Saturday Dose: Dose: Damian Lillard's Leap
Damian Lillard is a bad man, and it’s all about how good he is on the basketball court. With two half dollars in less than a month, people are going to start asking Lillard what kind of hot sauce he keeps in his bag.
Hassan Whiteside is taking his game to a previously unforeseen level, tickets to The Giannis Antetokounmpo Point Guard Show are officially on sale and Rudy Gobert as The French Rejection is coming to theater near you.
Ready, set…Let’s Dose.
Phoenix @ Orlando: Suns 102, Magic 84
Studs: Alex Len, Ronnie Price; Elfrid Payton
Duds: Mirza Teletovic, Archie Goodwin; Aaron Gordon
Injuries: Victor Oladipo (DNP, back); Brandon Knight (DNP, groin)
Alex Len is being fed like Big Bertha, and his career night of 31 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks (10-of-22 FG, 11-of-14 FT) is just the latest evidence of what a difference-maker he has the potential to be down the stretch. Now with four straight double-doubles while playing at least 34 minutes in each contest, Len is averaging an emphatic 20.8 points, 14.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He’s a must-own, must-start player going forward. Aside from Len, Devin Booker—who followed up his own career-high 34 points with 14 points, four boards and six assists (no 3PM)—is the sole Sun I’d want on my fantasy team.
Only Earl Watson knows why Ronnie Price played a team-high 45 minutes, but the veteran PG posted a nice line that included five steals. If you haven’t already dropped Archie Goodwin, the time has come with Brandon Knight’s return possibly just around the corner. Price is not worth chasing on the wire. If you recently picked up Mirza Teletovic, stick with him as the minutes are there, the shots are flying and he simply had an off night.
Elfrid Payton’s big night (19 pts, 11 reb, 3 stl) came with Victor Oladipo sidelined, but that’s now three games of 10-plus dimes in Payton’s last four, including two double-doubles during the miniature run. Averaging 12.8 points, 9.0 assists and 1.8 steals on 51.2% shooting over his last four games, Payton has made a mockery of the idea that Brandon Jennings (no points, 14 minutes) was acquired to take his role. EP can go cold as quickly as he can run hot, so Payton’s owners need to be prepared for some inconsistency as the fantasy postseason comes into focus. Evan Fournier’s (wrist) uneventful return didn’t knock Mario Hezonja from the starting five with Oladipo down, and it’s worth noting that Hezonja played 33.5 minutes compared to 26 for Fournier. Unless there is a need for immediate production, count me in on stashing Super Mario even with some role uncertainty for the remainder of the campaign. Early foul trouble put Aaron Gordon in Scott Skiles’ doghouse and limited his production in a major way, but AG’s ephemeral trip to the sin bin isn’t something fantasy GMs need to lose sleep over.
Miami @ Philadelphia: Heat 112, Sixers 102
Studs: Dwyane Wade, Hassan Whiteside; Robert Covington, Ish Smith
Duds: Justise Winslow; Isaiah Canaan
Injuries: Nerlens Noel (DNP, knee), Jahlil Okafor (DNP, shin), Nik Stauskas (DNP, illness), Kendall Marshall (illness)
An amazing fact to begin our recap: Elton Brand—who actually played 13 minutes—was the only former first-round pick the Sixers had dressed in Friday’s loss. It’s even more incredible when considering this is the same team that used their one-time amnesty clause on EB’s contract. It’s all coming full circle.
Say it with me, everyone: I’m never considering cutting Robert Covington again. Checking in with 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and 4.0 3PM over his last two games, RoCo is making it happen at the right time without Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor on the court. The same can be said for Ish Smith, who is running hot over his last four with averages of 20.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.0 steals and a surprising 1.8 treys on a tidy 48.4% from the field. Better suited for teams punting TOs and FG percentage, Smith is helping everybody right now. I feel like we’d be hearing a lot more about Richaun Holmes’ potential if he wasn’t blocked at his position, and he’s someone those in dynasty and keeper formats should keep one eye on as the offseason progresses.
I view Hassan Whiteside as a top-eight player the rest of the way, and his domination continued in the win with another massive double-double: 19 points, 19 rebounds and two blocks on 6-of-11 shooting, including 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. A one-time liability at the line whose fantasy ceiling was limited by his free throw struggles, Whiteside has now connected on 31 of his last 34 attempts (91.2%) in his last seven games, averaging 17.6 points, 14.4 rebounds and 4.1 blocks during that span. Dwyane Wade looked good on the second night of a back-to-back set with a full line, and Goran Dragic’s upward trend continued with his second double-double in three games after previously notching just one all season prior.
Indiana @ Charlotte: Hornets 108, Pacers 101
Studs: Paul George, Ian Mahinmi; Nicolas Batum, Kemba Walker
Duds: Myles Turner; Marvin Williams, Courtney Lee
Injuries: C.J. Miles (DNP, calf), Joe Young (DNP, knee); Spencer Hawes (DNP, back)
Like countless times this season prior, it was the Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum show in Charlotte on Friday night. Walker’s enormous double-double off 33 points, 10 assists and four triples was supported by Batum stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of 31 points, seven boards, four dimes, two blocks and four triples. The duo combined to shoot 21-of-39 on a night where Marvin Williams, Jeremy Lin and Courtney Lee failed to provide a lift, but while Williams is a firm hold, neither Lin nor Lee—who has not eclipsed nine points since joining Charlotte—is worth a roster spot in formats with 12 or fewer teams.
Myles Turner has been slowing down recently, and he came to a screeching halt in the loss with just four points, two boards and a block in 18 minutes off the bench. The sub role is temporary (he’s expected to start on Saturday), and although he’s been slumping of late and this was his first game without a field goal in two months, I still believe Turner will prove to be an asset to your fantasy roster, and the rookie deserves some wiggle room as the season moves toward its finish line. Wasting a great game from Paul George—who flirted with a 5×5 with 35 points, seven boards, seven dimes, five steals, four triples and looks primed for a big finish as Indiana scraps for a postseason berth—as well as Ian Mahinmi, the Pacers’ backcourt combined to shoot a brutal 10-of-31 en route to 27 total points.
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