The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 61.8 fantasy points per game across his last six outings.
April is fast-approaching. The pressure is on. Stakes are high.
Only three weeks remain for fantasy general managers in NBA Fantasy — Salary Cap Edition to try and climb the leaderboards of their respective leagues. But in that time, success can be had.
Here’s what you need to know entering Week 23:
Last week’s story
With the postseason three weeks away, the Oklahoma City Thunder (56-15) are heating up once again. They’ve won 11 contests in a row and 16 of their last 18. That scintillating stretch has earned them a three-game lead for first place in the Western Conference.
Fantasy GMs with Thunder players on their rosters have enjoyed similar success. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been on an exceptional run, averaging 61.8 fantasy points per game (FPPG) across his last six outings. He now ranks sixth with 3,299 total fantasy points (TFP).
Outside of the reigning MVP, Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell have poured in points. They’ve submitted 32.2 FPPG and 26.2 FPPG, respectively, in their last five games. Gilgeous-Alexander has a team-high $18.6M salary, while Holmgren is $13.5M and Mitchell is $4.6M.
Peak performances
Luka Dončić put on the kind of performance Thursday the purple and gold faithful hadn’t seen in a decade. He racked up 88 fantasy points for the Los Angeles Lakers (46-25) in a 134-126 victory over the Miami Heat (38-33). Along with seven rebounds, three assists and five steals, the six-time All-Star scored 60 points — the most by a Laker since Kobe Bryant’s final game in 2016. Dončić improved to 64.5 FPPG this season, and last week, averaged 71.2.
Naturally, he was followed by an all-too familiar face. Nikola Jokić tallied 73 fantasy points twice — first in Wednesday’s 125-118 loss for the Denver Nuggets (44-28) to the Memphis Grizzlies (24-46), and again in Sunday’s 128-112 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers (35-37). Across those two efforts, the three-time MVP had 51 points scored, 28 rebounds, 23 assists, four blocks and three steals. He’s 156 fantasy points shy of 4,000 in 2025-26.
It’s been tough sledding for Darius Garland while battling injuries, but Saturday gave him something to celebrate. The seventh-year guard earned 72 fantasy points for the LA Clippers (35-36) in a 138-131 overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks (23-48). He pitched in 41 points scored, three rebounds, 11 assists, one block and one steal for his highest fantasy score this season. Since his trade to LA, Garland has averaged 41.4 FPPG in nine games played.
Global leaderboard
If you’re hoping to win your league, or get that extra edge for the final stretch of this season, look to the global leaders for guidance. Adam Boustani’s “Dima Maghreb” stands atop the worldwide podium with 28,647 TFP, followed by Jack Bones’ “Peace and Love” with 28,576 and Ezra Tsegaye’s “colesaidimdreamville” with 28,370. Interestingly, all three of those fantasy GMs hail from the United Kingdom.
There’s considerable overlap between their rosters. All three feature Jokić, Maxime Raynaud, Collin Gillespie, Isaiah Collier and Ryan Rollins. Jokić is no doubt the biggest name on that list, and a cornerstone for any successful fantasy team, with league-high marks of 3,844 TFP and 68.6 FPPG. He’s the only player in the game to cost upward of $20M with a current salary of $22.8M, but time and again, has proved to be worth every penny.
Gillespie and Rollins are the two highest-value players in 2025-26 with 31.4 FPPG on $5.6M and 38.4 FPPG on $6.7M, respectively. With proven production on a budget, they’re wise additions for anyone. Raynaud and Collier, meanwhile, are recent risers thanks to elevated roles on their respective teams. Now priced at $5.2M, Raynaud has averaged 37.7 FPPG across his last eight outings, while Collier — at $8.9M — is responsible for 38.3 FPPG through eight.
