There have been 59 players in the history of the NBA who have scored 50 points in a game more than once. Laughably, Wilt Chamberlain produced a 50-burger 118 times. For perspective, Michael Jordan is second on the all-time list, and he was “only” able to do it 31 times. Only nine players have accomplished the feat at least 10 times. What I’m trying to say is that scoring fifty points in a game is freaking hard and few are able to do it. You know who knew, though? The Stocktonator, as it had Kyrie as the #3 player last night. Entering last night’s game, Kyrie Irving had accomplished the feat two times.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 50 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7/14 | 17/33 | 9/10 |
Make that three now. When a player drops a 50-burger, the world is truly his. Look, it’s an auto intro in my daily recaps. Now, since the world is Kyrie’s, if he says the world is flat, then the world is flat. Do you think it’s a coincidence that the 50-burger was dropped on the corner of FLATbush Avenue and Atlantic Ave inside the Barclays Center? Me thinks not. But then I remembered something about history, in that it is written by the victors. Despite Kyrie’s heroics, the Nets fell to the Timberwolves in OT, 127-126. You round Earthers live to fight another day.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
Karl-Anthony Towns
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 36 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/11 | 11/22 | 7/8 |
Me-F’ing-Ow!!!! It was raining KATs, KATs, and more KATs in BK last night. That is such a lovely line that I’m about to go to the local animal shelter and adopt some cats. He literally does it all, rarely gets injured, and the new pace-and-space offense of the Timberwolves seems to fit him.
Andrew Wiggins
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/4 | 10/27 | 1/2 |
If Wiggins ever has a legacy, this stat line will represent it perfectly.
Robert Covington
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3/6 | 6/11 | 0 |
Our Lord Covington has been infected by the Wiggins Virus. Quarantine the whole team before it gets to all nine lives of KAT!!!
Treveon Graham
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/3 | 4/13 | 1/1 |
Received the start at small forward and played 35 minutes. Graham probably won’t be a “thing” so don’t get excited. The Nets have plenty of wing options and will likely mix and match. If that didn’t do it for you, how about 33% from the field and 29% from downtown in 20 mpg last season with the Nets.
Jeff Teague
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0/1 | 5/5 | 4/4 |
The production wasn’t great, but he did play 35 minutes and is likely still rounding into shape. Last week, Teague said that he didn’t play hoops all summer due to undergoing an ankle procedure in April.
Taurean Prince
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2/5 | 6/13 | 1/2 |
Played a team-high 41 minutes and stuffed that stat sheet. This Prince will never sit on the throne for the Nets, but he has the trust of the coaching staff and teammates and could be in for a fantastic season. His best fantasy season was back in 2017 when he finished as the 96th player.
Jarrett Allen
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 0/4 |
Got the start and played 36 minutes. Atkinson went to Jarrett!!! Now, we should keep in mind that Jarrett was the better matchup for KAT. When they play against bruisers, DeAndre Jordan will likely get the bulk of the minutes.
Caris LeVert
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1/4 | 9/19 | 1/4 |
Received the start and played 37 minutes. He’s a stud and I probably ranked him way too low, as the injury concerns caused me to give him a low games played projection. Father, forgive me for I have sinned.
Spencer Dinwiddie
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1/3 | 6/13 | 1/2 |
Played 19 minutes off the bench and led the unit in scoring and shot attempts. Only Garrett Temple attempted more than one shot.
It’s only one game, but it’s refreshing that Atkinson has scrapped the college-esque rotations. Hopefully this becomes a thing.
Kevin Love
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/1 | 4/10 | 3/4 |
Love was absent from downtown last night. Was there too much traffic? There were plenty of bricks, though, which makes sense because how often does Love at first sight actually happen? Mostly the process entails hoisting up plenty of shots before “The One” is found. As for rebounds, Love unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your persepective, happens frequently. Regardless, it was encouraging that he played 36 minutes, a team high. The 10 shot attempts is somewhat of a bummer and is something to keep an eye on, as there are plenty of ball hogs on the Cavs.
Tristan Thompson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8/11 | 0 |
Played 33 minutes and produced a dub-dub. I usually don’t care about Thompson, especially since he’s a Kardashian, but anyone who plays 33 minutes and produces a dub-dub is a friend of mine.
Collin Sexton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3/8 | 5/15 | 3/4 |
Led the Cavs in shot attempts. Yo, Collin! Puff, puff, pass, homie! Sexton is who he is, a hucker and chucker, and obviously a selfish puffer. Don’t expect much outside of points and tres.
Darius Garland
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2/4 | 3/9 | 0 |
The rookie got the start and played 32 minutes. The stroke from downtown looks good and he passes!!! What a concept! Garland is going to experience his ups and downs, but he should be a vital cog for what will be a turrable Cavs team.
Larry Nance Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1/5 | 4/11 | 0/2 |
Want the good or the bad first? Uh……is this a trick question? The good is that he plays for a horrendous team of professional brick producers, so rebounds should be a plenty. The bad is, well, everything else. He’s still coming off the bench and played 27 minutes. The shooting was bad and the turnovers were high.
Jordan Clarkson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0/5 | 2/12 | 3/3 |
Professional brick producer. I don’t play about these things. Clarkson played 18 minutes, so we are going to have to see if this is a trend or a one-time experience. In the past, he was able to maintain some semblance of fantasy viability due to a sheer amount of bludgeoning volume. At least he made the numerology nerds get excited, as he attempted 12 shot attempts and ended with a +/- of -12.
Aaron Gordon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 2/8 | 4/6 |
SMH. It ain’t ever gonna happen, huh? To be fair, he did have some foul trouble and the Magic had no problems making the Cavs disappear, so…….it ain’t happening, huh?
Jonathan Isaac
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0/1 | 1/3 | 1/2 |
I’m sad writing this whatever you call it. I thought Isaac would take a leap in his offensive production. Well, at least the boards and D stats were there, which gives him a relatively high floor for fantasy. Plus, it’s only one game, so STOP FREAKING THE F OUT!!! Please refer to the above Gordon blurb, sans the “it ain’t happening, huh?” part.
Nikola Vucevic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/5 | 8/16 | 4/5 |
Doing what he do, providing across-the-board production. He led the Magic in both minutes played with 34 and shot attempts with 16. He is the Epcot Center of the Orlando Magic.
Evan Fournier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2/4 | 7/13 | 0/2 |
Evan should start bottling his own line of Fournier water because his game is so pure. Ok, hyperbole much, Son? Fournier is a good player who won’t wow you, but will provide some decent counting stats. Don’t count on the stocks on a nightly basis, though.
Markelle Fultz
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0/3 | 6/12 | 0 |
Played 23 minutes off the bench and looked….good? The performance was against the Cavaliers, so we can’t crown his ass just yet, but he navigated the pick and roll well, finishing at the basket and dishing out beautiful dimes, and he converted a mid-range J that didn’t have the hitch in it. He did bagel from downtown, but he’s definitely someone I’d take a chance on.
Danilo Gallinari
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/5 | 7/13 | 5/5 |
Played 28 minutes, but wasn’t the main option on offense. That honor went to…..
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/7 | 10/23 | 3/6 |
Oh, Shai. You not only fine, but you Gilgeous-Alexander. He played 37 minutes and led the team in shot attempts by a wide margin. I guess the future is now. The free throw shooting sucks and the lack of counting stats is somewhat concerning, but he looks to be the guy and will likely improve as the season progresses.
Chris Paul
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4/7 | 7/15 | 4/4 |
The Thunder went with a starting lineup of SGA, Ferguson, CP3, Adams, and Galinari. I like it, but when looking at the rest of the roster, I understand why. Paul played 30 minutes and did what he do. It’s all about health for Paul. I hope the payment of all his insurance premiums were negotiated into his commerical contracts.
Steven Adams
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1/8 | 1/6 |
I so want to write that this performance was Down Under, but then both the Aussies and New Zealanders would come for my head. And I don’t want that. The free throw shooting was expected to be bad while the rebounds would be plentiful, but that 1-for-8 from the field is a kangaroo kick to the nuts.
Dennis Schroder
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/3 | 1/8 | 0 |
Played 31 minutes off the bench. Shit, did the Wiggins Virus already go airborne?
Donovan Mitchell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 14/22 | 3/4 |
I tried to slide into this fantasy DM all season, but kept getting blocked. Damnit! Y’all know how much I love Mitchell and the new offense should only accentuate his strengths.
Bojan Bogdanovic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/5 | 6/14 | 3/3 |
Had an injury scare, as he turned his left ankle, but BojBog was able to end up playing 24 minutes. He’s a perfect fit for this offense and should get plenty of open looks. Early in the game, he was getting a ton of layups due to the spacing.
Royce O’Neale
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/2 | 6/6 | 0 |
Got the start at power forward and played 30 minutes. As with BojBog, O’Neale is going to get a ton of open looks in this offense. He’s not going to shoot 100% from the field every night, though. Duh….but his floor is relatively high because he will contribute in the defensive cats and boards.
Rudy Gobert
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3/6 | 1/3 |
Played a team-high 38 minutes. There will be better days ahead no doubt, but you can count on boards and blocks from the Stifle Tower.
Mike Conley
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/6 | 1/16 | 3/4 |
Conley has never been a great source for FG%, but .063? C’mon, man!!! Since 1946, there have only been 10 players to shoot 1-for-16 from the field. Make that 11 now. I wouldn’t be too worried, though. It’s one game and Conley is too good a player.
Joe Ingles
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 3/8 | 0 |
Played 33 minutes off the bench. It’s a little too early to ring the Jingles bells. Give it some time.
Harrison Barnes
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1/3 | 5/11 | 1/3 |
Mehrrison got the start and played 30 minutes. Meh.
Marvin Bagley III
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6/16 | 2/4 |
Played 28 minutes. This is what I expect from the Human Pogo Stick all season long. A dub-dub with defensive stats.
Dewayne Dedmon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0/1 | 1/3 | 1/1 |
Got the start but only played 14 minutes. Truly a Dedmon walking, as he was lifeless and was the opposite of what you wanted a basketball player to look like.
Buddy Hield
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6/12 | 10/19 | 2/2 |
My Buddy! My Buddy and me. Actually, I probably can’t write that anymore because I have zero shares of Buddy. Whatever. An excellent source of points and tres, but is hollow man in the other cats.
De’Aaron Fox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0/1 | 3/7 | 2/4 |
I’m telling y’all. Someone needs to call the CDC and have them monitor this Wiggins Outbreak. It’s no joke and spreading fast.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/3 | 1/10 | 0 |
You thought I was joking? This Wiggins Virus is out of control!!!! At least the numerology nerds get to mental masturbate once again, as BogBog scored 2 points in 22 minutes, grabbed 2 boards, dished out 2 dimes, and committed 2 personal fouls.
Devin Booker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2/4 | 10/17 | 0/1 |
Booker has improved the dimes every season in the league. Is he going to make another leap from 6.8 to ? That would be <insert Tony the Tiger>. If he can contribute more in the D stats, then Booker will be a top 25 player.
Ricky Rubio
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0/2 | 4/12 | 3/4 |
The shooting still sucks, but whatever. You’re getting the dimes and steals. It’s like complaining that a really hot girl has a nasly voice. You deal with it.
Deandre Ayton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9/14 | 0 |
I like him Ayton this year. He’s going to be a nightly dub-dub machine and look at those D stats. Plus, he provides excellent percentages. He could be a top 20 player this season.
Kelly Oubre Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1/6 | 8/17 | 4/4 |
Oubre was one of my favorite later round players to draft, as he provides tres and the D stats, without sacrificing in the points cat. He tied Booker for the team lead in shot attempts and should be an important piece for this Suns team.
Dario Saric
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1/4 | 2/7 | 2/2 |
Mario with the D actually lived up to his name. What a world. Unfortunately, he didn’t provide what he’s counted on for, which is tres and points, and only played 21 minutes. No bueno and something to monitor going forward.
Mikal Bridges
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | 1/4 | 3/4 |
Played 23 minutes off the bench. A low volume/usage player, Bridges won’t provide much offensive punch, but will get his 211 on. You always need someone like that in the crew.
Jevon Carter
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3/5 | 4/7 | 0 |
Played 18 minutes and led the bench unit in tres and points. I’m thinking the 124-95 beatdown by the Suns had something to do with this line.
Tyler Johnson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2/4 | 4/8 | 0 |
Played 17 minutes. This Johnson is the backup to Rubio and can fill the stat sheet. Won’t get enough run to be fantasy relevant, but someone to insert if injury strikes.
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3/5 | 8/14 | 1/2 |
Only played 24 minutes due to first half foul trouble. No worries, though, as he led the Nuggets to a 108-100 in Portland. The pride of chubby men everywhere, Nikola is no Jokic. The dimes were light last night, but that won’t be a common occurrence. Even without prolific D numbers, he’s still a first round fantasy asset.
Jamal Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3/6 | 4/14 | 3/4 |
The 6 dimes are a welcome sight. Can he copy the arc of Devin Booker in improving the dimes every season? We know he can score, as he has 50-burger upside, but we need to see that uptick in dimes and defensive stats to move him up a tier.
Will Barton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2/3 | 3/8 | 11/12 |
The coaching staff loves Barton due to his versatility, so he’s going to get run every night. He contributes across the board, but he’s not someone I would necessarily count on for points. The 12 free throw attempts were an outlier.
Paul Millsap
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3/4 | 3/8 | 2/2 |
Got the start and played 32 minutes. Not sexy but across the board production will erect the limpest of limp.
Gary Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1/5 | 3/11 | 1/1 |
Played a team-high 35 minutes, so that’s a positive. The shooting was putrid, though, but I still believe Harris has a bounce back season. It all comes down to health, though.
Torrey Craig
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2/3 | 4/6 | 0 |
Played 16 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets are so deep. Craig could start but the staff loves Barton. Craig is someone to keep in mind if injury strikes.
Hassan Whiteside
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6/7 | 4/4 |
Mt. Whiteside is an active volcano and could erupt multiple times throughout the year. Imagine if he shoots well from the free throw line? Let’s not get carried away now, Son.
Damian Lillard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3/10 | 10/21 | 9/10 |
Played 38 minutes and was spitting hot fire on the Nuggets. It wasn’t enough, but not because of Lillard. I usually give Dame Dolla a cameo, but there’s too many games to get to, so next time for sure.
Zach Collins
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0/2 | 4/9 | 0 |
Got the start and played 31 minutes. One of my favorite sleepers, I still believe. Collins can shoot from downtown, board, and block. He should only get better as the season progresses.
Rodney Hood
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2/5 | 5/10 | 1/1 |
Got the start and played 31 minutes. Always be careful when venturing into the Hood. As long as you know what you’re looking for, you’ll be fine.
Kent Bazemore
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0/3 | 1/7 | 2/2 |
Played 25 minutes and led the bench unit. Uno. Dos. Tres. Quatro. Cinco steals!!!! A true five-finger discount. I still like Bazemore, as he will get the run, but the shooting percentage will be poor.
Anfernee Simons
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0/2 | 2/7 | 1/2 |
Only played 12 minutes, but he got his shots up. The team loves him and he proved that he can get buckets, but playing time will be an issue. Needs an injury to become fantasy relevant.
Marcus Morris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3/7 | 9/18 | 5/5 |
This is how the Morris twins suck you in. I’m not a believer, but he could have some random games here and there where he pops. Have fun trying to figure out when those will happen. He did play a team-high 39 minutes, so there’s that.
Bobby Portis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0/3 | 4/10 | 0/1 |
Got the start and played 33 minutes, primarily because Mitchell Robinson did not play due to an ankle injury.
Julius Randle
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 10/18 | 4/6 |
I see you, Randle. I’ve always liked him as a player, but end up fronting on him for fantasy. Is this the year he takes that major leap? It’s possible, as he has expanded his range and can mess around on any given night, but I still consider him a top 80-ish player.
RJ Barrett
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1/3 | 9/13 | 2/4 |
An impressive debut, no doubt. The relatively low turnovers and excellent field goal percentage were things I didn’t expect. It’s one game, so we shall see how things play out, but a positive first step for the rookie.
Allonzo Trier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/1 | 0/3 | 0 |
Got the start but only played 7 minutes, as he got Fizdale’d and this player took over….
Elfrid Payton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 4/9 | 2/2 |
Played 26 minutes. Fizdale just can’t get enough of Elfrid. Does Fizdale have a daughter who has a crush on him or something?
Kevin Knox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3/4 | 5/9 | 0 |
Played 21 minutes and actually shot well. You know the whole two negatives equal a positive? Well, maybe the Wiggins Virus hit Knox and…POOF….now he can shoot.
Dennis Smith Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 1/4 | 0 |
Played 10 minutes. Hasta la vista, baby.
LaMarcus Aldridge
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1/1 | 8/15 | 5/5 |
Played a team-high 35 minutes. No one’s laughing, as LMA just keeps producing the O.
Trey Lyles
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/1 | 3/4 | 2/2 |
Got the start and played 24 minutes. I wouldn’t consider Lyles the locked in starter, as Pop will likely match up according to the opponent. When Lyles does play, though, some boards and tres can be expected.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1/1 | 7/10 | 3/3 |
In only 24 minutes! I wish I had more Dejounte, as he looked so quick and explosive, especially in the open court.
Bryn Forbes
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 7/12 | 3/3 |
Forbes is money. What else did you expect? Got the start and played 33 minutes.
Derrick White
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3/6 | 3/5 |
Played 22 minutes off the bench. It’s confirmed now. There will be no Murray/White backcourt.
Rui Hachimura
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/3 | 7/15 | 0 |
The rookie got the start and played 25 minutes. You’re probably looking at an empty points and boards guy.
Thomas Bryant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0/2 | 4/9 | 6/6 |
Played 31 minutes. Should be a nightly dub-dub player and I’d expect the defensive stats to be there as the season progresses.
Bradley Beal
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1/11 | 7/25 | 4/6 |
Beal had a 35.4 usage rate. Mic drop.
Isaac Bonga
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 4/5 | 0/1 |
Got the start and played 23 minutes due to injuries on the Wizards. I was intrigued when the Lakers drafted him in 2018, as he’s 6′ 8″ and 181 pounds with a 7′ 0″ wingspan and has excellent handles for a man…I mean boy, he’s only 19 years old, his size. I’m surprised he played so well last night, which is a testament to him. With that said, when the Wizards get healthy, Bonga probably won’t be a factor.
Davis Bertans
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2/6 | 2/8 | 1/1 |
Played 29 minutes off the bench. Bertans is a big who can stretch the floor and looks to be the primary option off the bench.
Jordan McRae
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 4/9 | 2/2 |
Played 22 minutes. Jordan can score. Of course he can. Viable in deep leagues, but would likely need an injury to be fantasy relevant in standard leagues.
Maxi Kleber
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 0 |
Got the start and played 24 minutes. I thought he’d be a fantastic play last night, with Dwight Powell out and all. Unfortunately, he got into early foul trouble early on. The blocks and boards were nice, though, but he does have range from downtown and can score.
Kristaps Porzingis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3/7 | 7/16 | 6/7 |
Played 29 minutes. KP is a freak, hence the unicorn name. He’s primarily a points, tres, boards, and blocks player, but he usually does those at an elite rate. It’s all about health and the number of games he plays.
Luka Doncic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 34 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4/9 | 12/19 | 6/8 |
I. Heart. You. One of my favorite players in the NBA, Luka is going to be a fantasy stud for many of years. The blocks will be light, but he can mess around on any night. The only issues are the shooting percentages and high turnover rate.
Delon Wright
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 2/2 |
Got the start but only played 21 minutes. Playing time looks to be fluid outside of Luka and KP, but Delon should get run due to his defense.
Dorian Finney-Smith
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/3 | 1/4 | 7/8 |
Played 32 minutes off the bench. You probably can’t play DFS in DFS.
Jalen Brunson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1/3 | 3/10 | 2/4 |
Played 24 minutes off the bench, but led the unit in shot attempts by a wide margin. Brunson is a good player who can provide tres, dimes, and steals. The playing time will be an issue, though.
Ja Morant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0/1 | 6/12 | 2/4 |
Played 25 minutes and was a team-worst +/- of -29. Morant had some nice finishes at the rim and a few nifty passes, but he was getting bullied on defense. Welcome to the League, rook.
Brandon Clarke
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 3/6 | 1/1 |
Played 23 minutes off the bench. Clarke looked good and needs to play more.
Tyus Jones
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0/1 | 6/12 | 3/5 |
Played 24 minutes and was effectively aggressive on offense, not something you often say regarding Tyus. He did play a few minutes with Ja, but he’s primarily the backup.
Justise Winslow
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1/2 | 10/21 | 6/9 |
Justise was served, as he played a team-high 37 minutes and punished everyone in his path near the rim. Now, Jimmy Butler did not play, so the usage was probably elevated. With that said, he looks to be locked into the starting lineup and could provide across the board production.
Bam Adebayo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3/7 | 8/10 |
Foul trouble and blowout inhibited his playing time, as he finished with 24 minutes. With that said, he dub-dubbed, brought the ball up after rebounds, was active in the passing lanes, and was looking for open man. The turnovers were high, though. Regardless, I love me some Bam! BAM!
Kendrick Nunn
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 10/18 | 3/3 |
Got the start and played 27 minutes. He did drop 40 in a recent preseason game, so he’s a professional getter of buckets. The only question is what his role will be when Jimmy Butler returns.
Tyler Herro
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 6/14 | 1/1 |
Got the start and didn’t disappoint. He showed off his stroke from downtown, but also showcased what else he could do, which was drive, board, and get his 211 on. I grew up with the expression that heroes die, expect in the movies. I may have to eradicate that from my memory.
Goran Dragic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2/4 | 4/9 | 9/10 |
Played 25 minutes off the bench and did Dragic things. He will be leading the second unit, which could be a boon for him, as he will soak up most of the usage and go up against lesser foes.
Derrick Jones Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2/3 | 0 |
Only played 16 minutes but….but….but……
Gordon Hayward
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8/15 | 9/11 |
Played 35 minutes and Phase 2 of Operation Bounceback has commenced for Hayward.
Jayson Tatum
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4/8 | 8/22 | 1/3 |
Played a team-high 37 minutes. And he had the gall to say that Kobe hasn’t influenced him. Psssh.
Enes Kanter
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 5/8 | 2/7 |
Got the start and played 25 minutes. He’s normally a good free throw shooter, so I wouldn’t trip over the 2-for-7.
Kemba Walker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1/6 | 4/18 | 3/4 |
That Kyrie guy is pretty good, huh?
Jaylen Brown
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 3/6 | 1/3 |
That’s what $115 million gets you these days?
Marcus Smart
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/4 | 2/7 | 0 |
Played 33 minutes off the bench. The 76ers defense is elite, so not sure we can take too much from his shooting performance or anyone elses for that matter, but it’s something to monitor because last season may have been an outlier for Smart.
Robert Williams
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/4 | 1/2 |
Played 11 minutes. I love Time Lord and hope he gets more run as the season goes on. If so, he’d be an elite source of blocks.
Tobias Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2/5 | 6/11 | 1/2 |
Played a team-high 38 minutes. I thought the rebounds would come down from moving to the small forward position. I guess I was wrong. Or maybe it was an outlier. We shall see as more games are played. Great all-around performace from Harris, though.
Ben Simmons
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11/16 | 2/5 |
He is who we thought he is. A threat to mess around on any given night, but will provide nothing in tres, high turnovers, and poor free throw shooting. I do hope he learns how to shoot because I want to see what his ceiling actually is. Maybe all our brains would explode, so the powers that be keep things status quo.
Al Horford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/6 | 5/13 | 5/6 |
Such a perfect fit for this squad. They are going to be a problem. This ties in to the Tobias blurb, but I don’t expect Al to grab only 2 rebounds on most nights.
Joel Embiid
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1/4 | 5/14 | 4/8 |
Yawn. The lack of competition had Embiid thinking about what he was going to do later that night. Remember when Embiid was lauded as the greatest player on Twitter? What happened to that guy?
Josh Richardson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0/4 | 4/12 | 9/9 |
My RichardSON!!! He’s back! I hope. It’s all about those D stats, so hopefully those tick back up in Philly.
Matisse Thybulle
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1/3 | 1/5 | 0 |
Played 22 minutes off the bench. Known as a defensive maven, Thybulle looks like he’s going to provide those stocks on a nightly basis.
Andre Drummond
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0/1 | 12/18 | 8/10 |
Played 41 minutes! Every day is Dre Day, but when Lake Griffin is out, then it becomes DRE DAY!!!!! What a freaking stat line and I probably should’ve made him the lede, but a 50-burger is a 50-burger. Look at those D stats! Oh, he’s hitting his free throws now? If that happens, then he’s a no doubt top 10 player.
Derrick Rose
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6/11 | 6/7 |
Played 27 minutes off the bench and did what Rose does, which is provide lots of points and dimes.
Luke Kennard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6/9 | 8/13 | 8/10 |
Played 28 minutes. No one was Luke’s father, as he made every Pacer his biatch. I always rag on Luke and the Pistons for drafting him ahead of Donovan Mitchell and Bam Adebayo, but on nights like these, I gotta give props. It’s only fair.
Domantas Sabonis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0/1 | 11/15 | 5/5 |
Got the start and played 36 minutes. A dub-dub machine, not sure how well he and Myles fit together, but it is what it is.
TJ Warren
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/2 | 5/12 | 0/2 |
Played 34 minutes but exited the game after hitting the floor hard after a drive to the basket. In Warren’s five-year career, he’s played a total of 43, 65, 66, 47, and 40 games each season.
Myles Turner
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4/7 | 9/15 | 3/3 |
I’m walking as many Myles as need be. We know the blocks will be there, but the 9 boards is nice to see, as he’s usually light in that area.
Malcolm Brogdon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2/4 | 5/13 | 10/11 |
An impressive debut for Brogdon. He’s going to be the primary initiator until Victor Oladipo is ready to come back.
Lauri Markkanen
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 35 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/7 | 13/25 | 8/10 |
The Finnisher!!! That’s my dog. I saw it when he played in the EuroLeague a few years back. Lauri is going to be a problem for defenders for many of years to come. Now, it was against the Hornets so some context needs to be applied, but whatever. Markkanen is a baller. Unfortunately, you won’t get many stocks.
Tomas Satoransky
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/5 | 0 |
Got the start and played 24 minutes. Sato was one of my late-round guys who I felt really good about. Now? Not so much. It’s only one game, but this next fella is the main reason for my concern….
Coby White
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 6/13 | 4/5 |
Played 27 minutes and looked really good.
PJ Washington
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7/11 | 9/17 | 2/2 |
Talk about someone looking good. Geez, PJ was unbelievable, stroking it from downtown like he was at Dave and Busters. The efficiency isn’t going to be like that every night, but the contributions in the D cats give him a good floor. Yes, pick him up if available. He got the start and played 38 minutes.
Cody Zeller
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/2 | 6/11 | 3/4 |
Zeller is a solid option at center. The only concern is health.
Dwayne Bacon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2/8 | 8/21 | 4/6 |
Borrego said that either Rozier or Bacon was going to lead this team in scoring. It’s wise to listen to coach speak…sometimes.
Terry Rozier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2/6 | 2/10 | 1/1 |
Yup. Scary Terry indeed.
Miles Bridges
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0/2 | 4/7 | 0 |
There was a play when Bridges dribbled up the court, went behind his back unnecessarily And1 style, then threw the ball to the other team. Shit was hilarious. Volume will be an issue for Miles, but he should provide those stocks.
Devonte’ Graham
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6/7 | 7/9 | 3/3 |
Played 27 minutes off the bench. He’s the backup to Rozier, but we just saw how scary he can be to the team and coaches. Graham is a baller but has never been known as a good shooter. He’s not going to shoot with this kind of efficiency every night, but he’s someone to monitor in case he does carve out a substantial niche.
