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.

The Orlando Magic is having a fantastic season, building on last year’s success and riding an improved defense towards what could be a 60-win campaign. However, it’s reasonable to wonder if Orlando is hitting a wall, after losing six of 14 games in February, a record that might have been .500 for the month had it not been for a great comeback against the Sixers Saturday night.

The Magic is firmly entrenched in first place in the Southeast Division, and isn’t really being challenged for third overall in the Eastern Conference, but with Cleveland not slowing down, Orlando is slipping a bit further away from the Cavs and is not gaining on Boston, either. Is this a legitimate contender? The talent is definitely there, but is this team tough enough to go deep in the playoffs? That’s the big question facing the Magic as the season winds down.

Adding Rafer Alston at the deadline was a stroke of genius, plugging a big hole left by the injured Jameer Nelson. Hedo Turkoglu is starting to play more like the man who was the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season as opposed to the inconsistent, often poor-shooting performer he’s been most of the season. Orlando lost Mickael Pietrus to another injury, but Courtney Lee has stepped in admirably and, with his recent performance, is providing the Magic with the most consistent play it’s gotten out of the two-guard spot all season.

Best of all, Orlando comes home for a pair of games this week in the hopes that it can start to string some wins together after a middling few weeks. If it hopes to successfully chase down Cleveland or Boston, the Magic can’t afford any more letdowns this season.

While the Magic offense isn’t quite as good as it was last season, when it was the top-scoring team in the East, it’s not exactly chopped liver this year, remaining among the best in the association.

Rashard Lewis was a big part of that attack earlier this season. In fact, he was on a serious tear the last time we checked in on him, but his touches have been down the past couple of months, and February was a real bust, as his shooting went into the tank. Less shots + less makes = unhappy fantasy owners. On the plus side, Lewis snapped a slump and ended the month on a high Saturday, leading the way with 8-for-12 shooting from the floor and 2-for-2 from the line for 23 points. Orlando, one of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in the NBA, was filling it up Saturday with 15 treys, and Lewis led the way, canning five of them (on eight tries) and pitching in with three assists as well. And with shootout inducing Phoenix coming to town Tuesday, Lewis has a chance to put together back-to-back solid efforts for his owners for the first time since January. Lewis still isn’t getting any more touches than he did last season, and when he is getting the looks, the fact that his shot has been in decline for three years running is a concern. He remains an amazing source of 3-pointers – give him at least one in 52 straight games – but I could see him slipping into the fourth round in next year’s drafts.

Like I said, the Magic likes to employ the deep ball. In fact, Orlando tied a franchise mark last night when it heaved up 37 shots from beyond the arc Saturday. Holy long distance attack, Batman. Lee wasn’t exactly red hot, but he led the parade with 12 attempts among his team-high 18 shots for the game. That’s the most touches the rook has ever had in a game – a fantastic sign for his owners. By the way, you can count me among his newest owners, as I got fed up waiting for Rudy Fernandez to earn more PT in Portland, dumping the Spaniard for a different freshman. So far, I’m pretty stoked about the results.

Saturday’s win over Philly was huge. Coming off a disheartening home loss to a severely struggling Detroit team on Friday, there was definitely reason to begin questioning whether Orlando was a contender or pretender. But coming back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter in Philly against a Sixers team that plays pretty well at home will help shut up the critics. The Magic dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring Philadelphia 36-20, with Lee draining 13 points himself, the most he’s ever scored in a single stanza. Orlando is now 21-9 on the road, third best in the NBA, and that’s got to scare the crap out of any potential playoff opponent because stealing wins on the road during the postseason is what makes a champion. So as long as the Magic maintain its no fear policy on the road, it will be handful for anyone.

If the season ended today, Orlando would meet the 76ers in the first round — a match up that the Magic would probably be chomping at the bit over. Orlando has now won four straight and eight of its past nine games over Philly. By taking all three games against the Sixers this year, Orlando has swept them for the first time since 1997-98. That Magic squad was a .500 team led by Penny Hardaway, by the way.

The thing about the Magic is it really lives and dies by the 3-ball. It had made just 10-of-30 through three quarters, well below its season average of 39 per cent. So you’d think Orlando would scale back on the perimeter game in the fourth quarter, right? Uh, maybe not. The Magic attempted another seven treys in the final quarter, hitting five of them to change the complexion of the game. Like any jump shooting team, Orlando is prone to slumps, but full marks for plowing through on Saturday.

Centres

Chris Wilcox, New York Knicks: After originally being included in the deal for New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler, Wilcox eventually ended up in the Big Apple. It’s debatable if Wilcox would’ve been better off on the receiving end of pick and rolls from Chris Paul rather than playing in Mike D’Antoni’s offense from a fantasy perspective, but his potential is interesting at the very least. Those in deep leagues need to add him right away while those in shallower formats should put him on their watch lists.

Best of the Rest

With Greg Oden banged up, Joel Przybilla has been a monster on the glass, hauling in 44 rebounds in his last four games. However, outside of some sporadic blocks, he won’t be much of a help elsewhere…Andray Blatche is back after a nine-game absence, though his minutes have been fairly low in three games since returning. He really looked like he was piecing things together before the injury and would be worth a flier in deeper leagues.

Forwards

Antonio McDyess, Detroit Pistons: Things may be coming apart at the seams in the Motor City, but that certainly isn’t the fault of McDyess, who is playing some inspired basketball. The veteran moved into the starting lineup two games ago and has responded with 37 points and 27 rebounds in that time. His work on the boards should be enough to earn him a spot in most leagues, and his solid scoring and 52.7 per cent shooting from the field is just icing on the cake.

Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers: Inexplicably, Young remains available in numerous leagues despite averaging 13.6 points and 5.0 boards per night this season. He’s a capable three-point shooter and has an impressive 16 thefts in eight games this month. Young is worth owning in all leagues.

Vladimir Radmanovic, Charlotte Bobcats: Things continue to go pretty smoothly for Radmanovic in Charlotte as the 6-foot-10 perimeter threat has racked up 66 points (including 13 three-pointers) in five games since joining the Bobcats. His rebounding numbers have even bordered on respectable – well, at least for a featherweight on the glass like Vlad. Take a chance on him if you’re looking for a bump in scoring.

Best of the Rest

Ricky Davis has started the Clippers’ last three games and even though the results haven’t been jaw dropping (26 points, 12 assists combined in the three contests) his scoring acumen is well known. View him as a flier in deeper leagues…In Boston’s first game without Kevin Garnett it was Brian Scalabrine that got the starting nod, logging 37 minutes and dropping 14 points on the Suns. He could have some short-term value for clubs desperate for scoring help…He’s still hit or miss at this point, but Marreese Speights has authored five double-digit scoring performances in his last seven games. The downside is he failed to score in the other two…Shane Battier’s minutes should be secure now that Tracy McGrady is unlikely to return in 2009, which is the good news. The bad news is that Battier is only averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in seven February games despite logging nearly 33 minutes a night. He’s only an option in deep leagues…Could the words Thabo Sefolosha and fantasy basketball actually be uttered in the same sentence following his trade to Oklahoma City? Stay tuned.

Guards

Aaron Brooks, Houston Rockets: Houston’s decision to ship “Skip to my Lou” off to Orlando moves Brooks into the starting lineup for the rest of the season. The diminutive point guard celebrated with a 19-point, eight-assist and six-rebound effort in his first start of the post-Rafer Alston era on Friday. He has flashed some serious potential at times this year and now with steady run in his future he should be acquired in all formats.

Roger Mason, San Antonio Spurs: The frailty of Manu Ginobili should provide a windfall of fantasy value for Mason, who averaged 15.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in November when Ginobili played in only four games. Mason has dropped 20 or more in two of the three games since Manu went down, and he is an absolute beast from beyond the arc. He should be a great temporary add in most leagues.

Best of the Rest

We at The Troll have been high on Francisco Garcia for some time now, but the dealing of John Salmons should open up more playing time for Garcia and give him additional value. Act now before a rival owner scoops up the 27-year-old swingman…The Kings also tried to move Beno Udrih but were unsuccessful; perhaps that was a blessing in disguise as he has reached double figures in six consecutive games. Consistency and Udrih don’t go hand in hand, so only make a move if you’re looking for short-term assistance…Marquis Daniels dropped 24 points on the T-Wolves in his first start since Januar 5. He’s a legitimate option with both Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy Jr. out of action…Larry Hughes’ absurd contract (along with Hughes himself) was shipped to New York before the trade deadline. Now normally this would be a non-issue, but with D’Antoni calling the shots up there anything is possible, even a Hughes renaissance…On the injury front, Luke Ridnour and Steve Blake both returned to action this past week. Owners should take note…Mike Miller has started Minnesota’s last four games, amassing 55 points, 28 rebounds and 25 assists during that stretch. Optimistic owners can act now, others can wait and see if Miller can sustain his strong play – just don’t wait too long…One last name to consider: Jarrett Jack. He has 69 points in his last four games and has been playing a ton of minutes recently with Indy missing three starters.

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.

Centres

Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers: The Georgetown alum hasn’t exactly set the league on fire during his inaugural campaign, but he is averaging 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in five February tilts – both of which are monthly bests. The Pacers (4 1/2 games out of the eighth seed) aren’t going anywhere and may be more inclined to give the rookie some additional run in the final months. Chalk him up as a second-half sleeper in deeper leagues, especially since none of the other centre options on the Pacers have exactly grabbed the job and run with it.

Best of the Rest

While the Wizards have been exiled to hoops purgatory this season, JaVale McGee was a bit of a bright spot heading into the All-Star break. The University of Nevada product has averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game over his last seven contests, though his propensity to rack up the whistles (28 fouls in that stretch) is limiting his minutes…Those in very deep leagues might want to sneak a peek at Sean Marks if Tyson Chandler’s ankle injury lingers…The situation is a bit murkier for constant Troll resident Joakim Noah this week as Amare Stoudemire could be headed to the Windy City. If Noah stays his minutes could be cut, if he goes who knows what his role will be in Phoenix? He’s still a solid addition, but don’t view him as a season-long option just yet.

Forwards

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: The loss of Al Jefferson (knee) will almost certainly push Love into a more prominent role offensively for the Wolves. In his first game without Big Al, Love played a career-high 38 minutes and launched 14 shots (his second-highest total), finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. If for any reason he remains available in your league, add him immediately.

Travis Outlaw, Portland Trail Blazers: He has already been a pretty steady performer this season, but Outlaw has ramped up his play in February, totaling 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He’s absolutely deserving of a roster spot in all but the shallowest of leagues.

Ryan Gomes, Minnesota Timberwolves: Love doesn’t figure to be the only statistical beneficiary from Jefferson’s injury as Gomes should carry a larger offensive load going forward. He’s averaging 14.3 points and north of 36 minutes a night this month and is a capable three-point shooter to boot. Gomes’ peripheral numbers are modest at best, but those looking for a scoring boost needn’t look any further.

Best of the Rest

Wilson Chandler is back in the starting lineup after a six-game hiatus and hung 27 points on the Clippers on Wednesday. If someone discarded him when he went to the bench feel free to snatch him off the waiver wire…The Lakers recently shipped Vladimir Radmanovic to the Bobcats, where the veteran figures to see a lot more playing time. He has scored 34 points and gone 8-for-15 from downtown in two games since the move and could be worth a flier for his scoring potential…Marreese Speights poured in 49 points in Philly’s final three games before the break – put him on your radar…With Andris Biedrins out with an ankle injury, Ronny Turiaf is putting up 10.7 points and 7.0 boards a night. He’s worth a look in deep leagues, but Biedrins is expected to return immediately after the All-Star break…Jason Kapono has tallied 51 points in his last three contests and is a great natural shooter. However, he hasn’t produced with any consistency this year. Proceed with caution.

Guards

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies: Everyone that was ready to write off the former fourth overall pick needs to take a step back and re-evaluate what’s going on in Memphis under the stewardship of Lionel Hollins. Conley has started the team’s last 13 games and over the last eight he’s averaging 14.5 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Those aren’t ideal assist totals for a point guard, but he has huge talent and is a great second-half sleeper.

Best of the Rest

Charlie Bell dropped 21 and 20 points, respectively, in Milwaukee’s last two games and knocked down 17 of his 26 shots in the process. He figures to see plenty of time at least until Luke Ridnour returns, making him a solid addition…A pair of injured players (Cleveland’s Delonte West and Dallas’ Jerry Stackhouse) should be returning soon and could immediately step into prominent roles. Those hurting for backcourt depth can consider either man as a possible flier…Kyle Weaver has started the last seven games for the Thunder. His numbers haven’t impressed thus far, though the fact that he’s averaging nearly 31 minutes a night makes him worthy of watch-list status in deep leagues.

The Phoenix Suns must be pretty damned happy to be heading home for the All-Star Game, secure in the knowledge that at least someone will be engaging in some stunning play this weekend when Phoenix hosts the festivities. Because, man, Phoenix fans sure as hell haven’t been treated to a hell of a lot of good play from their Suns lately. This is a team that’s been built for a run at the title for several seasons now, but is in free fall mode and could very well be on the verge of being blown up. From 61 wins two seasons ago, to 55 last year, and this season? Thanks to an ugly 6-10 run over the past month, including back-to-back 17-point losses, Phoenix is only on pace for 45 wins for the season. The Suns looked pretty good heading into Christmas, but now look overmatched.

Currently, Phoenix is in ninth place in the Western Conference and on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. Fortunately, eighth-place Utah doesn’t exactly look ready to pull away and, below them, the Suns have no one to fear. But if Phoenix doesn’t get its act together real fast, I think we could be looking at a major rebuilding program in the desert very soon. Working to their advantage, the Suns have an easy go of it coming out of the break, with a home and home against the pathetic Clippers and then another easy home game against Oklahoma City before Boston pays a visit.

Of course, coming off serious beatdowns in Philly and Wednesday night in Cleveland, nothing can be considered easy for these Suns. But they do have a chance to start the second half on a run, so optimism is warranted. Sort of.

Getting hammered by the Cavs especially stung, considering how much Phoenix has had Cleveland’s number in recent years. In fact, the 109-92 loss snapped the Suns’ four-game winning streak against Cleveland. Dating back even further, Phoenix had been on 15-4 run against Cleveland. But as we have all seen this year, these are not your father’s Cavaliers.

Steve Nash definitely is ready for the All-Star break. The dude has been so badly beaten up of late, that Coach Terry Porter decided to give him Wednesday off to get an extra couple of days rest before the second half. A right shoulder problem that he says has caused him pain for weeks has made him a bit gun-shy from downtown. Have you noticed that Nash is attempting just two 3-pointers per game this month? Worse yet, he’s only sinking a fifth of them. Captain Canada definitely needs some downtime, but I’d be very worried about his prospects in the second half, especially if Phoenix starts to slide out of the playoff chase. Wait for a couple of nice lines and then peddle him. Speaking of peddling Nash, he’s been discussed in trade rumours, but the team says that he’s untouchable.

With Nash out, Amare Stoudemire got extra touches – 21 of them to be exact. He only sunk nine, but combined with his excellent work at the line, that was good enough for 27 points – his highest scoring game since January 29. Stat hasn’t exactly been dominating the glass the past three games, but he did record his second straight three-block game. Still, it’s pretty obvious that he’s mentally checked out of this situation given his recent comments. The rumours are flying fast and furious now, and a trade out of Phoenix can’t happen soon enough for both him and the team. Stoudemire has stayed healthy again this season, but after shooting a career best 59 per cent last year, he hasn’t come close to matching that, and his scoring has dropped off substantially as a result. He’s also struggled to share frontcourt touches with Shaquille O’Neal, as the two of them tend to trade big nights, but rarely have good games together.

Grant Hill, who we recommended as a decent wire pickup back in December, has proved to be a bit inconsistent lately, but he came through with an efficient 14 points Wednesday on 6-of-8 shooting, adding five boards, three assists and a block. Hill has been playing a bit less the last couple of months, but he’s been highly efficient (he’s now shooting a career best 52.5 per cent from the field) as his scoring just keeps rising each month. Another untouchable (according to the Suns’ brass), Hill could be in for a big hike in offensive responsibilities depending on how the trade deadline shakes out for Phoenix.

Phoenix, the best-shooting team in the NBA, shot 65 per cent in the first half on Wednesday, yet somehow trailed 64-52 heading into the second half. What’s up with that?

Normal second-unit offensive sparkplug Leandro Barbosa — another apparent untouchable on the Suns — got the start at PG with Nash out. And while being the floor general seemed to affect his offense (he was just 4-for-10 for nine points and one 3-pointer), he did manage to drop seven dimes and pick up four boards with two steals, so all was not lost for his owners. Barbosa has cooled off from downtown tremendously after his blazing January, but he’s still filling it up from beyond the arc better than he was to start the season. Overall, however, this has been an incredibly disappointing season for the Brazilian Blur, who has simply not been able to build on his breakout campaign of two years ago. Clearly, he’s no longer a must-own fantasy asset in standard sized leagues.

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.

Were any of you seriously worried about the Boston Celtics when they hit a bit of a rough patch a few weeks ago? Since dropping four straight games earlier this month (and enduring a 2-7 stretch), all the Men in Green have done is rhyme off 10 straight wins, surging back to the top of the Eastern Conference and reclaiming their status as the NBA’s best club with a mind-blowing 39-9 record.

In fact, they’ve not only silenced the naysayers, but the Cs are now on pace to possibly top last season’s record of 66 wins (currently headed for 66.7 victories). While the defense hasn’t been quite as suffocating at 2007-08 (even so, only Cleveland is giving up fewer points), Boston has improved its offense by almost a point per game this season.

Toss in Boston’s 19-game winning streak earlier this season and it already has put together a pair of runs that have lasted at least 10 games. And it’s not even February yet! This is the first time the Celtics have turned in a pair of double-digit win streaks since 1985-86, a season, by the way, which resulting in a title for them. That bodes well for a second straight championship parade this year.

Boston gets an interesting test Sunday afternoon with the Timberwolves visiting Beantown. Minny’s resurgence in recent weeks has been well documented and the Wolves are still playing well, but they head in a bit cold, having dropped two straight games. After that, Boston heads out of the road for a date in Philadelphia against a very hot Sixer squad.

Rajon Rondo hasn’t shot the ball quite as well this month, hence his scoring has dipped, but he continues to mature as a facilitator, upping his assists per game average every month so far. And he ain’t exactly slowing down, dropping 12 dimes in Friday’s win over the Pistons. In the past three games, he’s averaged almost a dozen assists per game, while protecting the pumpkin like it was a Faberge Egg (just five TOs during this stretch). As for Rondo’s weaker shooting, it hardly qualifies as a slump – he’s been quite consistent with his shot this season, and his overall numbers – a career best 51 per cent from the field – have helped make the concerns about his shooting ability back when he was a rookie seem like ancient history. As big as a leap as Rondo made as a soph, he’s almost undergone a similarly sized improvement this season. The only things holding him back from true elite PG status are his lack of an outside game and his weak FT shooting. Even without those components, the kid’s a top 10 point guard and rising.

Of course, ball distribution has been a major strength for the Celtics all season, as the team has averaged 22.6 APG, good for fifth in the association. All they did Friday was pick up 25 assists – on 31 field goals. Talk about sharing the rock. Coach Doc Rivers has his squad firing on all cylinders right now.

The downside to Boston’s recent domination – before Friday, it had won seven straight by at least 10 points and three by at least 20 points – is that, from a fantasy perspective, the Big Three is getting plenty of rest, and that always means lower numbers across the board. Kevin Garnett has continued to score, but his boards are down recently and his blocks have been almost non-existent of late as he’s been playing over a minute less than normal over the past five games. Paul Pierce is seeing over 3 MPG less over the past five, and his scoring is way down as a result. Ray Allen has had a couple of sub par games in a row, but generally speaking, has maintained his seasonal averages of late.

How’s this for freaking mind blowing? Boston struggled through that well-publicized 2-7 skid, but has taken 37 of 39 beyond that. Thirty-seven and two. That’s a .949 winning percentage for those of you scoring at home.

By the way, Boston is now 3-0 against the Pistons, the team it squared off against in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. I simply can’t write the Pistons off completely this season, but man, they are sure making it hard not to with their recent struggles.