by The Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons have met three times this season, and the two matchups hosted by the Detroit Pistons were extremely entertaining. Detroit’s NBA Cup win over Miami required overtime, with Erik Spoelstra mistakenly calling a timeout so his team didn’t have to seal the result. There was no such misfortune on Monday, but Detroit pulled out a point win thanks to several players, including some who remain available in most fantasy leagues.
SF/PF Ausar Thompson (35% on roster, Yahoo) was one of those players, with the second-year winger filling in for the injured Tobias Harris (thumb). In 27 minutes, Thompson recorded 19 points, nine rebounds, one assist, four steals, one block and one 3-pointer while shooting 8 of 14 from the field and 2 of 4 from the foul line. Fantasy managers have been waiting for an outing like this, and Harris’ absence opened the door for Thompson. Praise him for making the most of his opportunity, and he’ll be worth adding to the roster if Harris remains sidelined for Detroit’s final two games in Week 8.
SG/SF Tim Hardaway Jr. (4%) came out great in overtime, scoring three points on three consecutive possessions to help secure the win. However, he finished the game with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and five 3-pointers, so THJ needed a late upset to provide adequate value. He’s a far less attractive option than Thompson, despite being an integral part of the starting lineup. Let’s take a look at a few more of Monday’s top pickups.
SG/SF Gradey Dick (47%)Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were already without Scottie Barnes for Monday’s game against the Bulls and lost Jakob Poeltl to a groin injury in the second half. Someone has to pick up the slack offensively, and Dick is the player best equipped to do it. He finished Monday’s one-point loss with 27 points, six rebounds, two assists and three 3-pointers, while shooting 9 of 20 from the field and 6 of 7 from the foul line. Dick will need to be used in standard leagues, especially with Barnes sidelined and Poeltl likely considering an extended absence as well.
PG Russell Westbrook (46%)Denver Nuggets
With Christian Braun (back) sidelined, Westbrook was selected by Michael Malone to replace him in the starting lineup. He played well in Denver’s one-point win, scoring 18 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and three steals and committing three turnovers. Westbrook shot 8 of 13 from the field, posted efficient overall stats and played 35 minutes. The Nuggets play games on Thursday (in Portland) and Sunday (in New Orleans) to close out Week 8, and the second contest could be one that makes Westbrook worth streaming even if Braun is available. There are only three games scheduled for Sunday.
SG/SF Kelly Oubre Jr. (38%)Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid for at least a week with a sinus fracture, and Jared McCain is out indefinitely after suffering a torn meniscus in Friday’s loss to the Pacers. Those absences give Oubre more room to make an impact offensively, and he played well in Monday’s win over the Hornets. In 40 minutes, Tsunami Papi scored 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, one blocked shot and one three-pointer. Philadelphia is off until Friday, but they finish Week 8 against the Hornets and Cavaliers.
C Nick Richards (35%)Charlotte Hornets
Richards and Hornets starting center Mark Williams are currently on a minutes restriction while they recover from injury. This leaves the former retaining some fantasy value, although there are also concerns about Moussa Diabate playing rotation minutes. Richards played 15 minutes on Monday, shooting 7 of 9 from the field and 5 of 6 from the foul line. In addition to 19 points, he had five rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot. With the Hornets ending their Week 8 with a back-to-back game on Thursday/Friday (at Washington, at Philadelphia), managers will have more opportunities to get some value out of Richards’ lineup.
SG/SF Malik Beasley (29%)Detroit Pistons
Without Tobias Harris, the Pistons lost Jaden Ivey shortly before the start of Monday’s game against the Heat. He was late due to a sore knee, which forced Beasley into the starting lineup. Beasley shot 7 of 13 from long range and finished the one-point overtime win with 28 points, three rebounds, four assists and one blocked shot in 41 minutes. Whether or not he has streaming value in the future depends on Ivey’s availability, as the Pistons host the Jazz on Thursday and face the Suns on Saturday.
PG/C Ben Simmons (22%)Brooklyn Nets
Fantasy managers’ unwillingness to trust Simmons is understandable given his availability record. However, Brooklyn’s decision to trade Dennis Schroder to the Warriors makes Simmons a more important player within the rotation. He finished Monday’s loss to Cleveland with 10 points, four rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 31 minutes. The six turnovers weren’t good, but Simmons playing 30 minutes a night can be a valuable option for managers who are getting enough points (or are already getting points) from other players on their roster.
PG Lonzo Ball (9%)Chicago Bulls
Ball wasn’t on the radar in many fantasy leagues before Monday’s game, but that may have changed after the Bulls’ 122-121 win over Toronto. Josh Giddey suffered a sprained ankle in the second half, which resulted in Ball being on the pitch in the crucial minute. He didn’t shoot well, going 2 of 9 from the field, but Ball played a season-high 23 minutes and finished the game with eight points, six rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers. Keep an eye on Lonzo, especially if Giddey and Zach LaVine (DNP defenseman) continue to be sidelined.
SG/SF Keon Ellis (6%)Sacramento Kings
With Keegan Murray out for Monday’s game, Kings coach Mike Brown selected Doug McDermott to fill the void in the starting lineup. While “Dougie McBuckets” scored 16 points and hit four 3-pointers, Ellis proved more valuable to fantasy managers despite coming off the bench. In 33 minutes, he had 12 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, four blocks and a 3-pointer. If Murray (ankle) and Kevin Huerter (shoulder) continue to be out, it will be worth continuing to play with Ellis in the lower leagues.
