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Andre SnellingsESPN
Here are a few Monday morning thoughts from the Hoops Lab, as we prepare for Week 10 of the fantasy basketball season. Keep in mind, the Fantasy Basketball Rest of Season Rankings also update on Mondays, so check those out as your prepare for this week’s games. Between the rankings and this article, we’ll also help you identify some good Buy Low/Sell high candidates. So, without further ado, let’s dig into it.
Jokic holy crap triple-double/battle for top spot
Last week, for the first time in more than a year, Nikola Jokic moved out of the top spot in my rest-of-season rankings. Luka Doncic just couldn’t be denied anymore. But, on Sunday, Jokic served notice that he may just want the top spot back.
Jokic turned in a holy-crap triple double on Sunday, with 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists effort, the likes of which haven’t been seen since the days of Wilt Chamberlain. But, after a “quiet” start by his standards, Jokic has been building up to video game level for weeks now. In his past 13 games, Jokic has averaged 29.6 PPG (63.2 FG%, 76.3 FT%), 12.4 RPG, 9.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 3PG and 0.8 BPG. You know, just (essentially) a 30-point triple-double on outstanding percentages with a steal, trey and block per game to boot.
In this week’s rest-of-season rankings, Doncic edged Jokic by a razor-thin margin to keep hold of the top spot. But, the way Jokic is playing, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he reclaims his traditional spot at the top as soon as next week.
AD Injury
I was listening to the Lakers against the Nuggets on the radio on Friday night, when the announcers made the dreaded announcement, “Davis didn’t come back out with the team after halftime. We’ll give you an update as soon as we hear something.” Of course, when the news came down, it wasn’t good: Davis out at least a month with a right foot injury. The Lakers have been playing their best ball of the season, and seemed to be settling into the necessary roles to be competitive.
On the fantasy front, the primary player to look to is Thomas Bryant (available in 86.2% of leagues), who has played well as a starter in recent years and already has lines of 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and a 3-pointer followed by 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 3-pointers in the two games since Davis went down.
Davis’ injury also shifts LeBron James back to the primary focal point, and he’s responded with averages of 31.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 6.5 APG in his past two outings. Russell Westbrook could also be called upon to step up, even in his role off the bench, and he’s averaged a triple-double of 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the last two games.
Last week, when Stephen Curry was announced to be out for about a month dealing with a shoulder injury, I wrote that Poole was the most likely Warriors player to step up as Curry’s understudy.
He seems to be taking that role extremely seriously so far, with an impressive Curry impression featuring back-to-back huge scoring efforts that average out to 36.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.5 3PG and 1.0 SPG. Poole averaged 26 PPG during the last month of last season with Curry out, and has legit 30-plus point scoring upside…perhaps even expectation…on a nightly basis.
LaMelo is back
After doing my preseason player projections, I was surprised to find LaMelo Ball in the third slot. His ankle injuries have derailed the start of his campaign, but he’s back now and putting up the type of numbers that I’ve been anticipating. In three games last week, Ball averaged 27.0 PPG (49.1 FG%, 90.0 FT%), 6.3 APG, 5.3 3PG and 2.7 RPG. His rebounding and defensive stats are very likely to increase moving forward, but his offensive numbers are reasonably sustainable.
The window to trade for Ball on the cheap is likely already closed, if not closing rapidly, but if you can talk the manager that rosters him in your league into a discount due to injury risk, it could behoove you to trade for the younger Ball. He’s legit.
Cade officially done
Another young point guard I was expecting big things from this season, Cade Cunningham, has officially been shut down for the season due to his shin injury. Cunningham is rapidly developing into one of the stars of the next generation, and his absence will be felt in both the NBA and fantasy leagues.
His absence opens up space for the Pistons to see what they have in the seventh pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, Killian Hayes, as well as in the fifth pick of the 2022 Draft Jaden Ivey. Hayes, still available in 74.0% of leagues, has averaged 13.2 PPG, 7.4 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.6 3PG and 1.3 SPG in 29.3 MPG over his past 12 starts. Ivey (available in 32.8% of leagues) is still in the midst of what should be an All-Rookie Team season in which he’s averaging 15.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.4 3PG and 1.0 SPG in 30.1 MPG.