The Knicks have lost 15 of their last 16 games. The Raptors are on a six-game winning streak. They sit at 22-6, the best record in the Eastern Conference and second best mark if transposed in the Western standings. The Miami Heat played without LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh for the first time in 154 games. The 76ers earned their third win of the season. These are the facts, people.

HOSPITAL WARD

Danilo Gallinari is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a meniscus tear in his right knee. Surgery is all but a certainty. He was playing less than 19 minutes per game, so everyone's value mostly holds.

Justin Hamilton missed the second half with a headache. He finished scoreless in seven minutes.

Tobias Harris' right hand was wrapped after the loss to the Sixers. He said he hurt his pinkie. The Magic don't play until Tuesday, so he'll have enough time to heal, presumably.

M.I.A

• Boston
  • Marcus Thornton (hamstring)
  • James Young (shoulder)
• Brooklyn
  • Deron Williams (calf)
  • Brook Lopez (back)
• Memphis
  • Zach Randolph (knee)
  • Tony Allen (eye)
• Miami
  • Dwyane Wade (knee)
  • Chris Bosh (calf)
  • Shabazz Napier (DNP-CD)
  • Hassan Whiteside (toe)
• Minnesota
  • Nikola Pekovic (wrist)
• New York
  • Amar'e Stoudemire (rest)
  • J.R. Smith (heel)
  • Iman Shumpert (shoulder)
• Oklahoma City
  • Kevin Durant (ankle)
  • Mitch McGary (leg)
• Orlando
  • Willie Green (flu)
• Philadelphia
  • Hollis Thompson (illness)
  • Furkan Aldemir (heel)
• Sacramento
  • Ramon Sessions (back)
  • Omri Casspi (knee)
• Toronto
  • Landry Fields (head)
  • DeMar DeRozan (groin)

ROTATION NOTES

James Johnson started for the concussed Landry Fields. Greivis Vasquez put forth one of his better efforts, finishing with 21 points (9-13 FG, 3-5 3Pt), five assists, and four rebounds in 25 minutes. Such games have come few and far between, so this performance against the Knicks and his limited minutes isn't enough for me to jump to the wire.

Jon Leuer started for Zach Randolph (knee). An MRI from Saturday was negative, but Randolph's status for Monday's game likely veers on the side of questionable. The Grizzlies have three days off after tonight, so an extra day can only help the situation. Leuer provided 16 points (7-14 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 30 minutes. He caught a good matchup against Kevin Love, so Leuer remains a daily game candidate as long as Randolph sits.

Jarrett Jack started for Deron Williams (strained right calf). The injury doesn't sound serious since it was diagnosed as a low-grade calf strain. The Nets play one game over the next four days before embarking on a four-game, five-night journey to close the month. Jack proved his worth by posting 15 points (7-14 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT), a season-high 10 assists, four rebounds, and two steals in 37 minutes. On many occasions, he located Mason Plumlee near the rim for an easy assist. The Pistons' defense was so lax, even Joe Johnson picked up seven assists. Jack holds value as long as Williams sits. That said, I wouldn't expect 10 assists on a nightly basis.

Dwyane Wade sat because of a bruised right knee. Norris Cole jumped back into the starting lineup, and dissected Marcus Smart to the tune of 15 points (7-13 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, four assists, and one block in 37 minutes. Shabazz Napier received his second straight DNP-CD, permitting Cole to play so many minutes. I'm not buying into the performance.

Marcus Smart started at point guard, displacing Evan Turner. In 28 minutes, he contributed three points (1-4 3Pt), four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. It's going to be a bumpy ride for Smart owners. All you can do is give him some time and hope coach Stevens plays him upwards of 35 minutes a night.

Hollis Thompson didn't play after falling ill. JaKarr Sampson started. Josh Lloyd celebrated the occasion with a vegemite cake.

Elfrid Payton and Kyle O'Quinn started over Evan Fournier and Channing Frye. I don't know if the change is permanent. Payton recorded six assists and five rebounds in 35 minutes, but scored just one point after missing all seven of his field goal attempts. O'Quinn was as productive as you'd expect after watching him start earlier this season. In 26 minutes, he contributed eight points (3-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, four blocks, two assists, and one steal. You shouldn't anticipate anything less whether he starts or comes off the bench. He'll give you consistent, low-level production with good percentages and a ton of blocks. Fournier responded with 16 points (5-11 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 3-7 FT), two rebounds, and one assist in 27 minutes. Frye disappointed as usual, scoring four points (2-4 FG) in 18 minutes to go with two rebounds, one steal, and one block.

C.J. Watson hopped back into the starting lineup after missing one game due to a sinus infection, redirecting Donald Sloan to the bench. Sloan outperformed Watson considerably in 10 fewer minutes, recording a team-high seven assists and scoring 10 points on 50 percent shooting. The Pacers were playing the Timberwolves, so defense was an afterthought.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

Anthony Davis doesn't want to relinquish the number one spot in fantasy, following a seven-point dud with 38 points (16-22 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 6-7 FT), 12 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal in 37 minutes. The only blemish on his ledger is on 0-of-7 mark from downtown this season. Otherwise, he's fourth in points per game (24.7), first in blocks per game (2.9), and number one in PER (33.0).

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with a team-high 28 points (12-26 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 3-5 FT). The Knicks have three days off before their next game, so now is a good time to shop him if you're worried he'll shut it down at some point this season. Jose Calderon recorded a season-high 10 assists and is averaging a team-high 3.9 assists per game, the lowest team-high average in the league. He stands to gain offensive touches if Anthony parks it on the bench for a prolonged period.

Kyrie Irving recorded a career-high 12 assists, and Kevin Love chipped in eight points (4-9 FG), eight rebounds, and one assist in 35 minutes. The eight-point game is on the heels of his season-low six-point game. You can blame Mike Miller's 21-point game previously and Dion Waiters' 21-point (9-16 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT) effort this time around. Add to that, Love spraining a finger on his shooting hand last Friday, and you can see why he's hesitant to shoot. Speaking of Miller, he was held scoreless in 16 minutes, missing his only shot attempt in the process.

Kobe Bryant scored 25 points on 30 shots and turned the ball over nine times. It wasn't aesthetically-pleasing basketball. Word around the web is that coach Byron Scott wants to rest him a game or two in order to help him get his legs back. Bryant's playing 35.5 minutes per game, 15th highest in the NBA. I'm confident he'll play on Christmas, but the other four games the rest of the month are a crapshoot. Any reprieve would provide Nick Young and Jeremy Lin increased offensive responsibility.

In the words of Trey Kirby, "He's back!" DeMarcus Cousins followed up a 27-point, 11-rebound game with 29 points (9-19 FG, 11-15 FT), 14 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and two steals in 37 minutes. He hasn't missed a beat. After two games against the Western Conference, the Kings play the Timberwolves and four games against the Eastern Conference. Cousins will likely be a solid option in daily fantasy leagues over the next two weeks.

Andre Drummond had his way with the Nets' frontline, boasting 18 points (7-15 FG, 4-8 FT), 20 rebounds, and one block in 28 minutes. It's his 15th double-double, and after a slow start, his 12.6 rebounds per game are tied for second. Josh Smith produced 13 points (5-16 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-6 FT), six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in 28 minutes. He's the only player in the NBA averaging at least 10 points (13.1 per game), seven rebounds (7.2 per game), four assists (4.7 per game), one steal (1.3 per game), and one block (1.7 per game). That's absurd. The only thing hold him back are his 39 percent accuracy from the field and 47 percent free-throw mark.

Mason Plumlee scored 10 of his 21 points (9-10 FG, 3-5 FT) in the fourth quarter. Over the past five games, he's averaging 18.0 points, a team-high 10.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game on the strength on 69 percent shooting from the field. His 51 percent free-throw mark could use improvement, but as long as Brook Lopez doesn't play, Plumlee is a strong option in most fantasy leagues.

Tyler Zeller played 25 minutes, Jared Sullinger played 21 minutes, Kelly Olynyk played 28 minutes, and Brandan Wright played 13 minutes for a grand total of 87 out of 96 possible power forward/center minutes. Brandan Bass snuck in five minutes, and I'm assuming Jeff Green played a few minutes at power forward. Only Olynyk faced foul trouble, even though he led the quartet in minutes. It's going to be a long rest of season with these guys stepping on each other's toes. Coach Brad Stevens lost my trust last season. I don't expect many trends to stick, so choose wisely because as soon as you think you've got his rotation pegged, he'll throw in a wild card and flip the game on its head.

James Ennis scored a career-high 16 points (4-8 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT) and grabbed eight rebounds in 26 minutes for the depleted Heat. Ten of those points were obtained in the fourth quarter as the Heat pulled away for their 100-84 win. Since he played the most minutes off the bench, he's someone to keep on your watch list in case he can string three or four quality games in a row.

Rasual Butler led the Wizards with 17 points (6-11 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 4-5 FT) in 32 minutes, and Kevin Seraphin added 16 points (7-12 FG, 2-4 FT) in 28 minutes. Marcin Gortat and Kris Humphries played just 20 minutes while Nene Hilario played 22 minutes. My best guess is that Randy Wittman decided to match up with the Suns, much like he did against the Heat, and that's why the starters are ceding minutes. I can tell you foul trouble had nothing to do with the decline in minutes.

C.J. Miles scored a season-high 28 points (10-18 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 4-5 FT) and grabbed six rebounds in 32 minutes. Rodney Stuckey was in foul trouble, and Miles' aggressiveness offensively led to inflated totals. He's averaging 20.3 points and 2.8 three-pointers in his last four games with little else. Miles is a streaky shooter, so you can ride the hot hand if you want; just know it'll end soon enough.

Roy Hibbert bounced back from a zero-point outing with 15 points (6-11 FG, 3-4 FT), eight rebounds, four blocks, three assists, and one steal in 27 minutes. He was assertive early on, and as long as he fosters that mentality in every game, owners need not worry.

Mo Williams reminded everyone that he can go off when the moment calls for it. In 32 minutes, he provided 24 points (10-16 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 10 assists, and two rebounds while limiting Zach LaVine to 16 minutes. Shabazz Muhammad continued his scoring spree, regardless of point guard, finishing with 21 points (8-18 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 37 minutes. He continues to get the shots that Andrew Wiggins isn't taking, so he should be owned until further notice.

Russell Westbrook scored 29 points on 27 shots. Reggie Jackson accumulated back-to-back valuable performances in Kevin Durant's (ankle) absence, compiling 19 points (7-13 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, and five assists in 30 minutes. Serge Ibaka didn't block a shot in 38 minutes.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. Anthony Davis, F, NOP: 38 points (16-22 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 6-7 FT)
2. DeMarcus Cousins, C, SAC: 29 points (9-19 FG, 11-15 FT)
3. Russell Westbrook, G, OKC: 29 points (10-27 FG, 0-6 3Pt, 9-11 FT)

Rebounds

1. Andre Drummond, C, DET: 20 rebounds (13 offensive)
2. Nikola Vucevic, C, ORL: 17 rebounds (5 offensive)
3. DeMarcus Cousins, C, SAC: 14 rebounds (6 offensive)

Assists

1. Jrue Holiday, G, NOP: 15 assists (4 turnovers)
2. Kyrie Irving, G, CLE: 12 assists (2 turnovers)
3. LeBron James, F, CLE: 11 assists (5 turnovers)

Steals

1. Jrue Holiday, G, NOP: 4 steals
2. Eight players tied with three steals
3. Twenty-one players tied with two steals

Blocks

1. Roy Hibbert, C, IND: 4 blocks
2. Kyle O'Quinn, C, ORL: 4 blocks
3. Alex Len, C, PHX: 4 blocks

Three-Pointers

1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, DET: 5-10 3Pt
2. Nick Young, G, LAL: 4-9 3Pt
3. C.J. Miles, G, IND: 4-11 3Pt
4. Lou Williams, G, TOR: 4-10 3Pt
5. Terrence Ross, G, TOR: 4-9 3Pt

Minutes

1. Robert Covington, F, PHI: 40 minutes
2. Darren Collison, G, SAC: 40 minutes
3. Victor Oladipo, G, ORL: 39 minutes