Daily Fantasy Basketball: Wizards’ SF Trevor Ariza is Saturday’s top play

Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-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”.  Washington Wizards’ SF Trevor Ariza flies high as Saturday’s top Daily Fantasy Basketball play.

Let’s rip it up.

HIGH FIVE: 

Point Guard: Kyrie Irving, CLE ($8,400): Irving is in a nice spot tonight vs. a New York Knicks team that ranks just 23rd in defending opposing PGs over the past few weeks.  In addition to the nice matchup, Irving is playing at home where he has performed better all season long and in what should be a close game according to Vegas, who has set the spread at just one.  Irving will need 42 FPs for value tonight, which seems well within range.  Expect 35-45 FPs.

Shooting Guard: Gordon Hayward, UTA ($6,600): Hayward has averaged 33.9 FPs over his last six games and will need just 33 FPs tonight to reach value.  This evening’s game has one of the better over/unders of the night at 207 and according to Vegas, should remain close enough that all the studs get their minutes.  Expect Hayward to have no problem getting 30-40 FPs against a Philadelphia Sixers’ defense that has ranked in the bottom third of the league for much of the season at defending SGs.

Small Forward: Trevor Ariza, WAS ($6,800): Ariza has been consistently topping 30 FPs over his last ten games and will look to do so again tonight vs. a Milwaukee Bucks defense that has given up the sixth most points to SFs over the past few weeks.  This game should keep competitive throughout and Ariza should be expected to do work to the tune of 30-40 FPs.

Power Forward: Carmelo Anthony, NY ($10,200): Carmelo is the most expensive player on the board tonight, but should be worth every penny against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has been middle of the road for much of the season against PFs and SFs, the two positions that Melo will likely see time at tonight.  Expect a competitive game tonight in Cleveland, and that Anthony will be a big part of it.  45-55 FPs seems like a good bet.

Center: Marcin Gortat, WAS ($7,100): Milwaukee has been atrocious over the past few weeks against opposing centers, ranking just 28th.  As such, Gortat should have his way vs. anybody and everybody they throw at him.  Gortat has been rocking the 30+ FP game like it’s his job lately and tonight should only be more of the same.  30-40 FPs come easily, with perhaps a 45 FP game if he can get rolling early.

Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

low five:

Point Guard: Patrick Mills, SA ($5,100): Call this the “blowout tourney play special”.  Mills has been averaging better than a FP/minute over his last ten games when he’s played more than 20 minutes.  With the Spurs favored by 16 points in tonight’s game vs. the Orlando Magic, I’m betting that Mills get 20+ minutes and produces about the 25.5 FPs he’ll need for value tonight.

Other value plays worth consideration at this position are: Darren Collison, LAC ($6,000) in the event Jamal Crawford sits again. Also, Ramon Sessions, MIL ($4,800) and Nate Wolters, MIL ($3,600) with the news that O.J. Mayo has been suspended for tonight’s game.

Shooting Guard: Chris Douglas-Roberts, CHA ($3,700): The matchup is tough here and the game will be low scoring, but Douglas-Roberts has been producing lately, and he should be able to get the 18.5 FPs needed for value.  Also consider, Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL ($4,200)

Small Forward: Khris Middleton, MIL ($4,600)/Jeff Adrien, MIL ($4,000): Yo, Adrien has been producing nearly 24 FPs per game over his last seven and should be able to get close to the 20 FPs he’ll need to meet value this evening against the Washington Wizards.  However, I think I like Middleton’s chances to get 23 FPs a little better, considering he’ll be starting.

Power Forward: Boris Diaw, SA ($5,100): Diaw has taken over the starting center gig in San Antonio and done well with it.  My only fear tonight is that this game could get ugly quick and a lack of minutes could hurt Diaw.  Either way, I think he can get 20 FPs, I just think hitting actual value (25.5 FPs) could be a struggle.

Center: Tiago Splitter, SA ($4,400): Splitter is a play that I really like tonight.  As mentioned previously, I think that tonight’s game in San Antonio will get ugly.  Splitter should benefit from this to the tune of 25, maybe 30 minutes tonight and thus 25 FPs or so.  If by some chance this game doesn’t end up a blow out, I think it will be because Popovich rested the big guns.  In any event, I think Splitter will benefit.

Thank you and good luck tonight !!!
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