West guts one out: Pacers forward David West played through his sprained left knee on Thursday in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, leading the Pacers with 24 points on 10 of 16 shots. West took advantage of the often significant height advantages he was working with against Miami’s undersized front-line, however he was able to pick up just five rebounds in 41 minutes, as the Pacers fell, 105-93, ending their season. (Updated 05/25/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/25/12).
Fantasy Analysis
West’s production took a tumble this season, however given the fact that he was coming off a major knee injury and playing in a contracted season due to the lockout, the fact that he was able to play in all 66 games this season as a full-time player says a lot about his toughness. His scoring fell from 18.9 points per game to 12.8 this season, however given that he was going from Chris Paul to Darren Collison at the point, that drop off was to be expected. At 31 years of age, West’s best days are probably behind him, however he should still be targeted in the middle rounds on Draft Day as a solid option at the forward position. (Updated 05/25/2012).
05/22/2012 23:02 Heat punish Pacers with Game 5 rout
LeBron James scored 30 points, Dwyane Wade added 28, and the Miami Heat moved a win away from another trip to the Eastern Conference finals with a 115-83 victory over the suddenly hurting Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.
05/22/2012 22:39 Heat finally find someone to hate, but take it too far
MIAMI -- The Heat have been the hunted, and the hated, for two years now. They've finally found a suitable target for their own fury: the Indiana Pacers. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were dominant again Tuesday night as he Heat ran the Pacers out of the building in the third quarter and went on to a 115-83 victory and a 3-2 lead in a best-of-7 series that has turned ugly.
Despite not being able to do much on the court because of an injury, that didn't slow down veteran F David West off of it this offseason. West, who had surgery in early April to repair a torn ACL, signed with Indiana in mid-December following eight seasons with New Orleans. He is unlikely to play during the abbreviated preseason and his status for the start of the regular season is in question. There is also concern that he might not be able to reach his usual levels of production in his first season removed from the injury. However, his potential to average in the high teens in scoring and more than seven boards per game makes him worth the risk. The only downside: he will no longer be playing with star G Chris Paul this season. Consider him a quality selection beginning in the seventh round of 2011-12 Fantasy drafts, but just be aware of the injury risk. (Updated 12/16/11)
