The crowd cheers after Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) scored during the first half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA playoff basketball series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Tuesday, May 5, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 47.86 DK - 49.98
We have a solid 11-game slate on our hands tonight after a pretty small one yesterday next to football. There are a ton of injuries we have to deal with and you'll soon realize that you'll have plenty of value to choose from. There are definitely some high-priced options worth considering and Curry is the one at PG. The Warriors played last night against the Heat and Curry only played 30 minutes. He played 36 minutes in his last B2B and has looked healthy since returning from injury. The Pelicans are a phenomenal match-up for PG's, though it's pretty useful to use their season stats as Rajon Rondo has only been back for less than a month. He's a bad defender and Curry will be able to do whatever he wants. The Pelicans don't play as fast as the Warriors, but they certainly don't mind running. Curry has stepped up his game quite a bit over the last couple weeks and I'm sure we'll see his price over $10k very soon. With so much value on the slate and PG not being as fruitful as usual, Curry could very well end up being worth it. He has a 40 FP floor with a ceiling we haven't seen yet.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 24.32 DK - 25
With Tim Hardaway Jr. out, 30+ minutes open up at guard and Jack benefits. He won't see the crazy 35+ minutes he was seeing for a stretch earlier this year, but he should see 28-32 pretty safely. He saw 28 against the Magic yesterday in the same situation and now sees a better match-up against a Pacers squad that likes to run the floor and doesn't play much defense. Darren Collison is a fine perimeter defender, but he has no help behind him and is getting older. Jack is extremely cheap and only needs to hit 20 to come through in cash games. He is perfectly fine in tournaments as well, though you may be able to do better. He won't ever see more than 35 minutes and won't kill you. All in all, Jarrett Jack is a safe cash game play that you can lean on for 20+ fantasy points. He's especially cheap on DK and can be trusted without much worry.
Opponent - WAS
Proj Pts FD - 28.4 DK - 28.7
Ricky Rubio is still sitting at a far too cheap $5.5k on both sites, so he's still firmly in play. You'd certainly like to see Rubio get 33+ minutes, but I guess you don't get that luxury with this price. He's, instead, getting 25-28 solid minutes with the upside for 32. Against a Washington Wizards squad that loves to run and doesn't have an PG. John Wall is a great defender and the same cannot be said for Tim Frazier. The Wizards have struggled against PG's since he went out and will continue to as long as Frazier is still drawing the start. Rubio is a guy that may not get big minutes, but he's packing those minutes with production. He stuffs the stat sheet in plenty of different ways and will very rarely burn you in cash games. Even if he can't hit a single shot, it's only responsible for 1/4 of his fantasy output. This game with the Wizards should be very fast-paced for a Jazz team that typically plays slow. Look for Rubio to lead the fastbreaks and turn many of them into easy baskets. He's a very safe cash game play with plenty of tournament upside if the minute restriction is ever taken away.
Opponent - NY
Proj Pts FD - 44.86 DK - 44.76
Since we do have a lot of solid value on this slate, Victor Oladipo is absolutely someone to pay attention to. He may not be the most appropriately priced guy, but he obviously has the legitimate upside to destroy the price. He's put up 68 and 73 FP in 2 of the last 5 games, for example. He now gets a very solid match-up with a Knicks team that's missing their starting SG. It'll be Damyean Dotson and Jarrett Jack at guard with Ramon Sessions and Ron Baker backing them up. There are dollars signs in the eyes of 'Dipo when he sees those names. Both of these teams play pretty fast and I assume Vegas will have this game over a 210 total. Oladpio is a lot better of a player than people think and we may be looking at a guy that is $10k before long. I'm not sure the public thinks he's much better than he has been the past few years, but he has the keys to an offense now that likes to run and doesn't have any real 3rd option behind Myles Turner, giving them as many shots as they could want. He has a floor of 40 fantasy points with a ceiling we likely haven't seen yet. He hit 73 fantasy points just a minute ago, so who knows. If you have the funds at SG, Oladpio is a great play in all formats.
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 30.71 DK - 31.43
Anthony Davis has been confirmed out tonight, though we have no idea how long he'll really be out. There are 20-25 shots to go around and DeMarcus Cousins can only take so many of them. With Davis out last game, Cousins saw 28 and Holiday 18. The next closest is Rondo at 9. Holiday is clearly the 2nd option on this offense and he now gets a match-up against a Warriors team that likes to run. On paper, they're great against SG's, but they've allowed 50+ in the last 5 games and it has a lot to do with who they have faced so far. Klay Thompson is a fine defender, but Holiday will see half of his time at PG, so there's no real telling who he matches up with. Holiday is priced extremely fair and can be played in all formats. The blowout risk is there, but I think Holiday keeps you alive, even in 3 quarters of action. If the Pelicans figure out a way to keep it competitive, it'll be in large part to Holiday. His upside is huge and while he may end up being popular, it doesn't worry me.
Opponent - CLE
Proj Pts FD - 30.82 DK - 30.8
Sorry Justin, but you'll continue to be 2nd fiddle to your brother in basketball. With Jerian Grant and Kris Dunn battling it out at PG, Justin Holiday has been chilling at the 2 with 35+ minutes a night. He's been consistent, yet still hitting his upside more often than usual. He also sees a very solid match-up with a Cavs team that is brutal against SG's. Allowing 52.5 FPPG, the only team worse is coincidentally the Bulls. Dwyane Wade used to be a good defender, but that was about 4 seasons and 10 sore knees ago. At this point, he's barely better than Kyle Korver. The Bulls rely on Holiday to keep the offense afloat and he's done a great job of playing beyond his years. Holiday should be able to lead the offense and get to his typical 25+ fantasy points pretty easily. If the Bulls are able to keep it close with LeBron, I mean the Cavs, Holiday has immense upside. Sitting under $6k on both sites, Holiday makes for a solid play in all formats. I slightly prefer Oladipo and his brother Jrue, but will have plenty of exposure.
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 33.23 DK - 33.1
We haven't touched on the 76ers just yet, but there's a lot of them in play against a Suns team that loves to run. Vegas has already dropped a 228 total on this game with the Sixers favored by 10. If this is a 10-point game with a minute left, the starters will be in there for a full allotment of minutes. Covington isn't very consistent, often putting up very bad games between 20 and 30 fantasy points. The good thing is you can usually pinpoint when that is. He's very match-up dependant and thrives in fast-paced games with open 3's and peripherals to go around. The Suns are the fastest team in the league and don't play any defense. T.J. Warren is a fine defender, but the Suns rank 21st against SF's because of the pace and lack of rim protection. As long as Covington can hit his shots, he should be able to destroy value in this game. He's safer than he is on most nights, but would still be hesitant to plug him into every single cash games. Full disclosure, I may very well do it myself. He fits my roster construction nicely and gives me exposure to a game that deserves it. With that being said, we're working with Robert Covington here, who's volatile in nature.
Opponent - BOS
Proj Pts FD - 56.13 DK - 56.72
When Giannis Antetokounmpo is on a slate and he's not facing the Jazz or Grizzlies, he's very much in play in all formats. He's ready to put up 70 fantasy points on any night and will you to 55 on most. He'll definitely cost you a pretty penny, but it may actually keep his ownership % down as there are some very solid options who are just a bit cheaper. The Bucks face off with the Celtics for the 3rd time already this season. Giannis put up FP totals of 59 and 61 in the first 2 games and will look to make it a 3rd great showing tonight. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum saw time on him for most of the games and neither had much success. They aren't bad defenders per say, but there's no rim protection behind them. Giannis is able to do whatever he wants in the paint and it opens up a ton of passing lanes. You'll have to pay, but a 50 FP floor with an 80 point ceiling shouldn't come cheap. The Celtics are a phenomenal team and the Bucks will surely keep this close. On DraftKings, Giannis is a lot cheaper and should be very popular.
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 21.56 DK - 21.75
Anthony Davis is out for the foreseeable future and it looks like it may be Darius Miller that benefits most minutes-wise. He saw 33 minutes against the Blazers last game and put up 19 fantasy points. He now sees a match-up against a Warriors team that plays extremely fast. The Warriors obviously offer plenty of tough match-ups, but Darius Miller will certainly be the least of their concerns. He'll be left with the worst possible defender and have plenty of open 3's available in the corner. He doesn't do much when on the court, but he doesn't really have to at under $4k. He only needs you around 20 fantasy points, which shouldn't be a problem in 30+ minutes of a game with a 220+ total. He does have a tad bit of upside from the 3-point line if he gets hot, but he probably won't see over 35 fantasy points in any scenario. If you don't like Covington or Simmons, pay down for Miller and use him to get a superstar elsewhere. He won't be the reason you fall short.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 28.66 DK - 29.42
With Kristaps Porzingis ruled out, 2 big men for the Knicks jump into relevancy. You then have Tim Hardaway Jr. out and they both jump into fantastic spots. They won't get any extra minutes for THJ, but he would have no problem taking most of Porzingis' shots. They will now be spread out amongst a ton of different guys that are underpriced. One of them being Michael Beasley.He put up 27 fantasy points in 24 minutes last night and now sees a much better spot. Not only do the Pacers play fast, but they rank dead last against PF's with 51.5 FPPG allowed. Tad Young is a pitiful defender at this point and Beasley should be able to give him fits from the inside and outside. He's never neccesarily "safe", but he certainly is on Dk at $3500. Even in a worst case scenario, he's likely hitting value there. This is a guy that's extremely involved when on the floor and has the upside for 50 FP. It seems crazy, but he can take over a game and shoot 25 times. It just happens.
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 55.34 DK - 55.28
As a rookie, Ben Simmons is a bonified superstar. He's putting up numbers that most guy need 5-10 years of experience for. We see plenty of rookies score as much as he does, but his actual skill in so many different aspects is puzzling. It's like watching a mini LeBron James that's a tad smarter for his age. He knows exactly when to shoot and when/who to get others involved. Tonight, he gives the Suns a terrible mismatch. T.J. Warren is the only legitimate defender they have with size, but I don't think he would do very well and it would open up holes elsewhere (Covington). That may force the Suns to put Josh Jackson and Chriss on Simmons, which is laughable. This Suns defense overall is laughable, but a point forward is the last thing they want to see. Especially one that's ready to put up a triple-double on any night. There are plenty of ways to pay up and plenty of ways to pay down, so a guy like Simmons shouldn't be any higher than 25% at power forward. He's expensive, but a 40 point floor at his price won't kill you. He'll hit 50 here on most nights with the upside for much more. He's not a must, but one of the pricier options I have most exposure to.
Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 41.19 DK - 40.58
If you don't want to pay all the way up at PF but have some extra funds to spend, Draymond Green is a great option. He's not the flashiest guy out there and likely won't see more than 25% ownership, but he's in a very nice spot. With Anthony Davis out, The Pelicans don't have any PF they trust. Darius Miller and Dante Cunninghman will see time there, as will DeMarcus Cousins, but Draymond is a mismatch for them all in one way or another. He only ended up playing 32 minutes last night against the Heat, so he should be ready to give it a full go. His price is fair around $8k, needing you in the mid-40's for cash games. I personally prefer Simmons and will do what's necessary to get there, but settling for Draymond could very easily pay off in any format. You'll catch him on about 25% of my teams, hopefully putting me just over the public exposure.
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 61.49 DK - 64.07
You should know at this point that we'll be targeting DeMarcus Cousins for as long as Anthony Davis is out. His price will likely rise to just above $12k, where a real discussion could take place as tt if it's worth it. At $11k against the Warriors, I'll take it every day of the week. While the possibility of the Warriors just completely blowing this game out of the water is there, but I don't think Cousins has a bad game either way. Even in a blowout he will get 30 minutes and put up 45-50 fantasy points. They have nobody else to shoot and we saw last game that he has no urge to pass to any of them. If this game is able to stay remotely close, Cousins will play 35+ minutes with a floor of 65. His upside is in the 80's if it stays close and I don't think that's crazy in the slightest. This is a guy who can pu tup 40 real-life points on any given night and the peripherals will naturally follow. The Warriors are a team that incites a lot of volatility in their opponents, so it'll be interesting to see how this turns out. If it wasn't for the next guy we're looking at, I'd have 100% Cousins.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 41.6 DK - 43.72
With Porzingis out, Enes Kanter is making the most of every single minute on the floor. He's not the most durable guy, so he has trouble doing this over the long-term, but is able to for a few games with injuries on the board. He's still not seeing huge minutes, but has put up 40 and 42 FP in the last 2 games. He's getting the ball on almost every possession and is a very good decision maker. Against a Pacers squad who can't guard the paint, you can count him for another double-double before he gets off the bus. The upside is huge if he gets 35 minutes and he can be played in all formats. Myles Turner is a pitiful defender who can't guard his man nor any other on the way to the rim. He's a big reason the Pacers are bottom 10 against almost every position. Kanter is a safe cash game play with 40+ FP upside. It'll be tough to fade Cousins, but if you need to, this is the way to do it. I like Kanter a lot more than paying down for Plumlee, FWIW. This is a very interesting slate and make sure to comment if you have any questions. Thanks for the read and good luck tonight!
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View Comments
Chatroom issues? What is going on?
So is DeMarcus Cousins out or are you recommending him? In the Draymond Green write up you say Cousins is out, but then in the very next write up you recommend him.
Lol, I meant Anthony Davis. Said it 40 times in the article and accidentally switched his name with Cousins name one time. Sorry about that.
john no chatroom issues, gotta be a member now to chime in on the convo.
Total wimp move to delete my post. Guess you are too weak for criticism. At least you know when you be bested.
Rubio didn't come close to value tonight as I predicted in my post earlier if it wasn't deleted. I know it hurts to be wrong but don't worry the Brow will be back soon for you to recommend everyday. Out 13% so far not 1% clown.
You've made 37 hate comments under 7 different names. I'm very happy with criticism, but when you come here just to spread negativity I will delete it. If I make a mistake, please do point it out and I will fix it. As for AD, the 1% I was referring to was the past, not the future. If you want to take the stance of never playing one of the 5 best players in the league, fine.