The following is a team-by-team recap of Friday’s 11 games. For quick-hit injury updates, head directly to the end of the column.
Clippers vs. Lakers
Chris Paul had 30 points and 13 assists to lead the Clippers to a win vs. their in-house rivals, while Blake Griffin chipped in 24 points, five boards and one steal. Blake made 9-of-16 FGs, using his athleticism to dice up the Lakers' defense, and his efficient scoring was a great sight after he averaged 11.0 points on 27 percent shooting in the Clippers' previous two games, both losses. Off the bench, Lamar Odom didn't seem bothered by his sore ankle and strained foot, as he compiled nine points, one 3-pointer, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks. He's been returning late-round value for the past few weeks.
Kobe Bryant continues to amaze, scoring 38 points in a losing effort. He's scored at least 30 points in all but two games in December and he's comfortably holding the league lead in scoring at 30.5 ppg, ahead of Carmelo Anthony (28.9) and Kevin Durant (28.3). The surge has Kobe scoring more points than in any season since 2006-07, though Dirk Nowitzki won the MVP award that year (extra credit if you know who the NBA MVP trophy is named for). Pau Gasol struggled most of the night, finishing with a team-worst +/- rating of -20 in just 27 minutes, and he didn't leave the bench in the fourth quarter until there was one minute remaining. His value dove into an empty pool a few weeks ago, when he was battling knee tendinitis and was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, so you may have been able to get him for nothing, but I'm leery of his ability to manage these chronic injuries all season. He'll hold value while playing, but personally I'm selling him after he posts a few strong games -- consider that over the past month, in nine-cat leagues, he's returning late eighth-round value in 33 minutes per game. The Lakers continue to talk about improving Pau's role offensively, and talk is nice, but I don't view him as having much upside in his current situation.
In injury news...Jamal Crawford sat out Friday's game with a sore left foot and he's listed as day-to-day. Grant Hill (knee) is expected to make his season debut next week, while Chauncey Billups (foot) will begin working out this weekend, though his return date is still unclear. This infusion of veteran depth is great for the Clips in reality, but it does no favors for fantasy owners of Matt Barnes or J-Craw.
Jazz vs. Suns
Mo Williams had thumb surgery on Friday and will miss at least the next six weeks, which leaves Utah with the uninspiring PG duo of Jamaal Tinsley and Earl Watson. Tinsley continues to start but had just two points and five assists in 20 minutes vs. the Suns, while Watson went scoreless with eight assists in 19 reserve minutes. Either guy (particularly Tinsley) could post double-digit assists on a given night, but fantasy owners should be able to find better options on most waiver wires. The injury also gives Randy Foye a boost, though he remains little more than a specialist for points and 3-pointers. More encouragingly, Paul Millsap broke out after a series of quiet games, scoring 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with 10 rebounds, three assists and five steals in 33 minutes. Al Jefferson had 21 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes, while Derrick Favors added 10 points, nine rebounds, one steal and one block in 32 minutes. It's not an ideal situation, and Favors' emergence could cause random duds for Millsap and Big Al going forward, but they managed to co-exist on Friday. Gordon Hayward scored 14 points, but he handed out just one assist with no other stats to his credit -- a lack of auxiliary stats is threatening to ruin his fantasy value, but he's still clinging to late-round value in roto formats.
Shannon Brown was scoreless in 21 minutes off the bench in Friday's defeat. He wasn't doing much as a starter and I'd cut him without a second thought. P.J. Tucker also went scoreless in 24 minutes as the starting SF, but he's starting for his defense and overall energy. He attempted one shot all night and zero-point games won't shake Alvin Gentry's faith in him. In other news, Marcin Gortat rose the occasion vs. Utah's frontcourt, posting 18 points, 11 boards, one steal and three blocks in over 40 minutes. After a long stretch of rudderless performances, he's back on course. Luis Scola continued his hot streak with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks. He wasn't very efficient, making 7-of-17 FGs, and the Suns could only scrape up 80 points in the home loss, but at least Scola has found a groove with his new team.
Rockets vs. Bucks
James Harden scored 29 points on 11-of-18 FGs in Houston's road win vs. the Bucks, while spicing up his evening with two 3-pointers, seven assists, four steals and one block. Jeremy Lin wasn't as compelling -- he matched Harden with seven assists and four steals, but shot 3-of-8 from the field with zero 3s, one rebound and six turnovers. He played under 29 minutes while Toney Douglas scored 18 points in 26 minutes off the bench, though Lin's low playing time was due to a nasty cut which required five stitches and knocked him out of the third quarter (he returned to start the fourth). Douglas hit a few 3-pointers and handed out three assists. Lin been bobbing around all season and his sea-sick owners should just sit tight.
Meanwhile, Carlos Delfino drained 8-of-11 shots, including 6-of-7 from downtown, to score 22 points in 28 minutes vs. his former team. His 2.3 treys per game have given him late-round value, but as his shot goes, so goes his fantasy value. At the PF position, Marcus Morris missed all seven of his shots and was scoreless in 25 minutes, but Patrick Patterson scored 18 points in just 21 minutes. Houston's offense has been racking up huge numbers recently, and with a starting job within reach Patterson makes a nice fantasy stash, with the understanding that he's still being eased back into heavy minutes.
Any punters reading this? If you punt FT percentage, Omer Asik becomes a borderline sixth-round value. Include FTP, however, and he free-falls to the 18th round. In Friday's game, he scored 13 points with eight rebounds and a block, making 6-of-7 FGs but just 1-of-4 FTs. Pair him with Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith, and you have yourself a coherent strategy.
The Bucks don't require as extensive a treatment. Monta Ellis' shot was off (12 points on 5-of-19 FGs), Larry Sanders blocked four shots despite playing just 18 minutes due to crippling foul trouble, and both Mike Dunleavy (12 points) and Ersan Ilyasova (11 points) were quiet off the bench. John Henson stands out, however, as he racked up 11 points, 15 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 27 minutes. Sanders' aforementioned foul trouble opened up the Bucks' frontcourt, but Henson was coming off a dominant game in which he made 10-of-11 shots to score 20 points in 23 minutes vs. the Spurs (with nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block, no less). Ekpe Udoh isn't wowing anyone with his minutes as a starter and Henson's tremendous upside makes him an interesting speculative pickup, with the usual caveat that Scott Skiles can't be trusted to increase his minutes simply because he's playing well.
Here are two interesting streaks from the official game notes: Brandon Jennings has made at least one 3-pointer in 18 straight games, while Larry Sanders has blocked at least one shot in 17 straight. Jennings averages 1.9 threes per game, while Sanders averages 3.0 blocks (second in the NBA).
The following is a team-by-team recap of Friday’s 11 games. For quick-hit injury updates, head directly to the end of the column.
Clippers vs. Lakers
Chris Paul had 30 points and 13 assists to lead the Clippers to a win vs. their in-house rivals, while Blake Griffin chipped in 24 points, five boards and one steal. Blake made 9-of-16 FGs, using his athleticism to dice up the Lakers' defense, and his efficient scoring was a great sight after he averaged 11.0 points on 27 percent shooting in the Clippers' previous two games, both losses. Off the bench, Lamar Odom didn't seem bothered by his sore ankle and strained foot, as he compiled nine points, one 3-pointer, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks. He's been returning late-round value for the past few weeks.
Kobe Bryant continues to amaze, scoring 38 points in a losing effort. He's scored at least 30 points in all but two games in December and he's comfortably holding the league lead in scoring at 30.5 ppg, ahead of Carmelo Anthony (28.9) and Kevin Durant (28.3). The surge has Kobe scoring more points than in any season since 2006-07, though Dirk Nowitzki won the MVP award that year (extra credit if you know who the NBA MVP trophy is named for). Pau Gasol struggled most of the night, finishing with a team-worst +/- rating of -20 in just 27 minutes, and he didn't leave the bench in the fourth quarter until there was one minute remaining. His value dove into an empty pool a few weeks ago, when he was battling knee tendinitis and was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, so you may have been able to get him for nothing, but I'm leery of his ability to manage these chronic injuries all season. He'll hold value while playing, but personally I'm selling him after he posts a few strong games -- consider that over the past month, in nine-cat leagues, he's returning late eighth-round value in 33 minutes per game. The Lakers continue to talk about improving Pau's role offensively, and talk is nice, but I don't view him as having much upside in his current situation.
In injury news...Jamal Crawford sat out Friday's game with a sore left foot and he's listed as day-to-day. Grant Hill (knee) is expected to make his season debut next week, while Chauncey Billups (foot) will begin working out this weekend, though his return date is still unclear. This infusion of veteran depth is great for the Clips in reality, but it does no favors for fantasy owners of Matt Barnes or J-Craw.
Jazz vs. Suns
Mo Williams had thumb surgery on Friday and will miss at least the next six weeks, which leaves Utah with the uninspiring PG duo of Jamaal Tinsley and Earl Watson. Tinsley continues to start but had just two points and five assists in 20 minutes vs. the Suns, while Watson went scoreless with eight assists in 19 reserve minutes. Either guy (particularly Tinsley) could post double-digit assists on a given night, but fantasy owners should be able to find better options on most waiver wires. The injury also gives Randy Foye a boost, though he remains little more than a specialist for points and 3-pointers. More encouragingly, Paul Millsap broke out after a series of quiet games, scoring 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with 10 rebounds, three assists and five steals in 33 minutes. Al Jefferson had 21 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes, while Derrick Favors added 10 points, nine rebounds, one steal and one block in 32 minutes. It's not an ideal situation, and Favors' emergence could cause random duds for Millsap and Big Al going forward, but they managed to co-exist on Friday. Gordon Hayward scored 14 points, but he handed out just one assist with no other stats to his credit -- a lack of auxiliary stats is threatening to ruin his fantasy value, but he's still clinging to late-round value in roto formats.
Shannon Brown was scoreless in 21 minutes off the bench in Friday's defeat. He wasn't doing much as a starter and I'd cut him without a second thought. P.J. Tucker also went scoreless in 24 minutes as the starting SF, but he's starting for his defense and overall energy. He attempted one shot all night and zero-point games won't shake Alvin Gentry's faith in him. In other news, Marcin Gortat rose the occasion vs. Utah's frontcourt, posting 18 points, 11 boards, one steal and three blocks in over 40 minutes. After a long stretch of rudderless performances, he's back on course. Luis Scola continued his hot streak with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks. He wasn't very efficient, making 7-of-17 FGs, and the Suns could only scrape up 80 points in the home loss, but at least Scola has found a groove with his new team.
Rockets vs. Bucks
James Harden scored 29 points on 11-of-18 FGs in Houston's road win vs. the Bucks, while spicing up his evening with two 3-pointers, seven assists, four steals and one block. Jeremy Lin wasn't as compelling -- he matched Harden with seven assists and four steals, but shot 3-of-8 from the field with zero 3s, one rebound and six turnovers. He played under 29 minutes while Toney Douglas scored 18 points in 26 minutes off the bench, though Lin's low playing time was due to a nasty cut which required five stitches and knocked him out of the third quarter (he returned to start the fourth). Douglas hit a few 3-pointers and handed out three assists. Lin been bobbing around all season and his sea-sick owners should just sit tight.
Meanwhile, Carlos Delfino drained 8-of-11 shots, including 6-of-7 from downtown, to score 22 points in 28 minutes vs. his former team. His 2.3 treys per game have given him late-round value, but as his shot goes, so goes his fantasy value. At the PF position, Marcus Morris missed all seven of his shots and was scoreless in 25 minutes, but Patrick Patterson scored 18 points in just 21 minutes. Houston's offense has been racking up huge numbers recently, and with a starting job within reach Patterson makes a nice fantasy stash, with the understanding that he's still being eased back into heavy minutes.
Any punters reading this? If you punt FT percentage, Omer Asik becomes a borderline sixth-round value. Include FTP, however, and he free-falls to the 18th round. In Friday's game, he scored 13 points with eight rebounds and a block, making 6-of-7 FGs but just 1-of-4 FTs. Pair him with Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith, and you have yourself a coherent strategy.
The Bucks don't require as extensive a treatment. Monta Ellis' shot was off (12 points on 5-of-19 FGs), Larry Sanders blocked four shots despite playing just 18 minutes due to crippling foul trouble, and both Mike Dunleavy (12 points) and Ersan Ilyasova (11 points) were quiet off the bench. John Henson stands out, however, as he racked up 11 points, 15 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 27 minutes. Sanders' aforementioned foul trouble opened up the Bucks' frontcourt, but Henson was coming off a dominant game in which he made 10-of-11 shots to score 20 points in 23 minutes vs. the Spurs (with nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block, no less). Ekpe Udoh isn't wowing anyone with his minutes as a starter and Henson's tremendous upside makes him an interesting speculative pickup, with the usual caveat that Scott Skiles can't be trusted to increase his minutes simply because he's playing well.
Here are two interesting streaks from the official game notes: Brandon Jennings has made at least one 3-pointer in 18 straight games, while Larry Sanders has blocked at least one shot in 17 straight. Jennings averages 1.9 threes per game, while Sanders averages 3.0 blocks (second in the NBA).
Bulls vs. Heat
The Bulls won their second straight game with an upset vs. the Heat in Miami, led by dominant games from Carlos Boozer (27 points on 12-of-17 shooting, with 12 rebounds) and Joakim Noah (13 points, 12 rebounds and four assists). Nobody else played particularly well for Chicago, and their bench combined to shoot 11-of-29 from the field, but it hardly mattered -- the Bulls out-rebounded the Heat 48-28, with 19 second chances from offensive rebounds. I poked around on basketball-reference.com, and to my surprise there have been 37 victories in NBA history by teams that gave up 30 or more offensive rebounds. The 1989-90 Warriors top the charts, having won two games in which they gave up 37 offensive boards. Those Nellie-coached Warriors finished 37-45, dead last in their division, and they stand as a cautionary tale.
LeBron James scored 30 points and led his team with six rebounds, while Chris Bosh and Ray Allen grabbed five each. The Heat are No. 23 in the NBA in rebound differential per game, at -2.8, and as long as Chris Bosh is playing center it's a trend which will likely continue. It will be a point of emphasis going forward both in the media and in Miami's practices. ''It's killing us, plain and simple,'' said Bosh. ''Is it scheme? Is it mental? We'd better figure it out.'' Erik Spoelstra concurred, saying after the game, "Everybody in both locker rooms understands what the overwhelming key to the game was. They were throwing it up there and playing volleyball against us." As everyone knows, when you lose to a team that's playing the wrong sport, you're in trouble.
Pacers vs. Celtics
The Pacers were blown out in Boston on Friday, and their evening can be summed up with one fact -- they shot 32 percent from the field. David West and Paul George were each 4-of-18 from the field, Roy Hibbert had seven points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes, and Lance Stephenson's recent five-game streak with double-digit points is officially a memory, as he's averaging 5.5 points in his past two. Tyler Hansbrough led Indy with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting off the bench, but he logged just 23 minutes and does not have lasting appeal in 12-team leagues.
None of Boston's players cracked 30 minutes in the easy win, and there wasn't much new information to be gleaned from this game. Deep-league owners should take note, however, that Jared Sullinger played a team-high 29 minutes before fouling out with seven points, 10 rebounds and one block. The rookie PF can't avoid foul trouble and won't typically give you more than a handful of points and rebounds, but he's carved out a spacious role off the bench. Jeff Green was invisible with two points in 19 minutes and he's been incapable of sustaining any momentum this season. He'll earn $36.2 million over the next four years, but he's playing like he's on assignment with the Maine Red Claws.
Blazers vs. Grizzlies
Zach Randolph sat out Friday's game with the flu, his first DNP of the season, and the Grizzlies couldn't generate enough scoring down the stretch, ultimately losing by two points after a missed jumper by Rudy Gay at the buzzer. Gay finished with 19 points, going 8-of-21 from the field against aggressive defense from the Blazers' wings. Marreese Speights had more luck in a spot-start at PF, going off for 22 points (7-of-15 FGs, 8-of-8 FTs) and 13 rebounds in 27 foul-plagued minutes. With Z-Bo day-to-day, this momentary eruption has no lasting consequences. The other bright spot for fantasy owners was Marc Gasol, who scored 12 points with six boards, three dimes, three steals and a career-high eight blocks (including seven in the first half). He's been quiet lately but is still a first-round value on the season.
The Blazers improved to 17-15 with the victory, which featured all five starters in double-figures, led by Wesley Matthews' 21 points, five 3s, four assists and three steals. His hip injury isn't an issue, mercifully. Portland's frontcourt held its own vs. the short-handed Grizzlies, as J.J. Hickson had 19 & 11 with two blocks, while LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 & 12 with five blocks. All of this is fine, and even encouraging if you're a Blazers fan, but it's hard to imagine them sustaining above-.500 ball without getting more from their bench (a combined nine points on 4-of-14 shooting on Friday).
76ers vs. Thunder
The 76ers hung tight for a while on Friday, but the Thunder eventually pulled away behind Russell Westbrook's 27 points, Kevin Durant's 26 points, and another double-double from Serge Ibaka. Kevin Martin pitched in 16 points in 31 minutes, while hitting all four of his 3-point attempts, and the rest of OKC's lineup played their roles to perfection. Things weren't as clear-cut for Philly. Jrue Holiday had 15 points and nine assists, and the Sixers made 11-of-24 shots from deep, yet they wound up 40.5 percent from the field as a team. Nick Young's team-high 21 points included five 3-pointers, a flash-of-lightning performance that I doubt will be repeated this week. What could be repeated is Evan Turner's uneven game -- he scored five points with six boards, five assists, two steals and six turnovers. His struggles with inconsistency have returned, to his owners’ deepest regret, and he's been a liability in nine-cat leagues for the past two weeks (making 38.5 percent FGs and 46.2 percent FTs, with 3.1 turnovers per game). My recommendation? Keep his recent play in your memory, and trade him once he inevitably gets hot.
Hawks vs. Pistons
Lou Williams continues to be predictably excellent in an expanded role as the Hawks' starting SG, and he finished Friday's one-point loss with 17 points, five 3-pointers, three rebounds, eight assists and one steal. Jeff Teague had just five points but handed out nine assists with two more steals, while topping 40 minutes for the third time in four games. As long as he's getting such heavy playing time, I'm not hitting the panic button. Al Horford posted 18 & 15 but continued his bizarre struggles from the FT line, going 0-of-3 to lower his season average to 56.7 percent. He's a career 75 percent shooter from the charity stripe, and his FG shooting is unaffected this season, so I assume his problems are all mental. Josh Smith had 20 points, two steals and two blocks -- he also tweaked his hip flexor, so keep an eye on his status for Saturday's game.
The Pistons eked out their sixth win in seven games, benefiting from Austin Daye's 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting off the bench, which included two 3-pointers. Daye's 20-25 minute role isn't reliable enough for value in standard leagues, but he's quickly becoming a deep league option. It doesn't hurt that rookie Kyle Singer (two points in 16 minutes) appears to have run headlong into the rookie wall before reaching the halfway point of the season. Andre Drummond played under 20 minutes but it's worth noting that he was on the court down the stretch, and he even partially blocked Lou Williams' attempt at the buzzer. He has the potential to explode if he gets enough minutes later in the season.
Kings vs. Raptors
DeMarcus Cousins bullied the Raptors' thinned-out frontcourt all night on Friday, earning his team a victory while piling up 31 points (a season high) and 20 rebounds (tying his career high). He's quickly raising his mid-round value in roto leagues, and I can't recommend 'selling high' on a guy who's returning first-round value in the past two weeks. In other news...John Salmons had 20 points, one 3-pointer, four assists and a steal to keep up his low-end value, but Francisco Garcia flopped with three points on 1-of-7 shooting in 23 minutes. Marcus Thornton (left ankle) missed a third straight game, but once he and Tyreke Evans (knee) return there will be precious little upside for Cisco and Salmons. In the PG battle of attrition, Isaiah Thomas started and scored 11 points with six assists in 31 minutes, while Aaron Brooks played just 17 minutes. Thomas is still worth owning, if you have the stomach for Keith Smart's rotations.
Ed Davis had a nice line (11 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, three blocks in 41 minutes) which looks even nicer after Dwane Casey suggested he could start at PF even after Andrea Bargnani (elbow) returns. Keep your waiver wire gem locked into active lineups. Amir Johnson's foul troubles (the reason for Aaron Gray's in-name-only starting job) reached a whole new level on Friday, as he fouled out in under 10 minutes. It's an impressive feat that burned many fantasy owners on the heels of his recent play -- 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in his previous five games. This is an inherent risk with Amir, who is averaging a whopping 7.9 fouls per 48 minutes, the highest rate among players logging 20+ minutes per game (Larry Sanders is next closest with 7.5 fouls per 48 minutes).
Cavaliers vs. Bobcats
Ben Gordon's 27 points brought the Bobcats to the brink of a two-game win streak, but Kyrie Irving spoiled Charlotte's evening by scoring 16 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning jumper from the key with one second left. He made 10-of-10 FTs and padded his dominant line with three 3-pointers, five rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks. C.J. Miles also shined in a start at SG, hitting four 3s and finishing with 18 points, three rebounds, two steals and one block. His ascendency has reduced Dion Waiters (nine points in 18 minutes) to an inefficient rookie backup, and I'd have no qualms about cutting Waiters for another FA (including Miles). Tristan Thompson continues to thrive in Anderson Varejao's absence, notching 19 & 13 on Friday, on 8-of-10 FGs and 3-of-4 FTs. He could maintain basic double-double averages all season and he's currently returning sixth- or seventh-round value in roto leagues.
Gordon's futile bench scoring was nearly matched by Ramon Sessions, scored 20 points with 12-of-12 FT shooting, five rebounds, six assists, one steal and zero turnovers in 35 minutes. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned from an eye injury but logged just 21 minutes off the bench, scoring seven points with nine rebounds and two assists. I wouldn't cut him loose yet, but I will if he's not starting during Charlotte's upcoming three-game week. The man who replaced him at SF, Jeff Taylor, scored 11 points and played his customary solid defense, but he remains an uninspiring fantasy player.
Nets vs. Wizards
The Nets needed double-OT to knock off the Wizards, but fantasy owners won't complain: Brook Lopez scored 27 points with 13 rebounds (it is possible!) and three blocks, though he turned the ball over seven times. Deron Williams made just 9-of-23 FGs and I'm not convinced he's healthy, but he finished with 24 points, three 3s, seven boards and 10 assists. Kris Humphries (ankle) was unavailable so Reggie Evans started at PF, but the biggest beneficiary was Andray Blatche (13 points, 12 rebounds, four steals in just 19 minutes). For deep league owners, Keith Bogans did very little in nearly 37 minutes (eight points, five boards), while MarShon Brooks (six points in eight minutes) remains an afterthought under P.J. Carlesimo.
Kevin Seraphin was abysmal on Friday, shooting 1-of-9 from the field in 18 minutes, but Nene picked up the slack with 20 points, six boards, four assists and three steals in over 36 minutes. We'll see how his feet react to the heavy workload, but for the moment he's a must-start option. Washington's backcourt was the real story, as they nearly carried the team to an upset win. Bradley Beal scored 24 points and is averaging 20.0 points, 2.7 threes, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals in three January games. Jordan Crawford pitched in 23 points with four 3-pointers (and six turnovers) in 43 reserve minutes, while pleasant surprise Garrett Temple had eight points, seven boards and 11 assists as the starting PG. A.J. Price and John Wall should both return before the end of the month, however, so the fun won't last forever.
Here are a few pertinent injury updates:
- Kenneth Faried (flu) is a game-time decision on Saturday. He didn't participate in the Nuggets' shootaround.
- Josh Smith (hip) is questionable for Saturday, though he did re-enter Friday's game after tweaking his hip flexor. Anthony Morrow (hip) and Devin Harris (foot) are also questionable.
- Kris Humphries (ankle) is iffy for Saturday.
- Jarrett Jack hurt his elbow weight-lifting and is iffy to play on Saturday. It sounds like he avoided anything serious, but stay tuned.
- Kevin Love (sprained hand) has been ruled out for Saturday. He is day-to-day.
- Ricky Rubio (back) has been ruled out for Saturday.
- Eric Gordon (rest) will play on Saturday and his minute-limit will be raised.
- Stephen Jackson (sprained ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday.
Come back next week for another Saturday Dose, but in the meantime you can follow me on Twitter after reading Matt Stroup’s Roundball Stew and availing yourself of the columns and resources in Rotoworld’s NBA Season Pass.