NBA $15,000 SATURDAY: TIPS & SELECTIONS
A limited five game slate is on the agenda for NBA Saturday this week.
The NBA world is buzzing around the Kristaps Porzingis trade, and with few games on the slate the fallout will no doubt continue to dominate the headlines.
One game in particular however is a true standout with the Rockets visiting the Nuggets in a potential Western conference playoff preview.
Elsewhere, things could get very ugly at the Garden when the Knicks host the Celtics.
There is $15,000 up for grabs in the Saturday jackpot tournament.
Marc Gasol – C – $15,280
Gasol’s name recently joined the trade-rumour mill, with talk that the Grizzlies were open to trading their longstanding cornerstone. Since then, Gasol has seemed rejuvenated, with 18 points or more in five of his last six games. He’s also averaging 10 rebounds and four dimes in that stretch. When the news broke, we tipped Gasol to come out of the gates and he lit up Charlotte with a 22 point triple double. Now, he gets a shot at Charlotte again, who are a great match up for him, and
Joe Ingles – SF/SG – $11,220
The Aussie sharpshooter has started to find the range again lately, averaging around 14 points over his last four contests along with five rebounds and multiple triples in each game. This is an extremely appetizing match up for Ingles against a Hawks defense that remains at the very bottom of the league for points conceded, and 25th in three pointers allowed. Ingles can, and has, put up big numbers at times on the back of the deep ball and Atlanta should allow him plenty of chances.
Kyler Korver – SG/SF – $6,130
If you need a cheap option, fellow Jazz sniper Korver is also a chance to go off against the porous Hawks defense. It is no certainty, hence the cheap price tag, but Korver has scored 13 or more in two of this last three games and has made eight triples in that stretch. Korver, one of the most prolific three point shooters in NBA history, may be getting old, but the stroke is still there and he has multiple games this year in the late teens and early twenties.
Kevin Knox – SF/PF – $8,820
With the NBA narrative completely taken over surrounding the trade of Kristaps Porzingis, from a fantasy perspective it’s important to note that a number of other Knicks are out the door in leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr, Courtney Lee and Trey Burke. That’s a lot of the Knicks production, or at least attempted production, and with the replacement Mavericks players unlikely to take the court here having played in Dallas last night, some Knicks are going to see a usage bump here. Knox has put up 19 and 17 points in his last two games and as a key part of the Knicks future going forward looms as a likely candidate to see a usage bump.
Kyrie Irving – PG – $21,330
On the flip side of the Porzingis trade, the Knicks are terrible, and they’re going to be operating at a reduced capacity here. We already knew Boston was going to be a tough task for the Knicks but now we’re looking at a potential bloodbath. If that is the case, Irving figures to lead the festivities. Now off the injury report after missing time with a strained hip, Irving will be eager to resume playing some of the best Basketball of his career. Through his last five games, Irving is averaging 31 points, 11 assists and five boards, while putting up multiple triples in each of those games.
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