Highlight Performances:
Wesley Matthews, POR– After being undrafted out of Marquette, Matthews has come on strong this year, averaging over 15 points a game and 32 minutes per. Although many expected newly acquired free agent Jamal Crawford to steal playing time, Matthews has continued to be a very solid scorer and defender for the impressive Portland Trailblazers. Sunday Night was no different, as he scored 24 points, a steal, and 3 assists. Guards that can post 15+ points a game on a nightly basis are always valuable, and owners should feel comfortable about owning him from this point forward.
Kevin Love is a rebound machine, grabbing double-digit boards in every game this season.
Kevin Love, MIN– I understand that Kevin Love can potentially show up on the Top Performances list on a regular basis, and Sunday Night was just an ordinary night in his standards. I am taking this moment to commend Love, as he has posted at least 20 points and 12 rebounds in every single game this season, coming out to an average of 25 points a game and 15 rebounds. Sunday Night was no different, as he produced 20 points and 16 rebounds, as well as 3 steals. The fact that he hits 3’s consistently is just icing on the cake, and owners who were able to steal Love after around the 5th pick are reaping the benefits.
Performances to Forget:
Dwight Howard, ORL– Dwight was extremely quiet Sunday Night, posting only 4 points and 5 rebounds. He got into very early foul trouble, and unfortunately never got a chance to get into the flow of the game. Dwight has posted 20+ rebounds on 3 separate occasions this season, so this was a mere hiccup on a very strong start to the season. Expect him to bounce back vs. Portland this week.
Raymond Felton, POR- My personal stance is that Felton is a way better real-life basketball player then a fantasy player. His point totals are inconsistent, he will usually post around 6-7 assists, his defensive numbers are not good, and he has been terrible from long range. Sunday Night was another reason why, as he scored only 2 points on 1-9 shooting, along with 5 turnovers and 7 assists. Raymond Felton is what he is, very little upside and downside, and his name just seems to be a little bigger then the numbers he actually posts. If you can find someone willing to pay to attain him, do not hesitate to ship out the former Tar Heel.
Players to Watch:
Markieff Morris, PHO– The 13th overall pick in this years draft is shaping out to be a very good addition for the Phoenix Suns. The 6’10 forward out of Kansas has posted double-digit scoring in 4 of the last 5 games, as well as 9+ rebounds in 3 of 5. The key with Morris is his 3 pointers, as he is 12-21 (57%) this season and has hit 6 of 8 his last 2 games. Morris is yet another rookie making a splash in fantasy this season, and is worth a pickup in most leagues for at least a short-term rental.
Marreese Speights, MEM– Recently acquired in the wake of Zach Randolph’s knee injury, Speights played his first full game Sunday Night, playing 28 minutes, scoring 17 points, and taking 18 shots (second to only Rudy Gay’s 19). Speights immediately becomes a pickup of interest, as Dante Cunningham has been profoundly unproductive, and someone needs to replace Randolph. He is without question a pickup of interest, and owners in every league should keep an eye on the situation to see how he responds in the next few games.
Injuries:
Tony Parker, SA– Soreness, Day-to-day
Rashard Lewis, WAS– Personal (Argument with Asst. Coach), Day-to-day