ver, won the battle of nerves from the spot.It was the lottery of

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we pose a question to a rotating panel of ESPN fantasy basketball experts to gauge their thoughts on a hot topic. Todays contributors are ESPN Fantasys Kyle Soppe, Joe Kaiser and Jim McCormick.Julius Randle messed around and got a triple-double Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets (17 points, 10 assists, 14 rebounds). Coming into the season, we knew that he could hit the glass and score to some extent, but weve seen his field goal percentage increase from 42.9 percent last season to 55.1 percent, and he is averaging an impressive 3.8 assists per game. Should we expect him to maintain those numbers, and what do you think of his overall fantasy value?Kyle Soppe: There are a lot of pieces to this question, but lets start with something that we know: This kid can play and is going to be a force. The question is, to what capacity? Randle possesses the skill set to be a fantasy star, but I think he is a much better roto play this season than head-to-head. Look at his game log. The assists and free throw totals stick out to me as areas in which Randle needs to gain consistency before I push all my chips to the middle of the table on him. He has failed to make a free throw in four games this year and has five games with fewer than three assists.That said, his fluidity for a 6-foot-9, soon-to-be 22-year-old is rare, and his upside is essentially what we saw Tuesday night. The scoring bump is here to stay, given that the Lakers operate at a top-five pace and Randle has been far more effective at the rim this season than last, shooting 67.1 percent from inside 8 feet compared with 50.5 percent a year ago. It will be an up-and-down ride, but Randle could make a run at averaging a double-double while averaging three assists per game, something only Pau Gasol and DeMarcus Cousins accomplished last season.Joe Kaiser: Randle has always been known as a scorer and rebounder, fitting the mold of a Kenneth Faried-type as far as his fantasy numbers go, but his passing has always gone overlooked ... until now. This is the most underrated part of his game, and it took a triple-double Tuesday night for everyone to collectively start paying attention. Listed at 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, Randle often seems undersized when matched up against taller players at the power forward position, but he presents a mismatch as a big man who can handle the ball and create opportunities for teammates. When matched up against a power forward his size, hes often able to put up big numbers on the glass.Seeing that the Lakers already have seven wins, which they didnt reach until Jan. 1 last season, Im more and more convinced that coach Luke Walton is really good at this coaching thing. Hes a relationship guy, and he uses that to his fullest advantage as a coach. It worked last season in Golden State, and clearly, its working with the Lakers. As you can see, not just with Randle but also Nick Young, Waltons style is allowing the young Lakers to play with confidence and reach their ceiling. I expect Randle to finish the season averaging right around 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists per game, and for that shooting percentage to end up closer to 50 percent. One thing working in his favor as far as shooting percentage is concerned is his lack of 3-point attempts (0.8 per game).Jim McCormick: I think the shooting percentage will drop a bit, because Randles elite efficiency so far has been buoyed by shooting 81.4 percent from within 3 feet of the basket, up 24.6 percent from last season. When we look into his opportunity metrics, Randles usage percentage and minutes are nearly identical to last season, and his assist percentage has leaped from 11 percent to 20.3 percent, another sizable positive margin. Its safe to say former Lakers coach Byron Scott was less than ideal for grooming the Lakers young roster last season, especially in the context of this space-and-pace driven modern NBA. Now that the Lakers have Walton, a coach on the forefront of this schematic shift, were seeing some of the rewards of this transition in Randles production.For example, the Lakers are now fourth in pace (102.82 possessions per 48 minutes) and ninth in offensive rating (107.1 points per 100 possessions), after ranking 16th in pace last season (97.9) and 29th in offensive rating (98.6). Such inflations in opportunity and efficiency have helped Randles rates. He has leaped from 29.7 frontcourt touches per game last season to 37.3 this year, a 25.5 percent leap. Randles assist-to-pass ratio has jumped from 4.2 percent last season to 8.7 percent this season, so there has been a clear improvement in not just his possession rate, but also the quality of his passing and the teams improved scoring efficiency.Its worth noting Randle averaged 2.9 assists per game over the final 15 games last season. Its also worth noting ESPNs Jovan Buha wrote up a piece this past offseason about Randle seeking to emulate Draymond Greens ascension as a playmaker under Waltons watch.Obviously, there are a lot of similarities between Draymond and myself, Randle said. There will be a lot to learn, but especially with the style of play, itll be fun for us to get up and down. Sharing the ball is going to be big for us this year. Just building that chemistry on both sides of the floor. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Phil-Taylor_Redskins_Jersey/ . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Rob-Kelley_Redskins_Jersey/ . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Charley-Taylor_Redskins_Jersey/ . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Vernon-Davis_Redskins_Jersey/ . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Black-Terrance-Knighton-Redskins-Jersey/ . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. BORDEAUX, France -- Germany ended 54 years of misery against Italy at major tournaments by taking a familiar route to victory: The penalty shootout.Jonas Hector lifted the so-called Italian curse off Germany on Saturday by converting the 18th kick of one of the wildest shootouts in European Championship history, clinching a 6-5 victory and a place in the semifinals.I took my heart in my hand, said Hector, Germanys left back, and just wanted to make sure it went in.It did -- but only just. Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon guessed the right way but dived over Hectors kick. No wonder the 38-year-old Buffon walked off the field in tears afterward.A cagey match between Europes two most successful soccer nations finished 1-1 after extra time, with Leonardo Bonuccis 78th-minute penalty for Italy canceling out a 65th-minute strike by Mesut Ozil.After the tactical tedium came the shootout drama. Bonucci was one of seven players to fail to score in the shootout, with Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger also blazing over when he could have sealed victory with the score at 2-2.Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer gave his side another sight of victory by saving Matteo Darmians penalty, and Hector held his nerve.Ive never experienced a penalty shootout like it before, Neuer said.It was Germanys sixth straight victory in a penalty shootout since losing the final of Euro 1976 to Czechoslovakia, and its first competitive win over Italy in nine tries dating back to 1962. That run included defeats to the Azzurri in the 1982 World Cup final and three major tournament semifinals -- at World Cups in 1970 and 2006, and at Euro 2012.Seeking to follow up its World Cup title from two years ago, Germany will play either France or Iceland in a semifinal match in Marseille on Thursday.Italys loss ended Antonio Contes two-year tenure as coach and he heads to Chelsea in the English Premier League with a strong reputation aftter masterminding wins over highly fancied Belgium and Spain at Euro 2016.ddddddddddddThe only regret I have from this European Championship is these penalties, Conte said. Nothing else; no regrets. These lads really showed everything.One of his last acts as Italy coach was to embrace Darmian, who collapsed to the ground in despair after seeing Hector convert his penalty.It was a fixture worthy of the final itself -- Italy and Germany have won eight World Cup titles between them -- but the game didnt live up to its promise.Dropping deep when not in possession, Italys defensive set-up stifled the Germans -- another tactical success for Conte -- and made for a contest of few clear-cut chances until Ozils goal.Hector ran onto Mario Gomezs inside pass and sent over a cross that deflected into the path of the inrushing Arsenal playmaker, who calmly steered the ball home from eight meters.It was the first time the Germans had got behind Italys famed back line all game, but they couldnt hold on. They finally conceded a goal at the tournament when Bonucci scored from the spot after Jerome Boateng handled Giorgio Chiellinis flicked header.Bonucci was a surprising choice as penalty-taker, considering he hadnt previously taken one in regulation time in his career.With both teams tiring and showing respect for each other, extra time passed without significant incident and Euro 2016 had its second penalty shootout of the quarterfinals -- after Portugal beat Poland on Thursday.As Germany, as ever, won the battle of nerves from the spot.It was the lottery of the shootout, Conte said. I think theyre the best side in the world. The fact we could match them is an achievement.Mats Hummels will miss the semifinal through suspension after collecting a second yellow card of the tournament. 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