NBA daily fantasy picks: March 1
Tuesday is usually one of the lightest days of the week on the NBA schedule, but this first day of March is particularly weak, even by Tuesday’s standards. There are six games on the slate and the only five-figure player available, Steph Curry, could very well sit out tonight because of an ankle issue. There is still some star power in action, but point guard and center are the only two positions with multiple players priced north of $8,000. Finding the right mid-tier players will be key on Tuesday.
All prices are courtesy of FanDuel and based on a $60,000 budget.
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PG: Kemba Walker ($8,200) vs. PHO: Walker was the easiest selection to make in our starting five. He’s coming off a game in which he scored just nine pints, but he had at least 20 in his eight previous games, averaging 39.5 fantasy points in that time. Phoenix is one of our favorite defenses to attack, especially with point guards. The Suns have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to point guards and have little hope of slowing down Walker.
SG: Klay Thompson ($7,200) vs. ATL:Thompson remains an unsung hero for the Warriors, readily taking a backseat to Steph Curry even though he has the ability to be the primary scorer for a rock-solid, though perhaps not record-breaking, playoff team. He has been on fire of late, scoring at least 30 points in three of his last five games and six of his last 14. If Curry is forced to sit out with his ankle injury on Tuesday, Thompson will become his team’s top scoring option. That would make him an absolute steal at his $7,200 price tag.
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SF: Chandler Parsons ($6,800) vs. ORL:Parsons has scored 27 and 29 points in his last two games, and has poured in at least 24 in five of his last seven. During that time, he’s averaging 21.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, three assists, 1.1 steals and 33.4 fantasy points, three times breaking the 40-point threshold. His price remains less than $7,000 because his production can be volatile, but more than that he’s still paying for his early-season injury, and subsequent slow start once he got back on the floor. Fantasy owners can continue to take advantage of a price that just hasn’t caught up to the production.
PF: Aaron Gordon ($6,500) @ DAL: Gordon has looked like a new man since becoming a regular starter for the Magic, averaging 14.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 33.6 fantasy points over his last six games. He has put up at least 30 fantasy points in nine straight games, turning a promising trend into a new normal. Gordon probably should have been starting all year, but that’s another argument for another day. He’s a strong play in any matchup for the rest of the season.
C: Brook Lopez ($8,400) @ LAL:Whenever the Lakers are in action, you’re going to want to find some investment on the other side. They rank 28th or worse in fantasy points allowed per game to four of the five positions on the floor and, yes, center is one of them. Only two teams—the Sixers and Pelicans—surrender more fantasy points per game to centers than the Lakers. In his only game against the Lakers this year, Lopez had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. He should be able to duplicate that level of fantasy production, at worst, on Tuesday.
