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 6,600 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.
There is a lot of news that will affect lineups tonight, stay informed before tip.
Point Guard
John Wall, Washington Wizards $9,300
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls $7,000
Darren Collison, Sacramento Kings $7,000
Cheap Plays:
Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls $3,000
Shooting Guard
Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans $8,400 (if Jrue Holiday is out)
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors $7,700
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards $6,300
Gerald Henderson, Charlotte Hornets $5,100
Cheap Plays:
Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers $3,500 (if Kobe sits)
Gary Neal, Charlotte Hornets $3,000
Small Forward
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Hornets $5,600
Matt Barnes, Los Angeles Clippers $4,900
Paul Pierce, Washington Wizards $4,600
Cheap Plays:
Robbie Hummel, Minnesota Timberwolves $3,400 (if he starts)
Power Forward
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers $9,800
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks $6,500
LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers $9,700
Pau Gasol, Chicago Bulls $9,500
Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls $5,800
Cheap Plays:
No cheap plays at power forward today.
Center
Alex Len, Phoenix Suns $4,800
Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards $5,900
Cheap Plays:
Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans $3,700 (if Davis is out)
Notes
– If Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday are out again, they unlock value for Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, and Alexis Ajinca.
– Kirk Hinrich is the starter at shooting guard for the Bulls, and is the price minimum at point guard. He is an excellent pivot for those who wanted Brian Roberts‘ price at the minimum.
– Kidd-Gilchrist and Henderson each exceeded value in the last game, and look like focal points of the Hornets’ offense with Kemba Walker out.
– John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat is an excellent stack option for GPPs today as all three face the Sixers in an excellent matchup.
– Robbie Hummel earned 42 minutes in the Timberwolves’ last game and he notched 34.25 fantasy points. If he starts again today, he is a good option in GPPs for salary relief, but not in cash games with a tough matchup.
– Matt Barnes has crushed value in each of his last three games and has an excellent matchup against the Celtics, who do not defend the three point shot well.
Usage Rates
– If Holiday and Davis are out, Tyreke Evans’ usage rate is over 33 percent.
– If DeMarcus Cousins is out, Rudy Gay‘s usage rate is over 30 percent.
– Al Jefferson returns, and has a high usage rate without Kemba Walker, but it is his first game back from injury.
– Gary Neal’s usage rate is over 30 percent when Kemba Walker is not on the floor.
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
