Sunday Daily Dose: Dose: A Night of Reunions
Sunday, February 01, 2015
On the night Kevin Love returned to Minnesota, it was Rookie of the Year favorite Andrew Wiggins who stole the show.
In Detroit, the Pistons greeted Josh Smith and the Houston rockets with a loss and grabbed their first win since Brandon Jennings’ ruptured Achilles in the process.
Let’s get right into it on an 11-game evening.
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!
Kings 99, Pacers 94
It wasn’t an efficient night for DeMarcus Cousins, but it was a productive one in Sacramento’s win. Before fouling out in 38.5 minutes, Cousins shredded the Pacers for 20 points, 19 rebounds, three assists and three steals on 6-of-24 shooting. Even a bad night is a good one for Mr. All-Star in 2015. For the record, it would have been an absolute travesty if Cousins had been robbed of his rightful All-Star spot. Boogie got 31 points of support from Rudy Gay (11-of-11 FT’s) and 23 points from starting point guard Darren Collison as the Kings’ Big 3 combined for a whopping 74 of the 99 points.
Indiana had five players reach double-digits in scoring with David West and C.J. Miles each pacing the club with 17 points. The Pacers are a sad situation when attempting to extract some kind of fantasy value, but George Hill continued to look involved with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal in 22 minutes. Those who have held onto Hill should keep holding as he may finally be ready to turn the corner with his health concerns. He can’t get right soon enough for his team and his owners. On the other hand, Miles has now made just five of his last 24 three-point attempts after tonight’s showing. He’s doing nothing to redefine his reputation as a streaky shooter this season.
Mavericks 108, Magic 93
The temperature under Jacque Vaughn’s seat just got a little bit warmer. It’s now boiling hot.
After another loss to send the Magic to 20 games under .500, it doesn’t appear Vaughn is going to last much longer with this club. It’s worth mentioning now before it happens, because if a change is going to be made at head coach, there is definite potential for change within the lineup.
Nikola Vucevic (17 points, 16 rebounds, 8-of-13 shooting) continues to make his All-Star snub look laughable, and it’s too bad he’s not getting more help around him. The Magic were without Victor Oladipo (Achilles) in this one, but Champagne Fournier didn’t do too much with the spot start (15 points, three rebounds, two steals, one three). Elfrid Payton saw just 20 minutes of action in this one and had four points, five rebounds and five assists (three turnovers), but he should be back on track in time for the next one.
For Dallas, the story revolved around Rajon Rondo, who left this game after just two minutes of action. After taking an accidental foot to the face from teammate Richard Jefferson, Rondo left the game with a head injury and will be reevaluated in Dallas. If Rondo misses extended time, Devin Harris (12 points, five assists, three triples, 30.5 minutes) would be in line for a massive role change. The Mavericks got another inspired performance from Monta Ellis (25 points, 14 assists, three steals, one block, 11-of-20 shooting), and he’s been one of the better picks this season despite my trepidation before the year began. Tyson Chandler also came up big with 20 points, nine rebounds and a block on a tidy 9-of-12 shooting in the win.
Pistons 114, Rockets 101
Josh Smith’s revenge game didn’t exactly go as planned. Smoove lost to the team that waived him, had more shots (11) than points (seven) and the boos came down from his former fans. In Smith’s defense, not much went as planned for Houston in this one.
With Dwight Howard (knee) sidelined (and he’s now expected to be out for at least the next month), James Harden played through a brief knee scare to go on for 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 10-of-17 shooting, but it wasn’t enough for the win. Houston also got another 20-plus point effort from Donatas Motiejunas (10-of-13 shooting), and it’s clear who is at the top of the Rockets’ power forward depth chart at this time. Motiejunas is poised to keep it moving with Howard injured and the Rockets needing to make up that production somewhere.
Detroit was motivated to win this one, and both Andre Drummond (11 points, 16 rebounds, one steal, three blocks) and Greg Monroe (19 points, 12 rebounds, one block) made sure to make their presence felt. The Pistons had all five starters in double-figures, including a red-hot D.J. Augustin who went off for 28 points and 12 assists on 8-of-13 shooting and 11-of-13 from the free throw line. In three of his last four starts, Augustin has made at least eight field-goal attempts while attempting at least 13 in all three of those contests. He’s primed for a monstrous role without a real threat behind him and Brandon Jennings (Achilles) done for the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was also part of the party with a red-hot performance of 28 points (six triples), five rebounds, four assists, a steal and three blocks.
Hawks 91, Sixers 85
Atlanta got a scare, but the Hawks were able to make it 19 in a row. As the first team to go 17-0 in a single month, Atlanta will attempt to put together a 20-game winning streak as February arrives.
The Hawks will have to get used to being without Thabo Sefolosha (calf, out six-to-eight weeks), and Kent Bazemore (three points, three rebounds, 1-of-6 shooting in 30 minutes) won’t be in there for his offense. In a usual Hawks-ian effort, Atlanta got a well-balanced effort that saw five different players score in double-figures. Al Horford once again led the way with 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, but it’s too bad he’s not a “true center…” Moving on.
Kyle Korver (14 points, four triples, five rebounds) continued to do his thing, Paul Millsap had a very versatile line with 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals, a block and a triple, while Jeff Teague took a slight step back with 10 points, seven assists and two steals because Dennis Schroder was hot in this one with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes of action. DeMarre Carroll (Achilles) was also out in this one, so that’s worth noting in terms of Schroder’s increased usage.
Raptors 120, Wizards 116 (OT)
This was a game that looked like it was over long before it was. John Wall’s ferocious night (28 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists) was a big part of how the Wizards got back into this game with an inspired fourth quarter run, but Washington fell short as Toronto took it home. Wall and running mate Bradley Beal (26 points, five triples, three rebounds, four assists, two steals) combined for 54 points in this one, and the Wizards will need more nights like this one if they’re going to remain near the top of the Eastern Conference.
The two guards were helped by 19 points from Paul Pierce, including the game-tying three-pointer in regulation, but Pierce has been better known for his clutch shooting this season than his consistent fantasy production. Marcin Gortat and his owners had nothing to show on Marcin Gortat action figure night after the Polish Hammer came up with a two-point, wo-rebound, four-turnover outing, but at least he did have two steals and two blocks. The deuces were wild, but his talent level was not on this evening.
Toronto got a balanced effort in this one that saw six different figures go for ten or more points. Kyle Lowry (who else?) led the way with 23 points, three rebounds, three assists with two steals, and DeMar DeRozan kicked in a very nice (and unexpected) line of 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Lou Williams (19 points, five assists, two triples) continued his campaign for Sixth Man of the Year, while both Patrick Patterson (16 points, six rebounds, three triples) and Amir Johnson (17 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, three blocks, one triple) combined to dominate the front line. Johnson has started to come on of late, while Patterson has been one of the most underrated producers all season long.
Cavs 106, Timberwolves 90
Fact or fiction: Minnesota had the lead after three quarters in this one. That would have been near-impossible to predict coming into this one, but that was indeed the case before a 30-11 fourth quarter fueled by LeBron James ruined Andrew Wiggins’ coming out party for Cleveland’s 10th straight victory. Wiggins dropped a career-best 33 points (three triples) and four steals in this one on 14-of-25 shooting, and he very much had the look of someone who was taking this game personally. LeBron, on the other hand, managed 36 points (three triples), six rebounds and five assists on an identical 14-of-25 shooting.
On a night that was supposed to be about Kevin Love’s return (we’ll get there in a second), the evening was dominated by LeBron and Wiggins. That’s a theme we should probably get used to. Love’s return was more of a pregame discussion topic than it was throughout the game with Wiggins and LeBron dueling, but Love’s 14 points and 17 rebounds are certainly nothing to sneeze at. He’s still playing third fiddle behind LeBron and Kyrie Irving (12 points, 4-of-16 shooting), but Love has a double-double in three straight games and in four of his last five.
Kevin Martin (14 points on 6-of-19 shooting) continues to show why the Timberwolves should find a new home for him before the trade deadline, Thaddeus Young chipped in 19 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting, and Nikola Pekovic’s inefficient double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds, 4-of-11 shooting) reduced Gorgui Dieng’s role (four points, three rebounds, 20 minutes) to rubble. Dieng is coming off two straight double-doubles, so just keep an eye on that for now.
It’s a good thing the Wolves are expected to get Ricky Rubio (ankle) back for Monday, because both Mo Williams (hip) and Zach LaVine (ankle) were out on Saturday. Lorenzo Brown, fresh out of the D-League, played 47:55 with no other options available, but he came up with just one point, six rebounds and nine assists in the loss.
Grizzlies 85, Thunder 74
With Kevin Durant (toe) making his return to the starting lineup, Oklahoma City couldn’t avoid the painfully obvious: The Thunder are desperately searching for an identity. Durant was in the more shots (16) than points (15) club, and he had a pedestrian seven rebounds and four assists to pair with his scoring output. For KD’s owners that had been awaiting a triumphant return: Keep waiting. It wasn’t in this game.
OKC couldn’t find their shot in this one as a team. Serge Ibaka shot just 4-of-10 (13 points, 10 rebounds) from the field, Russell Westbrook matched Durant’s 5-of-16 line (14 points, six rebounds, five assists) and Dion Waiters managed just 3-of-14 for a meager seven points and four turnovers. Despite his struggles, Waiters saw 30 minutes of action, while Reggie Jackson managed just 16 minutes of court time in this one with six points, three rebounds, and two assists. It’s clear who Scott Brooks and the Thunder organization have chosen as their backup guard in the second unit.
Memphis kept it rolling behind the Zach Randolph train, and Z-Bo pulled up at the station to pump out another massive double-double in this one: 21 points, 18 rebounds and a block. Marc Gasol joined him with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but the center also kicked in five assists, two steals and a block. It’s time to stop calling Gasol underrated—he’s not. The big man has arrived, and he’s done so in time to cash in during the offseason.
Bucks 95, Blazers 88
Damian Lillard is pressing. Since the All-Star reserves were announced and he was snubbed out of a deserving spot, Lillard has gone on to shoot just 12-of-39 from the field, including 2-of-20 from distance. He’s still putting up numbers (averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, one block, one three) over that time, but it’s clear he’s overworking right now in an effort to send a message. Partner in crime LaMarcus Aldridge just keeps the beat on going with another double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds), but on 7-of-18 shooting and without contributions on the defensive end, LMA’s owners are hoping for more. The only other Portland player in double-digits was Wesley Matthews (19 points, four triples, two steals) is no longer an undervalued fantasy asset, and he’s my sleeper pick to win the three-point shootout during All-Star weekend. He’s going to be a fascinating free-agent case when the time comes this offseason.
In the win, Milwaukee got a rare double-double from the Greek Freak who chipped in 10 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and a block on an efficient 3-of-5 shooting. Starting in place of Zaza Pachulia (calf), the freed John Henson responded with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks on a solid 6-of-9 from the floor. If Henson could get 25-plus minutes on the regular, there wouldn’t even be a discussion about his “potential” impact. It would be there and apparent for all to see. Over his last two games, Henson is averaging 13 points, 9.5 rebounds and three blocks while shooting 12-of-19 from the field. Exactly.
Brandon Knight didn’t have one of his better games with just 11 points on 13 shots, but his eight assists and three steals will have owners smiling wide. O.J. Mayo scored 17 points off the bench, but in a running theme from the 11-game Saturday, he was also in the more-points-than-shots club as he needed 18 attempts to do it. Jared Dudley started in place of Ersan Ilyasova (groin), and he had 18 points (three triples), six rebounds, and three steals. That’s three straight games in double-figures for the veteran, and five of his last six overall.
Hornets 104, Nuggets 86
Something’s gotta give with these Denver Nuggets. There’s too much talent, too much impatience, too many out-of-whack expectations and too many wildcards for something not to give—and soon. After an absolute shellacking at the hands of Cody Zeller (!!) and the Charlotte Hornets, the McNuggets are in a world of hurt heading into February.
Zeller banged home a career-high 21 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks on 10-of-11 shooting over 31.5 minutes of action. to lead Charlotte’s charge. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist joined in the fun to create an unorthodox but effective frontline effort with 17 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while Al Jefferson contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, a steal and two blocks. Although Lance Stephenson shot just 2-of-10 from the field, he did establish a new career-high in assists with 13 helpers. He should be in line for a bigger role handling the ball with Kemba Walker (knee) out indefinitely, and that could help to rehab his flailing fantasy stock.
The Nuggets can’t forget about this game soon enough. Kenneth Faried’s absence due to an illness isn’t an acceptable excuse. This was the kind of game that raises questions about Brian Shaw—as if they didn’t exist already.
Danilo Gallinari (15 points on 5-of-16 shooting), Jusuf Nurkic (six points on 3-of-9 shooting), Arron Afflalo (eight points on 3-of-9 shooting) were all in the unfortunate club, and that’s not even the entire list for Denver. Outside of Ty Lawson (10 points, five rebounds, nine assists) and Nurkic’s upside, there isn’t much to like here for fantasy owners. I’m hoping Wilson Chandler gets traded to a more favorable situation, as he has the type of versatile skillset that could really help out a contender (and a contending fantasy team) if he’s moved prior to the deadline.
Clippers 105, Spurs 85
It’s hard to overstate just how much Blake Griffin has improved as a passer. Averaging five assists per game this season, Griffin poured in another massive line in the blowout over San Antonio: 31 points, 13 rebounds and five more dimes. With Chris Paul kicking in 20 points to go along with six assists (and an uncharacteristic five turnovers), the Clippers’ attack was rounded out by the third head of the snake in DeAndre Jordan, and the Texas A&M product managed eight points, 19 rebounds and another four blocks in just 31 minutes. He’s the real deal, and DJ is well on his way to finding a maximum contract offer as a free agent this offseason.
The most pressing thing for the Spurs? Getting Tony Parker back on track. With another clunker in this loss (five points, six rebounds, eight assists, 2-of-10 shooting), the Spurs need to prioritize getting their floor general back to his more productive ways. Parker and Tim Duncan (four points, eight rebounds) combined for just nine points. The sole good news from this one on San Antonio’s side involved Kawhi Leonard, who collected 24 points (four triples), five rebounds and three steals in 34.5 minutes of action.
Warriors 106, Suns 87
Behind 47 points from the Splash Bros, Golden State was able to right the ship after a miniature two-game skid. Steph Curry had 25 points (four triples), four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block, while Klay Thompson had 22 points (three triples) to go along with three rebounds, four assists and two blocks. I can’t understate how good Thompson has been this season, and there’s no reason to believe he’s poised to slow down at any point this season or going forward. Thompson will enter next season as a borderline first-round pick.
Harrison Barnes added 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks, while Draymond ‘Swiss Army Knife’ Green contributed nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks. Green’s emergence has given the Warriors a completely new dimension this season, and there’s no denying how integral he is to the Warriors being where they are this year. Green’s got a shot at winning the Most Improved Player award and the ‘Biggest Fantasy Steal of the Year’ award in the same season. Not bad for a former second-round pick.
Phoenix got a double-double (17 points, 11 boards, two triples) from Markieff Morris, but the rest of the starting frontline combined to score a whopping seven points. Goran Dragic (4-of-15 shooting, 10 points) and Isaiah Thomas (4-of-13 shooting, 13 points) struggled with their shot, and those two weren’t alone since the Suns shot just 36.3 percent from the field on the evening.
On the night Kevin Love returned to Minnesota, it was Rookie of the Year favorite Andrew Wiggins who stole the show.
In Detroit, the Pistons greeted Josh Smith and the Houston rockets with a loss and grabbed their first win since Brandon Jennings’ ruptured Achilles in the process.
Let’s get right into it on an 11-game evening.
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!
Kings 99, Pacers 94
It wasn’t an efficient night for DeMarcus Cousins, but it was a productive one in Sacramento’s win. Before fouling out in 38.5 minutes, Cousins shredded the Pacers for 20 points, 19 rebounds, three assists and three steals on 6-of-24 shooting. Even a bad night is a good one for Mr. All-Star in 2015. For the record, it would have been an absolute travesty if Cousins had been robbed of his rightful All-Star spot. Boogie got 31 points of support from Rudy Gay (11-of-11 FT’s) and 23 points from starting point guard Darren Collison as the Kings’ Big 3 combined for a whopping 74 of the 99 points.
Indiana had five players reach double-digits in scoring with David West and C.J. Miles each pacing the club with 17 points. The Pacers are a sad situation when attempting to extract some kind of fantasy value, but George Hill continued to look involved with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal in 22 minutes. Those who have held onto Hill should keep holding as he may finally be ready to turn the corner with his health concerns. He can’t get right soon enough for his team and his owners. On the other hand, Miles has now made just five of his last 24 three-point attempts after tonight’s showing. He’s doing nothing to redefine his reputation as a streaky shooter this season.
Mavericks 108, Magic 93
The temperature under Jacque Vaughn’s seat just got a little bit warmer. It’s now boiling hot.
After another loss to send the Magic to 20 games under .500, it doesn’t appear Vaughn is going to last much longer with this club. It’s worth mentioning now before it happens, because if a change is going to be made at head coach, there is definite potential for change within the lineup.
Nikola Vucevic (17 points, 16 rebounds, 8-of-13 shooting) continues to make his All-Star snub look laughable, and it’s too bad he’s not getting more help around him. The Magic were without Victor Oladipo (Achilles) in this one, but Champagne Fournier didn’t do too much with the spot start (15 points, three rebounds, two steals, one three). Elfrid Payton saw just 20 minutes of action in this one and had four points, five rebounds and five assists (three turnovers), but he should be back on track in time for the next one.
For Dallas, the story revolved around Rajon Rondo, who left this game after just two minutes of action. After taking an accidental foot to the face from teammate Richard Jefferson, Rondo left the game with a head injury and will be reevaluated in Dallas. If Rondo misses extended time, Devin Harris (12 points, five assists, three triples, 30.5 minutes) would be in line for a massive role change. The Mavericks got another inspired performance from Monta Ellis (25 points, 14 assists, three steals, one block, 11-of-20 shooting), and he’s been one of the better picks this season despite my trepidation before the year began. Tyson Chandler also came up big with 20 points, nine rebounds and a block on a tidy 9-of-12 shooting in the win.
Pistons 114, Rockets 101
Josh Smith’s revenge game didn’t exactly go as planned. Smoove lost to the team that waived him, had more shots (11) than points (seven) and the boos came down from his former fans. In Smith’s defense, not much went as planned for Houston in this one.
With Dwight Howard (knee) sidelined (and he’s now expected to be out for at least the next month), James Harden played through a brief knee scare to go on for 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 10-of-17 shooting, but it wasn’t enough for the win. Houston also got another 20-plus point effort from Donatas Motiejunas (10-of-13 shooting), and it’s clear who is at the top of the Rockets’ power forward depth chart at this time. Motiejunas is poised to keep it moving with Howard injured and the Rockets needing to make up that production somewhere.
Detroit was motivated to win this one, and both Andre Drummond (11 points, 16 rebounds, one steal, three blocks) and Greg Monroe (19 points, 12 rebounds, one block) made sure to make their presence felt. The Pistons had all five starters in double-figures, including a red-hot D.J. Augustin who went off for 28 points and 12 assists on 8-of-13 shooting and 11-of-13 from the free throw line. In three of his last four starts, Augustin has made at least eight field-goal attempts while attempting at least 13 in all three of those contests. He’s primed for a monstrous role without a real threat behind him and Brandon Jennings (Achilles) done for the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was also part of the party with a red-hot performance of 28 points (six triples), five rebounds, four assists, a steal and three blocks.
Hawks 91, Sixers 85
Atlanta got a scare, but the Hawks were able to make it 19 in a row. As the first team to go 17-0 in a single month, Atlanta will attempt to put together a 20-game winning streak as February arrives.
The Hawks will have to get used to being without Thabo Sefolosha (calf, out six-to-eight weeks), and Kent Bazemore (three points, three rebounds, 1-of-6 shooting in 30 minutes) won’t be in there for his offense. In a usual Hawks-ian effort, Atlanta got a well-balanced effort that saw five different players score in double-figures. Al Horford once again led the way with 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, but it’s too bad he’s not a “true center…” Moving on.
Kyle Korver (14 points, four triples, five rebounds) continued to do his thing, Paul Millsap had a very versatile line with 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals, a block and a triple, while Jeff Teague took a slight step back with 10 points, seven assists and two steals because Dennis Schroder was hot in this one with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes of action. DeMarre Carroll (Achilles) was also out in this one, so that’s worth noting in terms of Schroder’s increased usage.
Raptors 120, Wizards 116 (OT)
This was a game that looked like it was over long before it was. John Wall’s ferocious night (28 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists) was a big part of how the Wizards got back into this game with an inspired fourth quarter run, but Washington fell short as Toronto took it home. Wall and running mate Bradley Beal (26 points, five triples, three rebounds, four assists, two steals) combined for 54 points in this one, and the Wizards will need more nights like this one if they’re going to remain near the top of the Eastern Conference.
The two guards were helped by 19 points from Paul Pierce, including the game-tying three-pointer in regulation, but Pierce has been better known for his clutch shooting this season than his consistent fantasy production. Marcin Gortat and his owners had nothing to show on Marcin Gortat action figure night after the Polish Hammer came up with a two-point, wo-rebound, four-turnover outing, but at least he did have two steals and two blocks. The deuces were wild, but his talent level was not on this evening.
Toronto got a balanced effort in this one that saw six different figures go for ten or more points. Kyle Lowry (who else?) led the way with 23 points, three rebounds, three assists with two steals, and DeMar DeRozan kicked in a very nice (and unexpected) line of 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Lou Williams (19 points, five assists, two triples) continued his campaign for Sixth Man of the Year, while both Patrick Patterson (16 points, six rebounds, three triples) and Amir Johnson (17 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, three blocks, one triple) combined to dominate the front line. Johnson has started to come on of late, while Patterson has been one of the most underrated producers all season long.
Cavs 106, Timberwolves 90
Fact or fiction: Minnesota had the lead after three quarters in this one. That would have been near-impossible to predict coming into this one, but that was indeed the case before a 30-11 fourth quarter fueled by LeBron James ruined Andrew Wiggins’ coming out party for Cleveland’s 10th straight victory. Wiggins dropped a career-best 33 points (three triples) and four steals in this one on 14-of-25 shooting, and he very much had the look of someone who was taking this game personally. LeBron, on the other hand, managed 36 points (three triples), six rebounds and five assists on an identical 14-of-25 shooting.
On a night that was supposed to be about Kevin Love’s return (we’ll get there in a second), the evening was dominated by LeBron and Wiggins. That’s a theme we should probably get used to. Love’s return was more of a pregame discussion topic than it was throughout the game with Wiggins and LeBron dueling, but Love’s 14 points and 17 rebounds are certainly nothing to sneeze at. He’s still playing third fiddle behind LeBron and Kyrie Irving (12 points, 4-of-16 shooting), but Love has a double-double in three straight games and in four of his last five.
Kevin Martin (14 points on 6-of-19 shooting) continues to show why the Timberwolves should find a new home for him before the trade deadline, Thaddeus Young chipped in 19 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting, and Nikola Pekovic’s inefficient double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds, 4-of-11 shooting) reduced Gorgui Dieng’s role (four points, three rebounds, 20 minutes) to rubble. Dieng is coming off two straight double-doubles, so just keep an eye on that for now.
It’s a good thing the Wolves are expected to get Ricky Rubio (ankle) back for Monday, because both Mo Williams (hip) and Zach LaVine (ankle) were out on Saturday. Lorenzo Brown, fresh out of the D-League, played 47:55 with no other options available, but he came up with just one point, six rebounds and nine assists in the loss.
Grizzlies 85, Thunder 74
With Kevin Durant (toe) making his return to the starting lineup, Oklahoma City couldn’t avoid the painfully obvious: The Thunder are desperately searching for an identity. Durant was in the more shots (16) than points (15) club, and he had a pedestrian seven rebounds and four assists to pair with his scoring output. For KD’s owners that had been awaiting a triumphant return: Keep waiting. It wasn’t in this game.
OKC couldn’t find their shot in this one as a team. Serge Ibaka shot just 4-of-10 (13 points, 10 rebounds) from the field, Russell Westbrook matched Durant’s 5-of-16 line (14 points, six rebounds, five assists) and Dion Waiters managed just 3-of-14 for a meager seven points and four turnovers. Despite his struggles, Waiters saw 30 minutes of action, while Reggie Jackson managed just 16 minutes of court time in this one with six points, three rebounds, and two assists. It’s clear who Scott Brooks and the Thunder organization have chosen as their backup guard in the second unit.
Memphis kept it rolling behind the Zach Randolph train, and Z-Bo pulled up at the station to pump out another massive double-double in this one: 21 points, 18 rebounds and a block. Marc Gasol joined him with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but the center also kicked in five assists, two steals and a block. It’s time to stop calling Gasol underrated—he’s not. The big man has arrived, and he’s done so in time to cash in during the offseason.
Bucks 95, Blazers 88
Damian Lillard is pressing. Since the All-Star reserves were announced and he was snubbed out of a deserving spot, Lillard has gone on to shoot just 12-of-39 from the field, including 2-of-20 from distance. He’s still putting up numbers (averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, one block, one three) over that time, but it’s clear he’s overworking right now in an effort to send a message. Partner in crime LaMarcus Aldridge just keeps the beat on going with another double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds), but on 7-of-18 shooting and without contributions on the defensive end, LMA’s owners are hoping for more. The only other Portland player in double-digits was Wesley Matthews (19 points, four triples, two steals) is no longer an undervalued fantasy asset, and he’s my sleeper pick to win the three-point shootout during All-Star weekend. He’s going to be a fascinating free-agent case when the time comes this offseason.
In the win, Milwaukee got a rare double-double from the Greek Freak who chipped in 10 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and a block on an efficient 3-of-5 shooting. Starting in place of Zaza Pachulia (calf), the freed John Henson responded with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks on a solid 6-of-9 from the floor. If Henson could get 25-plus minutes on the regular, there wouldn’t even be a discussion about his “potential” impact. It would be there and apparent for all to see. Over his last two games, Henson is averaging 13 points, 9.5 rebounds and three blocks while shooting 12-of-19 from the field. Exactly.
Brandon Knight didn’t have one of his better games with just 11 points on 13 shots, but his eight assists and three steals will have owners smiling wide. O.J. Mayo scored 17 points off the bench, but in a running theme from the 11-game Saturday, he was also in the more-points-than-shots club as he needed 18 attempts to do it. Jared Dudley started in place of Ersan Ilyasova (groin), and he had 18 points (three triples), six rebounds, and three steals. That’s three straight games in double-figures for the veteran, and five of his last six overall.
Hornets 104, Nuggets 86
Something’s gotta give with these Denver Nuggets. There’s too much talent, too much impatience, too many out-of-whack expectations and too many wildcards for something not to give—and soon. After an absolute shellacking at the hands of Cody Zeller (!!) and the Charlotte Hornets, the McNuggets are in a world of hurt heading into February.
Zeller banged home a career-high 21 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks on 10-of-11 shooting over 31.5 minutes of action. to lead Charlotte’s charge. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist joined in the fun to create an unorthodox but effective frontline effort with 17 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while Al Jefferson contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, a steal and two blocks. Although Lance Stephenson shot just 2-of-10 from the field, he did establish a new career-high in assists with 13 helpers. He should be in line for a bigger role handling the ball with Kemba Walker (knee) out indefinitely, and that could help to rehab his flailing fantasy stock.
The Nuggets can’t forget about this game soon enough. Kenneth Faried’s absence due to an illness isn’t an acceptable excuse. This was the kind of game that raises questions about Brian Shaw—as if they didn’t exist already.
Danilo Gallinari (15 points on 5-of-16 shooting), Jusuf Nurkic (six points on 3-of-9 shooting), Arron Afflalo (eight points on 3-of-9 shooting) were all in the unfortunate club, and that’s not even the entire list for Denver. Outside of Ty Lawson (10 points, five rebounds, nine assists) and Nurkic’s upside, there isn’t much to like here for fantasy owners. I’m hoping Wilson Chandler gets traded to a more favorable situation, as he has the type of versatile skillset that could really help out a contender (and a contending fantasy team) if he’s moved prior to the deadline.
Clippers 105, Spurs 85
It’s hard to overstate just how much Blake Griffin has improved as a passer. Averaging five assists per game this season, Griffin poured in another massive line in the blowout over San Antonio: 31 points, 13 rebounds and five more dimes. With Chris Paul kicking in 20 points to go along with six assists (and an uncharacteristic five turnovers), the Clippers’ attack was rounded out by the third head of the snake in DeAndre Jordan, and the Texas A&M product managed eight points, 19 rebounds and another four blocks in just 31 minutes. He’s the real deal, and DJ is well on his way to finding a maximum contract offer as a free agent this offseason.
The most pressing thing for the Spurs? Getting Tony Parker back on track. With another clunker in this loss (five points, six rebounds, eight assists, 2-of-10 shooting), the Spurs need to prioritize getting their floor general back to his more productive ways. Parker and Tim Duncan (four points, eight rebounds) combined for just nine points. The sole good news from this one on San Antonio’s side involved Kawhi Leonard, who collected 24 points (four triples), five rebounds and three steals in 34.5 minutes of action.
Warriors 106, Suns 87
Behind 47 points from the Splash Bros, Golden State was able to right the ship after a miniature two-game skid. Steph Curry had 25 points (four triples), four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block, while Klay Thompson had 22 points (three triples) to go along with three rebounds, four assists and two blocks. I can’t understate how good Thompson has been this season, and there’s no reason to believe he’s poised to slow down at any point this season or going forward. Thompson will enter next season as a borderline first-round pick.
Harrison Barnes added 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks, while Draymond ‘Swiss Army Knife’ Green contributed nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks. Green’s emergence has given the Warriors a completely new dimension this season, and there’s no denying how integral he is to the Warriors being where they are this year. Green’s got a shot at winning the Most Improved Player award and the ‘Biggest Fantasy Steal of the Year’ award in the same season. Not bad for a former second-round pick.
Phoenix got a double-double (17 points, 11 boards, two triples) from Markieff Morris, but the rest of the starting frontline combined to score a whopping seven points. Goran Dragic (4-of-15 shooting, 10 points) and Isaiah Thomas (4-of-13 shooting, 13 points) struggled with their shot, and those two weren’t alone since the Suns shot just 36.3 percent from the field on the evening.
Recommended article: Chomsky: We Are All – Fill in the Blank.
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