How bad do you think defending NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks wanted to make a statement in their first game with future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd back on the team where it all began for him?

The Mavs headed into the Big Easy Wednesday night with a chance to pull within a game of the Western Conference-leading Hornets. However, Chris Paul – who is staking a claim on his own MVP award with his play this season – stole the show. Literally. CP3 racked up nine steals – an NBA season-high – to go along with 31 points, 11 assists and five rebounds as he led his Hornets to a 104-93 win over the Mavericks.

Sure, Disco Dirk did his part, scoring 31 points, but J-Kidd struggled in his first game back with Dallas, managing just five assists against six turnovers. In the end, it was Paul who made the biggest statement of all on this night.

While Kidd, Mr. Triple Double with 99 career TDs under his belt, was held to eight points, five rebounds and five assists, it was Paul just missing out on a triple-double of his own – and doing it the hard way, with steals instead of rebounds.

Of course, it's only fair to assume that Dallas will go through an adjustment period with Kidd running the show offensively. I mean, come on – the dude's had exactly one practice and one shootaround since the deal on Tuesday. But it's ironic that the Hornets are one of the last remaining contenders in the West who have not made a deal for a superstar (does Bonzi Wells count?), yet they just keep rolling along, running their current streak to five straight wins after last night's victory.

Paul tied the franchise record for steals in a game, and set a new Hornet mark by recording seven of them in one half. Get used to it. Before long, CP3 will be making a mockery of the Hornet record book, I suspect.

Instead of being intimidated by the Mavs and their new weapon, the Hornets relished the challenge. And it showed.

Paul took over the game in the third quarter, draining 7-of-7 including a pair of treys for 19 points as New Orleans surged to an 11-point lead it would not squander. CP3's rebounding has slipped for the second straight season, but virtually every other aspect of his game has been on the rise, and besides experience, the key for him has been health. After missing 18 games in his sophomore campaign, Paul has played in all but two contests so far this season.

Before we finalize the etching of Paul's name on the MVP trophy, let's review the rest of Wednesday's action around the NBA…

• Baron Davis helped the Warriors make a statement of their own last night, as his fadeaway shot with 0.3 seconds on the clock gave Golden State a 119-117 win over Boston. B. Diddy did his thing, sinking 10-of-20 from the floor for 29 points and six rebounds. Obviously, the foot injury that forced him out of last game is no longer a factor. I mean, damn, the dude played 46 minutes last night! Given Davis' injury history, I do get worried when Coach Nelson pushes him that hard. Of course, it wasn't all roses for Davis last night. He was just 1-of-6 from beyond the arc, and managed just six assists while turning it over five times. Overall, his owners are thrilled that he's avoided the injury bug, and you've got to love those career-high 2.5 steals he's getting per game. Davis' assists have dropped two straight years since recording a career high 8.9 per game in his first season in Golden State, but it's hard to complain given that his scoring has gone up each year.



• Shaquille O'Neal enjoyed a fine debut with Phoenix (15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks), but ex-teammate Kobe Bryant spoiled the night by chalking up his 90th career 40-point or more effort to help LA down the Suns 130-124. In 46 minutes, Kobe, clearly over that finger injury, nailed 16-of-25 for 41 points while adding a pair of steals and a pair of blocks. Bryant is only playing 38 MPG, his lowest since 2003-04, so his scoring has dipped again this year, but you've got to love those six boards a game – the best he's had since 2002-03.



• While CP3 was doing his thing for the Hornets, CP4 was putting on a show of his own for the Raptors. Chris Bosh couldn't miss, making 14-of-16 from the field, including his only 3-point attempt, and sinking all 11 tries from the charity stripe en route to a 40-point night as Toronto downed Orlando 127-110. He added five assists and a steal. Bosh was slumping a bit before enjoying a strong finish to the first half, so hopefully this great start has him poised for a big second half. It's been a mixed year for Bosh, as his touches, FG percentage, blocks and assists have slipped slightly, and his rebounding is down significantly. However, he's putting up career bests in FT percentage, steals and points. I'd definitely like to see better numbers off the glass for Bosh in the second half.

Injury Report

Vince Carter stepped up big time with Kidd gone, potting a season-high 33 points and adding nine boards, seven assists, two steals and four 3-pointers last night. Then, he had to leave in overtime because of a hamstring issue. Great. Already, there's concern about VC being dealt, but now his owners have to deal with yet another possible injury to the brittle star. Coach Frank said Carter only had a cramp, but you never know with Vinsanity. In his days as a Raptor, I've seen him fall to the floor because of a light breeze and miss 15 games. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Tip-ins: Peja Stojakovic continued his solid run last night, knocking down three treys on his way to 18 points with five boards. He's averaging 23.2 PPG with 4.6 RPG in his past five, while canning 20-of-31 from beyond the arc over this stretch…Bobby Jackson exploded for five 3-pointers as he potted 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Of course, he's now reportedly on his way to Houston, so let's hope he'll finally have some value. Keep an eye on his PT with the Rockets before deciding if he's worth a flyer…David West's streak of four straight games with at least 21 points ended last night, as he shot just 6-of-14 and dealt with foul trouble on his way to an 18-point game…Jason Terry, shifted back to the bench with addition of Kidd, managed just 14 points. Obviously, his value will plummet now…Erick Dampier enjoyed a nice night with 11 points, seven boards and two steals. If you need help at center, you could do worse, and now that Diop's gone, you can expect Dampier to get more PT…Morris Peterson returned to the Hornets' lineup after missing three games because of back spasms. He didn't exactly light it up, missing both shots and going scoreless in a mere 13 minutes. With Wells reportedly on his way, MoPete's days as a starter look to be numbered. If you've been hanging on to him, it may be time to let go…Dallas has designs on the title, but it better learn how to win on the road. The Mavs have dropped four straight games away from home to fall to 12-16 on the road for the season…Josh Howard is expected to be one of the Mavs who will benefit most from the arrival of Kidd, but after a sweet alley-up dunk on a feed from Kidd after the opening tip, he managed just 1-of-10, winding up with only eight points, three boards and one assist. Let's cut J-Ho some slack because his back has been acting up, but that was pretty brutal…Kevin Garnett's abdominal strain looks like a thing of the past after he played 31 minutes last night, scoring just 17 points but pulling down 15 boards and recording three steals and three blocks. Expect his PT to rise back to normal levels by next game…J-Kidd is gone and Devin Harris is out another two weeks, so that means Marcus Williams is the man in Jersey for the time being. He rewarded shrewd owners who grabbed him with 25 points, four rebounds, four assists, three 3-pointers, two steals and a block last night. You want this guy for the next couple of weeks…How hot is Amare Stoudemire right now? He went crazy again Wednesday with 37 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Stat has scored at least 24 points in every game this month, averaging 29.4 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 2.6 BPG and 1.1 APG in February…The good news is that Ben Gordon returned from his wrist injury last night. The bad news is that the injury got worse as the game went along and he didn't look that great (5-for-15 for 14 points with two assists and one rebound) before fouling out. I wouldn't recommend starting him yet…How's this for some sweet shooting? Dwight Howard sunk 13-of-16 from the field and 11-of-15 from the line Wednesday for 37 points…As mentioned above, Bonzi Wells is reportedly on his way to New Orleans along with Mike James in a three-team deal that will see Houston get Bobby Jackson and Memphis get the rights to Marcus Vinicius. The Rockets also get rookie Adam Haluska and a conditional second round pick. The deal is expected to be finalized today, and Bonzi looks like the big winner here, from a fantasy perspective…LeBron James went off for 31 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists last night for his sixth triple-double of the season and second in as many days. Only Kidd, with a dozen, has more…Acie Law went down with a suspected broken wrist last night – an injury that could end his rookie season early. With Mike Bibby already playing hurt, the Hawks may be forced to employ Joe Johnson at the point. Keep an eye out for updates later today...Darko Milicic did manage eight boards and three steals Wednesday, but he took an 0-for-7 from the field for just two points with no blocks. In his last three games, he is 2-for-19 from the field. How does a low-post player miss 17 out of 19 shots?. Ugh…Speaking of lousy shooting, Travis Diener, back from an ankle injury, was just 1-for-7 for three points. Sure, he managed to drop nine dimes and he picked up a steal, but he has sunk just 8-of-35 in the last four games. Please drop him with extreme prejudice and pray that Jamaal Tinsley is ready to play by next week…Daniel Gibson nailed all five of his 3-point attempts last night, scoring 15 points – all in the first half – and adding a steal and a block. However, he hurt his ankle and had to come out in the third quarter. That's all the Cavs need – more injuries to deal with. Health concerns have really made life difficult for the defending Eastern Conference champions this season. Fortunately, X-rays on Gibson were negative, so perhaps he's only day-to-day. We'll know more after today's MRI…On the plus side for the Cavs, Anderson Varejao (sprained ankle) worked out before last night's game and felt good. He's hoping to practice Saturday and play Tuesday. This is especially good news considering that Drew Gooden says his groin is bugging him again despite a fine 17-point showing last night…Sharp fantasy owners have been climbing on the Thaddeus Young bandwagon of late, and after the rook nailed 8-of-11 for 20 points with eight boards, two steals and an assist last night, plenty more will be hopping aboard. How about Philly crushing New York by 40 points, by the way? Does anyone else feel sheer glee when the Knicks get beaten like a drum?...Caron Butler, out the past six games with a hip flexor, could only engage in light shooting yesterday. He's hoping to practice today, but remains a game-time decision at best for Friday. Hopefully, you didn't start him this week…Ray Allen's slow start is a thing of the past. After nailing six treys on his way to 32 points last night, Jesus has now scored at least 17 points in 10 straight games and at least 20 in the past four…Al Thorton keeps starting for the Clippers, but Tim Thomas is looking better. These two will share time until Elton Brand returns and reduces the value of each of them…Sam Cassell played just 14 minutes last night. Is he hurt again? It just sounds like Brevin Knight is finally healthy enough to play significant minutes, so Cassell's PT was down. Either way, Sam I Am could be on the trade block.

Team Report

Sure, Milwaukee has improved this year, but at 19-34 and riding a four-game losing streak heading into action last night, the Bucks are hardly making a move for a playoff spot. However, on Wednesday, despite almost blowing a 21-point lead, Milwaukee looked like world beaters, upsetting Detroit for its first win over the Pistons in five tries. In fact, in two previous games against Detroit this season, the Bucks lost by an average of 35.5 points. Don't look now, but the Bucks have pulled within 19 games of the Central Division leaders. Michael Redd hasn't shot well this season (44 percent from the field, 37 percent from beyond the arc), but he's heating up at the right time. Redd drained 7-of-11 from the floor and 12-of-14 from the line last night for 27 points. Andrew Bogut continues to improve each season, and after last night's 14-point, 14-rebound, two-block effort, he's up to 9.0 RPG game – a new career high. Despite a stinker last night (4-for-13 for just 11 points with only four assists), Mo Williams is enjoying a career year with a personal best of 6.5 APG. Charlie Bell, who had some decent value last year when Milwaukee was decimated by injuries, has been pretty useless this season. His awful shooting (36 percent from the floor, 29.5 percent from 3-point range) hasn't exactly helped earn him more PT. Only in the deepest of leagues does Bell have any place at this point. It's been a rough year for Desmond Mason, but he's really playing well lately (another 16 points last night), so if you need some scoring help, I'd recommend scooping him off the wire. Charlie Villanueva, who missed the final game of the first half with an ankle sprain, was back in the starting lineup for the Bucks Wednesday. He's been getting dumped in tons of leagues, but now that he's starting again (sending rookie Yi Jianlian to the bench) I'd suggest at least keeping an eye on Charlie V.

Rob Blackstien runs www.RotoRob.com, a site featuring daily fantasy sports analysis. In addition to his baseball work on the site, he contributes to Rotoworld’s basketball coverage. Rob also writes for CREATiVESPORTS.com, BaseballNotebook.com and has contributed to Rotoman’s Fantasy Baseball Guide and Fantasy Football Guide.

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