2/27 Roster Highlights
By: 2K Insider | Friday February 27 2009
Latest News - Stephon Marbury and the New York Knicks agreed to a buyout earlier this week and was waived. The Knicks finally rid themselves of the controversial, but talented point guard who is now on the verge of joining division rival Boston. I'm surprised that the Celtics are willing to roll the dice on Marbury given his track record and the stakes at hand. No one doubts Stephon's ability on the court, but it's his baggage and potential disruptive energy in the locker room that has me shaking my head in disapproval. Let's hope this works out for the best and the Celtics can once again be NBA Champions. Who am I kidding, I hope Marbury is Marbury and they crash and burn because of him. Please, basketball gods, where is the justice? <steps down from soap box> Mikki Moore, who was recently waived by the Kings, also joins the green team to add frontcourt depth and a veteran compliment to Glen Davis and Leon Powe. This week saw several key players returning to action after missing time with injury. Tyson Chandler had missed 15 games due to a severely sprained ankle and looks good so far. Chris Paul and David West are no doubt glad he's still wearing a Hornets uniform after the botched trade attempt with OKC. Carlos Boozer is back for Utah after missing a whopping 44 games with a bad knee. Fortunately for them, Paul Millsap stepped in and did a great job filling the void left by Booz. Andris Biedrins only missed 5 games with a sprained ankle and is now coming of the bench for the Warriors while he regains his strength. Monta Ellis was initially supposed to miss one or two weeks with "stiffness" in his surgically repaired ankle but the latest reports indicate he could be back sooner. It seems as if he won't be himself until the 2009-10 season. Delonte West was out for 16 games after fracturing his wrist in a hard fall, but he was on point in his return scoring 25 points in 33 minutes, including 5-5 from 3pt range. After much anticipation, Cartier Martin was added to the Bobcats roster. Please note that new players added to the roster have generic likenesses and portraits.

Biggest Movers - Nate Robinson continues to dazzle, riding the wave of his second Slam Dunk title. He has increased his scoring by almost 10 ppg from January, averaging 24.4 ppg, 0.485 FG%, 5.1 apg, 4.8 rpg and 1.3 spg in February. You have to wonder if the Blazers are second guessing their decision to draft Greg Oden ahead of Kevin Durant. Granted, it's still early in both of their careers to make a final judgment but K.D. is already a bonafide superstar while Oden struggles just to stay healthy. In 10 games this month, Durant is averaging 33.1 ppg on 0.514 FG%, while pulling 6.7 rpg, dishing 3.9 apg, and snatching 1.6 spg. That is big-time production and really unbelievable considering that he's just 20 years old. What were you doing when you were 20? Lamar Odom was disappointed when the season started and he found himself coming off the bench in a contract year. So needless to say, he is jumping at the opportunity given to him now that Bynum is out of the lineup. In the 12 games as a starter in February, he has posted 16.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.0 spg and 0.550 FG%. Oh by the way, the Lakers have gone 11-1 during that stretch. Deron Williams is putting the doubters to rest as he has established himself as an elite point guard in the NBA. The Jazz have won 9 of their last 10 games while Deron has averaged 24.0 ppg, 10.9 apg and 0.516 FG%. Finding himself on the wrong side of the Biggest Movers is Rodney Stuckey. After a nice run in December and January, Stuckey and the Pistons have fallen on hard times in February. The team is just 2-9 this month and Stuckey has lost his mojo. With averages of 8.5 ppg, 3.8 apg on 0.356 FG%, I'm wondering where all the Stuckey lobbyists are who gave me a hard time before? In fairness, if you jock a guy because he's playing well, then come clean and admit when he's in a rut. Vince Carter was recently quoted as saying his play has been "terrible" and I would have to agree. In November he looked great, averaging 23.9 ppg on 0.481 FG%. However, in February those numbers dropped to 17.2 ppg and 0.411 FG%.

Whoa. What is going on with all the hating on Hibbert? Sy raised his BLK rating from 85 to 88, and his OREB from 75 to 79. His OVR 79 is the end result of his ratings. Overrated would be raising his DAWR and OAWR over 90 (currently at 75 apiece). So, if everyone is so positive that he's "overrated" then what individual rating would you change/decrease? If anyone is overrated among rookie centers, it's Oden and Marc Gasol. As for the fortune telling comment...Hibbert's minutes have been increasing since Granger and Dunleavy went down, and he's staying out foul trouble longer. Also, Jim has been playing him in the 4th, so he's coming around. IMHO, he is and will better than Oden, the true overrated rookie center.