With the first half of the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 taking place on Thursday night, only one NBA game was on the books for the evening, but it still provided some noteworthy fantasy numbers.
Ersan Ilyasova – PF – Milwaukee Bucks
(Vs. Indiana) 34 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 12-14 FG (85 percent) 0 turnovers
Ilyasova had a career night against the Pacers, notching yet another impressive scoring outing for the month of March. His blistering 85 percent shooting performance was impressive, and his 5-of-6 mark from three-point range upped his average to 56 percent over his last five games. Ilyasova is picking up steam as the season winds down, and is likely to see his minutes hover around 34 a game, as the Bucks play to keep their playoff seed position with mid-April looming.
Ilyasova is averaging 20.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 54 percent shooting, and 0.6 turnovers per game in his last five.
George Hill – PG – Indiana Pacers
(Vs. Milwaukee) 24 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 7-12 FG (58%) 5 turnovers
Hill hit the 20+ points mark for the third straight game (on a back-to-back nonetheless), and has continued his efficient shooting during the streak as well. The Pacers are giving it their all during the playoff chase, and Hill is likely to see a high amount of minutes until the end of the regular season. As long as Paul George delays his return, Hill will continue to be a top option for the Pacers.
Hill is averaging 23.0 points, 5.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 55 percent shooting, and 2.6 turnovers per game in his last five.
C.J. Watson – PG – Indiana Pacers
(Vs. Milwaukee) 23 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 4-9 FG (44 percent) 4 turnovers
Watson his his second 23 point game in the past three outings. He was very aggressive in his driving to the basket on Thursday night, resulting in a 13-15 mark from the free-throw line, well above his 4.8 attempts for the game on the season. Keep an eye on Watson’s free-throws the next few games. If he can stay aggressive, it will show in the points category. He is also shooting 40 percent from three-point range in his past five games, going 2-of-4 on Thursday night.
Watson is averaging 13.2 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 43 percent shooting, and 2.0 turnovers per game in his past five.
