It’s the season of giving. Some are planning to give thanks in a few weeks, while others are giving buckets. On Friday, 12 games showed impressive performances from professionals who are “giving” things to the league. Luka Doncic gave the Clippers 44, Domantas Sabonis gave the Thunder three, and Taylor Jenkins gave us one Epic, NSFW reference to the refs. However, he will probably also give the league a good portion of his salary.
We had 12 more games in the market, and only two were chosen by two people. Most of these games have been close, and it seems that the teams care a little more than most fans expect. Mike Brown said they showed their players what they could buy with a $500k prize for winning all. Believe it or not, money is a great motivator.
The NBA is off to a great start, and fantasy is following closely behind. So here are eight players who should be considered for your fantasy team.
Keyonte George- 16% in Yahoo shares
George saw the second start of his career on Friday and finished with seven points and 11 assists. Through two starts, he is averaging seven points and 10 assists while shooting 5-of-20 from the floor. The shooting will start to fall, but the play is a big boost for him and the team. It’s hard to find assists on the elimination wire, and they have the controls to give more points when accounting for the number of shooters.
Lonnie Walker – 25%
With Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons out, Walker played 20 minutes off the bench and posted a 20/7/4 line. He should continue to see a bigger role while Thomas is sidelined for several weeks, and should be able to register as long as he gets minutes.
Bismack Biyombo – 19%
In the absence of Xavier Tillman, Biyombo started again under center for Memphis. He finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. He’s only useful in traditional circles, but he’s worth considering as long as Tillman is out.
Cam Reddish – 1%
Darvin Ham opted to move Austin Reaves to the bench and Reddish into the starting lineup on Friday. He also mentioned Manu Ginobili in the post-game press conference, that Reaves could be the team’s sixth man in the future. Reddish played 28 minutes Friday and contributed 17 points, three steals and three triples, including one to seal the win. He has been consistent throughout his career, but a steady spot in the starting lineup would do wonders for him.
Cam Payne – 3%
Damian Lillard is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Magic. Payne started in his place on Thursday and finished with seven points, four rebounds and five assists. He’s not the best, but he’ll be a solid option on day one with only four games.
Derrick Jones Jr.- 3%
DJJ has put together some solid performances lately for the Mavs, including a double on Friday. He deserves consideration in the deep game, especially since he looks like a starter, even if his minutes have changed.
Moussa Diabate – less than 1%
Tyronn Lue said after Friday’s game that he wants more growth in their second division. Diabate is the only option in center when Mason Plumlee is injured, so unless they are making a trade or bringing in a free agent, Diabate is the best option. He posted twice on Friday.
Jacob Gilyard- less than 1%
With Ziaire Williams out, Gilyard got the starting nod on Friday. He had 14 points, five rebounds, eight assists, one steal and a 3-pointer in 34 minutes. The Grizzlies have been decimated by injuries, and if no one returns for Sunday’s game against the Clippers, Gilyard could see another start.