Looking at NBA games from a fantasy basketball point of view. Updated daily.

October 17, 2017

Boston Celtics 99 Cleveland Cavaliers 102

What a brutal way to start the season. Our best wishes go to Hayward as he recovers from a horrific ankle injury, which obviously shook all of the players involved. Don't spend too much time analyzing the box scores on this game as the first half would have been an unsettling experience for everybody involved.

Unfortunately, there's a fantasy aspect that we need to talk about with Hayward's injury, and that's the minutes and usage that'll now go to other players. Taytum scored 14 points (after going scoreless in the first half), and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points with 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Both are expected to have a bigger role, just remember that Marcus Morris still has to return to the lineup, and that both players aren't expected to play 37 and 40 minutes every game. Marcus Smart still can't shoot, but he filled the stat sheet with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Al Horford couldn't get into the game offensively, and only managed 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The usual suspects all had good games, with Irving putting up 22 points, 10 assists, 3 steals, 4 3PM, and a missed game tieing shot, LeBron putting up 29 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 blocks, and Kevin Love putting up 15 points and 11 rebounds. 

Golden State Warriors 121 Houston Rockets 122

Chris Paul is playing hurt, and is questionable for next game, but he still managed to tally 11 assists. If you're in a league with somebody who is freaking out about his low scoring game, throw an offer to see if you can buy low on him. Clint Capela only played 18 minutes, but opposing big men never play big minutes against Golden State, so I wouldn't be too worried. 

This game was full of bench production, with PJ Tucker scoring 20 points, with 6 rebounds and 4 3PM, Eric Gordon putting up 24 points with 2 blocks, and Nick Young hitting 23 points, with 6 3PM. Don't expect those kinds of numbers on a regular basis from Tucker and Young.

Harden and Green both had good games, with James Harden putting up 27 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 3PM, and Draymond Green left the game with a knee injury, just one point short of a triple-double (9 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists), and is doubtful for his next game. Jordan Bell is an interesting streaming option if Green misses time. Steph Curry and Kevin Durant both played well enough that you wouldn't be disappointed with their production.