Daily Fantasy Basketball: Top Plays for Saturday, March 29th
By John Hillier
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-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”. Los Angeles Clippers’ PG Chris Paul flies high as Saturday’s top Daily Fantasy Basketball play.
Let’s rip it up.
HIGH FIVE:
Point Guard: Chris Paul, LAC ($9,600): Chris Paul in the highest scoring game of the night, with Jeremy Lin defending him ? Yes, please !!! Normally, the Houston Rockets cause me to lower my expectations for opposing PGs because of Patrick Beverley‘s defense, but he’ll be nowhere near the court, so it’s all systems go for the league’s top PG. Paul is fresh off a 53.3 FP game and has similar upside tonight, expect at least 45 FPs from him in this high scoring and competitive game.
Shooting Guard: Tyreke Evans, NO ($8,200): Though I like James Harden, HOU ($9,600) a lot with no Dwight Howard and a high-paced matchup vs. the Los Angeles Clippers, I like Evans even more for $1,400 less. Especially with the strong possibility that Anthony Davis will be out. Evans has been topping 35 FPs pretty consistently, but took things to a different level last night when Davis left the game just four minutes in, scoring 54.5 FPs. The Spurs have been average vs. opposing PGs for much of the season, despite performing better recently. I think Evans will use his considerable size advantage over Tony Parker and make the Spurs look average once more. 40 FPs or so seems like a reasonable expectation. Not too bad for a player whose value threshold is 41 FPs.
Small Forward: Josh Smith, DET ($7,700): It’d be easy to put LeBron James, MIA ($10,500) in this spot, as he always makes a great play, and could be a fantastic one if Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers were out. However, it might be even easier to put Smith here in a matchup with the lowly Philadelphia 76ers. The opponent and style of play should be perfect for Smith, and I definitely see him passing his value threshold of 38.5 FPs. Given his past performance against the 76ers this year, 40-45 FPs seems likely.
Power Forward: Blake Griffin, LAC ($10,100): Blake Griffin should no doubt be the top producer at the PF position, when he takes on a Houston Rockets’ team that he’s had success against this year and will be without their top rim protector, Dwight Howard. Anything less than 45-50 FPs should be considered a disappointment.
That said, while Blake may be the top producer, there are two other players who I think could push 35-40 FPs and be of better value than Blake. First, Greg Monroe, DET ($7,700) should be good for 40 FPs vs. the Philadelphia 76ers and one of the leagues worst defenses vs. PFs. Next up, Terrence Jones, HOU ($6,200). Jones has played pretty well without Howard in the past and seems capable of 35 FPs or so vs. a weak Clippers’ defense.
Center: Andre Drummond, DET ($7,900): In three games vs. the Philadelphia 76ers this season, Drummond has averaged 21.3 points, 15 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks in just 29 minutes. Similar minutes should yield similar production this evening. With a 40 FP floor, Drummond is easily the top play of the night at center.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
low five:
Point Guard: Ramon Sessions, MIL ($5,800): Though Sessions is priced a little above your typical value play range, he’s currently the cheapest guy worth trusting. There a quite a few injuries in Milwaukee’s backcourt and as a result, Sessions has been playing big minutes and taking advantage. Something in the 30 FP range should be doable for Sessions, even in a tough matchup vs. the Heat.
Ray McCallum, SAC ($4,200) and Norris Cole, MIA ($3,500) are two cheaper options that become viable depending on how the situations with Isaiah Thomas and Mario Chalmers play out. .
Shooting Guard: Lots of ways to go here, depending on what happens with injury situations and what not. Nonetheless, my two favorite SG value plays are James Anderson, PHI ($5,100) and Rodney Stuckey, DET ($4,200). Both these players situations are safe and have a nice matchup.
Other players worth noting, whose situations are more dependent on injury news are: Anthony Morrow, NO ($4,300), Austin Rivers, NO ($3,700), and Louis Williams, ATL ($4,400)
Small Forward: Jeff Adrien, MIL ($4,800)/Al-Farouq Aminu, NO ($4,400): Both these players have been producing value recently and should be good for 20-25 FPs again. Right now, I like Adrien a little more, but if we get word that Anthony Davis is out, Aminu will be my pick.
Power Forward: Drew Gooden, WAS ($3,500): I’m thinking something like 20 FPs for Gooden against the Atlanta Hawks, who rank in the league’s bottom third vs. PFs.
Mike Scott, ATL ($3,900) could also be in play if DeMarre Carroll is out.
Center: Omer Asik, HOU ($3,900): Asik and destroy !! Dwight Howard is out and Asik will draw the start. Value is just 19.5 FPs for Asik and should be easily attainable vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.
Thank you and good luck tonight !!!
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