Oh boy, more injuries to studs and more teams scrambling…
Sometime before the weekend, Blake Griffin had a fairly routine (and he’s had a few) elbow draining. Blake’s draining jumpers, the team docs are draining elbows! But over the weekend the elbow developed a staph infection, and he’ll have surgery and won’t be evaluated until after the All-Star Break. Blake is firing off jumpers and the team docs are about to be fired! Reports are saying it could be a 4-6 week sort of thing, but with staph infections you never know. Either way, he’s an obvious hold in all leagues. While Blake goes all Leo McGarry on us, Samurai Spencer Hawes and his little hair bun went 17/1/0/0/1 on 7-16 shooting with two treys in 35 minutes. Samurai Spence should be an add in virtually all leagues, as his mix of scoring/treys/blocks can help a lot of teams. Sure he won’t board almost at all for a big with DeAndre Jordan swallowing em all up, but we can ignore that. Kinda like how Denis McDonough ignored that second “n” in his first name. What is it with “Mc” real-life and fictional Chiefs of Staph?! I bet the Oval Office whisky is well stocked… Here’s what else went down over the weekend in fantasy basketball action:
Langston Galloway – The Harlem Renaissance! Get Gallo in the All-Star Game in NY! You know, they should do a D-League NBA players (guys who have been called up in the current season) vs. D-League All-Stars game. I’d so watch that! Anyway, 9/11/4/1/0 on Friday night hitting the glass hard, followed by 15/4/3/2/0 with 3 treys Saturday. Took an absurd 19 shots! Such a Renaissance.
Jason Smith – Big game Saturday night for 14/13/3/0/0 hitting all 6 freebies. Louis Amundson, aka Sweet Lou 2, didn’t even get to 10 minutes battling foul trouble. Not enough bigs to go around!
Tobias Harris – Huge game Friday night for 34/7/2/1/1 hitting 14-18 from the field. “Am I touching something…? Hot!” 15/8/1/3/0 last night, cooled off a tad, but another 2 treys and multi-3PTM in 3 straight. If only he had a good playoff schedule to try and hop on this bandwagon!
Jordan Clarkson – Be aggressive, be be aggressive! Loved seeing him slash so hard yesterday afternoon for 8-9 FT in a 20/6/4/3/0 line with no TO. 14/2/6/4/0 Friday night, giving him back-to-back big games. He’s like, “Hey, Jeremy – SINCE YOU BEEN GONE! …from the starting lineup… I FEEL ALIVE FOR THE FIRRRRST TIME!”
James Johnson – Here’s another guy happy to be starting again! Picked up 30 minutes starting over Greivis Vasquez for a surprisingly empty 20/4/0/0/0 line. Did hit 8-10 including a huge late trey though! Was big off the bench for 16/5/3/2/0 on 7-7 shooting Friday night, but last night could’ve been a matchup call to get his D on Kawhi Leonard. And it worked. As Kawhi cost me some cats in REL…
Jonas Valanciunas – He’s back! He’s a beast! 8/16/0/1/4, but wait…. It was against the Spurs who give up huge games to opposing post guys… I think this might be the pinnacle of this little blocks-binge, so I would try to sell.
Mike Scott – Great Scott! Scott was hot! 5-7 FG (3-3 3PTM 4-4 FT) on Friday night for 17/2/0/0/0 then 11/1/1/0/0 on 4-7 last night with another 3 treys. The minutes aren’t there for much more than deep league ThrAGNOFfing, but man he is gonna be my #1 sleeper whenever he’s looking at a starting role heading into a season.
Tim Frazier – That third baseman for the Reds is sure making some noise! Wait, oh, right… Always impressive to get a dimebag in your team debut! 5/5/11/2/0 Friday night, but only 0/3/8/1/0 Saturday in a combined 2-16 shooting. But hey, need some low end dimes in a deeper? Sure!
Jusuf Nurkic – Jamba Jus going full smoothie! 6/13/1/1/1 with no TO on Friday, but did shoot a terrible 1-10 from the field. Boost those electrolytes with an extra ginkgo shot!
Greg Monroe – The Jus was loose, but the moose was looser! I’m confused… Went Goro on the Nugs for 21/21/3/2/2. Goro+rainbow! Struggled a little yesterday against the Pek, and the defensive stats are as irregular as someone with IBS, so hopefully you get another big one next time out and can sell the moosey goosey.
D.J. Augustin – On an absolute tear with another 20/2/8 with 2 treys last night. DJ+Hassan Whiteside might win some fantasy players some brass come March and April! Pickups of the year right there, that is, if Whiteside can get his ankle on the healthy side.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – I love the Bucks radio call when he hits treys, “ABC easy as 1-2-3!” Unfortunately, those have been very few and far between… 27/15/4/0/1 on Friday followed by 14/11/5/1/2 Saturday. I expect more jumpers and treys as he progresses through his career, so in dynasty this might be the last buying period even at a high price these days.
Josh Smith – Near tripdub! 14/10/8/1/1 Friday, but back down to 16/5/4/0/0 yesterday. Hit 4 treys in both, but camon. Not going here.
Ricky Rubio – Sat out last night and they’re going to sit him on back-to-backs for now. I would slap Flip Saunders right in the face if I ever saw him. Looked fantastic against the Grizz last Friday for 17/5/5/3/0 hitting 6-12 from the field with 3 treys. If he adds a 3 a game on top of his normal stats as the minutes go up, he’s going to have a huge finish. I would use this DNP on back-to-backs (which could get lifted post-ASB) as a buying point.
Zach LaVine – Played a few minutes next to Mo Williams yesterday, ending up with a 5-6 FG 10/3/3 line including a nasty alley. Actually 3 of his FG were dunks, which as he gets consistent minutes theoretically at SG next to Rubio during the next 3-4 years, it would make him an interesting bet for a good FG%.
Nikola Pekovic – Can’t slow the Peking Duck! 29/3/1/2/0 last night absolutely owning the Pistons in the paint. Hit 9-16 from the field and his typical solid 11-12 FT. If you need FT% help especially from a big, say in a Roto, Pek could actually help a ton in that situation. Otherwise, meh.
Anthony Davis – The ups and downs of fantasy basketball! Well, real basketball too I guess… Hits a ridiculous game-winner Friday night on a double-pump trey (on top of a 41/10/3/0/2 line with a 10-10 FT in there), then falls hard on Saturday and sprains his shoulder forcing an early exit. He’s questionable for tonight, but I wouldn’t doubt yet another DNP with a minor injury. Ugh.
Tyreke Evans – Super tripdub! 22/10/16/1/1 Friday night hitting 3 treys. But had trouble against the Bulls yesterday for only 15/4/3/2/1. Which is still good! There’s been no optimism yet for Jrue Holiday and his return, but as soon as there’s anything good out there I would try to eke out a sell-high Reke.
Russell Westbrook – He’s so good. Two MVPs, one team! Awesome video.
Marcus Morris – Whoa, hot hand outburst! And we all know Hornacek loves to ride his hot hands… 34/12/0/2/1 out of nowhere Friday night, hitting 5 treys. And as hot as he got, back down to not… 5/6/0/0/0 last night. Ah, the ride the hot hand Suns…
Tyler Johnson – Signed for the rest of the year by the Heat, and a little intriguing after 18/2/0/2/0 Friday night hitting 7-10 and both his treys. While Dwyane Wade is out, a little ThrAGNOF/steals streaming for deepers? Sure, why not!
Tony Snell – Mach Schnell! Went bonkers for 19/5/0/0/0 on 7-10 shooting hitting 5-6 treys last Friday, then got 37 minutes last night (Mike Dunleavy still out plus Kirk Hinrich with a bad toe opened those up) for 8/3/2/0/0 and a couple of treys. Throw him in that Ty-Jo bucket!
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – Yikes, strained his hammy and the Hornets went from blowing the Sixers out to losing. Then lost on some terrible execution last night, but definitely wasn’t MKG’s fault! You can point right to…
Brian Roberts – …who is terrible. Sure his 19/2/5 line with a thrice of treys is fine, but got the final inbounds down 1 with 5 seconds left and threw up an ugly 40-footer 3 pointer with no real defensive pressure. Al Jefferson was like, “wtf dude? How about running a play?” Ruined Big Al’s huge 30/13 night!
Robin Lopez – Rolo has ruined so many more nights! Including 11/5/0/0/1 on Saturday, with 1-2 FT, but he got ya with those 5 TO. He’s so bad!!!! Don’t worry though, fixed the TO with none yesterday, but in an empty 14/3/1/0/0 line. Worthless! After 6 blocks his first two games back, only 1 block the past two. Bleckkkkkk.
Rudy Gay – Worse bleck! Gave us the ol’ 4/1/1 (with 2 TO) on Saturday by telling trainers his foot was hurt. Ended up sitting out last night as well. Even though I think the Kings blow it up, I doubt it will be by moving Gay or hurt his numbers. Maybe a tiny buy low window right now.
Ramon Sessions – Played decent last night for 10/7/6, and barely, and I mean JUST barely ahead of Brian Roberts if you need to stream a PG early this week and Darren Collison remains out. Sheesh, how did the Kings win against the Suns last night?! Oh, 5-28 from deep for Phoenix, there it is… Plus Baby Bledsoe… (on Rotoworld on the injury page, it says “Injury”: “wife having baby” haha)
Mitch McGary – Running for Chief of Staph! He’s Irish and all! Huge breakout for Mitchy for 19/10 on 8-9 FG. Looked pretty good out there! Steven Adams left with a hand injury yesterday afternoon (still don’t know the severity – but he’s already ruled out tonight which isn’t sounding bueno) and Kendrick Perkins was suspended for going all Zinedine Zidane… Even though I expect Perk to get his little bits of run and Nick Collison is still entrenched there, McGary could have a little opportunity for deepers.
Ed Davis – Much more appealing! 16/9/2/0/1 yesterday hitting all 4 of his FT, and outplaying the scrubs starting ahead of him. 3 straight usable games and worth a look for big man-desperate 12er teams.
James Harden – Mmmmm beards.
Streamers/Cheap Daily Fantasy Picks:
Marreese Speights (23% owned) – The Ace of Speights! If you had to put money on a blowout, would it be on any other matchup than the Warriors against the Sixers?! Speights is under 16 minutes in 3 straight, 2 of those in under 14, and I think he gets unleashed against that weaksauce second unit front line.
Mike Scott (2% owned) – Why not my boy Scott?! He’s been hot the last two as mentioned above, this should be a blowout against the Wolves (well, they are playing better…), and it’s a back-to-back so we could see some lower minutes from the starters.
I hope everyone had a great weekend, and we’ll catch ya tomorrow!
