I’m a dualistic kind of guy. Two sides to every coin. Can’t make lemonade without lemon and water. Takes two to tango. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. A stick has two ends. I guess I’m the king of cliches and idioms now. Anyways, when I think of “firsts,” a gamut of emotions and experiences fill my mind and body. There have been many firsts that were excellent. First kiss was amazing. First dunk was exhilirating. I don’t give a shit that it was only with a volleyball. First banana cream pie from Apple Pie was orgasmic. As we all know, not all firsts are memorable. First speeding ticket. First accident. Doesn’t have to be of the driving variety. First time shitting the pants. Well, Terry Rozier had a bunch of firsts last night. First career start. And…..
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3/6 | 6/14 | 2/4 |
First time messing around. You know what that calls for….
Rozier got the start because Kyrie Irving sat due to injury. In addition, Marcus Smart was unavailable, so Rozier ended up playing 33 minutes. This is obviously an outlier game but….Per 36, Rozier is scoring 14.1 points, grabbing 6.8 rebounds, dishing out 3.3 dimes, and stealing 1.6. Just remember for the future if a similar situation arises. I’ll never forget my first kiss. I’ll never forget the day Rozier got his first start and messed around.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
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Rudy has been hard at work in the lab. His latest creation? DAILY LINEUPS PAGE. So good. So smooth. So helpful. He decided to go with the Sonny Bono red tint, while I prefer the blue tint. What say you?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 50 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6/9 | 18/25 | 8/8 |
I have to bring out all the videos for this one.
Wow. Usually when I write up the Trail Blazers, it’s about Dame Dolla. Not last night. The crazy thing is he did it all in 29 minutes!!! The Running of the Bulls!
Jarell Martin got the start at power forward and played 33 minutes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1/1 | 3/7 | 0 |
JaMychal Green is still out and doesn’t look like he’ll return for at least a week. Until then, Martin should continue to start and get over 30 minutes of run a game. Martin won’t knock you off your feet with his production, but he’s a big man that can shoot the 3 and contribute a little something something in the periphery categories. Maybe he should change his name to Remy.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0/4 | 6/19 | 0 |
Our prospect guru, Craig, has positive things to say about Brooks. He’s received plenty of run this season, but has been underwhelming. Will grab some boards, score a little, deliver from downtown, and get his 211 on. With that said, he played 40 minutes last night and attempted 19 shots. With Tyreke on his way out and the bevy of injuries, Brooks will be in a prime position to deliver production.
Marc Gasol:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/5 | 9/18 | 2/2 |
Would be a perfect piece for a lot of teams out there. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that he gets traded, but Memphis does love him and Gasol loves Memphis. There’s also risk that he misses games down the stretch.
Wayne Selden:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6/10 | 8/14 | 2/2 |
Got the start at shooting guard and played 31 minutes. Craig and I both love him. He balled out during the Summer League and has replicated the production in the League. Can shoot from downtown and contribute across the board. He’s probably my favorite guy to get in the Memphis backcourt.
Andrew Harrison:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0/1 | 4/8 | 5/5 |
Average Harrison is whatever, but he’s going to start at point guard and get minutes. Can score a little and chip in some boards and dish out some dimes. He’s the handjob of fantasy. Not exciting and makes you wish for more, but gets the job done.
Myke Henry played 24 minutes, while Ivan Rabb played 23 minutes. Rabb pulled down eight boards. The return of Green could make them irrelevant, but there’s the remote possibility that both carve out a role down the stretch. Why not?
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1/1 | 3/6 | 8/12 |
Returned to the starting lineup and played 33 minutes. So good to have the Odometer back. It was getting lonely driving through the barren desert. No radio because driving through the barren desert is literally in the middle of nowhere. No landscape to enjoy. Uh, barren….desert. During those times, the odometer is man’s best friend. Watching the numbers flip over. Hypnotically. 1…..flip…..2…….flip…..3……flip……4……..WAKE UP!!! You almost ran into a deer!!! Just kidding. You’re driving through the f’ing barren desert.
Bojan Bogdanovic:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3/7 | 7/12 | 4/6 |
Inconsistent, especially in the number of shot attempts he gets a game. But, he starts and gets minutes. He occasionally gets fed a bone…a Bojan? Because he’s a dog….a Bog? I will go perform seppuku now.
Victor Oladipo:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1/5 | 5/12 | 2/2 |
It’s been a while since I’ve sung….Oladipo Ho! He’s been solid. Actually he’s been really good. Just not….Oladipo Ho! worthy. His usage rate is still in the high-20s, so it’s all good in the hood.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4/5 | 2/3 |
Only played 21 minutes. With Turner fully back, expect this to be the norm for Sabonis going forward.
After getting smoked, 114-125 the night before in Detroit, the Cavs came back and defeated the Heat, 91-89. Basketball is the easiest game to predict, yet it’s so unpredictable.
Goran Dragic:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1/5 | 7/17 | 3/4 |
The matchup couldn’t have been better for Dragic, yet…..You know how elephants are scared of mice? Was that dynamic in play last night? By the way, I used to think the notion that elephants are scared of mice to be preposterous. Gotta love the Mythbusters.
Wayne Ellington:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/3 | 0/4 | 0 |
Played 26 minutes. With the Heat getting healthy, Ellington’s minutes and shot attempts are going to come down. He will still have a role, but temper expectations.
Hassan Whiteside:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2/4 | 5/8 |
Played 24 minutes and did not play in the fourth quarter….again!!! Kelly Olynk played almost the entire fourth, while Bam Adebayo played six minutes. Very concerning and obviously limits his upside. Keep in mind, though, that there are trade rumors of Hassan going to the Bucks.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1/6 | 8/21 | 7/11 |
Played 38 minutes. LeBron reminds me of the Firefox that Clint Eastwood stole in the 1982 movie…..Firefox. The plane was more advanced than anything in existence. Had more range, could climb to basically outer space, and was controlled by an advanced artificial brain. See? That basically describes LeBron. While the speed that it could attain was classified, I’d conservatively put it around mach 5. The X-15 holds the record for fastest manned aircraft at mach 6.70. Now, LeBron is playing around mach 3.5 level right now, which is a straining endeavor, but it’s cruising for LeBron. Wait until he ramps things up to mach 4 or 5. Can’t wait!
Isaiah Thomas:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0/6 | 2/15 | 9/9 |
2-of-15. Terrible. But look at the periphery stats. Look at the number of trips to the line. It’s only a matter of time. Before he shines. Like Genuine. There’s a reason why they call me PaRappa the Rapper.
Channing Frye:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2/4 | 6/9 | 2/2 |
Played 21 minutes. Go pick up the Frye Guy.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/3 | 1/10 | 2/2 |
Enes Kanter:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 7/10 | 3/3 |
17/17 last night and 20/20 the night before. Dude has been straight balling. Why doesn’t this guy play all the time? Oh, he has a DRPM (Defensive Real Plus Minus) of -0.28, which is 68th out of 74. Whatever, unless you play in a league with DRPM as a category. Kanter will score and grab boards. Just don’t expect many D stats.
The Knicks lost 73-103 to the Celtics. No more blurbs for you! Or for the Celtics because they are all tainted numbers.
Robert Covington:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 2/3 | 1/2 |
This Lord only taketh away.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1/5 | 8/19 | 12/14 |
Pssshaww….Kanter went 20/20 against this squad the night before.
Ben Simmons:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11/16 | 2/2 |
He’s doing all of this without a J. It’d be like driving without a steering wheel.
JJ Redick:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3/4 | 4/10 | 9/10 |
Returned from injury and played 26 minutes. Redickulous!
TJ McConnell:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 |
Played 20 minutes. With Redick back and Simmons playing 38 minutes, it’s going to be tough for McConnell to have much value going forward.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5/6 | 6/6 |
Got the start and played 26 minutes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2/4 | 6/13 | 13/15 |
Played 34 minutes. Had a 31.3 usage rate for the game. He gonna be just fine.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2/5 | 8/15 | 4/5 |
Only played 17 minutes but…..damn. A performance worthy of Michaelangelo.
Frank Kaminsky:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 4/10 | 2/3 |
With Marvin Williams out, got the start at power forward and played 30 minutes. Limited upside, but can contribute in 3s and boards.
Dwight Howard:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8/13 | 4/5 |
That’s 10-straight double-dubs for Dwight. He’s 14-of-17 from the charity stripe over the past three games. Did the Matrix finally upload the correct software? You remember those cartoons where the angel is on one shoulder and the devil is on the other? For Dwight, they’d be in his shoulders. Do you think he talks to them? Am I a freaking weirdo?
Kemba Walker:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 38 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9/13 | 12/20 | 5/7 |
Treveon Graham:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/3 | 5/8 | 2/2 |
Played 26 minutes. With Williams out, Graham took over the backup minutes that Kaminsky was getting.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/2 | 0/2 | 0 |
Playing awful and ceding minutes to others. He’s been inconsistent all season long, so this isn’t a surprise. Going forward, though, he should continue to get plenty of run as the Hawks will more than likely be shipping off pieces to contenders.
Kent Bazemore:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3/5 | 8/11 | 6/6 |
Top 80 player for fantasy. Inconsistent, but will provide 3s, boards, assists, and steals. A career year for Bazemore.
Marco Belinelli:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4/7 | 6/12 | 6/6 |
Played 25 minutes. A 3-point specialist that’s rumored to be on the trading block. Mama mia!
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3/4 | 8/13 | 4/7 |
Played 22 minutes. I’m still impressed how good LaVine looks coming back from the injury. The Bulls are playing at a fast pace and LaVine should be an integral part of the action going forward. I’m curious to see what the minutes will be for him, though.
With Lauri Markkanen out, Paul Zipser got the start and played 20 minutes. Nikola Mirotic did not play. He gone. Bobby Portis played 28 minutes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0/6 | 4/15 | 0 |
I’m worried about Mirotic going to another team. He’s not going to have Portis “motivating” him anymore. As for Portis, he won’t be so “engaged” with Mirotic gone. I kid. Both should see their values increase with a trade.
Denzel Valentine:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/7 | 6/15 | 0 |
Played 24 minutes. Still getting 15 shots a game, though. Will drain 3s, grab boards, and get some D stats. There’s still some value there.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7/9 | 6/7 |
Played 27 minutes. The rebounds and assists are way down from last season. Too bad. He has the potential to mess around every night. There are rumors that the Mavs are trying to acquire him. That’d be a pretty big downgrade for him.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2/5 | 7/14 | 4/4 |
Played 24 minutes. There are rumors that Clarkson could get traded to the Pelicans or Cavs.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/3 | 5/13 | 1/2 |
Played 28 minutes. Has been banged up and possibly hit a rookie wall. With that said, if Randle gets traded, Kuuuuuuuuuz could get reinserted into the starting lineup. A possible rejuvenation.
Marreese Speights:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 6/11 | 6/7 |
Got the start at power forward with Aaron Gordon out and played 23 minutes. Mo Buckets! Mo Buckets! Mo Buckets! I’m not buying the assist. Ball had to have slipped out while he was shooting and ended up in the willings arms of a teammate who put the ball in the basket. Only logical explanation.
Elfrid Payton:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6/10 | 3/7 |
Played 24 minutes. Elf has the ability to mess around on any given night, but it’s going to be tough going forward if Vogel gives Mack 24 minutes and Augustin 21 minutes, like he did last night.
Evan Fournier:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5/7 | 6/10 | 2/2 |
Pure. Natural. Straight from the Alps.
Dirk Nowitzki:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/5 | 5/8 | 1/2 |
A coincidence that Dirk balls out while Markkanen is injured? Me thinks not. Seriously, though, you play Dirk when the opposing centers don’t like to guard on the perimeter. Top 70 player for fantasy right now.
Yogi Ferrell:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3/7 | 5/12 | 0 |
Yabba dabba do! Been getting a shit ton of run lately. Averaging over 30 minutes per game. He hasn’t been doing too much with his opportunity, but he’s getting shot attempts, grabbing some boards, and dishing out some dimes.
JJ Barea was out, but Devin Harris played 23 minutes and is now back in the rotation. Good times.
Marquese Chriss:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1/2 | 5/7 | 4/5 |
Got the start at power forward and played 28 minutes. Jesus (pronounced Hay-Soos) Chriss-to! It’s happening again, isn’t it?
Josh Jackson:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1/3 | 9/14 | 2/2 |
Got the start at shooting guard and played 28 minutes. Ceiling is sky high. Just keep in mind that the floor is: 0-of-13 shooting. That happened just two games ago.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2/7 | 5/14 | 3/3 |
Played 32 minutes and is now starting at point guard consistently. The shot attempts may come down, while the assists could creep up. Should be interesting to see how he handles the role. As for Tyler Ulis‘ fantasy value…..
Isaiah Canaan fractured his left ankle and will likely be out for the season. A look at Tyler Ulis’ fantasy value…..
