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Fantasy Updates
 Billups (hamstring) out for Game 4
Chauncey Billups, PG DET
News: Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups won't play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. Pistons coach Flip Saunders says Billups wouldn't be effective because of a sore hamstring. The All-Star strained it on Thursday after getting tied up under the basket with an Orlando player. With Billups out, the Pistons are activating guards Lindsey Hunter and Juan Dixon. Rookie Rodney Stuckey was effective in Game 3 and is expected to start in place of Billups, who is third in career playoff scoring for the franchise.
Analysis: For the second consecutive season, Billups averaged exactly 17.0 ppg. He added 6.8 apg and 2.7 rpg, only slightly down from his 2006-07 totals. Billups continues to be a consistent Fantasy guard, but at 31 he can no longer be expected to surpass his totals. Instead, it's very likely his numbers will start to decrease slightly. Fantasy owners should still view him as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy guard, just understand that it's more likely he'll under-perform than it is that he'll exceed his draft value.
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Battier undergoes minor surgery
Shane Battier, SF HOU
News: Houston forward Shane Battier had a minor surgical procedure done Friday to repair an injury that occurred late in the season. Battier underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs in his left ankle. Team doctor Tom Clanton said Battier will be ready to play when the Rockets open training camp in the fall.
Analysis: Battier appeared in 80 games during the 2007-08 regular season and has appeared in at least that many in each of the last four seasons. He's never been an injury problem in the past, but his stability doesn't make up for his lack of overall production. He averaged under 10 points for the fourth time in his seven-year NBA career during the 2007-08 regular season and his ceiling is that of a 10-5-2 player, making him useful as a low-end starter in deeper formats.
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Big Ben back in lineup after all
Ben Wallace, C CLE
News: Cavaliers starting forward Ben Wallace was in the starting lineup for Game 3 against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night and will attempt to play despite occasional dizziness caused by an inner ear infection. Wallace missed the morning shootaround, and following the workout coach Mike Brown said his best interior defender "most likely will not" play against the Celtics. However, Wallace had no problems while warming up, and about one hour before tipoff said he would try to play.
Analysis: Cavs coach Mike Brown said if Wallace can't go, Anderson Varejao would likely start up front alongside LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas as Cleveland tries to climb back from an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-seven series. Wallace joined the Cavaliers in a trade from Chicago in February. He missed several regular-season games because of back spasms. Wallace is a solid defensive presence for the Cavaliers, but he unfortunately keeps doing less and less for Fantasy owners. For the first time in seven seasons, Wallace averaged under 10 rebounds per game. His scoring, already pedestrian, also keeps declining and Fantasy owners should no longer consider him a very solid No. 2 Fantasy center.
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Alston undergoes minor surgery
Rafer Alston, PG HOU
News: Rafer Alston had minor surgery done Friday to repair an injury he sustained late in the season. Alston's surgery repaired ligament and tendon damage in his right ankle. Team doctor Tom Clanton said Alston would ready to play when the Rockets begin training camp in the fall.
Analysis: Alston had missed the first two games of the series with a hamstring injury which was not related. He is expected to be ready in plenty of time for the start of training camp this summer. He started 74 of the Rockets' 81 games this season, averaging 13 points and five assists per game. Alston's numbers have been pretty steady the last two seasons, so to expect anything more than 13.0 points and 5.0 assists a game in 2008-09 could be stretching it. Consider him a No. 3 Fantasy guard on Draft Day 2008-09.
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Arenas blogs about free agency
Gilbert Arenas, PG WAS
News: Gilbert Arenas insists he won't return to the Washington Wizards if forward Antawn Jamison isn't re-signed by the team. "If he doesn't come back, I'm not coming back," Arenas said Wednesday in a posting on his blog, a rambling entry of more than 2,800 words. Arenas, a three-time All-Star who missed most of this season after two operations on his left knee, can opt out of his contract. He has said since before the season that he planned to do that so he could stay with Washington for more money. Jamison, a team co-captain and two-time All-Star, is set to become a free agent.
Analysis: Arenas and Jamison have been teammates the past four seasons in Washington, and they were together with the Golden State Warriors for two seasons. "I want to be back in Washington, but weird things happen in free agency," Arenas said on the blog. "If Antawn is not back, then there's no point in me coming back because he's part of my success, too." Arenas is also dealing with a knee injury that limited him this season to just 16 games in the regular season and four games in the playoffs (in a series that went six games). He said that he will wait until June before he begins to do strengthening exercises again. He added, "For Washington, or whatever city I go to, I don't want to come in being a half a player."
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T-Mac on three-month recovery plan
Tracy McGrady, SG HOU
News: Rockets guard Tracy McGrady could need three months to recover following operations on his knee and shoulder. "I don't expect these issues to impact his ability to prepare for the upcoming season," said team physician Tom Clanton, who operated on McGrady's knee. The procedures, both considered minor, were done Tuesday.
Analysis: McGrady averaged 21.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists this season. He averaged 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the playoffs, but the Rockets lost to the Jazz in six games. T-Mac is expected to be ready in plenty of time for the start of training camp and Fantasy owners don't have to worry about him missing any time at this point. He's had a history of injuries in the past, but has been bothered most by back spasms throughout his career. He averaged a 21-5-5 line this season, with the 21 points being his lowest scoring average since he averaged 15.4 in his third NBA season while with the Raptors. His appeal is diminishing from a Fantasy standpoint, but he's still well worth a pick in the first three rounds.
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Howard has most unproductive year
Juwan Howard, PF DAL
News: Mavericks F Juwan Howard averaged a career-low 1.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists in his 14th NBA season. His previous low in scoring was 9.6 in the 2004-05 regular season.
Analysis: At this point, you have to wonder if Howard will even want to return for another season. What you don't have to wonder is where Howard will go in Fantasy drafts. Because that won't be happening.
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J.J. Barea barely plays in 2007-08
Jose Juan Barea, PG DAL
News: Mavericks G Jose Juan Barea appeared in just 44 games during the 2007-08 regular season. He averaged only 10.5 minutes per game in those contests, but did have decent numbers in the nine games in which he started and saw significant playing time. He averaged 8.6 points, 2.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds in those games.
Analysis: Barea wasn't a real factor in his second NBA season and with Jason Kidd in town doesn't figure to see much playing time again during the 2008-09 regular season. Fantasy owners don't need to worry about drafting him.
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Wright does little in Dallas
Antoine Wright, SF DAL
News: Mavericks F Antoine Wright appeared in 15 games after being traded over from New Jersey. He averaged just 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists in those games. In 41 appearances for New Jersey before the trade, he averaged 7.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
Analysis: Wright was never used much by head coach Avery Johnson despite some brief success off the bench earlier with the Nets. Johnson won't be back with the Mavs next season and there is a possibility he could see some significant playing time with the coaching change. As it stands, he's not worth drafting in most Fantasy leagues. But keep tabs on him in the preseason.
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Magloire not a factor in 2007-08
Jamaal Magloire, C DAL
News: Mavericks C Jamaal Magloire appeared in just seven games after bing signed by Dallas once he was released by the New Jersey Nets. He averaged just 3.7 minutes per game in those contests.
Analysis: Magloire averaged just 1.8 points per game in 31 appearances between the two teams. He hasn't been a productive Fantasy center since the 2005-06 regular season and is a player that won't be worth drafting in most Fantasy formats.
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T. Lue not a factor in Dallas
Tyronn Lue, PG DAL
News: Mavericks G Tyronn Lue appeared in 17 games for Dallas during the 2007-08 regular season after being traded over from Atlanta. He averaged just 3.8 points, 0.9 assists and 0.8 rebounds in those games while playing just 10.2 minutes per contest.
Analysis: Lue can be effective as a backup point guard, but not enough that Fantasy owners will want him in their lineup. He won't see significant action again in 2008-09.
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George unproductive in 2007-08
Devean George, SG DAL
News: Mavericks G/F Devean George saw his scoring drop from 6.3 points per game in 2006-07 to just 3.7 during the 2007-08 regular season. He appeared in just 53 games.
Analysis: George's most significant contribution during the 2007-08 regular season happened when he blocked the first Jason Kidd-to-Dallas deal by evoking his "Bird-Rule" rights. Fantasy owners should not have to worry about drafting him for the upcoming 2008-09 season in Fantasy.
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Jones has most unproductive year
Eddie Jones, SG DAL
News: Mavericks G Eddie Jones averaged a career-worst 3.7 points per game during the 2007-08 regular season despite starting in 33 out of the 47 games in which he appeared. His scoring has declined in each of the last five seasons.
Analysis: If that pattern continues, Jones could be in the negative soon. His days as a Fantasy-relevant guard are long gone and he's become a player that can't even be relied upon when seeing good minutes. Fantasy owners should not waste a draft pick on him.
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Dampier provides more of the same
Erick Dampier, C DAL
News: For the second consecutive season, Mavericks C Erick Dampier averaged exactly 7.5 rebounds per game. His scoring, however, dropped a full point from 7.1 per game to 6.1.
Analysis: Dampier's main Fantasy attributes are his cheap rebounding and block figures. He's averaged over a block per game in all but one of his 12 seasons. There isn't much more upside for him at this late stage in his career, but he should start again for the Mavs in 2008-09 and figures to be useful as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy center once again.
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Bass has a semi-breakout year
Brandon Bass, PF DAL
News: Mavericks F Brandon Bass averaged career highs in scoring (8.3), rebounding (4.4), assists (0.7), blocks (0.6) and minutes played (19.7) during the 2007-08 regular season, his third in the NBA. Bass had averaged just 7.7 minutes per game in 2006-07 with New Orleans.
Analysis: Bass played a prominent role off the bench for the Mavericks, especially after the team traded away DeSagana Diop. He backed up both bigs for the Mavs and was around 10 points and four rebounds off the bench on most nights. Depending on how the new coaching staff in Dallas plans to use him, Bass could be in line for a similar season in 2008-09.
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Terry a productive sixth man
Jason Terry, PG DAL
News: Mavericks G Jason Terry averaged over 15 points per game during the 2007-08 regular season despite playing most of his games off the bench as the team's sixth man. He averaged 31.5 minutes per game and also averaged 3.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds.
Analysis: The team decided very early that they'd rather go with Devin Harris at the point with Terry providing an offensive spark off the bench. And when the team traded for Jason Kidd, they tried a little bit of everything at shooting guard, briefly returning Terry to a starting role. The fact remains that he's in line to see the same kind of minutes either as a starter or off the bench. The coaching change in Dallas shouldn't change that.
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