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
