Sunday, March 9, 2014

Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 9th

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, 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 Sunday (March 9th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics (vs. DET), $7,500: While he's not necessarily cheap in absolute terms, Rondo is tied for the eighth-highest salary among point guards with seven games on tap for today. In other words, he's middle of the road among starting point guards in terms of cost, but in reality, he's a better-than-average option today. Over his past five games, Rondo has scored 33.6 fantasy points in all but one game and has averaged 17.2 points, 9.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. On the season, the Pistons have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.


PG - Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons (at BOS), $4,400: Despite the lack of playing time, Bynum has been productive. In his past five games, Bynum has scored more than 25 fantasy points in four of those outings despite playing 21 minutes or less in each of his past four games.

PG - Jerryd Bayless, Boston Celtics (vs. DET), $4,200: Over his past six games, Bayless has averaged 31.5 minutes and 22.72 fantasy points per game.  During that six-game span, he has averaged 15.5 points, 3.17 rebounds, 2.17 assists and 1.17 assists per game.  As noted above with Rondo, the matchup is favorable.

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SG - Wesley Matthews, Portland Trail Blazers (at HOU), $5,500: Against the Mavs on Friday, Matthews scored 26 points and added six boards and a steal for 33.2 fantasy points. That ended a streak of modest production as Matthews had scored 22 fantasy points or less in his previous six games. On Sunday, Matthews has a favorable matchup against the Rockets, who have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing SGs.

SG - Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets (vs. SAC), $5,200: In his past three games, Johnson has scored 26.9, 30.4 and 33.4 fantasy points, respectively. Only the Lakers and Sixers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season than the Kings.

SF - Jeff Green, Boston Celtics (vs. DET), $6,300: Even though he has had a couple of modest outings in back-to-back games, Green has an opportunity to bounce back on Sunday with a favorable matchup against the Pistons. Only three teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season and none of them are playing on Sunday.

SF - Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets (at NO), $5,600: Chandler extended his streak of games with 30-plus fantasy points to three games on Friday. During that stretch, he has averaged 21.67 points, 6.67 rebounds, 1.67 assists and 1.33 steals per game. Even though the Pelicans have been excellent at limiting fantasy points to opposing three's, Chandler is a solid option considering his still modest salary.

SF - Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (vs. PHO), $4,400: Green has played in 21-plus minutes and has scored 22-plus fantasy points in each of his past three games.  During that stretch, he has averaged 8.33 points, 5.33 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.33 steals per game.

PF - Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets (at NOP), $5,900: Faried made this list on Friday and hopefully you started him against the Lakers as he exploded for 56.6 fantasy points (32 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block). Even though 50-something fantasy points shouldn't be expected tonight, The Manimal has scored at least 29.6 fantasy points in four consecutive games. The Pelicans have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

PF - Marcus Morris, Phoenix Suns (at GS), $4,100: Morris has averaged 15.0 points and 5.25 rebounds per game over his past four games. During that span, Morris has scored at least 20 fantasy points in three of those games.

C - Timofey Mozgov, Denver Nuggets (at NOP), $4,000: It's hard to trust him, but Mozgov had a solid outing on Friday against the Lakers. He finished with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal for 27.2 fantasy points in 26 minutes. That last stat (26 minutes) is the most important as he hasn't played that many since Feb. 21st. If Mozgov can approach that number on Sunday, he gets a solid matchup (Pelicans allow 10th-most fantasy points to centers) that should easily allow him to outproduce his modest cost.

C - Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics (vs. DET), $4,200: The Pistons have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season. Like with Mozgov, Olynyk's minutes are a concern as he played only 17 minutes with six turnovers on Friday. With 27 minutes on Wednesday, however, Olynyk scored 19 points and added five boards, three assists and a block for 29.5 fantasy points.

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>> Or find other FanDuel NBA games here.

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Saturday, March 8, 2014

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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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: DraftStreet Advice for March 8th

In order to help you set your DraftStreet lineups in daily fantasy basketball leagues, Sean Beazley has a list of some players that he likes for Saturday's games:
Here are a few players I like tonight.

C – Marcin Gortat – Washington – $15,285

Gortat has a great matchup vs. the Bucks, against whom he has averaged 19.5 points and 8.0 boards in two games. I think Gortat is a lock for a double-double and should exploit the middle of this defense that ranks 28th in the NBA against fantasy centers. I’m expecting 40 fantasy points (FP) tonight.

F – Boris Diaw – San Antonio – $11,429

In his past four games, Diaw has averaged 28 FP, and almost 30 minutes per game. Diaw is now the starting center in San Antonio, and he is very efficient from the field knocking down 55 percent of his shots. Diaw is definitely a player I’m aiming to hit maximum value tonight.

F – Thaddeus Young – Philadelphia – $15,543

Thad is a boom-or-bust play. In his last outing vs. the Thunder, he had a tiny 7.5 FP. He was a lineup crusher for sure. I think he rebounds tonight against a Jazz team that has been in the bottom third in the league vs. PFs over the past 10 games. I’m hoping for a 40+ point night.

G – Dion Waiters – Cleveland – $9,710

New York has had a tough time defending opposing SGs this year, so Waiters has great value at less than 10K. He is averaging about 26.5 FP per game since coming back from injury, which means he is undervalued tonight. He is still coming off the bench for the Cavs, but played five more minutes than starter Jarrett Jack last night. Waiters is a must-play in all formats tonight.

Best of Luck Tonight
Put Sean's advice to use in a DraftStreet league for tonight's games.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out our site's rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

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

Friday, March 7, 2014

Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 7th

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, 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 Friday (March 7th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Brandon Jennings, Detroit Pistons (at MIN), $6,600: Jennings has been inconsistent and it's hard to trust him, but he has scored 21-plus fantasy points in three consecutive games and has a favorable matchup tonight. The T'Wolves have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season. In fact, Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson, who returned from a long absence to drop 56.3 fantasy points on the T'Wolves on Monday, will be in all of my lineups as he faces the Lakers, who lost by 48 points to the Clippers last night.

PG - Jose Calderon, Dallas Mavericks (vs. POR), $5,100: More likely than not, I'll pair Calderon or another stud point guard with Lawson instead of Jennings. Calderon ended a four-game streak of 20-plus fantasy points, but he should bounce back with a favorable matchup tonight against Portland. The Blazers have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

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SG - Randy Foye, Denver Nuggets (vs. LAL), $6,600: In the Lakers 48-point loss, they gave up 142 points to the Clippers. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season than the Lakers. In his past nine games, Foye has scored at least 21 fantasy points every game and has averaged 26.84 during that span.

SG - Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz (at NYK), $6,600: In his past five games, Hayward has scored at least 26.3 fantasy points every night, 30-plus in four games and 40-plus in two games. During that five-game stretch, Hayward has averaged an excellent all-around line of 17.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Only three teams have allowed more fantasy points to shooting guards this season than the Knicks.

SF - Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets (vs. LAL), $5,600: In his three games back since a one-game absence, Chandler has scored 21.1, 39.0 and 30.5 fantasy points, respectively. In his past two games, he is averaging 23.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. As you probably know or imagined, the Lakers are not good at defending small forwards as only the Sixers are worse.

SF - Kyle Singler, Detroit Pistons (at MIN), $4,600: While he lacks the upside of a monster night, Singler is a low-priced option that provides a steady source of solid production. In his past 10 games, he has scored at least 20 fantasy points in eight games. During that stretch, he is averaging 21.82 fantasy points per game. The T'Wolves have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.

PF - Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets (vs. LAL), $5,900: The Lakers are dead last at limiting fantasy points to three different positions and power forward is one of those three. Over his past three games, The Manimal has averaged 17.67 points, 8.67 boards and 1.0 steals to average 33.07 fantasy points per contest.

PF - Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors (vs. SAC), $5,300: Since returning from a two-game absence, Johnson has scored a minimum of 22 fantasy points in seven consecutive games. During that span, he has averaged 10.43 points, 6.71 rebounds, 3.00 assists, 1.14 blocks and 0.86 steals per game. The Kings have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

C - J.J. Hickson, Denver Nuggets (vs. LAL), $5,600: Considering there is only one roster spot for centers in FanDuel games and guys like Al Jefferson, Joakim Noah, Andre Drummond, etc. have been so dominant lately, it may be hard to pass up one of the studs at the position. Against the Mavs on March 5th, Hickson had 16 points, five rebounds, five blocks and three assists for 36.5 fantasy points. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers this season than the Lakers.

C - Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics (vs. BKN), $4,200: An even cheaper option is Olynyk although his matchup against the Nets isn't great. Olynyk has been scored 29.5 and 38.6 fantasy points in his past two games played. In those two games, he has averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

Compete in FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Basketball Championship: $1.2 million in cash prizes
>> Or find other FanDuel NBA games here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

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

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 6th

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 Thursday's games, Thunder PF Kevin Durant ($12,100) 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 Thursday (March 6th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (at PHO), $7,700: In only 20 minutes against the Sixers, Westbrook recorded a triple-double (13 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists) and added three steals for a total of 46 fantasy points. In a game that should be more competitive, Westbrook shouldn't sit out the fourth quarter tonight like on Tuesday.

PG - Darren Collison, Los Angeles Clippers (at LAL), $5,600: While I have a Chris Paul-Westbrook PG combo in most of my FanDuel leagues for tonight, Collison is a (much) cheaper option. With Jamal Crawford considered to be "doubtful" for tonight's "road" game, Collison will once again get a ton of minutes. In 40 minutes on Tuesday, Collison finished with 18 points, five assists and three steals.

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SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. LAC), $4,800: In 35 minutes on Tuesday, Bazemore tied his Lakers high with 23 points and added four rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Coincidentally, he tied his highest total of fantasy points (35.3) as a Laker and he now has 20-plus fantasy points in five consecutive games.

SG - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (vs. MIA), $4,700: Even though Ginobili will likely see only 20-something minutes, he has now scored more than 20 fantasy points in four consecutive games. During that four-game stretch, he has averaged 14.25 points, 6.75 assists and 1.25 steals per game.

SF - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (vs. MIA), $6,200: In his four games since returning from injury, Leonard has scored a minimum of 27.9 fantasy points each game and has more than 30 fantasy points in three of those outings. He is averaging 15.25 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game during that span.

SF - Matt Barnes, Los Angeles Clippers (at LAL), $5,300: Like Collison, Barnes played 40 minutes on Tuesday and will benefit from Crawford's likely absence tonight as well. Barnes scored 28 points and added six boards, two assists, a steal and a block for 41.2 fantasy points on Tuesday. Even when he played only 24 minutes against the Pelicans on March 1st, Barnes still scored 31.2 fantasy points.

SF - Perry Jones, Oklahoma City Thunder (at PHO), $3,700: Jones got the start against the Sixers and had a productive outing: 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 29 minutes. Even with the addition of Caron Butler, Jones should continue to see around 25 minutes per game while Thabo Sefolosha is out and is a solid value with a cost barely above the game minimum.

PF - Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. OKC), $5,700: Morris is coming off a disappointing performance of nine points, four rebounds and four turnovers against the Clips on Tuesday. That said, he had scored 30-plus fantasy points in his previous two games and in his previous five of six games.

PF - Boris Diaw, San Antonio Spurs (vs. MIA), $4,900: With back-to-back games of 31 fantasy points, Diaw has scored 21-plus fantasy points in nine of 10 games. In his past four games, Diaw has averaged 11.5 points, 5.75 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.25 blocks and 0.75 steals per game.

PF - Marcus Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. OKC), $4,000: The other Morris twin has been productive recently. Like his brother, he had a down game on Tuesday, but he had scored 29-plus fantasy points in his previous two outings. At only $4,000 and with only three games on Thursday, Morris is a solid option at PF.

C - Tiago Splitter, San Antonio Spurs (vs. MIA), $4,500: Based on his current pattern of alternating between 25-plus fantasy points and less than 15 fantasy points, he is due for a 25-plus night. Of course, that pattern is purely a coincidence, but the Heat have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season, which could bode well for the Brazilian.

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Triple-Double for Joakim Noah vs. Pistons

Once again, Bulls center Joakim Noah recorded a triple-double, the third in his past 11 games.

Against the Pistons on Wednesday, Noah finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists plus two blocked shots.

Noah now has reached double-digit assists in five of his past 13 games.

Over the past month (Feb. 6th - Mar. 5th), Noah has averaged 13.31 points, 11.46 rebounds, 7.15 assists, 1.77 blocks and 1.00 steals per game.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Daily Fantasy Basketball: DraftStreet Advice for March 5th

In order to help you set your DraftStreet lineups in daily fantasy basketball leagues, Sean Beazley has a list of some players that he likes for Wednesday's games:
Today is the day of the $50,000 Guaranteed over at DraftStreet. Last week, I was fortunate to finish in 4th place with a monster team including Josh Smith, who went off for 33 fantasy points in the 1st half. Unfortunately, somehow Smith was just held to 3 fantasy points in the 2nd half and I fell just a few points behind the leader and a 10K score.

Here are a few players I like today:

Reggie Evans – F – Sacramento $6,081

Ever since Evans landed in Sacramento, he has been an immediate contributor. He is an absolute beast on the glass. He may be one of the top rebounders in the NBA. He really doesn’t have a lot of game to go with this skill, which is why he doesn’t get more minutes. At just over 6K though, all you need is 15 FP for him to hit value. I like to aim for 20 FP with my low-end plays as the top guys rarely hit actual value. Over his past four games, Evans has averaged 21.5 FP. Milwaukee is one of the worst teams against big men in the NBA. I’ll take Evans all the way to the bank today.

Ty Lawson – G – Denver $15,670

Dallas is one of the best teams in the league when it comes to giving up points to opposing point guards, but I really like Lawson off his 53.5 FP performance coming back from injury. This game also has the highest O/U of the night at 216.5 so I expect a lot of points. The one great thing about Lawson compared to some of the other top PGs is that he can score as well.

Jeff Teague – G – Atlanta $15,866

Portland is dead last in the NBA in giving up points to opposing PGs over the past 15 days. Teague will be in my lineup tonight, but this one is a little tricky, because it is a late start and the injury status of Paul Milsap is still up in air. If he is ruled out, I am playing Teague. If he is starting, or a game-time decision, I am going to look elsewhere. Oh, the joys of DFS.

(* Note: Millsap has been ruled out.)

Marcin Gortat – C – Washington $14,459

Tonight’s slate of games is loaded at talent at center. It’s tough to not play someone like Al Jefferson, who had 60.25 FP in his last game, or Andre Drummond, who set a career high in rebounds his last game with 26, and had 57 FP. Both of these guys are only a little more than 1K more than Gortat, but the matchups they have are brutal vs. Indiana and Chicago. Gortat gets Utah at home, and they give up a healthy amount of FPs to centers. The Wizards will also still be without the normal cast of big men off the bench as well. Gortat had his streak of seven consecutive double-doubles snapped the other night vs Memphis. Memphis does have the top-ranked defense against opposing centers this season. I like Gortat to start a new streak, and I could see him putting up 40 FP tonight.

Best of Luck Today
Put Sean's advice to use in a DraftStreet league for tonight's games.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out our site's rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

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: FanDuel Values for March 5th

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, 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 Wednesday (March 5th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks (at POR), $6,700: In his past four games, Teague has scored at least 26 points and 33.6 fantasy points per game. In his most recent game, Teague scored 29 points and added nine assists, six boards, two steals and a block for 52.7 fantasy points. It's unclear if Paul Millsap (knee) will play tonight and if he does, Teague may score fewer points, but he's a solid value as the 13th-highest priced point guard for tonight's games. Only the 76ers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards this season than the Blazers.

PG - George Hill, Indiana Pacers (at CHA), $4,700: Hill returned to the court last night after missing two games and he gets a favorable matchup tonight against the Bobcats. Over the past 15 days, the Bobcats have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

PG - Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons (vs. CHI), $4,600: While I'd like to see Bynum get more minutes, he's been productive with the time he's getting. In 18 minutes against the Knicks on Monday, Bynum scored 16 points and added three rebounds, three assists and three steals for 27.1 fantasy points. In his past three games, he has averaged 15.33 points, 5.67 assists and 1.67 steals per game despite the modest playing time.

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SG - Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks (at DEN), $5,800: Over his past five games, Carter has scored more than 30 fantasy points four times. During that run, he has averaged 18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. The Nuggets have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Kevin Martin, Minnesota Timberwolves (vs. NYK), $5,800: After a multi-game absence due to his thumb injury, Martin is averaging 24.0 points per game since returning. While he's primarily a one-category (points) producer, Martin has 25.4 and 36.8 fantasy points in his two games back. In addition, the Knicks have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to shooting guards this year.

SG - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (vs. SAC), $4,300: While the rookie from Greece has been a little inconsistent with his fantasy production, he has scored 26-plus fantasy points in four of his past seven games. During that seven-game span, Antetokounmpo has averaged 23.83 fantasy points per game. The Kings have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing SGs this season.

(As great as Paul George has been playing, it's hard to keep him out of my lineups tonight. At a reasonable price for a stud player ($8,900), George has scored at least 37 fantasy points in eight consecutive games and he has 41.4-plus in five of those games including 49.4 last night. With the Bobcats allowing LeBron to score 61 on Monday, George should be in for a big night.)

SF - Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. ATL), $6,900: While his price has crept up slightly, he's still pricely barely above the average cost of a starter ($6,667). Batum has appeared in many of these FanDuel posts as a multi-category stat stuffer. In his past five games, Batum has scored a minimum of 30.7 fantasy points in each game and has averaged 38.52 per game. Over that stretch, Batum has averaged 16.6 points, 10.6 boards, 4.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals. The Hawks have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.

SF - Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets (vs. DAL), $5,200: After missing a game against the Nets, Chandler has been solid in his two games back including a double-double (25 points, 10 rebounds) on Monday. The Mavs are in the bottom third in the league at limiting fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

SF - Maurice Harkless, Orlando Magic (vs. HOU), $4,400: Harkless has been inconsistent this season overall, but he has been consistently productive in his past four games. Since Feb. 25th, Harkless has played more than 30 minutes per game and averaged 14.75 points, 4.5 boards, 1.25 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. He has scored between 22.1 and 29.7 fantasy points in each of those four games and gets a solid matchup against the Rockets (19th at defending small forwards this season).

PF - Andray Blatche, Brooklyn Nets (vs. MEM), $5,100: It's unclear whether or not Kevin Garnett (back spasms) will play tonight, but Blatche has been productive for three consecutive games with 29.3, 45.6 and 26.5 fantasy points, respectively. The matchup against the Grizzlies isn't great so I like Blatche assuming KG is out. Otherwise, I'd definitely look for a different option to pair with Kevin Love, who is a must-start in daily formats.

PF - Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics (vs. GS), $4,600: Bass has scored at least 23 fantasy points in three consecutive games and in five of his past six games. The minutes for the Celtics' bigs can be a bit uncertain when Bass, Jared Sullinger, Kris Humphries and Kelly Olynyk are all available, but Bass has played 30-plus minutes in five of his past six games (and the exception was 27 minutes).

PF - Trevor Booker, Washington Wizards (vs. UTA), $3,500: The matchup against the Jazz isn't great as Utah has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing power forwards, but the value of Booker's production should exceed his contest-minimum cost as injuries have opened the door for him. In his last two outings, which includes a tough matchup against the Grizzlies, Booker has averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

C - Robin Lopez, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. ATL), $6,100: There are a lot of talented centers going tonight with Joakim Noah, DeMarcus Cousins, Al Jefferson, Dwight Howard and Andre Drummond among those playing. If you're looking for a slightly cheaper option, Lopez has been hot lately with at least 40 fantasy points in three of his past six games. During that six-game run, which included a Feb. 23rd dud (six points, five rebounds), Lopez is averaging 13.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Daily Fantasy Basketball: Some DraftKings Values for March 4th

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who isn'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 DraftKings leagues, rosters consist of eight players and the salary cap is $50,000, which averages to roughly $6,250 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Tuesday's games, Thunder SF/PF Kevin Durant ($10,900) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,000).

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 (March 4th) DraftKings leagues:

PG - Darren Collison, Los Angeles Clippers (at PHO), $4,300: With Jamal Crawford expected to miss a few more games, Collison could get another start on Tuesday. In his past two games, Collison has averaged 28.25 fantasy points per game by scoring 17.0 points with 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

PG - Ishmael Smith, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $3,600: In his past four games, Smith has averaged 28.63 fantasy points per game. During that stretch, Smith has averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.25 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

SG/SF - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $6,000: Not as cheap as he is in FanDuel leagues ($5,400), but Evans is still a value here at $6,000. Against the Kings, his former team, Evans was only two assists shy of a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and scored 54.5 fantasy points. The Lakers have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG/SF - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $4,400: Although Bazemore has played in only 28 and 27 minutes in his past two games, his two lowest totals since joining the Lakers, he has scored 20-plus fantasy points in all six of his games as a Laker.

SG/SF - Wesley Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $5,200: Against the Blazers yesterday, Johnson extended his streak of games with 36-plus minutes and 35-plus fantasy points to three games. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.67 points, 8.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.0 steal per game.

SF - Caron Butler, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. PHI), $3,900: Nearly $1,000 cheaper on DraftKings than FanDuel, Butler will make his Thunder debut on Tuesday and he gets an extremely favorable matchup against the Sixers. With Thabo Sefalosha (calf) out for the next month or so, Butler could start. Either way, he should get plenty of minutes in his debut.

PF/C - Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $5,700: Morris has scored more than 32 fantasy points in back-to-back games and in five of his past six. Only six teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season than the Clips.

PF/C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $4,100: Ajinca had a dud against the Kings in his last outing, but he has scored 30-plus fantasy points in three of his past five games and has a pair of double-doubles during that span. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers so Ajinca may bounce back nicely at a very modest cost.

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For those interested in FanDuel leagues, I posted some FanDuel values earlier this morning here.

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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: FanDuel Values for March 4th

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 Tuesday'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 Tuesday (March 4th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. PHI), $7,400: While there is the potential that Westbrook, Durant, etc. sit in the fourth quarter of a potential blowout (as Sean noted in his DraftStreet post), Westbrook's salary ($7,400) as a stud point guard is still more than $2,000 less than that of Chris Paul ($9,600). Even in 25 minutes (like against the Bobcats on Sunday), Westbrook can still score 35 fantasy points. Against the league's worst defense, three quarters of Westbrook may be more than enough.

PG - Ishmael Smith, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $4,600: In his past four games, Smith has averaged 27.68 fantasy points per game. During that stretch, Smith has averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.25 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

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SG - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $5,400: Evans appeared on my FanDuel list yesterday and he delivered for DFS owners that started him by dropping 50 fantasy points. Against the Kings, his former team, Evans was only two assists shy of a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Evans is a must-start against the Lakers, who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (at CLE), $4,700: Despite playing less than 30 minutes in each game, Ginobili has averaged 29.5 fantasy points per game over his last three games. During that stretch, Ginobili has averaged 15.3 points, 7.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block per game.

SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $4,400: Although Bazemore has played in only 28 and 27 minutes in his past two games, his two lowest since joining the Lakers, he has scored 20-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games and in five of his six as a Laker.

SG - Ray Allen, Miami Heat (at HOU), $3,500: Provided that Dwyane Wade sits out another game, Allen is a solid option at the contest-minimum salary. The Rockets have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards.

SF - Wesley Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (vs. NOP), $4,900: Against the Blazers yesterday, Johnson extended his streak of games with 36-plus minutes and 33-plus fantasy points to three games. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.67 points, 8.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.0 steal per game.

SF - Caron Butler, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. PHI), $4,700: Butler will make his Thunder debut on Tuesday and he gets an extremely favorable matchup against the Sixers. With Thabo Sefolosha (calf) out for the next month or so, Butler could start. Either way, he should get plenty of minutes in his debut.

PF - Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. LAC), $6,000: Morris has scored more than 30 fantasy points in back-to-back games and in five of his past six. Only six teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season than the Clips.

PF - Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers (vs. SAS), $5,900: Thompson has seven double-doubles in his past 10 games and he missed a double-double in two of those games by only one rebound. Thompson is averaging 15.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 31.1 fantasy points in his past 10 games.

C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAL), $4,200: Ajinca had a dud against the Kings in his last outing, but he has scored 29-plus fantasy points in three of his past five games and has a pair of double-doubles during that span. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers so Ajinca may bounce back nicely at a very modest cost.

Compete in FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Basketball Championship: $1.2 million in cash prizes >> Or find other FanDuel NBA games here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

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