Skip to main content

Watch the Boxes (12/08/14)

Goran Dragic 710

Should fantasy owners sell high on Goran Dragic with a potential trade looming?

Mike Catron rambles on about the fantasy impact of NBA Box Scores. Since watching every single game is impossible if you have a real job, one of the best ways to stay knowledgeable on fantasy basketball is to analyze the box scores. Watch the Boxes will help you by relying on 12 years of fantasy basketball experience, and a healthy obsession with the NBA, while occasionally providing strategy, waiver wire, and trade tips. Watch the Boxes can be found semi-daily on Empeopled.com. You can complain to him about his bad advice on Twitter @LTdeng_mc.

Get Start/Sit & Waiver Wire Advice

PHX (120) at LAC (121) – One of the most exciting games of the year had some questionable calls and insane stat lines. A big boy triple-dub from Eric Bledsoe solidifies his role as the No. 1 guard in PHX. He has been on this path since the 3 guard experiment started, and now it is official. The question might now be, who hurts Goran Dragic more? Bledsoe or Isaiah Thomas? I don’t think PHX is maxing Dragic’s ability, and his current run without Thomas makes it obvious. There has to be a trade in the future. But trades are tricky to predict. Sell high on Dragic before Isaiah gets back.

Blake Griffin had a monster game, though the officiating helped him get to that point total. Griffin got off to a slow start at the beginning of the year, if you were able to snatch him up, congrats. He is a hold. J.J. Redick has been a buy-low for me for a while, if he is still available in your league (56% owned), snatch him up. He’s getting hot right now and is the starting SG on a team that allows for him to be open quite often.

————–

CLE (110) at BKN (88) – Everyone was talking about the King after this game. The future King of England that is. With little regard to the actual basketball game being played, the whole crowd almost rushed the court when Prince Will and Kate came strolling in. Get a grip America.

Suspiciously, “King” LeBron James only started playing when actual royalty showed up, blowing the game wide open in the 3rd. Dion Waiters stole Kyrie’s stats this game, which he has done every 8 games or so. You’d have to think Neon Dion will figure out how to play with this team, but it certainly is taking longer than it should with the talent around him. In deep leagues I would take a flyer on him, but in standard leagues he should be watched. Brooklyn struggled as they were unsurprisingly injured. Get used to that for the next few years. I did like Mirza Teletovic’s play until he got hurt. I still think he is worth a spot start in medium to deep leagues while Brook Lopez is injured. He really has a nice 9-cat skill set. Deep leagues might want to watch Sergey Karasev and how he fits into the rotation when Joe Johnson is injured.

————–

BOS (132) at WSH (133) – The double overtime “free basketball” bumped everyone’s stats nicely. Paul Pierce is performing well with his limited minutes. He is only owned in 61% of leagues, but he is definitely a proven vet that deserves to be owned in all leagues. Sure he is old, won’t produce what he used to, and will likely miss some time. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t giving you solid production, with the occasional nice line. John Wall has gone out of his mind, with turnovers. I guess you will have to accept the fact that his increase in production is going to go hand in hand with TOs. This leads back to a question I had regarding worrying about turnovers. My answer was don’t. The best players in the league have the ball in their hands, and that means they will turn the ball over. Punting turnovers is a great strategy. Even in roto you have to be bad in a few categories and that is one to choose.

Kelly Olynyk continues to have one great 9-cat game after laying an egg for a week. Congrats if you won the “guess when to start Kelly” game last night. For everyone else, the starting Tyler Zeller strategy is beginning to show improvements, and will at least average at a steady pace. His most impressive attributes are FG% and FT%, both very elite for a standard big man. He isn’t going to fill up all 9-cats, but he does make a difference in specific ones. The ongoing Zeller vs Olynyk saga continues. Why doesn’t Rajon Rondo want to score? It is really weird, but he is in one of his moods. A lot of people base their players on the wow stats: points and rebounds. He would be a buy-low candidate if his owner fits that description.

————-

ATL (108) at IND (92)Al Horford, who has been a buy-low candidate for a while, had himself a great game against Indy. If he starts a swing of good results, his value will bump back up to appropriate levels. Deeper leagues should be aware that Thabo Sefolosha is seeing more of a role in the rotation, though he has never had much fantasy value. Another lack-luster effort from Indiana. They seem to be a little manic with their quality of play. Go stash George Hill.

DEN (107) at TOR (112) – Another OT game, lots of free stats tonight. Timofey Mozgov should continue to get more minutes on this team that has lost its identity, but I’ve said this before. I don’t know why they didn’t unleash him last year. Very good FG% and BLKs guy with a great FT% as well. He’s solid everywhere else for a standard big. I don’t see why he couldn’t play at this level with the minutes he is getting. His consistency will be in question due to foul trouble issues and he might sit if they get blown out, but his positive attributes trump his negatives. You can feel safe with him moving forward.

GSW (102) at MIN (86)Draymond Green is playing out of his mind, but I don’t think he can finish the year this high. I am not worried about him keeping his minutes or role with the return of David Lee. If you wanted to sell super high on him, get a ransom in return. Other than that, hold. Andrew Wiggins showed that he does have that potential, but I don’t think this is the start of a hot streak. Rookies being rookies; he’ll struggle with consistency. Gorgui Dieng still has another 10 days of starting according to sources.

UTAH (92) at SAC (101) – The Kings are struggling without their main threat, DeMarcus Cousins, and it could be a bit before he gets back. Reggie Evans has been taking his minutes, and Reggie can rebound, but that is about it. Jason Thompson has taken more of the big man offensive role now. He is no Boogie, but he should be considered in all but the shallowest leagues. Nik Stauskas had a rare nice game, but Ben McLemore’s job is probably safe. Alec Burks is back, and maybe he can get back on track to improving this year.

———–

DISCLAIMER: All suggestions are made on a whim based on nothing but lots of time playing Fantasy and watching the NBA; YOU SHOULD ALWAYS consider your league format and team makeup in every move you make. ALWAYS.

More Articles

Wednesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Cade Cunningham, Lauri Markkanen, Michael Porter Jr. (3/27)

Wednesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Cade Cunningham, Lauri Markkanen, Michael Porter Jr. (3/27)

fp-headshot by Raju Byfield | 2 min read
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (3/27)

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (3/27)

fp-headshot by Joel Bartilotta | 1 min read
NBA DraftKings Pick6 Predictions: Tuesday (3/26)

NBA DraftKings Pick6 Predictions: Tuesday (3/26)

fp-headshot by Raju Byfield | 2 min read
Tuesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Josh Giddey, Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis (3/26)

Tuesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Josh Giddey, Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis (3/26)

fp-headshot by Raju Byfield | 2 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

4 min read

Wednesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Cade Cunningham, Lauri Markkanen, Michael Porter Jr. (3/27)

Next Up - Wednesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Cade Cunningham, Lauri Markkanen, Michael Porter Jr. (3/27)

Next Article