Notable injuries:
Brandon Bass (knee): Bass has been an excellent reserve player for the Celtics this season, but he is battling a sore knee. Look for him to be back after the All-Star Break. In his place, Chris Wilcox has been getting more playing time and he is useful for Fantasy owners in need of blocks and rebounds.
Gerald Henderson (hamstring): Henderson is on the mend and expected back before the All-Star break. Look for his minutes to be limited initially when he returns. He will supplant Reggie Williams at shooting guard as soon as he is ready to play 30 minutes per night.
Rip Hamilton (groin): Hamilton will most likely be out through the All-Star break. Ronnie Brewer takes his place in the lineup.
Derrick Rose (back): Rose is close to returning from back spasms, but you cannot count on him for 40 minutes a night at this point. Expect to see his minutes reduced to about 30-35 for the remainder of the season as the Bulls know that their only chance in the playoffs is to have a healthy Rose running the point. C.J. Watson will continue to spell Rose and he is a decent pickup for teams that are weak at guard.
Anderson Varejao (wrist): Varejao will be out for the next four-to-six weeks with a fractured wrist. The good news is that he elected not to have surgery, so there is a good chance that he will return before the end of the year. If your roster is deep enough, try to hold onto Varejao as he may make an impact in the last third of your Fantasy season.
Delonte West (finger): West will be out for another three weeks with an injured finger. He can be dropped in all formats.
Jason Terry (hip): Terry is suffering from a hip flexor injury, but expects to be in the lineup this Sunday against Jeremy Lin and the Knicks.
Danilo Gallinari (ankle): Gallinari has a significant ankle sprain and will miss close to a month of action. More importantly, when he returns, expect to see his minutes reduced, as the Nuggets don’t want to risk anything that would make him unavailable for the playoffs. Rudy Fernandez and Kenneth Faried will see more minutes, but neither is worth picking up at this time.
Nene Hilario (calf): After dealing with a heel injury, Nene now has a calf injury. The Nuggets will most likely shut him down until after the All-Star break, so look for Al Harrington to be inserted into the starting lineup. Harrington is a worthy pickup, as he can score points in bunches.
George Hill (ankle): Don’t expect to see Hill back until after the All-Star break. Paul George will see more minutes with Hill out; he is an excellent sleeper pick in all Fantasy leagues.
Chauncey Billups (Achilles): Billups is out for the season with a torn Achilles. Randy Foye will get the starts, but Mo Williams will see most of the minutes at shooting guard. Williams is a good pickup in all leagues, as he is a streaky but effective offensive player.
Zach Randolph (knee): News out of Memphis has Randolph’s knee mending on schedule. This means we will see Randolph starting non-contact drills in the next week with an eye towards a March 1 return.
Brook Lopez (foot): After being out for months following foot surgery, Lopez is on the precipice of a return for the struggling Nets. Not only can the Nets use his 17 PPG and 8 RPG average, they can begin showcasing Lopez around the league for potential trade suitors. The timing could not be any better for the Nets. Deron Williams is itchy to figure out his next team and the Nets need to secure at least two stud players to help move into their new arena in Brooklyn. If Lopez is available on your waiver wire, do not hesitate to pick him up immediately.
Mehmet Okur (back): Okur has been out with a bad back for the last couple of weeks, and he supposedly received an epidural (not for pregnancy). Hopefully, this will allow him to return to the court in the next week.
Emeka Okafor (knee): The New Orleans Hornets have been riddled with injuries for the better part of this season. Their latest injury is to starting center, Emeka Okafor, who expects to be out until after the All-Star break. The Hornets medical staff is still unsure whether Okafor can return in the next week, so Fantasy owners need to keep him reserved on their rosters until more information is available. Luckily, for the Hornets, they did not trade backup Chris Kaman. Kaman is an immediate pickup in all formats and is capable of putting up respectable numbers over the next few games.
Eric Gordon (knee): Gordon finally went in for knee surgery and is expected to miss the next six weeks of action. I would be shocked to see him return this season and recommend Fantasy owners cut him at this time.
Carl Landry (knee): Landry has a second-degree MCL sprain and will be out for another three weeks. The Hornets entire frontcourt is a mess right now and with the exception of Chris Kaman, they should be avoided at all costs.
Baron Davis (back): Davis is getting closer and closer to his return for the Knicks. However, with Jeremy Lin playing like Lin-Derella, Davis will lose some of the minutes he was hoping to get when he returns. Lin is a must pickup right now, as he is the hottest name in the NBA and appears to have the game to back it up.
Carmelo Anthony (groin): Melo will be out for another game or two with a strained groin. Look for him to get his first action at some point in the coming week.
Spencer Hawes (back): Hawes is turning into a Fantasy nightmare for his owners. First, he struggled with an Achilles injury, then he had back problems, and now his foot is in a walking boot. Hawes expects to meet with a foot specialist in the coming week, and he is certain to be out through the All-Star break. At this point, it is safe to move on from Hawes as it looks like even if he returns it will be in a limited capacity. Nikola Vucevic will start in his place and is a decent pickup for those teams desperate for a center.
LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle): Aldridge is still struggling with an injured ankle that he suffered the other night. Expect to see him back in the lineup at some point before the All-Star break, but don’t be shocked to see his minutes limited as he continues to recover from his injury. Nicolas Batum has really picked up the pace for the Blazers and he would be a great add if he is on your league’s waiver wire.
DeMarcus Cousins (back): Cousins is suffering from back spasms and he is likely to miss this weekend’s action. Look for him to take it easy over the next few days and return to form after the All-Star break.
Andrea Bargnani (calf): Bargnani continues to heal from his calf injury. The Raptors are happy with the way he has been recovering but will be much more patient with him this time around, as they can ill afford another setback. Look for him to return to the Raptors’ lineup at some point in the coming week.
Remember, don’t be your own physician; make sure to schedule your appointment with those who can help you.
Dr. Roto won the Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s Newcomer of the Year Award in 2011. Dr. Roto has answered over 10,000 Fantasy MLB, NFL and NBA questions over the past two decades and can be heard on both the SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Channel and ESPN. You may email Dr. Roto directly @ dr.roto@rotoexperts.com or follow him on Twitter @DrRoto
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