Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates from DFSR for 1/13/18

UPDATED FOR THE MAIN SLATE! – Curry is likely to go while we await word on Lowry and Leonard. We’ve got all of your latest news as well as today’s top plays in our optimizer.

What We Know

Stephen Curry is probable for the Warriors.
Steph has missed two straight games due to an ankle sprain, with last night’s sitting being precautionary on the opening end of a Warriors back to back set. It is looking most likely he will take the court tonight in Toronto. If cleared, Steph will send Shaun Livingston back to the bench and cut into Livingston and Patrick McCaws production.

DeAndre Jordan is out for the Clippers.
Jordan left Thursday’s game in Sacramento after just ten minutes with an ankle sprain, and coach Rivers confirmed he will sit out this afternoon’s contest, once again with the Kings. Montrezl Harrell becomes an excellent play with Jordan unable to give it a go. C.J. Williams, who sprained his ankle a night earlier missing Thursday’s game in Sacramento is also considered questionable for today’s game.

Gary Harris missed last night’s game for personal reasons, and is currently considered a game time decision for the Nuggets game in San Antonio
Harris is away from the team handling a family matter and was not able to play last night against the Grizzlies. He is only expected to miss a game or two, so he could be back in time for tonight’s game. With Harris unavailable, Will Barton saw 40 minutes last night. The Spurs are tough on shooting guards, so this isn’t a spot I will be targeting personally regardless of who Denver has available.

What We’re Waiting to Know

Kyle Lowry is a game time decision for the Raptors.
Lowry like Curry above has missed two straight snd will look to make his return to the starting point guard spot in tonight’s Golden State/Toronto tilt. We covered this situation rather extensively in the picks article. If Lowry remains out, Delon Wright is an excellent point of value and DeMar DeRozan sees significant upside. Should Lowry suit up, Wright is out of play, and DD becomes more of a cash game play.

Kawhi Leonard is questionable for the Spurs tonight along with Tony Parker and Danny Green.
Leonard stands to miss his fourth straight game tonight. If his shoulder continues to hold him back yet again, Kyle Anderson becomes a solid play in a great matchup against the Nuggets, while Davis Bertans would also see increased value. San Antonio may also be without Parker and Green whose respective ailments have held them out of several recent contests. We expect more word to come following shoot around.

Every Lineup Guys

Draymond Green FD – $7800 DK – $7600
Opponent – TOR
Proj Pts FD – 43.17 DK – 42.55
Draymond Green is showing up in the top FanDuel lineups on our optimizer, but don’t let that fool you, he is an excellent play across the board and one I plan to have a ton of exposure to. This is a game you want to target, and we covered plays at nearly every position in the picks article where I noted Green presents an excellent way to gain exposure to the Golden State offense without spending a ridiculous amount of salary. This game has the highest projected total of the main slate by a mile. Sitting at 225, the next game is coming in ten points lower, and with a mere 4.5 point spread it should remain competitive meaning minutes security is not a concern. This is going to be a fun game between two of the fastest teams in the Association and Green brings safety and upside to a tough PF position.

Nikola Jokic FD – $9300 DK – $8200
Opponent – SA
Proj Pts FD – 44.08 DK – 46.02
Nikola Jokic is showing up in the systems top DraftKings lineups, and while he can be considered on FanDuel, I tend to agree, he’s a guy you want to have a majority of your exposure to on DraftKings where he allows more salary flexibility. The final game of the night sees Jokic and the Nuggets traveling into San Antonio for a showdown with the Spurs who have been a bottom five defense the past five games against opposing centers allowing 43.3 FP on average over that stretch. This game doesn’t offer the excitement of the Raptors/Warriors tilt. These are two of the leagues slower paced teams, combining for a 97.7 pace factor in a game with a projection just over 200 total points. Center is a pretty tough position on this limited slate however, and Joker projects for a safer floor than many of the value options we have available to us. On DraftKings where he’s nearly $1K cheaper than on FanDuel, I’ll be locking Joker into 100% of my cash lineups.

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA Picks from DFSR for 1/13/18

It’s a seven game Saturday in the NBA today, with three early and four on the main slate. We’re waiting on some key pieces of injury news (Curry, Lowry, Leonard) but that doesn’t stop our system from doing what it does best, projecting the top plays at each position. Let’s take a look at the picks!!

Point guard

Yogi Ferrell FD – $4600 DK – $3900
Opponent – LAL
Proj Pts FD – 23.07 DK – 23.93
Point guard on the early slate is pretty cut and dry if Yogi Ferrell continues to receive the starting nod for the Mavericks. Ferrell was sent out to start the second half of the Mavs game against the Magic on Tuesday and provided an instant spark strong enough to ignite his placement in the starting rotation against the Hornets the next night. He ended the night paying 9X PPD and though the sites are starting to bring the price up, it has a long way to go to match the type of production we’ve seen in these past few games. The Lakers have been terrible lately defending against the point allowing the fourth most FP over their last five. This is the first game of the day, so we’ll know in advance if Ferrell continues to run with the starters, and if he does, lock him in.

John Wall FD – $10500 DK – $9800
Opponent – BKN
Proj Pts FD – 48.38 DK – 50.1
We begin the main slate with John Wall. Wall is now a member of the $10K club, at least on FanDuel, and rightfully so. His recent game logs have been the equivalent of having your finger stuck on the fire emoji so it just keeps repeating over and over. In five games dating back to New Years Eve, Wall has scored over 50 FP three times, with back to back double doubles in his last two, and a 62.7 FDP showing in his last game against the Jazz. If he could only stop giving up the rock he’d be unstoppable. That said, the minutes aren’t going anywhere, and the matchup is prime, Brooklyn plays a top five pace and while they’re not as bad on defense as they were last season, they’re still quite an easy target. Wall’s a superb cash game option with potential 60FP upside if you want to rock him in tournaments.

Delon Wright FD – $5500 DK – $5600
Opponent – GS
Proj Pts FD – 30.27 DK – 29.22
Kyle Lowry is a game time decision tonight, he did some light shooting in practice, but of course Toronto want’s to take a wait and see approach to this one. If it turns out he misses his third straight game, Delon Wright remains a solid value play at the point. Wright was quiet against the Cavaliers in Thursdays blowout win posting just a 6/2/4/2 line in 18 minutes of play. While there’s no line on this game as Vegas awaits word on Steph’s status, I’m sure no one’s expecting Golden State to roll over in this one, and this will probably stand to be the most exciting game of the day. Though the Dubs may be a slightly above average fantasy matchup for point guards, if Wright can just manage half of the 44.2FP they’ve surrendered on average over their last five games, then he’s well on his way to paying value. I’m looking for more, and see a solid floor of 25 with a ceiling of 30-35 if the minutes are there. Let’s hope we have early word on Lowry, because if he remains out then everything is all Wright.

Shooting Guard

Tyrone Wallace FD – $4200 DK – $4400
Opponent – SAC
Proj Pts FD – 26.68 DK – 26.46
Here’s another solid value play for your early slate needs. While Milos Teodosic may be back from a three game absence, Austin Rivers remains out, which means we should continue to see a healthy helping of Tyrone Wallace. Wallace has four games to his credit now and has averaged 30 minutes while scoring double digits in all but one and racking up some periphs to boot. This gives us a player with a 20FP price tag posting an average of nearly 30FPPG. If that’s not enough for you, then let’s add in a Kings defense allowing nearly twice as many FP over their last five contests and this play screams upside. Wallace is coming in as the top overall PPD play in our system and is a play I will have everywhere on the early set.

DeMar DeRozan FD – $9100 DK – $8900
Opponent – GS
Proj Pts FD – 43.64 DK – 43.98
On the main slate we have an option in the top tier, as well as a mid range play to suit your needs. First up we have DeMar DeRozan. Double D is a much more appealing option if Kyle Lowry sits out, as he sees a 9% bump in usage with Lowry off the court, but even if Lowry suits up, you have to like the matchup here. Over the last ten games the Warriors have given up 68.5 FP on average, which is not only the most points to opposing two guards in the game, it’s 11FP more than the second worst team on the list. While the price is still a little higher than I’d prefer, it is trending in the right direction, and is certainly worth consideration as he has paid off this price three times in his last six games and the matchup suggests value should be well within reach here. It’s simple really, if Lowry sits, I’ll have DeMar everywhere. If Lowry is good to go, DeMar is limited to cash games.

Justin Holiday FD – $4900 DK – $5300
Opponent – DET
Proj Pts FD – 29.37 DK – 29.39
The Holidays may be over, but Justin Holiday is just getting started. Since New Years day in Portland Holiday has averaged 37.5 minutes per game and has been absolutely smashing value. He’s scored double digits in all but one of those games, eclipsing the 20 point mark twice and isn’t shy with the rebounds either, going just one shy of a double double against the Knicks on Wednesday. The FanDuel price is particularly odd as he’s dropped $600 since the game in MSG, which makes him an extremely appealing choice there, but Holiday is a strong option across the board going up against a Pistons team that has allowed the third most FP to opposing SG’s this season. This game is projected to stay close and the minutes should be there making for a happy Holiday for all.

Small forward

Paul George FD – $7500 DK – $7700
Opponent – CHA
Proj Pts FD – 36.8 DK – 37.58
It’s not too often we get to write up Paul George in these articles as there are usually a plethora of other options that don’t have to share court time with Russell Westbrook, but on a three game early slate he’s leading the small forward position from a PPD perspective. He’s also seeing a recent downward trend in pricing which certainly adds to the appeal of this play. The Thunder are in Charlotte this afternoon and face a Hornets team that play a top ten pace, while being an average defense against the three. George will spend most of his day contending with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who is far from a shutdown defender, while occasionally breaking open when Russ finds himself locked into double coverage. He’s coming off of a pair of less than impressive outings, but prior to those he was putting up 5X – 7.5X PPD performances for a solid stretch dating back to mid December. It’s not the safest of plays, but given the options on the early slate, PG13 is a solid consideration.

Kevin Durant FD – $10600 DK – $9700
Opponent – TOR
Proj Pts FD – 51.31 DK – 51.19
The Warriors head north of the border to play the Raptors tonight in a game we’ve already looked at with the Toronto back court, and now we’re going to cover the Warriors interior. We begin with Kevin Durant. KD leads the raw point projections on the main slate and is coming in as a top PPD play as well making him the best way you can spend over 15% of your salary on a single player. Durant seemed a little off his game last night in Milwaukee, but still did enough to carry the Dubs to a win, and come in just below the 5X PPD mark. If Steph Curry remains out again tonight you have to love KD who sees a 3% bump in usage with no Steph on the court, particularly against the Raptors who have fallen to a bottom ten defense at the position over their last ten games. Should Curry be cleared to play, I still love Durant, but the upside takes a hit.

Kyle Anderson FD – $5100 DK – $5200
Opponent – DEN
Proj Pts FD – 27.82 DK – 26.77
If Kawhi Leonard, who missed three straight games with a shoulder injury, and is currently listed as questionable is ruled out tonight, then Kyle Anderson becomes a stellar play against the Nuggets. This matchup is much better that it may look at first glance. Though Denver is allowing just the 14th most FP to the position, if we break it down statistically, they’re rallowing the ninth most rebounds, fourth most assists, second most steals and fourth most blocks at the position, and thats big for a guy like Anderson who can’t shoot a golf ball into the Grand Canyon, but fills out s stat sheet very nicely. In the last three games without Kawhi, KA is averaging 30 minutes per game with seven rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Keep an eye on the news as it comes out and if the Spurs are forced to sit Kawhi a fourth straight, then Anderson shoots straight to the top.

Power forward

Montrezl Harrell FD – $5200 DK – $4600
Opponent – SAC
Proj Pts FD – 29.83 DK – 29.26
The Kings head into the Staples Center for part two of a home and home set with the Clippers after L.A. visited Sac town on Thursday. DeAndre Jordan left that game after just ten minutes with an ankle sprain, and is currently questionable to take the floor this afternoon. If he’s out you want to have exposure to Montrezl Harrell. Harrell saw 27 minutes against the Kings and ended the night with 25 points, six assists and a steal. This just a night after another impressive outing against the Warriors on Wednesday. Over those two games Harrell has averaged 19 points and 6.6 rebounds in 26 minutes for 5X PPD at these prices. The Kings have allowed the seventh most FP to the position over their last five games and if there’s no Jordan for the Clippers today, there’s Harrell everywhere, in all formats.

Draymond Green FD – $7800 DK – $7600
Opponent – TOR
Proj Pts FD – 43.17 DK – 42.55
Draymond Green was phenomenal last night against the Bucks, flirting with triple double territory while scoring over 20 points for the second time in three games, and grabbing ten rebounds for the second straight game. It was the third time in six contests that he paid 6X PPD or better, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. On the season, Toronto is the 12th worst defense at the four, but in their last ten games they’ve been the third worst allowing 24.1 points and 14 rebounds per game. If you don’t have the salary available at the three for Kevin Durant, then Draymond Green presents an excellent way to gain exposure to the Golden State offense in a game you definitely want to target from both sides.

Markieff Morris FD – $5200 DK – $5000
Opponent – BKN
Proj Pts FD – 26.52 DK – 26.68
In the mid tier price range we find Markieff Morris of the Wizards who host the Nets tonight. Washington isn’t afraid to run the boards and Brooklyn will have them doing just that as this game has a combined 101 pace factor. The 215 projected total doesn’t look too shabby, and though there’s a sizable spread, I’m feeling this one stays competitive long enough that Markieff can get the 25-30 minutes he needs to pay off value at these prices. Morris has underwhelmed in his last two games but prior to that was riding a sold streak of three straight double doubles against defenses that were all tougher than what he’ll see from Brooklyn this evening. Morris is a solid cash play with tournament upside and is a play I’ll be utilizing in all formats tonight.

Davis Bertans FD – $3600 DK – $4300
Opponent – DEN
Proj Pts FD – 22.48 DK – 23.02
Davis Bertans is another one who stands to benefit from Kawhi Leonard being ruled out again. Bertans was a bust in L.A. on Thursday against the Lakers, but in the two games prior to that with Kawhi sidelined, Bertans averaged 29 minutes and 30FP per game. The way the Spurs are with resting their veterans, even if Leonard returns tonight, Bertans could be in line for big minutes behind a resting Aldridge or Gasol, so this is another wait and see piece, but one that could expose huge value in the right situation.

Center

Steven Adams FD – $6000 DK – $6200
Opponent – CHA
Proj Pts FD – 28.82 DK – 27.95
There isn’t much to like about center on the early slate today. The only two names that really stand out go up against each other today, and both have a tough matchup against a defense that is ranked top ten for the position. So, let’s chase value and focus on the cheaper one. Steven Adams isn’t a play that is going to break your bank, but offers security in minutes, (31 per game dating back to NYE) in a matchup with a 211 O/U and just a 1.5 point spread. He was quiet his last time out against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, but prior to that posted five straight double digit scoring games while flirting with double double territory on a regualar basis. If you have the extra salary left over and can pivot up to Howard then by all means go for it, but honestly, the risk is just as great, and there’s less commitment with Adams, so I’ll take my chance with the Thunders big guy.

Nikola Jokic FD – $9300 DK – $8200
Opponent – SA
Proj Pts FD – 44.08 DK – 46.02
Andre Drummond FD – $9900 DK – $9400
Opponent – CHI
Proj Pts FD – 46.33 DK – 47.04
On the main slate we’ve got two very solid options to pay up for, and I’ll give a cheaper play just in case you need the salary relief. First up our studs. Nikola Jokic has been hit or miss shooting the rock over his past several games, struggling against some pretty terrible defenses while thriving against others. Tonight he’ll look to take advantage of a Spurs defense ranked 24th overall and allowing the third most real points per game to opposing big men. Andre Drummond meanwhile will lead the Pistons into Chicago for a tilt against a Bulls team that are a bottom ten defense at the position as well. He’s been dealing with sore ribs over the past couple of weeks, but certainly didn’t look to be hindered any on Wednesday night against the Nets when he scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in 30 minutes, his second straight double double and his seventh in eight games. He’s had two days to rest since then, so he should be good to go for tonight’s game. As cash game plays go, both of these guys should present plenty of safety if you have the funds to spend up.

Marcin Gortat FD – $5000 DK – $5100
Opponent – BKN
Proj Pts FD – 26.42 DK – 26.28
If you don’t have the funds to spend up though, there’s always Marcin Gortat. Just when the price on Gortat was bottoming out, he decides to start to show some signs of life, which makes now the perfect time to take advantage as it’s already starting to hit the upswing. Gortat has scored over 20 FP in five straight games with last night’s double double against the Magic in which he fouled out in 27 minutes or he could have crushed value, ending the night with a 12/22/1 line and a steal. Tonight he draws the bottom five Brooklyn Nets who allow 42.1 FP on average to opposing centers which paired with their 102.4 pace factor means the sky is the limit for Gortat tonight who has a solid 25 point floor, with a potential 40 point ceiling. Utilize Gortat in all formats with confidence.

Thanks for reading, best of luck out there tonight! As always, feel free to post any thoughts or questions in the comments section below or just pop on into the member chat. Cheers!

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA Picks from DFSR for 1/9/18

Welcome fellow lovers of daily fantasy hoops!! It’s Tuesday and that means we have a short slate of just four games on the docket for the evening. The bad news; its a pretty funky looking slate. The good news, we already have a key piece of injury info going into the night, so let’s not waste any more time and get on to the picks!!

Point guard

Russell Westbrook FD – $11800 DK – $11500
Opponent – POR
Proj Pts FD – 55.64 DK – 59.12
The Thunder host the Trailblazers tonight and we know coming in that Damian Lillard has been ruled out while he continues to deal with a calf strain, this means two things. First, Shabazz Napier will get the start, and we’ll touch on that in a moment. Secondly, and most important, what would’ve been a tough matchup, at least on paper, for Russell Westbrook, just got much more appealing. Westbrook started out the season a little lackluster for Russ standards, with the additions of ‘Melo and George to the OKC starting five, but over the past month or so he has certainly taken back control of the reigns and even in a disappointing loss like the one suffered at the hands of Phoenix on Sunday, Russ is back to putting up MVP type stat lines. He posted his 14th triple double of the season in that game, and it was also his third in four games. Just as on Sunday, Russ is priced significantly over the rest of the field tonight, a $2.5K difference on FanDuel, nearly $3K on DraftKings, and he once again is going to be hard to avoid as he is projected to outscore the field by a mile. You might be able to get away with it in tournaments, but in cash I wouldn’t chance it. I for one, will have Russ in all formats.

Shabazz Napier FD – $4800 DK – $5400
Opponent – OKC
Proj Pts FD – 28.67 DK – 28.75
Damian Lillard as we have already established is out tonight against the Thunder. This means it’s time once again to get Nappy with it! Shabazz Napier will start once again for Portland as they head into OKC. Including Sunday, Napier has started six games for Portland in Lillard’s absence and has scored an average of 37.1 FP in 36 minutes per game during that stretch which is good for 7.7X PPD at these prices. The FanDuel price in particular is quite appealing, but the DraftKings price is nothing to shy away from either. The Thunder are tough on paper against opposing PG’s but for the price it’s nothing to be concerned about when looking at the minutes Shabazz stands to see in this one. He’s another one I’ll consider in all formats.

De’Aaron Fox FD – $5600 DK – $5500
Opponent – LAL
Proj Pts FD – 27 DK – 27.67
If a superstar like Westbrook, and a spot starter at value price like Napier doesn’t do it for you, and George Hill is still awaiting the birth of his child, then consider De’Aaron Fox in a huge pace up contest against the Lakers. Fox seems like a different player since returning from his six game absence due to a quad injury, playing 32 and 35 minutes, scoring in double digits both times out, and upping his ball distribution with 11 assists total. I’m writing this prior to tip off of the Kings Monday night contest against the Spurs, so if he happens to throw up a dud and return to his old self take it for what its worth, but keep in mind over their last five games the Lakers, who play the fastest game in the Association, have been a bottom five defense at the position, while the Spurs have been a top five. Matchup is key, and if there’s no George Hill again tonight, this matchup is a prime one for Fox.

Shooting Guard

C.J. McCollum FD – $7500 DK – $7500
Opponent – OKC
Proj Pts FD – 33.99 DK – 35.24
While I hate to see players dealing with injury, it’s a bit relieving to know in advance that Lillard is not playing tonight. The options at shooting guard are plenty thin, and if Lillard was starting it would take a huge chunk of value out of C.J. McCollum. McCollum will take control of the Portland offense once again tonight against a Thunder team that is average at best defending against shooting guards. When Lillard is off the court, McCollum sees a 5% bump in usage which is something we have to stop and take notice of. McCollum has scored 20 or more points in four of his last six games and isn’t shy with the peripherals either. He’s modestly priced and has a solid floor in a very attractive matchup.

Wayne Ellington FD – $4400 DK – $4700
Opponent – TOR
Proj Pts FD – 22.14 DK – 23.43
Since there isn’t much to love at the two tonight, lets take a look at a way to get out of the position on the cheap with some relative safety. Wayne Ellington has been seeing starters minutes in a bench role for nearly a month now. Dating back to December 11th, Ellington has seen fewer than 30 minutes in a game only three times, while topping off at 39. With all of the injuries the Heat have been dealing with this season, the minutes have been there for Ellington and he has fully capitalized. In his last eight games, he’s scored in double digits six times, averaged four boards per game, and even swiped seven steals. This game between Miami and Toronto has the lowest opening line on the slate so Ellington gives us a cheap way to gain exposure with minimal salary commitment while allowing us an easy way out of shooting guard. There’s some minor risk, but given the other options, I’ll roll the dice.

Small forward

Harrison Barnes FD – $6800 DK – $7000
Opponent – ORL
Proj Pts FD – 31.05 DK – 31.76
Harrison Barnes is a play I’ll look to in all formats. As a cash game play he’s got a ton in his favor. 30-36 minutes in each game dating back to the start of December, Double digit scoring in all but one of those, and four straight games paying 4.7-5X PPD. He’s been Mr. Reliable and though the price is on the upswing, it’s still at a sweet spot where we can love the safety and the upside. Since we covered the safety, now let’s talk about the upside. The Mavericks are hosting the Magic tonight, and the Magic are not only a bottom three small forward defense this season, they’ve been the absolute worst at defending the position over their last five games with 61.1 FP surrendered on average in that stretch. As if that’s not enough, they play the sixth fastest pace in the game. There’s so much to love here, I can’t stress it enough, play Barnes everywhere.

Brandon Ingram FD – $7000 DK – $6800
Opponent – SAC
Proj Pts FD – 32.45 DK – 32.63
Vegas has dropped lines on three of tonight’s four games, all are projected for totals within six points of each other, and all share a 6.5 point spread. With that you’ll see we’re not really favoring any one team throughout, and the picks are evenly distributed, with the best teams to target at each position. I can’t justify paying up for Paul George at the three, particularly against a Blazers defense that has gotten progressively better defending against the three, so paying up at small forward will consist of Brandon Ingram, and we really don’t have to pay up all that much to get there. At 35 minutes per game, Ingram has seen more court time than anyone on the Lakers squad this season, and is coming off of back to back 20+ point games. I won’t do Ingram in tournaments, as the Kings play a sluggish game which is going to surely bring down even the Lakers league leading pace factor, and limit his upside. Even getting to the 35 FP needed for 5X PPD might be asking much, as Ingram has only hit that mark twice since returning from a quad injury that held hime out a couple of games last month, but his play has been trending in the right direction, and he has certainly come close enough to that 5X mark enough to warrant consideration in cash.

Josh Richardson FD – $5600 DK – $6200
Opponent – TOR
Proj Pts FD – 30.37 DK – 30.07
If Ingram feels a little too risky for you, or you need that extra bit of salary relief then we have Josh Richardson. If I were to recommend a team to stack in tournaments tonight, the Heat are a cheap way to gain exposure to a ton of available minutes, against a Raptors team that plays a top ten pace and is at or below average defending against most positions. While they are a top ten defense at the three this season, over their past five games they’ve allowed nearly 10 FP more than their season average. This is perfect territory for Richardson who has paid off 5.6X PPD or better in five of his last six games capping off with a 6.7X PPD showing against the Jazz on Sunday, and what’s crazy is his price is actually on the downswing. This is the perfect time to get in on Josh Richardson, who is coming in as one of our top overall PPD plays on the night, and is an excellent play in all formats.

Power forward

Aaron Gordon FD – $8300 DK – $8600
Opponent – DAL
Proj Pts FD – 40.23 DK – 40.66
Aaron Gordon is coming off of a strong showing against Cleveland on Saturday where he posted 30 points while coming just two rebounds shy of a double double for the second straight game. Tonight he heads into Dallas for a very favorable matchup against the Mavericks who are allowing power forwards to put up 58.6 FP on average over their last five games, the seventh most of any team in that stretch. This game sports the highest projection on the night of 214 points, and sports a respectable 99.6 combined pace factor. Gordon has been a little spotty since returning from a calf injury that held him out of five games at the end of December, but when he’s on he’s been able to crush value at these prices. He should be a lock for 35-39 minutes, and as long as the shot is falling he should get us right where we want to be. There may not be much upside for tournaments, but consider Gordon a viable cash game option.

Kelly Olynyk FD – $6000 DK – $5700
Opponent – TOR
Proj Pts FD – 32.16 DK – 32.94
Serge Ibaka FD – $5900 DK – $5600
Opponent – MIA
Proj Pts FD – 31 DK – 30.69
Next we have a pair of guys who will see a healthy helping of each other throughout the night. Kelly Olynyk has been locked into minutes in the thirties in all but one of his last six games, and has managed two of his three double doubles this season in that span. While the fantasy production has ranged from the 3.2X to 7.2X PPD range, there’s a lot to like in that matchup against the Raptors who have allowed a whopping 58.7 FP to opposing fours in their last ten games, the second most of any team in that time. Coming in cheaper, and perhaps a little safer, is Serge Ibaka. Ibaka is priced entirely too low for his production this season. He’s paid value in all but one of his last 15 games, with four of those going for over 6X PPD. The minutes are a little wonky, but for the consistency he’s shown despite the erratic playing time it really doesn’t matter. No matter how long he’s out there Serge finds a way. After these three there’s very little safety at the four, I’ll likely pair Gordon with one of these guys, probably Serge in cash and Olynyk in tournaments, though Serge is tournament worthy as well if you need the little bit of savings.

Center

Bismack Biyombo FD – $5600 DK – $5800
Opponent – DAL
Proj Pts FD – 25.41 DK – 24.72
Good gravy. I just took a look at the choices at center tonight and actually felt my stomach turn a bit. Definitely a pay down kind of day at the five. I’m not paying that price for Whiteside unless I can get written confirmation that he’ll see 30+ minutes. Same for Cauley-Stein. Nurkic sees a slight usage bump with Lillard off the court, but still going to pass. So the smart play is to find a cheap option out of the position, and nobody beats the Bis. Bismack Biyombo has seen his price nearly double since taking over for the injured Nikola Vucevic but it hasn’t stopped him from paying 5X value or better in all but one of those starts, that being a blowout loss at the hands of the Rockets. Removing that game from the equation, Biyombo has averaged 30 minutes per game and dropped 9.2 points, and 12.6 rebounds per game since moving into the starting five. The matchup against Dallas isn’t perfect, but for the price and given the other options out there, Biyombo is about as safe as we’re going to find on this short slate with few solid options.

Julius Randle FD – $7100 DK – $6100
Opponent – SAC
Proj Pts FD – 30.26 DK – 30.62
Paying up at center tonight means Julius Randle. Despite the minutes being all over the place, it’s been an impressive stretch for Randle over the past couple of weeks. He’s double doubled in three of his last five games, and on Sunday against the Hawks was just a rebound shy of his fourth. Another could easily come today against a Kings team surrendering 19 points and 11.9 rebounds to opposing big men, making them the second most generous defense at the position in the NBA. If Randle can get to the 30 minute mark he should be able to absolutely crush at these prices, and even if he doesn’t his recent game logs and a sweet matchup suggest a far more favorable chance of hitting value compared to some of the other names out there. Randle is an excellent cash play, and one I won’t entirely dismiss in tournaments either.

As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any questions or comments below, or pop into the members chat. Good luck out there tonight!!

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates from DFSR for 1/6/18

Welcome to the news and updates article for Saturday’s NBA slate. We’ve got all the latest news updated for the main slate, and at the end of the piece I’ll spotlight our systems top plays on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Any questions can be left in the comments section below, or pop on into the members chat. Let’s get to it.

What We Know

Kevin Durant is out once again for Golden State, all other Warriors are available to play.
Durant will miss a second straight game with a calf injury that held him back on Thursday night in Houston. Andre Iguodala will likely start in KD’s place. Iggy came out of Thursday’s game with knee soreness but it doesn’t seem to be anything to be concerned about. The same applies to Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Omri Casspi, who all experienced soreness following Thursday’s game but all are available and will suit up for today’s game in Los Angeles.

Milos Teodosic is out against the Warriors.
Teodosic was playing through foot pain on Thursday night against the Thunder, and given his history with the issue, (he missed 22 games earlier this season with a foot issue), the Clippers will choose to exercise caution leading to expanded opportunities for Jawun Evans, who will start in Teodosic’s place, as well as Lou Williams, C.J. Williams, and Wes Johnson.

DeMarre Carroll and Caris Levert are both questionable for this evenings game with Boston.
Carroll played through rib pain on Wednesday which clearly limited him against Minnesota, having had two days of rest in between games, he will likely wait to test the ribs out prior to game time before a final decision is made. LeVert meanwhile sat out Wednesday with a groin strain and seems likely to sit out once more as the Nets host the Celtics today. Spencer Dinwiddie, Allen Crabbe, and Joe Harris will all see increased run with LeVert out once again.

George Hill is not with the Kings for personal reasons.
Hill’s wife is expected to give birth in the next few days and though no official word has come from the team on his status, it seems unlikely that he will join them for tonight’s game with the Nuggets. With Frank Mason still out this could mean more time for De’Aaron Fox who was pretty impressive in 32 minutes during his first game back on Tuesday.

Victor Oladipo will play tonight, Bojan Bogdanovic is out for the Pacers.
Victor O. will make his return tonight after missing four straight games with a knee injury. This will send Lance Stephenson back to the bench, while Damien Wilkins will come off the bench and join the Indiana starting rotation in place of Bojan Bogdanovic who will miss tonight’s game with an ankle sprain.

Kevin Love expects to start tonight in Orlando.
Love struggled in Boston with ankle pain that kept him severely limited on the court in just 21 minutes. Love was a full participant in practice on Friday and seems to be good to go for tonight’s game with the Magic.

Jonathon Simmons is unlikely to play tonight for Orlando against the Cavaliers.
Simmons logged only 15 minutes against the Rockets on Wednesday, sitting out the second half with back spasms. Though still listed as a GTD it seems to still be causing discomfort and he will likely not be able to suit up for tonight’s game against the Cavaliers. Mario Hezonja, Arron Afflalo, and Shelvin Mack will all be in line to see extra run in his absence.

What We’re Waiting to Know

Otto Porter Jr left last night’s game with a hip strain and is currently considered questionable.
Porter strained his hip late in last night’s game against the Grizzlies and left after 27 minutes. The Wizards may keep him out of tonight’s tail end of a back to back set as they host the Bucks tonight, more word should come on his status following shoot-around.

Andre Drummond may not play for the Pistons tonight.
Drummond returned from a one game absence with bruised ribs last night against the Sixers and struggled through 28 minutes in the blowout loss. This could send Boban Marjanovic back into the starting squad once again, making him an exciting play after he posted an impressive 7X PPD outing against the Heat on Wednesday.

Every Lineup Guys

Khris Middleton FD – $7200 DK – $6900
Opponent – WAS
Proj Pts FD – 37 DK – 37.8
Aaron Gordon FD – $7900 DK – $8000
Opponent – CLE
Proj Pts FD – 41.36 DK – 41.79
I’m going to break the every lineup plays down by site. On FanDuel, no single player is showing up in 100% of our top 25 lineups being put out by the optimizer, but these two guys appear in 24 out of 25 so that’s got to be worth something right? Khris Middleton is a cash game staple, who sees a ton of minutes and pays 5X PPD on the regular. We’re getting him on the downswing in pricing as just over a week ago he was commanding $8K in salary, which helps add to his appeal against a strong Washington defense allowing the sixth fewest fantasy points per game to opposing shooting guards. This game has a nice 214 projected total from Vegas with a mere 3.5 point spread which means Middleton should have plenty of time to get the 35 FP we need for 5X value. Then there’s Aaron Gordon, Gordon was the only play we looked at from this game in the picks article, and is a very appealing option at the four where we don’t want to drop over $11K on Anthony Davis, so as the next most expensive option, Gordon is the best way for paying up at the four. This game has the highest projection of the day at 222 points though it does come with some minor blowout concern. Gordon should see 30 minutes at least against a Cavaliers team that is none too threatening on paper at the position, and potentially more if Orlando can keep it close. While these guys are appearing in the top FD lineups, they’re priced well within consideration on DK as well.

Anthony Davis FD – $11200 DK – $9900
Opponent – MIN
Proj Pts FD – 55.29 DK – 55.37
The play on DK that’s impossible to ignore however is Anthony Davis. As I mentioned just above, I won’t touch him on FD but on DK, I will have total exposure as his price is just too good to be true. Davis is an absolute stud, and for him to be priced well below $10K is nothing short of nonsense and has to be taken advantage of. The system is placing Davis in all of the top 25 lineups, and I’m sure if it was set to give us 50 lineups, he’d appear in each of those as well. This is another game with a high projection and low spread, so minutes are of no concern, as long as Davis stays healthy he will crush value at this price. The Timberwolves may be a top three defense against power forwards, but for this price, it doesn’t matter. Lock and load AD on DraftKings.

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA Picks from DFSR for 1/6/18

Welcome to DFSR’s NBA picks for Saturday. Our eight game day of hoops begins with the Warriors heading into the Staples Center to play the Clippers in an early afternoon set, and caps off with a six game main slate at the usual 7PM EST lock time. We’ve got a lot of big plays to work through so let’s breakdown our projection system’s top plays position by position.

Point guard

Stephen Curry FD – $10000 DK – $10000
Opponent – LAC
Proj Pts FD – 53.64 DK – 55.79
If you’re playing the two game early only set, or you’re one of those fearless all day slate players that doesn’t worry about late breaking news, then you may want to give a strong look to Steph Curry as your point guard. Curry is currently listed as probable for today’s game as he deals with some discomfort from that ankle sprain, but it seems safe to say he will take to the court against the Clippers. Steph is back into the $10K club now on both sites, but don’t let that deter you. Steph has the best points per dollar projection of any top money play and one of the best overall PPD projections for the day, but mostly in part to the fact that Kevin Durant is questionable and could likely miss a second straight game. With KD off the court, Curry sees a 7% bump in usage and is a lock in all formats if Durant is inevitably ruled out. Steph loses some appeal if KD plays, but not enough turn me off, especially in the early set consisting of just two games.

Chris Paul FD – $10100 DK – $10000
Opponent – DET
Proj Pts FD – 50.82 DK – 52.75
The main slate equivalent of Steph Curry would be Chris Paul. Paul is another beneficiary of a teammate being out, in this case, James Harden. Harden, who has missed two games already looks to be out for possibly six weeks. With Harden off the court CP3 sees a 31.7 usage. In the first game without Harden, Paul shot poorly against the Magic, but things came together in the last game against the Warriors when he came just an assist shy of a double double with 28 points in 36 minutes. Tonight the Rockets head to Detroit to take on a Pistons team that the Sixers are humiliating as I write this. The Pistons aren’t terrible defending the point, but are far from a shut down defense, allowing the twelfth fewest fantasy points to the position. If anything, with the loss of Reggie Jackson, Ish Smith has upped their defensive game. He may be outclassed by Paul however, who should have little trouble leading the Houston offense and making a strong cash game play in the process.

Tyus Jones FD – $5600 DK – $4500
Opponent – NO
Proj Pts FD – 29.92 DK – 28.72
Jeff Teague has missed five games now with a knee injury, and Tyus Jones hasn’t performed in his place as many have hoped he would. The sites seem to be catching onto that now, and the price is coming back down to earth after a quick spike following his addition to the starting rotation. In his first game as a starter Jones crushed value thanks in part to five steals added to his 6/4/5 line. Last night however he, along with the rest of the Timberwolves looked dead on arrival in a game against the Celtics with all the fantasy appeal of a dental exam. Tonight however is a different story, and Jones will draw the second most targetable defense at the position, a Pelicans team not only allowing 47.6 FPPG to the position, but also playing at a top ten pace factor. Teague stands to miss at least another week or two, so the Wolves are going to count on Tyus Jones putting something together to make up for his missing 20% usage, what better night than tonight against the Pelicans to make it happen? Jones is a risky cash play, but one I’m willing to ride with, and if something clicks, he could prove to be a phenomenal tournament play as well.

Shooting Guard

Klay Thompson FD – $7300 DK – $6600
Opponent – LAC
Proj Pts FD – 38.1 DK – 39.89
Klay Thompson, like Steph Curry earlier, will see a nice bump in usage today should Kevin Durant sit this one out. With no KD, the other splash brother sees a 6% bump and is priced significantly less than his backcourt counterpart while projecting for similar PPD upside. Klay is particularly appealing on DraftKings where that oh so low price tag presents the opportunity for some serious upside against a Clippers team that ranks among the ten worst defending against the two. Strangely, Vegas hasn’t released a single projection for today’s games as of my writing this on Friday night, but I would expect nothing less than a high scoring affair among these two teams that love to run the boards and combine for for a pace factor of 100.9. Klay is a nice cash play on FanDuel, but I’ll have him everywhere on DraftKings.

Khris Middleton FD – $7200 DK – $6900
Opponent – WAS
Proj Pts FD – 37 DK – 37.8
Khris Middleton is one of the safest plays you’ll find in the NBA simply because of the minutes he sees. Middleton leads Milwaukee in minutes played this season, and is a lock for 35-40 on a nightly basis. The 29 he saw against Indiana was an outlier thanks to the blowout, and Middleton still managed to pay 5X PPD when all was said and done. The Bucks are in the nations capitol tonight for a tilt with the Wizards. Washington is a tough task for opposing two guards, only five teams are stingier with the fantasy points at the position, but if Bradley Beal is forced to shift to assist in covering Giannis that should open Middleton up for a few extra shots. The price is everything here as Middleton is currently on a downward trend, and is nearing season lows on both sites. It’s an excellent time to gain exposure to a player that loves to be out in the thick of it and does so from tip-off until the final buzzer.

Andrew Wiggins FD – $5700 DK – $5800
Opponent – NO
Proj Pts FD – 28.41 DK – 28.61
Justin Holiday FD – $5800 DK – $5300
Opponent – IND
Proj Pts FD – 28.66 DK – 28.69
Even though Thompson and Middleton are both very fairly priced, if you need to save a little salary at shooting guard, here are two excellent pivots for you to consider. Andrew Wiggins and Justin Holiday are both making a name for themselves in their respective cities as solid role players and are both quite similar players. Each can be counted on for 30-40 minutes per game, with a 25 FP floor and each has flashed 40-50 FP upside. Though both are projecting very similarly in the system, I’m giving the edge to Wiggins who sees a higher usage in Minnesota, and today wins the matchup battle with a Pelicans team coming in among the bottom ten at the position. The Pacers are average at best though, so don’t completely discount Holiday here. Holiday also comes in significantly cheaper on DK. You really can’t go wrong with either of these guys in both cash games and tournaments and I plan to have a fair share of each in all formats.

Small forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo FD – $11000 DK – $10500
Opponent – WAS
Proj Pts FD – 56.3 DK – 56.96
Last night Giannis Antetokounmpo was the clear way to pay up, tonight there are no shortage of options and Giannis certainly ranks in the conversation as one of the best. At small forward Giannis comes in priced significantly lower than LeBron, but projects for similar fantasy points in our system making that decision that much easier. Giannis takes on a Washington defense that is ranked dead average at defending the position, allowing 40.3 FP per game. Average isn’t a word we use when describing Giannis however, and matchup really doesn’t come into play as he is dominant regardless of what is on paper. The Wizards also play the twelfth fastest pace in the association, which will force the Bucks to speed up their own game which will just further benefit a player seeing a 32.2% usage rate. Giannis is the fourth most expensive play on the main slate, and unless a serious number of punts spring up throughout the day, he’ll be the easiest to work in to our lineups and could very likely be the highest owned among the top tier.

Lance Stephenson FD – $6000 DK – $5800
Opponent – CHI
Proj Pts FD – 31.32 DK – 32.4
Let’s drop down a bit and look at some cheaper options after Giannis. First up we have Lance Stephenson of the Pacers. Victor Oladipo is currently listed as questionable for tonight’s game against the Bulls, and if he misses a fifth straight, Lance Stephenson has been quite the safe play in his place, paying 5X at these prices in all but one start, that coming against a stingy Timberwolves D. The Bulls aren’t exactly an easy target, but they do rank closer to average against opposing threes, and play a similar pace to Indiana. I would expect this game to have an O/U around 210 or so, and blowout should not be a factor. If Stephenson receives another starting nod, he’s a great cash game option, though he’s priced a bit higher than I would prefer for tournaments.

Gerald GreenFD – $5700 DK – $5100
Opponent – DET
Proj Pts FD – 33.85 DK – 32.02
On Christmas Day the Rockets played the Thunder in OKC, and Gerald Green was unemployed. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and how things have changed. Green has played five games now with Houston and just looks better each time out. He dropped 29 points along with three boards and a steal against the Warriors on Thursday night and finally saw over 30 minutes of playing time. He’s nearly doubled in cost compared to when he was introduced to the sites on New Years Eve against the Lakers, but if he keeps performing at the level that he has been, and with no James Harden that certainly is an option, then Green is still in a prime spot to produce some serious upside, especially against a Pistons defense offering up the sixth most fantasy points in the game to opposing defenses at the position. Green is a lock for cash games, and with a potential 7X ceiling he’ll find his way into a lot of my tournaments as well.

On the early slate consider Andre Iguodala if Kevin Durant is out again.

Power forward

Jayson Tatum FD – $5800 DK – $5900
Opponent – BKN
Proj Pts FD – 29.19 DK – 29.53
The other early game today has the Celtics heading into the Barclays Center for a 6PM ET tip-off with the Nets. Between Golden State and Brooklyn we’ve got two of the five fastest teams in the game in this two game slate which should provide for a lot of fantasy action. Not only are the Nets one of the fastest teams in the game, they’re also pretty terrible defensively. That’s good news for Jayson Tatum who is coming off of a tough matchup against Minnesota who all but shut him down last night. Overall Tatum has been very reliable here in his rookie season, despite a few recent hiccups, he’s generally proven himself a player we can count on for 25-30 FP per night which is all we can ask for at these prices. On the early slate, Tatum is clearly the top choice to run with at power forward.

Aaron Gordon FD – $7900 DK – $8000
Opponent – CLE
Proj Pts FD – 41.36 DK – 41.79
Here’s a game we haven’t touched on yet. I already explained why we’re choosing to fade LeBron at the three, at power forward Aaron Gordon is a play in the upper tier that doesn’t destroy your salary. Gordon is now four games back from a calf injury that held him out of five straight and has provided mixed results. The minutes are there, as he has averaged 34 minutes since his return, he may have just been feeling some lingering effects from the injury. He’s had two days to rest since an underwhelming showing against a tough Houston defense, and gets a much more appealing opponent today in the form of the Cavaliers. Projections are finally starting to trickle in from Vegas, and this game has an all too appealing 222 total despite a 9.5 spread. I think Orlando hangs around long enough to keep it competitive into the fourth, which should allow Gordon to reach his full compliment of minutes, and allow him ample time to hit the 5X spot. Gordon is a top cash game consideration tonight, and I’m not opposed to using him in tournaments either.

Thaddeus Young FD – $5100 DK – $5000
Opponent – CHI
Proj Pts FD – 27.21 DK – 26.63
If you need to save up a bit of cash at the position in tournaments, then pivot down to the mid-tier and Thad young. Young’s price has dipped all the way down to a season low on FanDuel and is near a season low on DraftKings. Even at these prices, Young comes with a bit of risk implied, but there are some things in his favor. He plays a complete game, checking off nearly every box on the stat sheet on a nightly basis. He sees 20-30 minutes per game, and just last week he paid 6X PPD against this same Chicago team. The primary detractor to Thad is that he doesn’t do any one thing consistently, but sometimes he does just enough and at these prices, it doesn’t take much. I’d steer clear in cash, but as tournament plays go, if Young can stuff the stat sheet he could be a deciding factor in a large GPP.

Anthony Davis FD – $11200 DK – $9900
Opponent – MIN
Proj Pts FD – 55.29 DK – 55.37
There are so many ways to pay up tonight, and on FanDuel Anthony Davis isn’t one I’ll consider especially when I can get Boogie for the same price, and Giannis even cheaper. Stop for a second and take a look at that DraftKings price though. For less than $10K you can have a player that sees 30-40 minutes per game, and on Wednesday in Utah came just a point shy of his fourth straight 30+ point game in a row. Sure the Timberwolves are a solid defensive matchup, and AD always has the injury stigma hanging over him. For that, I’ll explore the many other options on FanDuel, on DraftKings though, He’s hard to pass up, just take a look at his recent DK scores. 66.8, 46.3, 52.3, 62.8, thats 4.6-6.7X PPD paid off in each of his last four games. Fade him if you want, I’ll be all over Davis in all formats on DraftKings.

Center

DeMarcus Cousins FD – $11200 DK – $10800
Opponent – MIN
Proj Pts FD – 55.74 DK – 58.35
Karl-Anthony Towns FD – $9000 DK – $8800
Opponent – NO
Proj Pts FD – 44.45 DK – 46.21
With all of the options before us, the key to tonight is going to be determining the right way to pay up, and then how to fill in the spots around him. We’ve already looked at Paul, Giannis, and to an extent Davis. Now we have DeMarcus Cousins, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Granted KAT isn’t a $10K play, but he’s the fourth most expensive play at the five, and definitely comes down to a coin toss when deciding between him and Cousins. Our system has each of these guys within a fraction of a PPD of each other, and neither is a shutdown defender. Both New Orleans and Minnesota rank below average in defending the position. Boogie sees the better DvP matchup, but Towns only needs to get you about 45 FP to pay value which isn’t asking too much. Last night he was the lone bright spot among the Minnesota starters against the Celtics, and ended the night at 6.6XPPD. Cousins to his merit though, has paid 5X in four of his last six games, including a 7.4X PPD outing against the Mavericks just last week. This game features a 217 projected total and a mere 1.5 point spread. You really can’t go wrong with either of these guys, and you’re only limited by your own salary.

Marcin Gortat FD – $4600 DK – $4600
Opponent – MIL
Proj Pts FD – 23.49 DK – 23.75
If, however, you paid up at the other positions, and can’t afford either Boogie or KAT, then the system loves Marcin Gortat against the Bucks. Gortat has been wildly inconsistent over the past couple of weeks, but he’s priced to a point where you can afford to take the risk, and it could just pay off big time. Gortat has paid 7.6X PPD twice in his last six games, but has also mixed in a couple of complete duds. Gortat’s a lock for 20-25 minutes, and when he can push beyond that seems to be when he really makes things happen, I’d expect this game to stay fairly competitive, so the minutes should be there. You may be better off paying up for one of those other guys, but in a pinch, Gortat should be able to deliver tonight.

Consider Al Horford in the early slate

Thanks for reading, tonight has the feel of a night where we want to run multiple lineups, and hedge on our big money plays. I’ll be working on the news and update article throughout the day, so keep an eye out for that, and be sure to post any questions below, or pop in the chat if you’re a member. As always, good luck out there tonight!!!

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA Picks from DFSR for 1/2/18

Point guard

Damian Lillard FD – $8900 DK – $8500
Opponent – CLE
Proj Pts FD – 38.63 DK – 40.46
Welcome lovers of games of skill to the NBA Tuesday picks. We had a short four game set to open up the 2018 portion of our NBA schedule, and it’s just a five game set this evening. The evening begins with the Trailblazers on the tail end of a back to back heading into Cleveland for a tilt with the Cavaliers. Damian Lillard has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury, and Shabazz Napier has provided us with much upside in his absence. Late last night however word broke that Lillard intends to make his return tonight. Now, word I’m seeing at about 8PM ET on Monday night is he hasn’t been officially cleared, but if he feels confident in making his return tonight then I’m sure he should get that clearance. He was a game-time decision heading into Monday so his return is imminent. If Lillard is for whatever reason held out again then just pretend that’s Napier’s photo up above, If Lillard is in fact cleared however with no strict minutes restriction then consider him a solid play at a position that doesn’t have quite the plethora of options last night’s set presented.

Dennis Schroder FD – $7700 DK – $7300
Opponent – PHO
Proj Pts FD – 37.14 DK – 38.42
There really isn’t a lot to love about point guard tonight. That said, we have the Suns playing, so we can target them just about anywhere (and trust me we will), and that begins with Dennis Schroder. Phoenix plays the third fastest game in the NBA and the third worst defense at the point. You simply can’t avoid this game tonight. Our friends in Vegas not only give it the highest total projection by a mile, with a 12 point differential between this and the next highest total, but it’s also got the distinction of a mere 1.5 point spread. Schroder meanwhile, has eclipsed the 30 minute mark in seven straight contests and has paid 4.7-6.3X PPD in each of his last four games. Regardless of what happens in Portland, pencil Schroder in as a lock at point guard.

Kemba Walker FD – $8000 DK – $7500
Opponent – SAC
Proj Pts FD – 35.99 DK – 37.29
The only other play I can see going with tonight at the one, after Schroder and whoever suits up for Portland, is Kemba Walker. The match up isn’t ideal. Sacramento plays at a snails pace, and their defense at the point has been exceptionally good this season. On average, they’re allowing the fourth fewest points to the position (38) Though they have come down to earth a bit over their last five games where they’re allowing 43.5. Walker has been rather consistent these past few weeks though, and has paid 5X PPD or better in three of his last five, with two 30 real point performances in that stretch, and picking up his fair share of peripherals. walker isn’t my favorite play, but he doesn’t scare me off either.

Shooting Guard

Devin Booker FD – $8000 DK – $9100
Opponent – ATL
Proj Pts FD – 36.47 DK – 38.13
While still spending up, the plays at shooting guard feel safer than what we started out with at point guard. All three of these are solid cash game options on at least one of the sites, if not both. First up we have Phoenix guard Devin Booker. Booker is a scoring machine and we all know what he’s capable of when he’s on his game. He put up 32 real time points against the Sixers on New Years Eve and is averaging 30 points per game since returning from a nine game absence with a groin injury that lingered through much of December. He would have absolutely crushed value against Philly if he hadn’t given the rock up six times. Booker’s only true downside is in his lack of a defensive game which limits the upside unless he puts on another 46 point shooting clinic. As a cash play tonight however you have to love Booker against a Hawks team that allow 23.9 real points per game to SG’s and are ranked league average in fantasy points allowed. A defense Booker should see 32-38 minutes against in a game with a combined 101.2 pace factor.

C.J. McCollum FD – $7100 DK – $7300
Opponent – CLE
Proj Pts FD – 34.66 DK – 35.82
This play would’ve been much more appealing had Lillard missed another game, but even with him returning to the rotation, C.J. McCollum is still well in play against a Cavaliers team allowing nearly 63 FP to opposing shooting guards in their last five games, and 49.1 on the season. Even before Lillard went down McCollum was having an impressive start to the campaign and is currently averaging nearly 37 minutes per game, while shooting 44% from the field and averaging 21 points, four rebounds and three assists this season. He’ll see some combination of J.R. Smith and Dwyane Wade tonight, which is nothing to be afraid of. If it turns out Lillard is held back once again for whatever reason, McCollum becomes a much more attractive play, but with Lillard back in the starting line, I’ll limit McCollum to FanDuel where he is still priced where he was before Lillard went down. That DraftKings price is up nearly $1K so the appeal is lost there.

Tyreke Evans FD – $9000 DK – $8200
Opponent – LAC
Proj Pts FD – 40.28 DK – 40.94
So, at least we have Tyreke Evans to look to. His DraftKings price is just jumping off the screen at me. Memphis heads into the Staples Center tonight to play the Clippers. We’re not going to waste time on too much exposure to this game. Memphis plays the slowest game in the Association, and the Clippers are just about average. This game has a combined pace of 96.9 making it the slowest game on the slate, which rightfully gives it a 204.5 projection, the second lowest of the five games. Evans however is just priced too low to pass by on DK. Evans has surpassed the 5X PPD mark on DK in seven of his last nine games, and flashed 6X or better in two of those. Over their last five, the Clippers are allowing a generous 63.5 DKP to the position. I don’t know what in the DraftKings algorithm is leading them to price Tyreke at this point, but I for one will take full advantage.

Small forward

T.J. Warren FD – $7500 DK – $6800
Opponent – ATL
Proj Pts FD – 37.86 DK – 37.22
Taurean Prince FD – $6000 DK – $5500
Opponent – PHO
Proj Pts FD – 28.16 DK – 27.9
We’ve hit this game already once from each side, and we’re going to hit it from both sides at small forward with T.J. Warren, and Taurean Prince. Like Devin Booker, Warren was shooting heat against Philly on New Years Eve, and the two combined for over half of the Suns 110 points in the loss. The 28 points Warren dropped was his best in a stretch of six games where he scored at least 22 in all but one with two double doubles in that span. He’ll pair up tonight with the Hawks Taurean Prince who is coming off of his second straight double double. Neither of these guys are shutdown defenders, and both see a strong matchup in the fastest and highest scoring game on the schedule. The Hawks are the softer defense at the position, with Phoenix allowing six less fantasy points per game, so that certainly plays in Warren’s favor, but Prince is markedly less, and both are closely ranked in PPD projections. Pairing them up may be the best way to go in all formats tonight.

Kawhi Leonard FD – $7500 DK – $6700
Opponent – NY
Proj Pts FD – 36.1 DK – 35.72
Here’s another standout DraftKings play in the form of Kawhi Leonard. Leonard is a solid cash game play everywhere, but he’s an excellent play in all formats on DratKings where he is down a thousand in salary despite the minutes ticking up more and more. When he made his season debut on December 12th in Dallas after sitting out the first two months of the season, he saw just 15 minutes of action. By the 21st he was up to 20 and three days ago in Detroit he hit 27, and is starting to show signs of his old self scoring 18 points with two rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. The Knicks can’t defend the three and have allowed an average of 84.2 DKP in their last ten games. Don’t look for anything close for Kawhi, but if he can knock on the 30 minute mark, the 37 needed for a 5X PPD performance shouldn’t be a stretch.

Power forward

Blake Griffin FD – $9000 DK – $8400
Opponent – MEM
Proj Pts FD – 42.89 DK – 43.79
LeBron James is the only play on the slate priced over $10K on both sites, and rightfully so projects for the top raw point projection, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go there. For significantly less you can go with Blake Griffin and get a player with the second highest projection and a much better PPD to go along with it. We already established there wasn’t a lot to like about this game, with its slow pace of play and low projection, but Blake is an excellent exception to that rule, particularly on a shorter slate where you can’t just play all Suns and Hawks. Griffin missed nearly a month with a knee injury but now two games back he certainly looks to be back to business as usual. He’s seen 32 and 33 minutes and put up very similar stat lines each time out against the Lakers and the Hornets. The Grizzlies rank similarly to the Hornets defensively allowing just a fraction of a fantasy point more per game than Charlotte. It won’t be long before Griffin inches closer to the $10K club, so getting exposure now is wise

Ersan Ilyasova FD – $5700 DK – $5100
Opponent – PHO
Proj Pts FD – 25.92 DK – 26.33
Ersan Ilyasova. Theres a name we don’t see too often in this article. This will be our last look at the PHO/ATL game but certainly one well worth considering. We haven’t had a lot of value to look at tonight, and unless some news breaks that gives us a couple of solid punts we need to take the value where we can get it. We already know the drill on this game, fast pace, poor defense, (extremely poor at the four where Phoenix allows the second most FP in the game), then theres Ersan. Ersan closed out December with a bit of a bang, posting three 20 point games in his last five, doubling his total on the month to six, and falling just shy of a double double in two of his last three. He’s only going to be out there for about 28-32 minutes, but if he can keep doing what he’s been doing that’ll be all we need, and against the Suns that shouldn’t be too much to ask. On this short slate I’ll look to Ilyasova in all formats for the value and potential.

Center

Dwight Howard FD – $8900 DK – $7400
Opponent – SAC
Proj Pts FD – 41.19 DK – 42.77
Dwight Howard got beat up pretty bad by DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers on Sunday, scoring just 4 points while dishing two assists. He made up some ground with 10 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to make up the value lost. One game does not make a season however, and Howard has been quite reliable through much of the season so let’s not hold one outing against him. Particularly when he has a nice chance at redemption against a bottom ten Kings defense. Sacramento is allowing 45.6 FP to opposing centers on average this season. Willie Cauley-Stein will be completely outmatched against the Hornets big man who should be a lock for a double double with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds. On DraftKings Howard is my top play at the five.

Kevin Love FD – $7900 DK – $8700
Opponent – POR
Proj Pts FD – 36.86 DK – 39.76
On FanDuel however, Howard and Kevin Love kind of flip-flop their prices, making Love the better way to go there. As we approach the halfway point of the season Love is averaging over 20 real points per game, going 20 or better in six straight including a 31 point 18 rebound gem on Christmas Day against the Warriors. Despite a double double against the Jazz on Saturday, a drop off in peripherals has kept Love from hitting value in his last two games, but he’ll look to get back on track tonight against a tough Blazers defense, who despite being ranked second overall in fewest points allowed to opposing big men, have surrendered 56.2 FP over their last five games making them the fifth worst in that stretch. If the minutes are there he should have little trouble.

If you can’t work either of these guys in, then strongly consider Tyson Chandler if he’s starting against the Hawks. Good luck out there tonight!!!

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates from DFSR for 12/31/17

What We Know

James Harden is questionable tonight, dealing with a bruised right foot.
Harden struggled mightily on Friday and now we see why, it seems he was playing with a bruised foot which has put him on the injury report as questionable for tonight’s game against the Lakers. The team plans to test him out in pregame warmups, so word will probably come just before 7ET. If he is ruled out look for Eric Gordon to make the start in his place.

Lonzo Ball will be reevaluated today to determine his status. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was unable to travel with the the team due to his travel restrictions.
KCP is still not permitted to leave the state of California due to a legal matter and will miss the two game road trip beginning tonight in Houston. Ball meanwhile has missed three straight games with a sprained shoulder and is expected to be checked out prior to today’s game. Jordan Clarkson has been excellent in Ball’s absence and is a solid play if Ball is held out once again.

Victor Oladipo is not excpected to play this afternoon for the Pacers.
Oladipo has missed two games already with pain and swelling in the knee, and will be kept out of today’s game against the Timberwolves. Lance Stephenson has started the past two games in Victor O’s spot and has been quite the impressive fantasy play.

Paul George is out for the Thunder’s game tonight against the Mavericks.
Both George and Andre Roberson are out tonight with knee injuries. Russell Westbrook will see an increase in usage making him that much more valuable. In addition, Alex Abrines, Raymond Felton, Patrick Patterson, and Jerami Grant will all see a share of George’s 35-40 minutes per game.

Joel Embiid is expected to play tonight after a rest day yesterday.
The Sixers held Embiid out of last night’s win in Denver, for rest purposes so he should be alright to go tonight as Philly heads into Phoenix for what should be a fast paced high scoring affair with the Suns. As long as he’s returned to the starting rotation Embiid is a stellar way to pay up at center tonight.

Austin Rivers is out for the Clippers tonight.
Rivers suffered an achilles strain on Friday against the Lakers and is currently day to day. The Clips will rest him today on the side of caution. Expect CJ Williams to see increased minutes with Rivers held out tonight.

What We’re Waiting to Know

Andrew Wiggins is questionable for the TimberWolves this afternoon.
Wiggins is dealing with an ankle injury that he apparently played on in Thursday’s game against Milwaukee. He was limited in practice on Friday and is currently questionable, more word on his status should become available following shoot around.

Clint Capela will return for the Rockets game hosting the Lakers tonight.
Cappella suffered an eye injury on Monday against the Thunder and subsequently missed two games, but will make his return to the rotation tonight against L.A. Nene missed the Rockets game on Friday for an undisclosed reason, and his status for tonight is currently unknown, but with Cappella back he makes minimal fantasy impact anyway. Ryan Anderson could see extended minutes backing Cappella up if Nene remains out.

Every Lineup Guys

Russell Westbrook FD – $11900 DK – $11600
Opponent – DAL
Proj Pts FD – 62.73 DK – 66.58
Our first every lineup guy should be chalk around the industry tonight. Russell Westbrook and the Thunder will host the Mavericks without Paul George who will miss a second straight game. Russ gave us a nearly 6X PPD performance in 40 minutes against the Bucks on Friday with PG riding the bench. Dallas isn’t a pushover on defense, but they are ranked worse than Milwaukee in fantasy points allowed at the position. It’s a pace-down game for the Thunder which could hurt Westbrooks upside, but if any player in the game can overcome any factor against him to crush value it would be Russell Westbrook. With the limited options on this short slate to spend up at, especially now that Harden may not be available, I’ll have total exposure to Russ everywhere.

Trevor Ariza FD – $5200 DK – $5600
Opponent – LAL
Proj Pts FD – 29.82 DK – 29.97
Next up we have Trevor Ariza in a prime matchup against the worst defense against small forwards playing on tonight’s short slate. The Lakers are allowing opposing threes to score 47.7 FP on average this season and 59.6 over their last ten games. Ariza sees a ton of run for the Houston offense, averaging nearly 36 minutes per game and makes the most of his time on the court. Not too shabby for a guy priced in the low $5K range. Ariza is appearing in the top lineups being put out by our system today, and that is with James Harden still factored into the system. If Harden is eventually ruled out, that will just add to the appeal.

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates from DFSR for 12/30/17

What We Know

Joel Embiid will rest tonight against the Nuggets.
Philly heads into the first night of a back to back set and as per usual the big man will sit out one of those games, in this case the opening game against the Nuggets. Philly small forward Robert Covington who came into the day as doubtful will play tonight. RoCo is a solid option against the Denver interior, and he, Ben Simmons and Dario Saric, each see a nice boost in usage with Embiid’s absence. Trevor Booker and Richaun Holmes may also see added value with Embiid resting.

Dion Waiters is expected to miss a fourth straight game for the Heat.
Waiters has missed three games so far with a sore ankle, coach Spoelstra all but ruled Waiters out for both ends of this weekend’s back to back set when announcing Waiters would miss last night’s game against Brooklyn. Tyler Johnson has been filling in for the Miami starting rotation and is a nice cash game play.

Kawhi Leonard expects to play tonight in Detroit.
The Spurs held Leonard out on Thursday but he is fully expected to rejoin the rotation tonight as the Spurs head into Motor City. If Leonard doesn’t play Kyle Anderson becomes a phenomenal play with Rudy Gay already ruled out with a heel injury, if Leonard does play he and Anderson as still in play absorbing Gay’s minutes, though with less upside.

Dennis Schroder is probable for the Hawks game against Portland.
Schroder is dealing with a left quad contusion, but is officially listed as probable for tonight’s tilt with the Blazers. He will most likely play, however if he is scratched at the last minute Malcolm Delaney or Marco Belinelli will likely draw the starting nod at the point. If the latter is placed in the starting rotation in Schroder’s place he becomes an intriguing play.

What We’re Waiting to Know

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Omri Casspi, and Andre Iguodala are all probable for tonight’s game against the Grizzlies.
Curry has missed 11 games now with a sprained right ankle, he and the others have all been given the probable designation going into tonight’s game with Casspi the only one who missed last night’s contest. It is expected that Curry will return to the starting lineup tonight and send Shaun Livingston back to the bench, though he will likely be on a minutes restriction. Currys’ return will also cut into Thompson and Kevin Durant’s fantasy value in what is expected to be a blow out of Memphis, so all Warriors are probably best restricted to tournament plays only.

Damian Lillard is questionable for the Trailblazers game in Atlanta.
Lillard has missed three games so far with a hamstring injury, and will likely miss tonight’s game but we expect more definitive word following the teams shoot around. If he is held out again, Shabazz Napier, who has paid 9X in three straight starts in Lillards absence rockets to the top of the must play list against a poor Atlanta perimeter defense.

JaMychal Green is questionable tonight for the Grizzlies visit to Golden State.
Green has also missed three straight contests and is looking doubtful for a fourth. Currently listed as a game-time decision, if Green is eventually ruled out for the contest with the Warriors, Jarell Martin will likely draw the start in his place and becomes a nice play at the four.

Every Lineup Guy

Richaun Holmes FD – $4000 DK – $4200
Opponent – DEN
Proj Pts FD – 26.07 DK – 25.65
I noted in the picks article earlier today there wasn’t a whole lot that I liked about center today, and gave two options I felt confidence in. The only other play I was considering for that spot is a true value play in the form of Richaun Holmes who will likely draw the start for Philly tonight in place of the resting Joel Embiid. In the last seven games that Embiid has missed Holmes has seen his minutes tick up from just 15 against Utah in early November to an average of 25 in three games that JoJo missed last week. In those games Holmes posted FanDuel scores of 27.9, 19.2 and 31.4 FDP for an average of 6.5X value over that stretch. The Nuggets have a less than average defense against opposing centers, the 39 FPPG they allow is the thirteenth most generous in the game. There are plenty of ways to spend up tonight, but center isn’t a position we want to do so. Take the value with Holmes and run.

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA Picks from DFSR for 12/30/17

It’s Saturday night, the eve of New Years Eve, and the NBA has given us daily fantasy lovers an interesting seven game set of contests from which to build our lineups. There are a couple of high scoring projections from our friends in Vegas, some teams that love to run the boards, and some poor defenses to be taken full advantage of. So why are we wasting time here? Let’s get to the picks!!!

Point guard

Ish Smith FD – $6000 DK – $5500
Opponent – SA
Proj Pts FD – 31.53 DK – 31.65
Reggie Jackson is out for six to eight weeks, so it’s good news for the Pistons that they have Ish Smith who has experience as a starting point guard in this league and dazzled in his return to the starting rotation on Thursday against the Magic. Austyn recommended Ish in the picks that day and hopefully you took advantage as he paid 7X points per dollar at bare minimum salary. The price is quickly heading up on Ish, but we’ve still got plenty of room before we hit his ceiling. Particularly against a Spurs team allowing the tenth most fantasy points to opposing point guards. Smith saw 32 minutes in his first start and should be a lock for 30+ from here on out until RJax returns. In the meantime we’ve got a tremendous play at the point with a solid 5X floor. My one concern is the Spurs slowing down the Pistons already low pace of play which could limit the ceiling but as cash game plays go Smith is a lock.

Tyler Johnson FD – $6000 DK – $5800
Opponent – ORL
Proj Pts FD – 30.06 DK – 29.88
Between injuries to Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters, Tyler Johnson has been enjoying some time in the Miami Heat starting rotation these past couple of weeks and we have been enjoying locking him in as a value play for our DFS lineups. The price is starting to creep into that territory where we have to question is the value still there, but tonight in a prime matchup against the Magic, I think it’s safe to say the answer is yes. Elfrid Payton doesn’t do defense. He doesn’t even try. Johnson managed to drop 17 points with four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal against Orlando on Tuesday good for 5X points per dollar, and I see no reason to expect him to give us any less tonight, despite his less than impressive showing last night in a blowout loss to the Nets. Tonight’s game has a modest 205 projection with just a one point spread. These are two teams that are hurting bad, so there are minutes to be had and only so many players to absorb them. Pushing into the $6K price range, has me fading Johnson in my GPP lineups, but as a cash play, he’s clearly in consideration.

Shabazz Napier FD – $4800 DK – $5000
Opponent – ATL
Proj Pts FD – 31 DK – 30.97
This is the “if” play that becomes the obvious play if Damian Lillard misses a fourth game with a hamstring injury. Shabazz Napier has drawn three straight starts in Lillards place and has paid 9X PPD in each of those starts, and could have easily posted over 10X against Philly on Thursday if he didn’t struggle early on in the first half and give the ball up five times. A strong fourth quarter helped him to recover his stat line as he saw his highest point total to date of 23 and managed three steals for a third consecutive game. The Blazers head south to Atlanta next to play a Hawks team that have allowed a staggering 52.5 FDP per game over their last ten contests and if Napier can keep on the court for 35+ minutes the sky is the limit for his ceiling. It’s really quite simple: if Lillard is out, Napier is in everywhere.

Consider Andrew Harrison in GPPs against the Warriors.

Shooting Guard

Gary Harris FD – $6300 DK – $6100
Opponent – PHI
Proj Pts FD – 30.62 DK – 31.09
There really isn’t a whole lot to love at the two tonight, There are two plays that really stand out, and both of them come from the two games we’re going to attack the most tonight. First up we have Gary Harris and the Nuggets hosting the Sixers. We’re going to hit this game from both sides at nearly every position as it has a 215 projected total coming out of Vegas with just a 6.5 point spread. Gary Harris has no idea what the Denver bench looks like. Outside of a game against Minnesota on the 20th when he sat out with a sore elbow, Harris has played a minimum of 35 minutes in each of the Nuggets last seven games, and upwards of 42. Genrally speaking though, he does need each and every one of those minutes to hit value. He should have little trouble tonight against a Philly team ranking behind only the Bulls and Hornets in FP per game allowed to opposing shooting guards this season while playing at a lightning fast 103.3 pace factor. Harris should easily hit value tonight, and a 6X ceiling isn’t out of the question.

Jrue Holiday FD – $7700 DK – $7100
Opponent – NY
Proj Pts FD – 36.48 DK – 36.72
The other game we’re going to cover a lot of ground on is the Pelicans hosting the Knicks. This one has the highest projection out of Vegas at 217 and with just a 5.5 point spread there’s really no concern of it getting out of hand. The game has a 100.3 combined pace factor, which means the fantasy points should come quickly from all angles. The first play we’re going to look at is the Pelicans shooting guard Jrue Holiday. Of the three headed monster in the bayou, Holiday is the easiest one to work into your lineups as he costs a fraction of the price of Boogie and the brow, but still provides solid fantasy production in his own right. Holiday is a lock for 30+ minutes a night and has eclipsed the 40 minute mark three times in his last ten games. In those games he has paid an average of over 7X PPD so the more time Jrue sees on the court, the more he’s going to pay off. The Knicks are an average defense at the two, allowing opponents to post 43.1 FP on average. He saw 39 minutes last night against the Mavericks but don’t let that scare you, Holiday has shown no signs of slowing down on B2B’s and ran 41 minutes on consecutive nights earlier this month. Jrue is a safe cash game play, and I can see myself getting a little tournament exposure to boot.

Consider Kent Bazemore against Portland.

Small forward

Courtney Lee FD – $5600 DK – $5200
Opponent – NO
Proj Pts FD – 29.36 DK – 29.28
Courtney Lee is having himself a career season for the Knicks, and has really stepped up his game with Tim Hardaway Jr sidelined for the month of December. He’s putting up career highs in rebounds and assists, while his 45.6 shooting percentage from the field is among his top three. Now in his tenth season he shows no signs of slowing down and continues to impress. He’s posted five straight games with double digit scoring, and has eight in his last nine games. The minutes have been a little wonky, but as long as he sees over 30 he should be safe to lock in and expect a 5X PPD performance, and he’s played at least 33 in each of his last four, maxing out at 39 against the Spurs on Thursday night. The Pelicans are a league average defense against the three and in a game with a 100.3 pace and the highest projected total on the night Courtney Lee is a fantastic cash game play.

Taurean Prince FD – $5300 DK – $5100
Opponent – POR
Proj Pts FD – 26.86 DK – 26.83
Taurean Prince has been on fire lately. In his last nine games he posted career high real point totals three times. He scored 24 against Cleveland on the 12th and then again against the Heat on the 18th. Last night he eclipsed that mark by six posting 30 against the Raptors to go along with ten rebounds in 34 minutes. He ended the night with a 9.3 PPD showing against a top ten SF defense. The Blazers come to town tonight and are terrible at defending against the three giving up the sixth most fantasy PPG at the position. Vegas has yet to drop a line on this one, I assume they’re holding out until they have an idea as to what Lillards status is, but I would expect it to stay close enough for Prince to see plenty of opportunity to give us another solid outing. Prince is just priced too low given the matchup and should be considered in all formats.

Robert Covington FD – $6100 DK – $5700
Opponent – DEN
Proj Pts FD – 33.31 DK – 32.79
The Sixers head to the mile high city tonight to face the Nuggets. Robert Covington left Thursday nights game against the TrailBlazers after 24 minutes with a finger injury, and his status for tonight is up in the air, but it doesn’t seem to be too serious and if he plays the system loves him tonight in a game that Joel Embiid has already been ruled out of for rest purposes. Denver’s got an average interior defense and RoCo, who has really struggled shooting the rock lately could be a risky option if there’s any lingering effects in his finger. If he’s cleared to play and healthy, the system loves him as the top points per dollar play at the position, but I’ll probably limit him to tournaments to be on the safe side. If Covington is ruled out tonight, then Justin Anderson could be an excellent option if he draws the start and Dario Saric becomes much more intriguing as well.

Consider Kevin Durant and Lebron James of course. James will cost more, but has the much better matchup, and no blowout concern.

Power forward

Ben Simmons FD – $8700 DK – $8300
Opponent – DEN
Proj Pts FD – 45.54 DK – 45.19
Sticking with the Sixers, we open up the power forward position with Ben Simmons. It wasn’t that long ago we were putting out $10K+ in salary for Simmons, so getting him in the mid $8K range is hard to pass up. Sure he’s put up some underwhelming fantasy performances in the past couple of weeks, but Simmons sees a big boost when Joel Embiid is off the court which just happens to be the case today. In the last six games that Joel has been held out Simmons has played 35 minutes and averaged 42.5 FanDuel points per game good for 5X PPD at these prices, and he’s shown 7X PPD upside against stronger defenses than what Denver will throw at him tonight. Simmons is bound to turn the heat back up again eventually, and once he does that price is going to climb back up, so now is the time to take advantage and lock him in, both in cash and tournaments.

Anthony Davis FD – $10900 DK – $10500
Opponent – NY
Proj Pts FD – 54.21 DK – 54.27
Anthony Davis is now seven games returned from his most recent injury, a groin strain that led to him missing four of six games earlier this month. In those seven games back Davis has paid at least 5X PPD four times, eclipsing the 5X mark twice with three 30+ point performances and four double doubles. My one concern would be the 42 minutes the Pelicans let Davis run the boards last night, though he did run 40 and 41 minutes in back to back contests back in early November. What is of no concern is the matchup. The Knicks allow the seventh most fantasy points to opposing power forwards, and Kristaps Porzingis is certainly nothing to fear on defense, particularly against one of the best fantasy players in the game. If you can pair Davis and Simmons together, and I don’t see it being too difficult, especially if injury news breaks our way, then by all means do it. Cash. Tournament. Doesn’t matter. Just do it!

Jarell Martin FD – $4200 DK – $4500
Opponent – GS
Proj Pts FD – 21.82 DK – 21.34
Here’s another “if” play. If JaMychal Green misses another game with the knee injury that kept him sidelined for the Grizzlies last three contests, Jarell Martin becomes a solid option at power forward. Martin drew the start against the Lakers on Wednesday and was excellent. He ended the night two rebounds shy of a double double and posted 20 points in 31 minutes paying nearly 10X PPD. The sites were quick to raise the price on Martin, but he’s still near minimum salary across the industry, and as long as he sees another starting nod, he’s still priced to play in all formats even in a game against the Warriors with real blowout potential.

Consider Dario Saric if Covington is ruled out.

Center

Jusuf Nurkic FD – $6100 DK – $6800
Opponent – ATL
Proj Pts FD – 32.31 DK – 31.79
Center is another spot that I just don’t particularly love what we’re being given to work with, but here we go…on the value side at the five we find Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic hit a bit of a rough stretch, giving up the rock four times against the Nuggets, and then being unable to find the hoop in a game with the Lakers, he came in well below value each time, but Thursday night against Joel Embiid and the Sixers he took a pop to the nose which seemed to shake something up in him, he ended the night with 21 points and 12 boards in 28 minutes. Tonight he draws an equally appealing match up against an Atlanta Hawks front court that is terrible against opposing bigs. Atlanta will try to counter Nurkic with Miles Plumlee and Tyler Cavanaugh, which means we should be ablate safely pencil him in for another double double. For the price, this matchup makes Nurkic an extremely safe option at the five while presenting the chance for some serious upside.

Nikola Jokic FD – $9500 DK – $8600
Opponent – PHI
Proj Pts FD – 46.03 DK – 47.99
If paying up at center is your thing, then consider Nikola Jokic. Sure, Boogie will probably net you more points, but for the price difference in a top ten defensive matchup with the Knicks is it worth the risk? Same with Drummond against the Spurs top five defense. Joker meanwhile draws a Philly D allowing the third most fantasy points to the position, an average of 47.7 fantasy points in the last five games, three of which have been played without Joel Embiid who will rest tonight. The Nuggets are coming off of a hard fought loss to Minnesota in which Jokic had one of his best performances since returning from an ankle injury. Philly plays one of the fastest games in the NBA and the pace up factor will benefit Joker greatly granting him more opportunities in the glass and a double double is all but guaranteed here. I’ll limit Jokic to cash games on FanDuel, but that price on DraftKings makes him an all formats play over there, and with the flex player option I’ll be pairing both of these guys up in some lines there as well. Good luck out there tonight!!

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com

Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates from DFSR for 12/23/17

What We Know

Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out tonight for the Spurs, Pau Gasol is listed as probable.
Leonard will sit this one out against Sacramento after feeling discomfort following shoot around. As is usually the case in this situation, Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gay will see extended playing time in his absence. Pau Gasol meanwhile has been upgraded to probable, which would kill any appeal of Joffrey Lauvergne, who however is a great play if Gasol does decide to sit out another game.

Jaylen Brown is a probable, Shane Larkin questionable against the Bulls.
Brown already missed one game with quad soreness, and is listed as probable for tonight’s tilt with Chicago. Larkin also missed the last game with a sore knee which seems to still be a factor. If Brown plays, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier’s playing time will see a reduction.

Donovan Mitchell is probable against the Thunder tonight.
Mitchell has missed two games with a toe contusion, and comes into tonight listed as probable for the Jazz. If Mitchell does suit up with no word of a minutes restriction, Rodney Hood will return to the bench and take a serious hit to his value.

Damian Lillard remains out for the Trailblazers.
Lillard will sit out at least one more for Portland with a hamstring strain. Shabazz Napier saw the start last night for Lillard and ended the evening paying 10X PPD. His price is up tonight, but he still remains a solid play in a great matchup.

Goran Dragic is not expected to play tonight against the Pelicans.
The Dragon has missed three games now with an elbow injury and will not play tonight against the Pelicans. Tyler Johnson remains a nice value play at the point in Dragics absence.

Dion Waiters left last night’s game against Dallas with a sprained ankle.
Waiters left last night’s game against the Mavericks with an ankle sprain, Miami has yet to release any word on the severity of the injury, but I would expect him to sit out the tail end of the back to back set as they exercise caution and don’t risk aggravation. If Waiters is cleared and you trust he’s healthy, he is in a great spot against a bad Pelicans defense, otherwise Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington should see an increase in playing time.

What We’re Waiting to Know

Marc Gasol is doubtful, and considered a game time decision.
Gasol is dealing with a left hip issue that has him questionable going into tonight’s game with the Clippers. Brandan Wright was recently activated, and could see a hefty workload in the absence of Gasol at center. JaMychal Green is doubtful for Memphis as well, and Chandler Parsons will benefit from his absence tonight. If Gasol and Green join Mike Conley and Wayne Selden on the bench Tyreke Evans will also step up as the big playmaker for the Memphis offense.

Dennis Schroder is questionable tonight for the Hawks.
Schroder has already missed one game with a sore ankle and comes into tonight’s game against the Mavericks listed as questionable. On Friday Marco Belinelli started at the two for Atlanta with Kent Bazemore sliding over to the one. We will keep an eye out for the Atlanta starting lineup to see how they plan to attack Dallas tonight if Schroder is unable to go.

Dwight Howard left last night’s game after four minutes with a dislocated finger.
Both Howard and Kemba Walker left the Hornets game last night early, Howard with a dislocated finger, Walker with a possible concussion after hitting his head on the floor. If these guys miss this will be huge for how our lineups shake out. Michael Carter-Williams and Frank Kaminsky will likely step into the stating rotation with Malik Monk taking a larger role of of the bench. Monk, Jeremy Lamb and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist each see a 2.8 or better bump in usage with Howard and Walker off the court.

Devin Harris left last night’s game with an illness.
Harris played just eight minutes last night before leaving the game with an illness. If he isn’t feeling any better by tonights game against the Hawks, JJ Barea and Yogi Ferrell could see an increase in playing time.

Every Lineup Guys

Giannis Antetokounmpo FD – $12000 DK – $11100
Opponent – CHA
Proj Pts FD – 58.85 DK – 59.25
The two guys we are going to spotlight here are appearing in the top 25 lineups being put out by our optimizer on both FanDuel and DraftKings, which means they’re safe to play everywhere, I plan to have them in all of my lineups and you may want to as well. First up, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak is the priciest play across the injury but he’s an every lineup play for two reasons, first up is the performance and minutes justify the cost, he was actually just a little off last night against Charlotte, ending the night with 44.9 FDP, which paid just under 4X PPD, this one off, was his lowest fantasy score since Halloween night, so I’m hesitant to think it’s going to happen twice in a row. The other reason is all of the value. We have a LOT of injury news, big name guys with high usage and minutes up for grabs to much cheaper guys, which allows plenty of room to fit Giannis in all of our lineups. The Hornets allow 42.7 FP to opposing SF’s on average, but Giannis is anything but. Play him everywhere

Tyler Johnson FD – $6000 DK – $5400
Opponent – NO
Proj Pts FD – 32.18 DK – 31.97
Next up we have one of those cheaper value guys who is getting as starting nod and allowing ids the savings we need to lock Giannis into our lineups. Goran Dragic has missed three straight games and Tyler Johnson has thrived paying at or just over 5X PPD against the likes of Atlanta, Boston, and Dallas, all of whom rank among the middle third of defenses against point guards making them average matchups. Tonight he gets his best opportunity to date against a Pelicans team allowing opposing ones to score 47.3 fantasy points on average, only five other teams allow more to the position. This game features a 99.7 pace factor, and has a 209.5 projection out of Vegas with the Pelicans as slight favorites. It could be a big night for T.J. and if you hope to be able to afford Giannis at the three, you can’t pass up this value at the point.

This post originally appeared on DFSR.com