Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Kidd and the Mavs meet the Warriors; Amare dominates the Nets; Redd bounces back; Big Ben coming and going; Grant Hill hobbling in Phoenix; Kirilenko hurt again?; and more...

IS KIDD THE MAN? 
When the Dallas Mavericks traded for Jason Kidd they hoped it would be the move that finally lifted them back to title contention.

Kidd certainly has the resume: nine all-star teams, as well as being the catalyst of two Nets teams that reached the Finals (before losing both times). But so far things haven't worked out so well in Dallas. The Mavericks are just 10-9 since his arrival, and have dropped to 7th place in the Western Conference. Worse still, they're now without superstar Dirk Nowitzki's services for the next several games.

Nevertheless, things aren't all dark in Big D. Small forward Josh Howard has become a veritable offensive force since Nowtizki's injury, and Kidd has raised his game since Dirk went down. On Sunday the Mavericks face the Warriors team that humiliated them in last season's first round of the playoffs, with Golden State currently one game behind them in this year's postseason hunt. Can the Mavs get some revenge by throwing a wrench into Golden State's playoff dreams? Moreover: with Dirk still hurting, can Kidd be the man in Dallas?

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SHAQ RIPS NET, AMARE RIPS NETS 
An impressive game from Amare Stoudemire was enough to overcome an off shooting night from Steve Nash, as the Suns won 110-104 in New Jersey. The game was delayed briefly in the second half after Shaquille O'Neal tore the mesh from the rim following a missed dunk attempt. Yet, Stoudemire didn't miss a beat, finishing with 33 points and 15 rebounds. INTEL: Since Shawn Marion's departure, Amare has clearly established himself as the top scoring option in the desert. He has scored at least 32 points in four of his past five outings.

JOSH IS A BOON FOR THE NETS 
Continuing a recent streak of good play, Nets power forward-center Josh Boone grabbed 13 boards on Saturday night. He also had seven points and two blocks, and is now averaging 12.5 points and 11.3 rebounds over his last six. INTEL: The biggest knock on the sophomore out of UConn is a woeful free-throw percentage, now 46 per cent on the year. However, he's been 58.3 from the line since February, and a field goal percentage of 55.5 puts him in the top 10 in the league if he can accumulate enough games to qualify. The energetic youngster has shown steady improvement since becoming a starter this season and is worth watching.

STOPPING AT K-MART: KENYON BEATS WARRIORS 
The Denver Nuggets leaped over the Golden State Warriors in the race for the last playoff spot on Saturday, thanks in large part to the play of Kenyon Martin. The former first overall pick exploded for 30 points and 11 rebounds. Usually known for dunks and short range shots, K-Mart was hot from all over, hitting a full assortment of jumpers. INTEL: Martin has been a slight disappointment ever since he left New Jersey, but he is starting to come on this season. The effort marked the fourth time in the month that he surpassed 20 points, a feat he'd accomplished only six times in the other four months this season.

REDD HOT 
After one of his worst nights of the season Friday night in Orlando, Michael Redd bounced back with 33 on Saturday as Milwaukee lost to Chicago. It was his highest total so far in March, plus he dished out six assists for good measure. INTEL: Redd is too great a shooter to stay cold for long, and his 3-16, seven point line against the Magic was an aberration. The sweet-stroking lefty is scoring 23 a game this year

HELLO, GOODBYE FOR BIG BEN 
Ben Wallace made a surprise return to Cleveland's lineup on Saturday, only to exit early once again. After missing the two previous games he was considered doubtful, but played without issue in the first half before back spasms struck again in the third quarter. He finished with six points, five rebounds and two blocks. INTEL: Anderson Varejao will likely continue to start the next few games with Joe Smith helping out, as Wallace just can't seem to say healthy with the Cavs.

HILL HURTING ALL OVER 
The Arizona Republic reports that in addition to missing Phoenix's game Saturday night in New Jersey, Suns forward Grant Hill is questionable for a home-and-home series Monday and Tuesday against Denver. In addition to a sprained wrist that has clearly bothered his shot the past few games, Hill is suffering from a groin pull sustained Mar.19 in Seattle. INTEL With Hill's litany of ankle surgeries, he should be happy that his injuries this year have been limited to standard wear and tear. He's been obviously uncomfortable these past few weeks, averaging only 6.3 points in the previous eight games. Phoenix's usual bench rotation of Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Gordan Giricek will take up most of his minutes as long as Hill is out, with Barbosa having the most value.

A-K LIMPING AGAIN 
Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko left Friday's matchup against the Clippers with calf spasms after playing just nine scoreless minutes. The Deseret Morning News reports that he was seen after the game in a walking boot. INTEL: Consider him day-to-day for the moment. AK-47 was off to a good start early in the season, but has seen his production steadily drop as nagging injuries have mounted. Unfortunately this is the story of his career; he is one of the most exciting, versatile athletes in the entire league when healthy, but those stretches are coming fewer and farther between.

MIHM RETURNS 
Chris Mihm finally made a return to the Staples Center on Friday in L.A.'s loss to the Grizzlies. After more than three months off with heel and ankle problems, he played five minutes without recording a point. INTEL Mihm won't likely provide too much for the rest of the regular season, but the fact he's getting healthy is great news for the Lake Show. If he, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum can all be ready for the playoffs, they will provide an unmatched three-man post rotation during the postseason.