After taking Thanksgiving Thursday off, the NBA returns with a full slate of games on Friday. That means plenty of options to choose from when building your lineup in Daily Fantasy Leagues. Here is a look at some important information to consider for Friday’s fantasy basketball slate.
Weak Defense To Target: Washington Wizards
The Wizards were regarded as a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference heading into this season but they have split their first 12 games and are currently on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Injuries have played a role but one of the most overlooked aspects of Washington’s struggles has been the team’s poor defensive play as they are tied for 25th in the NBA with an average of 106.4 points allowed per game this season. We’re talking about a team that was one of the best in this department last year, allowing just 97.8 points per outing (tied for ninth). They’ve fallen off by nearly nine points per contest. It’s been even worse of late as they’ve allowed an average of 112.0 points in consecutive losses to Indiana and Charlotte. You’ll want to upgrade a number of the Boston Celtics players in this spot as they get to host this struggling defense.
Player Who’s Hot Right Now: Paul George, Indiana Pacers
It took some time for George and the Pacers to get rolling but they have found their way with three straight wins and eight victories in their last 10 games. George is coming off a season-high 40-point performance in Tuesday’s 123-106 win over the Wizards. George has averaged 30.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 5.0 three-point shots and 2.0 steals per game over the last week of action. The main difference seems to be his shift to small forward. He’s averaging 29.2 points per game on 49% shooting along with 9.8 rebounds when he starts at small forward compared to 24.1 points, 44% field goals and 7.7 rebounds when he’s at the power forward position. He should be in for another strong fantasy performance when Indiana hosts the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
Injuries & Rest Create Opportunities For… Gerald Green, Ish Smith
The Miami Heat could be without both Amar’e Stoudamire and Luol Deng for Friday’s game against the New York Knicks with both players nursing minor injuries. One player that should have the opportunity to step up with a strong performance is Gerald Green. Green started for the injured Deng on Wednesday and scored 16 points with five rebounds, one assist and one block in 38 minutes of action. That was his first start of the season but we can clearly see what he’s capable of if he’s going to get upwards of 30+ minutes per game.
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Meanwhile, New Orleans Pelicans’ guard Ish Smith has really stepped up with Tyreke Evans out and Jrue Holiday playing with a minutes restriction. Smith has averaged 18.0 points, 10.7 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals over the last week of action. There’s actually a lot of chatter that Smith is going to keep his spot in the starting lineup even when Evans comes back. If you’re playing long-term fantasy, you might want to pick him up. In terms of dailies, he should be primed for another big performance on Friday night.
Highest Scoring Game Of The Night: NO @ LAC
Both teams rank in the top third of the NBA in points per game and the bottom third of the NBA in points allowed per game. That equation should mean plenty of points when the Pelicans and Clippers clash on Friday night. Anthony Davis and company finally appear to have turned things around with three straight wins, including an impressive 14-point victory over the San Antonio Spurs this past week. However, Los Angeles is tough to beat at home and will be looking to get back on track offensively after they stumbled in a 102-91 loss to the Utah Jazz. You’ll want to start fantasy players from both sides in this shootout.
