Dose: King Cousins
With just one week left in the fantasy season, NBA teams were throwing wrenches all over the place; resting players, unleashing benchwarmers, and making fantasy lineups a virtual minefield. Although guys like Otto Porter Jr. and Ricky Ledo got starring roles on Friday, the mainstays weren’t far off. Nikola Vucevic, Andre Drummond, and Brook Lopez all showed up in a big way but the brightest star was without question DeMarcus Cousins.
The King of Sac-Town
DeMarcus Cousins turned in his second straight triple-double on Friday, going for 24 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists. He added four blocks to round out a sick line. Cousins went for 39 points and 20 rebounds last week and then threw up 24 points, 21 boards, and 10 assists on Wednesday. That three-game stretch is just bananas and proves how dynamic Cousins is as a basketball player. Cousins is having a banner season, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and free-throw percentage. He’s a borderline top-5 fantasy player in some leagues and will most definitely go in the top-10 once again next season.
Kanter dominates
Enes Kanter had a fantastic game on Friday, going for 24 points and 17 rebounds against Memphis. He hurt his neck towards the end of the game but x-rays came back negative. He’s been on fire over the last month, having notched 12 double-doubles since the beginning of March. The big man is averaging nearly 19 points and 12 rebounds over that stretch and is clearly making Oklahoma City management look smart for acquiring him via trade. Kanter’s been a top-30 player down the stretch but come next season, with Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka all healthy and in the lineup, it’s going to be tough to stay in that range so be cautious in keeper leagues.
Nikola crushes Wolves
Swiss center Nikola Vucevic took the undermanned Wolves to task on Friday, lighting them up for a season-high 37 points and 17 rebounds. He shot 18-25 from the field to cap a tremendous night. Vucevic was a man possessed during this contest and readily took advantage of the inexperienced Justin Hamilton and Adreian Payne. Vucevic’s season averages of 19 points and 11 rebounds are elite numbers, ones that have made him a top-30 player in most fantasy leagues this season.
Big Al goes down
Al Jefferson, who’s been bothered by right knee soreness, left Friday’s game after 12 minutes, finishing with four points and one rebound. The Hornets lost this game and are likely out of playoff contention so there’s a good chance Jefferson will sit out the remainder of the season, in fact, coach Steve Clifford hinted at that on Friday as well. Bismack Biyombo is a nice pickup to close out the fantasy season. He finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks on Friday.
Pretty Ricky
Ricky Ledo busted out on Friday, coming off the Knicks bench for a career-high 21 points, nine rebounds, and two triples. The Knicks have been in shutdown mode for months but he’s only recently been given significant minutes. He’s done a nice job over the last six games, averaging 11 points and four rebounds. With only six games remaining for New York, Ledo looks to have some fantasy value the rest of the way.
Porter proves his worth
Otto Porter Jr. drew his second straight start on Friday and made his shots count, going 7-9 from the field on his way to 17 points, eight rebounds, and two steals. He filled in for the injured Paul Pierce and helped the Wizards to a win over the Knicks. Porter put up similar numbers on Wednesday when he scored 15 points and seven rebounds. Pierce isn’t hurt he’s simply resting for the playoffs so Porter’s value is on a short leash.
Nets fill it up
The Raptors and the Nets had a shootout on Friday with Brooklyn coming out on top. While DeMar DeRozan starred for Toronto with 27 points, eight boards, and eight assists, there was a trio of great performances on the other side of the court. Brook Lopez exploded for 30 points and 17 rebounds while Deron Williams went for 31 points and 11 assists. Thaddeus Young was also fantastic with a season-high 29 points, six boards, and four steals. Young shot 12-15 from the field as well. Lopez finished March averaging 21 and nine and has begun April in style. He is clearly the anchor for the surging Nets and is once again becoming a fantasy dynamo. His injury history is almost impossible to ignore but enjoy the ride if you stayed with him this long.
Splitter down, Baynes up
Tiago Splitter left Friday’s game due to a calf issue and did not return. He only played six minutes and with the playoffs coming up there’s a good chance Splitter could sit out the rest of the regular season. In his absence Aron Baynes played 18 minutes, tying his career-high with 18 points and four rebounds. Baynes is a sneaky plug and play going forward as he could see some garbage minutes for the resting Spurs.
Drummond gets defensive
Andre Drummond pulled down 22 rebounds and blocked six shots on Friday, adding 14 points. The big man hit the 20 rebound plateau for the 11th time this season and notched his 42nd double-double of the year. With averages of 13 points and 13 rebounds, Drummond has had a great season but his numbers are nearly identical to last year. Drummond is still going to be a fantasy force next year but until he increases his blocks and steals, his value will be capped. His free throw percentage is also a category nightmare.
