Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Lineups For January 23rd

Dec 29, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) looks on during the second half against Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

There are 11 games on tap for this Friday night in the NBA. There are plenty of stars on display tonight, and plenty of cheap players who will perform well above their current price suggests. The trick is finding the perfect balance.

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Here are my FanDuel lineups for January 23rd:

Point Guards:

Bargains:

Langston Galloway, Knicks ($4,600): Galloway has done well when given minutes. Over the last two games, Galloway has averaged 30.5 fantasy points per game, and has played 32.5 minutes. The Knicks rotation has been kind of hard to read, but it is clear that Galloway has taken over the SG slot, at least for now. Shane Larkin and Tim Hardaway Jr. are still fighting him for minutes, but I have a hard time believing that the Knicks will bench Galloway after his recent performances. Just be aware that if he struggles during the game, there is a chance that Hardaway or Larkin could take his place if one of them get hot.

Elfrid Payton, Magic ($5,900): Payton now has five straight games with more than 25 fantasy points. He has been able to hold his own with Detroit and Memphis during that streak, so it appears as though the rookie has finally figured some things out. As long as he is performing, you really have little reason not to play him. He is not dependent on scoring to produce, so he has a little bit higher floor than other cheap options.

Worth The Cost:

Derrick Rose, Bulls ($7,200): Rose is no longer on a minutes limit, and it is showing in his production. He has just one game under 30 fantasy points since missing the game on January 10th vs. the Bucks. He has played more than 30 minutes in all of them. Rose managed to put up really good numbers last night in the blowout win against the Spurs as well. His matchup against Dallas may be a little bit tougher, but still not enough to shy me away from Rose. I am betting that he will outscore at least half of the ten higher priced PG in front of him.

Michael Carter-Williams, 76ers ($8,500): MCW struggled against Washington and Detroit. All that means is that we have to play him based solely on matchups. Now with Tony Wroten out again, MCW seems poised to have another outstanding fantasy run like he did in December. If you take out those two games against Detroit and Washington, he has averaged 41.2 fantasy points in the games with Wroten out. That makes him well worth his price. FG% doesn’t count in FanDuel, so use him with confidence against the Raptors.

Risky Plays:

Marcus Smart, Celtics ($5,000): Smart didn’t fare well in his latest start last night. Tonight he gets the Nuggets, who have been a train wreck in their own right. Smart looks like a Smart play against the Nuggets. Even if this game gets out of hand, the Celtics are looking to develop Smart, so he could see 30-35 minutes anyway.

Kyle Lowry, Raptors ($8,800): Lowry dislocated his ring finger on his right hand in the first quarter against Memphis on Wednesday, but still played 40 minutes. He won’t miss any time, but it was clear that the dislocation was affecting his shot. Also, if the game against the 76ers gets out of hand, the Raptors could rest Lowry for an extended period of time to help take the strain off of his finger.

My Lineups:

A: Rose and Payton ($13,100)

B: Smart and Galloway ($9,600)

Next: Are The Elite SG's Worth The Money?

Jan 18, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo (5) drives to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Amway Center. Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Orlando Magic 127-99. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Shooting Guards:

Bargains:

Eric Gordon, Pelicans ($5,400): Gordon had his best game of the season against the Lakers on Wednesday, putting up a double-double and 39 fantasy points. He has another great matchup with the Timberwolves tonight, and seems to be hitting his stride. He is a great value play once again. The thing that makes him a great play is that his only game under 20 fantasy points was in his first game back against the Wizards when he had 16.3 points. He has been a consistent producer since.

J.R. Smith, Cavaliers ($6,000): Smith has added an extra dimension to the Cavaliers’ offense without disrupting it the way that Dion Waiters did. He has averaged 31 fantasy points per game over his last five contests. While I don’t love his matchup with Charlotte tonight, he should be able to give you around 25 fantasy points or so.

Worth The Cost:

James Harden, Rockets ($11,100): Harden gets a soft perimeter defense in the Suns, and he has four 50+ point fantasy games in his last five outings. The chances of him putting up another are very good in this matchup.

Victor Oladipo, Magic ($7,200): Oladipo has picked up his production to last year’s levels. He even scored 35 fantasy points on the Pistons on Wednesday. In fact, the only games that he not had a game below 25 fantasy points since mid-December. Add the fact that he is playing the retooling Knicks, and it looks like it could be a really good night for Oladipo.

Risky Plays:

Evan Turner, Celtics ($6,000): Turner has played over 30 minutes in each of his last three games, and has responded with 85.4 fantasy points in that stretch. So long as the Celtics play him 30 minutes, he will produce. That said, their rotation has been in flux lately, and if this turns into a blowout, they may elect to rest Turner. You just never know on rebuilding teams. If you can deal with the small amount of uncertainty though, he could be a strong play.

Danny Green, Spurs ($6,100): Green has not done well against either the Nuggets or the Bulls in his last two games. That is cause for concern. Green has also played less than 30 minutes in two of the last three games. With Kawhi Leonard back, Green’s value has taken a hit, but the Spurs are playing the porous Lakers tonight. That could equal more and better shots for Green, not to mention that if the game gets out of hand, the veterans will likely rest, opening up the floor more for Green and the younger guard.

My Lineups:

A: Gordon and Kyle Korver ($10,600): I am gambling on Korver getting a few open looks against Waiters and the Thunder tonight.

B: Oladipo and Gordon ($12,600)

Next: Try To Get At Least One Of The Big Three At SF

Dec 27, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts after being called for a foul against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings won 135-129 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Small Forwards:

Bargains:

Robert Covington, 76ers ($5,600): Covington played 39 minutes against the Knicks on Wednesday, and with Tony Wroten out again, it seems as though Covington is going to pick up quite a few of his minutes. As long as he is producing, anyway. Covington is a guy only to be used in good matchups, but he does have one of those tonight against the Raptors. We could see him in the 25-30 fantasy point range, which is a pretty good deal for his price.

Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves ($7,400): Wiggins has struggled some against good defenses such as Charlotte, but he has produced against every other team. He has scored double digit points in a dozen straight games, and seems to be a solid play nearly every night. For those of you that can’t afford one of the big three, Wiggins is the next best thing.

Worth The Cost:

Kevin Durant, Thunder ($10,800): If anyone is matchup-proof, it’s Durant. He has not been below 40 fantasy points since January 7th, and has four straight games of more than 45 fantasy points. I would not recommend sitting him against anyone, but his matchup against the Hawks is probably the least favorable of the big stars at SF.

LeBron James, Cavaliers ($10,800): In his five games since returning from injury, the King has averaged 46.4 fantasy points per game. He may be a little under that against the Hornets tonight, but are you going to bet against him? I find that hard to do.

Carmelo Anthony, Knicks ($9,600): He is the NBA’s version of the One-Man Gang. The Knicks sold off anything not bolted down when Melo was injured. Now he is playing with a bunch of kids ten years younger than him. And he is tearing it up. He has 94.5 fantasy points in his last two games. Just be aware that if this game gets out of hand that the Knicks will likely rest Anthony and his sometimes balky knee. While he is on the court though, he is a serious threat to rack up 50 fantasy points.

Risky Plays:

Tobias Harris, Magic ($6,700): Apparently Harris’s injury caused him to lose his starting job upon his return. He came off of the bench in his return to the court on Wedensday, and it appears that this will happen for the foreseeable future. I don’t understand this move at all, but Jacque Vaughn did this to Harris last year as well. Harris is averaging a team high 35 minutes per game, but he played only 25 minutes on Wednesday. We don’t know what the trend will be, but it is entirely possible that Harris is victim to Vaughn’s whims once again. You can’t trust Harris because you can’t trust his minutes right now.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Hornets ($5,600): MKG has proven himself to be a huge asset on the boards which has led to him becoming more of a fantasy asset. Gerald Henderson will always be around to take some minutes from him, but as long as he keeps grabbing boards, he will be less of a risk than he was earlier in the season.

My Lineups:

A: Wiggins and Covington ($13,000)

B: James and Durant ($21,600)

Next: You Don't Have To Spend Big At PF

Dec 30, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center J.J. Hickson (7) during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Pepsi Center. The Lakers won 111-103. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Power Forwards:

Bargains:

Taj Gibson, Bulls ($5,500): Gibson has another great matchup against the Mavericks tonight. There is a slight chance that Joakim Noah might take the court tonight, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If Noah does play, he likely won’t take on a full compliment of minutes. And even if Gibson only plays 25-30 minutes instead of nearly 40, I still like his chances to put up good numbers against Dallas.

J.J. Hickson, Nuggets ($4,500): Nearly the whole Nuggets frontcourt is a game time decision for tonight with the exception of Hickson and Darrell Arthur. That could mean big minutes for both of them. Kenneth Faried, Javale McGee, and Jusuf Nurkic are all questionable, though Faried’s is only an illness. I like the prospects of Hickson playing big minutes against the Celtics, and he could have a good game against the undersized Celts inside.

Worth The Cost:

Anthony Davis, Pelicans ($11,200): Davis dominated the Lakers in his return on Wednesday. The same fate is in store for the Timberwolves tonight. Just be aware that Davis could get some rest if the game gets out of hand.

Pau Gasol, Bulls ($9,100): Gasol could be in for a big night against Dallas as well. He has not been below 30 fantasy points with Noah out, and has a streak of four straight double-doubles. That streak will likely continue whether he starts at PF or center.

Risky Plays:

Jared Sullinger, Celtics ($6,600): Sullinger has only played more than 30 minutes in half of his last 12 games. This fluctuation in minutes makes it hard to use him, but if you are feeling frisky, he could have a really good night against a potentially depleted Denver frontcourt tonight.

Thaddeus Young, Timberwolves ($6,600): Young has gone over 25 fantasy points in eight of his last nine games. When he has been on the court he has produced, but he has a couple of things going against him tonight. One is the beast known as Anthony Davis patrolling the interior for New Orleans. The other is the return of Nikola Pekovic. The Timberwolves are likely to keep increasing Pekovic’s minutes game by game if for no other reason than to showcase him for a potential trade. That means less minutes for Young and Gorgui Dieng. It will be hard to trust either of them until we see how this is going to play out.

My Lineups:

A: Sullinger and Gibson ($12,100)

B: Sullinger and Hickson ($11,100)

Next: Can You Still Afford Cousins?

Jan 19, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov (20) defends a shot by Chicago Bulls guard Aaron Brooks (0) in the fourth quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Center:

Bargain:

Timofey Mozgov, Cavaliers ($5,100): Mozgov has put up 73.2 fantasy points in 73 minutes over his last two games. He is getting into the flow of the Cleveland offense, and is actually flourishing there. His prowess on the boards is helping him out as well. He does not have a great matchup against the Hornets tonight, but I am still betting that he will get plenty of rebounding opportunities, giving him a relatively high floor. I would bet he is still over 20 fantasy points so long as he stays out of foul trouble.

Worth The Cost:

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings ($11,200): Cousins has 100.6 fantasy points in two games since missing a game with a sprained ankle. Tonight he gets to take on the Warriors, who aren’t exactly a great interior defense. Cousins could produce more points than anyone tonight, which would make sense since he is the highest priced player on the board.

Risky Plays:

Gorgui Dieng ($6,800) and Nikola Pekovic ($6,300), Timberwolves: I mentioned this situation briefly before. Dieng is still the starter, but I want no part of this until I know exactly what affect the return of Pekovic will have on the frontcourt and the allocation of minutes.

Bismack Biyombo, Hornets ($5,200): Biyombo started to come into his own in the absence of Al Jefferson. Now that Jefferson is back, Biyombo’s minutes have taken a big hit, but he still posted a double-double off of the bench on Wednesday. Still, unless the Hornets show a commitment to playing him more, you are probably wise to stay away from this situation.

My Lineups:

A: Cousins ($11,200)

B: Mozgov ($5,100)

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