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Reggie Jackson - FD 8000 DK 8400 DFSTR 6300
He struggled yesterday but he remains one of the few offensive options on the Thunder and I'm happy to pay up for the guy considering how critical he is to the team they are throwing out there on the court. Of course there's the piece about teams traveling to the thin air of Denver. But the Nuggets play one of the fastest paces in the league which should lead to more opportunity for Jackson. And because he contributes in a variety of ways, I think you are just fine playing him even as the price has climbed.
Rajon Rondo - FD 8900 DK 8800 DFSTR 6700
Our system actually doesn't love him against Philly tonight, which I found surprising. One reason stems from the Sixers being significantly better against opposing point guards this season, allowing 6% less than league average scoring against the position. But Rondo has upside at these prices as this thing should be a track meet. The Sixers and Celtics rank second and third in the league in PACE and I suspect the tempo to be upbeat to say the least. Rondo doesn't score as much as you'd like, but man he does everything else better than almost any other point guard out there.
Brandon Jennings - FD 7100 DK 7300 DFSTR 6500
If you want to shoot a little upside you can target Jennings against the Suns. It looks like Jennings isn't going to split a ton of minutes out of the point guard slot like he was at times at the beginning of the year. And Phoenix allows a ton of scoring to opposing point guards. He isn't safe by any means, but Jennings could light it up tonight.
Keep an eye on Devin Harris' status because if he doesn't play then J.J. Barea becomes a real interesting option if his minutes took an uptick.
James Harden - FD 10100 DK 10300 DFSTR 8800
This one is rather obvious. What's interesting about the matchup against the Lakers is that LA as found a way to stay in these games while also making them high-scoring. The Lakers just generate so many possessions (for them and for their opponents) that if LA can hang in the game then the opponents have the chance to go to the moon. When they played earlier in the season Harden went 32/6/1 and should be in line for another monster tonight. Generally the Lakers get shredded by shooting guards and Harden is the best one out there.
Kobe Bryant - FD 9400 DK 8800 DFSTR 7200
Amazingly, Kobe can get it done for you in cash games even at these prices. Tonight he'll be guarded by Harden (one of the worst defenders in the league) and you know he will take shot, after shot, after shots. It's really the amount of "looks" he gets on a nightly basis that make him an interesting play. It feels weird to get this much money in on him, but the floor is high as long as he chucks and chucks.
Danny Green - FD 4500 DK 4700 DFSTR 4300
Cleveland has allowed higher than league average scoring to opposing shooting guards this season and Green continues to see close to thirty minutes a night. His three needs to fall for him to really pay off, but he falls into that class of low cost starters with some upside if you catch them on the right night. (Channing Frye below is a similar dude).
Consider Gerald Henderson as a cheaper option, but I don't totally love him.
Tobias Harris - FD 7200 DK 7300 DFSTR 5800
Fun fact: the Clippers can't defend the small forward position. Like, at all. The vaunted Mike Dunleavy went for 19/7 against them the other night. And that's kind of been story of the season for LA. They are allowing a crazy 25% more scoring than league average to opposing small forwards. That's nuts and in the short season is by far the worst in the league. Harris has turned in some spectacular games already this season. He can bottom out of course, but I think with the Clippers' track record against the position and Harris' advantageous pricing you can safely put him in lineups tonight.
Trevor Ariza - FD 6200 DK 6400 DFSTR 5700
It's been a bit since I put him in the picks but this is a fantastic opportunity for Ariza. It's a fantastic value considering the opponent and the presumed pace of the game. He should be able to get open looks against the Laker D although I should mention that they do ok against the small forward position. That being said, this will be a high-scoring wide open game and that plays to Ariza's strenths. Unless a fantastic punt option emerges, I really like the idea of playing Harris and Ariza together in cash games as teach has ceilings that can cover the other in a down game.
Shawn Marion - FD 3800 DK 3600 DFSTR 3900
Just a very cheap option who gets a moderate amount of minutes, does little bits of everything and can give you the safe flexibility to get a big ticket guy in somewhere else.
Consider Josh Smith in effort for a little separation with upside in a GPP
Jared Sullinger - FD 6800 DK 7300 DFSTR 6300
He's been super consistent to start the season and has steadily paid value at these prices. This game against the Sixers figures to be high-scoring with very little defense played. Philly has allowed 20% more scoring and 23% more rebounding than league average to opposing power forwards. Sullinger sits solidly in that middle tier and I would have to suspect a great deal goes wrong for him to not at least creep toward paying this off with a great chance to really crush it.
Serge Ibaka - FD 7800 DK 7600 DFSTR 6900
The Nuggets are one of the worst teams in the NBA when it comes to defending the power forward. Ibaka doesn't light the world on fire with scoring but if there was going to be any night he did, this is the one. Denver allows almost 30% more scoring to opposing power forwards and they get blocked a TON. The blocks is where Ibaka could really it value as Denver gets swatted.
Markieff Morris - FD 6800 DK 6800 DFSTR 6200
Marcus Morris - FD 5000 DK 4500 DFSTR 4400
Detroit isn't great defensively down low as they basically get killed in every conceivable way by oppsoing 4's. I know that these guys are little hybrid-y but I think both are in great spots tonight to put up big numbers. Of course, choosing between them on a nightly basis is never easy. But considering Detroit lets up a whopping 37% more rebounding to opposing power forwards, well it seems like any big man standing in or around the basket should be in line to see an uptick in their boards.
Channing Frye - FD 5000 DK 5100 DFSTR 4600
He plays that stretch four which poses some problems for opposing defenses. What I like about Frye in from a safety perspective is that he can rebounds well while also offering some scoring upside on the nights when the three is falling. Makes a decent cash game play if some safer punts don't show up closer to lineup lock.
Strongly consider Anthony Bennett as he should see a big uptick in minutes with Thad Young out.
Gorgui Dieng - FD 4900 DK 5000 DFSTR 4200
He's back! (Hopefully) Last season Dieng lit the world on fire when Pekovic and Love were out of the lineup. This year it's been a different story as he's struggled to find his minutes. But really it shouldn't be an issue tonight. Love is gone. Pek is out. Thad Young is out. Everyone is out. Dieng is once again last man standing and there's a real chance we see some of that mini-Brow upside we saw last season. He'll be a popular cash and GPP play and for good reason. There's legit double-doubleness in his game and I don't see any real reason to get away from the guy as I think he sees his minutes regardless of the game outcome.
These next couple of guys are behind Dieng for me, but worth mentioning as there is some value there.
Jordan Hill - FD 6500 DK 6500 DFSTR 6200
Still getting enough minutes and production to come in at value at these prices. He gets a tough defensive matchup with Howard so I suppose there is a little foul trouble that could creep up, but I don't mind playing him on the upside. Again, I'll probably roll Dieng for safety but pivoting in some GPPs isn't a terrible plan.
Kelly Olynyk - FD 5600 DK 6300 DFSTR 5400
No doubt about it, he was trash the other night against the Suns. He got benched for lack of effort which is never a good sign. But if he's back in the starting lineup tonight (which would be a good sign) then I think you can still make a case for the guy. He's playing the Sixers who've been below average in defending scoring and rebounding from opposing centers. Olynyk has run a little hot from three this season, but I still like the price if he can just stay on the court.
If you want to spend here consider Dwight Howard against the Lakers
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