If you're reading this, it's Groundhog Day. If you're not reading this, you're not the only one. If you're not reading this on Groundhog Day, it's not Groundhog Day. Now that that's cleared up, let's discuss two basketball games.

HOSPITAL WARD

Avery Bradley reportedly fractured his left thumb in the third quarter. The ailment didn't hinder his team-high 17 points (8-15 FG, 1-4 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. He plans to play through the injury, citing, "It's not my shooting hand." His numbers haven't drastically changed since the Rajon Rondo trade in December or the Jeff Green trade in January, aside from the small uptick in assists. His best stat is minutes, a neglected category in most fantasy leagues.

Jordan Hill was stricken by the injury bug, suffering a hip flexor that limited him to seven minutes. The severity of the affliction isn't known, but as I've trumpeted before, any injury this time of the year has the potential to exclude someone through the extended All-Star break. The Lakers play three games this week and two games in the abbreviated Week 16 before returning to action February 20th. He'll be reevaluated later today, but since they don't play again until Wednesday, you'll have a tough call to make. He's a big man nearly averaging a double-double in under 29 minutes per game while marginally helping out in the other categories.

M.I.A

• Boston
  • Kelly Olynyk (ankle)
  • Tayshaun Prince (hip flexor)
• Los Angeles
  • Nick Young (ankle)
• Miami
  • Luol Deng (calf)
  • Dwyane Wade (hamstring)
• New York
  • Amar'e Stoudemire (knee/ankle)
  • Cole Aldrich (shin)
  • Travis Wear (hip)

ROTATION NOTES

Coach Bradley Stevens disciplined Jared Sullinger for arriving five minutes late to shootaround by starting Tyler Zeller in his place. Sullinger played 19 minutes, picked up three fouls, and shot 3-of-11. Before you rage drop him, allow me to compare his stats to another, higher profiled power forward:

The mystery man edges Sullinger in almost every fantasy relevant category, requiring two additional minutes per game. In fact, question mark dude recently recorded back-to-back double-doubles for the first time all season. He gets more publicity because he's on a playoff contender and rarely falters in the fourth quarter. Ready for the grand reveal?

The nameless pile of numbers is Markieff Morris. If you already dropped Morris this season, I can see why Sullinger is next on your hit list. Nevertheless, the NBA trade deadline is 18 days away (five more games). The Celtics scored 75 points, their lowest total in the Stevens era. I'm betting Sullinger returns to the starting lineup against the Knicks on Tuesday, and once Brandon Bass joins a contender, Sullinger's role and minutes will expand. Playing next to Zeller has suppressed his rebounds, so the return of Kelly Olynyk (ankle) should boost Sullinger's numbers.

Coach Stevens started Marcus Smart in the third quarter, and Evan Turner was limited to five minutes in the second half. The rookie recorded five of his career-high nine assists in the second half. As mentioned with Jared Sullinger, management will try to jettison their expiring contracts for draft picks, increasing roles of the younger generation. I say this as an organizational outsider, and in doing so, am fully prepared for them to upgrade their roster if the right player becomes available. Because Bradley Stevens coaches the Celtics, Smart may suffer a fate similar to Victor Oladipo in his first season following the trade deadline, playing two fewer minutes per game as a reserve post-All-Star break.

Nick Young (ankle) didn't play even though he was active and told the media after the game he could've. Coach Scott held him out because Young hadn't practiced since spraining his ankle. The communication between coach and player was lacking because Young appeared upset afterward. The Lakers have two days off before their next game, providing ample time for Young to assuage Scott's concern. Don't read too much into the rift. Wayne Ellington played at least 36 minutes for the third straight game but puttered about with a 2-of-12 performance. Young's return to the lineup cuts into Ellington's minutes as well as Ryan Kelly's.

In a game where Jordan Hill's presence was limited to seven minutes, Carlos Boozer only played 25 minutes, failing to play at least 30 minutes for the 25th straight game. No worries, he led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds. His per minute production as a starter and reserve is nearly identical, and he's averaging 23.8 minutes per game off the bench. For the season, Boozer is registering a combined 1.9 assists/steals/blocks per game.

Tarik Black, who missed the previous two games, was pressed into action after coach Scott designated him unavailable pregame. He started the second half when after Hill was ruled out, a potential precursor if the injury lingers.

Lance Thomas competed in the fewest minutes since joining the Knicks, providing two points, one rebound, and one steal in 16 minutes. Outside of a season-high 41 minutes in a game sans Carmelo Anthony and Jose Calderon, he's consistently been under 25 minutes as a Knick. Louis Amundson played a team-high 36 minutes, grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds, and swatted two shots, extending his streak of at least one block to eight straight games. His playing time seemingly fluctuates based on matchup, but there's no denying the heart and intensity he brings every game.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Hassan Whiteside blocked a league-high 3.4 shots per game in January. This month, coach Spoelstra decided to run the offense through him. Come March, the journeyman center will be coaching the team. The Whiteside finished with 20 points (10-17 FG), nine rebounds, and three blocks in 30 minutes. The Celtics' frontcourt always deserves credit for the numbers they yield.

Tyler Johnson, living on his second 10-day contract, posted 13 points (4-9 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks in 27 minutes. If the Heat offers him a contract for rest of the season, I'll know Dwayne Wade (hamstring) won't return until at least March or Norris Cole's reign in Miami has come to an end. Johnson's contract expires next Sunday, presenting four more games to prove himself.

It hurts me to say this because Mario Chalmers is a dear friend of mine. However, he shouldn't have arms to shoot a basketball in the fourth quarter. His role is diminishing under the Whiteside regime. Perhaps Sunday presented a disruptive matchup, so I'll reserve judgment until Luol Deng (calf) returns, but he's on my chopping block if he can't turn it around before the All-Star break.

All-Star Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points (13-25 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), grabbed eight rebounds, dropped two dimes, and recorded a pilfer in 34 minutes. Coach Byron Scott assigned recent D-League call-up Ryan Kelly as Anthony's primary defender and never double-teamed him. The Knicks play five more games before the All-Star break. I think he'll suit up for the two home games post-All-Star break against the Heat and Cavaliers. Anything after that is a tossup. Admittedly, the alley-oop he threw down was the highest I've seen him jump all season. The two weeks he rested have done wonders, and as a Knicks fan, I hope he plays at least another month.

Langston Galloway continued his Rookie of the Year campaign, piling in 13 points (4-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds, two assists, and one block in 30 minutes. Sadly, his numbers with All-Star Anthony off the court are ominous, authenticated by an eight percent decrease in field goal accuracy. Since I can't quit him, he's stuck on my team until the eventual Anthony shutdown. Even then, I'll need a few games before moving on.

Tim Hardaway, Jr. snapped a streak of eight consecutive games with at least 10 points. He shot 37 percent from downtown in January, a minor step in the right direction. The 2.2 assists per game in January highlight his willingness to finally pass the ball, a necessity in the triangle offense. His second-half success hinges on unselfishness and improved defense; otherwise, his minutes will transfer to the likes of Travis Wear (hip) and Cleanthony Early.

REST OF SEASON SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

In the words of Jack Skellington, "What's this?" In lieu of a February Schedule Analysis article, I've synthesized the pertinent schedule figures for the rest of the season into a single sheet (accurate as of February 2nd). All 30 teams are ranked based on remaining games, games during the default fantasy playoffs (Week 21-23), quality games (nights with seven games or less), fewest back-to-back sets, and home/road splits. Since no one in your league reads the Box Score Breakdown, consider this an 11-week roadmap to help gather your affairs and start prepping for the stretch run.

Key Dates:

All-Star break: Friday, February 13th - Wednesday, February 18th

NBA Trade Deadline: Thursday, February 19th (3 PM EST) - one day after the All-Star break

Default ESPN trade deadline: Wednesday, February 25 (12 PM EST) - check your league settings

Default Yahoo! trade deadline: Thursday, March 5 (11:59 PM EST) - check your league settings

Observations:

There are 73 days left in the NBA season. We're 14 weeks in, leaving six more weeks of regular season fantasy basketball for many of you.

With regard to the All-Star break and head-to-head leagues, ESPN combines Week 16 and 17 into one matchup but Yahoo! segregates each week into two distinct matchups. The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder are the only teams slated for a maximum five games over the two-week stretch, each playing three games during Week 17. The Thunder play a maximum 13 games over the next four weeks, bookending the All-Star break with two four-game weeks.

The Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers are scheduled for a maximum 10 off days during the All-Star break. Six teams (Dallas, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, LA Clippers, San Antonio, and Chicago) are slated for a minimum seven days off during the break.

The Clippers completed three games of their eight-game Grammy road trip and return home February 11th.

The Nets set sail on an eight-game road trip February 7th, eventually playing their next home game March 2nd.

On February 8th, the Spurs begin their nine-game Rodeo road trip, reappearing in the Alamodome March 4th.

The Magic, dead last with four quality games the rest of the season, aren't scheduled for any quality games in February.

In case you missed the intro, today's Groundhog Day.

If you have any other schedule related inquiries, let me know.