How YOU Doin'?

Many falling stars have gone down for 10-plus games during this lockout-shortened NBA season.

Some of their teams are holding up well; other teams, not so well.

And what inquiring minds want to know is, When will these NBA players be healthy again? ... When will they be ready to play for their respective teams? ... and, How are their teams holding up in the meantime?

Yes, inquiring minds indeed want to know--in their best Joey Tribbiani voice--"How YOU Doin'?"

How you doin', Jason Kidd?

Kidd hasn't actually missed 10 games yet, but he will miss his 10th Wednesday, since he's likely out for another week with a strained right calf injury. The Mavs--who have also been dealing with four- and five-game injury sidelines to Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter and the disappearance of Lamar Odom's game--have done realitively well in Kidd's absence, going 6-3. Amidst all this chaos, Dallas is still in the playoff hunt at 14-11.

How you doin', Baron Davis?

The New York Knicks have been like a ship without a rudder, going without a true point guard in this disappointing 9-15 season. And even though they got a boost Saturday after inserting Jeremy Lin into the starting lineup, the Knicks won't rest at ease until Davis returns from his season-long back injury. Davis will most likely return sometime in mid-February. If New York is ever going to be a championship contender, the Knicks need a true point guard to truly step up and get some easy baskets for Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

How you doin', Brook Lopez?

Lopez ran for the first time last week, but team doctors aren't pinpointing a specific date for his return, which I'll pinpoint as sometime in mid-February. The Nets at 8-17 aren't going to make the playoffs or anything, but a strong second-half showing from Lopez will not only bode well for him in a contract year, it might also contribute to free agent Dwight Howard wanting to sign with New Jersey this summer.

How you doin', Manu Ginobili?

The Spurs have been surprisingly strong in Ginobili's absence, going 13-7 without him, while posting a 16-9 overall record, good for third in the West. Ginobili, who had left hand surgery, should be back in action in mid-February and has already been cleared to go one-on-one in practice. A strong return will make San Antonio a much stronger contender in the West.

How you doin', Eric Gordon?

The Hornets are just playing for a lottery pick this season--i.e. winning is not important--but the injury-prone Gordon is playing for a max contract that he's not likely to get now, missing all but two games with a right knee injury. The last three seasons, Gordon has missed 20 games, 26 games and 22-games-and-counting. He's not likely to return until mid-February. For what it's worth, New Orleans is 4-20 this season and 3-19 without Gordon.

How you doin', Zach Randolph?

Z-Bo's recovery from his torn right medial collateral ligament injury is on schedule and the Grizzlies are expecting Randolph back at power forward in early March. Memphis is 11-9 in his absence and has a 12-12 overall record, keeping the Grizzlies only 1 1/2 games out of the playoff hunt. With Randolph back, Memphis can surge up from the bottom of the standings.

How you doin', Andrew Bogut?

Andrew Bogut's broken left ankle has likely broken Milwaukee's hopes of making the playoffs this season. The center-less Bucks have gone 3-8 without Bogut and are about to drop out of eighth place in the East, posting a 10-13 record thus far. Bogut is supposed to return in late March. That may be too late for Milwaukee.

How you doin', Al Horford?

The Hawks, like the Spurs, have also shocked folks by not dropping off into .500 territory once it lost its star, Al Horford, to left pectoral surgery. Atlanta has gone 9-4 in Horford's absence and now ranks fifth in the East at 16-8 this season. Horford may make it back to the team during the playoffs, likely to return in early May if he is to return at all.