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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/19/18

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/19/18

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POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers

Darren Collison, IND at LAL
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $5,600

Collison’s overall scoring average is down at 12.8 points per game, but he sure is efficient, shooting a career-high 50.7% from the field to go along with 88.8% from the free-throw line. Although he’s not a volume scorer, he still provides a steady floor with averages of 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 three-pointers per game. He gets a favorable match Friday against a Lakers team that plays at the fastest pace (103.6 possessions per game) in the league, which should give him added opportunities to provide value at this reasonable price.

Tyler Ennis, LAL vs. IND
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,900

The Lakers are going to be short-handed at guard Friday with both Lonzo Ball (knee) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Achilles) ruled out, so expect Ennis to be in the starting lineup. He’s played well in his previous five starts this season, averaging 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 0.8 steals per game. His upside isn’t extremely high, but it doesn’t have to be to warrant consideration for your entry at this very cheap price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers

Tim Hardaway Jr., NY at UTA
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $6,100

Hardaway has played well in three games since returning from a leg injury, averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2.7 three-pointers per game. He played 26 minutes or less in two of those games, so his ceiling could be much higher if he can return to his normal amount of playing time Friday. With a career-high 24% usage rate this year, Hardaway is one of the better value plays of the night at shooting guard.

Josh Hart, LAL vs. IND
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,600

Hart is another player who will likely see increased playing time with both Ball and Caldwell-Pope injured. Hart has played at least 30 minutes in a game five times this season, averaging 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 2.0 three-pointers per contest. Jordan Clarkson is in a shooting slump right now, hitting only 37.6% of his shots so far this month. While Clarkson might have the higher upside when his shot is falling, I feel more comfortable going with Hart’s consistency Friday.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers

Wilson Chandler, DEN vs. PHO
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,300

Chandler’s scoring is way down this season at 9.4 points per game, his lowest since the 2011-12 season where he only played eight total games. His playing time hasn’t decreased, but his usage rate is a career-low 14.8%. The good news is the minutes are still there and he is averaging 6.7 rebounds over his last seven games. He played very well in his first meeting with the Suns this season, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three three-pointers. The Suns play at the fourth-fastest pace (102.4) and allow the most points per game (112.4) in the league, so Chandler does have some upside in this contest.

Dillon Brooks, MEM vs. SAC
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,200

Brooks enters Friday on a small hot streak, averaging 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 three-pointers in his last two games. He played at least 27 minutes in both of those games and could be in line for added playing time again Friday with James Ennis III (calf) already ruled out. The Kings have struggled to defend opposing small forwards this season, so Brooks might be worth the risk if you are playing in a tournament Friday.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers

Domantas Sabonis, IND at LAL
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $6,400

Sabonis continues to fill in as the starting center for the Pacers with Myles Turner (elbow) sidelined. He’s done a nice job so far, averaging 12.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists through 13 starts. Not only will the Lakers uptempo pace likely afford Sabonis a few extra opportunities to produce, but they also allow the sixth-most FanDuel points per game and the eighth-most DraftKings points per game to opposing centers. Expect Sabonis to at least approach another double-double in this game.

JaMychal Green, MEM vs. SAC
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $5,300

Green is in the midst of one of his most productive stretches this season, averaging 12.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal in his last six games. The Grizzlies are struggling this season and don’t have great depth up front, so Green is likely going to see heavy playing time if he keeps this up. The Kings have a lot of size up front but have struggled to defend power forwards throughout this season. Don’t be surprised if he and Sabonis have very similar stat lines when the night is all said and done.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers

Julius Randle, LAL vs. IND
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,600

Randle has been one of the most productive players for the Lakers, posting the third-highest usage rate (24.8%) on the team. His overall numbers have been a bit inconsistent of late but he has still managed to score at least 15 points in five of his last seven games. With the Lakers thin at guard, they could look to their frontcourt for added production. The Pacers allow the most points per game on both FanDuel and DraftKings to opposing centers, making Randle someone to strongly consider for your entry.

Jonas Valanciunas, TOR vs. SA
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,400

Valanciunasis playing well right now, scoring at least 15 points and grabbing at least 13 rebounds in four of his last seven games. He’s only averaging 21 minutes per game this season but has played at least 26 minutes in three of his last six contests. The Spurs have a lot of size up front, so Valanciunas could be in line for added playing time again Friday. At this price, don’t be afraid to take a chance on him in tournament play based on his minutes potential.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 11/24/17

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 11/24/17

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POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Dennis Schroder, ATL vs. NY
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $6,600

There are only five players in the NBA averaging at least 19 points and seven assists per game. They are James Harden, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, John Wall and Schroder. That’s some pretty elite company that Schroder is running with. The Hawks have very little talent on their roster, leaving Schroder to produce the 14th best usage rate (29.4%) in the NBA. The Knicks really struggle to defend opposing point guards, so Schroder could be in line for a huge performance Friday.

Antonio Blakeney, CHI at GS
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,000

As I’ve noted many times, you have to take risks if you want to win in tournament play. The Bulls continue to struggle to score, so they have turned to Blakeney to provide some scoring punch off the bench of late. Over the last five games, he is averaging 10.2 points and 1.0 three-pointer in 20 minutes per contest. The Warriors play at the fifth-fastest pace (104.4) in the NBA and could make this one a laugher earlier, leading to a lot of garbage time. He will only cost you the minimum on both sites, so he could provide value.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Tim Hardaway Jr., NY at ATL
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,600

Hardaway has not disappointed in what was expected to be his breakout campaign as he is averaging career-highs pretty much across the board. The Knicks are off to a surprising 10-7 start and a lot of that is because Hardaway and his 18.4 points per game have provided a great compliment to superstar Kristaps Porzingis. The Hawks are not a good defensive team as they are tied for the sixth-most points allowed per game (108.2) this season. This has the potential to be another great scoring night for Hardaway.

Dion Waiters, MIA at MIN
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,600

The Heat don’t have a ton of offensive firepower as they have scored the sixth-fewest points per game (100.5) in the league. Waiters has been one of their few bright spots, averaging 15.9 points per game. His 26.3% usage rate ranks 36th in the NBA, ahead of players including Paul George, C.J. McCollum, and Kevin Love. The Timberwolves have not played well defensively and have several excellent options offensively that the Heat will need to keep pace with, so Waiters could provide value at this price.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

LeBron James, CLE vs. CHA
FanDuel = $11,900
DraftKings = $11,200

James continues to get plenty of opportunities to produce as he is tied for the second-most minutes (37.7) per game this season. This has the potential to be an up-tempo contest as both the Cavaliers and the Hornets are in the top-12 in the NBA in terms of pace of play. It’s going to cost a pretty penny to get him into your entry, but his workload and rare skillset should make him worth it.

Courtney Lee, NY at ATL
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,600

Lee continues to see significant playing time as he is averaging 32 minutes per game in his second consecutive season with the Knicks. Not known as a potent offensive weapon, he is averaging 11.2 points per game, which is the fourth best on the team. He is also averaging career-highs in rebounds (4.1), assists (3.1), steals (1.5), and three-pointers (1.6) per game. With the Hawks defensive struggles already outlined earlier, Lee has the potential to outproduce his pricepoint Friday.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Anthony Davis, NO at PHO
FanDuel = $11,300
DraftKings = $10,700

Davis and DeMarcus Cousins have thrived together in New Orleans as they are the only teammates in the league to average at least 25 points and 11 rebounds per game this season. Despite playing a bigger lineup than most teams, the Pelicans actually play at the seventh-fastest pace (102.3) in the NBA. The only concern you should really ever have with playing Davis in DFS is his injury history as you can’t afford to lose a player early in a game at this price. With how horrible the Suns are on defense, get Davis in your lineup and just cross your fingers that he stays healthy.

Bobby Portis, CHI at GS
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $5,200

Portis came back from suspension and was hot to start the season, averaging 19.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers over his first three games. He has cooled off considerably since, averaging 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 0.8 three-pointers in his last five games. Even with his recent slump, I like him Friday as the Warriors play a lot of small lineups. I wouldn’t be surprised if Portis plays close to, if not more, minutes than Robin Lopez. At the pace the Warriors play, Portis could be in for a big performance considering his reasonable price.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Hassan Whiteside, MIA at MIN
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,500

Let’s take a look at the last three performances by centers against the Timberwolves. Andre Drummond had 20 points, 16 rebounds, and two blocks Sunday, Dwight Howard had 25 points, 20 rebounds, and four blocks Monday, and Nikola Vucevic had 11 points, 14 rebounds, and one block Wednesday. While Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best offensive centers in the game, he clearly still has a lot of improving to do on the defensive end of the floor. Expect Whiteside to demolish the Timberwolves in this game.

Steven Adams, OKC vs. DET
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,200

The Thunder have one of the weakest benches in the league as their starting five is averaging 79.9 points per game while their second unit is only averaging 23.6 points per game. They are especially thin at center, which has forced Adams to average a career-high 31 minutes per contest. With Friday bringing a matchup against Andre Drummond, Adams is going to be needed to log heavy minutes again in this game. If you want to save money at center, look no further.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/27/17

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/27/17

Point Guard

John Wall
John Wall and the Wizards will head to Golden State to face off with the Warriors tonight. With a 230 over/under, Vegas expects points to be scored. We haven’t seen much of classic John Wall yet this season, but we all know it’s coming and coming very soon. This match-up with the Warriors will give him the opportunity to run as much as he wants and do it against a subpar defender in Stephen Curry. If the Wizards are able to keep this relatively close, it’ll probably end up as the most productive game stack on the board. The Warriors and Wizards both play very fast and small, so it’ll be exciting to see how rotation and minute-distribution goes. We know Wall will see 35 minutes if it stays close and give you at least 45 FP with upside for 70.

Spencer Dinwiddie
With D’Angelo Russell looking all but out, Spencer Dinwiddie will slide in there once again and give the Nets 30 minutes at a minimum. He saw 31 against the Cavs last time out and put up 38 fantasy points, even though the match-up was horrible. This one against the Knicks is far better as Dinwiddie matches up well with Sessions and the Knicks’ backup PG’s. Dinwiddie isn’t some horrible stand in the corner guy either. He will control the ball when in the game and do a great job at it. He’s an easy cash game and tournament play for me once we learn Russell is confirmed out. Point Guard is likely the deepest position on the slate. Make sure you get it right.

Shooting Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Tim Hardaway Jr. - New York Knicks

Tim Hardaway Jr.
9-for-37. Hardaway Jr. is a very good scorer that is going through a really bad cold streak. We’ll see it snap any night now and when it does, expect a big night. Hardaway is a guy who put up 30 fantasy points almost every night last year for about a month. He now faces off with the Nets, which is the best possible match-up for an SG. They allowed 61 FP to them per game in 2016 and have started this campaign on a not so good note. The Nets love to play fast and it forces the other team to match, resulting in an excess of possessions and peripherals to go around. Hardaway Jr. is too cheap on both sites and I’ll have 100% exposure. I don’t see many ways around him missing value against the Nets. Even if he has a bad shooting night, he should get there with peripherals. If he has a good shooting night, it’s gravy.

Jeremy Lamb
Shooting guard isn’t the greatest, but these 2 guys I’m touching on are fairly priced and give you some real safety at a position that lacks it. With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back, Lamb has still played productive minutes. He now faces off with James Harden and the Rockets. Lamb should be out there at least 32-35 minutes as I suppose he will draw the initial Harden match-up. Fortunately, Harden isn’t nearly as good at defense as he is on offense. Lamb should be able to get in the paint with ease and make things happen. He’s a guy who can rebound extremely well (16 career-high) when he puts his mind towards it, so you never really know what Jeremy Lamb you’ll see. We do know he’ll be out there for 32+ minutes against a fast-paced team that likes to give up points.

Small Forward

Golden State Warriors - Kevin Durant - Lineuplab.com

 

Kevin Durant
Durant is the first superstar we’ll touch on and I prefer him over KD/Harden because of the discount and similar projection. Durant has been dominant this season and has clearly surpassed Stephen Curry as the number 1 option on offense. This is kind of KD’s team, or at least on offense. He touches the ball nearly every possession and it’s worked, sitting over 50 FP in each. He now gets a very friendly match-up with the Wizards, who he’s always dominated. Kelly Oubre and Otto Porter and solid defenders on most nights, but don’t have the length or skill to stick with Durant. He averaged 61 FP against them last year and will look to put up another masterpiece. I have a lot of exposure to this game as I think it stays pretty close all the way throughout, giving all the starters 4 quarters of full playing time.

Wilson Chandler
After Kevin Durant, small forward is ugly. Not as ugly as PF, but you don’t get too many solid choices. You do have Wilson Chandler, who’s been absolutely pitiful to start the year. Like Tim Hardaway Jr., Wilson Chander is a solidified scorer that is simply going on a cold streak. We all know he’ll be putting up 20 real-life points on mist night and should be around $6.5 to $7K. The match-up with the Hawks isn’t anything special, as they’ve allowed the 9th most FP to SF since the start of 2016. Chandler is still going to see 30 minutes in this offense and he will not stop shooting. He never has. He knows more than anyone that this is variance and his shots will start going through in no time. Don’t be afraid to jump on a guy early in the season because of a couple bad games. It happens.

Power Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Frank Kaminsky - Charlotte Hornets - Lineup Lab

Kristaps Porzingis
At the weakest position of the night, you have 1 very easy choice. With the Nets being fantasy gold mines, Kristaps Porzingis is a guy I want all of. He was pitiful last time out against the Celtics, but that game got away early and he didn’t ever get into a groove. He was over 45 FP in each of the other 2 games and it looks like he’s turned a corner without Melo. The offense runs squarely through him and I’m not sure who plans on stopping him here. The Nets have Trevor Booker and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Booker can battle inside, but he’ll have a lot of trouble with the length. RHJ just isn’t a PF and will have trouble with every face of POrzingis’ game. That’s what happens when you’re a 2017 PF taking on a real one. Porzingis is my favorite player on the slate and I will do everything I can to get as much ownership as possible. This is a guy who should put up 50 fantasy points without much problem if the game stays close. He’s also much cheaper than the studs and lets you pay up in an extra spot or two.

Frank Kaminsky
Cody Zeller has already been ruled out for this game, so you can lock into Frank the Tank Kaminsky for another 28-35. I personally never though Kaminsky would be good in the NBA, but I was plain wrong. He has done a good job of transition his game slowly. He probably would have flopped if thrown into the fire like a lot of guys are initially. Instead, he let himself develop and slowly grow into the solidified power forward that he is today. He has a scoring presence from any spot on the floor and is noticeable smart when out there. He does a great job of spacing the floor and communicating with guards as to PNR and GNG’s. He sees a solid match-up against a Rockets team without a real PF. Ryan Anderson does his best, but he’s a shooter. He isn’t going to do very well banging with Kaminsky back to the basket. They also have Luc Mbah a Moute, who’s a great defender, but also an SF playing big. Kaminsky is cheap enough on both sites for all contests and with PF weak, I’ll have a ton.

Center

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Nikola Jokic - Lineuplab.com

Jakob Poeltl
If Jonas Valunciunas is out, we now know who to target. After years of atrocious Raptors backup bigs, we may have found someone. Jakon Poeltl came out of college as a stud. He’s the best player to play for the Utah Utes in a long time and turned that team into a contender. With that being said, his style of play was always very nice for the NBA. Now that he has been given the opportunity with Jonas Valunciunas out, he’s taken advantage. In the last 3 games, he’s seen 16, 25, and 26 minutes. He’s been over 30 fantasy points in every single one of those. We now see Jonas Valunciunas and Nogueira out, which should let Poeltl get over that 30-minute mark. If he does against the Lakers, it’s not crazy to expect 35 fantasy points. The price is too cheap and POeltl will be a big help for paying up elsewhere.

Nikola Jokic
If you feel the need to pay up at center, Nikola Jokic is a great way to go. He’s still too cheap on both sites and I’ll keep playing him until he’s priced appropriately. Tonight, he sees a nice match-up with the Hawks pitiful interior. Dewayne Dedmon has absolutely no chance of slowing down Jokic, and they don’t have anyone else big enough. I guess that just means Jokic will have a huge advantage in the paint at all times tonight. He will also be able to get as many wide open looks from the outside as he could want. The Hawks simply can’t match-up with the size and savvy of the Joker. You can pencil him in for 40 fantasy points and look for 75 point upside, as he showed plenty in 2016. The Hawks have no shot at stopping him, so if this game stays close, I’ll probably wish I had more exposure here.