Empty the Bench

Point Guard

Days after being involved in the biggest trade that didn’t happen, New Jersey Nets PG and still- Joumana-hubby Jason Kidd played like team trainers pumped him full of Jolt cola. In the Nets’ 109-96 win on the road against moribund Sacramento, Kidd recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 10 assists, 13 rebounds. He didn’t skimp on other categories, either: 50% from the field, 4 three-pointers, and just one turnover. Unfortunately, Kidd will need to have nights like this almost all the time for the Nets to have a shot at the playoffs.

Shooting Guard

Kobe Bryant has a good fantasy night from time to time. Last night, one of the few guys to show any effort during the 2007 NBA All-Star Game went off on the poor Celtics, dropping 38 on counterpart Paul Pierce en route to a 122-96 win at home to snap a six-game losing streak. Bryant finished 13-23 from the field, with 5 three-pointers, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, and 5 steals in just 31 minutes. That’s right, coach Phil Jackson can be asshole at times, but last night he granted mercy on the Celts and rested Bryant for the entire fourth quarter.

Small Forward

Has this guy come on this year or what? In preparation for the showdown on Sunday afternoon against Central rival Detroit Pistons, Luol Deng led the Chicago Bulls to a 15-point win at home over the defenseless Washington Wizards. For the night, Deng tied a career-high with 32 points on 13-22 shooting, tacking on 11 rebounds, 100% from the stripe, 1 assist, and 1 block. While we’d like to see Deng average at least 2 more feeds a game (he’s currently at 2.1 for the season), his high shooting percentages, points, and low turnovers have made him one of the biggest breakout fantasy stars of the season thus far.

Power Forward

ETB favorite Chris Bosh was on last night as his Toronto Raptors spanked Rick Carlisle’s Pacers at home to the tune of 110-88. In playing a big role in Toronto’s ninth win out of its past ten at home, Bosh was magnificent yet again, scoring 23 points on 8-12 shooting with 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocked shots, and 6-8 from the free-throw line. The Raptors look more and more like a sure bet for the playoffs with each passing game.

Center

There weren’t too many monster games at the center position last night, but we’ll go with New Orleans/Oklahoma City’s Tyson Chandler over Emeka Okafor of the Bobcats (16 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals) in a coin flip. Proving that he can keep up his insane rebounding pace, Chandler was instrumental in the Hornets’ one-point nailbiter over the Seattle Supersonics on Friday night. Stats: 19 rebounds (including 10 on the offensive end), 15 points, 2 assists, 1 block, and 70% from the field. Said the Sonics’ Nick Collison: “The ones he couldn’t get he tipped out. He’s one of the best in the league in rebounding. I felt like a lot of times I was in good position between him and the basket, but he just went over my back. There’s not a lot you can do on those plays. Maybe yell and scream and hope the ref bails you out, but they didn’t do that tonight.”

Sixth Man

It seems like most of the games last night ended up how they should have, but the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the biggest upset of the evening with a 105-99 victory over the visiting and still Yao-less Houston Rockets. Coach Mike Woodson owes a game ball to G Joe Johnson for the win, with JJ going off for 31 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and just 2 turnovers while going 12-22 from the field. Counterpart Tracy McGrady also had a nice night (37 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds), but Johnson and the Hawks take the win and continue to improve.