The NBA’s second half is underway, with just a handful of weeks remaining in the regular season. 18 more teams will take the court on Wednesday evening for a nine-game slate. That includes plenty of superstars, such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, and Domantas Sabonis. 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 centers at the top of tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings:
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1. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks at PHI ($10,100)
Despite a rough first half, Karl-Anthony Towns dropped 24 points and 18 rebounds vs. Boston on Sunday (49.0 FPTS). It was another remarkable outing in a season full of them for the five-time All-Star. Through 52 games, KAT has averaged 24.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists (51.0 FPTS). At this point, the only thing that can slow the big man down is health.
Towns’ success should continue against an embarrassing 20-win 76ers squad. To absolutely no one’s surprise, Joel Embiid (knee) won’t be suiting up on Wednesday. That should leave the inside of the paint wide open for New York. The last time KAT faced Philadelphia, he recorded 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists (51.75 FPTS). An even better performance tonight would likely leave New York’s superstar atop tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings.
*Towns (knee) is questionable to play tonight vs. the 76ers.
2. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings at UTA ($9,700)
Following De’Aaron Fox’s trade to the Spurs, fans and analysts assumed more production was in store for Domantas Sabonis. So far, that hasn’t been the case. Since his All-Star running mate left, the center has posted 16.3 points, 15.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Those numbers, while still great, aren’t much of an improvement over Sabonis’ season-long marks. Most recently the big man scored just seven points vs. the Hornets on Monday.
As bad as things look right now for the three-time All-Star, he could easily get back on track. Wednesday’s opponent, the Jazz, have surrendered the third-most points per game (119.8) and the tenth-most fantasy points to centers. When these teams previously met in December, Sabonis produced 19 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists (49.0 FPTS). Given the lack of high-end big men available tonight, Sacramento’s star player could offer plenty of value.
3. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets vs. SAS ($9,500)
Alperen Sengun is by no means a superstar, at least at this point in his career. Still, the 22-year-old has quickly established himself as one of basketball’s elite centers. Much like Nikola Jokic, Houston’s big man can heavily impact a game without scoring. Through 55 games, the All-Star has averaged 19.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists (43.5 FPTS).
Typically, a date with the Spurs wouldn’t be something to look forward to. However, Victor Wembanyama is out for the rest of the season due to a blood clot. Without the NBA’s leader in blocks, San Antonio’s front court is very shorthanded. The Rockets should take advantage, having scored the 11th-most points per game in the paint (50.1). Sengun, arguably Houston’s best player, will get plenty of touches on Wednesday night.
