Published on: Apr 11, 2022 1:53 am IST|Updated on: Apr 11, 2022 1:53 am IST
NOP vs GSW Dream11: This will be the last game of the NBA Regular Season that will be covered here. As I type late at night, like most NBA fans, my mind is hovering towards the NBA Playoffs and how that will change the complexion of Fantasy scenarios as minutes will decrease for most bench players and the role of the starting players and sixth-seventh type of players will only increase. And as we talk about the Postseason, let us go into the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors.
The Pelicans will be facing the San Antonio Spurs and they can’t afford a loss here, because there are no second chances for them. They will fancy their chances but the Spurs will be tough to fend off considering they have DeJounte Murray as an all-around threat. So, how will this one-off game pan?
On the other hand, the Warriors are going to the First Round straightaway, thanks to a strong start of the season. They have a lot of issues to fix but with their experience and depth, they can pull off a deep Playoff run. Will we see Jordan Poole lift his game further during the much-awaited Playoffs? Host: New Orleans Pelicans Visitors: Golden State Warriors Match Timing: 11 April, @ 07:00 AM Venue: Smoothie King Center
Pelicans’ issues
The Pelicans are going to sit out Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herbert Jones, and Devonte Graham. They have already sealed the ninth spot thanks to a strong second-half performance during March. CJ McCollum has helped the cause but his work will only increase during the Play-in tournament. The trouble is finishing at ninth means that one loss means the season is over and the team will need to win two in a row to advance.
Brandon Ingram’s injury has thwarted the plans a bit but if he is available for the most part, he is going to be a strong all-around player. Jonas Valanciunas is a strong rebounder and his experience will help in nabbing some easy buckets against the Spurs. On the other hand, rookie Herbert Jones will need to bring his A-game in terms of defense while Jaxson Hayes as a starter will be in for a bigger role as well. How will the Pelicans manage the Spurs? I will cover it more thoroughly during the Play-in preview.
The Warriors somehow manage a third-place finish
The Warriors had shown that they can be a strong team without Curry but they will need him to put up big runs ultimately. Draymond Green has been getting his mojo back and as the defensive anchor, playmaker, and rebounder, his work is cut out. The Warriors have a strong backcourt of Poole and Thompson, two high-quality scorers in all metrics. Andrew Wiggins provides stability at the wing position while Otto Porter Jr. can fit into a small-ball scheme considering he can pin down rebounds, play defense against multiple positions, and can score a bucket here and there.
The Warriors will go up against either Jazz or the Nuggets and both teams can spring a surprise. Nikola Jokic can be a nightmare to deal with for the Warriors that will need Draymond to match up against him and Draymond will need to stay out of foul trouble. The status of Curry is unclear at the time but with a four days rest, he will have more chance to heal. Warriors have fallen out of favorites race for the title, but can we take them lightly considering their depth on both ends?
New Orleans Pelicans News
Pelicans Expected Starting Five
Middle: PF: Jaxson Hayes | C: Willy Hernangomez Guards: PG: Jose Alvarado | SG: CJ MCCollum
BENCH: Devonte Graham, Larry Nance Jr., Gary Clarke, Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado, Willy Hernangomez, Trey Murphy III, Garrett Temple.
Golden State Warriors Team News
Warriors Expected Starting Five Forward: F: Jonathan Kuminga Defensive Anchor: PF: Draymond Green Middle: C: Kevon Looney Guards: SG: Damion Lee | PG: Jordan Poole
BENCH: Moses Moody, Nemanja Bjelica, Gary Payton II, Chris Chiozza, Juan Toscano-Anderson.
Jordan Poole(GSW) Points: 18 Rebound: 06 Assists: 08 Guard Poole has been turning on the heat as the Point Guard and he will have a huge role to play during the Playoffs. He has been in 20-27 points, 4-7 rebounds, and 4-8 assists range lately. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 30-45
CJ McCollum(NOP) Points: 16 Rebound: 01 Assists: 04 Steals: 01 McCollum has a huge role to play during the Playoffs as an isolation scorer and the leading ball-handler. He can be in 20-26 points and 4-7 assists range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 28-38
Jonathan Kuminga(GSW) Points: 18 Rebound: 04 Assists: 02 Steals: 02 Forward Kuminga will receive a ton of minutes but he will not have this big of a role during the Playoffs most likely. He can be in 16-24 points and 4-8 rebounds range here. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 24-40
Jaxson Hayes(NOP) Points: 13 Rebounds: 05 Assists: 01 Blocks: 01 Hayes has been a strong slashing role and will play a pivotal role during the Play-in tournament. He has mostly been in 9-15 points and 4-6 rebounds range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 23-34
Draymond Green(GSW) Points: 12 Rebound: 03 Assists: 08 Blocks: 01 Steals: 01 Defensive anchor Green can change the fortunes of the Warriors and propel them to a deep Playoffs run as he has gotten back into the groove a bit. He can be in 8-12 points, 5-8 rebounds, and 5-8 assists range here. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-34
Willy Hernangomez(NOP) Points: 15 Rebounds: 10 Assists: 04 Center Willy will have the starting spot here most likely with Valanciunas’ absence. He can be in 13-20 points and 10-14 rebounds range here. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-40
(Supposing Green, McCollum, Poole, and Hayes play) PG: J Alvarado SG: C McCollum(PP), J Poole(SP) SF: D Lee PF: J Hayes, J Kuminga C: W Hernangomez, D Green (Last game of the season can mean that these otherwise safe picks can play fewer minutes)
(Supposing Green, McCollum, Poole, and Hayes don’t play) PG: J Alvarado, G Payton SG: M Moody SF: D Lee PF: L Nance Jr, J Kuminga(PP), N Bjelica C: W Hernangomez(SP) (Eh, tough one fellas)
Last game of the Regular Season, so would you like to catch? In a piece of encouraging news, this match can be viewed on streaming platforms Voot and JIO TU, the official streaming services for NBA viewers in India. But there are like many other games, isn’t it? The most prominent and hassle-free way to catch most of the NBA action is plugging into the NBA League Pass and if you purchase the annual subscription(599 rupees for a year), you can acquire both the live stream and the full game replay. To learn the scorecards, stats, and news, go to the official website of the NBA.