Highlight Performances:
Andrew Bynum, LA– Talent has never been the question for Bynum, but more of a matter of health. Bynum looks incredibly improved following his 4-game suspension, and continued posting monster numbers Tuesday night with his 21 point/22 reb. double-double. When healthy, Bynum’s upside is through the roof, and his production should continue as long as his knees hold up.
Kobe Bryant, LA– Sticking to the Lakers, Bryant also had a huge night, scoring 37 points and nearly a triple double (8 reb./6 ast.). Other than Bynum and Gasol, no player on that team is a legitimate scoring threat, which may be the reason for his league leading 185 attempted shots. Kobe has no problem shooting the ball almost every play, and therefore owners should continue to expect huge scoring numbers on a nightly basis.
D.J. Augustin, CHA– The Bobcats are not going to be a good team. Most people can agree on that. However, fantasy production can be found on even the worst of teams, which is a perfect example of the former Texas star. Augustin posted 26 points along with 9 assists and 4 shots from long range. Buy-low if possible.
Performances to Forget:
Joakim Noah, CHI– I understand he made a brilliant pass to win the game. But from a fantasy perspective, Noah has not been producing like owners would like. He continues to get in early foul trouble, and he is always an injury waiting to happen. Following his 2 point/4 reb. night, I am hopping off his bandwagon quickly. I’d rather own Anderson Varejao or Chris Kaman right now. Sell High.
Devin Harris, UTA– The former New Jersey Net has had an up and down season thus far, scoring 19 points twice and 10 or less 3 times. Scoring is what you drafted him for, and if he’s not doing that, he’s no better then Mario Chalmers. Well, to make matters worse, Harris strained his calf and left Tuesday Night’s game, failing to score at all. If this injury is significant, owners may have to look otherwise for production from their point guard position.
Players to Watch:
Drew Gooden, MIL– The 10 year-veteran posted a 24 point/12 reb. night filling in for Andrew Bogut, who missed Tuesday night’s game due to “personal matters”. It is unknown how many games Bogut will miss, but if he is out for a handful of games, Gooden could have some short-term value for deep-league owners scraping the Free Agents for some big man production.
Tristan Thomson, CLE– Thomson, drafted 4th overall in this years draft, was very impressive Tuesday Night, scoring 16 points with 9 boards and 2 blocks. Although playing time may be tough to come by, the rookie is a beast beneath the basket, and is worth a grab if your looking for some upside. Expect around 10.0 points per game, a handful of rebounds, and the potential for much more.