With 11 games on the slate, I'm enacting the Quick Hits clause. Unfortunately, the in-depth analysis you've salivated over vacations for one day. Think streamlined, not short-cut.

HOSPITAL WARD

Patrick Beverley sprained his left ankle and left the arena on crutches with his foot in a walking boot. This is a man who's played 56 games each of the past two seasons. His availability for tonight's game is in doubt, and if Beverley misses the next week, he'll benefit from a gap in the schedule where the Rockets get three days off prior to their game on November 25th. Jason Terry has seen his playing time rise over the past four games, and he stands to gain the most. Those gains, however, don't register on the fantasy seismograph.

M.I.A.

• Boston
  • Avery Bradley (leg)
• Charlotte
  • Cody Zeller (ankle)
• Chicago
  • Mike Dunleavy (back)
• Cleveland
  • Kyrie Irving (knee)
  • Iman Shumpert (wrist)
• Dallas
  • JaVale McGee (leg)
• Denver
  • Joffrey Lauvergne (back)
  • Jusuf Nurkic (knee)
• Houston
  • Donatas Motiejunas (back)
• Indiana
  • Myles Turner (thumb)
  • Rodney Stuckey (ankle)
• Memphis
  • Brandan Wright (knee)
• Minnesota
  • Ricky Rubio (hamstring)
  • Nikola Pekovic (ankle)
• New Orleans
  • Anthony Davis (hip)
  • Tyreke Evans (knee)
  • Norris Cole (ankle)
  • Quincy Pondexter (knee)
  • Kendrick Perkins (pectoral)
• New York
  • Kevin Seraphin (DNP-CD)
• Oklahoma City
  • Kevin Durant (hamstring)
• Orlando
  • Victor Oladipo (concussion)
  • Jason Smith (knee)
  • C.J. Watson (calf)
•  Philadelphia
  • Robert Covington (knee)
  • Kendall Marshall (knee)
  • Tony Wroten (knee)
  • Carl Landry (wrist)
  • Richaun Holmes (hamstring)
• Portland
  • Meyers Leonard (shoulder)
•  Sacramento
  • Darren Collison (hamstring)
  • Rudy Gay (illness)
• Utah
  • Rudy Gobert (ankle)
  • Rodney Hood (foot)
• Toronto
  • Terrence Ross (thumb)
  • James Johnson (DNP-CD)

ROTATION NOTES

Channing Frye, the $8 million man, earned the start with Victor Oladipo concussed. Nikola Vucevic joined him in the starting lineup after coming off the bench the previous game, designating Dewayne Dedmon to his customary reserve role. Frye hit two three-pointers and Dedmon blocked three shots, but the Magic are also without C.J. Watson (calf) and Jason Smith (knee). Coach Skiles doesn't believe in set rotations, and that means if Oladipo isn't cleared for tonight's game against the Wizards, don't expect a similar minute distribution or starting lineup.

Alec Burks got the start with Rodney Hood ailing from an unspecific foot injury. Hood dealt with foot problems last season, and this issue dates back to the year before his final college season. He missed portions of his rookie season with plantar fasciitis that never seemed to subside. This is a situation worth monitoring. Chris Johnson played 20 minutes off the bench and posted a team-high 18 plus/minus. The Jazz was behind 18 points after the first quarter, and the bench played a larger role than expected.

Jeff Withey started the second half over Trey Lyles. Derrick Favors was limited to 19 minutes due to foul trouble. This game wasn't indicative of a typical rotation.

Marcus Smart replaced Evan Turner in the starting lineup after coming off the bench the previous game. Isaiah Thomas remained with Avery Bradley (leg) sidelined for the second straight game. After two DNP-CDs, Tyler Zeller played six minutes. Amir Johnson played a season-high 36 minutes and contributed three blocks and three steals.

Thomas has been feasting on increased playing time with the backcourt injuries, but his minutes should recede when Bradley fully recovers. He scored a team-high 23 points (8-18 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 3-4 FT) and handed out a team-high 10 assists in 34 minutes.

Coach Mike Budenholzer relinquished coaching duties to assistant Kenny Atkinson as he handled a personal matter. Their starters played normal minutes, with the exception of Jeff Teague, who sprained an ankle but played through it in 25 minutes. If he can't go Sunday against the Jazz, Dennis Schroder is the clear-cut replacement. There was no word on when coach Budenholzer would rejoin the team.

Lou Amundson and Lance Thomas have reclaimed their spot in the Knicks' rotation. They're coach Fisher's boys, and it's cutting into Kyle O'Quinn's minutes. The Queens native played a season-low three minutes, and Kevin Seraphin registered a DNP-CD. Amundson and Thomas are hard workers and high-effort players, but their effort has never translated into enough minutes for fantasy relevance.

DeMarre Carroll returned to the starting lineup after missing a week with plantar fasciitis. The issue reportedly stemmed from his new Adidas sneakers, the company he signed with this offseason. Carroll proclaimed the pain is now gone, and his performance should improve as a result. He converted 5-of-14 shots and committed five fouls in 33 minutes, but he recorded at least one of each box score stat.

James Johnson, the starter in Carroll's hiatus, was a DNP-CD, and rookie Norman Powell played 11 minutes without Terrence Ross (thumb).

Alonzo Gee started over Luke Babbitt, who started the previous five games. Neither contributed noteworthy statistics.

Chris Kaman got first crack in the starting lineup with Meyers Leonard (shoulder) expected to miss at least one month. He provided eight points (4-6 FG), four rebounds, and three assists in 24 minutes. The modification transpired due to the Grizzlies' frontcourt matchup, and it's unlikely Kaman plays more than 20 minutes in future contests. He wasn't on the court in crunch time, as that distinction went to Al-Farouq Aminu at power forward with Mason Plumlee shifting up to center. Ed Davis played 18 minutes and yielded seven points (2-4 FG, 3-3 FT), eight rebounds, three blocks, and one assist. Davis is the presumed target moving forward, even though it appears he was Plumlee's primary substitute in this game.

Mario Chalmers made his Grizzlies debut and recorded 11 points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four steals, two assists, and one rebound in 20 minutes. As mentioned in a previous Box Score Breakdown installment, his value holds in a new uniform.

Nerlens Noel returned after missing two games with sore wrists, sending JaKarr Sampson into his customary reserve slot. Noel registered 13 points (4-12 FG, 5-6 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 32 minutes. The free-throw shooting was a pleasant surprise, but as I deduced in the offseason, playing next to Jahlil Okafor has crimped Noel's block potential, and his average rests at 1.6 per game, good for third highest on the team. He's averaging a double-double, but aspiring to 2.0 blocks per game will be difficult as the chief power forward.

With Kevin Durant (hamstring) out at least one week, Anthony Morrow started and added 12 points (5-8 FG, 2-5 3Pt), one rebound, and one steal in 21 minutes. Morrow played fewer minutes than Dion Waiters, who finished with 14 points (4-13 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, and two assists in 29 minutes. Morrow is the three-point specialist who needs a smidge of confidence to induce a hot streak, but I think Waiters will possess more overall value until Durant returns. His defensive abilities dwarf Morrow's, and he's apt to contribute in more than just two categories.

Kobe Bryant (back) returned to the starting lineup after taking two games off and played a season-high 32 minutes. Metta World Peace accrued 18 minutes off the bench. To quote Jesse Pinkman, "He can't keep getting away with it. HECAN'TKEEPGETTINGAWAYWITHIT."

For the first time all season, Chandler Parsons played both halves of an NBA game. He competed in a season-high 18 minutes, but he still hasn't played both games of a back-to-back set, and that likely rules him out of tonight's matchup versus his former squad, the Rockets. At this rate, Parsons won't play relevant minutes until December. The plan is to bring him along slowly, and this is as slow as you'd imagine.

Montrezl Harrell was inserted into the starting lineup over Marcus Thornton. Neither played more than 18 minutes, and Terrence Jones played the most minutes among the reserves. In 21 minutes, he notched 23 points (9-12 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, and four blocks. It's important to note his minutes came against other bench players, and he's still working on his conditioning after lacerating an eyelid. This is a step in the right direction for his fantasy prospects, but with the emergence of Thornton, I don't think Jones breaches 30 minutes a night. It could depend on the matchup, and with the Mavericks up next, coach McHale may decide to roll with Thornton in the starting lineup while guarding Dirk Nowitzki with Trevor Ariza. However this plays out, Thornton's stock took a serious hit, but Patrick Beverley's injury salvages a smidge of playing time.

Randy Foye was all set to replace J.J. Hickson in the starting lineup to matchup with the Rockets' smaller lineup. Except the Rockets responded by replacing Thornton with the rookie Harrell. The Nuggets face the Suns tonight, and Markieff Morris (knee) is questionable to play. If both teams go small, Foye will welcome another opportunity to start. His best value in the past has been as spot-up shooter or de facto point guard, and in 26 minutes last night, Foye offered inadequate return.

Caron Butler started with Rudy Gay battling illness. The Kings receive a day off before their next game, and Gay is expected to make a full recovery.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

After a 1-of-10 shooting display in the first half, DeMarcus Cousins scored 21 of his 40 points (13-27 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 12-13 FT) in the third quarter, including 19 in a row. Although he fouled out in the waning moments, Cousins tallied 13 rebounds, one block, and one assist in 35 minutes. He's third on the team with 10 made three-pointers, which is one fewer than his career makes entering this season. His assists are down because Rajon Rondo is dominating the ball, and his playing time will always be capped by foul trouble. Because Cousins has expanded his range, his field goal accuracy is destined to sit below 45 percent. That's the tradeoff for attempting a career-high 3.8 three-pointers per game.

ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT

Undrafted rookie Christian Wood scored a team-high 15 points (5-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 4-5 FT), grabbed eight rebounds, blocked two shots, and recorded one steal in 19 minutes. Wood benefitted from an injured Richaun Holmes (hamstring) and Carl Landry (wrist). He's the only backup forward on the bench, and once Robert Covington (knee) makes his return next week, Jerami Grant earns a majority of those minutes. Wood still has a long way to develop, and his presence could pay off in keeper leagues. That assumes he stays on the Sixers and Joel Embiid (foot) doesn't pan out.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH

Russell Westbrook is a triple-double machine, especially when Kevin Durant (hamstring) is unavailable. This was the guarantee of the night. The only thing we couldn't predict was the final numbers. Against the Sixers, a team he required less than 30 minutes last season to record a triple-double, Westbrook conjured his second consecutive with 21 points (8-22 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 17 rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals in 35 minutes.

Al Horford found the open man many times out of the high post and concluded the night with a team-high eight assists to go along with 13 points (6-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt), six rebounds, two blocks, and one steal in 32 minutes. He started off slow last season following season-ending pectoral surgery, but his stats this season, good enough for a nine-category rank of six, are congruent with his career numbers, not including the inflation to 1.2 three-pointers per game. There's no reason to question the sustainability.

DeMar DeRozan fabricated a game-high 11 assists for just the second double-digit assist game of his career. He tossed in 15 points (5-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), six rebounds, and one steal in 35 minutes for good measure. Jrue Holiday's suffocating defense on Kyle Lowry led to a ton of hockey assist when DeRozan found Jonas Valanciunas near the rim or DeMarre Carroll uncovered on the perimeter. Four assists per game has been DeRozans' norm since the Rudy Gay deal, and a healthy Carroll will help keep the streak afloat.

Kemba Walker makes his first appearance on this list with 13 points (5-1 8FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks in 37 minutes. He's playing south of 32 minutes per night for the first time since his rookie season, and Jeremy Lin is partially responsible. Lin, however, cannot be blamed for Walker's 39 percent field-goal accuracy, the fourth time in five seasons Walker has dipped below 40 percent. With the shift from a defensive team to a three-point shooting team, Walker was expected to raise his efficiency with more space to operate. It hasn't occurred yet, but Walker isn't attempting his normal 15 shots per game because of the playing time decrease. Walker's small stature makes it difficult to finish around the rim, and his three-point shot has been on a milk carton since his collegiate days.

Rajon Rondo recorded his third triple-double. He's also played all but seven minutes and 34 seconds in the last four games. Rondo recorded 23 points (10-19 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-4 FT), 14 assists, 10 rebounds, and two steals against the Nets. One of two things is going to transpire: Darren Collison (hamstring) will return and resume his role as the lead point guard or Collison doesn't return and Rondo injures himself because of all the minutes he's playing. Either way, it's a lose/lose proposition.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine each scored 26 points. The rest of Wiggins' line read two rebounds and two assists in 42 minutes. His outside shot is improving, but I don't envision Wiggins being anything more than a bulk scorer when he plays extensive minutes on a sore knee. Even though he's averaging 20.5 points per game, his nine-category rank is 225. LaVine, on the other hand, is benefitting from Ricky Rubio's mild hamstring strain. The Timberwolves are playing a ton of games early in November, and the rest is precautionary.

Monta Ellis dialed up his best performance of the season. In 37 minutes, he supplied 24 points (11-17 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five assists, three rebounds, two steals, and one block. Because the Timberwolves used Andrew Wiggins to guard Paul George, Ellis' primary defenders were 35-year-old Tayshaun Prince and Zach LaVine. He was much more aggressive in attacking the basket and getting out in transition. Eight of his points were scored on fastbreaks and 16 of his points were scored in the paint. Chalk up his outing to a great matchup, and monitor his stats against Jimmy Butler and the Bulls on Monday.

Elfrid Payton made 2-of-3 three-pointers and 8-of-10 free throws in 37 minutes. His playing time was elevated as the only available playmaking guard. The outside shooting outburst isn't sustainable, but he's converting 79 percent of his free throws early in the season, a 24 percent bump from his rookie year. He spent the summer working with Dave Love, the shooting coach who helped improve Aaron Gordon's pedestrian, sub-50 percent free-throw accuracy in college to 72 percent in the pros. Payton converted 73 percent of his attempts over the final 14 games last season. and it's only attempted 24 freebies thus far, but anything over 60 percent will suffice.

Tobias Harris played at least 40 minutes for the second time all season and recorded a consecutive double-double with 19 points (4-9 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block. Harris has already been a victim of coach Skiles fluid rotations, a concept that's costing Harris three minutes per game and a drop in his stats compared to last season. Nonetheless, playing power forward has dramatically increased his offensive rebounds.

Evan Fournier scored a team-high 21 points (7-15 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-5 FT) in 37 minutes. He still hasn't blocked a shot all season. The guy is a 6-foot-7 guard, he's playing 38.2 minutes per game, fourth most in the league, and he's played the most minutes through 10 games (382). It's his lone fantasy deficiency.

Jae Crowder nabbed another four steals in a team-high 38 minutes. He continues to lead the league with 3.5 steals per game. No one's averaged at least 3.0 steals per game for an entire season since Alvin Robertson in 1990-91. The NBA was played at a much quicker pace back then, and Crowder benefits from playing on a top-5 pace team. He's doing a great job freelancing, utilizing his instincts, and intercepting lazy passes. Glancing at his steal clips, he may be the benefactor of a lax home scorekeeper. The Celtics have played six of eight at home so far, and he's averaging 3.7 steals at home versus 3.0 on the road. It's not a huge difference, but the he's playing five more minutes per game on the road. Alas, as I always do when writing about Crowder: he's made 56-of-201 three-pointers in a Celtics uniform.

Eric Gordon scored 30 (11-22 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 4-5 FT) of the Pelicans' season-low 81 points. Jrue Holiday added 19 points (8-14 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT) in 21 minutes, and reserve Alexis Ajinca chimed in with 10 points (5-9 FG). Those three players combined for 73 percent of the Pelicans' total. Ryan Anderson was a no-show with five points on 2-of-9 shooting, and this team is in complete disarray without Anthony Davis (hip).

P.J. Hairston picked up two fouls in the first six minutes, and Jeremy Lamb took advantage of the extra playing time. Defying the odds, Lamb has hit 47 percent of his jumpers this season and provided 15 points (5-14 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds, and two assists in 32 minutes. Lamb has scored at least 14 points in five of the last six games, but his game log is littered with three incredible poor shooting nights and five unsustainable shooting mirages. Much like O-Town, he's all or nothing. And if he loses his touch, you're banking on 2.1 combined assists, steals, and blocks. I choose not to believe. That's on me.

Nikola Mirotic and Joakim Noah each played 23 minutes. They both scored three points, but Mirotic didn't make a field goal and Noah pulled down 18 rebounds. According to coach Hoiberg, Mirotic remained in the starting lineup due to the matchup, but it sounds like Noah could rejoin the first five at some point on the upcoming three-game road trip. I'm holding Mirotic in two leagues, and all I can do is ride out the rough patch. He began the year with four consecutive games of at least 16 points, only to record less than six points in four of the last five games. Noah is shooting 30 percent from the field and 33 percent from the free-throw line, and he had to rest last game with knee soreness that will persist all season.

Mike Conley didn't forget how to play basketball. Go back each of the past two years and you'll see he started out slow before eventually righting the ship. Below are his stats from the first 10 games dating back to last year:

Marc Gasol scored a season-high 31 points (11-18 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 8-8 FT), dished out five assists, and grabbed four rebounds in 41 minutes. The injury to Brandan Wright (knee) hampered the Grizzlies frontcourt depth and forced Gasol and Zach Randolph to play heavy minutes. Wright will be out a while, and the Grizzlies play two back-to-backs over the next week with three days off in-between. Gasol has played at least 37 minutes in the last four games, and the only knock on his statistical output this season is the two total steals to his name.

Damian Lillard had an off shooting night, and it makes sense when you realize the thumbnail on his shooting hand was ripped off last game. The thumb was heavily bandaged, and he shot 5-of-15 from the field and missed all five three-point attempts. I don't know how long it will take to grow back in, but it stands to reason Lillard's efficiency is about to drop.

Lillard's backcourt mate, C.J. McCollum, scored a team-high 26 points (7-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 10-10 FT) and turned the ball over eight times in 36 minutes. I don't know how he's still shooting 46 percent on mostly shots outside the restricted area, but at some point he has to regress. 81 percent of his attempts have come outside of five feet and he's shooting 46 percent on such shots. Unless he's Allan Houston, which he might be, McCollum could transform into McGollum.

Jahlil Okafor shot 3-of-18 from the field and had his shot blocked six times. He leads the league with 2.4 attempts blocked per game. It doesn't help that he leads the team in minutes because of the lack of depth or that Nerlens Noel returned from injury to clog the paint or that Robert Covington (knee) is injured and can't help space the floor.

Zaza freaking Pachulia is like Justin Bieber: he never says never. Pachuls provided 18 points (5-7 FG, 8-11 FT), 16 rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes, albeit against the Lakers. In fact, his two best games have come against the Lakers this season. That's been a theme for most of the NBA. Pachulia benefits from playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki, who yields rebounds to all the centers situated in the starting lineup. His 11.0 rebounds per game ranks ninth overall, which is impressive since he plays 27.2 minutes per game, the lowest amount among the top rebounders.

Will Barton scored a career-high 26 points (8-14 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 6-7 FT), grabbed five boards, claimed two steals, and added an assist in 31 minutes off the bench. I don't want to overreact to an outburst like this, even though he scored at least 10 points in each of the first seven games. This is different than those previous games because he was getting his with the outcome of the game still in the balance. Prior to last night, a majority of Barton's points were scored when the Nuggets were behind double digits. Barton was accumulating cheap points late in games to buffer his stat line. He's not just contributing in the scoring column; Barton is averaging 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. His current efficiency is a major outlier, but I'd rather own Barton than Jeremy Lamb, who won't help out in the tertiary stats once he regresses from the field. Barton's play limited starter Gary Harris to 11 minutes, and that's cause for concern regarding Barton. They'll both resume their 24-minute-a-night role moving forward, scaling back Barton's value.

Ty Lawson was held scoreless and chipped in seven assists in 34 minutes. He's fifth in the NBA in minutes per game at 37.9, but his role on the Rockets is akin to standing in the corner while James Harden runs the offense. Lawson rarely brings the ball up the court, and he just hasn't meshed with Harden. As a Nugget, his usage rate was always above 20 percent and his assist percentage fluctuated between 30 and 40 percent as a guy who was known for his playmaking. This season, Lawson sports a 15.3 percent usage rate, which is five percent below average, and a 22.7 percent assist percentage. Right now, Lawson is masquerading as Patrick Beverley, and no one is getting a refund.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. DeMarcus Cousins, C, SAC: 40 points
2. Marc Gasol, C, MEM: 31 points
3. LeBron James, F, MIA: 31 points

Rebounds

1. Joakim Noah, C, CHI: 18 rebounds (7 offensive)
2. Russell Westbrook, G, OKC: 17 rebounds (4 offensive)
3. Zaza Pachulia, C, DAL: 16 rebounds (3 offensive)

Assists

1. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 14 assists
2. Jarrett Jack, G, BKN: 12 assists
3. Three players tied with 11 assists

Steals

1. Kyle Lowry, G, TOR: 4 steals
2. Jae Crowder, F, BOS: 4 steals
3. Mario Chalmers, G, MEM: 4 steals
4. Trevor Booker, F, UTA: 4 steals

Blocks

1. Serge Ibaka, F, OKC: 7 blocks
2. Terrence Jones, F, HOU: 4 blocks
3. Brook Lopez, C, BKN: 4 blocks
4. Aaron Gordon, F, ORL: 4 blocks

Three-pointers

1. Nicolas Batum, F, CHA: 5-6 3Pt
2. Seven players tied with four three-pointers

Minutes

1. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 44 minutes
2. Andrew Wiggins, G, MIN: 42 minutes
3. Marc Gasol, C, MEM: 41 minutes