Sizzurp By The Caseload

YEAHHH! POPPIN' BOTTLES Y'ALL!

Brandon Roy Out Indefinitely

The Portland Trailblazers announced that star guard Brandon Roy will be out for an extended period to rest his sore knees.

The Breakdown
This news does not surprise us as we felt Roy would be shut down at some point during the season. It appears that Roy will be out for a while, which gives Nicolas Batum value in standard leagues. Batum has been playing well as Roy's replacement in the starting five, averaging 13 points, 1.3 three-pointers, and 6.7 rebounds on nearly 50% shooting from the field. Batum is still available in just over half of leagues.

Deeper leagues will want to take a look at Rudy Fernandez. Rudy's seen just under 24 minutes a game off the bench in Portland's last three games and he continues to be a solid source of points and threes. He's owned in just over 5% of leagues.

Kevin Garnett Out Two Weeks With Strained Calf

Boston Celtics All Star Kevin Garnett suffered a strained right calf in Wednesday's game against the Pistons. He'll miss a couple of weeks.

The Breakdown
KG owners should be very relieved that it isn't something much more serious. While Garnett sits, Glen "Big Baby" Davis is a must own in all formats. He's already playing big minutes and he'll be counted on even more with the lack of front court depth on the Boston bench. "Big Baby" is available in over 40% of leagues.

Deeper leagues may want to consider Jermaine O'Neal. He hasn't been playing very well since his recent return, but he'll be in line for additional playing time while KG heals. Jermaine just might be able to put up some decent stats with the additional minutes.

Chuck Hayes Sprains Ankle, Out 2-4 Weeks

Houston Rockets big man Chuck Hayes sprained his ankle in practice and could miss up to a month with the injury.

The Breakdown
Hayes was starting at center and had been fairly productive even though he was on few fantasy rosters. Either Brad Miller or Jordan Hill will step into the starting line up to replace Hayes. Owners in need of another big man should monitor the next couple of Rockets games to see how the minutes and production shake out between the two.

The Charts This Week

Keri Hilson's 'No Boys Allowed' sold 102,000 copies in it's first week compared to Ciara and 'Basic Instinct''s measly 35,000. Rihanna held on to number 10 this week after selling 111,000 copies of Loud while Keyshia Cole debuted at # 9 selling 128,000 copies of 'Calling all Hearts'.

Chris Brown Apologizes For Hurtful Comments

UPDATE:

Chris Brown is feeling the effects/backlash from the hurtful comments he made yesterday during a twitter beef with Raz B. He released an apology to his fans today.


Via TMZ

Yesterday was an unfortunate lack in judgment sparked by public Twitter attacks from Raz B, who was bent on getting attention. Words cannot begin to express how sorry and frustrated I am over what transpired publicly on Twitter.
I have learned over the past few years to not condone or represent acts of violence against anyone. Molestation and victims of such acts are not to be taken lightly; and for my comments I apologize — from the bottom of my heart. I love all of my fans, gay and straight. I have friends from all walks of life and I am committed, with God’s help, to continue becoming a better person.

Omarosa And Michael Clarke Duncan Are Dating

Michael Clarke Duncan and Omarosa Manigault Stallworth attend the NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. The two have been dating for a while now and seem to be really happy with each other. I sure hope this works out for Omarosa, she has been looking for love for quite some time now.

In Case You Missed It: Keyshia Cole On Chelsea Lately

Keyshia Cole is making the rounds to all the talk shows promoting her new album Calling All Hearts. While there she talked about how she met her fiance, Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, and her upcoming wedding in Bora Bora.

Former Bad Girl, Tanisha, Engaged

Tanisha Thomas, who was on the second season of “Bad Girls Club” and the 7th season of “Celebrity Fit Club,” got a holiday proposal over the weekend from boyfriend Clive. He popped the question during Christmas dinner in front of Tanisha’s mother, aunt, brother and cousins — and Thomas immediately followed up the proposal by posting a photo of the engagement ring on her Facebook. Thomas says she wants a “fantasy type wedding” with an 8-tier wedding cake and a horse and carriage. Tanisha also says other former “Bad Girls” will be bridesmaids and she hopes WEtv’s David Tutera will plan the big event. Tanisha estimates 200 guests for the giant shindig — which she says will likely take place in 2012. Congrats!

Gloria Govan Is Given The Business Over Lunch On Basketball Wives

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Here is a clip of all the Basketball Wives ganging up on Gloria Govan as she has lunch with Suzi. The go in on her for thinking that her relationship with Matt Barnes is so great and they don't have problems. The wedding of Matt and Gloria was called off a few months ago due to drama. I think Gloria is deserving of the verbal reminder that her relationship is not perfect and she in no better position than any of them. What are you thoughts? 

Reminder :

Just a reminder that the three-man battle royale between St. Andrew, Reevo, & Coyote Slingshot show is today @ The Beauty Shop. While this is a day before NYE, it's a good way to get you in that celebrating kind of mood. If you're not familiar with St. Andrew, you've got a nice catalogue to catch up on. The guy cranks out some heat! I had the chance to catch a couple of shows, including a couple of impromptu dance parties @ KRUU FM, courtesy of P5K.

Coyote Slingshot is straight up fun - be it the music, album art, vinyl obsessions, etc. Last time I saw Dominic Rabalais take the stage, he was sporting a slimming dress, so who really knows what to expect tonight. I mean, aside from a really good time. Also, Dom's our 'Employee of the Week'. Why? Keep posted @ The Industry - We've got a new Sweat Power compilation to crank out in what should be a rad three-day birthday celebration, courtesy of the forementioned bro.

And of course, Reevo's bringin' some hardware. For those not familiar, Reevo is the other bruddah in reggae-dub duo, Ill & Natti. I personally don't know Reevo that well, but I do have a nice impression on what his electronic influences are -- a tremendous strong point. You can also catch him tomorrow @ Vivo's, which I'm assuming has an age-bar, but y'never know.

Read our previous post about tonight's line-up here.

Upcoming news --

• Sweat Power Compilation Mixtape
• SOLO photoshoot
• Vivo's NYE Party
• (Your name/project here)
  
• ????
• Profit
• C.C.I xxxx
  

Raz B Starts Twitter Beef With Chris Brown

It seems like Raz B has a little too much time on his hands lately so he has taken to his twitter to start ish with the likes of Eric Benet and Chris Brown. In one tweet, he said:

Im just sittin here Thinking how can niggas like @ebenet & @ChrisBrown disrespect women as Intelligent as @HalleBerry11 @Rihanna.

Chris Brown then replies with the following tweets. This is definitely not a good like for Raz B. He might want to go find somebody else to twitter beef with.




Oh and FYI…

Did I mention that I absolutely LOVE Twitter?

Keyshia Cole And Baby DJ At The Cavs Game

Keyshia Cole and her son Daniel Gibson Jr. were spotted at the Quicken Loans Arena as they watch the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Orlando Magic. He is simply adorable!

Nicki Minaj Covers King Magazine

Nicki Minaj covers the March/April 2011 issue of King magazine.

Oprah Tops Forbes' Hollywood Highest Earners Of 2010 List

Oprah Winfrey is number one on Forbes magazine’s  Hollywood 20 Highest Earners of 2010 list. She made $315 million mostly from her multimedia deals, which include a syndication deal for her TV show, a magazine and her network that launches on January 1, 2011. Tyler Perry took the number three spot with $125 million. Beyoncé came at  number 9 spot with $87 million and was the only pop star in the top 10.  



1. Oprah Winfrey – $315 million
2. James Cameron – $210 million
3. Tyler Perry – $125 million
4. Michael Bay – $120 million
5. Tiger Woods – $105 million
6. Jerry Bruckheimer – $100 million
7. Steven Spielberg – $100 million
8. George Lucas – $95 million
9. Beyoncé – $87 million
10. Dr. Phil – $80 million
11. Simon Cowell – $80 million
12. Jerry Seinfeld – $75 million
13. Britney Spears – $64 million
14. Lady Gaga – $62 million
15. Madonna – $58 million
16. Sandra Bullock – $56 million
17. Ellen DeGeneres – $55 million
18. Miley Cyrus – $48 million
19. Taylor Swift – $45 million
20. Judge Judy Sheindlin – $45 million

Jennifer Hudson Shows Off Her New Body

Jennifer Hudson is the new face for Weight Watchers. She shows off her new body in the new It's A New Day campaign. What a difference a year makes. You wouldn't even think that she just had a baby last year. Its great that she has been triumphant in rebounding from the tragedy that struck her family two years ago. You go girl, Work it.

Gilbert Arenas Abandons Pregnant Girlfriend And Three Kids

Gilbert Arenas has been involved in a rocky nine-year relationship with Laura Govan. He was recently traded to from the Washington Wizards to the Orlando Magics and he didn’t even bother saying goodbye to her or the kids. He just hopped a plane and jetted out of town. She is now claiming through her rep that he has abandoned her and their three kids with no money and has cut off all communications. Hit the purple link below for the rest of the story.


Laura was rumored to have been having an affair with Shaquille O’Neal and part of the reason he split from Shaunie. Laura released this statement through her rep:

Govan, who is four months pregnant with their fourth child, “has not heard from Arenas the whole month of December,” said publicist Laura Wright in an e-mailed statement. “Govan and the children feel like they have been abandoned.”
Wright – who has worked for Govan’s sister Gloria and her fiance, Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes – said that Govan was left at their Great Falls home “with no money to purchase food or Christmas gifts.”
The breakup happened around Thanksgiving. Though he didn’t reveal a relationship rift at the time, Arenas recently told reporters he had been staying with Wizards teammate Nick Young for about a month.

After Gilbert was traded he told The Post he couldn’t wait to get to Florida:

“I went to the airport and left. I didn’t have a chance to say bye to anybody. I didn’t even say bye to the kids.” (But Arenas also said that Washington would remain “in my heart” because “that’s where I raised my kids and have my family.”)

I wouldn’t be surprised if they get back together as they have done the breakup-makeup for years. Whatever happens, he should take care of his kids and not be a deadbeat dad.

Five Most Dropped Players: December 23-29

1. Kyle Lowry (10.8 points, 1.2 three-pointers, 7.2 assists, 2 steals): Although he's still starting, fantasy owners prematurely started dumping Lowry in droves once Aaron Brooks came back. Lowry's still playing over 30 minutes a game and remains a great contributor to any fantasy squad. Although Brooks should regain his starting spot in the near future, Lowry has played so well in Aaron's absence that we would hold onto him for a few games even when he's back on the bench to see what type of minutes and production we can get out of him. Even in a reserve role, his all-around contributions could still make Kyle a valuable fantasy asset. He's now available in about one-third of leagues.
2. Reggie Williams (11.2 points, 1.5 three-pointers): Williams is another player team managers cut loose when the player he replaced in the starting line up returned to action. Unlike Brooks, though, Stephen Curry's ankle sprain wasn't as serious and he was able to step right back into the starting line upon his return. Williams should be dropped in all standard formats because he simply doesn't get enough playing time with a healthy Curry and Monta Ellis. If either of them should get injured, though, be ready to pounce on Williams once again as he put up some big numbers while Curry was out.
3. Nate Robinson (8.3 points, 1.3 three-pointers, 80.8% FT%): We're not sure why so many have sent Robinson to the waiver wire. He's starting and playing heavy minutes in place of the injured Rajon Rondo. Nate's production hasn't been spectacular, but he's still doing enough to help your fantasy team. His value won't last long, though, as Rondo is expected to return soon. He's available in about 85% of leagues.
4. Spencer Hawes (7 points, 5.5 rebounds): Hawes was a hot pick up during a stretch where he had three double-doubles in a six-game period. Since then, Spencer's cooled off significantly and his playing time has dropped. Hawes can have a big night now and again, but he's just too inconsistent to rely on in standard formats. He's strictly an option in deeper leagues.
5. Taj Gibson (8.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks): While we expected Gibson to benefit greatly from Joakim Noah's injury, a concussion caused him to miss a game and his playing time has been limited since. Instead, it's been veteran Kurt Thomas getting the bulk of Noah's minutes and he's the better fantasy player at this time. Gibson is still someone to keep on your radar, though. If he can start playing close to 30 minutes a night, he can give fantasy owners great production in rebounds and blocks.

Brandy Get A New Tattoo

Brandy sat in Peter Tattoist’s chair and got a  tattoo of Hindu God Ganesh, remover of obstacles, tattooed on her forearm. Check out the finished product. I get the symbolism but I think she should have placed it elsewhere. What are your thoughts?

Nicole Murphy Blows $15 Million And Owes The IRS

Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife Nicole, who is currently engaged to former footballer Michael Strahan,  has burned through her $15 million divorce settlement. The NY Post reports the IRS has filed two liens against her for $210,957 and $3,731. She has also put her house up for sale for about $7 million. According to the National Enquirer:

“Nicole made some bad investments with the fortune she got from Eddie, and now she is in serious financial straits,” said a friend of the 42-year-old stunner.
Court records show that the IRS slapped Nicole with two liens for back taxes in November totaling $214,688.
That huge bill was on top of outstanding judgments against her for nearly $600,000 by a legal firm and another $60,000 demand for payment by a landscaping company. She also owes $5 million on her Los Angeles-area home.
“Nicole is overwhelmed by the mountain of debt she has piled up,” added the source. Nicole, who has five children with Eddie, invested in an Internet jewelry business, but the venture quickly failed and Nicole lost most of her money.” – Source

Seriously though, folks need to stop living beyond their means. Nicole may just be up a creek if Michael chooses not to assist her with her debt. 

The Game Was Robbed On Christmas Eve

Rapper The Game was robbed of  $75,000.00 worth of stuff from his car. He then took to twitter to break down what happened. Its actually a funny story the way he tells it. I would be heated.

DMX Placed In Mental Health Unit In Arizona Jail

DMX has had some sort of breakdown behind bars because he was just moved to the mental health unit in the Alhambra lock-up in Phoenix, AZ. According to the Phoenix New Times:

Rapper Earl Simmons, better known as DMX, is housed in a mental-health unit at an Arizona State Prison Complex facility called Alhambra near 25th street and Van Buren.

DMX's manager, Nakia Walker, wouldn't comment specifically on whether DMX might have a mental disorder, but she says she wasn't surprised when he was moved to a mental-health unit. The rapper himself always has refused to comment on speculation about his mental state. In 2001, he threatened to beat up writer William Shaw for asking about it in a Blender magazine interview. "Waaaay too personal," DMX said.

Arizona Department of Corrections files confirm that DMX was admitted to the Flamenco Mental Health Unit at Alhambra on December 20. According to Walker, he will not be allowed to have visitors for 30 days.

This does not strike me as anything new because it seems as if DMX has been off his rocker for the past few years. Being on crack does not explain a lot of his bizarre behavior. I hope he gets the mental help that he needs while he's in the psych ward. 

Mehmet Okur Back in Action

Utah Jazz big man Mehmet Okur returned to action following his recovery from a torn Achilles and a recent ankle injury. He came off the bench to play 17 minutes and contributed 6 points and 5 rebounds.

The Breakdown
Memo should continue coming off the bench and will likely see his minutes rise into the 25 minute range after a few games. Okur has the potential to produce top 100 caliber stats, so he's worth a speculative addition in most formats. Our only concern is whether he'll see enough minutes behind Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap to become a reliable player in standard-sized leagues. He's a solid source of points and rebounds along with being one of the rare big men who can help a team in the three-pointer department. Okur is available in about 90% of leagues.

Paul Silas Turns to DeSagana Diop at Center

In his first game as Charlotte Bobcats head coach, Paul Silas dusted off DeSagana Diop and gave him the most minutes at center tonight. He answered with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 23 minutes of action. Kwame Brown, who had been seeing increased playing time under former coach Larry Brown, did not get off the bench.

The Breakdown
Silas is already tinkering with the rotation by employing Diop tonight and giving Matt Carroll the most minutes he's seen all season. Diop is a great at swatting shots and is worth a speculative addition for owners in need of blocks. As long as he continues to play over 20 minutes a night, he'll continue to be a great source of blocks while contributing a few rebounds as well. Fantasy owners who decide to pick him up will have to monitor Charlotte's next few games to make sure Diop is seeing ample playing time.

Ride the Roller Coaster at Arthur Lee Land

Do New Year's Eve up -- Paradiso style!

Get'cho groove on and bring in the new year with the one-man folk rock loop master, also known as Arthur Lee Land, as he performs live, utilizing his signature live-looping style that combines the best in folk/blues/afro-grass with technology.

A cool little side note - December 31st is café owner Steve Giacomini's birthday. Be sure to wish him a great new year as well.

Arthur's packin' two sets for the occasion. The former consists of his renown looping style. The latter will see him bust out his '55 Fender Telecaster, and team up with Doug Daller (keys), Will Gunn (bass) & Koray Ozturk (drums). Plus, y'know, they always have surprise guests at these things.

Blues. Folk. African percussion. Looping. Dancing. What else can I say, right?

Non-surprise guest performers slated for the NYE show include: David Murphy, Sondra Ward, Meret Giacomini, KT Thauwald, and Carol Carlisle.

Tickets -
$10 for adults.
$7 - students.
(Get your tickets in advance at Cafe Paradiso. They'd make a nice gift to ring in the new year!)

Hit 'em up at their website. If you get the chance, snag a nice, roasted coffee. It is winter, after all.

C.C.I xx

Random Tweets

On Teena Marie's episode of  TVOne's Unsung she named Sarah Vaughan as her favorite singer. She tweeted this day before she died.

Kim Kardashian Whips Her Hair Back And Forth Too

Kim Kardashian his sister Kourtney in the face while whipping her hair back and forth on a double decker bus in New York. Peep the clip for laughs.

December 30th @ The Beauty Shop

• St. Andrew
• Coyote Slingshot
• Reevo
  

The party before the party -- December 30th welcomes the return of gunslingin' DJ, St. Andrew, the jingle-janglin' of Coyote Slingshot, and the four-on-the-floor + wobblin' of Reevo.


All at 'dat Beauty Shop. If you remember, St. Andrew and Coyote Slingshot teamed up about this time last year and generated a damn fine show, so it should be absolute fire when Reevo drops in.


Last Year's Poster :

Official FB Link

5 bills -- 8 P.M.

Kick off New Year's Day before New Year's Eve.

C.C.I xx

Five Most Added Players: December 21-27

1. Kirk Hinrich (11.4 points, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 86.1% FT%): Hinrich put together a nice stretch of games in the absence of John Wall, including two double-doubles, making it clear why fantasy owners have jumped all over him. Wall, though, returned from injury last night. Once the rookie is up to speed, we'll have to see if Hinrich sticks in the starting line up. Because they don't have another point guard off the bench following the Gilbert Arenas trade, Hinrich may be forced into a reserve role with Nick Young continuing to start next to Wall. This is something Hinrich owners will have to watch over the next few games.
2. Nick Young (14.6 points, 1.4 three-pointers, 84.3% FT%): Young sits near the top of this list for the second consecutive week. He had another 20-point game over the last week and deserves to be owned in all formats for his scoring output and three-point shooting while he's starting. With the recent return of John Wall, though, Young owners will have to watch whether it's Nick or Hinrich that moves to the bench. A move back to a reserve role would put a dent into Young's fantasy value.
3. Martell Webster (14.4 points, 1.6 three-pointers, 48.5% FG%): Webster has continued his great production since making his season debut and he also appears on this list for the second consecutive week. He's only had one game where he's scored in single digits and he's been a great source of threes with some contributions in steals, rebounds, and assists. The Timberwolves have been playing more small ball with Webster in the line up, which is great news for Martell's long term value. He is a must own in all formats and he's available in about 60% of leagues.
4. Hedo Turkoglu (9.7 points, 1.7 three-pointers, 3.9 rebounds): Fantasy owners have jumped on Turkoglu following his recent trade back to Orlando. Many experts feel he can play like the Hedo of old. We're not as high as others, but Hedo's value certainly rises as a starter for the Magic as opposed to a reserve for Phoenix. He'll certainly do enough to be rosterable in standard formats and should be added in the 15% of leagues where he's still available.
5. Beno Udrih (13.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 84.7% FT%): Udrih has been playing well all season, but many team managers dropped him when he got moved to the bench. Beno, though, has been on a tear since being reinserted into the starting line up. Beno is a player we really like for the rest of the season because he can produce in a variety of categories and he plays big minutes. He's been hovering within the top 100 of our player ratings all season and should be owned in all leagues. He remains unowned in just over 10% of leagues.

49er Coach Mike Singletary Fired After 25-17 Loss To Rams

After two dreadful seasons, the 49ers made the announcement late Sunday, several hours after San Francisco was eliminated from playoff contention with a 25-17 loss at St. Louis that coach Mike Singletary has been fired. He will be replaced by defensive line coach Jim Tomsula who will run the team in next Sunday's season finale at home against Arizona. Singletary will be paid for the two remaining years on his contract. I wonder what lies ahead for the coach.

Mickael Pietrus Goes Off for Season-High 25 Points

Phoenix Suns wing Mickael Pietrus exploded for a season-high 25 points against the Clippers.

The Breakdown
Pietrus has moved ahead of Josh Childress on the depth chart and could have some value in Phoenix's offense because of his great three-point shooting. Our only concern is whether he'll continue to play regular minutes once Vince Carter debuts. It would seem that Jared Dudley would have to take on a lesser role for Pietrus to have long term value. At this time, we recommend grabbing him in deep leagues and watching how things develop when finally Carter suits up in about a week.

Marcin Gortat Plays 27 Minutes

Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat came off the bench and played 27 minutes today in his second game for his new team. He finished the game with 11 points, 5 rebounds, a steal, and a block. Starter Robin Lopez saw just 10 minutes.

The Breakdown
We're not sure if head coach Alvin Gentry just went with Gortat because he was playing better or if this is a precursor to Marcin moving into the starting line up. Those in need of a big man in standard leagues should make a speculative addition and see how the playing time shakes out. Gortat could have great fantasy value playing starter's minutes in the Suns fast-paced offense.

Teena Marie Dies At 54. R.I.P

The legendary Teena Marie, a celebrated R&B singer-songwriter, was found dead Sunday in her California home by her daughter. According to her manager she died in her sleep. No cause of death has been released, but the singer's publicist Lynn Jeter said that Marie suffered a grand mal seizure -- a neurological event, marked by loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions, according to the Mayo Clinic -- a month ago. Born Mary Christine Brockert in Santa Monica, California, the 54-year-old artist famously paired with late funk legend Rick James and was nominated four times for a Grammy Award. Among her hits were "Lovergirl," "Portuguese Love," "Ooo La La La," and "I'm a Sucker for Your Love." Teena is greatly known for her duet with Rick James on the hit "Fire and Desire." She is an icon and her voice will greatly be missed. R.I.P.

Carmelo Anthony Loses His Sister During The Holidays

Carmelo Anthony lost his sister Michelle Anthony, 36. She died on Tuesday in Baltimore from a pre-existing medical condition and is survived by her four children. The Denver Nuggets released the following statement: “Our entire organization supports Carmelo during this difficult time for him and his family,” Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said. Melo would like to thank Nuggets fans for their thoughts and prayers and asks that they and the media respect his privacy during this time.” Carmelo will rejoin the team after the holidays. This is heartbreaking news especially during the holiday season. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as well during their time of grief.

New Music: E-40 ft. Snoop Dogg & Ray J~She Smashed The Homie

E-40 just released his new single She Smashed The Homie ft. Snoop Dogg and Ray J. This single will be on the soon to be released follow up double album Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift/Graveyard Shift. This expected release date is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011. Be on the look out for this heat.

Sweat Power Warm Up's.

To get everyone in the spirit of Sweat Power (coming mid-January), we're makin' Utopia Park's new video, a Misfits cover, the featured article this nice Sunday afternoon. Check this out :

Utopia Park -- "Skulls (Misfits Cover)"

Look out for more Sweat Power promos, artists, etc. right here on Captain Captain Industries.

C.C.I xxxx

Ekpe Udoh Emerging as a Fearsome Shot Blocker

Golden State Warriors rookie forward Ekpe Udoh has emerged as a shot blocking presence since his return from injury. In the three games where he's played more than 10 minutes, Udoh has averaged 3 blocks.

The Breakdown
Good shot blockers are hard to come by, so those in need of blocks will want to consider Udoh in the short term. He's getting a chance to play now due to injuries to Andris Biedrins and Dan Gadzuric. We're not sure if he'll remain in the rotation when they return, which should be some time soon, so fantasy owners will need to monitor his playing time once Biedrins and Gadzuric are healthy. If you choose to add him, don't expect much more than blocks and a handful of rebounds out of him.

Kevin Durant on the Rise

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant is shooting up the player ratings and is on the verge of overtaking the top spot following his 44-point explosion on Christmas Day.

The Breakdown
In terms of per-game averages, Durant is clearly the number one player right now. The only reason he isn't sitting at the top already is because he's missed four games due to injury. Durant leads the league in scoring and he's giving fantasy owners great all-around production. We expect him to live up to our preseason expectations by becoming the number one overall fantasy player in the next couple of weeks.

Ryan Anderson Enjoying Bigger Role in Trade Aftermath

Orlando Magic big man Ryan Anderson has earned a spot in the rotation following Orlando's recent trades. Following the two deals, Anderson has averaged 23.5 minutes per game, more than double the 9.9 minutes he's averaging for the season.

The Breakdown
The trade of Marcin Gortat to Phoenix left the Magic without a back up center. Anderson has been called upon to fill that role and he's answered with averages of 10 points, 1.5 three-pointers, and 6 rebounds. Team managers in deep leagues will want to give Anderson a strong look. He's available in nearly every league.