Trae Young wore No. 8 in the opening moments of Atlanta's victory over the Wizards on Sunday, paying tribute to his mentor and friend Kobe Bryant. A sad and somber Sunday in the league saw Young offer a fitting tribute to the NBA legend, becoming the first player to register a 45-point double-double on fewer than 25 shots from the floor -- since Bryant accomplished the feat back in December of 2006.
Young was stellar in the first half, scoring 21 points and recording 10 assists en route to his eighth game with at least 40 points this season. That's second-most in the NBA. Young got some help from some emerging teammates, as rookies De'Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, and Bruno Fernando all proved effective in the contest.
From a fantasy perspective, Reddish (who is rostered in just 13.8% of ESPN leagues) is rising to relevance with double-digit scoring in four of his past five appearances. He has also added 14.3 PPG and 7.3 RPG during his last three contests. Fernando, meanwhile, unfortunately suffered a knee injury last night, though not before delivering an impressive double-double. That indicates he could provide value in deeper leagues -- if he's able to get back on the floor while Alex Len is still sidelined.
It's worth digging deeper into Atlanta's rotation beyond Young's elite scoring outbursts, including shares of SG Kevin Huerter, as the Hawks run a fantasy-friendly scheme that has them seventh in pace on the season. The improving team has been second in pace during the past 10 games.
Weekend recap
Highlights
Saturday
Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets: 45 points (15-30 FG), 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 TO
Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls: 44 points (16-30 FG), 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 TO
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers: 28 points (12-15 FG), 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 5 TO
Sunday
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: 24 points (9-18 FG), 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 6 TO
Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers: 31 points (11-20 FG), 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 TO
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers: 50 points (14-23 FG) 6 rebounds, 13 assists, 1 TO
Lowlights
Saturday
Sekou Doumbouya, Detroit Pistons: 0 points (0-5 FG), 2 rebounds, 1 TO
Danny Green, Los Angeles Lakers: 2 points (1-7 FG), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 TO
Sunday
Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic: 8 points (3-15 FG), 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Weekend takeaways
Lillard -- who played his first NBA game against Bryant back in 2012 -- has now scored 158 pts over the past three games. Not only is this a new Portland franchise record for a three-game stretch, but Lillard became just the eighth player in NBA history with at least 150 points in a three-game span. Teammate Trevor Ariza played 32 minutes and, while he was missing shots, he remains an interesting free agent in fantasy formats given his ability to compile 3-pointers and steals in a complementary role with Portland.
Even as they lost to the Pelicans on Sunday, Boston at least continued to get solid play from center Daniel Theis. He poured in 15 points and grabbed nine boards and has now scored in double figures in three straight games.
With Paul Millsap ailing, Denver's Jerami Grant has been doing quite well indeed. The bouncy 3-and-D forward delivered 25 points on just 12 shots and registered a team-best net rating in the Nuggets' victory over a depleted Houston roster on Sunday. With strong defensive rates and efficient offensive results of late, Grant makes for a savvy addition in all formats.
The Spurs' Derrick White continues to produce uniquely helpful lines off the pine for fantasy managers, as he continued to flex his Wade-like block prowess with four rejections in Sunday's loss to Toronto. With one of the best block rates among NBA guards and some helpful shooting and scoring metrics in his favor, White is a fun fantasy contributor to consider.
Injuries of note
Houston's James Harden missed Sunday's loss to Denver with a thigh contusion and is expected to miss tonight's tilt against Utah.
The Kings' Marvin Bagley III has been ruled out of Monday's matchup with the Timberwolves with a left foot ailment. Nemanja Bjelica remains a stellar streaming option, given the Kings' depleted frontcourt.
Chicago's Lauri Markkanen is expected to miss up to six weeks after the team discovered a pelvis injury over the weekend. Thaddeus Young will earn even more run at power forward for Chicago in the weeks ahead, while Luke Kornet and Cristiano Felicio will split time at center.
Analytics advantage for Monday
With Harden likely sidelined and Russell Westbrook scheduled for a night off due to load management on Monday, the Rockets' lineup is full of fantasy value given how many shots and minutes are up for grabs without the team's tandem of superstar guards. Sharpshooter Eric Gordon is the premier pickup to consider, as he should consume a rich offensive workload against Utah. After all, Gordon's usage rate spikes to a team-high 18.9% whenever both Westbrook and Harden are off the floor. Wings Ben McLemore, Austin Rivers, and Danuel House Jr. also become viable streaming options and DFS values.
Top players to watch on Monday
In Saturday's loss to the Thunder, Minnesota's Shabazz Napier registered his first career triple-double in his 322nd NBA contest. Napier, who is rostered in just shy of 20% of ESPN leagues, should see his solid opportunity rates continue in the wake of the team trading Jeff Teague to Atlanta to serve as Young's backup. With the Wolves facing the Kings at home on Monday night, Napier serves as a top plug-and-play option at point guard.