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
Chris Paul, LAC $9,200
Damian Lillard, POR $8,700
John Wall, WAS $8,900
Darren Collison, SAC $6,500
Isaiah Thomas, PHO $5,400 (GPP-only)
Cheap Plays:
J.J. Barea, DAL $3,400
Brian Roberts, CHA $4,500
Shooting Guard
Jamal Crawford, LAC $5,000
Eric Bledsoe, PHO $8,000 (GPP-only)
Wesley Matthews, POR $6,000
Cheap Plays:
Gerald Henderson, CHA $4,000
Ben McLemore, SAC $3,900 (GPP-only)
Small Forward
LeBron James, CLE $10,500
Chandler Parsons, DAL $5,700
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, CHA $5,500
Cheap Plays:
Matt Barnes, LAC $4,200
Al-Farouq Aminu, DAL $4,000 (GPP-only)
Power Forward
Blake Griffin, LAC $9,400
LaMarcus Aldridge, POR $9,400
Dirk Nowitzki, DAL $6,200
Markieff Morris, PHO $5,900 (GPP-only)
Cheap Plays:
Kris Humphries, WAS $4,600 (GPP-only)
Center
DeMarcus Cousins, SAC $10,600 (GPP-only)
Al Jefferson, CHA $7,600
DeAndre Jordan, LAC $7,800
Robin Lopez, POR $4,400
Cheap Plays:
Alex Len, PHO $3,200
Chris Kaman, POR $3,500 (GPP-only)
Notes (important)
– Kemba Walker is out, giving a bump to Al Jefferson and Henderson/Kidd-Gilchrist.
– Rajon Rondo is out, keep an eye on who starts for Dallas, but it is likely Barea.
– J.J. Redick is all but out, Jamal Crawford becomes a great play in his absence.
– Each game is within a spread of five points, so no projected blowouts to worry about.
– The only game with an over/under of below 200 points is Washington and Charlotte.
– The Wizards and Mavericks are playing on a back-to-back.
Usage Rates
– No outstanding usage rates 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.
