Happy 2015 Razzball Nation!
I for one am elated the Holidays have wrapped up (big thanks again to Slim for his recap at the end of last week!), and ready to buckle down for the second half of the fantasy regular season in H2H. My new year’s resolutions have been made – use Twitter more, swear a little less, work out a lot more… But this gosh darn knee! Eh, I’m pretty flippin’ flabby anyway… Fiddlesticks! Might as well shut it down…
And the talk for Carmelo Anthony‘s shutdown continually grow like a wave across the second level at Madison Square Garden. Not like they have anything else to do… Next new year’s resolution – less dot dot dots! The 5-31 Knickerbockers (I’m calling them The Poppycockers the rest of the way) have been worse than even Spike Lee could have imagined after reading reviews of his Oldboy remake. “Brooooooo – Liiiinnnnn!” Some dude named Bondy (shakeny, not stirredy) from The New York Daily News reported Melo’s knee will need a minor surgery, so it’s not like Melo is just playing through general oldboy-ness. He’s missed the last few after being awful for two straight to end December, so trading him off in fantasy leagues is redonk tough. Last we checked in (mostly through comments), I’ve maintained I’m not giving him away, but it’s fairly close. He’s about at the “leave on the curb” status rather than “driving him all the way to the dumpster.” My best advice would be to find a need for your team, and go for a guy that hits that need without a huge overall rank – i.e. Trevor Ariza for some steals and treys. Might not get Ariza these days, but yeah, something like that. And I still think you gotta try and hold out until Melo plays a few in a row – he’s traveling with the team for the next two games so he’s likely to suit up at least once. Here’s what else went on in fantasy basketball since we flipped the calendar:
LeBron James – Welcome to the new year! LeBron is shut down for two weeks! How long? TWO WEEKS! It feels like ages ago, but twas after my last daily notes it was announced LeBron twouldn’t play for a bit. A strained knee and a strained back for the strained Cavs, but he’s already getting re-evaluated Wednesday. Maybe it will end up being less than TWO WEEKS!
Kyrie Irving – Out with lower back tightness. Sooooooo sounds like an Uncle Drew injury. Get younger! Blatt said it’s not a long-term issue, but is worried short-term – i.e. how he perceives his job.
Kevin Love – Back to old Kevin Love! Just needs everyone with talent wiped clear. 30/10/3/1/1 Saturday with Kyrie leaving after 25 minutes. Tonight against the Sixers? Mmmmmm. Then sell high! I wonder if someone else will have a big game tonight against the 76ers (see below!).
Tristan Thompson – Should also pound on the Sixers a bit, after 8/11/2/2/1 Saturday night. 2-6 FT is poopy, but is part of lord poopypants’ game. Seriously, “LORD_POOPYPANTS” used to be my PS3 name for Call of Duty. My buddy was “DUKE_OF_PEEPEE”. We ran some mad game.
Jusuf Nurkic – Emergence of young, backup Cs weekend! I enjoyed my new year’s weekend with prime rib & Au Jus! Back-to-back dubdubs, at least 10/8 the last 3, multi blocks in all of em, wrapping up with an 11/10/0/2/5 line on Saturday against the Grizz in 23 minutes. Given Nurkic racked up some numbers against the Memphis cubs, but he didn’t get a foul (been a concern), and Timofey Mozgov‘s play has declined faster than the ruble (4/5/1/0/0 in 25 minutes with 4 fouls in the same game). It may be a while until Nurkic starts as Healthcare.Mozgov is theorectially getting shopped hard by the Nugs, but Orange Jus is gonna be a beast if given 30 minutes a game.
Hassan Whiteside – Says, “take that Nurch – I got FOUR straight 2+ block games!” At least 6/6 in all of those, shooting 15-22 from the field. He’s not a good FT shooter, but worth a look for big man stats in deepers. Miami doesn’t want to play Chris Andersen much more than his 20 minutes if they can help it, so Mr. Whiteside should bring you some stat-Killers.
Pau Gasol – These young Cs! 14 blocks the past two games. He’s now on pace for a career best in blocks (2.3). I feel like the room is spinning…
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Such young Cs! Oh wait… A non-C is the current league leader in 2+ block games?!?! 7 straight now with at least 2 swats, rackin’ em up with a saucy 16/12/2/1/2 line last night. Only 3-6 FT, but hit another trey! There’s plenty we got wrong, but we’re feeling a little more right here!
Andrew Wiggins – I’m wiggin’ out for Wiggins! 20+ Pts in 5 of 6 with 27/9/2/4/0 & 20/4/2/1/1 lines with a 3 in each and only missed one FT (7-8). I’m actually really excited for when Ricky Rubio gets back as I think it helps Wiggins get some easier shots – but he’s been 50%+ from the field in 5 of the last 6 as well. Allllllll coming together.
“Wahhhhhhh I’m Jarrett Jack!” – “Wahhhhh, I’m JB!” Had a terrible past week of hoops happenings. Including Jack being awful, even though he had a rainbow yesterday of 4/2/3/2/3. Only 25 minutes though, as Deron Williams for the most part closed it out in a 13/6/8 line in 26 bench minutes. Now is the time to sell D-Will! Of course – I wrote this part before seeing he went out with a sore… side? Shoulda sold during the game! Haha. He’s hopeful to play tonight, and if he does, sell sell sell!
Elfrid Payton – Better late than never! Huge near-tripdub of 16/9/10/3/1 Friday night then back down to earth but still useful 7/3/7/2/0 Saturday. Victor Oladipo has been a little better since I hated on him – mainly an influx of steals – but hasn’t topped 5 rebounds or assists the past four except 5 dimes Saturday. Very meh to me(h).
Channing Frye – Strained his elbow, and heading for an MRI. “Noooooo, not Jose Fernandez!” If anything is wonky in there, expect Kyle O’Quinn to be usable again. His minutes and production have been atrocious lately, but no Frye should give the young Magic PF the kick in the KOQ he needs.
Rajon Rondo – Former team matchup! Torched the Cs with 5 3s. 29/6/5 Friday night for the most points he’s scored since high school. I didn’t really fact check that, but seems logical. Went back to blehhhh yesterday… Why could’ve he have played for the Cavs too!
Jose Calderon – Dame la basura!
Andrea Bargnani – There it is!
Pacers PG – The return of Donald Sloan! I thought it was mad unfair he got DNPs when some barely better PGs ahead of him got healthy. Flirted with back-to-back tripdubs for 10/8/6 Friday night then 16/7/9 last night. All with one, count em, ONE TO TOTAL! He’s not the best shooter (10-25 FG 3-11 3PTM in those games), but the journeyman deserves a shot at a role somewhere, even if off the bench. C.J. Watson‘s sore foot might have him back soon, while George Hill‘s groin will cost him a few more. Makes it a mess, but if we know Watson is out for sure tonight (spoiler alert – I’m assuming!), Sloan makes for a solid stream.
Zaza Pachulia – Zaza arms! Needs to get that acne checked out… 16/14/3/2/0 last night against the lowly New York Poppycocks, with John Henson struggling with foul trouble (5 in 11 minutes). Henson has been playing well, which makes it hard to believe either Ersan Ilyasova (concussion) or Larry Sanders (weird mix of “personal reasons” and flu) will come back for major minutes. The 18-17 Bucks have got it figured out!
Tony Wroten – I loved what our friends at Rotoworld had as a Wroten headline – “Tony Wroten does Tony Wroten things”. 28/2/3/3/0 shooting 4-9 FT and 5 TO Friday. Then the big uh-oh! Michael Carter-Williams sat Saturday with his surgically repaired shoulder a little sore. Wroten looked pretty good in the fill-in start against the Clips (27/4/7/1/0 with 8-21 FG & 8-9 FT) keeping the Sixers in it until the 4th, but had the rough TO (6). MCW has said he’s playing tonight, but yikes – another guy with major shutdown concerns. Whenever MCW gets hot, sell sell sell. My bad on that one Razzball Nation! Hopefully…
Draymond Green – …makes up for it a bit! Unreal 16/11/13/2/2 line Friday night (plus two treys), for a tripdub+rainbow. Why I’ve not done better in RCLs… Everyone knew to get him early!
Ty Lawson – Not to be out-done on the rainbow line front, 25/11/2/2/2 Saturday night with 10-14 FG (3-4 3PTM 2-3 FT) and only 2 TO. Nugs blowing out the Grizzlies makes about as much sense as Wroten hitting 8-9 FT!
Nerlens Noel – To another bad call, and to a team that’s dead to me+everyone. 7/12/4/0/1 Saturday, with 6 TO and 3-12 mother f shooting. I watched a lot of that game, and he’s just Russian! I mean, rushin’. I don’t get why the Sixers seem so antsy. Antsy in their pantsy. Relax! Don’t do it! When you wanna…
Jazz Gs – Ughhhhh. So after Alec Burks has season-ending surgery, Rodney Hood has a foot issue stemming from a sore heel. Tar heel haunting the dookie! Then Patrick Christopher steps in, and dislocates his kneecap (eeeeeeeek). It’s thought Christopher didn’t tear anything, but now it’s SF reserve Joe Ingles in there! Played 30 minutes for 7/3/4/2/0, and while fundamentally sound, is nothing special. He could chip in some steals for the deepest of deep leagues, but even as a former Ingles owner in REL, I didn’t put a bid in on him back off the wire.
Greivis Vasquez – Had a huge game for 25/5/7 on Friday against the Warriors, but then the twerp was awful again on Sunday. Super twerp!
Landry Fields – Returned from his concussion Friday and it bludgeoned James Johnson (12 minutes of 0/2/0/0/1), but JJ got some junky minutes against the Suns last night for 17/7/2/2/1 on 7-9 shooting. I agree with everyone – he deserves consistent PT, but Fields is starting again and ruining JJ again.
Marreese Speights – The ace of Speights! 26/8 on 12-19 shooting in Friday night’s blowout W. There’s surely some worry that with David Lee getting more minutes (23 Friday for 12/7 and 2 blocks) and Andrew Bogut eventually coming back Speights will lose PT, but you can’t really sell him high unless in a really deep league.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – Back-to-back dubdubs for MKG, but what’s mostly intriguing for the defensive specialist SF is 10+ shots in the past 4. A few more shots opening up with Al Jefferson out is certainly making MKG 12-team worthy.
Kemba Walker – Either HOT HOT HOT! or cold… HOT HOT HOT! or cold… Using that every time now… 4-16 FG Friday but still had an improbable rainbow (10/2/5/2/2), then was hot Saturday for 10-21 shooting (4-8 3PTM) 30/7/6/2/1.
Jared Sullinger – I hate Brad Stevens. 16/16/2/1/1 Saturday and has looked pretty good the past 5 games after declining minutes and a 9-minute goose-egg 6 games ago. I think I might like Even Stevens over Brad Stevens. I just showed my fiance that sentence and she said “wow – must be harsh, you hated your life the 4 seconds I flipped that on…”
Marcus Smart – Yikes. 4/0/1/1/0 in 17 minutes Saturday. And then B-rad…
Evan Turner – …decides to experiment with the horrible Evan Turner at PG with Jameer Nelson out with a kankle. Well, sorta combo guards with Avery Bradley, but still. 29/5/6/1/0 making 4-5 treys after only 12 treys on the year before then. 12-22 FG overall with 7 TO. I guess for some scoring and VERY light REB/AST he could be useful, but STL/BLK/3s/TO/GOODATBASKETBALL won’t.
Josh Smith – FINALLY! Moved to the bench. 28 minutes of 12/6/2/0/1 and shot 6-9! Too bad there was still 3 TO and 0-2 FT. Unless you have ratio protection – and let’s face it, it just doesn’t feel as good – then there’s no reason to own Smoove in 12ers.
Trey Burke – Awesome last Tuesday, awful Friday night (near-rainbow of 8/3/5/2/1 is fine, but shot 2-19!), then awesome again Saturday night for 28/6/6/1/0. And he’s back on a ridiculous AST:TO binge that is inexplicable. Only 9 TO the last 9 games for a 40:9 AST:TO ratio. While nice, he’s still a 35.5% shooter. Eesh. As soon as you buy in, he’ll run off a 1:1 AST:TO ratio for two weeks…
Trevor Booker – What in the?!??!! 8/15/6/0/1 as Rudy Gobert started and Monsieur Elbowed (13/11/1/1/6) with no Enes Kanter. Kanter is dealing with a kankle – fitting – so Gobert should give everyone a nice few spot starts for owners who scooped him up/are able to stream. Booker on the other hand can just be a looker in standard… Strike that in editing! But in 14ers or deeper – worth a hit it and quit it like a hooker.
Portland’s Cs – Joel Freeland suffered a shoulder strain, and is out for more than 2 weeks most likely. Youch. No Cs left! The Blazers seem very hesitant to give Chris Kaman a ton of minutes, so I’m guessing Thomas Robinson will finally get some run, unless Stotts goes with Meyers Leonard. It might be tough to gauge tonight against the Lakers, who are without Kobe (more below), but in deepers if I had to pick, it’s time for T-Rob!
Cory Joseph – The Cojo mojo is loco! 19/4/4/0/2 Saturday night, hitting 8-10 shots with no TO. Against a good defender in John Wall! Another game, another Tony Parker DNP… Let’s hope Cojo gets the keys next year! “Daddy Pop, I’m old enough to drive!”
Thabo Sefolosha – Obliterating the Hawks bench minutes with some fantastic 6th man play. 13/12/3/2/0 on 3-4 FG (1-1 3PTM 6-6 FT) Saturday, and while I can’t trust it for 12ers unless you’re streaming, sure he could be useful in 14 and deeper.
Brandon Jennings – Whoaaaaaa, Pistons! 5 straight wins, all by 10, and the past 4 by at least 16. Hottest team in the NBA! The Rockets are 2-3 their past 5. I wonder if there’s a correlation?!?!?! Anyway, BJ for 35/2/7 “going ham” and Pete Kap let me know for 14-21 shooting (5-8 3PTM 2-2 FT). Better shooting, FT, and low TO from DET. I wonder if there’s a correlation?!?!?!
Jordan Hill – Ughhhhhh. Didn’t finish it up last night, and went only 4/5/1/1/2 as Carlos Boozer haunts our hopes and dreams with his “Aaaaawwwwwww” screams every time he shoots the ball looking for a foul.
Wes Johnson – Hurt his hippy. Not to imply he hurt his hippie. You can’t hurt a smelly stoner like that! Maybe Nick Young gets a little boost for tonight as Wes J is already ruled out, but meh.
Guess the Kobe Stat Line – Psyche! Why this game has lost steam… Is going to rest tonight. A resting mamba is a sad samba.
Streamers/Cheap Daily Fantasy Picks:
Dion Waiters (40% owned) – I know, I know… Waiters is owned in a lot of leagues. But I was able to nab him in an RCL, and he was only picked up yesterday in another. No Kyrie, no BronBron – should be a lot of labradoodles for D-Wait to initiate.
Donald Sloan (10% owned) – Here’s me assuming Watson is out tonight! As mentioned above, Sloan is off back-to-back tripdub flirts and doesn’t turn it over. He’s hotter than Ferris Bueller’s Sloan!
I hope everyone had a fantastic and safe new year’s celebration! Hopefully a little fantasy hoops reading will ease your case of the Mondays!
