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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/28/17

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/28/17



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POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Ish Smith, DET at ORL
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,900

The Pistons suffered a big loss with Reggie Jackson (ankle) being ruled out for 6-to-8 weeks. Luckily, they have a solid backup ready to fill in with Smith. Smith is only averaging 20 minutes per game this season but has put up respectable averages of 8.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He showed what he can do in 32 starts with the Pistons last year, averaging 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 30 minutes per game. The Magic allow the most points per game to opposing point guards on both FanDuel and DraftKings, so take advantage of Smith at this price.

Tyus Jones, MIN at MIL
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,400

Timberwolves starting point guard Jeff Teague went down with a knee injury Wednesday that did not look good. An exact timetable for his absence has yet to be determined, but Jones will now step into a starting role for the foreseeable future. He played very well in three starts earlier this season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 4.0 steals and 1.7 three-pointers per game. Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau is used to dealing with his starting point guard being out from his days with Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls. Backups like Aaron Brooks, John Lucas III, D.J. Augustin, Mike James and Nate Robinson all thrived when given the chance to start, so Jones’ success isn’t that surprising. Make sure Jones is in your lineup at this cheap price Thursday.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Khris Middleton, MIL vs. MIN
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,500

Middleton has been getting all the playing time he can handle of late, logging at least 37 minutes in 10 of his last 11 games. The heavy minutes are great for his value as his 25.1% usage rate is inside the top-45 in the league. He’s averaging career-highs in points (20.7), rebounds (5.2), assists (4.5) and three-pointers (2.1) per game as a result. Expect him to play big minutes and put up valuable numbers again Thursday against the Timberwolves.

Terry Rozier, BOS vs. HOU
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,300

Rozier has been getting consistent minutes lately, playing at least 26 minutes in four straight games. He’s taken advantage of the opportunity, averaging 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.8 three-pointers per game. Jaylen Brown (knee) missed Wednesday’s game and might not play Thursday either, which should leave Rozier with the chance for extra playing time again. The Rockets already like to use a lot of small lineups, but might really go small with Clint Capela (face) out for this game. Rozier is cheap enough to take a chance on at this price. Of note, he is shooting guard eligible only on DraftKings as he is point guard eligible on FanDuel.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Jimmy Butler, MIN at MIL
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $7,700

If you watched any of the Timberwolves overtime victory against the Nuggets on Wednesday, one thing for certain is that Butler is clutch. He scored 12 points in overtime and finished with 39 points overall, the third time in the last five games that he has scored at least 32 points. If you think he might see limited minutes on the second night of a back-to-back after playing 42 minutes Wednesday, you’ve got another thing coming. Butler always plays big minutes and coach Thibodeau is never one to rest his star players. Butler’s 24.0% usage rate is second highest on the team (behind Jamal Crawford of all people), so expect him to thrive again Thursday. Of note, he is only small forward eligible on FanDuel as he is listed at shooting guard on DraftKings.

Reggie Bullock, DET at ORL
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,000

Avery Bradley (groin) is expected to be out again Thursday, leaving Bullock with added minutes. Bradley has missed the last five games for the Pistons, during which Bullock has averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.0 three-pointers per game. The Magic play at the sixth-fastest pace (102) in the league, so Bullock should have added opportunities to score in this contest. He’s cheap enough to warrant consideration if you want to save money at small forward.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

LaMarcus Aldridge, SA vs. NY
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $7,800

Aldridge continues to be a rock for the Spurs, averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game this season. Even though his production is likely to decline with the return of Kawhi Leonard, Leonard hasn’t played more than 26 minutes in any game so far. Even with Leonard playing 26 minutes Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets, Aldridge finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and one block. The Knicks have a lot of size up front, so expect Aldridge to keep things rolling Thursday.

Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. HOU
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,500

Tatum continues to get plenty of playing time in his rookie season, logging at least 33 minutes in four straight games. Marcus Morris (knee) sat out Wednesday’s game against the Hornets and will likely only see limited minutes if he does return Thursday. As already mentioned, this should be a game full of small lineups with Capela out. The Rockets also play at the eighth-fastest pace (101.4) in the league, so look for Tatum to get his chance to provide value at this price.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at MIL
FanDuel = $10,000
DraftKings = $8,900

The addition of Butler has certainly hurt Towns’ value as he’s averaging almost five points less per game this season. His usage rate of 22.9% is the lowest of his three-year career. That being said, he’s still averaging a gaudy 20.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers per game. The Bucks don’t have much size up front, which has resulted in them allowing the fifth-most points per game on FanDuel and the fourth-most points per game on DraftKings to opposing centers. If you saved money going with cheap guards, it might be wise to spend some of it on Towns.

Bismack Biyombo, ORL vs. DET
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,600

Biyombo played 30 minutes Tuesday is his first start filling in for Nikola Vucevic (hand). He only scored three points, but his offensive skills are not why you consider him for your entry. He came through with 12 rebounds and five blocks, which was no easy task with Hassan Whiteside back for the Miami Heat. He’ll be counted on for big minutes again Wednesday against Andre Drummond, making him a great value play option at center.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

After a day off for most of the league, Monday night brings us a fresh ten game slate with some interesting play possibilities. There may be some hidden treasure to cash your lineup.


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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

POINT GUARDS:

Russell Westbrook ($11,300 FD/$11,200)

As for most nights, Russell Westbrook seems worth paying up for; He clashes with the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, as the Thunder start off a three-game homestand. Denver ranks 24th in the league in defending the PG position, and rank 22nd in the league in overall defensive efficiency. They also rank 9th in the NBA in pace, with a top 10 rank in offensive efficiency which will up the tempo in this game. This should not be a problem for Westbrook, as it is a great benefit to his DFS value.

Yogi Ferrell ($4,800 FD/$5,000 DK)

Mavs starting PG Dennis Smith Jr. is officially listed as questionable Monday night. If he plays, ignore this article as alternative plays for each position will be listed at the end of the article. If Smith Jr. is out and you need a cheap PG play to accompany Westbrook, or just to stock up on salary, Yogi Ferrell may be the best $4,800 you’ve ever spent. The young PG has recently been giving the starting nod as teammate Dennis Smith Jr. has been sidelined with a sore hip. Ferrell exploded in his last game for 41.2 FanDuel points in 38 minutes against the Spurs, who are a top 5 defense. He now meets Monday at home with the weakly structured Phoenix Suns, who contain one of the worst defensive rankings in the league. An additional benefit is that the Suns rank 1st in pace, which could benefit Ferrell severely. This game consists of two of the worst teams in the league, making it more likely to be a somewhat close game throughout the duration which rids any concern of a blowout cutting player’s minutes.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Klay Thompson ($7,200 FD/$7,000)

With Stephen Curry sidelined for a little bit, many expect Klay to dominate the DFS board. He’s been a bit of a disappointment, but that’s solely because of the high expectations set for him. If you look aside from his fantasy points, his scoring is there without Curry; he has scored 20 or more points in five straight contests. The issue is that his other statistics in the stat sheet just aren’t there some nights. Regardless, he plays the Lakers Monday night, who rank in the bottom third of the league in defending the position. For the price given lately, Klay has been consistent value-wise and can his floor should be around 30 FanDuel points whenever you roster him. His breakout game seems overdue and it very well could be tonight.

Dion Waiters ($5,800 FD/$5,500 DK)

I’m not sure my brain is familiar with writing about Dion Waiters. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even typed his name on my keyboard prior to this article, but the former 4th overall pick caught my attention in this slate. Waiters and the Heat square-off with the 6-23 Atlanta Hawks, who are riding a four-game win streak. With Hassan Whiteside still inactive and a recent injury to forward James Johnson, Waiters is in for a heavier workload and a boost in usage. Averaging 26.5 FD points per game in his last four contests, he has fantastic value when you mix his recent consistency and workload with his match-up against a team whose defense is almost as poor as their record.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

SMALL FORWARDS:

Kevin Durant ($12,000 FD/$11,600 DK) 

Carrying the highest price tag on both FanDuel and DraftKings, he seems almost worth it with just about any price as long as Stephen Curry is not sharing the court. In the previous four games without Curry, Durant has posted a monstrous fantasy performance each night as he averaged 63.1 FanDuel PPG throughout the nights. He’s coming off a near triple-double, posting a 36-11-7 stat line. Luckily for those hunting Durant, there are quite a few value plays you can take the risk on to fit him into your lineup.

Omar Casspi ($4,500 FD/$4,100 DK) 

It wouldn’t be fair to end my piece Durant claiming there are some value plays in this slate and then not provide one. Luckily, I’m a fair man. A key value play for this Monday night slate is Durant’s teammate, Omar Casspi. Omar has drawn the start for Draymond Green in the last two games as Green is dealing with a sore right shoulder. He is listed as a SF on FD and is eligible for SF as well as PF on DraftKings, adding value to the risk of rostering him. Green has been listed out for this match-up opening a potential starting spot for him to do some damage in his third straight game. He has not disappointed with his responsibility of making up for Draymond’s absence, as he averaged 32.8 FanDuel PPG over an average of around 28 minutes per game in those starts. He is extremely cheap on both platforms and is a great plug-in to make room for a star in your lineup.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

POWER FORWARDS:

Ben Simmons ($9,900 FD/$9,600 DK) 

Not the priciest of the “big dogs” of the slate, Simmons has a promising encounter with the streaking Chicago Bulls, who are looking for their sixth straight win Monday night with Ben Simmons in their way. This game has a few factors included with it that make it seem like Simmons will be a great play; Joel Embiid has been ruled out for this contest for rest purposes, evidently boosting Simmons usage and workload. Win streak or not, the Bulls defense is still on the poor end of the rankings. However, with Embiid out and the Bulls recent win spree, this game seems as if it’ll be a lot closer than we would’ve predicted a week ago. The official odds have the Sixers winning by only one and a half with a total of 208.5 (Spread and total are subject to change). Simmons opposing a weak defensive team with predictions of a blowout slim gives the front-runner for Rookie Of The Year some extra attention on this slate.

Jordan Bell ($4,700 FD/$4,500 DK) 

Everybody’s favorite part of these articles is for some direction to where the value is; Finding cheap value plays in DFS is like winning a scratch-off ticket: Awesome! Along with teammate Omar Casspi who is also listed in this article, Jordan Bell has some serious upside Monday night. Listed at PF on FanDuel and PF/C on DraftKings, Bell has started the last two games for injured Zaza Pachulia. Pachulia is listed out against the Lakers, which should put Bell back in the starting lineup. Bell averaged 28.2 FanDuel PPG in those two. He matches up Monday against a defense that ranks 28th in defending the position, allowing an average of 55.9 FPPG per 48 minutes. When logging at least 20 minutes this season, Bell has provided 30.1 FanDuel PPG. Bell and Casspi may be your salary saving dynamic duo tonight.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

CENTERS:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,700 FD/$8,800 DK)

Towns was featured in Saturday’s article I wrote and he’s a little too difficult to avoid recently. Towns comes into the game Monday on an absolute tear, as he is averaging 58.9 FanDuel PPG over his last five games. Monday night KAT enters a contest against the Portland Trailblazers where he may be seeing an even larger workload. In Minnesota’s previous outing, star player Jimmy Butler exited the game when appearing to hurt his back. Although he returned to the game later, he is listed as questionable for Monday night. If Butler is sidelined, Towns is in for a heavy boost in usage. Given his recent production, he only costs $8,800 on DraftKings (10th highest salary).  He is definitely a stud to consider paying up for, especially on DraftKings.

Ekpe Udoh ($4,700 FD/$3,700 DK) – 

Ekpe Udoh was the talk of the DFS community on Saturday night as the Baylor product scorched the Cavaliers for 48.9 FanDuel points in his first official start filling in for injured high-caliber rim protector Rudy Gobert. Only scoring 9 points in that game, Udoh found other ways to produce as he stuffed the stat sheet for 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and a whopping 6 blocks across 32 minutes of play. Gobert is listed out tonight, and with Udoh’s first impression as a starter Saturday it is almost evident that he will draw the start again. He clashes with the red-hot Rockets who seek a 14th straight win with this contest. For the dirt cheap price Udoh is tagged at (Especially on DraftKings) he won’t have to do too much to exceed value.

 

Honorable Mentions:

PG: Chris Paul & J.J. Barea

SG: James Harden & J.J. Redick

SF: Harrison Barnes, Brandon Ingram & Josh Richardson

PF: Dario Saric & Thaddeus Young

C: Richaun Holmes & Al Horford

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/16/17

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/16/17

Saturday Night’s NBA Main slate presents us an eight game mosh-pit with some interesting match-ups. Some of which provide some value plays given the injury epidemic going on recently.



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POINT GUARDS:

Russell Westbrook ($11,100 FD / $11,500 DK) 

If you’re going to pay up for somebody on FanDuel Westbrook may be the foundation to your lineup. He is cheaper on FD than The Greak Freak, LeBron and Harden. He is still very worth it on DK as the triple-double machine is coming off of a triple-overtime game where he stuffed the stat sheet of 27-18-15. He now plays the next night at Madison Square Garden, where he may just put on a show. Westbrooks opponents, the Knicks, rank 25th in defending the position. He logged 52 minutes during last night’s win, however, he should be more than fine. It’s time for the Russ show for my lineup.

Jeff Teague ($6,400 FD/$6,500/DK) 

Jeff Teague has a great match-up Saturday against struggling Phoenix Suns, who rank 28th in defending point guards this season as they allow on average 50.52 FPTS per game. Teague has not been so valuable on DFS lately, but he hasn’t had too big of a workload either with the way teammates Jimmy Butler and Karl Anthony-Towns have been playing lately. Regardless, this matchup offers Teague an ideal game to breakout to his old form.

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Donovan Mitchell ($7,800 FD/$6,900 DK) 

Donovan Mitchell is one of the most underrated rookies that has emerged in the league this year. Mitchell is slowly and steadily raising eyebrows and sparking a ROTY conversation. A bit pricey on FanDuel, Mitchell has pretty good upside in this contest, as he opposes the defense-weak Cavaliers. He has also been incredibly consistent in fantasy value. With blows to Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert in Friday night’s game, Mitchell would be reintroduced to a heavier workload if one, or both of those are sidelined.

CJ McCollum ($7,100 FD/$6,800 DK) 

McCollum has some serious upside in this slate. McCollum has scored 20+ points in four straight games averaging 33 FanDuel PPG in those contests. He appears likely to make it five in a row as he matches up with the Phoenix Suns, the 30th ranked team in defending shooting guards. His price is very fair and adds value to his projections, given his consistency as of lately. McCollum is a little more flexible on DraftKings as he is also eligible for point guard.

SMALL FORWARDS:

Jimmy Butler ($9,700 FD/$9,000 DK) 

Not many people have been hotter than Jimmy Butler lately. Holding one of the best SF match-ups of the night, Butler enters Saturday with a stretch in which out of the last 7 games, he has logged an average of 41 minutes and has scored an average of 27 points per game. One beneficial factor about Butler’s match-up against the Suns is that Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau hasn’t had much trust in his second unit lately, as his starters have been seeing serious minutes regardless of score. This helps the case for obtaining Butler as a potential blowout won’t damage his minutes too much. Butler is listed as SF on FanDuel, but SG on DraftKings.

Harrison Barnes ($6,700 FD/$6,500 DK) 

It seems as if regardless of how consistent Barnes is for the DFS community, he will never have the respect he deserves. Barnes meets with San Antonio Saturday night, a team he played earlier in the week. Barnes has played pretty well against the Spurs so far this season, averaging 33.9 FanDuel points per game in his two most recent games versus them. Harrison Barnes has great worth to his name considering his price won’t hurt the salary too much. Speaking of consistency, Barnes has only scored less than 25 FanDuel points once out of his last 18 games. Six of those 25+ games have come in a row as of right now, starting a streak.

POWER FORWARDS:

LaMarcus Aldridge ($8,500 FD/$8,000 DK) 

Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard are expected to rest against the Dallas Mavericks today. With this possibility, Aldridge easily grabs the attention of everyone drafting tonight. Aldridge played the Mavs earlier this week, posting 38.6 FanDuel points to accompany a 23 points & 13 rebound double-double. He averages 51 FanDuel points per game against them this season. This time, he is playing at home in San Antonio. Spurs are playing back-to-back games, however, due to a big Rockets win last night Aldridge only logged 26 minutes. There is not many solid options at PF today, and with Porzingis’ status for tonight’s game still unknown, Aldridge may be worth paying up for at the position.

Derrick Favors ($4,900 FD/$5,300 DK) 

Favors left Friday’s contest alongside Rudy Gobert against the Celtics with an eye injury after logging in just 12 minutes. If Favors gets the go-ahead to play tonight and Gobert doesn’t, he is almost a must play as he meets with the King and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ever since the return of Rudy Gobert, Favors has not been dominant by any means. If anything, he’s been virtually worthless as he averages a mere 18.6 FanDuel PPG since Gobert’s return. His salary has greatly adjusted to this play as he is now dirt cheap, with a chance to get back into old form against a Cavs defense that ranks in the worst five teams in the league in defending the position.

Alternatives if Gobert plays: Taj Gibson ($5,800 FD/DK) & Carmelo Anthony ($6,800 FD/$7,000 DK)

CENTERS:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,600 FD/$9,600 DK) 

On a slate like this one, Towns may be your ideal “big play” in your lineup. Almost nobody has been on good as KAT as he’s starting to perform as he used to prior to the Wolves stacking their roster with some serious off-season acquisitions. There is a few reliable options at the Center position today, but Towns may be the most necessary. The big man has snapped his slump for now, averaging 59.8 FanDuel PPG in his last four games. His last game of those four consists of a 72.3 night against the Sacramento Kings just the other night. He’s now rested with a great match-up at home. I’m locked in on Towns tonight.

Kevin Love ($8,000 FD/$7,900 DK)

The injuries of Favors and Gobert of Utah may just open an interesting opportunity for Kevin Love in this slate. Gobert is most likely going to be sidelined, taking away one of Utah’s best rim protectors. Love is eligible for PF as well as C on DraftKings, keeping him an even more reliable option given Utah’s injuries. Love has posted a double-double in six of his last seven games, with four of those six consisting of 20+ points. His price tag isn’t too high, which makes him very appealing for someone who doesn’t want Towns, and needs a solid play to compliment his bigger salary plays.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/14/17

*Mike Barner*

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 12/14/17



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POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Spencer Dinwiddie, BKN vs. NY
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $6,700

Dinwiddie has continued to get plenty of playing time in the Nets’ injury-riddled backcourt, logging at least 30 minutes in eight of his last nine games. He’s been solid in 15 starts this season, averaging 14.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 2.4 three-pointers per game. The Knicks struggle to defend point guards, allowing the third-most FanDuel points per game and fourth-most DraftKings points per game to the position. With no elite options available at point guard Thursday, Dinwiddie may have one of the best performances of the night.

J.J. Barea, DAL at GS
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,600

Barea hasn’t moved into the starting lineup with Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) out the last three games, but he’s provided scoring punch off the bench with at least 16 points in each of the last two games. He doesn’t need to be scoring to provide value either as he has dished out at least six assists in nine of his last 10 games. His 26.3% usage rate puts him ahead of players like Kemba Walker, Goran Dragic, and Kyle Lowry, so he’s heavily involved when he’s on the floor. Considering the Warriors play at the fifth-fastest pace (103.3) in the league, Barea has upside at this price.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Caris LeVert, BKN vs. NY
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $5,400

LeVert has established himself as an important member of the Nets bench, averaging 16.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 three-pointers over his last four games. With all their injuries at point guard, he’s done a nice job of helping run the offense as a member of the second unit. The Nets play at the second-fastest pace (104.4) in the league, which helps create more opportunities for LeVert to contribute. With the Knicks struggles on defense, LeVert is a viable option for your entry.

Wesley Matthews, DAL at GS
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $4,600

The Mavericks have really struggled offensively as they are one of only four teams in the league averaging less than 100 points per game. While Matthews will never be confused as being an elite scorer, his 12.4 points per game are third-most on the team. One of the two players who scorers more than Matthews is Smith, so the Mavericks will really need Matthews to step up if they have any chance of keeping this game close. With the added opportunities to produce, Matthews is someone to consider at this discounted price.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

LeBron James, CLE vs. LAL
FanDuel = $12,600
DraftKings = $11,900

James continues to dominate the league, posting two triple-doubles and seven double-doubles in his last 10 games. He’s as close to automatic as they come with his production as his 30.4% usage rate is tenth-best in the league. You can go on for days with stats about how excellent James has been, giving him a very high floor in DFS. He’s going to cost a ton, but he can still provide value against a weak defensive team in the Lakers on Thursday.

Andre Iguodala, GS vs. DAL
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,200

Iguodala could be in for an expanded role Thursday with Stephen Curry (ankle) out and Draymond Green (shoulder) listed as doubtful. Both Curry and Green play significant roles in running the Warriors offense, so expect Iguodala to potentially provide extra assists with both likely out. The Mavericks also like to play small, which could lead to some extra run for Iguodala. On a night with limited cheap options with value, Iguodala might be your best bet to save some money at small forward.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Kristaps Porzingis, NY at BKN
FanDuel = $10,200
DraftKings = $9,600

Porzingis is showing no ill effects from a recent ankle injury, playing at least 36 minutes in three straight games. He took advantage of two bad defenses in the Lakers and Hawks his last two games, scoring at least 30 points in both contests. Not only was he great offensively, but he combined for eight blocks and three steals as well. Even with the addition of Jahlil Okafor, the Nets are still lacking depth up front. Porzingis already torched them for 30 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and one steal earlier this season, so get ready for the encore.

Taj Gibson, MIN vs. SAC
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,900

Gibson has been somewhat of a security blanket for coach Tom Thibodeau this season as he is averaging 34 minutes per game compared to only 17 minutes per game for Gorgui Dieng. He coached Gibson in Chicago and clearly plans to play him a ton, which is no surprise considering Thibodeau’s history of giving his starters big minutes. The volume has made Gibson fantasy relevant as he’s averaging 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Expect big minutes and solid numbers from him again Thursday.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. SAC
FanDuel = $10,100
DraftKings = $9,100

Believe it or not, Towns has actually had his playing time decrease in the second year of the Thibodeau era. Don’t be alarmed though, he’s still averaging a whopping 35 minutes per game. His scoring is understandably down with Jimmy Butler now in the fold, but he’s still been fantastic by averaging 20.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. The Kings struggle to defend opposing centers, allowing the second-most points on both FanDuel and DraftKings to the position. Look for a big performance in this game from Towns.

Willie Cauley-Stein, SAC at MIN
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $5,100

Cauley-Stein recently missed three games with a back injury but returned to play 29 minutes Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns. It’s encouraging he played so many minutes right off the bat, especially considering the Kings crazy frontcourt rotations. Cauley-Stein has played much better off the bench this season, posting a 24.5% usage rate with the second unit compared to 17.8% as a starter. He should be needed for heavy minutes against the Timberwolves big frontcourt, making him someone to definitely consider.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/30/17

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/30/17

Point Guard

Kyle Lowry
FD $7,500 DK $7,600

Welcome to a 9-game slate full of high totals, low totals, and plenty of injuries. We start things off with a late night Kyle Lowry. Lowry and the Raptors travel into Portland to face off with a Lillard-led Blazers squad. Lillard might be the face of this team, but it’s only because 1 side of the ball. And it isn’t defense. The Blazers have ranked in the bottom of the league against PG’s since Lillard joined the team. They allowed the 3rd most FP last year and this season hasn’t started much better. We’ll also see a great defender in C.J. McCollum on DeRozan, which should funnel even more action towards Lowry. He’s easily my favorite PG on this slate and I will have him everywhere. The price is great and he’s safe as can be against Lillard on the road. This is a game with serious shootout potential and I don’t think anyone besides Lowry will be highly-owned. Don’t be afraid to take 3 or 4 shots in this game if you think it stays close. Lowry is your safest way to get exposure.

Jarrett Jack
FD $4,200 DK $4,300

We see a slight price increase after starting 2 games and producing, but nothing that worries us. Still sitting below $4.5K, Jack will only need about 20 in cash games. He should have that with ease against a Nuggets team he matches up perfectly with. Jamal Murray is at PG for the Nuggets and isn’t a defender by any means. He’s decent at basic m2m coverage, but struggles mightily with any type of movement or screens. Not good when you’re playing a Knicks team that screens all night long. Jack is going to continue to get 28+ minutes and he’s always been a 1 FP/min, at least, so I don’t see that stopping now. He’s not a very good real-life PG, but for less than $4.5k, I’ll take him 100% of the time in this match-up. I actually do have 100% Jack right now, but it could change. I just think he’s the safest value option on the board and it’s not too close.

Shooting Guard

Klay Thompson
FD $11,000 DK $11,200

I’m a big fan of this GSW @ LAC game tonight, as I think it stays close. Vegas still hasn’t released anything for this game and it’s the morning of. Assuming the O/U is around 225 and the spread is between 8 and 13, a ton of these guys are in play. On the Warriors side, we’ll start with Klay Thompson. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out why he’s in play. The Clippers sports Austin Rivers and Lou Williams at SG, so defense isn’t the priority. Klay will be able to get open whenever he wants. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration, either. There isn’t a shot in hell that Rivers or Williams can defend the 3-point game of Klay Thompson. 0% chance. It will just come down to whether they’re hitting the bottom of the net or not. Durant is seeing a lot more of the Warriors action, but Thompson is averaging just 2 fewer shots per game. It’s something, but meaningless with such a small sample size. Thompson will have a chance to have one of his games here, but he’ll have to come out hot and maintain. The Clips won’t be able to switch anyone on him because Beverley is on Curry and Gallo is on KD. If Thompson gets hot, it could be bedtime for the Clips.

Tim Hardaway Jr.
FD $4,300 DK $4,900

I’ve been on Tim Hardaway Jr. every single game so far. He disappointed me with variance for about a week before going absolutely ham against the Cavs. He finished with 34 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds. We haven’t seen the real Tim Hardaway Jr. yet. The real THJ is going to put up 2-25 real-life points and another 10 FP in various peripherals. I’m glad he broke out against the Cavs and proved to people what he could do, but I hope it doesn’t inflate his ownership. This match-up against the Nuggets isn’t great, but it’s not bad either. They’ve ranked 13th against opposing SG’s, with Will Barton and Gary Harris at the helm. Both of these teams play at a slightly above average pace and it’s why the expected total is over 210. Hardaway will be on 100% of my cash game lineup. He is a $6-$7k player, believe it or not. He’s going to average close to 20 real-life points on the season and will be a guy we will deliberate playing in the 6-7Ks. Right now, he’s under $5K and the worst priced player in the entire industry. If you find a lineup of mine without Hardaway, call the internet police. I’ve been hacked.

James Harden is great against the 6’ers, but the price is still crazy and he hasn’t been over 60 fantasy points yet. I’ll have plenty of exposure in tournaments, but didn’t need a paragraph to tell you that.

Small Forward

Kevin Durant
FD $10,300 DK $9,800

We’ll get right back to the Warriors after taking a spot off from Thompson. It might be tough to play both Durant and Thompson, but you can do it if you think the game stays close. They can both easily go off against this Clippers squad that doesn’t play much defense on the outside (besides Pat Bev). Danilo Gallinari was a capable defender early in his career, but those days are separated by about 5 surgeries and 10 years. That’s a big difference when you have the responsibility of covering Kevin Durant. Durant is going to, like Thompson, have his way when on the floor. He’s being looked at as the top option on this team and they’ve been willing to feed him whenever he wants. Sitting over 45 fantasy points in each, there isn’t much risk here. He is a lock for 4-45 fantasy points and that’s if the game blows out in the first half. If it stays close and Durant sees closer to 40 minutes, there’s no telling what his ceiling is. We haven’t seen it yet, that’s for sure. He’s my favorite SF on the slate and while nobody at that price is a must play, he’s close if you have the $ to spend on SF. Your other options aren’t the greatest.

Robert Covington
FD $6,400 DK $6,000

We haven’t touched on this affair between the Sixers and Rockets yet, but it’s my 2nd favorite game to target after the Clips and Warriors. It’s another game without a Vegas spread, but these 2 teams faced off just days ago and it resulted in plenty of fantasy goodness. Trevor Ariza didn’t play, however, so the individual match-up for Covington will be different. He still put up 34 fantasy points against them last time and is looking for a consistent option on the outside. In the past, he was a risky play every game due to the potential of going cold from the3-point line and being useless. That doesn’t look to be the case this year, as he’s been over 34 minutes in 3 straight contests. He’ll still have up and down the game because of his nature, but they will occur far less when the minutes are locked in. He will be able to work through those cold streaks instead of being put on the bench and told to wait until next game. There’s plenty of usage to go around on this 6’ers team and Covington is cheap-ish access to it. This game will remain close and should be high-scoring, so don’t be afraid to get extended exposure.

Power Forward

Blake Griffin
FD $9,500 DK $9,300

This one is risky. Even with Griffin being safe in terms of point per $, we don’t know how close this one will stay and Griffin is directly affected by that more than anyone else. If the Warriors do come out and slam the CLips into lockers, Griffin will stink it up. There’s just no reason for him to battle with Draymond Green for 35 minutes if it’s a 20 point uphill battle Then there’s the other side, that I’m on. The one where the game stays close and we get 48 meaningful minutes of basketball. If that’s the case, Griffin is one of the best plays of the season. This is a perfect match-up for him pace-wise, but will still struggle with the menace that Draymond is. Blake just loves to run at this pace and make things happen in the open court. He’s touching the ball on nearly every possession and this is his team to control. I will personally have cash game exposure as well, but can’t say it’s safe by any means. I’m just confident that the Clippers keep this one relatively close at home. In that scenario, stacking the game could come with some very nice benefits. Let’s hope, right?

Ryan Anderson
FD $5,400 DK $5,100

We’ll get right back to this ROckets game now after targeting Robert Covington at the 3. Anderson isn’t a guy I roster a ton, but you have to acknowledge when he’s getting the minutes and taking the shots. He’s always talented enough to sink them when given the chance. It’s just hard to pin down when he will be on the court. Over the past 3 games, he’s seen at least 34 in each. That lets me unleash him here in a match-up with the 76ers that fits perfectly. You almost need a stretch against them on the floor, so Anderson could see close to 40 minutes if it remains close. He can’t really guard anyone, but he’s certainly more athletic than the other options they have. Anderson will shoot the ball 12-15 times and give you a locked in 15 FP of rebounds/assists. His price is still way low and I’m fine with him in all formats. Power forward isn’t very deep, but Anderson is cheap and gives you a nice floor + ceiling.

Center

Karl-Anthony Towns
FD $9,800 DK $9,000

Hassan Whiteside is officially “unlikely” to play against the T-Wolves. He should probably get himself in there because this could get ugly. Quick. Just take a look at the Heat frontcourt and who exactly you think will cover Karl-Anthony Towns. The answer is nobody. Because of his size, the Heat will be forced to run Bam Adebayo and A.J. Hammons for more minutes than they should see in a month. They are both young, inexperienced, and not very good yet. But hey, they’re big, and that’s what the Heat need right now. In reality, Towns is just going to obliterate anyone not named Hassan Whiteside. He is right up there as the best offensive center in the league and will face a team that literally has no NBA center. I’m not sure what Spoelstra will truly draw up to slow Towns, but unless he has magic in those veins, I’m not sure it’ll work. Towns is a guy I want a lot of cash game exposure to, but he’s expensive. I just don’t see a single player having a shot at stopping Towns 1-on-1, so I’ll be aiming for 100% in cash.

Clint Capela
FD $7,500 DK $6,700

Clint Capela took the court against this same 76ers team a few days ago and put up 56 fantasy points. While we can’t depend or expect another number like that, Capela plays well and matches up against this squad. The 76ers continuously struggle against the PnR, which is what catapulted Capela into 50+ against these guys last time. If Harden comes out and does the same with certainly Capela this game, I think we see exactly what happened once again. He is a double-double on the bus against this team and has more upside than we even know. I certainly wouldn’t have said his upside was 56 prior to a couple games ago, so who knows. What we do know is that James Harden will get Capela involved early and often in a match-up he dominated. I do hope Embiid plays, for as Capela matches up with his size a little bit better. If Embiid is out, I could see the 6ers forcing small ball and the Rockets going along. That could leave you wait a 10 or 15 out of a pricey center.