The Daily Dose: Dose: Christmas Day in the NBA
There was a trade on Thursday and a nice five-game slate set up for Christmas Day. Here’s a glimpse of what we might see today.
On the trade front, the Sixers picked up Ish Smith, who was being completely ignored in New Orleans after a hot start to the season, for a pair of second-round picks. Smith might eventually move into the starting lineup, unseating Kendall Marshall, while the Sixers will reportedly waive Tony Wroten to make room for Smith. Smith played for the Sixers last season and played well at the end of the year, but even with Wroten gone, the Sixers still have Marshall and T.J. McConnell, who will get some point guard minutes, as well as Isaiah Canaan, who has been starting at shooting guard. Wroten’s been awful thus far, but that doesn’t mean another team won’t pick him up. However, he’s clearly not worth holding onto right now.
If you need a point guard, pick Smith up in case this works out. As a reminder, he averaged 12.4 points, 8.4 assists and 1.1 steals in November while filling in for Jrue Holiday, before being sent to the outhouse when Holiday came back.
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Christmas Day Preview
Noon: New Orleans @ Miami – The Pelicans should come into this one pretty healthy and waxed the Blazers on Wednesday after struggling for much of the season. Anthony Davis, Tyreke Evans, Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday should all make for fine plays today, while Eric Gordon always has a chance to do something as long as he’s starting. Alexis Ajinca is iffy with a calf injury, not that it matters.
The Heat should get big games from Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside and Dwyane Wade, while Luol Deng and Gerald Green could also make some noise. Green was quiet on Tuesday, but had scored in double digits in his previous seven games. Who knows how he’ll play today, but if he gets hot off the bench, he could be a difference maker in DFS. Point guard Goran Dragic missed Tuesday’s game with a wrist and thumb injury. He’s listed as probable for today’s game, meaning Beno Udrih will likely return to his bench role. Udrih had 14 points and six dimes on Tuesday, but won’t be a fantasy option if Dragic plays. Reserve guard Tyler Johnson is iffy with a shoulder injury.
2:30: Chicago @ Oklahoma City – Joakim Noah could miss a month with his shoulder injury, creating more opportunities for Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis, and the timing stinks, as Noah was finally starting to play well. Derrick Rose, Gasol and Jimmy Butler should all play a lot of minutes today and come in rested, as the Bulls haven’t played since Monday, when they lost to the Nets. They’ve lost three straight games after winning four in a row. Mirotic started in that one and with Noah’s injury, hopefully Mirotic is finally ready to get hot again. Gibson also started in that one, giving him some hope as well, but if I were taking a flier on one of them, it would be Mirotic. Portis was a hot pickup after he was finally freed on Saturday. He went off for 20 points and 11 rebounds, but then played just 14 minutes for six points and two boards on Monday. I’m fine with picking him up, but I’m not cutting a good player to get him.
The Thunder are rolling and Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka are the only players you want to mess with here. They’ve won three straight and crushed the Lakers on Wednesday, and while Andre Roberson scored 15 points with two steals and four blocks, and Steven Adams added seven rebounds, a steal and two blocks in that one, I still don’t trust either of them.
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