NBA FanDuel DFS Targets: Monday, November 26th
Welcome to this edition of NBA FanDuel DFS Targets from FantasyCPR.com. Here you will find players to target for tonight’s action, geared for cash games and tournament plays on FanDuel.
Welcome to the Monday edition of NBA FanDuel DFS Targets. In this almost daily article, I will go over players to target at each position for tonight’s seven-game main slate, starting at 7:00 ET. If you are finding this piece for the first time, here is a breakdown of what will happen here.
I will give two targets at each of the guard and forward positions, and one center. Following the picks, will be the ever popular “sample lineup” we like to do here at FantasyCPR. Some plays will be geared toward cash games, and some for GPP. Some of course will also technically qualify as both. As we break each play down, I will be sure to specify which type of contests I am targeting that player in.
With NBA DFS, I can’t stress enough how important it is to not just plug-and-play these sample lineups. There is so much info that will drop over the course of the day for NBA, and you never truly know what to expect.
If you want to be a consistent winner for NBA, lock starts at 7PM ET on most week nights. Plan on being ready to tinker those lineups last second, accounting for all of that fabulous NBA news that nobody was expecting five minutes before, or even AFTER lock. It happens all of the time, so if you set your lineup now and forget it, it’s probably not going to work out for you in the long run.
NBA FanDuel 11/26/18: What To Expect Tonight:
Tonight we have seven games, so we have fourteen teams in action, giving us a solid handful of games to work with. In the opposite fashion of yesterday, the high-priced studs will mostly all be in action, and we will certainly have to pick the right studs to find the money once again. Most of the games feature teams that match-up pretty well tonight, so that should make for some close ones. Truthfully, I really only see two potential blowouts here.
Potential Blowouts:
If the Wolves were at home, I think this would be an easy win for them against the Cavs, but don’t tell Cleveland that. Someone forgot to tell the Cavaliers they were no good, as they now have gone out and won two in a row, against the Sixers and the Rockets. Don’t look now but Minnesota is also playing pretty good basketball as well, also having won two straight. These two teams looked a little different when they met back on October 19th, but they combined to score 254 points. I look for a lot of fantasy goodness in this one, and we will see more of that as we get to the targets.
The other game that may get out of hand, is the lone late game on the slate, which will feature the Golden State Warriors hosting the Orlando Magic, as the Magic continue their west coast swing. Orlando will be on the second leg of a back-to-back, after rallying late to beat the Lakers yesterday afternoon behind a monster effort by center Nikola Vucevic. While the Warriors will not be at full strength quite yet as Stephen Curry remains out, there is a possibility that Draymond Green could return for this one. Either way, this looks like another solid spot for superstar Kevin Durant. Speaking of Dray, since we have an uncanny amount of game-time decisions to keep an eye today, let’s briefly touch on the injury front before we get to today’s targets.
Injury Front:
Should probably start here with what will likely be the one that makes the most difference, and will open up so many options it will shape up the slate, and that is the status of Anthony Davis. Davis missed Saturday’s game which was the second leg of a back-to-back, after returning from a hip injury in the fourth quarter on Friday.
My guess is he returns for this one, but if he misses another game, be prepared to fire up Julius Randle. Randle was outstanding in Davis’ absence on Saturday, scoring 29 points and grabbing 15 boards, while dishing out seven assists as well. Another start for Randle here could make him a tremendous value at the center position.
Honestly, I can’t remember seeing so many game-time decisions, I don’t know where to go next. As far as guards go, three players all carry the GTD tag that could open up significant value on their teams. Victor Oladipo, John Wall, and Donovan Mitchell are the names to watch throughout the day. Mitchell and Oladipo have missed some time leading up to this one, but the Wall injury is new and we have no idea where that one will take us. If he should miss this game, we could see Tomas Satoransky or Austin Rivers in play for the first time this season.
Other than Davis and Draymond Green who we already mentioned, the other forwards I am keeping an eye on throughout the day are Pacers big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. Both will be needed in this one to battle with Jazz center Rudy Gobert. All in all, let’s just hope we get some news early today, or it looks like it is going to be one of those where you better be ready to finalize that lineup up until lock.
NBA FanDuel 11/26/18: Point Guard Targets:
Kyrie Irving – Boston Celtics – $9,000 – (GPP)
With seven games on the slate, the one game I am looking at stacking up if things go the right way as far as the injury front is concerned, is in New Orleans, were the Pelicans host the 10-10 Boston Celtics. We have no Vegas total to work with likely due to the fact we don’t know the status of Anthony Davis, but for purposes of this article, I am going to continue as if Davis will miss this game tonight. Until I hear he is probable, we just never know with this guy, and I really like the way this slate looks if he gets another day off.
Irving will match-up with Jrue Holiday, and while the Celtics mostly have a balanced offense, this looks like a great spot for Kyrie. While the Celtics are known primarily for their defense, I think the pace and lack of defense on the other end could equal a huge game for this offense as well. It looks tough to pay up at this position today with the star power at other positions, but this could end up a solid tournament play, as part of running it back with a Pelicans stack on the other side.
Collin Sexton – Cleveland Cavaliers – $5,800 – (Cash)
Rookie Collin Sexton not only appears to be the lone bright spot and lock for this teams future, he has led this team to two straight victories. I talked a bit about stacking up the Pelicans/Celtics game, and despite the low Vegas total of just 216.5, I think we see a close team between two teams playing good basketball the last few days, and I like a quite a few plays in this game as well.
Sexton has played less than 30 minutes just once in the last eight games, and has really been impressive shooting the ball over the last couple. Friday at Philly, Sexton managed 23 points and added five rebounds, and that was followed with a 29 point outing against the Rockets on Saturday. Maybe even more impressive is that Sexton isn’t turning the ball over much, as he has not had more than four turnovers in any game. If he can pick up some assists as he learns the NBA game, he could become a solid point guard for years to come. Right now, he looks like a solid value play that should get us 35-40 FDP here tonight in this match-up in Minnesota.
***Value Plays: Quinn Cook $5,400 – DJ Augustin $4,500 – Tomas Satoransky $4,000 (If Wall is out!)***
NBA FanDuel 11/26/18: Shooting Guard Targets:
James Harden – Houston Rockets – $11,700 – (GPP)
Harden and the Rockets will travel to Washington, who could be without star point guard John Wall for this one. If Wall is out, this already dysfunctional Wizards team could be in for a rough night. Rockets point guard Chris Paul is expected back for this one after getting Saturday off for rest, so I don’t expect a ceiling type game here for The Beard, but this is a spot where he could definitely see 60+ FDP if it stays close.
With Paul back, Harden could go slightly overlooked, especially if Anthony Davis plays as well. This is basically an ownership leverage play only for tournaments, as Harden could go less than 10% owned if all of the injuries play out the way I expect them to. That could be the difference in a large field GPP, if we are able to find the value plays to build around him.
Harden scored 40 points on Saturday against the Cavs, but turnovers have really been taking away from his bottom line. He has an incredible 28 turnovers over the last four games, and with nine in that game against the Cavs, it held his total to just 58.3 FDP. Still quite a bit yes, but it could have been over 60 without the turnovers. Definitely risk here, but certainly a solid tournament play.
Jrue Holiday – New Orleans Pelicans – $8,900 – (Cash)
We want consistency when paying up for our cash targets, and whether AD can play for the Pelicans tonight or not, Holiday is putting up numbers regardless of when he plays or does not. I was actually a bit surprised to see how chalky Holiday was the other night when Davis sat the second end of a back-to-back with the hip injury, but after thinking about it, it is one I missed for sure. Thankfully missing the play didn’t kill me too bad, as Holiday managed just 37.5 FDP in that one.
It was his first game under 40 FDP in five straight, and despite that fact, his salary still hovers around $9K. However, my gut tells me the way he has played over the last week and this entire season for the most part, tells me he will bounce back quickly here. Holiday is averaging 42.5 FDP in 20 games thus far this season, and when you look at it that way, he may actually be a bit underpriced. Not only is he a lock if Davis is ruled out, he looks to be a safe cash play either way.
***Value Plays: David Nwaba $4,800 – Andre Iguodala $4,100 – Marcus Smart $4,000 (If Jaylen Brown out!)***
NBA FanDuel 11/26/18: Small Forward Targets:
Kevin Durant – Golden State Warriors – $11,500 – (Cash)
Normally I am team Giannis whenever these two end up on the same slate, which seems like every night by the way. But tonight things look to be a little different. I love Antetokounmpo for GPP’s of course, but for the $1200 discount, I am starting my cash lineups with Durant tonight. Both of these games could get ugly as both opponents of the Bucks and Warriors are on the second leg of a back-to-back, but the fact that this Warriors team has been KD or bust over the last two games, has me leaning Durant here.
Again, I cannot stress enough that I love both guys here, as the Greek Alphabet has dropped to 70+ FDP twice in the last three games. He is on another level regardless of opponent it seems, but Durant has been doing damage as well. In his last four games, KD has eclipsed 50+ FDP, and is averaging 58.9 FDP over that span. Helping that number quite a bit, is Saturday’s dominant performance against Sacramento, in which he scored 44 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out seven assists. That was good for 69.1 FDP. If Draymond Green misses another game, give Durant an even bigger boost, but should Dray play I think KD remains a top play tonight.
Kelly Oubre Jr. – Washington Wizards – $5,500 – (Cash/GPP)
While this one is not entirely contingent on the status of Wall, if he is out of this one, I expect Oubre Jr. to take on a more offensive role. Even if he does play, the fact that Oubre has cracked the starting lineup now and has remained there for a couple of games puts him in play. It has been three games to be exact, and he is coming off of a solid 32.3 FDP performance in just 22 minutes of play, against the Pelicans on Saturday.
I am not too fond of the value below this price point, until we get some news on Victor Oladipo at least. Dipo has now missed three games, and remains a game-time decision once again. If he sits, expect Tyreke Evans to get another start and be in play at $5,500, but I would actually prefer Bojan Bogdanovic if I was going here. The Pacers will clash with the Jazz in Utah however, so I don’t think that this a great game to target in any way tonight.
***Value Plays: Bojan Bogdanovic $5,300 – Dante Cunningham $3,900***
NBA FanDuel 11/26/18: Power Forward Targets:
Anthony Davis – New Orleans Pelicans – $12,600 – (GPP)
Sometimes we have to bring everything together to make sense of it all, and I am writing up Davis as a GPP play just in case here, and to explain the situation a little better. If we get news Davis will play, he is a tough fade for every format. A few in my camp think Davis will play and we should approach this slate as such, but I want to prepared for everything. To make it easier for you, if he plays, he is certainly in play with Holiday. If not, we now have three more players to consider.
I am going to start with the value down below here at this position, and before you laugh out loud at Cheick Diallo, hear me out. Without Davis at the top of this position, there is nothing but question marks on every player over $5K. Diallo won’t play over 20 minutes, but he can get you FDP real quick with rebounds and blocked shots. He blocked three shots against the Knicks on Friday in just five minutes of play. Then on Saturday with Davis out, Diallo played 17 minutes, blocked two shots, and managed 15.9 FDP. In the right situation, this punt could pay off tonight.
The other two Pelicans to play if Davis is out become locks in my opinion. Nikola Mirotic you could argue as a GPP play even if Davis does play, but Julius Randle becomes an instant lock in all formats if Davis is ruled out. I hope this all makes sense, so when you get to the sample lineup today, remember to look at it like Davis WILL NOT play! If he does play just ignore that today.
Marvin Williams – Charlotte Hornets – $4,500 – (Cash)
Since this position as a whole is awful, I am going to go cheap here and look at another player I normally do not play. The Hornets will return home after a one point loss in Atlanta yesterday to the Hawks, and now get to take on the 14-5 Milwaukee Bucks. Williams has eclipsed 20 FDP in three straight now, while also playing 30+ minutes in the last two.
Yesterday at Atlanta however, he had his best game of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing 13 boards. I don’t expect the near 40+ FDP outburst again, but Williams could easily make value at this price if given big minutes again.
***Value Plays: Taj Gibson $4,100 – Cheick Diallo $3,600 (If Davis Out!)***
NBA FanDuel 11/26/18: Center Targets:
Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves – $10,800 – (Cash)
I would love to pay up for Towns tonight, but I don’t think it will be necessary. One last time, I am going to approach this for now like Davis will sit, but he will probably play and this will all become moot. In that case, we have to be prepared to pivot off of Randle, and if I have to do that I am going all the way up to Towns.
More from FanSided
- Cardinals Rumors: Surprise extension, Dylan Carlson-Yankees link, Rays trade idea
- USWNT vs. Vietnam: Key takeaways before they take on the Dutch
- NFL rumors: 49ers trending toward contract drama with defensive star
- Steelers avoid any camp drama with latest roster move
- MLB Rumors: Potential Braves reunion, Lance Lynn no-trade clause and Orioles deadline intentions
I don’t love this match-up, as Towns managed just 33.8 FDP when these two teams met back in October, but these were two entirely different teams back then. The Cavaliers still had a healthy Kevin Love, and were trying to find an identity, and the Wolves were dealing with the Jimmy Butler distraction.
Now that Butler is gone, it seems Towns finally let loose a little bit on Saturday, and retook his team over. the big KAT had his best game of the season against the Bulls, scoring 35 points and pulling down 22 rebounds. It was his first huge game for over a week, and when he has one, another usually follows. If he keeps that intensity he played with against Chicago going into this one, he will be tough to stop.
***Value Plays: Julius Randle $7,800 (If Davis out!) – Thomas Bryant $3,500***
NBA FanDuel: Sample Lineup 11/26/18:
The line-up below is meant to be illustrative only to further back-up the logic laid out in previous slides. It is not an optimal line-up. It is in fact, just a “Sample Lineup.”
PG – Collin Sexton – $5,800
PG – Quinn Cook – $5,400
SG – Jrue Holiday – $8,900
SG – David Nwaba – $4,800
SF – Kevin Durant – $11,500
SF – Nikola Mirotic – $7,500
PF – Marvin Williams – $4,500
PF – Cheick Diallo – $3,600
C – Julius Randle – $7,800
Thank you for giving this a read, and I hope you come back again! You can find me on Twitter with the link at the top of the page. We have TONS of FREE content here from many incredibly talented writers at FantasyCPR, and new stuff to check out constantly. Stick around and come back often as have articles post all throughout the day! Good luck at your grind!