Around the Association: Bridges Explodes, New-Look Lakers Impress + More Notes from Wednesday Night

Around the Association: Bridges Explodes, New-Look Lakers Impress + More Notes from Wednesday Night

This article is part of our 30 Days, 30 Teams, 30 Facts series.

Welcome back to another edition of Around the Association. Wednesday night's 10-game slate was full of exciting games and close finishes. We witnessed yet the return of multiple key players, an offensive eruption in Brooklyn and a handful of comeback attempts.

Without further ado, let's dive in:

The Nightly Notable

Bridges erupts in win over Heat

  • In one of the more entertaining matchups of the night, Brooklyn was able to rally past a four-point halftime deficit to beat the Heat 116-105. Mikal Bridges was the man for the Nets, exploding for a new career-high 45 points (17-24 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 7-7 FT) to go with eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals over 36 minutes.
  • The recently acquired wing showed off his impressive defense as usual, but his offensive scoring barrage was a sight to see. Whether it was a difficult finish or a contested three-pointer, Bridges almost appeared a bit unguardable in Brooklyn's victory. Bridges now has appeared in three games for Brooklyn, averaging 25.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks over 33.0 minutes per game. The wing ranks as the 20th overall nine-category fantasy option since making his first start with the Nets. 
    • Cameron Johnson is also finding his usage bumped up with his new team, recording 18 points (6-14 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 3-4 FT), one rebound, three assists and one block over 34 minutes of action. The sharpshooting wing is averaging 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals over 29.7 minutes per game across his first three games as a Net. Johnson was playing 26.4 minutes per game with the Suns, indicating that the UNC product may indeed be in line for increased fantasy production with his new team. While Bridges is bound to see a substantial jump in terms of fantasy production, Johnson should also see elevated numbers post-All-Star break. 
    • Cam Thomas finished with a solid 19 points (6-11 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT), two rebounds, four assists and one steal across 21 minutes as a reserve during the win. Thomas has now come off the bench for three straight games, averaging 13.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists over 19.7 minutes per game. While the LSU product certainly proved he was capable of providing scoring in bunches earlier this month, it seems that those days are officially behind us for now.
    • In fact, coach Jacque Vaughn said postgame that Thomas' performance Wednesday was the ideal situation for his role moving forward. Thomas figures to present himself as a high-risk, high-reward option in terms of fantasy production on a nightly basis post-All-Star break
    • Ben Simmons also continues to come off the bench for Brooklyn, ending Wednesday's win with two points (1-2 FG), four rebounds and four assists over 20 minutes. The 26-year-old has now appeared in four straight games as a reserve, averaging 4.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists over 17.3 minutes per game. In this current role, Simmons should be far away from any fantasy manager's lineup.
  • Gabe Vincent had one of his better games of the season during the defeat, recording 21 points (6-14 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 6-7 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one steal over 35 minutes. The 26-year-old guard continues to do a decent job filling in for Kyle Lowry (knee), averaging 14.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals over 36.0 minutes while starting his past six outings. Vincent ranks as the 88th overall nine-category fantasy asset over that same stretch. If Lowry is unable to return to Miami's lineup post-All-Star break, Vincent is a fantasy option to keep on the lookout for. 
    • Duncan Robinson (finger) made his first appearance since Jan. 2nd, ending with six points (2-7 FG, 2-7 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists and one steal across 23 minutes. While it is great to see Robinson back on the floor and playing solid minutes, the 28-year-old was averaging just 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists over 18.1 minutes prior to the injury, making Robinson a quite unappealing fantasy asset this season. 

Back in Action 

New-look Lakers shine in LeBron's return

  • After missing Los Angeles' past three games, LeBron James made his return Wednesday against New Orleans to give us our first look at the new-look Lakers. In fact, Los Angeles decided to completely overhaul its starting lineup, giving Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley their first starts since the trade deadline.
  • Coach Darvin Ham accredited the move to making as much balance as the team possibly could. The new starting lineup's initial results were a resounding success with the Lakers starting the game ahead by a score 12-2. New Orleans did end up coming back throughout the first half, but Los Angeles was eventually able to pull away to a 120-102 victory. James himself finished with a strong 21 points (7-14 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 7-10 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one block in 29 minutes to mark his 41st consecutive game with at least 20 points.  
    • Anthony Davis dominated against his former team, dropping 28 points (13-17 FG,  0-1 3Pt, 2-5 FT), 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks across 30 minutes of play. The 29-year-old was unguardable down low while also throwing down a pair of impressive alley-oop jams in the victory.  Davis has now appeared in seven straight games, averaging 23.5 points, 13.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 blocks across 34.1 minutes.
    • D'Angelo Russell was impressive, recording 21 points (5-12 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 8-10 FT), two rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 28 minutes. A dynamic guard like Russell who helps Los Angeles space the floor really might do wonders for this team moving forward. The recently-reunited guard has now played in three games since the trade deadline, averaging 17.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists over 30.3 minutes per game.
    • Mo Bamba made his Lakers debut, finishing with four points (2-7 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 0-2 FT), six rebounds, one assist and three blocks over 16 minutes. While the center isn't quite fantasy relevant at the moment, he is someone to keep tabs on over the latter half of the season. With James and Davis no strangers to missing contests, there are bound to be at least some opportunities for Bamba post-All-Star break.
  • Brandon Ingram displayed some tough shot-making in the defeat, totaling 25 points (10-21 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds and one assist over 34 minutes.  The seventh-year pro is currently on a roll, topping 25 points in six straight games while averaging 29.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists over that span. 
    • CJ McCollum did a little bit of everything in his return from a one-game absence due to an ankle sprain, ending with 22 points (8-16 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, nine assists and two blocks in 34 minutes. McCollum is on a solid stretch himself, averaging 20.4 points, 6.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals across 32.6 minutes while ranking as the 60th overall nine-category option over his last five outings
    • Josh Richardson got ejected after receiving two technical fouls in the fourth quarter, recording eight points (2-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two steals over 19 minutes. While Wednesday's performance wasn't too pretty, Richardson should be on everyone's fantasy radar after his 34-minute, five-steal debut with the team earlier this week.

Smart returns, Tatum turns up

  • Marcus Smart made his impact known during his return to Boston's lineup after missing 11 straight games due to an ankle injury. The 28-year-old was dominant on both ends of the court, ending the outing with nine points (4-6 FG, 1-3 3Pt), seven rebounds, six assists and a season-high six steals in 29 minutes during Boston's 127-109 win over Detroit. While much of the attention is deservedly on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, it is Smart who is the engine of this team and makes Boston all the more deadly moving forward. Fantasy managers should have no reserves for placing Smart back into their lineups post-All-Star Break.
    • While it was great to see Smart back flying all over the court, Jayson Tatum was the real star in this one, finishing with 38 points (15-24 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds and seven assists across 34 minutes. The All-Star forward erupted in the third quarter for 24 points to help seal the deal for Boston. Tatum now has at least 34 points in three out of his last five games, but has recorded less than 16 points in each of the other two. Despite the inconsistency on the scoring end, Tatum still ranks as the seventh-overall nine-category asset over that five-game stretch.
    • Malcolm Brogdon continues to bolster his Sixth Man of the Year case, finishing with 25 points (10-14 FG, 5-8 3Pt), three rebounds and six assists across 29 minutes. Entering the All-Star break, the first-year Celtic is averaging 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists over his first 50 appearances this season. Brogdon's solid reserve play has translated to a decent fantasy season with the guard ranking as the 107th nine-category fantasy asset on a per-game basis. 
  • Detroit's loss was certainly not Bojan Bogdanovic's fault. The veteran forward went off for 28 points (12-17 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five rebounds and two assists across 33 minutes. Bogdanovic is on a tear as of recently, averaging 31.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his last three appearances. While Bogdanovic is bound to fall back down to Earth after the All-Star break, the first-year Piston does rank as the 46th overall nine-category fantasy asset over that three-game stretch.
    • Jaden Ivey started out hot with 13 points in the first half, but was only able to record four more throughout the game, ending with 17 points (7-13 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 2-4 FT), five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 26 minutes. Regardless this marked Ivey's third straight game with at least 17 points as he continues to improve in his rookie season. Ivey is averaging 16.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists across 31.0 minutes over his first six games of February. 
    • James Wiseman made his debut with Detroit, recording 11 points (5-9 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT) and five rebounds over 23 minutes. The 21-year-old showed off some nice moves in the interior and certainly still seems to be full of plenty of potential. Wiseman needs to be on every fantasy manager's radar as his role with Detroit continues to develop. 

With online sports betting live in Massachusetts in early March, sports bettors in the Bay State are able to wager on their own mobile devices. The best part about signing up for new accounts means you can take advantage of welcome bonuses to help aid your start in online wagering.

New players can claim a variety of Massachusetts sports betting promos right away across a half-dozen sportsbooks that can result in a few thousand dollars worth of welcome offers.

One example is at BetMGM Massachusetts, which offers a generous welcome bonus for new players when they redeem the BetMGM Massachusetts bonus code. This offer gave sports bettors $200 in bonus bets before launch, and now gives bettors a first bet offer worth up to $1,000 since sports betting has gone live in the state.

Bettors in Massachusetts can also use the Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts promo code and claim a first bet on Caesars, worth up to $1,500. This is the best offer for sports bettors in the Bay State, as Caesars Massachusetts looks to start it's business in New England with a bang.

A Pair of Comebacks

TumBulling down the standings

  • Things are going from bad to worse for the Chicago Bulls. Entering Wednesday on a four-game losing streak, the Bulls appeared set to get a much-needed win over the Pacers after leading by over 20 points early in the second half.
  • Indiana had other plans as Buddy Hield helped rally the Pacers back to a 117-113 while drilling six triples in the second half. Hield finished the comeback outing with 27 points (8-12 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 5-5 FT), four rebounds and one assist over 28 minutes.
  • The veteran sharpshooter also happened to break Reggie Miller's Pacers' record for most three-pointers in a single season during the come-from-behind win. Hield continues to actively hunt for his three-point shot as of recently, with Wednesday's win marking his fifth straight game hoisting at least 10 triples. Over that five-game stretch, Hield is 22-54 (40.7 percent) from beyond the arc while averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists across 30.2 minutes per game.
    • While Hield helped will the Pacers back into the game with his shooting, it was Tyrese Haliburton who put the finishing touches on the comeback after converting a tough finish over Coby White to put Indiana ahead 113-112 with just over 30 seconds remaining. On top of the go-ahead field goal, the All-Star guard produced 16 points (5-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), two rebounds, eight assists and one block over 35 minutes. After missing 10 consecutive outings with a knee injury, Haliburton has now appeared in eight straight games, averaging 18.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 1.8 steals across 33.5 minutes per game. Haliburton ranks as the 34th overall nine-category fantasy asset over that stretch.
    • Aaron Nesmith was particularly aggressive on the offensive end in this one, ending with 21 points (7-12 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block over 34 minutes of action. After going four straight games with less than seven points, Nesmith has erupted for two straight outings with at least 19 points and six rebounds. While the Vanderbilt product is capable of providing solid games like these, his overall inconsistency and low usage in Indiana will continue to make him a difficult fantasy option to trust moving forward. 
  • With DeMar DeRozan (hip) on the sidelines for Wednesday, Zach LaVine saw his production increase, finishing with 35 points (10-23 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 11-13 FT), 11 rebounds, seven assists and one block in 43 minutes during the loss. Chicago may be on a five-game losing streak, but LaVine himself is averaging 29.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists over that same span. However, while LaVine may be putting up lofty scoring totals over the losing streak, his one-dimensional game (in terms of scoring) has him sitting as just the 127th overall nine-category option over that stretch. The Bulls now sit at 26-32 which currently is good for 11th in the East. 
    • Coby White was on fire in this one, going off for a season-best 25 points (9-12 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two steals over 33 minutes. While it was encouraging to see the UNC product elevate his game with DeRozan out of the lineup, this did just mark White's second 20-point game of the season. This outing further indicated that unless DeRozan or LaVine are out of the lineup, fantasy managers should not be considering White in any formats moving forward.

Grizzlies Hang On, Sexton Leaves Early

  • Wednesday's matchup between Memphis and Utah appeared to be yet another blowout on the day with Memphis leading by 24 points in the first half. However, the Jazz were able to roll back during the second half and brought the game within a single point with just over a minute left. Leading by just a point in the final minute, Ja Morant was able to convert a difficult finish in the lane over Walker Kessler to seal the deal for Memphis, who ended up winning 117-111. In addition to throwing one of the better dimes of the season and clinching the game for the Grizzlies, Morant ended the victory with an inefficient 20 points (8-26 FG, 1-8 3Pt, 3-8 FT), eight rebounds, nine assists and two steals across 34 minutes.  
    • While Morant was struggling with his shot, Jaren Jackson took over as Memphis' leading scorer, ending with 26 points (8-19 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 6-7 FT), nine rebounds, four blocks and five steals over 31 minutes. It was great to see Jackson more aggressive on the offensive end, but his elite defense continues to be what stands out for me. JJJ now has recorded at least four blocks in six out of his past seven appearances. 
  • With Lauri Markkanen (knee) out of the lineup Wednesday, Kelly Olynyk saw his usage skyrocket, 28 points (9-16 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 14 rebounds and six assists in 37 minutes. Olynyk's impressive night marked season-highs in both scoring and rebounding as he tried to will Utah to a comeback victory. While you can't expect Olynyk to be a nightly 20-point double-double, this outing was yet another solid performance out of the veteran forward. Olynyk is averaging 17.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists over his past five games while ranking as the 43rd overall nine-category fantasy asset. 
    • To make matters worse for Utah, Collin Sexton exited due to a hamstring injury after just four minutes of action. Talen Horton-Tucker saw his minutes increase once again in Wednesday's loss, ending with 15 points (5-15 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-5 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks over 32 minutes. While THT may not be the most efficient option, the 22-year-old has seen his production steadily rise with Utah's backcourt shallower after the trade deadline. In his first four games since the deadline, Horton-Tucker has averaged 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.3 blocks over 26.3 minutes since the deadline. While the exact extent of Sexton's injury is not known at this time, THT appears in line to continue to receive additional opportunities after the All-Star break.
    • Ochai Agbaji shined while starting in place of Markkanen, ending with 17 points (7-12 FG, 3-8 3Pt), one rebound, one assist and one steal over 39 minutes. While Markkanen will be back post-All-Star break, Abaji is someone who I would expect to continue to receive increased usage from Utah as the season winds down and is someone to keep an eye on.

Quick Hitters

  • LaMelo Ball carried the Hornets to a 120-110 win over the Spurs in the Battle of Wembanyama, totaling 28 points (10-26 FG, 5-15 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 12 rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 39 minutes. This marked yet another impressive game from Ball whose current 23.3 points and 8.4 assists per game averages would both mark career highs for the 21-year-old. 
    • Svi Mykhailiuk caught my eye in his first game with the Hornets and was even playing some minutes down the stretch for Charlotte. The recently-acquired guard recorded 12 points (5-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 0-1 FT) and two rebounds over 25 minutes in the win. I am interested to see how his role continues to develop with Charlotte post-All-Star break.
  • With Tre Jones (foot) still on the sidelines, Malaki Branham finished with yet another solid outing for San Antonio. The OSU product ended Wednesday's loss to the Hornets with 23 points (10-14 FG, 3-6 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 33 minutes. Branham has now started San Antonio's past seven games, averaging 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. While much of the attention is towards Spurs' rookie Jeremy Sochan, Branham continues to stand out to me and I am curious how his role will shape up when Tre Jones (foot) makes his full return back to the Spurs' lineup. 
    • Devonte' Graham was letting his shot fly against his former team, ending with 10 points (3-12 FG, 1-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal over 22 minutes. Graham has now appeared in four games for the Spurs, averaging 15.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals over 28.0 minutes. While Graham remains a risky option to trust, his fantasy stock is certainly higher with the Spurs than with the Pelicans earlier this season. 
  • The 76ers got off to a hot start against the Cavaliers and were up by as many as 28 points in the second half. Cleveland turned up the defense late and was able to storm back late to bring the game within four points in the final seconds, but after some clutch free throw shooting, Philadelphia walked away with a 118-112 victory. Joel Embiid led the way with 29 points (9-21 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 11-12 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals across 39 minutes. 
  • Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland in the comeback attempt, dropping 16 points in the final quarter while ending with 33 points (11-24 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 7-8 FT), five rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block across 42 minutes. The All-Star is trending upwards entering the All-Star break, averaging 33.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks over his past four appearances while ranking as the fourth overall nine-category asset across that span.
    • After a string of three games failing to top 20 points, Darius Garland found his groove with 27 points (10-14 FG, 3-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), six assists, three steals and two rebounds across 43 minutes. Garland's night-to-night inconsistency as a scorer continues to be a bit of a nuisance for fantasy owners, but regardless the 23-year-old ranks as the No. 40 overall nine-category option this season.
  • Jalen Brunson carried the Knicks to a 122-101 road win over the Hawks, ending with 28 points (10-19 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 7-8 FT), nine rebounds and five assists over 38 minutes. The first-year Knick has now topped 20 points in 10 straight games, averaging 31.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game while ranking as the 13th overall nine-category fantasy option over that stretch. 
    • Josh Hart continues to impress me with the Knicks, finishing with a solid 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt), five rebounds, two assists and one block over 24 minutes. In his first three games with New York, Hart is averaging 17.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals over 26.0 minutes per game. The Villanova product ranks as the 28th overall nine-category fantasy asset over that same span, further indicating that he is more than capable of providing solid fantasy numbers here with his new team. I am excited to track how Hart finishes the season with the Knicks.
  • As if the blowout loss wasn't enough, John Collins exited Wednesday's game against the Knicks early due to a head injury. The exact extent of the injury is unknown, but thankfully the All-Star break is coming up next for Atlanta. If Collins is ultimately forced to miss time, Saddiq Bey and Jalen Johnson both emerge as candidates to see their roles increase.
    • Trae Young ended Wednesday's rough loss with a decent 19 points (4-14 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 10-13 FT), 11 assists, four steals and one rebound across 31 minutes to extend his current double-double streak to five games.  The 24-year-old is averaging 24.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals over that same stretch.
    • De'Andre Hunter provided yet another strong game in the defeat, totaling 20 points (9-15 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 0-1 FT), four rebounds, three assists and two blocks over 28 minutes. The 25-year-old is on a bit of a heater as the Hawks enter All-Star weekend, scoring 20 points in three straight games while averaging 21.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game over that stretch.
  • Nikola Jokic powered the Nuggets to a 118-109 win over the Mavericks with 14 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 FT), 13 rebounds, 10 assists, one block and one steal over 34 minutes to mark his fifth triple-double over his past seven games. With both Aaron Gordon (ribs) and Jamal Murray (knee) out each of the Nuggets' past three games, Jokic has led the Nuggets to a 3-0 record while averaging 23.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.0 blocks while shooting 64.4 percent from the floor over 34.0 minutes. MVP type of stuff. 
    • Jeff Green came out of nowhere for a season-best 24 points (11-16 FG, 2-5 3Pt), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal over 26 minutes. The veteran forward seemed to be everywhere on the court in the victory and is now averaging 15.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 23.0 minutes over the past three games in which Gordon has been inactive. 
    • Michael Porter started hot with 15 points in the first half while ending with 22 points (8-16 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, two blocks and one assist across 33 minutes during Denvers' win. With Murray out of Denvers' lineup for the team's past six games, Porter has averaged 19.5 points and 4.7 rebounds while attempting 15.3 shots per game as the team's No. 2 option.
  • Kyrie Irving (back) sat out Dallas' game, leading to Luka Doncic supplying a monstrous 37 points (12-22 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 10-12 FT), nine assists, four rebounds and four steals in 35 minutes. He simply makes it look too easy out there. While Irving is bound to lower the 23-year-old's usage throughout the latter half of the season, Doncic firmly remains an elite fantasy option on a night-to-night basis
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried OKC to a 133-96 blowout win over the Rockets with 29 points (8-16 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 13-15 FT), two rebounds, six assists and two blocks across 29 minutes. This marked yet another standout performance from SGA who is averaging 31.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks over 34.6 minutes per game over his last 10 appearances. 
    • Jaylin Williams gobbled up a career-high 16 rebounds to go with eight points (3-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt), and two steals in the win. Williams has started 12 games this season, averaging 5.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists across those outings.
    • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl had a much better second outing back after failing to score in his return from a lengthy ankle injury. The 22-year-old ended Wednesday's loss with nine points (3-4 FG, 3-4 FT) and three rebounds over 18 minutes. I am curious how OKC plans to deploy its front-court rotation in the latter half of the season with JRE now active and Mike Muscala out of the picture.
  • Jalen Green suffered a groin injury in the second quarter of the Rockets' beat-down loss to the Thunder. The second-year pro is slated to undergo an MRI, but thankfully will have time to heal up due to the upcoming All-Star break. If Green is unable to suit up after the break, keep a lookout for TyTy Washington who started the second half in his place and ended with eight points (3-11 FG, 2-6 3Pt) and one rebound. Washington popped off for a 20-point outing earlier this month and has a good chance of seeing the floor more as Houston's season winds down.
    • Jabari Smith had a real solid outing in the loss to OKC, ending with 15 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals in 29 minutes. While it has been an up-and-down (mostly down) season for Smith, the No. 3 overall pick is entering All-Star weekend averaging 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks over his past three appearances. 

Best and Worst of the Night

  • Best of the Night: Mikal Bridges - 45 points (17-24 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 7-7 FT) to go with eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals over 36 minutes. 
  • Worst of the Night: Trey Murphy - two points (0-6 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and one steal over 20 minutes.
  • Rookie of the Night: Malaki Branham - 23 points (10-14 FG, 3-6 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 33 minutes.

A Look Ahead to Thursday Night

  • The last night of official games before All-Star Weekend.
  • The Bulls look to snap their funk when the Bucks head into Chicago.
  • The Timberwolves look to head into the break on a strong note when the Wizards come to town.
  • The Clippers and Suns square off in Phoenix.

RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NBA Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NBA fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Spero
Michael is a former RotoWire contributor. He wrote in the NBA and NCAAF departments for RotoWire. He is a big-time fan of both the Bulls and Nuggets. Michael spends his time playing pick-up or anxiously rooting for his fantasy teams.
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Lineup Strategy for Saturday, December 21
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Lineup Strategy for Saturday, December 21
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for Saturday, December 21
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for Saturday, December 21
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, December 20
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, December 20
NBA Betting Picks Today: Free Expert Player Props and Bets for Friday
NBA Betting Picks Today: Free Expert Player Props and Bets for Friday
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Adds Include Ausar Thompson, Obi Toppin
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Adds Include Ausar Thompson, Obi Toppin
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 10 Streaming Options
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Week 10 Streaming Options