RADIO
It's Week 5, RotoBallers, and I am back with yet another edition of my weekly fantasy basketball risers and fallers!
We're starting to see which teams are fake and which teams are for real, and as always we saw players who exceeded expectations and others who fell short.
With that being said, let's look at the risers and fallers from Week 5 of the NBA season.
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Fantasy Basketball Risers: Week 5
Karl-Anthony Towns - F/C, Minnesota Timberwolves
In 2016, we thought that Minnesota was beginning to build a future dynasty with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, but many questioned who would be the true leader of this team. As time went on, however, it became more and more clear that KAT was the leader and the franchise cornerstone for the Timberwolves. Wiggins was deemed expendable and was traded. Fast forward to today, and it's clear that Anthony Edwards has taken KAT's place as the go-to guy, but early on this season, it was looking like KAT might go down the same path as Wiggins.
KAT and Anthony Edwards both deserve All-Star nods this year ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Z6iP0vxJ4H
— Wolves Lead (@TWolvesLead) November 21, 2023
Fortunately, though, Towns has proven that he still has a lot to offer to the Timberwolves and should be treated as an elite co-star next to Edwards. He has been averaging 25.7 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 55.9% from the field and 50% from three over his last seven games. You should capitalize on his rise ASAP because KAT is infamous for getting hurt in mid-to-late December, something that has happened every season since 2019-20.
Craig Porter Jr. - G, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, Craig Porter Jr. is getting playing time right now due to Donovan Mitchell's injury, but he has made the most of his new-found opportunity and he's here to stay, even after Spida returns. The Wichita State product had a solid final season at the University, as he averaged 17.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on 50.5% shooting from the field and 48.6% shooting from three over his last nine games. However, he went undrafted and signed a two-way contract with the Cavs.
Craig Porter Jr. looking like a top 10 pick. We got a good one Cavs fans. WE GOT HIM UNDRAFTED. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/xfQTSyI1Ex
— Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) November 22, 2023
It seemed like he would have to wait a long time before he played meaningful NBA minutes for the Cavs, but since Mitchell went down Porter Jr. has been stepping up as a valuable bench player, averaging 15 points and six assists a night on 60.7% shooting from the floor. He still hasn't made a three, but he is more than capable of making that shot judging by his collegiate career, where he took a lot of off-the-dribble threes and shot 36.8% last season. If he can prove his worth as a shooter, he'll keep getting minutes in the rotation.
Jalen Johnson - F, Atlanta Hawks
I was hesitant to include Johnson in the previous articles, but now he has pretty much proven that he's legit. Now we just have to see what he'll do in his career from now on. Will he have the same trajectory as someone like Paul George? Or will he stagnate like his predecessor John Collins? Either way, he is setting himself up for a big contract extension soon. He averaged 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds on 60.6% shooting from the field with three stocks (steals+blocks) last week, but another promising stat has been his steady rise in minutes.
Jalen Johnson is a one man fastbreak pic.twitter.com/mpso7H15rA
— Free from #20 (@1CE_TRAE) November 22, 2023
He averaged 28.4 minutes per game in the first five games before becoming a full-time starter, a number that has jumped to 32.3 since then. In his time with the Hawks, Collins averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in the only season where he averaged more than 31 MPG, so it wouldn't be shocking to see a stretch like that from Johnson.
Fantasy Basketball Fallers: Week 5
Grant Williams - F, Dallas Mavericks
Grant Williams has regressed to the mean. You could even say that for the Mavericks too, as they're still a few pieces away from true contention. Williams averaged over 15 points a night with some of the most efficient shooting splits in the NBA to start the season, but now he has crashed back down to earth. He is now the same player he has always been: a versatile player who is capable of having a hot night from deep every once in a while, but that's it.
Last week, he averaged 10.3 points on poor shooting splits (40% from the field and 33% from three) while also showing less commitment on the defensive side of the ball. The lack of defensive effort by everyone on the team has caused the Mavs to cool down, and if Williams doesn't regain his form then his starting job could be in jeopardy.
Jevon Carter - G, Chicago Bulls
Oh man, the Bulls really miss Lonzo Ball. They looked like legitimate contenders with Ball at point guard, and DeMar DeRozan was building his MVP case. Those days are long gone now, and the Bulls are still struggling to find their next franchise PG, as Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Carter have all failed to move the needle.
However, things are looking pretty bleak for Carter in particular, as he failed to capitalize on a cold streak from White. We all know how streaky White is, and now he's hot again, while Carter averaged 3 points last week on some of the worst shooting splits you'll ever see (28.6% TS%, worst in the NBA among players who took 20+ shots). So it seems like his minutes will keep going down in favor of White and Dosunmu.
Kyle Lowry - G, Miami Heat
The end is near for the greatest Raptor of all time. We all knew that his best days were behind him after his deteriorating performances towards the end of last season and in the Heat's finals run, and he started off this season the same way as well. But he tricked a lot of fantasy managers with two consecutive 17-point performances two weeks ago, and in the first one, he grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out nine assists.
Lowry has been relegated to that role where he starts the game and starts the 2nd half but doesn't see the court outside of that. They seriously need to find a PG to trade for that would significantly increase the ceiling of this team. Doesn't even need to be a big name.
— Matt Valdes (@MiamiMatt02) November 17, 2023
However, things have gone back to normal for him, as he averaged just 6.3 points and 4.7 assists on a putrid 35% field goal percentage. He can still be effective from deep, and on defense. He racked up a bunch of steals last week, but he had more fouls. He's a very good floor general, but his lack of offensive production could mean the end of his time as the Heat's starter.
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