It’s like that scene in Moneyball when Beane-y Baby is talking to David Justice and says something along the lines of, “You pissed off the other team so much, they’re paying 2/3 your salary!” Except the Pistons are going to pay 3/3 of Josh Smith‘s salary…
Geez, over the weekend plus a travel day, I feel like I missed two season’s worth of the NBA! Smoove gets waived, there’s trades… I think Andrew Wiggins is even contemplating retirement! In Detroit Rock City, Stan Van is tired of seeing Detroit Brick City. Shooting a career-low (even for Smoove!) 39.1% from the field (including 9-37 from deep for a Gargantuan 24.3 3PTM%), Stan Van is about as sick of labradoodles as Michael Vick. Too soon! I could go Larry Sanders there too, he is on my all-hate team… Wow, this got too serious. Josh Smith is terrible at basketball! Another year of 2.6 TO is doing no favors, but even in only 32 minutes a game (a low since 2005-06), he’s at a career-best 4.7 AST this year. Then again, another flip-side with a career worst 46.8 FT%. I’m rattling things off we already know, but mostly want to mention in H2H leagues, he’s still a useful player if your team is built the right way. And my pre-season rank was hoping he would come off the bench and boost the FG% and bad TO rate by playing against second units. Right now the Rockets are front-runners to pick him up (which also is a big indictment on Terrence Jones coming back any time soon), which should limit his labradoodles and keep him in line for defensive stats. I’m really hating what Stan Van is doing to DET for us fantasy-players – these shifts in minutes and rotations are infuriating – so I’m actually a little encouraged. We’ll see how it shakes out, but if you’ve been able to weather the Smoove storm of horrific efficiency, I’d keep holding. Here’s what else has gone on across the league since we last checked in:
Greg Monroe – Moose! Should stampede his way back into the starting line-up with Smoove on da moove. He was playing real consistent minutes lately until the past 4, and I don’t see that much of an uptick. If anyone is willing to buy high, I’m fine trickling him down to someone else’s squad.
Corey Brewer – Traded to the Rockets Friday afternoon for Troy Daniels, an injured guy, and picks. Brewer in his debut showed he can still be a master thief! 12/4/4/5/1 in 23 bench minutes hitting a couple of treys. Looks like he can maintain value! There will be some bad lows coming off the bench, but if you held this is more than encouraging.
Shabazz Muhammad – Moved into the Brewer hole (ew) and hasn’t missed a beat. 26/5/5 Friday night then 21/6/2 Sunday in 37 & 38 minutes. High-volume FG with a great percentage, and helps he doesn’t bang too many treys to keep it so squeaky clean.
Chase Budinger – Deep-league alert! Moved into the Shabazzhole (ew, but hah!) for swing 6th man minutes. 28 then 27 minutes over the weekend for 19/4/0/1/1 & 13/4/2/1/0 lines hitting 4 combined treys.
Kyle O’Quinn – The KOQ of the walk! Vaughn inserted KOQ into the starting lineup for Channing Frye, and the Irishman delivered for 8/6/2/1/4 and a trey. We call that a full barrel! I’m frankly surprised they moved off of Frye, it doesn’t seem like a matchup-based decision against the Sixers, but it makes sense on every level except the money they gave him. What a bad signing…
Evan Fournier – Benched for Elfrid Payton to get off the shelfrid! The Virgin was still solid for 16/2/1 and three treys in 27 bench minutes, but after nothing but praise from Jacque the Jerk, I don’t get it. Payton had a dimebag on Friday for 11/11, but was not useful as a starter for 1/5/6/1/0 with 2 TO, 0-7 FG and 1-2 FT. All in 35 friggin’ minutes! Keep pounding The Virgin, ya Jerk!
Nerlens Noel – I hope I helped Razzball Nation stay strong! Dropped in several shallower leagues, Noel is coming around with a 1.5 rainbow line of 6/9/3/3/3 Friday and then 13/21/1/1/1 Sunday. The FG% is still sluggish (8-20 in those) and the TO an issue (5 total), but the FT% went up with a small sample of 4-4 FTM the last three games and things are lookin’ on up for Captain N!
Nene – After seeming to break out on Friday (20/6/2), back to 2/5/2 of awfulness on Sunday. In either case, you can pull a Kardashian and move on from Kris Humphries. He’s been horrific the past 4. Annulment my ass!
Marcus Smart – Got his first start Sunday, and the Celtics aren’t feeling as smart… 3/4/4/1/0 shoting 1-4 hitting a trey. I’m still mad the Celtics aren’t having him slash… Put on Halloween in the film room!
Tyler Zeller – Had a very solid weekend of 14/4/3/0/1 and 22/8/0/0/2… Erstwhile, Kelly Olynyk still playing well. One day neither are ownable, the next only Olynyk, the next only Zeller, I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!
Jae Crowder/Brandan Wright/Jameer Nelson – Made their Celtics debuts on Sunday, and all look like waiver wire fodder in virtually all leagues.
Sergey Karasev – I’d def have Karasev over those schlubs! Becoming a Razzball favorite, he’s very low-yield, but getting massive minutes. 12/4/2/2/0 Friday and 9/1/2/2/0 Sunday hitting 3 total treys over the weekend. Played 37 and 33 minutes as well, and it doesn’t hurt that…
Deron Williams – …is. A reportedly minor calf injury, but any booboo for Deron can snowball quickly… Jarrett Jack started on Sunday for a huge 15/4/10/2/0 line. He’s certainly worth a stream if Deron is out tonight, which is looking likely as he didn’t practice yesterday. Spoiler alert! More below.
Mason Plumlee – As he commented on our site (he’s a loyal reader), “Brook Lopez who?“. I certainly agree! Helped get me in the money on DraftKings Friday! 14/9/2/0/3 & the big rainbow Sunday for 21/12/2/2/2. Hit 7-10 FT in those games too! Best weekend of his life, trumping the first time he beat brother Miles in 1-on-1. Even with Brolo returning to practice and getting back out there soon, it’s Mr. Glass Brolo we’re talking about.
Reggie Jackson – Welcome back, R-Jax! Well, Kevin Durant being out the past two games certainly helped… 25/3/5 and 19/6/5 hitting 3 treys in each of those games. Sell-high police! I still think R-Jax is must own in 12ers and most 10ers, but if you can make an upgrade he’s an easy asset to give up.
Ed Davis – On Friday I’m like, “finally!” Huge 18/9/2/0/2 against those twin towers at OKC. But then on Sunday I’m like, f#&$ it!” 10/5/0/1/0. Close to ignoring unless there’s a 3 or 4 game streak of ridiculousness.
Jose Calderon – After Saturday night, I was about to call Jose for what he really was looking like… A glorified ThrAGNOF! 21/5/3/1/0 hitting 5 treys. 3PTM dependent! But then he makes me enfurecido! Gets a dimebag, which I wouldn’t mind partaking in trying to analyze this schlub. 15/3/10 Sunday. Hadn’t topped 7 dimes before that this year. I may have prematurely evacuated the Spaniard, but I’m waiting to see if I will reload.
Carmelo Anthony – No shut down for you, JB! Going against him in the REL was looking solid, then he comes out for big games in big minutes. Why you don’t panic sell! If you want to sell high, you’re looking a lot better now than during the initial shutdown rumors.
Al Jefferson – Tweaked his groin Saturday night, but seemed absolutely fine yesterday shooting 10-13 FG for 22/7/2/1/0 and no TO. After the game, Big Al was like, “thanks to my trainers for working that groin out so hard!”
Michael Kidd-Gilcrhist – Was huge against the Jazz Saturday night for 13/11/2/1/3 but flanked by 9/8/1/2/0 Friday and 5/3/1/1/1 last night. All solid, but until we consistently see 30 minutes as a starter, I’m not fully buying in for 12ers. His shot and FT look vastly improved from last year, showing up mightily on the stat sheet.
Rajon Rondo – Good thing green brings out his hadband! 6/7/9/2/0 in his Mavs debut, shooting 3-11 from the field with 4 TO. The 11 shots werea huge surprise… Especially since Monta Ellis put up 38! Monta only had a single dime, but he was so hot scoring the rock, it seems nothing to be too worried about. Only two last night, as Rondo improved to 13/4/11/3/1 shooting 6-15.
Jerryd Bayless – Double-digit scoring in 6 straight, multi-assists in those, capped off with 17/4/5 and 16/4/2 over the weekend hitting a combined 5 treys. It’s not must-own in 12ers, but needs to be used a lot more with the minutes looking fairly assured these days. JB’s taking over!
Zach Randolph – Missed the past two games with a zombie bite. “Noooooo, T-Dog!!!!!” I loved that guy, I really did scream that at the TV when that went down… Jon Leuer started Sunday and was mad solid for 16/7/2/2/0 on 7-14 FG against the Cavs, but they went to Kosta Koufos yesterday for only 5/4/3/1/1 in a matchup-swap against the Jazz and their two bangers. “Who would like a banger in the mouth!” “We just call it sausage…”
Dwyane Wade – Out with a knee bruise and why you can’t draft Wade anymore… Mario Chalmers has that good medicinal shizz to get him healthy! 11/10 for a dimebag, as he continues to destroy it when Wade is out. Just like…
Jimmy Butler – …and how he rocks em and socks em robots when Derrick Rose is out! Back-to-back 30+ point games on Thursday and Friday with Rose gone, but starting to get some of the keys to the team even with Rose back last night. 27/11/4/1/5 with two treys and 11-11 FT even with Rose going for 29! Eyebrows – raised. Still not moving Melo for him straight up, but Butler is moving way way up for me. Maybe I’m late to the party, huh Lasandro?!
DeMarcus Cousins – Humungo rainbow line alert! 29/14/2/2/3. It was a risky buy low, but if you ran to DMC you are running DMC!
Guess the Kobe stat line – Temporarily on Hold – Horrific last Sunday for 25/5/3/2/0 on 8-30 shooting and 9 turnovers… Josh Smith as a SG! He’s questionable tonight (and might get a couple DNPs this week) with being old syndrome, so we’ll hold off on guess the Kobe line until next week.
Mo Williams – Got hot off the bench Saturday for 24/2/10 on 10-16 shooting with a couple of treys. Zach LaVine struggled in 16 starting minutes, so we could see a changing to the old guard any time. But it’s time to be sure Ricky Rubio is owned in all leagues even though I said he was a hold the whole time. He’s about 3 weeks out, which is about how long it feels like I’ve been out! Needless to say, will be rusty.
C.J. Miles – Scored 16 then 28 over the weekend for a combined 6 treys. Doesn’t do much else. ThrAGNOF! Sure, stream while hot but be sure to drop him when he’s not. The Snoop Dogg B-side.
LaMarcus Aldridge – Sat last night with the sniffies, and we STILL didn’t get a big Thomas Robinson showing. Looks like that 15/16 game was a mad outlier…
Rudy Gobert – Ruuuuuuuudy! 16 boards! One for how many more starts he should’ve had this year… Chipped in 2 blocks, but didn’t help anywhere else. Still on the outside looking in in 12ers… Definitely over that Ed Davis though!
James Johnson – The fantasy prayers have been answered! Started Sunday for 10/6/2/0/2 and again last night for 16/2/1/4/2. Shooting 12-17 from the field in those starts, he’s been beastly. But this is purportedly just while Landry Fields is out with a concussion, which has no clear timetable. Sure Fields doesn’t play many minutes, but it does cut into JJ’s run. With the Raptors off until Saturday, I don’t think I’m picking up Johnson anywhere as I want production and/or Fields could be back by then.
Dennis Schroder – Filling in for the hamstrung Jeff Teague, and was huge last night for 22/3/6. Mach snell! No idea if that’s anywhere close… 8/6/6 last Saturday and a dimebag in his first fill-in start last Wednesday. Mas gud! I’m way off… Teague is still without a timetable, it’s tough to have Schroder sitting on your wire.
Danilo Gallinari – Tore his meniscus and opting for surgery. Yikes. At least his home country’s comfort food is bangin’.
Streamers/Cheap DraftKings Picks:
Jarrett Jack (16% owned) – Whoa! Didn’t think Yahoo had pounced on him as hard as Jason Maxiell when he lands on a blob at the lake. Assuming Deron is out, which is all but certain, Jack should have a solid start against the Nuggets. Easiest $5,000 DK bucks you could spend tonight!
Steven Adams (13% owned) – Lurch! Off a rainbow for 12/10/2/2/2 on Sunday (good for 35 DK points), Adams might get the Blazers sans Aldridge, has played 33+ minutes the past two games, and is only $4,400 on DratKings tonight. Plus the mustache! Need I say more?
Whew, a ton went down since the last Daily Notes, so I’m sure there’s a million other developments out there. Why we love the comments! Shoot your thoughts below, and we’ll see you tomorrow for the Christmas Special!
