Mandatory Credit: David Richard-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”. Sacramento Kings’ SF Rudy Gay flies high as Friday’s top Daily Fantasy Basketball play.
Let’s rip it up.
HIGH FIVE:
Point Guard: Isaiah Thomas, SAC ($8,200): As just the fifth highest priced PG of the night, Thomas not only represents an excellent value at his price, but has a great chance to outscore the players above him given the situation in Sacramento tonight.
For starters, the Sacramento Kings will be without their leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins, who has been suspended. This means that Thomas will be expected to take on a bigger share of the offensive output, a role he has performed well in during Cousins’ past absences.
The fact that he’ll be doing this against a Los Angeles Lakers team that ranks just 21st in recent weeks vs. PGs, and in a game with the highest over/under of the night, that expects to be close only adds to rosterability.
Shooting Guard: Gordon Hayward, UTA ($6,8000): Shooting guard is basically a collection of mid-range and low-tier options tonight, so why not roster Hayward against the Cleveland Cavaliers? The Cavs will be without two of their more preferred backcourt options in Dion Waiters and C.J. Miles, and Hayward will be matching up against Jarrett Jack.
Hayward’s scores have been as volatile as any other SG available tonight, so we can look past that and instead focus on the fact that he’s had four 40+FP games in his last eight, including a near triple-double 40.5 FP in his most recent game. Hayward’s value threshold is 34 FPs vs. the Cavs. I think he gets that and has 45 FP upside tonight.
Small Forward: Rudy Gay, SAC ($8,100): Yes, Kevin Durant will probably be the highest scoring SF of the night, but unless he gets 60.5 FPs, he’s not worth the price. Enter Rudy Gay.
Gay has been magnificent in games in which Cousins hasn’t played and should do so again tonight in a close and high scoring game vs. a Los Angeles Lakers’ squad that ranks dead last at defending the SF position. I’m guessing that Gay exceeds the 40.5 FPs that he’ll need for value tonight.
Power Forward: Pau Gasol, LAL ($8,600): There are several way to take advantage of DeMarcus Cousins being out tonight, and Paul Gasol is just another. Not only has Gasol been playing well lately, having topped 30 FPs in each of his last four, but he will be by far the most talented big on the court against the Sacramento Kings, who rank just 21st in recent weeks vs. PFs.
Gasol needs 43 FPs to hit value tonight, and should do so in a high scoring game on a salary that could allow you to take advantage of some of the players who spend up for Carmelo Anthony.
Center: Marc Gasol, MEM (7,100): Some of the higher-priced options above Gasol also represent nice plays tonight, but for me, it’s all about a player’s ability to reach value. With Gasol only needing 35.5 FPs to achieve value, and having topped that number twice in his last three games, I like his chances to do so again vs. OKC. The Oklahoma City Thunder rank just 21st vs. opposing centers in recent weeks and will be without their biggest body, Kendrick Perkins, which should allow Gasol all the opportunity in the world to hit value.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
low five:
Point Guard: Ishmael Smith, PHX ($4,200): This play is dependent on whether or not Goran Dragic suits up tonight, but with Dragic listed as questionable, I’m thinking Smith gets another start tonight vs. the Utah Jazz.
Smith needs 21 FPs to reach value and has crushed that number in three out of the last four games. Monitor this situation, and if Dragic sits, don’t hesitate to roster Smith.
Shooting Guard: Kent Bazemore, LAL ($3,900): The Lakers have been playing Bazemore a lot lately. He’s averaged over 30 minutes over his last four, including 39 minutes in each of the last two games. The playing time should once again be there for Bazemore and with those minutes he shouldn’t have a problem making good on his value threshold of just 19.5 FPs.
Small Forward: Wesley Johnson, LAL ($5,100): Not a crazy value play tonight, but a value play nonetheless. Johnson has been getting minutes in Los Angeles and has scored the ball well in his last two games. Tonight’s game figures to be pretty high scoring, so the points will have to come from somewhere and I think Johnson gets more than a few of them.
Value is 25.5 FPs for Johnson, and while I’m not entirely sure he hits that, I think 20 or so is a reasonable expectation.
Power Forward: Derrick Williams, SAC ($4,000): Derrick Williams should be the biggest beneficiary of DeMarcus Cousins absence tonight among the post players in Sacramento. Williams will need 20 FPs for value and shouldn’t have a problem getting near that against the Los Angeles Lakers and their middling defense vs. opposing PFs.
Center: Alexis Ajinca, NO ($4,200): I recommended Ajinca here a few days ago with Anthony Davis in the lineup and he paid off. With Davis questionable for tonight’s game, I really like Ajinca. Either way, whether Davis plays or not, I think Ajinca makes an excellent play at the center position with three straight games over 25 minutes and an FP average that’s well above the 21 FPs he’ll need to get value.
Thank you and good luck tonight !!!
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