Detroit Pistons vs. Charlotte Hornets
Pistons Notes:
- No Blake Griffin means Saddiq Bey should be unleashed the rest of the season. The rookie is good for points and treys (14 and four, respectively, last night), and never turns the ball over. He’s been a top-75 player over the past 30 days, so he (36 percent owned in Yahoo!) should be picked up if he’s still on your wire.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4-11 | 2-2 |
- Svi Mykhailuk remained in the starting lineup for Dwane Casey’s club. Nominally a three-point specialist, Svi broadened his statistical output on Thursday to include eight dimes and a couple steals to go along with his three triples. Svi (two percent owned in Yahoo!) is worth a speculative add in case he sticks as a starter.
Hornets Notes:
- Outside of one dud, P.J. Washington has been outstanding over the past month, earning a place in the top-50 over that span. He kept it rolling in his first game after the break with across-the-board production, including 20 points, nine boards, and a perfect 6-for-6 from the stripe. I feel he’s a tad undervalued and would sniff around to see if I could deal for him.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 20 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6-10 | 6-6 |
- Devonte’ Graham played just 18 minutes in his return, shooting 2-of-7 from the field and handing out six helpers. It’s LaMelo Ball’s job moving forward at the point, and Malik Monk looks to be the first guard off the bench with his recent strong play, so I have no issue cutting Graham (70 percent owned in Yahoo!) for a hot waiver add.
Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets
Celtics Notes:
- Welcome back, Marcus Smart! The veteran guard scored an uber-efficient 19 points on just six shots in 21 minutes, canning three treys and blocking a shot. He’s on a minutes restriction for the time being, so maybe target him in a trade after a couple of quiet games.
PTS REB AST STL BLK 3PTM TOV FG FT 19 2 2 0 1 3 0 4-6 8-9 - All-Star hangover for Jaylen Brown? The first-time All-Star shot a miserable 5-for-23 from the floor en route to 13 points. Six assists and four steals salvaged his fantasy night, but his unsustainably hot shooting from the beginning of the season is starting to correct itself. He’s shot under 42 percent from the field in six of his last nine contests. If someone in your league still values him in the top-25, see what you can get for him.
Nets Notes:
- Landry Shamet earned the secondary wing minutes tonight over the streaking Bruce Brown. Shamet was third on the team in minutes with 32 and points with 18, as he hit six of his nine threes (nice). It was a pleasant evening for Shamet, but you don’t need to rush out and add him (one percent owned in Yahoo!).
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6-12 | 0-0 |
- Nic Claxton played a quiet 18 minutes in this one. Till we see what his role is with Griffin in the fold, I’d leave him on the wire or drop him if you picked him up after his impressive run before the break.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors
Hawks Notes:
- This is the fifth time in the past six games that Danilo Gallinari has played at least 25 minutes. He’s scored at least 20 in three of those games, including last night. He’s a hold for now, but his value will only decrease whenever DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish return.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 20 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6-10 | 4-4 |
- While he’s starting and getting minutes with the aforementioned sophomores out, Tony Snell (one percent owned in Yahoo!) is a decent streaming option if you need treys. He hit a couple against Toronto and is shooting a ludicrous 57 percent from deep on the season.
Raptors Notes:
- Dear Nick Nurse, PLEASE PLAY CHRIS BOUCHER AT LEAST 30 MINUTES IN EVERY GAME!!! Sincerely, Everyone Who Plays Fantasy.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 30 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10-15 | 7-8 |
- Aron Baynes had a rough shooting night (4-for-15) but it was very encouraging to see him get that kind of volume. This was his third consecutive double-figure scoring outing, and he deserves a look (six percent owned in Yahoo!) if he keeps getting minutes in the high-20s.
Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat
Magic Notes:
- The Magic are a mess with all their injuries. At least Michael Carter-Williams can be somewhat relied upon because Orlando has pretty much no other options at point guard right now. MCW (24 percent owned in Yahoo!) has posted double digits in the scoring column in five of his last six and has tallied five or more assists in each of those games as well.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 17 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8-15 | 1-2 |
- Khem Birch (two percent owned in Yahoo!) may be a sneaky pickup as Orlando may showcase him for a trade. He missed all six of his shots, but pulled in 11 boards, got a steal and a block in 23 minutes of action on Thursday.
Heat Notes:
- If Kelly Olynyk (34 percent owned in Yahoo!) was dropped in your league, scoop him up. He’s been a top-80 player over the past 14 days and had another fantastic display last night.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 20 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7-14 | 2-2 |
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Chicago Bulls
Sixers Notes:
- Matisse Thybulle got the start in place of Ben Simmons and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, including three triples. Five swipes were the icing on the cake. He won’t do this with Philly’s normal rotation intact, but he (seven percent owned in Yahoo!) remains a streaming lottery ticket for defensive stats.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 13 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5-5 | 0-0 |
- Tony Bradley got the start for Joel Embiid and also converted all of his field goals (seven, in his case) for 14 points and three blocks. If you need boards and blocks in the short term, he’s worth a flier while Embiid is out (zero percent owned in Yahoo!).
Bulls Notes:
- Welcome back, Lauri Markkanen! The rangy sniper went a pristine 7-for-7 on his long-distance attempts, scoring an efficient 23 points in his return. If you’re a true believer, trade for him now. His owners must be frustrated with the lack of availability.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 8-11 | 0-0 |
- While he still had a nice line of 14 points, 8 boards, and two blocks, it’s a bit concerning to see Thad Young’s minutes dip to 17 with Markkanen back. The blowout probably cost him a few as well, but if he gets dealt at the deadline, his awesome run may come to a close.
New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Knicks Notes:
- As long as Derrick Rose is out, Immanuel Quickley will get a shot as a spark plug scorer off the bench. With 15 points, he’s now scored in double figures in five of his last six, but I’m still not sold on the rookie’s fantasy value and would leave him on the wire (26 percent owned in Yahoo!).
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3-10 | 6-9 |
- Perhaps another All-Star hangover from a first-time honoree? Julius Randle stunk out the joint with just seven points and five turnovers on 3-for-12 from the field.
Bucks Notes:
- Odd to see so many perfect shooting lines, but add Bryn Forbes to the list. He nailed all seven of his triple tries to score 21 points in just 18 minutes. Forbes (three percent owned in Yahoo!) is a marksman and a streaming option if you need the treys.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7-9 | 0-0 |
- Good to see Jrue Holiday back in the starting lineup. The lopsided score tamped down his production a bit, but it should be business as usual moving forward. The window to deal for him is likely shut.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Wolves Notes:
- The Wolves bench went OFF last night. Jaylen Nowell led the way with 28 points on 11-for-13 shooting with six triples and six dimes. He’s been a productive scorer and this was his sixth straight outing receiving 20-plus minutes so if you need points and threes he’s an option (one percent owned in Yahoo!).
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 28 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 11-13 | 0-0 |
- Jaden McDaniels is such a tantalizing prospect for his across-the-board fantasy potential. The rookie showed with a career night against New Orleans, racking up 20 points, four threes, two steals, and three blocks on 8-of-9 shooting. I don’t trust his consistency at all, but am monitoring his minutes closely. If he continues to play over 20 a night, he’ll at least produce defensive stats.
Pelicans Notes:
- Tough to gauge anything in a blowout loss like this, but with JJ Redick on the shelf for now, Kira Lewis Jr. (one percent owned in Yahoo!) is an intriguing player—if he gets the playing time. The first-year point guard scored 11 points, dished out four assists, nabbed three steals, and even blocked a shot in his 22 minutes of action.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 11 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5-12 | 0-0 |
- Welp, here’s another perfect shooting performance. Jaxson Hayes went 5-for-5 on his way to 11 points in 11 minutes. He can safely remain on the wire.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Mavs Notes:
- Jalen Brunson benefited from a start in place of Luka Doncic, scoring 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting. Though it was a spot start, Brunson has been productive off the bench, scoring consistently in the mid-teens on high percentages, with some threes and assists sprinkled in. I’d hold him (33 percent owned in Yahoo!)
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 26 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9-15 | 6-10 |
- One person whose role was not affected by the absences of Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis was Maxi Kleber, who got his usual allotment of minutes. He did the most with them, drilling four threes to score 14 points and picking up a pair of steals. Though his numbers are modest, they’re surprisingly effective for fantasy, as Kleber (18 percent owned in Yahoo!) is close to the top-100 for the season, and in the top-35 over the last 14 days. He’s worth stashing on the end of your bench to round out your roster.
Thunder Notes:
- Aleksej Pokusevski not only got the call up to the big club but got the start and 30 minutes of court time to boot. He has been terrible this season, but showed some flashes tonight, scoring 14 points, grabbing eight boards, and compiling a pair of threes and blocks each. The treys/blocks combo is particularly intriguing as a 7-foot floor spacer, and he’s worth a speculative add (one percent owned in Yahoo!) to see if you can catch lightning in a bottle as the Thunder look to the future.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 14 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4-11 | 4-4 |
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Warriors Notes:
- In his last game before the break, Jordan Poole exploded for 26 points in mop-up duty. He got some more of that on Thursday night and again looked frisky with 14 points, four assists, and a couple of threes. I’d be interested to see what he could do if he cracked the regular rotation, so I’ll be monitoring his minutes moving forward (one percent owned in Yahoo!).
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 14 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5-10 | 2-2 |
Clippers Notes:
- Reggie Jackson (five percent owned in Yahoo!) should be a priority waiver target if Patrick Beverley misses time. Jackson was quiet in his 23 minutes filling in on Thursday with just five points on 1-of-7 from the floor, but anyone who starts for the Clippers should be owned.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1-7 | 2-2 |
Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trailblazers
Suns Notes:
- Jae Crowder is an integral part of this Suns roster, and even if he’s coming off the bench he should get meaningful minutes, like last night when he played 31 off the pine and scored 13 points with seven boards and three triples. He’s a nice player to round out your roster with (34 percent owned in Yahoo!).
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 13 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5-8 | 0-0 |
- Dario Saric has been productive of late, even though his playing time has been a little erratic. Thursday marked the sixth time in his last seven outings he scored in double figures, and he (13 percent owned in Yahoo!) contributes a little bit in other categories as well.
Blazers Notes:
- Robert Covington has been absolutely on fire lately, reaching deity level for those who worship at the altar of the threes/steals/blocks combo. For the past 30 days, RoCo is averaging 2.0 3PTM, 1.5 SPG, and a ridiculous 2.2 BPG. You can bet he got on the board again in all three cats last night.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 13 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5-11 | 0-0 |
- Enes Kanter achieved his customary double-double with 16 and 11 on 70 percent shooting. Although his value will take a hit when Jusuf Nurkic returns, he’ll still be worth holding on to.
Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings
Rockets Notes:
- Kevin Porter Jr. made his season debut and was brilliant, scoring 13 points, dropping 10 dimes, and swiping three thefts. You better hope it’s not too late to scoop him up off the wire (32 percent owned in Yahoo!).
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 13 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5-11 | 2-2 |
- Kenyon Martin Jr. played the second-most minutes on the team (32) and put up 13 points, nine boards, and three rejections. He’s someone to monitor moving forward, and may even be worth a speculative add right now (one percent owned in Yahoo!) as the Rockets transition to looking to the future.
Kings Notes:
- Cory Joseph got the third guard minutes over Tyrese Haliburton, but don’t expect that to continue. He did produce well though, with 13 points, five swipes, and a couple of threes.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PTM | TOV | FG | FT |
| 13 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4-9 | 3-4 |
