• 

  Love will have to lift less weight off the ground when grabbing 'bounds this season. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

  Kevin Love is reportedly “25 pounds lighter than when he left following last season.” This bodes well for his ability to maintain, if not exceed, his stellar fantasy value from last season. I can’t see any reason why Love would fall out of the top five spots in any fantasy basketball draft this season.

• Vince Carter is expected to be waived by the Phoenix Suns, which opens up the door (as expected) for Jared Dudley to step in and start. In 15 starts last season, Dudley averaged 51.8% FG, 77% FT, 1.7 3PTM, 16.3 Pts, 5.9 Reb, 2.2 Ast, 2.1 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 1.2 TO. In the 65 games he played (15 of which he started, 50 of which he came off the bench) from Dec. 2, 2010, through the end of last season, Dudley put up top 80 value. Call him a sleeper if you want, but Dudley should’ve already been on your radars. He’ll be a bargain if he falls into the last quarter of your draft. Carter, meanwhile, could land on a team in need of a SG, but don’t be fooled — his days of being a reliably productive fantasy asset are over.

• Andrew Bynum appears to have improved his game and strengthened his body during the extended offseason: “He lost 10 pounds to take a load off his knees while losing more body fat than Kevin Durant even carries. He strengthened his core and the muscles all around his knees, so critical for him to improve his base and make powerful moves when so weak in those knees. He ditched all the insecurities over sub-par conditioning and poor lateral movement that led him to rush things and get out of sync with his team. He focused on developing quicker moves (drop steps, spin moves, one-dribble jump hooks, even the Dream Shake) and locked in on free throws, too.” Don’t drink the whole cup of Kool-Aid, but this is much better than where he was at the start of last season. (Also, remember that Bynum is suspended for the first five games of the season, thanks to his cheap shot on J.J. Barea in the Lakers’ disgraceful exit from the playoffs last season.)

• Chris Bosh is “bulkier” and more open to playing center for the Miami Heat this season. He sounds ready to bang the boards more and said “there shouldn’t be a season where I don’t average 10 rebounds.” This sounds great, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Regardless, Bosh remains a helpful fantasy player.

• This is yet another reminder not to draft Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Patty Mills or Aaron Brooks this season, unless circumstances change. They’re stuck in China — but they’re trying to get out.

• Roy Hibbert put on 15 pounds of muscle and worked with Tim Duncan during the offseason. Maybe Duncan is the next Hakeem Olajuwon, maybe he’s not. Regardless, this is good news for Hibbert’s fantasy prospects in 2011-12. He started last season strong then faded into maddening inconsistency, but maybe the extra meat on his bones and lessons learned will help him with that. It’s also comforting to know making cameos on “Parks and Recreation” wasn’t the only thing on Hibbert’s offseason to-do list.

• Andray Blatche‘s shoulder still isn’t 100 percent. “Shoulder is about 75, 80 percent. It’s still getting better,” according to Blatche. This is bad news — probably not dire, but definitely not heartening.

• Paul George added 8 pounds of muscle, is focused on defense and was ready to go “at a moment’s notice whenever the lockout ended.” His sleeper status is even more appropriate now.

• 

  Lawson's fantasy value is safe this season. (Flickr/GAMEFACE-PHOTOS)

  Denver Nuggets coach George Karl said Ty Lawson is “ready to be a 30-35 minute player.” In 31 starts last season, Lawson averaged 50.9% FG, 85.1% FT, 1.2 3PTM, 14.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.1 turnovers in 32:06 per game. Fears about Andre Miller‘s impact on Lawson’s potential stud status should be set aside. Karl said he’ll deploy both point guards on the court together at times, so Miller should retain some value.

• Ed Davis gained about 18 pounds of muscle and could find himself playing center for the Raptors this season. James Johnson improved his jumper and is focused on defense. Both players could be huge bargains near the end of your drafts.

• Despite declaring himself 100 percent, Anderson Vaerjao‘s foot still gets sore after a tough workout. He’s still a sleeper, but expect a lot of rust, especially early on.

• For updates on free agents, check out what ESPN and NBA.com have to offer.

Now the question is: What does this mean for fantasy basketball this season? (Boy, does it feel good to be able to write “this season” without a cynical smirk plastered on my face and a bitter tear in my eye.) We’ll delve deeper into the fallout through the coming weeks, but here’s a quick rundown of some of the important things to keep in mind for now:

• NBA players playing overseas: While the owners and players were cutting a deal, some NBA players decided to take their talents overseas. Though many of these players have opt-out clauses to release them back to the states in case the lockout ended, a few don’t have these opt-out clauses in their contracts. Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith (notice a pattern there?) are among the players without opt-out clauses in their overseas contracts. This doesn’t completely squash their chances of returning to the NBA at some point this season, but it means fantasy owners should think less of their potential values in 2011-12. It also means that these players’ absences open up the door for others to benefit. The good folks at ESPN have a roundup of NBA players who are playing overseas, with notes about opt-out clauses.

• Free agency: Free agency will begin on Dec. 9, which means it’s probably a good idea to hold your fantasy drafts after that date. This also means some teams have rosters that will have a lot more uncertainty than others. The Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards each have at least five free agents (restricted and unrestricted) on their rosters. David West, Caron Butler, Tyson Chandler, Nene, Chuck Hayes, Kris Humphries, Marcus Thornton, Samuel Dalembert, Andrei Kirilenko, Nick Young, Arron Afflalo and Marc Gasol are among the fantasy-relevant free agents to keep an eye on once Dec. 9 comes around. ESPN has a list of NBA free agents.

• Less time to jell: Related to the point above, the late start to the season and the shortened preseason mean less time for rookies and free agents on the move to jell with their new teams. It also means less time for new coaches to build rapport and trust with their players. This clearly has implications for fantasy basketball: Most rookies and free agents landing on new squads should be trusted less for fantasy basketball purposes, and new coaches may rely on their teams’ tried-and-true stalwarts rather than giving too much experimental court time to their more unproven players. The latter means that sleepers should be considered with more skepticism and knocked down a bit on your draft charts. Established players and productive players on rosters that won’t change much should be valued at a premium.

• Brief preseason: There are only 16 days between Dec. 9 (the start of training camps and free agency) and the Christmas Day start to the NBA season. This doesn’t leave much time for anything, let alone preseason games. Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect to get much insight into sleepers and the like during the miniscule number of preseason games to be penciled in. Of course, this probably isn’t the worst thing in the world, since it will prevent Anthony Randolph-esque bubbles from being pumped up.

One of these regrettable contracts will have a visit from Amnesty Clause. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

• Amnesty clause: The labor deal includes an amnesty clause, which will allow each NBA team to rid itself of one player and wipe his salary from their cap. This means players with regrettable contracts will likely be cut from their current teams. Expect Baron Davis, Gilbert Arenas, Brandon Roy and Rashard Lewis to be among the bigger names affected by Santa’s not-so-giving cousin. Keep an eye on these players and where they might land after being cut loose. ESPN and Grantland have helpful lists of the players most likely to be let go by their teams thanks to the amnesty clause.

• Less rest between games: Sixty-six games squeezed into a shorter season means there will be some busier-than-usual weeks for NBA teams. This could be interpreted as a negative for older players (though playing fewer games might balance that out), who will have less rest between games. It also means that players who get banged up during the course of the season and play through nicks and bruises may need a few more days than usual to get fully healthy again.

• Getting back into the swing of things: The limited time players will have to work themselves back into game shape and get comfortable with new teammates will lead to a rough start to the season for most, if not all, NBA teams. Expect inconsistent and frustrating performances, but fight the temptation to make too many drastic roster moves in the early going. Patience will be the name of the game. We’re all going to be familiarizing ourselves with a fresh NBA landscape very soon, in accelerated fashion, after a lengthy layoff. It may not be transpiring the way we planned for or wanted, but it’s finally happening — and if I remember correctly, the NBA is where some cool stuff takes place.

More links:

• The list of all the 2011-12 NBA team previews written on this site. Each preview points out free agents and players locked into overseas contracts.
• The specifics of the NBA’s proposed labor deal, as told by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
• A roundup of information on the new NBA agreement, courtesy of Royce Young of CBSSports.com.

This would've been a fun group to watch, but only two of these dudes are definitely returning for whatever is left of 2011-12. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Depth chart:
PG: Ty Lawson, Andre Miller
SG: Arron Afflalo**, J.R. Smith*^
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler**^, Gary Forbes**, Jordan Hamilton
PF: Kenyon Martin*^, Al Harrington, Kenneth Faried, Melvin Ely*
C: Nene*, Timofey Mozgov, Chris Andersen, Kosta Koufos

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

Relevant fantasy players and their projected draft positions/per-game stats:
- Nene, PF/C (Rd. 3): 60% FG, 70% FT, 15 Pts, 8 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO
- Ty Lawson, PG (Rd. 4): 48% FG, 80% FT, 1 Three, 17 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 7 Ast, 1.5 Stl, 2.3 TO
- Danilo Gallinari, SF (Rd. 5): 40% FG, 85% FT, 1.7 Threes, 16 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 1.5 Ast, 1 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 2 TO
- Arron Afflalo, SG (Rd. 7): 47% FG, 80% FT, 1.5 Threes, 13.5 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 1 TO
- Andre Miller, PG (Rd. 10): 45% FG, 80% FT, 10 Pts, 3 Reb, 4.3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO
- Al Harrington, PF/C (Rd. 11+): 40% FG, 70% FT, 1.5 Threes, 11.5 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 2 TO

Sleeper:
Harrington

Most likely to surprise:
Gallinari

Most likely to disappoint:
Lawson

Category specialists:
- Threes: Gallinari, Afflalo, Harrington
- Steals: Lawson
- Blocks: Andersen

Things to consider:
- how much Miller cuts into Lawson‘s minutes/production
- if Gallinari and Afflalo (if re-signed) can take advantage of bigger roles

Team’s statistical NBA ranks from 2010-11:
- Pts: 1st
- FGM: T-5th
- FGA: T-17th
- FG%: 3rd
- FT%: 16th
- 3PTM: 7th
- Reb: 11th
- Ast: T-10th
- TO: T-15th
- Stl: T-12th
- Blk: T-23rd
- Pace: 3rd
- Offensive Efficiency: 1st
- Defensive Efficiency: T-16th

Fantasy-friendliness for 2011-12: B

Bonus:
J.R. Smith clowns around

Get out of his way. (Flickr/Keith Allison)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Beast of the Night: LeBron James showed Chicago the talents he took elsewhere by posting 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block.  He shot 57 percent (12-21) from the field, 83 percent (5-6) from the free-throw line and had two turnovers. Despite what the real-life MVP race (and Chris Bosh) says, James was the best fantasy player for at least one night.

Lines for Discussion:
Luol Deng: 7-12 FG (58%), 5-5 FT (100%), 1 three, 20 Pts, 10 Reb, 5 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 4 TO

Derrick Rose: 9-24 FG (38%), 7-8 FT (88%), 1 three, 26 Pts, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 4 TO

Wilson Chandler: 5-9 FG (56%), 3-4 FT (75%), 3 threes, 16 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk

Raymond Felton: 2-8 FG (25%), 4 Pts, 5 Reb, 6 Ast, 4 TO

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Mario Chalmers, Omer Asik, Ronnie Brewer, Delonte West, Kenyon Martin

Injuries:
Shaquille O’Neal (Achilles): will start when he returns next week

Leon Powe (knee): waived by the Cavs; see where he lands

Kevin Martin (illness): missed Thursday’s shootaround but is expected to play tonight

Matt Barnes (knee): hopes to return Sunday, but coach Phil Jackson sounds more cautious

Marcus Camby (knee): could return tonight, but officially listed as “doubtful”

Francisco Garcia (calf): expected to miss another week or two

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

In the slightly tweaked words of Mary J. Blige, no more ‘Melodrama. It should come as a surprise to no one but the blindest Nets fan that Carmelo Anthony has finally landed in Manhattan to play for the New York Knicks. While the deal is awaiting league approval, and though some of these names will probably move again before Thursday’s trade deadline, here’s a quick look at the fantasy impact of this mega deal. To read my full thoughts on the fallout, head on over to DimeMag.com.

New York Knicks get: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, Renaldo Balkman and Corey Brewer

Fantasy impact:
↔ Carmelo Anthony

↑ Chauncey Billups

↔ Amar’e Stoudemire

↑ Ronny Turiaf

↔ Corey Brewer

↔ Shelden Williams

↔ Renaldo Balkman

↔ Shawne Williams

↔ Toney Douglas

Denver Nuggets get: Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov

Fantasy impact:
↑ Ty Lawson

↓ Raymond Felton

↓ Danilo Gallinari

↓ Wilson Chandler

↑ Arron Afflalo

↑ J.R. Smith

↓ Timofey Mozgov

Minnesota Timberwolves get: Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry

Fantasy impact:
↑ Anthony Randolph

↑ Martell Webster

This pretty much sums up the way Lowry's owners have felt all season -- restrained excitement. They should feel free to let loose after last night. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Beast of the Night: Kyle Lowry lit up the Sixers with 36 points, four rebounds, seven assists, one steal and six three-pointers in a losing effort. He shot 83 percent (15-18) from the field, missed his only free-throw attempt and had just one turnover. Lowry continues to hold down his starting gig, staving off Aaron Brooks and his weak attempts at getting his starting gig back. There’s little reason to think Lowry will lose the starting gig anytime soon, and he’s turning out to be one of the bigger waiver-wire steals of the season.

Lines for Discussion:
Ryan Anderson: 4-8 FG (50%), 4-4 FT (100%), 2 threes, 14 Pts, 8 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 2 TO

Andrea Bargnani: 15-26 FG (58%), 3-4 FT (75%), 38 Pts, 4 Reb, 3 TO

Pau Gasol: 8-15 FG (53%), 14-14 FT (100%), 30 Pts, 20 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 TO

Ramon Sessions: 9-16 FG (56%), 13-14 FT (93%), 1 three, 32 Pts, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 3 Stl, 3 TO

Paul Pierce: 10-18 FG (56%), 10-13 FT (77%), 1 three, 31 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO

Wilson Chandler: 9-15 FG (60%), 2 threes, 20 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO

Roy Hibbert: 12-23 FG (52%), 5-5 FT (100%), 29 Pts, 9 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Blk, 3 TO

Andre Iguodala: 3-15 FG (20%), 6-6 FT (100%), 1 three, 13 Pts, 12 Reb, 10 Ast, 4 Stl, 1 TO

Chris Kaman: 2-4 FG (50%), 4 Pts, 6 Reb, 3 Blk, 1 TO

Trevor Ariza: 6-14 FG (43%), 2-3 FT (67%), 2 threes, 16 Pts, 9 Reb, 6 Ast, 3 Stl, 2 TO

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Brandon Bass, Erick Dampier, Josh McRoberts, Tracy McGrady, Wayne Ellington, Martell Webster, Roddy Beaubois, J.J. Barea, Peja Stojakovic, C.J. Miles

Injuries:
Mo Williams (ankle): monitor his status

Courtney Lee (pneumonia): day-to-day

Jeff Foster (ankle): day-to-day

Rudy Gay (shoulder): a partially separated shoulder will sideline him for at least four weeks

Mike Miller (head): he doesn’t have a concussion but was still held out of last night’s game; monitor his status

Ersan Ilyasova (eye): day-to-day

Brandon Roy (knees): expects to return after the All-Star break

Marcus Camby (knee): he should return after the break

Andrei Kirilenko (ankle): day-to-day

Al Thornton (finger): reinjured his dislocated right middle finger; day-to-day

Nick Young (knee): day-to-day

Rashard Lewis (knee): day-to-day

Jonny Flynn (fatigue): he’ll be shut down for at least a week

Spencer Hawes (ankle): day-to-day

Tyreke Evans (foot): plantar fasciitis is plaguing him again; check his status

Ellis was "snubbed," which is great news for his fantasy prospects. (NBA.com)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Buy Low:
Monta Ellis

JaVale McGee

Gerald Wallace

Andrea Bargnani

Gilbert Arenas

Andrei Kirilenko, Wilson Chandler, Deron Williams and any other productive fantasy players who are injured should be considered buy-low candidates.

Sell High:
Kevin Garnett

Luol Deng

DeMarcus Cousins

Andris Biedrins

Tracy McGrady

DeRozan is fool's gold. (NBA.com)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Buy Low:
Dirk Nowitzki

Marc Gasol

Paul Millsap

Anthony Morrow

Wilson Chandler

Chris Bosh, Joakim Noah, Eric Gordon and any other productive fantasy players who are injured should be considered buy-low candidates.

Sell High:
Devin Harris

J.J. Hickson

DeMar DeRozan

Rashard Lewis

Amir Johnson

This Warrior came out to play this weekend. (NBA.com)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Weekend Wonder: Stephen Curry roared back into fantasy stardom over the weekend by averaging 33 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and three three-pointers in two games. He shot 55 percent from the field and 100 percent from the line during this stretch. Curry appears to be back on track and should pay handsome rewards to owners who were able to buy low on him.

Lines for Discussion:
Dwight Howard (1/21): 12-21 FG (57%), 7-13 FT (54%), 31 Pts, 19 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO

O.J. Mayo (1/21): 5-10 FG (50%), 3-4 FT (75%), 13 Pts, 5 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk

Kris Humphries (1/22): 3-4 FG (75%), 2-3 FT (67%), 8 Pts, 15 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 2 TO

Rashard Lewis (1/22): 7-13 FG (54%), 4-4 FT (100%), 18 Pts, 11 Reb, 3 TO

Raymond Felton (1/22): 5-16 FG (31%), 10 Pts, 7 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO

Wilson Chandler (1/22): 2-8 FG (25%), 1-1 FT (100%), 5 Pts, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Blk, 2 TO

Antawn Jamison (1/22): 12-22 FG (55%), 3-5 FT (60%), 4 threes, 31 Pts, 11 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO

Roy Hibbert (1/22): 5-13 FG (39%), 1-2 FT (50%), 11 Pts, 10 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO

Blake Griffin (1/22): 10-16 FG (63%), 9-10 FT (90%), 1 three, 30 Pts, 18 Reb, 8 Ast, 4 TO

Waiver-Wire Watch:
Ryan Anderson, Tracy McGrady, Marcin Gortat, Marcus Thornton, Tiago Splitter, Mike Miller, Chuck Hayes, Toney Douglas, DeJuan Blair, Rudy Fernandez

Injuries:
Al Horford (ankle): the swelling has diminished; monitor his status

Delonte West (wrist): will return after the All-Star break

Charlie Villanueva (ankle): will have an X-ray

Acie Law (knee): day-to-day

Jared Jeffries (knee): hyper-extended knee, day-to-day

Brad Miller (knee): unlikely tonight

Chris Bosh (ankle): still can’t jog on his bum ankle

Luke Ridnour (hamstring): monitor his status

George Hill (thumb): surprisingly played on Saturday

John Salmons (hip): day-to-day

Drew Gooden (foot): plantar fasciitis strikes again; day-to-day

Francisco Garcia (calf): aggravated it in Thursday’s practice, out at least until this Thursday

Joey Dorsey (knee): day-to-day

Linas Kleiza (knee): ditto

Kirk Hinrich (elbow): day-to-day

Francisco Elson (quad): day-to-day

Andre Miller (gastroenteritis): check his status

Eric Gordon (back, hand): monitor his status

Arron Afflalo (hand): X-rays came back negative, should play Tuesday

Danny Granger (ankle): left Sunday’s game early, questionable for Wednesday

Ramon Sessions (abdomen): strain forced him to leave Saturday’s game; check his status

Evans put together a few masterful strokes last night. (NBA.com)

[Read the full post at DimeMag.com]

Beast of the Night: Tyreke Evans put up 29 points, four rebounds, eight assists, five steals, two blocks and a three last night in a loss against the Hawks. He shot 58 percent (11-19) from the field, 67 percent (6-9) from the free-throw line and had just one turnover. Evans totaled just 18 points in his previous two games and has had a forgettable season so far, thanks in part to foot and ankle injuries. His health remains shaky, so his owners should try to sell high after this performance.

Lines for Discussion:
Wilson Chandler: 13-19 FG (68%), 2-2 FT (100%), 3 threes, 31 Pts, 9 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO

Tony Parker: 9-15 FG (60%), 8-11 FT (73%), 26 Pts, 2 Reb, 6 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 TO

DeMar DeRozan: 7-14 FG (50%), 4-4 FT (100%), 18 Pts, 4 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 5 TO

Marcus Camby: 5-10 FG (50%), 10 Pts, 20 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 TO

Jamal Crawford: 10-17 FG (59%), 8-9 FT (89%), 3 threes, 31 Pts, 2 Reb, 7 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO

Al Horford: 4-14 FG (29%), 2-2 FT (100%), 10 Pts, 8 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Blk, 3 TO

DeMarcus Cousins: 11-22 FG (50%), 1-1 FT (100%), 1 three, 24 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO

Waiver-Wire Watch:
DeJuan Blair, Taj Gibson, Jerryd Bayless, James Harden, Tony Allen, Omer Asik, DeShawn Stevenson, Jose Juan Barea, Omri Casspi, Greg Monroe

Injuries:
Kevin Garnett (calf): GM Danny Ainge said he expects KG back before the Celtics’ road trip that begins Jan. 27

Anderson Varejao (face): he’s expected to return tonight, and will wear a mask

Daniel Gibson (thigh): expects to play tonight

Caron Butler (knee): done for the season

Al Harrington (thumb): says he’ll play tonight

Andris Biedrins (ankle): fully took part in Tuesday’s practice, monitor his status

David Lee (back): ditto

Udonis Haslem (foot): targeting a return in late March

Jose Calderon (foot): day-to-day

Sonny Weems (back): could return Sunday at the earliest

Paul Millsap (hip): didn’t practice Tuesday, game-time decision tonight

Stephen Jackson (knee): day-to-day, check his status for tonight

O.J. Mayo (bronchitis): word is that he got into an altercation with Tony Allen over some debt issues and got a swollen face; monitor this situation

Nicolas Batum (ankle): questionable for tonight