Point Guards
Chris Paul – PG Los Angeles Clippers – CP3 has been dominant since Blake Griffin went down with an injury and he gets a nice matchup here. Kemba Walker isn’t exactly known for his defense and CP3 will look to take full advantage of that. Paul is almost guaranteed a double double in this one and I expect him to have a really nice game. His usage rate and shot attempts have gone up since Griffin went out and he’s the best point guard play on this slate.- Rajon Rondo – PG Sacramento Kings – This should be one of the most fun games to watch tonight as the two fastest pace teams face off. I’d like to get as many players as possible from this game because of the extremely high point total which means more fantasy points for all players involved. Rondo is back to full health and is the general of this team. He should have a nice game against the Warriors whose only weak spot is defending opposing point guards.
Who I’m fading
- Jeff Teague
- Trey Burke
Shooting Guards
- Klay Thompson – SG Golden State Warriors – As I said, this will be the highest point total of the night and Klay is a great option here. With Steph banged up Klay has risen to the occasion. He comes in cheaper than Draymond and Steph but can produces a similar amount of fantasy points. Klay is a great option on this slate.
- Kentavous Caldwell-Pope – SG Detroit Pistons – Caldwell-Pope is my favorite value shooting guard on this slate. He gets a nice matchup against the Nets who are just terrible at defense. Pope plays a ton of minutes and it should be no different Saturday. If you’re looking to save money at shooting guard go with Pope.
Who I’m fading
- Dwyane Wade
- Victor Oladipo
Small Forwards
- Otto Porter – SF Washington Wizards – Porter is a great option until Beal returns. He becomes the number two option for this Wizards offense and has great rebounding ability as shown by his double double 50 point fantasy games just a few games ago. He has a great ceiling and is not that expensive. I like Porter in tournaments more than cash games because he does provide some risk.
- Nic Batum – SF Charlotte Hornets – Batum is having a great season and is truly a triple double threat. I like this spot for Batum against the Clippers because it should be a high scoring game. The Clippers lack skill at the small forward position so Batum will have a clear advantage against whoever is guarding him. I have confidence Batum should be able to reach value.
Who I’m fading
- Gordon Hayward
- Kent Bazemore
Power Forwards
- Demarcus Cousins – PF Sacramento Kings – Boogie is going to need to have a huge game if the Kings want any chance of competing in this game. Boogie is the most consistent big man in the league and will never kill your lineup with a dud (unless he gets ejected). Going against the Warriors isn’t the best matchup for him but with the up tempo nature of the game he should see plenty of opportunities.
- Draymond Green – PF Golden State Warriors – I would strongly recommend paying up for Green or Cousins. Green has the better matchup because the Kings have the worst defense in the league. They won’t be able to handle the high energy and intensity Green brings night in and night out. Green has the highest ceiling of any player in the league as shown by his 86 point fantasy game a few games ago. While don’t expect anything near that I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he goes for a triple double.
Who I’m fading
- Paul Millsap
- Thad Young
Centers
- Pau Gasol – C Chicago Bulls – Pau is having a great season for the Bulls and has a good matchup here against the Hawks. Although the Hawks have a good front court they have been feasted on by opposing centers this year. The great thing about Pau is he doesn’t need to score a whole bunch of points for him to have a good fantasy day. Pau should be a lock in your lineups.
- Hassan Whiteside – C Miami Heat – Hassan has a great matchup here against either Jeff Withey or fresh off an injury Rudy Gobert. A slow paced game like this actually favors Whiteside so he’s capable of getting back on defense and down the floor on offense. Whiteside has been inconsistent so I prefer him in tournaments and prefer Pau in cash.
Who I’m fading
- Nikola Vucevic
- Gobert/Withey
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