The Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons have met three times this season, and the two matchups hosted by the latter have been highly entertaining. Detroit’s NBA Cup win over Miami required overtime, with Erik Spoelstra mistakenly calling a timeout that his team did not have to seal the outcome. There was no such misfortune on Monday, but Detroit picked up a one-point victory thanks to multiple players, including a few who remain available in most fantasy leagues.
SF/PF Ausar Thompson (35% rostered, Yahoo) was one of those players, with the second-year wing filling in for the injured Tobias Harris (thumb). In 27 minutes, Thompson tallied 19 points, nine rebounds, one assist, four steals, one block, and one 3-pointer, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from the foul line. Fantasy managers have been waiting for this kind of outing, and Harris’ absence opened the door for Thompson. Give him credit for making the most of his opportunity, and he’ll be worth rostering if Harris remains sidelined for Detroit’s final two games of Week 8.
SG/SF Tim Hardaway Jr. (4%) came up huge in overtime, hitting 3-pointers on three straight possessions to help deliver the victory. However, he finished with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal, and five 3-pointers, so a late flurry was needed for THJ to provide suitable value. He’s a far less appealing option than Thompson despite being a fixture in the starting lineup. Let’s 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 they lost Jakob Poeltl to a groin injury during the second half. Someone will have to pick up the slack offensively, and Dick is the player best equipped to do so. He finished Monday’s one-point defeat with 27 points, six rebounds, two assists, and three 3-pointers, shooting 9-of-20 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line. Dick needs to be rostered in standard leagues, especially with Barnes sidelined and Poeltl likely looking at an extended absence as well.
PG Russell Westbrook (46%), Denver Nuggets
With Christian Braun (back) sidelined, Westbrook was Michael Malone’s choice to replace him in the starting lineup. He played well in Denver’s one-point victory, accounting for 18 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals while committing three turnovers. Westbrook shot 8-of-13 from the field, turning in an efficient overall stat line and playing 35 minutes. The Nuggets play games on Thursday (at Portland) and Sunday (at New Orleans) to end Week 8, and the second contest could be one where Westbrook is worth streaming even if Braun is available. There are only three games on the schedule for Sunday.
SG/SF Kelly Oubre Jr. (38%), Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid for at least one week with a sinus fracture, and Jared McCain is out indefinitely after suffering a torn meniscus during Friday’s loss to the Pacers. Those absences give Oubre more room to make things happen offensively, and he played well in Monday’s win over the Hornets. In 40 minutes, the Tsunami Papi accounted for 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, one blocked shot, and one 3-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 minutes restrictions as they work their way back from injury. That allows the former to retain some fantasy value, even if there’s also the concern of 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 accounted for five rebounds, one steal, and one blocked shot. With the Hornets ending their Week 8 slate with a Thursday/Friday back-to-back (at Washington, at Philadelphia), managers will have more opportunities to derive some value from rostering Richards.
SG/SF Malik Beasley (29%), Detroit Pistons
Already without Tobias Harris, the Pistons lost Jaden Ivey just before the start of Monday’s game against the Heat. He was a late scratch due to a sore knee, which pushed Beasley into the starting lineup. Shooting 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, Beasley 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 moving forward will depend on Ivey’s availability, with the Pistons hosting the Jazz on Thursday and hitting the road to play the Suns on Saturday.
PG/C Ben Simmons (22%), Brooklyn Nets
Fantasy managers’ unwillingness to trust Simmons is understandable, given the availability track record. However, Brooklyn’s decision to trade Dennis Schroder to the Warriors makes Simmons a more critical 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 per night can be a valuable option for managers who get enough points production from other players on their roster (or they’re already punting points).
PG Lonzo Ball (9%), Chicago Bulls
Ball wasn’t on the radar of many fantasy leagues before Monday’s game, but that may have changed in the aftermath of the Bulls’ 122-121 win over Toronto. Josh Giddey suffered a sprained ankle during the second half, which factored into Ball being on the court in crunch time. He didn’t shoot well, going 2-of-9 from the field, but Ball played a season-high 23 minutes and finished 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-back) remain sidelined.
SG/SF Keon Ellis (6%), Sacramento Kings
With Keegan Murray ruled out for Monday’s game, Kings coach Mike Brown chose 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 accounted for 12 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, four blocks, and one 3-pointer. If Murray (ankle) and Kevin Huerter (shoulder) remain sidelined, Ellis will be worth rolling the dice on in deep leagues.
