Basketball Pickups: It's Tari Time in Houston

The number one soap opera in the world: the National Basketball Association. The drama during the Bucks-Pacers game didn’t compare to what happened after the game, but there was still some drama, with Aaron Nesmith committing a hard foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo, which nearly got Thanasis Antetokounmpo off the bench and onto the court for a scuffle. Instead, it raised tensions and eventually led to a Bobby Portis ejection. Despite that, Giannis ended up setting a franchise record with 64 points. Unfortunately, that also lined up with Oscar Tshiebwe scoring the first official point of his NBA career (he scored a point in the In-Season Tournament championship, which didn’t count towards any official stats). The Pacers seemed to have grabbed the game ball, which Giannis wanted. He chased them into their locker room, and there were reports that Indiana’s GM ended up with bruised ribs from a hard elbow. In the end, Indiana didn’t even have the right ball, because a security guard for the Bucks grabbed the game ball right after the game ended. Still, Giannis said that it felt different, and he doesn’t believe that it was the same ball. And that was just one of Wednesday’s nine games. There are seven more games on Thursday, so here are a few players to consider adding to your squad.

Tari Eason- 26% rostered in Yahoo leagues

After Monday’s 18/14/1/2 line, Eason didn’t feel like a must-add. He’s a talented player, but the situation hasn’t been ideal. However, Eason posted a 25/14/1/1/1 line with three 3-pointers on Wednesday, and now he feels like a must-add. Ime Udoka hasn’t been scared to bench his starters when they’re struggling, which has allowed Eason to play extra minutes. He is playing at a high level, and he has a fantasy friendly game, which is the recipe for a must-add player.

Bilal Coulibaly- 18%

Despite Washington continuing to lose, Coulibaly has continued to play well. His poor free throw shooting has limited his overall 9-cat value, but he has still been effective in a few categories, including points, steals and field goal percentage. It may take a specific build for him to fit flawlessly with a fantasy squad, but he is contributing.

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Nick Richards- 15%

Mark Williams has missed three of Charlotte’s last four games, which has allowed Richards to start at center. On Wednesday, PJ Washington exited early with a shoulder injury. That resulted in Richards playing 40 minutes and coming away with 10 rebounds and four blocks. If Williams and/or Washington remain out on Friday, Richards should be a dependable option.

Cam Reddish- 13%

Reddish has continued to buy into a 3-and-D role with the Lakers, and it has worked out incredibly well for him. He only needed 24 minutes on Wednesday to post a 10/2/3/3/1 line with two 3-pointers. Most of his value has come from his triples and steals, but that should be enough for him to be worth a roster spot.

Collin Sexton- 47%, Talen Horton-Tucker- 16%

Keyonte George exited early from Wednesday’s game and is expected to miss at least their next two games. Sexton posted a 26/4/7 line with three 3-pointers. THT played 24 minutes and posted a 15/4/3 line. There is a good chance THT moves into the starting unit alongside Sexton, and both players should be worth streaming moving forward.

Kris Dunn- 2%

In deeper leagues, Dunn should be a decent option. He played 18 minutes on Wednesday and finished with a 10/2/7/1 line and two 3-pointers.

Simone Fontecchio- 9%

Lauri Markkanen returned to the lineup on Wednesday, but he is expected to miss the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday. Fontecchio had been starting in his place, but with John Collins sidelined on Wednesday, Fontecchio remained in the starting unit and posted a 15/6/2/2 line with three triples in 31 minutes. He should be a solid option on Thursday.

Taylor Hendricks- 1%

In deeper leagues, Hendricks should be a great option, especially if John Collins remains sidelined on Thursday. Hendricks posted a 5/4/1/2/1 line with a triple in 20 minutes off the bench on Wednesday. The rookie has a fantasy friendly game, and he is finally getting the opportunity to show it.