NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/26/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 26, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/26/17

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Point Guard

Jrue Holiday
FD $7,300 DK $6,200

Anthony Davis is currently listed as questionable, but it doesn’t look good. For the sake of this article, we’ll assume he’s out. With just 5 games on the board, we have to take huge advantage of this situation. Holiday should be 2nd behind Cousins in terms of who benefits most here. Holiday moves over to PG with the Rondo injury and has been consistent. He’ll now see an extra 5-10 shots and have his minutes locked in over 35 as long as it stays close. The price is still fair on both sites and he’ll be hard to stay away from in cash games. The match-up with George Hill and De’Aaron Fox is average. Holiday is an elite cash game play and a very solid GPP play on a slate that doesn’t do much at PG.

Malcolm Delaney
FD $4,800 DK $4,400

The only easy choice for me at PG is Malcolm Delaney. With Dennis Schroder already ruled out, he is locked into 32+ minutes. With just 5 games on the slate, we don’t have any value this good. At least not yet (written the night before). If no value opens up as the day progresses, Delaney will be highly owned. There are a lot of studs, who we’ll get to, that force you to pay down elsewhere. That elsewhere could very well be PG. The matchup with Chicago is a lot better than Miami, but not great. They play at an average pace and have a solid paint defender in Robin Lopez. Still, this is a pure opportunity play. Delaney is in the $4k’s on both sites and a lock to hit value if he sees the minutes. The upside for 35 FP and a must in tournaments is quite possible.

Shooting Guard

C.J. McCollum
FD $7,700 DK $7,300

This game between the Blazers and Clippers currently holds the highest O/U on the night at 212. On the Blazers side, it’s McCollum and Lillard who do most of the coring. With Pat Beverley on Lillard, let’s move to McCollum. C.J. will see a combo of Austin Rivers and Lou Williams, who are both pretty bad at defense in general. He will easily get his shot against either of those guys and it should lead to them finding someone else, but I’m not sure who. Beverley will be plenty busy with Lillard, so they might just have to take the McCollum blows. He is fairly priced on both sites and makes for an excellent play in both formats. This is a game I want a lot of exposure to with a 212/-2, so McCollum does that at a cheaper price than Lillard or Blake Griffin, while still having similar upside. The Clippers will struggle to guard SG’s this season and McCollum will look to take advantage tonight.

Buddy Hield
FD $5,100 DK $5,000

Hield saw just 16 minutes of work last game but put up 30 fantasy points. It makes no sense. As for the 16 minutes, 3 starts saw it. I guess it was punishment. They should be right back out there for this one and see the typical 30-35 minutes a starter sees. He finally hit his groove last game and could be in for a nice stretch. if you remember correctly, Hield was about $6500 for a while last year and getting plenty of interest and putting up 30 fantasy points on a regular basis. He will definitely get back to that this year once he can get it going. This match-up with the Pelicans is very nice. E’Twaun Moore is a pitiful defender and I have no idea why he has a starting gig in the NBA. He’s much worse than even Troy Daniels, who’s at least elite at shooting the 3. Anyways, Hield will see a cupcake match-up that should remain very close throughout. He’s a lock for 20 fantasy points with the upside for 45.

Small Forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo
FD $12,400 DK $12,000

Giannis is in too good of a spot to ignore. While there are some stars that we’ve yet to touch on, Gianni’s is right with them at the top of the list. He sees the same Celtics team he saw on opening night and dominated for 37 points and 13 rebounds. They struggled to cover him that night and will struggle just as much here. Expect Jaylen Brown to get most of the minutes on Giannis, but he won’t have much success. He has held 60 fantasy points in each of his first 4 starts while also maintaining a + (+/-) in every game. You can expect Antetokounmpo to have another 60 FP night. It just comes down to the price. He is going to make you sacrifice a lot and it could bite you in the ass. Or not. With the other guys we’ll touch on, they aren’t AS expensive, so they don’t force you into such a corner. With that being said, if you have the space for Giannis, play him without hesitation.

Dante Cunningham
FD $3,500 DK $3,300

This is 100% contingent on Anthony Davis being ruled out. Cunningham will see close to 35 minutes at the 3 and 4 if Davis is out, and while he won’t be a focus of the offense, he gets involved more than enough. When AD is on the court, he’ll just sit in the corner. With AD off, he will try to get down low and make things happen. Sitting at the minimum price, there’s really no discussion to be had. With the studs on this slate, you need value and there isn’t much of it. If Davis is ruled out, go ahead and play Cunningham for the guaranteed value in all formats.

Power Forward

Blake Griffin
FD $9,800 DK $9,500

Here’s one of my two favorite superstars. As you can see, he’s nearly $2k cheaper than Antetokoumpo, letting you pay up at another position or two. This game, as mentioned, holds the highest over/under on the slate at 212. The Blazers are also just favored by 2, so Vegas expects it to stay close throughout. The Blazers have Aminu and Caleb Swanigan at PF, which is kind of sad. Aminu is fine against smaller PF’s, but holds no chance against a literal monster in Blake Griffin. This is his offense to run and he does what he sees fit. Against a Blazers team that should double him every time, my guess will be a spread out, stat-stuffing night. If the Blazers try to let Aminu take care of Griffin alone, well, no bueno. Griffin is easily my favorite PF on the board and there’s no discussion to be had as long as AD remains out. It’s an absolutely brutal position, so I’m guessing the ownership will be relatively high.

Zach Randolph
FD $4,500 DK $4,900

Zach Randolph has definitely fallen quite a bit from the guy he was in Memphis a couple years ago. I actually don’t think his skill is much different. I just don’t think his style of play is very effective in today’s NBA. It’s tough to center your offense around a back-to-the-basket PF who grinds out 15 seconds of shot clock every time. You throw Z-Bo back in the 90’s and we discuss him as one of the greatest forwards of all time. As for tonight, he looks at a solid match-up against the presumed short-handed Pelicans frontcourt. Cousins will be focused on Nukic, which will leave Cunningham and Diallo on Randolph. Diallo should have more success, but Cunnigham will get more minutes. Randolph was one of the other starts to see under 20 minutes for punishment, so expect that to go back up tonight and make him a viable option in all formats.

Center

DeMarcus Cousins
FD $11,800 DK $11,500

My favorite play of the night is DeMarcus Cousins. Remember, this is all with the contingency of Anthony Davis sitting out. If he plays, the slate is a mess and I’ll be moving a lot of my Cousins over to Griffin and Antetokounmpo. If AD misses like we think, this is Cousins’ game. He’s facing off with his old Kings that he absolutely hates. HATES. He dominated them last year and I don’t take Cousins as the guy to let things go. Hey, maybe I’m wrong, lol. Expect Cousins to go out there and try to score a million points. He will likely have a good amount of turnovers without AD on the floor, but he’ll more than outweigh them with points, rebounds, and assists. The Kings will likely toss WCS at Cousins for the most part. He can rebound with Cousins, but is way too skinny to deal with him in the post. Play Boogie.

Jusuf Nurkic
FD $7,500 DK $6,200

On the other side, we have Jusuf Nurkic. Cousins is a solid defender, but I don’t think that will be the focus tonight. Nurkic has struggled to start the season, but if you watched last game, you get it. He is a guy they involve like crazy on offense. He was cruising last time out until he had 2 phantom fouls in 2 minutes. it put him on the bench for the rest of the half and turned what would have been a good game into absolute garbage. He should be back out there tonight for another chance at a big night. Again, Lillard doe shave Pat Bev on him, which could funnel some offense away. Nurkic is willing to shoot and wants to show what he does for an offense. He has the upside to be just like Nikola Jokic production-wise but has to maintain some level of consistency to get there. As for tonight, he’s a clear 2nd to the Boogieman. Good luck!!!

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/25/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 25, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/25/17

Point Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City Thunder - Lineuplab -

Russell Westbrook
FD $10,800 DK $11,400

If you’re looking at Westbrook and trying to decide if he’s in the same spot as last year, you’re in the same boat as the rest of us. Personally, I don’t think his stats will be AS crazy, but I do think he’s still underpriced at this number. I look for Westbrook to put up around 60 FP on most nights. Tonight, he draws an elite match-up with the fast-paced Pacers. They have Darren Collison at point guard, who’s all but a great defender. Westbrook will blow by him with ease and look at an interior full of guys like Domantas Sabonis, T.J. Leaf, and Al Jefferson. He should have his way in every facet of the game tonight and when you consider that the Pacers prefer to run, it’s gravy. Westbrook is an elite play in all formats, but be cognizant that he is expensive and you’ll be sacrificing later in spots you may not want to. My other favorite top PG is John Wall, who’s just a bit cheaper and facing a similar Lakers squad. Don’t be afraid of these high-end PG’s tonight. At least one of them is going to go nuts.

Tyler Johnson
FD $4,200 DK $4,300

We enter the day with Hassan Whiteside out while Dion Waiters and Goran Dragic remain questionable. Tyler Johnson has been seeing big minutes with these guys in, so he’d be forced to get close to 40 if they both miss. This is a guy who just signed a $50 million dollar deal with the Heat a year ago, so he’s going to get worked into the game plan as much as anyone. This isn’t a punt play where you have to worry about the guy seeing the court. Anyway these injuries end up, Johnson will see between 30-40 minutes. The Spurs are still a good defensive team, but not nearly to the same degree as when Kawhi is on the floor. Johnson is a pure minutes and price play. The match-up isn’t great, but it’s doable.

Shooting Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Avery Bradley - Detroit Pistons - Lineuplab.com

Avery Bradley
FD $5,300 DK $5,000

Stan Van Gundy has “taken fault” for the Pistons early struggles. Uh ya, I think so, Stan. When you pick up one of the best perimeter defenders in the league that can also shoot the 3 and rebound, you don’t play him 20 minutes for no reason. Avery Bradley should NEVER see less than 34 minutes if the Pistons goal is to win. But no, he will let Stanley Johnson accumulate 0 fantasy points in 40 minutes for who knows what reason. Sorry for the rant, but let’s hope it works. Bradley finally saw normal minutes last game and stunk. Sweet. Now his price is low and people will be off of him. The best of both worlds. If you think Bradley is just bad now, pick up my h2h’s. He sees a match-up with the T-Wolves where his defense will be very necessary. If Van Gundy finds a way to leave Bradley off the court against Wiggins and Butler, I give up on Stan the man for good. If Bradley sees the floor like normal, pencil in 6x value at $5k with the upside for much more.

Bradley Beal
FD $8,000 DK $7,300

Bradley Beal is one of the guys in the NBA that is truly fun to watch. He doesn’t flop. He doesn’t exaggerate or whimper over screens and throw his hands in 84 directions. He plays solid basketball on both sides of the floor. He was a top 4 3-point shooter in 2016 to combo with the Wizards effectiveness against opposing SG’s. Beal is one of the best SG’s in the game and sees a phenomenal match-up with the fast-pace Lake show. Beal has been over 40 in 2 of his first 3 contests and sees his best match-up yet. With a 231 over/under, Beal will demolish value as long as he sees 4 quarters of action. Vegas doesn’t expect it to be much of a blowout, so you can’t fade for that reason when these guys are projected so high. Shooting guard has some options, but Beal won’t be popular and has a great shot at putting up 45 in the late night hammer.

Small Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Los Angeles Lakers - Brandon Ingram - Lineuplab

Brandon Ingram
FD $5,100 DK $5,200

Brandon Ingram joins Bradley Beal as one of the guys in the NBA that’s fun to watch. The only problem is you never know if he’s going to be in the game. The Lakers rotations are always weird, but it looks like Walton is focused on getting Ingram over 28, at least. He is an FP per minute monster when on the floor and gives you some solid savings from similar guys a bit higher. The Wizards play just as fast as the Lakers, if not faster, and Kelly Oubre Jr. is no shutdown defender. This is also the same game we just touched on with the 231 over/under, so there’s never anything wrong with stacking that total. Ingram gives you a good amount of safety with an unknown ceiling. Expect this guy to have a couple games this year that blow people away. From the looks of my teams right now, let’s hope that’s tonight.

Paul George
FD $8,700 DK $8,000

I’d be careful to call this a “grudge match” or anything of the sort, but put yourself in his situation. For Paul George, this is one of the most important games of the season. For everyone else, it’s a game against a crappy Eastern Conference team in October. For that reason, look for George to get it working early and often. The Pacers don’t really have an SF, so they’ll toss a combo of Bogan Bogdanovich and Lance Stephenson at him. Good luck. Paul George is also still in his prime, so let’s not look at him as such a clear cut 2nd option. He’s definitely a cut behind Russ, but most 2nd options aren’t putting up 50 FP a night. Play George if you have the salary and get the 40-60 safe fantasy points.

Power Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Draymond Green - Golden State Warriors - Lineuplab

Draymond Green
FD $7,800 DK $7,200

Draymond has yet to have a big game, which I love. Unless the narrative is that he’s now a bad basketball player, there is no argument as to why he’s a bad play. He’s facing a Raptors interior that will likely be without Jonas Valunciunas. That leaves a bunch of young PF’s and C’s with no experience to face off against Draymond Green, who is lethal from any spot on the court. He has the ability to go for 60 FP by stuffing the stat sheet, as long as the game stays close. He can also have an average Draymond game with 20 points, 8 board, 8 assists and a solid 50 fantasy points. This match-up with the Raptors won’t stand out to the public with more eye-catching games like Hou-Phi and Was-Lal. I’m not sure who they plan to put on Green, but they will definitely struggle. He’s a match-up problem for every team, but they should struggle to a much different degree. I guess Serge Ibaka will do his best as he has a pretty good defensive reputation, but it’s not for facing guys like Draymond. He is good against back to the basket PF’s. Not guys who do everything from everywhere. I hate Draymond Green as much as the next guy, but have to admit when the guy is in a good spot. I’ll have exposure to him over Simmons in a lot of tournaments. The % owned difference will be hilarious.

James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk
FD $6,500 – $5,500 DK $6,100 – $5,600

This, like Tyler Johnson, is a pure opportunity play. With Hassan Whiteside already ruled out, the Heat will be forced into some size against the Spurs. This will give both Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson around 30-35 minutes. They are both well over 1 FP/minute so far this year and it’s pretty consistent with 2016. Olynyk is a bit risky by nature(3-point shooter), but the opportunity will be there against guys like Pau Gasol and LMA. As for me, I’ll have exposure to both. I’m not a big fan of the 195 over/under, but as long as it keeps the crowds away, it’s fine. The Spurs play slow and so do the Heat, but these guys are just too cheap and seeing extended minutes at good positions. LMA and Gasol are also bad defenders, so it’s not like old Spurs team. The only real worry is the snail pace without Kawhi. Both Johnson and Olynyk are in play across the board. Keep out for news on who I’ll start against a bigger Spurs squad.

Center

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Rudy Gobert - Utah Jazz - Lineuplab

Rudy Gobert
FD $8,500 DK $7,500

The Suns play fast, and while that doesn’t help most centers this size, Gobert is amazing in it. He loves running the floor as it results in an abundance of blocks, putbacks, and transition dunks. The Jazz don’t typically run very much, so they see a huge uptick in production and projection when they do. He’ll individually face off with Tyson Chandler and Alex Len, who are both pretty good defenders. The thing is it doesn’t really matter. Gobert doesn’t score 1-on-1. He gets his numbers from everyone else screwing up. He’s a bit too cheap on both sites and it could cause him to gain some ownership, but there are a lot of good options at center, so maybe not.

Steven Adams
FD $6,900 DK $5,800

It looks like Myles Turner will be out once again and it opens the door up for Steven Adams. Adams has 40 fantasy points in 2 of his last 3 games and sees his best match-up yet. The Pacers, who play very fast, are also missing the only big guy that can guard anyone. Domantas Sabonis will have no chance at banging with Adams and you can pencil in the double-double right now. We’ve touched on a few of these Thunder guys and it has a lot to do with pace. The Pacers are extremely fast and have no problem shooting with 16 on the shot clock. They also give up a ton of FP to everyone besides the SG position. Take advantage of the high total and opportunity here.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/24/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 24, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/24/17

Point Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - D'Angelo Russell - Los Angeles Lakers

D’Angelo Russell
FD $7,800 DK $7,800

We expected D’Angelo to play like he has, but the absence of Jeremy Lin has only helped. He now has the ball in his hands for every minute he’s on the court and is already showing his per minute effectiveness. The Nets and Magic will face off for the 2nd time in a week, after these 2 teams combined for 247 points on the 20th. Russell ended up with 34 fantasy points in just 25 minutes of work. He should be back up to the 35-ish minute total here and see a similar FP per min, putting him well over 40. The Magic are without Elfrid Payton, who’s a pretty good defender. Especially compared to D.J. Augustin and Evan Fournier, who will take turns on Russell. Point guard may be pretty deep, but Russell is both safe and has upside in a match-up featuring a 229 over/under. You’ll need exposure to this game and Russell is the safest way to do it on the Nets.

Jrue Holiday
FD $6,900 DK $6,500

With Rajon Rondo out for the first few weeks, Jrue Holiday will step back into his PG role for the time being. He’s been a point guard his entire career, so it’s not much of a change. The switch to SG might take a few weeks, but there’s nothing to worry about with him at the 1. He’s been consistent to start the season, but hasn’t exploded yet. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins are getting all the shots, and rightfully so. Holiday does have an excellent match-up with Damian Lillard, however, so he should try to get it going on offense a bit. This affair between the Blazers and Pelicans should be close, high-scoring and full of fantasy goodness. Don’t shy away from the guards or big men.

Shooting Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - TrailBlazers - Lineuplab.com

C.J. McCollum
FD $7,800 DK $7,100

We’ll stay in Portland and take a look at the backcourt mate of Damian Lillard. McCollum missed the first game of the year, but returned with no hiccup. He’s been over 26 real-life points in each of the first 2 contests and has contributed plenty of peripherals. This match-up with the Pelicans is prime and I’m not sure who plans on covering him. E’Twaun Moore is starting at SG, but he’s just nowhere near good enough to cover McCollum. The Pelicans allowed the 4th most FP’s to guards in 2016 and have similar guys manning the spots. McCollum is going to shoot at least 15-20 times and if he’s hot, value is no problem. His price is fair across the industry and with SG being pretty weak, he should be popular. He’s a fair play in both cash games and tournaments.

Tim Hardaway Jr.
FD $4,700 DK $5,000

Looking at the box scores, you probably don’t have interest in Tim Hardaway Jr. If you’re looking at what you should be, you probably love him. He shot 16 times last game and dropped just 4 buckets. He shot closer to 50% in 2016 and is a very good shooter in general. His numbers will certainly go up and I don’t think the general public will be on him. The Boston Celtics play fast and don’t love defense. They don’t guard the paint and are extremely susceptible to SG’s (If Marcus Smart is out). Hardaway is way too cheap on both sites and if he has a typical game, it will be around 25 fantasy points. If he gets hot, it can get to 40. He hit 40 fantasy points 3 times in the last month of 2016. Don’t be short-sighted and ignore him because of a couple rough shooting nights.

Small Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler
FD $8,300 DK $7,000

On DraftKings, go ahead and plug Jimmy Butler into your cash games. I know he hasn’t been amazing, but that is going to 1000% change. He is getting used to playing with these guys and will be putting up 50 burgers in no time. Thibs is giving him the 38 minutes a game we expected and I’m willing to put my head on the line that production is coming soon. The Pacers are the 3rd fastest team in the last 2 years and it’s why a slow team like the Wolves is in a 217 over/under. Butler has had 3 tough match-ups so far and now sees a Pacers team who has no true SF. Lance Stephenson and Bojan Bogdanovich will see the 48 minutes there and neither can guard Jimmy. Wiggins also has a pretty tough match-up with Oladipo, so the ball should get funneled towards Butler on the perimeter. He’s the safest option in SF for his price and he’ll be locked into my cash games.

Evan Fournier
FD $7,000 DK $6,1oo

Fournier has exceeded expectations so far, which has led to his price going up just a little bit. On FanDuel, you don’t have to get exposure outside of tournaments. He can still smash value, but there are some better values. On DK, however, $6,100 is perfect. Fournier has been phenomenal to start the season and without Elfrid Payton on the court, he is doing whatever he wants. He now sees the same Nets team that he put 44 fantasy points up on less than a week ago. He also saw just 25 minutes last game, so he’s fully rested and ready to go once again. With a 229 over/under and some injuries to take advantage of, this is a game I want a lot of cash game exposure to. Fournier gives you a 30 point floor with a 50 point ceiling, as long as Payton remains out.

Power Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Anthony Davis - Pelicans

Anthony Davis
FD $12,200 DK $10,900

Alright, this is getting fun. Watching Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins play next to each other is fun. There is no other team I can put my eye on when they are playing. Tonight, the Pelicans take on the Blazers and their non-existent interior. I guess the only guy you can give some credence to is Jusuf Nurkic, who at least has some size. He’ll be on DeMarcus Cousins, so that leaves Aminu and Swanigan to cover Anthony Davis. Nope. No shot. Good luck. This, in my opinion, turns into a shootout between Lillard/McCollum and Cousins/Davis. If you’re looking for a game to stack, this is as good of a candidate as any. Because they all are so expensive, Cousins is the 1 of the 4 I would fade. There are plenty of other options at center. Anthony Davis is my favorite superstar of the night and I’m not sure how close it is. The Blazers allowed over 60 FP per game to Davis in 2016 and he looks like he’s turned the leaf that will hand him the MVP trophy this season. As for tonight, I’ll do whatever I can to get the Brow in 100% of my lineups.

Kristaps Porzingis
FD $9,300 DK $8,500

Talking about turning over a leaf, here’s Kristaps Porzingis. I don’t know if Porzingis is much better or if it’s because Melo is gone, but Porzingis is playing phenomenal. He has 46 and 47 fantasy points in each of the first 2 games and sees his best match-up yet against the Celtics. The Celtics are tossing Jaylen Tatum at PF, who has quite the disadvantage against Kristaps. They also have Horford at C, who’s a pitiful rebounder and worse defender. His price is yet to get too high and I want to take advantage against one of the best match-ups possible. Power Forward is pretty deep, so let’s take a look at another guy a bit cheaper.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
FD $6,200 DK $5,200

It was either Trevor Booker or Rondae Hollis-Jefferson here. With Aaron Gordon looking like he will return, I expect the Nets to match his athleticism with that of Hollis-Jefferson. RHJ has been damn good to start the year when given opportunity and he’s actually taking initiative on a Nets team that needs some. I’ve said it enough, but this game is sitting at a 229 total, so we’ll be all over it. RHJ is a concrete solid value play that will let you pay up for guys like Davis while still holding some upside. He’s a lot better priced on DraftKings, so I may just find a way to pay up completely on FanDuel if no value emerges. All in all, power forward is a spot where you may need to hit the nuts in tournaments.

Center

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Orlando Magic - Lineup Lab

Nikola Vucevic
FD $9,800 DK $8,300

We’ve looked this game up and down, so let’s top it off with the whipped cream, cherry, and fudge. Vucevic has been disgusting this year and it looks like this is finally a team he’s locked down as his. He gets a touch on almost every possession and sees the best match-up possible. The Nets don’t really have a center, but they throw Timofey Mozgov and Jarrett Allen there for the bulk of the game. If you were able to watch Vucevic face these guys a couple of days ago, you’ve already plugged him into your lineup. It was utter domination on every possession and the game had a total 15 fewer than tonight. There are a lot of solid high-priced options tonight, so it’ll be tough to choose who you want to lead your squad. However, if you go with Vuc, there’s a good shot you’ll be in the mix. He, like a few other guys, see a much friendlier tag on DraftKings. He’ll be tough to fade there.

Jusuf Nurkic
FD $7,900 DK $6,800

Both of the centers in this game are in play, but Nurkic is cheaper and we already looked at Vuc on top. Nurkic finally got things going last game with 41 fantasy points in 31 minutes. That’s what we expect. He should see closer to 40 minutes tonight to match the Pelicans size and he should put up at least 30 with a 70 ceiling. Ya, I know that sounds crazy, but he did it twice last year and didn’t look like he was having a fluke game either. Cousins is not a good defender and the Pelicans ranked 8th worst against centers in 2016. Lillard and McCollum should take most of the responsibility here, but they have no chance of winning unless Nurkic has a big game. He’s very fairly priced on both sites and you can play him in all formats. There are 2 big games we like to target tonight and as long as they stay close, things should turn out. Good luck!!!

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/23/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 22, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/23/17

Point Guard

John Wall
FD $10,300 DK $10,100

John Wall is a quality play in 90% of the games he plays. Because the ball is in his hands so much, he is very safe, regardless of matchup. However, when he runs into a team like the Nuggets, who play at a top 6 pace, things can get interesting. Vegas currently has this game with a 223 over/under and 3 spread. That’s ideal. Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay will split time at PG and try to figure out how to slow Wall. They shouldn’t have much success, as long as the game stays close and Wall gets the minutes. They won’t be able to switch either, because Bradley Beal has no problem dipping 40 with a small PG on him. I don’t see a way around 50 fantasy points and the upside in tournaments is close to 80. Wall is one of the top NBA orchestrators and you will very rarely see him against a fast-paced, Western Conference team. This should be a game you pay a lot of attention to, and John Wall is by far the best player in it. Don’t get cute with some of the expected PG value.

George Hill
FD $5,600 DK $5,100

This affair between the Kings and Nuggets isn’t expected to be as high scoring as the Wizards game, but a 211 total isn’t far off. It’s a difference of 5 points for each team. Here we have George Hill at just way too cheap. He was rested in the 2nd half of a B2B 2 nights ago, so should be fully rested and ready to go another 35. He’ll match up with Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker, who are both quality defenders, but have given up the 24th most fantasy points to guards. How? Pace. The Suns play super fast and no matter how good of a 1-on-1 defender you are, you can’t stop a fast break or transition bucket very often when you’re shooting with 15-20 seconds left on the shot clock and forcing the big men to labor back into the play. George Hill is a very good PG and one that should certainly be more expensive. The match-up is absolutely perfect and I see no reason to go elsewhere in this price range.

Shooting Guard

Dion Waiters
FD $6,400 DK $5,600

It’s fair to say that Dion Waiters is a matured player. It’s not fair to say, however, that he’s completely different. He still chucks the ball as much as you possibly can and we saw It just 2 nights ago with 16 shots against the Pacers. He finished the night with 32 FP on 50% shooting. Waiters can and will get hot, and when he does, there will be some 40 FP performances. Hassan Whiteside is expected to miss his 2nd straight game as well, so there are some shots to be taken that aren’t usually there. Waiters always comes with a great amount of risk, but I’m not sure he can get any safer than tonight. Waiters will be one of the guys I’m way overboard on, but it’s Dion Waiters and I know all too well what can happen.

Jeremy Lamb
FD $5,500 DK $5,700

After a worrisome 28 minutes out of Lamb in the opener, he backed it up with 38 in his last contest. That’s what we expected out of a guy who routinely filled in with those types of minutes in 2016. With Batum and Kidd-Gilchrist still out, they’ll need Alan to step up on the wing once again. This Bucks team is pretty bad on defense and as long as Lamb doesn’t somehow end up on Giannis, he will blister value. This is a guy who was at 1.3 FP/ min last season, so don’t let 2 games of mediocrity worry you. He’s primarily a scorer, but averaged close to 5 boards a game over the last 3 months of 2016. Shooting guard is ugly and Lamb gives you an option with some real safety and upside. It’s tough to find both under his price.

Small Forward

Harrison Barnes
FD $6,100 DK $5,600

Getting back to a bit of safety, we’ll set our sights on Harrison Barnes. Barnes and the Mavs will face the Warriors, who come in after a loss as look to prove themselves. If the Warriors want any chance of keeping the contest close, they’ll need Harrison Barnes to have a career night. Either way, the ball will run through him on most possessions. Even if the Warriors do blowout the Mavs, I think you can expect 32 minutes and 30 fantasy points out of Barnes. The Warriors play at a top 5 pace compared to the Mavs’ bottom 5, so they’ll be playing way quicker than usual. With that, comes more possessions and more opportunities to gather fantasy points. Barnes is going to get you 1 FP/minute as long as he’s on the court. He’s cheap enough on both sites where I’m comfortable in even cash games. If the Warriors obliterate the Mavs, he should still keep you afloat. That can’t be said for most of the SF in this price range. Let’s touch on a guy who’s a bit more risky with some upside.

T.J. Warren
FD $5,600 DK $5,300

T.J. Warren had a typical game against the Lakers. He then garnered almost 40% ownership against a Clippers team that stepped on the Suns throat. He’s a guy who needs the game to stay close, as he will just sit in the corner if not. When getting involved, Warren looks like an all-star. He can shoot, penetrate, and has the brains to break a defense down and hit an open shooter. He’s also a big reason that the Suns play so fast. Behind LeBron and Durant, Warren moved the most of any SF in 2016, showing his urge to space the floor and create. The Kings don’t really have a real solid SF, so Warren will have an advantage over whatever small or big they throw at him. This game is very nice from a fantasy perspective and it’ll be very intriguing to see how things turn out. Warren, in particular, is an excellent option in all formats where his price is still low.

Chandler Parsons is definitely an insane flier, but I like the idea of it. He’s dirt cheap, making 24 million dollars this year, and should start to see closer to 20 minutes per game. He’s facing his former team and should want to shoot when in there. He’s a VERY good player, so if he sees those minutes, he’ll bash value. I don’t know if I’ll pull the trigger, but it’s interesting.

Power Forward

James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk
FD $5,900 – $5,200 DK $6,300 – $5,800

Power Forward is one of my favorite positions of the night and these 2 guys have to do with it. With Hassan Whiteside presumably out 1 more game (keep an eye out), Johnson and Olynyk will see big minutes. The Heat played small last game and were allowed to, which won’t happen against the Hawks. They don’t have great big guys, but they are 7 foot and if you have James Johnson on them, it won’t end well. Olynyk should get close to 30 minutes at the C and another 10 or 20 at PF. Johnson will see most of his at PF with a few point forward minutes when Dragic/Waiters is out. He’s a do it all player who has no problem getting on the floor for a loose ball. He always makes sure he gets involved 1 way or another, which is comforting from a DFS perspective. There is nothing worse than rostering a guy who loves sitting in the corner. It’s a big reason why I’ll have a tough time playing Kyle Anderson. He’s a strong value, but the guy stinks. He’s not very good at basketball, compared to his compadres. Johnson and Olynyk should both demolish value if given the expected minutes. Don’t get cute here.

LaMarcus Aldridge
FD $8,800 DK $8,500

If paying up at PF, I think most will go Giannis Antetokounmpo. He’s undoubtedly a great play that could go for 75 FP on any night. However, with his recent boost in production has come with a price rise. Now, Giannis will need to get you at least 60. That’s tough and not going to happen. He will still have his usual 45 FP games where he spreads it around and struggles from the field. I’m willing to bet it happens against the pace-down Hornets on the road. Don’t let me take you off of Giannis, because I’ll have exposure in tournaments, but he’s simply not safe at this crazy price tag. If he had 5 fewer shots fall in last game, the entire narrative would have been different here. Instead, I look towards LaMarcus Aldridge. The Spurs have been running the offense through LMA with Kawhi Leonard on the pine with an injury. It’s resulted in 46 and 52 fantasy points. When LMA is touching the ball like this, he’s as an elite of a big man as you’ll find. If you’re an NBA fan, you know this. He can put up 40 real-life points and the 10 rebounds is a lock against the Raptors weak interior. He’s going to cost you a pretty penny, but not nearly as much as Giannis and you can still get 40 FP rather easily.

Center

Joel Embiid
FD $8,500 DK $8,200

It looks like the 76ers are getting a bit more liberal with Embiid and his minutes and instead just allowing him to sit out when sore. I like the idea a lot more than throwing a superstar on the court for 16 minutes and then leaving the team to dry when the playmaker suddenly disappears for 70% of the game. It’s tough to get in a groove that way. Instead, he’s getting close to 30 minutes when he plays and backing it up with production, as everyone expected. He faces a Pistons team that has no shot at staying with him. I don’t know if Van Gundy will try to stick with Drummond, but he shouldn’t. Joel Embiid is just going to take him to the perimeter and demolish/break both of his ankles. Drummond can pave his way in the paint, but there’s no shot he contests a single jumper. If Embiid is feeling it, he will have a huge game. The Pistons have ranked in the bottom 1/3 against Centers for 4 years now and unless Drummond dramatically improved in the offseason, I see no changes.

Nerlens Noel
FD $5,000 DK $5,200

Being clear, this is a GPP only play. DO NOT play Nerlens Noel in a cash game unless just about every single Maverick is injured. He could see 8 minutes tonight and I wouldn’t be all that surprised. However, if the Mavs want to match-up with the Warriors, Noel is a way they can do it. He’s a big man that can run the floor and won’t get tired from the Warriors tireless attack. He’s a fantastic fantasy player as well, averaging well over 1.4 FP per minute when on the floor. It’s not too tough to figure out with him. Except it is. When the minutes are there, so is the production. We have just to get in the mind of a coach who doesn’t have much of an idea of what’s going on. On the off chance that Noel sees the floor for an extended period of time, he could win you a tournament. He has legitimate 50 fantasy point upside every time he sees 30 minutes.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/21/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 21, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/21/17

Point Guard

Yogi Ferrell and J.J. Barea
FD $4,100 – $3,900 DK $4,200 – $4,200

Dennis Smith Jr. missed the game last night and has already been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Rockets. J.J. Barea and Yogi Ferrell will benefit most, deserving plenty of attention in both cash games and tournaments. Chris Paul has already been ruled out on the other side, so the match-up here won’t be an issue. J.J. Barea got the start last night, but both him and Ferrell got 30 minutes. You can expect at least that many tonight in a fast-paced matchup with Houston. With CP3 gone, Eric Gordon shifted over to covering the PG and split time there with James Harden. Both Harden and Gordon are lackluster defenders would much rather run the floor than grind it out. I really don’t prefer either over the other, but if you forced me, I’ll go with Ferrell as he was controlling the ball when the game mattered down the stretch. He’s also just a tad bit cheaper on both sites, so there’s that.

Ricky Rubio
FD $7,600 DK $7,000

I don’t love PG tonight, so I’m fine punting with all of the value available. I think Westbrook may be popular, and he’s great in cash games, but the match-up with the Jazz is pace-down and he will need to be almost perfect to hit value. Looking a bit cheaper, Ricky Rubio stands out. He’s played over 30 minutes in each of the first 2 games and has held on to a 1.56 FP/minute. It’s obviously an insanely small sample size, but it’s nice to see a guy like him starting off hit. Thibs will keep him on the court a lot when playing like this and the match-up is perfect tonight. Russell Westbrook has the athleticism to be a great defender, but he doesn’t have the lungs. He has enough to do on the other side and it’s why the Thunder ranked 22nd against PG’s in 2016. Rubio isn’t going to put up a bunch of real-life points, but he’ll stuff the sheet in a fast-paced game where he’ll be needed a ton on both sides.

Shooting Guard

James Harden
FD $11,000 DK $10,600

I’m writing this on Thursday night, so forgive me if my assumptions are off a bit. I assume Russell Westbrook is going to be a lot more popular than James Harden and I like Harden more. For one, Chris Paul is out. He’s going to eat into Harden’s numbers this year, as he holds the ball a ton. Two, Westbrook has more opportunity cost. There are some nice options at PG, compared to the mess that is value SG’s. Harden was the primary ballhandler last game and that shouldn’t change here after playing well. The match-up with the Mavs is great, especially with Seth Curry and Dennis Smith being ruled out. That leaves Barea, Ferrell, and Wes Matthews at the 1 and 2. Matthews will cover him most of the time, but the other guys will eventually have to take a shot. It won’t end well for any of them. Harden is going to dominate this defense and their non-existent interior. I’m not saying it’s the safest option, but I’ll be going Harden over Westbrook tonight.

Buddy Hield
FD $5,000 DK $5,400

Shooting Guard is currently my least favorite position, so I’m pretty happy we have James Harden to lean on at the top. With that being said, there are still some guys you can lean on for 25+ FP. Buddy Hield is the easy choice for me. He is going to be a big part of the Kings offense this year and he’s already shown it, going for 32 over the first 2 games. He’s shot the 3rd most on the team and will continue to get around 30 minutes. He’ll see a pairing of Will Barton and Gary Harris on defense, who are both pretty average. The game is sitting at a 216 over/under, so getting some exposure is probably a good idea. Hield lets you do that at a friendly price, while maintaining the upside to give you a huge boost. Hield went over 40 FP 8 times in 2016 and he’s still 4 years from his prime, so it’s possible. It really just depends if he’s hot or not. You’ll know early.

Small Forward

Evan Fournier
FD $5,800 DK $5,600

Elfrid Payton hurt his hamstring last night and he left the game for good. I could be wrong, but I don’t see him coming back tonight. If he does, you can lower my love for Even Fournier here. You also have Aaron Gordon questionable, who missed last night entirely. Fournier and the Magic will have to travel to Cleveland and face off with the same Cavs that just laid the smacking on a skilled Bucks team last night. The Magic don’t have much of a chance at winning here, but they will have to score. Fournier is going to see a lot of ball-handling opportunities and I expect the Magic to run a lot of Fournier/Vucevic PnR. Vuc played a lot last night, however, so I think Fournier steps up and takes on the scoring responsibility. We also shouldn’t have to worry about LeBron covering him (unless he gets hot_, as he won’t be playing the 3 at all with Elfrid out. Small forward isn’t pretty today and Fournier gives you a 30 floor and 60 ceiling at 5.5K.

Josh Richardson
FD $4,900 DK $4,600

This is one of my favorite plays of the night. Josh Richardson played 34 minutes last game and stunk. I love to see it. With just 1 game on the board, people will look at that and draw conclusions. Josh Richardson is a damn good basketball player and one that can fill it up for fantasy. If he continues seeing 30+ minutes at this price, you play him. Every game. The match-up with the Pacers is exquisite, considering they played at the 3rd fastest pace in 2016 and lead thus far in ’17. Richardson is a guy who thrives in the open court, but is perfectly fine in the halfcourt set as well. The Pacers, like the Heat, don’t have a real SF, so Lance Stephenson should be on him a lot. With Hassan Whiteside ruled out, the Heat are going to need a few guys to step up. I expect Josh Richardson to be one of them and for him to be about 5% owned. If he had a good game last time out, he would be close to 40%. Sample size. use it to your advantage.

Power Forward

Blake Griffin
FD $9,800 DK $9,800

I highlighted why I like Griffin so much this season in his first game and everything turned out perfectly. Like I was hoping, Doc Rivers has handed Blake Griffin the offense. It is run around him and what he wants to do. Against Phoenix, that should be a very, very glorious thing to watch. Well, only if you click on his name. I’m of the opinion that Griffin is a top 5 fantasy player this season, so it’s going to be tough for me to not recommend him in any match-up, let alone against the Suns. He’s getting the ball whenever he wants and has a diverse post-game, while also keeping the pace and possesions up. It’s great news if you’re a fan of Blake Griffin. He put up 50 fantasy points in just 33 minutes in game 1 and will look to turn that into 60+ tonight. As long as the game stays close, I don’t see anyone stopping that from happening. I like Harden a bit more, but I’ve been able to fit both on FD without much quarrel. On DK, we all know how tight it can get.

James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk
FD $$5,300 – $4,400 DK $5,200 – $4,800

With Hassan Whiteside out, these are the 2 guys who will fill the hole. Or at least try there best. As for a minutes projection, I’m looking for 32 out of Johnson and 28 from Olynyk, give or take 5. It’s a perfect match-up with the Pacers and they’ll both be able to play down if Myles Turned remains out with a concussion. James Johnson is one of my favorite cash game value plays on the slate and I think he may be the safest of all. Against the Pacers, there is no chance he sees less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect game for his style of play (aggressive). The Pacers run as much as anyone and it’s shown when a team like the Heat in is a game with a 212 over/under. They like to play slow and aren’t very good at scoring. As for Olynyk, I’ve learned my lesson enough times in cash games. He does have 40 fantasy point upside, however, so it’d be wise to get some GPP exposure. The only worry is if both teams agree to play small and Johnson ends up at the 5. If Myles Turner plays, I may have to try my hand again at Olynyk in cash games. His size will be needed.

Center

Nikola Jokic
FD $9,000 DK $9,300

Jokic faced Rudy Gobert in game 1, so go ahead and throw it out the window. He still played pretty well, but I’m glad people are going to see a 37 when considering to play him or not. He was one of the best fantasy assets in 2016 and the Nuggets have only tailored the offense more in his favor. He is the focal point of the team and is leaned on to not only score but to distribute as well. He’s one of the more gifted passers in basketball and will see double-digit assists plenty of times in the campaign. This game is sitting at a 216 over/under with the Nuggets -11. The Kings will toss Willie Cauley-Stein and Zach Randolph at Jokic, but neither will stick. WCS has a better shot, but he’s not gifted enough on defense and is also a bit skinny. Jokic is a top 2 center in my book and against the Kings, I’ll have exposure every time. I do like him less than Blake Griffin, but BARELY.

Robin Lopez
FD $5,800 DK $5,400

Ya, I know. It seems kind of early to be recommending Robin Lopez. Trust me, I don’t want to play him either. I just have to be objective. With Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis out for an extended period of time, RoLo will be forced to play AT LEAST 30 minutes. He should see close to 40 on certain occasionas. He faces off with the Spurs tonight, who on the surface dont look like a great match-up. However, pace-adjusted, they ranked 21st against centers in 2016. Neither Pau Gasol nor LaMarcus Aldridge is any good at defense, so it makes sense. This is also a different Robin Lopen than you’re used to. Nobody is left on this team, so he’s almost the leader. He’s going to shoot the ball close to 15 times a game and should be close to a lock for a double-double on most nights. Good luck out there tonight! Here’s to avoiding the traps!

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/20/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 19, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/20/17

Point Guard

Eric Bledsoe
FD $7,500 DK $7,400

Bledsoe saw just 29 minutes in the opening contest, in what was a blowout at halftime against the Blazers. He has always been a guy that plays big minutes and I think it’s fair to expect around 35 on a daily basis. This style of game fits into Bledsoe’s hands perfectly, as the Lakers love to run and push the ball up the court. We didn’t see it much last night, but some of that can be attributed to PatBev giving them a nightmare. This game currently sits at a 220 total with the Suns favored by just 3, so it’ll be high scoring and close. Exactly what you’re looking for out of a game stack. The price is fair and he’s pretty safe, considering he fills up the box in every which way. He thrives in the open floor and should have no problem getting there often against a Lakers team that ranked 3rd worst in 2016 against transition baskets. Bledsoe isn’t a lock, but he’s as close as you’ll get at the position.

D’Angelo Russell
FD $8,000 DK $7,300

Jeremy Lin has already been ruled out for the year. Thoughts go out to him, but at least we got it over quickly. It’s surely a lot less stressful than him being questionable EVERY DAY for the entire season. like we dealt with for much with for much of 2016. With Lin gone at PG, D’Angelo Russell will slide over and let Caris LeVert and Sean Kilpatrick handle the 2. Russell gave us a taste of what to expect from him in game 1, shooting 22 times and putting up 42 fantasy points against some quality defenders in Indy. I know both of these guys are a bit expensive, but they are both in spots where the ceiling and floor is just too high for the respective price. Russell could very well be a $9K player very soon. It sounds crazy, but it’ll happen if he’s over 20 shots on a nightly basis. He did it just 6 times in 2016. The Magic play fast and don’t care too much about defense. Russell is a prime option for all formats.

Shooting Guard

Jaylen Brown
FD $6,200 DK $5,500

Until the price goes way up or the Celtics are facing a defensive juggernaut, Jaylen Brown will remain a safe cash game play. He’s the number 2 option behind Kyrie and has shot 34 times over the first 2 contests. The Celtics now see the 76ers, who will be one of the teams we target a lot this year. With the addition of Fultz and Simmons, they should want to run as much as possible. Brown derives a lot of his value from being able to get into the open court and make things happen. That shouldn’t be an issue here, as neither TLC or J.J. Redick have the speed or athleticism to stick with Jaylen. It may be tough to the pay the $6K tag for a guy who was just at $4k, but he’s worth close to 7 or 8. Expect him to once again see 30+ minutes against a lackluster defense that is fine running.

Andrew Wiggins
FD $6,800 DK $6,300

We still don’t really know how Jimmy Butler will cut into Wiggins and Towns, but I think it’s safe to assume that it won’t be much. Butler is a superstar, but he doesn’t need the ball in his hands a ton. He posted a 25% usage last season in Chicago and will likely end up with a similar one here. You also add in the fact that all these starters will see close to 40 minutes on most nights, and the safety is there. People generally see the “Utah” under the opponent and completely ignore. While they are a good team defense, they have Rodney Hood and Donovan Mitchell at the 2. Both of which are inexperienced and not known, at all, for their defense. Ignles will be on Butler, which could funnel some more production towards Wiggins on the perimeter. He’s not as safe as Jaylen is Point per $, but he’s close. He will also be just 5 or 10% owned, at most.

Small Forward

Harrison Barnes
FD $6,300 DK $5,700

We’ve been looking at a few of the more expensive options at PG and SG, so let’s look for a way to save here at SF. Harrison Barnes is the leader of the Mavs on offense and he’s going to be one of the more consistent SF’s we can lean on at such a solid price. He can handle 35+ minutes every night and had no problem shooting close to 20 times a game in 2016. The Kings have a gaping hole at SF with Rudy Gay out, so they’ll look to Justin Jackson and Buddy Hield to deal with Barnes on defense. Barnes doesn’t have the upside to put up 50 fantasy points, but you can lock him in there for 25 with the upside for 45. At this price, you can’t ask for more.

Evan Fournier
FD $5,600 DK $5,400

Evan Fournier left a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouth after last season, including mine. It seemed like countless times that I rostered him and he just goofed around for 300 minutes and ended with nothing worthy of note. That didn’t look to be the guy I was watching the other night. While it can be tough to base decisions on things like the eye test, it’s really not with a guy like Fournier. He looked like he wanted to be there and was initiating a lot of the effective offense. He now heads up with the fast-paced Nets, who haven’t played defense in 2 years. This game is sitting at a 223 over/under with the Magic favored by 2. Get some exposure on both sides of the ball. Fournier is cheap enough where you really don’t have to consider him a “pay-up”, but has the upside to give you 50 in a tournament.

Power Forward

Anthony Davis
FD $10,900 DK $10,600

With Draymond Green doubtful as I type this, I’m going to assume he is out. Even if he is in, you can take all of what I’m about to say and just minimize it a little bit. Davis is unstoppable. Cousins is unstoppable. When you try to stop them with whatever combo of Zaza, Javale, David West and Jordan Bell, things may get ugly. With that being said, the same can be said for the Pelicans in regard to Kevin Durant/Klay Thompson. I think this one just turns into an absolutely shootout and stacking the entire game is a terrific idea. If it blows out, none of them make value. If it stays close, I think it does because of the back-and-forth nature. We aren’t going to see either of these teams grind out defense here. Davis saw 40 minutes last game, which is a terrific sign for a guy that is often on a minutes limit. If he’s seeing those types of minutes this early, it’s fair to assume we’re playing with a fully healthy Anthony Davis. A fully healthy Anthony Davis is something you won’t come across often, and when you do, you take advantage. Personally, you will catch me with 100% Anthony Davis if Draymond is out. I’d prefer to watch him abuse the backups and for me to benefit instead of grimace every time he slams it over anyone’s head in hopes I won’t be passed by the crowd. AD might end up being popular, which is when I’ll pivot over to Cousins. All in all, this game is a gold mine and you should get exposure from both sides.

Jae Crowder
FD $5,300 DK $4,700

This is just a simple case of a guy being a bit mispriced to start the season. It’s not too bad, but Crowder will put up numbers in this offense if he’s going to play 30+ minutes. He’s a lot better of an offensive player than many of the guys who have played the same role with LeBron in the near past. He will get as many open 3’s in the corner as he could ever want and could have some huge games if he gets hot. He’s also good at penetrating and scooping up peripherals on defense, which can’t be said for the usual LeBron corner guy. It’s also comforting to know Crowder will be out there when it matters. He is a good defender and helps make up for the atrocious Rose and Love (If you want to laugh, watch these 2 try to defend a PNR). I feel like they should have a coach out there grabbing their hips and throwing them into the proper defensive position. It’s just brutal. Getting back on topic, Crowder is going to be an integral part of this offense from the get and isn’t priced like it just yet. The Bucks play small and he’ll have no problem getting an excess of minutes at the 4 and maybe a few at the 5 when Thon Maker is out there. He isn’t going to go crazy but penciling in 25 at this price is a blessing in cash games.

Center

Nikola Vucevic
FD $8,400 DK $7,600

There are a lot of different ways you can go at center if you’re paying up, so take your choice. We’ll run with Nikola Vucevic here, who sees and up-paced affair with the Brooklyn Nets. He got dismantled by Hassan Whiteside in the first game, but did answer back with a solid 19-13-2-2 line. TheNets lost Brook Lopez in the offseason and will turn to Timofey Mozgov at center. I don’t know how they plan on making that work, but they are the Nets, so maybe they just don’t care. Bucevic will embarrass Mozgov for however many minutes the Nets can lie to themselves for. Trevor Booker and Rondae Hollies-Jefferson man the 4 and are way too undersized to mess with Vuc. To me, it looks like a severe match-up problem. Unless the Nets have a focus on taking away Vucevic from the start (no shot), he should have a big game. His price is still fair and will likely see a small bump if he continues seeing heavy minutes. Aaron Gordon is also questionable now, so Vuc could be leaned on even more down low than already expected.

Marcin Gortat
FD $6,100 DK $5,600

Now for what may be the most cut and dry option of them all, let’s take a look at Marcin Gortat facing off with the monster that is Andre Drummond. Gortat will need to be out there to match the size of Drummond, which Ian Mahinmi just can’t offer. Gortat is locked into a double-double and you can safely project him for 34+ minutes. For years now, Gortat has been getting a ton of minutes to start the year until eventually getting a nagging injury that keeps them down. Drummond is a huge center, but his defense is nothing to be worried about. The Pistons were 3rd worst against centers in 2016 and I can’t see a guy with Gortat’s skill set just flopping. Wall leans on Gortat to space the floor and he does it perfectly, knowing exactly how Wall likes to play. Gortat is the safest option at center for the price and I’ll have a ton of exposure in cash games.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/19/17

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Austyn Varney on October 18, 20170 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/19/17

Point Guard

Russell Westbrook
FD $11,800 – DK $11,000

Look, if you’re playing on this slate, it’s going to take some real guts to fade Russell Westbrook. No matter how you slice it, he’s the top raw option at any position in any format. While he may seem expensive, if you played NBA DFS last year, you know this is nothing. He did lose Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter, but gained 2 great players in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. They may warrant a few more shots than the guys did last year, but this team belongs to Westbrook and the ball will be in his hands as much as he wants. This match-up with the Knicks couldn’t be better. Ramon Sessions will cover him. Yes, let that sink in. Of course, the Knicks will try to remedy that with Justin Holiday and double-teams, but we all know by now that it doesn’t work. Westbrook is a guy I’ll have 100% exposure to, bar none.

Jerian Grant
FD $6,600 – DK $5,300

Point guard is typically a position where you have to pick between 5 or 6 elite options. That’s just not the case tonight. Kyle Lowry is the 2nd safest guy, but I’m trying to include some cheaper options and I’m a bigger fan of DeRozan, who we’ll get to. The Bulls are an ultimate cluster$%%@ right now and they will need more than a few guys to step up and fill the hole that Mirotic and Portis will leave. Grant won’t see any impact minutes-wise, but he’ll be looked at to lead this young offense. He showed plenty of times last year that he was able, going over 30 FD points 7 times in his last 25 games. Kyle Lowry is known as a good defender, but he’s really not. The Raptors ranked 23rd against point guards in 2016 and while Grant is far from a typical PG, his size should give Lowry some issues. I’m not expecting a huge game out of Grant, but he can fill the stat sheet in plenty of ways and will be in there for over 30 minutes against an average defensive team.

Shooting Guard

DeMar DeRozan
FD $8,800 – DK $8,300

With just 3 games on the slate, you probably want to have either Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan. Chances are at least one of them will have a superb game against the inept opponent. Before going any further, go ahead and look at the Bulls projected lineup. It is like a spring training lineup in baseball or something. I’m not sure I can remember seeing anything as bad in recent past in any sport. Justin Holiday will cover DeRozan and he’s just too small, as well as not good enough. It’s no offense to Holiday, who’s young with a ton of potential, but DeMar DeRozan is a premier NBA scorer. He can put up 40 points on any given night and will probably put up 50 a time or two before the season concludes. There aren’t too many +EV ways to pay up tonight, so you probably want some exposure to the Toronto DD.

Jordan Clarkson
FD $4,700 – DK $4,300

You have a lot of different ways to go at SG, but you’ll have to pay down in a couple spots here and Jordan Clarkson might be my favorite way to do it. With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope suspended, he will be in line to play at least 30 minutes, with some at the 1 and some at the 2. Julius Randle is also questionable, so he could end up seeing a huge uptick in usage as well. Clarkson is an extremely good guard who is underpriced on both sites. He gets the ball in his hands when on the court and if his floaters are hitting, value will come in the 1st half. The Clippers will toss Austin Rivers and Lou Williams at Jordan Clarkson, so he won’t have a hard time getting to the paint. Clarkson is nowhere near a must, but I don’t see the reasoning behind his price.

Small Forward

Paul George
FD $8,600 – DK $6,100

We have no real idea how Paul George will mesh with Russell Westbrook and the Thunder, but I’m willing to take a guess. If you’ve been watching Paul George since he came into the league, you should know that he won’t be causing any problems. There were plenty of times in Indy when a guy like Jeff Teague, Roy Hibbert, or Lance Stephenson would get hot and George would have no problem taking a backseat. He would then hop back into the driver’s seat the next night and put up 30 real-life points. In this Thunder system, I suspect he turns into quite Robin to Westbrook’s Batman. His price is way too low on DraftKings and he’s a near must in cash games. On FanDuel, I love him, but it’s not a must by any means.

Paul Zipser
FD $4,800 – DK $4,200

Hey, calm down. I know Paul Zipser isn’t a guy you wanted to roster until the end of the year when we’re scratching and clawing for value. But I don’t think this is like most years. We usually don’t have a teammate breaking another one’s face and sending him to the hospital with facial fractures. These unforeseen circumstances have led to Nikola Mirotic being out for 6 weeks and Portis suspended for 8 games. It leaves a bunch of minutes for not too many guys. Paul Zipser is locked into 36+ minutes and it’s the reason he’s in play. He will sit in the corner for most of the game, occasionally takin charge and driving to the hoop for a goofy layup. With minutes, come production, and that’s the hope here with Zipser at his depressed price tag.

Power Forward

Lauri Markkanen
FD $6,500 DK $5,600

We’ll stay here with the mess that is the entire Bulls organization. With Mirotic and Portis out, we have RoLo, Felicio, and Markkanen at the 4 and 5. Felicio physically can’t play more than 20-24 minutes, so that leaves about 75 for Lopez and Markkanen (maybe a few from Zipser). Markkanen is technically a rookie, but he’s been playing pro ball in Europe for 6 years and should be able to transition a bit better than guys coming from college. Markkanen is a very good basketball player and he can fill the stat sheet in many different ways. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him well over $8,000 on both sites come next month. This match-up with the Raptors isn’t great, but like I’ve said, minutes = production.

Blake Griffin
FD $9,500 DK $9,600

This year is going to be very telling for the outlook and legacy of Blake Griffin. The last time he was without Chris Paul for an extended period of time, he was consistently one of the top 5 NBA players on a nightly basis. His production was tempered with CP3 back, but that’s not the case anymore. This offense will run through Griffin and he will be given the opportunity to do as much damage as possible. Expect plenty of face-up and PnR opportunities for Griffin from the first possession on. He will also have some games where he distributes and sees close to 10 assists, which could very well come against the Lakers. All in all, I think Griffin has the opportunity to have a huge night and I’ll be doing my best to get him in all my contests. With the current value, I have been able to fit both Westbrook and Griffin without any worries.

Center

Brook Lopez
FD $7,400 DK $6,500

For me, it’s a toss-up between Brook Lopez and DeAndre Jordan for the top high-priced center. They both couldn’t care less about defense, but produce fantasy points in very different ways. Jordan will rely on rebounding and putbacks, while Lopez will get the ball with 15 seconds left on the shot clock and go to work, both post-up and face-up. I suspect Jordan may have some trouble covering Lopez and it could put him into some foul trouble. I doubt Lopez gets into foul trouble as he would much rather just back up. Whichever way you decide to go is fine, but Lopez is probably a bit riskier with a higher ceiling. If you don’t have Griffin and are looking for safety, play Jordan.

Steven Adams
FD $6,300 FD $5,700

If you don’t want to pay up for either Lopez or Jordan, Steven Adams is a quality pivot at $2k cheaper. The Thunder face off with the Knicks, who offer up Enes Kanter and Willy Hernangomez at the 5. If you pay attention to the NBA, you know they are both embarrassingly bad at defense. I expect we will be targeting centers against the Knicks all season long. Adams isn’t a scorer, but he can score with his back to the basket when guys like Westbrook and George are pulling all of the attention away from the paint. Adams has a double-double before the game starts and it just depends on whether the game stays close enough for him to play 35 minutes.

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