The NBA celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday with 11 games, with the earliest starting at 1pm ET. That was Joel Embiid’s return to the floor, where he immediately dropped 41 points and showed no rust. Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trae Young and Victor Wembanyama also had huge performances in the early window, while LeBron James and the Lakers capped off the night with a win over the Thunder. It was a fun day of hoops that was filled with star-studded performances, but here are the players that are worth streaming moving forward.
GG Jackson- 15% rostered in Yahoo leagues
The rookie did it again! After scoring 20 points in 27 minutes on Saturday, Jackson provided an encore with 23 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, two blocks and five 3-pointers. He has taken on an expanded role with Desmond Bane out, as the Grizzlies lack shot creation. Jackson has thrived in extra minutes, and he is providing legitimate fantasy value. Get him now before it’s too late, since the second-round pick should continue to thrive in a lost season for the Grizz.
Goga Bitadze- 28%
Wendell Carter Jr. (46%) returned to the lineup on Monday and logged 19 minutes. Bitadze was able to play 29 minutes and haul in 11 rebounds, while Moritz Wagner was bumped from the rotation entirely. Neither team was able to produce much offensively, but Bitadze has been able to provide decent value when given the chance this season. Until Carer Jr. is back in the starting unit, Bitadze should be a solid option.
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Alec Burks- 23%
Burks stayed hot on Monday and scored 34 points while knocking down eight 3-pointers. He has been phenomenal with Cade Cunningham sidelined, and while Cunningham is expected to be back this week, Burks should be able to provide some buckets on Wednesday, assuming Cade isn’t back.
Vince Williams Jr.- 42%
The odds are slim, but if Williams is still on your waiver wire, change that now. After posting a 17/8/8/2/1 line on Wednesday, he followed it up with a 24/7/4/2/1 line on Monday. He has benefitted from the injuries that they’re dealing with, but he should be a starter the rest of the season and continue to take on an expanded role.
Reggie Jackson- 13%, Christian Braun- 3%, Peyton Watson- 3%, DeAndre Jordan- less than 1%
It’s a big group, but they all go together. Mike Malone listed the entire starting unit as questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with the 76ers. It could just be smoke, but considering it isn’t the first or second game of a back-to-back (and they have two days off before their next game on Friday), this seems fishy. These four players would likely start alongside Justin Holiday if all of the starters are out, though Holiday shouldn’t be considered in most formats. There are only three games on Tuesday, which makes these options even more enticing.