Vince Carter will be shooting for the nets in a new jersey now. Friday, Toronto lost "Vincanity" to New Jersey for Zo, A-Will, E-Will and a couple picks. The move was a wise statement made by president Rod Thorn to stud point guard Jason Kidd that management would do what it takes to win now.
The Nets are now stocked with proven talent and will be legitimate Eastern Conference contenders if "Air Canada" can make it back from his injury. Kidd, Carter and Richard Jefferson will co-exist to form one of the best trios in the league.
Once Kidd and Carter regain their endurance and heal their wounds, the Nets will be an exciting, fast-break running, alley-oop throwing, winning franchise once again. The losses of Kenyon Martin to Denver and Kerry Kittles to the Clippers don't sting as badly anymore. As the Nets jell as a unit, Jefferson will be a dangerous No. 1 Fantasy forward, Kidd will be one of the best Rotisserie players in the game and Carter should maintain numbers around 18 PPG, 5 RPG and 4 APG.
Carter will be eligible to be activated for Tuesday's game against the Bobcats but needs more time to rest. An Achilles' tendon injury is a season-threatening ailment, so don't expect coach Lawrence Frank to rush Carter back to the court. Rodney Buford got the start against the Raptors at the two guard Sunday and responded with 10 points in 38 minutes. He's been dreadful shooting the ball in 2004, hitting a paltry 31 percent from the floor and 29 percent from downtown. Don't rely on him in most leagues -- he's only worth consideration in very larger leagues until Carter returns.
|
|
| Richard Jefferson will help make one of the league's best trios with Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. (Getty Images) |
Jason Collins will see major minutes in the middle since New Jersey lost the two other centers on its roster. He's capable of 9 PPG and 8 RPG but won't produce eye-opening totals. Use him as a No. 1 Fantasy center in weeks he has four games scheduled. Nets go for four in Week 9, 10, 12 and 13.
The Raptors will look for a new leader now that Carter is back in the states. Rafer Alston and Chris Bosh have been their most reliable offensive options through seven weeks. Morris Peterson, Jalen Rose and Lamond Murray are also in a great situation to post increased Fantasy totals. It will be interesting to see which of these veterans answers the bell.
Toronto general manager Rob Babcock told the New York Post that Alonzo Mourning is in Miami undergoing medical tests and will be there through Christmas. The former Heat superstar does not have to report to the Raptors or pass a physical for the trade to go through. Reports are that Toronto is in negotiations to buy out his contract, and that could lead to a return to South Florida as Shaq's backup. "Basically, he has a lot of health issues to deal with, I can't comment on them," Babcock said. "I told Alonzo, 'Do what you need to do, take care of your health.'"
Mourning continues to have a ceiling on his playing time, getting around 20-24 minutes with 10 PPG and 8 RGP. He'll see similar stats if he returns to the Sunshine State, and will makeup the best twin-tower combination in the Eastern Conference with the Diesel.
| S T A N D - U P S T A N D - I N S |
"One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity" -- that passage holds true in both life and in Fantasy basketball.
We've all heard the stories of former stars falling victim to an injury only to have their jobs taken away permanently by some hotshot, up-and-coming stud. Willy Pipp had a stranglehold on the New York Yankees first-base job until June 1, 1925, after Pipp fractured his skull in batting practice. A kid named Lou Gehrig filled in for him and Pipp's name became a verb meaning "replaced" -- Gehrig's name would later be on the lineup sheet for 2,130 consecutive games en route to a Hall of Fame, legendary career.
Earlier this month, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre registered his 200th consecutive start on Monday night. He filled in for Don Majkowski on Sept. 27, 1992, and has not looked back. 371 touchdown passes, two MVP's and one Super Bowl ring later, Favre continues to play at an elite level. Majkowski threw just 10 scores in his remaining four years in the league.
When a player loses their job because of an injury or poor performance, it yields a remarkable opportunity for a teammate to be plunged into action right away. Some answer the call, while others fail to take advantage of the opportunity in front of them. Some thrive in the moment, while others crack under the pressure. From a Fantasy perspective, it's vital to act fast when the situation arises. The following scenarios could provide "Favres" or "Gehrigs" for your Fantasy squad.
The Portland Trail Blazers shook up their starting lineup last week, inserting Darius Miles and Nick Van Exel into the team's No. 1 unit. Shareef Abdur-Rahim was limited to spectator duties after hyper-extending an elbow, and point guard Damon Stoudamire was "Wally Pipped" because of poor play.
Stoudamire was hitting an unimpressive 31 percent from the court through 21 games, while Van Exel was being restricted to about 21 minutes per game as a reserve. Nick "The Quick" has not been properly utilized by his sixth career team but responded with a 14-point, eight-assist, six-rebound performance against Detroit in his second chance as a starter. He should get about 30-35 minutes -- if he's a free agent, scoop him up and utilize him as a third Fantasy guard in Week 9 with four games, Week 10 with three games and Week 11 with four games.
Miles has made 32 of 49 shots (65 percent) in his past four games while averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.5 SPG and 2.3 BPG. Portland general manager John Nash has pursued a deal with Abdur-Rahim since acquiring him in February but has been tentative to pull the trigger on a deal. The Timberwolves, Knicks and Nets have each expressed interest in the career 20-PPG scorer. You can count on him to be moved by the early February trade deadline opening up a door for Miles as the primary power forward on the roster.
In five games since Derek Fisher (knee) landed on the I-L, Speedy Claxton is averaging 16.8 PPG, 7.6 APG and 2.8 SPG. He's cemented himself as the team's starting point guard even when Fisher gets activated -- Fisher is now eligible to be activated, but has not made his timetable public knowledge.
Golden State is scheduled for three games in Week 9 and four games in Weeks 10 and 11, so Claxton could be a fine Fantasy option if Fisher remains sidelined. Continue to monitor this situation throughout the week.
Carmelo Anthony (left ankle sprain) was to miss his second consecutive game on Monday against the Suns. He was out for Saturday's blowout loss to Orlando, but his replacements at the swingman position filled in admirably. DerMarr Johnson pitched in with 18 points, eight rebounds, four steals and two 3-pointers in 35 minutes off the bench, and Rodney White had his best game in over a month with 13 points, four boards and a pair of treys.
Denver plays Seattle on Wednesday and Dallas on Sunday as well this week. Because of the uncertainty of his return, he should really be reserved in Week 9. The Nuggets go three times in Week 9, 10 and 11 -- therefore Johnson and White are not good free-agent candidates if 'Melo misses an extended period of time.
The Clippers were forced to call upon seldom-used Bobby Simmons and insert him into the starting lineup as the 2004 season tipped off. Newly acquired veteran Kerry Kittles (back) had battled knee and back ailments all season, and is averaging a minuscule 5.6 PPG through a handful of contests. He is scheduled to see a back specialist early this week and is out indefinitely.
Simmons, on the other hand, is performing a higher level than initially hoped for. The fourth-year DePaul guard has scored double digits in 17 of his previous 18 games. His statistics have raised eye brows for the past seven weeks and his consistency has helped entrench himself as the predominant shooting guard in coach Mike Dunleavy's rotation. Simmons is getting 16.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.0 APG and deserves being used as a third Fantasy guard. The Clippers play four games in five of the following six weeks.
Baron Davis (back) participated in his first practice this weekend and is making slow progress on returning to the cellar-dwelling Hornets. He still has not regained his burst on drives and lacks his quickness. His activation continues to not have a timetable. J.R. Harrington and Dan Dickau are the beneficiaries of starter minutes in New Orleans because of the accumulation of injuries.
Harrington averaged 17 PPG and 4.3 APG in three games, followed by a four-point and a two-point game. The better defensive point guards in the league will shut him down on most nights, but the 24-year-old has shown signs of being a pro floor general. He's too raw to use at this time because of his inconsistency, though. Dickau is quietly getting 14.3 PPG in his eight-game career with the Western Conference's newest addition, hitting double-digits in points in six of those contests.
Sacramento was short-handed as well when they matched up against the Hornets. Chris Webber (knee) was not in uniform for the lopsided victory. Coach Rick Adelman gave C-Webb the night off to rest the soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Darius Songaila got the nod to start at power forward and filled up the stat sheet with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He had a 17-point, 11-rebound game in the other game Webber missed.
It appears that Webber's knee could continue to bother him as the season progresses, so having Songaila as a backup would be a very wise move. If he does have to make a trip to the I-L, Songaila could easily get around 15 points and 10 rebounds as a surrogate starter.
You can e-mail your questions to Matt Lawrence at fullcourt@sportsline.com. Be sure to put Attn: Full Court in the subject field. Please be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.
