Al Jefferson of the Minnesota Timberwolves had to leave the game against the New Orleans Hornets prematurely due to a knee injury. While Jefferson hasn’t gotten an x-ray or an MRI yet, the immediate reaction didn’t look good.

After the game, Jefferson said he felt a pop in his knee. If he has any type of serious injury, you can expect the T’Wolves to shut him down for the rest of the season, especially considering Jefferson is their franchise player.

If Jefferson is forced to miss time, the player who could benefit the most is Kevin Love. The rookie out of UCLA who started the season off slowly has played much better as of late. In January, Love averaged 12.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. In February, his numbers are even better. With Jefferson out, Love would have to play more minutes and get more touches.

Ryan Gomes should also see an increase of minutes at the power forward position if Jefferson is to miss action. Scorers such as Randy Foye, Rashad McCants and Mike Miller will also be seeing more touches. Craig Smith is out for another two weeks but he’ll see more minutes as well.

Hopefully, for Minnesota’s sake and the sake of fantasy basketball players around the world, Jefferson will be okay and won’t miss significant time.

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs - 22.46 PER
Quietly, Manu Ginobili is one of the best players in the NBA once again. In a recent game against the Phoenix Suns, Ginobili scored 30 points and hit 18-of-18 from the free throw line. If his minutes start rising, he could become a fantasy basketball power.

Charlie Villanueva, Milwaukee Bucks - 19.98 PER
With Michael Redd out for the season, the door has opened for Charlie Villanueva. He’s starting now and should get plenty of minutes and plenty of shot attempts. He’s shown All-Star type ability at times in his career and he’ll get a chance to become a fantasy basketball star.

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves - 17.59 PER
Early on in the season, Kevin Love looked like a draft bust. But as of late, he has really turned it around and now should be rostered in every fantasy basketball league on the planet. In January, he’s averaging 12.6 points and 10 rebounds in only 24 minutes per game. That is simply disgusting. If he plays starters minutes, he could become a star overnight.

Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic - 15.86 PER
In his first game back from injury, Mickael Pietrus put up 27 points, ten rebounds and four assists. And while he won’t do that every game, his impressive PER tells us that he’s a capable starter in the NBA. Pick him up on your fantasy team if you want to take a flyer on a player who could blossom as the season progresses.

Which fantasy basketball rookies are off to a good start in the NBA? Here’s a look at our early top five:

1. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Coming into the NBA, everyone knew Derrick Rose could pass the ball. What is surprising NBA scouts is his ability to score the ball. He uses his combination of quickness and strength to get to the rim and score against bigger defenders. Since he’s starting and already playing big minutes, he’s not only looking like a good fantasy basketball player but also the lead candidate for Rookie of the Year.

2. Michael Beasley, Miami Heat
Although he has struggled a bit in his first couple of games, the immense talent of Michael Beasley is obvious. He can score the basketball from everywhere on the court and can also be a beast on the boards. Once the Heat figure out how to share the ball, Beasley could blossom into an 18-point, 10-rebound player faster than originally thought.

3. Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings
Jason Thompson has been the surprise of the 2008 NBA Draft class so far. He’s putting up great numbers off the bench for the Kings. If he keeps playing at his current level, he’ll find his way into the starting lineup before too much longer. It’d be smart to stash him away on a redraft league if you have the space. In a dynasty league, he’s a very good player to have.

4. Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat
Speaking of draft surprises, Mario Chalmers has gone from second round pick to starting point guard for the Heat. After an amazing first game against the Knicks, Chalmers has come back down to earth. But as long as he keeps starting, he’s going to be a useful fantasy player. Right now, he looks like a player who could give you about ten points, six assists, three rebounds and a couple of steals per game.

5. Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
Kevin Love hasn’t gotten the huge amount of playing time other rookies have received but he looks solid so far. Minutes will be the big question mark for Love as long as he’s coming off the bench. Keep an eye on him, however, because once he starts he will be able to put up good fantasy numbers.

David Lee, New York Knicks
A lot of speculation points to David Lee being worth less in fantasy basketball with Mike D’Antoni named head coach. However, with the faster tempo Lee’s stats should rise naturally and he should be able to hoard a lot of rebounds — especially offensive rebounds.

Nene, Denver Nuggets
With Marcus Camby traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, the starting job in Denver falls to Nene. Although he’s been more promise than production in his career, he has the ability to be a player who averages close to a double-double with a healthy amount of blocks.

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
If Love is given center eligibility in your fantasy basketball league, consider him a possible sleeper for the 2008 season. At UCLA, Love had a very varied game and could be helpful across the board. He should get time next to Al Jefferson in Minnesota.

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
In his rookie season, Joakim Noah wasn’t too impressive. That said, he had spurts of good performance and should get a chance to win a full-time starting gig. If he does, look for him to put up solid numbers in points, rebounds, blocks and steals.

Who says Kevin Love can’t dunk? Check out this Kevin Love video where he emphatically finishes a muffed alleyoop.

Love is currently playing very well in the 2008 Vegas Summer League for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After three games, Love is averaging 20.7 points, 15 rebounds and two assists per game. He had 26 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday as the T’Wolves picked up their first win of summer league.

Here is the Kevin Love dunk video:

1. Michael Beasley - Beasley will be able to score and rebound right away.
2. Greg Oden - Don’t forget about Oden, who missed his rookie year.
3. OJ Mayo - Should score right away with the Grizzlies.
4. Derrick Rose - Expect him to start slow and then come on strong.
5. Rudy Fernandez - Expect him produce great numbers if a starter.
6. Kevin Love - Love has a very developed game and should shine.
7. Eric Gordon - Could score by the dozens with the Clippers.
8. Jerryd Bayless - The Blazers have three top rookies in the top ten.
9. Brandon Rush - Should be able to step in and start right away.
10. Brook Lopez - As a starting center, should be very solid for the Nets.

Will Michael Beasley become a beast for the Heat?

Photo: Newscom

With the Memphis Tigers in the 2008 National Championship game, Chris Douglas-Roberts has seen his 2008 NBA Draft stock rise and rise. Coming into the tournament, Douglas-Roberts was seen as a second round pick. Currently, the shooting 6-foot-7 guard is being projected by NBA scouts to be picked in the mid to late first round.

When looking at him, scouts have tended to let the negatives outweigh the positives. Douglas-Roberts is skinny, not very strong and his outside shot isn’t especially deadly. Many scouts have wondered whether Douglas-Roberts has the body to be an NBA player.

However, now NBA scouts are starting to believe more and more in the junior out of Detroit. In this year’s tournament, Douglas-Roberts has been great – especially at getting to the free throw line. He’s a crafty player who knows how to use his body to his advantage.

An NBA team that is looking for a pure scorer will likely take a chance on Douglas-Roberts, who is almost a lock to come out of school early. He had some inconsistent times in his stay at Memphis but now he’s coming up big when the Tigers need him the most. NBA scouts are taking note and Douglas-Roberts will be compensated with a first round pick during the 2008 NBA Draft.

Watch Chris Douglas-Roberts dunk on Kevin Love of UCLA in a Final Four game …

While the UCLA Bruins have great guard play, Kevin Love is the player on the team that makes UCLA a legitimate championship contender. Love is a bruising low post player with a myriad of uniqueness skills.

NBA scouts have had mixed opinions about how well Love will excel on the NBA level. Some scouts point to his average athleticism and average foot-speed as reasons why he may flop in the NBA. Other NBA scouts think his basketball IQ and fundamental skills will allow him to play at any level.

Love’s most unique skill may be his outlet pass. When he gets the pall, he’s always looking to throw it ahead to ignite a break. His outlet pass skill would be extremely useful in the NBA on a team that likes to run and gun.

As a freshman, he’s averaging 20 points, ten rebound and over five blocks in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. With those type of numbers and all the pub he has gotten the entire season, it’s difficult imagining Love not entering the 2008 NBA draft. If he enters, he’s likely a lottery pick who will be drafted between 5th and 10th.

Check out this Kevin Love video from the NCAA tournament: