NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (1/17)

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. Similar to fantasy sports, the goal in Sleeper Picks is to draft a team of players based on who you think will perform better than the field. But with Sleeper Picks, you pick teams of 2-8 players from multiple teams based on your preferences and predict whether those players will score more or less than a predetermined amount. There are a number of ways to play and a variety of strategies to employ, and we’ll guide you through the process each week.

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NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (1/17/24)

Season record: 109-66

Paolo Banchero (F – ORL): OVER 27.5 points

This was initially going to be a Less play on Brandon Ingram, but this massive total was beckoning. Banchero has been excellent this season but has only managed 28 or more points in 10 of his 40 games played this season. He is averaging just 22.8 points per game on the season but will continue to see more volume with Franz Wagner set to be sidelined yet again. Paolo went nuts the first two games that Franz missed but has scored 18, 25, 20, and 20 in his last four games without Franz. Averaging a healthy 25.0 points per game without Franz in the lineup, this number should indeed be inflated, but it seems that Sleeper Picks has gone a tad too far in trying to roast More bettors this time. Banchero did light the Hawks up for 35 points just a few games ago but has scored 20 or fewer points in three of his four games since. Push the Less on Paolo for Wednesday night.

Damian Lillard (G – MIL): OVER 23.5 points

Lillard has scored 27 or more points in each of his last two games. He looks more energized when playing against other top combo guards and should be completely up for another matchup against Donovan Mitchell, a player he may be competing against for a spot on this year’s all-star team. Dame dropped 31 on the Cavs earlier this season and should be good for at least 24 tonight. Cleveland has surrendered 25.15 points per game to the point guard position this season. Dap the More on Dame for Wednesday night.

Jaden Ivey (G – DET): OVER 17.5 points

Ivey has scored at least 18 points in his last four games and should keep the good times rolling tonight, with Cade Cunningham set to be sidelined for a fifth straight game. Ivey will need just a few trips to the line to offset his inefficiency, as he has put up at least 17 shots in each of his last four. Tonight, he'll face off against a Minnesota Timberwolves team allowing 24.29 points per game to the point guard position. Jab the More on Jaden for Wednesday night's action.

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.

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday:

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Raju Byfield is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Raju, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyContext.