This week's injury news, stats and insights are all tucked neatly into game recaps with three sections: Highs, Lows and Tidbits. Enjoy.
Bobcats vs. Raptors
Highs: Gerald Henderson scored 22 points with seven boards and three steals. He's averaging 28.5 points in his past two games, and has double-digits in seven straight. Starting PF Josh McRoberts also had a nice evening with 10 points, nine boards, three assists, three steals and two blocks in 38 minutes. Meanwhile, Rudy Gay (stiff back) had been ice cold from the field in March (36.7 percent shooting), but he lit up the Bobcats for 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting, with three rebounds, two assists and six turnovers. Dwane Casey has explicitly said that Gay could be shut down if the injury lingers, and in spite of this nice game Gay is a risky option for the Raptors' upcoming three-game week. Amir Johnson scored 12 points with three blocks and a career-high 21 rebounds. Pretty much what you'd expect vs. the Bobcats. Can you name the most recent Raptors player to grab 20+ boards in a game? He did it on April 11, 2011. The answer is below.
Lows: Kemba Walker scored 20 points with four dimes and three steals, but he made just 5-of-17 FGs and 8-of-12 FTs as his team fell to 14-51 on the season. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shot 2-of-12 from the field for four points in 28 minutes, Ben Gordon scored 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, and Charlotte as a team hit just 32.5 percent of their field goals. Ugly stuff. DeMar DeRozan finished with nine points (1-of-5 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs), four rebounds and four assists in only 30 minutes, yielding the court to backups Terrence Ross (24 minutes) and Alan Anderson (23 minutes).
Tidbits: The Raptors return to action in a Sunday afternoon matinee vs. the visiting Heat, who have won 21 consecutive games...good luck. The answer to the rebounding Raptor question is...Joey Dorsey, one of eight players in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Take a bow if you somehow knew that.
Hornets vs. Wizards
Highs: John Wall, who said a few days ago that he is still trying to get into game shape, led the Wizards with a season-high 29 points on 12-of-15 shooting, including a career-best 3-of-3 from downtown. He also had nine assists, one dime shy of his third straight double-double, and he played with visible confidence and ease. Greivis Vasquez nearly triple-doubled with 18 points, eight boards, nine dimes and two steals. Eric Gordon also scored 20 points, the first time all season that he's scored 20+ points in consecutive games, but he added just two rebounds, zero assists, one steal and three turnovers. He also can't play in back-to-back games, and New Orleans' three-game week makes him a shaky option in most 12-team leagues.
Lows: Emeka Okafor flopped with four points and two boards in 27 minutes, while Nene had nine points and two boards. On the future-Pelican front, Ryan Anderson played through a viral infection, for which he deserves credit, but he shot just 6-of-18 from the field (1-of-10 from deep) to finish with 13 points and five boards in 36 minutes. He'll be fine for Sunday's game vs. the Wolves. Foul trouble limited Anthony Davis to just 16 minutes, yet he still racked up 16 points (8-of-8 free throws) with seven rebounds...this could just have easily have gone in the 'highs' category, as he salvaged what could have been an awful evening for fantasy owners. Unfortunately for Davis, his team lost their third straight game.
Tidbits: Emeka Okafor and Nene could lose a few minutes down the stretch to Trevor Booker, who came off the bench on Friday for two points, 13 rebounds and one block in 27 minutes. He's starting to look more comfortable after missing the bulk of the season with a knee injury and promptly hurting his ankle and wrist when he returned. The Wizards started Garrett Temple at SG again and he played a whopping 45 minutes...he only had 10 points, five assists and one steal, but he shot well and didn't turn the ball over. He's worth starting until Bradley Beal returns from his sprained ankle. Beal is day-to-day but his return date is a mystery.
Lakers vs. Pacers
Highs: The Lakers moved the ball well, shot the lights out, and finished 13-of-26 from downtown. They were led by Metta World Peace's 19 points, Antawn Jamison's 17 points and seven rebounds, and a season-best line from Steve Blake -- 18 points, five 3-pointers, six rebounds, seven assists, four steals, two blocks and one turnover. He may not top that line again in his career, so congratulations if you somehow had him active. Earl Clark (ankle) was able to play, scoring eight points with six rebounds, but he'll take a big hit with Pau Gasol due back in the near future (see below). George Hill looked for his shot against Steve Nash and it paid off quickly -- he finished with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, with four 3s, three assists and one steal, giving him two straight excellent games.
Lows: Kobe Bryant (sprained ankle) was able to start the game, but he didn't return after going 0-of-4 from the field in 12 minutes. His status for Sunday's game is uncertain. ''It really just continued to swell and I couldn't put any weight on it, so I called it a night,'' Bryant said after the game. David West, one of the most reliable PFs in the league this year, only scored eight points. He made up for it with eight boards, three assists, a steal and a block.
Tidbits: Mike D'Antoni said that Pau Gasol (foot) could return "as early as Monday" against the Suns. He'll retake the starting PF job once he's healthy, sending Earl Clark to the bench, but fantasy owners should temper near-term expectations. Pau is doubtful to play Sunday, he'll be out of shape when he returns, and L.A. is the only team with a two-game schedule in Week 21. Danny Granger has been ruled out through Saturday's game and we should have a substantive update early in the week. There are numerous warning flags about the condition of his knee and he was struggling during the brief time he played this season, making him fodder for the wire in all formats. He's owed a guaranteed $14 million next season, the final year of his contract, but he's probably best suited for a sixth-man role.
Suns vs. Hawks
Highs: Josh Smith (knee) returned to action with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. The Hawks play four games each of the next three weeks, so make sure he's in all active lineups. Jermaine O'Neal slid into the starting center spot for Phoenix, scoring 18 points with five rebounds and one block. He shot 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 from the FT line, and he deserves to be owned in all leagues while he's starting. It would be heartening to J.O. finish the season healthy, especially considering the number of off-court problems that have assailed him this season, and the Suns' dire need for big men with Marcin Gortat (foot) likely done for the year.
Lows: Jeff Teague (ankle) played through his injury but he came off the bench for just eight points, four assists and four turnovers in 22 minutes. Presumably he'll move back into the starting lineup vs. the Nets on Sunday, moving either Devin Harris or Kyle Korver to the bench, and I'm viewing this as a one-game anomaly. Wes Johnson had been heating up lately, scoring 15+ points in three of the past four games, but he cooled off with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting vs. the Hawks. Most concerning is his playing time -- he logged just 20 minutes and it's impossible to tell what Lindsey Hunter will do with his rotations on a given night. Michael Beasley had 10 points in 20 minutes off the bench, Hamed Haddadi had five points and eight boards in 19 minutes, and former starter Luis Scola was reduced to six points in 13 minutes off the bench. If you're still clinging to Scola, prepare to be disappointed.
Tidbits: He's cooled off lately, but February was Josh Smith's best month of the season -- he averaged 19.6 points, 1.5 threes, 10.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks. He struggled from the FT line, as usual, but he also shot 43.2 percent beyond the arc. Hawks fans may still groan when he winds up a long jumper, but fantasy owners will happily trade 1.5 triples for a minor hit in FG percentage. In other injury news, Zaza Pachulia (Achilles) is still out indefinitely and the Hawks called his injury a "serious concern." Hopefully he can heal up in time for the playoffs.
This week's injury news, stats and insights are all tucked neatly into game recaps with three sections: Highs, Lows and Tidbits. Enjoy.
Bobcats vs. Raptors
Highs: Gerald Henderson scored 22 points with seven boards and three steals. He's averaging 28.5 points in his past two games, and has double-digits in seven straight. Starting PF Josh McRoberts also had a nice evening with 10 points, nine boards, three assists, three steals and two blocks in 38 minutes. Meanwhile, Rudy Gay (stiff back) had been ice cold from the field in March (36.7 percent shooting), but he lit up the Bobcats for 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting, with three rebounds, two assists and six turnovers. Dwane Casey has explicitly said that Gay could be shut down if the injury lingers, and in spite of this nice game Gay is a risky option for the Raptors' upcoming three-game week. Amir Johnson scored 12 points with three blocks and a career-high 21 rebounds. Pretty much what you'd expect vs. the Bobcats. Can you name the most recent Raptors player to grab 20+ boards in a game? He did it on April 11, 2011. The answer is below.
Lows: Kemba Walker scored 20 points with four dimes and three steals, but he made just 5-of-17 FGs and 8-of-12 FTs as his team fell to 14-51 on the season. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shot 2-of-12 from the field for four points in 28 minutes, Ben Gordon scored 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, and Charlotte as a team hit just 32.5 percent of their field goals. Ugly stuff. DeMar DeRozan finished with nine points (1-of-5 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs), four rebounds and four assists in only 30 minutes, yielding the court to backups Terrence Ross (24 minutes) and Alan Anderson (23 minutes).
Tidbits: The Raptors return to action in a Sunday afternoon matinee vs. the visiting Heat, who have won 21 consecutive games...good luck. The answer to the rebounding Raptor question is...Joey Dorsey, one of eight players in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Take a bow if you somehow knew that.
Hornets vs. Wizards
Highs: John Wall, who said a few days ago that he is still trying to get into game shape, led the Wizards with a season-high 29 points on 12-of-15 shooting, including a career-best 3-of-3 from downtown. He also had nine assists, one dime shy of his third straight double-double, and he played with visible confidence and ease. Greivis Vasquez nearly triple-doubled with 18 points, eight boards, nine dimes and two steals. Eric Gordon also scored 20 points, the first time all season that he's scored 20+ points in consecutive games, but he added just two rebounds, zero assists, one steal and three turnovers. He also can't play in back-to-back games, and New Orleans' three-game week makes him a shaky option in most 12-team leagues.
Lows: Emeka Okafor flopped with four points and two boards in 27 minutes, while Nene had nine points and two boards. On the future-Pelican front, Ryan Anderson played through a viral infection, for which he deserves credit, but he shot just 6-of-18 from the field (1-of-10 from deep) to finish with 13 points and five boards in 36 minutes. He'll be fine for Sunday's game vs. the Wolves. Foul trouble limited Anthony Davis to just 16 minutes, yet he still racked up 16 points (8-of-8 free throws) with seven rebounds...this could just have easily have gone in the 'highs' category, as he salvaged what could have been an awful evening for fantasy owners. Unfortunately for Davis, his team lost their third straight game.
Tidbits: Emeka Okafor and Nene could lose a few minutes down the stretch to Trevor Booker, who came off the bench on Friday for two points, 13 rebounds and one block in 27 minutes. He's starting to look more comfortable after missing the bulk of the season with a knee injury and promptly hurting his ankle and wrist when he returned. The Wizards started Garrett Temple at SG again and he played a whopping 45 minutes...he only had 10 points, five assists and one steal, but he shot well and didn't turn the ball over. He's worth starting until Bradley Beal returns from his sprained ankle. Beal is day-to-day but his return date is a mystery.
Lakers vs. Pacers
Highs: The Lakers moved the ball well, shot the lights out, and finished 13-of-26 from downtown. They were led by Metta World Peace's 19 points, Antawn Jamison's 17 points and seven rebounds, and a season-best line from Steve Blake -- 18 points, five 3-pointers, six rebounds, seven assists, four steals, two blocks and one turnover. He may not top that line again in his career, so congratulations if you somehow had him active. Earl Clark (ankle) was able to play, scoring eight points with six rebounds, but he'll take a big hit with Pau Gasol due back in the near future (see below). George Hill looked for his shot against Steve Nash and it paid off quickly -- he finished with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, with four 3s, three assists and one steal, giving him two straight excellent games.
Lows: Kobe Bryant (sprained ankle) was able to start the game, but he didn't return after going 0-of-4 from the field in 12 minutes. His status for Sunday's game is uncertain. ''It really just continued to swell and I couldn't put any weight on it, so I called it a night,'' Bryant said after the game. David West, one of the most reliable PFs in the league this year, only scored eight points. He made up for it with eight boards, three assists, a steal and a block.
Tidbits: Mike D'Antoni said that Pau Gasol (foot) could return "as early as Monday" against the Suns. He'll retake the starting PF job once he's healthy, sending Earl Clark to the bench, but fantasy owners should temper near-term expectations. Pau is doubtful to play Sunday, he'll be out of shape when he returns, and L.A. is the only team with a two-game schedule in Week 21. Danny Granger has been ruled out through Saturday's game and we should have a substantive update early in the week. There are numerous warning flags about the condition of his knee and he was struggling during the brief time he played this season, making him fodder for the wire in all formats. He's owed a guaranteed $14 million next season, the final year of his contract, but he's probably best suited for a sixth-man role.
Suns vs. Hawks
Highs: Josh Smith (knee) returned to action with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. The Hawks play four games each of the next three weeks, so make sure he's in all active lineups. Jermaine O'Neal slid into the starting center spot for Phoenix, scoring 18 points with five rebounds and one block. He shot 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 from the FT line, and he deserves to be owned in all leagues while he's starting. It would be heartening to J.O. finish the season healthy, especially considering the number of off-court problems that have assailed him this season, and the Suns' dire need for big men with Marcin Gortat (foot) likely done for the year.
Lows: Jeff Teague (ankle) played through his injury but he came off the bench for just eight points, four assists and four turnovers in 22 minutes. Presumably he'll move back into the starting lineup vs. the Nets on Sunday, moving either Devin Harris or Kyle Korver to the bench, and I'm viewing this as a one-game anomaly. Wes Johnson had been heating up lately, scoring 15+ points in three of the past four games, but he cooled off with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting vs. the Hawks. Most concerning is his playing time -- he logged just 20 minutes and it's impossible to tell what Lindsey Hunter will do with his rotations on a given night. Michael Beasley had 10 points in 20 minutes off the bench, Hamed Haddadi had five points and eight boards in 19 minutes, and former starter Luis Scola was reduced to six points in 13 minutes off the bench. If you're still clinging to Scola, prepare to be disappointed.
Tidbits: He's cooled off lately, but February was Josh Smith's best month of the season -- he averaged 19.6 points, 1.5 threes, 10.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks. He struggled from the FT line, as usual, but he also shot 43.2 percent beyond the arc. Hawks fans may still groan when he winds up a long jumper, but fantasy owners will happily trade 1.5 triples for a minor hit in FG percentage. In other injury news, Zaza Pachulia (Achilles) is still out indefinitely and the Hawks called his injury a "serious concern." Hopefully he can heal up in time for the playoffs.
Magic vs. Thunder
Highs: Russell Westbrook had an excellent line, as usual, with 23 points, three 3-pointers, six rebounds and six assists. The number that I most appreciate, though, is zero...the number of turnovers he had. He's been the No. 18 player in nine-cat leagues this season, and he jumps to No. 8 when you toss out his 3.5 turnovers per game. All five of Orlando's starters scored double-digit points, led by Jameer Nelson's 26 points, five 3-pointers and seven assists, Arron Afflalo's 20 points, Nikola Vucevic's 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Tobias Harris' 19 points, six rebounds and three steals. Even Maurice Harkless shook off a string of slow games to notch 12 points, one 3-pointer, two rebounds and a career-high six steals.
Lows: The Thunder turned in a thoroughly predictable game with few duds, though it was midly disappointing to see Thabo Sefolosha without any 3s, steals or blocks in 30 minutes. The Magic didn't play much defense tonight (allowing 55.3 percent shooting) and their bench finished with a total of six points on 3-of-12 field goals. E'Twaun Moore was the only player to log more than 10 minutes. Beno Udrih played just six minutes.
Tidbits: Westbrook's zero-turnover game wasn't exactly a fluke...the Magic force the fewest turnovers of any team (11.8) and they are also last in the NBA in steals (6.0).
Wolves vs. Rockets
Highs: James Harden played through a sore foot and scored a game-high 37 points with seven rebounds, eight assists and five turnovers. As usual, he did plenty of damage at the FT line (16-of-18) while knocking down 8-of-16 FGs, including five 3-pointers. He was traded to the Rockets just before or after many fantasy leagues were drafted (I was in a live draft when it broke), and it remains one of the most influential developments of the season -- overnight, Harden became an unquestioned first-round stud. The Wolves didn't have any players truly stand out, though Ricky Rubio notched 14/7/7 and J.J. Barea came off the bench for 19 points, three assists and two steals. Most outstanding in my mind was Greg Stiemsma, who had 12 points, five rebounds and tied his season-high with four swats. The Stiemer is a tempting pickup for owners in need of a low-end big man, but be mindful of Nikola Pekovic's potential return this week from an abdominal strain.
Lows: Donatas Motiejunas has mixed in a few solid games with his many duds since becoming the Rockets' starting PF, but on Friday he had just four points, two rebounds, and zero 3-pointers or blocks in 25 minutes. Cut him, if you haven't already. Alexey Shved had a feel-good game vs. the Spurs on Tuesday, but in the two games since he's averaging 7.5 points on 26.7 percent shooting. Kevin Love (hand) admitted before the game that there's a chance he won't play again this season, though he still intends to return for the final 8-12 games. He'll know more in 2-3 weeks when he goes in for a checkup and should be cleared for contact. The Wolves could get some frontcourt relief this week (see below) but for now owners can expect solid minutes for Derrick Williams, who has March averages of 17.1 points, 0.6 threes, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. On the downside, he's shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 64 percent at the FT line, with barely any assists (0.9) or steals (0.3).
Tidbits: Andrei Kirilenko (calf) could be on the verge of a return, but he has yet to appear in a game in March and may need a few games to find his rhythm. He and Nikola Pekovic (strained abdomen) are both iffy to play on Sunday and/or Monday. The good news is that Minnesota plays four straight weeks with four games a piece. James Harden's sore right foot was an issue before Friday's game (if not during it), and fantasy owners should be routinely checking for updates. The Rockets have a relatively light schedule in the coming month, which may actually be a good thing considering the quotes Kevin McHale gave on Friday. "James has got a couple things going on in his foot that's bothering him," McHale said before the game. "We’ve just got to figure out what approach is going to help him maintain at least the amount of healing that needs to take place from here on out." Follow this link for the full story on Rockets.com.
Cavaliers vs. Mavericks
Highs: Rick Carlisle inserted Rodrigue Beaubois into the second unit and wound up riding him for the majority of the fourth quarter, as Roddy raced to 18 points, three 3s, three rebounds, five assists and one steal in just 22 minutes. He was a DNP-CD in the Mavs last game and Carlisle's rotations have been crazy all year, so I'm not biting on Roddy outside of deep leagues. With Kyrie Irving (shoulder) on the shelf for the Cavs, Shaun Livingston started at PG and had 13 points, five boards, six assists and three steals. He logged 38 minutes and there is no competition beyond Daniel Gibson (scoreless in 22 minutes), which makes Livingston worth owning if you can live with a complete lack of 3-point shooting from your PG. Dion Waiters scored 21 points with three steals, but he turned the ball over five times and didn't have a single assist. Ouch. Fellow rookie Tyler Zeller double-doubled with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. The bad news is that he shot 4-of-12 from the field and he hadn't been in double-figures for nearly a month.
Lows: With Zeller effective and energetic, Marreese Speights scored just two points with one rebound in 13 reserve minutes. Chris Kaman wasn't much better for the Mavs, starting at center but playing just six minutes before being yanked for good (Brandan Wright started the second half, played with terrific energy, and finished with 13 points, five boards and a block in 26 minutes). Rick Carlisle may have been sending a pointed message after Kaman complained to the media last week about being benched two minutes into Tuesday's game.
Tidbits: According to the Dallas Morning News, a "best-case scenario" would have Shawn Marion (calf) returning "sometime next week." That rules him out for Sunday.
Heat vs. Bucks
Highs: The Heat were legitimately a 'Big Three' on Friday. LeBron and D-Wade each did their thing, coming within sight of triple-doubles, but the standout performer was Chris Bosh with 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting, including two 3-pointers. Bosh also had seven boards, one steal and two blocks, and he did a great job using his range to neutralize the Bucks' length and interior defense. The Bucks put up a fight but were ultimately knocked out despite Ersan Ilyasova scoring 26 points with 17 boards (zero assists, steals or blocks).
Lows: Dwyane Wade did leave the game briefly in the first half, following a scary tumble, but he returned after being diagnosed with a strained neck and cleared of a concussion. He should be ready to go vs. the Raptors on Monday. Monta Ellis (seven points, seven assists) and Larry Sanders (six points, 10 rebounds) were both held to single-digit points. It was just Monta's fourth game all season with fewer than 10 points, and he has been red hot throughout March, so don't give it a second thought.
Tidbits: Marquis Daniels had 14 points, three boards, three dimes and two steals in 26 minutes, filling in as the starting SF with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute sidelined by a sore toe. Daniels even knocked down a 3-pointer, but he doesn't deserve consideration in average leagues while LRMM is day-to-day. Surprisingly, Mike Dunleavy didn't benefit from the absence of the team's starting SF... he wound up scoreless in 16 minutes.
Grizzlies vs. Nuggets
Highs: Kosta Koufos dominated in a physical win vs. the Grizzlies on Friday, scoring 18 points and grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds. He also blocked three shots while hitting 7-of-9 shots and navigating foul trouble against Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph (who had 18 & 18). Koufos is a solid option in the Nuggets' four-game week. As one might expect, his big game limited JaVale McGee to four points, three rebounds and three blocks in 12 minutes.
Lows: Wilson Chandler scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting, didn't have any 3s, assists or blocks, and he turned the ball over three times. He still played 25 minutes, at least. Ty Lawson also cooled off, scoring eight points with four dimes in 35 minutes. He deferred to Andre Iguodala as a playmaker on many trips down the court, but there's no cause for concern. Lawson's defensive energy should also be noted, as his pestering helped force Mike Conley into a season-high seven turnovers.
Tidbits: The Nuggets have now won 15 consecutive games in Denver, adding intrigue to their pursuit of the third-place Grizzlies (and thus home-court advantage in the first round). They trail both the Grizzlies and the fourth-place Clippers by half a game, though L.A.'s division-best record guarantees them a top-four seed. Wherever they land, they'll be a very dangerous draw in a seven-game series. On a fantasy note...I benched Koufos in a critical weekly-league playoff matchup, choosing instead to start Cory Joseph in a 'flex' position. At face value it seems silly, especially after a night like this, but this league (30 Deep) only has six starters and my opponent's frontcourt is stacked with Dwight Howard, Amir Johnson and David West, so I punted rebounds and blocks...as of Saturday morning I'm losing blocks, steals (by one) and rebounds, but winning everything else by decent margins.
Bulls vs. Warriors
Highs: The Bulls won the rebounding battle, moved the ball well (28 assists on 43 field goals), and racked up 113 points in a road win vs. the slumping Warriors. Luol Deng had a team-high 23 points, Carlos Boozer added 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals, and Nate Robinson scored 20 points with three 3-pointers and seven assists, while playing some admirable on-ball defense vs. Steph Curry (whom he held to eight points). Joakim Noah was perhaps the most impressive starter, though, carving up Golden State for 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting, with 13 rebounds, three assists, one steal and zero turnovers.
Lows: The flipside of the Bulls' success was an abysmal night for Golden State. Andrew Bogut continues to show the effects of lingering injuries and poor conditioning, scoring one point with four boards and two blocks in 17 minutes. Klay Thompson (seven points) and Stephen Curry (eight points) shot a combined 5-of-22 from the field, and the only Warrior to play sort of well was Jarrett Jack (20 points, four boards, one steal). Golden State has dropped six of their last 10 games and they continue to slide down the standings, and their fight to keep a playoff position should forestall any lasting slumps from their go-to players.
Tidbits: Early this season most canny NBA writers addressed Golden State with words of cautious optimism, but the Warriors' awful play has steadily eroded that goodwill and Friday's lifeless defeat unleashed a torrent of fresh criticism. Numerous Warriors writers, for instance, labeled this the team's worst game all season.
NYK/LAC Bonus Tidbits: Tyler Chandler (knee contusion) and Carmelo Anthony (knee) are both questionable to play Sunday against the Clippers. Kenyon Martin is also battling a sore shin, adding to the Knicks' voluminous injury problems. For the Knicks' opponent, the Clippers, Caron Butler (elbow) practiced on Friday and hopes that he'll be able to return. If he is able to suit up, Matt Barnes will shift back to the bench.