The Brooklyn Nets, just before New Year’s day, unwrapped a late Christmas present from the Los Angeles Lakers. In this case, the present is like an ugly sweater they used to wear but gave away in a garage sale. And it was given right back because nobody wanted it. Sorry, D’Angelo Russell, welcome back to Brooklyn. The Lakers acquired Shake Milton and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Nets in exchange for Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three future second-round picks. The Lakers will have plenty of use for Finney-Smith, a veteran 3 and D player in his ninth season who’s hitting a career-high 43.5% from three. His ability to stretch the floor will do wonders for Los Angeles’ spacing. D’Angelo Russell will be reunited with the Nets and will presumably slot into a high-usage role temporarily. He may get bought out or moved again, because on a rebuilding Nets squad, he’s not very useful.
The Cleveland Cavaliers now hold a larger lead over the second-place Boston Celtics with a 4.5 game advantage, solidifying their dominance in the East. And very sneakily, the Philadelphia 76ers only sit two games behind the 8th seed as they have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games. Joel Embiid has played in six of these last 10, and has won five of those six games.
In the West, things are tight. Their first seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder, hold a 5 game advantage over the second seed Memphis Grizzlies, and are cruising with a perfect record in their past 10 games as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seeks his first MVP award. The Sacramento Kings let go of Mike Brown in a shocking twist – just one year after he won Coach of the Year. Things move fast in the NBA.
We’re shooting the Three Lists of Threes today for your weekly dose of fantasy tips: Buy-lows, sell-highs, and streams.
Here are some streams we can consider.
Stream ’em
Al Horford, PF/C, Boston Celtics
The 38-year-old has been serviceable lately, averaging 8.8 points with 5.3 RPG in 27 minutes while shooting 35.2% from the floor. He’s not shooting well, but once that shooting climbs back up to his usual standard, Horford’s making a streaming case for this week. Additionally, should Kristaps Porzingis miss more time (he’s been out the past two days), Horford’s opportunities on the floor look even better.
Cam Whitmore, SF/PF, Houston Rockets
Following Sunday’s debacle between the Heat’s Tyler Herro and the Rockets’ Amen Thompson, Whitmore may just be in store for more minutes. The previous two games in which he logged over 20 minutes were against bottom feeders like the Pelicans and the Hornets, but in both games, Whitmore attempted 16 shots and shot 50% combined. He’s a scoring threat who’s been asked to expand his game towards the defensive end to match the Rockets’ identity this season and he’s made strides in that department, as well. Should Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks stay sidelined in wake of Amen Thompson’s incoming suspension, Whitmore will have the opportunity to show Ime Udoka what he’s been working on.
Kris Dunn, PG, Los Angeles Clippers
A nice little add for the Clippers’ back to back set on Monday and Tuesday, Dunn is a steals specialist who’s averaging 1.7 SPG this season in a limited bench role. He’ll be a nice source of assists, steals, and threes. He’ll rarely explode offensively, but he has a decent floor due to his defensive numbers and stable role for the Clippers.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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