Search NBA Articles for: Content Title Author Share the Knowledge:             Sports Grumblings - http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/basketball/articles Hardcourt Happenings: Dec. 1 http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/basketball/articles/articles/504/1/Hardcourt-Happenings-Dec-1/Page1.html Mike Zink Mike Zink has been a part time sports reporter for nearly 15 years, covering all of the major circuits plus most college and high school sports. Fantasy Sports is relatively new to him but plans to treat it like everything else he has covered. Being the new kid on the block, with just a little under five years as a Fantasy Sports contributor Mike plans to go all out as basketball is his number one passion and his goal is to keep you up to speed in your respective leagues. In his spare time Mike works for several local papers, and has interviewed  many of the top players in the game, so he feels qualified in bringing the very best that he can give.  By Mike Zink Published on 12/1/2008

Milwaukee Bucks leading scorer Michael Redd could be out another week as he continues a slow recovery from a right ankle injury. Redd has not played since sustaining a high-ankle sprain at New York on Nov. 2. He did not travel with the team for the start of the Bucks' four-game road trip at Charlotte.

 The Bucks also visit Orlando, Atlanta and Detroit before returning home on Nov. 29 to face Cleveland. Redd was averaging 21.3 points in four games before the injury.  Heat 2007 second round draft pick Ramon Sessions has came off the bench and filled in during the absence of both Redd and Luke Ridnour.

With Carlos Boozer also out the last two games with a strained left quadriceps tendon, Boozer sat out Monday's game because of a left quadriceps strain. He was hurt Wednesday night in a victory over Milwaukee.  Boozer, Utah's top scorer and rebounder with 20.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, could return Wednesday against Memphis.  Fantasy Impact: Ronnie Price came into the season never having started a game at point guard in his three-year NBA career. Price played a career-high 40 minutes Wednesday and helped defeat the Milwaukee Bucks.   Price scored 16 points, 10 of which in the fourth quarter. He also recorded six assists while just turning the ball over once in the Jazz win.

C.J. Miles has averaged 27.8 minutes the last four games and posted two of the highest-scoring games of his career. Miles has made a case for a greater role than starting and coming out for Andrei Kirilenko at the first timeout of each half. In the last two games, Miles has made 17 of 29 shots (58.6 percent). Miles has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. He was 9-of-13 from the field. Miles is averaging 8.2 points.

Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams is set to make his return to the lineup Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. Williams has missed more than five weeks with a sprained left ankle he suffered during a pre-season game. Even without their highly touted floor general the Jazz are 6-0 at home this year, and have won 33 of their last 34 home games.  Fantasy Impact:  Williams has only played in two of Utah's 12 games this season and has not been on the court since November 12. When he returns Wednesday should give the team leader and all-star a definite starting spot in any fantasy line-up.

Andrew Bogut was taken to the locker room early in the third quarter for X-rays. He had 16 points and four rebounds at the time of his departure. Bogut was having a great performance against Dwight Howard before the injury, but on the season, his scoring has dipped from last year. Still, he entered Monday's game averaging 11.4 points and 11.4 rebounds making him the number one fantasy center to date.

Mike Dunleavy hasn't yet completed a full practice due to a bone spur in his right knee. Dunleavy has missed the first 11 games of the season. Marquis Daniels scored 25 points   with five boards, two assists and a steal in 37 minutes of action Saturday night. Fantasy Impact: This was the second consecutive 25-point game for Daniels, who is averaging 18 points and five boards over his last five games.

Manu Ginobili played in his first game of the season Monday, scoring 12 points to help San Antonio beat Memphis 94-81.Ginobili missed the first 12 games of the season while he recovered from ankle surgery. He injured his left ankle while playing for Argentina against the United States during the semifinals at the Beijing Olympics.

Luke Ridnour did not play on Monday. The injury has been called a scraped and bruised knee, which does not sound serious to us. In all likelihood, the Ramon Sessions-Ridnour point guard platoon is still in effect.  Fantasy Impact: This injury sounds like one of the day-to-day variety, so Ridnour should return to the Bucks lineup sometime this week. He loses some minutes to Ramon Sessions and might lose even more when Michael Redd returns to the lineup, but he gets enough assists to serve as a No. 4 Fantasy guard.

Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich had surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He could be out for three months.  Ben Gordon, Larry Hughes and Thabo Sefolosha will each have a bigger role while Hinrich is sidelined, and the Bulls have not ruled out signing a free agent guard.  Fantasy Impact: Hinrich has missed just 21 games in his first five NBA seasons. If he were out a full 12 weeks after the surgery, he would return in early February and miss 43 games. Hinrich had moved back into the starting lineup Friday but now would cede to either Ben Gordon or Thabo Sefolosha until Hughes returns. Hinrich remains a No. three or four Fantasy guard when healthy but he can be safely dropped off rosters unless you have an injury spot and really want to keep him.

Josh Smith is expected back next week.  As badly as the Hawks need his interior defense and athleticism, they are not going to risk aggravating the injury. Keep him sidelined until we get some positive updates. Fantasy Impact: Smith was on the floor Friday, working out for the first time in two weeks. Smith was only warming up to see how his sprained left ankle responded. He is still at least a week away from being ready to return to action. 

Jamaal Magloire took part in 5-on-5 practice on Friday and is close to rejoining the Heat after suffering a left hand injury. He may not offer a lot of value himself, but could certainly hurt the value of Udonis Haslem if he gets more than 15 minutes per game.  Fantasy Impact: He will be available off the waiver wire this season, so there is no need to waste a roster spot on him. He is more valuable to the team than he is to Fantasy owners at this point of his career.

Kyle Korver will miss Utah's game on Monday with a lingering wrist injury. Korver has not had value in average leagues this season, and that is not likely to change while Andrei Kirilenko and C.J. Miles are healthy.  Fantasy Impact: Korver has averaged 20 minutes per game this season but has contributing just 7.2 points per contest. Korver is a cheap source of threes, but he is just 12-for-27 on the year from downtown. He is at best a low-end Fantasy option when healthy.

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni told Stephon Marbury before Saturday's game that there were 30-35 minutes available if he wanted them, but Marbury refused to play. The Knicks made two big trades with the future in mind on Friday, and you had better believe getting rid of Marbury is now the front office’s top priority.

Forward Al Harrington, Tim Thomas and Guard Cuttino Mobley were introduced at Madison Square Garden before the Knicks played Washington on Saturday, but they were not able to suit up. All six players involved have to first pass mandatory physicals to make the deal official.  Fantasy Impact: Harrington's value obviously increases going to New York, as he was not getting any playing time in Golden State anymore. He'd likely be inserted into the starting lineup for the Knicks, who are a high-flying offensive team this year under Mike D'Antoni. Harrington should be owned in most Fantasy leagues again.

Eddy Curry, dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee, needed cortisone shot to control the pain on Friday. The Bobcats and Spurs have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Curry, but an out-of-shape center with a bum knee is not exactly a hot commodity. He is doubtful to play for the Knicks at all this season, and should not be owned in most leagues.  Fantasy Impact: Curry does not fit into Mike D'Antoni's system, never has and maybe never will. At some point this season, he could be traded. Perhaps a team like the Miami Heat that needs a center would give him a chance to revive his Fantasy appeal. Right now, he has none.

Mavericks forward Josh Howard ran and participated in non-contact drills on Sunday, but remains day-to-day. Howard has missed two games with the injury so far. Fantasy Impact: Howard does not have to worry about playing again until Tuesday, so he will get a full week of rest before he even has to think about taking the court. Howard is a solid No. 2 Fantasy forward when healthy, but remains an injury-risk start Week 5.

Despite aggravating his knee injury on Sunday, Jermaine O'Neal said he would be ready to play against the Bobcats on Wednesday. That would mean he would not miss any more games, though it is hard to rely on him in a three-game week.  Fantasy Impact: O'Neal missed 40 games last season because of lingering pain from a torn ligament in his left knee, which was surgically repaired the previous summer and he has to be considered an injury-risk play for the upcoming scoring period. Start him at your own risk for the three-game scoring period.

Shane Battier said he was sore after practicing for the first time this season, but that it was nothing unusual. Fantasy Impact: Even when Battier returns, his numbers only stand to decrease with the arrival of Ron Artest, so treat him as a low-end Fantasy forward.

George Hill has been hot in Tony Parker's absence and scored 20 points off the bench on Monday, but will lose all value once Parker comes back. Fantasy Impact: Parker was having a career season before the injury, though the return of Manu Ginobili from an ankle injury of his own might return Parker's numbers to their normal levels. Still, he is at worst a No. 2 Fantasy guard upon his return, so keep a close eye on his progress.

Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas is now talking as if he will be returning sometime in January, but now since the recent firing of head coach Eddie Jordon.  Arenas might just sit out the year and give the Wizards a chance at a lottery pick.. Fantasy Impact: Arenas said the knee is steadily gaining strength but is still not ready for the daily pounding it would take. It sounds more and more like it could be a long time before we see Arenas in uniform this season.

Spencer Hawes has proven that he is not a fluke, he can shoot the three and shoot at a high percentage. He has already racked up 14 3's, 29 blocks, and 14 steals on the season.  As the Kings lose more expect them to go with a youth movement and play Hawes alongside Jason Thompson more. If this is the case, Hawes boards may increase.

Nene gets a ton of easy looks and that is why he is shooting 63%. He gets a lot of steals and blocks. If anything, his points may drop and his boards increase. He has thrived alongside Chauncy Billips, and his Defense will keep him on the court.

The Nuggets might even be a pleasant surprise and win a playoff series, although the West is still very tough. They would have trouble beating a healthy Jazz team, a healthy Spurs team, or the Hornets. However, they have locked in defensively, and if they keep up the newfound post-AI chemistry they could shock the NBA.The Kings have played 16 games, the Nuggets 14.

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