Coby White has been terrific for the Bulls during a pair of four-game winning streaks in March.
The countdown to the end of the regular season is on. Just 13 days of competition remain, and a mix of teams and players have fought their way into the spotlight.
Every decision down the stretch will be critical for NBA Fantasy Salary Game players if they aspire to win big.
Here’s what you need to know for Week 24:
Last week’s story
The Chicago Bulls (33-41) hung by a thread after a sixth consecutive loss back on Feb. 22. Then in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, they sat just 0.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets (24-51) and 1.5 ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers (23-52).
But times have changed. Victorious in nine of 12 since March 6, the Bulls have been a different team entirely. Their run includes a pair of four-game winning streaks – the likes of which they hadn’t achieved all campaign – as well as four triumphs by less than 10 points.
Coby White has been terrific the entire way, averaging 41.3 fantasy points per game (FPPG) during that span and even topping 45 on four different occasions. The sixth-year guard has regularly exceeded his season-long mark of 32.6, and now ranks third on Chicago with 2184.5 total fantasy points (TFP).
Then there’s Josh Giddey, putting together his finest stretch all season. He owns a remarkable 51.0 FPPG across eight outings during the 12-game turnaround. That includes breaking 70 for the first time on March 22 en route to a season-high 74.5 fantasy points.
Game to watch
On Thursday, LeBron James and Stephen Curry will duke it out for the final time this regular season, and with both their squads in the thick of the playoff race (10 ET, TNT). The Los Angeles Lakers (45-29) sit fourth in the Western Conference while the Golden State Warriors (43-31) rank sixth.
James and Co. are 5-8 dating back to March 8 following a season-best 20-4 run. Seeds four through eight in the West are currently separated by 3.0 games, and Los Angeles is 3.5 shy of the second seed. Golden State, meanwhile, has rolled to 18-5 since Feb. 8, slingshotting itself up from as low as ninth place.
Among all players, James ranks eighth with 47.8 FPPG and 10th with 3009.9 TFP. The 21-time All-Star just pitched in 53.2 fantasy points on Saturday for his 28th showing in 2024-25 with 50 or more, and has averaged 42.2 FPPG in five contests after a seven-game absence.
Curry is farther down the totem pole with his 33rd-place 39.9 FPPG and 35th-place 2474.6 TFP, but still leads the Warriors in both categories. He’s missed three of the team’s last six contests, but played 22 straight beforehand while averaging 41.9 fantasy points throughout.
Global leaders
As we near the final fantasy sprint, the global leaderboard demands discussion. Currently on the podium is Adrian Siarkiewicz of Poland’s ‘Bękarty Basketu’ (26128.1 TFP), Aurelien Roulet of France’s ‘Beliiiigou’ (25935.1) and Adam Boustani of the United Kingdom’s ‘Dima Maghreb’ (25863.3).
All three of those successful squads roster Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paolo Banchero, Ivica Zubac, Dyson Daniels and Quentin Grimes. The two recently-realized throughlines are Banchero and Grimes – each of whom have put up some serious numbers as of late.
Banchero is responsible for an astounding 50.4 FPPG across his nine most recent outings, made possible by five consecutive games with 30-plus points scored from March 19 to 27. You can add him for $14.9M and receive terrific value, but that might require you to move multiple players on your roster.
Grimes continues to be one of the highest-value scorers in all of fantasy with Philadelphia’s starting lineup ravaged by injury. The fourth-year guard pitched in 45.6 FPPG from March 1 to 23, and remains a beacon of hope for a 76ers team that has now lost 11 of 12.
Schedule sights
It’s a four-game week for the Milwaukee Bucks (40-34), and each one is against a team sitting at or below 10th place in their respective conference. They’ll face the Phoenix Suns (35-40) on Tuesday (7:30 ET, TNT), 76ers on Thursday, Miami Heat (33-41) on Saturday and New Orleans Pelicans (21-54) on Sunday.
That makes Antetokounmpo an easy choice for your captain’s chip if he’s on your roster. The two-time Kia MVP ranks second with 56.3 FPPG and third with 3432.2 TFP, continuing to bulldoze his way through the opposition.
Quality additions on a dime can be made with Kevin Porter Jr. and Taurean Prince, both costing $6.9M compared to Antetokounmpo’s gaudy $17.9M. But should you acquire either of the two, don’t hold onto them too long – they’ve proved to be streaky.
