Our weekly digest of everything fantasy basketball. Facts don't lie and the Hoop Scoop is full of 'em. Projections for the week of Jan. 14-Jan. 20. Stats through Jan. 14:


Toronto Raptors, PG
Comment: Calderon's averaged 15.8 points, 9.4 assists, 1.6 treys, 1.8 steals and .527 field goal percentage in five games since the New Year. Until T.J. Ford returns, Calderon is the starting point guard in Toronto.

Sacramento Kings, SG
Comment: Salmons has been the Kings go-to scorer as the team battles injuries. He's posted 22 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 stls with a .609 field goal percentage in six games since the New Year. Kevin Martin's back, so those numbers should dip, but until Ron Artest and Mike Bibby return he'll get his shots.

Cleveland Cavaliers, SF
Comment: LeBron's been LeBron over the past six: 30.5 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and a trey, steal and block per game. He was clocked driving over 100 mph outside of Cleveland the other night. There's just no slowing this guy down.

Phoenix Suns, PF
Comment: We diss him recently and then he goes off, posting 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and two three-pointers over a five game span. The Matrix is a top five fantasy option. He lights up the box score.

Toronto Raptors, C
Comment: Bosh has averaged 29 points, 9.4 rebounds with 1.6 blocks and .555 field goal percentage over his last five games. And his rebound totals would be higher if it weren't for a 25 minute, one rebound effort on Jan. 9 vs. Philly).
Boston Celtics, PG
Comment: Only averaging an upsetting 2.8 apg alongside Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Also horrendous is his .557 free throw percentage this season.

Boston Celtics, SG
Comment: He's playing through a pinched nerve, which may have lent to his 9.6 points over his last five games. Not surprisingly Boston lost to both Washington and Charlotte.

New Orleans Hornets, SF
Comment: Playing on great team, why can't he do work? His 1.7 treys is his only positive, but not enough to warrant a roster spot in leagues in all but the deepest leagues.

Toronto Raptors, PF
Comment: As year goes on, he's continually seeing his playing time disappear. He's played more than 22 minutes just once in his last five games and averaged 5.3 points over his last four.

Miami Heat, C
Comment: It's time for the big guy to call it quits. Perenially injured, Shaq has missed the past seven games due to injury. Not to mention he fouled out four of five games in the second half of Dec. He's lost his mobility and his dominating post game.


Golden State Warriors, PG
Comment: The Warriors are 22-10 since opening the season with a six game losing streak, and Davis is the reason. He still launches too many threes, but he's improved his shot selection and cut down on turnovers. Need proof? Witness his 19-assist, one-turnover effort last week against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Denver Nuggets, PG
Comment: The Answer has dropped nearly 30 points a game over the last six, while leading the Nuggets to a 4-2 record. More amazingly, he's averaged just 1.3 turnovers per game during that span.

Sacramento Kings, SG
Comment: In two games since returning from a groin injury, Martin has lit up the scoreboard, scoring 25 and 39 points respectively. Oh, and he shot over 83 percent from the field as well. This kid can score.

Portland Trail Blazers, SG
Comment: Winners of 18 of their last 20 games, the Trail Blazers are the hottest team in the league. Roy has been the offensive catalyst, outdoing himself repeatedly. He posted 33 points and 13 rebounds with a sore knee and bruised tail bone in a loss to the Raptors on Jan 13. The kid is just tough.

Denver Nuggets, SF
Comment: Anthony has averaged 25.5 points on a svelte 53.3 percent shooting in six games this month. He's also averaged a cool 8.7 rebounds over this span, and the Nuggets are winning.

Utah Jazz, SF
Comment: In his first game back after missing three with a , Kirilenko posted 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. AK-47 is back and as fantasy friendly as ever.

Dallas Mavericks, PF
Comment: The Mavericks just had their seven game winning streak snapped by the Sacramento Kings. Dirk's numbers are down this season, but the Mavs are winning. Fantasy owners can't be happy, but fans probably are. Either way, after sloggin his way through Nov. and the first half of Dec., Dirk is on a roll.

San Antonio Spurs, PF
Comment: Apparently Duncan forgot that the Spurs typically take it easy until the final month of the season. He's grabbing boards at an alarming rate, averaging 14 rebounds over his last 13 games.

Utah Jazz, C
Comment: Yes, this has been a down season for Okur. But he finally appears to be back on track, averaging 17.3 points and 9.5 rebounds over his last four games, all wins. The Jazz have won six of seven and appear to be back on track after a weak December.

Minnesota Timberwolves, C
Comment: Jefferson has been the lone bright spot on an otherwise underwhelming Timberwolves squad. He's a reliable fantasy option simply because the T-Wolves have absolutely no one else that can perform.


Seattle SuperSonics, PG
Comment: Every Seattle point guard is a disappointment right now. None more than Delonte West, who appeared to be a decent fantasy option with the Boston Celtics.

New York Knicks, PG
Comment: Marbury's played just eight games since his fathers passing and has gone missing yet again. The official word was an ankle sprain, but he failed to show up for the Knicks win over the Pistons. Where is he? Who knows. Drop him.

Denver Nuggets, SG
Comment: The fiery Smith has always been a hit or miss guy. Lately, he's been missing. He's played just 27 minutes in his last three games combined, failing to make much of a dent.

Phoenix Suns, SG
Comment: Hills out with an appendectomy and should be unavailble for three to four weeks. Bench him for now; he's too valuable to drop altogether.

Los Angeles Lakers, SF
Comment: After a breakout 2006-07, Walton has regressed across the board. He's still getting the minutes, he's just not putting up the stats.

New York Knicks, SF
Comment: The Knicks are all in turmoil. Richardson hasn't reached double-digits since Dec. 30 and has contributing nothing offensively. The Knicks are a black hole and Richardson has been sucked into it.

Phoenix Suns, PF
Comment: Two seasons ago Diaw was the most improved player in the NBA. Since then he's eaten every croissant in France, gained weight and lost productivity. Even on a Grant Hill-less Suns squad, he's been unproductive.

Memphis Grizzlies, PF
Comment: Darko's been picking up blocks, but nothing else. He's been hampered by a broken finger, suffered earlier in the season.

Los Angeles Lakers, C
Comment: Bynum is out for at least eight weeks with a sore knee. Plan on benching him; he's too valuable to drop.

Chicago Bulls, C
Comment: 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks from Wallace is nice, but under five points and 33 percent shooting is killer.



Drew Schustek is UPDATE! Basketball Editor.

101 Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James was clocked driving over 100 mph outside in Ohio at nearly 3 a.m. on Dec. 30.

98 Orlando Magic big man Dwight Howard has 98 more rebounds than the second leading rebounder, Marcus Camby

30.7 Field goal percentage of the Pistons in their loss to the Knicks on Jan. 13th.

1 Monday's loss to the Washington Wizards was the first time this season the Boston Celtics suffered back-to-back losses.


Washington Wizards, SG
Comment: Who? This former first round pick has been running wild under the radar for the Wizards and helped beat the Celtics twice. pick him up ASAP. He won't stay on the waiver wire for long.

Friday, 9 p.m. ET,
Owners of any Suns' player should look forward to this day; the fast breaking Suns should run wild on the Wolves, who are one of the worst two teams in the league; and they don't have Dwyane Wade!

WADE ALLEY OOP