in fashion? What are the changes? What’s the latest on notable injuries in the NBA?
Here are the most impressive news and scores for the 30 teams:
The Atlanta Hawks First it was Bogdan Bogdanovic who went down for the Hawks. Then there was De’Andre Hunter, who is expected to be out for another six to nine weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee last Monday. The rest of the Hawks had to step up due to the absence of their starting guard and small forward, and it was John Collins who benefited the most statistically. Collins raised its numbers significantly in January (from 16.3 PPG to 12.3 FGA) and averaged 21.5 PPG and 15.6 FGA in eight games this month (all excluding Hunter).
Boston Celtics: Daniel Theis will not be around for Wednesday’s game against the Hawks. That’s the second night in a row he’s missed due to a dislocated finger. Without Theis in the final game, Celtics coach Brad Stevens threw the Seven Auger with Tristan Thompson in the frontcourt against the Nuggets and brought Robert Williams III off the bench. Williams contributed 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals. Because of his ability to block shots, Williams is also an interesting option for streaming when Theis is not around.
Brooklyn Nets: People are still talking about the Nets’ incredible victory over Phoenix Tuesday night, led by James Harden’s 38 points and a crucial late 3-pointer that knocked out Kevin Durant (knee) and Kyrie Irving (foot). It will be interesting to see what Nets coach Steve Nash has done with his starting squad in this game. He had DeAndre Jordan as the only big man to draft alongside none other than the guards and shooters – Harden, Joe Harris, Tyler Johnson and Bruce Brown. Johnson’s 17 points and five threes in the opener was a groundbreaking performance for the veteran, and it could happen again at any time in the future when the Nets are without KD and Irving…. are, which, again, could be Thursday against the Lakers. Keep an eye on her.
Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets’ next two games (Wednesday, February 17 against Chicago and Friday, February 19 against Denver) have been postponed in accordance with NBA health and safety protocols, so adjust your lists accordingly. When they return to the field, pay particular attention to the play of Terry Rozier who is often overshadowed by LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward Rozier leads the Hornets this month with 27.3 PPGs, hitting 61.4% of his 2-point attempts, 47.2% of his 3-point attempts and 95% of his free throw attempts.
The Chicago Bulls Zach LaVine has scored 30.3 PPG in his last 10 games, while putting up an impressive 51.2 3FG. With 28.2 PPGs over the season and fantastic shooting percentages (51.5 FG%, 43.1 3FG%, 85.4 FT%) as well as 5.5 RPGs, 5.2 APGs and 1.0 SPG, LaVine ranks just behind James Harden as the top shooter in fantastic hoops and will enter next season as a second round draft pick.
Knights of Cleveland: Jarrett Allen has made the decision to keep Andre Drummond on the bench until they find a business partner. Allen, who now starts the rest of the season at center, has averaged 14.0 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.0 BPG in two games since Drummond was taken out of the rotation. As impressive as these numbers are, they may be the watchword for Allen in this new role. If he continues to play near the 30.0 GPA, as he has in the last two games, 15.0 PPG and 2.0 BPG could be within reach for a big, energetic guy.
Dallas Mavericks: Kristaps Porzingis has found the film help this month. After posting scores of 44.9 FG and 28.6 3FG in nine games until the end of January, the big man boosted his confidence in eight games this month by notching a score of 50.0 FG and making 42.3 percent of his distance shots. Efficiency has never been a big part of Porzingis’ game, but now in his second season in Dallas, his 47.3 FG% and 85.5 FT% would be a career high if the season ended today.
Denver Nuggets: Much of Michael Porter Jr.’s fantasy value depends on his ability to score and shoot 3’s, and his recent problems in both areas are a major concern. Against Celtics on Tuesday, Porter launched an attack in the 24th minute. They went 0-8 from the field in the first minute and 3-19 without a goal in their last two games. The former lottery player is just 2-18 away in his last three games and has been limited to a single-digit score in five of seven games this month. While he waits for his shot to improve, Porter is guaranteed a place on the bench in all the fancy formats.
Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bay became the second Pistons rookie to be named player of the week in the East and is a future in Detroit. The team agreed to leave Blake Griffin out of the picture for a while and look for a business partner for the former All-Star. Bay is still only 22.5 percent drafted in ESPN leagues, but the rookie played 38 minutes in her first game since the Griffin news and finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. He finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds in his last game against a strong Boston team. Clearly, Villanova’s product can play and is worth considering in all leagues while he’s still available.
Golden State Warriors Draymond Green seems to be taking the whole Magic Johnson thing seriously. In the last two weeks, Green has led the NBA with 12.3 GPA. His eight assists against Brooklyn on Saturday helped Green to a string of five consecutive games with double-digit assists, but Monday in the win over Cleveland he set his career record with 16 assists. Green has put up an impressive 1.6 GPA and 1.8 GPA in seven games this month, but keep in mind that James Wiseman could return to the team in the coming days, which will likely reduce Green’s minutes.
The Houston Rockets: Victor Oladipo likely won’t play Wednesday against the 76ers, as he continues to suffer from his right foot. The road has been a bit difficult for Oladipo since his deal in Houston. His 18.4 PPGs, 4.8 RPGs, 1.1 SPGs and 2.1 3PGs as a member of the Rockets look good at first glance, but they are lower than what he did in nine games for the Pacers swap (20.0 PPGs, 5.7 RPGs, 1.7 SPGs and 2.8 3PGs).
Indiana Pacers: We’ve talked about T.J. McConnell in recent weeks, but it’s interesting to note that the underperforming captain is now tied with Kawhi Leonard for second in the NBA with 1.8 SPG. McConnell’s 6.6 APG finished with Fred VanVleet in 13th place. As the league’s top goalie, the Pacers’ goalie is one of the best-kept secrets of the game in roto leagues and categories. McConnell currently owns just 46.7% of ESPN leagues.
The Los Angeles Clippers: Paul George (toe) and Nicolas Batum (concussion) are already out for Wednesday’s game against the Jazz, while Kawhi Leonard is questionable with a shin problem. Whether Leonard plays or not, the Clippers’ tightness bodes well for another great night from Lou Williams. The veteran turned things around after a slow start to the season, averaging 19.0 PPG and 6.0 APG in eight games this month.
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Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis has gone from being one of the best players in the fantasy world to a big question mark in the game. Davis will be out for at least two to three weeks after leaving Sunday’s game with a worsening Achilles injury, and that has a lot to do with the Lakers. Shows that Harrell played just 18 minutes without Davis in Tuesday’s win over the Timberwolves, but that number might stick. LeBron James had 13 rebounds Tuesday, his second-highest total of the season, and Dennis Schroeder had 15 rebounds. These are all things to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.
Memphis Grizzlies: Yes Morant is one of the brightest young stars in the game. His name alone makes him attractive in fantasy leagues, but the Grizzlies’ playmaker has a long way to go before he becomes a fantasy star. Morant’s 19.0 PPG and 8.0 APG are both good, and his 46.9 FG% is above average at position, but Morant remains below average in terms of rebound (2.5 RPG), flights (0.9 SPG), and 3-point shooting (0.9 3PG, 26.5 3FG%). As it stands, Morant is more of a puzzle piece than a star to put in place in fantasy leagues – especially ones that use company and category scores.
Miami Heat: In his first three seasons in the NBA, Bam Adebayo’s free throw percentage was a blemish on his balanced game; he didn’t hit better than 73.5 percent in those seasons. But that was all forgotten in the first 25 games of this season when Adebayo made an impressive 6.1 shots per game, the highest in his career, and made an incredible 84.2 percent from the line. Boom!
Milwaukee Bucks: Much has been said about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s regression at the free throw line in recent years but there is reason for hope. The Bucks star has made 75.6% from the free throw line in nine games this month, 6.9 attempts on 9.1 per game. That’s well above the 71.7% he achieved in his career.
Minnesota Timberwolves: D’Angelo Russell will be out four to six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Wednesday to remove a loose body in his left knee. This means a bigger workload for veteran Ricky Rubio, and it also means more shots will be available for the team’s other big scoring trio – Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and Malik Beasley. In Tuesday’s loss against the Lakers, Edwards had the highest scoring output of his career with 28 points on 20 shots. This is the fourth time in six games that the No. 1 overall pick scored 20 points last fall.
New Orleans Pelicans Steven Adams has been a very strong fantasy option in recent years, but the veteran center is starting to find himself on the edge in many fantasy districts after his playing time was cut this month. Adams, who is undergoing treatment for a back injury, averaged 25.6 MPH this month after playing 30.6 MPH in 13 games last month. As of Wednesday, it is available in 18.7% of ESPN leagues.
The New York Knicks Nerlens Noel (free agent in 75.2% of ESPN leagues) joined the Knicks’ first team in the last two games and will likely remain in that role until Mitchell Robinson (arm) is back in 4-6 weeks. The ability to play on time means a lot to Noel, at least in rotations and category leagues, because of his impact as a shot blocker. Noel is averaging 29.5 MPH in Robinson’s last two games and has notched at least three blocks in five of six games this month.
Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder are in good shape again in the backcourt with the return of Theo Maledon for the final game and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who missed four games because of a sprained left knee, will start Wednesday. Adjust your list if you quote Hamidou Diallo or Kenrich Williams.
Orlando Magic: Michael Carter-Williams is an option worth considering after an injury forced him to play long minutes at the back of Orlando’s field. MCW beat the Kings on Friday with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in 27 minutes of play and continued its momentum on Sunday with 14 points and 4 assists against the Suns. He’s no longer the stealing threat he was as a young pro – and he still doesn’t shoot 3 balls – but Carter-Williams can score and collect passes and is available in 92.4% of ESPN leagues.
Philadelphia 76: Let’s talk to Tobias Harris. The veteran is one of the top scorers in the league this season (52.0 FG%, 42.5 3FG%, 90.2 FT%), and in grassroots leagues where he is paired with another player like Chris Middleton, he could be a strong core in terms of shot percentage. If you play in leagues like this, think about guys like Harris and Middleton for next season, as they will both likely be selected in the third round.
The Suns of Phoenix: Dario Saric (10.0 PPG) is the Suns’ fifth-best player this month, but the veteran still isn’t doing enough to be listed in a fantasy format. Saric’s 1.1 3PG and 1.0 GSP in 18.1 GPA this season are indicators that he could be a better fantasy option if his playing time increases at some point this season.
Portland Trail Blazers: The Trail Blazers desperately needed a few players who could step into the breach after CJ McCollum’s injury, and Gary Trent Jr. certainly does. In the last two weeks, Trent is 9th in the league with 3.6 3PG. He finished first in the league and averaged 19.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 2.1 APG at the time. It remains available in 51.0% of ESPN leagues.
Kings of Sacramento: If we’ve learned anything from the last few games, it’s that Hassan Whiteside can still play a big role in fantasy leagues if he gets long minutes. And with Richaun Holmes (knee) out of the lineup, Whiteside got just that – 24 minutes – on the way to 26 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. It’s a classic Whiteside game, and it’s still available in 61.9% of ESPN leagues. If Holmes is out for a long time it could start again for Whiteside.
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The tracks of San Antonio The NBA has postponed the Spurs’ next three games after four players on the team tested positive for COVID-19. San Antonio’s next possible game is on the 24th. February in Oklahoma City which means the Spurs have more than a week between games.
The Toronto Raptors Kyle Lowry is questionable whether he will play Thursday against the Bucs because of a sprained left ankle that forced him to leave Tuesday’s game early twice. If Lowry can’t go, all eyes are on Fred VanVleet, who – as we’ve seen in recent weeks – can go any night. Look at this one for advice.
Utah Jazz: Joe Ingles is one of the many great jazz stories of this season. At age 33 and in his seventh season in the NBA, the versatile Australian has reached new heights in FG (51.1), 3FG (44.2) and FT (87.9) and remains one of the game’s best distribution forwards (4.7 APG).
Washington Wizards: More than any other player in the league this season, Russell Westbrook is a better fantasy option in the scoring leagues – where scoring stats are so important – than in the roto and categorical leagues, where disappointing shot percentages and missing 3’s weigh him down. Westbrook’s 40.9 FG% is the lowest since his freshman year in 2008-09, and his 63.7 FT% is the lowest of his career, which contrasts with the young Westbrook, who has made at least 80.0% from the line for seven consecutive seasons.
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