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 7,600 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.
Each position will have a few guys that we like for each night, ranked from top to bottom in terms of value. To find these players, tools like usage rate, defense vs. position, injuries, minutes, and more are used.
(GPP-only play) – Means that these players are risk/reward. Play them only in tournaments, not cash games.
Be sure to read the notes at the bottom of this column, as it details things you do not want to miss.There is a lot of news that will affect lineups tonight, stay informed before tip.
Point Guard
Stephen Curry, GSW $10,100
Russell Westbrook, OKC $10,400 (if Kevin Durant is out)
Michael Carter-Williams, PHI $8,200
Brandon Knight, MIL $7,400
Cheap Plays:
Lorenzo Brown, MIN $3,000 (if Mo Williams and Zach LaVine are out)
Dennis Schroder, ATL $3,500 (if Jeff Teague rests)
Brian Roberts, CHA $4,600
Shooting Guard
Klay Thompson, GSW $8,500
Arron Afflalo, DEN $5,700
Kevin Martin, MIN $4,600
O.J. Mayo, MIL $4,500
Cheap Plays:
Kent Bazemore, ATL $3,000 (must-play on DK tonight if he starts)
Small Forward
Draymond Green, GSW $7,600
Cheap Plays:
Al-Farouq Aminu, DAL $3,500 (must play if he starts over Chandler Parsons)
Andre Iguodala, GSW $3,400 (GPP-only play)
Power Forward
LaMarcus Aldridge, POR $9,500
Donatas Motiejunas, HOU $5,300
Zach Randolph, MEM $8,500
Cody Zeller, CHA $4,900
Cheap Plays:
John Henson, MIL $4,100 (if he starts at center)
Marcus Morris, PHO $3,500 (GPP-only play)
Mike Scott, ATL $3,00 (GPP-only play)
Center
Al Horford, ATL $7,700 (if he plays)
Al Jefferson, CHA $7,100
Cheap Plays:
Ian Mahinmi, IND $3,200
Pero Antic, ATL $3,100 (if Al Horford sits)
Notes (important)
– Keep an eye on the Hawks, who may rest some starters tonight.
– Al Jefferson is starting and has a great price on DraftKings.
– Mo Williams and Zach LaVine are questionable tonight, which makes Kevin Martin and Lorenzo Brown attractive options if both are out.
– Kent Bazemore is a top option for tonight with his minutes, matchup, and price.
– Josh Smith faces the Pistons tonight.
– The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors game has an over/under of 225, one of the highest we have ever seen. Get a piece of that game if you can.
– LaMarcus Aldridge is likely to face Jared Dudley tonight, which could be the biggest one-on-one mismatch of any player in tonight’s slate.
– John Henson is likely to start again if Zaza Pachulia is out.
– If Chandler Parsons is out, fire up Al-Farouq Aminu at his price of just $3,500.
– Per Galin Dragiev, the Mavericks have not had two days of rest since January 18th. They have played in four of their last five nights and five of their last seven.
– Also per Dragiev, the Cavaliers have not had two days of rest since January 18th.
– If you can, avoid Mavericks and Cavaliers.
Usage Rates
– Aminu has an usage rate of 17 percent as a starter this season.
– D.J. Augustin is at 22 percent without Brandon Jennings.
– Dion Waiters‘ usage rate is close to 30 percent without Kevin Durant, who is questionable.
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.
