In Latin, Anno Domini means “in the year of the Lord.” Any coincidence that Anthony Davis is the fantasy lord? I think not. AD was the consensus overall number one pick coming into the season, and for good reason. He hammer times and moon walks over the competition by literally doing everything. For the infidels who blasphemously inserted another player on the throne, take a look at last nights line and ponder your unfulfilling existence.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13/21 | 6/7 |
This wasn’t no “Devin Booker score 70 points in a double digit loss” line. This was a “let’s beatdown the Houston Rockets by 19 points” line. Bend the knee.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
Nikola Mirotic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6/8 | 11/20 | 2/3 |
Niiiiiiiiiiiiikola with the threeeeeeeeeeeeecolas. Received the start and did his damage in 30 minutes. You know who knew? The Stocktonator knew, as it had Mirotic as the 11th overall player last night. The front court in New Orleans is going to be a problem for opposing teams to handle all year. AD does everything. Mirotic can stretch the floor but also bang down low. Speaking of banging down low….
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/4 | 9/15 | 5/6 |
He’s going to absolutely punish those that lack that junk in the trunk. Still not getting D stats, but the four attempts from downtown were nice to see. The triumvirate of Davis, Mirotic, and Randle could be the Holy Trinity of the NBA.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0/6 | 5/12 | 0 |
An off shooting night for Jrue. It happens, but the concerning number is the 15 usage rate. Could be just a one-night Holiday, but something to keep an eye on, especially if the Holy Trinity is as divine as it looked last night.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/2 | 5/13 | 0/2 |
Elf asked, “Which park y’all playing basketball?” It helps that he no longer has that mop on his head. It also helps that he plays on a team with the Holy Trinity and Holiday. Finally, it doesn’t hurt that the Pelicans play at the fastest pace in the league. Now, the usage rate was only 17 last night and the percentages were poor, but the environment is so juicy.
PJ Tucker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4/7 | 6/11 | 3/4 |
I kind of wish I put Tucker higher in my rankings. He’s going to play a shit ton of minutes, as he will defend the 3, 4, and 5 positions, can drain the corner 3, bang down low and grab boards, and contribute in D stats. Very underrated both real life and fantasy player.
James Ennis III
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/5 | 3/7 | 0 |
Only played 25 minutes and will likely be the one to cede time for Carmelo Anthony.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1/5 | 3/10 | 2/4 |
Gross. Can we finally stop trying to make this a thing?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4/9 | 0 |
As I said in the open, AD hammer times and moon walks over all the competition. There was no C & C Music Factory last night.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3/7 | 6/12 | 4/5 |
Solid, yet unspectacular. For the price paid, wishing for more, though. Kind of like insurance. I guess State Farm is a perfect match.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3/8 | 6/15 | 3/4 |
Almost messed around, but he’s no Elf. Maybe if he shaved his beard.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/9 | 7/14 | 5/5 |
Played 29 minutes and did what Eric Gordon do. Jack up threeecolas with no regard for life. 3-and-D but without the D.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1/2 | 2/6 | 3/3 |
Only played 22 minutes, as he was in foul trouble and eventually ended up fouling out. Meow.
Jeff Teague
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2/3 | 8/12 | 9/9 |
Led the Timberwolves in scoring and played 32 minutes. Teague is a solid player and will erupt like this from time to time. Don’t expect this to be a nightly occurrence though.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3/4 | 0 |
The Taj is strictly a boards guy who would fall into periphery stats due to high number of minutes he would play each night. While he played 27 last night, it’s well shy of the 33 he averaged last season. Something to monitor.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2/6 | 8/18 | 2/2 |
My momma said, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then you shouldn’t say anything at all.”………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Man, Wiggins jacks up some horrific shots. Sorry, momma. Couldn’t resist.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1/4 | 9/23 | 4/5 |
It was reported that Butler would play in “shorter segments” for last night’s game. Ha! 32 minutes, 23 shot attempts, and 34.2 usage rate. I’d like to see longer segments please.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/2 | 3/12 | 2/2 |
Played 31 minutes.
Free Tyus Jones!!!
LaMarcus Aldridge
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0/1 | 7/23 | 7/10 |
No one is LMAO now. That boy good. Led the Spurs in minutes played with 42, but was second to DeRozan in usage. No matter, though, as he still got his.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1/3 | 10/21 | 7/11 |
29.3 usage rate. Kawhi who? I still think he’s a little overrated for fantasy due to the lack of 3s and D stats, but he can score and grab some boards while dishing out a few dimes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/4 | 0 |
Got the start but only played 8 minutes. A favorite sleeper of mine in the offseason….I’ll shut up now.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1/5 | 4/10 | 2/2 |
With all the injuries, Forbes got the start at point guard and played 30 minutes. Forbes won’t make anyone rich, but can contribute a little something something across the board.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2/6 | 2/7 | 0 |
Played 30 minutes but he kind of sucks. With that said, he’s going to get minutes and will have a few spiked games here and there, but won’t be a consistent fantasy contributor.
Pau Gasol
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/1 | 1/4 | 2/2 |
Played 23 minutes, which is where he will probably be on a nightly basis. The volume won’t be there, but Gasol will contribute in boards and assists in the limited amount of time he’s on the court.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7/8 | 4/8 |
Got the start at power forward and played 24 minutes. Ain’t doing any Favors going 50% from the charity stripe, though.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4/6 | 9/12 | 0 |
Jingle bells. Batman smells. Robin laid an egg. Played 35 minutes and has become an integral part of this Jazz team. Not the most athletic guy, Ingles displays excellent awareness at both ends of the court, which allows him to rack up steals and dish out dimes. Fade at your own risk.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7/9 | 5/5 |
The Stocktonator’s #10 overall player last night. Do you think it knew that he’d shoot 5-for-5 from the charity stripe? Don’t doubt the Stocktonator.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0/4 | 1/1 |
Ruh roh. Only played 22 minutes and wasn’t in foul trouble.
Dante Exum
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 4/9 | 4/7 |
Played 26 minutes. Camera slowly pans over to Ricky Rubio fans. Ruh roh.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3/10 | 8/21 | 5/6 |
30.8 usage rate last night, which is probably where it will be all season long. The efficiency wasn’t great and the dimes were low, but I’m not too concerned about that right now. The Jazz system should prohibit Mitchell from being a complete black hole.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/3 | 4/7 | 2/2 |
Only played 18 minutes, but was extremely productive. Kind of a forgotten man, Burks has shown ability in the past when given the opportunity and is someone to keep an eye on.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 8/12 | 0 |
Got the start at power forward and played 27 minutes. The Nemanja was of excellent quality last night.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10/15 | 3/6 |
Played 38 minutes and is playing like he wants to get piggidy paid. The performance is more impressive when factoring that he was going up against Rudy Gobert.
De’Aaron Fox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0/2 | 8/16 | 5/7 |
Vlade is crazy like a Fox. The second-year pro played 38 minutes and looks to be in full control of the ship. Ahoy mateys!
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1/4 | 9/18 | 0/1 |
Not quite Steph Curry, at least Vivek got someone better than Seth Curry. The 4 turnovers are no bueno, but Buddy contributed across the board and does have an excellent shot.
Justin Jackson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/4 | 4/10 | 0 |
Played 31 minutes. Why? I have no idea. I think he sucks but I’m just a guy writing words from the proverbial mom’s basement.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 0 |
Only played 12 minutes, which I think is the right thing to do. Bagley is super athletic, yet he’s still so raw. Kind of weird seeing the Kings doing the right thing.
Harry Giles
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 |
Played 10 minutes, which I also think is the right thing. Giles looked spry and played well during the preseason, but he’s still recovering from a multitude of injuries. Bring him along slowly and develop him for the long haul.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0/1 | 1/7 | 9/12 |
Oh baby. A healthy Millsap on this team makes me wanna get with ya.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1/4 | 6/13 | 8/10 |
We’ve come to expect so much from Jokic that this line seems like a joke. No triple-dub? Ba humbug.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 3/12 | 0 |
I was bummed when I saw this line, as I thought Murray would take the next step this season. Then I realized that it’s only one game and Murray is still only 20 freaking years old.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3/5 | 6/12 | 4/4 |
Played 35 minutes and is one of the underrated players in fantasy. Does it all and has a high minutes floor due to his versatility at both ends of the floor.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/3 | 6/16 | 8/8 |
Not the best shooting night for Harris, but make no mistake, he is a sharp shooter and gets plenty of open looks in this high-powered offense.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/1 | 3/6 | 4/6 |
Played 19 minutes off the bench. I like Lyles, especially since he can play both forward spots. He’s tall enough to grab boards but has range from downtown.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 2/3 | 0 |
Only played 15 minutes, but he’s someone I always keep an eye on. 6′ 9″ 230 pounds, Juancho is very agile for his size and is a career 37% shooter from behind the arc. Can light up the scoreboard but will also contribute across the board. If injury strikes, he’s someone to consider.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4/7 | 5/13 | 2/2 |
Played 34 minutes and is still healthy. Count your blessings and just parlay it until the music stops.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2/6 | 6/13 | 5/6 |
Played a team-high 41 minutes. Woo hoo! I love me some Tobias this year. He’s so freaking good and he knows it, as he turned down an $80 million contract extension in the offseason. Is he a max player, though?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6/8 | 6/6 |
Played 18 minutes and did this…..
Boban has had enough of these mortals pic.twitter.com/2fUyRYphRp
— Boban Wobjanovic (@World_Wide_Wob) October 18, 2018
And this….
BOBAN throws down the FIERCE slam! ?#ClipperNation #KiaTipOff18 pic.twitter.com/NnQsDVci4t
— NBA (@NBA) October 18, 2018
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/5 | 0/8 | 0 |
Only played 20 minutes. He is less than a year removed from knee surgery, so maybe the Clippers are bringing him back slowly. Or maybe they are just grooming…..
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5/6 | 1/1 |
Played 28 minutes and is the hand-picked, high draft pick of the Logo. In the Logo I Trust.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2/6 | 4/10 | 4/5 |
Played 24 minutes. It looks like I was wrong….again. Was thinking Lou would maintain the high minutes and usage from last season, but this team is too deep when healthy.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5/9 | 1/1 |
There were a few Luka-Oops early on, but then the Suns clamped down. Say what?! As this Mavs team gels, DJ will start playing that music on and on and on and on.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0/5 | 5/16 | 0/2 |
Luka-Oops? Naw, I’m still a believer. Love his game and think he’s going to be special. Plenty of Luka-Oops to DJ in the future.
Dennis Smith Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 6/19 | 0 |
The shooting efficiency is still an issue, but the 3 steals and only 1 turnover were nice. I still am reminded of Steve Francis everytime I watch DSJ play. I know it’s unfair and probably unwarranted, but I see the flashes. Hopefully he can get to that level.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 3/8 | 2/3 |
Played 21 minutes and always delivers the goods. You don’t marry Miss Universe Puerto Rico if you can’t or don’t.
Ryan Anderson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/1 | 1/4 | 0 |
Got the start and played 24 minutes. Are the Suns trying to tank or not? Why else would they start and play Mr. Anderson? Unless they are working the long con and showcasing him for a trade. I don’t know. Whatever it may be, the Suns are 1-0 and just beat down the Mavericks by 21. I’ll shut up now.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5/9 | 7/12 | 2/2 |
Please re-read what I wrote above and apply to here.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8/11 | 2/2 |
As good as advertised. And then some.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 35 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6/10 | 12/19 | 5/6 |
We know he can score but look at them dimes. Hey Wiggins! You see this?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3/4 | 7/11 | 1/2 |
Came off the bench and played 28 minutes. The shot looks so much better, especially off the dribble. Since he cut his hair, it is possible that I was mistaking him for TJ Warren at times. Speaking of….
TJ Warren
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3/4 | 5/12 | 4/4 |
Played 24 minutes off the bench. Looked smooth and was draining threeecolas, something he has rarely done over his career. What they put in the water down there in Phoenix?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1/4 | 5/18 | 10/14 |
As expected, the Cavs offense went through Love, as he garnered a 30 usage rate last night. More Love would make the world a better place.
Holy crap! I just realized that I’m not even half way through with his recap. I’ll make sure to make it shorter going forward, but since I’m here, I might as well finish it off. This goes out to all the guys that got blue balls because someone did not finish things off.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1/5 | 1/2 |
Larry Nance Jr. did not play, so TT got the start and played 27 minutes. If you need rebounds, then TT is your man. God speed.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2/2 | 5/10 | 5/6 |
Everyone’s favorite Osman delivered last night, as he played 33 minutes and looks to entrenched in the starting rotation.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2/3 | 5/11 | 3/4 |
Got the start at point guard and played 31 minutes. Colin Sexton only played 18 minutes, so Hill could be a nice source of assists and threeecolas.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 6/8 | 0 |
Got the start but only played 20 minutes. That’s disappointing to me, as I’m very high on Siakam. It sounds like coach Nick Nurse is going to mix-and-match. Booooooooo.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/3 | 9/22 | 5/6 |
Played 37 minutes. Looked great and I chose poorly on fading him. Not much to say, as he’s awesome when healthy and engaged.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | 3/8 | 0 |
Got the start but only played 20 minutes. The mixing-and-matching is going to be detrimental for the value of all the front court players.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5/6 | 10/12 | 2/3 |
Doesn’t seem so sad that his BFF is no longer there, huh? Obviously not going to shoot 83% every night, but the production across the board was lovely.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3/7 | 4/9 | 0 |
Now Canada gets to live the Danny Green experience. If you have to ask what that is, you obviously have never lived it. Sit back and enjoy.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1/3 | 2/10 | 4/6 |
Played 27 minutes. Is Iblocka back in our lives? I have to see it more consistently to fully believe it, but if so, I will be a happy man.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/5 | 6/14 | 1/3 |
Delon Wright was out of commission, so VanVleet played 25 minutes. A solid player who will contribute dimes and threeecolas on the cheap.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3/7 | 7/15 | 4/4 |
Ahhhhh, the Sign of the Beast. I was concerned that Trae Young would suck up all the usage, but Prince led the team with a 26.4 rate last night. Maybe it was bizarro day, as Prince usually contributes the D but struggles with the O.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0/2 | 3/6 | 1/2 |
Got the start due to Dewayne Dedmon being out, yet still only played 21 minutes. If you thought the Danny Green experience was bad, I can’t put into words what the Alex Len experience is. Stay strong Canada.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1/5 | 5/14 | 3/4 |
You take the good with the bad. The percentages are going to be frightening and the turnovers will be plentiful. That’s good if you are high and craving pastries. On the flip side, the Hawks are going to play at a fast pace and they will be in tank mode all season long, so Trae will get plenty of opportunities to do his thing.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2/6 | 6/12 | 0 |
A solid player that has one-year left on his deal at…..$19 million???!!!! What a country!
Jeremy Lin
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/2 | 3/6 | 2/2 |
I saw some people thinking about picking up Lin. Well, he played 14 minutes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5/9 | 6/7 |
The double-dub machine feasted on Hawks. Mmmmmm, yummy. You know something is up when the Knicks win by 19 and Kanter gets a steal and a block.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2/3 | 6/11 | 1/2 |
Got the start at point guard but only played 21 minutes. He can light it up on any given night, but tough to trust if he only gets 21 minutes.
Frank Ntilikina
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 2/7 | 0 |
Got the start at small forward and played 34 minutes. Will be a defensive maven but still has a lot of work to do on the offensive side of the ball.
Tim Hardaway Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 31 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3/9 | 10/22 | 8/8 |
Rolling point after point after point. A true heater. But as any craps player knows, those heaters are few and far between. 7 out!
Kevin Knox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1/5 | 4/16 | 1/3 |
Came off the bench and played 24 minutes. It’s good to see he wasn’t shy and made some nice shots. Will be interesting to see how he develops as the season goes on.
Ron Baker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/3 | 0/3 | 2/2 |
Played 27 minutes. Why ask why? Eat Arby’s and drink Bud Dry.
Allonzo Trier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1/3 | 5/9 | 4/4 |
Continued his strong play from the summer. Played 26 minutes and is a getter of buckets.
Mario Hezonja
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3/7 | 6/14 | 0/1 |
Super Mario only played 19 minutes but was very productive. It was the Hawks, so there’s that, but he had a 33.3 usage rate when on the court.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2/10 | 8/21 | 3/3 |
My RichardSON!!! The D stats will always be there, but he’s morphing into the alpha on this squad. Not sure that’s the best role for him, but whatever. If he can develop the offensive game, that would level him up to the next tier.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0/1 | 6/15 | 0/1 |
Played 34 minutes. Hopefully this Kumbaya between Spoelstra and Whiteside is for real.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3/7 | 9/14 | 5/7 |
I always expect Dragic to do more, so of course he usually does less. When I expect him to do less, he always balls the F out. I can never get him right.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4/5 | 9/18 | 4/6 |
Played 38 minutes. One of these days, Gordon is going to put it all together. Is it just me or is he Blake Griffin 2.0?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/1 | 2/4 | 1/2 |
Played 18 minutes.
Happens every year, without fail.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1/2 | 6/8 | 0/2 |
Played 25 minutes and from what I read, Bamba showed excellent awareness on both ends of the floor. Man, I didn’t expect him to make an impact so soon.
Chandler Parsons
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/5 | 3/9 | 0 |
Got the start at small forward, which had me questioning my existence. After 23 minutes, I was relieved to find out that all was indeed right with the world.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2/3 | 2/11 | 7/8 |
Grit and….
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/5 | 3/11 | 3/3 |
Grind for a total of 83 points scored and 28 point loss to the Pacers.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0/1 | 2/6 | 6/6 |
Played 25 minutes. Yeah, that number better grit and grind it’s way up to the 30s.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2/6 | 1/2 |
Came off the bench and played 19 minutes because……..
The Pacers smoked the Grizzlies 111-83. Therefore, Myles Turner only played 20 minutes, Darren Collison 21 minutes, and Victor Oladipo 26 minutes. Grit and Grind baby!
Jared Dudley
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0/4 | 0/5 | 1/2 |
Started and played 36 minutes because……
Please refer to the Kyle Anderson blurb.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2/3 | 6/10 | 3/4 |
Played 30 minutes and was as good as advertised. Had some beautiful spin moves in the paint and rejected Ricky Lake Griffin a couple of times on dunk attempts.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1/4 | 3/9 | 1/2 |
Still loading…….
Did you unplug it and plug it back in?
Still loading…….
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0/2 | 10/18 | 7/8 |
Played 34 minutes and had a 31.4 usage rate. Remember the Jonathan Isaac blurb? Think the exact opposite here.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0/3 | 10/18 | 3/5 |
Played 32 minutes. Dude can ball.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/1 | 8/17 | 9/11 |
Ricky Lake Griffin scores and gets you those dimes from the big man position. Bagel in the D stats, of course. I know I’m harsh on Griffin, as he does provide tons of counting stats. I just expect more. That’s all.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1/3 | 10/21 | 3/4 |
If he makes threeecolas and 75% of his free throws, then it won’t be Dre Day. It will be Dre Year.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2/9 | 7/20 | 3/3 |
Played 35 minutes, while Ish Smith played 29 minutes and scored 11 points with 3 assists. I thought the minutes distribution would be more 50/50, but it looks like RJax is the lead dog. Obvious boost in value for Jackson.
Giannis Antetokoumpo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0/3 | 9/21 | 7/12 |
I have a sneaky suspicion that G is down with this Budenholzer offense. The turnover number is unacceptable and the threeecolas are still lacking. Still….G almost had a triple-dub by the end of the first quarter.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/3 | 6/9 | 0 |
Came off the bench but played 29 minutes. Ilyasova can bang and grab boards, but he’s out there mostly to space the floor. He did move well without the ball and G found him under the rim for easy layups.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/4 | 3/6 | 0 |
Played 22 minutes, which I found interesting. DD can shoot from outside, but is also athletic enough to take it to the rack. I’d keep an eye out to see if he’s already carved out a niche for himself.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 41 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7/13 | 15/29 | 4/5 |
The first 40-burger of the year and he’s buried towards the bottom of the post. No respect for the Kemba Label. My apologies Kemba. Get a 50-burger next game out and I’ll make you the lede. In the uptempo Barrego offense, Kemba is going to thrive.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/1 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Played 12 minutes. Willy will never be freed.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4/8 | 7/16 | 0 |
Played 34 minutes. I was wrong. Craig was right. I never doubted the talent, but questioned the opportunity. Well…..my question has been answered. Monk was out there during closing time and Barrego often went 3-guard lineups with Monk.
AyYyYyYyO!!!
What’s up Son ?! We’re back man.
Love having the Razzball recap to read for my Mornings. Great stuff!
I’m in 2 leagues this year – Owning Levert and Osman in both (check mark)
Woke up this morning & dumped Kelly for Dinwiddie in one.
And dumped Giles for Taj in the other..
Taj is not an exciting pick up at all, more of a boring, but SAFE one ?
Are Poeltl and Willy a hold for now in 12 team ? (15 man rosters deep)
Both a bit of a let down.
I may have drafted 3 bigs that could be a swing and a miss (Poeltl/Willy/Giles)
Squad –
Dunn/Russell/Tyreke
P. George/Levert/Hood
Tobias/Prince/Osman/Saric
Embiid/Ayton/Poeltl/Willy/Gibson
Available FAs- JaMychal Green/Bjelica/D. Jones/Bam/Ersan/Vonleh/Barea/G. Hill
Thanks my guy!
@Mr. Blast: Ay-mf’ing-o!!!!!
Good to be back my man. Glad to be of service for those early morning rituals.
Taj is boring but useful. He gets minutes but did get less than I expected last night. Will monitor the situation.
I’m holding both Willy and Poelt for now but will drop if the trend continues and someone more appealing surfaces.
Squad looks good. How many starters?
@Son:
Thanks man. – 11 starters – 4 bench spots – No I.R
Tucker is out there as well.
@Mr. Blast: Squad is solid across the board. Not dominant in any cat. I like Bjelica, Ersan, Tucker, and Hill
I kept Olynyk because he only cost me an 11th round pick to keep, but it seems like the Heat are going to stick to mostly playing him 15-20 minutes a night. We know he can be super productive when he plays, but the Heat seem committed to giving all 27 of their players minutes. Is it too early to drop him (or Fournier) and make a FAAB on Osman?
Team: CP3, Conley, J-Rich, Fournier,LeVert, Leonard, Gallo, Randle, Olynyk, Horford, Carter Jr.
Yeah, looks like Kelly O will have a ceiling, especially since Whiteside is getting full run. The problem is you don’t need wings and need bigs
@Son: The only interesting big on my wire is Boban. There’s also Markieff Morris, though he’s not known for your typical big man stats. So I can either keep KO, give up early and swap him for Boban (and hope Wasteside doesn’t get traded), or go after Osman and then try to swing a trade later on. I suppose Fournier is another possible drop.
I’d drop Kelly O for Osman then try and swing a trade
You prefer Bamba or Boban moving forward?
@J: Bamba
@Son: Shoot also was gonna snag Ossman once the games started tonight, but someone else beat me to it. Who you like between Pj Tucker, Bjelica, or Hezonja?
@J: In that order
Now *that* is a recap! Fantastic stuff, Son! It was so good I clicked it twice (different devices).
It’s always a question of need with fantasy hoops, but in a vacuum, which of these FAs do you feel most confident about when it comes to minutes/usage going forward?
Ariza
Monk
Boban
Looney
Tucker
Rosier
Prince
Dinwiddie
Do you see any of these guys as a clear-cut priority pickup? You mentioned Tucker above in a similar vein–that’s what i was thinking of.
We are a 10-team league that rolls only 120 deep, so guys like Jabari Parker and WCJ for example are unowned as well (hopefully that gives you some sort of reference point).
And the dudes at the bottom of my roster are Ibaka, Brogdon, and Tyreke. All solid more or less.
Thanks, Son! Have a good Thursday!
@JakeTPE: Rozier* stupid auto-correct.
@JakeTPE: Ha! Thanks Jake! Now go make a bot that clicks the article a gazillion times so I can put cheese on my Whopper.
I like Prince, Ariza, Tucker, and Monk in that order.
Thinking about capitalizing on a panicking Myles Turner owner. Where would you rank him for the ROS?
Top 50
Son,looking for points and boards
Would u drop Jaren jackson Jr for
Stein
Schroder
Richardson
Hield
Levert
Prince
Dimwiddle
Osman
or hold?
Im holding because I like JJJ, but you may want to consider WCS
Yo Son! Happy opening week!
Got a few questions for you on my 12 team H2H (no TOs) roster. It is a keeper league (up to 4). Here is the squad
PG- Steph
SG – Dipo
SF- Otto
PF- Giannis
C- Dedmon
G- CP3
F- Covington
UTIL- Gary Harris
UTIL- JJ Reddick
UTIL- Serge
Bench- Mirotic, Looney, Isaac
IR- John Collins, Derrick White
Would you be comfortable with the following moves:
Drop JJ for SGA
Drop Dedmon for Dinwiddie (and rolling with Looney as my C)
Drop Dedmon for THE BOBAN
Drop Dedmon for Dwight Powell
I think the JJ for SGA move will be fine as I have plenty of 3 ball help and SGA getting 28 minutes out of the gate and holding his own was encouraging.
Thanks for your wokr & help!
@OldMilwaukeePounders: Yo! Yo! Yo!
You are good in 3s and weakest in boards and blocks. I have no issue with swapping out JJ for SGA. Hunt for upside.
I’m good with the Dedmon to Dinwiddie move as well and using Looney at C
Is Collins C eligible in your league?
@Son: Sadly, Collins is not C eligible yet. I could keep Dedmon if only ESPN would mark him as IR eligible. He is listed as “out” until 10/24 according to BasketballMonster. ESPN’s fantasy basketball upgrade is lagging way behind…
Only big boarders/blockers out there are Tristian Kardashian (hes awful), Vonleh, Bam, BOBAN, Lyles, Damian Jones, Pau, Aminu, Poeltl pretty unimpressive group!
Likely going to stream Payne tonight since Dunn is out too. I doubt anyone is anxiously waiting to claim Dedmon given he didn’t even play in game 1 and is 4% owned in ESPN!
@OldMilwaukeePounders: Got it. I’d hold onto Dedmon
Hey SON, great roundup of our first full basketball slate for the year!
Isaac’s minutes last night were hurting.. hope that will improve as the weeks go on, that’s for sure.
I dumped Giles for Monk, but Dinwiddle is still available. Would you take him (or any other hot waiver options, like Boban, Tucker, Moore, Hill?) over someone like Gay/Trey?
Team is as follows (10-team, 9-cat, unlimited daily moves):
PG: Mike Conley
SG: Oladipo
G: Will Barton
SF: Otto Porter Jr.
PF: Kevin Love
F: Mirotic
C: Jokic
UTIL: Jonathan Isaac
UTIL: Lou Will
UTIL: JJ Redick
BN: Trey Young
BN: Rudy Gay
BN: Mack
Thanks again!
@Wutang: Thanks Wutang! For the people!
Isaac’s minutes and performance were definitely disappointing, but I’m still a believer.
I like the Giles for Monk move. Monk looks like he will get significant minutes, while Giles will be brought along slowly.
I like Tucker.
I think your squad is light in rebounds and blocks
@Son: Maybe a drop of Gay for Boban could help with that?
I’ll be regularly streaming as well, which should help with counting stats
@Wutang: I like Gay. Drop Mack
Hey Son, appreciate all the work you guys at Razzball put in to make fantasy life easier for us common folk. Would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions with my team in a 14 team 8 cat H2H.
Iriving, Leonard, Horford, Mirotic, Gallinari, Covington, Batum, Brogdon, Forbes, Hernangomez, Poeltl
Thinking of maybe dropping one of the last two guys for Boban?
Thanks!
in 9 cat h2h, would u take this deal. jarret allen and jamal murray for kanter and batum. i currently have the kanter side.
@Justin: I like the Allen/Murray side better
Thanks for all the work you and the Razzball team put in, Son! Thoughts on my team which is in a 14 team 8 cat?
Kyrie, Leonard, Horford, Mirotic, Batum, Covington, Gallinari, Brogdon, Forbes, Poeltl, Hernangomez
Thinking I might drop one of the latter two guys for Boban/Bjelica/Ilyasova/Josh Jackson/Hart/Danny Green
Thanks!
Appreciate the love. Thanks for reading!
The percentages aren’t great, but not too bad. Strength is threeecolas. Weakest in assists and blocks.
I like Bjelica and Ilyasova for now. Very intrigued with Hart
Would you drop Poeltl or Hernangomez at this point after seeing them both for a game?
@A: Depends who you’d replace them with.
Son,
Where is the best place to get usage statistics? Thanks in advance.
NBA.com
Hey Son, would you drop W. Hernangomez for Boban?
@howie2978: I’ve been going back and forth on this one, but I think you need to do it just in case
Hi Son- do you think Osman can replicate his performance going forward? What do you realistically expect from him? He wasn’t in your top 200, so not sure whether to invest FAAB to get him. Thanks!
He wasn’t in my top 200 because I didn’t project him getting significant minutes. He’s starting now and getting the minutes. He also looks comfortable so I’d definitely scoop him up
@Son: sounds good, thanks Son.
@Ben: Anytime
Yo Son, I keep asking same question over and over again, but with different players. Sorry about that. In a 9 cat dynasty league, who has better long term value:
Kawhi or Embiid
Kawhi or Jokic
Jokic or Embiid
And also where do you see Doncic among these players? Does he have what it takes to get to their level?
Thanks
@IntendedSteb: Embiid. Jokic. Jokic. I’m a Doncic believer
Heyy Son,
Would you drop one of these players for FA ?? h2h, 9cat, 12 team
my team :
PG : Lowry
SG : Fournier
G : Doncic
SF: Durant
PF: Embiid
F: Otto Porter
C: Gortat
C: Kanter
Util: Ibaka
Util: Melo
BN : Levert,Moore,Rozier
FA List : monk, bjelica,tucker,ilyasova,wesmath,istom,siakam,taj,avery bradley
thanks son
@Ricky: I’d drop Melo for Monk, Tucker, Ilyasova, Siakam
@Son:
okay son… i got offered kyrie for my lowry. what you think ??
thanks
@Ricky: https://youtu.be/N1NupxasQWs
@Son:
okay son and would you trade levert for jj reddick ??
@Ricky:
@Ricky I would personally rather have LeVert! He seems very promising for this year.
@Son Although I drafted Kyrie (it was left out until the 20th pick and I thought it was great value), I am not crazy about him. I usually like more “classic” PGs with more assists and steals. Do you like more Lowry than Kyrie?? Injury concerns or why exactly?
Thank you for your advice!
@Taurean: A little worried about the usage and minutes for Kyrie. I feel more confident in those things for Lowry
@Ricky: I would do no such thing sir!
Drop Melo for Gallinari? H2h 9 cat. Not worried about the injury too much because I’m in a 10 team and the waiver is full of decent talent
I’d pretty much drop Melo for anyone
@Son:
Drop a Melo or drop a deuce? Did I just ask the same question?
@wazzzza: They are in fact one and the same