Author: John Paulsen (Page 590 of 937)

      Reggie Bush has microfracture surgery on knee

      January 7, 2009 /

      Boy, a few years ago, that headline would have sent the entire city of New Orleans into a panic, but new techniques in microfracture surgery have really improved long-term results.

      Bush is expected to be ready for June minicamps.

      Reggie Bush’s knee surgery was more serious than the Saints initially indicated last month, but General Manager Mickey Loomis said the team still expects the running back to be ready for minicamp in early June.

      Loomis said Bush had a microfracture procedure performed on his left knee after he was placed on injured reserve in mid-December. Bush’s injury initially was reported as a sprained medial collateral ligament, which doesn’t usually require surgery, but Coach Sean Payton indicated last week that Bush had an arthroscopic procedure performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

      Loomis did not give details about the surgery, but he said it was not a “major” procedure.

      There is no doubt that Bush has loads of talent, but over the last two seasons he has missed 10 games with various ailments. From a fantasy football perspective, he’s a monster in PPR leagues, but in the real NFL, his injury history and inability to consistently gain yards between the tackles have some calling him a bust. I think he’s been productive enough thus far to gain a reprieve, pending the results of this surgery. If he returns in 2009 with a 1500-yard season, he should be back on track.

      Going a bit deeper into the fantasy impact of this news, Pierre Thomas suddenly looks like a darkhorse to finish in the top 10 next season. He figures to have solid value even with Bush healthy and productive, as the Saints’ offense is explosive enough to support two good fantasy RBs. If Bush is hobbled or misses anytime, he could blow up.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Carmelo Anthony to miss three weeks

      January 7, 2009 /

      ‘Melo has a fractured shooting hand and is going to miss AT LEAST three weeks.

      The Nuggets All-Star guard will miss at least three weeks after breaking a bone in his shooting hand in a victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

      He’s been told by doctors he’ll be out three to four weeks. Surgery would’ve sidelined him much longer.

      Anthony was injured with 9:44 left in the third quarter when Pacers center Jeff Foster swatted at the ball, catching part of Anthony’s hand.

      He continued to play despite numbness in the hand, scoring 21 points before leaving late in the fourth quarter of a 135-115 win.

      This is an opportunity for guys like J.R. Smith and Linas Kleiza to step it up. Both guys are capable.

      ESPN’s Ric Bucher gives his take…

      NBA, Video

      David West drops 40 to help upend Lakers

      January 7, 2009 /

      Check out the 1-2 punch of Chris Paul and David West last night against the Lakers: 72 points (25-47 from the field), 15 assists (all by Paul) and 14 rebounds. West was unstoppable for much of the second half; he drained 18-footers like they were layups and the Lakers simply didn’t have an answer for him defensively. He finished with 40 points and 11 rebounds, while Paul posted 32 points, 15 assists and three steals en route to an impressive 116-105 win. It’s tough to beat a team when two of their players post numbers like that.

      For his part, Kobe Bryant kept the Lakers in it through much of the third quarter, scoring 20 of his 39 points in the period. But he only managed two points in the fourth quarter on 1 of 6 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, the Lamar Odom Watch continues. LO only got 12 minutes, but managed 12 points, three assists and a rebound in that limited run.

      The Hornets have won 16 of their last 21 games. After kind of a shaky start, it’s good to see one of the premier teams in the West actually playing like title contenders. However, I just don’t know how far that Paul and West can take them. Peja Stojakovic (12.9 ppg, 40% FG%) and Morris Peterson (6.3 ppg) are shells of their former selves , and other than James Posey (10.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg), the Hornets don’t have many other scoring options. I really thought after his fine play last season that Julian Wright would make a big jump this year, but he’s been struggling with a sore ankle and has only appeared in limited minutes in 16 games thus far.

      NBA, NBA Finals

      Starbury’s downside blown out of proportion?

      January 6, 2009 /

      Peter May of HoopsHype.com writes that if the Celtics decide to sign Stephon Marbury, it might not be such a bad thing.

      While I am not a big Marbury fan – and I believe I am in the majority on this – I have trouble seeing a downside to him coming to the Celtics. You have to think he would be willing to accept a backup role – if he isn’t, it’s ‘end of discussion’ – and would be on his best behavior. If he decides to go into Knucklehead Mode, well, that’s what waivers are for. The Celtics wouldn’t eat more than a veteran minimum guarantee, pro-rated.

      Ever since James Posey signed with New Orleans last summer and PJ Brown retired, apparently for good this time, the Celtics have known they need to bulk up their bench. While Marbury does not address one need – size – he does address a number of others.

      He can handle the ball. That was a concern last year as well, which led to the February signing of Sam Cassell. The Celtics re-signed Cassell, but he still has yet to play this season. The other point guard options – Eddie House, Gabe Pruitt – are either out-of-position players (House) or still raw around the edges for the playoffs (Pruitt.)

      Marbury also can, as they say these days, score the ball. Having a reliable scorer in the second unit has been a problem for the Celtics all season. One night Tony Allen looks like he’ll be the guy. The next night he looks the guy who the Celtics refused to extend last summer and whose mere presence on the court last spring inspired dread and fear in Celtics fans.

      Marbury also would be insurance if one of the guards got hurt. (The Celtics’ three guard-small forward starters have yet to miss a game this season.) Plus, if he did come in and play well, the Celtics could consider him down the road, as one of the issues on the horizon is that Ray Allen’s deal expires after the 2009-10 season. While Marbury and Allen were taken in the same draft (1996), and, in fact, traded for each other that day, Marbury is two years younger.

      The behavior question is really moot. Think Randy Moss and the New England Patriots. The Celtics have a strong locker room and there is no way that Danny Ainge would foist Marbury on his coach or his team without running it by all of them.

      This is a well thought out piece, unlike a lot of the “he’s a cancer” arguments I’ve been seeing these days. I’m no fan of Marbury either, but as May writes (and as I wrote last week) there is very little downside to the C’s rolling the dice. The bench is thinner than a year ago and the Lakers have added Andrew Bynum. Boston needs to get better and Marbury, if he behaves (which he has shown that he can do…in spurts), then he can help this team.

      The bottom line is that with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen the culture in that locker room is too strong to let him become a distraction. If it doesn’t work out in the first couple of months, the team can cut him and (probably) won’t be any worse for the wear. But I think it would work out, and Marbury would be on the road to rehabbing his career. Mind you, I’m not saying that he will successfully rehab the career, but that he has the potential of completing the first step — helping the Boston Celtics.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Finals, Rumors & Gossip

      Is it better to draft a wide receiver from a small school?

      January 6, 2009 /

      It seems like an inordinate number of small-school wideouts star in the NFL. This isn’t a new trend — six of the top 10 players who lead in all-time receiving yards are from non-BCS schools: Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State), Isaac Bruce (Memphis), Terrell Owens (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Henry Ellard (Fresno State), Randy Moss (Marshall) and Andre Reed (Kutztown Pennsylvania). Here’s a list of the top 30 fantasy receivers of 2008, the school they went to, and the round they were drafted by their NFL team. (I used point-per-reception fantasy stats because they give a nice overall view of a player’s total production — catches, yards and TDs.)

      Andre Johnson (Miami) 1
      Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh) 1
      Anquan Boldin (Florida State) 2
      Brandon Marshall (Central Florida) 4
      Roddy White (UAB) 1
      Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech) 1
      Greg Jennings (Western Michigan) 2
      Wes Welker (Texas Tech) U
      Antonio Bryant (Pittsburgh) 2
      Steve Smith (Utah) 3
      Randy Moss (Marshall) 1
      Reggie Wayne (Miami) 1
      Terrell Owens (Tennessee-Chattanooga) 3
      Santana Moss (Miami) 1
      Hines Ward (Georgia) 3
      Eddie Royal (Virginia Tech) 2
      Dwayne Bowe (LSU) 1
      Vincent Jackson (Northern Colorado) 2
      T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Oregon State) 7
      Derrick Mason (Michigan State) 4
      Lance Moore (Toledo) U
      Kevin Walter (Eastern Michigan) 7
      Donald Driver (Alcorn State) 7
      Isaac Bruce (Memphis) 2
      Jerricho Cotchery (North Carolina State) 4
      DeSean Jackson (California) 2
      Laveranues Coles (Florida State) 3
      Bernard Berrian (Fresno State) 3
      Steve Breaston (Michigan) 5
      Lee Evans (Wisconsin) 1

      Notes:
      – Eighteen players were from the so-called “power conferences” (BCS schools), while 12 were from non-BCS schools.
      – There were nine 1st rounders, seven 2nd rounders, five 3rd rounders, three 4th rounders, one 5th rounder, zero 6th rounders, three 7th rounders and two undrafted players.
      – Two players that most people would agree are amongst the top 30 WRs in the league — Marques Colston (Hofstra, 7th round) and Plaxico Burress (Michigan State, 1st round) — each missed half the season with injury.

      So 40% of the top 30 fantasy wideouts are from non-BCS schools. Does this seem about right, or is it proportionately high when compared to other positions? If it’s the latter, is there something about the position that lends itself to players from small schools succeeding in the NFL?

      Fantasy Football, NFL, NFL Draft

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑