Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA Recap. In this feature, we will highlight three fantasy basketball takeaways from last night's slate of NBA games. The Timberwolves dropped to 4-and-6, including 0-and-5 on the road, following a 111-to-81 loss to the Blazers, despite Karl-Anthony Towns' 23 point performance. Suns guard Devin Booker led the way with 25 points, including a game-winner with 1.7 seconds left to lift the team over the Grizzlies 102-to-100.
The Orlando Magic went on the road to San Antonio and defeated DeMar DeRozan and the Spurs 117-to-110. Aaron Gordon scored 26 points for the Magic, while Derozan turned in another stellar performance with 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The surprise of the day came when the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers by 25 points. The Nets were led by a trio of young guns, with D'Angelo Russell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scoring 21 points and Caris Levert adding 20 of his own to the cause.
Let's take a look at the recap for Sunday, November 4th.
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Kyle Lowry Does it Again, Playing at All-NBA Level
It's fair to say that Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry is entering elite territory amongst the NBA's point guards after his 8th straight game with at least 10 assists. Last night, he helped beat the Lakers 121-to-107 with 21 points and 15 assists. He also added six rebounds, two steals and a block. Oh... And he only committed ONE turnover.
Lowry is leading the NBA in assists per game with 11.6 and is boat-racing everyone else, as Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is in second place at 8.8 assists per game.
The most impressive part of last night's performance is that Lowry didn't even have Kawhi Leonard's elite offensive prowess to help him notch his 15 assists. Serge Ibaka was his key benefactor, as he finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Notches Another Triple-Double
The Greek Freak is playing at an MVP-type level this year, and he accomplished his second triple-double of the season yesterday against the Sacramento Kings. The Bucks do-it-all man scored 26 points, grabbed 15 boards, while setting up his teammates on 11 buckets.
He's now averaging 25.0 points, 14.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists and nearly two blocks a game this season. It's been an unreal start to the year for Antetokounmpo, but honestly are any of us even surprised? He's only 23-years-old and could be just beginning to scratch his potential.
Obviously, he's a must-start if you own him, but you may want to risk-it-all and try to trade for him. That is, if the Antetokounmpo owner would dare part with him.
Jusuf Nurkic Leads Blazers to Win over T'Wolves
The Portland Trail Blazers have started off the season with a 7-and-3 record so far, including a 30-point butt-whooping of the Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday.
Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic led the team in scoring with 19 points, while grabbing a team-high (tied with Meyers Leonard) 12 rebounds as well in just 23 minutes of work. The emergence of Zach Collins has cut into Nurkic's workload, but in games where Nurkic gets at least 20 minutes of play, he's a solid option in all fantasy formats.
He finished last week with double-doubles in three of his last four games, and the one game he didn't have a double-double he still finished with 20 points and nine rebounds.