NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 1/18/18

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Mike Barner on January 18, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 1/18/18

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POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Damian Lillard, POR vs. IND
FanDuel = $9,400
DraftKings = $8,700

Lillard has played well since returning from a calf injury, averaging 26.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in four games. He continues to be the main offensive weapon for the Trail Blazers, posting a 30% usage rate that ranks 15th-highest in the league. He has a usage rate of at least 30% in each of the last three seasons, so don’t expect him to slow down anytime soon. With 18 points to go along with seven rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one block in his first meeting with the Pacers this year, Lillard is shaping up to provide big numbers again Thursday.

T.J. McConnell, PHI at BOS
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $4,400

Sixers guard J.J. Redick (leg) will not play Thursday, which is a significant loss for their backcourt. Jerryd Bayless is expected to replace him in the starting lineup, but McConnell should see added playing time as well. McConnell has played at least 30 minutes in a game six times this season, averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.0 steals in those contests. Even though Bayless may be listed as the starter, McConnell could very well outproduce him in this game.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Victor Oladipo, IND at POR
FanDuel = $9,300
DraftKings = $8,500

This should be a fun matchup between Oladipo and C.J. McCollum on Thursday. Oladipo has had the season of his career, posting a 30.2% usage rate that ranks inside the top-15 in the league. He’s not just a scorer though, also averaging 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game He’s had a few subpar stat lines lately, but that was mostly due to lopsided scores limiting his playing time. Expect him to see plenty of minutes and provide excellent value at this price Thursday.

Dwyane Wade, CLE vs. ORL
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,800

Wade has transitioned to a bench role for the Cavaliers and is averaging a career-low 24 minutes per game as a result. While his scoring is down significantly, he’s still provided value by averaging 3.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. He’s already played the Magic twice this season, averaging 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. His limited playing time doesn’t give him a high ceiling, but he can still provide enough production across the board to warrant consideration at this price.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Jimmy Butler, MIN at HOU
FanDuel = $10,000
DraftKings = $8,800

Butler got off to a slow start with his new team but looks like the player we saw on the Bulls last season now. His usage rate is creeping up and he’s averaging 24.6 points over his last 14 games. He’s been the perfect fit for a young Timberwolves team that needed veteran leadership and someone who can make the big shots when it matters the most. Don’t forget that he’s an excellent defender as well, averaging 2.9 steals in his last 10 games. This should be a high scoring game Thursday, leaving Butler with significant upside. Of note, Butler is only small forward eligible on FanDuel as he is listed as a shooting guard on DraftKings.

P.J. Tucker, HOU vs. MIN
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $3,500

The fallout from some of the Rockets players making their way into the Clippers locker room after Monday’s game is that both Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green have been suspended for the next two games. While Green is the more flashy offensive player, the loss of Ariza is significant because he is averaging 36 minutes per game. His absence should open up some extra minutes for Tucker, who averaged 6.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.5 three-pointers in the 11 games that he played at least 30 minutes in this season. Factoring in his dirt cheap price, he warrants consideration in tournament play.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Domantas Sabonis, IND at POR
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $6,000

Sabonis continues to fill in for Myles Turner (elbow), who will miss at least the next three games. The Pacers have to be thrilled with the progress Sabonis has made during his second season in the league, especially when given added playing time. He’s started 12 games this season, averaging 12.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per contest. He won’t provide many defensive stats or three-pointers, but he doesn’t need to in order to be valuable at this price.

Taj Gibson, MIN at HOU
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings – $5,400

On the surface, this might not look like an ideal matchup for Gibson against a Rockets team that likes to deploy a lot of small lineups. However, Gibson is a versatile defender who is not out of his element on the perimeter. Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau is also known for riding his starters heavy minutes, so don’t expect Gibson to see a decline in playing time Thursday. The Rockets play at the eighth-fastest pace (101.5 possessions per game) in the league, so Gibson should be able to compile enough stats to warrant consideration for your entry on a night with only four games.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Kevin Love, CLE vs. ORL
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,400

The Cavaliers are really struggling right now, losing five of their last six games. They’ve been blown out a couple of times, resulting in some ugly performances by Love. They were able to keep their last two games close, resulting in Love averaging 19.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 three-pointers per contest. In his first meeting with the Magic earlier this month, Love finished with 27 points, five rebounds, and six three-pointers. The Magic allow the fifth-most points per game on FanDuel and the sixth-most points per game on DraftKings to opposing centers, making Love an excellent option Thursday.

Jusuf Nurkic, POR vs. IND
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $6,400

Nurkic has struggled in his last four games, averaging just 11.0 points and 6.3 rebounds. The good news is, he was able to salvage some of his value by averaging 2.0 blocks over that same stretch. His inconsistent performances on the season overall have been frustrating, making him a difficult player to count on in DFS. However, he has a favorable matchup Thursday as the Pacers allow the most points per game on both FanDuel and DraftKings to opposing centers. There aren’t a lot of great cheap center options due to the limited slate of games, but Nurkic is someone to consider in tournament play if you need to save some money at the position.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 1/8/18

NBA Daily Fantasy

by John Ferrucci on January 7, 20180 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 1/8/18

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POINT GUARDS:

Chris Paul ($10,200 FD/$10,000 DK) –

Chris Paul remains an essential fantasy asset with James Harden sidelined. He’s a good play just about any night with the bearded dragon off the floor, however, Monday night he seems to be even more appealing. Paul will be opposing the worst point guard defending team in the Chicago Bulls and will have plenty of a workload to build himself a healthy score for DFS. The total is projected at 221.5 with a Houston -5 spread, indicating a high scoring game and that hopefully pans out to be a somewhat close game. He is now averaging 42.9 FanDuel PPG since Harden’s recent injury occurred.

Delon Wright ($4,800 FD/$4,500 DK) –

Delon Wright has been a pleasant surprise lately for the Raptor’s second unit. He is averaging 36.4 FanDuel PPG over his last three contests including a dominant 61.1 point performance against the Chicago Bulls. He will be playing the Nets on Monday, who along with the Raptors rank top 10 in pace of play, so this match-up is locked in for an above average tempo. He may be a little bit of a risk as he isn’t guaranteed to uphold his recent performance, but should definitely catch the eye of many in the DFS world at a great price. The Raptors are currently favored by 7.5 points and if the game leads towards a blowout victory, Wright will also pick up a few extra minutes.

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Victor Oladipo ($9,400 FD/$8,600 DK) –

After a four game absence, Oladipo took no time getting back into rhythm in his first contest returning exploding for 57.7 FanDuel points in a blowout win against the Bulls which included a roughly 30 FPT first quarter. Due to the blowout victory, Oladipo was cut to 23 minutes and still exceeded value and projections by a landslide. He has a great match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks Monday night, who rank 22nd in defending the position. Oladipo is well rested and should easily exceed value in this bout as he’s still the primary source of offense for this Indian team.

Malcolm Brogdon ($5,200 FD/$4,800 DK) –

Malcom Brogdon has been fairly consistent for his price of late, scoring 20 or more FanDuel points in seven straight games. He’s been rewarded a starting role recently, and for good reason. He’s currently projected at 25 FanDuel points, giving him great value if that is the legitimate case. At an inexpensive cost, with a track record implying he will exceed value, Brogdon might be the plug-in play you need in this slate.

SMALL FORWARDS:

Jimmy Butler ($9,700 FD/$8,400 DK) –

Butler simply doesn’t get enough respect in the DFS world, making him a potential play on most nights. After a shaky start to the season he has found his usual form and has been more than the Timberwolves could have asked for when acquiring him. The Cavaliers defense is always a target this season in DFS, who he will be clashing with in this slate which is a major plus. He joins the company of LeBron and The Greek Freak as the only three small forwards on today’s slate projected for 40 or more FanDuel points and is also the cheapest. He may deserve to be paid up for in this one.

Andre Iguodala ($4,300 FD/ $4,200 DK) –

This play will only work out to it’s full potential if a couple things go right as Iggy as well as Kevin Durant are questionable for this contest. Durant has missed the past two games, opening a starting role for Iguodala to fill his void. He’s performed well for his salary, averaging 26.4 FanDuel PPG in those starts. One of them only nailed him for 22 minutes as the Warriors were up big against the Clippers, making that average a little more impressive. If Iggy was to be cleared for this contest and Durant was to be sidelined for a third straight game, expect Iguodala to keep up the recent play and exceed value for his practically dirt cheap price tag.

POWER FORWARDS:

Tobias Harris ($6,800 FD/$6,500 DK) –

With Anthony Davis in an unfavorable match-up with the Pistons as well as Draymond Green & Blake Griffin listed as GTD’s Monday night, we are going to focus on two smaller plays at PF, starting with Tobias Harris. His match-up isn’t much better, but Harris has been providing effectively for the Detroit Pistons. He’s coming off a 41.1 FanDuel point bout and has tagged double digit scoring in nine straight games, giving him a little bit of safety in this play. At a mediocre price tag Harris could be a great fit to your lineup to save a little salary without taking too much of a gamble on a low salary play.

Serge Ibaka ($5,900 FD/$5,700 DK) –

That leaves the second smaller play: Serge Ibaka. Ibaka has been hot of late, averaging 33.8 FanDuel PPG over his last three games while remaining sub-$6,000 on both platforms. He has a decent match-up with the high paced Brooklyn Nets, who he scored nearly the same as that average against just a couple weeks ago. His is pinned to score 29.4 FanDuel points in this contest, giving him a projected value of nearly 5. (4.99 to be exact.) Plugging in Ibaka will not stop you from obtaining those high salary plays, and has the upside to tack on to your superstar’s performances with a good amount of points of his own. Keep an eye out for this guy tonight.

CENTERS:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,600 FD/$9,200 DK) –

Towns always seems to linger in the $9,000 range no matter what, always making him a decent option. The big man has came up with a double-double in nine of his last ten games. He has also gone for 20 or more points in back-to-back contests in hopes of a third Monday night against the defensively weak Cleveland Cavaliers. With the total projected at 222.5 and only a spread of -1 in favor of Minnesota, expect a high scoring intense game (hopefully) for KAT to stuff the stat sheet.

Willie Cauley-Stein ($6,900 FD/$6,200 DK) –

Remaining at an affordable price, Cauley-Stein continues to be consistent for the Sacramento Kings. He has scored 30 or more FanDuel points in six of his last seven games. Although opposing a top defensive team in the Spurs, Cauley-Stein has a decent math-up considering the Spurs defend the Center position averagely, allowing 50.02 FPPG per 48 minutes to the position. He is a great play at Center if you’d prefer to spend a majority of your salary elsewhere, which a lot of users are likely to do in this slate. He is currently projected at 30.8 FanDuel points in this game, meaning he would stay consistent with his recent play.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 12

NBA Daily Fantasy

by Mike Barner on January 1, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner*

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NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 12

Let’s dive into Week 12 of the NBA to make sure you start off the New Year with a winning week for your season-long fantasy league. 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
Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs

There are only eight teams with four games each in Week 12, giving a big boost in value to players on those squads. Here are some players on those teams widely available in most leagues that could give you a winning edge.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 12 - Lineuplab.com

Tyus Jones, Minnesota Timberwolves

Jones has stepped into a starting role for the Timberwolves with Jeff Teague (knee) injured. While the injury for Teague isn’t as bad as initially feared, he is expected to be out at least through Week 12. Jones has played well in five starts this season, averaging 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.8 steals and 1.0 three-pointer per game. His scoring is not great, but that amount of steals alone can help win you the category in your league. Three of his games in Week 12 come against the Lakers, Nets and Pelicans, all teams that are in the top-six in the league in terms of pace of play. Still available in 69% of Yahoo! leagues, go pick up Jones.

John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have three great players in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton, but are extremely thin at center. Henson is averaging 24 minutes per game as a result, the most he has since the 2013-14 season. His numbers don’t jump off the page, averaging just 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. However, when you add that to his 1.5 blocks per game average and 61.1% field goal percentage, you get a viable fantasy option when playing four games. He’ll play the Wizards, Pacers and the Raptors twice in Week 12, all teams with big centers. He’s available in 62% of Yahoo! leagues and is worth considering if you need help at center.

Frank Ntilikina, New York Knicks

The Knick’s rookie point guard is only averaging 21 minutes per game this season as the team has decided to use Jarrett Jack as their starter. However, Ntilikina has seen his playing time increase lately, logging at least 25 minutes in eight of his last 11 games. He took advantage of the added playing time, averaging 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 three-pointer in those eight contests. If you are in a deeper league and need assists and steals, Ntilikina is a viable option with four games who is still available in 87% of Yahoo! leagues.

Teams With The Fewest Games – 2 Games Each
Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 12 - Lineuplab.com

Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers

Oladipo is clearly an elite fantasy option as his 30.6% usage rate is the tenth-highest in the league. He’s averaging career-highs pretty much across the board, including a lofty 24.9 points and 2.7 three-pointers per game. The problem is that he has missed the last three games with a knee injury and his status for this week is uncertain. You’d still start him with only two games if he was healthy, but it might not be worth the risk this week. If he sits out even just one game, he could do significant damage to your squad.

Robert Covington, Philadelphia 76ers

Covington is a valuable all-around fantasy asset, averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 2.9 three-pointers per game this season. Known for his poor shooting percentage, he has improved to 42.2% this season. However, he’s in an offensive slump right now, scoring 10 points or less in four of his last five games. He’ll have to face the Spurs and Pistons in Week 12, two of the top-five teams in terms of fewest points allowed per game in the league. This might be the week to keep him out of your starting lineup.

Nicolas Batum, Charlotte Hornets

Batum has battled an elbow injury this season, limiting him to 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Those are all the lowest averages of his three-year stint with the Hornets. He’s hurting owners in field goal percentage as well, shooting only 40.4% from the field. When healthy, his ability to contribute in multiple categories is extremely valuable. However, with his recent struggles and only two games on the schedule for Week 12, his upside is limited at best. Keep him anchored to your bench.

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