Ohhhh man, the mile run. Nothing establishes popularity in middle school more than the mile run. You have the athletes who can just jog but have to semi-try, the dorks who are OK at sports that do pretty well (me!), the cool kids that just walk, the unhealthy people who saunter, and then the coolest dudes who hide behind the scoreboard on the other side of the track as the teachers and smoke cigs. True story! But the real run to talk about this morning is C.J. Miles‘ run, who’s capped off three straight great games. Hit a ridiculous 10 treys last night, for a 34/5/2/2 line shooting 11-18 and 10-14 from deep. If only someone called it yesterday! And proof to the theory of ThrAGNOF. Got you 10 treys for just one spot start. Great night for Miles and shows us yet again that if you need to stream guys, play anyone facing the Sixers. As I mentioned yesterday, their D is league worst in points allowed by nearly 7 points more a game given up than the second-worst. It’s a fast-paced team with bad D no matter how you slice it. Unfortunately for Miles, the acquisition of Luol Deng is really going to hurt his minutes, making him a guy you’re probably not picking up in standard leagues or solid 12-teamers. Just won’t have the minutes or upside. But luckily he had one last game to show his range and should stay in the mix for deeper leaguers. Here’s what else I saw last night in a big slate of games:
Kevin Durant – Monster game. Did you expect any less? Starts off a big night of rainbow lines/near rainbow lines (a lot of guys were just one stat off)! And none more monstrous than 48/7/5/4/2 with three treys and a nice 17-19 FT to boost ya there. On top of all that – no turnovers. 48/7/5+ in 2 of the last 3. What a beast! What a Darantula!
Gordon Hayward – His Jazz won and he had the biggest game for Utah. Ergo, he’s better than Durant. Ha! Narrowly missed his own rainbow for an unreal 37/11/7/2/1. Career-high alert! A far cry from that game of labradoodles where he shot 1-14 I think it was. Slightly improved that going 13-16 last night. On a really nice roll, with great numbers in Ast/Stl/Blk (4.8/1.3/0.7) that will easily blow away his career-highs. Sure more minutes helps, but he’s been a great pick where you got him.
Serge Ibaka – Got a DNP-flu. Should be back shortly. Get the big man a flu shot!
Perry Jones – Started at the 4. A guy I lauded for multi-cat if given minutes, got 3 boards and nothing else in 16 minutes. The Thunder big man minutes really waffled in this game. Mmmmm waffles…
Steven Adams – Only played 12:03. He did sprain his ankle a few days ago, but since he was available with no Ibaka, you would’ve hoped from more. Still love him for the future. Me, Slim, and big Steve, basking in the New Zealand sunset.
Nick Collison – Trying to be the “other” Collison fantasy owners should care about. Breaking News! You’re not. 30 minutes for 8/6/3/0/0. Play your better big men, OKC!
Reggie Jackson – 20/6/4/4 last night. 20+ Pts in two straight and should be money until Russell Westbrook is back. I’ve seen a lot of questions where he is either available or a first drop, I think he’s a great hold or sell-high to nervous Westbrook owners.
James Anderson – Rainbow line #2! 15/5/2/3/2 in 33 bench minutes without a TO. “It’s been a bumpy road, but he’s actually been more multi-cat than you’d think, in obviously smaller minutes though.” That’s me quoting me yesterday! I was going nuts he almost gave me a rainbow Monday night, then he actually did it last night! Giddy. Carry my REL team, Ando! Carry it!
76ers Front Court – It helps a scrub like Anderson when you’re getting blown out and the coach benches everyone. Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes all got under 23 minutes, with big Thad on a huge run that came to a screeching halt, thrown into reverse, then backed off a cliff. Who coaches this team, Larry Drew?! Hawes I’m a little more worried about than the others, but is a no bueno night for all involved.
Michael Carter-Williams – At least the face of Philly nation had a big game! 37 minutes for 33/6/5/0/0 with only 1 TO. Ugh, sorry on that call CDS.
Anthony Bennett – Had a rainbow line of terribleness! 1-6 FG 2 Pts 8 Rebs 5 TOs and 4 Fouls in 18 minutes. Remember when the Cavs could’ve literally picked anyone else? Whoops.
Tristan Thompson – Our new Razzball hot topic. Look at those multi-cat stats thrown in last night! 12/10/1/1/0. I maintain he’s usable in 12-teamers for owners that need the double-double input. I’m not in love with the guy, but he’s fine in that range. Of course he hurts you everywhere else, but hey, a double-double a night has it’s place. And that place is nowhere near Slim.
Lance Stephenson – He was in a slight decline since the arrival of Danny Granger‘s balky knees, but had a solid game last night of 13/10/8/1/0 in 36 minutes. Even with Granger playing 33 minutes, Lance can co-exist but his value has taken a baby hit.
Paul George – Yo, Paul George lovers who kept crapping on me all preseason and early on, where ya at? I like George a lot, I still think he’s an end of the first-round kinda guy, but I said he gets warts sometimes. Ha ain’t perfect. As much as you all like to think he is! Sub-par games in 3 of the last 4, but if anyone is panicky, buy low in a heartbeat.
Bradley Beal – Welcome back to scoring 20+! 21/2/3 shooting 10-18. Didn’t do much else, but at least he’s healthy right now.
Jan Vesely – Me and my Wizards buddies love to clown on him, but 6/6/0/3/3 last night in only 21 minutes, and 8/6/2/1/3 Sunday night. Has me tilting my head. “Is there a really deep league multi-cat option here?” Shrugs. “Maybe!” Welcome to my inner monologue!
Gerald Henderson – Can’t stop Hendo! 27/7/1. Really nothing much to expand on – empty scoring. I thought it’d be fuller. I saw him this preseason in a push-up bra, and when they came out, disappointing. Damn you, Hooters!
Anthony Davis – Another guy just off the rainbow line by one dime, going 22/12/1/3/2. Yeah, if for some reason someone isn’t valuing him like his pre-hand-break self, pull an N’Sync and buy buy buy.
Al-Farouq Aminu – Did notch the rainbow! Third rainbow last night. 6/5/2/3/2. By the skin of his teeth. I hate that idiom. I also hate the dentist. I guess I would also hate the dermatologist by this logic. I would love getting my ADHD diagnosed though! I am not the biggest Aminu guy and don’t read too much into it.
Jason Smith – Returned to action for a bleh. Quantified, that’s a 8/4/1/0/0 line shooting 4-11 in 22 minutes. Should grow into the high-20 minutes again, but nothing much ado in 10 or 12 teamers.
J Smoove – Rainbow numero four last night, which he had wrapped up midway through the 3rd quarter. Shockingly hit 8-9 FTs too! 21/12/5/3/2 and a not terrible 6-14 FG. But it’s Josh Smith, he has to hurt you somewhere! 8 TOs… There it is!
Brandon Jennings – 4-26 his past two games. You’ve been polar vortexed! If anyone is upset, worth a buy low shot.
Raymond Felton – The roly poly rolled back into the starting lineup for a decent 12/2/6/1/0 line with a trey and 4 TOs. Played 31 minutes too. And there won’t be any rest for the wicked, as Beno Udrih hurt his knee. Felton is probably an add in deeper 12-teamers and beyond, as ugly as it is.
D.J. Augustin – Continues to outplay Kirk Hinrich in virtually every way, but gets similar minutes and is off the bench. 13/2/9/1/0 with 2 treys for Augustin, who is maintaining his status as a solid fringe-guy in 12-teamers.
Mike Dunleavy – Winner #1 in the Deng trade went 8/7/1/0/1 in 29 minutes without a three. Hmmmm. Looks like Deng’s minutes are going to be spread thin like the narrative structure of Satantango. Oh, if you liked the obscure movie references thus far, it can just get obscurer!
Tony Snell – The assumed winner #2, and a guy I still really like. 21 minutes of fairly empty 12/4/0/0/0 ball, but shot 5-7 and 2-3 from deep. A guy to hold or target in deeper leagues.
Taj Gibson – Surprise winner #3. Well, Carlos Boozer is still nursing a bad knee which helps, but Taj got an unreal 42 minutes in a regulation game for 19/10/3/0/0. Worth a longer look after this game, even when Boozer does come back.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – This was the game I watched last night, and I gotta say, really impressed with how Giannis has developed. If he was on any other team than the Bucks and got consistent minutes, I might just try to emigrate to Greece just to chill with him in the offseason. Only 25 minutes last night and nothing hops out on the stat sheet, but 2/5/5/2/0 and just made some nice plays. His one basket was a tough jumper. Was able to start breaks off both steals. If only another team!! If only… Hell, imagine if the Cavs had picked him first. Woulda been better…
Ersan Ilyasova – It looks great on the stat sheet, 20/6/0/2/0, hit two treys, shot 6-15, but he looked awful. Hit perimeter shots yesterday, that’s it. So slow trying to drive, bad on defense. He had missed 20 straight threes before last night! I maintain that if you have a deep team in 12 or bigger leagues and can handle fluctuations you can sit on him, but not much has changed for me on that. This was an up and there’s going to be brutal downs again.
Larry Sanders – Looked awful as well. Just so rusty around the rim. But he was better than Ersan at least.
Luke Ridnour – Looked the worst of them all. Shot 2-9 and one of those makes was a circus fadeaway that barely rimmed in. His “block” was more a strip and a 4/1/3/1/1 line in 26 minutes isn’t any good anyway. Just everything about the Bucks kills me.
Tim Duncan – Approached a rainbow himself. 24/17/4/1/2 in 39 big minutes. Timmay! Will never get old.
Manu Ginobili – Hurt his hammy despite getting a game-winner. Kawhi Leonard might actually get some big run tonight! Manu sounds like he’ll miss at least a game. Be sure he’s out of your line-up if you have a backup.
Marco Belinelli – Another strong game. 24+ minutes in 3 straight and 4 straight usable games. 19/4/4 last night with two treys. Should also get a lot of work if no Manu. Worth a gander, if you have a goose.
James Johnson – Man the Grizz tapped back into their upstart bigs again! After such an abrupt abandonment! JJ with a preposterous 18 shots for a 15/4/5/1/2 night going 7-18. Tony Allen set to miss a few weeks with a broken hand should help JJ’s minutes when the Grizz want to go big, and is worth a look again for the multi-cat upside.
Jon Leuer – The other upstart big to get back into the mix, getting 27 minutes for the first time since Dec. 17 for a 10/9/1/1/0 game shooting 5-7. Two straight nice games. Maybe the Grizz are starting to realize Tayshaun Prince and Kosta Koufos aren’t the answer…
Courtney Lee – A surprising 26 minutes in his Grizzlies debut. Shot 5-10 (2-5 3PTM) for a 12/2/1/1/1 game. I’m not a big Lee fan, but interesting to see him get this much run.
Jerryd Bayless – Speaking of surprising run, JB with 26 minutes as well on his new team. 6/0/3/3/0 shooting 3-11. I was shocked JB got 11 shots. But hey, it’s Brad Stevens.
Jared Sullinger – Got ejected. I still think he’s decent. In deep leagues where he’s a must-own, worth a low ball offer to see if Sully’s owner is frustrated.
The MANIMAL – He back! 21/13/1/0/1 for back-to-back 17+/13+ dub-dubs. I’m sure some owners cut bait, worth checking the wire in shallow leagues.
Randy Foye – 23 Pts on 7 threes. ThrAGNOF!
Wesley Johnson – 17/4/1 last night on 7-14 (3-7 3PTM) shooting. With Shawne Williams cut, Wesley becomes interesting. Put him in your sights to maybe Snipes off the wire if he continues his solid play.
Kendall Marshall – Ruh roh! Scored well last night, but 6 Asts to 6 TOs. Still a very good 18/3/6 line with three treys. But he ain’t Darren Collison! Gus Ayonin’!
Jodie Meeks – I’ve undersold Jodie ever since Contact. I mean, did you see Elysium? She was in it for like 10 minutes! Plus that movie had no character development and was so overt. Just like District 9. Overrated! But Meeks is certainly not, huge 24/4/6/4/0 game and continues to build on his career year. I think I’ve undersold him in comments most of the year, no mas!
Damien Lillard – Had a 26-point 4th quarter. I wonder how many players that would be a season-high for! 41/7/4/0/1 with 7 treys. Da-mien!!!
Nicolas Batum – Yesterday I said if anyone was freaking out that he’s have to play with a cast, buy low. He didn’t even have one bad game to help the selling point. 11/11/5 in 40 minutes.
Boogie – Was a night for Boogie. You could say it was a Boogie Night. Mmmm Heather Graham. 35/13/2/1/2 in a near rainbow.
Rudy Gay – A season/Kings career-high 32 points for Gay. A big win against the Blazers on top of it. Gay and Boogie can co-exist! For now…
Isaiah Thomas – Nearly trip-dubbed for 22/7/8/2/0 without a single TO. Man, I really wished they hadn’t brought in Greivis Vasquez in the offseason. I had IT2 ranked sooooo high at first in the offseason. I bet the Kings wished they didn’t trade for Vasquez either. You can never trust a Terrapin. I’ve seen that bumper sticker in ACC land.
Next Game: I’ve got Phoenix at Minnesota tonight. Good thing it’s not an outdoor game! I hope everyone had a solid start to their week in this big slate of games, and it’s another big slate tonight. Be sure to set your line-ups and your thermostats!
