Welcome to Sleeper Picks. Sleeper’s newest offering promised plenty of entertainment and action, and they delivered. We will break down our top three picks for tonight’s NBA action. Sleeper is quickly becoming one of the most popular season-long fantasy platforms, and they are expanding into other areas based on demand. Each week in this space, we’ll talk about some strategy for the new platform while providing our favorite NBA more/less picks.
NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (1/24)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (F/C – MEM): 14.5 points (alt line)
The multiplier on this one is nothing to get excited about but comes with a high enough probability to still be an option for your Friday night or weekend ticket. JJJ is listed at a 22.5 full line but has scored 23 or more points just once in his last five games. He is not much more of a candidate for the 19.5 alt line, as he has scored 20 or more in just two of his last five games. With that being said, JJJ has had consistent success as a scorer against the Pelicans this season, dropping 23 and 33 points on them in their two meetings this season. At 14.5, we have a number Jaren has eclipsed in each of his last 11 games. This is not a sexy pick, but is worth inclusion on a small slate. Jab the More on JJJ for Friday night basketball.
Pick: More
Donovan Mitchell (G – CLE): 3.5 assists (alt line)
Donovan has upped his shooting volume recently, which has caused his assist numbers to slip back to being more in line with expectations. He needs to strike a balance between playmaking and scoring for the Cavs to be at their best and has proven he can do that against the Philadelphia 76ers, dishing out five and nine assists in their two matchups this season. Dap the More on Donovan for Friday night’s NBA action.
Pick: More
Tyrese Maxey (G – PHI): 24.5 points (alt line)
The Philadelphia 76ers have been horrible this season, but Tyrese Maxey remains a bright spot. The young guard continues to ascend and has emerged as the 76ers’ most reliable option on multiple fronts. Tyrese is averaging a stellar 26.4 points per game on the season and has scored 25 or more in each of his last eight games and in 14 of his last 16 overall. Maxey gets the Cavaliers tonight, a team he poured in 27 points on just over a month ago. The 19.5 alt line is the obvious higher probability play but with one minuscule multiplier already included in today’s column, we will hit the 24.5 instead. Mash the More on Maxey for Friday night at Sleeper Picks.
Pick: More
Writers note: The lines are constantly changing on Sleeper (and sometimes expiring), so there is a high probability that one or all of the numbers may no longer be the same when you open your app. There are excellent values when they are first posted, with the only catch being that they are not all released at the same time. Vigilance could provide a solid return on investment this season, literally.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.