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Players To Watch: Nov. 6
Julius Randle, PF ($5,700)
The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a winless start, but one of the bright spots for them has been the play of second-year forward Julius Randle. He’s averaging 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals and has scored 15 or more points in three of L.A.’s first four games. The Lakers take on the Brooklyn Nets in New York tonight (7:30 ET, NBA League Pass), who are also struggling to start 2015-16. Randle should be able to put up a decent stat line as he’ll face Thaddeus Young ($5,600) and Thomas Robinson ($4,100) in the paint, both of whom Randle shouldn’t have trouble playing well against.
? Tonight on NBA TV: FanDuel Tip-Off Show (6:30 ET)
Paul George, SF ($8,500)
The Indiana Pacers’ go-to guy made it well known before 2015-16 got rolling he wasn’t super-stoked about moving over to power forward. Yet, Paul George scored at a solid pace in the preseason and seemed poised for a big return to the limelight this season. George started off slow this season but caught fire in Indiana’s last game, dropping a classic George-type line: 26 points (on 8-for-18 shooting), 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals in a Pacers’ win. He faces off against an old rival, the Miami Heat, tonight (8 ET, ESPN). Luol Deng ($5,300) will be tasked with keeping George in check, as will rookie Justise WInslow ($3,600). Even with that matchup, though, George seems to be getting on track more and more each game.
Willie Cauley-Stein, C ($4,900)
If you got tickets to the Houston Rockets’ trip to Sacramento to take on the Kings tonight (10:30 ET, NBA League Pass), you were probably hoping to see All-Stars Dwight Howard ($8,300) taking on All-Star DeMarcus Cousins ($10,300) squaring off in the paint. That is unlikely to happen as Howard is a game-time decision because of his nagging back injuries while Cousins (sore Achilles) is reportedly out until Monday. That means Cauley-Stein will get the starting nod (as he did Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns) and look to capitalize on it. He didn’t do much in that start vs. Phoenix — four rebounds, one block and zero points in 16 minutes — and faces a challenge even if Howard is out as shot-blocker Clint Capela ($4,500) should see major minutes.
Kent Bazemore, SG ($4,800)
Six games into the 2015-16 campaign and Bazemore may be making Hawks fans forget about the departed DeMarre Carroll ($6,000). In his first consistent starting role since 2013-14, Bazemore is performing well for the contending Hawks, providing floor spacing (11-for-19 on 3-pointers), defense (1.5 steals a game) and scoring at a decent rate (10.3 points a game). He won’t hurt you in field goal percentage, either (50 percent or better in his last four games). A matchup with the winless New Orleans Pelicans on the road tonight (8 ET, NBA League Pass) means he’ll the task of trying to keep combo guard Eric Gordon ($5,300) under wraps while also remaining a factor for Atlanta.
T.J. McConnell, PG ($4,200)
Long after each NBA Draft is in the books, several undrafted prospects keep grinding in hopes that they’ll catch a team’s eye come the fall. Such has been the case for rookie McConnell, a former standout playmaker at Arizona who is turning heads in Philadelphia. The 76ers recently moved former starting point guard Isaiah Canaan ($4,900) over to shooting guard, creating an opening for McConnell at the point. Over his last two games (including one start), McConnell is averaging 12.0 assists. Overall, he leads all rookies in assists per game (8.0) and ranks fifth in the NBA in that category, too. He’ll get an education of sorts tonight as the Sixers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 ET, NBA League Pass) and their veteran point guard, Mo Williams ($5,700), who is off to a solid start this season as well.
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