By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

1. Portland Trail Blazers – Greg Oden

Not only is he a center in size, he might also be the most athletic player in the draft as well.

2. Seattle Sonics - Kevin Durant

The easiest selection in NBA draft history? Can’t bench press 185 lbs.

3. Atlanta Hawks – Al Horford

While conventional wisdom suggests an obvious top-two, I actually think Horford makes it a clear-cut top-three, although the Hawks will be hard-pressed to pass on Mike Conley Jr. after letting Chris Paul and Deron Williams slip through their mitts.

4. Memphis Grizzlies – Mike Conley Jr.

He’s legit. Obviously needs to work on his shot.

5. Boston Celtics – Yi Jianlian

Has there ever been a more mysterious prospect? Word is, he might be 44 years old, and the Chinese government is controlling his landing spot.

6. Milwaukee Bucks – Corey Brewer

Tremendous defender. Is a steal here.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves – Brandan Wright

The Wolves move into full-blown rebuild mode.

8. Charlotte Bobcats – Joakim Noah

A polarizing talent, with some likening him to the next Anderson Varejao and others expecting big things.

9. Chicago Bulls – Spencer Hawes

Chicago wants to go big.

10. Sacramento Kings – Jeff Green

Sactown needs to blow it up, and Green is a good building block.

11. Atlanta Hawks – Acie Law

The Hawks finally get their point guard.

12. Philadelphia 76ers – Al Thornton

Could prove to be the sleeper of the draft but is a truly awful passer.

13. New Orleans Hornets – Julian Wright

Is a jump shot away from becoming a perennial All-Star.

14. L.A. Clippers – Nick Young

Clips need a shooter, and Young fits the bill.

15. Detroit Pistons – Rodney Stuckey

The pride of Eastern Washington.

16. Washington Wizards – Javaris Crittenton

Project, but Wizards could use a ballhandler, and Crittenton has legitimate potential.

17. New Jersey Nets – Thaddeus Young

Raw but is very athletic.

18. Golden St. Warriors – Jason Smith

Warriors need another big.

19. L.A. Lakers – Nick Fazegas

Release, rotation, splash.

20. Miami Heat – Petteri Koponen

You heard it here first.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs

Comments: In 16 playoff games, LeBron James has averaged 25.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.3 dimes, with an assist to turnover ratio of 132/43. While the Pistons may have made the NBA Finals more competitive, at least there’s some star power, and James makes the series eminently more watchable. The Spurs are the NBA’s best team, and the only real debate here is whether the series lasts four, five or six games. But the fact that it took James just four seasons to take a moribund franchise into the finals should not be underestimated. Sure, it’s a terrible conference, but James is still just 22 years old. Bruce Bowen is a dirty great defensive player, but James cannot be guarded by one man right now. While San Antonio has tough interior defenders, James is a physical presence that the Spurs have yet to encounter during this postseason. The Cavs have won three straight contests against the Spurs, including 2-0 this season.

Cleveland also employs a pretty big interior, something underrated about their run during the playoffs. The Spurs are ultimately too sound in all aspects of the game, and the coaching matchup is one of the biggest mismatches in NBA Finals history. Manu Ginobili has rediscovered his game, and Tony Parker is a nightmare matchup for Cleveland’s backcourt. San Antonio also has homecourt, and a superstar in his own right in Tim Duncan. Duncan is trying to win his fourth NBA title already and has averaged 23.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, 3.1 assists and is shooting 53.9 percent from the field in the playoffs. (Do you realize that in the 2003 NBA Finals, Duncan averaged 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 5.3 blocks?!).

Ultimately, this series probably won’t be as boring as a Detroit/San Antonio matchup would have been, and the fact James is involved makes it somewhat intriguing, but the outcome appears inevitable. The Spurs win it in a sweep.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

LeBron James became an NBA superstar before our very eyes Thursday night. Sure, the numbers have always been there, but he also always lacked that extra gear that only the true greats possess. The talent is so obvious, but it was unclear if there was the killer instinct that would enable him to reach the next level. Well, if Thursday’s game was any indication, the answer is a resounding yes. During the fourth quarter and overtimes, James poured in 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. He scored Cleveland’s final 25 points and 29 of its last 30. How can someone that big be so quick? He could drive by and dunk on one of the best defensive team’s in the game almost at will. I’ve been critical in the past, and it remains to be seen if James continues to show his propensity of shifting into cruise control throughout entire stretches of games, but finally, there’s hope of him actually reaching the vast potential. Every sports fan should be excited. He’s averaging 26.8 points, 8.6 assists, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals in the conference finals. I’m still not convinced Detroit won’t win the series (this same exact scenario happened during last year’s series between these two teams), but James is at least making basketball watchable again.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Utah Jazz (4) vs. San Antonio Spurs (3)

Comments: The teams split the season series 2-2, with each team winning its two home games. The Jazz have lost their last 16 games in San Antonio, dating to 1999. Still, this Utah team is no pushover, and anyone completely writing them off for this series hasn’t been paying attention. This team is versatile, as they can run in the open floor and also pound you inside. Maybe the best rebounding squad in the NBA, the Jazz are peaking at the right time. San Antonio, meanwhile, just came off an extremely physical, hard-fought series against the Suns. The Jazz last played Tuesday, while the Spurs didn’t eliminate Phoenix until Friday night, giving them just one full day of recovery time before Sunday afternoon’s matchup.

While a Phoenix vs. Golden State meeting would have been more exciting, it’s hard to argue against these two teams being unworthy of fighting for the rights to the NBA Finals. Carlos Boozer may be the most underrated player in the game, and he’ll need to play up to those standards for Utah to have a chance. It’s doubtful Deron Williams can keep up with the super quick Tony Parker, but Mehmet Okur should be a headache of a matchup for the Spurs. This series comes down to homecourt advantage. Spurs 4-3.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Detroit Pistons (1)

Comments: Detroit has reached the conference finals for the fifth straight year. In more than two decades, just five NBA teams have advanced to five straight conference finals. The Cavs, on the other hand, are making their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since 1992. The Pistons won the season series 3-1 by limiting the Cavaliers to 83 points per game. Cleveland’s only victory came in overtime on March 7, when LeBron James scored a season-high 41 points. Every Pistons starter averaged in double figures against Cleveland, something the Cavs simply can’t counter against with their lack of options on offense.

Cleveland has impressed so far, but Detroit is a whole different beast compared to Washington and New Jersey. The Pistons may lose focus from time to time, especially looking ahead to an inevitable trip to the finals, but this series should be a fairly easy one. Pistons 4-1.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

It hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Dirk Nowitzki takes home MVP honors this season. While that pick looks even poorer after the huge postseason let down, it’s not a catastrophically bad choice. But there are others who more deserving of the honors:

1. Steve Nash – After arguing against Nash winning the last two years, it’s ironic that he won’t win during the season he actually deserved it. It’s tough giving the trophy to someone that’s such a liability at one end of the floor, but Nash does more than enough on offense to make up for it. With the new rules in the NBA, the point guard is becoming more and more important (look around at the team’s still alive in the playoffs), and Nash is the class of the position. Averaging 18.6 points and a career-high 11.6 dimes, the most impressive feat by Nash might be the 53.2 percent shooting. He’s also at 89.9 percent from the line. Nash shouldn’t be punished because he plays with a great team, but instead applauded for seamlessly reincorporating Amare Soudemire back into the lineup. With so many mouths to feed, Nash keeps everyone happy but also knows when to take over games late. He might be the best ball handler, passer and shooter in the game today. Nash for MVP.

2. Tim Duncan – I’m not sure that I’ve heard Duncan’s name brought up once in MVP conversations, and it’s unclear why. The Spurs may not have won 67 games this year, but they are basketball’s best team. The 20 ppg is pretty low for an MVP candidate, and the fact he struggles at the free throw line has to be taken into account, but Duncan is the game’s best interior defender and shot 54.6 percent from the field. Add in 10.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 2.4 blocks, and you’re looking at one of the most important players in basketball. By no means was this one of Duncan’s best seasons, but in a year full of mediocre options, he’s worthy of MVP consideration.

3. Dirk Nowitzki – It’s a regular season award, so I’m not punishing Nowitzki because of his postseason performance. I had him ranked here before the Golden State series even started. Nowitzki looks like the proverbial best player on best team pick, which makes even more sense in this case, because Dallas’ roster isn’t all that impressive as a whole. Josh Howard can ball, but for a 67-win team, I’m not sure how they did it. Nowitzki is no doubt one of the toughest guys to defend in the league, and his off the ball, help defense has improved immensely over the years. Still, his numbers just don’t cut it. The 24.2 points on 50.2 percent shooting is nice, but the 8.9 rebounds as a seven-footer is actually a weak statistic. He’s also just minimally active in the hustle department (0.7 steals, 0.8 blocks). Nowitzki is no doubt a top-5 player in the league, but he just wasn’t the most valuable this year.

4. Kobe Bryant – Bryant is pretty much the consensus pick for best player in the NBA, but he’s yet to translate that into the wins column. The numbers are impressive, and in a game of pick up basketball, he’d be the unanimous first overall choice, but his ability to make his teammates around him better is questionable. It’s uncertain how much blame Bryant deserves for LA’s failure, but it’d be nice to watch him play with an improved squad.

5. LeBron James – The numbers are there, and he did lead a mediocre team to a No. 2 seed, but he’s penalized for playing in the minors, otherwise known as the Eastern Conference. He’s also still lacking the killer instinct quality that Dwyane Wade has.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Chicago Bulls (5) vs. Detroit Pistons (1)

Notes: The Bulls made me look bad by easily handling a depleted Heat team but now have to face the best squad in the Eastern Conference. Expect the series to be more competitive than Game 1 suggested, but Detroit ultimately moves on. Pistons 4-2.

San Antonio Spurs (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (2)

Notes: You might as well consider this the NBA Finals, because the winner of this series is almost certainly going to win the whole thing. A Suns vs. Warriors matchup in the Western Conference Finals would be a fans dream, conjuring up thoughts of 152-148 type games. Unfortunately, the Spurs match up pretty well against Phoenix, and although they’ll have to win a game on the road, they still look like the best team in basketball. Spurs 4-3.

New Jersey Nets (6) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (2)

Notes: The Cavs won the regular season series 2-1 by virtue of taking both games played in Cleveland, so homecourt advantage does figure to matter here. Still, the Cavs just aren’t that good, and they probably don’t even realize the postseason has started yet after getting the injury-ravaged Wizards in Round 1. The Nets, meanwhile, have picked the right time to play their best basketball of the season. Their roll continues. Nets 4-2.

Golden State Warriors (8) vs. Utah Jazz (4)

Notes: The Warriors shocked the world, and the Jazz prevented Tracy McGrady from winning his first postseason series. While the Warriors enter more rested, one wonders if the crowd surfing, extended celebration after the Dallas win in Game 6 means the team is already satisfied with their postseason performance. Baron Davis’ hamstring injury is huge, as he’ll be the most important player on the court during this series. Both teams are very tough at home and split the season series 2-2. Golden State defended the pick and roll extremely well against Dallas, since they have so many interchangeable parts on defense, which should come in handy against Utah’s similar offense. Assuming they realize they haven’t won the NBA Finals yet, Golden State will remain the hottest team in the game. Warriors 4-2.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Utah (4) vs. Houston (5)

Utah: The Jazz are back in the playoffs for the first time since Karl Malone and John Stockton departed after the 2002-03 season. However, the team stumbled down the stretch, going just 4-6 over the final 10 games. Utah also relies heavily on their homecourt advantage, something Houston possesses during this series. Deron Williams is already a top-3 point guard in the league, and Carlos Boozer is a force in the paint. There may not have been a more disappointing season than Andrei Kirilenko’s, however.

Houston: Tracy McGrady has still never won a playoff series. For a top-5 player in the league, that’s pretty hard to fathom. Coming off one of his best season’s in his career, in which he averaged a career-high 6.5 assists per game, he’s running out of excuses, especially since Houston has the homecourt edge this time around. Yao Ming is healthy, making this team a pretty dangerous one. Jeff Van Gundy is my runner-up for Coach of the Year honors.

Outcome: Utah is no pushover, but the Yao and T-Mac tandem should be enough to give Houston the slight edge. Rockets 4-3.

Los Angeles Lakers (7) vs. Phoenix (2)

Los Angeles: Although they have lost three straight to Phoenix, the Suns aren’t the worst matchup for the Lakers, as the run-and-gun up-tempo style fits Kobe Bryant’s game perfectly. Still, the Lakers almost didn’t even make the postseason, as their second half to the season failed to match their hot start. The 42-40 record is the worst-ever by a Phil Jackson coached team. It’s best not to count them out in a seven game series format with arguably the game’s top player on their side, but this battle is definitely an uphill one.

Phoenix: Unbelievably, Amare Stoudemire didn’t miss a single game this season. Steve Nash’s ability to incorporate him into the offense without anyone else suffering was quite a coup, and Nash very well may have had his best season yet. He probably won’t win a third straight MVP award, but handing out 11.6 assists per game while making 53.2 percent of his shots in unheard of in today’s game. He shot 45.5 percent from downtown and 89.9 percent from the line. Of all his seasons, this one was the most deserving of MVP honors.

Outcome: A rematch of one of the best playoff matches in recent memory last year, the Suns have too much firepower for the undermanned Lakers to handle. Suns 4-2.

Denver (6) vs. San Antonio (3)

Denver: The Nuggets enter the postseason winners of nine out of the last 10 games. It took more than a little while for Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony to gel, but this team is tough to beat when the chemistry is working. If not for health concerns, Marcus Camby would be a top-5 pick in fantasy leagues. The Nuggets have been bounced from the playoffs in five games in each of the last three seasons, by San Antonio, Minnesota and the Clippers. They haven’t won a playoff series since 1994.

San Antonio: While Dallas and Phoenix have largely been the talk of the league throughout the season, the Spurs might very well be the best team. The AP has been having some fun with this squad recently, first listing Robert Horry as “DNP – Old Age” a couple of weeks ago and then Brent Barry “DNP – Tummy Ache” last week. However, this team is certainly no joke and should have little trouble moving into round 2.

Outcome: Denver loses in five for the fourth straight year. Spurs 4-1.

Golden State (8) vs. Dallas (1)

Golden State: Surprisingly, there isn’t a hotter team in the NBA right now. The Warriors finished the season 16-4, including 9-1 over the final 10 games. They were the only team in the league to win the season series with Dallas, sweeping it 3-0. In fact, they have beaten Dallas six straight times. Admittedly, the last contest was little more than an exhibition, as the Mavs sat all of their starters, which shows just how unworried the team is with a first round matchup against Golden State. It is a little curious, however, because the Warriors do happen to match up well against Dallas, as the small ball effect seems to work. Don Nelson wants his revenge.

Dallas: The Mavs don’t have an easy first round opponent, but they were the best team in the NBA this regular season. Remember, they started off 0-4 and gave away that win to G. State, so this team easily could have won 70 games. A closer look at the roster reveals nothing too special, so that’s why I think Avery Johnson has done the best coaching job this season. This team is underrated defensively.

Outcome: Listening to the Bay Area media, almost everyone thinks the Warriors have a legitimate chance at an upset here. As much as I hope I’m wrong, I just can’t see it. Although winning games at the ruckus Oracle Arena is going to prove to be difficult, as Golden State finished 30-11 there this season. Mavs 4-1.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

New Jersey (6) vs. Toronto (3)

New Jersey: The Nets come in on a roll, winning four straight and eight out of the last 10 contests. No one in the NBA is hotter than Vince Carter, as he’s posted two triple-doubles this month and fell just one assist shy of a third as well. He’s also averaging 29.0 points per game on 48 percent shooting during April. Of course, Carter is THE story of this series, since his departure from Toronto wasn’t so amicable. He should be plenty motivated, but so will the Toronto fans, as no athlete in recent memory gave up on his team more so than Carter with the Raptors. With Jason Kidd still playing at an elite level and Richard Jefferson around, it just feels like the Nets should be a better team.

Toronto: The Raptors had the most surprising season of any team in basketball this year. Picked by many to finish last in their division, including myself, the Raptors somehow managed to win the Atlantic Division. I think I’ve even heard Sam Mitchell and Coach of the Year both uttered in the same sentence. A quick glance at the weather channel revealed nothing of hell freezing over.

Outcome: The teams split the four-game regular season series, but Kidd sat out one of the losses. New Jersey is playing their best basketball at the right time and should be able to outlast a fairly vulnerable No. 3 seed. Nets 4-3.

Miami (4) vs. Chicago (5)

Miami: The Heat may be the No. 4 seed, but they do not have homecourt since the Bulls finished with a better regular season record. Miami is the type of veteran team that can turn it on once the postseason roles around, but Dwayne Wade’s injury is especially worrisome. How healthy is he? In the history of the NBA, no championship team’s leading scorer has missed more than 16 games. Wade’s missed 30 this year. Still, they are the defending champs and should be extra motivated with the Bulls’ recent trash talking.

Chicago: The Bulls’ loss to the Nets on the last day of the season meant a first round matchup with the Heat instead of the depleted Wizards. Chicago nearly beat Miami in last year’s playoffs and took three out of four from them this season. However, the Bulls haven’t won a playoff series since Michael Jordan left the team in 1998. This one is probably going the distance.

Outcome: Wade’s ability to get to the basket is the difference here, as his frequent trips to the line was the main reason Miami took home the Championship last year. There probably isn’t enough in the tank to go much further, but Miami takes down the Bulls in Round One. Heat 4-3.

Orlando (8) vs. Detroit (1)

Orlando: Nice to see the snake-bitten Orlando franchise finally back in the postseason, but it should be short-lived against the Eastern Conference favorites. The Magic won four straight to end the season, but it’s going to take a monster effort from Dwight Howard to win more than one game in this series.

Detroit: The Pistons are attempting to reach the conference finals for the fifth straight year, a streak only one NBA team has surpassed in 20-plus years. Detroit won all four games over Orlando during the regular season, as Chauncey Billups abused Jameer Nelson. He has a major size and strength advantage over the Magic’s point guard, and it’s a mismatch Detroit figures to continue to exploit. There could be some complacency issues here, but it’s the Pistons 4-1.

Cleveland (2) vs. Washington (7)

Washington: Losing both Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas means the roster of a last place team enters the postseason. They were just 2-8 over their last 10 games of the season. Antawn Jamison is going to have to carry the load, but this series is the most likely to end with a sweep.

Cleveland: Is LeBron James finally ready to take the next step? Things couldn’t have worked out more perfectly, as the Cavs get a decimated Wizards’ squad first, and then either the beatable Raptors or Nets. James had a pretty decent campaign for such a “disappointing season.” Still, he does seem to lack that killer instinct, and there’s no better way to prove those doubters wrong than playoff time. Cavs 4-0.

By Robby Wellington – Staff Writer

I was already griping about March Madness brackets before the tournament started, and now that I’m sitting in the cellar (30th percentile) of all my pools, during one of the most predictable postseasons in recent memory, I’m going to go ahead and gripe some more. First and foremost, I really can’t stand the standard format where picks double each round. The first weekend of the tournament is basically rendered moot. How about a scoring format of 10 points for first round games, 20 for second, 30 for third, up to 60 for the champ? Another wrinkle to add is the concept of upset points. For any correct upset pick where the seeds differ by five or more, you receive the difference in the seeds added to your score. For example, correctly picking VCU over Duke would net a total of 15 points. Anyway, this is how I’m going to run my own damn pool next year, so go ahead and let me know if you want to join. Thanks.

Another highly recommended alternative to the typical bracket is to draft individual players, gaining points based on your actual player’s points (seven of my eight guys were on Kansas/Texas/A&M this year, whoops). This way you can enjoy March Madness with more of a fantasy spin.

Since I’ve been so spot on this postseason, I’ll go ahead and offer up some fearless predictions for everyone…

UCLA 68 Florida 64
Georgetown 66 Ohio St. 61

UCLA 63 Georgetown 59

Umm, yeah, I have no idea in any of these games. Whatever, here’s to the start of baseball season and my man Barry Bonds making history!

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Antoine Walker is shooting 38.6 percent from the free throw line this year. I’m fairly confident I could at least approach that number shooting them with my eyes closed.

Shaquille O’Neal has really stepped up his game now back to health (and in better shape) and with D. Wade sidelined. The Big Fella is averaging 20.3 points and 9.1 rebounds while shooting 65.2 percent from the floor this month.

It’s safe to say Scot Pollard isn’t going to be winning any Humanitarian awards this year.

Al Jefferson looks like a top-20 pick next year. Here are his numbers since the All-Star break: 20.4 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.0 spg and 1.8 bpg while shooting 56.2 percent from the field. I’d easily take him over always injured Jermaine O’Neal. Then again, how he and Greg Oden coexist could pose a problem in Boston’s frontcourt.

Speaking of early picks next year, Josh Smith is vaulting into second round status with his play of late; in fact, it wouldn’t be crazy to take him in the late first round with his steals/blocks contributions becoming second to none.

Tyson Chandler just finished an unprecedented run of cleaning the glass, breaking off 15 straight games with a dozen or more rebounds and 21 straight in double figures. In February, he hauled in 16.1 boards per contest.

After a boring first day of NCAA games, look for plenty of upsets to come. Personally, I reeled off a terrific 15-1 start, only to endure a horrific Friday morning, already losing two Sweet Sixteen teams.

Has anyone told Stanford that the tournament started?

Did Marquette really have ZERO points 10 minutes into the game Thursday?

How about Vanderbilt’s David Rodriguez scoring his first points of the entire season in a tournament game? The best part about it? He didn’t even have his name on the back of his jersey.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Sweet Sixteen – (Midwest) Florida, Maryland, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech (West) Kansas, Virginia Tech, Duke, UCLA (East) UNC, Texas, Wash. St., Georgetown, (South) Ohio St., Tenn, Texas A&M, Creighton

Elite Eight – Maryland, Notre Dame, Kansas, UCLA, UNC, Georgetown, Ohio St., Texas A&M

Final Four – Maryland, Kansas, UNC, Texas A&M

Finals – Kansas v. North Carolina

Winner – Kansas

Notes: I hope fellow RotoScoop scribe Robby is wrong about the Pac-10 being so good, because I have them losing early and often, with only UCLA (and Wash. St., who isn’t any good, but excels on the road and has easy matchups) winning multiple games…The ACC seems like the best conference to me, evidenced by my two Final Four picks as well as G. Tech and Duke making some noise…I’m not a fan of Florida, mainly because Joakim Noah annoys me. No chance a team repeats…Villanova scares me round 2, but I see Kansas as having one of the easiest paths to the finals…In a vacuum, there’s no doubt UNC has the most talent and is probably the best team in college basketball. The problem, however, is that their path is probably the toughest. Not only is Texas a challenging early matchup (although I think Texas is a tad overrated at this point), but Georgetown is legit, and Texas A&M (or Ohio St) is an extremely tough semi-finals. So I hedged my bets by having UNC only making the finals, not winning it…No team in the tournament has fewer road wins than No.4 seed Virginia, so look for them to get bounced early (go Albany!)…The lowest seed (No.10) I have winning multiple games is Creighton, as I’m not a huge believer in Memphis…Texas A&M is legit and could easily take this whole thing, and I switched UNC in the finals over them last second, never a wise maneuver. Kansas over UNC, book it.

By Robby Wellington – Staff Writer

A few folks have asked me for my March Madness picks. Since there are always so many upsets and the more thought you put into your picks the worse you do, I’m trying to avoid making any predictions this year and filled out my brackets in less than five minutes.

There are really only two substantive pieces of advice that I can give:

1. The larger the pool, the more upsets you need to pick to win. This is why I don’t like small pools. In fact, picking numerous upsets is just plain silly in any pool with less than 15 people.

2. If you are somehow able to figure out whom everyone in your pool is picking, go ahead and pick the overlooked contender. I would rather be the only person to pick Texas A&M than one of 10 people to pick Florida. And yes, I admit, this is pretty shady.

Also some important rules for your office pool:

1. Don’t be the schmuck who fills out multiple brackets. Make your picks and stick with them.
2. Definitely don’t be the schmuck who brags about picking the big upset on one of your 10 brackets.
3. Don’t pick all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four. Picking three is cutting it close.
4. You are required to pick your school to win at least one game. 14-seeds and up are excused from this one.
5. Pick at least one 12-seed or higher in the first round and at least one 7+ seed to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

All right, fine. Here are some predictions…

Fake Upset Pick - Old Dominion over Butler
Real Upset Pick - VCU over Duke
Huge Upset Pick - Oral Roberts over Washington St.
“Sleeper” - Texas Tech
Final Four “Sleeper” - Texas A&M (a cop out, I know)
National Champ - Kansas

And finally, some random thoughts from the world of television and bad music…

It happened a while back, but Shamrock’s defeat of John Brown in the final episode of The White Rapper Show was an absolute travesty, even by reality television standards.

Speaking of TWRS, I checked out the various rappers’ Myspace pages and was surprised to find that Dasit (the nerdy-looking guy eliminated week one) had far and away the best song (“Do My Thing”) of the bunch.

After being responsible for two of the worst songs in recent memory (My Humps and London Bridge), Fergie has completely redeemed herself with “Glamorous,” my favorite pop song since “Promiscuous Girl.”

The Sarah Silverman Show ended on a bit of a low note (trying to pass off the pilot episode as the season finale) but was still the funniest new program on television since The Office. Check it out.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

We interrupt the extensive baseball coverage for a quick look around the Association:

The Warriors recently became the first NBA team ever to start five players who never went to college. Meanwhile, their long-running playoff drought does not appear to be in serious jeopardy.

Anyone know what Tim Hardaway is up to these days?

Disagreeing with a call made by referee Violet Palmer, who happens to be a woman, Cedric Maxwell, the analyst / sidekick on the Celtics broadcast team, proclaimed “Get back in the kitchen!” Max’s partner, Sean Grande, tried to throw him a lifeline by pointing out that they had both been previously impressed by Palmer’s officiating, but Max continued “Get back in the kitchen and fix me some bacon and eggs!”

Dogged by questions regarding effort, Rudy Gay is really coming on over the last month, averaging 15.8 points, 1.7 3PT, 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. Make sure he’s not still available on your waiver wire.

Lamar Odom is finally rounding back into form after missing 21 games because of a sprained right knee, nearly posting a triple-double Tuesday night. LA is just 7-10 since his return to the lineup, largely because he’s been rusty and yet to reach 100 percent. Particularly, Odom’s ballhandling has been unusually sloppy. He’s averaging almost three turnovers a game.

The Shaun Livingston injury is as gruesome as it gets. Missing 39 games with a knee injury in the 04-05 season, then 12 more games with a shoulder ailment later that year, followed by being sidelined 21 games with a back problem last season and now this, it’s safe to say the talented kid’s body has failed him. Anyone who has seen the footage knows his career is in serious jeopardy.

Rumblings of accusations that LeBron James simply doesn’t care are getting louder and louder. Honestly, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out why, as all it takes is to watch a Cavs game. His body language screams it. He coasts through games on cruise control, and I’m officially worried the vast potential will never be reached. You need to be born with drive and a killer instinct, something glaringly lacking in King James’ game right now. Kobe has it. So does D. Wade. I always argued the other way, but I’d officially rather start my franchise with Dwayne Wade.

Jason Richardson’s hand injury was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed his knee injury to fully heal with proper rest. Especially with Baron Davis sidelined, J-Rich’s fantasy numbers should continue to be big.

Clyde “The Glyde” Drexler is looking to prove that Emmitt Smith has nothing on his dancing skills, joining the new cast for “Dancing with the Stars.” I don’t watch this show, but if I did, I’d be rooting for Billy Ray Cyrus and Steve Sanders.

After John Amaechi came out and Tim Hardaway shocked the nation, Rony Seikaly said he was hit on by a teammate with “very smooth” moves. Awesome. Furthermore - Seikaly’s personal philosophy on sexual preference: “Whatever tickles your bone.”

Coming from someone who lives fairly close to Sacramento, I’d like to take the time to thank Mike Bibby for personally ruining any desire to go watch the Kings play live. As if shooting 39 percent wasn’t bad enough (31 percent from downtown – good thing he attempts nearly six 3-pointers a game), his defense has gone from terrible to atrocious. To make matters worse, word is Geoff Petri signed off on a deal shipping him to the Lakers for picks and expiring contracts, only the Maloof Brothers nixed it because they still consider the Lakers their archrivals. Someone please tell them it’s not 2002 anymore.

The Dallas Mavericks are 45-5 over the last 50 games. Seriously, look at their roster. Is Avery Johnson the best coach in sports?

Who would you rather have, Tyson Chandler or Ben Wallace? Not only is Chandler making far less money, he’s also the superior player and nearly 10 years younger. John Paxson is the worst GM no one talks about.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

We’ll be ramping up the baseball coverage starting this week, but for now, let’s have some fun with NBA’s All-Star Saturday night.

Foot race (Dick Bavetta vs. Charles Barkley) – Unbelievably, oddsmakers have placed Bavetta as the big favorite here (-300). I don’t buy it; Barkley wins it.

Skills Challenge – Really, any of the four could easily win this, and I’m tempted to take Dwayne Wade but instead going with Chris Paul.

Three-Point Shootout – I like bigger guys who don’t have to exert as much energy with so many shots, so despite his arrogance, no way Damon Jones wins this. Arenas probably wants it the most, but Nowitzki is the favorite to repeat. All that said, my pick is Jason Kapono, as the guy is making trey bombs at a 56 percent clip this year.

Slam Dunk Contest – The novelty of seeing tiny Nate Robinson dunk should be worn off by now, and since the NBA disallowed Dwight Howard to attempt to dunk on a 12-foot hoop, I’m predicting a Gerald Green/Ty Thomas final. No one wants to see Thomas win after his collecting a check comment, so I’ll take the favorite here, as Gerald Green takes home the crown.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

How about Jason Kapono? The guy is shooting 3-pointers at a ridiculous 55 percent clip this year, easily leading the league. He’s taking more than three a game, so the sample isn’t that tiny, and it’s not like Shaq has freed him up with wide open jumpers all year also.

As good of a sharp shooter Kapono has been, that’s how bad Eddy Curry is at everything but scoring in the low post. Dude is 6-11, 285 and hasn’t blocked multiple shots in a game since January 3. During a four-game stretch late last month, Curry hauled in a TOTAL of 12 rebounds, all while playing significant minutes. You would think he could accidentally grab more than that. He’s definitely having a breakout campaign in the scoring department and his FG% is quite nice, but he’s not exactly a well-rounded performer.

That Dwight Howard game-winning alley oop was sick, but did you realize the guy is shooting 78.4 percent (57-of-74) from the floor in six games this month?!

Can someone please teach LeBron James how to shoot a free throw? Hard to be King when your making just 68 percent of your freebies.

Other than maybe A-Rod and LaDainian Tomlinson, there hasn’t been a more dominant fantasy player over the last 10 years than Kevin Garnett.

Welcome to the party, Gerald Wallace.

Mike Dunleavy has seen his playing time increase by nearly 10 minutes since joining Indiana. While his numbers haven’t been much better, they figure to slightly improve in time, especially if he continues to see 35 minutes of run each night. He’s a fine waiver wire pick up if available.

One of the best yet quietest seasons is being played by Mo Williams. Seriously, check out his numbers.

One of the biggest busts this year, on the other hand, has to be Jameer Nelson. Showing no improvement at all, Nelson has only regressed during his third year as a pro.

Just when you think there can’t be any more injuries, Elton Brand, Steve Nash and Baron Davis all go down. Admittedly, the only thing surprising about Davis’ injury is that it didn’t happen sooner.

By Robby Wellington – Staff Writer

For whatever reason, I didn’t really care about the Super Bowl. I had little hope for the Bears and was burnt out by Tuesday on Super Bowl puff pieces. Do we really need two weeks before the game? Nevertheless, I’m not one to pass up free food and booze and always enjoy a good Super Bowl bash. Despite being blacked out and covered in Cheeto dust and semisoft cheeses by the end of the third quarter, I gathered the following: The Colts won, Rex Grossman is bad, as is rain, Tony Dungy is the first (half) black coach to win the Super Bowl, and Prince is the first (half) black superstar to come correct during a halftime show. Purple Rain, Purple Rain.

Now on to the important stuff: College Basketball and bad television…

Kevin Durant is the best player in college basketball and the best freshman in the history of the game (at least the best frosh allowed to play with the varsity). Despite a relatively slow start, the man is putting up 25.0 points and 11.6 rebounds a game and continues to improve as does the entire Texas team, which boasts six freshmen among its top eight scorers. I’m still taking Old Man Oden first overall though.

Spencer from “The Hills” turned in an absolute tour de force performance last night and cemented his place in the Reality Television Hall of Fame. Not even a flameout of Doc Gooden proportions could stop the man now. Consequently, I have reworked my role model top five to look like this:

1. Rony Seikaly
2. Justin Timberlake
3. Spencer
4. Joey Goldman
5. The Milf Hunter

If you’re not already watching Spencer on “The Hills,” it’s time to recognize.

I’ve mentioned before that the Pac-10 is the best conference in the country, and next year it should be even better. Amazingly, there are only eight senior starters in the entire conference and some big boys are coming next year. I had the pleasure of watching UCLA-bound Kevin Love tear apart Mater Dei Saturday night. Love is going to be the best freshman in the country next year and keep the Bruins in the top five. Mater Dei starts four players 6′8″ and up and brings an Arizona-bound 7′1″ giant off the bench.

Judd Apatow’s latest joint, “Knocked Up,” looks like it will deliver the goods to all of us 40-Year-Old Virgin fans. Check out the trailers:

I recently noticed that my Sporting News College Basketball Preview magazine had Butler ranked seventh out of nine teams in the formidable Horizon conference. Well, after winning the Preseason NIT and beating up on weaker conference opponents, Butler has cruised to a No. 9 ranking and figures to be this year’s Gonzaga. Watch them get a ‘low’ five or six seed only to lose in the first round.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

If you’re in a deep head-to-head league and in good position in the standings, picking up and stashing guys like Brevin Knight, Speedy Claxton and Kwame Brown makes more sense than currently starting lesser talents.

If you can still get decent value for Alonzo Mourning, go do it. The same goes for Matt Barnes

I want to see Kevin Garnett in a different uniform this season. While I recently argued for him to be considered in this year’s MVP race, there’s still legitimate uncertainty just how much better he makes his team. I want to see how far he takes a team that offers him real teammates. Kevin McHale = Matt Millen.

If the Suns don’t stumble out of the gate, Jordan’s Bulls are absolutely shuddering right now.

What about Earl Boykins? Do you realize he’s averaging 20 points and six assists for the Bucks? He weighs 133 pounds!

For those Carmelo Anthony owners concerned how he’ll play alongside Allen Iverson, the first couple of games sure put those worries to rest. He’s actually shooting more than he did before A.I. came to town.

It’s official: Gilbert Arenas is the coolest guy in sports.

Is it just me, or has the NBA suffered an inordinate amount of injuries this season?

Caron Butler is have the best season no one is talking about. He’s getting career-highs in minutes played, FG%, FT%, rebounds, assists, steals and points.

If the Grizzlies would take Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas for Pau Gasol, why wouldn’t Chicago pull the trigger? NBA GMs should be ringing Jerry West’s phone off the hook.

Again, what was Dikembe Mutombo doing at the State of the Union address?

For all of you out there wondering how Doug and Jackie Christie are doing, as well as their long-anticipated reality show, here’s an update.

On a note unrelated to basketball, this is some of the most disturbing news in recent memory. Extra Innings Exclusively on DirectTV - I’m not a lawyer, but it’s hard to see how this is legal. Then again, the NFL gets away with it.

Editor’s Note: The following article also appears on RotoWire.

—–Original Message—–
From: Chris Liss [mailto:liss@rotowire.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 7:08 PM
To: Dalton Del Don
Subject: Give and Go

Dalton, first off, thanks for filling in for Mr. Zegers, who I believe is taking his kids to Disney World, or something like that this week. Probably he doesn’t even have kids and is just drugging himself into oblivion for a week in his basement…

In any event, we’d be remiss not to talk about the big Golden State/Indiana trade - Seems like the Pacers are saying, “Take Al Harrington and one of our thugs, and we’ll take some scrubs you gave way too much money to, and whose contracts are on the books for a while.” Is there more to it than this? Does Donnie Walsh think Mike Dunleavy or Troy Murphy still has some upside? Do you? And who’s going to get the bulk of the shooting guard minutes in Indianapolis - do they suddenly trust Marquis Daniels. Surely they’re not asking Dunleavy to guard twos. And what about Ike Diogu? Don Nelson soured on his defense, and now Indiana has a guy who can give them a little offense at center alongside Jermaine O’Neal. As for Golden State, Al Harrington should slot into the four, but is Stephen Jackson going to cut into Monta Ellis’ or Mickael Pietrus’ minutes at the swing spots? Or was taking him just the price they paid for getting the guy they wanted this summer in Harrington? What happens when Jason Richardson comes back? You gotta think they’ll be looking to make another move at the deadline, don’t you?

The other topic I wanted to hit on was the MVP race. I know Gilbert Arenas is having a great year, and the Wizards are doing well, but it seems to me you have to give it to someone in the West. I’d vote for Steve Nash - what point guard shoots 53 percent from the floor and 88 from the line? And this is a guy taking more than five threes a game - not Tony Parker driving for layups. Combine that kind of offensive efficiency shooting the ball with more than 11 assists a game, and his team having a great season, and I give it to Nash. Of course, only two players in NBA history have won three straight MVPs, Larry Bird and Bill Russell, but to claim that Nash shouldn’t get it because he’s not THAT good is a poor argument. He’s also not a Celtic, but so what? Three in a row isn’t better than Jordan’s five or Kareem’s six. Kenny Smith made a good point on TNT last week, saying that some people don’t believe Nash is for real because it took him a while to get going in his career. He was always good, but it’s very odd for a player to emerge as one of the league’s greats this far into his career. Most of the greats like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant were great a lot sooner than that.

Of course, Dirk Nowitzki is the other big candidate - his team has the best record, and he’s having another big year. He’s also better defensively than Nash and commands more individual defensive attention, of course. Where do you stand on this, Dalton, and is there anyone else I’m leaving out who deserves serious consideration? Here’s the rock. I’ll cut to the basket, and await the return pass.

—–Original Message—–
From: Dalton Del Don [mailto:seven3d@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 19, 9:41 AM
To: Chris Liss
Subject: Give and Go

Glad to be here, and I’ll try my best to fill the shoes of Mr. Zegers. Regarding the big eight-player swap, your assessment just about sums it up. Each team is ridding themselves of pieces that didn’t fit into their system, but on talent alone, Golden State is the clear winner here, and when you factor in bad contracts, I see this trade as fairly one-sided. It’s hard to see much upside with Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. Murphy will probably go back to being a double-digit rebounder, but he’s never been a great shooter (43.2% for his career). Dunleavy’s size made him enticing coming out of college, but it’s obvious now that he’s nothing more than a role player and a disaster on defense.

My vote would be to keep Danny Granger at the three and make Marquis Daniels the starting SG. Watching Daniels play as a rookie in Dallas, I was sure he was a future star. If you asked me to choose between fellow rookie teammate Josh Howard or him, I would have absolutely gone Daniels. Since then, he’s always been battling a nagging injury or underperforming in general. While I was clearly wrong (Howard’s future is no doubt much brighter), Daniels has career per-35 minute averages of 13.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals, so he’s at least been solid when on the court.

Another disappointing young guy I had high hopes for is Ike Diogu. Granted, it’s tough to get excited about a player missing both size and athleticism, but I still say Diogu develops into a nice interior scorer. The fact Donnie Walsh made sure he was included makes this deal at least somewhat palatable for Indiana. Of course, Golden State wasn’t able to unload those contracts without taking on a problem as well, namely Stephen Jackson. Monta Ellis and Mickael Pietrus look like the Warriors’ future, and it’d be surprising to see Jackson take away anything more than 20-25 minutes a night – Matt Barnes’ PT could also get cut into. The most egregious mistake would be to take any of Ellis’ minutes away, as this kid looks special. He’s the most untouchable player on Golden State, including Baron Davis.

Incorporating Jason Richardson back into the mix will be even trickier, but having the problem of “too many good players” is a welcome dilemma to Warrior fans, as this franchise has suffered long enough. A lineup of Davis, Ellis, Richardson, Harrington and Biedrins looks pretty exciting, but will it be enough for the team’s first trip to the postseason in 13 years? If they could somehow move Pietrus and Jackson for Corey Maggette, then they’d really be onto something. Either way, one more deal looks to be in the cards.

As for the MVP race, I hate to do it, but I have to agree with you. Gilbert Arenas really is having an outstanding season, but it would be difficult not to hand out the hardware to someone in the Western Conference. Speaking of which, how far do we have to go before this terrible imbalance in talent gets fixed? Screw geography, I’m calling for realignment.

I argued pretty vehemently against Steve Nash’s last two MVP awards, but you know what, I’d vote for him this year. I don’t think he’ll actually win again; after all, Karl Malone beat Michael Jordan, who never won three in a row, simply because voters get tired of picking the same guy. Still, Nash is having his best season yet – you highlighted his numbers - but how about the way he’s captaining that ship? The Suns are 33-3 after an 0-5 start. They’ve won 29 of 31 games, while nearly winning the two losses. They might even be the favorites to win it all as of now. I know, I know, defense wins championships. The thing is, Phoenix’ D really isn’t all that bad; the statistics look worse because of all those extra possessions they are forced to defend.

Their main competition is Dallas, which brings us to Dirk Nowitzki, the other big challenger to Nash for MVP honors. He’s having a great year, and an argument could be made for Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, who are all worthy of consideration. My darkhorse, who I have yet to hear as anyone’s candidate, is Kevin Garnett. Is it because he puts up gaudy numbers year in and year out? He’s been more aggressive this year and is playing some of the best defense of his career. Also, Minnesota is the current No. 8 seed in the difficult West. You do realize his teammates are Mike James, Ricky Davis, Mark Blount and Trenton Hassell, right? Are you kidding me? He’s doing the most with the least and deserves to be in the middle of the conversation at minimum.

Speed round: I’m all for the college atmosphere in New Orleans, where Hornets fans remain standing until the home team makes a basket, but it can backfire. They had to wait nearly eight minutes in actual time last Tuesday night, including during a Hornets timeout after Orlando took a 7-0 lead.

I see three teams as clear frontrunners to win the championship this year. I’ll take Phoenix, San Antonio and Dallas, and you can have the field. Do we have a bet? You just got free on a crushing blindside pick I set, now knock down the open jumper Liss.

From: Christopher Liss
Date: January 19, 2007 10:41:49 AM PST
To: SEVEN3D@aol.com
Subject: Re: Barometer/GnG

I don’t like Maggette anymore. I used to at one time, maybe three years ago, but I’ve been to a couple Clipps games this year, and he plays with no instincts. He can score and get to the line, and when he does, he knocks down his free throws, but defensively he’s inconsistent, and he turns the ball over more than he should at the worst times. I like Pietrus as a role player - he can play defense and knock down the three. With guys like Harrington, Baron Davis and Ellis/Richardson, I think Pietrus’ defense is more important than adding more scoring. But I agree that Warriors’ fans have a little to be excited about. Still, it’s a little like the Knicks, only better, with lots of talent, but no real superstar. (Davis has the skills, but poor shot selection and the fact that he’s rarely healthy for extended stretches limits him).

I’d like to see Daniels and Granger get more minutes. Dunleavy and Murphy have their uses off the bench, but I think it would be a mistake to give either too much run. No one’s talking about Stephen Jackson in Golden State because the team already has so many decent swing spot options, and so it’s just assumed that the Warriors had to take him on just to make the deal go through. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he saw big minutes at the three until Richardson returned.

Pretty amazing what Phoenix (and Dallas) have done after slow starts. I hear your argument for KG, and if the MVP can be translated into: “Where would this team be without Player X,” he, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James all get a boost. But I don’t think having good teammates can be held against a player, and as you’ve pointed out, after a slow start, the Suns could not possibly have played any better. Last year, Nash did it without Stoudemire on a team that would have been terrible without him, and now that Stoudemire’s back, we can’t just say, “Even though Nash is playing BETTER than last year, that another good guy was added to the Suns detracts from what Nash is doing.” In fact, I’d say just the opposite - Stoudemire’s been integrated back in seamlessly, and despite having many mouths to feed in that offense, Nash ensures there’s plenty to go around for everyone, including himself. I think Nowitzki’s got a good case because the Mavs are even better than the Suns so far, and he’s their only superstar (though Josh Howard isn’t too far off). But I’ve still got to go Nash because what he’s doing is so rare - shooting such high percentages from everywhere while being the best passer in the game.

As for your bet, thanks, but no thanks. If this were the NFL, no problem - I’d give anyone three teams of their choice midseason and take the field. But in the NBA, with the larger sample size, the long playoff series, I’d take the big three as well. It might be a little different if Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady were healthy all year, and the Lakers would be in better shape with a healthy Lamar Odom. But still, Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix are not only the most talented teams, they’re also among the best coached and most playoff tested. One of them will almost certainly win, barring catastrophic injury.

You heard me call “glass” right?

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Editor’s Note: The following article was written for RotoWire.

The Golden State Warriors haven’t made the playoffs in 12 straight seasons. Currently the No. 9 seed in the West but just 1.5 games out of the last playoff spot, the Warriors pulled off a recent eight-player trade that should improve the club both now and in the future. While Ike Diogu may turn into a quality player, and Stephen Jackson is subtraction by addition, getting out from under expensive long-term contracts with Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy is a win in of itself. Adding their most sought after free agent during this past offseason, Al Harrington, is just an added bonus.

Incorporating Murphy and Dunleavy into Don Nelson’s offense was like trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole, and adding more athleticism was exactly what the team needed. Figuring out playing time for too many worthy players is a good problem to have, and one Golden State hasn’t dealt with in a long time. While one more deal could push this year’s team over the top and into the postseason, either way, the future is finally showing some hope for this morbid franchise.

A top-six of Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Jason Richardson, Al Harrington, Andris Biedrins and Mickael Pietrus makes them at least interesting, and if Patrick O’Bryant fulfills his potential, this team could end a decade long drought with a playoff birth - eventually.

Stock Up

Al Harrington - The biggest name in the recent swap, Harrington struggled to coexist alongside Jermaine O’Neal this year. Now he’s joining Don Nelson’s offensive-minded system, and his suppressed numbers should increase as a result. Harrington was one of the Warriors’ top targets in free agency last offseason, so look for the team to better utilize his athleticism.

Troy Murphy - Murphy is probably the biggest beneficiary of the trade, as his role was becoming almost non-existent in the Warriors’ rotation. After averaging a double-double in each of the last two seasons, Murphy had recorded just three all year long. With the Pacers in great need of rebounding help, Murphy will either start at PF (with Jermaine O’Neal at center) or see plenty of minutes off the bench.

Mike Dunleavy – While there’s no guarantee Dunleavy starts for Indiana, a change in scenery was definitely needed. Booed regularly by Golden State fans this season, Dunleavy gets a fresh start and a front office that believes in him.

Marquis Daniels – After flashing serious signs of potential his rookie season, Daniels’ career has since been filled with injuries and disappointing play, bottoming out with just 15 minutes of PT per night this year. Given 38 minutes in the Pacers’ depleted lineup Thursday, Daniels responded with 23 points (10-of-18 FG) and five assists. With Stephen Jackson jettisoned, the starting SG spot is wide-open, and Daniels may be the answer.

Danny Granger - Should slide into Indiana’s starting lineup, either at shooting guard or small forward. Either way, Granger becomes the Pacers’ No. 2 scoring option.

Chris Webber – While landing on another team may have presented more scoring opportunities, Webber should eventually find a nice niche in Detroit’s lineup. He gets the upgrade since he wasn’t even playing for Philadelphia, missing the last seven games with a sore foot and a bruised ego. Sure, his mobility is a joke nowadays, but his defensive liabilities won’t hurt your fantasy team.

Josh Smith – Smith returned about two weeks earlier than expected from hernia surgery, missing just eight games in all. Over his last two games since returning, he’s averaging 19.5 points, 3.0 steals and 5.0 blocks. He was playing great before going down in December, and who knows how long he was playing with the painful hernia; he’s going to be huge from here on out.

Carmelo Anthony – Due back from his 15-game suspension Monday, January 22.

Dikembe Mutombo – Did the Gold Club reopen or something? Filling in for Yao Ming (leg), Mutombo has made like it’s 1999 this month, averaging 13.9 rebounds in nine January games. He’s no help in the scoring department but has recorded double-digit rebounds in 11 of his last 12 games.

Steve Blake – Blake is finding his new digs in Denver to his liking, averaging 19.0 points, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 4.0 3pt during two games in a Nuggets’ uniform. He even moved into the starting lineup last game, and while that might not last, Blake’s minutes are likely to increase from when he was in Milwaukee.

Check Status

Shaquille O’Neal – Shaq’s return keeps getting pushed back, but the team says it’s not because of setbacks, rather an exercise in caution. Already ruled out of Miami’s next two games, the earliest prognostication now calls for a possible January 24 return.

Tracy McGrady – After dropping a season-high 45 points, McGrady left Tuesday’s contest with back stiffness and then sat out Wednesday’s game with the same ailment. He says this back injury is different from the one that sidelined him earlier this year, but it’s worrisome either way. McGrady expects to return to the court Saturday.

Shaun Livingston – Forced from Monday’s game with a sprained ankle and then sat out Wednesday’s contest with the same injury. He’s day-to-day.

Stromile Swift – After getting off to a solid start under new head coach Tony Barone, Swift has sat out the last four games with back spasms.

Jarrett Jack – Missed the last three games with a concussion but is expected to return to action Friday.

Lamar Odom – Possible return to the lineup next week. Same with teammate Kwame Brown.

Gerald Wallace – A separated shoulder that was originally supposed to keep him out 7-10 days has now turned into nearly three weeks on the shelf. He returned to the court Friday.

Chris Kaman – An ankle injury limited him to just eight minutes of action Wednesday night.

David West – An elbow injury has sidelined him for most of the season, but West was an emerging young player before going down. He returned to the lineup Friday and is worth owning in pretty much every format.

Stock Down

Brad Miller – Miller has struggled badly in Eric Musselman’s system all season long, but it’s been especially brutal of late. In between missing games due to personal reasons, Miller has scored five points or fewer in three of his last four games. He’s averaging just 8.4 points in January.

Mike James – How predictable. James parlayed a career-year last season into a big contract with the Timberwolves. It’s safe to say Minnesota expected a bit more than 9.1 points per game, which is what James is getting this month.

Eddie Griffin – What a waste of talent. First, he can’t get off the bench in Minnesota, now an NBA suspension for violating the anti-drug program. His career has officially bottomed out and one has to wonder if he’ll ever amount to anything at all.

Zaza Pachulia – Solid all season, Pachulia has come off the bench the last two games, and his numbers have suffered as a result. Over the last four contests, Pachulia is averaging 8.5 points and is getting just 17 minutes of PT.

Kurt Thomas – Thomas will be sidelined four-to-six weeks with a hyperextended left elbow.

Jeff Foster – He’s been needed to help out on the glass, but that job will now fall to Troy Murphy in Indiana. With Marquis Daniels, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger all fighting for playing time, expect Foster’s to be greatly reduced.

Speedy Claxton – On many “sleeper” lists before the season started, Claxton has been slowed by injuries to both knees all year long. He’s an asset in assists and steals when on the court, but the latest news suggests the injury could limit him for the rest of the season. He’s currently unable to travel with the team and shouldn’t be counted on in fantasy leagues.

Matt Barnes – Barnes has been getting nearly 36 minutes a night this month, but that playing time figures to drop with Stephen Jackson and Mickael Pietrus all fighting with him for one spot in the starting lineup.

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

If you’re in a keeper league, Andrew Bynum has to be toward the top of your list. While clearly still unpolished (he needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble), Bynum is a future star. He’s even a fine short-term option with Kwame Brown sidelined. Speaking of, Brown going down may be the best thing to happen to the Lakers, as it’s forced Bynum into action. Brown is a nice defender and all, but it’s clear Bynum is the one with all the upside, and now come playoff time, with more experience for the 19-year-old, I think Los Angeles could be a tough out.

If Tony Allen didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all. What a way to lose your season. For those in deeper leagues, Rajon Rondo may be worth a flier since the C’s are so devastated by injuries.

I like Ron Artest’s defense and posting ability, but the guy simply can’t shoot. If you are shooting 25 percent from downtown, it’s probably not a great idea to attempt nearly four of them per game.

Can’t wait to see how Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson coexist.

What about Dikembe Mutombo? Did the Gold Club reopen or something? He’s grabbed double-digit rebounds in nine straight games, averaging 13.8 over that span. He’s also swatting shots like it’s 1999 – there isn’t a cooler celebration in sports than the Mutombo finger wag.

There isn’t a more disappointing team in the league than the Clippers, who are struggling to find a mix with “too much talent.” It’s actually simple – Elton Brand needs to be taking more than 14 shots per game. I still say Shaun Livingston is going to be special.

I argued against Steve Nash winning the last two MVP awards; that said, it’s pretty impressive that he’s easily having his best season yet. The Suns are going to be a tougher out in the playoffs this year as well. There’s no way a team other than Phoenix, Dallas or San Antonio wins the championship this year.

You might as well see if Josh Smith’s owner forgot how good he was before undergoing hernia surgery now that he’s back. Hopefully he has a couple of subpar games while getting back into shape and you swoop in with a good offer. In December, he was getting 8.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.7 spg and 2.8 bpg, playing numerous games hampered by that hernia. Imagine what he’ll do now healthy.

The NBA’s Central Division is on a 12-game losing streak. The imbalance in East/West conferences is actually underrated; Houston’s 24-13 record has them in third place in their division, while Toronto’s 17-20 mark has them in first.

Is there anyone playing better under-the-radar basketball right now than Mike Miller? He’s hit a 3-pointer in 16 straight contests, including a remarkable three-game stretch that saw him drain 23 shots from downtown. During January, he’s averaging 7.0 assists and 23.8 points in five games. Apparently, Pau Gasol’s return is to going help, not hurt Miller’s production.