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As is usually the case, Thursday’s NBA schedule was light, with only three games played. There were some streaming candidates, but this night was more about already-established players with rostered percentages that should be higher than they currently are. And we begin with a Heat starter who continues to exceed preseason expectations.
Caleb Martin (40%)
Martin was solid in the Heat’s 115-110 win over the Clippers, playing 40 minutes and finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and four 3-pointers. Kyle Lowry (rest) not playing freed up a few more scoring opportunities across the board, and Martin took advantage of his. He’s providing 9th-round per-game value in 9-cat formats for the season, and Martin has been a top 100 player over the last month. Playing alongside Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro limit Martin’s scoring opportunities, but he’s shown the ability to provide value across the board. Is he a must-have? No, but fantasy managers can do much worse than Martin when looking to bolster the back end of their rosters.
Nicolas Batum (12%)
On the other side of that matchup in Miami was Batum, who finished with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and three 3-pointers in 32 minutes. He was starting for the second straight game, this time filling in for the resting Kawhi Leonard. Batum didn’t produce a “sexy” stat line, but he did fill it out, offering decent value for those who decided to stream him. Is Batum worth holding onto? Likely not. Leonard should be back for Saturday’s game in Washington. But keep his name in mind for the Clippers’ next back-to-back, December 14-15, against the Timberwolves and Suns.
Tari Eason (41%)
Eason continues to come off the bench for the Rockets, providing 11th-round per-game value in 9-cat formats. He finished Thursday’s loss to the Spurs with eight points, six rebounds, two assists, one block, and two 3-pointers in 23 minutes. Eason has yet to start a game this season, with KJ Martin being the preferred choice to fill in for Eric Gordon whenever the veteran guard has been sidelined. But it isn’t difficult to envision a scenario later this season in which that changes, especially with the Rockets being 7-18 after Thursday’s defeat.
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Charles Bassey (7%)
The Spurs had a lot going on fantasy-wise, as Devin Vassell, Jakob Poeltl, Jeremy Sochan, and Keita Bates-Diop were all out due to injury. The absence of Poeltl impacts two players, specifically Zach Collins (17% rostered) and Bassey. While the former has been the starter, the latter has offered greater fantasy value. Bassey finished Thursday’s win over the Rockets with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and a career-high four blocked shots in 21 minutes off the bench. Collins (10 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 27 minutes) also played well and should be streamed until Poeltl (who’s week-to-week) is cleared to return. But the focus should be on Bassey, who’s provided top-50 value over the last week.
Romeo Langford (1%) and Malaki Branham (1%)
With Vassell and Sochan sidelined, Langford and Branham were in the starting lineup. Langford (11/4/5/2/1 with one 3-pointer in 28 minutes) was more productive than Branham (5/3/1 with one 3-pointer in 25 minutes) on the night and is the better streaming option for desperate fantasy managers. But let’s be honest, you’d be better off rolling the dice on Josh Richardson (12/2/2 with three 3-pointers) or Doug McDermott (12/3/2/0/1 with three 3-pointers) than Langford or Branham.
