Matchups for Wednesday, Dec. 17
All times are ET.
Key: Opp. PPG = Points per game allowed to opponents. Opp. FGP = Field goal percentage allowed to opponents. RPG Diff. = The difference between team's rebounds per game and its opponents' rebounds per game.
Watch on ESPN360.com
If you want to check out your players in action from your computer, you can watch the following games live on ESPN360.com:
7 p.m.: Celtics-Hawks
9:30 p.m.: Spurs-Hornets
All times Eastern
Injury report
Out
Daniel Gibson, PG, Cavaliers (big toe)
Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C, Cavaliers (ankle)
Corey Maggette, SG/SF, Warriors (hamstring)
Day-to-day
Tyson Chandler, C, Hornets (neck)
Samuel Dalembert, C, 76ers (finger)
Paul Pierce, SG/SF, Celtics (knee)
Start 'em, sit 'em
Rajon Rondo had another amazing game Monday against the Jazz, going for 25 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. If he can put up those numbers against even a slightly injured Deron Williams, I shudder to think what he'll do to Mike Bibby and the Hawks on Wednesday. Last time the Celtics faced the Hawks, Rondo had a bad game shooting but managed 10 assists in 31 minutes. Expect another run at a triple-double this time around.
Speaking of Williams, he still seems to be recovering from his injury a bit, and he struggled with Rondo's speed. Even worse, he's matched up against Devin Harris on Wednesday, maybe the one point guard in the league faster than Rondo. You're playing Harris every day at this point anyway, but considering how often the Jazz send opposing players to the foul line, Harris might be the fantasy star of the night.
I feel like I'm writing this every time now about the Bucks, but you need to have Andre Miller in your lineup against the Bucks on Wednesday night. Even in a complete demolishing of Miami on Monday night, the Bucks gave up 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to Heat point guard Mario Chalmers, so I think Miller should be able to handle the Bucks' backcourt just fine.
The Spurs-Hornets matchup should be a real slugfest, as both teams are extremely solid defensively (especially if Tyson Chandler can play through his neck strain). As such, you might just want to play the principals in this one. That means Duncan, Parker and Ginobili for the Spurs, and West, Paul and Stojakovic for the Hornets.
Waiver-wire pickups
Warriors coach Don Nelson really is an astonishingly frustrating coach for fantasy owners. After rookie forward Rob Kurz went for 20 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes in his first NBA start, he got a dreaded DNP-CD the next time out against the Magic. So much for rewarding good performance. In his stead, Marco Belinelli went off for 19 points, six assists and four rebounds. So what do you do now? Against the Pacers, Belinelli might actually be a pretty good option. Sure, you've been burned by him before, but he has scored 13.8 points per game over his past five games.
As I noted above, you'll want to get your guards in the lineup against the Bucks. Philly's Lou Williams has been on a bit of a scoring tear, averaging 16.5 points over his past four games, so make sure you sneak him into your lineup on Wednesday.
Larry Hughes is extremely available right now, which doesn't make much sense when you consider he's putting up 15 points, five rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.4 3-pointers over his past five games. Hughes is perpetually a fantasy heartbreaker, but he is somehow being underrated right now. Pick him up!
Seth Landman is a fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.