What’s New

The fans have seen the on-the-court DeMar DeRozan this season.

The calmness in frenzied moments, the ridiculous game winners, the 26.4 points per game, and the play-making.

That’s why the Bulls veteran was an easy vote to be a starter in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game next month in Cleveland. That announcement was made official on Thursday.

It will be his fifth All-Star appearance, and his first since the 2017-18 season when he was still with the Toronto Raptors.

All well and good, but there’s a reason the Bulls players see him more than just an All-Star. They see what DeRozan has done in his first season with the franchise as MVP-type stuff.

“He’s meant a lot to this team in a lot of different ways,” center Nikola Vucevic said of DeRozan’s first half. “Obviously the way he’s playing, it’s a given, everybody has seen that. The leadership he’s brought, the experience he’s brought, and also the confidence we have when he’s on the court with us, especially at the end of games, we know he’s a guy we can go to.

“With young guys, you have a player like him who has been through a lot of playoff games, a lot of experience, big wins, tough losses, things like that, we rely on him. Also, he just has a great demeanor about him and I think that rubs off very positively on the team. His game, his play all year long has been amazing. I think arguably this could be one of his best years in the NBA, so for sure he deserves to be a starter [in the All-Star game].”

There was an argument to be made that DeRozan should have had a plus-one with him, and that could still be the case next week when the All-Star reserves are selected. But for now Zach LaVine will remain in a holding pattern, awaiting to find out if he will be an All-Star for a second-consecutive season.

LaVine was beat out by Atlanta’s Trae Young.

Read More

Please send scores and corrections to [email protected].

Thursday, January 27, 2022

CATHOLIC – BLUE

St. Rita at Fenwick, 7:00

CENTRAL SUBURBAN – SOUTH

New Trier at Glenbrook South, 7:00

CHICAGO PREP

Christ the King at Northtown, 7:00

FOX VALLEY

Crystal Lake Central at Jacobs, 6:00

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Elgin Academy at Morgan Park Academy, 6:00

Northridge at University High, 6:00

METRO PREP

Islamic Foundation at Lycee Francais, 6:30

METRO SUBURBAN – BLUE

Aurora Christian at St. Francis, 6:45

MID-SUBURBAN – EAST

Elk Grove at Prospect, 7:30

Hersey at Wheeling, 7:30

Rolling Meadows at Buffalo Grove, 7:30

MID-SUBURBAN – WEST

Conant at Palatine, 7:30

Hoffman Estates at Fremd, 7:30

Schaumburg at Barrington, 7:30

NOBLE LEAGUE – GOLD

Bulls at Comer, 5:30

Butler at DRW, 5:30

ITW-Speer at Rowe-Clark, 5:30

NORTH SUBURBAN

Mundelein at Libertyville, 7:00

NORTHEASTERN ATHLETIC

Westminster Christian at South Beloit, 7:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED-SOUTH / CENTRAL

Hyde Park at Phillips, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-SOUTH

ACE Amandla at Dyett, 6:30

South Shore at Carver, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-CENTRAL

ACERO-Garcia at Horizon-Southwest, 5:00

Instituto Health at Englewood STEM, 5:00

Kelly at Hancock, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-NORTH

Alcott at Chicago Math & Science, 5:00

Roosevelt st ASPIRA-Bus&Fin, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-SOUTH

Chicago Military at Hirsch, 5:00

UC-Woodlawn at Goode, 5:00

Washington at Air Force, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-WEST

Juarez at Kelvyn Park, 6:30

Ogden at Douglass, 5:00

Phoenix at Little Village, 5:00

SOUTHLAND

Thornwood at Crete-Monee, 5:00

NON CONFERENCE

Bowman (IN) at Harlan, 5:00

Collins at Manley, 5:30

Cristo Rey at ACERO-Garcia, 5:00

EPIC at Tilden, 5:00

Excel-South Shore at Gage Park, 5:00

Families of Faith at Chesterton Holy Family, 7:00

Fenger at Brooks, 5:00

Foreman at Solorio, 5:00

Holy Trinity at Shepard, 6:30

Intrinsic-Downtown at Dunbar, 6:00

Kelly at Juarez, 5:00

Legal Prep at Proviso West, 6:00

Rochelle Zell at Schaumburg Christian, 6:45

Rockford Christian at Winnebago, 7:00

Spry at ACERO-Soto, 5:00

Urban Prep-Bronzeville at Urban Prep-Englewood,

TRI-COUNTY TOURNAMENT

at Putnam County

Henry-Senachwine vs. Dwight, 6:00

Woodland vs. Roanoke-Benson, 7:30

Read More

The Chicago Blackhawks made some major changes earlier this season. Stan Bowman was fired as the general manager and Jeremy Colliton was fired as the head coach. They were replaced by Kyle Davidson and Derek King respectively. Both of them are on an interim basis.

On Wednesday, the Blackhawks issued an extensive update on the search for the full-time general manager. It really does seem like the organization is conducting this search the right way based on how they are handling things.

Read More

Read More

The Chicago Fire, thwarted in its plan to build a training and practice center on the Northwest Side, said Thursday it has begun discussions with the city about putting it on the Near West Side instead.

The soccer club, owned by business leader Joe Mansueto, is looking at about 30 acres of vacant land within the Roosevelt Square area. The Chicago Housing Authority property is generally bounded by Roosevelt Road, Ashland Avenue, 14th Street and Loomis Street.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised the project but didn’t answer questions about funding or city subsidies. A joint release from the team and the city said they are discussing a long-term lease under which the Fire would build a multimillion-dollar facility that would yield community benefits.

“We’re, first of all, very grateful to Joe Mansueto and the entire Chicago Fire team, who’ve worked really diligently with the CHA and our team to make sure that this facility stayed in the city of Chicago. It’s a great testament to the fact that the Chicago Fire is very committed to the city of Chicago,” Lightfoot said at an unrelated news conference.

“It’s gonna have a lot of incredible benefits to the residents in the immediate area near the former ABLA homes and also rebound to the benefit of the city. We are working with them on a number of different aspects. But first things first. … We need to engage with the community to make sure … we understand from them what their needs are.”

Tracey Scott, CEO of the housing authority, said it views the deal “as an opportunity to invest in our families and in this community. By repurposing this unused land, we can secure substantial funds to rehabilitate CHA housing and develop new affordable housing while also creating employment opportunities for our residents and community members.”

Officials said community meetings to discuss the project’s design will begin in March. The development has the support of the neighborhood’s alderperson, Jason Ervin (28th).

“I am excited to join Mayor Lightfoot, CHA, and the Chicago Fire Football Club to explore using this open space to support affordable housing, employment and recreation on the Near West Side,” Ervin said.

The Fire had tried to get the facility at Hanson Park at Fullerton and Central avenues. The property is owned by the Chicago Public Schools, which did not agree to a lease for the 32 acres that include Hanson Stadium. CPS officials have been unavailable for comment on the matter.

The Fire had talked about a $90 million investment at Hanson Park.

For the Near West Side, the Fire said it plans world-class practice fields and a performance center where team members prepare for matches. It also promises a home for the Fire’s Youth Academy, offering programs for children, teens, and young adults in CHA housing and the broader community.

The property was part of the CHA’s ABLA Homes, which is being replaced by the mixed-income Roosevelt Square development.

“We look forward to presenting the project to the local community, hearing their feedback, and creating new opportunities for residents of the Near West Side to enjoy the game,” said Fire President Ishwara Glassman Chrein.

The land available to the Fire is immediately north of Addams Park, which has the ComEd Recreation Center. The park’s footprint and facilities would not change, said CHA spokesman Matthew Aguilar.

Asked why his agency wasn’t using its vacant land for housing, he said, “The area is already heavily concentrated with federally subsidized housing. CHA sees this proposal as complementary to residential use and in line with mixed-use community development. It puts unused land to active use that delivers benefits to CHA families. Lease payments would fund much-needed substantial rehab work on public housing units in the immediate area.”

The developer of Roosevelt Square is Related Midwest, which works under contract with the CHA. Sarah Wick, vice president of affordable housing for Related Midwest, said new homes were expected on the acreage offered to the Fire. But building subsidized homes is a slow process, requiring funding from the city, state and the CHA that’s limited, she said.

“We weren’t in the room when this transpired,” Wick said of the soccer club’s plans. “In general, we are excited about the opportunity, but it does involve revising the use previously slated for that land, which was housing.”

She said that in its nearly 20 years of involvement at Roosevelt Square, Related has put up or started work on nearly 900 residential units out of an eventual goal of more than 2,900. They included units rented at market rates and at subsidized rates for lower-income tenants and those reserved for CHA residents.

“Each one of these development phases takes a lot of time and resources to pull together,” she said. In the meantime, bringing in the Fire’s facility should help the community by providing jobs and recreational space, Wick said.

Read More

It took new Bears general manager Ryan Poles less than 24 hours to go against convention. That’s fast even by Halas Hall standards.

Inheriting a team desperate for offense — and with the Bears’ best quarterback prospect in decades in place with rookie Justin Fields — Poles could have looked for the next Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur or Zac Taylor as his head coach. Instead he hired 51-year-old Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on Thursday.

It’s an unusual tack that doesn’t work for everyone, but — believe it or not — has worked for the Bears. Poles probably doesn’t know he was turning back the clock, but in 2003, the Bears were in a similarly desperate situation after general manager Jerry Angelo fired Dick Jauron. The Bears’ offense was 23rd in the NFL in points, 28th in yards and had a touted, franchise-quarterback prospect in first-round rookie Rex Grossman.

About to make his first head coaching hire as a general manager after three years on the job, Angelo had his priorities straight. “We need to be better on offense,” he said. “We need to score more points.”

So what did Angelo do? He turned to the St. Louis Rams — home of the Greatest Show on Turf, the juggernaut offense of the era that made a Hall of Famer out of Kurt Warner and a quarterback out of Marc Bulger — and hired the defensive coordinator. It was so Bears.

And yet, it worked out. Inheriting a youthful core with linebacker Brian Urlacher, safety Mike Brown, defensive end Alex Brown, linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Charles Tillman, Lovie turned the Bears’ defense into a dominant takeaway machine.

And the offense, after stumbling under one-and-done coordinator Terry Shea in 2004, improved enough under Ron Turner for the Bears to make the playoffs in 2005 (11-5) and the Super Bowl in 2006 (13-3). The Bears were seventh in the NFL in offensive points and 15th in yards in 2006. Grossman was an MVP candidate five weeks into that season.

Lovie at the time was the best thing to happen to the Bears since George Halas hired Mike Ditka. Alas, it would not last — the Bears made the playoffs just once in the following six seasons before Lovie was fired. But it’s still the Bears’ best run of success since the Ditka era.

Therein lies the hope for Eberflus. Still, the rookie head coach faces a big, if not daunting, challenge inheriting the offensive rubble left behind by Matt Nagy.

The Bears’s offense was 27th in points and 25th in yards last season. And while Fields is potentially elite, it’s not like Eberflus is inheriting Justin Herbert, as former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley did with the Chargers this season. Fields’ 73.2 passer rating last season (seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions) ranked 28th in the NFL. Herbert’s 98.3 rating (31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) ranked 12th.

The onus is on Eberflus to be a great judge of offensive coaches and hire a coordinator who can nurture Fields and build an offense. And not just one coordinator, because anyone who turns the Bears’ offense into a force will be deemed a football god and get a head coaching job immediately. Adam Gase got two just for being the guy who coached Jay Cutler to a career-high 92.3 passer rating in 2015 — even though it ranked 15th in the NFL, barely in the upper half of the league.

And Eberflus has a tougher job on defense than Lovie did. Lovie’s core players were 26 and under — Urlacher, Mike Brown, Alex Brown, Briggs and Tillman. Eberflus’ top defenders are Roquan Smith (25 next season), Khalil Mack (31), Robert Quinn (32), Jaylon Johnson (23) and Eddie Jackson (28).

Defensive-minded coaches have had success — most notably Sean McDermott, who had the Bills in the playoffs in his third season. But defensive coaches who have inherited the bottom-10 offensive mess that Eberflus is inheriting generally have not fared as well recently — Ron Rivera (Washington), Brian Flores (Dolphins), Vic Fangio (Broncos) and Vance Joseph (Broncos) among them.

So Matt Eberflus’ first coordinator might be the biggest hire of the entire regime-change episode. It’ll say a lot about Eberflus’ judgment — and Poles’ judgment as well.

Read More

Neither overwhelming nor underwhelming, new Bears coach Matt Eberflus might be exactly what the Bears need to restore respectability after the sputtering end of the Matt Nagy era.

Eberflus doesn’t have the cachet of some candidates like Super Bowl winner Doug Pederson or successful former head coaches Dan Quinn, Jim Caldwell and Brian Flores. He also doesn’t have the question marks of Nathaniel Hackett or Byron Leftwich.

What Eberflus has, in addition to three decades of coaching experience, is a reputation for approaching this like the business that it is. There’s no need for anything corny like hanging a disco ball in the locker room for Club Dub, which feels awfully silly after you’ve eked out a last-second win against the Lions to improve to 4-7.

So while Eberflus is unexciting in some ways, maybe that’s ideal. A straightforward, simple approach is what the Bears need right now as they embark on a substantial rebuild.

The book on Eberflus is less fun, more setting standards and demanding adherence to them.

Nagy talked a good game when it came to standards, but struggled to uphold them.

Remember when he made “sweeping the shed” a thing? It was his effort to build a culture of doing everything — down to the smallest responsibilities — the right way at Halas Hall. Then he threw his hands up powerlessly when asked why he, as boss, couldn’t get defensive tackle Akiem Hicks to fulfill his media obligations last summer.

Nagy talked about expectations constantly when it came to Anthony Miller, but continued to tolerate his inattentiveness and ultimately watched him punch his ticket out of Chicago by getting ejected from a playoff game.

If Eberflus comes in with big talk about discipline, details and dedication, he must stick to it or he’ll foster similar dysfunction.

Eberflus also needs to understand an essential truth that often evaded Nagy: In the press conferences, even if it’s on a random Thursday, the head coach is speaking to the fan base. And this happens to be a fan base with zero tolerance for bluster.

Nagy is a smart guy, but he often made himself sound clueless with rambling, empty answers to key questions such as, “Why doesn’t your offense work?”

If Eberflus starts giving explanations like, “It’s no one’s fault other than everybody’s,” this won’t go very well. And it’s going to be very difficult for him as a defensive-minded coach who will constantly have to answer questions about developing the offense as a whole and specifically quarterback Justin Fields.

Think back to when Nagy needlessly prolonged a controversy in 2019 by ducking and dodging and giving everything but a straight answer about why he didn’t get kicker Eddy Pineiro an ideal spot for the game-winning field goal he missed against the Chargers.

That mess could’ve been cleaned up in five minutes if he’d just been honest and admitted there was a miscommunication. Instead it hung like a stench in the room for four days.

Eberflus would be wise to do it differently, starting with his introductory press conference. It’s always a debate whether someone “won” a press conference. That shouldn’t be his goal. It shouldn’t even be a thought.

He should be concise and businesslike. Nagy was polite and patient, but he wasn’t either of those things. And that’s what the Bears badly need.

Read More

Email
print

The Chicago Bears will hire Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus as their head coach, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Eberflus, 51, also was considered a candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ head-coaching vacancy. He will join new general manager Ryan Poles in taking over a Bears team that went 6-11 in 2021 under Matt Nagy and has missed the playoffs in nine of the past 11 seasons.

Chicago also interviewed Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell for the job.

Eberflus has spent the past four seasons as the Colts’ defensive coordinator under coach Frank Reich. His defenses finished in the top 10 in scoring three times, including being tied for ninth in 2021 at 21.5 points per game.

5hKevin Seifert

13mESPN staff

1 Related

Eberflus will inherit a Bears team that ranked sixth in the NFL in total defense in 2021 but struggled offensively and endured instability at quarterback, where Andy Dalton alternated as the starter with rookie Justin Fields.

The first big question for Eberflus in Chicago will be selecting an offensive coordinator, since a big part of the job for the new coach and GM will be solidifying the quarterback position that has haunted the founding NFL franchise for decades.

The Bears do not have a first-round draft pick in 2022 because they traded that selection to the New York Giants to select Fields, who showed flashes of potential as a passer and as a runner but finished with just seven touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. Chicago went 2-8 in the 10 games Fields started this past season.

The Bears made two postseason appearances in their four years under Nagy but last won a playoff game in 2010. They are 1-3 in the postseason since appearing in Super Bowl XLI after the 2006 season, a game the Colts won.

Eberflus, a former linebacker at the University of Toledo who began his coaching career at his alma mater and hometown school, also interviewed for head-coaching jobs last year after his third season with Indianapolis, where he developed a reputation for demanding relentless effort out of his players.

Eberflus’ high standards included counting “loafs” — a term former Bears coach Lovie Smith also used in his Tampa 2 defense. Eberflus refined his style and terminology during a seven-year stint in Dallas, where he worked with Rod Marinelli, who, like Smith, came from the coaching tree of Hall of Famer Tony Dungy.

Now Eberflus will be the second coordinator to leave Indianapolis in two seasons.

Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles filled their head-coaching vacancy with Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni, who took a handful of Colts assistants with him. It’s unclear how many, if any, assistants will follow Eberflus from Indy or Philly to Chicago.

When Eberflus began his coaching career at Toledo in 1992, he spent nine years with the Rockets as a student assistant, grad assistant, outside linebackers and defensive backs coach. He spent the next eight seasons as Missouri’s defensive coordinator (2001-08) before making the jump to the NFL, where he coached linebackers in Cleveland (2009-10) and Dallas (2011-17) before joining the Colts ahead of the 2018 season.

In Eberflus’ first season in Indianapolis, the Colts improved from 30th to 10th in scoring defense, from 30th to 11th in total defense and from 26th to eighth in rush defense.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read More

Arvid Soderblom’s valiant individual effort in his first NHL start on Jan. 2, albeit wasted by an unfocused Blackhawks team effort, didn’t go unnoticed.

The 22-year-old goalie impressed many inside and outside the organization with his poise and athleticism in the crease while making 37 saves that night against the Flames.

That showing, combined with his solid play in the AHL this season, has pushed Soderblom to the cusp of the NHL well ahead of schedule. He’ll likely be a familiar face around the Hawks’ locker room the rest of this season, and he might well become a regular next season.

“Playing that game — and I felt like I played pretty well, even though we didn’t get the result — made me feel like I can play on this level,” Soderblom said Wednesday. “That’s a good feeling to have when you’re up here. I know, if I was to play [another] game here, I can handle that.”

His next NHL start could actually happen soon with the Hawks’ usual backup, Kevin Lankinen, currently sidelined by so-called boxer’s fracture to a metacarpal bone in his hand.

Soderblom served as Marc-Andre Fleury’s backup throughout this past road trip, and although he was sent down Thursday (and replaced by Collin Delia) in order to play in one or both of Rockford’s AHL games Friday and Saturday, he might be back in the NHL next week.

Either way, interim coach Derek King believes Soderblom can learn from these intermittent stints with the big-league team.

“He’s getting NHL shots,” King said Wednesday. “He’s seeing how we operate here, the pace in practice…and just the everyday life of an NHL-er. It’s great. Eventually he’s going to be here [permanently]; we just don’t know how long it’s going to take him.”

That firm optimism about Soderblom’s future, despite his relatively little experience so far, is predicated on his swift rise over the past few years.

Never drafted, he existed totally off the radar until 2019-20, when he suddenly posted a .924 save percentage in 32 appearances in the Swedish second division. He moved up to Sweden’s top league in 2021 and posted a .921 save percentage in 22 appearances for Skelleftea.

Then the Hawks signed him to a two-year entry-level contract last summer, and he has come into Rockford this season and posted a .914 save percentage over his first 12 appearances.

He has done so even while adjusting to the implications of North America’s smaller rinks. He has noticed some differences in terms of increased traffic in shooting lanes and the frequency of shots from sharp angles, which have required adjustments to his tactics.

“[I’m] being a little more aggressive, taking my spot on the top of the crease and not letting people push you over,” he said. “[It’s about] just being stronger out there and earning that space. And then with the angles, [it’s about] being aware of where the net is. It took some time getting used to, but I’ve done that pretty good.”

His 6-3 height and boxy, wide-shouldered, Robin Lehner-resembling frame that fills most of the net certainly helps in those regards, too.

His personality comes across as confident but understated — much like his goaltending style, which King once described as “pretty calm, pretty cool … like he’s been in the league for a long time.” And his cultural transition has been aided by his girlfriend, Ann, and 1-year-old son, Hugo, moving to Illinois with him.

With Fleury, Lankinen and Delia’s contracts all expiring this summer (and his not), Soderblom might soon become more NHL-relevant. A Fleury trade by March could accelerate that timeline even further. But for now, he’s simply enjoying his first experiences at the big-league level.

“I’m excited for the opportunity,” he said. “I’m just trying to get the most from it, do the best I can in practice … [and] maybe get a shot in a game.”

Read More

Email
print

Who is trending up? Which rotations are changing? What’s the latest with the notable injuries around the NBA?

Here’s a look around the league at the most fantasy relevant news and notes for all 30 teams:

Atlanta Hawks

Bogdan Bogdanovic returned to action against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday after missing the previous five games due to soreness in his right knee. In limited minutes, he scored 18 points, had three rebounds, seven assists and a steal. You may want to consider Bogdanovic if you are participating in a deeper format and seeking points. He’s available in 49% of ESPN leagues.

2dEric Karabell

1dFantasy staff

1dJohn Cregan

2 Related

Boston Celtics

In regards to usage rates, Jayson Tatum (31.3%) and Jaylen Brown (29.7%) garner a lot of attention, but let’s not forget that Robert Williams III is having a good season. In January, he averaged 9.5 PPG, 11 RPG, 1.2 SPG, and 2.7 BPG. The Time Lord has recorded a double-double in four of his last seven games.

Brooklyn Nets

With Kevin Durant out recovering from a sprained MCL and Kyrie Irving not able to play for Brooklyn at home due to his refusal to get vaccinated, James Harden will have a lot of responsibility for the Nets. A top-five player in category formats, he has averaged 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 11 APG during January.

Charlotte Hornets

On Wednesday night, Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 39 points, a season-high. It was the most by a bench player in Hornets history, surpassing his own mark of 37 set earlier this season. Oubre became the first player to record 10 triples in a game off the bench since Chandler Parsons did it against the Grizzlies on January 24, 2014. Currently, Oubre is available in 38% of ESPN leagues.

Chicago Bulls

Alex Caruso fractured his right wrist last week after being hit mid-air by Grayson Allen during a layup attempt. In fantasy, Coby White benefits from more minutes in the backcourt rotation. During the month of January, White has averaged 15.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.6 SPG and 32 MPG. White is available in 76.8% of ESPN leagues.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Kevin Love, a legitimate candidate for Sixth Man of the Year this season, has excelled for the Cavaliers. While playing only 22.5 minutes per game in January, he averaged 14 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Love is a reliable contributor and the former fantasy star is surprisingly available in 72% of ESPN leagues.

Dallas Mavericks

Tim Hardaway Jr. fractured the fifth metatarsal in his left foot against the Warriors on Tuesday and will be out for a while. Jalen Brunson (66.5% rostered) benefits immediately on the fantasy side of things; he is averaging 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game, and will see an even bigger role without Hardaway’s shooting and scoring off the bench. For those in deeper formats, look at Dorian Finney-Smith, who has averaged 10 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 14 games this month. He’s available in 85% of ESPN leagues.

Denver Nuggets

DeMarcus Cousins (2.2% rostered) was previously with the Milwaukee Bucks and is now with the Nuggets. Prior to being ejected on Wednesday against the Nets, he had been having a very good game. Cousins had 13 points, six rebounds and a steal in 13 minutes. In deeper formats, it is better to be proactive rather than reactive. Pick Cousins up.

Detroit Pistons

Detroit’s prized rookie Cade Cunningham has had five games with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. All other rookies have two such games combined. Cunningham has averaged 18 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 block per game over the last eight games. He — along with that Evan Mobley guy in Cleveland — have been top fantasy rookies this season.

Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry has the lowest field goal percentage of any month in his career right now. Additionally, he has scored 19 points or fewer in seven of his last 11 games. Curry’s statistical fluctuations must be weathered by fantasy managers. The two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion should bounce back sooner rather than later.

Houston Rockets

During the month of January, Kenyon Martin Jr. has shown glimpses of what he can do when given 20 minutes or more. Per 40 minutes, he’s averaged 17 points, eight assists and three assists. Martin should be added to your watch list, especially in deeper formats.

Indiana Pacers

Caris LeVert hasn’t stopped 24-year-old rookie Chris Duarte from being productive for the Pacers. Malcolm Brogdon, however, is expected to be out for some time because of an Achilles injury. It’s likely Duarte will continue to see significant minutes in the Pacers’ rotation, and he’s available in 73% of ESPN leagues. In the last four games, he has averaged 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals.

LA Clippers

Because Paul George could be out for the season due to his elbow injury, you should consider picking up Amir Coffey. He’s available in 94.6% of ESPN leagues, and has averaged 14.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG and 31.5 MPG over the last 11 games. Pick him up the former Minnesota Golden Gopher while he’s still readily available.

Los Angeles Lakers

In 28 minutes against the Nets on Tuesday, Malik Monk scored 22 points and added five rebounds, two assists and a steal. As a reminder, Monk has averaged just 26.2 minutes per game and is a good source of points and triples. He’s available in 85% of ESPN leagues.

Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant has excelled all season, but let’s pause for a moment to acknowledge his play in his last five games. He has averaged 34.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.2 SPG and 37.4 MPG per game. It’s safe to say he has surpassed the expectations of fantasy managers this season.

Miami Heat

There is little information about the personal matter Kyle Lowry is dealing with, and it is unknown when Lowry will return to the team. He last played on Jan. 15 against the 76ers. As long as he’s out, Gabe Vincent is on the streaming radar… and he’s available in 98% of ESPN leagues. In the last four games, he has averaged 11 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 7.0 APG and 2.0 SPG in 35 MPG.

Milwaukee Bucks

After undergoing ankle surgery last season, Donte DiVincenzo is finally getting back to his old self. He has amassed 29 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals over the last two games. Divincenzo is available in 64.5% of ESPN leagues. If you have the space, he’s worth stashing.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Jarred Vanderbilt was mentioned in last week’s column and I will mention him again this week. On Wednesday night, he recorded his sixth double-double of the season as he continues to have the best season of his young career. Vanderbilt is still available in 75% of ESPN leagues.

New Orleans Pelicans

Josh Hart (49% rostered) has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers this season, as well as for the 18-29 Pelicans. One of the league’s top rebounding wings, Hart has averaged 16.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.3 APG and 1.3 SPG in 35.5 MPG during his past six games. He has put up career-high averages in points, assists and FG% this season.

New York Knicks

A puzzle the Knicks are trying to solve is what’s wrong with Julius Randle. During the month of January, he has only averaged 17 points per game while shooting 40% from the field. The season averages of Randle are down in most statistical categories, disappointing fantasy managers considering Randle’s average draft position heading into the season.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Luguentz Dort is capable of providing fantasy managers with well-rounded stat lines. During the past 10 games, he has averaged 15.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 1.2 APG in 30.7 MPG. Dort is available in 77.5% of ESPN leagues and, making matters even better, each of the Thunder’s next two weeks features four games on the schedule.

Orlando Magic

The ability of Jalen Suggs to create full stat lines should be highly coveted by fantasy managers. He has averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 29 minutes since returning from his fractured right thumb. The rookie out of Gonzaga is still available in 32.4% of ESPN leagues.

Philadelphia 76ers

Furkan Korkmaz has averaged 15 PPG in his past two games while playing 37 MPG. He’s available in 97% of ESPN leagues and is someone to target in deeper formats. Next week, the 76ers play four games.

Phoenix Suns

Due to injuries to Deandre Ayton (ankle) and JaVale McGee (knee), veteran center Bismack Biyombo has thrived as the Suns deal with frontcourt issues. Still only 29, Biyombo has double-doubled in three of his last five games and is available in 87.4% of ESPN leagues. Since joining the Suns a few weeks ago, Biyombo has been very productive.

Portland Trail Blazers

In the absence of Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons has risen to the occasion. He averaged 24.2 points and 7.2 assists per game in January, and he’s still available in 48.5% of ESPN leagues.

Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis suffered a wrist injury and will not be able to play for a while. As a result, Davion Mitchell will see more action. The rookie lottery pick from Baylor is available in 96% of ESPN leagues. He scored 20 points, collected two rebounds and six assists against the Hawks on Wednesday night, which is a good sign for the first-year guard.

San Antonio Spurs

Dejounte Murray is a top-10 fantasy player this season. There, I said it. Nikola Jokic is the only other player to reach 10 triple-doubles this season. Murray’s 14 career triple doubles are tied with David Robinson for the most in Spurs history.

Toronto Raptors

Over the last two games, Gary Trent Jr. has stepped in admirably for Fred VanVleet and has demonstrated his potential as the team’s primary scorer. He’s available in 41% of ESPN leagues. Trent Jr. averages 20 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per 40 minutes.

Utah Jazz

As Rudy Gobert deals with a calf strain, Hassan Whiteside is on the streaming radar. Whiteside is available in 64.6% of ESPN leagues. So far this season, he has averaged 17 minutes per game. Fantasy managers should salivate, however, over Whiteside’s 19.6 points and 16.2 rebounds per 40 minutes.

Washington Wizards

Kyle Kuzma has been a nice value for fantasy managers this season. He has recorded 19 double-doubles and has put up 15.7 PPG, 8.9 RPG and 2.9 APG. The assists are significant, as he had only reached 2.0 APG once in his previous four seasons with the Lakers (2018-19).

Read More