I would say that things calmed down this week, but do they ever really? The action around the NBA is fast, furious, and incredibly exciting. That shouldn’t be surprising though as we had the beginning of the NBA Cup last week. Of course, there is no fantasy impact there, and ultimately that’s what we are here for. Fear not though, as our NBA Week in Review has you covered. Of course, this is done from a fantasy basketball perspective to help you on the path to victory. All stats referenced are entering play on Monday.
Fantasy Basketball Week in Review
Is Jared McCain a Rookie of the Year Contender?
It was a weak NBA Draft class this past summer, and you are forgiven if Jared McCain didn’t generate much excitement. After all, the focus in Philadelphia was on the addition of Paul George as the 76ers are looking to contend once again. Instead, George got hurt, there was drama surrounding Joel Embiid, and now Tyrese Maxey is out. Embiid has returned, but the 76ers are continuing to take things slow with him.
In the interim, it has been McCain who is carrying Philadelphia. Even when Maxey returns, I’m not sure that the rookie can completely fade into the background. With that being said, it will take some time until the 76ers are truly at full strength. Over the last five games, McCain has averaged 26.2 points with four assists and two rebounds.
Over the first 12 games of his career, McCain is averaging 14.8 points per game. He’s shown a clear ability to score at will, but from a fantasy perspective that is where is production generally stalls out. The good news is that he’s also making two three-pointers per game.
Beast Mode is Activated in San Antonio
The main question here is how good will Victor Wembanyama truly be this season. At this point, it seems like the sky is the limit for last year’s number-one overall pick. Last year, he averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game as he set the stage for what will be a strong career.
To begin the 2024-25 season, Wembanyama hasn’t made anyone regret making him the building block of their fantasy team. If that were the case, he was likely off the table by the first or second pick. From a statistical perspective, Wembanyama boosted his average to 22.7 points per game as his performance has stayed relatively consistent. Once the Spurs take the barriers off, Wembanyama could truly hit the next level as he is still playing just 32 minutes per game.
Last week, Wembanyama needed just 32 minutes to score 50 points. The Spurs are still building their supporting cast around the second-year player, but we’ll likely see more performances like that this season.
LeBron James Isn’t Done
Far from it in fact. No one was truly down on LeBron James or implying that he is no longer a fantasy asset, but who expected four straight triple-doubles? At some point, James has to ride off into the sunset, right?
Until then, James is just going to dominate the opposition. He’s averaging 23.3 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.
Jalen Williams Continues to Step Up
While we never want to see anyone get injured, it also leads to opportunity. It’s not like Jalen Williams was struggling earlier in the season, but now with Chet Holmgren sidelined, his performance is really hitting the next level.
Overall, Williams is now averaging 20.8 points per game after 19.1 last season while grabbing 2.4 more rebounds per game. The improvement on the boards has helped Williams’ overall value. In his last four games, Williams is averaging 25 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists as he’s truly playing a well-rounded game. Williams is also blocking shots now as his role seems to agree with him.
OG Anunoby is Showing Off the Offense
Not to discount any part of OG Anunoby’s game, but he wasn’t acquired strictly for his offense. While that’s part of his game, the forward’s defense is what truly sets him apart. Last year, Anunoby had to adjust to a new team, and this season, that is past him. Anunoby has become a truly intricate part of what New York is doing on the offensive side of the field. The Knicks have a plethora of weapons, but what they don’t have right now is depth.
All of the Knicks’ starters have been consistently scoring with ease, and Anunoby is at the top of that list. He is looking more aggressive on the offensive end, and Anunoby is averaging 22.4 points per game in his last five and 17.5 points on the season. We’re also getting 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game from the forward.
Dyson Daniels is Stealing His Way to the Top
While all of the categories do count the same, some do get overlooked more than others. Steals often fall into this, but Dyson Daniels could pull you out of the abyss by himself.
After bouncing around in the first two years of his career after being selected eighth overall in 2022, Daniels has found his groove so far this season. Having the opportunity to fill Dejounte Murray’s role has certainly done wonders as Daniels has stepped into the starting lineup. The additional playing time has agreed with Daniels as he is up to 33.5 minutes per game. He’s averaging 15 points per game while adding 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
That truly buries the lead though. With 3.7 steals per game, Daniels could truly be a league winner here. And that cannot be overstated.