There is value galore across Monday’s eight-game slate in the NBA. With so many cheap players set up to potentially thrive, we can also set out sights on a few stars who could shine.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 2/6/19
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
The hot topic in the NBA is Thursday’s trade deadline. Some keys moves have already been made with potentially more in the works. While we wait to see things unfold, we have seven games to select cheap value plays from Wednesday. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NBA Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
POINT GUARDS
Bryn Forbes, SA at GS
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,300
The Spurs are the poster child for cheap value plays Wednesday. Not only will they be missing three players from their depth chart, but they are three of their best ones in DeMar DeRozan (rest), LaMarcus Aldridge (rest) and Derrick White (heel). On the offensive end, those three average a combined 52.1 points per game. Forbes’ average of 12.1 points per game ranks fourth on the team behind DeRozan, Aldridge and Rudy Gay (14.2), so expect him to see more shot attempts in this game.
Patty Mills, SA at GS
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,200
Mills enters this contest having averaged 13.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and one steal across his last seven games. He can score in bunches, so he too should be tasked with helping to offset the absences of DeRozan and Aldridge. The Warriors play at the 10th-fastest pace (101.8 possessions per game) in the league, which should also help increase Mills’ upside.
SHOOTING GUARDS
Malik Beasley, DEN at BKN
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,700
The Nuggets have already ruled out Gary Harris (groin) on Wednesday, which should leave Beasley with another start. They could also be without Jamal Murray (ankle) and Paul Millsap (ankle), who are both listed as questionable. With Beasley averaging 20.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals across his last seven games, look for him to once again cash in on his added playing time.
Marco Belinelli, SA at GS
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,000
The veteran Belinelli is only averaging 22 minutes a game, which would be his lowest mark since the 2014-15 season. Ironically, that was the final season of his first stint with the Spurs. His overall numbers don’t stand out, but he has been more productive lately by averaging 14.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists across his last 13 games. Despite his lack of defensive contributions, he’s yet another Spur worth considering in tournament play.
SMALL FORWARDS
Darius Miller, NO at CHI
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,800
The Pelicans have the ability to change the landscape of the league by trading away Anthony Davis (finger). While they continue to field offers, they’ve kept Davis on the sidelines despite a recent report that he’s healthy enough to play. With Davis, Nikola Mirotic (calf), Julius Randle (ankle), Elfrid Payton (ankle) and E’Twaun Moore (quadriceps) all potentially out again, Miller should receive plenty of playing time. That’s key considering the Pelicans play at the sixth-fastest pace (103.1).
Davis Bertans, SA at GS
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,100
Yes, I’ve mentioned a lot of Spurs. But their situation Wednesday presents an opportunity to pounce on. Bertans already started their last game Monday against the Kings and scored 11 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal. In another start last week against the Suns, he recorded 18 points, five assists, four steals and a block. It’s hard to pass him up at this cheap price on both sites.
POWER FORWARDS
Marvin Williams, CHA at DAL
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,900
The Hornets looked to be closing in on a trade for Marc Gasol on Tuesday, but that deal has reportedly fallen apart. The two teams might still try to make a deal work, which could have a significant impact on the Hornets’ depth chart Wednesday. As long as Williams isn’t dealt, he’s someone to target against a Mavericks team that has very little size up front after their trade with the Knicks.
Kenrich Williams, NO at CHI
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,000
As long as the Pelicans remain shorthanded, Williams is a great option to consider. He’s logged at least 30 minutes in each of their last four games, which helped him to average 12.3 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and one block during that stretch. The Bulls are about as big of a dumpster fire as there is in the league right now, so expect Williams to at least approach a double-double again in this contest.
CENTERS
Mason Plumlee, DEN at BKN
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,400
Plumlee started in place of Millsap against the Pistons on Monday and came through with 15 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals across 33 minutes. That leaves him with averages of 10.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists over four games in which he has played at least 30 minutes. Even if Millsap does return, Plumlee could provide value in a bench role since the Nets allow the second-most DraftKings points per game and the third-most FanDuel points per game to opposing centers.
Jakob Poeltl, SA at GS
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $3,200
Ok, this is the final player on the Spurs that I’ll talk about. I promise. With Aldridge out, Pau Gasol and Poeltl will be left to carry the load at center. Gasol has logged at least 20 minutes in a game only two times over the last month, so don’t expect him to all of a sudden spend a ton of time on the floor. If this game were to be a blowout, that would also work in Poeltl’s favor since Gasol would likely be on the bench a lot in the second half. At such a cheap price, Poeltl could be a difference maker in tournament play.
Author Bio:
Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio and DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat.
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 2/4/19
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
There’s not a lot of action in the NBA on Monday with just six games on the schedule. However, with several teams battling injuries, there are still a lot of great cheap value play options. Let’s highlight a couple at each position that could prove to be profitable. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NBA Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
POINT GUARDS
Tim Frazier, NO vs. IND
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $3,900
With the trade deadline coming up this week, the Pelicans aren’t going to push any of their best players to rush back from injury. Elfrid Payton (ankle) will sit out once again, leaving a significant void at point guard. Frank Jackson has started three straight games with Payton sidelined, but Frazier has also seen an expanded role off the bench. Frazier averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and one steal across those three contests and is a great option despite this matchup against a tough Pacers’ defense.
Patty Mills, SA at SAC
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,100
Derrick White (heel) is going to sit out Monday, leaving the starting point guard spot up for grabs on the Spurs. Even if Mills doesn’t get the nod, he is going to see added playing time either way. The majority of Mills’ contributions come from the scoring column, which isn’t bad news for his prospects in this game considering the Kings play at the second-fastest pace (104.2 possessions per game) and are tied for the fourth-most points allowed per game (114.9) in the league.
SHOOTING GUARDS
Monte Morris, DEN at DET
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $6,000
Morris has started each of the last three games for the Nuggets with Jamal Murray (ankle) on the sidelines. To say he’s made the most of those starts would be an understatement considering he averaged 18.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.7 steals. If Murray is out again Monday, Morris makes for a great option despite his increasing price tag.
Malik Beasley, DEN at DET
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $5,500
Murray hasn’t been the only injured member of the Nuggets’ backcourt with Gary Harris (groin) also sidelined their last two games. However, unlike Murray, Harris has already been ruled out Monday. That should leave plenty of playing time for Beasley, who has averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists across 35 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes this season. His upside isn’t as high as Morris’ if Murray is out, but at his reduced price, Beasley is also an appealing option.
SMALL FORWARDS
Mikal Bridges, PHO vs. HOU
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,400
The Suns have a lot of wing players, but their positional log jam has been freed up a bit with T.J. Warren (ankle) and De’Anthony Melton (ankle) on the shelf. Elie Okobo has been starting in place of Melton at point guard, but Bridges has logged at least 35 minutes in all four games since Melton went down. Bridges has been extremely productive during that stretch, averaging 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.3 steals.
Darius Miller, NO vs. IND
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,800
Miller is another player who has benefited from the massive amount of injuries on the Pelicans. He’s been forced to start four of their last five games, leaving him to average 15.3 points, four rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals across those four contests. Considering the Pelicans play at the fifth-fastest pace (103.1) in the league, Miller should receive enough opportunities to provide value based on his expanded role.
POWER FORWARDS
Jeff Green, WAS vs. ATL
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,900
This is an extremely appealing game from a DFS perspective. Both the Wizards and Hawks are in the top-nine in pace of play and both allow at least 115.6 points per game. Keeping those stats in mind, you want to try and target a couple of the cheaper options in this game for your lineup. Not only is Green averaging 15.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists across his last 10 games, but he also averaged 17 points, 6.5 rebounds and four assists in two previous meeting with the Hawks this year.
Kenrich Williams, NO vs. IND
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,300
Things are so bad on the injury front for the Pelicans that their undrafted rookie Williams has been forced to log extended minutes. It’s hard to argue with the results, though, since he has averaged 13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and one block across their last three games. With so few healthy options to push him for playing time, taking a chance on him continuing his recent run of success is not a crazy idea in tournament play.
CENTERS
Brook Lopez, MIL at BKN
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $5,400
Targeting centers who face the Nets is usually a wise strategy since they allow the second-most DraftKings points per game and the third-most FanDuel points per game to the position. Lopez exploded for 24 points the first time these two teams met this season, which was a game played in Milwaukee. Look for him to shine once again in his return to his old stomping grounds in Brooklyn.
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL at WAS
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,600
Dedmon is playing well heading into this contest with averages of 13.3 points, seven rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks over his last seven games. This is another great matchup for him, especially with the Wizards’ lack of size up front. The only cause for concern with Dedmon is that the Hawks are likely shopping him with the trade deadline approaching Thursday. Just be sure to monitor the news leading up to this game to make sure he hasn’t been dealt yet.
Author Bio:
Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio and DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat.