Top Stories from January 27

Barea tallies 19 points and four assists
Dallas guard Jose Juan Barea connected on eight of ten shots for 19 points against Houston tonight. He also added four assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench but did not record a three, steal, or block. That makes back-to-back strong outings for Barea, who racked up 25 points (on 9-for-12 shooting) and four assists on Tuesday. Can the little guy keep rolling? Probably not. On the season, he's shooting 40% from the field; so you certainly cannot expect the 77% he's managed over his last two games to continue. Barea's minutes have been up and down all season, and that is unlikely to change unless Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, or DeShawn Stevenson get injured. If at some point he does start logging 30 minutes consistently, you can expect production in points, assists, and free throw percentage.

Chalmers does little in 36 minutes
Despite logging 36 minutes Miami guard Mario Chalmers managed just seven points, one assist, two rebounds, and two steals. He did not record a three or a block. On a positive note, he made all five of his free throw attempts. Still, this is not satisfying for those who grabbed Chalmers after the announcement that he would join the Heat's starting lineup. On the whole, though, the third-year player has been producing for his owners as of late. In the five games prior to tonight, he averaged 2.2 threes, 10.2 points, 3.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. That across-the-board productions has him ranked 66th on Basketball Monster over that time period. Keep that in mind if his owner dumps him based on tonight's dud.

O.J. Mayo suspended for 10 games
As you have probably heard by now, Memphis guard O.J. Mayo has been suspended for 10 games after testing positive for a banned substance known as DHEA. The fantasy impact is minimal. For one thing, Mayo hasn't been doing much lately. Sam Young and Tony Allen will see more time while Mayo is out, but neither can be counted on to provide much value. Allen has posted some nice lines when filling in for Mayo or Rudy Gay, but lately he has been quiet while recovering from a knee injury. If he gets on track, though, he could warrant some spot starts during Mayo's hiatus.

Batum needs MRI
According to the Trailblazers' Twitter account, Nicolas Batum will undergo an MRI on his knee. This is terrible timing for Batum, as he was just starting to hit his stride. Batum claims he won't need surgery, but if he ends up missing significant time, Rudy Fernandez would be the biggest beneficiary. In fact, Fernandez logged 34 minutes tonight and finished with 11 points, two threes, five assists, three rebounds, and three steals. If you have room, consider picking him up in case Batum's injury proves serious.