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Spencer Aguiar highlights three fantasy basketball takeaways from the NBA's November 30th slate. This recap focuses on Jaren Jackson Jr., Eric Gordon and Wendell Carter Jr.
Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA Recap. In this feature, we highlight three fantasy basketball takeaways from last night's slate of NBA games. Friday had some intriguing matchups but also saw a handful of blowouts throughout the night. However, one game that didn't disappoint was the Memphis Grizzlies versus Brooklyn Nets. Memphis clawed back from seven points down with 33 seconds left to force overtime and proceeded to capture the win in double-overtime 131-125. Mike Conley was exceptional, scoring 37 points with five rebounds, 10 assists, one block and two three-pointers on 13-for-25 shooting from the field and 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. Conley did most of his damage late in the game, securing 16 of the teams 20 points between the two overtimes. D'Angelo Russell led the way for Brooklyn, contributing 26 points and eight assists, but he turned the second overtime into ISO-ball and missed a handful of opportunities in a row towards the end of the game.
The Los Angeles Lakers withstood an early scare from the Dallas Mavericks but eventually recorded a 114-103 win. LeBron James led the way with 28 points to move the Lakers to 12-9 on the year. Everybody always wants to compare Lebron to other players, but let's take a second to fully appreciate the skill that he still brings to the table at the age of 33. In 21 games, James has turned the Lakers into legit contenders out West, and his removal out of Cleveland has transformed the Cavs into the bottom dwellers of the league. I don't know if he is better than Michael Jordan, but none of that should matter. He is the best we have seen in a while, and let's enjoy him when we still have him around in the league at a prime level.
And the Denver Nuggets survived the Portland Trail Blazers on the road, capturing a 113-112 victory. Gary Harris returned from a two-game absence and hit what turned out to be the game-winning three with 16.5 seconds left, adding 27 points and four three-pointers on the night. The 24-year-old has been solid this season, but we have been waiting for his massive breakout performance. Friday's showing could help him take the next step with his game, and he is an intriguing player to keep an eye on in fantasy basketball. Our top three fantasy takeaways of the night are still to come, so without further ado, let's take a more in-depth look into Friday's action.
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Jaren Jackson Jr.: The Sky Is The Limit
I covered Jaren Jackson Jr. two weeks ago in one of my RotoBaller NBA Recap's and hate diving back into his value again so quickly, but fantasy basketball is all about windows and opportunities, and it goes to show that you need to act quickly when a door is cracked open.
Jackson Jr. was sensational on Friday night, scoring a career-high 36 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and three triples in the Memphis Grizzlies 131-125 double-overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets. For as exceptional as the rookie was on the night, he only contributed two points and one rebound in the 10 minutes of extra time, so his stat line wasn't artificially boosted by playing extra minutes.
The 19-year-old took the game over late in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points in the final three minutes, which included a four-point play with 26.8 seconds left and the game-tying three that eventually sent the contest into overtime. Jackson Jr. is the youngest player in the NBA and may have the most upside of any big man we have seen since Anthony Davis. I still don't love the fourth pick in this year's draft in points leagues, but his upside in nine-category leagues is tantalizing. His window is shut for now, but the rookie will experience growing pains this season with his fouling issues that have not gone away. Keep an eye on his production and be ready to strike when the chance arises again.
Eric Gordon: Continues To Shoot The Lights Out From Deep
Eric Gordon kept up his blistering pace on Friday, scoring 26 points with three rebounds, two assists and seven three-point baskets in Houston's 136-105 victory. Gordon was forced to return to the bench with Chris Paul (hamstring) back in the lineup, but that didn't seem to stunt his production whatsoever. The 29-year-old is averaging 26.7 points over his previous four games and 5.7 triples.
All of that is an encouraging sign for Gordon, but he provides an interesting conundrum that fantasy owners will need to solve. In points leagues, the seventh pick in the 2008 draft is what he is. He will provide points in bunches and slight production in other areas. However, things become much more interesting in category-based leagues. I view him as a three-point specialist that outside of scoring and free throw percentage doesn't necessarily help you anywhere else.
I've always noticed that fantasy owners become enamored by scoring over any of the other categories and that makes moving volume-based shooters that do very little else a lot easier. In nine-category leagues, I would be looking to sell Gordon high. While losing his three-point production does hurt, there isn't enough that excites me in owning him. He does very little defensively, shoots a bad percentage on high volume and is producing marginally in rebounds and assists. Let someone overpay for his recent scoring outbursts and reap the rewards.
Wendell Carter Jr.: Scores Career-High On Friday
While Wendell Carter Jr. doesn't possess the same upside that Jaren Jackson Jr. does, the seventh pick in this year's draft has been impressive in his own right. On Friday, Carter Jr. scored a career-high 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting while adding seven rebounds, one assist and three blocks.
The 6-foot-10 big man managed to do most of his work in the third quarter, scoring 17 points, but the rookie did continue to find himself in foul trouble throughout the night and has now recorded 5.2 personal fouls per game in his previous five contests.
The window is unfortunately shut on 19-year-old as a buy-low option for now, but just like Jackson Jr., it will open back up because of his inability to stay out of foul trouble. Carter Jr. doesn't have the same upside as his counterpart in this situation, but top-75 value in nine-category leagues does seem like a reasonable expectation for the Duke product this season.
