Wednesday's Fantasy Basketball Streaming Options from 3 Teams
Streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Wednesday.
Well, I guess there's only one thing to talk about in today's preamble: Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat scored 83 points last night against the Wizards. That's not a typo; he scored 83 points, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 81 for the second-highest-scoring game ever.
A few notable stats:
- Adebayo attempted 43 field goals while the rest of his team attempted 47.
- He tried 22 3-pointers while the rest of the team shot 19 times from distance.
- Bam made 36-of-43 free throws, both NBA records. Miami was otherwise 11-of-16 from the line.
It's undoubtedly impressive, but the Heat were simply feeding the ball to Adebayo then fouled unnecessarily late in the game to get the big man over the line before subbing him out in a 21-point victory over Washington. First-hand reports say that Wilt Chamberlain's team did the same when he scored 100 points; it causes it to be something of a sham. People will remember the 83 points more than they remember how he got there, though.
Moving to fantasy basketball, let's look at streaming players from three NBA teams with good matchups on Wednesday. We'll focus on the guys who get on the court and are widely available in fantasy leagues. Most stats are from NBA.com.
Use FantasySP's defensive rankings to find the players and teams with the best matchups every day!
Charlotte Hornets @ Sacramento Kings
Sacramento plays at a league-average pace, making them a team we don't look to go after every day when there are better targets. They have the third-worst defensive rating, though, which makes them a prime target when we are short otherwise. They are a fine team to go after today.
The Hornets are currently 10th in the East, but they are closer to sixth place than they are to falling out of play-in position. It's an encouraging sign for a team that has been among the worst for several years; a few young stars are helping change the fortunes in Charlotte.
Guard
Charlotte's top three guards generally dominate the minutes, touches, and shots at the position, not leaving much streaming value for these guys. Neither Green nor James does enough to really be on our fantasy radar.
James had 11 points and seven rebounds yesterday, but in the previous three games, he combined for just 12 points and six boards. Skip these two.
Forward
Williams can put up some numbers at times, but he has been an inconsistent statistical player since making his season debut in mid-January. He doesn't add much other than scoring, and yesterday, he had just three points.
Center
Diabate had a stretch of good games in late February but has been down recently, not reaching 10 points in any of five March games. He is averaging 8.8 rebounds in that time, but he's not able to be trusted outside of deep leagues right now.
Kalkbrenner is just playing backup minutes and not adding enough to be on our radar.
New York Knicks @ Utah Jazz
Utah plays at the third-fastest pace and has the second-worst defensive rating. The Jazz have been one of our favorite targets all season, and as we hit the final month, there isn't much hope for a turnaround. Maybe next year will be better.
The Knicks could still catch the Celtics for the second seed in the East (and conceivably the Pistons at the top), but more likely, their best path is to finish with the third or fourth seed to ensure they host a playoff series. With each team having fewer than 20 games remaining, we're running out of time for anyone to make a big jump.
Guard
There's not much streaming value in New York, but the best of it comes in the backcourt.
Shamet has scored at least nine points in 14 of 18 games since the beginning of February, and though he doesn't add much else, there's some scoring and shooting here. Alvarado has seen his minutes drop after being more involved in his first few weeks with the team, and he's not on the fantasy radar right now.
Forward
Diawara doesn't add much statistically, keeping him off the fantasy radar; New York's starters play too many minutes to find real value from the frontcourt bench.
Center
Robinson runs into stats, as big men often do, but he generally plays fewer than 20 minutes per game, limiting his chances to put up numbers. He's a low-level, deep-league streaming option.
Toronto Raptors @ New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans plays at the 11th-fastest pace and has the fifth-worst defensive rating. Three teams stand out as the worst by that defensive metric (Washington, Utah, and Sacramento), but the Pelicans are firmly in that next group as a team that struggles to stop the opposition.
The Raptors are just a half-game above the play-in and will be part of a dogfight over the final stretch to avoid having to earn their way further into the postseason. Toronto would be favored to advance, but anything can happen when it comes down to just one or two games.
Guard
Neither Shead nor Walter has been good enough to be on the fantasy radar as more than a desperation option most of the season. Toronto's starters handle of a lot of minutes, leaving scraps for the bench, and that limits our streaming options.
Forward
- None
Everyone who would qualify here has been either hurt or not getting on the court enough to be worth mentioning.
Center
Collin Murray-Boyles missed yesterday (and will again today), and Jakob Poeltl was out with an illness, leaving Mamukelashvili to play 30 minutes against Houston. He only had eight points, four rebounds, and four assists, and he isn't great statistically, but if Poeltl misses this one again, Mamu will at least get on the court, making him an intriguing low-level streamer.
