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.
-$30,000 prize pool.
– First place wins $5,000.
– $2 entry fee.
– Top 4,000 finishing positions are paid.
– Starts today at 1:00 PM EST.
– Salary Cap Style Drafting. $50,000 to select 9 spots. 8 players.
– Roster Format: 1 PG, 1 SG, 1 SF, 1 PF, 1 C, 1 G, 1 F, 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
Mo Williams, CHA $4,800
Elfrid Payton, ORL $5,500
Cheap Plays:
Reggie Jackson, DET $3,500
Isaiah Canaan, PHI $3,000
Shooting Guard
Monta Ellis, DAL $7,100
Gerald Henderson, CHA $5,600
Avery Bradley, BOS $5,100
Cheap Plays:
Dion Waiters, OKC $3,500
Evan Fournier, ORL $4,200 (if he starts)
Small Forward
LeBron James, CLE $10,200
DeMarre Carroll, ATL $5,200
Al-Farouq Aminu, DAL $4,500
Cheap Plays:
Danilo Gallinari, DEN $4,400
Jerami Grant, PHI $3,400
Power Forward
Serge Ibaka, OKC $6,600
Nerlens Noel, PHI $5,600
Ed Davis, LAL $5,200
Robert Covington, PHI $6,200
Cheap Plays:
Andrea Bargnani, NYK $3,400
Center
Nikola Vucevic, ORL $8,400
Timofey Mozgov, CLE $5,200
Enes Kanter, OKC $5,200
Tyler Zeller, BOS $4,900
Cheap Plays:
No cheap plays at center today.
Notes (important)
– Tobias Harris is questionable, if he cannot go Evan Fournier is a nice play.
– If Durant is unable to go again, Russell Westbrook becomes a must play.
– Keep an eye on those who will be playing for the first time with a new team today. These players may not play as many minutes as you may hope.
– For players who are playing their second game with a new team, feel free to deploy them as needed. These players are Mo Williams and Enes Kanter.
Usage Rates
– With so many teams having new rotations, usage rates will be hard to find at the moment. Once rotations settle, it will be easier to use that research.
– Langston Galloway‘s usage rate without Carmelo Anthony is 23.5 percent.
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.
