The Indiana Pacers have won seven of their past eight games after cruising to a victory over Cleveland on Tuesday. A big part of the Pacers' success is due to the steady contributions of forwards Thaddeus Young and Bojan Bogdanovic. Fantasy managers should take notice of the savvy statistical production these underrated veterans offer.
Young ranked third among power forwards in fantasy points on DraftKings on Tuesday night, thanks to slashing for 26 points on 14 shots. Young is available as a free agent in 85 percent of ESPN leagues despite producing double-figures in scoring in 14 of his past 15 games, all starts, while also producing an awesome 2.4 combined steals and blocks during this successful sample.
Bogdanovic produced 23 points on 16 shots Tuesday evening and is currently ranked 16th in the entire NBA in true shooting rate, an advanced measure of scoring efficiency from all three levels. Bogdanovic isn't just a shooting specialist of the Kyle Korver ilk, as he's producing nearly a steal per game to go with 5.8 combined rebounds and assists per game. This efficient sharpshooter is sinking a career-best 45 percent of his 3-point attempts and yet is available for the cost of a roster spot in roughly three-quarters of ESPN leagues.
With an eye on meaningful fantasy performances and relevant statistical trends, let's delve into the night that was in the NBA.
Tuesday recap
Highlights
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: 29 points (11-21 FG), 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 TO
Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors: 31 points (11-18 FG), 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, 1 TO
Landry Shamet, Philadelphia 76ers: 29 points (8-15 FG), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 TO
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors: 43 points (18-29 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 TO
Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves: 40 points (11-24 FG), 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 TO
Lowlights
Trevor Ariza, Washington Wizards: 2 points (1-7 FG), 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 TO
Nemanja Bjelica, Sacramento Kings: 4 points (1-4 FG), 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets: 13 points (6-18 FG), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 TO
Tuesday takeaways
The Timberwolves earned a rousing close win on the road over Oklahoma City in coach Ryan Saunders' first career game at the helm. Wiggins exploded for his seventh career 40-point game and his first double-double with as many points. Wiggins produced 24 points in the first half against a stout Thunder defense and is now averaging 19.8 PPG in the first half over his past four games, the most in the NBA since Jan. 1, per ESPN Stats & Info. Dario Saric appeared more empowered to create on offense and shoot from distance with the coaching shift. We'll need a larger sample of games and the return of Robert Covington and Derrick Rose to better appraise the Saunders era in Minnesota, but this was an impressive first chapter.
Jokic notched his fourth triple-double of the season in yet another brilliant display of his passing prowess. The performance marks his 20th career triple-double, the most by any center since Jokic entered the NBA in 2015-16. DeMarcus Cousins has the next-most triple-doubles among centers in that span with six. Jokic has recorded the last 20 triple-doubles for the Nuggets, as the last Nuggets player with a triple-double was Andre Iguodala in April of 2013.
The Sixers had 39 assists on Tuesday in drubbing the Wizards, tied for the most by a Philly team since April of 1994 in Detroit. Johnny Dawkins was diming that night. A key reason for the Sixers' passing success was rookie guard Shamet hitting everything he touches, as he finished the game with 25 points in fewer than 29 minutes, becoming the first rookie since reach that mark since Ben Gordon did so nearly 13 years ago on Jan. 13, 2005 in destroying an Allen Iverson-led Sixers team. Despite all the supposed drama in Philly, the Sixers have won four straight and are favored in Washington tonight. For some context into the success the team has struck with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, Philly is 58-24 in its past 82 regular season games.
Cleveland's Tristan Thompson is back to form on the glass with 15 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes of action on Tuesday against Indiana. Thompson's revival as a double-double force likely comes at the expense of Larry Nance Jr.'s value, who left after just five minutes last night with a knee injury. For those in need of rebounding production, it's worth noting Thompson is rostered in just 22.3 percent of ESPN leagues.
The Raptors had eight steals in a pivotal fourth quarter over Atlanta, tying a franchise record for a quarter. Leonard had four of the eight steals, tying his career high for a quarter. Leonard produced his second game this season with at leas 30 points, 5 dimes, and 5 steals, the most such games in the league this season. As a measure of his continued growth, Leonard produced such a line twice in seven seasons with the Spurs.
In the loss, Atlanta's John Collins produced 21 points and 14 rebounds is now averaging 18.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.4 APG on 58.3 percent shooting from the floor for the season. At just 21 years old, we find only Shaquille O'Neal in 1993-94 for Orlando ever produced as many points and rebounds in such stellar field goal efficiency at age 21 or younger in NBA history. While Trae Young still makes news, Collins is likely the best story on the Hawks this season. ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks breaks down each team's forecast for the looming trade deadline (it's in early February this season), including mentioning Atlanta's Jeremy Lin and Dewayne Dedmon as potential buyout or trade candidates, moves that would set up Young, Taurean Prince, Collins, and even Kevin Huerter with increased upside down the stretch.
Kelly Oubre Jr. tied his career high with 26 points, including clutch free throws down the stretch, in a comeback win over the Kings. Oubre entered Tuesday averaging just 10.5 PPG on 8.9 shots per game in 10 games with Phoenix compared to 12.9 PPG on 10.5 shots per game in 29 games with Washington this season. This scoring outburst could be an outlier for Oubre, especially with Devin Booker sidelined. De'Anthony Melton also flashed for Phoenix with six combined blocks and steals and eight dimes as the team's starting point guard.
Injuries of note
Utah's Thabo Sefolosha and Ricky Rubio are both expected to miss around two weeks with hamstring injuries. Dante Exum is likely going to see more work with Rubio sidelined.
Nerlens Noel took an elbow to the head followed by a hard a crash to the floor against the Timberwolves last night and could miss some time going forward given he was taken off the court on a stretcher.
Otto Porter Jr. left the Wizards' loss to the Sixers after just 19 minutes of play on Tuesday due to a hand injury. Post-game X-rays were negative, but reports suggest Porter was dealing with numbness after the game, signaling he might not be available for tonight's rematch with Philly. Bradley Beal is a DFS building block in this context, while cheap shares of Jeff Green and Tomas Satoransky could also pay off.
Indiana's Myles Turner missed his second straight game on Tuesday with a shoulder ailment and is considered doubtful for tonight's meeting with the Celtics. Domantas Sabonis should start and is a strong threat for another double-double performance.
The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears reports Cousins is targeting a return to action on Jan. 18 against the Clippers. I've stashed "Boogie" in a few spots and suggest you do the same if he's still floating in free agency.
If LeBron James doesn't play on Wednesday, it will be the eighth straight game he's missed with a groin injury suffered on Christmas, which would match the most consecutive games he's missed due to injury in his 16-year NBA career.
Analytics advantage for Wednesday
The Lakers host the Pistons on Wednesday at 10:30 ET on ESPN. After going just 2-5 without James in the lineup, the Lakers are now eighth in the West, making this a must-win moment against the reeling Pistons. The Pistons started the season 13-7 but have gone just 4-14 in their past 18 outings, tied for the second-worst record in the NBA dating back to the first week of December.
Brandon Ingram had a season-high 29 points in the Lakers 107-97 win at Dallas on Monday and is averaging a team-leading 20 PPG in the seven games James has missed this season, up from 15.5 in the 23 games he's played alongside James. Ingram has been much more aggressive attacking the basket with James off the court this season, per Second Spectrum; Ingram is averaging 13.9 drives per 36 minutes with LeBron on the bench compared to just 8.4 when LeBron is on the floor. In Monday's win over the Mavericks, 24 of Ingram's 29 points came in the paint, the most by a Laker in a game this season. Loading up on shares of Ingram and Josh Hart in DFS competition could prove rewarding if James sits.
This will be Blake Griffin's first game in Los Angeles since being traded from the Clippers to the Pistons last season. It'll be a good prelude to his meeting with the Clippers on Saturday in the same building. Griffin is averaging a career-high 25.3 PPG this season and is one of six players averaging at least 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the season. Grant Hill is the only player in Pistons history to register a 25-5-5 campaign (1999-00).
Top players to watch tonight
James Harden and the Rockets look to stay hot when they host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Wednesday at 8 ET on ESPN.
Harden has scored at least 30 points in 13 straight games, tied for the third-longest streak dating back to the ABA-NBA merger in 1976-77. Harden creates a lot of his own offense; he's averaging 21.1 unassisted points per game this season, on pace to be the most in a season over the past 20 years. After starting the season 11-14, Houston has gone 12-2 over its past 14 games, the best record in the NBA since Dec. 11th. Milwaukee enters having won 10 of its past 12 games.
The Bucks are averaging a league-high 117.6 points per game, which would be the most by any team over a full season since the 1991-92 Warriors (118.7). It would be Milwaukee's most in a single season since 1970-71, its only championship season in franchise history.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 17.8 paint PPG this season, which would be the most by any player over a full season since Shaq in 2002-03 (19.6). Clint Capela will face a formidable challenge in protecting the rim from Antetokounmpo, who has made a league-high 66 unassisted dunks this season, more than twice as many as Rudy Gobert, who ranks second on that list with 30.