Jameer Nelson - Could he return against the Lakers (Image: Zuma Press)

If you are hooping it up in playoff fantasy basketball, Jameer Nelson’s injury update could have a lot of impact. Named to the All-Star team, Nelson was having an amazing season prior to his shoulder injury. He was averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting 50.3% from the floor and 45.3% from beyond the three-point arc.

However, even if he is able to return, it’s all but certain that he’d come off the bench. Rafer Alston hasn’t been amazing but he’s been good enough to retain the job for the rest of the way.

Nelson’s return would most likely result in replacing Anthony Johnson in the rotation. He would also cut into Alston’s minutes if he plays well.

For fantasy purposes, take a wait and see approach with Nelson. If he returns and then looks decent on the court, that’s when you start considering him for your fantasy basketball team. Prior to that point, he’s more of a tease than a sure thing.

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The reason the Magic wanted Lue can be tied to Jameer Nelson’s torn labrum. Although Nelson has a chance to return to action this season, those chances appear to be less and less. According to sources near the team, Nelson is expected to undergo surgery for the torn labrum and miss the rest of the season.

A veteran he has been around the NBA, Lue should help out the Magic. He’s a good spot-up three-point shooter, which fits well into their offense. He can also defend at a relatively high level.

Right now, the Magic are starting Anthony Johnson at point guard. While he had a good first start with Nelson out, there’s no guarantee that he can hold on to his starting job with Lue coming in. Look for Johnson and Lue to battle for the starting job going forward.

Additionally, there’s still a chance that the Magic will look to upgrade their point guard position even further. With players like Earl Watson, Beno Udrih, Stephon Marbury and Jamaal Tinsley available, it’s possible that Orlando will make another move to bring in a point guard.

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How long Nelson will be out depends on whether or not he has surgery. If he has surgery, Nelson will most likely miss the rest of the season. If he doesn’t have surgery but instead tries to rehab, he could possibly return in a few weeks. However, without surgery, he will be susceptible to re-injuring his shoulder.

With Nelson out, Anthony Johnson will take the reins in Orlando. The veteran point guard isn’t much of a fantasy producer but he plays solid defense and knows how to run the show. In the fantasy world, he may be a decent stop gap if you are scrambling to replace Nelson.

If Nelson is indeed out for the season, expect the Magic to go out and trade for a point guard. Jamaal Tinsley could possibly be a fit or maybe a player like Earl Watson. Though Johnson is solid, the Magic would need a better player at the position to stay in the championship hunt.

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Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
At points last year in the playoffs, Ray Allen looked like he may be headed to the end of his NBA career. This year, especially in the month of December, Allen has looked very good. For the month, he shooting 53.1% from the field, 44.9% from the three-point arc and 92.3% from the free throw line.

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic
To start off the 2008-09 NBA season, Rashard Lewis wasn’t shooting the ball very well. This month, he’s turned it around. Most impressively, he’s hitting 44.9% from three-point land on his 6.8 attempts per game. For the month, his scoring average is up to 21.2 points and he’s helping the Magic race up the standings.

Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats
In his first month under Larry Brown, Emeka Okafor looked lost on the offense end. Now he’s tearing it up offensively. For the month of December, Okafor is shooting better than 61% from the field and is averaging 18.1 points per game. To put that in perspective, he averaged only 10.3 points per game in November.

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