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 9,000 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
Russell Westbrook, OKC $10,600
Stephen Curry, GSW $10,300 (GPP-only)
Brandon Knight, MIL $7,100
D.J. Augustin, DET $6,200
Cheap Plays:
J.J. Barea, DAL $3,400
Marcus Smart, BOS $3,700
George Hill, IND $4,500
Devin Harris, DAL $3,900
Shooting Guard
Jimmy Butler, CHI $7,500
Tyreke Evans, NOP $8,000
Klay Thompson, GSW $8,500
Eric Gordon, NOP $6,400
Cheap Plays:
Dion Waiters, OKC $4,500 (GPP-only)
Avery Bradley, BOS $4,200
O.J. Mayo, MIL $4,400
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DET $4,000 (GPP-only)
Small Forward
Gordon Hayward, UTA $8,100
Chandler Parsons, DAL $5,700
Kawhi Leonard, SA $7,700 (GPP-only)
Khris Middleton, MIL $5,600
Cheap Plays:
Jared Dudley, MIL $4,500
DeMarre Carroll, ATL $4,200
C.J. Miles, IND $3,200 (GPP-only)
Danilo Gallinari, DEN $3,100 (GPP-only)
Power Forward
Dirk Nowitzki, DAL $6,200
Donatas Motiejunas, HOU $5,600
Anthony Davis, NOP $10,800
John Henson, MIL $5,000
Carlos Boozer, LAL $5,600
Cheap Plays:
Tarik Black, LAL $3,000 (GPP-only)
Jae Crowder, BOS $3,000 (GPP-only)
Center
Hassan Whiteside, MIA $7,700
Joakim Noah, CHI $6,400
Roy Hibbert, IND $5,400
Andrew Bogut, GSW $4,800
Cheap Plays:
Robert Sacre, LAL $3,300 (GPP-only)
Notes (important)
– Kevin Durant is out. Russell Westbrook becomes a must-play in cash games and Dion Waiters gets a bump in value.
– John Henson and Jared Dudley are safe plays tonight as Ersan Ilyasova and Zaza Pachulia are out.
– The late game (Golden State and Dallas) has an over/under of 218 points.
– With only one game after 9 pm EST, be sure to keep your late swaps in order, most games lock early tonight.
– On DraftKings, the stars are “cheap” enough to roster tonight, so be sure to get at least one.
– The Bucks will be owned everywhere tonight, as the Lakers provide a huge matchup. Fade the Bucks IF you want to be contrarian tonight, but it’s not advised in cash games.
Usage Rates
– Dion Waiters’ usage rate is over 30 percent without Kevin Durant.
– Nick Young‘s usage rate is over 30 percent in the Lakers’ situation.
– Brandon Knight‘s usage rate is over 30 percent as well, as the offense will run through him against the Lakers.
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.
