Al Thornton's rejuvenated play continued on Monday -- he had 31 points and 10 rebounds in a much-needed win over the reeling Wolves.
Thornton is playing with a newfound aggression, and it's paying off in a big way. He finished this game 11-of-16 from the field and was 9-of-9 from the FT line. Eric Gordon's return will dent his numbers, but at this point Thornton shouldn't be available on your waiver wire.
Greg Oden tied his career-high with 24 points on Monday (7-of-8 FGs and 10-of-12 FTs), adding 12 rebounds and two blocks in a win over the Bulls.
Oden did his damage in just 27 minutes, and every time he avoids foul trouble he's a force to be reckoned with. Two encouraging stats: Oden is averaging 18.7 points over the past three games, and he's shooting better than 75% from the FT line this season.
Mehmet Okur returned to practice Monday after missing three games with flu-like symptoms. He is expected to play against the Thunder on Tuesday.
Okur tested negative for the H1N1 virus. His return moves Kyrylo Fesenko back to the bench, and should also limit Paul Millsap's playing time.
Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks on Monday with 20 points (8-of-13 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), four rebounds and four steals in 33 minutes.
With Andrew Bogut sidelined and Michael Redd limited by his recent knee injury, Ilyasova remains one of the Bucks' best options offensively. He has enough promise on an over-achieving team that he's worth picking up in most leagues.
Michael Redd returned from his strained knee on Monday, coming off the bench for four points and two assists in 11 minutes.
He made 1-of-3 shots and obviously the Bucks are going to take things slow to avoid aggravating the injury. Keep him on your bench until he gets going.
Tyreke Evans wasn't slowed by his recent finger and ankle injuries on Monday, amassing 28 points (10-of-18 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs), four rebounds and four assists in a loss to Memphis.
Evans has now scored 20+ points in seven consecutive games. Without Kevin Martin he's firmly established as the Kings' #1 option offensively, which is great news for his fantasy owners.
An MRI revealed no structural damage in Caron Butler's right foot/ankle and he is considered a game-time decision on Tuesday.
Butler remains a risky play this week but this is a huge relief for the Wizards (and his fantasy owners). He also said that he called Gilbert Arenas to clarify Arenas' negative comments after Monday's practice, and apparently there is no problem between them.
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