Now I’m not sure about this, but when Taj Gibson had a couple good games over the Thanksgiving week, I probably recapped and gobble-gobbled at it. My jowls flapped around like Boss Nass bein’ all “Hmmpphhherr Rumpity-Doooo, Taj Gibson, rabble rabble rabble!” At least that sounds like me… Now you see what I deal with in my inner monologue! It’s like I battle a drunk Kenny Rogers. Which is to say, I battle Kenny Rogers. Gibson has been a scrate-up beast the past four, going 23/8, 18/4, 26/14 5 blks, and 19/6/0/1/1 last night. Bringing big time energy to that front line as the main big off the bench, he’s playing insane out there, shooting 67% from the floor in those past 4. I watched the game last night and was impressed with his spark, but then again, the Heat bigs are awful. They got out-rebounded 49-27 last night! Back in the day, I used to love Taj when Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah battled injuries. But now… it took some time and four in a row to buy it. I think it’s because the Bulls are my least favorite team. Sorry Bulls fans! Boozer & Noah just yell on virtually every rebound and definitely every single putback attempt. It’s unreal! It’s like Maria Sharapova is rebounding. And Gibson does it at least 50% of the time. He’s becoming the Bulls Sex Panther. “50% of the time he’s yelling… every time!” But regardless of how annoying he/the Bulls bigs are to watch/listen to, he’s playing like a must-own in all formats. At 33% owned in Yahoo and 24% in ESPN, he’s hot while a lot guys are not. I don’t think he’s going to turn into a set-it and forget-it guy the rest of the year, he doesn’t do enough of anything else besides score and board (if not for that 5 block game, he’d be under 1 in Asts, Stls & Blks on the year), but I think he’s a ride the wave kinda add right now. Here’s what else I saw on the light Thursday slate of games and a few updates for tonight:
Marquis Teague – Looked serviceable. A few days ago, he got on a plane to D-League, then Mike James had a knee sprain, and Teague had to turn around and go back. How’s that for a confidence booster! His offense isn’t any good (0/3 last night), but had 3 dimes and no TOs in 20 minutes. The fantasy impact is of course null right now, but if he can play decent the next few games, may win the backup PG role back. And Kirk Hinrich is more fragile than a Gingerbread House in a napalm strike.
Carlos Boozer – Abused the Heat down low yet again. If you remember back to opening night, he went off for 31/7 and last night 27/9. The Heat interior defense is just so so bad…
Joakim Noah – Noah would tell you the same thing! 17/15/3 shooting 6-9. And yelled every time…
Luol Deng – Another curse of the JB wrap-up! Before Thanksgiving I talked about not being a fan, and next thing you know he goes on the longest 20+ point game streak of his career for 6 in a row. Hit some big threes to get that last cherry on the whip cream for 20/5/5. I’ll silently slide him into the “I was wrong so far” corner along with Paul George and Andre Drummond…
Tony Snell – It’s quiet, but for the deepest of leagues, consistent. 8/3/2 with two threes. I think he has some upside in his NBA career. Not necessarily this year though.
Michael Beasley – You know, I thought he actually looked pretty good. Brought the Heat back from down 20ish to 14ish in the 4th, for a near rainbow 15/7/2/1/2 in 23 minutes. The Suns are like, “heh?!” Playing time will never be consistent, but at the eye level, I was impressed and think the championship-culture has improved him.
Dwayne Wade – Got sick and stayed in his hotel room. If it was anything like Flight, they shoulda sent John Goodman up there!
Chris Bosh – The disappearing Brontosauras. Sounds like a low-rent Jurassic Park 6 movie title… Only 10/2/1/0/2 in 27 minutes and I literally can’t recall a single good thing he did.
The Battle of Divas! – The Italian Il Diva vs. Kevin Garnett resulted in a double tech then Andrea Bargnani jawing after a 3 got him his second T and ejected. Everyone was like, “how does Joey Crawford know Italian?!” I think Kerr then said he thought Crawford was well traveled. The only thing well traveled is Crawford’s hair. Bargs was solid again for 16/2/3/1/3 with a three (something I got right!) and KG was 6/6/0/0/0 (another!). But as long as Drummond keeps playing like a wooly mammoth no one will know… Debbie Downer…
Iman Shumpert – Got hot. 5-8 (5-7 3PTM) for 17/6/0/2/0. ThrAGNOF!
Raymond Felton – Looked pretty good for a guy that has a 70-year-old man’s issues. 13/1/4 with three threes in only 29 minutes. The Knicks got this into junk time early, so I think would’ve been better in the mid-30s in minutes if the Nets had any sort of semblance of a good team.
Carmelo Anthony – I’m being willfully ignorant of headlines to come out post-game, but a lot was made the past few days that Melo can’t make people around him better and he’s a huge ball hog. And that apparently Melo is attune to what the critics say. 19/10/6 with a block, shot 8-12, hit 1-1 from downtown and 2-2 from the stripe in a what he called “must-win”. This had me tilt my head a little. A new Melo maybe? Or was it just because everyone got hot? Just found that line very interesting based on the “sports radio” discussions I heard throughout the day.
Amar’e Stoudemire – Got 20 minutes and didn’t look awful, going 11/4 with a block on 5-6 shooting. Might be worth a look in really deep leagues, but he’s probably owned there.
Tim Hardaway Jr. – He got hot in just over 19 minutes for 5-11 12 Pts and 2 treys. Slim is like, “Mmmm that a better!” Only recorded one assist as any other stat and a lot was in junk time. But to Slim, it’s all gravvvvvy.
J.R. Smith – Reported before the game he might lose a few minutes because of his balky knee and was a very paltry 8/3/1 with two threes. I’ve never been the biggest Smith fan and the Knicks won in a blowout with him not doing much. Address accordingly.
Brook Lopez – The only good Net right now. Besides Lopez, I think Sandra Bullock’s The Net might be better… I really don’t think there’s a single other interesting thing with this team. Oh actually I do have one…
Andray Blatche – … was miserable. I called him a solid pickup, and at least he gave you 2/2/3 but had 3 TOs and 4 fouls in 13:04. Could Jason Kidd really be fired this year?
Zach Randolph – Returned for a 12/12 game, but shot a poor 4-13 and racked up 7 TOs. Z-Bo?! What you doin’ out there big fellah?!
Tony Allen – Didn’t play with a hip contusion. Rumor has it it’s been bothering him since kicking Chris Paul in the face last time these teams faced off, and he didn’t want to aggravate it on another judo kick last night.
The Lone Ranger – Was the benefactor of some open G run with 31 minutes for 15/1/5/3/0 and a three. Really out-did the starter…
Jerryd Bayless – … who was awful in 27 minutes for 4/0/1/0/0 shooting 2-6 without a three. Sometimes off the bench is where you need to be!
Jon Leuer – Staying in the rotation. 6/7/3 but only shot 3-10 a game after going 10-12. Ed Davis sprained his ankle in the second quarter, putting more of a spotlight on Leuer who I want as C depth in REL. I mean, I am gonna gush a little anyway, I love the Badgers! In JB, B = Brock and Brock means Badger. No idea why I wasn’t recruited… Anywho, Leuer stands to get the majority of the big man minutes off the bench the next few games should Davis’ ankle sprain linger on. I like Leuer a lot for some out of position threes from a big man. Obviously just a very deep league streamer, but on the map. Unlike Montana. Who has ever been to Montana!? It’s not a real place.
Kosta Koufos – 17/9 with two steals and just so Greek. John Stamos just looks at him and gets googly-eyed.
Antawn Jamison – Eff you Doc Rivers! I drafted Jamison in REL for $1 for these kind of games, and they sit him most of the time. 11/4/1 in 17 minutes was all I wanted! And what he did last night. Plus three treys. Sigh.
DeAndre Jordan – Rainbow line! 10/14/2/2/3. Doc giveth us DJ and taketh Antawn away…
Chris Paul – Didn’t hand out a dimebag. Say wha?!??! Only 15/4/8/2/1. He’s awful. Drop!
Reggie Bullock – 21 minutes with three treys for 9 points. Hit his last 4 triples now. Meh, just good to see a tar heel get some work.
Deron Williams – Well I guess this is another Net I’ll mention actually… But it’s an injury update! Says he wants to play next Tuesday. The Nets said they only wanna play 4 years ago.
Michael Carter-Williams – Didn’t travel with the team and will miss tonight’s game. Tony Wroten alert! Great stream for any team needing an upside PG play.
Jeffery Taylor – As El Burro shared in the comments last night, is going to be your Bobcats SF starter while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is out. We’ll have to see the run he gets in the starting role, but I still think he can rival Al-Farouq Aminu‘s production from this point forward while both start. Of course, in very different stats. So we’ll see how those two face off based on your original quandary, Burro.
Otto Porter – A game-time decision tonight. I didn’t think Porter was very good the few times I saw him at Georgetown and I don’t think he’ll be very good this year. But this does put a little damper on my immense Martell Webster manlove. I’m holding Webster everywhere I have him, but lifting an eyebrow.
Kobe Bryant – Way to bury that lead, JB! Hoping to return Sunday and looking like a definite return by next week. Rejoice world! Rejoice! Dan with more later this afternoon…
I hope your teams had a great week 5 and have a great weekend Razzball Nation!
