Anyone seen the movie, Red Dawn? *raises hand* Anyone else? A true American classic in which patriotic teens in the good ole’ US of A are able to thwart a Russian invasion on the Motherland. On Monday, the Knicks were the mighty Russians, as they went into Philadelphia against a depleted squad without three of their best players – Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Ben Simmons. The initial invasion went smoothly as the Knicks led by 14 points at halftime but those pesky 76ers came out of the halftime locker room pumped up from watching Braveheart, presumably, and HEEEEEELLLLLLDDDDDDDDD. Like any King of New York does, though, Julius Randle squashed the rebellion to bring victory to its rightful owner as the Knicks eventually triumphed, 103-96.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 31 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5/10 | 12/25 | 2/2 |
Randle just keeps improving and improving as time goes on. He was outside the top 100 for most of his career but then he developed a three-point shot. Then he learned how to shoot free throws. He is a professional after all. He was a top 40 player last season and the only thing holding him back from the upper echelons of fantasy glory was contributing the D. Well, he’s averaging 0.7 steals and one block this season and is a top 25 player. The usage rate is a robust 28% and he is truly the King of New York.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
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Mitchell Robinson did not play due to a hip injury. Nerlens Noel got the start but he was only able to play 12 minutes due to a knee injury of his own. Good times. NOT! As a result, you know what opened back up for business…..
Taj Gibson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3/4 | 1/1 |
Played 31 minutes and he can be a nice source of boards and blocks if Robinson and Noel are out.
Andre Drummond
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5/9 | 4/6 |
No Embiid so it was Dre Day. Or Dre Night depending on where in the world you were. He played a whopping 38 minutes and that was the 85th 20-rebound game of his career. His career-high is 29. He’s a shitty real-life player but a fantasy beast.
Furkan Korkmaz
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5/12 | 7/16 | 0 |
Got the start and played 40 minutes! Furkan A. He led the team with 19 points. Furkan A! Is this something that we can expect on the regular? Furkan no way!
Garrett Temple
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2/4 | 5/9 | 0 |
On a night when the Taj Mahal Gibson came back into our lives, it was only fitting that the Temple was reopened, as Brandon Ingram missed another game. Temple played 35 minutes. yipee. He’s a low-usage player (13%) so you’re praying for points but he can provide some boards and defensive stats.
Jonas Valanciunas
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2/3 | 10/16 | 0 |
Played 34 minutes. He’s averaging 33.5 minutes per game on the season. It boggles my mind that previous coaches played him in the 22 to 28-minute range. C’mon, guys. It’s not that difficult. Play your best players a ton of minutes. Good things usually happen. Case in point, JV leads the league in dub-dubs with 10. Yo, NBA. You know where to reach me if a vacancy arrives. I’ll undercut the shit out of the cheapest salary. By $1 of course. Price is right, baby!
Josh Hart
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1/2 | 8/13 | 5/6 |
Got the start and played 38 minutes. Hart is usually known for his board work but he can score *winks at the ladies* and pops off from time to time. Don’t expect that on the regular though.
Luka Doncic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2/5 | 10/21 | 3/5 |
Doncic had an injury scare in this one but shrugged it off and was able to play 33 minutes. There have been some HalleLuka moments this season but the overall body of work has been anything but. He’s a top 75 player as the field goal percentage is low at 44%, the free-throw shooting is at 70%, the points are down from last year and so are the dimes. He’s never been a big contributor on D. Maybe Cuban should change the name to Lallas Mavericks. Anyways, the usage rate is still a robust 35.7% and he will get going at some point but those expecting a top 25 season in category leagues will likely be disappointed. Just like those girls who line up outside his door to get a peek.
Jalen Brunson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/2 | 7/12 | 3/3 |
Played 31 minutes off the bench. Brunson is averaging 28.6 minutes, 15 points, 5.1 boards, and 4.5 dimes on the season while shooting 49% from the field and 75% from the line. The usage rate is a healthy 22%. He’s a top 115 player. That ain’t bad, yo.
The Grizzlies defeated the Timberwolves, 125-118 in overtime.
Anthony Edwards
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4/9 | 9/22 | 5/7 |
Played 43 minutes. I have a sneaky suspicion that Edwards is going to be a good player. Shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone. He’s garnering a 30% usage rate on the season and is a top 55 player on the season. The field goal percentage is rough but he’s contributing the D so he can break into the top 40 if he becomes more efficient.
Karl-Anthony Towns
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3/9 | 9/20 | 4/5 |
Meow. KAT played 43 minutes and did what KAT does, which is….not roll the ball of yarn around the court…..but stuff the stat sheet. The usage rate is at 26.6% on the season, which is below the 29% from last season. That said, he’s still a top-five player for fantasy. Me-f’ing-ow.
D’Angelo Russell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6/13 | 10/22 | 4/4 |
Returned to action after a two-game absence due to injury and played 41 minutes and contributed a juicy line. I guess he’s aiiight now.
Ja Morant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3/6 | 10/24 | 10/12 |
Ja rules.
He is so damn good and exciting. Unfortunately, he also gets overrated in category leagues for fantasy. Yes, the points, boards, dimes, and steals are great but the turnovers are high, the blocks are nill, and the percentages aren’t great, although he is shooting 48% from the field right now. He’s a top 40 player right now but that’s probably his ceiling. He will likely end up closer to the top 100.
De’Anthony Melton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3/9 | 7/12 | 2/2 |
Top 60 player on the season. The shooting efficiency isn’t great but he chips in a little something something in every cat. The usage rate is a healthy 19.4% as well. Things may change when Dillon Brooks returns so keep an eye out for that.
Brandon Clarke
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/2 | 8/11 | 4/5 |
Played 24 minutes after being out of the rotation for much of the season. Not sure what to make of this. I’m going to have to ring Lewis and we will have to go exploring. Keep an eye on if Clarke has entered the rotation.
Jimmy Butler
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 31 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2/3 | 10/18 | 9/11 |
Played 38 minutes and just continues to impress. Top five player on the season despite only 0.5 tres. Man, 53% from the field and 84% from the line. Yummy. If this NBA things doesn’t pan out for some reason, he’d make an excellent butler. He’s already got the name and he likes to help others and operates in a most efficient manner.
Will Barton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7/9 | 9/14 | 0 |
Played 35 minutes last night and has been averaging 33.2 on the season. He’s a top 50 player. The usage rate is 21% and he’s contributing points, tres, boards, dimes, steals, and blocks. I’m such a dummy. I could’ve just said he stuffs the box. Phrasing, Son. Phrasing. The field goal percentage is good at 47% but the free-throw shooting is a concern at 69%. He’s been in the high-70s for most of his career so I’m not too worried. Back in 2017, Barton was a top 50 player. He could replicate that this year, especially since Michael Porter Jr. will be missing some time.
Jeff Green
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/4 | 5/12 | 2/3 |
Got the start for MPJ and played 34 minutes. Green is primarily a scorer who won’t contribute much in the periphery categories. You’ve been educated so proceed with enlightenment.
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10/14 | 5/8 |
Freaking Jokic messed around last night. Oh, he foreally O messed around. Late in the fourth quarter, Jokic grabbed a rebound and dribbled to half court. Markieff Morris met him there and gave him a shoulder to the midsection. Jokic wasn’t laughing. Instead, he walked over to Morris, who had his back to him, then went WWE on his ass with a forearm/shoulder shiver that sent Morris to the ground. He will likely be suspended for a few games. Oh, Jokic. This is no laughing matter.
Kevin Durant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 38 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3/8 | 13/24 | 9/9 |
In the biblical world, there is BC and AD. In the hoops world, the chronology will have KD at some point. We will look back on this time and just shake our heads in amazement. A man with his height and length shouldn’t be able to do the things that he does on the basketball court. The off-the-court narratives will tarnish his reputation to a degree but he will go down as one of the most lethal scorers in the history of the game. He that good. Since 2012, Durant has been a top 10 player in every year. He’s finished as the number one player three times and been top-five six times. L.O.L.
LaMarcus Aldridge
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1/1 | 8/13 | 2/3 |
Played 23 minutes and played the Bulls from the mid-range. Unfortunately, the playing time and production have been inconsistent this season but LMA can provide the O from time to time.
DeMar DeRozan
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1/4 | 10/20 | 7/9 |
DeRozan is going to lose usage, they said. DeRozan doesn’t shoot tres, they said. Well, DD is averaging a career-best 0.9 tres per game and is garnering a 30.4% usage rate, the highest since 2016. He’s a top 15 player! Now, it’s only been 10 games so let’s not take victory laps yet but it is what it is so it can’t be completely dismissed. Some regression is in store but he’s been a top 50 player in each of the last six seasons.
Javonte Green
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 5/11 | 0 |
Played a season-high 29 minutes. Something to monitor. Green isn’t a high-usage player but he can chip in boards and defensive stats while providing excellent percentages.
Nikola Vucevic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1/3 | 5/14 | 0 |
He’s shooting 37% from the field. He’s a career 49% shooting. I’ll side with history on this one. The usage rate is down so that may be contributing to his struggles as he adapts to a new role but at least the defensive numbers are up.
With Deandre Ayton out again….
JaVale McGee
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3/6 | 0 |
Played a season-high 26 minutes, the first time over 20. Boards, blocks, excellent field goal percentage, and shitty free-throw shooting. Those are what he brings to the table. Hope it’s a big table that is impervious to bricks.
Frank Kaminsky
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0/2 | 4/9 | 2/2 |
If only the Suns medical staff could figure out how to but Kaminsky into McGee’s body. Or put McGee’s body….Wait, definitely don’t want Kaminsky’s body. Let’s go with the former. Kaminsky can board and block…a little bit…but he’s out there to space the floor and make it rain from downtown.
Cameron Payne
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4/6 | 9/14 | 2/2 |
Payne was in pain as he missed five games but he’s back now and has played in the last two games – 13 and 22 minutes. He doesn’t contribute the D. He only brings the Payne!!!! I kid. He’s primarily a scorer who will chip in some dimes.
HarriSON Barnes
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1/2 | 7/9 | 11/11 |
I can no longer call him Mehrrison Barnes, huh? He’s a top 15 player on the season!!! Gotta love small sample sizes. Let’s see. He’s shooting 49% from the field but he was at that exact number last season. He’s converting 86% of his free-throw attempts. A slight increase from the 83% last year. The steals are at 1 after never being above 0.8. It’s the points, tres, and boards that have all spiked and the usage rate is at 21.7% after being at 17% in the last two seasons. Things that make you go hmmmm. Something to monitor as the season progresses.
De’Aaron Fox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1/1 | 8/19 | 7/11 |
Is Fox good? I think he is but then I look at the numbers. He’s barely a top 200 player since he’s shooting 39% from the field and 68% from the line. Those numbers will obviously improve but what’s his ceiling? Over the last three seasons, he’s languished in the 70 to 80 range.
Trae Young
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4/8 | 11/20 | 2/3 |
Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Traeday. Yes, we’ve added another day to the week. Hey, some people decided that it’d be a good idea to move clocks back and forth. Why not add another day. F it. Top 40 player. The defensive stats are still light and the tres are under 2. Does Trae need to change his name? The field goal percentage sucks but the free-throw shooting is elite and the dimes are voluminous.
50-burger alert!!!
Steph Curry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 50 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9/19 | 14/28 | 13/13 |
The 10th time Curry has gone for 50. The first time he’s gone for 50 with 10 dimes. See kids, sharing is caring and you can still get yours. Three steals and one block? Now he’s just showing off. Curry is the numero uno player for fantasy. Since 2012, he’s finished as a top-five player in eight of those years. The only time he didn’t was when he only played five games due to injury. We are all witnesses. So sick.
Another game that went to OT. Lakers 126 Infidels, uh, I mean Hornets 123.
LaMelo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3/8 | 8/19 | 6/6 |
BBB. 222. It’s all connected. He’s the number 11 player on a per-game basis. The usage rate is 28%. The field goal percentage is the big bugaboo at 43% but he’s averaging 30 minutes, 20 points, 2.9 tres, 5.8 boards, 6.6 dimes, 1.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks while shooting 95% from the free-throw line.
Terry Rozier
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3/10 | 11/22 | 4/4 |
Man, Terry has gone back to being Scary as the field goal percentage is 31% on the year. Now that October has passed, though, maybe things will not be so scary? *checks game logs in November* 40%, 16%, 21%, and 36%. Let’s root for 2022, shall we?
Anthony Davis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0/3 | 13/25 | 6/8 |
AD must’ve seen what I wrote in the KD section as was like…..
He has number one player upside. He just needs to stay healthy. Since 20112, he’s finished as the numero uno player twice and the number two player four times. Who is Number Two? If you get that, then I love you with all my heart. If he stays healthy all year, he will likely be one of the best values of the draft since he was usually going at the turn.
Russell Westbrook
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 12 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0/2 | 5/15 | 7/10 |
Ho hum. Just another trip-dub for Russ. Unfortunately, Westbrick made another appearance. And those turnovers. Good for the buffet. Not good for fantasy hoops.
Well, here’s living proof that someone has cracked the code.
Carmelo Anthony
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7/10 | 9/13 | 4/5 |
Melo is a top 50 player. The last time that happened was back in 2016. See, we’ve turned back time. Now, Melo is shooting 48% from the field. That’s going to regress, as he’s been in the low-40s for the last five or six years. That said, he is getting a ton of clean looks due to attention given to the other stars on the Lakers. He’s also blocking one shot a game. That’s going to regress too. Boo hoo. I’m such a party pooper. Enjoy the good times while they last. Kind of like the stock market with all the FED stimulus. The day of reckoning is coming. It’s just a matter of when. Not if.
