LOTTERY PICKS
BLAKE GRIFFIN – Down
Broken kneecap leaves Griffin unlikely to even be able to perform basketball drills until after the regular season.
HASHEEM THABEET – Even
The minutes have been fluctuating for the 7-foot-3 Thabeet, though he’ll usually swat at least a couple of shots and grab a few boards when he does get on the floor. Still has no offensive game to speak of.
JAMES HARDEN – Even
Has become the Thunder’s biggest 3-point threat other than Kevin Durant and is a key player off their bench, but remains a very inconsistent shooter.
TYREKE EVANS – Up
Struggling to jell with Kevin Martin and the Kings have been horrendous, but Evans has put up some big point totals recently and remains the Rookie of the Year front-runner.
JONNY FLYNN – Up
Showing the potential that could have the Timberwolves losing interest in Ricky Rubio. Flynn has been on a good scoring run and is becoming a better distributor, totaling at least eight assists in four of his last five games.
STEPHEN CURRY – Up
A better defender than the Warriors realized – he’s averaging nearly two steals a game –though this is a team that hardly knows what defense is. Dell Curry’s kid continues to get big minutes and is a regular double-figure scorer who isn’t hoisting as many bad shots.
JORDAN HILL – Even
Finally getting regular minutes off New York’s bench but has shown little promise at the offensive end.
DEMAR DEROZAN – Down
Ankle problem has kept him out of action lately.
BRANDON JENNINGS – Even
Too many off shooting nights have dropped Jennings behind Evans in the Rookie of the Year race. A consistent 20-point threat through much of the first two months of the season, he’s often struggled to reach double figures in 2010.
TERRENCE WILLIAMS – Even
Getting bigger minutes and has become the Nets’ second-best passer behind Devin Harris, but must work on his outside shooting.
GERALD HENDERSON – Down
Remains arguably the most disappointing lottery selection, hardly getting playing time for the young Bobcats.
TYLER HANSBROUGH – Down
Inner-ear infection has caused him to miss most of the last six weeks of game action.
EARL CLARK – Even
Hasn’t quite cracked the regular rotation in Phoenix but is getting a bit more playing time and showing occasional flashes of his superior athleticism.
OTHER FIRST-ROUNDERS
AUSTIN DAYE – Down
Has fallen out of favor in Detroit and has gone two weeks without scoring a point, not long after a stretch in which he reached double figures four times in six games.
JAMES JOHNSON – Down
Limited mostly to garbage-time minutes.
JRUE HOLIDAY – Down
Given a starting role recently but has failed to take advantage, averaging around four points and two assists since being put in the Philadelphia backcourt alongside Allen Iverson.
TY LAWSON – Even
Numbers have dropped a bit recently but continues to provide Denver with a capable backup to Chauncey Billups, displaying a good all-around game offensively.
JEFF TEAGUE – Down
Can’t get back into the Hawks’ regular rotation, struggling to make the few shots he has gotten over the past month.
ERIC MAYNOR – Down
Still getting reasonable minutes backing up Russell Westbrook at the point for Oklahoma City, but endured a recent six-game stretch in which he totaled eight points on 4-of-18 shooting.
DARREN COLLISON – Up
Chris Paul’s injury has given Collison a chance to show off his skills and he’s taken advantage, averaging 14.0 points and 13.7 assists in his first three games starting for Paul. Also had 14 turnovers in that span.
OMRI CASSPI – Even
No longer a consistent scoring threat but has occasional outbursts, though he’s gone cold from 3-point land.
TAJ GIBSON – Up
Works very hard on the glass, is becoming a solid shot blocker and doesn’t take too many foolish shots.
DEMARRE CARROLL - Even
May be reclaiming a more significant role in Memphis’ rotation, seeing increased minutes in February after struggling to stay on the floor last month.
WAYNE ELLINGTON – Down
His 3-point shooting has been way off lately and his scoring production is down despite coming off a thin Minnesota bench.
SERGE IBAKA – Up
A 2008 first-rounder who wasn’t in the NBA last season, Ibaka works very hard in the paint and has played a key role in helping Oklahoma City’s second unit keep the team in games.
SECOND - ROUNDERS
SAM YOUNG – Down
Playing time went down in January – so did his scoring - and he started February sitting out due to an allergy infection.
DEJUAN BLAIR – Up
Recently lost his starting role but that has not caused arguably the biggest steal of the draft to slow down. He keeps grabbing plenty of rebounds even with less playing time and had a 20-point, 9-of-11 shooting game recently at Sacramento.
CHASE BUDINGER – Up
A very good 3-point threat off the Houston bench, Budinger has been scoring in double figures quite a bit lately and is a heady player who commits few turnovers.
JONAS JEREBKO – Even
In and out of Detroit’s starting lineup, he’s scoring less consistently but still does a good job on the boards.
DERRICK BROWN – Even
Getting more time lately for a Bobcats frontcourt missing Tyson Chandler.
WELSEY MATTHEWS – Up
Minutes have fluctuated but he’s proven to be a very capable scorer when given the chance, including recent outbursts of 21 points against Phoenix and 16 versus Portland.
MARCUS THORNTON – Up
Has flourished in a starting role after the Hornets dealt Devin Brown. Thornton averaged 23.5 points in his first two games of February and recently hit five 3s in two different games.
JON BROCKMAN – Even
Often struggles to find his role in Sacramento’s offense but helps out on the boards, including a recent double-double at Denver.
A.J. PRICE – Even
The backup point guard for a thin Indiana squad needs to become a better distributor and a more consistent shooter.
