Round 3

1. Chaka

Chaka: “Hopefully, Chef can take advantage of the turmoil, even with a minutes restriction… going Steph Curry vs. Brooklyn on March 12th”

Keep an eye on this game as it is the Baller Fantasy Basketball Showase’s second head-to-head matchup this week. Earlier in the draft, Houston picked Spencer Dinwiddie in this game.

11th Overall Selection Breakdown

No risk, no reward! My third pick is the wild card. The only thing more highly anticipated this past week than Steph Curry’s return was Lil Uzi Vert dropping Eternal Atake (Chrome Heart Tags = FIRE!!!).

The Chef didn’t disappoint, either, giving the Warriors seven assists in his first game after missing over 50 with his wrist injury, and doing so against a staunch Raptors defense (he had Jade sweating in that 4th quarter).

I hate it when Curry plays against us. He’s one of my all-time fav NBA players. And I want to hate him so much right now but I just can’t.#Raptors #RTZ #WeTheNorth #DubNation

— Jade Johnson (@auxiliarythings) March 6, 2020

This pick is all about faith in the two-time league MVP, and the fact that a home game versus Brooklyn after the firing of Kenny Atkinson looks like a damn snack! The Warriors get to host the dysfunctional Nets on Thursday night, a team that gives up over 111 points per game. This puts them solidly in the bottom half of the league. Even with a minute restriction, this looks like a game Steph will get healthy in as he looks to facilitate for his teammates while still doing plenty of cooking for himself. Houston… you’ve got a problem!

2. Randy

Randy: “I’ll take Kemba vs the Bulls on Sunday the 15th.”

12th Overall Selection Breakdown

Third and final round, time to dig deep into the bag of tricks. Who did I see still on the board waiting to join my roster? Steph Curry baby. Easy win, right? Wrong. Senior NBA writer Chaka Cummings says, “Not today young man,” and selects the Chef with the pick right before mine. Final round, pick just stolen, and left with not a lot of options, who is still out there?

None other than Mr. March himself, Kemba Walker. I selected the Celtics PG to show the Big Dogs of Belly Up that I’m not afraid to roll the dice a little bit. I chose Kemba vs the Bulls on March 15th to avoid the likely rest days in a back-to-back, and a big-time showdown against the Bucks. Let’s see if this group of guards can help me get off to a fast start in this league of legends.

3. Houston

Houston: “I’ll take Chris Paul vs Minnesota March 13th.”

13th Overall Selection Breakdown

Chris Paul has always been known for his flashy passes and being a great facilitator of the ball. Paul has the Thunder becoming a contender in the West. Before the season, most counted the Thunder out since they were in a rebuilding year.

CP3 just had 10 assists against the Knicks on March 6th and will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 13th. The Wolves give up 24.3 assists a game and Paul understands that this is a must-win game as they try to move into a top-five seed in the West. The Thunder are currently just a few games behind the Rockets, Jazz, and Nuggets.

4. Lamarr

Lamarr: “Damn Houston took my pick.”

Jade: “Now you know how it feels lol.”

Lamaar: “Goran Dragic March 13th against the Knicks.”

14th Overall Selection Breakdown

I felt pretty good about going into my third pick with Chris Paul still on the board. I was praying Houston would not take Paul, and that’s what he didn’t do. With Paul off the board, I had to scramble through my notes, and I ended up taking Goran Dragic from the Miami Heat.

The Heat go up against the New York Knicks on March 13th. The Knicks are a terrible team, so hopefully, Dragic can have a big assist night. Dragic is averaging five assists per game. Over the last ten games, his assist numbers have been up and down, against the Knicks I hope it is a big assist night.

5. Jade

Jade: “Markelle Fultz against Charlotte.”

This game will be played on March 15th. Jade promises to remember to record the dates of the game for next week’s draft.

15th Overall Selection Breakdown

So, I’m sure you’ll have noticed by now that my picks are fairly one dimensional and based largely on historical data. This is by design. I have strong research skills and a strong analytical mind. This is my first foray into the world of fantasy sports involving a draft. This week was about building a solid foundation to build onto. I always play the long game.

Markelle Fultz was my fifth overall option based on the fact that he averages 9.5 assists against the Hornets. I’m hoping the data bears me out. Having been able to get all of my three picks out of my first five options leaves me feeling pretty good about my chances. Of course, if I do come in dead last, it’s because this is only step-one of my master plan. That’s my story, anyway.

This draft analysis is just a fraction of the content that these writers put together for your reading pleasure. Make sure to follow them on Twitter to keep abreast of whatever they’re up to.

Week 2 will see the competitors drafting Shooting Guards and tracking points. Visit Belly Up Fantasy Sports on Monday, March 16th (Happy St. Paddy’s day!) for the results of that draft and to see how everyone did in the Ballers Fantasy Basketball Showcase Week 1.