Tuesday brings a fairly quiet night in the NBA with only five games on the schedule. However, there is still a nice mix of high-priced stars and cheaper value plays in DFS.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for February 6 2020
The big headline Thursday in the NBA is the trade deadline. Teams are already wheeling and dealing, which could make for a fun afternoon. We also have a five-game evening slate in DFS that could be significantly impacted by trades.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for January 27 2020
Monday brings six games in the NBA, which doesn’t exactly leave us with a bevy of options in DFS.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for January 22 2020
We didn’t have much to get excited about Tuesday with only one game in the NBA, but things ramp back up Wednesday with 12 games on the schedule.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for January 6 2020
We have plenty of action on the schedule Monday with nine games in the NBA. Injuries will play a huge role in the slate, leaving other players to step into increased roles.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for December 2 2019
We have a six-game slate in the NBA on Monday, so we don’t exactly have a bevy of options to choose from in DFS. A few teams will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back set, so we’ll have to monitor for possible rest days, as well.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for October 28 2019
With a busy 11-game slate in the NBA on Monday, we have a bevy of options to choose from in DFS.
Read MoreNBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/26/18
*Mike Barner*
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/26/18
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POINT GUARDS
Dejounte Murray, SA vs. PHI
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,400
Murray has started the last three games at point guard for the Spurs since taking over the job from Tony Parker, averaging 12.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game. Murray is not going to provide big assist totals and is not a good three-point shooter, but he is going to provide added value with both rebounds and steals. The Sixers play at the second-fastest pace (102.8 possessions per game) in the league, leaving Murray with added opportunities to provide value Friday.
Milos Teodosic, LAC at MEM
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $4,700
Teodosic’s first season in the league has been a struggle due to injuries and inconsistent production when he has been able to take the floor. His shot has been off for large portions of the season as he is shooting just 38.3% from the field. However, he’s shown the ability to provide value, producing at least 12 points, five assists and three three-pointers in three of his last five games. At this cheap price, he could be worth taking a chance on in tournament play.
SHOOTING GUARDS
Wesley Matthews, DAL vs. POR
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $5,300
The Mavericks don’t have a lot of talent on their roster, which has left Matthews to average 34 minutes per game this season. That’s nothing unusual for Matthews though, who has averaged at least 33 minutes per game in each of the last eight seasons. He’s been productive of late, averaging 18.6 points, 3.4 points, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.8 three-pointers over his last five games. One of those games came against these same Trail Blazers when he scored 23 points in 38 minutes. The price is right to take a chance on him again in their rematch.
Zach LaVine, CHI vs. LAL
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,900
The Bulls have slowly increased LaVine’s minutes since he returned from a knee injury, topping out at 24 minutes in each of the last two games. He looked great in both contests, averaging 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 three-pointers. He could play 26-28 minutes Friday, which is significant news considering the Lakers play at the fastest pace (103.2) in the league. He’s an elite offensive talent who can provide upside even in limited minutes.
SMALL FORWARDS
Brandon Ingram, LAL at CHI
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $6,200
Ingram has missed some time recently due to an ankle injury but looks to be healthy now, playing 33 minutes Tuesday against the Celtics. He’s struggling to find his shot, shooting a combined 9-for-31 from the field in his last three games. However, Friday brings an excellent matchup against a Bulls team that is struggling defensively. Ingram played well against them in their first meeting earlier this season as well, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks. Don’t be surprised if Ingram gets himself back on track in this game.
Dillon Brooks, MEM vs. LAC
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $4,200
The injury bug has bitten the Grizzlies, who will be without JaMychal Green (ankle), Chandler Parsons (knee) and James Ennis III (calf) on Friday. To make matters worse, Jarrell Martin (knee, ankle) is also listed as questionable. The Grizzlies just need healthy bodies at this point, so Brooks should see plenty of playing time. Brooks has logged at least 27 minutes in each of his last six games, posting averages of 14.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.0 three-pointers per contest. He could provide significant upside at this dirt cheap price.
POWER FORWARDS
Kyle Kuzma, LAL at CHI
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $6,300
Kuzma can explode offensively in any game, which is exactly what he did scoring 28 points in 27 minutes Tuesday against a strong defensive team in the Celtics. He hit five three-pointers in that game and has made 15 three-pointers over his last five contests. The Bulls like to play small and have a lot of bigs who play around the perimeter, which is a perfect fit for Kuzma’s style of play. If Kuzma catches fire again in this game, he could significantly outproduce his price point.
Dirk Nowitzki, DAL vs. POR
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,500
Nowitzki is only averaging 25 minutes per game this year and is a shell of his former self offensively, scoring less than 10 points in four of his last five games. The Mavericks have been using him at center this season, but he’s only averaging 5.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per contest. There is hope for playing him Friday though as he played very well against these same Trail Blazers on Saturday, scoring 21 points on 8-of-12 from the field. He can score in a hurry like that still if his shot is falling and he won’t cost much, so he could be a sneaky tournament option to consider.
CENTERS
Enes Kanter, NY at PHO
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $6,900
Kanter went through a stretch where he was only seeing limited playing time, but he has logged at least 26 minutes in eight of his last nine games. He scored at least 15 points and grabbed at least seven rebounds in six of those eight games, continuing his recent success from earlier this season. The Suns have a lot of size and depth at center, so Kanter should see enough minutes again Friday to be worth considering for your entry.
Greg Monroe, PHO vs. NY
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $5,700
The Suns’ center rotation can be an extreme source of frustration, with really no consistency of who plays when. Monroe has managed to play both of the last two games, averaging 17.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per contest. Alex Len (ankle) did not play in the team’s last game Wednesday and is listed as questionable for Friday, so Monroe could get significant playing time again if he Len can’t play. Keep an eye on Len’s status throughout the day and get Monroe in your lineup if he does get ruled out.
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/17/18
*Mike Barner*
NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleepers for 1/17/18
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There are 10 games in the NBA on Wednesday, so there are a lot of options to wade through for your DFS entry. We took a look at some excellent options across the price scale in today’s article on Sports Illustrated. Now let’s dive even deeper into the schedule and see which cheap value plays can hopefully help you bring home some money.
POINT GUARDS
Ish Smith, DET at TOR
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $5,800
Smith continues to do an excellent job filling in for Reggie Jackson (ankle), averaging 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals in nine starts. He’s not a good three-point shooter, but he does only have six turnovers in his last seven games combined. With Jackson likely sidelined through the All-Star break, Smith’s playing time should be secure for the immediate future. At this reasonable price, he should be able to provide valuable production Wednesday.
Milos Teodosic, LAC vs. DEN
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,200
The Clippers continues to deal with injuries to their backcourt, leaving added minutes on the table for Teodosic. His numbers might not jump off the page, but he’s averaged a respectable 11.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.0 three-pointers in his last three games. Wednesday brings a favorable matchup against the Nuggets, who allow the third-most points per game to opposing point guards on both FanDuel and DraftKings. There is plenty of potential here to consider Teodosic for your entry.
SHOOTING GUARDS
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC vs. UTA
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,200
The Kings have changed up their starting lineup and deployed inconsistent rotations throughout the season, making many of their players a risky play in DFS. Bogdanovic has seen increased playing time lately, logging at least 30 minutes in five of his last six games. The good news is, the Kings recently announced they are going to start resting their veterans to open up minutes for their young players. That’s encouraging for Bogdanovic, who is averaging 14.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 three-pointers in the 11 games that he has played at least 30 minutes this season. With secure minutes likely on top again Wednesday, Bogdanovic could provide significant value.
Zach LaVine, CHI vs. GS
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,100
If you’ve watched LaVine play in the last two games, it’s hard to believe he missed almost a year with a knee injury. He shot a combined 12-for-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from behind the arc in those two contests. He’s still on a minutes restriction and is not expected to play more than 20 minutes again in this game. However, he has shown he can score even in limited minutes and the Bulls are going to need plenty of offense to keep up with the Warriors. His price is especially cheap on FanDuel, but he is priced low enough of both sites Wednesday to warrant consideration.
SMALL FORWARDS
Josh Richardson, MIA at MIL
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $6,200
The Heat have been decimated by injuries this season, the latest of which is Tyler Johnson (ankle) being listed as doubtful for Wednesday. Richardson has seen his playing time increase as a result, averaging 37 minutes in his last eight games. He’s made the most of the opportunity, averaging 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers over that same stretch. He could be one of the safest cheap options at small forward to provide value in this game.
Denzel Valentine, CHI vs. GS
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,600
The return of LaVine has moved Valentine to the bench, but he still managed to score 12 points to go along with seven rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes Monday against the Heat. His value will likely take a significant hit once LaVine’s minutes restriction is lifted, but you don’t have to worry about that Wednesday. This should be a high scoring game considering the Warriors play at the fourth-fastest pace (102.4 possessions per game) in the league, making Valentine someone to consider at this cheap price.
POWER FORWARDS
Montrezl Harrell, LAC vs. DEN
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,500
DeAndre Jordan (ankle) will be out again Wednesday, opening up added minutes for Harrell. Harrell has played at least 21 minutes in both of the last two games with Jordan out, averaging 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. In the last six games that Harrell has played at least 20 minutes, he is averaging 16.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.0 block. His price is especially appealing on DraftKings with increased playing time likely coming again Wednesday.
Nikola Mirotic, CHI vs. GS
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $5,600
Mirotic’s name has been mentioned heavily in trade rumors coming out of Chicago, which is no surprise considering how well he has played this season. Not only has he provided a spark off the bench for the Bulls, but he showed his ability to perform when it matters the most by scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter Monday against the Heat. The Warriors play at a fast pace and use a lot of small lineups, which is perfect for Mirotic’s style of play. He already mentioned how excited he is to face them, so look for Mirotic come up big in this game.
CENTERS
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR vs. DET
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,200
Valanciunas has excellent upside, which he has shown by scoring at least 15 points and grabbing at least 13 rebounds in three of his last six games. The problem is, he’s very inconsistent, scoring no more than eight points and grabbing five rebounds or fewer in two of the other three games. He just doesn’t get enough minutes many nights, but the good news is the Raptors may be forced to play him more than normal Wednesday against Andre Drummond. At this price, he might be worth the risk in tournament play.
Marcin Gortat, WAS at CHA
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,200
Gortat is similar to Valanciunas in that his inconsistent playing time makes him a risky play in DFS. He’s shown he can be productive when given the opportunity, averaging 12.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks in 13 games where he has played at least 30 minutes this season. He played 37 minutes in his first meeting with the Hornets this year, finishing with eight points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks. He should see added playing time again Wednesday while battling Dwight Howard, making him someone to consider for your entry.