It’s time to start calculating whether eight weeks of the best free agent left in your league pool is better than five weeks of Manu Ginobili, ’cause that looks to be the sitch, mes amis. That’s assuming those five weeks are top-notch Manu and I’m not getting that kind of vibe. At this point, even if he returns in a couple weeks, what are the odds he’s not as rusty as a birdcage left out in the rain for 20 years? He’s no spring chicken. His coloring suggests he’s more of an autumnal chicken. Either way, owners have been playing chicken with Ginobili long enough. Time to blink. Let him go. He’s cost you too much time, and now he’s going to cost you more. Danny Green is your pickup while Manu is out, but a) your league should have a better option and b) Green won’t likely remain startin’ if he continues playing like he did last night, that’s just Poppovich’s way. Here’s what else I saw on another Monday of fantasy basketball.
Matt Bonner – Five threes and 20 points. With Splitter showing Ginobili injured solidarity for the next couple weeks, the Red Rocket looks to continue averaging the 27 minutes he saw last night. That’s a solid FT%, 3PTM infusion starting you in the face and making googly eyes.
Jeff Teague – Stunted at a 6/0/1 line. Dude cannot handle defensive-minded PG. He’ll run all over Jameer Nelson (last Friday), Derek Fisher (Tuesday) and Steve Nash (Wednesday), but against teams that play team defense (Portland, Miami, Chicago) and he poops all over the bed and a little bit on the bedroom curtains. And speaking of crap, Teague has had 6+ assists just once in the last 15 games.
Jannero Pargo – 19 pts, which included 5 threes. Holy Heshua! Can we go one damn day without talking about how awesome Jeremy did? I mean, every day with– what’s that? … Pargo? … No, I’m pretty sure it’s not pronounced like that … we’re talking about the Harvard kid, right? … Atlanta? … Oh. Never mind. It was Jannero. Not Jeremy. Jeremy is on Memphis and should not be owned. Jannero averages 11 mpg for Atlanta and I haven’t really thought about him since 2010. That tells you much of what you need to know. If you picked up Willie Green, hang onto him, as he’s still starting and the Hawks WERE playing the Bulls who have a way of shutting suckers down.
Derrick Rose – Returned for the first time in almost two weeks and did Rosey things. 23/5/6 and just one win closer to maybe, possibly, hopefully putting a ring around the Rosey.
Iman Shumpert – Out with a knee injury and the fact that there are five dozen other players on the Knicks who can do what he does. Unless there’s nothing left in the FA pool, it’s time for a ShumpDump.
J.R. Smith – 4/4/3, 2-for-8 from the field in 24 minutes a day after sinking 3 threes for 15 points. The prosecution rests, your honor.
Deron Williams – Been playing as good as anyone in the last couple weeks, including 38/4/6, and 8 threes last night. DerLin Williams wanted me to repeat that he’s been playing AS GOOD AS ANYONE THESE LAST TWO WEEKS. So … I did that.
Carmelo Anthony – 11/3/6, and shot .400 from the field. ‘Melo did manage to steal one stat from Lin, all his turnovers (6).
Baron Davis – In his first 10 minutes of the season, he sank a three and doled out an assist. He won’t be much more than this for a while. Pretend he’s not there. Better yet, treat him like January Lin.
Stephen Jackson – Really wanted a chance to go peacocking in front of Dwight Howard last night, which I guess he got to do, if you’re referring to a peacock whose feathers were stapled to the bench. Also, Dunleavy dropped 18 out of nowhere. I hate the Bucks.
Larry Sanders – 13/11/2, with 2 steals and 3 blocks. Sure! Why not? I hate the Bucks.
Carlos Delfino – If 8/4/8, with 2 threes, 4 steals, a block and .300 shooting from the floor ain’t classic Charlie Tuna, I don’t know what it.
Samuel Dalembert – 9/6 in 20 minutes. Back in the saddle again. The saddle being the starting five spot. Okay, that last sentence was just bad writing, but this is Houston we’re talking about. As long as I stay away from Jesus and football, I can get away with writing anything.
Jarrett Jack – 18/5/5, with a pair of threes upon his return. He was supposed to play limited minutes for a spell and ended up playing a minute more than Greivis Vasquez. Turns out “spell,” in this case, meant the game’s first nine minutes. Hang onto Greivis until it’s less than a 50-50 split for minutes, as he managed 15 points himself.
Greg Oden – Bill Walton fixed himself breakfast for dinner and caught up on all of this season’s episodes of Californication. Why am I telling you this? Because it’s as relevant to your fantasy team as telling you about Oden’s third knee surgery.
Daequan Cook – Harden was out last night with a purple-y, bruised up ankle and in his place was the ego of Daequan Cook. I assume it was only Cook’s ego, because Lord knows if his brain and the rest of him had shown up, he would have stopped at 1-for-3 or 4 from the arc instead of bricking eight of his nine attempts.
Rajon Rondo – Chucked the rock at a ref’s wheelhouse yesterday, got ejected, missed last night’s game and will miss the next one, too. Hope you enjoy Avery Bradley‘s 12/4/2 on Wednesday.
Arron Afflalo – 16/5/2 and has been playing up to his fantasy owner’s preseason expectations lately. Who’s got three As, two Rs, two Fs, two Ls, two Os, two thumbs and doesn’t miss Rudy or Danilo at all? That guy.
Jordan Crawford – 20/3/2, with a steal, along with 7-of-10 from the field. One of the better games from Crawford this year. Not a “let’s-hold-off-on-calling-Michael-the-best-Jordan-D.C.-has-ever-known” type of game. But solid. Good for a Wizard, let’s say.
Nick Young – Cold. Shot 3-for-13 from the field. And when Nick Young can’t offer points, he can’t offer nuthin’. On his off nights, he’s like a fat girl with a nasty personality. The deal is, be ugly all you want, as long as you’re nice or funny. But if you’re terrible inside and out, I want nothing to do with you. Just ask Rashard Lewis how that goes.
Blake Griffin – I look forward to whatever is after Jeremy Lin. Remember when we were all talking about Ricky Rubio? Remember when we were all talking about Lob City? Remember when we were all talking about Blake Griffin? Remember when we were all talking about Miami’s Big Three? Remember when we were all talking about Boston’s Big Three? Basketball is a fickle, fickle sport.
Dorell Wright – Started 0-for-6, five of which were from downtown. I’m on record as having repeatedly warned that he was going to underperform his draft value, but … but … dayum.
Gerald Wallace – When you drafted Crash you were aware that games like this could happen and probably would happen. So if you knew that, you only have yourself to blame. While we’re at it, Gerald blames you too, because guys who go 5/1/2 with 2-for-6 from the field don’t tend to point fingers inwardly much.
LaMarcus Aldridge – Shot under .333 last night against L.A. As a result, I feel no need to edit myself from pointing out the fact that he runs funny. Seriously. He lifts his knees like he’s prancing.
