NBA $15,000 SATURDAY: TIPS & SELECTIONS
NBA Saturday rolls around once more with some big games as the season continues to edge closer to the end.
Early in the day, a critical Eastern contest sees the ninth ranked Hornets visit the sixth placed Nets.
Shortly after, a big inter-conference throw down features the Trail Blazers paying a visit to Toronto to face the Raptors.
Rounding out the day, the Lakers quest to force their way back into the playoffs doesn’t get any easier when they get a visit from Giannis and the Bucks.
There is $15,000 up for grabs in the Saturday jackpot tournament.
Zach LaVine – SG/PG – $15,950
The Zach attack has been in full flight lately, coming off a 30-5-4 night against Memphis, he averaged 24.5 points through February with six assists and five boards while regularly raining in multiple triples. He now gets the juicy game against the Hawks bottom ranked defense that leaks 118 points per game. LaVine has faced the Hawks twice this year for a combined total of 50 points. He looks a good bet to continue his February festivities in this spot.
Kelly Oubre Jr – SF/PF – $11,740
Oubre has been pouring in the points recently, averaging 20 points over his last four games, he’s also been averaging 33 minutes a night over that stretch with five rebounds. He’s also a strong candidate to have the occasional big night, as he did a few games back when he lit up the Clippers for 28 points. The Pelicans remain one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, exacerbated by the Anthony Davis saga limiting his minutes. Oubre already torched the Pelicans for 22 points earlier this season and in this form represents great value at slightly above average price.
Nicolas Batum – SG/SF – $11,320
Is Nicolas Batum back? in his last four games it looks like that might be the case. After a largely underwhelming year, Batum has averaged 16 points, six boards, 4.5 assists with a steal and a block with 14 triples in that stretch. Included in that stretch was a game against Brooklyn who the Hornets meet again here. Batum has flashed signs throughout the year that he’s still capable of being this well rounded performer, but we haven’t seen him be able to string these games together consistently for a while. It looks like he’s not found the touch.
Kevin Huerter – SG – $7,290
The Red Mamba has struggled in his first couple of games back for the Hawks, but he did find his minutes swing back up last game logging 30 minutes which is steering back in the direction of what he was playing when he was being a very prolific contributor in January. We have seen now that Huerter can rack up points, particularly from deep, so as long as he gets minutes the points should follow. He’s had a couple of games to get his groove back, and now gets a Chicago defense that while middle of the pack for points concede, allows the sixth most triples per game in the NBA.
Willie Cauley-Stein – C/PF – $10,730
The absence of Marvin Bagley clears the path for some big minutes for WCS, as he had in his last game spending 32 minutes on the court. He didn’t quite capitalise on it as much as he may have liked, putting up a line of 10-9-1, but he is a likely double-double threat when he gets that many minutes which he should again here. “Lock City” disappeared months ago now, the Clippers have the 24th ranked defense in the league, and with the Kings ranked 26th there should be plenty of points and plenty of chances for boards here. The Clippers lack a strong interior presence so it should be a good outing for Cauley-Stein.
Enter the NBA $15,000 Saturday tournament.
NBA SCORING SYSTEM
Point Scored = 1 point
Missed Field Goal = -0.25 points
Missed Free Throw = -0.25 points
Assist = 1.5 points
Rebound = 1.25 points
Turnover = -0.5 points
Steal = 2 points
Block = 2 points
3 Point Made Bonus = 1 point
Double-Double = 2 points
Triple-Double = 2 points
NBA