Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

The Spurs take on the struggling new-look Suns; Curry adds injury to inconsistency; MVP McGrady?; Foye lights it up; Big Ben's struggles continue; Okur stays hot; Varejao breaks out; and more...

BIG CACTUS TEST 
Why did the Phoenix Suns trade for Shaquille O'Neal? After a 3-6 start with The Big Cactus in the lineup, many Suns fans are probably still wondering. But management has said that part of the reason is for the playoffs, where O'Neal will supposedly help the team compete better. So will he?

We should get a preview Sunday. That's when Shaq and the struggling Suns take on the NBA's defending champs, the Spurs. There are some who believe that Phoenix's problem in last year's contentious West playoffs against San Antonio was a lack of size in the paint. But it's notable that Phoenix had all the momentum in that series before Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were bafflingly suspended for a key game for coming off the bench to help out teammate Steve Nash, who was gooned by Robert Horry.

So the game is not only a great rematch of last year's best playoff series, it's a great test for the new-look Suns, who are sinking fast in the West's playoff race. Can Shaq help spur a Phoenix revival, or are Tim Duncan and co. just happy they don't have to face Shawn Marion in the West playoffs?

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NATE GREAT FOR KNICKS 
On Saturday Nate Robinson simply went off for a career-high 45 points against the Trail Blazers. His huge outing wasn't enough to prevent a 120-114 overtime loss, but he continues to be very productive in his recent stint as a starter. He also had six assists and six boards in the defeat. INTEL: There haven't been too many bright spots this season for the struggling-again Knicks, but Robinson has been one of them. The diminutive guard has shown he is ready for prime time whenever given the chance, and he should continue to get it as the Knicks play out the string.

EDDY NOT READY FOR KNICKS 
Inconsistency has dogged Eddy Curry all season long, but at least he's been healthy. Now the Knicks' pivot has added injury to his disappointing campaign. Saturday he sat out the Knicks' 120-114 O-T loss to the Trail Blazers. INTEL: Curry's missed contest comes on the heels of a recent three-game hot-streak in which he averaged 20.7 points per game. Much of that was due to Zach Randolph being out with a sore right foot, leaving most of the paint points to Curry. With both of them out now, look for David Lee to continue getting the starts and continue to dominate.

MVP MCGRADY 
Tracy McGrady dropped 41 points, nine assists, and six boards on the Hornets Saturday in a 106-96 win. With the victory, Houston (42-20) is just two games behind Kobe Bryant's Lakers for the best record in the West. INTEL: Is McGrady an MVP candidate? Tough to say, but if he leads the Rockets to the West's best record, he has to be considered for the hardware. The high-scoring but increasingly injury-prone swingman has been the catalyst for Houston's incredible recent 18-game win streak.

FOYE FAST-IMPROVING? 
Saturday Randy Foye showed definite signs of life, dropping an impressive 26 points, six assists, and four rebounds in 39 minutes of action against the Clips in a 99-96 win. INTEL: Don't be surprised if he keeps it up down the stretch. Ever since he was activated to play in late January, fantasy poolies have been hoping for big things from the talented second-year guard. Mostly that hasn't happened, as Foye has taken awhile getting back into the swing of things.

BIG BEN STILL SHRINKING 
Many expected Ben Wallace to be rejuvenated by his move to the Cavaliers at the NBA trade deadline, but he has continue to disappoint this season. Saturday he posted his second straight 2-point performance, also contributing just six boards to Cleveland's 103-95 win over Indiana. INTEL: Wallace is still blocking shots (he had two in the game, and has had at least two in five straight outings). But it's starting to look like Chicago wasn't really his problem this season. If he doesn't start to play like the Big Ben of old soon, it might be time to consider that age is catching up to the former dominator.

VAREJAO BUSTS OUT 
Anderson Varejao had a strong outing Saturday against the Pacers. He hit for 15 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and four steals as the Cavs' starting pivot in Cleveland's 103-95 win over the Pacers. INTEL: Ever since Zydrunas Ilgauskas went down with a sore back at the start of March, fans of Varejao have been waiting for the promising Brazilian to break out. It didn't really happen his first three games as a starter, but now Varejao appears to be on track. He should get the bulk of the center minutes for Cleveland for the next couple of weeks.

JOE GOES FOR 39 
Joe Johnson was at it again Saturday, as Johnson exploded for 39 points, eight assists, six boards, three steals, and two blocks to lead Atlanta to their first March win, 97-94 over the Heat. INTEL: When Mike Bibby was acquired by the Hawks last month it appeared two things might happen with the team: they might start winning more, and Johnson might see his individual stats suffer a little. But since Bibby started playing on Feb.19, the opposite has happened; the Hawks are 4-8, but Johnson has mostly exploded. Lately Bibby been inconsistent, while Johnson has re-asserted himself. Expect more of the same as long as they're winning.

RICKY RAMPS IT UP 
Saturda Ricky Davis posted his second straight start, and responded with 27 points, four rebounds, and two assists in 41 minutes of a 97-94 loss to the Hawks. INTEL: Expect Davis to continue to put up very good numbers as long as he's getting the minutes. When Davis was picked up by the Heat to start this season it appeared Miami had a solid third option behind Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal (who was subsequently traded for Shawn Marion). For some reason Davis never really took off out of the gate, but now he's playing up to his potential.

MEMO BOUNCES BACK 
With Saturday's 27-point, 11-rebound effort against the Nuggets, Mehmet Okur has scored at least 20 points in five of his past seven outings and grabbed at least 11 boards in five of those seven as well. INTEL: Earlier this season, few star-caliber players were as disappointing as Memo. The sweet-shooting pivot couldn't seem to buy a bucket, and was rebounding less than some guards. But in February he started to turn things around, and lately he has been red-hot for the Jazz.

PIETRUS GETS NOD FROM NELLIE 
Is Mickael Pietrus suddenly in head coach Don Nelson's good books? Saturday the French swingman continued his recent string of solid play with a nine-point, 11-rebound, three-steal outing versus the Magic. Pietrus has now started two straight games. INTEL: Pietrus had a very slow start to this season and seemed likely to be traded by the Warriors. They kept him, and now he appears to have taken over Matt Barnes' role in the lineup as the team's do-it-all swingman. One never knows when Nellie might change his mind, but for now Pietrus has some fantasy relevance again.