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 (3/29)
Cade Cunningham (G – DET): 6.5 1st quarter points
Cade continues to be a tone-setter for the Detroit Pistons, scoring seven or more first quarter points in seven of his last 10 games and six or more in nine of his last 11. Both games he failed to score at least six first quarter points came against Miami. Cade is in an excellent position to score seven or more points in the first again tonight against a Washington Wizards team fully embracing the new ‘defense is optional’ paradigm plaguing the NBA. Clap the More on Cade for Friday night.
Pick: More
Lauri Markkanen (F – UTA): 1.5 steals + blocks
Markkanen was back hitting the Less on two StOcks on Monday and should be ready to extend the streak tonight, thanks to still dealing with the lingering effects from a quad contusion. Lauri actually put together a mini-run that saw him record two or more StOcks in four straight games but looks set to return to ‘regular scheduled programming’. Markkanen has failed to record two StOcks in 14 of his last 19 games and did so in 13 of 14 games before he finally decided to use his length for a hot minute. Light up the Less on Lauri for Friday night basketball.
Pick: Less
Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): 3.5 1st quarter rebounds
Jokic continues to pound the glass to start games for the Denver Nuggets, hauling in four or more first quarter rebounds in seven of his last eight games, averaging 5.1 rebounds per first quarter over that stretch. Jokic grabbed eight first quarter rebounds against Minnesota two weeks ago and is in an excellent position to do so again tonight against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that will be without Karl Anthony-Towns and has both Anthony Edwards (back) and Rudy Gobert (rib) listed as questionable. The Joker should be fully up for a matchup that could help determine the number one seed in the Western Conference. Jab the More on Jokic for Friday 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.
