The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham dropped 85 fantasy points in a win over the Knicks in Week 18.
The end of February approaches. With the All-Star Break in the rearview mirror, coaches and players alike now set their sights on the playoffs.
Time is starting to run out for fantasy general managers in NBA Fantasy — Salary Cap Edition this season. But there’s still opportunities to climb the rankings in your leagues.
Here’s what you need to know entering Week 19:
Last week’s story
The San Antonio Spurs (40-16) are riding high in the West. Now just three games back of the defending champions for first place, the squad has won eight straight — its longest streak this season. It was only three seasons ago when the Spurs finished at the bottom of the conference.
Naturally, Victor Wembanyama has played exceptional basketball to lead the way. The recently minted two-time All-Star has averaged 60.2 fantasy points per game (FPPG) across his last four outings. He’s also dropped 60 or more in six of his last 12 times on the court.
But there’s more to this team than its 7-foot-4 superstar. Stephon Castle has produced 40.3 FPPG at a salary of $10.2M — not far removed from Feb. 7’s season high of 88 fantasy points. Dylan Harper, meanwhile, has started to come into his own with 30.1 FPPG in his last eight games.
Peak performances
Nikola Jokić amazes on an almost-nightly basis, but Sunday, he was at his absolute finest. The three-time MVP racked up 94 fantasy points for the Denver Nuggets (36-22) despite a 128-117 defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors (30-27). He had 35 points scored, 20 rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and three steals — his best showing since returning Jan. 30 from a knee injury. It also marked the eight-time All-Star’s fifth triple-double in his last seven games.
It didn’t take Cade Cunningham long to heat up on the hardwood after the All-Star Break. On Thursday, he dropped 85 fantasy points to spearhead a 126-111 triumph for the Detroit Pistons (42-13) over the New York Knicks (37-21). The fifth-year guard tallied 42 points scored, eight rebounds, 13 assists, two blocks and one steal, now sitting third with 57.8 FPPG. He’s performed at an even-higher level lately with 68.5 FPPG in his last four.
Completing last week’s superstar trio is Luka Dončić. The five-time All-NBA selection delivered 78 fantasy points Friday for the Los Angeles Lakers (34-22) in their victory over the LA Clippers (27-30) by a 125-122 score. Featuring 38 points scored, six rebounds, 11 assists, one block and three steals, it was a resounding return from his four-game absence. Dončić trails only Jokić with 63.2 FPPG and continues to make a winning difference in Los Angeles.
Transaction tips
As the push for the playoffs continues, certain players have stepped up their game. One of those recent risers is Maxime Raynaud — the highest-value scorer on two of four GameDays last week. The rookie center for the Sacramento Kings (12-46) has averaged 30.2 FPPG across his last nine games with double-doubles in three of his last four. At a salary of $4.7M, he figures to be a great deal for weeks to come following Domantas Sabonis’ season-ending knee surgery.
It’s also the right time to invest in Gui Santos. The Warriors’ third-year forward has been just about as consistent as they come with 30 or more fantasy points in nine of his last 10 outings. Before that stretch, he had scored 30-plus just once all season, and struggled to break 20 on most occasions. Santos is priced at $4.4M, and that makes him a serious bargain considering his 34.3 FPPG dating back to Jan. 26. He can bring crucial points to your roster on a dime.
Consider acquiring a player or two from the Memphis Grizzlies (21-34), since the squad has four games this week against largely weak competition. They face the Kings on Monday, Warriors on Wednesday, Dallas Mavericks (20-36) on Friday and Indiana Pacers (15-43) on Sunday. Cam Spencer and Jaylen Wells are low-risk, high-reward additions with 27.8 FPPG on $5.1M and 22.0 FPPG on $8.3M, respectively. Ty Jerome has also played above his $8.0M salary recently.
