When Kyrie Irving went down to injury on November 14, the Nets lost their leader. The fantasy community lost its leader. And hope was starting to look bleak for the upcoming stretch of games without the explosive veteran running the point.
But Spencer Dinwiddie has not missed a beat. In the eight games that he’s started in place of Irving, he has averaged 24.5 points, 7.8 assists, three boards, a steal, and a block per game. He’s shooting 93% from the line with a decent sample size of 7.5 attempts per game. He has limited his turnovers to 2.4 per game. The only knock has been his efficiency from the field (42.4%) and from deep (34%), but all things considered, Dinwiddie is deserving of many thanks from his teammates.
His teammates were especially thankful last night, as he was giving at a particularly generous rate and recorded the following stat line:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6-8 | 10-19 | 6-6 |
His 11 dimes led the NBA (along with LeBron and Luka), and his sharp-shooting from deep led the Nets to a great win over the division-rival Celtics. Here’s what else happened around the league on Friday night.
Joe Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2-7 | 5-12 | 0-0 |
This was the fifth straight game of double-digit scoring and multiple threes for Harris. He gives you solid rebounding and defense from the guard position as well.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0-0 | 7-12 | 0-2 |
Allen has found his footing once again after a rough stretch off the bench. He now has seven double-doubles in his last nine games, contributing on the defensive side as well.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4-8 | 10-19 | 2-2 |
Six turnovers is a lot and he has 12 in his past three games, but everything else about this night was good for Tatum. He has a pretty high floor with the exception of a few clunkers every couple weeks.
Kemba Walker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1-8 | 6-19 | 4-5 |
Walker has been great all around this year, but his efficiency has taken a hit with so much scoring responsibility. 1-8 from deep is tough, and he’s shooting just over 40% from the field on the year.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0-1 | 4-8 | 0-1 |
With a usage of just 12.5%, Brown’s impact in this one was minimal, but the trend would suggest that it’s just a weird off game. Play him with confidence.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3-3 | 9-12 | 5-7 |
Consistency is not Washington’s strong suit, but a game like this inspires confidence that he’ll get back on the right track that he was on at the beginning of this season. His ownership dropped down to about 50%, so it’s worth picking him up while you can.
Devonte’ Graham
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4-7 | 6-14 | 0-0 |
His floor is about as reliable as anyone in fantasy, which is crazy considering how he has emerged out of nowhere. His last six games have seen point totals of 16, 16, 16, 18, 19 and 17, with a couple double-doubles scattered throughout. His defense usually isn’t much of a factor, but the blocks in this one are a nice random bonus.
Bismack Biyombo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0-0 | 6-12 | 1-3 |
He’s becoming one of the most popular waiver wire pickups, and for good reason. Though Cody Zeller’s injury is the only reason he was afforded this opportunity, he’s made the most of it. It’s not like Zeller has the starting job locked down, either, so he’s a solid target if you need a big man.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0-0 | 7-12 | 1-4 |
Business as usual.
Blake Griffin
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1-7 | 6-13 | 4-7 |
The usage is there, but Griffin just didn’t execute tonight to the best of his ability. Between his health problems and his inconsistency, he’s been a pretty significant disappointment this year.
O.G. Anunoby
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0-3 | 1-5 | 0-2 |
I wonder if there’s a Razzball curse. Like the Madden curse, but it occurs to players that appear as the title story of our recaps (Anunoby was Son’s feature player on the 28th). It’s worth looking into.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1-7 | 4-22 | 1-3 |
A paltry 18% shooting performance didn’t necessarily mean a bad night for Siakam. He’s developed into such a leader now that he makes up for bad nights with other stat-stuffing abilities.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5-8 | 12-18 | 4-4 |
He’s streaky and inconsistent, but was the only real spark for the Raptors in Friday’s low-scoring affair. He can provide you a couple threes per game with decent consistency, but not much else in other categories.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 5-12 | 7-20 | 3-5 |
I think I had seven steals in my entire high school rec basketball career. It could be two straight Most Improved Player awards in Toronto.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1-4 | 2-11 | 3-4 |
Gordon’s return from an injury absence wasn’t great. He hasn’t shot over 40% in a game over his last five contests, and this effort certainly didn’t help. Still, the potential is there for him to go on a hot stretch and give you the value you drafted him for. Not a terrible buy-low candidate.
Evan Fournier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1-6 | 3-9 | 12-14 |
Fournier has been as consistent as they come, scoring over 15 points in nine of his last ten games. He doesn’t usually contribute in other categories as much as he did in this one, so consider it a bonus and not the norm.
Khem Birch
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 0-0 |
His usage certainly isn’t high, but his presence inside was definitely felt last night. With that said, Mo Bamba did more in ten fewer minutes, so it will be interesting to see how the Magic deal with Vucevic’s absence going forward.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2-8 | 14-26 | 3-4 |
I’m starting to wonder how many non-double doubles the Freak will have this year. It’s been quite some time when he’s had less than 10 boards.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-2 | 5-10 | 2-2 |
Slowly easing his way back from injury, Middleton got 23 minutes last night off the bench and played well in that small sample. No reason to expect him to stay on the bench for long, as DiVincenzo has been pretty meh in his place.
Cedi Osman
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3-6 | 8-13 | 1-1 |
His highest scoring output all month, this game was was outside the reasonable expectation for Osman. He has games where he completely disappears. One thing to notice, though, is that he has topped 30 minutes in his last four games after several in the mid-20s.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4-8 | 6-11 | 0-0 |
Good, veteran game from Love to help the Cavs stay competitive with the much better Bucks.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0-4 | 7-19 | 13-15 |
Pure domination. JoJo’s touch from the free-throw line makes him extra special as a fantasy big.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
Welp… so much for his offensive breakout the other night. It’s not completely surprising based on the fact that he was not long ago the absolute lowest qualified player in the league in offensive points per 100 possessions.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0-0 | 5-11 | 5-10 |
Another day, another game without a three. What a tease. Also, if you didn’t know, he’s a horrendous free throw shooter.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1-3 | 6-13 | 9-13 |
Randle is capable of doing this every night, and he does for the most part. But I want more. I saw him put up 45 against the Blazers last year when he was in New Orleans, and this man is a beast when unleashed. Maybe New York just doesn’t allow for him to do that, but I wonder if he’ll ever really reach his full potential. He also turns the ball over way too much.
Marcus Morris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3-4 | 6-12 | 5-6 |
The Knicks have found their newest Philly killer in Morris. Roll this guy out whenever he plays against the Sixers, because he has their number.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 49 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 8-15 | 16-28 | 9-9 |
Ok… there’s a lot to take in here. But that’s Trae. Points. Turnovers. Assists. Streaky shooting. He’s a massive asset with a pretty significant downside, and this one showcases that.
DeAndre’ Bembry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0-4 | 7-13 | 1-1 |
A whopping 41 minutes of play was awarded to Bembry despite coming off the bench. He’s low owned, but seems to be getting a bigger role with this team. Kevin Huerter’s return will dictate his actual role in the rotation when everyone is healthy.
Justin Holiday
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1-3 | 2-7 | 0-0 |
I think Holiday is good enough to be a starter in this league, but the Pacers are a really deep team and they’re awaiting the return of Oladipo. Six steals is nothing to let go unnoticed, though.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2-5 | 5-14 | 5-8 |
Turner really showcased his versatility in this one. The blocks and threes combo is done by only a few players in this league as well as Turner does it.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0-0 | 6-11 | 5-8 |
He’s an absolute machine that churns out double-doubles and distributes the ball decently well, too.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0-2 | 2-5 | 2-2 |
Newsflash! The Warriors suck.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0-2 | 3-11 | 10-12 |
The Miami experiment is working pretty well for Butler, and he’s one of the most well-rounded players in the league.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0-0 | 1-5 | 0-0 |
This isn’t gonna happen very often. He had been as consistent as they get over the past couple of weeks, so a big ol’ outlier is the case here.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1-2 | 6-9 | 2-2 |
I like Olynyk as a sneaky big man play. He’s less than 50% owned, and outplays Meyers Leonard in pretty much every game despite his bench status. This is his sixth double-digit scoring effort in seven games, and the rebounding numbers are usually going to be much higher. And he hits threes and shoots the ball well from the line. An underrated asset for sure.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4-8 | 12-20 | 5-6 |
Bojan doing Bojan things. He led all scorers again, and is averaging well over 20 points per game in November, this one being his second-straight 30 bomb.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3-7 | 7-22 | 3-4 |
Mitchell has cooled off a little bit in the past two efforts, but still found a way to hit or top 20 points in both. Three steals are outside the norm. Three threes, however, are not, and is something he has improved on this year: he has improved his 3pt percentage by 2% each year of his career. If he can get it up to 40%, watch out.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0-2 | 10-17 | 2-3 |
What a torrid run it’s been the past three games for Valanciunas, who put up these numbers coming off of a 30-point, 16-rebound performance the night before. But he goes through cold spells as well where his usage just drops off. Maintaining a more constant role in the offense would make him a top-50 threat.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1-7 | 3-13 | 2-2 |
Hmm. This year has been a head-scratcher for JJJ, who shows flashes of brilliance like this, especially in the blocks department. However, his inconsistency in scoring and his low rebounding and defense numbers have made him a fairly prominent underachiever so far.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0-3 | 11-17 | 4-5 |
Efficient from the floor, inefficient from the floor (23 points on 4-21 shooting on Nov. 27), it doesn’t matter. Ingram is going to be among the league’s scoring leaders. I can’t imagine his role on this team decreases significantly enough to sell him high once Zion debuts.
Williams suffered an injury, but looks to have avoided any serious damage. With that said, he’ll likely miss time, so monitor his status. Josh Hart and Jahlil Okafor will work in tandem to fill up those minutes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2-5 | 6-15 | 0-0 |
Ol’ reliable. I can understand why people are turned off by his somewhat boring stats, but he’s a great asset to have at a volatile position.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1-6 | 3-9 | 0-0 |
Speaking of boring stats…
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3-9 | 11-24 | 0-0 |
While CP3 and SGA struggled from the floor in this one, Schroder took over and had a ridiculously high usage barring his absence from the free throw line. If only seven assists were anywhere near the norm… which they’re not. And defensive stats are almost non-existent.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0-1 | 8-23 | 3-3 |
A little bit underwhelming, especially in a shocking loss to the struggling Spurs, but he’ll still give you value every time he steps on the court.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1-5 | 2-11 | 0-0 |
Well this effort certainly didn’t seem to help the Clippers. Looking back at the offseason, I thought this duo would work out better than any other, whether it was LeBron and AD, or Harden and Westbrook, or any other. And it’s been good so far, but it’s a little bit worrisome after a game like this.
LaMarcus Aldridge
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0-1 | 5-13 | 7-8 |
I love Aldridge. Points, boards, assists, blocks, smart veteran play, defense, the whole nine. I just think of the flexed bicep emoji when I see Aldridge doing his thing like this.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1-1 | 7-16 | 0-0 |
A three pointer! His first of the year! And it took him longer than it did Ben Simmons! Gotta love the steals in this one, too.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-2 | 2-8 | 0-0 |
More and more uncertainty here, as both Derrick White and Patty Mills played well. It’s been a little while since he’s had a really strong showing, and nothing seems to suggest that he’s trending upwards. Pop’s doghouse is a scary place.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 42 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3-11 | 12-24 | 15-18 |
Who else is this good at their profession at age 20? Like in what other job is that even possible?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0-6 | 0-8 | 2-2 |
NBA players shouldn’t be scoring two points in 34 minutes. NBA players named Kristaps Porzingis shouldn’t be scoring two points in any amount of time. Inexcusable, but at least the rebounds and defense were there.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6-9 | 8-14 | 4-4 |
Hardaway threw it back to when he was in the futures game with Dion Waiters (by the way, that’s one of the best and least appreciated moments in All-Star weekend history. Go rewatch that little back-and-forth if you haven’t seen it in a while.) He’s exploded a few times recently, and his role is possibly expanding in Dallas.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4-8 | 8-17 | 2-4 |
Don’t look now, but he’s crawling up the rankings toward the top 50 players, and his steals as of late are a big contributing factor.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1-3 | 6-16 | 5-5 |
I like games like this, as Booker displayed maturity by dishing the ball off to his hotter teammates, converting from the line, and keeping the Suns competitive, though they weren’t able to pull it out.
Ricky Rubio
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4-6 | 6-12 | 5-7 |
What strides he’s made in his game. I never thought Rubio would be going four of six from deep, but here we are. It was encouraging seeing this performance after injury, too. Roll him out and be proud of yourself for taking the gamble on him this year.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5-11 | 8-24 | 7-10 |
He’s starting to really embrace his role as the one the Bulls lean on for leadership. That’s three of his last four outings where he’s had 28 or more points, and he continues to pour it in from deep. The assists have been there, the defense has been solid, and he’s trending upward.
Hassan Whiteside
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0-0 | 4-11 | 0-3 |
There have been ups and there have been downs in Whiteside’s Portland debut, for sure. But the only down in this one was the direction of the ball as Whiteside swatted and blocked and rejected and pounded every ball that game his way away from the hoop. Well, and the free throws.
Carmelo Anthony
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1-3 | 8-16 | 6-7 |
I mean, look. If Whiteside gets ten blocks, Melo plays like this, and Lillard/McCollum continue to do their thing, this is a scary Blazers team. Melo’s still got it, and has had three straight performances of high-efficiency scoring.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3-11 | 9-18 | 7-9 |
Cut down on the turnovers and play a little defense, and you have a top three fantasy player. But everything he’s doing now is good for top-10 production, and you can’t be mad at that.
C.J. McCollum
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3-6 | 7-14 | 3-3 |
The final piece of a strong Blazers team effort. McCollum continues to shoot with good efficiency, as the last time he’s been under 40% was back on Nov. 8.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2-7 | 5-13 | 6-6 |
Though his Wizards were simply outmatched in this one, Beal continued to show that he’s a superstar and that he can hold his own against anyone. His maturity as a passer and leader has really shown this year, and that big contract is likely well worth it as long as they can find some supporting pieces in the next couple of years.
Javale McGee
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0-0 | 5-7 | 5-6 |
Turn back the clock! The Lakers were smart to go with McGee, who has shown his value still remains when he’s surrounded by stars. His per-36 minute stats are actually very good, but his role will only allow for around 20 per game.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4-8 | 9-16 | 1-2 |
Not bad, right? How about the fact that it was all in under 25 minutes? That’s one downside to owning the King and AD… when they play teams like the Wizards, their playing time could be restricted…
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1-2 | 8-15 | 9-12 |
…but diminished playing time didn’t keep AD from posting a monstrous stat line, and he’s neck and neck for the number one spot in fantasy. His floor and ceiling are about as high as it possibly goes, with just that minute cap in dominant efforts being the only potential hinderance.
