After an animal or person dies, the joints of the body stiffen. Did you know that death is the number one killer in this country? If you know what movie that’s from, then we are kindred spirits. Anyways, this stiffened state of the body is called rigor mortis, and lasts around three days. Last night, the Chicago Bulls were dealt a fatality by the New York Knicks, 105-98. A big reason why was due to the play of Bobby Portis, who put up a line of:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4/4 | 10/14 | 4/5 |
Portis did this in 30 minutes off the bench and is responsible for the Bulls experiencing Rigor Portis. Good thing the effects last only three days because they play the Cavs in two days (a game they should win while deceased) and then the following game isn’t until Friday. Now, we often hear about the revenge narrative in sports. It’s mainly cockamamie, but if there’s one sport where it could be feasible, it’s basketball. Portis was drafted by the Bulls with the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. After four years with the team, he was traded to the Washington Wizards, then signed with the Knicks over the summer. So…..REVENGE! Ha! I kid, I kid. From a fantasy perspective, Portis can provide points, boards, and tres, but the minutes and production will be inconsistent.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
Anthony Tolliver
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/4 | 1/4 | 2/2 |
Got the start for the injured Zach Collins and played 29 minutes. Tolliver is a solid vet who can provide boards and tres, but don’t expect much else. Only for the deepest of leagues.
Mario Hezonja
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2/5 | 2/7 | 2/2 |
Played 19 minutes off the bench. Not so super for Mario, as he needs to find more magic mushrooms.
Skal Labissiere
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4/5 | 2/4 |
Played 13 minutes off the bench. Looks like Skal is third in the pecking order for the Collins replacement role.
Damian Lillard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3/10 | 9/28 | 7/8 |
Not the greatest shooting night, but the low turnovers and contributions in everything but steals was magnifique. With that said, it’s been a while since Dame Dolla has made an appearance in the recaps. Only in wins, Dame…..or performances of extraordinary magnitude.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0/1 | 3/8 | 1/2 |
Only played 22 minutes, as the Spurs still have him on a minutes limit. Imagine if they set him free? Holy smokes! Everyone would be sliding into the DMs. The only thing he doesn’t do is stroke too many tres. Outside of that, the stocks are nice and he’s one of the better rebounding guards, which give him a relatively high floor.
DeMar DeRozan
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10/16 | 7/9 |
DeMar do what DeMar do, which is score and not shoot any tres. He led the Spurs in points and shot attempts. DeMar DeLivers.
Derrick White
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8/11 | 5/6 |
Played 26 minutes off the bench. It’s been a frustrating start for White owners, as he played 22 and 20 minutes the first two games of the year. With Murray on a minutes limit and most likely sitting on back-to-backs, White could carve out a role for himself. There’s been chatter that he could play alongside Murray more. Something to monitor.
Nerlens Noel
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5/6 | 5/6 |
Played 21 minutes off the bench, as Steven Adams experienced some knee soreness. If he got run, Noel would provide boards, blocks, and excellent field goal percentage.
Dennis Schroder
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4/8 | 8/13 | 2/3 |
Played 34 minutes off the bench. Prior to last night, the Menace had played 31, 25, and 25 minutes. He’s now scored 22 points in back-to-back games on 61% and 69% shooting. If you are mental masturbating at the prospects, just keep in mind that he shot 28% and 12% the other two games. That’s why he’s the Menace.
PJ Tucker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5/7 | 6/9 | 0 |
I just wanna Tucker PJ on the lips, as he’s the #15 player on the season so far! Now, he always plays a shit ton of minutes and Harden and Westbrook take so much attention, so he’s going to get plenty of clean looks. He’s not going to shoot 60%+ every night, though. Be happy with any points scored, but just expect some tres and stocks.
James Harden
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 40 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3/14 | 8/21 | 21/22 |
40-burger alert! 22 freaking free throw attempts! Madness. For you enquiring minds, Dwight Howard holds the record for most free throw attempts in a game, as he shot 39 in two separate games. Anyways, James always gets me so Harden excited….and he hasn’t even been shooting well. Explosions of epic proportions are coming. You know who’s feeling the same thing? The Stocktonator, as it had Harden as the #1 player last night.
Draymond Green
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0/1 | 7/12 | 2/3 |
Dray should mess around plenty this season, as the Warriors turned Pacifists showed fight last night and notched their first win of the season.
Steph Curry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4/10 | 9/17 | 4/4 |
The Curry was spicy hot in New Orleans last night. Now, the Pelicans were without Jrue Holiday and the game environment was more than ideal, as the Pelicans play at a hyper-fast pace, but it was nice to see Steph get going again. I still have some concerns going forward but, unfortunately, the buy low window has closed….at least for now.
D’Angelo Russell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3/11 | 9/21 | 3/6 |
Led the Warriors in shot attempts. Russell and the Warriors are still figuring each other out. I’ve mentioned in the past that DLo is primarily a pick-and-roll player, while the Warriors offense is more predicated on motion and cutting. Kerr is a great coach, so he will figure it out, but it’s going to take time.
An interesting stat I saw last night was that Curry has a -26.4 net rating with Russell on the floor and a +25.5 net rating without him. Shoutout to Mike Gallagher of Rotoworld for that.
Damion Lee
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4/6 | 8/14 | 3/3 |
Played 28 minutes due to an injury for Jacob Evans. Prior to last night, Lee had played 17 and 4 minutes. With all the injuries on the Warriors, Lee could find playing time in the short term. Once everyone gets healthy, he’s a two-way player so could get sent down.
Brandon Ingram
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4/9 | 10/23 | 3/5 |
Jrue Holiday was out again, so it was the Ingram show. So far on the season, Ingram is garnering a 29 usage rate! He’s providing across the board production and even draining tres! He’s currently a top 10 player for fantasy, but he won’t end there, as he will cede usage when Holiday and Zion return. With that said, if he maintains the improvement in tres and blocks, he should finish within the top 100 for the first time in his career.
JJ Redick
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1/9 | 1/10 | 2/3 |
Continues to start but only played 25 minutes, which is his average over four games. Sure, he is providing some tres, but he’s not getting the minutes to justify holding.
Derrick Favors was DNP due to knee soreness. Jahlil Okafor got the start but only played 12 minutes. It was Jaxson Hayes who soaked up most the minutes (24) and produced a line of:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/1 | 9/11 | 1/3 |
Kenrich Williams
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3/6 | 6/10 | 1/4 |
Played 26 minutes. Williams balled out at times last season when given the opportunity. He’s buried on the depth chart this season, but is someone to keep in mind when Favors misses games.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/4 | 6/11 | 1/2 |
Played 24 minutes off the bench. He’s a hucker, chucker, and professional bucket getter, so it was nice to see him dish out 9 dimes. As with Williams, NAW is buried on the depth chart, but someone to keep in mind when Jrue is out.
Tristan Thompson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8/18 | 1/2 |
Led the Cavs in both minutes played and shot attempts!
Thompson has dub-dubbed in three straight games and played at least 33 minutes in every contest. A must own player right now.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0/2 | 5/15 | 4/8 |
Yuck, the percentages. Yet, G almost messed around in a game in which the Bucks were just toying with the Cavs. This is a slight concern for G owners; the Bucks are too good and will blow out most opponents, which limits the playing time.
Khris Middleton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3/5 | 9/14 | 0 |
Led the Bucks in scoring and will dominate YMCA leagues for the foreseeable future with his never-gets-old game.
George Hill
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 7/10 | 4/7 |
Did that in 19 minutes. By George, he’s not over the Hill yet.
10 Bucks players received double-digit minutes of run, while no starter played more than 29 minutes.
Al Horford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 2/2 |
This is why I love Horford so much. Yes, access to ceiling is limited, but the floor is so high. Even when he’s not scoring or receiving usage, he contributes in all the other cats on a nightly basis. As mentioned during the offseason, Embiid is going to miss games and Horford will be the primary beneficiary.
Joel Embiid
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 36 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2/6 | 12/19 | 10/10 |
O. M. Embiid! He is so freaking good. Please get healthy. Please be healthy. I want to see the ceiling.
Josh RichardSON
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2/5 | 6/14 | 0 |
My RichardSON!!! The offense hasn’t been there, but at least the blocks are back. When is China going to start recruiting him?
Matisse Thybulle
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2/7 | 2/8 | 2/4 |
Played 20 minutes off the bench. One of the best D-and-3 players out there. He just won’t get more than 20 minutes per game.
De’Andre Hunter
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2/4 | 4/8 | 4/7 |
Access to ceiling games will be few and far between, but the minutes are secure for Hunter and he plays in one of the most fantasy friendly environments.
The Hawks lost to the 76ers, 103-105. Only Trae scored in the 20’s and three others reached double-digits. Eight others scored a bucket with no one with more than seven points.
Aaron Gordon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0/2 | 1/6 | 0 |
SMH. At what point do we cut the cord of optimism? Not for fantasy, as he still has value. I mean, from the lofty expectations of potential that we always dream about Gordon reaching.
Jonathan Isaac
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5/7 | 7/10 | 5/5 |
Now, this is the dream. Isaac was drafted for the stocks, so the floor is there. Access to ceiling depends on the offensive development. Is it happening? Probably not, as the usage is relatively low, but there will moments of glory throughout the season.
Nikola Vucevic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/3 | 1/13 | 2/2 |
Momma said that there would be days like this.
Markelle Fultz
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1/4 | 6/11 | 0 |
Played 27 minutes off the bench. It is said that the trend is your friend. Well, Fultz has played 23, 24, and now 27 minutes.
Yooooooo!!!!
yoooooo……
Fultz is going to overtake DJ Augustin at some point this season. It’s just a matter of when in my opinion.
OG Anunoby
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2/4 | 5/11 | 0 |
Played 38 minutes. Uhhh, yeah. OG is gonna be a problem. He’s similar to Jonathan Isaac from a fantasy perspective. How good is Masai Ujiri? Geez….
Kyle Lowry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3/11 | 7/18 | 9/10 |
Beep. Boop. Bop. The Stocktonator had Lowry as the #6 player last night. So far in four games, Lowry is averaging a whopping 39 minutes per game. Nick Nurse is essentially using an eight-man rotation. That can’t last all season long.
Otto Porter Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/6 | 3/11 | 0 |
Played 32 minutes. At least he just sucked and wasn’t load managed. Wait? What? The answer to your question is no. At least for now.
Wendell Carter Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0/1 | 7/9 | 6/7 |
The Carter Adminstration has gotten off to a rocky start, primarily due to foul trouble, but that’s now dub-dubs in consecutive games and last night showed the across the board production he can provide.
Tomas Satoransky
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/3 | 1/5 | 0 |
I’m sad. I’m really really sad, as I have waaaay too many Sato shares. With that said, at least he played 27 minutes while Coby White only played 16 and Kris Dunn received 18 minutes of run. It’s a step in the right direction.
RJ Barrett
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0/2 | 7/15 | 5/11 |
Played a team-high 40 minutes. Fizdale is so fickle with his rotations, but at least Barrett is a constant. He’s going to get a ton of run. The free throw shooting is a concern, but I’ve been very impressed with the low turnovers, high assists, and good field goal percentage. I was a hater coming into the season, but now I will have RJB sewn into my cuffs. Good thing I only wear t-shirts and shorts.
Julius Randle
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0/2 | 5/13 | 3/5 |
He’s turning the ball over now?! Randle is a dub-dub machine and he will dish out dimes. The main concerns are the lack of tres and stocks.
Domantas Sabonis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 8/18 | 4/5 |
Has gone 20 and 10 in both matchups with the Pistons. Checks Pistons roster. Marcus Morris. Ok, makes sense now. Against the Cavs, Sabonis went 14 and 5. He’s a beast down low and should provide plenty of dub-dubs. Just don’t expect anything else.
TJ Warren
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 9/22 | 0 |
Led the Pacers in shot attempts and regulated with the five-finger discounts. It’s all about health for Warren, as he’s never played more than 66 games in a season.
Malcolm Brogdon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1/6 | 5/17 | 4/4 |
Three straight games with double-digit dimes, to go along with 15, 30, and 22 points. I’d say he’s doing fine being the lead facilitator. The usage rate has been 25, a career high.
Christian Wood
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3/3 | 8/10 | 0 |
Played 21 minutes off the bench. Wood is athletic and versatile, and finally got the opportunity to shine. He’s better than Maker and Morris. With that said, when Blake Griffin returns, Wood will return to the pine.
Will Barton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1/4 | 5/14 | 2/3 |
Played 29 minutes after receiving onlyh 21 minutes the prior game. It looks like things are back to normal.
Nemanja Bjelica
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4/6 | 4/11 | 0 |
Got the start for Marvin Bagley and played 35 minutes. Luke be loving the Nemanja. The Nemaja gets hot for spurts, but then turns into a roach at other times. Opportunity is opportunity, though.
Richaun Holmes
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10/14 | 4/6 |
Played 30 minutes off the bench. Orale Holmes! Is Dewayne a Dedmon walking? There’s a chance Holmes replaces him in the starting lineup. There’s also the chance he doesn’t. I guess it depends how much Nemanja Luke is smoking.
The Jazz defeated the Suns, 96-95. Are the Suns for real? Hmmmm….
Bojan Bogdanovic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4/8 | 8/13 | 9/9 |
Played 37 minutes and has scored 29 and 26 points in back-to-back games. He’s a perfect fit for this Jazz squad. Don’t count on the defensive contributions on a nightly basis, but points and tres should be plentiful.
Rudy Gobert
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2/4 | 11/12 |
11-for-12 from the line!!!
Mike Conley
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0/3 | 0/7 | 1/2 |
Conley is now 9-for-45 to start the season. My handy abacus tells me that’s 23.7%. He’s not going to shoot sub-25% all year long. As for last night, foul trouble kept him to playing 20 minutes. buy. Buy. BUy. BUY. BUY! BUY!! BUY!!!
Dario Saric
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 1/2 |
Got the start but only played 21 minutes. To start the season, he’s played 21 minutes in two games, while getting 31 and 34 minutes in the other two. He’s eclipsed 10 points just once. Yuck.
Ricky Rubio
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0/1 | 4/9 | 2/4 |
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllmost messed around. It’s all about the dimes for Rubio and he provides.
Frank Kaminsky
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2/6 | 3/11 | 2/2 |
Played 32 minutes off the bench. The Tank has now played 32, 29, and 33 minutes over the last three games. He’s scored double digits in each and pulled down a total of 27 boards. He’s also providing tres. His minutes look to be secure with Deandre Ayton suspended.
Jevon Carter
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3/7 | 4/11 | 4/4 |
Backing up Rubio, Carter still played 27 minutes off the bench. Tres, dimes, and steals are what he provides, but will likely be an inconsistent option. Someone to keep an eye on, though.
Cody Zeller
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3/4 | 4/10 | 3/4 |
Ho hum, just another dub-dub for Zeller. If only he could stay healthy.
Terry Rozier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3/7 | 7/17 | 0 |
For Halloween, I will just wear a mask with Rozier’s shooting efficiency written on it.
Dwayne Bacon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/2 | 1/6 | 2/2 |
On the back of my Halloween mask, I will write Bacon’s shooting efficiency.
Devonte’ Graham
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2/6 | 5/11 | 2/2 |
Played 32 minutes off the bench. To begin the season, Graham has played 32, 28, 28, and 27 minutes. He’s scored in double figures three of the four games and gone over 20 in two. He’s also dished out a total of 29 dimes over that span. He’s getting the run and producing. The shooting efficiency can be Rozier-esque at times, but you take the good with the bad.
The Clippers destroyed the Hornets, 111-96. Lou Williams scored 23 points while Montrezl Harrell went 19 and 7. Ho hum. Clippers good. Blah blah blah.
Kawhi Leonard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2/5 | 10/18 | 8/8 |
