Three Burning Fantasy Basketball Questions (Feb. 24)
Every week, D.J. Foster will tackle three burning questions in the Fantasy Basketball world. Topics for today: Anthony Davis goes off, Paul George enters difficult territory and the Greek Freak hints at something bigger.
1. Was Anthony Davis's 59-point, 20-rebound performance against Detroit the single best fantasy outing we'll see all year?
With about 25+ games left in the season, the smart money is on Davis. That stat line is ridiculous, but it's also a little crazy that Davis only turned the ball over twice while using so many possessions. It's hard to imagine that any other player in the league will be able to rack up 93.5 (!) fantasy points in a single game.
In my mind, there are three players who could potentially beat that number. DeMarcus Cousins has three games with over 70 fantasy points, and he's the only other guy in the league that could score that much and pull down that many rebounds. The problem? Cousins turns the ball over a ton. He put up a 35-17-4-6 line earlier this year that would have been better than Davis's big game, but he turned the ball over 10 times.
Steph Curry could certainly score 59 points, but he'd have to make up for the lack of rebounds with assists and steals. Curry has scored over 70 fantasy points three times this year and over 50 points twice. If the stars align and the Warriors get pushed to overtime, Steph could beat it.
Here's who I think will have the best single-game fantasy performance of the season when it's all said and done: James Harden. Harden has scored over 70 fantasy points six times this season, and his 84.5 fantasy point effort earlier this year again Portland is the second highest single-game total all year. We know Harden can score, but he's a threat to post double digit rebounds and assists as well, which is likely what it will take to beat Davis's monster night.
Vote in the poll below and let us know what you think.
2. Is Paul George running out of gas?
Before the All-Star break, Indiana Pacers star Paul George turned in a few lackluster performances. After being one of the most productive fantasy players for the first part of the season, it looked like George was running out of gas. In seven of his first nine games in the month of February, George was held under 20 points.
Given that he missed so much time in 2014-15 with a broken leg, it all made sense. George's body wasn't quite accustomed to playing so many games, and he was doing a lot of the heavy lifting offensively for the Pacers.
The time off appears to have served George well, however. He put up a 22-5-10 line against OKC in his first game back after the break, and he torched Miami for 31 points in his last game. A well-rested George is a scary thing.
That said, George's February fade should be kept in mind as the rest of the season plays out. For DFS players, it might be wise to avoid George at the end of long road trips or on the second half of difficult back-to-backs. He won't be quite as dominant, especially on the glass, as he was earlier in the season as the year winds down.
I don't think season-long players need to trade George, by any means. Even if he slows down, he'll still be a top-15 fantasy option the rest of the way.
3. Is Giannis Antetokounmpo finally ready to break out?
After becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double on Monday, it's a good time to look at Antetokounmpo's fantasy stock.
The Greek Freak has been a popular break out target ever since he entered the league, but I think we're actually seeing it now. Antetokounmpo has scored over 40 DFS points in nine games in February, including three straight after the All-Star break. He's been more active on the boards and is taking a bigger role in the offense, which is something that's needed to happen for a long time now.
It's interesting that Antetokounmpo's breakout is happening while Jabari Parker plays the best basketball of his career. With defenses perhaps less focused on him, Giannis has become a bigger factor and is having more success out of the post. No team needs spacing more desperately than Milwaukee, and Parker's improved play is helping the offense as a whole. Moving Michael Carter-Williams and Greg Monroe to the bench has also put the ball in Giannis's hands more often, and Milwaukee's recent success as a team with the lineup change could make it permanent.
All signs are pointing to Giannis having more success going forward. Get on board now before he becomes too expensive.
