Sunday Daily Dose: Dose: Nikola Jokic's Breakout
Anyone who has read my work routinely knows how I feel about Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, and although he should have been rostered prior to this point in any fantasy league that exceeds eight teams, Saturday’s performance signed, sealed and delivered him as a must-own, must-start player for the second half of the NBA season.
A seven-pack Saturday featured Golden State barely surviving Philadelphia’s wrath, New Orleans getting Anthony Davis back as well as having a healthy Jrue Holiday near his peak, and James Harden pouring it in again in spite of his team letting him down. Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins are both dealing with injuries, the Cavs romped the Spurs and the Sunday Dose recaps it all in detail.
Golden State @ Philadelphia: Warriors 108, Sixers 105
On a night that was nearly filled with free cheesesteaks for everyone, the Sixers gave their Philadelphia home crowd a real reason to provide a standing ovation.
Outscoring the Warriors by 16 in the final frame, the seven-win Sixers nearly pulled off the stunner of the NBA season. Philadelphia had seven different player in double-digit scoring, led by Isaiah Canaan’s (wrist) 18 points to pair with five triples and four steals without a single turnover. The three-point sniper will have an intriguing line like this once every so often, but it’s just his fourth game with 10-plus points in January, and production is too inconsistent to rely upon for a role on your fantasy roster. For matchup purposes, Jahlil Okafor (13 pts) came off the bench behind Jerami Grant, and although the rookie has shot over 50% from the field in all but one January contest, his game currently doesn’t run at the speed at which the Sixers want to move up and down the floor with the Ish Smith (16 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast) to Nerlens Noel connection (9 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk) on and poppin’. Dropping Robert Covington, who is now averaging 14.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 3.2 triples over his last five games, continues to look like a regrettable move.
Despite a sloppy, carless fourth quarter, the Warriors took home another win thanks to a clutch corner three from the struggling Harrison Barnes, who needed that shot and finished with 11 points, six boards, two steals and three triples in what was arguably Barnes’ best game since returning from his ankle injury. He’s not a guy I’m too excited about with The Splash Brothers dominating the ball and Draymond Green’s role growing by the day, but Barnes shouldn’t be on the waiver wire in formats with at least 10 teams. Dray almost had another Day, finishing with 10 points, 13 boards, nine dimes, two steals and a block with seven turnovers, while Stephen Curry’s stat-stuffing effort of 23 points, five boards, six assists, a steal, two blocks and five triples almost wasn’t enough alongside Klay Thompson’s 32 points (four triples) on 14-of-26 from the floor. Andrew Bogut, who came into the win averaging a very average 5.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in January, collected double-digit rebounds (16) for just the third time this month, but it’s worth noting that Festus Ezeli (knee) and Andre Iguodala (rest) were both out of the lineup, as well.
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Detroit @ Toronto: Raptors 111, Pistons 107
If you’re rostering Andre Drummond—who somehow managed to foul out after going the entire first half without a whistle against him—you know the deal with his free throws, and you’ve been punting the category all season. The big man has made just 3-of-17 from the stripe over his last two games, but he’s averaged 15.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks on 60.9% shooting in the process…It’s never been more evident to see why Stan Van Gundy wanted Aron Baynes (11 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk) on the roster, and SVG said after the game that Drummond’s “head isn’t where it needs to be.” Detroit’s fourth quarter run came without AD and Ersan Ilyasova (DNP, adductor) on the floor, instead led by Brandon Jennings (22 pts, 5 3PM) and the Pistons’ bench squad. That meant less time for Reggie Jackson, who has struggled on back-to-back nights (14.0 pts, 3.5 ast, 40.7% shooting) and has been very underwhelming in January that includes a miniature two-game hot streak bolstered by cushy matchups vs. Utah and Philadelphia. Stanley Johnson struggled to take advantage of a longer leash without Ghostface Ilya with just 12 points on 13 shot attempts, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played through a possible oblique tweak, chipping in 15 points, five boards and two steals.
It’s not an accident that both Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan made the Eastern Conference All-Star roster. The Raptors are one of the NBA’s most underappreciated good teams, and the Lowry-DeRozan backcourt belongs in the conversation for the NBA’s best in the non-Splash Brothers division. Although Lowry struggled with his shot (4-of-15 FG) and weirdly failed to hand out a single assist for the first time all season, the pint-sized pit bull still finished with 18 points, eight boards and three steals, while DeRozan scored 29 points to pair with three boards, four dimes and two steals on a crisp 9-of-10 from the foul line. DeRozan’s game has really evolved to so much more beyond scoring this season, and it’s really elevated his appeal as a result. Without DeMarre Carroll, the Raptors continue to rely on Cory Joseph, who has averaged 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 61.8% from the floor over his last four games. CoJo is worth a look for those in need of a low-end guard, but his lack of peripheral stats hinders his fantasy ceiling. On a night where Jonas Valanciunas struggled, Bismack Biyombo (12 pts, 13 reb, 3 blk) did not, but the rim-protecting big man isn’t worth a look in standard leagues so long as JV is healthy.
Brooklyn @ New Orleans: Pelicans 105, Nets 103
Jrue Holiday, who hit the go-ahead three and then the subsequent game-winning shot to close out Saturday’s win, is now averaging 27.7 points, 8.0 assists and 2.0 steals on 48.4% shooting over his last three games. He’s really looked good since 2016 began, and Jrue’s value is in line to skyrocket so long as his leg holds up with Tyreke Evans (DNP, knee) staring a potential shutdown in the face. Holiday is one of my favorite second-half assets to roster on your team. Although Jrue stole the show, Anthony Davis—who failed to score in the first half—made an emphatic return from his concussion, finishing with 20 points, 16 rebounds, three dimes and two blocks with just one turnover, but he did sustain—and then play through—an apparent left wrist injury. Omer Asik has looked better in January than at any other point this season, and although he’s averaged 7.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks over his last two, you have to be really desperate—and in a league with a very thin waiver wire—to add the veteran to your squad. Ryan Anderson, who has scored 20 or more in four straight games, is averaging 26.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 triples during that stretch, and his role in the Pelicans’ offense alongside a healthy Davis further limits Asik’s already capped appeal.
Brook Lopez’s monstrous stat line of 33 points—a season-high for the center—10 rebounds, three steals and four blocks on 13-of-23 shooting wasn’t enough for the Nets to pull out the upset victory, and that’s because he didn’t have much help beyond Thaddeus Young (16 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, 7-of-11 FG), Joe Johnson (10 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) or Wayne Ellington (18 pts, five triples). At this point, Lopez and Young are the only names I would want anywhere near my fantasy team off of Brooklyn’s roster, and the days of Shane Larkin intrigue came and went with the ferocity of a baby chipmunk in the night. That’s no knock against Johnson as Joe Jesus has played much better in January than any other month this season, but the upside isn’t there, his role is too uncertain with the trade deadline looming and Johnson doesn’t elevate anybody’s team to a different plane in fantasy or reality.
Denver @ Indiana: Pacers 109, Nuggets 105 (OT)
It’s comical to think Nikola Jokic hasn’t been called a must-own player until the last week or two. After racking up 16 points, 11 boards and a career-high five steals in Saturday’s loss, Jokic is now averaging 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks over his last five games. Joffrey Lauvergne (toe) was a DNP-CD, and an out-of-shape Jusuf Nurkic is a non-threat to Jokic’s role. If The Joker is somehow still available in your league, you need to go all in to get him. The Nuggets’ youth has been fun to watch of late with Emmanuel Mudiay (11 pts, 5 reb, 8 ast) looking much better since returning from his ankle injury and Gary Harris impressing in extended run as the starting two guard. Over his last five games, Harris checks in with 13.2 points, 2.6 boards, 1.2 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.6 triples, making him worth a long look in almost every format. Kenneth Faried added his second double-double in three games with 16 points and 12 rebounds, and the Manimal now has an In-N-Out special in four of his last six games. Despite a healthy Danilo Gallinari, the inconsistent Will Barton remains a hold and is not someone you should sell at a depressed price on the market.
It’s a good thing Monta Ellis (32 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast, 4 3PM, 3 stl) is starting to have it all once again, because there is going to be a lot on his shoulders with Rodney Stuckey (foot/ankle) out through at least the All-Star break. Starting in place of Ian Mahinmi (sore lower back), Jordan Hill exploded for 20 points, seven boards, three dimes, a steal and six blocks on a blistering 9-of-13 shooting, but the more exciting news is Myles Turner (8 pts, 9 reb, 4 blk) playing a whopping 40 minutes, showcasing both his floor and tantalizing ceiling during his time on the floor. Now locked into big minutes regardless of which bigs are healthy around him, the 19-year-old’s racecar has been fueled with premium octane as he makes impressive progress on the fantasy basketball highway. There are only so many minute for Hill when Turner and Mahinmi are healthy, so C.J. Miles, who was at one time an asset earlier this season, has fallen off Planet Relevancy, leaving GMs no reason to have the veteran shooter on their fantasy teams given his current role.
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