Dirk Nowitzki recorded his second career triple-double in Monday’s win over the Denver Nuggets, scoring 34 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Dirk hadn’t cracked the 20-point barrier in any of the previous four games, making his massive game even sweeter, especially as it comes in such a crucial week for fantasy owners. He made 7-of-17 field goals, 4-of-5 three-pointers, and a whopping 16-of-17 free throws. Denver has never felt Kenyon Martin’s absence more keenly.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Ron Artest bounced back after a pair of single-digit scoring games, finishing Monday’s loss to New Orleans with 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals in 43 minutes. Not the greatest line (6-of-14 FGs, 1-of-8 from downtown) but it’s an improvement.

Los Angeles: Pau Gasol finished Monday’s loss to the New Orleans Hornets with 26 points and a career-high-tying 22 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. Gasol scored the Lakers’ first 12 points and wound up 11-of-22 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line. He added two assists and two blocks with just one turnover, but his massively economical night wasn’t enough to lift his cold-shooting team to victory.

Dallas: Rookie Rodrigue Beaubois followed up Saturday’s 40-point gem with just five points on 2-of-7 shooting in Monday’s victory. Beaubois played under 15 minutes off the bench, despite the absence of injured guard J.J

Utah: Carlos Boozer (26 points, 14 rebounds) and Paul Millsap (14 points, 10 rebounds) both played well in Monday’s win over the New York Knicks. Neither guy had much luck containing Al Harrington, but it’s nice to see them both double-doubling in the same game. Boozer made 11-of-16 FGs in 37 minutes, while Millsap made 5-of-8 FGs and 4-of-8 FTs in 24 minutes off the bench.

New York: Al Harrington erupted for 26 points and a season-high 17 rebounds vs. the Jazz on Monday, making 8-of-20 FGs, 3-of-9 threes, and 7-of-10 FTs. Harrington was one rebound shy of his career-high, while adding one steal, one block and just one turnover in 39 minutes.

New Orleans: Chris Paul led the Hornets to a win over the Lakers on Monday with 15 points (including one 3-pointer), four rebounds, 13 assists and one steal.

Kevin Durant quickly recovered after Sunday’s dismal effort, scoring 45 points (15-of-24 FGs, 14-of-15 FTs) in Monday’s loss to the visiting Spurs. Durant is averaging 29.5 ppg this season and projects as a top-three MVP candidate. He added one 3-pointer, eight rebounds and three blocks but couldn’t prevent OKC from falling into a tie with the San Antonio Spurs for sixth place in the West.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Utah: Paul Millsap scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting with three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 18 minutes off the bench on Monday. Both him and Carlos Boozer (19 points, nine rebounds) were in foul trouble tonight.

Utah: C.J. Miles poured in 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting (including two threes) with three rebounds, one assist, and one steal on Monday against the Celtics.

Houston: Trevor Ariza played 37 minutes on Monday, notching 18 points, two 3-pointers, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. This was Ariza’s highest-scoring game since returning from his hip injury on March 9th.

Chicago: Derrick Rose piled up 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Bulls defeated the visiting Houston Rockets on Monday. Rose played nearly 47 minutes, making 12-of-22 field goals, including 2-of-7 three-pointers.

Dallas: Brendan Haywood finished Monday’s loss to the New Orleans Hornets with 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 26 minutes.

Charlotte: Chris Paul started the Hornets game on Monday, scoring 11 points with three assists in 21 minutes. It was his first action since late January. CP3 was out for 25 games with a knee injury, and his minutes were pre-determined to stay around 20 per game. His conditioning and playing time should slowly increase over the next few games, but the presence of backup Darren Collison means there is no need to overload Paul.

LeBron James has been ruled out for Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. He’s not really injured, although his ankles are a bit dinged up. This is simply for some rest, and we do expect him to play Friday against the Sixers. NBA TV is not going to be happy with this news, as they’re showing the game tonight.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

New Orleans: Chris Paul, who is already in week five of his four-to-six week recovery period from knee surgery, has still not been cleared to run and may not be before the end of the week. With only 19 games remaining, coach Jeff Bower said there is no magic date to decide if Paul will play again this year. “Our plan is for him to return when he’s 100 percent healthy and that’s what he wants to do as well,” Bower said. This is not good news at all, and Paul’s chances to return this season will likely decrease with each New Orleans Hornets‘ loss.

Oakland: Andris Biedrins will have surgery to repair a small tear in his abdominal muscle. A timetable will be set for his return after the surgery is performed, but we’re guessing this means his season is probably over. Anthony Tolliver and Ronny Turiaf should hold value the rest of the way,

Memphis: Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph will miss his first game of the season on Monday because of lower back tightness, the team announced just before tip-off.

New York: Tracy McGrady will miss Monday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks due to fatigue and soreness.

Portland: Marcus Camby practiced despite his sprained ankle on Monday and is hoping to play on Tuesday against the Kings. He’s not the most trustworthy center around right now, but it does sound like he will be in the starting lineup on Tuesday, barring any setbacks.

Chicago: Luol Deng missed Monday’s practice with the flu and was sent home with the illness. Deng is now questionable for Tuesday’s game.

San Antonio: Tony Parker will miss approximately six weeks due to his broken right hand, but will not need surgery.

San Antonio: With Tony Parker (hand) sidelined, Manu Ginobili will start at SG for the Spurs with George Hill moving to PG. This is terrific news if you own either guy, both of whom should be safe starts in all leagues. Expect Ginobili’s playing time to increase significantly going forward — he was averaging 27:30 per game as a reserve.

Mike Conley had a season-high 26 points, seven assists, five steals and three rebounds as the Grizzlies knocked off the New Orleans Hornets. Conley has found his stroke and is suddenly playing with extreme confidence on the offensive end. Over his last four games, he’s averaging 17.5 points on 60 percent shooting. Consider this a simple hot streak as we don’t think Conley’s offensive game has turned the corner yet.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans went 4-for-22 from the field on Wednesday night, but the Sacramento Kings won in Houston anyway. Evans field goal percentage coming into this game stood at a surprising 46.6 percent as he defies critics of his jumper. Consider tonight a mere blip on the road during his ROY campaign.

Sacramento: Beno Udrih started on Wednesday and had 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and a trey in 37 minutes of action Wednesday night. This was Udrih’s fourth straight start as coach Paul Westphal has been true to his word about sticking with Beno. Considering the Kings shockingly won this game in Houston, Beno’s leash just got a lot longer.

Minnesota: Corey Brewer had 24 points, seven boards, four assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in Wednesday’s close loss to the Mavericks. He’d scored 10 or less points in his previous four games, and like most of his teammates on the Wolves, is simply unreliable playing under Kurt Rambis.

Minnesota: Darko Milicic started at center for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, but only played 14 minutes. He had six points, two boards and zero blocks, and this is why we stopped trusting Darko long ago. No matter how good things are looking for him, he rarely answers the call.

Charlotte: Emeka Okafor struggled with foul trouble and ineffectiveness on Wednesday night en route to just 10 points, one rebound and one block.

Boston: Nate Robinson hit 5-of-8 shots and four more 3-pointers for 16 points, four rebounds and three assists in an easy win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Robinson posted an eerily similar line in Tuesday’s win over the Pistons, but the only problem is the minutes. He played 20 or less in both games and things are not going to be so pretty on nights when his long ball isn’t falling.

Russell Westbrook had 30 points, five boards, 13 assists, a steal and a 3-pointer in Tuesday’s win over the Kings. Westbrook is having a dream season and has proven to be one of the more valuable point guards. Also, Kevin Durant had 39 points, 10 rebounds and a 3-pointer on 13-of-26 shooting. The Oklahoma City Thunder have now won nine out of the last eleven games.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Miami: Dwyane Wade went off for 35 points, six boards, 12 assists and three steals on 15-of-23 shooting Tuesday’s win over the Warriors. Leave it to the Golden State Warriors to let an injured guy get healthy. Wade looks good to go for now, but as usual, keep an eye out for news on his tender calf.

Boston: Paul Pierce returned from a thumb injury on Tuesday but had just nine points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one 3-pointer on 2-of-6 shooting.

Detroit: No word yet on the severity, but Wallace finished with six points, 12 boards, a block and an 0-for-5 free throw shooting night. Hopefully the injury’s not serious and he’s back for the next one.

New Orleans: Sources close to Chris Paul (knee) tell beat writer John Reid that the all-world point guard is about 10 days or so from returning. Reid guesses that Paul “may return” for the beginning of the New Orleans Hornets’ five-game road trip that begins on March 14. Paul is taking part in pregame warmups right now and is doing some running as part of his rehab

Phoenix: Leandro Barbosa (wrist) got full medical clearance on Monday to return to the court. Even though he’ll be practicing, Barbosa likely won’t return to game action until March 12 against the Lakers. When he returns, he’ll wear a light wrap on his right (shooting) wrist. We’re skeptical about how effective he can be and with Goran Dragic’s emergence, it’s hard to expect much.

Darren Collison blistered the Pacers for 18 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, a block and a 3-pointer while hitting 7-of-13 shots in Friday’s easy win. Not much to say here, other than the Hornets have two stellar point guards on their hands. Trading Chris Paul would bring back a fleet of studs, but we doubt the New Orleans Hornets are ready to put that kind of deal together.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Miami: Mario Chalmers returned from a thumb injury for 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and four 3-pointers in Friday’s win. He came off the bench and this explosion was a surprise. Carlos Arroyo also played well, while Daequan Cook, who started for Dwyane Wade, hit just 1-of-7 shots for three points.

Miami: Michael Beasley hit 13-of-25 shots for a career-high 30 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and a block in a double-OT win over the Memphis Grizzlies. With Dwyane Wade out, Beasley is going to be the focal point of the offense.

Sacramento: The Kings’ new starting lineup Friday night is Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, Omri Casspi, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson. Garcia is the biggest benefactor of the Kevin Martin trade, as we expected.

Toronto: Raptors beat writer Eric Smith expects Chris Bosh (ankle) to sit out Saturday in addition to Friday. It makes sense. After Saturday’s game against the depleted Wizards, the Toronto Raptors don’t play again until Wednesday against the Blazers.

Washington: Coach Flip Saunders said he thinks he’ll start Josh Howard against the Nuggets Friday night. Well that was quick. We assume that Howard will take over at the small forward spot, shift Mike Miller to shooting guard and send Nick Young to the bench.

Atlanta: Josh Smith had a nice all-around game in the Hawks’ 88-80 loss to the Suns on Friday, scoring 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting with five rebounds, one assist, three steals, and four blocks.

Josh Smith hit 7-of-14 shots to record his second career triple-double with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, and added two steals and a block in Friday’s tough win over the Bulls. Smoove is feeling it again and should be primed for a big second half now that he has officially abandoned the 3-point shot.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Minnesota: Jonny Flynn hit 6-of-16 shots and three 3-pointers on his way to 19 points and seven assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Mavericks to snap a 13-game losing streak against Dallas. They’ve also won three straight for the first time all season. All five Wolves starters hit double figures in scoring, while Kevin Love double-doubled off the bench. Flynn surprisingly only had one turnover tonight, and was basically dominated by Jason Kidd and Rodrigue Beaubois, but still got it done for the Wolves.

Charlotte: Peja Stojakovic hit 8-of-14 shots and four 3-pointers for 23 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in Friday’s loss. He’s averaging 16 points in his last five games and has hit either three or four 3-pointers in four of those.

Philadelphia: Samuel Dalembert, playing through a back injury, had seven points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in Friday’s win over the New Orleans Hornets. Don’t look now, but the Sixers have won three straight games. Rodney Carney, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young all hit double digits in scoring off the bench, while Andre Iguodala filled the stat sheet in the win. Dalembert isn’t a reliable scorer, but doesn’t miss games and is playing for a contract.

New York: Nate Robinson started at point guard Friday and hit just 3-of-12 shots (zero 3-pointers) for 13 points, four boards, seven assists and a steal in Friday’s loss to the Bucks. Larry Hughes had two points in 20 minutes, while Chris Duhon had six points and three assists in 15 minutes tonight. Robinson will get more chances to start at point guard, so don’t give up on him after tonight’s struggles.

Washington: Caron Butler returned from a knee injury and exploded for a season-high 31 points, including the game-winning 19-footer with 0.5 seconds left on the clock in Friday’s win over the Orlando Magic.

Oakland: Anthony Randolph will remain in a walking boot for another month, according to the Warriors, which means he’s not likely to play again this season. With three torn ligaments in his ankle, Randolph was always a longshot to have an impact again this season. Now it sounds like he’s had a setback and/or the ankle is not healing was originally expected. Once he gets out of the boot, he’ll have a long way to go in terms of rehab and getting back in shape, and we’d be surprised to see him play again this year.

The Clippers have relieved Mike Dunleavy of his coaching duties and have named top assistant Kim Hughes their interim coach for the rest of the season. Dunleavy is expected to remain in his GM capacity. The Clippers are 21-28, seven games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Dunleavy was doomed once No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin went down this season and Elton Brand surprisingly bolted before last season. Hughes has been with the Los Angeles Clippers for the last seven seasons and the rotations should not change much, if at all.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Charlotte: Following reports of Chris Paul having underwent successful surgery on his left knee that will keep him out 4-6 weeks, the New Orleans Hornets Times-Picayune is reporting that he will spend 2-3 weeks on crutches. If he spends two weeks on crutches, it still seems a bit optimistic that he would be able to return two weeks later in game shape.

Portland: Brandon Roy (hamstring) will practice Friday, and is likely to play Saturday against the Lakers.
While this is good news, there’s a lot of time between now and Saturday. Watch to see how he responds to a full practice Friday before committing to him.

Chicago: The Chicago Bulls have decided to shut down Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) until the All-Star break. He was severly hobbled in his last two starts and he can’t afford that with his lack of offensive skills. He’ll miss the next four games but will get 12 days off thanks to the All-Star break. Brad Miller and Tyrus Thomas will benefit the most.

Orlando: Jameer Nelson (left knee) and Mickael Pietrus (right ankle) put in full practices Thursday and appear ready to play against the Wizards on Friday. Nelson ends up just missing one full game with this latest knee problem, but it remains a major concern.

Cleveland: LeBron James started at point guard for the first time since his rookie season with Daniel Gibson (personal) out on Thursday, and finished with 36 points on 9-of-16 shooting (1-of-4 from downtown, 17-of-21 from the foul line) with seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. We were expecting some eye-popping assist totals, but they never came, and by halftime Daniel Gibson was back from tending to his pregnant fiancee at the hospital.

Miami: Michael Beasley, who had played just two games since returning from a knee injury, played a season-high 41 minutes on Thursday, and finished with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting (including a three) with 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.

Warriors G Monta Ellis hit 17-of-23 shots and a career-high four 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 46 points in Wednesday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Ellis is hot again, despite a sore right wrist. He had a steal, a block and some circus shots, but also committed seven turnovers. With nearly no defense being played in Oakland, Ellis could have another big game on any night.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oklahoma City: Thunder G Russell Westbrook hit 11-of-18 shots for 26 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and a block in Wednesday’s win over the New Orleans Hornets. Westbrook has nearly double-doubled in each of his last two games and appears to be out of his recent slump. Kevin Durant chipped in with another 30-point performance, which should put him in the lead for the scoring race, but also committed a season-high eight TOs on the night.

Charlotte: Bobcats F Gerald Wallace said in a television interview during Wednesday’s game that he simply “tweaked his hammy” and expects to return to action on Saturday.

Toranto: Raptors F Hedo Turkoglu is expected to return to action on Sunday against the Kings, according to the post-game recap. Turkoglu is being fitted with a mask and should be back on the court this weekend.

Boston: Paul Pierce will not play on Wednesday and is not likely to play on Friday either, according to Doc Rivers. This should not come as a surprise and it’s entirely possible that he could rest until the All-Star break with his sprained left foot.

Boston: Rajon Rondo had 22 points, six rebounds, 14 assists, three steals and two 3-pointers in Wednesday’s win over the Miami Heat. He’s on fire and is proving to be one of the most valuable point guards around.

Sacramento: Kings’ forward Jason Thompson will miss his next two games to a attend a funeral on the East Coast. That means he’s out Wednesday and Friday, but is supposed to rejoin the team for Sunday’s game at Toronto. Maybe this will give him time to clear his head and get back in the mix for Paul Westphal. In the meantime, look for solid play from Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman.

Portland: LaMarcus Aldridge torched the Jazz for 27 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in Wednesday’s loss. Aldridge has been stepping up with Brandon Roy (hamstring) out. He has 20+ points in four of his last five games and even has five blocks during that span.

Utah: Mehmet Okur went off for 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting in Wednesday’s win over the Blazers. After three straight subpar showings, the Turkish Tornado put up a season-high even though he made just one 3-pointer. It should be a big confidence booster for Okur going forward.

Jonny Flynn had 14 points and set a career high with nine assists in Wednesday’s loss to the Hornets. Flynn was beaten by Chris Paul for the game-winner, but is playing well. He also had a steal and a three tonight, and is averaging 13 points, seven assists and more than a steal and three over his last five games. Obviously, he’s becoming more comfortable in his role. Ramon Sessions came off the bench for just two points and six assists and is averaging just six points and three dimes over his last five games.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks PG Brandon Jennings got hot early and finished with 22 points, four 3-pointers, six assists, two steals and two blocks on 8-of-14 shooting in Wednesday’s win over Toronto, snapping a four-game losing streak for the Bucks. Jennings came in shooting just 32 percent in his last nine games, which was a far cry from his hot start. However, the news was not all good as he left early with a left knee injury. He returned briefly after getting hurt, but was not able to finish the game. Hopefully he just banged knees with another player.

Houston: Rockets F Trevor Ariza hit 11-of-19 shots and four 3-pointers for 26 points, five boards, two assists and two steals in Wednesday’s impressive win over the Cavaliers. Ariza has not been a good shooter from the floor this season, but we think his percentage will continue to improve as he gets more selective with his shots. Ariza’s strong play this season is probably one of the reasons the Houston Rockets are in no rush to bring Tracy McGrady back from knee surgery.

New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul had 15 points and 14 assists, and hit the game-winning layup after blowing by Jonny Flynn near the buzzer for a tough win over the Timberwolves.

Oakland: Warriors F Anthony Randolph returned from a personal leave on Wednesday and came off the bench for 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, a steal and three blocks on 4-of-7 shooting in just 20 minutes of action.

Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson hit just 3-of-10 shots for 11 points, three assists, two steals and a block in Wednesday’s loss – the 11th in a row for Philly.