This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Easter Sunday typically brings a large slate, and this year is no exception. FantasyDraft serves up a nine-game evening ledger that has an abundance of playoff hopefuls in action. There's plenty to pay up for, as superstars such as Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be taking the floor, and a host of appealing mid-tier and bargain-priced values as well. There's plenty to break down, so let's dive into the NBA's holiday extravaganza without further ado:
GUARDS:
Russell Westbrook, OKC at NO ($20,100): Both the Thunder and Pelicans are fighting to stay in the Western Conference playoff race, which should make for one of the most hard-fought and high-scoring games of the day. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double of 19.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 13.0 assists and 2.0 steals in three games against the Pelicans this season, and New Orleans comes in allowing the second-most fantasy points to point guards on the season (44.1), including 56.5 over the last five games. He's coming off a 72.25 fantasy-point tally against the Nuggets in his most recent game as well, and Sunday's battle could be just as competitive as that overtime thriller was, which could mean another spectacular return.
Jrue Holiday, NO vs. OKC ($14,700): Holiday is another player who stands to benefit from what could be one of the most fast-paced games of the day Sunday, and he comes in having scored 37.00 to 55.25 fantasy points in three of his past four games. He'll walk into one of the best matchups for two-guards in the NBA on Sunday, as OKC has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to twos on the season (43.8), including 52.8 over the last 10. They're also allowing the second-highest percentage of scoring from three-pointers (32.5), another factor in Holiday's favor in a game in which he figures to remain highly aggressive throughout.
Dante Exum, UTA at MIN ($7,400): Exum has been playing relatively well since finally making his season debut March 15, and he's coming off his best performance yet against the Grizzlies on Friday night. With starting point guard Ricky Rubio (hamstring) sidelined for that contest, Exum encouragingly saw a season-high 27 minutes, which led to a new high-water mark of 21 points. Given that he performed well with the boost in playing time, he could be in for similar opportunity at a bargain price Sunday with Rubio considered questionable. The Timberwolves could make for excellent targets as well, considering they've allowed 57.9 fantasy points to point guards over the last five, as well as the second-highest shooting percentage (44.0) to the position on the season.
FORWARDS/CENTERS:
Andre Drummond, DET at BKN ($20,100): You're not likely to go wrong with any of the top tier options at forward/center, but Drummond finds himself in a particularly advantageous position for a couple of reasons. For one, the Pistons remain in must-win mode in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. Secondly, he's already averaged 15.3 points, 20.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.7 steals across 31.0 minutes in three games against the Nets this season, and Brooklyn comes in allowing the most fantasy points to centers on the season (41.4) and over the last 10 (53.4), along with the highest offensive efficiency rating (34.5) to the position. There's also the matter of their vulnerability in the paint (47.4 points allowed in that area of the floor), where Drummond logs 77.9 percent of his scoring. And finally, Brooklyn isn't laying down for any team despite their lack of playoff aspirations, playing at a top-five pace while serving as one of the poorest shooting teams in the league, which should give Drummond ample opportunity at another 20-rebound effort.
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at ATL ($15,300): Vucevic has already lit up the Hawks for averages of 26.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals across 38.5 minutes in two games this season, and Atlanta comes in allowing the most fantasy points to centers over the last five games (54.8), along with the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating (31.2) to the position on the season. Vucevic has scored 36.75 to 50.75 fantasy points in four of the last five games and has hit the double-double bonus in three straight. Despite neither team having any playoff aspirations, this could actually turn out to be a competitive game between two vulnerable defenses, which would keep Vucevic involved for all four quarters.
Marquese Chriss, PHO at GS ($11,300): The light has seemingly gone on for Chriss, who's scored 23.50 to 43.50 fantasy points in four of the last five games, eclipsing the 30-mark and posting a double-double in three of them. That's one of his best stretches of play this season, and he'll be potentially poised for more of the same against a fast-paced Warriors squad that's been more susceptible to centers recently. Golden State is allowing 38.8 fantasy points to fives over the last five games, a notable uptick over their 32.0 season figure. Moreover, Chriss has upped his usage over the aforementioned five-game sample, as the 9.8 shot attempts he's averaging during that stretch is a nice bump over his 6.4 season number. With both teams ranking in the top five in pace of play, this could be a freewheeling affair that Chriss should see a good number of minutes in, even if the score eventually gets a bit lopsided.
UTILITY:
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. MIL ($17,200): Jokic has scored 68.50 and 58.00 fantasy points, respectively, in his last two games, as the Nuggets continue to fight for a playoff spot. They find themselves two games out of the eighth seed coming into Sunday's action, so Jokic should be in for another high-usage effort against a fellow postseason hopeful in the Bucks. Milwaukee has allowed more than 10 fantasy points per game over their season figure to centers over the last 10 contests (44.3, compared to 34.0), and Jokic already lit them up for 30 points (on 78.6 percent shooting), 17 assists, 15 rebounds, two blocks and one steal in his one prior meeting against them this season. With plenty riding on the contest and a favorable matchup, Jokic potentially offers as much upside as some of the other elite forward/center options priced very near or over $20K.
Tyler Ulis, PHO at GS ($10,900): Ulis has been spectacular in recent games, and his work over the last two as a starter in place of Elfrid Payton (knee) has been especially impressive. Ulis has scored 30.25 and 44.00 fantasy points in those contests, and he'd also racked up 40.25 three games ago over 30 minutes against Boston. Even if Payton were to return Sunday, Ulis was already outplaying him and outpacing him in his role off the bench, and a matchup against a fast-paced Warriors team that's allowing 50.1 fantasy points to point guards over the last 10 (as compared to a 39.3 season figure) could well facilitate another handsome return on a price he's significantly outplayed recently.
