Welcome to Sleeper Picks. Sleeper’s newest offering promised plenty of entertainment and action, and they delivered. We will break down our top three picks for tonight’s NBA action. Sleeper is quickly becoming one of the most popular season-long fantasy platforms, and they are expanding into other areas based on demand. Each week in this space, we’ll talk about some strategy for the new platform while providing our favorite NBA more/less picks.
NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (12/18)
DeMar DeRozan (G/F – CHI): 22.5 points
DeRozan has been heating up lately, scoring 23 or more points in five of his last seven and 20 or more in six of them. Averaging 22.5 points per game on the season as a whole, that average jumps to 25.4 points per game when Zach LaVine is sidelined. Where LaVine ends up and what his market value will be is anyone’s guess, but for now DeRozan should continue to pace the Bulls in scoring on most nights. Tonight, he faces a Philadelphia 76ers team that has actually been one of the tops in the league in limiting points per game to the position, but this play is more about the extra volume afforded to DeRozan sans LaVine and his recent strong play than it is about the opponent. Dap the More on DeRozan if comfortable.
Pick: More
Kawhi Leonard (G/F – LAC): 28.5 points
Kawhi has scored 27 or more points in each of the last five games, clearly establishing himself as the best player on a team of superstars (or ex-superstars). He has been scoring well enough lately that a 26.5 or 27.5 would be the number we would attack, but with tonight’s opponent being the Indiana Pacers, the extra point or two is not as big a deal as it otherwise might be. Indiana has relinquished the fifth most points per game to the small forward position and will have their hands full with a player formula entrenched in the best player in the NBA debate when he is healthy and locked in. Indiana allows the second most points per game overall at 125.9 per contest. There should be more than enough scoring in this one for Kawhi to hit 29 without even trying. Tap the More on Kawhi for Monday night.
Pick: More
Scottie Barnes (G/F – TOR): 21.5 points
Scottie Barnes has been excellent lately and has made his extended scoring slump seem like a distant memory. He has scored 23 or more points in five of his last seven games and 20 or more in six of them. He has averaged 23.5 points per game over that span. Tonight, he faces off against a Charlotte Hornets team that he dropped 31 on just four games ago. The Hornets allow the 10th most points per game to the small forward position at 21.86 per contest. There is always a lack of aggressiveness risk with Scottie as he doesn’t go into star mode until the fourth quarter of some games (33.6 percent of his points come in the fourth quarter), but he has been more balanced lately, and that is what we are counting on against an exploitable opponent. Bump the More on Barnes for Monday night.
Pick: More
Writers note: The lines are constantly changing on Sleeper (and sometimes expiring), so there is a high probability that one or all of the numbers may no longer be the same when you open your app. There are excellent values when they are first posted, with the only catch being that they are not all released at the same time. Vigilance could provide a solid return on investment this season, literally.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.