Daily Fantasy NBA Basketball Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings and Draftster 1/26/15

The NBA is in full swing and you’re here to get the best value plays in the industry. Enjoy!

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Point Guards

Langston Galloway - FD 4800 DK 4300 DFSTR 4800
Langsanity cooled off just a tad last game against the Magic. But just a tad. He still saw 32 minutes and his price hasn’t come close to catching up with his opportunity. It doesn’t look like Calderon will be back for this one, though to be honest, I’d probably play Galloway even if Jose was around. It’s really just the difference of him playing the one or the two. He is seeing big minutes at very cheap prices. He’s putting up double digit shots per game whether Melo is there or not (a good sign) and should see plenty of run in this one. Update: The Knicks/Kings game has been postponed

Mo Williams - FD 5800 DK 6000 DFSTR 5500
After a three game stretch of just horrible shooting, Mo got off the schnide last night against the Hawks with a 20/7/6 line that more than paid the day. He’s a solid option tonight again against the Thunder though there is of course some blowout risk. If the game even stays a semblance of close, Mo is locked into big minutes at the point. His price is still low thanks to that shooting rough patch and I think you can rather safely buy him here.

Dante Exum - FD 3700 DK 3500 DFSTR 3000
Still coming in at close to the minimums for a dude running the point for the Jazz. He’s seen a nice minutes increase thanks to the new starting gig and the Jazz have been running sets with both he and Burke on the court at the same time. Exum has been steadily paying these prices since his promotion and with the amount of run he’s getting I’d say he’s a safer cash game play. The pace of play in Boston makes it even more enticing as he should see a volume increase. I think he’s a bit safer than Williams relative to price, though probably doesn’t have the same upside.

Russell Westbrook - FD 10700 DK 10300 DFSTR 8000
If you want to spend up here tonight, Russell is the way to go. He has 50 FP (FD scoring) upside just about every single game and Minesota ranks dead last in team defensive efficiency so far this season. There is other value at this position of course tonight, but Westbook is a super solid play.

 

Shooting Guards

Tyreke Evans - FD 7500 DK 8200 DFSTR 6900
Put it this way: I’d consider playing him at point guard at these same prices. Yet instead we are getting him at a position where consistent value is tough to come by. That, to me, makes him nearly a no-brainer almost independent of matchup. But then we factor in the matchup against Philly and well you have to figure he’ll be a solid cash game start. It should be said that the Sixers have been decent in keeping opposing point guards from scoring though they more that make it up in allowing tons of assists and rebounds to the position. I’m all over Reke today.

Eric Gordon - FD 5500 DK 5700 DFSTR 4700
Another day where pairing these guys together seems like a solid move and is something I’m sure you’ll see quite a bit of. The Sixers are just abysmal against shooting guards and have allowed approximately 15% more scoring than league average to the position. The great thing about Gordon is just how many minutes he (and really all the core Pelicans) logs. They have such a thin bench that they need all hands on deck just about every game.

Wesley Matthews - FD 6000 DK 6100 DFSTR 5100
Matthews falls very much in the same category as Gordon for me. He plays in the mid-30’s in minutes every single night and finds ways to get his points. The Nets have struggled all season long with opposing shooting guards and I can see a scenario in which I pivot a little off Gordon for the same price point.  Update: The Trail Blazers/Nets game has been postponed

Consider Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick for cheap against Denver

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Small Forwards

Kevin Durant - FD 10600 DK 10700 DFSTR 9200
I have a feeling this is the last time for a bit that you’ll see Durant’s price under 11K on both DK and FD. On Draftster, considering their pricing model never tops 10K, he’s nearly a must start. In cash games it’s tough to go wrong here unless you think OKC dusts Minny an Durant doesn’t play the fourth. But even with that as a consideration it’s tough to get away from Durant simply because the rest of the position is mostly hot, unreliable garbage. Durant gets a great matchup against the Timberwolves who’ll have trouble sticking with him (as most teams do). There are other big money plays worth a look today for sure, but no other position has as little total value as small forward.

Wilson Chandler - FD 5500 DK 5600 DFSTR 4800
See what I mean? He is often a system guy for us, but much of that is born on his high and low swings of production. It can be tough to stomach him in cash games for sure as he can pull some disappearing acts on you. But when he has it clicking he can crush. He’s had a rough go of it from three over the last month or so. NBA players are nothing if not consistent over the long term so there’s reason to suspect some of that will regress. I like his price and the minutes.

Robert Covington - FD 5500 DK 5100 DFSTR 5100
He’s somewhat all or nothing. If he’s firing from three and hitting, you will see games like the one he put up against the Raptors and Knicks. When the Sixers aren’t getting railed he will see in the mid thirties for his minutes and contributes in enough other ways that the floor is relatively higher all things considered.

Consider Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gay at slightly higher price points. They both have decent matchups, Hayward especially.

 

Power Forwards

Anthony Davis - FD 11000 DK 11000 DFSTR 8500
I don’t like recommending all of the most expensive options on a given slate because I do think it’s a bit hedg-y when trying to discern value and give people the top end picks. The problem tonight is that all of the big money guys are also locked into matchups with terrible defensive teams. So it’s going to get a little weird out there. Basically what you’ll need to do is decide where you can lock in solid value on the cheap the best, and move from there. I think there are a couple of solid low cost power forwards, but man does Brow look enticing. Philly still plays up tempo and has been below average against power forwards. He could put up a monster game if they can keep it close.

Jason Smith - FD 4200 DK 3900 DFSTR 3600
He burned some folks the other night in what turned out to be a terrible game (To watch. I know, because I watched it) and he was crushed by the super slow pace of the game and a rough shooting night. But what hasn’t changed is his opportunity. The Knicks are really short on big men and Smith is seeing all of the minutes he can handle. He isn’t particularly good, but we don’t really care so much about that. He plays off the ball well enough to chip in some assists and rebounds to go with moderate scoring. He doesn’t need to do much at these prices and allows you to get multiple big money guys into your lineups.  Update: The Knicks/Kings game has been postponed

Brandon Bass - FD 4800 DK 4400 DFSTR 4200
He is still a value play but it’s worth mentioning that he does take a little hit if he’s playing the five against Utah. The Jazz are bad against power forwards but quite solid against centers. He’s still priced so low that it only really takes him from insane value to just solid value. But it is worth mentioning. He and Smith are the case for getting a little away from Davis on this slate.

Derrick Favors - FD 7400 DK 7400 DFSTR 6700
Offers some nice mid range salary expectation considering he’s facing a team in the Celtics that have been generally disinterested in guarding the opposing four. They are allowing about 7% more scoring than league average to the position. Favors has been stuck in some less than optimal matchups lately keeping his price in check. These are the times to buy the dude. Great matchup and when he gets that he tends to see his full run of minutes.

Strongly consider Blake Griffin

 

Center

DeMarcus Cousins - FD 11100 DK 10900 DFSTR 9300
I know, I know. You’re saying to yourself, “Nice job Doug, you picked all the biggest price tag guys. How hard could it really be to write these picks?” But again, there are solid reasons to get huge money in on Boogie tonight. The Knicks have some size issues. The other night Vucevic went 34/18 and made it look pretty easy. Boogie is better. New York will have almost no answer for him and the Kings would be mental to not just force feed him the ball every time down the court. I mean Louis Amundson? Come on. The main reason though to get Boogie in there is that the rest of the position is razor thin and full of question marks.  Update: The Knicks/Kings game has been postponed

Enes Kanter - FD 6000 DK 6500 DFSTR 5700
See what I mean? He gets a bump because the Celtics are so freaking bad against opposing centers and have almost no size down low. But his usage rates really take a dip when everyone is around so that hurts him. The price is enticing but he’s been known to disappear or have his minutes shaved. System likes him, but there are question marks for sure.

Chris Kaman - FD 4700 DK 4500 DFSTR 6100
If only he would play adequate minutes. That’s the only thing keeping him out of cash game territory for me because our system loves him on a per minute basis. Update: The Trail Blazers/Nets game has been postponed

Consider Marc Gasol

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