Fantasy Basketball Matchups: Best and Worst Teams to Target by Position
Some NBA teams are allowing big fantasy performances at certain positions, while others have been shutting opposing players down.
A lot of the trending fantasy basketball adds and drops today are players we already covered on Monday or Tuesday, so we'll switch gears today and discuss some fantasy matchups instead!
We'll look into favorable matchups and then tougher matchups in case you are looking to stream players here and there throughout the season.
Fantasy basketball waiver wire options can be found all season on FantasySP! Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest-of-season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant.
Favorable Matchups
Guards
We'll start with favorable fantasy matchups for guards. So far, the most favorable matchup is facing the Chicago Bulls.
Guards are posting really well-rounded numbers against Chicago, not really having an area of weakness. That adds up to the most favorable guard matchup in the NBA so far.
Connect your league to uncover strengths & weaknesses, waiver assistance, trade scenarios, and get instant start/sit clarity.
The Los Angeles Clippers are second on the list. Again, guards are filling up the stat sheet really well, with the only negative stat being turnovers. LA is one to target with guards in the early going.
The Milwaukee Bucks are third on the list of favorable matchups for guards. There's not a stat the Bucks are slowing guards down in, and they could remain one to target all season with a young and retooling roster.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat are the other top guard matchups, and round out of the top five.
Forwards
The top matchup for forwards is a tie between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. The Atlanta Hawks are the third-best forward fantasy matchup, and not very far behind the first two.
Despite lackluster results in blocks and turnovers, forwards are still racking up the fantasy points against the Nets. Forwards are so-so or below average in assists, steals and turnovers, but the numbers are made up elsewhere to deliver big against the 76ers. Forwards only struggle with turnovers and 3-point percentage against the Hawks.
The Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics are the next-best matchups for forwards in the early going this season.
Centers
At the center spot, the best fantasy matchup so far is against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Centers are faring pretty well across the board, with just field goal percentage and turnovers being below-average marks.
The Bucks make the list again for the center spot. Centers aren't faring well in 3-pointers or blocks, but are racking up fantasy points regardless.
The Hawks are also on this list, with centers only struggling with blocks, 3-pointers and turnovers against them.
The Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs are the next-most favorable matchups at the start of the season.
Tougher Matchups
Guards
The toughest fantasy matchup for guards so far is against the Detroit Pistons. Blocks and turnovers are the only stats that guards are posting above-average marks against the Pistons in, otherwise Detroit has been slowing them well.
The Hawks are very tough on guards, so that's where to avoid streaming against them - focus on centers and forwards instead. Opposing guards are not doing anything at an above-average rate, besides limiting turnovers so far.
The Boston Celtics are third on the list of toughest guard matchups so far. Again, turnovers are the only stat that guards aren't below-average against them in.
The Nets and New York Knicks make up the fourth- and fifth-toughest fantasy matchups for guards so far.
Forwards
At forward, it's the Cavaliers who are the toughest matchup so far. Guards are shooting the ball pretty well and limiting turnovers against Cleveland, but the Cavs have been stout otherwise, creating the tough matchup.
The Spurs are the second-toughest fantasy matchup on forwards, with the LA Clippers right there too. Forwards have a good 3-point percentage against the Spurs, but outside turnovers, are struggling hard otherwise. Forwards are shooting it well overall against the Clippers, while also limiting turnovers, but the overall fantasy numbers are still very weak.
The Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors make up the fourth- and fifth-hardest fantasy matchups on forwards so far.
Centers
At center, the toughest matchup so far is against the 76ers. The only thing centers aren't way below average in is turnovers, otherwise the Sixers are a team to avoid trying centers against.
The Knicks are very tough on centers overall, despite players having above-average marks in assists, 3-point makes and blocks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the third-toughest test for centers so far. Only 3-point percentage and turnovers are above-average marks for centers against OKC so far.
The Dallas Mavericks and Lakers are the fourth- and fifth-toughest fantasy tests for centers in the early going.
