Everyone has their favorite day. The psychopaths enjoy Monday. Those who straddle the fence find equilibrium on Wednesday. The party-goers cannot wait for Friday, although, the true-to-the-cause live everyday as if it’s the same. The spiritual find solace and peace on Sunday. Me? It’s always a good day when a player messes around but I especially appreciate Trae Day. Trae Young is not the stereotypical NBA player who is built like a football player, jumps like a flea, or has limbs that would make Mr. and Mrs. Plastic ask for a DNA test. Young is 6-foot-1, 164 pounds, and looks as if he just stuck his finger into the electric socket. That said, he’s got thhhhrrrreeeeeecccooooooollllaaaaa range on the J, handles that causes love to weep, and a Chinese water torture floater. Last night, he went off….
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 33 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3/10 | 13/27 | 4/4 |
Young is a top 15 player on a per-game basis right now. The tres have bounced back to 2.7 after being at 2.2 last season. He’s dishing out 9.1 dimes and the rebounding prowess has always been surprising at around 4 per game. The usage rate is always high in the low-30% and he converts close to 90% of his freebies. What’s elevated his game this season has been the efficiency from the field. He’s shooting 46% after never posting a number above 43% in his Young career. If he keeps on this trajectory, we may have to add another day to the week and make it a weekly national holiday.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
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Malcolm Brogdon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1/6 | 10/20 | 6/8 |
One of the criticisms of Trae Young is that he is somewhat of a liability on defense. On the season, the Hawks are boosting the FPPM to point guards by 7.77% and Young is a big reason why. On Wednesday, Brogdon was kind enough to prove that those numbers are in fact true. While the matchup was a pristine one, Brogdon has been having a career year so far. He’s a top 25 player for fantasy, the first time he’s cracked the top 50. The big improvement has been in the defensive contributions. While he’s far from being a 1/1/1 player, he’s averaging 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks. For most of his career, he averaged 0.2 to 0.3 blocks per game.
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0/5 | 7/19 | 4/5 |
After missing four games due to injury, Jokic has played two games and hasn’t messed around yet. What a Jokic! The Nuggets also lost to the Magic, 103-108 on Wednesday. Jokic! I’m smelling some Serbian point-shaving scandal or something to that effect.
Monte Morris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1/5 | 10/15 | 1/2 |
2. 2. 2. 2. Does not compute. It was the first time Morris scored at least 20 points this season. Yes, he’s starting and averaging 30 minutes per game, but don’t expect much outside of dimes and low turnovers. If I ever own a bakery, I’m going to have the highest turnover rate imaginable, or at least I hope so. Even if I don’t, when providing change, I will only have dimes in the register. And will throw them at the customer one by one. Dime….dime….dime…..dime…..
Franz Wagner
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1/1 | 6/9 | 2/2 |
I am super impressed with Wagner. He’s excellent on defense and he has an impressive offensive repertoire. I usually front on rookies, and Wagner is just outside the top 100, but he contributes a little something something in every category and plays over 31 minutes per game. The only bugaboo is the shooting efficiency.
Cole Anthony
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/5 | 10/21 | 3/3 |
Anthony missed six games but returned in glorious fashion. He played 37 minutes and garnered a 30% usage rate. A lump of Cole he is not. When the markets open in the morning, I am going to corner the Cole market. He’s a top 35 player on the season and is averaging 19.9 points, 6.8 boards, 5.9 dimes, and 1.1 steals. The only morsel of Cole is the 42% field goal percentage.
Anthony Edwards
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4/9 | 7/17 | 7/5 |
Out on the Best Coast, there’s an Edwards Cinema chain. I hate the Ant-Man nickname. I’m calling him Edwards Cinema because he provides cinematic masterpieces worthy of the big screen on a nightly basis. Top 40 player on the season and garnering a 27% usage in his sophomore season. Once he becomes more efficient from the field. I’m going to have to upgrade to Edwards IMAX.
Karl-Anthony Towns
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 34 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2/4 | 11/25 | 10/11 |
Meow.
The usage rate is 27.6% on the season but, over the last two weeks, it’s been over 30%. In the last four games, that number has been close to 37%.
Daniel Gafford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7/10 | 4/4 |
Montrezl Harrell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11/12 | 5/8 |
The Hart Foundation. Legion of Doom. The British Bulldogs. Mr. Fuji & Toru Tanaka. Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik. These were some of greatest tag teams in the history of the WWE. Gafford and Harrell were a tag team of extraordinary magnitude on Wednesday as Gafford played 27 minutes while Harrell played 21 minutes. The duo led the Wizards to a 115-107 victory over the Timberwolves.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3/6 | 5/14 | 1/1 |
Over the last three seasons, KCP was closer to being a top 200 player than a top 100 one. The two years prior to that, though, he finished as the 67th and 105th player for fantasy while averaging 33 minutes per game. He’s 99th right now despite averaging 29.4 minutes per game. The shooting efficiency is always a concern as he will convert in the low-40s but he provides tres and steals. A 3-and-D player!
Joel Embiid
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1/3 | 3/17 | 6/10 |
Embiid missed nine games due to COVID-19. He’s struggled since returning, shooting 4-of-16 and 3-of-17. In his career, Embiid has shot less than 20% in only three other games. He will be fine but COVID ain’t no joke.
Tobias Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0/4 | 4/11 | 0 |
Maybe Embiid gave Harris COVID?
Shake Milton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2/3 | 6/11 | 2/2 |
Shake. Rattle. And Roll. A 7 or 11 are rolled from time to time but there are plenty of craps in the range of outcomes. Shake played 22 minutes off the bench.
Jayson Tatum
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3/8 | 9/20 | 5/5 |
There’s a radio personality out here on the Best Coast named JT the Brick. His name is John Tournour but he was getting ready to sue Jayson Tatum for infringement as the field goal percentage has been sub-40% for much of the season. Tatum has never finished below 45% so he’s going to heat up at some point. Unless Embiid also gave him COVID.
Al Horford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2/3 | 4/6 | 0 |
Horford now has 18 games with at least five blocks with a high of seven! You go, old fella! Big Al is a top 25 player right now and should finish inside the top 50 when it’s all said and done, health permitting. He was outside the top 60 in the prior two seasons so rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated.
Robert Williams III
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5/7 | 0 |
He’s no Al Horford. Hope he’s taking notes, though.
Jarrett Allen
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 7/8 | 5/5 |
I’ve been going to Jarrett since before it was cool. For most of his career, he was a top 80-ish player but he’s halved that this season. Averaging over 33 minutes per game helps, especially since he never eclipsed that mark prior. That said, while the free-throw shooting isn’t great at 70%, he’s converting 70% of his field goal attempts on a not-so-small sample size of 9.5 shots and he’s grabbing 11.3 boards with 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks.
Evan Mobley
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2/3 | 5/10 | 5/5 |
Soon my pretties. Soon.
Kevin Love
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6/8 | 6/9 | 4/4 |
In 21 minutes off the bench. He’s just going to break your heart because Love always hurts.
Dewayne Dedmon
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1/3 | 5/13 | 0 |
Bam is out for at least four weeks so Dedmon has risen and will gallop across the plains, grabbing rebounds and contributing the D. Ladies better practice abstinence or have plenty of protection. He even launches from downtown, which is a nice little bonus. No rigor mortis here. Did you know that death is the leading killer in this country?
Tyler Herro
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2/7 | 9/23 | 1/1 |
Jimmy Butler did not play so Herro made his fifth start of the season. In that role, he’s averaged 37.3 minutes, 21.2 shot attempts, 23.3 points, 2.2 tres, 5.2 boards, 4.4 dimes, one steal, four turnovers, and garners a 31.2% usage rate.
Duncan Robinson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/6 | 0/7 | 0 |
Impressive. NOT!!!
Miles Bridges
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3/11 | 9/18 | 1/2 |
Bridges has improved every season in the Association, from 194 to 161 to 92 on a per-game basis for fantasy. The jump this season has been meteoric, though, as he’s a top 30 player and could finish inside the top 20 if things break right. He’s averaging 36 minutes per game, 20 points, 2.2 tres, 7.5 boards, 3.1 dimes, 1.2 steals, and one block while shooting 45% from the field and 75% from the line. The turnovers are low at 1.8 and the usage rate is 23%. D to the ayam.
LaMelo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 36 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8/15 | 12/22 | 4/4 |
The Hornets led the Bucks, 41-25 after one period and eventually ended up losing 125-127 but Ball had the Hornets on the cusp of a nice road win in Milwaukee. The Hornets are 13-11 on the season and……
Kelly Oubre Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5/9 | 9/14 | 2/3 |
In 31 minutes off the bench. Kelly O has been a top 20 player over the last four games. The Big O has been making grown men shiver with excitement but as with most Os, the feeling won’t last. He will likely finish outside the top 100 so if you can pawn him off to someone who believes, then go forth and prosper.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 40 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1/4 | 15/24 | 9/13 |
Scrub. Didn’t mess around or block a shot. Slacker.
Grayson Allen
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3/5 | 6/9 | 1/2 |
Top 80 player on the season as he’s averaging 14 points, 3.2 tres, and four boards. What a time to be alive. Playing alongside Middleton and Giannis, Allen has been getting and feasting on the good looks. Nothing gray about this son as it’s clear blue skies for the targeting software.
Demarcus Cousins
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 3/5 | 0 |
Played 15 minutes off the bench. My first reaction to the Bucks signing Cousins was…..
….for Brook Lopez. The injury may be more serious and we may not see him for a while. Hopefully, that’s not the case.
Kristaps Porzingis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1/6 | 9/15 | 1/1 |
Only played 28 minutes because the Mavs destroyed the Pelicans 139-107. The staff at PETA are furious and have booked flights to Dallas for first thing in the morning. Top 10 player on the season. Just needs to stay healthy. That’s all I ask for Christmas. Wait, I don’t have him rostered anywhere. I’m a man of the people so take heed my fellow Porzingis owners. Now please click this article a million times so I can increase my net worth by 0.00000000000000000001%.
Luka Doncic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2/5 | 11/16 | 4/4 |
Only played 27 minutes. Stupid Pelicans.
Brandon Ingram
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3/5 | 11/17 | 4/4 |
Ingram when he steps on the court….
Both Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood exited the game in the first half due to injuries. As a result….
Jae’Sean Tate
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 32 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1/2 | 11/15 | 9/10 |
I knew Tate had it but I didn’t know he had it like that. It’s like the nerdy girl who one day gets all dolled up. Dayam! On the regular, Tate is just outside the top 100 for fantasy as he will provide a little something something in every cat with good percentages.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 39 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1/8 | 12/26 | 14/16 |
Who said free-throw attempts are down? After shooting 50%, 47%, and 47% from the field over the last three seasons, Shai is at 41% this year. I will side with history on this one.
Tre Mann
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2/7 | 4/13 | 1/1 |
Made his first career start as Josh Giddey was out. The efficiency is rough as he’s shot 30% and 41% over the last two games but 30 minutes of run is 30 minutes of run, and minutes are half the battle.
Aaron Wiggins
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Played 10 minutes off the bench. Why am I writing about Wiggins? Well, I saw A. Wiggins on the wire in one of my leagues and I was oh so close to acquiring him. I mean, I’m not the biggest Andrew Wiggins fan but he shouldn’t be on the wire. I’m a stupid, stupid man.
Terence Davis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 23 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5/9 | 9/14 | 0 |
Made his third start in a row due to the Harrison Barnes injury and played 30 minutes. The usage rate was 33% and 37% in the prior two games so….rubs stubbles on the chin like in Kung-Fu movies even though I have very little hair…..The answer is still no.
Davion Mitchell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3/4 | 7/10 | 3/3 |
In 28 minutes off the bench. Shit happens. Mitchell is shooting 37% from the field and 65% from the line on the season.
No Paul George for the Clippers so mucho problemos for the Clippers. Ivica Zubac led the starters with 17 points but only he and Reggie Jackson scored in double-figures and played at least 24 minutes. It was the bench mob who got busy for Los Angeles to make the final deficit 115-124 instead of a 30-point loss. Terance Mann and Luke Kennard led the way with 19 points each. That’s all you need to know about this one.
