A Monday full of NBA action saw both Bam Adebayo and CJ McCollum enjoy successful returns to the court after each missed multiple weeks of action due to respective injuries.
Adebayo played 32 minutes and nearly delivered a double-double after missing 22 games with a significant thumb injury. The fact the Miami Heat staff trusted Adebayo to play with a tough Toronto Raptors team for more than 30 minutes is a great sign for his ability to endure tough matchups ahead. Unfortunately, it also signals the end of the fun fantasy run for rookie Omer Yurtseven.
McCollum scored 16 points in his first game back. He missed 17 games due to a collapsed lung. The Portland Trail Blazers didn't ask much from breakout guard Anfernee Simons in the win over the Orlando Magic, but it will be interesting to see how he produces alongside McCollum going forward.
Jusuf Nurkic also added 21 points and a season-high 22 rebounds in the win, while Robert Covington continued to enjoy his statistical revival. A mid-round selection in most drafts this fall, Covington had struggled for the first few months of the season, but has been an elite 3-and-D option as of late, including two steals and three blocks last night.
Monday recap
Highlights
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: 48 points (18-33 FG), 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets: 38 points (14-20 FG), 12 rebounds, 5 assists
Lowlights
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Utah Jazz: 5 points (1-9 FG), 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 TO
Evan Fournier, New York Knicks: 6 points (2-9 FG), 1 rebound, 2 assists
Monday takeaways
• Kyle Kuzma continued his career year on the glass in the Washington Wizards surprise drubbing of the Philadelphia 76ers. Kuzma doesn't have much competition for rebounds on an undersized Washington frontcourt, thus this breakout on the boards appears enduring.
• Nicolas Batum went wild with a season-high 32 points in the the LA Clippers win over the Indiana Pacers, but this one reads like an outlier. The strong scoring performances of Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. were more sustainable. Jackson and Morris Sr. have emerged as bankable offensive options for the Clippers as it's become quite possible we don't see Paul George or Kawhi Leonard take the floor again this season.
• Chris Boucher played a season-high 38 minutes for Toronto last night and turned in an impressive line that included two 3-pointers, two blocks, and 23 points, his second-highest scoring tally of the season. With the short-handed Raptors relying on his rim protection off the bench, Boucher is back to being a valuable fantasy option.
• The Chicago Bulls got a great performance from Ayo Dosunmu, as he became the first Bulls rookie with at least 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals in a game since steals were first tracked in 1974. It's somewhat wild that Michael Jordan never accomplished this feat. As for Dosunmu's fantasy stock, let's wait for a few more games before finding a roster spot for him.
Injuries of note
• The Knicks won't have Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel, or Cam Reddish for tonight's matchup with the Timberwolves. Alec Burks figures to be busy, while Mitchell Robinson is a great source for block upside in roto and category formats.
Analytics advantage for Tuesday
The Golden State Warriors will be without Draymond Green for several games due to a calf strain. This signals a larger role for rookie Jonathan Kuminga, who has averaged 29.3 minutes and 22 points per game during his last two outings.
Kuminga, who is a free agent in more than 95% of ESPN leagues, is poised to top 20 minutes of action this evening against the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons have allowed the second-most DraftKings points per game to small forwards this season.
DFS Discussion
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
With Jerami Grant still ailing and Frank Jackson sidelined, Cunningham should claim an awesome usage rate against the Warriors this evening. With Golden State missing it's best interior defender in Green, Cunningham could shine driving and dealing this evening.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
This is one of those obvious building blocks during a limited, two-game slate. Sure, you can build some nice lineups without Towns, but it's hard to imagine a player with a higher combination of floor and ceiling during such a small slate.