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.
– First place wins $5,000
– $2 entry fee (FREE with first deposit)
– Top 6,600 finishing positions are paid.
– Starts tonight at 7:00 PM EST
– Salary Cap Style Drafting. $50,000 to select 8 players
– Roster Format: 1 PG, 1 SG, 1 SF, 1 PF, 1 C, 1 G, 1 F, and 1 Utility
– First time depositors at DraftKings receive a 100% bonus up to $600
Remember, when you sign-up on DraftKings, use the promo code: XN.
Note: If you have signed up on DraftKings because of XNSports, let us know in the comments or on Twitter @XNSports.
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
Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic $5,100
Brandon Jennings, Detroit Pistons $7,900
Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans $7,700
Cheap Plays:
No cheap plays at point guard tonight in a small slate.
Shooting Guard
Cheap Plays:
Avery Bradley, Boston Celtics $4,600
Ben Gordon, Orlando Magic $3,000
Devyn Marble, Orlando Magic $3,200
Small Forward
Evan Turner, Boston Celtics $5,200
Donatas Motiejunas, Houston Rockets $5,000
James Johnson, Toronto Raptors $4,600
Cheap Plays:
Kyle Singler, Detroit Pistons $3,000
Power Forward
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans $11,000
Ryan Anderson, Boston Celtics $5,400
Cheap Plays:
Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn Nets $3,400
Channing Frye, Orlando Magic $4,300
Center
Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic $8,500
Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons $9,100
Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics $4,700 (GPP play)
Cheap Plays:
No cheap plays at center tonight in a small slate.
Notes
– With Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier out, the Magic guards receive a boost in value.
– Anthony Davis is worth paying for tonight, as he is the best player in a small slate with the top matchup at power forwards against the Celtics.
– Channing Frye will see a boost in playing time, and is a decent option at $4,300 against the Bulls, who allow opponents to shoot 35 percent from beyond the arc.
– Avery Bradley has crushed value in each of the last three games, and is a feature in the new Celtics offense.
Usage Rates
– Nikola Vucevic’s usage rate in the current situation for the Magic is over 46 percent, which is outrageous.
– Elfrid Payton’s usage rate is over 27 percent, which is high for a pass-first point guard.
– Ben Gordon has a usage rate of 26.8 percent, and has the most minutes played in the Magic’s current situation. He is an excellent tournament play tonight.
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
