NBA Top Plays for Monday, February 27th

By Will Colello

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Point Guard

Kyrie Irving $16,200

Kyrie has always performed well with LeBron and Love out and certainly followed suit last game, finishing with 55 fantasy points against the Bulls in only 35 minutes. Irving would put up these numbers on a regular basis if LBJ and Love weren’t on his team sucking away 50%+ usage. Love will miss a couple more weeks, though the status of LeBron isn’t as clear. He was diagnosed with strep throat just 2 days ago, which leads me to think he sits out at least 1 more game. If so, Irving is almost a must play. Neither Dellavedova or Brogdon have a chance of slowing down Irving, who is far quicker and more talented than both. The Bucks also struggle at the rim, where Irving makes a lot happen. The combo of Greg Monroe and John Henson are not going to have the necessary tools to stop Irving, which could easily lead to foul trouble. Richard Jefferson and Iman Shumpert could also be in play if LeBron sits.

Cory Joseph $6,500

CoJo may be a guy we look at a lot over the next couple days, as it looks like Lowry may miss about a week. When the word “indefinitely” is used, I would expect at least a week. Joseph is the guy who will benefit most, getting about 20 extra minutes and 8 extra shots. Joseph is a guy who has always produced when given the opportunity, which gives me supreme confidence in this pick. The Knicks are a very average defensive team and you should certainly not be scared off of a PG because of Derrick Rose defense. He is far more concerned with shooting 18-foot floaters that go in 1/5 times.

Shooting Guard

DeMar DeRozan $14,650

DeRozan is the other guy who benefits from the Lowry injury. Since Lowry has been out, DeRozan has gone crazy, scoring 53 and 45 fantasy points in 2 games. This match-up is just as good, if not better than the last 2. Courtney Lee is far too small and slow to stay with DeRozan, let alone the fact that DeRozan could put him in a pretzel down low. I could see Justin Holiday getting some time on DeRozan, as he does have a similar body type and play style. Still, DeRozan is just far better than anything Holiday can bring to the table. DeRozan is going to shoot 20 times and make enough of them to payoff value. DeRozan is easily my top option at SG and one of my top options on the slate.

Jaylen Brown $5,450

Brown is definitely a tournament option here, as I don’t think he has the proper safety to roster in cash games. However, he has showed the upside a few times already and at just 5k, you have to give him a long hard look. The Celtics take on the Hawks tonight, who are a very average match-up defensively. Brown matches up very well with Bazemore and they should both see a lot of time on each other. Brown has been seeing pretty inconsistent minutes as well, but I think this is the match-up where he sees more than normal. Brown is an intriguing tournament option with a lot of risk. Make sure you know the inherent risk that comes with rostering him.

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Small Forward

Giannis Antetokunmpo $19,300

Giannis is back to being the animal he is, topping 50 fantasy points in 3 straight. Since Jabari Parker got injured, Giannis has seen a 4% usage bump. While that may not seem like a lot, it equats to about 7 possessions in which the player gets an extra touch. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that a match-up can easily be decided by someone getting an extra fantasy point or two. LeBron does seem like a tough match-up for Giannis, though the past says differently. Antetokounmpo has been fantastic against the Cavs, topping 60 in 2 of the last 3 affairs. If LeBron sits, the match-up is even better. I guess Iman Shumpert would be the guy who has to cover him. Either way, Giannis is an elite cash game and tournament option.

Dario Saric $10,650

I don’t even need to write anything here. Just look at the box scores. Box scores are typically not a reliable source of info, but this is different. Saric is now a key piece of the 76ers and is priced like a backup. Saric should be 100% owned on DraftDay tonight and you have an edge if he’s not. Make sure to have him in every lineup. The Warriors are a great match-up for Saric, who excels in fast paced games. While the Warriors could certainly blowout the 76ers, I expect the starters to get plenty of run and plenty of baskets. Saric is the top option on the slate in both cash games and tournaments, along with any other format you can find.

Power Forward

Michael Beasley $7,350

Speaking of people benefiting from the unfortunate Jabari Parker injury, Michael Beasley is back in our lives. He has been getting big minutes off the bench recently and playing extremely well. Beasley has been over 20 fantasy points in 4 straight and also flashing 30+ point upside twice in the last week. This match-up with the Cavs is one where Beasley might need to be on the court, as the Bucks may struggle trying to keep up with the Cavs. Beasley provides an extra shot creator that can rebound the basketball and play defense. Sitting in the mid 7k’s, you can make a case for Beasley across the board, though I tend to use him in tournaments.

Willie Cauley-Stein $7,650

WCS is going to be a big factor for the Kings, as he does have the potential to be a very good center on a nightly basis. While he has been extremely inconsistent over his entire career, I think we will start to see thing change as he consistently sees minutes. He has never been able to have a concrete role on a team, which could certainly be tough as a young player. While Towns is a stunning offensive player, he is nowhere near as good on defense. WCS has also added a little bit of a jumper to his game, which makes him way more versatile than in previous years. Cauley-Stein is a bit risky, but he should get you at least 20 and has the upside for a monstrous game.

Center

Karl-Anthony Towns $19,900

Speaking of big games, wow! Towns just put up nearly 75 fantasy points last game, absolutely demolishing the interior of the Rockets. He will look to do the same here against the Kings, who lack an interior. While Cauley-Stein is known as a good defender, he is more of a shot blocker. He will struggle staying with Towns on the perimeter, which is where he derives his upside. Towns is one of the only expensive guys I love tonight and I will have a ton of exposure. He has a 50 point floor with a 70 point ceiling, in my opinion.

Tristan Thompson $12,100

Tristan Thompson is one of the more boring centers to roster, though he will usually get it done for you. This Bucks team is one that has struggled all year against centers, giving up over 44 fantasy points per game to them. I expect Greg Monroe to play a lot in this one to match the Cavs scoring, which is great news for Thompson. Monroe is one of the more putrid defenders in this league, unable to stop guys like Salah Mejri and Meyers Leonard from having big games. While Thompson may not have the same upside as some of these other guys, the safety is certainly there. Thompson is an elite cash game play and a secondary GPP option.

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