fBasketballBlog

All this fantasy value without a single three-pointer made. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Beast of the Night: LeBron James was big again last night, finishing 33 points, eight rebounds, 13 assists and two steals. He shot 57 percent (12-21) from the floor, 82 percent (9-11) from the free-throw line and had two turnovers. The man has yet to make a three-pointer and has only attempted one this season, but that has done nothing to drag down his fantasy value. King James remains far and away the best fantasy basketball player in the land.

Lines for Discussion:
Ryan Anderson: 7-16 FG (44%), 6-6 FT (100%), 3 threes, 23 Pts, 15 Reb; he’s averaging 19.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 threes per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 94 percent from the free-throw line — top five numbers

DeMar DeRozan: 9-18 FG (50%), 2-2 FT (100%), 5 threes, 25 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 TO; the three-point shooting is key to his otherwise yawn-worthy fantasy value

Boris Diaw: 12-15 FG (80%), 3 threes, 27 Pts, 3 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl, 5 TO; he remains a must-start player

Amar’e Stoudemire: 10-19 FG (53%), 4-5 FT (80%), 1 three, 25 Pts, 12 Reb, 1 Stl; his health remains the cap to his fantasy appeal

Joakim Noah: 5-9 FG (56%), 3-4 FT (75%), 13 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Blk, 5 TO; Noah’s first double-double of the season

O.J. Mayo: 4-9 FG (44%), 5-7 FT (71%), 1 three, 14 Pts, 4 Re b, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO; maybe the absence of Zach Randolph will be good for Mayo

Ricky Rubio: 5-9 FG (56%), 0-2 FT (0%), 2 threes, 12 Pts, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO; his strong shooting (53 percent from the field) and three-point making (a three per game) means I was completely wrong about this guy

Marcin Gortat: 10-15 FG (67%), 2-3 FT (67%), 22 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Blk, 2 TO; as his thumb mends, Gortat will recover fantasy value

Monta Ellis: 15-30 FG (50%), 4-4 FT (100%), 4 threes, 38 Pts, 2 Reb, 7 Ast, 2 Stl, 3 TO; though he’s dishing out a career-best rate of 8.2 assists per game, his field-goal percentage, scoring, rebounding and thieving have all dipped from their marks last season

DeMarcus Cousins: 9-12 FG (75%), 8-9 FT (89%), 26 Pts, 3 Reb, 3 Stl, 3 Blk, 2 TO; he’ll start again soon

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
James Johnson: 4 Pts, 8 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 TO (**)

MarShon Brooks: 17 Pts, 1 three, 2 Reb, 2 Stl, 1 TO (***)

Iman Shumpert: 18 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO (***)

Jordan Farmar: 11 Pts, 1 three, 1 Reb, 6 Ast, 3 TO (**)

Richard Hamilton: 14 Pts, 1 three, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 3 TO (****)

Norris Cole: 10 Pts, 1 three, 2 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 6 TO (**)

Evan Turner: 21 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 TO (**)

Brendan Haywood: 5 Pts, 12 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (*)

T.J. Ford: 9 Pts, 1 three, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 3 TO (*)

Chris Andersen: 8 Pts, 7 Reb, 3 Stl, 3 Blk, 1 TO (**)

Injuries:
LeBron James (ankle): monitor his status for tonight’s game

Dwyane Wade (Foot): ditto

Ray Allen (flu): monitor his status

Corey Maggette (hamstring): he could be out for a while; day-to-day

Rodney Stuckey (groin): day-to-day

Stephen Curry (ankle): yep, the same one; day-to-day

Lance Stephenson (ankle): day-to-day

Michael Beasley (finger): might sit out Friday’s game

Luc Mbah a Moute (knee): not expected to play tonight

Damion James (ankle): day-to-day

Deron Williams (ribs): day-to-day

Tyrus Thomas (ankle): could return as early as Friday

Nene (foot): day-to-day

Courtney Lee (calf): day-to-day

Tyler Hansbrough (hand): monitor his status

Zach Randolph (knee): a slight tear of his MCL will put him out of commission for up to eight weeks

Kris Humphries (shoulder): day-to-day

Trevor Ariza (groin): day-to-day

Jared Jeffries (calf): should return next week

Devin Harris (calf): monitor his status

Josh Howard (quad): day-to-day

For Tonight:
Check the statuses of LeBron and Wade, as the Heat visit the Hawks.

See if Andrew Bynum can continue his steamrolling tour in Portland tonight.

[See another version of this post on DimeMag.com]