Welcome to another edition of Bales’ Top GPP plays. In this article, I will outline my favorite NBA GPP plays for today’s games. If you want all of my core plays along with our staff’s Final Thoughts articles and access to our Discord, click here.
Guards
Isaiah Joe
Joe’s seen limited minutes as a rookie this season. He’s averaging 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists (8.4 fantasy points) in 14.3 minutes per game. In a limited role, Joe’s averaging a 7.5/4.5/3.0/1.0/0.5 line on a per-36 minute basis. He scored 24 fantasy points in 45 minutes in his last game, shooting only 22.2% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc.
Joe gets a great matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, who rank 12th in the NBA in pace and 20th in defensive efficiency this season. He saw a 17% usage rating in his last game, and he could find a similar usage rating again tonight. More importantly, Joe saw 18 shot attempts, including 11 from beyond the arc. He was a focal point of the offense, although he’ll lose a bit of value with Joel Embiid playing tonight. With that being said, the Philadelphia 76ers are dealing with Covid protocols, limiting their number of players tonight. Joe is expected to play 30+ minutes once again, and he boasts elite upside if his shot is falling.
Devonte’ Graham
Graham’s found success through 10 games this season. He’s averaging 10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.4 steals (28.9 fantasy points) in 32.2 minutes per game. Graham’s minutes have been inconsistent at times, but he saw 37 and 39 minutes in 2 of his last 3 games. He posted 37 and 38 fantasy points in those contests.
Graham gets a tough matchup against the New York Knicks tonight. They rank 27th in the league in pace and eighth in defensive efficiency. Graham continues to boast a usage rating of around 20%, flashing the ability to contribute in multiple categories on a nightly basis. He’s expected to find minutes in the mid-30s once again tonight. LaMelo Ball is garnering all of the hype for the Charlotte Hornets after becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double. Charlotte’s proven that they’re willing to play Graham with Ball and Terry Rozier, solidifying Graham’s minutes. He’s also a player that continues to close games for the Hornets, and he comes with far too much upside for his projected ownership and price tag on this slate.
Bigs
Julius Randle
Randle’s enjoyed a breakout as the focal point of the New York Knicks offense. Through 10 games, he’s averaging 23.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists (50.2 fantasy points) in 37.5 minutes per game. Randle’s played 38+ minutes in 3 of his last 4 games, scoring 50+ fantasy points in each of those games. Overall, he’s averaging 57.4 fantasy points per game in those contests.
Randle gets an interesting matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, who rank 14th in the NBA in pace and 13th in defensive efficiency this season. He boasts a usage rating around 27%, flashing triple-double potential on any given night for New York. Randle’s also locked into major minutes for the Knicks, and he’s expected to find minutes in the high-30s again tonight. Charlotte doesn’t feature anyone in their rotation that will be able to stick with Randle in this game. He’s recorded eighty consecutive double-doubles, and he will likely find another with triple-double upside tonight. He’ll feature some ownership, but could go a bit overlooked because of the other high priced options on this slate.
Cameron Johnson
Johnson’s seen mixed results in an inconsistent role for the Phoenix Suns this season. He’s averaging 13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists (22.6 fantasy points) in only 23.4 minutes per game through 10 contests. Johnson’s played 25+ minutes in 4 games this season, scoring 25+ fantasy points in 3 of those contests. He also posted 26.25 and 28.5 fantasy points in 27 and 29 minutes in his last 2 games.
Johnson gets an elite matchup against the Washington Wizards tonight. Washington currently leads the league in pace and ranks 28th in the league in defensive efficiency this season. Johnson doesn’t boast a high usage rating, as he’s more of a 3-and-D type of player for Phoenix. He’s expected to find minutes in the mid- to high-20s tonight, though, as he’s their top bench option. He’s also an outstanding shooter, who has consistently found 9+ shot attempts in games. Johnson relies heavily on scoring, making Washington an ideal matchup for him, as this game will feature an elite pace with little defense from the Wizards. Johnson certainly comes with risk, but he’ll go overlooked with some of the more obvious value chalk on this slate. He makes a solid tournament option.
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