Hoop-Dreaming: DraftKings NBA Plays for Wednesday 2-8-17

Jan 21, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks the ball over Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Hoop-Dreaming: DraftKings NBA GPP Plays for Wednesday 2-8-17

Thanks for clicking! I am going to be breaking down tonight’s DraftKings NBA action and discussing the various picks that are aimed to help win some money on DraftKings. The picks are mainly geared for GPP tournaments and will carry more risk but also offer more reward. After all, we are seeking to have one of our tickets be the winner among hundreds of thousands of other entries.

Tonight there is a massive 12 game NBA slate on DraftKings. There are currently 6 games with point spreads of 4 points or less and more than 8 games with totals over 210 points. There is expected to be some competitive and fast-paced basketball tonight.

Of course, there are always injuries which will open the door for some players to significantly outperform their salary. Make sure and check Fantasy CPR for other helpful NBA articles. Also, don’t forget to look for lineup changes periodically throughout the day and especially before tipoff. Also, you can find me in your GPP tournaments. Let’s take a look at tonight’s games!

December 28, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) is congratulated by guard DeMar DeRozan (10) during the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Raptors 121-111. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Point Guards and Shooting Guards

For Kyle Lowry ($8,200) it will be a relief not having to carry the brunt of the offense for the Toronto Raptors. Lowry still remains in play at this salary and perhaps even more so since he will not be the focal point. He is one of the more consistent players at the position and is relatively low risk.

George Hill ($6,100) will look to take advantage of an uptick in pace when the Utah Jazz visit the New Orleans Pelicans. Hill has had big outings this year and does not tend to have high ownership levels in tournaments. He has the potential to make the difference in GPPs tonight.

The production has been highly inconsistent for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($5,700) this year. This has led to high levels of disappointment and resentment from fantasy players. However, his inconsistency can be used as an advantage on nights with large slates because he will be overlooked. There is high risk and high reward with “KCP” tonight.

Benefiting from an uptempo match-up tonight is Dennis Schroder ($6,000) as the Atlanta Hawks host the Denver Nuggets. It has been a roller coaster year in the standings and in fantasy production for the Hawks this year. Even still, Schroder’s salary and matchup will be hard to ignore tonight.

If Isaiah Thomas ($10,100) is not on the bench in the 4th quarter tonight, then expect big things from him. He will be returning to Sacramento with an enormous chip on his shoulder. The game could get out of hand so tread somewhat lightly with Thomas. All the factors are there for a big game but the potential for a blowout looms large.

Dec 6, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) defended by Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) during the second quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Small Forwards and Power Forwards

After foul trouble plagued his most recent outing, Julius Randle ($5,400) looks to get back on track in what originally promised to be a standout season. Much like his Los Angeles Lakers teammates, Randle has been inconsistent since a solid start to the season. His salary makes him enticing tonight against the Detroit Pistons.

With DeMarcus Cousins expected to miss tonight’s game, the Boston Celtics should easily dispatch the Sacramento Kings. In that scenario, there will be plenty of garbage time to be played and Kelly Olynk ($3,700) will see some extra minutes. He only needs 22 fantasy points to hit 6x value tonight.

At a similar price point but with much higher risk is Nikola Mirotic ($3,700) whose Chicago Bulls will attempt to keep up with the Golden State Warriors. If Jimmy Butler is out, the Bulls will need Mirotic to score the ball and spread the floor. He is a flier but will have low ownership.

Although he is not as steady as DFS players and the San Antonio Spurs would like, LaMarcus Aldridge ($7,100) is still an extremely talented player. Going against a depleted Philadelphia frontcourt gives Aldridge an excellent opportunity for a big game tonight.

The New York Knicks continue to be a mess, however Kristaps Porzingis ($6,800) appears to be far away from the trading block. He has not had quite as memorable of a year as his rookie campaign but injuries have played a major role in that. His current salary is a great value for his potential production.

Jan 5, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) misses on a dunk attempt as Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) defends during the second quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Centers – The Men in the Middle

An injury always seems just around the corner for Anthony Davis ($9,900) and there is always a cloud of mystery surrounding his health. When playing full minutes, Davis is a steal at this salary point and he has constant big game potential. The pace of this game will be slower than usual for the New Orleans Pelicans which will lead to lower ownership percentages.

More from FanSided

The season for the Atlanta Hawks has been up and down which has left their fantasy production in flux as well. Dwight Howard ($6,800) has shown glimpses of what made him a former back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year during the Hawks recent rise in the standings. A quicker pace against the Nuggets gives him increased potential tonight.

Patience paid off over the last couple games if you stuck it out with Hassan Whiteside ($7,900) and his volatile production. He will see his salary rise soon which leaves an interesting decision when considering rostering him. Whiteside will have increased ownership but still carries significant risk with a relatively high salary.

Despite the explosion of Karl Anthony-Towns, Gorgui Dieng ($5,000) has quietly had a productive year. With a relatively small salary and the ability to create fantasy points with blocks and steals, Dieng is in play tonight.

While he is not likely to be a game changer, Al Jefferson ($3,100) provides salary cap relief and has been reliable over a recent stretch of games. The days of big games from “Big Al” appear to be over however Jefferson still offers value in this price range.

Thanks for reading and best of luck tonight!

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