Goran Dragic was a key reason that the Miami Heat made the NBA Finals last season and he just might help your fantasy team contend for this year's crown. After missing a long stretch due to injury, Dragic is now back as an important playmaker for the Miami. He has averaged 18.0 points with solid shooting and peripheral stats over the last three games.
Miami extended its winning streak to a season-high six games by downing the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night, even with Jimmy Butler sidelined by knee inflammation. Rostered in just shy of 50% of ESPN leagues, Dragic produced 13 points along with seven combined assists and rebounds in the victory. Most encouraging, however, is that he has averaged 31.3 minutes over the last two outings -- a great indicator of his health.
Combo guard Kendrick Nunn was also productive for Miami with 24 points and seven assists on Sunday, his seventh 20-point performance of the season -- and third in the last five games. Now a key member of Miami's rotation, Nunn remains a free agent in roughly 43% of leagues.
Weekend recap
Highlights
Saturday
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: 42 points (13-22 FG), 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks
Julius Randle, New York Knicks: 28 points (12-22 FG), 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals
Sunday
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: 43 points (15-26 FG), 5 rebounds, 5 assists
P.J. Washington, Charlotte Hornets: 42 points (15-23 FG), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Lowlights
Saturday
Seth Curry, Philadelphia 76ers: 4 points (1-13 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder: 2 points (1-6 FG), 1 rebound, 0 assists
Sunday
Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks: 2 points (1-5 FG), 0 rebounds, 3 assists
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets: 5 points (1-10 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Weekend takeaways
Winning the game despite trailing by eight points with less than a minute left, the Hornets defied history on Sunday against the Kings. NBA teams had lost 609 consecutive games when trailing by as many as eight points with under 60 seconds on the clock. Dazzling rookie LaMelo Ball delivered his third career game with at least 20 points and 10 assists, tying Stephon Marbury for the third-most such performances by a teenager, trailing just LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Charlotte's Washington not only added a career high, but he also became the youngest player in Hornets history with a 40-point game after never scoring as many as 30 points in either his professional or collegiate careers.
Sticking with Charlotte, Malik Monk is enjoying a scoring binge with Devonte' Graham sidelined due to injury. Monk scored 21 against the Kings last night and has averaged 23.8 points over the last four games. It looks like Graham could be out of action through the All-Star break, setting up Monk for more success.
Portland is quietly getting great defensive play from Derrick Jones Jr., as the high-flying dunker is also producing strong defensive rates. Jones now has at least one block in seven straight games and has impressively tallied multiple swats in six of those outings. Also surging as a scorer and rebounder, Jones has become a solid free agent target in deeper leagues.
It took some time for him to round into form, but Denver's Michael Porter Jr. has been a statistical star of late with three consecutive double-doubles to go along with solid shooting and defensive rates.
If you are in need of a shooting specialist, maybe give Washington's Davis Bertans a look. The stretch forward is decidedly hot from deep, hitting 46.6% of his 3-pointers while averaging 13.6 points over his last 11 games.
Injuries of note
Indiana's Malcolm Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb are both questionable for tonight's matchup against the 76ers due to knee injuries.
For Philadelphia, Tobias Harris is questionable with a knee injury that kept him out of Saturday's contest. Matisse Thybulle isn't the worst deep-league streamer if you need steals and blocks given his awesome success atop the team's 2-3 zone against Indiana back in late January.
Analytics advantage for Monday
Derrick White, Devin Vassell, and Rudy Gay have all been ruled out of tonight's game against the Nets due to health and safety protocols. With these three wings off the floor for San Antonio this season, guard Lonnie Walker IV is a reasonable streaming target given he has averaged a respectable 14.4 points and a team-high 2.1 3PG (per 36 minutes). It could make sense to invest in Dejounte Murray for DFS contests as he's averaged 18.4 points and 8.9 rebounds (per 36 minutes) with these three teammates off the floor this season. The Nets are allowing 113.6 points per 100 possessions, fifth-most in the NBA.
Top players to watch on Monday
Ball faces superstar guard Damian Lillard in Portland this evening in a matchup of premier playmakers. While that's the main event, a compelling "undercard" will be to see how Washington will follow up his career-best effort against Jones and fellow frontcourt defender Robert Covington tonight.