Sunday’s five-game slate appeared to be the calm before the storm in some respects, as it preceded Monday’s 11-game lineup. But that doesn’t mean there as a lack of action, as Toronto and Oklahoma City erased large second-half deficits to pick up wins. And then there was Anthony Davis appearing to tweak his right knee during the third quarter of the Lakers’ loss to the Nuggets. While he returned for the fourth, Davis did not look to be himself.
As for the standouts, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced noteworthy performances in their teams’ victories.
Raptors 110, Mavericks 107 — Toronto made history Sunday, as its comeback from a 30-point third quarter deficit is the biggest-ever for the franchise. The combination of full-court pressure and Kyle Lowry did the trick, as the point guard played 42 minutes and tallied 32 points (12-of-23 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), eight rebounds, ten assists and five 3-pointers with just one turnover. Lowry’s production helped make up for Serge Ibaka (six points, five rebounds, one assist and one block) shooting 3-of-11 from the field and Fred VanVleet (ten points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer) going 2-of-13. [[ad:athena]]
With Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell all sidelined due to injury, others have been afforded the opportunity to contribute. Chris Boucher, an immediate pickup once those injuries were announced, played 24 minutes off the bench Sunday and finished with a career-high 21 points (6-of-12 FGs, 9-of-12 FTs), seven rebounds, two steals and four blocked shots. Boucher’s still rostered in just 18 percent of Yahoo leagues, and that number should increase in the coming days.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson played 29 minutes, accounting for 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. The point total is a bonus, as he’s averaging 8.3 points per game on the season, but he’s a “dirty work” guy who will get you rebounds on a consistent basis especially given who’s missing from the Raptors rotation. Patrick McCaw made another start, scoring eight points with two rebounds, one assist, four steals and two 3-pointers, and Terence Davis accounted for nine points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal and two 3-pointers in 23 minutes.
Davis would be fourth on the list of Raptors to pick up, behind Boucher, McCaw and Hollis-Jefferson at this point. Malcolm Miller (six rebounds, two assists and three steals in 17 minutes) should be left on the waiver wire for the time being.
Dallas was once again without the injured Luka Doncic, but the good news is that he could be back in the lineup this week. Jalen Brunson started for the fourth straight game, accounting for 21 points (8-of-14 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), four rebounds, nine assists, one steal and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes. He also turned the ball over just twice on the night. While Brunson’s value will take a hit once Doncic returns as he’ll be back with the second unit, he’s worth holding onto once that time comes especially in deeper leagues. He’s currently rostered in 36 percent of Yahoo leagues.
All five Mavericks starters scored in double figures Sunday afternoon. Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points, 12 rebounds, one steal, three blocks and three 3-pointers, but he did so on 5-of-15 shooting from the field. Shooting 40.7% from the field for the season entering Sunday’s game, he’s shot 44.4% in his last four games while also averaging 2.8 three-pointers per game (averaging 2.0 for the season) during that stretch (Doncic missed each of those games).
Dwight Powell added 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers, with Tim Hardaway Jr. (eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two 3-pointers) and Dorian Finney-Smith (five rebounds, three assists and three 3-pointers) scoring 16 and 14 points, respectively. Maxi Kleber accounted for seven points, five rebounds and one three-pointer in 15 minutes off the bench, while Delon Wright had a tough day shooting the ball (1-of-7 FGs) and finished with five points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer. Seth Curry shot 0-of-7, scoring one point and dishing out for assists in 18 minutes.
Celtics 119, Hornets 93 — Jayson Tatum went off for Boston, scoring a career-high 39 points (15-of-29 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs) with 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, three blocks and four 3-pointers in 36 minutes. While his offensive production receives much of the attention and rightfully so, Tatum’s averaging career-highs of 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. And he’s benefitted from the changes to the Celtics’ roster, as he’s been a third-round player in nine-category formats this season after being a fifth-round player in 2018-19 per Basketball Monster. If Tatum can continue to produce defensively while making the most of his opportunities on the other end, he’ll be of even greater value in all leagues.
Playing against his former team for the second time this season, Kemba Walker tallied 23 points (8-of-16 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, four assists and five 3-pointers in 30 minutes. Also scoring in double figures for the Celtics were Jaylen Brown (16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and one three-pointer) and Grant Williams (12 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer), with Enes Kanter adding eight points, 13 rebounds and one blocked shot. Rookie Romeo Langford played 23 minutes, scoring eight points with four rebounds, one block and two 3-pointers.
Gordon Hayward, who has missed the Celtics’ last three games due to left foot soreness, could be back in action this week. For that reason it’s best to leave Williams on the waiver wire, even with the way that he’s played in recent games (this applies to Langford as well). Marcus Smart, who’s out with an eye infection (both eyes), was back on the practice court but he’s a little further away from returning than Hayward. Brad Wanamaker’s seen an increase in minutes, and while he didn’t score Sunday he did dish out a team-high eight assists while also contributing two rebounds and a blocked shot.
For the second straight game Charlotte went with Nicolas Batum in the starting lineup, and the veteran guard accounted for six points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer in 22 minutes. At best he’s a fringe option in deeper leagues at this point. Devonte’ Graham led the way offensively with 23 points, shooting 6-of-13 from three, while also accounting for four rebounds and ten assists. He had to leave the game for a bit in the third quarter after suffering a left quad contusion, but Graham was able to return and finished with 32 minutes played.
Bismack Biyombo added 18 points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks, with Miles Bridges (15 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers) and Terry Rozier (14 points, two rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block) also scoring in double figures. Malik Monk tallied just three points, two rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes, while Cody Zeller (one rebound) and Cody Martin (two rebounds, one assist and one three-pointer) scored six points apiece. While Zeller has some value as a supplementary big in deeper leagues, Monk is too inconsistent to fill a roster spot in most leagues at this point.
P.J. Washington has been going through some on-court workouts as he continues to heal from a broken finger, but the expectation is that at the very least he’ll be out through Christmas. The rookie’s absence has opened up minutes for Batum and Marvin Williams, with Williams being in a similar position to Batum when it comes to considering whether or not to grab him off the waiver wire. There are better options available, so don’t do it.
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Bucks 117, Pacers 89 — Malcolm Brogdon made his return to Milwaukee, and it did not go well. While he dished out ten assists to go along with three rebounds and one steal, he was 5-of-19 from the field and finished with ten points. Brogdon was also responsible for five of the Pacers’ 13 turnovers, with T.J. McConnell (five points, three rebounds, four assists, one three-pointer and two turnovers) being the only other Indiana player with more than one on the night. Don’t think there’s any reason for alarm when it comes to Brogdon, who’s been a top-50 player in both eight- and nine-category formats this season (top-80 over the last two weeks in both formats).
Domantas Sabonis (19 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks and two 3-pointers) had a productive night, leading five Pacers in double figures. Doug McDermott hit three 3-pointers, scoring 15 points with three rebounds in 26 minutes. One can do a lot worse than McDermott at this point in the season if there’s a need for points and three-pointers, as he’s averaging 2.4 triples per game over the last two weeks. Aaron Holiday (two rebounds, three assists, two steals and one three-pointer) and Myles Turner (five rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers) scored 11 points apiece, with T.J. Warren being limited to nine points (4-of-13 FGs), three rebounds, one block and one three-pointer.
Jeremy Lamb (groin) missed a second straight game, with Aaron Holiday making another start while McDermott and Justin Holiday (three points, two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer) have seen more playing time. As noted above McDermott has the potential to fill a need (three-pointers), and while Justin Holiday is better when it comes to the other statistical categories.
Milwaukee was balanced offensively, with six scoring in double figures and none having more than 19 points. Wesley Matthews shot 5-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 from the foul line, tallying 19 points with one rebound, one assist, two steals, one block and four 3-pointers in 28 minutes. He’s a solid late-round option in most leagues, due to his ability as a three-point shooter while also producing as a defender.
Giannis Antetokounmpo punished the Pacers with 18 points, 19 rebounds, nine assists, two steals, two blocks and one three-pointer in 31 minutes, with Brook Lopez (eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three 3-pointers) and George Hill (nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and three 3-pointers) adding 17 points apiece. Rounding out the double-digit scorers were Robin Lopez (three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer) and Khris Middleton (four rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer), who scored 13 and 12, respectively.
Donte DiVincenzo made another start in place of the injured Eric Bledsoe, playing 25 minutes and tallying four points (2-of-7 FGs), four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Even with the lack of scoring the second-year guard is worth hanging onto, due to the production in those other statistical categories. Over the last two weeks DiVincenzo has been a top-100 player in both eight- and nine-category formats, while averaging just 7.9 points per game. Fantasy-wise he’s been similar to Bulls guard Kris Dunn, albeit on a much better team.
Thunder 118, Clippers 112 — Both teams were down at least one starter, as Clippers Kawhi Leonard (sore left knee) and Patrick Beverley (groin) and Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari (sore left ankle) were all sidelined. In the case of Gallinari he was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Darius Bazley, who played 25 minutes and accounted for seven points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer. Bazley’s still well off the fantasy radar, even if Gallinari has to miss more time, but Sunday’s stat line was solid with regard to his non-scoring contributions.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams were the stars for Oklahoma City, as the Thunder rallied from an 18-point deficit to win. Playing against his former team, Gilgeous-Alexander shot 12-of-25 from the field and posted a line of 32 points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes. Over the last two weeks he’s been a top-75 player in both eight- and nine-category formats, a slight improvement on his standing for the season as a whole.
Schroder tallied 28 points (8-of-17 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), five rebounds, six assists, one steal and four 3-pointers, with 16 of his points coming in the fourth quarter. A top-50 player in nine-cat over the last two weeks, he’s been a borderline top-25 player in eight-cat during that same stretch. Adams hit the 20-point mark for the first time since December 6, accounting for 20 points (10-of-15 FGs), 17 rebounds, two assists and three steals in 31 minutes. While backup Nerlens Noel (eight points, five rebounds and one block in 17 minutes) has slightly greater value from a fantasy standpoint due to the fact that he’s a much better free throw shooter, Adams is just outside of the top-100 in nine-category formats. He’s a must-have, although it could mean punting on free throw percentage most weeks.
Chris Paul added 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two 3-pointers in 36 minutes, while Abdel Nader finished with nine points, two assists and one block to help the Thunder account for Terrance Ferguson’s bad night. He missed all four of his shot attempts, going scoreless while accounting for three rebounds, one assist and two steals.
With Leonard sitting out, and it wasn’t a surprise since he played in Saturday’s win over the Spurs, Patrick Patterson moved into the starting lineup. And he took advantage of the opportunity, scoring 12 points (5-of-7 FGs) with six rebounds, two assists, one block and two 3-pointers in 18 minutes. He’s worth considering as a streaming option on nights in which Leonard is sidelined, but otherwise he isn’t worth rostering. JaMychal Green (tailbone) made his return, also playing 18 minutes, and he finished with six points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers. Green could be worth taking a look at in deeper leagues, but not until he gets a few more games under his belt.
With Beverley out Lou Williams moved into the starting lineup, playing 36 minutes and scoring 22 points (7-of-20 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs) with three rebounds, seven assists and one three-pointer. Williams’ move into the starting lineup freed up some bench minutes for Derrick Walton Jr., who accounted for five points, two rebounds, one assist and one three-pointer in 12 minutes. Not enough production to consider adding him, even if Beverley were forced to miss additional time with his groin injury. Montrezl Harrell (18 points, eight rebounds and one assist) and Landry Shamet (14 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one three-pointer) led the way among the reserves, with Rodney McGruder making two three-pointers and finishing with six points and one steal.
Lastly in his return to Oklahoma City, Paul George shot 6-of-17 from the field, scoring 18 points with two rebounds, three assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes. George, who from a production standpoint has been a second-round player all season long, also turned the ball over five times. Over the last month (16 games) he’s averaging 3.3 turnovers per game, a number that drops him just outside of the first round in nine-category formats (he’s a first-rounder in eight-cat over the last month). To be fair, that splitting hairs given how much value George brings to the table.
Nuggets 128, Lakers 104 — There were two changes to the Lakers starting lineup for this one, beginning with LeBron James (thoracic muscle strain) missing a game for the first time this season. As a result Rajon Rondo moved into the starting lineup, finishing with five points (2-of-8 FGs), four rebounds, eight assists, three steals and one three-pointer in 28 minutes. While he’s been a late-round player for the entire season, Rondo hasn’t been as effective in recent games. And while he’s certainly a capable passer and can also be productive when it comes to steals, there are better reserve guard options on the waiver wire.
The other change to the starting lineup was Avery Bradley replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, with Bradley finishing with six points, two rebounds, one assist and two 3-pointers in 21 minutes while KCP played 25 minutes and tallied six points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and two 3-pointers. Caldwell-Pope can be a late-round pickup option, but his value decreases significantly when he’s coming off the bench as opposed to starting. Bradley should not be claimed off the waiver wire in any league.
The biggest story once the game began was the apparent right knee injury suffered by Anthony Davis during the third quarter. He slipped while defending Paul Millsap, and while Davis was able to return to start the fourth quarter he did not look to be himself. He played 34 minutes on the night, scoring 32 points (13-of-23 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs) with 11 rebounds, one assist, four blocks and one three-pointer. Davis also turned the ball over five times, as Denver was able to devote more attention to him with James watching the game from the Lakers bench. With L.A. off until Christmas Day, Davis will have a couple days to get back to full strength. More should be learned about his status moving forward on Monday.
Kyle Kuzma made his return after missing five games with a left ankle injury, and he was supposed to be restricted to 20 minutes. He exceeded that number by two, shooting 7-of-15 from the field and finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer. One mainstay impacted by the rotation changes was Danny Green, who played 18 minutes and finished with five points, four rebounds, two assists and one three-pointer. The minutes total is the lowest for Green this season, and that may be his ceiling when the Lakers are whole. If so, it doesn’t make much sense to roster him unless there’s a need for three-pointers.
Alex Caruso shot 8-of-8 from the foul line, scoring eight points with two rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in 22 minutes, but he isn’t a viable fantasy option even with James out of the lineup. Dwight Howard (eight points, seven rebounds and one assist) and JaVale McGee (seven points, five rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one three-pointer) didn’t have great nights, with both playing fewer than 20 minutes as the Lakers went “small” with Davis at center.
Denver had no such health issues Sunday, as the team was clicking on all cylinders during the third quarter. By game’s end six Nuggets were in double figures led by Millsap, who shot 8-of-14 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line and finished with 21 points, one rebound and three 3-pointers in 21 minutes. Also scoring in double figures were Gary Harris (19 points, one rebound, five assists, four steals and one three-pointer), Nikola Jokic (18/6/5/1/1 with one three-pointer), Malik Beasley (16/2/2/1 with three 3-pointers), Will Barton (14/13/5/2) and Mason Plumlee (10/5/5/1).
The production more than made up for Jamal Murray’s tough night, as he shot 3-of-11 from the field and finished with six points, three rebounds, five assists and one steal.
Jerami Grant and Monte Morris were also productive off the bench, with the former playing 23 minutes and tallying eight points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and two 3-pointers. As for Morris, he played 20 minutes and finished with nine points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer. While Grant, Morris and Plumlee seem to be guarantees in the Nuggets’ bench rotation, the fourth (Beasley on Sunday) and fifth spots are up in the air. Michael Porter Jr. played just five minutes and Torrey Craig two, and at this point it doesn’t make much sense for either to be rostered unless it’s as a streaming option due to injuries.
Monday’s Schedule (all times Eastern)
Washington at New York, 7 PM
Atlanta at Cleveland, 7 PM
Philadelphia at Detroit, 7 PM
Chicago at Orlando, 7 PM
Toronto at Indiana, 7 PM
Utah at Miami, 7:30 PM
San Antonio at Memphis, 8 PM
Denver at Phoenix, 9 PM
Houston at Sacramento, 10 PM
New Orleans at Portland, 10 PM
Minnesota at Golden State, 10:30 PM
