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Important Notes
Welcome to my Stacks article specifically designed for StatHero! This will be the case on Fridays moving forward. Each of my stacks will outline three players on teams that I’m looking to use on this slate. There will be a fourth player that needs to be added to your StatHero stack, though, as each stack gets a total of four players from one team.
There is also a “1st Round Bonus Wildcard” player that needs to be selected. These Wildcards are generally some of the best players available on the slate. Ultimately, your StatHero team will feature four players from one team with a bonus player.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics and Minnesota Wolves rank 17th and seventh in the NBA in pace, respectively. Boston also ranks fifth in the league in offensive rating, while Minnesota ranks only 16th in defensive rating. The Celtics are -7.5 point favorites in a game set at 226.5 points, and they boast an implied team total of 117 points.
Jaylen Brown
Kemba Walker has been ruled out tonight, allowing others to take over the offense. Jaylen Brown struggled a bit prior to the All Star Break, but he’s expected to boast the second highest usage rating of the starters tonight. He’s a player that relies heavily on scoring, and is likely to see shots in the high-teens or low-20s in this game. Minnesota has also struggled against scorers throughout the season, making this the perfect situation for Brown to breakout.
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward caught fire before the All Star Break. Over his last 5 games, he’s averaging 20.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 37.2 minutes per game. Hayward is another player that will see a slight uptick in usage around with Walker injured. The offense will run more through him, and he quietly boasts triple-double potential. Hayward has been a consistent option, who also comes with tremendous upside while he’s playing well.
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is the biggest beneficiary of the Walker injury, as his usage rating is expected to sit north of 30% tonight. He’s another player that caught fire prior to the All Star Break, averaging 29.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.6 steals in 39.0 minutes per game. Tatum will be locked into big minutes tonight, and he’ll take over as the focal point of the offense. He possesses the ability to contribute in each of the five categories, and Tatum is the top option for Boston tonight.
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Blazers currently rank third and 11th in the NBA in pace this season. New Orleans ranks 15th in the league in offensive rating, as well, while Portland ranks 27th in defensive rating. The Pelicans are -5 point favorites in a game set at 238.5 points, and they possess one of the highest implied team totals on the slate at 121.8 points.
Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball is a consistent option, who has been locked into big minutes. He doesn’t score at a high rate, but has triple-double potential with the ability to contribute in each of the five categories. Ball is averaging over 1.0 fantasy point per minute against the Portland Blazers this season, and he should find minutes in the mid-30s tonight. He adds consistency to a high upside New Orleans stack.
Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram played only 21 minutes in his last game, but he looks to be fully healed from his ankle injury for tonight. In his 4 games prior to that injury, Ingram averaged 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in 32.5 minutes per game. Similarly to Ball, Ingram has found success against Portland this season. He’ll be a focal point of the offense tonight, while playing minutes in the mid-30s. Ingram adds tremendous upside to this stack.
Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson has only played in 10 games this season, but he has looked elite. In those games, he’s averaging 22.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 27.3 minutes per game. Williamson is no longer on a minutes restriction, and he’s expected to see 30+ minutes tonight. He’s an efficient, versatile player, who comes with double-double potential. Much like Ingram, Williamson isn’t overly consistent, but he adds undeniable upside to one of the best stacks of the night.
Follow Justin Bales on Twitter (@BalesSJustin)
