UPSYDE SPORTS PRESENTS:
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE - Another veteran player on the list, he's looked very good in the last few games. On the season, his numbers are down. He's barely averaging 15 points per game, his rebound numbers are subpar, and he's rarely getting defensive stats these days. That being said, his game has evolved over the last couple of seasons. His basketball IQ has drastically lowered his turnovers, he's averaged almost 2 3-pointers per game over the last two weeks, and his minutes have been consistently in the low-mid 30s. He's a solid 9-cat center at a very shallow position and should average closer to his career numbers.
SLUMPING PLAYERS DUE TO BREAK OUT:
BOJAN BOGDONAVIC - After averaging 20.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, and 3.0 3PG on 45/41/90 splits last season, he has apparently taken a major step back post-injury. This year he is down 8 points per game, with 36/32/78 splits. His rebounding and assist numbers seem to pretty on par, but overall he's played very poorly. Doing a deeper dive into his numbers, his 3-point attempt rate is up, his free throw attempt rate is down, and his usage is down about 6 points. There is optimism that as his confidence goes up, he'll be more assertive on offense and increase his scoring opportunities. His floor is still very high, but he has drastically underperformed his draft position. He has improved pretty consistently over the last three years, so it is too early to hit the panic button.
DRAYMOND GREEN - While he's no longer the 2nd round fantasy pick he once was, he still holds a lot of value. Regardless of his production, his intangibles will allow him to get ample minutes in an injury-depleted Warriors team. Injuries and regression have really hurt his production over the last couple of years, yet many were in hopes that the extended off-season would allow Green to return refreshed. He has only played six games this year and his numbers are not very impressive. He's playing the least amount of minutes that he's ever played since his sophomore year and yet, he's still worthy of rostering. Green is still the de facto point guard in the starting line-up and he's a triple-double threat on a nightly bases. The optimism comes in his production over the last week is more in line with last year. It's unlikely he'll crack double-digit points on a nightly basis, but his ability to play multiple positions will likely give him unique eligibility for his stat line. The combination of rebounding, assists, and steals from a forward spot makes him still a useful player in any line-up.
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE - Another veteran player on the list, he's looked very good in the last few games. On the season, his numbers are down. He's barely averaging 15 points per game, his rebound numbers are subpar, and he's rarely getting defensive stats these days. That being said, his game has evolved over the last couple of seasons. His basketball IQ has drastically lowered his turnovers, he's averaged almost 2 3-pointers per game over the last two weeks, and his minutes have been consistently in the low-mid 30s. He's a solid 9-cat center at a very shallow position and should average closer to his career numbers.
AARON GORDON - He hasn't been slumping too much from an offensive stand-point, but minutes have been down. A hamstring injury is not ideal, but Gordon seems to be forced to expand his game this season. Since Fultz went out for the season, he's averaged 6.5 assists over his last two games. His minutes appear to be returning to 30+ and his scoring and rebounding seems to be trending toward his averages. It's pretty likely that as he starts passing more, his turnovers might go up, but Afro Gordon is looking to have a more complete game. With Isaac and now Fultz out, he will need to step up on both offense and defense and it's been translating to a much improved overall product. If this is sustainable, he could end up providing a ton of value for a mid-rounds pick.
DEVONTE GRAHAM - With the emergence of LaMelo Ball, Graham has sort of been a forgotten presence. His usage is down with Hayward in the starting line-up, but he's really starting to heat up. Over the last 7 days he's averaging 14.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.3 APG, 2.3 SPG on only 1.8 turnovers per game. He's averaging mid-high 30s minutes and even with LaMelo and Scary Terry getting ample minutes, Graham's ability to facilitate and score at all three levels still put him among one of the better point guards in the East. He is still mostly reliant on his shooting for value so with his volume his production will ebb and flow. Right now he's showing excellent value in 9-category leagues and with the Hornets at 6-5 and 6th in the East, I don't think they'll be tinkering with the lineup too much.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Dejounte Murray - He's looked solid of late and with several injuries to key positions, he's really stepping up his game.
Andrew Wiggins/Kelly Oubre - It's only a matter of time before their shots start hitting. Draymond entering the line-up makes the whole team better and Steph Curry has MVP aspirations.
Pascal Siakam - It's hard to say he is slumping as much as just underperforming. His triple-double last night could be the first of many as the team is trying to claw back into playoff contention.
DeAndre Ayton - My normalcy bias would like to think the double-double machine would take a step forward in his 3rd year. Right now the data doesn't support it, but his role and minutes are secure enough that we should assume this is his floor.
- Adam Safianow - NBA Analyst [Copyright 2021]
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