Dose: Brewer Goes for Broke
Although the regular season is winding down, the fantasy world is still on fire. There were several big time scoring performances from the likes of Corey Brewer, Stephen Curry, Eric Bledsoe, and Chandler Parsons, while Andre Drummond and Jonas Valanciunas crashed the glass big time. With plenty to cover, let’s get right to the action.
Brewer racks up 50 plus
With both Kevin Love (elbow) and Kevin Martin (foot) out, Corey Brewer was free to fire at will and responded in a big way, notching a career-high 51 points as the Timberwolves edged out the Rockets. Amazingly, Brewer hit 19-30 shots, 16 of which came from within three feet of the basket. He also grabbed six steals, joining Michael Jordan, Rick Barry, and Allen Iverson as the only players in NBA history to score 50 points and six steals in an NBA game. While this outburst was certainly a treat for owners, don’t expect it again anytime soon. However, it’s not crazy to think that his point total could jump up marginally with Love and Martin on the mend.
The Chandler Parsons project makes waves
Although the Rockets lost a close one on Friday night, Chandler Parsons did his best to make it a nail biter. The versatile small forward scored 27 points, adding seven boards, seven assists, and four steals. He also hit four triples as part of his efficient 11-19 overall shooting. While Parsons has been known to go off and have some streaky runs, his current run is actually quite nice. So far in the month of April Parsons is averaging 19 points, five rebounds, nearly five assists, and two steals per game. His fantasy friendly game has made him a hot early round target heading into next season.
Curry triple-doubles in blowout
Stephen Curry did it all for the Warriors on Friday night, dropping 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists as Golden State buried Los Angeles. The sharpshooting All-Star notched his fourth triple-double of the campaign and has his squad in primed playoff mode. Power forward David Lee returned after a three-week absence and scored 10 points while grabbing 10 boards in 25 minutes off the bench. He’ll likely get back in the starting unit in the next one and should get better with each passing game.
Bledsoe just misses a triple-double line
Despite turning the ball over seven times, Eric Bledsoe still turned in a fantasy gem against San Antonio. The surging point guard scored 30 points, with 11 boards, nine assists, and three steals. Bledsoe has been on fire over his last four, averaging nearly 24 points per game and seven rebounds. He’s finishing the year strong and rewarding owners who stuck with him through a lengthy injury.
Green has a career night
While Bledsoe was lighting it up in the fantasy world, Danny Green was busy leading the Spurs to victory over the Suns. The small forward scored a career-high 33 points on 12-17 shooting, including seven triples. The Spurs could rest him a bit over the last few games but overall Green has been fantastic in the second half, providing owners with sixth round value.
Drummond notches huge double-double
The Pistons have had an awful season but one of the fun parts about watching and following them has been the play of Andre Drummond. The tenacious rebounder put up another fine line on Friday, grabbing 26 rebounds while scoring 26 points. He added three steals and one block to complete the night. This was the seventh time this season that Drummond has pulled down 20 or more rebounds. In the month of April the big man has been on fire, averaging 18 points and 18 boards.
Jonas can board too
While Drummond’s 26 board effort stole show in that category, Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas was no slouch, adding 14 points behind a career-high 21 rebounds. He’s been scorching over his last three, averaging 19 points and 15 rebounds. In addition to Valanciunas’ big game, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each filled it up, scoring a combined 51 points. The Raptors have benefited from a weak Eastern conference but the bottom line is that the young and athletic squad won’t be a cakewalk for any playoff team.
Stat goes retro
Playing a whopping 40 minutes for the first time all season, Amare Stoudemire turned back the clock, scoring 24 points with 11 rebounds as the Knicks got a crucial win over Toronto. Stoudemire’s playing time is certainly spotty at times but when he’s on the floor he’s been very effective as a fantasy asset. He’s scored in double figures in every game he’s played in since March and although his defense is still lacking, his offensive efficiency has been a nice surprise this season.
Young Sixers run out of gas
Both Michael Carter-Williams and Henry Sims hit a wall on Friday against Memphis. The two young guns combined for just 17 points and 12 boards on 8-21 shooting. The Grizzlies had control of the game by the third quarter so both Sixers played less than 30 minutes. However, after a long and draining season, the Rookie of the Year candidate and surging big man simply couldn’t get it going. MCW has said in the past that he’s burning out but his recent play debunks that claim as he had been playing well. However, with just a few games left, both Sims and Carter-Williams’ play may lag a bit.
Rivers takes the lead in starting role
With Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon out for the season and Brian Roberts gimpy, Austin Rivers was given the start on Friday night and played a mammoth 40 minutes, scoring 18 points with eight boards and five assists. As the season winds down, Rivers is a nice pickup candidate as he should see some hefty run over the last few games.
