I watched some of the Knicks game, but whenever HBO airs a marathon of Game of Thrones, I'm hooked. Unfortunately for my reputation, HBO began with season one on Saturday and is airing each season over the course of six days. Fare thee well, Week 10. It was nice knowing you.

HOSPITAL WARD

More like draw latipsoh, am I right? That doesn't make sense. Allen Crabbe left the game briefly with an ankle issue and eventually returned. The Blazers have two days off before engaging in another back-to-back set. I think he'll be fine for Wednesday.

M.I.A.

• Boston
  • David Lee (back)
• Denver
  • Danilo Gallinari (ankle)
  • Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle)
  • Jusuf Nurkic (knee)
  • Mike Miller (DNP-CD)
• Memphis
  • Jordan Adams (knee)
  • Brandan Wright (knee)
• Portland
  • Damian Lillard (heel)
  • Ed Davis (ankle)
• Sacramento
  • Willie Cauley-Stein (finger)
  • Eric Moreland (foot)

ROTATION NOTES

Kobe Bryant played all 12 minutes in first and third quarter for a total of 24 minutes. He scored a team-high 19 points, 14 of which came in the first quarter, on 6-of-15 shooting, but the length between his time on the court induced an inefficient second-half performance. I urge you to trade Bryant before a fatigue-related injuries arise. I get the sense Bryant will breakdown by the All-Star break and miss significant time. The Lakers play the most games through the first three months of the season, minimizing rest days during his farewell tour where he'll try to play in almost every road game. The Lakers play 80 percent of their March games at Staples Center, reason enough for concern if Bryant lasts that long. Truthfully, I don't know if there's a market for Bryant, so this may come in vein.

D'Angelo Russell provided 10 points and three assists in 25 minutes and Julius Randle added nine points and 13 rebounds in 23 minutes. Coach Scott is going to reconsider adjusting the starting lineup at the beginning of January. He prefers playing Randle and Russell together off the bench. Separating them from Bryant has improved their outlook this season, but Randle is an inefficient double-double threat and Russell is just as inefficient with flashes of franchise point guard. They profile as head-to-head stashes, but I'm one who'll wait a month before actually considering them as standard league threats.

It was Joffrey Lauvergne's time to outperform Nikola Jokic in the Nuggets' frontcourt. Lauvergne hasn't been himself after missing almost all of November with a back injury. If you peruse the game logs, Lauvergne alternates solid weeks with Jokic. It appears Lauvergne will have this week, before yielding to Jokic next week just in time for Jusuf Nurkic (knee) to clutter the rotation. I like Jokic more than the other two, but consistency is the issue.

Marcus Smart played 13 minutes in his first game since November 20th, missing 18 games due to a lower left leg. Evan Turner was the beneficiary with Smart on the mend, and he may be the odd man out once Smart gets adjusted to proper conditioning. Or Coach Even Stevens may throw a meaty curveball and just play all three guards with Jae Crowder and a center of his choosing, thus ending the Jared Sullinger Dynasty. The Celtics play twice this week, both on nights with at least 20 teams in action, and Smart isn't someone you need to focus on until his minute restriction is lifted.

Coach Karl continues to run an eight-man rotation. Even though Ben McLemore is the listed starting shooting guard, he plays less than 20 minutes a night as a member of the select eight.

Terry Stotts was typical Stotts last night: he stuck to a set rotation in the first half, then played the guys who were going well in the second half. It adds a bit of uncertainty to the proceedings. Also, his hand was forced by Mason Plumlee earning his fifth foul six minutes in the second half, barring him from the remainder of the game.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

C.J. McCollum: 35 points (14-28 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 11 rebounds, nine assists, four steals, one block, 42 minutes

McCollum's stats over the last month are comparable to Damian Lillard's numbers in the same span. That means McCollum has become more of a distributor, averaging 5.3 assists in 14 December games. He has more assists this season than last, and he's played more minutes this season in 31 games than he played in 62 games last year. McCollum is shattering the conservative defensive mould by averaging 1.8 steals per game in December. His team-high 1.3 steals per game this season ties the most for anyone who's played under coach Stotts in the past four seasons.

ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT

Kristaps Porzingis: 16 points (4-13 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 12 rebounds, three blocks, two steals, 28 minutes

There was a scary moment when Porzingis appeared to injure his knee drawing a charge. After a moment to catch his breath on the sideline, Porzingis returned to the game. I am freaking out given his size and previous left leg injuries this summer, but as long as coach Fisher keeps his minutes below 30 a night, I'll feel better. Porzingis is shooting 32 percent from the field over the last 10 games, failing to breach 44 percent in that time. The struggles may have to do with some swelling on his right index finger, but I don't know how long that's been an issue. I'm not panicking yet because Porzingis provides elite blocks. However, Porzingis is roughly seven games away from exceeding last year's minute allotment.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH

Isaiah Thomas: 21 points (6-18 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 8-10 FT), eight rebounds, six assists, 33 minutes

As is my obligation, I must always inform you that Thomas is my favorite player in the NBA before offering analysis. The table below indicates Thomas' stats with and without Marcus Smart in the lineup. The only difference is his minutes and efficiency. You may want to trade Thomas, but I advise against such action if you think you're selling high.

Russell Westbrook: 30 points (11-18 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 12 assists, nine rebounds, one steal, 38 minutes

By my calculations, this was Westbrook's 13th near triple-double of the season. He's second in the league with 19 double-doubles and third with three triple-doubles. I can't add anything original or noteworthy this time because I've depleted all my material on Westbrook over the last two weeks.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES - QUICK HITS EDITION

Roy Hibbert didn't block a shot for the third time in four games. The only reason to own Hibbert is for his blocks. He fell outside the top-1o in blocks per game, and his stat line is comparable to Jerami Grant. Hibbert is averaging 3.3 fouls per game, which is sixth most in the league and capping his playing time. Keep Hibbert if he's integral toward your fantasy team's success, but the diminished returns are reminiscent of his last season and a half.

Larry Nance, Jr. registered career-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes for his first double-double. He scored 13 of his points in the third quarter. Nance attempted a career-high 12 shots and made hay with his mid-range game. Coach Scott praised his ability to keep the ball moving and chided his unwillingness to shoot. Now that Nance is comfortable shooting with Kobe Bryant on the floor, Lance does enough little things to potentially stick in the starting lineup for another 10 games. That doesn't alter his stock in fantasy leagues; the competition with Julius Randle is a prominent deterrent.

Six Grizzlies scored in double digits against the Lakers and none of them played more than 29 minutes. Mike Conley was the only starter to play in the fourth quarter. Tony Allen is back in the rotation after missing five games, siphoning minutes from Matt Barnes to the degree where he's losing a grasp on fantasy relevance. The Grizzlies play twice this week, so if Barnes is the last guy on your bench, it's time to move on.

Arron Afflalo is shooting a career-low 31 percent on three-pointers. He's 7-of-47 on threes in 14 December games (List of the worst three-point shooters this month can be found below). Afflalo recently had a nice hot streak that included two back-to-back 20+ point games against the Timberwolves and Sixers, but Sunday's four points on 2-of-10 shooting in 33 minutes epitomize the anomaly that is Afflalo. He's getting a handful of minutes every game and averaging a career-low 0.2 steals and 0.1 blocks per game. Keep him if you want, but there has to be someone better on the waiver wire.

Lance Thomas made a commitment this offseason to fix his broken jumper, and fix it he has. He built a wonderful rapport with coach Fisher last season, earning the coach's trust and parlaying that into a sixth-man role this season. Thomas doesn't offer much outside of points and three-pointers, but his defense is crucial to the Knicks. His emergence has also reduced Derrick Williams' presence, a welcome sight for all.

Jameer Nelson continues to start with Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) out for at least another week. He supplied 15 points (5-11 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, and five assists in 43 minutes. The Nuggets play four times this week. If you missed out on Ish Smith, Nelson is the appropriate assist target.

Kenneth Faried had his best game of the season. I feel comfortable declaring that statement without confirming. He scored 25 points (12-20 FG, 1-2 FT), grabbed 11 rebounds (eight offensive), blocked two shots, and handed out an assist in 29 minutes. On the season, Faried is shooting better from the field (56 percent) than he is from the line (career-low 55.3 percent). He hasn't recorded a steal in eight straight games while averaging a career-high 1.1 blocks. And in true Faried fashion, he's only playing 26.7 minutes a night, the lowest outside of his rookie season. That'll happen when your coach preaches defense and Danilo Gallinari (ankle) is a better power forward. It appears Brian Shaw was correct to limit Faried's playing time.

Enes Kanter recorded 21 points (7-8 FG, 7-8 FT), eight rebounds, one steal, and one block in 25 minutes. It's the third time this season he played at least 20 minutes in three straight games. He recorded a block and steal in the same game for the second time this season. His last two double-doubles came courtesy of the Lakers. You'll recall from the last rendition of the BSB, Kanter has recorded the fewest combined assist, steals, blocks, and three-pointers this season of anyone who played at least 600 minutes. He can be useful in the right circumstance, but please refrained from thinking he's going to get 25 minutes a night. It appears Ty Corbin was correct to limit Kanter's playing time.

As previously mentioned, Mason Plumlee accrued five fouls in 22 minutes and didn't play the final 18 minutes. Ed Davis (ankle) didn't play, donating bountiful minutes to the disaster who is Meyers Leonard. Said disaster contributed 16 points (5-11 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds, and two assists in 30 minutes. I recently compared Leonard's season to Pero Antic's rookie year because both were nearly identical. Neither defends the rim or plays defense enough to force turnovers. If their shot isn't falling, you may as well play a baked potato. Once Damian Lillard (heel) and Davis return and Al-Farouq Aminu closes games as the power forward, Leonard will find it difficult to repeat last night's performance and playing time.

Leonard stated the following last week:

"I've never shot-faked the ball in my life. It has always been just catch-and-shoot. But this year, there is more attention being paid to me, and honestly, it's an adjustment.''

Knowing he would be competing for a starting job in the offseason, Leonard didn't think to focus on other aspects of his shooting. It's as though he believed he would play center and repeat his playoff performance against the Grizzlies, the one team a three-point shooting power forward or center would thrive against. Well, Leonard is being forced to play power forward off the bench next to Davis, and that's placing him in a precarious offensive position where defenders are quicker to close out on him. Leonard's game is better suited for rotisserie league where you can leave him on your bench while he figures out what he wants to do in life. I don't think you're missing out on much in head-to-head leagues.

Maurice Harkless is fine in theory because he profiles as the prototypical wing defender who knocks down three-pointers. He even possesses the ideal frame. However, he's a mentally flawed player who relies on talent. There were even whispers this offseason that Harkless would earn a prominent role. Clearly those assertions were unfounded because people discarded Allen Crabbe's ability to defend, hit three-pointers, and thrive in a defensive system he's studied the last two seasons. Harkless was able to play 33 minutes last night amidst the chaos and injuries and produced 13 points and six rebounds. Harkless is solidly behind Crabbe in the rotation. Fret not.

Rajon Rondo handed out 15 assists and turned the ball over eight times in 39 minutes.

Rudy Gay corralled a team-high 14 rebounds in 34 minutes, but three of those occurred in the final four seconds when he continued to tip the ball back at the rim only to be denied. Since each putback tip counts as an offensive rebound and missed field goal, his 2-of-12 performance wasn't completely indicative of his overall game.

DeMarcus Cousins leads the NBA in fouls drawn for the third straight season. That persistence led to 12 free-throw attempts last night on his way to 36 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal in 37 minutes. I'm tempted to suggest trading Cousins because he's playing through several injuries, and in doing so, he's likely going to sustain a compensatory injury that will force him to miss significant time. I know I can't predict injuries, but he seems destined to implode at this pace. The Kings are second in pace with 101.8 possessions per 48 minutes and you'll recall how well he fared after the All-Star break last season under coach Karl's uptempo system. Per NBA.com tracking data, Cousins' averaging speed, 3.59 miles per hour, is the slowest in the league.

Omri Casspi keeps chugging along with 14 points (5-8 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steal in 37 minutes. His role is defined and he's playing 35 minutes a night as a starter. The only reason to avoid Casspi is his struggles from the free-throw line, but the volume of attempts is negligible. He's shooting a career-high 46 percent on threes while grabbing over six rebounds as the interchangeable power forward.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. DeMarcus Cousins, C, SAC: 36 points
2. C.J. McCollum, G, POR: 35 points
3. Russell Westbrook, G, OKC: 30 points

Rebounds

1. Rudy Gay, F, SAC: 14 rebounds
2. Julius Randle, F, LAL: 13 rebounds
3. Kristaps Porzingis, F, NYK: 12 rebounds

Assists

1. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 15 assists
2. Russell Westbrook, G, OKC: 12 assists
3. Kevin Durant, F, OKC: 10 assists

Steals

1. C.J. McCollum, G, POR: 4 steals
2. Mike Conley, G, MEM: 4 steals
3. Three players tied with three steals

Blocks

1. Serge Ibaka, F, OKC: 3 blocks
2. Kristaps Porzingis, F, NYK: 3 blocks
3. Seven players tied with two blocks

Three-Pointers

1. Meyers Leonard, F, POR: 4-7 3Pt
2. C.J. McCollum, G, POR: 3-9 3Pt
3. Kevin Durant, F, OKC: 3-5 3Pt
4. Omri Casspi, F, SAC: 3-4 3Pt
5. Jameer Nelson, G, DEN: 3-6 3Pt
6. Jae Crowder, F, BOS: 3-5 3Pt

Minutes

1. Jameer Nelson, G, DEN: 43 minutes
2. C.J. McCollum, G, POR: 42 minutes
3. Kevin Durant, F, OKC: 39 minutes
4. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 39 minutes