On Monday, the fantasy basketball season’s second week gets underway with a full schedule of ten games. The Nuggets (at home against the Jazz), the Warriors (at the Pelicans), and the Lakers (at home against the Magic) are among the seven teams playing in the second part of a back-to-back series. While it is doubtful that any teams would feel compelled to test the new NBA load management regulation by sitting key veterans, it is feasible that some players may show signs of exhaustion or play with limited minutes. Given that LeBron James and Anthony Davis just finished 81 minutes apiece in an overtime defeat to the Kings on Sunday, I would pay close attention to the Lakers in particular.
Taking into account this and other intriguing situations, these are my top picks from today’s slate.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors, -7.0. Three games in a row to start the season, all won by the Raptors by single digits, were against clubs who made it to the postseason last year (at least the play-in game). The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, have lost both of their opening three games to postseason opponents by a total score of forty points. The Raptors are the superior team, well-rested, and should take advantage of home court advantage against a less-experienced opponent to easily defeat the Trail Blazers in the second leg of their road back-to-back.
Alexander-Shai Gilgeous over 28.5 pts. Against the Nuggets on Sunday, Gilgeous-Alexander had a rare poor shooting performance, finishing just 2-for-16 from the floor for seven points. Gilgeous-Alexander only had three games in which he scored fewer than 20 points in the previous campaign. He then returned to his usual high-scoring ways, scoring 33, 30, and 33 points in the games that followed. Against a Pistons defence that is tied for 21st in points allowed and 20th in field goal % allowed to opposition shooting guards, he could be in for a huge comeback effort on Monday.
Golden State Warriors defeated against New Orleans Pelicans -3.0. With 6-foot-9 Brandon Ingram starting at shooting guard and Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas in the paint, the Pelicans have a significant size edge over the Warriors. Therefore, the Warriors usually need their perimeter players to be dominant in order to win the contest. Though the Pelicans’ size advantage has more potential to wear out the Warriors, who are an older team playing the second part of a back-to-back after a shockingly tough game against the Rockets on Sunday.
Over the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets -7.5. This season, the Nuggets are not messing around. They just trounced the previously unbeaten Thunder by 33 points on Sunday afternoon, bringing their record to 3-0. The Jazz, on the other hand, are 1-2, but they have lost both of their games by a combined 38 points against teams who made the playoffs the previous year. Even in the second part of a back-to-back, the Nuggets should have no trouble handling the Jazz when they play at home.
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