the former Baby Bull, but he has certainly found his niche in Oklahoma City.  Chandler has appeared in all but two games this season after being plagued by various injuries in recent years.  He’s also averaging career highs in minutes (31.9), rebounds (11.2), and FG% (62.4%).  Chandler is off to a good start in the New Year with 31 boards and 4 blocks in two games.  Make sure he’s in your lineup for the Hornets’ four matchups next week (LAC, @ATL, WAS, @MIL).

Andrew Bynum, C: The kid just turned 19 in October and is the Lakers’ starting center.  He showed some flash earlier in the season when he was thrust into the rotation and now has the opportunity to reclaim the starting gig with Kwame out for a month.  With 30+ minutes Bynum could average 12/10 and a couple swats a night over the next few weeks.  If your second center is Zaza, Frye or Wilcox, I’d say Bynum should get the nod over them.

Jason Kapono, F: The chump from UCLA is actually getting burn for the Heat as of late. Funny thing is he’s getting PT at the expense of James Posey and Antoine Walker who were inactivated for failing to reach a Janurary 1st deadline to get their body fat to 8% or less.  Posey claims that he’s currently at 9% and should be back in no time, but I think we can assume ‘Toine’s fat ass will be out for the year if the Heat actually enforce this rule. In the meantime, Kapono has started the last 3 games and is averaging 16/3/2 with 2.5 treys and a steal over his last six.  If you need help from downtown start J-Kap for three games next week.

Randy Foye, G: Last week it was Roy, now it’s Foye.  DM talked yesterday about Mike James’s struggles, while at the same time rookie Randy Foye appears to be earning the trust of coach Dwane Casey.  Foye has seen his minutes increase from 15mpg in November to 20mpg last month and to a season high 41 minutes in Wednesday’s OT win over the Spurs.  With his increased role, Foye has scored in double digits in 8 of his last 11 games, averaging 13/2/2 48/90% over that span. He’s got great all-around game and can score from anywhere. If Foye could crack Minnesota’s starting lineup or find a way to get 30 minutes a night he’d be an everyday fantasy starter.  He may not be worth starting in shallow leagues, but he could be a good plug-in if you need a utility guy.  The T-Wolves face the Clips, Griz, and Nets next week.

Happy New Year everyone! Except for you Saddam… I’m sorry you didn’t make it. Here’s a look at 1/1-1/7:

Four games: Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Golden State, LA Clippers, Minnesota, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, Seattle.

Three Games: Chicago, Denver, Houston, LA Lakers, Memphis, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Toronto, Utah, Washington.

Two Games: Atlanta, Charlotte, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee, New Jersey.

First of all, let me just say how much I’m loving my first round pick Gilbert Arenas right now.  The mofo is putting up 39/6/7 with 4 treys and 1.6 steals per game over the last two weeks.  Now that’s one wicked Wizard.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Gerald Green, F: The Celtics have lost every game since their stud Paul Pierce went down with a foot injury.  Pierce’s foot is apparently not improving (potentially sidelining him longer than expected) and 20-year-old Gerald Green has been lighting it up starting in his place.  DM took a good look at him yesterday.  Green has 10 treys in three starts and should be in fantasy lineups in all leagues right now.  “Ain’t nuthin’ but a Double G Thang Baaaaby…” The C’s hit the hardwood four times next week, and there’s no reason G Money can’t keep it up.

Chris Kaman, C: After averaging 8 pts and 7 boards per game in November, the blonde ogre has bumped those numbers up to 12 and 8 this month.  His blocks are starting to come around as well (8 in his last three games).  Look for Kaman to continue improving in the New Year and make sure you plug him for four road games next week.

Reggie Evans, PF: Speaking of Kaman, this dude yanked on his testicles in a playoff game last year.  Anyways, Reggie has pulled down double digit rebounds in four straight games (averaging 10/13/2 over that span). Evans will maintain value as long as Cotton Camby is sidelined.  Nene is also currently out with a bum knee, leaving the Nuggets depleted upfront.  Jamal Sampson has started the last two games at center, but it’s really more of a formality since he hasn’t seen more than 17 minutes in a game.  If there was ever a time to start the tenacious rebounder/crotch-grabber, the first week of 2007 appears to be it.  Also, you don’t need me to tell you to keep Earl Boykins (26 ppg last 5 games) in your lineups.

Mickael Pietrus, GF: Pietrus broke his nose, missed a game, was fitted with a protective mask and was back in action the next night.  The Warriors are still missing quite a few guys with injuries, Pietrus has scored double digits in 12 straight games, and has drained 2 threes a night over that span.  Golden State has a full schedule next week, so get the guard from Guadeloupe in your lineups.

Brandon Roy, G:  The #6 overall pick from this year’s draft has missed all but 10 games so far this season.  He’s back in Portland’s starting lineup and it’s still early enough for him to contend for rookie of the year.  The minutes will be there… now Roy just needs to get comfortable and hit his stride.  Brandon and the Blazers look forward to four nice matchups next week (BOS, NY, @SAC, MIA).

Sit ‘em down:
You should probably start the aforementioned ballers over borderline guys like Zaza Pachulia, Josh Childress, Nazr Mohammad, Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, and Adam Morrison… all of whom only play twice next week.

Finally… in the New Year I resolve to shed 20 pounds, spend more time with my family, and climb higher than freakin’ 8th place in our fantasy league!

Merry Christmas Christian Nation! The NBA’s gift to you this Holiday season: All teams will be playing at least three or four games this week.  Here’s a look at 12/25-12/31:

Four games: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Washington.

Three Games: Atlanta, Cleveland, Golden State, Indiana, New York, Orlando, Sacramento, San Antonio, Toronto, Utah.

Last week we discussed the emergence of the Celtics’ new starting center Al Jefferson.  Yesterday we learned that Boston’s main man Paul Pierce will miss 2-3 weeks with an injury.  Rarely, does an injury to just one player affect (benefit) as many players as this one.  We know that Jefferson and Tony Allen have been stepping it up in the absence of starters Wally and Perkins, but now the C’s leader in minutes (38.4), points (26.6), assists (4.3), and threes (2.5) is out and all his numbers are there for the taking.  Now the question is who wants them?  DM recommended picking up Ryan Gomes yesterday (not a bad idea), but I think last year’s surprise Delonte West will be the one to benefit most during Pierce’s absence.  The Washington DC native has been sporadic so far this season with inconsistent minutes backing up a disappointing Sebastian Telfair, but he has seen a recent uptick in playing time even before Pierce got hurt.  West should now be in line for 30-35 minutes a night.  Keep in mind he’s got sneaky value as an across-the-board contributor from the guard position.
The thing that’s nice about Pierce missing time (except for his owners of course) is that it increases the value of just about everyone on the team.  Jefferson and Allen should continue to surge, Gomes and West are sure to pick it up, and even youngster Gerald Green has an opportunity to shine (especially from long range) if he gets hot and earns some playing time.  All of the aforementioned players should be worth starting as the Celtics look forward to four games next week.  I must admit I own and plan on using most of them (Jefferson, Allen, West, Telfair) over the next couple weeks.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Brendan Haywood, C: I’m not very comfortable recommending Haywood, not ever.  But, you could do worse this week if you’re looking for a second center.  The Wizards’ big man is averaging 8/11/2 with 2 blocks and 65%FG over his last five games.  He’s definitely inconsistent, but he’s getting minutes and has a full schedule on tap, so why not.
Other centers for your consideration:
Mark Blount: His minutes are up this month (31.8) and he’s averaging 16/9/1 over the last 10 days.  He may not be quite as ugly as Calvin Booth, but the T-Wolves have four matchups this week.
Erick Dampier: Big game the other night (22 and 16). He should chip in a bit more with Dirk missing a couple games.  Decent option with four games coming up.

Speedy Claxton, PG: Over the first six weeks of the season, the Hawks’ prized offseason acquisition failed to top 9 points or 5 assists in any single game.  I subsequently dropped him.  Tyronn Lue goes down, Mr. Claxton sees 40 minutes per game this past week and averages 14/3/10 with 3.7 spg.  Damn.  I shoulda dropped Bassy instead.  Marvin Williams is back in action and Childress is due back any day now, so Claxton should have plenty of options going forward.  If he can stay healthy and maintain 30+ mpg, Speedy will remain in fantasy lineups for the foreseeable future.

Keep on Truckin’:
Luther Head, G: The dude averages 17/5/4 with 2.8 threes and 1.4 steals per game as a starter.  He’s even hitting a solid 45% of his shots when in the starting lineup.  Yes, he’s great when McGrady is out, but if he keeps it up, Head may be able to earn enough playing time to remain a decent utility player for the rest of the season.

Damien Wilkins, G/F: Just when Ray Allen is due back, the Sonics’ #2 scoring threat Rashard Lewis goes and hurts his shooting hand.  Wilkins is averaging 13/4/3 and a nifty 2 steals in 34 mpg filling-in for Allen and should continue to see plenty of time on the court with Lewis now sidelined.  Keep him in your lineups at least through New Year’s.

Happy Hannukah Hebrew Nation!  Here’s a look at NBA’s week 12/18-12/24:

Four games: Golden State, Memphis, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Toronto, Utah.

Three Games: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indiana, LA Clippers, LA Lakers,  Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Seattle, Washington.

Two Games: Boston, Detroit, Portland.

Al Jefferson has officially arrived.  He is delivering the goods just in time for the holidays.  I’ve always been a big proponent of big Al and I am confident that he’ll remain a near fantasy stud from here on out.  After posting 28 and 10 tonight, he’s averaging 15/11/1 with 2 swats over his 6 starts.  Plus, if/when he earns center-eligibility he could propel himself to one of the top centers in the league.  Kendrick Perkins is dealing with chronic foot problems, and Ryan Gomes could be the one asked to come off the bench once the frontcourt is completely healthy anyway.  If you’re looking for FG%, points, boards, and blocks from a soon-to-be F/C, you need to go after Jefferson.  I’d take him over whiteys like Bogut, Murphy, and Kaman.

We may have (somewhat) written off Ben Wallace over the past few weeks as being on the downside of his career… then you see his stat line tonight: 10/27/6, 3 steals, 3 blocks – Why did we doubt you Big Ben? You’ve hauled in 47 rebounds in your last two games… when was the last time someone did that?  Seriously, someone please look that up.  Wallace now has 5 straight games with double figure rebounds, and 3 straight scoring at least 10.  Perhaps he’s found his groove in Chi-Town.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Carlos Arroyo / Keyon Dooling, PG:  Both of Orlando’s backup point guards are getting plenty of burn right now with Jameer Nelson sidelined with a groin injury.  Hill and Turkoglu are also out with their own alleged “day-to-day” injuries.  The absence of those three players leaves 37 ppg that need to be made up.  Arroyo will dish, Dooling will score, and both can hit about one trey per game with starter’s minutes.  Take your pick, or go ahead and plug them both in for three games next week.

Damien Wilkins, G/F: Superstar Ray Allen is expected to miss another week with a strained foot tendon, and swingman Damien Wilkins has been filling in.  In five starts Wilkins is averaging 15/5/3 plus 2 thefts per game.  He won’t shoot too many threes, but he’ll contribute in just about every other category.  Make use of Wilkins for at least one more week.  Earl Watson owners may want to get him in their lineups as well.

Luther Head, G: I recommended starting him last week because of his contributions from long range and suggested he could be a serious force if T-Mac were to miss time.  Head has now started the last two games, hitting 18 of 35, including 7 for 16 threes.  He’s a lot like Jamal Crawford in that he is a shoot-first point guard who loves dialing from long distance.  A must-start while McGrady is out.

Sorry about the delay fellas.  I’ve been terribly busy at work and am trying to wrap up semester classes.  All but seven NBA teams, and me, have their calendars full this coming week. 

Four games: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, Seattle, Toronto, Utah.

Three Games: Charlotte, Detroit, New Orleans, Portland, Sacramento, Washington.

Two Games: Minnesota.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:
Al Jefferson, PF:  The “community center” in Boston has turned into an “army of one” virtually overnight.  Struggling starter, Kendrick Perkins, has been shut down for the next few weeks with plantar fasciaitis, while Ratliff and Olowokandi have missed significant time with their own ailments and suckiness.  You may remember I wouldn’t shut up about Big Al last year and was thoroughly disappointed, but now he seems to be in an ideal situation (again) to finally breakout with some consistent minutes.  He can put the ball in the hoop, hit the glass, block some shots, and he is absolutely dominant in the personal fouls category.  He’ll be starting at center and should earn eligibility within a couple weeks. Yay!

Stephen Jackson, G/F:  The gangsta has posted 51 points on 19-for-33 shooting and dished 11 assists in his last two games.  Apparently he’s pissed off about his recently mandated court date next month and is taking it out on the basketball court.  He’s been a borderline fantasy starter this year, but with his current hot streak and four games next week, you should take advantage and get him in your lineup.

Luther Head, G: The second-year guard hasn’t started a single game this season, yet he’s still seventh in the league with 44 three-pointers made.  That alone makes Luther worth a roster spot, and if T-Mac or Alston were to go down, you’d see a spike in his overall numbers.  If you’re trying to compete from behind the arc this week, be sure to get Head in the game.

Kyle Korver, SF: Allen Iverson was recently sent home by the Sixers and now waits to hear where he’ll be traded.  In the meantime, Korver may be waking from his hibernation from fantasy relevance.  He scored 20 points tonight and 13 on Wednesday.  He still has ridiculous long range ability as evidenced by his 54% shooting from downtown this year.  Philly will hit the hardwood four times next week, so use Korver while you can.  Also, this may be your last opportunity to get Iguodola at his current going rate before he really takes off.  If you want to to pursue Iggy, you should make an offer to his owner ASAP.

Mike James, PG:  As expected, we have seen the journeyman’s numbers take a hit across the board this year, but MJ is off to a hot start in December.  His minutes fluctuated quite a bit in November, but he’s averaging 34 mpg so far this month.  James has also found his shooting stroke, hitting 10 treys in his last four games, and scoring a season-high 28 points tonight.  If he were playing more than twice this week, I’d say plug him in. Unfortunately, you may need to look elswhere if you can.

Ahh, there’s nothing like waking up to a balmy 66 degrees on the 1st of December in the nation’s capital.  Is it global warming? Or perhaps Gilbert Arenas’s scorching hot shooting (33%) this past week?  Could it just be anticipation for tonight’s Wizards/Bobcats game?  Yes, Yes, I’m sure it’s that last one.  Well, setting your fantasy hoops lineup isn’t any more of a science than predicting climate change, so let’s get to it.

Four games: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, LA Lakers, Memphis, Milwaukee, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, Washington.

Three Games: Charlotte, Denver, Detroit, LA Clippers, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Toronto.

Two Games: Cleveland, Utah.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Raja Bell, SG: Ok, so this one may be obvious.  Raja has broken out of his early season slump in a big way, averaging 22 points and draining at least 4 treys a night in his last five games.  He’s actually shooting more and at a higher percentage from behind the arc (47.0%) than from short range (46.7%).  Bell has developed into one of the premiere three-point specialists in the league and should be in everybody’s lineups right now.

Jamaal Tinsley, PG: There’s no telling how long JT will stay healthy, let alone keep up his current hot streak.  So, there’s no better time than right now to take advantage.  Save for an off game at Portland on Tuesday, Jamaal has posted some nifty averages (18/5/7, 1.6 threes, 1.6 spg) over the last two weeks.  Plug him in with confidence as the Pacers tip off four times this week.

Luol Deng, G/F:  Bill Clinton may have been from Hope, Arkansas, but Luol Deng hails from Wow, Sudan.  The former Blue Devil continues to make significant progress in his third pro season, upping his scoring average to 18 on 13.6 shot attempts per game.  He is currently shooting a ridiculous 54.5% from the floor and is chipping in on the defensive cats as well (1.2 spg, 0.7 bpg).  The Bulls take the court four times next week so be sure to have Luol in your lineups Deng it!!

Hakim Warrick, F: It’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride the first month for Warrick and his owners, but the former Syracuse standout is getting big minutes again and delivering solid percentages: 52%FG, 71%FT.  Memphis has some nice matchups on tap (@NY, @BOS, @MIL, LAC), and with Mike Miller and Chucky Atkins (get him in your lineup while you’re at it) being the team’s other scoring options right now, Warrick appears to be a smart play.

Sit ‘em down:

Andrei Kirilenko, F: The gas-operated assault rifle is known for filling up the stat sheets, but this year, Kirilenko has frustrated his owners yet again.  He remains a major injury risk and his offense has all but vanished in Utah.  BV suggested selling him if you can get some decent value, but I’m not sure who would bite right now.  The Jazz only play twice this week, so go ahead and tell Andrei to grab some pine.

Speedy Claxton, PG: Many (including myself) targeted Atlanta’s new floor general in drafts as a potential sleeper.  Instead, the Hawks’ decision to spend $25 million to acquire the veteran backup is beginning to look worse than my decision to sign up with Mobile ESPN as my wireless service provider last summer.  Sure, the Hawks have a full schedule coming up, but four potential blowout losses on a west coast swing can’t be something they’re looking forward to.  Speedy just sucks a fat one right now anyway… shooting 23% from the field while sporting season highs of 9 points and 5 assists.  If you don’t have room to sit him at the end of your bench, feel free to cut him loose.

Good news is most teams have a full schedule this coming week.  Great news is I’m gonna gain 10 pounds and love it on Thursday.  Greatest news is all the deals at Best Buy on Black Friday.
Ok, back to basketball:

Four games: Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Indiana, LA Clippers, Memphis, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, Seattle, Toronto, Utah, Washington.

Three Games: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, LA Lakers, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Sacramento.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Danny Granger, F: The second-year forward out of New Mexico is starting (30 mpg) and contributing across the board (13/5/2 w/ 2 treys and about 1 block/steal over his last five games).  With four games next week you probably want to start Granger over guys like Childress or Ricky Davis.

Andris Biedrins, F/C: Latvian sensation and FBB fave, Andris Biedrins, has been a welcome addition to many fantasy teams lately.  Averaging 12 and 12 with 2.3 blocks and 74%FG this week, Andris logged a whopping 43 minutes last night (w/ Murphy out).  Biedrins is Don Nelson’s unquestioned starting center right now and should definitely be in your fantasy lineup for four games next week.

Tyronn Lue, PG: It took no time at all for Speedy to hurt himself again.  The high-priced offseason acquisition is looking more and more like a mistake. Meanwhile, former Wizard Tyronn Lue is stepping up - averaging 35 mpg over his last four and should be a nice source of points, threes, and assists while Claxton is out.

Reggie Evans, PF: In what seemed inevitable, K-Mart has gone under… the knife that is.  Primary backup, Nene, is still day-to-day with a bruised knee, but won’t be fully recovered until 2007.  This leaves the big and boring Reggie Evans to clean the glass in Denver, and that’s about all he’ll do for you.  He won’t score more than 7 points a night (Carmelo and Andre Miller are more likely to combine for 70), but if you need rebounds you should embrace him.  If/when Camby goes down, Evans will probably haul in 18 boards a game for some time.

Sit ‘em down:

Zaza Pachulia, F/C: Zaza may be my favorite European Center (next to that hostel I stayed at in Amsterdam), but he has his limits.  After a strong start, Za-Pa has slowed down a bit recently.  He’s still got plenty of value as a #2 center, but with the Hawks only playing three games you may want to look elsewhere this week…  perhaps a Wilcox or Frye would be better.

Ben Wallace, F/C: Obviously on the downside of his career, Big Ben’s clock is ticking.  These days, instead of dominating his strong categories (boards, steals, blocks) and not hurting you elsewhere, Wallace is merely getting by in those cats while hurting you with just 5 ppg and hitting only 40% of his shots from the floor this season.  One block per game already has his owners frustrated this year.  I hate to say it, but someone like Biedrins would be a better guy to plug in your lineup this week.

Celtics Point Guards: Why do these guys (Telfair, Rondo, West) remind me of the NY Jets backfield?  Maybe because the coach has decided to use three different players to do one man’s job.  Sure one of them may hit paydirt any given Sunday (or weeknight), but they are not worth your time until someone earns Doc Rivers’ trust (and consistently get 30+ minutes).  Hopefully the situation will work itself out soon, giving fantasy owners at least one player with some value.  Until then, they all should be riding some fantasy pine.

Also: Props (so far) to those owners who took a chance on injury-risks Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, and Emeka Okafor.  Those guys are playing out of their minds and are good sell high candidates; or perhaps just great picks that you should be happy with.  What you think?

Enjoy the turkey and the games.

Happy Veterans’ Day everyone.  I’d like to express my personal gratitude to NBA veterans Gary Payton, Sam Cassell, Alonzo Mourning, and Eddie Jones for their dedicated service and for playing way too long past their prime.  God Bless America and the NBA (excluding the Toronto Raptors of course).
Let’s take a look at next week:

Four games: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, New Jersey, New York, Portland, San Antonio, Seattle.

Three Games: Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Toronto, Utah, Washington.

Two Games: Atlanta, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Phoenix.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:

Ryan Gomes, F:  Al Jefferson was off to a decent start this season, but he decided to pull a “Ben Roethlisberger” and have an emergency appendectomy, sidelining him for 2-3 weeks.  Let’s just hope Jefferson doesn’t like to cruise at high speeds on his motorcycle in his free time.  Gomes’ value jumps up in the short term, as he will see the bulk of the minutes at PF.    It’s fair to expect averages of 12/8/2 as long as Big Al is out.  Gomes is a smart play with four good matchups next week (ORL, IND, POR, @NY)

Monta Ellis, G:  The Warriors second leading scorer (16.8ppg), Ellis was inserted into Don Nelson’s starting lineup last night in place of Jason Richardson.  J-Rich’s surgically repaired right knee is apparently not holding up too well.  Even if he returns soon, Richardson will likely be limited and Ellis will pick up the slack.  The second-year guard is a good call with the Warriors hitting the hardwood four times next week.

Brevin Knight, PG:  It seems like I count him out every year and then he manages to prove me wrong by remaining a starter and dishing the assists (7.0) and racking up steals (2.5).  Knight and second-year man Ray Felton have both been starting in Charlotte’s backcourt.  Although Felton is supposed to be the one putting up points, BK has actually been outperforming the former Tar Heel on offense (16.3 vs. 13.8 ppg).  As long as Brevin is in the Bobcat’s starting lineup, he needs to be in yours.

Jamal Crawford, SG:  When a player goes down, a teammate must step up.  That’s just one of the fundamental laws of fantasy basketball.  DM discussed Crawford’s breakout game (35/6/7 w/ 4 treys) the other night starting in place of injured Stevie Francis.  Crawford is one of fantasy hoops best players without a starting gig.  When given the minutes he simply produces.  As a bona fide scorer, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Crawford average 18/3/5 with 2 threes as a starter.  Those are 4th round-type numbers coming from someone who may be available in your league’s free agent pool. You should scoop him up immediately and plug him in for four tilts next week. 

Jamaal Magloire, C: Big and scrappy, not too flashy.  In fantasy we don’t care about flash we just need some solid contributions in certain categories from the big man.  Jam Master Mags, as I like to call him, has seen an increase in playing time since replacing starter Joel Przybilla (abdominal strain) at center the last three games.  With starter’s minutes, he should approach a double-double and a blocked shot per night.  If you’re in need of a second center, Jam is not a bad option with four games next week.

Donyell Marshall, F:  We’re definitely past the days when Donyell would fill up the statsheet and be a monster on the boards, but in 2006 he’s still got some value coming off the bench in Cleveland.   Currently averaging 12/4/1 with 2 threes, Donyell is an asset from long range and could always get hot and drop 20 and 10 one night.  Take a shot with Marshmallow… the Cavs have four nice matchups coming up (@NY, POR, MIN, @WAS).

Earl Watson, PG:  I’ve never been one to recommend backup PGs, but you could do worse than Watson this week.  He’s averaging 8/3/5 with a three and 1.6 steals thus far.  He’s one of those guys that if he gets a hot hand, coach Bob Hill won’t hesitate keeping him in the game for extended minutes.  He’ll forever be referred to as the team’s proverbial “spark-plug,” but he might just jumpstart your fantasy squad this week.  With four games on tap, you gotta give him the nod over guys like Shaun Livingston (2 games), Smush Parker (2), and Speedy Claxton (2).

Finally, with only two games on the schedule, you probably want to bench any Lakers not named Kobe and any Suns not named Nash or the Matrix.

Welcome back to another season of the weekly Head-to-Head’s Up column, where we take a look at upcoming games and recommend starting a handful of players you may otherwise not have in your head-to-head fantasy lineups.  Matchups, recent trends, and the number of games on the schedule all factor into the equation.  Let’s look ahead to the first full week (11/6-11/12) of the 2006-07 NBA season:

Four games: Dallas, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, LA Lakers, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Portland, Seattle, Utah, Washington.

Three Games: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, LA Clippers, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Toronto.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:
Quentin Richardson, G/F – Sure he logged 56 minutes in triple OT opening night, but with Jalen Rose cut loose by the Knicks earlier this week, Quentin now finds himself in Isiah Thomas’s starting lineup.  Remember it was just two years ago that Richardson led the entire league with 226 made threes.  Q was a perfect 6 for 6 from the line and 5 for 5 from behind the arc.  You gotta ride the hot hand for four games next week.

Chris Wilcox, F/C – Let’s hear it for the former Terp.  He scored 17 points, grabbed 6 boards and swatted a shot Wednesday night.  With starting center Robert Swift out for the year (torn ACL), the Sonics will now have to rely on Wilcox to step it up in the frontcourt.  He’s eligible at center, so you should get him in your lineups for four matchups next week.

Hakim Warrick, F – Essentially a younger and healthier version of Stromile Swift, Warrick posted an impressive 22/12/1 on 9 of 14 shooting opening night.  He should continue to see plenty of time on the court with starting PF Pau Gasol sidelined indefinitely.  His 4 for 12 from the line was terrible, but I think it was more an aberration than a trend.  He should hit closer to 65-70%FT over the course of the season.  Warrick is a great guy to plug in and keep in your lineups for the foreseeable future.

Antonio McDyess, PF – He shot poorly (1 for 7) against Milwaukee, but the more important stat were his 29 minutes played.  The Pistons’ new starting center Nazr Mohammed has never averaged more than 28 mpg in his career, and I expect the Dice Man to fill more of the void left by big Ben Wallace.  It seems like a lifetime ago that McDyess was averaging 20 and 10 in his early years, but at 32 he’s not too old.  He’s healthy now after being plagued with various injuries throughout his career, and if he can consistently log around 30 mpg he should be good for 12 and 8 with 1+ blocks a night.  Not too shabby.