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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Here Comes Kanter

Week 13 Schedule: Games Played

5 Games: DEN

4 Games: ATL, CHA, DAL, GSW, HOU, IND, MIL, NYK, ORL, PHI, PHO, POR, TOR, WAS

3 Games: BKN, BOS, CHI, CLE, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIN, NOP, SAC, SAS, UTA

2 Games: DET, OKC

Sunday Stars

Enes Kanter was en fuego off the Thunder bench during Sunday’s 122-118 win over the Kings, racking up 29 points (10-of-18 FGs, 9-of-11 FTs), 12 boards, two assists, one steal, one block and four turnovers in 32 minutes of action. He’s been rolling over the past two weeks, flirting with top-50 value in 8-cat leagues (top-60 in 9-cat) behind averages of 17.8 points and 9.5 boards per contest on 58.3 percent shooting from the field and 82.4 percent from the charity stripe. Steven Adams banged his head on the floor and did not return, and he could be dealing with a concussion, which puts him in jeopardy of missing Monday’s game against the Clippers. If Adams is forced to the sidelines, Kanter would more than likely move into the starting five where he would easily see at least 30 minutes of floor time. Per-36-minutes this season, Kanter owns averages of 23.9 points, 11.2 boards and 1.2 blocks per game, so he’ll be a highly intriguing DFS option if Adams is indeed forced to the sidelines on Monday night. Russell Westbrook went off for 36 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, four trey-bombs, four steals and seven turnovers in 36 minutes, but what else is new?

Andre Drummond racked up another double-double during Sunday’s narrow 102-97 win over the Lakers, tallying 15 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block, two turnovers and a surprise 3-point make on a desperation heave from the opposing 3-point line during the closing seconds of the first half. Drummond did briefly exit the game with what appeared to be a right knee/leg issue, but he played through it and didn’t seem any worse for the wear, and with a full two days to rest up he should be just fine for Wednesday’s game against the Hawks.

Jonas Valanciunas had another strong showing during Sunday’s easy win over the Knicks, scoring 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go with 16 boards, one assist and two turnovers in 28 minutes of court time. Valanciunas has really responded since Dwane Casey called him out in the press for his lack of dominance, and over the past six he’s been pumping out top-50 value in standard 9-cat leagues with averages of 14.0 points, 12.3 boards and 1.0 block per game on 53.1 percent shooting from the field and he’s also drained every single one of his free throws during that six-game span. Casey said after the game that he’s been pleased with what he’s seen from JV as of late, so hopefully, his minutes continue to trend northward.

Paul Millsap stuffed the stat sheet during Sunday’s 111-98 win over the Bucks, scoring 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting (1-of-1 from the line) to go with eight rebounds, five assists, three 3-pointers, two swats and four turnovers in 36 minutes. He’s been rolling since the calendar switched to 2017, owning averages of 19.6 points, 8.4 boards, 4.6 dimes, 1.4 triples, 1.4 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.7 turnovers per contest on 44.8 percent shooting. If he could just cut down on the turnovers and get his field goal percentage closer to last year’s number (47.0), he could easily emerge as a top-25 guy.

Giannis Antetokounmpo went 13-of-22 from the field and 7-of-7 from the charity stripe on his way to 33 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, three blocks and four turnovers in 40 minutes. Sure, he doesn’t hit 3s, but who cares? He’s a top-3 stud in any format.

The Rockets made a mockery of the Nets defense during Sunday’s 137-112 bludgeoning, with anyone who logged at least 20 minutes hitting double-figures in the scoring department. James Harden racked up his 11th triple-double of the season with 22 points, 11 boards, 11 assists, four triples, one steal, one block and seven turnovers, Trevor Ariza drained six trey-bombs on his way to 23 points, eight boards, tow dimes, two steals and zero turnovers, and Patrick Beverley also got hot from beyond the arc posting 16 points, four treys, seven boards, six assists, two steals and zero turnovers during his time on the court. Beverley hadn’t been doing much on the offensive end in his previous four outings, but a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets was just what the doctor ordered for him to get things back on track.

On the Radar

J.J. Barea made the most of his limited minutes during Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves, racking up 15 points (5-of-5 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), three boards, three dimes, one trey-bomb and two turnovers in just 17 minutes of action. Barea acknowledged that his left leg is finally beginning to feel better, so he could see his minutes start to creep up into the mid-20s over the coming weeks. He’s on the radar as a speculative pickup in deep leagues and qualifies as a solid handcuff for Deron Williams owners.

Malcolm Delaney outplayed starter Dennis Schroder (six points, six dimes and five turnovers in 24 minutes) during Sunday’s win over the Bucks, dishing out a career-high nine dimes on his way to nine points, one 3-pointer, one board, one steal and two turnovers in 26 minutes off the bench. This game is coming on the heels of a 17-pont, six-assist, three-triple game, so he’s certainly on the radar as a potential pickup in deep leagues. Just know that his playing time could fluctuate based on the play of Schroder, which will likely be an issue that keeps him out of the standard league equation.

With both Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (shoulder) and Jon Leuer (knee) on the sidelines Sunday, Stanley Johnson earned 34 minutes off the bench and produced nine points, four rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, one 3-pointer and one turnover. Leuer could be back as soon as Wednesday’s game vs. the Hawks, but KCP’s status is a bit more up the air, and if KCP does miss Wednesday’s game that would open up some minutes for Johnson. He’s not really there as a pickup in most formats with neither Caldwell-Pope, nor Leuer dealing with a serious injury, but you might want to try him out as a potential punt play in DFS.

Anthony Tolliver went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc in another start on Sunday, ending his night with 10 points, four boards, two assists, two steals, one block and two turnovers in 32 minutes of action. Through five starts this season, Tolliver owns averages of 12.4 points, 5.8 boards, 1.8 steals, 2.0 triples and just 0.8 turnovers per game on 42.9 percent shooting, so give him a look if you’re searching for a big man that can drain the triples.

My forever on the radar guys Tony Allen (27 percent ownership in Yahoo! Leagues) and Thabo Sefolosha (22 percent ownership in Yahoo! Leagues) both had solid performances on Sunday, with The Grindfather producing four points, eight boards, four assists, three steals, one block and three turnovers in 33 minutes and Sefolosha registering 10 points, two boards, three dimes, three steals, one triple and two turnovers in 35 minutes. People get caught up with scoring, but both Allen and Sefolosha can provide elite contributions to the steals category without hurting you in any one area, so I just don’t understand why so many people are sleeping on them. Scoring is overrated.

Doug McDermott busted loose for a career-high 31 points (9-of-16 FGs, 10-of-11 FTs) during Sunday’s 108-104 win over the Grizzlies, adding three 3-pointers, six boards, one steal, one block and one turnover in 33 minutes off the bench. This line does however come with an asterisk, as the minutes spike can be directly attributed to the fact both Dwyane Wade (rest) and Nikola Mirotic (illness) were unavailable. Wade will be back in action on Tuesday vs. Dallas, and head coach Fred Hoiberg said he’s hopeful Mirotic will be able to get out there, so McDermott can’t be viewed as anything more than a deep league 3-point specialist.

Mike Dunleavy was impressive in his second game for the Hawks, scoring a season-high 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting (4-of-5 from the stripe) to go with three boards, two assists, four triples and just one turnover in 23 minutes off the bench. It’s true that he’s in a better situation for minutes in Atlanta, but he hasn’t really carried any legitimate fantasy value since the 2007-08 season, so I doubt we’ll see much more of this during his age-36 season.

Injury Tracker

Zach LaVine (hip) returned to the starting lineup following a two-game stint on the sidelines on Sunday, scoring 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting to go with five boards, three triples, one assist, one steal and one turnover in 34 minutes. He couldn’t quite find his rhythm and looked a bit rusty, but the heavy minute total suggests that the hip is no longer an issue, and his owners can expect a bounce-back performance Tuesday vs. the Spurs.

The MRI taken on Rodney Hood’s right knee revealed a bone bruise and hyperextension, and while he has already been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Suns, the Jazz will reportedly list him as day-to-day moving forward. This is probably the best news we could have got on Hood with how bad the injury looked, but the unfortunate thing here is that Utah often does no provide timetables for their injured players. What we do have is context, as we’ve seen both Andrew Bogut and Chandler Parsons deal with a bone bruise earlier in the season. Bogut was forced to the sidelines for 11 games, and Parsons missed 18 straight, so the day-to-day label seems overly optimistic. I think Hood’s timetable is going to be measured in weeks and not days. On the year, Hood only owns a 14th round evaluation in standard 9-cat leagues, and over the past month he’s been dreadful, ranking well outside the top-200 with meager contributions of 10.6 points, 1.7 triples and not much else on 37.3 percent shooting, so if you’re struggling in the standings I think you can justify cutting him. Alec Burks’ rehab process may be sped up a bit while Hood is on the sidelines, and Joe Johnson could be tasked with a bit more responsibility with the second unit, but Joe Ingles will likely be the primary beneficiary here with a promotion into the starting lineup. In three starts this season, Ingles has registered averages of 13.7 points, 3.0 triples, 4.7 boards, 4.0 dimes, 1.3 steals and 1.7 turnovers per game on 56.0 percent shooting, so he’s well worth a speculative pickup in deep leagues, and you could even justify adding him in standard formats if you’ve got someone to cut.

Evan Fournier (heel, foot) is currently without an official timetable to return. He said that he was playing at about 60 percent and the injury wasn’t getting better, so there’s a good chance he spends this next week or so on the sidelines, as this is the same injury that forced him to miss five straight games earlier this month. Jodie Meeks will move back into the starting five while Fournier is on the shelf, and he’s worth a look if you’re seeking a short-term boost in points and triples.

Clint Capela (knee), who has spent the past month on the shelf, could be back in action Tuesday vs. the Heat or Wednesday vs. the Bucks. He’ll likely be eased back into things, but he’s close enough to a return that he’s worth stashing if you’re on the market for a shot blocking big, particularly if you’re punting free throws. When employing a free throw punting strategy, Capela owns a fourth-round evaluation on the season in standard 9-cat leagues with averages of 11.8 points, 8.0 boards, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 turnovers per contest on 64.0 percent shooting. Montrezl Harrell will lose most of his value once Capela gets fully up to speed, and Nene (who already isn’t worth owning) will continue to be undeserving of a roster spot in all settings.

Jeremy Lamb (foot) will not play Monday vs. the Celtics.

Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) missed his second game in a row on Sunday, and while he’s hopeful to return to action Monday vs. the Hawks, I’m not nearly as optimistic. Achilles issues are no joke, so it would be wise for the Knicks to play it safe here as prolonged rest is really the only cure for a sore Achilles. Lance Thomas went down with an orbital fracture on Sunday, so with Thomas definitely out on Monday and Porzingis unlikely, there will be more minutes for guys like Guillermo Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Justin Holiday. For what it’s worth, Hernangomez started the second half sans Porzingis and Thomas on Sunday and produced nine points, 13 boards, one block and three turnovers in 21 minutes.

Patrick Patterson (sore left knee) did not play on Sunday and he should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game in Brooklyn.

The Heat were granted the hardship exception to pickup Okaro White, which means that an independent doctor ruled Josh Richardson (foot) out for at least the next two weeks of action. Richardson has been extremely annoying to own this season, so if you’re struggling in the standings, it makes sense to just move on. Dion Waiters is likely going to be Miami’s starting two-guard moving forward, so he’s worth swooping up in points leagues.

Kelly Olynyk rolled his right ankle tripping over a ball boy during Sunday’s practice, and it’s unclear if the injury will force him to miss Monday’s game against the Hornets. If he does end up hitting the sidelines, his minutes would be divvied up between Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (shoulder) and Jon Leuer (knee) did not play Sunday, and both should be considered questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Hawks. With KCP on the sidelines Reggie Bullock moved into the starting five, although he didn’t do much during his 29 minutes of floor time, registering just four points (2-of-6 FGs, 0-of-1 FTs), one rebound, one assist, one block and one turnover. Stanley Johnson looks like the primary beneficiary with both KCP and Leuer on the sidelines.

Tyler Zeller (illness) could be back on the court soon, which means absolutely nothing in fantasy hoops.

Darrell Arthur (knee) will not play Monday vs. the Magic. Danilo Gallinari (ankle) and Gary Harris (groin) are probable.

Mike Muscala exited Sunday’s game with a left ankle injury and did not return, and he will not travel for Monday’s game in New York. Kris Humphries could see a minutes bump here, but that doesn’t mean much.

Brook Lopez was rested on Sunday, but he should be back in action Tuesday vs. Toronto.

Isaiah Whitehead (knee) returned from a one-game absence, scoring six points on 2-of-6 shooting to go with three boards, four assists, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 15 minutes off the bench. He’s not worth owning anywhere.

Moe Harkless (left calf strain) and Ed Davis (sprained left ankle) are questionable to play Monday vs. the Wizards. If both those guys are out, Allen Crabbe will earn another start and Meyers Leonard could see some extended minutes with the second unit.

Nikola Jokic said he still doesn’t have full range of motion in his left wrist, and while he may need to undergo offseason surgery, he’s going to continue to push through the pain. He’s been a top-20 stud over the past month with averages of 18.1 points, 9.4 boards, 5.6 dimes and 2.4 turnovers per game while knocking down a ridiculous 63.3 percent of his shot attempts, so the horrendous start is now a distant memory.

Fred Hoiberg is hopeful that Nikola Mirotic (illness), who has spent the past four games on the sidelines, will be able to play Tuesday vs. the Mavericks. If he is able to get back on the court, Bobby Portis could drop from the rotation entirely and Doug McDermott’s value will take a hit.

Ty Lawson exited Sunday’s loss to the Thunder with a left ankle injury and did not return, so he should be considered questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Pacers. If he’s out, Darren Collison will benefit most.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: The Harden Show

Week 12 Schedule: Games Played

5 Games: CHI

4 Games: BKN, DET, HOU, LAL, MIN, NYK, OKC

3 Games: ATL, BOS, CLE, DAL, MEM, MIL, NOR, ORL, PHI, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS

2 Games: CHA, GSW, LAC, MIA, PHO

1 Game: IND

Sunday Stars

James Harden quadruple-doubled (with turnovers of course) during Sunday’s 129-122 win over the Raptors, registering 40 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, two blocks, four 3-pointers, and yes, 10 turnovers in 38 minutes. Watching Russell Westbrook and Harden obliterate the box scores this season has been euphoric, and when you throw away those pesky turnovers (8-cat format), Mr. Harden ranks No. 1 overall (Westbrook No. 2) with insane averages of 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 3.0 triples and a league-leading 11.8 assists per contest on 44.3 percent shooting. When two guys are having a ridiculous season like the one we’re witnessing, the MVP trophy is typically awarded to the player on the team with the better record, which in this case (at this moment) would be James Harden. However, with Russell Westbrook very likely to average a triple-double for the first time since 1961-62 season, that could certainly sway the voting in his favor. I honestly don’t really care whom the MVP award goes to this season, but I am certainly enjoying the show.

Chris Paul was phenomenal during Sunday’s 98-86 win over the Heat, racking up 19 points (7-of-11 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), 18 assists, six rebounds, one 3-pointer, two steals and just one turnover in 29 minutes. CP3 leads all point guards in assist-to-turnover ratio by a wide margin at 4.38, ranks No. 3 overall in assist percentage (47.2) and is No. 4 overall in total assists (324), which are just a few reasons why he ranks No. 4 overall in standard 9-cat leagues. As a side note, Paul registered his 8,000-career assist in this one, a feat that only 10 other players have accomplished.

Otto Porter posted an Otto-Porter-line with 13 points, three 3-pointers, seven rebounds, seven assists, one steal, two swats and two turnovers in 39 minutes. Porter can fill the box score like few others, which is why the 23-year-old has been a steady top-20 guy all year long. I used to give Scotty Brooks a lot of grief over the way he handled his rotations in OKC, but he hasn’t given the fantasy basketball world anything to complain about this season, and you’ve got to give the man some credit for Porter’s emergence as a stat-sheet stuffer this season.

Jabari Parker abused the box score in his 41 minutes of action during Sunday’s matinee, racking up 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three 3-pointers, two steals, one block and two turnovers. While Giannis Antetokounmpo has been getting all the headlines this season (and justifiably so), Parker has also been having himself an impressive season, posting top-50 value and hitting career-highs across the board with averages of 20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.5 dimes, 1.1 steals, 1.4 trey-bombs and just 1.5 turnovers per contest on 49.9 percent shooting. Now that we have three years of data to go off, it’s pretty obvious that Parker should have gone No. 1 overall over Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 NBA draft.

T.J. Warren held his own against the defending champs on Sunday, hitting 7-of-9 shots on his way to 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, one 3-pointers, three steals and one turnover in 27 minutes. Warren has been hit-or-miss since returning from his mysterious head injury, and his usage rate has been down (from 22.3 pre-injury to 19.7 post-injury), but hopefully this successful stat line against a tough defensive team will help him start trending in a positive direction. I think Warren is a good guy to try and buy-low on.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drilled a tough, turnaround 3-point bomb to seal the victory for Detroit during Sunday’s thrilling 125-124 double overtime win in Portland, tallying 26 points, four triples, four rebounds, two assists, four steals and three turnovers in 48 minutes. Reggie Jackson also went to work on offense, scoring a team-high 31 points on 13-of-26 shooting to go with one rebound, two steals, three assists and two turnovers in 47 minutes. Jackson had a painfully slow start to the 2016-17 season, missing all of training camp and the entire month of November as he recovered from PRP injections to his right (shooting) thumb and left knee, and it was slow going when he initially got back to the court as he worked himself into game shape. However, since the turn of the New Year, Jackson has looked like a new man, pumping out top-30 value in 9-cat leagues with 24.0 points, 7.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 2.0 triples and just 2.6 turnovers per contest on 48.4 percent shooting. Jackson is entering his prime at 26 years old, so it’s reasonable to expect some improvement from last year’s numbers now that he’s fully up to speed. In other words, I would recommend Reggie as a hold as opposed to a sell-high guy.

C.J. McCollum did all he could to help Portland to a win during the double overtime loss, scoring 25 points on 16-of-28 shooting to go with three rebounds, three 3-pointers, six assists, one steal, one block and one turnover in 44 minutes. McCollum has been a stud all year long, but he’s been particularly impressive in 2017 with averages of 33.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks, 2.8 triples and 2.8 turnovers per game on 53.2 percent shooting from the field and 95.8 percent from the charity stripe. McCollum has ranked No. 4 overall in 9-cat leagues during that five-game span, so while I do absolutely love C.J.’s game, owners may want to pursue some sell-high opportunities as this is likely his plateau. And by sell-high, I mean don’t deal him unless you’re getting a first-round stud in return.

On the Radar

T.J. McConnell remained in the starting lineup despite the return of Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) and put up four points, eight boards, six assists, two steals and two turnovers in 36 minutes. The 76ers have now won three of their past four games with McConnell running the point, and he’s also a much better defender than Rodriguez, so it’s looking like he may stick as a starter moving forward. Over the past four games, McConnell has been a steady late-round guy with averages of 9.0 points, 9.8 assists, 5.3 boards, 1.5 steals and just 2.0 turnovers per game on 39.5 percent shooting, so if you can stomach the inefficient scoring and need some help in assists, give McConnell a look.

Dario Saric had a nice game off the bench, going 5-of-13 from the field and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe on his way to 18 points, five boards, three 3-pointers, one steal and four turnovers in 30 minutes. However, this stat line does come with an asterisk as he did this against the worst team in the league at defending the forward spots, so I’d like to see him do it again before recommending him as a standard league add. Basically, as long as Ersan Ilyasova is healthy, Saric is only going to be worth owning as a deep league stash.

Malcolm Brogdon remained in the starting lineup despite the return of Matthew Dellavedova (hamstring), and he went off for a career-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting (2-of-2 from the stripe) to go with two triples, one rebound, three steals, one block, five dimes and four turnovers in 36 minutes. He’s been a steady late-round guy since being inserted into the starting lineup, owning averages of 13.7 points, 5.0 boards, 6.5 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game on 45.1 percent shooting, so give him a look if you need a point guard.

Allen Crabbe did not miss a single 3-point attempt during Sunday’s double-overtime loss to the Pistons, going 12-of-15 from the field and 1-of-1 from the line on his way to a career-high 30 points to go with five triples, one rebound, one assist, one steal and two turnovers in 43 minutes. The impeccable shooting had Crabbe clocking in with a ridiculous 97.2 true shooting percentage, and he’s been heating up over the past three with averages of 20.7 points, 2.0 assists, 3.0 triples and just 1.0 turnover per game on 55.6 percent shooting. The uber-efficient shooting scoring is not sustainable, but if you’re searching for some production in the 3-point category, it makes sense to swoop Crabbe up to see just how long he can keep this up.

Al-Farouq Aminu also had an efficient night, going 7-of-10 from the field and sinking his only freebie on his way to 16 points, eight boards, two assists, one block, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 37 minutes. Aminu was launching up bricks at an alarming rate to begin the 2016-17 season, but he’s been much more efficient over the past seven games, sitting on an eighth-round evaluation in 9-cat leagues with averages of 8.4 points, 7.6 boards, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.9 treys and just 1.0 turnover per game on 42.6 percent shooting. Aminu is an intriguing fantasy prospect with his ability to bring a little bit of everything to the stat sheet on a nightly basis, so he’s deserving of a speculative pickup in most leagues. In points leagues, I think he’s a must-own guy.

DeMarre Carroll made it rain on the Rockets, draining six trey-bombs in 34 minutes on his way to 26 points, eight rebounds, one steal and one turnover. Carroll has been stealthy climbing the rankings over the past five with averages of 11.6 points, 2.4 triples and 1.2 steals per contest on 48.6 percent shooting. He could fall off at a moment’s notice, but if you’ve got someone to cut, Carroll could be worth a look.

Injury Tracker

Hassan Whiteside (eye, personal) returned from a four-game* absence and put up 15 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks and two turnovers in 31 minutes. His return to action resulted in Willie Reed being sent back to the bench, and Reed ended his night with four points, 10 boards, one steal, one block and one turnover in 17 minutes. With Whiteside healthy, Reed won’t be worth owning in most leagues.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) sat out Sunday’s game, which resulted in Mirza Teletovic moving into the starting five, although Teletovic was a no-show in his 31 minutes of playing time. Considering it’s just an illness, I imagine the 22-year-old Antetokounmpo will be back in action for Tuesday’s game in San Antonio.

Michael Beasley exited Sunday’s game with a left shin contusion and did not return. Consider him questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Spurs.

Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) returned from a three-game absence and went 2-of-6 from the field in 12 minutes off the bench on his way to four points, three assists and one turnover. T.J. McConnell may have stolen Rodriguez’ spot in the starting five during his injury, and as a reserve, El Chacho isn’t worth owning anywhere.

Larry Nance (knee) is expected to return to the court in about two weeks. He’s not worth stashing in most scenarios, but Luol Deng owners can expect a fairly significant drop-off in production once Nance returns to the court. When Nance was healthy, Deng was only earning 26.2 minutes a night.

Jon Leuer exited Sunday’s game with a sore right knee and did not return, so he should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game in Sacramento. If he’s out, Tobias Harris would move back into the starting five and Stanley Johnson would have the opportunity for some extended minutes off the bench.

Trevor Booker exited Sunday’s game with a left hip contusion, and while he was initially ruled out for the remainder of the game, he eventually got back on the court and ended his night with four points, four boards, three dimes, one steal and one block in 18 minutes. Because Booker was able to return, I imagine that he’ll be available for Tuesday’s game against the Hawks.

Austin Rivers (illness) missed Sunday’s win over the Heat, but with the Clippers off until Wednesday, he’ll likely be back on the court for a matchup with the Magic. Raymond Felton drew the start in his place and produced seven points, seven boards, five dimes, two steals, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 37 minutes.

Josh Richardson missed Sunday’s game with a left foot sprain, which resulted in Wayne Ellington moving into the starting lineup and he struggled during his 20 minutes on the court, missing all five of his 3-point attempts and finishing the game with just four points and one assist. Richardson said that he injured his foot “a few games ago,” and that the injury was only getting worse the more he played on it, so while X-rays and an MRI revealed no structural damage he could be missing more than a few games here. The timing of this injury is extremely unfortunate, as Richardson had finally been coming around as a mid-round guy over the past few weeks after a lackluster start to the year; but now he finds himself back on the sidelines with yet another injury to a different appendage. While Ellington drew the start on Sunday, I imagine that Dion Waiters could find his way back into the starting five if this is a long-term issue for Richardson, so Waiters is someone to consider as a speculative pickup in deep points leagues.

Luke Babbitt (illness) also sat out Sunday’s game, which allowed Derrick Williams to draw the start, but he did a whole lot of nothing during his 21 minutes of action with two points on 1-of-5 shooting, three boards, two assists, one steal and one turnover.

Matthew Dellavedova (hamstring) logged 18 minutes off the bench in his return from a five-game absence on Sunday, going 1-of-5 from the field on his way to two points, two boards, four assists, one steal and one turnover. It’s looking like Malcolm Brogdon may have usurped Delly for the starting point guard position in Milwaukee, so Dellavedova isn’t worth owning anywhere.

Kyle Korver did not play on Sunday because Mike Dunleavy has failed to report for his physical in Atlanta. Dunleavy wants to be bought out, so he’ll be free to join a team of his choosing, and if this situation isn’t resolved quickly, Dunleavy’s antics will delay Korver’s Cleveland debut.

Brandan Wright (left ankle) has begun going through full-speed individual workouts, and he’s hopeful to return to the court sometime in January. He’ll be brought along very slowly, and can remain on the waiver wire in all leagues.

Aron Baynes (ankle) returned from a two-game stint on the sidelines and put up two points and one rebound in six minutes off the bench.

Bradley Beal rolled his right ankle on Sunday, and while he played through it (and looked fine doing so), he was spotted limping around the locker room after the game. Beal said he was “OK” during his post-game interview, but with a long history of lower right leg injuries, I’m going to have to consider him questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Bulls. If Beal hits the sidelines, Kelly Oubre will benefit most with John Wall running the show on offense.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Two 40s with 2 L's

First things first, I've been getting a lot of questions about what I think of Kyle Korver now that he's bound for Cleveland, so let me start with my own hot take on the Korver situation. Head coach Tyronn Lue said that Korver will begin his career with the Cavs as a reserve behind DeAndre Liggins, but I doubt that trend continues once Korver becomes familiarized with Cleveland’s system. He’s a career 42.9 percent 3-point bomber, and he’s going to be getting a ton of wide open looks playing alongside LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, so he should be an elite source of 3-pointers moving forward. I think he could flirt with averages of 12 points, three triples and two dimes per contest with ultra-efficient shooting, and he could be a sneaky mid-round guy if his minutes climb into the 30s. As for how this trade affects the Atlanta players, I think Kent Bazemore could see a boost with more consistent playing time, as will Thabo Sefolosha and Tim Hardaway Jr. Sefolosha is worth owning in most leagues for his elite contributions to the defensive categories, but because Hardaway Jr. is consistently inconsistent, he’s not worth much more than a speculative pickup in deep points leagues.

Nightly Notables

John Wall posted a monster 18-point, 18-assist double-double during Friday’s 112-105 victory over the Timberwolves, adding two steals, two boards and just three turnovers in 40 minutes of playing time. He ranks in the top-5 in assist percentage (44.9) and is top-7 in usage (30.5), and he’s also hitting career-highs in points (23.5), steals (2.3) and field goal percentage (46.5). Apparently, the offseason knee surgeries (yes surgeries, plural; both of his knees) were never anything we should have been concerned about because this young man is having a spectacular first-round season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo kept the ridiculous stat lines coming during Friday’s narrow 116-111 loss to the Knicks, registering 25 points, six rebounds, two assists, two 3-pointers, two steals, five blocks and five turnovers in 38 minutes. The Greek Freak came up with a clutch block on a Carmelo Anthony drive down the stretch, but also coughed up the rock during Milwaukee’s final few possessions, and that ultimately cost the Bucks the game. It’s a learning experience for the 22-year-old, but his owners could probably care less about Milwaukee’s win-loss record, as Mr. Alphabet currently ranks No. 2 overall in fantasy hoops.

Andrew Wiggins bounced back in a big way following Tuesday’s eight-point disaster, going 16-of-30 from the field and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe on his way to 41 points, one rebound, two assists, two steals, one triple and two turnovers in 39 minutes. Gorgui Dieng was also impressive during his 40 minutes of floor time, posting 15 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, one 3-pointer and one turnover. Dieng’s numbers may not jump off the page quite like Wiggins’, but he’s a far superior fantasy player due to his ability to bring multiple statistics to the box score other than scoring.

Evan Fournier struggled in his return to the starting five, going 4-of-13 from the field on his way to 10 points, nine boards, two assists, one steal and two turnovers in 35 minutes. With Fournier running with the starters, Jodie Meeks returned to the second unit and missed both of his shots in 14 minutes of playing time, ending his evening with just one rebound, one block and one turnover to his credit. Meeks showed us that he was still capable of playing basketball while Fournier was on the shelf, but with Don’t Google back in action, Meeks isn’t going to be worth owning anywhere.

Mike Conley led the charge during Friday’s stunning 128-119 overtime victory over the Warriors, going 10-of-19 from the field and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe on his way to 27 points, four rebounds, three 3-pointers, 12 assists, one steal and two turnovers in 41 minutes. He answered the call for Memphis every time the Grizzlies were in need of a clutch bucket, and he was obviously a significant factor in Memphis overcoming a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit. Conley is quietly having himself a top-30 season, posting career-highs in points (18.7), 3-pointers (2.3), and rebounds (3.6) to go with 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.2 turnovers per contest.

Stephen Curry scored 40 points on 15-of-27 shooting (5-of-5 from the line) in the losing effort to go with five 3-pointers, four boards, six assists, one steal, one block and four turnovers in 42 minutes. While the Dubs 31-6 start to the season has been very impressive, their tendency to wilt during the fourth quarter and squander big leads has been concerning with regards to their championship potential.

Josh Richardson attempted just six shots (connecting on two of them) during his 30 minutes of action on Friday, ending his evening with just six points, one rebound, one 3-pointer, two assist, two steals and no other statistics. Richardson has been woefully inconsistent this season, and his 39.5 percent shooting percentage is a major reason why he currently ranks outside the top-150 in standard leagues. Richardson is definitely worth owning in points leagues, but he’s a tough guy to stomach in standard 8-cat and 9-cat leagues when his shot isn’t falling.

On the Radar

T.J. McConnell got another start with Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) on the sidelines and handed out a career-high 17 dimes to go with four boards, two steals, nine points and just two turnovers in 37 minutes. Over the past three games as a starter, McConnell has worked his way into the mid-round equation with averages of 10.7 points, 11.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 triple and 2.0 turnovers per contest on 48.1 percent shooting, so he’s making a solid case for himself to remain the starter even when Rodriguez gets back to the court. If you need help in the point guard department, give McConnell a look.

Nerlens Noel saw a season-high 25 minutes off the 76ers’ bench, and responded with 13 points, eight boards, two assists, two steals, three blocks and zero turnovers. Whether it’s him or Jahlil Okafor (DNP-CD) that gets traded, Noel’s situation can only improve post-trade, and as a guy with top-50 upside, he’s worth stashing in all leagues.

James Johnson stuffed the stat sheet yet again during Friday’s loss to the Lakers, scoring 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting (2-of-4 from the line), to go with five boards, four 3-pointers, one assist, two steals, one block and three turnovers in 34 minutes. He’s become a fixture in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation, and that trend will assuredly hold with Justise Winslow (shoulder) likely done for the year, so Johnson is worth owning in all leagues. Over the past six games, he’s been posting mid-round value with averages of 16.3 points, 5.0 boards, 3.3 dimes, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks, 2.5 treys and 3.3 turnovers per contest on 50.8 percent shooting.

Caris LeVert had an impressive performance during Friday’s 116-108 loss to the Cavs, going 7-of-12 from the field and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe on his way to 19 points, four rebounds, five assists, two triples and one turnover in 27 minutes off the bench. Brooklyn traded away Thaddeus Young to nab LeVert with the No. 20 overall selection in the 2016 NBA draft, so they clearly think highly of this kid, and that should give head coach Kenny Atkinson some added incentive to unleash him during the second half of the season when player development becomes Brooklyn’s primary focus. LeVert has been inconsistent (as have his minutes), but lines like this give us a glimpse of his potential, so he’s someone to consider stashing away in deep leagues.

Aaron Gordon had another solid outing on Friday, scoring 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting (2-of-3 from the stripe), to go with six boards, two triples, one steal, two turnovers and a career-high seven dimes in 36 minutes. He’s been coming around over the past few weeks, owning averages of 16.7 points, 5.5 boards, 3.0 assists, 2.0 triples and 1.3 turnovers per game on 50.0 percent shooting, which has been good enough for mid-round value in standard 9-cat leagues. Air Gordon was quite terrible prior to going on this hot streak, but the upside has always been there, and maybe this is a sign that he’s ready to start busting out. Make sure he’s not floating around on your waiver wire.

Luol Deng (biceps) was back in the starting lineup following a one-game stint on the sidelines, and he was effective in his 30 minutes of floor time, going 8-of-12 from the field on his way to 19 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, three triples and three turnovers. He’s been posting mid-round value over the past month with averages of 10.7 points, 7.5 boards, 2.3 assists, 1.5 treys and just 0.9 turnovers per game on 47.8 percent shooting, so give him a look if those numbers are appealing to you.

Tony Allen did Tony Allen things during Friday’s comeback win over the Warriors, racking up 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two turnovers and a season-high six steals in 48 minutes. The Grindfather has actually been more than a mere steals specialist over the past month, pumping out mid-round value in standard 9-cat leagues with averages of 11.6 points, 6.2 boards, 1.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.4 turnovers per game on 51.0 percent shooting. His elite contributions to the steals category makes him worth owning in most leagues, and he should definitely be owned in more than just 28 percent of Yahoo! Leagues.

Ty Lawson started alongside Darren Collison on Friday night, and he had a solid showing with 17 points (6-of-12 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), four rebounds, six assists, one steal and two turnovers in 37 minutes. Collison also played well in the new starting unit, posting 20 points, five boards, two dimes and three triples in 35 minutes, so perhaps things can start trending in a positive direction for both players as they’re now able to play alongside one another rather than split minutes. Lawson’s production has fluctuated widely this season (along with his minutes), but if Dave Joerger sticks with this new starting five that could help Lawson work his way into the standard league equation. He’s worth a speculative add for PG-needy GMs.

Injury Tracker

Matthew Dellavedova (hamstring) did not play on Friday, and with zero positive updates on Delly’s rehab process thus far, I’m considering him doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Wizards. Malcolm Brogdon got another start and produced 10 points (4-of-9 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), six boards, five assists and one turnover in 31 minutes. Through five games as a starter, Brogdon has put forth averages of 12.0 points, 5.8 boards, 6.8 assists, 0.6 triples, 0.2 steals and 1.6 turnovers per game on 41.1 percent shooting. That’s only been good enough for 13th round value in standard 9-cat leagues, so he’s more of a deep league guy.

Kevin Love (illness) and Kyrie Irving (hamstring) returned to action, which resulted in Channing Frye and Jordan McRae returning to the bench. Love double-doubled with 17 points, 13 rebounds, four trey-bombs, two dimes and four turnovers in 36 minutes; while Irving popped off for 32 points, three triples, three boards, four assists, two steals and zero turnovers in 36 minutes. They’ll be just fine moving forward.

Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) missed his third game in a row on Friday, and he should be considered questionable for Sunday’s game in Brooklyn.

Nicolas Batum (knee) is expected to miss the next 1-2 weeks of action, and his minutes will likely be divvied up between Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marco Belinelli and Jeremy Lamb. Both MKG and Belinelli are worth speculative adds in standard leagues, while Lamb is more of a wait-and-see guy in deep leagues.

Hassan Whiteside (eye) missed his fourth game in a row on Friday, which allowed Willie Reed to earn another start and he went off with 22 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 32 minutes. Reed was very impressive in two out of his three recent starts, but with reports that Whiteside could rejoin Miami in Los Angeles in time for Saturday’s game against the Clippers, Reed isn’t all that attractive of a pickup in standard formats.

Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) returned from a three-game absence and put up 24 points, six boards, three triples, three blocks and one turnover in 30 minutes. He didn’t appear to be limited at all by the sore Achilles (which was never really a serious issue), so I’d be very surprised if he didn’t play Saturday vs. the Pacers.

Jeremy Lin (hamstring) spent his fifth consecutive game on the sidelines Friday, and he remains without an official timetable to return. If you’re in a standard league without an IR-spot and struggling in the standings, you should probably consider cutting him if you’ve already unsuccessfully explored his trade market. Spencer Dinwiddie got the start in Lin’s place on Friday night, but he wasn’t very impressive with just seven points, five boards, two assists and two turnovers in 18 minutes.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (hip) returned from a one-game absence and scored four points on 1-of-6 shooting (2-of-2 from the stripe) to go with four boards, one assist and two steals in 15 minutes. He’s not worth owning in standard leagues.

JaMychal Green (eye) returned from a one-game absence and registered four points, two boards, two assists, one steal, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 20 minutes. With averages of just 9.2 points, 7.5 boards, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.7 triples on the year, I wouldn’t call him a “must-own” guy in standard leagues.

Gerald Henderson (illness) returned from a three-game absence and produced 18 points, four boards, one assist, one block, two 3-pointers and one turnover in 29 minutes off the bench. He’s an inconsistent scorer and not worth your time in most settings.

Denzel Valentine (ankle) will not play Saturday vs. Toronto.

Patrick Patterson (knee) is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Bulls.

Rudy Gay, who had spent 10 of the previous 11 games on the sidelines with a hip injury got back on the court Friday night and racked up 18 points, seven boards, one assist and one 3-pointer in 33 minutes. He’s one of the most likely guys to get traded this season, and thus far he’s been linked to Miami, OKC, Houston and Indiana. With Houston sitting on a 27-9 record they may not want to disrupt their chemistry with a major roster shakeup, and Pat Riley seems like the kind of GM that would rather wait for a guy to hit free agency than unload assets for a half-year rental, so those two destinations seem unlikely. That leaves OKC and Indiana, which would not be ideal landing spots for Gay’s fantasy value. That’s not to say that those are the only possible destinations for Gay, but the point is, he could definitely land in a situation that is less-than-ideal for his fantasy value. That uncertainty about his future makes him a risky long-term asset, which is why I’d recommend selling high when he goes on his next hot streak.

Chris Paul (hamstring) returned from a four-game absence and double-doubled with 14 points (3-of-5 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs), 12 assists, six boards, three steals, one 3-pointer and three turnovers in 31 minutes. The hamstring did not appear to be an issue at all, so hopefully he’ll be fine moving forward.

Rodney Stuckey (hamstring) has not been cleared for full contact and remains without an official timetable to return. Why he’s even owned in 1% of Yahoo! Leagues is beyond me.

Kenneth Faried (back) and Nikola Jokic (illness) are questionable for Saturday’s game vs. OKC. If both those guys are out, Jusuf Nurkic would more than likely move back into the starting five, and he could see his minutes in the 30-range.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: McCollum Madness

Week 11 Schedule: Games Played

5 Games: UTA

4 Games: BKN, CHA, CLE, DEN, GSW, HOU, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHO, SAC, TOR, WAS

3 Games: ATL, BOS, CHI, DAL, DET, IND, MIN, NOR, PHI, POR, SAS

Sunday Stars

C.J. McCollum put on a show during Portland’s 95-89 win over Minnesota, scoring a career-high 43 points on 16-of-25 shooting (8-of-9 from the line) to go with five boards, three 3-pointers, three assists, three steals, one block and three turnovers in 39 minutes. In the four games that Damian Lillard (ankle) has been on the sidelines, McCollum’s usage rate has spiked to 36.5, and he’s been a first-round stud during that four-game span with averages of 30.3 points, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.3 triples and 3.0 turnovers per contest while connecting on a ridiculous 51.8 percent of his shot attempts. For a visual representation of his outright beastliness, let’s take a look at his shot chart.

Man… that’s a lot of green.

Kyle Lowry made a mockery of the young Lakers’ backcourt during Sunday’s 123-114 win, recording a season-high 41 points on 12-of-16 shooting to go with nine boards, seven assists, six triples, and four turnovers in 39 minutes. Lowry got whatever he wanted, and with a perfect 11-of-11 performance from the charity stripe, he clocked in with an insane true shooting percentage of 98.4. The 30-year-old is having another fantastic season in Toronto, hitting career-highs in points (22.7), triples (3.5) and field goal percentage (46.9) and he ranks in the top-8 in assists with 7.2 a night. Add that all together, and you’ve got top-10 value in standard leagues. Now let’s just hope that he can stay healthy.

Reggie Jackson easily had his best game of the season, scoring 27 points on 10-fo-17 shooting (5-of-5 from the stripe) to go with two boards, two triples, four assists, one steal and three turnovers in 33 minutes. Jackson didn’t exactly hit the ground running once he got back to the court this season after spending roughly the first month recovering from a PRP injection to his right (shooting) thumb and left knee, but maybe he can start rolling now that he’s got his legs back under him. Jackson’s so-so contribution in assists (5.3), partnered with limited defensive statistics and a tendency to turn the ball over will weigh down his value in standard 9-cat leagues, but if you ignore the turnover issues he can be a mid-round guy.

Myles Turner double-doubled during an easy 117-104 win over the Magic, scoring 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting (8-of-9 freebies) to go with 12 boards, three assists, one 3-pointer, one steal, one block and one turnover in 31 minutes. The 20-year-old is hitting career highs across the board during his top-30 season, and he’s pretty much a lock to come home with the Most Improved Player award this season.

Paul Millsap powered the Hawks to a 114-112 overtime win over the Spurs, tallying 32 points, 13 boards, three assists, three 3-pointers, one block and two turnovers in 47 minutes. Reports surfaced on Sunday that Atlanta has begun “listening” to offers regarding the soon-to-be free agent, and they may be more apt to send him away this season if they get the feeling that they’ll lose him for nothing via free agency during the summer (like they lost Al Horford), but to be clear nothing is imminent on the trade front regarding Millsap. He’s also insanely talented, so he should be an early-round stud regardless of the jersey he’s wearing.

LaMarcus Aldridge bounced back from Friday’s eight-point disappointment on Sunday, popping off for 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting to go with 13 boards, two assists, one 3-pointer, three blocks and two turnovers in 43 minutes. Aldridge got off to another slow start this season, but over the past seven games he’s jumped into the second-round equation with averages of 20.0 points, 9.1 boards, 2.6 assists, 1.0 block and 1.0 turnover per game on 58.2 percent shooting. His value is currently being buoyed by the insane (and unsustainable) shooting percentage, so owners may want to use his current hot streak as an opportunity to sell high.

On the Radar

James Johnson took advantage of some increased opportunity with Hassan Whiteside (eye), Goran Dragic (back) and Justise Winslow (shoulder) on the sidelines Sunday night (not to mention Dion Waiters and Josh McRoberts), and he busted loose for 20 points (6-of-13 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), seven boards, three assists, one steal, one block, four 3-pointers and three turnovers in 34 minutes off the bench. Johnson’s ability to offer a little bit of everything to the box score has him churning out late-round value on the year, and even when those guys have been healthy, Johnson has been a consistent part of the rotation and steady late-round presence. In other words, he should be owned in much more than 31 percent of Yahoo! Leagues.

Wayne Ellington also had a nice showing in the spot-start sans Winslow, putting up 18 points, four boards, three assists and four treys in 37 minutes. If Winslow is out again on Tuesday night, Ellington could be worth a look as a deep league 3-point streamer.

Terrence Ross drained another three 3-pointers during Sunday’s victory over the Lakers, finishing the game with 11 points, five boards and one turnover in 24 minutes. Ross isn’t the most exciting guy to own, but he’s been a steady late-round guy in 9-cat leagues this season with averages of 10.7 points, 1.7 triples, 1.1 steals and just 0.4 turnovers per game on 46.3 percent shooting. Give him a look if you’re in a deep league and seeking a boost to the 3-point and steals categories.

Tim Hardaway Jr. exploded for 29 points off the bench during an overtime win over the Spurs, to go with six trey-bombs, five boards, one assist and one turnover in 31 minutes. However, we’ve seen Hardaway do these kinds of things before only to follow it up with a whole lot of nothing, so I’ll need to see a repeat performance before deeming him add-worthy in most settings.

Manu Ginobili was effective in 21 minutes off the bench, producing 10 points, three boards, three assists, two steals, one 3-pointer and one turnover. The 39-year-old has hit his stride over the past five games, contributing mid-round value in 9-cat leagues with averages of 10.2 points, 4.2 boards, 2.8 dimes, 1.4 steals, 2.0 triples and 1.4 turnovers per contest. I’m not expecting the old man to keep up this sort of production, but if you’re in a deep league and got someone to cut, there’s nothing wrong with taking a flyer on Manu.

Injury Tracker

Aron Baynes suffered a sprained left ankle during Sunday’s win over the Heat and did not return, ending his night with two points, four boards and one turnover in nine minutes. While X-rays came back negative on Baynes’ ankle, he was spotted leaving the arena in a walking boot, so he could definitely miss some time here. Jon Leuer will benefit most sans Baynes, while Boban Marjanovic will have the opportunity for limited minutes off the bench.

Jeff Teague tweaked his left ankle during Sunday’s win over the Magic, but played through it and finished the game with 12 points, three boards, nine dimes, one steal, one block and three turnovers in 27 minutes. He should be fine for Tuesday’s game against the Pistons.

Hassan Whiteside (eye), Goran Dragic (back) and Justise Winslow (shoulder) did not play on Sunday, which forced Erik Spoelstra to go with a starting lineup of Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder, Wayne Ellington, Luke Babbitt and Willie Reed. Richardson kept his hot streak alive as one of the few offensive weapons for a Miami team that has been debilitated by injuries, racking up 14 points, eight assists, one board, two steals, two triples and two turnovers in 38 minutes; although Reed failed to do much with the increased opportunity ending his night with just four points, two boards, two assists and one block in 18 minutes. Dragic said that his back is feeling better and he’s hopeful to get back out there for Tuesday’s game in Phoenix, but Whiteside and Winslow aren’t as certain, and if those guys are out again, Richardson, Ellington and James Johnson will benefit most.

Erik Spoelstra said that Dion Waiters (groin) could travel with the Heat during their upcoming six-game road trip, which is a small step in the right direction. He will, however, be brought along slowly, so there’s very little incentive to stash him anywhere.

Jeremy Lin (hamstring) will not play Monday vs. Utah, and he remain without an official timetable to return. The Nets maintain that this new hamstring injury isn’t as severe as the original one that kept him on the sidelines for 17 straight games, but with Brooklyn playing for absolutely nothing, they have no incentive to rush Lin’s return. If you’re struggling in the standings, selling Lin for next to nothing (or maybe even dropping him) may be the correct course of action. Joe Harris (hip) is questionable to play Monday, which means very little.

Kristaps Porzingis said he’s not worried about his sore left Achilles, and there’s a chance he’ll be able to return to the court for Monday’s game against the Magic. If he is able to get back out there, Lance Thomas will head back to the bench and Brandon Jennings’ usage rate will suffer a significant hit.

Damian Lillard (ankle) missed his fourth game in a row on Sunday, although he did get in a full practice on Saturday, and finished Sunday’s pregame routine with a dunk so things are trending in a positive direction with regards to his status for Tuesday’s game against the Warriors.

Cameron Payne (foot) has been sent down for a D-League stint, and he’s on track to be ready for Saturday’s game against the Nuggets. He won’t have much fantasy value at all, though.

Jameer Nelson (abdominal) will be game-time calls for Monday’s matchup with the Warriors. If he’s out, Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray will benefit. Darrell Arthur (knee) will also be a game-time decision, but he’s not even in the rotation, so his playing status is meaningless.

Lance Stephenson (groin) is ahead of schedule in his recovery, and there’s a chance he could be cleared to return by mid-January. He’s a free agent, but he’ll likely be able to sign another deal.

Chris Paul (hamstring) is doubtful to play Monday vs. the Suns. As we’ve seen with Lin, hamstring injuries can be very tricky, and Paul’s hamstring has now forced him to miss five of the Clippers’ past six games. Now, unlike Lin, the Clippers do have some incentive to get Paul back to the court as quickly as possible as they are fighting for seeding out West and are already without Blake Griffin (knee) for an extended period, but owners will need to check back for another update following Monday morning’s shootaround. Austin Rivers, Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford will all benefit with CP3 out, and it’ll likely be Rivers and Felton moving in and out of the starting five based on the matchup.

Wes Johnson (ankle) is questionable to play Monday vs. Phoenix, and if he’s a no go, his minutes will be divvied up between Paul Pierce, Luc Mbah a Moute and Alan Anderson.

Alex Abrines (concussion-like symptoms) will be available to play Monday vs. Milwaukee.

Evan Fournier (heel) missed his fourth game in a row on Sunday, which allowed Jodie Meeks to earn another start and he produced 11 points, three 3-pointers, three boards, two assists and one turnover in 30 minutes. If Fournier is out again on Monday, Meeks will earn another start, but he’s nothing more than a 3-point streamer in deep leagues.

Marcus Morris (knee) returned to the starting lineup following a one-game absence and put up 11 points, two 3-pointers, one rebound, one assist and one turnover in 31 minutes. His return to action resulted in Tobias Harris moving back to the bench where he produced 17 points, seven boards, two steals, two blocks, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 35 minutes. Harris has seen his usage rate jump to 24.1 while running with the reserves, and his minutes have held steady, so the move to a sixth man role shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing by his owners.

Kawhi Leonard (gastroenteritis) returned from a two-game stint on the sidelines and put up 13 points, four boards, two assists, one steal, one block, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 28 minutes. This was a pretty unimpressive stat line for Mr. Leonard, but he should be back to his stat stuffing ways Tuesday vs. Toronto.

Shaun Livingston (elbow, hip) and Patrick McCaw (illness) are questionable to play Monday vs. Denver. If they’re out, Andre Iguodala and Ian Clark will pick up some extra minutes.

Patrick Beverley (wrist) is being listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Wizards. If he’s out again, Corey Brewer could be looking at another start, but that means very little in fantasy hoops.

George Hill (concussion) and Dante Exum (knee) will not play Monday vs. Brooklyn. Shelvin Mack will be the starting point guard with both these guys on the sidelines, but it’s Gordon Hayward who will benefit most with the increased usage sans Hill.

For the first time this season, Alec Burks (ankle) is being listed as questionable. He’ll be brought along slowly in Utah, and he basically only scores, so he’s an unattractive stash in most formats.

Patrick Patterson (knee) did not play Sunday and should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game in San Antonio.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Pizza Guy? No, Pizza Man

Line of the Night

Out of all the impressive performances that occurred during Friday’s 10-game slate, Isaiah Thomas’ career-high 52-point scoring binge stands out as the most impressive. Thomas shot a ridiculous 15-of-26 from the field, and was a perfect 13-of-13 from the charity stripe, ending his evening with a sterling 82.0 true shooting percentage to accompany his 43.2 usage rate, and he even added a career-high nine triples to his stat line for good measure. It was only 10 days ago that Thomas set his initial career-high at 44, so to say that he’s having a brilliant season would be just a bit of an understatement. Amongst guards, Thomas ranks within the top-10 in offensive rating, assist-to-turnover ratio and he sits at the No. 6 spot in true shooting percentage at 60.6. He’s been an early-round stud all year long, and after surpassing his initial career-high outing on Friday night, he jumped into the top-15 equation in standard 9-cat leagues. Shout out to Allen Iverson, because there’s a new little dude causing a ruckus on the basketball court. It's common practice to point out that Stephen Curry is one of the most underpaid players in the league at roughly $12.1 million annually, but the next time you hear someone make such a statement, let them know that Isaiah Thomas (an All-Star and the leading scorer on the third-best team out East) is scheduled to make just $6.6 million this season, meaning that there will be 154 other players this year that will bank more than IT4. Crazy.

On the Radar

Josh Richardson stuffed the stat sheet during Friday’s narrow loss to the Celtics, scoring 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting to go with six boards, eight assists, four steals, two blocks, two 3-pointers and three turnovers in 35 minutes. Richardson had a horrendous start to the year as he missed all of training camp and the early portion of the season with a partially torn MCL, and then once he got back to the court he immediately sprained his right ankle and right (shooting) wrist, and all these ailments obviously affected his play. However, over the past three, Richardson has flashed his upside with averages of 20.3 points, 5.0 boards, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.0 block, 2.3 trey-bombs and just 1.3 turnovers per game on 53.2 percent shooting, so it’s probably safe to say he’s put those injuries behind him. The Heat are going nowhere fast with a record of 10-24, which is good news for Richardson as his development is going to become a major priority for Miami down the stretch, so his arrow is pointing up in a big way. Yes, it’s a small sample size, but after three very successful outings, I’m going to deem him must-own in all settings until he proves otherwise.

James Johnson bounced back from Thursday’s six-point dud, going 8-of-13 from the field and 2-of-3 from the charity stripe on his way to 22 points, four triples, three rebounds, six assists, two steals, two blocks and five turnovers in just 24 minutes off the bench. He’s earned himself a steady mid-20 role in the rotation, and while he won’t be scoring quite like this one most nights, his ability to bring a little bit of everything to the stat sheet (with an elite helping of defensive stats) makes him worthy of a standard league roster spot.

Malcolm Brogdon earned his first career start with Matthew Dellavedova (hamstring) on the sidelines, and he did not disappoint, scoring 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting to go with four boards, four assists, one 3-pointer, one steal and two turnovers in 33 minutes. Dellavedova’s odds of suiting up for Saturday’s game against the Bulls aren’t looking great, so Brogdon will likely be earning another start on Saturday’s six-game night, so he’s worth a look if you’ve got someone to cut.

Michael Carter-Williams started over Rajon Rondo during the second half of Friday’s loss to the Pacers and put up 12 points (4-of-10 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), eight rebounds, one 3-pointer, one assist, one block and two turnovers in 27 minutes. Rondo was only on the court for 10 minutes in this one, and he gave an apathetic response regarding the benching after the game, simply saying, “It’s not life and death. Life is too short to be unhappy. It’s part of if.” This was the second time this week that Rondo road the pine during crunch time, and interestingly, Fred Hoiberg said he didn’t know who he would start Saturday vs. the Bucks. MCW isn’t the most exciting guy to own, but he could be worth a prospective pickup in deep leagues with the potential to draw the start in a revenge game against Milwaukee.

Cristian Felicio double-doubled in 22 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting (4-of-5 from the stripe) to go with 12 boards, two assists, one steal and zero turnovers. Fred Hoiberg is still trying to find his fourth-quarter guys, and Felicio held his own while closing out the game, but I’m going to need to see a repeat performance before recommending him as an add in most leagues. Prior to this outing, Felicio had done a whole lot of nothing, and he’s still going to have to battle for minutes in Chicago’s overly crowded frontcourt.

Tyreke Evans had another productive game off the Pelicans’ bench during their 104-92 win over the Knicks, going 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-4 from the stripe on his way to 16 points, five boards, four assists, two treys and one turnover in just 18 minutes of action. That’s two noteworthy performances (while logging limited minutes) in a row for Evans, and as a guy with mid-round upside and the ability to bring a little bit of everything to the stat sheet, he needs to be owned everywhere now that he’s finally trending up.

Montrezl Harrell had a career-night during the Rockets’ 140-116 smashing of the Clippers, scoring a career-high 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting (9-of-11 freebies) to go with three boards, three assists, one steal and one block in 30 minutes off the bench. Since Clint Capela (knee) hit the sidelines, Harrell has emerged as a late-round talent in standard leagues with averages of 15.3 points, 4.0 boards and 1.2 swats per contest on 66.1 percent shooting from the field and 69.2 percent from the stripe. Capela’s looking at least another three weeks on the sidelines, so Harrell figures to be a steady fixture in the rotation moving forward, and he’s looking like a must-own guy moving forward. If you ignore the poor free throw shooting, Harrell jumps to the mid-round equation over that six-game span, so he’s even more valuable to owners punting FTs.

Caris LeVert had the best game of his young career, scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting (2-of-2 from the line) to go with two triples, three boards, two steals and one assist in 24 minutes off the bench. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has spoken glowingly of LeVert whenever presented with the opportunity, and if Jeremy Lin (hamstring) is forced into another lengthy absence, LeVert’s development could be accelerated. He’s still not quite there as a standard league pickup, but owners in deep leagues should watch him closely, as he could be a fun guy to own after the All-Star break.

Marreese Speights drained another two triples in 20 minutes off the bench to go with 15 points, seven boards, two blocks and one turnover. He’s been a steady late-round guy since Blake Griffin went down, owning averages of 12.0 points, 4.3 boards, 2.0 trey-bombs and just 0.7 turnovers per game on 49.2 percent shooting during that seven-game span, so go ahead and give him a look if you’re seeking a boost in the 3-point category.

T.J. McConnell drew the start sans Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) and had a nice showing with 17 points (6-of-12 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), two boards, eight dimes, three 3-pointers and two turnovers in 36 minutes. The severity of Rodriguez’ ankle injury is currently unclear, but McConnell was playing well in limited minutes before Rodriguez went down, so he could emerge with some standard league value as the last standing point guard on the roster if Sergio is forced to miss any time. McConnell is on the radar as a deep league assist specialist.

Dario Saric took advantage of some increased opportunity with Jahlil Okafor (rest, hamstring), Gerald Henderson (hip), Richaun Holmes (concussion) and Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) all on the sidelines on Friday night, and racked up a double-double with 13 points, 11 boards, five assists and one turnover in 28 minutes. That's three solid outings in a row for the Croatian rookie, so he could be someone to consider swooping up in deep leagues.

Injury Tracker

Andrew Bogut (rest) did not play on the second leg of a back-to-back set on Friday, but he should be back in action Tuesday vs. Washington.

Courtney Lee (wrist) spent his second consecutive game on the sidelines, which allowed Sasha Vujacic to earn another start, but he didn’t do much with the increased opportunity ending his evening with just three points, two boards, two assists, one triple, one steal and one block in 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Justin Holiday posted a sneaky low-end line with eight points, seven boards, four assists, one 3-pointer and one block in 28 minutes off the bench, so if Lee is forced into an extended absence, it’s looking like Holiday will be the primary beneficiary.

Joe Harris (hip) missed his second game in a row on Friday and he should be considered questionable for Monday’s game against Utah.

Hassan Whiteside got poked in the eye during the closing minutes of the fourth quarter and did not return, ending his night with 11 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and one turnover in 32 minutes. I’d be shocked if the injury forced him to spend any additional time on the sidelines.

Bradley Beal (right ankle) did not play Friday, which allowed rookie Sheldon McClellan to earn his third career start and he responded with eight points (2-of-6 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), one 3-pointer, one rebound, two assists, one steal and one turnover in 24 minutes. However, it was Trey Burke who emerged as the primary beneficiary sans Beal, erupting for a season-high 27 points on a scotching 10-of-12 shooting (2-of-2 from the stripe) to go with two boards, two assists, five triples, two steals and two turnovers in 30 minutes off the bench. Now, Beal did go through his warmups, and X-rays came back negative, so he could be back in action as soon as Monday’s game against the Rockets. In other words, Burke isn’t a great pickup despite this terrific outing, as there’s no way he can replicate that sort of efficiency and a nightly basis.

Chris Paul (hamstring, rest) did not play the first game of the Clippers’ back-to-back set on Friday, but he should be back out there Saturday vs. OKC. Austin Rivers drew the start in his place, but got ejected after just 15 minutes of action for making contact with an official, finishing the game with just nine points, one 3-pointer, three assists and one rebound. With CP3 out and Rivers gone for most of the game, Raymond Felton was forced to log 31 minutes off the bench and he responded with 26 points, four triples, five boards, eight dimes, one steal and five turnovers. It was a solid stat line from Felton, but with Paul more than likely to get back on the court for Saturday’s game, there’s no reason to swoop up Felton in any setting.

J.J. Redick (hamstring) returned from a two-game stint on the sidelines and produced eight points, two 3-pointers, one rebound, one assist and one turnover in 25 minutes. He plays much better running alongside Chris Paul, so owners can expect a bounce-back performance on Saturday.

Wes Johnson went down with an ankle injury during Friday’s loss to the Rockets, and he’s being listed as questionable for Saturday’s game vs. the Thunder. If he’s out, his minutes will be divvied up between Jamal Crawford, Luc Mbah a Moute and Alan Anderson.

Damian Lillard (ankle) spent his third straight game on the sidelines, which gave Allen Crabbe another start, and through 33 minutes of action he tallied 11 points, one 3-pointer, one rebound, one assist, two steals and one turnover. While Crabbe has been starting in Lillard’s absence, it’s C.J. McCollum who is the primary beneficiary here.

Patrick Patterson (knee) is questionable to play Saturday vs. the Lakers.

Matthew Dellavedova (hamstring) and Rashad Vaughn (ankle) did not play Friday, and both these guys should be considered questionable for Saturday’s matchup with the Bulls. If they’re out, Malcolm Brogdon should again get the call to start.

Reggie Bullock (knee) is about two weeks away from getting back to the court. He’s also irrelevant in fantasy hoops.

Mirza Teletovic (concussion) returned from a two-game absence and put up eight points, three rebounds, one assist, two 3-pointers and two turnovers in 19 minutes off the bench. He’s not going to be much of a factor in fantasy hoops while the Bucks are healthy.

Patrick McCaw (illness) did not play Friday, but his playing status is irrelevant in fantasy hoops anyway.

Marco Belinelli (ankle) is doubtful to play Saturday vs. the Cavs. If he’s out, Jeremy Lamb will continue to flirt with minutes in the mid-20s off the bench while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will see his fourth-quarter minutes unimpeded.

Kawhi Leonard (gastroenteritis) missed his second game in a row on Friday which resulted in Kyle “Slow-Mo” Anderson earning another start and putting up four points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 28 minutes. Jonathan Simmons, however, was the true primary beneficiary sans Leonard, tallying 19 points, three rebounds, two assists, two 3-pointer, two blocks and one turnover in 30 minutes off the bench. It seems unlikely that Leonard will miss three straight games with this stomach bug, but if he is out again Sunday vs. Atlanta, Simmons is the guy you’ll want to consider throwing out there as a DFS punt play.

Avery Bradley (illness) did not play Friday, which allowed Marcus Smart to return to the starting five, and he put up six points (1-of-6 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), four boards, two assists, two steals and one turnover in 34 minutes. The Celtics are off until Tuesday vs. Utah, so chances are this will only be a one-game absence for Bradley.

Mike Conley (toe) is being listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Kings. He’s spent the past two games on the sidelines with the toe issue, which has resulted in rookie Andrew Harrison logging major minutes as a starter with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph running the show on offense. If Conley is out again, it’ll be more of the same.

Goran Dragic (back) sat out Friday’s loss to the Celtics, which allowed Rodney McGruder to return to the starting five, although he didn’t do much in his 29 minutes. On the other hand, James Johnson, Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson all saw an uptick in usage, and these are the guys that will be benefitting most if Dragic is forced to miss any additional time.

Marcus Morris (knee) sat out Friday’s loss to the Hawks, which allowed Tobias Harris to move back into the starting five where he produced 14 points, five boards, two assists, two triples, one block and one turnover in 38 minutes. Unfortunately, Harris’ usage rate dipped to 18.2 in this one, and in general, he’s had a higher usage rate with the second unit (25.2) than with the starters (21.5), so you could make the case that he’s better served coming off the bench. However, before Morris was ruled out, Stan Van Gundy said that he would bring Harris back into the first unit by sending Morris to the bench, so Morris could be looking at a reserve role upon his return.

Jahlil Okafor (hamstring, rest) sat out Friday’s game, but chances are he’ll be able to return to the court for Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves.

Rudy Gay (hip) and Aaron Afflalo (elbow) are being listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Grizzlies. Afflalo has missed two straight with the elbow issue, while Gay has missed seven of his last eight with the hip injury, and after Gay was unable to practice on Friday things aren’t looking great with regards to his chances for suiting up on Saturday. If both these guys are out, Garrett Temple will be forced into heavy minutes and DeMarcus Cousins will continue to operate with a Russell Westbrook-like usage rate.

Dirk Nowitzki (illness, rest) started at center following a one-game stint on the sidelines, but went just 3-of-12 from the field (5-of-5 from the line) on his way to 11 points, five boards, one assist, one block and three turnovers in 23 minutes. This was the most minutes that Nowitzki had played since returning from the month long layoff, so perhaps his playing time can approach the high-20s with a matchup against the Wizards on Tuesday.

Patrick Beverley (thigh) returned from a one-game absence and put up 15 points, two triples, seven boards, three assist, one steal and zero turnovers in 33 minutes. He should be just fine for Saturday’s game against the Knicks.

Sergio Rodriguez (ankle) and Gerald Henderson (hip) did not play Friday, and both these guys should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves. If they’re out again, T.J. McConnell and Nik Stauskas will have another opportunity to start.

#_revsp:rotoworld.com #_author:Jared Johnson #_lmsid:a077000000MEFaHAAX #_uuid:e8c84739-67b2-3f6b-9303-ff63d54b2509

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Not So Silent Night

4 Games: ATL, CHA, CHI, DAL, DET, HOU, IND, LAC, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, PHO, POR, TOR

3 Games: BKN, BOS, CLE, DEN, LAL, NOR, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, SAC, SAS, UTA, WIZ

2 Games: GSW

Christmas Standouts

Al Horford stuffed the stat sheet during the Celtics’ Christmas Day win over the Knicks, scoring 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting to go with seven boards, five assists, one 3-pointer, three steals and two blocks in 35 turnover-less minutes. Horford doesn’t turn in the gaudy stat lines all that often, but he’s incredibly efficient, does a little bit of everything and doesn’t hurt you anywhere. He’s also the No. 2 center in the league for assist percentage (22.9), and the non-flashy center is also the lowest usage rate (21.5) guy amongst all the first-round talent this season.

Kristaps Porzingis’ right knee was a complete non-issue on Sunday, as he went off for 22 points (9-of-16 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), 12 rebounds, one assist, two steals, four blocks, two triples and five turnovers in 37 minutes. No one in the league can obliterate the box score quite like PorzinGod can, and it’s scary when you realize this top-25 stud is only 21 years old. He’s the best all-around player in New York, and has nowhere to go but up.

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 36 points on 11-of-23 shooting (12-of-12 from the stripe) during the Dubs’ Christmas Day loss to the defending champs, to go with 15 boards, three assists, two 3-pointers, one steal, one block and zero turnovers in 38 minutes of play. Durant had the ball in his hands during Golden State’s final possession but lost his footing (perhaps due to a slight shove from Richard Jefferson) and the shot clock hit zero as he tumbled to the floor. Aside from the L, this was a solid stat line for the Duranchula, who ranks within the top-10 in total blocks this season and is also a top-4 guy in true shooting percentage at 65.2. These are just a few reasons why Mr. Durant is fantasy basketball’s top option this season.

Kyrie Irving changed his shoes at halftime, and apparently, that made all the difference in the world, as he helped the Cavs erase a 14-point fourth quarter deficit with 25 points, six boards, 10 assists, two 3-pointers, seven steals (career-high) and just two turnovers in 44 minutes. In fact, Irving gave the Warriors’ a painful reminder of Game 7, icing the game with a tightly contested shot during the closing seconds of the fourth quarter. LeBron James also did his thing with 31 points, 13 boards, four dimes, two steals, one block, four triples and five turnovers in 40 minutes, and head coach Tyronn Lue said after the game with his top two stars logging so many minutes he may consider resting both of them Monday vs. the Pistons. Lue, however, made no mention of Kevin Love (32 minutes) potentially getting the day off, so he could have a big game vs. Detroit if two out of the three Big 3 hit the sidelines. Iman Shumpert and Richard Jefferson would also see a nice minutes bump sans Uncle Drew and King James.

Dwyane Wade had a nice bounce-back performance following Friday’s 12-point dud, going 9-of-16 from the field and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe on his way to 24 points, three boards, six assists, one 3-pointer, one steal and zero turnovers in 28 minutes. Wade has greatly exceeded expectations during his age-34 (soon to be 35) season, posting mid-round value with averages of 19.2 points, 4.2 boards, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks, 0.9 triples and 2.1 turnovers per game on 44.2 percent shooting. As long as he can stay healthy, and the Bulls can stay relevant, there’s no reason why he can’t keep this sort of production up. Those are two major ifs, though.

LaMarcus Aldridge couldn’t miss during the Spurs 119-100 bludgeoning of the Bulls, going 15-of-20 from the field on his way to 33 points, nine boards, one assist and one turnover in 38 minutes. Based off his draft day ADP of 21.9, Aldridge has been a pretty massive disappointment this season with just fifth-round value on the year, so I would recommend trying and unloading him as a sell-high guy after this impressive stat line.

As per usual, Russell Westbrook stuffed the stat sheet during OKC’s 112-100 win over Minnesota, racking up 31 points, 15 assists, seven boards, one steal, one block, one triple and five turnovers in 33 minutes. Westbrook leads the league in usage rate (41.4), assist percentage (55.2) and he leads all guards in rebounding percentage (16.5) by a wide margin (the next guard on the list is James Harden with a 12.3 rebounding rate). It almost seems like a certainty that Westbrook will average a triple-double this season, which will help him make his case for MVP.

Jamal Crawford had another productive outing during the Clippers’ 111-102 Christmas Day loss to the Lakers, scoring 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting (7-of-8 from the line) to go with three assists, one steal, one 3-pointer and four turnovers in 31 minutes. Crawford has been called on to handle the rock more with both Blake Griffin (knee) and Chris Paul (hamstring) on the sidelines over the past two, and with J.J. Redick also exiting the Christmas Day game with a hamstring injury, Crawford is starting to make sense as a speculative pickup in deeper leagues.

Luol Deng double-doubled in 31 minutes vs. the Clippers, scoring 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting (5-of-7 from the line) to go with 12 boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 34 minutes. Deng got off to a slow start this year, but he should be able to consistently flirt with minutes in the mid-30s now that Larry Nance (knee) is looking at an extended absence, and he’s worked his way into the mid-round equation over the past two weeks with averages of 12.0 points, 1.7 triples, 7.1 boards, 2.6 dimes, 1.0 steal and 1.0 turnover on 48.6 percent shooting.

Injury Tracker

J.J. Redick exited Sunday's game with a sore left hamstring during the second half of action and did not return, ending his night with 22 points, four triples, two boards, three assists, one steal and one turnover in 26 minutes. If he's forced to miss time, Jamal Crawford would benefit most.

Isaiah Whitehead (left foot soreness) is probable to play Monday vs. the Hornets.

Evan Turner (ankle) and Al-Farouq Aminu (back) are probable for Monday’s matchup with the Raptors, whereas Damian Lillard (ankle) is being listed as doubtful. Lillard was fitted for a walking boot on Saturday, and while he said he’s planning on playing Monday (he always says that), things aren’t trending in a positive direction here. If he’s out, Evan Turner or Shabazz Napier could enter the starting lineup, while C.J. McCollum would be extremely busy on the offensive end. Allen Crabbe could also see an uptick in minutes if Thrillard is forced to the sidelines.

Victor Oladipo (wrist) missed his seven game in a row on Christmas, and while Billy Donovan continues to say that he’s “making progress,” it’s unclear exactly how long it will be until we see him back on the court. Anthony Morrow started, but only logged 12 minutes scoring two points and grabbing one rebound. Meanwhile, Jerami Grant got 28 minutes off the bench and posted nine points, four boards, one assist, one 3-pointer, one steal, one block and one turnover. Both these guys have been hit-or-miss with Dipo on the shelf, so neither one is worth owning in standard leagues.

Michael Carter-Williams (knee, wrist) could be cleared to return for Monday’s game against the Pacers. However, as long as Rajon Rondo is healthy, MCW will be a non-factor in fantasy hoops.

Jared Sullinger (foot) has shed his walking boot and has progressed to shooting flat-footed jumpers. However, he remains without an official timetable to return, and is not worth stashing anywhere.

Chris Paul (hamstring) missed the Clippers’ Christmas Day battle for Los Angeles, marking his second straight game on the sidelines, and he should be considered questionable for Monday’s game against the Nuggets. Raymond Felton drew the start in his place and put up eight points, 10 boards, six assists, two steals, two blocks and two turnovers in 38 minutes. CP3 went through warm ups and was deemed cleared to play, but then got scratched just prior to tipoff, so it seems there’s a good chance Paul will be back in action Monday night against the Nuggets. Thus, Felton isn't a very attractive add in most settings.

Jose Calderon (hamstring) and Tarik Black (ankle) did not take the court on Christmas. They’re both entirely irrelevant.

Dwight Howard (back) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (groin) traveled to Minnesota for Monday’s game against the Timberwolves, although both guys are being listed as out. Kyle Korver (illness) is expected to play, so he could get the start if both these guys are unavailable on Monday. Kris Humphries could also earn a start, but it’s Dennis Schroder and Paul Millsap who will be the primary beneficiaries if D12 can’t give it a go.

Larry Nance (left knee bone bruise) is expected to miss the next four weeks of action. Luol Deng, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle will all be splitting his minutes, so there’s not a pickup here in most leagues.

#_revsp:rotoworld.com #_uuid:a9c820c4-4fd2-3a33-a8f6-b37362d96564 #_author:Jared Johnson #_lmsid:a077000000MEFaHAAX

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Freaky Friday

Nightly Notables

Giannis Antetokounmpo could not be stopped during the Bucks’ 123-96 blowout victory over the Wizards, scoring a career-high 39 points on 12-of-19 shooting (15-of-17 freebies) to go with eight boards, six assists, two steals, one block and just one turnover in 33 minutes. The Greek Freak is beginning to establish himself as one of the greatest imports to ever hoop in the NBA, and the scary thing is that at 22 years old, he’s barely even scratching the surface right now. Players typically hit their prime around 27 years old, so Antetokounmpo is going to be a familiar face amongst fantasy basketball’s top-5 players for many years to come.

Russell Westbrook notched his 14th triple-double of the season during Friday’s 117-112 win over the Celtics, racking up 45 points (13-of-25 FGs, 14-of-16 FTs), 11 boards, 11 dimes, five triples, one steal and four turnovers in just 35 minutes of action. Westbrook leads the league in both usage rate (41.4) and assist percentage (55.2), so as long as he can stay healthy, the ridiculous stat lines will continue.

On the other side of the MVP race, James Harden had a monster 16-point, 17-assist double-double during a 115-109 loss to the Grizzlies, to go with seven boards, two treys, one steal and nine turnovers in 36 minutes. While Westbrook leads the league in assist percentage, Harden sits right behind him at 51.5, and he leads the league in assists with 11.9 dimes a night. Ryan Anderson also had a big game for the Rockets, popping off for 31 points on 10-fo-18 shooting (3-of-3 from the stripe) to go with seven boards, two blocks, two turnovers and a season-high eight triples. Anderson’s minutes and production should start trending up over the coming weeks with Clint Capela (knee) on the sidelines, so owners may want to use this as a sell high opportunity on the trey-bomb happy power forward.

Zach LaVine exploded for a career-high 40 points on 13-of-21 shooting (7-of-7 from the line) to go with six boards, seven triples, two assists, one steal and two turnovers in 39 minutes, but it ultimately was not enough as the Wolves fell to the Kings. This was LaVine’s fourth 30-plus point performance of the year, and he’s now accomplished that feat twice as many times as he did over his first two years in the league. LaVine is having a breakout Year-3 under Tom Thibodeau, and he’s actually worked his way into top-15 status over the past two weeks with averages of 25.7 points, 3.8 assists, 4.0 trey-bombs and 2.7 turnovers per game on 50.0 percent shooting. Incredible.

Anthony Davis dominated his matchup against Hassan Whiteside during Friday’s 91-87 win over the Heat, scoring 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting (6-of-9 from the line) to go with 22 boards, one assist, two triples, one steal, four blocks and three turnovers in 37 minutes. He’ll be a sell-high guy all year for me due to his lengthy injury history, but man is he fun to own. On another note, Tim Frazier did not leave the bench during the entire second quarter, and it’s looking like his value is finally going to drop off with Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans getting healthy. Frazier ended his night with just two points and two boards in nine minutes, and I just don’t think it’s realistic to expect him to keep producing once Evans is fully up to speed. Yes, it’s finally time to move on from Frazier.

Jon Leuer finally moved into the starting lineup on Friday (surprisingly sending Tobias Harris to the bench), and through 33 minutes of action he produced eight points, seven boards, two assists and one steal. Meanwhile, Harris shrugged off the demotion and went off for 26 points, seven boards, four triples, one assist and one turnover in 32 minutes. As a reserve this season, Leuer had been working with a 17.5 usage rate, but that number dipped to just 9.2 as a starter. Part of that could be explained by the fact that he was matched up against Draymond Green, but Leuer also might not be able to see the same sort of offensive output with the starting unit as he’ll now have to compete for touches with the likes of Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Andre Drummond. Harris actually saw an uptick to his usage rate running with the second unit, and he still got starters minutes, so owners shouldn’t freak out now that he appears to be in a sixth man role.

On the Radar

P.J. Tucker had another solid outing during Friday’s win over the 76ers, racking up 15 points, six rebounds, three 3-pointers, four steals and one block in 35 minutes. Since being inserted into the starting lineup, Tucker has been posting sneaky late-round value in 9-cat leagues with averages of 9.0 points, 5.1 boards, 1.3 assists, 1.4 triples, 1.4 steals and just 0.7 turnovers per game on 43.4 percent shooting. Earl Watson seems to really like Tucker running with the starting unit, so it doesn’t seem likely that T.J. Warren will be able to force Tucker to the bench anytime soon. If you’re in a deeper league and need a Swiss Army knife type player, Tucker is your guy.

If you’ve read my column before, you’ll know that Thabo Sefolosha (25% ownership in Yahoo! Leagues), Tony Allen (28% ownership in Yahoo! Leagues) and Andre Roberson (13% ownership in Yahoo! Leagues) have consistently been on my On the Radar list this season. Yes, all these guys can be boring to own, but they’re also all worth owning for their elite output with the defensive stats. Sefolosha offers the highest upside out of this group with top-60 value on the year, and he was solid again on Friday with 12 points, four boards, three assists, four steals, two trey-bombs and one block in 29 minutes. Allen racked up nine points, four boards, two assists, two steals, one block, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 29 minutes; and Roberson put up five points, five boards, four assists, two blocks and three turnovers in 38 minutes. I’d rank these guys in the order that I list them, and I think that both Sefolosha and Allen warrant a standard league roster spot, while Roberson is more of a deep league guy.

Montrezl Harrell earned his second consecutive start on Friday and put up 16 points, eight rebounds and one assist in 28 minutes. Capela is going to spend at least another four weeks on the sidelines, and it looks like Harrell will be Houston’s starting center moving forward, making him worth a speculative pickup in standard leagues. In his two starts this season, Harrell has averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 boards, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 turnovers on 68.2 percent shooting from the field and 75.0 percent from the charity stripe.

Ty Lawson was again the point guard that Dave Joerger turned to during crunch time on Friday, and he helped the Kings pullout a win over the Timberwolves with 15 points (5-of-11 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), three rebounds, four assists, two 3-pointers, two steals and one turnover in 28 minutes. Despite coming off the bench, Lawson has been getting the lion’s share of point guard minutes over the past four, producing mid-round value with averages of 15.0 points, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 triple and just 1.0 turnover per game on 56.4 percent shooting. That sky-high field goal percentage is not sustainable, but if you’re seeking some point guard stats on the cheap, Lawson is certainly worth a speculative add while he’s this hot.

Anthony Tolliver seemingly couldn’t miss during Friday’s victory, going 6-of-9 from the field on his way to 17 points, five trey-bombs and three rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench. Since Rudy Gay (hip) and Omri Casspi (illness) hit the sidelines, Tolliver has emerged as a steady rotational player (30.5 minutes a night) in Sacramento, owning averages of 10.9 points, 5.5 boards, 2.2 triples and just 0.3 turnovers per game, which has been good enough for mid-round value in standard 9-cat leagues. Once Gay does get back to the court, that could be the deathblow to Tolliver’s value, but until that happens he’s on the radar as a speculative deep league pickup.

Malcolm Brogdon didn’t miss a single shot during Friday’s 123-96 blowout win over the Wizards, tallying 17 points, three boards, seven dimes, two steals, three 3-pointers and three turnovers in 29 minutes. The rookie just continues to get better with each month of the NBA season, and he’s worked himself into a late-round evaluation over the past few weeks with averages of 8.7 points, 4.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.1 treys and 2.0 turnovers per game on 53.3 percent shooting. His do-it-all nature has him on the radar as a potential deep league pickup.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist stuffed the stat sheet during a 103-91 win over the Bulls, tallying 12 points (5-of-9 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), nine boards, two assists, one steal and four swats in 33 minutes. MKG’s playing time had been hovering in the mid-20s through the month of December due to the lights out shooting of Marco Belinelli, but with Belinelli hitting the sidelines after just seven minutes of action with a sprained ankle, Kidd-Gilchrist was able to close out the game. If Belinelli is forced to miss time (and it looks like that’s where this is headed), MKG should see his minutes back in the 30s, so he’s definitely someone to consider swooping up if you need some help in the defensive categories.

Injury Tracker

Dirk Nowitzki (right Achilles) returned from a 14-game stint on the sidelines and started, tallying 17 points, four boards, two triples and one turnover in just 15 minutes of action. Dirk needs to be owned in all leagues now that he’s gotten back to the court, but as a 38-year-old playing for one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, there’s definitely a chance he gets shutdown down the stretch. Basically, if you do own him, you should just wait for him to string some solid games together and then look to sell high.

Kevin Love (knee) returned from a two-game absence and put up 14 points, 15 boards, two triples, one block and one turnover in 25 minutes. The minutes were limited due to the blowout nature of the game, but there’s no reason to believe he’ll miss Cleveland’s Christmas Day matchup with the Warriors. Richard Jefferson returned to the bench with Love active.

Khris Middleton (hamstring) said he’s confident that he will make it back to the court this season, although he acknowledged that a mid-February return is probably a best-case scenario. Middleton will be slowly eased back into things if he is able to get back to the court, so at best, he’s probably only looking at around one month of actual standard league value this year. If you’ve got a free IR-spot there’s nothing wrong with stashing him away, but just do so with the understanding that there are no guarantees he’ll get back this year, and he’ll be working with a strict minutes limit for at least the first couple weeks upon his return.

Draymond Green (personal) replaced Kevon Looney in the starting five after a one-game stint on the sidelines and went off for five points, 10 boards, 12 assists, two steals, one block and four turnovers in 38 minutes. He’s pretty good.

Chris Paul (hamstring) did not play Friday vs. the Mavericks, although he claims that he’s “okay,” and with a day-to-day tag it seems like he has a decent chance of returning to action for the Clippers’ Christmas Day game against the Lakers. If he is able to get back to the court on Christmas, Raymond Felton will return to the bench and irrelevancy in fantasy leagues.

Kristaps Porzingis (knee) got in some work during Friday’s limited practice and said he plans to play on Christmas vs. the Celtics. Jeff Hornacek said that Porzingis could have returned to Thursday’s game if needed, so things are trending in a very positive direction here. Owners can expect to get another update following Sunday morning’s shootaround, but there’s not much reason to believe he’ll sit that one out.

J.J. Barea was sent back to Dallas to get further testing on the muscle strain in his left leg and missed Friday’s win over the Clippers, although he’s expected to be day-to-day after Christmas and the Mavs have said they don’t believe that the injury is serious. That being said, the Dallas has two upcoming back-to-back sets, so Barea could doing the one game in, one game off routine as the Mavs ease him back into things. Barea has a tough time staying healthy, and it’s tough to roster him in standard leagues while he’s dealing with a minutes cap.

Terrence Jones (illness) did not play Friday, although he should be able to return to action Monday vs. the Mavericks considering he’s only dealing with an illness.

Michael Beasley (foot) missed his fifth straight game on Friday and should be considered questionable for Monday’s game against the Wizards.

J.R. Smith had successful surgery on his fractured right thumb, and his timetable has been set at 12-14 weeks. Tyronn Lue will likely be using a committee approach to fill the void with guys like DeAndre Liggins, Iman Shumpert, Jordan McRae and Mike Dunleavy all splitting the minutes, so there’s no clear winner here. Smith can be cut everywhere.

Julius Randle did not play Friday in order to be with his fiancée for the birth of their first child, but he should be back in action on Christmas Day vs. the Clippers. Randle’s return will likely send Brandon Ingram back to the bench. Tarik Black (ankle) also sat out Friday’s game, and if he can’t play on Christmas, Thomas Robinson will have the opportunity for around 18 minutes off the bench.

Trevor Booker was rested on Friday, which allowed Justin Hamilton to move into the starting five, although Hamilton was more or less a no show with just eight points, six boards, one block and two turnovers in 19 minutes. Booker will assuredly be back for Monday’s game against the Hornets, so there isn’t a pickup here.

Isaiah Whitehead (foot) missed his third game in a row on Friday, and he belongs on waiver wires in all leagues with Jeremy Lin back in the starting lineup.

Evan Fournier (heel) did not play on Friday and should be considered questionable for Monday’s game against Memphis. Jodie Meeks (personal) drew the start in his place, but failed to do much going 3-of-11 from the field on his way to nine points, five boards, two steals, one assist and one 3-pointer in 27 minutes. If Fournier is out on Monday Meeks will have another opportunity to start, but as you can see, that doesn’t mean much.

Rodney Hood (illness) started (sending Joe Ingles back to the bench) but only lasted 13 minutes during Friday’s loss to the Raptors, going 1-of-6 from the field and finishing the game with just two points, one assist and one turnover. He’s still sick, but the Jazz are off until Tuesday vs. the Lakers, so hopefully he can put this thing behind him over the holiday weekend.

Richaun Holmes (concussion) did not play Friday. He’s out of the rotation right now, so this news is irrelevant.

Rudy Gay (hip) did not play Friday vs. the Timberwolves, and he should both be considered questionable for Monday’s game against the 76ers. Anthony Tolliver has become a rotational player with Gay on the sidelines, while Matt Barnes has been pretty ineffective as a starter.

Omri Casspi (illness) did not leave the bench despite being available to play on Friday, and it’s unclear if that was due to the illness, or if he’s just out of the rotation again. Either way, he’s not worth owning anywhere.

Wayne Ellington (hamstring), Dion Waiters (groin) and Rodney McGruder (ankle) did not play Friday. None of these guys should be owned in most leagues.

Paul George (ankle) said he expects to play Monday vs. Chicago.

Rodney Stuckey (hamstring) went through a full practice on Friday and is expected to play Monday vs. the Bulls. He’s missed the past five games, so he’ll likely be eased back into things, making him an undesirable asset in most leagues.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (groin), Kyle Korver (illness) and Dwight Howard (back) did not play Friday and all these guys should be considered questionable for Monday’s game in Minnesota. Kris Humphries got the start with both Howard and Korver out, but only managed to produce 10 points, eight boards, two assists, one block and one turnover in 22 minutes.

Nik Stauskas (knee) missed Friday’s loss to the Suns, and he should be considered questionable for Monday’s revenge game against the Kings.

Marco Belinelli suffered a left ankle sprain during Friday’s win over the Bulls, and did not return. He wasn’t able to get to the locker room under his own power, and was in a good amount of pain, so he should be considered questionable at best for Monday’s game against the Nets. If he’s out, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s minutes will be in the 30s, and Jeremy Lamb will have the opportunity for some extended minutes off the bench.

Tony Parker and Pau Gasol were rested on Friday, but they’ll be back in action for San Antonio’s Christmas Day matchup with Chicago.

Devin Harris exited Friday’s game with a right eye injury and did not return. He’s forever injured and not worth owning anywhere.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: No Longer A Process

Week 9 Schedule: Games Played

4 Games: BOS, CHI, CLE, GSW, LAL, LAC, MIN, OKC, SAS

3 Games: ATL, BKN, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, NOR, NYK, ORL, PHO, POR, SAC, UTA, WAS

2 Games: CHA, PHI, TOR

Sunday Stars

Joel Embiid helped the 76ers to their seventh win of the season during Sunday’s 108-107 victory over the Nets, scoring a career-high 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting (7-of-8 from the stripe) to go with 10 boards, one assist, two steals, three blocks, two triples and three turnovers in just 27 minutes of action. It was a process waiting for The Process to emerge after spending his first two years on the sidelines, but what we’re seeing now is something truly special. Embiid should easily come away with the Rookie of the Year award, as he’s been nothing short of magnificent through his 18 games this year with averages of 18.3 points, 7.4 boards, 2.4 swats and 1.3 triples per contest on 47.1 percent shooting, which has been good enough for top-50 value. As a side note, Brett Brown mentioned prior to the game that Nerlens Noel (DNP-CD) will only be in the rotation when one of his bigs gets into foul trouble, so he’s probably only going to play on the days that Embiid is rested. Noel does offer a decent amount of upside, but he absolutely needs to be traded to meet his potential. I like him as a stash, but it could be a while before his owners reap the rewards of rostering him.

Goran Dragic kept up his torrid pace as of late during Sunday’s loss to the Celtics, racking up 31 points, five boards, five triples, seven assists and five turnovers in 27 minutes. He’s been a top-40 play over the past two weeks, and shows no signs of slowing down; although a trade could hurt him. Hassan Whiteside was his usual self with 23 points, 17 boards, three blocks and three turnovers in 38 minutes. If you’re punting free throws, Whiteside ranks No. 4 overall.

Al Horford’s full skill set was on display during Boston’s win, as he went off for 17 points, seven boards, eight assists, two steals, one block and just one turnover in 31 minutes. Horford got off to a slow start this year spending an extended period of time on the sidelines due to a concussion, but he’s now established himself as a top-10 guy in standard 9-cat leagues, and there’s no reason to believe that trend can’t continue.

Bradley Beal was sensational during Sunday’s 117-110 win over the Clippers, notching 41 points on 13-of-23 shooting (9-of-11 from the stripe) with six 3-pointers, three boards, three assists, one steal and one turnover in 38 minutes. He was just one point away from matching his career-high (42), which he set earlier this year, and he’s been going bonkers over the past few weeks with averages of 24.8 points, 3.0 triples, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steal and just 1.4 turnovers per game on 48.2 percent shooting. Those numbers have been good enough for top-25 value in standard 9-cat leagues, so now seems like the ideal time to sell-high on the oft-injured guard.

Editor's Note: The NBA Season Pass is up and running. Get weekly projections, rankings, the popular Pickups of the Day column, exclusive columns and customizable stat options. It's the extra tool that can take your fantasy basketball teams to the next level.

On the Radar

Seth Curry had a nice game against his former team (Sacramento) on Sunday, hitting 5-of-10 shots in 29 minutes off the bench on his way to 13 points, five boards, four assists, two steals, three 3-pointers and two turnovers. J.J. Barea is reportedly nearing his return to the court, and once that happens, Curry will be splitting minutes with Barea, Devin Harris and Deron Williams, which obviously is not a good thing. However, all the guys in front of him are extremely injury prone, and it’s likely that many of those guys will be spending time on the sidelines towards the end of the year for rest purposes with Dallas sitting on a 7-20 record. Basically Curry is playing well right now, and while his value could take a temporary hit upon the return of Barea, I do like his long-term outlook.

Tony Allen ripped away another two steals through 34 minutes of action, to go with nine points, eight boards and one assist. The Grizzlies have reportedly begun listening to trade offers for The Grindfather, and while a move away from Memphis would probably be a bad thing for his value, there’s no imminent trade looming. Plus, if the Grizzlies really do want to deal him, it would make sense for the team to showcase him. Allen has been a top-60 guy over the past two weeks with averages of 13.9 points, 7.3 boards and 2.3 steals per game, so he’s currently much more than just a steals specialist and he should be owned in more than 31 percent of Yahoo! Leagues.

Dorian Finney-Smith scored a career-high 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting (4-of-4 from the stripe) during Sunday’s easy win over the Kings, adding two boards, three assists, one steal, three 3-pointers and three turnovers in 29 minutes. He’s been a sneaky mid-round guy over the past four games, owning averages of 10.3 points, 2.3 triples, 4.5 boards, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.5 turnovers per game on 53.8 percent shooting, so he’s someone to consider swooping up in deeper leagues. Just know that Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) is talking about getting back to the court around Christmas, and his return would more than likely be a significant blow to Finney-Smith’s value.

Sergio Rodriguez scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting to go with two boards, three 3-pointers, five assists, one steal and two turnovers in 23 minutes. T.J. McConnell hit 4-of-9 shots in his 24 minutes off the bench on his way to eight points, three boards, six assists and three turnovers. With Jerryd Bayless (wrist surgery) done for the year, Rodriguez and McConnell will be splitting the point guard minutes in Philly, and both guys are worth owning as assist specialist in deep leagues, with Rodriguez being a slightly more attractive target due to his production in the 3-point category.

Buddy Hield scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting during Sunday’s loss to the Spurs to go with two 3-pointers, three boards, two assists and two turnovers in 25 minutes. He’s been creeping up into a late-round evaluation over the past four with averages of 13.3 points and 2.8 trey-bombs a night on 46.7 percent shooting, so he could be worth a look as a deep league 3-point specialist.

Shelvin Mack earned 29 minutes off the bench during Sunday’s win over the Grizzlies, tallying 10 points, six boards, five assists, one steal, two 3-pointers and four turnovers. While Mack isn’t starting, he’s been earning the lion’s share of the point guard minutes sans George Hill, and he’s been churning out late-round value over the past few weeks with averages of 11.9 points, 4.9 assists, 1.4 triples, 1.0 steal and 2.9 turnovers per game on 50.0 percent shooting, so he’s on the radar as a potential deep league pickup with Hill on the shelf.

Injury Tracker

Blake Griffin will reportedly need to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and he's expected to miss the next 3-6 weeks of action. Of all the surgeries to have, arthroscopic is the least intrusive, so it wouldn't be all that surprising to see Griffin meet the earlier end of this timeline; particularly with the Clippers competing for seeding out West. The primary beneficiaries here will be Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, and it'll likely be Doc Rivers using a committee approach to fill Griffin's minutes with Paul Pierce, Marreese Speights and Brandon Bass all picking up some extra minutes. There could be some 20-20 games on the horizon for both CP3 and DJ.

Victor Oladipo (wrist) will spend his fourth straight game on the sidelines Monday vs. Atlanta, and while he’s reportedly “feeling better,” he’s still having trouble catching and shooting and has yet to participate in any capacity during practice. He still seems a ways away from a return, so if I’m in a weekly league, I’d probably just leave him on the bench despite OKC’s four-game week. Anthony Morrow and Jerami Grant have each earned starts in Oladipo’s absence, although neither guy has done much with the increased opportunity. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has been operating with a 41.4 usage rate to go with his 66.0 assist percentage, which is insane.

Omri Casspi (illness) missed his second game in a row, and Rudy Gay (hip) spent his third straight game on the sidelines, which allowed Garrett Temple and Ben McLemore to remain in the starting lineup. Casspi nearly played on Sunday (he was listed as the starter), so he probably has a decent chance of returning to action Tuesday vs. the Trail Blazers. Gay, however, is a bit more of a mystery as the Kings are clearly looking to trade him and have no interest in playing him at less than 100 percent. In general, Temple has been the primary beneficiary with these guys on the sidelines, but he unfortunately went 1-of-10 from the field on Sunday on his way to five points, five boards, seven assists, two steals, one block, one 3-pointer and three turnovers in 36 minutes.

J.J. Barea (calf) said that he’s hoping to return sometime next week, so fantasy GMs in deep leagues may want to start thinking about stashing him. Prior to going down, Barea was having a top-75 season with averages of 16.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.0 triples and 2.0 turnovers per game on 41.5 percent shooting.

Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) is hopeful to get back on the court by Christmas, so he should be owned just about everywhere despite his disastrous start to the 2016-17 season. Whenever he does get back to the court, that will likely crush the value of Dorian Finney-Smith.

Luc Mbah a Moute (shoulder) returned from a two-game stint on the sidelines and got back to producing unimpressive stat lines in the starting unit. Austin Rivers returned to the bench and didn’t do anything worth writing about in his 25 minutes of action.

Anthony Davis (bruised leg) logged 30 minutes during Sunday’s 113-100 loss to the Spurs, tallying 12 points, four boards, one assist, two blocks and three turnovers. This was easily his worst stat line of the season, so perhaps the leg was limiting him, but owners can expect a bounce-back performance Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Dante Cunningham (knee) was back in action on Sunday night, but he’s irrelevant in fantasy leagues.

Monta Ellis (groin) and Rodney Stuckey (hamstring) will not play Monday vs. Washington, which will allow Glenn Robinson III to earn another start with C.J. Miles seeing some increased opportunity with the second unit. Ellis isn’t worth hanging onto in standard leagues without an IR-spot, and Stuckey isn’t worth owning anywhere.

George Hill (toe) missed his ninth game in a row on Sunday, and it’s unclear exactly when he’ll be able to get back to the court. Utah straight up does not release timetables on injuries, and they basically don’t even do status updates, but Hill has way too much upside to cut. He’s annoyingly only been on the court for a total of 11 games this season, but when he’s been playing, he’s been a top-15 option in standard 9-cat leagues. Shelvin Mack and Dante Exum will continue to split the point guard minutes in Hill’s absence, with Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood running the show on offense.

Jason Smith (hamstring) sat out Sunday’s win over the Clippers, which resulted in Andrew Nicholson earning 13 minutes off the bench. Smith doesn’t play enough for his absence to have much of an impact at all in fantasy hoops.

Kelly Oubre (concussion) did not play Sunday and he’ll need to clear the league mandated concussion protocol testing before he’s allowed to return to the court. Tomas Satoransky, Daniel Ochefu and Marcus Thornton will all be splitting his minutes, so there’s not a clear winner here.

James Ennis (calf) got back on the court for the first time since Nov. 21, logging 16 minutes off the bench on his way to five points and four boards. Chandler Parsons (knee) is reportedly on the cusp of his return, and Ennis will likely be brought along slowly following the lengthy absence, making him an unattractive add in standard leagues.

D’Angelo Russell (rest) is probable to play Tuesday vs. Charlotte. His return will likely push Brandon Ingram back to the bench.

Taj Gibson (hip) will play Monday vs. the Pistons.

Nik Stauskas (sore left knee) sat out Sunday’s win over the Nets and he should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Pelicans. If he’s out again, Hollis Thompson (knee) will likely pickup most of his minutes.

Tyler Johnson (illness) returned from a one-game stint on the sidelines, putting up five points, six boards, three assists, one steal, one block and four turnovers in 30 minutes off the bench. Johnson is prone to the occasional dud, but he’s been good more often than not this season, so he’s worth holding onto if you picked him up expecting a boost in production sans Wayne Ellington (hamstring).

Jeremy Lin (back) saw a slight increase to his minutes on Sunday, logging 22 minutes off the bench on his way to 16 points, two boards, four assists, two steals, two 3-pointers and three turnovers. He’s been very good in limited minutes since his return, and Kenny Atkinson should slowly start dialing up his playing time. He’s got nowhere to go but up.

Dion Waiters said that he’ll probably be dealing with discomfort in his groin all year long, and he’s hoping to avoid surgery. That’s not the kind of thing you want to hear from a guy on a tanking squad, so while he is currently running at “near full speed,” he’s still not an attractive add in most formats with a lame rest-of-season outlook.

Cory Joseph (illness) missed Sunday’s easy win over the Magic and should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Nets. If he’s out again, Fred VanVleet will pick up most of his minutes, which isn’t very exciting.

Solomon Hill (birth of his first child) did not play Sunday vs. San Antonio, but he’ll very likely be back in action Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Tyreke Evans (rest) returned from a one-game absence, hitting 2-of-9 shots in 15 minutes off the bench on his way to four points, six boards and three assists. Evans will be working with a strict minutes limit for the foreseeable future, so it’s going to take him some time to start making noise in standard leagues. Still, if you’re doing well in the standings, Evans presents enough upside to warrant a stash.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Iron Mike is Right

Nightly Notables

Mike Conley (transverse process fracture in vertebrae) got back on the court following a nine-game absence and resumed his spot in the starting five, putting up eight points (2-of-7 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), six assists, three boards, two steals, one block and three turnovers through 29 minutes of action. From a physical standpoint he looked just fine, and owners can expect the efficiency to start trending upwards once he gets his legs back under him. With Conley back, Andrew Harrison returned to the bench and he finished the game with 11 points, one rebound, one assist, two blocks and two turnovers in 19 minutes. If you grabbed Harrison for his short-term appeal in Conley’s absence, now would be the time to move on.

Dwight Howard produced another big-time, double-double during Friday’s 125-121 win over the Raptors, connecting on 10 of his 13 shot attempts and going 7-of-10 from the charity stripe on his way to 27 points, 15 boards, one assist, one turnover and zero steals or blocks in 34 minutes. While the lack of defensive statistics is slightly frustrating, it’s hard for owners to complain when he’s churning out lines like this. He looks completely revitalized in Atlanta, and when you discount his typically horrific free throw shooting, D12 has been a top-20 guy this year. Kyle Korver also had a solid showing in 23 minutes off the bench, knocking down a season-high six trey-bombs on his way to 19 points, three boards, one assist and one turnover. Korver has actually been markedly better as a reserve for the Hawks, owning averages of 12.4 points, 3.2 triples, 2.4 assists and just 0.6 turnovers on 48.8 percent shooting, which has been good enough for top-60 value in standard 9-cat leagues. Korver may have been dropped after a sluggish start and bench demotion, so go peep your waiver wire to make sure he’s not available.

Giannis Antetokounmpo just missed a triple-double during Friday’s blowout win over the Bulls, racking up 22 points (8-of-13 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), seven rebounds, 11 dimes, three steals, one block and as an added bonus, two trey-bombs. The kid just turned 22, and he’s currently ranked No. 3 overall in 9-cat leagues with ridiculous averages of 22.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.1 steals, 2.0 blocks and 3.2 turnovers per game on 52.4 percent shooting from the field and 76.5 percent from the stripe. To put these insane stats in perspective, since defensive statistics were introduced as a recorded stat during the 1973-74 season, literally no one has ever averaged at least 2.0 steals, 2.0 swats and 6.0 dimes per contest. The Greek Freak abuses the box score on a nightly basis, and he’s only going to continue to get better. Crazy.

Nikola Mirotic picked up his second straight DNP-CD, which probably had something to do with his unexcused absence from shootaround. He’s been awful this year and is a cut-candidate in standard leagues.

John Wall lit up the Pistons during Friday’s 122-108 blowout victory, going 8-of-14 from the field and 9-of-12 from the charity stripe on his way to 29 points, 11 assists, two boards, three steals, four 3-pointers and zero turnovers in 35 minutes. Despite undergoing surgery to both of his knees this offseason, and despite his 4.4 turnovers a night, Wall is currently producing top-15 value in standard 9-cat leagues; and when you remove turnovers from the equation he catapults to No. 6 overall.

On the Radar

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 14 points in another start on Friday, adding three assists, three steals, one rebound, one 3-pointer and three turnovers in 36 minutes. Head coach Mike Budenholzer said prior to the matchup that Hardaway would remain in the starting five for at least two more games with Kent Bazemore (knee) being eased back into things, so he’ll earn another start Saturday against the Hornets and Monday vs. the Thunder. Unfortunately, he scored those 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting, and while he’s been averaging 13.0 points, 1.7 triples and 1.2 steals over the past six, he’s also turning over the rock 2.0 times a night and only connecting on 38.4 percent of his shots, thus limiting his value to points leagues.

Thabo Sefolosha continued to rack up the defensive stats, recording two blocks and one steal to go with eight boards, one assist, three turnovers and four points on 2-of-6 shooting in 28 minutes. Since entering the starting five, Sefolosha has been a top-50 guy with averages of 9.0 points, 3.0 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.0 turnover and an elite 2.0 steals per contest on 44.2 percent shooting, so he should be owned in more than 25 percent of Yahoo! Leagues. Swoop him up if you need help with some defensive stats.

Nick Young scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting during Friday’s win over the 76ers, adding two 3-pointers, one board, two assists, one steal, one block and zero turnovers in 21 minutes. Uncle P rarely contributes much to the box score outside of points and triples, but he’s also connecting on a career-high 44.6 percent of his shot attempts and when you partner that with his 0.7 turnovers per contest, you have a late-round guy in standard 9-cat leagues. He’s worth owning if you need some 3-point help.

Larry Nance showed up all over the box score while logging a season-high 34 minutes off the bench, tallying 11 boards, one assist, one steal, two blocks, three turnovers and four points on 2-of-3 shooting. He’s been a sneaky top-85 guy in 9-cat leagues this season with his minimal turnovers (0.8), high shooting percentage (58.5) and 1.2 steals per game, and his ability to contribute across the board makes him an enticing deep league prospect.

Garrett Temple buried three more triples over 37 minutes as a starter sans Rudy Gay (hip), on his way to 17 points, six boards, four assists, two steals and two turnovers. He’s been crushing it over the past six games, flirting with top-50 value in standard leagues behind averages of 11.9 points, 2.3 trey-bombs, 2.1 dimes and 1.3 steals per game on 53.8 percent shooting, and while the sky-high field goal percentage obviously is unsustainable; he’s been doing enough to at least justify a speculative add in deep leagues.

Kosta Koufos produced a 16-point, 13-board double-double to go with two assists, three blocks and one turnover in 30 minutes, although the heavy minutes were likely a result of the matchup and not necessarily a trend. I’ll need to see him do this again before recommending him as an add in most settings, but he’s got my attention.

Tony Allen kept his hot streak alive despite the return of Mike Conley (back), racking up 16 points, nine boards, one assist, two steals, one block and two turnovers in 34 minutes. He’s been a top-55 option over the past few weeks, largely due to his elite 2.3 steals per contest, and he needs to be owned in more than just 26 percent of Yahoo! Leagues.

Jon Leuer followed up Wednesday’s 19-point outburst with another solid stat line during Friday’s blowout loss to the Wizards, scoring 17 on 8-of-12 shooting to go with seven boards, five assists, one 3-pointer, one steal and one turnover in 31 minutes. Leuer is little more than a late-round guy, and he could completely fall off at a moment’s notice, but he’s worth owning while he’s this hot. Just don’t drop a long-term prospect to nab him.

Injury Tracker

Victor Oladipo (wrist) did not practice on Friday and is in danger of missing Saturday’s game against the Suns. He’s going to be re-evaluated after Saturday’s shootaround and is likely headed for a game-time call, but if he’s out again, Jerami Grant will have another opportunity to start with Anthony Morrow and Semaj Christon earning extended run off the bench. Enes Kanter should also be a bit more involved offensively, and Russell Westbrook’s usage could eclipse 40.

Anthony Davis exited Friday’s blowout loss to the Rockets with a lower left leg contusion, and while he did get back out there for a few minutes during the third quarter, he ultimately tapped out after 23 minutes of action ending his night with 19 points, five boards, three assists and one turnover. He’s basically dealing with a bruised leg, and while he was spotted limping out of the arena, Alvin Gentry proclaimed during his post-game interview that Davis could have returned if the Pelicans weren’t getting blown out. I’m going to consider Mr. Glass questionable for Sunday’s game in San Antonio, and if he is forced to the sidelines, Terrence Jones would benefit most as he’d more than likely move into the starting five. Additionally, guys like Jrue Holiday, E’twaun Moore, Buddy Hield and Langston Galloway would be asked to step it up on the offensive end.

Isaiah Thomas (groin) returned from a four-game absence and racked up 26 points (9-of-20 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), three boards, two triples, five dimes and two turnovers in 35 minutes. The heavy minutes and usage rate (33.9) would suggest that he’s completely recovered from the groin injury, so there’s no reason to expect him to miss Sunday’s game in Miami. Thomas’ return resulted in Marcus Smart moving back to the bench, where he put up five points, seven boards, five assists and three turnovers in 24 minutes. Smart’s value is obviously going to take a major hit with IT4 back in action, and his awful shooting (37.2 percent from the field and 64.0 percent from the stripe) makes him tough to own outside of points leagues. If you picked up Smart for his short-term appeal sans Thomas, now might be the time to send him back to the wire.

Rudy Gay (hip) spent his second straight game on the sidelines, which allowed Garrett Temple to earn another start with Matt Barnes logging extended minutes off the bench. Gay is an obvious trade candidate, so he won’t be playing at less than 100 percent, thus putting him in danger of missing Sunday’s game in Dallas. If he’s out again, Temple should continue to log major minutes as a starter with DeMarcus Cousins dominating the offense.

Ben McLemore (quad) returned from a one-game absence and started, but only produced eight points, one triple, two steals and one turnover over 16 minutes. Even with Gay on the sidelines, McLemore is not a viable target in most settings.

Kemba Walker (personal) missed Friday’s loss to the Celtics, which resulted in Ramon Sessions moving into the starting five and putting up 13 points (5-of-16 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), six boards, six assists, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 32 minutes. Walker is expected to rejoin the team in Atlanta for Saturday’s game against the Hawks, so whatever he’s dealing with is likely only going to cost him one game. Sessions isn’t a great pickup.

Derrick Rose (back) participated during Friday’s practice and said he’s hopeful to play Saturday vs. the Nuggets. If he is able to get out there, Brandon Jennings’ value will take a hit with the move back to the bench.

Carmelo Anthony (shoulder) practiced on Friday and said he would play Saturday vs. the Nuggets. He should be out there, which will queue the end of Lance Thomas’ run with the starting unit.

Nikola Vucevic (back) returned from a three-game absence and helped the Magic to a 118-111 win over the Nets with 21 points, 10 boards, four assists, two steals, three blocks and one turnover in 31 minutes. With Vucevic back in the rotation, Bismack Biyombo’s minutes fell back to the mid-20s, and he ended his night with six points, seven boards, two assists and three blocks. Orlando’s awkward roster construction is hurting one the Magic’s building blocks in Aaron Gordon, and it’s going to take a trade to alleviate this situation.

Nerlens Noel (ankle) hit 1-of-4 shots over eight minutes following a one-game stint on the sidelines, and he ended his night with two points, five boards and a block. Owning Noel is purely about upside right now, as he’s shown in the past that he can go prolonged stints operating with a top-20 evaluation in standard 9-cat leagues, but that won’t be happening while he fights for minutes in Philly’s overly crowded frontcourt. However, a trade of Noel seems likely as he’s in a contract year and has been openly critical of the 76ers’ franchise, so he’s worth stashing just about everywhere despite the lack of production.

Luc Mbah a Moute (shoulder) missed his second consecutive game on Friday, which allowed Austin Rivers to log 34 minutes in another start. However, Rivers predictably wasn’t able to live up to the hype following Wednesday’s 25-point outburst, hitting just 2-of-6 shots on his way to seven points, two 3-pointers, one rebound, one assist and one turnover.

Chandler Parsons (knee) did not suit up for Friday’s surprising loss to the Kings, but there’s a chance he could return to action Sunday vs. the Jazz. He’s had a horrible year thus far, but he’s also a guy with top-40 upside. Make sure he’s not floating around on your waiver wire.

Tarik Black (ankle) logged three minutes off the bench in his return from a five-game absence, racking up more fouls (3) than any other statistic (one board, one turnover). He’s obviously not a fantasy option in any setting.

Gerald Green (sore left hip) did not play Friday and is irrelevant in fantasy hoops.

Tim Frazier (right wrist) returned from a one-game stint on the sidelines, registering nine points, four boards, two 3-pointers, five assists and zero turnovers in 25 minutes off the bench. He was originally expected to miss 7-10 days with the injury to his shooting hand, but apparently he’s just going to tough it out. Frazier has survived the return of Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans thus far, so he’s worth holding onto until the wheels fall off.

Solomon Hill missed Friday’s blank to the Rockets due to the birth of his first child, but he should be back in action Sunday vs. the Spurs.

Tyreke Evans (rest) did not suit up on Friday, but he’ll be back in action Sunday vs. San Antonio. He’s not going to play in back-to-back sets for the foreseeable future, and will more than likely be working with a strict minutes limit, but he offers enough upside to warrant a stash in most leagues.

David West (right hip) is doubtful to play Saturday vs. Portland. If he’s out, Kevon Looney would likely soak up most of his minutes, but that really doesn’t mean much.

Jeremy Lin (back) returned from a one-game absence on Friday, scoring 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting (2-of-2 from the line) to go with three boards, three assists, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 20 minutes. He’s played well every time he’s been on the court this season, and if he could just manage to stay healthy, he could certainly have a career-year as a top-60 asset in standard 9-cat leagues. Hopefully he’ll see closer to 30 minutes Sunday in Philadelphia.

Tyler Johnson (illness) missed Friday’s loss to the Clippers, and he should be considered questionable for Sunday’s game against the Celtics. If he’s out again his minutes will be divvied up between Goran Dragic, Rodney McGruder and Josh Richardson with Dragic offering the most upside and McGruder essentially being a non-option.

Michael Beasley (foot) spent his second game in a row on the sidelines Friday night, which is irrelevant news in fantasy hoops.

Jason Smith tweaked his right hamstring during the second quarter of Friday’s win over the Pistons and did not return, ending his night with four points on 2-of-2 shooting. If Smith is forced to miss time, Andrew Nicholson would likely eat up most of his minutes, which doesn’t mean much.

Hollis Thompson (sore right knee) sat out Friday’s loss to the Lakers and he should be considered questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Nets.

Chris “Birdman” Anderson tore the ACL in his right knee, and that could be a career ender for the 38-year-old.

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rotoworld-yahoopartner · 8 years ago

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Dose: Frazier Won't Go Down

Two Games: Timberwolves

Three Games: Hawks, Celtics, Bulls, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors, Bucks, Knicks, Thunder, 76ers, Suns, Spurs, Jazz

Four Games: Nets, Hornets, Mavericks, Rockets, Pacers, Clippers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Heat, Pelicans, Magic, Blazers, Kings, Raptors, Wizards

Sunday Stars

Klay Thompson got things back on track Sunday night following a two-game mini-slump, scoring a game-high 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting (4-of-4 from the stripe) to go with six boards, four trey-bombs, two assists, one block and two turnovers in 39 minutes. Thompson has been hot more often than not this season, and he’s currently pumping out fourth-round value with averages of 21.8 points, 3.0 triples, 2.0 assists and 1.9 turnovers per game on 47.1 percent shooting. Thompson is sure to go through a handful of cold patches this year depending on who has the hot hand in Golden State, but he’s been hot more than not this season and should have no trouble finishing the year as a top-40 guy.

Draymond Green posted a standard Draymond-Green-line with 18 points, five boards, five 3-pointers, four dimes, two steals and one swat in 35 minutes. He’s been a top-15 guy all year long and his versatility is simply phenomenal. In fact, since the 1983-84 season only one other player has averaged at least one 3-pointer, seven assists, two steals and one block per game: Dwyane Wade.

Karl-Anthony Towns produced a monster 25-point, 18-board double-double to go with two assists, one 3-pointer and one turnover in 39 minutes, but he unfortunately failed to record a single steal or block. KAT’s block percentage has dipped this season to 3.6 (down from 4.3 last year), but there’s still plenty of time left for him to turn that around, and he’s still been a top-25 guy on the year with averages of 21.6 points, 10.7 boards, 2.3 dimes, 1.4 blocks, 1.4 triples and 2.3 turnovers per contest on 47.8 percent shooting from the field and 77.4 percent from the stripe. If he could just crank up the block rate, he could easily jump into the top-10 equation.

Jrue Holiday (toe) was back in the starting lineup following a three-game stint on the sidelines and put up 23 points, three boards, three assists, two steals, two triples and two turnovers in 40 minutes. Some more assists would have been nice, but him playing 40 minutes suggests that the turf foe is completely behind him.

Anthony Davis (rest) double-doubled in his return to action scoring 14 points on 4-of-17 shooting (6-of-6 from the line) to go with 12 boards, four assists, two blocks, one steal and three turnovers in 44 minutes. Davis has been putting up ridiculous lines all year long, but he also leads the league in minutes with 38.4 minutes a night, which is definitely concerning when you consider his injury history. He’ll always be a sell-high guy for me, but if he can finally stay healthy this year, he could lead a lot of teams to victory. That’s a big if, though.

Eric Bledsoe kept the good times a rollin’ on Sunday, busting loose for 32 points on 13-of-26 shooting with eight dimes, three boards, three triples, two steals and four turnovers in 40 minutes of action. Since T.J. Warren (head) hit the sidelines, Bledsoe's usage rate has spiked to 30.5, although with Warren nearing a return we could see Bledsoe's usage dip in the near future. He's uber-talented, but those knees scare me, and I will always recommend selling high on Bledsoe.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder to a 99-96 win over the Celtics, racking up 37 points, 12 boards, six assists, two triples, two steals and seven turnovers in 36 minutes. Victor Oladipo suffered a wrist injury that forced him out of the game after just 10 minutes, and if he’s forced to miss time, Westbrook’s ridiculous usage rate could get even more insane.

Kristaps Porzingis had one of his best games of the year during the Knicks’ 118-112 win over the Lakers, scoring 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting (7-of-9 from the stripe) to go with 12 boards, two assists, one steal, three 3-pointers, one turnover and a career-high tying seven blocks in 39 minutes. Porzingis had been struggling with his shot coming into this one, and he has reportedly been playing through a knee issue, but he looked fine while he was dominating the Lakers. He’s going to be a monster for many years to come.

With both Nick Young (calf) and D’Angelo Russell (knee) back in action on Sunday, Lou Williams’ minutes were reduced to 26, but he still turned in a quality stat line with 24 points, six boards, five dimes, two 3-pointers, two steals and an unfortunate five turnovers. Williams is unlikely to be dropping any more 40-point games with the Lakers backcourt intact, but he was still a top-50 guy prior to those guys going down, so he should be just fine moving forward.

On the Radar

Tim Frazier did not suffer at all with the return of Jrue Holiday (toe) and E’Twaun Moore (toe), notching his first career-triple in 35 minutes off the bench with 14 points (4-of-10 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), 11 boards, 11 assists, five steals, one block and just one turnover. He did need the game to go to overtime to record these statistics, and the game did come against a Suns team that has been awful at defending opposing guards this year, but still, this is impressive. He had a 20-11 game (against the Clippers) his last time out, so he’s worth owning just about everywhere until he officially cools off.

Andre Roberson continued to rack up the defensive stats on Sunday, recording two swats, one steal, one turnover, four points and five boards in 33 minutes. He’s averaging 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, so he’s worth owning as a defensive specialist in deep leagues.

Nick Young (calf) was back in the starting lineup following a six-game absence and he hit 6-of-11 shots on his way to 15 points, four boards and one triple in just 20 minutes. If you need some help in the 3-point department, go make sure that Uncle P isn’t floating around on your wire. With Young back in action, Brandon Ingram returned to the bench and put up three points on 1-of-8 shooting to go with two boards, two assists and one 3-pointer. With the Lakers backcourt healthy again, Ingram won’t be playing enough to warrant a roster spot in standard leagues.

Injury Tracker

Jeremy Lin (hamstring) is being listed as probable for Monday’s game against the Rockets. It looks like he’ll finally get back to the court after a 17-game stint on the sidelines, but judging by how long he was out, he should be ready to hit the ground running. Lin was having a career-year before going down, putting up top-60 value in 9-cat leagues with averages of 15.0 points (career-high), 6.2 assists, 1.2 triples, 1.4 steals and 2.4 turnovers per game on 44.8 percent shooting. His return will send Isaiah Whitehead back to the bench, and Sean Kilpatrick’s fantasy value and usage will suffer a decent sized hit. However, with how good Kilpatrick has been as of late, it makes sense to hang on and just see what happens.

Justin Hamilton (migraines) is being listed as questionable for Monday’s game vs. Houston, and if he’s out, Luis Scola would likely pick up most of his minutes.

Victor Oladipo had a very hard fall, which resulted in a sprained right wrist and he did not return during Sunday’s win over the Celtics. He lasted just 10 minutes and missed both his shots on his way to three boards and two turnovers. Luckily, Oladipo passed the initial concussion test, and the X-rays taken on his wrist came back negative, so it appears he’s avoided a more serious injury. The Thunder have a back-to-back set coming up Tuesday in Portland and Wednesday in Utah, so he should be considered questionable for that. If he’s out, Russell Westbrook’s usage rate could get even more ridiculous while Enes Kanter would see a nice boost in value. Anthony Morrow could also move into the starting five, which would put him on the radar as a potential 3-point streamer option.

Nerlens Noel, who had been out for the entire year due to knee surgery, briefly made his regular-season on Sunday, but then he suffered a left ankle sprain just 10 minutes into his return and he did not get back on the court. He ended his night with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting (2-of-2 from the stripe) and one steal, and he should be considered questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Raptors. If you’ve been holding on this long waiting for him to get back to the court, it makes sense to at least wait for some more information and a timetable before thinking about making a cut.

Austin Rivers has been diagnosed with a minor concussion, and he’ll need to go through the league mandated concussion protocol testing before he can return to the court. Raymond Felton (personal) will be back in action Monday vs. the Trail Blazers, so both he and Jamal Crawford will benefit most if Rivers needs to miss time.

Blake Griffin (right knee) is being listed as questionable for Monday’s game against Portland. He was rested on Saturday, but chances are he’ll be fine for Monday’s game.

Derrick Rose (back) returned from a two-game absence and helped lead the Knicks to a 118-112 win over the Lakers with 25 points on 12-of-16 shooting (1-of-2 from the stripe) to go with three boards, two assists, one block and two turnovers in 34 minutes. His return resulted in Brandon Jennings going back to the bench where he put up 19 points, three boards, four dimes, three triples and one turnover in 23 minutes. Jennings won’t be this good on most nights, but if you grabbed him for the short-term appeal sans Rose, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to wait for him to post his next dud before making the cut.

D’Angelo Russell (knee) returned from a 12-game absence and hit 1-of-8 shots (his one make was a triple) on his way to three points, five assists, two steals and four turnovers in 17 minutes. The rust was apparent, and it’s not clear how long he’ll be working with a minutes limit, so he’s a questionable play in weekly settings. His return sent Jordan Clarkson back to the bench and Marcelo Huertas picked up a DNP-CD.

Zaza Pachulia (wrist) missed his second game in a row on Sunday, which allowed Kevon Looney (ankle) to get the start, and he put up four points, three boards, one steal and two turnovers in 18 minutes. Steve Kerr tends to split up Pachulia’s minutes between Looney, Anderson Varejao (DNP-CD) and JaVale McGee (six minutes), so there’s not clear winner when he hits the sidelines.

Justise Winslow (wrist) and Dion Waiters (groin) are both listed as out for Monday’s game against the Wizards. James Johnson (rotator cuff) and Luke Babbitt (hip) are questionable, if Johnson can play he would be on the radar he would certainly be on the DFS radar with a favorable matchup against Washington. Babbitt isn’t an option regardless of his status.

E’Twaun Moore (toe) returned from a three-game absence and scored nine points (3-of-7 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs) with two boards, two 3-pointers, one steal and two turnovers in 22 minutes off the bench. Buddy Hield remained in the starting five despite the return of Moore, but he only managed to play 13 minutes, scoring nine points to go with two treys and a rebound. Meanwhile, Langston Galloway drained four triples and scored 12 points, but he didn’t put up any other statistics and only was on the floor for 19 minutes. The two-guard spot in New Orleans has timeshare written all over it, so I’d avoid it in most leagues.

Monta Ellis (groin) is questionable to play Monday vs. the Hornets. If he’s out, C.J. Miles could slide into the starting five, and he would be the primary beneficiary.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee) missed Sunday’s loss the 76ers, which resulted in Darrun Hilliard moving into the starting lineup and putting up five points and three turnovers in 20 minutes. Stanley Johnson, however, was impressive off the bench, contributing across the board with six points, two boards, four assists, one 3-pointer, one block and a career-high five steals in 26 minutes. However, Caldwell-Pope is simply dealing with a bruised knee, and with the Pistons off until Wednesday vs. Dallas, this will likely end up only being a one-game absence for KCP, meaning Johnson isn’t a great pickup despite the strong performance.

Sergio Rodriguez (gastroenteritis) sat out Sunday’s game which resulted in T.J. McConnell putting up 12 points, 10 boards, nine dimes, three steals and three turnovers through 37 minutes as a starter. While this line was spectacular, McConnell will go back to being a non-factor in most leagues the second Rodriguez returns to the lineup, which could be as soon as Wednesday vs. Toronto.

Jahlil Okafor (gastroenteritis) returned from a three-game absence and put up 15 points, nine boards, one steal, two blocks, one assist and five turnovers through 27 minutes as a starter. Joel Embiid has rendered Okafor a non-option in standard leagues, and it’s looking like Nerlens Noel is probably the guy that will be traded, meaning Okafor’s situation probably isn’t going to improve this year. H

Nemanja Bjelica (ankle) missed his second game in a row on Sunday, and he should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game in Chicago. If he’s out, his minutes will be divvied up between Brandon Rush and Adreian Payne, which means very little in fantasy hoops.

Al-Farouq Aminu (back) is doubtful to play Monday vs. the Clippers. He was active on Saturday, but didn’t actually step foot on the court, so it would be surprising to see him play Monday. He’s been awful this season, connecting on just 26.6 percent of his shot attempts, so he’s not holding onto in most leagues. Ed Davis and Meyers Leonard will play more in his absence, but that doesn’t mean much.

Kyle O’Quinn (ankle) did not suit up for Sunday’s win over the Lakers, which allowed Willy Hernangomez to log 20 minutes off the bench and he made the most of the increased opportunity putting up six points, 12 boards, one assist, one steal, two blocks and one turnover. Hernangomez has been fun to watch when he’s been on the court this season, but unfortunately his playing time has been too sporadic to justify a roster spot in most settings.

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