Sunday's Fantasy Basketball Streamers: Players from the Rockets, Spurs, and More
Streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Sunday.
Yesterday, I talked about how football was dominating this weekend because there were college football playoff games on Friday and Saturday and NFL games on Saturday and Sunday. Nothing has changed.
Sundays are especially pigeonholed because we are creatures of habit, and it is THE day for football. If God can't beat the NFL, what hope does regular season NBA have?
Fantasy basketball doesn't stop, though, so let's look at streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Sunday. We will focus on the guys who are widely available in fantasy leagues and can easily be added. Most stats are from NBA.com.
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Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls play at the second-fastest pace and have the 10th-worst defensive rating. Their defense is getting close to moving off our streaming list, but Chicago plays fast enough that they still meet our criteria as a target team.
Atlanta plays at the fifth-fastest pace, so this could be a very up-and-down game. These teams previously met on October 27 and combined for 251 points in a 128-123 Chicago victory; we could see another high-scoring one here.
Guard
Trae Young suffered an injury right before Halloween and finally made his return on Thursday before sitting out Friday. He is expected to play here, and that gives everyone else a little less value.
Krejci averages about 10 points per game but does it inconsistently, mixing big games and anonymous efforts. That makes him a risky fantasy player, though the good matchup helps. Kennard does most things at a slightly lower level than Krejci, only holding an advantage with assists. I don't love either guy here, but Krejci has some upside.
Forward
Last year's top overall pick, Risacher has a couple decent numbers, with 11 points and 1.1 steals per game. He doesn't do much else, though, and it leaves him as a lower-level fantasy player. He's a deep-league streamer today.
Center
Both guys here are in line for a little extra time with Kristaps Porzingis out with an illness. They can each slot in at center or forward in many leagues, giving them a little extra value. Unfortunately, both Newell and Gueye are low-level players who don't put up many stats, keeping them off the fantasy radar.
Houston Rockets @ Sacramento Kings
Sacramento plays at the ninth-fastest pace and has the fourth-worst defensive rating. With a team currently revolving around 37-year-old Russell Westrbook and a duo that wasn't good enough for the Bulls three years ago (DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine), we shouldn't be surprised by the Kings' lowly standing.
Houston is among the contenders in the West, holding a 17-8 record after beating the Nuggets last night. The Rockets are in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating, showing themselves as a true contender by those metrics.
Guard
Sheppard is owned in close to half of leagues, but he's the guy that you want here. He is averaging 12.8 points and 1.5 steals per game while making over 2.5 three pointers; Sheppard is a strong streamer today. Okogie is a lower-level player who doesn't put up much for stats.
Forward
Smith is another guy owned in around half of leagues, a productive player who might be worthy of a spot on your roster, especially since he can slot in at forward and center. Smith is averaging 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Center
Adams only plays backup minutes, making him a low-level fantasy guy, but if you need a center in a deep league, he is at 6.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
San Antonio Spurs @ Washington Wizards
And we finish in a safe space, targeting our best friends in Washington. The Wizards play at the sixth-fastest pace and have the worst defensive rating in the league; they stand out for their ineptitude.
The Spurs got Victor Wembanyama back during the week, the most important piece if they are going to reach their championship ceiling. San Antonio has held tough without their young star, sitting at 20-7, tied for the second-best record in the West.
Guard
Champagnie averages around 28 minutes, 11 points, and 5.5 rebounds per game. His time might get cut a little with the team getting healthy, but he can play both guard and forward, helping him get on the floor. Harper missed 10 games, but he is getting chances when on the court, scoring 13.3 points per game with modest stats elsewhere. Both players here are reasonable streamers.
Forward
Barnes and Johnson both average 12.6 points per game. Johnson is a better rebounder and Barnes a little better with assists, but they are similar fantasy players. Wembanyama's return could cut into the production of each guy.
Center
With Wemby back, Kornet's value takes a serious hit. He will still get on the court, and they are easing the star back into the lineup, but Kornet is only a deep-league fantasy player right now.
