Fantasy Weekend: OKC Thunder and the hunt for momentum

This weekend is an important one for the OKC Thunder. Two big games await the squad against Philadelphia and New York.

The OKC Thunder are fresh off a victory over the Indiana Pacers. While the victory was a step in the right direction, there’s still plenty of work to be done. That work begins on Friday night in Philadelphia against the upstart 76ers. OKC then closes the weekend the next night in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks on Saturday.

This pair of contests is a great fantasy opportunity for those not shaken away from the Thunder’s offensive woes. The big story this weekend is of course, Carmelo Anthony making his (triumphant?) return to the Big Apple. But the team cannot look ahead as the young 76ers are a tough matchup this season.

At the risk of rambling on, let’s move on to our weekly fantasy picks for your reading pleasure.

Carmelo Anthony

This selection should not surprise anyone. Well, unless you’ve been watching Melo brick every jumper he has taken in recent weeks, then you’re probably scratching your head. That’s okay, that’s why I am here to explain why Anthony makes the cut this week.

Saturday will be the first time Carmelo takes the floor in NYC as a visitor since his trade a few months ago. The Garden should be electric and I have a feeling that Anthony will feed off of the boos and play extremely well against his former team. In the first matchup against the Knicks this season he posted only 22 points, look for that number to be a tad higher this time around.

Enes Kanter

It felt like I would be doing Enes Kanter a disservice if I left him off this list. The former OKC Thunder player should be celebrated for the class he showed while being traded and his ever hilarious jabs at ‘he who shall not be named’ and the Golden State Warriors.

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

The positive for the Turkish big man is that his play has also done a lot of talking this season. Moving to New York has revitalized his scoring and rebounding talent as he is averaging a 13 point, 10 rebound double-double per game. Even with stache brother Steven Adams defending him, look for Kanter to have a solid night against the OKC Thunder.

Joel Embiid

With all the talk about the game in New York, let’s not forget that the OKC Thunder have to first play against Joel Embiid and his young 76er squad the night before in Philly. This matchup features a team with veteran stars and the other with a multitude of rising talent. It should be a fantastic matchup.

Joel Embiid is in this spot because he has already proven to be one of the best centers in the entire league. While he does talk trash more so than most players, he can definitely back it up with his on court performances. The phenom is averaging 23.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. With numbers like that, how could you not pick him to ball out?

Alex Abrines

Sitting in our sleeper pick slot this week is Alex Abrines. The 2nd-year guard out of Spain has stepped up his game the last few contests, providing much needed shooting for the OKC Thunder. He has now scored in double figures in three consecutive games and has hit 12 threes in those contests.

If those trends continue, and if Abrines continues to play extended minutes with the starters, he is in store for a big weekend. Don’t be afraid to rub your beard if Alex is the reason why you win your fantasy matchup this weekend.