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]

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]

Everybody loves Kevin. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Beast of the Night: Kevin Love finished with 39 points, 12 boards, one assist, one steal and five three-pointers last night. He shot 68 percent (13-19) from the field, 80 percent (8-10) from the free-throw line and had five turnovers. While Love’s rebounding, assists and shooting percentages are down from last season, he’s improved his three-point making, scoring and stealing. There’s not much else to say about this top 10 stud.

Lines for Discussion:
Kevin Garnett: 5-9 FG (56%), 4-4 FT (100%), 14 Pts, 10 Reb, 2 Ast, 5 Stl, 2 Blk, 3 TO; he’s putting up top 85 numbers so far this season, which is about what owners should have expected

James Harden: 8-11 FG (73%), 3-3 FT (100%), 5 threes, 24 Pts, 5 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 TO; though he continues to come off the bench, Harden’s minutes are up from last season, along with his field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, threes, points, rebounds and assists

Kyle Lowry: 4-13 FG (31%), 7-8 FT (88%), 1 three, 16 Pts, 10 Reb, 10 Ast, 3 Stl, 4 TO; his poor field-goal percentage and frequent turnovers have been the only knocks on his top five fantasy value so far

Tony Parker: 8-14 FG (57%), 4-5 FT (80%), 20 Pts, 2 Reb, 17 Ast, 4 TO; Parker has dished out 30 assists in his last two games, and for the season he’s averaging a career-best 8.1 assists per game

Jarrett Jack: 12-22 FG (55%), 1-1 FT (100%), 1 three, 26 Pts, 6 Reb, 9 Ast, 1 TO; Jack has struggled with consistency this season but has managed to average top 60 numbers

Anthony Morrow: 7-14 FG (50%), 1-1 FT (100%), 15 Pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast; he remains a risky start at this point

Derrick Rose: 9-16 FG (56%), 2-2 FT (100%), 2 threes, 22 Pts, 5 Reb, 8 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO; his toe is still hurting and could be a season-long issue

Shawn Marion: 11-21 FG (52%), 3-5 FT (60%), 4 threes, 29 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl; with Dirk Nowitzki out two more games, Marion’s boost in fantasy value has a very small window

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Jordan Crawford: 17 Pts, 3 Reb, 3 Ast (***)

Jonas Jerebko: 11 Pts, 1 three, 5 Reb, 2 Stl, 2 TO (**)

Goran Dragic: 14 Pts, 2 Reb, 3 Ast, 3 Stl (*)

Luke Ridnour: 17 Pts, 3 Reb, 8 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO (****)

Tiago Splitter: 12 Pts, 6 Reb, 1 Stl (**)

Jordan Farmar: 22 Pts, 3 threes, 2 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 TO (**)

Richard Hamilton: 22 Pts, 2 threes, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 2 TO (***)

Zaza Pachulia: 9 Pts, 14 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl (**)

Ersan Ilyasova: 10 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Stl (**)

Markieff Morris: 7 Pts, 1 three, 11 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO (**)

Injuries:
Kirk Hinrich (shoulder) aiming to return Wednesday

Rajon Rondo (wrist): could return Thursday

Chris Wilcox (calf): day-to-day

Mickael Pietrus (shoulder): day-to-day

Keyon Dooling (knee): hopes to return Thursday

Ray Allen (ankle): day-to-day

D.J. Augustin (toe): monitor his status

Taj Gibson (ankle): hopes to return by the end of the week

Luol Deng (wrist): consulting doctors before ruling out surgery

John Lucas (toe): day-to-day

Arron Afflalo (groin): hopes to play Wednesday

Rudy Fernandez (Achilles): questionable for Wednesday

Charlie Villanueva (ankle): day-to-day

Will Bynum (foot): day-to-day

Ben Gordon (shoulder): day-to-day

Baron Davis (back): returned to practice Monday; will see limited minutes when he returns

Nick Collison (ankle): monitor his status

Spencer Hawes (Achilles): day-to-day

Josh Howard (quad): returned to practice Monday; monitor his status

Wes Johnson (illness): day-to-day

MarShon Brooks (Achilles): day-to-day

Rodney Stuckey (groin): aggravated his groin injury; day-to-day

Marcus Camby (groin): day-to-day

DeMarcus Cousins (ankle): monitor his status

For Tonight:
See if Boris Diaw can get his footing back against the faltering Knicks, a team he’s torched in two games already this season.

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

Nope, ain't no one taking this man's "Beast" honors. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Beast of the Night: Derrick Rose put up 31 points, three boards, 11 assists, a steal, two blocks and four three-pointers last night against the Timberwolves. He shot 55 percent (12-22) from the field, 75 percent (3-4) from the free-throw line and had three turnovers. For the season, Rose is scoring less than he did in 2010-11, but he’s dishing out 8.6 assists per outing, an improvement of nearly a full assist per game. Rose has put up top 15 averages so far, a bit disappointing given his first-round expectations heading into the season.

Lines for Discussion:
John Wall: 3-12 FG (25%), 2-3 FT (67%), 8 Pts, 2 Reb, 9 Ast, 3 Blk, 2 TO; Wall has been straight-up terrible this season

Elton Brand: 10-14 FG (71%), 1-4 FT (25%), 21 Pts, 10 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Blk; most of his numbers are down from last season, but he’s still a top 75 player

Russell Westbrook: 12-20 FG (60%), 6-10 FT (60%), 30 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Blk, 2 TO; he’s averaging 20.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, a steal and 0.5 threes in January, while shooting 48 percent from the field and turning the ball over 2.5 times per game

Tim Duncan: 9-12 FG (75%), 2-3 FT (675), 20 Pts, 8 Reb, 7 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 Blk, 3 TO; he remains a decent low-end starter in most leagues, but DNPs are a concern late in the season

Stephen Jackson: 12-17 FG (71%), 7-7 FT (100%), 3 threes, 34 Pts, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 3 TO; Captain Jack is still hitting just 38 percent of his shots from the floor this season, which drags down his otherwise decent fantasy value

Andrew Bogut: 7-15 FG (47%), 14 Pts, 11 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO; Bogut is posting top 40 averages so far, despite his mediocre 44 percent shooting from the field and 58 percent shooting from the free-throw line

Caron Butler: 8-19 FG (42%), 2-3 FT (67%), 2 threes, 20 Pts, 6 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 TO; he’s not thieving like we’re used to seeing him (1.1 per game), but he’s hitting more threes than expected (1.6 per game)

Dwyane Wade: 11-23 FG (48%), 12-16 FT (75%), 34 Pts, 6 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO; his owners must still monitor his status for each game

Dorell Wright: 7-15 FG (47%), 6 threes, 20 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO; Wright’s not completely out of the doghouse just yet, but this is an encouraging sign

Kobe Bryant: 18-31 FG (58%), 12-13 FT (92%), 48 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 TO; “Not bad for the seventh-best player in the league.” – Kobe after the game

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Trevor Booker: 8 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (**)

Jordan Hill: 12 Pts, 12 Reb, 1 Ast, 5 Blk, 3 TO (*)

Chandler Parsons: 20 Pts, 2 threes, 7 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 TO (****)

Byron Mullens: 15 Pts, 10 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk (**)

Evan Turner: 16 Pts, 10 Reb, 8 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO (**)

Kyle Korver: 13 Pts, 3 threes, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO (**)

Kawhi Leonard: 19 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 Blk (***)

Anthony Randolph: 18 Pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO (*)

Derrick Favors: 14 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Blk, 1 TO (**)

Nate Robinson: 24 Pts, 2 threes, 4 Reb, 5 Ast, 4 Stl, 2 TO (****)

Injuries:
Mickael Pietrus (knee): plans to play tonight

Tyrus Thomas (ankle): day-to-day

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Charlie Villanueva (ankle): day-to-day

Rodney Stuckey (groin): day-to-day

Courtney Lee (calf): day-to-day

Beno Udrih (shoulder): day-to-day

Luc Mbah a Moute (knee): day-to-day

Mike Dunleavy (groin): out 2-4 weeks

Spencer Hawes (back): left last night’s game early; day-to-day

Andray Blatche (shoulder): day-to-day

Troy Murphy (illness): day-to-day

Jason Kapono (personal): missed last night’s game for the birth of his twin girls

T.J. Ford (hamstring): day-to-day

Marcus Thornton (thigh): day-to-day

Kwame Brown (shoulder): day-to-day

J.J. Barea (ankle): monitor his status

For Tonight:
After playing a season-high 35:50 last night, expect Duncan to get limited run tonight against the Rockets.

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

Rose is back in beast mode. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Weekend Wonder: Derrick Rose averaged 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 1.5 steals, a block and 1.5 threes in two games over the weekend. He shot 50 percent from the field, 95 percent from the free-throw line and turned the ball over three times per game. These averages include his somewhat mediocre line from Sunday in a 40-point blowout victory over the Grizzlies. After a rocky start, Rose is calming the nerves of his insecure owners.

Lines for Discussion:
Ricky Rubio (12/30): 4-7 FG (57%), 2-3 FT (67%), 2 threes, 12 Pts, 6 Reb, 12 Ast, 1 Stl, 5 TO; he’s worth starting for now

Carlos Delfino (12/30): 6-11 FG (55%), 3 threes, 15 Pts, 6 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl; he’s finally back and will be a solid source of threes

Spencer Hawes (12/30): 7-9 FG (78%), 1-1 FT (100%), 15 Pts, 13 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 Blk, 3 TO; I’m almost a believer

Blake Griffin (12/30): 14-25 FG (56%), 6-10 FT (60%), 34 Pts, 13 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO; not a single block so far this season

Andrew Bynum (12/31): 13-18 FG (72%), 3-3 FT (100%), 29 Pts, 13 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 Blk, 5 TO; big risks, big rewards

DeMarcus Cousins (12/31): 2-10 FG (20%), 5-6 FT (83%), 9 Pts, 11 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 3 TO; this could be Cousins’ last line in a Kings uni

Lou Williams (12/31): 7-11 FG (64%), 5-7 FT (71%), 4 threes, 23 Pts, 3 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 TO; he’s averaging 20.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 threes through the first four games of the season

Ryan Anderson (1/1): 9-16 FG (56%), 1-1 FT (100%), 5 threes, 24 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast; he’s exceeding lofty expectations

Rajon Rondo (1/1): 7-10 FG (70%), 4-7 FT (57%), 18 Pts, 11 Reb, 14 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO; he’s scoring more this season, which is the cherry on top of his other solid numbers

Kevin Love (1/1): 9-16 FG (56%), 2-2 FT (100%), 5 threes, 25 Pts, 17 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO; in case you forgot why Love was worth a first-round pick this season

Waiver-Wire Watch (four stars = must add; one star = keep an eye on him):
Alonzo Gee: he’s turning out to be a solid across-the-board producer and is worth a chance in most leagues (***)

Sundiata Gaines: with a starting SG gig for the Nets, Gaines should be a decent all-around asset if you need a guard (**)

Norris Cole: some fantasy owners overreacted over his big game on Dec. 27, but he’ll have decent value going forward, especially whenever the Heat blow out opponents (**)

Hakim Warrick: the man scores but does little else (*)

Derrick Favors: he’s back on the bench for now but is still worth a roster spot in most leagues (***)

Timofey Mozgoz: he continues to start but is worth a look only in deeper leagues at this point  (*)

Jonas Jerebko: Charlie Villanueva is set to soon, but Jerebko is still worth holding onto (****)

Josh Harrellson: his 14/12 line over the weekend shows that he’s the guy who’ll be worth a spot start whenever Amar’e Stoudemire or Tyson Chandler sits out (*)

Josh Howard: his line of 18 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block makes him worth monitoring (*)

Mehmet Okur: he had two solid games over the weekend and is worth a flier, but don’t bank your long-term hopes on him (**)

Injuries:
Jermaine O’Neal (hamstring): left Sunday’s game early; day-to-day

Chris Wilcox (shoulder): could return tonight

Richard Hamilton (groin): day-to-day

Charlie Villanueva (undisclosed): a minor injury appears to be delaying his return from his suspension

Monta Ellis (personal): he’s expected to play tonight

Chauncey Billups (groin): day-to-day

Zach Randolph (knee): he sprained his right knee Sunday night; day-to-day

Mike Conley (ankle): he’s set to return Tuesday

Luc Mbah a Moute (knee): expects to play tonight

Ronny Turiaf (hand): day-to-day

Amar’e Stoudemire (ankle): day-to-day; monitor his status for tonight

Michael Beasley (finger): he broke his finger and said he could see the bone, but still says he’ll play tonight; consider him day-to-day

C.J. Watson (elbow): will have an MRI today; monitor his status

J.J. Barea (hamstring): game-time decision tonight

For Tonight:
Derrick Williams should be a nice spot start, assuming Beasley can’t go for the Timberwolves as they host the Spurs.

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

Yep, this will be fun. (Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images)

The 2011-12 NBA season is finally within reach, ready to be ripped open by the childishly eager fingers of ravenous fans. For fantasy basketball owners, the joy comes with a bit of business. Once they cut through the excitement of seeing the first tip-off of the season, they’ll immediately wonder how their draft picks will pay off, what clues they can pick up in the early going and which players sitting in the free-agent pool might be worth a pickup.

While making heavy-handed conclusions after just the first day of games isn’t recommended, it doesn’t hurt to have a list of things to watch and hope for during the first official day of this unique NBA season. Below is a Christmas Day wish list for fantasy basketball owners who have players participating in the first day’s games.

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks (12 p.m. EST):

• Healing for Paul Pierce’s bone bruise in his heel and a memorable Christmas Day performance
• Confidence and some form of a shooting touch for Rajon Rondo
• Protection for Jermaine O’Neal’s body, which will be heavily relied upon this season
• Extra rebounding opportunities for Amar’e Stoudemire, who will have to fight to maintain his rebounding average from last season now that Tyson Chandler’s on board
• A place for Landry Fields in the Knicks’ offense
• A place for Iman Shumpert in the Knicks’ offense
• A huge start to the season for Toney Douglas

Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks (2:30 p.m. EST):

• A triple-double and a pristine touch from the free-throw line for LeBron James
• Minutes for Norris Cole
• Plenty of open looks from three-point territory for Shane Battier
• A significant place for Udonis Haslem in the Heat’s rotation
• A glimmer of hope from Rodrigue Beaubois
• A performance to serve as an accurate indicator of Vince Carter’s value this season
• Enough minutes for Lamar Odom

Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers (5 p.m. EST):

• A high field-goal percentage from Derrick Rose
• Seamless integration into the Bulls’ offense for Richard Hamilton
• A more comfortable, productive role for Carlos Boozer
• Healing and protection for Kobe Bryant’s bum shooting wrist
• Confidence and a huge role for Pau Gasol, especially with Kobe’s injury and Andrew Bynum’s four-game suspension
• Across-the-board production from Josh McRoberts
• Something from Troy Murphy

Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (8 p.m. EST):

• A miraculously improved touch from the free-throw line for Dwight Howard
• Plenty of minutes for both Glen Davis and Ryan Anderson
• Sufficient minutes for J.J. Redick
• For the impressive weight loss to benefit Kendrick Perkins’ on-court production
• Even more signs of progress from Serge Ibaka
• A starting gig for James Harden
• An improved shooting touch for Russell Westbrook
• More assists than turnovers from Kevin Durant

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors (10:30 p.m. EST):

• A stupid number of assists from Chris Paul
• Fifty-percent shooting from the floor and plenty of threes for Chauncey Billups
• A pair of blocks and immaculate free-throw shooting from Blake Griffin
• A comfortable spot in the rotation for Mo Williams
• A coming-out party for DeAndre Jordan, with plenty of blocks and boards to go around
• An accurate indication of what Caron Butler will do this season
• Healing and protection for Stephen Curry’s ankle
• A focused Monta Ellis
• A strong sequel for Dorell Wright’s breakout 2010-11 campaign
• No tooth incident for David Lee, and a strong reminder of his fantasy appeal
• Minutes for Ekpe Udoh and Klay Thompson

The smirk of a man who knows he hasn't yet reached his ceiling. (Flickr/adifansnet)

Depth chart:
PG: Derrick Rose, C.J. Watson, Jannero Pargo, John Lucas
SG: Keith Bogans, Ronnie Brewer
SF: Luol Deng, Kyle Korver, Jimmy Butler, Rasual Butler*^
PF: Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Brian Scalabrine*
C: Joakim Noah, Omer Asik, Kurt Thomas*

* unrestricted free agent
^ locked into overseas contract with no opt-out clause

Relevant fantasy players and their projected draft positions/per-game stats:
- Derrick Rose, PG (Rd. 1): 47% FG, 85% FT, 1.5 Threes, 26 Pts, 4 Reb, 8 Ast, 1.5 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 3.3 TO
- Joakim Noah, PF/C (Rd. 4): 50% FG, 75% FT, 12 Pts, 11 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1.5 Blk, 1.5 TO
- Luol Deng, SF (Rd. 5): 45% FG, 75% FT, 1.5 Threes, 16 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 2 TO
- Carlos Boozer, PF/C (Rd. 7): 50% FG, 70% FT, 17 Pts, 9.5 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2.5 TO
- Kyle Korver, SG/SF (Rd. 13+): 45% FG, 85% FT, 1.5 Threes, 8.5 Pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 TO

Sleeper:
Gibson

Most likely to surprise:
Boozer

Most likely to disappoint:
Deng

Category specialists:
- Blocks: Noah
- Threes: Korver

Things to consider:
- Noah and Boozer’s health (and Gibson’s resulting value)

Team’s statistical NBA ranks from 2010-11:
- Pts: T-19th
- FGM: 18th
- FGA: 22nd
- FG%: 13th
- FT%: 26th
- 3PTM: T-15th
- Reb: 2nd
- Ast: 9th
- TO: T-17th
- Stl: T-17th
- Blk: 5th
- Pace: 22nd
- Offensive Efficiency: T-12th
- Defensive Efficiency: 1st

Fantasy-friendliness for 2011-12: B

Bonus:
Joakim Noah says the Miami Heat are “Hollywood as hell”

In "2011-12" we might witness fantasy basketball in its truest form.

The NBA lockout has been about as horrifying as sitting in between two of your friends who spontaneously decide to make out with each other in public. Of course, if those two friends were the NBA Players Association and the NBA owners, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

Before you start thinking too much about James Dolan getting intimate with Derek Fisher, let’s move on to the point of this post.

Fantasy basketball is, thankfully, immune to such silly things as lockouts. But what the NBA lockout does mean is that any projections made for what we call “2011-12″ are made for a season that might not happen. In other words, we’re making forecasts about fantasy basketball for a season that might not even exist — a season that may be, in fact, a fantasy.

A fantasy within a fantasy — fantasy basketball in the truest sense.

Without further ado, here are my early rankings for the top 150 fantasy basketball players in “2011-12.”

Below is a preview of the top 50 players (assuming H2H, nine categories). For the full list, go here. The link to the rankings is available at the top of this website, and the rankings will, of course, be updated every now and then.

Yes, a fist bump to you, Mr. Rose. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Beast of the Night: Derrick Rose trucked the Celtics last night with 30 points, five rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a pair of three-pointers. He shot 56 percent (9-16) from the field, 100 percent (10-10) from the foul line and had three turnovers. This made up for his mediocre line (19/3/4) from Tuesday.

Lines for Discussion:
Rajon Rondo: 3-10 FG (30%), 1-3 FT (33%), 7 Pts, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl

Nicolas Batum: 9-13 FG (69%), 1-1 FT (100%), 2 threes, 21 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO

Devin Harris: 9-16 FG (56%), 3-3 FT (100%), 5 threes, 26 Pts, 2 Reb, 5 Ast, 1 Blk, 7 TO

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors

Injuries:
Josh Smith (knee): will miss the Hawks’ next two games

Shaquille O’Neal (calf): out tonight

Stephen Jackson (hamstring): expected to miss tonight’s game

Tyson Chandler (back): optimistic that he’ll play tonight

Andris Biedrins (ankle, personal): granted an excused family absence

Chris Kaman (knee): day-to-day

Dwyane Wade (thigh): could play tonight

Chauncey Billups (thigh): questionable tonight

Quentin Richardson (suspension): suspended for two games for shoving Gerald Henderson in the face

Dwight Howard (suspension): will serve his one-game suspension Sunday, thanks to his 18th technical foul

Leandro Barbosa (finger): game-time decision tonight

Jose Calderon (hamstring): out tonight

Andrea Bargnani (ankle): ditto

Von Wafer (calf): day-to-day

Andy Rautins (knee): out for the season

DeMarcus Cousins (shoulder): expected to tough it out

For Next Week:
2 games: ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GS, HOU, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NJ, NO, NY, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, SAC, SA, TOR, UTA, WAS
1 game: IND, LAC

Rose has blossomed this season. There -- I finally said it. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Weekend Wonder: Derrick Rose averaged 31.5 points, three rebounds, 8.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and two threes in two back-to-back games this past weekend. He shot 51 percent from the field, 84 percent from the foul line and turned the ball over 3.5 times per game. Needless to say, Rose is off to a great start to the final stretch of the regular season.

Lines for Discussion:
Carlos Boozer (4/1): 9-13 FG (69%), 4-6 FT (67%), 22 Pts, 8 Reb, 7 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 TO

Marc Gasol (4/2): 5-7 FG (71%), 10 Pts, 9 Reb, 1 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 Blk

Baron Davis (4/3): 8-14 FG (57%), 1-2 FT (50%), 5 threes, 22 Pts, 1 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 TO

Tyreke Evans (4/3): 10-16 FG (63%), 2-2 FT (100%), 2 threes, 24 Pts, 4 Reb, 10 Ast, 4 TO

George Hill (4/3): 10-16 FG (63%), 5-5 FT (100%), 4 threes, 29 Pts, 1 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl

Danilo Gallinari (4/3): 7-13 FG (54%), 5-11 FT (46%), 3 threes, 22 Pts, 7 Reb, 3 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 TO

Andray Blatche (4/3): 10-19 FG (53%), 5-7 FT (71%), 25 Pts, 17 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Ed Davis, Chuck Hayes, Jerryd Bayless, Jared Dudley, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans, Drew Gooden, Martell Webster, Richard Hamilton, Delonte West

Injuries:
Andris Biedrins (ankle): making progress but his timeline for returning is still up in the air

Nenad Krstic (knee): MRI came back negative; day-to-day, but could return Tuesday

Joakim Noah (ankle): day-to-day

Arron Afflalo (hamstring): day-to-day

Chris Andersen (ankle): day-to-day

Ryan Gomes (knee): day-to-day

Chris Kaman (flu): day-to-day

Carlos Delfino (ribs): day-to-day

Darko Milicic (ankle): day-to-day

Jason Richardson (knee): missed Saturday’s practice with knee tendinitis; monitor his status

Gilbert Arenas (illness): day-to-day

Steve Nash (illness): out today; targeting Tuesday for his return

Andrea Bargnani (ankle): day-to-day

Jose Calderon (hamstring): day-to-day

Sebastian Telfair (flu): day-to-day

Lou Williams (hamstring): monitor his status

Kevin Love (groin): check his progress

Kris Humphries (ankle/heel): will miss Tuesday’s game

Tracy McGrady (back): monitor his status

Shaquille O’Neal (calf): he lasted just five minutes in his comeback; day-to-day

Tyrus Thomas (knee): day-to-day

Stephen Jackson (hamstring): day-to-day

Tyson Chandler (back): day-to-day

Pau Gasol (knee): set to have an MRI on his right knee today; monitor his status

Cartier Martin (ankle): day-to-day

Eduardo Najera (back): day-to-day

Andrew Bynum (knee): tweaked his knee; day-to-day

Dwyane Wade (thigh): said he might have to sit out a game this week