Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-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”. Minnesota Timberwolves’ PF Kevin Love flies high as Saturday’s top Daily Fantasy Basketball play.
Let’s rip it up.
HIGH FIVE:
Point Guard: Isaiah Thomas, SAC ($8,200): Most of the top-tier PG options are in games with considerable blowout risk, so by proxy, they are also risky plays.
Thomas on the other hand is involved in what is expected to be the closest game of the night, as well as one of the highest scoring. The Minnesota Timberwolves are middle of the pack vs. opposing PGs and Thomas has been taking advantage of by most opponents, regardless of ranking. With 41 FPs needed to achieve value, and three games over that mark in his last four, Thomas should be a good bet for 40+ FPs.
Shooting Guard: Bradley Beal, WAS ($6,500): With blowout potential all over the board tonight, I feel good recommending Bradley Beal, who doesn’t quite have the value threshold of some of the other top plays, thus having an easier time hitting his value.
His value threshold for the evening is 32.5 FPs and in a high scoring game against a Philadelphia Sixers’ team that has allowed the second most points to opposing SGs in past weeks, hitting that number shouldn’t be a problem, even in a likely blowout. Roster Beal and expect at least 30 FPs.
Small Forward: Rudy Gay. SAC ($8,100): Lebron James is of course the top play at this position, but if I’m spending that type of money tonight, I feel better doing it on Kevin Love considering the likelihood of a blowout in Miami tonight. For that reason and the considerable discount on price, Gay is my top play here. As I mentioned with Isaiah Thomas, he’s playing in what should be the closest game, and a fairly high scoring one at that. Add in that Gay has topped 40 FPs in each of his last three, while playing well in general of late, and I think he’s a safe play in cash games given the likelihood he attains his value threshold of 40.5 FPs
Power Forward: Kevin Love, MIN ($11,500): Love is the top play on the board tonight without a doubt. He’s bested 60 FPs in three of his last four and takes on a Sacramento Kings’ team that is in the bottom of third of the league at defending PFs. Love put up 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in his only other meeting with Sacramento this year, and should do comparable damage again. I’ll be playing the Wolves’ power forward across the board and expecting 50+ FPs.
Center: Marcin Gortat, WAS ($7,200): I like the Gortat play here for similar reasons to why I liked his teammate Beal at SG — because I trust him more to hit value than I do the likes of Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins. Gortat has been really consistent lately, with six straight games over 30 FPs and is coming off arguably the best game of his career (53.9 FPs), when he was my recommended play on Thursday.
Value is 36 FPs tonight for the big man and I’m guessing he’ll be in that neighborhood vs. a Sixers’ team that is dead last in defending the center position.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
low five:
Point Guard: Will Bynum, DET ($4,400): I recommended Will Bynum a few days ago with Brandon Jennings in the lineup, so why not again tonight with the chance that Jennings (toe) could be out. Bynum has surpassed 20 FPs in six of seven games, and should do so again regardless of whether or not Jennings plays. If Jennings is indeed out, Bynum becomes a must play with 35-FP potential.
Also in play as PG punts tonight, are C.J. Watson, IND ($3,500), Aaron Brooks, DEN ($4,700) and Mo Williams, POR ($4,400)
Shooting Guard: James Anderson, PHI ($4,400)/Jared Dudley, LAC ($3,500): I’m always recommending James Anderson. I just think that he’s often enough a good bet to achieve value and when he doesn’t, he’s close enough that it doesn’t kill you.
Dudley, on the other hand, should see increased minutes with the injuries to Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick, and could possibly receive the start tonight, thus giving him a chance at increased production.
Other players that could be nice value here tonight, given the risk of blowout in their games are, Rodney Stuckey, DET ($4,400) and Will Barton, POR ($4,000). Of those two, I would consider Stuckey to be the safer play, especially considering his value if Jennings were to be out tonight.
Small Forward: Maurice Harkless, ORL ($4,400)/Matt Barnes, LAC ($4,600): I like both of these players at the SF position tonight. Matt Barnes is probably the safer play of the two, given that he should have an increased share of the offense with Jamal Crawford being out. Either way, I think both of these men should be good for 20-25 FPs, with Barnes having the higher upside of the two.
Power Forward: Mason Plumlee, BKN ($4,500): Plumlee will be drawing the start for Kevin Garnett tonight vs. Milwaukee and can be considered a fairly safe punt at the PF position for your cash games. If you want to bet the blowout, I can recommend Anthony Randolph, DEN ($3,600) for some of your tourney rosters.
Center: Timofey Mozgov, DEN ($4,400): Mozgov should again be starting for the Nuggets and has produced value in his last two starts. I’m expecting more of the same again tonight and would roster him as a punt option with the expectation of 20-25 FPs tonight. However, I’ll probably find myself spending up a little bit for a safer play like Gortat tonight.
Thank you and good luck tonight !!!
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