Domantas Sabonis, Nikola Jokic and others

Here are some thoughts from Hoops Labs as we gear up for Week 14 of the fantasy basketball season. His rankings will also be updated on Monday for the rest of Fantasy Basketball’s season, so check back in preparation for this week’s game. Between rankings and this article, it also helps identify good candidates to buy low/sell high. So without further ado, let’s dig in.

What separates the top?

Nikola Jokic missed Friday night’s game due to a wrist injury. It was the first time Jokic had missed a game since November 20, and it was the only game he missed this season when he was not part of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, so this was a big deal. It was news. And the fact that his one missed game (he rang the triple-double and the buzzer on Sunday, coming back with his winning 3-pointer) was news that he was on top of the island. That’s part of why it’s a parcel.of my current FBA points ranking

This season has been filled with video game performances among the league’s top players. His 61/20/10 triple-double of Luka Doncic. Joel Embiid’s his 59 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 7 blocks. Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 47.7 PPG, 17.3 RPG and 6.3 APG over his three games. And Jokic’s 40/27/10 triple-double.

But what really sets Jokic apart from the rest is his supreme ability: excellence in availability. Jokic has never missed more than nine games in any season of his NBA career, and four of his first seven seasons saw him miss no more than two games. Doncic has missed the second half of the last five consecutive games the Mavericks have played, missing double-digit games in three of his four NBA seasons. Embiid has struggled with injuries every season and never missed his 14 games last season, and he has already missed 11 this season. Giannis looks like a season-long battle with knee pain that has clearly dampened his production to his 12.7 PPG of 34.4 FG% in three games before missing the last two games. Six other games in the first half of the season.

Jokic is playing at MVP level every night. Fantasy hoops to put Jokic on the roster His manager could rely on having his best players appear and produce 3-4 games each week, and build the rest of the roster on that foundation. rice field. There’s a reason Jokic is on such a high percentage of championship rosters every season…and even though some players live “he’s on fire!” ,that’s why. This season, it’s Jokic who has once again settled into his usual spot at the top.

Halliburton injury

Tyrese Halliburton suffered two injuries Wednesday, spraining his left elbow and bruising his right knee, and was due to be re-evaluated in two weeks. To say he’ll be “re-evaluated in two weeks” is not the same as saying he’s expected to be “back in two weeks.” If it justified a move to a higher tier. He’s a legitimate fantasy hoop centerpiece for many teams, including mine, so his absence will be felt. Just be prepared for that. Please. Absences may extend beyond the first two weeks and possibly into the next month.

With Halliburton out, the Pacers have TJ McConnell (13.3 PPG, 8.3 APG, 7.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 24.7 MPG over the last three trips, available in 88.7% of the Fantasy Hoop League) as their main team offense. I use it as a generator.

sabonis bowling

Domantas Sabonis isn’t a household name, and even among NBA fans, many first think of him as the son of Arvydys rather than a star himself. Well, quitting it is in the (long) past. Especially for fantasy he’s in the hoops and his NBA betting space. Sabonis produced an eye-popping 20-game streak of points he doubled on rebounds. But quietly, Sabonis is the best passing center on this side of Nikolajokic, so in four of those games he has tripled points/rebounds/assists. RPG, scored 7.8. APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 0.5 3PG.

Sabonis is in the top 10 of my FBA points rankings this week. It’s the best spot he’s ever achieved and coincidentally sits right next to Halliburton (who he was traded to last season) in the rankings right now.

brown out

Jaylen Brown has missed multiple games with a strained right adductor muscle and is still out of the starting lineup this week. Muscle strain can be troublesome, especially in the midsection, where players have to do a lot of twisting and torqueing, but Celtics coach Joe Mazura said Brown is expected to be out for only about a week. I hope you will be back soon.

During that time, the Celtics started two games for Grant Williams and one for Derrick White, neither of which had much impact on the stats. Instead, Malcolm Brogdon (available in 30.1% of the league) has maintained and strengthened his recent strong play, averaging 18.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.7 APG and 2.6 3PG in a seven-game average of 25.4 MPG. , and brought it to 0.7 SPG.

Branson and Randle

The Knicks have some outstanding and noteworthy play from their two best players of recent times. Jalen Brunson has been a positive scorer all season, but since the calendar changed to his 2023, he has risen to the top of the league with averages of 32.4 PPG (52.3 FG%, 81.8 FT%, 50.0 3P%), 5.7 APG and 5.6. rice field. With RPG and 2.9 3PG he 40.0 MPG.

Not to be outdone, Randle grabbed at least 11 rebounds in 10 straight games, averaging 29.4 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 3.6 3PG, 0.8 BPG, 0.7 SPG in 40.3 MPG, with two 40s in between. Achieved a /10 double-double.

Both of these are hot streaks that are unlikely to be sustained at such an elite level, but both players should continue to be strong contributors moving forward. As such, it’s likely we’ll continue to rely on those two as the team’s formula for success this season. Both Branson and Randle were fixtures on the Ultimate Fantasy Hoops draft board before the season started. Both only built value as the season progressed. If you win either/both in the middle rounds of the draft, you are in a strong position to continue to thrive with them or trade them for a much higher value than when you got them . win win.