Well, the NBA season is headed down the home stretch and you may find yourself in a situation where you need to attack certain fantasy categories. For those rotisserie basketball guys, you may need to shore up in some cats and catch up in others. Blocks is a category that usually has more teams closer together due to the fact that this is just not as plentiful a commodity as other stats like points, rebounds, and assists. With that said, if you pick up a few regular ball swatters and give them some play, you may find yourself gaining faster in blocks than any other category. Here are a list of guys that may be available in your league that put up solid block numbers.

1. Chris Andersen, F, Denver Nuggets – They call him Birdman for a reason; white boy got hops. Andersen is a mad man on the court who specializes in the art of rejection. For the year, he is averaging 2.33 blocks per contest, but in the past two weeks — much of which has seen Nene out — he has been even better, averaging 3.75 a game. You can almost justify giving someone a starting gig in fantasy if they block nearly four shots a game. That is like having a gunner that drops 30 a night. Birdman also gives you boards and a nice shooting percentage.

2. Ronny Turiaf, C, Golden State Warriors – Turiaf started getting more playing time with Andris Biedrins out, and he produced. So now, even with Biedrins back, Turiaf is getting some clock. He’s averaged over two blocks a game for the year, and is certainly going to contribute with some scoring and boards when he gets his minutes.

3. DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers – As long as Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby and Zach Randolph keep missing action for various reasons, Jordan will get you blocks and rebounds. The blocks, 11 in his last three games, is the real key to why he may hold value. Kaman is supposed to come back soon if his MRI goes well, so make sure to pay attention to that if you decide to go after Jordan.

4. Dominic McGuire, F, Washington Wizards – Although McGuire has recently cooled down in the blocks department, he is still averaging about 1.7 a game for the last three weeks. He is a young, energetic guy who the Wizards figure to use a lot as they participate in the Blake Griffin Tankfest of 2009.

5. Anthony Randolph, F, Golden State Warriors – If you have seen the Warriors play over the last two months, I am sure you have seen the raw ability of Randolph. In addition to being in good favour with coach Don Nelson right now (although he all know how that can change at any moment), he has at least one block in every game in March. Randolph can score and rebound in addition to blocking, so he is a prime late run pickup if you have a roster spot to spare.

6. Kendrick Perkins, C, Boston Celtics – With Kevin Garnett still out a few more games, Perkins will receive elevated minutes on the court. Perkins is a double-double threat every time he gets enough clock, and he’s also a capable shot blocker. If he is a free agent, he is a decent option at centre.

7. Roy Hibbert, C, Indiana Pacers – Hibbert can not seem to stay on the court more than 20 minutes a game because of his inability to stay out of foul trouble. This big stiff is assured of at least a block a game if he just puts his hands up. I am not in love with him as a fantasy option, but if you are in a deep league or are desperate, it could work.

8. Andray Blatche, F, Washington Wizards – Blatche has all the tools to be a stud, but he is still a bit lackadaisical on the floor. As discussed above, the Wizards will give young guys a lot of minutes as their season fades away into oblivion. Blatche, when he gets PT, is good for over a block a game.

9. Joel Pryzbilla, C, Portland Trail Blazers – As long as Greg Oden stays out, the Vanilla Gorilla will continue to swat shots in the Rose Garden. If you really need a centre, consider Przybilla, as he will rebound and block shots for you.

10. Brandon Bass, F, Dallas Mavericks – If you are so, so desperate, Bass has averaged a block a game in the past three weeks. He could do more if he got a chance, but he only sees 15-20 minutes a game, so it is hard to put up great numbers.

Centres

Kendrick Perkins, Boston Celtics: With Kevin Garnett out of action, Perkins has a chance to elevate his production, though that hasn’t really happened yet. Still, he showed in December (11.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG) that he could be a fantasy force, which makes him at least worthy of flier status in deeper leagues.

Best of the Rest

Greg Oden’s knee injury continues to linger, keeping Joel Przybilla in the starting lineup. His work on the boards remains exemplary, though he has logged just two double-digit scoring efforts in 2009…Owners looking for a boost in the shot blocking department needn’t look any further than Denver, where Chris Andersen has marked 25 shots “return to sender” in the last six games…We talked up Roy Hibbert in this space a couple weeks back and we’re not giving up on him yet. The rookie can’t stay out of foul trouble, averaging a disturbing 4.8 fouls in just a shade over 16 minutes a night in Indiana’s last six games. He’s a flier to be sure, but those grasping for straws can think about it…Matt Bonner was a beast from beyond the arc last month, knocking down better than two treys a night and averaging 10.8 points and 6.1 rebounds. Don’t overlook him.

Forwards

John Salmons, Chicago Bulls: Any concerns about a decreased role in the Windy City for Salmons should have been assuaged now that he has logged better than 30 minutes in each of the Bulls’ last three games. Outside of a 25-point effort his scoring hasn’t been what it was in Sacramento, but his production should increase as he becomes more comfortable in Chicago. He’s worth owning in all leagues.

Matt Barnes, Phoenix Suns: Injuries have depleted Phoenix’s frontcourt, which has helped Barnes get back into the flow of the offense. He has also benefited from the coaching change and renewed emphasis on pushing the ball. Barnes reached double figures in four of five games before lighting up the Lakers for 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven dimes on Sunday afternoon. Don’t hesitate to pick him up in deep formats.

Best of the Rest

Everyone’s favourite document forger, Yi Jianlian, returned to the starting lineup for the Nets on February 23, though he hasn’t found the range (12-for-31) just yet. He was scoring well before his injury, which makes him at least an interesting roll of the dice in most formats…Now that Brian Scalabrine has joined KG on the sideline, Glen Davis is getting the starting nod. In three starts, Big Baby is averaging 16.7 points per game – he may not be long for the fantasy world, but he’s worth a short-term roster spot…One of the players heading west in the Salmons trade, Andres Nocioni, seems to be enjoying his relative freedom in the offense. The fifth-year forward is a volume shooter who is too loose with the ball, but he can score, drop threes and even chip in on the glass…It didn’t take long for the Thunder to find a spot in the starting lineup for Thabo Sefolosha, who posted 15 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday. Those in deeper leagues should act now before less informed owners take notice…Who is James Singleton? Anyone that can’t answer that question should take a quick peek at his game logs – we may be on to something here…Dominic McGuire continues to get a ton of burn in DC and averaged seasonal bests in both points (6.2) and rebounds (7.0) during February. That’s not great production, but it might raise some eyebrows in deep leagues.

Guards

Ronnie Brewer, Utah Jazz: Utah’s swingman is morphing into a legitimate fantasy force, scoring 16 or more points in all but one of the team’s 11 February tilts. His range isn’t great, but he shoots an excellent overall percentage for a guard, converting 55.7 per cent of his shots this past month. There’s no reason for him to be available in any league at this juncture.

Anthony Parker, Toronto Raptors: The 33-year-old struggled for much of February but ended the month on a high note, dropping 62 points over Toronto’s final three games. He has been very hit (13.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.6 APG in January) or miss (6.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.4 APG in December) this season so don’t mortgage your future to acquire him, but when he’s on he deserves a roster spot.

Best of the Rest

Sebastian Telfair averaged 11.9 points per game in February though he continues to misfire with great regularity from the field. Be prepared to take a hit in field goal percentage for his modest contributions in points and assists…Even with Mickael Pietrus returning to action on Friday, Courtney Lee continues to start for Orlando, and why not? Lee has averaged 14.4 points a game in his past five starts and launched a dozen three-pointers (hitting four) his last time out. At the very least he’s worth watch list status in most formats…In two games with the Celtics, Stephon Marbury has scored eight points, all of them coming in his Boston debut. Keep a watchful eye on Starbury.

Welcome to Part Three of the Field Goal percentage series, where we will take a look at the big fellas and their success flushing the rock. Centres, by nature, play down low and usually shoot a much higher percentage than other positions. The catch is that they are usually not gunners, and their field goal attempts are usually lower than the typical high scoring guard or forward. There are some big men that get lots of looks at a high success rate, and those are who we are targeting in this list. Remember, these rankings take into consideration the actual percentage coupled with the field goals attempted per game. Obviously, more field goals attempted by a player will affect this roto category more.

Top 10 Fantasy Ranking, Field Goal Percentage, Centres

1. Nene, Denver Nuggets (61%, 9.1 FGA, 14.7 PPG): The Brazilian big man has found success in the paint this year. Throw it down big fella, throw it down! Many have considered him an excellent sell high candidate for months because of his injury history, but we’re into late-February and he’s still balling.

2. Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix Suns (59.5%, 11 FGA, 17.4 PPG): Just when everyone thought the Diesel was out of fuel, he posts All-Star numbers with an all-world swagger. Other than resting the occasional game earlier in the season, Shaq has been a reliable fantasy presence all year long. As much as he hurts your free throw percentage, he helps your field goal percentage even more.

3. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic (56.9%, 12.5 FGA, 20.7 PPG): Howard is scary talented and he will only continue to get better. Seeing as how most of his baskets are dunks, he shoots a very high percentage with over a dozen looks a game.

4. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers (56.3%, 12.4 FGA, 18.3 PPG): The Spaniard has solidified the centre position for the Lakers with Andrew Bynum out for an extended period of time. While Lamar Odom has picked up on the rebounding front, Gasol takes over more touches in the paint, which can only lead to more scoring opportunities. Kobe Bryant understands that Pau needs the ball, and he will let him get his touches.

5. Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats (57.6%, 9.7 FGA, 14 PPG): Okafor’s great percentage with nearly 10 attempts a game will certain help you in this category, and the fact that he’s a such a great rebounder and shot blocker as well is gravy.

6. Andris Biedrins, Golden State Warriors (56.8%, 9.4 FGA, 13 PPG): Biedrins is an interesting player because it seems like all his baskets are garbage follow dunks. His fantasy owners do not care how he scores, they just love his rebounding and high shooting percentage. You may be surprised to know that he gets almost 10 field goal attempts a game in a guard-oriented Warrior offense.

7. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets (54.5%, 13.1 FGA, 19.9 PPG): The 7′6″ Chinese icon is so good down low, which is evident by his nearly 55 per cent shooting on over 13 attempts a game.

8. Kendrick Perkins, Boston Celtics (59.8%, 5.7 FGA, 8.1 PPG): The Boston big man could get more looks in the upcoming weeks with Kevin Garnett sidelined. Perkins is a high percentage shooter, but does not get very many touches with all of the talent surrounding him. He is a marginal fantasy player, but he will help you in FG percentage in a pinch, while putting up nice rebounding and block totals.

9. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers (50.1%, 11.3 FGA, 13.7 PPG): Big Z is back from injury and doing his thing. He takes a lot of jump shots for a centre, but is deadly accurate.

10. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies (52%, 7.8 FGA, 10.9 PPG): Joining his brother on the top 10 list, baby bro Marc can hold his own down low. The Grizzlies are a young team on the rise and they have a very promising centre. As Gasol develops more on the offensive end, his field goal numbers are sure to only improve.

Low Shooting Percentage, Centres

1. Rasheed Wallace, Detriot Pistons (42.8%, 11.6 FGA, 12.9 PPG): I am not sure how many more years this former Tar Heel has left as a starter. It seems like he is a fading star with a deteriorating jumper. He does take a lot of threes, but his shooting hurts your FG percentage if you start him at centre. I would look to move him if at all possible.

2. Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors (42.4%, 11.5 FGA, 13.8 PPG): Even though Bargnani does not have the typical skill set of a centre, he is nearly seven feet tall. He is a rising star in the league and I am sure his field goal numbers will improve down the stretch, but overall, he’s been so inconsistent this season. The problem is that if you start Bargnani at centre, you are not only getting a low number from him, but you’re also missing out on the high number from most other centres who are instead starting for another fantasy team.

3. Spencer Hawes, Sacramento Kings (44.4%, 9.6 FGA, 10.2 PPG): With Brad Miller shipped to the Bulls, Hawes is the man in the middle for the Kings. He has had an up and down first half of the season, but should improve with time. Hawes has solid post moves that will start to work after repetition and game experience. Consider him a sleeper for nice production down the stretch with an improved field goal percentage.

Check in later in the week to see Part 1 of the second series of The Hidden Truth!

Welcome to the Part Two of the Hidden Truth: FG Percentage, where today we take a look at FG percentage at the forward position. Thanks to some “helpful” advice, these rankings, unlike those for the guards, incorporate field goals percentage while examining how many shots a game the player takes. Shown in each ranking is field goal percentage, field goals attempted per game, and their scoring average per game. This is relevant because a guy who shoots more will have a greater effect on your team percentage.

Remember, FG percentage is no more important than any other Roto category, but it is something to look at while drafting, trading, and picking up free agents.

1. David Lee, New York Knicks (56.4%, 11.7 FGA, 16.4 PPG): Lee plays within five feet of the basket with great success.

2. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics (52.5%, 13.6 FGA, 16.4 PPG): KG, the heart and soul of the Celtics, is a consistent jump shooter, but can also throw it down in the paint.

3. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs (52.2%, 15.6 FGA, 20.8 PPG): The Big Fundamental is always solid in this category and it’s very nice to see him bounce back after a somewhat down season in 2007-08 in which he shot under 50 per cent.

4. Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors (49.6%, 15.9 FGA, 22.8 PPG): Bosh is a great fantasy player who helps in many categories, but let’s hope his knee is okay after taking two weeks off.

5. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers (49.1%, 20.3 FGA, 28.5 PPG): King James takes over 20 shots a game and he is shooting nearly 50 per cent, which is obviously great news for your Roto squad.

6. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers (48.9%, 15.1 FGA, 17.6 PPG): The former Longhorn standout is having a very nice year. He takes about 15 shots a game and makes them at a 49 per cent clip, providing a nice scoring option.

7. Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz (54.8%, 10.6 FGA, 14 PPG): Millsap has been an excellent stopgap for Carlos Boozer, but his production may be headed downhill with Boozer supposedly very close to returning.

8. Luis Scola, Houston Rockets (52.7%, 9.5 FGA, 12.4 PPG): Scola is never flashy, but he plays hard and gets the job done.

9. Grant Hill, Phoenix Suns (52.5%, 8.3 FGA, 11.1 PPG): If he were still drinking Sprite, maybe he would shoot the ball more. Hill gets limited minutes but shoots at a solid percentage; in fact, he’s on pace for a career best in this category.

10. Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets (50.6%, 10.6 FGA, 12.9 PPG): K-Mart has been shopping for easy buckets all year long.

11. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks (48.6%, 12.6 FGA, 15.7 PPG): The athletic Hawk forward provides an explosive presence on the court. He is also not too bad on paper.

12. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks (47.4%, 20 FGA, 25.9 PPG): – For such a high volume jump shooter, his percentage is right where you want it.

13. Zach Randolph, Los Angeles Clippers (47.5%, 18.1 FGA, 22 PPG): Besides being a punkass, Randolph shoots well in the paint.

14. Boris Diaw, Charlotte Bobcats (49.4%, 10 FGA, 11.8 PPG): Diaw has a chance to establish his game in a new city, and so far, the results have been excellent.

15. Udonis Haslem, Miami Heat (51.4%, 8.8 FGA, 10.8 PPG): Not a go-to guy, but Haslem throws up nearly nine shots a game at over 50 per cent success rate.

16. Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings (50%, 8.3 FGA, 10.4 PPG): The Kings rookie has been up and down all season, but has good numbers for a freshman.

17. Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers (49.2%, 8.1 FGA, 10.3 PPG): Odom has been getting way more looks with Andrew Bynum going down for an extended period.

18. Shawn Marion, Toronto Raptors (48.2%, 10.6 FGA, 12 PPG): It will be interesting to see how he fits in Toronto playing next to Bosh, but don’t be surprised to see his skill reemerge now that he’s out of Miami.

Top 10 Clankers

1. Ron Artest, Houston Rockets (38.8%, 13.9 FGA, 15.8 PPG): Overrated. Overrated. Overrated. Yeah, I said it.

2. Stephen Jackson, Golden State Warriors (40.5%, 16.7 FGA, 20.5 PPG): S-Jax scores a lot, but he also misses quite a bit.

3. Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic (40.1%, 13.9 FGA, 17 PPG) – His name on this list was a surprise to me, as anytime I see the Magic play, he seems to hit a lot of shots.

4. Al HarringtonNew York Knicks (42.3%, 17.5 FGA, 20.2 PPG): Maybe if the shoes he wore were not sold exclusively at K-Mart, he would shoot better.

5. Peja Stojakovic, New Orleans Hornets (41.1%, 12.4 FGA, 14.4 PPG): Stojakovic is a long range specialist who shoots two-pointers at an only slightly higher percentage as he does three-pointers.

6. Richard Jefferson, Milwaukee Bucks (43.2%, 13.8 FGA, 17.7 PPG): It has got to suck to be stuck in Milwaukee, especially given that half the team is hurt.

7. Wilson Chandler, New York Knicks (42.6%, 12.4 FGA, 13.7 PPG) – I am surprised that Chandler has gotten the ball enough to shoot over 12 times a game. I guess in Mike D’Antoni’s system, everyone gets looks.

8. Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers (43.5%, 19 FGA, 25.4 PPG): It is a shame he has bad knees, because Granger could be a special player. He may force it at times, but his team needs him to shoot the rock.

9. Andres Nocioni, Chicago Bulls (41.4%, 8.5 FGA, 10.4 PPG): This year has been a struggle for the native of Argentina.

10. Matt Barnes, Phoenix Suns (40.9%, 8.3 FGA, 9.3 PPG): Barnes was on plenty of sleeper lists heading into this season, but despite seeing more minutes than usual, his fantasy relevance has almost completely vanished, in no small part because his shooting continues to suffer.

On Friday, we will take a look at the big dudes and see how they stack up.

Welcome to the first edition of The Hidden Truth, a new NBA fantasy column in which I will be focusing on exposing the stats and players that win fantasy leagues. For instance, everyone knows Allen Iverson can hoop, but what are the consequences of starting him in your fantasy league? Does he shoot a high percentage? For those Roto-lovers out there, all categories are equal. First place in steals is the same as first place in points. So let’s dive in!

The first edition of this column will focus on field goal percentage. It is evident that if you take more shots farther from the rim, your shooting percentage is usually lower, so you have to take these rankings with a grain of salt. Just because Chauncey Billups shoots a low percentage does not make him a worse fantasy player than Ronnie Brewer, who is in the top 10 in FG percentage. To build a championship fantasy hoops squad, you must be balanced, but it does help to have guys with high field goal percentages at all positions.

Today we will look at the guards.

Top 10 High Percentage Finishers

1. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics (50.3%): The Celtic point guard is a solid fantasy player as he puts up decent points, assists, rebounds, and steals, but he shines in the field goal percentage category. This is a product of taking good shots in a good system, but man has he ever come a long way from his rookie season when his shooting was considered a major weakness.

2. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets (49.6%): Mr. Do-it-all also does not miss too often.

3. Ronnie Brewer, Utah Jazz (49.5%): Jerry Sloan likes this slasher because he gets good shots. People may see him as a role player, but he is averaging over 13 PPG this season.

4. Jose Calderon, Toronto Raptors (49.4%): Calderon does it a little differently — even though he is more of an outside shooter than Rondo or Tony Parker, he will help you in FG percentage just as much.

5. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs (49.4%): The Frenchman has perfected his 15-to-18 foot jumper from dead-on. This compliments his drives to the basket which create high percentage layups.

6. Ray Allen, Boston Celtics (49.1%): For a guy who chucks up threes at an alarming rate, it is a surprise that Ray-Ray clocks in at sixth on the list. I think people discount all of the layups he gets on baseline drives after doing a pump fake.

7. Andre Miller, Philadelphia 76ers (47.9%): The steady point guard always finds a way to take good shots.

8. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat (47.8%): Flash is back and he is doing his thing.

9. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (47.5%): Kobe makes more difficult shots than anyone in the league.

10. Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers (47.4%): Roy has a nice jumper, but he also can finish near the rim, as we saw on his dramatic game-winning bucket against the Knicks recently.

Honourable mention: Derrick Rose (47.3%), Leandro Barbosa (47.2%), Mike Miller (47.2%), Deron Williams (47.2%), Steve Nash (46.8%), Mo Williams (46.8%)

Note: Jameer Nelson was shooting over 50 per cent from the field, but he is now out for the season, so he was not included on this list.

Top 10 Clankers

1. Baron Davis, Los Angeles Clippers (35.2%): Too many bad shots coupled with injury problems has left B-Diddy as a bust this season.

2. Tracy McGrady (38.8%), Houston Rockets: T-Mac loves to shoot and can be very streaky. Now, he’s on the shelf.

3. Raymond Felton, Charlotte Bobcats (39.4%): Will learn to take better shots.

4. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (40.7%): The former UCLA guard will get better with time as he works off Durant.

5. Randy Foye, Minnesota Timberwolves (40.9%): Nobody in American has seen all of the misses. Have the Timberwolves ever played on national TV?

6. Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets (41.6%): Mr. Big Shot is also Mr. Big Miss, but in fairness, he shoots a lot of three balls, and that hurts his percentage.

7. Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks (41.6%): His jumper is as ugly as his kid.

8. Jamal Crawford, Golden State Warriors (41.7%): This baller could drop 30 points or shoot under 30 per cent on any given night.

9. Kevin Martin, Sacramento Kings (41.9%): He forces it a lot, but then again the Kings do suck, so who else is going to chuck it up?

10. Allen Iverson, Detroit Pistons (42.1%): AI has always been a “volume” shooter…everywhere he goes.

Dishonourable mention: Mike Conley (42.4%), Chris Duhon (42.4%), Derek Fisher (42.4%), Mario Chalmers (42.6%), Roger Mason (42.7%), Joe Johnson (43.3%), Nate Robinson (43.8%), Vince Carter (43.9%).

As mentioned before, this list does not determine a player’s overall worth. It is just one factor you should consider when building your fantasy lineup. Also, bear in mind that I tried to focus on fantasy relevant players. I am not going to argue if you say Daniel “Booby” Gibson should be on the list because his percentage is lower than Billups. However, in my mind, anyone named Booby should be a fantasy free agent.

Next: On Wednesday, we’ll take a look at the top-shooting and worst-shooting Forwards.

As we discussed last month, at this point, regardless of what happens in the second half, this has been a successful season for the Heat. But with five losses in seven games and a game Thursday night in Chicago against a Bulls team that’s gunning for a playoff spot and is tough at home, Miami must be relieved that the All-Star break is almost upon us.

On Tuesday night, Denver was the latest team to take out the Heat, and really, that’s nothing new. Somehow, Miami has been swept by the Nuggets in each of the last four seasons, losing eight straight overall (and nine of 10) to Denver. What’s the dealio? Okay, I get that Denver is an awesome team this year and last season Miami was totally crap. But the teams were fairly evenly matched in 2006-07 and the season before that, Miami was among the jewels of the East while Denver was middling. So why the hell can’t the Heat beat the Nuggets? Can someone explain it to me, please?

Luckily for the Heat, during its recent struggles neither of the two teams they are realistic chasing – Detroit and Atlanta – were able to take advantage, so the four through six slots in the East remain a dogfight (in fact, despite spinning its wheels lately, Miami has actually gained on Detroit). Miami, however, will need to pick things up pronto to avoid being passed by the seventh place Sixers, who have played well lately.

Miami’s turnaround this season has taken some of the spotlight off Shawn Marion’s dismal year, and given that we haven’t taken the opportunity to rip into the Matrix, it’s high time we did. Man, did we ever miss the boat when we ranked him as the fourth best forward heading into the season. The way things stand now, he’s not even a friggin’ top 40 forward! While Marion had a decent offensive effort in Tuesday’s loss (7-for-13 for 14 points), he managed just five boards, one assist and no steals, blocks or three-pointers. Remember when he was a fill-the-stat-sheet fantasy stud? While his shooting has been better since the calendar switched to 2009, Marion still doesn’t get enough touches to put up big-scoring nights. He no longer logs 40 MPG and what in the hell happened to his once strong perimeter game? Marion can’t hit from outside anymore (20.5 per cent) and he barely employs that part of his game. In fact, he’s sunk just eight lousy 3-pointers all season. This is a dude who once canned 141 in a season. Boy, does Marion ever need a change of scenery. To be honest, this is the worst he’s looked as a fantasy asset since he was a rookie with the Suns way back in 1999. Pathetic. The trade sure hasn’t worked out for either team. Phoenix no longer has an identity without Marion, and the Matrix left his game in the desert. But hey, at least he managed to hack Chris Andersen out of the game with a flagrant foul. If you can’t beat ‘em, knock ‘em out, right?

Did you happen to check out the American flag band aid Dwyane Wade was wearing to cover up his six-stitch cut? Nice look, dude! Of course, it didn’t stop him from pouring in 33 points.

There’s virtually no reason to own Joel Anthony, even when he’s seeing starter type minutes (as he has in the past two games, averaging 35 MPG). But if you are desperate for help in blocks, give him a look. Anthony’s five blocks Tuesday were just one shy of the Miami record for a non-starter. In less than 23 MPG of action this month, Anthony is averaging 2.2 swats per game. It’s certainly something to at least watch, especially with new starter Jamaal Magloire unable to gain any traction.

No one is going to try to tell you that the New Orleans Hornets aren’t a great team, one capable of challenging for the Western Conference title this spring. However, despite the team’s success – they have won five of their past six (and six of eight), have a chance to finish a perfect 3-0 on their current home stand with a win over the pathetic Warriors on Friday, and are likely headed for a second straight 55-win season – the Hornets are not nearly the powerhouse they were in 2007-08, at least offensively.

Last season, the team had a top 10 offense and top five defense, but can make only one of those claims this season. While the defense is even better this year – only Cleveland and Boston are giving up less points per game – the Hornet offense is now among the league’s worst with just over 96 PPG. While the addition of James Posey has helped, none of the team’s big four – Chris Paul, David West, Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler – are doing better this season, and in the case of the latter two, are actually doing much worse offensively.

Despite the offensive struggles, the Hornets sit just one game out in the Southwest Division, with a huge game in San Antonio on Saturday for division supremacy.

We suggested considering Devin Brown back in November, for he had been promised extra minutes. Sure enough, he got them, averaging over 20 MPG in December, but Brown failed to impress and he’s barely played so far in 2009. In fact, he had taken three straight DNP-CDs before an injury to Morris Peterson in the first half Wednesday opened up a chance for Brown. And take advantage he did, to the tune of a season-high 18 points with three treys and a steal. Everything he heaved up was falling (6-for-7), so don’t expect that to happen very often. Brown hasn’t had the opportunities to earn starts and play significant minutes this season like he did last year with Cleveland, but that could change. Put him back on your watch list and see how things play out.

As for MoPete, his injury won’t exactly send any owners scurrying to the waiver wire. Jeez, has he ever fallen off the map — Peterson hasn’t even played as many as 10 minutes in over three weeks. While he’s getting into more games this month, he’s so low down in the rotation that it doesn’t matter at all. And the fact that Peterson hasn’t been as aggressive this season – and hence has not been able to take advantage of his solid FT shooting when he does play – has only helped exacerbate the fact that he’s never been more irrelevant.

The hallmark of any great team is its ability to dominate at home. Well, after a rough start (splitting its first six games), New Orleans has been virtually untouchable at the refreshingly corporate-name-free, yet-screaming-for-some-marketing-touch-to-its-moniker New Orleans Arena, winning 13 of 15 since, including the past four after taking out Denver Wednesday night.

How good has Paul been? Can you believe this dude has dropped at least 10 dimes in 30 of 40 games this year? Sick. Fantasy MVP? Me thinks so, despite King James’ exploits.

New Orleans can definitely thank the second unit for this latest win. While Denver’s starters were outscoring the Hornet front five by 14, the battle of the benches was a completely different story, as the Hornets won this by a whopping 29 points, 42-13. And that was despite the fact that sixth man Posey absolutely stunk the joint up (1-for-13, six points). Brown’s huge night and continued solid work from Sean Marks (six points, seven boards and a block) made the difference on this night.

The incredibly frustrating year continues for Chandler and his owners as he missed his fourth straight game Wednesday because of an ankle injury. We mentioned above that his offense had taken a beating this year, but if his fall were limited to scoring, it would be only half bad. Heading into the season, we had Chandler pegged a shade below top 10 centre status, but thanks to injuries and ineffectiveness, he’s barely in the top 50 now, and to wit, has been winding up on the waiver wire in smaller leagues. Chandler had been shooting well recently before getting hurt, but he gets so few touches per game, that it’s hardly noticeable. The bottom line here is that with his no-longer dominating rebounding totals, Chandler contributes in far too few categories. His FG percentage has dropped significantly this season, he’s never sunk a three-pointer in his entire career, he’s a lousy FT shooter who has gotten worse this year, he’s scoring three less points per game, and his assists have been cut in half. Damn, the only thing Chandler’s doing better this year is blocking shots. He’s swatting 1.4 per game, up from just 1.1 BPG last season, but still down from his career-best 1.8 BPG which he matched in his first season in The Big Easy. He’s supposed to be back before the All-Star Game, so no point in cutting him yet, but if I owned him, I’d wait for him to post a double-double or two, then I’d shop him like mad.

Also MIA for the Hornets lately is West, out the past five games because of back spasms. We ranked West as a top 20 forward this season, but he has not quite been able to build on his career year in 2007-08. The timing of West’s injury was particularly lousy, as he had been putting up his best numbers of the season in January, averaging almost 22 PPG. While West’s TOs have dropped this year, unfortunately so have all the rest of his numbers. At this point, he’s day-to-day, but despite his decreased output this season, West remains a must-own player.

Best sign of the night for the Hornets: they shot 48.6 per cent from the field even though Paul had a crappy 3-for-12 game. Despite their less than impressive offensive numbers, the Hornets haven’t been a bad shooting team (46.01 per cent, good for 11th in the NBA), but to have a night like this against a tough Denver defense (the Nuggets are fourth best in the NBA at limiting opponents’ FG shooting) when Paul struggled with his shot definitely bodes well.

The host team has won three straight games (and seven of nine) and owns a pristine 20-0 record in their own building; the visitor has dropped its last five games, is a dismal 3-20 away from home and has failed to beat a single Eastern Conference team this season. Oh, and the visitor has lost its last four against its opponent. Hmmm….whoever will prove victorious Tuesday night in the Sacramento Kings at Cleveland Cavaliers match? This is one of those situations where it’s so ridiculously a mismatch that you can’t help but feel that the situation is ripe for an upset. Yet, strangely, I still won’t put any bucks on the Kings.

After a somewhat disappointing 2007-08, the Cavs have taken a huge step forward this season. They are blowing the aging Pistons away in the Central Division, have the best winning percentage in the Eastern Conference (but trail Boston by three wins) and are just a half-game back of the Lakers for the best mark in the entire association. Their offense is way better (top 10 after being one of the worst in the NBA last year) and their defense, which was pretty good last season, is vastly improved with an NBA-best 90.1 PPG surrendered.

Cleveland is coming off a tough four-game western swing where it dropped the opener, losing badly to the Lakers, but then won the final three over Portland, Golden State and Utah, the bookends of that trio both being among the NBA’s toughest pit stops. After this impressive run, can we finally say with conviction that the Cavs are a legitimate NBA Championship contender?

As if things aren’t going well enough for Cleveland, check out its upcoming schedule. Tuesday, as mentioned, Sacramento pays a visit. Then, the Cavaliers head to Orlando, in what should prove to be a very tough game and possible Eastern Conference semifinal preview. After that, the Clippers are in town; then a visit to Detroit, followed by a home date against Toronto and a visit to New York. All told, Cleveland faces a fairly easy schedule heading into the early part of February. By then, it could boast the best record in the entire NBA.

How good has Cleveland been at home? It has been completely shutting down its opponents, limiting them to just 88 PPG while winning by an average margin of 16.4 PPG. These blowouts have directly led to slightly lower numbers from LeBron James, who has been provided plenty of opportunity to rest during extended garbage time. Western Conference visitors? No problem-o. Cleveland has taken out all six such beasts – three of which (Denver, Houston and New Orleans) are decent to good road teams.

With Cleveland’s D being as brilliant as it is this year, when the Cavs score 100 points, forget about it – it’s lights out for the other team. They are 22-0 when this happens, including an equal 11-0 at home and on the road.