According to Yahoo!, Memphis Grizzlies rookie point guard Mike Conley is expected to miss a week due to contusions suffered to his chest and rib cage which made him leave Friday's loss to Washington in the third quarter. Conley's injury coupled with the buyout of Damon Stoudamire's contract sometime today leaves scrappy youngster Kyle Lowry as the Grizzlies' starting point guard.
After spelling Conley in the third quarter of Friday's game, Lowry had an excellent all-around game putting up a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists while adding 4 rebounds and 5 steals in 33 minutes of play. Lowry started Saturday night's overtime win against the Clippers proving his Friday numbers weren't a fluke as he scored 21 points with 8 rebounds and 4 assists in 49 minutes of play.
When given the minutes, Lowry has shown he can be a strong fantasy contributor across the board. He is a good fit for Memphis' fast-paced, high scoring style with his speed and ability to quickly get up and down the court. Lowry should have no problem scoring or getting assists with the likes of Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol and Mike Miller surrounding him. In the 13 games where he has played 30+ minutes, Lowry is averaging over 13 points and 5 assists a game.
The true beauty of Lowry's game however, is in his ferocity on the boards and quick hands on defense. In those same 13 games, he is averaging over 5 rebounds and 1 steal a night. Thus, in Kyle Lowry, fantasy owners are getting a point guard who can provide solid contributions across 4 major categories while maintaining a good assist/turnover ratio and shooting a modest 75% from the free throw line.
Personally, I have been waiting a while for Lowry to get his shot as a starter. It disappointed me when the Grizz drafted Mike Conley in the 2007 draft because this meant Lowry would enter the season as a backup or even the third point guard option as Memphis showcased Stoudamire for a trade. Finally, Lowry will get his chance to shine as he is looking at three starts this week -home games against Dallas, Denver and Utah.
Lowry is an excellent add candidate for the coming week and beyond if Conley's return is delayed.
1 comment:
I agree that Lowry would be a great pickup this week. Although I do hope Conley returns soon. He's a fantasy monster!
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