I don't know how the reader feels about time travel. Me, ever since having first seen -- and, subsequently, becoming a devotee of -- 1985's Back to the Future, I've been a pretty big fan. As such, I'd like you all, please, to bear with me as we travel back in time. The year? 2009. The month? October. The date? I actually don't remember the exact date. Anyway, it was around then some time that I wrote the following words in my intro to the Challenge:

3. Beware the DNP

Even worse than picking a sub-par player for a game is picking an injured or otherwise absent one. It's as true for Pick One as for other fantasy games: even though you don't normally think about it, playing time is frequently the single biggest contributor to a player's value. In the case of Pick One, 0 MP = 0 PRA. Unsure about a star's availability on a given day? Look elsewhere. If you want to compete in Pick One, you've got to be on point every day.

And until this past Saturday, I'd avoided the DNP successfully all bloody season. Until Saturday, like I say. For it was that day when, basically without warning, Eric Gordon missed that night's contest against Golden State. That's the Golden State Warriors, people -- a.k.a. the same team that allows about five more points per game than any other!

Anyway, I'll curse that day for always. On the bright side, though, it was my first of the season.

And on a hopefully even brighter side, here are some notes for this abbreviated week, including notable performances, recent injuries, and the picks.

Boo-yah!


NOTABLE RECENT PERFORMANCES

(Note: Listed in order of Bullish-ness.)

Player: Jodie Meeks - PHI
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 13.7 / 34.5 (4)
General Thoughts: Meeks is only averaging 11 or so minutes per game on the season, but he's been getting almost exactly double that in four April contests. It remains to be seen what sort of NBA player he'll become after an impressive junior season at Kentucky. That's not really the Challenger's concern. The Challenger's concern is that he's getting 22 MPG and is eligible for a rookie bonus.

Player: Shaun Livingston - WAS
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 12.4 / 27.4 (5)
General Thoughts: Livingston is using Randy Foye's injury -- and the 40 or so minutes per game that it's given him -- to demonstrate a well-rounded game. Through six April contests the point guard is averaging 16.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 6.0 APG.    

Player: Udonis Haslem - MIA
Season Average / Last Week (Games): 18.6 / 25.33 (3)
General Thoughts: Heading into the week, Haslem is riding a streak of four consecutive double-doubles and six consecutive double-digit rebounding games. The reason for the improvement? More playing time. With Jermaine O'Neal nursing a knee injury and Michael Beasley proving ineffective of late, Haslem has been playing closer to 35 MPG of late.


RECENT INJURIES

Player: Brandon Roy - POR
Injury: Knee
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Rudy Fernandez

Player: O.J. Mayo - MEM
Injury: Ankle
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Sam Young, Mike Conley

Player: Gerald Wallace
Injury: Shoulder
Return: Day-to-Day
Key Beneficiaries: Larry Hughes


NOTHING BUT THE PICKS

Date: Monday, April 12, 2010
Player: Jodie Meeks - PHI
Opposition: at Miami
2009-2010 Averages: 4.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.7 APG (13.7 PRA)
General Thoughts: You can kinda throw out Meeks' average up till April, as Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan has announced that he'll commit to playing the young guard with some regularity for the few remaining games of the season. Rookie Bonus + Playing Time = Sweet Pick One Play. That's the lesson here.

Date: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Player: C.J. Miles - UTA
Opposition: at Golden State
2009-2010 Averages: 9.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.7 APG (13.9 PRA)
General Thoughts: With only four games tonight, and with 165 or so players already picked, tonight's not a real cake wake in terms of finding a reasonable play. Still, you'll notice that Golden State is playing and their opponent, Utah, has a couple injuries at the moment. In the case the beneficiary is Miles, who's been about 30 minutes per game when he doesn't get into foul trouble. Let's hope he keeps his nose clean and scores 20 points against a generous Golden State defense.

Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Player: Earl Barron - NYK
Opposition: at Toronto
2009-2010 Averages: 12.6 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 1.0 APG (25.0 PRA)
General Thoughts: Who the what is Earl Barron? Manna from Pick One Heaven, is who. With Al Harrington out for the remainder of the season, and the Knicks entirely out of playoff consideration, coach Mike D'Antoni has decided to go with Barron as the team's starting center. Yeah, he's only played five games this season (as of Sunday night), but he's averaging over 32 MPG and a double-double. Don't looks this gift horse in the mouth.

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