For playoff bound teams, every win at this point in the season is huge. This was not only a big win for the Washington Wizards, it was avoiding a terrible loss. Yes, they are missing All-Star point guard John Wall, but the Boston Celtics were starting someone named Guerschon Yabusele.
I did some digging and discovered that Mr. Yabusele, before donning a jersey and being announced with the Celtics’ starting five, was one of those giant security guards that stand at the bottom of each staircase with their arms crossed and their backs to the court during the game. In fact, prior to playing 18 minutes in last night’s double-OT loss against the Wizards, the most exciting thing to ever happen to Guerschon on a basketball court was high-fiving Marky Mark Wahlberg after a Kyrie Irving game winner.
The Celtics may have ultimately lost the game, but to get as close as they did is a real testament to just how much the Wizards play down to an opponent’s level. I am pretty sure a Division II high school basketball team could take Washington down to the wire.
Besides the Wizards almost losing the Celtics G-League squad, here is what else I saw last night:
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Wizards over the Celtics: 125 – 124
Bradley Beal: 3/34/7/9/2/1 – Every starter for the Wizards, with the exception of Marcin Gortat (02/7/2/0/2), had a nice fantasy game since they all logged at least 34 minutes. So don’t get too excited by some of the lines you are about to see. In fact, most of their lines should have been better since the Celtics had to dress their trainers and ball-boys just in case someone else got hurt.
Markieff Morris: 2/20/7/4/0/0 – This Morris twin is definitely the better fantasy option on most nights, but he got outplayed by his brother in this one as you will see just a couple spaces down.
Otto Porter: 3/18/11/1/3/0 – Just like Beal and Morris, OP played over 40 minutes in this one. Watch out for the OT hangover in their next game.
Tomas Satoransky: 0/10/2/6/2/0 – Definitely a ticker-tease for Satman. When I saw double-OT I thought he would have gotten at least 10 assists.
Ian Mahinmi: 0/14/11/1/1/1 – Ones anyone? MahMee was the only Wizards bench player to do anything noteworthy, which is exactly why they will get bounced in Round 1 of the playoffs this year. This is the last time I will remind you to keep that black marker handy to mark my words.
Marcus Morris: 4/31/9/1/2/0 – I would leave Boston Morris on waivers even after this big game. He played 44 minutes and doesn’t hit threes regularly enough to be a THRAGNOF and he doesn’t steal enough to be a 3-and-D.
Terry Rozier: 4/21/5/9/2/3 – Now that is a fantasy line I can get behind. It’s so beautiful that I asked it out on a second date even though it made a few semi-racist comments at dinner and had to take its “happy pills” right after dessert.
Jayson Tatum: 0/19/5/6/0/0 – Tatum is a real-life stud, but in my opinion he has barely been rosterable in most fantasy leagues since January. However, with all of these injuries, he is going to be asked to carry the offense.
Aron Baynes: 0/7/5/2/0/1 – Baynes put up this gem in 33 minutes. In case you couldn’t tell I am being completely serious.
Guerschon Yabusele: 0/4/3/5/1/0 – Nothing to see here. Maybe keep your eye on things if you are desperate for assists, but you would have to be more desperate than me in high school after watching Species.
Greg Monroe: 0/16/10/1/1/2 – Even though it was double-OT, Brad Stevens still kept his players on their minutes-limits, so Monroe Roe Roe Roe Your Boat did his damage in just 25 minutes. If you need a center, Monroe is worth a pick-up since the Celtics lost Daniel Theis for the season. Keep in mind, however, that Al Horford will be back from his illness soon.
Shane Larkin: 1/11/1/4/2/0 – I put Larkin in the recap because he is the point guard to keep an eye on in Boston with Kyrie Irving sitting out a few games with a sore knee. Larkin is on a strict minute-restriction, but is capable of helping in threes, assists, and steals for a point guard needy team.
Magic over the Bucks: 126 – 117
Jonathon Simmons: 7/35/4/3/0/0 – The other day I was thinking, “I should pick up Simmons, he has looked pretty good lately. Well, maybe not. He doesn’t really do much but score and his three-point shooting is inconsistent on a good day.” So for everyone who grabbed Simmons and benefited from this great line, you’re welcome. I totally put the jinx on myself, just like I did with another player on the Miami Heat you will read about in just a bit. Evan Fournier is iffy to make it back this season and Aaron Gordon is still in the concussion protocol, so don’t pull a Brent. Go get Simmons.
D.J. Augustin: 6/32/3/4/2/0 – I try not to make these recaps personal, but DJ is another point guard I gave up on that would be incredibly useful to me right now, as I see myself dropping in the assists category after losing Jimmy Butler a few weeks ago. The Magic really had it going tonight and this is definitely DJA’s ceiling, but if for some reason he is available I am pretty sure this will put a stop to the return of the Mack (Shelvin Mack: 1/7/3/6/1/0).
Nikola Vucevic: 1/22/9/9/4/0 – No blocks? What a bum. I’m going to have to bump him down to the third best Nikola in the NBA. On a side note, does anyone else find themselves wanting to say Neeeekolaaaaa in the Ricola cough drops voice? If you didn’t, then I know you did it just now. You’re welcome.
Khem Birch: 0/6/9/3/0/1 – Birch really did have the fourth best fantasy game for the Magic in a game that they dominated from the start. Birch is on his way to being a legit fantasy center and has rendered Bismack Biyombo (0/2/1/3/0/1) as useless as a “Ben Simmons for Three” sign.
Jonathan Isaac: 1/4/4/1/0/1 – I wish Isaac had been able to play the entire season because I think by this point he would be putting up Josh Jackson-like stats with more three pointers. It seems like he isn’t going to be able to get caught up before the end of the season, so if you took a chance on Isaac but you see a hot free agent out there, I wouldn’t hate you for dropping him. There is a really good chance he has some eye-opening fantasy games, but not enough to make you regret a drop.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 1/38/10/7/3/0 – Just one block would have made me consider putting the Greek Freak as the headliner for this recap. But alas he could not swat any balls. Pity.
Khris Middleton: 4/22/3/5/0/0 – Exactly what we’ve come to expect.
Eric Bledsoe: 3/20/2/8/4/1 – Looking at the lines from the Bucks’ three best players I would never have guessed that they lost this game. But alas the Magic came to play.
John Henson: 0/8/9/1/1/1 – One more block would have made this line a Henson line I can live with. In a league where I can make up major ground in blocks and rebounds I added Henson and a few other centers hoping for a late push. He is a guy who was dropped in a lot of leagues who makes for a sneaky add if you can benefit from that strategy.
Jabari Parker: 1/14/4/2/0/1 – For owners who waited all season on Jabari, this minute-restriction is frustrating, and unfortunately I don’t think it will end before the NBA Playoffs. On the bright side, I am sure Jabari is leading you out of last place.
Brandon Jennings: 0/2/1/1/0/0 – Let’s be real, we all knew this was coming. If you close your eyes and listen really hard you can hear fantasy owners everywhere hitting the Drop button.
Kings over the Heat: 123 – 119
Buddy Hield: 2/24/6/3/2/1 – Buddy is starting to show flashes of what the Kings saw in him when they made that ridiculous trade last season and fantasy owners are taking note. I am really interested to see what the Kings do this offseason because I am sure it will be awful.
Zach Randolph: 2/22/9/4/0/1 – Zach has always been a few blocks short of full fantasy line.
De’Aaron Fox: 0/20/2/3/0/0 – Fox was one of my picks for a post-All-Star game breakout in our Razzball Podcast (there will be another episode soon) and he is trying so hard to make me look smart. Thanks for trying De’Aaron, but even with lipstick on, it’s still a pig.
Bogdan Bogdanovic: 2/14/3/3/0/0 – I didn’t check, but this looks just like his season averages.
Willie Cauley-Stein: 0/10/9/3/3/2 – Usually, I only like a stein when it’s filled with beer, but that is some nice D.
Frank Mason III: 0/11/4/2/0/0 – If Fox goes down again, grab Frank, otherwise ignore.
Kosta Koufos: 0/6/4/1/1/3 – I am not sure how the Kings decide who is going to start. I am guessing it involves a lot of drinking and darts. When Skal is out, Kosta and Willie make nice streamers. They also sound like partners in a detective movie.
Goran Dragic: 3/33/2/3/0/0 – Much like Smaug in The Hobbit, the Dragon couldn’t save this disaster.
James Johnson: 0/18/10/7/2/1 – I am desperate for assists so I grabbed JJ…again. I know the next game will be a flop and a wasted start, but I’ll do it anyway. If Hassan Whiteside is out again then I might get another good game from him.
Tyler Johnson: 4/14/5/2/1/0 – I know I said TyJo is not my favorite, but he is really starting to grow on me. He is still just my second favorite Johnson on the team though.
Wayne Ellington: 6/22/1/2/1/0 – 6-of-17 from three. Wayne is my favorite THRAGNOF hands down.
Bam Adebayo: 0/6/16/3/0/0 – With Whiteside out Bam was cleaning the glass, unfortunately his shots were not making it dirty.
Kelly Olynyk: 2/13/8/5/0/1 – My favorite streaming option with Whiteside out.
Justise Winslow: 2/10/7/4/1/0 – Remember earlier when I said (wrote) there was a player I regretted dropping even more…well here you go: Chief Justise Winslow. As soon as I hit drop I could see the assists and the threes piling up. Every Heat player I just listed should be owned in most leagues, with Bam being reserved for deeper leagues.
Warriors over the Lakers: 117 – 106
Kevin Durant: 1/26/5/6/2/1 – No Stephen Curry, no Klay Thompson, no Draymond Green, and KD couldn’t even hit his season averages. As long as Steph and Klay are out Kevin Durant is going to go full beast mode. Durant owners should enjoy the ride and the league championships.
Omri Casspi: 0/15/7/1/0/0 – OC doesn’t get a lot of minutes even when the Warriors are short-handed, but the dude produces. He is just too hard to predict to make him worth gambling on unless Draymond is going to be out for an extended period of time.
Nick Young: 3/18/3/2/1/0 – No Klay means Swaggy P is THRAGNOF all day.
Zaza Pachulia: 0/10/12/5/0/0 – I don’t know what Zaza has been eating, but it has him playing like Kyle O’Quinn. What, did you think I was going to say someone good?
Kevon Looney: 0/11/5/3/2/1 – Kerr is playing a four center rotation. Good luck figuring that one out. What’s that? I’m the expert? You’re on your own with this one man.
Quinn Cook: 1/13/2/1/0/0 – One assist. That’s all you need to know to just keep on reading.
Shaun Livingston: 0/13/4/0/2/0 – Nope, still not fantasy relevant.
Jordan Bell: 0/6/3/2/1/1 – See Kevon Looney.
JaVale McGee: 0/2/6/2/0/2 – Unless you like names with multiple capital letters or you are so desperate for blocks that you would steal Legos from a toddler, then ignore.
Andre Iguodala: 1/3/2/3/0/1 – The lesson here is that with Steph and Klay out the Warriors are going to replace them with every single person on the payroll.
Julius Randle: 0/22/10/2/0/0 – A little disappointing with Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma out, but still a really solid game from Orange Julius.
Brook Lopez: 2/20/6/2/1/5 – BroLo is smoking hot right now. Get on the train…Choo Choo
Isaiah Thomas: 5/20/1/7/1/0 – Started next to Lonzo tonight with Kyle Kuzma out and played really well. It’s just too bad it was against the Warriors. What’s that? The Warriors were missing Steph, Klay, and Draymond? Ok, this was awful and will never ever work.
Lonzo Ball: 1/8/5/11/3/1 – Solid line and ugly shooting. Much like his shoes and his shot.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 2/13/4/1/3/0 – This is your typical Caldwell Banker slash.
