The NBA’s second half is underway, with just a handful of weeks remaining in the regular season. Ten more teams will take the court on Thursday evening for a five-game slate. That includes plenty of superstars, such as Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic. With several big names in action, narrowing down who to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats isn’t easy. Here are the three guards at the top of tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings:
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1. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers vs. MIN ($11,000)
The Lakers are back, thanks primarily to their shocking trade deadline deal for Luka Doncic. It’s taken some time for the guard to get adjusted to life in Los Angeles. However, Tuesday’s triple-double against none other than the Mavericks suggests that the best is yet to come. This season, the five-time All-Star has averaged 26.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game (54.5 FPTS).
For most guards, tonight’s contest might prove incredibly difficult. The Timberwolves possess one of the NBA’s best defenses, holding teams to the fourth-fewest points per game (107.4). A superstar like Doncic won’t be phased. The Slovenian has had success in this spot before, having eliminated Minnesota during last spring’s Western Conference Finals. It also helps that four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert won’t be playing due to a back injury. Against a weakened opponent, Luka deserves his top spot on Thursday’s fantasy basketball rankings.
2. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns vs. NOP ($8,800)
Phoenix might be a team in disarray, but they do have two of the game’s best players on their roster. While Kevin Durant is still magnificent at 36 years old, Devin Booker isn’t too far behind. The four-time All-Star has served as more of a ball handler this season, while still maintaining his high scoring output. The guard’s 6.8 assists have been accompanied by 26.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game (44.2 FPTS).
Booker’s fantasy ceiling is capped by sharing the court with Durant. Still, the 28-year-old has high potential in the right matchup. That includes tonight’s date with a Pelicans team allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards. New Orleans is especially bad at defending the perimeter, allowing opponents to make 14.5 three-pointers per game. D-Book, as only the sixth-most expensive guard on Thursday’s slate, offers terrific value for fantasy managers.
3. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets at DAL ($9,500)
At just 23 years old, LaMelo Ball is already one of the association’s premier stat-stuffers. A Hornets team starved for talent has run their offense through the dynamic point guard. This season, he’s averaged 26.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game (47.1 FPTS). Considering Ball leads the NBA in usage rate (36.4%), there’s no reason to expect a shortage of counting stats.
The Mavericks aren’t pushovers on defense, allowing the 14th-fewest points per game (111.5). Still, Ball commands enough touches to deliver a solid night against the best of defenses. Dallas has slightly struggled against point guards, giving up the tenth-most fantasy points to the position. When these squads last met on January 20th, LaMelo dropped 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds (50.75 FPTS). A similar stat line isn’t far fetched for Charlotte’s face of the franchise.
*Ball (ankle) is questionable to play tonight vs. the Mavericks.
