Welcome to Sleeper NBA Lock-In mode. To learn more about Lock-In mode, read our article here. This season, we will be discussing Lock or Pass decisions once per week in this column. Don’t miss out on the fun! Draft your team today!
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Sleeper NBA Lock In: Lock or Pass Week 3
What is Lock-In mode?
Lock-In Mode is a new way to play fantasy basketball that allows fantasy managers to Lock-In a player’s fantasy points following a game or choose to take the risk that they will score more fantasy points in one of the remaining games that week. You can Lock-In just one game per week and cannot Lock-In bench players.
This introduces a new layer of strategy to fantasy basketball while also making fantasy basketball more of a weekly endeavor with daily upkeep as opposed to daily management game that requires one to be on top of injuries and rest days to maximize output. This is great for those who are not available every evening or night to make lineup changes as needed and for those who just do not appreciate the daily grind that season-long fantasy basketball often requires.
Kyle Lowry (G – MIA): 55.00 fantasy points
Lowry had a throwback performance against the Memphis Grizzlies, narrowly missing the triple double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, and one steal on 5/11 shooting from the field. Lowry drained four of his seven attempts from deep. The 55 fantasy points represent a new season high (the previous was 39.00) and is a total he exceeded just twice last season, with one of them coming during the play-in. Lowry is nothing more than a role player at this point in his career, so when he busts out and has a vintage performance, we are going to lock it in, regardless of how many games are left to be played that week or who his opponents are. He would have to go on an insane hot streak to make a near triple double, something that we would even consider passing on.
Choice: Lock
Jalen Green (G – HOU): 56.00 fantasy points
Jalen Green was excellent against the Los Angeles Lakers, throwing up a new season high of 56.00 fantasy points on the strength of 28 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal on 11/15 shooting from the field with five of six shots drained from deep. He had just one turnover. This was a truly remarkable performance for Green and may be a sign of things to come now that he has two playmakers looking for ways to get him the ball in Alperen Sengun and Fred Van Vleet. Green has two matchups left for this week (Pelicans and Nuggets), but as a general rule, season highs are getting locked in, especially this early in the season.
Choice: Lock
Scottie Barnes (G/F – TOR): 72.00 fantasy points
Scottie Barnes managed to pull off one of his best fantasy games of the season despite a terrible showing from the field. Despite shooting just 4/14 with none of his three attempts from deep falling, Scottie managed to record 14 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and two blocks in a surprise win against the Dallas Mavericks. The fantasy point total is a bit off his season high of 84.50, but it does represent his second-highest fantasy output of the year. The Raptors have one game left this week against the Boston Celtics, but we will play the percentages and lock in the terrific 72 points Scottie gifted us on an off night.
Choice: Lock
Dennis Schroeder (G – TOR): 42.50 fantasy points
Schroeder made his impact felt in the Toronto Raptors win over the Dallas Mavericks, but it did not really translate to fantasy. He had a solid night with 18 points, two steals, and a block on 7/13 shooting, but managed just two rebounds and five assists. The 18 points were solid, but the assist total is his lowest of the season, and this is only the third game all season where he has failed to top two rebounds. He has recorded more than 42.50 points in four of his other seven games played this season. Watching the game, I thought this was going to be a lock performance, but heroics from Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby meant Schroeder didn’t explode as expected.
Choice: Pass
Victor Wembanyama (C – SAS): 34.00 fantasy points
Wemby had a night to forget in his first game at Madison Square Garden. Perhaps the enormity of being in the Basketball Mecca was too much for him. Perhaps Mitchell Robinson showed Wemby the type of physicality that he was warned awaited him in the NBA. Whatever the case, Wemby shot just 4/14 from the field and connected on zero of his four attempts from downtown. He finished the night with a ho-hum 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one block, making this an easy pass. Yes, I get it. There are NBA teams who would kill for a center who could get them 14 points, nine rebounds, and a block on a regular basis, but this is Wemby we are talking about. Wembanyama has two games left this week (T’Wolves, Heat) but could run into some more struggles against teams with centers who will be looking to make a point against the French national. However, this simply is not a strong enough performance to lock in. Pass.
Choice: Pass
Gordon Hayward (G/F – CHA): 44.50 fantasy points
Gordon Hayward continues his strong play, most recently recording 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals against the Washington Wizards. I did think long and hard about locking this line in, but a glance at his game log made me change my mind. Hayward has scored 42.00 or more fantasy points in all but one game this season, making this a relatively easy pass decision. Hayward has two matchups left this week, one being a prime target with the Washington Wizards on Friday. If that doesn’t work out, there is always the game against the New York Knicks on Sunday. Pass.
Choice: Pass
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
