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The Atlanta Hawks are ravaged by injuries, but Lou Williams is proving that he is fully recovered from the ACL tear that he suffered last season.
In today’s edition of “All Wired Up”, I’ll delve into the fantasy strengths of potential waiver wire gold like Williams and fellow Hawk, Mike Scott.
» Lou Williams, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks (16.0 percent owned on ESPN.com)
14 points (3-12 FG, 5-6 FT), 3 three-pointers, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover vs. Knicks
I’ve been holding off on declaring Lou Williams “back” for a while now, as I just wasn’t sure how his knee would hold up over the course of the season. Early on, he was sitting out the second game of back-to-backs and then when he was able to play he was only getting 20 minutes per contest.
Over the last two weeks, things have changed down in Georgia. Williams is now back to his customary 30 minutes a night and that is paying off for fantasy owners everywhere.
According to Basketball Monster.com, Williams is the 103rd-ranked player in that two week stretch, averaging 13.2 points, 1.7 three-pointers, 4.3 assists and 1.0 steals. His field goal percentage is the only thing holding back from being a top 50 player, shooting a fairly poor 41 percent in that same time frame.
If we narrow down our focus and look at the last two games, Williams has been on fire. He’s scored 29 points, hit six three-pointers and had 15 assists in those games and it gives the appearance that Williams could become the weapon the Hawks — and your fantasy squad — need in order to make some noise in the playoffs.
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» Mike Scott, PF, Atlanta Hawks (0.4 percent owned)
30 points (11-14 FG, 2-2 FT), 6 three-pointers, 8 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers vs. Knicks
Scott had a nice run throughout January and early February, scoring in double digits in 13 straight encounter, but his February form since then has been sub-par.
Until the last two games, that is!
Against the Detroit Pistons, Scott set a career high with 20 points and supplemented that with five rebounds, but when the Hawks hosted the traveling New York Knicks, Scott shattered that mark by scoring 30 points, including six makes from beyond the arc.
With Al Horford done for the season, the Hawks have used a combination of player to try and fill the void. Pero Antic has been the nominal starter, Elton Brand has provided the blocks and boards, while Scott has been the scoring option.
The Hawks would be wise to continue giving minutes to the second-year man out of Virginia. In those last two games against the Knicks and Pistons, Scott has played 30 minutes per contest and the results speak for themselves.
Fantasy owners in all but the shallowest leagues need to swoop in and add Scott to their rosters, especially while he is playing at this high level.