Miles To Go?

Desperate times often call for desperate measures. The Jazz have been scuffling badly for more than a month now, posting a 3-11 record since Feb. 7 before Monday. So partially because of Raja Bell's mild toe issue and partially because they needed a spark, C.J. Miles got the start Monday night. He hit the game-tying shot in regulation of an overtime win and in the process stated his case for a long-term starting job.

Coaches are constantly tinkering, toying and yanking around with rotations. Sometimes it has to do with injuries. In other instances, it's a result of ineffective play from a certain player. The effect this has on minutes played and thus statistical production is where we come in.

Each week in this space, I'll explore the rotations of half the league's teams while attempting to get inside coaches' heads. The idea is not to tell you what Kevin Durant and LeBron James are going to do -- it's to decipher how much production we can get out of fringe players. Last week, I hit the East. Let's start this week off with the Jazz, where new coach Tyrone Corbin is looking for the right mix.

* Note that lineups listed reflect the starters in the team's previous game. Stats are through Monday's games unless otherwise noted.

UTAH
PG Devin Harris
SG C.J. Miles
SF Andrei Kirilenko
PF Derrick Favors
C Al Jefferson

It has been a rough few weeks for the Jazz. They lost their legendary coach, traded away their best player and are dealing with a laundry list of daily injuries. Fantasy owners should view it as an opportunity.

The most interesting name is C.J. Miles. Although he is unlikely to ever start over Andrei Kirilenko at small forward, he could very well stick in the starting five over Raja Bell at shooting guard. Yes, Bell was dealing with a toe injury when Miles started Monday night. But new coach Ty Corbin had been hinting at a lineup change for some time and admitted late Monday night that Miles just may become a permanent starter.

In six starts this season, Miles is averaging 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.5 steals. With the Jazz in desperate need for his offense, 30 minutes a night should be no problem and his talent can sustain that rate of production. Add him.

Paul Millsap (knee) must really be in bad shape if he is sitting out. Still, it would be a mistake to drop him or make an impulse add on Derrick Favors. As one of the game's true tough guys, The Sapper won't shut it down. And he will be an offensive focal point once out there.

DALLAS
PG Jason Kidd
SG Roddy Beaubois
SF Shawn Marion
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Tyson Chandler

Talent does not always win out in terms of minutes. Roddy Beaubois has been a flop, simply because the Mavs' rotation is too crowded for him to get consistent burn. Roddy B has started 11 straight games but averaged just 16.0 minutes over that span and it will not change. The Mavs are too set in their rotation.

Meanwhile, no one should be surprised that Peja Stojakovic is hurt again. This time it is his neck, but it could just as easily be his knees. In the three games since Peja went down, Marion is averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals. However, he is shooting 58.5 percent from the field during that span. If there were still trading available in your league, I would sell high. Marion will come back to earth and go back to the bench soon.

Editor's Note: Draft a hoops team just for tonight and win real cash in SnapDraft!

DENVER
PG Ty Lawson
SG Gary Forbes
SF Wilson Chandler
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene

Everyone was banging their head against the wall, trying to figure out what the Nuggets would do with both Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton. It turns out that coach George Karl had the right idea all along -- simply put his most talented players on the floor at the same time and see what happens.

It has worked. With Felton and Lawson sharing the backcourt for huge minutes at a time, the Nuggets have won six of their last seven games and both players are racking up huge numbers. Not only are both point guards safe to use in fantasy -- both are major assets.

Arron Afflalo will immediately get his starting job back from Gary Forbes and play his 35 minutes. But Danilo Gallinari has been out for so long that he may need some time. The eventual timeshare between Wilson Chandler, Gallo and J.R. Smith is not appetizing from a fantasy perspective. Think 26-28 minutes for Gallinari and Chandler, while Smith may become unusable in fantasy again.

GOLDEN STATE
PG Stephen Curry
SG Monta Ellis
SF Dorell Wright
PF David Lee
C Andris Biedrins

Following Steph Curry game by game can be frustrating, but owners should take a step back. Before Monday, he was averaging 20.5 points, 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 treys and 1.3 steals in eight March games. Oh, and he also shot 95.8 percent from the line and 46.5 percent from the field during that span. So even when Curry throws up a clunker, there is no reason to worry. He is just too roto-friendly to complain about.

We can safely ignore the center position. Andris Biedrins has not topped 24 minutes in a game since Feb. 16 and Ekpe Udoh is clearly nowhere near ready.

David Lee can be used as a lesson for next year. Somewhat unproven guys who change scenery off a big year are just too risky to gamble on high in drafts. Darren Collison can be lumped in that category too.

HOUSTON
PG Kyle Lowry
SG Kevin Martin
SF Chase Budinger
PF Patrick Patterson
C Chuck Hayes

Count me as a believer in Chase Budinger. He has played no fewer than 34 minutes in any of his last five games and is just scratching the surface of his potential. In his eight starts entering Monday, Budinger was averaging 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 treys. His athleticism will eventually lead to more steals and there is more upside on the treys. We know the minutes will be there.

Without Luis Scola (knee) in there, the power forward position is a black hole. Patrick Patterson and Jordan Hill simply lack the talent to be impact players. We can do better.

Editor's Note: For weekly projections, daily pickup advice, exclusive columns and much more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass!

Desperate times often call for desperate measures. The Jazz have been scuffling badly for more than a month now, posting a 3-11 record since Feb. 7 before Monday. So partially because of Raja Bell's mild toe issue and partially because they needed a spark, C.J. Miles got the start Monday night. He hit the game-tying shot in regulation of an overtime win and in the process stated his case for a long-term starting job.

Coaches are constantly tinkering, toying and yanking around with rotations. Sometimes it has to do with injuries. In other instances, it's a result of ineffective play from a certain player. The effect this has on minutes played and thus statistical production is where we come in.

Each week in this space, I'll explore the rotations of half the league's teams while attempting to get inside coaches' heads. The idea is not to tell you what Kevin Durant and LeBron James are going to do -- it's to decipher how much production we can get out of fringe players. Last week, I hit the East. Let's start this week off with the Jazz, where new coach Tyrone Corbin is looking for the right mix.

* Note that lineups listed reflect the starters in the team's previous game. Stats are through Monday's games unless otherwise noted.

UTAH
PG Devin Harris
SG C.J. Miles
SF Andrei Kirilenko
PF Derrick Favors
C Al Jefferson

It has been a rough few weeks for the Jazz. They lost their legendary coach, traded away their best player and are dealing with a laundry list of daily injuries. Fantasy owners should view it as an opportunity.

The most interesting name is C.J. Miles. Although he is unlikely to ever start over Andrei Kirilenko at small forward, he could very well stick in the starting five over Raja Bell at shooting guard. Yes, Bell was dealing with a toe injury when Miles started Monday night. But new coach Ty Corbin had been hinting at a lineup change for some time and admitted late Monday night that Miles just may become a permanent starter.

In six starts this season, Miles is averaging 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.5 steals. With the Jazz in desperate need for his offense, 30 minutes a night should be no problem and his talent can sustain that rate of production. Add him.

Paul Millsap (knee) must really be in bad shape if he is sitting out. Still, it would be a mistake to drop him or make an impulse add on Derrick Favors. As one of the game's true tough guys, The Sapper won't shut it down. And he will be an offensive focal point once out there.

DALLAS
PG Jason Kidd
SG Roddy Beaubois
SF Shawn Marion
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Tyson Chandler

Talent does not always win out in terms of minutes. Roddy Beaubois has been a flop, simply because the Mavs' rotation is too crowded for him to get consistent burn. Roddy B has started 11 straight games but averaged just 16.0 minutes over that span and it will not change. The Mavs are too set in their rotation.

Meanwhile, no one should be surprised that Peja Stojakovic is hurt again. This time it is his neck, but it could just as easily be his knees. In the three games since Peja went down, Marion is averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals. However, he is shooting 58.5 percent from the field during that span. If there were still trading available in your league, I would sell high. Marion will come back to earth and go back to the bench soon.

Editor's Note: Draft a hoops team just for tonight and win real cash in SnapDraft!

DENVER
PG Ty Lawson
SG Gary Forbes
SF Wilson Chandler
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene

Everyone was banging their head against the wall, trying to figure out what the Nuggets would do with both Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton. It turns out that coach George Karl had the right idea all along -- simply put his most talented players on the floor at the same time and see what happens.

It has worked. With Felton and Lawson sharing the backcourt for huge minutes at a time, the Nuggets have won six of their last seven games and both players are racking up huge numbers. Not only are both point guards safe to use in fantasy -- both are major assets.

Arron Afflalo will immediately get his starting job back from Gary Forbes and play his 35 minutes. But Danilo Gallinari has been out for so long that he may need some time. The eventual timeshare between Wilson Chandler, Gallo and J.R. Smith is not appetizing from a fantasy perspective. Think 26-28 minutes for Gallinari and Chandler, while Smith may become unusable in fantasy again.

GOLDEN STATE
PG Stephen Curry
SG Monta Ellis
SF Dorell Wright
PF David Lee
C Andris Biedrins

Following Steph Curry game by game can be frustrating, but owners should take a step back. Before Monday, he was averaging 20.5 points, 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 treys and 1.3 steals in eight March games. Oh, and he also shot 95.8 percent from the line and 46.5 percent from the field during that span. So even when Curry throws up a clunker, there is no reason to worry. He is just too roto-friendly to complain about.

We can safely ignore the center position. Andris Biedrins has not topped 24 minutes in a game since Feb. 16 and Ekpe Udoh is clearly nowhere near ready.

David Lee can be used as a lesson for next year. Somewhat unproven guys who change scenery off a big year are just too risky to gamble on high in drafts. Darren Collison can be lumped in that category too.

HOUSTON
PG Kyle Lowry
SG Kevin Martin
SF Chase Budinger
PF Patrick Patterson
C Chuck Hayes

Count me as a believer in Chase Budinger. He has played no fewer than 34 minutes in any of his last five games and is just scratching the surface of his potential. In his eight starts entering Monday, Budinger was averaging 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 treys. His athleticism will eventually lead to more steals and there is more upside on the treys. We know the minutes will be there.

Without Luis Scola (knee) in there, the power forward position is a black hole. Patrick Patterson and Jordan Hill simply lack the talent to be impact players. We can do better.

Editor's Note: For weekly projections, daily pickup advice, exclusive columns and much more, check out Rotoworld's Season Pass!



LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
PG Mo Williams
SG Randy Foye
SF Ryan Gomes
PF Blake Griffin
C DeAndre Jordan

The split between DeAndre Jordan and Chris Kaman has gone about as I predicted in this space five weeks ago. Jordan has held the starting job tightly and is playing about 28 minutes per night. Kaman has settled in nicely with the second unit and is playing around 26 minutes. There is no reason to change as the Clippers are building toward the future and therefore must give Jordan his time. Both centers are viable fantasy plays with capped upside.

It is hard to get a read on Eric Gordon's possible return from his wrist aggravation. He is working out and seems intent on making a return, but the concern is that the damage is to Gordon's shooting hand. And when he broke his fall a couple weeks ago, he used that hand to cushion himself. Hold Randy Foye until we actually see Gordon make it through a game and not appear limited. After all, the Clippers have nothing to play for.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Ron Artest
PF Pau Gasol
C Andrew Bynum

Andrew Bynum is playing at a scary-good level and he's being rewarded with extra minutes. Over his last 10 games heading into Monday, Bynum averaged 12.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 66.7 percent from the field. He also played 35 minutes or more in the final three games of that span. We are finally seeing just how dominant a healthy Bynum can be.

Kobe Bryant remarkably did not miss any games with his ankle sprain. But note that Shannon Brown would have started and been a strong spot start. Kobe is a good bet to rest at some point before the playoffs, even if it is a short stint at the end of the season.

MEMPHIS
PG Mike Conley
SG Tony Allen
SF Sam Young
PF Zach Randolph
C Marc Gasol

The news on Rudy Gay is not good. He was still feeling pain in his left shoulder last week and is expected to need 1-2 more weeks of rehab. The Grizz are still hanging on to the No. 8 seed, so Gay won't give up. But expecting more than 6-8 games of solid production is wishful thinking. In the meantime, Tony Allen, Sam Young and Shane Battier will continue to chop up minutes. Out of the three, I'd most like to own Allen for the defensive stats.

The severity of Marc Gasol's ankle injury is unknown. If he misses time, Darrell Arthur will make for a decent add. Arthur has played 30 minutes or more six times this season. In those games, he is averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

MINNESOTA
PG Luke Ridnour
SG Wes Johnson
SF Michael Beasley
PF Kevin Love
C Darko Milicic

A case of food poisoning limited Wes Johnson severely last week, but he can not use that as an excuse. Even after he said he felt better, he still averaged just 4.0 points on 26.3 percent shooting over four games, all starts. Now reverting back to that early-season form that cost him his starting job, Johnson is once again in danger of being benched.

Martell Webster's back is finally healthy and he is proving to be the more productive player. Most importantly, coach Kurt Rambis seems intent on giving him a chance. I'd expect a changing of the guard soon, opening up Webster as a possible late-season deep league sleeper.

Darko Milicic will keep starting, but is getting painful to watch. Early in the season he scored easily and made good decisions in the post. Now he is showing a woeful basketball IQ, a propensity for in-game injuries and is in constant foul trouble. He is still going to block two shots a night, but expecting more than 20-23 minutes is unrealistic.

NEW ORLEANS
PG Chris Paul
SG Marco Belinelli
SF Trevor Ariza
PF David West
C Emeka Okafor

Marco Belinelli got his starting job back from Willie Green, lost it for a game last week for disciplinary reasons, and then regained it again. Now this starting five should be set for the rest of the season.

Belinelli is a decent 3-point specialist, but do not overreact to his impressive March numbers. In 55 starts heading into Monday, Belinelli was averaging 10.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists. That is the kind of line to expect when the dust settles for those needing his 1.5 treys per game.

We all know that Trevor Ariza can not shoot. But it will not affect his minutes because he is a glue guy. He is a safe play for owners chasing steals and ignoring field-goal percentage.



OKLAHOMA CITY
PG Russell Westbrook
SG Thabo Sefolosha
SF Kevin Durant
PF Serge Ibaka
C Kendrick Perkins

The Thunder wasted no time no time getting Kendrick Perkins into the mix. In his first game active with the team Monday, he started and played 20 minutes. Once that knee gets fully up to speed, 27-29 minutes nightly is a lock. Anyone who needs nine points, nine rebounds and a block or so per game should make the add.

I can safely say that I was dead wrong about James Harden. He seems to finally have turned the corner in terms of using his underrated size and athleticism to get his own shot. In 54 games before the All-Star break, Harden was scoring 10.3 points per night in 25.7 minutes. In 11 games since the All-Star break (before Monday), Harden is averaging 17.6 points per night in 30.3 minutes. His ascension has been an underrated part of the Jeff Green trade and he is now safe to use in almost all formats.

Serge Ibaka is averaging 4.1 blocks per game in eight March contests. Absurd.

PHOENIX
PG Aaron Brooks
SG Vince Carter
SF Grant Hill
PF Hakim Warrick
C Robin Lopez

Channing Frye wants to get back early from his shoulder dislocation, but these are really tough injuries. They can pop back out so easily and any fall will be a big issue. Additionally, the damage is to Frye's shooting shoulder. Look for Hakim Warrick to keep getting around 30 minutes for the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, the news is better on Steve Nash. Although his pubic issue has kept him out of two straight games, he should be fine going forward. Maybe not 40 minutes worth of fine, but 32-34 is very realistic. Nash is on the record saying the instability is not severe.

Vince Carter's playing time is directly related to how he is shooting. With Jared Dudley, Aaron Brooks and Mickael Pietrus more than ready to step in, Carter simply is not guaranteed minutes. And in his declining state, he will play 25 minutes just as much as he will play 39. Carter is a high-risk play nightly.

PORTLAND
PG Andre Miller
SG Wesley Matthews
SF Nicolas Batum
PF LaMarcus Aldridge
C Marcus Camby

Nicolas Batum (ankle) and Marcus Camby (knee) are both nursing minor injuries, but expect to play Tuesday. So it appears the Blazers are locked into this starting five even though coach Nate McMillan has hinted that Gerald Wallace will eventually start over Camby.

That move to put Wallace in the starting five could eventually come, but it really won’t matter too much. There are just too many mouths to feed here. Wallace is averaging 32.0 minutes a night over his last seven games and it is not going to get much better than that.

Brandon Roy is finally playing in back-to-back games, but is still on a minutes limit. That does not figure to be lifted anytime soon, especially with Wallace around now. With just 25 minutes a night, Roy is not worth the headache.

I have been getting a ton of questions about Marcus Camby lately. The answer is pretty simple -- he is not healthy and the Blazers are getting comfortable with LaMarcus Aldridge at the five and Wallace at the four. I would not be afraid to move on from Camby and his 20 minutes unless I really needed blocks and boards.

SACRAMENTO
PG Beno Udrih
SG Marcus Thornton
SF Francisco Garcia
PF DeMarcus Cousins
C Samuel Dalembert

Tyreke Evans is expected to be medically cleared Tuesday and return to game action in 7-10 days. At that point, he will likely start over Marcus Thornton. Still, there is enough room for all three to get their minutes. Thornton has proven he can play next to Udrih and Evans can obviously play next to anyone with his versatile skill set. At this point, all three are strong holds.

Francisco Garcia may not look like much, but his game is really fantasy-friendly. Over his last five games before Monday, Garcia averaged 12.8 points, 1.8 treys and 1.4 steals while shooting 92.9 percent from the free-throw line. So even though his minutes will be spotty, Garcia is a nice guy for the bottom of rosters.

SAN ANTONIO
PG Tony Parker
SG Manu Ginobili
SF Richard Jefferson
PF Tim Duncan
C Antonio McDyess

Coach Gregg Popovich is getting set for the playoffs. Therefore, veteran Antonio McDyess is in the starting five and youngster DeJaun Blair is out. The rotations are still tight, however, McDyess will play about 20 mintues most nights and Blair will play about 20. Although Blair's per-minute numbers are impressive, he is only an extreme low-end option now.

Follow Adam Levitan on Twitter for instant news and reaction to changes in NBA depth charts throughout the week.