Daily Fantasy NBA Basketball Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 11/17/14

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Point Guard

Tony Parker - FD 6900 DK 6800
Don't need a ton of explanation on this one, as the Sixers are just an awful squad that doesn't concern itself too terribly much with defense. They've spent a better part of this season allowing their opponents to score at will. And honestly, the only thing holding me back from all the Spurs tonight is that last point. Philly is always ripe for the blowout meaning the starters stand a chance to not see the fourth. Parker hasn't been scoring much of late which has killed his upside. The Sixers are a squad that rights a wrong like that. Just watch for the blowout.

Kyrie Irving - FD 7900 DK 7900
I love when a slower team like Cleveland squares up with a speedy squad like the Nuggets. Guys like Kyrie (and really everyone else) stand to see significantly more possessions than normal and can get set to crush their prices on the volume alone. Kyrie has significant upside on a night basis if he gets the scoring going. For a point guard he doesn't offer the assists we'd like to see to raise his floor in cash games, but I like the matchup and the price isn't totally reflective of his skill set.

Jrue Holiday - FD 7200 DK 7400
With Lillard carrying more of the load on offense with Batum out, there's reason to suspect Holiday is in a great place tonight. Lillard doesn't really play defense anyway and the Blazers allow about 12% more scoring than league average to opposing point guards. For his prices he actually seems safe tonight in the matchup. The game should remain close and be an up and down affair.

Rajon Rondo - FD 8500 DK 8400
Pretty hard to not recommend a guy like Rondo in a game where the 4th and 6th fastest teams in the league square off. He makes the perfect cash game play considering his assists and rebounds appear locked in at this point. And when he actually scores watch out, because he can win you a GPP. I love pairing Rondo with one of the guys above in a cash scenario because he really mitigates the downside with his ability to fill up the stat sheet.

Shooting Guard

Danny Green - FD 4400 DK 4600
Manu Ginobili - FD 5500 DK 5000
You know what you are getting here. In Green you get a guy playing a ton of minutes who struggles to pay his price on some nights. In Manu you get a dude who is about as high a points/minute guy as you'll get in the league, but never plays thirty. It's a tough call. In some ways I hope we hear Manu is getting the night off as it'll open Green up for extended run against the Sixers. I'd consider either though at these prices considering the opponent's defensive situation.

Tyreke Evans - FD 7600 DK 7200
If you think this thing turns into a shootout then playing 'Reke is a way to go. He's at his best in an open floor kind of game because he gets so many points getting to the basket. What concerns me a little bit about his early season success is how well he's shooting from three (55%). That number isn't sustainable. And though he doesn't shoot a ton of threes, that hot shooting has unnaturally boosted his season stats.

If Derrick Rose sits again I'd consider Jimmy Butler because the guy gets so much usage when D-Rose is out of the lineup.

Small Forward

LeBron James - FD 10700 DK 11000
It's kind of a shame that he and Brow fall into the same slate. Because this decision might be tough for some. There's almost no chance you are able to free enough money up (in a +EV way) to get both guys into your lineup. But over his last three he's gone full beast mode averaging a ridiculous 35/7/8.I think when push comes to shove, I'll be running Lebron over Davis because you save about 2% of cap space with the move for about the same expectation in points. You can consider running Shawn Marion along with Lebron if you think the former can see enough minutes to pay off his punt prices.

Kawhi Leonard - FD 6800 DK 7200
It's the same old story as the rest of the Spurs I've mentioned above. The only question is whether he sees enough minutes to pay it off. I'm not going to belabor the Sixers defensive deficiencies. It's a real thing and you need to just decide how much exposure you want to the Spurs.

Josh Smith - FD 7600 DK 7500
It's always a dice roll with this guy, but if he's playing the three this is a great spot for Smoove. The Magic are awful against small forwards on the season sitting below average in every single fantasy category. Smith hasn't exactly been lighting the world on fire, but he is talented and matchups like these are where you get real value. His price is depressed because he's far from consistent but I could see him putting up a big one against the Magic.

Power Forward

Kevin Love - FD 8700 DK 8800
Know this: Denver is absolutely atrocious defending the low post. It's a carry over thing from last year (which makes sense considering they did nothing to address the situation) and they've picked right up where they've left off. They allow 24% more scoring than league average to power forwards and that doesn't include the 28 Melo put up yesterday (assuming you think he plays PF, which he really doesn't). Either way, this all spells good things for Love who's seen his price drop every slate since the first night. Sitting well below the big boys I think we can safely buy Love tonight even factoring that he isn't the same fantasy guy as last season. There will be a night though when the rebounding and scoring are both there. This could be it.

Jared Sullinger - FD 6800 DK 7100
This guy is coming into his own for a Celtics team determined to push the pace up and down the court. A leaner Sullinger is averaging a 15/9/3 with the biggest jump in his production being in the area of his assists. If he can keep that part of his game going then he makes a safe play any night at these prices.

Channing Frye - FD 5000 DK 5200
He offers fantastic salary relief on a night where you'll really need it. I love two things about Frye: the minutes and the minutes. Getting a versatile guy in the four for so cheap, who plays more than 35 minutes a night is such an advantage. His floor is really high at these prices considering he rebounds and scores (though he does the former less than the prototypical power forward). As long as he sees extended run while putting up a 10/6 then we can sit on his price and wait for the night when he's hitting his threes.

Marcus Morris - FD 4700 DK 4000
Kind of the opposite from Frye. Where Channing offers relative safety on any given night, Morris seems to ethier go all or nothing. That's an overstatement of course, but his game log reads like a cardiogram from someone having a panic attack.Which is probably what you feel like on nights you play the guy. He has nice upside when its all going right. But that isn't a sure thing. But the pace of this game should help Morris cover his price in the volume and I can see slotting him in for relief.

Of course consider Tim Duncan and Boris Diaw against the Sixers.
And a note about Anthony Davis: He's the best. I get it. But these prices have outstripped his usefulness for the moment. So much needs to go right.

Center

Kelly Olynyk - FD 5400 DK 6400
His price has climbed a bit in the short term, but I still think we are buying low on the guy. He's flourishing (from a fantasy perspective) as his minutes are uncontested (unlike last season). With that run he's putting up a 14/6 to go with some other stuff trickled in around the margins. On a night of high-priced dudes and not knowing punts until we get closer to game time, Olynyk is a great way to save without speculating too much.

Nikola Vucevic - FD 8500 DK 8100
There is a scenario in which I'd pay up for Vuce tonight. Detroit is about league average with opposing centers scoring, but they have trouble keeping the big men off the glass. They allow 8% more rebounds than league average to opposing centers which is odd considering Drummond's ability on the boards. I don't think he's safe to pay these prices, but I do think there's a chance he finishes with an absurd amount of rebounds which would have him paying big.

Consider Meyers Leonard only if Aldridge is out again. When LaMarcus sat last game Leonard came in, played thirty minutes and just crushed his price. It stands to reason he'd be in the starting lineup again if Aldridge is still sick.

Ready to make the leap and get access to the exclusive projection system that produces these picks? Sign up now and get a free 3 day trial to our lineup construction tool for FanDuel and DraftKings. And now - for the next month - you can get access to our Football projection tools AND our baskeball projection tools for the same price! Sick deal.