I don’t care who you are, if you are able to get a triple double then you deserve some praise. Well, unless it’s one of those triple doubles with 10 turnovers. Jordan Crawford has been inserted into the starting lineup and has been a plus player in just about every category (not FG%). Last night he went for 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and a scorching 5 of 10 from behind the arc. Last week I wrote that you should pick him up if you can handle the FG% hit. If he’s still on your wire, stop reading and go pick him up. Even if you can’t take the hit, just pick him up and trade him to someone else. He will be a valuable player this year. Here’s what else happened around the NBA last night:
Devin Harris – Got the start, yay! Played only 14 minutes, boo! 8 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, yuck!
Kyle Korver – In his fourth game back from injury, he finally got big minutes and put up a nice statline. 16/7/2/0/1 with three 3PM. Pick him up if you need the 3’s.
Kevin Seraphin – It seems that whenever I recommend Seraphin, he immediately starts tanking. Then when I’ve conceded defeat, he immediately starts blowing up. So with logging less than 23 minutes in 4 of his last 5 games, I’m conceding defeat again. So you should probably make sure he’s on your team now… UNLESS the universe takes that as a recommendation, so then you should just leave him on the wire… UNLESS the universe takes THAT as a recommendation, so then you should just … I’ve gone cross-eyed.
Ed Davis – Since gaining a role in the starting lineup, Davis has been a bit of a mixed bag. Last night is one of the bad nights only netting 4 points, 4 boards, and 3 assists on 2 of 7 shooting. Playing 25 minutes a night should still help fantasy owners more often than not. This is especially true if you’re one of those guys who peers into grab bags when the supervisor isn’t looking to make sure you’re getting a good bag. Shame on you.
Alan Anderson – 18/6/2/1 with FIVE 3PM in 32 minutes. I know it’s the Raptors but this guy can’t be consistently getting that many minutes with so much young talent on the roster (he’s 30 years old). I wouldn’t touch him.
Jose Calderon – A must own while Kyle Lowry is out, because they don’t trust John Lucas to run the point. 23 points, 5 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals on 10 of 15 shooting including three 3PM. Lowry could be back in as little as 3 days but knowing Lowry’s injury history, it’ll probably be longer. Sigh.
Dion Waiters – Need some SG help? Then don’t waiters around to pick him up. I think it sounded better in my head. Anywhoo, he returned from injury last night and played 28 minutes (starting) yielding an 8/0/4/0/1 stat line. Impressive? No, but expect the numbers to go up as he works his way back.
C.J. Miles – Back to the bench with ye! Crazy how that old English talk just jumps outta me sometimes. I said in the buy/sell on Friday that Miles’ fantasy value would be dependent on Waiters’ health. I got one right! He IS really good at waving towels and holding teammates back on the bench. Got another one right! Oh yea, he had 13 points, 4 boards, 1 assist, and two 3PM.
Gordon Hayward – He should change his last name to suckward. 7 points, 4 boards, and 5 assists (2 blocks!) in 21 minutes. Put him out of his misery and throw him to the wire.
Derrick Favors – Do yourself a favo… you’re right, I’ll stop with those. 13/2/2/0/3 playing 25 minutes off the bench, he will play enough to warrant a pickup if you need big man stats.
Kris Humphries – Kris Humphries 2.0 (Reggie Evans) was sent back to the bench and the original prototype got the start and played 28 minutes! That was the good news. The bad news is that he really only contributed in rebounds (8 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist). Make like a Kardashian and stay away.
Andray Blatche – Relegated to the bench with Brook Lopez, he only played 16 minutes. It was a fun ride baby, but now we gotta be moving on.
Ricky Rubio – Did not play last night because the Wolves are taking it slow with Rubio. Trying help a player come back from injury is like trying to get the girl that is out of your league. You need to slow play it or you’ll ruin any chance.
Alexey Shved – Rubio didn’t play and he failed to capitalize on it. Only 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting in 31 minutes. He did have 7 assists though. I remain anti-Shved but pro-russian.
Ray Allen – It seems like the Heat have gone all Spursy on us. Allen has averaged only 21.6 minutes in the past 5 games. Granted, the 3 games he got the lowest minutes have been games where the Heat have had comfortable leads (still not good news for fantasy owners). Ray Allen can still be valuable in fantasy but he’s got to get more playing time than that. Otherwise you get lines like last night…8/2/2/2 with one 3PM.
Jeff Green – So I put him as a “Buy” last week because you could easily add him off the wire. He’s been OK since then but last night was bad. 3 points, 1 board, 2 steals and one 3PM.
Brandon Bass – 7 points, 8 boards on 3 of 9 shooting. Maybe it’s just the Celtics in general.
Kirk Hinrich – 0 points, 2 boards, 2 assists, and a block in 24 minutes. This is the Bulls starting point guard. Holy god Derrick Rose, hurry back.
Nate Robinson – This is the backup point guard. 18 points, 3 boards, 4 assists with five 3PM. YOU REALLY CAN’T START AHEAD OF HINRICH?!
Roy Hibbert – I think I speak for all of your fantasy owners when I say, f*ck you. Seriously, f*ck you man. Stop being a little b*tch around the basket. 39% FG this year? Are you f*cking kidding me? 8 p*ints, 10 b*ards, 2 a*sists on 4 of 10 shooting. I got carried away on the *’s.
Mike Dunleavy – He’s back and producing immediately. 17 points, 6 boards, 1 assist, 2 blocks and three 3PM. Make sure he isn’t sitting around on your wire.
Ersan Ilyasova – Just when you thought he turned it around, he pukes all over your fantasy team. 2/4/3/1 on 1 of 7 shooting in 14 minutes.
Chris Kaman – Only 73% owned, he is producing when healthy. 20 points, 7 boards, and a block.
Spencer Hawes – After averaging only 19.3 minutes in November, he has been averaging 25.7 minutes so far this month. If the uptick in minutes is for real, then he can help fantasy owners out with lines like 18/7/0/0/1.
Andre Iguodala – Has been coming around after being a buy on Friday…14/9/6/2/1 with two 3PM. It only took two months to gel… I think the Lakers would take that.
Tiago Splitter – This Spurs team is a bane to fantasy owners outside of Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. Guys get hot and cold and play low minutes because of the deep rotation. Splitter had a nice game last night going for 10/4/3/3/1.
Jodie Meeks – I refuse to write about any other bench player on the Lakers. Meeks had another solid game last night scoring 17 points, 3 boards, 2 assists, and five 3PM in 39 minutes. Ride him while he’s hot.
Pau Gasol – Returned from injury last night! Too bad nothing really changed… 10/9/5/0/4 with 3 of 10 shooting in 29 minutes. I’m starting to buy into the trade talk chatter.
Gerald Henderson – It took a little bit coming back from injury but he’s now starting and producing. 19 points, 9 boards, 4 assists on 6 of 16 shooting but with three 3PM (4-4 FT).
Byron Mullens – Everyone’s favorite center had been worrying owners as of late, but he bounced back with a strong performance against the supposedly strong Lakers inside presence. 13 points, 17 boards, 5 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks to go with three 3PM.
Greivis Vasquez – I went to Maryland and I didn’t even expect this. 20 points, 5 boards, 11 assists, 3 steals and four 3PM. Soooo they want Austin Rivers to start over him when Gordon comes back? Huh? Total Duke bias!
Robin Lopez – 6 points, 1 board, and 1 steal in 15 minutes. Man I hope you were able to sell him.
Harrison Barnes – Averaging only 21.4 minutes over his last 5 games, it is getting harder and harder to justify owning him. I wouldn’t wait.
Jarrett Jack – Somehow owned in less leagues than Barnes, Jack has been an unsexy guy that can be a valuable source of assists as a backup pg. Proving it again last night, Jack played 34 minutes and contributed 16 points, 3 boards, 10 assists, and one 3PM.
