Ivica Zubac continues to provide good value, ranking 24th in TFP, having notched 18 games with 30 fantasy points or more.
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Hidden amidst all of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 hoopla has been one of the best team turnarounds of the season, while players have quietly continued to make their case as top transaction targets.
Here are all the need-to-knows midway through Week 7:
Story So Far
A complete 180-degree turn has been made in the East, and we’re due for an examination of its anatomy through a fantasy-sized magnifying glass.
The Milwaukee Bucks (11-10) have assembled a sparkling 9-2 record – featuring a seven-game winning streak – since starting the season 2-8. Such a resurgence has shot the squad into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, as well as earning a berth in the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a 4-0 showing in East Group B.
Top fantasy scorers have come in the form of Giannis Antetokounmpo (league-leading 1112.2 total fantasy points), Damian Lillard (776.5 TFP), and Brook Lopez (642.2 TFP). Khris Middleton has been out of the picture the entire way – recovering from offseason surgery on both ankles – meaning that those three are even more accountable for what’s transpired.
As always, the Bucks’ offense runs through Antetokounmpo, and his production has actually improved during the turnaround, now averaging 60.7 fantasy points per game (FPPG) across his last 10 compared to 56 FPPG through his first nine. It’s more so the improved facilitator work from Lillard and defensive consistency from Lopez that’s helped right a once-sinking ship.
Lillard has recorded five games with 10-plus assists in his last eight after failing to reach that plateau in any of his first 10 contests this season. He also scored 35 or more fantasy points in each of those aforementioned eight – a stretch that extends to three outings with 45-plus.
And on the other end of the court, Lopez has made life difficult for shooters, registering three blocks in five consecutive outings. He has yet to miss a game this campaign and touts four performances with 40-plus fantasy points following the Bucks’ Nov. 10 loss to the Boston Celtics (18-4).
Transaction Tips
Fantasy fakers have already been exposed at this point. The real steals not only made themselves known long ago, but have continued to demand the spotlight.
Ivica Zubac continues to be one of the best bets for your money. Though not one for video game numbers, the ninth-year center produces at a steady clip while standing out because of his salary. He ranks 24th in TFP, having notched 18 games with 30 fantasy points or more – seven of which ended up also crossing the 40-point threshold.
Notably, Zubac is in a scoring slump at the moment, having failed to score double digits in each of his last three games. He had only three contests with less than 30 fantasy points prior to Dec. 1 but has now matched that total in his last three outings against the Denver Nuggets (11-8), Portland Trail Blazers (8-14), and Minnesota Timberwolves (11-10).
There should be optimism, though, that his worst stretch will soon improve. When Zubac scored 22.7 and 20.2 fantasy points against the Houston Rockets (15-7) in Week 4, he bounced back with 116.5 accumulated across the following trio of games. The fact remains that at $11.2M, he’s more valuable than 26 other players in the TFP top 60.
When it comes to wire-to-wire reliability from the beginning of the season onwards, Josh Hart is another name you can trust. The eighth-year guard has tallied 12 games with 35-plus fantasy points and only thrice has fallen short of 25. He’s fresh off his second-best performance of the fantasy campaign – 46.6 points on an 11-13-10 triple-double and three steals against the Orlando Magic (16-8).
Hart clocks in at 35th in TFP, as well as 48th in FPPG, yet his price tag is set low at $10.6M. There are 17 players lower than him in the TFP top 60 who have totaled less with a larger salary cap hit, making Hart an excellent roster choice while sparing some change.
