NBA Sleeper Top Picks & Plays, Featuring CJ McCollum & Stephen Curry - Jan 2, 2023
We have a very interesting six-game NBA DFS main slate on Tuesday which means there are plenty of options to pick from on Sleeper Fantasy Pick’em’s. We have elite names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid taking the floor tonight. Let’s dive into the top Sleeper Pick’em top plays of the night here at Fantasy Alarm.
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NBA Sleeper Top Picks & Plays
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Obviously taking unders on elite basketball players is not very fun and gives you a knot in your stomach, but this has been a surefire number this season. Curry’s gone under this mark in four consecutive games and in terms of going over (via props.cash);
Last 10: 3/10 (30%)
Last 15: 6/15 (40%)
Last 30: 13/30 (43%)
Orlando is a top-five defense this year and a middle of the road defensive team. It doesn’t help Curry that Chris Paul has entered the lineup considering he had more touches (80) than Curry did (72) last game.
Pick: Stephen Curry less than 37.5 P+R+A
CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
Do you know what? CJ McCollum continues to be a really good rebounder out of the point-guard slot. McCollum is averaging four rebounds per game and we know about his scoring pedigree. Over his last 10 games, he’s hit this over seven times, has a 53% hit rate over his last 15 games, and over the course of this season, he’s at a 60% clip on the over. He averages 7.5 rebound chances per game and averages nearly 20 points per night as well. Brooklyn is middle of the round in terms of rebound rate and they’re the 28th most efficient shooting team in the league, leading to more rebound opportunities for CJM.
Pick: More than 22.5 P+R
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Player News
Buddy Hield had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.
Jimmy Butler had 17 points (6-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers against the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday.
Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four three-pointers in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Alexander-Walker was a key scorer off the bench in Game 2. He, Naz Reid and Donte DiVencenzo combined for 10 made three-pointers off the bench. In a game where the Warriors were desperate for scoring without Stephen Curry (hamstring), those bench points were too much to overcome as the Timberwolves won by 24 points.
Julius Randle had 24 points (10-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, 11 assists and one three-pointer in Game 2 against the Warriors on Thursday.
Randle led the Timberwolves in scoring in the Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old power forward was just three rebounds away from a triple-double. He was a steadying presence in his 33 minutes as Anthony Edwards dealt with an ankle injury towards the end of the first half. Edwards recovered from his injury to play 34 minutes, but Randle is still the next most important player in this series for the Timberwolves.
Anthony Edwards had 20 points (6-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block and two three-pointers in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Thursday.
Edwards appeared to suffer a sprained left ankle towards the end of the second quarter as the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his foot. Edwards turned the same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and appeared to re-aggravate the injury. The 23-year-old shooting guard would go on to start the second half and play a team-high 34 minutes in the Game 2 victory. Edwards will only have one full day off before the series resumes in Golden State for Game 3 on Saturday.
Warriors will start Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post in Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
No surprise here as Curry was always a long shot to make it back for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with hamstring injury. While there has been a report that the 37-year-old point guard is expected to miss a week, there is no firm timetable for his return. The Warriors will go big with their starting lineup for Game 2 with center Quinten Post entering the lineup in Curry’s absence.