The Bucks lost to the Lakers by 18 points. They defeated the Warriors three days ago. They play the Warriors again in three days.

HOSPITAL WARD

Iman Shumpert suffered a groin injury in the fourth quarter and never returned to the game, registering 13 minutes before the setback. He dealt with a similar issue last postseason and didn't miss any games. That stakes are obviously inferior in December, and the Cavaliers only play three games over the next nine days. The team already ruled him out of Thursday's match, and there's no reason for him to play against the Sixers or Knicks to close the homestand. They need him for their four-game West Coast road trip in five nights beginning of Christmas.

M.I.A.

• Boston
  • Marcus Smart (knee)
• Cleveland
  • Kyrie Irving (knee)
• Denver
  • Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle)
  • J.J. Hickson (DNP-CD)
  • Jusuf Nurkic (knee)
• Houston
  • Sam Dekker (back)
• Milwaukee
  • Greg Monroe (knee)
  • Jerryd Bayless (ankle)
  • Greivis Vasquez (ankle)
• Minnesota
  • Nikola Pekovic (knee)
• Sacramento
  • Rajon Rondo (suspended)
  • Willie Cauley-Stein (finger)

ROTATION NOTES

J.R. Smith started one game after sitting out due to illness, sending Jared Cunningham to the bench and a 16-second cameo. Smith underwhelmed if you expected him to chuck. It was the fourth time he failed to hoist double-digit shots this season, settling for nine in 36 minutes. He does an excellent job taking terrible contested mid-range jumpers at the end of the shot clock after dribbling in isolation for seven seconds. The Cavaliers' identity is going to change with Kyrie Irving (knee) expected to make his debut on Thursday. While I suspect he'll be on a minute restriction for at least a month, it makes sense to pair him with a better defender to guard the opposition's point guard. That will require the help of Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert, who's out with a groin injury, and eventually relegate Smith to 25 minutes a night.

Darren Collison started with Rajon Rondo suspended one game. He supplied 14 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT), a season-high 13 assists, seven rebounds, one steal, and eight turnovers in 41 minutes. Because Collison and Rondo are the only suitable point guards on the roster, they're destined to receive over 40 minutes if one of them is unavailable. Collison has taken some time to gather his bearings after missing games due to a hamstring strain. He's been ownable in 12-team leagues for his assists and efficiency, augmented by his 26 consecutive made free throws.

Donatas Motiejunas became the third different starting power forward for the Rockets in the last three games. Both Clint Capela (illness) and Terrence Jones (eyelid) were dealing with afflictions, and that may be the reason behind the move. All three played less than 15 minutes each, combining for 40 minutes and Capela accrued five fouls in short order while leading the triumvirate with nine rebounds. Motiejunas hasn't played competitively since April. He's working on his conditioning in NBA games, capping his playing time to four-minute stints at best. The situation won't resolve itself until a trade or injury occurs. I don't know which one to back because coach Bickerstaff shunned all three to utilize Trevor Ariza at center and surround him with three-point shooters for nearly half the third quarter. Capela has the best potential, but Dwight Howard is blocking Capela's best position, Jones has the best fantasy game, and Motiejunas may be the best fit for the Rockets' system. All three shoot close to 60 percent from the free-throw line, further diminishing their fantasy outlook.

Greg Monroe didn't play due to a sore knee. John Henson started and accumulated six points (3-5 FG, 0-2 FT), four blocks, four rebounds, and one assist in 24 minutes. Believe it or not, Miles Plumlee was dusted off and played the other 24 minutes at center and nearly double-doubled with 10 points (5-7 FG, 0-2 FT), eight rebounds, and a block. I don't know if Monroe can play tonight against the Clippers or the other two games on the road trip. He'll be reevaluated on Wednesday, but none of the replacements strike me as valuable with the nest two Bucks games scheduled for nights with at least 12 games.

Jordan Clarkson returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury, replacing D'Angelo Russell. Coach Scott is committed to getting Russell and Julius Randle minutes together off the bench. He also said he would give them 20-25 minutes a night, which will depress their stats but increase their efficiency battling opposing second units. Clarkson continues to dazzle with his outside shot, nailing 41 percent from the great beyond, a 10-percent improvement from his rookie season. He's one of the few people not in Byron Scott's doghouse and he leads the Lakers with 31.6 minutes per game.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

James Harden: 33 points (10-18 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 9-12 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, one steals, 36 minutes

Harden rebounded nicely from a porous shooting slump to begin the season. He made at least 45 percent of his shots for a fourth consecutive game, a season-high for last season's MVP runner-up. Over the last six games, Harden is shooting 56 percent on three-pointers, a far departure from his 33-percent accuracy on the season. He's one of only seven players in NBA history averaging at least 28.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in a single season, and he's made 18 more free throws than any player has attempted this season. Because no one will read this, now feels like a good time to confess I would have selected Kevin Durant before Harden in drafts. While efficiency is on Durant's side, Harden has the edge in games played and counting stats.

ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT

D'Angelo Russell: 19 points (7-13 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), seven assists, four rebounds, three steals, one turnover, 30 minutes

Russell is thriving off the bench. He did start the previous two games, but separating him from Kobe Bryant affords him more offensive agency, evidenced by his career-high seven assists. I'm never been in the Russell camp regarding his fantasy value before January when most rookies start to improve their play. His last few games have made me reconsider his immediate validity in fantasy leagues. He's playing 31.0 minutes per game in December and sporting a 25.9 percent usage rate in those nine games, second to Bryant.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH

Rudy Gay: 17 points (6-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-5 FT), 13 rebounds, six steals, three assists, one block, 35 minutes

You know who likes to pound the ball, hunt for assists, and steal rebounds? That would be Rajon Rondo. Gay had a great season last year without Rondo. The same held true with Rondo serving a one-game suspension last night. Gay registered a career-high six steals and a season-high 13 rebounds. His three assists fell one shy of his season-high but are on par with his averages that last two seasons in a Kings uniform. Gay is playing his fewest minutes per game since his rookie season and compiling a career-low 0.3 blocks per game.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Isaiah Thomas, my favorite player in the NBA, made 3-of-15 shots in 27 minutes. His stats this year mirror those he posted in the 2013-14 season when he started for the Kings after they dealt Greivis Vasquez and pieces for Rudy Gay and flotsam. Thomas concluded that season ranked 32nd in nine-category leagues, a season that began with him as a reserve. I don't claim to know if he'll return to the bench when Marcus Smart (leg) reappears, but Thomas was playing 28 minutes as a backup and scoring more points with and similar assists compared to his starts. I don't know if anyone was freaking out or thinking about selling high, but Thomas has proven he can maintain this production for an entire season along two high usage players in DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay. I'm not worried about his future prospects on the Celtics.

Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson directly affect each other. They've played 28 minutes together all season. Mozgov entered this season with a balky knee following offseason surgery. He hasn't felt healthy all year, and Thompson's agility makes him a better fit against most lineups. However, Mozgov has provided a spark over the last two games, rendering Thompson moot. Mozgov added nine points (4-5 FG, 1-1 FT), 10 rebounds, and three blocks in 24 minutes last night. If Mozgov can regain a modicum of his abilities and conditioning, he's going to provide valuable low-end fantasy value. Thompson will always be in the mix because he's an active rebounder and he has played 311 consecutive games. However, the two cannibalize each other's minutes, and Kevin Love remains an occasional hindrance.

Randy Foye scored a season-high 19 points (7-9 FG, 5-6 3Pt) in 25 minutes off the bench. He recorded 17 of his points in the second quarter and served as the backup point guard with Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) indisposed. Foye admitted that his previous tenure with the Wolves made him feel at ease on the road and allowed him to shake off a shooting slump - 29 percent from the field and 20 percent on three-pointers. Mudiay is considered day-to-day, and with Gary Harris and Will Barton claiming a majority of the shooting guard minutes, Foye will likely dissipate into obscurity.

Zach LaVine supplied 20 points (8-18 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one block in 25 minutes. He didn't share the court with Ricky Rubio until the second half, and the twosome have been on the court for a combined 79 minutes this season, a concession on the part of coach Mitchell. LaVine's outshot shot has abandoned him this month, regressing from 40 percent in November to 32 percent in December. Considering his shot 34 percent as a rookie, minimal improvements were expected. Lavine, no doubt, is a standard league relevant player. He is not, however, ready to consistently knock down open three-pointers at an elite level.

Andrew Wiggins is the lowest ranked nine-category player averaging at least 16.0 points per game. He's scoring 20.7 points per game and ranked 194th overall. He's behind Kobe Bryant, who's shooting 33 percent from the field. The disconnect stems from his inability to contribute meaningful field-goal percentage, rebounds, assists, steals, or three-pointers. In a nine-category league, Wiggins is an excellent point producer who lacks a stable set of secondary stats. He rarely creates for his teammates and he's shooting 35 percent outside of eight feet.

Wiggins didn't excel last season until he squared off against LeBron James in late December. After that point, Wiggins played 39.0 minutes a night, scrapped three-pointers from the arsenal, and relied on his low-post game to get to the foul line. The playing time was inflated because the Timberwolves played with eight or nine healthy guys for the last two months of the season, and he was allowed to distribute out of the low block more without Ricky Rubio. Wiggins is dealing with the same problems that Nerlens Noel has: last season's conditions aren't being met, and the context that allowed them to flourish won't change anytime soon. Until Wiggins tightens his dribble and fixes his outside shot, we're looking at DeMar DeRozan-esque contributor.

Dwight Howard sputtered in his matchup against DeMarcus Cousins to the point where Trevor Ariza was tasked with guarding him for much of the third quarter. In 28 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back, Howard had more fouls, five, than points, four. Howard has only played in three back-to-back sets this season, and he's averaging 5.3 points on 39 percent shooting on those occasions. The Rockets don't engage in another back-to-back until Christmas. They have 11 more in 2016.

Omri Casspi isn't a flash in the pan. He was great last season in coach Karl's system, and now that he's getting over 35 minutes a night as the starting power forward, you can expect a solid fantasy producer. He's struggled from the free-throw line his entire career, but his 56-percent mark should ascend to 65 percent on close to two attempts per game. It's not detrimental to your free-throw category unless opposing teams begin intentionally fouling him. It's his only negative fantasy category, making him the perfect last man on your bench. Realistically, he's more than that until Willie Cauley-Stein (finger) returns, but even then, Casspi will grade out favorably in 12-team leagues.

Michael Carter-Williams provided a team-high 19 points (9-18 FG, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in 32 minutes against the Lakers. He won the war of attrition and is locked in as the backup point guard. Ever since the demotion, Carter-Williams has averaged similar stats and playing time to his days as a starter. Over the last six games, he's shooting 48 percent from the field which might confuse people into thinking Carter-Williams became a better shooter. In those six games, Carter-Williams has attempted one three-pointer and shot 2-of-18 outside the paint. He improved his shot selection and started taking close to 75 percent of his attempts inside of eight feet of the hoop. In the first 15 games, Carter-Williams struggled at the rim and only attempted 55 percent of his shots within an eight-foot radius of the basket. Carter-Williams is still hit-or-miss, but as mentioned above, he's the only viable reserve point guard on the roster. Greivis Vasquez underwent ankle surgery on Tuesday and will miss at least three months. Jerryd Bayless isn't with the team on their four-game road trip. There are very few backup points guards receiving 28 minutes a night and possess the ability to block shots.

Kobe Bryant is shooting 47 percent from the field and 37 percent on three-pointers over the last five games while averaging 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 28.8 minutes per game. The playing time is the key indicator of success. The less he plays, the better he performs. It's odd that his stats and efficiency are best on the second night of a back-to-back. I was all for trading him at the beginning of December when the Lakers were going to play eight games in 12 days because I didn't foresee an outcome where Bryant traversed the gauntlet unscathed. To his credit, Bryant played every game on the road trip and ceded playing time to the younger players. That's the necessary path for him to remain healthy this season.

Julius Randle only played 25 minutes, but he accumulated 14 points (6-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 14 rebounds, and one assist. Randle can score and grab rebounds in bunches, but the rest of his stat line is bare. On nights when he can't bully his way to the rim, Randle fails to make an impression on the game or in fantasy circles. Over the last six games, five as a reserve, Randle recorded four assists, two steals, and one block. His fantasy value resides in points and rebounds; even his percentages are subpar.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. James Harden, G, HOU: 33 points
2. DeMarcus Cousins, C, SAC: 26 points
3. LeBron James, F, CLE: 24 points

Rebounds

1. Julius Randle, F, LAL: 14 rebounds (6 offensive)
2. Rudy Gay, F, SAC: 13 rebounds (2 offensive)
3. DeMarcus Cousins, C, SAC: 12 rebounds (1 offensive)

Assists

1. Darren Collison, G, SAC: 13 assists
2. Ricky Rubio, G, MIN: 9 assists
3. D'Angelo Russell, G, LAL: 7 assists

Steals

1. Rudy Gay, F, SAC: 6 steals
2. Six players tied with three steals
3. 14 players tied with two steals

Blocks

1. John Henson, C, MIL: 4 blocks
2. Kenneth Faried, F, DEN: 3 blocks
3. Timofey Mozgov, C, CLE: 3 blocks

Three-Pointers

1. Randy Foye, G, UTA: 5-6 3Pt
2. James Harden, G, HOU: 4-8 3Pt
3. Jae Crowder, F, HOU: 4-9 3Pt

Minutes

1. Darren Collison, G, SAC: 41 minutes
2. Omri Casspi, F, SAC: 38 minutes
3. Three players tied with 36 minutes