Brandon Clarke

Brandon Clarke became a three-point shooter Saturday, going 4-of-5 from long range (8-11 FG) en route to 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one turnover in 24 minutes off the bench.

Fantasy Impact

Clarke went outside of his comfort zone in this one, as he averages just 1.1 three-point attempts per game on the season. He shot the ball well against a Portland team that wasn’t interested in playing a whole lot of defense. Be it as it may, Clarke was asked to step up when Jaren Jackson Jr. went down with a torn meniscus two weeks ago, and he’s been the Grizzlies best player off the bench ever since. The rookie out of Gonzaga has a bright future ahead in this league, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the starting lineup when the 2020-21 season rolls along.

Grizzles F/C Brandon Clarke will replace Jaren Jackson Jr. in the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Jazz.

Fantasy Impact

Clarke should be the greatest beneficiary of Jaren Jackson Jr.'s untimely season-ending knee injury and should be a steal at his current salary of $4600 on Draftkings and $4900 on Fanduel. He should see a significant boost in his 22 minutes per game this season and will be a valuable asset for DFS players while his salary is still reasonably low for the upside he brings.

Brandon Clarke scored 10 points (5-8 FG, 0-1 3PT) with eight rebounds, one assist, one block, and one turnover in 23 minutes in Monday's 109-99 loss to the Pelicans.

Fantasy Impact

Clarke came down from his game on Saturday to post a typical sixth-man night. Jackson Jr. collected fouls throughout, but was able to play most of the game, which limited Clarke's opportunities. Clarke was nearing a double-double before Jackson Jr. came back into the game. Tuesday's matchup with the Jazz may lead to more rebounding opportunities, as the Jazz prefer to play two small forwards instead of a traditional power forward. The slower pace should yield a better scoring output.

Brandon Clarke scored 21 points (7-8 FG, 7-8 FT), with seven boards, two assists, one steal, and two blocks in 34 minutes off the bench in Friday’s overtime loss to the Trail Blazers.

Fantasy Impact

Clarke saw more minutes than expected in this one as a result of Jonas Valanciunas getting into early foul trouble. Just his rookie season, Clarke has surprised some by his play, averaging 12 points (62.3% FG), 5.8 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. He may not see 34 minutes per game going forward, but his efficiency and tenacity on both ends of the floor should give him ample opportunity in the Grizzlies rotation.

Speaking with the media via Zoom call on Monday, Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke mentioned that the NBA hiatus has allowed him to fully recover from the quad injury that forced him to miss eight games before the NBA season was suspended.

Fantasy Impact

The Gonzaga product was in the process of putting together an impressive rookie campaign for the Grizzlies before a quad injury forced him to the sidelines in late February. Fortunately for him, it seems as though the NBA hiatus has given him ample time to fully recover and he will be all-systems-go when the season commences in July. His presence in Orlando will serve as a major boost for this young Grizzlies squad as Clarke was chipping in 12.0 points and 5.8 rebounds a night before the season was suspended.