The NBA schedule ramps up again this Friday with 18 teams in action and while that means plenty of options to choose from when it comes to fantasy basketball it also means it will be that much more important to identify the optimal plays whether it has to do with the top superstar talent on the board or the sleeper value options in NBA Daily Fantasy Leagues. Here is some important fantasy advice to consider for Friday’s NBA action.
Weak Defense To Target: Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have dropped four straight and nine of their last 10 to plummet down the Eastern Conference standings. While the team has no choice but to commit to a rebuild at this point, the reality is that they haven’t played good defensive basketball all season. Brooklyn has given up an average of 103.0 points per game to rank 22nd in the NBA and that makes them worth targeting when building your lineup for Friday night. They’ve been even worse of late as they enter Friday having lost nine of their last 10 while giving up 107.2 points per game over their last six outings.
The Nets are set to host the Utah Jazz on Friday, so Gordon Hayward is a strong play as usual, but it’s also worth considering both Trey Burke and Rodney Hood as a pair of players that have produced a fairly consistent level of late. Both are quality sources of three-pointers too and should be able to take advantage of the Brooklyn three-point defense, something the Nets aren’t very good at. Their .360 opponent three-point field goal percentage ranks just 21st in the NBA.
Player Who’s Hot Right Now: J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers
Redick isn’t the traditional superstar play but injuries have taken their toll on the Clippers over the past couple of weeks and it’s worth noting that Redick actually led the NBA with an average of 31.0 points per game over the last seven days entering Thursday’s contest with Cleveland. He cooled off a bit, scoring just 17 points, but keep in mind that he played just 29 minutes, which is underwhelming for him. The Clippers were getting blown out in Cleveland, so the lack of a competitive game hurt his fantasy numbers.
Regardless, Redick has stepped up big time for Los Angeles and it isn’t just his inflated scoring totals either as he has averaged 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and an outstanding 7.0 three-point shots per game in NBA Daily Fantasy Leagues over that span. The Clippers are set to visit the New York Knicks on Friday night so that should mean another strong performance for Redick as he continues to play at an elite level.
Injuries, Rest Create Opportunities For… Clint Capela, Taj Gibson
The Houston Rockets won’t have Dwight Howard in their lineup for Friday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks and that should mean more opportunity for Clint Capela to have a fantasy impact. Capela has averaged 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game over the past week with Howard in the lineup so his point and rebound totals should improve with Howard out of the lineup against Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls will be without Joakim Noah for the next four to six months after he suffered a dislocated right shoulder and that will mean more opportunity for Taj Gibson to play big minutes. Gibson has averaged 8.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game over the past seven days and if he can top those averages and even contribute a couple of assists against the Boston Celtics then he will be a decent NBA daily fantasy option.
Highest Scoring Game Of The Night: IND @ GS
The Golden State Warriors lead the NBA with a ridiculous 114.6 points per game this season while the Indiana Pacers rank ninth with 102.2 points per game so this should be a high-scoring matchup as expected. Both teams are capable of scoring points in bunches and the Pacers will want to produce a better effort than they put forth the last time these teams played. Paul George has been an absolute beast for Indiana all year while Monta Ellis has really heated up of late. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry is the obvious superstar play for Golden State but it’s also worth considering Harrison Barnes as a decent value play for Friday’s Daily Fantasy Leagues action.
