Baron Davis has been flaky recently...

To continue with our playoff streaming strategy, I will once again list off five up and five down at each position.  Remember, if you have an injured player on your H2H roster, drop him and don’t look back.  If you don’t win THIS week, you don’t even need to bother to check your head-to-head league next week.  It’s all about the here and now.  So, here are some players to take a look at, and act…NOW!  Also, remember that you can email me directly at the address at the bottom of this page for any advice you might need during the week (in between columns).  The Sportsgrumblings.com staff is really good about replying to any and all email inquiries in a timely manner.  Really.  Try it, you might like it.

PG

Head-to-Head’s UP…D.J. Augustin, Charlotte Bobcats.  Don’t look now, but the Charlotte Bobcats are playing some pretty good basketball right now.  Leading the charge, at least in part, is D.J. Augustin.  Not yet a starter, Augustin has averaged better than 15PPG over his last four games.  In the process, he’s been ultra efficient from the floor (21 of 31) and from the line (11 of 14).  With only a few games remaining in the NBA’s regular season, it’s not always a bad idea to go with the hot hand on a hot team, and Augustin fits the bill.  If that weren’t enough my Sports Grumblings Fantasy Basketball Radio co-host Eric Gibbs, absolutely loves Augistin, so there.

Head-to-Head’s DOWN…Baron Davis, Los Angeles Clippers.  He was injured, disgruntled, injured again, and now what is it?  Oh, his tummy hurts.  Yah? Really?  Well, in the words of the immortal Donald Trump, “You’re fired”.  Sorry, Baron, even though you practiced on Monday, you only play two games this week anyway, and there are other players (like Augustin) that will play more, and perhaps even play better.

SG

Head-to-Head’s UP…Mike Taylor, Los Angeles Clippers. If Baron Davis isn’t playing, maybe Mike Taylor will, and that’s a good thing considering his recent production.  In his last three games, Davis has dropped 35, 23, and 11 points.  Even more encouraging, he’s started his last two games.  A starting role bodes well for minutes, and minutes are what most players need to be productive.  It’s not likely that he’ll approach the 20 shots attempts he got versus the Knicks during his 35 point outburst, but how many fill-ins are even capable of a 35 point night?

Head-to-Head’s DOWN…Corey Maggette, Golden State Warriors. He qualifies at SF and PF in most formats to boot, but he doesn’t qualify for any of my rosters.  His production had fallen off (2 for 18 from the field) over his last two games played, and then he went out with a head contusion. Don’t look to hard for replacement value from within the Warriors.  Coach Don Nelson is prone to play anyone at any given moment, so it’s difficult to pinpoint a particular player that will step up.

SF

Head-to-Head’s UP…Brandon Rush, Indiana Pacers.  Talk about a collection of up and down fantasy players, the Pacers have had contributions from more players than they have roster spots this year, or so it seems.  Enter Brandon Rush, the latest entrant into the carousel of fantasy contributors the Pacers have offered.  Having done little for the Pacers or fantasy owners all year, Rush is suddenly a hot commodity, especially after scoring exactly 29 points in back-to-back contests.  Even if he’s not doing that, he has started five straight games, and with his elevated play, he may retain that role for the foreseeable future.  Looking forward to next week, Rush and the Pacers have four games on their schedule.

Head-to-Head’s DOWN…Stephen Jackson, Golden State Warriors.  In case you missed it, Jackson’s out for the year with toe surgery.  If you haven’t already, drop him.  He has zero value going forward, and even in keeper leagues, he’s probably not your best player.  If he is, I pity the future of your team.  As with Maggette, don’t try to outguess Don Nelson; you’ll only hurt yourself.  That is, unless there’s no one else playing that night, and then you can feel free to gamble on any available member of the run-and-gun Warriors.

PF

Head-to-Head’s UP…Andres Nocioni, Sacramento Kings.  He’s started 7 of 9 games in March, including the last two, during which he scored 19 and 23 points respectively.  As April begins, look for Nocioni to continue his strong play.  He’s a high energy, efficient shooter (15 of his last 25) who will deliver an occasional block and/or steal.  Plus his two remaining games this week are against weak defenses (Golden State and Phoenix).  He’s a solid play in either or both match-ups.

Head-to-Head’s DOWN…Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics.  The exact details of reports out of Boston have differed slightly, but one thing has been made perfectly clear—Kevin Garnett will play sparingly down the stretch, if at all.  Hopefully your league will allow you to drop the former NBA MVP outright, because his projected stats simply do not justify a roster spot, really in any format.  Submitted for your approval, in the four March games he played, Garnett has averaged 9 points and 4.5 rebounds.  Exactly.  Turn the page to April, and turn the page on Garnett.

C

Head-to-Head’s UP…Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavilers.  Varejao has started every March game for the Cavs, and they have three more this week (Thursday, Friday, and Sunday) to start April.  Those three games make him a valuable play in volume alone.  Factor in his ability to be an occasional source of double-doubles (3 in March), and he’s a quality add.  With teammate Zadrunas Ilgauskas not playing well in recent days, Varajao could be a significant factor as the Cavilers look to lock up the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Head-to-Head’s DOWN…Marcus Camby, Los Angeles Clippers.  After playing in at least 70 games in back to back seasons, Camby was finally starting to shed some of his reputation for being oft-injured.  Well, so much for that notion.  He’s out for the next week (at least), and possibly for the remainder of the year—not that he was helping you much in March anyway (7PPG, 5.8RPG). 

Email: damianschaab@sportsgrumblings.com