BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-Team Leagues
ROSTERED IN: 48% of leagues
ANALYSIS: Cole Anthony started the year with a streak of fluky--at best--performances for the Magic and that was aggravated even more by an excellent Markelle Fultz. That changed when the latter went down injured, making way for Anthony to start for Orlando from Jan. 8 onwards, which was more related to the lack of warm bodies rather than a personal improvement. Then, Cole got injured himself on Feb. 9 and missed two months before coming back on Apr. 7... and playing a completely different game since then.
In his first 25 games as a pro, Anthony got to average a borderline-average 0.89 FP/min on 27 MPG nightly. Not bad, but not really good either. Since he came back from injury, and although it took him five games coming off the pine before taking on the starting reins, Cole Anthony is putting up almost 1.10 FP/min on the same playing time a night, which is quite a step up in his development. In the nine games he's played since Apr. 7 he's reached 25 FP seven times, and in the other two, he still reached 20 FP.
Anthony has scored 10+ points in all games but one (8 points) this month, is averaging a bulky 14 PPG, and his shooting has finally caught up to the NBA level of play going from a 37 FG% prior to the injury to a much better 44 FG% in April. He's also found his long-range prowess, as he's hit at least one triple in four straight games, and since he became a starter again on Apr. 16 he's averaging 16 PPG and almost 2 3PG to go with 4+ RPG and 6+ APG. The Magic, in case you hadn't noticed, suck as a squad. Those numbers, playing for a team this barren of talent, aren't even remotely bad, and Orlando must keep playing Cole Anthony and given him reps now that they are kicking off a long-term rebuilding. Go get Anthony before it's too late, as fantasy GMs have noticed and the rostership is almost at 50% these days.
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