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Leonard Francis II highlights three fantasy basketball takeaways from the NBA's February 12th slate. This recap focuses on Avery Bradley, Rudy Gay, and Jonathan Isaac.
LeBron James' 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists weren't enough to prevent the Lakers from taking a L at the hands of the 19-38 Hawks. The Celtics two-game losing streak came to an end in Philadelphia; without Kyrie Irving. And, the Pelicans lost at home, by 30, to the 26-32 Magic in a game which saw Anthony Davis score just three points on 11-percent shooting. In fact, the sum of his scoring and rebounding production (nine) barely surpassed the eight points scored by Wesley Iwundu.
... Last night was full of surprises in the NBA.
The surprises didn't end there, however, as the night provided plenty of unexpected individual performances as well.
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Avery Bradley May Be a Longhorn, But He Likes Carolina Blue
It's not that Avery Bradley can't score -- he's averaged at least 14 points per game over the last five seasons -- it's that he's made a name for himself on the defensive side of the ball. Or, maybe, it's the fact that he averaged just eight points through 49 games with the Clippers this season. Could be that we're just spoiled by the likes of James Harden, Paul George, and Stephen Curry on a nightly basis. Possibly even a combination of the three. But, whatever the reason, there are very few hoop heads who view Bradley as anything more than just a guy on the offensive end.
The few are proud after his career-high, 33-point explosion last night in Memphis.
The newly acquired Grizzly -- making just his second appearance with the squad -- was the primary beneficiary of Mike Conley's absence, and while I doubt the change of scenery will suddenly transform him into one of the league's most prolific scorers, playing for a team in desperate need of offense definitely doesn't hurt his cause. Knocking down 71-percent of his shots (15-for-21), including 60-percent from deep (3-for-5), isn't too bad either.
It's too early to consider Bradley a fantasy-relevant option now that he's had one incredible performance in his new duds, but last night's performance definitely puts him back on the deep-league/DFS-value radar. (He also added six rebounds and six assists in addition to shooting the lights out.)
Rudy Gay Flirts With First Career Triple-Double
Rudy Gay is quietly balling at age 32 and a 15-point, 12-rebound, eight-assist outing last night -- in the place that birthed his NBA career -- left the 13-year man just two assists shy of putting a bow on the first half of the 2018 season with his first career triple-double.
Gay has now scored in double-figures in all but eight games while knocking down shots at the highest clip of his career (52-percent from the field, 44-percent from three). However, it's his consistency on the glass -- and playing in a Spurs offense which virtually guarantees a few assists per game -- which corroborate his fantasy appeal. Sure, injuries have plagued him throughout his career so he's a "load management" risk on any given night (he's missed 11 games this season while hampered by injuries), but he's proven a more than reliable contributor when on the floor and has shown no signs of slowing down after the break.
Jonathan Isaac Continues to Blossom
On the heels of a 20-point, seven-rebound performance last night against the Pelicans, Isaac is now averaging 14 points and seven rebounds over the Magic's last eight games. Not only have two of his three double-doubles this season come over this eight game stretch, but he's put up double-digit points in all but one those contests and his 2.6 blocks per game trail only Anthony Davis over this same timeframe.
The former sixth-overall pick has shown plenty of bust potential over his year-and-a-half in the league, but lately, the Florida State product is showing signs that his offensive skillset may be catching up defensive prowess; a welcome sight for Magic fans, and fantasy owners alike.
