The only thing that could have made NBA Jam better was if each player had their own custom announcing package. The generic lines were fantastic and made up a good portion of the top lines in sports video game history, but personalized reactions to certain player performances would have just been epic. Like if Ben Simmons hit a three-pointer in today’s NBA Jam equivalent, announcer Tim Kitzrow having an absolute meltdown would have just taken the game to another level.
Bam Adebayo‘s custom line is just built into the script. It’s too easy. There would have been a LOT of “BAM SHAKALAKA” last night after his performance.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0-1 | 5-9 | 9-12 |
His everyday starter role has benefitted him tremendously through two games and he’s showing why he’s deserving of that spot. Losing Whiteside, which has benefits in its own right, is also made a little easier when Bam is producing like this. Here are some other notable performers from Saturday night action.
Goran Dragic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2-9 | 7-16 | 9-15 |
A bench role doesn’t mean the end of the world for Dragic… it actually means quite the opposite. He could be the league’s new Manu Ginobili as the younger guys get the start over him but he ends up playing the bulk of the minutes. Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro have both impressed, but neither has done anything major to prove that Dragic should take a complete backseat to the futures of the franchise. Even when Butler plays, Dragic should still serve a similar role whereas Nunn or Herro will get more of a noticeable demotion.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 0-5 | 12-21 | 5-9 |
It was another “off” night for the Greek Freak, but you can realistically start to see why he wasn’t the unanimous first overall draft pick this year. He’s going to stuff the stat sheet every single night, but that also comes at a cost. The three-point stroke isn’t where it needs to be, but it’s encouraging that he’s shooting it. Would like to see the free throw numbers increase, too.
Tobias Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4-6 | 10-15 | 5-6 |
Ahhh, the revenge game. It’s not like Tobi had any real vengeance against the Pistons, but that mentality was there tonight as he helped to lead the comeback effort. It felt like a game the Sixers shouldn’t have been losing at any point, but nonetheless they pulled out the W without Embiid. When Embiid rests, expect an uptick in everyone’s performance, especially Tobi and…
Al Horford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2-7 | 9-18 | 3-5 |
Big Al turned it ON down the stretch, and it’s obvious the Sixers will use him and Embiid both in harmony and as replacements for one another on those much-needed nights of rest.
Luke Kennard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1-3 | 6-11 | 3-3 |
While Derrick Rose stole the show in this one (31 points), his scoring outbursts were expected coming into this season. However, the combo of Bruce Brown and Tim Frazier just aren’t really getting it done in the starting backcourt, and Kennard has come through with his scoring. He won’t contribute much else, but will usually hit more threes than this and won’t commit many turnovers.
Trae Young
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 39 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5-10 | 16-25 | 2-4 |
If he didn’t make it clear enough down the stretch last year, Trae Young is quickly working to become the new face of the NBA. He plays like a video game character with his quickness and creativity skills maxed at 99. Production like this isn’t going to be nightly, but it’s hard to imagine too many games where he doesn’t put up 20 points and contribute in other offensive categories as well. For the amount that he’s handling the ball, five turnovers isn’t too much to stomach either.
Aaron Gordon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0-2 | 4-10 | 2-2 |
19 points in two games is definitely underwhelming. Though it seems as if he was developing his jumper this offseason, he only attempted a pair of threes and attempted fewer shots than Nic Vucevic, Evan Fourier, DJ Augustin, and Markelle Fultz. If Gordon is ever going to develop into a star, he’s going to have to be a more central part of the Orlando core that just lost a disappointing game to the Hawks.
Gordon Hayward
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1-2 | 4-10 | 0-0 |
It’s just not the same Gordon Hayward. He’ll have outbursts of scoring like he did against Philly where he dropped 25, but with the amount of balance that Boston has in their core, Hayward will have some quiet nights as well.
Dennis Smith Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0-1 | 0-3 | 0-0 |
Oooooof. DSJ’s entrance into the Big Apple has been rather Knicks-ian. Sure, he’s coming off of an injury, but he hasn’t played very well in his limited time on the floor. Buying low on him might not be a bad idea, though, because this season is all a rebuilding effort in New York. Once he gets his time and fits in, he’ll use his explosive athleticism and talent to attempt to lead the team.
Malcolm Brogdon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4-6 | 12-18 | 2-2 |
Every team needs a Malcolm Brogdon. Such an underrated pull by the Pacers to add a smart, controlled, and efficient player to their team while gunning for a playoff push. This loss to the Cavaliers was certainly unexpected, but Brogdon’s impact was felt on the court and he will form an elite backcourt with Victor Oladipo upon his return.
Tristan Thompson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1-2 | 11-16 | 2-2 |
A three pointer! Woah! Thompson drilled the first of his career while also completely pounding it out down low against Indiana. Indiana is a great team to play if you’re a big man it seems, and Thompson benefitted from this with a great game. When paired with Kevin Love’s effort (21 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists), the Cavs looked like they can rely on their bigs to grind it out in tough games and put up some wins.
Fred VanVleet
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3-8 | 5-14 | 3-3 |
It looks like VanVleet’s magical playoff run is extending into the regular season as he takes over the much-needed shooter role in Toronto. The Raptors are trying to develop a star out of the former Wichita State stud, and he may be one of the bigger steals in the NBA and in fantasy drafts this season.
Wendell Carter Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-2 | 6-14 | 0-2 |
The Bulls want to be a good team, but I just don’t think they have it in them. Their “stars” are too streaky. As is the case with bad teams, there will be several players in each game that have some pretty lousy stat lines, but there will also be bright spots. More often than not, I’d expect Carter to be a bright spot as he fills a distinct and significant role and won’t really have the opportunity to just disappear for a game in the box score.
Brandon Ingram
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 35 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4-7 | 14-22 | 3-5 |
Weighing the Hollywood lights and the sweet soul of NOLA is no contest for Ingram. His home with the Pelicans has been much more welcoming, as he’s started out his career down South with three straight 20-point outings. This explosion showed his capability to lead like a second-overall pick should, and they stayed competitive with the dangerous Rockets without Zion. Encouraging stuff from Ingram.
Russell Westbrook
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1-3 | 9-17 | 9-10 |
The newest group of fans to come to prominence in the NBA can be broadly labeled as the “overreactors.” Westbrook played a tremendous game and helped to overcome a certain somebody’s shooting woes (see below). The Rockets shouldn’t have won this game, but Westbrook’s determination and poise showed the whole game and manifested itself in a pair of two clutch free throws to seal the deal.
James Harden
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2-18 | 8-29 | 11-12 |
Harden is one of the few players in the league that can miss 21 shots and still score 29 points. It’s crazy. He now has tied his own record of 16 missed three-point FGs in a game for the third time. These nights happen every so often for the Beard, and while other players’ stat lines probably wouldn’t produce numbers with these abysmal displays, Harden finds a way.
Rui Hachimura
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0-1 | 8-14 | 0-0 |
Hachimura’s rookie season has gotten off to a surprisingly consistent start and the Wizards view him as less of a developmental project and more of an immediate impact player. He played nearly 38 minutes in this one, showing that the Wizards view him and Beal as the two primary cogs in the current lineup.
Isaiah Thomas
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2-3 | 6-14 | 0-0 |
His career has had its ups and downs, but, man, Thomas knows how to score the rock in a variety of ways. It only took him 19 minutes to produce this line in his Washington debut. He may be worth rostering if they keep giving him minutes, and with another throwaway season in the capital with Wall sidelined, I don’t see any reason not to allow Thomas the chance for a career resurgence.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0-3 | 8-15 | 3-3 |
Speaking of doing a lot in limited playing time… Murray’s return from ACL surgery has gone about as well as anyone could have expected. He’s an elite talent and his gradual return to full speed will turn him into a star. One of the most obvious steals of fantasy basketball is clearly Murray.
De’Aaron Fox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1-3 | 3-9 | 2-2 |
A prime example of the risk of drafting guys on bad teams. This game was never even remotely close after the first quarter and the Kings got dominated in all aspects of the matchup. Fox will have duds every so often like this one, but he’s an unbenchable player because of his insanely high ceiling.
Bojan Bogdanovic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5-9 | 10-18 | 1-1 |
In the world’s most confusing matchup, Bojan Bogdanovic went up against Bogdan Bogdanovic and the former outplayed the latter. Bojan is a sniper from deep, and while the bench got a lot of playing time in the rout, the Croatian didn’t need more than 24 minutes to pile on the points. A lot of his fellow starters put up quieter numbers because they just didn’t need to play the full length of the game which is the risk of playing guys on dominant teams against really bad opponents.
Montrezl Harrell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0-0 | 9-10 | 10-11 |
While Paul George is sidelined, Harrell is the guy in LA. Not a bad idea to ship him off once George’s return is on the horizon so that you can get the most value out of him.
Landry Shamet
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1-6 | 1-6 | 3-3 |
Shamet shoots threes, and when he doesn’t make threes, he doesn’t do much else. Exhibit A is above.
Dario Saric
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3-6 | 5-8 | 2-4 |
Phoenix is a good place for Saric to settle. He’ll get a lot of playing time and his versatility will be emphasized in the rebuilding Suns. Last night didn’t look like much of a rebuild after a shocking upset of the Clippers.
Frank Kaminsky
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3-7 | 7-13 | 1-2 |
Frank the Tank brought us back to his Wisco days where he was getting buckets and slugging beers afterwards. Not sure if the beer part is as applicable nowadays, but he played really well off the bench for Phoenix where he’s averaging 27 minutes per game. Lots of opportunity for him to put up a strong stat line this season, and the assist numbers are a nice surprise.
