I have much to be thankful for. A loving wife. Beautiful kids. Razzball. Beep. Boop. Bop. The Stocktonator. I’m thankful that there’s a holiday to remind us to be thankful, which gives us Black Friday and Cyber Monday so that companies can show their thanks by taking all our money. Gotta love capitalism. What’s next? Thankful Thursdays? At this point, might as well. The other week, someone texted me about Happy International Men’s Day. Are you f’ing kidding me? Does that imply that there’s a Domestic Men’s Day? Anyways, what I’m most thankful for this year has been drafting Bam Adebayo in every fantasy basketball league I could. Why? Just look what he did yesterday:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6/14 | 5/7 |
Bam is only 22 years old. He’s 6′ 9″ 255lbs, so he can bang down low with the big boys, yet he’s agile enough to Euro step in transition for a dunk. The 7′ 1″ wingspan allows him to gobble up rebounds, while his vision and passing acumen have him dishing out 4.2 dimes per game. Bam is averaging 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks. The only thing he doesn’t contribute are tres, and the free throw shooting is poor (65%), although he’s been converting 72% of the freebies over the past seven games. Put it all together and Bam is a top 50-ish player for fantasy. Arigato Adebayo.
Here’s what else I saw yesterday:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 3/6 | 1/1 |
Got the start because Justise Winslow came off the bench. In Duncan Robinson’s neighborhood, there are plenty of tres and boards. Sounds like an ecologically friendly place to me. There’s no crime (steals) or censorship (blocks). Great for the community but terrible for fantasy. Unfortunately, there is no community assistance program (assists). Bad for both the community and fantasy.
Goran Dragic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3/6 | 9/18 | 3/4 |
Played 31 minutes off the bench. The Dragic still has some fire left in the belly. Too bad he’s inconsistent.
Justise Winslow
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/6 | 3/12 | 3/4 |
Played 30 minutes off the bench. The shooting efficiency has always been poor, but we dealt with it because he bombarded us with counting stats due to volume. With Jimmy Butler healthy, though, the usage has plummeted but the poor shooting efficiency has remained. Justise shall not be served.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4/9 | 10/21 | 5/5 |
Dinwiddie has filled in admirably for Kyrie Irving. How admirably you ask? He’s been a top 10 player over the past eight games!!! Kyrie should be returning soon from injury, which relegates Dinwiddie back to the bench.
Joe Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5/9 | 9/16 | 2/2 |
Harris has not been your average Joe, as he’s been a top 10 player over the past four games. He’s been averaging 19.3 points, 3.8 tres, 5.3 boards, 2 dimes, 1 steal, 0.8 blocks, while shooting 51% from the field. This production obviously isn’t going to continue, but Not-Your-Average Joe will be an excellent source of tres. On the season, he’s shooting 43.3% from downtown!
LaMarcus Aldridge did not play yesterday. Rudy Gay and Jakob Poeltl started in the front court for the Spurs. The Spurs got blown the F out yesterday. How bad? It was so bad that Lonnie Walker IV actually got playing time (16 minutes). LW IV played a total of five minutes before yesterday. Since I know you are all writhing in anticipation of the final score, the Pistons combusted the Spurs, 132-98.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4/8 | 1/4 |
Only played 26 minutes. Since Blake has returned, the usage and shot attempts have declined. The free throw shooting has dropped as well. Blake is a bad influence on Drummond and I fear that we will not be having many Dre Days for as long as Blake is on the team. I’m sad now.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4/6 | 8/12 | 0 |
After slumping for a bit, Kennard has heated up once again. Over the past three games, he’s averaging 19 points, 3.3 tres, and 4 dimes on 50% shooting from the field.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2/3 | 11/14 | 4/4 |
In 22 minutes! Whoa! I guess it makes sense that a Christian Wood would be erect and lively on a Sunday. Before you get wood, remember that it was a blowout, so he likely won’t get the minutes to be fantasy viable. On the season, Wood is receiving 14.2 minutes of run per game.
Derrick Rose
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1/3 | 3/8 | 3/3 |
Only played 19 minutes. Rose can score and dish out dimes. He’s only averaging 23.7 minutes of playing time per game though.
Danilo Gallinari
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4/7 | 8/14 | 3/4 |
The Italians export high quality products. Danilo Gallinari has been a top 45 player for fantasy, due to the points, tres, boards, and excellent free throw shooting. It’s just a matter of when, not if, he gets hurt.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6/7 | 5/6 |
He lives!!! Adams was stuck in quicksand and slowly sinking down. Here’s something you probably didn’t know and is very pertinent to this blurb. Studies have found that it is impossible to completely be submerged in quicksand because humas are less dense than quicksand. A person would only sink to their chest before starting to float. Thank you Google. He’s been a top 55 player over the past seven games, and he’s been converting 75% of his free throw attempts!
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4/8 | 5/11 | 0 |
Got the start and played 33 minutes. Look at that shooting from downtown! He still has issues shooting efficiently, though. With that said, Ball is perfect for this uptempo Pelicans team and can contribute across the board. Until he gets injured again.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 10/19 | 3/3 |
Jrue is officially back from Holiday. How do I know? Well, I did stay at a Holiday Inn. I kid, I kid. Over the past seven games, he’s been the #6 player for fantasy. The efficiency has warmed up and he’s back to his across-the-board ways.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2/3 | 8/18 | 2/2 |
Played a team-high 40 minutes! He’s fallen off a bit the past three games, as both the usage and field goal percentage have plummeted. The free throw shooting remains excellent, though. It’s amazing how much he’s improved in that area. The prior three years, he couldn’t shoot above 70%. Now he’s shooting better than 80% for the season and is converting 95% over the past three games!
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3/7 | 4/8 | 0 |
Played 33 minutes off the bench. Hart can do it all. The usage is low, though, and the shooting percentages aren’t always great, but if you need a little something something in all the categories, send some love Hart’s way.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5/11 | 10/23 | 5/6 |
As you can see, brother from another mother, Channing, is ecstatic with Jayson’s performance. It makes Googling Tatum a much more memorable experience. The usage rate for Tatum is around 28 and he’s jacking up 19 shots per game. The efficiency isn’t so good, though. Kobe taught him well. Outside of that, he contributes something in every cat. Top 40 player for fantasy.
Kemba Walker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3/9 | 6/18 | 1/2 |
Like teammate Tatum, Kemba doesn’t shoot efficiently. He bludgeons to death with the volume hammer. The usage rate is 28 for the season, but shoots up to 30 from time to time. For a guard, he boards well (4.7) and contributes points, tres, and dimes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4/10 | 11/18 | 2/4 |
The free throw shooting still sucks, but at least he’s drastically improved the field goal percentage. Brown provides points, tres, boards, and steals. He’s third fiddle in usage rate behind Kemba and Tatum; fourth fiddle when Hayward returns.
Enes Kanter
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4/7 | 3/5 |
In 16 minutes. Kan’t Kount on Kanter. I hope that didn’t send out a message to KKK headquarters.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0/5 | 8/16 | 10/13 |
All you need to know is that he’s outside the top 200 for fantasy. Sure, he can score, board, and dish out dimes, but there are no contributions in the defensive cats, the percentages are low, and the turnovers are high.
Kevin Knox II
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2/6 | 4/9 | 1/1 |
Got the start and played 22 minutes because Marcus Morris Sr. did not play (neck). Lock up Knox in a fort, but not because he’s a treasure.
Dennis Smith Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2/3 | 6/11 | 3/6 |
Played 38 minutes off the bench because Frank Ntilikina left the game due to an upper back injury. He will get run if Ntilikina is out for an extended period of time. DSJ will provide shitty percentages and dimes. I used to think he would be Stevie Franchise 2.0. I am older and wiser now.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1/1 | 4/6 | 2/2 |
Played 23 minutes. The Draymond Green conundrum. You can’t trade him because of the minutes limit, but you can’t drop him because he’s too good. As William Wallace screamed…..
Willie Cauley-Stein
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5/10 | 1/2 |
Got the start and played 24 minutes. A really nice line, but one that hasn’t been seen often this season. The Big Foot line. WCS has grabbed at least 10 boards in only two other games. Last night was his first dub-dub of the season. At least he’s been contributing the D, which makes both the women and men happy. With that said, Kevon Looney should be returning soon, which will place WCS on the bench.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1/2 | 4/9 | 5/6 |
Isaac is second in blocks per game with 2.7. The leader, Anthony Davis, is at 2.8. Coincidentally, Isaac is 0.1 behind AD in steals as well. So, basically I’m saying that Isaac is AD…..without the offensive game.
Khem Birch
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2/5 | 3/6 |
Continues to start for Nikola Vucevic and played 30 minutes. Birch has been averaging 27.6 minutes with Vuc out and is contributing boards, steals, and blocks. Free throw percentage is crappy, so keep that in mind if you go to the Birch.
Markelle Fultz
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 6/12 | 2/3 |
Played 30 minutes. Fultz has now received at least 30 minutes in three of the past four games. He’s for real and should only improve as the season progresses. He will likely be a top 100 player, providing points, dimes, and steals. This MFer ain’t so bad after all.
Evan Fournier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6/10 | 13/21 | 0 |
With Vuc out, Fournier has been pure as water flowing down from the Alps. The usage rate has increased by three, the shot attempts by three, and the points by five. He’s even been contributing in the steals department as well.
Terrence Ross
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3/8 | 8/15 | 0/1 |
In 29 minutes off the bench. I used to hate shopping at Ross, but have come to appreciate going there. It’s all about managing expectations, as you’re going to find awesome bargains from time to time, but just realize that you’ll leave the store empty handed more often than not. Ross provides points and tres.
The Jazz got fossilized by the Raptors, 110-130. As a result, no blurbs for you!!! Mike Conley led the Jazz in points with 20, Rudy Gobert pulled down 11 boards, and Royce O’Neale dished out the most dimes with five. You know it’s been a bad day when O’Neale leads the team in any offensive category.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 35 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5/9 | 14/22 | 2/2 |
The usage rate is around 30 and Siakam is chucking up over 20 shots per game! He’s a top 25 player for fantasy on the season, and that’s without significant contributions in the defensive categories. Can he improve in those areas? Sure, especially since he’s so long and athletic. With that said, he’s been fairly consistent in the first three and a half seasons in regards to steals and blocks.
O. G. Anunoby
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0/1 | 3/5 | 4/7 |
The defensive force is strong with Anunoby. Needs to consult Yoda for some of the offensive force.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5/7 | 6/10 | 4/4 |
Top 15 player for fantasy on the season. Over the past four games, VanElite has been the #4 player. He’s averaging 37.5 minutes on the season and contributing 18.6 points, 2.7 tres, 3.9 boards, 7.5 dimes, and 1.9 steals. The field goal percentage sucks, but the free throw shooting is excellent and the turnovers are low. What happens when Kyle Lowry returns? Did they ship him off to a CIA black site?
Serge Ibaka
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2/5 | 5/14 | 1/1 |
Returned from injury and played 21 minutes off the bench. Sayonara Boucher.
Jae Crowder
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2/6 | 4/11 | 2/3 |
There’s clam chowder, corn chowder, fish chowder, seafood chowder, etc….Same goes for Jae Crowder. He can be good, bad, shitty, useless, amazing….Ok, got carried away there for a sec. Crowder can score, grab boards, and collect counting stats….primarily because he plays so many minutes. The usage is low, though, and the efficiency stinks.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2/6 | 5/10 | 0 |
Only played 19 minutes due to fouling out. JJJ is as consistent as Crowder is inconsistent. Unfortunately, that’s not a good thing because JJJ is a hacker.
Jonas Valanciunas did not play due to illness. Brandon Clarke only played 10 minutes due to a hip injury. As a result….
Bruno Caboclo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0/3 | 5/14 | 2/3 |
Bruno can provide tres, boards, and blocks. The shooting efficiency stinks, and so are the minutes unless Valanciunas and Clarke miss time.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1/2 | 5/9 | 1/2 |
Got the start and played 25 minutes because Ja Morant is nursing a sore back and is “week-to-week”. Jones isn’t much of an offensive threat, but he can provide some points, tres, dimes, and steals.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/4 | 2/10 | 4/4 |
Will get run with Morant out. With great power comes great responsibility. Melton can provide across-the-board production, but the shooting is atrocious.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4/5 | 9/18 | 4/4 |
Crappy field goal percentage. That seems to be the prevailing theme today. Brooks is shooting 39% from the field for the season. With that said, he has 30-point upside and the Grizzlies play at the sixth-fastest pace in the league.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1/6 | 6/17 | 5/5 |
I never thought I’d be writing this, but Wiggins has an outside shot of becoming the newest member of the 1/1/1 club. Mind. Blown. Now, the early season heater was an outlier, but the improvements made have been real. Top 75-80 player seems likely for Wiggins. In his career, he has never finished higher than 114.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 4/10 | 10/23 | 3/3 |
Aaaaaaaaaaallllllmooooooooooooooosssssssttttttt messed around.
So.
Damn.
Good.
#5 player for fantasy.
I.
Heart.
Luka.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 7/12 | 0 |
Played 28 minutes off the bench. Wright is known for being a criminal, not an offensive mastermind. Until he schemes a few more heists by himself, I’m viewing yesterday as a blip on the radar.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1/2 | 10/21 | 6/6 |
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0/5 | 11/20 | 3/3 |
Eerily similar lines.
Alex Caruso (10 points) was the only other Laker to score in double figures.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 34 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/5 | 14/21 | 4/4 |
Only played 26 minutes because the Wizards suck. Man, Kawhi is so damn good. And it doesn’t even look like he’s giving max effort. Guy is so smooth.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4/10 | 10/21 | 7/7 |
Hmmmm, this looks kind of familiar.
Which duo do you prefer? AD and Lebron or Kawhi and PG?
Montrezl Harrell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0/2 | 9/15 | 5/9 |
Top 60 player for fantasy. If only he could shoot well from the line. I think it’s feasible because the stroke is decent. Regardless, the field goal percentage is excellent, he scores, grabs boards, and contributes defensive stats. Just no tres.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0/4 | 7/19 | 9/10 |
Over the past six games, the usage rate has dipped from 30 to 25, but the efficiency has increased from 47% to 50% from the field. We know that Beal can score and get cooking, but the biggest revelation this season has been the dimes: 7 dimes per game!
Davis Bertans
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6/9 | 7/10 | 0 |
Played 29 minutes off the bench. Bertans is the mobile artillery piece for the Wizards to launch ICBMs. Without his contribution, the Wizards would’ve lost by 50 points, instead of by the 125-150 score last night. Bertans is a top 80 player, primarily due to the contributions in tres. He’s an unbelievable shooter and it’s no fluke.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/5 | 13/23 | 2/3 |
A career high!!! And he played 38 minutes! Was it just one of those days or the start of something new? Probably the former, but you never know. Over the past four games, Rui has averaged almost 30 minutes per game and provided points, tres, and boards. We began the post with giving thanks to Bam – Arigato Adebayo. It’s only appropriate that we end with – Sayonara Hachimura. That did not come out the way I wanted it to, but it could fit for both saying bye in general or to Rui on your fantasy squad. I picked him up in leagues where I needed points. Minutes are minutes.
