Isolating OKC Thunder players and opponents for your weekend basketball fantasy picks.
Unfortunately for OKC Thunder Fans, the past couple games haven’t been too exciting. With four straight losses, including one to the lowly Kings. It’s hard to think of anything but disappointment at this moment.
Luckily Thunderous Intentions first installment of Weekend Fantasy starts today. This column is designed to display who could be a good fantasy pick-up for Oklahoma City’s weekend games. For variety, I am going to pick two OKC Thunder players and two players from their opponents every weekend.
Sound good? Great. Let’s get started.
Russell Westbrook
The reigning MVP of the NBA was sure to be a top fantasy draft pick, if not the first overall pick, in nearly all leagues this season. Averaging a triple-double for an entire year tends to bring on those sorts of things. With this in mind, you’re probably thinking to yourself “I know Russ is a good pick, why is this guy telling me what I already know?”
That question is extremely valid and fair, but here is why it’s especially important to play Russell Westbrook this weekend.
The two opponents the OKC Thunder are playing (LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks) are both weak at the point guard position but for different reasons. Los Angeles has had a slew of injuries that have both Patrick Beverly and Milos Teodosic likely out against the Thunder while Maverick PG Dennis Smith Jr. is in his rookie season. Westbrook should be able to pile up the stats against this his competition and maybe even snag another triple-double.
Dennis Smith Jr.
More from Thunderous Intentions
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- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
As solid as Russell Westbrook has played this season on the offensive side (free throws not included), he has been lackluster at best on the defensive end. That is exactly the reason why the rookie guard could be a sneaky fantasy pick this weekend.
Smith Jr. leads the Mavs in assists (4.9) and is second on the team in scoring (14.2). That fact, coupled with Westbrook’s tendency for poor defense could make for a breakout game for the NC State product.
Paul George
It’s no secret that out of the three OKC Thunder stars, it has been George that has taken longer to fit in. The good news for PG-13 and fantasy owners alike, however, is his match-ups on Friday and Sunday night.
George is an elite shooter who has yet to get into a nice rhythm. The search for that could end this weekend as LA and Dallas are 22nd and 24th in terms of defending the three-point shot. If he can hit some shots early, look for a string of big performances from the OKC forward.
Blake Griffin
It’s impossible to mention Oklahoma City and the Clippers without talking about Blake Griffin.
Once rumored to return home to OKC in the offseason, Griffin re-upped with LA and is now the main guy for a revamped Clippers squad. In terms of actual basketball and fantasy basketball. Blake averages a team high 22.8 points per game and 4.5 assists. While both those statistics are nice, he also averages 8.5 rebounds to round out an impressive average of stats.
In terms of this weekend, Griffin will be matched up with OKC Thunder PF Carmelo Anthony. Melo has yet to be tested by a player of Griffin’s skill at his new starting position. That is a recipe for disaster for Melo and opponents to those starting Blake in fantasy basketball.