I tend to utilize quotes from time to time. Today, I've decided to pay homage to Jim Mora and simply echo, "playoffs." Next week, I'll make sure to quote Ricky Bobby.

Many of you battled the entire year for your season to come down to three weeks of chaotic turbulence. The injuries don't stop just because the calendar changes to Week 21. Teams will rest players, injuries will strike at a moment's notice, and any player you drop has the potential to eliminate you from the fantasy playoffs. That's life in the head-to-head realm.

J.J. Calle strongly advocates rotisserie leagues, and I approve this message.

HOSPITAL WARD

Jordan Hamilton landed on Donatas Motiejunas' foot, spraining his ankle and playing only 11 minutes. The x-rays were negative. Hamilton is only playing because Jamal Crawford (calf) has been sidelined.

Manu Ginobili's right foot landed on Gorgui Dieng's left foot, resulting in a sprained right foot. Coach Gregg Popovich thinks Ginobili could miss 7-10 days (4-6 games). The Spurs blew out the Timberwolves and everyone played 9-25 minutes. None of the starters competed in the fourth quarter.

Aron Baynes exited due to a rib contusion. Just like coach Popovich, we'll learn later today his long-term prognosis.

Tim Hardaway, Jr. landed on his shooting hand, leading to a sprained right wrist. The x-rays were negative, and he'll try to play Tuesday. Should he miss time, no one wins. There are no winners in this situation. Just like the lottery, there are no winners, only losers.

Cleanthony Early left with a sprained left ankle.  Coach Derek Fisher didn't sound too concerned with the injury.

Kyle Korver broke his nose running into Ed Davis' shoulder. His streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer terminated at 51. He was slated to rest tonight against the Kings, potentially returning with a mask Wednesday against the Warriors. Kent Bazemore will probably start as long as Korver rests, but Dennis Schroder has proven himself next to Jeff Teague, so both players will receive additional playing time if Korver's recovery process extends past one game.

M.I.A.

• Atlanta
  • Paul Millsap (rest)
  • Jeff Teague (rest)
  • DeMarre Carroll (rest)
  • Mike Scott (toe)
  • Thabo Sefolosha (calf)
• Chicago
  • Jimmy Butler (elbow)
  • Taj Gibson (ankle)
  • Derrick Rose (knee)
• Cleveland
  • Kevin Love (rest)
  • Shawn Marion (hip)
• Denver
  • Wilson Chandler (knee)
  • Darrell Arthur (calf)
  • Randy Foye (rest)
• Houston
  • Dwight Howard (knee)
  • Kostas Papanikolaou (ankle)
• LA Clippers
  • Jamal Crawford (calf)
• LA Lakers
  • Nick Young (knee)
• Minnesota
  • Ricky Rubio (ankle)
  • Nikola Pekovic (ankle)
  • Kevin Garnett (knee)
  • Gary Neal (hand)
  • Anthony Bennett (leg)
  • Robbie Hummel (hand)
• New Orleans
  • Ryan Anderson (knee)
  • Jrue Holiday (leg)
• New York
  • Jose Calderon (Achilles)
• Oklahoma City
  • Kevin Durant (foot)
  • Serge Ibaka (knee)
• Orlando
  • Evan Fournier (hip)
  • Willie Green (back)
  • Devyn Marble (eye)
• Phoenix
  • Brandon Knight (ankle)
  • Alex Len (ankle)
  • Marcus Thornton (DNP-CD)
• Portland
  • Joel Freeland (suspended)

ROTATION NOTES

Steven Adams moved into the starting lineup over Mitch McGary, presumably to match up with the Bulls' frontline. Both guys were replacing Serge Ibaka (knee), who missed his second straight game. Adams supplied 14 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and one assist in 33 minutes. I believe Adams will start when Kevin Durant (foot) returns, committing Enes Kanter to a bench role. Kanter's performance of late says otherwise; he posted 18 points, 18 rebounds, and two steals against the Bulls, notching three double-doubles in his last four games. His offense would fit better in the second unit when Durant comes back, and even though Kanter and Russell Westbrook have developed a nice chemistry, Durant requires more touches than Adams, who provides better defense than Kanter. It'll be an interesting puzzle for coach Scott Brooks to solve, and one that requires a healthy Ibaka before we ultimately know how the pieces fit.

Joakim Noah is officially on a restriction of no more than 32 minutes per game. He played 31 minutes, missing more than half the final period as coach Tom Thibodeau held firm on the limitation. Noah still recorded a team-high seven assists and is averaging a team-high 7.5 assists per game in since Derrick Rose (knee) had his season derailed.

Blake Griffin returned to action after missing 15 games with a staph infection in his shooting elbow. He narrowly missed a triple-double and in the process, limited Chris Paul to five assists. In a team-high 41 minutes, Griffin tallied 11 points, 11 rebounds, a team-high eight assists, two steals, and one block. Only two of his ten attempts were taken further than six feet from the basket, a potential sign of things to come. Griffin wore an elbow sleeve, so he may feel inclined to focus on his around the basket game instead of hoisting jumpers. Afterward, Griffin admitted, "I didn't think I played well. I was out of rhythm - way too many turnovers. The elbow was a little sore, moreso toward the end, but we expected that. It was nothing out of the ordinary."

All five Clippers' starters played at least 35 minutes, shortchanging the bench scrapheap. This should be the arrangement until season's end.

Kevin Love rested because of a sore neck and back. They win without him regularly, so don't be surprised if he sits more games down the stretch. The Cavaliers play the fewest games (14) from here on out. Only five of those games are against teams with winning records. They're essentially locked into the two seed in the East, adding a bit of intrigue to guys like Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, and James Jones as potential daily streamers in the weeks to come.

Tristan Thompson, another feasible streaming option, started but only produced four points, three rebounds, and two blocks in 30 minutes. It's only the fifth time in his career Thompson played at least 29 minutes and grabbed fewer than four rebounds.

Wilson Chandler was held out with knee soreness. Interim coach Melvin Hunt is committed to getting his younger players minutes in a lost season, potentially resting Chandler later this week during another road back-to-back set. Gary Harris drew the start, but it was Will Barton who stole the show. Many people may be surprised by his recent onslaught; those people clearly don't remember Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals last season against the San Antonio Spurs when Barton willed the Trail Blazers to their only win of the series. Off the bench, Barton scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds in 30 minutes in the Game 4 win. In Sunday's double-overtime win, Barton achieved an inflated team-high 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, one block, and three three-pointers in 47 minutes. Clearly, he won't play 47 minutes every game and Chandler's absence played a factor. Also, rookie Harris picked up three fouls in the first half and only played four minutes in the second half. As a Nugget, Barton's averaging 14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 1.0 threes while shooting 48 percent in 28.1 minutes per game. He's fifth on the team in minutes, first in field goal percentage, and second in scoring average. The Nuggets possess a weak fantasy playoff schedule, engaging in two three-game weeks following a four-game Week 21. Barton has a bit of hot sauce in his game, but he's capable of getting to the rim and adjusting given his lanky stature.

Randy Foye was rested, and Jusuf Nurkic started in Foye's place, shifting Kenneth Faried down to power forward. Nurkic only played 22 minutes in his second game back from a sore ankle. The Nuggets play tonight, and it'll be interesting to see how many minutes he receives. As it stands now, he's not getting enough run to be relevant in most leagues, especially with Faried thriving at the center position. Nurkic has played more than 30 minutes only twice all season, and with foot issues creeping up and a high foul rate, I can't see him playing more than 25 minutes a night. And to be fair, only 11 starting centers average more than 30 minutes per game.

Ty Lawson joined the starting lineup after sitting out the previous game with an illness. He dropped 19 points, nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and one three-pointer in 48 minutes. His backcourt buddy, Jameer Nelson, chipped in 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, one steal, and four three-pointers. Coach Hunt loves to push the pace, routinely using smaller lineups to fulfill those fantasies. Since Brian Shaw was fired, the Nuggets are fifth in pace at just under 99 possessions per 48 minutes.

Tyreke Evans only missed one game after spraining his ankle, a regular occurrence if you've followed Evans' career. His return moved Norris Cole to the bench where he played 31 minutes and provided four points and four assists, removing all hope of standard league fantasy relevance. Evans nearly triple-doubled in 43 minutes, registering 25 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, two blocks, one three-pointer and six turnovers. The Pelicans are still in the playoff hunt, reducing the chances of Evans resting their back-to-back set later this week.

Ricky Rubio was precautionarily rested due to ankle soreness, joining Nikola Pekovic (ankle), Kevin Garnett (knee), and Gary Neal (hand) on the bench. The game was in San Antonio, explaining Garnett's absence. Pekovic may not play the rest of the season (17 games) with lingering ankle problems. The same movie played out at the end of last season. As mentioned on previous editions of the Box Score Breakdown, Rubio just signed a contract extension last offseason, so the Timberwolves will rest him when applicable. They have one back-to-back each of the next three weeks (March 18-19, 21-22, 28-29), and five of their next nine games are on the road.

Zach LaVine replaced Rubio in the starting line, supplying 18 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three three-pointers in 42 minutes. Full disclosure: the Spurs coasted in the second half where LaVine did more than half his damage in each stat. Justin Hamilton is the one who captured everyone's imagination, accumulating nine points, 10 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one three-pointer in 37 minutes. Coach Flip Saunders only had eight healthy bodies, and more blatant than LaVine, Hamilton scored all his points in the final quarter. Because LaVine doesn't compare to Rubio's playmaking prowess, Hamilton was able to accumulate assists operating out of the high-post. He's a seven-footer who can knock down the three-pointer. The Heat didn't give him much run, but as long as he's producing, it's difficult to not recommend him until he flames out. Five of the Timberwolves' next nine games are on the road, ruling out Garnett for those, and they engage in three back-to-backs over the next week. Adreian Payne has taken a back seat in the minute's department ever since his 16-point, 15-rebound effort, momentarily entrusting Hamilton as the primary beneficiary. The Timberwolves have a home game tonight against Garnett's former squad, the Nets, foiling an otherwise bullet proof plan if you decided to roll with Hamilton this week.

Jonas Valanciunas returned from paternity leave, playing his customary 22 minutes in the starting lineup. He made all seven of his shots and finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one block. Since the All-Star break, Valanciunas is playing 26.4 minutes per game, an uptick of 0.2 minutes from the first half of the season. I've contemplated dropping Valanciunas in a 12-team head-to-head league if his percentages weren't so vital to my team's success. He averages a combined 1.9 assists/steals/blocks in 26.3 minutes per game this season. Amir Johnson averages 26.6 minutes per game, and Patrick Patterson averages 26.4 minutes per game. Valanciunas' erratic playing time has him on the chopping block, and I'll probably give him the boot during Week 22 when the Raptors play three games. Of all the players who've played at least 20 games this season, Valanciunas ranks 137th in minutes per game.

Alonzo Gee returned to the bench after missing the previous game when his wisdom teeth were pulled. He's a Gee.

Brandan Wright replaced Alex Len (ankle) in the starting lineup, producing a season-high 18 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, and one steal in a career-high 37 minutes. I was as shocked as you. The Suns play three games each of the next three weeks, matching Chicago, Cleveland, and Orlando with a minimum nine games Week 21-23. You really need to commit to Wright if you add him with the belief Len doesn't return the rest of the season. And if you add him, you'll wait until Thursday for the Suns to play their first game this week. A lot can happen between now and then, not just to the Suns' frontcourt but your fantasy team as well. Wright's someone you want to add at the end of the week for the three games over the final four days if you need help in percentages, rebounds, steals, and blocks. Of note, he's recorded a steal in 10 straight games, the longest streak in his career. Markieff Morris, the pseudo small-ball center, was limited to 26 minutes due to foul trouble, playing just 42 seconds in the fourth quarter. I imagine Wright's playing time settling closer to 30 minutes when the Suns battle the Pelicans on Thursday, which'll help him retain most of his value from Sunday if Len doesn't play.

Seth Curry played seven minutes in his Suns' debut. He was scoreless on 0-2 shooting. He'll need to leapfrog Archie Goodwin and T.J. Warren in the rotation before obtaining fantasy consideration.

Gerald Green played six minutes after two DNP-CDs. Marcus Thornton received a DNP-CD after playing in the last three games. Is it noteworthy? Probably not. But it happened, and I'm here to report it.

Jeff Teague, DeMarre Carroll, and Paul Millsap were rested. Operating under the assumption Coach Mike Budenholzer would sit starters against the Lakers, I added Dennis Schroder the night before in a league where I needed assist help. The gamble paid off as he supplied a career-high 24 points, 10 assists, three rebounds, one steal, and one three-pointer in 38 minutes. Kent Bazemore and Pero Antic also drew starts, and Bazemore played a team-high 38 minutes. Shelvin Mack scored 18 points off the bench with three assists and three three-pointers in 35 minutes. The bench was so depleted, Elton Brand played 24 minutes and blocked three shots.

The Hawks play the Sacramento Kings tonight, extending Schroder's usefulness since Budenholzer will rest Kyle Korver (nose) and Al Horford. In case you're out of the loop. the Kings have been the worst defense since the All-Star break. Thanks a lot, George Karl.

Currently, the Hawks are 10 games up with 16 to play. To close out this week, they face the Warriors, Thunder, and Spurs. I fully expect Budenholzer to deploy his usual starting lineup for those three games. Problems arise next week when the Hawks face the Magic, followed by a back-to-back against the Heat and Hornets that dovetails into four games in five nights on the Week 23 wraparound. They'll likely clinch the number-one seed during that stretch, negating the starters' value when they inevitably rest. Schroder will become a hot ticket item then, but he's better stashed in rotisserie leagues, allowing you to carry him until you find out he's starting. It can be tricky in head-to-head leagues to own Schroder with the Hawks playing three games in Week 22 and Week 23, exacerbated by the uncertainty of when coach Budenholzer will rest his starters.

Jeremy Lin played a team-low 19 minutes. Recently signed Jabari Brown played 22 minutes. Fear not because coach Byron Scott vowed to start Lin the final 10 games this season, four of which overlap with Week 23, the championship week for most head-to-head leagues. Jordan Clarkson played a team-high 31 minutes before fouling out, and eight other Lakers played 20-28 minutes. Ryan Kelly and Carlos Boozer scored a team-high 13 points. This type of minute distribution has been the norm since Kobe Bryant's season-ending shoulder injury. Regardless of who starts, it rarely matters.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

Anthony Davis needed 50 minutes in double-overtime to create 36 points, 14 rebounds, nine blocks, career-high seven assists, and one steal. Anthony Davis is why cavemen painted on walls. Anthony Davis is the definition of benevolent. Anthony Davis embodies the truest form of otherworldly. Anthony Davis is my sunshine, my only sunshine.

ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT

Nikola Mirotic edged a few other rookies because of his efficiency. He scored 17 of his team-high 27 points in the fourth quarter and shot 8-18 from the field and hit all nine freebies, adding four rebounds, two steals, one assist, one block, and two three-pointers in 30 minutes. With Taj Gibson (ankle) sidelined and Joakim Noah's minute restriction, Mirotic has excelled in March, averaging 20.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 0.9 steals, and 1.7 three-pointers in 32.2 minutes per game. The Bulls are one of four teams with a minimum nine games over the next three weeks, affording you the chance to stream him if another manager drops him solely based on the upcoming schedule.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH

James Harden provided 36 points (7-16 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 17-18 FT), seven rebounds, and seven assists in 41 minutes. Normally, those numbers wouldn't warrant a Triple-Double Watch notification, but I do as I please. Post-All-Star Harden is shooting 39 percent from the field and 34 percent from downtown. Like Rick James once said, small sample size is a hell of a drug.

Elfrid Payton could sink a battleship with his percentages. On the surface, his 13 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, two steals, and one three-pointer in 38 minutes shoulder earn more adulation. However, he shot 5-of-14 from the floor and 2-of-6 from the free-throw line. The three-pointer is a quizzical addition to his game considering he doesn't shoot well, adding two the previous game. Since the All-Star break, he's seen a sizable boost in minutes with Evan Fournier (hip) and Willie Green (back) in and out of the lineup. The increased playing time has come with a noticeable decrease in efficiency, shooting 39 percent from the field on 10.5 shots and 46 percent from the free-throw line on 4.5 attempts per game, inflated after one game where he was intentionally fouled repeatedly throughout the second half. The counting stats are flashy, but beware the floundering percentages.

LeBron James still hasn't recorded a triple-double this season. In 35 minutes against the Magic, he compiled 21 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, three steals, and one block. He was coasting for much of the game, nonchalantly grounded in second gear. As mentioned above, the Cavaliers have a cake schedule and James will likely receive a few rest days when they clinch the two seed. Rest may come as early as tonight with James taking an awkward fall that tweaked his knee. He played the rest of the game and said afterward, "I couldn't get my foot from underneath me and I was able to play through it obviously and see how I feel tomorrow and go from there."

Eric Bledsoe accomplished the Ricky Davis Triple-Double, falling one rebound shy of an actual triple-double. In 37 minutes, he contributed 21 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds, two steals, and one three-pointer against the Knicks. He's second in turnovers per game since the All-Star break at 4.8, a full turnover per game behind Russell Westbrook. Remove that deficiency and you're looking at a top-40 fantasy producer, providing positive contributions in all categories except free-throw percentage.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Russell Westbrook's first quarter wasn't indicative of his final line. After starting out the game 1-of-8, Westbrook finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two three-pointers in 41 minutes. He scored 26 of his 36 points in the second half. In 23 games without Kevin Durant, Westbrook is averaging 30.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 2.2 steals with a usage rate of 42.1 percent. Enjoy the rampage while it lasts.

Matt Barnes scored 14 of his 19 points in the first quarter, supplemented with two rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, and five three-pointers. He's the only player post All-Star break averaging at least one steal (1.0), one block (1.1), and two three-pointers (2.5) per game, comfortably providing top-70 9-category value. Unfortunately, Barnes was charged with his first flagrant foul of the season when he tackled James Harden, and the league may suspend him one game for those actions. Also, Blake Griffin's return saps Barnes' power forward minutes, in turn decreasing his block opportunities. To be frank, I'm slightly upset I wasn't able to add Barnes in my 12-team head-to-head league before the start of Week 21. Assuming he avoids suspension, this four-game week would have been a great time to stream him.

DeAndre Jordan grabbed 20 rebounds in 35 minutes, extending his streak of at least 14 rebounds to 15 straight games. Without Griffin, Jordan was the only Clipper to grab double-digit rebounds in a game. Barnes and Spencer Hawes each had one game where they grabbed nine rebounds, but other than that, Jordan was a rebound hoarder.

Donatas Motiejunas shot 3-of-15 from the field in 43 minutes. His value has been tanked by horrendous free-throw percentage, converting 46.4 after the All-Star break, rivaling his 45.9 percent three-point shooting over the same timeframe. He's a useful option in daily head-to-head leagues this week, even though the Rockets only play three games because all three games land on days with less than six NBA games. He doesn't block many shots or provide center-worthy field goal percentage, limiting his appeal in a majority of fantasy leagues with the imminent return of Dwight Howard (knee).

Victor Oladipo (25 points), Nikola Vucevic (22 points), and Tobias Harris (24 points) led the Magic in scoring. Vucevic grabbed 15 rebounds for his 38th double-double, third most behind Pau Gasol and DeMarcus Cousins. Post All-Star break Oladipo is averaging 20.6 points, 4.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.5 three-pointers in 38.2 minutes per game. If the Magic don't re-sign Harris this offseason, Oladipo could be drafted in the top 25 of fantasy drafts next season.

Luke Ridnour scored a season-high 15 points in 16 minutes off the bench. He's usually behind Willie Green (back) and Evan Fournier (hip) on the depth chart, pressed into action when Victor Oladipo or Elfrid Payton succumb to foul trouble. The outburst is nothing to worry about long-term, and I'm not even sure why I mentioned it.

J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving combined for 58 points and 11 three-pointers. This time around, five of Irving's 15 attempts were uncontested, an improvement of sorts. Smith is one of five players since the All-Star break averaging at least two three-pointers, one steal, four rebounds, and two assists per game. It's a club that includes James Harden and LeBron James. I'll reprint my claim from roughly three weeks ago: Smith is the same player he was in New York. The only difference is his role in Cleveland, his minutes, averaging an extra six per game, and his three-point attempts, firing three more threes per contest.

Andrea Bargnani and Alexey Shved each scored a team-high 18 points. Bargnani's true colors are showing recently, averaging 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 blocks, 0.3 three-pointers, and 0.0 steals per game over the past four contests. He's a limited scorer who you can feel safe discarding. Realize the Knicks play four games each of the next two weeks before jettisoning Bargnasty for the flavor of the week. Shved's utility lives on much like Celine Dion's heart in the song My Heart Will Go On. His four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two three-pointers in 32 minutes provide an overview of his fantasy value on the Knicks. Jose Calderon (Achilles) will be reevaluated today, but the odds point to the Knicks shutting him down with only 16 games remaining. It pains me to admit that Shved eclipsed Langston Galloway as the Knicks' guard you should own, and that was apparent early last week.

Marcus Morris provided 20 points in 39 minutes. His intrigue is tied to Brandon Knight's ankle. I've covered the Suns' lackluster playoff schedule and the fact they don't play until Thursday, but Morris fits the mold of someone you stream at the end of the week if you need a boost in specific categories, namely three-pointers. Don't let the scoring output tied to the minutes increase blind you to his true worth. The steals will come and go, but he's a negative or neutral in most categories. That said, I'll probably take a flier on him later this week in my 12-team league if Knight doesn't progress appropriately.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. Anthony Davis, F, NOP: 36 points
2. Russell Westbrook, G, OKC: 36 points
3. James Harden, G, HOU: 34 points

Rebounds

1. DeAndre Jordan, C, LAC: 20 rebounds
2. Enes Kanter, F, OKC: 18 points
3. Nikola Vucevic, C, ORL: 15 rebounds

Assists

1. LeBron James, F, CLE: 13 assists
2. Nicolas Batum, F, POR: 12 assists
3. Eric Bledsoe, G, PHX: 11 assists

Steals

1. Al Horford, C, ATL: 5 steals
2. Kawhi Leonard, F, SAS: 5 steals
3. Nine players tied with three steals

Blocks

1. Anthony Davis, F, NOP: 9 blocks
2. DeAndre Jordan, C, LAC: 4 blocks
3. Tim Duncan, C, SAS: 3 blocks
4. Robin Lopez, C, POR: 3 blocks
5. Elton Brand, F, ATL: 3 blocks

Three-Pointers

1. J.R. Smith, G, NYK: 6-11 3Pt
2. Kyrie Irving, G CLE: 5-6 3Pt
3. Matt Barnes, F, LAC: 5-9 3Pt

Minutes

1. Anthony Davis, F, NOP: 50 minutes
2. Ty Lawson, G, DEN: 48 minutes
3. Will Barton, G, DEN: 47 minutes