Welcome to Wednesday’s Daily Dish!  Fans enjoyed a nine-game slate which featured its share of big performances.

Adds of the Night

T.J. McConnell, G, Indiana Pacers – 26 minutes, 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one 3-pointer, 6-for-11 FG

McConnell is now claimed in 22% of ESPN leagues thanks mostly to the assists he provides.  He piled up a whopping 27 of them between the games of February 3 and February 5.  However, McConnell created his own offense against the Nets on Wednesday and the only disappointing aspect of his game was the lack of a steal.  Managers who already have assists covered will want to look elsewhere, but he’s a worthwhile option in leagues that skew a bit deeper. 

Hamidou Diallo, G, Oklahoma City Thunder – 38 minutes, 15 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, 5-for-13 FG

Diallo has been a hot pickup with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined, and Wednesday’s performance will do nothing to change that.  He’s now rostered in over 30% of ESPN leagues thanks to heavy playing time over the last week.  Diallo has played no fewer than 31 minutes in each of his last five appearances compared to a season average of 23 minutes.  This was Diallo’s second straight double-double after he ended Monday’s contest with 20 points and 11 rebounds.  Even before Diallo took on the starting role, it felt like the third season was indeed the charm.

Drop Zone

Here are a couple of players who could be worth cutting if you find a promising free agent.

Cam Reddish

While Reddish remains in the lineup, he hasn’t been especially productive of late.  Reddish is a sophomore on a young team, so it makes sense for the Hawks to be patient with him.  However, he hasn’t done anything well enough to keep in some standard redraft leagues.  On Wednesday, Reddish missed all four of his 3-point attempts and sits at 26% for the season.  He scored three of his seven points at the charity stripe while going 2-for-7 from the field, where he has shot 36% for the campaign.  Reddish added one rebound and three assists in his 27 minutes of action.  The two steals were a nice contribution, but he entered the night with only one swipe in his last four games.  

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

While Caldwell-Pope has shot 44% from 3-point range this season, his output suffers because of the overall quality of his teammates.  Even in Wednesday’s overtime victory, KCP ended with four points, two rebounds and an assist in 21 minutes while shooting 2-for-6 from the field and missing both attempts from long range.  That marked Caldwell-Pope’s third consecutive game without scoring in double figures, and he hasn’t made any triples in that span despite all of the contests extending beyond regulation.  Caldwell-Pope has fallen under 10% claimed in ESPN, so he is not recommended in standard leagues outside of possible streaming opportunities when the threes are falling.

Injury Report

Kyrie Irving (right index finger sprain) finished with 35 points.

Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a 13-game absence due to health and safety protocols and scored 18 points in 31 minutes.

Anthony Davis (right Achilles tendinosis) was sidelined.

Yuta Watanabe (left ankle sprain) did not play.

D’Angelo Russell (left leg soreness) was ruled out.

Patrick Beverley (right knee soreness) played 18 minutes.

Mike Muscala (concussion) played 28 minutes.

Kyle Lowry (back spasms) ended with 21 points.

Alex Caruso (right hand) was held out against the Thunder.

Chris Paul (right hamstring soreness) returned on Wednesday after missing one game.

Jae Crowder (right foot soreness) pulled down 14 rebounds in 26 minutes.

Isaiah Roby (right foot soreness) did not play.

Facundo Campazzo (right knee soreness) ended up playing 13 minutes.

Quick Hits

Giannis The Great

Giannis Antetokounmpo has stated that LeBron James is the best player in the league, but he made a good case for himself on Wednesday against the Suns.  While the Bucks dropped a 125-124 decision, Giannis scored a season-high 47 points, shooting 15-for-23 from the floor and 17-for-21 at the foul line.  While he missed all four attempts from behind the arc, the Greek Freak delivered 11 rebounds, five assists and a steal.  Any arguments in favor of drafting Antetokounmpo first overall in fantasy drafts can use this game tape as evidence.

Zesty Zach

Zach LaVine helped the Bulls set a franchise record with 25 triples in one game by shooting 9-for-14 from distance and Chicago defeated the Pelicans 129-116.  He is approaching 52% shooting from the field this season, which would dwarf his previous season best of 46.7%.  LaVine helped the cause with a 17-for-25 mark from the field while finishing with seven rebounds, four assists and a swat.  Over his last three contests, LaVine has scored an average of 40 points and hit a total of 17 threes.  At least so far, his offensive output has increased in each of his four seasons with the Bulls.