The Daily Dose: Dose: Uh Oh, Not Oladipo!
Just when you thought that the injuries would slow down around the NBA, Victor Oladipo was diagnosed with a knee sprain and has already been ruled out of Monday’s game vs. the Hawks. The worst part about this injury is that Dipo was playing the best basketball of his season, averaging 20.4 points, 6.0 boards, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 3.6 3-pointers over his last five games. The Magic haven’t released a timetable, but hopefully it’s just a minor sprain. Elfrid Payton will draw the start in his absence, so plug him back into lineups if you’re looking for assists and steals.
As for Sunday’s games, Tony Parker (sore hip), Gerald Green (knee tendinitis) and Julius Randle all suffered injuries, but fortunately they all sound relatively minor. Russell Westbrook is still a monster and recorded another triple-double, The Wolves and Spurs both won in emphatic fashion, while the Rockets and Nuggets also added another W to the win column tonight. Let’s get right to the action.
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Wolves 117, Suns 87
It’s not often that the Wolves blow out an opponent, but the Suns aren’t exactly the most talented team in the NBA. Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio both played well in limited minutes, scoring 18 points each. Rubio added three assists, two boards, two steals and two triples, while Wiggins had four boards and four assists. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 14 with eight boards and three blocks, and he could return top-20 value to his owners the rest of the way. It’s early, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take him in the first round of drafts next season.
Zach LaVine and Gorgui Dieng both took advantage of some garbage time with LaVine scoring 11 points with three assists, four steals and two 3-pointers, while Dieng finished with 15 points, six boards, one block and a steal in 18 minutes. I’m not calling LaVine a must-own guy if you need production right now, but he is an elite stash for the final stretch. I feel the same way about Dieng, but it worries me that he wasn’t the first big off the bench on Sunday (Nemanja Bjelica was).
Shabazz Muhammad was also solid with 11 points and eight boards in 26 minutes, but will someone please tell coach Sam Mitchell that Tayshaun Prince (27 minutes) is past his prime. There is no reason for a 35-year-old veteran to play that many minutes in a rebuilding season. OK, I’m done venting.
Brandon Knight dropped 20 points on 9-of-20 shooting to pace the Suns, but he turned the ball over six times and had just one assist. That’s obviously not what you want from your starting point guard, and while he should be a lot better moving forward, I’m worried that the Suns could reduce his role down the stretch because the Suns will inevitably start tanking. Markieff Morris started again and scored 17 points with five boards, three assists and three steals, but the Suns are just showcasing him for potential trades. Let someone else deal with that headache. At least he stopped throwing towels at his coach for now.
Devin Booker scored 11 points with no other stats, but his future is bright and he is still a hold in standard leagues. Tyson Chandler (eight points, eight boards), P.J. Tucker (four points, seven boards, five assists) and Mirza Teletovic (two points, one board) were all underwhelming, and I don’t trust any of them moving forward. T.J. Warren played just 21 minutes with seven points and two blocks, but he is just a stash for when Morris is traded.
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Thunder 99, Heat 74
Russell Westbrook led the Thunder to their fourth straight win, recording his second straight triple-double in the process. He finished with 13 points, 15 assists, 10 boards, two steals and one 3-pointer, though he did shoot just 5-of-16 from the field with three turnovers. He was obviously camping under the rim for multiple possessions and leaving his defender to get his 10th rebound, but he can do what he wants when his team is up 20. Westbrook is a beast.
Kevin Durant was excellent as usual with 24 points, 10 boards, three assists, three steals and three triples, while Serge Ibaka scored 19 with seven boards. Ibaka didn’t record any blocks, though. Dion Waiters added 18 points off the bench, while impressive rookie Cameron Payne took a step back with zero points and two assists in 15 minutes. Payne is just a handcuff for Westbrook, but keep an eye on him.
Dwyane Wade played through two sore shoulders on his way to 22 points and three assists, so he is going to be fine for Tuesday’s game vs. the Bucks. Tyler Johnson started at point guard with Goran Dragic (calf) and Beno Udrih (neck) both out of commission, and he played really well with 16 points, six boards, four assists and two treys in 39 minutes. Dragic could be out a little while and Udrih could miss more time as well, so Johnson is worth a serious look if you need a guard.
Chris Bosh was relatively quiet with 12 points and four boards with a couple of blocks and steals, but he won’t be going up against Ibaka every night. Durant defended him well, too. Gerald Green left the game after 12 minutes with knee tendinitis and never returned, so he should be considered questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. the Bucks. The injury doesn’t sound serious, but Justise Winslow will benefit if he misses time.
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