RADIO
Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA recap. In this feature, we highlight three fantasy basketball takeaways from the previous night's slate of NBA games. Following a light schedule -- just two games on Tuesday -- Wednesday's docket was once again full as two-thirds of the teams were in action. This is the third time in four weeks that at least 20 of the league's teams have played on Wednesday.
The action was once again fantastic as nine of the 10 contests finished within single-digits. Two of the games -- Grizzlies-Nuggets and Lakers-Timberwolves -- were ultimately decided in the final seconds. With 4.6 ticks on the clock, Marc Gasol drained both of his free throws to help the Grizzlies remain perfect at home with an 89-87 win over the Nuggets, ending Denver's five-game winning streak. Then, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart combined to knock down three of four free throws over the final 10 seconds as the Lakers kept the Timberwolves winless on the road with a 114-110 victory. Minnesota has lost four straight.
Other notable results included the Pistons and Pelicans snapping their losing streaks of five and six games, respectively. Detroit started the season 4-0 while New Orleans won its first five games. Now, let's take it away with our real November 7 fantasy highlights.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
Hassan Whiteside -- Records First 20/20 game of the campaign
Whiteside just missed his first triple-double in four seasons as he posted 29 points, 20 rebounds along with an NBA-best nine blocks in the Heat's 95-89 victory over the Spurs. There is some debate whether Whiteside only swatted away nine shots. Regardless, it was his first 20-20 game since last year's opening game of the regular season when he totaled 26 points and 22 rebounds against the Magic.
Whiteside made 10 of 18 shots from the field and 9 of 11 free throws in the game -- both season highs. The 29-year-old center, who sat out Monday's win over the Pistons with a knee injury, didn't wait long to make an impact on the game. He tallied 10 points -- on 5-for-8 shooting -- six rebounds (three offensive), five blocks and two assists in the opening quarter.
Whiteside continued his stellar play on both ends in the second quarter. He finished with his best first-half performance of the season, compiling 18 points as he made nine of 13 shots from the field in 17 minutes. The 7-footer also finished the opening 24 minutes with 14 rebounds as well as eight blocks, setting a franchise record for most swats in a half.
Whiteside has been much more aggressive on the offensive end in his last four appearances. He is averaging 17.3 points and 16.0 rebounds while shooting 56.5 percent (6.5-11.5) from the field and 69.4 percent(4.0-5.8) from the charity stripe over this four-game stretch. Whiteside has also produced 49.6 fantasy points and three of his six double-doubles during this span.
Whiteside has recorded a blocked shot in each of his nine games and he has grabbed 10 or more boards in eight contests. The seventh-year pro leads the league in defensive rebounds per game as well as blocked shots per game. He is second in total rebounds per game.
Whiteside should remain a top-25 fantasy value for the rest of the season.
Dennis Schroder - Turns In Season-Best Performance
Schroder made the most of his first start since the first two games of the season. Schroder poured in a season-high 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting as the Thunder defeated the Cavaliers 95-86 for their sixth straight victory. While the 6'1'' point guard did not dole out an assist, he did add seven rebounds along with one block and an assist in 34 minutes -- matching the most playing time he has seen this season. He also knocked six of eight free throw attempts -- both of which are season highs.
Schroder seems to be getting more comfortable with his new teammates as he is playing much better since the calendar turned to November. He has come up with a steal in four straight games while topping the 20-point mark in three of those games. The 25-year-old German is averaging 21.8 points along with 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 dimes a game this month. Schroder is shooting 54.1 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from the three-point line and 76.2% from the charity stripe during this stretch.
Schroder was back in the starting lineup as Russell Westbrook missed the game with an ankle sprain. Westbrook suffered his injury in the third quarter of Monday's game against the Pelicans. The former NBA MVP is expected to be re-evaluated on Thursday.
Schroder is currently playing at a level where he should be owned in all fantasy leagues. If Westbrook is forced to miss any more time, he is a must-start. Especially, considering OKC's upcoming schedule which includes games against Houston, Phoenix (two), New York and Dallas.
Omari Spellman -- Breakout Game
Spellman compiled 18 points and 10 rebounds for the first double-double of his career in the Hawks 112-107 loss to the Knicks. Spellman also contributed four assists, three blocks along with a steal in 28 minutes. He was 6-for-11 from the field, 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
The 21-year-old power forward set season highs in minutes, points, free throws made, rebounds and blocks. He also tied his season bests in field goal makes, assists as well as steals. The game also marked the first time that Spellman reached double-figures in rebounds and the third occasion that he has scored in 10 or more points.
The No. 30 overall draft pick has started the last three games. He is averaging 7.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 21.5 minutes while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc in four November games. The rookie has yet to commit a turnover this month.
While this was by far-and-away his best performance, Spellman can produce many more games in the future. He is an excellent shooter and does a number of other things well. The good news is it appears that he will be given plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents with the Hawks in a rebuilding mode. Spellman is not a great fantasy option at this point, but he could become a viable option in deeper leagues with a few more solid outings.
