Sunday Daily Dose: Dose: Golden Young Bucks
This is the type of team the Milwaukee Bucks envisioned when constructing this roster together. A lengthy, energetic lineup capable of creating matchup problems all over the floor, the Bucks provided an energy into the BMO Harris Bradley Center that it hasn’t seen in some time.
Carmelo Anthony is starting to turn it on for the New York Knicks, Raymond Felton—yes, that Raymond Felton—has been doing it for Dallas Mavericks and Joakim Noah’s role is finally about to rightfully grow for the Chicago Bulls.
Los Angeles (C) @ Brooklyn: Clippers 105, Nets 100
Studs
DeAndre Jordan: 12 pts, 12 reb, 2 stl, 0 TO, 5-of-6 FGs
Chris Paul: 15 pts, 2 reb, 14 ast, 3 stl, 3 TO, 6-of-15 FGs
Blake Griffin: 21 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO, 10-of-19 FGs
J.J. Redick: 21 pts, 4 3PM, 1 TO, 6-of-11 FGs
Jarrett Jack: 16 pts, 5 reb, 11 ast, 1 stl, 3 TO, 4-of-10 FGs
Duds
N/A
After scoring more than 20 points just once all season, J.J. Redick has now achieved the fate twice in his last three games. With 10 triples on a blazing 17-of-29 from the field, a sell-high move a triples-needy owner would be a wise move to make.
Blake Griffin is near the top of the draft day bargain list with his MVP season, and there’s no incentive to trade an anchor of your squad who is locked into major minutes. Blake has now taken 15-plus shots in every game except for one since November 24, and has logged six double-double performances during that stretch. Most people don’t realize quite how good Griffin has been, and his season averages (24.0 pts, 9.0 reb, 4.8 ast) will actually move down after this one.
Bojan Bogdanovic’s role as the starting two appears secure, but despite big minutes (39), Bogdanovic isn’t a waiver wire pickup that is going to change the ceiling of your team. Shane Larkin (eye) lasted just six minutes in this game, and those who’ve taken a flier should hold until we know more. There’s a real role for Larkin in Brooklyn, and neither Markel Brown nor Wayne Ellington are playing it.
Editor’s Note: This is your chance to try FanDuel risk free! Sign up today and if you lose your first contest, you’ll be refunded the entry fee up to $10. Play now.
Boston @ Charlotte: Celtics 98, Hornets 93
Studs
Isaiah Thomas: 21 pts, 5 reb, 13 ast, 2 3PM, 2 TO, 8-of-16 FGs
Duds
Jared Sullinger: 4 pts, 7 reb, 1 stl, 1 TO, 2-of-5 FGs
Kelly Olynyk: 8 pts, 4 reb, 1 TO, 4-of-13 FGs
Jeremy Lamb: 9 pts, 3 reb, 1 stl, 1 TO, 3-of-11 FGs
Although both Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk struggled in a matchup where each should have fared better, now isn’t the time to bail on either. The same can’t be said for Jeremy Lamb, who has now played 22.5 minutes or fewer in six straight games. For the third time in four contests, Lamb had more shots (11) than points (9), and he can’t help your fantasy team if the minutes aren’t there. If you wanted to cut Lamb for someone like Allen Crabbe, I could certainly get behind that move.
It’s going to be incredibly difficult for Brad Stevens to even consider moving Isaiah Thomas out of the starting lineup once Marcus Smart is back in the fold, and Avery Bradley (23 points, four triples, no turnovers) has played above expectations on the offensive end of the floor.
Even inefficient games from Kemba Walker (16 pts, 6 boards, 4 dimes, 5-of-15 FGs) and Nicolas Batum (21 pts, 8 reb, 9-of-21 FGs) are productive in a season where those two are carrying their team, and there’s no reason to sell high on either player. They’re multi-cat studs.
Indiana @ Detroit: Pistons 118, Pacers 96
Studs
Reggie Jackson: 21 pts, 9 ast, 2 3PM, 1 TO, 8-of-17 FGs
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 18 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl, 1 blk, 2 3PM, 1 TO, 5-of-12 FGs
Ersan Ilyasova: 20 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk, 2 3PM, 0 TO, 9-of-13 FGs
Duds
Paul George: 13 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 4 TO, 4-of-16 FGs
C.J. Miles: 7 pts, 0 TO, 3-of-7 FGs
Andre Drummond: 8 pts, 11 reb, 2 blk, 2 TO, 4-of-11 FGs
Andre Drummond’s disappointing game in a matchup he should have dominated didn’t prevent the Pistons from getting a win, but an inefficient Drummond who isn’t posting video game numbers isn’t the player those with A.D. need him to be. Considering the big man was coming in averaging 18.0 pts and 17.5 rebounds over his last two coming into this one, we’ll give Drummond a pass.
Ersan Ilyasova has really stepped up his efforts of late. The veteran forward came into the blowout win averaging 13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.0 triples through six December games, and he needed just 29 minutes to do his damage on Saturday.
It was a tough night at the office for Paul George, but nothing was working for the Pacers on a night where George Hill’s 14 points led the team. George one and two were the only starters to play more than 30 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back, and although C.J. Miles was back in the starting lineup in place of Lavoy Allen, he managed just seven points and a single three—the first time he’s failed to crack double-digits since December began.
San Antonio @ Atlanta: Spurs 103, Hawks 78
Studs
Kawhi Leonard: 22 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, 5 stl, 2 TO, 7-of-13 FGs
Paul Millsap: 22 pts, 5 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk, 2 3PM, 3 TO, 9-of-13 FGs
Duds
Tim Duncan: 4 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast, 4 TO, 2-of-6 FGs
Jeff Teague: 4 pts, 5 TO, 0-of-5 FGs
Kent Bazemore: 9 pts, 2 stl, 0 TO, 4-of-11 FGs
Gregg Popovich is in the business of providing reminders, and he gave his old crony Mike Budenholzer an emphatic one with the 25-point victory.
While Kawhi Leonard continues to be everything and more for anyone fortunate enough to land him on draft day, Tim Duncan has now failed to score more than eight points in five straight games. Despite getting 31 minutes on Saturday, T.D. took just six shots, and he’s had double-digit shot attempts just three times all season.
The Spurs didn’t get much from their starting backcourt in Tony Parker (8 pts, 4 dimes), and Danny Green (10 pts, 4 TO) continues to be a waste of a roster spot regardless of the format. I don’t know what you’re waiting for considering Green hasn’t done anything all year and has exactly one good game on the season.
Everyone on Atlanta’s roster except Paul Millsap—who is an absolute fantasy superstar—mailed this one in, but even a bad Al Horford game (9 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3-of-7 FGs) can provide something. After the game, Kent Bazemore said “a lot of guys left a lot of points on the floor,” and you have to wonder how Jeff Teague feels about that comment.
New Orleans @ Chicago: Bulls 98, Hornets 94
Studs
Anthony Davis: 22 pts, 13 reb, 4 blk, 4 TO, 8-of-24 FGs
Tyreke Evans: 22 pts, 8 ast, 2 3PM, 1 TO, 10-of-22 FGs
Joakim Noah: 10 pts, 9 reb, 4 blk, 0 TO, 3-of-4 FGs
Nikola Mirotic: 10 pts, 10 reb, 2 3PM, 0 TO 3-of-6 FGs
Duds
Jimmy Butler: 15 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk, 1 TO, 4-of-16 FGs
Derrick Rose: 9 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 TO, 4-of-10 FGs
Despite Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose combining for a whopping 24 points on 8-of-26 from the floor, the strong play from Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol (18 pts, 11 reb) fueled Chicago to a win. Although Nikola Mirotic has seen his role dramatically decreased, he’s now had two straight double-digit rebound games while playing very limited minutes. Those with Mirotic should continue to hold.
Noah played the most minutes he has in any game outside of a Denver 2 showdown vs. Denver, and it looks like Fred Hoiberg is preparing to increase Noah’s role. So long as the center’s health can hold up, there is no reason he shouldn’t be playing 25-plus minutes regularly…Before dropping his gem tonight, Noah was averaging 4.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.6 blocks in December, and comes as a recommended waiver wire scoop if he’s available in your league.
New Orleans played shorthanded without Jrue Holiday (rest) and Ryan Anderson (illness), and despite big efforts from both Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis, those two just couldn’t get enough support. Eric Gordon’s line (14 pts, 2 triples, 5-of-15 FGs) is representative of what those with him should realistically expect, and that’s just not good enough to get the job done. So long as Davis, Evans and Holiday—whose restrictions on back-to-back sets will be lifted in January—are all on the floor, there isn’t going to much room for Gordon to produce.
I mentioned Asik’s terrible contract in yesterday’s Dose. On Saturday, Asik came off the bench behind Alexis Ajinca. There is no reason to have Asik anywhere near your roster.
Los Angeles (L) @ Houston: Rockets 126, Lakers 97
Studs
Kobe Bryant: 25 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl, 4 3PM, 0 TO, 9-of-16 FGs
James Harden: 30 pts, 3 3PM, 2 TO, 11-of-21 FGs
Dwight Howard: 18 pts, 12 reb, 2 blk, 2 TO, 7-of-8 FGs
Clint Capela: 11 pts, 10 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO, 5-of-8 FGs
Duds
D’Angelo Russell: 12 pts, 4 ast, 3 stl, 4 TO, 5-of-14 FGs
Julius Randle: 7 pts, 10 reb, 3 TO, 3-of-11 FGs
Kobe Bryant’s best statistical effort of the season didn’t mean anything on a night where the Rockets got whatever they wanted from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
James Harden, Dwight Howard and Clint Capela all delivered incredibly efficient lines, while Terrence Jones (9 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk) and Ty Lawson (5 pts, 8 ast, 2 stl) each showed some signs of life. Jones is still a guy I want on all of my teams, but nothing has changed with Lawson. It’s hard to take too much away from this game considering the competition and the fact that the Lakers were concluding an epically long road trip, but it’s the third time in four games where Jones has received 20-plus minutes of burn. Baby steps.
Still forced to play without Jordan Clarkson (ankle), D’Angelo Russell remained aggressive and started hot, but quickly went ice cold and wasn’t able to find the range. Because Russell is going to be a volume shooter in order to get his at this stage of his career, it’s going to be hard for him to present real value on a night where the points aren’t coming. It’s hard to articulate just how much more assertive Russell has looked over his last few contests, and a team-high 37 minutes on Saturday is a good sign for what’s going to come as the season moves forward.
On a night where Kobe and a couple of veterans in Roy Hibbert (10 pts, 7 reb, 3 blk) and Lou Williams (15 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl) provided usable numbers, Julius Randle struggled for the second straight game. Incapable of playing his desired brand of Bully Ball when going against a sizable frontline, Randle ran into one again on Saturday vs. Houston.
Washington @ Dallas: Wizards 114, Mavericks 111
Studs
Otto Porter: 28 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 4 3PM, 1 TO, 11-of-18 FGs
John Wall: 26 pts, 5 reb, 16 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk, 3 3PM, 3 TO, 10-of-19 FGs
Ramon Sessions: 17 pts, 6 ast, 2 3PM, 3 TO, 5-of-8 FGs
Raymond Felton: 10 pts, 11 reb, 11 ast, 1 stl, 2 TO, 3-of-11 FGs
Wesley Matthews: 28 pts, 3 stl, 4 TO, 6 3PM, 10-of-17 FGs
Marcin Gortat: 14 pts, 12 reb, 1 blk, 0 TO, 7-of-9 FGs
Duds
Dirk Nowitzki: 13 pts, 6 reb, 2 blk, 0 TO, 3-of-9 FGs
Chandler Parsons: 8 pts, 3 reb, 1 TO, 3-of-9 FGs
Speaking strictly from a fantasy perspective, Bradley Beal’s (leg) injury is a worst-case scenario. It’s the fourth time that Beal has had issues with his right fibula during his pro career, and it’s difficult to see a scenario where Beal, who will be reevaluated in two weeks, doesn’t miss an extended period of time. In Beal’s place, Garret Temple will likely continue to start, but Ramon Sessions is my preferred fantasy play if you need to make a move.
Otto Porter, who has been good all season and dropped a career-high 28 points on Saturday, is poised to see an exponential rise in his usage without Beal on the floor. John Wall has now shown out with a double-double in four of his last five, and he’s scored at least 26 points in each of those games. Wall has also shot 50% or better in five straight, and to say he’s on fire would be an understatement.
Since dropping 10 triples a week ago, Wesley Matthews has started to turn a corner and appears ready to reward those who were patient enough to keep him on the roster. Chandler Parsons is a different story, and I don’t have the optimism some others might about his season-long outlook.
Raymond Felton has been cooking cupcakes in the kitchen over his last four games with averages of 11.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.3 steals, and his team-high 38.5 minutes on Saturday came with Devin Harris and J.J. Barea both playing big minutes.
Golden State @ Milwaukee: Bucks 108, Warriors 95
Studs
Draymond Green: 24 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 6 TO, 9-of-14 FGs
Stephen Curry: 28 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast, 2 3PM, 2 TO, 10-of-21 FGs
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 11 pts, 12 reb, 10 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk, 4 TO, 4-of-10 FGs
Jabari Parker: 19 pts, 7 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk, 2 TO, 9-of-14 FGs
Greg Monroe: 28 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast, 4 TO, 11-of-16 FGs
Michael Carter-Williams: 17 pts, 5 ast, 5 stl, 1 TO, 7-of-10 FGs
Duds
Klay Thompson: 12 pts, 3 ast, 2 3PM, 2 TO, 4-of-14 FGs
The Warriors finally lost on a night where the team was undoubtedly tired at the tail end of a grueling road trip, but let’s not take anything away from a Milwaukee team that may be just about ready to turn the corner.
Playing 43 minutes for the second straight night, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s triple-double was the secondary story to Greg Monroe’s dominant performance. Regularly drafted on Yahoo! Behind guys like Trevor Ariza, Mike Conley and Nerlens Noel, Monroe has been a consistent force inside all season long for fantasy teams and his new band of brothers.
Jabari Parker has now scored 10 or more points in six straight, and he posted season-high marks in points, shots made and shots attempted in Saturday’s win. O.J. Mayo (18 pts, four triples) has played well enough where he’ll continue to have a role even when Milwaukee’s backcourt gets a little healthier, but there’s no doubting that a bench role has lit a (necessary) fire under Michael Carter-Williams. MCW still isn’t someone I’m chasing, but I’m not mad if you need to fill a need at the expense of dead weight at the back end of your roster. The only Young Buck to struggle with his shot was Khris Middleton (7 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 3-of-12 FGs), but he did enough elsewhere—a very good sign—to make up for it.
The Warriors got Klay Thompson (ankle) back in the lineup, but he couldn’t give Draymond Green and Stephen Curry the support they needed to steal another victory and move to 25-0. The Green-Curry combo has orbited another fantasy planet with their production this season, and it’s going to be there all year long. Sit back and enjoy.
New York @ Portland: Knicks 112, Blazers 110
Studs
Carmelo Anthony: 37 pts, 6 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk, 2 3PM, 4 TO, 13-of-21 FGs
Duds
Kristaps Porzingis: 0 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 2 TO, 0-of-6 FGs
After a three game stretch where Carmelo Anthony scored 47 points on 46 shots, Melo has scored 60 points over his last two games. Averaging 30.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 3-pointers and a steal during that period, Anthony has also attempted 21 shots in back-to-back games, tied for his third highest mark of the season. It looks like Anthony may be ready to start delivering consistently, and with Kristaps Porzingis struggling over his last few games, it couldn’t come at a better time.
It was another game for Portland where the backcourt of Damian Lillard (29 pts, 8 reb) and C.J. McCollum (22 pts, 8-of-17 FGs) did the heavy lifting, but that combo now has a third Musketeer to saddle up alongside with Allen Crabbe (17 points, 6-of-11 FGs) emerging as a legitimate standard league option. Crabbe has scored 10-plus points in every December game, and his role is locked into place securely.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.
