X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

RotoBaller NBA Recap: Uhhhh Defense? Anyone?

Heading into Tuesday night's NBA action, the league average was 110.3 points per game...

The Thunder put up 126 against the Hawks Tuesday night, and lost. The 76ers produced the most points they've scored in nearly 30 years. The Warriors set a new NBA record with 51 first quarter points. Seven Pacers scored in double figures. And five of the 12 teams in action last night put at least 125 points on the board -- Indiana (131), Philadelphia (149), Oklahoma City (126), Atlanta (142), Golden State (142) -- with Milwaukee falling just one point shy despite Giannis Antetokounmpo logging just 24 minutes. There were no overtimes played.

If you like defense, well, I hope you caught up on some sleep. (Although, the Bulls and Lakers nightcap was the one low-scoring, tightly contested game of the night.) You're here though, so I'm guessing you enjoy offense and fantasy points. If not, you're already here, so you might as well join me in recapping three notable fantasy basketball performances from January, 15th.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Will Priester (@ChiefJustice06) from RotoGrinders leads the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with his exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Lonzo Ball Has a Triple-Double Flirting With Obsession

There's a very fine line between opportunity and talent, and Ball's sophomore season is proving to be a prime example. His scoring, rebounding and assist numbers have all seen a noticeable drop from Year 1 to Year 2. So too have his minutes and usage rate, though. Adding a guy named LeBron James, and ancillary pieces like Rajon Rondo, would likely have a similar effect on most guards in the NBA.

However, without those two in the lineup, Ball has averaged 13 points, six rebounds, and six assists; up from the nine points, five rebounds, and five assists he was averaging to start the season. And last night saw him drop 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists against the Bulls - he's also added two steals in each of his last five, including a duo last night.

The timetable on LeBron's return seems sooner than later, but Rondo is likely out another coupe of weeks as he makes his way back from finger surgery, so the season-long fantasy impact of Ball's recent play remains to be seen (and who knows what Luke Walton will do tomorrow, let alone once the squad is fully healthy). However, in the interim, Lonzo has officially regained his place among the trustworthy sources of DFS value as he poses a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor.

 

Jerami Grant Making the Most of Additional Run

Grant has now scored at least 20 points in two of his last three games after dropping 21 points for the Thunder Tuesday night. It's worth noting that Nerlens Noel has missed these three games due to a concussion, so the 38 minutes Grant has seen over these three games is likely soon to fall back down to the 30 range.

However, in grabbing five rebounds, and adding three steals and two blocks, Grant continues to show he has the potential to contribute across all five categories for this Candice Swanepoel-ishly thin OKC frontcourt. And while the rebounding and assist numbers leave plenty to be desired, his production on the defensive side of the ball have all but made up for those shortcomings. Plus, the opportunity for continual production is pretty much a given by default - the arrow is pointing straight up.

 

Myles Turner Looks Solid in Return, But Is Still Myles Turner

Turner returned from a four-game absence to register 18 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and two blocks in 28 minutes Tuesday night... Against the Suns. Yes, Phoenix has looked much better of late -- though not reflected in the win column -- but last night marked just the eighth game in which Turner has reached 18 points in 38 starts this season. It's hard not to attribute the scoring "outburst" to the opponent.

While posting respectable numbers on the season at 13 points and seven rebounds per game, Turner continues to disappoint any advocates expecting a breakout with inconsistent scoring and marginal impact on the boards. He did, however, look much improved prior to the shoulder injury -- averaging 15 and nine from the end of November through the end of last year -- and could be worth a low-ball flier with the Pacers finally at full strength. That's just a risky proposition.

The sample size is large enough to indicate exactly who he is at this point, and if you can get even a decent return on investment, that's probably the way to go... Sorry to be the guy who views the glass half empty.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Trevor Lawrence3 hours ago

Picked Off Twice By Philadelphia
Evan Engram3 hours ago

Targeted 10 Times In Loss To Eagles
Las Vegas Raiders3 hours ago

Raiders Fire Three, Including Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy
Darius Slayton3 hours ago

Enters Concussion Protocol Sunday
Justin Jefferson4 hours ago

Goes Over The Century Mark Yet Again
Drake London4 hours ago

Dealing With Hip Pointer, Oblique Injury
Courtland Sutton4 hours ago

Produces Second Straight 100-Yard Game, Throws A Touchdown
Jamal Murray4 hours ago

Listed As Out On Monday Against Toronto
Bradley Beal5 hours ago

Questionable Going Into Monday Night's Matchup Against Philadelphia
Rudy Gobert5 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday Night
Zach LaVine5 hours ago

Listed As Questionable On Monday
NASCAR5 hours ago

Speeding Penalty Foils Martin Truex Jr.'s Last Realistic Shot At Winning
Denny Hamlin5 hours ago

Fails To Advance To Championship 4 But Runs Well
Shane Van Gisbergen5 hours ago

Shane van Gisbergen Earns Best Oval Finish at Martinsville
William Byron5 hours ago

Tentatively In Championship 4 Pending Ruling On Manufacturer Orders
Anthony Davis5 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Monday
Stephen Curry5 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday Night
Jaylen Brown5 hours ago

Listed As Out For Monday Night's Matchup In Atlanta
Joel Embiid6 hours ago

Listed As Out For Monday Night's Game
Giannis Antetokounmpo6 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday Night
Paul George6 hours ago

Expected To Make Debut On Monday Night
Erick All Jr.6 hours ago

Potentially Done For Season
Caleb Williams6 hours ago

Expected To Be Fine
Mike Gesicki7 hours ago

Keeps It Going In Week 9
Chase Brown7 hours ago

Thrives Versus Vegas
Joe Burrow7 hours ago

Has Another Strong Showing In Week 9
Jayden Reed7 hours ago

Leads Packers In Receptions And Yards In Week 9 Loss
Geno Smith7 hours ago

Tosses Three Interceptions In Week 9
Jaxon Smith-Njigba8 hours ago

With A Monster Day In Week 9
Saquon Barkley8 hours ago

Tallies Nearly 200 Total Yards, Scores Twice
Jalen Hurts8 hours ago

Has Another Strong Performance In Week 9
MMA8 hours ago

Ariane Lipski Submitted At UFC Edmonton
Jasmine Jasudavicius8 hours ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado8 hours ago

Still Winless In The UFC
Brendson Ribeiro8 hours ago

Edges Out Split Decision At UFC Edmonton
CeeDee Lamb9 hours ago

Has AC Joint Issue, To Undergo An MRI
Amir Albazi9 hours ago

Falls Short At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno9 hours ago

Dominates At UFC Edmonton
A.J. Brown9 hours ago

Won’t Return Versus Jacksonville
Zay Flowers9 hours ago

Puts Up Huge Performance Against Broncos
Quentin Johnston9 hours ago

Has A Big Game In His Week 9 Return
Artturi Lehkonen10 hours ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
NJ10 hours ago

Nathan Bastian To Miss "Several Weeks"
Brayden Point11 hours ago

Exits With Injury Sunday
Dan Vladar11 hours ago

Set For Second Consecutive Start Sunday
Nicholas Robertson11 hours ago

Re-Enters Maple Leafs Lineup Sunday
Jakub Vrana11 hours ago

Scratched On Sunday
Onyeka Okongwu13 hours ago

Lands On Injury Report
Immanuel Quickley13 hours ago

Doubtful For Monday's Game
Austin Reaves13 hours ago

Participates During Sunday's Practice
Jarred Vanderbilt13 hours ago

Practices On Sunday
Ben Simmons13 hours ago

Available On Sunday
Austin Barnes18 hours ago

Returning To Los Angeles
18 hours ago

David Robertson To Test Free Agency
Wilmer Flores18 hours ago

Giants Exercise Club Option On Wilmer Flores
Owen Miller19 hours ago

Shipped To Colorado
Merrill Kelly19 hours ago

Staying In Arizona
19 hours ago

Eloy Jimenez Headed To Free Agency
Daniel Suarez20 hours ago

Will Start 20th At Martinsville
Zane Smith20 hours ago

Might Be An Underrated Value Play For Martinsville
Tyler Reddick20 hours ago

Is A Top DFS Recommendation For Martinsville Lineups
Joey Logano20 hours ago

Will Be One To Watch At Martinsville
Brad Keselowski20 hours ago

Should DFS Players Rely On Brad Keselowski For Martinsville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar20 hours ago

Is A Great DFS Option For All Martinsville DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs20 hours ago

Is Ty Gibbs Worth Rostering At Martinsville This Week For DFS?
Austin Cindric20 hours ago

Could Have A Top-20 Performance At Martinsville
William Byron20 hours ago

Might Be Usable Only In DFS Tournaments At Martinsville
Chris Buescher20 hours ago

Should DFS Players Roster Chris Buescher At Martinsville?
Alex Bowman20 hours ago

Expect A Solid Top-10 Performance From Alex Bowman At Martinsville
Josh Berry20 hours ago

May Be Set For Long-Run Struggles At Martinsville
Dylan Larkin20 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
Cam Talbot20 hours ago

Stops 31 Shots In Saturday's Victory
Cale Makar21 hours ago

Tallies Goal, Assist On Saturday
Anton Forsberg21 hours ago

Records Shutout Victory On Saturday
Philip Broberg21 hours ago

Leaves Saturday Early With Lower-Body Injury
Sidney Crosby21 hours ago

Nets Two More Goals In Saturday's Victory
Chase Elliott23 hours ago

Will Be Tough To Beat At Martinsville
Ryan Blaney23 hours ago

A Great DFS Play At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin23 hours ago

Wrecks In Practice, Will Start Last At Martinsville
Kyle Larson23 hours ago

Going Overlooked At Martinsville
Martin Truex Jr23 hours ago

. Will Be Strong At Martinsville On Sunday
Joel Embiid1 day ago

Reportedly Shoves Columnist On Saturday
Desmond Bane1 day ago

Diagnosed With An Oblique Strain
Marcus Smart1 day ago

Labeled Week-To-Week
Jordan Hawkins1 day ago

Back On The Injury Report
Wendell Carter Jr.1 day ago

Questionable Against Dallas
Bradley Beal1 day ago

Returning On Saturday Night
1 day ago

Joc Pederson To Test Free Agency
1 day ago

Anthony Rizzo Headed To Free Agency
Freddy Peralta1 day ago

Milwaukee Picking Up Option On Freddy Peralta
1 day ago

Ha-Seong Kim Headed To Free Agency
Adam Pelech1 day ago

To Miss At Least Four Weeks
Mathew Barzal1 day ago

Ruled Out For 4-6 Weeks
Tyler Seguin1 day ago

Day-To-Day With A Lower-Body Injury
Ilya Samsonov1 day ago

Out On Saturday
Mark Stone1 day ago

Good To Go Saturday
Mark Jankowski1 day ago

Back For Predators On Saturday
Brandon Montour1 day ago

Returns To Kraken Lineup
Samuel Ersson1 day ago

Suffers A Lower-Body Injury Saturday
Robbie Ray2 days ago

Doesn't Opt Out Of Contract, Stays With Giants
2 days ago

Yankees Could Make Play For Pete Alonso This Offseason
2 days ago

Sean Manaea Opts Out Of Contract, Becomes Free Agent
Cody Bellinger2 days ago

Picks Up $27.5 Million Player Option With Cubs
Gerrit Cole2 days ago

Opts Out Of Contract With Yankees
Rhys Hoskins2 days ago

Staying In Milwaukee
2 days ago

Seattle Declines Club Option On Jorge Polanco
Luke Weaver2 days ago

Returning To New York
Eugenio Suárez2 days ago

Arizona Picks Up Club Option On Eugenio Suarez
Nikolaj Ehlers2 days ago

Totals Four Points Versus Blue Jackets
Rose Namajunas2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Clayton Kershaw2 days ago

To Undergo Two Surgeries
Erin Blanchfield2 days ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Lowe2 days ago

Rays Pick Up Club Option On Brandon Lowe
Marc-Andre Barriault2 days ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Marc-Andre Barriault2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Trevin Giles2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mike Malott2 days ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado3 days ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz3 days ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton
Derrick Lewis3 days ago

Faces An Unranked Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno3 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Edmonton

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP