Thursday, March 24th, is a big night in the NBA, and your daily fantasy basketball team is going to be important because of this. There are six games scheduled, with 12 teams competing. That’s enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned of fantasy managers. Our guide is meant to help you look at a few of the key positions and make more educated decisions when you are choosing who to draft, and who to let the people that you are going to beat draft instead.
Shooting Guard is Key
J.J. Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers is a strong choice on Thursday in the SG slot, but even though he’s the top ranking true SG in the NBA, your fantasy site might allow you to find a better player here. Stats to beat include Redick’s 16.8 points per game, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. Depending on how flexible your league defines shooting guard, this shouldn’t be too tough to do.
A few viable alternatives include the Brooklyn Nets’ Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. He has an average of just 5.2 points per game, but his 6.1 rebounds make him a strong secondary player with add-on potential. You may also want to consider Dion Waiters of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who is going to be exceptionally cheap, yet consistently putting up 9.5 points per game. At his price, this is a strong showing.
Point Guard has Style
Russell Westbrook of the OKC is going to be one of your best bets at PG. He’s averaging 23.8 points per game, second to only Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, who is also scheduled to play on Thursday. Lillard will likely be more expensive, but Westbrook is the better choice because of his stronger secondary stats. He is well ahead of Lillard in both assists and rebounds. He even has a decent edge on steals. If your league charges more for Westbrook, he’s certainly worth the premium and should be acquired. Oklahoma City is playing the Utah Jazz, while the Trail Blazers are playing the LA Clippers. The Clippers are a better team than the Jazz, and Westbrook should be better able to score points and assist teammates than Lillard will be able to, as well.
Forward Thinking
Kevin Durant of OKC is the best forward of any type in the game right now, but has been questionable. It’s probably best to create a lineup without him, just in case. Your next best choice will be LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, although Durant is a better all-around player right now. James has become a stronger team player this season, and his assist numbers are quite impressive.
If neither of these players fit in on your roster, you should not look to the New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis. Davis has been sidelined for the remainder of the season, so be sure not to draft him. Not all fantasy leagues may have updated his status yet, and his name is likely to appear near the tops of most “best forwards to draft” lists.
Instead, think about drafting a player like Thaddeus Young of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are one of the weaker teams in the NBA, so you know what Young’s floor looks like as far as how poorly he can perform. That means his ceiling is pretty high if his team has a decent outing. They’re playing at home on Thursday, so there’s always an outside chance that this could happen.
The Big Man
At center, your goal is to spend as little as possible. Brook Lopez of Brooklyn could be good, but he’s been questionable lately. You can consider a player like Enes Canter of OKC instead, or Omer Asik of the New Orleans Pelicans. Both are going to be cheap in almost every league you play in, yet when it comes to the center position, they are turning out consistently decent fantasy points. If you can justify another player that produces similar numbers at a cheap price, that would also work.
Consider this guy for your lineup.
