FanNation fantasy basketball picks for Friday, Feb. 27
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.
Thursday's overachievers
Guard: Eric Bledsoe, Suns, +30.1
Bledsoe came out victorious in Thursday's matchup against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. While Westbrook had a triple-double with 39 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists and three steals, Bledsoe wasn't far behind, finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, four blocks and a steal. After Phoenix traded Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas last week, Bledsoe should be able to take on a larger role for the rest of the season.
Forward: Markieff Morris, Suns, +20.7
After averaging just 6.3 points in his last three games, Morris bounced back with a double-double against the Thunder. He had 29 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in the overtime victory. Morris is averaging a career-high 15.2 points this season, but he has been inconsistent all year. While he has 14 20-point games, he also has 15 games with fewer than 10 points. The Suns are chasing the Thunder for the No. 8 seed and will need Morris to play a large role to catch them.
Center: Alex Len, Suns, +13.7
Len played a season-high 38 minutes and responded with 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. After battling injuries as a rookie last season, he has been a solid contributor this year. His stats aren't eye-popping (6.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks), but he is a valuable interior presence to an otherwise undersized team.
Today's picks
Guard: J.R. Smith, Cavaliers at Pacers, 7 p.m. ET
With Kyrie Irving unlikely to play after injuring his shoulder on Thursday, Smith should get more shots against the Pacers on Friday. He has beaten his projection in four of his last five games, including last night when he had four points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals. Smith has been on his best behavior since joining the Cavaliers last month and should have a big night with Irving out.
Forward: Draymond Green, Warriors at Raptors, 7 p.m. ET
Following a decisive loss to the Cavaliers, the Warriors will look to rebound against the Raptors on Friday. While his team lost, Green played well against Cleveland, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists. His versatility has been a key part of Golden State's improvement this season, and it will be on full display during a marquee matchup in Toronto.
Center: Rudy Gobert, Jazz at Nuggets, 9 p.m. ET
Since the Jazz shipped Enes Kanter to Oklahoma City at the trade deadline, Gobert has averaged more than 30 minutes per game. While he is still raw offensively, his defense and rebounding make him a solid fantasy choice as he has a mere 22-point projection. Gobert is coming off a strong game against the Lakers on Wednesday when he had 16 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal.
