Squad Up Daily NBA Fantasy Dose: Trust the process with Saric and Covington

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NBA fantasy picture for Wednesday, March 1:

Dynamic Duos

• PF Dario Saric (62K) and SF Robert Covington (64K), 76ers (at Heat): Who needs C Joel Embiid? Over the last five games, Saric (19.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 assists) and Covington (19 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals) have carried the load for the surprisingly competitive 76ers. At favorable salaries, the duo should keep their run going against Miami, which lost 117-109 to Philadelphia on Feb. 11.

• C Nikola Vucevic (75K) and SG Terrence Ross (47K), Magic (vs. Knicks): With the Knicks having numerous injured big men, it should be smooth sailing in the paint for Vucevic, who has recorded double-doubles in five of his last seven games. Ross has started his Magic career by averaging 18.5 points and 2.5 steals through two games. Ranking 25th in defensive efficiency, New York should provide little resistance.

• PG Chris Paul (83K) and C DeAndre Jordan (64K), Clippers (vs. Rockets): Houston and Los Angeles projects as the highest-scoring game of the day. Paul has looked like his old self through two games since returning from injury, averaging 16 points, 11 assists and 7.5 rebounds. Jordan piled up 20 points and 13 rebounds in a previous meeting with the Rockets, thriving in the fast-paced matchup.

Bargain Plays

• C Dewayne Dedmon (30K), Spurs (vs. Pacers): Despite the return of C Pau Gasol from injury two games ago, Dedmon has maintained a starting role, averaging 7.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and three assists with the Spaniard in the lineup. Indiana is one of the NBA's weakest rebounding teams, and Dedmon leads San Antonio with a 21.7 percent rebound rate.

• PF Donatas Motiejunas (25K), Pelicans (vs. Pistons): DeMarcus Cousins will serve a one-game suspension, Wednesday, freeing up more minutes (if not a starting role) for Motiejunas. In the Pelicans' most recent game, Motiejunas had a modest six points and four rebounds in 23 minutes, but should be needed to carry more of the offensive load with Cousins sitting out.

• PG Patty Mills (29K), Spurs (vs. Pacers): A second Spur featured in this section, Mills could be in line for more action with starter Tony Parker (quad) considered day-to-day. In the four games Parker sat out in January, Mills averaged 13.5 points with a handful of secondary contributions. With 12 efforts of at least 15 points this season, the Australian has some explosive potential off the bench.

Top Fades

• C Willie Cauley-Stein (56K), Kings (vs. Nets): Sacramento has an extremely fantasy-friendly matchup at home to Brooklyn, but Cauley-Stein is too inconsistent to trust at an elevated salary. After piling up 29 points and 10 rebounds in the Kings' first game after the Cousins trade, he slumped to just two points and two boards in the next outing.

• PF Serge Ibaka (67K), Raptors (vs. Wizards): In three games in Toronto, Ibaka is averaging 16 points and seven rebounds, solid production but a far cry from the all-around efforts of cheaper position-mate Saric (62K). The injury to dynamic PG Kyle Lowry also hurts the fantasy potential of all the Raptors bar SG DeMar DeRozan.

• PG Jeremy Lin (51K), Nets (at Kings): Lin is a big name with a respectable 26.6 fantasy points per game average, but he has played exactly 15 minutes in each of his first two games back from a lengthy hamstring-related absence. Until the Kings free up the Harvard product for a full workload, he's better left on the Squad Up sidelines.

Contrarian Options

• PG Seth Curry (56K), Mavericks (at Hawks): Curry has erupted for 29 or more points in two of his last three games, playing at least 36 minutes in each. SG Wesley Matthews (hip) will sit out, Wednesday, further weakening Dallas' guard depth. Curry and fellow PG Yogi Ferrell (47K) should be in line for huge workloads.

• C Dwight Howard (63K), Hawks (vs. Mavericks): Howard has played 29 or fewer minutes in each of his last four games, which is a slight concern, but he should be capable of a huge outing against Dallas, which ranks dead last in rebound rate. Howard piled up 20 rebounds and 15 points in an early January meeting with the Mavericks.

• SG Avery Bradley (40K), Celtics (vs. Cavaliers): It's hard to say how much more playing time Bradley will be able to shoulder after seeing 15 minutes of action, Monday in his return from a lengthy hamstring injury. He has excelled against Cleveland this season, averaging 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals over two earlier outings. He's inexpensive enough to gamble on.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)