Golden State Warriors (48-26) at Atlanta Hawks (37-37)
Trae Young is the clear choice for Friday’s fantasy star of the night after scoring 33 points and dishing out 15 assists in a 121-110 win over the Warriors. Young had one of his best games of the season at the perfect time for fantasy managers. He should continue to carry the Hawks offensively as they push for the best possible seed in the play-in tournament. Danilo Gallinari added 25 points before exiting with an elbow injury in the fourth quarter. It did not appear to be too serious but the Hawks would be very thin if he were to miss any time.
Klay Thompson was just as good as Trae Young as he scored 37 points on 9-16 three-point shooting. It was one of the best games for Klay since his return and he continues to show signs that he will be just as good as he was before his injuries. Jordan Poole stepped up once again without Steph Curry in the lineup finishing with 24 points and a career-high 10 assists. He should continue to command a lot of usage with Curry out and even more when Klay Thomson rests during back-to-backs.
Utah Jazz (45-29) at Charlotte Hornets (38-36)
The Charlotte Hornets pick up a big win on Friday to keep them a game ahead of the Hawks in the play-in tournament. Miles Bridges led the way with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in the win. He continues to provide managers with well-rounded stats with this scoring outburst coming at the perfect time for the playoffs. Terry Rozier was right behind Bridges with 25 points, while LaMelo Ball added 21 points and five assists. LaMelo has had his shooting struggles this season and could be able to take another leap forward next year if he can improve his poor shooting numbers.
Utah was slightly shorthanded on Friday, playing without Bojan Bogdanovic and Hassan Whiteside. Rudy Gobert soaked up an even larger portion of the center minutes on Friday but was underwhelming in a great matchup for centers. He finished with 11 points and 19 rebounds while adding an assist and a block. Gobert never really lets fantasy managers down as one of the most consistent options in the game. Jordan Clarkson has picked up a few extra minutes with Bogdanovic out of the lineup, playing 35+ minutes in three of the last four games. He finished with 19 points on Friday but struggled to get his shot to fall.
Washington Wizards (31-42) at Detroit Pistons (20-57)
The Wizards sneak by the Pistons, winning 100-97 on Friday. Kristaps Porzingis led the way with 30 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes. He should play around 32 minutes a night moving forward as he appears to be off his minutes limit. Tomas Satoransky was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Raul Neto, who did not see the court in this game. Satoransky finished with six points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He can be looked at in deeper leagues but is by no means a must-add.
The Pistons continue their push for the number one overall pick being tied for the second-worst record in the league. Jerami Grant left the game early with a calf injury, which opened up minutes for Marvin Bagley, who ended as the Pistons’ leading scorer with 25 points. He would likely start at power forward if Grant were to miss any time. Cade Cunningham added 22 points and nine assists in the narrow loss.
Dallas Mavericks (45-29) at Minnesota Timberwolves (43-32)
The Wolves had no problems on Friday as they beat the Mavericks 116-95. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 20 points and nine rebounds, but it was a balanced effort from the entire team that led to the win. The Wolves had seven players score 10 or more points, including all five starters. They will need to keep their momentum going as they look to secure a playoff spot and avoid the play-in tournament.
https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1507518782855557125?s=20&t=n_Fdc_1sYnMeFt5al_moaA
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, including a nutmeg dime to Dwight Powell. Doncic has struggled with his shooting numbers this year but has remained an excellent fantasy option because of his elite all-around play. Dwight Powell added 13 points himself as the second-highest scorer.
New York Knicks (32-42) at Miami Heat (47-27)
The Knicks stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat the Heat 111-103 on Friday. Immanuel Quickley led the way for the Knicks with 23 points on 3-8 three-point shooting. He scored 20 of those points in the fourth quarter and was the catalyst in the comeback. RJ Barrett struggled to get much going on Friday but still managed to finish with 18 points and eight rebounds. He should continue to be the first option while Julius Randle is out with a quad injury.
The Heat loses a heartbreaker after being outscored 38-15 in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler led the way with 30 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. He was forced to step up and contribute more than usual with Tyler Herro out of the lineup on Friday. He should continue to be the top option, but his fantasy upside is limited when the team is fully healthy.
Houston Rockets (19-55) at Portland Trail Blazers (27-46)
The Houston Rockets blew out the only team that is worse than them at the moment, beating the tanking Blazers 125-106 in a game they controlled from start to finish. Jalen Green led the way with 23 points on 5-10 three-point shooting. He continues to improve his efficiency which has been his main issue in category leagues this season. Christian Wood added 10 points 11 rebounds, and five assists in the blowout win.
The Blazers have been rolling out some awful teams of late as they have shut down a few injured players along with Josh Hart being a recurring name on the injury report. Trendon Watford has been one of the many Blazers to enjoy extra playing time as he finished as the leading scorer with 19 points while adding six assists and five rebounds. He plays some of the most consistent minutes for the Blazers right now which makes him one of their safest fantasy options. Kris Dunn continues to eat into Brandon Williams’s minutes as he has been producing great all-around numbers off the bench. He finished with 12 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals. He should continue to see a steady stream of minutes off the bench with upside for more if he’s playing well.
Philadelphia 76ers (46-27) at Los Angeles Clippers (35-39)
The Sixers easily beat the Clippers on Friday, winning 122-97. James Harden led the way with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. He had a great first half, scoring 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the first 24 minutes. Joel Embiid got in on the fun as well, scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. We have already seen that both of these superstars can be elite fantasy options alongside each other and they gave us another showing of it on Friday.
The Clippers have stated that they will make an effort to limit their veterans moving forward. Marcus Morris Sr. only played 15 minutes last night while Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson played in the mid-20s. Amir Coffey was the biggest beneficiary of the limited minutes for veterans and blowout as he played 38 minutes and led all Clippers with 21 points. He could enjoy a sizeable role moving forward as the Clippers are comfortable with their spot in the play-in tournament.
