Daily Fantasy Basketball: Rockets’ Dwight Howard is top play on Wednesday
By John Hillier
Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports
HIGH FIVE/low five
Daily Fantasy can be quite the grind ! Let us do the grinding for you with “High Five/Low Five”. Each day, we help put you in the money by presenting you with FIVE of the “top-tier” plays, as well as a quick list of FIVE “value plays”. Rockets’ center Dwight Howard leads today’s list of the top plays; for a look at how last night’s picks fared scroll to the bottom of the article.
Let’s rip it up. Today’s HIGH FIVE:
Point Guard: Mike Conley, MEM ($7,500): The price is right for Magic Mike tonight when the Grizzlies take on a Kings’ team that may be without starting PG Isaiah Thomas. In two games versus Sacramento this year, Conley has averaged 22.5 points and 7.5 assists, including 25 and six against them earlier this month in a game in which he had 39.4 FPs. A similar performance tonight would put him above value. At the very least, expect value.
Also consider: Brandon Jennings, MIL ($7,600)
Shooting Guard: Bradley Beal, WAS ($6,800): Beal has been on a nice hot streak lately, going over 30 FPs in four out his last five games, averaging 17.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists in that span. Tonight, he faces a Clippers squad who has been near the very bottom of the league versus SGs for much of the season and should be a good bet to replicate his recent success.
Also consider: Tyreke Evans, NO ($6,900)
Small Forward: LeBron James, MIA ($10,400): Somewhat of an obvious play — along with Durant — but I like James a bit better tonight, given his lower price and tendency to show up for the biggest games. I’m thinking King James will be looking to prove that he is still “The King” and should pump out a better version of his usually stellar all around game. For the price, he’ll outperform Durant. Choose “The Chosen One”.
Also consider: Trevor Ariza, WAS ($6,900)
Power Forward: Dirk Nowitzki, DAL ($8,000): There may be a couple higher scoring PFs out there tonight, but for the money, I’m betting on Dirk. Not only is Houston one of the worst teams at defending the PF position, but they’re also a team that Dirk has had much success against recently. In three games against the Rockets this year, Dirk has averaged 29.3 points 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists, with his best game against them being a 35-point effort at home, which is where tonight’s game will be played. Hit ’em up.
Also consider: Terrence Jones, HOU ($7,000)
Center: Dwight Howard, HOU ($8,800): Dwight is the definite top play at center tonight. This game has a great over/under of 211, projects to be close, and given Dallas’ ranking versus Cs over the past few weeks (3rd), I suspect he may be under-owned. Fear not, in three games versus the Mavs this season, Howard has averaged 25 points and 14 rebounds, including 33 points and 11 rebounds last time these two teams met in Dallas. Take advantage of his price being lower than usual and roster with confidence.
low five:
Point Guard: Jerryd Bayless, BOS ($3,800): With Rajon Rondo expected to miss tonight’s game in Philadelphia, Bayless moves very close to “must play” territory against a horrible Sixers defense. In the last three games in which he’s played over 20 minutes, Bayless has crushed value. If Rondo sits tonight, Bayless should be a lock for +25 FPs
Also consider: Brian Roberts, NO ($4,600)/Nate Robinson ($4,200)
Shooting Guard: Ben McLemore, SAC ($3,800)/Gerald Henderson, CHA ($5,700): McLemore will be a great play if IT2 doesn’t suit up and Henderson’s price seems just right to hit value against a Denver team that is ranked 25th over the past couple of weeks against SGs, in what should be one of the night’s higher scoring contests.
Also strongly consider: Marco Belinelli, SA ($4,600)
Small Forward: Corey Brewer, MIN ($4,800): Brewer has been consistently getting nearly 30 minutes a game recently and has been performing well, topping 20 FPs in his last four games. He should have no problem doing that again tonight.
Power Forward: Boris Diaw ($3,900): Fresh of a 42.2 FP night, Diaw faces a Bulls squad that is likely to be without Joakim Noah. Over his last four games, Diaw has been averaging well over 20 FPs. More of the same tonight and he’s crushing his value.
Center: Ronny Turiaf, MIN ($3,500)/Jonas Valanciunas, TOR ($5,000): With Pekovic out, Turiaf becomes the top cheap play at his position and his certainly capable of reaching 15-20 FPs with 25 FP upside. Jonas, on the other hand is coming off back to back +30 FP games and takes on a Magic squad who has had a hard time against opposing Cs without Nikola Vucevic. Edit: Vucevic will suit up tonight, so bump down Valanciunas.
Thank you and good luck tonight !!!
About Last NIght:
Typically, in your cash games on FanDuel.com you’re going to want to shoot for a score of approximately 300 FPs, as a score in this range will put you in the money in cash games such as Double Ups and 50/50s on almost any given night. Using this number as our goal, we are able to establish the “value threshold” (VT) or # of FPs a player needs to “reach value” for their salary on any given day in order to achieve the ideal score of 300. If we then compare their VT with their “actual FPs” (AFP) and illustrate that as a %, we are able to grade each player or pick. Just as in winning, 1.000 is optimal.
HIGH FIVE:
Stephen Curry, GS ($10,100): VT: 50.5 AFP: 33.4 %: .661
Lance Stephenson, IND ($7,800): VT: 39.0 AFP: 44.8 %: 1.149
Paul George, IND ($9,100): VT: 45.5 AFP: 31.0 %: .683
Tim Duncan, SA ($8,000): VT: 41.0 AFP: 38.8 %: .946
Andre Drummond. DET ($7,700) VT: 38.5 AFP: 38.4 %: .997
Overall %: .847
low five:
Brian Roberts, NO ($4,600): VT: 23.0 AFP: 21.8 %: .947
Rodney Stuckey, DET ($4,500): VT: 22.5 AFP: 22.6 %: .1.004
James Johnson, MEM ($5,200): VT: 26.0 AFP: 9.7 %: .373
Nene Hilario, WAS ($6,400): VT: 32.0 AFP: 30.4 %: .950
Tyson Chandler, NYK ($5,100): VT: 25.5 AFP: 27.6 %: 1.082
Overall %: .869
TOTAL OVERALL %: .856
A few disappointments in last night’s games, but with the scores needed to cash in the five and ten-dollar Double Up and 50/50 games needing to only be in the high 250s to low 260s and around 270 for Triple Up games, there were too many roster options from our picks to list that would’ve cashed easily. Winner winner !!!