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Point Guard
Kemba Walker $16,350
There really are a lot of ways to go at point guard, and I think Kemba is a way to go that has crazy upside and a decent amount of safety. First of all, Walker and the Hornets are MUCH better at home, and I think they can actually keep this game relatively competitive heading into the 4th quarter. Walker gets a match up with Curry that will give him plenty of opportunity, and if his shot is falling, he will have a big night. Outside of Curry, he could see looks from Klay Thompson, who is a better defender, but not shutdown by any means. This game has a 223 over/under with the Warriors -9, which puts the Hornets team total around 105. If the Hornets score 105 points, I assure you, you will want to have Walker in your lineups. There is no chance they can stay with the Warriors unless Walker has a monster game. He is more of a tournament option, but I do see the merit in cash games.
Goran Dragic $15,250
This is the same drill we have been running for a while now. Who’s playing the Nets? Ok, let’s play that PG and C. The Nets are a horrid defense, and the pace they play at hurts them more than it helps. The Heat usually play at slow pace, so this uptick in possessions could cause some huge games. Dragic is one of my favorite Heat players tonight, and should be a virtual lock for 40 in cash games. Spencer Dinwiddie and Sean Kilpatrick are both poor defenders, and Dragic will eat up both. He is priced fairly, sitting just above 15k. The upside is there for much more than 40 from Dragic, and he has shown that a few times already this season. You can target the Dragon in cash games and tourneys.
Shooting Guard
Dion Waiters $11,550
Wow, what a performance. Dion Waiters embodied Michael Jordan for a night, and absolutely dominated the Warriors. While I’m not too sure we can predict another huge game like that, we can look for a solid 30. The Nets are the optimal match up for Waiters, as they play fast and give up a lot of open outside shots. Waiters will see a plethora of defenders, but none of which scare me off in the slightest of ways. He is still below 12k on DraftDay, and only needs about 26 to hit value. It goes unsaid, but the upside is obviously there. Waiters and Dragic are both great plays in cash games, but I do like Waiters a tad more if you only want 1.
Norman Powell $5,750
Demar Derozan will sit at least 1 more game, and Norman Powell will presumably get the start. He had a nice game last night, finishing with 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. he also added a block and 2 steals, which put him at 30 fantasy points. He destroyed value against a tough defense last night, and I expect the same tonight. The minutes will be there, and he has shown his willingness to initiate offense and drive to the hole. That gives him some nice upside, and at such a low price, you have to give him a long hard look. The Memphis defense is certainly tough, but I do think he ends up seeing the worst defender on the court, whoever that ends up being. I expect them to put Tony Allen on Lowry, and things could get weird from there. All in all, get some exposure to Powell.
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Small Forward
Jimmy Butler $17,700
There are some ways to pay way up tonight, but not many guys in this range. Butler gives you the upside of the super expensive guys at a much lower price. Thabo Sefolosha is definitely a skilled defender, but doesn’t hold a light to Jimmy Butler and his tools. Butler has the ability to take over this game, and I expect him to do so against an Eastern Conference contender. Butler has been a bit up and down lately, but the flashes of upside have definitely remained. With all of that being said, this is the 3rd game in 5 days for the Bulls and Butler could definitely be tired. Make sure you keep an eye on Twitter as the day winds on. If Butler is confirmed in, I will have a lot of exposure. He is young, and I doubt it could affect his play. I am more concerned with limitations due to coaching restrictions.
Jae Crowder $12,800
Jae Crowder and the Celtics took on the Wizards last night, and lost a very exciting game. Crowder was his usual self, finishing with 28 fantasy points on 17 points, 3 dimes and 6 boards. Crowder is a very versatile forward, which gives him much more safety against a team like the Rockets. Trevor Ariza is a decent man to man defender, but this Rockets team switches so often that you will rarely see the same defenders finish on who they started the play covering. Crowder is the ultimate safe way to go at small forward, and I don’t see any way he doesn’t get to at least 25 FP’s. The game should be pretty fast, and the peripherals will be up for grabs. You can have as much exposure as you want in both cash games and tourneys.
Power Forward
James Johnson $9,950
We are going to be targeting a lot of Miami Heat tonight. Johnson is already the 3rd guy we will look at. James Johnson is the do-it-all guy for the Heat, which stands out against the Nets. They give up a boatload of peripherals, which suits his game extremely well. Johnson is a guy who derives his upside on rebounds and assists, which should be everywhere tonight. He will also play some backup point guard, where he was very good against the Warriors. I see the Nets deploying Bogdanovic or RHJ on Johnson, and he will be able to beat both. The Nets put up a lot of shots, and most never quite make it through the rim. Johnson is a safe bet for cash games and I will have 100% exposure there. In tournaments, he is an elite play as well.
Nerlens Noel $8,700
Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor both sat yesterday, and Noel took advantage with 45 fantasy points. If you are new to DFS, Nerlens Noel is a guy who used to play big minutes on a regular basis and was a solid points per minutes guy. He is now insanely cheap, and getting big minutes. Okafor is expected to miss again, aid if he does, you have to play Noel. He is a stone cold lock for value at this price, and legitimately has the chance to hit 50 here. He will see a lot of defense from Greg Monroe, who is probably the worst defender in basketball. That is probably a bit much, but he is terrible. Just watch this game. Noel can be played in all formats, and is a must play if Okafor is ruled out.
Center
Steven Adams $11,800
If you want to pay down in cash games, you have to give a look to Steven Adams. He looks to be fully healthy, and will absolutely be needed tonight. He is the only one with a remote chance of stopping AD, as Kanter and Sabonis will get embarrassed every single play. The Pelicans haven’t been good against centers, giving up the 6th most rebounds and 8th most real life points. Adams is priced way down, and he should see 35 minutes here. I don’t see any chance he isn’t in at least 50% of my cash games, and that is saying a lot.
DeMarcus Cousins $19,000
All of these expensive guys should be relatively low owned, as there are a lot of ways to go in that range. Cousins is one of my favorites, as he will be taking on a very good team on the road. That may seem like a bad situation, but Boogie is no normal player. He tends to excel in spots like these, and I think he shows out. He has something to prove right now, and he really wants to get out of Sacramento. Games like this give him a chance to show what he has, and Cousins is one of the only players I would consider something like this for. He derives a lot of his game on emotions, and getting a gauge on those could give you a slight edge. He also has a good match up, as Tristan Thompson will have a ton of trouble staying with him on the perimeter. Channing Frye and Kevin Love will also have to guard him at times, and that could get pretty fun. I think this game stays close, and maybe LeBron persuades Boogie to take a pay cut and switch jerseys at halftime. Hey one can dream.
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