RADIO
Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA Recap. In this feature, we will highlight one key fantasy basketball takeaway from each night during the past week. These viewpoints can be both positive and negative and will hopefully help to provide insight into different roster moves you should consider making.
Fantasy basketball has a lot of moving pieces with all the different scoring settings that are possible to play under, so I will always do my best to spotlight where players gain or lose value in certain game types.
Without further ado, let's get right into the 20th week of the season and try to figure out how to take advantage of what we saw transpire.
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Monday, March 2nd
Eric Bledsoe Continues To Struggle
It has been a rough past week for Eric Bledsoe, who recorded his third straight game of seven or fewer points on Monday night. It is always challenging to pinpoint why a player is going through a cold streak, but the most critical question to ask yourself during any low point is: Is there a reason to believe things are going to change?
I believe the answer to that is a definitive yes. The veteran entered a nice groove during February, posting totals of 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists, and we know from experience that he is typically good for about a steal per game. Bledsoe has turned into a rather effective field goal percentage shooter during the past few years, and it is promising to see that he broke 40% from the field for the first time in a week. Buy-low windows are typically pretty short for someone of Bledsoe's caliber, and it wouldn't hurt to see if you can acquire him cheaply.
Tuesday, March 3rd
OG Anunoby Simmers Slightly But Still Remains Hot
It is safe to say that OG Anunoby's stat line of 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and one three-pointer wasn't in the same realm as his two-game ride that had seen him score 24 points per game with 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 steals and 2.5 three-pointers, but it is not like we can call his effort a bust.
In spots where I own Anunoby, I am keeping him as a hold. We obviously have situations where every player on our roster is available for the right price, but I tend to like retaining guys that provide the statistics that are more difficult to come by than just scoring. Anunoby is getting enough minutes that I do believe we can continue to expect borderline top-50 value in nine-category leagues, and owners should be ecstatic with his current form.
Wednesday, March 4th
Gorgui Dieng Posts 14 Rebounds
Make that two straight games that we have seen Gorgui Dieng produce. Dieng followed up his 17-point, 10-rebound performance on Monday with a solid six points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on Wednesday night.
While the current run of success is respectable, these are the situations I typically avoid at all costs. Dieng slipped from 26 minutes on Monday night to just 19 against the Brooklyn Nets, and it appears possible that Jaren Jackson Jr. will be back sometime next week. I am not opposed to using Dieng in 16-man leagues until Jackson does return, but I don't believe there is much value left on the table with the former first-round pick in 2013.
Thursday, March 5th
Shake Milton Keeps Shakin' and Bakin'
Shake Milton scored 20 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and three three-pointers in 27 minutes against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
Milton has been fantasy gold for owners that were lucky enough to acquire him, connecting on 37-of-55 shots since the third quarter of his game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 26th. All good things typically do come to an end, but I wouldn't expect his usage rate to slow down any time soon. Ben Simmons still doesn't have a target date for his injured back, making Milton a must-add in all settings.
Friday, March 6th
Aron Baynes Has Career Night
Filling in for an injured Deandre Ayton, Aron Baynes exploded for a career-high 37 points, adding 16 rebounds and two blocks.
Ok then, that is one way to make the most of your time on the court. Ironically, Baynes was a DNP-CD on Tuesday because head coach Monty Williams said he didn't like the Aussie out there in a fast-paced game. With Ayton still without a timetable to return, it will be interesting to see what Williams decides to do going forward. I don't mind adding Baynes for a short-term boost, but I don't think there is much longevity here.
