Welcome to another edition of The Hidden Truth. Today, we will take a look at steals. Here we have another fantasy category that is often overlooked, but is just as important as anything else. When you prepped for your draft, did you even look at steals? Would that even sway your decision for picking up a free agent? Do keep in mind that steals are usually a guard-oriented category; you do not get much help from your big guys. For that reason, there is no sense listing every centre in a list of dudes that don’t get steals. Instead, I will take you through three different lists.

10 Studs that Steal

This is the cream of the crop as far as steals go. They are all lock-em-up fantasy starters every week, with the exception of Mario Chalmers, who is a borderline fantasy starter. Consider this group the board of the Thievery Corporation.

1. Chris Paul, G, New Orleans Hornets: – 2.7 steals per game. Besides stealing basketballs from fellow NBAers, he is stealing Right Guard money for those awful commercials. I don’t care about Paul’s pits.

2. Jason Kidd, G, Dallas Mavericks – 2.2 steals per game. J-Kidd may be a fading star in the NBA, but there are several things he still does well, and creating turnovers is one of them.

3. Dwyane Wade, G, Miami Heat – 2.1 steals per game. Flash fills the passing lanes and comes up with over a couple steals per game. [As an aside, RotoRob had a dream the other night that he was Dwyane Wade and was playing a game of halfcourt using a 45 RPM record instead of a basketball. Can someone explain that, please?]

4. Rajon Rondo, G, Boston Celtics – 2.0 steals per game. Rondo has a large wingspan coupled with big hands that allows him to pick the pocket of his opponent with ease. You’ve been “Rondo’ed.”

5. Mario Chalmers, G, Miami Heat – 1.9 steals per game. Chalmers is the lone rookie on this list. He has had a fairly solid freshman campaign beneath the wing of  D-Wade, who has taught him a thing or two about NBA thievery.

6. LeBron James, F, Cleveland Cavaliers – 1.8 steals per game. What stat cat doesn’t King James fill?

7. Gerald Wallace, F, Charlotte Bobcats – 1.8 steals per game. Wallace is an ultra-athletic three man who contributes on both ends of the floor.

8. Baron Davis, G, Los Angeles Clippers – 1.8 steals per game. B Diddy could not shoot a beach ball into the Atlantic Ocean this year, but he still plays some D and comes up with loose balls. It also should be noted that he is stealing millions of dollars from Donald Sterling.

9. Ron Artest, F, Houston Rockets – 1.7 steals per game. Ron-Ron is a premier defender in the NBA who has always ranked high in steals. Even on one strong ankle, he’s still a stud in this cat.

10. Andre Iguodala, G, Philadelphia 76ers – 1.7 steals per game. Iggy helps your fantasy squad in many ways, including pitching in in the steals department.

10 Studs Who Should Get Steals, But Don’t

This is a list of guys that may surprise you with their theft ineptitude. If you have one of these guys, this does not mean you should cut or trade them. Simply realize that maybe you are lacking production in steals because of these guys.

1. Tayshaun Prince, F, Detroit Pistons – 0.5 steals per game. Prince is a lengthy defender that I would think would average at least 1.5 steals a game, but he’s never recorded more than 0.8 SPG in any one season.

2. Michael Beasley, F, Miami Heat – 0.5 steals per game. Beasley was dominant last year in college, but I am not really seeing the production and energy this year. That extends to the defensive end, where he has struggled at times.

3. Aaron Brooks, G, Houston Rockets – 0.6 steals per game. This lighting quick point guard is getting a chance to start now that Rafer Alston has been traded. It is a surprise, however, to see his steals down so far, seeing that he plays so fast and low to the ground.

4. D.J. Augustin, G, Charlotte Bobcats – 0.6 steals per game. This rookie is having a decent year, but has not gotten the steals one may think. His shot is starting to come around and he will improve his defense over the next few seasons, but don’t expect big steal numbers this year.

5. Raja Bell, G, Charlotte Bobcats – 0.6 steals per game. This is may be the most surprising guy on the list for me. Bell is a great defender but does not get steals, unlike Artest.

6. Steve Nash, G, Phoenix Suns – 0.7 steals per game. The aging Canadian national has never averaged over a steal a game during his stint in Phoenix. This may be a surprise to some seeing as how Paul, a guard with similar vision, averages over 2.5.

7. Richard Jefferson, F, Milwaukee Bucks – 0.7 steals per game. I would have thought that Jefferson would be over a steal a game, but apparently not.

8. Jamal Crawford, G, Golden State Warriors – 0.8 steals per game. Crawford is the ultimate gunner. He could give you 20 points, but he only throws in the occasional rebound, assist, steal, or block.

9. Ben Gordon, G, Chicago Bulls – 0.8 steals per game. See Crawford, Jamal.

10. Al Thornton, F, Los Angeles Clippers – 0.8 steals per game. Thornton is an improving player, but does not get very many steals. He does average nearly a block a game, so he does have a defensive presence.

10 Possible Free Agents who get Steals

Here is a list of guys that you can use for some spot starts or to fill in a hole. If you check you league standings and see points to gain in the steals department, it could not hurt to throw in a few spot starts with these guys, if they are available in your league.

1. Trevor Ariza, F, Los Angeles Lakers – 1.62 steals per game. Ariza has active hands and an improving perimeter game.

2. Ronnie Brewer, F, Utah Jazz – 1.63 steals per game. Brewer, who also made an appearance on the top FG percentage list, fills the steals category on a regular basis.

3. Delonte West, G, Cleveland Cavaliers – 1.49 steals per game. Now that Redz is back from injury, he is looking to contribute in points, assists, and steals.

4. Luke Ridnour, G, Milwaukee Bucks – 1.35 steals per game. Ridnour is sharing time with Ramon Sessions, but is a decent stopgap that can give you points, assists, and steals on a pretty regular basis.

5. Derek Fisher, G, Los Angeles Lakers – 1.27 steals per game. The Laker fans love Fisher, and so will you if you give him a spot start and he knocks down a few threes and throws in a few steals.

6. C.J. Watson, G, Golden State Warriors – 1.27 steals per game. It is always dangerous to mix fantasy basketball and Don Nelson. Proceed with caution.

[edit]7. Anthony Parker, G, Toronto Raptors – 1.24 steals per game. Parker is available in most leagues, and he puts up decent numbers, especially in steals. If I were Parker, I would never have time to get any steals because I would be too busy throwing up thinking about how Shelden Williams knocked up my sister. How gross.

8. Jamario Moon, F, Miami Heat – 1.13 steals per game. I think Moon could be a great fit in Miami. He could be worth a long term pick up if he continues to start.

9. Ronald Murray, G, Atlanta Hawks – 1.04 steals per game. Murray has been getting decent run lately. He can score and get you over a steal per game, too!

10. Jordan Farmar, G, Los Angeles Lakers – 1.05 steals per game. I think Farmar will start to get more and more minutes down the stretch. The Lakers will need him in the playoffs, and he provides energy, shooting, and defense on a pretty consistent basis.

With all this said, steals is just another category that you should consider when making any fantasy moves. Most people, I would say, tend to ignore steals, but there are roto points to be gained by those who pay attention to….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.

While the Chicago Bulls have ridden a better offense to slight improvements over last season, they have failed to garner any real momentum this season. In fact, judging by their month-by-month record (1-1 in October, 7-8 in November, 6-9 in December, 7-9 in January and 2-3 so far in February), this team is maddeningly and consistently middling. The Bulls tend to have a nasty habit of finding ways to lose, and turnovers have been a problem. Sure, they are good enough to be within striking distance of a playoff spot after missing out on the postseason last year, but it’s also a small wonder why GM John Paxson is rumoured to be ready to resign from his post.

The last time we checked in on the Bulls, it was pretty well the same story, but the good news is it won’t take a big push to make a real difference for them given the middling nature of the Eastern Conference. They enter the break just two games back of the eighth place Bucks, setting up a big game in Milwaukee on Wednesday to kick off the unofficial second half of the season. Despite losing three of its last five, Chicago has been holding its own lately, keeping pace with both the Bucks and Nets and even pulling within striking distance of the slipping Pistons. Chicago has recently passed the slumping Knicks and has managed to put a wee bit of distance between itself and the rest of the Eastern Conference also-rans.

Point guard Derrick Rose, the No. 1 overall pick last year, has proved to be all that in his rookie season, spurring a nice improvement in Chicago’s offensive game. There remains plenty of room for growth here, as it’s still a somewhat middling offense, but at least they are headed in the right direction. The defense, however, is another story. In two short seasons, the Bulls have gone from having one of the truly elite defenses in the NBA under defensive whiz Scott Skiles to being saddled with one of the worst Ds under new head man Vinny Del Negro. And this, is a nutshell, is why the team’s overall improvements this season are extremely modest.

Tyrus Thomas, whom we recommended last month, has been living up to the hype lately, entering the break with a streak of nine straight double-digit scoring games, including five double-doubles. While the recent turnover binge (11 in the past two games) hurts, Thomas has been providing superb overall value, and needs to be picked up if he’s still out there on the wire in your league. Given plenty of PT with Drew Gooden out, Thomas has shot the ball much better this month, and he’s put it all together, proving he can help you in points, boards, blocks, steals and FG percentage. He’s avoided a major injury so far this season and has taken a big step forward as a force on the glass. Even when Gooden returns (although surgery remains a possibility there), I’m expecting Thomas to maintain his value. Sure, he’s still learning on the job, and has come under fire for his missed defensive assignments at times, but the upside remains huge for Thomas.

Ben Gordon also enters the break on a real run, averaging 28.7 PPG in the last three after shooting 10-of-21 from the field and 14-of-16 from the field for a game-high 34 points on Thursday. He slipped in January, but has ridden some hot perimeter shooting (he’s sinking 48 per cent of his five attempted treys per game) this month to a stellar 25 PPG in February. For the season, Gordon is now up to 45 per cent from the field, a nice improvement over last season’s effort, and that’s helped him return to the 20+ PPG territory. Better yet, he’s re-emerged as a serious clutch player, saving his best for late in the game.

As mentioned previously, Rose has been tremendously impressive, doing enough to earn consideration for a 2008 RotoRob Award as Fantasy Rookie of the Year. There’s some concern about the amount of pressure on him as a rookie PG, but he was showing no signs of hitting the wall as we reached the break, averaging 21 PPG over the past four games and shooting particularly well (58.6 per cent) in the last two games. Rose hasn’t done quite as well getting to the line in the past couple of months, but he’s compensated for that by shooting better once he does make it to the charity stripe. Despite the huge competition in such a phenomenal rookie class, something tells me that the Skills Competition trophy won’t be the last piece of hardware Rose hoists this season.

One Bull we expected to be a potentially useful reserve this season is Thabo Sefolosha, but his PT has been on the decline big time of late. And given that he only played six minutes Thursday yet managed to commit the turnover that led to the game-winning shot for Miami, I’m not expecting Sefolosha to carve out more action for himself any time soon. He’s been discussed in trade rumours, and at this point, that’s the only chance he’ll have to emerge with fantasy value this season.

Andres Nocioni, on the other hand, has provided some fantasy value off the bench for Chicago. We recommended him just before the New Year, when he was getting hot, and recently, he’s been on a similar streak, scoring double digits in points in six straight games until Thursday. Be aware that Nocioni’s PT has dipped the past couple of months, but he’s maintaining his value right now by shooting extremely well from beyond the arc. Once his percentages normalize, he won’t be nearly as useful. The fact is, Nocioni’s value has been in decline the past couple of seasons, as he’s become a less and less important part of the Bull offense. Once a key component of the team’s long-term rebuilding plan, Nocioni would now probably best be served by starting over elsewhere.

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.

The Philadelphia 76ers, one of the hottest teams in the NBA in January, hadn’t exactly been building on this success during their current seven-game homestand. In fact, heading into action Thursday, the Sixers had dropped two of the first three games of the stand. But Thursday, Philly withstood a late run by the Pacers to snap a two-game losing skid and get back to .500 for the season.

It’s been a season of slight progress for the Sixers, but certainly not to the extent that many had expected. After makes strides offensively last season, the team’s scoring hasn’t developed any more. The defense is slightly better, but again, nothing earth shattering. The Sixers are second in the division, but only because Toronto has tanked this season. They currently hold down the seventh seed in the East and have been inching closer to sixth-place Miami, setting up a big game Saturday night when the Heat comes to town.

Of course, the big news in Sixer Land is that Elton Brand’s shoulder – you know, the one expected to keep him out for a month back before Christmas — has now sidelined the team’s big off-season acquisition for the remainder of the year. He managed to return and play five games last month and one in February, but wasn’t seeing significant enough minutes to really be a fantasy factor, so essentially – from his owners’ standpoint – he has just been a waste of space for almost two months now. Well, at least you can now cut him without fear he’ll come back to bite you.

With Brand out, look for Andre Miller to take a more important role in the offense in the coming weeks. He’s been dropping dimes like mad lately, dishing a dozen Thursday and averaging 8.4 in the past five. But he’s also logging heavy minutes since Brand shut it down. There have been rumours he could be dealt, so that’s something to keep an eye on. Miller hasn’t shot the ball quite as well this season, and that’s a trend that doesn’t seem to be turning around after his 3-for-9 performance Thursday dropped him to 40 per cent for the past three games. As Miller’s touches rise, it appears his FG percentage won’t come along for the ride. Still, I’m sure you’re not complaining about the double-double he dropped Thursday – just his fourth of the season after he racked up 14 last season. Overall, Miller has had a decent season, probably good enough to justify the fourth round pick you likely spent to obtain him, but I’m not sure how much more he’s going to help you now that Brand is done.

Obviously, the other player who will be leaned on more now is Andre Iguodala. Let’s hope the extra touches helps Iggy continue to elevate his game after he endured a very sluggish start to the season. We had the dude pegged as a top 10 forward this year, but despite his recent turnaround, he’s still not playing like a top 15 forward. That could change in the second half, making him an excellent buy-low candidate. He’s been scoring well lately (20 PPG in the past five) and racking up the steals (seven in the past two games), but until Thursday, hadn’t been doing much in the way of boards and assists recently. However, Iguodala just missed out on a triple double – something he hasn’t accomplished in a couple of seasons. He settled for his ninth double-double of the season, which – surprisingly – is a new career high, and we’re only in February. Most people have been moaning about his down year, but really, he’s not far behind what he accomplished last season, and there’s still time for him to exceed it. Iggy’s been getting more touches as the season has progressed, and that’s a trend that should definitely continue in the wake of Brand’s shut down. The fact that Iguodala has shot the ball better this season (47.5 per cent) bodes well for a big second half, offensively.

In both of the losses during its two-game skid, Philly coughed up leads late. Thursday, the Sixers held their own. That’s a trend that will have to continue if this team hopes to keep moving up the Eastern Conference standings. But as long as they keep finding ways to win (11 in the past 15 games), the Sixers are going to be a team no one is interested in meeting come playoff time in April.

The 76ers took over the game in the third quarter, outscoring Indy 26-13 and you can thank Willie Green for this run. He poured in 11 of his season-high 23 points in the quarter. With Brand out, perhaps it’s time to consider Green in a deeper league as a possible wire pickup. Sure, he’s been inconsistent as hell (he scored a 20 points last Friday, but just 12 in the next two games before his explosion Thursday), but you’ve got to figure his waning PT should turn around now. I mean, with season highs in points twice in the past four games, Green deserves a bit more burn and if he starts regularly seeing 25 or more minutes, he’ll be worth a pickup. Even though he’s a backcourt player, Green’s value has been directly tied to Brand’s status. Green lost his starting job to Iggy this year, as Iggy moved from the three to the two to accommodate Brand in the frontcourt, but Green is back starting since Brand got hurt, and now it looks like he’ll hang onto the role for the remainder of the season. One note, however: I’d watch how the minutes shake out between Green and Lou Williams before making a claim on either.

With Brand toast, Philly needs a more balanced attack like it received Thursday when five players hit double-digits in scoring. In addition to Green, Iguodala and Miller, Samuel Dalembert came through with a big night (18 points and 20 boards) while Thaddeus Young (also expected to benefit from Brand’s injury), pitched in with 14 points.

The Detroit Pistons snapped an ugly five-game losing streak (their longest skid in five years) by beating Memphis on Monday, and Wednesday they’ll look to start a winning streak when a struggling Raptor squad heads into Motown. Fortunately, beating Toronto at the Palace has never been a difficult chore for Detroit; it’s won 10 straight such battles (a streak that dates back to April 2003 and includes an average margin of victory of 11 freaking points!).

Detroit was rolling along at 21-11 early this month, but a 2-6 skid since then has dropped them well off the pace in the Central Division behind Cleveland, and down to fifth overall in the East, with Miami inching closer.

Wednesday is the start of a three-game homestand, but after Toronto, things get tough, with visits by Dallas and Houston.

Detroit may be sporting a new look tonight; the Pistons have been going with a three-guard starting lineup featuring Allen Iverson, Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton, but there’s been plenty of talk that coach Michael Curry plans to send AI or Rip to the bench and move Amir Johnson into the starting five. From all indications, it will be Hamilton who will be demoted.

A few weeks after the deal that sent Chauncey Billups to Denver for Iverson, we noted that the Pistons weren’t exactly kicking ass with AI in their lineup. While Iverson is coming off a big game Monday (27 points, five boards, two steals), this kind of effort has been too rare, and to say he’s been inconsistent almost seems like a compliment. He’s recorded seven steals in the past three games, but before that had really struggled to offer value in a category he’s traditionally been among the league leaders in. In fact, since arriving in Detroit, Iverson has simply not shot the ball well. Sure, the 16-for-28 showing over the past two games has been nice, but like I said, he’s been inconsistent as hell. While I doubt strongly that Iverson is headed to the bench, what would happen to his level of consistency if that did happen? From an overall value perspective, it’s hard to believe it can get any worse for Iverson.

Hamilton, meanwhile, continues his decline over the past couple of seasons. He lasted until the end of the 12th round in my media league draft this fall, but the way things are going now, he may find himself at the very end of the draft next season. Rip has actually been doing pretty well in past few games, notwithstanding some foul trouble Monday that limited his court time. But he missed several games last month and earlier this in January with a groin injury and looked quite rusty upon his return. But beyond the injuries (or perhaps as a result of them), a disconcerting trend has developed in Hamilton’s game. His FT attempts per game has been in free fall for the past couple of months; in fact, in five games this month, he’s only gotten to the charity stripe four times. For a scorer who shoots an extremely high percentage from the line, that’s really going to cut into his point total. The bottom line here is that since arriving in Detroit, Hamilton has never been less valuable. And a move to the bench – which seems all but assured starting against Toronto Wednesday – is not going to help matters.

So despite his less-than-inspiring season, AI ranks second among all Eastern Conference guards in All-Star voting behind only Dwyane Wade. Damn, even Vince Carter – who’s been slipping himself the past couple of seasons – deserves to be ahead of Iverson in voting.

Tayshaun Prince has not been impervious to the inconsistency. He’s sunk just 7-of-25 in the past two games and on Monday he turned in a real stinker, managing just four points and three boards with no assists, blocks or treys. Prince started the month with some fine shooting nights, so we’ll cut him some slack for now. He’s actually enjoying his finest season overall and he remains among the most durable players in the game, but whatever happened to Prince’s perimeter game? He used to be good for one trey per game; two years later, he’s getting just half that many. By the way, Prince ranks eighth among forwards in the East. No way should he be behind rookie Michael Beasley at seventh, and you could make an argument given the time that Josh Smith lost to injury that Prince could also slide ahead of J Smoov at sixth in the voting.

When we ranked Rasheed Wallace as the 12th best centre heading into the season, we expected his PT to continue to decline in a deeper Detroit frontcourt. Well, that hasn’t happened, yet Wallace’s overvalue has slipped anyways, and he’s now barely a top 20 centre. While Sheed enjoyed a decent game on Monday (13 points, eight boards, three steals, two assists), his outside shooting has gotten worse and worse as the season has progressed. He’s sunk just 7-of-27 from beyond the arc over the past four games, dropping his 3-point percentage down to 26.5 for January. As I mentioned, Wallace is getting more action this season, and he’s done a fantastic job from the line, but owners are aghast at the fact his FG percentage, steals, blocks, assists and scoring have all dropped. Sheed currently ranks third in voting among Eastern Conference centres, and he’s definitely outplayed No. 2 Samuel Dalembert, but I’d buy it if Jermaine O’Neal (currently fourth in voting), despite his injuries, was ahead of Wallace.

A real problem for Detroit lately has been finding offense late in games. During the five-game losing skid, the Pistons failed to score even 20 points in the fourth quarter once, averaging just 15.2 points in the final stanza over that stretch. Hell, even when they snapped the losing streak on Monday, they only managed 20 points in the fourth. Fortunately, they limited Memphis to a laughable 10 points to ice the W. Still, the Pistons are going to need to find a way to put late points on the board if they hope to improve their playoff positioning.