My lead yesterday was about a weekend of injuries, and as much as I wanted to stay away from injuries in today’s open, there’s just way too many. Like that pilot in the Return of the Jedi when they attack the new Death Star. “There’s too many of them!” Sorry in advance Jake VZ – but I think the lead is Bradley Beal reportedly aggravating his leg injury and at the time of this post in the wee hours of the morning, the Wizards fear a prolonged absence. Beal hurt the same leg with a broken fibula last year that ended his season prematurely. In both my longer blurb in my top 100 and in my top 200 I tried to say I was worried, and only ended up with him on my autodrafted team. By now, news has hit his little news icon on Yahoo and ESPN, so it’s going to be a little tough to sell at full price or even a slight discount if you’re hitting the panic button. I’m worried myself. I’m running in with Jodie Foster and a weird, gothy, tween Kristen Stewart into my Panic Room. More precise news should come out today, but if for some reason you were about to cut Martell Webster, hold the phone and keep my boy. I have been told I have too many “boys”. But I like Webster a lot! And called him a must add a few weeks back. Trevor Ariza is also back and starting tonight, and the mere fact they’re not easing him in off the bench has me thinking his hammy must be doing pretty well. Both Ariza and Webster are looking at big minutes for a stretch, and John Wall will continue to have this big offensive upside he’s shown in the past two games. Here’s what else went down in the wide world of fantasy hoops last night:
Derrick Rose – If you hadn’t seen yet, he’s done for the year. Sucks really bad for Rose. Buzz kill! I’m glad the Bulls and Rose just flat out said he’s done for the year. They can’t go through what happened with him last year and neither can I!
Jimmy Butler – Still can’t put any weight in his foot and remains in Das Boot. The Bulls started Tony Snell at SG yesterday. To top that off, Utah actually beat the Bulls yesterday. It’s that bad….
Marquis Teague – Played 15 minutes and managed to go 0-1 with a turnover and a foul and nothing else. The towel boys have more impact on the game than him…
Luol Deng – Another nice game, and will be run into the ground for a while. 45 minutes last night in the OT game and will be getting huge runs like that for the foreseeable future. He’ll need diapers for these runs.
Trey Burke – Not an awful line of 14/6/4 but 5 TOs and shot 5-17. Kinda the lines I expect missing all the crucial developmental time in the preseason like he did.
Gordon Hayward – Hey when you’re shooting ice cold, you better be able to dime! And the kid from Butler handed out a quality dimebag last night with 12.
Marvin Williams – 17/9/1 with three treys in a ridiculous 44 minutes. Still not a big fan of his in fantasy in shallower leagues, but if he’s still out there in deeper, give him a look.
John Lucas III – Got 19 minutes, shot 1-8 for three points and a dime and nothing else. Free Diante Garrett!
Derrick Williams – Traded to the Shaq-ra-mento Kings. Will probably get used as a 3, even though he’s like a small 4. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute moves his 5 names to Minnesota. Williams has a little upside, but the Kings have been running wonky rotations all year and who knows what will happen with his usage…
Corey Brewer – 6 TOs last night. What, did he steal the ball from himself?! Jeepers.
Ricky Rubio – Everyone loves to labor on his inability to shoot instead of loving the 7/9/7/5 line. Just love me!
George Hill – Season-high scoring for a 26/3/7/5/1 line. Shot 9-13 and hit trey treys. Why you hold out for the established guys!
Stupid Big Slow Old Al Jefferson – I just had fun calling him that in the comments yesterday…14/3/1/0/2 in 33 minutes yesterday. A little underwhelming but I thought he looked good. Still a buy low despite the nickname…
Kemba Walker – Continues to be on the right page, shooting 11-17 for 28/6/5. Looked pretty damn good out there. Damn my preseason hate! It be damned!
Josh McRoberts – Multi-cat of small continues in large, with 5/7/5/1/1 last night and a three. He needs a haircut.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – Just did nothing to assert himself in this game. It’s really cooling off for a guy I liked a lot heading into the year. I’d try to hold if possible, but tougher and tougher lately.
Jared Sullinger – He looked a lot more stupid big slow old than Al Jefferson. Despite that, 5/8/2/1/1 solid line while shooting only 2-9.
Jordan Crawford – Got hot and starting banging threes. T-Pain-ing it. T-Paint it Black! Ummm, yeah I dunno what that would reference… 5-11 but 4-6 from deep and 7-7 from the stripe for a nice 21/4/5 line. I’m still not a huge believer and don’t trust Brad Stevens’ rotations one bit.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – There he is! Great 14/2/3/2 line shooting 5-9 with two threes in 36 minutes. Even with Will Bynum back, KCP started and got big run. It helped it was a blowout to help nurture the rook, but KCP is starting to get into the 14-team league conversation.
Rodney Stuckey – Still shot well (7-11) but his slash cooled off a tad for 17/3/2. I’ll never like you Stuckey! I am Stuck on anti-You!
Andre Drummond – Only 25 minutes, 12/8/1/2/0. The corner is still being slowly turned, the corner for me to not hate him, but just so very slowly…
Khris Middleton – Got the start, hit 8 of the first 12 Bucks points, was the only offensive bright spot, then got benched halfway through the first until the latter part of the 2nd. Does Brad Stevens coach this team?! Ugh! Ended the night with a very solid 5-9 14/5/2 with two treys when you consider it was 21 minutes. Larry Drew emptied his bench and found out Middleton should still start, regardless.
Brandon Knight – Also inserted into the starting line-up as part of Drew’s “shake-up” I alluded to yesterday. Was awful. 8/0/4 in 22 minutes with 6 TOs. Turn this shizz around! Hopefully his hammy can improve and he’ll get some confidence.
John Henson – Along with royal K Middleton, was the only Buck who, well, didn’t pass the buck last night going 7-12 for 15/7/1/2/2 in a near rainbow. Still like Henson a lot.
Dwyane Wade – Still got it! Well, sorta… If only he could play every game! Stop shopping your show for syndication! Say that three times fast… 21/6/12 for D Wade shooting 9-13. Why I liked him as a buy low.
Mario Chalmers – Has a hurt hip. He and Raymond Felton can start a hip club.
Mike Conley – Who left the window open!? It was Gordon Hayward probably! Abysmal 2-14 as the Grizz try to adjust to life without Marc-y Marc. At least he handed out a dimebag to help ease the pain…
Kosta Koufos – Getting a long run as a starting C and was solid, going 4-7 for 8/13/2/0/2 in 31 minutes. He’s pretty much J.J. Hickson. But Greek. And ownable in most leagues.
Terrence Jones – Cringggggeeeeeeee…. Omer Asik got 21 minutes. Ruh-roh. Only 11/5/2/0/2 last night, not horrible or anything, but you don’t like the 26 minutes from TJ and cry-baby-mcgoo getting comparable run off the bench in a close game. Not much analysis as you’re holding TJ and hoping to throw eggs at Kevin McHale.
Francisco Garcia – Rainbow line! That came outta nowhere… 6/5/2/2/2. Just a fluke, but nice to see.
J.J. Hickson – He’s pretty much Kosta Koufos. Hah, I keed, 22/8/1/3/1 shooting 8-11 and a decent 6-8 FT. Still liking my call of him a must own when JaVale’s leg pulled a Bradley Beal. I gotta boast on the right calls, don’t happen often!
Jose Calderon – Is he, gulp, turning into, gulp gulp, a glorified ThrAGNOF?! The answer might unfortunately be yes… 12/0/4/0/0 hitting three treys. I watched this game, and he just camps out there. He just pitches a tent while watching Monta Ellis drive to the hoop… Jose C is averaging by far a career-high in threes and a seven-year low in Asts. Does that make him droppable in shallow 10-teamers if you need a Sunday stream spot? I actually think… yes….
Tiago Splitter – Rolled his ankle. Severity is unknown but sounds like he could’ve gotten back into the game if not for a blow out. Boris Diaw played a team-high 31 minutes for 13/5/2/1/0 as the Spurs are becoming the best real-life team and the worst fantasy team. Free Kawhi!
Jrue Holiday – Rainbow it up in the blowout! 12/9/7/3/2 in a great line. Jrue’s picked it up over his last 5 in his attempt to prove he’s a top-tier player.
Andrea Bargnani – Looks like a moron out there. Sorry Bargs fans. Now that is his real-life assessment, but in fantasy terms, shot poorly at 7-16 but a useful 16/6/3 line with a block and only 1 TO. So he’s still a need-to-own guy for me, despite looking lost half the time at the eye level.
Nicolas Batum – Was the best overall player on the court at times last night against the Knicks. Sorry Carmelo… 23/7/6/1/1 and made the energy plays. All that said, he’s topped 20 Pts only twice now, and while obviously a multi-cat god, still isn’t going to be a top-20 player I don’t think. But that’s just me. And I really like Batum in real-ness.
Beno Udrih – In another start filling in for Felton, went 13/5/5 hitting 3-3 from deep. He looked passable out there if you need a filler PG play during the week.
That’s it from me this week as I depart on a Thanksgiving adventure. I’ll still be around to answer questions, and Slim & Dan will have their pieces up through the week to get you through the Holiday. Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy a weekend of hoops and leftovers!
