Point Guard
Isaiah Canaan ($3800, 20.6 USG) – Nik Stauskas has already been ruled out for a week meaning an uptick in minutes for both Robert Covington and Isaiah Canaan. Canaan was the one who replaced Stauskas at shooting guard on Monday so that’s likely to be the case again tonight against Boston. The matchup isn’t ideal going up against a solid defender in Avery Bradley, but I think the upside Canaan provides at such a cheap price is worth the gamble. He averages 2.3 three pointers made per game, which is a plus on a site like DraftKings (0.5 points bonus for 3PM). I think there’s only 2 real value plays tonight at the PG position: Canaan and Chalmers. Chalmers costs you $300 more and will be getting fewer minutes, leaning me to favor Canaan.
Shooting Guard
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ($4000, 12.6 USG) – RHJ has finally had his price tag catch up to him, but still not enough to waver off. He’s been hovering around $3200-$3400 throughout the season making him a value darling to most sharks on DraftKings. Don’t let the small bump in price scare you off. Lionel Hollins is really falling in love with his rookie small forward (Shooting Guard on DraftKings). He’s played 31 minutes in back to back games averaging 35.3 DK points in both. He’s been awesome to watch on defense (8 steals over his last two games), but the task tonight of covering Kevin Durant is a different kind of monster. He’s easily the Nets best option to guard KD so the minutes should be there as long as he stays out of foul trouble. Oh, and how can you not root for a guy that a tattoo of himself on his back?
Small Forward
Robert Covington ($4800, 25.7 USG) – He was just mentioned here and worth mentioning again. I’m gonna keep telling ya this, he won’t be this cheap again. Covington is so valuable to this Sixers team as it stands and more so now that Stauskas is injured. He finally seems over the knee injury that cost him 2 weeks, averaging 33.5 minutes (33.5 DK points) over his last 2. Boston allows the 2nd most steals to opposing Small Forwards. Covington has had at least one (averaging 1.8) in every game he’s played this season. He’s gonna grab you rebounds, hit threes and play over 30 minutes. I like Casspi tonight as well if the Kings decide to go small but Covington is the preferred play of the two.
Power Forward
Luis Scola ($4800, 20.2 USG) – We always like to stress opportunity in DFS. You can be an effective and talented player, but if opportunity doesn’t give you the chance to succeed and show off your skills, you’re not going to produce for us fantasy players. Scola is exactly the kind of player than can make the most of an increase in minutes, but not the most thrilling player to watch. The Toronto Raptors will be without Jonas Valanciunas (hand) and are going to be in dire need of scoring near the paint. Toronto scores 109.2 points per 100 possessions with Jonas on the court compared to 96.7 without him. That’s a direct correlation to Bismack Biyombo‘s inept offensive game. I think Dwane Casey will try and exploit Kevin Love‘s defense inside and also give Scola minutes at center when Biyombo sits. Bismack is going to be a popular play tonight (and rightfully so at only $4000), but I believe Scola will benefit most and make a great GPP play, likely being lesser owned.
Center
Kosta Koufos ($4200, 14.7 USG) – DeMarcus Cousins is out tonight with back spasms sliding Koufos into the starting lineup for the Kings. Willie Cauley-Stein and Koufos are both listed as projected starts tonight meaning Koufos will be playing PF, a position that the Bucks are very friendly against (51.4 average DK points against). The center position has plenty of appealing options tonight at the top that aren’t that expensive so I might go that route or just play 2 using Koufos as my UTL. MIL is 29th in Defensive efficiency (26th against PF, 24th against C). I’d much prefer Boogie being active and using him instead but his absence brings lots of USG increase and great plays across the board; Rondo, Gay and Koufos being my favorites.
Featured Image Credit: by flickr user ReneS (flickr) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
