After a couple of days off, I'm back, here to help break down the box scores from Thursday night, one year older. Whether that makes me wiser, I'll let you decide.
JORDAN
The Lakers are a mess. That is inarguable. But, a real life mess does not always mean we must avoid that team in our fantasy leagues. With the Lakers' roster strewn with guys will not be part of the Lakers' next playoff squad, let alone their opening day roster for the 2015/16 season, it makes sense that one player with a future, Jordan Clarkson, would start seeing minutes of some significance. And that time is now. In the double overtime victory against the Bulls, Clarkson scored 18 points (6-15 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 5-5 FT) with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 43 minutes and it would be an upset if Clarkson is unseated as the starting point guard from here on out. This is probably Clarkson's ceiling and there will be some poor games in between, but this is back to back 18 point outings for Clarkson and you feel like he will only get better. If you want to take a flier on someone in your standard leagues, Clarkson is a worthy target. Anything deeper than 12 teams, he should already be owned. Check that he is.
M.I.A.
These guys all sat out Thursday's action, for one reason or another.
- Bucks
- Larry Sanders (suspended)
- Zaza Pachulia (calf)
- Ersan Ilyasova (groin)
- Knicks
- Andrea Bargnani (calf)
- Amar'e Stoudemire (knee)
- Cole Aldrich (shin)
- Pacers
- Donald Sloan (DNP-CD)
- Luis Scola (DNP-CD)
- Grizzlies
- Mike Conley (wrist)
- Bulls
- Mike Dunleavy (ankle)
- Lakers
- Ronnie Price (DNP-CD)
- Tarik Black (DNP-CD)
- Nick Young (ankle)
FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT
Perhaps the surprise player of the season, at least fantasy wise, Jimmy Butler had been in a bit of a slump. As they have been so many times this season, the Lakers were just the tonic Butler needed, dropping 35 points (9-17 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 16-18 FT) with seven rebounds and three steals in 49 minutes. Compare that to Butler's last game, a five point outing against the Heat and the change is very easy to see. This was the first time Butler had scored over 30 points since December 27th, which was the fifth time he scored 30 plus points in 2014. His red-hot start always seemed to point to a slow down. Whether or not this is a blip in the downslide or a true sign of righting the ship, time will tell, but my confidence in Butler remaining a top 15 type player is not high
ROTATION NOTES AND QUIRKS
With Zaza Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova both out, Jason Kidd went with John Henson and Jared Dudley as his starting frontcourt. Henson double-doubled in 24 minutes, adding two blocks, but the fact he only played 24 minutes with no other centers on the active roster concerns me enough that I'm not making him a must-add player. Dudley still played his 26 minutes and played well, but it's hard to own him in standard leagues. Kenyon Martin got 22 minutes with the dearth if big bodies, getting three steals and two blocks, but he is only an option in very deep leagues, despite recently signing a season-long deal.
Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn thought it prudent to play two of his starters, Channing Frye and Aaron Gordon, less than 20 minutes in yet another confusing move. Tobias Harris said post-game that he hurt his knee after playing just 21 minutes, scoring only seven points. Since returning from his ankle injury, Harris has yet to top 30 minutes and his dip in production is concerning, scoring in double-digits in just two of his last five games. I'm worried, but I don't think you can do a lot with Harris unless someone thinks he will return to his early season form. If there is a coaching change in Orlando, everything may change and we may get the old Harris back.
The Pacers and Knicks game was a blowout, much like the Nuggets and Grizzlies, so many of the rotational moves are unlikely to be on consequence as coaches rested players and good portions of each contest was what is commonly referred to as garbage time. George Hill's minutes restriction is still in place, getting 12 off the bench, but his per minute production is still very encouraging. He should be picked up in most leagues.
The Bulls and Lakers game went to double overtime, rendering the box score inflated, but there was still some info we can glean from this upset victory to the Lakers. Nikola Mirotic replaced Kirk Hinrich in the starting lineup, starting at small forward, but curiously played just 12 minutes, registering just a single steal. Mirotic is not getting enough minutes to be of use in any standard league, despite his obvious talent and is averaging just 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in his last four games.
The Lakers played all of their starters, bar Ryan Kelly, over 30 minutes and this new starting lineup appears to set for at least the next few weeks. That means that Wayne Ellington, along with Clarkson, need to be looked at in standard leagues Ellington had 23 points with five rebounds, fresh off his 28 point performance. He's averaging 18.8 points in his last four games and with Kobe Bryant done for the season and Nick Young currently nursing a sprained ankle, Ellington is going to get a lot of run and could be used in most leagues. When Young returns, his value may dip, but the relationship between Young and coach Byron Scott is strained to say the least.
BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES
Khris Middleton appears entrenched in the Bucks' starting lineup and is player who is criminally underowned in fantasy leagues. He has started the 15 games and got at least one steal in 14 of those games, the last 14 straight in fact and has also hit at least one three-pointer in those 14 games. Looking deeper, Middleton has averaged 2.8 three-pointers and 1.8 steals in his last four games and scored at least 16 points in that span. In short, make sure Middleton is owned in your league.
Another guy who needs to be owned is Lord Elfrid Payton, who scored 15 points with six assists. Even his percentages have turned around, shooting 50 percent from the field and 63 percent from the line in his last seven games. While harder to roster him in roto leagues, there is no way he should be on any head-to-head waiver-wires.
Langston Galloway hot a wall, scoring just four points in 35 minutes. Importantly, he played 35 minutes and if you grabbed him, you have to keep holding on. He is now signed through the rest of the season and seems assured of minutes in New York.
Roy Hibbert registered his second double-double in his last three games and while there will be slumps, the overall value Hibbert will provide means you can't afford to drop him in most leagues.
Denver had two players score in double digits, Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried, both dropping just 10 points in an embarrassment of a performance. There is literally nothing to gain from watching this game or looking at the box score from any length of time, from both teams' perspectives.
Zach Randolph garnered his eleventh straight double-double, with 15 points and 17 rebounds and just keeps racking up those stats, while Beno Udrih started again for Mike Conley and played 23 minutes for 11 points.
Joakim Noah had one of his better games for the season, remaining the Noah from last season, scoring nine points with 17 rebounds and nine assists. This, to me, is the outlier in his disappointing season and I don't have faith that he can return to being a top 30 player, so if someone in your league does, I'd be looking to sell him.
NIGHTLY LEADERS
Points
- Jimmy Butler, G, CHI, 35 points
- Jordan Hill, C, LAL, 26 points
- Wayne Ellington, G, LAL, 23 points
Rebounds
- Joakim Noah, C, CHI, 17 rebounds
- Zach Randolph, F, MEM, 17 rebounds
- Nikola Vucevic, C, ORL, 14 rebounds
Assists
- Joakim Noah, C, CHI, 9 assists
- Brandon Knight, G, MIL, 9 assists
- Seven players with 6 assists
Steals
- Brandon Knight, G, MIL, 4 steals
- Jimmy Butler, G, CHI, 3 steals
- Jerryd Bayless, G, MIL, 3 steals
- Evan Fournier, G, ORL, 3 steals
- Kenyon Martin, F, MIL, 3 steals
Blocks
- Pau Gasol, F, CHI, 4 blocks
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, MIL, 3 blocks
- Ten players tied with 2 blocks
Three-Pointers
- Jared Dudley, F, MIL, 3-6 3Pt
- Khris Middleton, F, MIL, 3-5 3Pt
- Willie Green, G, ORL, 3-5 3Pt
- Aaron Brooks, G, CHI, 3-5 3Pt
Minutes
- Jimmy Butler, G, CHI, 49 minutes
- Wayne Ellington, G, LAL, 46 minutes
- Pau Gasol, F, CHI, 44 minutes