Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 28th

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Friday's games, Thunder SF Kevin Durant ($11,900) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Friday (March 28th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. SAC), $6,000: Since tonight's game is not part of a back-to-back, Russell Westbrook should start at point guard tonight. That said, an early big lead against the Kings, who are 21 games under .500, could lead to plenty of rest for Westbrook. In his past three games, Jackson is averaging 17.33 points, 6.67 rebounds, 7.33 assists and 1.33 steals per game.

PG - Shaun Livingston, Brooklyn Nets (vs. CLE), $4,700: Only the Sixers and Lakers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards this season. In his past 10 games, Livingston has only one game with 30-plus fantasy points. That said, he is a perfect 10-for-10 during that stretch when it comes to scoring at least 20 fantasy points.

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SG - Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers (at BKN), $6,400: Not only is Waiters assured of big-time minutes, but he has scored at least 30 fantasy points in five of his past six games. (The exception was a 29.0-point performance.) Brooklyn is an excellent defensive team, but their worst position to defend from a fantasy perspective is shooting guard. They have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing off guards this season.

SG - Terrence Ross, Toronto Raptors (vs. BOS), $4,100: Ross lit up the Celtics for 24 points (and 32.8 fantasy points) while adding four rebounds, two assists and a steal on Wednesday and he gets another opportunity tonight.

SG - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Charlotte Bobcats (at ORL), $4,000: CDR has scored at least 22 fantasy points in three of his past four games and played at least 22 minutes in all of those contests. The Magic have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Ben McLemore, Sacramento Kings (at OKC), $3,600: Even though he is only a rookie, McLemore has been a bit of a disappointment in fantasy this season. In his past two games, however, McLemore has been more productive by averaging 15.5 (real) points and scoring at least 20.7 fantasy points in the two games. The Thunder have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SF - Paul Pierce, Brooklyn Nets (vs. CLE), $5,400: Even though Pierce starts as a four for the Nets, he has played 31-plus minutes in each of his past three games and he's averaging 26.3 fantasy points per game during that stretch.

SF - Corey Brewer, Minnesota Timberwolves (vs. LAL), $4,600: It's never a bad idea to start small forwards facing the Lakers as only the Sixers allow more fantasy points to the the position. Brewer has scored 22.4 and 29.1 fantasy points in his past two games, respectively, and could be in for a big night with such a favorable matchup.

SF - Caron Butler, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. SAC), $4,600: While Butler may not have tremendous upside playing with Durant, Westbrook, and others, he has been consistent with four consecutive games of 21-plus fantasy points. In addition, the Kings have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.

SF - Al-Farouq Aminu, New Orleans Pelicans (vs. UTA), $4,100: Depending on the health of some other Pelicans, Aminu could be in line for 30-something minutes once again. In two of his previous three games, Aminu has scored at least 25 fantasy points including 32.0 against the Clippers on Wednesday.

PF - Amar'e Stoudemire, New York Knicks (at PHO), $5,300: Facing his former team in his former home arena, Stoudemire could be in for a big night after a couple of mediocre outings. In his past three games, Stoudemire has scored 19.4-20.7 fantasy points, but he had 30-plus fantasy points in three of his previous five games before that.

PF - Jordan Hill, Los Angeles Lakers (at MIN), $4,900: More than likely, the majority of my FanDuel leagues will feature a PF duo from this game with Kevin Love and Hill. With the exception of Monday's dud (nine points, five boards in 14 minutes), Hill has averaged 41.87 fantasy points in his other three games since returning from injury. Over his past four games, Hill has averaged 18.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.

C - Enes Kanter, Utah Jazz (at NOP), $5,700: Now that he is getting the playing time he deserves, Kanter has delivered for fantasy owners recently. Kanter has three double-doubles in his past four games and six double-doubles in his previous 10. The Pelicans have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

C - Gorgui Dieng, Minnesota Timberwolves (vs. LAL), $5,300: Regardless of whether or not Nikola Pekovic returns on Friday, it's hard to sit Dieng. Posting a double-double in five of his past six gmaes, Dieng has averaged 12.67 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.17 blocks and 1.17 steals (and 35.8 fantasy points) per outing in his past six. Furthermore (as if you needed more), the Lakers have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

C - Timofey Mozgov, Denver Nuggets (vs. SAS), $4,400: With J.J. Hickson (torn ACL) out for the season, Mozgov has played 30-plus minutes in consecutive games. Not only do the Spurs allow the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing centers, but Mozgov had a double-double (14 points and 11 rebounds) and two blocks vs. the Spurs on Wednesday.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball (Feb. 25th): Some FanDuel Bargains

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, you select your team based on a player's salary and your team's salary cannot exceed the game salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Tuesday's games, Timberwolves PF Kevin Love ($11,600) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Tuesday (Feb. 25th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Aaron Brooks, Denver Nuggets (vs. POR), $3,600: If Ty Lawson (ribs) misses another game (although it's possible that he returns tonight), the recently-acquired Brooks is a quality low-priced option at the point in FanDuel leagues. Starting in only his second game with the Nuggets on Sunday, Brooks finished with nine points, eight assists, two rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes.

PG - Jarrett Jack, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers (vs. TOR), $3,800: Big minutes does not necessarily mean big production as we've seen with Jack in his past two games. Despite averaging nearly 40 minutes per game over his past two, Jack has barely averaged 15 fantasy points. That said, he should get plenty of minutes with Dion Waiters and C.J. Miles out again tonight. Feeling lucky?

PG - Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers (at DEN), $7,900 Five point guards have a higher salary than Lillard so he's not a bargain in absolute terms, but Lillard has scored 40-plus fantasy points in three consecutive games. Only the 76ers (111.0) and Lakers (105.9) allow more points per game than the Nuggets (104.7). [The Blazers allow the fourth-most points (103.6) in the NBA.]

SG - Evan Fournier, Denver Nuggets (vs. POR), $4,400: Like with Brooks above, Fournier could see expanded minutes especially if Lawson misses another game. Fournier has scored 40-plus fantasy points in two of his past four games. On Sunday, Fournier had 27 points, four rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block in 36 minutes off the bench.

SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (at IND), $3,600: In two games with the Lakers, Bazemore has scored 15-plus points and added two steals in at least 29 minutes in each game. Despite the tough matchup against the Pacers, Bazemore is a cheap option that should get roughly 30 minutes and 20 fantasy points.

SG - Ben McLemore, Sacramento Kings (vs. HOU), $3,600: With Marcus Thornton now in Brooklyn, McLemore moved into the starting lineup and played 36 minutes on Sunday. Even though he only scored six points, he added four boards and three steals. Going forward, I would expect better shooting performances from McLemore.

SF - Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers (at DEN), $6,200: While he isn't necessarily cheap as only four small forwards have a higher salary, Batum is coming off a monster game and could very well follow that up with another strong performance tonight. On Sunday, Batum had 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal. Especially if LaMarcus Aldridge misses a fourth consecutive game tonight, the Blazers will need more production from Batum.

PF - Mike Scott, Atlanta Hawks (vs. CHI), $4,500: With Paul Millsap out tonight and tomorrow, Scott has an opportunity to continue his hot streak even though the Hawks have a tough matchup. In his past two games, Scott has scored a total of 50 points including a career-high 30 on Saturday against the Knicks.

PF - Thomas Robinson, Portland Trail Blazers (at DEN), $4,300: As noted with Batum, it's possible that Aldridge misses another game and if he does, Robinson will be a quality low-priced option at power forward. On Sunday, he posted a double-double (14 points, 18 rebounds) in 33 minutes while adding a couple of assists and blocks as well.

In the majority of my FanDuel leagues for tonight, I'll be starting Chicago's Joakim Noah at center. Although he's not cheap at $9,100, Noah has averaged 13.54 points, 13.08 rebounds, 5.96 assists, 1.92 blocks and 0.88 steals per game since January. In his past seven games, he has double-digit assists in three of them and even had a triple-double earlier this month.

C - Timofey Mozgov, Denver Nuggets (vs. POR), $3,900: If I were looking for an option (much) less expensive than Noah, Mozgov could be the guy. With Mozgov moving into the starting lineup on Tuesday, that hopefully means that he also gets starter's minutes as well. In the five games in which Mozgov has 30-plus minutes this season, he has averaged 12.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 0.8 steals per game.

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If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings or my waiver-wire post from yesterday.

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NBA Predictions for the 2013-14 Season

With NBA preseason under way and the start of the regular season only a few weeks away, Kyle Baillargeon makes his predictions for NBA awards and playoffs below:

2013-14 NBA Postseason Award Winners

MVP - LeBron James, Miami Heat

I wouldn't be surprised to see Derrick Rose here if he leads the Bulls to one of the best records in the league, if only because MVP voters have shown that they tend to grow tired of giving the award to the same person over and over again.  That said, LeBron is the clear frontrunner for MVP.  The Heat will be in the championship hunt once more, but Dwyane Wade isn't getting any younger, and this team still looks pretty thin outside of LeBron.  I expect James to have the best statistical season of his career, with his fith MVP to boot.

Most Improved Player - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

Leonard already started to make the leap last year, especially in the playoffs.  With the Duncan/Manu/Parker era winding down in San Antonio, Leonard stands to become the face of the franchise's next era of basketball.  Entering his third year in the league, he has plenty of room for improvement and could very well become a household name before the season is over.

Sixth Man of the Year - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans

Evans could certainly start in New Orleans, but a backourt rotation of Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, and Evans could be devastating.  The big question would be if Evans is willing to sit to start each game. But if he can get over that, then he would be a huge contributor off the bench.

Don't be surprised, however, if a member of the Brooklyn Nets winds up with this award.  The expectation is that one of either Paul Pierce or Andrei Kirilenko will come off the bench this year.  If it turns out to be Pierce, then the award will be his.

Rookie of the Year - Ben McLemore, Sacramento Kings

McLemore will have plenty of opportunity to light it up on the court, and that's what he does best.  Greivis Vasquez will be looking his way often.  The Kings still have work to do to become a contender, but McLemore will prove himself to be a great piece to the puzzle.

Defensive Player of the Year - LeBron James, Miami Heat

James is so good at everything, that it seems easy to overlook how dominant he is on the defensive end.  One of his personal goals has been to win the award, and hopefully voters will finally recognize what many smart observers in the league already know: LeBron James is unquestionably THE best defender in the league.

NBA Finals Predictions

Eastern Conference Finals - Miami over Chicago in 7 games

As long as LeBron James is at the height of his powers, there is no reason to believe that anyone will stop Miami.  This Chicago team will have an overwhelming defense, and combined with a returning Derrick Rose could very well go on to a number one seed in the East.  I fully expect both teams to pummel their competition all the way to one of the biggest heavyweight battles the NBA has seen in years.  This one could go either way, but ultimately the tie-breaker goes to the team with the greatest player of the last 25 years.

Western Conference Finals - San Antonio over Los Angeles Clippers in 6 games

It might be a little overzealous to send the Clippers to the WCF in Doc Rivers' first year at the helm, but this team does have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, along with a good bench.  Once Doc figures out his rotation, and as long as the team buys in to playing legitimate defense, the Clippers could knock on the door of the title.  That said, the Spurs will not go down without a fight.  Greg Popovich is smart enough to understand exactly what his team needs and when, and his team should be healthy and well-rested leading into the playoffs.  He knows he needs to save the firepower for the playoffs, and they should be able to make it through the tough Western Conference one more time in their Big Three era.  Once these two squads meet, Popovich's knowledge of his own team, combined with Tim Duncan's front-court dominance and Tony Parker's ability to go toe-to-toe with Chris Paul, will lead the Spurs to victory.

NBA Finals - Miami over San Antonio in 7 games

It may seem like a cop-out to go with the repeat in the Finals, but after last year's amazing seven-game set, is anyone going to complain about seeing it again?  As stated before, it wouldn't make sense to pick against LeBron James.  He is the best in the world and will lead the Heat to victory again.

Soon, we will release our 2013-14 fantasy basketball rankings.

Visit our NBA home or follow us on Twitter (@HitTheBoards) for updates.

2013 NBA Mock Draft Updated (Baillargeon)

With the 2013 NBA Draft only three days away, Kyle Baillargeon has updated his mock draft.

Here is his updated mock:  

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Kentucky

No signs of a trade by Cleveland, so expect Noel to go No. 1 as we have all expected.  

2. Orlando Magic: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

If the Magic trade Afflalo for Bledsoe, McLemore can slide in as the starting SG and the Magic will suddenly have their backcourt of the future.  

3. Washington Wizards: Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV

High upside and potential superstar ability for a team that can afford to wait.  

4. Charlotte Bobcats: Alex Len, C, Maryland

Len gives the Bobcats the size that they desperately need.  

5. Phoenix Suns: Otto Porter Jr., SF, Georgetown

Some consider Porter the best player in the draft. He'd be a great building block for the Suns.  

6. New Orleans Pelicans: Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

Could instead go with Burke if the Pelicans feel Rivers isn't their man at the point.  

7. Sacramento Kings: Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

Fills a hole at PF for the Kings.  

8. Detroit Pistons: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

National Player of the Year will let the Pistons slide Knight to two-guard.

 9. Minnesota Timberwolves: C.J. McCollum, SG, Lehigh

Excellent shooter from long range goes to a team that desperately needs it.  

10. Portland Trail Blazers: Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

Great compliment to LaMarcus Aldridge's skills in the front court.

See rest of his first-round projection

More mocks: Kevin Hanson - Brendan Donahue - Mock Database

2013 NBA Mock Draft (Baillargeon)

We are less than four weeks away from the 2013 NBA Draft, which will be held on June 27th in Brooklyn.

From now until the draft, our contributors will either post their initial mock draft and then make updates, as necessary.

Here is the first-round projection from Kyle Baillargeon:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Kentucky

It really looks like the Cavaliers are looking to trade this pick.  But, we don't do trades in mock drafts, so the pick is Noel.  Ultimately, he's the best choice for the Cavs, assuming his knee injury doesn't limit him once he's fully healed.  The Cavaliers won't push Noel to come back until he's ready.  In a few years, he could anchor the defense, much like Marc Gasol does in Memphis.

And there's a good chance the Cavaliers will be just as bad next year, giving them the opportunity at Andrew Wiggins or one of the other potential studs in a loaded 2014 draft.

2. Orlando Magic: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

The Magic need help everywhere, and though they have 31 year-old Jameer Nelson as the incumbent PG, it's expected that he'll be phased out of the Magic's long-term plans.  Other players in the draft may look like they have higher upside, but with a draft class as questionable as this one, it would make the most sense to go with the National Player of the Year.

3. Washington Wizards: Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV

With his scoring ability, Bennett has the chance to be the best player in the draft.  His position is undefined due to his size, but he could slide to the three or play the four in smaller lineups.  The Wizards aren't expected to contend next year, so they should take a shot on the player that has possibly the highest upside, with the hopes that in a few years they'll have a superstar on their hands.

4. Charlotte Bobcats: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

McLemore does one thing in the draft better than just about anyone else: Shoot.  He's also a great athlete who can run the floor.  Considering the dearth of top-tier shooting guards in the league, we could be talking about him as a top five or six two-guard if he expands his game over the next few years.  He's the smart pick.

5. Phoenix Suns: Otto Porter Jr., SF, Georgetown

The Suns would have a steal if Porter falls to them.  He doesn't necessarily have the upside of those taken before him, but he can contribute right away and would be a good young piece for the organization to build off of as they try to start fresh.

6. New Orleans Pelicans: Alex Len, C, Maryland

Len is a tough call, as he has all the tangibles but needs to put it all together.  It would give New Orleans a potentially great young front court, not unlike Utah and Detroit. If the Pelicans think that they can trade Eric Gordon (with they may want to), Victor Oladipo could be the pick instead.

7. Sacramento Kings: Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

The Kings have a hole at power forward.  Zeller is very athletic and doesn't need the ball in his hands to make an impact on the court.  Sacramento doesn't have enough players like that.  He could be a good compliment to Boogie Cousins.

8. Detroit Pistons: Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

Oladipo is an excellent defender and would help the Pistons right away. He's also shown himself to have the makings of a tremendous leader. There's a good chance that he won't slip this far, but if he does, Detroit will have found themselves another good young player at value. 

9. Minnesota Timberwolves: C.J. McCollum, SG, Lehigh

One of the reasons Kevin Love gets so many rebounds is because the Wolves throw up a ton of bricks.  McCollum is an excellent shooter from long range. He was a point guard in college, but some guy named Rubio will push him to shooting guard.  This is one of the most obvious picks in the draft, but also one of the smartest.

10. Portland Trail Blazers: Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

Adams is a name that's become hot of late, with his great showing at the combine.  He's definitely raw, however.  However, he wouldn't be called on to contribute much offensively if he goes to Portland.  Let him bang down-low, play defense and rebound, and he could be a good compliment to LaMarcus Aldridge.

11. Philadelphia 76ers: Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

Saric is considered the top foreign player in the draft.  Is he more Dirk Nowitzki or Jan Vesely?  That's the risk.  But the 76ers have shown that they're willing to take risks (see: Andrew Bynum trade) if they think it will make them a better team.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia

Trading James Harden was a terrible move.  And Kevin Martin really isn't good anymore.  Caldwell-Pope falls somewhere in the middle of these two on the basketball spectrum.  He's a good shooter and a smart ball player.  

13. Dallas Mavericks: Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

Darren Collison is a nice player, but Carter-Williams could be the Mavericks' Rajon Rondo.  He has the chance to make an impact right away. 

14. Utah Jazz: Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

Another player who brings Rondo comparisons, rumors are that Schroeder has an early-round promise from someone.  The Jazz have a need at point guard and may very well be that team. 

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Tony Mitchell, SF, North Texas

The depth of the draft shows with this pick, as Mitchell could go here, or he could fall out of the first round.  With so many players having roughly the same risk, the Bucks should go with the athletic Mitchell whom some (including Mitchell himself) compare to Kenneth Faried.

- Continue to Picks 16-30

- 2013 NBA Mock Draft from Kevin Hanson
- Our NBA Mock Draft Database

- Also, check out: 2014 NFL Mock Draft | NFL Mock Draft Database

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