Fantasy managers didn't have as much fun Tuesday night as they did on Monday, but there's still a lot to talk about that you should be aware of.
With a furious fourth quarter rally, Tyler Herro helped the Miami Heat beat the Detroit Pistons. The Los Angeles Lakers struggled without LeBron James, serving his one-game suspension. So far this season, the Lakers have trailed by 25 points or more in six games, a total that matches last season.
Portland Trail Blazers beat a Denver Nuggets team without multiple playmakers. Last but not least, Luka Doncic delivered a vintage performance to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the LA Clippers in overtime.
Let's explore some of the highlights, lowlights, and takeaways below.
Highlights
Reggie Jackson, LA Clippers: 31 points (12-23 FGs), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Avery Bradley, Los Angeles Lakers: 15 points (5-11 FGs), 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Lowlights
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat: 15 points (4-13 FGs), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Talen Horton-Tucker, Los Angeles Lakers: 0 points (0-8 FGs), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Tuesday's Takeaways
Herro reminded us all why he's the frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year award with 31 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four 3s in 33 minutes against the Pistons, his seventh game with 25 or more points off the bench (league leader).
Bam Adebayo finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and a steal for the Heat. In category formats, Adebayo's limited defensive stats continue to be a concern and keep him out of the top-50.
In his first season with the Heat, Kyle Lowry has provided enough value to justify his average draft position. A 3-pointer and two steals rounded out his 15 points, six rebounds and eight assists. As the Heat have two more games this week, keep an eye on Lowry's availability tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Miami's Duncan Robinson had 11 points, three rebounds and three 3-pointers. A solid source of 3-pointers if needed, Robinson is only rostered in 16% of ESPN leagues.
For the Pistons' Cade Cunningham, the Heat defense was too much. He had six points, three rebounds, six assists, a steal, and one 3-pointer. The rookie's fantasy production continues to trend up despite this setback.
Jerami Grant's shooting woes continue with the Pistons. In his last five games, he shot just 38.6% from the field. Grant finished with 21 points (6-17 FGs), seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a 3-pointer against the Heat.
With one of his best games this season with the Knicks, Evan Fournier bounced back nicely after hitting double figures in just two of his last seven games. Aside from 26 points and four rebounds, he had two assists, six 3-pointers and two steals against the Lakers.
Russell Westbrook had his best game of the season for the Lakers. He had 31 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and three 3-pointers against the Knicks. Despite his turnovers, he has provided top-75 value the last two weeks. The triple-double was Westbrook's fourth of the season.
Anthony Davis had flu-like symptoms, but still put up a solid stat line for fantasy managers with 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes. Lebron James will return from suspension soon, so the Lakers may give the big man a night off.
CJ McCollum was superb last night for the Trail Blazers against the Nuggets. He had 32 points, amassed three rebounds, three assists, two steals and five 3-pointers in 34 minutes.
Michael Porter's absence continues to benefit Will Barton and Aaron Gordon. Barton had 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, but no defensive stats. While Gordon had 11 points, stockpiled three rebounds and three assists. Both Nuggets players should be rostered with Gordon being my preferred option.
Against the Mavericks, Paul George scored 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had six assists. Due to Kawhi Leonard's absence, George's Usage Rate (USG) is 33.7%, which is a career-high.
In 48 minutes for the Mavericks, Dorian Finney-Smith had a season-high 17 points, three rebounds, an assist, three steals, and a block. If your team lacks 3-pointers and steals, he's a great option.
Luka Doncic returned to the fold against the Clippers and nearly tripled-doubled after dealing with ankle and knee issues. He scored 26 points, hoarded nine rebounds, nine assists, a steal and two blocks.
A career renaissance is underway for Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 30 points, had seven rebounds, a steal, and a block against the Clippers. He now has 20+ points in seven straight games, the longest streak of his career, making this an ideal time to sell high.
Analytics advantage for Wednesday
On Wednesday night, fantasy managers are faced with a busy schedule before Thanksgiving. It's no need to overcomplicate your lineup decisions whether you are participating in a season long format or assembling a DFS lineup. An analysis of a player's minutes per game is beneficial. A player's minutes and statistical production are often correlated. Prioritize players who play around 30 minutes per game.
DFS enthusiasts who are more informed benefit from enormous slates. Uninformed players have more chances to make mistakes, while you can uncover more diamonds in the rough. Make sure you review the latest news before your lineup locks to be up-to-date on injuries. You may be able to change your lineup accordingly.
One example of how to leverage such information is Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic. Cole Anthony has already been ruled out for tonight's game against the Hornets. A USG of 26.5% so far this season puts Suggs in an ideal position to absorb it. The Hornets allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opponents this season. Suggs should do well.
DFS discussion
Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder: Due to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's absence, Giddey will operate as the point guard for the second consecutive game. On Monday, he nearly had a triple-double for the first time in his career. Against the Utah Jazz, Giddey faces a difficult matchup. This may negatively impact his ownership percentage, which you can use to your advantage in DFS.