FanNation fantasy basketball picks for Tuesday, March 24
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.
Monday’s overachievers
Guard: Evan Turner, Celtics, +26.0
Turner had a triple-double to lead the Celtics to a road win over the Nets on Monday. He made nine of his 13 shots and finished with 19 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and a block. During his last three games, Turner has averaged 19.7 points, 8.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 57.8% from the field. The Celtics snapped a three-game losing streak and took over the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Forward: Pau Gasol, Bulls, +17.9
The Bulls gave Joakim Noah the night off for rest and Gasol took center stage in Monday’s win over the Hornets. He had a double-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and a steal while making 11 of his 19 shots. The 34-year-old is averaging a career-high 11.9 rebounds this season and is poised for a long playoff run. The Bulls are tied with the Raptors for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Center: Rudy Gobert, Jazz, +18.9
Gobert had a big game against the Timberwolves, but it wasn’t enough as the Jazz dropped their second game in a row. He made seven of his 11 shots and piled up 18 points, 17 rebounds, six blocks, one assist and one steal in the 106-104 loss. During his last 15 games, Gobert has averaged 10.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks on 56% shooting from the field. Despite the two-game slide, the Jazz have won 10 of their last 15 games.
Today’s picks
Guard: Goran Dragic, Heat at Bucks, 8 p.m. ET
Dragic has beaten his projection in four of his last five games and should continue to put up big numbers against the struggling Bucks. He has averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals while shooting 52.9% from the field as the Heat have won three of their last five games. Miami has pulled within 1.5 games of Milwaukee for the No. 6 seed and certainly wants to get away from the No. 7 seed, which will likely bring a first-round matchup with the Cavaliers.
Forward: Rudy Gay, Kings vs. 76ers, 10 p.m. ET
After missing two games with a knee injury, Gay has returned to beat his projection in three straight games. His strong play, however, covers his last eight games as he has averaged 27.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 51.6% from the field. The 76ers have no one to guard Gay on the perimeter or the post so he should continue his hot streak tonight.
Center: Steven Adams, Thunder vs. Lakers, 8 p.m. ET
Adams has beaten his projection in four of his last five games, averaging 13.0 points and 11.6 rebounds on 53.1% shooting. With Serge Ibaka out of the lineup, Adams has responded well to an increased role in Oklahoma City’s offense. Like many other big men before him this season, Adams should thrive against the Lakers on Tuesday.
