Andre Drummond exploded with Christmas cheer off the bench last night with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks in just 21 minutes. Holy night! Come they played him, pa rum pum pum pum. Aaan-dre Druuum-moond, pa rum pum pum pum. Rebounds and blocks he bring, pa rum pum pum pum. To help your fantasy team, pa rum pum pum pum. Rum pum pum pum. La la la la….Anyway, are you still upset you missed out on the Larry Sanders sweepstakes? Andre Drummond could be the next big thing. Over his past six games, Drummond is averaging 11.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. Andre still isn’t getting enough minutes to be a real fantasy force, but after a game like last night its hard to believe coach Lawrence Frank won’t give his minutes a bump. If you’re one of the millions of children with “Rebounds” and “Blocks” on their Christmas list, Andre Drummond could be worth the flier for his upside alone. A pick up fit for a king, pa rum pum pum pum! Rum pum pum pum. This song is dumb!
Here’s what else happened Friday night in fantasy basketball (yuletide edition):
Luol Deng – 29 pts, 13 reb. Deng was doing his theng last night before leaving with a shoulder injury. He returned and shouldn’t miss a beat, he’ll continue to play 60+ minutes a night.
Marco Belinelli – 22 pts, 7 reb, 2 stl in 45 minutes. The Bulls handed the Knicks just their second home loss of the season and the Champagne Cocktail was a big reason why. He’s available in over 30% of yahoo leagues and is averaging 16 pts, 3.3 rebs, 1.5 ast, 1.5 stl and 1.3 3pm. He also made 11-12 free throws! Fantasy Pro Tip* that will help your free throw percentage!
Kirk Hinrich – 16 pts, 9 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl, 4 3pm in 38 minutes. Third game back from knee injury and what a game! I don’t think I’ve seen Hinrich play so well since Kansas.
Larry Sanders – 17 pts, 20 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk. 18 defensive rebounds versus the floundering Celtics who apparently were so sick of rebounds they just gave them all to Sanders. Have you ever been so on about someone/something from the start that you feel like a jerk just mentioning him/it? It’s kinda like that. #humblebrag
Jeff Green – 14 pts, 3 reb, 4 stl, 2 ast, 2 blk in 28 minutes. Pretty little line. If you could count on any consistency from Green I’d recommend him–but you can’t, so I won’t.
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute – 20 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast. Blast you, your highness! If you keep performing well I’ll continue to have to type your name! Prince Mbah a Moute has his games, and played 40 minutes last night. But I need to see more before I recommended him outside of deeper leagues.
Shawn Marion – 37 minutes, 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 ast, 3 blk. I am a sucker for, Marion. I know he’s old, and shoots funny, and plays for a terrible team, but Santa be damned if he doesn’t know how to contribute to a fantasy team! Worth the own as long as the Matrix is playing 35+ minutes a night. Also, he knows kung fu.
Anthony Davis – 18 pts, 11 reb, 1 blk. Consider your buy low window closed.
Austin Rivers – 7 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast. Continues to start despite being just awful. It’s a Christmas miracle!
Gerald Green – 14 pts, 2 3pm. Green has gotten more than enough playing time but hasn’t really produced statistically. He left the game last night with a sprained ankle. Lance Stephenson looks see a minutes bump and was on last night with 16 pts, 7 ast, 2 reb, 2 stl (7-8 FG). He’s worth keeping an eye on.
Tyler Zeller – 12 pts, 7 rebs in 35 minutes. His second start of the season after scoring 20 pts on Wednesday. As long as Anderson Varejao is out, Old Zeller is worth a look while he’s starting for Cleveland.
Tristan Thompson – 12 pts, 13 reb, 2 blk. Now two straight dub-dubs with Varejao out. Varejao hoards rebounds, so much like Zeller, take advantage of Thompson while Anderson’s on the shelf.
J.R. Smith – 26 pts, 10 reb, 2 ast. And that, my friends, is Dallas.
Nikola Vucevic – 16 pts, 12 reb, 2 blk, (8-12 FG). Nikola is still unowned in about a third of Yahoo leagues, but with Glen Davis sidelined he should be owned everywhere. Gustavo Ayon is also benefiting in Big Baby’s absence and had a double double of his own off the bench (12 pts, 13 rebs).
Jrue Holiday – 11 pts, 7 ast, 4 reb. Returned from injury last night. I don’t know about Jrue, but the Sixers were really hurting without him.
Jason Richardson – 17 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk. No one was happier than J-Rich to see Holiday back in the line up. Dishing dimes, taking names, etc., etc.
Amir Johnson – 10 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk in 35 minutes off the bench. Ed Davis got the start and put up an eerily identical line of 10 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk. I am pretty sure they are the same person, but regardless there are stats to be had here. I prefer Johnson slightly over Davis but if you close your eyes and pick one up, in a week you probably won’t know the difference.
Gerald Henderson – 23 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast, 1 blk. It’s kind of shocking that Henderson is owned in less than 40% of yahoo leagues. Admit it, it’s because he’s on the Bobcats isn’t it? Fair enough.
Stephan Curry – 27 pts, 8 ast, 3 reb, 2 blk, 8 3pm. EIGHT THREES! It’s another Christmas miracle!
Bismack Biyombo – 12 pts, 14 reb, 2 blk. If you need blocks/rebounds you could do worse than the Bismack-daddy.
Kawhi Leonard – 8 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk and 1 3pm in 20 minutes off the bench. His first game back from injury K-Leo wasted no time filling up the stat sheet in limited minutes. Yes, you should pick him up.
Matt Barnes – 13 pts, 5 reb, 3 blk. Barnes has been especially hot (a Barnes burner!) during the Clippers streak, and is averaging 13.8 pts, 4.3 rebs, 1.8 ast, and 1.5 blk over the past seven days. Matt can do it all, none of it particularly well, but he’s worth owning while he’s hot.
Chris Paul – 24 pts, 5 reb, 13 ast, 5 stl. Oh, I see what you did there…you are good at basketball.
Jason Thompson – 10 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk. Ugh. Oh Kings. You know a team is bad when it makes you physically ill just talking about them. Only Jimmer (16 pts) and Isaiah Thomas (12 pts) scored more than Thompson. Yes, Jimmer Fredette. Do you know any other Jimmers? DeMarcus Cousins (9 pts, 5 rebs) got benched halfway through this game for being a punk, but what else is new. Meanwhile, Aaron Brooks (6 pts, 2 ast) is probably playing the worst basketball of anyone in the league right now, got completely owned by CP3, and is holding the youth movement back in Sacramento. Talk about needing a Christmas miracle. The Kings. Are. Terrible.
Happy holidays! Join us next Saturday for another Friday recap, as fantasy basketball continues next week, all week long!
