A ravine is a “deep, narrow gorge with steep sides” according to Google. LaVine’s RaVine is a sight to see. The drop off in his stats based on the outcome of the game is truly something to witness. In wins, he’s great… he averages 27.1 points per game, with an offensive rating of 119, a FG% of 51.7, and an absolutely absurd 3Pt% of 57.5. And that’s similar to the LaVine we saw last night, in the Bulls’ unexpected victory over the Kawhi-less Clippers:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 31 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4-7 | 11-21 | 5-6 |
In losses? LaVine’s scoring output falls to 20.2 points per game, with an offensive rating of 95 and FG and 3Pt percentages of 38.5% and 32.4%, respectively. That’s some sort of drop off, and it speaks to how much the Bulls depend on him if they want any chance of winning. His usage is nearly identical in both, but his inability to consistently perform at a top level makes us question his future as the leader of a team.
Here’s what else we saw around the league on Saturday night:
Lauri Markkanen
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 13 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-6 | 4-8 | 2-2 |
Markannen feasted on the boards in this one, which hopefully means he’ll be able to do this more often. He had just eight rebounds over the two previous games combined. His scoring from deep has been a really nice aspect of his game, though, and he’s a good free throw shooter.
Denzel Valentine
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4-7 | 2-2 | 5-11 |
Valentine really wants to be a part of the rotation come his day in February, and he’s making a strong case for it. The 26 minutes last night included a stretch at the end of the game where he was the preferred guard, and his potential to fill a regular role on this team makes him worth a look as a sneaky waiver candidate.
Paul George
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3-6 | 9-20 | 6-7 |
I assume the Clippers thought they were in good shape to win this game over the Bulls without Kawhi… but the Bulls weren’t letting them do that. George was still able to contribute, though, and that’s never really going to be a concern.
Montrezl Harrell
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0-1 | 9-24 | 12-14 |
His usage was wayyyy up in this one, which bodes well for his performance throughout the season when Kawhi or PG gets a rest. He’s a good option regardless, but becomes vaulted into a primary role when Lou Will and/or one of the stars are unable to go.
Patty Mills
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6-14 | 10-23 | 0-0 |
General Mills led the charge down the stretch and hit a big shot for the Spurs’ third win in four games. However, even though he has a more consistent role than Dejounte Murray, he still is less intriguing for fantasy purposes. This game is more than likely an outlier.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0-0 | 8-12 | 2-4 |
Murray’s minutes are all over the place… in the last five contests he has played 22, 18, 32, 17, and 31 minutes. However, games like these make it worth it to hang on to him, and he does more in his playing time than does Mills.
Rudy Gay
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0-3 | 2-10 | 6-7 |
Another lineup shift occurred as Gay came off the bench, but ended up playing his highest minute total over the past few weeks. His inconsistency makes it hard to trust him, and his shooting numbers are really inefficient. He has not shot over 50% in a game since Nov. 22.
Ricky Rubio
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2-5 | 10-20 | 3-4 |
The maestro was out and about tonight, trying to lead the Suns without Devin Booker. He has been nothing short of awesome this season, and his scoring average, surprisingly, continues to rise.
Dario Saric
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1-6 | 8-17 | 2-2 |
Another beneficiary (in fantasy terms) of Booker’s absence, Saric looked dominant in this one. His three-point shot has not been there but maybe with increased volume, he’ll be able to increase that aspect of his game. Defensive stats are not his strong suit, though.
Frank Kaminsky
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2-8 | 10-19 | 0-3 |
Kaminsky has actually had four 20-point games in his last six outings, but his role in this offense is completely dependent upon the absence of DeAndre Ayton. Sell high if anyone will bite.
Spencer Dinwiddie
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2-6 | 8-18 | 6-7 |
21 Savage often says 21, 21, 21 in rapid succession in his songs. Dinwiddie could create a song that says 24, 24, 24 as those have been his scoring totals in the past three games. He needs to be owned while Kyrie is out.
Taurean Prince
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4-9 | 5-14 | 0-0 |
The past three games, he has shot 23.1%, 16.7%, and 35.7% from the field. But he’s also been rebounding the ball at an outstanding level and has a swipe in six straight.
Pascal Siakam
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3-5 | 10-26 | 7-10 |
Do I hear MVP talks?
Marc Gasol
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3-5 | 6-11 | 2-2 |
After a really, really boring stretch to end November, Gasol has upped his statistical output in pretty much every category this month. He’s useful for his versatility, but won’t give you scoring on a consistent basis. However, I think that this month is more likely to represent his performance going forward rather than what we saw earlier in the season.
Kyle Lowry
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2-8 | 5-14 | 5-6 |
Lowry is passing the ball around really well since returning from injury, averaging over seven assists per game in December. He’s also limiting his turnovers despite needing to handle the ball more in the absence of VanVleet.
O.J. Anunoby
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1-3 | 2-7 | 0-0 |
He has disappeared sometimes this season, but this one was especially forgettable. His role seems secure, though, despite the low minute totals that we’ve seen in a few games this month.
Bradley Beal
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5-13 | 8-23 | 8-12 |
Poor guy. He needs some better play around him… it sometimes hurts his stats.
Troy Brown Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0-1 | 5-8 | 6-7 |
Brown contributes across the board, and he’s worth a prospective waiver look as his minutes have increased. His rebounding is noteworthy, but most intriguing about his game is his defense. He has recorded a steal in every game going back to November 24.
Ja Morant
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1-2 | 5-11 | 7-7 |
Morant returned from a rest to a good game. He looks back to full speed and should be deployed as usual.
Brandon Clarke
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1-1 | 11-14 | 2-2 |
Clarke also returned from a one-game absence, having an amazing scoring game. Other than that, though, he struggles to contribute outside of decent rebounding numbers. Defensive stats aren’t there, and his assist totals are very low.
Dillon Brooks
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2-7 | 10-17 | 5-6 |
Brooks is scoring really well as of late, averaging over 20 points per game over the past four games. He’ll continue to raise that average, and gets you a lot of steals, with five multi-steal games in six contests.
Bam Adebayo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0-0 | 7-12 | 4-7 |
Yesterday, I posed a question about the best center in the league, pitting Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert head to head (and acknowledging Anthony Davis). When does Bam enter the conversation?
Jimmy Butler
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1-6 | 8-22 | 10-12 |
If he can shoot more efficiently (has been under 50% from the field in seven of his last nine), there’s no reason Butler can’t be a top-five fantasy player.
Kelly Olynyk
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 4-4 |
He’s not the most thrilling add… but why not? He’s just continually been pretty good this year off the bench and though he’s prone to the occasional dud, it seems like it’s worth keeping him as a fill-in bench option given his ability to hit from deep, get boards, and limit turnovers.
Luka Doncic suffered a right ankle sprain. It remains to be seen how much time he’ll miss, but it doesn’t appear to be serious.
Tim Hardaway Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6-14 | 11-22 | 0-0 |
Hardaway isn’t great while Doncic is in, though he can have big games. But with a potential stretch of games without Doncic, Hardaway becomes a fantastic scoring threat with the ability to easily put up 20 per game in a lead scorer role.
Kristaps Porzingis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3-9 | 7-21 | 5-7 |
Speaking of who else should see a statistical increase with Doncic out, Porzingis tops the list.
Dorian Finney-Smith
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 1-3 | 1-2 |
When you play 37 minutes, that usually bodes well for fantasy stats. But with a usage this low, Finney-Smith is way to inconsistent for fantasy purposes.
Jalen Brunson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3-6 | 7-16 | 1-2 |
With Doncic out, everything is up in the air in terms of ball-handling responsibilities. Last night, Brunson played a ton of time and did some really good things in that time, but it doesn’t seem worth it to add him given the fact that even while Doncic is out, he may not remain a legitimate guard option.
Darius Garland
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2-5 | 4-11 | 0-0 |
He’s hitting multiple threes in more games than not, and five assists in two straight games bodes well for his assimilation into the offense after normally recording one to three dimes. He has not recorded a single defensive stat since November 23, when he had one steal. That isn’t good.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 29 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2-5 | 12-20 | 3-7 |
The Bucks have won 18 in a row. And not to sound like a broken record, but Giannis again put up this incredible line in just 24 minutes. He gets them out to a lead so quickly that it hurts.
Khris Middleton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3-4 | 8-12 | 5-6 |
The last thing the rest of the East needed was for Middleton to fully climb back to health and become a part of the unfair machine that is the Bucks. But oh well. He has.
Donte DiVincenzo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1-2 | 6-8 | 2-2 |
The Delawarean played really well in place of Eric Bledsoe, and with Bledsoe likely to miss a solid chunk of time, DiVincenzo becomes a worthwhile addition for the time being.
Derrick Rose
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0-4 | 10-21 | 0-0 |
12 dimes was the season high for Rose and just the third time he’s topped 10 this season, but seeing that he’s converted into much more of a shooting guard role. It’s awesome that he can still contribute like this.
Blake Griffin left the game early with knee soreness, which is obviously something to keep an eye on given his lengthy history. With Andre Drummond sidelined in this game as well, Christian Wood and Markieff Morris could see their roles increase in a big way depending on what each player’s future looks like.
James Harden
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 39 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4-13 | 14-33 | 7-8 |
Harden decided to only score 39 in this one, bringing down his scoring average on the season. Ridiculous.
Clint Capela
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 6-13 | 0-1 |
With no Westbrook in the lineup, Capela becomes the second-best scoring option behind Harden. Danuel House and P.J. Tucker have insanely low usage numbers in more games than not, so Capela seems like a safe bet for double digit scoring the rest of the way.
Chris Paul
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0-2 | 5-8 | 5-6 |
A vintage Chris Paul line here, though I better watch my words. Athletes don’t take too kindly to hearing their performances referred to as “vintage” when they still consider themselves to be in their primes (see: Todd Gurley).
Steven Adams
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0-0 | 9-15 | 0-2 |
Business as usual for Adams, who is good a nightly double-double threat as any center.
Abdel Nader
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1-2 | 5-7 | 3-3 |
Nader is getting increased time with Terrence Ferguson on the sideline, and he’s scoring well in decent playing time. Probably not worth a look, but might be a nice addition while Ferguson remains out if you need scoring and threes.
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3-6 | 11-14 | 3-4 |
Have the haters quieted down yet? Because Jokic has been really, really good in December, upping the most concerning aspect of his game (scoring) to a level reminiscent of last year. He has four 20-point showings in the past five games, a made three in each one, and massive rebounding and assist numbers.
