We will have plenty of action in the NBA on Tuesday with nine games on the schedule.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 1/8/19
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
The NBA doesn’t let up Tuesday with eight more games on the schedule. With the combination of a busy slate and plenty of injuries throughout the league, we have some great value play options to consider. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NBA Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
POINT GUARDS
T.J. McConnell, PHI vs. WAS
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,300
McConnell continues to provide excellent defensive contributions by averaging 1.5 steals across his last 20 games. His scoring numbers aren’t always there, but his steals and assists still make him someone to consider. This also stands out as an excellent matchup for him with both the Sixers and the Wizards in the top-nine in the league in pace of play.
De’Anthony Melton, PHO vs. SAC
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,100
Devin Booker (back) didn’t practice Monday after having to leave Sunday’s game against the Hornets. Melton was forced to play 26 minutes in that contest and finished with five points, seven rebounds, four assists, and a steal. If Booker is unable to play, Melton has some upside against a Kings team that plays at the second-fastest pace (104.9 possessions per game). Even if Booker is able to give it a go, Melton might be worth a look in tournament play based on the Suns’ overall lack of depth at point guard.
SHOOTING GUARDS
Dwyane Wade, MIA vs. DEN
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $5,000
Wade might be in the twilight of his career, but don’t sleep on him Tuesday. He comes into this game playing well, averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and four assists across his last nine games. With Goran Dragic (knee) out, Wade should continue to see added opportunities to help facilitate the Heat’s offense. This isn’t necessarily a great matchup against a tough Nuggets’ defense, but Wade is still priced low enough on both sites to warrant consideration.
Josh Okogie, MIN at OKC
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,300
It’s going to be important to monitor the Timberwolves’ rotations over their next few games with Tom Thibodeau out as their head coach. Thibodeau was notorious for having short rotations and riding his starters for heavy minutes, so there could be a few players that have significant swings in value. The good news for Tuesday from a minutes projection perspective is that both Derrick Rose (ankle) and Robert Covington (ankle) have already been ruled out. Okogie could receive another starting nod, as a result. Across 10 previous starts, he has averaged 7.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and one steal.
SMALL FORWARDS
DeAndre’ Bembry, ATL at TOR
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,600
Another team battling various injuries is the Hawks, who will be without Taurean Prince (ankle) and Kent Bazemore (ankle) for this matchup against the Raptors. Bembry has been forced into more playing time of late and has come through with averages of 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, two assists, and 1.1 steals across his last seven games. Even though this will be a tough task against a good defensive team, the Hawks play at the fastest pace (105.5) in the league, leaving Bembry with some upside based on his expanded role.
Otto Porter Jr., WAS at PHI
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $5,600
Porter stands out as a great cheap option, especially on FanDuel. He hasn’t played more than 24 minutes in any of his three games since returning from injury, but that hasn’t stopped him from averaging 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and 1.5 steals across his last two contests. This game should be played at a fast pace and Porter is said to have no minute’s restriction, further making a case to roll with him in your entry.
POWER FORWARDS
Marvin Williams, CHA at LAC
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,300
Williams’ averages for the season aren’t really anything to get overly excited about. However, he’s heated up after a slow start, averaging 13.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and one steal across his last 10 games. He’s been especially hot from behind the arc, draining at least two three-pointers in a game eight times during that stretch. The Clippers allow the seventh-most points per game (114.3) in the league, setting up Williams with a favorable opportunity to continue his recent run of success.
Josh Jackson, PHO vs. SAC
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
If Booker doesn’t play in this game, Jackson is another option who could stand to benefit from his absence. Jackson has had a hard time finding consistent playing time, but he’s averaged 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, three assists, and one steal across 25 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes.
CENTERS
Willy Hernangomez, CHA at LAC
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $4,400
After Cody Zeller (hand) went down, the Hornets immediately turned to Hernangomez as their starting center. However, his stint in that role lasted just one game. He’s come off of the bench in two games since and has still been productive with averages of 14.5 points, seven rebounds, and 2.4 assists. The Clippers allowed the fifth-most FanDuel and DraftKings points per game to opposing centers, making Hernangomez a great cheap option to target.
Kevon Looney, GS vs. NY
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $4,000
I’m definitely in favor of rolling with Henrnangomez in your lineup if you want to save money at center. However, if your budget needs even more assistance, Looney could also be productive. The Knicks can’t stop anyone right now and continue to change their rotations up front, so it’s hard to establish any sort of rhythm defensively. Despite playing with so many stars around him, Looney has still managed to average 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds over his last seven games.
Author Bio:
Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio and DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat.
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 10/18/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
The NBA takes a step back from the 11-game slate Wednesday with only three games on the schedule Thursday. Even with so few options, there are still some great value plays to consider. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
POINT GUARDS
Goran Dragic, MIA at WAS
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $6,000
The Heat were extremely shorthanded Wednesday with James Johnson, Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, and Wayne Ellington all sidelined. Dragic was one of the players who stepped up in their absence, scoring 26 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and one block in 32 minutes versus the Magic. There is a chance that all four players will sit again Thursday, which would again leave Dragic with an added role in the offense. He might lose a few assists without as many quality players around him, but he should make up for that with added scoring.
Cameron Payne, CHI at PHI
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $3,600
Payne enters this season as the backup at point guard to Kris Dunn. Payne had a few decent games last year when given extended playing time, but a lot of those performances came when Dunn was injured. Even though his playing time will be somewhat limited, the Bulls are extremely thin at point guard outside of him and Dunn. In 23 minutes per game last year, Payne averaged 8.8 points, 4.5 assists, one steal and 1.4 three-pointers per contest. His upside isn’t great, but if the Bulls get down big on the road against the far superior Sixers, Payne could be productive in garbage time.
SHOOTING GUARDS
J.J. Redick, PHI vs. CHI
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,100
The Sixers are going with an odd strategy of using Markelle Fultz as the starting shooting guard to begin games, but then starting Redick there for the third quarter. Fultz ended up playing 24 minutes under that arrangement in their season opener, but he didn’t play well. Redick, on the other hand, scored 16 points and hit two three-pointers in 29 minutes. Fultz is going to have his growing pains, so expect Redick to edge him out in playing time, at least for now. The Bulls are not a good defensive team, so Redick might be able to light them up from behind the arc.
Justin Holiday, CHI at PHI
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,300
The Bulls entered the preseason with the intention of starting Jabari Parker at small forward and Lauri Markkanen at power forward. Once Markkanen went down with an elbow injury, it opened the door for Parker to slide to power forward and for Holiday to enter the starting five. Parker has since been moved to a sixth man role off the bench, but Holiday remains a member of the starting unit. He won’t get a ton of shots playing alongside Zach LaVine and Bobby Portis, but he should get enough playing time to be worth considering at this cheap price.
SMALL FORWARDS
Josh Richardson, MIA at WAS
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $6,200
Not only did Dragic benefit from the Heat’s lack of depth Wednesday, but Richardson finished the game with 21 shot attempts. He wasn’t very efficient and was only 2-for-10 from behind the arc, but he still scored 21 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. Should the Heat have the same injury concerns Thursday, look for Richardson to play a vital role in their offense.
Otto Porter Jr., WAS vs. MIA
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $5,600
Porter doesn’t get a lot of headlines playing with John Wall and Bradley Beal, but he’s a fine player in his own right. He doesn’t always get a lot of shot attempts, but he’s been efficient with a field goal percentage of at least 50.3% in both of the last two seasons. Not only does he provide added value on the glass, but he also averaged 1.5 steals last year and has recorded at least 1.4 steals per contest in each of the last three seasons. Don’t count on him to provide as much scoring as Richardson, but Porter is still a viable option for your entry.
POWER FORWARDS
Bobby Portis, CHI at PHI
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,700
The Bulls made a somewhat surprising decision late in the preseason to start Portis ahead of Parker. Portis was ticketed to provide a ton of energy off their bench, but the Bulls decided to move Parker to a bench role after they struggled mightily on the defensive end at the start of the preseason. Portis is instant offense, posting the second-highest usage rate (26%) on the team last year. LaVine is going to take a ton of shots, but Portis might be the second best offensive weapon among their starters.
Markieff Morris, WAS vs. MIA
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,000
The Wizards added Dwight Howard over the summer, but he’s battling a back injury and is listed as questionable for this contest. Even if he does take the floor, he may not be completely healthy. The Wizards don’t have a ton of quality size up front behind Howard and Morris with their backups including Jeff Green, Ian Manhimi and Jason Smith. Morris might be forced to spend some additional time at center in this game, giving him added opportunities to provide value. He’s going to take a back seat offensively to Wall, Beal, and Porter, but he still chipped in 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds across 27 minutes per game last year.
CENTERS
JaVale McGee, LAL at POR
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,500
The Lakers made several additions during the offseason, one of which was adding McGee to their very shallow group of centers. McGee is expected to start, but he likely won’t see traditional starter’s minutes. Expect the Lakers to deploy a lot of small lineups. With that being said, McGee is still going to play more than the 10 minutes a game he averaged last year with the Warriors. He also has the opportunity for a lot of easy buckets catching passes from LeBron James, Rajon Rondo and Lonzo Ball. McGee is also a great source for blocks, making him someone to target in tournament play at this cheap price.
Bam Adebayo, MIA at WAS
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,900
The Heat were a bit of a mess at center last season. Hassan Whiteside was expected to be their anchor in the middle, but he averaged only 25 minutes a game. That opened up the door for Adebayo to get extra minutes. Whiteside did play 33 minutes in their opener Wednesday, but Abebayo still logged 22 minutes due to all of their injuries. He chipped in nine points, eight rebounds, and a steal, helping him stay in the discussion as a value play option Thursday. However, I do prefer McGee to Adebayo if you want to save money at center.
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/1/17
*Mike Barner*
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/1/17
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POINT GUARDS
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. MIN
FanDuel = $11,300
DraftKings = $11,400
Things are getting ugly in Oklahoma City as the Thunder are four games under .500. It’s still early, but they are currently on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Considering they added two All-Stars to their team, it would be a huge disappointment in the unlikely event that they actually don’t make it. Their problem has been lack of depth, which has lead to Westbrook still being extremely productive even with more talented players in the starting five. Westbrook’s 32.7% usage rate is sixth-best in the league and he’s coming off a season-high 37-point performance Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. Expect him to try and carry his squad to a win Friday.
Tomas Satoransky, WAS vs. DET
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,800
While Tim Frazier was expected to take over the bulk of the work when John Wall went down with an injury, it’s been Satoransky who stepped up to be the most productive point guard on the team. Satoransky has played at least 21 minutes in both of the last two games, averaging 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists. Considering he won’t cost you much, take a chance that he continues to outproduce Frazier again Friday.
SHOOTING GUARDS
Jrue Holiday, NO at UTA
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,200
There was concern that the return of Rajon Rondo would deal a significant blow to Holiday’s value as he wouldn’t have the ball in his hands as much. While his assist totals have definitely taken a hit, his scoring has increased as he has scored at least 18 points in four of his last five games. The Pelicans play at the seventh-fastest pace (102.2) in the league, helping to create more scoring opportunities for Holiday. At this reasonable price, his offensive upside makes him someone to consider for your lineup.
Alec Burks, UTA vs. NO
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,600
Burks provided tremendous value Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers when he scored 28 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block in 29 minutes. With Rodney Hood out with an ankle injury, Burks was needed to help carry their offense. With Hood’s status uncertain for Friday, Burks presents another opportunity to provide value. Even if Hood does manage to play, Burks should get enough minutes to be an option for your entry as he has logged at least 20 minutes in seven of his last eight games.
SMALL FORWARDS
Otto Porter Jr., WAS vs. DET
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $6,500
The Wizards need Porter to provide offensive help with Wall out, but he put up a dud Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers when he scored only eight points. The good news is, he had 14 shot attempts in the game, so it was just a matter of being ice-cold from the field. He had scored at least 22 points in both of the previous two games, showing he is capable of providing the offense they need. This will be the second matchup between these two teams this season and Porter dominated in the first game, scoring 28 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists, four steals and one block. Look for a rebound performance Friday.
Lance Stephenson, IND at TOR
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,500
Stephenson is finally starting to get consistent playing time as he has logged at least 22 minutes in six straight games. He has the ability to provide valuable all-around numbers as he is averaging 15.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists over his last four games. The Pacers play at the ninth-fastest pace (101) in the league, which fits well with Stephenson’s skillset. Considering his low floor relative to his price, Stephenson is worth considering again in this game.
POWER FORWARDS
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at MEM
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $8,500
Aldridge just faced the Grizzlies Wednesday and dominated the game with 41 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one block. He continues to lead with the way with Kawhi Leonard out as his 28.3% usage rate is by far the highest on the team. He hasn’t put up these types of numbers since he was the main man on the Portland Trail Blazers, but there is no reason to believe he can’t keep rolling with Leonard out again Friday.
Kelly Olynyk, MIA vs. CHA
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,400
The Heat will be without starting center Hassan Whiteside due to a knee injury for one-to-two weeks, dealing a major blow to their frontcourt. Olynyk is one of the players left to pick up the pieces, although his style of game is vastly different from that of Whiteside. Olynyk has only averaged 19 minutes a game this season, but he has still managed to average a respectable 9.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 three-pointers per contest. With the likelihood of added minutes Friday, Olynyk results in an excellent value play.
CENTERS
Dwight Howard, CHA at MIA
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,500
Howard is playing at his best right now as he is averaging 19.7 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over his last six games. The move to Charlotte has done wonders for his career as his 25.1% usage rate is his highest since the 2011-12 season. With Whiteside out Friday, the Heat are going to have a hard time slowing down Howard. You don’t have to worry about his atrocious free-throw shooting in DFS, so get him in your lineup and enjoy the hefty double-double.
Bam Adebayo, MIA vs. CHA
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,100
Along with Olynyk, Adebayo should see increased minutes with Whiteside injured. He is likely better suited to defend Howard, so he could be in for big minutes. He played 30 minutes in the Heat’s last game Wednesday against the New York Knicks and finished with nine points, five rebounds, and two steals. There is potential here as he posted a double-double earlier this season in a game where he played 31 minutes against the Timberwolves. If you want to take a chance on a cheap center in tournament play, give Adebayo a shot.