Saturday Dose: Dose: Thunder And Lightning
A 20-20 game. A historic rookie performance. The death of a stale narrative. The first week of the 2015-16 NBA season has yet to conclude, and we’re already getting spoiled.
A 12-game Friday night slate means 3,000 words in the Saturday Daily Dose. Grab your coffee, put your feet up and spend some time on the digital hardwood. Follow me on Twitter here.
Miami @ Cleveland: Cavs 102, Heat 92
Studs: Hassan Whiteside, Kevin Love
Duds: Goran Dragic, Mo Williams, J.R. Smith
As a heavily invested Goran Dragic owner, I’m not panicking about his colder than ice start. Still learning how to play with his team, specifically alongside Dwyane Wade, The Dragon (11 points, three boards, six dimes) isn’t going to breathe fire right away… be patient. It was a nice bounce back game for Whiteside with 11 points, nine boards and six blocks, but minutes played (36 tonight) is the stat to track moving forward. Wade’s efficient 25 points (8-of-15 shooting, 8-of-8 FTs) would have had him in the studs category, but the seven turnovers can’t be overlooked.
LeBron clearly wasn’t lying when he said the early focus would be on feeding Kevin Love, and the big man continues to eat as a result. With 24 points, 14 boards, five dimes and a block (three triples, 9-of-9 FTs), Love is going to crush his ADP at least until the return of Kyrie Irving from left knee surgery…check back on that once Uncle Drew hits the court. James checked in with 29 points on 13-of-19 shooting, but without any triples, five boards, four dimes and a steal, it was just an okay game by the King James standard. Williams (six points, three assists, 2-of-10 shooting) and Smith (two points, two rebounds, 1-of-8 shooting) must have thought the Cavs had the night off.
Oklahoma City @ Orlando: Thunder 139, Magic 136 (2OT)
Studs: Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Nikola Vucevic, Victor Oladipo
Duds: Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter, Mario Hezonja
Can we stop hearing about how Durant and Westbrook can’t play together now? Combining for an absurd 91 points, K.D. announced his official return through a megaphone in thunderous (get it?) fashion with 43 points (15-of-30 shooting, 10-of-11 FTs), 12 rebounds, a steal, two blocks, three triples and a ridiculous 53.5 minutes played. After a blitzkrieg to the finish line to end the 2014-15 regular season, the Westbrook appears ready to lap the field again. Nearly delivering a massive triple-double with 48 points (17-of-36 shooting, 13-of-16 FTs), 11 rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block, Westy is now averaging an unfathomable 40.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.0 triples and 5.5 TOs through his first two contests. Some people drafted Chris Paul ahead of him.
Despite his team scoring 139 points, Ibaka managed just eight points, 12 rebounds and two blocks on a poor 4-of-12 from the field. I’ve never been a fan of drafting Ibaka where you need to do so in order to have him on your team, and it looks like OKC is set to run its two-man show all season long. After Kanter pulled down 16 boards in 24 minutes vs. San Antonio earlier this week, he ran into foul trouble and managed just six boards over 18 uneventful minutes in this one.
Oladipo’s breakout is upon us, and those who were mocked for their early selection of Dipo can now hit the opposition with a ‘How U?’ With a triple-double of 21 points, 13 boards, 10 dimes, three steals and a block (8-of-27 shooting, three triples), the supremely talented guard now has double-digit boards in both games this season. Although this team has intriguing young pieces everywhere, it’s clear Oladipo and Vucevic are the foundation of what Orlando is building. With 26 points, seven rebounds, a steal and five blocks on 10-of-14 shooting, Vooch showed why he can help support the core structure of your fantasy team, as well. Hezonja only got 14 minutes of run in this one, and for a guy who was in serious consideration to start at SF in the opener, the hype may be too hot on a player who will take some time to return sustainable value. Tobias Harris (46 minutes, 30 points, nine rebounds) is going exactly nowhere, and the weird fascination with Evan Fournier (22 points, 8-of-21 shooting) won’t last forever. Fournier is not a recommended pickup.
Utah @ Philadelphia: Jazz 99, Sixers 71
Studs: Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert
Duds: Gordon Hayward, Jahlil Okafor, Isaiah Canaan
Favors didn’t shoot the rock well on Friday (6-of-17), but that’s the only thing not to like about what he brought to the party. With 20 points, 12 boards, three steals, two blocks and a surprising 8-of-10 from the charity stripe, there is no doubt about how badly he abused the Sixers in his 29 minutes of action. Although Gobert only took six shots, his eight points, 11 rebounds and six blocks is exactly the type of line owners signed up for when selecting him with a top-20 pick. Hayward (12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, 3-of-12 shooting) is now just 8-of-23 (for 25 total points and one 3-pointer) from the floor over his first two games, creating a nice buy-low opportunity for owners who believe he’ll validate his ADP.
Nerlens Noel (eight points, 10 rebounds, two blocks) would have had a much better night if he didn’t shoot 2-of-12, and the Sixers really offered absolutely nothing to see here. Okafor (10 points, six rebounds, 4-of-12 shooting) predictably struggled against The French Rejection, and Canaan (10 points, five rebounds, four turnovers, 1-of-9 shooting) is nothing more than a low-end flier—that should tell you all you need to know about his fantasy value considering Philly’s point guard situation.
Toronto @ Boston: Raptors 113, Celtics 103
Studs: DeMarre Carroll, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas
Duds: Jonas Valanciunas, David Lee, Marcus Smart
Carroll is fulfilling exactly the kind of role Toronto envisioned when the Raptors handed him $60 million this summer, and his performance tonight (21 points, five boards, two steals, two dimes, four 3-pointers, 8-of-16 shooting) is an illustration of the type of versatility he’s capable of contributing to your fantasy team. DeRozan (23 points, seven boards, six assists, two steals, 12-of-14 FTs) and Kyle Lowry (14 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, three steals, two blocks, 8-of-10 FTs) combined to do it all except shoot well from the field with an ugly 8-of-26 performance. Valanciunas followed up his monstrous opening game with a flat six points and 10 boards in 23 minutes, and his inconsistency will continue to limit his ceiling until proven otherwise. Terrence Ross also chipped in 21 points (8-of-12) in 21 minutes, but he can continue to be ignored in 12-team formats.
There wasn’t a lot to see here despite Boston’s 103 points, and although Smart disappointed in 28.5 minutes (six points, three rebounds, three assists, 2-of-11 shooting), Thomas certainly did not with 25 points, seven assists and two steals (10-of-11 FTs)…The Pizza Guy is poised to deliver all season long. Lee (six points, six rebounds, 17 minutes) has been a major disappointment for owners who thought they’d be getting a cheap source of points and rebounds, but the big man rotation is real—and it’s not spectacular—for Brad Stevens’ Celtics. Lee, Tyler Zeller, Amir Johnson, Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger all played between 14-19 minutes, and it’s going to be a guessing game as to which performs on any given night. In other words, it’s a situation for owners to avoid.
Chicago @ Detroit: Pistons 98, Bulls 94 (OT)
Studs: Nikola Mirotic, Marcus Morris, Andre Drummond
Duds: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Ersan Ilyasova, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The good times keep rolling for Mirotic and his owners, and after 22 more points tonight (three 3-pointers) to go along with six boards and two steals on 7-of-14 shooting, Mirotic is now averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 3.3 3-pointers on a sizzling 18-of-35 from the field…Don’t expect him to slow down anytime soon, either. With Noah (two points, three rebounds, two assists) reduced to a bench role playing under 20 minutes per game, Mirotic (and Pau Gasol-16 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, three blocks, 7-of-14 shooting) will be here to stay all season long. Jimmy Butler slogged his way to a double-double (23 points, 11 rebounds, three steals), and although he shot 12-of-14 from the free throw line, Buckets managed to connect on just 5-of-19 from the field. Butler’s production was needed with Rose contributing just eight points and six assists on 4-of-13 shooting.
Drummond’s feast continues (20 points, 20 rebounds, two steals, two blocks), and it didn’t even take the first week of the season to come and go before we saw our first 20-20 effort of the year…I think Drummond will have at least 10 of those efforts this season so long as he remains healthy. Needless to say, I’m quite high on the “other” AD. The “other” Morris twin continues to light it up in Detroit, and Marcus (26 points, seven boards, two triples, 10-of-15 shooting) is now averaging 19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 3-pointers through three games. Despite a second straight clunker from Ilyasova (two points, five rebounds) and KCP (six points, 2-of-12 shooting) going MIA, the Pistons now sit at 3-0.
Charlotte @ Atlanta: Hawks 97, Hornets 94
Studs: Marvin Williams, Paul Millsap, Kent Bazemore*
Duds: Jeff Teague
You probably didn’t know that Williams has started the season with consecutive double-double’s, and he’s playing major minutes in the process as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s replacement in the starting lineup…don’t be afraid to jump on adding Marv despite his ‘crusty vet’ reputation unless you believe in Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky right now…I don’t. Clearly the team was craving a trip to In-N-Out, because Nicolas Batum (14 points, 11 rebounds, seven turnovers) and Al Jefferson (10 points, 11 rebounds, one steal, two blocks) each had a double-double of their own, as well.
Millsap is on a mission after getting paid, and after another 18 points, 10 boards, four assists, two steals, two blocks and two triples on Friday, the underappreciated forward is averaging 16.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.7 3-pointers. Bazemore’s big evening (19 points, nine rebounds, four triples) was fueled by Kyle Korver’s (ankle) absence, while the dual point guard lineup of Teague (14 points, four assists) and Dennis Schroder (14 points, five rebounds, two dimes, two steals) did absolutely nothing for fantasy despite leading to a win in reality.
Washington @ Milwaukee: Wizards 118, Bucks 113
Studs: John Wall, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Michael Carter-Williams
Duds: Otto Porter
Wall’s 4-of-10 shooting isn’t as bad as it looks upon first glance, and with 19 points, 10 assists, two steals, a block and a triple (10-of-10 FTs), the All-Star point guard did more than enough to make it up elsewhere. Bradley Beal scored 26 points (five 3-pointers!) in just 30 minutes, but he didn’t do anything else beyond turning it over five times. Ramon Sessions hit the hot tub time machine for a quick 23-point dip, but he is not going to be a recommended play with the starting backcourt healthy and in the year 2015. The good news for Porter is that the minutes (31) are there, but the production (six points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, one three) hasn’t quite matched up yet. There’s no guarantee it ever will, but he has the potential to be a rare member of the VIP 1-1-1 (steal/block/3-pointer) club.
Alphabet wasted no time returning from his one-game suspension and lit it up with 27 points, nine rebounds and three steals (9-of-15 shooting, 8-of-10 FTs) before fouling out. It was nice to see Khris Middleton rebound from a very mediocre debut with 18 points, three boards, five helpers, a steal and a triple, but those who spent a mid-round pick to land him surely want to see more. If MCW can sustain production bordering around the line he produced on Friday (13 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, one steal, two blocks, 6-of-12 shooting, 35.5 minutes), he’ll emerge as one of the biggest steals of fantasy drafts…but there is a lot of season remaining.
Brooklyn @ San Antonio: Spurs 102, Nets 75
Studs: Kawhi Leonard
Duds: Joe Johnson, Thaddeus Young, Danny Green
What do you think Gregg Popovich said to his team at halftime when they were losing to the Nets and staring an 0-2 start in the face? I have a few ideas, none of them will be mentioned here…but maybe it scared Danny Green, who finished with just eight points, four boards and two triples. Once the Spurs got going, it was the latest episode of the Kawhi show (16 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, one block) with the combined efforts of LaMarcus Aldridge (10 points, 11 rebounds, one block) and Tim Duncan (15 points, eight rebounds) that put Brooklyn to bed. As if it needed to be said, LMA is simply not the same (fantasy) player he was while in Portland.
For the Nets, Johnson’s two points (1-of-7 shooting) in 25 minutes has to be concerning considering he’s now managed to make just five of his first 22 shot attempts this season…while Young didn’t fare much better (nine points, seven rebounds, 4-of-11 shooting), the entire Brooklyn roster stunk it up so foul that even a skunk would find the odor offensive.
Minnesota @ Denver: Timberwolves 95, Nuggets 78
Studs: Karl-Anthony Towns
Duds: Danilo Gallinari
I thought Towns would be a fantasy star…I didn’t dream it could have happened this fast. With a soul-crushing 28 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks on 11-of-19 shooting, KAT is now averaging 21.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks on 17-of-29 shooting and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. Is that good? I think that’s pretty good. Andrew Wiggins (18 points, four rebounds, sore back) and Ricky Rubio (12 points, five boards, eight assists) played a supporting role while Towns feasted on the McNuggets all night long.
After a blazing hot start, Gallinari (10 points, two rebounds, 4-of-13 shooting) was locked down by the wily veteran Tayshaun Prince and could never get it going. Emmanuel Mudiay scored 15 points on 15 shots, but with more turnovers (four) than assists (2) for the second straight contest, the rookie now has 13 dimes and 15 turnovers through his first two NBA games.
Golden State @ Houston: Warriors 112, Rockets 92
Studs: Stephen Curry
Duds: Klay Thompson, James Harden, Dwight Harden, Terrence Jones
Chef Harden (16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, 4-of-18 shooting) couldn’t find the home cooking, and a 10-for-39 start from the field over his first two games—including an eye-popping 3-of-22 from distance—is not going to help anyone…especially those who spent a top-five pick on The Beard. Howard’s season debut didn’t go as well as he probably would have liked (nine points, seven rebounds, 4-of-11 shooting, five fouls), and those who still believe D12 is capable of being an elite fantasy option are only fooling themselves. It would be nice to see Mr. Jones (four points, four rebounds, 18 minutes) do something with the golden opportunity he’s been given while Donatas Motiejunas (back) is rehabbing, but so far, not so good for fourth-year player who left Friday’s game (without returning) after requiring stitches near his right eye.
Thompson now has 20 points on 18 shots through his first two games, and after leaving Friday’s game with a seemingly minor back issue, he’s worth rolling the dice on as a buy-low candidate from an impatient, finicky owner. Unlike his opposition in the kitchen, Chef Curry whipped the Rockets (25 points, seven boards, six dimes, four triples) like he was getting ready to put Houston on top of his afternoon Frappuccino.
Los Angeles @ Sacramento: Kings 132, Lakers 114
Studs: DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Rajon Rondo
Duds: Julius Randle, Ben McLemore
The Kings won this game before the first quarter was over, and that tells you all you need to know about the current state of the Lakers. In a game quickly turned blowout, Cousins still managed to put up 21 points, 11 boards, two blocks and shot 11-of-14 from the stripe in just 28.5 minutes…Cousins is a top-5 fantasy player in terms of upside alone. Rondo had his welcome to Sacramento game with 21 points, eight helpers and even hit a three, but Darren Collison (14 points, three assists) is lurking right behind. After barely seeing the floor in his NBA debut, Cauley-Stein went off for 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks on 7-of-8 shooting. I need to see way more before I’m ready to buy in, and anything any player does against the Lakers is viewed through a certain lens.
Randle was the Lakers’ bright spot in a crushing opening-night loss, but he was invisible (three points, 1-of-4 shooting, five turnovers) against a frontline that punished him into a foul-plagued 16 minutes. Kobe Bryant had 13 points on 12 shots, and Jordan Clarkson was really the only positive fantasy development (22 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 2-of-3 3-pointers) for a team that is already in need of soul searching.
Portland @ Phoenix: Suns 110, Blazers 92
Studs: Al-Farouq Aminu
Duds: Meyers Leonard
The C.J. McCollum experience wasn’t quite as live as it was on opening night, and the Lehigh product took more shots (22) than points scored (16) in Portland’s loss. Given the Blazers talent level and McCollum’s role on the team, there will be alternating nights of elation and frustration for those who have him on the roster. Damian Lillard didn’t fare much better with 24 points on 7-of-20 shooting to pair with seven turnovers, but Leonard was the real no-show with 17.5 minutes of bad basketball, culminating in an 0-of-5 performance for the rotund scoring donut. Despite the team playing in the desert, Aminu (16 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, two threes, six TOs) was the only hot Blazers player on the evening.
Led by Eric Bledsoe’s 22 points, the Suns got a true team effort with six different players in double figures. Brandon Knight contributed18 points to go along with three steals and two triples on 7-of-14 from the field, while T.J. Warren came off the bench and filled it up like we’ve been waiting to see with 17 points (7-of-10 shooting) in just 22 minutes of action. Warren should be owned in all 12-team leagues, and I’d even roster him in a 10-team league due to his upside and how much the Phoenix coaching staff seemingly values him.
Injury Report
Atlanta Hawks
Mike Muscala (right ankle sprain)-Expected to miss several games.
Kyle Korver (rest)-Hawks will be conservative on back-to-backs after offseason surgery to his right ankle.
Charlotte Hornets
Troy Daniels (left hamstring strain)-Day-to-day.
Denver Nuggets
Wilson Chandler (right hip strain)-Expected to miss 7-10 more days.
Golden State Warriors
Andrew Bogut (concussion)-Day-to-day.
Klay Thompson (back)-Day-to-day.
Houston Rockets
Terrence Jones (eye)-Day-to-day, Jones got stiches in Friday’s game near his right eye and did not return.
Milwaukee Bucks
John Henson (sore left Achilles)-Day-to-day.
O.J. Mayo (hamstring)-Day-to-day.
Portland Trail Blazers
Gerald Henderson (left hip surgery)-Out indefinitely.
Cliff Alexander (torn cartilage in left knee)-Hoping to avoid surgery, not on the fantasy radar.
Washington Wizards
Alan Anderson (left ankle surgery)-Anderson is trying to work his way back from two procedures to the same ankle.
Martell Webster (partially torn labrum in right hip)-Webster is hoping to avoid surgery that would end his season.
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