Y’all know that I’m mainly a hip-hop guy but I do have a diverse musical palette. I enjoy classical, jazz, and metal. I actually played the bass guitar in elementary school with “our band.” Y’all also know that I’m a Lakers homer and have been on Talen Horton-Tucker since Day One. Watching him in the first three games of this season has gotten me so amped.
He could always drive to the rack but now he’s developed the side-step J and really improved his outside shot. With his wingspan, the defensive ability has always been there. This AC/DC song just kept playing in my head watching THT play last night in Milwaukee:
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3/6 | 9/18 | 4/4 |
In three games so far, he’s the number four player in fantasy!!! Alright, small sample size and he’s been getting a ton of run with LeBron James out of the lineup. There is uncertainty as to what exactly his role will be and how much run he will get when LeBron returns, but he’s going to be an important part of the rotation. If he’s still out there, scoop him up for sure.
Here’s what else I saw last night:
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 47 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3/4 | 18/23 | 8/11 |
Yawn.
Such a scrub. Didn’t put up 50 points or grab 10 rebounds. He should be relegated to the Greek League to develop his game.
If he’s going to shoot like that from the line and downtown, it’s not whether or not it’s game over for the rest of the league. The question would be which fatality will he employ?
Khris Middleton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2/6 | 4/12 | 6/7 |
Returned to action and played 30 minutes.
Warm it up, Khris! That’s what he’s doing! Patience grasshoppers.
Kevin Porter Jr. did not play on Wednesday due to a thigh injury so….
Jalen Green
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3/9 | 6/14 | 6/6 |
Had a usage rate of 21% and played 36 minutes. The color of money is green so that gives us fuzzy feelings inside. The color of puke can also be green which is usually the result of something fuzzy inside our stomachs. Green is outside the top 200 because the defensive stats are minimal and he’s shooting 36% from the field. He’s uber-athletic and…duh nuh nuh….makes Sportscenter highlights but he’s got a long way to go to becoming a true professional.
Lu Dort
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 34 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4/11 | 17/22 | 2/4 |
Over his last five games, Dort has scored 27, 22, 20, 20, and 34 points. Michael Dortjan. The usage rate has been around 26% over that span. Now, he’s not going to shoot over 50% from the field all season long. Over the last two seasons, he posted sub-40% marks. He’s currently at 45% but will likely settle in somewhere in the low-40s. The encouraging thing is that he’s getting the attempts and isn’t shy about pulling the trigger. Gotta respect a man…or woman…who always shoots their shot.
Josh Giddey
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0/2 | 7/14 | 0 |
The percentages do not make us fantasy nerds Giddey at all – 38% from the field and 61% from the line. That said, he’s playing 29 minutes per game and averaging 6.9 boards, 5.9 dimes, and 1.1 steals.
De’Aaron Fox
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 28 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2/5 | 10/20 | 6/8 |
We have the Nikola Pantheon. What about for Fox? That hall must be filled with names. There’s Jamie, Megan, Michael J, and Vivica A. Yeah, that’s a tough list to crack, especially since De’Aron is a top 150 player, shooting 41% from the field and 71% from the line. It would be crazy to put this Fox anywhere near the Fox Pantheon.
Anthony Edwards
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4/10 | 11/24 | 0 |
Edwards, I refuse to call him Ant Man, has a 29% usage rate on the season.
Edwards is averaging 36.6 minutes, 23.1 points, three tres, 6.5 boards, 3.3 dimes, 1.3 steals, and 0.6 blocks. Unfortunately, he’s only shooting 41% from the field and 74% from the line.
Franz Wagner
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/2 | 6/11 | 3/3 |
Wagner is a top 100 player for fantasy. Not impressive you say? Since 2000, out of 624 eligible players, there have only been 48 rookies to finish in the top 100. Wagner can score from all three levels but what has most impressed me has been the defense. He’s starting and getting the minutes. He’s only going to get better.
Cole Anthony
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 15 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1/9 | 5/21 | 4/4 |
I’m a lump of coal for completely missing on Cole. He’s a top 40 player averaging 19.9 points, 2.9 tres, 6.9 boards, 5.7 dimes, and 1.2 steals. The free-throw shooting has been excellent at 86% but the field goal percentage has been only 42%. I’m not sure this level can be maintained all season so trading up could be the prudent move. One man’s Cole is another man’s treasure.
The Knicks have lost six of their last nine games. They’ve scored 100 points or less in seven of those contests. Last night, Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier played 21 minutes and scored five points each. Walker is the 126th player for fantasy while Fournier is 156th. Kings of New York they are not.
Obi Toppin
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2/3 | 6/9 | 0 |
In 18 minutes off the bench. I don’t think Toppin will be doing much Hoppin unless he’s Moppin when the starters are Not In so don’t put too much Stock In these outbursts. Unless he gets incriminating photos of Thibs and sees his playing time increase.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4/8 | 8/18 | 4/6 |
Led the Pelicans in shot attempts and points. Over the last six games, NAW has scored at least 15 points in five of those games with three above 20 and a high of 33. He ain’t this good. NAW mean? He will score some points and get steals. He also is averaging a healthy 15.1 shot attempts per game but only converting 38% of them. NAW mean?
Josh Hart
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2/4 | 5/8 | 6/8 |
We need to have a heart to Hart conversation. He’s always been known to be an excellent rebounder and the usage rate has always been in the 15% range but the efficiency has been great this season. He’s converting 50% of his field-goal attempts after shooting 44%, 42%, and 40% in the last three seasons. Will he maintain that level? Probably not so don’t have a Hart attack when regression hits.
Jimmy Butler
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 31 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1/2 | 10/18 | 10/12 |
Butlers are usually serious, cleaning the house and making sure everything is in good order. On Wednesday, with no Kyle Lowry and no Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler felt like messing around for his 13th career trip-dub and led the Heat to a 113-98 victory over the Pelicans. Man, New Orleans is a terrible team. They are 25th in offensive efficiency and dead-last in defensive efficiency. That’s a terrible combo. Kind of like my weight and the sweets in the pantry.
With Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley out of action, Ed Davis and Kevin Love made appearances.
Ed Davis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 6 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3/6 | 0 |
Kevin Love
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1/5 | 4/10 | 2/2 |
Davis got the start and played 24 minutes while Love was on a minutes limit and played 21 minutes off the bench. Love always hurts. Don’t get your heart broken.
Ricky Rubio
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 25 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3/10 | 8/17 | 6/6 |
Got the start and played 33 minutes. With Collin Sexton tearing his meniscus and no timetable announced as of yet, Rubio is going to continue starting. Whether he continues feasting is another matter but he’s been a top 40 player in the four games he’s started this season, averaging 33.4 minutes, 22.8 points, 3.3 tres, 4.5 boards, and 6.3 dimes. He’s never averaged more than 13 points or 1.2 tres in his career so…..yeah. That said, he’ll provide excellent free-throw shooting with dimes and steals. And you can hang his poster on the wall without your significant other telling you to take it down.
Darius Garland
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3/13 | 10/26 | 1/1 |
In 40 minutes! A popular preseason pick, Garland is posting top 75 numbers on the season. Over the last two weeks, though, he’s been a top 50 player. He scores, provides tres, dishes out dimes, and gets those steals. The free-throw shooting has been excellent while he’s shooting a respectable 46% from the field. The usage rate has ticked up two percent over the last week as well. He will likely settle in the topo 70-ish range but a top 50 season isn’t out of the question.
Patty Mills
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6/12 | 7/14 | 1/1 |
The Australian Steph Curry….Sorry. Steph Curry is the American Patty Mills. Ha! I love what I do. Anyways, Mills got the start for Joe Harris and did what Curry does, which is drain tres. He won’t provide much else but, playing alongside Durant and Harden will provide plenty of good looks.
James Harden
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 27 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3/6 | 6/12 | 12/12 |
I miss those days when James would get us Harden excited. Now we just golf clap. He’s the number 12 player for fantasy. Good, not great. The usage rate is 27.7%. Remember back in the Houston days when that number was 40.5%? Ha. That was insane. Anyways, what was once the Harden of Eden has now transformed to Harden me? You want to go where?
LaMarcus Aldridge
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 24 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/2 | 11/19 | 2/2 |
Played 30 minutes. Two games ago, he played 10 minutes. LMAO! At least when LMA is on the court, he does provide the O. 12.8 points in 20.4 minutes this season. The usage rate is 23.6% and he’s converting 58% of his 9.2 field-goal attempts. He’s a top 100 player on the season. That’s no laughing matter.
No Luka Doncic, plenty of worry for the Mavericks as they were defeated 105-98 to the Suns.
Jalen Brunson
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2/4 | 8/18 | 0 |
Brunson got the start and played 37 minutes. In two starts this season, Brunson has been a top 25 player. He’s averaged 33.5 minutes, 28 points, 1.5 tres, 8.5 rebounds, three dimes, and one steal. The usage rate has been 26%. Now, that’s obviously not going to be maintained but Brunson will provide points, boards, and dimes with good percentages. He’s shooting 50% from the field on 11.5 attempts.
Kristaps Porzingis
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 21 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2/7 | 7/20 | 5/5 |
Until I see evidence to the contrary, I will go to my grave believing that Porzingis is just Ivan Drago transitioning to hoops. After getting pummelled by Rocky in the boxing ring, he is now just a soft hoops player who wants to look pretty for the ladies. The usage rate was 32.5% last night and with Donic off the court this season, that number has been 30.8%.
Tim Hardaway Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3/8 | 9/23 | 1/1 |
With Doncic off the court, Hardaway sees the biggest usage bump at 7.1%. That takes him up to 26%. He hucks. He chucks. He often tears the house down with his bricks but he’s going to get volume. Just be wary that he’s shooting 41% from the field so with great volume comes great responsibility to your percentages.
Deandre Ayton
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9/13 | 1/3 |
Since returning to action, Ayton has been phenomenal. He went for 22 points and 12 rebounds on Monday. In seven games this season, he’s a top 55 player. Last season, he started off slowly as he adjusted to the presence of Chris Paul but he still ended up as a top 40-ish player. Ayton will provide points, boards, steals, and blocks. He normally shoots decently from the line and has an excellent field-goal percentage. Hopefully he stays healthy because I like him Ayton.
DeMar DeRozan
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1/5 | 7/19 | 7/8 |
DD is a top 15 player on the season. He was being drafted in the sixth and seventh rounds of drafts. The usage rate is 30%, is averaging 0.9 tres, and is shooting 51% from the field. This is the ceiling and I’m not sure he maintains this. That said, the ceiling is possible but, more importantly, the floor is high and the preseason concerns won’t be manifesting. Did I just jinx that? F me if I did. Since 2015, the lowest he’s finished is the 51st player.
Alex Caruso
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 12 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1/4 | 3/9 | 5/6 |
The Carushow continues to start and played 38 minutes last night. He almost messed around!
Zach LaVine
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 30 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7/12 | 11/20 | 1/2 |
Top 30 player on the season. The usage rate is 30% and he’s shooting 49% from the field with 2.9 tres. How will teams beat the duo of DeRozan and LaVine with Carushow being the capstone at the tip of the triangle?
Robert Covington
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2/5 | 4/7 | 0 |
Lord Covington needs to have his Lordship removed. He’s just Rob now as the minutes have gone down to the low 20-minute range. He’s always been a low-usage player who won’t provide many points but he’s still close to being a 1/1/1 player. The decrease in minutes is concerning though.
Damian Lillard
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 22 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3/9 | 6/18 | 7/7 |
It’s good that he played 40 minutes since he was questionable entering the game. That said, the ab injury he suffered during the Olympics seems to still be affecting him. He’s shooting 38% from the field and 28% from downtown. His career numbers are 43% and 37% respectively. Hopefully, he doesn’t tweak it and continues to heal as the season progresses. If so, those who bought low will be….
CJ McCollum
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/5 | 4/14 | 0 |
Larry Nance Jr.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2/3 | 6/9 | 2/2 |
In 25 minutes off the bench. The minutes have ticked up over the last five games and Nance has scored double figures in three of those contests. It always boggles my mind that the block rate is so low because of his crazy athleticism but he gets his steal on and grabs boards.
Grant Williams
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/8 | 6/12 | 3/3 |
He’s started two of the last three games and scored double figures in all three. He doesn’t do much outside of shoot threes so….
Jayson Tatum
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 34 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5/12 | 12/22 | 5/6 |
Channing has been happy because of the increased Google searches for Tatum but Jayson has really got to get his act together. He’s shooting 39% from the field. He’s never finished below 45% in his career so some positive regression should come. Maybe it has something to do with the increased load with Jaylen Brown out. The steals are down while the blocks are up. The free-throw shooting is down as well. He’s a top 60 player right now and should end somewhere around the top 20-30 range when it’s all said and done.
John Collins
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/1 | 9/13 | 1/2 |
John Collins on the rocks sounds like a snazzy drink, and I don’t drink anymore. Well, I drink water and stuff. I’d die if I didn’t but I don’t drink the liqs anymore. Anyways, a John Collins on the rocks is much better than an ice-cold John Collins. Thankfully, that’s a rare occurrence as he’s shooting 57% from the field. Remember when he was a top 10 player two years ago? Seems like a different dimension at this point. He averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 boards, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks that year. That’s the ceiling. I wonder if he gets back there or if that was an aberration. Was that just a figment of our imaginations?
Clint Capela
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0/1 | 4/7 | 1/2 |
Capela has been a top 35 player for the past four seasons. He’s currently a top 85 player. He’s averaging only 29.5 minutes which has affected all the counting stats. The free-throw shooting will always be the big bugaboo but the 1.2 blocks and 11.6 boards are a far cry from the 14.3 boards and 2 blocks from last season.
Kevin Huerter
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5/7 | 7/9 | 0 |
Has started four of the last five games and will likely continue to start for as long as De’Andre Hunter is out. Huerter usually doesn’t garner a high usage rate and is primarily a points and tres player. He will grab some boards and dish out some dimes from time to time but that’s about it.
Cam Reddish
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1/6 | 8/14 | 2/2 |
Played 27 minutes off the bench. The minutes have ticked up over the last two games with Hunter out. He’s going to be the primary microwave off the bench for the Hawks. Reddish is definitely not shy to jack em up but that is inherently his biggest issue. 40% field goal percentage. It’s quantity over quality. A numbers game but that’s good for shorties but no bueno for hoops.
Chris Duarte did not play due to a shoulder injury. Kelan Martin got the start and played 27 minutes. The anser to your question is no.
The Pacers scored 89 points against the Pistons. No blurbs for you!
Cade Cunningham
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/8 | 6/18 | 3/4 |
Cunningham can and will stuff the stat sheet. The biggest bugaboo is the efficiency right now as he’s converting 34% of his field-goal attempts.
Isaiah Stewart
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2/5 | 3/3 |
Stewart has been a disappointment in the early going. He was being selected as the 61st overall player in drafts. He’s outside the top 100 right now. He’s scored double figures in only four games and grabbed double-digit boards in only three games. At least he’s pulled down 11 and 15 in the two most recent contests. The blocks have been there at 1.4 per game and the percentages have been good. I’m not sure he will pay off the draft day cost but he should be a top 100 player by season’s end.
Cory Joseph
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 18 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 7/11 | 3/4 |
In 31 minutes off the bench. Shit happens.
Daniel Gafford
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 20 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9/12 | 2/5 |
First 20-point game of the season and the first one since his rookie season. Over the last six games, he’s averaged 24 minutes and blocked 1.5 shots while shooting 65% from the field. As with most big men, the free-throw shooting stinks.
Spencer Dinwiddie
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0/4 | 0/5 | 0 |
Beal returned and Dinwiddie became shitty. I kid, but only a little. Dinwiddie has had some good games playing alongside Beal but his biggest games have come with him off the court. It doesn’t take a Wizard to figure that one out. With Beal off the court, Dinwiddie sees a 6% usage rate bump and has produced 7.6% more DraftKings points.
Deni Avdija
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 9 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/7 | 2/9 | 4/4 |
In 25 minutes off the bench. He’s played 26 and 28 minutes over the last two games and, over the last three games, Avdija has been a top 50 player. He’s a low-usage player so the points will rarely be voluminous but he grabs boards and contributes the D. Good for the ladies and for his namesake.
Gordon Hayward
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/3 | 4/14 | 0 |
Third time scoring single-digits this season. Hayward has been a top 50 player in the last two seasons but he’s top 90 so far this season and I’m not sure he gets to that top 50 level again.
Miles Bridges
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 17 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1/4 | 8/15 | 0/1 |
I’ve walked thousands of Myles for Turner and I shall walk thousands for Miles. Man, I didn’t think he’d be like this but he’s a top 25 player on the season. The percentages aren’t great but they are decent. He’s averaging over 36 minutes, 21.3 points, 2.4 tres, 7.5 boards, 3.6 dimes, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks. Dayam. Not thousands of Miles. Millions of Miles I shall walk.
LaMelo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | 3PT | FG | FT |
| 11 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2/7 | 4/18 | 1/1 |
11th-ranked player despite shooting 41% from the field.
