The Toronto Raptors continued their hot streak with a big win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night to narrow the gap at the top of the Eastern Conference standings to just two games. Toronto is suddenly a legitimate threat to challenge for first place and possibly steal home-court advantage, and their All-Star point guard is a big reason for it. The Raptors are back in action when they visit the Detroit Pistons this weekend and it makes sense to stick with their hottest player when it comes to Sunday’s NBA Fantasy Daily Leagues. Here is some important fantasy advice to consider for Sunday’s NBA fantasy action.
Weak Defense To Target: Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have lost seven straight and nine of their last 10 games heading into their Sunday matchup with the Orlando Magic. Philadelphia has won just three times in 30 road games so far this season, so it makes a lot of sense to target their 26th-ranked scoring defense. They’ve been even worse of late as the 103 points they allowed to Washington on Friday was actually the fewest they’ve given up in the last six games. They’re allowing 117.0 points per game over that span.
Orlando has several decent value options available in NBA fantasy leagues, including Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier. Oladipo has averaged 17.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.3 three-point shots per game over the last week and should be able to match those averages against Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Fournier has averaged 18.0 points, 2.8 assists, 2.8 three-point shots, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game over that same span and should be an excellent NBA fantasy value option.
Player Who’s Hot Right Now: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Lowry has been on fire for Toronto and that trend should continue when they visit the Pistons on Sunday. Very quietly, this is a team that’s now won 18 of their last 21 games and Lowry has been the engine that’s made this team go. Recently, he’s averaged 26.0 points, 8.3 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 three-point shots and 1.5 steals per game over the last week of action. With the Raptors pressing for top spot in the Eastern Conference, he should continue to produce at a high level. Lowry is available at a very reasonable price for a superstar option so it only makes sense to ride the hot hand while he is available.
Injuries, Rest Create Opportunities For… Luol Deng, Dennis Schroder
The Miami Heat have leaned heavily on Luol Deng over the past seven days and he has taken advantage of the opportunity by producing some impressive fantasy numbers of late. Deng has averaged 18.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game over the last week of action and should be a strong value option with the Heat set to visit the New York Knicks this weekend.
Meanwhile, Dennis Schroder has averaged 24.0 minutes per game for the Atlanta Hawks over the past seven days and his fantasy production reflects the increased opportunity. Schroder has averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 three-point shots per game over that span and will be in for another strong performance at a very reasonable price tag against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
Highest Scoring Game Of The Night: CLE @ WAS
The Cavaliers will be looking to get back on track when they visit the Washington Wizards on Sunday and it could very well be the highest scoring game of the night. The Wizards have really fallen off the map in terms of defense after being one of the best units in that regard last season. LeBron James is the top fantasy option in that matchup, but he’s also the most expensive, so it makes sense to look elsewhere for a better value option. J.R. Smith fits that profile, as he has averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 three-point shots per game over the last week and is available at a reasonable price. Meanwhile, John Wall remains the top option from the Wizards, but Marcin Gortat might be the better value pick. Gortat has averaged 13.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.0 block per game over the last week of action and should at least match those numbers versus Cleveland on Sunday.
Want to give your comments about this article? You can either leave them here or you can join us on the Get More Sports Forum and talk about this article and many more! Brag about your favorite team, argue about an athlete’s performance or tell us about a game you saw. Join a new community of sports fans who live and breathe sports and sports entertainment. It’s free! Join now!
