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<\/p>\nThe NBA schedule was light this week due to the NBA Cup, which makes me sad because less basketball and more time to dwell on all my crappy fantasy football teams that didn\u2019t make the playoffs. The NBA Cup, though, is fantastic, from the aesthetically pleasing and sometimes eye-burning courts to the point-differential motivated sweep-the-leg Cobra Kai mentality. The intensity has been outstanding, even though the Oklahoma City Thunder are making a mockery of the entire landscape. Despite the lower volume, games were still played. Here\u2019s what caught my eye.<\/p>\n
Depth keeping the Magic alive<\/p>\n
Last season, Paolo Banchero missed 34 games and Franz Wagner missed 20 due to oblique injuries. In 14 games, they were both out.<\/p>\n
This year, Banchero missed 10 games in November due to a groin injury. He played two games before Wagner suffered a high-ankle sprain, which will likely sideline him until the start of the new year.<\/p>\n
However, Orlando is better equipped to handle the loss of one of its stars this season.<\/p>\n
First, the acquisition of Desmond Bane gives the Magic a player who can handle high usage and get buckets. Bane started the season slowly and appeared more comfortable without Banchero on the court. But in the first game without Wagner in the lineup, but with Banchero, Bane had a 29.9% usage rate and finished with 37 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal. It will be interesting to see if Orlando can figure out the triumvirate when they are all healthy.<\/p>\n
Jalen Suggs also looks spry and healthy this season. Last season, Suggs played only 35 games and shot 41% from the field. Suggs isn\u2019t playing back-to-backs this season, but when he\u2019s been on the court, he\u2019s shooting 46% from the field and averaging 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and a career-high 2.0 steals.<\/p>\n
Anthony Black\u2019s leveling up has been huge for Orlando, too. Black was the player who replaced Wagner in the starting lineup on Tuesday. He didn\u2019t shoot well, going 5-of-15 from the field, but stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, three rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one block in 34 minutes. In the prior 11 games, which included two starts, Black averaged 30.8 minutes, 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.2 treys while shooting 44% from the field. Black is only shooting 30% from downtown and 69% from the line, so it\u2019s not all sunshine and unicorns, but he\u2019s definitely been fantasy-viable.<\/p>\n
Tristan da Silva is another contributor to monitor. When Banchero went down, da Silva was thrust into the starting lineup and averaged 36 minutes, 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks over the first two games. Then his playing time was cut to 21-25 minutes, but on Tuesday,\u00a0da Silva received 28 minutes off the bench, contributing 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists.<\/p>\n
Mike Brown had a change of Hart<\/p>\n
To begin the season, Mike Brown tinkered with a variety of lineups, including double-big and three-guard, none of which included Josh Hart, who was relegated to the bench. Over the first 10 games of the season, Hart averaged 23.7 minutes per game, a far cry from the 37.6 he averaged last season.<\/p>\n
But on Nov. 14, OG Anunoby suffered an injury and played only 5 minutes. Hart was the primary beneficiary, playing 34 minutes and contributing 12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and a steal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the 12 games since, Hart has started nine and averaged 34.3 minutes, 15.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.1 treys while shooting 54% from the field, 42% from downtown and 84% from the line. More importantly, Hart\u2019s usage wasn\u2019t impacted by OG Anunoby\u2019s return. In three games with Anunoby, Hart averaged 32.7 minutes, 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.3 treys while shooting 60% from the field, 46% from downtown and 100% from the line.<\/p>\n
Hart managers should just be glad that Brown is not a stubborn curmudgeon.<\/p>\n
Whack-a-Kuminga<\/p>\n
Since the Golden State Warriors selected Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Steve Kerr has used his mallet to hit Kuminga every time his head has popped out from a hole.<\/p>\n
Kuminga\u2019s athleticism has always tantalized, but the fit has been clunky at times. Previously, the first-rounder held the ball too much and didn\u2019t make the best reads on offense or defense.<\/p>\n
Early this season, it seemed as if things were clicking.\u00a0Kuminga started the first 12 games and was playing alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Over that span, Kuminga averaged 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.0 treys while shooting 53% from the field, 33% from downtown and 77% from the line. Steve Kerr was effusive in his praise for Kuminga early on: \u201cHis passing has improved dramatically\u2026 I think he\u2019s seeing the floor better. I just like the approach; I like the vibe that he\u2019s bringing. He\u2019s confident. He definitely feels like a part of the team and what we\u2019re trying to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then Kuminga suffered a knee injury and missed seven games. Upon his return, Kuminga only averaged 19.3 minutes over four games, then was a DNP-CD in the most recent contest after shooting 1-of-10 the prior game. Kerr continues to speak publicly on Kuminga\u2019s inefficiencies and inability to reach his potential, even stating that he wants Kuminga to improve, whether it\u2019s with Golden State or elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Kuminga doesn\u2019t provide defensive stats or good shooting efficiency and won\u2019t garner a high usage rate on a healthy Warriors team. He can\u2019t be traded until Jan. 15, so his fantasy prospects are nonexistent unless he ends up on a team that can provide him more of a runway.<\/p>\n
Tale of the tape: Spencer vs. Spencer<\/p>\n
Cam Spencer has been a more accomplished player than his older brother, Pat Spencer, and has been a fixture in the Grizzlies\u2019 rotation all season due to the injuries in the backcourt. Since Ja Morant was injured, Cam has averaged 24.9 minutes, 14.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.6 treys over 10 games. That\u2019s been good for top-100 production on a per-game basis.<\/p>\n
Until recently, playing time has been sparse for Pat, but over the past four games, he\u2019s averaged 25.3 minutes, 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 treys. Twice, he was in the starting lineup. Remember, Pat only played one year of college basketball\u00a0and was a lacrosse player.<\/p>\n
For the sake of fun, I decided to pit Cam and Pat against one another to see who would win in a one-on-one.<\/p>\n
Tale of the TapePatCam<\/p>\n
Height<\/p>\n
6′ 2″<\/p>\n
6′ 3″<\/p>\n
Weight<\/p>\n
205 lbs<\/p>\n
205 lbs<\/p>\n
Wingspan<\/p>\n
N\/A<\/p>\n
6 ‘ 5″<\/p>\n
Vert<\/p>\n
Over 40″<\/p>\n
30.5″<\/p>\n
Age<\/p>\n
29<\/p>\n
25<\/p>\n
Draft<\/p>\n
Undrafted<\/p>\n
2nd round<\/p>\n
FG%<\/p>\n
0.438<\/p>\n
0.464<\/p>\n
3PT%<\/p>\n
0.333<\/p>\n
0.434<\/p>\n
Assists<\/p>\n
1.7<\/p>\n
2.6<\/p>\n
Rebounds<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
1.7<\/p>\n
FT%<\/p>\n
0.829<\/p>\n
0.935<\/p>\n
Steals<\/p>\n
0.4<\/p>\n
0.6<\/p>\n
Misc<\/p>\n
Elite in collegiate lacrosse<\/p>\n
NCAA champion (UCONN)<\/p>\n
Cam is no doubt the better shooter. He may be one of the better shooters in the league<\/a>!<\/p>\n Cam can navigate pick-and-roll action, find the open man and figure out ways to get his shot off.<\/p>\n Cam Spencer in the @memgrizz<\/a> win! \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n 17 PTS | 7 AST | 5 REB pic.twitter.com\/ZxxkHwqwkS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Priority Sports (@PrioritySports) December 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n But can Cam do this?<\/p>\n ELECTRIC. PAT. https:\/\/t.co\/sAAqxJNmdw<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/HfsoIEfeYG<\/a><\/p>\n