The Daily Dose: Dose: Rudy (Gobert) can fail
There were nine games on Wednesday with a Kobe Bryant sighting, a random benching by Jason Kidd, a few troubling injuries (including some bad news on Rudy Gobert), and another win by the 20-0 Warriors. Let’s get to it, news and notes style. Follow me on Twitter by clicking here.
Before we get to the Warriors, Utah’s Rudy Gobert is now out indefinitely with a Grade 2 left MCL sprain, which is crushing news for many of us. Derrick Favors should slide over to center, with Trevor Booker getting power forward minutes. Booker is another sneaky add and DFS play as long as Gobert is out.
Warriors 116, Hornets 99 – I was on the radio in Charlotte yesterday and guess what the hosts wanted to talk about? That’s right, Nicolas Batum. Actually, despite having a great season, Batum’s name only came up once, courtesy of me, while the guys interviewing me only wanted to talk about Stephen Curry’s dominance and the fact the Warriors are undefeated under an interim coach (Luke Walton). I’m not going to lie…Curry and the Warriors are one of the most fun things to talk about in sports right now, but I did find it interesting that Curry and Kemba Walker’s “improved 3-point shooting” were the topics of choice, and not how well the Hornets are playing this season, sitting as the No. 7 seed if the playoffs started today.
In any case, Curry went crazy, as usual, with a 40-burger on 14-of-18 shooting, while he also hit 8-of-11 3-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws. He didn’t have a steal and committed five turnovers, but really, who cares? And the fact Luke Walton is at the helm of a 20-0 team is pretty fun. Maybe he’s the Lakers’ next coach and I’m surprised he’s not getting more love nationally, although I suspect that most of us think we could guide this team to a win every night. Just roll the ball out there and get some popcorn, right? Draymond Green hit just 2-of-9 shots, but still had 11 boards, nine dimes and three blocks to salvage his line, and Klay Thompson scored 21. That’s all you need to know, although the Brandon Rush experiment in Harrison Barnes’ absence isn’t really working out.
With Al Jefferson (calf) in street clothes, the Hornets started Cody Zeller, who fizzled in 17 minutes, while Spencer Hawes (12 & 5) and Frank Kaminsky (career-high 16 with three 3-pointers) played more minutes and more effectively. The jury’s still out on which one of these guys will step up while Jefferson is out indefinitely, but this round went to Kaminsky. As for Kemba’s diligence from beyond the arc, he hit just 2-of-16 shots and was 0-for-5 from downtown. Rick Bonnell wrote a column about Walker’s improved shooting Wednesday morning, so if you believe in jinxes and own Walker, Rick’s your scapegoat. As for my man Batum, the rebirth continued with 17 points, eight boards, three assists, three steals, two blocks and a 3-pointer. I just wish I wouldn’t have switched him out for Nerlens Noel in a couple dailies.
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Raptors 96, Hawks 86 – Bismack Biyombo started again and had seven points, eight boards and two blocks. If you need a center, it’s time to pick him up with Jonas Valanciunas (hand) out indefinitely. Kyle Lowry was great and DeMar DeRozan scored 17 in the win.
The Hawks got 13 points, five boards, two steals, two blocks and a three from Thabo Sefolosha, who is still starting over Kent Bazemore. I like Bazemore, but he’s not reliable if he’s not starting, and Sefolosha may have locked up the job with last night’s performance. Give Thabo a look. Baze hit just 2-of-9 shots off the bench, and Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague were both 5-of-16 from the floor, which is why the Hawks lost.
Lakers 108, Wizards 104 – Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour rolls on and he finally looked something like Kobe last night, hitting 10-of-24 shots and four 3-pointers for 31 points. He is starting to show up on waiver wires and I’m a fan of picking him up, just in case his legs start feeling better. He scored 12 in the fourth quarter last night and his legs not only looked a lot better, but he confirmed after the game that they felt better. And just because you own Kobe doesn’t mean you have to play him every night. Julius Randle had 15 & 19 with two steals and Jordan Clarkson stayed hot with 18 points and three steals. Clarkson, and not D’Angelo Russell, is the guy you want to be using in DFS on most nights, although Russell had 13 points, four steals and a decent line last night. Roy Hibbert was just awful, but I think he’ll bounce back.
John Wall is on fire right now and had 34 points, 11 dimes, two steals and three 3-pointers, and Marcin Gortat came through again with an 18-point double-double, two steals and a block. Jared Dudley started again, but hit just 3-of-5 shots for eight points and two 3-pointers, and I’m simply not as high on him as some of my Rotoworld cohorts. I mean he’s still Jared Dudley.
Pistons 127, Suns 122 OT – Stanley Johnson backed up his big night with a dud (2-of-7 shooting), Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris (24 points, 14 boards, two steals and three 3-pointers) both went off, and Ersan Ilyasova got hot with a season-high 23 points and three 3-pointers. Maybe Ilya is ready to start going off? Andre Drummond double-doubled again, which has become just another day at the office. With Morris playing so well it’s going to be tough for Stanley to break out.
Markieff Morris was out with a sore knee so Jon Leuer got the start. He did nothing in his previous game, but has been playing well lately and cashed in for 20 points, six boards, five assists, two steals, a block and two 3-pointers. I own him in a 30-team league and started him this week, and he looks like a decent DFS or standard-league option on nights when Morris is out. Alex Len fizzled after a big game (foul trouble and Drummond didn’t help), while Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight both played well for the Suns, despite some poor shooting. Mirza Teletovic is quietly heating up and hit 7-of-13 shots and four 3-pointers for 18 points. He’s averaging 13.4 points and 3.4 3-pointers over his last five games and also deserves a deep-league look. T.J. Warren has had trouble with consistency and the sudden rise of Teletovic isn’t doing him any favors. Guard Devin Booker scored 18 points with three 3-pointers in 23 minutes, but it has fluke written all over it.
Knicks 99, Sixers 87 – The Knicks stopped the Sixers’ one-game winning streak and got another big game from Kristaps Porzingis (17 & 10 with 4 blocks and 2 3-pointers), while Arron Afflalo added 13 points, eight boards, a steal and a 3-pointer. I think Afflalo could be ready to take off. Langston Galloway has fallen off a cliff and was 0-for-5 last night. You can do better on the wire with Afflalo back.
Jahlil Okafor was suspended for two games, putting Nerlens Noel in the starting lineup. Despite a perfect matchup and opportunity, he hit just 3-of-11 shots for six points and six boards, as his season of discontent continues. I don’t trust him, especially once Okafor is back. Jerami Grant fizzled by hitting just 2-of-10 shots and Robert Covington was mysteriously quiet on 3-of-8 shooting. Since I built some DFS teams around Grant, Covington and Noel, I’m not the happiest camper this morning. Isaiah Canaan is worth owning despite a poor shooting night, while Hollis Thompson (13) and JaKarr Sampson (12) led the Sixers in scoring. When Thompson and Sampson are leading the way, your team probably stinks.
Bulls 99, Nuggets 90 – Nikola Mirotic suffered a concussion early on Wednesday night and Joakim Noah (9 points, 11 boards, 4 blocks) had his best game of the season. Coincidence? Probably not. Noah had eight points and 11 boards in his previous game and with Mirotic likely to miss a week (my guess), Noah might be a sneaky grab. Pau Gasol went nuts with 26 points, 19 boards and four blocks on 12-of-19 shooting, and should also benefit with Mirotic shelved.
Kenneth Faried was limping on a sore ankle after the game, so watch for news. Nikola Jokic was benched to start the second half and had a bad night, while Joffrey Lauvergne hit just 3-of-13 shots for 11 points, seven boards and a block in 21 minutes. This is a full-blown timeshare either way, and I don’t trust either of them – especially if Jusuf Nurkic ever comes back. Emmanuel Mudiay was 2-of-13 and will start hitting waiver wires any minute. He could figure this out and be better after Christmas. Will Barton has scored in double digits in four straight games and had 16 points, eight boards and a 3-pointer last night. He’s tough to trust coming off the bench, but has been playing well for most of the season.
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