Take Me Down to the Infirmary

In the past this list has been somewhat random, with players being organized alphabetically by their team's nickname (Hawks, Jazz, Lakers), which is the way our
I do this list in the morning, while most of the injury news hits in the afternoon once teams practice and go through shootaround. In other words, take this information for what it's worth and check back throughout the day for new info in the news blurbs. Here we go.

Josh Smith - ankle - Looking good for Weds, I have him in lineups.
Zaza Pachulia - shoulder - Loses starting gig with Josh back.
Kirk Hinrich - thumb - Out a couple more months.
Antoine Wright - groin - Not likely for Tuesday, bench.
Josh Howard - ankle - Missed five straight, I'm benching him.
Carmelo Anthony - elbow - Not good news, bench for now.
Stephen Jackson - hand - Not serious, but very painful. I'm benching.
Monta Ellis - ankle - Still rehabbing, but return date unknown.
Tracy McGrady - knee - Scary trip to Dr. Andrews. Bench for now.
Brent Barry - calf - Iffy for next one, irrelevant due to Luther Head.
Shane Battier - ankle - Two-game week, still rehabbing. Bench.
Mike Dunleavy - knee - Saw him on a milk carton yesterday.
Eric Gordon - thigh - Early reports promising, OK in deep leagues.
Chris Kaman - foot - Not likely for this week. Bench him
Marcus Camby - foot - Returned to last game, should be OK.
Ricky Davis - knee - Had dream he played this week, but don't start.
Chris Mihm - ankle - Day-to-day, but why would you play him?
Quinton Ross - foot - No value in Memphis, or anywhere else.
Andrew Bogut - knee - Could play this week, but I'm benching him.
Charlie Villanueva - hamstring - Limited in last game, but should play.
Eduardo Najera - neck - No value either way.
Josh Boone - ankle - Setback Saturday, MRI Monday. Bench.
Chris Douglas-Roberts - knee - Likely for the week, not much value.
Morris Peterson - knee - Hopes to play tonight, very little value.
Cuttino Mobley - heart - Career in jeopardy. Bench.
Nate Robinson - groin - Day-to-day. NY media too busy w/ Marbury to care.
Stephon Marbury - exiled - End is near, feel free to grab him if desperate.
Eddy Curry - knee - Still not ready, but we had actually forgotten about him.
Jared Jeffries - leg - Should practice this week, play next week.
Robert Swift - back - Hasn't played for awhile, no value.
Tony Battie - ankle - Getting MRI, bench for now.
Mickael Pietrus - thumb - Out for the month.
Jameer Nelson - hip - Should be getting close, but risky play.
Martell Webster - foot - Bench, but getting closer to return.
John Salmons - thigh - Iffy for his two-game week. Bench him.
Kevin Martin - ankle - Will practice Monday, risky, but should play.
Jermaine O'Neal - ankle - Sounds close but surprise DNP for last two.
Carlos Boozer - quad - Has missed six, still iffy to return this week.
Deron Williams - ankle - Two sets of back-to-backs a concern.
Andrei Kirilenko - ankle - Day-to-day. Risky play, consider benching.
Brevin Knight - finger - Doubtful, no value with Deron healthy.
Matt Harpring - back - Day-to-day but no fantasy value.
Gilbert Arenas - knee - Still a month away, but who knows what he'll do?

Injury notes - Which turned out much longer than I had hoped

Josh Smith is not guaranteed for Wednesday, but I'm starting him, as he says he's ready to go.

Antoine Wright was close to locking down the starting shooting guard job in Dallas but is now on the shelf with a groin injury. As the Dallas Morning News said on Sunday, "it's back to musical shooting guards."

Josh Howard has missed five games and owners are getting furious with him. Reading the latest blurb about him walking off the court abruptly prior to his last game, I'm still scared to start him. Maybe we'll get some good news today, but that's another thing to love about Mr. Carlisle. No injury updates to the media, so we likely won't know much until game time on Tuesday. My gut says he'll play in that one, but my gut also told me the Georgia Bulldogs would beat Georgia Tech at home. Seriously?

Carmelo Anthony's right elbow injury is a little scary if you read the updated blurb on him. He couldn't shoot, dribble a ball or pick up his little kid and the injury has apparently gotten progressively worse since training camp. The fact he's been playing in this kind of pain in his shooting elbow probably has a lot to do with his - wait for it - poor shooting this season, as well as his overall poor play. I assume he'll have another X-ray and an MRI, but I've got him on the bench for the upcoming week. Could be wrong and he could suck it up and play in three games this week, but I'm not that brave.

Update: From our brand new blurb at 9:30 a.m. - ."I'll be OK," he said. "I'll get through it. It's just something I couldn't (get through Sunday)," he said. Melo also says he's planning on playing Tuesday, so feel free to get him in your lineup if you believe him. I'm going to have to think about it.

Stephen Jackson's left hand/wrist/thumb injury is not thought to be serious, as in a long-term injury. However, he's wearing a brace, experiencing significant swelling in the hand and is day-to-day. I own Jackson in about every league and it pains me to say this, but I'm benching him unless I get some positive information tonight. He missed Saturday's game and is likely to also miss Monday's if the swelling doesn't improve. They don't play again until Friday and it sounds realistic he should be back for that one. If you are OK with just getting two games out of that lineup spot, go for it. Oh, and just how painful is iit for us owners that he didn't get to take part in the Saturday dunk contest against the Knicks? He might have scored 100 points that night.

Monta Ellis is still rehabbing from his ankle injury, and my buddy Widespread Perkins thought it would be nice to get an update on the progress of his comeback, and I agree. I have not been in Monta's corner yet this season. My initial understanding was that the injury he suffered was about as severe an ankle injury as you will see and that he might not return to full speed this season. And a guy as fast as Ellis will not be nearly as effective if he loses a step, just like we saw with Marvin Harrison this season for the Colts. That said, Ellis is said to be making solid progress in his recovery and still fully intends to be on the court this season. And just like Mr. Widespread Perkins, every time I see Ellis sitting there on the wire I instinctively react and move the mouse in his direction. I've yet to click on it though and will probably not pick him up in any leagues. I saw too many guys wait on Gilbert Arenas all season last year and get nothing in return. I'm not saying that's what will happen with Ellis, but I don't think he's going to be the savior that many others do. If you disagree with me and want to secure him for the second half of the season, I'd wait until we finally get an update of when he plans on playing again and then make your move. We've heard January, but I suspect we should get a new update in the next two weeks.

Tracy McGrady is going to see Dr. Andrews today, which is not a good thing. Houston doctors have told him the best thing for his knee is to get out there and play on it. However, T-Mac's not happy with that advice and wants another opinion. I'm guessing he would like someone to tell him to shut it down for a few weeks, as his organization simply wants him to play through it. I get the sense that there is some growing tension between him and the team, and that he doesn't feel like he should be forced to be playing if he's hurt. But he's trying to be a good soldier and going out there in an attempt to pacify the situation. And that conflict is probably at the root of so many of his injury-related and bizarre comments this season. I doubt the real Dr. A tells him he needs more surgery, but T-Mac might be able to persuade him to tell the Rockets to shut him down for a couple weeks.

Mike Dunleavy is reportedly still alive and living in Indiana. Other than that, I have no idea on what his status is, other than 'out indefinitely.' He's being dropped in many leagues now and will continue to be until something gives. I don't own him so I haven't had to make that decision. But I am a very impatient fantasy owner and would probably have let go by now, not that I'm recommending that route for everyone.

Eric Gordon's hamstring injury doesn't sound too bad. He plays four games this week, so you have to think he's good for three of them, but just beware that he's due to cool down, just like he did in his last game. I'm starting in my 30-team league, but benching him elsewhere. Ricky Davis is still out with a knee injury (and should miss most of this week), although I had a dream last night that he was in the lineup for Tuesday's game. And if that's not a sign that I am too wrapped up in this job, I don't know what is.

Chris Kaman's plantar fasciitis is not good news and there's almost no way he'll play this week, so Marcus Camby, who left and then returned to his last game with a foot injury, should have a big week.

Andrew Bogut should be close to returning from his knee injury, but, as usual, all is quiet out of Milwaukee. The team apparently took yesterday off and Bogut's knee will be re-evaluated today. But whether we're ever told about those results is another issue altogether.

Charlie Villanueva played just 16 minutes in his last game through a hamstring injury, and he, along with Michael Redd (ankle), will be evaluated further today as well.

Cuttino Mobley's heart is a very serious concern and it's starting to sound like he may never play again. Drop him for Tim Thomas if you can.

Nate Robinson's groin injury is an ongoing concern, but I'm not counting on getting much information on it today as the entire media contingent in NYC will be on Marbury alert. Marbury's buyout should happen today and he's targeting Miami as a destination. However, the Knicks are talking about putting a clause in the buyout plan that would not allow him to be signed by Pat Riley (I'm not kidding and it's just another reason I don't own Marbury in any leagues). I'm pretty sick and tired of the Marbury saga at this point, and continuously get crap from Knicks fans for my smart aleck attitude about the franchise, but come on. I have much more important things to do than sit around and wait for the next round of the "he said, she said" circus that has been coming out of the Garden for the last five years. Like.a Jared Jeffries update!

Jared Jeffries should practice this week and then play in the following one. Mike D'Antoni still has designs on playing Jeffries at center despite David Lee's 37 points and 21 rebounds in Saturday's YMCA Special. In fact, D'Antoni even ripped on Lee for not doing more, if you can believe it. "He should've had 50," D'Antoni said. "He should've had 50 and 28." Whatever. That was the first 30-20 game for a Knick since Patrick Ewing did it 1994 and Lee now has five straight double-doubles and is averaging 20 & 14 since Zach Randolph left. If that's not good enough to start at center for D'Antoni, I don't know what is. Anyway, Jeffries should be back sometime next week and at least deserves consideration at this point. But in the meantime, Free Lee.

John Salmons suffered a thigh injury the other night that, as far as I know, was only reported by NBA TV and us. I didn't see anything about it in the Sacramento papers on Sunday, but it has been verified this morning. He's day-to-day and doesn't sound thrilled about his chances for Tuesday, which hurts with the Kings only playing twice this week to begin with.

Kevin Martin will practice today and could play on Tuesday. I'm reserving him this week, but will be ready to roll with him in the next one.

Jermaine O'Neal has now missed three straight with his ankle injury, although it sounded like he would play in the last two until just before game time. Consider him a game-time decision again for Tuesday, although my guess is that he plays. I can't wait for him to come back so Andrea Bargnani can go back to the small forward slot, which is where all that crazy production came from last week.

Carlos Boozer could miss this week after sitting out the previous six with a quad injury, so I'd get him benched. The Jazz have a pair of back-to-back matchups this week, which has to be concerning if you own Deron Williams. He made it through the last set he had to deal with, so maybe he can do it two more times this week. I think you have to start him if you own him. Andrei Kirilenko's ankle injury sounds a bit on the serious side and I'll be surprised if he doesn't miss a couple games, but then again, I'm not a real doctor. I'm benching him, but you can read the news and decide for yourself.

J.R. Smith Update

J.R Smith has been something else lately. Let's take a look back at his last six games. Nov. 21 he had 18 points, six rebounds and three 3-pointers, causing him to be picked up in many leagues. Nov. 23 he had eight points on 2-of-9 shooting. Nov. 26 he was a DNP-CD as punishment for being late to a practice, causing him to be dropped in many leagues. Nov. 27 he blew up for 32 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and five threes (picked up). Nov. 29 he played seven minutes and failed to score (dropped). Nov. 30 he played 30 minutes for 19 points and five threes (picked up).

What a mess. News came out on Monday that he and Karl never speak, although it sounds like Smith would like to. "We never talk," he said. "You never want to not even talk to your coach." Karl didn't talk to him after Wednesday's benching or when he played him just seven minutes. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it tough to learn from your mistakes if you don't know what they are? Smith has a history of being tough to coach/manage, but Karl's probably not the best match for Smith, either. In fact, Smith's bad rap with coaches has come from three very tough ones: Scott Skiles, Byron Scott and Karl. I'd like to see him go play for less of a disciplinarian and see what happens. Any way, I still own Smith in a couple leagues, but am too scared to start him right now. We've seen this happen before with Karl and Smith, so no matter how good things might look one day, you can almost be sure they're going to look bad again soon.

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Steve "Dr. A" Alexander is the senior editor for the NBA and PGA Tour for Rotoworld.com. The 2008-09 NBA season marks his seventh year of covering hoops for Rotoworld.com.