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Fantasy Basketball: Turbo FanDuel lineups for February 23

By Mike Marteny

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Feb 20, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) passes in the first quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

There are three games eligible for the turbo FanDuel tournaments tonight. Despite the absence of Anthony Davis, there is still enough star power to create variation in lineups.

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Here are my turbo FanDuel lineups for February 23:

Point Guards:

Bargain:

Jerryd Bayless, Bucks ($4,100): Shipping Brandon Knight out of town has really helped us daily fantasy players because Michael Carter-Williams still has not see the court for the Bucks. Tonight will be no different. That means we still get another great value play out of Bayless, who has scored 83 fantasy points in his three starts since the Knight trade. He may not have a great night against the Bulls, but he only needs 20.5 fantasy points for 5x value, which seems like a certainty. He is a great value play if you need one.

Worth The Cost:

Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves ($6,500): Rubio has had 79.9 fantasy points in his last two games, and he seems to be regaining his old form. The most promising thing was that he played 37 minutes against the Suns on Friday. That means he has no minute restrictions, and should be a lock for around 30 fantasy points a night. That is 4.5x value on average.

Derrick Rose, Bulls ($7,000): Rose has struggled since the break, but might have his best matchup since then because Michael Carter-Williams can’t go tonight. I don’t know if he is going to get near 40 like he was before the break, but 30 seems likely. In a tournament full of injured PG’s and uncertain ones, Rose is a solid play.

Risky Plays:

Kyle Lowry, Raptors ($7,400): Lowry was absolutely miserable against Houston on Saturday. He scored just 11.2 fantasy points and turned the ball over a whopping seven times! He gets a pretty strong New Orleans defense tonight, so you should likely stay away from him tonight.

Pablo Prigioni, Rockets ($3,500): Prigioni really only has one practice with the team, so if Patrick Beverley is forced to sit tonight, then Jason Terry will likely get the start at point. That means that Prigioni will be the veteran’s primary backup, and should see around 20 minutes of court time. That could make him a good value play. If you do roll the dice with Pablo, just make sure that Beverley is out first, otherwise he has no value.

My Lineups:

A: Rubio and Bayless ($10,600)

B: Rose and Rubio ($13,500)

Next: Most The Good SG's Are In Turbo

Feb 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 98-97. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Shooting Guards:

Bargains:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks ($6,700): Another day, another 28 fantasy points for Giannis. He provides consistent production for a reasonable price. He does have upside, but I wouldn’t expect him to go much over 30 against the Bulls. They are a solid defensive team.

Kevin Martin, Timberwolves ($6,800): Martin is picking up like he never left off. He has averaged 30 fantasy points per game since his return, which makes him a 4.5x value. With Shabazz Muhammad out, Martin will continue getting as many minutes as he can handle, and he will continue putting up 30 fantasy point games or more. That makes him a solid option.

Worth The Cost:

Jimmy Butler, Bulls ($8,600): Butler has become a force in fantasy. Especially in daily leagues with good matchups. He has a solid matchup against the Bucks tonight, and should have no problem reaching his 35 fantasy point average. He has been right around that mark all season long.

James Harden, Rockets ($10,600): Harden has been in a slump (for him) lately. He has only hit 50 fantasy points once in his last four games. He has a chance to get there against the Timberwolves tonight, but they have defended the perimeter fairly well lately. Kevin Martin be damned! If Patrick Beverley is out though, Harden will handle the ball even more than usual, which means 40 may be on the low end of the spectrum. Even against a solid defensive team. If you can afford him, he will be one of the highest scorers in turbo.

Risky Plays:

Tyreke Evans, Pelicans ($8,000): Evans is now at a price where it takes 36 fantasy points for 4.5x value, which is where you need to be. The problem is that Evans has been under that threshold six times in his last ten games. He does look like a good option against the Raptors, just be aware that he has not been his usual consistent self lately. Look for him to step up some with Anthony Davis out though.

Eric Gordon, Pelicans ($6,300): Gordon lit up the Heat from outside on Saturday after struggling against Indiana and Orlando the two games before that. The Raptors don’t defend well on the perimeter, which means that Gordon is a solid play. The fact that Davis is out means that Gordon could see some extra shots. The potential is there for him to have a good night, just be aware that he is very scoring dependent which means you will likely get an unsatisfactory score if his shot isn’t falling.

My Lineups:

A: Harden and Antetokounmpo ($17,300)

B: Harden and Butler ($19,200)

Next: Not Much Available at SF

Jan 19, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton (22) during the game against the Toronto Raptors at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Toronto won 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Small Forwards:

Bargain:

James Johnson, Raptors ($4,500): Johnson lit up the Rockets for 47 fantasy points on Saturday. He is starting at SF for now because of his defensive prowess, but as he showed on Saturday, he can also light up the scoreboard when given the chance. At hit price, even if he only gets 20 fantasy points, he is still close to 5x value. That makes him an enticing low risk option.

Worth The Cost:

Khris Middleton, Bucks ($6,600): Middleton has been one of the most consistent producers on the Bucks, and for fantasy owners since Jabari Parker went down. He has not been under 20 fantasy points since joining the starting lineup, and is often over 25. He is a solid 4x value with the potential for much more.

Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves ($6,500): The return of Kevin Martin and Ricky Rubio means that Wiggins no longer has to be “the man” for the Timberwolves. He is playing better basketball overall, but he is not being asked to do nearly as much. Therefore, for fantasy purposes, it hurts his value. He has not played less than 36 minutes in his last ten games, but his production has not been steady. That said, he has a nice matchup against Houston tonight, and is worth rolling with in turbo if you don’t trust any of the cheaper options.

Risky Plays:

Trevor Ariza ($5,400) and Corey Brewer ($4,900), Rockets: The hot hand has dominated the playing time lately, as evident by Brewer lighting up Toronto over the weekend. Tonight, Brewer gets to face his former team in the Timberwolves. He is not starting, Ariza still is, but if he gets going, he will see most of the time. If you’re willing to roll the dice a little, it could come up sixes for Brewer. On the other hand, if Ariza starts off hot, he won’t see the court enough to have a big impact.

My Lineups:

A: Wiggins and Johnson ($11,000)

B: Middleton and Wiggins ($13,100)

Next: Order The (Kung) Pao

Feb 10, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) reacts to a foul call against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Power Forwards:

Bargains:

Dante Cunningham, Pelicans ($4,100): It will be a free-for-all in the Pelicans’ frontcourt with Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson both out for a couple of weeks. That likely means that Cunningham will slide down to the four and back into the starting lineup. He has little upside, but when given the minutes, he consistently scored right around 20 fantasy points per game. I will take 5x value where I can get it.

Terrance Jones, Rockets ($5,200): Don’t look now, but Jones has cut himself a nice little portion out of the frontcourt minutes in Houston. He has been producing at a higher level than both Josh Smith and Donatas Motiejunas since the break. He has averaged 30.1 fantasy points per game in that span, and is seeing 27 minutes per game. This looks to be a trend that will continue, which makes Jones a nice play at this price. That is nearly 6x value!

Worth The Cost:

Pau Gasol, Bulls ($9,700): Gasol struggled against Detroit, which is understandable. He got back on track against Phoenix, and seems poised to have another 40+ point fantasy game against Milwaukee because of their lack of size up front. Add in the fact that Taj Gibson is expected to miss tonight’s game, and Pau goes from a good play to a great one. He has played more than 40 minutes a few times this year, and has put up more than 45 fantasy points in all of them. He could hit that threshold tonight with relative ease.

Risky Plays:

Josh Smith ($6,300) and Donatas Motiejunas ($5,800), Rockets: The emergence of Jones has seriously hurt the production of both of these guys. Smith is getting 24 minutes and just 19 fantasy points per game since the break. Motiejunas has fared a little better, playing 26 minutes and averaging 26 fantasy points per game. If you have to use one of them, Motiejunas is the safer option.

John Henson, Bucks ($5,100): He has seen just 18 minutes in each of his last two games, and that is without Miles Plumlee playing as much as he will as he gets more comfortable in this offense. Henson has still managed to put up 26.8 and 14.6 fantasy points respectively, but that is too big of a gap for me to take a chance on.

My Lineups:

A: Gasol and Jones ($14,900)

B: Jones and Cunningham ($9,300)

Next: Go Cheap At C?

Feb 21, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) at the free throw line against the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Center:

Bargains:

Alexis Ajinca, Pelicans ($4,200): Ajinca has put up an average of 24.3 fantasy points in his last three games with A.D. out. With Davis out again, that makes Ajinca nearly a lock for 6x value. He is a very good play if you find yourself short on funds at C, or just don’t like any of the top options.

Omer Asik, Pelicans ($4,900): Asik is consistently in double digits, but that isn’t always enough. The thing that makes him a bargain tonight is that he will likely see around 35 minutes with Davis out. the last three times he has played 30 or more minutes, he has had 29.8, 26.1. and 31.9 fantasy points. He produces when he gets that many minutes. He is one of the better cheap options of the night.

Worth The Cost:

Joakim Noah, Bulls ($6,800): Noah is in the midst of his best stretch of games this season. He has scored over 30 fantasy points in three straight, and seven of his last ten. So what’s the problem? He has been under 20 in the other three. He still presents a fairly big risk, but the matchup with Milwaukee tonight looks tantalizing.

Nikola Pekovic, Timberwolves ($6,200): It has been Gorgui Dieng that has lost playing time, not Pekovic. Pek has averaged 33.7 fantasy points per game over his last four games, and is rounding into the form that he showed last year. He has a nice matchup against Houston, who is still without Dwight Howard. Play him if you can afford him.

Risky Play:

Jonas Valanciunas, Raptors ($5,900): Jonas is frustrating for all fantasy owners, but daily league players in particular. You never know what you are going to get from him. In just the last three games, he has varied from 9 fantasy points to 28.1. take the chance if you want, but I would much rather roll with Asik.

My Lineups:

A: Pekovic ($6,200)

B: Asik ($4,900)

Next: February 23 FanDuel Lineups

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