The No. 1 overall pick is expected to sit again Wednesday when the Hornets open a four-game road trip against the Indiana Pacers. Davis will travel with the team, though, so it's possible he could play as soon as Friday against the Phoenix Suns.
In other seemingly out of nowhere injury news, Kyle Lowry returned to action for the Toronto Raptors after missing six games with a bone bruise in his right knee. The team was hoping Lowry could play by this weekend; instead, the Philly native came off the bench and played 30 minutes Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Though he finished with 13 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, Lowry's zero steals (he amassed 12 in his first 3 1/2 games before the injury) and five missed free throws (in eight attempts) seem like signs of rust. After all, it was his first game since Nov. 6.
The Raptors, in the midst of a stretch of nine games in 14 days, face the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday. Owners who recently snared Jose Calderon shouldn't hesitate to use him tonight. Calderon had another strong line -- 13 points, 12 assists and five rebounds -- against the Sixers, and should start again in Charlotte.
Calderon and Lowry were even on the court together in the fourth quarter in Philadelphia. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, the Sixers' small lineup, led by Jrue Holiday (19 points, 12 assists), torched the hobbled Lowry and the defensively challenged Calderon down the stretch. Even with Lowry at full strength, and even given the Raptors' limited lineup options, the pairing with Calderon is problematic. Figure Calderon's minutes will be dialed back down over the next week or so.
Looking Back
• Metta World Peace is one of the most popular adds in ESPN.com leagues, and it's easy to see why. MWP is getting more minutes than he has in years (35 per game so far), and he's taking a preposterous number of 3-pointers. After going 4-of-9 from beyond the arc against the Brooklyn Nets, MWP is averaging 6.4 3-point attempts per game. Only Nicolas Batum, Ryan Anderson, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are attempting more treys, and MWP is connecting at a higher rate than Curry and Thompson. Over his past eight games, MWP is averaging 15.9 points and 2.8 triples.
Looking Ahead
• The Cleveland Cavaliers begin life without Kyrie Irving when they host the Sixers on Wednesday. Donald Sloan seems the most likely fill-in for Irving, though Daniel Gibson is the player I'd grab in leagues of at least 12 teams. Gibson (elbow) missed the Cavs' previous game but is expected to play Wednesday.
• Dwyane Wade (foot) and Nikola Pekovic (ankle) should play. Each has missed the past two games. James Harden (illness) should also play, though I couldn't find anything definitive on his status late Tuesday.
• Nene is back practicing for the Washington Wizards, and it's possible he'll make his season debut against the Atlanta Hawks. I'd say possible, but not likely. I base this on Nene telling the Washington Post that he might not play for another three weeks.
• The Suns have dropped four of five, and coach Alvin Gentry appears ready to make changes. Could Marcin Gortat actually come off the bench against the Portland Trail Blazers? In a recent interview with a Poland-based sports website, Gortat complained about his role in the offense and his difficulty finding chemistry with Goran Dragic. After an incredible start (14.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 4.3 blocks through six games), Gortat is averaging just 5.8 points on 35.1 percent shooting (13-of-37) over his past five
