If you like offense and hate defense, then we have the game of your dreams in OKC tonight. The Rockets and Thunder will play a game that will closely resemble the All-Star Game and that doesn’t have anything to do with star caliber players on the floor. The last I saw from Vegas was an O/U of 222! I have not seen an O/U that high all season. If you don’t have any exposure to that game, you’re a fool. Enough of my commentary and on to the things that you came here for…the picks!
The numbers in the parenthesis are the number of experts that picked that player to give you more context as to the gaps between players and the tiers.
Highly Touted
- James Harden (8x) – The Thunder can’t defender perimeter scores worth a flip. Harden put up 37 in the first matchup between these teams.
- Russell Westbrook (7x) – In the last five games, Westbrook has averaged 22.6ppg, 10.8apg and 8.6rpg. He had a line of 25-11-8 in this season’s previous game against Houston.
- Archie Goodwin (7x) – His salary has still not caught up to the production. That is the 2nd time I’ve written that this week and the 3rd time it’s been written overall in the Consensus this week.
- Aaron Gordon (7x) – Every time I trust him, I regret it. Putting up 10.8ppg and 8rpg over the last five.
Recommended
- Kevin Durant (6x) – KD has posted a double-double in two of the last three games.
- Spencer Hawes (6x) – Hawes has turned back the clock a couple of years. In his last five games, he’s averaging almost 30 minutes/game which has translated to 10.2ppg and 7.4rpg.
- Devin Booker (5x) – If Phoenix is playing, you can count on seeing Booker’s name in our Consensus article. His showing in the league this year is just showing how underutilized he was at Kentucky last season…or does it show how stacked that Wildcats team was?!
- Josh Smith (5x) – Smith is back in Houston and back to being semi-productive. He’s playing over 24 minutes/game since the trade.
- Damian Lillard (5x) – Let’s see if Lillard’s ASG snub gives him any extra motivation tonight. He had 15 points and 13 assists in his last game.
- DeAndre Jordan (5x) – Jordan has three double-doubles in the last five games. He’s averaged 13.4ppg and 14.4rpg over that stretch.
Suggested
- Kevin Love (4x) – Love’s role still appears a bit TBD with Lue as coach. However, he did put up 21 points and 11 rebounds his last time out.
- PJ Tucker (4x) – Over the last three games, Tucker is playing almost 36 minutes/game. He’s averaging 12ppg, 6rpg and 4apg in those three.
- Gordon Hayward (4x) – Always a solid play, IMO. Hayward is averaging 25.6ppg and 6.6apg over the last five.
- Kemba Walker (3x) – When he gets to the FT line, his DFS output is insane. He had a down night on Wednesday so let’s hope for a bounceback tonight.
- Tobias Harris (3x) – Harris is averaging 16.5ppg over the last four games.
- Chris Paul (3x) – Three double-doubles in the last five games.
- Langston Galloway (3x) – The injury bug has bitten the Knicks and that has benefited Galloway. At an extreme discounted rate, he’s a solid play once again tonight (assuming Jose Calderon is still out).
- Nicolas Batum (3x) – Batum came back from injury on Wedesday. He scored 6 points and grabbed 10 boards.
- Serge Ibaka (3x) – Serge scored 12 points and grabbed 14 rebounds earlier this season against Houston.
- Nikola Vucevic (3x) – Averaging 15.5ppg and 12.3rpg over the last four.
- Reggie Jackson (3x) – Putting up 28ppg over the last two.
- Dwyane Wade (3x) – Wade seems to show up somewhere in the Consensus each night the Heat play. He is averaging 25.7ppg over the last three.
- Chandler Parsons (3x) – Parsons has been on fire of late. In the last five games, he’s averaging 25.4ppg and 7rpg in the last five.
Good luck everyone and catch us on Monday for the next edition of Expert Consensus.
Follow me on Twitter @mbutlerok.
