Carlos is Back!
After not having played an NBA game since November 19th due to a knee injury which required arthroscopic surgery in January, Carlos Boozer finally made it back on the hardwood Monday night against Atlanta.  Although his playing time has been limited as he works his way back into game shape, he’s already showing flashes of his old dominant self.  Carlos recorded 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in only 21 minutes Wednesday night in a victory over Minnesota.  The powerful All-Star forward expects to be back to full speed in a couple of weeks, and with Utah currently slotted as the seventh seed for the playoffs and only 3.5 games back of division-leading Denver, it couldn’t come at a better time for the Jazz.

Top Performer
Corey Maggette is thriving as the Warriors’ sixth man this season.  Although he sprained his right hand in Golden State’s February 23rd matchup against the Clippers, limiting him to 10 points in that game, Maggette had finished with 24 or more points in five of his last six games, dating back to February 6th.  On February 21st, the last game before his injury, the explosive wing had one of his best games of the season, finishing with 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting (0.583), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal.

Line of the Week
Former Blue Devil forward Luol Deng notched an impressive double-double to lead the Bulls to a win over Western Conference power Denver last week.  Deng sliced through the Nuggets’ defense for 22 points on 6-of-13 (0.462) shooting, while also recording 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.  Chicago was one of the most active teams in the league prior to the trade deadline, reshaping their roster around Luol and promising rookie Derrick Rose in the hopes of making a strong playoff push.

Redick Finds his Spot
After over two seasons of inconsistent playing time and trade rumors, J.J. Redick is finally a part of the Orlando Magic’s regular rotation, and he’s making sure he keeps that spot with his play of late.  Redick has scored in double-figures in seven of his last 10 games, dating back to February 6th, when he poured in 17 points against Indiana.  On February 17th against Charlotte, J.J. buried a three-pointer with 8 seconds left to tie the game and force OT.  The Magic eventually won 107-102 in the extra session as Duke’s all-time leading scorer chipped in 10 points in 20 minutes of action.

Injury Update
While Carlos Boozer’s return to action is certainly a highlight of the week, two of Duke’s other NBA stars are most likely done for the season.  Elton Brand tried to come back for the Sixers in late January but continues to have problems with his right shoulder.  Mike Dunleavy also came back from a knee injury in January, but after stringing together some strong performances for the Pacers, the versatile forward is out indefinitely with continued pain in the knee.  Indiana coach Jim O’Brien recently stated he expects that Dunleavy is done for the year.

Randolph Makes the Most of His Minutes
Shavlik Randolph hasn’t seen much time on the court for the Portland Trailblazers this season, thanks to their plethora of young frontcourt talent.  However, never one to miss an opportunity, Randolph threatened a double-double in only eight minutes of action last Sunday.  Against the Clippers, Shav got off the bench for 8:26, and finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds, including making his only three-point attempt of the season.

Shelden Goes to Minnesota
The Landlord has changed addresses, heading to Minnesota in a deadline deal.  With Al Jefferson out for the season with a torn ACL, Williams has a chance to crack the Timberwolves rotation.

Duke Blue Planet NBA Fantasy League Update
With Brand and Dunleavy out for the season, making a push for the top spot will be hard of the fantasy league will be tough, but the battle for second-place should heat up with Carlos Boozer back on the court.

1.    Connecticut Huskies:  14,303.0
2.    North Carolina Tar Heels:  10,973.4
3.    Duke Blue Devils:  10,250.0
4.    Florida Gators:  10,034.7
5.    Arizona Wildcats:  8892.6
6.    Kansas Jayhawks:  8151.2
7.    Kentucky Wildcats:  6925.9
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
“Any time Booz is on the floor, your instinct is to look for him, your instinct is to go in to him.  We want to look for him, we want to get him back 100 percent as soon as possible.  It’s just kind of a feel.  We’ve got to feel our way into it.”
Deron Williams, in a Salt Lake City Tribune article on the return of Carlos Boozer

Bountiful sunshine, lush green golf courses, and a warm climate are enticing offerings to attract potential retirees to Arizona.  In fact, Arizona is the second-fastest growing state in the country as post-professionals flock to bask in the state’s warmth and sunshine.  In the summer of 2007, another veteran made the move to Phoenix, AZ.  Despite his comparatively “old age” (34 years old at the time) and a career spent battling various injuries, Grant Hill had no plans of retirement in his future.  Instead, the seven-time NBA All-Star set out to prove that he is still among the Association’s best.

Shaking off murmurs of perpetual injuries, Hill arrived in Phoenix last season in the best shape since his early career in Detroit.  Starting in 68 of his 70 games played, the 6’8” healthy Hill played his most games since the 1999-2000 season with the Pistons.  The former Blue Devil’s productivity and commitment were even more impressive, leading then head coach Mike D’Antoni to label him “a dream.”  Shooting over 50% from the field for the entire year, Hill averaged over 13 points per game.  His touch was equally as good from the charity stripe, as he posted the highest free throw percentage of his 13-year career (86.7%).  In a high-octane offense that averaged 110 points a game, the versatile forward took care of the ball with his lowest turnover average (1.37) of his career.  Hill was essential in helping the Suns to a 55-27 record and reaching the NBA playoffs.

The Virginia native admits, “The perception when Grant Hill signed with the Suns was, ‘Can he keep up?’”  Through a season and a half, it appears that the real question is how well the others can keep up with the third pick of the 1994 NBA Draft.

This season, No. 33 continues to prove that last year was no fluke.  The Suns are 10-4 when Hill logs 36 or more minutes, a winning percentage about 17% higher than when he plays less.  When scoring in double digits, Hill has helped the Suns to a 21-10 mark.  Averaging 10.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.1 APG on the season, Grant’s leadership, consistency and dedication have helped Phoenix adjust to three different head coaches in the past two years.  Yet, the most telling statistic of all may be that Hill has yet to sit out a game.

In a seemingly ironic twist, Hill has now been labeled Phoenix’s “Iron Man.”  That’s right.  The 36-year-old Grant Hill, who has battled injuries and illnesses his entire career, is the only player on his team’s 17-man roster to play in every game this season.  Describing this achievement, Hill says, “I’m proud.  I had a period when I didn’t know whether I would ever play again, and I had to get through those years where you begin to doubt yourself.  To get back has taken a lot of hard work.  I’ve put my time in.”

All of his time spent working hard to return to form is now paying dividends for the both Hill and the Suns.  An essential cog in the Sun’s offense and defense, Hill continues to run the court with the fervor of the 18 year-old in Cameron Indoor Stadium.  The three-time Blue Devil All-American laughs off comments from opponents such as “I had your shoes when I was in seventh grade,” or, “I didn’t know you had gray hair!”  Whether they are insults or genuine shows of respect, Hill treats it all the same way.  “I know what I’m thinking when I hear that stuff: I’m going to beat them downcourt every time.”

And every game so far this season, Hill has shown his ability to out-pace the younger talent in the league and beat them down the court on a fast break.  Each night he defends athletic guards and forwards, sometimes 10-15 years younger, and consistently shuts them down.  After 13 successful years in the league, seven All-Star appearances, and four All-NBA selections, the Duke legend continues to play with the passion and determination of a rookie.  And whenever Hill finally does decide to shut it down, the $128 million in salary he has earned over the course of his career will give him some nice retirement options in the Grand Canyon State.