Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Scoot Henderson is having a career night

With Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija out for Tuesday’s game against the Nets, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups decided to go small, inserting PG Scoot Henderson (22% enrolled, Yahoo) in the starting lineup along with Anfernee Simons. Although Portland struggled defensively, giving up 132 points in an 18-point loss, the franchise had to be excited about Henderson’s performance.

The sophomore guard set career highs in points (39), field goals (13) and three-pointers (eight), shooting 13-of-18 from the field and 5-of-8 from the foul line. Henderson was also responsible for four rebounds, six assists and two steals in what ranks as the best performance of his young NBA career.

Tuesday’s loss dropped Portland to 13-27 on the season, and this is a team that is more likely to be a “seller” at the trade deadline than one with hopes of making a run at a tournament As a result, young players like Henderson should be given every opportunity to prove they fit into Portland’s rebuild between now and the end of the season.

Let’s take a look at some of the other top takeaways from Tuesday’s slate:

PG/SG Andrew Nembhard (29%) i PG TJ McConnell (17%), Indiana Pacers

Indiana played Tuesday’s game against Cleveland without Tyrese Haliburton. However, the good news is that he has a groin injury, not the left hamstring that ended his 2023-24 campaign during the Eastern Conference Finals. Nembhard and McConnell have added value whenever Haliburton sits, and both were productive in the Pacers’ loss to the Cavaliers. Nembhard shot just 4-for-12 from the field and 2-for-5 from the foul line, but his 10 points were complemented by four rebounds, nine assists and three steals. As for McConnell, he had 10 points, one rebound, eight assists and one steal in 21 minutes off the bench. Nembhard is the preferred target, but McConnell doesn’t need heavy minutes to add value if Haliburton remains out.

PG/SG Spencer Dinwiddie (28%), Dallas Mavericks

Although his production was limited Tuesday due to Kyrie Irving’s return from a back injury, Dinwiddie still has value due to the Mavericks’ visit to New Orleans on Wednesday. With Irving playing 30 minutes, it wouldn’t be surprising if he doesn’t play against the Pelicans, pushing Dinwiddie back into the starting lineup. In 20 minutes off the bench, Dinwiddie had eight points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a three-pointer.

PF/C Guerschon Yabusele (21%), Philadelphia 76ers

While Justin Edwards and Jeff Dowtin led the way offensively for the shorthanded 76ers on Monday, neither was a realistic streaming option for Tuesday’s game against Oklahoma City. However, Yabusele, again replacing Joel Embiid (foot), was a realistic option, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three triples. The 76ers are likely to be close to full strength for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, so Yabusele may not have much value for this matchup. However, Philadelphia ends Week 12 with a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back, so sticking with him wouldn’t be the worst idea.

SF/PF/C Noah Clowney (18%), Brooklyn Nets

This is the Clowney many expected to see immediately after the Dorian Finney-Smith trade. With Nic Claxton out with an injury, Clowney played 29 minutes as the starting center and finished with 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and four 3-pointers. He shot 7-for-10 from the field and 2-for-2 from the foul line, and Clowney has scored 14 or more points in four of his last five outings.

SG/SF Keon Ellis (16%), Sacramento Kings

The Kings played Tuesday’s game without Malik Monk, with Ellis moving into the starting lineup. In 31 minutes, Keon added 18 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal and five triples. While it would have been nice to get more defensive production, the shooting output was solid. Depending on Monk’s availability, Ellis will have added value for Sacramento’s final two games of Week 12, especially Sunday’s matchup with the Wizards.

SG/SF Vit Krejci (3%) i SG/SF Garrison Mathews (2%), Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu stole the show in Atlanta on Tuesday, but the latter is already listed in over 70% of Yahoo leagues, so he doesn’t qualify for this column. However, Krejci and Mathews also played well, helping the Hawks account for Jalen Johnson’s continued absence from the lineup. Krejci made his sixth start in seven appearances, finishing Atlanta’s win over Phoenix with 15 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals and three triples in 35 minutes. As for Mathews, he hit five 3-pointers and had 19 points, three rebounds and one assist in 27 minutes off the bench. Trusting Krejci or Mathews in fantasy basketball is risky, even with Johnson out, but they are capable of occasionally surprising.