GUARDS

Stars:

Feb 17, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Western Conference guard Chris Paul (3) of the Los Angeles Clippers holds the game MVP trophy after the 2013 NBA all star game at the Toyota Center. West won 143-138. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

1. Chris Paul – UTA@LAC – $7,800

Expect a big bounce back game from Paul after an unimpressive performance last time out against the Spurs. Utah really doesn’t have anyone to guard him and I’d expect a big game for a solid price for such a star.

2. Ty Lawson – DEN@CHA – $8,100

Lawson is still on fire and should continue against Charlotte tonight. Over his last five games, he has put up over 40 FDP four times and the lone time he didn’t, it was an impressive 36.

3. Brandon Jennings – ATL@MIL – $7,800

The top six or so PGs on the board tonight are all pretty good options in my opinion, but I’ll take Jennings to cap off the group of 3 I’m mentioning. He has averaged a very healthy 20+ shot attempts per game over his last five games and I don’t see any reason why he would stop shooting. Even if he misses well over half of them, he should still have the chance to rack up FDP.

Values:

4. Brad Beal – HOU@WAS – $5,300

Beal is probably the best play on the board tonight when you consider his price and offensive capability. Beal has returned to the starting lineup with a bang and and also has two straight 30+ FDP in his last two. I see him as a great take for the price at this point.

5. Arron Afflalo – CLE@ORL – $5,800

The Magic squad is pretty depleted right now, with Jameer Nelson sidelined and J.J. Redick shipped to Boston. Afflalo is essentially their most proven option right now on offense and is coming off a 38 FDP night against a tough Memphis defense. I expect him to rack up minutes again tonight and definitely get his opportunities. He’s a good bet at $5,800.

FORWARDS

Stars:

1.  LeBron James – MIA@PHI – $9,900

LeBron is always the most reliable player on the board and even though his price reflects that, you won’t ever really want to miss out on him.

2.  Blake Griffin – UTA@LAC – $8,700

The power forward position looks shaky at best tonight. In my opinion, it’s probably going to be worth spending a little bit extra. There are guys who can perform in the $6-8K range, but none are incredibly reliable besides David West, who is playing on a back-to-back. Griffin has shown success against Utah in the past and will should have another strong performance.

3.  Josh Smith – ATL@MIL – $9,200

Smith is definitely a little bit pricy, but as I said, PF looks pretty shallow and it could be worth reaching up for him. He’s had a stretch of games where he hasn’t disappointed, even though you’d have liked to see slightly more out of him in his past two games, he still almost reached 30 FDP effortlessly.

Feb 04, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Orlando Magic forward Maurice Harkless (21) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Magic 78-61. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Value:

4.  Mo Harkless – ORL@CLE – $4,700

Another case of the Magic being depleted, Harkless should definitely continue to get his opportunities tonight. He has averaged over 15 shot attempts over his past three games, something you usually won’t see out of guys priced this low. Harkless definitely should be worth the value and I see 20 FDP as his floor with these minutes.

5.  Martell Webster – HOU@WAS – $4,700

I like Harkless a little bit more out of the $4,700 guys, but Webster is not a bad option either. He has had a solid couple of games and as long as the minutes are there again, he should have no problem compiling some stats at home against Houston.

CENTERS

Star:

1. Al Horford – ATL@MIL – $8,100

Horford has averaged a ridiculous 42 FDP over his past four games. Larry Sanders presence in the lineup makes this a little bit tougher a match-up than it could have been a week or two ago, but it’s never a bad idea to play the hot hand like Horford.

Value:

2. Emeka Okafor – HOU@WAS – $5,900

Okafor has averaged nearly 27 FDP per game over his past four, which is good enough for me at this price. He’s always a scare for a dud game mixed in between a stretch of good 0nes, but he’s always a decent cheaper option to put up mid-20s.

Could the New York Knicks be that team this year to make a move that no one saw coming?

So far there have been plenty of Knicks trade rumors. Most center around second-year guard Iman Shumpert, but there have also been a few that involve the Knicks pursuing big men Jermaine O’Neal and Timofey Mozgov.

Feb 11, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) drives against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Hawks beat the Mavs 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

But could the Knicks come out the winners in the Josh Smith sweepstakes?

Count me as one that didn’t see this coming, but Hoopsworld’s Alex Kennedy has reported that the Knicks have indeed thrown themselves into the middle of the Smith talks.

The reported blockbuster would involve Smith coming to the Big Apple in exchange for Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire.

Kennedy notes that the Knicks have been tossing the Shumpert-Stoudemire package around the league in an attempt to land a big time player, with Smith apparently the Knicks first choice.

A move such as this would make sense for the Knicks as it makes them title contenders and Smith would likely want to re-sign with the Knicks in the offseason.

Parting with Stoudemire and Shumpert would be difficult, but adding a big time player makes the Knicks a serious threat.

However don’t get too excited.

It makes no sense for the Hawks to do a move like this.

Why would they give up their cap flexibility to take on Stoudemire’s massive contract, which has two years and $45,090,881 remaining?

Stoudemire has played very well since his return and a STAT-Al Horford frontcourt would be very good, but Hawks’ general manager Danny Ferry cleared up cap space to be  a  player in free agency. Bringing in a massive contract and an injury risk defeats that purpose.

STAT’s recent improved play could make him a trade target, but there is a ton of risk for any team to give up assets to acquire him, so it is still unlikely.

But while many expect the Knicks to be quiet during the trade deadline, they could ultimately end up making a lot of noise.

The Hawks haven’t received many good offers on Smith, so the Knicks could stand a chance.

However I wouldn’t hold my breath.

As much as I like Stoudemire, if some team were willing to part with a big time player to assume the final two years on his contract, well that would be a gift.

The last time I checked it isn’t Christmas.

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February 13, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) backs Orlando Magic guard-forward Arron Afflalo (4) down in the paint at Amway Center. The magic lost 108-77. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Griffith-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s a look at what is hot around The Association as we try and sort out every rumor on this Tuesday morning.

Josh Smith

Smith remains the biggest name on the block that could be dealt by Thursday and it appears that the Hawks want to move him sooner rather than later, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. But to who?

The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets keep being mentioned the most, but there are problems with both scenarios.

With Kevin Garnett not willing to waive his no-trade clause, the Celtics would have to move Paul Pierce in order to take on Smith’s contract. On the other hand, Brooklyn will have to get a third team involved. It should take much more than an offer of Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks to pull a talent like J-Smoove.

Ultimately Smith will get dealt, but I expect Atlanta general manager Danny Ferry to draw this out and wait for a surprise team that will come in and offer up the right package of young talent and picks.

J.J. Redick

The Magic say they are open to re-signing him, but sending him to New York for Iman Shumpert makes sense for both teams, as Hoopsworld’s Alex Kennedy reports. But that will take a third team involved as well. It’s no given that Redick will be in a Magic uniform after Thursday, but I will be mildly surprised if he is dealt.

The Magic and Knicks have discussed a J.J. Redick for Iman Shumpert trade. Other players (and maybe a third team) would have to be involved.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 19, 2013

Dwight Howard

It appears as if the Los Angeles Lakers will hold onto Howard and roll the dice in trying to sign him, which may backfire in a big way. There has been rumors about a Rajon Rondo for Howard swap, but those were quickly shot down by Lakers’ general manager Mitch Kupchak.

Kevin Garnett

KG has said he won’t waive his no-trade clause, so a rumored deal to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan appears all but dead.

Feb 12, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) grabs a rebound during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Utah Jazz

It is felt around the league that either Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson will be dealt as the Jazz can’t re-sign both, but every other day it appears that a different guy is going to be on the move. This will likely draw out until Thursday afternoon, but I expect Millsap to be dealt to one of a number of suitors.

 “I think they’ll trade one of them because they can’t keep both,” a rival GM tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com. ”But I’m never sure which one will go. One day I think it’s going to be Jefferson, and the next day it will be Millsap.”

J.J. Hickson

There is a lot of interest in the Blazers big man, but nothing currently cooking that would make you believe that he would be on the move. However things can change in the next couple of days so I would keep my eye on Hickson being shopped.

Carlos Boozer

Boozer has been mentioned in a deal with the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Andre Bargnani, but whether that materializes or not, some think Boozer could be on the move anyway.

One league source tells Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that he thinks Boozer is the player most likely to be moved by Thursday (Twitter link).

Andrea Bargnani

The Raptors would love to move the former No. 1 overall pick and while assuming Boozer’s salary may not be ideal, they will continue to shop Bargnani. He will be traded, but the Raptors could hold onto him and look for a better offer in the offseason.

Iman Shumpert

Shump’s name has popped up a lot recently, which despite Knicks head coach Mike Woodson telling the second-year guard last week that he wouldn’t  be dealt, it makes it seem like  the  Knicks are actively looking to move the Georgia Tech product. He has been linked to the Orlando Magic for Redick, the Minnesota Timberwolves for Luke Ridnour and the Phoenix Suns for Jared Dudley.

The Knicks are in win-now mode and Shumpert is the only way they can acquire a major piece to try and accomplish that.

Milwaukee Bucks

It is felt around the league that the Bucks will do something big and that likely means parting with point guard Brandon Jennings or even shooting guard Monta Ellis. Teams like Dallas could be hot after Jennings, as Milwaukee is a team to keep your eye on as Thursday’s deadline rapidly approaches.

Follow Matt Shetler on Twitter for news, reaction and analysis from around the NBA.

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Big summer franchise movies are assembled much like a NBA franchise team. You’ve got the executives who care more about the bottom line (“Let’s sign Allen Iverson — he’ll put butts in the seat” or “Let’s hire Scarlett Johansson — she’ll add sex appeal!”) rather than whether they create a high quality product. They hire the actors, or ball players. The thing is, it’s then up to the coach, or director, to make something out of this collection they were force fed, with their name being on the line. When a movie sucks, how often do you hear, “Man, that studio executive did an awful job?” And days after the Chicago Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was coach Vinny Del Negro who got the axe, not GM John Paxson.

For the rest, click here.

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The title of this post isn’t a joke, as one would assume. The Knicks were up by 1 with the ball and about 20 seconds left, but they turned it over. The Hawks were now breaking down the court with the chance for a win. How did the Knicks stop them? Let’s look:

Wilson Chandler meets Josh Smith at the top of his dunk attempt and gets the block. Now, his physical ability is what allowed him to get the block, but Chandler used his basketball IQ to get himself in position to let his physical tools take over.

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After playing so well, Gallo felt like he was sitting on air. (source: yardbarker)

This year the Atlanta Hawks picked up former Knick Jamal Crawford, who is second on the team in scoring and is the likely winner of the Sixth Man Of The Year Award for the most valuable player off the bench.  In addition, their should-be-All-Star power forward, Josh Smith, aka JSmoove, has taken his game to the next level by no longer settling for hoisting up three-pointers, thus greatly improving his field goal percentage (& shot selection).  As a result, the Hawks have taken that next step to where they’re almost up there with the big boys in the league.  No one would likely pick them to beat Cleveland or Orlando in a seven game series, but they’re no longer the gimmes they used to be.  And if the Cavs or Magic came out with less than their A game, the Hawks could easily come out as victors. All of which makes it more amazing that the Knicks beat the Hawks yet again last night.  Particularly right after losing to one of the historically worst teams ever in the Nets.

To further highlight the difference, in the Nets game the Knicks made negative NBA history by attempting the most threes (18) without hitting one (aka 0).  Against the Hawks, the Knicks came out and went four-for-four from out deep to start the game.  Of course they didn’t keep up that insane pace, but they still finished off hitting 10 of 15, for a whopping 66.6%.  Teams would kill to shoot that well from two-point range, so to do that from beyond the arc is just downright amazing.  And don’t kid yourself into thinking that it has anything to do with the other team’s defense — the Nets are one of the worst teams at defending from the three-point line.

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Lee is averaging 20 points and 11.4 rebounds and becomes the Knicks’ first All-Star since Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell in 2001. Stern chose Lee over Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut, who is averaging 16.0 points and 10.2 rebounds and has helped lead the Bucks to within a game of a playoff spot in the East.

Many do think that Bogut could be the second best official “center” in the East (I use quotes ‘cuz like Chris Bosh wants to be called a power forward, much like Tim Duncan always has, but he should be considered a center).  However, Bogut started off the season slow and injured and has only come on recently.  Surely, David Lee’s consistent excellence (particularly in the face of such adversity as the Knicks have gone through) makes him a much easier choice.

I’m actually shocked that Atlanta’s Josh Smith wasn’t chosen (or even mentioned in that article).  The growth in Smith’s game (along with the addition of former Knick Jamal Crawford) has been widely heralded as the reason why the Hawks have made the jump from slightly above average to potential contender.  My guess is that since there are already two Hawks on the All-Star Team (which wrongly includes their center Al Horford), that’s part of the reason Smoove got the shaft.  Plus, Stern loves the major market of New York, so the potential of getting all those fans interested seems like a pretty strong pull too.  And again, that major market is another huge plus in Lee’s favor over Milwaukee’s Bogut.  Anyway, one thing’s for certain: initial reports that Stern only chose Lee because they have the same first name have proven to be false.

Congrats, big guy.