The race to see who will be the biggest historical figure from NYC named Langston!
In his first career start, another D-League darling in Langston Galloway had a career-high 21 points in a 21/5/3/0/0 line hitting 8-14 FG and 3-6 from deep. Probably the best stat from yesterday is that the Knicks are undefeated in Galloway starts. Kid doesn’t know how to lose! Starting a little bit out-of-position at the 2 guard, the Knicks seem intent on giving him minutes and seeing what they have. He played 31 yesterday to Jose Calderon‘s 23 minutes of rock-bottom garbage and Shane Larkin only popped up for 15. Definitely going Galloway over Larkin, I was on that side of the argument even last week, but is it crazy to roll the dice on Langston over terrible-aroni Calderoni? I would probably take Galloway unless a desperate need for assists-upside. Plus Calderon makes perfect sense as a trade candidate given the Knicks’ direction. Notice how I said Knicks. And not Poppycockers. Because they won a game! I’m giving our New York readers a day of respite… Keep the losses coming, Knicks, I wanna keep doling out the Poppycockers joke the rest of the year! Here’s what else has gone down since we last checked in on Friday in fantasy basketball action:
Brandon Jennings – Well after Friday night’s 37-burger, I thought all my sell-high talk for BJ may have made me have a full mouth. Because my foot was in it! Then we got a run of bad BJ again, with 10/1/6 and 4 TO against the Sixers (?), 7/2/5 and 3 TO last night, and everything is just too toothy! Hopefully you sold for something shiny!
Marc Gasol – Had a pretty epic Friday night a few days ago! 12/16/8/3/2 in a saucy line against the Magic, nearly tripdubbing en route to his rainbow line.
Jeff Green – Settling into the 6th man role quite nicely. Scored 21, 17 then 11 the past three games, filtering in a few steals and blocks. The minutes are still there (30+ in those three games), but I don’t buy he can contribute in the D stats just because he’s on a defensive-minded team and doesn’t really offer enough upside to get the beastly 40 minute games we saw here and there in Boston.
Elfrid Payton – The Elfrid is certainly off the Shelfrid! Big Friday night for 22/4/12/2/0 and followed in up with a great 19/4/8/3/0 outing against the Thunder. Shot over 50% from the field in both of them and 10-13 from the FT line in the past 3. The 4+ TO in each of those same three is concerning, but I’m sure glad I stocked my Shelfrids with Elfrids this holiday season!
Nerlens Noel – Captain N with the rainbow! 17/11/2/2/5 last Friday night, hitting 7-10 FG, 3-4 FT, and probably the most important – nary a TO. A big knock on his game was a poor TO rate (it is the Sixers after all…), but he’s now had only 6 TO over the past 7 games. The %s are still meh, but I love the drastic improvement in ball security.
Larry Drew II – Told ya! Wasn’t very good in the college years, and while 15 AST over the past two games for the Sixers’ B unit is commendable, a 15:8 AST:TO ratio in two games worth of junk time isn’t too hot. Still a little incredulous he got signed, but I guess someone has to play recklessly with Tony Wroten looking like he’ll be out a while. I guess weirder things like…
Alexis Ajinca – …going 16/14 in a game is about as nutso! Ripped apart said Sixers B-unit, and boy did it carry some momentum with it! 22/6/3/1/1 Sunday night and 8/11/1 last night. Now to the big elephant in the room – these were without Anthony Davis. Not that The Brow is an elephant! Looks like Brow almost played last night, so Ajinca is likely back to a big dose of bench-a.
Jarrett Jack – Waaaahhhhhhhh! I don’t wanna be traded! So the Nets didn’t, and he’s still rolling out must-own value. 26/6/7/2/1 Friday then 22/4/8 Saturday hitting over 50% on 18 shots in both games. Nothing to cry about there unless you faced him!
Derrick Rose – You just had to patient! As in, half the regular season patient! One of D-Rose’s better career games on Friday night going 29/3/10/1/2, shooting 12-20, hitting five treys, and not committing a single TO. Playing the Celtics just brings the best out of you! You just look at how they’re being coached, and you’re suddenly in your groove! Rose then nearly tripdubbed for 23/8/10 on Saturday. The Celtics push!
Taj Gibson – Just needed one injury to the slippery slope of the Bulls big men (huh?) to avalanche in some stats (did they move to the Rockies out of Chicago?). 7 swats the past two games while Joakim Noah recovers from a kankle. He should be back soon, but while it heals I imagine he just stares at his ankle, periodically yelling at it like he yells at officials.
#OccupyDraymondGreen – Oh man, these minutes Kerr hath been dealing are cruel and unusual! Under 26 in 4 of the past 5, but a lot of blowouts in there. Keep on occupying, Razzball Nation!
Russell Westbrook – Whoa! 15/15/15 tripdub?! Had an unbelievable night as the Thunder upset the Warriors (role reversal!) Friday night for 17/15/17/4/0. His usage was 98%. Usage jokes! Fun fact – Westbrook aced history all through school. “What was Stalin’s key to success in industrializing Russia?” “Execution.”
Dion Waiters – Here’s someone executing! 21/4/2/3/1 in that OKC win against the Warriors where everyone went off (well, except Reggie Jackson… Ouch…), then 16/1/2/2/0 Sunday.
Jameer Nelson – Wait, what? He’s still in the NBA? Moved to Denver and suddenly is a star?! I wonder what’s in the workout regiment! 14+ points, 2+ treys and 4+ dimes in all three Nuggets games, so you have to pay attention a little. It’s a hell of a lot better than Jose Calderon, I’ll tell ya that much!
Kawhi Leonard – Kawhiiiiiiii! Wee wee weeeeeee! Oh, the Geico pig… Luckily his hand healed up after pulling a Josh Hartnett in 40 Days, racking up 20/4/5/3/0 and 12/9/1/2/1 lines with a trey in both and only one total TO.
Rudy Gobert – Gobert is unfair! 3+ blocks in 9 straight now. “Excusez? Excusez-moi? Le elbow is the way of my ball!” Even though Enes Kanter is back to being fantasy’s least-favorite starter, Gobert is still racking up some mad stats including 13/18/2/0/4 against the Spurs, even if a little was in some late junk time.
Hassan Whiteside – I fought the law and the law won! 3 fouls in 15 minutes last time we saw Whiteside, but still got ya two blocks. Not hopping off yet.
Luol Deng – Rainbow alert! 25/6/4/2/2 in another Deng-blip. They’re like radio signals from aliens – rare, but when you find them they’re creepy and loud like in Contact.
Shabazz Napier – 12/6/5/2/1 in a near-rainbow as well, sucking up all of Dwyane Wade‘s minutes like the Mega Maid vacuum. “We’ve gone from suck to blow!” Even though Norris Cole looks out of the starting lineup discussion, he might still keep Napier from being anything useful when Wade is back.
Klay Thompson – Had a 5-block game on Saturday. If that isn’t the ultimate “F you JB, you can never ThrAGNOF me again!” type of stat from the weekend, I dunno what is!
Robbie Hummel – “With great depth comes great responsibility.” Hence why the Wolves can just throw out whatever these days… 15/13 with a trey and a swat Saturday in a team high, yes he led Minnesota in minutes, with 43! Went back down to 24 yesterday and he didn’t score… Flip is flippin’ out just for Flippin’ sake!
Jusuf Nurkic – Well, the foul-fairy is sprinkling some foul-dust on the Jamba Jus lately! 10 fouls the past two games, but still can hit the cats hard with a 2/8/1/2/1 line against the Warriors. Who blew the Nugs out by 43. Man, that was brutal…
Matt Barnes – As I mentioned a few times last week, the broad side of a Matt Barnes has been solid lately and put together a 26/10/1/3/1 line hitting 10-15 FG (4-9 3PTM) Saturday night against the Kings. Cooled back off yesterday, but 3/3/4/1/1 is usable too.
Jason Thompson – Um, what? Was there a rule coming into Saturday’s game that centers couldn’t rebound?! A Goromotaro out of almost-nowhere, going 23/22. The biggie here was it was in a game without DeMarcus Cousins, who returned last night. Spoiler alert! Thompson was way worse with Boogie back…
Al Jefferson – Wooooo, the groin is grone! Womp womp. 8/5/1/1/1 for Big Al in a big 25 minutes finally getting back on the court after a month.
Lance Stephenson – Keeps making people think he’s interesting, when he’s not. Got 9 assists yesterday, but no Kemba Walker (knee cyst, which apparently isn’t too big a deal), had his 3 TO, shot only 2-9 and continues to shoot threes even though he’s worse than Josh Smith from out there.
Mike Scott – Geez, he’s just so good. Hit 9-15 FG (2-6 3PTM) yesterday for 20/5/0/2/0. A little ThrAGNOFfy, sure, and he’s a bench guy on a loaded hot team, but he gets all my dirty-themed emojis any time we wants.
Austin Rivers – Man, I wouldn’t want to play for MY dad in the NBA!
James Michael McAdoo – Got brought up from the D-League and debuted with a 11/5/0/0/1 game on 4-5 shooting in 13 junk time minutes. I watched a lot of Chapel Hill ball through the McAdoo years, and the kid is a great athlete with good touch. But so inconsistent! Best case scenario is he’s a PF version of Harrison Barnes (convenient, sure since they’re both UNC to GSW guys) – you watch them play and think they could really be something, but they’re actually role guys. Plus McAdoo can’t hit free throws because each attempt almost hits the rafters. Calm that arc, son!
Rajon Rondo – Panic flag! Panic flag! The emo knockoff of Black Flag… Or Anti-Flag… So many flags! Sat out last Wednesday with a sore Achilles, was pretty bad Friday and was only 6/3/1/1/0 in 26 minutes last night. Great buy low, if you can handle 0-2 or 0-3 FT every other game.
Mike Conley – Returned yesterday in that game against Rondo, and was solid for 22/1/4 on 7-16 FG. Sure you’d hope for a little more, but at least he’s out there!
James Harden – Drops that 40 burger! 45/1/7/4/1 and the category killing 14-15 FT is unreal. Stealing a pass and making a 35-foot trey as the buzzer goes off to end the 3rd should’ve been worth 20-25 points in points leagues.
Ian Mahinmi – Remember when Roy Hibbert was mad inconsistent? Well, ol’ Hibby had some tribby (for trouble? no?) going 12/4/0/0/0 in 19 foul-plagued minutes with Mahinmi sneaking in 9/14/1 in 29 minutes. 9+ boards in three straight if you’re a desparate-for-boards deep league owner.
Timofey Mozgov – Got a full helping of caviar yesterday, going 15/15 with a pair of swats in 33 minutes. Most he’s played as a Cav and only second time over 37 minutes in 6 games. A little untrust factor here, if I may be so bold as to make up phrases…
Terrence Ross – Shoved into a bench role to start Greivis Vasquez (could there be a worse slap in your face?!?), but made it work for 16/5/1/1/0 and two treys last night in 23 minutes. Maybe being a little bit more of a focal point with the second unit will kick charge something.
DeMar DeRozan – Hmmmmm. Weird. 0/3/4/0/0, and no that’s not a typo, zero points from DD last night. Missed all 9 FG and missed a FT. Probably just loosening some friction after being re-inserted, there’s no reason anyone should panic and pull out.
Jeremy Lin – Dimebag! 10/3/10/3/0, but with no Kobe Bryant (old) or Ronnie Price (old), it drove up Lin’s ball-touching.
Tarik Black – Ugh, the deep league darling of mine sprained his ankle last night. Bollocks! More run for Jordan Hill, who could use a little course on better ball-touching from Lin. 10 TO the past 2 games.
LaMarcus Aldridge – And our final blurb from the long weekend is a somber one, as Aldridge seems to have injured his thumb pretty bad even though X-rays were clean. Stay tuned to news here, but for the short-term deeper owners, Meyers Leonard is a decent little spec pickup.
Streamers/Cheap Daily League Picks:
J.J. Hickson (17% owned) – Who remembers JB’s rules for streaming this year?! #1 – see who the Sixers are against. #2 – play available big men against the Spurs. Only two games tonight thinning out the streaming herd, but Hickson is an easy pick due to his availability and matchup. Sure he’s off a dud, but it was an epic blowout loss. Benched to save him for this game!
Jameer Nelson (32% owned) – Ewwwwww. Well, numbers don’t lie and as mentioned above – 14+ points, 2+ treys and 4+ dimes in all three Nugs outings this year.
I hope everyone had a solid weekend, sorry I missed you yesterday, but I’m back at it and will catch ya again tomorrow!
