Dose: Triple Duncan
Friday night was an action packed night of fantasy hoops. Tim Duncan posted a rare triple-double and LeBron James filled up the stat sheet. There was a shootout out west and one up north. All that and more in today’s Dose.
Timmy is triple great
Tim Duncan notched his fourth career triple-double on Friday night as he scored 14 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists. It was his first triple-double since 2010 and at 38-years-old Duncan became the second oldest person to record a triple-double. The oldest was Karl Malone back in 2003. The future Hall of Famer also added a pair of blocks during the contest and was a huge factor in helping the Spurs defeat the Grizzlies. Manu Ginobili was also impressive, scoring 17 points, seven assists, six boards, two steals, and five triples. He certainly picked up the slack for the injured Tony Parker, who went down with a hamstring injury during the contest. Parker’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious but he’ll likely miss Saturday’s game.
On the other side of the floor both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley threw up great fantasy lines. Gasol finished with28 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks while Conley finished with 23 points and 10 assists.
MCW and Covington fill it up
Despite losing to the Thunder, both Michael Carter-Williams and Robert Covington made a big fantasy impact on Friday. Carter-Williams shot a poor 6-19 from the floor but his counting stats were plentiful. He ended up with 16 points, 14 assists, seven rebounds, three steals, one block, and one triple. Covington on the other hand looks primed for a breakout. The undrafted power forward finished with 21 points, six boards, and three triples. Covington scored 17 in his last game and appears to be gaining minutes and confidence. He’s playing for a struggling squad and could see some legit action going forward. He’s worth a flier for sure.
Anthony breaks out of a funk
The Knicks lost a heartbreaker to the Hornets on Friday but Carmelo Anthony surely did his part to keep his team in the game. Melo shot an efficient 11-22 from the field on his way to 32 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two three-pointers. He was also a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe. Anthony was awful on Thursday as he went 4-19 from the field against the Cavs so this was a nice reboot. It’s been a crapshoot for Anthony owners this year. His scoring numbers are way down at just 22 points per game and he’s only grabbing six boards per contest as well. His value is low so there is a window there to pounce on a frustrated owner.
LeBron James does LeBron James things
The King was dominant against Toronto on Friday as he tallied 24 points, 13 dimes, seven boards, three steals, one block, and two triples. James’ assists numbers have been crazy as of late. Over his last three games he’s averaging close to 12 per contest. LeBron wasn’t the only Cavalier to go off on Friday as Tristan Thompson came off the bench for 21 points and 14 rebounds. The power forward is a bit too inconsistent to be trusted in most leagues but if Anderson Varejao ever goes down, it’s Thompson’s world.
Terry and LaVine duel in Minnesota
Both Jason Terry and Zach LaVine put on a show against each other but it was Houston who pulled out the victory. Terry, who has shined in his recent starting role, put up 19 points, six assists, four boards, and three triples. The Jet has been on fire as of late, averaging 17 and five over his last three games. He’s certainly worth owning for the time being. On the other side of the court, LaVine started in place of a banged up Mo Williams and scored 17 points, six boards, four assists, and a three-pointer. Williams has already been ruled out for Saturday’s game so LaVine is an intriguing short-term option.
Harden goes wild
While Terry and LaVine were both looking impressive, James Harden was looking like the All-NBA player that he is. Despite his eight turnovers Harden still put up 38 points including 13-14 from the line and three triples. He also handed out six assists and grabbed four boards. Harden is scoring over 25 per game and is among the league-leaders in that category. He’ll continue to be a top fantasy stud all season.
A shootout in Dallas
Monta Ellis scored 33 points and Tyson Chandler went for 15 points and 18 rebounds but Phoenix’s stars were even better and Dallas ultimately lost. Goran Dragic torched the Mavericks for 28 points, 13 assists and three triples while Eric Bledsoe scored 19 and handed out seven assists. The major difference in the backcourt duel was Jameer Nelson, who struggled mightily, scoring just five points. Markieff Morris was also a huge factor for the Suns as he notched a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. Morris has really found a rhythm as of late. He’s scored in double figures in nine of the last 10 games, averaging over 16 points and six rebounds during that stretch which is a clip higher than his season average.
Celtics dominate Lakers
The frontcourt of Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger wreaked havoc on the Lakers on Friday. Zeller, who has been starting as of late but hasn’t been that impressive, broke out with 24 points and 14 rebounds. He shot 10-11 from the field and while this is an encouraging performance, it also might end up being his best line this season. Sullinger on the other hand dropped in 17 points, 13 rebounds, and a pair of triples. The big man has been pretty consistent all season and should continue starting for fantasy squads. Rajon Rondo was also dominant for Boston. He nearly tallied a triple-double but just missed it, finishing with 12 points, 16 assists, and eight rebounds.
Favors has a block party
The Jazz fell to the Magic on Friday but Derrick Favors put his best foot forward. The big man scored 21 points, 13 rebounds and blocked a season-high five shots. It was Favors’ seventh double-double of the season and while he isn’t scoring as much as originally expected, he continues to be a key cog for both the Jazz and fantasy teams thanks to his solid numbers and consistency. Teammate Gordon Hayward however has been in a bit of s shooting slump as of late. He shot just 4-11 from the field on Friday and is now 16-44 over his last three. He’s in a mini slump and he’ll be out of it sooner rather than later.
Gay and Collison lead Kings to victory
Rudy Gay and Darren Collison scored a combined 47 points as the Kings outlasted the Pacers in overtime. Gay scored 27 points with five boards and five assists while Collison tallied 20 points, six boards, six assists, and four steals. With DeMarcus Cousins still absent both Gay and Collison have been able to pick up the slack and have rewarded fantasy owners with their effort. Aside for a few missteps, Gay and Collison have been well worth their draft day positions.
