Corey Maggette has been remarkably consistent this NBA season, filling in admirably for his former Duke and current Clipper teammate Elton Brand as the team’s leading scorer and go-to guy. Corey has taken his game to another level this month, averaging 23.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in 11 games. Saturday night was his best game of the season, with an incredible 35 points on only 14 shots! He also tallied nine rebounds and two assists in that game and shot an impressive 16-of-18 from the foul line. This is the second time in eight days that Maggette has scored over 30 points in a game.
Injury Update
There’s both good and bad news on the injury front for Duke fans this week. The good news is that Elton Brand was evaluated by his doctor last week and was cleared for increased activity, including running full speed and jumping off both feet. There is no target date as of right now for a return, but Elton appears to be on track for a possible return in late February or early March.
Chris Duhon has also returned from his knee injury to play in Chicago’s last two games (Friday and Sunday). The bad news is that Luol Deng’s sore Achilles tendon is going to keep him out of action longer than originally thought. Luol is out “indefinitely” while recovering from the nagging injury. Deng had put together some of his strongest performances of the season prior to the injury, and should be able to recover fully with a little extra rest.
Grant Hill’s recovery from surgery to remove his appendix was uneventful, but after returning to play on schedule last week, Grant was out of action again this week with back spasms. Hill’s Suns are currently leading the competitive Western Conference with 32 wins.
Duke Blue Planet NBA Fantasy League Update
Despite the terrific performances this week by Carlos Boozer and Corey Maggette, not to mention Mike Dunleavy’s continued excellence in Indiana (18.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in January), all the injuries have kept the Blue Devils from making a move on the top spot. Duke will need healthy returns from Brand, Deng and Hill to have a shot at winning this year’s fantasy league.
1. Connecticut Huskies: 10,910.0
2. North Carolina Tar Heels: 10,497.1
3. Duke Blue Devils: 9178.2
4. Florida Gators: 7518.4
5. Arizona Wildcats: 7023.6
6. Kentucky Wildcats: 6513.8
7. Kansas Jayhawks: 5815.8
Scoring summary: one point for each point scored, 1.5 point for each rebound, two points for each assist, steal or block, 0.5 points for each 3-pointer made, and -1.2 points for each turnover. Field-goal percentage is included by subtracting 0.2 points for each field goal attempt and adding 0.5 points for each field goal made, which would mean you break even by shooting 40% from the field.
Quote of the Week
“Even after four years, four surgeries and hundreds of missed games, Hill remains the most cherished player on the planet. He is as close as we have in sports to a national treasure. Unlike practically every other NBA superstar, we became infatuated with Hill in college at Duke University. Other basketball players may be just as known, but they aren’t nearly as loved.”
-Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi
