Five Bold NBA Predictions
Here are five bold predictions for the week of December 14-20:
1. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum will combine for 80 points versus the Pelicans
Lillard is on the verge of erupting for a big point total. He attempted 28 shots against the Knicks' elite 3-ball defense and shot the ball at least 21 times his past three games.
Similar to Lillard, McCollum is fresh off three games where he recorded 20+ points and shot the ball 51 times and poured in 28 of those shots. Lillard and McCollum are the lifeblood of Portland's offense and possess the potential to explode against the Pelicans ghastly defense.
New Orleans has allowed teams to shoot 46.3% from the field to go along with a league-high 108.4 points against.
The combination of volume and poor defense should allow Lillard and McCollum to have a field day. Get them in your DFS lineup.
2. The 76ers will shoot below 15% from beyond the arc against the Knicks
The Knicks defense has been stout, having held teams to a mere 30.8% from 3-point range this season. Meanwhile, the 76ers have struggled mightily to drain the 3-ball, shooting a modest 31.9%.
The Trail Blazers shot 28% from three against the Knicks, and have two lethal shooters in Lillard and McCollum. Though the 76ers play at home, they lack the threat of a sharpshooter from beyond the arc and will be in for a rough shooting game.
3. Jameer Nelson will average 20 PPG
With rookie PG Emmanuel Mudiay sidelined with a sprained ankle and likely to miss an extended amount of time, Nelson is set to step into the point guard role for Denver.
Nelson came off the bench on Friday night in relief of Mudiay and dominated. He poured in 20 points while filling in the remainder of the stat sheet with seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Over his past three games, Nelson has shot 8-of-16 from beyond the arc.
He should capitalize in starts against the Rockets and Timberwolves before wrapping up the week with a game against the Jazz. Big numbers could be in the cards this week.
4. Lillard will be the Western Conference Player of the Week
Lillard may be one of the most underrated PGs in the league, with four games in December where he has recorded more than 25 points. Other than his matchup with New Orleans, he clashes against the Thunder, Magic and Heat - all ranking in the top-15 for opponent FG%.
Lillard has seen success as the No. 1 option this season without PF LaMarcus Aldridge, averaging career highs in points (24.4), assists (6.9) and rebounds (4.7). He is already in mid-season form and is worth keeping tabs on for DFS purposes.
5. Oklahoma City will extend its win streak from five to eight.
The Thunder have two tough matchups ahead of them, battling the Trail Blazers at home on Wednesday, then travelling to Cleveland to battle LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Thursday. They then return home to face the struggling Lakers.
With Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant healthy, both are shoe-ins to provide DFSers value while the Thunder stir up a win-streak.