Howard got the best of James (and everyone else) last night. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Beast of the Night: Dwight Howard posted 25 points, 24 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks last night, his sixth 20/20 game of the season. He shot 64 percent (9-14) from the field, 70 percent (7-10) from the free-throw line and had three turnovers. Howard’s averaging 25.4 points, 16.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.8 blocks in his five games so far this month.

Lines for Discussion:
Ryan Anderson: 8-19 FG (42%), 6-9 FT (67%), 5 threes, 27 Pts, 11 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 TO; he still leads the NBA with 3.0 three-pointers made per game

Carlos Delfino: 7-12 FG (58%), 5-6 FT (83%), 6 threes, 25 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 Stl, 3 TO; this was easily his best game of the season, so maybe coach Scott Skiles will be inclined to give him more minutes going forward

DeMar DeRozan: 9-18 FG (50%), 3-3 FT (100%), 4 threes, 25 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; to put things into perspective, DeRozan connected on only three three-pointers in the 20 games before last night

Brandon Jennings: 3-12 FG (25%), 4-8 FT (50%), 1 three, 11 Pts, 3 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO; this is likely something akin to a reversion to the mean

Jeremy Lin: 9-14 FG (64%), 5-6 FT (83%), 23 Pts, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO; in his last three games, Lin is averaging 25.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 3.7 turnovers, along with 58 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the charity stripe — top 25 numbers

Josh Smith: 11-17 FG (65%), 4-6 FT (67%), 2 threes, 28 Pts, 12 Reb, 3 Ast, 5 Stl, 3 Blk, 5 TO; this was a sight for sore eyes for Smith’s owners, who’ve endured some rocky production lately

Chris Kaman: 6-17 FG (35%), 5-5 FT (100%), 17 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Blk, 4 TO; he’s relevant again, but his long-term value this season is tenuous

Vince Carter: 7-12 FG (58%), 3 threes, 17 Pts, 5 Reb, 8 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO; sell high

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Randy Foye: 15 Pts, 3 threes, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO (**)

Ramon Sessions: 24 Pts, 2 threes, 2 Reb, 13 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO (**)

Daniel Gibson: 17 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 TO (**)

Iman Shumpert: 17 Pts, 1 three, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 TO (**)

Steve Novak: 19 Pts, 5 threes, 5 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk (**)

Gary Neal: 18 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Blk (*)

Jonas Jerebko: 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk (***)

Ben Gordon: 14 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO (**)

Jordan Farmar: 22 Pts, 3 threes, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (**)

Chase Budinger: 22 Pts, 4 threes, 4 Reb, 2 Ast (***)

Injuries:
Anderson Varejao (back): left last night’s game in the third quarter; monitor his status

Kyrie Irving (concussion): day-to-day

Eric Bledsoe (knee): day-to-day

Mario Chalmers (hand): day-to-day

Ersan Ilyasova (back): day-to-day

Keith Bogans (foot): monitor his status

Jerryd Bayless (ankle): day-to-day

Keyon Dooling (hip): targeting a return tonight

Corey Maggette (hamstring): cleared to practice again

D.J. Augustin (toe): could return Monday

Anthony Parker (back): day-to-day

Jason Kidd (calf): day-to-day

Corey Brewer (personal): day-to-day

Steve Blake (ribs): returned to practice yesterday; monitor his status

Tony Allen (hip, knee): day-to-day

Amar’e Stoudemire (personal): won’t return to the team until Monday

Thabo Sefolosha (foot): could return Friday

Spencer Hawes (back): MRI was negative; day-to-day

Manu Ginobili (hand): likely for Saturday’s game

Andrea Bargnani (calf): not ready to test his calf yet

Rashard Lewis (knee): day-to-day

Kyle Lowry (elbow): monitor his status

For Tonight:
Monta Ellis could have another big night as the Warriors visit the Nuggets, a game that could yield some big lines.

[See another version of this post on DimeMag.com]
Lines for Discussion:
Ryan Anderson: 8-19 FG (42%), 6-9 FT (67%), 5 threes, 27 Pts, 11 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 TO; His recent struggles have knocked him out of the top 12, but Anderson remains a fantasy stud on a week-to-week basis. He still leads the league with 3.0 three-pointers made per game.

Carlos Delfino: 7-12 FG (58%), 5-6 FT (83%), 6 threes, 25 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 Stl, 3 TO; Delfino played nearly as many minutes last night as he did in his previous two games. This was easily his best game of the season, so maybe coach Scott Skiles will be inclined to give him more minutes going forward.

DeMar DeRozan: 9-18 FG (50%), 3-3 FT (100%), 4 threes, 25 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; To put things into perspective, DeRozan connected on only three three-pointers in the 20 games before last night. His 1.9 attempts from beyond the arc has dragged down his field-goal percentage to 39 percent this season, well below his career average of 46 percent. Despite the hype, he has a long way to go before becoming a truly valuable fantasy asset.

Brandon Jennings: 3-12 FG (25%), 4-8 FT (50%), 1 three, 11 Pts, 3 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO; He’s now shooting a miserable 34 percent from the floor in five games this month. Call it a slump, but this is likely something akin to a mean reversion. Buy low, but don’t expect him to be as consistently studly as he was earlier this season.

Jeremy Lin: 9-14 FG (64%), 5-6 FT (83%), 23 Pts, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO; Linsanity continues. In his last three games, Lin is averaging 25.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 3.7 turnovers, along with 58 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the charity stripe — top 25 numbers. His long-term viability is still up for debate, but it’s obvious that fantasy owners must start him until the wheels fall off.

Josh Smith: 11-17 FG (65%), 4-6 FT (67%), 2 threes, 28 Pts, 12 Reb, 3 Ast, 5 Stl, 3 Blk, 5 TO; This was a sight for sore eyes for Smith’s owners, who’ve endured some rocky production lately. He remains a must-start fantasy player.

Chris Kaman: 6-17 FG (35%), 5-5 FT (100%), 17 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Blk, 4 TO; He’s relevant again, but his fantasy value remains tied to where he ends up in the (likely) event that he’s traded from the Hornets.

Vince Carter: 7-12 FG (58%), 3 threes, 17 Pts, 5 Reb, 8 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO; His owners should try their best to sell high as soon as possible.

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Randy Foye: 15 Pts, 3 threes, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO; He started last night and is worth a look if you need a guard to round out your bench.

Ramon Sessions: 24 Pts, 2 threes, 2 Reb, 13 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO; Pick him up and use him until Kyrie Irving returns.

Daniel Gibson: 17 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 TO; He’ll also benefit from Irving’s absence.

Iman Shumpert: 17 Pts, 1 three, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 TO; He’s worth stashing and should have extra value for however long Carmelo Anthony is out.

Steve Novak: 19 Pts, 5 threes, 5 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk; Get him if you need threes.

Gary Neal: 18 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Blk; With Manu Ginobili returning very soon, Neal isn’t worth a look unless you’re in a deep league.

Jonas Jerebko: 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk; He’s looked decent lately and is worth a look if you have dead weight to spare.

Ben Gordon: 14 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO; If he can stay healthy, Gordon will have some value for owners in need of points and threes.

Jordan Farmar: 22 Pts, 3 threes, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO; He continues to produce usable lines and is worth a look if you need a point guard.

Chase Budinger: 22 Pts, 4 threes, 4 Reb, 2 Ast; He’s looked better since late January and should be picked up in most leagues.

Injuries:
Anderson Varejao (back): left last night’s game in the third quarter; monitor his status

Kyrie Irving (concussion): day-to-day

Eric Bledsoe (knee): day-to-day

Mario Chalmers (hand): day-to-day

Ersan Ilyasova (back): day-to-day

Keith Bogans (foot): monitor his status

Jerryd Bayless (ankle): day-to-day

Keyon Dooling (hip): targeting a return tonight

Corey Maggette (hamstring): cleared to practice again

D.J. Augustin (toe): could return Monday

Anthony Parker (back): day-to-day

Jason Kidd (calf): day-to-day

Corey Brewer (personal): day-to-day

Steve Blake (ribs): returned to practice yesterday; monitor his status

Tony Allen (hip, knee): day-to-day

Amar’e Stoudemire (personal): won’t return to the team until Monday

Thabo Sefolosha (foot): could return Friday

Spencer Hawes (back): MRI was negative; day-to-day

Manu Ginobili (hand): likely for Saturday’s game

Andrea Bargnani (calf): not ready to test his calf yet

Rashard Lewis (knee): day-to-day

Kyle Lowry (elbow): monitor his status

For Tonight:
Monta Ellis could have another big night as the Warriors visit the Nuggets, a game that could yield some big lines.

Ellis was leader of the pack last night. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Beast of the Night: Monta Ellis was huge last night, finishing with 48 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, a block and three three-pointers. He shot 62 percent (18-29) from the field, 90 percent (9-10) from the free-throw line and had three turnovers. Ellis is having himself another fine season, despite a rough patch late in January. He’s a top 40 fantasy asset so far this NBA season.

Lines for Discussion:
Darren Collison: 10-14 FG (71%), 4-4 FT (100%), 1 three, 25 Pts, 4 Reb, 5 Ast; since George Hill went down, Collison has been getting 35+ minutes a night and averaging 17/5/5 (read: sell high)

Jared Dudley: 7-9 FG (78%), 2-2 FT (100%), 3 threes, 19 Pts, 4 Reb, 3 Ast; Dudley appears to be on track to recover some of that value he lost earlier this season

Brandon Jennings: 1-4 FG (25%), 1 three, 3 Pts, 5 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO; he’ll bounce back, but his magical run is kaput

Michael Beasley: 7-21 FG (33%), 2-3 FT (67%), 1 three, 17 Pts, 14 Reb, 3 TO; he remains an overrated fantasy asset

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Derrick Brown: 20 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 TO (*)

Reggie Williams: 21 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 3 TO (****)

Michael Redd: 14 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 TO (*)

Grant Hill: 13 Pts, 2 threes, 4 Reb, 5 Ast, 1 Stl (**)

Ersan Ilyasova: 17 Pts, 1 three, 12 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Blk, 1 TO (***)

Nikola Pekovic: 23 Pts, 10 Reb, 3 Stl, 2 Blk, 4 TO (****)

Daequan Cook: 17 Pts, 5 threes, 3 Reb (**)

Injuries:
Rudy Fernandez (back): probable for tonight

Spencer Hawes (back): doubtful for tonight; will get an MRI

Marcus Camby (illness): expected to play tonight

Keyon Dooling (hip): day-to-day

Nene (heel): game-time decision tonight

Arron Afflalo (ankle, toe): expected to play tonight

Nate Robinson (groin): day-to-day

Chauncey Billups (Achilles): done for the season

Darko Milicic (ankle): day-to-day

Amar’e Stoudemire (personal): out tonight; will take a few days before returning

Carmelo Anthony (groin); out 1-2 weeks

Raymond Felton (foot): game-time decision tonight

Manu Ginobili (hand): should return to game action within the next week

Anthony Morrow (personal): will return tonight

For Tonight:
Pekovic could be in for another big night as the Timberwolves visit the Grizzlies.

The Jeremy Lin ride continues as the Knicks visit the Wizards.

Timmy (and his fantasy owners) are excited. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Beast of the Night: Tim Duncan finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two steals and five blocks. He shot 64 percent (9-14) from the floor, 100 percent (1-1) from the free-throw line and had three turnovers. Truth be told, Duncan’s having himself a fine season so far, giving his owners about the value that was expected of him heading into the season. Nevertheless, whenever Duncan has a strong string of games, he’s a good sell-high candidate.

Lines for Discussion:
Andrew Bynum: 8-13 FG (62%), 4-6 FT (67%), 20 Pts, 20 Reb, 3 Ast, 3 Blk, 5 TO; he’s a top 40 stud and will remain that so long as he’s healthy

Lou Williams: 7-12 FG (58%), 7-8 FT (88%), 3 threes, 24 Pts, 2 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO; though his low field-goal percentage is a downer, Williams has been a mostly reliable fantasy player this season

Dwight Howard: 15-21 FG (71%), 3-8 FT (38%), 33 Pts, 14 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 4 TO; if you exclude his 48.3 percent accuracy from the free-throw line, Howard is just as valuable a fantasy asset at LeBron James this season

Jason Richardson: 8-15 FG (53%), 1-1 FT (100%), 3 threes, 20 Pts, 1 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; J-Rich is averaging 18.7 points and three three-pointers in his last three games, so sell high

John Wall: 10-19 FG (53%), 11-14 FT (79%), 31 Pts, 5 Reb, 7 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 4 TO; this season will go down as a disappointment for Wall, but he remains a solid keeper

LaMarcus Aldridge: 14-28 FG (50%), 11-11 FT (100%), 39 Pts, 6 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 4 TO; he has managed to slightly outperform his stellar 2010-11 NBA campaign and is putting up top 10 averages so far this season

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Jameer Nelson: 15 Pts, 1 three, 3 Reb, 12 Ast, 3 TO (**)

Linas Kleiza: 30 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 3 TO (***)

C.J. Watson: 14 Pts, 2 threes, 7 Reb, 11 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (**)

Markieff Morris: 7 Pts, 1 three, 7 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 Blk (*)

Jeremy Lin: 28 Pts, 1 three, 2 Reb, 8 Ast, 2 Stl, 8 TO (****)

Steve Novak: 19 Pts, 5 threes, 2 Reb (*)

Isaiah Thomas: 17 Pts, 3 threes, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl (**)

Chris Kaman: 10 Pts, 12 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Blk, 2 TO (**)

Chase Budinger: 16 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Blk (**)

Injuries:
Danilo Gallinari (ankle, foot): monitor his status

Corey Brewer (personal): day-to-day

Arron Afflalo (ankle, toe): day-to-day

Nene (heel): day-to-day

Chauncey Billups (Achilles): will have an MRI today; it doesn’t sound good, but monitor his status

Kevin Love (suspension): suspended for two games, will return Friday

Anthony Morrow (personal): monitor his status

DaJuan Summers (knee): day-to-day

Carmelo Anthony (groin): day-to-day

Amar’e Stoudemire (personal): monitor his status

Jamaal Tinsley (personal): out tonight

Rashard Lewis (knee): day-to-day

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Daniel Gibson (neck): out tonight

Anthony Parker (back): ditto

Jason Kidd (calf): didn’t practice Monday; return is up in the air

Will Bynum (foot): practiced Monday; monitor his status

Ben Gordon (shoulder): ditto

Nate Robinson (groin): didn’t practice Monday

Tony Allen (hip, knee): day-to-day

Mehmet Okur (back): will have another procedure on his back

Jason Smith (concussion): day-to-day

Jarrett Jack (knee): day-to-day

Baron Davis (back, elbow): isn’t expected back until next week at the earliest

Elton Brand (thumb): day-to-day

Raymond Felton (foot): day-to-day

For Tonight:
Nikola Pekovic will have even more value with Love and possibly Darko Milicic out, as the Timberwolves host the Kings.

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

George threw down some mean stuff this past weekend. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Weekend Wonder: Paul George averaged 21.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 4.0 steals, 1.5 blocks and 4.5 threes in two games over the weekend. He shot 48 percent from the field and 100 percent from the line, while averaging 1.5 turnovers in that stretch. For the season, George is averaging top 25 numbers. While none of his categorical averages are phenomenal, he’s an all-around helper who doesn’t hurt his owners anywhere. He’s far exceeding the sleeper tag placed on him heading into the 2011-12 NBA season.

Lines for Discussion:
Jared Dudley (2/3): 5-10 FG (50%), 3-4 FT (75%), 2 threes, 15 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Stl; he was on a bit of a roll in his four games before his injury

Dirk Nowitzki (2/3): 12-17 FG (71%), 5-6 FT (83%), 1 three, 30 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 TO; he seems to be finding his bearings again

Trevor Ariza (2/4): 9-12 FG (75%), 6-6 FT (100%), 2 threes, 26 Pts, 7 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 Stl, 4 TO; Ariza’s been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but he does have solid all-around value for owners who don’t mind his terrible FG%

Anderson Varejao (2/4): 8-13 FG (62%), 1-2 FT (50%), 17 Pts, 17 Reb, 3 Ast, 3 TO; Vareajo is averaging 16.3 points and 17.3 rebounds in his last three games

Tony Parker (2/4): 16-29 FG (55%), 10-12 FT (83%), 42 Pts, 3 Reb, 9 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk; we’ll have to see how Manu Ginobili’s eventual return affects Parker’s production

Carlos Boozer (2/4): 4-6 FG (67%), 8 Pts, 6 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 TO; Boozer has looked shaky lately, alternating good games with mediocre ones

Dorell Wright (2/4): 8-13 FG (62%), 4-4 FT (100%), 4 threes, 24 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl; he’s been better lately but looks very unlikely to justify the second- and third-round draft picks spent on him in most drafts

DeMarcus Cousins (2/4): 8-18 FG (44%), 5-5 FT (100%), 21 Pts, 20 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 5 TO; Cousins is averaging a double-double for the season, and his only major weakness is his assists-to-turnovers ratio (1.0 assists to 2.8 turnovers)

Marcus Thornton (2/4): 11-24 FG (46%), 2-2 FT (100%), 4 threes, 28 Pts, 2 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; Thornton has accumulated 48 points and six three-pointers in his two games since returning from a thigh injury

Rajon Rondo (2/5): 2-6 FG (33%), 1-2 FT (50%), 5 Pts, 5 Reb, 14 Ast, 2 Stl, 5 TO; Rondo is finally back and shouldn’t take too long to work the rust off

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Alonzo Gee: he continues to put up solid across-the-board numbers and warrants a pickup in many leagues (***)

Amir Johnson: his 18/13 line on Friday was promising and could be a sign of better things to come from Johnson (**)

Trevor Booker: he’s blocked two shots in each of his last four games and is worth a look for owners in need of a power forward (**)

Ersan Ilyasova: if you missed out on Drew Gooden, Ilyasova isn’t a terrible consolation prize (**)

Nikola Pekovic: his 27/11 line on Friday doesn’t indicate the norm for Pekovic, but he’s still worth a look if you need a center (***)

Vince Carter: he’s been mostly decent lately and is worth a look in deeper leagues (*)

Ivan Johnson: he’s a meat-and-potatoes fantasy player but is worth a look for owners who need a power forward in deep leagues (*)

Jeremy Lin: his 25/5/7 game was impressive, but owners should wait to see what he does in the coming days before dropping someone too valuable for him (**)

Greivis Vasquez: he continues to put up good lines, especially with Jarrett Jack out (***)

Reggie Williams: he’s worth a flier if you have dead weight to spare, especially while Gerald Henderson is out (**)

Injuries:
Jason Collins (elbow): out at least two weeks

DeSagana Diop (knee): day-to-day

Corey Maggette (hamstring): should begin practice shortly

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Daniel Gibson (neck): day-to-day

Anthony Parker (back): day-to-day

Will Bynum (foot): hopes to practice today

Ben Gordon (shoulder): ditto

Charlie Villanueva (ankle): expected to miss most of the season

Darko Milicic (quad): day-to-day

Jarrett Jack (knee): day-to-day

Jason Smith (head): monitor his status

Thabo Sefolosha (foot): return date is unknown

Elton Brand (thumb): day-to-day

Brandon Bass (knee): hopes to play Tuesday

Tony Allen (hip, knee): day-to-day

Derrick Rose (back): said he’ll play tonight

Brandon Knight (nose): expected to play Wednesday

Nate Robinson (groin): monitor his status

Ekpe Udoh (wrist): day-to-day

Carl Landry (knee): expected to miss 3-4 weeks

Jared Dudley (thigh): day-to-day

Raymond Felton (foot): questionable tonight

Chuck Hayes (shoulder): monitor his status

Timofey Mozgov (ankle): day-to-day

Glen Davis (suspension): expected to return tonight

Marquis Daniels (ankle): day-to-day

For Tonight:
See if Amir Johnson can put up another strong line, as the Raptors visit the Wizards.

Ditto for Lin, as the Knicks host the Jazz.

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

Being a sell-high guy must be contagious. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Buy Low:
Wesley Matthews

Dirk Nowitzki

Josh Smith

Kyle Lowry

Channing Frye

Brook Lopez, Manu Ginobili, Luol Deng and any other productive fantasy players who are injured should be considered buy-low candidates.

Sell High:
Landry Fields

Vince Carter

Tim Duncan

Jamal Crawford

Al Harrington

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

Curry was hot last night. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

Beast of the Night: Stephen Curry owned the Jazz last night, finishing with 29 points, five boards, 12 assists, three steals and a pair of threes. He shot 71 percent (10-14) from the floor, 88 percent (7-8) from the free-throw line and had three turnovers. This was a nice bounce-back game for Curry, who had just 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting in his previous two games. For the season, he’s averaging top 10 numbers, which is right in line with expectations. Now let’s hope his ankles stay intact.

Lines for Discussion:
Derrick Rose: 12-26 FG (46%), 6-9 FT (67%), 2 threes, 32 Pts, 4 Reb, 13 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; Rose has scored 32+ points in four of his last five games

Amar’e Stoudemire: 16-27 FG (59%), 2-4 FT (50%), 34 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO; STAT has been a huge disappointment so far this season and inconsistency will plague him the rest of the way, but there’s still a reasonable dose of optimism to be had here

Landry Fields: 7-10 FG (70%), 0-1 FT (0%), 3 threes, 17 Pts, 4 Ast, 1 Stl; in his last nine games, Fields is averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 threes, good for top 40 value

Wesley Matthews: 4-12 FG (33%), 1 three, 9 Pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl; Matthews has totaled 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, six steals and one three-pointer in his last three games

Monta Ellis: 12-21 FG (62%), 4-5 FT (80%), 3 threes, 33 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Stl, 3 TO; his poor shooting from the field (42 percent) weighs down his otherwise solid fantasy value

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Ivan Johnson: 10 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Blk, 2 TO (*)

Kyle Korver: 16 Pts, 3 threes, 2 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO (**)

C.J. Watson: 12 Pts, 1 three, 1 Reb, 3 Stl, 2 TO (*)

Iman Shumpert: 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 8 Ast, 1 Stl, 4 TO (**)

Greivis Vasquez: 16 Pts, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (***)

Tiago Splitter: 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO (***)

Gordon Hayward: 21 Pts, 1 three, 4 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO (***)

Jamaal Tinsley: 9 Pts, 1 three, 6 Reb, 13 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (**)

Ekpe Udoh: 7 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 Blk (**)

Timofey Mozgov: 11 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO (*)

Injuries:
Jason Collins (elbow): left last night’s game early; monitor his status

Gerald Henderson (hamstring): will miss 2-4 weeks

Luol Deng (wrist): day-to-day

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Anthony Parker (back): out tonight

Shawn Marion (knee): will play tonight

Brendan Haywood (back): likely to return tonight

Lamar Odom (illness): ditto

George Hill (ankle): hoping to be out for no longer than three weeks

Darko Milicic (knee, illness): uncertain for tonight

Jarrett Jack (knee): day-to-day

Jason Richardson (knee): didn’t practice yesterday; monitor his status

Devin Harris (hamstring): day-to-day

Earl Watson (ankle): day-to-day

Corey Brewer (personal): day-to-day

For Tonight:
See if Darren Collison can produce another solid line with Hill out of the lineup, as the Pacers visit the Mavericks.

For Next Week:
4 games: ATL, BOS, CHI, CLE, DEN, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NJN, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA, WAS
3 games: CHA, DAL, DET, GSW, NOR, SAS

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

Jennings has been proving this doubter wrong. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Beast of the Night: Brandon Jennings finished with 31 points, four rebounds, eight assists, four steals and seven three-pointers last night. He shot 36 percent (9-25) from the floor, 75 percent (6-8) from the free-throw line and had zero turnovers. Since Jan. 17, Jennings is averaging 24.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 3.6 threes per game, while shooting 45 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free-throw line. For the season, he’s putting up top 10 averages.

Lines for Discussion:
Hedo Turkoglu: 5-16 FG (31%), 4-6 FT (67%), 2 threes, 16 Pts, 4 Reb, 5 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; Turkoglu’s hot start to the season is a faint memory, but he’s still a decent bet for all-around production on a week-to-week basis

Channing Frye: 5-9 FG (56%), 5-5 FT (100%), 1 three, 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 Blk; this was the first time Frye has cracked double-digit points since Jan. 13, which basically sums up his season

Darren Collison: 7-12 FG (58%), 5-5 FT (100%), 1 three, 20 Pts, 6 Reb, 9 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO; it’s probably no coincidence that this line came with George Hill out of the lineup

Drew Gooden: 7-12 FG (58%), 3-4 FT (75%), 17 Pts, 9 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 5 TO; as a starter this season, Gooden is averaging 17.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.8 steals, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 83 percent from the line

Serge Ibaka: 2-8 FG (25%), 4 Pts, 11 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 10 Blk, 1 TO; he remains a top 70 asset mostly due to his denials, but is still having a somewhat disappointing season for his fantasy owners

Russell Westbrook: 11-24 FG (46%), 9-10 FT (90%), 2 threes, 33 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 6 TO; since Jan. 10, Westbrook has averaged top 10 numbers

Dirk Nowitzki: 2-15 FG (13%), 4-4 FT (100%), 8 Pts, 8 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl; he’s a buy-low target, but expectations should be kept in check

Al Jefferson: 12-20 FG (60%), 3-5 FT (60%), 27 Pts, 12 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; Jefferson continues to be a top 20 stud this season

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
C.J. Watson: 20 Pts, 4 threes, 4 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Blk, 3 TO (*)

Rashard Lewis: 20 Pts, 3 threes, 8 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 3 TO (*)

Ed Davis: 10 Pts, 12 Reb, 2 Blk, 3 TO (***)

Jerryd Bayless: 14 Pts, 2 threes, 1 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 TO (***)

Tayshaun Prince: 21 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 TO (***)

Jonas Jerebko: 14 Pts, 1 three, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO (**)

Sundiata Gaines: 9 Pts, 1 three, 6 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl (**)

Greivis Vasquez: 20 Pts, 3 threes, 6 Reb, 12 Ast, 1 Stl, 4 TO (***)

Nikola Pekovic: 13 Pts, 12 Reb, 2 TO (***)

Ersan Ilyasova: 9 Pts, 14 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Blk, 2 TO (***)

Injuries:
Keyon Dooling (hip): day-to-day

Rajon Rondo (wrist): likely to return Friday

Luol Deng (wrist): he’s close to returning

Richard Hamilton (groin, thigh): day-to-day

John Lucas (groin): day-to-day

Brendan Haywood (back): day-to-day

Lamar Odom (illness): day-to-day

Zach Randolph (knee): his MRI revealed his right knee is healing on schedule

DeShawn Stevenson (knee): out until at least Feb. 14

Anthony Morrow (ankle): day-to-day

Baron Davis (back): coach Mike D’Antoni said there’s no timetable for his return

Amar’e Stoudemire (ankle): monitor his status

Thabo Sefolosha (foot): day-to-day

Jason Richardson (knee): day-to-day

Spencer Hawes (Achilles): day-to-day

Jason Thompson (leg): monitor his status

Raja Bell (groin): out tonight

Rodney Stuckey (ankle): monitor his status

Johan Petro (flu): day-to-day

Linas Kleiza (knee): day-to-day

Shawn Marion (knee): played through it last night; monitor his status

Gerald Henderson (hamstring): day-to-day

Grant Hill (knee): day-to-day

Devin Harris (hamstring): played through it last night; monitor his status

Earl Watson (ankle): out indefinitely

For Tonight:
Tim Duncan is probably in for a DNP-rest tonight, which means Tiago Splitter could have a big game for the Spurs, who host the Hornets.

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

George has fulfilled and maybe even exceeded the sleeper tag many put on him heading into the 2011-12 NBA season. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)

Beast of the Night: Paul George finished with 24 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals, a block and four threes last night against the Nets. He shot 73 percent (8-11) from the field, 100 percent (4-4) from the free-throw line and had one turnover. George has had clunkers every now and then this season but has still managed to average top 60 numbers. He’s an all-around producer who doesn’t drag any category down for his owners, making him a sleeper-turned-stud.

Lines for Discussion:
Anthony Morrow: 10-17 FG (59%), 3-3 FT (100%), 5 threes, 28 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 TO; with MarShon Brooks out with a bum toe, Morrow’s value looks like it will remain intact for a while longerr

Danny Granger: 6-15 FG (40%), 9-9 FT (100%), 21 Pts, 7 Reb, 5 Ast, 3 Stl, 3 TO; Granger appears to have found a groove since the middle of January, scoring 21+ points in six of his last eight games

Anderson Varejao: 10-17 FG (59%), 20 Pts, 20 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Blk, 4 TO; Sideshow Bob is averaging 10.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks for the season, good for top 60 value

Al Harrington: 8-16 FG (50%), 4-4 FT (100%), 3 threes, 23 Pts, 10 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO; he’s been one of the pleasant surprises this season

Andre Miller: 8-13 FG (62%), 3-6 FT (50%), 1 three, 20 Pts, 6 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO; Miller has sustained top 75 value and has pretty much maintained his averages from last season in Portland

Rudy Gay: 7-20 FG (35%), 4-4 FT (100%), 2 threes, 20 Pts, 13 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 5 TO; Gay has been a disappointment so far this season, mostly thanks to his poor free-throw shooting

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Tracy McGrady: 15 Pts, 1 three, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 4 TO (*)

Ed Davis: 11 Pts, 11 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO (**)

Jerryd Bayless: 14 Pts, 2 threes, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO (***)

Lance Stephenson: 2 Pts, 2 Reb, 5 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (**)

Alonzo Gee: 11 Pts, 1 three, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 4 Stl (**)

Ramon Sessions: 6 Pts, 5 Reb, 10 Ast, 3 TO (*)

Austin Daye: 7 Pts, 1 three, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO (****)

Landry Fields: 18 Pts, 4 threes, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 5 Stl, 1 Blk (****)

Andrew Goudelock: 12 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 TO (**)

Brandon Rush: 20 Pts, 4 threes, 6 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 TO (**)

Injuries:
Antawn Jamison (hand): probable for Friday

Tristan Thompson (ankle): day-to-day

George Hill (ankle): a small chip fracture takes him out indefinitely

Amar’e Stoudemire (ankle): probable for Thursday

Craig Smith (illness): day-to-day

Rajon Rondo (wrist): day-to-day

Luol Deng (wrist): could be on his way back soon

Richard Hamilton (groin): will be out for a little while

Steve Blake (ribs/sternum): cleared to run on a treadmill; day-to-day

Zach Randolph (knee): MRI rescheduled to Wednesday

Mehmet Okur (back): had a “procedure” and is out until at least Saturday

Thabo Sefolosha (foot): monitor his status for tonight

Spencer Hawes (Achilles): day-to-day

Al Jefferson (ankle): monitor his status

Tyreke Evans (hamstring): probable for Thursday

Stephen Jackson (personal): monitor his situation in Milwaukee, which appears to be delicate

For Tonight:
Dwight Howard crushed the Wizards with 28/20/2 and three blocks in early January. See if he can replicate that kind of production tonight, as the struggling Magic host the Wizards.

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

CP3 doing his thing. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Beast of the Night: Chris Paul posted 26 points, 14 assists, two steals and two three-pointers last night. He shot 75 percent (12-16) from the field and had two turnovers. His hamstring injury was a bummer earlier this month, but CP3 is back to business as usual. His averages are second best to LeBron James this season.

Lines for Discussion:
Joakim Noah: 5-6 FG (83%), 4-4 FT (100%), 14 Pts, 13 Reb, 7 Ast, 3 TO; that’s five consecutive double-doubles for Noah, who’s also dishing out 4.6 assists per game in that stretch

Ryan Anderson: 6-13 FG (46%), 2-4 FT (50%), 14 Pts, 20 Reb, 1 TO; he’s maintaining first-round value so far this season

Michael Beasley: 10-14 FG (71%), 12-12 FT (100%), 2 threes, 34 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; sell high — he’s not the type of guy you take home for the rest of the season, if you catch my drift

Jared Dudley: 3-8 FG (38%), 6-6 FT (100%), 3 threes, 15 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast; see if he can keep things rolling

Mo Williams: 4-11 FG (36%), 4 threes, 12 Pts, 1 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 TO; Williams has hit at least two three-pointers in each of his last seven games

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Kyle Korver: 17 Pts, 5 threes, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 TO (**)

Trevor Booker: 14 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 Blk (*)

Evan Turner: 12 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 TO (**)

Martell Webster: 7 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 TO (*)

Kawhi Leonard: 12 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (*)

Austin Daye: 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 2 TO (****)

Mike Dunleavy: 20 Pts, 2 threes, 3 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO (***)

Derrick Favors: 8 Pts, 6 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO (**)

Josh Howard: 11 Pts, 1 three, 7 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 TO (*)

Delonte West: 25 Pts, 5 threes, 3 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl, 3 TO (**)

Injuries:
DJ White (knee): expected to play tonight

Gerald Henderson (back): ditto

Luol Deng (wrist): day-to-day

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Anthony Parker (back): out tonight

Daniel Gibson (neck): ditto

Ty Lawson (ankle): monitor his status

Darko Milicic (illness): day-to-day

DeShawn Stevenson (knee): out tonight

Carmelo Anthony (ankle, wrist): doubtful tonight

Thabo Sefolosha (foot): day-to-day

Jameer Nelson (concussion): earliest return date would be Feb. 6

Jason Richardson (knee): day-to-day

Spencer Hawes (Achilles): day-to-day

Steve Nash (thigh): day-to-day

Al Jefferson (ankle): could miss a couple more games; day-to-day

Raja Bell (groin): day-to-day

Andray Blatche (calf): out 3-5 weeks

MarShon Brooks (toe): out tonight; monitor his status

Nicolas Batum (knee): monitor his status

O.J. Mayo (ankle): probable tonight

For Tonight:
See if Jerryd Bayless gets another start tonight, as the Raptors host the Hawks.

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

It's Monday morning and I can't think of anything clever enough to put here. Any ideas? (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

Weekend Wonder: Kobe Bryant averaged 31.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, a steal, 1 block and 3.0 threes in two games over the weekend. He’s shooting less lately, but that’s done nothing to diminish his strong fantasy appeal. It’s not a guarantee that Kobe will keep his top 10 value for the rest of the season, but he’s been one of the surprises of the fantasy season so far.

Lines for Discussion:
Marcus Camby (1/27): 0-4 FG (0%), 20 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO; sell high

Dorell Wright (1/27): 8-14 FG (57%), 1-2 FT (50%), 6 threes, 23 Pts, 9 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk; he still has a lot to do if he wants to win back the hearts of fantasy owners who drafted him

Andre Iguodala (1/28): 4-7 FG (57%), 1-2 FT (50%), 1 three, 10 Pts, 10 Reb, 10 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO; he continues to average top 25 numbers

Kemba Walker (1/28): 8-18 FG (44%), 2-4 FT (50%), 2 threes, 20 Pts, 10 Reb, 11 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 4 TO; his poor accuracy from the floor hinders his fantasy value, but he’ll see a nice bump for the next handful of games

Tyreke Evans (1/28): 12-20 FG (60%), 7-7 FT (100%), 31 Pts, 6 Reb, 9 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 4 TO; his low field-goal percentage weighs down his otherwise solid numbers

Derrick Rose (1/29): 11-28 FG (39%), 12-14 FT (86%), 34 Pts, 6 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO; keep an eye on that toe

Jason Richardson (1/29): 5-11 FG (46%), 1-2 FT (50%), 2 threes, 13 Pts, 7 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO; he’s been a shell of himself this season, but hope for a recovery still remains

Ray Allen (1/29): 9-14 FG (64%), 4 threes, 22 Pts, 3 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO; owners who were able to buy low on him should be proud

Dirk Nowitzki (1/29): 5-14 FG (36%), 10 Pts, 13 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl; it’s hard to see him being a top 12 stud again this season

Jason Terry (1/29): 14-23 FG (61%), 5-5 FT (100%), 1 three, 34 Pts, 2 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; his week-to-week reliability is underappreciated in fantasy circles

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Mickael Pietrus: he remains worth a look if you need threes (**)

Austin Daye: his last three games have looked promising, and he appears to be winning a steadier diet of minutes (***)

Tiago Splitter: if you need a center, Splitter’s probably on the short list of candidates to consider (***)

Chase Budinger: his two games over the weekend were big, making him worth stashing for owners with dead weight to spare (**)

Jordan Hill: two double-doubles in the weekend make Hill worth a look for owners in need of a big man (**)

Drew Gooden: make sure he isn’t still available in your league (****)

Rodrigue Beaubois: two big starts over the weekend and the absence of Jason Kidd make Beaubois worth owning again (****)

Jerryd Bayless: he started at SG last night and is worth a flier (***)

Jimmer Fredette: he’s hit 14 three-pointers in his last four games (**)

Gordon Hayward: he had a big game over the weekend and is worth an add in deeper leagues (*)

Injuries:
Keyon Dooling (hip): day-to-day

Jermaine O’Neal (knee): day-to-day

Luol Deng (wrist): day-to-day

Jason Kidd (calf): out for at least a week

Will Bynum (foot): day-to-day

Andrew Bogut (ankle): out 8-12 weeks

Darko Milicic (illness): day-to-day

Baron Davis (back): not expected to make his season debut for another week or two

Spencer Hawes (Achilles): day-to-day

Leandro Barbosa (knee): day-to-day

D.J. Augustin (toe): not close to returning

Anthony Parker (back): day-to-day

Kevin Martin (heel): day-to-day

Jeff Foster (back): hoping to return Tuesday

Mehmet Okur (back): day-to-day

Jameer Nelson (concussion): day-to-day with concussion-like symptoms

Chuck Hayes (shoulder): out Tuesday

Raja Bell (groin): day-to-day

Avery Bradley (ankle): probable for Tuesday

Rajon Rondo (wrist): could be out until around the All-Star break

Gerald Henderson (back): day-to-day

C.J. Watson (wrist): day-to-day

Daniel Gibson (neck): day-to-day

DeShawn Stevenson (knee): monitor his status

For Tonight:
See if Serge Ibaka can maintain his mini-hot streak tonight, as the Thunder visit the Clippers.

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