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Basketball Picks Daily Fantasy Expert Advice

11/29/2017
Austyn Varney

Daily Fantasy NBA Basketball Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings - 11/29/17

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Point guard

Tyus JonesTyus Jones FD - $5300 DK - $4500
Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 24.48 DK - 23.74
Michael Carter-WilliamsMichael Carter-Williams FD - $5200 DK - $4200
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 11.54 DK - 11.11

Both of these guys are contingent on the starters sitting out, who are currently ruled questionable. As for Tyus Jones, Jeff Teague sat out last night and it's rare to see a guy come back on the back-end of a B2B. Jones should grab another start here and play "Tom Thibodeau minutes" which equates to 36-40. He had another solid game last year and has been over 30 FP in 3 straight. He is simply a very good point guard that is going to get a big contract if he stays healthy. I would not at all be surprised if Teague gets shipped away for some size. At his price, he's close to a must against a Pelicans squad that is far from scary against PG's. As for MCW, he's dependant on the status of Kemba Walker. The Raptors are very average against point guards and MCW could very well use his length to advantage against Lowry. His price is very close to Jones and if Kemba is out, makes for a very strong pivot in tournaments. I'm also not at all against the fact of playing both of these guys. There are plenty of other ways to pay up on this slate and PG has by far the best value.

Russell WestbrookRussell Westbrook FD - $11000 DK - $11200
Opponent - ORL
Proj Pts FD - 53.85 DK - 57.07

If you're looking to pay up at point guard, you most definitely can. Russell Westbrook has picked it up recently and has put up over 60 fantasy points in 3 of the last 4. He now sees a match-up against a Magic team that doesn't play much defense. Against point guards, they rank 6th worst in the league, allowing 46.5 FPPG. Elfrid Payton isn't a bad defender on the perimeter, but he has no help behind him and is a lot smaller than most point guards. Westbrook certainly fits the mold as one of the larger point guards in the league and he should give Payton nightmares. You can count on another 38 minutes of terror out of Westbrook filled with fantasy goodness. because of his price, he's more than likely not going to hurt you if you fade him. However, he should be a little less popular than the other expensive plays as there are more value options at PG. If you're able to pay up, Westbrook makes for an elite play in all formats. It just comes down to your roster build.

Reggie JacksonReggie Jackson FD - $5800 DK - $5900
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 29.32 DK - 30.42

Let's move to the mid-range for a guy that hasn't gotten much attention this season. Reggie Jackson has been very consistent, but he just isn't getting the 32+ minutes you would like out of a PG. You can basically pencil in 28 minutes and 12-15 shots every single night. At $5.5k against the Suns, it should be more than enough. He also still does have upside, as he is the PG in the game down the stretch and in overtime. He can play big minutes need be. We know this match-up with the Suns is elite as we target a PG against them what seems like every game. On the season, they rank 4th worst and are only trending downward. R-Jax is a very safe cash game play with a little bit of tournament upside. There are a lot of different ways to go at PG and I'm not sure many of them are wrong. Ownership should be rather spread out (outside of Tyus Jones).

Shaun Livingston, T.J. McConnell, and Andrew Harrison are all interesting if the injury news breaks their way

Shooting Guard

Klay ThompsonKlay Thompson FD - $7200 DK - $7400
Opponent - LAL
Proj Pts FD - 35.94 DK - 37.48
Patrick McCawPatrick McCaw FD - $4100 DK - $3600
Opponent - LAL
Proj Pts FD - 16.38 DK - 16.12

We have a pretty messy situation once again with the Warriors. KD and Curry are both in question once again and dictate a lot of what happens on this slate. Klay Thompson is in play either way here, but both of these guys are impacted heavily by Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. There isn't a whole lot of value at SG, so I added McCaw here in case both Curry and Durant are out. He saw 33 minutes against the Kings and would be a perfectly fine play if he draws another start. Thompson has been over 35 FP in each game Durant has sat and is an even better play if Curry is out too. If both Curry and KD play, Thompson becomes a GPP-only play. If both are out, he's a cash game staple. The Lakers defense is something you can ignore, as KCP is the only guy worth anything and it's not easy to play team defense against the Warriors with 1 good defender. This situation is fluid and we'll have to pay attention all day long.Depending on how the cookie crumbles, we could be looking at one of the safest plays of the night.

Bradley BealBradley Beal FD - $8300 DK - $8100
Opponent - PHI
Proj Pts FD - 43.71 DK - 45.54

Last night was a huge disappointment for the  Wizards in DFS. Even in a game that was able to stay close down to the wire, everyone just stunk. Brad Beal included. He put up just 21 fantasy points, going 2 for 9 from the field. It was one of his worst games of the past year and he'll look to bounce back tonight in a very friendly match-up. The 76'ers rank dead last in basketball against SG's with 53.1 FPPG. Both J.J. Redick and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrotare horrible on defense and Beal will have no problem getting open. you can guarantee 15+  shots tonight and a different level of assertiveness on offense. He was completely off his game last night and just never able to get it going. With point guard responsibilities and an extra few minutes on the court, Beal is in a phenomenal spot. Let's hope last night keeps the crowd off of him.

James HardenJames Harden FD - $12200 DK - $11600
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 51.33 DK - 53.63

Russell Westbrook and James Harden are both extremely interesting options right around the same price. Shooting guard has just a little less opportunity cost, so I expect Harden to be a little more popular. He has a phenomenal match-up against the Pacers and it could get even better. Victor Oladpio is their only true perimeter guy and he's questionable to play. I don't think he'll play as he went through last game and was obviously not 100%. This early in the season, there's no reason to stretch yourself and get more injured.  Even if 'Dipo does play, we know Harden is match-up proof and can put up 40 real-life points against any team. The Pacers play faster than the Rockets and it's why Vegas has this game as the highest over/under (224). It should remain close enough and 35+ minutes against this team with James Harden should be lucrative. His floor is around 50 with a ceiling we don't of. I slightly prefer Harden over Westbrook and will likely have more ownership to him, but it's very close. Nobody will be surprised if either hits 70 FP.

Small forward

Harrison BarnesHarrison Barnes FD - $6500 DK - $6100
Opponent - BKN
Proj Pts FD - 34.01 DK - 34.8

It's not hard to fall in love with the consistency Harrison Barnes brings to the table. you can on 30 FP in every solid match-up and 35+ in elite ones. This match-up with the Nets is certainly an elite and I think everyone knows that. Against SF's, the Nets have ranked 6th worst in the league with 47 FPPG allowed. They play at the fastest PACE (109) in basketball and Harrison Barnes is more than happy to run the floor. Joe Harris and Caris LeVert are inept defenders that have nowhere near the skill seet to shut down Barnes. The Mavs typically play very slow, so the pace bump helps out a lot in tournaments. He remains the same cash game gem as always, but now has a 50 FP ceiling against Brooklyn. Small forward isn't great and he fits into this slate extremely well.

Jonathon SimmonsJonathon Simmons FD - $4600 DK - $4500
Opponent - OKC
Proj Pts FD - 24.91 DK - 25.24
Evan FournierEvan Fournier FD - $5200 DK - $5600
Opponent - OKC
Proj Pts FD - 28.18 DK - 29.06

Both of these guys are pretty easy to like. They don't flash much, but they get the job done at a solid price in the middle of a crappy position. Both Simmons and Fournier are getting over 30 minutes every game and they have been producing. Fournier has struggled to a degree, but he's always a streaky guy that can put up 40 fantasy points easily out of nowhere. Simmons is a little more consistent and it's easy to find out why when he plays. He's an assertive ballhandler who's extremely skilled in getting to the rim and making "stuff" happen. Against a Thunder squad that can score with the best of 'em, both of these guys will be needed for a scoring punch. I actually don't hate playing both of them if you have some exposure to the Thunder side. I like Harrison Barnes more than both, but he's more expensive and small forward might not be a spot you want to adjust anywhere else for. These 2 guys make a lot of sense as mid-range options that are almost guaranteed to keep you alive in cash games.

Omri Casspi is in play if Kevin Durant is ruled out
 

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Power forward

Anthony DavisAnthony Davis FD - $10800 DK - $10800
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 55.28 DK - 55.3

Anthony Davis is considerably cheaper than both Russell Westbrook and James Harden, which simply should not be the case. He is equivalent to them in a DFS sense and I think he is certainly under-priced here. I know he's a useless bum who always gets injured, but he's also pretty good at basketball. Averaging exactly 50 FPPG and typically seeing 35+ minutes, Davis isn't a guy you can just fade. His upside is as high as anyone and this match-up with the Timberwolves is excellent. Minnesota played a tough game just last night with the Wizards, so they'll be fatigued as can be. Both KAT and Gibson played 40 minutes last night, so to expect them to take the floor again here and cover these 2 monsters is not very smart. I assume Gorgui Dieng will get a lot of time on AD, but that's just even better. Davis is my favorite superstar on the slate and a guy I plan on having 100% of. This game will stay close and the T-Wolves have a huge mismatch on their hands.

Tobias HarrisTobias Harris FD - $6700 DK - $6500
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 34.89 DK - 35.53

We touched on Reggie Jackson earlier, but this is a game we've avoided for the most part. There are some interesting pieces, but the Pistons tend to weigh down a lot of the games they play. They play at a slower pace than most and don't stress on rotations too much. Tobias Harris is the one guy with concrete minutes. He will see 34 of them and get at least 30 fantasy points. He's the most consistent option on this offense and one that Stan Van Gundy runs a ton of plays for. It's not hard to figure out why. When Harris is shooting well, it draws attention to him and pulls the 4 away from Andre Drummond, leaving him in a 1-in-1 match-up down low. That runs into offensive rebounds and free points. The effectiveness of Harris is pivotal for this offense and he should have no issue getting things going against a Suns team we know loves to run. Tobia Harris is a safe 30 fantasy points with the real upside for 50. His price is fair and I doubt he sees more than 20% ownership.

Larry Nance Jr.Larry Nance Jr. FD - $4900 DK - $5400
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 27.74 DK - 26.63

If you're looking for some value at PF, Larry Nance Jr. is a very solid option. I was expecting him to pay around 22-25 minutes in his first game back, but he went right to 29. Even if he gets 29 minutes, that's perfectly fine at this price. If he sees any bump at all, you're getting a monstrous discount. The match-up with the Warriors is always a little bit volatile, but I'd assume he's able to run with them much better than the other big men on the Lakers. Most Certainly Brook Lopez. Nance should get another 28+ minutes against a team that like sot run and doesn't mind giving up some fastbreak points. The game may also stay uber-competitive if KD and Curry miss, so keep an eye on that for the Lakers guys as well. Nance might not have 45 or 50 FP upside right now, but he's safe in cash games and could hit 35 without much trouble.

Center

Karl-Anthony TownsKarl-Anthony Towns FD - $9500 DK - $8700
Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 49.9 DK - 51.71

I know Karl-Anthony Towns played 39 minutes last night. In most coaches brains, he would get rest tonight or see much fewer minutes. Tom Thibodeau is not normal and we know him too well by now to assume otherwise. Towns will very likely get another 35-40 minutes against a Pelicans frontcourt that can struggle on defense. Both AD and Cousins are talented defenders, but if you watch the games, they would just rather outscore you than put 100% of effort into stopping you. I expect both AD and Cousins to cover Towns, especially because he and AD have some serious beef going back to college. Towns typically performs against him and they have a personal rivalry that is actually bigger than talked about. Center is going to be tough tonight, but Towns is a lot cheaper than Cousins and has a similar floor in the match-up.

DeMarcus CousinsDeMarcus Cousins FD - $10900 DK - $11000
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 58.27 DK - 60.48

You probably won't play both AD and Cousins for upside sake, but they are both in play. Cousins is the same price as AD and has arguably been better. He doesn't hit the werd 80 FP games as often as AD, but he's around that 50 number every single night, if not over 60. He's as conssitent as can be from a big man and it's not neccesarily refelcted in the price. Of course he's expensive, but we touched on 2 guys earlier in James Harden and Russell Westbrook that are a full $1K more expensive. They ould very well score more, but all 4 of them have an identical floor around 45-50. Cousins is match-up proof and sees a great one tonight against Karl-Anthony Towns and absolutely nobody else. Towns is not going to be in the mood to be pounded on by Cousins and I assume it could get ugly. With 100% ownership to AD, I'll have to figure out how to incorportate Cousins. In some tournaments, I'm rolling both of them with Tyus Jones and Andrew Wiggins. It's an interesting game stack that could pay dividends if this stays close. Both teams are willing to play the starters big minutes and neither have defenses to worry about. Not yet at least.

Steven AdamsSteven Adams FD - $5600 DK - $5500
Opponent - ORL
Proj Pts FD - 29.08 DK - 28.29

I could have gone Embiid here or even Drummond, but let's look at someone a little cheaper. Steven Adams is a very consistent center. Outside of weird games like last, he is typically sitting right around that 30 FP mark with a double/double. He returned from injury just t games ago and has been over 34 minutes in 3 of them. He's obviously healthy and much needed for a defense that struggles in the paint without him. This Magic has a guy in Nikola Vucevic that can cause fits. Adams will be out there as long as he is and Vucevic is only an offensive player. Orlando ranks 6th worst against centers on the season and allows the 2nd most rebounds. Adams is a great guy to pair with Westbrook and Fournier or Simmons to make a mini game-stack of this one. Adams is also a fine 1-off play for $5.5k to likely grab 25-30. In cash games, he's not going to be the guy you blame. He also probably won't be the reason you win, so you'll need to find that elsewhere, because you may be behind the 8-ball if Towns or Cousins go nuts. This is a pretty interesting slate and it'll be interesting to see how ownership ends up. Good luck to you all and be sure to comment below if you have any questions or need any personal help with this slate! Thanks!

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image sources

  • Rodney Hood, Anthony Davis: (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

3 Visitor Comments

  1. Wonder what chances are of AD or Cousins fouling out early?

    • Don’t think it’s any higher tonight than any other. Doubt Towns is going to be looking for contact after 40 minutes last night.

  2. Towns is gunna be stoned. medicinally tho

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