So my pops was born and raised in Korea. He grew up during the Korean War and life was tough, as his homeland was the battleground for a proxy war between superpowers. As a result, every male Korean citizen had to do their duty and serve in the armed forces, which is still a staple of Korean society since the peninsula is technically still at war. For him, that’s fighting for freedom. We were having a discussion the other night about people who choose not to get vaccinated. Although I don’t agree with their stances, I do understand some of their perspectives. My pops? He scoffed and chuckled when the perspective of “It’s my right to not get vaxxed. Don’t infringe upon my freedoms” got mentioned. In his words, “Those are the same people who would try and skirt a military draft if their freedom was at stake! Bunch of <bleep, bleep, bleeping bleep>” I love when pops keeps it real. Anyways, Joel Embiid is not one of those people. He not only fights for freedom but looks forward to the battles with Freedom, as in Enes Freedom. Prior to last night, they faced each other 17 times. Embiid has averaged 26.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks. Last night, Embiid eradicated Freedom once again in 40 minutes:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 41 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1/5 | 14/27 | 12/14 |
That was the 16th time Embiid has scored at least 40 points in a game. He truly is a marvel of extraordinary magnitude. He’s the number seven player for fantasy on a per-game basis. The only bugaboo? The 10 missed games. Also, William Wallace would be incensed at Embiid because he took away his Freedom!
Here’s what else I saw last night:
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Four of the five 76ers starters played at least 40 minutes. Mattisse Thybulle only played 32 minutes but he had an excuse as he had to hurry home because the paint was drying.
Seth Curry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3/3 | 10/14 | 3/3 |
Curry has scored at least 20 points in consecutive games. The usage rate has been 25.7% and 22.8%. Tyrese Maxey has been out so…Don’t tell me he pulled a Tonya Harding. It’s the innocent looking and quiet ones that you always have to watch out for.
Danny Green
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2/8 | 2/8 | 2/2 |
Red light. Green light. Red light. Green light. Rostering Danny boy should have been a game in Squid Game. Some days he can stuff the stat sheet and provide plenty of fantasy goodies. Other days? He destroys the percentages and makes you want to perform seppuku.
Isaiah Joe
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | 0/2 | 1/2 |
In 26 minutes off the bench. Minutes are half the battle. Yo, Joe! Well, Isaiah lost the battle. No, Joe…..We need Iso Joe! With the injuries on Philly, Joe has played 25 and 26 minutes in the last two games. He’s scored a total of one point, had a usage rate of 7.2% and 5.2%, and….enough about Joe. He’s not even average.
Enes Freedom
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/1 | 7/10 | 1/2 |
Got the start and played 40 minutes as Robert Williams III and Al Horford were out. He mirrored the minutes of Embiid since the Celtics had no bigs. Kanter averages 1.05 DraftKings points per minute so he’s always productive when he’s on the court, especially with points and boards. It’s his defense that is always the issue, which is why he doesn’t play many minutes.
Jaylen Brown
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3/9 | 9/22 | 9/10 |
A lot of 9s in there. Thank goodness no 911 especially since Brown has missed 13 games this season. This is what Brown can do for us. Hopefully, the Doo Doo Brown is gone and behind us. We just want the Brown that delivers the goods regardless of weather, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0/5 | 8/19 | 7/8 |
Oh, Shai. Not Oshae Brissett of the Indiana Pacers. Oh, Shai. You so damn Gilgeous-Alexander. Looks at field goal percentage on the year. Oh, Shai. The 41% is no bueno, especially when you shot 50%, 47%, and 47% over the last three seasons. I am confident that he will get his act together. Shai does it all and the turnovers are even low. He’s at 0.7 blocks and could become a 1/1/1 player.
Josh Giddey
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3/8 | 7/16 | 2/6 |
39% field goal percentage makes me want to take someone’s freedom away. The 11 and 10 assists over the last two games with 18 boards in one of those games?
Giddey has not messed around yet but he will sooner than later. He has three games with 10 dimes and five games with double-digit boards. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Oi! Oi! Oi!
Darius Bazley
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1/3 | 4/7 | 1/4 |
Bazley has come off the bench the last two games and played 24 minutes in each contest. He has scored 10 points in each and Mutombo’d four and two shots. The usage rate has increased to 20 and 23% but the shooting efficiency is always an issue.
Ja Morant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1/1 | 6/12 | 3/5 |
Did Morant really return to action last night? Ja. Are you sure? Ja. Are my pants off? Ja.
Desmond Bane
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5/9 | 10/20 | 0 |
Bane is a top 50 player on the season but that’s been boosted by a top 30 ranking over the last month, as the usage rate and production have been elevated with Morant out. Bane will provide points, tres, boards, and excellent percentages but the overall numbers will take a dip with Ja back.
Miles Bridges
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2/9 | 8/20 | 3/3 |
I have relinquished all control of the household finances because I’ve been buying all the bridges that people have been selling me. Fantasy hoops is a sickness that permeates into all aspects of my life. A bridge to nowhere? All I picture is Miles elevating into the stratosphere to throw down a thunderous dunk. A bridge over troubled water? All I see is Miles Euro-stepping, crossing over, spinning, and juking his way around multiple defenders on his way to the paint. Miles is a top 30 player for fantasy and could finish inside the top 25. He’s 0.1 blocks shy of the 1/1/1 club and he’s turning over the ball fewer than two times a game.
LaMelo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3/7 | 8/20 | 2/2 |
Top 10 player for fantasy.
Kelly Oubre Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1/6 | 2/9 | 0 |
Got the start and played 31 minutes as Gordon Hayward missed his first game of the season with a back issue. What says you? Back issue or scaredy cat for a return to Utah?
Rudy Gobert
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4/10 | 15/16 |
The sixth career 20/20 game! Too bad he hasn’t able to clearly see the horrible optics of licking microphones last year! I kid, I kid. Let’s talk about the free-throw shooting. That was the eighth time Gobert has shot over 90% from the line on at least 10 attempts. Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! It’s hard rooting for a non-underdog Rudy but here we are. Anyways, play all centers against the Hornets as they boost the fantasy points per minute by a whopping 15.42%.
Royce O’Neale
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1/6 | 1/9 | 0 |
He’s not flashy like a Rolls Royce. Not with the 10% usage rate and 7.8 point average on the season. Hoopty Royce? Regardless, he’s a top 80 player on the season as he doesn’t turn the ball over, drains some tres, grabs boards, dishes out some dimes, and contributes the D.
Christian Wood
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 8/14 | 6/9 |
Christian gives me Wood. Is it okay for a Christian to get Wood? How else are babies made? Gets tapped on the shoulder. Mary Magdalene. Mic drop. Checks fantasy ranking. Top 130 player on a per-game basis. I ain’t Christian anymore and my tent has deflated to an air bed. The points are way down, but he is a dub-dub threat on any given night and contributes some D. 58% from the line is a crucifiable offense.
Lonzo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4/9 | 6/12 | 3/3 |
Ball is averaging 1.8 steals, one block, 3.1 tres, five dimes, and 5.4 boards. He’s racked up at least three steals in a game nine times with two of those games with five. Zo is a top 25 player for fantasy with the only bugaboo being the 41% field-goal percentage.
Alex Caruso
Only played six minutes because of a foot injury.
With the Carushow cancelled, it was….
Coby White
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5/9 | 7/15 | 5/5 |
….who played 32 minutes and delivered the goods. I would.
Alfonzo McKinnie
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4/6 | 6/10 | 0 |
Played 29 minutes off the bench. Over the last three games, he’s played 29, 17, and 29 minutes. With COVID, he could get more run but….I would not.
Chimezie Metu
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/3 | 7/12 | 2/2 |
In 34 minutes. Metu has played over 30 minutes in each of the last three games. Now, he’s received the opportunity due to injuries on the Kings, but he’s performed well so could have earned himself a spot in the rotation. TBD.
Tyrese Haliburton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2/4 | 8/18 | 6/7 |
He’s gone 20/10 in each of the last three games and been a top 15 player over that span! The board of Haliburton has ceased with the fossil fuels. Why continue when they have a clean energy source in Tyrese. Now, before you mortgage the house and put it all into Haliburton stock, keep in mind that De’Aaron Fox has been out, which has provided increased usage and opportunities. There are rumblings that Fox could get traded so don’t go out shorting Haliburton stock.
Draymond Green
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1/2 | 7/11 | 1/2 |
The 30th time Dray has messed around. Amazingly, this was the ninth time that Dray has messed around while racking up at least two steals and two blocks in a game. I think Dray is a for-sure Hall of Famer. He’s so unique and the Warriors don’t win all those chips without him. What says you?
Steph Curry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4/12 | 13/27 | 0/1 |
Yawn
Keldon Johnson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2/3 | 5/13 | 0 |
This Johnson is a top 160 player on the season. No tent here. The Johnson over the last three games has been a top 60 player as he’s shooting 80% from the line and 55% from the field. Boooing. He’s scored 20 points, drained tres tres, and grabbed 7.3 boards. He will continue balling out like this…
As you can see, I enjoy talking to myself.
Jakob Poeltl
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8/13 | 1/3 |
He’s shooting….takes off glasses….makes sure there are actual lenses in them….cleans them….puts them back on….hunches toward the screen and squints….36% from the line. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. If I tried to miss, I’d still shoot a higher percentage. That said, Poeltl would crush me in blocks, boards, points, and field-goal percentage.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4/6 | 10/22 | 0 |
The sixth time DM has messed around this season. Yeah, I be sliding in day and night. Top 20 player on the season. The only bugaboo is the 68% free-throw shooting.
Ivica Zubac
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5/9 | 2/4 |
Zublocka! Only averaging 24.8 minutes per game on the season but is posting top 120 numbers. 1.2 blocks, eight boards, 66% field-goal percentage, and 74% from the line are pretty, pretty good.
Paul George
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3/9 | 8/18 | 6/7 |
My vocabulary had been X-rated with PG out five games. On my Main Event team, I have AD and PG with a bunch of other COVID-infested players. The language will not revert to PG anytime soon. Anyways, it’s good to see PG back. He is the Alpha and the Omega of the Clippers. The usage rate is 34% on the season and he’s a top 15 player for fantasy. The field-goal percentage is light at 42%, the turnovers are high, and the blocks are only at 0.4, but he contributes robustness in the rest of the cats.
