Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Lineups For February 20

Feb 11, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles the ball down the court in the second half against the Golden State Warriors at Target Center. The Warriors won 94-91. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA is back in full swing tonight with 26 of the 30 teams in action. That gives us plenty of options to fill out our FanDuel lineups. A lot of players were on the move yesterday and won’t be in their new destinations until Saturday. That means there are plenty of cheap options tonight!

Once again, Vince Groth has lent his computer-generated optimum lineup for tonight. That will appear as lineup “C”

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Here are my FanDuel lineups for February 20:

Point Guards:

Bargains:

Tim Frazier, 76ers ($3,600): The trade of Michael Carter-Williams frees up Frazier for another big run tonight. Frazier had three straight games of 35+ minutes leading up to the break, and scored an average of 21.2 fantasy points in each of those. That is a great 6x value! Isaiah Canaan will likely be available for their next game, but enjoy the value that Frazier provides tonight!

George Hill, Pacers ($5,500): Hill is off of his minutes limit, which means his value will only go up from here. He has averaged 25.8 fantasy points per game since his return. He was still providing almost 5x value on a minutes limit! He should be a lock for about 30 fantasy points a game going forward.

Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves ($6,500): As expected, Rubio’s minutes have increased in each game. He played 32 against the Warriors before break, and should be around 32-35 again tonight. He had 38.3 fantasy points against Golden State. Tonight, he gets a Phoenix team that traded 75% of their backcourt, and the reinforcements haven’t arrived yet. This is a great matchup for Rubio. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit 40 fantasy points tonight.

Worth The Cost:

Damian Lillard, Trailblazers ($8,700): The Jazz haven’t put up much of a fight against opposing point guards lately, so Lillard has the potential to hit 40 fantasy points again. A mark that he has hit five times in his last ten games. That includes a 41.8 point night against the Jazz on February 3rd. He might be the safest play at PG tonight.

Ty Lawson, Nuggets ($8,400): Lawson destroyed the Lakers to the tune of 61.6 fantasy points before the break. Tonight, he takes on a Bucks team that just traded Brandon Knight, and may be without Jerryd Bayless. Where does that leave them at PG? Scrambling, that’s where. Lawson may not hit 60 again, but 50 wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

Risky Plays:

Jerryd Bayless, Bucks ($4,100): The Bucks haven’t said anything regarding Bayless’s availability after he left last Wednesday’s game with a hip flexor strain. If he plays, he will be a great cheap option. He has been over 20 fantasy points as a backup six times in his last nine games. What do you think he could do as a starter? The only problem is that the Bucks are not one of the early tips, and you likely won’t have any confirmation of whether he is in or out before the 7pm eastern games start.

Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers ($8,700): Irving’s numbers have been all over the place. Over his last ten games, he has posted games between 22.2 and 68.3 fantasy points. The good news is that you should always be in the mid-20’s, but if you get that low from Irving, you likely won’t make any money. Add in the fact that he is playing a Wizards team that defends well, and there are safer options available.

My Lineups:

A: Rubio and Frazier ($10,100)

B: Lillard and Frazier ($12,300)

C: Jeff Teague and Langston Galloway (12,600)

Next: Should You Spend On Harden?

Feb 9, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Shooting Guards:

Bargains:

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons ($5,000): D.J. Augustin is in limbo, and Spencer Dinwiddie will take over the starting PG duties tonight. I think that means that KCP will get more chances to create his own shot, giving him some upside. He has been over 24 fantasy points twice in his last three games, and may even be able to push through that tonight. If he does, he will be at least a 5x value.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks ($6,700): The Freak’s price is rising, but not enough to keep me from playing him every game. He has averaged 33.3 fantasy points per game over his last ten games. That is still a 4.5x value. Tonight he gets the Nuggets, who traded their best perimeter defender in Arron Afflalo. Giannis could have another night near 40. I would be on it, that is why he is in my lineups.

Worth The Cost:

James Harden, Rockets ($10,800): Here is a fun fact for you: James Harden leads the league in “perfect lineups” this year with 20. What that means is FanDuel comes up with the optimum lineup for each night after the fact under their $60,000 salary cap. Harden has been in that lineup a whopping 20 times. Tonight he takes on the Mavs, who are solid on the perimeter, but solid has never been able to stop Harden. He did get 39 fantasy points against Dallas on January 28th. That may be a bit low for his price, but if anyone has a shot at 50 on a game-by-game basis, it’s Harden.

Eric Bledsoe, Suns ($8,400): Bledsoe is the last man standing in the Suns backcourt. That means he will run the point tonight while waiting for reinforcements to arrive. His value will likely receive a boost since he will be able to create for himself. The Timberwolves are solid on perimeter defense, but Bledsoe should still be able to orchestrate this offense as well as Dragic was. He should be able to reach his 35.4 point fantasy average over the last ten games again tonight.

Risky Plays:

Jimmy Butler, Bulls ($8,800): Butler likely will play, but he has a sore shoulder, and takes on a team in the Pistons that defend very well. It does not seem likely that Butler will get much over 30, which is not enough for his price tag.

Spencer Dinwiddie, Pistons ($3,500): Dinwiddie has done nothing with his slight minutes increase since Brandon Jennings went down. There is no reason to think that he will suddenly have a good fantasy night in a spot start. Especially playing against a good perimeter team like the Bulls. Sure, he may get near 20 fantasy points if he plays 35 minutes, but that is a huge risk. One you likely won’t come out ahead on.

My Lineups:

A: Harden and Antetokounmpo ($17,500)

B: Harden and Bledsoe ($19,200)

C: Antetokounmpo and Monta Ellis ($13,900)

Next: Should You Spend On The King?

Feb 11, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Small Forwards:

Bargains:

Khris Middleton, Bucks ($6,600): Middleton has averaged 30.7 fantasy points per game over his last ten games. He has been over 35 fantasy points in four of those ten games. He has performed well as one of the key components in the Bucks rotation, and along with Giannis, is the only one you can count on for 30 minutes per game in Jason Kidd’s rotations. He is a lock for 30 fantasy points almost every time he takes the court.

Robert Covington, 76ers ($6,600): Covington has been over 30 fantasy points in four of his last five games, and is averaging 33.7 fantasy points per game in that span. Without Michael Carter-Williams tonight, Covington could be asked to pick up even more of the scoring slack. He should have no problems hitting the 30 mark yet again tonight against Indiana.

Worth The Cost:

LeBron James, Cavaliers ($10,600): James was averaging 39.9 fantasy points per game in his eight games leading up to the All Star break. That is a little off of his season mark, but he is still one of the better options tonight, even against the Wizards. I doubt anyone else at the position outscores him, so spend the money if you have it. His wrist obviously is not bothering him, as you can see by his 30 point outburst in the All Star game.

Gordon Hayward, Jazz ($8,400): If there is a SF that has a chance to outscore the King tonight, it’s Hayward. He torched the Blazers for 43.5 fantasy points on February 3rd, and really shouldn’t have much of a problem coming close to that mark again. If he does, it might just be enough to outscore LeBron.

Risky Plays:

Hollis Thompson, 76ers ($4,200): Thompson may get a chance to increase his output with the absence of Carter-Williams tonight. That is what makes him a risk. There is no guarantee that either his minutes or his production will increase. That said, aside from a disaster against the Warriors right before the break, Thompson had a nice little run going. He had averaged 26.1 fantasy points per game over the last five, making him a 6x value.

Tobias Harris, Magic ($6,200): Harris is now officially questionable for tonight’s game with lingering knee soreness. The Magic have no reason to take a chance with him, and even if he does play, likely won’t play enough minutes to make him an asset at this price. I wouldn’t chance it. If you do, you at least have the luxury of the Magic tipping early, so you can make a switch if you need to.

Gerald Green. Suns ($3,900): It looks as though Green will move up to SG, for one game anyway. That makes him a nice bargain play. He was averaging 12 fantasy points a game in 15 minutes per game over his last ten before the break. If he plays 30 minutes, you could see him around 25 fantasy points, which makes him a very nice 7.5x value.

My Lineups:

A: Hayward and Covington ($15,000)

B: Middleton and Green ($12,300)

C: Green and Danilo Gallinari ($7,500)

Next: Plenty of Places To Spend At PF

February 15, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Western Conference center Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies (33) and Eastern Conference forward Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls (16) on the court during the second half of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden. The West defeated the East 163-158. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Power Forwards:

Bargains:

Jason Smith, Knicks (5,100): Amare Stoudemire is officially gone, which means that Smith now only has to fight off Cole Aldrich for minutes at center. He has averaged 24.9 fantasy points per game in his last ten even with Stoudemire lurking. He could end up scoring even more. Even if he doesn’t, he is still a nice 5x value.

Brandon Bass, Celtics ($4,600): With the news that Jared Sullinger is going to miss “significant time”, that opens the door for Bass to crash the starting lineup again. Bass has done a nice job when he has started this year. He put up 57.8 fantasy points combined in his two starts so far in February. There is no reason to think that he won’t be in the high 20’s again.

Worth The Cost:

Pau Gasol, Bulls ($9,700): Gasol has performed at such a high level lately (45.6 fantasy points per game over his last ten) that even his matchup against the Pistons won’t shy me away. He might not hit 50 like he has four times in his last nine games, but I would doubt that he falls below 40. That should make him a solid 4.5x value.

David West, Pacers ($6,900): West has excelled lately to the tune of 37.7 fantasy points per game over his last four games. Any injury concerns should be completely gone now. He also gets to face a 76ers team that is not very strong on the inside. West is a great candidate to keep up his recent scoring surge.

Risky Plays:

LaMarcus Aldridge, Trailblazers ($9,600): Aldridge managed 37.2 fantasy points against the strong Jazz frontcourt on February 3rd. The only thing that has changed is that Enes Kanter won’t be in the paint tonight, but he wasn’t much of a defender anyway. Aldridge needs 43 fantasy points to reach 4.5x value tonight, and that just seems unlikely.

Anthony Davis, Pelicans ($11,000): When healthy, Davis is one of the most dominant fantasy players. He has been nursing a shoulder injury that he injured in the February 7th game against the Bulls. He has not played since which means there could be a little rust. The thing that might make him worth it is that he gets the Magic tonight, who are really weak on the interior. If he is right, 5x value is within reach.

Udonis Haslem, Heat ($3,500): The loss of Chris Bosh leaves a gaping hole at PF in Miami. The most likely to fill it is Haslem, but Chris Andersen could also get a chance to fill the shoes. Still, he only needs 17.5 fantasy points for 5x value. That is well within reach if he gets anything over 25 minutes.

My Lineups:

A: Bass and Smith ($9,700)

B: West and Smith ($12,000)

C: Aldridge and Nene Hilario ($14,900)

Next: Is it Safe To Play Whiteside Again?

Jan 31, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) reacts after almost making a basket as he was fouled in the fourth quarter of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 91-85. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Center:

Bargains:

Tyson Chandler, Mavericks ($6,500): Chandler showed no ill effects last night against the Thunder, but he still only netted 23.6 fantasy points. The whole team should find the going much easier tonight against the Rockets. Especially Chandler, who won’t have to deal with Dwight Howard in the middle. He has a chance at close to 5x value tonight.

Rudy Gobert. Jazz ($5,700): Gobert was one of the biggest winners at the trade deadline, and he didn’t even have to fill out a change of address form. Gobert has perfomed well in his starts this year, and was even averaging 22 fantasy points per game off the bench. He should be a strong candidate for 30 tonight. He hit 31.5 against Portland on February 3rd.

Worth The Cost:

Al Horford, Hawks ($8,400): Horford was on a tear before the break. If you take out the game where he was handcuffed by the Grizzlies, he averaged 40.3 fantasy points per game in the ten games before the break. That made him nearly a 5x value every night. He should get close to that again tonight against the Raptors, who aren’t exactly terrors up front.

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings ($11,000): Cousins has dominated teams that lack size inside this year. He has been over 50 fantasy points against the Bucks, Warriors, Pacers, and Cavs, all of whom are either soft in the middle or lack size. Tonight he gets a Celtics team that is diminutive AND soft up front. It could be a huge night for Cousins. If you are going to spend 11k on any player tonight, it has be be him.

Risky Plays:

Hassan Whiteside, Heat ($7,700): Whiteside says his knee is fine. He played well (21 fantasy points in 19 minutes) against the Heat on February 9th even with pain in his knee. He has a chance to play double the minutes, which means that the could wind up in the 40’s for fantasy points. However, when you add in that Chris Bosh is not around to take some of the heat off of him, he might not be as good. I wouldn’t worry about that against the Knicks though. I would only worry about his knee.

Timofey Mozgov, Cavaliers (5,700): Mozgov has been solid in the middle, averaging 26 fantasy points per game over his last ten games. I don’t trust him against the Wizards though. Their interior defense is strong, but Mozgov does rebound well enough that he might be able to hit 20 fantasy points anyway. Just don’t expect 26.

My Lineups:

A: Whiteside

B: Gobert

C: Cousins

Next: Enes Kanter Could Finish Strong For Thunder

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