NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers Lineup Picks for 3/16/18

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers Lineup Picks for 3/16/18

Friday brings a fairly limited slate with only six games in the NBA. Injuries to key players continue to crop up across the league, so it’s key to find the right cheap daily fantasy basketball sleepers to hopefully help create a winning entry. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and find the value players that are low-owned on FanDuel and DraftKings like Corey Brewer and Wayne Ellington.

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POINT GUARDS

Tyler Johnson, MIA at LAL
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,300

The Heat are going to be shorthanded in their backcourt again Friday with Dwyane Wade (hamstring) out and Josh Richardson (foot) listed as doubtful. Both players didn’t play in the Heat’s last game Wednesday against the Kings, a contest where Johnson scored 14 points to go along with five rebounds, two assists, one steal and four-three-pointers in 28 minutes. He has actually scored at least 12 points in nine of his last 10 games, making him a viable option for your entry.

Shane Larkin, BOS at ORL
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings – $3,800

The Celtics are going to have limited depth Friday with Marcus Smart (thumb), Jaylen Brown (concussion) and Kyrie Irving (knee) all out. Larkin played 24 minutes with them sidelined Wednesday, finishing with 11 points, one rebound, four assists, two steals and one three-pointer. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he was on a minutes restriction in that game, which does limit his value. However, the Magic allow the second-most points per game on both FanDuel and DraftKings to opposing point guards, so Larkin is someone to still consider.

SHOOTING GUARDS

Nick Young, GS vs. SAC
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,000

The Warriors are also dealing with injuries at guard and will be without Stephen Curry (ankle) and Klay Thompson (thumb) on Friday. Both players sat Wednesday against the Lakers as well, leaving Young to play 31 minutes. He didn’t disappoint, scoring 18 points to go along with three rebounds, two assists, one steal and three three-pointers. He’s never one to shy away from taking shots and with the Warriors playing at the fourth-fastest pace (102.5 possessions per game) in the league, he could be in for another valuable scoring night against the Kings.

Wayne Ellington, MIA at LAL
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,400

Ellington also saw an expanded role with Wade and Richardson sidelined Wednesday, logging 36 minutes. He took a whopping 17 three-pointers, hitting six of them on his way to 22 points. The Lakers play at the fastest pace (103.2) and are tied for the third-most points allowed per game (110.2) in the league, so Ellington could be jacking up, and hitting, a lot of shots from behind the arc again Friday. Don’t expect much from him in other categories, but he’s still worth considering for your entry.

SMALL FORWARDS

Justise Winslow, MIA at LAL
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $5,700

Winslow is off to a great start in March, averaging 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in eight games. He’s averaging just 24 minutes per game this season but is averaging 31 minutes this month. With all of the Heat’s injury issues, expect him to continue to play heavy minutes Friday. The Lakers allow the second-most FanDuel points per game and the third-most DraftKings points per game to opposing small forwards, so don’t hesitate to add Winslow to your lineup.

Corey Brewer, OKC vs. LAC
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,400

The Thunder have been searching for depth all season and made an important move by signing Brewer after he was bought out by the Lakers. He’s played at least 28 minutes in four straight games, averaging 15.5 points, 3,8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 three-pointers. The increased playing time brings added value Friday as the Clippers play at the sixth-fastest pace (101.2) in the league. At this cheap price, it’s hard to pass him up considering his upside.

POWER FORWARDS

Kelly Olynyk, MIA at LAL
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $6,000

The Heat will be without another key contributor Friday with Hassan Whiteside (hip) set to miss his four straight games. In the first three games that he missed, Olynyk averaged 11.7 points, eight rebounds, 4.7 assists, one block and one three-pointer. He played 31 minutes Wednesday against the Kings and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play a similar total Friday against the uptempo Lakers. His price is climbing, but it’s still low enough where he can provide value.

James Johnson, MIA at LAL
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $5,200

Johnson had one of his best games of the season Wednesday, scoring 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block in 34 minutes. He has played at least 30 minutes in a game 15 times this season, averaging 13.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks and 0.9 three-pointers in those contests. The Lakers may be going with smaller lineups if Kyle Kuzma (ankle) is unable to play, which would benefit Johnson’s skill set. Even if Kuzma does take the floor, Johnson should have enough opportunities to provide value.

CENTERS

Greg Monroe, BOS at ORL
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $5,100

Monroe excelled in Wednesday’s double-overtime loss, posting 16 points, 10 rebounds, one steal and two blocks. He only played 25 minutes, but with the team’s second-highest usage rate of 22.6%, he doesn’t necessarily have to play a lot in order to put up numbers. Al Horford (illness) is expected to return Friday, so that will likely hamper Monroe’s value to an extent. With the Magic playing at the ninth-fastest pace (100.4) and allowing the sixth-most points per game (109.6) in the league though, Monroe is still a viable cheap option at center.

Zaza Pachulia, GS vs. SAC
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,600

Don’t look now, but Pachulia has recorded a double-double in two straight contests. He returned to the starting lineup Wednesday against the Lakers, scoring 10 points to go along with 12 rebounds and five assists in 23 minutes. The Kings have size and depth up front, so it wouldn’t be surprising for Pachulia to see similar playing time Friday. The Kings allow the second-most FanDuel points per game and the fourth-most DraftKings points per game to opposing centers, making Pachulia an intriguing option.