Fantasy Basketball: Please Be OK, LaMarcus Aldridge
The ban injuries campaign continues on. More importantly for actual basketball and health purposes, but also for us in the fantasy basketball realm. LaMarcus Aldridge had to leave the Portland Trail Blazers’ win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday with a left thumb injury. As of the time I wrote this story this was the latest:
Later on this came from the team’s official twitter account:
They make it sound like everything is OK, but X-rays don’t show ligament damage (I’m not a doctor — still think that statement is correct though). Aldridge isn’t out of the woods yet. He was on his way to another strong performance posting 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting with two threes in 14 minutes.
Aldridge has been his typical self this season, posting 20 and 10 on a nightly basis for the second straight season. He’s hit 21 threes in 38 games this season compared to only three in 69 last season. That’s not a ton, but it’s a nice little bonus slightly increasing his value.
Portland’s front line will be really light if Aldridge has to miss any time with Robin Lopez already out and Nicolas Batum struggling with a right wrist injury of his own. I’d think Chris Kaman would be the main beneficiary to try to find some low post offense.
Other notes from Monday night’s action:
- Charlotte Hornets forward Al Jefferson: Big Al made his return from injury after missing the last nine games with a groin injury. He came off the bench to post eight points on 4-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes. Jefferson added five boards, an assists, one block and one steal. Those minutes should shoot back up pretty quickly if he’s fully healthy.
- New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire: STAT had his first productive game since December 18th. During that time he missed most of the action with knee soreness and played in two contests he didn’t contribute. On Thursday, Stoudemire posted zero points and two rebounds in eight minutes. Against the Pelicans he finally got going dropping 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting with six rebounds. With the Knicks’ lack of firepower if he’s getting 20 minutes there should be stats to take and run with.
- Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart: I wouldn’t go as far to call it a breakout game for the rookie, but he continues to make strides in the right direction. Smart posted 14 points, seven assists and made four threes versus the Clippers on Martin Luther King Day. In the month of January he’s getting 26 minutes a night and making 40 percent of his threes on 3.9 attempts. Smart’s biggest question mark coming into his first season was his shooting so this is a nice sign. He’s averaging 7.7 points, 4.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals along with the quality threes. As the season goes on Smart should continue to get more minutes and be an asset in fantasy basketball.
- Denver Nuggets point guard Jameer Nelson: Nelson has been more productive with the Nuggets than he was with the Mavericks. In the three games since he’s started getting run, Nelson has put up 14.7 points, 5.3 assists and two rebounds in 24 minutes per game. He’s scored double figures in all three contests. In 23 games with the Mavs he only scored in double figures eight times. So far a much better fit, but I’m not completely buying yet.