Sometimes it’s nice, oh so nice, to see so much potential that you saw through the preseason finally get the chance to shine, the star to sizzle, the Sun to finally get his run. With Eric Bledsoe sitting last night with a bruised shin, my boy Archie Goodwin finally got a chance, running a season-high 19 minutes for 16/2/2/2 shooting 7-10 and hitting a three, including this highlight worthy pick 6. “Give me a chance coach!” Goodwin has great speed and a good feel for the game for a 19-year-old, and is showing a little bit of what he could do should he get extended time. The Suns backcourt is flooded, muddled mostly by the breakout Gerald Green is putting on, but the hot start-Suns have now dropped three straight, going from 3-1 to 5-5. Green is an ultimate sell-high, both in fantasy and in the NBA trade market, for his highlight-inducing big plays and he’s shooting 12% better from the field and 11% better from 3-point land than last year. Obviously 2012-13 was a disaster, so some bounce back was coming, but yea, if the Suns could get anything in return, they’ll take it. With Green signed through next season and Goran Dragic with a player-option for next year, both are potential trade chips the Suns could use to build around Bledsoe. Sure, I’m dreaming up a scenario that may not be the most likely, but what I’m really dreaming about is a Bledsoe/Goodwin starting backcourt. Mmmmmm. Fantasy goodness everywhere! Goodwin is worth keeping an eye on with the Bledsoe shin injury in the deepest of leagues, and deeper dynasty leagues should have him on the radar as well. Here’s what else went down last night in fantasy hoops:
Terrence Jones – EL BURRO’s best friend went off against a Celtics team that played all their players like a 7-year-old’s rec team. “Every player must play at least two quarters!” TJ roughed up the C’s to the tune of 10-12 24/9/1/0/2 and hit a three. Omer Asik got on the court, but played a mere 7 minutes while TJ is still your starter. Things looking very bright for TJ indeed!
Boston Celtics – This is a joke. MarShon Brooks played 7, then every other player got into double-digit minutes with only Avery Bradley playing over 23:25. Maybe Brad Stevens is mocking fantasy, but Jeff Green owners are irate right now at his 22:15 last night and pitiful line. He’s the only guy to own on the team in shallower leagues, and while Stevens does hockey substitutions in the middle of plays it seems like, it’s not looking good. Be sure not to buy Green low right now and see how it pans out. Another crazy stat – the Celtics took 99 shots to the Rockets 72. Celtics hit 32, Rox hit 41. I know Stevens is rebuilding, but man, running the team into the ground. Wiggin’ out for Wiggins!
Donatas Motiejunas – Another 18+ minutes and 5/5 with a block. Once Asik is traded, he’s a very-deep league option with their only other bench big Greg Smith out with a sprained knee.
Patrick Beverley vs. The World (and Jeremy Lin) – Just over 23 minutes for PBev going 6-9 16/4/1 hitting a pair of treys. Lin played half a minute longer for 11/0/5/1/1. I still maintain PBev is a must own in virtually all leagues. Will bust out more multi-cat stuff most nights.
Corey Brewer – My boy! 16/4/0 with 4 swipes. Shot 7-17 with a three. How’d he get 17 shots!? Getting huge minutes, and is a steals specialist. He’s like Danny Ocean. Or Billy Hamilton. SAGNOF! Wait, this is basketball… Brewer’s at 2 steals a game now – Grand Theft Lobo!
Derrick Williams – Racked up a second straight DNP-CD. Craziest part is he’s still owned in 5% Yahoo and 20% ESPN. What the hey?!
J.J. Barea – Always be teasing me with the tantalizing PG stats! 12/7 in 29 minutes while Ricky Rubio only got to 19:19. Now I haven’t seen anything on an injury for Rubio, and it’s curious this went down in a 4-point loss. Looks like a poor coaching move. Regardless, Barea is solid for some spot scoring and diming.
Martell Webster – Told ya to ride out the Dictionary! “He’s definitely a pickup consideration looking at huge minutes in the short-term in almost all leagues.” That’s me quoting me! 17/9/2/0/1 hitting 5 treys and playing a preposterous 43 minutes with Trevor Ariza on the shelf. Must own everywhere possible until Ariza is back.
John Wall – Pulled a Rubio and shot like poop-io going 5-17, but killed his slash with a 14/5/16/2/1 line. Balls to the Wall!
Nene – Again, worth being sure he’s owned because he’s in the must-own range right now while healthy. 20/5/4/1/1.
Dwight Howard – An atypical line, but a rainbow line! 10/11/2/2/3. Every rainbow line deserves some pub.
Il Diva – Good ol’ Andrea Bargnani was a little quiet, but you’ll take the 13/6/2 with a block and no TOs. He got over 30 minutes though! Stop being a diva out there, Bargs!
Raymond Felton – Falling apart. Has a pinched nerve in his hip. I thought your hip was a bone; are there nerves in your bones? Eh, probably, I guess that makes sense. “I’m not a doctor, I’m a pool man!”
Beno Udrih – Got the start. Did nothing. Got 4 assists, so in the deepest of leagues worth an Ast spot start if you’re more desperate than a Jersey Shore housewife.
Kenyon Martin – Started as well, with no Metta World Peace and Iman Shumpert sliding to the two. Shumpert has got to be looking around him on the opening tip, and being like, “why am I playing with with the 2002-03 All-Stars and some foreign white PG? Can I get traded already?!” Martin in 29 mins went 5/7/0/2/1, so he’ll rack up a tiny bit of something if you need a guy with a pulse in the deepest of leagues.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Still struggling to find his shot, going 4-12 13/4/0 with a steal and hitting three treys. Got another start though, and nearly 30 minutes. I like he had no turnovers and this was a solid win for the Pistons. I buy he can get decent minutes even when Will Bynum and Chauncey Billups get back.
Andre Drummond – Killing it. Feeling not so good these days being an Andre the Giant hater – 6-7 FG 13/11/1/2/3. Near rainbow line, and his free throw shooting continues to be god awful at 1-5. Hack a Drummond! Will be starting up soon.
Brandon Jennings – Took only 3 shots, say whaaaaa? He was battling a stomach illness, but still racked up 27 minutes. Shouldn’t have eaten those Twinkies, they’re discontinued!
Rodney Stuckey – Just won’t leave fantasy owners alone. He’s a good fantasy “annoying neighbor”. I need to start using that more. As in, “Stuckey had another decent line to bug me into considering him, but I want none of that, such an annoying neighbor!” 21/2/5 last night and 16+ in three straight. Worth the look in shallower leagues, but I’ve never been a huge Stuckey guy.
Mike Scott – Dude my REL bottom guys just went off last night! My roster had Goodwin, Scott and KCP in there. 15/10/1/1/0 in a shocking team-high of 28 minutes. The Hawks waived the white flag a little early in this one! No Paul Millsap with elbow tendinitis, aka “whacker’s elbow”, and Gustavo Ayon wasn’t doing much of anything. Scott is pretty far off the fantasy radar, but I’ve mentioned a few times he was a solid player in college at UVA and played well when given run last year. Continues to do the same this year. Deepest of leagues should give him a look.
Kyle Korver – Uh oh. 9/3/3/2/0/1 with three treys. Not bad by any means, but sinking back down into ThrAGOF territory! That team where I held him, [in Hank Williams voice] “he gone!”
Pero Antic – He’s pretty buried on the depth chart with Ayon returning, but 12/4/1/2/0 in 16 minutes last night while hitting a pair of deep balls. He’s a big that can shoot! He’s sorta like a for-sure off-the-bench Vitor Faverani minus the swats. Hell, he could play more minutes than Faverani here on out and I wouldn’t be surprised. Go back to Butler, Stevens!
Dwyane Wade – Sat again. Hey, the Heat won in game 1 of a back-to-back. You just have to check his status every time out.
Mario Chalmers – Another decent line of 14/3/4 with another 3 steals. Did you know he was born in Alaska? Man, he must be loving having his talents in South Beach. Anyway, I still think regression is coming and his career-high pace of 2.2 steals is ridic. He’s not Corey Brewer!
Markieff Morris – Get off the knees ref, you’re blowing Markieff’s fantasy day! Racked up 5 quick fouls and only logged three of four FT makes as stats. He’s been cooling off before this game, so droppable in most formats. Fun while it lasted!
Marcus Morris – Maybe the brothers just switched numbers before this game… 6-11 for 19/3, but didn’t log any other stats. Channing Frye had the best big man game in this one. It’s a mess with the bigs there in Phoenix if you’re looking for any kind of consistency. The most certain thing is Alex Len is awful.
DeMarcus Cousins – Boogie gonna woogie tonight! Epic rainbow line of 27/12/3/4/2. Sorry Mason Plumlee, Boogie came ready!
Marcus Thornton – Got a very curious DNP-CD last night. When you lose out your minutes to 18 for Travis Outlaw and 14 for Jimmer Fredette, you know you’re in the doghouse. The Shaq-ramento Kings are all sorts of Shaqtin’-a-Fool.
Next Game: Jazz @ Pelicanzz. Still hoping for big minutes from Diante Garrett and the usual huge game from the Brow. Hope your teams got you off to a good start and looking forward to your thoughts below!
