NBA Weekly Preview: April 5th, 2011

The end of the 2010-11 fantasy basketball season is upon us. There will still be fantasy basketball playoff games in two weeks, but it won’t be quite the same without the normal daily grind.

This is the week where you need to really pay attention to injuries, rotations, and the shutdown alert for several players, both who are injured and/or playing for a playoff team and could be resting.

We’ll get you started for the week with the injury report, and then hit you with some daily fantasy advice:

Injury Report

Kevin Love is easily one of the biggest names in question for the rest of the regular season, and with his groin having him back on the sidelines, you just can’t take a chance on him. He’s definitely out for Tuesday’s action, and is a decent candidate to be shutdown for the rest of the year.

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Pau Gasol underwent an MRI earlier this week and is listed as day-to-day with a bone bruise. We’ll all know more after L.A.’s shoot around on Tuesday, but if Gasol can’t go, Lamar Odom could be a nice value buy for the day. Andrew Bynum was a full participant in the Lakers’ last practice, and says he’s fine to play on Tuesday.

Dwyane Wade has been experiencing thigh pain recently, and had mentioned that he could possibly take a day or two off down the stretch. The Heat don’t play until Wednesday, so just keep yourself updated with his status.

Kris Humphries has been dealing with ankle/foot woes for the past few days and is expected to miss Tuesday’s game. There are also rumors that if he is unable to make it back for Friday’s contest, he could be shutdown for the season.

Elsewhere in the league, Carlos Boozer is questionable for Tuesday for the Bulls with a sickness, while teammate Joakim Noah should be back and ready to roll. Devin Harris is trying hard to get back on the court, and is listed as questionable for Utah’s game against the Lakers. Louis Williams is taking the rest of the regular season off in hopes of healing enough for the playoffs, while Stephen Jackson of the Charlotte Bobcats is another strong shutdown candidate, as he still can’t find a way to stay healthy. Toronto’s Jose Calderon has also missed the past two games with hamstring issues, and his status is up in the air.

Rotation Probation

We talked about the return of Tyreke Evans last week and what kind of impact it could make. In reference to Marcus Thornton, there’s still none. Both guys are high quality daily plays.

With Kevin Love hurting and possibly looking at being done for the year, you’d think “Anthony Randolph”:/players/Anthony_Randolph-1438’s stock would sky-rocket. Yeah, you’d think. However, Randolph has more than four points in just one of his last four games, and was extremely under-whelming in his last game, as he played just nine minutes, despite Love missing the game. At least for the moment, it looks like Anthony Tolliver and Nikola Pekovic are the guys benefiting the most from Love’s absence in the rotation.

Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey was benched for insubordination on Sunday, citing the second disciplinary benching he’s had in the past couple of months. Use him with caution going forward, as he’s clearly not on the same page as head coach John Keuster.

Charlotte’s Boris Diaw also hit a rough patch after getting benched late in Sunday’s loss to the Washington Wizards. Diaw apparently wasn’t playing hard enough for coach Paul Silas, although he ended the game with a solid line. Just keep an eye out for any news about his status before you use him.

Fantasy Risers and Fallers

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Jared Dudley – G/F, Phoenix Suns (Riser)

He’s been rising for some time now, but I thought we’d make it official. Let’s be honest about Dudley, no one sees fireworks or hears loud horns when someone says his names. He doesn’t get you excited, and almost everyone second guesses the decision to use him in daily fantasy. Regardless, the dude just gets it done. He’s scored in double figures in every game since entering the starting lineup, gets solid rebound and assist numbers, and has been a demon with the steals. Keep playing him, and feel good about it.

Steve Nash – PG, Phoenix Suns (Faller)

I love Steve Nash, but his time is up for 2010-11. The Suns have been eliminated from playoff contention, and if Phoenix wants a fresh, nimble 37-year old to return and be productive next season, they need to give him the rest of the season off. He’s battled through several injuries throughout the season, and is a major candidate to either get shutdown or see a major decrease in minutes with nothing left to play for.

Lock of the Week

Andray Blatche – F/C, Washington Wizards

Even with nagging injuries bothering him this year, it’s hard to look away from the tear Blatche is currently on. With Nick Young currently out and Trevor Booker done for the year, the offense has opened up a bit and Blatche’s value has increased in that area of his game. Add in his ridiculous impact on the offensive boards, and you’ve got yourself a daily fantasy basketball stud. Seriously, in his past two games, Blatche is averaging over 30 points and 18 rebounds per game (10+ offensive rebounds). Get him in your daily lineup.

Sleeper of the Week

Jerryd Bayless – G, Toronto Raptors ($7, 602)

Bayless may not have the starting point guard gig for forever, but he’s proven in his last two games that he’s more than capable of running the show in Toronto. His value directly hinges to the health of Jose Calderon for now, but either way, he can be had at under $8k over at Draft Street, and presents solid daily value. As long as Calderon is out, Bayless has the talent and ability to get you 20+ points and 6-8 assists per game.

Matchup Specials

We’re going all out with the matchup special this week and getting our plural on, giving you a game to watch for in fantasy basketball on every day that it’s applicable.

Tuesday – Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

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These two offensively-based and defensively-inept squads have combined for 200+ total points in two of their three previous matches and came awfully close in the third. The usual suspects will get theirs, while Jerryd Bayless (if he’s playing), DeMar DeRozan, Ed Davis, Landry Fields, and Toney Douglas could all see a boost in value.

Wednesday – Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

These teams combined for 250 points in their last meeting. Love and Nash may not be able to partake, but plenty of solid fantasy options should reside in this matchup.

Thursday – Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz

Only two games go off on Thursday, and this is the better of the two in terms of fantasy potential. Any game Boston is playing in can be a defensive battle and is a risk in fantasy basketball.

Friday – New York Knicks vs. New Jersey Nets

Carmelo Anthony gets to face the team that couldn’t pony up the cash/trade value to get him. The last time he faced the Nets, he had a field day. In fact, these two teams have combined for 200 or more points in all three of their previous meetings, so why shy away from them now?

Saturday/Sunday – Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors

Out of 14 games this weekend, the best matchup to take advantage of (by far) is the Kings/Warriors. Another matchup where 200+ points is a near guarantee, as defense doesn’t exist in this battle, and offense is aplenty. Denver and Minnesota is a quality matchup on Saturday, but with the major guard play in this matchup, the mini-battle of California takes the cake over the weekend.

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Article Image About the Writer: Kevin Roberts is a Concordia University graduate with over five years of experience in covering the NFL, NBA, Fantasy Basketball and Fantasy Football. He has had several articles featured on FOXSports.com and CBSSports.com, owns and operates NFLSoup.com and NBASoup.com, and currently resides in Florida with his wife.

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