Fantasy Basketball: Slate Collapse Christmas Day

On By Littum

The NBA’s marquee Christmas board is a great one this season. There will be five matches in total, with the first being played at 12:00 PM ET. Let’s dig into the matchups and highlight some things fantasy managers should look for in every game.

The Knicks currently hold the third seed in the Eastern Conference with their 19-10 record. Known for their defense last season, the Knicks have the second best offensive rating in the league this season. Karl-Anthony Towns has been an excellent addition, averaging 24.7 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 3-pointers per game. match.

The Spurs are in the middle of the playoff hunt in the Western Conference with their record at 15-14. It is worth noting that this game will be played in New York. The Spurs are 11-7 at home this season, but just 4-7 on the road.

In a game against the Trail Blazers on Saturday, Wembanyama scored 30 points, had 10 blocks and made four 3-pointers. He followed that up with 26 points, eight blocks and six 3-pointers against the 76ers on Monday. After attempting 5.5 3-pointers per game last season, Wembanyama averaged 9.3 3-point attempts per game. game this season, making them at a rate of 35.6%. His versatile skill set is among the most unique in the entire NBA.

The Mavericks are off to a 19-10 start, which has included going 10-4 at home. With Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving at the helm, they have the fourth-best offensive rating in the league. Klay Thompson has given them a boost in 3-point shooting, but he is having a down season with his averages of 14.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. match.

The Timberwolves have been a disappointment at 14-14. They have the sixth best defensive rating in the league, but they are only 23rd in offensive rating. It hasn’t helped their cause that they have played at the seventh-slowest pace in the league.

When the Timberwolves traded Towns to the Knicks, they lost a lot of 3-point shooting. Edwards has tried to make up for it by attempting 10.0 3-pointers per game. match, which was up from 6.7 per game last season. Not only is he attempting more, but he is shooting 41.4% from behind the arc. His previous highest mark in this department is 36.9%, which he achieved two seasons ago.

The Celtics are 22-7 out of the gate, good for the second-best mark in the Eastern Conference. They have the third best offensive rating while also having the seventh best defensive rating. They are averaging 50.4 3-point attempts per game. game. The team with the second highest mark is the Bulls, with 44.0 3-point attempts per game.

It’s been a disastrous start for the 76ers, who are 10-17 and currently out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have played a major role in their slow start. Tyrese Maxey has been limited to 21 games, Paul George has played in 17 games and Joel Embiid has only played in eight games.

The 76ers could fight an uphill battle behind the arc. Not only do the Celtics attempt the most 3-pointers per game. game in the league, but they are shooting 36.3% on those attempts. The 76ers have attempted the 10th fewest 3-pointers per game. game and is shooting just 33.0% from behind the arc.

These two veteran-laden teams both have winning records in the Western Conference. The Lakers are a sparkling 9-4 at home, but have underwhelmed on the road to a 7-9 record. They have been fortunate enough to have their top two stars healthy for most of the season. LeBron James has played in 27 games, while Anthony Davis has appeared in 28 games.

The Warriors have already made a trade to try to bolster their roster, acquiring Dennis Schröder from the Nets. He has immediately joined their starting five, although he did not log more than 30 minutes in any of his first three games with the team. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still in the fold, it’s possible the Warriors will look to make more moves as the trade deadline approaches to bolster their chances of winning another championship.

James had the best season of his career from beyond the arc last season, shooting 41.0% on his 3-point attempts. He is down to 35.3% this season. He’s been even worse of late, shooting 25.4% on his 3-point attempts over his last 12 games.

The Nuggets have produced a 16-11 record out of the gate. They remain productive on the offensive end and have the sixth-best offensive rating in the league. However, they are only 15th in defensive rating. Part of their struggles on defense can be attributed to Aaron Gordon appearing in just 16 games due to injuries.

The Suns have had plenty of injury problems of their own during their 14-14 start. Kevin Durant has played in just 18 games, Bradley Beal has appeared in 18 games, and Devin Booker has played in 26 games. Booker has missed the last two games with a groin injury and may not be cleared to return in time for this game.

Jokić is having a ridiculous season averaging 30.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.3 3-pointers per game. match. He is shooting 56.9% from the field and 51.9% from behind the arc. The problem is that the lack of depth on the Nuggets has forced him to average 37 minutes per game. match. He has never averaged more than 35 minutes in a season in his career. Outside of Russell Westbrook, the Nuggets don’t have many dangerous scoring options coming off their bench.