The Cavaliers’ James Harden averaged 27.7 points, 8.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals over three games last week.
We’ve wrapped up another late-season week, and the upper echelon of the fantasy rankings is once again populated by a pair of stars in Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić. The remainder of the top five is star-studded as well, as stars on contending teams continue to elevate their game at a critical time of the season.
The following players averaged the most fantasy points per game last week (one-game minimum):
#1. Luka Dončić, Lakers
Last Week: 71.6 FP/G Season Rank: 2 (64.7 FP/G)
The Lakers put together a perfect 4-0 week, and Dončić was unsurprisingly a critical reason why. The centerpiece of the star Slovenian’s week was a memorable 60-point showing over 38 minutes against the Heat in Miami on Thursday, a game in which Luka went a blistering 18-for-30 from the floor and 15-for-19 from the line. Dončić’s one double-double of the week was a 40-point, 10-assist tally against the Rockets, and he took no less than 25 shots in any of his four contests, including at least 12 from 3-point range in each game.
#2. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
Last Week: 61.0 FP/G Season Rank: 1 (68.7 FP/G)
Jokić was a runner-up to Dončić’ again this week, generating impressive numbers over the last three games of the Nuggets’ four-game week following a St. Patrick’s Day offensive dud where he scored only eight points against the Sixers. The versatile big man did hand out 14 assists in that game, however, and he went on to average 24.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 steals across 37 minutes per contest in the subsequent trio of games. Jokić shot 58.8% over the entirety of the four-game span, helping make up for some struggles from the free-throw line (61.5% on 4.3 free-throw attempts per contest).
#3. James Harden, Cavaliers
Last Week: 57.5 FP/G Season Rank: 10 (49.6 FP/G)
Harden was integral to a successful road trip for the Cavaliers this past week. The Beard helped make up for a one-game absence on the part of Donovan Mitchell due to an eye injury and pumped out some impressive numbers in all three games. Harden shot 50% from both in front of and behind the arc, and he averaged 27.7 points, 8.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest over 35.3 minutes per game. He also made good on 83.3% of his 8.0 free-throw attempts per contest as he looks increasingly comfortable ahead of a highly anticipated postseason for Cleveland.
#4. Bam Adebayo, Heat
Last Week: 56.0 FP/G Season Rank: 39 (41.8 FP/G)
Adebayo’s unforgettable 83-point performance was two scoring periods ago, but the star big man kept up the stellar production during his two times on the floor in Week 21. Bam missed Miami’s first game of the week Tuesday against the Hornets before returning with a 28-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Lakers in a 134-126 loss Thursday night. He was even better in another crushing interconference defeat Saturday, managing a massive 32-point, 21-rebound double-double that also included four assists and two steals across 45 minutes against the Rockets while navigating four fouls.
#5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Last Week: 55.1 FP/G Season Rank: 4 (55.8 FP/G)
It’s quite the prolific fantasy week when SGA MVP-level exploits are overshadowed, but the star guard still found his way into the top five with a pair of 40-point nights among his three games. Gilgeous-Alexander contributed the outstanding offensive efforts in wins against the Magic and Wizards, performances he sandwiched around a more subdued but nearly perfect shooting night (8-for-9) in an easy win over the Nets. To say Gilgeous-Alexander was locked in from the field throughout the three games would be an understatement – he drained 61.9% of his shots, including 57.1% from deep while averaging 21.0 attempts per contest.
This week’s preview:
The following players are top fantasy point producers and play at least two games next week with fewer than two matchups against top-10 defenses:
Nikola Jokić, DEN (68.7 FP/G) – @PHO, DAL, UTA, GSW
Kawhi Leonard, LAC (49.2 FP/G) – MIL, TOR, @IND, @MIL
Alperen Sengun, HOU (47.9 FP/G) – @CHI, @MIN, @MEM, @NOP
Jamal Murray, DEN (47.3 FP/G) – @PHO, DAL, UTA, GSW
Jalen Duren, DET (38.2 FP/G) – LAL, ATL, NOP, @MIN
