Daily Fantasy Basketball is in full swing, 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 player’s salary, plus five points. That brings a lineup to 290 fantasy points, which will cash each day.
Give DraftKings a shot, as there will be a few freeroll opportunities each night in Daily Fantasy Basketball. Click here to play.
Rather than value plays and lineups tonight, XN will give you a cheat sheet with the best plays at each position.
For those who frequent this column: if you like this idea let us know. If you prefer the other format, let us know as well.
Each position will have a few guys that we like for each night, ranked from top to bottom. To find these players, tools like usage rate, defense vs. position, injuries, minutes, and more are used.
There is a lot of news that will affect lineups tonight, stay informed before tip.
Point Guard
Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies $8,400
Rajon Rondo, Dallas Mavericks $7,900
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers $9,300
Cheap Plays:
No cheap plays at point guard tonight. The pricing for point guards is very strict today.
Shooting Guard
James Harden, Houston Rockets $11,700
Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic $5,600
Cheap Plays:
Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers $4,600
Small Forward
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors $7,800
Cheap Plays:
P.J. Tucker, Phoenix Suns $4,700
Jared Dudley, Milwaukee Bucks $4,600
Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies $3,500
Power Forward
Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks $9,100
Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers $6,100
John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks $5,500
Cheap Plays:
Jonas Jerebko, Detroit Pistons $3,500
Center
Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons $9,900
Tyson Chandler, Dallas Mavericks $7,000
Cole Aldrich, New York Knicks $5,300
Cheap Plays:
Zaza Pachulia, Milwaukee Bucks $4,100
Notes
– Tonight’s pricing is very strict overall, so tough to find value plays.
– Aldrich has reached value in seven of his last eight games, and faces the Pistons who are 26th in defensive rebounding.
– Pachulia has exceeded value in four straight games as the Bucks’ starter at center.
– LeBron James is out, Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving are worth a look at their prices.
– With inflated prices, it is wise to pick a lot of mid-level guys in cash games, as always.
– Keep an eye on the Pacers’ guards. If C.J. Watson is out, Donald Sloan becomes a value at the minimum for point guards.
Narrative Alert
– Rajon Rondo returns to Boston tonight, and has a “revenge game”, despite being happy in Dallas.
– Kobe Bryant faces Tony Allen, who is one of the best defenders in the NBA. Some will think Kobe will have a chip on his shoulder.
– Kevin Durant faces the Wizards, the team he was rumored to join in the offseason.
Usage Rates
– Kyrie Irving’s usage rate is over 3o percent without LeBron James on the floor.
– Dion Waiters usage rate is over 30 percent without LeBron James on the floor.
If you have any questions or concerns leading to tip, let me know on Twitter @JoshCollacchi.
*Keep an eye on the inactives, as things in the NBA change at the last second. Good luck tonight.
