After witnessing Paul George‘s gruesome leg injury in 2014, many of us didn’t think he could ever be the same again. After slowly working his way back, he’s now surpassed his pre-injury levels and has been having his best possible season. He’s been rock-solid in the top 5 for standard 9 cat leagues, highlighted by an impressive 27.6 points, 3.7 3’s, and 2.3 steals. Any fantasy GM that drafted him in the early 2nd round has to be ecstatic about the production.
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 14/23 | 5/6 | 10/16 | 43 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
He piled on the points efficiently, but also added 7 boards, 5 assists, and 2 steals for a diverse line that will bring a smile to anyone who rostered him. It’s also important to note that he managed to drop a spicy ten 3-pointers. He’s amazing to watch and amazingly fun to have on your fantasy team. Enjoy the ride.
Stars Gonna Star
These stars played like we expected them to, punking their inferior opponents, and racking up the stats that build the foundation of our fantasy teams.
Kemba Walker
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/17 | 5/6 | 4/9 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Kemba wasn’t his most efficient here, but did add 4 3’s, 4 assists, and a game-leading 23 points. Overall he’s been having a great season and is a lock for top 25 value the rest of the way.
Kyrie Irving
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/20 | 3/3 | 2/5 | 23 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
The crowd let him know they wanted him at Madison Square Garden next season. He put up a gem here and generally looked like he could do whatever he wanted on the court. He’s an easy top 10 player this season and, regardless of where he plays next, he’ll be an elite guard that puts up amazing fantasy stats.
Russell Westbrook
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/10 | 0/1 | 2/5 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Westbrook had a nice game with the low-end triple-double, his 5th in a row, but he didn’t need to score much with PG going off. He’s been ranked in the 30’s for the season, held back by poor percentages and turnovers.
Trae Young
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/20 | 5/7 | 5/10 | 28 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Trae Young has been on fire lately, slotting inside the top 20 over the last week. This game adds to the impressive run. Minus the FG% and turnovers, he’s been having a great rookie season.
Ricky Rubio
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/11 | 8/10 | 2/6 | 22 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Could this be Ricky’s swan song in Utah? If so, it was a nice way to go out. We got some vintage Rubio here with the 11 assists. If he’s moved, hopefully the situation will be as good or better for him and his fantasy production.
Rudy Gobert
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/7 | 11/15 | NA | 25 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Much has been discussed about Gobert tearing up when talking about missing the All-Star game. I’m a fan of someone who obviously cares that much, and don’t get down with the mockery that followed by other NBA players. Whether I approve or not, Gobert shut down his detractors by putting up an impressive line.
James Harden
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/21 | 5/9 | 7/14 | 30 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Harden was bothered by the defense of Torrey Craig in this game. Still, he managed his usual high volume and nice all-around production, and managed to keep his 30 point game streak going. The Rockets play again tomorrow night, so look for him to rebound nicely, especially if CP3 sits.
Nikola Jokic
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 12/15 | 1/2 | 6/6 | 31 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Denver led this one 83-71 at the half and Jokic was obviously a big part of that with his near triple-double. Jokic has been steady in his top 10 fantasy value this season and keeps showing the NBA why he’s the best passing big man.
Dropped the Ball
Oooof. That’s not exactly what we were hoping for. Hopefully, these guys rebound next game and your fantasy team can stay afloat.
Marcus Smart
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 1/3 | NA | 1/2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Smart started and played 28 minutes, but you wouldn’t know it looking at this line. Usually, when he has a low usage/scoring night, he adds value by contributing nicely in the counting stats, but that was not the case in this one.
Terrance Ferguson
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 0/1 | NA | NA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Ferguson held a surprisingly nice streak of double-digit scoring in five of his last six games played. He returned from a back injury to start and play 22 minutes, and this is what he provided. Yikes.
Solid and Noteworthy
These are the good performances we wanted to make note of.
Shelvin Mack
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 8/15 | NA | 3/5 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Mack continues to be effective whenever given the opportunity. With Conley out and potentially about to be traded, Mack once again produced for fantasy GMs. For as long as Memphis is in limbo, Mack is a deserving waiver pickup for most leagues.
Justin Holiday
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/13 | 1/1 | 2/6 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Holiday is yet another player in Memphis that benefited from players like Conley and Slo-Mo being out for one reason or another. He can be low-end relevant for standard leagues if he gets enough minutes.
Nicolas Batum
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 2/4 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Batum did what he does, which is barely score, but contribute a little bit across the board. The highlights from this game include 10 boards and 4 combined stocks. The low scoring still keeps him outside of the top 100, but if you are looking for solid production in counting stats, he’s a decent option.
Tony Parker
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/9 | 3/3 | NA | 15 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
We had some flashes of vintage Tony in this game. He was playing smart basketball and did a great job facilitating. He’s been surprisingly decent, particularly in scoring and assists, and is not the worst option in deeper leagues.
Malik Monk
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/15 | 4/4 | 4/8 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Monk outperformed Lamb in this one. He was not efficient from the field, but went off for 20 points. He may never be a counting stats producer, but the scoring and 3’s potential is definitely there.
Kevin Knox
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/21 | 1/1 | 2/7 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Admittedly, I am not a big fan of Knox’s game, but I won’t deny it when he has a solid game from a fantasy standpoint. He managed to be his usual inefficient self, but was able to offer up some decent counting stats to round out his line.
Al Horford
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/12 | NA | 0/1 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Horf was sneaky good as usual. If you ask 10 NBA fans who got a 14/9/4, nine of them would know its Horford. He’s never flashy, but his fantasy game has no real holes.
Dennis Schroder
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 11/13 | 2/2 | 4/6 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Nintendo DS had an amazingly efficient night and provided 28 points with 4 3’s. The lack of any other stats is a bummer, but if you need points, he’s been trending up lately.
Josh Richardson
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/18 | 2/2 | 2/8 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
JRich has been having a nice season, but overall has been a little disappointing in terms of fantasy production. This was another pretty nice game, but it was also nothing special. He’s hovering around the top 60 for the season.
Hassan Whiteside
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 6/10 | 0/3 | NA | 12 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Due to his insanely poor free throw shooting, Whiteside is outside of the top 100. He’s been great in boards, blocks, and FG%. If you punt FT, he’s coming in at an impressive #24 ranking.
Kevin Huerter
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/10 | NA | 4/7 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Huerter had a solid outing with scoring and his standard 3-point shooting. He did have an opportunity to show off his playmaking ability, which is an underrated part of his game. He should be a nice upside play post all-star break.
John Collins
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 8/16 | 3/4 | 0/4 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Collins has stepped up as a nice scoring frontcourt counterpart to Young. He doesn’t rack up a ton of boards, and stocks are far and few between, but the scoring and overall potential shine. He had a good game here and even added a steal and a block for good measure.
Dewayne Dedmon
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 5/9 | 2/2 | 3/6 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Dedmon can offer serious help to a contending team, so hopefully, Atlanta is able to find a good trade partner for him. He put up another really nice all-around game in this one, delivering stats in every category.
Joe Ingles
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/12 | 2/2 | 3/6 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Jingles was a nice contributor in points, 3’s, boards, and assists in this one. He’s been a reliable source of diverse fantasy production and this game was no exception.
Chris Paul
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 8/13 | 1/1 | 3/7 | 20 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
This was a solid game statistically for CP3, but he seems to still be working his way back from injury. He’ll likely take the next one off and be prepared to see him sitting in back-to-backs for a while.
Kenneth Faried
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/13 | 5/6 | 0/1 | 23 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The Manimal continues his amazing revival with his 6th straight double-digit scoring night. As long as Capela is out, Faried in the man inside for Houston.
Malik Beasley
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 12/17 | 6/7 | 5/9 | 35 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Beasley has been feasting with Murray and Harris dealing with injuries. The trend continued here with the Nuggets running the Rockets out of the building. The 35 points were a career high.
Heating Up
Hot streaks are always fun.
Ivan Rabb
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/11 | 1/3 | NA | 15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Rabb factors in to have a potentially sizable role with the Grizzlies from here on out. As Memphis shifts to see what they have in their younger players, Rabb should be able to show what he can do. This marks back to back double-digit scoring games, and he’s a guy that can produce low-end double-doubles if he gets decent minutes.
Mixed Bag
Unsure if good game with bad stats or bad game with good stats…
Donovan Mitchell
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 7/18 | 1/1 | 0/2 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
The Don just couldn’t get it going in this one. The efficiency was rough, but he was able to salvage the night with some ok counting stats and 15 points. He should bounce back in the next one.
Where did that come from?
Well that was unexpected. Nice work, but can you keep it up?
Daymean Dotson
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 9/16 | NA | 4/8 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Dotson was part of what may be the worst starting 5 of all time. He led the way for this squad with 22 points, 4 3’s, and 6 boards. With DSJ and Wes Matthews heading over, this scoring output should be short-lived.
Torrey Craig
| FG | FT | 3PT | Points | Reb | Assists | Steals | Blocks | TO |
| 8/11 | 4/4 | 2/4 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
It seemed with all of the players returning from injury, Craig’s role was waning. Instead, he decided to have his best game of the season, showing off his lockdown defense, drawing the Harden assignment and doing an admirable job with it.
