Breaking news! Kobe Bryant is injured. No one has been talking about this. And in a further Razzball exclusive – he’s old. Not exactly the best combo coming back from a major injury, followed by another pretty bad one just a few games back. After a re-examination, apparently the knee bone still isn’t connected to the leg bone, so let’s call the whole thing off! Will be examined yet again in three weeks, and that’s just another knee rub-rub. Who knows how much longer it will be after that. Good news is! Jodie Meeks is still gonna kill it, Kendall Marshall is still going to hand out dimebags like a Colorado bakery, and with the Lakers still atrocious, we can make a pretty educated guess that Kobe is going to be out A – until he is 100%, no questions asked, no way he could get hurt again healthy or B – the season. Leaning B. And even if A happens, it would be so late and in such limited minutes that I don’t think the value is worth it. Cut him in 10 or 12-teamers. Just do it. I know some people will keep holding him, if you’re in 1st or 2nd and fine for the playoffs and wanna stash, I can’t argue much with you, but I think the time is now to use that spot for others. Tough year for Lakers fans, but hey, you’re not the Bucks… Here’s what else went down across the NBA-o-sphere:
Anthony Bennett – Career-high 15 points. So he’s not a bust! 15/8/1/0/1 in pretty much his only useful line all year, and a shocking 31:16, only the second time he’s played over 20 minutes and 11 more minutes than his previous career-high. It helped that Anderson Varejao sat out with a hyperextended knee and the starting C was Tyler Zeller, but still, nice to see some run. Not doing much with this game, Sideshow Varejao should only miss this game, but the fact Bennett can actually do something other than frequent trips to the buffet line is encouraging.
Tristan Thompson – Slim cursed TT in our bet. Some sort of Aboriginal black magic. Awful game here but he had been fine.
Dion Waiters – 21 points last night after averaging 8.2 a night his past 5 and doesn’t really do anything else. Owned in 59% of Yahoo leagues I think is too much.
Anthony Davis – About to reach the point where he doesn’t even need mentions when he’s awesome. Because it’s so typical. 30/7/3/1/8 shooting 12-18 and no turnovers. “Phil Humber called – he wants his perfect game back!”
Greg Stiemsma – 31 minutes. 9/11/1/1/2 shooting 4-5 with no TOs. Jason Smith is out probably for the year and Alexis Ajinca is hit-or-miss. Stiemsma is interesting in deep leagues; I had him ranked that way heading into the year, and if not for that bad knee injury, he might’ve hit on it.
Tyreke Evans – Talk about hit-or-miss! 19 minutes for only 3/0/5/3/0. Shot only 1-5 with 3 TOs. Reeks!
Victor Oladipo – Came off the bench last night. Now remember, they were against the Pistons, so they can’t really play Arron Afflalo at the 3 against Josh Smith. Still got 26 minutes, led the team in shots, and went 19/4/3/0/0 but did have 6 TOs. RainbTOladipo!
Rajon Rondo – What did you expect, an outburst against the stifling Knicks defense?! Cough cough, looks away in shame… 7/2/5/1/0, 4 TOs, shot 3-13. Just good to see him out there though, worth some floating buy low offers.
Jerryd Bayless – Returned from a toe injury to get 27 minutes. 10/2/4/1/0. I think he could start on Rondo days off, and the Celtics have the second game of a back-to-back tonight. Bayless could be a possible starter against the terrible, awful, by-far-league-worst 76ers. Worth a stream look in deeper leagues. If Rondo is out, plus Bayless is active given he’s just off a minor injury, I’m going to throw out my official must-stream flag for all leagues. I’m 2/2 and only use these on guys available virtually everywhere in 10 or 12ers.
Jared Sullinger – 4 fouls in 19:08 and another crappy game. Still like him looking at ROS projections, but man, tough to buy into him right now.
Jeremy Tyler – Just abused the Celtics 2nd unit. 7-9 for 17/5/0/0/2. Multi-blocks in 2 of 3, 5 boards in 3 straight, 20+ minutes in 2 of 3, might be something cooking for the deep leagues.
Iman Shumpert – Strained his shooting shoulder. Say that three times fast! Gave Tim Hardaway Jr. 33 minutes and he put up 16. Might get a little run whilst Shumpert is stumpert.
Jeremy Lin – Started in place of James Harden, who injured his thumb hitchhiking. A whopping 44 minutes for 18/8 for by far his best game in a couple weeks.
Patrick Beverley – 4-8 last night, a far cry from 3-11 and 1-11 the previous two games! 11/5/3/2/0 in his best line in the past week, but is doing better than Lin in January averages! Although it’s close…
Dwight Howard – 23/16 but 6 TOs?! On top of 13-25 FT shooting?! Yikes.
Boris Diaw – Started and got 34 minutes. Took a redonk 20 shots as well. 22/11/4/0/2 and worth a look in all leagues right now. Playing great the past four, no Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili hurt his hammy again, will get some nice rock.
James Johnson – As we all know, I have no problem revisiting mistakes and admitting to them (albeit circuitously – see Thompson, Tristan above) but with Marc Gasol performing well again last night and both he and Zach Randolph at mid-30 minutes, Johnson only 4/6/1/0/0 in 17 minutes with 3 TOs. Now I know he’s been pretty good the past few, but I’m going circuitous and think this is more akin to what we see here on out. Not enough eggs in the Memphis basket.
Nicolas Batum – Collective sigh of relief! 10/6/4/1/0, but played 39 minutes and apparently nothing was wrong on his MRI. I love the minutes right after an injury scare, and while the line wasn’t great, buy low tramp stamp.
Robin Lopez – 14/5/0/0/0. Still overvalued.
Nene – Playing fantastic for an “old Brazilian” which I think is a term for singeing off all your pubic hair with a candle rather than waxing… I might be wrong on that… Sidenote – singeing with an “e”? English is effing weird… I guess it would be “singing” otherwise, and if I could sing my pubic hair away it’d be to Rihanna’s S&M! TMI? Man, way off track here… 16/7/2/2/1 in a near rainbow. Give me the Old Brazilian!
Bradley Beal – It’s all coming together… Well except the 6 TOs! 20/7/4/1/0 in 31 minutes and playing great since his triple double flirt just over a week ago. Injury concerns loom, but the buy low window is shutting.
Klay Thompson – Apparently reads me, because I call him out as a ThrAGNOF and he threatens a rainbow line! 13/6/4/2/1 but shot only 5-17. It wasn’t a rainbow, so I’m not impressed. If he gets a rainbow next game, I’ll be convinced…
Lance Stephenson – Pulling a… Josh Smith impression? No that doesn’t work… I dunno what impression, but 15/14/6/2/0, no TOs, but a brutal 3-9 from the stripe. Who cares, that line is nasty! Lance party!
Ryan Kelly – Only 19 minutes, 10/3/2/1/2 rainbow line flirt though (can you believe no rainbow lines last night?! Amateur hour!). Shot only 2-7 from the field, but that’s pretty good returns. At least Jordan Hill got 29 minutes for 10/12/1/0/1. If Doh-toni figures out he should be using Hill at PF, Kelly’s value could be crushed… Like Slim’s REL defeat over me… Sadface…
Nick Young – Is so bad.
Kendall Marshall – As alluded to in the open, dimebag machine! Dude, they should make those in Colorado. Scan your driver’s license and ya gud-ta-go! Drop in 72 quarters for a quarter… Yeah, have no idea how the math works there… 11/13 last night and I think a solid hold with the Kobe news. Indirectly will halt Steve Nash trying to come back and PT for Steve Blake. Just let the n00bs roll in LA.
Hotlanta – Is Coldlanta today! Snow covered the southeast (including me!) and puts tonight’s game against the Pistons in peril. Who woulda thought Atlanta would be in such inclement weather! There hasn’t been this much shut down in Atlanta since the zombie outbreak forced Rick Grimes to flee… Be sure to double-check your line-ups tonight for any PPDs.
I hope everyone in the southeast survived the snowstorm (people in the north are scoffing at us) and good luck in a full (ish) slate of games tonight!
