Friday night is a big night in the NBA as there are a large number of games to choose from as you choose your daily fantasy basketball rosters. Here’s a quick breakdown of a few of the more highly hyped games, and how you should approach choosing players from these games to fill up your roster.
Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics
The Warriors are the team to beat this year, and their 23-0 record is a testament to that. However, the Celtics are not a bad team, having gone 13-9 so far, and although they are not the favorites, this could be a very good game.
The obvious daily fantasy pick from this one is Golden State’s point guard, Stephen Curry. He’s leading the NBA in scoring with 32.2 points per game. He is also averaging 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. The drawback to him is that he’s going to be the most expensive player of the weekend. There’s merit to going this way, of course, as he is likely to keep rolling forward like he’s been doing all season. You will pay a ton to get him, but he will produce. If you are looking for a great defensive player with some scoring upside, Draymond Green is the one to go with. He is a great forward with 8.5 rebounds per game and 7.0 assists. He’s not the greatest basket thrower with an accuracy rate of 466.0 percent, but he does have 13.0 points per game, which is promising.
Boston’s top scorer is Isaiah Thomas. The point guard is putting up 21.0 points per game this season, and 6.3 assists. He’s having a very good season, but against a powerhouse like Golden State, he could end up being on the low side of this number. It’s realistic to expect 15-18 points from him, though, and depending on what his price is in your respective league, he could be a good addition.
Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs
The Lakers are struggling this season at 3-19, where the Spurs are almost the exact opposite at 18-5. The Lakers are big underdogs here, and there’s a few good reasons why. One, they have the inferior record. Two, they have an aging team without the younger talent in place to replace them. And three, the Lakers are away for this one. Honestly, it’s probably best to completely avoid using a Lakers player on your roster for Friday, unless you have holes in your roster and need someone very cheap. Kobe Bryant is the team leader in scoring with 15.9 points per game, but because of his name alone, he’s going to be over priced. Be cautious if you decide to go with an LA player. If you can get tickets to the Lakers against the Spurs, that may be worth it. At lease you’ll see some stars in action.
San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard is the top scorer on his team. The GF has been having stomach issues though, and it’s not clear whether or not he will play Friday. He might be a gametime decision, and if he does play, there’s no guarantee he will be in top shape. It’s probably best to stay away from him for this one, unless you can find an unlikely cheap salary price on him. The next best choice is to go with LaMarcus Aldridge. The FC has been averaging 15.4 points per game, which isn’t great, but his defensive stats make him a top fantasy choice at this position. He has 8.8 rebounds per game right now, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 steals. He could have a better than average game if Leonard is out or underperforms again. He has a lot more upside for this game than normal, so he could be a good choice, especially if you have an opening on your roster and he is one of the few you’ve narrowed your last slot down to. It’s a gamble, but you have a slight edge on this pick given the circumstances.