Fantasy NBA DraftKings DFS Values (Feb. 3)

On a five-game NBA slate on Tuesday, there are only three players priced above $8,800 -- Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins ($10,500), Golden State's Stephen Curry ($10,300) and Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge ($9,400).

While I'll have some exposure to all three of those high-priced studs, Curry will undoubtedly be the one that I have the most in my lineups. If there's any concern, it's that this game turns into a blowout as the Warriors are favored by 9.5 points and Curry has played less than 30 minutes in two of his three matchups against the Kings this season.

That said, Curry is averaging more than 46 fantasy points per game this season, the Kings have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing point guards and are projected to score the most points, by far, tonight based on Vegas odds.

On any given night, Curry has 60-point upside. Only three players in the league have more games with 60-plus fantasy points than Curry (seven games) -- Anthony Davis and James Harden (both 11 games) and Cousins (eight).

In order to fit Curry (and/or Boogie and/or LMA) into your lineup(s), you'll need to find some value plays elsewhere.


With that said, here are my favorite DraftKings values ($6,500 salary or less) for Tuesday's NBA games:

PG - Trey Burke, Utah Jazz (at POR), $4,600: Even if he isn't starting, Burke has played at least 31 minutes in three consecutive games. And over his past four games, Burke has scored 30.0, 20.0, 20.0 and 29.0 fantasy points, respectively, and he has been averaging 16 shot attempts per game over that stretch. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard and the Blazers have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

Others to consider: Darren Collison, Sacramento Kings ($6,400); D.J. Augustin, Detroit Pistons ($6,200); Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics ($3,700); Larry Drew, Philadelphia 76ers ($3,000)

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SG - Tyler Johnson, Miami Heat (at DET), $3,900: Listed as a point guard on FanDuel, Johnson is listed as a shooting guard on DraftKings, which makes me like him more on DK. Playing only three NBA games in his career, Johnson now has impressive back-to-back outings and scored a massive (given his minimum-salary price tag) 38.25 fantasy points on Sunday. Doing a bit of everything, he has averaged 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in those two games. Far from the level of "Hassanity," Johnson has nonetheless provided the team with a spark and should continue to see minutes in the mid-20's, at least, as long as Dwyane Wade remains out.

Others to consider: Wesley Matthews, Portland Trail Blazers ($5,800); Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets ($5,500)

SF - Jerami Grant, Philadelphia 76ers (vs. DEN), $3,000: Listed in yesterday's post as well, Grant is once again priced at the contest-minimum salary. Grant won't see much more than 26 minutes on any given night, but he should easily reach value while providing lots of salary-cap relief. Scoring a career-high (real) 18 points and 29.75 fantasy points last night, he has connected on 8-of-11 three-point attempts over his past three games. Few players have his potential to make multiple three-pointers and block multiple shots (remember his eight blocks vs. NYK last month?) on a given night. In his past six games, Grant is averaging 20.92 fantasy points per game (6.97x his salary) with a minimum of 16.5 fantasy points (5.5x) and could approach last night's production if Michael Carter-Williams (ankle/shin) sits.

Others to consider: Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets ($5,700); Luol Deng, Miami Heat ($5,000); Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers ($4,900); Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz ($4,300)

PF - Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets (at PHI), $6,200: Too inconsistent for cash games, Faried has plenty of upside tonight as a tournament play against the Sixers, who rank last in the NBA in rebounding differential (-4.5). In addition, the Sixers have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season. Over his past 19 games played, The Manimal has six games with at least 40 fantasy points including games with 57.25 and 61.25 fantasy points, but he has also has six games during that span with less than 25.0. Faried needs just 31.0 fantasy points to reach 5x value and he's averaged 33.34/G during that 19-game span.

Others to consider: Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers ($5,200); Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics ($5,200); Robert Covington, Philadelphia 76ers ($5,000); Jason Smith, New York Knicks ($4,700); Louis Amundson, New York Knicks ($3,700)

C - Andrew Bogut, Golden State Warriors (at SAC), $4,800: More often than not, I'll pay up for center tonight, but Bogut could potentially see a bump in minutes from his 24 per game as they get a difficult matchup against Cousins. Bogut has been averaging a little more than one fantasy point per minute this season and he's priced at 5.4 times his average fantasy production this season (25.9/G).

Others to consider: Robin Lopez, Portland Trail Blazers ($4,500); Jusuf Nurkic, Denver Nuggets ($4,400); Tyler Zeller, Boston Celtics ($4,100);

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Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for April 12th

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 Fantasy NBA 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 Saturday's games, Heat SF LeBron James ($10,600) 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 Saturday (April 12th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Ramon Sessions, Milwaukee Bucks (at WAS), $6,600: While the matchup isn't all that favorable, Sessions has played 40-plus minutes in eight of his past nine games with 38 being the exception. Over that nine-game span, Sessions is averaging 19.0 points, 6.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

PG - Ray McCallum, Sacramento Kings (at LAC), $5,900: Like Sessions, McCallum's matchup is not favorable — in fact, it's horrible. The Clips have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing point guards. That said, McCallum has played 40-plus minutes in nine consecutive games and has scored more than 30 fantasy points in five of his past seven games. In his past seven games, McCallum is averaging 15.29 points, 7.86 assists, 3.14 rebounds and 2.00 steals per game.

PG - Trey Burke, PG, Utah Jazz (at DEN), $5,300: Burke has two double-doubles in his past three games and even scored 50.3 fantasy points in one of those games. Over those three games, he has averaged 14.0 points and 10.33 assists per game. The Nuggets have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

PG - Luke Ridnour, Charlotte Bobcats (vs. PHI), $3,500: Ridnour's fantasy value hinges on the availability of Kemba Walker (ankle) on Saturday. With Walker sitting out last night's game, Ridnour started at the point and finished with 24.9 fantasy points (nine points, five assists and three steals) against the Celtics. If Walker misses tonight's game, Ridnour will get a start vs. the fantasy-friendly Sixers at a contest-minimum salary.

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SG - Randy Foye, Denver Nuggets (vs. UTA), $6,400: Foye has scored 102.4 fantasy points combined in his past two games. In those two games, he has averaged 25.0 points, 11.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Over his past six games, he has four outings with at least 30 fantasy points.

SG - J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers (vs. SAC), $4,600: Redick has been back for three games and he has yet to score more than 18.6 fantasy points since his return. That could change with a matchup against the Kings, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Austin Rivers, New Orleans Pelicans (at HOU), $4,300: Rivers has been extremely productive in his past two outings with 31-plus fantasy points in both games. He has averaged 14.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in those two games. The Rockets have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Charlotte Bobcats (vs. PHI), $4,100: For the first time in four games, Douglas-Roberts scored more than 20 fantasy points last night. With a favorable matchup tonight against the Sixers, a repeat performance seems like a reasonable expectation.

SF - Jeff Green, Boston Celtics (at CLE), $5,700: Green has been solid, but not spectacular, with 20-plus fantasy points in seven of his past eight games. With a high of 29.5 fantasy points during that span, Green gets a decent opportunity to crack 30 fantasy points against the Cavs. Cleveland has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.

SF - Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks (at WAS), $5,100: Middleton has scored at least 22.6 fantasy points in three consecutive games.

SF - Jeremy Evans, Utah Jazz (at DEN), $3,700: Evans has played at least 23 minutes in each of his past three games and he has averaged 19.03 fantasy points during that stretch. The Nuggets have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards so Evans could be a decent cheap play tonight if he gets 20-something minutes again.

PF - Jared Sullinger, Boston Celtics (at CLE), $6,500: In his past three games, Sullinger has either scored 20 points or posted a double-double (or both). Over his past nine games, he is averaging 16.33 points, 7.89 rebounds and just shy of 30 fantasy points (29.24) per game.

PF - Terrence Jones, Houston Rockets (vs. NO), $6,200: Jones has scored a minimum of 23 fantasy points in each of his past five games, but he has averaged 32.6 fantasy points during that span. Only four teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season than the Pelicans.

PF - Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers (vs. BOS), $5,200: With three double-doubles in his past six games, Thompson is averaging 12.0 points and 9.33 rebounds per game over that stretch. In addition, he has at least 35 fantasy points in three of those games including last night's matchup against the Bucks.

PF - Josh McRoberts, Charlotte Bobcats (vs. PHI), $4,900: Since missing three games, McBob has scored at least 20 fantasy points in both games since his return. The best could come tonight as the Bobcats host the Sixers, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

C - Enes Kanter, Utah Jazz (at DEN), $6,100: This game features a pair of foreign-born fantasy centers that are both excellent values. Kanter has averaged 15.0 points and 16.0 rebounds with 1.5 blocks per game over his past two games. The Nuggets have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this year.

C - Omer Asik, Houston Rockets (vs. NO), $5,900: Even with just 24 minutes apiece in his past three outings, the good times continue to roll for Asik and his fantasy owners. In the month of April, Asik has had double-digit rebounds in every game including a pair of games with 23 boards and four double-doubles. In his seven April games, Asik has averaged 11.29 points, 16.43 boards, 1.28 blocks and 1.00 steals per game.

C - Timofey Mozgov, Denver Nuggets (vs. UTA), $5,200: Mozgov has made numerous appearances on these posts, but he has really delivered for DFSers lately. In 43 minutes against the Warriors on Thursday, Mozgov scored 23 points with 29 rebounds and added three assists, three blocks and a steal for 68.3 fantasy points. While a repeat performance would be unrealistic, Mozgov has averaged 16.0 points, 9.44 boards and 1.56 blocks per game in his last nine. In addition, the Jazz have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

There are other excellent options at center, but it's hard to imagine many owners starting someone other than Mozgov unless they go with a stud like DeMarcus Cousins or Al Jefferson.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 16th

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 Sunday's games, Timberwolves PF Kevin Love and Thunder SF Kevin Durant ($11,800) have 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 Sunday (March 16th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Darren Collison, Los Angeles Clippers (vs. CLE), $5,700: Even though Chris Paul ($9,400) has the highest salary among point guards today, you could argue that he is a "value" as well. Only the Sixers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards this season. If Jamal Crawford returns from injury tonight, that subtracts a little of the value from Collison but he's worth consideration in Sunday FanDuel leagues.

PG - Trey Burke, Utah Jazz (at SAS), $5,600: In his past three games, Burke has played 35-plus minutes and scored 25-plus fantasy points in each game. During that three-game span, he has averaged 20.33 points and 4.67 assists per game. The Spurs have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

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SG - Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers (at LAC), $5,200: Against the Warriors on Friday, Waiters scored 18 points in 31 minutes and added four assists for 25.2 fantasy points. This season, the Clippers have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards.

SG - Gary Neal, Charlotte Bobcats (at MIL), $3,800: On the other sides of sitting out a game for disciplinary actions, Neal has scored 19 points and added four assists on March 10th and March 14th. In his past two games played, Neal has averaged 26.9 fantasy points per game.

SF - Matt Barnes, Los Angeles Clippers (vs. CLE), $5,600: After averaging 38.77 fantasy points per game over a three-game stretch, Barnes has cooled off with an average of 22.13 FPPG over his past four. That said, Barnes has a very favorable matchup on Sunday. Only the Sixers and Lakers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.

SF - Jeff Adrien, Milwaukee Bucks (vs. CHA), $4,600: This month, Adrien has a 43.0-point fantasy performance (March 7th) and a 0.2-point performance (March 10th). That said, his minutes and fantasy production has been more consistent over his past three games with 20.9-plus fantasy points in each of those games. During that span, he has averaged 11.33 points, 6.67 rebounds, a block and a steal per game.

SF - Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (at POR), $4,400: Green has scored at least 20 fantasy points in three consecutive games and in six of his past seven games. In his past three games, Green is averaging 11.33 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.33 assists and 1.33 steals per game.

SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Bobcats (at MIL), $3,700: Kidd-Gilchrist has had productive outings in back-to-back games with 24.9 and 24.3 fantasy points, respectively. In those two games, he has averaged 10.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and a block per game. Today he faces the Bucks, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

PF - Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors (vs. PHO), $5,700: Johnson is a lock for 20-something fantasy points, but he has scored 36-plus fantasy points in two of his past three games. Over his past three games, he has averaged 16.0 points, 7.33 boards, 1.67 blocks and 2.0 steals per game.

PF - Kris Humphries, Boston Celtics (at NOP), $4,900: Despite playing no more than 27 minutes, Humphries has scored at 26 fantasy points in four consecutive games and has two double-doubles in that span. The Pelicans have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

PF - Josh McRoberts, Charlotte Bobcats (at MIL), $4,900: McBob has scored 20-plus fantasy points in three consecutive games and in five of his past six. The Bucks have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

C - Spencer Hawes, Cleveland Cavaliers (at LAC), $6,700: At roughly the average cost per starter, Hawes is an above-average option on Sunday. Hawes is averaging 30.1 fantasy points this season, but he has at least 43 fantasy points in two of his past three games. During that three-game span, Hawes is averaging 20.67 points, 9.67 boards, 2.67 assists and 1.33 blocks per game. The Clips have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

C - Enes Kanter, Utah Jazz (at SAS), $5,800: Kanter, the third-overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has failed to get the minutes that his fantasy owners have thought he deserved, but that has changed recently. In eight games this month, he has played 25-plus minutes seven times and a month-high 42 minutes on Friday. Kanter has four double-doubles this month including in three of his past four games.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 8th

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 Saturday's games, Knicks PF Carmelo Anthony ($10,200) 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 Saturday (March 8th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies (vs. CHA), $6,600: Excluding a dud to the Nets on Wednesday, Conley has scored at least 30 fantasy points in three of his past four games. On the season, Conley is averaging 17.15 points, 6.21 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

PG - Trey Burke, Utah Jazz (at PHI), $5,600: The rookie out of Michigan has struggled with inconsistent fantasy production over his past six games. During that stretch, Burke has scored less than 20 fantasy points four times and has averaged a mere 17.53 per game. If there's a game in which Burke will break out of that slump, it could be tonight against the Sixers. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards this season than the Sixers.

PG - Darren Collison, Los Angeles Clippers (vs. ATL), $6,000: While he has scored 30-plus fantasy points in three of his past four games, Collison's fantasy value will take a hit if Jamal Crawford returns from his three-game absence tonight. Earlier tonight, beat writer Dan Woike tweeted that Crawford "felt good" at shootaround and will be a dreaded "game-time decision" for tonight. Unfortunately, this game does not tip off until 11:30 p.m. ET, which would likely leave you rolling the dice if you start Collison.

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SG - Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers (vs. NYK), $5,400: In his two games back since returning from injury, Waiters has scored 29.7 and 32.5 fantasy points, respectively. The good times should continue to roll for Waiters as the Knicks have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing off guards this season.

SG - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (vs. ORL), $4,500: Ginobili is coming off a disappointing performance (six points, four assists and only 11.0 fantasy points) against the Heat on Thursday. That said, he had 22-plus fantasy points in each of his previous four games and the Magic have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to shooting guards this season.

SG - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Charlotte Bobcats (at MEM), $3,700: Douglas-Roberts has seen 24, 29 and 33 minutes, respectively, in his last three games and Gerald Henderson (calf) will miss another game tonight. In an all-around performance on Friday night, CDR was a rebound shy of a double-double with 14 points, nine boards, two steals and a block for 32.3 fantasy points.

SF - Matt Barnes, Los Angeles Clippers (vs. ATL), $5,700: Like with Collison, Barnes is a better daily option tonight if Crawford (GTD) sits out. In the three games that Crawford has missed, Barnes has scored 31.2, 41.2 and 43.9 fantasy points, respectively. In addition, tonight's matchup is favorable as the Hawks have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

SF - Maurice Harkless, Orlando Magic (at SAS), $4,600: In his past five games, Harkless has averaged 36.2 minutes per game and posted an average line of 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks. During that stretch, he has scored a minimum of 22.1 fantasy points per game. While the Spurs are one of the better teams in the league at defending small forwards, there's a good chance that he produces well enough to exceed his relatively low cost.

SF - Jeff Adrien, Milwaukee Bucks (vs. WAS), $4,000: Getting extra minutes due to Ersan Ilyasova's suspension, Adrien posted a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds) and added three blocks, two assists and a steal in his most recent game. Either way, Adrien has been a beast on the boards with five games of double-digit rebounds.

PF - Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz (at PHI), $6,100: With three consecutive duds lowering his cost and an extremely favorable matchup tonight, you should strongly consider starting Favors on Saturday. Only the Lakers have allowed more fantasy points than the Sixers, which gives Favors the ideal opportunity for a bounce-back performance.

PF - Boris Diaw, San Antonio Spurs (vs. ORL), $5,100: Diaw has been highly productive and consistent recently with 31.0 to 31.5 fantasy points in each of his past three games. Doing a bit of everything, he has averaged 15.33 points, 7.67 rebounds, 3.33 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game during that span.

C - Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards (at MIL), $7,100: In his last nine games, Gortat has scored at least 30 fantasy points eight times. The lone exception was 28.1 fantasy points against the Grizzlies, who have allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing centers this season. The Bucks aren't the Grizzlies as only the Lakers and Sixers allow more fantasy points to opposing centers.

C - Kyle O'Quinn, Orlando Magic (at SAS), $4,700: Despite playing less than 20 minutes in three of his past four games, O'Quinn has scored 22-plus fantasy points in five of past six games. In the one game over the past four that he barely saw more than 20 minutes (22), O'Quinn had a double-double (14 points, 15 rebounds) and scored 39.0 fantasy points.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball (Feb. 26th): 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, 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 Wednesday's games, Thunder SF Kevin Durant ($12,000) 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 Wednesday (Feb. 26th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks (at BOS), $5,800: Since missing the Pistons game on the 21st, Teague has scored at least 26 points with six-plus assists in back-to-back games. With the injuries on the Hawks, Teague should continue to be aggressive on the offensive end once again on Wednesday.

PG - Trey Burke, Utah Jazz (vs. PHO), $5,900: Burke had an off night on Monday (21.5 fantasy points), but he had a minimum of 31.6 fantasy points in each of his previous three games. Look for him to bounce back here.

SG - Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks (vs. NO), $5,200: Carter has now scored 33-plus fantasy points in back-to-back nights. Against the Knicks on Monday, Carter had 23 points, three rebounds, three assists and a block.

SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (at MEM), $3,600: Against the Pacers last night, Bazemore led the Lakers in minutes (39) and points (23) and has now scored 15-plus points in all three of his games with the Lakers. In addition, Bazemore has a total of seven steals in his three games with the Lakers.

SF - Paul Pierce, Brooklyn Nets (at POR), $5,800: With at least 33 minutes in each of his past two games, Pierce scored 25 points with seven boards and four dimes on Sunday for 35.4 fantasy points. On Wednesday, the Nets will face the Blazers, who have allowed the fourth-most points per game this season.

SF - Kyle Singler, Detroit Pistons (at SAS), $4,200: Although the matchup is far from ideal, Singler has scored at least 20 fantasy points in five of his past six games including 30.6 on Monday against the Warriors.

PF - Tobias Harris, Orlando Magic (at PHI), $6,700: After three consecutive games with 35 or more fantasy points, Harris had an off night Tuesday: 11 points, four rebounds and one assist. That said, nothing helps a player bounce back like facing the Sixers.

PF - Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics (vs. ATL), $4,500: It's unclear whether Jared Sullinger (concussion) will miss another game, but Bass has played 30-plus minutes in four consecutive games. Averaging a little more than 25 fantasy points per game during that stretch, Bass has averaged 14.5 points, 6.75 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per game.

C - Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic (at PHI), $7,000: Averaging a double-double on the season, Vucevic had 19 points and 14 boards against a depleted Wizards frontcourt on Tuesday. Vucevic has now scored more than 30 fantasy points in six of seven games and he faces a fantasy-friendly Sixers team on Wednesday night.

C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at DAL), $3,600: With 27 minutes in each of the past two games, Ajinca followed up a solid performance (nine points, nine rebounds) with a double-double (19 points, 12 rebounds) on Monday.

C - Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics (vs. ATL), $3,700: If Sullinger misses another game, it could mean additional minutes for Olynyk once again. On Monday, Olynyk had 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal.

[Update: Both Olynyk and Sullinger are out tonight.]

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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 Sunday.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

Daily Fantasy Basketball (Feb. 24th): 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 Monday's games, Knicks PF Carmelo Anthony ($10,700) 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 Monday (Feb. 24th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Brandon Knight, Milwaukee Bucks (at PHI), $6,700: At roughly the average salary for the contest, Knight is a much better than an average option for tonight's games. After missing a game, Knight returned to drop 52 (FanDuel points, that is) against the league's best defense on Saturday. Tonight, Knight and the Pistons face the league's 30th-ranked defense in the Sixers (110.7 PPG allowed).

PG - Trey Burke, Utah Jazz (vs. BOS), $5,700: Burke has had three consecutive solid performances in a row. Averaging 33 minutes per game in that stretch, the rookie out of Michigan has scored 34.6, 38.7 and 31.6 fantasy points, respectively. During that span, he has averaged 17.0 points, 7.67 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 steal and only 1.0 turnover per game.

PG - Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons (vs. GS), $3,900: Bynum has been playing extremely well recently. Since the All-Star break, Bynum is averaging 12.25 points and 7.25 assists in four games.

SG - Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks (at NYK), $5,000: Over his past three games, Carter has been productive with 24.9, 26.8 and 34.7 fantasy points, respectively. On Saturday, Carter scored 18 points and added six boards, five assists, a steal and block.

SG - James Anderson, Philadelphia 76ers (vs. MIL), $4,300: Anderson has played at least 30 minutes in each of his past three games. In those games, Anderson has knocked down eight treys to go along with seven steals.

SF - Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors (at DET), $5,300: Iggy has had back-to-back strong performances. In those two games, he has averaged 9.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.5 steals.

SF - Matt Barnes, Los Angeles Clippers (at NO), $4,200: Barnes followed up a strong Friday performance (15 points and seven boards) with an even better outing against the Thunder on Sunday. Barnes had 24 points, seven rebounds, two steals and assist in OKC on Sunday.

SF - Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (at DET), $3,700: With David Lee (flu) expected to miss tonight's game, it should more minutes for Green again. With Lee out on Saturday, Green had the second double-double (career-high 18 points with 10 rebounds) of his career and added three steals and two assists in 38 minutes.

PF - John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks (at PHI), $5,600: Henson has played 25 minutes (or less) in each of his past two games, but he has the potential on any given night for big numbers if given the minutes. With both Larry Sanders and Ekpe Udoh out, Henson (and the Bucks) get a great matchup against the Sixers.

That said, if you're looking for bargains in order to load up with studs, this is the star-studded position for Monday night. In addition to Melo being the most expensive option, the next two highest-priced options tonight are power forwards as well: Blake Griffin ($9,900) and Anthony Davis ($9,800).

PF - Kris Humphries, Boston Celtics (at UTA), $4,100: With Jared Sullinger (concussion) out on Saturday, it appears that he won't play on Monday either. With Sullinger out on Saturday, Humphries took advantage: 19 points, eight boards, four dimes, two blocks and two steals in 36 minutes.

PF - Arnett Moultrie, Philadelphia 76ers (vs. MIL), $3,800: A former first-round pick, Moultrie got 31 minutes on Friday. With Spencer Hawes in Cleveland, Moultrie should continue to get extended minutes and put up roughly 20 fantasy points as a low-priced option.

C - Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks (vs. DAL), $5,500: Chandler has scored a total of 80.8 fantasy points in his past two games. While I wouldn't count on another 23-rebound performance like he had on Saturday, a double-double (plus) with a couple of blocks is close to a sure thing.

C - Enes Kanter, Utah Jazz (vs. BOS), $5,400: Frustration! That's probably the word best used to describe the emotion most experienced by Kanter's fantasy owners. That said, Kanter is getting minutes with Derrick Favors currently sidelined. In his past three games, Kanter has played 33-plus minutes each game. Not only does he have two double-doubles in that span, but he has scored 25 points in back-to-back games.

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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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Consensus NBA Power Rankings, Week 12

Even though the Sixers are 13 games under .500, they are only three games out of the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

Losing their first game of the (calendar) year, the Nets currently occupy the No. 8 spot with a 15-22 record.

With a couple of draft picks in the first round this past year, the Sixers used their picks wisely. Not only did they draft Nerlens Noel, who could have been the No. 1 overall pick despite his knee injury, they landed the guy most likely to win NBA Rookie of the Year in Michael Carter-Williams.

Through Sunday's games, MCW leads all rookies in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounding (5.8 per game), assists (7.0 per game) and steals (2.7 per game). Not only does he rank in the top 10 among all players in assists, but he currently leads the NBA in steals although Ricky Rubio (2.67) is close.

Back on Dec. 3rd, Carter-Williams had a triple-double (27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists), but he missed a quadruple-double in his first-ever game by one steal and three rebounds.

Aside from MCW, there are two other rookies averaging at least 10 points per game: Utah's Trey Burke (13.2) and Orlando's Victor Oladipo (13.2).

Although the Milwaukee Bucks (7-29) are the consensus worst team in the league, their three teams all rank as the next worst teams: Utah (27th), Philadelphia (28th) and Orlando (29th). The Jazz, 76ers and Magic are a combined 34-78 through Sunday.

Once again, the Pacers sit atop our consensus NBA power rankings, but three different teams received No. 1 votes. Both the Heat and Spurs also received first-place votes in this week's rankings.

- See our full 2013-14 NBA Power Rankings for Week 12 here

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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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