Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-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”. New Orleans Pelicans’ PF Anthony Davis flies high as Monday’s top Daily Fantasy Basketball play of the night.
Let’s rip it up.
HIGH FIVE:
Point Guard: Stephen Curry, GS ($9,900): It’s Stephen Curry vs. the Philadelphia 76ers, so there shouldn’t be much I should have to say to coax you into making this pick tonight. The Sixers are horrible against the PG position and Stephen Curry is, for the most part, matchup proof. The only possible drawback in this matchup is the blowout risk, but with the way the Sixers give up points, three quarters should be more than enough time for Curry to get his. If you can’t look past the blowout risk or the price, I like Brandon Jennings, DET ($8,500) at home against the San Antonio Spurs.
Shooting Guard: Lance Stephenson, IND ($7,500): After missing one game, Stephenson returned against Orlando to lead the Indiana Pacers in minutes once again, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists — good for 30.3 FPs. Tonight, he’ll take on a Denver Nuggets squad that is 19th versus opposing SGs and against whom he had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists earlier this year. Similar output in tonight’s game should be no issue. As such, Stephenson should be a lock for 35-40 FPs, with his ceiling slightly higher. Another fine, albeit more expensive, top-tier option on tonight’s slate is Houston Rocket’s SG James Harden, ($8,600). He’ll be facing the 23rd-ranked Minnesota Timberwolves defense in what should be a hotly contested, high-scoring affair.
Small Forward: Paul George, IND ($8,100): It seems like it’s been forever since Paul George has reached value, and it kind of has been — nine games to be exact. That said, there are scarier things happening among the top-tier SFs available tonight, like Josh Smith vs. the Spurs and “Will Chandler Parsons get 20 or 40 FPs ?” If I’m spending at SF tonight, I’m avoiding both those situations and playing George against the Nuggets who rank 29th vs. the SF, and are fresh off a game in which they gave up 60 FPs to Josh Smith. I think there is value to be had at the SF position tonight, so I probably won’t be spending up here, but if I was, George is the only top-tier guy that I remotely trust with my money tonight.
Power Forward: Anthony Davis, NO ($9,800): I’d love to tell you to play Kevin Love, MIN ($11,300). If he suits up, I think he’ll have a wonderful game against the Rockets, but after Saturday night, I’m not entirely confident that he does. That said, I’ll avoid the risk and save myself $1,500 on my rosters and play Anthony Davis who has a nice matchup himself vs. a Toronto Raptors front court that ranks just 21st against the PF position in recent weeks. Davis comes into tonight’s game having scored over 40 FPs in seven straight and should be a lock to continue that tonight against a team that is below the league average in regards to the amount of rebounds and blocks that they give up — two areas which Davis accelerates.
Center: Andre Drummond, DET ($8,500)/ Dwight Howard, HOU ($9,100): Both of these men are fine plays for tonight’s games, and who you choose could and should come down to whose salary fits better in the lineups that you are creating. Dwight’s probably got the higher upside of the two and that is reflected in his price, but judging by their last 10 games, I trust Drummond’s floor a little more. Drummond’s matchup is also a bit better, given that the San Antonio Spurs are yielding the seventh most points to opposing centers over the last two weeks. The Spurs will also be without Tiago Splitter, leaving thme without any talented size to matchup against Drummond. On Dwight’s end, I don’t think Ronny Turiaf will pose much of a problem for the Rockets’ center. My only worry is that occasionally Dwight likes to put up the 25-30 FP fantasy stinker that is unforgivable at a salary of $9,100. Gun to the head, I’m probably choosing Drummond here, but wouldn’t fault anyone for going with “Superman”.
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
low five:
Point Guard: Jerryd Bayless, BOS ($4,300)/ Tony Wroten, PHI ($4,900): Both these guys should reach value and then some tonight. Bayless will be seeing increased production tonight given the extra run he’ll have with Rajon Rondo declared out for tonight’s game. Meanwhile, Wroten should get extra minutes in an expected high scoring blowout vs. Golden State. I played Wroten last night in my cash games for that exact reason and it paid off. Expect Bayless to be the more highly-owned of the two tonight, and thus the safer play, while Wroten will be the less owned, sneakier play of the two, which perhaps makes him best suited for tournament play.
Shooting Guard: Evan Fournier, DEN ($3,500): With word out of Denver that the Nuggets will be without star PG Ty Lawson, Fournier should see enough extra run to exceed value this evening vs. the Indiana Pacers, despite not starting. Given the serious blowout potential this game now has, coming off the bench could actually increase Fournier’s playing time with the possibility of the second unit getting extra run in a blowout.
Small Forward: Chase Budinger, MIN ($3,700): Kevin Martin is out for the foreseeable future and so long as that’s the case, Budinger will be starting for the Minnesota Timberwolves. At such a low salary, and a value threshold of just 18.5 FPs, reaching value should not be a problem tonight in a high scoring game. Expect 20-25 FPs.
Also consider: Kyle Singler, DET ($3,900)
Power Forward: Boris Diaw, SAN ($4,300): Tiago Splitter is out tonight for the Spurs, and as a result, Diaw should see close to 30 minutes and produce 20-25 FPs, just as he’s done most nights when receiving that kind of run.
Center: Zaza Pachulia, MIL ($4,300)/ Larry Sanders, MIL($5,400): This pick is largely dependent on whether or not Sanders plays tonight, but either make a fine pick against a Boston Celtics team that ranks 29th vs. opposing centers over the past 15 days. Keep your eyes and ears on Twitter for whether or not Sanders is going and adjust your roster accordingly.
Thank you and good luck tonight !!!