NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/22/18

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Cesar Becerra on January 22, 20180 Comments

*Cesar Becerra*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/22/18

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Point Guard

Tj McConnell
Draftkings: $5,000
Fanduel $6,700
Tj McConnell has been on fire over his last four games averaging over 32 DK points in 28 minutes since JJ Redick has been sidelined. Today Redick is expected to miss again, and Jerryd Bayless is questionable so McConnell could continue to pick up the slack for the Sixers guards. When both Bayless and Redick are off the court, McConnell holds a 27.4 assist usage percentage. His price is a little elevated given his recent 45 point performance a week ago, but he’s primed to get close to 30 minutes today.

Donovan Mitchell
Draftkings: $7,800
(SG) Fanduel $8,000
Rodney Hood has already been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. When Hood is off the court, Mitchell has a team-high usage rate of 29.4% and an assist rate of 20.4% second behind only Ricky Rubio. Mitchel is averaging over 33 minutes per game and is currently averaging 1.1 DK points per minute. He faces a Hawks defense that allows opposing point guards to score 4 points above-projected points total.

Shooting Guard

Malcolm Brogdon
Draftkings: $5,000
Fanduel: $6,300
Brogdon will return tonight after missing Saturday’s contest for personal reasons. He should be well rested and expected to resume his 30-34 minutes. For the year, Brogdon is averaging .78 fantasy points per minute and is going up against the Suns who play at one of the league’s fastest pace. The Bucks are projected to score just under 110 points so that should open the door for Brogdon to chuck up 3’s.

Wayne Ellington
Draftkings: $5,300
Fanduel: $4,800
Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, and Hassan Whiteside have all been ruled out for tonight’s contest against the Rockets. In situations when all three of those players are off the court, Ellington has been the primary beneficiary. In 185 minutes played, Ellington has seen the biggest boost in minutes (185) and usage (22.9%). Ellington is averaging .75 fantasy points per minutes and should be in line to start and could see upwards of 30 minutes.

Small Forward

Andrew Wiggins
Draftkings: $6,100
Fanduel: $6,200
Jimmy Butler and Jamal Crawford have been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Clippers. When both are off the court, Wiggins leads the Timberwolves with a 28.9% usage percentage and is second in offensive rating (112.5). This game has the second highest over-under so there should be plenty of opportunity for Wiggins.

Nemanja Bjelica
Draftkings: $3,000
Fanduel: $3,600
As I mentioned above Butler has already been ruled out, and Bjelica got the spot start for Butler when he didn’t play the last game. Bjelica played 26 minutes on Saturday and scored 8 points with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. He’ll be one of the highest owned players on the slate given the matchup, price, and game flow against the Clippers.

Power Forward

Kelly Olynyk
Draftkings: $4,800
Fanduel: $4,500
I already talked about the Heat players who have been ruled out, that list included Hassan Whiteside. With Whiteside out, that opens up a spot in the frontcourt for Olynyk to get more minutes. He’s averaging just under 1 fantasy point per minute (.95) and is in an uptempo game against the Rockets.

Trey Lyles
Draftkings: $5,300
Fanduel: $5,400
Trey Lyles has seen upwards of 24 minutes in both of the past two games. Lyles is averaging just over 1 fantasy point per minute (1.01) and faces the Blazers who leave have allowed opposing power forwards to score +2.22 points above salary expectations. The Nuggets are 3 point favorites over the Blazers and Lyles should see 25 minutes tonight.

Center

Clint Capela
Draftkings: $6,600
Fanduel: $7,700
More of a play on Draftkings than Fanduel because of his extremely affordable price, Capela should benefit from Whiteside being off the court tonight. Capela continues to play right around 30 minutes a night and is averaging over 1 fantasy point per minute (1.31). With no Whiteside protecting the rim, Capela should be in store for a double-double tonight, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him pass 40 fantasy points.

Marcin Gortat
Draftkings: $5,100
Fanduel: $4,700
Since I gave you a DK play with Capela, I thought I’d give you a Fanduel play at center with Gortat. Gortat has struggled over his last three games failing to reach 20 Fanduel points in each, but tonight he has a good opportunity to bounce back. His salary has dipped below $5,000 on Fanduel, and he faces the Mavericks who allow opposing centers to score 2.19 points above salary expectations.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Mike Barner on January 8, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner*

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NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

The NBA season is moving quickly with this week marking the 13th week of the 26-week season. If you aren’t already sitting pretty in your season-long league, now is the time to make some moves. It’s important to know the intricacies of the schedule to gain an advantage over your opponent in a head-to-head league as starting your best players might not always give you the best chance to win. Here are the moves you want to consider for your team based on the week ahead.

Teams With The Most Games – 4 Games Each
Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors.

With stars like Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, and DeMarcus Cousins all having the opportunity to play four games each this week, your team could be starting off with a significant advantage. If you are looking for some other players to help fill out your starting lineup, consider adding the players below who each get four games this week and are widely available in most leagues.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

Trey Lyles, Denver Nuggets

Lyles had played at least 20 minutes in a game only twice all season through November but has played less than 20 minutes in a game only once since. He’s clearly assumed a major role off the bench, finishing with a 19.6% usage rate in December. Not only did he average 14.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in December, but he’s averaging 20.3 points and 9.0 rebounds over three games in January. Although he won’t provide many assists, steals or blocks, he is averaging 2.2 three-pointers over his last 18 games. He’s somehow still available in 51% of Yahoo! leagues, so make sure you pick him up with four games this week.

Delon Wright, Toronto Raptors

Wright is starting to make waves in Toronto, averaging 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 three-pointers over his last eight games. He’s earning more playing time as a result, logging at least 20 minutes in five of those eight games. Norman Powell, C.J. Miles, and OG Anunoby have struggled to provide consistent production, so Wright should continue to see added minutes going forward. Two of his four games this week come against the Warriors and the Nets, two of top five teams in the league in terms of pace of play. Still available in 73% of Yahoo! leagues, there is potential here for excellent production.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings

The Kings continue to change up their rotations, making things frustrating from a fantasy perspective. Case in point, Bogdanovic has started three of the last eight games. Despite the changes, he still managed to average 12.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 three-pointers over those eight games. He gets to play the Clippers twice and the Lakers once in three of his four games this week, which are great matchups since both teams struggle to defend shooting guards. He’s still available in 85% of Yahoo! leagues, so don’t hesitate to pick him up if you need a guard.

Teams With The Fewest Games – 1 Game Each
Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers

The Celtics and the Sixers face each other in London on Thursday, resulting in them both only playing one game this week due to the extensive travel. As a result, you should consider benching the following players this week.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 13

Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics

There is no doubt Irving in an elite scorer, averaging 24.1 points and 2.5 three-pointers per game this season. The problem is, he doesn’t provide tremendous help in other categories, averaging just 3.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. A volume scorer with only one game on the schedule is a recipe for disaster. It’s hard to bench a star like Irving, but this might be just the week to do so.

Al Horford, Boston Celtics

Horford’s main value comes from his ability to contribute across the board, averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 block and 1.4 three-pointers per game. You don’t see that type of production out of the center position too often. Unfortunately, his production is not out of this world in any one area. In a week with only one game, he just won’t have the opportunity to pile up enough stats for you in multiple categories. Keep him out of your lineup.

Dario Saric, Philadelphia 76ers

Saric has been a key contributor for the Sixers this year, especially with all the time that Joel Embiid has had to miss due to rest and injuries. Embiid missed several games in December, resulting in Saric averaging 17.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.0 steal and 2.2 three-pointers per game in the month. With Embiid having plenty of time to rest before Thursday’s game, it appears that he should play. One game with Embiid likely back in the fold just doesn’t leave enough value for Saric to be in your starting lineup this week.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/27/17 – Value Plays

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Mike Barner on December 27, 20170 Comments

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/27/17 – Value Plays

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Wednesday’s slate in the NBA is loaded with 10 games, giving you plenty of options for your DFS entry. We took a look at some of the overall excellent plays in Wednesday’s article on Sports Illustrated, but let’s now dive deeper into only the cheaper value plays that can help make you a winner.

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

J.J. Barea, DAL at IND
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $5,000

The Mavericks continue to struggle, but Barea has been one of their better players this season. He’s had an excellent month of December, averaging 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.8 three-pointers in 13 games. Although he comes off the bench, he has no shortage of opportunities to produce, posting the second-highest usage rate (25.6%) on the team. The Pacers allow the ninth-most points per game (106.9) in the league, so Barea will have an opportunity to provide value again in this game.

Andrew Harrison, MEM at LAL
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,100

Harrison has been counted on to play extra minutes with Mike Conley (Achilles) out, logging at least 30 minutes in five of his last seven games. He has played well in his new role, averaging 15.0 points, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in those five games. He gets to play a Lakers team that plays at the fastest pace (104.3) in the league Wednesday, leaving him with the potential to provide value at this cheap price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Jordan Clarkson, LAL vs. MEM
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,600

Clarkson did an excellent job filling in for the injured Lonzo Ball (shoulder) on Monday, scoring 17 points to go along with six rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in 35 minutes. His performance could have been even better if he didn’t shoot an ugly 8-for-24 from the field. He should be in line to start again Wednesday with Ball still out of action. Considering his 27.8% usage rate is the highest on the Lakers, Clarkson should be in for another big game with extended minutes likely on tap.

Marcus Smart, BOS at CHA
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,200

Smart is playing well right now, averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 three-pointers over his last six games. He could see extra playing time Wednesday as the Celtics will have a limited roster with Marcus Morris (knee) out and Jaylen Brown (knee) listed as doubtful. His ceiling isn’t very high based on his 33.7% field goal percentage, but he can still do enough across the board to provide value at this cheap price.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

DeMarre Carroll, BKN at NO
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $5,300

Carroll couldn’t have played much worse Tuesday against the Spurs, scoring only two points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field. Chalk that up to one bad game against a good defense as he was shooting 42.2% from the field in six games entering Tuesday. Look for him to be more productive Wednesday as both the Nets and the Pelicans are in the top-seven in the league in pace of play. Not only that, but the Pelicans allow the second-most points per game on FanDuel and the most points per game on DraftKings to opposing small forwards.

Wilson Chandler, DEN at MIN
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $4,700

Chandler has seen extensive playing time for the Nuggets, logging at least 33 minutes in five straight games. He’s played well over that stretch, averaging 13.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers per game. He struggled to only score five points against these same Timberwolves last week but salvaged the game with 10 rebounds and six assists. He might not have a ton of upside based on his limited offensive game, but that doesn’t mean he’s not someone to consider at this price based on his ability to contribute in other areas.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Trey Lyles, DEN at MIN
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,400

Lyles has established a significant role off the bench for the Nuggets, averaging 27 minutes per game in December. His production this month has been excellent, averaging 14.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.9 three-pointers per game. There are no signs of his minutes dwindling anytime soon as Kenneth Faried hasn’t even played in the last five games. The price is right to take a chance on his recent run of production continuing Wednesday.

Markieff Morris, WAS at ATL
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,700

Morris’ minutes are way down this season at only 24 minutes per game, his fewest since the 2012-13 season. He’s played a little more than that lately though, logging at least 27 minutes in four of his last five games. Those four games came against the Cavaliers, Nets, Magic and Celtics, all teams that use a lot of small lineups. He’ll face a similar opponent Wednesday as the Hawks don’t have much size up front. Morris is averaging 13.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.0 block in the last seven games that he has played at least 27 minutes, making him a viable option based on his potential Wednesday.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Enes Kanter, NY at CHI
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $6,800

Kanter is having a stellar season for the Knicks, averaging a double-double (14.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game) for the first time in his career. He destroyed Joel Embiid and the Sixers on Monday, scoring 31 points to go along with 22 rebounds. That’s not good news for Robin Lopez and the Bulls. The Bulls don’t have much size outside of Lopez either, so this has the makings of another big game for Kanter, although you shouldn’t expect him to replicate Monday’s performance.

Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at OKC
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings – $4,700

Valanciunas continues to struggle to get playing time this season, averaging a career-low 21 minutes per game. He’s shown what he can do with extended minutes, averaging 18.3 points and 13.0 rebounds in the last four games that he played at least 25 minutes. Three of those games came against the Kings, Suns, and Clippers, each of which is either a team with depth up front or a dominant center who gets plenty of playing time. He faces a similar opponent Wednesday as center Steven Adams is averaging 33 minutes per game for the Thunder. The potential for added minutes is here, so Valanciunas has some upside.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/20/17 – Value Plays

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Mike Barner on December 20, 20170 Comments

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/20/17 – Value Plays

Use Code “CYBER30” at checkout for 30% off Seasonal Package

Wednesday’s slate in the NBA is loaded with 12 games, giving you plenty of options for your DFS entry. We took a look at some of the overall excellent plays in Wednesday’s article on Sports Illustrated, but let’s now dive deeper into only the cheaper value plays that can help make you a winner.

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

George Hill, SAC at BKN
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $4,800

Hill did not play Tuesday due to an illness but is expected to return for Wednesday’s game against the Nets. Fellow guard De’Aaron Fox (quad) entered Tuesday’s game with an injury and tried to play, but had to leave the game early. Considering Fox missed Sunday’s game with the same injury, it would be surprising if he plays Wednesday. That would leave Hill in line for increased minutes, giving him a boost in value. He scored 16 points to go along with five assists and one steal in 33 minutes with Fox out Sunday, making him someone to consider again for this game.

Dejounte Murray, SA at POR
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,100

The Spurs have ruled out starting point guard Tony Parker (rest) on Wednesday, which should open up more playing time for Murray. Murray started the last three games that Parker missed, averaging 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. While it might be hard to replicate those numbers Wednesday, he won’t need to in order to still have excellent value at this price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Justin Holiday, CHI vs. ORL
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,200

Holiday has seen significant playing time of late, logging at least 38 minutes in three of his last six games. The Bulls finally have some depth with Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis, and David Nwaba all healthy, which is making it harder for defenses to key in on Holiday. He’s not just an offensive threat either as he is averaging career-highs in both rebounds (4.5) and steals (1.3) per game. The Magic play at the seventh-fastest pace (102.2) in the league, so look for Holiday to have a chance to make a big impact in this game.

Josh Hart, LAL at HOU
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $3,000

Hart is likely to receive another start Wednesday as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be unable to play as he can’t leave the state of California due to a legal issue. Hart started on the road Thursday against the Cavaliers, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 33 minutes. Both the Lakers and Rockets are in the top-eight in the league in pace of play, so this could be a high-scoring affair. Hart is someone to consider based on his dirt cheap price on both sites.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Josh Richardson, MIA at BOS
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,900

The Heat are running out of healthy players. Hassan Whiteside (knee) and James Johnson (ankle) have already been ruled out Wednesday, Justise Winslow (knee) is doubtful and Goran Dragic (elbow) is going to try and play after missing Monday’s game. With so few options left, Richardson has been forced to log at least 36 minutes in three of his last four games. He has shown great upside in his last two games, averaging 27.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 2.5 blocks and 4.0 three-pointers per contest. With plenty of minutes likely available Wednesday, consider Richardson for your entry.

Mario Hezonja, ORL at CHI
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,700

Injuries continue to pile up around the league as the Magic will be without Aaron Gordon (calf) on Wednesday. Hezonja has played at least 31 minutes in three of the last four games due to Gordon’s absence, averaging 17.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 3.7 three-pointers per contest. The Bulls have allowed at least 100 points in five of their last six games, so this could be another high-scoring contest based on the Magic’s pace of play. He is only shooting guard eligible on DraftKings, but should still provide value on both sites regardless of his position.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Kyle Kuzma, LAL at HOU
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,800

The Lakers frontcourt is going to be a little thin going forward as Brook Lopez (ankle) has been ruled out for three weeks. While he wasn’t playing particularly well, Lopez was still averaging 22 minutes per game. Kuzma should be one of the players who benefits from Lopez’s absence, which he showed by playing 40 minutes in Monday’s overtime loss to the Warriors. The Rockets like to use a lot of small lineups, which fits well with Kuzma’s skillset. The price is right to get him in your lineup for this game.

Trey Lyles, DEN vs. MIN
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,800

Lyles did not play much earlier this year, logging at least 20 minutes in only one of the first 19 games. An injury to Nikola Jokic opened up some playing time for Lyles, and it doesn’t look like he’s planning on going back to a limited role anytime soon. He’s developed a consistent role over his last 10 games, averaging 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 three-pointers per contest. He’s passed Kenneth Faried on the depth chart as Faried hasn’t even played in two of the last four games. At this price, it might be worth taking a chance that Lyles keeps things rolling Wednesday.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks - Value Plays

Alex Len, PHO at LAC
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,600

The Suns center position is extremely frustrating. They have been rotating DNP’s between Len, Tyson Chandler, and Greg Monroe, making it difficult to choose who to us in DFS any given night. One sliver of hope is that Len has played the last three games in a row, averaging 11.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 blocks per game. He seems to be the more talented player between the three, it’s just a matter of getting consistent minutes. Keep an eye on his status throughout the day as he has value at this price if he takes the floor.

Bam Adebayo, MIA at BOS
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,600

With all the Heat’s problems with injuries already detailed, Adebayo is one of the players who has been counted on for extra minutes. His offensive upside isn’t great, but Adebayo has averaged 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds over his last five games. This isn’t an ideal matchup against a tough Celtics defense, but there aren’t great cheap options at center Wednesday. If you want to take a chance on someone who won’t cost much, Adebayo could provide value.

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