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
Stephen Curry, GSW $10,300
Ty Lawson, DEN $8,000
D.J. Augustin, DET $6,200
Damian Lillard, POR $8,600
Darren Collison, SAC $6,400
Langston Galloway, NYK $5,300
Cheap Plays:
Marcus Smart, BOS $3,700 (if he starts)
Shooting Guard
Klay Thompson, GSW $8,500
Wesley Matthews, POR $5,800
Arron Afflalo, DEN $5,500
Cheap Plays:
Marcus Thornton, BOS $3,100 (if Avery Bradley is out)
Small Forward
Gordon Hayward, UTA $8,100
Draymond Green, GSW $7,500
Wilson Chandler, DEN $5,700
Cheap Plays:
K.J. McDaniels, PHI $4,300
Joe Ingles, UTA $4,300
Jerami Grant, PHI $3,000 (GPP-only)
Power Forward
Robert Covington, PHI $5,000
Kenneth Faried, DEN $6,200
Brandon Bass, BOS $5,200
Jason Smith, NYK $4,700
Cheap Plays:
Louis Amundson, NYK $3,700
Center
Hassan Whiteside, MIA $7,700
Andre Drummond, DET $7,800
Chris Bosh, MIA $7,800
Cheap Plays:
Jusuf Nurkic, DEN $4,400
Tyler Zeller, BOS $4,100 (if he starts)
Notes (important)
– Michael Carter-Williams may miss tonight’s game, which gives K.J. McDaniels and Robert Covington a boost.
– Lou Amundson and Jason Smith are underpriced, and if both start they are excellent options. Especially with tonight’s matchup against the Celtics.
– Golden State and Sacramento have the highest over/under in tonight’s slate at 217.5 points.
– Avery Bradley is questionable, so be sure to monitor the Celtics’ starting lineup. Should he sit, Marcus Thornton and Marcus Smart will receive boosts.
– The Nuggets’ bigs have an excellent matchup against the Sixers tonight, but be sure to check who is starting as a few missed the last game due to illness.
– Luol Deng is expected back tonight, so stay away from Danny Granger and James Ennis. Chris Bosh continues to have a boost with Dwyane Wade out.
– Stay away from LaMarcus Aldridge in cash games tonight, as the Jazz play at a very slow pace and have two elite rim defenders in Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert.
Usage Rates
– Chris Bosh‘ usage rate without Dwyane Wade is 32 percent.
– If Michael Carter-Williams is out, the top two usage rates on the Sixers are Robert Covington and K.J. McDaniels.
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.
