The countdown to the final stretch run of the NBA season continues with 16 teams in action on Saturday. That will mean plenty of options to choose from when it comes to building the optimal lineup for DraftKings Daily Fantasy Leagues. Finding the perfect balance between superstar talent and sneaky value options is always the key to winning those contests so make sure to consider the following before building your roster. Here is some important advice for Saturday’s NBA fantasy action.
Weak Defense To Target: New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have posted a .500 record over their previous 10 games, but they are still six games out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference and their defensive struggles are a big part of the problem. New Orleans ranks 25th in the NBA in scoring defense with an average of 105.6 points allowed per game this season and that makes them worth targeting in Daily Fantasy Leagues when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins and this year’s ROY favorite Karl-Anthony Towns have been very consistent for the Timberwolves all season, but they are also both pretty expensive. The better option might very well be Zach LaVine, who has averaged 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 three-point shots per game over the past week and is available at a very reasonable price tag based on those numbers and the favorable matchup.
Player Who’s Hot Right Now: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
No player has been hotter than Lillard over the last seven days so he might be the smartest bet to build your fantasy roster around on Saturday. Lillard has averaged a ridiculous 38.3 points, 5.3 assists, 5.0 three-point shots, 3.0 steals and 2.0 rebounds per game over that span so it makes sense to ride the hot hand with the Trail Blazers set to visit the Chicago Bulls.
Injuries, Rest Create Opportunities For… Shelvin Mack, Lance Stephenson
This year’s NBA trade deadline provided a number of new opportunities for talented players that simply needed a change of scenery in order to become relevant from a fantasy perspective and Shelvin Mack is one of them. Mack has been extremely productive since he was acquired by the Utah Jazz. The veteran point guard has averaged 16.5 points, 4.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 three-point shot per game with his new team and he should continue to produce as a strong sleeper option now that he has supplanted Raul Neto as Utah’s starting point guard. The Jazz will host the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night so make sure Mack is in your lineup.
Meanwhile, a move to the Memphis Grizzlies has really worked out for Lance Stephenson’s numbers. Stephenson has averaged 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals while averaging just over 22.0 minutes per game for Memphis in his first two contests. The bottom line is that the Grizzlies need scoring from the wing and he provides a lot of that. There’s no sense in them giving guys like Vince Carter minutes when Stephenson can do everything that he does and more. This could be a revival for Stephenson’s career if he continues to get minutes. He didn’t get so many on Friday night as the Grizzlies easily blew out the Los Angeles Lakers but he should be back near the 25-minute mark on Saturday. If that’s the case, he should have no problem at least matching those averages with a favorable matchup against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have been nothing short of pathetic, so this is a really good NBA fantasy matchup for Stephenson.
Highest Scoring Game Of The Night: GS @ OKC
The two highest scoring teams in the NBA combined for 224 points in their first meeting of the season earlier this month and there is every reason to expect another high scoring affair in the encore on Saturday. Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook have added a personal aspect to the rivalry and if you can afford either one of them as a compliment to Lillard then do it. If you can’t afford either of those two then consider Andre Iguodala as a relatively decent sleeper option from the Warriors and Steven Adams as a deeper NBA fantasy sleeper option from the Thunder.
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