So, Brook Lopez is out with a foot injury and Steve Nash is forced to miss time with a back complaint. No, this isn't 2013. Welcome to the reality of professional sports, where some guys' bodies just can't handle the rigors inflicted upon them. It's an unfortunate by-product of this game we love so much, but for fantasy leagues, it's better to have this clarification now before most drafts, than in the first week of the season. But it wasn't all doom and gloom. Here's Thursday's Box Score Breakdown.
STOCK RISING
Jimmy Butler -- Let's put aside the game-winning three-pointer Butler knocked down to beat the Hawks on Thursday, as good as it was, and focus on what Butler did in the box score, because, honestly, that's what we care about in fantasy. Butler scored 29 points (8-14 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 12-16 FT) with five rebounds, one assist, two steals, and two blocks in 31 minutes. He's now scored at least 18 points in the last four games as well as averaging 2.0 steals in that same time period, not to mention the 68 percent shooting from the field. He's currently being drafted at 66 in Yahoo leagues and 76 on ESPN, but with the way he's playing he's looking like a top 50 talent. It'll likely be tough to sustain, but prior to the preseason, I would never have considered him at his ADP. One little thing to remember, Butler has only played a handful of games with Derrick Rose as the starter. If this is how he fares when Rose is healthy, look out. Maybe there is something to the contract year phenomenon?
STOCK FALLING
Julius Randle -- It's a little harsh, perhaps, to put a rookie here, but when people are drafting Randle at 112 on ESPN and 140 on Yahoo, I think it's important to highlight what's been happening in Los Angeles. Thursday, in the blowout loss to the Jazz, Randle scored just four points (2-5 FG) with one rebound and one assist in 11 minutes, which comes on he heels of a four point (2-7 FG, 0-1 FT), six rebound effort in another blowout loss against the Warriors. Carlos Boozer is locked in as the starting power forward, and even if Randle was to start, his skill set doesn't translate well to fantasy, as all he will contribute is points and boards. in four preseason games, Randle has one combined steal, block and three-pointer. One! He's averaging 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19 minutes and that seems like about what we can expect from him in the regular season. Don't draft him in redraft 10, 12 or 14 team leagues and when he does go off the board, just think, that means a better player for you.
M.I.A.
These guys all sat out Thursday's action.
- San Antonio
- Kawhi Leonard
- Tim Duncan
- Manu Ginobili
- Tiago Splitter
- Phoenix
- Alex Len
- Zoran Dragic
- Atlanta
- Paul Millsap
- Jeff Teague
- Boston
- James Young
- Rajon Rondo
- Philadelphia
- Nerlens Noel
- Michael Carter-Williams
- Jerami Grant
- Denver
- JaVale McGee
- Danilo Gallinari
- Nate Robinson
- J.J. Hickson
- Golden State
- David Lee
- Andrew Bogut
- Shaun Livingston
- Festus Ezeli
- Oklahoma City
- Kevin Durant
- Serge Ibaka
- Mitch McGary
- Kendrick Perkins
- Russell Westbrook
- Reggie Jackson
- Anthony Morrow
- NewOrleans
- Eric Gordon
- John Salmons
- Utah
- Alec Burks
- Jeremy Evans
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Nick Young
- Xavier Henry
- Ryan Kelly
- Steve Nash
- Jeremy Lin
- Jordan Clarkson
- Robert Sacre
CASUALTY WARD
Let's talk Brook Lopez. Now, the Nets weren't in action Thursday night, but still Lopez managed to damage his surgically repaired foot. He was diagnosed with a mid-right foot sprain and it's likely to keep him out 10-14 days, but with so many problems throughout his career, it's going to be hard to draft Lopez inside the top 60. On a per-game basis, he can be a top 20 player, but no-one wants to deal with that risk in the first two round. On the flip side, the shine on Mason Plumlee's star twinkled just a little bit brighter with this news.
TRACKING POSITION BATTLES
Warriors' small forward -- What felt like a three man battle between Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, and Harrison Barnes before the preseason began, feels like it's trending toward Barnes of late, with even Warriors' general manager, Bob Myers confirming could be starting come opening night. The third-year man has started the last two preseason contests and put up five points (2-8 FG, 1-3 3Pt) with five rebounds, one assist and two steals in 35 minutes Thursday. In his two starts, Barnes has averaged 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 2.0 steals in 29 minutes, hardly mind-blowing stuff. In contrast, Iguodala, who has been running the team's second unit, has averaged 4.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 0.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals in 23 minutes. Green has also struggled to make much of an impact, and the feeling I'm getting is that it would be wise to steer clear of this position with the top 130 of drafts.
Jazz's shooting guard -- Earlier this offseason, lots of knowledgeable basketball people were postulating that the Jazz could start Trey Burke and Dante Exum in the backcourt together. Well, the Jazz had a chance to try that out today, with Alec Burks, the team's starter through all of preseason, sitting with a shoulder injury. Coach Quin Snyder did start a rookie at shooting guard, but it wasn't Exum. Fellow first-rounder Rodney Hood got the nod and scored 11 points (4-6 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-3 FT) with five rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes, whereas Exum had 13 points (3-6 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 6-6 FT) with six assists in 19 minutes. It was Exum's best game, but it showed that unless an injury befalls Burke, he'll be riding the pine this season and Burks will be locked in as the starting two.
STRANGE STAT LINES
It's the preseason, so there are a ton of lines that don't always add up, but here, I'll touch on a few that stood out Thursday.
Austin Daye -- I love a random Austin Daye sighting as much as the next guy, in fact, probably more than the next guy. Daye blew up for a super-efficient 17 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT) with six rebounds in 20 minutes and we are almost definitely going to get a big Daye line at some point this season. Bear in mind, the Spurs were without Leonard, Splitter, Duncan, and Ginobili, so I think you know where this is going. MIRAGE.
Kelly Olynyk -- Olynyk looked fantastic against the Sixers on Thursday, putting up 14 points (6-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 0-1 FT) with eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks in 26 minutes. There is almost no way Olynyk isn't the Celtics' starting center and after ending last season with three straight 20+ point games, he is primed for a breakout campaign. Is it real or a mirage? REAL.
FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT
Anthony Davis -- This is likely to be a regular occurrence during the season, with the third year star routinely putting up huge lines. He's in line to be the best overall fantasy player this season and against the Thunder, scored 28 points (10-15 FG, 8-8 FT) with eight rebounds, two assists and one block in 26 minutes. This is going to get scary.
ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT
James Michael McAdoo -- The undrafted rookie landed himself a contract with the Warriors and came out of nowhere to post a monster line in the win over the Nuggets. McAdoo scored 20 points (7-10 FG, 6-7 FT) with seven rebounds and two steals in just 20 minutes, a far cry from the one point game he had against the Lakers. Just another small forward to add to the confusing rotation.
NIGHTLY LEADERS
Points
- Jimmy Butler, G, CHI, 29 points
- Anthony Davis, C, NOP 28 points
- Kobe Bryant, G, LAL 27 point
Rebounds
- Jordan Hill, C, LAL 14 rebounds
- Joakim Noah, C, CHI 13 rebounds
- Enes Kanter, C, UTA 11 rebounds
Assists
- Evan Turner, F, BOS 10 assists
- Ty Lawson, G, DEN 10 assists
- Tyreke Evans, G, NOP 7 assists
Steals
- Gordon Hayward, F, UTA 4 steals
- Wilson Chandler, F, DEN 4 steals
- Wesley Johnson, F, LAL 4 steals
Blocks
- Kelly Olynyk, C, BOS 3 blocks
- Joakim Noah, C, CHI 3 blocks
- Alexis Ajinca, C, NOP 3 blocks
- Jusuf Nurkic, C, DEN 3 blocks
Three-Pointers
- Avery Bradley, G, BOS 6-9 3Pt
- Jared Sullinger, F, BOS 4-6 3Pt
- Isaiah Thomas, G, PHX 4-5 3Pt
Minutes
- Jeremy Lamb, G, OKC 42 minutes
- Sebastian Telfair, G OKC, 40 minutes
- Harrison Barnes, F, GSW 35 minutes