Like Radiohead’s Kid A album, we need to start off this morning with a reminder that even ThrAGNOFs can get Everything In Its Right Place treatment. Often ridiculed, thrown garbage at, excommunicated like lepers, they pretty much mope around like they’re listening to Radiohead… Even ThrAGNOFs are people too!
Just look at our conversation during the Pod yesterday. Slim hates on Mirza being a ThrAGNOF, I say he’s the only real consistent PF, and Slim has to begrudgingly agree. We say “Threes ain’t got no face” not because they have no existential meaning and are The Plague on Camus’s fantasy team, but because a player that hit 3s/scores/low TO are often overrated by the metrics. Last night, Mirza went 30/11/1/0/0, hitting 12-23 FG with 5 treys against his former Nets. Now, he didn’t have the normal low TO (4), but he grabs more boards than your typical wing ThrAGNOF, and brings it at an out-of-position PF spot. In the 4 games since the deadline, ThrAGNOFovic is 20.5/7.3/1.5 with 3.5 treys a game. He’s owned in all of my RCLs, but he’s still only 39% owned across the Yahoo-verse and still available in several leagues. Of course if you don’t need scoring and 3s, you’re not missing on too much, and his production is easily replaceable if he gets cold. But while hot, you gotta ride your ThrAGNOFs! Here’s what else went down in fantasy hoops action last night:
Stephen Curry – Shocker! He’s hit a 3 for a lot of games in a row. Wow. That’s like saying Scott Skiles broke the record for most variant player rotations in a row… Not only did Steph hit one 3 to break Kyle Korver‘s record of consecutive games with treys, but he hit 10 of em! 20-27 FG including 10-15 3PTM for 51 Pts to continue this absurdity.
Klay Thompson – A popular 30-pt challenge pick, Klay scored only 9. The best thing he can do for his team most of the time is just watch Steph’s shot go in.
Evan Fournier – It’s been a bumpy ride from mid-round value, to barely ownable, to cuttable, and now back to mid-round value. 20+ Pts in 3 straight and 4 outta 5, really benefiting from no Tobias. 32+ minutes the past 8 is the most encouraging stat though, factoring in a Tobias kankle then the trade. Just gotta hope no SKIIIIIIIIILES!
Elfrid Payton – I’ve heard that the copyright owners of “musical chairs” are about to change the popular kid’s party game to “the Skiles Shuffle.” “Now you sit on the bench, now this time YOU sit on the bench, YOU GET A CAR YOU GET A CAR YOU GET A CAR!” Skiles is the Oprah of annoying playing time. This time at PG is was Elfrid who got the most run, going 12/2/6 in 29 minutes. It’s still not enough for me to steadfastly own in 10ers.
Jabari Parker – 22 Pts last night and now 20+ in 3 of 4. He’s not doing enough anywhere else to get me overly excited, but could help Pts/Reb needs on the right builds.
Khris Middleton – The Duchess has been struggling, hitting 50% of his shots only once in the past 11 before last night, but went 21/5/6/3/0 on 8-15 shooting vs. the C’s. Figure out what your placeholder coach did to make him so nasty, Kidd!
Amir Johnson – Has been pretty flaccid lately, but the Johnson showed up strong last night, going 15/8/2/1/1 with no TO in 25 minutes. He did only hit 1-4 FT, and this is comparable to his best line or two since mid-January. There goes my erection.
Anthony Davis – What, what, what?! The Pelicans beat the Thunder last night?!?!?! 30/6/2/1/4 from the Brow, hitting another couple of treys. Mannnnn, with the treys it’s gonna be tough to keep him outside my top-3 next year. Brow vs. Beard… Too much facial hair!
Ryan Anderson – 26 Pts, 2 treys, 6 Reb. Wait, what is so different with his numbers than ThrAGNOFovic’s?!
Norris Cole – People have been jumping off the cliff of his flattop and rightfully so with Eric Gordon nearing a return, but a big bounceback from some fading numbers going 21/6/8 last night.
Russell Westbrook/Kevin Durant – Not for lack of trying, both MVP-caliber guys had MVP-caliber fantasy lines. I don’t feel like I need to write the numbers out, THERE’s your lack of trying!
Archie Goodwin – Well, that soured pretty quick. More like Archie Goodloss! Except they haven’t even been good losses there in PHO… Archie Badloss! 18 minutes and didn’t score, shooting 0-3 FG and 0-2 FT. Ouch.
Ronnie Price – Started hot, and got rewarded with 38 minutes of PT. It almost helped the Suns beat a depleted Nets team! Yay! 16/0/3/4/1 with a couple of treys, but I’m still only investing in pretty deep leagues. The Suns PG are also abiding by the Skiles Shuffle.
Tyson Chandler – Gets to keep starting because of THE DOLLAR BILLZ YO! 12/11/1/2/1 in 33 minutes, pushing Alex Len to only 17 mins off the bench. Pays to be a veteran on the first year of a 4-yr deal, amiright?! I’d still hold Len where I could and the hatred of Tyson C has gone too far. He’s not a must-own or anything in a 12er, but he’s a temporary Band Aid if you need some help up front.
Joe Johnson – Waived so he can be bought out. A little irony it was right before a game against the Suns! Bojan Bogdanovic got the start at the 3, and got hot for 24 Pts and 3 treys on 8-16 shooting. Literally does nothing else except 2 boards and 4 TO. Blah.
Thaddeus Young – For the love of multi-cat! Gets a huge 1.5 rainbow, going 18/8/3/7/3 on 8-11 FG with only 1 TO. He’s been an absolute revelation ever since the Nets finally realized they should start Thad the Impaler after trading for him. I don’t get how NBA teams can make such bad starting decisions…
Markel Brown – The Nets starting SG spot continues to be a black hole, with Wayne Ellington shooting 3-10 of blah at the starting 2 and Brown playing well off the bench for 16/3/1 with a couple treys and 6-8 FT. I refuse to buy into that position even in the 20-team REL. It’s the Bermuda Triangle of fantasy situations.
Donald Sloan – I guess 13/9/6 for a guy not owned in 12ers deserves a shout out, but it was in only 24 minutes. Sure I could spin it as “he did that in only 24 minutes!” but the mins are going to keep getting split with Shane Larkin no matter what, since the Nets are the Bermuda Triangle of NBA franchises.
Portland Trailchokers – Yikkkkkkes, dat 4th quarter doe! After leading almost the whole game, Portland got trounced in the second half, and murdered 33-12 in the 4th. A 22:21 AST:TO ratio isn’t gonna get it done! I blame this loss solely on C.J. McCollum, because well, I CAN! 20/5/4/0/0 with 4 TO shooting 9-19 FG. I guess that’s fine… Damian Lillard shot 6-20 but at least held a 7:1 AST:TO.
Moe Harkless – Well, an investment in virtually any league is now a sunk cost… 11/1/1/0/1, but 3 TO and moved to the bench for Noah Vonleh. Vonleh didn’t play a ton with the starting 5 (13 mins), but it’s enough to turn Moe back into Moe Schmo.
James Harden – Fear the Beard! 46/5/8, and ranking Brow ahead of him is gonna be sooooo hard. Wait, didn’t I say it the other way up top?! TOO MUCH FACIAL HAIR!
Dwight Howard – Rainbow alert! Despite all the continual drama, DNPs, and otherwise unsavoriness, he’s had a nice bounceback season. 19/13/2/2/3 last night, but of course trounces your FT for 3-12. Hey, if you know what you get, you can prepare for it! That was the line that ended up getting edited out of Forrest Gump.
Trevor Ariza – 6/8/6/5/0, and his numbers are virtually identical to last year’s. I just think the trip game-to-game to get to 12.5 Pts, 2.3 treys and 2.1 Stl can be so rocky, he gets frustrating. He’s at a career-high in takeaways too! Hopefully you held strong through some troughs.
Kawhi Leonard – I love him. Sits 3 games last week due to his calf, but the Spurs let him loose on a b2b, going 10-15 FG last night for 29/5/3/3/0 with no TO and 3 treys with 6-6 FT. Reciting his stats always comes out as a run on sentence!
Tim Duncan – Even in an 18 point win, Pop stuck with some starting 5 cohesion and Timmay played 32 minutes. 14/11/2/1/1. If he was dropped, feel free to spec add, but don’t lock him in your shallow league line-ups.
Derrick Favors – Really your only Ute to show up, going 25/6/3/2/0. But WHERE’S THE BEEF?! No blocks?!?!?!
Shelvin Mack – Pretty boring 8/3/3/2/0, but 28 minutes with the starters and a strong hold in 12ers. Still feel like he was a pretty neato add!
I hope everyone is locking it down during the playoff push, and getting ramped up for the final few weeks of the fantasy regular season! Thanks for dropping by Razzball Nation, and have a great weekend!
