FanNation fantasy basketball picks for Monday, March 9
Ready to show your friends you know more about the NBA than they do? FanNation's Basketball Throwdown fantasy basketball game is your best option. You pick a guard, forward and center who you think will exceed their fantasy projections. The scoring system takes into account points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals and turnovers. The team that out-performs its projections by the largest amount wins, so picking a lineup of Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Joakim Noah is no sure-fire path to victory. You can also bet anywhere from $1 to $500 on each night's matchup or play for free.
I'll give you my picks each day and a recap of yesterday's top performers so you can get bragging rights over your friends.
Sign up for tonight's Basketball Throwdown here.
Sunday's overachievers
Guard: Russell Westbrook, Thunder, +22.7
Westbrook had his fifth triple-double in his last six games as the Thunder knocked off the Raptors on Sunday. He made nine of 21 shots en route to 30 points, 17 assists, 11 rebounds, four steals, one block and nine turnovers. Since the beginning of February, Westbrook has averaged 33.1 points, 10.5 assists, 9.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals. His seven triple-doubles this season have helped the Thunder hold on to the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference as Kevin Durant recovers from a foot injury.
Forward: Brandon Bass, Celtics, +25.9
While the ultimately Celtics lost to the Magic on Sunday, Bass scored 19 points, grabbed a career high 17 rebounds and handed out five assists while making nine of 14 shots. Since entering the starting lineup in late January, Bass has averaged 12.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 49.1 percent shooting. The Celtics are just 2.5 games out of the playoffs and Bass, who is in the final season of his contract, figures to play a large role down the stretch.
Center: Enes Kanter, Thunder, +17.4
Kanter continued his strong play for the Thunder on Sunday, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and one block. Since joining Oklahoma City at the trade deadline, he has averaged 14.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Kanter has given the Thunder a much needed third scoring option during Durant's absence, and he will need to play a key role during the playoffs for Oklahoma City to overcome its low seed.
Today's picks
Guard: Chris Paul, Clippers vs. Timberwolves, 10:30 p.m. ET
After losing to the Warriors on Sunday, Paul and the Clippers will look to bounce back in a home game against the Timberwolves on Monday. Paul has flown under the radar this season as Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook have stolen headlines with their play, but he is still having a strong year. He is averaging 18.5 points, a league-leading 10.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
Forward: Anthony Davis, Pelicans at Bucks, 8 p.m. ET
Davis hasn't missed a beat since returning from a shoulder injury last week. He has beaten his projection in two of his last three games while averaging 30.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks. The Bucks are one of the only teams with the length to matchup with Davis, but he should still be able to have a big night as the Pelicans have been feeding him the ball more lately. The Pelicans are one game behind the Thunder for the No. 8 seed and will need Davis to play at an MVP level for any chance of reaching the playoffs.
Center: John Henson, Bucks vs. Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
Following a solid month of February, Henson's play has tailed off lately, but he has still beaten his projection in three of his last five games. The Bucks will need Henson's size against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans on Monday, so he should play extended minutes. His measly 16-point projection is too low to pass up tonight.
