Back in high school, Cam Reddish was THE man. Granted, most NBA players were THE man for most of their lives but Cam was THE man.
When top ranked HS players say this about Cam Reddish….then you know he’s the truth 😤😤
pic.twitter.com/8wUvoodDpf— Brad Ballislife (@BradBallisLife) May 17, 2019
His peers on the AAU circuit knew. By the way, that’s Anthony Edwards who’s kind of aiiight right now. With all the injuries on the Hawks, Cam made his fourth straight start and….
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8/13 | 11/23 | 3/3 |
In 40 minutes! The dude is a walking bucket but there’s a reason why he doesn’t have a more prominent role. He’s not an efficient scorer and doesn’t contribute much outside of points, tres, and steals. He’s shooting 41% from the field on the season and was a sub-40% for the first two years in the league. Over the last four starts, he’s scored 33, 10, 18, and 34 points on 47%, 26%, 53%, and 47% shooting. When the Hawks get healthy, Cam will return to a reserve role so sell Cam if you can.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
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The Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets played a game on Monday night. Both teams are top three in offensive pace and bottom two in defensive efficiency. Yippee! The last time they met, the final score was 146-143 in an overtime thriller. YIPPEE! Michael Jackson wasn’t moonwalking in for an encore, though, as the Hornets waxed the Rockets, 123-99. It was the 11th time the Rockets failed to crack the 100-point barrier. As a result, only one starter played over 30 minutes, and that player was….
Armoni Brooks
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/14 | 4/15 | 0 |
The Armani Family called upon their lawyers to see if it was possible to force Armoni to change his name. Bad for business they said. The Brooks Brothers followed suit (see what I did there?) and said, “He ain’t one of us!!!” Brooks made his eighth start of the season because Kevin Porter Jr. is still out. Brooks is shooting 37% from the field on the season and is outside the top 200. Is there a tailor in the house?
Mason Plumlee
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7/7 | 1/2 |
Played 29 minutes! Plumlee was playing over 30 minutes to begin the season. Then the minutes dissipated as PJ Washington played more small-ball center. Well, Washington was out on Monday so Plumlee Millionaire was resurrected and made it rain for all his believers! Jesus may have a larger following but the faith of Plumlee’s followers may be unmatched.
Terry Rozier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7/12 | 10/17 | 0 |
The shooting efficiency is still always an issue but he’s still shooting 42% from the field on the season. That’s terrible for most but Rozier had four straight seasons of sub-40%. After Monday’s performance, let’s cut to his fans….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZYYwCYi6_I&t=8s
Trae Young
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/6 | 8/23 | 12/12 |
Trae had missed the last three games due to being in the health and safety protocols but he returned on Monday and played 40 minutes. He’s baaaaaack! Trae is the number 11 player for fantasy on a per-game basis, despite the 4 turnovers per game. The usage rate is 35%! He’s shooting a career-high 45% from the field and attempting over 20 shots per game. That’s translated to 27.3 points. He’s dishing out 9.3 dimes with an impressive 3.9 boards and 2.6 tres. I need that number at 3 so that Trae averages tres tres! He’s pilfering one per game and shooting 89% from the line. Every day is Traeday.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4/9 | 7/15 | 2/3 |
In 41 minutes! After missing eight games, BogBog has now played four games, receiving 22, 28, 36, and 41 minutes of run. I’d say that he’s ramped up now. He’s barely a top 200 player so far this season, which is a far cry from the top 55 season he posted last season. He’s shooting 41% from the field and averaging only 0.6 steals. Last year? 47% and 1.1 steals. He’s also attempting close to three fewer shots and five fewer points.
- Russell, Cousy, Havlicek
- Magic, Kareem, Worthy
- Bird, McHale, Parrish
- Jordan, Pippen, Rodman
- LeBron, Wade, Bosh
There have been some epic Big Threes in the NBA but something may be brewing in Chicago. It’s early and there’s a long way to go before they are officially branded with the tag but….
Nikola Vucevic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4/8 | 9/19 | 2/3 |
No steals? What a scrub! Momma Vucevic is one happy momma though. “I taught my baby well!” It took some time for Vucevic to mesh and gel with all the newcomers to the squad but he looks mighty comfortable now. Over the last four games, he’s been a top 15 player. On the season, he’s a top 45 player and, if he continues this heater, could get back into the top 30.
DeMar DeRozan
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 35 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2/2 | 14/20 | 5/8 |
Top 20 player on the season! The midrange assassin is shooting 50% from the field and garnering a 30% usage rate. There are now three things that fall under the Triple-D umbrella. Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Big bazoongas. DeMar DeRozan Delivers.
Zach LaVine
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5/8 | 11/21 | 3/3 |
Top 25 player! The defensive stats are lacking but he’s shooting 49% from the field and also has a 30% usage rate! 26.4 points, 3.1 tres, 5.2 boards, and 4.4 dimes is pretty, pretty, good.
When a certain someone returns….
…this Bulls team is going to be unstoppable!
The Celtics lost 103-108 to a Timberwolves team without D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anthony Edwards. Granted, the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart but still….
Nathan Knight
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2/2 | 8/11 | 2/3 |
Knight is a second-year player who has played 47 games in his young career and averaged 7.5 minutes per game.
Greg Monroe
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5/9 | 1/1 |
In 25 minutes off the bench. Prior to last night, Monroe last played in an NBA game back on May 12, 2019.
Jaylen Nowell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6/9 | 10/18 | 3/4 |
In 35 minutes off the bench. A career-high. The 20 points? A career-high. The six rebounds? Tied for a career-high. The six tres? Tied for a career-high.
Al Horford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4/8 | 6/11 | 0 |
Returned from a five-game absence and played 35 minutes. When Horford has been on the court, he’s been…..Tony? Grrrrreeeeeaaaattttttt. Top 30 player. Is that sustainable? Probably not but he’s contributing in every category and is only 0.2 steals shy of being a 1/1/1 player. He’s averaging 1.5 blocks per game. The last time he accomplished that feat was back in 2015.
Robert Williams III
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3/6 | 2/2 |
Only played 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Time Lord is averaging 8.7 boards, 0.7 steals, 1.8 blocks, and shooting 73% from the field. Crazy. He’s a top 60 player on the season. The free-throw shooting is the big bugaboo as it sits at 62% right now. It’s on low volume so the impact is somewhat mitigated.
Payton Pritchard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5/14 | 8/22 | 3/3 |
Got the start with Marcus Smart unable to go and played a whopping 45 minutes. Pritchard has shown, when given the opportunity, that he belongs on the court. He’s got the swag and skills to play. When the Celtics are healthy, though, he’s down on the depth chart.
Jaylen Brown
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2/8 | 8/24 | 8/13 |
Played 39 minutes and got all the usage he could handle. Sloppy with the ball and inefficient from the field. Not a good combo.
Rudy Gobert
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5/7 | 6/6 |
Viva la France! Top 20 player on the season as he’s averaging 15.4 points, 14.9 boards, 0.8 steals, and 2.3 blocks while shooting 71% from the field. He’s upped the free-throw shooting to 69%! He’s first in blocks and field goal percentage while being second in blocks. He also leads the league in dub-dubs.
Jordan ClarkSON
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2/7 | 9/21 | 3/3 |
For all the pinoys and pinays in the house!!! He’s a hucker. He’s a chucker. And he’s a ducker when it comes to defense but whatever. He can get hot and provides points. Fine, it’s not that valuable but he’s Asian so I don’t care!!!
Jakob Poeltl
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5/11 | 0/2 |
The sixth game that Poeltl has dished out at least five dimes in a game. The ninth game with a dub-dub. He’s shooting 60% from the field but, hilariously, is shooting 35% from the line. Ok, not hilarious for those that roster him or have to watch him shoot. I think I could shoot a higher percentage shooting with my eyes closed while facing the other hoop.
Derrick White
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3/6 | 8/16 | 2/3 |
With Dejounte Murray out of action, White has not faded to black, although he did play only 16 minutes the prior game because the Spurs destroyed the Pistons, 144-109. Mr. White got off to a slow start but he’s picked it up and is now a top 50 player for fantasy. There’s a good chance he gets into the top 30 range as the turnovers are low, free-throw shooting is excellent, and he contributes a little something something in every category. He’s 0.2 blocks shy of being a 1/1/1 player.
Man, how good are the Grizzlies? They were winning without Ja Morant when he was injured and now defeated the Suns in Phoenix on Monday night, 114-113. They are 21-14 on the season and sit at fourth in the Western Conference. Memphis is 11-8 at home and 10-6 on the road.
Ja Morant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3/5 | 14/25 | 2/4 |
How good is Morant? Ja rules. Would I have his baby if I could? Ja. Morant finished as the 201st player last season as the free-throw shooting was meh, the field goal percentage was bleh, and there weren’t many defensive stats to go yippee over. This year? He’s a top 40 player as the percentages have improved, he’s grabbing 1.5 more boards, and racking up 1.5 steals per game. Oh, he’s also scoring 23.7 points with a 31.6% usage rate. Are my pants off right now? Ja.
Steven Adams
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4/5 | 5/7 |
Who does he think he is? Poeltl? Adams has six games with at least five dimes. Over the last two games, he’s dished out six and seven! Ha! Rather than boxing kangaroos in his spare time, me thinks Adams has been sipping some Samuels and watching NBA Classics with Magic. Not with him like sitting right next to him.
Desmond Bane
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6/11 | 12/22 | 2/2 |
Over the last seven games, Bane has scored at least 20 points in five of those contests. He’s gone for 32 and 28 in the last two. Desmond has not been the Bane of our existence as he’s been posting top 50 numbers. He’s shooting 93% from the line and 47% from the field. The turnovers are sub-2, the tres are near tres, and he’s scoring 17.2 points while grabbing 4.3 boards and racking up one steal per game.
JaVale McGee
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3/4 | 0 |
Got the start since Deandre Ayton entered the health and safety protocols and played 22 minutes. Unfortunately, he was in foul trouble and eventually ended up fouling out. Sad face.
Chris Paul
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0/3 | 4/13 | 5/5 |
The Trifecta Society has sent representatives to investigate this stat line. Something is amiss, especially since it’s coming from CP3. Paul is a top 25 player on the season. Yawn. When he’s 40, I believe that he could post top 50 numbers.
Devin Booker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3/6 | 10/20 | 7/9 |
Every NBA player is a professional but there are few professional getter of buckets. Booker is one of those guys. If you watch those Team USA Olympic practices, he kills it in those one-on-one drills. For fantasy, though, he’s good, not great. The defensive stats aren’t robust, which is really the only thing holding him back from entering the upper tier.
Jalen Smith
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2/4 | 4/10 | 5/6 |
In 29 minutes off the bench. Smith played in 11 games prior to Monday. He received over 10 minutes in only two games, and those were due to blowouts. McGee was in foul trouble and Ayton was out so Smith got some run. I wouldn’t make anything of it. That said, in this COVID-infested world that we live in, keep him on speed dial.
Cameron Johnson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4/10 | 6/13 | 3/3 |
Got the start and played 36 minutes. Over the last four games, this Johnson has risen up to post top 40 production. He’s a 3-and-D player who doesn’t do much else. When the team gets healthy, he will revert to a reserve role and be somewhere in the top 150 area.
Kristaps Porzingis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 34 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3/7 | 12/21 | 7/9 |
I don’t think I’ve ever been as confounded about a player as much as Porzingis. One day he’s the greatest thing since the internet. The next day he’s a Charmin-soft tree that gets blown over by a gust of wind. Then I look at his stats and he’s a top 20 player on a per-game basis. As soon as I jump on the KP Express, he drops a nine-point turd. Final verdict? He’s a fantasy stud when healthy. He hucks and chucks which isn’t great for the field goal percentage but you can’t score if you don’t shoot. That also means low turnovers. Can’t turn it over if you don’t pass but that means few dimes. The free-throw shooting is elite, he scores, provides tres, grabs boards, and provides the D. Which is good because allas Mavericks doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Frank Ntilikina
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/3 | 3/5 | 0 |
He’s started the last four games. What a time to be alive.
The Mavericks won 132-117 so Brandon Knight played 24 minutes while Josh Green got 26 minutes of run.
Nassir Little
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2/7 | 7/14 | 4/7 |
With McCollum out, Little has started seven of the last eight games. He’s Mutombo’d at least one shot in every game and grabbed his share of boards. He’s only scored in double-digits in four of those contests, though. The usage rate isn’t high and he doesn’t hoist a ton of shots but he can contribute a little in every category with an emphasis on the D. Last night showed his ceiling. That said, no need to dismiss him as some Chicken Little.
Larry Nance Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 5/11 | 1/1 |
With Jusuf Nurkic and Cody Zeller out, Nance got the start at center and played 32 minutes. The free-throw shooting is poor (60%) and he doesn’t get his Mutombo on, but Nance can provide steals and boards. While Portland is depleted in the frontcourt, he should play over 30 minutes and minutes are half the battle. Yo, Joe!
Nic Claxton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8/9 | 2/3 |
Blocks and boards are Claxton’s game but playing alongside Harden provides plenty of cheapies. He’s scored 18, 17, and 16 points in three of the last four games. He’s blocked at least two shots in four of those contests as well with a five-block performance two games ago. When the Nets get healthy, he may go back to a reserve role but ride him while he’s getting the run right now.
James Harden
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 39 | 8 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4/9 | 15/25 | 5/5 |
With no Kevin Durant, James has gotten me Harden excited the last two games. He’s played 40 and 39 minutes while garnering a usage rate of 33% and 40.6%. He messed around in one game and came two boards shy of doing it again. He’s scored 39 and 36 points while contributing the D as well! When Durant and Kyrie!!! return, the usage and production will subside some but he should still post top 10 numbers. Watching him play last night, he did look skinnier and a little more explosive. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. Say it ain’t so, Geto Boys!
Marcus Morris Sr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4/7 | 6/13 | 8/8 |
Returned from a four-game absence and played 27 minutes. With no Paul George for a while and Reggie Jackson out, Morris is the de facto alpha of the Clippers. The usage rate is 27.5% with those two off the floor. He can score and grab some boards but doesn’t do much else.
Keon Johnson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2/3 | 6/14 | 1/3 |
In 17 minutes. The definition of shit happening.
Brandon Boston Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/5 | 3/11 | 2/3 |
The team has raved about Boston all season but he’s been buried on the depth chart. With all the injuries, he’s played 28, 33, 23, and 23 minutes over the last four games. The shooting efficiency has been piss poor and he’s scored in double-figures only once but he’s attempted 11, 15, 11, and 13 shots and grabbed some board while dishing out a few dimes. I’d keep an eye on him.
