Tonight was clearly defined by the insane performances by some of the leagues best big men. Crazy points, boards, and stocks were being earned all night long. Joel Embiid beat up on Charlotte’s inferior front line, driving to the bucket, getting insane put-back dunks, and swatting shots into oblivion. One of the best examples of his diverse skillset showed him bring the ball up across half court and then orchestrate a perfect give-and-go that led to an Embiid statement dunk. To top things off, he showed his range by hitting the tying 3-point shot near the end of regulation. He’s just ridiculous.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 11/18 | 19/22 | 1/2 | 42 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
This was an MVP performance from the big man. He must have been shaken by that Sabonis dunk last night, as he came out and crushed. How many other big men can hit 19/22 free throws in practice, let alone in a tightly contested game? The boards were huge, as were the blocks. He’s really starting to heat up, so ride him if you got him.
Stars Gonna Star
These stars played like we expect them to. Punking their inferior opponents and racking up the stats that build the foundation of our fantasy teams. Enjoy the ride.
John Wall
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/21 | 1/2 | 0/3 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
A big 4th quarter helped Wall salvage a miserable effort and weak statistical line. The Wizards were getting embarrassed by a not good Orlando team, and Wall’s poor shooting, turnovers, and lackadaisical defense were glaring. Still, his overall line at the end is all that matters, and 19/7/12 is obviously very valuable. Changes are definitely coming in DC, so get your popcorn ready.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 10/21 | 3/4 | 4/9 | 27 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Beal also managed a good fantasy line, while generally stinking up the joint. He can score and do a little bit of everything, so his status as a top 30 player should remain. What an awful game and awful stretch for the Wiz…but if you roster Beal, you can’t complain.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 10/16 | NA | 1/2 | 21 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Vuc has to be part of the All-Underrated Team in Fantasy. Tonight he was efficient and dropped something in every category. I’m tired of adding that he might get traded, he’s just so good and effective. Sit back and enjoy all of the production he provides consistently every game.
Kemba Walker
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/29 | 9/10 | 3/14 | 30 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Shooting 31% from the field on that amount of volume is going to put the hurt on your fantasy team. The rest of Kemba’s work, which includes scoring, 3’s, free throws, boards, and assists help you forget the inefficiency from the field. Then again, if you roster Kemba, you probably had plans to punt FG%.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/15 | 4/6 | NA | 22 | 8 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Simmons continued his quest to be the first NBA player to average a triple-double and also never attempt a 3-point shot. The stocks were really nice here too. Also worth noting…he hit 4/6 free throws, which is not great, but better than what he’s been doing.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 10/15 | 3/7 | 0/1 | 23 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
He’s still a huge liability at the line, and he doesn’t get as many blocks as he seems capable of, but Drummo is having a great overall season. This game was another solid example that showcased Andre’s career season.
Victor Oladipo
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/22 | 3/5 | 1/5 | 22 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
This was a decent game for Dipo, as he led the way to victory for Indiana. The points, boards, assists, and steals were all great. He could have been more efficient, but that’s just the way it’s gotta be sometimes. Steals were a major part of his huge boost in value last season, so it’s nice to see him have a big steals night.
Hassan Whiteside
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/8 | 1/5 | NA | 11 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Whiteside has been on a rebounding tear with back-to-back 20 board games. The points were a letdown after last game’s 29, but the 4 blocks were a nice return to classic Whiteside. He’s super hot right now and has established a little bit of trust, so it might not hurt to check his value in your league.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 14/22 | 8/10 | 1/1 | 37 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Wow. Jokic was an assassin out there tonight, carving up Brooklyn to the tune of 37 and 21. He even managed to add some stocks into the mix. It’s safe to say the recent string of games with low shot attempts has ended. And so has your buy low window.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/8 | 5/5 | NA | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
The Steifel Tower only nabbed 2 swats, but 17 and 15 is very good. Also, he hit all 5 of his free throws, so that’s reason to celebrate.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 15/27 | 7/7 | 2/5 | 39 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Yet another huge game in the night of the big men. KAT went off and got huge points and boards. The other counting stats were pretty nonexistent, but either way, this game was a nice statement game and bounce back for KAT.
Dropped the Ball
Oooof. That’s not exactly what we were hoping for. Hopefully, these guys rebound next game and your fantasy team can stay afloat.
Otto Porter
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 3/7 | NA | 2/4 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Due to his steals, 3’s, and low turnovers, Otto is still hovering around top 50 value. But with weak games like this, that value will depress. Eventually, his elite 3-point shooting should return. Assuming Brooks is still the coach, he needs to find ways to get Porter more involved. Also, it sounds like there are some lagging toe issues. Ugh.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 2/4 | NA | 1/1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Let’s just chalk this up to a bad matchup. Batum only played 16 minutes and was ineffective the entire time. This one stings, but he’ll rebound next game
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 2/5 | 1/1 | 1/3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Prince has not been having the season we all expected. He’s barely holding onto standard league relevance and games like this don’t help. The drop in field goal percentage has especially been hurting him. He should start to improve, so hold or buy low if you can.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 4/9 | NA | 0/2 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
I think we’re at the point where we as a fantasy community need to confront the fact that Myles Turner is just not that good. He’s fine, but he’s not that potential top 30 player that we were all jumping the gun on. This was a pretty lame performance to cap off 3 bad games in a row. He could be an ok buy low guy, just don’t expect anything too dramatic.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 1/11 | 2/2 | 0/5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Yuck. I think Gary would appreciate it if you just forget that tonight happened. Levert just shut him down. There isn’t too much more to say other than, he’ll obviously bounce back.
Solid and Noteworthy
These are the good performances that we wanted to make note of.
Evan Fournier
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/17 | NA | 3/10 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Fournier had an inefficient game, but very nice counting stats. He’s a solid source of points, 3’s, assists, and steals. He couldn’t repeat the level of his game against Detroit, but he is what he is.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/14 | 5/6 | 3/4 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Air Gordon was feeling frisky and twitchy tonight with a few highlight jams against a Wizards team that was not playing defense. Nice points, boards, and assists, but that FG% needs work. Also, 0 stocks is pretty disappointing. Someone with his athletic ability should be getting more consistent defensive stats.
Jeremy Lamb
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/12 | 2/2 | 3/4 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Lamb played a solid and efficient game but left with a groin injury. This may be a reoccurrence of the same injury he had last year. Hopefully, he’s icing down and recovering, because the Hornets really need his defense. You may want to grab Malik Monk just in case. This was a nice game for him otherwise.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/13 | 2/2 | 4/8 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
A Dario sighting is always a fun thing in Philly. When he’s hitting 3’s, Saric can prove to be an effective player and valuable back-end center to roster for fantasy GMs. That’s back-to-back good games, so as long as Muscala is out, Saric is a solid play in fantasy.
JJ Reddick
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/16 | 1/1 | 2/9 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
JJ is clearly still the best 2 on this team. 2/9 on 3’s isn’t good, but the 17 points and 4 assists were helpful. He’s also helping this team win in real life, with the highest +/- on the team, besides Embiid. Reddick is good to go for points, 3’s, and solid assists.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/7 | 5/8 | NA | 17 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Sabonis has been great for boards and points lately. He’s definitely been doing better than Turner in those cats. He even managed to play next to Turner some, so that’s promising. Still, he had a team worst +/- of -18.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/8 | 5/7 | 3/5 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Scoring 20 after a 1 point game shows how up and down Olynyk and his role has been. He’s good when given a chance, but he has no chance of overtaking Whiteside right now, plus Bam is always waiting in the wings. If you are desperate for 3’s and points, Kelly can be a sneaky source.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/14 | 4/8 | NA | 18 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
This was a great game from Allen. Points, boards, and blocks…lots of blocks. He’s having some issues at the line this season and he has been ice cold from 3 after starting off the season guns blazing. There’s definitely room to improve, so if you roster him, he could eventually creep towards top 50 value as he fixes his free throws and heats up a little beyond the arc.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/14 | 5/6 | 2/4 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Tatum delivered a solid bounce back after his last outing. The scoring was good, but the steals were great. He continues to be a very overrated commodity in fantasy.
Ricky Rubio
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/13 | 2/2 | 1/5 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
While the lack of stocks is kind of annoying, everything else in this line looks pretty good. Rubio is a notorious slow starter, so his earlier play has been on brand. He should be more or less good to go from here on out.
Jae Crowder
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 8/15 | NA | 4/9 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
I can’t keep ignoring Crowder. He has been playing extremely well and seems to have caught whatever has Ibaka going, because he looks great again. Still, I would casually inquire about his value in an effort to sell high.
Derrick Rose
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/16 | 4/4 | 3/6 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Twitter has been loving these vintage Rose performances, and maybe we should too. He looks good and I never would have predicted this. He’s always a huge injury risk, but for now, you have to ride with him or find that huge Rose Stan.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/14 | NA | 3/7 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
This was an ok game from Hield, as his overall line was probably saved by the 10 boards. He’ll return to his high scoring again soon, though he does need to figure out how to coexist with Bogdan.
De’Aaron Fox
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 3/7 | 9/12 | 1/1 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Fox had a solid game that was bolstered by 10 assists, a few stocks, and some nice free throw shooting. There have been some nice improvements in Fox’s game in his sophomore season, but the real standout is his assists.
Nemanja Bjelica
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/13 | NA | 2/6 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Following two awful performances, Bjelica is back! His minutes seem to fluctuate with how close the Kings games are. While that may be a concern, it’s helpful that the Kings have been winning games this season. He’s a big boom or bust from night to night.
Heating Up
Hot streaks are always fun.
Kelly Oubre
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/10 | 5/6 | 2/5 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Oubre played well and finished the game for the Wiz, due to Otto being dinged up. The scoring is nice but unreliable. Still, this was a nice bounce-back game, and Oubre showed what he’s capable of when he heats up. If Porter’s toe issue is more than minor, it could open things up for Oubre. Keep an eye on this.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/8 | NA | 1/1 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Mo!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone’s favorite player with a 7-foot, 10-inch wingspan showed out in just 17 minutes. He showed off that silky smooth jumper along with his blocking ability. Still, he doesn’t play alongside the Magic’s best player, Vuc, so his current upside is muted. He’s a monitor in standard leagues.
Omari Spellman
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/10 | 2/2 | 2/5 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Spellman has a very fantasy-friendly game and showed it here tonight with scoring, boards, and 3’s. He has been steadily earning the trust of Lloyd Pierce as the season has progressed and has notched back-to-back double-doubles. He’ll obviously take a back seat once Collins returns, but for now, he’s worth a flier.
Jeremy Lin
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/9 | 7/7 | 2/4 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Is this the return of Linsanity? Probably not. But he has been long undervalued after being overvalued early in his career. While returning from injury, Lin could be a steadying force in Atlanta when the youngs look shook. His value may be up and down, but he’s more than capable of filling it up still.
D’Angelo Russell
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/14 | 6/8 | 3/5 | 23 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
While LeVert had an off night, DRuss played very well, leading Brooklyn in scoring, and doing it efficiently. He hit a rough patch a few games ago but seems to be getting back in the groove. Russell probably still needs to earn more trust from Atkinson so he can close out games.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/13 | 3/3 | 5/8 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scary Terry put in work, starting for Kyrie, who was out for a funeral. The efficient scoring, 3’s, and boards were all nice bonuses for anyone that rosters him…I assume it’s deep leagues, or enterprising GMs that grabbed him today. Maybe this performance helps his trade value.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 10/14 | 2/2 | 5/9 | 27 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Currently riding a cold streak, Ingles came out like gangbusters tonight. An efficient 27 points, 5 3’s, 5 boards, 7 assists, and 2 combined stocks made for a great reminder of what he can do. He could be about to start a run of nice games. Get him active or try to buy low if his GM thinks this game was a fluke.
Willie Cauley-Stein
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 11/16 | 2/4 | 1/1 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
WCS came through with a cool 25 tonight on 11-of-16 shooting, plus a 3! This makes 2 very nice games in a row. He looks to be hitting his stride, so enjoy and hope that the King’s coaching staff stays sweet on him.
Mixed Bag
Unsure if good game with bad stats or bad game with good stats…
Dwight Howard
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/8 | 0/2 | NA | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
What happened to the blocks? 2 swats in 4 games is not what we had anticipated. The boards and efficiency are fine, but what a hollow line. Howard is currently outside of the top 100 and he might remain on the outside looking in for the season.
Blake Griffin
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 2/10 | 1/3 | 1/5 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
This was a shockingly low scoring effort for Blake. Still, he managed 9 boards and 9 assists. While he usually gives you tons of points, the other counting stats were good. He’ll most likely get back to 20+ points next game.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 4/9 | 8/8 | 0/3 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Young was sloppy with the ball, didn’t hit a 3, get a steal, or a block. 16/4/5 and 8/8 from the line is still solid output, just not quite enough to balance out the negatives. Trae will probably hit 5 3’s and get 4 steals next game in a very exciting rookie season.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/17 | 4/5 | 2/6 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
This was not a great performance by Josh. The solid points and assists saved an otherwise poor game. He’s still the focal point and best player in Miami. Just chalk this up to an off game and continue to roll with him.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/14 | 4/9 | 1/4 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
It’s difficult for me to be objective about LeVert, as I think he’s been a revelation and so fun to watch this season. Tonight’s game was pretty meh offensively, though he did manage to enter Gary Harris’ nightmares in locking him down. Overall the numbers aren’t awful, but I expect more out of Caris. Look for him to do better next time around.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/14 | 6/6 | 0/1 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
He wasn’t able to keep the magic going tonight. While not an awful game, 16/2/5 is pretty tame compared to the 48 he dropped on Boston and that FG% will be problematic. He’ll continue to be a nice top 50ish guard to bolster your fantasy roster.
Gordon Hayward
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 3/9 | 6/6 | 1/5 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Weathering boos from his former fans, Hayward continued his very rough season as he tries to return to form following the injury. He was active and the assists were a nice sign. He still has a ways to go until he’s close to the old Gordo.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/14 | 10/13 | 1/6 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
Mitchell was excellent from the line and rough from the field. The points were good but the rest of his line is kind of uninspired. He was getting overdrafted in the offseason and we may be looking at a top 40 player this season, not top 20.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 3/12 | 7/10 | 0/2 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
It’s been a bizarre season for Jimmy, and this was one of his worst scoring games. He’s normally a top 10 player that can help your fantasy team in every category. So while you do have to monitor his random days off, as well as any potential trade, Butler has proven himself over and over again. Disregard the low points, they’ll be back. Enjoy the boards, assists, and steals.
Where did that come from?
Well that was unexpected. Nice work, but can you keep it up?
Stanley Johnson
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 8/16 | 2/3 | 4/9 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
That came out of nowhere. Johnson had a solid last game too, but this could be his best game of the season. I’m not falling for it again. Roster at your own risk.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/11 | NA | 1/2 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Morris got burn while Gary was locked down. He made the most of his opportunity and played efficiently. He’s a fun player to watch, but his role is way too volatile to roster in standard leagues.
