The 'Best' Fantasy Targets Are On Tonight's NBA Slate: Who to Stream for Saturday
Streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Saturday.
Recently, I've been talking about football an awful lot for this being a basketball column. The reason is because of ratings; the NFL (and even college football) dwarf regular season NBA action.
With the NFL playoffs now in full swing, weekends are still dominated by football, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel for those who want to put more focus on basketball. That will coincide with the final stretch of the NBA season, hopefully leading into an exciting playoff.
Let's look at streaming players on three NBA teams with good matchups on Saturday. We will focus on the guys who get on the court and are widely available in fantasy leagues. Most stats are from NBA.com.
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Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz
The Jazz play at the third-fastest pace and have the worst defensive rating in the league. I have talked about Utah ascending our fantasy target leaderboard, and they have now taken a stranglehold as our favorite target team.
Dallas is no gem themselves, just one spot and 1.5 games better than Utah in the standings. Cooper Flagg left Wednesday's game with a sprained ankle and is doubtful for this one; his presence changes everything about the Mavericks' offense.
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Guard
Christie is probable with an illness, and if he does play, he's the best streamer from this group, scoring 12.3 points per game with 2.5 three pointers, though he doesn't add much else. Williams and Thompson are very similar fantasy players with just a small step down, and Nembhard does a little less scoring but adds some assists. There are usable players here.
Forward
Washington missed a few weeks with an injury but returned on Wednesday before sitting out Thursday. His value has only grown since it was announced that Anthony Davis would miss an extended period, though Washington tops out as a middling player. Marshall is very similar, just to a lesser degree in most areas, and he will also see extended time due to injuries.
Center
On top of Davis' absence, Daniel Gafford is doubtful for this game, leaving plenty of center minutes. Powell steps into the starting lineup, and Cisse will work as a reserve, but neither guy figures to do enough to be a real fantasy player.
Denver Nuggets vs. Washington Wizards
Washington plays at the seventh-fastest pace and has the second-worst defensive rating. The Wizards are the team that Utah was wrestling with for the title of best streaming target, and though Washington fell to second, they are still a great team to go after with streamers.
The Nuggets are without Nikola Jokic for at least a few more weeks. Depending on how things go, he could sit out until the All-Star break. They will be fine in the meantime, as even if they lose some games, they are positioned to make the playoffs and make another run at the championship.
Guard
Injuries help this group most, as Christian Braun is out, leaving more minutes for reserve players. Pickett can score the ball, including 29 points and seven three-pointers on January 5, but his production is inconsistent. Brown doesn't do enough to be on the fantasy radar.
Forward
Watson is the best player from this group, averaging 13.8 points, five rebounds, one steal, and one block per game while playing close to 30 minutes. The other guys are pushed into more action by injuries, but they are still below the level of fantasy players in all but the deepest leagues.
Center
Nnaji might benefit from Jokic's absence most out of all Denver's players. After very little usage through the first few months, Nnaji has played at least 20 minutes in six of eight games in January, scoring in double figures five times. He's a decent low-end streamer.
Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers
Wins will be few and far between for the Pacers this season, but they had one of their best shots to pick up a victory yesterday while hosting the New Orleans Pelicans, a matchup of the worst and second-worst record in basketball. Indiana won, meaning that every team now has at least 10 wins (the Pacers, Wizards, and Pelicans are tied at the bottom with 10 victories).
The Pacers play at the 10th-fastest pace, and though they have the 13th-worst defensive rating, they are much closer to the bottom 10 than they are to the middle, making them a good target, even if just on the fringe.
Detroit continues on as the best team in the East by record; their first true test won't come until the postseason.
Guard
Everyone here produces at a lower level, as they are all reserve players. Ivey has the most intrigue as a former top-five pick, and he is coming off a game with 15 points in 17 minutes. LeVert and Green offer the same low floor without the high ceiling, leaving them better out of fantasy lineups.
Forward
Robinson is close to 12 points and three three-pointers per game, but that's about all he offers, keeping him as a lower-level fantasy guy. Harris does everything a little better than Robinson aside from shooting; he's the better fantasy option if you're choosing between the two, though Robinson can fill in at both guard and forward. Holland isn't up to a fantasy level unless injuries occur in front of him.
Center
Stewart is a backup but puts up some low-level fantasy numbers, averaging over 10 points and two blocks per game. He's fine in this one if you need help at center.
