If Samuel Dalembert was drafted in your league this year, I’m guessing it was late. He was taken 12th in one of my leagues, and in the Razzball Dynasty League he was taken with the 176th pick for $6.
If Gorgui Dieng was drafted in your league this year, I’m guessing it was by a Louisville alum or a native of Senegal. He wasn’t taken in any of my leagues, including the Razzball Dynasty League.
Yet if you had Sammy D. or Dieng on your roster this week, you did very well in your playoff matchup. And if you had both, I’d be willing to wager you won.
Dalembert is like the not-so-great-looking chick in high school who has been renowned for her oral skills (yeah, those kind) since freshman year. Everybody’s had a turn, everyone knows what she can do, so even if she does it well who cares.
Then again, being on the receiving end of an oratory maestro is pretty great, and getting boards and blocks when you need them is pretty great too. And if Sammy plays, Sammy boards and blocks. And that’s what Sammy did all this past week.
No scoring, but Dalembert got just enough minutes to grab 13 rpg and reject 3.6 shots per game in his last three, which included a block party last night against Brooklyn – he had 7 swats to go along with 15 rebounds and 9 points.
Dieng, meanwhile, stepped in for Nikola Pekovic and instantly morphed into a younger, headier and faster version of Dalembert. I was so bummed I missed out on writing about Dieng’s big 22-21 outing earlier this week, but I think JB’s stiffy for his Goromotaro performance was perfect. And, thankfully, I did not miss out on having those numbers go into my team’s stat sheet. I wasn’t too happy about his lackluster 6-point, 9-rebound, 0-block line last night against the Suns, as it kind of led to my first-round playoff exit. Still, if I was moving on, I’d keep rolling with Dieng until Bill Musselman, I mean, Rick Adelman keep using his brain.
Dieng kept me afloat, but Dalembert killed me. Hopefully you lived to play another week, and if you did, I’d snag one or both of these dudes.
Here’s what else I saw in the paint when I wasn’t watching “Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History.”
Anthony Davis – The Brow is back and beasting again, but I’d be prepared to augment his stats just in case the Pelicans decide to sit him out and aid their nosedive. Not that their tanking or anything, I mean who wouldn’t start Greg Stiemsma and give minutes to Jeff Withey?
DeMarcus Cousins – 32-12-1 in last night’s blowout of the Bucks, zero techs in a month.
Drew Gooden – Double digits in five straight, but only 3 rebounds last night. Still a chance he has a decent game here and there, but Marcin Gortat is healthy and playing out of his mind, so Drew could be headed back to cold storage.
Dewayne Dedmon – Deep League Special! The Magic signed the 7-footer for the rest of the season, and he’s actually getting minutes. I could see him on an NBA roster next year.
Dwight Howard – If your team played better while you were out, wouldn’t you bust your ass to get back in there and prove you’re the man? Well, maybe not if you’re Dwight Howard. Another great statistical season (minus the horrid FT% and turnovers), but if he can’t get back in there and take the Rockets deep, it’s the same old same old for the big man with the small head.
Henry Sims – Averaging 11 rebounds per game over his last four, including 18-15-2 against Joakim Noah and that tough Bulls interior defense. Everyone lambasted Sam Hinkie for his “dumping” of players in an effort to “tank” at the deadline, but in addition to a bundle of second-round draft picks The Hinkster landed a legitimate backup center in the Spencer Hawes deal.
J.J. Hickson – Gone for the year, which sure has churned the bong water up in the Mile High City. Kenneth Faried came out as the first big beneficiary, posting a 20-8-3 line against Washington last night. Timofey Mozgov, meanwhile, made smelly fudge all over his bed with a 5-6-1. Once again, the Big Enigma Anthony Randolph could end up being a dark horse candidate to grab some minutes and numbers. I wouldn’t count on it.
Jeff Withey – Got the start when Davis was out for a game last week, then went back to being the Big Stiff on the bench. Still managed to get a block in 4 and 5 minutes in each of his last two, which means absolutely nothing.
Jordan Hill – Put up a 28-13-1 last night against the Magic, which came on the heels of a 9-14-4 Friday against the Wizards. Usually you bet against the D’Antoninsanty, but his use of Hill last night says it might be safe to stay the course for a change.
Marcin Gortat – Double-doubles in six of his last seven, seven blocks in his last two games. No worries here.
Michael Carter-Williams – In addition to everything else he does, he’s pulling down 11.5 rpg over his last four. The Sixers really have a special piece here, now let’s just hope he doesn’t quit basketball after this garbage heap of a season.
Omer Asik – Doesn’t get big numbers, but close to 10 boards and a few blocks per game is nothing to sneeze at. Too risky, however, to wager that Howard will continue to be a wuss.
Terrence Jones – Baffled by his roller coaster-like scoring (four straight in double digits, yay; 30 points in one of them, yay; but really low totals in the other three, ew!), and more so his paltry rebounding totals, but I’m liking the blocks: 3 blocks per game over his last three.
Tiago Splitter –13 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 30.4 cold, lifeless stares per game in his last four. The Brazilian Nightmare pops up every year and usually vanishes again, only this time his emergence is coming at the perfect time for fantasy ballers.
Little Big Man of the Week: Reggie Jackson – Filling in for the injured Russell Westbrook Friday, the 6-3 point guard put up a vintage power forward line: 25 points, 12 rebounds, 1 block. He might not get double digit boards again, but his totals in his last game say that he’s feisty out there. Unless I had a weekly waiver limit, I’d snag him in case Westbrook needs a little time off.
