The penultimate day of 2021 included a competitive battle between Brooklyn and Philadelphia. The 76ers survived 66 points from James Harden and Kevin Durant thanks to not just superstar center Joel Embiid, but also second-year guard Tyrese Maxey, who delivered a career-high five 3-pointers in the road victory.
The stalemate between Ben Simmons and the 76ers has created a huge role for Maxey, as the Kentucky product has leapt from 15.3 minutes per game as a rookie to starting all but one game for Philadelphia this season. He now sits second on the roster in minutes per game.
With no end in sight for the Simmons saga and with Maxey producing signature moments like last night's clutch shooting in the critical final minutes, he's not only a viable candidate for Most Improved Player, but he's also one of the best fantasy values this season.
Thursday recap
Highlights
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards: 29 points (13-23 FG), 6 rebounds, 10 assists
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets: 33 points (13-24 FG), 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Lowlights
Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers: 9 points (4-14 FG), 6 rebounds, 6 assists
Thursday takeaways
Orlando has been hit hard by injuries once again this season, but one key positive for the franchise has been the play of rookie wing Franz Wagner, who paced his team in scoring last night in a loss to the Bucks. Wagner also erupted for a career-high 38 points against this same Milwaukee side this past Tuesday. Incredibly, this rookie has scored in double figures in 18 straight games, producing 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.3 3-pointers and 1.5 combined blocks and steals. A free agent in roughly 45% of ESPN leagues, Wagner seems to be flying under the radar.
For the Wizards, Kyle Kuzma is back to cleaning the glass at an awesome rate. He's pulled at least 10 rebounds in three of the last four games, including last night's 25-point double-double in a win over the Cavaliers. Kuzma has averaged 19.3 points during this stretch and makes for a worthy pickup in all formats.
Sticking with Washington, center Daniel Gafford finished one board shy of a double-double and compiled five blocks, all of them coming in the first half. This impressive rim protector is the only player this season with multiple games in which he's had at least five blocks in the same half. Given how scarce swats can be, Gafford is an intriguing addition for those in rotisserie formats.
Injuries of note
Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso will miss Chicago's afternoon contest against the Pacers, while Indiana won't have starting guards Chris Duarte and Malcolm Brogdon.
Dallas won't have either Luka Doncic or Tim Hardaway Jr. in the lineup, setting up Jalen Brunson as a must-start option against the Kings.
With Paul George sidelined by an elbow injury and several other rotation players in the league's health and safety protocol, Marcus Morris Sr. could once again play a prominent role on offense for the Clippers.
The Thunder won't have Darius Bazley or Josh Giddey tonight, making Aaron Wiggins an ideal plug-and-play candidate for Friday's matchup with the Knicks.
Analytics advantage for Friday
Miami won't have any of Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, or Bam Adebayo for tonight's tilt with Houston. Additionally, several fringe rotation players are sidelined in the league's health and safety protocol, setting up Tyler Herro as a scoring hero this evening. The Rockets have allowed the most DraftKings points per game to point guards this season and have struggled closing out on shooters for much of the campaign. Herro, who sees a team-high 6.1% leap in usage rate with Adebayo, Lowry, and Robinson off the court this season, should be a key building block in DFS play and a solid target for prop plays.
DFS discussion
Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers: Maybe it's a bit bold to ride with Love on the second leg of a back-to-back, but the team could need him to contribute, given how many of his peers are dealing with the league's COVID-19 protocol. Last night, Love posted 24 points and pulled 11 boards, giving him at least 22 points in three straight outings while sinking 5.7 3-pointers per game.
Malik Monk, Los Angeles Lakers: A depleted Los Angeles roster means Monk could consume meaningful minutes this evening against the Trail Blazers. With Portland claiming some of the weakest perimeter defense in the league and Monk posting 15-plus points and playing 30-plus minutes in three straight games, there's real room for profit at his price point.