Daily Fantasy Basketball is back, which means each day XN Sports will have a column detailing advised plays and lineups for the remainder of the NBA season. For those familiar with DraftKings, their daily fantasy basketball is formatted differently this season. There is no multi-position eligibility, which makes it a bit harder to set your lineup.
For those unfamiliar with DraftKings, you are given $50,000 in cap space to select a point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center, a guard, a forward, and a utility player. There are no points deducted for missed shots, which changes the strategy from other sites. To read the full scoring, click here. Keep in mind that a double-double awards a bonus, which can be the difference between cashing in and winning nothing.
Generally, the goal for value is at five times a players salary. That brings a lineup to 250 fantasy points, which will cash on most days.
Give DraftKings a shot, as there will be a few freeroll opportunities each night in Daily Fantasy Basketball. Click here to play.
Without further ado, the value plays and lineups for November 8th:
*Notice: There is one game at 3:30 today as the Trail Blazers take on the Clippers. DraftKings has two slates, one with eight games including the early game, and one with the late games only (seven games).
Value Plays
Guard
Iman Shumpert, Shooting Guard, New York Knicks $4,100
Shumpert is the starting point guard in New York at the moment, and has played over 30 minutes in three straight games. In these games, Shumpert has averaged over 28 fantasy points per game, which would take him to seven times his salary. Since five times salary is value, that makes the former Georgia Tech star a serious value play tonight. The Knicks face the Hawks tonight, who have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to point guards and the sixth-most fantasy points to shooting guards, both positions where Shumpert will play in the new Knicks rotation. In addition, the Hawks are giving up over 104 points per game and are second-worst in rebounding, giving Shumpert added value as a solid rebounder at guard (14 in his last three games).
Other values at guard: Courtney Lee, MEM $3,800 and Mo Williams, MIN $3,300
Forward
Evan Turner, Small Forward, Boston Celtics $3,500
All signs indicate that Turner will start at point guard for the Celtics tonight with Rajon Rondo and Marcus Smart to miss the game against the Bulls. At $3,500, value can be reached at 17.5 fantasy points. This season, Turner has averaged 15 fantasy points per game, but has only played in an average of 19 minutes. If he starts at the point for Boston tonight, expect him to play well over 25 minutes, which makes him a value play at small forward, where his eligibility is on DraftKings. The Bulls are an excellent defensive team, but a starting point guard and main ball-handler cannot be found for a price of $3,500, so Turner is still one of the top value plays, regardless of matchup. Turner has a good 19.6 usage rate for a bench player this season, but expect that to rise tonight.
Other values at forward: Shawne Williams, MIA $3,900
Center
Robin Lopez, Portland Trail Blazers $5,800
Lopez’ price may be a little steep for some, but in this slate he has the chance to be the best value. At his salary, value can be reached at 29 fantasy points. Lopez is averaging 27.9, and has only eclipsed value twice this season. But, he has a higher chance to reach value today against the Clippers. Despite having DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers are last in the NBA in rebound rate, at an abysmal 44 percent. The Clippers are allowing over 104 points per game, and have allowed opponents to make half of their shots this season. In a fast-paced game, there will be a lot of rebounds, so expect Lopez to be in the thick of the rebound leaders in the early game.
Other values at center: No other values at center
Lineup
PG – Mo Williams $3,300
SG – Jimmy Butler $5,400
SF – Evan Turner $3,500
PF – Pau Gasol $7,600
C – Dwight Howard $9,100
G – Tyreke Evans $7,600
F – Draymond Green $5,700
UTIL – Dwyane Wade $7,600
This lineup can be used for both slates as there are no early game players in this lineup.
