The Warriors remain undefeated, and the Nets exacted a bit of playoff revenge by defeating the wounded Hawks on last second free-throws by Thaddeus Young.

HOSPITAL WARD

Anthony Davis aggravated his shoulder injury for the second time in less than a week. He's traveling with the team, but his availability for Thursday's game is uncertain. Alexis Ajinca started the second half, and over the past two seasons, he has been the primary beneficiary of an unavailable Davis. Last night, however, Ajinca played four minutes as the Nuggets and Pelicans both used small lineups. It didn't help that Ajinca picked up three fouls in his limited action, but if Davis is rested, I suspect Ajinca will, in conjunction with Omer Asik's stomach illness, provide his typical effort without Davis.

Davis hasn't played more than 70 games in his first three seasons due to a variety of maladies. I suggested trading for him last week after the first injury, and after a second scare, I have to think his price declined. Granted, he was likely the first overall selection in your league, but if you're floundering near the bottom of the standings and you want to turn your fortunes around, Anthony Davis offers plenty equal amounts of risk and reward. It's likely going to take two second-tier fantasy contributors to pry him away, but make your worst offer first and work up from there.

Otto Porter injured his left leg stumbling into the cameramen in the fourth quarter. He scored a team-high 19 points (7-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-5 FT), notched four assists, nabbed three steals, grabbed two rebounds, and blocked a shot in 30 minutes. Although he's struggling from downtown, Porter leads the team in field-goal percentage (51.6 percent). Essentially, anyone who plays with John Wall is going to have inflated worth. That's not to diminish Porter's early season success; rather, it's a sign of confidence that he can maintain similar production. The Wizards play one game over the next six days, quelling immediate concern about Porter's recovery timetable.

Lou Amundson caught a Marvin Williams elbow to the forehead early in the fourth quarter. Williams was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected, and Amundson didn't return. Amundson is here to stay in coach Fisher's rotation, and Dean Vasic is taunting me from the other side of the globe.

M.I.A.

• Atlanta
  • Jeff Teague (ankle)
  • Kent Bazemore (ankle)
• Charlotte
  • P.J. Hairston (quad)
  • Omer Asik (illness)
• Cleveland
  • Kyrie Irving (knee)
  • Iman Shumpert (wrist)
• Denver
  • Joffrey Lauvergne (back)
  • Jusuf Nurkic (knee)
  • Darrell Arthur (illness)
• Detroit
  • Brandon Jennings (Achilles)
  • Jodie Meeks (back)
  • Steve Blake (DNP-CD)
• Golden State
  • Shaun Livingston (hip)
• Miami
  • Josh Richardson (DNP-CD)
• Milwaukee
  • Jabari Parker (foot)
  • O.J. Mayo (hamstring)
• Minnesota
  • Nikola Pekovic (foot)
• New Orleans
  • Tyreke Evans (knee)
  • Norris Cole (ankle)
  • Omer Asik (illness)
  • Quincy Pondexter (knee)
  • Kendrick Perkins (pectorals)
• New York
  • Kyle O'Quinn (DNP-CD)
• Toronto
  • Terrence Ross (thumb)
• Washington
  • Bradley Beal (shoulder)
  • Martell Webster (hip)
  • Alan Anderson (ankle)

ROTATION NOTES

Jerryd Bayless started with Jabari Parker (foot) expected to miss the rest of this week. I think it was matchup dependent, and it probably won't stick from game to game. Johnny O'Bryant started three of the six games Parker missed this season. Regardless, Bayless continued his rampage in a team-high 37 minutes, registering 13 points (5-11 FG, 3-6 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He's one of five Bucks playing at least 30 minutes per game, leads the team in fourth quarter minutes and three-point shooting, and contributing in every stat sans blocks. He's owned in less than 25 percent of Yahoo leagues, and his playing time forces you to consider adding him. Other than his inflated three-point shooting, the rest of his numbers are in line with his career marks.

With Kent Bazemore (ankle) unavailable, Tiago Splitter earned his first start of the season. Thabo Sefolosha played a season-high 30 minutes in Bazemore's absence, and Splitter earned two fouls in the first six minutes and was limited to 12 total minutes. Sefolosha may not be cleared to play tonight as the second game of a back-to-back, but I suspect he'll eventually commandeer the starting small forward role by the end of December. It's not a swipe at Bazemore, healthy or not, but Sefolosha is being brought along slowly.

Cody Zeller was promoted to the starting lineup because P.J. Hairston is dealing with a right quad contusion. The move shifted Marvin Williams down to small forward, and neither offered inspirational production. I'm not aware of Hairston's timeline, but the Hornets play again tonight, and Hairston was extremely limited in shootaround.

Coach Clifford is infatuated with Jeremy Lamb and Jeremy Lin coming off the bench. The Jeremys combined for 25 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Lamb continued his torrid shooting streak. In eight of the Hornets' 11 games, Lamb has shot at least 50 percent from the field, a deviation from the norm. Nearly 75 percent of his attempts have come in the restricted area or behind the three-point line, and he's using his length to finish 74 percent of his shots at the rim.

Ricky Rubio was limited to 27 minutes in his first game since November 9th. Zach LaVine came off the bench, scored 17 points (5-12 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), and played 28 minutes. Rubio contributed seven points (1-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-8 FT), four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in limited action. It's unknown how much longer his minutes will be capped coming back from a mild hamstring strain, but he missed four games because of the ailment and the Wolves play the second game of a back-to-back tonight. Rubio struggled with his shot last night, and it feels as though Rubio is going to miss more games this year for precautionary reasons.

Dwyane Wade rejoined the starting lineup after taking care of a personal matter the previous game. He was accompanied by Gerald Green, who missed the previous six games. Josh Richardson returned to a reserve role and didn't come off the bench after starting the previous game. The return on Wade and Green (11 minutes) capped Tyler Johnson to 18 minutes, and he shot 1-of-6 while simultaneously chilling the Tyler Johnson hype.

Will Barton replaced J.J. Hickson in the second-half starting lineup. Against all odds, he sustained his scoring surge while contributing in every category. In a team-high 37 minutes, Barton accumulated 17 points (7-12 FG, 3-4 3Pt), seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal. He continues to play above his pay grade. Either everything is breaking right for Barton this season or Barton is who his stats indicate. He's scored at least 10 points in every game except one, and the Nuggets are decimated with injury, allowing Barton to take hold of the steering wheel. Aside from his blistering shooting percentages, Barton's stats from his final 28 games with the Nuggets last season coincide with his current production.

Dante Cunningham stepped into the starting lineup because of Omer Asik's stomach illness. Asik will likely start tonight with Anthony Davis doubtful to play.

Klay Thompson has been dealing with back issues all season, and it forced him to sit the previous game. In his return, Thompson scored 18 of his 19 points (8-19 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 1-2 FT) in the first half. In 34 minutes, his other contributions were limited to three assists and one rebound. Brandon Rush, last game's starter, registered a DNP-CD.

Andrew Bogut reclaimed his starting role five games after returning from a concussion. However, he picked up four fouls in his first 12 minutes on the court. That's not indicative of his fantasy value, and Bogut should be considered a valuable fantasy contributor if you're willing to sit through limited minutes. Bogut compiled 13 points (5-6 FG, 3-6 FT), six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in 17 minutes last night. I believe he'll settle in between 20-25 based on the matchup, and the man he replaced, Festus Ezeli, closed the night with eight points (3-4 FG, 2-4 FT), six rebounds, four blocks, two steals, and one assist in 22 minutes. Ezeli is a streamer, and it's important to remember his playing time was elevated last night because of Bogut's five fouls.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

Stephen Curry benefitted from late-game intentional fouling in a close game, forcing him to play 40 minutes for the second consecutive game. He finished the night with 37 points (13-23 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 6-7 FT), nine assists, two rebounds, two steals, and seven turnovers to keep the Warriors' unbeaten streak alive. At 62 three-pointers in 12 games, he's ahead of the Timberwolves (56) and Nets (52) in made threes. He also has blocked more shots than Paul George, making me look like an idiot for thinking a move to power forward would increase George's blocks.

ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT

Kristaps Porzingis surpassed his scoring career-high in the first half and finished with 29 points (10-17 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, and one block in 31 minutes. Prior to the game, Porzingis was shooting 38 percent from the field and 22 percent from downtown. Last night was the second time the Knicks played the Hornets over a week span, and Porzingis shot at least 50 percent in both games. He hit fellow rookie Frank Kaminsky with the Dream Shake and received M-V-P chants in the closing moments. It was an advantageous matchup, but at his size, most are.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH

John Wall still leads the Wizards with 1.6 blocks per game. Even though he failed to block a shot last night, Wall nearly hit on a triple-double in 31 minutes and registered 19 points (7-10 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-6 FT), nine assists, six rebounds, and five turnovers in the blowout win. It's the first time all season Wall shot better than 50 percent from the field, and his three-point shot has regressed as his attempts increased.

Joe Johnson finished last night with 13 points (5-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine assists, seven rebounds, and one steal in 39 minutes. He's averaging 11.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 35.2 minutes per game. Even though he's shooting 33 percent from the field, the departure of Deron Williams accentuated Johnson's facilitator mentality. It helps that the Nets don't have many playmakers and Brook Lopez finishes Johnson's passes.

Hassan Whiteside played less than 25 minutes once all season. He's averaging 2.1 fouls in 29.4 minutes per game and anchoring a top-5 defense. Against the Timberwolves, Whiteside supplied 22 points (10-14 FG, 2-9 FT), 14 rebounds, and 10 blocks in 34 minutes. He was intentionally fouled toward the end of the game, a potential deterrent toward future playing time. Even with the foul shooting woes, Whiteside leads the NBA with 4.6 blocks per game. Dikembe Mutombo was the last player to eclipse four blocks per game, swatting 4.5 shots in the 1995-96 season, one marred by two expansion franchises.

Danilo Gallinari scored a season-high 32 points (12-19 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), supplemented by eight rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes. There were moments in the second half where Gallinari was the tallest Nugget on the court, designating him a center in those lineups. Gallinari's early season production has been akin to a sine wave, and this time he found himself at the peak.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Greg Monroe had his worst game of the season. He was held to four points on 1-of-6 shooting in 26 minutes, and the Bucks lost by 29 points. Monroe has been excellent with his new team, so there should be no panicking. He's shooting 53 percent from the field as the primary center and dishing out 3.1 assists per game, numbers similar to his time prior to the Pistons drafting Andre Drummond.

Brook Lopez averted a foot fright last week and has been humming along without a significant setback. He's played every game this season, and against the Hawks, he delivered 24 points (11-21 FG, 2-4 FT), 10 rebounds, three blocks, one assist, and one steal in 35 minutes. Lopez has blocked a shot in every game this season, and he's a top-two offensive center. He's played 67 straight regular season contests, and if you're worried about foot or back issue  going arising, now would be the time to add Lopez to the trade block. He's playing 34.5 minutes a night, but going back to last season, Lopez didn't string together four straight games of at least 30 minutes until mid-March when he reeled off 10 such games. Coach Hollins brought Lopez off the bench for nearly half the games, and that helped extend Lopez's durability into the playoffs.

I'm not saying J.R. Smith is back, but I'm also not not saying he's back. In 36 minutes, Smith provided 15 points (6-10 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 0-2 FT), two steals, one rebound, one block, and five fouls. He began the season sluggish, per usual, and it was revealed he dealt with a right knee contusion that cost him three and a half games. I assume he's mostly healthy at this point because coach Blatt played him a team-high 87 minutes over the last two games. Smith isn't a cure-all for languishing fantasy teams, but he's been known to shoot a ton of three-pointers.

The Pistons' bench accounted for nine of the team's 104 points. Their reserves play a league-low 14.4 minutes and score a league-low 19.4 points per game. Conversely, the Pistons starters are top-2 in minutes and points per game. At some point, coach Van Gundy has to scale down the starter's minutes if he wants to reduce fatigue-related injuries.

Andre Drummond (25 points, 18 rebounds, three steals) and Reggie Jackson (23 points, 12 assists, six rebounds) continued to impress, but Marcus Morris (14 points) is trending down as of late. He's still getting plentiful playing time, salvaging his fantasy value, but Morris is shooting 38 percent from the field, 27 percent from downtown, and 71 percent from the free-throw line. Having been a reserve for most of his career, it's not absurd to think his shooting accuracy will remain depressed in a significant role.

Robin Lopez was held to four minutes in the second half and played a total of 17. It's the second straight win Lopez played fewer than 20 minutes as coach Fisher cycles through lineups that feature Kevin Seraphin. I understand if panic is settling in, but I would hold Lopez for his ability to shoot at least 50 percent from the field and 80 percent from the line. If those two categories are of no interest to you, I suggest waiting two more games to see how Fisher uses Lopez against the Thunder and Rockets.

Al Jefferson has played more than 30 minutes just once this season, and he's been absent from four fourth quarters. Players continue to pilfer his rebounds, and his free-throw shooting, albeit on limited attempts, is deplorable. Jefferson lost close to 20 pounds in the offseason, and it's hurting his ability to draw solid post position. It's not time to drop Jefferson yet, but keep a close eye on how he's utilized the rest of the season.

Kemba Walker dropped 31 points (12-21 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-8 FT) and one assist in 38 minutes with Jose Calderon as his primary defender. I don't recall how Walker only scored nine points against the Knicks a week ago, but he was able to get to the rim at will last night.

Nemanja Bjelica produced his worst game all season. He was scoreless in a season-low 15 minutes and missed all seven of his attempts. Coach Mitchell assigned Adreian Payne for more power forward minutes, and Bjelica has ridden the coattails of his 40-minute overtime performance against the Bulls from two weeks ago far enough. Even though he's bound to play close to 30 minutes a night once Kevin Garnett endures a significant injury, Bjelica doesn't contribute enough now to warrant must-own consideration.

Andrew Wiggins continues to climb the nine-category ranks with a plethora of 20-point games to 188. He's averaging 20.9 points per game, but Wiggins doesn't provide much elsewhere and his percentages are below average, which are harmful given his voluminous attempts. Coach Mitchell has ramped up Wiggins' playing time to 37.5 minutes per game over the last six contests, and that's what made Wiggins a valuable fantasy commodity last season. Wiggins began the year with a sore back and sat a game with a sore knee. Combined with the time he spent playing for Team Canada this summer, I tend to think Wiggins won't last the entire season.

Ish Smith played a team-high 38 minutes and produced 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt), eight assists, three rebounds, one steal, and one block. Even though all but one of his attempts came in the restricted area, the shooting was a fluke. Smith is on target to start tonight as the Pelicans' remove Jrue Holiday from playing in back-to-back games. Expect similar minutes and production tonight against the Thunder.

DeMarre Carroll found his shot against the Warriors, and it appears the week he took off due to plantar fasciitis cured his ails. He finished last night with 17 points (7-12 FG, 3-6 3Pt), six steals, two rebounds, and two assists in 39 minutes. Carroll is back on track now that he can firmly plant on his foot with inducing pain.

Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each scored 28 points and played 39 minutes. They combined for 25 free-throw attempts, 11 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and one block on the night. DeRozan has hit two three-pointers all season, and Lowry has recorded a steal in every game this season. The Raptors bench has been mainly non-existent, and that's left the heavy lifting for the Raptors' All-Star guards.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. Stephen Curry, G, GSW: 37 points
2. Danilo Gallinari, F, DEN: 32 points
3. Kemba Walkers, G, CHA: 31 points

Rebounds

1. Andre Drummond, C, DET: 18 rebounds (5 offensive)
2. Hassan Whiteside, C, MIA: 14 rebounds (4 offensive)
3. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, MIN: 14 rebounds (5 offensive)

Assists

1. Reggie Jackson, G, DET: 12 assists
2. Dennis Schroder, G, ATL: 10 assists
3. Stephen Curry, G, GSW: 9 assists

Steals

1. DeMarre Carroll, F, TOR: 6 steals
2. Thaddeus Young, F, BKN: 5 steals
3. Six players tied with three steals

Blocks

1. Hassan Whiteside, C, MIA: 10 blocks
2. Festus Ezeli, C, GSW: 4 blocks
3. Brook Lopez, C, BKN: 3 blocks
4. Dante Cunningham, F, NOP: 3 blocks

Three-pointers

1. Danilo Gallinari, F, DEN: 5-8 3Pt
2. Stephen Curry, G, GSW: 5-10 3Pt
3. Four players tied with four three-pointers

Minutes

1. Stephen Curry, G, GSW: 40 minutes
2. LeBron James, F, CLE: 40 minutes
3. Five players tied with 39 minutes