Daily Fantasy Basketball: Some DraftKings Values for March 4th

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who isn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, you select your team based on a player's salary and your team's salary cannot exceed the game salary-cap maximum.

For DraftKings leagues, rosters consist of eight players and the salary cap is $50,000, which averages to roughly $6,250 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Tuesday's games, Thunder SF/PF Kevin Durant ($10,900) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,000).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Tuesday (March 4th) DraftKings leagues:

PG - Darren Collison, Los Angeles Clippers (at PHO), $4,300: With Jamal Crawford expected to miss a few more games, Collison could get another start on Tuesday. In his past two games, Collison has averaged 28.25 fantasy points per game by scoring 17.0 points with 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

PG - Ishmael Smith, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $3,600: In his past four games, Smith has averaged 28.63 fantasy points per game. During that stretch, Smith has averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.25 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

SG/SF - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $6,000: Not as cheap as he is in FanDuel leagues ($5,400), but Evans is still a value here at $6,000. Against the Kings, his former team, Evans was only two assists shy of a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and scored 54.5 fantasy points. The Lakers have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG/SF - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $4,400: Although Bazemore has played in only 28 and 27 minutes in his past two games, his two lowest totals since joining the Lakers, he has scored 20-plus fantasy points in all six of his games as a Laker.

SG/SF - Wesley Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $5,200: Against the Blazers yesterday, Johnson extended his streak of games with 36-plus minutes and 35-plus fantasy points to three games. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.67 points, 8.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.0 steal per game.

SF - Caron Butler, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. PHI), $3,900: Nearly $1,000 cheaper on DraftKings than FanDuel, Butler will make his Thunder debut on Tuesday and he gets an extremely favorable matchup against the Sixers. With Thabo Sefalosha (calf) out for the next month or so, Butler could start. Either way, he should get plenty of minutes in his debut.

PF/C - Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $5,700: Morris has scored more than 32 fantasy points in back-to-back games and in five of his past six. Only six teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season than the Clips.

PF/C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $4,100: Ajinca had a dud against the Kings in his last outing, but he has scored 30-plus fantasy points in three of his past five games and has a pair of double-doubles during that span. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers so Ajinca may bounce back nicely at a very modest cost.

* Sign up with DraftKings and double your money: Get a 100-percent bonus (up to $600) on your initial deposit with DraftKings.

For those interested in FanDuel leagues, I posted some FanDuel values earlier this morning here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 4th

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Tuesday's games, Thunder SF Kevin Durant ($11,900) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Tuesday (March 4th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. PHI), $7,400: While there is the potential that Westbrook, Durant, etc. sit in the fourth quarter of a potential blowout (as Sean noted in his DraftStreet post), Westbrook's salary ($7,400) as a stud point guard is still more than $2,000 less than that of Chris Paul ($9,600). Even in 25 minutes (like against the Bobcats on Sunday), Westbrook can still score 35 fantasy points. Against the league's worst defense, three quarters of Westbrook may be more than enough.

PG - Ishmael Smith, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $4,600: In his past four games, Smith has averaged 27.68 fantasy points per game. During that stretch, Smith has averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.25 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

* Join my free 20-team FanDuel MLB league for Opening Day

SG - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $5,400: Evans appeared on my FanDuel list yesterday and he delivered for DFS owners that started him by dropping 50 fantasy points. Against the Kings, his former team, Evans was only two assists shy of a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Evans is a must-start against the Lakers, who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (at CLE), $4,700: Despite playing less than 30 minutes in each game, Ginobili has averaged 29.5 fantasy points per game over his last three games. During that stretch, Ginobili has averaged 15.3 points, 7.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block per game.

SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $4,400: Although Bazemore has played in only 28 and 27 minutes in his past two games, his two lowest since joining the Lakers, he has scored 20-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games and in five of his six as a Laker.

SG - Ray Allen, Miami Heat (at HOU), $3,500: Provided that Dwyane Wade sits out another game, Allen is a solid option at the contest-minimum salary. The Rockets have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards.

SF - Wesley Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $4,900: Against the Blazers yesterday, Johnson extended his streak of games with 36-plus minutes and 33-plus fantasy points to three games. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.67 points, 8.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.0 steal per game.

SF - Caron Butler, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. PHI), $4,700: Butler will make his Thunder debut on Tuesday and he gets an extremely favorable matchup against the Sixers. With Thabo Sefolosha (calf) out for the next month or so, Butler could start. Either way, he should get plenty of minutes in his debut.

PF - Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $6,000: Morris has scored more than 30 fantasy points in back-to-back games and in five of his past six. Only six teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season than the Clips.

PF - Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers (vs. SAS), $5,900: Thompson has seven double-doubles in his past 10 games and he missed a double-double in two of those games by only one rebound. Thompson is averaging 15.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 31.1 fantasy points in his past 10 games.

C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $4,200: Ajinca had a dud against the Kings in his last outing, but he has scored 29-plus fantasy points in three of his past five games and has a pair of double-doubles during that span. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers so Ajinca may bounce back nicely at a very modest cost.

Compete in FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Basketball Championship: $1.2 million in cash prizes >> Or find other FanDuel NBA games here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

Daily Fantasy Basketball: DraftStreet Advice for March 4th

In order to help you set your DraftStreet lineups in daily fantasy basketball leagues, Sean Beazley has a list of some players that he likes for Tuesday's games:

Here are some early leans on some players for Tuesday's action:

Cleveland Big Men - Spencer Hawes $11,610 / Tristan Thompson $11,842

I'm not a huge fan of this matchup against the Spurs, but I do think both have a very good shot at making value on Tuesday. Both should be in double/double range with Anderson Varejao still a game or two away from returning.

David Lee F - Golden St. $14,509

This is another tough matchup vs. the Pacers, but Lee at 14.5 is downright larceny. Lee is one of the top PF in daily fantasy formats, especially on Draft Street where efficiency comes into play.

Tyreke Evans F - Hornets $12,601

I'm riding the Tyreke express until he fails me. Evans is one of those fill-the-stat-sheet guys that I like and he has a very juicy matchup against the Lakers.

Wesley Johnson F - Lakers $12,093

Johnson has been one of the best-kept secrets the past week or so in the DFS world. He has been as consistent as they come. New Orleans is in the bottom third in the NBA in defending opposing forwards.

Darren Collison G - Clippers $9,660 / Matt Barnes F - Clippers $9,511

Jamal Crawford is likely out for Tuesday's game vs. the Suns, which should mean extra minutes for Collison, and Barnes. I like the value on each player and will be playing them in a couple GPP's and cash games.

Caron Butler F - Thunder $8,865

Butler could be moved into the starting lineup with Thabo Sefolosha being sidelined with an injury. This is a very intriguing game. I'd almost want to stay away from the Big 3 (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka) of the Thunder because you could see all three of them on the bench the entire 4th quarter. Butler could be a sneaky value start.

Tony Parker G - Spurs $13,495

Parker is very undervalued in this game vs. the Cavs. We all know about Kyrie Irving's problems on the defensive end. I think Parker has a field day against the All-Star MVP. Parker is one of my must plays in all formats.

Put Sean's advice to use in a DraftStreet league for tonight's games.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out our site's rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 3rd

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Monday's games, Timberwolves PF Kevin Love ($11,600) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Monday (March 3rd) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Jordan Farmar, Los Angeles Lakers (at POR), $5,300: Despite backing up point guard Kendall Marshall ($6,300), Farmar played more minutes and scored more fantasy points than Marshall on Friday. In 29 minutes, Farmar scored a career-high 30 points while adding seven assists and a steal. On Monday, the Lakers will play the Blazers, who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing point guards over the past 15 days.

PG - Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons (vs. NYK), $4,600: Bynum has scored 25-plus fantasy points in three of his four games. The Knicks have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards over the past 15 days.

* Join my free 20-team FanDuel MLB league for Opening Day

SG - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans (at SAC), $5,400: Against the Clippers on Saturday, Evans scored 22 points and added nine rebounds, five assists and a steal in 40 minutes. Assuming Evans continues to get big minutes, he could really stick it to his former team on Monday. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards over the past 15 days than the Kings (51.60 FPA).

SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (at POR), $4,400: In five games since being acquired by the Lakers, Bazemore has played at least 27 minutes in every game and scored 26-plus fantasy points in three of those five outings. Against the Kings on Friday, Bazemore scored 12 points and added six boards, two blocks and two steals. Portland ranks 25th in scoring defense (102.9 PPG allowed).

SG - Marcus Thornton, Brooklyn Nets (vs. CHI), $3,500: Against the Bucks on Saturday, Thornton did not do much except score. In 24 minutes, Thornton scored 25 points and added two rebounds. Nada más. While he doesn't have a favorable matchup against the league's second-best scoring defense, Thornton should score enough to exceed his contest-minimum salary.

SF - Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. LAL), $6,900: Only slightly more expensive than the average salary of contest starters, Batum has scored 30-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games. During that four-game stretch, he has averaged 16.5 points, 9.5 boards, 4.75 assists, 1.25 blocks and 1.0 steals. Not only has he been extremely productive recently, but no team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing small forwards than the Lakers over the past 15 days.

SF - Mike Dunleavy, Chicago Bulls (at BKN), $5,200: Once again, Dunleavy had another solid outing as the Bulls blew out the Knicks on Sunday. Dunleavy has averaged 30.85 fantasy points with a minimum of 24.9 over his past four games.

SF - Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks (vs. UTA), $4,800: Middleton has scored 30.9 and 28.3 fantasy points in his previous two outings and the good times should continue to roll for Middleton with Caron Butler in Oklahoma City.

PF - Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz (at MIL), $6,600: Since returning from injury, Favors had his most productive outing on Sunday with 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and a steal. Favors has a more favorable matchup on Monday as the Bucks have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

PF - Andray Blatche, Brooklyn Nets (vs. CHI), $5,100: Against the Bucks on Saturday, Blatche went off for 45.6 fantasy points. Playing 30 minutes, Blatche posted a double-double (19 points, 13 boards) and added two assists, a block and three steals. Although he played only 18 minutes in his previous game, Blatche missed a double-double by one point and one rebound and added four steals to score 29.3 fantasy points. In most of my FanDuel leagues, I'll start Love and Favors at PF but Blatche is worth consideration with more than 1.56 fantasy points per minute played over his past two games.

C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at SAC), $4,200: For the second time in four games, Ajinca posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds against the Clips on Saturday. In three of those four games, Ajinca scored more than 29 fantasy points.

Compete in FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Basketball Championship: $1.2 million in cash prizes >> Or find other FanDuel NBA games here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

NBA Predictions for the 2013-14 Season

With NBA preseason under way and the start of the regular season only a few weeks away, Kyle Baillargeon makes his predictions for NBA awards and playoffs below:

2013-14 NBA Postseason Award Winners

MVP - LeBron James, Miami Heat

I wouldn't be surprised to see Derrick Rose here if he leads the Bulls to one of the best records in the league, if only because MVP voters have shown that they tend to grow tired of giving the award to the same person over and over again.  That said, LeBron is the clear frontrunner for MVP.  The Heat will be in the championship hunt once more, but Dwyane Wade isn't getting any younger, and this team still looks pretty thin outside of LeBron.  I expect James to have the best statistical season of his career, with his fith MVP to boot.

Most Improved Player - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

Leonard already started to make the leap last year, especially in the playoffs.  With the Duncan/Manu/Parker era winding down in San Antonio, Leonard stands to become the face of the franchise's next era of basketball.  Entering his third year in the league, he has plenty of room for improvement and could very well become a household name before the season is over.

Sixth Man of the Year - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans

Evans could certainly start in New Orleans, but a backourt rotation of Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, and Evans could be devastating.  The big question would be if Evans is willing to sit to start each game. But if he can get over that, then he would be a huge contributor off the bench.

Don't be surprised, however, if a member of the Brooklyn Nets winds up with this award.  The expectation is that one of either Paul Pierce or Andrei Kirilenko will come off the bench this year.  If it turns out to be Pierce, then the award will be his.

Rookie of the Year - Ben McLemore, Sacramento Kings

McLemore will have plenty of opportunity to light it up on the court, and that's what he does best.  Greivis Vasquez will be looking his way often.  The Kings still have work to do to become a contender, but McLemore will prove himself to be a great piece to the puzzle.

Defensive Player of the Year - LeBron James, Miami Heat

James is so good at everything, that it seems easy to overlook how dominant he is on the defensive end.  One of his personal goals has been to win the award, and hopefully voters will finally recognize what many smart observers in the league already know: LeBron James is unquestionably THE best defender in the league.

NBA Finals Predictions

Eastern Conference Finals - Miami over Chicago in 7 games

As long as LeBron James is at the height of his powers, there is no reason to believe that anyone will stop Miami.  This Chicago team will have an overwhelming defense, and combined with a returning Derrick Rose could very well go on to a number one seed in the East.  I fully expect both teams to pummel their competition all the way to one of the biggest heavyweight battles the NBA has seen in years.  This one could go either way, but ultimately the tie-breaker goes to the team with the greatest player of the last 25 years.

Western Conference Finals - San Antonio over Los Angeles Clippers in 6 games

It might be a little overzealous to send the Clippers to the WCF in Doc Rivers' first year at the helm, but this team does have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, along with a good bench.  Once Doc figures out his rotation, and as long as the team buys in to playing legitimate defense, the Clippers could knock on the door of the title.  That said, the Spurs will not go down without a fight.  Greg Popovich is smart enough to understand exactly what his team needs and when, and his team should be healthy and well-rested leading into the playoffs.  He knows he needs to save the firepower for the playoffs, and they should be able to make it through the tough Western Conference one more time in their Big Three era.  Once these two squads meet, Popovich's knowledge of his own team, combined with Tim Duncan's front-court dominance and Tony Parker's ability to go toe-to-toe with Chris Paul, will lead the Spurs to victory.

NBA Finals - Miami over San Antonio in 7 games

It may seem like a cop-out to go with the repeat in the Finals, but after last year's amazing seven-game set, is anyone going to complain about seeing it again?  As stated before, it wouldn't make sense to pick against LeBron James.  He is the best in the world and will lead the Heat to victory again.

Soon, we will release our 2013-14 fantasy basketball rankings.

Visit our NBA home or follow us on Twitter (@HitTheBoards) for updates.

Western Conference Preseason Predictions for the 2012-13 NBA Season

Earlier today, Kyle Baillargeon made his preseason predictions for the Eastern Conference.  Now it's time to take a team-by-team look at the Western Conference.

Here is how Kyle sees the Western Conference playing out:

1. Los Angeles Lakers - 61-21

The triangle offense is just a distant memory with Steve Nash at the helm, and this team should expect to score in spades.  When Dwight Howard comes back, assuming he is his normal self, watch out.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder - 60-22

The Thunder will be at or near the top for years to come, with only the retooled Lakers poised to stand in their way.  The Thunder should take last year's loss in the NBA Finals as a learning experience and expect to come into this season with something to prove.  It's also amazing to consider that KD35 just turned 24.

3. San Antonio Spurs - 59-23

Tempted to give the Spurs a lower record, simply because they know it's all about the playoffs and not the regular season.  But that's just silly.  This team will continue to be good until they prove otherwise.  

4. Los Angeles Clippers - 54-28

Chemistry is a concern for the bench, where Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford are not necessarily known for being quiet role players. CP3 combined with the talented and athletic front court should make for a four seed in the tight west.

5. Denver Nuggets - 53-29

This should be an exciting team to watch.  Denver will be running all year, and Iguodola gives them a defensive anchor.  With the right matchups, this team could surprise many and go deep into the playoffs.

6. Memphis Grizzlies - 51-31

Memphis opened some eyes two seasons ago in the playoffs, and they showed last season that they're no fluke.  We've seen in this league, however, that you need a star to be one of the elite teams.  Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay are all very good, but it's tough to imagine them in the championship with this squad as constituted.

7. Dallas Mavericks - 50-32

At this stage, Darren Collison is likely preferable to Jason Kidd, so that's an upgrade.  Though it isn't the same as Deron Williams, whom they tried hard to get. Assuming there aren't any chemistry issues with all the new faces, don't put it past Dallas to make another run.

8. Utah Jazz - 46-36

The Jazz proved you can still be a solid team after trading away your best player.  They just aren't ready yet to move up in this tough conference.  Thankfully, they're very young and in a few years we could be talking about them as championship contenders.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves - 45-37

If Rubio comes back quickly, this team could end up higher than this.  Minnesota has the best power forward in the league in Kevin Love, and they're somehow a very fun and potentially dangerous team.  Brandon Roy is a wild card, and if he can play anything like we've seen in the past, he's a fantastic addition.

10. Phoenix Suns - 41-41

The Suns are finally in the post-Steve Nash era, and things don't look quite so bad.  They won't contend this year or next, but patience and a little bit of luck in the lottery could help them out sooner rather than later.  Losing Channing Frye hurts, with no idea of when he'll return.  Kendall Marshall was a great pickup in the draft this year and should be a solid building block for the future.

11. Golden State Warriors - 39-43

This team is too much of an injury risk to put any higher.  If Curry and Bogut are healthy though, they could very well contend for the eighth seed.  Klay Thompson is ready to take another step and will hopefully avoid a sophomore slump.

12. New Orleans Hornets - 35-47

It's probably too much to expect this many wins out of such a young squad, but the talent is there.  Anthony Davis is a stud and Eric Gordon is ready to put a frustrating season behind him.  The rebuild could be quick for the Hornets.

13. Portland Trail Blazers - 34-48

The Blazers don't quite have an identity, but Aldridge is still young and a solid piece to build around.  Batum made headlines with his actions at the Olympic games, and he is hoping to make headlines with his play this season.

14. Sacramento Kings - 30-52

Jimmer Fredette was a big miss, and Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins are both talented but not of the right mindset to be leaders.  This team is a mess and the chemistry, or lack thereof, will certainly hurt them.

15. Houston Rockets - 28-54

The Rockets shot high in trying to get Dwight Howard, but all they did was shoot themselves in the foot, at least for this season.  It's well known that Daryl Morey believes you need to either be elite, or in the basement, and not somewhere in the middle.  The Rockets will most certainly be contending for the 1st overall pick this year.

Follow our basketball tweets and/or like us Facebook to keep track of our updates.

NBA Notes, 1/29/12

Here are some notes, stats and observations from Saturday's games:

- Pistons center Greg Monroe had his third straight double-double although he shot only six of 19 from the field.

- Not only did Kemba Walker have the third triple-double in Bobcats history, Boris Diaw, one of the other two, had his third double-double of the season: 21 points and 10 rebounds.

- Charlotte's Byron Mullens had a season-high 23 points off the bench.

- In his past three games combined, Wizards center JaVale McGee had only 17 points. He led the Wizards in scoring (22 points) Saturday night and also had 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.

- Houston's Jordan Hill had his second straight double-double off the bench. In tonight's win over the Knicks, Hill had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

- After scoring 21 points last night, Chase Budinger led the Rockets in scoring off the bench tonight with 19 points.

- Kyle Lowry had a rough game: three points, three rebounds and four assists.

- Coming off a seven-3's performance, New York's Bill Walker was only one of seven from three-point range.

- For the second straight game, Milwaukee's Drew Gooden has scored 23 points and he has had one three-pointer in each of the past four games.

- On a night with a couple of triple-doubles, Kobe Bryant was just shy of his own: 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

- Lakers guard Andrew Goudelock scored double-digits for the second straight game with 13 points off the bench.

- Like his brother Pau, Grizzlies center Marc Gasol had a double-double last night: 18 points and 13 rebounds. He added four blocked shots.

- Teammate Mike Conley added a double-double of his own: 15 points and 10 assists, which ended a four-game drought of double-doubles. Conley is averaging 12.9 points and 7.5 assists on the season.

- Jared Dudley had a season-high 20 points last night. He added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two three-pointers.

- Sacramento's Tyreke Evans had a season-high 31 points. So did teammate Jason Thompson, who scored 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

- Meanwhile, Jimmer Fredette has scored in double-digits for the fourth straight game and he has made 14 three-pointers during that span.

- Utah's Gordon Hayward scored a season-high 21 points last night. It was only the seventh game this season that Hayward has been in double-digits. C. J. Miles scored a season-high 20 points off the bench.