PG - Kris Dunn, Chicago Bulls vs Dallas Mavericks
After finally breaking out against Brooklyn, Dunn suffered a significant setback against the Hornets. He had just ten points and three assists along with a season-high seven turnovers. Although, it should be noted that that came on the second night of a back-to-back. He should be fairly well rested for tonight’s game against the Mavs. Dunn starred in his first meeting with Dallas as he dropped a career-high 32 points with nine assists and four steals. He likely won’t have that type of night again with Zach LaVine back in the lineup, but he still offers a lot of upside.
Also consider: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies
Murray has been pretty average in back-to-back games against the Rockets and Clippers. He’s averaging 18.5 points and 5.0 assists, but also four turnovers and not a lot of steals. But tonight’s matchup against a Grizzlies team that’s been getting roasted by opposing point guards lately could be just what gets him back on track fantasy-wise.
SG - Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards vs Toronto Raptors
Beal is coming off a rare off-night against the Warriors. He was limited to just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting. He’s set to face another tough defense in the Raptors, but it’s hard to imagine Beal being that bad again. Quite the opposite, Beal should actually have a nice bounce-back game against the Raps, a team he’s simply torched this season. He faced them at the beginning of this month and dropped a terrific line of 27 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a block. And on the year, he’s averaging 30.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in three meetings against the current top seed in the East.
Also consider: Wesley Matthews, Dallas Mavericks @ Chicago Bulls
Matthews is quietly doing the business for the Mavs. He’s hit 5x value in three of his last four games, and he’s doing it with defense. He’s picked up six steals and two blocks during those four games to bump up his fantasy numbers. However, don’t rule out a potential offensive explosion from the streaky veteran shooter, especially against a team with a shaky wing defense like Chicago. Matthews burned the Bulls for 24 points in their previous meeting in January.
SF - Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks @ Chicago Bulls
Speaking of that January game against the Bulls, Barnes also starred for the Mavs in that one as he had 23 points, seven boards, and four assists. Barnes will head into this contest coming off back-to-back 20-point games, including a stellar effort against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished with 26 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals. As previously mentioned, the Bulls wing defense has not been great, so Barnes has a chance to capitalize on that.
Also consider: Josh Jackson, Phoenix Suns vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Jackson is turning into one of the lone bright spots in another disappointing Suns season. He had another terrific fantasy line against the Grizzlies as he put up 29 points, seven boards, four assists, two blocks, and two steals. He was aided by the absence of TJ Warren, who was dealing with an injury. If Warren is kept out again, Jackson will have even more opportunity to showcase his talents against the Thunder. The rookie impressed in his first meeting with OKC as he finished with 17 points, ten rebounds, and five assists in 31 minutes off the bench.
PF - Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic
Griffin has been going through a pretty rough patch lately. He’s failed to even top 30 fantasy points in FanDuel in each of his last four games. His price has dropped precipitously as a result. But it’s gone so low that it sort of makes sense to take another chance on him. And it’s especially more tempting to do so as he faces a Magic team that’s no great shakes defensively. It’s admittedly a bit of a gamble given his recent form, but it could pay off in a big way.
Also consider: Paul Millsap, Denver Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies
The same line of thinking applies to Millsap, who did not look great in his return against the Clippers. However, he still worked his way toward a pretty productive night thanks to seven rebounds, a couple of blocks, and a steal. It could be some time before he gets back to his best, but he could still provide decent value against a Grizzlies team that basically has nothing left to play for.
C - Dwight Howard, Charlotte Hornets @ Philadelphia 76ers
Howard hasn’t quite been himself lately. He’s scored 20 points in back-to-back games, but he’s recorded single-digit rebounds in three of his last four. It’s admittedly a bit of a risk to pick him based on his current form, but if you’re looking for a center with strong value upside, Howard might just be the best one available.
Also consider: Enes Kanter, New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Clippers
Although, Kanter would come a close second. The Knicks big man was not too productive in recent games against the Magic, Celtics, and Warriors. But now might be the time to pick him up with his price sliding down even further coupled with a decent matchup against the Clippers. In his first meeting with LA, he had 12 points, 16 boards, two steals, and a block. At the very least, he should see more time on the floor just to body up DeAndre Jordan.
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